The others shrugged.
“They have done so up to now,” said Ajax after a pause, approaching the others again. “Look – I know that those villagers saw something that looked strange. But you have to admit, you don’t know the whole story. Perhaps the captains were trying to gain information on the enemies.”
“That is possible, I guess,” said Plato. “But the captains have also been working against us from day one.”
“I don’t know,” said Glaucus. “It’s been tough – but isn’t that part of the training?”
Troy made a face. “The only person that can really tell us is Andros.”
“And that means…” began Plato.
“…we need to get out of town for a couple of days anyway,” Troy finished. “While he recovers.”
He looked around at the others. Clearly, Ajax was unwilling to hear a word said against Sparta Online or against the captains. Glaucus seemed more open to persuasion, but had doubts – and Troy knew that he didn’t have any absolute proof that their hardships weren’t all part of the program.
He looked to Plato. “Do you really think they are sending us to our deaths?”
Plato shrugged. “Even if the captains are corrupt, I don’t think they can fundamentally redesign the training. This quest does seem to be built in, so it was probably designed to help us learn. I expect that they are withholding some equipment from us, though.”
“If so, then they genuinely are willing to get us all killed.” He looked around at the others.
“So the task is hard,” said Ajax. “I am going anyway. If you cowards don’t come along, it will be harder for me, but at least I’ll have shown everyone that I’m a good soldier.”
Plato put one hand on Ajax’s shoulder, and another on Troy’s. “But that’s it,” he said, his eyes shining. “Being a good soldier is not about equipment – it’s about being smart, and working as a team.”
Troy looked at his friend, eyes narrowed. “You mean the one thing they have been trying to stop us doing?”
Plato nodded eagerly. “If we make it through this, we’ll do it by being smart, by teamwork, and by making use of what we have. I mean, we have swords, we have a bow… surely we can find a way to do this and survive.”
“And maybe we can gather more equipment on our way,” added Glaucus hopefully.
Troy nodded, gritting his teeth as he turned to look towards the path ahead. “Very well. Then we go. But we go on our terms, not theirs. And we come back stronger.”
* * *
After crossing the river, the four hoplites turned north and continued along its eastern shore. They were moving slightly uphill, but the going was largely flat and easy to walk on, grassy with a few long flat limestone rocks. To their left, some stumps of trees stuck out above the water line, and flat areas of sandy rock lined both banks.
“Low water level,” said Plato, pointing down to his side. “It’s been dry. That should make it easier for us to make our way along, provided that we stay close to the river. For a while, anyway.”
“And provided it doesn’t rain on our way,” commented Glaucus.
Troy rolled his eyes. Glaucus was certainly much less abrasive and confrontational than his partner-in-crime Ajax, but he had a certain gloominess about him which was already starting to get annoying.
“I still can’t believe the captains are involved,” said Ajax, for the fourth time. “No – I tell you what, I won’t believe it. There has to be a better explanation.”
Plato shrugged. “Believe it, Ajax, or do not. It’s up to you.”
The tall hoplite shrugged, and Plato continued: “There are two logical possibilities. Either this is all part of the test, or the training has been compromised in some way.”
“I bet it’s the latter,” said Troy, whacking at bush with his wooden club on the way past. “It’s the barbarians.”
“But remember what I said, man,” said Plato calmly. “The ancient Greeks called nearly everyone ‘barbarians’. It needn’t have any connection with the real New Baravia. In fact, it probably doesn’t. I mean, why would the general put our enemies into the simulation? The chances are that they don’t even know this training exists.”
Troy walked closer to his friend. “Yeah, I hear you. But what if they do? They are the enemies of our city, so they would want it to fail, right? What if they have somehow infiltrated it?”
“Hmm…” Plato scratched at his scarred face as he walked. There were beads of sweat all over his face and neck, and his long dark hair looked damp too. Troy supposed that he himself was looking just as hot and bothered. “I suppose you are right,” said Plato at last. “That is to say, if the training has been compromised, there are a further two possibilities. Either this has been done by a person or group from Technoburbia, or by an outsider.”
“Now you are getting it,” said Troy, nodding enthusiastically. “Surely if it’s an outsider, then it has to have been done by our city’s enemies. Nearly everyone outside of Technoburbia is potentially an enemy to our homeland, but the people of New Baravia most of all. We could be seeing the work of barbarians both in and out of the game.”
Skill boost! You have developed your quick thinking. +5XP
“Well, they would want that, wouldn’t they?” put in Glaucus in a rather shrill voice. “To cause havoc and ruin everything?’
“Indeed they would, man,” said Plato.
The boys continued in silence for a moment, Ajax still frowning and shaking his head. Troy glanced up at the tall red-cheeked boy. He was going to be a problem, that much was clear. It would be just like Ajax to report their concerns to the captains as soon as they returned. Indeed, it was just as well that they were on this mission together; it gave Plato and himself a bit of time to process the information they had received without that happening. And to make plans.
