Kanuro5: Happy to update this once again. Even with the summer here, I have summer classes I need to do. But I feel excited and did a much needed overhaul of how I originally planned for this to end. I hoe you enjoy!
XX
The Blue Wolf
Presently
Gaius Scipio Lupus smirked, "So Arcani? Do you be the one called Vipera or Taurus?"
Aries said nothing.
"Do not crush my heart, Arcani. I witnessed how talkative you were with Amphion over there. Come, be talkative with me."
"You were supposed to be at the Port for Neptune's celebration…" Aries sneered.
"I grew thirsty."
"No, you grew sloppy."
Aries gripped the two swords in his hands tightly. Fury flowed through his body. Amphion was still on the ground, slowly recovering from the punch Scipio Lupus delivered unto him. Most of the patrons of the tavern had left, leaving only a few watching. Such was good, he could then kill this Scipio and then flee to rejoin his brothers and—
He gasped audibly; his confident gaze had fallen. Scipio Lupus picked right up on it, "Did you realized how fucked you were?"
Aries did. If this Roman knew that he was a part of the Arcani and knew he was speaking to the Town Watch, then he probably knew about the rest of the plan for this day. Aries mentally screamed. He had to escape. Forget Amphion, he had to make a break for it now! If he was quick enough, he could make a dash to the door and then climb the rooftops to—
The red soldiers of the Julii entered the establishment, twelve of them, armed with shields and swords. Two men of the Twenty-Eighth forcibly brought the traitorous Amphion to his feet and wrapped their beefy arms around his slender ones. The other ten blocked off the exit and entered into a U-formation. They brought their shields in front of them and positioned their swords to the side of their shields. Aries grimaced in fury.
Scipio Lupus appeared in the back ranks of the formation, "Let it end, Arcani. I only seek to break words. I promise to the Gods."
The Julii soldiers took three steps closer, tightening the ranks around Aries.
"What do you and your ilk know of the Gods?!" Aries suddenly screamed.
"More than you and your band of murderers."
"What right do you hold to label me as such? You who seek your own glory over the will of the Republic!"
The assassin charged with swords drawn. He made for the shield wall that protected the admiral. The legionaries tightened their shields. As Aries rushed forward to the center of the U-formation, the surrounding flanks of the soldiers closed in on him. He swung his blades in frenzied circular motions to ward off the soldiers, but the men of the Julii were disciplined. They approached with their shields in front of them, taking the hacks and thrusts from the Arcani swords. None of them attacked him, they waited until Aries would inevitably tire himself out within this sphere of shields.
"Do not inflict mortal wound!" Lupus shouted. "I want him alive!"
The soldiers behind Aries used their shields and thrusted them in the back of Aries. The assassin stumbled forward but leapt back up and swung at the men around him. He continued to do so, until a soldier brought his sword to Aries's leg and tore through his hamstring. He fell to the floor clutching his bleeding leg.
"Your orders, Admiral?"
Scipio Lupus peered down at the seething and wounded man. He asked for a gladius. And when it was granted to him, he took a quick downward swing at Aries's face, lopping off his ear and opening up the flesh of his cheeks.
Aries hollered, his hands reaching his bloody face. Scipio Lupus spat on him, "That was for Auctus, you bastard."
"Fuck you!" Aries sneered.
"Surrender, assassin, you cannot fight your way out of this."
"As if this is how it should end for you."
Aries gripped the sword tightly; he clenched his eyes with gritted teeth.
His eyes flashed open with resolve, "I render myself to you, Jupiter Optimus Maximus!"
He plunged his own sword through his throat.
Scipio Lupus recoiled, as did the Julii soldiers. Aries collapsed backwards, his gurgles echoing throughout the tavern, his head was thrashing on the floor. The Scipio admiral walked over the spasming body and examined him closer.
Scipio Lupus turned around and approached the whimpering Amphion who was still restrained, silently pleading for mercy.
A dark laugh of complete bitterness emerged from Scipio's mouth, "No. You speak death upon me, and now you cower? No, I shall not have it."
Auctus walked back into the establishment, "It is over, Gaius?"
"It is. The man who scarred your face lies dead by his own hand."
"You?!" Amphion shrieked at the sight of the slave boy. "But you, y-you were…"
Auctus's eyes lingered on the renegade, he said spitefully in Greek, "Master, this man was given a coin of significance by the assassins, he may still have it on his person."
"Oh, does he now?" Gaius sneered quizzically. "Legionaries, hold him good!"
Amphion tried to wrangle free, but such pressure that was being applied was tight, the soldiers could easily snap his elbows or dislocate his shoulder. Two other soldiers then restrained Amphion's legs.
Gaius Scipio frisked the duplicitous Greek until he found the man's coin purse. He poured out the contents, there were twelve silver coins, but one large gold one. The Scipio held it up. His eyes grew to the size of the moon. Amphion's skin paled at the Admiral's reaction.
"What the fuck is this?!" he snapped at the Greek in Latin.
Amphion's eyes fell. Gaius repeated himself in Greek this time. The traitor did not reply. Gaius crashed his fist into Amphion's face, "Answer me, you measly shit! For what purpose do you have this?!"
The Greek whimpered but gave no answered.
"Keep him under guard!" Scipio ordered the soldiers. "Auctus, get some of our men, we need to move to the Palace, now!"
"But what of Plinius and our fleet at the port?"
"I trust him to handle it! Right now, we need to assist Suba and the Lady Brutus!"
Velum, the second most experienced Arcani currently in Athens, led his nine brothers to the Palace, all under the eyes of the Town Watch, as they were being escorted through the street. These Watchman followed Amphion, and they had come up with the plan of allowing the Arcani to enter as the guise of prisoners. The ten of the Arcani were maskless, and they wore cloaks that covered their black armor and their weapons. Several citizens pointed at them, but none knew their true identity.
Velum noticed the angles of the shadows off the house that shone from the sun. The time was now for the attack on the port to begin. And at this moment, the barracks of the legionaries should be now blazing. He looked in the general direction of both the port and the barracks, he saw no blackened smoke in the sky as of yet. They were a little late, but Velum had to keep faith in his brothers. He had to keep faith in Aries's plan, and the plans of Taurus.
