Chapter 40

NOW!

Everything happened in slow motion as the sword was hurled into the air, momentum pushing it upwards over the four metre high walls and towards the royal box.

Brown eyes watched blue as the blade spun through the air, cutting through the heat of thousands of bodies as the light from the sun reflected off its edge.

Krista could see commanders and senators beginning to move, trying to protect their Empress, but she just watched the blade, as all the noise around them became muffled and distant.

The sword arched in the sky, gathering speed as it travelled over the balcony of the royal box.

Her heart was pounding in her ears, her breathing heavy as blood and sweat trailed down her arms before pooling at her fingertips and dropping into the sand.

Each droplet of her blood felt like a fresh beat of a drum as the sword continued upon its fated path.

Her breathing hitched, her eyes drawing wider, as the sword grew dangerously close to Pompeia.

In those last few seconds, Krista’s mind was overwhelmed with everything that had happened in her past and now she was here, childless, about to fulfil her campaign of revenge.

* * * Three months ago * * *

Krista walked through the camp, her eyes raking over the vacant tents, as people stood, hunched over, coughing, all around her.

She had returned a little over a week ago with Diomed and yet, whilst the cure worked, it worked too slowly.

People were growing stronger every day but it was not strong enough for the challenges they faced ahead.

Slipping down the side of a tent, Krista navigated her way through a winding path of tents and cots before she came across another seemingly average tent.

Glancing over her shoulder, Krista made one more circuit of the tents before she returned to the same one.

It was only slightly taller than herself with mix-matched fabric and half-used equipment littering the front. It was as if a moment of daily life had been frozen in time.

Subconsciously running the palm of her hand over her abdomen, Krista thought back to the way Gaius’s eyes had fallen across her mid-riff and, before she let the thought grow dangerous, she ducked beneath the opening of the tent.

Her hand dropped back to her side as she looked around and saw the faces of Leonidas, Frieda and Artorius gathered before her.

A map was spread out on a table that rested between them as Frieda swung a chalice of wine from her fingers before raising the cup to her lips and drinking its nectar.

Everyone glanced upwards at Krista’s arrival, their taught shoulders relaxing when they gazed upon who it was.

Krista and Artorius shared a silent look of welcome before she turned towards Leonidas, “Have you made any progress?”

Leonidas sighed as he rested his hands on the table, “The information you obtained from Gaius has not been very useful. The Commander was careful to leave anything valuable open to peering gazes.”

Krista did not wish to hear of Gaius’s competence as a Commander.

Frieda ignored Leonidas completely and remained where she was, resting her hip against the table and drinking the wine like a drunkard in a tavern as she turned to Krista.

“I would like to know how you obtained the information in the first place,” Frieda arched an eyebrow in curiosity.

Artorius watched Krista as well; his thoughts too had been filled with the same question. Krista had only uttered that she would ‘not remain idle’ as her answer.

Artorius knew not to push her but his ebony eyes were filled with apprehension at what she would say in the coming minutes nevertheless.

Krista ignored them both and approached the table, “I know Pompeia; she will be growing aggravated that she has not beaten us by now,”

Krista decided to leave out the point that Gaius too would be angry at her arrival in his tent a few weeks prior. She and Diomed had chosen to keep that event from their knowledge.

“Sooner or later they shall send an army to attack us,” Krista’s eyes flickered over the map in the low light of the tent.

“We could not survive an attack,” Artorius stepped forward, his brow furrowed in concentration, “Half of our numbers are dead or ill.”

“Precisely,” Krista lifted her head, a small smile playing on her lips as he played into her hands.

Her three generals gazed at her as if she had suddenly defected before exchanging confused expressions with each other.

“Pompeia will soon attack us and, if I know the Empress, she shall take some of us as prisoners to parade before the people as her spoils of war,”

“Some of us?” Leonidas repeated Krista’s words with growing anger, “You cannot presume to know another person’s mind.”

Krista sensed that Leo was worried but they had to try something or else Rome would win.

“That is how we get into the capital.” Krista placed her fist on the map where Rome was drawn.

“Become prisoners?” Frieda sounded unsure, “Slaves, once again?”

“You wish to get captured,” Artorius growled, “You are with child!” He snapped.

Krista gritted her teeth at his words but only replied to Frieda, “Only for a short while.”

“After we survive an attack and are, hopefully, taken prisoner rather than executed,” Leonidas tilted his head, “How do you suppose we escape Rome? And what about everyone who are left in the camp?”