The trail gradually moved away from the river, and soon they saw the coast stretching out ahead of them to the right. It was ragged looking from a distance, and largely consisted of cliffs high above the sea. Having now been walking for around three hours, the hoplites agreed to stop, and they sat in the shade of some large boulders and looked out to sea. It was very beautiful. Again, Troy saw sleek ships passing in the distance, one fairly close to the land, and one much further off.
What was out there, he briefly wondered. Could they really travel to far-off places, like the enemy city that Democles had spoken of? And was there a point at which the simulation ended? Would they come to a sign which said ‘end of the world’?
“Hey guys,” Troy said, after musing on this for a few minutes as he munched into some of the dry fruit that they had been given at the village. “You see those ships?”
“Uh-huh,” said Glaucus, and Plato and Ajax nodded.
“Well, do you think that they are just for decoration, or are they actually full of NPCs? Or maybe even full of more recruits like us, being taken off to their own version of Sparta Online?”
“Stop asking weird questions,” muttered Ajax, and then shoved another piece of honey cake into his mouth. Tory glared at him, and then looked around at Plato.
But his friend also shrugged. “We can’t really know, can we?” he said. “But it would certainly be a bit strange for the General to have set up an entire online world when we are only using part of the Greek mainland. So perhaps it is just a backdrop.”
Troy nodded, still looking out. “Of course, we don’t know how far we might need to travel. This time it’s to the fight the hydra. Next time, we go further. As far as we need to.”
Skill boost! You have developed your grit. +5XP
“Right around the world, maybe?” finished Plato, and then chuckled.
“Don’t say that,” said Glaucus, again speaking in a high-pitched voice that betrayed his anxiety.
“All right, man,” said Plato. “I was only joking.”
The sun was still beating down strongly as the early afternoon rolled on, and soon, after washing down the snack with a dr
ink from their waterskins, the four recruits began to move on again.
“Wait,” said Troy after they had taken just a few steps away from the boulders.
“What now?” said Ajax sourly, placing his hands on his hips.
“They said it back at the village – ‘fill the waterskins at the river’. Because the water where we are going isn’t safe to drink.”
Ajax shrugged. “So what? Who cares what those sub-humans think?” The tall hoplite turned and began to walk on once again. Glaucus shrugged and began to follow.
“Are you kidding me?” said Plato, looking at their companion but not following. “The Helot villagers were spot on! Surely you don’t want to die of thirst, whatever you think of them.”
But apparently Ajax was indeed willing to take that risk, as he continued to walk away from them. Troy and Plato were left looking at each other.
“It is a long way back now,” said Troy, glancing down the trail. “And I’d rather get this over with.”
“Yeah, I suppose,” said Plato. “I don’t want to go back to the river either, but it seems like quite a risk to let our supply of water run down.”
“Surely we must pass another stream of some kind?”
“Yeah. I guess. If we keep our eyes peeled, we’ll see a spring or a stream.”
The other pair was starting to build up quite a lead, and with a sigh, Troy shoved his own waterskin back into the shoulder bag and hurried after.
And as the afternoon gave way to evening, the sun began to set over the mountains.
* * *
Morning arrived. Troy was the first of the boys to wake, and he stood up quickly, looking around the dry shaded area among the trees. “Health,” he muttered.
Current health level: Healthy
Illness: None
Disease: None
Hunger: 31%
Thirst: 68%
Hit points: 25/25
The previous evening they had continued until they reached the very edge of the coast, and then walked north, following a line of sea cliffs. As the dark had deepened and not without a considerable amount of arguing, they had agreed to camp out among a grove of cypress trees, the dense and low sprays of foliage providing some cover from the elements – or from any enemies that might be on the prowl.
Now, after walking away from the other sleeping boys and out from among the tall dark-green conifers, Troy was treated to a glorious red sunrise over the sea. There was another land mass to his left, bathed in red, the way he knew they must travel today. Further out, many small islands were visible out into the Mediterranean, but he couldn’t make out any detail. Again, he briefly wondered whether these islands even had NPC inhabitants, or if they were effectively beyond the bounds of the game.
Returning, he found that Ajax was awake. The boy was holding his waterskin; he looked sulkily at it, lifting it to his mouth, and then threw it down to one side. “I’m out of water,” he whined.
Troy shook his head. “Then you should have listened when Plato and I said we needed to refill.”
“Didn’t go back for any though, did you?”
Troy grunted and said nothing. If he had done so, it would have split the party. But in hindsight, it would have been the smarter move.
“Is there something you wanted to ask me, Troy? Or you’re just bothering me when I am trying to get up?”
“No – I don’t need anything from you.”
Ajax shrugged. “All right. Then how about you share some of your water?”
Troy’s mouth fell open at the audacity of his rival. “Wow,” he said, “if it wasn’t coming from you, Ajax, I would hardly believe what I just heard. I mean, after what you pulled back at the Elysian Fields, and then walking off when I said we should return to the river, you’d sit there and ask me for some of my water.” He stomped over to where his pack was lying, pulled out his waterskin and weighed it in his hands. “And no, not much.” With that he opened the stopper, emptied a couple of gulps into his mouth.
