"For Dionysus!!" everyone shouted in unison, their voices thundering through the small temple of the god of wine, shaking every corner.
At that moment, a loud bang came from the main door, and the priests exclaimed, "Battering rams! The battering rams are here!"
Another boom followed, and the temple's door was cracked open. A dozen Roman soldiers swarmed in, their eyes filled with murderous intent. The apprentices unhesitatingly grabbed tables and desperately attacked the Roman soldiers, beating them with a flurry of sticks, their blood splattering everywhere.
The Roman soldiers screamed and covered their heads, retreating in disarray. However, more Roman soldiers surged in from behind, blocking their escape route and causing chaos.
The old priests doused the ground with alcohol and ignited it. The flames quickly spread, accompanied by the scent of charred flesh, and the Roman soldiers scrambled to escape, the firelight reflecting their terrified faces.
Before any cheers could erupt, several loud bangs were heard as the windows were also broken by battering rams. The Roman army had actually brought multiple battering rams to attack this small temple of the Dionysus.
Among the Olympian gods, the god of wine was not prominent and had few followers. Athens mainly worshipped the goddess of wisdom, Athena, and the temples of other gods were restricted. The temple of the Dionysus was as small as a tavern. Yet, the Roman army had deployed several battering rams for this tiny temple.
Cracks appeared in the doors, windows, and walls all around under the impact of the battering rams. Eyes wide with dismay and at a loss for what to do next, everyone instinctively turned to Bavaria for guidance.
Bavaria laughed heartily, raised the spirits, and said, "Soon, we'll all drink together, then fight our way out. Kill as many as we can. We die for the Dionysus and enter the divine realm. There's nothing to fear."
Everyone shouted together, "For Dionysus!" Then they drank the spirits, their bodies flushed red, waving their spiked clubs, and shouting wildly.
"Your Grace, the Dionysus," Bavaria said to Linley, "soon, find a place to hide. We'll fight for a while, then set the temple on fire. Stay hidden until things calm down in a few days."
"Won't I burn to death? And if not, I'll starve," Linley said, who didn't have much power.
"Our temple has a secret passage," Odysseus whispered. "Soon, hide in the passage, my lord."
"A secret passage? Why didn't you say so earlier? Let's all escape through it," Linley said.
"No," Odysseus said with a bitter smile. "The passage exits in the house across the street. We'd be surrounded if we ran there."
Linley looked at the house across the street, full of Roman soldiers.
"But the passage itself is hidden and shouldn't be discovered. When the Roman soldiers break in, we'll set ourselves on fire. You hide in the passage. The fire will burn our bodies beyond recognition, deceiving them," Odysseus said.
Is it right to sacrifice everyone just to let Linley escape?
"After we die, we'll enter the divine realm. It's our honor. You don't need to grieve for us," Odysseus said.
Linley shook his head without hesitation and resolutely said, "Set the fire now, we will break out together!"
Odysseus hesitated, filled with doubt.
Most areas of the Divine Kingdom were sealed off; who could guarantee a smooth entry? Besides, was this secret passage really safe? Once the temple is burning, won't the enemy eventually find the exit? Ordinary people might not find it, but in a world with gods, who can guarantee that a spell won't reveal Linley's location?
"We have to break out together," Linley repeated firmly. "We all need to survive!"
"This is too dangerous!" Odysseus tried to argue.
"I've already decided," Linley announced loudly. "Everyone listen, there's a secret passage in the temple. The exit is in the house across the street. We'll fight our way out together!"
"Fight our way out!" the priests and apprentices shouted in unison.
The sound of impacts grew more intense, and the cracks in the walls widened. Linley grabbed a jug of distilled liquor, took a big gulp, and poured the rest on the ground, causing the flames to spread rapidly.
Others followed suit, taking a big gulp of liquor before smashing the jugs on the ground. The alcohol fueled the flames, and the surrounding materials quickly caught fire, the light reflecting on every determined face.
By now, the temperature was unbearably high for ordinary people, who could only flee for their lives. However, with their pain numbed by the liquor, they lined up and followed closely behind Linley.
Helpless, Odysseus had no choice but to lead Linley into the inner chamber, lifting a corner of the wall to reveal the entrance to the secret passage. After drinking the liquor, Linley felt like he was on fire, his steps becoming light and agile.
Danger? A few hundred Roman soldiers? Linley was fearless.
The tunnel wasn't long, and they quickly reached the end. He kicked open the door to the secret room and charged out, swinging his spiked club. The Roman soldiers inside were standing by the window, watching the temple burn. Hearing the noise, they turned around, only to have their heads smashed instantly.
"Over here!" a Roman soldier shouted.
More people poured out of the tunnel, wielding spiked clubs and wooden shields, striking down anyone they saw and quickly killing over a dozen Roman soldiers in the room.
"Victory! Victory!" the followers chanted.
"Grab their weapons and shields!" Bavaria ordered.
Linley picked up a Roman sword, swung it a few times, and found it unwieldy. In the Bronze Age, swords could only be this short because longer ones would easily break. But now it was the Iron Age, and they still used such short swords because the Roman legions were considered invincible and lacked the motivation for reform. Their weapons, equipment, and tactics were outdated, and their training was lax.
Seeing Linley and the others emerge from the house, the Roman soldiers were thrown into chaos, unsure of what to do. Even Philip was momentarily stunned, desperately trying to think of a countermeasure.
"The enemy is in the house!" Maurice quickly reacted and ordered, "Go kill them, don't let them escape!"