Blood Brothers
Intro
The Xiphos plunged itself through the filthy Persian, blood and organs spilled through the warm Persian air, and splashed on impact with the solid dirt. Spartan Kave stood loyal and tall, no fear for death but an aspis to back him up. He held up his aspis and twisted it in the air, blocking the sun light view from his eyes, and then carefully letting it rest on his shoulder.
He looked at his brothers, his partners in combat. All equipped with their doru, aspis, and Xiphos. Their bronze plated armor acted as a shield in defense, and made great battle tactics the Spartans used possible.
"You all should feel proud! What you have done thus, for your Sparta!" Kave declared, holding up his aspis once more, this time to show loyalty and bravery. ". . . . Well?"
One by one Herio, Theo, Kin, Betrik, Folhin, and many more raised their aspis's in greatness. Theo walked across the Persian bodies towards Kave. "Kave . . . we shall rest here?" His voice was weak, but his heart was strong. "We could consider continuing on the battle, but by the looks of our brothers . . . they need a night to sleep and dream about their wife's."
"Very well." Kave stated kicking Persian bodies to the side to make a path. "We shall rest here, but be gone before sun up tomorrow."
Theo walked beside him, stabbing the eventual Persian survivor with his doru spear. "We need to develop and strengthen our ranks. Recreate the phalanx."
"You cannot recreate a phalanx. A phalanx is the legendary battle tactic of the Spartan Army, and will never be recreated or strengthened by any means of another tactic or thought. Of course, it could be strengthened by more soldiers."
"Brother . . . we have encountered more than a few ripsaspis's in our presence. They've thrown their shields, which is a sign of both disloyalty and weakness. We need real brothers to partner us in this battle, for I fear without more we will come to an end, quickly."
"Does it matter?" Kave yelled. "A Spartan does not fear death, only weakness. Don't remind me of the ripsaspis we've brought along, and who have foolishly died because of their throwing of the shield. The Spartans in this battle at the moment are as strong as need be. We don't need more soldiers to strengthen our phalanx, or any battle formation we may design; we need heart more than anything." Kave felt his large black beard and discarded his brother's sayings. "This talk between us brothers has happened, but let it wander off so we don't hold a grudge."
"Very well." Theo said as he marched towards the others. His leader Kave was so loyal and strong, but was too blind to see at times. He must tell the others about the rest for tonight.
The moon started to glow in the space, and the fire in the rest spot crackled in silence. The only conscious Spartans were Kave, Theo, and Betrik. All sitting next to the campfire, feeling their armor heat up as the fire's intensity began to rise.
"Theo." Kave said breaking the silence of the Persian mountain side.
"Yes?"
"Our brothers of the group right now, are all we need to defeat the Persians." Kave cleared his throat silently and pushed a stick into the fire with his feet. "You our one of us, you have to believe in our heart, and be loyal just as us."
Theo didn't reply, but rather put his blade next to the fire. He suddenly noticed this may look like he was putting down his sword, so he picked up his aspis and let it lean on his shoulder.
"You don't have to carry that weapon with you at the moment my friend, in battle and in March is the only appropriate time."
"And only if there is no reason for you to not be holding your weapon?" Betrik asked silently.
"Do not worry." Kave told them. "You will know when you need to have your weapons equipped. You were trained for a long time in the Agoge training system. You were disciplined as well as I, to know when to do everything. Spartans are the smartest warriors in the world. If one were to argue against this fact, they wouldn't be a Spartan."
Theo felt like a traitor, doubting his brothers, thinking the very thought of more coming in to help. "I shall be punished when the time comes, when I—''
"No." Kave said. "You are my brother; you're responsible for almost every successful achievement in my life as a Spartan."
"Thank you and I assure you it won't happen again."
"I know it won't." Kave agreed. "Because this warning is your last I'm afraid. A true Spartan should know that doubting their brothers is the same as being a ripsaspis. A traitor or weaker man who should've been thrown into the Apothetae." Kave said referring to the chasm of Mount Taygetos.
"My parents told me the stories of how I was a debated infant, on whether to throw me into the Apothetae. Now I can't be sure whether or not it was true, or if it was my parent's story to scare me." Betrik described, turning his Xiphos sword over in his hand.
"That is no joking or lying matter." Kave warned. "To lie to a man about the Apothetae is asking for themselves to be thrown into it."
"It didn't matter to them, they didn't seem to care." Betrik replied.
"They missed out on a son that has made a hell of a warrior." Kave said with a smile that had been unseen for months.
As the hours passed, two soldier drifted off into a sleep, while one stayed conscious to keep guard.