The assassin "prisoners" were led upon the southern entrance of the Palace where the rebel Watchman stood guard by the Palace gate. The escorts nodded smugly to the guards. The doors opened and the murderous band entered. The Palace seemed particularly empty, as Amphion had told them that most of them would be at the port for Scipio's celebration. Once the doors had closed behind them, the rogue Watchmen broke their formation and undid the bindings of the assassins.
"Now is your opportunity, dress yourselves, quickly," one of the rogue Watchman uttered.
It didn't take the ten men of the Arcani long to shed their cloaks, draw their blades, and equip their black masks.
"Do you recall our plan?"
"Yes, we go and kill the Roman governess, her child, and the tribune. Then you escape, those who ally with our cause man the gates. Once you leave, find some horses, and ride out to the Northern Gate of Athens. And if you know what is good for you, never return."
"If it all goes according to plan, I can assure you that none of us shall have reason to return."
"Excellent, now you Black Masks follow us. Lady Brutus is often upstairs in the atrium playing with her son."
The silent assassins followed the treacherous Watchmen up the stairs. Each step, every man took the softest breath. There were twenty armed militiamen on the stairs, followed by ten masked men in black. If one slave noticed this conspicuous sight, the entire plan may have burned.
They arrived at the second level where the Governor's chamber presided. The intruders could hear only the sound of juvenile laughing, high in pitch. A boy. They stuck to the walls and the columns, none of the lights were lit, the atrium was darker than it normally would have been. Velum thought it strange.
They all approached closer, staying in the shadows. The traitorous militiamen started fanning out in an open formation, silently, as if they were on maneuvers. Velum and his nine assassins, crept low, their knees practically at their chests. Within the atrium, with the light from the sunroof descending on them, sat the Lady Brutus, her son playing with toys, and another woman, who looked dark, as if African. There were no guards around and the women only had one slave present.
The two women were reclining on opposing couches. The boy showed his mother a trick with the toys, in how he could juggle three of them.
Velum stared at the boy, then back the mother.
Was this the way that he was told to follow? Slaying men was their purpose, but a woman and a child? Taurus demanded it. He claimed that all men, women, and children of the Three Families must die, for their sin runs deep. To free the blossoming of the Republic once more, all weeds must be removed. And these little children would into the weeds that strangle the roots of Republican virtue. By the Gods, this woman and child must die.
He looked at the boy's face, and the mother's… They all must die…
Velum could see the two women were speaking, but he was too far to hear it clearly.
Servilia was sitting on the couch, her fingers entwined together, sweat cascading her brow. She took a cloth and wiped herself, her eyes focused on her son.
"Lady Brutus, do you seek to speak? Something ails you."
"Of course, it does. Men are trying to kill me and my son, and I only have you as protection."
Suba chuckled, "You do not believe me capable, do you?"
"The only thing I find you capable of is lying on your back and making us all deaf with your intimate wailing."
"I don't look like it, but I am trained in warfare. In my lands, the nobility has an option in training their women. Fortunately, I was trained."
Servilia Brutus blinked perplexedly, "You are a noble?"
"Indeed, I am. I am from Numidia, my uncle was Jugurtha."
"What?!" she bolted upright. "Your uncle was Jugurtha?! The Jugurtha?"
Suba smiled, "Did that capture your attention? Yes, the same Jugurtha that Gaius Marius and Cornelius Sulla defeated. You see, Lady Brutus, I am a princess of Numidia, my father is King Hiempsal II, son of King Gauda."
"Y-Y-You are?" Servilia Brutus stammered.
"I am. How else do you equate that I can marry such a prominent patrician?"
"What was Jugurtha like?"
"I don't remember him; I was a year old when he died."
"Oh, but wow… I never imagined I would meet a relative of Jugurtha. The king who— wait! You said, 'marry'… what patrician are you married to?!"
Suba tilted her head with a knowing smirk and a raised eyebrow, "Truly? You fail to realize that Gaius and I are married?"
"What?!"
Though Suba was smiling at the revelation, Lady Brutus could see the genuine nature behind Suba's eyes. Servilia finally regained her composure, "Truly? You are his wife?"
Suba smirked proudly, "That I am."
"I-Is this a jape?"
"Neither jape nor jest. We are married as Gaius and Gaia. You mean to tell me that you didn't take note of this ring on my hand?"
She held up a ring of silver on her fourth finger to the mother.
"No, I failed to notice," Servilia admitted. "How long have you been married?"
"For seven years now."
"That's longer than Marcus and me…"
"Do I hear jealousy in your voice? Take pride, your union has brought a child."
"Oh… are you, uh… are you unable to…?"
"No, I believe I am fertile. As much as Gaius and I copulate, we do so for pleasure's sake, not for conception. We use many contraceptives, and he frequently exits himself before climax and—"
"Hey!" Servilia shouted, quickly cupping the ears of her young son.
"My apologies," Suba chuckled. "The point being, we choose not to have children yet, we are not ready for such. Plus, all the adventures we go on, how we both rush into danger…"
Servilia released her son to play, "But you do desire children, don't you?"
"Of course. I desire it, strongly. I desire to birth him a son. I always wanted three boys."
Servilia was smiling now, "Indeed, I once desired to give my husband multiple sons."
"But not anymore?"
"Well, I still do. But birthing Marcus over there, that was a world of pain that I do not desire to repeat multiple times… but… I do want to try for another child if they are as tender as Marcus is… I desire another."
Both of the wives quietly observed Marcus playing with his toys.
Servilia looked at her, "So, how did you and Lupus meet?"
Suba took a sip of her drink with a smile, "This was when Sulla and Marius had their first war, I believe it was seven years ago. I was seventeen at the time. The provinces and client kingdoms were determining their allegiances between the two Roman generals. Numidia elected to sit out on Roman politics. Or more like whoever would bribe my father in currying arms.
