Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 116: Hades's Omen

After repeated demands went unheeded, the people of Laüs tore off their mask of pretense and audaciously launched an attack on the Lao River Fortress. However, the fortress was situated in a narrow stretch between the riverbank and the mountains, preventing the Laüs forces from leveraging their numerical advantage. Tagros led over 200 soldiers in a tenacious defense from within the small but sturdy fortifications.

The bloody battle continued into the afternoon, yet the Laüs army still could not breach the fortress. Upon receiving the distress call from the Lao River Fortress, Hemon, the Chief Magistrate of Nerulum, personally led an emergency muster of nearly two thousand citizen soldiers as reinforcements, arriving just in time. Seeing the enemy’s superior numbers, the Laüs men slowly withdrew…

…

At this time, flames of war blazed across Daonia, and the clouds of conflict grew ever thicker. The people of Thurii were truly gripped by fear. They frequently gathered in two places: one was the Temple of Hades, where they sought the protection of that mighty Lord of the Underworld, hoping to soothe their restless hearts; the other was the square before the Senate. Once again, the populace appealed to the Senate: let the lifelong magistrate Davos become king, for only then could Daonia weather this crisis—Hades had foreseen it all!

This time, the outcry was far greater than in the previous two days. The senators within the Senate chamber, already panicked by the constant stream of dire reports, were at a loss on how to handle the protests.

“Pleisinas, look at what you’ve done! Stop your tricks at once! Calm the people of Thurii and restore order in Daonia, or the Senate cannot function properly—everything will fall into chaos!” Kynogoratas finally lost his temper and snapped at Pleisinas.

“Kynogoratas, watch your words. This is the divine will of Lord Hades, a spontaneous call from the people—it has nothing to do with me personally! Instead of quarreling with me here, you’d better think about how to meet the people’s needs and quell their anger!” retorted Pleisinas, the Chief Priest of the Temple of Hades, completely unafraid.

“Honored elders, making Davos king is not such a big deal. In the past few years, hasn’t Davos exercised the authority of a king in his role? It’s merely a matter of lacking a title. Don’t you now secretly hope that Davos returns soon to help us defeat the mighty enemy and save the alliance?! In fact, since the alliance’s founding, Davos has been the greatest pillar for us and the people outside! Now the brutal Syracusans are closing in, aiming to make the alliance another Scylletium, to inflict on us the same suffering its people endured. Davos, blessed by Hades, is our only hope. What are you still hesitating about?” Mariji’s seductive words struck a chord in everyone’s heart.

Just as some senators were lost in thought and others were about to object, the chamber doors were pushed open. The captain of the guard rushed in, his face lit with an almost unbelievable excitement: “Honored elders, Thurii… Thurii is alive! Thurii is alive!”

“What are you saying… Thurii is alive? Speak clearly!” Scombrus shouted in displeasure.

Kynogoratas, however, stepped forward a few paces and asked with equal disbelief: “Are you saying that the Thurii Fountain has started to flow again?!”

“Yes, my lord! Just as the people were shouting, ‘Make Davos king!’, the Thurii Fountain revived. Now the water has already flowed into the square!” The excited guard captain added: “Honored elders, this is an omen!”

The senators looked at each other in astonishment, all shocked—including Mariji, Pleisinas, and Kynogoratas. In this age of reverence for the gods, the Greeks placed the utmost importance on omens. During prayers and sacrifices, a sudden cough, gust of wind, rain, thunder—anything out of the ordinary—was seen as a sign from the gods. The well-known Thurii Fountain, after the old city of Thurii was burned down by the people of Croton, had become a dried-up spring, barren for years. Now it had begun to flow again—what a tremendous omen! Though most Greeks believed springs belonged to Poseidon, some argued that earthly fountains were under Hades’ control, for they came from the underworld.

“Let’s go see!” Kynogoratas, unable to suppress his astonishment and curiosity, strode out of the Senate without hesitation. The other senators followed closely behind.

The crowd that had been gathered before the Senate had now run to the edge of the square on the left side of the Senate, the site of the old Thurii Fountain.

