My spear felt different. It had grown fiercer, heavier, and far more solid than before. I stood on a small clearing not far from Sparta, testing whether everything within me still worked. A few days had passed, and my body had healed only faint scars remained. It was strange how different I now felt, as if I had become someone else. Everything was sharper. Clearer.
And something inside me had changed something that hadn't been there before.
I drove the spear into the ground and raised my hand. Obeying my will, a small stone slowly rose from the earth and began to float.
It wasn't like the telekinesis spoken of in tales. No. This was something else. The movement of my hand was merely a symbol an echo of thought. A projection of will. I simply wanted it to rise and it did.
Controlling it was still difficult, like feeling out the shape of new power while blind. But I was beginning to grasp its nature. Mortal will remained its foundation, yet now it was laced with something deeper hidden, ancient… divine?
My physical strength had also changed. I had always been strong, but now this was something else entirely. I could lift weights in the hundreds of kilos. The exact numbers didn't matter. I knew one thing: I could raise a wagon that once seemed impossible to move.
And this strength was already revealing new paths before me.
I took up the spear again and aimed. A hundred meters ahead stood a tree. I hurled the weapon it soared through the air, a streak of power and embedded itself deep in the trunk, nearly halfway through.
I stretched out my hand, and the spear, trembling, ripped itself free and flew back to me obedient to my will.
It soared like a living thing. The tip gleamed dangerously, aiming straight for my chest. I barely ducked in time the spear whooshed past and thudded into the tree behind me.
"Seems I still need to work on my control," I muttered to myself.
"I see you've surpassed your former limits," came a familiar voice.
I turned sharply.
"Diana? How are you here?" I asked, unable to hide my surprise and slight suspicion.
"I felt your body die… and I was worried," she said, stepping closer. "I sent a bird to find you. Through its eyes, I saw you being carried back to Sparta. It was painful to watch. My heart… it clenched."
"I find that hard to believe," I said, keeping my tone neutral. "We barely know each other. You've only seen me a few times. I doubt I've left a mark on your heart."
She gave a faint, almost sorrowful smile.
"Hmm… What do you know of a woman's heart? You're still young, perhaps too stubborn. Maybe I no longer deserve your trust. Maybe I truly did wrong by deceiving you… But I was just trying to protect myself."
"Then why are you here?" I asked again, pulling the spear from the tree.
"To warn you. Olympus has heard your name and not in a favorable light. Your interference with the Moirai has stirred the gods. Olympus will do whatever it takes to secure its future," she said.
"And how would you know that?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"I have good friends. Maybe you should find some too," she said, stepping closer. I could feel her breath her lips nearly touched mine.
"From the very beginning, you've only stirred suspicion," I said, stepping back.
"And yet I've done you no harm. So far, I've only tried to help," she said calmly.
"That's why I don't raise my weapon at you only my guard," I replied.
"So cold… Has your heart truly turned to stone after the underworld?" she asked quietly.
"I am Spartan. We are taught to temper our emotions," I said, meeting her gaze.
"So be it," she whispered, vanishing behind a tree.
I circled the tree but she was gone. Looking up at the sky, I spotted the silhouette of a bird gliding between the clouds.
Today was a day of feasting, so after finishing my trials of strength, I made my way to the palace. Though to call it a palace was an exaggeration. True to Spartan tradition, there was no luxury here only bare stone walls, our banners, and statues of great Spartan kings and warriors.
For the first time in my life, I saw such an abundance of food and drink. The tables groaned under the weight of roasted meat, fish, wine, and sweet delicacies. A feast was a rare occasion when even discipline relaxed its grip, allowing a Spartan to indulge in whatever delights he desired.
I tasted the food and wine, savoring the brief moment of peace, knowing well it would not last. By the end of the month, our unit was to march to the fleet for training exercises.
"To our hero Damocles, the slayer of monsters!" came a thunderous voice. The Spartans raised their cups in my honor.
"To Damocles!"
"To Sparta and her warriors!" cried the king.
"To Sparta!" the hall echoed in unison.
I saw the joy and pride in their eyes. But I knew all of it would change soon.
The feast lasted well into the night. When I finally returned home and was left alone with my thoughts, the future loomed like a shadow over my mind. I looked again at who I had become.
*
Name: Damocles
Age: 21
Strength: 27
Dexterity: 21
Endurance: 28
Intelligence: 14
Charisma: 15
Defense: 25
Talents:
Son of Sparta – +1 to base stats (innate might)
Spartan – +3 to all stats (warrior nature)
Will of the Mortal – [Hidden effect]. You were born a man the weakest among all races. But through will and unyielding spirit, you've broken your limits. As long as the fire in your heart burns, nothing can stop you.
Granite – +5 Defense. Doubled regeneration. Enhanced physical resilience, slower aging. Full immunity to disease and poison. Upon surpassing mortal limits, your body gained miraculous recovery and unshakable spirit. Evolves Stone's Endurance and merges with Immunity to Disease.
Deathless – The thread of your fate was cut, yet you refused to die. None hold sway over your life any longer.
Evasion: 23% – chance to avoid a killing blow (survival instinct)
David – Bonus when fighting stronger foes (the spirit of the small against giants)
Stone's Endurance – +3 Defense, reduced bleeding (unyielding will)
Fleeting Shadow – +20% Stealth (a shadow in the dark)
Cunning of Hellas – Prone to deception and manipulation (schemer)
Warden of the Wilds – Orientation, stealth, and survival in forests (child of nature)
Tempered by War – +3 to combat skills. You are a living weapon. The mind of battle shields you from madness and bloodlust. Within you lives not just a warrior but a primal force of war.
Abilities:
Combat Instinct, Level 20 (Passive) – Boosts Dexterity and Endurance by 25% in battle. Enhances attack speed, counters, defense, and perception of enemy weaknesses.
Sword Mastery, Level 18 – Proficient in sword combat.
Spear Mastery, Level 23 – Peerless skill with a spear.
Furious Storm – A blinding flurry of three spear strikes. ⛨ 30% armor penetration.
Barbs (Passive) – +20% Bleed effect. Wounds inflicted do not heal easily.
Focused Strike – Stores energy during combat to unleash a powerful blow.
Spartan Phalanx (Active, with allies nearby) – Boosts all stats by 30%. As part of the Spartan phalanx, you become one with the shield wall.
Debuff:
Returned from the Underworld – "Nothing comes back whole from the Realm of the Dead."You crossed the final threshold and left a part of yourself behind. You no longer feel pain the same way. But along with it, other sensations have dulled. Joy, love, even fear faded. Cold seeps from within. Horrors linger in your dreams. (Duration ? : Suppressed by Will of the Mortal)
Equipment / Artifacts:
Spear of the Century War — +3 Strength, +3 Endurance. Having gained the trait Blood of the Fallen, this spear awakens its thirst for blood. The more enemies it slays, the stronger it becomes. It has absorbed the blood of a Titan and consumed the soul of a creature known as Skalias.
[Hidden Effect]
Veteran's Helm — +5 Defense.
Enhances willpower and spirit. It carries within a fragment of the valor of every fallen warrior who once wore it.
*