722 BNM

9th June

Late Morning

Equestria,

Manestown, Muttlantic coast port

The two Wizards found little trouble in magically acquiring the funding to travel upon a merchant ship bound for the Eoropean continent, namely the south Espana port city of Daciz, where passage to Romane's capital was easy.

Boarding the merchant boat, the wind rustling the sails in a comfort of a guarantee of a fast exit from Equestria, Starswirl cast a quick gaze out to the East, while Siral quietly tended to the supplies of theirs, few in number.

Magic meant they could travel light and be comfortable.

But magic was limited, as was teleportation spells devised thus far that came with it.

They had a long journey ahead, and only a vague sense of what to search for once there.

The years passed totalled 78, and it was likely most, if not everypony that they knew were dead, or had long thought them faded to memory.

But Starswirl had been the one ordered to come, so it was he who decided their first steps.

As he focused on the prophetic words of the Oracles, he received visions, and the words rang in his head as a red haze, like a ruby being the window to these visions, combed over a great city in the Old World, the centre of activity in Eorope at the time, and had been when they left.

A Treacherous One, for you and they to learn of True Loyalty.

With little time wasted, Starswirl told Siral that if they must begin this journey, they must do it soon.

The Romane Empire beckoned.

10th June 722 BNM

Early Afternoon

Muttlantic ocean, heading East

Espana merchant ship

The bull crew worked diligently on the rear of the ship, as they made sure course was kept as usual.

Up at the front of the ship, as the sea sprayed very slightly with another wave rising the ship upwards slightly, Starswirl leant untested against the railing, while Siral murmured spells to soothe his stomach under his breath.

Seeing this as payback, one of many, Starswirl added rather cheekily: "You still have no regrets about following me?"

Casting a glare at Starswirl, Siral said nothing as he continued to mumble the anti-nausea spell like whispered mantra. Regarding him with some laughter now, Starswirl added with some mirthless laughter:

"Ironic, the great Savant, one who devised a tracer spell to know when I came back from the time teleport spell you did, so you can follow me precisely through time…"

Raising an eyebrow, Starswirl finished as Siral suddenly seized the ship's frame with a hoof, suddenly not whispering any longer:

"Defeated by sea sickness."

"…Enjoy my woes, why don't you?"

Siral slumped down on the ship, managing to hold down his morning rations on the voyage. Sitting on the ship deck beside him, Starswirl remarked with some blunt facts:

"We have perhaps another 10 days of this, then we travel through calmer seas after Daciz."

An incomprehensible plea, likely to a higher being, trailed lowly from Siral's lips, while Starswirl simply sat back and enjoyed the early afternoon sun on the ocean horizon, while the ship's crew made the most of the smooth conditions.]

25th June 722 BNM

Midday

Chamitaly, Romane Imperial Homeland

Romane metropolis

Imperial Square

The tales of Romane's glory from those visiting Equestria were often dismissed as legend, exaggerations.

But as the masses of thousands of Chamois [the majority], Dogs [2nd most populous], Horses, and an assortment of other Imperial citizen races gathered in the city square, as a parade was held in honour of Emperor Iulian and the conquest of the Germaneighic barbarians in the north west of Eorope, securing a contested border of the empire, Starswirl and Siral couldn't help but be impressed.

The Imperial Legion passed by, as crowds cheered the warriors in their dark red underclothes, and dull grey torso armour and helmets, mostly a collection of Burly Dogs, Chamois, smaller ponies and a minority of larger horses towering above others, with the odd bull here and there in the ranks of hundreds of troops parading down the square.

Stood amidst the crowds, Starswirl had already sensed with his attuned mind, honed in by the prophetic spell's words, on the presence that called out to him. Beside the brown robed, grey Unicorn, the Grey robed Siral turned to Starswirl beside the crowd, growing bored:

"Well?"

"..There are too many, but they are among the legions coming up now.."

Starswirl turned his head to the approaching legionnaires, these ones also known as war heroes, but not for a lone, brave stand in Germaneigh's barbarian borders, but a series of smaller, but collectively just as impressive string of victories across the hotly contested Saddle Arabian south eastern borders of the Imperial territories to the Middle East.

The legions were more numerous in horses, making up half of these legion members. Gaining local races as fighters for the empire always made the enemy having the home advantage less of a threat, and the Saddle Arabian horses of the Iudian Provinces proved that, warding off the barbaric tribal warlords and clans harassing the borders and territories that bordered the allied Haygyptian Kingdom.

Cheers welcomed the marching legion, despite the 'master race' of Chamois and Homeland dog races making up less of it. They were citizens of Romane enough to be part of the army.

The thunderous marching of the hundreds of armoured warriors wandered past, and over the rumblings of the crowds and blares of celebratory bugles, Siral noticed something remarkable as Starswirl focused on this legion of soldiers:

"I didn't realise there were females in the Romane Empire now.."

Losing his focus, Starswirl noticed it too, as there was the vaguest of hints, mostly in body shape, be it horse, chamois or dog, of females in the armed forces, noticeably less numerous than the males, but there nonetheless.

Clearly some things had changed in recent years in Romane, though perhaps the constant barbarian attacks upon the long stretched Imperial borders required more warrior capacity beyond that of only males.

As a legion of Saddle Arabian horses, armoured head to toe in smart warrior attire and helmet marched past, Starswirl felt a surge in his horn, as his mind flashed with a vague haze of ruby red as the group marched past.

"There, the one to be of Loyalty is among that battlegroup."

Looking over at the marching warriors, Siral knew it was pointless to tell Starswirl the obvious, all of them were under armour, and indistinguishable except for race and gender.

As the crowds continued to roar and cheer with more processing soldiers, Starswirl and Siral pulled back into a quieter market, the two Unicorns planning their next move. Though it was Starswirl that possessed the extra sense for these Harmonic 'essence' beings the prophecy stated warnings of.

