Alkaios's POV
I stood outside of Koutalas with Reid taken out as I meticulously cleaned my blade that had bandit blood on it. It was at this moment that I thought of my earlier actions.
I can't believe that I have already taken a life, especially considering that I am not even ten years old. It was always a foregone conclusion that I would take a life someday, but I was not expecting it to happen so soon. Because I was in ancient Greece, I understood logically that I would, at some point, have to take a life. I need to decide my fate. What exactly is justice to me?
As I stood there, I thought back to my past life in the modern world.
The current circumstances stand in stark contrast to what was once familiar because everything is so different.
While lost in thought, I thought about my most beloved fictional heroes. I have always held characters such as Himmel and Phainon in high regard, admiring their qualities. The actions taken by Himmel undoubtedly influenced and shaped the direction of his entire world. Phainon's perseverance and how he endured throughout millions of cycles is remarkable.
Currently, I am confronted with a challenging moral dilemma that demands my attention and reflection. I now wielded the power of Reinhard Van Astrea, a person who had the world's power at his disposal, but had held himself back, never prioritizing his own happiness. Cleaning Reid prompted a moment of self-reflection, leading me to ask myself a question.
I wonder if it would be possible for me to live in that manner. ... That wasn't possible for me. If I saw something that was incorrect, I would immediately rush in to help. Having experienced this many times in my past, which resulted in many beatings, I now can create positive change. I am preparing to wage a battle in positing my justice. I will always do what is right, and if I see anything that is wrong or someone who needs help, I won't hesitate!
I gazed at the blade of Reid, which was now clean, and silently made a promise to myself.
"I pledge my actions will be those of a proper hero, and I will endeavor to fulfill that role." I vowed to myself I would not permit political maneuvering or Gods to obstruct my efforts to do so.
I finished cleaning Reid, putting it back into its scabbard with newfound determination. Looking back at Koutalas, I visualize a Great Wall surrounding the village; with the image in mind, I invoked.
"Dona,"
I watched as great walls of stone rose from the earth, protecting the village with only one entrance I would guard. These walls were so high that unless the bandits had mages of their own, they wouldn't be making it over. If any bandits wanted to get into Koutalas, they had to get through me.
Standing guard at the only entrance, I looked at the sun in the sky and concluded that the bandits wouldn't come until at least nightfall so that they could gain the element of surprise.
As I looked upon the future battlefield, I set traps because I didn't want to rely solely on brute force; I would try to avoid getting stuck in the mentality of just powering through everything. I gaze upon the grasslands, and I visualize in my mind pits of assorted sizes in various locations. In each of those pit holes, I imagine spikes big and strong enough to pierce any bandit that fell through. As I visualized those traps, I channeled Od through my Gate, invoking the spell.
"Dona,"
I watched as pits formed in the ground. With that done, I once again visualized covers for the pit traps, which would collapse easily if a person walked on them.
"Dona,"
I observed the pit traps being gradually obscured by a substantial covering of earth. After a brief nod of acknowledgment, a smirk played across my lips as I pondered the situation.
'Brute force is all fine and dandy, but using my brain is important. Heracles proved that brains and brawn together are the best combination. I need to be smarter with my strength. I don't want to trap myself in the mindset of just trying to hit things harder when there may be an easier answer.'
With the sun tracing its course through the sky, the day continued to pass while I was situated just outside of Koutalas. During this period, I used Dona to construct a throne that was made entirely of stone. When midday came, I sat on my stone throne, saw a movement in the distance, and jumped down.
From a considerable distance, on top of the hill, I could barely make out figures that seemed to be people, most likely men, though I couldn't be certain. I squinted to get a better look at them, but unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. When I was trying to get a look at the unknown people, my soul became filled with a new Divine Protection.
Divine Protection of Far-Sight.
My new Divine protection allowed me to see the men in leather armor clearly. Observing their perplexed expressions as they gazed upon the village, it was apparent that they were struggling to comprehend the sudden appearance of a massive wall, a structure that had not existed the previous day. During my observation of the bandits, I had a nagging feeling that something was amiss or causing me concern. The issue was not with their attire, but with their posture and conduct. I didn't really get a good look at the bandits that I killed while they were attacking Eleni. A closer look at these bandits revealed not only their organized nature but also, and perhaps more crucially, their discipline. In the past, my brother's life took a different direction when he entered the military, and when we met again after some time, it was impossible to ignore the discipline that had become a part of him.
