Disclaimer & Notices

Please see Chapter 1 for disclaimers and notices.

Started: July 14, 2009

Lost in the Past

by Red Hope

Chapter 13

A hypogeum guard gave the gladiatrix a sheathed xiphos that had a strap across it. He was obviously nervous by how the weapon shook in midair, and he stayed a few paces away from the gladiatrix. Briefly, his eyes flickered down to the gladiatrix's stomach where the wound was located. The perfect linear wound glistened red in the midday sunlight.

Cameron accepted the xiphos and promptly slung the strap across her chest. She adjusted it until the sheath on her back felt comfortable. She listened to the guard's hasty retreat, but she was intrigued by the black circle several hundred paces away. She distinctly heard the movements of a block and pulley. Something was rising up through the hole.

The announcer had finished speaking about the ninth labor. He backed up to his seat and curious waited for the next show. From a quick glance over his left shoulder, he noted how Dominus Noster was so intrigued and grinned from ear to ear.

The gladiatrix held her position and waited for the next challenge to arrive from below. She slightly canted her head when a human appeared from the hole.

There standing in the center of the sandy elevator floor was a beautiful, dark woman dressed in a warrior's attire. She wore traditional hoplite uniform, a sheathed xiphos at her side, and a Greek helmet tucked under her right arm. Her armor was bright under the sun, but what stood out above all was the girdle strung across her chest. It held her sword and carried her spear across her back.

Cameron became prepared for a fight, yet she noticed the female hoplite didn't go for her weapons. She grasped her hilt though when the hoplite slowly approached her, but she didn't detect any danger from her.

The female hoplite gave a friendly smile to the gladiatrix yet made sure to be careful too. She paused a few paces from the gladiatrix. "I am Achillia." She looked the gladiatrix up and down then stated, "Your nomen is Cameron."

The terminator toned out the spectators' cheers and lowered her hand from the hilt.

"I am to play Hippolyta." The female hoplite now bowed forward in old tradition and held her stature.

Cameron went along with the act and properly bowed too. The old stories said that Hippolyta befriended and welcomed Heracles upon his arrival to the Amazons' lands. She straightened up just as Achillia did the same. Just then the iron gates were opened and six Amazons on horseback trotted out into the sands. The terminator focused back on the hoplite.

Achillia took a step closer and reached for her girdle. "They will attack you as soon as I hold out the girdle to you." She searched the gladiatrix's lifeless eyes for any warmth. "Heracles killed Hippolyta once the Amazons attacked him." She gripped the diagonal belt until her knuckles were white.

The terminator stiffened greatly when the hoplite now stepped into her space. She could smell the sweat on Achillia and heard the frantic heartbeat.

Achilla leaned down some because she was taller than Cameron. Her lips nearly brushed the gladiatrix's shell ear. "You must kill me like the legend says," Achillia whispered through the cheering din echoing in the arena. Then she drifted away from Cameron in a wide step back and unhooked her xiphos first. She let it fall then she reached for her doru's clip, which too soon fell into the sand.

The Gladiator of Heracles instantly drew her blade and carefully eyed Achillia. She cautiously tracked the mounted Amazons, who had stomping horses.

Achillia lifted the belt over her head then brought it around towards Cameron. She prayed to the gods that the gladiatrix would painlessly kill her.

Cameron hesitated, but she stretched out her left hand for the gold belt. Once her fingers touched it, the horses' hooves boomed throughout the arena. Cameron tore the belt free and raised her sword with the tip aimed at Achillia's heart.

Achillia clenched her hands and stared right at the gladiatrix. She ignored the wet beads rolling down her brow and between her breasts over her sticky stomach. She would find Elysium for sacrificing her life so that another slave could become free, unlike her chances.

The gladiatrix raised her eyes above Achillia when the Amazons came bearing down on them. She gave a sudden cry then jumped forward as her right arm curled back. She threw her sword at a predetermined target, and she shoved into Achillia. She and Achillia went tumbling into the sands a few heartbeats before the Amazons trampled them. Cameron shielded Achillia with her much stronger, harder body when a horse ran over them.

Achillia gave a low cry, but she found she was completely protected by the gladiatrix. Once the ring faded in her ears did she finally open her eyes and focused on the gladiatrix's stoic features. She parted her lips to ask why, but her words failed her.

