Chapter III
In Sparta everyone was getting ready for the celebration of the sign of peace treat and of course the annual festival of their patron god Ares, the God of War. A lot of people was invited to this special occasion besides the ambassadors of Athens there were also in the list Xena, the Warrior Princess, and her friend, bard and Amazon Queen, Gabrielle. Of course Ares was more than delightful that his favorite was coming to his celebration even if he wasn't the reason for her visit.
The deal between Autholicus and Hermes was that he have to do all the work during this celebration. Autholicus was in town when Xena, Gabrielle and the ambassadors arrived. The robbery will be do it during the first and second part of the main offering to Ares.
All the people and specially the Warrior Princess, were going to be totally out of the way. The ceremony would be do it in the main hall. The treasure room is in the west wing of the temple, the problem is to pass al the security guards in the entrance and ALL the pitfall.
The next day, the robbery
The problem of the guard was the least of his problem due to the celebration. But get into the temple was other problem. The entrance to get to the treasure room was almost free of guards, they were all in the main entrance of the temple, Autholicus try to find a second door or a back door to get inside. Unfortunately Ares's architectures didn't think the king of thieves might need it!
Having no other choice he disguised himself as a soldier. When the rituals start and everybody was entering the temple, Autholicus leave the line and hide behind a column; after all of them was in the main hall including Xena, Gabrielle, the ambassador and the all mighty God of War!
Autholicus
Great now I only have to get there, steal it and then come back to the ceremony before is over.
Autholicus start running throw a long corridor until he saw the snail stairs. The next part of his journey is not going to be as easy as this, the traps were not only in the flour also in the walls and the roof.
As the king of thieves he is he know it all this before he get into the temple. Of course get the precise map of the place is impossible but now make a drunken guard speak all he knows about it. This poor men didn't know everything exactly even so the experience of Autholicus help him fill the gaps of information and complete his mental map.
The first part was a snail stairs with a sequence of steps and counting them in a series of 3; the king of king of thieves must count 3 steps jump left them right and jump 2 steps forward. The guard has told him that if he missed the jump or make a mistake in the sequence… well let's just said that Autholicus will end as a strainer. Probably any can think what a stupid and easy trap? Well the difficult of this was that the steps were not all the same size and high. But the most difficult problem besides the shortage of light was that the stair was inclined in 45º!
Autholicus was finding amusing all this and he managed to take with him a bag on his shoulder in order to keep the weight in balance and not fell forward.
Autholicus sighted
1,2,3 left right, jump two!… Oof just a bit more and I'll finish it.
After a while, the king of thieves landed on his feets on the ground and recover his breath; he realized that there was three doors in front of him. The three were locked but that was not a problem; the guard has told him that one door was the correct one and in the other were 2 of the worst creatures Ares has as pets. Autholicus was prepared too. He got three pieces of meat. He took them out of his bag and put each of them in the front of each door. Afterward two doors start shaking; obviously the "pets" were there and the only one moving or creating scary sounds was the correct one.
'Great one step closer to the treasure room' Thought Autholicus
He opened the door and all he could see was a long and dark corridor, he grab a torch and continue his journey. But the danger was not over yet.
As soon as Autholicus arrive to the end of the corridor he saw a big square room with only two columns in the middle. There was nothing on the walls or the floor. Even thought there was some light from the torch in the columns his sight couldn't reach the roof.
"Ok, War God what did you put here?" retorted the King of Thieves.
The guard wasn't as specific as a map and he missed this spot in his explanation. What could it be here? An invisible pet perhaps? Mm… it didn't feel like. Besides Why another? There must be a clear way so Ares's priests could get it with not too much troubles or only the God of War can get in here?
All this question run in his mind, he got to think fast, time was a precious thing in this job.
"If I fail… Yeah like I could, but If I did I could died or even worst lost my reputation! And have to wait other year for this celebration" Autholicus thought. He hasn't even move from his place fearing that the flour may have something or be connected to a trap.
Autholicus put one arm in front of his chest and other on his jaw.