No matter the age, some things don't change. The way these men are standing, and their behavior remind me of my brother. Their posture screams military. A theory appeared in my head.
I removed my haversack, subsequently rummaging through my belongings until I located my map, which I then placed on a small table along with Dona. I gazed intently at the map and identified two crucial city-states of Greece that people still widely recognize in the modern era, even a millennium after their time. To the south of Koutalas, I observed Sparta, and Athens was visible to me northeast of Koutalas. Although I knew that my theory was a long shot, I realized I could face a much larger issue than I currently expected if it were to be accurate.
Since the Peloponnesian War is not relevant to this time frame, it is worth asking if there were smaller conflicts that may have occurred between Athens and Sparta. The chances are fairly high that this might be among that group. I considered the possibility of staring at the map and taking it all in.
I looked at my position on the map. You can find Koutalas in the area that lies between the cities of Sparta and Athens. On the boundary separating the Peloponnese Region and the Attica Region, this village is relatively small. Because of Koutalas's special strategic placement, it serves as an exceptional outpost, helpful to both factions. Considering the provided map, Athens, as the city-state under the patronage of Athena, would logically be the one to engage in espionage if any city-state were to choose that path. As Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom and strategic warfare, it seems logical that one of her generals in Athens could have been the individual who produced this plan.
I idolize Odysseus, but people in modern times could consider the Trojan Horse a major war crime. Although the horse itself was not the war crime, I understood that the consequences of its presence were.The destruction of Troy was a terrible event, and the Gods, in their disapproval, punished the commanders of most of the Greek forces.
Throughout my reading of the Iliad and the Odyssey, I have not encountered a single moment where Odysseus faced ridicule related to the Trojan Horse. It is easy to envision a scenario where the idea of hoplites disguising themselves as bandits could be part of a plan. After that, Andreas might have contacted the "bandits" intending to cause distress to the residents of Koutalas for his personal advantage. The "bandits" could request that Andreas get in touch with Athens for help. In this manner, the Athenians would gain a reasonable pretext to take possession of the village and transform it into an outpost, thus avoiding any potential conflict with Sparta.
As I gazed at the location of Athens on the map, my theory planned in my mind. After that, my eyes went towards Sparta.
Taking everything into account, Sparta might execute the same strategy or plan successfully. Ares had the potential to accomplish anything that Athena could do. But why? Sparta could really profit from taking Koutalas, but they are doing alright. In Stymphalos, I heard mention of the Dioscuri from Sparta. Sparta is in a favorable position presently, so it doesn't need more land.
Athens at the moment only has Theseus right now. I remember that Theseus and Pirithous once abducted Helen of Troy. But how unless there was someway they could sneak into the region? Theseus would have been the king of Athens. There was no way someone of his status could travel undercover unless he could go to a town that Athens was guarding.
I know Theseus is alive right now because I can remember that he is a future argonaut. Could it be that the Athenians occupying Koutalas is what allowed Theseus to abduct Helen in the future? And more importantly, just how hot is Helen for people to keep trying to abduct her?
My face became stern as I gazed up at the bandits. I saw the bandits staring at me, puzzled by a child outside the village. I got the idea to resolve this problem while I was staring at the bandits.
I mentally see my old pit traps and make them flat, quickly eliminating the spikes with Dona. If I were to capture them, I could then interrogate them, and decide on the next steps accordingly. With my plan of action now fully conceived, I picture my voice traveling on the wind, and then how I will execute the method of conveying my voice to the group of bandits.
"Fura," I chanted.
I thought about what I wanted to say, closed my eyes, and then let the wind take my words.
Spyridon [Bandit Captain] POV
Originally, today was planned to be a day of simplicity and ease. The plan was for them to tighten their control over the village progressively by gathering tribute from the coward Andreas in Koutalas. The sudden appearance of a colossal wall encircling Koutalas presented the sole difficulty, a structure that had not existed the previous day. I directed my attention towards my second in command.
"Ioannis, I'm curious, what is it you see situated over there?" Ioannis flinched as the harshness of my voice echoed in his ears.
