It is said that Cicero was a righteous man. That when he spoke, the world would wait on his breath and the tides would rise to be closer to his words. It is said that he influenced nations, progressed language and laid down material that we still sequester in our minds. Philosopher, politician, lawyer, orator, theorist, linguist, these are all said about Cicero. That he influenced all of classical antiquity, created renaissance and helped a nation declare independence. Before the collapse, Cicero was a great man. The Golden Age was his stage and all listened to his every whisper. Then, darkness and with it, the deceiver. Oh, the world still listened, but now the words were something else. They hinted at treachery and betrayal. That he was the beacon, the teacher, the speaker. Born from this new presence, this traveler, millennia ago to guide humanity in it's darkest time. That his followers would be sheltered from the dark. That was when the first warmind was destroyed. Copernicus, the astronomer and recorder of stars. Cicero deemed him the cause for the darkness. Sending signals offworld to lure it to us. Copernicus went up in a fiery light, brighter than the sun. He sent one last message before he was claimed, "Cicero supposed the Earth to move". Eighty eight speeches, that is what followed. Eighty eight lies and deceptions to amass his following. Each more twisted and corrupted than the last. Millions under his sway and those who resisted soaked his hands in blood. When he finally fell with a hole in his chest and the dark fled its dying puppet he uttered his last words " Honorem mortuorum, tueri infirmos, superesse tenebris". Honor the dead, protect the weak, survive the dark. It seemed some semblance of the before-man had found its way back. Didn't stop them from taking his head and hands though. - On Cicero the Deceiver, Cayde-6