Demi-God

The sun climbed higher in the sky as Drakon and Stephanos split up to search the city. They blended into the crowds, their eyes constantly scanning for any sign of their quarry. Stephanos made his way from one temple to the next, his gaze sweeping over the throngs of worshippers and pilgrims. He scrutinized every tall figure, hoping to spot the giant they sought.

Meanwhile, Drakon wove through the packed agora, shouldering past merchants hawking their wares and customers haggling over prices, his weathered face set in a mask of concentration. The old warrior's eyes darted from person to person, searching for anyone who stood out due to their exceptional height.

As the day wore on, both men expanded their search. Stephanos branched out from the temples to check nearby alleyways and side streets. Drakon pushed through the crowds in the main square, his frustration growing with each passing hour.

The sun began to dip towards the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Shadows lengthened across the city, and still, they had found no trace of their target. Stephanos' shoulders slumped with fatigue as he trudged back towards their agreed meeting point. Drakon's face was etched with lines of disappointment.

As twilight settled over the city, the old warrior found himself in a familiar part of town. He paused, his brow furrowing as he recognized the street. This was where he and Lucian had come days ago, seeking information from the enigmatic figure known as the Whisperer.

Drakon's eyes were drawn to the house they had visited. At first glance, nothing seemed amiss. But as he watched, something caught his attention. A figure stood guard at the main entrance, nearly hidden in the growing darkness. His breath caught in his throat. The guard was massive, easily seven feet tall if not more. He wore a full set of armor that glinted dully in the fading light, and a long spear was clutched in one enormous hand. This matched Stephanos' description perfectly. Could this be the break they had been searching for all day?

Drakon forced himself to remain calm, to not rush forward and potentially ruin their chance. He needed to get word to Stephanos, to plan their next move. If this giant was indeed connected to Lucian's disappearance, they couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

With one last look at the guarded house, he melted back into the evening crowds. His mind raced with possibilities as he made his way to rendezvous with Stephanos. They had a lead at last, tenuous though it might be. Now, the real work begins.

Drakon and Stephanos crouched in the shadows of an alley, their eyes fixed on the house. The giant guard stood motionless at the entrance, his massive form silhouetted against the dark light spilling from inside.

"You're sure this is the only one you saw?" Stephanos whispered.

"Positive. I've been all over this damn city today, and I haven't seen anyone else even close to that size. This has to be our guy."

"Alright," Stephanos chewed his lip, considering their options. "Here's what we do. We wait for this bastard's shift to end, then we follow him. Once he's away from the house and in a more isolated area, we take him down."

"Take him down? Have you seen the size of him? It'd be like trying to wrestle a bear or a freaking bull!"

"Between the two of us, we can handle it. I've got some tricks up my sleeve for dealing with larger opponents."

"Tricks? Does it involve hitting him with two big statues of Zeus? Because that will only tickle him."

"Just trust me on this one."

"And then what? We just drag his unconscious giant body through the streets? You know how heavy this man is right? It’s like lifting a boulder," Drakon scoffed. "We need a large cart with two oxes to drag his ass."

"No, no," Stephanos shook his head. "We follow him to wherever he's staying. Once he's inside, we make our move. Knock him out, tie him up, and get some answers."

"You make it sound so simple. What if he's not alone?"

"What do you mean he’s not alone?"

"I mean what if he has like a lion for a pet?"

"What? What makes you think he has a lion?"

Drakon pointed at the man. "Look at him. You think that guy has a puppy? I bet he has Cerberus chained up in his room for fun, feeding him deer carcases."

"Don’t be ridiculous."

"And what if he doesn't know anything about Lucian?"

"Then we're back to square one. But right now, this is our best lead. Unless you've got a better idea?"

He sighed. "No, I don't. But I still think you're underestimating how tough this is going to be. Even if we catch him off guard, a man that size isn't going down easy."

"I hear you. But we don't have many other options. We need information, and this guy might have it. It's a risk we have to take."

Drakon was quiet for a moment. Finally, he gave a reluctant nod. "Fine. We'll do it your way. But if this goes south, I'm blaming you."

"Fair enough," Stephanos cracked a smile. "Now, let's settle in. We might be here a while before his shift ends."

The night stretched on, the city's sounds fading to a distant hum as they watched and waited. They settled into their hidden spot, eyes never leaving the imposing figure.

Finally, Drakon cleared his throat. "So, Stephanos, you've been doing this investigator gig for the Spartan army for a while now, right?"

"Yeah, about five years now."

"Must've seen some interesting shit in that time," Drakon prodded. "Any cases stand out?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, cases that were more than just run-of-the-mill espionage or a missing person. The kind of stuff that makes you believe there's more lurking in the shadows of Sparta than the city is willing to admit, something like that."

