Chapter 8
DECISIONS
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“That being said…Who is with me?” asked Achilles, after telling his team about the secret mission his father, the god Poseidon, gave him.
Nobody moved. Dienekes raised his hand.
“So, if I get that right” said the Spartan, with a sarcastic look on his face. “Your dear old father wants us to risk our necks, so the Gods will continue to live in this nice villa, up on the mountain of Olympus”.
He paused and looked around.
“You can see why we don’t share your enthusiasm. It’s a suicide mission” he added in a more serious tone. “And after all, a mission with no reward… You can see the lack of appeal, right?”
“Hey, show some respect! You are talking about the Gods!” shouted Nikolaos, standing up from his seat. “And excuse me, but since when did the Argives become a Brotherhood of mercenaries, fighting for gold, fame and glory?”
Dienekes just shrugged. He did not wish to fight on this matter. Achilles took this silence between the debaters and stepped in.
“With due all respect, Nikolaos, I don''t give a damn about what my father thinks or about what he wants. And Dienekes, don’t smile so wide, I don’t support your position either. The situation goes above Gods and Titans and rulers of this world in general. It''s not just another ruling matter. It''s about the fate of how this particular status quo is keeping the world order. The Olympian reign is the one that allows us to exist and prosper… in a way at least. Whether we like it or not, they are the ones keeping the mortal world in control… So you can see that allowing Hades to unleash the hordes of the Underworld over the mortal realm would prove catastrophic for us!” explained Achilles. “I share the sentiments of giving the Gods the middle finger, but I do not wish to drag innocents down the pit, because of my idleness. As for Alexander, the most powerful man this earth has ever seen, apparently is driven by revenge, not only against our Brotherhood - after all it was us… well me, who assassinated his father - but wants to see Olympus fall. And Hades, feeding this sentiment of his, is manipulating him in that regard. I do not like it, but the world balance is at stake,” he concluded.
“Still” said Dienekes, continuing to argue. “I don''t see the reason to save it. If you read some of the texts in the Library, you will see that many worlds and civilizations are destroyed throughout time. What’s different with our world? We are just a piece of sand in the grand Cosmos. Maybe it’s our time now. No one among you shed a tear when the Gods ended the Era of the Beasts. We called these beings monsters and now we think we are special, requiring special treatment. Why should we be viewed differently from the previous inhabitants of this world?”
Everyone was left speechless looking at him. Shocked not only by the fact his words had no emotion whatsoever, but mostly because Dienekes used the words library, books and knowledge. Things no one expected to relate with the Spartan veteran… Let alone the well structured argument he made about the nature of existence.
“What?” said Dienekes. “Just because I am a master swordsman, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have time for philosophy and science”.
“It was my fault for lending you this scroll from this new philosopher,” Nikolaus whispered through his teeth.
Dienekes gave no attention to the priest’s comment and turned again to Achilles.
“So, tell me again, why should we try to save this ‘unique’ world that is doomed to die at some point in the fabric of time?”
“Because we are the idiots who live in it,” said Thalestres. “Just because you read something doesn’t mean you understand it!”
But Dieneks was not going to give up.
“Still, the Titans and their offspring died at the end!”
“After fighting to the death, in order to prevent such a catastrophe of their kind!” Thalestres was now shouting at him. “Ever heard of the Titanomachy? Gods!... Sometimes, I truly think that the only thing you know how to use is this shiny sword of yours”.
“Give the call and I will show you what else I can use...” said Dienekes laughing, causing his brother and Nikolaos to follow in laughter.
Nephele widened her eyes and kept looking between Thelestres, Dienekes and Achilles, fearing an explosive reaction from the side of Poseidon’s son. Achilles, with the corner of his eye, saw Nepehele watching him. The last thing he wanted to do was to disappoint her. So, with a wave of his hand made them stop.
“How about we stop talking about bullshit?” he said in a calm voice, but the curse word at the end of his sentence, proved his inner anger.
“Sorry, Achilles, she started it,” replied Dienekes. “And I am sorry if my experience taught me something different. The thing that life taught me is, that no matter who rules, or who wants to rule, mind your own business, adapt, and survive”.
“I''m with my brother on this,” said Aristides, breaking his silence, which he kept up until this moment.
“Tell me genius, how are you going to survive if there is no world to survive in?” asked Anthea. “These Spartans, for real!” she laughed ironically.
Aristides pulled his knife. A true Spartan, even exiled by his homeland, knew to respect his country. Of course, he was not going to use that against a sister-in-arms. It was more like a symbolic move to make his point. Everybody in the company knew that. Everyone except Nephele, whose face was even more terrified than before.
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“Say that again and see the results…” he growled.
“Enough!” shouted Achilles and a small tremble of the earth followed his words.
Everyone sat down in silence. Nikolaus turned to young Nephele and smiled.
“Welcome to the family kiddo. We may be dysfunctional, but at least we put up a good show”.
