Chapter 11 - Blood and Stone
John faced the tiger as it crept toward him, its feral eyes glinting and the saliva dripping onto the ground. Its shoulder blades moved stealthily and John knew that it would pounce.
'Nice kitty, good kitty.' He said gently, sword out in front. 'Maybe you don't get fed often, but you gotta admit, this is the biggest damn sand box you've ever crapped in.'
It growled at him, a low sound which threatened him not to toy with it. John nodded and licked his lips. 'Okay, so I'm guessing petting and kitty treats are outta the picture.'
'Finish it!' Tycho yelled at Teyla's side. 'Your friends have no more time!'
And sure enough the tiger that was left sunk its claws into the first foot within its reach. Lorne yelled in agony and looked over at the Colonel.
'If it's not too much trouble sir…I'm about to be eaten!' He snapped through clenched teeth.
John took a step forward and the tiger paused, lowering its beautiful orange head with menace and wriggling its shoulders. John's eyes widened.
'Not good.'
The beast leapt at him and the crowd cheered hard, Titus falling back into his chair with his hands clapping excitedly.
John felt suffocated by the weight of the creature, could feel the talons ripping into his legs and chest. Its hot breath showered his face as he held its teeth back with his forearm, struggling to stop it from clamping its jaws on his head. He fumbled with his sword and thrust it up. The tiger growled and roared. He thrust it up again and again until finally it threw back its head in a pitiful meow and fell onto its side. John wriggled out from under it, blood pouring over him. He looked back at Teyla and Tycho and saw that she was sitting up with blurry eyes. Tycho supported her and glanced at the stone statues.
'Colonel!' Lorne shouted.
John turned to see the tiger having given up on Lorne when he wouldn't come down any further crossing to Adams and leaping up the statue, sinking its claws into his thighs. The man yelled in anguish and his head hit the back of the statue as he tried to bare the pain. One of his straps broke against the strain of the weight and the tiger unhooked one paw from his thigh to swipe his face.
John stumbled to his feet and tore over to the statues.
The tiger heard his approach, and having seen easier prey, leapt to the ground and pounced forward with its powerful hind legs. John paused and jumped behind one of the statues at the last moment, causing the tiger to suddenly change direction and slam into the statue. Lorne grimaced as his statue vibrated.
'Ow.' He said testily. His men grinned.
John dodged around to the other side and the tiger followed mercilessly, swiping and roaring at him. John stepped back and back until his retreat was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder that shoved him aside and leapt forward. The sword swiped down and sliced up and the tiger flew onto its side, bleeding onto the ground in silence.
Teyla seethed at the still creature before turning to John, brandishing the sword with confidence. She was covered in gashes and blood. Tycho appeared over John's shoulder, looking down at the corpse.
John cocked his head. 'I've never really been a cat person.'
Teyla raised an eyebrow and listened to the crowds deafening chants. John looked up. They cheered, roared, shouted and yelled their appreciation and respect for the fight. They loved it, they worshipped it. John felt immensely uncomfortable and looked to the floor in disgust.
'..uh, can we get untied now?' Lorne said weakly.
John made a small 'o' with his mouth and crossed over to let him down, Teyla and Tycho following suit with the others.
Titus leant back in his chair, his mind full of darkness as the cheers rose around him. His grip tightened on the throne and he felt the anger boil under his skin. He bared his teeth with an animal-like blood thirst and rose.
'Why won't you die…' He seethed, gripping the balconies edge. 'Enough!' He roared. The crowd fell silent immediately sensing his hostility. 'Slaves!'
Teyla, Tycho and John helped Lorne and his team to the front of the Arena whilst heading for the large doors.
'Oh look, he's feeling cheated because we didn't die.' Lorne drawled. John grinned.
'Well anger is a common factor of disappointment.' He added.
'Be silent.' Titus snarled. 'I have set the most difficult of challenges for you, and still you refuse to die. You refuse to bleed for me, to stop breathing…and I demand it!' He slammed a fist down on the balcony and Teyla narrowed her eyes.
'Be careful Titus, your calm demeanour is slipping. You wouldn't want for your people to see that you have been angered by a few…slaves.' She said confidently. 'That your beloved Arena could not rid you of a few simple people.'
Titus scowled at her. Teyla saw shadows pass across his face and knew that he had changed, knew that his deadly intentions were about to end them. He stood tall, and with cold eyes made commands.
