“Citizens of Rome and all visitors around the world! We dedicate this game to the almighty Zeus, the chief of all gods and goddesses! And to the glory of humankind! Let us introduce, the charioteers who will take part in the race today!”

— The Whites —

Tigreis

Kheiros

Florus

— The Reds —

Sulla

Kouros

Minos

— The Greens —

Abas

Rufus

Scorpus

— The Blues —

Deocles

Orontes

Emperor Nero of Rome

The twelve charioteers drove their quadriga to the front of the starting gate. Sporus was sitting at the special area in the Pulvinar, the imperial box, holding a peacock feather fan as usual.

The race was about to start, but Echidna send her a vision. Calling Sporus to attend her.

Damn you old witch! Nero’s going to question me if he found out I’m not here supporting his game!

Her cheek started to crack, and the itch got into her. Terrified, she used the peacock feather fan to cover her face, and ran out of the imperial podium just the moment when the starting gong was sounded.

What do you want from me?

Sporus was angered. She had been heavily depend on the power of Echidna for a long time since the Elder had helped her gained political influence as an empress. She found it hard to refuse her commands, they were almost like threats.

After her failure on the mission to capture the Teleios of Eretria, Echidna had given her abilities similar to Pryne. An ability to recover wounds. That would kept her skin flawless, always fair and smooth. Sporus did enjoyed the new power, however, she felt part of her freedom had lost, especially when Echidna could access to her mind anytime and she had to obey all of her requests.

To serve and do foul ruthless tasks for Nero had given her enough stress. Furthermore, for Echidna. She felt like she had fallen deeper and deeper to their pits. That crack on her cheek slowly recovered to perfection when she arrived at the palace through the secret pathway from the Hippodrome. She was on the walkway at the upper floor, looking down to the palace hallway.

Your highness, look who’s here!

The voice of Echidna lingered into her mind, when she saw Agave, and the other two had disguise themselves as foreign visitors. That beautiful face under the veil and of course, she recognised Matea who again, disguised as a cup bearer.

“I can deal with the Teleios of Eretria, but I won’t risk on that Amazonian.” Said Sporus.

Why, your highness? You’ve been granted an invincible power. Why you have doubts?

“No, I’m not in doubt…” Sporus recalled how she get the power from Echidna, through a gruesome process of skinning a young maiden alive. Taking over parts which was not belonged to her. “I’m not interested to take anything from an ugly woman.” She moved her focus from Matea to Pryne, that beautiful lady who had been the muse of every Aphrodite’s statues. Her beautiful golden wavy hair, her fair smooth skin, her sparkly amethyst eyes, her pixy nose and rosy lips on that perfect face that fits in every golden rule of aesthetic. A perfect woman.

Echidna appeared behind Sporus from the dark, she lightly sighed and said, “As you wish, your highness.”