Medusa's Curse

Chapter 1

                                 The war started just 5 years before Tryphon turns 18. Every night he can hear the battle. He can hear the screams of women and children being forced out of their homes. Forced out by fear of the Persians who are attempting to conquer Greece. As the 5 years passed Tryphon prepares to join his brothers in the line of duty. But just a month before Tryphon's 18th birthday soldiers came to the small farm. They reluctantly tell Tryphon and his mother that his brothers were sent out on a scouting mission and never returned. They were declared MIA and were presumed dead. Trypon instantly denies the fact that his brothers are dead, he refuses to accept the fact that he can no longer talk or see his brothers again. A month passes and Tryphon is sent to the training grounds. As he is in the line of inspection he looks at the other recruits. Some of the men looks as if they had never wielded a sword and some look too elderly to use one. Tryphon quickly looks at all of their faces and he could see the fear. Just as he looks to the other side of the line the inspector comes by. "Name." The inspector grumbles. "Well my mother said not to give my name to strangers" Tryphon tries to lighten the mood. The inspector moves his head to get a better look at Tryphon. His eyes moves across Tryphon's body inspecting him. "That kind of attitude can get you killed in the gods' army. So I suggest you change that and fast. Now, name." He lectures Tryphon. "Tryphon" He mumbles."Sir." Tryphon lowers his eyes to the ground. After he passed the inspection he was sent to weaponry. The blacksmith in the weaponry is a young man about 7 years older than Tryphon. "And where are you from?" The blacksmith asks as Tryphon steps up to him. "Just outside of Athens." He replies in an instant. "But that is only farmland out there. Isn't it?" The blacksmith questions Tryphon. "It is." The blacksmith stopped what he was doing and turned to Tryphon. "What?" Tryphon questions. "It's just that you look like you are trained for this." Tryphon smiles. "Thank you I guess." The blacksmiths smiles as he hands Tryphon his armor and weapon. "Boethus" He extends his hand. "Tryphon." He says as he shakes Boethus' hand. After he travels with the rest of the recruits to the barracks where they were to get a good night sleep for the training tomorrow. The troupe arrives at the barracks and they all shuffle over to their bunks and quickly fall asleep. Tryphon looks around to see if anybody is awake. He saw a man lying on the bunk next to him, staring at the bunk above him. "Tryphon" he whispers extending his arm out the man. "Cilix" he replies shaking Tryphon's hand. "How long you been a hoplite?" Tryphon asks curiously. "Lets just say I've seen too much" Cilix said staring at the bunk above him. Tryphon says nothing and stares at the bunk above him as well. A few minutes pass and Tryphon finally gives in to the weariness of the day.

                                                                                *****

The sound of bells fills Tryphon's ears as he awakens from his sleep. He groans and sluggishly stands up. As he stands up armor is shoved into his chest, causing him to fall back onto the bed; Nearly hitting his head. "You better hurry up and get that on." Cilix's voice echos through Tryphon's head. He can't seem to shake the grogginess from the morning. Tryphon quickly stands up from the sound of the captain's voice drifting into the barracks "Get up you useless hoplites! If you stay like this you're gonna end up like a horse archer" the captain bellows. Once the captain gave the order the troops immediately march out to the training field. Tryphon starts his training by practicing with the dummies. He first practices with a short sword. The dummies are made of hay bales and sand bags, just like the ones on the farm he used to practice. As everyone is training Tryphon stops to look around he sees all the different training. The swords, the spears, and the archers. Tryphon hopes to continue on being a hoplite, to just take it easy and return home alive. He also has high hopes of not getting lowered in the ranks to a horse archer during the war. For Tryphon never learned how to ride a horse. If the captain makes him be a horse archer he would likely be killed on the spot. As he continues to look around he evaluates some of the men. 'He needs to widen his stance.' Tryphon thinks to himself. 'If he hold the spear higher it would go farther.' He watches as all the men train, seeing if he can improve his technique himself. Tryphon was so engaged in seeing how he can improve that he didn't hear the colonel come up behind him. As Tryphon turns around to continue his training he jumps back, startled by the colonel. "You should hold your sword higher" The colonel informs Tryphon. Tryphon then realizes what he is doing. His sword in hand raised to the colonel, ready to fight. He stands up and puts the sword into his sheath. "Sorry sir" He apologises with his head held high. The colonel laughs a little. "It's ok son. May I ask why you were not training?" Tryphon looks around, hoping that would find an answer. "Well..." He starts. "I was looking to improve my technique" Tryphon finishes. The colonel looks around at the other men training, as he is doing this Tryphon shifts his stance hoping that he is not in trouble. A moment passes and the colonel's eyes rested on Tryphon. "How long have you been in the gods' army? A few years?" The colonel questions. Tryphon shakes his head and replies, "No sir. This is my first day training." The colonel looks around again, at the other men who are still training. "It looks like you have been here longer. That is all, carry on son." The colonel states as he walks away from Tryphon. Tryphon continues to practice to the best of his ability. Just as he is about to hit the dummy the bells sound. He looks around and watches everyone scramble and eventually form into a line. Confused, Tryphon just stands there with his head cocked to one side. He snaps out of his daze when Cilix grabs him and drags him into the line. "Why are we in a line?" Tryphon asks trying figure out what is going on. "The colonel is here to recruit." Cilix informs him. 'But aren't we recruited already?' Tryphon questions himself. "He needs more men to fight. Too many must have died." Cilix continues. Tryphon looks at Cilix with an expression of shock and confusion "We haven't even been to war yet. How is it that many men died already?" Cilix looks at Tryphon "Some men just don't make it. It's part of war." Cilix pauses for a moment staring into nothingness. "Now, stand straight before the captain notices." Tryphon stumbles a little trying to stand straight up like the other men as the captain walks by. "Having troubles?" The captain says to Tryphon. "No sir" Tryphon stares past the captain with a lack of expression. "You better shape up fast, you're about to be in war. No time to stumble. You stumble once out there and you're dead." The captain says blanky as he walks past Tryphon. Tryphon watches as the captain straightens the line and realizes that out of the handful of men, he would most likely survive. At least survive longer than the rest. Tryphon then glances over at Cilix. He sees him getting nervous from the colonel walking by. "There is no need to be nervous." Tryphon attempts to calm down Cilix. "They probably won't even pick us." Just as he says this the captain gives word to continue with training. As all the men are training he inspects everyone. During the inspection the captain starts giving the men their ranks. Once everyone earned a rank the captain orders the men to get back into a line. He then begins to call out names. The list of names are coming to an end and finally Tryphon and Cilix hear their names. Tryphon's heart sank almost immediately. The next thing he knows he is marching towards the city Lebena to fight in the never ending war.