Zeus 25 - Praxis

10 - Delos

In the dark before dawn, Praxis heard the storm still raging outside. Without waking Spyro, he made his way to the dock to catch Captain who was already checking up on the Sea Lizard to see how she'd weathered the blustery night.

"Praxis," Captain said, "I didn't expect to see you after hearing of your victory in the Argosian Games. There's no job here—yet."

"You see this little ship on the other side of your wharf?"

"Her captain should have stayed in port, poor thing," Captain commented, looking over the damage.

"I'm the Flea's captain," Praxis admitted. "Could the mast be fixed?"

"Certainly,' he replied, "if you have the drachmas to buy my spare spar and pay my men and me. We could certainly use the work."

"I have no money," Praxis said, crestfallen that his years of service to Captain had not earned him some free help.

"What did you use to buy your ship and the fancy power belt?"

"The ship was only lent. The belt given."

"Is your belt empty?"

Praxis had forgotten the last Orbs, but he was suddenly reluctant to show Captain remembering how useful an Orb had been in saving their lives. What other dangers lay ahead that the last two Orbs might protect them from? Finally, he opened the buckle and showed Captain the Orb of Strength and Orb of Pain that lay inside.

"I'll let you have my spare spar for your Orb of Strength," he said, "and we'll swap out the stump of your old mast and rig everything for the Orb of Pain."

"What does a seaman need with an Orb of Pain?"

"Pirates," Captain said.

In more than two years on the Sea Lizard, Praxis had never even seen a pirate. He'd heard stories of regular pirate raids on the valuable tin trade from the Hook to Lethe Bay, but that was on the other side of Atlantis. Stealing fish also seemed like backbreaking senseless piracy. Of course, stealing the Sea Lizard itself would capture both cargo and a vessel. As he thought about the deal he realized that without the Flea being repaired the quest was over anyway, and he was never one to give up. "Okay," he said, handing both Orbs to Captain.

#

It took a day for Captain and his crew to do the work, and, during that time, Praxis took Spyro and Eudora to Ionia for more supplies. They all left their power belts with Io, keeping only knives sheathed on the belts identifying their enhancements. Eudora even left her bow and quiver behind to help them go unnoticed in Ionia.

In his sea cloak, Praxis was back to looking like a fisherman. Eudora used his fish apron to cover her expensive leathers, and Spyro carried two of their satchels which were now depleted. Praxis borrowed a skif and rowed them across North Bay to the city wharf, and they trekked to the market where they bought bread, cheese, and dried aurochs strips for the remaining sea trip to Delos.

The city seemed much quieter than when Praxis had been there last. When they briefly approached the Plaza of Guilds, there were no vendors. Both Apollo's and Athena's Guilds had air traffic to and from their roofs, but no one could be sure if the Airmen and Punishers they saw were from Argos.

#

They returned to the fishing village without incident, but the next morning when they picked up the refitted Flea, Praxis pointed to two Argosian warships entering the bay. They waited until the ships tied up at Ionia's wharf and discharged soldiers, Airmen, and Punishers before Praxis loosened the lines securing the Flea. Four Argosian Airmen flew about above the warships, no doubt lookouts.