“Two words, Leonidas,” Krista felt her smile grow wider because she knew this plan would work, “Divide and Conquer.”

* * *

Rushing back to the present, Krista’s eyes were glued to the sword.

It flew past Pompeia’s head as she remained motionless, cutting the soft flesh of her cheek, before clattering against the same pillar of stone the trident had been imbedded into and tumbling to the ground.

Krista straightened her body, a small smile spreading onto her lips, as she saw the stain of red stand out against Pompeia’s otherwise flawless skin.

Remaining where she was, Krista watched as Pompeia raised her fingertips to her cheek and touched the small cut barely two inches long.

Her face remained void of emotion as she pulled back slightly to look down at her fingers.

People were screaming around her, but Pompeia could only lift her head and gaze down at Krista with pure anger and rage.

Krista stood triumphant and yet she had failed to kill her. It made ominous questions protrude into Pompeia’s thoughts.

In those few moments it felt like only Pompeia and Krista existed in the world but soon sound and action came crashing in as Gaius yanked Pompeia to her feet and hurried her out of the royal box to safety.

Krista watched the Empress turn and run. It was such a beautiful sight that Krista’s smile only grew wider.

“Krista!” Someone called her name and she eventually turned in the sand to see Amor racing to her side.

Her heart became elated as she looked around and saw hundreds of gladiators, dressed like commoners, jumping over the wall and descending into the arena.

Men and women dropped onto the sand before throwing off floor-length robes and exposing bodies dressed in armour and swords resting at their hips.

The cheers and screams of the crowds died into silence as the public were frozen to the spot; their eyes consuming the image of people that had stood beside them now becoming gladiators, jumping over the barrier and into the sands.

As Krista glanced around the arena she saw over a hundred gladiators now fighting a little over fifty roman soldiers.

She didn’t think the Colosseum had been filled to this capacity in all of its short life but as she watched the scene, Krista could sense all of the pieces of her plan falling into place.

“Amor,” Krista raised her hand and clasped his shoulders in welcome, “How good to see you again,”

Krista had not seen Amor since she had sent him and the others away with the women and children. They were to find a safe place for the women and children to lie low before they made their way into Rome.

“Argus?” The conversation turned sombre as Krista asked about the fate of ‘The Destroyer’.

Amor lost his smile slightly, “Dead, along with his men.”

Krista frowned slightly, “Rheia?”

Amor nodded his head, “You were right about everything Krista, but you must tell me, where did you find such a vial?”

“A small apothecary in a town you would not know,” Krista smiled as she remembered the small, oval bottle she told him to protect; she had found it when she was looking for the cure with Diomed.

If Amor wished to know more this was not the time as Krista spotted movement over Amor’s shoulder and saw a roman soldier with blond hair heading their way.

Still carrying her second sword, Krista pushed Amor to the side and out of the soldier’s path.

Stepping forward, Krista raised her sword and counteracted the man’s sideways attack.

Feeling new energy surge through her body, Krista quickly forced the soldier to imbed his sword into the sand at an angle; his body leant forward as his fingers still grasped the hilt of his sword.

Taking the chance, Krista raised her leg and connected the tip of her knee beneath the man’s jaw.

His body lurched backwards as his fingers releasing his sword.

Stumbling to regain his balance, Krista had a moment to gaze over his shoulder and spot the gates to the tunnels begin to rise in the distance.

Sensing her opportunity, Krista landed a sharp jab into the soldier’s abdomen to keep him off balance, his head tilting back, before she swiped the tip of her blade across his exposed throat.

As the man’s body began to fall, crashing to his knees, Krista spun back around to talk with Amor to find him fighting a soldier.

Krista glanced over her shoulder and saw the gates forever rising slowly, soon they would be dropped back to the ground and their escape would be near impossible.

“Amor!” Krista shouted his name and he glanced at her quickly before deflecting a blow at his jaw.

“Go!” Amor shouted through clenched teeth as he blocked a sword against his chest with his own, “Krista, go!”

Unable to do nothing else, Krista spun on her heel and fought her way back through the battle.

Sand kicked up behind her as she charged through the fight. Ducking beneath a sudden swing of a sword, Krista rolled over the sand before rising back up onto her feet and continuing on.

Spotting Artorius in the distance, his dark locks bouncing on his shoulders, he played with the roman soldiers he was fighting, a fierce smile on his lips.

