012: Border

Asterion, who was usually the first to wake up, slowly opened his eyes and was pleased to notice that the roles had been reversed. His companions were clumsily trying to find their way on a poorly drawn map by Laconia. The polemarch watched in silence with a huge, smug smile as he thought how happy he felt to be of use to his friends.

-We are roughly twenty-seven miles(1) from Helena, right on the edge of the border with the hyperboreans.

Laconia and Niko looked at each other nervously, the thracian more so considering his lack of experience.

-Shouldn't we get out of here quickly? It's impossible for us to defeat even one of them.

Asterion put a hand to his head to scratch it, unconcerned about his team's nervousness.

-They never go far from their capital, it's impossible for us to meet one, however their servants are another story.

-Automatons.

-Have you fought any, Miss Laconia?

-Twice, neither was worth it.

-What do you mean?

-They are not enemies that you can kill with one blow, your only recourse is to wear them down and they are built to endure.

-Besides, that was before I worked with you so I am like your Niko, I only know them in theory, as long as we keep a low profile we should be fine, they are not that fast either. We will march after breakfast.

-Sheep?

-Sheep.

…

The phalanx marched calmly to the south, the trees near the hyperborean territory were abnormally large, even a cyclops could hide between their trunks, so Laconia seemed worried about an ambush.

-Why is this forest so huge? I don't remember that near the capital are this size.

Asterion kept looking up trying to calculate the size of the trunks.

-I'm not sure either, as far as I remember the hyperboreans do not receive blessings from any god of nature and if this were the territory of some satyr we would be already dead.

Niko went ahead and signaled them to stop and be silent.

-Miss, get the captain up on a branch.

Niko climbed up to the most hidden branch he could find and Laconia carrying Asterion followed him, the branch was as thick as a road so it was easy for them to hide, as soon as silence returned they heard multiple steps in the grass, the bestiary and the thracian had their weapons in hand while they watched the visitors, Asterion sighed lightly, thinking about the difficult opponent he expected to find, but his eyes opened wide when he saw that they were a large group of cynocephali(2), humanoid beings with animal heads and humanoid hairy bodies, the name only means “dog head”, but their appearances vary to all kinds of animals, the minotaurs believe that the heleny come from the pig-headed cynocephali and the heleny believe that the cow heads are now the minotaurs, but both deny the relationship, since they only have four fingers. Most of the group had sheep and deer heads, their ears were clearly pierced.

-More freed slaves?

Laconia lowered her broadsword and touched Niko shoulder so that he could rest as well.

-What do we do, polemarch?

Asterion watched them worriedly and with his hand covering his mouth he slowly closed his eyes.

-Let's let them pass... They are not our problem.

Laconia looked at Asterion and lowered her head next to him, Niko seemed confused.

-Are you sure? We would earn a lot of tetradrachm’s(3) just by capturing one.

-Our job is to return Niko, not to take lost dogs to their owners, let's go.

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The group of cynocephali despite wearing simple clothes and just a few weapons seemed prepared for the trip, they were a group of at least fifty and began to set up a simple settlement.

-They are going to stay here Asterion, let's go back.

Laconia grabbed both of them and climbed to the top of the tree to glide towards the south, Asterion who was looking towards the ground received a flash of light reflected in what seemed to be metal.

-Stop, there is an automaton walking towards where we are.

Niko looked down.

-No, it is going towards the cynocephali, let's pass it gliding, the animals will serve as a distraction.

Laconia looked at Asterion, he was silently looking down, she knew what he was thinking, but the polemarch needed a push to follow his convictions.

-Your instructions, Polemarch.

-… Let's go back.

The young thracian could not remain silent.

-What, for what?! We can sail above it perfectly.

-Soldier, trust your polemarch and follow his orders, we're going back.

Laconia turned and they landed on a tree near the cynocephali camp, the silver metal footsteps of the automaton became louder and louder.

-Why are we doing this, captain?

Asterion seemed quieter than usual, as if words were not coming to him, he was tense and if they didn't know him, his group would think he was scared to death of the enemy, but that was not what was flooding the Polemarch mind.

-If I tell you, it won't work Niko, but for now I will ask you please to trust me and follow the plan.

Niko grabbed his head and prepared his sling.

- Fine, but you'll have to explain everything to me when this is over.

- Deal.