"And then came Gaius," she crooned in remembrance. "He was beardless back then, and smaller, he was sixteen at the time. But he was already the captain of his own ship. He destroyed the pirates that were raiding our fishing villages, and the treasures that he took from the pirates were personally given by him to my father. The act was meant as a tribute and for obtaining favor to side with Sulla during the Civil War. But he took it a step further, he proposed a diplomatic marriage between the Scipii and Numidia, with him as the groom."
"Right then and there?"
"Yes. The marriage would keep Numidia allied with Sulla, and it worked. And you can guess who was to be his bride."
"What did you think of him, when you first laid eyes on your betrothed?"
"I was curiously enamored. He carried himself with such an air that you would have thought that he was a prince himself. His face was youthful, yet it held a scoundrel nature. The type that lived for the danger, and you know that with one look of him, he would be making you scream his name all night long. He had all of that in him when he was sixteen.
"I married him five days later. My Father allied with Sulla, and Numidia is still held in Rome's good graces, all because of Gaius's ingenuity. A few years ago, I even became a citizen of Rome. And I have been blessed by the gods that are union is still filled with passion and adventure. I travel the seas and witness a world that I never could fathom. I have experienced pleasures that could tempt a Vestal Virgin to fornicate. All because of him."
Servilia blinked at her, her voice was gone.
Suba smiled, "Incredible, no?"
"Yes, quite. And I thought you stood his… uh, well his—"
She smirked easily, "You believed I was his 'foreign whore,' correct?"
Servilia's eyes fell to the water in her cup.
Suba chuckled, "If I had a denarius for every time such was offered, I would have a full talent. 'Dignified' Romans do not understand or imagine that a Roman of noble and prestigious blood could marry a foreigner. I look upon your face and witness that you still cannot grasp such reasoning."
"No, I admit I cannot."
Suba placed her cup down, "I speak all of this to give you encouragement, hope, and strength. My Gaius's plan shall work. He always knows more than he lets on."
"I hope he does."
"I believe in him. And I ask that you should as well."
Velum moved behind the column. His fellow assassins hid in the dark recesses of the hall. The rogue Watchmen came from behind the corner. Velum motioned for them to do it now, to slay the mother and daughter. Better it be irate Greeks than him or his men that murder this family.
The traitorous Greeks burst fully into the atrium. A slave girl was in the way, but the Greeks knocked her to the floor without paying her a second thought. The slave screamed. Velum decided to emerge from cover, he had to witness the Greeks actually perform their duty.
The scream had alerted the women. The Lady Brutus scooped up her son in her arms and cradled him, backing away frantically, "By the Gods! It's really them!" Servilia screamed. Despite the horde of Watchmen, she instantly spotted Velum's black mask.
Velum noted how she huddled behind the African woman who was drawing a sword.
"Stay behind me, I shall not let them harm you!" the armed woman told the patrician. She suddenly grasped her by the hand, "Come with me, quickly!" Then the two women and the child retreated deeper into the atrium.
"Don't let them escape!" Velum barked.
The assassins and the rogue Watchmen ran after them, their heavy armor and footsteps echoing across the halls. The women didn't get far. Velum's men cornered them in the dark recesses of the atrium. The noblewoman was shivering, the armed woman was not.
The Watchmen were less than ten meters away from the women, they formed into a U-formation with their spears angled. Velum and the other assassins appeared in the back ranks. Velum spoke deeply through his mask, "Lower your weapon, you cannot hope to win. Leave the Brutii to their fate."
Suba deepened her stance, "You shall not touch her!"
"Be that way," Velum replied.
The Watchmen advanced slowly, and yet Suba did not falter. Velum noticed how the son of Brutus Equestris had his head buried in his mother's bosom, the mother looked to be in tears.
This is for the purpose of Jupiter, I know it to be, Velum told him repeatedly. This… This is his will… for these women and child to die… this is his will…
"Trebellius, NOW!" Suba screamed with fury.
From the atrium and the triclinium, tens of loyal Watchmen emerged from empty rooms and hallways. From behind the watchmen came twenty Scipii marines, and behind them twenty crimson armored men of the Twenty-Eighth legionaries appeared, surrounding the reprobate Watchmen and the Arcani. The traitors and assassins gawked at the sight, they had forgotten completely about Suba, Servilia, and Marcus Brutus.
"What is this?!" Velum uttered, spinning around to gauge the size of the men who now surrounded him.
Prefect Trebellius emerged in his green legionary armor with a helmet and sword and stood behind the Watchmen that faithfully served the Brutii. "Bless the Gods the plan worked!" he shouted to Suba. He then turned to the intruders, and roared with anger, "You believe you can skulk within my city with impunity?! Your terror ends today!"
The rogue Watchmen were gnashing their teeth, their arms and weapons shaking at the sight of their encirclement. The only ones that had steeled their resolve were the Arcani. Velum knew they were outnumbered, and there was little time to think of how they were discovered. His only objective was to complete the mission and get his men out of Athens. For that, the Brutii needed to die.
He looked to the mother and child hiding behind the African. He told himself once more, that the mother and child had to die.
"Death to the Romans!" Velum roared in Greek. The black assassins charged to Lady Brutus, and the rogue Watchmen charged the loyal watchmen, marines, and legionaries.
"Protect the Brutii!" the Prefect shouted. The loyalists that surrounded the renegades charged.
The atrium became a hurricane of chaos.
Weapons clattered, shouts ruled the air, screams of death and maiming echoed throughout. The assassins fought to cleave their way through the loyalists, but the numbers against them were proving too high. The loyal Watchmen and the legionaries under the Twenty-Eighth stood in a defensive circle to ensure no man would escape. The marines of the Scipii were always offensive, they jumped through the defensive circle and aggressively engage the traitors. Though the renegades were surrounded, a few of them penetrated the encirclement.
Two rogue Watchmen broke through and moved towards Servilia Brutus, yet Suba was her stalwart protector. The Numidian princess leapt forward with a kick towards the shield of the nearest Watchman, sending him to stumble backwards. The second Watchmen recklessly lunged his spear forward at the woman.