"Lochagos, a gigantic wall," Ioannis informed me.
"Yes, a wall, Ioannis. Now tell me what you don't see." I hissed at Ioannis, trying to keep my tone calm, but I could feel my throat burning from my rage.
"I don't see Koutalas, Lochagos. It seems to disappear behind the wall." Ioannis spoke carefully, trying not to provoke me further.
"Yes, that's correct, Ioannis. Now answer me, Ioannis, what in Hades has changed from yesterday to today?!" I screamed at Ioannis in rage, unable to keep my temper in check.
The simple plan was to sow the seeds of discord throughout the village. By doing so, Athens might occupy the town, establishing a potential outpost in Koutalas and solidifying their presence in the region.
'This was my chance to achieve lasting fame and recognition. The chance to gain Lady Athena's attention and become her champion. Now, as everything crumbles, I can almost hear the mocking laughter of the Moirai.' I thought in fury.
I stared at the wall that enclosed Koutalas, and it felt as though it was ridiculing me. A small child with red hair was visible to me near the wall. I scoffed derisively while gazing upon the child, who appeared to be wearing baby hoplite armor. I harbored a strong dislike for the children who would engage in dress-up, as they seemed to believe that donning armor somehow transformed them into heroes.
As I looked at the child, I could feel the intensity of his stare, despite not being able to see his eyes at that moment. Though I couldn't explain it, staring at the child was like gazing into a living flame, intense and captivating. The flames I witnessed were so intense that the surrounding air was burning.
Everything about this child activated my deepest instincts, which I had carefully developed throughout my time as an Athenian warrior. I knew my instincts were right when I saw the child look away, then observed a small piece of earth rise, after which the child stared at a map.
Fixing my gaze upon the child as he poured his map, I called out, "Ioannis," struck by the look of intense concentration the child wore, a look I seldom witnessed in grown-ups, let alone children.
"Lochagos," responded Ioannis, upon hearing me call out. I observed the child lifting his eyes from his map again, and he fixed his gaze on Ioannis and me.
"Ioannis, get the men prepared for battle. I want the men ready for combat." I was about to continue when the wind picked up around us. Everyone in the camp heard it then.
"To all the bandits that occupy the hills, I give a single warning. Those who have families and wish to see them tomorrow, leave now, or I WILL send you to the underworld. I promise you that anyone who leaves now, I will not have any grudges against them." A young but confident voice rang out throughout the camp, issuing its warning.
My face contorted into a sneer, and I couldn't restrain the expression. Fleeing from a child was so preposterous it was hard to take seriously. As I surveyed the expressions of my soldiers, I noticed a uniformity in their visible reactions. I could even perceive expressions of anger emanating from the faces of onlookers, likely stemming from the sheer audacity displayed by this young person as they spoke.
I was on the verge of ordering my troops to attack and kill that child, but then I witnessed his use of sorcery to make the trapeza. One did not have to be a genius to realize that this child had built the enormous wall, somehow.
Since Andreas, that cowardly man, never mentioned mages in Koutalas, the conclusion is that either the child is a traveling mage in disguise or the child is the son of a mage. A frown came over my face. Unexpected variables always caused trouble. As I heard footsteps drawing nearer, I turned my head and saw Ioannis standing before me. I motioned to him, and the silence broke as he spoke.
"Lochagos, all the men are ready at your order," Ioannis said. I hummed at what Ioannis said and then decided on the next action plan.
"Ioannis, let the men know we strike at night. Currently, have the men check if the walls surround the entire village. I want answers before Lord Helios sets." I commanded
"Sir," Ioannis said, saluting me while completing my orders. I watched Ioannis go. My eyes moved towards the boy who was below me, and our eyes met at that moment. Nothing, especially a child, would prevent me from achieving my ambitions on the night when everything would be decided.
Alkaios's POV
The group of bandits had over time increased in size. I narrowed my eyes and observed the small group of five that I had initially seen; they gradually grew in number, possibly becoming a platoon of men, and I was unsure if they were bandits or not. I realized they had been circling Koutalas for the last hour, apparently looking for a way to get inside the village. A snort of amusement escaped me as I found myself unable to contain my reaction to the situation.