"What to do?! What to do?!" He meditate "There must be a way to know what is this trap"
After some minutes of contemplate what he can do, he remember the rocks that were in his bag. He brought those rock so that it will give him balance when he gets throw the stairs. Fulfilled it's mission he took out the rocks and throw them.
The first just a few feets close to him; the second landed twice the distance and finally the third landed in the middle of the room. When the last rock touched the floor suddenly form the roof, giant and sharp ax fell. In a blink of an eye the entire room was covered with axes. But that was no all, in the few spots that were free there were swinging scythe bigger than the ones in the floor! Although this inconveniences the King of Thieves was not going to quit now, his honor and title as The Thief has been gambled and he has to win.
Counting the time each ax take to go from one side to another, and taking extra care where he put his foots, the King of Thieves arrived to the middle of the room. To his amazement one ax landed over the rock he threw and cut it in the middle!
"WOW! That could be my head!!" he shouted and immediately shut up himself with his hands. Then he breathed and continued.
Afterwards Autholicus reach the end of the room but not his goal yet so far now he has eluded three traps; according with the guard there must be one more an then the treasure room. The drunken man hardly remembered this part, he instructed Autholicus about the first three but he only mention the forth was the worst of all. If by chance someone survive the previous ones, after this with luck someone will find his bones.
The King of Thieves only know that it was extremely dangerous and deadly but not enough information to take the précis precautions. Here he only could prey and sharp his senses.
The light was very poor; he only have one torch and there were no more. He walks very slowly looking to every direction and sense. The corridor was not too narrow but not as big as the last one. Autholicus notice a glow in the walls and something sticky under his foots. When he look down and rise one foot the smell hit him. The sticky ting was the Greek Fire or as we now know it as Petroleum.
But not only was the floor was covered, also the walls and the roof. Apparently this Greek Fire was under some magic because it didn't move or slide form the walls and roof.
The King of Thieves the danger of this trap; IF he fell and the torch touch any part of the corridor, as the guard said with luck someone may found his burned bones. The only way to get throw there would be very slowly and with all the precaution and care for not to touch or even brush anything with the torch.
Slowly the King of Thieves slide his foots in semi circles so that he can always has a firm and stable standing position.
Once he reach the end he saw a very strong bright light coming from the corner of the corridor. He try to clean his boots in the clean floor and continue walking to the light.
According to the guard there were no more traps; he said that the last trap he knew was the last Autholicus just crossed. Even though he didn't have any kind of information of what is going to come, something inside tell him 'Be Careful'.
Nevertheless he didn't touch anything with petrol he know that some dots were on his cloth and all over his boots. As soon as Autholicus turn the corner a huge wall of fire stand up in front of him. While he was walking one of this step was a little loose, he didn't notice that but that it was a switch.
Instinctively the King of Thieves lay back and fell on the floor after a wall of fire appear in front of him!
"Now how I'm going to pass the without water?… What better trap to keep 'The Water' safe than fire, very clever" he mused.
Afterward he stand up and start analyzing this situation
"How tall is it?
The fire wall is as tall as the walls
Is there any space I could get throw?
There is no space between the fire wall and the walls.
How hot?…
Hot?!.. I should be melting with all this fire but it is cool" he pondered
Autholicus rise hand and traverse the fire. As he imagine nothing happened it was just a trick. Then he walk throw the fire and he was in a complete different room. It was small, in the front was the door to the treasure room and in the left was a small flame and lots of mirrors that create the illusion of the fire wall.
The King of Thieves reach to the door and take a good look to the locks and the chains. Luckily they were simple an made by mortals, if those were Hephesto's chain then he would be in some serious problems. The locks were a double lock with one and a half turn key; a weird lock but not a challenge. Autholicus take out his tools from his jacket. After a minute or two the locks fell to the floor with the chains, the door was open now. The treasure room was huge and very illuminated.
"OH MY GOD!!! WHAT A BOOTY!!… Wait, for what I want this I going to get more; first my pride then the gold" he said.
