Disclaimer: I don't own stuff. I write stuff and that's about it.
Writer's Note I: Sorry for the long wait, everyone. After I finished the latest chapter in Archangel, I took the rest of November and December off to recenter myself.
By the way, Athena got bumped back to the next chapter. Sorry, but that's how it goes sometimes. Oh, and thank you for all the birthday wishes! Sorry if I didn't get back to everyone. It was kinda crazy back then. Enjoy!
The Last Shinto Kami
Chapter Six: Trojan War II
Hundreds of feet didn't make the Trojan battlements any less imposing. As Naruto stared out at these walls, memories of the past few years came rushing back. The Achaean Army waged war for the last five years and was no closer to achieving its ultimate goal. During this time, Naruto saw thousands of men fed to the great war machine like the grass given to an ox. It should have been mortifying. But war has a weird way of numbing a person. Desensitizing them to the horrors of life. It was sad, but the truth.
As of now, none of their brightest minds could crack Troy's formidable defenses. And not for lack of trying. However, the Greeks were nothing but stubborn, for better and worse. They wanted to continue the fight, so Naruto fought side-by-side with them. He mourned with them; he celebrated with them. Naruto became one of them. Mingling with mortals was nothing new for Naruto, but there was something different about it this time.
His thinking left a quirked smile sitting on the redhead's campfire-lit face. Apparently, his battlefield prowess earned Naruto growing fame among the men. In five years, the hidden deity went from untested to undeniable as a warrior. He never planned on achieving this kind of notoriety, but Naruto understood why the men celebrated him. After all, how many warriors went years without losing a fight? There was only one other who could claim that distinction. Achilles was his name, or so Naruto heard.
Overall, Naruto wasn't against becoming a figurehead if it meant keeping his men safe and healthy. Most of the credit for his unit's accomplishments should go to Atalanta and her efficient leadership. Without her, things wouldn't have been as easy. Atalanta was even more pivotal than him, in Naruto's humble opinion.
"I need an appropriate way to thank her for all she's done." While he mulled over some possibilities, Naruto extended a hand toward the flickering campfire. Even with his divine nature sealed, he felt the flames gravitating toward him. But before they broke free from the pit, Naruto dropped his hand and closed his eyes. "We all deserve something beyond this shore. We all deserve the chance to return home, but life isn't always that kind."
Pushing his palms together in front of him, the battle-tested child of the sun fell into prayer. Yes, a god was praying. Speaking to his birth mother like this had become something of a habit. Naruto wasn't sure why, but small moments like these helped manage his nerves. It kept him calm and focused in an otherwise hectic environment. 'Hello, Kaa-chan. These brave warriors have made me a leader of men. Their lives sit heavily in my hands. Thankfully, I haven't let them down. I will continue doing everything possible to ensure they see tomorrow. Just like you did for me. So, please keep watching over me, Kaa-chan.'
Naruto's finely tuned hearing picked up the crunching of soil under boots, and it was coming his way. When his amethyst eyes opened, their glittering pools observed a man with dirty hair shuffling in place. 'He looks pretty nervous. Is he afraid of me? Or is something else wrong?'
When it became abundantly clear this man wasn't going to speak despite approaching Naruto's position, the budding war hero took it upon himself to seize the initiative. "Good evening. Do you need something from me, brother?"
The nameless soldier recoiled upon hearing the term of respect popular among the fighters. That simple word was proof of the bonds these men formed through life and death on the battlefield. "No... no, sir! I mean, yes! I'm sorry to bother you during your rest rotation, sir."
Quickly waving off the man's worry, Naruto answered with a smile. He hoped showing some friendliness would ease the man's jumbled nerves. At the very least, Naruto wanted to move the man away from his stammering tongue twist. "It's no big deal. I'm happy to help a brother in need. However, I don't believe we have met. Who is your commander, if you don't mind me asking?"
He bowed his head, deferring to Naruto's question before pressing his own needs. "I have the honor of serving under Lord Achilles, sir." Because his eyes were on the ground, he missed the cordial bobbing of Naruto's head.
"Ah, that explains it then. Achilles is a good man, from what I hear. He will do well by you. So, what can I do for you?" Curiosity came off Naruto's words in droves. The young Shinto god was happy to help a fellow warrior, but he wasn't exactly sure how he could in this particular instance.
"There is something I hoped to show you, sir. If you would, it's waiting for us outside of camp. I know it's inconvenient, but I still have to ask, sir." Throughout his spiel, the man's eyes were constantly moving. They were cutting about like a caged animal backed into a corner.
The nervous warrior needed everything he had and some to force out his request. But he managed to make it work. And in the process, he revealed something wasn't right. 'Something is wrong here. I'll go, but I better keep my guard up.'
