Chapter 7: Breaking the Rulebook

Dawn broke over the training grounds, but the morning air felt heavier than usual. The entire legion, six thousand men, stood in tight formation. They had expected a morning inspection or the command to begin brutal drills. They had not expected this.

Ulixes stood before them, accompanied only by Flamma. He did not stand on a stage. He stood on the same ground as them, His eyes swept over the sea of bronze helmets before him, missing no detail. His silence felt like a weight, every soldier holding their breath, waiting.

"Soldiers of Legio I Illyrica," Ulixes finally said, his voice calm yet resonating across the silent field. "Today, the greatest honor you have known will end."

A silent confusion spread through the ranks. The soldiers glanced at one another.

Ulixes continued, his voice cutting through every whisper. "The Cohors Prima... is disbanded."

If a great boulder had been thrown into a still pond, the impact would not have been as great as those words. A total silence descended upon the field, so thick it seemed to muffle all the sounds of nature. Then, a collective murmur of disbelief began to spread, like fire creeping through dry grass.

Ulixes saw it clearly. The faces of the soldiers from the nine legacy cohorts showed absolute confusion. Among the ranks of the Cohors Prima veterans, he saw a different expression. Shock. Betrayal. He saw a veteran whose jaw hardened, his eyes, once full of pride, now showing a deep wound. He saw two others look at each other, their brotherhood, forged in the Slave War, seeming to shatter before their eyes.

Before the murmur could grow louder, Ulixes's voice cut through the air again, sharp and uncompromising.

"These veterans are not being punished," he said. "They are being given a heavier task. They will become teachers. Starting today, each of you," he gestured to the other nine cohorts, "will have a war hero in your tent. You will eat with him, train with him, and learn from him. Or you will be culled by him."

He paused, letting the implication of those words sink into the mind of every soldier.

"From this day forward, there is no more Cohors Prima. There is only Legio I Illyrica. And every man in this legion will meet the same standard, or he will be removed."

He turned, his red cloak swirling for a moment, and walked away, leaving Flamma to carry out the impossible order and face the storm of confusion and anger he had just created.

That afternoon, the training ground was no longer a machine moving in unison. It had become a mosaic of confusion and tension. Ulixes observed from a small wooden stage, beside Flamma. Below them, the veterans of the Cohors Prima, now scattered among the other nine cohorts, began their new duties.

He focused his attention on one section being trained by a local Centurion named Cassius, a stocky man with a face that always seemed red from shouting too much. Cassius was drilling a shield wall maneuver, ordering his men to close ranks until there was almost no gap.

"Tighter! Tighter! I want this wall to hold water!" Cassius yelled, pacing in front of his tense line.

Ulixes saw a young soldier in one of the squads, positioned on slightly uneven ground, struggling to keep his balance while pressing his shield sideways. His knees looked locked and stiff.

Next to the young soldier stood one of Ulixes's best veterans, a man named Gallus whose gaze was always sharp. Gallus leaned in slightly.

"Don't lock your knees, boy," Gallus whispered, his voice low but audible to the squad around them. "Bend them a little. Balance is more important than a straight line. In the mud, a straight line will get you killed."

The young soldier hesitated, then slightly relaxed his stance, his face showing relief as his balance improved.

Cassius, who had an eagle's eye for any breach of discipline, noticed the change. He stopped, turned, and walked over, his eyes, narrowed to slits, fixed on Gallus.

"Soldier!" Cassius barked, his voice echoing. "Am I the Centurion here, or are you?"

Gallus straightened up, looking directly at Cassius without fear. "You are the Centurion, sir," he replied, his voice calm and respectful, but there was no blind obedience in it. "But I fought on those red plains against Spartacus. I know what gets men killed."

A tense silence fell over the section. The drill halted. The young soldiers looked between their official Centurion and the war veteran, unsure whose command to follow. Cassius's face turned a deeper shade of red, a mixture of anger and humiliation at having his authority openly challenged.

On the stage, Ulixes watched the scene unfold. He saw the doubt in the soldiers' eyes. He saw the anger on Cassius's face. And he saw the unshakable conviction in Gallus's eyes.

His plan was working. The poison was beginning to work. The wall of empty obedience was starting to show cracks. He glanced at Flamma.

