Chapter 12: The Voice of the Outsider
The tension in the Senate was so thick that Leo could feel it pressing down on his chest. He knew everyone was looking at him, and it was both a curious gaze and a suspicious one. If he remained silent, he would be just another shadow in this world of power plays. But if he opened his mouth now, he ran the risk of exposure. The consequences would be terrible, but a strange sense of confidence surged through him now. It was time to act; time to remind them that Rome was no longer in control of its own fate.
Leo took a deep breath and stood up, the scrape of his chair against marble echoing through the chamber and snatching the attention of the senators and the man at their center: Julius Caesar. His words had stilled the room like the last tremors of the storm. The Senate would wait, poised on a new reality.
"I am Leo Carter," Leo said, his voice ringing out, steadier than he felt. "An overseer from a distant land. And I am here to ensure that the decisions made in this chamber do not lead Rome to ruin."
The murmured expression across the room was one of astonishment. Brutus furrowed his brow in confusion, and suspicion crept into Cassius's eyes. Even Caesar's lips twitched, as though amused by the bold intrusion.
Leo tried to bear the entire confluence of glances and stood strong. He felt that he should be more than just a bystander in this game; he should be the force that no one could ignore.
"I come not as an enemy, but as a guardian," Leo continued, looking around at the senators whose expressions shifted between doubt and intrigue. "I have seen the path this city is on, the rise of ambition that blinds those in power, and the ruin that follows when power is wielded without restraint."
A ripple of mutters cascaded through the chamber, some senators exchanging glances that hinted at recognition, others whispering about the audacity of a foreign voice daring to interrupt the assembly.
"You claim to be a guardian, Leo Carter," Caesar said, a smirk playing on his lips as he regarded Leo. "But who will guard you? And what gives you the right to speak in the Senate?"
Leo's pulse raced, but he looked straight into Caesar's eyes. "I am here because Rome's future concerns us all, even those not born of its soil. I have seen the consequences of actions taken in haste, and I have come to lend my voice to prevent that future from becoming reality."
The chamber was divided; some senators looked at him with hope, others with a growing sense of alarm. Livia's hand tightened around her cloak, and for the first time since Leo had met her, a smile crossed her lips—a rare, knowing smile that suggested she understood the risk Leo was taking.
"Enough of this," Decimus Brutus's voice came through the room, harsh and autocratic. "We can't let some stranger drive the play of our politics with empty promises and shadow warnings. Caesar, the man has no place here."
"Do not be so quick to dismiss him, Decimus," Caesar said, eyes glinting with amusement. "We are on the brink of change, and change must be met with both caution and boldness. Let him speak, and let us judge for ourselves whether he is friend or foe."
The senators looked at each other uncomfortably, the impact of Caesar's words settling within the chests of the mighty. Leo swallowed hard, but the system's familiar chime hummed within his mind, reminding him he was not powerless here.
System Alert
New Skill Learned: Voice of the Overseer – Allows Leo to sway the minds of others in a 10-foot radius, making his words almost impossible to resist.
Leo felt a power jolt through him, as a breath in his ear urged him forward. He dug deep down, letting the skill guide his tone, intent.
"Rome's course is not in stone but in the chiseling choices of its leaders," Leo declared, his voice newfound in weight. "The decisions tonight will find their belonging, for good or ill, in the record books. I'm not here to alter your set route, but to remind you the future is still unwritten."
Absolute silence reigned in the chamber. The senators watched Leo, a mixture of wonder and suspicion written on their faces. The room seemed to pivot on an axis, changing course as this new force entered and gripped its direction.
"Then speak," Brutus commanded, the challenge in his voice clear. "Tell us what you foresee, Leo Carter. What is it that brings you here?"
Leo's eyes met Brutus's, a spark of defiance flaring between them. He knew this was only the beginning. Whatever came next, Rome would never be the same.
And neither would he.
Weekly Power Status
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