"Sure! I'm happy to help in any way I can. Should I follow your lead?" Leaving his fire to burn, Naruto stood up and looked toward his conversational partner for an answer.
"Thank you, sir! You don't know how much this means to me. Please, follow me. It's not far from here; I promise." His relief was expressed with a massive sigh. Too bad for him, the sense of peace wouldn't last long.
"Great. Hopefully, we can get this done, and you can get a good night's rest. No offense, but you really need one." Bearing bags under one's eyes wasn't rare among the men, but Naruto's traveling partner had some of the worst Naruto had seen.
"Yes... rest. That will be nice." The man's admission came with a whimsical smile.
They walked in silence until a bashful-looking Naruto rubbed the back of his head. His apologetic smile dragged on his face, forcing his purple eyes closed. "Sorry, I forgot my manners. Can I ask for your name, brother?" That should've been his first question, not one of his last.
Chuckling weakly, the other man in the pair waved off Naruto's late apology. "My name is Prodotis, sir. Trust me, the honor is all mine."
Naruto committed the name to memory after he acknowledged Prodotis with a nod. Soon, the camp's light faded, giving rise to the natural shine of the star-lit night. It was under these bright celestial bodies that Naruto asked Prodotis about his commander. "So Achilles, what's he like?"
"Lord Achilles can be demanding when it matters. However, he makes sure we all have a voice. And when we need rest, we are given all the time we need. I am very fortunate to serve him." Prodotis wasn't ignorant of how other commanders used their men. Most of them saw people like him as expendable cattle. Thankfully, Achilles was better than most.
A relieved smile swept across Naruto's face. Despite his best efforts, the consensus among the commanders hadn't changed. They still put themselves before the men entrusted to them in some vain attempt to win glory. It was encouraging to hear men like Achilles bucked that trend. "Good. If we aren't able to trust our brothers, then we can't trust anyone. Wouldn't you agree, Prodotis?"
Because he had a step on Naruto, the thin man's guilty smile went unseen. He hated himself and knew Tartarus awaited him, but Prodotis was willing to do anything to survive this damned war. Including betrayal. "Here we are. What we're looking for is right around this bend, sir."
Not even the night's dark embrace tarnished Naruto's top-notch eyesight. So when he failed to see what Prodotis promised, Naruto knew something was terribly wrong. He had a good idea why Prodotis was so nervous. However, Naruto wanted to give Prodotis a chance to do the right thing. "So... where is this thing you wanted me to see? Am I missing it?"
"Not it, but us, Achaean." The venomous word arrived with two Trojans, who stood on the hill. They were a couple of notches to Naruto's left, but he saw them well enough. Together, the two men looked enough alike to be brothers. One had freckles across his nose, and the other a different eye color. That's how Naruto differentiated them for now.
Naruto kept an eye on the hostiles and kept Prodotis in his peripheral vision. He could've asked the moral why, but nothing Prodotis said would satisfy the godly general. So Naruto settled for pulling out his kopis and readying himself for battle.
Freckles nodded stoically to the Trojan conspirator. "Return to the agreed meeting point. Once we return with his head, we will get you into Troy." Brief and to the point, Freckles wasn't the kind of man to waste his breath on unnecessary words.
The turncoat dashed off wordlessly, leaving Naruto alone with the two enemy champions. Gray eyes slid down the hill first, followed shortly after by freckles. The former addressed Naruto with a teensy smirk on the corner of his lips. "You're the guy who has all the boys shaking in their boots? You know, some people think you were born in Tartarus. An offspring of Cerberus that's come to drag Troy to Hades."
"That's enough, Encellius. Stop fooling around." Freckles barged in with a stern reprimand. That seemingly meaningless reply told Naruto all he needed about the man's personality.
"You're right, Alexios. Let's put an end to this. You stand before two sons of Zeus. We will end you here in the name of the Great King. Prepare to die, outsider." The crackle-hiss of lightning descended on the hill thanks to the lightning bolt in Encellius' hand. Its spark illuminated the hill briefly, like a bolt screaming across the sky. Meanwhile, the other demigod silently channeled lightning through his short sword.
Standing straight, Naruto smiled at their threat. "I think you two have it all wrong. Yes, I will fight a king's son. However, it won't be both of you." His vague words and continued effort to smile inspired a hint of doubt in his confused opposition.
"What? How about you make some sense!?" Encellius pushed for clarity but got little more than a smile from Naruto, who wasn't going to oblige the demigod's quest for answers.
"Move!" The freckle-faced demigod threw himself to the side out of nowhere. His abrupt shoulder shove knocked Encellius out of the way. Where it allowed Alexios to block the incoming arrow with his shield. CLANG! His severe frown deepened as he looked at the broken projectile near his feet. "We have company."
