Ares walked along holding the flaming sword before them.  One of his huge, swarthy hands in Calista’s slender, pale one.  They walked awhile in silence, crossing some of the ground under the slope of the larger mountain.  Only once did Ares glance back and smile at her as they walked.  “It was a good idea.  Hermes is just a softie.”  Then he turned his attention back ahead of him.<br/><br/>They were crossing over a deeper area which had a pocked floor.  In many of these small craters were filled with rain water.  “Watch your step,” Ares commented, a rare protective moment.  It was about then that the Immortal of War suddenly glanced around.  “Somethings down here.”<br/><br/>It was right then that the two walls ahead of Ares exploded as two huge scorpions with malviolently glowing shells chittered threatening.  Their spear-like tails jabbing toward him.  With a blur of movment, he caught one tail with his free hand and threw it into the other.  They quickly recovered as they once again began to coordinate to attack the Immortal.<br/><br/>At that same time from behind where Calista walked behind Ares that another one busted through the passages blocking their escape and coming at the younger Immortal menacingly.<br/>