Seventeen years ago, not long before the birth of Eugenia and not long after the death of King Heroides, the world was still a different place. The distant island of Sarpedon was a legend that only the occasional madmen would venture towards and Athens was experiencing an era of prosperity after the ceasefire with their eternal rivals of Sparta.

In these days there was still a chance to change destiny’s course.

In the harbor of Piraeus a small fleet had returned and was welcomed by cheering citizens and soldiers. These were the five ships sent out to vanquish the pirate threat that had terrorized the Aegean Sea for almost a decade now. Originally nine triremes had been sent out to do the deed, but two had fallen into the pirates’ greedy hands and another two had been sunk in combat. Even those who returned were showing a heavy toll. Sails were torn and the crew covered in wounds.

Yet when they finally returned to land, all the brave sailors and warriors were displaying their pride as they were cheered on by the masses. They had been victorious! Peace was returned to the trade routes and Athens had proven its naval superiority again.

Sitting atop a wagon with his stiff leg resting on a sack, one slick haired man watched the glorious return intently. Placed around him in discreet distance were his personal guards, protectors of the Archons.

“So that is the hero of the pirate war, a lad who’s barely grown a beard yet.” The black haired man said with a tilted head.

“That is the prodigy spear master, Leander.” A bald man standing to his left nodded emphatically.

“Tell me Lupus, what does a hero look like?” He asked casually.

“Pardon, sir?” The ever slick assistant seemed to be unsure of what his master was getting at.

“You heard the stories. Saw the murals and vases. Listened to the poets sing their little rhymes. What makes a man look like a hero in your opinion?” He cleaned out his nails with a small knife.

“Perhaps a strong body and noble eyes?” Lupus humored him.

“Strength, hm? Very useful, that. A toned body is important, but even a farmer has muscles to spare from toiling away at the fields all his life.” He stopped his cleaning and looked back at the distant hero’s face. “The eyes on the other hand… what kind of hero has those eyes?”

“Y-You can see them, sir?” Lupus strained his own eyes, but Leander was just too far away to even make out his face.

“There is no pride in those eyes, not even a sliver of satisfaction. They are as deep as the hole of Tartaros and as empty as a Gorgon’s heart.” He adjusted his stiff right leg and then stood up. “That man does not enjoy being a hero.”

“If you say it, then it must be true.” Lupus flattered his master as usual, but it was clear that he did not much care.

“I cannot fathom a lad like that. All that strength and fame should come to better use, don’t you think Lupus?”

“Most certainly.”

“The man to his side, who is he?” He questioned after staring for a while.

“That is Captain Trifos. He is Leander’s right hand man, second in command and rumored to be just as valiant as the hero himself.”

“His eyes seem right.” They could not have been more different. It was like Nyx and Hemera. Two goddesses ever so close, yet they could only pass each other as night passed day.

“I cannot see.” Lupus repeated. His eyes weren’t even that bad.

Without looking the Archon pushed a large amphora of expensive wine into the bald man’s hands.

“Ohh!” Lupus eyes widened. He seemed to hold back the drool from his watering mouth.

“I want you to meet with that ‘hero’ and make his acquaintance. Have a nice drink with him. You know how to suck up to someone.” He smirked and then pushed the young assistant down the wagon.

“W-What shall I do once I finish talking to him?”

“That is up to him. All I want from you is to give me reports on what you find out. Be of service to him and keep an eye out for the signs. I believe this hero will become useful to me one day.”

“Understood, Lord Achaeus.” He bowed and then walked off while holding the wine like it was a precious gift.

Achaeus watched the welcoming ceremony for a while longer, before turning his back on the whole thing. Despite his ambivalent expression he was filled with curiosity. There would be a war involving Lamia soon, so it would be a good time to see just how far this Leander would go.

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Twelve long years passed since that day. The world had slowly changed. Conflicts had been flaring up in the surrounding lands and Athens was ever on the move to support her allies. These were trying times, but for the Archons it was just an average work day at a time.

