Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Domain of Ares

Lysandra looked visibly frightened by Praxis’ assessment of the temple.

“Why impossible, Praxis? Don’t they have any weaknesses?”

“Very little,” he growled. “It looks like they’re prepared for an attack by the way they’re making their rounds. Look at how those four men patrol the outside of the grounds.”

Indeed, four of the warrior-priests, garbed only in simple, white chitons and carrying their swords, moved around the outside of the structure. Their movements were timed so that each of the four crossed the corner of the building at precisely the same time, allowing for every part of the plain to be visible at one time.

“We’ll never be able to get close in our approach with them patrolling like that,” said Praxis. “Even if we did manage to dispatch one of them, we’d have a limited time before he either yelled out in pain or the next guard rounded the corner and saw his dead body, raising the alarm with the rest of the priests. Any direct assault on this place would be foolish.”

“What if we wait until they take a break?” asked Lysandra. “They can’t march the entire day without a rest.”

Praxis agreed to observe them for a while longer but he suspected that it wasn’t going to be as easy as she suggested. With security like this, he figured it would be likely that one of the six other priests inside would relieve the four once their “shift” was over.

Sure enough, a mere hour later four more priests exited the temple, and they quickly spread out to take the place of one of the four existing patrols. The switch was made quickly and efficiently, allowing the other four to reenter the temple.

“For a place that’s defended like this, you have to wonder what they have inside besides the golden statue,” said Praxis under his breath. “They have to be sitting on a goldmine.”

“Any ideas on what to do?” asked Lysandra. “Because we can’t simply just wait for the changing of the guard to slip by. They’re too efficient.”

“I’m still working on that,” replied Praxis. “If only there was another way . . .”

If he wasn’t still recovering, Praxis might have entertained a direct assault on the temple. At least the priests weren’t carrying shields or armor, which might make them easier to kill if he just got around their swords. On the other hand, he had to guess they had armor inside the temple just in case an assault did materialize.

It was as Praxis was still contemplating how to get inside that the situation changed. From a distance, two figures were approaching the temple from a mere fifty yards away. Just behind them, they were dragging a woman and two young children. Praxis gestured for Lysandra to shift their positions to stay hidden, as it became quickly obvious that these two men in front were also priests. They didn’t stop until they reached the front of the temple, and two more men came out to meet them.

“What do we have here?” asked the lead priest, grinning lecherously at the young woman.

“We found this wench and her brats not far away,” explained one of the two newcomers. “There was a storm near the peak of the mountain, and we found the dead body of a man under an avalanche of rocks. We’re guessing it was her husband because she wouldn’t stop crying about it.”

Instead of sympathy, the main priest started to laugh. “Ares certainly knows when to provide for his followers, does he not? And it seems he’s brought us this woman to serve as entertainment for the men tonight.”

The other priest grinned. “She has a tight body despite pushing out two kids. I’m looking forward to getting inside her myself.”

At those words, the woman struggled to free herself before she was smacked by the backhand of another priest. The blow was so hard that she barely moved again. Her young children, no older than five or six rushed to her defense, causing the priests to laugh.

“Why did you bring the brats?” asked the main priest. “Why not kill them or leave them to starve?”

“I figured they could make great slaves if we sell them! We could always use a little more gold!”

“All the better to bring glory the great name of Ares,” replied the main priest. “You two have done well. Take the wench and her kids inside and we will have some wine. Tonight, we will celebrate.”

Listening to this whole discussion had turned Lysandra pale white. She grabbed Praxis’ arm.

“We can’t let this happen,” she hissed. “We can’t let those animals take her!”

“I don’t intend to,” replied Praxis. “But I think I see our way in, especially if there’s wine involved tonight.”

“But how are we going to get inside with the patrols?”

Praxis had watched to make sure the patrols continued after the arrival of the two priests. All four of them showed interest in the young mother, and two of them had even stopped to watch the ordeal before continuing on. It was then that Praxis had his idea.

“We’re just going to have to distract them,” he said before turning to face her. “And I hate what I’m going to have to ask you to do.”

“What is it?” she asked, the fear already showing on her face.

Praxis grimaced. “I need to use you as bait.”

*****

“Help me! Someone help me please! I need help!”

Lysandra’s voice pierced the early evening air and echoed throughout the surrounding countryside. Her position was strategically placed because it was the only area next to the temple where the plain broke into a circular and rocky low-lying area. The rocks offered the perfect amount of obstruction for anyone who didn’t want to be found while also giving an advantage to any defender.

And they needed all the advantages they could get right now.

Thankfully for them, Lysandra’s voice carried far enough to attract the attention of the priests on guard duty outside the temple. By the time they’d recognized her screams, they started to advance on their position, no doubt thinking they just found extra entertainment for the evening.

“Three of them are coming,” she whispered to Praxis. “They’re about fifty yards away!”

“Keep screaming,” he urged. “Don’t make it look suspicious.”

As such, Lysandra kept screaming. She’d made up some kind of injury as being her reason for distress, holding her leg high into the air like it was broken. The priests continued to circle them until they were nearly on top of their position.

