A part of Lucius wanted to scream, worried that he would fall forever in that place, but instead, he stopped, breathed deeply, and felt every fibre of his being strong and calm, his own heartbeat like a gentle, reverberating string upon a lyre.
Lucius… a voice said.
The sound startled him, but he somehow recognized it.
The stars began to fade and the walls closed in. He felt the hard ground beneath his back, and slowly Lucius opened his eyes. As he did, he gasped, his hand scanning the ground for the gladius he realized he had dropped.
You are among friends, Lucius, the voice said again. You are among brothers and sisters…
The chamber was filled with a pale, pure light, and Lucius found himself surrounded by warriors, men and women, each of them of a different place and time, but each