'Take them, all of them.' The Altus Domino moved behind him to follow his orders. 'Take them to the altar of Aresedys.'
The crowd murmured and shuffled awkwardly, whispering and looking down at the warriors in the centre of the Arena. John looked up and frowned.
'What?' He asked. Tycho looked venomous and Teyla put a hand on his arm gently.
'The altar of Aresedys is in the deep of his palace.' He turned to them with his eyes pin points of fury under his helmet. 'A sacrificial chamber.'
Lorne did a double take. 'Sacrificial?'
'As in sacrifice?' John asked. Tycho nodded. 'Oh, well, that's not really convenient seeing as how Ronan and Rodney are set to spring us pretty damn soon.'
'We will never make it, and your friends will be taken the moment they are discovered in the Arena.' Tycho informed him.
Teyla gritted her teeth as the large doors opened up behind her and thirty guards emerged, surrounding them.
'Colonel, if we are taken to the Palace, Ronan will not be able to find us. They will be taken.' Teyla told him, casting the soldiers a look of malice.
John nodded. 'You know Ronan and Rodney, they'll get out. We don't exactly have a lot of options here.'
Tycho bowed his head. 'He is right. We must go with them.'
'To our deaths.' Teyla growled. 'We cannot go willingly.'
'We're not dead until we're not breathing. Keep it together.' John said firmly.
Titus smiled. He couldn't hear their words but knew their discussion involved escaping the fate he had set for them. He savoured their defiance, he savoured their inevitable end and that he was the one to bring them to it. The power was all his, he decided who lived and who died and no one was going to stop him because he had so much power that he was practically invincible. Titus watched the soldiers close in on them and their final decision to go quietly involved little struggling and many sarcastic comments from Sheppard and his comrades.
Meanwhile, Ronan and Rodney waited. They had arrived outside the main walls of the Arena and lay in wait for the many guards they saw to depart, a signal that the Emperor was leaving and the fight was over.
Ronan flipped his gun impatiently, his eyes never leaving their intended point of entry. Several guards stood by the small door with many more stalking the perimeter. Security was indeed tight.
Rodney sneezed and Ronan ducked back round the wall they hid behind. He gave Rodney a dark glare and the Scientist looked bewildered.
'What? I can't help it if I'm allergic to this place.' He said testily. The nine men lined up along the wall cast each other raised eyebrows and shook their heads. Rodney gritted his teeth and reached into a small bag at his side, pulling out a meal bar. Ronan snatched it from him and stuffed it back in the bag. Rodney glared. 'I have to eat okay, when I get nervous I get hungry, so by letting me eat it calms my nerves and makes me more battle ready.'
'Battle ready or fat.' Ronan muttered.
Rodney was about to launch into a rant when Ronan quickly placed a hand on his mouth and went deathly still. The others caught on and became silent. Ronan heard a single pair of footsteps and knew a guard approached, his years of running from and killing Wraith making his senses able to hone in on the smallest thing.
The guard walked down the line of houses that backed onto the Arena and stopped just short of the corner behind which eleven men held their breath. The streets were deserted, the night drew on and he wanted to be elsewhere. He was sure that he had heard something as he watched the still scene in front of him, and realised that it must have been wishful thinking.
The Guard wandered back to his post, sword swinging at his side, and Ronan gently let go of Rodney's mouth. Rodney stared at the street in front. The guard could have walked a few paces forward, discovered them, and blown their operation to oblivion, leaving no chance for Sheppard and Teyla. 'I'll be quiet now.' He squeaked.
Suddenly, the men at his side jumped round, brandishing swords. Ronan stepped forward and aimed his weapon.
Athera raised her hands defensively, letting the hood of her blue cloak fall to her shoulders. Ronan gave her an unimpressed look.
Athera walked forward with a basket in her hand and gave him a stern look. 'Do not look at me that way, I had to do something, I could not sit and wait for you to…' She made a frustrated hand motion toward the Arena. 'Besides, there is a flaw in your plan.'
A roar came loud and clear from the Arena, thousands of approving voices making Rodney shiver. Their happiness indicated someone or something dieing, he just hoped that that someone or something wasn't actually Sheppard or Teyla.
'What flaw?' Ronan holstered his weapon, returning to the end of the wall to brood a while longer while they waited.
Athera approached his side and peeked round the corner. Ronan put a firm hand on her shoulder and guided her back. 'Once the Guard leave, there will be precious few at the door, but even so, eleven men approaching from this distance will make them suspicious. They will raise the alarm before you are able to kill them all.'