He walk straight to the center of the room where in a small column of 3 foot tall was the jar with The Water. He noticed that 'The Water' seems a bit heavier than the regular but that was not all. He also look at the connections with a big hammer in the top; which could only means: If he take out the water the lack of weight will drop the hammer.
As the old proverb says 'A cautious man lives longer'; well the thief knows that and carried with him in his bag a bottle with water so that it would confuse the priests and they will think that the water is still there and safe. He took out the bottle with water, two straws and an empty bottle.
First he put both straws in the jar, then the end of one straw goes to an empty bottle and the other one to the bottle full of it. After that he suck the straw that end in the empty bottle and 'The Water' start getting out of the jar to the bottle. Secondly he suck the other straw and the common water start getting in the jar. In that way the weight of the jar would stay even and the mechanism of the trap wouldn't be activated.
After some minutes the jar was full with just water and 'The Water' was in the bottle. Until here first and second part of the job was ready now the final and most important part, get out of there without being caught!
Autholicus put everything inside his bag and start walking back to the ceremony. Of course go back through all the traps weren't a problem, but climb all the stairs was really something. He have to do everything backwards and jump all the steps plus invert the sequence. By the time Autholicus reach the end of the stairs he listened to the horn announcing the arrival of The God of War. He only have more or less 5 minutes to get to the ceremony and don't get suspicious. Autholicus picked up his helmet where he had left it, put the bag under the armor; it didn't look too good but was the perfect cover.
The small squad where Autholicus slip away was the one in charge of take out the offerings to the outdoor shrine to burn them.
Ares nodded to his priest and the end of the ceremony begun. The squad march straight to the offerings and take them outside. Luckily Xena and Gabrielle were far forma Ares and the offerings so they didn't notice Autholicus intervention.
Ares pointing to the squad
"I accept your offerings and give you my blessings"
With the God's approval the soldiers took everything outside the temple. Once the king of Thieves reach some bushes he disappear leaving the offerings and the armor.
In Sparta everyone was getting ready for the celebration of the sign of peace treat and of course the annual festival of their patron god Ares, the God of War. A lot of people was invited to this special occasion besides the ambassadors of Athens there were also in the list Xena, the Warrior Princess, and her friend, bard and Amazon Queen, Gabrielle. Of course Ares was more than delightful that his favorite was coming to his celebration even if he wasn't the reason for her visit.
The deal between Autholicus and Hermes was that he have to do all the work during this celebration. Autholicus was in town when Xena, Gabrielle and the ambassadors arrived. The robbery will be do it during the first and second part of the main offering to Ares.
All the people and specially the Warrior Princess, were going to be totally out of the way. The ceremony would be do it in the main hall. The treasure room is in the west wing of the temple, the problem is to pass al the security guards in the entrance and ALL the pitfall.
The next day, the robbery
The problem of the guard was the least of his problem due to the celebration. But get into the temple was other problem. The entrance to get to the treasure room was almost free of guards, they were all in the main entrance of the temple, Autholicus try to find a second door or a back door to get inside. Unfortunately Ares's architectures didn't think the king of thieves might need it!
Having no other choice he disguised himself as a soldier. When the rituals start and everybody was entering the temple, Autholicus leave the line and hide behind a column; after all of them was in the main hall including Xena, Gabrielle, the ambassador and the all mighty God of War!
Autholicus
Great now I only have to get there, steal it and then come back to the ceremony before is over.
Autholicus start running throw a long corridor until he saw the snail stairs. The next part of his journey is not going to be as easy as this, the traps were not only in the flour also in the walls and the roof.
As the king of thieves he is he know it all this before he get into the temple. Of course get the precise map of the place is impossible but now make a drunken guard speak all he knows about it. This poor men didn't know everything exactly even so the experience of Autholicus help him fill the gaps of information and complete his mental map.
