An End

Chapter 2: Train Hard, Go Far

There was a motto between everyone at the school. "Train hard, Go far". Some took it literally, like Mikro. He would train twenty-four seven with hardly any breaks. He was the definition of training hard. Elpida, too, trained hard as well. Although she never pushed herself as Mikro did. She knew resting was just as important as training. However, her trainers and teachers never took lightly to her resting in the middle of their classes.

"Elpida...Elpida....ELPIDA!"

Elpida jumped up from her desk. "To kouneli einai edo!" 

A few giggles were heard around the room. She glanced at her classmates,  slightly embarrassed, and a sheepish grin directed at her daskalos. It disappeared when she saw his disapproving frown.

Her daskalos let out a small sigh and looked at Elpida. "Elpida, would like for me to repeat the question?"

Elpida looked around the room, hoping for someone to help her, but when no one moved, she turned to her teacher and shrugged, confusion on her face. The man sighed once more, although more irritated, his fingers on the bridged of his nose.

"What is the proper way kill a gigantiaia bala?"

Elpida looked around the room before looking straight at her daskalos. "First slice below the knees, making it difficult to run. Once it falls, spear through the middle of skull into the brain, resulting in an instant death."

The daskalos nodded his head and continued with his lesson. Elpida sat back down, sighing in relief. While the rest of the class paid attention, she turned to the window, calming her reddening face and racing heart. Her eyes followed rain tracks down the glass, once again ignoring her lesson. She wished the Gods could help her keep her mouth silent.

Soon the daskalos dismissed them and the class was over. Elpida sighed heavily and walked out, happy to be free. She walked through the rain to the small cabin in which trainees put on protective gear and gather weapons to start training. As she was walking she felt a small tap on her shoulder. She looked around and then down, to see  Mikro. He had small smirk on his face despite the rain falling down on his round little head.

Elpida sighed and looked down at the already muddy ground. "You heard, didn't you?"

Mikro let out a boisterous laugh and slapped his friend on the back, causing her to almost fall flat on her face into a giant mud puddle beginning to form. "Oh lass! It was the funniest thing I had heard all day!" He let out another laugh, which soon died down, giving him the chance for his once smirking face to turn serious. "But you really should pay attention more in class. Remember what the gymnasiarchis said? He said that if you keep failing like this-"

"I'll have to leave I know, I know", she interrupted. "I can't help it."

Mikro stared her straight in the face. "Yes you can, Elpida. You have to. "

Elpida glared at her small friend. "And why is that?"

"You are the only who can-" He stopped, realizing what he was saying.

"Only one who can what, Mikro?" She squinted her eyes at him.

"Only..one...who..can...pass the exams! You're smart enough!"

Elpida kept her eyes squinted at him and then let her face go back to it's normal state. "It doesn't matter if I'm smart. Or it does, I don't know!"

From the small crowd of students she heard a voice. "Hey skiouros catcher! Mipos sas piasei akoma to thirio!? " Laughter surrounded her. She drooped her head, looking at the ground, her long hair hiding her face. But she never cried. Instead she looked at the crowd, eyes fiery and tense. "Who said that!? Who!?"

The crowd was silent. She glared at each and every face. "If you have the archidia to laugh and make fun of me. then surely you have enough confidence to face me like a true warrior!!"

Still nothing. She gave the crowd a taunting smirk. "Then guess it was nothing. Akrivos enas anoitos parakalontas to pilthos!"

Finally, the crowd split in half. Elpida heard heavy footsteps on the wet ground.

From the small crowd, a large figure shouldered their way past them. Elpida's eyes widened slightly as she gazed at a man much, much larger than she. 

The Gods, it seemed, had decided to ignore her wishes.