Gifts of the Greeks

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  As Tyler drew nearer to Furor, he could see the deity was unconscious and bleeding. Tyler was surprised. Can they bleed? I wonder why? And how? He looked up at Nike, who had drawn closer. With a gesture, he asked the goddess to come down. The bleeding part was an interesting bit of information Tyler put aside for the time being.

  “It appears the victory is yours, young mage. Why did you call me?” asked the winged goddess of victory.

  “I really don’t want to kill them. This one is unconscious and bleeding. Can you take him away?”

  “As you wish.” Furor vanished.

  “Would it be possible for you to accompany me while I check on the other two?” asked Tyler.

  “Of course. Your treatment of the vanquished interests me.”

  Tyler next went to Mors. The being was breathing. Barely. And his armor was still smoking. As he drew near, he kicked away the being’s sword. He stood beside Mors who was lying motionless on his back. After checking if the deity had other weapons, he knelt and removed the man’s helmet. The face of an old man greeted him. Mors’ eyes were closed. Tyler stood up and turned to Nike.

  “An old man. I attacked an old man?”

  “No, young mage. Young or old appearances don’t really reflect who we really are. He looks old because of his persona. Death in battle. Being exposed to such deaths, tragedies and cruelties all these millennia is enough to turn anybody, even a deity, truly old in spirit. You wish me to take him away too?”

  “Yes, please. I do feel sorry for him. All those deaths. Such a burden. I wonder if Ares cares?”

  “Ares? He lives for battle. He doesn’t care one whit about how his underlings suffer.”

  Tyler sighed and shook his head. He walked towards the last one. Out of the corner of his eyes, the mage could see Habrok and Astrid disposing of any survivors. The ways of battle, he thought. Leave nobody alive to call in more enemies. Or help track us later. I am becoming callous. He did notice Nike looking at him with a strange expression on her face.

  As he drew closer to Homados, he stopped. Then he called out.

  “Homados. I am going to try to see what I can do for you. Open your mouth to invoke any spell and I will cram this fireball down your throat.”

  He went to Homados. He could see the being was severely burned and the blade had cut through his ribs. Tyler thought that if this were an ordinary man, he would have died instantly. The flames were still burning in some parts of the body of the deity. That must be causing enormous pain, thought Tyler, as he drew the fire out and extinguished them.

  “Same as with the two, young mage?”

  “Yes, please, and thank you.”

  Homados vanished.

  Tyler looked at the field of dead. Habrok and Astrid were already walking towards them.

  “This is the part about victory I hate the most,” he said to Nike. “Looking at the dead.”

  “You are a strange mage,” said Nike. “For me, victory is what sustains my being.”

  “It is? Not the energy around us?” indicated Tyler with a wave of his hands.

  “Oh, it forms a part of what sustains me. But victory in battles like this is what makes me what I am.”

  “It is difficult for me to understand how deities work and how they relate to this world. I don’t think I will ever understand. If you don’t mind, why do you look so young? Mors looked old as a reflection of what he has gone through.”

  “Victory is different, young mage. It makes the old feel young. The elation, the exhilaration, the joy of winning. And surviving. Those are the emotions which I value and absorb. Though I don’t think I would get them from you.”

  “I think you’re right. The mound of dead after every battle weights heavily upon me.”

  “Though I have a request, young mage.”

  “You know, a lot of deities seem to do that nowadays.”

  “Oh, it’s a simple request. For formality’s sake. I would like to be around when you do your battles. You fight in interesting ways. I may learn something new.”

  “Since you put it that way, I can’t do anything about it, can I?” grimly smiled Tyler.

  “It is polite to ask, you know. And I need a favor from you in order to give you one.”

  “Oh? And that is?”

  “Actually, two favors in exchange for your forbearance. One, these hills are crawling with Ares’ pets or those who are aligned with him. They would be coming. And if I were you, I would be on my way to where I am going.”

