Chapter 1
The Gods are silent for a long time now. No prayers are answered in this times of war.
Those who wield power are unstoppable in their desire to conquer the world. Greed has now become the destroyer and the pillar of Greek society.
….
I wake up with the first light of day coming through my tent’s opening. Not that I was really able to get any decent amount of sleep.
The air here is too dense because of the humidity. It’s always too hot, which makes hunting all the more difficult.
I grab my waterskin and pour some fresh water in my face and chest to try and ease the heat. I run my hands through my black waved hair and sigh. It’s longer now then when we left Thessaly. My hands and feet are more calloused and my muscles have grown and harden, finally making me look like a soldier and not a boy wearing his father’s armour pretending to play war.
I put my armour on, grab my sword and decide to tie my hair before getting out of my tent.
We have been marching for 28 days into enemy territory now, with no sight of their army however. The reason was obvious, they were counting on the natural defenses of Halia, which is a territory surrounded by deep swamps and treacherous rivers.
They however have absolutely no idea what our real objective here is. They don’t even know the treasure they have in their hands. It wasn’t them or their useless muddy land we were after.
It was the water nymphs. According to the elders, they supposedly lived in this rivers, and had the gift of cure and prophecy. Legend say they can also grant wishes.
The nymphs used to be worshipped, but when the Gods vanished, people found out they could use their gifts for themselves and suffer no consequences.
With that, the nymphs went into deep hiding, as well as most magical creatures.
Our king sent us here to capture one, bring her to him and kill the rest. His plan is to make a wish and become king of all Greece.
But he is not here.
And I have other plans.
…….
The sun was now high up in the sky. We were knee deep in fucking swamp water, in the middle of nowhere, and with nothing but trees around us.
Leading us was General Alec, a mountain of muscles, but no brain. He was only General because his brother was the king.
Based on fighting skills alone, I should be General, but because I’m not noble born I could never rank higher than soldier, a fact which he constantly reminds me.
Gods how I wish I could challenge him to a duel and kill him without being beheaded for treason.
We keep walking when suddenly the water starts moving around us.
Hydra! I think
We quickly form a circle with our backs to each other, draw our swords and stand very still, holding our breaths and looking at all directions at the same time.
One moment passes and nothing happens.
Two… Three…
Still nothing. But the water keeps moving.
Strange.
It’s then we realize we’ve made it pass the swamps and are standing in a river! Finally!
Hydras don’t live in rivers so we relax and put away our swords, and nod to each other.
We’re here. This is it.
The nymphs can’t be too far now.
….
I wake up with the first light of day coming through my tent’s opening. Not that I was really able to get any decent amount of sleep.
The air here is too dense because of the humidity. It’s always too hot, which makes hunting all the more difficult.
I grab my waterskin and pour some fresh water in my face and chest to try and ease the heat. I run my hands through my black waved hair and sigh. It’s longer now then when we left Thessaly. My hands and feet are more calloused and my muscles have grown and harden, finally making me look like a soldier and not a boy wearing his father’s armour pretending to play war.
I put my armour on, grab my sword and decide to tie my hair before getting out of my tent.
We have been marching for 28 days into enemy territory now, with no sight of their army however. The reason was obvious, they were counting on the natural defenses of Halia, which is a territory surrounded by deep swamps and treacherous rivers.
They however have absolutely no idea what our real objective here is. They don’t even know the treasure they have in their hands. It wasn’t them or their useless muddy land we were after.
It was the water nymphs. According to the elders, they supposedly lived in this rivers, and had the gift of cure and prophecy. Legend say they can also grant wishes.
The nymphs used to be worshipped, but when the Gods vanished, people found out they could use their gifts for themselves and suffer no consequences.
With that, the nymphs went into deep hiding, as well as most magical creatures.
Our king sent us here to capture one, bring her to him and kill the rest. His plan is to make a wish and become king of all Greece.
But he is not here.
And I have other plans.
…….
The sun was now high up in the sky. We were knee deep in fucking swamp water, in the middle of nowhere, and with nothing but trees around us.
Leading us was General Alec, a mountain of muscles, but no brain. He was only General because his brother was the king.
Based on fighting skills alone, I should be General, but because I’m not noble born I could never rank higher than soldier, a fact which he constantly reminds me.
Gods how I wish I could challenge him to a duel and kill him without being beheaded for treason.
We keep walking when suddenly the water starts moving around us.
Hydra! I think
We quickly form a circle with our backs to each other, draw our swords and stand very still, holding our breaths and looking at all directions at the same time.
One moment passes and nothing happens.
Two… Three…
Still nothing. But the water keeps moving.
Strange.
It’s then we realize we’ve made it pass the swamps and are standing in a river! Finally!
Hydras don’t live in rivers so we relax and put away our swords, and nod to each other.
We’re here. This is it.
The nymphs can’t be too far now.