'Good luck with that; I made sure there was only one entrance, and I'm standing in front of it. Not only that, but I made it high enough that you could not just scale it even if you brought some type of ladder.' I thought to myself in amusement. I sat back down on my throne, just staring at what I assumed was the commander.
I need to capture him and possibly some others to compare their accounts and find any contradictions to test my theory.
I looked over everyone I had seen, but the day's encounters with those two men were the only ones that lingered in my thoughts. Out of the entire group, those two were the most disciplined; the smaller man's deference to the larger one suggested the larger man was the leader.
From my stone throne, I sat and watched the men as they went about their business. Protected by Divine Arrow Evasion, I stood confidently in the open. As I remained seated upon my throne, I kept a close watch, observing the bandits, and as time went on, and Helios's chariot completed its daily journey, heralding the shift from day to night.
I focused, gazed intently into the blackness, and watched for any shift or stir as I kept a close watch. After spending many hours observing, my eyes had adapted to the lack of light and the darkness. It was not my vision that first made me aware. The quiet sound of dry leaves being stepped on caught my attention.
My muscles tensed as I began channeling my Aura, the electric tingle of mana coursing through my veins, anticipating the ambush. The process of slowly drawing Reid from its scabbard revealed a stillness, a quiet that was quite remarkable.
I remained seated, anticipating the inevitable attack that was about to occur. With anticipation for the forthcoming conflict, Reid, trembling with eagerness upon my lap. With each passing second, my belief that these individuals are not genuine bandits appears to be increasingly credible. That my traps remained undisturbed, without being triggered at all, made the situation even more dubious.
If ordinary bandits attacked a village, it seems likely that the pit traps would have caught at least one of them. The lack of even a single scream, whether it be of panic or pain, makes these men seem even more suspect than before. My sole thought was that those individuals likely underwent training as soldiers.
After giving it some serious thought, I gripped Reid tighter in my lap and then waited patiently. I saw it, catching it in my peripheral vision, springing up from the corner of my right eye at that moment. I saw a sword that was coming right towards my neck, and it was going to behead me in one quick movement.
I observed with great attention as the blade moved nearer to my position. I never intended to cause it to cease. As the sword's trajectory came to a halt, I watched with a sense of morbid amusement while having raised my Aura in a defensive posture. A grunt escaped me as I experienced discomfort from the sword contacting the side of my neck. From the strike that had failed, I heard a voice that yelled out in shock.
"What in Hades!" My attacker exclaimed in shock, and I didn't let his moment of surprise go to waste. I leaped off my seat and yanked his arm towards me before slamming his arm onto the curve of the stone throne arm.
The man cried out in pain as the counter landed, making his xiphos fall. I grabbed his neck, feeling the grit of his skin, and slammed him on the throne, where I had just been sitting, as the sound of the impact echoed as I squeezed his neck. Channeling Batman, I smashed his head against the throne and let out a childish growl.
"Speak, where are your companions?" I growled out, holding his neck in a vice grip as he tried to pry my hands off his throat. Right before I could continue my improv interrogation, the sounds of footsteps, rustling leaves, and grass filled my ears. Taking in the sight of more charging bandits, I turned my head, and the smell of gunpowder filled the air as their ambush failed.
My gaze fell on my prisoner as I mentally conjured clamps, binding his limbs to the throne.
I chanted "Dona," and on my throne I watched as stone cuffs snapped onto my prisoner's wrists. As the men got closer, I stared them down, and then I glanced back at the trap man, giving him a signal.
"You are going to watch what I do to your friends, and when I am done, I am going to ask you questions. I want you to think hard and long about whether you should lie to me," I spoke to the man as he tried to escape from his seat.
As the initial group of men charged towards me, I steeled myself, fully intending to show the man positioned behind me just how detrimental deceiving me would be for his well-being.
"Gods, killing the Stymphalian birds was less tiring than this," I mutter. From the corner of my eye, I noticed my prisoner, who was now visibly stifling in fear, apparently only just then understanding the implications of his actions and whose head he had just tried to decapitate.
As I steeled myself for the inevitable carnage, I inhaled deeply to calm my nerves. Killing everyone was something I had not planned on doing. I still sought information, yet I remained realistic. These men were mostly clueless.