Suba parried the spear-lunge to the outside. At the zenith of the parry, Suba circled her sword arm above her head and swung the sword down at the exposed knee, slicing through the flesh and bone of the traitorous Watchman. The Greek turncoat collapsed as he screamed, only for Suba to quickly bury her sword through the man's throat.
The Watchmen she kicked had recovered and wildly charged the woman who stood in his way. He roared as he lunged forth with all his might. Suba performed one move to end this man's life. A spinning parry. Using the Watchman's own momentum, she spun around his attack, and performed a swinging slash upon the exit of her spin in the same motion, carving through the back of his neck and severing the vertebra. The dead man fell right before the feet of Servilia, who tried desperately to shield the eyes and ears of her son from all this violence.
Blood was dripping down Suba's sword as she turned her attention to the frozen Servilia.
"Do not move from that spot, you understand?" Suba told her.
"Okay!" Servilia replied with a quick breath-filled response.
One of the Arcani made his way through and dashed towards Suba. The assassin made a mighty leap forward, gaining considerable air-time in an attempt for a leaping slash. Suba instantly recognized that this assassin was an amateur. Who would obviously transmit a move so obvious as a jumping attack? The assassins who attacked her and her husband on the Bloody Ides were more experienced than this one. The leaping assassin was still in the air, all Suba had to do was pivot to the left of where the man was going to land. She dodged the leaping slice by ducking her head mid-pivot, and she slashed the back of the man's leg in mid-air, right before he landed.
The assassin crashed into the floor with a scream, holding his bleeding leg. He tried to recover and stand to his feet. Suba moved forward with her sword, she blocked the blade of an Arcani hacking attack, and kicked the man solidly in the stomach. The assassin recoiled and fell backwards, his wounded leg unable to balance him. Suba dashed to the lying assassin and skewered his throat with her sword.
"There are too many!" Velum heard one of his brothers shout through the din of fighting.
"We must retreat!" shouted another one.
"Fight our way through, we must leave this Palace!"
Velum gasped. He spun around, "No! Our mission! We cannot abandon the mission from the Gods! We—"
The remaining assassins, these basic recruits, did not hear him. They ceased in targeting the Lady Brutus and rushed outward to fight their way through the loyal Watchmen, marines, and legionaries. All around him, the corpses of the intruders were growing in number. His window was closing.
Velum spotted the weakest link of the shield wall, a loyal Watchman who didn't plant himself firmly into the ground. Velum rushed forward, dipped his shoulder, and slammed into that man's shield as hard as he could. He managed to send the Watchman to the floor. Velum rolled out of the encirclement and was immediately descended by a legionary who was missing a shield. Velum blocked his attack with one sword, before plunging the second sword into the legionary's armored stomach. The soldier keeled over in agony, exposing his neck. Velum hacked at the it with his second sword and watched the man drop.
A shielded legionary and a Watchman came at him. Velum targeted the militiaman first, running to him and swatting away the spear to get inside the man's guard. The assassin swung his sword from the bottom upwards, cleaving the man in his groin. The loyal Greek militiaman fell screaming.
The legionary attacked, yet he hid behind his shield as he did so. Velum couldn't get past the large shield, all he could do was swat at it in hopes to get the soldier off-balanced, yet the legionary kept to his stance well. He would hide behind the shield, then lunge his sword out. But Velum noticed the man extending his arm out too far. The assassin waited for the soldier to attack again, and when he did, the soldier thrusted his arm out. Velum brought his sword down and tore through the legionary's bicep at the sword-arm. The man instinctively dropped his stance, allowing Velum to drive his sword through the soldier's exposed throat.
Velum now had Suba and Servilia Brutus in his sights with no one in front of him.
Suba witnessed it all. Out of all the assassins present, this must be the leader, she told herself. She discarded her sword and picked up the spear off the rebel Watchman she killed. She remembered her training and twirled the spear into a defensive stance and stood in front of Servilia Brutus.
The way this African woman twirled the spear with both hands, Velum knew it wasn't in the style of the Greeks or Romans who used a spear with one hand and a shield with the other. No, she used the spear in the two-handed style of the Africans and Easterners.
Velum made the first move and charged at her. He kept both swords shoulder length apart; he swung and lunged with precision. However, Suba got her defensive stance tight. She jabbed her spear at Velum to keep him at bay and not to overextend her own lunges.
Velum juked to the side and brought both swords above his head for a diagonal slash with both weapons. Using the back length of the spear, she parried the double slash away from her head and lunged the rear spike of the spear into Velum's abdomen. The assassin felt a sharp pain and leapt backwards. He looked down to determine any penetration, but his armor held, the pain was from the initial power of the lunge.
He moved forward again, she lunged hard this time with a forward thrust from her spear, but his initial move was a forward feint. Velum timed it well. He bent over backwards, bringing his swords up in a cross guard, parrying the spear thrust upwards and over his head. Using his momentum and keeping the blades together tightly to lock the spear in place, he brought the polearm down to his side, forcing Suba off-balance. He released and spun around in a sweeping motion, intending to open up her neck.
Suba saw it coming. But with herself off-balanced and with the assassin within the outside of her guard, she knew her only chance of survival would be to roll out of the attack and abandon her spear. And such is what she did. She rolled forward as the dual swords came down of where she initially was. After landing, she tried to fully get to her feet, but the assassin took a leap forward and kicked her in the face, sending her crashing back into the marble floor. Velum turned around. Nothing stood between him and the mother and child now.
Servilia clutched her son tighter. Velum moved closer to the family. With each step he took, he remembered the words of Fornax, the father of Taurus, "We are the justice of Jupiter, our blades are tempered against the evils of men. The women and children are innocent and must be spared. For they are the future of Rome." With each step, the blades in Velum's hands grew heavier. He could hear Taurus in his mind telling him to do it. That it was for the "good of the Republic" that the men, women, and children of the elite must be purged. Jupiter would demand complete vengeance on those who forsook him.
Velum was less than ten feet away from them. All he needed was one leap and a swing of his sword, and his duty would be done. So why did his arms not move?
Is this? Is this truly right?
