I was seeing through the eyes of Atticus once more, I sat in front of a war map with Athens as the target. Zeno's information had come through, there were weak points that could be exploited in the wall all at once so we could rush in. We would catch The Athenians off guard and rush their capital, and expand Atlantis once more.
"Isokrates?" I began looking up. "Tell me old friend, what future do you see for your son?" I asked, smiling.
"Well, I see him becoming a guard for the Neptune bloodline." Isokrates firmly answered.
"Ambitious aren't you, I wish I shared it," I looked down. "With how much Zeno plagues me, I'd have to live to have an heir first," I chuckled at the thought.
"My son has already begun the training necessary to become one of The Atlantean Royal Guard like myself, the same way I believe you'll teach your son to rule," Isokrates came to my side. "Atticus Neptune, Son of Poseidon, you'll lead our nation to greatness and make it one our children can be proud of," He patted my back, as I steeled my resolve.
"Let's go build a nation, dear friend," I stood straight, walking out.
Outside was legion of Atlanteans, armed with spears and long bows, wearing blocky stone armor. They wore helmets that covered their whole head, with eyes made of blackened gemstones that glowed blue. Isokrates handed me my helmet, and I put it on without hesitation. I steeled my resolve and the time to strike was now, I turned to face the walls of Athens as the banners hung from them.
I drew my sword, holding it up high above my head, "Soldiers! For far too long, we've hidden behind Atlantis' many walls for a hope of peace! We've come beyond our walls to expand our borders! We've burned the ships of Poseidon's enemy, Athena, and next we burn her city for a New Atlantis," I shouted out, turning and aiming the tip of my sword towards Athens. "Now March, storm their walls and bring down The City of Athena."
Within moments soldiers ran past me, a far more powerful enemy than anything Athens ever faced. I walked forward as soldiers set up charges, Atlantean mechanics mixed with Greek fire to cause damage to both wall and man. As the charge went off, my surroundings went black as pitch. I could hear the sounds of battle as I came too, men of both banners dying around me as we fought to take the city.
"To the statue, we must destroy Athena's hold on this city!" Isolates shouted, shoving his spear through an Athenian soldier. He ripped it out from the soldier's back and began marching towards the hill Athens was built around.
I joined at his side, men behind us as the sounds of battle faded. The streets ran with Athenian blood and discarded bronze, building burned as the scent of smoke burned into my nostrils. The City of Athena burned at me feet as I climbed the hill with Isokrates at my side. Then the sun went black, as if Helios had drawn his chariot away from Athens. Arrows, enough arrows to kill a god, descended from the heavens as if shot by The Twin gods themselves.
"Shields!" Isokrates commanded, lifting his up.
I got behind Isokrates as the arrows descended, shields rose as the men who were too late to raise shields fell on the steps. Another wave descended as we pushed forward, but by bit making our way up the steps. As we reached The Akropolis, archers stood there with their king infront.
"Atticus! King of Atlantis, Son of Poseidon! Leave now and be one of Eirene's disciples, if you don't our goddess will kill you where you stand!" King Lysander said, drawing his sword.
"Isokrates, take out the archers and leave Lysander to me," I whispered to my side, turning back to Lysander as my army readied spears and swords. "King Lysander, Son of Athena! I propose a fight to the death," I brandished my sword, twirling it at my side.
"What are the terms?" Lysander asked, stepping forward.
"If I am to die, my father will not kill you and destroy your kingdom. In return, your mother will follow these stipulations. Are we in agreeance?" I asked as Isokrates began marching men past us.
"We are, Atticus of Atlantis this will be a duel to determine an era," Lysander ran forward.
I blocked his sword as he swung, and kicked him away and went back on the offensive. "It will! I will bring Atlantis at the forefront of an empire! With the city that forsake Poseidon at the feet of it!"
I swung my sword at Lysander as he dodged under and to the side of my blade, as the positions switched I blocked and counterattacked with a slash across his back. We faced eachother again as he swung at my armor, his blade breaking against my breastplate. I reached out and gripped his throat, my hand wrapping around his windpipe.
"You are no match for The Blood of Atlantis!" I shouted, lifting him off his feet.