The thought of keeping my blade sheathed crossed my mind, but it was not something I could accomplish. Although I possessed the strength necessary to ensure my safety, I could not provide the same level of protection to the citizens of Stymphalos and Koutalas. Upon my departure for Mount Pelion, there would be no impediments preventing potential attacks on Stymphalos and Koutalas during my absence.
'I need to send a message Show everyone what happens if anyone even thinks about attacking my home and allies when I'm not there.' I thought I could already feel the future mental toll I was about to inflict upon myself.
I observed three men approaching me aggressively, and I saw that the other people were swift. Moving at a rate that would surpass any regular human, I witnessed events from a previous life. Having been aware that individuals in the Age of the Gods possessed unique physical attributes, I realized that there was a considerable difference between hearing descriptions of their nature and witnessing it firsthand.
'If normal humans are this strong, what about Demi-Gods? I cannot imagine what a full-blown war would be like in this era.' I could not help but think of this while watching the charging men.
I shifted Reid into a ready stance, tightening my grip on the handle, fully aware this entire ordeal was going to be one-sided. As the gap between me and the bandits, I flooded the soles of my feet with Aura and blasted myself towards them. My vision blurred as I rocketed to the first man, Reid, already mid-swing, catching the air as I bisected the man from his waist, his upper body flying from his waist from the force of my attack.
As his brain processed the events, the look of surprise materialized on his face, eventually morphing into a look of horror and pain, which I could see. As he was in flight, a blood-curdling scream escaped his mouth because his pain receptors had functioned.
"Aaaargh!" The soldier let out a scream, a sound filled with the agony of his pain.
The man's lower body plummeted downwards, with crimson blood gushing out like a burst pipe.
The two bandits froze, their faces showing shock at their ally's sudden, silent death. The speed and brutality of their deaths were completely unexpected.
I looked at the remaining bandits, and seeing one standing near a pit, I channeled my Aura and mana, then swiftly kicked him in. My kick fell short, landing squarely in the bandit's crotch; I grimaced as he cried out. A ragged gasp escaped the bandit's lips, followed by a choked wheeze as he doubled over.
With a loud crash, the attack sent the bandit tumbling into the trap; the ground falling away.
"THUD,"
The battlefield was quiet, with the only sound being the gentle breeze; I couldn't help but apologize in my head for the accident. I turned my body to face the final bandit, and I gazed at him, pointed Reid at him before I opened my mouth to speak.
"I accept your surrender?" I asked him, the bandit looked at his bisected ally and the hole where his other was still moaning in pain, dropped his sword.
Captured Bandit POV
'This was supposed to be easy. Just kill the kid, and the magical wall will come tumbling down. So, what, when, and more importantly, HOW? Is this boy, who only looks like he has been alive for at least 8 Theros, could be effortlessly dismantling us?' I thought in horror.
Witnessing the unfolding events, a mixture of terror and wonder overwhelmed me as Alkaios Astrea emerged victorious against my allies. I initially maintained hope that we might eliminate him, but seeing him instantly kill one and then defeat the remaining two utterly extinguished that hope.
'No one told me we would fight the slayer of the Stymphalian birds!' I thought in panic.
I couldn't imagine anyone in the region who was not familiar with the Alkaios Astrea. At the young age of eight, Alkaios had already found the strength to slay the familiars of Ares.
The purpose of this undertaking was to generate confusion, forcing the village leader to contact Athens, which was the nearest city-state. If Athens had had a border town between the two regions, it would have provided them with a strategic foothold in that specific area.
'I knew we might have had issues if Sparta had gotten wind of this, but we never thought this Monster would appear out of nowhere.' I thought in dread.
I watched with a feeling of absolute terror as the boy performed his magic, creating another stone throne that materialized right next to me, and subsequently, he forced my friend to sit down. As I was looking on, the throne caused clamps to appear, and I noticed they were just like the ones I had.
"I'm going to ask you two questions first, and if your answers don't match your other friend in that hole, we're going to have problems." The monster spoke as he pointed towards the pit trap. I could only pray that the Lochagos could somehow achieve victory soon because I did not know how long I could withstand what was coming.
