Forsaken 337 BC

by Sharon Leslie

  Lesley could not stop herself and laughed when Violetta told Cain and now on the journey back to Serrena. When they entered their suite of rooms all the other wives and Areto were laughing too. Toni said it wouldn’t surprise her what Violetta said regarding Suzanna and Circe and later Areto and Myrina being pregnant too.

  :Enoch, I’m pleased this is a game, if it was real life, based on how Cybele and Athena blessed the women, I’d have fathered twenty-eight children. We’d need a huge mansion to house each of them, even if they shared bedrooms,: said Cain.

  {It is a good job you never made love to the Amazons too, or you would have over two thousand children. You would need to buy a small town to house them all. For the children you do have there is a thirty-bedroomed châteaux in the Normandy region of France for sale, the asking price is seventy-three million, it is a snip for a growing family,} Enoch said. Cain was sure he could hear Enoch laughing in the back of his mind.

  Spending most of the day planning it was nearing evening when Cain surprised and took Areto and Myrina to Petrabele falls. They camped out beside the falls, as Areto let slip when they first were in the area she thought the falls were romantic. The protectors came with them and provided a light screen of protection during the night as they slept. Cain cooked their breakfast, waking Myrina then Areto with the smell of bacon and pancakes.

  After breakfast they climbed to the top of the falls, diving in the deep pool. Cain remembered the player who landed badly and he made sure the falls were safe to dive from and into. Together they continued to swim at the foot of the falls while fooling around with each other. Cain picked both his lovers up, walking from the pool over to the knee-deep grass. He knelt as he held both women and they began to kiss and touch him, Cain kissed Areto while he caressed Myrina. They made love in the lush grass as their bodies dried in the sun, it was growing dark and cooler as their time alone came to an end, Toni messaged Cain.

  ^T^ Cain, Alexander wants to see you. He’s been looking for you for several days, and worries you have left without saying goodbye. ^

  ^C^ As if I could leave you behind, doesn't Alexander know I value my life more than to leave you alone. Silly noob king. ^

  Together, Cain, Areto and Myrina cleared the camp away, mounted their horses and rode back to Petrabele; using the travel-post. Fifteen hours later, Cain walking hand in hand with Toni and Sophie entered the throne room, as King Alexander was shouting at two lower lords. Alexander looked up as he heard the large doors close and noticed Cain between Sophie and Toni. He dismissed the two lords as he ran over to Cain and threw his arms around him in a brotherly hug.

  "I thought you had left, I looked for you and none of your wives, not even Natasha would say where you were. I would like your advice; can you help me before you leave?" Alexander said. Cain said, "I am here now and you know I listen to you. So Alexander what bothers you?"

  "My lower lords do not want to pay their taxes as they think the army is large enough already. While the higher lords, want to stay in control of the companies of men they provide to the army. How can I increase my army and take away their control while making the lower lords pay their taxes?"

  "Knowing how your father built up his army, you need to make serious changes. Break up the men the higher lords provide, put them in different companies, under professional leaders like those the VETS are training for you. Have all the lower and higher lords join the army on a compulsory five-year duty. Have them trained to become your mounted heavy cavalry, let them be a mobile heavy weapon and guard for you at the same time; behind the Amazons.

  "Eventually you can reduce your dependence upon the Amazons, as I will have need of many of them later. If any other problems arise, you can always ask Nithey of the VETS, or either Areto and Myrina as they are staying behind to command the Amazons, when we leave," Cain said.

  Alexander liked the suggestions, he called for his scribes to write the proclamations. During the evening, Cain invited Alexander into Bounty for the first time, he gave him a tour of their home during their travels. Toni had to close Alexanders mouth with a finger as he stood and gapped at the wonders. "I really should charge people when they come into Bounty for the first time," said Toni.

  Cain was the last to lead his horse from the stables and mount. He was pleased to see Alexander was stood waiting to say goodbye, not only to Cain but his women too. Alexander knew Areto and Myrina would return within two, three or maybe four weeks with the protectors. Clasping Alexander's forearm in a warrior’s shake, Cain spoke to him.

