Go read chapters 1 and 2 here: The Tale of Nero Chapters One & Two (Combined)
Chapter 3 is out! Nero explores the jungle near Camp Gladius and discovers something strange and powerful. Things are starting to heat up. Hope you enjoy:
The Tale of Nero Chapter 3: Accursed Light
We had to leave soon. Rubica was too dangerous. We took one last look around. The Rubican militia would return someday to help the remaining citizens and reclaim the region. For now, we boarded a brigantine and set sail back to Camp Gladius.
The militia was deep in discussion about how to defeat Tiberia. The idea seemed impossible. Winterviel was one of the strongest kingdoms in the War Seas, ruling vast swathes of the Gelid and Nimbus Seas. Their navy was unmatched, and they wielded a strange, fearsome magic known as a curse.
“If we bombard Tiberia, they’ll retreat—but this time, they’ll destroy Rubica and Rasna for good,” Olivar said when someone suggested an offensive. His voice was strained, almost desperate. “We should be discussing where to bring the citizens instead!”
“Our spy boats reported that Rasna is completely untouched,” Zaix offered. “Shouldn’t we bring the people there?”
Olivar shook his head. “It could be a trap. If we move the citizens to Rasna, Winterviel might bombard it the moment they arrive. But we can’t cram hundreds of people into this camp either.”
Dilemma after dilemma. My brain throbbed from the endless debates. It was too much.
I slipped out of the main tent, where the militia leaders huddled, and stepped into the jungle. The thick foliage felt oppressive, yet oddly calming. I knew it could be dangerous, but I didn’t care. Maybe I needed danger. Maybe I was looking for answers.
My parents were gone. My friends were rotting corpses. What did I have left?
I pushed deeper into the jungle, the towering trees growing denser with each step. Giant snakes slithered across the forest floor, their glossy scales glinting faintly in the dim light. Vibrant butterflies flitted through the air, their delicate wings a stark contrast to the gloom. The deeper I went, the darker it grew, the canopy above swallowing the sunlight.
I came upon a shallow pond and froze. Looming over the water was a strange statue—a tall figure holding a spiked bident. Its surface was weathered, and runes spiraled along its stone limbs, faintly glowing. I reached out to touch the carvings, but my hand hesitated. Something about it felt alive, watching.
Shaking off the unease, I moved on. The jungle began to thin, the dense trees giving way to open spaces. The air was heavy, and the shadows seemed to deepen. Suddenly, my foot slipped.
I tumbled onto a ledge, slick with moss and damp stone. Gasping, I scrambled to my knees and looked around. Above me, the small hole where I had fallen offered a sliver of light. Below, a vast, crumbling hall stretched into the darkness.
The ledge trembled under my weight, cracks spidering out across the stone. My breath caught. The hall was ancient, its walls carved with symbols I couldn’t begin to understand. Dust and debris hung heavy in the still air, as if the place had been untouched for centuries.
At its center was something impossible—a glowing cube, floating a few feet above the floor. It radiated a brilliant teal light, tendrils of black aura swirling around it like living shadows.
My heart raced as I edged closer to the crumbling ledge. The cube seemed to pulse, each thrum sending a faint vibration through the hall, as though it were alive.
My foot slipped again. I fell.
Time slowed. The ledge shattered above me, chunks of stone tumbling into the void. I braced for impact, for pain, for death. But instead, something caught me.
I was floating.
The cube had vanished, its light now enveloping me. My body was weightless, suspended in the air, as if the very energy of the hall had claimed me. A deep hum echoed in my ears, resonating through my chest. The black aura coiled around me, cold and electric. To be continued…