Two days later, right on schedule, Alexios and his younger brother drew near the coast. The salty, damp air blowing in from the shore felt strange and new to them, and helped ease their grief over their brother's death.
Before them stretched an endless blue sea, while several figures circled in the sky.
Lycurgus pointed upward and said:
"Look, Zeus's eagles. They're watching us on behalf of the King of Gods."
Alexios had better eyesight. He knew they weren't eagles but vultures, though he didn't bother correcting his brother. They'd see for themselves soon enough.
At last, they reached the shore. The brothers noticed three boys on the beach, building a huge raft that was nearly finished.
Around them lay seven or eight dead boys. Vultures greedily pecked flesh from their bodies, then raised their heads to swallow.
Lycurgus was curious. "Why are there so many corpses?"
A slightly hoarse voice, roughened by puberty, came from the side.
"Because all those people tried to steal their boat."
The brothers immediately turned toward the voice, on guard.
A boy stepped out from beside a boulder on the shore. He was rather small and thin, with tousled, yellowish hair. He wore rough hemp clothes and battered leather armor. A trident was strapped to his back, and two javelins were tucked into the belt at his waist.
Ignoring their wary looks, he continued as if speaking to himself:
"Those three built the raft. A few groups came to steal it when it was nearly done. After all, stealing is easier than building."
"But none of them succeeded. Those three are skilled fighters, especially the big guy in front. He wields a Two-Handed Battle Axe and has killed several people who tried to rob them. Judging by his build, you'd never guess he was under sixteen."
"You'd be wise not to try stealing from them either. The other two aren't pushovers."
Lycurgus retorted with scorn, "An axe is just a woodcutter's weapon. The two of us could take all three of them."
Alexios remained on high alert and asked cautiously, "Then why are you telling us all this?"
The boy shrugged. "I might be going back anyway, so I thought I'd offer you some advice. The angel never said we couldn't make our own way back."
Alexios smiled knowingly. "What about your teammates?"
"They're dead. One was bitten by a poisonous snake while he was sleeping, and another was killed while we were building our boat. We lost the boat, too."
"With two of us, we might've stood a chance. But now I'm alone. I can't build a boat or defend one."
Alexios saw what the boy was after. "You want to join us, don't you? The angel only specified teams of three. He never said we couldn't choose our own teammates."
"But you're not one of the Lasidream people, and you're small and skinny. What good would it do us to take you along?"
The short blond boy perked up. "Not necessarily. Look at my trident. I was born by the sea. I learned to swim before I could walk. Steering a boat and handling a sail are second nature to me. You Lasidream people have probably never even seen the sea before."
"You dare insult a Lasidream warrior? You're asking to die!"
Lycurgus was enraged.
But his brother held out a hand to stop him.
"So you think that means we should take you along? We know what this journey will involve, and we've learned to row."
The blond boy laughed. "Rowing? You clearly know nothing about the sea. You'd row yourselves to death before reaching Angel's Sanctuary. Did you bring sailcloth? Or are you planning to use those red wool cloaks of yours? One storm, and your cloaks will be nothing but a pile of wool."
Alexios considered it. Three were indeed better than two. The boy said he'd grown up by the sea, and that seemed plausible, judging by his salt-corroded linen clothes and sunburnt skin. Their journey ahead would be at sea, and having someone with experience would make things much easier.
Alexios made his decision. He planted his spear in the ground and held out his right hand.
"My name is Alexios. This is my younger brother, Lycurgus. We're both Lasidream warriors. You can join us, but you'll have to follow my lead."
The blond boy happily took his hand. "I'm Gorgias, a fisherman."
And just like that, the team was three again. They didn't plan to steal anyone else's boat. They would build one themselves.
The three of them went to the forest by the shore to choose their timber. When they found a grove of fir trees, the brothers took out their axes, ready to chop them down. But Gorgias pulled several wire saws straight from his backpack.
When they carried the logs to the shore and prepared to bind them with vines, Gorgias showed off his impressive knot-tying skills. During a break, the brothers took out their protein ration bars, while Gorgias gathered shellfish and seaweed from the water and made a pot of stew. This gave the brothers a better impression of the heathen who worshipped the Emperor.
The three worked hard to put the raft together. They also searched for fresh water, then took a plastic folding water tank from their backpack, filled it, and carried it back.
Gorgias showed off another of his talents: he caught plenty of fish with a hook by the shore, gutted and cleaned them, then smoked them into dried fish.
A few days later, after another day's work, the three gathered around the fire that night, eating berries they'd picked and drinking a stew made from fish innards and seafood. The raft was nearly finished. All they had to do was raise the mast tomorrow, and Gorgias would attach the sailcloth he'd hidden away. Then they could set off. Everything was moving in the right direction, step by step.
Gorgias took a sip of fish soup and said, "The group with the axes left three days ago. Lately, we've occasionally spotted people in the distance nearby. We're facing the same problem they did: as soon as a boat is nearly finished, someone comes to steal it."
Alexios was calm. "We could see this coming. We just have to hold them off until the raft is completely finished."
Lycurgus wore a proud look. "Let them come. My bow and arrows will make them regret it."
Gorgias sighed, feeling that the two brothers were far too confident. "Anyway, tomorrow is crucial. If we can't hold them off, we're as good as dead. And even if we do, taking a raft like this out to sea will be a near-certain death sentence."
"You two should get some extra sleep tonight. You're the more capable warriors, after all. We'll be counting on you tomorrow."
Just then, Alexios noticed something on the hillside behind his brother. In the starlight, there did indeed seem to be a figure watching them.
Alexios thought, If they dare come, let them. Lasidream warriors will turn them into pincushions with their spears.