Chapter VI

The Last Stand

Cassandra POV:

It had been hours since we made it to the mountain's peak. I was sitting next to fire that was barely burning with Flavia sitting on my lap. We were both cold and i was trying to warm Flavia by holding my arms around her. "Mommy, i'm cold..." She said with a quiet and tired voice. "I know, Flavia. So am i." As i held Flavia, i saw Spartacus and Mira walk past us. "The wood for fie is almost gone." Mira told Spartacus. "Our food quickly follows. We have stripped the mountain of what little it had ever since Glaber forces us upon it." She continued. "A thing that should not have happened." Spartacus said as he looked at everyone shivering near the fires. He talked with Mira, but i could not hear it. As i was watching them, i heard my brother's voice. "Spartacus!" He yelled as he, Gannicus, Agron and the other men returned. "Nemetes and a clutch of fools have taken afoot." "Towards what purpose?" Spartacus asked. I heard Gannicus speak: "They attempt to breach the Romans at the foot of the path." I looked at Spartacus, as he and Mira ran past Gannicus, with most of the men following him. I saw Gannicus look at me. "Be careful." I told him. He nodded and ran after the other men.

I was walking around the fire nervously, as i waited for the others' return. When i finally saw them return, what i saw, almost broke my heart. Spartacus was leading the group and he was carrying the severely wounded Mira in his arms. He ran to one of the tents and gently layed Mira on the ground next to it. I ran next to him where Naevia was already holding Mira's head. "We must seal her wound." Spartacus said and turned to Nasir. "Nasir! Heat your sword in the fire. Quickly!" As Spartacus gave the command, i looked down at Mira. Her chest had stopped moving, meaning she had stopped breathing. "Spartacus." I said quietly. He looked at me and then at Mira, who was now laying dead on the ground. He took his hands away from Mira's wound, and looked at Nemetes. "Was it worth it?" Spartacus asked him. He stood up and asked Nemetes, with anger in his voice: "Was it worth her life to make attempt to save your own?" As he said it, Spartacus walked to Nemetes and punched him in the face, starting a fight. "She's gone from this world because of you!" Spartacus yelled at Nemetes as he lifted his fist in the air. Nemetes looked at him and yelled back: "You are the mad fuck that led us to our deaths!" i saw Spartacus just look down at him. "At least she claimed hers as a warrior. Not starving and robbed of strength, as the rest of us are doomed!" Spartacus looked at the others and then let go of Nemetes, standing up. "You are right. We will all perish." Spartacus said as he looked at everyone. "If we do not stand together." "It will make no fucking difference." Said Nemetes, who pulled himself up. "Seize tongue and open fucking ears." Crixus told him. "The cliffs of Vesuvius are impassable." Spartacus said. "The southern path holds the only promise of making purchase. We hold the higher ground, and with it, advantage over superior numbers." He continued. "Only if Glaber is foolish enough to attack before we are too weak from hunger to fight." Said Nemetes. "A man is never weak," I heard the familiar voice of Oenomaus say as he walked past me. "Or too wounded to fight. If the cause is greater than his own life." He said. Spartacus looked at him and then at everyone else. "Glaber and his army will come. And when they do," Spartacus said as he walked to us, looking down at Mira. "Vesuvius will be forever stained with the blood of vengeance."

