Day 1

"Bunch of madmen."

It was the boy called Themistocles who spoke; he too was an Earthling, one of the twelve idiots who had come to an unknown world without knowing why. But Themistocles and Maximilian seemed less inexperienced than the others, it seemed that they had known that world for some time now.

Instead they had been thrown into the clearing of that village at the same time that Todd had fallen there.

Themistocles stood in front of the others and spoke fearlessly to a muscular man, not too tall, but who still inspired a strong sense of respect. His name was Tukker.

"I don't think I understood."

The [Captain's] voice was calm and composed, as befits the man who held the highest military post for several tens of kilometres.

"If these are the results you have achieved so far, I recommend that you step down and give me command immediately. I have won more wars than all of you combined. It makes no sense to condemn us to death just because you are arrogant. Maybe it isn't a coincidence that we were sent here."

Had he ... won wars?

What wars was he talking about? Todd did not fully understand Themistocles' words, but he had understood one thing for sure: Tukker did not seem at all happy with the tone that he had been addressed with. His nose wrinkled in a flash of annoyance.

"A wimp without levels wants to give me orders?"

The commander's tone remained calm, despite his eyes flashing with pride. In the face of such an insult, another officer would have already lost his temper.

"Cunt, look, he's not lying, huh."

From the back row of the group of Earthlings came another boy. Todd had not yet got used to being surrounded by so many brats, he wondered how it was possible so many kids had been moved with him. Did anyone really think that that bunch of ne’er-do-wells could be useful to change things, that winning a battle would only take a month of training? Almost none of them had muscles capable of bearing the weight of weapons. What on earth could a bunch of kids do? The most bizarre thing was that the Harbingers had explained that everyone had been rejuvenated. Even him. How Todd hadn't realized it was difficult to explain.

"I'm sorry, but my friend is right", the brat had surpassed all the others and had placed himself alongside Themistocles. He put a hand on the shoulder of the madman who was defying the local militia and continued: "If you don't stop playing idiots, I doubt anyone will survive the battle."

This was too much. Not one, but two brats pretended to give war lessons to men and women who had war painted on their faces. Playing heroes wasn't going to get them anywhere. Todd felt the need to stop the madness of those two toddlers before it caused any real damage.

"What the hell are you saying?! You are two children and you want to teach them how to fight?!"

"Bollocks, that's exactly it. Themistocles, take this." The baby boy with the Londoner cadence materialized a big shield and a spear out of nowhere and the tanned one picked them up from the ground, nodding towards him.

"Tukker."

The soldiers around the [Captain] grabbed their weapon sheaths, but he stopped them.

"I will face you with pleasure. No one will say that a [Captain] of the Vanedenis is afraid of a barbarian."

"Barbarian?" Themistocles smiled. “Few would have had the courage to call me such when I walked the streets of the agora. Not even my exile in Persia was long enough to get me used to this epithet, this ignominious name that my fellow citizens have imprinted on my skin. I will not accept being a barbarian for you too."

Tukker didn't flinch. He just pulled a large two-handed axe from a tiny bag that hung from his belt. Without warning he rushed on the boy, and Themistocles was not caught unprepared. He dodged the first blows, carefully eyeing the man, trying to take his measurements. Despite the huge weapon, which must have weighed something like a good thirty kilos, the [Captain] was as agile as a gazelle.

Themistocles did let his shield touch the enemy weapon even once, as if he feared that the contact would be unfavourable. Then, suddenly, he lunged to the right.

[Power Strike]

Themistocles had caught the strange movement of Tukker out of the corner of his eye, one second before he had left a large opening in his entire abdomen and chest, and the next he was lowering the axe with monstrous speed towards him.

The Athenian dodged a fatal blow with a confidence that left everyone present gaping, including Tukker, who was now off balance. It was as if he knew where the shot would go before it was even prepared.

Todd intercepted the exchange of glances between Themistocles and Maximilian and sensed that this move must not have been only the Athenian's idea.

He just wanted to scream at both of them to stop wasting time and start concentrating on things more important than clashing with the people they should have collaborated with. Themistocles wielded the spear given him by Maximilian with surgical precision and left a gash on Tukker's right arm; he had been quick to recover and had already returned to the attack. Tukker's strength and speed were truly out of the ordinary. It was not just a matter of physical superiority, there was something supernatural in his movements. Todd was certain that he would not survive for more than a few seconds in such a fight. Unfortunately, according to him, the most physically handsome people were always the idiots who had decided not to use their brains.

He saw the Earthling stumble, but still manage to dodge every blow from Tukker, almost as if he could foresee them. The [Captain's] frustration grew by the minute. Themistocles always slipped away at the last second. The battle was getting longer than the Athenian would have liked, you could read it in his eyes, almost closed with tension. Tukker's axe was not one of the most suitable weapons for such a duel.

"Bollocks, Themistocles, hurry up!"

Tukker ignored the Earthling's screams and unleashed another blow, this time ready to follow soon after with a chained blow. It was clear that the second blow had been struck with less force than the first, with the intention of not overreaching.

To his surprise, Themistocles not only did not retreat, taking away all room for manoeuvre but, for the first time, raised the great round shield.

Tukker had no way to activate any abilities. He took care only to put as much force as possible into the blow, which was now about to strike.

All the Vanedenis expected Themistocles' shield to explode under so much force. And, truth be told, Themistocles himself feared it could happen.

When, however, the axe hit the metal of the shield and nothing happened, the Athenian did not wait even a second before stabbing Tukker's side. He passed him from side to side. The [Captain] immediately after. A grunt of pain exploded in the dead silence. Only the panting of the Athenian kept company with the man gasping on the ground. As the Vanedenis watched one of their own bleed, Themistocles watched his shield, as if In trance.

"Well, I mean. Augh to the new boss, now let's avoid letting the cunt die there on the ground. “Todd had turned pale. Pale as a sheet. Even the Vanedenis had his exact same expression stamped on their faces. It seemed they meant that not even their magic would be able to help their [Captain].