  "Remember to be careful of asking too much of your men and women. Be merciful where you can and hard where needed. Follow the path where your feet fall, remember practice becomes excellence, and excellence is repetitive practice. Always plan for all eventualities and never take the obvious path when you go to war."

  Weeping Eye

  Saying goodbye to Alexander, Cain with Toni at his side rode their horses at a fast trot out of the palace grounds, before breaking into a canter. Slowing half an hour later to a ground eating trot, they kept the horses at an easy pace and stopped at the first stream they crossed. There they watered and rested their horses for an hour and stretched their own legs.

  They remounted and Cain used his HUD map he checked the first location pin and they moved out at the steady pace, Cain’s horse set. Taking a short break after three hours, they eventually continued for over another hour until they came upon the first location the heavily fortified garrison town, Strimonochena.

  Entering the town Toni asked one of the militia posted at the gate, "Can you tell me where there are any inns available in the town with stabling for our number of horses." The militia guard directed the party to the inn called the Harpies Feathers, three streets distant. Dropping the man, a silver Drachma, Toni thanked him for the directions.

  They arranged quarters in the Harpies Feathers for the night, Cain, Toni and Daphne went to see the garrison commander as Alexander had sent the town officer several scrolls. After playing messengers they went to Athena’s temple, a small building inside the citadel walls though near the towns wall.

  Inside the temple, they gave thanks to Athena for her guiding hand on the Amazons. Cain asked for her continued protection and guidance while he and his player wives left the game zone. The golden light announced Cybele’s presence. "I am certain Athena wouldn't mind me usurping her temple," Cybele told Cain, "I have found three loop-holes in the game code which someone exploited. They used one to let assassins from Assassins4you, entry into the game with a high build character.

  "I have closed that loop-hole as it had been used, it cannot be used again. Once of the other loop-holes has allowed somebody to add a code to the game zone portal gates, barring any of you from accessing and travelling to another zone. The code they wrote forbids Joseph and the DreamBabes access, if you were to disband and name yourselves something different, the portals would no longer forbid you.

  "Since they have used the loop-hole it cannot be used for anything else in the 337 BC zone or any other zone. Until they other loop-hole is used I cannot close it, as I cannot understand where it can be used. When you leave here take the small Athena statue and carry it in a saddle bag, it will make tracking you difficult and will give some protection from the system cameras. Safe journey and I hope to speak with you all later," said Cybele.

  They picked up the statue of Athena then walked back to the Harpies Feathers, Toni was surprised most of the garrison were moving out of Strimonochena, leaving only the militia guarding the town. When they entered the inn, Bethany gave Cain a scroll from Alexander, brought by a messenger five minutes ago. It informed Cain the garrison in Strimonochena, would enter the passageway through the mountains. Their mission is the premise of Harpy hunting so trade can flow easier, its real mission it is to trip any ambushes their enemy may have placed.

  After a good night's sleep in Bounty, they ate then rode out of Strimonochena as a phalanx of the garrison returned, carrying eighteen dead harpies, hung o
n poles between the men. The commanding officer had his men line up at the side of the road and asked Cain and his wives to view his troops. They dismounted and walked up and down the lines of Macedonian troops, telling the officer his men did him proud.

  Leaving the Macedonian troops by the side of the road and following the main trail through the mountain pass, they passed scenes of small skirmishes and lots of Harpy feathers. Four hours after they entered the mountain pass they rode out of the pass and visited the next walled town called, Chuchulena on Cain's HUD map.

  Cain found out for the reason for the size of the battlements, Chuchulena was the first bastion town of Macedonia. Once inside the walls they visited the town military and handed over the messages to the garrison commander. As they rode through Chuchulena, Sophie and Bethany said something felt off about the town. Rather than stay inside the walls they left and rode for two hours before camping on the side of a wide river flowing from the mountains.