The next morning, i was walking around, as i watched Spartacus cut the vines. "We sit here waiting to die, and he tends to fucking weeds." I heard Nemetes say when i was right next to them. Gannicus came beside me and looked at Nemetes. "He tends to his heart. As any man should." Gannicus told him. "There's not enough wood to build a pyre. The ground is too hard to lay her beneath it. He can only grieve and bind her in his cloak." He said as he looked at me. "A blessing then." I heard Nemetes say as Gannicus and i looked back at him. "That we shall all be dead before she turns overly ripe." I almost threw myself at him in anger after hearing him, but Gannicus calmed me by taking my hand in his. I looked at him and smiled a little at his comforting gesture. After a moment, he let go and walked to Spartacus, who was standing next to the tents. As i watched my lover speak with our leader, i glanced down at Nemetes and Saxa before walking away. As i walking, Donar and another man ran up the path and went to Spartacus. "Spartacus. There's movement upon the path." Everyone stood up after hearing it, and Spartacus gave his command. "Take position." Everyone did as they were told and i walked to Gannicus, who standing next to Agron with his sword drawn, with Flavia in my arms. Gannicus looked at me and took my hand in his. We waited for whoever was coming up the path, and soon we saw who it was. It was Ashur. I saw Crixus walk toward him, but Spartacus stopped him by putting his arm in front of him. "I come bearing a message from Glaber." Ashur spoke, as he almost trembled in fear."Speak it." Spartacus said calmly. "He has... Grown weary of this conflict and would return home to see his child born in Rome." Ashur explained. "A thing of no interest." Spartacus said, causin some of us to laugh. Ashur stepped closer to him as he said: "perhaps the lives of your people hold more. He offers terms of surrender." After he spoke, he walked around, and as he walked closer to us, i stepped slightly behind Gannicus. "Lay down your arms, you'll be allowed to live." People started to whisper after hearing Ashur's words. "As slaves?" Asken Spartacus. "beneath the hell of the Republic?" He continued. "Yes. As slaves." Ashur simply answered. "Yet you will have your lives!" He said as he walked back to his previous position. "Refuse, and Glaber has sword torturous death upon the cross for all that survives the taking of the mountain." He said while looking at the people around him. "And what...Of Spartacus' life?" Asked Oenomaus, who walked to Spartacus. "The cost of the bargain." Ashur explained. As we looked at him, i heard nemetes speak behind us. "I for one do not wish to die this day." others started to whisper as we heard him. However, he soon continued. "Yet, if it is to be fucking so, i shall do it as a free man!" Everyone cheered at his words, and i could see Ashur start to fear more. Spartacus looked at him. "You have your answer." Ashur nodded at Spartacus' answer. "Very well. I shall deliver it to waiting ears." Ashur said, eager to leave the mountain. As he walked toward the path, Crixus stepped forward. "I would not have us part so quickly." He said, and Ashur turned around, looking at my brother. "Glaber awaits. I must return with a reply." He said nervously. "Your head would serve equal purpose." Crixus insisted. Ashur looked at our leader. "Spartacus?" He asked. "I find no fault with his reasoning." Spartacus told him. I heard Gannicus laugh beside me and others joining him as they laughed at the pathetic Ashur. He stepped toward Crixus. "The mighty Crixus. Forever intoning of the honor of a gladiator. Where stands such now in the cutting down of a defenseless man?" He said. Crixus lowered his sword and looked at Spartacus. "Give him a sword." Spartacus threw his sword on the ground in front of Ashur. "You once dreamt of honor upon the sand." Crixus told Ashur. "Make this your final arena." Crixus continued. Ashur stepped closer to him and said: "You stand a champion, and i gravely wounded. There is yet no honor in such contest." "To shit with honor." Crixus said as he lifted his sword. "No!" I heard Naevia yell, and everyone looked at her as she walked to Crixus. "I would not have you soil name to gain vengeance in mine." Crixus walked to her, as Naevia continued: " I shall take it myself. No one has been more wronged by Ashur. And no one has greater claim on his fucking life." She yelled. She stepped closer to Crixus and said quietly: "I will see him fall. And with him, memories that haunt darkest nights."Crixus looked at her and said quietly: "See it done." Naevia walked past him and took position in front of Ashur, ready to take his life. "Very well. If Ashur must die today, at least he will see Crixus' bitch to the afterlife before him." Ashur said as he looked at Crixus. I saw as he waited for Naevia, and when she did, she swung her sword with determination. We cheered for her as he stood her ground against Ashur. After a moment of fighting, Ashur cut Naevia's back with his sword. "Delicate flower as grown thorns." The moment he said that, Naevia once again attacked. They fought against each other, but somehow, everytime i thought Naevia was winning, Ashur threw her to the ground. As Naevia pulled herself up from the ground, Ashur spoke. "She fades. As all beautiful things do." Naevia started to fight him, but again Ashur threw her to the ground. She kept getting up, and Ashur kept throwing her to the ground. As Naevia started to get tired, she was kneeling on the ground. As she was kneeling, Ashur walked to her, lifted her head by holding onto her hair and put his sword on her neck. I could barely watch as my best friend cried while kneeling on the hard ground. "Do you recall this? My body pressed against yours? You trembling helpless, as you tremble now." Ashur said while glancing at Crixus. Just when he thought he had the upper hand, Naevia hit him between his legs with her elbow and then she slashed her sword at the same place. Ashur kneeled on the ground in pian as Naevia stood up and swung her sword at him. Just when the sword was going to hit his neck, Ashur blocked Naevia's hit by putting his hands in front of hers. "I am far from helpless." I heard Naevia said. Then she pushed hard on the sword and cut a deep wound into Ashur's neck. As Ashur was holding his hand on the wound, he spoke. "You think this makes difference? My death will not heal the scars you bear. Nor erase memory of my cock inside of her. Or all those that followed." He laughed after, stopping only when he felt the wound too painful. "No." Naevia said as she looked at him. "It will not." She continued, and Ashur looked at her with hope that he may yet leave the mountain alive. "But it is a fucking start." Naevia said quietly as she drew back the sword and swung it towards Ashur, severing his head. I had held my hand on Flavia's head, hiding her face in my shoulder during the whole fight, not wanting her to see the horrors of life we all others had to face. As i turned to look at Naevia, i saw her pseaking with Crixus. I looked at Gannicus, and he took Flavia into his arms , knowing that i wanted to make sure my best friend was alright. I walked to Naevia and Crixus, and they saw me approach them. "Naevia." I said as i stepped toward her. I put my arms around her and said: "Thank the gods you're alright." After a moment, i pulled away and looked at both her and my brother. Then i heard Spartacus speak. "Donar. Lydon. See Ashur's head upon the path, as reply to Glaber." "You send a clear one." I heard Gannicus say to Spartacus. "It will nail and cross for those who live." Said Lugo, who was standing at the back of the group with Saxa. "Glaber would have seen us all to such fate, regardless of answer carried." Spartacus explained. "So we are dead either way." Spoke Nemetes. "Pity there are not enough vines for all our corpses." He continued. "Close fucking mouth!" Agron commanded him. "No." Spartacus said. "Nemetes is right." Spartacus continued as he kneeled next to the vines laying on the ground. "There are not enough vines for us all." I saw him touch the vines when he said: "But perhaps there's enough for a few." Gannicus, who was now standing next to me, spoke: "Your words carry no meaning." Spartacus looked at him and replied: "They carry the weight of the world, braced by your own advice." We all looked at Spartacus in confusion, as he stood up. "Glaber expects us to defend the higher ground, as any reasonable leader would. Yet perhaps there is another course. A bold one, that the Romans will never see coming." As i heard his words, i got curious. Then Ooenomaus spoke. "And what madness does the Bringer of Rain contemplate this time?" "That we shall sprout wings. And do the impossible." Spartacus answered.