Some of them took back the weapons that Tukker had ordered to put away. Well, a presumptuous toddler had decided to get into the victor's chariot and be a boaster and had managed to anticipate their possible death by a month. Thirteen Earthlings versus more than three hundred Vanedenis. Themistocles approached the agonizing figure and, looking at him, asked:

"Aren't you going to heal him?"

"We don't have any more potions." It was a woman's whisper that answered him.

Themistocles had not yet left his weapons. And maybe it was for the best. Probably he too had had an inkling of the pandemonium that would begin in a few minutes.

"If I had known, I wouldn't have hit him so badly."

But the harsh reality was that Themistocles had inflicted a mortal wound on one of his allies. Arguably, one of their best warriors.

Themistocles saw a man with white hair and sun-eaten skin frown, without everyone else's despair, without their great fury. "Do you think your words are enough to heal [Captain's] wound?" The coldness of his voice was palpable; her gaze cut blood into his skin.

Someone among the Earthlings began to cry.

Except that madman who had supplied the weapons, no one would stand up in defense of Themistocles. What if he didn't do it either ...? What if Maximilian purposely created this situation to trick them all and ...

"Oi cunt, out of the way."

Maximilian tried to pass the soldier who had placed himself in front of Tukker to prevent anyone else from approaching him.

"Barbarian, don't take another step or ..."

Maximilian gave him a kick in the side. A loud crack rang out in the clearing and the soldier flew for a couple of meters, landing on a group of Vanedenis who were ready to attack.

"Tukker, bollocks, they're trying to kill you. Death has almost taken you and they get in the way.”

Maximilian slipped his hand inside the wound, causing the man an excruciating pain that manifested itself through a bestial scream.

"Kidney destroyed, renal artery severed. Our Themistocles did a pretty good job out of you."

Three other Vanedenis tried to get close to their [Captain], without being able to move more than a few steps: Maximilian sent them back with a wave of his hand.

"Call me Bud Spencer. At the end of his career, I'm sure he played a doctor. Or a cook. Never been a huge fan, to be honest."

The bleeding stopped, Tukker stopped screaming in pain as he turned to his unlikely saviour with a look that begged for mercy and silence.

"Mmm. You know, I'm not sure if I can save this kidney. It's true that one is enough to live. Sure, if we'd waited a couple of days to do this kind of surgery, maybe it would have been better. Mmmmmm."

Maximilian seemed baffled for a moment.

"Tukker, bite something. A belt, a piece of wood. I should have anesthetized this side, but I have to check something. Unfortunately I don't have enough control over the energy of this world to perform the operation from a distance and I need a ... reference model? Let's call it that."

"What do you want to do?" managed to ask Tukker, his voice broken.

"Maximilian, are you sure it's a good idea?" Themistocles removed the leather belt that encircled his waist and held it out in front of the [Captain's] lips.

He seemed to have understood what Maximilian had in mind. The bleeding man refused the leather strip to speak again: "What? What the hellAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." Only then did he bite the belt and stop complaining.

Maximilian had quickly cut the other flank with a blade that appeared out of nowhere and thrust his hand into it. He stood with both hands stuck in Tukker's hips.

"All healthy on the other side, at least, look on the bright side. Then, normal regeneration of your body would only make a big scar. So, now we have to do something more delicate and refined. Let me focus."

Despite the two open wounds, Tukker had regained colour. It was no longer white as a sheet. Indeed, it seemed that having Maximilian's two hands inside his body was ... Helping? Healing? A dead silence fell.

The Vanedenis did not bat an eyelid. It seemed that they were waiting for the end of the operation to make that ignoble Earthling pay dearly, and they demonstrated it by brandishing their weapons. Even among the Earthlings, who had spent only a few hours in this new dimension, the smartest understood the miracle that was happening before their eyes. In that village, there was no longer anyone who knew how to use magic.

Maximilian, who had landed on that same lawn with them, was able to use that energy to knock out soldiers in seconds and to save the life of a capable [Captain] dying.

"Never gonna give you up."

Maximilian began to hum to himself, moving his hands in time. Tukker's agonizing expression did not leave much room for interpretation, and despite this no one intervened to stop the Londoner. For this reason Todd felt entitled to intervene.

"Hey, asshole! Concentrate and be careful!" he yelled.

Tukker nodded in agreement with the little strength he had left but stopped biting the leather belt and moaning in pain. Maximilian stopped fumbling with Tukker's kidneys and looked at his patient.

He shouted: "OH NO, OH NO! HE'S DEAD! WHAT DID YOU DO!? YOU KILLED HIM! YOU MADE ME MAKE A MISTAKE!"

If Todd had still possessed his old body, he would surely have had a heart attack. All the Vanedenis took a step forward, ready to slaughter the one responsible for their [Captain's] death and his companions.

The Earthlings would soon have met the same fate as the Ahalis, and well before them.

"I'm still alive, calm down," Tukker said weakly, but still in his voice. Maximilian looked at him with indignation, offended that he hadn't let the drama continue. "Listen, yankee, put a piece of the Statue of Liberty in your damn mouth and start singing too. One tries to save people's lives and you can't even let him do it in peace."

He must have heard his heavy, easily recognizable accent and guessed his origin.

"London calling, yes, I was there, too. And you know what they said? Well, some of it was true."

After about ten minutes and a lot of sweat, Maximilian pulled his hands out of the abdomen of the [Captain]. The wounds healed by themselves.

"Bollocks, what a slog. Well, kidney repaired. If anyone likes to get stabbed like Tukker, give me a few days first to recover, thanks. I should be even quicker."

Tukker lay there, looking in amazement at the man who still towered over him.

Strangely, no one had breathed a sigh of relief, indeed, most of the Vanedenis had given Maximilian an angry look. Nobody liked his songs.

"Time to find a pig. Fry-up for everyone. You, however, can get up."

Having said that, Maximilian went away and entered the nearest house, his hands still dripping with blood. He looked around and inspected the courtyard, dipped his hands in a bucket full of clean water, and rubbed his forearms vigorously. He dried himself with a cloth, took a last look at the courtyard and left the house.

Tukker got up and noticed that except for a slight weakness and a little hunger, he seemed to be fine. He was as amazed as his fellow villagers, but everyone's attention was turned solely to Maximilian, who was nonchalantly heading towards a second home. He entered it. He went to the back yard. He walked out the front door with a large pig, weighing no less than three hundred kilos, in his arms.

