Nemesis (Sparta Online Book 1) Read online

  Skill boost! You have developed your grit. +5XP

  The cart was just ahead now – but so were the birds. He gritted his teeth and sprinted, smashing full speed into the back of the cart, and feeling the air explode from his lungs as another hoplite thumped into the back of him. Soon, all were clutching at the bows.

  Troy got his hand to one bow, but someone else was holding the other end of it. Their eyes locked. Clio. With a slight nod, he let the bow go; better that she got it than one of his enemies. Clio ran off towards where they had all started, stooping to pick up an arrow as she went, and Troy then clambered right inside the cart, hoping to find another. There were only three bows left now, and he grasped one and stood up inside the cart itself, looking around. One of the girls had fallen and was much further behind, while another pair of hoplites were tussling at each other’s clothing, and just arriving – but not before the remaining two bows were grabbed.

  There were arrows, too, but it had just dawned on him that these were scattered all around the cart in a large circle rather than being inside the cart itself. He would need to pick up as many as he could, and fast. Most of the others were already doing so.

  Then Troy felt a blow to the back of his head; at first he wondered if one of the others had climbed on behind and punched him, but as he staggered and crouched down, he realized that it was one of the foul predatory birds. The blow would have been much worse if not for his helmet.

  Health update! You have lost 3 hit points.

  All around them now, hoplites were screaming and cowering as the large green-feathered birds dived towards them. The birds’ heads were bald, pink and wrinkled, their eyes beady, and their feet had ferocious claws. But it was the dagger-like beaks which were doing the damage.

  Troy leaped off the cart, rolled, and then stood up and began to run. He was aiming to go in much the same direction that Clio had already gone. He stooped and grabbed one arrow, and then another. As he did so, he took one glance behind, and saw that Plato was still standing by the cart, fending off one of the bloodthirsty birds – but did not have a bow.

  Damn.

  “This way, Plato!” he shouted to his friend. “We can share – just grab a few arrows.”

  Plato nodded and hurried over. Soon they each had a small handful of arrows, and began to run back in the direction of their dormitory, panting from the exertion.

  Skill boost! You have developed your valor. +5XP

  “We will be safer if we can get under the pillars of the dormitory…” Plato was saying, but Troy whacked him on the chest to interrupt, skidding to a halt on the sandy ground. Clio was ahead of them in front of the House of Healing; apparently out of arrows, she had shouldered her bow and pulled out her mace, and was now doing her best to fight off a mob of around six or seven of the birds that had surrounded her in a flock. Nobody else was close by.

  “Go!” said Troy. “I’ll try my luck with the bow.”

  As Plato sprinted over, pulling his sword clear, Troy tucked all but one of the arrows into his belt, clenched his hand firmly around the middle of the bow, nocked an arrow, and let fly. The arrow sailed towards Clio… and missed, clattering into the wall of the building.

  He cursed, and then ran closer, just as Plato reached their friend. Clio, bleeding profusely from a wound on her face, hit one of the vile creatures full on its body with her mace, sending it thumping against the nearest building with a bloody splatter. Plato hacked off the head of another, and they both then ran off to the side, making for the boys’ dormitory.

  The birds now spread out around Clio as she ran, forming a much bigger target. And this time Troy had set himself much better, and was ready to shoot. With a twang, his second arrow arced over and hit home, and one of the birds tumbled to the ground and was still. Clio turned and struck a killing blow upon a second bird, at which point the remainder of this part of the flock rose up, taking to the wing, and began to circle around ten yards above them.

  WORLD EVENT UPDATE: First shot. You gain 10xp!

  Skill boost! You have developed your combat skills. +5XP

  Health update! You have lost 2 hit points.

  The latter came from another bird which had attacked Troy from behind, raking his back this time. He whacked at it with the side of the bow and then sprinted over to his friends. Soon he was standing beside them on the steps outside the Elysian Fields, clutching the bow and looking back around towards the training area.

  There were still at least a hundred surviving Stymphalian birds, most of them circling overhead and just out of reach of small clusters of hoplites. There was no sign now of either of the captains. Some hoplites were fighting one another over bows or arrows, but most, like the three friends, had tried to seek shelter in or near one of the buildings.

  “How badly hurt are you?” asked Troy, glancing sideways at Clio as he spoke.

  “Getting pretty low on hit points,” she growled, wiping at the wound on her face with the back of her hand.

  “Those captains are really vile. All they needed to do was warn us. And why not let us practice with the bows beforehand?”

  “I told you,” said Clio, walking over to pull the arrow out of the nearby dead Stymphalian bird and then retreating back to the building’s front, “they are out to hurt us, and this training is broken. Hey, can you spare another arrow or two?”

  “Sure,” said Plato. “I didn’t get a bow, so help yourself.”

  ”Thanks. Someone needs to take those things out before they come down again. Looks like Troy here just wants to spectate.”

  With a snort, Troy set himself and took another shot, downing another bird just a fraction after Clio did the same. Plato raised his sword and ran around the nearby area picking up stray arrows, striking out at any bird that came too close.