  “And the second favor?”

  “Another piece of information, young mage. True, this is a trap. But it had two purposes. One is to try to kill you here. And failing that, to keep you here.”

  “Why keep me here?”

  “Because the moment the spell to prevent you from leaving was cast, the army of Ares moved towards Akrotiri.”

  Chapter Lore:

  Nike - The winged goddess of victory. In Greek, "Nice". The daughter of the giant Pallas and the river Styx. Though sometimes identified with the goddess Athena, some sources name her as one of the attendants of Ares, probably due to the connection of the war-god to battles. Yet the winged goddess does not only represent victory in war but also in peaceful competition. Believed to be a mediator between men and gods.

  Chapter XVI

  The Long Way Home

  The revelation stunned Tyler. He stared at the winged goddess, his thoughts in turmoil as rising fear gripped his gut.

  I’ve been played. Served. Scammed. Screwed.

  The mage tried to regain some of his confidence, thinking he could devise a solution to the problem. But the turmoil and dread boiling inside betrayed him. Confusion and anxiety made it impossible for him to get his thoughts in order.

  “You look upset, young Havard. It appears their ploy did work,” observed Nike.

  Tyler shook his head.

  “I think it’s arrogance which is to blame, my Lady. My arrogance. My head was filled with the idea of Ares being a buffoon and leading the campaign. I failed to consider something which I even had thought of before. I mistook the actions of the pawn for the thoughts of its master.”

  “You do know more than you let on, young mage. This makes the stakes in this conflict quite high,” laughed the goddess.

  “Then how do you gauge the results of this battle? A victory for the other side? With me being suckered right into their play.”

  “Oh, battles are judged by themselves. Otherwise, I would have to wait for a long time to harvest the elation of the victors. I don’t bother myself with the intricacies of strategy. What matters to me is who wins a particular conflict at a specific time and place.”

  “How about draws then?” Tyler asked.

  “You really believe that a bloody fight will end in a draw? The concept is but an imaginary figment of the thoughts of men who want to believe it. There are no draws. One side will always suffer more casualties than the other. For the crying families and loved ones left behind, a draw does not exist. The only time a draw can exist is when both sides agree not to fight. But I still gain. More in fact, as the feeling of relief of the living and the exhilaration of men coming from a battle not fought grants me tribute from both sides.”

  A freaking victory vampire. Though a nice one.

  “You don’t lose either way then,” he commented.

  “The truly wise learn to do it that way,” smiled Nike.

  "I don't suppose you can get rid of the spell preventing us from leaving."

  "Unfortunately, no. As much as I want to get you back to Akrotiri. A battle for a city would be a sight to behold. Especially with minor gods and a mage like you in the middle of it. The spell is unfamiliar to me. Not wholly Greek in configuration."

  Tyler noticed that his two companions had arrived and had kept a respectful distance from them.

  “I think it’s time for me to go. As you said, there will be beasts on our tails.”

  “Tails. Beasts. That's a quaint expression. But these creatures are
deadly and unusual ones. The battle god made these hills a menagerie of sorts. Probably for his campaign. Good luck, young mage. May you fare well. Don’t worry about those three minor dunces. I sent them to the goddess of healing. I doubt if they’ll be able to join their Lord for some time.”

  “Thank you for your assistance, my Lady. Until we meet again.”

  “I do hope we’ll meet again, young mage,” said the goddess as she slowly disappeared, a knowing smile on her lips.

  Seeing the goddess gone, the two went to him.

  “I have some bad news,” Tyler said to the two. “Two bits of bad news.”

  The two remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

  “The first is we have to hurry as the goddess informed me that the beasts of Ares would soon be upon us or will be waiting for us. So it means an exciting trip south. The second bit of bad news is that the army of Dori had now marched on Akrotiri the moment the prevention spell was cast. I have no idea how long will it take them to reach the city. I do hope Jorund had been busy.”