Ares POV
It was not unusual to encounter bloodshed within the boundaries of Hellas. Humans were often the origin, regardless of whether they were fighting monsters or even other humans. I witnessed every moment. After the battle with the White Titan, which occurred quite some time in the past, nothing really could surprise me anymore. The White Titan stole my sword, which trampled on my pride, and the destruction of my body left phantom pains.
The moment I lost the connection I had with the Stymphalian birds, an overwhelming feeling of curiosity took hold of me. The sole reason I created the birds was to help in the raising of a hero. My plan was that one of the Spartans I had chosen would be responsible for the killing of the birds. That a child, no older than eight years of age, had slaughtered my familiars with a combination of martial arts and magic was a surprise, but it was not an unwelcome one, and it certainly caught me off guard.
While observing the child, I found myself unable to avoid a frown. He displayed unique swordplay that no one else in Greece used. Considering I am the God of War, it would be difficult not to know, and possessing a knowledge of every single style of swordplay in the entire region, the unrecognizable style employed by a child still took me aback.
The source of the genuine confusion was indeed his blade. Even though I was not Hephaestus himself, I could still recognize a masterpiece when someone presented it to me. Beyond the fact that the blade itself was an enigma, it also carried the unknown blessing of a foreign God, something that further deepened its mystique. Looking at the sword, I saw that the blood of countless different beasts stained it.
However, I should have been aware of it if it were actually true. At first, I had the intention of journeying down into the lower world and demanding the truth; however; I stopped myself after observing Astraea claim the boy.
The conversation I had with the child told me he is a good person but naïve. I remained focused on Alkaios as he went to Chiron for training. The voyage had become dull, almost leading me to where I would have unleashed a monster to confront the young boy.
The boy's ability to defeat the Athenian soldiers captivated me, masquerading as bandits effortlessly the moment he arrived in Koutalas, and this performance was so impressive that it brought a smile to my face.
The sight of Andreas the pig crying for Priapus caused me to snort involuntarily in response. Andreas, that pig, could beg any individual, and he specifically selected Priapus.
On Olympus, Priapus was a figure who received no respect from anyone. The sight of Alkaios decapitating Andreas was something that caused me to smile.
"Astraea really chose a ruthless one. Making the people of Koutalas choose might as well just cut his head off without their input." I spoke aloud; I couldn't help but be upset about missing blessing that kid myself.
The perplexing aspect was that the young boy possessed an air of mystery. His origins were humble, with no distinguished family or significant background to speak of. He seemed likely to be enslaved or die in a chance encounter with a monster, since he came from the most rural of areas. His most striking characteristics were his vibrant red hair and the striking blue color of his eyes. As I observed Alkaios using magic to construct walls, similar to the ones one might find in city-states like Sparta or Athens, my eyebrows went up. It was also not normal in any sense of the word.
I watched with a grin as Alkaios captured three of the Athenian soldiers, cut the fourth in half, and as I observed the boy's preparation to torture the others in order to get information. I had to acknowledge that I was developing an affinity for the boy. Given that he was already this deadly, even with no formal training from Chiron, I found myself filled with excitement for what he would be like in ten years. Undeniably, there were areas where he could enhance his capabilities. For instance, his hand-to-hand combat skills were quite lacking.
Watching his kicks and punches, I winced from the pain of seeing how terribly he performed. After watching him eliminate the men, I saw only a brief display of his swordsmanship, making it impossible for me to comment on it. A great deal of mystery shrouded the boy. His success in the defeat of some of Athena's warriors contributed to a better outcome. Alkaios Astrea is someone who has the potential to succeed and go a long way. It seemed impossible to find a cause for the boy's death other than divine intervention.
"Be grateful, Alkaios Astrea. Not just anyone can gain the attention of WAR itself. Let us see how far you can go." My words echoed throughout my temple. I couldn't help but look forward to the future.
I'm curious, what would be the best way for me to convince that child to ally with the Spartans? The backing of that power for my warriors would certainly bring about positive outcomes. While I was deep in thought, an idea suddenly occurred to me.
'Huh, is Pollux promised to anyone?' I had an idea; if I gained Zeus's favor, this might work out.
Chapter 5: Start of a Bigger Problem End
Lochagos-Means captain
Trapeza-Means table
Theros- Means Summer