Misstep (2)

"Uh… Where am I?"

 As he regained consciousness, a splitting headache thundered behind his eyes, a relentless percussion that was only exacerbated by the intense ambient light. But before he could even make sense of his surroundings, a familiar, yet terrifying voice echoed behind him, rooting him to his spot.

"Looks like you've made it out fine."

 Why… why was the General still here?! Wait… Was he still alive?!

 He quickly spun around to finally see the true form of the legendary figure he'd summoned, and once his eyes drank in the sight, he was seized with the same reverence and terror that had just numbed his senses.

 Alexander was truly a titan amongst men, his colossal proportions making a mockery of Christopher's, as his hands, arms, feet and legs were multiple times his own. His sword and armor were also impeccably maintained, a showcase and testament to his extraordinary rank and status. The sword, in particular, was an elongated Kopis that was clearly forged from the finest iron of its time, giving it a life of its own. He also noted that he had a strong, square jawline and a neatly trimmed beard that, when paired with his flowing brown hair that cascaded down his back, added to his regal aura. But in spite of all this, it was his jet-black eyes that truly struck fear into his heart. They were like a bottomless abyss, a pit of despair that left him feeling completely powerless under their severe scrutiny. These were what had petrified him earlier.

"Now that you're awake, you better explain what you said earlier."

 The General's voice, heavy and laced with unchallenged authority, descended upon the engineer, its pressure threatening to once again crush him. It was clear he had been granted some leniency, but no more.

"You're quite impatient, General."

 As he still reeled from his earlier injuries, agony writhed across Lloyd's face, a silent scream of torment that barely reflected the situation's gravity. Yet, his hope was that his intention would be carried by his fiery tone. Even if he was terrified, he knew that retreat was out of the question. This was also supposed to be his subordinate, not the other way around!

"I see you haven't lost your spirit, hahaha!"

 Alexander erupted in laughter, very amused by the display of defiance. But the response perplexed the scientist, who had instead expected anger. Nevertheless, this was an opportunity to speak uninterrupted, a gift he had no intentions of squandering.

"Macedonia's Empire barely existed."

 Laughter, once hearty, now hung in the air, stifled and forgotten as Alexander's eyes bore deep into his soul.

"If this is a joke, you're taking it too far, little man."

 His voice had become sharp and cold, causing Lloyd to feel the implied threat and understand that his survival hung by the thread of his next words.

"Shortly after you passed, the Diadochi immediately began their schemes. In fact, the first internal war happened only a year after your death."

 He stood his ground and brimmed with assurance, leaving no room to doubt his statement as his life now hung in the balance. But as he assessed Alexander's reaction, he found it to be unreadable. There was no trace of anger, sorrow, or even sadness. There was just… Nothing.

"I always knew these bastards were incompetent…"

 It had been a long, silent minute since anything had been said, but the response utterly shocked him, making Alexander's grin return.

"Did you know that I never had a successor? I was always asked to produce or find an heir, but I never did, the reason being that my achievements and conquests were earned through bloodshed and skill. Only the greatest and most ruthless was deserving of succeeding my reign."

 Christopher quickly recalled his history lessons before deciding to interject.

"But weren't you poisoned? At least, that's one of the theories going around."

 Hearing this quick follow-up drew a hearty laugh from the former King, who seemed unfazed by the macabre nature of the discussion.

"You're correct hahaha! I was careless, and it's what did me in… But the worst thing about it was that the perpetrator was probably one of my wives, Roxana, or even my mentor, Aristotle. Ah, that old fool…"

 The engineer would have thought that speaking of one's death would be a touchy subject, but apparently not… Alexander then took a breather before his large smile faded, instead replaced by a melancholic expression.

"But it was apparently all for naught… What happened afterward?"

 The question, as simple as it was, made the scientist uneasy. He was well aware of what had followed his reign, but broaching it was difficult. Sadly, it took no time for the General to discern his hesitation.

"I've already witnessed the best and worst of Humanity in my time. Just speak the truth."

 His stern words offered no choice to Christopher, who then decided to spill the tragic tale in hopes of building some trust between them.

"Shortly after your death, your then widow, Roxana, gave birth to your child, a boy. As you can imagine, this caused turmoil within the ranks of your army, as they debated about whom should take your place. Some were eager to uphold your wish for the strongest to ascend, while your most devout followers wished to see the throne inherited by your own blood."