Cameron read the question in the human's eyes, and she remained poised over Achillia. She bowed her head and whispered, "There is another version where Hippolyta lives." She didn't wait for any response and hastily got to her feet. She knew the Amazons were veering around so she dragged Achillia to her feet and pushed her away in hidden order to go.

Achillia stumbled and was torn between helping the gladiatrix and fleeing like the legends said. She took a step towards Cameron until the gladiatrix pointed a sword at her in warning. She just nodded then turned and hurried to the iron gates. She would never forget the famous gladiatrix or her unheard voice.

The terminator quickly put the golden girdle across her chest then hurried for Achillia's doru. She hefted it and stole a quick glance at the dead Amazon ahead that she'd killed earlier with her xiphos. She straightened up and slotted her eyes at the five mounted Amazons nearly upon her. She didn't waste another beat and launched the doru at the Amazon on the furthest right. She charged towards the riding Amazons and scooped up Achillia's xiphos in a blur.

An Amazon cried out after the lightening fast doru pierced her chest, went through her, and sent her out of the saddle then finally into the sands. She only had a few breathes left before she died. But her horse reared up in fright, spun around, and whined even louder when a new weight was on his back. He sensed it was the odd human and tried bucking her off once until he realized she wasn't trying to hurt him too.

Cameron held tight to the gelding's mane after she'd vaulted into the saddle. She spun a few times in a circle with him then finally had him under control just before the returning Amazons were upon her. She readied her xiphos and galloped into battle.

The gladiatrix easily fought the Amazons so that she could claim her labor complete. She stayed on the horse's saddle the entire fight and circled around her last kill before she trotted to the ring's center. She sharply raised her bloody sword into the air for her maddened fans. She particularly noted Dominus Noster was clapping and had a pleased grin.

Once the hypogeum workers were near, the gladiatrix dismounted the gelding and gave them the reins. She also relinquished her sword and received another club. A quick cut of her eyes to the opposite wall told her that her original club was still wedged into the wall. She suspected later that the workers would have it cut away.

Cameron shifted her attention back to the announcer, who spoke about Heracles's travel to the island of Erythia to the far west. There on the island, Heracles would find the red cattle that he would have to capture from Geryon, a three-headed giant. But upon making it to the island, Heracles first encountered the red cattle's herder, Eurytion, and his two-headed dog, Orthrus.

Suddenly, the iron gates protested their opening and out came two cattle painted in red with a herder in tow followed by two chained dogs. The herder was equipped with only a simple sword sheathed at his side. He stepped away from the chained dogs, who were ordered to attack the Gladiator of Heracles.

The gladiatrix faced the two running dogs that were growling, teeth showing, and foam at the mouth. She deduced they were two young Alaunt pups and despite their youth, they were large and fierce like other breeds from the Molosser line. She spun her club a few times as the chained dogs, Orthrus, came right for her.

Cameron bent her knees then raised her club at the dogs. But she adjusted her plan once she saw Orthrus was about to leap on her. She dropped her club suddenly and knelt when the dogs came at her in the air. She caught the right dog from underneath then started standing as she swung them around. Cameron put all her strength into flinging them in her one hundred eighty degree turn. She released the howling dogs, who went spinning through the air and across the arena.

Orthrus's growls turned into fearful whines. They couldn't stop rotating in a speedy twist until they hit the opposite wall and tumbled into the sands. They continued their unhappy noises as they fought to get to their paws despite their dizzy world.

The gladiatrix was already running across the arena with her spiked club. She didn't give the animals any chance as she killed them. The first dog went easy with a crushing blow to his head. She finished the second dog by forcing him onto his back, her hand around his neck, and she squeezed her fingers tighter and tighter until finally his struggle ended. Cameron was knelt beside the two dead dogs, and she briefly stared at the motionless dog still under her hand. She studied how even the dog's wild eyes faded into a darkness. Slowly, Cameron's stare travelled up her bloody right arm that'd been painted by the first dog's blood.

For a long moment, Cameron internally struggled with her most recent kills. She'd heard once that dogs were humans' best friend. She already knew that dogs were terminators' worst enemy. It was an automatic response in Cameron to silence dogs because they always warned and protected humans from her kind. But today, Cameron fought the dogs not because they were protecting a human but merely because they were told to do so, like a slave.