Don't count Naruto among those surprised by Atalanta's arrival. In fact, Naruto expected the warrior woman's presence. "You sure took your sweet time. What kept you?"
"You're lucky I'm here to get you out of trouble." To Atalanta's everlasting credit, she truly mastered her gruff impersonation. Sometimes even Naruto forgot she wasn't the man she pretended to be.
Naruto let a laugh fly free. Her point was entirely wrong but what made him laugh was Atalanta's flat delivery. It added that extra kick that tickled at his funny bone. "Is that right? Well, I'm eternally grateful for your continued efforts."
"Hey! What's the big idea? Are you idiots ignoring us?"
The loud indignation from the ozone-heavy demigod shifted the maiden's bland stare. It lingered there until her eyes cut back to her boss. "You can have the loud one." Before objections could be made, the former Argonaut launched herself at Alexios, driving him away from Naruto and Encellius.
Encellius was wise enough to focus on Naruto. He was loud, but he knew battle. Chasing his brother would be a fatal mistake on his part. The fight came first. And Encellius opened the festivities by chucking a trifecta of lightning bolts at Naruto. Their glimmering streaks painted the dark with diluted divine power.
The demigod might have learned his attack from daddy dearest, but the projectiles weren't fast enough. A quick shift is all it took to send the first two bolts sailing by. This left Naruto free to cut the third tongue of lightning in half with his blade. The tingle moving from his bronze weapon to his fingers was bothersome but negligible.
So their game of cat and mouse began with Naruto advancing and Encellius doing his best to keep his distance. After several minutes and plenty of close calls, Naruto got close enough to slash at the lightning hurler. Bronze clashed against bolt, but this time the lightning held out. 'His lightning is stronger. It must lose its potency when it leaves his hand.'
Readjusting his base, the Shinto son stepped back and then forward again. He attempted cutting into the Trojan's lightly-guarded left side. This time the numbing sensation from having lightning going through his sword was more potent. Naruto was forced into improvising before he lost feeling in his arms.
So Naruto headbutted his opponent, taking advantage of Encellius forgoing a helmet. While the dazed man staggered back, the sun-blooded deity unclipped the shield on his back. Instead of using the bronze for protection, Naruto flipped his hips and hurled the slab of metal at the gray-eyed demigod with a grunt. And so, Naruto watched as his whirling disc traveled through the air, deadly as any arrow.
Zeus' offspring gathered himself in time to protect himself. He drew upon his demigod gifts. Using some magnetic manipulation, Encellius slowed the shield down enough to catch the bronze chunk with only minimal injury to his hands. A drop of blood was a small price to pay for a victory over the supposedly invincible redhead. "You'll need more than that to beat me!"
Discarding Naruto's shield with a look of steely determination, Encellius assumed a stiff stance. "GRRAGH!" Naruto was curious about the sickly yellow outline wrapping around Encellius like an eggshell. That's why the concealed deity stood back and allowed the attack to be launched.
So imagine how disappointed Naruto was when Encellius conjured another lightning bolt. Sure, it was around four times larger than the others. However, it was more of the same. Naruto was ready to call Encellius out on his lack of imagination when the hefty projectile fragmented and caged Naruto in an electrical snare.
Compared to his comrades, Naruto wore considerably less in terms of armor. But the bronze he did have on him attracted the erratic discharge, slamming the redhead with jolt after jolt. Despite the pain, which was considerable, Naruto only showed a clenched jaw and some involuntary wincing as his muscles forcefully seized against his skin.
"Hah... hah... I told you! You weren't a match for me, outsider." Anyone with eyes could see that Encellius' liberal use of his demigod powers had left him visibly drained. Proof being the sweat that dragged down the panting half-blood's olive skin.
Hardly concerned, Naruto was smiling on the inside. 'This is good. It actually hurts! A little pain now and then clears the mind. I don't have any bronze on my left arm... so if I can move it this way...' Moving was tedious, but Naruto managed his hand far enough back to brush against Amenonuhoko.
"I will return with your head in hand, and they will write stories about my victory. Encellius, the man who slew an unbeatable demon! As a courtesy, I will hear your last words." The triumphant Trojan couldn't help but feel confident in his position. He tasted victory and all the riches that came with it. Soon his name would be up there with the likes of Hector. A true hero of Troy.
"Yeah... I have something to say. I'm turning your lights out!" Naruto broke free from his cage, unleashing a deafening thrum of thunder. The startled demi-breed couldn't react in time to stop Naruto from punching Amenonuhoko into his chest. Encellius gripped the spear weakly as a wet, bloody cough burst from his mouth. "Sorry, it's nothing personal. I hope the Styx is kind to you."