The animal's confused squeals roused the crowd.

"That's my pig!"

One of the Vanedenis screamed and ran after the newcomer who had, in order: grounded four people from level 15 as if they were skittles, healed a fatal wound and recreated an organ with disarming ease and kidnapped a beast that had to weigh four times his own weight.

Tukker put his hands in his hair.

The victory that Themistocles had inflicted on him was the least of his problems now, but if the Vanedenis had already forgotten the bizarre event they had witnessed a few seconds before, taken as they were by the new enterprise of Maximilian, someone among the Earthlings hadn't taken the outcome of the fight very well. "Themistocles, what the hell did you do?!" cried Todd. The Athenian was still shaken and rather tired.

The fight had cost him a lot in terms of energy; he needed to rest and think about his next steps. He had to get acquainted with the inhabitants if he was to have any hope of leading them to victory.

But such a plan was on the verge of being ruined by one of the Earthlings, the most petulant of them. Themistocles believed that if he ignored him, he would stop intruding inappropriately. Todd looked at the Earthlings, trying to gather some consensus - to no avail. Nobody was interested in going against the one who, shortly before, had skewered what they believed to be the strongest man in the village.

Two girls, however, were sobbing and Todd jumped at the opportunity: "Look! They are all terrified. If you had lost, what would have happened?! We would all have died, that's what would have happened. You think you can endanger our lives without consulting us, without anyone being able to vote against or disassociate? How many other people have to cry in front of you and that idiot to make you understand that this is not a game?"

Themistocles didn't think of himself as a particularly violent person. He had raised his children only having to resort to the cane a couple of times. However, the sheer idiocy in Todd's words was too much even for him.

Todd had come within half a meter of his face, still red. He had known hundreds of them, soft like him. The worst ones oiled their tongues and tried to overwhelm their enemies with absurd arguments. There were few solutions to keep such a person in check, among which ...

SLAP

The back of Themistocles' hand struck Tod's face with all the strength he had left. The Earthling fell to the ground with a scream and, before he could continue to complain, the other planted in his stomach the blunt end of the spear, which he hadn't left since the start of the fight. Once again, the Athenian did not spare his strength.

Todd started throwing up immediately afterwards, doubled over and his face turning purple. He held his stomach tightly, unable to speak. The blow had taken all the air from his lungs.

"Effeminates like you do well among women who cry instead of helping their men survive. In battle I was honoured by the presence of warriors who gave me everything before taking their last breath. Father and daughter, Scillie and Idna, they cut all the anchors of my enemies together, destroying dozens and dozens of ships despite the storm that hit them during the voyage. They did not hesitate, even if they risked their lives. And you're here bellowing like an animal after seeing a single drip of blood.”

"We are in a desperate situation and you still do not understand it. If we want to survive, we need to combine all our qualities and put aside our defects. Stop envying those who are better than you and try to dedicate yourself to the cause, because this battle is also about you. "

Themistocles had straightened many men when he had had to lead his city to victory. He knew very well those like Todd, little people with passable talent, who believe they can cross the Peloponnese in one stride.

He had been harsh to him, but he knew from experience that such a punishment would be the first step in putting the man back in the ranks; and, if that weren't enough, he would have placed him in a very precarious position during the battle.

It would make no sense to put him in irons to occupy a cell, when the enemy would have had the honor of taking care of him in his place.

Themistocles staggered slightly, but quickly regained his balance. He turned away from Todd, still gasping, and saw a big man surrounded by soldiers. His broad shoulders almost seemed to protect the women and children who had gathered behind him. The Athenian recognized him. He was one of the men who hadn't moved a muscle even when Tukker was nearly fatally wounded. Here is the first influential person in the village to talk to.

He headed toward him. He drove his spear into the ground and nodded at the man. He didn't want to threaten him - also because he was too tired to indulge in a second armed confrontation - he just wanted to talk to him as an equal.

"My name is Themistocles."

"Mine's Mummer, young warrior. You won fighting like an old man. Congratulations."

Few words, essential. There was no resentment in his tone of voice, just a natural detachment. Themistocles, who had known many corners of the world, would have found himself at ease even in the waters of the Styx and certainly would not have been intimidated by an unsociable beast.

"This is because, among us, you are the young man."

"Mh?" Mummer wasn't sure he understood the meaning of what he had just heard.

“My body is twenty-one, but my mind is much older. Perhaps the Harbingers have not told you many things about us Earthlings, just as they have said nothing to us about the Vanedenis. We will have time to remedy their shortcomings. "

There seemed to be a moment of rapprochement between the two, as if their souls had recognized each other despite their distance.

“I'm afraid I've taken too much responsibility by winning against your [Captain]. I need your help. Gather your soldiers, we will need to gather as much information as possible."

Mummer nodded and took one of the retreating guards by the helmet. The metal headdress let out a ghostly wail, as if it had buckled under the man's force.

He pushed another one and it was as if Moses had parted the waters. All the soldiers began to run to gather the others.

"Akrith," Mummer turned to one of the women who had hid behind him. She didn't look scared, though. Rather, she seemed to be supportive of the children and her companions. “Bring the Earthling to the forge. I will arrive shortly to take stock of the situation on our military resources. As soon as Tukker gets better, send him to us. I don't think he will want to miss the first war council not presided by him."

The big man walked away without saying another word, but the woman did not rush things. She left the children, soothing them with a pat on the head, and looked at Themistocles angrily. But she obeyed Mummer's orders. The man must have had some sort of moral as well as military influence over the villagers if he was listened to like that.

It had been some time since the Athenian had seen such speed among the military ranks. Not even the Persians could boast the same respect towards their high officers, not even among whip-branded slaves.

Left without an interlocutor, Themistocles turned to Todd, still intent on getting up after receiving the blow in the stomach. "Are you going to make your body useful or do you want to continue treating it like a dog latrine?"

The American had a fierce contempt in his eyes, a repressed anger, of those that Themistocles had extinguished countless times among recruits and political opponents.