He saw Viperain his mind's eye, silently staring at him with those eyes of his. Those eyes that could shame monsters. The Justice of the Gods was meant for the enemies of Rome. Is this terrified woman an enemy, is her son?
A frenzied scream broke him out of his stupor. Suba had drawn a large dagger and ran frantically at him, screaming her head off. She dashed forward, quicker than he could react. As he spun around, she was already within his guard, her blade already angling downward. His arm guard caught the brunt of the attack, her body weight crashed into him, and they both sprawled on the floor together. The momentum from her rush had caused her to roll to her feet in front of Servilia and Marcus the Younger. She seized her discarded spear once more and pointed it towards the assassin. Her lips were busted, but her eyes were that of a lioness.
"Mercy! We surrender!" someone had screamed in Greek. Followed by the clattering of wood and steel hitting the floor.
Velum bore the sight of the renegade Watchmen throwing their weapons to the floor. There was only six of them left. The legionaries forced the traitors to their knees.
A dozen men of the Town Watch surrounded Velum, casting their spears underarm with their shields locked before them. The remaining marines jostled behind the Watchmen to reinforce the shield wall.
Velum eased up on his stance, his body twisting around slowly to gauge the scenario he now found himself in. The dead and dying traitors of the Watch littered the area. The six survivors were on their knees with their hands on their heads, and the blades and spear tips of the legionaries at their throats. He looked around more discernibly, his nine brothers of the Arcani who infiltrated the Palace with him lay dead. He was the only man left standing among the enemy.
He heard more commotion from behind the guards near the entrance of the atrium. The marines stood at attention and parted as a Roman dressed in blue armor and cape made his way forward, he carried himself as if Hercules himself.
"Scipio Lupus?" Velum spoke out.
Beside the blue Roman, Velum noticed the emerging figure of Auctus who protectively shielded himself behind the Scipio.
Velum sighed at the sight of the boy, "Of course, it was him…"
Lupus approached the man in black, yet he kept a distance of ten meters. Scipio extended his arm out and was given a burlap bag from a marine who accompanied him. From the bag, Scipio Lupus pulled out the head of Aries, unmasked. He threw it to the feet of Velum.
"Arcani," the Wolf on the Waves spoke in a raised voice, "it is over."
The loser panted, "Yes, it seems that it is…"
Lady Brutus took a few steps forward, "Lupus, do you mean it?"
"That head is who I believe to be the leader of the assassins, Amphion is seized, Plinius neutralized the assassins by the ships. It is over."
A breathy gasp escaped Servilia's lungs, as she clutched her son tight with tears in her eyes.
Gaius Scipio's face eased as he looked over at his wife, "Suba, impeccable, as always."
She planted the spear on the tile and smirked, "Gratitude, my love."
He gave her a nod. He turned to Prefect Trebellius, "It lifts heart to see that you have survived, Prefect, this could not have been done without you."
The grizzled Prefect had blood on his armor and sword, catching his breath from the fight, "Amazing, it worked as you planned it. But are you sure of the rest of the assassins?"
"Yes, Plinius confirmed that he was attacked at the harbor, he's there now to make sure it's secure. But those men are dead that attacked him."
"And the barracks?" Trebellius asked.
Lupus smiled. The clomping of boots echoed through the halls. More legionaries cladded in Julii crimson marched through the hall. One centurion of certain distinction walked behind Scipio Lupus, "It is done, Admiral."
Lupus looked over his shoulder at the centurion, "Oh, Primus Pilus Aelianus, tell us how your men fared in the barracks."
"It was as you said, Admiral, the assassins' pitches were present, and they managed to light one beam a fire before we stopped it and extinguished the flame, and we've slain eight of those Black Mask assassins who sought to burn the barracks."
The men behind Aelianus showed the Scipio eight masks of the Arcani.
Velum witnessed that; he remembered the name of those eight he sent to destroy the barracks and leave Athens in discord. It was over.
It was truly over…
The admiral's face then hardened as he returned his gaze to the assassin. "Everyone, keep your blades trained on this man. He has been forged in the fires of death, murder is his occupation, violence his mistress."
Velum lowered his head, he knew he should drop his weapons, but something told him to never relinquish them.
"Like I said, Arcani, it is over. Perhaps you can spare your dignity and unmask yourself?"
"This mask shall be removed when I'm dead."
"It may not need to come to that; the choice is yours."
"We both know how this shall end, Scipio."
"Are you Taurus… or Vipera?"
Velum closed his eyes, he wondered if his parents would have been proud of him. "I am neither," he answered.
"Who are you?"
"I am known as Velum, Scipio Lupus."
"Where are Vipera and Taurus?"
"Far from you."
"Where?!" he growled.
"Vipera has not been in Athens for months, I know not where he is. Taurus left the day after you arrived."
"You are quite candid, assassin," Suba remarked.
His eyes were staring at the tile beneath his feet, "It is over. Nothing matters now."
"Then tell us the truth, where are they?!" Lupus demanded.
"You shall never find them. Vipera is to the West, and Taurus is to the East."
"Where?"
"That, I do not know."
More sounds of commotion came from the entrance of the atrium. Several eyes darted to the origin. It sounded as if several men were running. Into the light came a tribune who wore the purple senatorial armor, followed by ten men who likewise wore purple.
Scipio Lupus looked to the tribune, his tone held the venom of annoyance, "Tribune Rupilius, glad of you to join us…"
The tribune was gasping from fatigue, "Admiral! The city's gone mad! There are battles in the streets, at the ports, the assassins have been caught and destroyed, the Twenty-Eighth were attacked, and—"
The tribune finally noticed the area of carnage in the atrium, and his eyes met the lone Arcani standing in the midst of this.
"By the love of Juno! There's one assassin that's alive?!" Rupilius pointed.
"How astute of you, now be silent," Lupus retorted.
"For what purpose does he yet draw breath? For what measure has he not been killed?"
"He is speaking to us of his own volition, now be silent!"
"What! This man is responsible for the Bloody Ides! He needs to die!"
"You stay there!" Scipio Lupus's finger was like a spear, aimed at the tribune. "Damn you, stay there, no one touches him unless I order it!"
