text: The sharp bronze blade misses you by mere inches as you stumble out of its way. You barely manage to keep standing. you immediately go into the offensive, thrusting and slashing at Akakakios, sending him into the defensive. You are completely focussed on this one opponent, all of your surrounding fade into a blur, leaving only Akakios.
  
  The ringing sounds of metal on metal echo across the courtyard as the both of you tries to land a blow on the other. Your travels have given you a tremendous amount of experience, yet you need all of it in your duel with your enemy. You feel your heart skip a beat as Akakios lunges at your head, just barely missing it. You use this small opening in his defence to strike at him, but you only manage to land a glancing blow.
  
  However, you manage to take the upper hand in this duel. You commence a flurry of attacks which leave no room for Akakios to retaliate, keeping him on the defensive and slowly maneuvering him to the wall, leaving him little room to dodge. In his desperation to attack you he launches a clumsy attack, missing you completely and leaving him completely open for an attack. You quickly make use of this opening and so you...
  
  > Slash at his chest.
  A red gash appears across Akakios' chest as your sword kisses his flesh. Roaring loudly Akakios goes once again in the offensive. However, his attacks are agressive and uncontrolled, leaving your opponent open for a final attack. Putting all your weight behind your attack, you thrust at his chest.
  
  Time seems to stop as you plunge your blade into the lying heart of Akakios. The fighting around you seizes as the remaining suitors stare astonished at the death of their leader. You see small eyes of your enemy close beneath his large eyebrows as you pull your sword free from his chest. Blood sprays from his chest and his breath leaves his lungs as Akakios fall to the ground. The great intriguer, the menace of Greece, is dead.
  
  As time resumes its normal flow you hear the sounds of falling swords around you. You finally become aware of your surroundings again. The courtyard is littered with bodies, Kourio is dripping with sweat and bleeding from multiple superficial wounds. You now notice your clothes are wet with blood, the once white fabric now a dirty red. The remaining suitors have dropped their swords and have kneeled upon the bloody floor, their hands resting upon their heads.
  
  > The next day...
  You are standing inside the throne room of Sparta. Courtiers and servants alike have gathered near the edges of the rooms, whispering to each other. They are standing between graceful columns that support the heavy, stone roof. The room is decorated in the Spartan style, with scarce fresco's decorating the walls. The marble floor beneath your feet is inlaid with mozaics, depicting battles. A fitting scene, you think, seeing the events of yesterday.
  
  In front of you are two thrones: a small, elegant one for Nelei, the queen regent; and an elaborately decorated throne for Kourio, the rightful king of Sparta. As the two enter you kneel before them.
  
  'Rise, noble hero.' you hear Kourio speak to you, 'you do not have to kneel before us. You are an honored friend of us and the whole kingdom of Sparta and we see you as our equal, even though you are a bard by trade. I cannot think of enough ways to thank you for the extraordinary deeds you have done for us and we will be for ever in your debt. I will give you enough gold to live the rest of your days in luxuries and will give you land in Sparta if you wish it; there will always be a place at our table for you whenever you are in the vicinity of our city and you will always have a place to sleep in our palace. But above all I give you my promise: Sparta will be at peace as long as I reign, no hostile action whatsoever will take place against any Greek city. You have my word, I swear it by the almighty gods, that inhabit the wide skies.'
  
  You answer him, astonished by his generous gifts: 'Your honor, I am deeply grateful for this. But how could I ever accept your gifts, I only did my duty.'
  
  'I will not hear any excuses. You will accept my gifts, that is an order from the king of Sparta.'
  
  You smile at him: 'Very well your grace. I thank you.'
  
  Kourio smiles back: 'No, we thank you. But I have one last favour to ask you.'
  
  'What might that be your honor?'
  
  'Since you are a bard, could you recite an epic to me and my court?'
  
  You gaze at the white city of Athens, gleaming in the morning sun. As you stand at the wooden railing of the vessel given to you by king Kourio to bring you back home, you reminisce about your adventure. You see the faces of all those you've met before your minds eye and you try to remember all of the places you've seen. But now, as you look once more at the city in which you were born you realize how much you've missed your home. The golden image of the wise Athena appears upon the vibrant seas. She smiles at you and waves, before disappearing again in a golden flash. The gleaming white marble of the Parthenon burns with a golden glow in the light of the setting sun, welcoming you home after your long journey.
  
  > Epilogue
  Tell me of that man, o Muse, the ingenious one, who traveled far and wide after he was spoken to by the gods themselves.
  
  Of many people he saw the cities and learned their ways, and on the seas he suffered many sorrows in his heart, fighting for his own life and for the return of his friends.
  
  But he didn't save them, despite his wishes. For because of their own stupidity they perished, the fools, who ignored the commands of the gods. Them they withheld the day of the return.
  
  Tell me, o goddess, daughter of Zeus, of this great hero whose fame and stories survived, even long after he himself made his final journey.