Chapter 2

(A/N: I am by no means good at history and merely did some research before writing this chapter. If I mess up with an event and you realize, please comment and I will fix it as soon as I see the comment.)

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The first years of my new life were tough, to say the least. The society I was born in was by no means a peaceful one. As an infant I was scrutinized and studied for any signs of weakness, should I show any, I would be left to die. Luckily I was seen as physically and mentally fit and passed the examination.

After passing the examination I was returned to my mother, who instead of giving me motherly love, proceeded to neglect me. She saw this as a way to 'toughen me up.'

I was bathed in wine, which stung quite a bit should it enter my eyes and ears or any other entrances. The belief of my mother would be that the weaker children would have convulsions and die.

Whenever I would cry, which I only did a couple of times as it was the only way I could communicate, she would purposely ignore me.

I was conditioned to not fear darkness or solitude. Put into dark rooms alone for hours on end so I would gain immunity to the fear.

I was also purposely given less food than I required, so I was constantly hungry. My mother often told me that I should steal food from anyone I could, she did warn me that should I be caught, however, I would be beaten as punishment.

Luckily my mentality, which I had gained through years of war and training in my previous life, had allowed me to get through these 'tests' if you will, though honestly I really didn't have a choice. Those who showed weakness would be publicly scrutinized, and those who died would simply be abandoned. I still remember the scenes of dead children being discarded, as if they were nothing but livestock.

I was supposed to spend the first seven years of my life like this, neglected, hungry, and in pain. And at seven, I would be taken away from my mother, and be trained endlessly to become the perfect soldier. Nothing else mattered, not my own safety, wellbeing, comfort, I would be owned by Sparta.

During the first few years, I was angry, angry at whatever gods had decided to put me here, angry at the denial of a happy afterlife with my family and those I cared about. It is not like I made many mistakes in my life, at least not ones that would see me be sent to this place after my death.

I fought valiantly for my people and died with a shield in hand. I had a warrior's death, one of honor and sacrifice. I died giving my life for the ones who couldn't fight yet, my reward was this? It was unfair in my eyes.

I had given everything I ever had, including my life for my people, yet instead of greeting my father with a smile on my face in the afterlife.

Instead of watching my sisters and their kids grow and rebuild Atherea, waiting for them to eventually pass, greeting them with a smile.

Instead of watching my descendants become great kings and rule valiantly. Instead of any of that! I was instead sent to this place, with no explanation from anyone on why.

It made me angry, and I had stayed angry until I turned three, once I did my mentality had changed, and it was all due to something I had seen.

On my third birthday, my mother told me a story. It was one about the gods that the Spartans worship, how Zeus and his brothers slew the mighty Kronos! Not that I cared particularly much, I barely paid attention during the story, instead opting to look out the window. I saw quite a sight that day.

The supposed 'helots' or slaves were working the fields. I watched an older man, perhaps in his 40's, grab one whilst he was working, and simply torture him to death. Instead of being stopped, as I expected, he was encouraged by the people surrounding him, cheering him on. They even took turns on the helot, beating him with rocks and sticks until he died.

Slavery was abolished in my Empire, as it had been for centuries. The act itself was something I saw as useless. But at least slaves back in my past life were treated as humans, not simple livestock.

This was not what truly shocked me however, I already knew that slaves existed in this society. What really did shock me was the way that the so-called respectable elders, who fought valiantly in battle, we're beating a helot who had done nothing wrong, to death for no reason at all. It was then I truly realized something.

Sulking over the past and foolishly cursing whatever gods sent me here will do nothing but cause my death again. It will dishonor my legacy, to die in such a pitiful way. Whatever god that sent me here I will instead thank, for giving me the opportunity to continue what I halted previously. I would create an empire here.

It shall be the greatest empire this world or my last had ever seen, I did not care how impossible it seemed, I will leave a legacy so great that even thousands of years past my death they will tell tales of it. Persia, Egypt, Rome, they shall all become a part of my empire. I shall create such an empire, or I shall die whilst trying.

It was then something had awoken in me, like a sea of power exploding from my chest. It felt intoxicating, and I quickly fell into a trance. My eyes glowed bright blue and the water around the room levitated and rushed towards me, embracing me as if greeting a friend. I could feel my control over the water, I was able to command it!

I was shocked and any focus I had slipped. In response to this, the water fell on top of me and soaked my clothes. I noticed something though, I wasn't wet, I had just had water spilled on me yet my clothes were the only thing wet, my skin was as dry as it had been before. It amazed me, and I wondered about what this could mean. However, I was interrupted by my mother coming towards my room.

She must have heard the commotion because she quickly entered. Noticing the state of my clothes and the wetness on the floor she quickly became mad at me for wasting water and punished me with no food for the day.

I cared little for my punishment however and was sat there wondering just what I had done. I tried many times to try and recreate the wonder I had just done but was unable to. I couldn't forget it, however, the feeling of power that I had then, what I had done should be impossible, yet I had done it.

I needed to figure out how.

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