Todd jumped up, still staggering, and nearly fell again. It was a simply pathetic scene. How a man could reduce himself to living such a mean life was beyond Themistocles' understanding. But the Athenian was old enough not to have problems of this kind anymore. Such people had to be tamed, manipulated or killed. There was no room for conflict when it came to uniting against insurmountable enemies. Despite the useless sack of excrement in front of him, Themistocles breathed in air as if it were his first puff. It had been for so long that he had imagined having a second chance to be able to lead a people to victory again, to claim everything as his own, to pass on to a better life among the cheers of the peoples who loved him, instead of those of a family.

How much he had suffered at the hands of wretches like Todd, of men who were not half as good as recruits who had died on their first day on the battlefield.

“We need to understand how much supplies we have. Ask around what the situation is about food, sources of raw materials that have not been touched by the Curtain. Write a report of all the particular characteristics of this village and also ask for a map with the closest resources but within the Curtain. "

Todd wiped off the dirt that had soiled his blue shirt - one of his favourites, which now was too large for his toned body, the same as when he was little more than a boy - and pondered for a moment what to do.

Tukker had gone to recover his strength, he certainly could not count on him.

Observing the eyes of the Earthlings, he saw almost only terror. Nobody was used to such gory scenes. He would have done better to lash out at Themistocles, to make him understand that he would not have gone along so easily. But what could he do with a body not used to fatigue like his? At twenty he had already taken his job as an accountant, had spent all the time of his youth sitting behind desks covered with tables and numbers. If he attacked the man, he would receive another blow in the stomach. Or he would have been directly killed.

"Okay," he said with deep anger and resignation. "See you later".

Todd approached one of the soldiers, one of the most frightening, with one eye slashed by a scar that cut a large part of his skull, and began to ask questions and gesticulate.

Themistocles raised an eyebrow. He, too, would have chosen that same soldier to obtain information about the village. He seemed like someone close to both Tukker and Mummer: he had exchanged glances with both of them and seemed to enjoy a rather high position among the Vanedenis. Beside him stood a blonde girl, whose piercing gaze made Themistocles frown for the second time in a minute.

This people were more dangerous than the Spartans.

…

"Themistocles, we must think of the Earthlings! It makes no sense to put everything in the hands of these Vanedenis! If these so-called Harbingers brought us here, we are the solution!"

Although Themistocles had lost his temper with him the previous day, Todd was not yet willing to give up.

"It is not by arrogance that we move in this way. The resolution lies deeper than you can imagine, Todd. The circumstances are different from those foreseen. The extreme limits of this battle have been subverted."

The American accountant seemed not to grasp the other's reluctance to share his plans and insisted.

"Look what happened yesterday: you made a mess. I don't believe it either, but it all ended well, and this can only mean one thing, and that is that you were brought here because you know how to lead people. That crazy Maximilian, then, he looks like a wizard or something like that. I also asked the Vanedenis and it seems that his current abilities are beyond their knowledge! Just think what a gold mine lurks among all the other Earthlings!"

The Athenian commander had more than one strategic issue to resolve at the time. He was trying to figure out what ground they would fight on and if Tukker was finally ready to talk to him after being skewered; there were many issues to be addressed before entering battle, such as the combat specialties of the Vanedeni, the exact number of their enemies, and other logistical issues.

"Themistocles! There's another girl who has managed to conjure up some magic! Go tell Maximilian! That idiot doesn't want to listen to me and keeps calling me yankee!"

Intrigued by the news, the Athenian asked a couple of questions for more details.

"She has already reached level 3! She's going so well!"

Themistocles' interest did not arise from the fact that the girl was at level 3, since he was around level 7, but from the presence of someone among the Earthlings who could summon the same magic that Maximilian used.

For the wrong reasons, Todd believed that there were other Maximilians among them, that monsters of that magnitude had been transported in abundance. But, if that had really been the case, there would have been no reason for Themistocles to prepare for the fight.

And he really hoped it was, because he wished that once this battle or the war was won, they would finally return home.

Instead, Maximilian had assured him that it was essential to prepare for the attack, because he himself was the mechanism that had gone wrong in the enormous ritual of the Harbingers. He hadn't said much more.

Themistocles was not totally convinced by his words, but he had no reason not to believe in that weird being that was Maximilian.

"Her name is Camilla. She is one of the two Australian girls! She seems able to conjure fire in her hands without getting burned. She was trying to cook for the others, but suddenly she created a spark in her fingers and acquired [Wizard] class."

A couple of sparks and Todd was already jumping for joy. Themistocles looked him up and down, taking note of his great enthusiasm. The fact that another Earthling showed decent talent wasn't a bad sign, quite the opposite.

However, he had seen the enormous reluctance of the Earthlings to get their hands dirty, except for the boy who came from that place, California. He had immediately started training like a madman and, for some strange reason, had tried to make friends with all the old people in the village and the poorest people.

Was there a noble soul under his skin as a willing warrior? If he could put on some muscle for battle, given his height, it would have been a great addition to their lines. "Tell the girl to go see Maximilian and be trained by him. I'll try to convince him to give her some help."

Todd almost jumped on the spot, finally feeling that he had been useful, that he had highlighted information that no one else had considered important.

...

"Themistocles!"

Several times a day this name was pronounced, even inappropriately, arousing in the heart of its owner the desire that Apollo stabbed him with his golden sword and a silver arrow, to put an end to his sufferings.

"What's going on, Todd?"

Looking at the boy's purple face, the Athenian sensed that something was wrong.

"Maximilian broke Camilla's nose!"

"Did he also repair it?"

"Then he- eh? Yes, but what-"

Themistocles immediately understood what had happened.

"Maximilian put Camilla to the test and she failed. I bet he began to explain something useful to her, then gradually put her in trouble. Somehow, her nose was broken."

"He was teaching her a spell, Fet ... no, Fit ... what was it called ...? Ah, yeah! [Featherfall], which is used to slow your fall. That bastard said it would serve as a great exercise for both magic and reflexes. He said he gave her a more efficient version and that, after breaking her legs a couple of times, she would raise at least a couple of levels in an hour. Then he threw her two meters in the air and she fell on her face!"