The first part was a snail stairs with a sequence of steps and counting them in a series of 3; the king of king of thieves must count 3 steps jump left them right and jump 2 steps forward. The guard has told him that if he missed the jump or make a mistake in the sequence… well let's just said that Autholicus will end as a strainer. Probably any can think what a stupid and easy trap? Well the difficult of this was that the steps were not all the same size and high. But the most difficult problem besides the shortage of light was that the stair was inclined in 45º!
Autholicus was finding amusing all this and he managed to take with him a bag on his shoulder in order to keep the weight in balance and not fell forward.
Autholicus sighted
1,2,3 left right, jump two!… Oof just a bit more and I'll finish it.
After a while, the king of thieves landed on his feets on the ground and recover his breath; he realized that there was three doors in front of him. The three were locked but that was not a problem; the guard has told him that one door was the correct one and in the other were 2 of the worst creatures Ares has as pets. Autholicus was prepared too. He got three pieces of meat. He took them out of his bag and put each of them in the front of each door. Afterward two doors start shaking; obviously the "pets" were there and the only one moving or creating scary sounds was the correct one.
'Great one step closer to the treasure room' Thought Autholicus
He opened the door and all he could see was a long and dark corridor, he grab a torch and continue his journey. But the danger was not over yet.
As soon as Autholicus arrive to the end of the corridor he saw a big square room with only two columns in the middle. There was nothing on the walls or the floor. Even thought there was some light from the torch in the columns his sight couldn't reach the roof.
"Ok, War God what did you put here?" retorted the King of Thieves.
The guard wasn't as specific as a map and he missed this spot in his explanation. What could it be here? An invisible pet perhaps? Mm… it didn't feel like. Besides Why another? There must be a clear way so Ares's priests could get it with not too much troubles or only the God of War can get in here?
All this question run in his mind, he got to think fast, time was a precious thing in this job.
"If I fail… Yeah like I could, but If I did I could died or even worst lost my reputation! And have to wait other year for this celebration" Autholicus thought. He hasn't even move from his place fearing that the flour may have something or be connected to a trap.
Autholicus put one arm in front of his chest and other on his jaw.
"What to do?! What to do?!" He meditate "There must be a way to know what is this trap"
After some minutes of contemplate what he can do, he remember the rocks that were in his bag. He brought those rock so that it will give him balance when he gets throw the stairs. Fulfilled it's mission he took out the rocks and throw them.
The first just a few feets close to him; the second landed twice the distance and finally the third landed in the middle of the room. When the last rock touched the floor suddenly form the roof, giant and sharp ax fell. In a blink of an eye the entire room was covered with axes. But that was no all, in the few spots that were free there were swinging scythe bigger than the ones in the floor! Although this inconveniences the King of Thieves was not going to quit now, his honor and title as The Thief has been gambled and he has to win.
Counting the time each ax take to go from one side to another, and taking extra care where he put his foots, the King of Thieves arrived to the middle of the room. To his amazement one ax landed over the rock he threw and cut it in the middle!
"WOW! That could be my head!!" he shouted and immediately shut up himself with his hands. Then he breathed and continued.
Afterwards Autholicus reach the end of the room but not his goal yet so far now he has eluded three traps; according with the guard there must be one more an then the treasure room. The drunken man hardly remembered this part, he instructed Autholicus about the first three but he only mention the forth was the worst of all. If by chance someone survive the previous ones, after this with luck someone will find his bones.
The King of Thieves only know that it was extremely dangerous and deadly but not enough information to take the précis precautions. Here he only could prey and sharp his senses.
The light was very poor; he only have one torch and there were no more. He walks very slowly looking to every direction and sense. The corridor was not too narrow but not as big as the last one. Autholicus notice a glow in the walls and something sticky under his foots. When he look down and rise one foot the smell hit him. The sticky ting was the Greek Fire or as we now know it as Petroleum.
But not only was the floor was covered, also the walls and the roof. Apparently this Greek Fire was under some magic because it didn't move or slide form the walls and roof.