"It seems the first lesson is about to begin," Ulixes said softly, before starting down the stage steps, his pace steady and unhurried toward the center of this first friction.

Ulixes's steady footsteps on the dusty ground seemed to be the only sound in the world. All eyes were on him as he approached the center of the tension. The young soldiers held their breath, while Cassius the Centurion straightened his back, his flushed face now a mix of anger and defiance.

Ulixes stopped a few paces from them, his silence a slap louder than any shout. He looked at Cassius, his eyes calm and empty.

"Is there a problem, Centurion?" Ulixes asked, his voice quiet, almost without inflection.

"This soldier," Cassius said, his finger pointing stiffly at Gallus. "He defied my orders in front of the men. He's undermining discipline."

Ulixes turned his head toward Gallus, who stood tall, his gaze unwavering. Then, he looked back at Cassius. "You believe in your methods, Centurion. That is good. Show me."

He took two wooden swords from a nearby rack and tossed one to Cassius. The Centurion caught it with a soldier's reflex.

"Fight me," Ulixes said simply. "Use everything you have taught them. Show me how 'discipline' will protect you."

Cassius hesitated for a moment, staring at his Legatus in disbelief. Then, the humiliation of being challenged in front of his men took over. He growled and adopted his sturdy fighting stance, a perfect, standard stance from the legion's manual.

He lunged forward, swinging his sword with full force in an overhead chop designed to crush.

Ulixes did not parry. He did not dodge. He simply stepped to the side, a single, small movement as fluid as water. Cassius's sword cut empty air with a whoosh. The momentum threw the Centurion slightly off balance.

Before Cassius could recover, Ulixes had already moved. He didn't attack with the tip of his sword. He used the pommel, striking Cassius's sword hand with a single, swift, precise blow.

CRACK!

The wooden sword fell from Cassius's tingling grasp and clattered to the ground. At the same time, Ulixes's foot swept the Centurion's ankle. Cassius fell to his knees in the dust with a heavy thud, his eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape. The tip of Ulixes's wooden sword now rested coldly against his neck. The duel had lasted no more than three seconds.

Ulixes withdrew his sword and looked down at the defeated Centurion. He then raised his head, his gaze sweeping over every soldier watching in transfixed silence.

"Our enemy here will not give you room to form up," he said, his voice now sharp and cutting. "They will not wait for you to be ready. The fight happens here," he tapped his own temple with his fingertip, "not just at the tip of your sword."

He turned to Gallus. "This veteran did not defy you, Centurion. He was trying to keep you and your men alive. Listen to him. Learn from them. Or you will all die in these forests."

Ulixes extended a hand, helping the humiliated Cassius to his feet. It was not a gesture of friendship. It was the gesture of a commander reasserting order after a lesson had been taught.

"Continue the drill," he commanded the still-silent section. "The new way."

He turned and walked away, leaving them to process what they had just witnessed. Authority on that field was now established, no longer by rank, but by brutal and undeniable competence.

Night fell over the camp, bringing a chill and a tense silence. The rough laughter and shouts of gamblers that usually dominated the evenings had vanished. There was only the quiet crackle of hundreds of campfires and the muffled murmur of conversations. Ulixes walked past the rows of tents, Flamma at his side, their cloaks fluttering softly in the night breeze.

He observed the new scenery. Around each campfire, an awkward dynamic had formed. The veterans of the Cohors Prima sat slightly apart from their new comrades, silent, their gazes fixed blankly on the flames. They were islands of hard experience in a sea of green soldiers. The young soldiers glanced at them nervously, not daring to start a conversation, afraid of the reputation of the war heroes who now slept in their tents.

Then, Ulixes stopped in the distance, motioning for Flamma to be quiet. He focused his attention on one campfire, belonging to the squad trained by Centurion Cassius. Gallus, the veteran, was cleaning his sword in silence.

The young soldier whose stance he had corrected earlier, after hesitating for a long time, finally worked up the courage.

"Soldier Gallus..." he called out softly, his voice barely a whisper.

Gallus didn't turn, only paused in polishing his sword.

"Is it true..." the young soldier continued, his voice full of awe. "...that you fought beside the Legatus when he killed a thousand men in the Sila Forest?"

