Disclaimer: some of the characters in this story are based off of the video game Assassins Creed Odyssey, some have their roots in Greek mythology, and others are of my own creation. The ideas and concepts lean more towards that of Greek myths and the events of this story take place after the main game, before Legacy of the Hidden Blade and in place of Fate of Atlantis.
"Barnabas, you can't be serious," Alexios said dismissively.
"Maláka, boy! Did you not just say you'd have faith?" The sea captain responded.
"But you can't really believe that we're going to chart a course for an island that isn't on any map. I've heard the story of Odysseus more times than I can count and even the best tellers aren't consistent with its location! Barnabas, be reasonable. Why sail all the way to Colchis when we should be looking by Messara?"
"Reason!? We have faith, Alexios. You've been spending too much time with Sokrates!" Barnabas laughed. "Listen, I'll buy as many goats as this village has and sacrifice them to Poseidon. You should go meet the new lieutenants we found in Kythera - one is our new carpenter, the other is a warrior; I have a feeling you'll like that one."
Alexios walked down to the shore, the night air felt cool against his cheeks. He wasn't sure if he was ready to see the ship so empty, that is, if Barnabas hadn't exaggerated their losses. Alexios felt like he was a good commander, though he was ashamed to admit that he did not know the name of every person on board the Adrestia since he spent most of his time above deck. He did know every face though, from his closest lieutenants to the newest of rowers, Alexios wanted to be sure that he remembered their faces at the very least. As he approached the ship he saw a man patching up the deck, the stranger had a new face and skill with wood. Alexios climbed on board and walked up to him.
"Chaire, friend. I am Alexios, Commander of this ship. What is your name?" The misthios asked. The man turned and stood, a whole head shorter than Alexios. He was older, much closer to the age of Alexios's stepfather, Nikolaos. He had skin like tanned leather, a gray beard, and a scar that ran along the left side of his face, starting at the corner of his mouth, moving around his eye and cutting into his hairline. The jagged disfigurement bisected his face, giving him a ghastly appearance that was in strong opposition to his warm eyes and lively smile.
"Chaire, Commander! I am called Philippides. Don't let the scar fool you, I'm no great warrior. It was a foolish training accident when I was a boy. The wound itself was actually clean, it was only when I tried to stitch it back together myself that I fucked the damn thing up! HA!" The man had the same hearty laugh Barnabas gave when he found one of his own jokes amusing, he could see why the old man recruited him. "I suppose that's how the gods made us though, hm?"
Alexios laughed with him. "You're very right about that, my friend," he paused, assessing the man before him. "This journey will be incredibly dangerous, are you sure you're up for it?"
Philipedes stood as tall as he could, looking up at Alexios. "Sure as there is salt in the sea!" he smiled.
Alexios nodded and stepped past the man, making his way below deck to his quarters. The familiar smell of his room would be comforting, though he did far more thinking than sleeping in there. When Alexios rested he often slept on the bridge to look up at the stars in the hands of Nyx, the goddess of the night. Even if all other gods were dead, or if they had never existed to begin with, Alexios was always certain Nyx would greet him at the ends of each day. There were times Helios hid behind clouds, or rain plagued them for days on end, but Nyx's nightly embrace never failed to wrap itself around the entirety of the world.
Upon arriving to the door of his quarters, he heard a rumbling from inside. He leaned against the door to listen, but he feared his footsteps may have already given him away. Did someone trap Ikaros in there? Impossible, no one could wrangle a full-sized eagle below the deck of a ship, even one so familiar as the Adrestia. He opened the door as quietly as he could, but the insistent creak revealed him, a fault that until now he believed would only alert him to unwanted guests. From behind a stack of scrolls, a woman's face appeared.
"Are you a thief?" Alexios asked calmly while reaching for his spear.
"I am only a curious mind. I was trying to unmask our mysterious commander," she replied, poking her head out further. Alexios noticed that her features were more akin to Artemis than Aphrodite, that her skin was sun-worn like that of a seasoned sailor and the various scars across her lips only made her look older. Her dark hair was tied back in a loose bun, though several small strands had escaped their imprisonment and now framed her unyielding gaze. Though on first glance she looks hard and stern, her light eyes and disarming smile revealed her youth - she must have been younger than the misthios. Alexios changed his to a kinder tone, but knew enough of deception to keep his hand on the hilt of his weapon.
"I hear he's fine." He said.
"Well I hear everything from him being a god to a goat farmer, so I intend to determine what's true and what's legend," she smirked.
"If I had to guess, I'd say that the bards exaggerate, flatter him a little too much. Drama makes for better songs and stories, no one wants to hear about–"
Barnabas came down the stairs in a hurry, huffing and coughing, as if he had run from the battle of Marathon. "Commander! There is someone who knows!" He shouted as he saw Alexios. The misthios turned to see the woman raise an eyebrow.
"What have you found, Barnabas?" he asked, turning back to his second-in-command.
"A priestess of Athena found me in the town! She said that you have been cast into darkness by all gods except her patron, you must earn their favor again. A spell cast over Aeaea hides the island from all who try to find it. But there are others..." he leaned in close, slightly lowering his voice, "...like you...who can tell us how to get there."
Alexios nodded, trying to process this information as quickly as he could. "So which direction do we sail? East or west?"
"South! We set sail for Egypt tonight. The priestess told me a poem, she said it was the answer to finding this person...by the gods, what was it again?" Barnabas rubbed his temples in deep concentration. "Oh, right!
'Travel to the land of the black soil, find a man with one hand of wood and an eye on his other riding a gray camel. He shares a blessing from those who came before.'"
"I hope that will make more sense as we get closer to our destination." Alexios said.
"I don't know what in the name of the gods a camel is, but I'm very excited to see one!" Barnabas laughed, yelling as he walked towards the upper deck, "I'll gather the sailors, you better start praying!"
The woman leaned against the doorway, a smirk of satisfaction forming on scarred lips. Alexios looked back at her, searching for any signs of weakness, but he found none.
"Surely I don't have to warn you how dangerous this journey will be." He said.
"Allow me to warn you how much more dangerous it will be without my spear at your side," she replied. "My name's Thais, by the way, and it seems at least some of the bards sing of truths...Commander." She chuckled as she walked away.
Alexios couldn't help but think, Where did Barnabas find these people? He entered his cabin, locking the door behind him, and pulled out a hymn Herodotus had left behind when he departed. Alexios figured that, at the very least, it wouldn't hurt to try praying, and so he got on his knees and recited the verse.