Lysander hit my arm and kicked his feet at my armor trying to escape, the sounds of battle behind me intensified as Athenian soldiers tried to fight their way to me. Lysander's eyes became full of grief as I choked the life from him, my hand squeezed down further. I was once friends with the people of Athens, but now they were the enemy of Atlantis. They were starving us, readying for an attack against us, breaking us bit by bit. No longer would I stand by as Athens drained us, I would end the dependency now.
"Lysander Leukós! Son of Athena! For your crimes against Atlantis and her people, your sentence is death!" I yelled as I crushed his throat in my hand.
Lysander went limp as I tossed his body to the side, I stood victorious as my men started to overwhelm the Athenian forces. As I sheathed my sword a blinding gold light struck the ground as an arrow was shot through my shoulder, I fell back and hit the ground the world going dark.
"Atticus! Atticus!" I heard Isokrates shout.
"Coming Isokrates!" I yelled sitting up and seeing Isokrates running towards me.
"Atticus! We need to move! We're overrun, we need to go back and get your brother! We need to get Zeno!" Isokrates yelled over the defeating sounds of renewed battle, holding his hand out.
"You're right Isokrates, Athens stands another day but so de we," I responded grabbing his hand.
Isokrates helped me up as he begun helping me move down the steps of The Akropolis, I didn't see what happened but my men were retreating as the ones who couldn't were still fighting. We ran as fast as we could, down the steps and into the greater city.
"What happened? I thought we fought them off!" I shouted, getting some mobility back.
"Athena made an appearance! Who knew killing her son would invoke such rage Atticus, especially the way you did!" Isokrates yelled back at me, rage filling his eyes.
"I did what was necessary!" I yelled back.
"You crushed his windpipe and discarded him like trash…like….like trash," Isokrates held his side, as blood ran from his hand.
Off to his side was a blood covered spear in the ground. Isokrates fell to his knees as I followed him. I held his side as his hand dropped.
"No no no, Isokrates! Come on! Think of your son, he's probably waiting at the dock for you to hear your tales. He still needs to be trained on how to be a guard," I looked at him as he flashed a bloody smile. "Don't leave me Isokrates, your kingdom still needs you soldier."
Isokrates gently grabbed my arm, "Athens will fall…..it's fate will be decided once more on The Akropolis. The Neptune bloodline will be cursed, Atticus, but will continue to be The Lifeblood of Atlantis." Isokrates spoke his words of prophecy as his body went limp in my arms.
"Isokrates? Isokrates!" I shouted, shaking him until his helmet fell off. Tears stung my eyes as I pulled a gemstone from my pocket, I gently placed the sapphire in his bloodied mouth and closed it as I laid him down.
"Leave now, Son of Poseidon," Athena's voice surrounded me like a thorn bush.
I stood up and looked at Athena in her bronze armor, her spear was the one resting in the ground. Blood covered her dress underneath the encasing bronze, she smiled coldly looking at me. Her silver colored eyes void of any loving emotion, there was nothing but grief and hatred.
"I will take your city! And you will not stop me, Athena!" I drew my sword, ripping it from its sheath.
"You will leave! My son promised I would not kill you, but I will break every single bone in your body and make you crawl back to Atlantis," Athena's smile widened. "Run back to Atlantis while it still stands."
"It was also said you'd leave my city out of this!" My blood boiled, as I aimed the tip of my sword at her.
"You made an unprovoked attack on Athens, The Styx wouldn't even save you from me," Athena marched past me and grabbed her spear from the ground.
"Athens starved my people! And were planning an attack on my people!" I turned to her, as she looked back at the burning city.
"We never turned our back on you, Atticus, despite your allegiances and patron. We supplied you in friendship, and you drown us in accusations. I emplore you to leave once more, I will give you the head start while we bury our dead," Athena stepped past me once more, walking into her city.
With more answers coming to me, information was still missing in between the segments of memories. The flood of knowledge made my head spin, I sat up in bed back in my body as Sara Pearl once more. The floor moved beneath me as I looked around and saw I was in the bottom deck of The Argo as rowers moved the ship forward.
As I thought about the vision I just had I needed answers to fill in the gaps of what was presented to me. I knew I wasn't supposed to get a god's assistance on this adventure but I needed answers for what I witnessed in Athens the fateful day Atlantis sunk, and there was only one goddess who could assist me.