"We cannot access that legion freely, we are visitors, and not even citizens can get close to them at will unless we catch one in public. One of a thousand being the one we need to run into is slim odds."

"I know Siral, let me think. The Prophecy stated: "A Treacherous One, for you and they to learn of True Loyalty." Treachery. Why would a treacherous one be among a paraded group of decorated warriors?"

As Starswirl pondered, Siral mused, thinking aloud: "Maybe, not outwards treachery, but inwards. Treachery of the self perhaps?"

"One who would become loyal, that implies loyalty to others. Perhaps then, we must find one of them that is loyal to themselves first. What greater service to themselves can a decorated warrior have?" Starswirl figured, looking west to a particular landmark prominently standing higher than others in the city skyline, though only barely.

"Glory, honour." Siral concluded. Seeing where Starswirl was looking, Siral followed the grey unicorn's gaze, as the black Unicorn saw the landmark in the distance too.

"Weren't there set to be re-enactments of the battles they won for the masses?"

"With prisoners as the defeated ones, yes.." Starswirl gave a knowing smile, realising how on the same page he and Siral were.

Looking across the marble coated senate district skyline, the wide round structure of the great Romane arena beckoned.

After all, the Colosseum was a veritable fountain of entertainment, execution and glorious display of Romane's glory all in one. And with barbarians pressing on the furthest borders, putting Romane's might under strain, distractions from doubts of the empire's power were a well utilised tool right now.

26th June 722 BNM

Late Morning

Chamitaly, Romane Imperial Homeland

Romane metropolis

Colosseum

If the crowds had been loud amidst the military parade the day before, then here in the arena they were practically deafening.

Towering high up, packing in what seemed like a quarter of the population of the Romane Empire's capital city, the massive seating laced walls of the mighty Colosseum loomed over the circular arena of sand, stone pillars and hidden features beneath its arena setting.

As the fierce Chamitalian beat down today, large rigid awnings that pivoted atop the colosseum's upper structure had lowered to shield the crowds with shade, leaving only the circular arena to bake in the heat.

Sat together, the two Wizards knew the legion of troops had a few of its more accomplished members volunteering to reenact the more glorious battle in their 2 year tour of duty, for the entertainment of the masses.

But Starswirl had not sensed the one of Loyalty-to-be had yet to emerge, but he knew they were here. For now, Starswirl could only watch with some mild disgust, and awe, at the spectacle on display here.

Beside him, Siral avidly paid attention, either enthralled at the bloodshed, or analyzing it for whatever he wished to think over.

Amidst the throngs and hordes of Romane, the Bearded and the Savant watched as the Gladiator Chamois team, all slaves sold off by their old masters, finished off the last of the Bull rebels from Espana, prisoners of war.

The last bull lay bleeding with no head on the sandy floor, as the Chamois gladiators, half of them having survived 5 fights at least, raised their forehooves, and held swords, high in the air to stimulate the crowd's roars of approval.

As the crowds settled, and some Colosseum guards quickly wandered out to clear out the bodies of the fallen, usher out the Chamois Gladiators, and bring out an armor clad 2 dozen various Chamois, Dogs, Bulls or Saddle Arabian horses, all sporting crudely made Arabiac armour and weapons.

From nearby the Emperor's box, a booming voice from the announcer echoed through the air as the next round of combat, an exclusive was set to start:

"-pay witness, nay, experience the glorious battle against the savage, brutish desecraters of Romane Might, the scouring barbarians that plague our Might at every turn!"

"The heroic champions of the Iudian Provinces, the Venata of Iudian!"

From out of the western gates, swarming out like a set of well organised armoured horses, the Venata were protected head to hoof, apart from the limbs. The mostly Saddle Aradian horses wasted no time, advancing on the Chamois gladiator group as they turned to regroup.

One Horse surged forwards, leaping forwards to headbutt the trailing gladiator Chamois in their knees, flooring them as the others formed up their defensive shield wall ring to protect themselves. But the lone Venata victim now was pinned beneath the armoured horses's hooves.
As its companions charged by, finding a weak point in the shield wall to exploit, the Venata fighter was thrown off as the Chamois guard kicked them off, rolling to reach for a spear.

As swords clashed against shield and other sword, as the lone Venata warrior, Saddle Arabian horse by race, reared up and crushed the skull of the Chamois attacker below her.

Stomping, the Saddle Arabian female charged the shield wall, the armour making her indistinguishable from a male to the naked eye, along with a mask too. The crowds exploded in excitement, as the Venata, apparently Gladiatrix in this setting, relished it, welcomed it, was driven by it.

As Starswirl felt an intense ruby red haze like nothing else consume his mind, he flashed Siral a knowing, but also uncertain grin.

This Saddle Arabian female horse was clearly whom they were searching for.

The crowds roared as further blood was shed in the arena, but for 2 in the crowds, the focus was on what one Venata member had yet to accomplish.

And for others, there was the concern of what she failed to accomplish, and callously and/or irresponsibly what she failed to in the campaigns, that had only recently come back.

Already, the wheels were in motion for a test of true loyalty, and where it lied for the destined Warrior in the arena.

To Starswirl though, as well as Siral, they wished to know of this female in person, her destiny knonw sort of, and her position seemingly unlikely for her kind.

Author's Notes:

Brisk pace, but will slow up slightly as Starswirl/they actually meet each member of the 6 along the way.

The Romane Empire, an epitomising era of loyalty to be acquired, tested, and then some.

Specifically, this is within the last century of the Romane Empire in this world, hence the increased barbarian border attacks and female soldiers/gladiatrix role allowances. Any resource/distraction goes, especially if done willingly.