Gallus remained silent for a moment. He looked at his own reflection in the clean blade of his sword, then finally turned to the young man. His hard face softened slightly in the firelight. "I was there," he said, his voice hoarse. "Not a thousand. More."

a silence enveloped the campfire as the other soldiers leaned in to listen. The other soldiers leaned in closer, hungry for a story, a piece of the legend that now lived among them. Gallus saw their gazes, and for the first time since that morning's announcement, he saw something other than fear. He saw respect. He sighed, then began to speak, his voice low, telling of the fog, the blood, and the commander who moved like a god of death among the trees.

Ulixes turned, resuming his stride. He had seen what he needed to see. The first seed had been planted.

"There is much grumbling, Legatus," Flamma said as they walked away. "The Centurions feel their authority has been undermined. The veterans feel their honor has been stripped away."

Ulixes looked toward the flickering campfires spread across the camp, where hundreds of similar conversations might be starting.

"Good," he said. "Let them grumble. Discomfort is the beginning of change."

That night, Ulixes returned to his praetorium, his body weary, but his mind sharper than ever. He removed his heavy armor, his stiff muscles feeling a slight relief. He walked to his private bath, a simple but functional marble-floored room where a steaming pool of hot water awaited him.

He descended the steps and submerged himself in the warm water, sighing deeply as the heat began to soothe his aching muscles. A few moments later, Mira and Kore entered silently, carrying clean towels and a goblet of diluted wine. Their movements were synchronized, an efficient silence.

Ulixes watched them as they placed the items near the pool. "Mira. Kore," he called, his voice calm. "Are you comfortable here? Far from Rome."

Mira, who was tidying the folds of a towel, paused. "We serve you, Dominus. Our comfort is in seeing our duties performed smoothly," she answered formally, but Ulixes could sense the sincerity beneath the words.

"What about the records?" Ulixes asked again. "Do the reports from the local officials match the reality in the storehouses?"

Kore spoke up for the first time, her voice softer than Mira's. "There are discrepancies, Dominus. Thirty amphorae of wine and twelve sacks of grain were recorded as received last month, but they never reached the storehouse."

Ulixes nodded slowly. Corruption. Just as he suspected. He closed his eyes, feeling the warm water around him. After a long silence, Mira's voice broke it again, this time with a rare note of hesitation.

"Dominus... there is one thing we wished to ask."

"Speak," Ulixes said, his eyes still closed.

"You have never... approached us as you approached the Dominae of Rome," Mira said, choosing her words carefully. "Are we not pleasing to you?"

Ulixes opened his eyes, looking at the two women who now stood at the edge of the pool, they looked at him, their eyes watchful, their postures still. "You are different," he said firmly. "You are not part of the political games. I consider you partners. Your loyalty is my most valuable asset, and I will not ruin it with lust. If you object, then it will never happen."

Mira and Kore exchanged a look, a wordless conversation passing between them in a split second. Then, Mira looked back at Ulixes, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly.

"We do not object, Dominus," she said, her voice softer now. "We just... do not wish to be treated like property again. As long as it is not forced... as long as it is subtle... we will serve you in all ways."

The agreement hung in the steamy air, a sincere offer.

Ulixes rose from his seat in the pool. Warm water dripped from his glistening body, creating small ripples on the water's surface. The muscles of his chest tightened as he raised a hand, extending it toward Mira.

Mira looked at him for a moment. Her breathing was uneven. She took his hand. As soon as her body entered the water, her thin servant's tunic clung to her skin. Her nipples hardened, her thighs looked smooth, and every curve of her body was clearly visible. The warm water soaked her hair, her face flushed from the heat and nervousness.

Ulixes pulled Mira to his chest, their bodies pressing together. His large hand wrapped around her hip. His lips met hers, kissing her deeply. Not forced, but slow. Wet. Absorbing every inch of those passion-filled lips.

Then he turned to the edge of the pool. Kore stood there, her body trembling, her eyes transfixed. Ulixes extended his other hand. Kore hesitated, then stepped in. The water embraced her small, petite frame. Her dress instantly clung to her skin, revealing a slender body with plump buttocks and a chest that rose and fell rapidly with her breath.

