Alkaios POV
"You know, kid," Nikos said. "When I said make Stymphalos proud, I meant not returning before a full lunar cycle."
"Well, Nikos," I said, meeting his gaze, "I hadn't expected to run into Athenian soldiers."
Together with Nikos, I traveled toward the core of Stymphalos, where they arranged a gathering to find solutions collaboratively for issues concerning both space and sustenance.
I had just returned to Stymphalos with the citizens of Koutalas. My quick return, especially with a large group, confused everyone in Stymphalos.
As I figured, Aster was hesitant to take in an entire village. Stymphalos had barely recovered from the Stymphalian birds. Though the village wasn't starving yet, feeding extra people would become a problem.
Another problem the company faced was space. I had built extra homes in Stymphalos for any new families, but I hadn't expected an entire village's worth of people. In hindsight, the moat probably wasn't the best idea, as it restricted Stymphalos' expansion.
"Ugh, this is so uncomfortable," I mumbled, fidgeting with the toga. "Why are we even wearing these things?" I asked, completely unaccustomed to the garment.
"Ha, I remember saying the same thing when I was your age," Nikos chuckled. "You'd better get used to it if you want to rule. You'll be wearing those a lot. I'm just glad I had a spare to give you."
I could only scowl in his direction. Not only did I have to wear a ridiculous outfit, but it was also far too big on me. I felt like a child playing dress-up in their dad's clothes.
"Let's just get this done, Nikos. The quicker, the better," I said.
Nikos grew serious as I spoke. This was a significant problem, and we needed to fix it before things escalated. I knew people wouldn't start anything while I was around, but as soon as I was gone, the fighting would likely begin.
Initially, disagreements would be small, concerning land, then food, and eventually, rights. I certainly wouldn't want a civil war to erupt here. A war that would stain the very ground I just fought to defend.
That didn't even consider the possibility of divine intervention. I knew Athena would hold a grudge. She might not have cared about Spyridon or her soldiers, but she definitely cared about her image. I absolutely mocked her warriors, and that could have offended her.
I will always remember that Athena transformed Arachne into a spider because she was offended. Although I don't know a local version of that tale, I know the story of Medusa. Athena cursed the Gorgon of the Shapeless Isle out of pure jealousy. Athena cursed Medusa, even though she had done nothing.
Knowing my actions could lead to a civil war, especially with my upcoming training with Chiron, weighed heavily on me. The very act of destroying what I aimed to protect was the ruthlessness I expected from Athena. That's why I was here — to stop things before they got out of hand.
Nikos and I arrived at the village square, the focal point of the upcoming argument. The crowd, a mix of people from Stymphalos and Koutalas, had already gathered. Everywhere I looked, people gave me admiring glances, a sensation that made me distinctly uncomfortable.
As I made my way to the front, Aster greeted me. I figured we'd tackle the problem together, and privately, I felt Aster was gradually handing me the leadership role, preparing me for the day I'd be in charge.
"Alkaios, now that you're here, let's begin," Aster said, the nervousness completely gone, replaced by a steely determination. I nodded in agreement, fully aware of the gravity of the situation.
"Alright, everyone, we're here today to talk about integrating the people of Koutalas into our community. If anyone has ideas, please share them," I announced, and with that, the discussion began.
The village square erupted in a cacophony of voices. What started as a discussion quickly devolved into a storm. Arguments clashed, with both Stymphalian and Koutalan voices blending into a deafening roar. Accusations flew, tempers frayed, and each sentence fought to be heard, like men clawing their way up a wall.
Aster spoke, trying to restore some order, but a shout cut him off. The voices of the crowd rose, and the meeting dissolved into chaos. I could only sigh at the complete disorder.
I took a breath and put two fingers to my mouth. A sharp whistle sliced through the din. It wasn't just any whistle; it was the kind you blow in New York to hail a cab, hoping to be heard from blocks away.
The crowd's attention snapped to me, as if drawn by a magnet. Conversations stopped abruptly. Even the babies seemed to hold their breath, eyes wide, sensing the change.
For a heartbeat, I allowed the silence to remain undisturbed.
"Good," I said calmly. "Now we can talk like people who intend to live alongside each other. We won't get anywhere if we can't speak calmly."
I looked across the crowd. Koutalas and Stymphalos were packed together, on opposite sides. The tension between them was thick, like a dry forest on a scorching day, ready to erupt.
"Let's start with food and shelter," I said, getting right to it. "Speak calmly, and no threats. Anyone who threatens others threatens me as well."
Nobody contested or argued against that point. I looked in Aster's direction, and as I nodded, I saw him swallow with some difficulty.