  Troy saw a couple of further bonuses, and began to feel that they were gaining the upper hand:

  WORLD EVENT UPDATE: Sharp shooting. You gain 15xp!

  WORLD EVENT UPDATE: Difficult kill. You gain 20xp!

  Troy also noticed that a group of female hoplites had set themselves up in front of the neighboring dormitory in a similar position. One was a very tall dark-skinned young woman with curly black hair who he recognized as the winner of the recent race. Her muscular arms bulged as she shot birds out of the sky with immense speed and accuracy. One of the other girls was supplying her with arrows, like Plato pulling them from dead birds all around the area.

  “Who’s that,” asked Troy, stopping shooting for a moment and pointing. “She won yesterday’s race, right?”

  “Europa,” Clio replied. “She’s the strongest soldier among us by far, and the only one that Captain Semele isn’t endlessly cruel to.”

  “I see. Perhaps she doesn’t dare.”

  Troy returned his attention to the sky just in time to see that one of the birds was diving at him. Clio shot it and he dodged as the carcass fell towards his face. Recovering his balance, he set himself again, and shot another. Between the hoplites as a group, they must have reduced the overall number of the beasts by at least half now, he thought to himself. But it was getting exhausting, and his fingertips were already very painful from pulling the bowstring.

  Plato ran up to Troy and Clio handed over another half a dozen arrows and then ran out the sandy ground again, dodging past dozens of carcasses.

  “You know, if you want to get your friend a bow,” said Clio, “that big red-faced barbarian ran inside with one. Maybe if you ask nicely he’ll lend you it?”

  “What? Ajax is hiding in here, and letting us do all the work?”

  “I guess.”

  Distracted, Troy looked into the shadows of the building. He didn’t see Ajax, but the move struck him as being very much in character. The boy was a bully, not half as brave as he liked to act, and he liked to get other people to do his work for him.

  After Captain Theseus’s earlier command about ‘no hiding’, Troy had half assumed that the captains would stop people from going inside. Bu
t then again, perhaps not. The captain had already shown himself to be worse than negligent in his duties.

  “Plato,” Troy called, and his friend hurried over, carrying another three arrows that he had collected. “Here, take a turn.” He handed the precious bow over.

  “Thanks – are you sure?”

  “Certain.”

  “Are you really going to confront him?” asked Clio, frowning. “I was only commenting, really. We’re working well as a group right now.”

  “Yeah, I know. But I think someone needs to tell him what a coward he’s being.”

  “That seems… unwise.”

  “What’s this?” asked Plato as he strung an arrow and let fly his first shot.

  “Ajax went inside with one of the bows.”

  “What? That asshole.”

  “Right? It’s bad enough that the smug bastard would allow us to stand out here being attacked while he cowers inside, but to take one of the bows, first…”

  “All the same,” said Clio, “you don’t want to be making enemies of the other hoplites. I’ve learned that the hard way. Soon enough, you’ll have to turn your back on them when they are holding something sharp.”

  “Whatever.” Turning, Troy began to walk in, looking around from side to side.

  Skill boost! You have developed your grit. +5XP

  The first room was empty, and he continued through to the area where his own bed was, along with that of Ajax, Canis and others.

  Just then there was a movement from behind him, and Troy realized that at least two others had been hiding just inside the inner doorway.

  “Get him,” came the cry, and he felt a fist impact into the side of his face.

  Level: Hoplite (Level 3)

  XP: 445

  Hit points: -1/18 (unconscious)

  Equipment: belt; coin pouch.

  Chapter 13: Awake

  This time Troy was alone when he awoke – and somewhere unfamiliar. His head hurt, and he raised his hand to it, feeling the tenderness.

  “Real bruising, or…” he muttered, feeling very groggy.

  He looked around, for a moment wondering if he had ‘died’ in the game and been returned to the Technoburbia military camp.

  But no.

  These were Spartan beds, and the interior of the building, while unfamiliar, matched that of the training ground – pale blocks of marble.

  “Hello?” he called out tentatively. But there was no reply.

  He looked across the room. On the other side there were three beds, but only one was occupied. And he knew the occupant – Andros, the guide. The big soldier was sleeping soundly, and if Plato had been correct, was a day away from the point at which he would recover consciousness.

  But then, Troy didn’t know how long he had been unconscious himself.

  Just then there was a noise from his right; the open doorway was letting in daylight, and a young man was briefly silhouetted there.

  “Plato?”

  “Uh huh,” his friend replied, walking into the room. He was holding a small clay cup in his hands, and it was steaming slightly. “Good evening! Are you feeling all right?” The young man walked right up to Troy’s bed, and Troy sat up, feeling around himself for any further pain or bruising.

  “Yeah… I’m all right. I mean, no – what the hell? What happened?”

  “Those assholes beat you up.” Plato shrugged. “Ajax, Canis… maybe Glaucus and Oeneus, too.”

  Troy leaned back on the bed with a grunt. “Right, right. Yes, remember something now. I went into the dorm after… after fighting the birds. And what about Clio? Were you guys OK?”

