Achilles' Heel was an altered representation of a fragmented genetic memory.
Description[]
Our chase led us into an ambush! Thankfully, a Persian named Darius, a great warrior, came to our aid. It seems he shares our enmity for these masked cultists.
With Darius' aid, we were able to fight our way clear of the Order's ambush. We now follow Darius to his camp, though we are still unsure he wants our help.
Darius' sword arm will come in handy if these strange masked warriors choose to have another try at our lives. He could definitely use ours.
Dialogue[]
The mercenaries met on a road east of Olynthos Fortress.
- Mercenary 2: Phew, that old man is fast!
- Mercenary 1: He has got to be around here somewhere.
- Mercenary 3: Well, let's find him, then! Before those cultists do!
The mercenaries proceeded down the road until they reached a clearing and found their path blocked by a Spartan grunt. In the distance, they saw Darius fighting a polemarch in a field strewn with the dead bodies of two more grunts and a phalangite. Swiftly killing the polemarch, Darius ran off into the woods. Now alone, the Spartan soldier engaged the mercenaries in combat, but was killed. The mercenaries continued through the woods, eliminating all Spartans they encountered and caught up with Darius at his camp to find that a violent struggle had happened leaving the tent slashed and the corpses of a phalangite and an Order member nearby. The mercenaries approached Darius as he inspected the damaged tent.
- Mercenary 1: Darius! What happened here?
- Darius: The Order. They were here. They took my son!
- Mercenary 3: Then we get him back.
- Mercenary 2: And we make them regret ever crossing us.
- Darius: No. I work better alone. Go on your way. I will save Natakas.
Darius ran off to save Natakas.
- Mercenary 3: He really thinks we're going to leave this alone?
- Mercenary 1: Not a chance. We owe this "Order" a debt of steel.
- Mercenary 2: Haha! Yes! A whole cubit of steel.
The mercenaries followed Darius, intent on helping him and delivering retribution to the Order for the ambush.
Outcome[]
The mercenaries pursued Darius to his camp, where he confirmed his suspicion that the Order of the Ancients had taken his son, and again warned them to stay away before rushing to save Natakas. Believing Darius foolish for wanting to fight the Order alone and still seeking revenge, the mercenaries continued following him.
Behind the scenes[]
- The mercenaries somehow know Darius' identity despite him having lived incognito for years and not providing his name when asked.
- Although sporting Spartan colors, the dead grunts and phalangites use the Athenian models, with the grunts wearing a full chitōn instead of being bare-chested, and the phalangites wearing a red-accented Chalcidian helmet and a silver cuirass, instead of a gold Corinthian helmet and no torso armor.
- The polemarch that Darius kills is the only one to use a Myrmidon Spear, in contrast to the other polemarchoi in The Hunter's Hounds who wield a xiphos and a hoplon.