"You dare command a Tribune of the Senate?!"
"Be silent! I care not for you or the Senate at this moment."
"How dare you insinuate—"
A feminine cry broke the argument, "Assassin!"
Everyone looked to Servilia Brutus, whose son clutched her leg. Her body was trembling, but her eyes were firm, she stared into the mask of Velum. Her voice wavered as she spoke, "You killed my father-in-law… the grandfather of my son, here. You tried to end the life of me and my husband in our bed. You and your… foul institution of murder have shamelessly set to slay all Brutii men. And that of the Scipii and Julii. You showed no scruples, no mercy. Minutes ago, you and these traitors of the Brutii broke in here to kill me and my son… You fought this noble woman in front of me and pushed her aside. You looked me in the eyes… You could have moved to slay me, but you did not. Out of the bloodshed you and your group have caused, for what purpose did you stay your hand now?"
"For…" he exhaled before continuing, "For it was not right. We had our orders from the Gods to spare the youthful and the women, and yet, I was required to…"
"By whom?" Lupus asked.
"Aries…"
"And who is that?"
Velum looked down at the head by his foot.
"Oh, him," Lupus said lowly.
"Did he meet his end by your hand?"
"His own."
"I figured."
"You paused because it was 'not right'? And yet such did not stop you from breaking in here and causing more deaths. You are conflicted, yet you killed so many already. What is your purpose? What is the purpose of the Arcani?"
"T-To honor the Gods… They have been forgotten, in this mad bid for power by the mortals, who seek to blemish this civilization that the Gods have gifted us. Rome was beautiful once. Rome was the Light of the World. And now look at it." Velum turned to Rupilius, "You have the Senate who once held the voice of the people, but now voice their own ambitions to line their pockets. We once sought to fight Rome's enemies, but they used us to silence their own." He then turned to Scipio Lupus, "And the three families who were granted unparalleled powers to protect Rome have fallen to decadence and move to further their own agendas."
Velum spoke louder, "In the past fifty years, violence and murder have become a staple to hold this Republic together, when in the past, it was words and virtue. The Gods placed the Senate and the Three Families to protect their creation of this Republic. We once had Dictators as Africanus and Cincinnatus, and now we hold tyrants like Marius and Sulla… Rome was beautiful once and the elite patricians had drowned it in decadence…"
A coin could have dropped at that moment, and its echoes would have reverberated across that silent Palace. For a moment, no one spoke.
Until Gaius Scipio Lupus took a few steps closer to the assassin, "Velum, answer me this. Has Man ever stood on equal footing with the Gods?"
His voice was bereft, "Of course not…"
"Then why would the Gods authorize the lesser to speak and act on their divine authority?"
"We as people always order those lesser than us to do our bidding. Why should that be different from the Gods?"
"We should not be compared to Gods. We cannot seek to dictate everything."
"How hypocritical, Scipio."
"Aren't we all?"
Velum lowered his head to the floor.
"The Golden Ages of Africanus and Cincinnatus are over. Their virtue shall never be seen again, Velum. You must know that."
"On that, we agree. But what light can shine in the quagmire of mud that is the Republic, unless it's cleansed?"
Gaius's voice was tender. "Can blood truly clean mud?"
Velum exhaled.
Scipio took another step closer, "I hold many questions for you. As vile as your group is, you personally have your honor. And for honor's sake, I do not seek to kill you nor torture you. For the sake of honor as a Roman, the defender of the Republic, are you sworn to keep Rome safe from foreign threats?"
Velum didn't even hesitate in his response. "Always."
Lupus held out the coin he retrieved from Amphion, "What is the significance of this coin?"
The light from hall reflected off the gold coin, only those standing close to Lupus could see it clearly.
Aelianus looked closer at it from behind, "What kind of coin is that? I do not recognize it."
Rupilius, however, recoiled at the sight, "Scipio! From where did you procure that?!"
"From Amphion, apparently Velum's comrade offered this to the man," he answered back, before turning to the assassin. "Now I ask you, Velum, what is the significance of this? Why did your comrade give this to him?"
Velum raised his head to the ceiling, "It is humorous."
"What is?"
"When you dedicate your life to something, and at the end of the road that you have trekked, you see how thoroughly used you were by others."
Suba and Servilia had to squint their eyes from afar. Suba spoke, "Gaius, what kind of coin is that?"
Rupilius held out a finger to Velum, "Drop your weapons, assassin," Rupilius ordered.
"I shall not," he countered. "Yet do not fret, I shall not use them."
Rupilius deepened his stance, "I said to drop your weapons!" he shouted louder.
Velum stared at the Senatorial Tribune.
"I said drop your fucking weapons!"
Rupilius snatched the pilum from the nearest senatorial legionary and casted it at Velum. The missile penetrated his armor, the tip exiting his back. The swords escaped the grasp of the assassin. Everyone who watched made an audible gasp at the sudden action.
"NO!" Lupus screamed.
Velum's legs gave out, he crashed to the floor gasping for air. His head spasmed viciously as his labored breath squeaked out of his throat. Gaius Scipio Lupus rushed to him, cradling his head, "Velum! Stay with me!"
The assassin was choking on his blood, his body spasming violently.
"You must tell me what the significance of this coin is!" Gaius Scipio beseeched.
Scipio removed the mask and bore sight to the face of Velum. Fresh blood had caked the mouth of this man, of this "honorable" assassin. Gaius Scipio held the coin in front of Velum's eyes, yet the man was staring into the open sunroof of the Palace, fixated on the tranquil blue sky above.
The blood was trapped in his throat, his eyes were watering, and he thought in his last moments if the Gods were proud of him. In his final moments in this mortal realm, did he do what was right?
In less than a minute, Velum was no more.
Gaius Scipio released his grip on the corpse. He stood up slowly, his eyes lost in the frozen face of this assassin. He turned to the tribune.
"You bastard!" He ran towards Rupilius with a roar, striking him in the jaw with a heavy fist.
The tribune fell to the floor with Lupus pouncing on top of him. Seven men, including Auctus, had to pull him off of Rupilius. "You bastard! Have you lost your fucking mind?! We had him! And you fucking killed him!"