The scarlet-haired soldier's mournful whisper gave way to a rush of white noise when the stored energy in Amenonuhoko tore through Encellius' back, forming a massive beam of yellow light that erased the entire hill behind the fresh corpse. Naruto carefully rolled the deceased onto his back, showing kindness to his fallen foe. There was smoke drifting out of the demigod's mouth as his shocked eyes stared lifelessly at Naruto. He closed the man's eyelids and stepped back with a frown. "So much sacrificed for so little gain. Is this what Olympus' guidance looks like?"
Shockingly, the dead didn't have the answers Naruto wanted. It was a few minutes before Atalanta returned with her slain opposition in hand. She dragged the dead man's body and laid him beside his flesh and blood. "Are you injured?"
"No, I'm fine. The Trojan was technically efficient and had a good sense for strategy, but he lacked the speed and raw power to be a threat." Atalanta's words rang true as she stood next to Naruto, looking no worse for wear despite just coming out of a fight. Then again, one doesn't complete a mythological journey of yore without exceptional skill.
Naruto was unsurprised but pleased with the news. Meanwhile, the gears started turning in his brain. He had an idea... or the start of one. It'd be risky, but the potential benefits were immense. "Good. Listen, I have a plan, and you're going to hate it." Self-aware enough to offer Atalanta an apologetic smile, this was his way of saying sorry for putting his partner through more undue stress.
"Sigh. What is it, and what happened to the hill?"
"I'm going to sneak into Troy."
Sometime Later
"How do I look?" Naruto directed his inquiry at the only person he trusted enough to include in his plan. He knew that despite hating the idea, Atalanta would give him an honest opinion. That aspect made her company invaluable throughout this long, pointless war. Her help kept Naruto as sharp as a blade mentally.
He heard the frown in Atalanta's voice long before she made a sound. "You look like an idiot with a death wish." Her annoyed tone was bathed in a healthy amount of frustration. No matter how long she argued against Naruto's insanity, the stubborn idiot refused to back down. Most of the time, Atalanta respected Naruto for his conviction, but this was an exception. Right now, all she wanted was to throttle the bull-headed fool.
"Besides that, Atalanta..." Both halves of Naruto's mouth twitched up into a smile as he heard the vocal mutterings of his assistant. He couldn't be mad about her worrying. If one of his people were in Naruto's shoes, he'd never let them take a risk like this. In his opinion, as their leader, this was his responsibility. As were the risks involved.
Taking a step away to capture Naruto entirely, the former princess took a moment and examined Naruto's elaborate disguise, which started with some wrecked Trojan armor. His fiery red locks now sat under dried mud, browning his hair drastically. And his eyes were covered thrice over by a loop of raggedy fabric with two trails of dried blood going down Naruto's cheeks. "You're a hot mess. And that's putting it lightly."
"Good! That means I'm ready to set out." The first part of his infiltration plan was the disguise. Naruto was counting on portraying a decimated Trojan to invoke sympathy. Hopefully, a soldier brutalized in service of the city would grant Naruto the access he needed.
"I advise against leaving Naruto. The risks are..."
Knowing what came next, Naruto hurried to cut Atalanta off. He didn't want to have the same argument for the tenth time. It'd be best to keep himself focused on the task ahead. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Trust me."
"Fine! But you better return before the next skirmish. The men and I can only cover your absence for so long before the questions come."
Naruto tried reassuring his subordinate by putting a friendly hand on her shoulder. "I'll see you soon, Atalanta. And try not to worry too much. You'll wrinkle up or something." Naruto was already laughing by the time he turned around. The last thing he heard was Atalanta calling him an idiot under her breath.
And so his personal trip to Troy began in earnest. However, Naruto wasn't worried. Quite the opposite. He truly believed his plan had a good chance of working out. Hopefully, that meant saving hundreds of lives on both sides. Because contrary to what his comrades believed, Naruto didn't hate the Trojans.
With only his senses to guide him, Naruto spent two hours roving through the dark before the faint rumblings of city life filled his ears. He turned this distinctive sound into his personal guiding star. And so, he began carefully climbing the slopes of the hilled city. "Help! Someone, I need help!"
His hollering invoked two simultaneous questions from the darkness above Naruto's head. What was that? Followed by, Is someone there? Naruto paused before responding. First, he needed to soften his vowels to make them more Trojan-sounding. "Hello? Is someone up there? I need help, please! I can't see!"
"Hey! It's coming from down there! Move the light so I can see!" A gash of orange light tore a seam in the darkness. With the fire's glare came the grisly appearance Naruto built for himself. "By the gods! What happened?"
Naruto dropped a massive sigh of relief. He teased a smile until it turned into a deep frown, and he settled his hand against his bloodied eye wrappings. "Look? I won't see anything again because of those barbarians, but I'm happy to hear one of my comrades."