  As they camped inside Bounty, they spoke about the tale Aristotle had told Alexander. A tale which if they followed the clues would lead them to the portal. They went to sleep early, cuddling on the bed, they all felt on edge. The next day was uneventful as they rode higher up the mountain range, they still followed the main trail as they headed up the valley. They stopped three times to rest their horses, Cain was glad they could carry water in their inventory as water was scarce in this valley. On their last stop, they came across a nice flat area near the head of the valley they were travelling up. The grass here was lush and several small streams flowed through the area.

  After another restful night, they exited Bounty and came face to face with eleven large and dead mountain lions. A protector said, "They attacked during the night, our horses smelt them which warned us, so we hunted them. The hunter in these mountains unexpectedly became the hunted."

  They decided to spend the day, skinning and preparing the mountain lion pelts, Cain wanted to send them to Alexander as a gift. A gift for sending the garrison at Strimonochena, out to clear the mountain pass, of Harpies and potential ambushes. Placing them in their inventory, Myrina and Areto said they would hand them over to Alexander, when they returned.

  They ate well and dried plenty of the meat, in the morning they each were tentative as they exited Bounty, only to find the first golden light of dawn highlighting the mountain tops. They reached the head of the valley and the main trail vanished. Thanks to Josephine's scouting, they followed an animal trail over the mountain ridge and into the next valley which continued to climb higher.

  Myrina had been sending Josephine out scouting each day and had found no signs of people anywhere this high. Three hours into their morning ride, Myrina let out a surprised gasp, then cried out in excitement. As the others crowded near Myrina informed them what she had seen through Josephine’s eyes.

  "This valley we are following ends at a gorge in around two hours. Over the gorge is a narrow stone bridge, on the opposite side there are two goat trails. A wide trail leading to the right and up the mountain and a narrow trail leading back following the gorge.

  "As Josephine flew higher, I could see a ribbon of blue against the darkness of the mountain. As she got nearer, I could see a river flowing through a wide eye shaped hole near the mountain top. Lower down from the top is a large rock outcrop, which juts into the flow of water. The water over time has worn a large hole trough the outcrop, through which the river flows, falling over one hundred yards to a large foamy pool, from there the water becomes a small river."

  It was as Myrina said, the valley ended at a wide gorge, a narrow stone bridge crossed its width. Making their last camp before Cain and his original DreamBabes would leave and walk up the mountain to the weeping eye.

  Inside Bounty, they made love for the last time, where Areto and Myrina were as much a part of the DreamBabes as the players. They achieved almost no sleep as they each wanted to show Areto and Myrina how much they loved them.

  They woke later than normal, Cain asked Myrina for one of the mountain lion pelts, which she was taking to Alexander. Cain used the mountain lion pelt and made a leather scabbard and harness for a sword he had made for Alexander.

  Cain used his knowledge of weapons and made what was called a European arming blade. Made from Damascus steel, and carried three enchantments from Bethany. Cain told Myrina to tell Alexander a king deserves a kingly sword. He then told Myrina what the enchantments Bethany placed on the sword were.

  As they were inside Bounty, Cain and Lesley told Myrina and Areto some of the history from their world about Alexander the Great. Enoch, Rahab and Ruth agreed Myrina and Areto should know the path Alexander took in the real world, as it could help them keep Alexander's feet on the same or similar path in the game.

  As they left Bounty, Cain looked closely at the stone bridge as he waited for the others to exit and pack Bounty into their inventory. Daphne said, "I have tried to use my Geomancer skill on the bridge but anything I tried made no difference. I am sorry Joseph but I could not strengthen it, nor could I make another newer bridge." Cain hugged Daphne and said, "It's ok, I sort of guessed that would be the case. I think the bridge is part of the quest, therefore we will have to cross it here and now."

  Knowing there was only one option, Cain had them rope themselves together, leaving enough rope so one person at a time was on the bridge. Cain said his goodbyes to Myrina, Areto, and the twenty protectors, hugging and kissing each. Toni laughed saying she did not think the protectors could blush so much. After they all followed Cain’s lead, roped together they approached the bridge.