The sun-baked barley farmer from Stymphalos took the lead, his hands calloused and his jaw tight. "Food comes first," he declared. "We won't starve out of misplaced pity. If Koutalas joins us, they'll work our land. Not as slaves, but as neighbors. Everyone earns their meal with their labor. We'll share the work among all the households."
It was clear to me that the Stymphalians agreed, and particularly the farmers, who responded with enthusiastic nods as the discussion progressed.
A Koutalan man responded without hesitation, straightening his back and stepping forward. "We'll do the work," he declared. "But don't treat us as if we're begging. We have skilled craftspeople and farmers. Give us land, and we'll pay taxes in grain."
An old fisherman scoffed, his eyes narrowed. "Land? Where in the water? Where do you expect more space to appear?"
I narrowed my eyes and whistled, a sharp sound to stop the rising noise. Heads swiveled back toward me. "Let him finish," I said.
The man lifted his chin. "We don't need to live in your center. Give us space to build a place that can become ours."
"We should do this right, using a ledger," the thin scribe said, raising a finger thoughtfully. "We can write the names of everyone with useful skills."
I nodded, thinking it was a good plan. "Aechenus," I said, "you've made a list of everyone in Koutalas. You'll be in charge of coordinating our efforts."
Aechenus, his gaze fixed on the tablet where he meticulously documented everything, nodded thoughtfully. Then, he looked up at me. "So, Alkaios, what about building homes? What's our plan?" he inquired.
I nodded; realizing that was what had been bothering me ever since I brought everyone back to Koutalas. The moats were the issue. They were excellent defenses against bandits and land-based monsters, but they limited our space. I found a certain poetic irony in using the lake where the Stymphalian birds lived to start the moat, then using water magic to expand it. It seemed Nemesis was laughing at me for that now.
"What kind of king makes a mess like this for himself?" I chided quietly. "Wait... king?"
I suddenly remembered playing Final Fantasy XV. Noctis went to a city built mostly on water. While I couldn't build a technological city like Altissia, I remembered that the real-world city of Venice inspired it.
I'm picturing using magic to turn Stymphalos into an ancient Venice, something similar to Altissia. The more I consider it, the better I like the idea. Canals crisscrossing the region would actually boost trade through waterways.
I knew the Peloponnese had no navy. I believed it had only one significant port, in the south. Building a complex canal system could definitely help establish a naval force. Athens, with its powerful navy, had a clear advantage. With these ideas swirling in my head, I sketched them out before I forgot.
"Aechenus, give me a tablet and stylus. I have an idea!" I said, excitement clear on my face. Aechenus raised an eyebrow at my expression, but handed me what I requested.
Taking the stylus, I tried to draw what I imagined, but I couldn't. Frustrated, I threw the tablet down and glared at Aechenus, who snorted and handed me another. It wasn't until I threw the third tablet that things changed.
I stared down at the tablet of ruined drawings, biting my stylus in frustration. Then I felt it–a familiar feeling that entered my soul and slotted into place.
Divine Protection of Photo-Realism
"Right, this is where all the bizarre Divine Protections show up," I said, snorting with amusement. Aechenus gave me a strange look, but I waved him off and reached for another tablet. I squinted at it, then made another drawing.
I can't find the right words to convey the feeling of this Divine Protection. The difference from the other Divine Protections was noticeable. With the new Divine Protection, it felt like countless thoughts flooded my mind as I sketched.
I could see tiny flaws, and as my hand moved, an image gradually took shape. Stymphalos was the first to appear, noted on the tablet before tiny lines began diverging. I marked the planned routes for the canals by drawing lines. I illustrated the spot inhabited by the citizens of Koutalas. Place them 100 meters from the boundary of Stymphalos.
My goal was to give the Koutalans some independence in giving while ensuring they remained close enough for Stymphalos to aid them if attacked, and to avoid any sense of separation. It was necessary to link the two villages, so I established various entry points by building canals from multiple locations. Constructing the bridges, and ultimately, creating a moat for the Koutalans, linked to the moat of Stymphalos.
"Aechenus, look at this," I told Aechenus, offering him the tablet. I grinned in amusement as Aechenus's eyes widened in disbelief at the drawing, particularly when he picked up my discarded tablet and compared the two.
"Lord Alkaios, how did you improve so much in such a short period?" Aechenus asked in disbelief.
"I pick things up fast, but how quickly can we complete this project if I use my magic?" I inquired, steering the conversation in a different direction.
