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Atlas watched the masked guards patrolling the Snake Temple grounds for a long moment, analyzing their paths and timing. He inhaled, then gave a sharp, succinct instruction.
"Ready. We hit them hard and fast. Focus on neutralizing them silently if possible, but use overwhelming force if they draw steel. Kassandra, Alexios, Lukas—do not hold back."
Kassandra, Alexios, and Lukas nodded, their expressions instantly serious as they unsheathed their weapons. The Sword of Damocles, the Hammer of Jason, and the Spear of Leonidas all emitted a faint, expectant hum. The war in Megaris had forged them into something stronger; they were no longer just skilled mercenaries, but wielders of artifacts, able to channel the raw Isu energy contained within their weapons.
Alexios and Lukas charged first. Alexios, with the Sword of Damocles, and Lukas, with the massive Hammer of Jason, started swinging. The air around their weapons shimmered as they drew upon the stored energy. Their movements were fluid, unleashing bright, momentary bursts of power. This time, however, the enemies they faced were stronger—Elite Cult Guards. Even with the channeled energy, the guards were able to resist the attacks, their training superior to the Athenian and Spartan troops.
Atlas watched from the ridge, recognizing the increased threat level. Just as he decided to join the fray, he saw an enemy on the high ground, pulling a bow and aiming directly at the trio. Instantly, Atlas drew his own composite bow, aimed, and released the arrow with lightning speed. The arrow pierced the throat of the masked guard, who fell down without a sound.
Atlas then charged in, silver sword drawn. He quickly spotted a massive, heavily armored guard. Atlas thrust his sword, but the masked guard effortlessly raised his heavy shield, blocking the attack with a resonant clang.
Seeing the defense, Atlas instantly changed his posture. He planted his foot on the raised shield, using it as a springboard, and launched himself into the air. Atlas rotated his body to gather momentum and, utilizing the element of surprise, slashed the big masked guard fiercely across the back. The guard froze, feeling the sudden, searing pain. When Atlas landed on the ground, he quickly spun and plunged his sword into the same spot, killing him instantly.
Atlas flicked his sword, cleaning the blood from the blade, and surveyed the battle.
Alexios was facing three masked guards wielding swords and shields. Alexios charged the closest, who swung his sword in response. Alexios ducked under the attack and performed a blindingly fast Spartan Kick at the other two masked guards, knocking them down and buying himself a precious moment of focus.
Alexios then focused his energy into the Sword of Damocles, making the ancient bronze blade glow with a searing white light. When the energy gathered and pulsed at the tip of the sword, Alexios suddenly thrusted it forward. The sword erupted with a bright flash of light, piercing the first masked guard, killing him instantly. The two other guards quickly stood up and charged at Alexios simultaneously.
Alexios saw this, reversed his grip on his sword, and slammed the pommel into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked the two guards backward, their heads spinning from the disorientation. Seeing his chance, Alexios charged, quickly slashing the throat of the first, killing him. He then picked up the dead enemy's discarded sword and hurled it like a javelin at the last guard, the weapon penetrating straight into his chest and ending the brutal exchange.
Kassandra was also fighting with new fluidity, wielding her Spear of Leonidas with expert precision. Facing two masked enemies, Kassandra expertly switched the spear's size—from a short dagger-sized weapon to a full-sized polearm—surprising her opponents with the sudden shift in reach. She dealt with them quickly and efficiently.
Lukas, however, was having trouble. He was facing two masked guards: one a large brute wielding a giant axe, and the other a shorter guard wielding double daggers. Lukas quickly dealt with the large brute, but the smaller guard was extremely agile, darting around the swing of the Hammer of Jason and refusing to stand still. After a prolonged period of dodging and missing, Lukas was getting irritated and annoyed.
"Hold still, will you!" Lukas shouted in frustration.
The agile enemy responded by kicking Lukas directly on the head. Although Lukas barely felt any pain through his helmet, he instantly became enraged. Holding the Hammer of Jason with one hand, he channeled the raw, thundering energy within the artifact and slammed it into the ground, creating a powerful, shockwave. The agile enemy was instantly thrown off his feet and onto the ground, feeling the world spin violently.