Rupilius groaned as he rose to a knee, his lip was bleeding, "He… He did not drop his weapon as I demanded he would."
"You are a liar! We finally had one that was cooperating! And you killed him!"
"And you are a fool if you believe he was speaking truth! What merit do we have to believe him! He would say anything to keep himself alive! His words were as weightless as wind."
The seven men were still restraining Lupus, who howled as vicious as his namesake, "You fucked us! Rupilius, you miserable shit! We fucking had one! We fucking had one who was closer to Taurus and Vipera! We had something, and you've squandered it!"
His anger was building, he was going to tear the tribune apart. But the face of Suba appeared in front of him, she cupped his cheeks frantically and looked him in the eyes, "Gaius, look at me! Look at me! Calm down! Please, calm down. Please…"
He looked at her, then at Auctus. His breathing returned to normal. The men released him, and he brought his wife and body slave into his tender embrace. Suba kissed him and softly muttered, "It's over, Gaius. It's over."
He looked back at Lady Brutus, who still had her son clutched to her bosom, then back at the seething and glaring Tribune Rupilius, then at the still form of Velum who bled from that fatal wound. It was over.
"Servilia! Marcus!" came a scream that echoed through the halls.
Everyone at the atrium turned their heads to the shouting. Down the hall, a clamber of activity came, like a rushing force of men trying to complete a race. The watchmen and legionaries instantly got into defensive formation. The shouting continued.
"Servilia! Marcus!"
"Wait…" Lupus uttered, "That sounds like…"
"Father!" Marcus the Younger cried out. Servilia gasped in relief.
Marcus Brutus Equestris Athenicus rounded the corner in a full sprint, wearing his armor with his sword drawn. Brutus Equestris' mouth was gaping wide, the man was panting wildly, his eyes scanning the mass of soldiers, blood, and corpses that littered his home.
"Fucking Jupiter! What happened here?!" he screeched.
The second person who came around the corner was Vitus Julius Germanicus, also in his armor with his sword equipped. Shortly the key retinue of both men came behind them, anticipating battle, but stopping in bewilderment at the aftermath of the Palace Assault.
Wife and son fled into Marcus Brutus's arms, shedding tears of joy with his return. Marcus Brutus kissed them and held them together tightly.
Julius Germanicus took a few steps forward, squinting hard at the ones in the atrium, "Aelianus? Rupilius?"
Aelianus and his men snapped to attention and saluted, the Primus Pilus grinned, "Welcome back, Legatus, it lifts the heart to see you safe."
"Yes, indeed, took your sweet time getting here, you Red bastard," Scipio Lupus smirked.
Germanicus recoiled at the man, "Wait, is that you, Scipio?"
"Oh yes, I uh, shaved my beard and cut my hair. Long story."
"In which I need to hear," Marcus Brutus remarked. His wife and child were still hugging him, his eyes looked around at the ruin around him. "Upon entering Athens, we were told that there was killing in the streets, by the barracks, the Port of Piraeus, and that assassins broke into the Palace. Someone needs to inform me what has occurred here."
Twenty minutes had passed, and the Palace was already being cleaned. Slaves and the loyal Watchmen were separating the bodies of the renegades and the Arcani. The more delicate slaves were already fetching wash and solution to scrub the blood from the floors, and the entire legion was mobilized to patrol the entirety of Athens. And within those twenty minutes, Marcus and Vitus were told all that had transpired since their absence days ago.
Marcus Brutus rustled his blond hair, lost within the story, he stood to his feet and approached the Scipio he reluctantly tasked to keep watch in his city, "Gaius Scipio Lupus… I… no words that I can utter can do justice in how you saved my family and my city… I am grateful, beyond measure."
He extended his hand to the Scipio, "Is there a boon I can grant for what you have done?"
"Uh… could you forget that comment I made all those days ago about you 'fucking horses'?"
Marcus Brutus Equestris Athenicus laughed heartily, "Yes, just for you, I can."
"Gratitude, that is all I need, for the moment."
Both men shook hands.
Vitus was chuckling, "Ah, 'The Wolf on the Waves,' you really did sniff out dissension in this city, didn't you?"
"I did, with the aid of Fortuna, that is the only way to explain such. Without her… I don't care to think what may have happened."
Prefect Trebellius was present with them, having given his account of the story as well. He patted the Scipio admiral on the back, "I thought him mad and lazy. But he had a plan all along. And I admit I had little faith in his stratagem today, but he was the only one with such an idea. As for you, Scipio, I apologize for my remarks in the past. You are indeed smarter than you look, no offense."
"None taken," Gaius Scipio laughed. "I look like a damn brute. I often think like one. I stand elated that this finally ended here in Athens. But, hey, Brutus and Julius, look at you two, you caught up to those raiders and put them to grass. Excellent."
Vitus nodded, "Yes, but they stood no mere raiders, but a contingent of cavalry under Heracleo."
"So, we can confirm that they were mercenaries?"
"Indeed, but they stood no chance against us."
Gaius Scipio smiled, "Good… oh, wait, what of that Greek boy, Demetrius?"
Marcus Brutus sighed, "Well, it was true, his entire village was massacred, he has no other family. But I decided to keep the boy here with me. I've grown fond of him; he shall live in the Palace."
"Hmm, as a slave?"
"No, it may be easier for me, but after all Demetrius has been through… no, I'll give him a Roman education, tutoring. Perhaps he shall grow to be a useful ancillary for me."
That put a smile on Scipio's face, "Quite kind of you, Brutus."
"Gratitude. Also, we found out some more news."
"And what is that?"
Marcus Brutus rubbed his jaw, "Well, there were two men of the Arcani who traveled with them."
"Vipera and Taurus?"
"No, the mercenaries overheard their names as Umbra and Biga."
Gaius Scipio rolled his eyes, "And I figure we don't know any information on them, eh?"
Vitus Julius shook his head, "None."
