War's End

After sacrificing my eye, delivered a blow to the soldier who took my eye.

"ATREDIES," I hear a shout from Zopyros

He came to help thinking I might be dead. The pain of losing an eye to a weapon is something that cannot be explained. The survival instinct of my body kicked to its peak, reducing the burst power muscles in my body while increasing the endurance muscles. Sometimes I think my body is a person on its own.

"Fight Zopyros, we cannot lose this battle, the men are waiting for our return in victory"

"Yes, we must win. VICTORY," Zopyros roared as his voice echoed through the battlefield.

"VICTORY" "VICTORY" "VICTORY"

Spartan warriors got a greater boost with that call. We started coming back together creating formations across the field. Those formations start to move towards those close to them, grouping together and making bigger formations.

Our group formed a circular formation, expanding outward with each new addition. We have already gathered about 60 men for our formation. The closest formation to us is about 30 meters from us, I called

"ON ME"

The formation changed into a triangular formation, with 2 men with shields and swords by my side. Zopyros covering the rear, my spear starts moving faster and faster as I strike at the heads of everything in front of me. The time it takes for me to make 5 strikes, is what it takes for others to make 2.

Pushing forward fast, we clear a straight line towards our men. The commander is within that group using a square formation, the last of the groups are also joining him. The group had about 150 men, with the 56 men left from my group, we have just over 200 men left.

"Zopyros take the right wedge, I will take the left," I said, forgetting that I am not in command.

We join up with the commander's group and start the slaughter, with both of us taking the edges of the formation, we reduce the stress the formation is experiencing. With fast kills of my spear and Zopyros' unreasonable power, we reduce the losses on our side.

"MEN, PUSSH" the commander yelled

The formation starts moving forward as we keep on mowing down our enemies. The Athenians have lost close to 1,200 men and are showing signs of withdrawing. We keep pushing and putting pressure on them.

My sight is completely red at this moment, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. Muscles are screaming at me for rest, my lungs are asking for air, and my brain is telling me that my level of concentration cannot continue like this.

I don't know how long this fight has been going on, but if we don't win this fight soon, I might not be able to survive this.

I guess my luck is good today because I see the Athenians withdrawing from the battle. We are still on high alert because he can still attack us again, I can't rest just yet, I have to wait for the commander's call of victory.

"VICTORY"

"A-HOO" "A-HOO" "A-HOO"

Finally, the call is made, and I take a needed breath of air. I start shaking almost convulsing, I look up only to see it dark. Around me the men are collapsing on the ground in fatigue, this fight was short but too aggressive, we killed over 1,500 men within such a short time.

My body is cold, my eyes dimming, my mind slowing down and finally, I pass out. The last thing I can see and hear is the men celebrating the win, while also morning the dead warriors.

'Urgh,' I wake with pain over my whole body. Looking around with my one good eye to see we are at the location where we started the ambush from. I tried to stand up, feeling like I had aged a 100-year, body groaning in pain, a warrior turned seeing me trying to get up laughed as he said

"Bloodletter is awake"

He came to help me stand, patting me on the shoulders as he laughed. We laughed together as more warriors came around. Zopyros just can and patted my shoulder, nodding his head at me. We gather around to eat the small game that was hunted, I ate to my fill satiating my hunger, and went to rest.

We stay here to make sure the Athenians don't try to send more reinforcements. After 3 days a messenger came to the camp to tell us that we had won the battle, telling us to return to Sparta. We all cheered as we packed our belongings for the trek back home.

We got back to the area of the first battlefield to see the Athenians packing their camps. Returning to camp we are welcomed with great ceremony. We found out that through our contribution they were able to hold this place without losing a single warrior, although out of the 300 that left only about half of us came back, we are still proud of what we have done.

The war is over, but the biggest contributors were those 1000 men, my old man went with. They had gone south, apparently, the Thracians were coming through that pass to join the Athenians. We don't know why they decided to join them, they were in for a surprise as they came with only 3000 men.

All Spartans started their march back to our city after 5 days of waiting for the Athenians to leave and not come back. Carriages were sent out to recover the bodies of the men who fell, they are to be given a warrior's funeral.

The king spoke words to those who lost loved ones, and then they were burned as we said the prayer of war to the men as they made their journey.

Sparta our land and home

We fight, we bleed, we die

Ares is there to welcome

As we cast the last die

To rest eternal, as gods.

After the prayer, it was time for the party to celebrate our victory. Meeting with my friends again, mourning the loss of 10 men from our group, and celebrating their return to Ares. This war had shown us that life can be very fragile, so we must live and appreciate this land and its blessings.

I think it is time for me to leave this land and train to understand myself fully. I don't want to keep losing myself and letting my body do whatever it wants.