Gods and Heroes Ch. 02

Author's note: Thanks to CorvusTurrim777 for editing the first draft and giving me more ideas for this chapter.

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The sun hung high over rolling green fields as two thunderbirds soared through the midday sky. Their black feathers were sleek and their shining beaks glinted in the sun. Two slim warriors straddled their backs.

"This is the life, girl! A day of leisure at last, and the Celestial Army tomorrow!"

Bella laughed at her friend.

The late afternoon sun beamed on their tanned golden skin as the two girls glided through the peaceful countryside. The avians belonged to the City's old quartermaster, who famously only allowed the top Aspirants ride her mightiest mounts.

"So, how does it feel to be the top graduate of Sanctuary, Erin?"

Bella turned to regard the other girl. Erin was beautiful, in an effortless, common way. Just like how she is in everything, Bella thought, recalling how the girl soared and pirouetted with graceful ease back in training, leaving her fellow students, even Bella herself, eating dust.

"Well, I would say it's an honor flying with the runner up," Erin teased, grinning. "If you hadn't messed up that javelin throw at the end, it could've been you with the laurel leaves."

Bella groaned, faking a dejected slump. "My grip was off by an inch! And second place has got to be the worst. So close, but you get nothing,"

Erin laughed. "Oh stop, you got the looks at least, I mean, check out those noble, delicate features. How can I, a mere commoner, compete?"

"Erin, I'm as much a commoner as you. And stop trying to patronize me, noble features won't stop an arrow in the heart."

"More like your stomach," Erin corrected. "The breastplate should cover your heart, unless of course, you're a sorceress."

Bella smirked. "Well, they've got their magic, I guess. And don't take that tone with me, you think I don't know my armor?"

"Well, seeing how you've scored high enough for the Royal Guard, I'd have expected more accurate phrasing from you!" Erin teased.

"You're funny. Well, it doesn't matter, since the Thunderbird school gets all the good stuff anyway. Including the actual thunderbirds. Not too interested in shooting arrows though, I'm more of a front-line kinda girl."

"Well, here we are talking about armor and assignments, instead of enjoying our day off! Lets have some fun before we start our careers, yeah?" And with that, Erin whooped, leaning into her mount. The avian screeched majestically as it climbed through the air, heading for the clouds above.

Laughing, Bella followed, steering her thunderbird up as well. Erin turned around, looking back at her friend.

"Race ya to the orchards!"

"You're on, girl."

They climbed together, soaring through the air, quickly cresting the cloud layer. They hung there for a moment as they looked down at the panorama, the city below and the countryside around it. It was breathtaking; Shifting their weight, the thunderbirds eased into a downward plunge. Soon, the girls were diving with deadly speed, pressing their thin, smooth bodies close against the thunderbirds' muscular backs. Wind screamed in their ears as the city below, so small a few seconds ago, rose in prominence and reality.

They straightened just before they hit the upper roofs of the marketplace. Laughing, the girls could see shoppers curse as their great birds sent waves of wind careening into the carefully propped shelves and tents of the merchants below. Three girls seemed to notice and run along for a second. Bella thought she recognized someone from the training camps amongst them.

"Dammit you two! Stop showing off already!"

The girls grinned as they soared away, their birds straightening out into a controlled glide.

"Ain't easy being top of the class, Bella." Erin rubbed her mount's head, and the bird nuzzled back affectionately.

She shrugged, nonchalant. "Comes with the territory I suppose. Jealous bitches can lick my pussy."

Erin looked over, raising an eyebrow. "Dirty words for a teenage girl," she teased.

"Oh shut up."

"Well, you are. Remember that time we caught you masturbating in the bathroom?"

Erin laughed and raced off as Bella cursed. The pastures were approaching fast now, and Bella could see fruit of all kinds growing on the trees; oranges, red apples, and pearly peaches shone in the afternoon sun. Erin passed the fruit yards however, headed past a line of guards, and into forested territory. They soon spied a small red-bricked house, and Erin made to land, Bella following in her wake.

She landed next to her friend, who was already on the ground. Sliding off her mount smoothly, Bella joined Erin, who was kneeling next to the nearby building. She was smiling. "You never stood a chance."

Bella blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Cheater. Using cheap childhood jabs to win? Real impressive."

"Stop being so whiney and admit it. I'm the better flyer."

Erin was unbearable. Bella decided to change the subject. "Where the hell are we anyway? Old run-down barn?"

