Souls Of The Fateless (FGO x God's Wrath OC Series Story)

Escalating Promise

Rome; Centuries prior to present day
Young Nero POV

"Come on... hurry up already."

Tapping a foot on the wall pushing up against my back, I poked my head out around the corner at the equipped Roman guard who stood conversating with a citizen.

"...Ran... missing... royal's..."

Being a fair distance away to not be spotted, much of their discussion failed to reach my ear with the exception of a few words.

Hearing an uprise of footsteps accompanied by lively yelling originating from meters behind where I stood, I gave one final glance in the direction of the two men seeing the guard depart down the paved street.

Ditching the brown robe I wore, I hopped into the civilian's cart and pulled down the carp covering his goods. Feeling us begin to move with the struggling groans of him pulling his load, the loud noises of my pursuers ran by in the opposite direction the guard had taken, letting me relax at last.

"Perhaps this can buy me some time until they choose to give up, or become too tired and decide to head back home."

Rubbing the deep purplish bruise forming across my arm, I felt my way around on all fours until eventually leaning my weight on a crate. Having a tingling shockwave travel up my spine at the rocking sensation of the cart swaying every time the wheels crossed a bump in the path, listening to the voices surrounding the cart as we headed further into the depths of the city.

Murmurs of all pitches; high and low came and then became distant in the flowing wind, gradually settling in while the cart continued its travel until it jolted to a sudden halt, stopping in the loudest area yet.

"Water... Where's a damn fountain here again?"

Hearing sighs of tiredness retreat from the man, followed after with his slow deliberate footsteps away from my exit... I crawled forward and slung my feet out so they hit the ground.

Sunlight with clear skies beamed down and blinded my squinted eyes as I sneakily peered from under the blanket covering the cart to conduct a glance in every direction.

Stepping out for my body to be greeted by the warmth of the morning again once two individuals passed, I stared around in awe at the sights I'd only seen from afar times before.

Hmm... so this is what the surroundings appear like an hour after sunrise.

At a rare moment of peace, my lone wandering around the city went on for a long period as the early hours transformed into those approaching close to noon.

Sitting inconspicuously under a shaded bunch of trees, I sat on the side facing the city with my back to workers taking a break, ignorant of my presence while I splashed water and wiped at the other bruises on my legs and neck which stayed hidden under my formal dress.

Tears welled in my eyes as I pressed in deeper to massage and disperse the gathered pain. Dusting the grass off my attire the moment I felt good enough to stand my gaze fell upon something dastardly.

Thie... Thievery?

Moving like a blur with the silence of a shadow, a cloaked individual stood amid several carts, their head shifting between them before he moved to rob them. No one noticed them, as though the world couldn't care less about someone who looked to have been discarded; a person who was fated to wind up alone.