Sometime later, me, Gannicus and Flavia were sitting next to a tent as Gannicus was sharpening his sword. The vineropes were ready to be used. I saw Nasir walk to Spartacus, most likely to tell him that they were ready. When Nasir walked away from him, Spartacus spoke. "Agron. Crixus. Gannicus." When i heard Spartacus say Gannicus' name, we both turned to look at him. "I would have you by my side." Just when felt that Gannicus was going t stand up, i took his hand in mine. "Wait." He turned to look at me and saw the fear i had in my eyes. He put his hands on my cheeks. "I won't stay away for long this time." "You'd better not. I already lost you twice, and i don't want to go through that again." I told him. He looked me in the eye and said: "You won't. I'll be back in your arms soon." After he said it, he passionately kissed me as tears started to fall down my cheeks again. He noticed it and wiped them away with his fingers. "You've cried too many times because of me. I promise that you will never cry for me ever again." I smiled at him, and after sharing one last kiss, he stood up and walked to Spartacus, Agron and Crixus. I stood up as well and walked to the side so i could see both Gannicus and Crixus. Then i heard Spartacus speak. "I know fear wells within your breast, and it does so with great cause. The Romans hold numbers far outweighing our own. Yet they have revealed, time and again, fatal flaw. That they believe the Roman way is the only one. Just as they believe that there is only one way to leave this mountain. We shall teach them that we forge our own paths, and nothind in this world is impossible when hearts and mind are put towards it." Everyone cheered at his words, and i saw Gannicus glance at Spartacus and then look at me. I gave a small smile which he returned. "Brace rope." Spartacus commanded. I saw the four men take hold of each one's rope. "Let us begin a lesson forever remembered." As Spartacus spoke those words, we hard thunder roaring in the sky. "The sound will mask descent." Said Agron, who then continued with a smile on his face: "The god bless us with good fortune." Spartacus looked at him and said: "Free men create their own." As the men took better hold of the ropes, Spartacus spoke yet again. "We are all gods this night. And the Romans shall feel our wrath!" The men and women among us cheered at them as they started to climb down the mountain wall. Now all i was to do was wait. Wait for their return or wait for the Romans to capture us. Either way, i knew that our lives would change that night.