Since the town hall had been built a few years ago, so centrally in the Akropolis, the Archons had been moving between the palace and that building fairly routinely. Achaeus preferred to take a particular detour towards his work.

He leaned against a tree and watched the temple of Athena in all its towering glory. There were larger temples in Thebes and nothing could rival the Temple of Demeter, but they were intent on expanding this temple eventually, to show off the glory of their patron goddess. The coin that was flowing into this project was absurd in his opinion, but it would satisfy those of strong faith among the aristocrats.

Still, the gardens were a beautiful sight. As the sun kissed the grass and flowers he felt his mind drifting away. The tranquility of it all could make the burden disappear for just a moment.

“You are here once again, Archon.” A sharp voice made him snap out of his trance. “You come here every day. One might wonder if you have improper intentions.” The woman who had managed to sneak up on him was none other than the grand priestess herself.

“Lady Akacia, my fondest greetings.” Achaeus replied stiffly.

“Is it sating to stare at our temple so longingly every day? You are aware that the gates are open to you?” She said teasingly.

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“Mhm, I’m fully aware.” He cleared his throat.

“I have never seen you pray. Neither have you made any offerings to Lady Athena. Ergo you must have some other interest in this place.” She surmised with exaggerated hand motions.

They both looked at the garden where two priestesses were chewing out a young apprentice. The girl was loudly apologizing over and over as she was being scolded. She could not have been much older than twelve summers, yet she was reprimanded without mercy.

“Oh? If you do not come for our Lady, perhaps you are here for the girls instead? To aim your lecherous eyes at a priestess is a serious offense.” She crossed her arms and smirked darkly.

“You are mistaken.” He corrected her with a twitching lower lip. This treatment was humiliating. “I have no interest in younger women.”

“So it’s only a matter of age! At your age I expect a rising interest in young blood. How many men have come to us to bless their union with someone that I can hardly call more than a child? I am used to it, truly.”

“I do not wish to repeat myself.” He seemed pressured, she was relentless today.

“Too bad, really. I would have gladly handed that clumsy rube of a girl to the first man who asked for her hand.” She said with a sardonic look towards the young apprentice who was still bowing even after the other priestesses left.

“Is it customary to marry off incompetent girls?” He wondered with a raised brow.

“Whether that is a custom or not, I shan’t do it with that one. I could never face Kynthia once I pass on if I sell off her daughter to some sleazy older man.”

“Sleazy?” he grumbled under his breath.

They watched the girl tend to the flowers with teary eyes. She had been holding it in while being reprimanded, but now she let out her grief. The flowers would listen to anyone after all.

“You never answered my question.” Akacia restarted the conversation after a sigh towards the direction of her protégé.

“Which was?”

“Why do you never step into the temple? You must have questions for Lady Athena. There is nobody who does not seek a little bit of certainty.” She wrapped the cloth around her hand with which she had been cleaning a small ornament and then slid it into her chiton.

“I am sorry to disappoint you then.” Achaeus put a hand on his side and then looked at the shining fringe around the contours of the temple during the sunrise. “I have all the certainty I ever need.”

Akacia looked at his profile, but then turned back to share the view with him. There was the slightest of smiles on her lips.

“Suit yourself. That will be less work for me.”

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It was late night inside the town hall where only the most unsavory of schemes could take shape and only hushed voices would penetrate the candlelit air.

“Lord Achaeus, our spy in Nineveh has been discovered. He was forced to take his life.”

“This is a heavy blow. He was the closest to the king’s court. How could those Persian animals have uncovered him?” Achaeus rammed his fist against the table.

“We had a defector in our midst.”

The Archon was suppressing a curse and held his pounding head. The heat of his rage was clouding his judgement.

“Tell our informant in the servant quarters to cover his tracks. We can’t afford to lose even one more man.” He ordered and sent the messenger off.

“The last message we received was not encouraging. The empire is not as brittle as we had hoped.” One of Achaeus generals was looking at the shoddy maps that had been drawn painstakingly by the few informants they had in the empire. They were far from detailed. Some outright contradicted each other and put Media far to the east or west.