'Wonderful. And you can help us how?' Rodney asked, attitude dripping from his mouth.
Athera smiled. Ronan tapped the scientists shoulder without turning from watching the door. 'They're moving.'
'Really?' Rodney asked, leaning over his shoulder to get a look. He fell back against the wall with a pale expression. 'So I guess we're really going to do this.'
'Yes.' Ronan said irritatedly.
'And I'm going to help you.' Athera promised. Ronan frowned at her with a doubtful expression.
As twenty guards finished filing in through the small door, three remained. Athera nodded.
'The Emperor is leaving. They will return to the Palace on the other side.' She informed them, and then unexpectedly strode down the street toward them. Ronan quickly reached out to pull her back but was too late. Athera made her way to the Guards, undoing the fastening on her cloak to reveal a white dress with a mostly unbuttoned bodice underneath. Her dark hair fell about her seductively and she plastered a large smile on her face.
Rodney's eyes popped. 'What is she doing?!' He rasped. Ronan watched.
Athera sauntered toward them, the Guards seeing her and stepping forward. Athera said something swiftly in her own language with a soft and graceful tone. She pulled a small blanket from the top of the basket and the soldiers leaned in to have a look and smiled, nodding at one and other. Ronan grinned.
Athera took the nearest one by the arm and slid her hand over his backside, he in turn groped hers with more vigour, reaching into the basket and ripping the cork from a bottle of wine. The two others opened another and shared it with grateful laughs. Rodney shook his head.
'How thick can you get?' He muttered. 'But then wearing those helmets all day long must add pressure onto the brain.'
Ronan smiled as the guard holding Athera paused and started jerking. She pulled away and watched as he fell to the ground in convulsions. The two others guards surged forward in their confusion before doing the same.
Athera stared grimly at the bodies as they became still and fastened her cloak tightly. Ronan, Rodney and the others sped down the street and paused at the entrance. Ronan put a hand on her back and she smiled up at him. Rodney put a hand on his hip.
'Poison?' He queried.
Athera nodded. 'Hadellus' root – deadly and rare to come by.' She looked down at them. 'The Guards have many perks. Women and wine. They did not think however that either one or both of them could get them killed.' She said dangerously.
Ronan grinned. 'Too bad for them.'
Athera nodded. 'Go. Get your friends and hurry.' She stood on tiptoe and kissed the Satedan's cheek. Ronan gave her a mild look of surprise before nodding at her and leading the nine men inside.
Rodney shook his head and took out his sidearm. Athera smiled and crossed over, kissing his cheek also.
'Good luck.'
Rodney smiled weakly before realising that they had gone and quickly running inside the Arena. Athera watched him go before heading back into the night.
John rolled his eyes. They had been walking through winding passages for ages. Long ones, short ones, dark and grim to grand and well-lit. He had no idea where they were or why it was so complicated to get to wherever they were going.
Teyla sensed his impatience and shared it. Ahead was Titus with his main guard leading the way, and all around them were an impossible amount of soldiers to keep them in line. She glanced at Tycho who had yet to remove his helmet, and he looked about as pleased as Sheppard did. She ached and bled, but her fury was enough of a motivator to keep her from collapsing.
Titus finally stormed into a magnificent room, the one she had been brought to when she first arrived at the palace, when she first met Titus. She glanced at the large throne as they crossed the room, straight over to the other side to a pair of double doors made of ancient wood. The room itself was clean and shiny with marble floors, but these doors were so out of place. She braced herself as he strode through them and revealed another large room, half the size of the throne room, and in complete contrast with it.
It was dark. There were no windows and the roof was flat and low, not arched and beautiful as the throne room. Tall candles littered the room down to the other end where her eyes settled on an altar of horrific significance. A statue towered above them surrounded by candles and offerings of dead plants. The form of Aresedys glared down at them with malice, his heavy brow and intense eyes made her stare. It may only be stone, but somehow, she felt a power emanating from it.
John frowned. In front of the statue was a long stone table with a single support of thick marble. The surface was clean, but with scratches and nicks in the surface, whilst the support below showed the trails of dried blood as it had trickled down the sides. John's face turned grim. 'Someone needs to hire a better maid.' He muttered, turning his attention to the walls and wishing he hadn't. The walls were covered in sprays of a dark substance, long dried. Pictures of stick men in horrible situations were burnt into the stone, and blood was smeared into the pictures where it was needed to depict the gruesome events.