Hurrying to his side, Krista quickly dispatched with two of the soldiers he was fighting before she turned to the third.

Unable to let her win, Artorius rushed forward and sunk his own blade into the soldier’s leg, making him cry out in pain.

Pulling his arm back, Artorius landed a solid punch across the soldier’s head forcing him to collapse to the ground unconscious.

Krista arched an eyebrow at his tactic.

“We have to hurry,” Artorius nodded towards the gate, sharing her thoughts.

Glancing through the battling crowd, they both saw the gate, now raised halfway, about to release a battalion of roman guards.

“Get Frieda and the others,” Artorius began to speak when a body was hurled towards them.

Artorius quickly stepped back, pulling Krista along with him, narrowly avoiding having the body of a roman soldier hit into their side.

Krista leaned around Artorius and stared at the numerous contradictory arrows and sword wound upon his flesh.

Turning their heads to look at where the soldier had come from, both Krista and Artorius saw Frieda and Diomed skip to their side.

Krista and Frieda shared an impressive grin, their eyes taking in the extent of each other’s injuries, which Artorius and Diomed frowned upon.

“We need to go,” Artorius reminded them and, after a roll of Frieda’s eyes, they all ran towards the gate.

* * *  

Leonidas stood just within the trees and watched the small village from a distance.

The sun was now high in the sky, birds sung in the trees around them and everything seemed peaceful and idyllic.

It made Leonidas worry as he rested his hand against a tree and stared through a gap in the branches towards the local tavern which Cato now stood inside.

“He’ll be fine,” Leonidas whispered to the baby that was bundled up in a hammock like sling on his back, the material secured around Leonidas’s chest.

Cato had created it, enabling them to move faster and enabling them to use both their hands should they need to fight.

“Of course he will,” Leonidas nodded his head, muttering to himself as the baby slept.

Leonidas was slowly realising that he and Cato were no longer a part of a whole; they were no longer surrounded by like-minded people.

They were by themselves and on the run. Leonidas coveted Cato more now than ever before.

Peering over his shoulder at the baby, Leonidas saw his little mouth open and placed against the warm skin of Leonidas’s shoulder, drool running down his arm.

Letting out a sigh of annoyance, Leonidas raised his hand to wipe away the drool when he spotted movement from the corner of his eye.

Turning back towards the tavern, Leonidas froze where he stood.

Because at that precise moment, two roman soldiers decided to casually stroll across the grass and head towards the tavern which Cato now occupied.

Leonidas was praying the guards would continue walking on past but the Gods were against them and Leonidas could only watch as the two soldiers stepped into the hut.

He was torn about what to do; Leonidas favoured the scenario where the guards did not recognise Cato but as some of the most wanted people in the empire, Leonidas thought that very unlikely.

The other scenario involved Leonidas joining Cato with Krista and Artorius’s child upon his back. Leonidas had promised Krista he would not allow her child to fall into enemy hands.

But Leonidas could not risk losing Cato either.

Stuck between what to do, Leonidas took a long look at the baby who slept peacefully, his lips suckling against Leonidas’s skin instinctively.

A deep sigh left his lips as he made up his mind but as Leonidas turned back to face the establishment, his hand resting on his sword, the tavern door suddenly swung open aggressively.

Watching closely, Leonidas felt his heart jump with joy as he saw Cato emerge unharmed, a jug of milk hugged beneath his arm.

But as he looked closer, Leonidas lost his smile when he saw the way Cato was rushing from the tavern.

A few seconds later, Cato broke through the trees and skidded to a halt in front of Leonidas, “We should go.”

Leonidas looked back towards the tavern where two badly injured and limping roman soldiers emerged, “What did you do?” Leonidas asked with curiosity.

“They wouldn’t let me have the milk,” Cato replied flippantly, holding up the jug of milk he had obtained as a trophy.

Leonidas and Cato shared a smile and laughter when they both heard the voices of the soldiers shouting for assistance.

They both turned their heads and looked at where the soldiers were progressing, slowly, towards them, “Maybe we should . . .”

“Yeah,” Cato agreed as they turned and started to run through the forest.

All the while, the baby remained sleeping on his shoulder.

* * *

Stood in a line with their backs to the walls, Krista stood behind Artorius and found her eyes wandering around the arena.

The stands had emptied as its occupants ran for the safety of their homes and the sand was growing damp with blood when, over the noise of the gate beside them, a new sound reached their ears.