The taller of the two guards reacted to Naruto first. His chiseled features twisted into a loathsome glare. His righteous heart pumped anger through his breast, warming his blood and fanning his spirit. "This unjust war for Princess Helen isn't enough? Must they mangle our people too? I'll open the doors for you, son. Your home awaits."
He started to move when his partner on the wall put a hand on his shoulder. This man was younger, indicated by his clean, hairless face. "Wait a minute! What if he's a spy or something! I don't think we should let him in..."
Naruto frowned from his spot on the ground, but his intervention proved unnecessary. It was the older of the two soldiers who jumped to Naruto's defense, trusting in what he saw. "What's gotten a hold of you? We don't need Lord Apollo's sight to see the truth! Look at the poor man! Eyes covered, bloodied face, and beaten armor! Those animals tore him to pieces for defending our home. This a man you want to send away?"
When the skeptical teen took another look and saw Naruto's roughed-up state, his doubts melted into something resembling pity. A surge of guilt crashed down on the man as he rubbed his bronze-covered shoulder. "Yeah... he is messed up. And he sounds like us... you're right. Sorry..."
The friendly smile shone brightly compared to the dried blood and the mud clinging to Naruto like a cask. He nodded to show his thanks, accepting the apology and soothing the nervous young man in the same move. "Please, don't apologize. It's your job to look out for Troy during this horrible war. I'll sleep safe knowing you have our home's best interests in your heart."
"See? This is what the spirit of Troy is about. We have to watch out for each other in these dark times." Clapping the younger man on the shoulder, the two guards nodded before the bearded man looked down at Naruto. "Wait right there. I'll get the gate for you."
Unlike the large gate that controlled most of Troy's traffic, this side entrance was much smaller. Hardly taller than your average person, it was barely wide enough to fit a horse-drawn cart through its archway. "Welcome home. Welcome to Troy."
"Thank you." Remembering to move cautiously, as a blind person would, Naruto walked with a hand against the wall until he heard the gate shutting close behind him. Alone in the enemy city, he threw his hood overhead and removed the makeshift blindfold, allowing Naruto to take his first look at Troy from within the wall. Naruto's eyes squinted through the dark, where two buildings stood out from the rest because of their placement on a higher terrace.
The larger of the two buildings appeared to be an elegant temple. Its white marble glowed breathtakingly in the light coming off the moon. Based on the statue at the apex of the slanted roof, it was a temple of Athena. Which Naruto found somewhat ironic since his people believed the honorable warfare goddess was on their side in this fight.
From this angle, the only building comparable to Athena's sacred ground in Troy was the structure closest to it. Naruto didn't need long to connect the intricate marble and abundance of bronze statues. 'That must be the palace of King Priam. How humble of him to make it smaller than Athena's temple. If only slightly...'
The man in two disguises shook off the sarcastic humor and focused on his real task, taking stock of how Troy looked from within. Naruto first noticed how clean and quiet the streets of Troy were. 'They aren't struggling. It's like the war isn't affecting them at all. We're in a bad spot if something doesn't change soon. Seeing the Trojans like this would shatter morale.'
Naruto scoured the city's space until he found their grain supply, hidden by the shadows. The divine infiltrator needed a way around the guards. He found a distraction in a nearby steer grazing in its pen. Upon being released, the creature charged and elicited startled reactions from the guards, who were nearly trampled. While they scrambled to prevent the beast from damaging the city, Naruto carefully slid into the storehouse.
'Who could have guessed spending so much time with farmers would pay off at a time like this?' Naruto leaned on this peculiar knowledge base as he examined a handful of grains. Sifting most of the foodstuff back into its container, Naruto brought a piece to his mouth and ate it. 'The rich flavor suggests a healthy, prosperous field. Our side doesn't have Troy fully surrounded, so they could be getting this from further inland.'
Naruto heard the guards returning to their post and took it as a sign to move on. He slipped through the back and toward his next target. The stables. This time it was as easy as stepping around the sleeping boy who kept the building. Naruto found no shortage of strong-looking horses. Most were asleep, but one was awake and staring right at him. Naruto presented a handful of oats as a peace offering. "Don't mind me. I'm here to take a look, nothing more."
Coal eyes stared Naruto down for a long moment before the stallion leaned down to munch on the offered treat. After having his hand cleaned out, Naruto properly inspected the robust mount. 'Firm musculature... one built for speed and power.' A quick squat down helped Naruto lift the foreleg high enough to see the horse's metal shoe. 'These are worn but not damaged. They're forged well.'
