Island of the dead. An mcd x oc collab story. ON HIATUS UNTIL FUTHER NOTICE!

Chapter 23: You hear that? It's the hoplites.

"I will not back down! Not until I have skewered every damn darkness there is!"
- Amon, leader of the fourth legion.

"It's better to be feared then forgotten."
- Nihil Umbra

"A person's life isn't defined by grand accomplishments. You lived. Does that itself not give meaning to your life?"
- Zen, Persona Q.

Sparta, Ru'uan

The sound of banging metals and cries of training filled the training yards of Sparta. It had been only three years since the brutal Tu'laian that had crippled the Tu'la's ability to trade with the outside world as well as devastate the infamous navy that took over O'kallis and placed Ru'uan in a space of turmoil. The veterans were training to keep their instincts as sharp as their spears while the recruits were polishing off their techniques.
But for Amon and many of the other leaders, it was a very important day for all.
The skirmish by Tu'la was a startling reminder for many Ru'uanians that peace was never as permanent as stone. For the Spartans however it had a much more of a flip of the switch then a blow to the face. They struck like daggers into Caesar's back, and in what seemed to light up Tu'la's coastline and ports with fire, committed scorch earth policy on an unbelievable scale. But why today was important for them was whole new thing entirely.

Many of them had been exposed to the supernatural several times. Amon personally having fought a Minotaur and gorgan during a expedition to the northern ancient temples of Antimite. Apollo Darkmane, the leader of the fifth legion: The iron lions, had fought an squadron of eel men in the sewers of O'kallis when searching for the demon brotherhood only to encounter and defeat a bone devil when they found them. Gamba Wazi had communicated with such spirits on a daily basis, being the leader of a circle of animal shamans and druids as well as himself being one. So things like this weren't completely out of the unknown for them. No, it was more of the case that they would literally be fighting with and against beyond god level deities. Nobody in the bloody war-torn history of Ru'uan had ever lived completely through the combat with no problems. Ru'uan had been the battleground of gods and deities for centuries, from the divine warriors fighting the wrathful shadow lord to pantheons of ancient powers literally fighting each during the divine civil war. To say that Ru'uan was anything but a peaceful country would be a correct statement by all means.

A land born with natural warriors. Heh, they wouldn't be lying when one said it like that.

Amon pushed the oak doors to the palace open; to be greeted by the salute of several other hoplites, they clicked their heels together and slammed their spear butts into the ground quickly saluting with great pride in what they were doing. All hoplites held great pride in fighting for their country being one of the most feared armies in Ru'uan. Many saying that their marching caused the earth to shake with both the amount of soldiers and weight of armour that they wore.
"Glory to Sparta sir." One of the hoplites said, one that he quickly recognised as one of his own with ease.
"Aye. Glory to Sparta hoplite." He replied back, saluting back. The others saluted back as well, all of them in a solemn silence. They walked down the well lit hall in silence, all of them doing their own stretches and clicking joints.
"You know what we're here for?" Apollo asked, pulling his helmet on while slinging his spear over his shoulder. His voice was unusually upbeat and bantering for a war strategist like himself.
"Shouldn't you know? You're normally the first to know." Gamba replied, sheathing his short sword while adjusting his black leather trench coat. His right eye glowed a bright blue while his other eye that was covered by a black eyepatch seemed to lightly glow for a second. He pulled back his right sleeve, revealing a wrist crossbow that looked startling a lot like the Assassin's brotherhoods one. He seemed to be tinkering a few bits of the mechanism before pulling the sleeve back over.
"Ha! I wish I did. In all honesty, Lanius got summoned about a week ago to talk with the King." Apollo replied, stretching his arms with an odd cracking noise.
"Must have been important." Amon coldly cut in, kinda breaking the friendly banter.
"Hey Amon. Did anyone ever mention that you're a major party pooper?" Gamba asked, his New Orleans' accent cutting into his words quite abruptly.
"Heh. With the amount of times you say it I'm surprised I haven't beat you into the ground yet."
"Good point. You've got a good point." Gamba replied, putting his hands into his pockets.