Todd had his hands on his hips, as if to say I told you that Maximilian is not reliable. Still, Themistocles was not in the least disturbed by what he had just said.

"So Maximilian healed her immediately, he asked her if she was ready to continue and she went away crying or something like that", Themistocles ended for him.

"Exactly! He's completely out of his mind! He practically harassed a girl just because he wasn't happy to train her!”

One of the great mistakes Themistocles had made in his life was thinking that the obvious existed, that people could see the same things he saw clearly.

“Maximilian just wanted to make her stronger. In a month we will be submerged in the blood and entrails of our enemies. If Camilla cannot bear such treatment - and I am not surprised; after all, what is to be expected from a woman? -, Maximilian only did her a favour. If you want advice for your own survival and everyone else's, you'd better take everything that man says literally and tell that woman to go back to being taught magic. If Maximilian has said that she will gain several levels, I would believe him immediately. "

"Maximilian is a violent madman!"

Themistocles felt a vein throbbing violently in his forehead. He breathed, keeping himself under control. He would never have survived Athenian politics if a mere idiot had been enough to make him lose his temper.

“A violent madman who healed the same person who fell from barely two meters high. For such a spell, I imagine much greater heights are used. I would say, rather, that she should thank him for taking it slow. Stop behaving worse than a woman and go look for Camilla. Tell her that if she doesn't train with Maximilian, not only will she not be able to participate in the conflict, but not even to defend herself. We are few and our enemies are twice our numbers. Each unit will be essential to try to get out of the fight alive."

“Themistocles, what are you saying?! We are talking about a little girl! Is it possible that that madman you love so much can't do better?! If he is so smart, why doesn't he help her properly?!

“We have so much to develop”, now Todd's voice sounded almost a moan, “and we are not using all the qualities of our people. Each of us has the potential to become stronger than Maximilian, otherwise why would we have arrived here with him ..."

Then Themistocles stopped listening. Perhaps the man in front of him hoped to move him and leverage piety, but they came from two eras too different for that to work. The Athenian had seen atrocities impossible to describe, but also the future of his civilization. When Athens still did not know, he already imagined it harbouring two ports full of triremes.

And now Todd thought that everyone else was like Maximilian? Themistocles was not even sure that the other Earthlings had their own talent and, if they could not rival the Athenian, they certainly would not have been able to confront Maximilian even in a hundred years. That man was a monster.

"Themistocles, listen." The Athenian heard his name being called and again listened to Todd's words.

“I checked the food supplies and discovered that Anna, the other girl from Australia, is a medical student with a passion for plants. Together with her we can certainly create varieties that may even have magical abilities! The Vanedenis and their enemies do not seem particularly interested in plants, except for one particular noble family, the Karkasters, who rule in Brig, a large city far away from here. I suggest allowing Anna to develop this talent and maybe even gain a class! Look, here I have reports showing the prices of the plants, all sorted from the smallest to the biggest.”

"Anna explained to me that, if there is a way to make them more suitable for the environment and allow them to absorb energy and nutrients first in an artificial way, processes that would take months to select the best ones and cross them several times could be carried out in the span of a few weeks. I don't know how feasible this is in our specific situation, but think about the possible benefits! I have put down a couple of tables and I think the girl would be able to build good relationships with these Karkasters if we could show them that she has excellent knowledge of plants and vegetation! Then, you and Maximilian could ..."

The big problem with words is to assume that they are listened to. Many people, over the centuries and in various space-time dimensions, have deluded themselves that talking to their disciples and pupils could transfer all the knowledge they had acquired. Yet, the elements necessary to transmit knowledge are numerous - perhaps too many - for this to happen: the foolish ignore the words of the wise because they attribute little importance to them; fools are not listened to by the wise because they are deemed undeserving of being listened to. Unfortunately, Themistocles had stopped listening long before Todd started putting something of value on the plate.

…

Day 2

Sometimes Todd took some brief breaks between one task Themistocles assigned him and the other, to think how strange was the word he had suddenly arrived in.

Of all the things that had happened to him in just two days, however, what upset him most was not the fights to the death, nor the existence of a magical force such as those he had always believed to be only an imaginative element to embellish children's stories. No, not even Mummer's brute strength had scared him as much as the message he'd seen delivered directly into his head.

[Welcome, travellers. You have set foot on the continent of Kome, inhabited by the Vanedeni people. Your arrival is not accidental: you have been chosen to help the Vanedenis defend themselves from a cruel enemy attack. You were brought to this continent through the sacrifice of a legendary inhabitant of this world, who was part of the assembly of the Harbingers, whose will is ineluctable.

Do not be afraid to communicate with a population that is so foreign to you: your languages, although alien to each other, have been calibrated to be mutually understandable. The real obstacle to overcome will be the pride of these people, to whom you will have to demonstrate that you are indispensable for their salvation.

Be careful! Exploring the territories outside the village is not allowed. The two enemy forces have been previously isolated from the Curtain, a source of energy that will kill anyone who tries to cross it. You will therefore be forced to face the fate for which you have been called here.

One month is the time you have been given to learn how to fight, to gain classes, levels and skills. Your progress will be determined by the actions you take and the nature of your intentions. At the end of the thirtieth day, the battle will begin. Your enemies will be the representatives of the people who have put the invincible Vanedenis to the fore, the Ahalis. Before this time, any confrontation between the two sides is strictly forbidden. The villages of Vanedeni and Ahali have been coupled in order to ensure the fairest conflict between the two sides and the number of fighters on both sides is equal.]

The message ended thus. There was nothing else. The other information they had obtained from the collaboration with the Vanedenis who, as these mysterious Harbingers had foreseen, had only been possible after their [Commander] had been almost killed by Themistocles.

After that event they had earned the respect of the natives, but no concessions whatsoever, no discounts. They would have to fight, all of them, because the Harbingers had lied about one detail. They had said the fighters on both sides would be equal in number. Instead, the enemies were far more than Vanedenis and Earthlings combined.

Valeria, one of the girls, had fainted immediately after receiving that message in her head - and no one had blamed her. But she was among the first to take a sword in her hand and ask how to use it.

None of them were warriors and some did not have the fortitude that Valery had proved to have.

Todd sighed loudly and joined his hands in prayer. His break was over.