In the past, the people of Thurii had greatly prized the spring that lent its name to the city. They had built a large pool around it, adorned with lifelike statues of water goddesses and nymphs—robes slipping, splashing, playing—evoking delightful reverie. It had been a bustling place where children played, elders rested, men discussed politics, and women and slaves drew water. Then a great fire destroyed both the pool and the statues, and the Thurii Fountain ceased to flow. Rumors among freemen said it was divine punishment for the Thurians’ betrayal.

When the city of Thurii was rebuilt, Heracleides had the craftsmen construct a circular stone wall around the spring’s mouth as a nostalgic reminder, making it look like a well. Over the years, it had become the most inconspicuous feature near Victory Square.

Now, hundreds of people crowded around it, blocking all passage. Those who had been worrying about the alliance’s safety were now dancing with joy. When they saw Kynogoratas and the other senators approaching, they shouted loudly: “Come see, honored elders! Great Hades has heard our cries—he has answered!”

“Even Hades agrees! His descendant, our Davos, should be king—what are you waiting for?”

“Let Davos be king, so we may have Hades’ protection, drive the enemy from our homes, and restore peace to Daonia!”

“Everyone quiet down! Let us go see first!” Kynogoratas said patiently, raising his voice.

The crowd soon parted to form a passage.

Kynogoratas and the others stepped through the water. The half-meter-high “stone well” was already filled to the brim, and water continued to surge out, flowing toward Victory Square, forming a long watery path.

Kynogoratas reached in. The water was clear and bitingly cold. At the mouth of the spring, a powerful upward current lifted his palm.

Yes, the Thurii Fountain had revived—there was no mistaking it! He withdrew his hand and wiped it on his clothes.

“This spring water is truly sweet!” Mariji took a direct drink and praised loudly, prompting the other senators to follow suit.

Kynogoratas gazed at the pure, clear water, almost mirror-like enough to reflect one’s features. Doubt truly clouded his mind: Could this really be the will of the gods?

But the people gave the senators little time to ponder. Faced with eager, expectant eyes, the senators knew they had to give a clear answer today.

After a brief but heated discussion, Kynogoratas spoke on behalf of the Senate, announcing to the crowd: “People of Daonia, the Senate has deliberated and accepts your request. We nominate the lifelong magistrate Davos as… as King of the Daonia Alliance. Of course, this still requires Davos’s own consent!…”

Before Kynogoratas could finish, the people burst into cheers: “Hail King Davos!!!…”

Back in the Senate, most senators felt a sense of loss. Though Davos had been the lifelong magistrate of Daonia, he was still a fellow senator, close in status and rank. Now suddenly elevated to king, his position towered over theirs. This gap left them with a strong feeling of disappointment.

Kynogoratas coughed dryly, trying to rouse their spirits and initiate a serious discussion on the major issue of “Davos becoming king”—specifically, how to reasonably limit his power. But before he could speak, the guard captain rushed in again.

Kynogoratas’s heart sank. Sure enough, the captain shouted anxiously: “Honored elders, part of the Syracusan fleet has landed on the coast north of Castron. It is said that several hundred men have come ashore, planning to raid our coastal villages!”

Everyone was shocked. The scene of the Croton fleet raiding Daonian towns years ago was about to replay.

Fortunately, before the war began, Davos—considering the Syracusan fleet’s absolute superiority—had anticipated this possibility. Before he left, he ordered the Ministry of Military Affairs to make some preparations based on past experience. These included setting up coastal observation posts along Daonia’s eastern shore, building simple defensive structures in each coastal village, and establishing small garrison camps for a reserve company between several villages…

Before Kynogoratas could make a decision, Capus stood up and spoke decisively: “I request to immediately lead troops to intercept these Syracusans who have come ashore, to prevent them from causing further harm to our people!”

The senators had no objection to Capus’s request. In fact, at this moment in the Senate, he was the only one familiar with Daonia’s unique corps tactics and capable of commanding troops. By now, the Senate had dwindled to just over a dozen members.

“It seems we need to conscript freemen again,” Kynogoratas said with a heavy expression. The citizen soldier pool in Thurii was nearly exhausted. The only option was to recruit from the harbor district, but there, too, many freemen had already joined the Daonian fleet as sailors or served as laborers for military logistics. Few remained.

“We can also seek aid from Castron,” Cornelius reminded. This made Kynogoratas’s eyes light up: indeed, Castron still had an army!