The gladiatrix released the still warm dog then lifted her stone features up and stared straight at the herder, Eurytion. Cameron knew the herder was in reality the dogs' handler, who'd trained the dogs to become vicious beasts in the arena. If it wasn't for the handler then the dogs wouldn't have been programmed to be killers.

The terminator rose up and exchanged her club from her left to her right hand. She made a slow, yet determined, pursuit for the herder. For once, the terminator linked an emotion to her hunt for her target, and it was revenge. All of it shined brightly in her eyes as she locked on her kill. She was so determined that she didn't notice the wet beads rolling down her neck or how the club was damp from her palm. And the heat from the sands didn't compute with her. The terminator was in her mission.

The herder had backed up a few steps, but he steeled himself and readied his sword from his sheath. He battled several in the amphitheatres and rarely had fears until now. He knew his chances of winning were impossible. But the gladiatrix's expression did nothing to ease the sickening in his stomach.

Once the gladiatrix was in his space, he swung at her from overhead. He became stiff when the gladiatrix caught his blade in her left hand. He briefly tried jerking his sword free with no luck and despite the blood oozing from her palm. His eyes flickered from the blade down to the gladiatrix's face. He went wide eye when her retract club suddenly came at him. He screamed in agony when the spikes entered his stomach and sent him airborne. He went for several hundred paces then skid into the sand on his back. He clutched the club, which was still planted in his stomach.

The gladiatrix had the herder's sword, and she took the handle into her right hand. She ignored her bleeding left hand and started for the herder. She would kill Eurytion just as Heracles had done. She approached him and after a sword spin, she drove the blade down into his heart. After her kill, she paused again and felt something drain from her once the herder's movements went still. She labeled it as satisfaction.

But the opening iron gates caused Cameron to turn around and face her last challenge for the labor. She jerked the sword free and narrowed her eyes at the gladiator who posed as Geryon. Cameron slightly cocked her head and curiously scanned over Geryon.

Geryon did indeed seem like a giant as he stood many hand lengths tall. He easily towered the gladiatrix, who was tall for most women. His formed muscles shined brightly under the sunlight thanks to olive oil. He carried a sword that wasn't any xiphos or kopis but something much larger and heavier. Over his left arm, he had a gigantic round shield strapped on tightly. His bronze armor was decorative and covered most of his body except for his elbows and some of his upper chest. But what truly captivated anybody's attention about Greyon were his three heads safely hidden behind bronze, Greek style helmets.

The gladiatrix took two steps away from the dead herder. She continued curiously regarding Geryon. She'd heard but never seen a human with three heads. She concluded the unusual human had born as such and was probably taken quickly into the amphitheatre for such fine, rare shows that fetched every hefty purse. She considered whether or not his three heads had given him an advantage in the arena.

Geryon continued away from the iron gates and headed for the gladiatrix. Unlike prior gladiators, he showed no fear and wanted to battle the gladiatrix. He viewed himself as a demi-god, blessed by three heads that gave him superior intelligence than normal people. He also was given a larger body than average that he molded through the seasons to be better than anybody's. His fame rose in the arenas, much like the gladiatrix's, and he'd in fact been renamed Geryon for his three heads.

Geryon dreamed of facing off with the gladiatrix. He doubted the gladiatrix's strength was more than his and surely not her intelligence for she was, afterall, still a woman. He'd been looking forward to this battle since he first heard word that he and the gladiatrix would both be in Rome. Now it was up to the Fates to reveal who was the better gladiator.

Cameron continued assessing her opponent as she took slow steps towards him. She knew he had a weakness, like any human, and it only needed to be found. For once, Cameron felt respect for one of her opponents because he didn't show any fear. It invigorated the gladiatrix for such a challenge in the sands.

Geryon met the gladiatrix in the middle. His right head gazed upon the cheering crowd that wanted the great battle to begin. As his right head studied the spectators, his other two heads stayed locked on the gladiatrix. Finally, the middle head spoke above the crowd's roar.

"If I shall win, I will honor your death with a clean kill," Geryon promised. His voice boomed through his helmet's dark slits.

Cameron considered this with a faint tilt of her head. She easily saw the faces hidden in the helmets. They were twisted and mangled, most likely since birth. She kept that fact to the back of her mind. Despite she rarely spoke, she felt the urge to say something to this giant, who looked upon her as an equal opponent. "When I win, I will kill you with honor."

Geryon's left and right head laughed together while the middle one was annoyed by such a confident retort. The middle head gave a yell then he started swinging his double-edge sword at the gladiatrix.

