Amora's Odyssey ✅

δεκατρία {13}✅

Amora

What is death? so many people have wondered what happens to the soul of a human after their body can no longer support life. Most of the Greek world believed those who have led a true and honest life, the heroes of the world all go to Elysium, and are ruled over by the great goddess Persephone, and the not so good...greeted by the gates of the underworld and even worse...Tartarus. I believe death is supposed to be peaceful, like drifting off to sleep. And in sleep you feel nothing, so why did I feel a sharp stab to my stomach; a stab that very quickly escalated to what felt like a sword being pushed through me?

I woke up, my eyes shooting open. That was a bad idea as I was instantly blinded by the sun, directly in front of me and high in the sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight so I sensed it would have been near midday. But then for a second, the sunlight was blocked by a face. My eyes eventually adjusted and there she was. Eva washed her hands in a small river we seemed to be settled next to. For a second I saw a red liquid, blood.

And then it came back to me, being in Sparta, killing Krista and being wounded and then leaving Kyrina's almost lifeless body to fight a war that was all my fault. I tried moving but the sharp pain in my lower stomach struck again.

Eva looked up and smiled. "You're up."

"I'm confused, where are we?"

"Near the border of Arkadia."

Again, I tried moving but it was still a struggle.

"I don't think you should try any over-the-top movements for at least a day, but that's fine because we're not staying here for long," Eva explained.

"What's the plan?"

"The Polemarch my mum talked about is in Phokis, to get there we need a boat, luckily I know a mercenary that has a boat and a crew. She can get us to Phokis."

"A mercenary? What are you doing getting involved with a mercenary? They're like criminals of the Greek world."

"Not exactly, she was spartan once and we were friends."

She got up and held her hand out to me. Gladly I took it, finally but slowly getting to my feet. She handed me a bundle of clothes, it made me notice that I was still in the blood-soaked robes I had been in when we left Sparta.

"We want to avoid suspicion, so we have to at least look like travellers," Eva explained

"Understandable." I agreed and She walked away from the river and to a jet-black horse not far from here.

I took this as my cue to go change somewhere else. I was somewhat excited, to be on an island and to be free to explore the Greek world, of course, it was not under the best circumstances but maybe I could make the most of it. I wasted no time in changing and returned to where Eva was waiting for me. It didn't seem like she was in the mood for wasting time either, in one swift move she leapt up onto the horse and helped me up right after. I wrapped my arms around her waist, you know, for safety. She tugged on the reigns, and we jolted forward. In no time at all, we reached the village of Teaga. She said she was here for food and supplies, nothing more. But as I jumped off the horse, I knew I would most definitely get distracted. I was instantly attracted to the numerous amounts of stalls and stallholders; shouting and begging any traveller who walked by for their drachmae.

As if she could read my mind Eva spoke, "Amora we're here for food and nothing more, don't waste your drachmae. We need to keep a low profile."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I waved her off as my eyes travelled elsewhere. Specifically, to a woman at a stall with a beautiful eagle on her arm. Like an energetic child, I rushed to her hoping Eva was long gone.