1 CHAPTER I : Aftermath

In the year 1185, the Eastern Roman Empire was ravaged by internal strife and turmoil. During this period, the Sicilian King launched an attack on Epirus, pillaging and destroying villages and resulting in the deaths of thousands. Basileus Andronikos I was later deposed by Isaac II, but while attempting to flee, he was apprehended by a furious mob and ultimately met his demise. This event marked the conclusion of the Komnenos Dynasty.

My name is Demetrios, and I was a lifelong companion of Justinian. The year it was is 1204, and the Roman Empire has been devastated by the Franks, leading to its fragmentation into six smaller states. While the Latin Empire proclaimed itself as the successor of the Eastern Romans, the Empire of Niceans held a stronger claim to the title. In just six decades, they would retake the empire, though this outcome was set to be altered by a young man who had yet to reveal his full potential.

In the year 1210, a fair-skinned and charming young man by the name of Justinian III Komnenos entered the scene. Though he caught the eye of many local women, his religious stepfathers or the monks who had adopted him forbade him from pursuing them. Justinian and I became fast friends as children, meeting in a monastery where my father was acquainted with the local priests. As we grew older, we studied the scriptures together, with a particular emphasis on the Bible. While Justinian struggled with Latin, he mastered our language with ease, and I aided him in his reading.

In our adulthood, we learned the art of fighting with swords and spears, and while I excelled in throwing weapons, Justinian proved himself adept in close combat. We became mercenaries, hired by locals to fend off bandits or hunt rabid animals. It was a reliable source of income for us, until the day our village was raided and plundered by the Franks and Venetians. We were absent at the time, as an elderly man had tasked us with hunting boars outside the village. When we returned, we found our village in ruins, with dead men, women, and children littering the streets, along with slaughtered animals. The monastery had also been destroyed, with the priests and nuns massacred. We were consumed with anger and sorrow, but we knew that it was not God's will that had brought this about. Rather, it was the people responsible for these heinous acts. We swore to avenge our loved ones and rebuild our village, but for the time being, we set out for Thessalonica.

In our flight from the village, we feared that more Franks would return to finish what they had started. We travelled to Thessalonica, donning the armor we had taken from our last skirmish. We had replaced our old shields and swords with new ones, and Justinian had cleverly painted his shield blue to avoid suspicion. Along the way, we encountered a Knight of the Saint Lazarus order, who we initially thought was an enemy. However, the knight surrendered and implored us for help. He explained that the Venetians had ordered the siege, in spite of the Pope's prohibition against it. Only a handful of knights had seen the letter, and George, the knight before us, was one of them. He presented us with the letter, and after reading it, we were convinced of his honesty. George then offered his services to us, and we accepted his aid.