The terminator easily ducked under the large blade then she backed up a few steps. She spun her xiphos twice but deduced her blade would most likely break against his blade after a few clashes. She decided it was more important to spare her sword for later use. With that thought in mind, she flipped her blade down and drove it into the sands until only the handle remained visible.

Geryon hesitated and wondered why the gladiatrix relinquished her only blade. He didn't over think it and suddenly attacked the gladiatrix.

Cameron was fast in her dodges, ducks, and rolls as she stayed out of the blade's reach. She continued on the defense and allowed Geryon the free swipes and swings in hopes it'd start wearing him out. But every group of attacks caused her to lose ground until she was nearing the dead Eurytion.

Geryon fiercely yelled with all three heads and gave a fast thrust for the gladiatrix's stomach. He wasn't the least surprised that she moved away, but he didn't expect her quick movements in the next heartbeats.

Cameron had jumped up higher than normal but performed a backward flip. She landed neatly beside the dead herder, and she ripped the club free from his stomach. She took two steps forward, launched in the air, and flipped over Geryon's heads. She twisted in midair and landed on her boots behind his back. Geryon was already moving, but Cameron swung her club into Geryon's back.

Geryon stifled a cry that only came out as a low groan when a few spikes pierced his armor and sunk into his back. But it was short lived because the force behind the gladiatrix's blow sent him stumbling forward. He tripped over the lifeless herder, hit the ground, and rolled for a few more paces.

The terminator remained rooted in her spot with her club diagonal to her body. She studied the climbing giant and assessed the amount of power she put behind her swing then the final results. She would continue a few more attempts to determine what kind of strength she needed to apply in order to match the giant. However, she already decided her intelligence was what would win this battle. Her inhuman strength was just a defensive tactic now.

Geryon growled furiously at the gladiatrix for her trick. He adjusted the sword in his hand and brought his shield forward. He made quick work of the distance between them. He charged the gladiatrix with his shield directly in front of him. He used the classic hoplite approach.

Cameron dug her boots into the ground so that she was braced for impact. She dropped her club to the ground and raised her hands as the gigantic shield slammed into her palms. She gritted her teeth as her boots slid through the sands and caused her soles to burn slightly. The gladiatrix's muscles budged around her upper body, legs, and arms as she began pouring all her strength into the struggle for dominance. She knew once it was established she was stronger than him then his ego would be pierced.

Geryon continued growling at his opponent. He tried ignoring the searing burn in his muscles, but he felt as if the gladiatrix was turning into an immovable wall. He wouldn't give in and gave a louder cry when his boots started losing traction.

Cameron heard the shield's low crack once she'd halted Geryon's determination. She now returned his earlier attempt and started pushing him backwards. She used her upper body for most of the pushing as her boots gained more ground. She enjoyed Geryon's growls of displeasure, and it sped up her pursuit.

Geryon was unhappy about the turn of events. "No!" his middle head yelled. He watched in fear as the sands started passing under his boots in the wrong direction. "I am Geryon the Great!" he hollered over the crowd's frantic cheers.

But Cameron was greater, and she was the Gladiator of Heracles. She was moving Geryon faster and faster through the sands.

"Nooo!" Geryon lifted his sword from behind the shield.

Cameron caught the sword's glint. She hastily grabbed the shield's edges on either side then suddenly jerked Geryon forward which caught him off guard. She stayed latched onto his shield and started spinning him in a circle. She increased the spin's speed until he was up off the ground.

Geryon's screams echoed loudly through the entire amphitheatre. He nearly lost his sword when he was suddenly let go of and went hurdling across the sands. He couldn't stop his flight until he slammed directly into the sealed iron gates, which creaked loudly in protest. He slumped against the now bent gates and breathed heavily.

The nearby cattle gave low moos of worry and backed away from the battling humans.

Cameron stared at him briefly then she went to her club not far away. She scooped it up and slowly approached the fallen gladiator.

Geryon had his heads down and his sword loosely held in his right hand. He kept groaning and tried to get his bearings. Despite a small shadow fell over him, he didn't make any moves to get up and battle.

The gladiatrix took a step to her left and pressed her boot firmly against Geryon's blade. She didn't want to suddenly coming up and plunging into her. She then lifted her club with both hands and prepared to bash one head at a time.