Erin shook her head. "See, I saw a few bandits after the ceremony yesterday."

Bella looked askance at her friend. "So that's where you were! Crowned top aspirant of the district, and the first thing you do is go bandit-spying."

"Bella, you're not listening. I was spying on them because during flight training one day, you know, while I was way ahead of you lot, I happened to see several suspicious men around this old building." Bella was shaking her head. Erin continued. "On the graduation stage, all I could think about was," she leaned in for emphasis, "What if we could hit a little score before becoming starting our duties?" She grinned. "Come on, you know we got something here."

Bella sighed. "Erin, we're wearing simple cloth wraps and undergarments, with no armor plating. No weapons, and what about the birds? If they get hurt, we'll be in huge - "

"Ca-ca-caw!" Erin made the noise, and the birds, squawking once in understanding, took off, heading back to town. She turned back to her companion, grinning. "They've got swords in there, I saw them smuggling them in. Let's go already, crybaby."

Grumpily, the girl complied. "Fine. But you're going first."

After a few minutes, they snuck in, two girls in an abandoned barn. The interior was large and as they quickly realized, thoroughly dilapidated. There were multiple holes in the ceiling, revealing a second floor to the structure. Light beamed in softly from the windows.

A soft noise broke the spell. It was a low sound; almost like snoring. Erin reached out to stop Bella. The girl looked at her arm in annoyance, but then she noticed too. A bandit, wearing light leather armor, was sleeping on a small pile of gold, almost like a dragon from the old epics.

Erin led the way, stepping lightly over the old floorboards. Bella followed close behind, eyes and ears pricked for any sign of movement from the sleeping man.

But they needn't have worried. The girls reached the stockpile, a small pile of weapons and a heap load of gold. The snoring beast lay there undisturbed, drooling contentedly onto the floor.

Erin looked at Bella, put her finger over her lips, and motioned towards the gold. Bella gestured towards the weapons and the man, but her friend shook her head violently, and waved again. Grumbling, the girl complied.

Erin slipped off her bra, and slid it over the gold pieces, motioning for Bella to do the same. Dressed only in their panties, the two girls grabbed as much as they could, and, slowly, made their way back towards the entrance.

They nearly made it too.

"Yoreg will be happy about this haul, heh."

"Yeh, a week hidin' right under their noses, haughty bitches think they've got all the men under their thumb, didn't 'ave much to say when we cut open their scrawny necks though."

A third voice, deeper. "Shame, could have made good slaves. Like good ol' Micah, eh? Nice tight cunt she 'as."

They laughed, akin to a trio of wild pigs. Erin looked at Bella. Her eyes were wide and worried, but her movements were calm and calculated. She motioned towards a hole in the ceiling. Bella nodded her agreement. They could hide there.

Dropping to one knee, Erin motioned for her friend to go first. The voices were getting closer. Bella took a step back, then ran forward as silently as she could, leaping onto her friend's knee, and pounced upwards. Her jump was fluid and she caught the wooden planks above her with one hand, the other still gripping the sack of gold. She quickly pulled herself up, and pivoted herself quickly to motion to Erin.

"Aye, good ol' Micah. Tried to make us think she was a boy too, the bitch."

They chuckled, then the deep voice spoke up again. "Till I ripped open her little tunic, hah! That girl shut up quickly after I shoved my cock in her whore mouth."

Bella motioned more urgently. "Erin, come on!"

Her friend bent her knees, before vaulting upward, grabbing the outstretched arm.

Bella hoisted her friend up quickly, Erin using her knees to push herself up once she rose past the floorboards. They looked at each other in realization now, Erin's amber eyes shining with intensity.

Bella shook her head. "Too many, no weapons," she mouthed.

As Erin made to look back again, Bella stepped forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her back from the gap just as the men walked into view.

The leader was shirtless, wielding a large cleaver. He was the first to notice the missing treasure. "Oi! Oluk! What the fuck 'ave you done with our gold?"

The sleeping man awoke with a start, head banging into the pile of weapons behind him. "Gah! Wha - "

"Oluk, you goddamn idiot, we've been robbed! Grab your fucking sword an' lets go!" The deep-voiced man roared.

Oluk complied, grabbing a weapon. "Where've they gone? I'll kill 'em for stealing from us!"

"You idiot, where do you think? Search the woods, anywhere!" A skinnier man was speaking this time. "Spread out, regroup back here in two hours!"

