With the sound of screams, cries and clashing metal echoing in his ears, Styxx drove his sword into the middle of the man he was fighting and had barely recovered when a mighty shadow fell across his line of vision. He looked up just as an axe was coming for his head. Lifting his bowl-shaped shield, he gasped at the ferocious blow that numbed his entire arm and forced him to his knees. It sent a piece of the wood flying out of his aspis to the ground.
After yanking the axe back for another strike, his newest attacker shrieked in frustration. The giant jerked Styxx's shield, throwing him sideways. Somehow, Styxx managed to keep his grip on the hoplon, but the action felt like it'd torn his arm out of his shoulder.
Styxx rolled with attack, and landed on his feet to face Xan. For a moment, he couldn't breathe as he felt the memory of the bastard's hands on his body while he laughed in Styxx's ear and taunted him.
Xan narrowed his eyes. "I owe you a debt, little quim. Your life for Estes's."
As Galen had taught him, Styxx clenched his jaw shut to keep from responding to the insult. "Never let the enemy in your head, boy. Your emotions will get you killed."
This was not about rage, ego, or fear. It was war. Cold. Brutal.
Final.
One mistake and he could lose a limb.
Or his head.
Focus and skill were the only things that would keep him alive and in one piece. And while he knew he couldn't die, he didn't want to live with severed body parts.
Xan swung his axe down again. Knowing the power of those blows and the fact that he couldn't stand long against them, Styxx dropped his hoplon and launched himself at the much larger man, driving his shoulder into Xan's stomach and forcing the giant to stumble back as the axe slipped from his hands and landed harmlessly on the ground behind Styxx.
The Atlantean prince grabbed him as Xan fell, pulling Styxx down on top of him. "If you wanted to suck my cock, boy, all you had to do was ask."
Styxx scrambled to get off him, but Xan wrapped his massive limbs around his body and held him tight. Panicked memories assailed him as he struggled not to scream out.
"I think I shall capture you instead of killing you, little prince, and then you can be my personal tsoulus until I wear your tight ass out and sell you to a dung dealer for his amusement."
To Styxx's horror, Xan slid his hand down to cup and grope him through his armor.
"Leave it to the flaccid Greeks to send their pretty little whores into battle."
Rage clouded Styxx's sight. Something deep inside him shattered and released. With a battle cry born of a lifetime of shame, Styxx twisted in Xan's arms and drove his kopis into the giant's side.
Releasing him, Xan cried out.
But Styxx gave him no reprieve as he stabbed him again and again, until he was no longer moving. His heart pounding and limbs shaking, he climbed off the bastard and saw Xan's pale skin and glazed eyes.
"For Acheron," he breathed.
And for himself.
Turning from the Greek she'd just killed, Bethany froze at the sight of her chosen Atlantean dead on the ground. Shocked to the core of her being, she gaped as she watched the Greek prince retrieve his shield and move on to his next opponent.
What had just happened? Her champion had never been defeated before. Ever. It was why she'd turned away for a few minutes to fight others.
"Tough break, old girl," Athena said to Bethany as she appeared beside her. "Now you know why I chose a soldier so young. He's fearless and bold. Indefatigable."
Bethany turned to punch the goddess, but Athena was already gone.
Fine, bitch ... I'll show you power.
She wasn't just the goddess of misery and wrath. She was the Atlantean goddess of the hunt.
Bethany manifested her bow and took off after Styxx. Before this battle was done, she was going to bathe in his blood. She aimed at his head and let fly her arrow.
Just as it would have cleaved his skull, he lifted his shield as if he knew it was coming at him and blocked it.
No ...