THE INSUPERABLE: Death and Decay

Part 2

Acastus entered the northern side of the battlefield, it was not as the general described it, there were no living Athenians to be found. Acastus slowly walked through the field carefully looking at his feet as not to trip over the hundreds of Athenian corpses littering the field. He did not seem surprised, it was almost as if he expected to find a trail of corpses. He followed them for some time trying to listen for any sound that differed from the croaks of vultures or the moans of dying men. Finally, he heard something new.

It was the sound of battle, he rushed towards the fighting, with each step the sounds got louder, in the distance he saw a large number of men rushing an incredibly large man. When the soldiers reached the man they immediately flew backward. Some hit the ground with great force but were still able to get back up, others were not so lucky, some men landed head first breaking their necks, others fell onto sharp rocks or even spears sticking out the ground. The giant man kept uttering a phrase. "For the last time, tell me where to find your king and I'll stop throwing you around like a bunch of episkyros balls." The man seemed otherworldly, he was incredibly large, he had arms the size of boulders, he stood at seven maybe even eight feet tall. His body was sculpted beyond belief. He was also quite pleasant to the eye. He had long raven black hair and a charming face with chestnut eyes.

"Kalib! Thank the gods I finally found you." Acastus let out a sigh of relief. "Acastus?" Kalib tilted his head, "what in hades are you doing here? I thought I told you to wait back at camp?" Kalib exclaimed with anger in his voice. "Ah Kalib it's quite the funny story, there I was sitting on the hill overlooking the battlefield, having just prepared myself a lovely stew made of some fresh trout I had just pulled from a nearby pond." "Can you get to the point man, I have no interest in hearing about your breakfast," Kalib sneered as he kicked a charging Athenian, sending the man flying. "I was getting there Kalib," Acastus frowned, " by Thoth, you have no respect for a good story, every good story starts with a good setting of the scene..." "Acastus!" Kalib yelled. "Alright Alright, misthios there's no need to bite my head off. As I was enjoying my meal I realized you forgot to apply the sun repelling poultice I had prepared for you last night. So being the good friend that I am, I marched through the battlefield to bring you this," Acastus pulled from his bag a glass jar containing the sun repellent poultice. "You mean to say you marched through an entire battlefield to bring me a bottle of skin lotion?" Kalib asked shocked.

"Don't look at me like that, Helio's light may bring life but it also brings nasty burns and diseases," Acastus said as he pointed his finger towards the sky. "Acastus, you know damn well I don't get diseases, never mind sunburn!" Kalib said growing more and more irritated. "That's what everyone says until they die of some sun-caused disease then they look rather foolish now don't they. Now, come come Kalib, turn around, let me rub some on your back, Helio's kiss is deadly to all men, even overgrown freaks of nature like yourself," Acastus explained as he scooped a large amount of the poultice from the jar. "Fine, But make it quick these men won't kill themselves!" Kalib grew annoyed. The Athenian soldiers that previously charged at Kalib stopped to observe the strange event that was happening in front of their eyes. The once-mighty warrior that dominated them just a moment ago, now stood still as a smaller man was rubbing lotion on his back.

"Acastus people are staring," Kalib seemed embarrassed. "Oh let them stare, at least you won't be as red as that idiot over there," Acastus pointed at an Athenian soldier standing a few paces from them. "Now duck down please I can't reach your shoulders," Acastus asked ever so focussed on rubbing the poultice in thoroughly. A group of Athenians stopped staring, having just noticed it might be the perfect time to strike at the large man. They gripped their weapons tightly and charged at Kalib.

"Oh look the gentlemen grew balls, I guess I stopped being scary the moment another man started applying lotion to me," Kalib glared at Acastus. "Just try not to move too much!" Acastus frowned, still focused on rubbing. Kalib dropped his magnificent pickaxe and just before it hit the ground he kicked it towards the oncoming men. The weapon flew towards them beheading all four of them before flying into a tree. "Turn around, please," Acastus asked. Kalib sneered but still turned around. While Acastus was rubbing the misthios' stomach, Kalib noticed an Athenian staring at him. " You there, please, come over here good man!" Kalib called the man closer. The soldier approached Kalib slowly and cautiously. "Don't worry my good man, I shan't hurt you," Kalib reassured the soldier. "Uhm yes sir?" the soldier asked. "Where might I find your king's tent?" "'Tis just a little to the north of here sir, it's not a tent you're looking for but a cave," the soldier said with caution. "Thank you, I appreciate the help, you may go now I won't follow," Kalib reassured the man. The soldier ran as fast as his legs could carry him, he was convinced the large man would follow him, but alas he never did.

"Acastus are you done? This is taking forever." Kalib rolled his eyes. "Almost misthios, you're not exactly a small man you know, there's a lot of surface to cover," "I did not ask you to rub me with a poultice, it is not needed for someone like me!" Kalib grew impatient. "One day you'll thank me, you young people don't appreciate anything," Acastus rolled his eyes. "I'm much older than you my dear Acastus, you merely look older," Kalib grimaced. "Thank you for pointing out my wrinkles Kalib, we don't all age like a fine wine you know," Acastus frowned. "Maybe you need some of that poultice my dear Acastus," Kalib laughed. Acastus glared at him perviously.