Finally the footsteps reached the ears of the settlement and several cynocephali fled in terror, many seemed extremely young and only about fifteen had weapons, among them the one who seemed to be the leader was a doe head with dark brown fur, she had a long bow along with some curious animal skin gloves with four fingers. The automatons are constructs of the hyperboreans, giant robots of gold and silver that possess a strength similar to that of the cyclops without any of their weaknesses, for some strange reason they are not made in the likeness of their creators but in that of their opponents, automatons in the form of minotaurs and gigantic humans up to eight cubits high, in this case that was the design of the latter, armed with a gladius in his four-fingered hand, he seemed to be created as a mockery for his rivals.

-RUN!

The doe voice was too soft for the difficult role she was in, her companions trembled with fear and did not seem to have the slightest chance of survival, Asterion raised his hand in preparation to attack the automaton before it massacred the group, but a wooden arrow hit the construct head and to the surprise of the phalanx managed to destroy part of the eye, although for a being without flesh or bones it was barely a nuisance. Asterion gave the order.

-Let's go.

The automaton was under the tree and the arrow made it stop for a moment, at which point Laconia sword was inserted into the machine eye and in a lever movement pulverized part of the face, where an incendiary bomb would be thrown by the thracian, Laconia returned to the branch and took Asterion to solid ground.

-Run, we'll distract him.

Asterion spoke to the cynocephali who followed all his orders to save their lives except the doe who pointed her bow at the polemarch.

-Are you here to sell us?

Niko pointed his sword at the doe neck, Asterion continued speaking.

-We came to take care of the automaton, go with your people.

The archer lowered her bow and hurried back to her companions.

-Well, now this will be quite annoying.

The automaton had one less eye, but it didn't need to see, its body when seen in detail was full of small holes, probably caused by the cynocephali from before, but the machine had no blood to wear out, not even removing its head would stop its advance, the only way to defeat it would be to destroy it completely.

-Niko, do you think that with your blessing you can cut the tendons of its heel?

-Well, it's difficult considering he has no tendons, surely cutting him would only make him stumble a little, even if I cut his foot completely he would crawl towards us.

-Okay, I just need you to stay still for a few moments, Laconia.

The polemarch formed the number three with his fingers when he saw that Laconia caught his attention.

-But that won't do anything.

Now he pointed to the tree next to the machine and both of his companions had already put together Asterion plan in their heads and said at the same time.

-I understand.

The automaton ran up to the phalanx and Niko took his sword with both hands.

- Υιός -

Transformed into the very lightning of his god, the thracian ran to the right of the automaton and launching himself in a straight line severed both joints between the leg and the ankle, inside the foot was full of gears and screws, anyway the machine still fell on its weight, while the thracian did his part the bestiary had already cast her blessing.

- Σιδηρουργείο -

The fire wave could not cut through the metal of the automaton, so instead Laconia cut through the base of the immense tree next to the machine, the tree collapsed like a mountain on the construct that was pulverized upon receiving the impact.

-Haha, pretty good for my first time against these things. How did you defeat them before, Laconia?

-We cut off all their limbs.

-I figured as much.

Niko returned to the group.

-Good job doing nothing, captain.

Before both men clashed their fists in celebration, more metallic sounds appeared, but now they came from the north. Asterion immediately ran towards the noises.

-Quickly, they won't be able to beat another.

Laconia carried him on her shoulder and Niko ran alongside them.

-I don't know what we gain by saving them, but I'm surprised how much you care about them.

Asterion remained silent. He, more than anyone else, understood the lack of empathy his species had with others. Debating would have no meaning or value. For now, he just needed to concentrate on helping those he believes do not deserve to suffer. At least that was how he was taught.

In the distance, the figure of the other automaton could be seen, this one modeled as a minotaur, running to attack the cynocephali, the phalanx was too far away to stop its advance or to give a blessing, several would die, the machine was about to massacre them until words were heard from all sides that no Hellenist had ever heard before.

- Κυπαρίσσι -

An arrow hit the chest of the automaton and from it, multiple roots entangled its limbs and it could be heard as they destroyed it from within until when it stopped moving, hundreds of cypress leaves sprouted from the trunks. The arrow had been launched by the doe and when the phalanx realized it, they all watched in horror as its glove fell apart from the force of the shot and they could see its hand in detail.

-Five fingers…

When the cynocephalus realized this, her face filled with fear and, realizing that she had no other option, she pointed her bow at the phalanx.

…

Mile(1): Roman mile equivalent to 1481 meters.

Cynocephalus(2): Dog's head.

Tetradrachm(3): Silver coin.