Italia

2,595 years since initial death
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The simple, peaceful life Markus always dreamed of became a reality.

Thousands had to die in Greece until the conflicts ended with a Spartan victory. But now in Latin Italia, he couldn't be more thankful to be away from it all. It was his new home after Sparta. No wars to fight, no blood to spill, no curses to plague his mind. It seemed impossible, but his life had finally settled once he found his new home in the city of Pompeii.

Occasional earthquakes occurred here, but they were nothing catastrophic to haunt the city's inhabitants. Even after every disaster that struck the city, it remained in pristine condition. It became an unbreakable city, an immortal land that many believed would strive for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

Most importantly to Markus, it provided him with a close community that arose with opportunities in the form of love. He still remembered his vow to Ada, and how many times he came close to shattering it in Greece. If Ada's spirit followed him everywhere, would she frown if he weds a woman?

But he forced himself to understand that Ada would not want him to suffer in solitary. He had to keep living not just for himself, but for her and Aisha. That meant finding a new hand to help guide him in this ever-changing world.

When he stumbled upon a young woman in the Roman market, he felt his heart ache again. This time, he would not ignore it.

Camilla Porcia was a wealthy figure that arrived from Rome with her father. Apart from her delicate appearance and charming personality, her long ginger hair was well kept and draped over her left shoulder. This was the selling point for him, as hairstyles for women of this time held great significance in determining their class, style and wealth.

For nearly five years, she stayed in the city even after her father's passing. Society had wanted Roman women to marry and bear children, but Camilla refused to accept this. As a woman, she wasn't entitled to an opinion. Whether she wanted to marry or not, she never had a choice in the matter. Because of this, she often found herself the main target for harassment and abuse.

Needless to say, everyone that ever wronged her mysteriously disappeared shortly after. Only a few ever returned, stripped of their clothes and were left with shattered teeth and broken bones. Additionally, damage sustained to their privates indicated they had lost all fertility, rendering them entirely useless to Roman society. Camilla never knew who was responsible for this, or why anyone would choose to defend a woman such as herself.

She had a protector, a guardian angel. Or rather, a guardian devil. There was nothing angelic in Markus' actions, his wrath had disregarded the word 'mercy'. He made his presence known on several occasions, often showing Camilla his pure kindness. He never forced anything onto her and rather gave her time to slowly build trust between them while secretly castrating the competition. When he believed she developed feelings for him, he would finally confess his love.

His work paid off when Camilla accepted him. He felt proud to know that he restored the hope she had lost.

They traveled to Rome in 77 AD for their marriage, only to return to Pompeii where they bought a new average-sized home to live in. It was located in the Eastern district of the city, surrounded by countless other homes but still offered decent space and a lovely view outside.

Everyday they would visit the market, speak with the locals, watch the scenery and enjoy their time together. But it wasn't always like this. Pompeii had expanded throughout this time, offering more activities to partake in. Plays were held in theaters and musicians brightened the atmosphere with their music. Purchasing his own lute, Markus learned how to play just to satisfy Camilla. Sitting atop of carpets in their balcony while he played the lute seemed to be the perfect life for them both.

By this time, Markus had changed his last name, Athánatos, into Septimius. It was the ideal name that reminded him of his previous surname, Seti. He could never forget the most important moments of his life that have shaped him to be the man he is today.

Camilla helped ease any pain he felt. Even before their marriage, she always made him feel loved and appreciated. She even taught him how to speak Latin, as he still spoke in Mycenaean Greek upon his arrival in Pompeii.

While Pompeii wasn't exactly a paradise compared to Rome, it still filled the void left inside of Markus. The views of the distant horizon never got old. However the volcano, Mount Vesuvius, looked menacing overhead. But it became a beautiful sight to behold each day. The Temple of Jupiter was a great place to visit on occasion, although an earthquake in 62 AD completely demolished it.

But this wasn't enough for neither Markus nor Camilla. Although they loved each other, something was still missing from their lives. That was until Camilla announced her pregnancy that their lives changed for the better. Markus didn't know how to feel about a baby. It was an exciting but delicate topic for him considering he still felt awful every time he remembered Aisha.

Finally, their baby was born. It was a boy. Naming him Felix, their family was complete. Markus got over his emotions once he laid eyes on him. This was his chance to start anew. He cannot allow his past to haunt him any longer. Instead, he learned to move on and embrace his present life.

Camilla and Felix were all that mattered to him. He wouldn't allow anyone to take them away from him. However, something still felt wrong. Markus knew what it was but never wanted to admit it. It was the future that terrified him and gave him anxiety.

He's happy he can continue to live and witness his son's growth into adulthood. To see his family grow closer, and the opportunities that will be granted for them. But what will happen beyond that point? When Camilla's hair turns grey and his son grows old enough to marry and have a child of his own. It was another reason why he was so hesitant about starting a new family.

He forced himself to get over it and enjoy whatever time he had with them. There was no other option.

To make a living, Markus had secured a job in supply trading. He would head to the docks to load cargo aboard ships, trade, and occasionally deliver the cargo himself to nearby marinas. His earnings were relatively fair, but not enough for a responsible married man. However, much like his time in Athens and Sparta, he was able to keep his finances in order and secure a decent life.

Camilla, a jeweler, was able to successfully expand the profession that she inherited from her family in the heart of the city and gain a decent profit. With their combined income, they were able to enjoy a decent life in this city. They even made future plans to live in Rome permanently.