“But… I’m thirsty,” said Ajax, scowling.
What a whining loser, thought Troy. And then, making a face, he stoppered the waterskin carefully and threw it over to Ajax. “Fine, then. I said we’d work as a team, and I meant it. Take the last few drops. And promise to stop trash talking the Helots. They were right about the water – admit it.”
Skill boost! You have developed your valor. +5XP
But Ajax just shrugged; he was already pouring the last drops from Troy’s waterskin into his mouth. He caught Troy’s eye as he put it down. “Right. Thanks man.”
“You’re welcome. Like I keep saying, we need to work together.”
Ajax sniffed, looking off to the side, then stood up and walked over to Troy. “Look, I’m sorry about taking your stuff like that. It wasn’t the right thing to do.” He handed Troy back the waterskin.
“Okay.”
“And, uh…” Ajax paused, and began to unbuckle the dagger from his belt. “You were right – I shouldn’t have taken this without asking. Here.” He held the dagger out.
Troy hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“It’s yours by rights. We are Spartans. We fight together.”
With a nod, Troy took the dagger back from his comrade. “You want the club, maybe?”
Ajax shrugged, sneering down at the club. “No, thanks.”
Troy then unbuckled the bracer from his right wrist. “Have this, then. Just to show I meant what I said. It will protect your sword arm.”
With a nod, Ajax took the armor piece. And soon they were on their way again.
Level: Hoplite (Level 3)
XP: 0515 (unspent: 0065)
Hit points: 25/25
Luck points: 1
Equipment: belt; canvas bag; coin pouch; dagger; greaves; iron hatchet; rations (1); waterskin (1%); wooden club.
Chapter 17: The Village
The four hoplites moved on towards the north, walking two yards from the edge of the sea cliff as they went. Initially they were high above the swirling sea, but the dry grassy land soon gave way to bare rocks, and the cliffs descended until they were walking only a few yards above the water.
There was a fishing vessel out at anchor, and ahead Troy could see a village. In some respects it looked like the cluster of houses where the Helots lived, but a fair bit larger, and the buildings themselves were more like the Spartan dwellings of the main city.
“I wonder what kind of place this is?” said Plato.
“Have your weapons ready,” said Ajax, scowling. “These are outsiders, not Spartans. They are probably little better than savages.”
Troy glanced towards the fishing boat, where he could make out people working at ropes, and then back at the dwelling. There were fields with goats in them, and neatly pruned apple trees. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” he said at last. “Look at the quality of the houses. These people have technology, and clearly they can farm and trade…”
The rocks of the shore had joined onto a proper, well-tended path before they reached the village itself, and when the four boys were around a hundred yards away, they heard shouting. A pair of men emerged from among the houses and began to approach them. Each of them held a spear, but they were unarmored.
The hoplites continued, and Troy held up both hands as he walked to emphasize that he was not drawing a weapon. “Hello,” he called. “We are passing through, and mean you no harm.”
“Who are you?” called the older man as the two groups reached within a few feet of each other. He had a mighty dark-brown beard streaked with silver, and his crown was bald with more silver hair at the sides and back of his head. The younger man had a shorter, stubbly beard, and long hair tied at the back of his head and falling down over his shoulders. He was skinny, with narrow gangly arms.
Plato spoke up: “We are hoplites of Sparta, not long begun our military training. We have been sent to defeat a foul beast that lives in the marshlands north of here.”
“Names?”
“I am Plato, and these are Ajax, Glaucus and Troy,” he said, gesturing at each of them in turn.
“Troy,” said the younger man, looking to the elder, and then staring back at Troy with a look of disgust on his face.
“You work for the Trojans, then? Or the Persians?” asked the older man.
“Told you,” muttered Plato gently, leaning towards his friend.
“No,” said Troy quickly, looking at the strangers and taking a step back. He raised his hands again in what he hoped was a peaceful gesture. “Just my parents’ sense of humor, you see. I have never been to the city of Troy, and I know nothing about it – I’m a Spartan through and through, and training to be a warrior to defend its people with my life. With luck, one day we can stand side by side in battle with your own folk.”
Skill boost! You have developed your interpersonal skills. +5XP
The older man nodded and grunted, and then began to circle the group. “You’re not very well equipped for hoplites,” he said. “Where are your shields?”
“We are new recruits, man,” said Plato. “We have been set a series of challenges to win our equipment. The General who recruited us thinks that will make us into better soldiers.”
“Hmm. Perhaps. Well, wait here, Spartans.”
The two men then walked a few paces away, leaving the boys standing on the road for a minute or two. Troy looked out to sea again, noticing that the fishing boat had now raised its anchor and was moving a bit further out under sail.
After a delay, the younger of the men came back, while the older proceeded back to the village. “We have agreed that you present no threat to us at all, he said, sneering down his nose at the four of them. “You are obviously little more than weak and harmless children. Carry on – but beware that if you steal or cause any damage to our property, you will answer to me.”
Nemesis (Sparta Online Book 1) Page 13