Juleios's command tent couldn't hold over forty people, so he instructed his Guard Captain, Martius, to lead thirty guards—his expanded guard unit—to cordon off a space in front of the tent. Torches flickered in the cool night air, casting long, shifting shadows around the gathering. The flickering light danced on the faces of the assembled officers, amplifying the tension and anticipation.
Juleios surveyed the group, his sharp gaze passing over each man present:
