Alkaios's POV
As I marched towards the bandit camp, an involuntary sigh escaped my lips. After I finished interrogating my prisoner, I confirmed that these bandits were part of a secret Athenian garrison. I wondered why I couldn't be wrong. The discovery that they were Athenian soldiers complicated the situation. If I made even one mistake, a Goddess might view me unfavorably.
My mind went back to the interrogation, and I thought about it once more. The commander's name, which I learned, was in fact Spyridon. Since I couldn't recall anyone from history who had this name, I reasoned that he probably did not make a lasting impact. Based on the limited information I have, he was driven by ambition, with aspirations to secure the backing of the Goddess Athena and attain the coveted position of her champion.
I shook my head, feeling a knot of disbelief in my stomach. When I embarked on the mission to destroy the Stymphalian Birds, it was because of the danger they posed to my home, as I was unwilling to leave behind a threat I couldn't deal with. As I went to do battle with the birds, no gods or goddesses occupied my thoughts.
I knew what needed to be done and steeled myself, hardening my heart in preparation. I was in a position where I had to stop these men from leaving. If I were to abandon these individuals, what would happen if that decision resulted in more harm being caused at a later time, perhaps after I have left? In all honesty, I never wanted to kill these individuals.
I needed to set an example so that I could show the leaders of Greece what could happen if they hurt the people of my future. Because of my level of obscurity, I was not yet important enough for people to risk making me angry. I possess the ability to perform magic only for fighting, but my spells are not applicable elsewhere.
My far-sight revealed the distant camp, granting divine protection from atop the hill. I strode toward the camp, with the sounds of my footsteps and the rustle of my clothes as the only noise. I intended to be visible, to signal my arrival, and to stop them. With Reid in my grasp, still covered in blood, I moved closer toward the camp.
Only when I was roughly half a football field away did the sentries in the watchtowers notice me. While I listened to shouts resonating around the camp, someone shot an arrow at me. The Divine Protection of Arrow Evasion ensured the arrow missed its target.
As I observed, the men exited their camp in a rush. I tighten my grip on Reid, preparing myself for what is about to happen. Given the circumstances, I had to provide one last chance as all the men rushed toward me.
"Drop your weapons and stand down is the best course of action for those with families or a desire to live. I pledge to release those who do it." I said it clearly, but they ignored my words. All around, men were taking their stances, getting ready for the fight. I sensed figures preparing to assault me from behind.
"So be it," was my response. I brought my Aura to full strength, fully prepared for any sneak attacks. I pushed mana to the bottom of my sandals and launched myself forward. The first soldier swung his sword, aiming for my head. I channel Aura to Reid's blade and cut through his blade, continuing through his chest, leaving a deep wound on his body. I immediately jumped to the next man and swung my blade, severing the soldier's head with a flick.
I sensed additional soldiers approaching from behind, planning to bring me down. I spun, lifting my blade as the whistling wind carried its chilling sound. The blades' noise reverberated loudly throughout the field. The man leaned down, attempting to overpower me, but I stood tall, Aura channeling through my veins. His breath was close, and he hoped to bring me down. I brought my foot and kicked the soldier's knee as hard as I could. The result brought about a loud snap as his kneecap broke under my attack. The soldier let out a cry of pain as he crumbled to the ground, his blade disconnecting from his mine as he lost his grip. I immediately disconnected his head with a casual swing, bringing down his head as blood gushed out, staining my clothes with blood.
Bathed in blood, I must have appeared intimidating, as the other fellows remained immobile. I flicked Reid to remove the blood as I trudged. The display made some men surrender, but a commanding voice echoing through the field behind the men dashed my hopes.
"Fight! He is an only child. We have protection courtesy of the Goddess Athena." A voice yelled out as a well-built man with a full beard was pushed to the front. Just from his looks, I could tell he was different—his posture, the soldiers' dependence upon instruction, plus his expertly crafted sword. I knew how this would end when we made eye contact. The outcome involved a conflict, in which one person would depart.
"Spyridon of Athens, I greet you. Unfortunately, we couldn't have met under better circumstances, and it seems we both failed." I spoke as I looked around, slowly being surrounded from all sides. I was confident I could fight off this group, but I wasn't arrogant. Despite having power that eclipsed everyone around me, I was still young. The last thing I wanted was to be killed and come back with the Divine Protection of the Phoenix. That was a one-way ticket to earning the Gods' ire. The story of Sisyphus rang through my mind. No, right now, I did not need the Gods to accuse me of cheating death.
"We can still end this with no more blood being shed, Spyridon. Take your men and return to Athens." I said, tired of all the blood I had spilled already, that I couldn't help but extend one last olive branch. Judging by the look of rage on Spyridon's face, I couldn't help the sigh that escaped my lips.
"Do you think I will let you leave after this embarrassment? You speak regarding bloodshed; the only individual responsible for shedding blood is you! Go to the crows!" Spyridon spat out. I frowned at Spyridon's words. While Spyridon's words weren't wrong, things weren't entirely correct.
"Do not play innocent, Spyridon. My reason for being here is your group's assault on Koutalas. I can and will not let you continue your injustice." I retorted to Spyridon's words, not letting him escape from his actions.
"Justice? You're just a child. What do you know of justice? Because you follow the Goddess of Justice, did you feel entitled to speak regarding justice? The only way to survive in this world is to gain the favor of the Gods. You have no right to judge me when you yourself have the blessing of a Goddess!" Spyridon spat out. My face softened. His words and gaze conveyed bitterness; however, this did not grant him the authority to harm innocent individuals.
"You're right. I don't have the right to speak when I have Astraea's favor. I am blessed with overwhelming strength, enough to kill the Stymphalian Birds. It's because of this strength that Lady Astraea could bless me. You may not believe me, but I can understand being powerless." I said, I could see Spyridon's face twist in confusion. "That said, that does not give you the right to injure the citizens of Koutalas. You have seen what I am capable of, Spyridon, so let us end this bloodshed. I challenge you to a duel of honor — no weapons."
I challenged Spyridon to stop all this bloodshed. Spyridon couldn't refuse without losing face among his soldiers. I may have killed the Stymphalian Birds, but without proof in front of these men, they would only view me as a child. Spyridon's refusal of my challenge would make him seem weak.
Spyridon's face twisted in thought as he considered my words. Spyridon looked around at his men. Just like me, he could see the looks that his men were sending the two of us. Both Spyridon and I knew that his following words would decide his men's actions. Spyridon couldn't deny my challenge without losing face. From the way Spyridon twisted in anger, he could also see that.
"What are your terms for your challenge?" Spyridon said
"No weapons, no outside interference, no magic, and finally, one-on-one combat. Upon my victory, you and your men are to leave the land and go back to Athens. If you win, you have my life. It's your decision whether you want me as your slave or if you prefer to end my life." I said, Spyridon licked his lips as he pondered the thought of my life being in his hands.
"What makes me believe you're being truthful? What proof can you show me that you are being truthful?" Spyridon spoke after what felt like an eternity. Nodding my head at his response, I took off my glove, cut my palm, and let my blood spill out onto the ground.
"Upon this wound I swear to Zeus Horkios that I was truthful upon the terms of the challenge I gave to Spyridon of Athens," I spoke seriously. All was silent in the clearing until suddenly.
The sky split open with a thunderous crack, and a resounding boom followed, shaking the earth to its core.
"BOOM."
Even though I expected it after invoking Zeus's name, my heart still jumped into my throat at the sound of thunder. Spyridon and his soldiers let out cries of surprise at the clear sign of Divine approval.
"What say you, Spyridon of Athens? Do you accept my terms or let the Gods that are now no doubt watching see your cowardice?" I spoke after a moment with a small smile.
Spyridon [Bandit Captain] POV
Horrified, I stared toward the youth who had issued the warning for me and my companions to depart. I had dismissed it as a child spewing nonsense, one with delusions of grandeur. How could I know the boy giving his warning was Alkaios Astrea of Stymphalos? It wasn't like I listened to every single rumor that wandered through the camp.
It wasn't until I saw the red hair and blue cloak that I truly believed it. There had been rumors passing through the local χωριόs (Villages). Alkaios Astrea of Stymphalos, the miracle child that appeared out of nowhere, who killed the Birds of War itself.
'Why him?! How did he become lucky enough to receive what I sought? Becoming the champion of a goddess.' I thought in fury, clenching my fist.
Where did it all unravel? Could it have been when I got Andreas to extort his village? It might've been when I commanded my troops to torment the villagers of Koutalas, who had abandoned the χωριό (Village). I had to ask myself, were the gods punishing me for my ambition?
It had to be so, because why else would I have my men killed? Now, the Great God King Zeus was advocating for Alkaios's challenge. I couldn't back away.
Now I couldn't back down. Not only was my pride being tested, but my worth in front of my men and the Gods.
"Loannis!" I said as I called over my second-in-command. The sound of Loannis's footsteps echoed through the night.
"Lochagos, how may I serve?" Loannis answered me with a wordless command, and I handed my sword to him.
"Temenos, go create a large skamma in the ground," I said, directing Temenos as both Alkaios and I watched as Temenos slowly created a skamma. I took my eyes off Temenos to look at Alkaios, where I saw him cleaning off his sword.
I couldn't help but wonder who created such steel. Although I am not a blacksmith myself, anyone could tell that the weapon was a masterpiece. My eyes drifted to the sword's sheath, and they widened in surprise at the intricate design on the white sheath. The sheath was of the purest white I had ever seen; I was curious about what could have created those grooves on top of the sheath.
A flash of greed passed through my mind that I could not help but suppress. If I could claim that sword in the name of Athena, would the Goddess give me her blessing? I have dreamed of being blessed by the Goddess ever since I heard the legends of the heroes Perseus and Bellerophon. Hearing the legends of two heroes, I always strived to be blessed by the Goddess like them.
No matter what I did, no matter how much I studied or trained, the Goddess never so much as glanced at me. It then occurred to me that only demigods would gain the interest of the Gods unless one were truly remarkable, like Daedalus.
Learning this had shaken me, but I wouldn't let that stop me. Then an idea came to me: what if I gained a foothold in Arcadia? If the Athenian army had a fort in Arcadia, wouldn't it make conquering Sparta easier?
Sparta was nearly impossible to invade because of the well-trained nature of its army. Sparta's strength would only grow when the children of Zeus were complete. My only chance to conquer Sparta was during their childhood, when the twins were untrained. I knew fully that once they were grown, the opportunity would be gone in my life.
"Are you ready, Spyridon?" Alkaios's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Alkaios was already there waiting in the skamma. Outside the skamma, I could see Alkaios's sword planted into the ground with his blue cloak draped over it outside the ring. I hide my grin, already seeing my men getting closer to it. I couldn't imagine losing this duel to a child, but even if I did, we could deny him the use of his weapon.
Stepping into the skamma, I brought up both my fists in front of me into pygmachia. Pygmachia was not my strongest skill, but every Athenian soldier trained in it in case they lost their weapon during battle. I was confused when I looked at Alkaios because it looked like pygmachia, but he had one hand open.
At first, I thought it was Pankration, but I dismissed the idea immediately. Only those trained by Chiron the sage knew of Pankration. From what I knew of Alkaios, he had not been taught by Chiron yet, according to rumors.
"Loannis, at your mark," I said to Loannis, who walked to the edge of the skamma. Loannis looked at me, his eyes asking if I was ready. Nodding, I prepared for the fight that would decide my future. Loannis looked at Alkaios, who wordlessly nodded without looking at Loannis, his eyes only on mine.
"Begin!" Loannis said, his voice echoing through the night.
I dashed at Alkaios, my right fist already aimed at his left side, but the boy blocked it. Alkaios had caught my fist, but the boy clearly had little experience fighting with his fists, as his short stature allowed me to land a blow right on his face. I let a smirk seeing the blood come out of his mouth.
My smile quickly went away as I felt a pain in my right hand as the grip Alkaios had on my right hand tightened, and he yanked it away from me and towards Alkaios. I could see him diving for my right leg, so I brought my elbow up, intending to slam it onto Alkaios's head. I drove my elbow down when suddenly Alkaios disappeared from my sight.
Suddenly, two hands gripped my left leg, lifting it off the ground. I tried to regain my balance, but I felt a crushing grip on my right arm before I lost sight, and I felt my head slam onto the ground.
'What just happened?' I thought to myself before my vision was covered in red. Thinking quickly, I grabbed the boy by his neck with my left hand and punched him right in the jaw with my right. I felt a slight pain in my fist from hitting his teeth. My fist was damp from both Alkaios's saliva and blood.
Before I could bring my fist back to punch him again, my hand was grabbed again, and I was suddenly kneed in the jaw. I could feel pain as my arm was being bent backward, like I was being stabbed. Trying to free myself from the pain, I tried to stand up by going to my knees, when suddenly I felt two small legs bend around my head and force it down.
My arm was suddenly overwhelmed with agonizing pain, and then a sharp, cracking sound that echoed through the silence of the night occurred, all while my thoughts were in a state of complete disarray.
My lips pulled back, revealing my teeth, and I let out a savage, resounding roar of "GRAAAAR!" Pulling my broken right arm away, I ignored the pain from the act as it dangled uselessly from the side. Using my left hand, I delivered a punch to the boy.
"Do you think you can come here, kill my men, and get away with this!" I roared as my left hand continuously punched Alkaios in the face as I tried to destroy his head. I grabbed Alkaios by his linothorax as I leaned forward, ready to choke the life out of him, but I heard Alkaios chuckle.
"You should really be careful and not let your legs be so close," Alkaios said before I could respond. I felt two hands grab my feet before I was yanked to the ground.
Before I could even attempt to say anything, my broken arm struck the ground, and I released a cry of pain. I experienced the sensation of an arm encircling the rear of my head and neck, as another arm simultaneously applied pressure downwards on my neck.
Trying to force Alkaios off me, I tried to get up before I felt a knee press down on my broken arm, making me cry out in pain. I could feel my sight go dark as I punched Alkaios's head as hard as I could with my left arm. Nothing I could do forced him to get off me as my vision continued to darken..
"Lady Athena, please help me," I whimpered out. But no Goddess answered me before everything went dark.
Alkaios POV
I held Ezekiel choke I had on Spyridon for good three extra seconds before I let go of my grip as I slowly got off him.
'Gods, I'm so bad at hand-to-hand. I really need more training; my basic training in BJJ won't cut it.' I thought to myself as I snorted out blood.
"Shīha."
I mumble the incantation for water magic to heal my mouth and nose. My mouth and nose itched as I felt them slowly mend. Looking around, I could see Spyridon's men, silent as they took in the results of the duel. I pointed at the man Spyridon called Loannis.
"Collect your leader and honor the oath your captain made, go back to Athens," I told Loannis as I walked to collect my cloak and Reid. Looking at my bloodied linothorax, I let out a sigh, thinking about how I had to clean it.
Before I could take another step towards Reid, I felt a sword on my neck as Spyridon's men surrounded me. I could only stare at Temenos, who held the sword to my neck as if he were insane.
"Are you insane?! Your captain made an oath, has Koalemos touched your minds?!" I asked, in shock, at the sheer stupidity.
"Why should we uphold an oath that we didn't make?! You think we would let you walk away? You're unarmed; we have your weapon. Now is the perfect time to kill you!" Temenos responded. The sheer stupidity of his words shocked me.
I could already hear the faint sound of thunder rumbling in the sky. Did they think Zeus cared they hadn't sworn the oath themselves? Spyridon's oath was that he agreed to include them.
"Temenos, consider what you're about to do. You still have a chance before you make a mistake that you cannot take back!" I said, trying to convince this fool of what he was about to do. Regardless of the reasons given, he remained unwilling to listen.
As I looked around the area, I was searching for someone who possessed some semblance of reason; however; the men surrounding me all had the same crazed look in their eyes, mirroring Temenos' as they enthusiastically cheered him on.
"Kill him, Temnos!" "Dont let him leave alive!" "DIE!"
Loannis appeared to be the only person who still seemed to have their senses about them, and he stopped trying to pick up Spyridon, who seemed just as shocked as I was.
"Stand down! Stand down. Do you know what you're about to do, Temenos? Have you all lost your minds!" Loannis shouted out.
'Did Hera or Dionysus curse these men with madness?! Don't they know who they're about to piss off?!"I thought I did not want to see what a pissed of Zeus looked like in front of me.
"DIE!" Temenos screamed as he swung his sword up and brought it down. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. Upon contact, Temenos's sword struck my Aura, which I had manifested, resulting in an impact.
"Thud,"
I heard the reverberating sound of his sword striking my shoulder throughout the night's stillness. When Temenos's sword contacted me, and the sound of the impact resonated, it shattered the enchantment that had influenced the soldiers.
A second passed before the color drained from Temenos's face, transforming it to a pale complexion, which was pursued by an expression of pure horror. The faces of the soldiers resembled Temenos, copying him in a sequence.
"You fool," I muttered with sadness, already knowing what was going to happen. All was silent, and before any false hope could appear.
Even though there was no wind, the air became icy, and the sound of a bird's cry resonated throughout the night. The sight of a bird circling overhead caused the soldiers' faces to become chalk white, and the dread of every single one of them was palpable to me.
An Eagle.
Eagles only represented one God.
Zeus.
I fixed my gaze upon the Eagle, uncertain whether Zeus had dispatched it, or whether it was Zeus himself in another form. Maintaining its position in the sky, the Eagle continued to circle above us, and then, with a quick turn, it turned into a blur, and at that point, I felt a weight on my head, which forced me to bow my head.
The Eagle of Zeus watched the soldiers, its gaze never ceasing and holding completely still without uttering a sound.
'I'm sorry, but I can't save you all anymore. These men turned to madness suddenly. A God or Goddess wants them dead. I can't save them.' I thought, but as I looked at the two men I could save as I gazed at Loannis and Spyridon, I bent down on one knee.
"Great God Zeus, I know you are angry, but please spare Loannis and Spyridon. Loannis is the only man who honored Spyridon's oath. Spyridon agreed to the duel and did so with honor. All I ask of you is to show mercy to those who honor the name of Zeus Horkios!" I said, trying to appease Zeus with all the charisma I could muster.
As I waited, holding my breath, the Eagle offered no response until I saw the bird's eyes as it bent its neck to look at me. I am thankful that I did not see the bird's body because I'm certain that an eagle's neck wouldn't be able to bend so far, and the sight would probably be terrifying.
As my eyes met the Eagle's, a profound silence fell because nobody spoke. An eternity seemed to pass as we stared at each other, and then it made a sound that resembled a human snort. As I watched the eagle lift its enormous wings, shooing away Loannis, the bird vanished from my view.
"Loannis let me heal Spyridon before he dies from his wounds," I said. Loannis nervously looked in my direction, but he was clearly staring at the Eagle, waiting for its permission. The Eagle let out a snort that sounded like permission that came from the Eagle as Loannis shuffled towards me with fear.
"Shīha."
After I mumbled the spell that would heal Spyridon, his arm snapped back into its proper place, and Spyridon immediately let out a painful moan. Although I could not completely mend a broken arm, I could heal it sufficiently so that Spyridon's arm would recover with a period of rest lasting several weeks.
"Go, Loannis, back to Athens and don't stop for anything. Wrap Spyridon's arm and have it rest." I instructed Loannis, and he gave a meek nod.
Loannis carried Spyridon over his shoulder in a fireman's carry until he stopped running. With a confused expression, I turned to look at Loannis and opened my mouth as if I was going to question him, but he spoke before I could.
"Thank Alkaios Astrea for pleading for my life when you did not have to. I will always remember this," Loannis said, his eyes showing sincerity. I gave a wordless nod as I watched Loannis run away with Spyridon over his shoulder.
In the moments when divine judgment was occurring, I looked toward Temenos and the men who were still present. As Temenos opened his mouth, clearly intending to plead for his life, a thunderous voice suddenly boomed, filling the space.
"Kneel,"
My knees buckled beneath me, threatening to give way. However, the sickening thud slammed the other men to their knees. The air was thick with a palpable weight, as though the world pressed down on me. The air was thick with a palpable weight, as though the world pressed down on me. If I were feeling this way, I shuddered to think how Temenos and the other soldiers felt as Zeus's thunder echoed.
"Great God Zeus, please, I beg you, have mercy!" Temenos cried out, tears pouring down his face.
"Please, Lord Zeus!" "We were wrong!" "Mercy, Lord God!"
A collective cry of fear echoed from the entire group of soldiers. Their combined voices boomed, an echoing symphony like an army of three hundred.
"NO,"
A bolt of lightning fell from the sky, and in a blinding flash of light, Temenos and Spyridon's group were gone, leaving me in sadness. There was no trace of ash left on the ground after the lightning. Just moments ago, the men had stood before him; now there was only emptiness.
Surprisingly, Zeus's attack did not damage even a tiny blade of grass. The only items that suffered destruction were the clues suggesting the Athenian soldiers were here. As I stood in the empty clearing, by myself, there was not a single piece of evidence to suggest that anyone had ever set up a camp there.
I perceived the sound of wings moving through the air, and then the Eagle of Zeus took flight again, disappearing into the sky. We locked eyes one last time, a moment hanging in the air. During that brief interaction, I realized Zeus had stated he would be observing.
After what seemed like an eternity of standing in the vacant clearing, I retrieved my cloak, secured it once more, and then gathered Reid. I committed myself to freeing the men I had previously taken prisoner, as I aimed to uphold my promise and avoid suffering the same fate as Temenos, when I embarked on the return trip to Koutalas. Following a tiring night, the only thing I could manage was an exhausted sigh.
"Gods, my hair is going to turn gray early," I spoke to myself, feeling this adventure was only going to get more complicated.
Chapter 6: Bird's-eye View End
Skammas were designated ring areas for events or fights in ancient Greece.