'I think you need to call a decorator, I'm getting a really negative vibe from this room.' John suggested.
Titus ignored him completely and proceeded to move behind the table, throwing his hands in the air and falling to his knees. The guards behind John pushed him to his knees and did the same to the others.
Titus' forehead touched the ground and he began chanting in his own tongue. John turned to Tycho. 'What is he saying?'
Tycho snarled at the Guards and turned to John, his piercing green eyes wide with anger. 'He worships the War God and sends us as his gifts of praise.'
'Sends us?' John echoed. 'Okay, so, it's better than sacrifice, but still.'
Teyla struggled against the Guards. 'Should we not try to escape now? Better to die fighting than die willingly.' She said forcefully, her fiery temper seizing her muscles and making her push against her captors.
'I'm all for kicking a little ass, sir.' One of the soldiers muttered. Lorne nodded appreciatively and turned to the Colonel.
'You know where my vote stands.' He said with a grin, his beat up face handsome despite his injuries.
The Colonel smiled and looked to Titus who rose and turned with a fury. 'There will be no escaping your fate!' He roared. 'You have been brought here to die! Not to fight!'
'We seem to get the two confused at times.' John said flippantly.
Suddenly, the Altus Domino stepped forward and hit him hard across the face. Teyla surged forward and was pulled back violently. John spat blood onto the ground and glared up at the man in blue robes.
'There will be none of your cheek in the sacred room of Aresedys.' He growled, and then turned to Titus who nodded at him.
Teyla watched his dark eyes flicker, the small smile moving his face from the shadow of anger to insanity. He moved forward, his handsome features oozing sensuality and power.
'Kyros.' He said quietly. The Altus Domino listened intently. 'Bring me the Presidium.'
The Domino nodded and left swiftly through a door to the left of the altar. Teyla frowned. Tycho shuffled at her side. She glanced over and caught his eye.
'The Guard.' He whispered. 'The Guard of Aresedys sabre.'
'Basically a bunch of guys with a big sword?' John prompted. Tycho looked irritated. 'I'm not one for creepy and unnecessary information.'
Titus moved forward, Teyla glaring at him from her place on the floor. He stopped in front of her and raised her chin. Tycho snarled at him.
Titus looked at him with mild surprise and laughed softly. John shuffled closer to Teyla's side protectively. 'I fail to see what's so funny.' He snapped.
Titus kneeled and took his face close to hers, Teyla pulling her face away and him dragging it back. 'No wonder you would not have me. You already have two strapping warriors at your beck and call – one a lowly servant, and the other your lord and master.' He cooed.
John raised an eyebrow. 'Hardly her lord or master actually…'
'I would not have you because I do not have murderers.' Teyla said waspishly. 'Nor do I have scared little boys who abuse power to get their way.'
Titus narrowed his eyes at her before standing and throwing her head to the floor.
Ronan and Rodney raced down the corridor, shooting the odd guard they met. The nine that followed had hardly any work to do. Rodney had only killed two whilst Ronan's blood lust and determination had quickly and accurately incapacitated the rest, about twenty odd. If there were only thirty, then there weren't many to go. The fact that Rodney and Ronan had guns instead of swords helped vastly.
Rodney felt the blood pounding through his veins, his legs were weak and he was out of breath. More than any of that, he was scared out of his wits. John and Teyla had failed to meet them half way and Ronan with all his daring had taken them further in with the intention of breaking them from their cell directly.
Rodney had loathed the idea, but knew that John and Teyla would have done exactly the same for him. At least he damn well hoped they would have. Ronan paused along the end of the corridor and peeked around the end. He looked back, turning to the elected leader of the nine men that had joined them named Hearden. Athera had told them he had been best friends with her husband and could be trusted above all others. He was of medium build with brown eyes and a fuzzy brown beard; his forehead had a healthy sheen of sweat and flushed cheeks resembling Rodney's.
'Here?' Ronan asked.
Hearden nodded. 'Here is where our informant say that prisoners are kept.'
'We're here?' Rodney asked, surprised. 'Good, I was getting way past tired.' He paused. 'Are there guards?'
Ronan nodded. 'Two.'
