Circa 130 CE – Roman Empire, Hadrian's Reign
By now, Marcus had appeared in hundreds of cities, thousands of whispers. In Rome, his name had been carved into ruins—"the laughing warrior," "the silent guardian," "the man who rides time."
He visited Emperor Hadrian, blending in as a foreign philosopher. The emperor, curious and clever, looked him over and said:
"You don't age."
"Neither do statues," Marcus replied.
He advised Hadrian on unifying the empire through diplomacy rather than conquest. He spoke with gladiators in the Colosseum, comforted slaves in the catacombs, and dined with poets and senators.
But the most haunting moment came in a temple, when a priest froze mid-prayer and stared at him.
"You… You're the same man from the old scrolls. From Egypt. From Babylon. From the East."
Marcus only smiled and put a finger to his lips.