Until that time came, Pompeii was the ideal and comfortable city to live in. As they watched the world from their balcony, they had everything they could have asked for at the time. There, Markus laid an arm over her shoulder and stared out onto the city.

"Have you ever been to Hellas?" Markus asked curiously, as the distant horizon reminded him of his time in Greece. Of course, he's never told Camilla the truth of his immortality. He was afraid she'd leave him for being mentally insane or downright crazy. In what world would anyone believe you if you said you're over a thousand years old?

"You mean Graecia, the land of the Greeks?" Her response made him slightly embarrassed. Even to this day, he makes the mistake of calling things by what he's particularly used to.

Trying to pass it off as a mistake, he chuckled. "It has been too long since my last visit, I still tend to call it by its former name."

"Oh please, it's a common mistake." To say Camilla was kind would actually be an understatement. She already seems like the happiest woman on the planet, and she's already made Markus the happiest man too. "When I was young, I had called the Empire by a foreign title. Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn. By the time I realized the proper way to say it was 'Imperium Romanum', I felt I had already made a mockery of myself."

It was small talk like this that made them appreciate the joy of life. Even if Markus had to lie about his past, he wasn't going to risk damaging his relationship with her.

"To answer your previous question," Camilla continued, "I haven't been to Graecia. All my life has been spent in Italia, but with you by my side, I'm sure we could travel anywhere."

In his excitement, he tried his best not to let anything slip through his lines. "You must see the Statue of Zeus and the Temple of Artemis. Even the Colossus of Rhodes, though many had lied about its size and claimed the statue stood over the harbor. It did not, it was rather small and disappointing."

"I would love that." She chuckled at his last statement.

He wanted to take her there. To see so many wonders of the world all in one journey is the adventure of a lifetime. As he had felt back in Egypt, his thoughts of becoming the perfect man returned especially during times of love. Now that he cannot permanently die, surely there would be nothing to stop him from making their wishes come true.

After a slight pause, Markus continued. "You know, it feels as if our story together has only just begun. There is a world out there for us, and our story shall live on for generations to come. You have my promise." In that moment, they stayed silent once more as they leaned in for a romantic kiss.

As he dreamed of future plans, the years continued to proceed as normal until late Summer in 79 AD. A minor earthquake had struck the city of Pompeii yet again. Earthquakes had been so frequent that many of the city's inhabitants stopped giving them any regards.

Markus had arrived at a dock in Misenum, right across the Bay of Naples. He was just about fifteen miles away from Pompeii. While he delivered the shipments, he could see his home in the far distance.

Camilla was back at home with Felix, probably singing him Latin lullabies. Everything was calm, just as it should be.

Misenum was fairly busy, as more ships arrived at the docks. Apart from Pompeii, even the city of Oplontis could be seen in the horizon, it all looked beautiful. Roman legionnaires were stationed around the area as a few ships belonging to their naval fleet arrived at the docks of Misenum.

At approximately 1:00 pm, Markus was just about to finish talking to an eighteen year old boy named Gaius Caecilius, or as he was more commonly known, Pliny the Younger. It was a peaceful trade, and they were about to part ways. Shaking hands, a scroll was passed and the ships were ready to begin departure.

The supplies were for his uncle, Pliny the Elder. He was stationed with a portion of the Roman naval fleet. Already, several packages had been brought aboard a few of the ships. Markus wiped the sweat off his forehead, the humidity was unbearable.

Fortunately, a fresh gust of wind entered the scene. It was satisfying to feel the wind blow against his face. He gave it no attention, until he became suspicious of how heavy the wind started to get. What was a cool breeze quickly formed into a gale of heavy wind.

As Markus slowly walked back towards the small merchant ship he arrived in, the deafening blast of a horrible explosion caught everyone off guard. Some had stumbled forward and fell to the ground, including Markus himself. It was unlike anything they had ever experienced. His ears rang as he attempted to stand, rubbing his eyes in the process.

Apart from crowds of people stumbling over each other in a state of panic, everything remained the same. A few crates and packages had tipped over as even the ground had begun to shake slightly. The wind still howled violently and even nearby dogs started barking aggressively.

That was until he turned around and stared out across the sea. Just beyond Pompeii, a pillar of smoke rose out of Mount Vesuvius. He froze in place speechless as his mind turned blank. All the yelling around him couldn't faze him, he was permanently stuck staring at the horizon ahead.

There was only one thing on his mind, and it was something he and so many others have wanted to ignore for so long.

Vesuvius was erupting.

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Historical Notes:

Pompeii was originally founded by Oscans in the early 8th century BC until the arrival of the Greeks in 740 BC.

It wasn't until 290 BC that Pompeii willingly joined the expanding Roman presence, choosing to accept the status of Rome.

Despite several setbacks and disadvantages for women during the Roman period, many were happy with their positions. Away from the dangers of war, they mainly focused on raising their children, providing food for the family and maintaining their home. Some of them were able to live more peacefully and comfortably than a majority of the poorest workers and slaves.

Their hair also played a significant role in determining their position within the Roman ranks. A girl with messy, uncombed hair would be ridiculed and harassed. Meanwhile, a girl with maintained, and beautifully combed hair would be treated far more elegantly.

Ultimately, there was still a class divide with racism and sexism. Both men and women suffered during rising tensions in war as percentages of the Roman Empire's population would drastically drop.

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