Frieda took a hesitant step forward, her eyes narrowing in on a certain location within the arena.

“Frieda?” Diomed spoke her name softly.

After a second, Frieda stepped back and plastered her back to the stone wall, a look of fear upon her face, “We need to get out of here.”

“What is it? Frieda!” Krista snapped, seeing the fear in Frieda’s eyes.

But a few seconds later the gate was opened far enough for the Roman guards inside the tunnel to step out into the arena.

Keeping their backs to the walls, the four of them were to remain silent until the last roman had stepped through before they were to duck inside the tunnel.

However, the gates were already closing before half of the soldiers had emerged, cutting into their timeline.

They could not risk being trapped here.

Frieda was breathing heavy behind Krista as the strange new sound in the arena continued but Krista could not worry about that now as Artorius made the decision.

“Now!” Artorius mimicked Krista’s cry from earlier on, taking the soldier’s by surprise as they charged the ranks from the side.

There had to be nearly thirty guards, half way of the gates, when the four of them attacked.

A battle cry was torn from Krista’s lips as she leapt into the air, hovering above the soldier’s heads before she crashed back to the ground, landing in the middle of the ranks.

Swinging her sword all around her, Krista felt the blade cut through multiple flesh, bodies falling around her.

“Krista!”

Cutting through a man’s wrist, Krista watched as his left hand collapsed into the sand, still cradling his sword, before she glanced over her shoulder and saw the gates were still closing.

Artorius and the others had already slipped inside and were battling with the guards.

Krista could not get trapped here.

Survival and revenge pushed Krista on as she quickly spun back to face the front and deflected a blow at her neck.

Lifting her leg, Krista planted her boot firmly into the man’s chest and pushed him away, his large body taking five others to the ground with him.

Turning back towards the gate, Krista bunched the muscles in her legs and quickly leapt back over the top of the soldier’s heads, their hands reaching out to grab her but they clasped only air.

As she descended back towards the ground, her body turned until she was the right way up, allowing her to kick a solider in the face.

His body collapsed below her as she landed on top of his back.

The soldiers were reaching out to grab her but Krista darted past their clutches as she dived forward, as if plunging herself into a lake, and darted below the gate that was mere feet from the ground.

Spinning onto her back, Krista watched as dozens of soldiers crammed against the metal framework, barking orders for the gate to risen.

But when Krista looked she saw Diomed stood beside the wheel, the four men charged with raising and lowering the gate, dead on the ground.

“Do it!” Artorius shouted at Diomed as he struggled with two guards that remained, “Close it, Diomed!”

Swinging his sword against the chain that connected the gate to the pulley wheel, the sound of metal upon metal grated their ears whilst Krista remained where she was, staring up at the contorted faces of the men that wanted to kill her.

After the second strike came against the chain, the gate descended those last few centimetres and smashed into the stone, a cloud of sand blowing up into her face.

“Krista!” Artorius spoke her name in earnest as he pulled her off the ground, his hands resting on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes.

“I am fine,” Krista coughed slightly against the sand that gritted the back of her throat, her eyes absorbing how worried Artorius was for her.

As they stood there, his hands resting on her body, a new sound cracked beneath them as something heavy seemed to fall in the distance, shaking the ground.

“What was that?” Artorius raised his head and looked at the others before they all turned to look into the arena through the gaps in the bar.

Stepping away from the gate, Frieda walked forward, a look of fear in her eyes.

“Trap doors,” Frieda swallowed, “Pompeia has ordered the animals to be released.”

Krista turned back to the arena in shock as patches of darkness erupted all of the arena’s floor, a few people falling into the depths below as they were taken unaware.  

Staring into the darkness, Krista’s heart suddenly took a beating when the tremendous body of a large brown beast came charging from the depths.

“Bears,” Diomed said beside her as Krista watched the animal’s jaws open in a growl filled with terror and fear.

The beast did not want to be there, stolen from its home and forced into fighting like the rest of them.

“They’ve been taken from Carthage,” Diomed explained and Krista closed her eyes as the bear tore into its first victim; roman or gladiator. It did not discriminate as both were now locked inside the arena.

“Can we get them out?” Diomed asked although he already knew the answer.

Krista closed her eyes in shame because she knew they had to leave; if they tried to open the gate the Romans would surely defeat them and Krista’s plan would fail.

“No,” Krista shook her head slowly, they had to leave them to their fate and pray that they did not die in vain.