| JULIUS CA’ZAR

***

Leonidas was relieved to find the portal holding the entrance to the Great Hall, but much to his dismay; lunch had already ended.

He reluctantly journeyed throughout Valhalla, attempting to find his next class; The Art of War.

As he made his way through the crowded hallways, he could feel eyes watching him, and whispers following in his wake. The minutes dragged on as he searched for the right classroom, frustration building with each step, followed by curses under his breath.

Suddenly, he felt a soft caress upon his back, velvet-like. He spun around to meet a woman in pink-colored robes, the material cascading down her body like an exquisite dress. Her blonde hair and blue eyes complemented each other perfectly, while her lips were of a rosy red hue that puckered as she spoke.

"Are you lost?" She asked, her voice as melodious as her appearance was enchanting.

Leonidas blinked in surprise at her sudden arrival. "Yes, I suppose I am," he replied, feeling a tinge of embarrassment. He felt a faint tug of recognition as he looked at her; it was almost like she was someone he knew. He shook his head and pushed the thought aside, before asking hesitantly, "Do you by chance know where 'Art of War' is?"

To his surprise, she replied with widened eyes. "That's my next class! Come with me." Before he knew it, she had draped her arms around his, dragging him of to their destination.

Leonidas internally debated whether or not to stay put, but decided against it for fear of offending her and being unable to find the room on his own. He sighed inwardly in resignation as they marched through the corridor.

It took them just a minute to arrive at the tall, crimson door, glowing with a faint light. The bell had rung earlier, letting them know they were late - something Leonidas detested - but thankfully his tardiness was limited to only a few minutes.

Leonidas coughed gently, and thanked the woman next to him as he slowly retracted his arm from her grasp.

"Sofia Po'dosia," she said with her hand hovering over his chest, her lips curling into a captivating smile that boosted her allure. "I hope we get the chance to get to know each other better," she added.

Leonidas' lips formed a faint smile as he replied, "Leonidas." He opened the door and couldn't help but chuckle to himself, musing 'Daughters of Venus are just like Daughters of Aphrodite.' 

As he entered, Leonidas couldn't help but be entranced by the sheer beauty of the candlelit room. The crimson curtains and polished cherry-wood desks illuminated the walls with a gentle yet dazzling light. Paintings depicting intense battles and mythical creatures gave a dramatic flair to the walls, finished off with a glinting bronze armory in one corner of the room.

At the top of the room, the professor stood - a small man with a ruffled gray beard cloaking his features. A look of frustration had been on his face until he laid eyes upon Leonidas, when it suddenly morphed into one of excitement.

"The Avatar of Mars!" He exclaimed. "My name is Julius Ca'zar, but that isn't of importance; tell me, what is the most efficient way to disarm an opponent?"

With a slight start from the sudden question, Leonidas paused to consider his response. "The best way to disarm an opponent is to grasp their intent first," he said slowly. "Attempt to talk them out of continuing the altercation if you can. If not, divert and target their weakest points of defense, or attack areas that will effectively prevent them from taking retaliatory measures."

With a nod of approval, Julius pointed to the desk in front of him, and Leonidas obediently took a seat. Sofia followed suit and sat beside him, though he didn't care enough to notice. 

Julius turned from Leonidas, and gazed at the rest of the class, posing a question. "In war, what is the best way to disrupt a battalion's momentum?" 

Almost immediately, Sofia raised her hand and Julius pointed at her. "The enemy's general or leader should be targeted," she answered with confidence. "By removing their figurehead, they will become disorganized and demoralized."

Julius nodded approvingly, and Sofia turned to Leonidas with a smile; though why she was smiling, he couldn't quite understand, as her reasoning was incorrect. 

He thought back to his past life, remembering on how best to disrupt a battalion's momentum: by utilizing the terrain for guerrilla warfare mixed with hit-and-run tactics. He scoffed arrogantly at the notion that this class would be of any use to him.

His eyes closed, and he steadied his breathing, focusing on the energy he felt stirring within him. He blocked out Julius' words as he entered a meditative state of mind, picturing a dazzling cascade of golden energy flowing in his veins. This time, the sensation came more quickly than ever before.

Something stirred within him. An emotion that began in the depths of his mind, weaving its way into his heart before coursing through his spine. It felt like something was opening up inside him, releasing and uncoiling layer by layer with each passing second.

He struggled to muffle his grunts of pain as the energy in him kept building up, like a mysterious power bubbling through his veins and taking hold of him. His body was being pushed to its limits, wracked with unimaginable agony before it was slowly but surely coming together again. Yet despite all the pain, he refused to surrender – this newfound strength would be his salvation.

A gaping hole opened within him, sheer energy pouring from his core like the currents of a river. Something inexplicable had awoken in him, an emotion that could not be put into words. As soon as he felt the warmth of someone's touch and opened his eyes, that feeling dissipated and was gone, as his focus was interrupted.

Sofia stood before him, her rosy lips curved into a charming smile. "The bell has rung - you've slept through the entire period. Would like you to accompany me to the dormitories?"

Leonidas forced a smile as he nodded, his insides boiling with anger. He was so close to mastering the new essence, only needing another few moments. 

Letting out a gentle sigh, he followed Sofia out of the room; but he could feel Julius' penetrating gaze on him from the corner of his eye.

***