As long as Praxis was positioned correctly, they would have to jump over his concealed position to get to Lysandra, and that would be his time to capitalize on the mistake.

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“Another wench!” barked the lead priest, already grinning as he looked at Lysandra. “Ares has been good to us today. He must want us to celebrate!”

“Perhaps this has something to do with Apollo as well?” replied another priest. “Plentiful women and wine tonight. Those seem to be Apollo’s hallmarks, are they not?”

Praxis watched as they stood near the edge, contemplating the scene under them. For her part, Lysandra was still begging for their help but all they could do was sneer at her.

“Don’t worry, woman. You’ll get all the help you can stomach in a little bit,” said one priest, causing the others to laugh. “Our brand of help is going to leave you with stretched out holes though.”

Right on cue, Lysandra began to panic and she started to push away from the priests. It was just the movement that Praxis needed, as it caused all three of them to jump into the small, rocky crater, putting their backs to him.

With a sword in each hand, Praxis suddenly lunged from his hiding spot, jamming the tip of each sword into the back of the two outer priests, leaving only the one in the center.

Surprise took them all. What had been merriment at the thought of a second wet hole for the evening turned to dust as the two priests started to choke on their own blood. It only took Praxis a split second to place both his hands on one sword, yanking it from the back of the man on the left in order to dispatch the remaining man.

Luckily for Praxis, that remaining man seemed confused by his changed circumstances. It took him seconds to figure out what was going on and by the time he thought to grab for his sword, Praxis whipped his blade across the man’s neck, cutting his throat and letting out a torrent of blood.

“Praxis!” yelled Lysandra. “Behind you!”

Praxis whirled around, finding the fourth guard standing on the rim of the crater. He’d been lagging behind his three dead compatriots but that laziness was the only reason he was still alive. Not for long if Praxis had anything to say about it.

At least this one had his sword drawn. He lunged at Praxis and the tip nicked Praxis’ shoulder, drawing blood. Praxis barely moved out of the way to prevent a further skewering, even as Lysandra crawled around his legs trying to get another sword.

The only problem with killing this fourth man was that he had the advantage of the high ground against Praxis. From the crater, Praxis could only strike at his legs which prevented a killing blow.

Then something happened that surprised both men. Lysandra had managed to climb out of the crater, and brandishing the sword of one of the dead priests, she charged at the fourth man using a move that Praxis had taught her.

“Not today, bitch!” seethed the fourth man, easily blocking her thrust.

His diversion of attention was just what Praxis needed. With another sharp slash, he took the fourth man’s legs right out from under him. Blood erupted from the ragged stumps that remained of his legs, forcing him to fall to his back.

“No!” he cried, grabbing his legs. “Ares, help me! Ares, save me!”

Praxis didn’t give the god a chance to respond. He took his sword and jammed it into the man’s chest, killing him instantly.

Just as suddenly as it all began, it was over and the four priests laid dead.

Praxis moved quickly to the edge of the crater and spied on the temple. Despite the ruckus of the fight, not one of the other priests had heard it. The distraction had bought them time and had evened the odds a little.

“We just might be able to get through this yet,” said Praxis before he looked directly at Lysandra. She seemed to be contemplating the sword in her hands. “You did well in that fight. You did exactly what I taught you.”

She beamed with pride at the compliment. “I have a great teacher.”

She helped him from the crater and then kissed him soundly. “Come on, we have to save that woman and her children.”

Praxis nodded. “Let’s hope the rest of the priests will be drunk by now.”

*****

Praxis’ hope turned out to be half-right. By the time that he and Lysandra had infiltrated the temple, they found the majority of the priests huddled in one room. They’d been celebrating with wine and most of them were in no shape to fight. Just off in the corner, the woman and her children awaited their fates, scared out of their minds.

At least the alcohol dimmed the priests’ senses. Praxis dispatched three of them on his own and Lysandra got the fourth, getting her first real kill, something that filled Praxis with immense pride.

“That was incredible,” he said, watching her pull her sword from the stomach of the dead priest. “You’re a natural just like your brother was.”

She gave him a coy smile. “I hate to say it but that felt really good. Especially knowing what they had in mind with her.”

Lysandra pointed to the young mother, who was now watching them with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

Praxis closed the distance between them and knelt in front of her. “You don’t have to worry. We’re not going to hurt you. We’re going to set you free.”

“Truly?” she asked. “No lies?”

“No lies,” he replied, shaking his head. “Here, let me cut these bonds around your wrists.”

He took the next couple minutes to cut the woman and her children’s bonds, freeing them.

“Lysandra, why don’t you get them outside to the crater where they can be safe,” said Praxis. “I’m going to find the statue.”

Just after Lysandra left the other side of the room, two men entered the room from the far side of the temple. Both of them were heavily-armed and they looked at Praxis with disdain.

“You’ll die before you even get close to our statue of Ares,” said the lead priest. With those words, he rushed forward to attack Praxis.

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