The Legion

Ajax had already considered making an attempt to break out, but he had seen the legionaries patrolling round the temple earlier in the night, as well as the small parties of men methodically laying a barrier of obstacles on the ground. Caltrops, Ajax guessed. Four vicious iron prongs forged in such a way that however they were cast on to the ground, one spike always pointed up, ready to impale the hoof or foot of anyone attempting to charge over it. Beyond the foot patrols he had also heard the sound of cavalry; hoofs and occasional neighs as they patrolled further out beyond the temple walls.

Midnight came and went and the low moon drifted across the sky, casting a glimmering trail of reflections across the water of the Nile before passing out of sight behind the hills on the far bank. Ajax knew that he was trapped. The remainder of the men who had survived the rebellion on Crete, and the Arab warriors entrusted to him by Prince Talmis, all of them were doomed. The sentiment that filled his heart was not fear, nor failure, only a profound sense of frustration that he had not caused more damage to Roman interests in his brief life. He hoped that his spear had fatally wounded the prefect, and raged that Macro still lived, and might well outlive the final assault on the temple. The thought of dying with his thirst for revenge only half satisfied sickened Ajax. Not that his men would know it; his expression was impassive as he stared towards the Roman lines. To his fighters he was as fearless and resolute as ever and they were readily inspired by his example.

An hour after midnight there was a hurried slap of sandals on the steps inside the pylon and a moment later the dark form of Karim stood panting at his side.

'What is it?'

'General, please come with me. Now.'

Ajax caught the urgency in the other man's voice and turned to face him. 'What is it?'

'It's simpler if you follow me, sir.' Karim looked meaningfully at the other men on the pylon. Some of the Arabs and their officer were in earshot.

'Very well.' Ajax nodded and followed his companion down the stairs. Once they had descended the first three flights, he spoke softly. 'What's happened?'

Karim glanced back over his shoulder. 'It's our man, General. He's here in the temple.'

'Canthus?' Ajax was surprised. He could not think why the spy had taken such a risk to enter the temple, and stifled a surge of anger. The spy had provided useful information about the Roman army and its senior officers, passed on to Prince Talmis's scouts waiting outside Diospolis Magna. His identity had to be kept safe. Whatever the spy's reason for crossing the lines, it had better be good.

Karim nodded. 'Came over the northern barricade. He said he must speak with you.'

'Where is he?'

'I took him to one of the offering rooms, to keep him out of sight.'

'Good.' Ajax approved. Even if the temple fell, Canthus might yet provide some advantage to Prince Talmis, if his identity remained a secret.

They crossed the courtyard and entered the colonnaded hall leading to the shrine. It was dark inside and only the flame burning in the shrine at the far end lit their way. Two small chambers stood each side of the shrine holding the sacred barge. It had been a very long time since the priests of the temple had received the kind of rich offerings to the gods that had once been commonplace. Now the hall and the chambers smelled musky and abandoned.

A dark shape appeared in the doorway of the offering chamber to the left of the shrine.

'General?' a voice whispered.

'Canthus.' Ajax approached him, his expression hard. 'What are you doing here?'

'General, you have to get out of this trap while there is still the chance. If you stay here, you will die.'

'If that is what the gods will then I will show those Romans how a real man dies, with dignity and honour.'

There was a brief silence before Karim spoke. 'They will not allow that. They will kill you only once you are a broken man, when you can be disposed of in the most humiliating manner possible. That will be the legacy you leave behind for the Empire's slaves, General.'

Ajax knew it was the truth and he nodded wearily. 'Then I must not be taken alive. I shall die here, if not by a Roman sword, then by my own hand, or by yours, my friend.'

'No,' Karim interrupted. 'While there is a chance of you continuing our fight against Rome, you must live. With Ajax at large, no Roman can sleep easily. That is what matters. That is all that can give hope to those who are still in chains, General. You must live. You must escape.'

'He's right,' said Canthus. 'And I'm the only one who can get you out through the Roman lines. There is a way, and if we are challenged they will recognise me.'

'Escape?' Ajax shook his head. 'You would have me shame myself.'

'There is more at stake than your pride,' Karim insisted. 'Sometimes a man becomes more than himself. He becomes an inspiration. His name is a weapon in the hearts of those who follow him, and a threat to his enemies.'

'This is true even if he dies,' Ajax countered.

'If you die, then all that you might still achieve, all your name might yet stand for, is lost.'

Ajax lowered his head and thought for a moment. Earlier that evening he had set his mind to meeting his death here in this obscure temple on the fringe of trackless wasteland. He was tired of running from Rome. Yet, as Karim said, there was more to be wrung out of the situation. He looked up at the dark figure of Canthus. 'What is your plan?'

There was still an hour or so before first light when the small party of men flitted across the gap between the temple and the curtain wall. On the far side of the temple they could hear the uproar as Hepithus led a strong force of the defenders in an attack on the Romans guarding the breach and the bolt throwers and their crews beyond. The Nubian had volunteered to remain behind and cover his leader's escape and Ajax silently pledged to honour his companion's memory with the lives of ten Romans as swiftly as possible.

The ropes that Canthus had used to scale the wall were still in place and one by one the handful of gladiators and the best of the Arab warriors that Ajax had chosen to come with them climbed carefully up the mud-brick wall, keeping flat as they heaved themselves over the top of the wall and then quietly descended to the ground outside. As the last man dropped into the shadows, Ajax tugged the sleeve of Canthus's Roman tunic.

'What now?'

'There's a dry irrigation ditch in that field.' Canthus pointed to a vaguely delineated area of wheat a short distance from the wall. 'You follow me and stay as low as you can. There are two Roman outposts about a hundred paces either side of the ditch. Once we get past them then the ditch joins a wider irrigation channel. There's water in it, so we'll have to go slowly. A quarter of a mile further on there's a cavalry picquet. They were bedded down for the night when I passed them on the way into the temple. The horse line is a short distance from the channel and there are three sentries. If we are challenged, I'll answer. I have the password for tonight. We'll be on them before they realise what's up. Then you take the horses and go, sir.'

'You're not coming?'

Canthus shook his head. 'Provided I get back to the right side of the temple before I'm missed, I should be all right. My cover story's worked well enough up to now. No reason to suppose they'll discover who I really am. I may be of more service to you and our allies for a while yet.' There was a dull gleam as the man grinned. 'Best performance of my life, this. If only the other actors in Rome could see me now and give me due recognition.'

'Recognition? Be glad they aren't here.' Ajax smiled back, then punched the spy's shoulder lightly. 'Let's go.'

Canthus led the way as the string of dark figures crouched low to the ground and crept towards the edge of the field. Behind them the sounds of fighting from the far side of the temple began to die away as Hepithus recalled his men and retreated inside the temple. Entering the field, Ajax moved as stealthily as possible to avoid rustling through the stalks of wheat. They moved forward with painful slowness and all the time Ajax feared that dawn would be upon them before they were safely away from the enemy lines. At last Canthus edged down into the empty ditch and they began to make better progress. The sound of voices caused Ajax to stop, but then someone laughed and the conversation dropped into a low unconcerned tone and Ajax moved on. The ditch gradually deepened and then sloped down into a channel of water that stretched away before them. Canthus went first, easing himself into the water and then wading forward, taking care not to splash. The others followed his lead, staying close to the reeds that grew along the edge of the channel.