Geryon's middle head suddenly snapped up followed by the other two. Two heads gave a fierce yell, and he lunged for the gladiatrix with open hands.

Cameron hadn't expected such an attempt, and she gave him credit for playing dead or playing nearly dead. She couldn't stop his gigantic body and went to the ground with him over her. But she made sure to toss her club in fear he'd use it against her.

Geryon snarled down at the small gladiatrix now that he had her underneath his larger body. He instantly punched her in the face followed by a few more. He pulled back his right fist again but paused because he was certain she'd be unconscious by now. To his surprise, she opened her eyes despite the blood on her face. How it was possible she was still in this world, he was not certain. Yet he'd never hit another human and felt the deep ache it gave his fists as it did when he struck the gladiatrix.

Cameron had her hands clenched on the sands, and she suddenly threw her fists towards the heads. But her hands opened and sand flew from them and into the left and right heads. Her ears rang from the two heads howls, but Geryon was still quick.

The middle head was unharmed and remained focused on the battle. He quickly grabbed the gladiatrix by her throat then hauled her up along with himself. While his other two heads worked the gritty sand from their eyes, he focused on lifting the heavy gladiatrix. He didn't expect her great weight so he got his other hand around her neck too then slowly lifted her up.

Cameron was impressed by the giant's strength. She felt her boots leave the sands then she was lifted towards the gods. She gazed upon the clear skies as the gladiator tightened his hold around her neck. She clutched his wrists then closed her eyes despite her heart was receiving less and less oxygenated blood. It became harder to fill her chest with fresh air, but it would not kill her.

Geryon was angry when his killing hold did nothing to the gladiatrix. He could see how she breathed less and was near human death yet her grip was growing stronger against his gauntlet covered wrist. Suddenly there was a sharp snap, and Geryon couldn't resist a painful scream when his right wrist was broken.

Cameron fell to the ground yet landed on her feet. She was breathing hard and refilling her body with much needed air. But she was by no means weakened like a normal human would have suffered under such a choke. She utilized Geryon's recovery and rushed over to his sword, which she effortlessly wielded in her right hand.

Geryon backed away a step and despite his broken wrist, he tried wiping his right head's face. He'd finally recovered his two other hands and all three glared at the gladiatrix. He slotted all his eyes at the gladiatrix now that she had his sword.

The terminator assessed the sword's great weight and felt prepared to use it. She quickly came for the giant gladiator and returned his earlier, unrelenting sword attacks. She tried getting around his shield, which started cracking under Cameron's brutal swings. Finally she gave a harder blow to the shield, and it broke in half.

Geryon backed away after losing his shield. He ripped the leather lashes from his arm then threw the two broken halves at the gladiatrix. He quickly ducked when the blade was swung back at him. But with fast thinking, he grabbed the retracting blade and ripped it from the gladiatrix's hand within a heartbeat. Despite his efforts, his left hand was bleeding from catching the sword, and he tossed it behind himself because the gladiatrix came at him.

With her great strength, Cameron landed a kick to the gladiator's bronze chest. She sent him on his back, and she went for his right head. She punched the head once then grabbed him by the throat.

But the gigantic gladiator didn't stay down. He climbed to his feet despite much to the crowd's excitement. But he didn't expect the gladiatrix to stay latched on him. Geryon felt the gladiatrix on his back, and he tried reaching for her, but it was tough.

Cameron clenched her teeth as she stayed on Geryon's swinging backside. She adjusted her right arm around the third head's throat as a new idea came to mind. She knew exactly what would work against the brute. She freed her left hand then reached for his helmet's red, fanned horsehair. She tore the helmet off his right head and exposed it to the judging world's eyes.

Countless gasps rung through the amiptheatre once everybody saw Geryon's deformed face that'd been so well hidden by the helmet.

"No, don't!" Geryon yelled. He became more desperate to get the helmet rather than the gladiatrix.

Cameron jumped off his back and took a few reverse steps when the angry giant turned to her. She held his helmet between her hands, and she started tossing it between her hands. A rueful grin played on her lips now that she'd found Geryon's Achilles heel.

Geryon's exposed head horridly gazed upon the spectators' disgusted faces. He became plagued by all the Romans' boos.

"You bitch," Geryon snarled. He fisted his left hand but wearily eyed the airborne helmet. He then went stiff when she held it between her hands again.