Now he stood between them.

Both of Ulixes's hands cupped their faces. "No force. Only pleasure." His voice was heavy, full of promise.

He guided Mira to the edge of the pool. Her body rested against the wet marble wall. Ulixes knelt. The water lapped at his waist. His face descended. He kissed Mira's stomach. Then lower. And his tongue touched the woman's most intimate folds.

"Ahhh... ahh! Ahhh! Uhh... God... yesss!" Mira moaned wildly. Her hands gripped the edge of the pool. Her head thrown back.

Ulixes sucked hard on Mira's clitoris. His tongue swirled, licked, pressed. The sound of splashing water mixed with the wet sounds of a tongue playing in a flooded vagina.

"AHHH! YES! SUCK IT! SUCK IT! I'M GOING CRAZY! NGHH!" Mira screamed.

From behind, Kore massaged Ulixes's shoulders. Then she lowered her hands to his chest, squeezing, caressing that wet and muscular body.

"He's... he's licking her like that... ughhh..." Kore mumbled, her face red, biting her own finger.

Ulixes dove deeper. His tongue pressed directly into Mira's opening, lapping up the gushing fluid.

"I'M COMING! AHHHH! I'M COMING!!"

Mira's body tensed. Fluid shot directly from her vagina, drenching Ulixes's face. He licked it all up thirstily.

Then he stood up. Kore was pulled into his embrace. His lips devoured hers, his right hand squeezing her buttocks.

He laid Kore down on the submerged steps of the pool. Lifting both her legs high, his hard penis entered slowly.

"AHHH... AHH... AHHHHH! DEEP! YES! YES!"

Kore roared, her body receiving the full length of the large shaft. Her hips arched, her small hands clawing at Ulixes's back.

"Ugh... ugh... ugh... ugh... yes... keep going... faster! FASTER!" she groaned.

While thrusting into Kore, Ulixes reached for Mira. The woman crawled across the water, kissing Ulixes's chest. Her tongue licked the drops of water on his skin. She went down to his stomach, then grasped the penis that was embedded in Kore from below, licking the remaining length of the shaft.

"AHHH! GOD! THAT'S CRAZY! I LOVE IT!" Kore screamed.

Ulixes moved faster. The sound of thrusts echoed. Mira kept licking, then kissed Kore too, their tongues meeting. They kissed amidst the escalating madness of pleasure.

Ulixes pulled out. Kore whimpered in disappointment. But he pulled Mira, lifting her onto his lap, and impaled her from below.

"AHHHHHH! OHHH!" Mira screamed.

She rode Ulixes. Her buttocks rose and fell at a wild pace. Water splashed everywhere. Her breasts shook, her body rocked Ulixes until the man groaned.

Kore licked from behind. She kissed Mira's neck, licked her back, caressed her buttocks, then slipped a finger into her anus.

"AHH! KORE! NGH! OHH GOD!"

Mira screamed, her body writhing, Ulixes's penis sinking ever deeper. Kore moved closer, licking Mira's nipple from behind.

Ulixes squeezed Mira's hips, then flipped her over. He pressed her against the edge of the pool, burying himself in her from behind.

Brutal and Deep.

"SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!"

"AHH! AHH! YES! POUND ME! DEEPER!" Mira screamed.

Kore, in front of her, opened her mouth, and Mira kissed her while being thrust into from behind.

Ulixes plunged deeper, then pulled Kore. He sat down, then sat Kore on top of him. The two women now switched positions. Mira suckled on her breast, Kore rode the large shaft, and Ulixes rocked his hips upwards.

"Ugh... ugh... I'm coming... I... I can't hold it anymore..."

Mira screamed. Kore screamed. The sounds of screams, water, and colliding bodies reached a climax together.

Ulixes lifted Mira again. He slammed into her from the front while pulling Kore in for a kiss. Hot semen shot into Mira, exploding simultaneously with her scream.

The three bodies went limp. The water around them rippled gently. Heavy breaths, skin against skin, and lips still searching for lips.

Only one sound remained... Ulixes's whisper:

"No force... only pleasure... and this is just the beginning."

{Intimate relations complete. Target: Canon Slaves (Category 2) x2.} {Life Essence obtained: +20}