Awakening

Feeling. I can feel something, it had been dark for so long and my body heavier than stone, I may be dead or worse. I could simply be stuck in between the living world and the afterlife. I don't know. But I will find out. I feel something rubbing my body. Something hard. Hands!!!

My eyes snapped open, and I jolted up off my back and grabbed a hold of the young boy, who had been searching my body and I glared at him.

" AHHHH! Sorry sir. I thought you were dead." The boy bellowed his eyes full of fear and terror.

* Grwwwwl. The sound of the boy's stomach rumbling caught my attention.

He reached down and grabbed it in pain.

He looked deathly ill, frail, small. Like he hadn't eaten in days maybe weeks.

" Are you alright, boy?" I asked.

" Yes sir. Sorry. Just haven't eaten in days. The Persians destroyed the village." He spoke. His eyes full of sadness. The Persians.

I grit my teeth in anger and despair and pain. I looked around and felt like tearing my own throat out. I was alive. How? I looked down at my body and couldn't believe my eyes. Every single wound I had received was gone. As if they were never there in the first place. In fact, my whole body felt different. I don't know how, but I feel so much stronger than I was before.

" My brothers, I have failed you." I whispered as I hid my face.

" Sir? Your cape. Are you... A Spartan?" The boy asked.

I looked at the boy and nodded. " I was. Yes. But know, I'm nothing more than a disgrace." I told the boy honestly.

* Grwwwwwl!

" Are you hungry boy?" I asked.

" Yes sir." He replied.

I got on my feet and walked to the ocean waters, inside them I saw something bright and shiny. My Shield.

I reached down and grabbed hold of it. My eyes threatening to burst open allowing the water behind them to flow. It was all I had left. My sword and spear gone. But I at least still had my shield.

" Do you know where we are?" I asked the boy.

" We're near a small village just south of Delphi. Or it was, but a bunch of Persians came through and killed everyone they saw." The boy explained.

" I see." I spoke.

" Hey! You there! Stay where you are!" A man's voice shouted.

" Oh no! They found us!" The boy exclaimed in fear. He ran up to me and hid behind my legs

I turned towards the small Persian unit coming towards us. I raised my shield to protect myself and the boy. This was going to be difficult. I'm practically unarmed and the boy is weak. I have to be careful.

" A Spartan. I thought we wiped you all out at the hot gates. Your gods must have felt pity on you, to spare your life. Or perhaps they are punishing you for your loss. Either way it doesn't really matter, now does it. Lay down your weapons and surrender and we might let you live." The Persian spoke. His arrogance great. Though not without reason.

" Come and get them." I told the man.

" You're not really going to fight them, are you?" The boy asked, his face buried into my leg. " I mean you don't even have a weapon." He whispered.

" They don't know that. Now, stand back and keep your head down. I'll handle this." I told the boy.

It wouldn't be the first time I've had to kill an enemy with a weapon while I was unarmed. And it probably won't be the last. But they were mere bandits, and these are soldiers. two completely different kind of foes. Bandits fight dirtier than anyone else. A real threat. These guys? Just dead weight.

" AHHHHHHH!" The Persian unit charged me together. Their spears and swords raised and ready to kill. I spun on my heel and drove my shield upwards, blocking the first, causing the man to stumble backwards. I spun on my heel and with all my might punched towards the man. My punch landed square in the man's chest.

It was like a blur; it was so quick I almost didn't see what happened.

The instant my fist connected A crack appeared. The air cracked and what followed shocked me even more. The Persian and everything behind him man, land, sea, and air. All of it was blown away. Eviscerated. Turned to dust and scattered in the wind. The ground tremored viciously for quite a while. But finally, it all cleared.

I looked out at the carnage I caused in shock and awe. I couldn't believe that I did such a thing. How did I do such a thing? I looked down at my hand.

It was like flexing a new muscle. A muscle i never had before. It was destructive. It was breath taking. It was exhilarating. It was incredible.

" WOW! That was incredible! What are you mister? Are you a god?" The boy asked. His excitement suddenly overpowering his previous fear.

" No. Just a man. Come on, let's go get you some food." I gestured for the boy to follow me, and I began walking. Where? Home. That was my goal at least. But first, I need to find a place for the boy. He's not a spartan and I don't think he would find much success in the agoge. So, until I can find a home for him, then I will watch over him. Perhaps, someone in Delphi would be willing to take the boy. I also need to learn this new power. If I can, I might just be able to stop Xerxes and his Persian army for good.

At the very least, I owed it to my brothers that I left behind to see this through until the end. How else could I face them in Elysium?

Hippolyta, Diana, Jason. My family. Wait for me. Just a little while longer. Wait for me.

May the gods watch over you until then.