Chapter Two: "Reckoning" of "Delicate Things"

Author's Note: Slight update, to clear up some unsure sentences. 1/31/15

As Greer decided to take the Gladiators and Rebels in chronological order as best he could, it would begin with the wife of the Doctore, Melitta. Oenomaus would be a worthwhile teacher and fighter, having taught many of the men Greer had been told to remove from the timeline after death. Melitta would give Oenomaus reason to come with them and she would stand as kind and loving spirit within the ranks of the gladiators as she had within the House of Batiatus.

He watched from the mirror as tainted wine was taken from room as Titus Batiatus sat with Lucretia but this moment was not of concern to Greer so in his mind, he forced the mirror to follow Melitta down into the ludus where she would go to meet with Gannicus, to find herself in the arms of her lover despite the husband she claimed to love above all others. Greer found himself easily from limbo and into the room as she walked through simple halls and Greer snatched at time, pausing it in its flow and he reached out to take the wine from loose grip. He replaced poison with a different potion, which would bring her to the edge of death and leave her there while Gannicus pleaded with her to breath and then Greer stepped from sight and started time once more. He could feel the weight of his powers already pulling at him as Melitta joined Gannicus and they began their lust filled conversation. Greer watched in silence as she drank from the new potion laden drink and within moments she started convulsing and blood trickled from her mouth to emulate the death of Titus in another room within the villa.

It took little effort to take the golem who was dressed to appear as Melitta in body and blood and replace the woman on the table. There was nothing and no one to keep Greer from slipping the still body of Melitta into limbo and the waiting arms of Ella and Claire. Greer allowed them the time it would take to release her body from the forced stillness of the potion before he would speak with her. She was only a tool to him, and one not needing his attention, as there were many other trips to take and warriors to bring to his stationary world.

"Greer, what would you have me say to her when she wakes?" Claire asked him before he was able to leave.

"I would have you tell her that if she wishes to see husband and lover once more, than she will stay here where she is safe and alive."

"Greer, she is important to the work we attempt here too, just not a warrior," Claire chided at him. She was so much like her fathers', easily able to chastise Greer despite his age and power.

"Then give her comfort but I would seek my next target. Let her know she will be protected here and may freely choose the life we offer."

"Or else?" Claire questioned with a quirk in her brow, so much like her judging biological father it was ridiculous.

"Claire, just deliver message!"

She grinned at him so Greer left, rolling his eyes before returning to his quarters. He walked to the mirror and thought to turn it to another time, to take the next man who would become a warrior for the Vannas cause. Then he slipped fingers around the chain he keep around his neck at all times. It held simple silver band which matched another back home, one belonging to his beloved friend, the person he most loved in this world and any other. He slid a gentle finger across the surface of the mirror and brought up a picture from his time instead of that of Barca, his next acquisition.

He sighed, watching the young man who was four years his junior with wavy dirty blond hair and a smile that was unlike any other. He had brown eyes that shimmered in humor most of the time, despite the many disadvantages he had faced through out his life, starting with an inability to speak though it had not held him back. Johnny was one of the main reasons Greer had come here to do carry out such a crazy scheme. For now Johnny stayed with Greer's siblings in the castle and he'd not been told where Greer had gone.

Greer wished now that he'd taken time to tell Johnny how he felt about him. Not long ago Johnny's father had gifted his son with a set of rings and in return for their close friendship Greer received the matching band. He recalled the way Johnny pressed his forehead to Greer's as he placed the chain over his neck before Greer followed his family onto the battlefield which stole Greer's parents from him and whispered into Greer's mind, "Stay safe in battle, return to me quickly."

Greer had hoped at the time that Johnny meant more with his words than continued friendship but soon after the burial of his beloved father and mother, Greer had gathered this time of time travelers and left without another word to Johnny so he would not know the truth until such a time when he was able to go home.

"I thought you were getting ready to take Barca next," Zale said from the doorway. Greer quickly double tapped the mirror and it refocused on the ludus of Batiatus and the party that would precede the death of their first gladiator, the Beast of Carthage.

"I am preparing now," Greer said with a cough.

Zale made a noise of disbelief so Greer turned to face his friend and the eldest of Johnny's siblings. "Do you so easily forget that each of my siblings and myself all have empathic abilities, Johnny knows what you feel for him and only wish for you to make a move."

"I would have the words from Johnny himself to that effect, though your fathers liked each other very much I have never known any of you to favor the same gender. What if Johnny only feels my love for him and wishes to see them fulfilled."

Zale snorted, "Have you ever known one of my siblings to do something they do not want to do?"

Greer shrugged, "This is not the time or the place, retrieve Ella for me and ready the Barca-golem."

Zale gave a sarcastic salute, "Yes sir, right away sir!" He sounded so much like his father right there with the warrior's salute, despite the srcasm.

"Go on!" Greer said with a smirk, he hoped what his friend spoke could be the truth but until he was home and among family again he would have to let it go and focus on the path he was given to win this destructive war. He brought his mind back to the resurrection of Barca who would bring much more challenge as he stood in the center of guards and Batiatus himself who took his life. He watched as Pietros received another kiss from Barca before Ashur led the man through the ludus and into the villa where his Dominus awaited him. He could feel Zale at his back as he watched Barca fight back despite the many wounds inflicted on his person and as Ella placed hand on Greer's shoulder and Greer reached out to place hand upon the golem which only needed final breath blown into its form to create the illusion of a dying slave.

Greer knew this would be a messy retrieval but just as he was stabbed Greer pulled the golem, himself and the healer into the house of Batiatus and stopped time just before Barca crawled into the water. He replicated the wounds on the golem and pulled the big gladiator from the world and back into limbo.

Zale stood waiting to catch the giant of a man and Ella quickly moved to start soothing Barca's flesh with her healing powers. The gladiator was already weak from blood loss so when Greer nudged at his temple, he fell easily into sleep. Greer turned to see the golem at work as time picked up effortlessly. The fake man crawled into the water, coloring its surface with streams of blood and Batiatus slit the throat of the golem who bled as a man would and it fell into the water as if dead.

Greer turned away from the shimmering mirror and placed a gentle hand over Ella's shoulder to give her the energy to complete the task at hand. This was one of the main reasons this journey would take some time, because Greer could only take a few at a time and Ella and Claire would fade from overuse of their talents.

Greer couldn't help from noticing the man they so recently saved, Barca's long hair was wet and clinging to his skin and the blood while his tan skin held an unhealthy grey tinge to it just under the surface. Greer knew with the power they carried, Barca would be saved and Greer would move to gather more to his cause.

"This one is large, he will be quite the coup against ZarCorp," Ella stated quietly and breathless in the face of such a man.

Greer smiled, "The Beast of Carthage, the first of many to join our cause."