  “For the Dorian army, Sire, I guess it will take them six to seven days with a baggage train. The road does make it easier for them. But if they use magical means to help them move faster, then that would be three to four days. Or even less,” commented Habrok.

  “For the beasts, Sire, we both have long experience with hunting their kind,” spoke Astrid.

  “Just remember these will not be ordinary beasts. I was told that the buffoon used these hills to keep his zoo. Probably to help later in the campaign. So, don’t take chances. How long do you think will it take us to walk ten miles?”

  “Through these hills, Sire? A day of fast walking. At most. But with pets following or waiting for us, it may be longer as we have to move cautiously.”

  “We don’t have a choice. We go south immediately. Don’t forget our water and provisions. Same march order. Avoid ordinary animals. Unless we need bait. But if you see strange creatures, don’t engage yet. We’ll handle them together. Let’s go.”

  Tyler started to walk.

  “Sire?” called Habrok.

  “Yes?”

  “South is that way.”

  Tyler smiled and corrected his direction.

  “Not one joke from you, Habrok. Or I’ll make sure you get more children lining at your door.”

  The mage could hear Astrid stifle a laugh. Habrok had a pained smile on his face.

  The three crested the top of the hill and plunged into the forest cover. The advantage of having an experienced scout like Habrok is that Tyler’s lack of forest skills, and the resultant noise, was significantly mitigated. Even Astrid, as the rearguard, started sweeping her area. All Tyler had to do was follow where he saw Habrok enter the bush. The entire march was simplified by the uncomplicated need to go ten miles from the battle site.

  They had walked for around twenty minutes when suddenly, a solitary bird call sounded. Tyler stopped. Astrid was beside him in a few seconds.

  “Habrok, Sire. That means some strange snake creatures ahead. A bunch of them, from his call.”

  Tyler looked at Astrid.

  “We worked out our signals already, Sire.”

  “Oh. I was a bit surprised that one call could mean that much.”

  Habrok appeared.

  “Sire, there’s a large clearing ahead. It’s full of snakes. Around fifteen, the last time I counted. Well, they look like snakes, but instead of a tail, they have a second head. Quite big creatures too. The size of a large boa, each of them.”

  “ Amphisbaena. Twin-headed serpents. Said to be born from the blood of the Gorgon’s head. But they’re supposed to be desert creatures. Fond of ants, as what I recall from my readings,” commented Astrid.

  Tyler looked at her, an eyebrow raised.

  “I keep up with my Greek heritage, Sire,” replied Astrid to the mage’s unsaid query.

  “Desert creatures in a forest,” said Tyler. “That means the beasts we will be encountering from now on will not be limited to those found in forests.”

  “And these two-headed snakes spit poison, Sire. From both heads.”

  “Poison again. Just my luck,” said Tyler.

  “Sire, the creatures appear to be basking in the sun. They don’t seem to be hunting,” added Habrok.

  “Is there any way around them?” asked the mage.

  The ranger thought for a while.

  “I don’t think so, Sire. The edge of the clearing is a steep ravine, and the forest cover on the other side is quite thick. The fastest way is through the clearing.”

  “It’s the start of a gauntlet. But I think we may have caught a lucky break. I guess most of the creatures are on the other side of the hills. Near the border. That way, it would be faster for their masters to deploy them. What we will be facing is what they can scrounge for now. Now, how to handle them?”

  “Astrid and I can hunt them, Sire.”

  “Too dangerous, Habrok. There’s too many of them. With poison spit. But we have to get rid of them. Yet if we get to avoid any creatures later, we will do so. We do not have the time to fight every beast we come across. Let’s do it this way. Try to find me a climbable tree which has some view of the clearing. You and Astrid clear the way for me. There may be stragglers about.”

  “How about you, Sire?”

  “My shields will protect me from surprises. I could project a barrier ahead of the two of you, but that would prevent you from attacking any creatures on the path ahead.”