Getting what he came for, the god lowered the horse's leg before patting the back of the stallion's broad neck. "Get some rest, big guy." His smile turned into a frown real quick. Troy showed absolutely no signs of faltering despite years of being besieged.
'I can check their weapons, but I don't think that's necessary. We'll run out of men long before Troy breaks. Even if we fully encircle the city, I fear it might be too late.'
Someone's surprised gasp forced Naruto to turn around. When his flourishing fabric settled, he saw a beautiful woman looking in his direction with one of her dainty hands over her mouth. Naruto was confused for a moment before something clicked in his head. "Is it the hood? Here, I'll take it off."
The hood's removal eased some of the tension on the woman's face. She continued surprising Naruto when she leaned in until she was practically in his face. "Why do you have mud all over your hair?"
Knocked off guard by her boldness and how fast she picked apart his charade, Naruto blinked blandly before chuckling and rubbing at the back of his neck. "Haah, that's a very long story." Now it was the disguised Kami's turn to take a closer look. There was just something... "You know, there is something about you. I can't put my finger on it..."
"Something?" Her face gave away none of her thoughts, but the woman planned on kneeing Naruto between the legs if he commented on her looks or body. It'd be in self-defense, of course.
Confident in his conclusion, the mud-splattered deity backed out of the weary woman's personal bubble. Now all Naruto needed was to find the words to express himself. "Mhm! There is a presence floating around you. It follows you like a shadow." He drawled out thoughtfully with his chin resting on an upturned palm. Of course, this raised another set of questions Naruto wanted answered.
His rousing suspicions grew louder when faced with a look of anguish from the attractive woman. Although he had countless inquiries in mind, only one of those questions emerged as the most important. 'Who are you?'
"Can you feel something like that?" Her uncertain meekness almost caused Naruto to miss her comment altogether. What happened next was natural on Naruto's part. He tried helping her out by lending the bothered beauty his ear.
"Do you want to talk about it? Whatever it is?"
Shifting her expressive eyes away from Naruto, the fidgeting female steadfastly looked wherever he wasn't. During that period, she gnawed on her lip and grabbed anxiously at her wrist. In the end, it came down to a matter of trust. "I don't wish to offend, but I don't know if it's appropriate to talk about this with a stranger. No matter how dire the problem might be."
"And you're right, but occasionally speaking to a stranger can get a lot done. Without familiarity, you can talk more openly about your problems. I should know! Some of my most memorable meetings are with strangers that became friends!" No amount of masquerading could stop the natural warmth from coming through Naruto's charismatic smile.
An internal dispute waged on in the distressed woman's head. However, after a minute of debate, the solar son's natural magnetism took hold of her and loosened her apprehensive tongue. "I have reason to believe I am cursed with feelings that aren't my own."
The seriousness of her accusation caused Naruto's head to jerk back in surprise. This wasn't the type of thing someone said lightly. Hence the reason Naruto asked her to repeat herself. "You've been cursed? Who or what would do that to you?"
In an effort to buy herself time, she went out of her way to smooth the creases in the cloak she wore over her dress. One deep breath later... she was ready to share her story with Naruto. "There is this man; he is the center of my woes. When he is near, my emotions change for the worse. When our eyes meet, it feels like I can't live without him. I am hopelessly enamored with him, and nothing else matters. However, with space, the truth emerges. I don't love him! I don't want him in my life! I hate him for making this war! I hate him for making me this way, prince or no prince! Tartarus, damn him!"
There wasn't any doubt about it. Some form of divine intervention was at work here. And knowing what Naruto knew about the Olympians and their subordinates, the guilty party was clear. "I know a meddling love goddess when I see it. She's a nasty piece of work." A blink crashed on Naruto's face as the realization hit him. "Wait... you said, prince? You're Queen Helen! Aren't you?"
"Queen? Not princess? That means you're Greek!" With this revelation, a resurgence of hope swelled in Helen's breast. Did she dare to hope? Perhaps she wasn't doomed to die in this city or, worst yet, fated to be Paris' lovelorn slave. "You can get me away from here! Please, I'd do anything!"
Keenly aware of how loud Helen got in her excitement, an alarmed Naruto tensed as he looked toward the stable's entryway. "Lady Helen, please! I know you're eager, but please, keep your voice down!" Naruto couldn't stress his plea enough, but he hoped his sharp whisper did in this instance.
Properly chastised for her emotive outburst, a red-faced Helen mouthed an apology to the man she hoped to call her savior. "You made it into the city, so you can get me out, yes?" Though much quieter, the hope still shone through when Helen took Naruto's hands in her own.
"I can get you out, but that won't stop these feelings from being forced upon you." Naruto took it a step further when he mellowed Helen's anxieties by channeling his inherent warmth into her through skin contact. It was just in his nature to help out however he could. Nyx and Meg always said that made him rare among gods and goddesses.