…

“Drenger, your warehouses are badly organized. And then in the village there are three blacksmiths and only you are able to forge usable weapons in battle: this is a problem! Look, these are the problems of moving the raw material from one part of the village to another. Also, the various apprentices have told me that you often reforge the iron they give you, because its quality is too low! This is madness! The forges of all blacksmiths should be in the same place, or at most a few meters away, just to avoid such problems. That way, you yourself can correct them while they do their job, rather than starting it all over again. We are on the verge of being massacred and we risk that there are not enough weapons and armour because the logistics seem to be done by a post office employee! "

Drenger was genuinely tired and didn't like interruptions in his work day. Instead, one of the Earthlings had decided that improvements needed to be made to his way of working, as if he hadn't used it for years, as if he couldn't do his job.

"Work with others?" He snorted. "No. We would stamp each other's toes. Everyone already has their own apprentices and I don't need any more idiots in my forge."

Todd looked around, saw only a girl with short blond hair, and wondered what idiots was Drenger talking about.

…

Camilla was in the middle of one of her total criticism moments.

"Todd, they are abusing us and they don't even want to give us the chance to become strong too!"

Well, sure, there were many things wrong with the organization Maximilian and Themistocles had planned to prepare for battle. However… To be honest… Todd didn't quite agree with what the girl had said. There was something more. Themistocles had not made a mistake in making his assessments, but he had not put up a real counter-proposal; if only that damned idiot had been able to do better.

“Camilla, listen, maybe we should try to be reasonable. Maximilian may not be wrong. His ways have been somewhat boorish, but he is still a great wizard - according to what they say. Maybe we have to adapt a little more, at least until we get stronger ...?"

At that point Camilla had completely lost her mind.

"You useless little man, do you realize what you are saying?! Maximilian is worth nothing! He must have had a stroke of luck and suddenly got stronger! In my opinion there was an error ... a bug! Like in the video games my brother is obsessed with! Here, yes, a bug! But get ready, I'm sure she doesn't understand anything and won't get any stronger than that. It is only a matter of time before I crush him like the filthy insect he is."

Todd had been patient with these little girls, from the very first moment, but Camilla's words had made his blood rush.

“What are you saying!? Maximilian has developed at least three or four incredibly powerful new abilities just out of boredom! And you, after two sparks, would you like to say that now you are also able to do better?! You're delusional. "

Then Anna decided to chime in.

“Todd, I think it's time to calm down. You weren't able to do anything you promised and now you are also raising your voice with Camilla, don't you think it's appropriate to apologize?"

Todd almost had to run away to avoid choking them both with his own hands. It was since they had learned that he was a mere accountant without a degree that they treated him with less respect, and the failed communications with Themistocles had only made matters worse.

…

Day 3

“Mummer, I did CrossFit for a couple with some friends. I wasn't very good, but I can show you some exercises! They could give us an extra advantage!"

Mummer turned his gaze to Todd as he watched a handful of Earthlings train. The Vanedenis were on the side-lines training their skills.

"And what would you like to do?"

Mummer considered himself quite good at recognizing talent. Themistocles was an incredible person, both in character and in handling shield and spear; even with the sword he was not too bad. Maximilian was simply a monster and perhaps he was one of the few who understood it. Matthew had a determination as adamant as it was idiotic, but every day he showed that he was never willing to stop.

Todd? Todd had nothing to give but complaints or the arrogance of teaching those who knew more than him.

“Show me."

Todd flashed a mocking smile.

The [Weapon Master] saw the other man throw himself to the ground, get up partly with his hands, jump forward with his pelvis and then jump into the air, and then repeat it all over again a couple of times.

"What do you say?" he gasped.

Todd was gasping as if he had just run 100 meters. His face was all red and he had placed his hands on his knees. He was on the verge of fainting. Even with a younger body, his physical shape was ridiculous.

"This is a burpee ... Activates all the muscles ... It's not as complete as swimming but ... sure it's better than just running ... then maybe let's add some traction ..."

Mummer stared at him for a moment, looked at the sword at his side, then fell silent and turned his head towards the other men.

He had no time for such nonsense.

It was on occasions like these that he hoped that Lady Goldith Rodinia would rule not Vissart, so far away, but the village of Ankon. Only she would have been able to strike that slacker Todd with a look.

…

“Maximilian! Maximilian! "

The unwanted sound of the American's voice disturbed Maximilian's quiet dozing. He was looking at the sky placidly, lulling himself on a rocking chair, in front of the huge black tower.

“Ah?”

"Maximilian?"

“Bollocks, why the screams, yankee. I'm thinking of something very important for the Curtain, go sell fish somewhere else. "

Todd began to wave his arms, but something lifted him and carried him away from Maximilian.

…

Todd was on the ground with the taste of blood in his mouth.

Above him, a meter away, a blonde girl with her mouth thin for contempt.

"Next time I'll break your neck."

Todd had begun to ask Strith to persuade Mummer to implement the changes he had suggested for him. When she refused, he started complaining and insulting her.

Perhaps he had exaggerated.

…

“You are just a brat, your parents should be ashamed of having raised a child like you! I'll teach you the education they didn't give you! "

"If I had been your son I would have killed myself, yankee!"

Todd felt his stomach twist.

He looked at his own hands smeared with blood and did not even notice the presence of Maximilian. His ears were ringing and his vision began to blur.

The drops of blood that fell on the stalks of grass made a deafening noise.

Matthew's wheezing, a stab in his ears.

"Incapable, effeminate, soft...”, it was the voice of Themistocles, who had grabbed him by the scruff and dragged him away from Matthew.

Todd offered no resistance - not that there was more strength in his body to do so.

What had happened? How could he have done such a thing?

How would his wife have looked at him if she had been there?

And she… his daughter… would she still have the strength to look at him, if she could?

Todd felt warm tears touch his cheeks.

Once again he had been unable to get up off the ground, metaphorically speaking. Everybody is born in the mud, and then decides where to die.

"May Hipponax lend me the words to describe the idiocy of this dog!"

"What...What..."

Themistocles kicked Todd in the ribs.