  “We came in and found you out cold on the ground, in a pool of blood, no less. I don’t know how many times the others had kicked you. We got them to back off, and then eventually the captains came in. They were really pissed with Ajax and Canis. They were the main ones behind it, I am sure. I guess they sprang out and clattered you the moment you came in.”

  “So the captains helped me?”

  Plato shook his head. “Not so much. They seemed to find your condition quite funny, actually. I had to persuade them to let me and Clio take you to the medical building. I think you might have bled to death otherwise.”

  “Shit.” He shook his head slowly, feeling outraged and grateful in equal measure. “Thanks man.”

  Plato shrugged. “No need to thank me. And I’m afraid those scum balls took your knife and the helmet and all. I’m sorry. I’ve asked Captain Theseus to make them return your kit. But he just yelled at us all, said no more stealing but then said it was up to us to look after and protect our own things. And then he took Canis away. Nobody has seen him since.”

  Troy stood, looking around and then winced, realizing that he was once again covered in bruises and minor injuries. “Canis? He’s nothing. Ajax is the ringleader.”

  “I know.” Plato shrugged again.

  “Damn.” He looked out of a long window up above the beds. “What time is it?”

  Plato grinned. “It’s been a few hours, man, most of the day, and you’ve missed another meal. The birds are dead, and believe it or not, they made them into soup. I brought you a cup, if you’re feeling up to it.” He raised the steaming vessel in his hand.

  “That doesn’t sound too appetizing. I guess I’ll try it, though. I feel starved.”

  Troy rose gingerly from the bed and took the mug from Plato. He then walked across the room to where Andros was lying. The muscular Greek warrior was unconscious still, that was clear enough, though he was breathing steadily and didn’t look too unhealthy for a man who had recently been stabbed to death. Troy glanced downwards, but a sheet covered up the wounds, and there was no way of knowing how his healing was progressing.

  The two hoplites then walked out together onto the great rectangular training ground, which stood deserted. The sun could be seen setting over the mountains to the northwest. The sky was red, but flickering lines could be made out, reminding them that none of this was truly real.

  They continued, the sand crunching under their sandaled feet.

  “Screw this,” said Troy, after a moment’s silence. “Like Clio said, there is something not right with this place. It hasn’t been designed right. Why wouldn’t the captains protect us? Why wouldn’t hoplites be punished for beating each other or stealing?”

  “Good question.”

  “I just… urgh.” Troy groaned and stopped for a minute, as pain flashed through his lower body. Health?

  Current health level: Light wounds

  Illness: None

  Disease: None

  Hunger: 73%

  Thirst: 22%

  Hit points: 12/18

  Troy shook his head with a sigh. “This is not playing to my strengths, man. I am better at making plans and sneaking around. I don’t think I’ll ever be a warrior, really. That’s just not me.”

  “That’s not true, Troy. You’re getting a lot better, and it’s only been a few days.”

  “It’s not just that, though. There’s a bigger problem.”

  Plato glanced around at his friend. “What are you saying, man?”

  “I’m saying that it is getting clearer by the day that something is deeply wrong with Sparta Online.”

  Plato puffed out his cheeks thinking. “I mean, it could be,” he said after a pause. “But how can we know? Is there any way of being certain that it isn’t meant to be this way? To test us?”

  “I just feel it. It’s not right – I feel it deep down. This place… the way the captains don’t give us proper equipment. The way they then encourage us to fight among ourselves. It doesn’t make sense. Who would want to train an army to hate and mistrust one another? Either it’s really badly designed, or Clio’s right – it’s broken.”

  Skill boost! You have developed your quick thinking. +5XP

  Plato stopped, placing a hand on his comrade’s shoulder. “Well, then we need to do something. I guess we could wait until Andros recovers, and then demand to spe
ak to the General.”

  “We need a better plan than that. Or at least, we need a backup plan, if we’re going to make it through the next few days.”

  “Whatever you decide you want to do,” said Plato as they continued walking, “I’m in, man. I trust you. But what other options do we have?”

  “We could run away.”

  “Really? Maybe, yeah. But where would we go.”

  Troy thought first of the kindness of Democles, and of the man’s offer of hospitality.

  But no.

  Doing that could get the man’s Helot tribe into a lot of trouble – and that wouldn’t be fair. It was possible, but it should only be a last resort.

  “I don’t really know. But there’s a big world out there. When we were running, I saw a bridge leading over the river, and ships too. There are other cities, islands…”

  Plato nodded slightly, thinking. “Right. Good – but we’d need equipment, and that is our problem right now. It was good of you to let Clio take the armor and mace, but now we need a whole new set of equipment for you.”

  “Yeah, well. Think about this – if I had taken that chestplate then Ajax would have it now.”

  “True. And at least I had your bow, and Clio had another. We also still have most of the gems between us. In fact, take these ones now.” Plato rummaged in his cloak, and pulled out his four lapis gems.

  “Thanks! But not all of them, surely?”

  “If there are any you don’t spend, you can give them back. There should be time to go to the city early tomorrow, as we are to train independently from dawn to mid-morning, and then gather together for our next task.”

  Troy sighed. “Okay. Yeah. I guess I can build up again. And I do have a hatchet stashed away – hopefully.”