“We have Lydia’s support and Media has sworn to not come to their aid. This campaign is starting to take shape. We need more men. More resources. More power.”

“The war in Eretria has ended recently. They have been victorious, but their city has been crippled. There aren’t many left on your list.”

“Hmph.” He did not appreciate such blatant attempts to cheer him up.

“Leander is returning from his journey. Are you certain about your decision?” The general seemed unconvinced.

“Has he not proven himself enough?” He swiped aside the bad maps and then sat down in his large chair. “That man is popular with the people and a face that represents Athens’ heroic presence. He can be a free spirit, so we have to shackle him to a position of responsibility. Becoming an Archon will bind him to our plans.”

“But what if he opposes the plan?”

“Then I will rid myself of him as I did with all my other opponents.” Achaeus said coldly.

“To elect the bastard of a house that has fallen from grace is unheard of. Yet as you say, he has sway with the people. The other houses might not agree out of principle, though.”

“I will make certain he gets the support he needs. Topos is as unmoving as a statue, but Xylon’s days are numbered. We need fresh blood.” He sighed deeply.

“You have always been fascinated with that hero.”

“What did you say?” Achaeus suddenly glared at him.

“M-Milord? I merely meant to say that you have been following Lord Leander’s career with a close eye.”

“I keep my eye on anyone who affects my plan.” He stressed every syllable.

“Naturally.” The general hastily took the quickest out and focused on the letters again.

Achaeus walked towards the window and threw the wooden cover open. Cold night air streamed inside and made the candles flicker. The pain in his leg flared up for a moment as the temperature sank.

“A hero’s sword could be exactly what we need to cut off the eastern serpent’s head.” He muttered to himself.

The empire would fall soon. He only needed a few more years, just a little longer until he could eradicate the evil that was threatening the world. If his sword could not reach them… then he would rely on as many sacrifices as he had to. After all it was destiny for him to be victorious. Only the means had been unclear.

“You are watching me, are you not?” He asked the stars.

For a moment he could have sworn that he saw the shimmer of silvery eyes.

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“Achaeus, a word please?”

He was called back by the new Archon, Leander.

“Make it quick, I have some matters to attend to.” He stroked his short beard and followed the younger Archon inside the meeting room. “Well?”

“I heard that you sent troops to Eretria to protect our ships.”

“Of course. I cannot allow pirates to have their way with our trade routes. You of all people should be aware that pirates should be dealt with using an iron fist.”

“Yes, I am aware. Those reports, though, they worry me. There should not be such a large pirate presence anymore. And why are you stationing the troops in Eretria rather than putting them on the ships as protection?” Leander flipped through the pile of letters that he undoubtedly received every day.

Achaeus eyed him from the side and then made a show of his long sigh.

“Leander, you are trained for war. You have to learn to let go of your old prey already. Leave this matter to me and focus on the new trade routes in the west, please? I heard promising things from the money lender. That Typhos fellow.”

“It will take a few years, but we could double our partners.” Leander nodded. “But about Eretria-”

“I am serious, drop it please. I have everything under control. You might be the hero of the pirate war, but that does not obligate you to hunt down every stray vagabond.” He laughed thinly and then smacked Leander on the back. “Listen to your elder, there will be opportunities for you to return to the fight. Athens will always need your blade, but more so your spirit.”

“I… maybe you are right. I wish that I could be as collected as you.” He smiled wryly. “Just for once I would appreciate some peace.”

“That is what we are fighting for! A world where our city rules the horizon and nothing can threaten it ever again.” Achaeus said with ambition in his voice.

“If Lady Athena wills it.” Leander did not seem convinced. There was this brittleness in his posture. He had turned weary over the years. But when he heard of those pirates, just for a moment his eyes had shown a flash of hunger.

Achaeus felt the heat flare up in his chest. There was no dousing this need they had. A need to clasp the world in their hands and be in control.

“For peace in our lifetime.” Leander had poured them some wine and held one mug towards his colleague.

“To the eradication of evil.” Achaeus replied determinedly and they both took large swigs of the grape blood.

Their paths had already been paved.