The group dispersed, tramping out the door loudly. Before long, the house was quiet once more, timbers and oak creaking around them, leaves rustling softly in the wind. Bella turned to her friend, breathing a sigh of relief. Erin knelt slowly, fury in her eyes.

"Bella, they were - "

"I know, Erin, I know."

The word lingered on their minds. Slavers. And they were in Sanctuary.

"I wonder if the empress - "

"She probably already does, Bella, why do you think we saw those guards at the pastures edges?" Erin's eyes were burning even fiercer. "I knew it, ever since I saw this scum ..." She noticed her friend's concerned eyes. "We should go, it's not safe."

"... Okay, Erin, lets head back."

"And Bella?"

The girl turned around, glancing at her friend, who was staring intently into her eyes, words on the tip of her tongue. "I..."

"What, Erin? What is it?"

"... Nothing. Don't worry." She smiled reassuringly. "Let's head back, okay? Those thugs are gone and the orchards should be just ahead."

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Erin and she had gotten back about two hours ago, the former still awfully quiet about what happened. Bella was uncomfortable herself, but it was the reality of things. Ever since the great famine and the Empress's declarations of war, there had been Aurelian slavers thirsting for the beauty of Celestian women. No one knew what had caused the famine, but everyone agreed on one thing: times were getting ever darker, and raids like this were becoming harder to stop as the army was redeployed to farther battlefronts.

Erin wasn't in the mood for any more games. They had said their goodbyes for the day, agreeing to meet tomorrow morning on the road. She had put her bra back on as well, having found a wayside rag to hide her ill-won riches.

It was late afternoon now, and Bella was composing a short poem, unwinding in a nearby peach tree next to an elegant, if old and slightly disheveled building.

The poem wasn't very good, but she was there to visit an old friend.

"Hey Bella, back at last from the camps?"

She looked up with a smile. Finally.

It was Gavin, the local bard. Respectable young men in Celestia were few and far between, with the state being a largely matriarchal society. Oftentimes, the boys, coming of age, would set out for the North, where the Kingdoms of Men waged greedy wars for blood and riches. The ones who didn't leave were restricted to set roles in society, mostly shop-keeps, manservants, sparring partners, or lowly guards. Or, of course, a career in the arts, Gavin's passion in this case.

Bella smiled. "Hey yourself, Gav. How are things at the Bard's College?" The Bard's College was a small institution in Sanctuary, predominately male, but she knew a few girls who, despite their nation's warrior culture, rejected the ways of battle. Nevertheless, everyone knew how to fight.

"Going great. I don't know how to use a spear and shield the way you ladies do, but I sure can handle a lute better than any warrior in Celestia."

The young woman laughed. "Is that so? Well, maybe you can play for the army when we march, be a sort of battle-bard," She emphasized the last words playfully, earning a disgruntled punch from the bard. "Hey, I have a long journey tomorrow, you know. Can't be getting injured now."

"Oh yeah, so getting punched by a bandit is okay, but not by your friendly neighborhood bard?"

"Sounds about right, yeah." Laughing, she dodged another punch from the young man. "Seriously though, you should try your luck in the army! They might not allow men into the actual ranks, but every good army needs a supply chain. There's no shame for serving your country, no matter what path in life you choose."

Gavin sighed. "Yeah, guess you're right." Bella made room and he sat down next to her, grabbing a nearby peach. "I just don't know where my destiny lies here. All my friends have journeyed north, and my father tells me to go seek my fortunes elsewhere, even if it means voiding my citizenship here." He paused for a moment, taking a bite and savoring the ripe juices within. Feathery-white clouds rolled overhead and a pair of songbirds chased each other across the meadow. "What do you think, Bella?"

The girl lay back, balancing her lean body against the tree branch. She remembered the brutish men Erin and she had just escaped from hours before, and what they might have done to the girls.

But Gavin was a good man and a loyal friend; she brushed the suspicious thoughts out of her mind, unruly thoughts of male aggression and the dirty slavers.

She returned her focus back to the bard. "Hm. You know, I think I would go." The man looked at her in surprise. "No seriously. The bard's college is a small, sad place. You won't make a name for yourself here, and the High Empress sure won't change the rules of enlistment anytime soon." She frowned. "It doesn't seem fair, I know, but... well... I suppose life isn't always fair to some people."