The bestiality of that man risked ruining all the efforts they were making! How much he would have liked to tie him to the stake, put him in shackles and let him rot for days until the pangs of hunger dragged him towards Hades.

But Themistocles had quickly learned how difficult it was for other Earthlings to accept a punishment like that, even if Todd had just attempted to take someone's life. Voluntarily, too.

As soon as he saw two soldiers, he told them to tie up Todd somewhere - he didn't even want to know where - awaiting his judgment.

Leaning towards the man for the last time, before walking away, he observed his pallor, fear and resentment. It was the last feeling that forced Themistocles to give him another kick, this time in the face.

“Damned dog, you not only want to take the life of a man, and you do it without fear of the gods, but only of the law. Rinse your rotten flesh in the purest water and hope the Erinyes don't spare you, otherwise I'll be the one to put you on a stake."

…

After the threats received from Themistocles, Todd did not know what to do. On the one hand, he felt sorry for himself and feared for the end he would come to; on the other he was amazed for his new class.

The message had appeared in his head exactly like the one the Harbingers had delivered just two days before.

[Backstabber]

The fact that it was red had left him with a lump in his throat. He wasn't sure what it meant, but he had a feeling it wasn't any good.

He didn't know what he had done differently from the others, but ...

[Warrior class lost!]

[You lost the Skill - Minor Stamina!]

[Class acquired: Backstabber!]

[Backstabber Level 1!]

[Backstabber Level 2!]

[Skill - Coward obtained!]

[Skill - Featherstride gained]

[Skill - Silent Slash obtained]

It was time for judgment, the one he had feared all day, tied to a stake, away from everyone else. No one had tried to get close, to understand why he had acted that way. No one had asked him if he was okay.

He was walking towards the village square.

His footsteps were muffled by his skill. They were silent and left no footprints. He would certainly have taken that novelty with enthusiasm, had it not been generated by a misfortune he himself had committed.

He felt a lump in his throat at the thought of having to be judged. He had the feeling that they were all ready to tear him apart, as if they had just become lions and he, an antelope.

A subdued terror knocked on his subconscious; he tried to make him run away, he urged him to hide in a corner - if only he hadn't been tied up and led to the place designated by two muscular Vanedeni men, he would have.

In the distance you could see the profiles and the napes of some men arranged in a circle. A bonfire cast eerie glimmers on their faces.

It was evening. Certain decisions can only be made in the evening. There was no better time of day to punish criminals, to make them aware of how shameful their actions had been.

Todd entered the circle, finding himself facing Tukker, Themistocles, Maximilian, Mummer and Matthew.

Todd swallowed hard, almost hoping to choke. If only he had thought everything through, then he could have killed Matthew in his sleep. What? No, not that. Maybe drop him from ... Why was he thinking such things? What was wrong with him? Anger. That was what he felt. Anger, frustration. And fear too. An explosive cocktail of torment and misery.

"Well, now that Todd is here too, we can start."

Contrary to what the accused would have expected, it was not Themistocles who had opened the dance. No. Themistocles maintained a certain detachment, almost oblivious to the threats he had made to Todd that morning. Those words had been uttered by Tukker, who looked at him with neutrality.

“Our laws condemn killings and attacks aimed at harming members of the Vanedeni people. And you, though Earthling, are subject to our laws from the moment you took up arms and agreed to be trained by the members of our village. For this, I will continue in compliance with our practice, asking Matthew if he intends to exercise his right of revenge on Todd."

The young Californian took a few steps forward. His face did not hide a certain compassion.

"I'm not going to exercise my right of revenge."

Some soldiers shook their heads and someone hurled insults from the back of the crowd.

"Silence!"

Tukker kept order.

“Matthew has not exercised his right of revenge and therefore there will be no duel of honor. No blood will be shed from the blade of the injured party or from his champion."

Maximilian leaned on Themistocles, ignoring everyone else's glare. "Same as Game of Thrones, same."

Themistocles shook his head, did not answer.

The [Captain] proceeded. “Themistocles asked to respect our customs. All the parties involved have agreed."

"I haven't agreed on anything."

Todd's voice was almost a growl.

“You gave up your rights when you attacked another citizen out of baseness and cowardice. Since your arrival in Ankon, you have been treated as Vanedenis and have been granted all the favours of true citizens. Now, as such you will be judged."

"I'm not from this world! I'm not like you!"

Matthew shook his head and intervened.

"Let Tukker talk, your punishment isn't as bad as you think."

"I'm not like you! I'm not like you!"

Todd's face was disfigured in a guttural growl. His eyes darted left and right and screamed look at me, I'm not like you! and they were nothing but the echo of his words.

It would be so easy to close your eyes, stop fighting ... Stop ...

Todd roused himself from his numbness.

The frantic movements in search of an affirmative answer slowly died away, leaving him to the only physical struggle against the shackles that clasped his hands.

Todd tried in every way to free himself from the chains that bound his limbs and his mind.

“I'm not like you! You are crazy, sick! Let me go! "

They are wrong, they can't understand what I'm going through.

The Grounders who had decided to attend the trial backed away. They had never seen a bestiality like that. True despair, who had ever known it, among them? Their looks were incredulous, their opinion of Todd crumbled every second more and more. Only Valeria felt a surge of compassion for the person who had rescued her when she had lost consciousness, immediately after their arrival in Ankon.

Todd had one foot in the abyss of despair. If he could, he would have thrown himself into that abyss by force.

They'll kill me. They'll kill me. They want to kill me.

His brain rejected any spark of rationality.

There was no salvation in that place.

I don't want to die. I don't want to die!!!

But Todd felt another contrasting feeling, hidden in the maze of his bowels. He needed to lie down, to remove all that pressure. To stop being.

This feeling attacked him so violently that he was terrified to say the least. He didn't know if he was his new class or if he had simply become a full-fledged coward. It wasn't the first time he had thought of death, but the more the thought came back, the more it infuriated him. With a foaming mouth and corneas painted with blood, he sought an animal escape.

He was trying to break his fetters, but wasn’t strong enough.

All he had to do was try to escape, perhaps throw himself over the Curtain and hope that it could be more forgiving than his companions.

No! No!

