"Every man chooses a god to invoke in battle. Ares, Apollo, Deimos, Phobos, Zeus, Nike, Poseidon ... For me, it will always be the Pallas Athena." Galen glanced down to his own pommel where her face stared up at him. "Anyone can battle for pride, power, vanity, greed, or hate, but war should always be approached with an equal measure of wisdom and strength. It's not just enough to know when to fight, but to know when to lay down the sword and negotiate. Not everything in the world is worth fighting for."
Styxx considered that for a moment. "Is anything worth fighting for, Master Galen?"
"Of course."
For his life, he couldn't think of a single thing he'd shed his blood to protect. "What?"
"Love and family."
Styxx bit back a snort. He knew nothing of love and what he knew of family he could do without. "Not country?"
"Countries come and they go, good prince. They're only worth preserving when the loss of them would cause harm to the people you cherish."
So as Styxx had said, there was nothing to fight for. But he was curious about one thing....
"Who do you fight for, Galen?"
"At one time, I fought for my beautiful and gentle wife, who left this world at far too young an age." He winced as if someone had struck him. "Even after all these years, I feel her absence as a physical pain, and hope that you will one day find a woman so fine and decent ... One whose face fills your heart with pride and love." He offered Styxx a gruff smile. "These days, I would fight for my daughter and grandchildren. And I will always fight for you, Highness."
Those words warmed him. Since Galen seldom said anything tender, or even kind, Styxx knew he meant them.
Galen lifted his sword. "Now, shall we get on with this lesson or continue to chat like old women?"
Styxx raised his shield. "By all means, let my ass-beating commence."
Laughing, Galen swung at his head. Styxx jerked back and countered with a down stroke of his sword, followed by an attack with his shield. Galen blocked his attack then advanced with a barrage of blows that were hard to deflect. That was the one thing about Galen, he taught Styxx to use every part of his body as a weapon, and to hold nothing back. In war, all that mattered was surviving it ... preferably with all body parts attached.
But as they fought, something inside Styxx burst. A flood of ...
Strength? Power?
He wasn't sure what it was. But an inner door opened and with it came an ability to know the exact move Galen would make right before he did it. Styxx had sometimes been able to do that in other situations, yet never in battle.
Today, that changed.
All of a sudden, Styxx could deflect or block every thrust and stroke. For the first time ever, Galen was forced to back up from his attacks and to protect himself.
Styxx's vision turned dark until he no longer saw Galen as a man, but rather a target to be destroyed. He lost all sense of where he was or why he trained. Or even the fact that he trained at all. Instead, he rained blow after blow with both hoplon and xiphos across Galen's shield until he broke through the thick wood lining and bent the bronze out of shape.
With no choice, panting and weakened, Galen threw the useless hoplon aside then buried the tip of his sword into the ground before kneeling in front of Styxx. "I yield, fair prince!"
Applause rang out.
Lowering his sword, Styxx frowned until he located the source of it. Estes and his father stood just off the main gate. His uncle opened it and came inside with his father trailing two steps behind him.
"Impressive, little squirrel." Estes paused to retrieve a fresh hoplon from the wall bank of them. "But let's see how you fare against a warrior in his prime and not an old man."
He took the xiphos from where Galen had planted it then used it to salute Styxx.
A slow, evil smile curved his lips. "Are you sure, Uncle? I'd hate to injure you on the day of your arrival. Perhaps you should rest first?"
Estes laughed. "Arrogant ... I love it. But prepare to see your ego debased."
That would be different than normal, how?
Styxx returned his salute, and waited for his uncle to make the first move.
He did. The sound of metal clashing echoed off the stone walls surrounding them. This time, not only did Styxx see the moves before his uncle made them, he gained strength with every blow. It was like he was siphoning off Estes's life force. As his uncle grew weaker, he became stronger. In a matter of minutes, he had his uncle disarmed and flat on his back with the tip of his xiphos pressed against Estes's throat.
His breathing ragged, Estes held his hands up in surrender. "I yield, good Styxx."
Styxx buried his sword into the ground and removed his helm and placed it on the hilt. He extended his arm to his uncle to help him to his feet.
Estes was incredulous. "By the gods, you're not even breathing hard. Oh to be so young again...." He looked over at Galen. "My highest regards to you, Master Hoplomachos. You've done an amazing job with my nephew's skill. It's been an incredibly long time since anyone disarmed me, never mind knocked me to the ground." Then he glanced to the king. "Brother, if we'd had Styxx on our side in the war, we'd have never had to enter talks with Atlantis. We'd have buried her."
His father finally closed his gaping jaw. "I had no idea he was so skilled. The boy has hid it well." He turned to look at Styxx. "No wonder you sought new armor."
And you denied it to me with mocking disdain....
Asshole.
But there was no trace of that now. His father actually appeared almost proud.
The king jerked his chin at Styxx's shield. "It's time we decorated that aspis of yours, boy, and forged you a warrior's xiphos and kopis. You're finally ready to defend my throne."
Those words should make him happy. Instead, Styxx felt only emptiness. There was no pride or satisfaction inside his heart. In truth, he didn't want his father's praise anymore. It no longer mattered to him what the bastard thought. Not when he knew how his father really felt where he was concerned.
Unless he was perfect, he was garbage to be thrown aside and ridiculed.
Or worse, forgotten.
All the months he'd been gone for torture, his father hadn't even missed him. For that matter, his father had barely looked at him or talked to him since his return. The only reason the king was here now was because Estes had wanted to see him train.
Why bother wasting our time...? The boy fights like a methusai. I'd rather watch the grass growing in the yard.
His father narrowed his gaze on his hoplomachos. "Galen, fetch a scribe and have him design a royal emblem for my son. Something worthy of a princely champion. An eagle or a lion, perhaps."
Estes shook his head. "I'm thinking a pegasus or trident."
"A phoenix," Styxx said. There was nothing more fitting for him. Forged by the flames of Hades's Pyriphlegethon River, he emerged. And like a phoenix, he wouldn't really exist until his father was good and dead.
The king inclined his head to him. "You heard my son, Galen. Phoenix it is."
"I shall see it done, Majesty, and deliver his new hoplon within a month."
While Galen and his father walked away to discuss the matter, Estes came forward.
"Your father's right, Styxx. You are becoming quite a fine young man."
Styxx didn't comment as he retrieved his helm and sword. "How does my brother in your custody, Uncle?"
A strange tremor went through Estes that Styxx couldn't define. And even though he tried, he couldn't discern his uncle's thoughts on the matter.
"He's very well. Happy. Healthy. Looks just like you."
"Except for his eyes," Styxx reminded him.
"Except for his eyes."
And the brand scars....
Trying not to think about that, Styxx returned his hoplon to the wall then entered Galen's headquarters with Estes one step behind him. "Does Acheron ever ask after me?"
"He does. Often. One day, I should like to have the two of you together. I think we'd all enjoy that greatly." There was something even odder in his tone. Something that sent a shiver down Styxx's spine.
Still, he couldn't hear one single thought from his uncle. How was that possible?
Disturbed by the anomaly, Styxx placed Galen's xiphos on the rack where his trainer normally kept it.
"So tell me, young Styxx. Has any woman caught your attention or heart yet?"
It was all he could do to not curl his lip in revulsion of that question. Between his mother and Ryssa's hateful lunacy and the faithless, mercurial women who threw themselves at him constantly, tying one to him was the last thing on his mind. "No."
"No?" Estes was aghast as if he couldn't fathom such. "How can you be so young and handsome, and not in love?"