Gavin exhaled slowly, leaning back as well. "Suppose you're right. Hell, I've spent 20 years of my life in this dustbowl of an empire. It's hopeless."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Bella said cautiously. "It may be boring for you, but the army keeps the peace, and there hasn't been a successful mass-invasion of the Empire since the fifth age."

"Yeah. Well, I'll think about it."

The duo lay there for a while in silence, listening to the songbirds' soft chirping and the cool sigh of the evening breeze. Bella sighed inwardly as well. Gavin was a handsome young man, but even after all these years, there was still nothing between them.

After a moment, Gavin reached over. "Want a peach?"

"...Sure."

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The next day dawned quickly. Bella woke up early this time. A long trek required significant preparation: namely, a cleansing bath at the river. Especially after yesterday, she thought.

Grabbing a towel, she made her way outside. Other girls were also preparing, and she caught sight of the same woman who had shouted at them yesterday. But beside her...

Oh God, the spiteful trifecta.

It was Calliope, Bella's old bully. Vora stood next to her, in the process of pushing a younger girl into the water.

She decided she wanted her bath more than she dreaded the trio. She approached the group.

"Hey, girls, look who it is," The leader, Zana, glared up at her. "Miss second best, how was your little romantic flight yesterday, did your friend fall off her bird?"

Bella glared over. "Jealous much?" She walked over to an empty patch of water and submerged herself. When she rose again, the girls had moved closer.

"Erin loved her little pet so much, she took her on a little birdie-ride through town, isn't that nice?" Vora sneered. Her eyes were narrowed in spite.

"I wonder what she'd do if we were to... break something?" Calliope cracked her knuckles, smiling at the threat she made.

Bella looked directly at her old enemy. "Come on and do it then, Calliope. Or are you scared to get hurt again?"

Zana reached out and held her friend back. "Wait till we get out of town. Then we can pin it on the bandits!"

Calliope jerked her arm away. "Don't feel too safe, Bella." She smirked nastily.

"Grow up, bitch. If you even manage to touch me, you'd be in huge trouble." Bella's voice was cold. "Killing an aspirant warrants a death penalty around these parts. It's a good thing that you're still hardly a novice, even after all these years." She laughed unpleasantly.

Calliope jumped out at her, screaming incoherently and making to tackle her into the water. Bella, watching her movements carefully, quickly sidestepped. Twisting back around, she clocked her right in the boob. The foolish girl crashed into the river instead, stunned and spluttering with water.

"Graceless and pathetic, Calliope. Go back home." She reached back for another punch, but was stopped by a hand that caught her wrist. She whirled around to find Erin, standing right behind her.

"Bella, give it a rest." Her eyes were tired. "Why do you still care about her? It's been a long time, learn to let it go."

Bella snarled and ripped her arm away. "Of course you'd say that, you're always so perfect." She regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth. Erin didn't look insulted, just sad. Bella stormed back to her house, leaving the girls to help Calliope back to her feet.

She was still fuming as she ate her breakfast. That bitch should have learned her lesson long ago. She thought at length about possible ways to get back at her. Perhaps, Bella mused, if she can become her commanding officer... Calliope would never get another day's peace. Breakfast finished, Bella sat for a while, thinking on her plan.

Suddenly, she felt guilty. Erin was probably right; it had been a long time, and petty competition was not worth the stress. She took three deep breaths and closed her eyes. There were more important things to do right now. She put the thought of pummeling the girl temporarily out of her mind.

Bella tried to plan their journey. First, they would travel North, up to the Gold Road, then follow it East along the Astria River into the Southern Aurora Mountains. From there, it was a straight shot to Celestia.

The Gold Road would be the most challenging length. Named for the ancient trade network stretching from Northern Nordia all the way south to the Eternal City, it was these days sparsely used and plagued with bandits. War and millennia of gradual famine had soured relations between the great nations. Now, only armies and the most daring of travelers frequented the perilous paths.

It was also used, of course, by aspirants of the Celestian Army. Long and dangerous, it was the perfect final test to every young woman seeking her fortunes in service to her country.

Bella stood up. It was time to get dressed. Erin said yesterday to meet her at 8 AM on the road. She looked at the sundial in their garden. She still had a few hours. Her mother was likely preparing her gear, and she could hear her father in the kitchen, humming and fixing up some travel supplies. The sound was almost foreign to her. Drilled in a military camp for 11 years, few girls knew their parents well, fewer still their fathers. She still hadn't told them about her dream that night or Calliope. She had barely told them who Erin was.