  “Understood, Sire,” said Habrok.

  Both Habrok and Astrid crouched forward. The ranger with his bow and the Valkyrie with her throwing axes, one in each hand. As they moved, Tyler noted the similarities in their movements. Minimal effort, quiet, and alert.

  Tyler double-checked his barriers and followed after a minute. It wouldn’t do to have his noisy walking destroy whatever stealth those two had. He had thought about his cloaking spell but it merely covers the sight aspect of hunting, beasts could still smell them. The mage realized he just had to rely on the skills of his companions.

  After a while, he caught up with Astrid. He noticed her throwing axes were bloody.

  “There’s a tree ahead, Sire. Habrok is waiting for us.”

  “You met a snake?”

  “Two, Sire. They’re dead. No alarm was raised.”

  Finally, they reached the tree. Habrok was there, watching the surroundings.

  “Now, how do we do this?” Tyler whispered. “If I go up, where will the two of you be?”

  “You go up first, Sire. As high as you can. We both will follow and guard against any of them trying to climb up.”

  “They can climb?” he asked.

  “I don’t know, Sire. But with these kinds of creatures, every precaution counts,” answered Astrid.

  Habrok gave the mage a boost up the tree. After a lot of trying and scratched arms, which forced him to use a light healing spell, he finally found an ideal perch. Though the treetops obscured most of his view, he could see the clearing. There was indeed a bunch of creatures. Habrok’s count was probably correct. He looked at the snakes which appeared to congregate in the middle of the meadow. He looked down and saw the two watching the forest floor around the tree.

  Tyler focused and cast the lightning cloud spell right above the clearing. He was careful not to exert too much energy, figuring an ordinary lightning bolt would be enough to burn any snake. When he had cast the spell, a cloud rapidly formed and darkened the clearing. Then it started to rain lightning down on the gathered creatures. From his vantage point, it was surreal. A cloud which flashed lightning down on the ground, the combined din of the accompanying thunder of numerous bolts crashing through the forest, and yet no rain accompanied the localized storm.

  The spell was undeniably effective. Though the flashes didn’t jump from one creature to another as with the one back in Bildsfell, the bolts were numerous enough to cover the entire clearing. He could see blackened spots where the lightning hit the groun
d instead of a snake. The snakes themselves were being violently torn in half, burned, electrocuted, or just burst into pieces. He could see some snakes biting other snakes in panic. He infused more energy into the cloud and watched the carnage.

  After a while, the cloud dissipated and sunlight again filled the clearing. Snake carcasses and parts were everywhere. He waited and watched for any surviving snake to make an appearance. He didn’t see any. He surmised that if any snake did survive, it must be moving away as fast as it can.

  He called to Habrok and Astrid to get down from the tree. His descent took some time. Climbing up appeared to be easier than getting down. Reaching the ground, he gave his instructions.

  “We don’t know if any survived. But what I could see from up there appeared to be only dead snakes. Still, it pays to be careful. Same system. Both of you in front so you can cover each other. We will keep to the forest edge while crossing the clearing.”

  They crossed the clearing without further incident. Mercifully, the wind was blowing the smell of the dead away from them. Tyler tried to avoid looking at his handiwork. Another gory scene right after the battle, with all the blood, parts and entrails all over the place, was too much for him. It was with a sigh of relief when he finally entered the forest on the other side. He let the two go ahead. Habrok and Astrid knew their jobs and from what he had seen, very efficient at what they do.

  After about ten minutes, he saw them lying prone, hidden among the trees. Ahead was a series of hills, sparsely covered with bushes. He crouched and went to them.

  “What’s ahead?”

  “No cover, Sire,” replied Astrid. “We’re trying to determine if there are any beings about as well as trying to decide how to cross those hills.”

  “How much distance do you think have we covered?” he asked.

  Habrok answered. “Around three miles, Sire.”

  “It felt longer,” answered Tyler as he also went prone.