The gladiatrix held the helmet's sides behind her palms with the front facing Geryon. She decided it was time to completely destroy his ego. She calmly stated, "I am more intelligent, stronger, and far more beautiful to gaze upon in the sands." She goaded him further with a smirk. "That is a true demi-god… and you are not." Suddenly she lost her smirk, and she smashed the helmet into itself.

"Noooo!" Geryon snarled then lunged for the gladiatrix.

Cameron was prepared and jumped up, over him, and she caught the left head's helmet by its horsehair too. She ripped it free as she landed behind the big brute. Again she crushed the second helmet as she backed away from the angry giant.

"I will kill you," Geryon hissed from the middle head. His two outer heads were too consumed by the spectators boos and down pointing thumbs. The middle head was furious at the gladiatrix's tricks and focused on killing her.

The gladiatrix bent forward as the brute's large hand made a grab for her. She then slammed her right fist into his covered stomach, and she put a deep dent into his armor. She succeeded in forcing Geryon back a step so she quickly kicked him between the legs.

Geryon whaled in pain and toppled to his knees. His hands clutched his groin that was left certainly unprotected. He bowed his heads and gasped for air.

Cameron was almost nonchalantly as she reached forward and removed the last helmet. She was soon graced by the twisted, teeth clenching face of the middle head. She studied his two differently colored eyes and how his right eye was higher than the left. His nose was on a slight slant while his bottom lip was mangled from some prior history.

The gladiatrix took a couple of steps back and placed the helmet between her palms. She held the middle head's eyes as she easily crushed the helmet into a ball.

Geryon's middle head snarled at the gladiatrix's defiant display. He forced his pained body to get up on his shaky legs. He still breathed hard, but his middle head coldly stared down at the gladiatrix.

Cameron tossed the helmet to the side then glanced about at the rowdy spectators. She then focused back on Geryon and tilted her head in a curious manner.

Geryon's middle head caught the gladiatrix's movements and slightly broke from his rage. He too couldn't ignore the Romans' horrid cries at him. All of his heads were overwhelmed by the spectators disgusted yells. He started shaking his good fist at them and yelling, "I am a demi-god! I am Geryon the Great!" He never noticed Cameron slipping away. He continued hollering at the people, who yelled back countless obscenities at him.

The gladiatrix silently picked up the gladiator's gigantic sword. She then casually approached Geryon's back but walked around him. She noted that it took the middle head a few heartbeats to notice her returned presence while the other two heads kept yelling at the people.

Geryon saw the blade in Cameron's hand, but he went wide eye when she suddenly plunged it into his stomach. He'd been too consumed by the spectators' disgust to get his overwhelmed heads to work together. Geryon's heads now all gazed upon his own blade through his bent armor and into his stomach.

Cameron held the handle with one hand, but she wrapped her left hand on the handle too. She then rammed the blade the rest of the way through his stomach and out the other side. She waited a moment after Geryon went to his knees. She then ripped out large blade which caused Geryon to fall onto his hands too.

Geryon twisted his heads around and bitterly stared up at the gladiatrix, who walked to his right side. "Indeed you have won…Gladiator of Heracles." He didn't bother with a struggle when the gladiatrix raised the sword. He instead lowered his heads in acceptance to his failure. He shut his eyes and finally ignored the crowd's ugly yells.

The gladiatrix brought the hot blade down and cut through all three necks in one sweep. She killed him honorably as his disfigured heads rolled away. She watched the gigantic body fall flat into the sands and grains blew up into dust around him.

Cameron lowered the sword's tip to the sands but still held the handle. Her left hand briefly clutched the Girdle of Hippolyta that she still wore across her chest. She stared at the dead giant's body then glanced over at the heads a pace away. She studied the middle head's peaceful expression. She decided he was happy to be removed from his abnormal body and no longer under other humans' harsh judgment, just Hades's now.

The gladiatrix inhaled deeply then glanced at the red cows huddled near the iron gate again. She'd won them like Heracles. She now lifted her eyes to the announcer, who silently stared down at her from his box with Dominus Noster. She could tell by his look that he was impressed by her success at the tenth labor. She suspected everybody thought she would fail, at least mostly everybody. There was only one human among them that held faith in her. Cameron turned her head towards Stagira Magni and a thin smile tugged at her lips at seeing Stagira Magni's relieved features. Now Cameron only had two labors left before she could become a freedwoman and take her life into her own hands.

To be continued.