Helen gave his hands a parting squeeze before favoring him with a lovely smile. It was as honest as the confidence that came with Helen shaking her head. "If I can return home to Sparta, I believe I shall never cross paths with my abductor again. That's all I can hope for, given the terrible circumstances."
Her answer struck a chord in Naruto, resonating and impressing the young god. That's when he knew he needed to do something to help Helen. "Forgive me, I haven't been as forthright as I should've been with you, Lady Helen. Yes, taking you from Troy won't solve the curse placed on your heart. However, that doesn't mean I can't solve your Paris problem."
'I finally found the first person deserving of my blessing. This is the least I can do to lighten Helen's burden.' Over the last few years, Naruto had become more aware of bestowing his first blessing. Whenever he thought he had the right person, some trait would arise and drive Naruto away. But maybe Helen of Sparta was the perfect first choice?
"Is such a thing possible? Aphro- the lady of doves, has absolute control over these things. Does she not?" Wise enough to understand the value of a name, Helen smartly avoided invoking the goddess by name.
"You're not wrong, but I have no intentions of playing fair." The ghost of a smile on Naruto's lips indicated a man with a plan. "Here, let me show you what I mean." Picturing a vertical line of latches coming undone, he removed the seals he put on himself one after the other. However, Naruto ensured he carefully repressed the divine power that wanted to rush out. It wouldn't do to draw any unwanted attention to himself.
"What in the..." Helen watched in awe as Naruto's eyes turned to brilliant gold and his hair went blonde like the sun, with black tips painting the tops of his locks. Those two words were all Helen could think to manage, in her surprise. "What's happening?"
"You were correct in thinking I could help you, Lady Helen. Where you were wrong is my origin. I am not Greek, not by birth. My name is Naruto Omikami, the Shinto god of harmony, life, and heavenly light." The gaping stupor being reflected back at him caused Naruto to quietly laugh. He couldn't help but be amused by her response. "Yeah, it's a mouthful. I'll also accept the new Shinto god of the sun."
A furrow hunkered down in Helen's brow as pure awe turned into something similar to suspicion. Why did it feel like this Naruto was pulling her leg? What kind of name was that? "Is this some kind of joke?"
"A joke? No. Hard to believe? Absolutely!" Different from most gods, Naruto didn't have a problem with what others might call disrespect. He fully understood where Helen was coming from because he was willing to put himself in her shoes. To him, a mind that questioned things was a hundred times better than one that blindly accepted what was given to them.
"This doesn't make any sense, but I can tell you aren't lying. I believe you, Lord Nahruto." Helen took it a step further by bowing in front of Naruto, leaving the young god a little embarrassed. This was the first time anyone ever did anything like that in his honor. Unaware of the feelings she caused, Helen expressed her heartfelt gratitude with a simple message of thanks. "I welcome and thank you for your help."
"Naruto..." Slowing down the pronunciation of his name for Helen's benefit, Naruto hastily helped Helen out of her submissive posturing. What Helen looked up to was a smile that accepted her despite the stark difference between mortal and god. Call him weird or call him an exception, but Naruto wasn't totally comfortable seeing another submitting themselves to him. "I can explain everything better, but I figure you'd want out of here first."
If not for her happy marriage to her spartan husband, Helen would have no problem admiring Naruto's handsome face. She missed the differences earlier but now saw how his bone structure differed from the men she knew. "I'd like that. How... how do you plan on getting us out of Troy? If you don't mind my asking..." It was a less-than-subtle attempt by Helen to spur Naruto's escape plan forward. But given everything that happened to her, Helen's angst was well-earned.
"All you have to do is take my hand. However, I'd recommend that you close your eyes. It helps reduce the motion sickness." An extended hand drew Helen's gaze down to where an open palm waited. "You will have to trust me. Ready?"
Helen put her fate in Naruto's hands, literally. In her eyes, she was better off with this honest stranger, if the alternative was to stay in the nest of vipers that was Troy. Feeling a new breath fill her lungs, Helen smiled. "I'm ready. Take me away from here, Lord Naruto."
The Next Morning
In a word, the mood around the Greek war camp was festive! The morale had never been higher as they grouped around a wooden stage to hear King Menelaus' speech.
"It was five years ago when my beautiful wife was taken by the treacherous Paris like a piece of property! For half a decade, we have fought to correct this grave injustice! We left behind family and land for a singular goal. And for that, you brave warriors have my eternal gratitude. You let nothing stop you! Not the temperamental sea or hostile, foreign lands!" Pacing back and forth across the makeshift wooden stage, Menelaus of Sparta wetted his lips and turned to face the crowd of warriors waiting to hear his message.
