Page 18 of Eryx

Why worry about the inevitable? Dying was a natural part of life.

“You,” Felix said, pointing to Axios. “You’re next.”

As my companion stepped forward, I noticed the faraway look in his eyes. His mind was elsewhere.

Oh, Axios, do not be a fool.

He met Felix in the middle of the arena and began the exercise. Felix slammed him to the ground not even five seconds later. Axios stood and blocked one blow before being knocked down again. Then again.

My nails dug into my hand as I watched. His lip busted open as Felix elbowed him. Red marks appeared on his torso from the punches to his gut. If Axios was merely being outfought, I would understand. Practice made us better. But he wasn’t trying at all.

“Are you ready for death, boy?” Felix growled as he knocked Axios to the ground for the fifth time. “That is what you will get tomorrow if you fight this way. Weak. Worthless.”

Axios remained in the dirt after Felix knocked him down again. When our trainer kicked him, my friend didn’t budge, didn’t react at all to being beaten.

No. You must fight.

Instead, he stared up at Felix with lifeless eyes. Not because he had died, no. His expression rang of someone who’d given up. Felix grabbed the back of Axios’ dark hair and yanked him upward, holding Axios in the air and glaring at him.

“You surrender?” Felix asked in a disappointed tone.

Axios stared back at him, saying nothing.

Felix dropped Axios to the dirt and stood over him before ramming his foot in my friend’s stomach. He was trying to get Axios to react. Out of all our trainers, Felix cared the most. He might beat us, curse at us, and push us to our breaking points, but he did so out of his love of Sparta.

We would be the warriors who protected our home one day. Wehadto be the best.

Axios didn’t wince at the pain. He stared up at our trainer as if Felix was nothing. No threat to him at all. It was both impressive and unsettling.

“Sparta is at war, boy!” Felix shouted, kicking him again. “Our men fight with Corinth as we speak, as you lay in the dirt like a maggot ready for death.”

I felt it more than saw it; Axios was giving up. If Felix killed him right there, he’d let it happen. Maybe he even wanted it.

“Axios! Fight!” I shouted, stepping forward in the line.

Finally, a reaction. As my voice rang out into the air, Axios turned his head toward me. The indifferent, numb expression was replaced by shock.

Gaius barged forward and grabbed me by my hair, tugging me out of the line and into the open. I knew my mistake. I had spoken out of turn. But I couldn’t stand by and watch my closest friend be beaten to death. If hearing my voice snapped some sense into him, I’d take the damned punishment.

“Disobedience will not be tolerated,” Gaius growled before punching me in the stomach.

He seemed displeased by my refusal to show pain. When he met my eyes, I stared back defiantly. Any pain done to my physical body would never touch my fighting spirit. He then pinned my arms behind my back, pulling them so tight my shoulder joints popped.

“You! Approach,” Gaius said to a boy called Pericles. “Teach him what awaits defiant worms.”

Pericles stepped forward and slammed his fist into my gut. With Gaius’ strong hold, I couldn’t fight back and was forced to stand still as Pericles hit me again. How confident Pericles appeared as he sneered at me. Yes, he must feel tough and powerful beating a man who couldn’t defend himself.

I’d like to see how confident he’d be with me no longer bound. I was certain he’d piss himself like the coward he was.

What happened next astonished me. I was too focused on Pericles to see much else. And then I heard a deep yell.

Axios jumped to his feet, knocking Felix aside, and ran toward us. He smashed into Gaius and sent the older man tumbling to the ground like a plucked weed. I was set free, and my shoulders ached from having been pinned back at the unnatural angle.

Pericles stared with wide eyes at Axios before jumping out of his reach. He buckled when faced with a fair fight.

In awe, I watched Axios step in front of me and place me at his back. Just when I thought I had him figured out, he surprised me. He’d been willing to die mere moments ago, to surrender, yet he’d gained new life when he saw me being harmed.

Gaius stood and faced us with a murderous gleam in his eyes. No one had ever knocked him down before. Not even me. Axios squared his jaw and placed himself even more in front of me. I was stronger, faster, a better fighter… and he still chose to protect me.