Achilles’ eyes met Nephele’s who was pulled to herself, not showing shyness, but yet not confident enough to say or reveal her thoughts and opinions. She was still a new member and did not wish to disagree with anyone…
“Nephele, I want to hear your thoughts,” Achilles said gently with a calm voice.
He sounded almost like an older brother who looks over his dear little sister. This bond that he felt. It was unique. He wanted to make her feel comfortable. The more comfortable she was, the better for her training and acceptance into the Brotherhood. She had to feel Delphi as her home. She needed that, after the destruction of her old one. And also Achilles needed that. To have someone like him… Someone to open to and be his absolute self.
Nephele gulped and remained silent. She still was not confident enough… She gave a quick glimpse towards Achilles. The son of the sea smiled at her and gave her a reassuring nod. Seeing how he looked at her, filled her with confidence. She raised her head and cleared her throat.
“It doesn’t matter what I believe! I am an Argive, member of Achilles’s squad! We were given a mission from one of the higher Olympians. This is an order we must execute! I am with you, Achilles, to the end! You were chosen to lead this group and I choose to trust you. As everyone among you should do!” she proudly pumped her chest with her fist, saluting her team leader.
Achilles’ heart grew warm. He couldn’t be more proud and touched by Nephele’s words. Actually, he was honored to be recognised by someone of his own kind. All these past few weeks, he was the one who overlooked her training with the rest, while giving her some private lessons, trying to teach her how to control her god given powers. Seeing her development and progress gave him purpose and a new kind of happiness and bliss.
“Listen. All of you. Do not think that I do not know what I am asking here?” said Achilles. “It is not an easy task”.
“Well, it is a one-way ticket to Hades,” interrupted Dienekes, murmuring to himself.
Aristides laughed silently, while Nikolaus approved of the joke.
“Let me finish, please!” Achilles shouted again.
This whole conversation started to tire him.
“I know that we are not sent against a king or an emperor, like Phillip or Darius. We are sent against a man driven by a God, who gives to him all the power of the Underworld in his hands. But it is our duty. We vowed to protect. We knew about the risks when we joined the Brotherhood. This time would eventually come”.
“I agree with what Nephele said before…” Thalestres spoke up. “Like it or not we were given a mission…”
“You said that we are going against a god,” said Dienekes, who completely ignored Thalestres sayings, focusing on Achilles. “You may be a demi-god, Achilles. But the rest of us... Just look at us! We are just ordinary people. Maybe some of you are gifted with blessings and other stuff, but still. How are we supposed to win the armies of the Undead, or the Telchines, or any of the hideous creatures of the Underworld, that Hades hides in his realm? How are we supposed to beat that?”
“Together, as a team. A group of heroes, like the others before us,” said Nikolaos.
“We are going to lose…,” the Spartan soldier sighed.
“At least we will fall together, too. But I wouldn’t be so pessimistic,” Achilles replied. “Listen, if my father thought that we could not pull this off, then he would not come here”.
Silence spread among the team. Nobody moved. Then Dienekes stood up. He sighed and crossed his arms to his chest.
“Well, I have nothing else to do so... Someone has to take care of your godly ass out there”.
“I will come, too” said Nikolaos and stood.
Every member of the team followed. All stood... Except for Anthea.
“Well? Will you come?” said Dienekes.
“How could I not?” said Anthea, with her eyes pinned on Achilles. “This team needs some brains after all”.
Achilles exchanged a look with Thalestres, who seemed annoyed, but didn’t say anything. He then turned to the rest of his squad.
“I am happy to have you guys. Now go and get ready. But be careful, no one must notice our moves”.
“Why?” Nephele wondered.
“This is not like any of the missions we had taken before since you joined… A ‘Secret’ Mission is given only directly by an Olympian God! The law says that not even the higher ups nor the High Priest must know of it,” Nikolaos explained to her. “And understanding the urgency of this one… Well, it is a matter of life and death”.
“We are required to move with utmost secrecy,” Aristedes added
Achilles met Nephele’s eyes and with a look he promised her that everything would be alright. Then he turned to Nikolaus, with a strict face and manner.
“You will tell nobody, not even the elders. Understood?”
The young priest nodded.
“What will you do?” asked Nikolaus.
Achilles waited for a moment before answering him.
“I am going to the Pythia” he said, and his face darkened.
“To Pythia?!” Nikolaos was shocked and furious at the same time. “That is forbidden!”
“It must be done!” Achilles replied to him.
His tone showed that he did not wish to talk about it. His decision was final. Achilles the weight of his decisions and turned around to get away from everyone. Nephele stood up, with the intention to follow him, but Aristedes placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Let him be, young one,” he said. “He needs to be alone”.
Nikolaus’ gaze was fixed on the figure of his friend, who was disappearing under the darkness of the night.
“He must gather his thoughts. After all, no one went to the Pythia and returned without grave consequences”.
The rest of the team remained for a while seated around the fire. After a while they went to their tents, to do their inventory with all the necessary items they would need. And they needed to prepare well. It was impossible to know when they would be back.