Greece

Nikon stood smirking a bit, waiting for his answer.

Adastros chuckled. "Hector...you've picked the wrong opponent."

"I've already considered life as a horse breeder if I don't win the games. Even if I do, I'm not sure what privileges it would bring. I think my brothers miss the royalty, women throwing themselves at them. Now I think they need a title to prove their worth."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alea looked across at a dark chasm that lead to stairs, "Many different passages, what if you took the wrong path?"

"So you ARE royalty." Orion smirked taking a sip.

"You could find yourself in unwelcome territory" Demetrios said "But you don't need to worry about that, we are here."

"Alright" Apollonis said

"I will not stop" Hector said

"Oh, not me... even as a child, in the palace... you would find me down in the servants rooms helping them make the beds. Then I would be feeding the animals, so pretty much there wasn't a moment where I wasn't covered head to toe in dirt. I was never expecting to rule, because by right, that honor goes to my brother. And I would become his advisor."

Orion nodded taking a drink. "In Sparta though a woman can become quite powerful, so what made you decide to take the life of a commoner?"

Nikon smirked. "Good."

Adastros grunted and charged Hector.

Apollonis held his hand out "Then we are in agreement"

Demetrios lead Alea out from Hades near Argos

Hector side stepped Adastros tripping him

Nikon shook his hand. "Yes we are. Now about these Trojans..."

Adastros grabbed Hector bringing Hector with him.

"Do not worry about them" Apollonis said "I will return to Troy with them. Troy will not interfere as long as you leave it alone"

Hector landed ontop of Adastros and elbowed him in the head before getting back to his feet

Alea shielded her eyes, "What's that light? Another part of the underworld?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cyniska frowned, "First our father's death was so sudden and it hit as hard. Mother tried to rule, because we were only young and inexperienced back then. But we found our father left us in shambles, debts and the people wanted to know they were being looked after. And then just before we thought the people would force us out, a king from Arcadia came and offered to take the place, and he had money to bring the city up from the floor it sank down to.

We were more than happy to retreat from things and disappear, our mother's health was the most importance, though we found even the country life couldn't prolong her illness. I'm not sure where the sickness came from but it just made the parents very ill. That King lasted five years, another King came along and then after that Menelaus and his family moved in, and by that time we weren't missed and our mother had passed, so we felt it was past worth closing the book on.

But our horse trading hasn't been fairing too well in the past year, so I cannot blame my brothers for wanting fast fortunes."

Nikon nodded. "We have no goal of taking Troy, but when the Titans rule again, we expect them to take Helios instead of Apollo and pay homage to the Titans."

Adastros got up kicking Hector sending him flying back into the Trojan lines forming a lightning bolt in his hand. "Enough toying with you mortal..."

"Well horse trading is a hard business, especially in Greece what with all the mountains, not too many armies make use of a large calvary force, especially with the hoplite infantry." Orion said.

"They will accept the change" Apollonis said

"Kill me if you must false god" Hector said "Apollo will avenge me."

"Apollo serves my father, you'll rot in Tartarus for your hubris." Adastros said.

Nikon nodded. "Now order your army to retreat, my legions will cease their attacks."

"If I have angered Zues then let him be the one to strike me down" Hector challenged.

"The soldiers I have summoned here are yours to command now" Apollonis said turning to head back to the Trojans "Do not worry about Hades, I will make things right with him."


"No, it is the sun" Demetrios said "We are in Argos"

(This is a good build up to the Trojan war)

Nikon nodded. "Alright then, see you soon." He said. "Inform your men of their new masters."

Adastros went to strike Hector down but was stopped by Nikon.

Alea looked around and gasped as the entrance had disappeared, and all she saw was a wall of trees. She didn't ask questions, things related to magic made more sense to her than the business of common and mortal things. The city of Argos laid down the hill from them and she admired the structure of the buildings.

"Highly populated..." she commented.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We mostly just did a business that we love doing," Cyniska said looking out from the tent to the moon, "I'm almost praying it doesn't go down, for tomorrow I do not know if I can board the ship."

(Indeed it is and helps build Hector's rep with the men.)

Apollonis stood behind Nikon and Adastros hearing the men cheere Hector for standing up to the demi god Adastros

"It is" Demetrios said heading down the hill.

(Yeah)

Adastros grunted and threw the lightning bolt shattering a building as he walked away frustrated.

Nikon looked at the Trojans as he called his undead hoplites off.

"Back to the boat" Apollonis shouted "We are returning home."

Nikon looked to the undead and waved his hand, they took up their arms and marched off to form up to march south to link up with the other legions and then sack Delphi.

Adastros grunted walking to his tent.

Apollonis boared teh boat with Trojans setting sail for Troy.

Spartan scouts had watched unnoticed before they headed south to inform the Greek army that had amassed.

Nikon went to Adastros' tent, to plan their advances.

(so who else would be on Nikkita's side.)

Nikkita talked with Gaia

(Hmm, trying to think, might have to make people)

(might, though it could be her own solo mission. Or just Gaia trying to make things right. Maybe this could tie in with Adastros trying to take the throne from Zues.)