Though he knew I was dodging the question, Aechenus understood this wasn't the time or place to bring it up: "With your abilities, my Lord, it would take a minimum of two lunar cycles using your magic to build waterways, which means constructing the homes will consume the bulk of the time." Aechenus said as he looked over the tablet in thought.
I nodded, considering it reasonable. "Given the circumstances, I'll take care of the waterways as you will supervise the building with Aster and the craftsman; I'll come to you once I'm done." I said, I saw Aster perk up hearing his name as Aechenus passed him the tablet.
I saw Aster's eyes widen with disbelief as he looked at me. I gave him a slight smile as Aster returned to the bewildered and restless crowd of citizens.
"Everyone, Alkaios has proposed an idea that will satisfy all. Let's pass this tablet around, and then we'll figure out our next steps," Aster stated as he passed the tablet. I could hear the astonishment about the drawing, no doubt because of how realistic it appeared.
While I was waiting, I could already hear the complaints and the agreements circulating, which caused me to groan in frustration.
"This is going to feel like a very long two months," I said, rubbing my eyes, as I could already feel the weariness setting in.
I thought getting everyone on board with the plan would be the easiest part, but it proved to be the most difficult. The simple part was building the new quarter, and the true birth of the new quarter was because of the cooperation of all the citizens.
After the meeting concluded and the tablet displaying my canal map was no longer being passed around, the project divided neatly into two parts. The dry construction elements, such as foundations, framing, roofing, and bridges, were built by the craftsmen and laborers. My route included the wet areas: canals, feeder channels, the updated moat around the Koutalan quarter, the original moat around Stymphalos, and all the connecting waterways.
The Divine Protection of Photo Realism didn't instantly make me a divine architect. It just meant my drawings finally matched what was in my head. My existing craft skills and experience were the foundation for the actual construction work that I performed. While it's easy to see the ideal line on a tablet, the actual test comes when cutting it through compacted earth, rocks, and old tree roots.
I walked the route from the lake to the Koutalan homes' designated location on the first day. Artisans walked beside me, tallying paces, gauging distances with rope, and putting down stakes to show the future bridge locations. My role was to prevent the town from becoming a swamp while ensuring water delivery.
My palm met the earth at the moat's eastern edge, and water welled up in response. It wasn't a beautiful, shining miracle; instead, the land grudgingly loosened its grip gradually. I willed the soil to yield, and it softened, while stones trembled and moved away. I imagined the canals cross section just like my drawing, employing those lines as a template to carve a deep, pristine channel, wide enough for approximately two barges.
Whenever the ground threatened to cave in, I'd reshape the incline, reinforce the edges with packed clay, and strategically place sizable stones to stabilize the slopes. By the time I filled and leveled out the first stretch, mud covered most of my body.
As I struggled with mud and bedrock, the craftsmen remained concentrated on constructing the houses. Following my completion of a canal portion, they would position themselves next to it, identifying areas for new dwellings and setting up the groundwork. Stymphalian carpenters and Koutalan stoneworkers, whose hands moved in perfect harmony, found themselves in a disagreement over joinery styles. I wasn't really listening. I paid attention to how each part transitioned and connected.
Each day brought with it the same, predictable pattern.
I'd walk the planned route, assess its slope carefully, and then shape it with both skill and magic. The water, when unconfined, was eager to rush downwards and potentially cause havoc, so I had to manage its flow by carving gentle curves, building small basins to slow it, and incorporating space for wooden sluice gates at key spots. Once I completed my work on the channels, Aster and the builders took over and converted the empty banks into habitable streets.
Constructing the moat for the new Koutalan quarter was the most demanding task. My task was then to create a second structure that sheltered the new arrivals without appearing restrictive. With Aechenus and Aster, I strolled the entire perimeter, altering the line's course if it was too close to an existing path or would make access difficult.
It was as though my whole body was drawing a protective circle when I started digging. I expanded sections of the existing moat and joined them with newly dug channels, creating an unbroken waterway surrounding both communities, which I then connected to the primary canals, much like veins connecting to a heart. When my limbs gave out and the channel's edge crumbled, it was the most challenging, as if it was making fun of me. I often stopped to shore up the bank by hand, reconstructing sections with stone fortifications, using the same methods.
During that period, roofs were being built. As I took a breath, I noticed houses emerging on the edge of the water I had made. Craftsmen shouted for more beams, more rope, more nails. Small stones were being carried by the children. The women handed over baskets filled with mortar. I didn't have to give them many instructions. Provide a skilled builder with a well-defined plan, and they will bring it to life.
I checked runoff paths, left space for drainage ditches, and occasionally tore up a section I did not like and reshaped it, to the mute horror of whoever had hoped to build there the next day. Although they initially grumbled, most of them nodded when I gave them my reasoning. They knew the difference between a town built for temporary business and one built to last.