The King of Thieves the danger of this trap; IF he fell and the torch touch any part of the corridor, as the guard said with luck someone may found his burned bones. The only way to get throw there would be very slowly and with all the precaution and care for not to touch or even brush anything with the torch.
Slowly the King of Thieves slide his foots in semi circles so that he can always has a firm and stable standing position.
Once he reach the end he saw a very strong bright light coming from the corner of the corridor. He try to clean his boots in the clean floor and continue walking to the light.
According to the guard there were no more traps; he said that the last trap he knew was the last Autholicus just crossed. Even though he didn't have any kind of information of what is going to come, something inside tell him 'Be Careful'.
Nevertheless he didn't touch anything with petrol he know that some dots were on his cloth and all over his boots. As soon as Autholicus turn the corner a huge wall of fire stand up in front of him. While he was walking one of this step was a little loose, he didn't notice that but that it was a switch.
Instinctively the King of Thieves lay back and fell on the floor after a wall of fire appear in front of him!
"Now how I'm going to pass the without water?… What better trap to keep 'The Water' safe than fire, very clever" he mused.
Afterward he stand up and start analyzing this situation
"How tall is it?
The fire wall is as tall as the walls
Is there any space I could get throw?
There is no space between the fire wall and the walls.
How hot?…
Hot?!.. I should be melting with all this fire but it is cool" he pondered
Autholicus rise hand and traverse the fire. As he imagine nothing happened it was just a trick. Then he walk throw the fire and he was in a complete different room. It was small, in the front was the door to the treasure room and in the left was a small flame and lots of mirrors that create the illusion of the fire wall.
The King of Thieves reach to the door and take a good look to the locks and the chains. Luckily they were simple an made by mortals, if those were Hephesto's chain then he would be in some serious problems. The locks were a double lock with one and a half turn key; a weird lock but not a challenge. Autholicus take out his tools from his jacket. After a minute or two the locks fell to the floor with the chains, the door was open now. The treasure room was huge and very illuminated.
"OH MY GOD!!! WHAT A BOOTY!!… Wait, for what I want this I going to get more; first my pride then the gold" he said.
He walk straight to the center of the room where in a small column of 3 foot tall was the jar with The Water. He noticed that 'The Water' seems a bit heavier than the regular but that was not all. He also look at the connections with a big hammer in the top; which could only means: If he take out the water the lack of weight will drop the hammer.
As the old proverb says 'A cautious man lives longer'; well the thief knows that and carried with him in his bag a bottle with water so that it would confuse the priests and they will think that the water is still there and safe. He took out the bottle with water, two straws and an empty bottle.
First he put both straws in the jar, then the end of one straw goes to an empty bottle and the other one to the bottle full of it. After that he suck the straw that end in the empty bottle and 'The Water' start getting out of the jar to the bottle. Secondly he suck the other straw and the common water start getting in the jar. In that way the weight of the jar would stay even and the mechanism of the trap wouldn't be activated.
After some minutes the jar was full with just water and 'The Water' was in the bottle. Until here first and second part of the job was ready now the final and most important part, get out of there without being caught!
Autholicus put everything inside his bag and start walking back to the ceremony. Of course go back through all the traps weren't a problem, but climb all the stairs was really something. He have to do everything backwards and jump all the steps plus invert the sequence. By the time Autholicus reach the end of the stairs he listened to the horn announcing the arrival of The God of War. He only have more or less 5 minutes to get to the ceremony and don't get suspicious. Autholicus picked up his helmet where he had left it, put the bag under the armor; it didn't look too good but was the perfect cover.
The small squad where Autholicus slip away was the one in charge of take out the offerings to the outdoor shrine to burn them.
Ares nodded to his priest and the end of the ceremony begun. The squad march straight to the offerings and take them outside. Luckily Xena and Gabrielle were far forma Ares and the offerings so they didn't notice Autholicus intervention.
Ares pointing to the squad
"I accept your offerings and give you my blessings"
With the God's approval the soldiers took everything outside the temple. Once the king of Thieves reach some bushes he disappear leaving the offerings and the armor.