"Wonderful…"
Marcus Brutus sighed, "You mirror my sentiments. There is one pressing information, which is why we rushed back here so quickly. I am sending word to the settlement of Apollonia and nearby garrisons, Heracleo and his men are planning to attack Apollonia."
Gaius Scipio choked on his wine. After catching his breath, he uttered, "They're going to attack Apollonia?! His band of mercenaries?"
"Indeed, they are. That's what one of the men said."
"With what? Do they have siege weapons?"
Vitus shrugged, "We do not know. But judging on how quickly they're moving, they do not. So, if they besiege Apollonia, it shall take them time to actually assault it. We just need to get the word out to the rest of the Brutii."
"Exactly, that's our plan," Marcus Brutus said. "We shall wait here for three days to rest and for me to ensure that the affairs in Athens are set. Then we shall sail to and break the siege of Apollonia."
Gaius was chuckling disbelievingly, "Wait, did my ears deceive me upon hearing a 'we'?"
Vitus gave the Scipio a knowing smirk.
Marcus sauntered with pride towards Gaius, "I told you both the first day you were here that I am assisting you on this mission of yours. This goes deeper than I initially thought, and you saved my city and my family. I'm with you both until the end."
Gaius Scipio began to laugh but caught himself as he recalled something of importance. "Shit! That's right, speaking of things that are 'deeper than we thought,' that traitorous Watchman, Amphion, he had this on him, this was given by one of the Arcani leaders here."
"Taurus? Vipera?"
"No, one who held command under them, his name was Aries. Here… I bet you can recognize who it is on this coin."
He flipped the coin towards Brutus Equestris, who caught it with one hand. He opened his palm, the air from his chest left him. Julius Germanicus came from behind to take a look. The coin was a golden tetradrachm, on it was a youthful face with flowing hair, a forehead that was narrow, and a pronounced nose that jutted out. Brutus shivered; he then found the courage to flip it over to verify. The back had an inscription written in Greek, "Μιθραδάτης."
Brutus's voice was hoarser than a whisper, "M-Mithridates... Mithridates the Poison King of Pontus…"
Scipio nodded solemnly, "Yes. 'The King of Kings'…"
Julius looked to him, "And the Arcani gave the Greek that coin? Are you sure?"
"Recall that I told you that my body slave was there. He saw him do it and received a wound because of it. The man who I took it from was silent. I know that he knew holding such a thing was a death sentence. He is under guard as we speak, hopefully you can get pertinent information from him."
"Whatever it takes," Brutus affirmed. "The Arcani are working with Pontus?"
Julius shook his head, "No. Sulla told us that these men were Roman radicals who distrusted anything out of Italia, Pontus is our gravest enemy, it would not make sense that they ally with them."
"Sulla doesn't know everything, does he?" Scipio remarked. "If they've fallen from grace with Rome, then who knows how far their own morals have fallen…"
Julius looked to Brutus, "Equestris, how are pro-Pontus sentiments in Athens?"
"Anything that is anti-Roman is high, and since the Pontians are actively against Rome… yet at the same time, the Greeks distrust most Asians… this doesn't make any sense?"
"But Mithridates ordered the purge of Romans years ago, and these Arcani did something similar…"
Scipio groaned lowly, "Every time we receive answers, more questions arise."
"Oh Gods," Brutus moaned, "I need a fucking drink…"
"Way ahead of you, Brutus," Scipio tossed him a pouch of wine. "You desire one, as well, Julius?"
"Please." Scipio tossed another pouch to him.
Someone came running to Marcus Brutus, a palace slave with a solemn expression, "Governor! Governor! A ship has docked in the Port of Piraeus!"
Scipio sneered, "Impossible! I sent my fleet to patrol the waters and I had express instructions for no ship to dock or leave the port."
"Apologies, but they said it was urgent, it was s ship of citizens and soldiers. They said they were refugees from Apollonia!"
All three patricians stood up to face the slave.
The slave continued, "They docked about ten minutes ago, and a courier from that ship has just arrived at the steps of the Palace."
"Send him in," Brutus ordered.
The slave scurried off. The three men looked at one another, Vitus spoke first, "Did Heracleo's army already reach Apollonia?"
"I guess so," Marcus nodded bitterly, "We may not have three days here… for them to build siege weapons or even with such, it will take them a month or less to assault the city…"
"Is there a legion present in Apollonia?" Gaius asked Marcus.
"No, just a garrison of Watchman. Recall that all of our legions are with Lucullus in fighting Mithridates out East. If a legion of 6,000 men alone was to besiege Apollonia, it would not survive."
The slave returned with the courier. He wore the armor of a Watchman under the Brutii, yet his appearance was filthy. He was helmetless and looked to have not taken a proper bath.
Yet despite his appearance, he still saluted properly as a city guard, "Governor! I have horrid news from Apollonia!"
Marcus nodded grimly, "Yes, my slave tells me that you told him that your ship fled from the city. Tell me the details and I will form my men so we may break the siege."
The courier was shivering, "N-N-No, Governor… Apollonia wasn't under siege…"
The nodding governor ceased, his jaw was lowering on its own, "Wait, you said, 'wasn't'?"
"Indeed. No longer does Apollonia function as a city, I-I-I don't believe it is even a city anymore…
The eyes of all three patricians grew; their mouths were creaked open. Only Marcus Brutus found the air to speak, "Wh-What are you saying? What happened to Apollonia? Is it not under siege?"
"G-Governor… Apollonia was sacked in a single night by an army of marauders. One moment in the night, all was quiet. Then in several moments, all was fire and violence. Death was everywhere. Horsemen speaking different languages attacked us… my cohort was destroyed, only six of us escaped… we fled to the ships… the horsemen were there and setting fire to them, yet the six of us Watchman and eighteen citizens, patricians and plebs escaped… The last news I heard… th-the last news I heard was that all of the Brutii in Apollonia are believed to have been slain… Governor, Apollonia has fallen…"
And with that, the Athens arc is pretty much finished. May have another chapter with them still in Athens as they leave, but it probably won't be long.
I am relieved. I did not plan for this to be as exhausting as it had been, and I'm sure some of you are thinking that as well.
Thank you for reading.
-Kanuro5
