Britannia

There was a young praefectus.

Out of my way! Move!

Lucius Validus.

And no one knows where he went.

No one.

Strange.

Many have turned their heads from the Veran.

Led into darkness by the dark itself.

They've sworn their allegiance to the Dead Man.

He will soon join forces with Lokka and take these lands.

By the way, the Dead Man stands alone.

Well played, brother.

Well played.

Do you know what they're saying about you?

You're cursed.

You have a hex on your back.

The Druids spared you to send you back to destroy us all.

They're wrong.

So why aren't you dead like everyone else?

-They spared me to tell... the story. -Story?

-Of what happened. They wanted you to know.

What's all this?

-They did it. -You know what? It rather suits you.

I didn't think to stop for a bath.

Well, you always were the lucky one.

I've been captured, tortured.

And yet here you are.

So, what's in the bag, lucky man?

This mark was on the forehead of every fallen man.

Oh, Vitus, I take it all back.

Now we're fucking talking.

When I look out my window

Many sights to see

And when I look in my window

So many different people to be

Oh, no Must be the season of the witch

Must be the season of the witch, yeah

Must be the season of the witch

You got to pick up every stitch

The rabbits running in the ditch

Beatniks are out to make it rich

Something bothering you, friend?

Why did they have to die?

You mean those young men you brought? -They were children.

-Aren't we all? -Not them. Not any more.

You don't understand the first thing about this world, do you?

No.

No, I don't.

I absolutely do not.

Why don't you tell me the first thing about this world?

Good. So, to understand this world, you need to understand three things.

First thing, everything which is born will die.

-Not like that. -Just like that.

Because everything is a sacrifice.

The trees, the leaves, the butterflies.

When you accept it, you understand the first thing about this world.

The second thing is that everything, absolutely everything, is true.

You said you thought your sister returned to punish you, she did.

You said you abandoned her, you did.

You said you abandoned your babies, you did.

You said you were confused, lost, weak, stupid. You are.

Am I here to help you? To show you the way?

Yes, I am.

Am I here to destroy you? Absolutely.

Do I love you?

With all my heart and soul.

Do I despise you? With all my heart and soul...

-What's the third thing? -The third thing...

This is the third thing.

Watch very carefully.

The third and most important thing.

Thanks, that's really cleared things up for me.

Anytime, friend. Anytime.

Until I return, you, Praefectus, you are in single charge of the castrum.

-But where are you going? -To see an old friend.

Dismount.

Hear this. I leave Vitus Aurelius in command.

Keep an eye on the emperor's pet pig over there.

-I don't trust that fucker an inch. -All hail General Aulus!

Hail Aulus!

Hail Aulus!

Another mysterious leave of absence?

-Well, an intelligence breakthrough. -One you're itching to share.

Oh, we all have our roles, Domitius.

Oh, talking of which. My Praefectus.

He's been a bit wonky since his return.

-Keep an eye on him for me. -Our acting commander bit wonky?

I don't trust that fucker an inch.

-Where are you going? -On the hunt.

I have something for you. Come.

Bay, chamomile, ginger.

They're hunting. I'm drinking tea?

Do you miss your child?

-It was the will of the gods. -But you miss him.

-Is this a test? -Of what?

My loyalty to the Dead Man.

To give up a child is the hardest thing a woman can do.

I know where your heart lies.

As do the gods.

Did you have a child?

-I prefer women. -And why is that?

Better kissers, and they don't give you babies.

-Better kissers, how? -I'd have to show you.

Then show me.

-The Dead Man decides who we lie with. -I said kiss.

-Is this a test? -Of what?

My loyalty to the Dead Man.

-Who was that man? -What man?

With the Dead Man's corpse, tall, fair hair.

A Cantii slave my tribe owned from a boy.

-He didn't have the bearing of a slave. -He was high born. Captured in battle.

What did you say to him?

-You ask a lot of questions. -You don't.

Well, here's one. What's the Dead Man's plan?

The Dead Man keeps his own counsel.

Hey, if you don't trust me, I'll just have to tell him what we did.

What's wrong?

-What I know will bring you pain. -Why?

Veran is on the run.

We have riders hunting him and his followers.

When we find them, we slay everything loyal to Veran.

Every man. Woman. And child.

-You have nothing to fear. -Ania...

It's a choice I made over my child.

Will you cut your child's throat?

Because that is what it may come to.

My path is clear.

Tell Veran I must speak with him.

My Queen, the Veran has vanished.

Send out more riders.

Search for him everywhere.

All hail Emperor Aulus!

So, General, I have a question to ask of you.

Are you the devil? Or do you just work for him?

When the hunt returns, we'll need salt.

I'll ride to the coast. I'll be back in two days.

-I'll send someone. -Don't you trust me?

-Two days. -Don't worry.

-Your secret's safe. Our secret. -My secret?

I bet the view's even better from up there, eh, buddy?

Beautiful!

Praefectus. There you are.

What are you doing?

-Fancy a drop? It's good stuff. -You're drunk.

Come on. We both know you'd piss in it.

This dereliction of duty is duly noted.

This dereliction of duly is duty noted. This dela...

How does it go again?

-You're a disgrace to this legion. -Asked you to watch me, did he?

Relax.

He asked me to watch you too.

"Keep an eye on him. Don't trust that fucker an inch."

So, here we are. Both doing our jobs.

Seems we have something in common.

Our general doesn't trust us.

I came not to spy,

but to ask a question of one I thought had more sense.

Well, I'm all ears, mate.

The decision to press west.

What was the objective?

-Hunting ghosts. -Ghosts?

Demons. Prophecies. You name it.

Found only slaughter. Carnage...

-Black magic. Can't you smell it? -Magic?

-What's this? -How the Druids send their invitations.

-Where did he go? -To visit an old friend.

Who knows who his friends are now.

What's this symbol?

Never seen it before.

-Whoops. -What is this?

Property of General Aulus Plautius.

Sober up. Get some rest. Then come to my quarters.

It's time you told me everything you know about our friend, the general.

-Who are these men? -Envoys of the Senate of Rome.

-I thought we'd be alone. -Have you made a decision?

I have.

These men are here to witness your testimony.

It must be set down with formality if it is to stand before tribunal.

Then, the Senate. Finally, the emperor himself.

Now, from the beginning,

tell us everything you know about General Aulus Plautius.

Harka made us attack the Roman camp.

They were unready. It was a massacre.

The attack was not on Rome. It was on me.

-I don't understand. -It was my brother's invocation.

His invitation.

-Start of an alliance. -Alliance? Between who?

Our two darkest foes.

Three trees on a hill

No leaves on the trees

Two dogs and a lamb

For a world on its knees

All love in this world

Is the love that he gave

We are all of one heart

One mother, one grave

You're a hard bird to find...

...Lucius Validus.

A very hard bird.

Josephus?