 This shocking and unexpected revelation made the former King's expression fall. A son. An heir he had never known. Even if he had never wished for one, the fact that he had had a kid, unbeknownst to him, was like a dagger to his heart. But through this torrent of bittersweet emotions also emerged anger, as he knew how unforgiving the world he had lived in was.

"And then?"

 His voice had turned icy, as if already expecting the worst.

"He was also poisoned, alongside Roxana, at the age of 14."

 This time, Christopher's tone matched the iciness of Alexander's, eliciting a bitter scoff.

"Like father, like son… What a tragic farce."

 The scientist could see the fury bubbling beneath the surface of the General's calm demeanor. After all, he had devoted his short life to building his Empire, only for it to crumble and disappear with a son he had never known. After another long and tense minute of silence, he then turned to Lloyd before locking gazes.

"Why did you bring me here?"

 His now somber tone made each of his word heavier than the last, causing the scientist to feel extremely nervous. This was it, the moment that would determine his future in Arcadia.

"I want you to help me establish a new settlement."

 His blunt and frankly large request took his counterpart by surprise. Was this little man joking? Yet, in that fleeting moment, it was clear to Alexander that Lloyd's seriousness was unfeigned, his eyes bearing an echo of the fiery determination that had earlier flashed across. Of course, the proposition still appeared absolutely absurd to him, but he refrained from discarding it offhand.

"And how do you plan on achieving that?"

 It was now Christopher's turn to reel in surprise, as the General's inquiry dripped with earnest intrigue. This was not the answer he had anticipated at all. Nonetheless, this was once again a better turn of events. If he harbored any hopes of cementing any trust between them, it was imperative that he was honest about everything, and so began a long conversation where he started from the very beginning, recalling Earth's history and its evolution. He also chose to keep the details sparse so as to not completely lose his counterpart. After all, the man had lived in a much more barbaric period in comparison to modern times. Bombarding him with all of Humanity's advancements could incite incredulity, which would make persuading him incomparably harder. Once the history lesson was over, the engineer then continued with his upbringing and achievements, all while remaining modest as they were quite inconsequential in the current scheme of things. And finally, he ended the narration with the retelling of his death and arrival here. He didn't know why he had been chosen, but he wasn't interested in finding out either. His ties to Earth had been severed anyway, making any return futile.

 Throughout the monologue, Alexander had remained silent, but Lloyd could tell that he was baffled, as each revelation shattered his view of the world. Seeing him overwhelmed was also to his advantage, as he could finally convey his true and final intentions.

"I brought you here because you're the best person for the task. This new world is teeming with warring nations and empires, and as you can see, I'm in no shape to fend for myself. I know I brought you here unwillingly, but I sincerely hope you'll lend me your strength."

 The mythical man's demeanor turned solemn once more. The little man had finally made his pitch. But the General's thoughts were still in disarray. Everything he had just been told felt so fantastical that he was torn between dismissing them as the ravings of a lunatic, or embracing them as the revelations of a time traveler. But despite this dichotomy, one certainty emerged: the man before him was indeed no warrior. It made perfect sense to summon him, an experienced and distinguished war general, in a land riddled with conflict. However, did he really want to walk this path again? The fact that Macedonia and his son had fallen shortly after his passing heavily lingered on his mind, and while fueling him with rage, it also bred revulsion. He had done so much, and for what? He had envisioned his legacy being carried forward by the strong, but they had all shown themselves to be so… weak.

 Wait… What was he thinking? Had he grown this soft? This was war, after all. One side had to lose for the other to win. The Macedonian Empire hadn't lost under his watch, so why should he care? They had grown complacent and were promptly disposed of. Such were the unforgiving tenets of the battlefield. But then, what was he seeking? Was it… Honor? Glory? Riches? No… What he sought was far simpler… He just longed for the thrill of conquest, to bring his enemies to their knees, to extinguish their fighting spirits as they expelled their last, dying breaths… This was it, his dark secret, the one hiding that under his armor and solemn looks lurked a savage beast that was ravenous for the intoxicating taste of blood.

 A devilish smirk then gradually played on Alexander's features, and before Lloyd could discern the change in atmosphere, an oppressive aura surged forth, threatening to send him crashing head first against the ground.