Rodney shuffled impatiently. 'Oh, well, do you want to do your thing…?' Ronan raised an eyebrow and Rodney raised his own. 'Well you get it done faster than me. You have better eyesight is all I'm saying, it's just years of working round highly dangerous chemicals and radiation has put a strain on my vision-'
Ronan rolled his eyes and turned down the corridor, firing his weapon twice and tearing down the hall. Rodney followed reluctantly and watched the Satedan grip the door and peer inside. The inmates crowded round at the sound of gunfire, a red blast they had never seen before which had killed the guards at their cell door.
'Sheppard.' He stated. The inmates looked at each other and whispered. Rodney sighed and stepped forward.
'This tall, messy black hair, really sarcastic and on occasion annoying?' He said simply. When they didn't respond, he gritted his teeth. 'Okay, how about Teyla, now her you can't miss.'
'Who are you?' One of them asked suspiciously, his dark grey eyes studying them.
'They are the Star Masters!' An excited voice chimed.
Dio pushed his way through the sea of tall and butch men to cling to the bars with a shining face. 'Teyla said you would come!'
Rodney dropped to one knee and looked the boy in the face with a small smile. 'Dio. From Athera's house.' He looked up at Ronan and the Satedan raised an eyebrow.
'Where's Sheppard and Teyla?' He asked.
The boy looked up, his face falling. 'They were taken from the Arena to the palace. It is said among the inmates that Titus will kill them for their defiance.'
'Where?' Ronan prodded.
'The Altar of Aresedys.' Said the man with deep grey eyes.
'You know the way?' Ronan narrowed his eyes at him. The man shook his head.
'No, but I know someone who will.'
Ronan seemed unconvinced. Rodney stood with agitation. 'Well it's not like we're gonna leave the kid here, so open the door and let the big guy with the distrustful face help us.' He said snappily.
Ronan eyed Rodney with irritation before ordering them to step back and firing his weapon at the lock. The door swung open and Ronan stepped inside. Dio flung himself onto the Satedan's leg, his head barely even reaching the height of his hip. Ronan tapped his back with a large comforting hand and moved inside, allowing Dio to smother Rodney who complained loudly.
'These men will lead you outside. What you do then is of no concern to us.'
The inmates flooded through the door and Hearden crossed to Ronan. 'My friends will lead them out and keep them safe, but I come with you.' He sighed. 'I do not see Aegen, which means that he is dead, and that I have business with the Emperor.'
Ronan would have refused, in fact he would have insisted that Rodney go with him, but the scientist's stubbornness drove him crazy. Ronan's own morals and beliefs also dictated that Hearden get a shot to avenge his friends death. Ronan turned to face the warrior with deep grey eyes.
'Follow me.' He said, and led them down the other end of the corridor.
'Wait a minute, wait a minute!' Rodney said loudly. 'We're going to the palace? Where there will be thousands of guards? Anybody want to update their will before we go any further?'
Ronan raised an eyebrow and grey eyes shook his head. 'I will not go to the palace because I do not know the way, I will take you to someone you will likely have to force into leading you there.'
'So we would have three men and a bad guy to get Sheppard and Teyla?' Rodney summarised.
'Yes.' Ronan said bluntly, and then pointed his gun down the corridor, indicating for grey eyes to lead the way. Hearden unsheathed his sword.
'Just checking.' Rodney said miserably, and followed with his side arm at the ready.
Titus turned to the statue of Aresedys and lifted out his hands. 'Then I suppose the question becomes, who will go first? Which would please the God more?' He turned, swept his robe around and sat on the table with a casual grace, looking at them in turn. 'One of your lovers? So that you might watch?' He said with a grin. John's mouth opened to argue the point but Titus continued. 'Or shall we begin with you, and have your lover's watch you die?'
John glanced at Teyla with a worried expression and Titus smiled, standing.
The door to his left behind the altar opened and two large men strode in dressed completely in black. Their torsos were bare with scars etched into the skin of symbols she didn't understand. Their black skirts and black boots were nothing compared to the majesty of their black helmets, whose faces were lined with the silver face of a ghoul.
John's eyes lingered on the mean looking sword they carried between them. Long, thin and sharp as hell – it could have severed a mans head from his neck without the head tumbling to the ground. Its hilt was black and curved, thick with lines and nodules. It was a cruel instrument and John knew who he would use it on first. There was no other.
Titus' eyes drove into their heads, wishing them a painful death. He took the sword with skill and swung it at his side, looking up at the blade before his eyes rested on them once more.
'Bring her.' He ordered.