MATTHEW
I woke to the sound of a spartan soldier coming into the camp, "Get up, and follow me." He said.
Aindrea, Acacius, and I headed out with only our rags, no food, no supplies; it was the start of combat training.
"Hey, Matt, where're we going?"
"Aindrea, were you even listening yesterday? We're going to combat training, I don't know where, but that's the lesson plan for the day."
"Does that mean we get food now?"
"No."
We arrived at a massive camp far from Sparta, where the rest of the recruits joined up, the Athenians from the ship, and native Spartans were all here. A man picked up barrels with weapons inside, "take one that you would prefer."
The weapons available were; swords, spears, and staves.
"Oh cool! My dad would've never let me even touch those!" Aindrea, eager for a weapons, leapt forward, along with many other spartan boys.
He chose the spear, Acacius also chose a spear, and I chose a sword.
"Huh? Why'd you choose a sword Matt?"
"It's my chuuni tendencies."
"Chuuni?"
"Forget it."
"Now that you have chosen your weapons, we will have you rigorously train with it, for that weapon is your lifeline."
I stared down at my hands, looking at the reflective metal, the hilt of the blade, all cover in a silver-ish tone. I ripped off some of my rags and wrapped a grip around the hilt of the sword.
"Recruit Aindrea." Leonidas has suddenly stood up and called his name.
"Y-yes?" He seemed kinda freaked out.
Leonidas signaled his men, and they brought over a log. "Demonstrate your strength by striking this wood, I've heard your strength is monstrous."
Aindrea stepped up to the wood and with little to no effort he shattered the log into bits."
"Well, goddamn, he did that without body strengthening magic." Leonidas whispered.
"Commander Areios, you're in charge of this one. Leonidas added.
Leonidas turned to the rest of us. "The rest of you, find other boys to partner up with, these will be your comrades for the next 8 months."
I looked around for Aindrea, but he was already gone, so I partnered up with Acacius, and 3 other boys. And went to the training arena.
ACACIUS
"Agh!"
"Acacius! Stop swinging your spear!" The mentor yelled.
"I-I don't know how to use it!"
"I've told you many times, to thrust, but you just keep on swinging! You can't even get a scratch on a swordsman!"
I looked back at Matthew for help, but he just beckoned his hand for another match.
Finally the mentor sighed, and carried a dummy over, "stab this he told me, and thrust this time."
I swung my spear into the dummy, but suddenly I saw a spear come at me, out of pure instinct, I jabbed at the spear, and I heard, yelp of pain.
I saw the mentor clutching his fist, and pulling my spear of his hand. "That was a jab, Acacius, you pulled it off beautifully."
I had finally learned the first step to using a spear.
AINDREA
"Where're we going Areios?"
"To the private training sector."
"What's that?"
"An advanced training area."
"B-"
"Do you always ask so many questions recruit?"
"Well, Matt always answers them."
"I don't know how he puts up with you."
"He's my best friend! He told me caring about each other is what friends are for!"
"I'd think he's caring a little too much."
We arrived at a huge forest, where the birds were singing, and starting to lightly rain.
"What are doing here?"
"Preparing you for the first 'game'."
"Game?"
"It's a merit system for which you are able to obtain a title, I want you to memorize this forest like the back of your hand, so you can get this title."
Huh? Did I hear him right? This old man is just joking right? This whole forest?!
"What?! This entire thing?!"
"No just part of it, and while we're at it I'll teach you how to use that spear of yours."
"That's a lot more work than Matt gave me back at the camp! This isn't fair!"
"It'll make you better than the rest, think about how they'll react when you get back! Besides the girls will be going on to participate with you in the games! Don't you want to impress them?"
"Damn it you sneaky..."
"That's what I thought."
MATTHEW
I need to try harder, Acacius keeps knocking the sword out of my hands, I need to think, think of a way!
Suddenly I was blown back, the air knocked out of my lungs, the impact leaving my ribs in pain.
I gasped for air.
"Damn it!"
"Matthew, are you ok?"
I looked up to see Acacius holding his hand out to me. This bastard, is he looking down on me? Just because he learned how to thrust a spear, he's getting all cocky?
"M-Matthew, you're starting to scare me, your eyes... their glowing purple."
"Huh? My eyes?"
Searing pain poured into my eyes. I screamed in agony I punched the air, in my fit of pain, scrambling, clawing at my eyes, until the pain finally died down. The pain died down, but so did my vision, dwindling into nothingness.