Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:15:14 -0400 From: Joe Barker Subject: A Greek Story: Ares Son The Rage of Ares' Son Sparta, what is there to say about Sparta; steel, beautiful woman, sweaty men, and lots of anger. But this anger wasn't scary, it was the kind of anger that kept the fires in your eyes, the anger that drove men to do great things, and gave woman to courage to watch them do it. I wasn't always sure I liked growing up in Sparta, it was not an easy life, but the times that pride struck me I saw that I was good at what we did here and they knew I was good. I could throw a spear farther than most men, and I wielded a sword as if I were born with it attached. I don't know why I was so good, I went through the same training as the other boys. Well, at least that's what I told all the others that asked me. I knew why I was so good with weapons and fighting...my father was Ares God of War. I had known for some ten seasons now; he had visited me when they threw me into the wilderness as part of my training. I was wandering around, almost completely naked because of the training. My little body was so cold. There was nothing around, I found no animals to kill, and no wood to make a fire...I was going to die of the cold. A fire leapt to life on a rock beside me, it was pure red, and there was no core to it. I walked over to the fire and held my hands up feeling the warmth and letting it roll over me. He walked up behind me while I was standing there and placed a hand on my shoulder. We talked that night and he made drew a stag close enough where I could spear it. When I got back to my home, I couldn't look at my father the same way, I felt disconnected, and still do. Today, however I was training. Those of us who were 15 seasons since birth were training together, and with swords. I was paired with another boy that was about my size and was good. We began to circle each other. "C'mon Nikias, show me some of your flashy sword techniques! You think you're so good why don't you just kill me...you boy lover." I don't know why, but this struck a nerve. I leapt through the air and my blade flashed my combatant. His blade was by his side barely fast enough to save him and the metal clanged together. He fell backward and I landed on him with my knees to either side of his body. His sword had slid between my arm and side slicing a gash in my side. I didn't even flinch as I held my own sword at his throat. "Taunt me again, and I will kill you..." I muttered to where he could hear me, and I stood up off of him and turned to walk away. I heard the movement and had spun to kick him in the chest before he could raise his sword. He hit my foot with force enough to make him stumble backward and crippled him. "ENOUGH!" the Master trainer walked between us. "Nikias, you really must control that anger, you are a great fighter, but it seems you have the rage of Ares every time you fight." I looked away at this comment, he didn't know. "Nikias, go to the Healer's quarters the apprentice will see to you, I need to take this one to the Master Healer, he will require more attention." I walked there slowly, sheathing my sword and holding my hand over the fresh wound, it was still bleeding, and I had just realized that it actually hurt. I entered into the healer's quarters and said my silent blessing to Apollo and Asclepius, gods of healers. He stood there smiling, donning a simple white robe, tan skin and brown hair longer than mine. He looked to be about my age, and skinny. He didn't seem to have muscles at all...an Athenian. "Athenian, where can I find the healer apprentice?" I said slowly almost disrespectfully, which is better than I would normally talk to an Athenian. "What do you seek of him?" He said grimacing. "I have a wound and would like to request healing, why else?" I said sarcastically. "Well lie down and I will see what I can do." He said with a forced smile on his face. "You..." "Me...now lie down..." He pointed to the cot. "...and take off you armor and under cloth." I looked at him and felt myself blush ever so slightly. I didn't have time for modesty; I didn't like modesty so I stood there while he was waiting and stripped. I did it faster than normal and in a second my belt and clothes were to one side and I was stark naked in front of the Athenian. My mind flashed to thoughts of him looking at me and things that we could do...AHH...I knocked the evil thoughts from my head and forced myself to think of something undesirable to get the blood back to my brain. I walked over to the cot and laid face down...thank the gods. He came over and knelt beside me carrying a few jars of liquid. I closed my eyes and relaxed. I felt fluid run over my side, into my skin, through the cut. It felt weird, it didn't really hurt; there was a gentleness to the liquid. The odd feeling I had about it, was that I didn't feel him touching me...and it bothered me. I opened my eyes and looked backward and saw him twitching his fingers and the liquid obeyed his movements as if it was guided by strings under his control. "What are you doing...how are you doing that." I said slowly, looking up at him. "I am cleaning the wound and running some agents through it that will it faster than your body could dream to heal. And as for the "how,"...let's just say I'm gifted." The Athenian smirked at his comment, like he knew something I didn't. Well I didn't for sure. I had only ever seen "gifts" in one other person, and that was me. My fighting ability was not an accident or because I was good, it was solely because I was the son of Ares. This one...he was a son of a god...as well. This was exciting because I had never met another one but it was also troublesome, for Ares...my father...had warned me to be wary of my cousins. "Don't touch me." I jumped up and rolled grabbing my sword and standing to face him. He smirked and I didn't know why. "Technically I never did." I glared at him at this comment and lunged toward him with my sword. He stumbled backward and I fell on top of him naked. Then I realized that my manhood was stiff and that's what he had smirked at earlier. He glared at me as I held my sword at his throat. My own sword spun out of my hand and straight for the ceiling, and I was lifted off and thrown across the room into one of the stone walls. "What in Zeus' name are you doing?" He stood up brushing of his robe. I stood and squatted into a defensive position, my back was bruised and bleeding and I was in more pain than I can remember ever having been in. "Who is your father?" I glared at him. He glanced down at his feet and then looked back up at me, with an emotion I couldn't read. "That's none of your business...now leave if you don't want my help." He turned and busied himself with some of his potions. "Apollo? He is your father isn't he, then you're the first of his." He spun around at this, and glared at me. "I am not his son, I am the son of a great woman, and she gives me the strength I have, now get out before I force you to leave!" He almost shouted. "No, your death will come upon my blade." I said boldly. His anger faded and he gave me this incredulous stare. "Really? Seeing as your blade is over there." He pointed to the sword that was laying several feet from me. I dove for it reaching my hand out and rolling, but the sword slid out of my hands, and across the floor to his feet. He stooped to pick up my blade, then stood back up. "I have no interest in dying today, and no interests in killing, so please leave." He dropped the sword and it landed straight down in the ground. I walked over to the sword, pulled it out and held it to his back. "I could kill you now..." He turned so that the sword was in his stomach, not piercing but it would only take a jab. "You could..." "...but I don't want to." There was a glitter in his eye, and he smiled. "Then lie down and I will fix your back up for you." He took the sword gently from my hands and placed it on the table. I laid down obediently, and almost mesmerized by his eyes. I closed my eyes and relaxed. I felt the liquids began to snake their way over my back again. I heard sizzling and felt warmth, but no pain. The warmth spread to cover my entire back as he worked over. I felt it wind its way into the blade wound and it became more then heat. I opened my eyes and turned my head to see him swipe his hand from over my ass to my head and the liquid all gathered from my back and snaked its way through the air to an empty bottle he held. He then pulled another bottle and dripped a little bit over my back. This time he took his hands and began to work the oil into my back, gently massaging from my shoulders down to my back. I had to close my eyes because it felt so good, he was good with his hands... when he wanted to use them. "So you're a Son of Athena." I said slowly. "And you're a Son of Ares." He said calmly. "This should be interesting..." I said as I drifted off to sleep under the spell of his potions and massage techniques. This story style is unique to any of my other stories; please continue to read this series. It will be worth your time if you enjoy my writing. As always I LOVE COMMENTS...so email me Jbark217@gmail.com And visit my website... www.niftyscrypt.webs.com Thanks!