Lukas smiled, a ferocious look on his face. He walked toward the prone enemy and muttered, "Nighty night." He brought the hammer down, smashing the guard's head and instantly ending the fight.
Atlas saw that they were finished and gestured for them to follow him toward the cave entrance.
"You know, you could help us up, Atlas," Lukas said, panting slightly as he caught up.
Atlas let out a look of fake surprise and just said casually, "I thought you enjoyed fighting, Lukas. You seemed quite enjoying yourself."
Lukas looked at Atlas speechlessly, while Kassandra and Alexios both laughed, wiping blood from their faces.
The four walked toward the cave entrance, where the final outside guard had been stationed. They stepped inside and were immediately confronted by the last elite guard, who was roused by the fighting outside. He screamed and charged like a madman, sword aimed for Atlas. Atlas met the charge with a swift, powerful kick to the head, knocking him instantly unconscious. Atlas kept him alive for questioning.
Atlas then instructed the three to search the entire cave for anything useful. For a while, the four searched every corner of the cave, opening every scroll, and checking hidden compartments. The contents were generic Cult rhetoric, not specific plans. They didn't find anything useful about the gathering. Kassandra sighed and turned to Atlas, frustration evident. "What do we do now, Atlas? Nothing here is useful."
He quickly removed the guard's mask, helmet, and armor, and tied him securely. "Give me some water, Lukas," Atlas requested.
Lukas handed over the waterskin pouch. Atlas poured the cold water onto the guard's face. The guard instantly woke up, eyes wide with fear, staring up at the four masked figures staring down at him intently. He prepared himself for death.
Atlas stared down at the guard, his voice low and menacing. "Here is what we are going to do. You tell us exactly what we want, and you will live. If you lie, you die." Atlas pressed the tip of his silver sword to the guard's neck. "Now, listen carefully. Do you know anything about the Cult's gathering? And where, exactly, is 'beneath the Sanctuary of Delphi'?"
The enemy, feeling the cold steel on his skin, replied nervously. "I… I don't know the exact spot. Only the high-level members know where the meeting is, including…" The enemy hesitated, his eyes flicking fearfully away.
Atlas pressed the sword harder against his neck, drawing a bead of blood. "Including who?"
The enemy whimpered, the fear of the blade overriding his Cult loyalty. "The Pythia! I—including the Pythia! The Pythia knows where the gathering will be held. But you need to hurry. All I know is that the gathering of the members will be tonight!"
Kassandra, Alexios, and Lukas froze in astonishment. While they suspected the Pythia was somehow connected to the Cult of Kosmos, they didn't expect her to be directly and actively involved.
Atlas, however, simply nodded. He already knew this truth from the fragments of history he'd seen—that the Oracle and the Cult of Kosmos had long been intertwined. He used the butt of his sword to knock the enemy back into a deep sleep.
He looked at the three of them, still frozen in disbelief. "Well, looks like our meeting with the Pythia can no longer be delayed."
Alexios and Lukas remained silent for a moment, processing the betrayal. Then, one by one, they nodded in agreement.
Kassandra frowned, her brow furrowed with worry and old resentment. "Is it alright for us to meet the Pythia, Atlas? After everything…" she trailed off, worried about the deep-seated grudge she and Alexios carried.
Atlas waved his hand dismissively. "What are you worried about, Kassandra? It's not like we're going to kill her. We are just going to ask her a question. Besides, the Pythia who prophesied the fall of Sparta because of Alexios, resulting in both of you being thrown off the mountain, isn't the same priestess we are meeting now. The title remains the same but the hands changes."
Alexios and Kassandra thought for a moment and agreed with the logic. The woman who hated them was long gone, replaced by a new figurehead.
Atlas looked at the three of them. "So, let's meet the Pythia before their gathering starts."
The three eventually agreed, their focus sharpening. They turned and started walking toward the direction of The Sanctuary of Delphi, the sun already beginning its slow descent towards the west.
(PS: Please support me on patreon there 135+ chapters there and there also my new GoT: The True Dragon Fanfiction of Game of Thrones
https://patreon.com/BX_XDS)