Play@YSDC

"Well, then, let's return them...here are the knives - take them so we have a few more weapons just in case," Artemis turned over the knife to Elizabeth and continued onward into the cavern as it headed upward.

Caelia lingered, unable to tear herself away from the vicinity of the scrolls; if only she had more time. But Aswan was right; she had only to think of Scaevola and his hideous intentions - Caelia had little inclination to take that dark path. Just as the torchlight of the others was starting to withdraw up the passage, she turned with a sigh and started to follow them.

Titus whispers a prayer to the gods for protection and follows the others. Beastmen? Like the Minotaur? Fearsome creatures indeed, if they be real.

Elizabeth handed the knife to Story, and Lucius and Brook retrieved the other two knives. All of them placed them in their sheathes and proceeded up the sloping tunnel with Artemis leading the way. Awan, who carried the other torch, waited for everyone to move past him before bringing up the rear. Before entering the tunnel himself, he touched the flame of his torch to the scrolls on the shelves on either side. The fires streaked down the length of the chamber with twin whooshes, turning Scaevola's secret library to ash. Then he hastened upwards with the rest.

After a short while, the group reached the top of the tunnel, which emerged into a natural cavern with rocky walls. A cave mouth at the far end was covered with vines. Parting them revealed hilly outdoor terrain. It was dark, and the only light besides the torches came faintly from the twinkling stars. While Srory, Lucius, and Brook had no idea how long they had been imprisoned down there or how much time they had spent sleeping, Elizabeth and the rest were all too aware.

"How can this be?" asked Elizabeth. "It was morning when we went down. It can't possibly be night already!"

Decius looks up at the sky with alarm. "In my dream, at the same time Caesar was slain, the gods cast a shadow over the daytime sun. I fear that dream really was a prophecy. Titus, you are the expert, what do you say?"

"In my last vision the gods send me great signs of chaos and destruction after the death of Caesar," Titus replies. "I fear for the Republic. It may mean war of brother against brother. Let us pray that it be not so."

Spurius nodded. "We have had far too much of that already during the last few years," he said. "If Caesar is slain, and we have failed...then at least we can make Scaevola pay for his treason."

Brook Davies,[b]Brook[/b] recalled from her studies that there was an eclipse following [b]Caesar[/b]'s assassination. That eclipse seemed to be what was happening now.

Brook walks up beside Story and whispers:"The eclipse...I've read out this. I think it means it's already happened. Caesar is dead. Unless someone managed to stop the assasination, I guess."

Caelia breathes the fresh air with relief; it'll be a while before she voluntarily goes under ground again. "Maybe this is another dream but we must hurry to Caesar's palace and hope that Germanicus and Nefertiri have been able to keep him safe there. Don't forget what Scaevola said: that he would become an immensely powerful magician should he succeed in killing Caesar."

"Yes, we must return to Rome at once!" said Spurius.

"I'm familiar with the area around the villa," said Awan as he reached the cave mouth. "I can guide us back to the road wherever we have come out. Keep the torches lit. We shall need them in the darkness."

The group exited the cave. From the other side, once the vines obscured the entrance, it was no longer visible. They'd never have noticed it had they not known it was there. True to his word, Awan located the villa a short distance away, and he led them back around it to the front. The gates still stood wide open. The road went past it, to the port of Ostia in one direction and to Rome in the other. The horses they had brought were still in the area, except for those that Nefertiri and the others had taken. However, there were not enough for the guards, so the journey back to Rome would be a slower one.

OOC,Everyone, please roll Spot Hidden.

Fatigued by these recent activities, Titus is barely aware of his surroundings.

OOC,[b]Decius'[/b] [i]Spot Hidden[/i] is 35% and he roll... [dice]0[/dice]

I wonder if there's a tactful way to go and retrieve my spatha?

Decius hisses to everyone, "Hide!! Scaevola approaches on horseback, now is our chance to ambush him!" He points out the figure on horseback.

Decius sheathes his khopesh in favour of the bow and arrow and looks about for a good place to ambush the senator.

"The best place to hide is within the gates," said Awan. "Two of my men can stand guard outside as if nothing has happened, and the rest of us can go inside and shut them, hiding on either side of the wall. When he enters, we can strike him from behind."

Decius looks to the rest of the party to see if everyone is happy with the plan (but is himself already heading toward the villa).

"Hopefully, the horses are far enough away that he won't notice them in his haste? Quickly though, if we are to do this we must be ready and out of sight. And stay away from that sphinx thing."

OOC,If the opportunity presents, [b]Decius[/b] will "retrieve" his spatha with as much dignity for the deceased as circumstances allow.

Caelia has her scalpel ready and heads towards the gates but will keep clear of the fighting; she will be picking up the pieces afterwards. "Don't expect Scaevola to be unwarned; he may already know of our intrusion." She warns, and is worried about locking themselves inside the villa; there will be no easy escape should it go wrong.

Spot hidden,(25%) roll:71

Titus cannot depend on another stroke of luck to guide his hand. He will hide in the shadows as best as he can.

Artemis kept the mace at the ready. Now he really wished for one of the pillium, but if there was not other option, brute, blunt force would at least work.

Brook looks a bit worried. "Lucius is hurt, he shouldn't fight..." She holds her knife in her hand, looking to her friends.