Put front and center, the fearsome King saluted stiffly over his ornate, bronze chest plate. His example was something followed by many in the crowd below. Their reaction drew a smile from the usually stone-faced Menelaus. "Let us take a moment to honor the men not standing here today. They gave everything in the name of our people. It's their courage that pumps through our veins; it's their determination that has the Trojans on the backfoot. Without their sacrifice, today wouldn't have been possible! And for as long as I live, their names will be sung among the heroes of old!"
The way the men hung on his every word was a testament to the Spartan's charisma, which was part of the reason so many were here in the first place. "It's with indescribable joy that I present my beautiful wife, Queen Helen of Sparta!" What started as a whisper turned into a full-blown war cry with the stunning Queen of Sparta moved to stand beside her husband, hand in hand. "Because of one brave soul, her abduction has been avenged. However, with this blessing comes a question we must answer together."
Doing his best to make eye contact with as many people as possible, Menelaus was pleased to see the curiosity in their eyes. He needed men capable of thinking and fighting in his army. That's how victories were won. "Do we take this good fortune and return to our farms? Or do we enact the blood price our brothers paid on the Trojans!? I'd make them fear our name, but this isn't something one man should decide by himself! Lend me your voices, brothers! Let the gods themselves hear our destiny!"
At first, no one dared to be the voice that broke the silence. But when the first cry blasted from the crowd, it was like an avalanche of ferocity crashing down on the land of men. The screams for battle and blood were so loud that they could be heard for miles. Bloodlust and patriotism were the order of the day, and the appetite for both wouldn't be checked any longer.
It was amidst this mob of vengeance that Naruto found himself standing. The sudden turn toward unrepentant violence made him frown sadly. Their response was expected but no less disappointing to the god, who hoped they'd rise above the poisonous taste of revenge. 'This isn't why I volunteered to fight. I have no taste for blind slaughter. What should I do?'
Naruto's reprieve didn't last long.
"And now... let me present the man who pulled off a feat worthy of Hermes himself! This man broke into Troy and escaped with Queen Helen in a single night! Many of you know him by deed, and today we add another feat to his list of accomplishments! Please, join us!" Parting down the center to make a clear path to the stage, Naruto was left with no choice. He knew if he didn't walk up there willingly, he'd be called forth by name. So he stepped out of the crowd and tried ignoring the whispers that followed him.
No one could say that Naruto's disguise didn't make for a distinct image. His red hair and purple eyes had reached myth status among the men, and seeing him stand taller than the King himself only added to his legend in the eyes of his fellow warriors. Putting his hands on Naruto's shoulders, Menelaus offered the redhead a grateful nod. "No amount of treasure or fame can pay the debt I owe you. But that won't stop me from trying. My wife also has a reward for her hero. It'd honor us if you'd accept it in good faith."
As soon as Naruto managed a nod, the person in front of him changed, with Helen taking her husband's place. There was a glow about her that only Naruto could see. While he observed a side effect of his blessing, Helen held up a green jewel necklace. "Please accept this token as a symbol of my unending gratitude."
Naruto humbly bowed his head, allowing the recently returned queen to put the necklace around his neck. Fiddling with the green gem, he lifted his head and smiled courteously at the blonde beauty. "It's a beautiful gift, my lady. I will cherish it always."
Given a smile, Naruto was politely forced to face the crowd once more by Menelaus, who had a hand sitting on the taller man's shoulder. "I have an important announcement! So all of you better listen and listen well!" Naturally, a swell of whispering curiosity went through the crowd, but Menelaus spoke over it.
"As a result of his bravery, this man shall lead the army with my other generals! Together we'll win this accursed war! Rest, celebrate, and bond today because tomorrow we fight like Hades himself was chasing us!" Jumping down into the uproar below, Menelaus submerged himself in the mass of humanity. With the collective focus turned inward, the stage was quickly forgotten.
Keeping his sigh under wraps, Naruto went to join the others but stopped when Helen carefully tugged on the back of his arm. "Be careful out there; my husband is trying to have you killed in the battle. He fears your influence. I know you have little reason to worry, but I wanted to warn you."
No one saw Naruto's purple eyes flash gold from his anger. Knowing nothing good would come from making a scene, he put a lid on his fury until there was a more appropriate time to express himself. Right now, he had an act to maintain, so the smiling redhead stepped back and bowed slightly. "Of course, your majesty. I'll keep an eye on your husband out there."
With a final, fleeting look of concern, Helen offered a nod and made her way back to the tent she shared with her husband. Seeing no reason to remain, Naruto also took his leave. As soon as he stepped off the stage, Naruto was joined by Atalanta, together they watched Helen walk off in the other direction with her personal guard. "What was that about?"
"Follow me; we have a lot to talk about."
END