Thread: War of the Gods on Earth (Eldrithe & Rauk)

The cool night air cut through Artemis like a blade through his soul, as the warrior captain braved the jagged and steep mountainside. Bracing himself on sharp rocks and loose stones as he made his ascent, the freezing wind swept across his body and danced through the torn red cloak on his back. His lone perilous journey had but one goal, to condition his body and mind further, as to build himself into the perfect warrior. The unforgiving landscape and cruel mountain took it's toll on the Spartan with every grunt and groan. Artemis knew that one slip would spell his certain death as he neared the plateau. Though physically impossible for the average person, and extraordinarily painful and deadly for even the most fit of warriors, this journey was only a training exercise for the determined captain. Nearly all of Artemis' time was devoted to bettering himself as a warrior, and his resolve was nearly inhuman. Rocks and dust broke and fell underneath his large right foot as he shoved himself one more arms length up. Pulling himself to more stable ground above the jagged rocks, the tall man stood and inhaled a well deserved deep breath. The air where he stood was rarely ever breathed by humans, as few were even able to reach this place. Artemis gazed down upon the landscape surrounding Sparta as he reflected on the last time he was here, many battles ago. This was the second time he had reached this plateau and completed this trial, and his goal now was to survive for two nights before returning home. To allow his muscles to recover, and to contemplate his next move, Artemis walked a few feet across the barren lifeless mountain plateau and sat next to a boulder formation, using it to block the wind for the time being. His naked figure was only clothed by a black linen flap around the waist, and the deep red cloak which covered his neck down to his ankles. Stoic stoic green eyes painted a combat veteran esque look on his face, as his short black hair and stubbly beard made it obvious that he had not been shaven in quite some time. The battered short-spear at his side was not of superb quality, but it was sufficient in arming him with the means to defend himself on this exercise, should threat show it's ugly face. Though there are few creatures ignorant enough to challenge a Spartan warrior, especially a captain in one on one combat. One can never be caught off guard, and a Spartan must always be ready to defend his land and fight for what he believes in. A spartan warrior must always be ready for war. Always ready to die. Artemis closed his eyes as he lay his head back on the rocky terrain, and decided this was the safest place to rest his body to recover his strength for the harsh day ahead of him. As he drifted off to sleep, his mind hosted visions things to come. He felt that the land had become too peaceful over the years, and things were quiet... Too quiet. The captain could not reasonably put his finger on why he felt this way, but he could not shrug off his random hunch, and the worry lingered on in the back of his mind that soon there would be a day where his training and fighting prowess would not be sufficient to protect his beloved Sparta from what was certain to come. The whistling wind whipped past the warrior, as he finally submitted himself to an unconscious state, awaiting the morning sun.