marcus grunted , summoning strength from the earth to twist the shield , trapping the weapon , and with a powerful blow of his gladius , he parted the wooden haft from the scythe head , drove a wounding blow into the cane before him , and fell back , trying to clear the weapon head from his shield while another legionare shouldered into his position-and was promptly felled by a falling scythe as the cane marcus had wounded was replaced just as swiftly as he had been .