//Two Months Later//
Two months passed just like that.
By the end, the map on my tablet and the view from the hill finally matched. Stymphalos no longer sat as a single cluster behind one moat. It spread in long fingers of streets between glittering canals. The Koutalan houses hugged their new water ring, connected to the old town by bridges. Boats instead of carts now moved heavy loads.
Even though Stymphalos was unlike Altissia, the future concept was already clear to me. In Greece today, Stymphalos stands out as a singular village, and I'm proud to say it. Aster and I thought about expanding further, and we specifically prepared some empty land with existing canals for upcoming projects.
//Next Day//
My second departure was a brief affair. If I were being honest, I wanted to get to Chiron's mountain. I had already delayed my journey long enough. While I would never regret my choice to help the citizens of Koutalas, it was time for me to get there.
Taking a deep breath, I channeled my aura into my legs and sprinted, leaving a cloud of dust behind me. Faint screams of children, now covered in dust, reached my ears. There was a strange beauty to it all as I ran. The clean air filling my lungs was incredibly refreshing. I grinned, feeling a surge of new Divine Protection fill my very being.
Divine Protection of Swift Running
If I had eyes in the back of my head, I would have seen the enormous dust cloud I was kicking up. I couldn't help grinning as I sped past the deserted Koutalas. As I ran, I silently vowed to rebuild the village someday.
I skidded to a stop, breathing hard with exhaustion. I pulled my map out of my bag and nodded with relief, knowing I was on the right track. Taking a breath, I walked past rolling hills, waving at the villagers I saw as I finally left the Peloponnesus landmass.
Chiron POV
It felt strange having to wait. Typically, students would eagerly seek me out, determined to reach my home without delay. Yet here I am, expecting Alkaios, who was supposed to arrive two months ago.
I wasn't worried Alkaios was dead; a boy who could kill Stymphalian birds wouldn't go down so easily. Still, I couldn't help but worry about him.
Upon contacting Lady Astraea, I was quite pleased to find out that instead of being injured, Alkaios was actually saving an entire village. Feeling a sense of warmth throughout my being, I was reminded that Alkaios already possessed the most difficult essence to train, a fact that was both daunting and impressive.
Alkaios already possessed the heart of a hero. The body was simple enough to train, but the spirit proved a far greater challenge, a truth that wasn't pleasant to acknowledge. Some students, like Alkaios and Heracles, seemed to be born with heroic qualities. Castor and Jason, however, lacked this innate spirit, and I had to work to cultivate it within them.
Despite their flaws, Castor and Jason possessed kind hearts, though they kept them hidden. I could see a strong bond between Castor and his sister, similar to the one between Jason and Heracles. Even though Jason envied Heracles' strength, he never feared him, despite knowing his past.
I understood that Jason and Castor could improve despite their weaknesses, but they had to dedicate themselves to the process. Regardless, being their teacher, it falls upon me to illustrate the course of action for them.
Without warning, I experienced a distinct feeling of someone intruding upon my safeguarded space, which extended to encompass the mountain. Trotting toward the edge of the cliff, I saw a massive cloud of dust making its way toward the foot of the mountain.
My face lit up with a smile as the most humorous part of the new student training was on the verge of starting. As magical energy surged through me, I waited with bated breath for the performance to begin.
"What the Hades?!" Alkaios screamed.
I chuckled, watching Alkaios blunder right into a trap. Ah, this was the best part of being a teacher. Most people thought I'd let just anyone train on this mountain—and, well, they weren't wrong. I permitted anyone who could make it to the camp to train here. Avoiding the traps and obstacles I'd set up across the mountain, however, was a whole other story.
I'm proud to say that every student I've trained has got here, without exception. However, the challenges weren't all the same; Heracles finished the task the quickest, whereas Jason took the longest.
"Why is there a Chimera here?!" Alkaios yelled, his voice cracking.
The training of a lesser chimera has been a stroke of luck for which I am incredibly grateful. I find myself compelled to offer my thanks to Lady Athena once more, as she was the one who guided me to it.
I wondered how long it would take Alkaios to get here. Maybe I should have my students watch; they'd enjoy seeing Alkaios's journey. Thinking it over, I'm sure they'd get a kick out of watching him trigger the traps.
As Alkaios triggered another trap, the mountain trembled, and several large boulders came loose and tumbled down. I couldn't help but let out a laugh, and then I remarked, "It's the tiny aspects of existence that one should treasure, truly."
Chapter 8: Arrival at Mount Pelion End