The day wore on and yet the battle still continued, neither side yielding or showing any signs of retreating. The centaurs had been cut down to three-quarters of their original strength; Mictus' army was operating on less than half. Tydus had regrouped his men already and a fresh burst of fighting broke out.
More men fell in battle; the grass was stained red with their combined blood. Broken weapons, spent arrows, and cloven armor littered the ground, unnoticed and unheeded – forgotten for the moment in the heat of battle. Xena's sword was covered in blood; the same went for Ares.
Xena had been searching for an opening to attack Mictus himself. "Ares," she called over to him. He was fighting by her left side. "Call the archers. We're going after Mictus."
Mictus had recently spent a good portion of his energy on a wave of assault that had been headed straight at him. Luckily for the centaurs, most of the blasts were off aim, a testament to the fact that he was wearing down some, and that he still did not have control over all of his powers.
Ares gave a whistle, and the archers came, swiftly taking places where they would be most effective. To all but Ares, they were invisible. "They're here," he said, just before he parried a savage blow from one of Mictus' men.
"Okay, take your place too then," she said back, plunging her sword into another warrior.
Ares disappeared in a flash, stunning the warriors around him. But in their confusion, they failed to take notice of the arrows that came flying through the air, straight towards them. They were struck down where they stood.
Soon, the air was thick with arrows. But the expertise of the archers ensured that not a single one hit the centaurs or the men who fought alongside them. Panic and confusion broke out on the part of Mictus and his army. Now was Xena's chance. Fireballs flew towards Mictus, taking him off guard and knocking him completely off his horse. Ares laughed a little, and sent more over. Mictus tried to get his bearings, Xena rushing towards him. If she could just get the Hind's Blood…
She jumped, flipping through the air and landing right before Mictus. Reaching out a hand, she made a grab for the dagger that hung at his belt. But before she could grab it, Mictus disappeared. She spun around, looking for him. A flash of light over near Ares caused her to panic. Mictus was there, dagger drawn. The tip was covered in Hind's Blood.