What was going on!? A man or a beast. Todd no longer knew what skin he was in! In another life, Karen would have made him dinner by now, he would have complained aggressively about the delay, then he would have regretted it. He would kiss his wife on the cheek and ask her what she had been up to during the day and if she found her favourite cookies on offer.

But those were memories of a past life.

"Individuals who commit crimes like yours have an obligation to give something back to society, rather than just being a burden, a leech that drinks blood from the horses that pull the wagon."

The [Captain's] words somehow calmed down Todd who, for the first time since he arrived before the council, looked at Tukker without the bestial terror he had just experienced.

“I made the decision together with the older members of our society,” Tukker continued, “and everyone agreed immediately. Our foolish ancestors and enemies would have acted differently, but compassion and second chances are the essential traits that have distinguished the greatest of our Heroes. We are warriors, not butchers. So, Todd, let me explain what your punishment will be - but if you intend to continue behaving like a beast, like a beast you will be slain."

Tukker was silent for a few seconds, waiting for the man's reaction. He would not tolerate interruptions. The Vanedenis were understanding, patient, tolerant. But only up to a certain point.

Time seemed to stop for Todd, it was as if everything had frozen. The faces of those present were statues, still in expressions like theatrical masks.

Those people did not exist, he alone was the protagonist of an audience without spectators, of dim and sickly lights that infected his skin.

The faces were mixed, some cruel and mean like that of Camilla, the girl he had tried to help level up, some neutral, like the rare grey expression on Maximilian's face. There was a groove on Themistocles' forehead, where the skin was pinched together with disappointment.

I have to escape, I have to get to safety. What can I do? What if they forgive me? And if they passed me from side to side, would it really be that bad, a little rest?

Todd felt the blood chill his veins, but tried to ignore the terrible curse that seemed to have taken hold of his mind.

Slowly, after taking everyone's measurements one by one, he looked back at Tukker, who was starting to speak again.

His face showed no wickedness, no cruelty or malice, only the weariness of the judge, the weight that had to bear those who administered justice.

“Those of us who decide to hurt other people, are either executed, or they are asked to repay the debt. There are no prisons here. There are those who can repay their debts and those who are executed. Matthew refused the right of revenge and demanded that you be given a second chance.”

“Therefore, Todd, your sentence is this: until you repay your debt, we will require you to train yourself to the maximum of your abilities and to make an indispensable contribution to the defense of Ankon and its citizens. Your levels and class will be public, and you will be given orders by our [Weapons Master] on what to do. Any serious infringement will be punished with death. Minor offenses will be punished with lashes."

Tukker looked at Maximilian and nodded his head.

Todd felt naked.

The Londoner spoke with a seriousness very far from his usual way of being. “His class is [Backstabber], in red, huh? Level 2, his abilities are [Silent Slash] [Coward] [Featherstride]. [Coward] in red."

The Vanedenis erupted in a thick hubbub.

[Coward]? [Backstabber]?

Todd had received one of those classes?

"Damn," Tukker swore, looking at Todd with a mixture of anger and compassion. Todd felt not shame but anger and pain. To have his own soul exposed to those barbarians was so humiliating! Fear, anger, cowardice, pain, disgust.

Emotions boiled in the cauldron of his heart, threatening to explode.

Dying wouldn't have been too bad. After what he had endured on Earth and in this new world, it wouldn't be that hard, nor would he suffer too much.

They just want to kill me. I should have killed that bastard.

Anger took hold of him again. He tried to move, to shake violently.

Nothing.

He couldn't open his mouth. He couldn't bend a finger. Even using all his willpower, he couldn't even grumble.

What was going on?

A smile on Maximilian's face removed any doubt from him. He could still move his eyes and see the Londoner wink at him. He had probably already understood that he intended to rebel, to fight to the end.

Todd didn't want to die, but he was tired, so tired of living. He just wanted to rest a little, maybe go back to his routine, hug Karen again.

Or sleep forever and hug his daughter again.

But these were not the plans in store for him.

“Ehm-ehm! So, bollocks”, Maximilian pushed Tukker aside, putting himself in front of everyone. A couple of guards started to approach him, but the [Captain] gestured for them to back off. Even if they wanted to, they couldn't do much against him, they knew it well.

“Here things are going too slow. Let me explain them better, before you start getting too confused. Todd, here,” he pointed to the man on the ground, awakening him from his torpor, “is weak. Really weak, bollocks. So what we do is we take him, we train it according to his best abilities. And it doesn't matter if he takes the class of [Idiot] or [Yankee], but that he increases the levels of the class he has acquired and makes as few people die as possible during the battle. Yankees have always loved a strong leader to dominate them, I bet it will be the same for Todd."

"Maximilian", Themistocles interceded.

The Athenian did not care so much about the life of that subhuman, Todd. He had no intention of letting him go without letting him learn his lesson. He was already ready to argue with the Londoner should it be necessary to beat him to death. Maximilian took a couple of steps towards Themistocles and placed a hand on his face. With a smile she said to him: "I don't give a shit, gotcha?"

Maximilian's aura poured over Themistocles, who found himself paralyzed on the spot. The same man who was now immobilizing him had explained to him how this phenomenon worked: it was an expression of his command over others. Even an innkeeper, if of a high enough level, could have exerted control over his aura to calm his customers or, conversely, to instigate them into action.

“I don't give a shit what Themistocles has to say and what you have to say. Things go like this, no arguing. Problems?"

Todd couldn't understand why Maximilian was behaving like that, but even he wasn't foolish enough to open his mouth at that moment - not that he could, anyway.

“Well, cunt, it's time to go now. Todd, from tomorrow Mummer will follow you in a more specific training. Good luck. Don't shit yourself in the meantime."

I have to di-

Todd felt something squeeze his shoulder. He squinted, as if awakening from a bad dream. Climbing up his arm, he found Maximilian on the other side, giving him another wink.

I promised my daughter I would have been better. Better than this...

No other red lines appeared in his thoughts. But the fear that those intrusive thoughts would move independently in his head would not have left Todd for a long time.

“Cunt, don't shit on yourself, I said. If you behave like an idiot, I'll fix you."

With another wink, the [Necromancer] dragged him away from the crowd.