  Cain took ten steps back from the start of the bridge, ran toward it then leapt, his legs pushed him up, over the bridge and gorge. Landing as though he’d stepped down to ground from a stair, Cain found a large rock which he fastened a large loop of rope around, making a strong anchor point.

  Toni, was the first of Cain’s women to cross the stone bridge, each step brought a loud cracking sound as a fine pieces of the stone dust drifted into the gorge. Going steady, Toni placed her left foot onto the ground as she finished and crossed the bridge. Walking over to Cain, Toni gave him a kiss then unhooked her rope giving Cain the rope, now connected to Lesley.

  Lesley, noticed how Toni crossed, she walked using little steps, not running across but close. The bridge snapped and popped on each step Lesley took as she crossed the gorge, settling down a minute after she reached the other side. Drenched in sweat, Lesley handed the rope to Cain, her hand was shaking until Cain held it pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her. Cain kept hold of Lesley until she calmed down.

  Daphne was the next to cross, she made sure her rope was taut in front of her but loose behind as she stepped onto the bridge. As she passed halfway, a loud snapping sound echoed down the gorge, four stones fell from the middle section of the bridge's path, tumbling into the depths of the gorge.

  The stones left a hole near the centre of the bridge, a gap which Daphne passed by taking a small hop over. Once over the gap, Daphne increased her stride her eyes focused on Cain who held out his hands while keeping the rope taut. Daphne knew she was over she Cain hugged her and kissed her.

  Sophie stretched her legs before her attempt to cross the bridge, only Bethany had to follow her. Beginning her attempt Sophie stood on the wall of the bridge, then ran fast toward the middle. She noticed the stones around the large hole were vibrating, acting on instinct Sophie leapt forward landing on her left leg then hopped forward landing on the last stone of the bridge.

  As her foot hit the stone, it turned to dust and her leg fell into the hole, her momentum pitched her forward beyond the bridge, into Cain's arms. Turning back Sophie watched as several more stones fell away, as they fell more and more of the bridge crumbled until all of the bridge had disappeared into the gorge.

  Bethany stood on the lip of the gorge and looked at the three stones still in the place where the bridge used to be on her side of the gorge, there because they were on the land not held suspended
in the air. Thinking to lower a rope down the side of the gorge so she could climb down, then let the rope's momentum swing her across came to a halt. Bethany heard the sound of metal rubbing across metal, echo up the gorge. Pulling the rope back she had lowered Bethany noticed something had cut the rope in half.

  ^C^ Bethany, it looked like a scissor came out of a hidden slot and sliced the rope. What I would like you to do is for you to walk about twelve yards back from the lip of the gorge. When I give you a shout, I want you to run at a diagonal, away from my position toward the gorge and jump as high as you can. We will keep the rope taut on this side. When you jump I will push a large rock into the gorge with a rope fastened to it. The weight of the rock will pull on your rope faster than you fall, pulling you over the gorge without you going below the lip. ^

  Bethany agreed to Cain’s idea, she looked around and found several rocks she could move and placed then near the edge of the gorge. She then levered the three flat stones of the bridge and laid them onto of her small pile. :Excellent I have a small ramp which will give me a boost when I jump up and over the gorge,: she thought.

  There were no trees to cut down nor any other way across to their side. As they pulled on her rope making it taut, Bethany waited for Cain to shout. She watched as Cain, Toni, Daphne and Lesley built a mound of large rocks. Daphne used her Geomancer skill and moulded them into one large shape with a deep notch in the top. By the time they finished, the mound was over eight feet tall.

  Cain shouted, "Ready, Go," and Bethany ran as fast as she could at a diagonal away from Cain as she could toward the lip of the gorge and her small ramp. As Bethany’s left foot landed four inches from the gorge lip on her ramp, she leapt into the air.

  All the wind in Bethany’s lungs left as she went, "Oomph." The rock Cain pushed into the gorge, pulled Bethany's rope which propelled her faster than she could run. She shot like being fired from a circus canon over the gorge rolling to a stop near the feet of her sisters. Bethany did not see Cain had cut the rope connected to the rock as she was at the apex of her jump.