"Espionage? I don’t handle those."

"You know what I mean."

"I see," Stephanos was quiet for a moment, then let out a low chuckle. "There was this one time, about two years back. We had reports of someone smuggling weapons to the Athenians. Real high-quality swords and spears, not your typical black market crap."

"Don’t the Athenians have their own blacksmiths? Their weapons are kinda good."

"They do, but base on the information from our sources, they’re having problems with the demands of their military. Unlike us Spartans, they expand fast and they need more weapons."

"That’s true. So how'd you crack it?"

"It was a mess. Turned out it was a ring of Spartan blacksmiths. They were skimming materials, forging extra weapons, and selling them off to the highest bidder."

"Spartans selling out their own? How'd they justify that?"

"Greed, mostly. But they had this whole philosophy about how prolonging the war was good for business. Sick bastards."

"How'd you catch 'em?"

"Lots of late nights like this one," Stephanos gestured to their current situation. "Stakeouts, following leads, using undercover agents. In the end, we caught one of the junior members trying to make a delivery. He rolled over on the rest pretty quick once we started questioning him."

"Bet that didn't end well for them."

"No, it didn't. Treason's not something Sparta takes lightly."

They lapsed into silence again, the weight of the story hanging between them. After a while, Drakon spoke up again. "Any funnier stories? Can't all be doom and gloom, right?"

Stephanos cracked a smile. "Well, there was this one time we were chasing down a cattle thief..."

As he launched into another tale, Drakon found himself impressed by the younger man's experiences. He had seen more in his few years of service than many soldiers did in a lifetime.

Their conversation continued, punctuated by soft laughter and shared looks of understanding. Despite the gravity of their current situation, the old man found himself enjoying Stephanos' company.

Suddenly, Stephanos’ hand shot out, gripping his companion's arm. "Look," he hissed, all traces of humor gone from his voice.

Drakon's eyes snapped back to the Whisperer's house. The giant guard was moving, stepping away from his post as another figure approached to take his place.

"Shift change," Stephanos whispered. "This is it. You ready?"

He nodded. "As I'll ever be."

They watched as the massive figure of their target began to move away from the house, his long strides eating up the distance.

"Let's go. And remember, we follow him to his home. We don't make a move until he's inside."

"Got it."

The giant's departure set them into motion. They slipped from their hiding spot, blending into the evening crowds. Stephanos took the lead, eyes locked on their quarry's massive form as it moved through the streets.

Drakon followed close behind. The old warrior's steps were light despite his age, his body adapting to the rhythm of the crowd around them.

As they trailed their target, the two men employed every trick in their arsenal to remain undetected. When the giant paused to inspect a merchant's wares, Stephanos ducked into a nearby alley, pretending to relieve himself against a wall. Drakon, meanwhile, struck up a conversation with a group of laborers, laughing and gesturing as if he'd known them for years.

The chase led them through winding streets and marketplaces. At one point, the giant's path took them near a group of city guards. Without missing a beat, Drakon grabbed Stephanos by the arm, spinning him around to face a shop window. They pretended to examine the goods on display, their bodies angled just so to keep their target in view while avoiding the guards' attention.

As they moved deeper into the city, the crowds began to thin. Drakon felt a flutter in his gut. They must be nearing the giant's home. He exchanged a quick glance with Stephanos, seeing his own tension mirrored in the younger man's eyes.

But then, something unexpected happened. Instead of continuing down the residential streets, the giant abruptly changed course. He veered left, heading towards a brightly lit building. The sounds of raucous laughter and clinking cups spilled out onto the street.

Drakon's brow furrowed in confusion. He looked at his ally, seeing the same bewilderment on his face. This wasn't part of the plan. They had expected to follow him to his home, not to a tavern.

For a moment, they hesitated. The tavern presented a new set of challenges. It would be crowded, noisy, with plenty of potential witnesses. Confronting their target there would be risky, to say the least.

But they couldn't afford to lose him now. Not when they were so close to finding Lucian. With a shared nod of understanding, they brace themselves and followed the giant.

The wave of noise and the thick smell of wine and sweat hit them as soon as they crossed the threshold. The tavern was packed, bodies pressed close together as patrons drank, gambled, and caroused. Their target's massive form was easy to spot, even in the chaos. He had made his way to the bar, where the keeper was already sliding an enormous mug of ale towards him.

Drakon nudged Stephanos and jerked his head towards an empty table in the corner. It would give them a clear view of their target while keeping them partially hidden. They made their way over, sidestepping drunken revelers and dodging serving girls laden with trays of food and drink.

As they settled into their seats, Drakon couldn't shake the feeling that their carefully laid plans were unraveling. He leaned in close, voice barely audible over the tavern's din.

"This changes things. What's our move now?"

Stephanos' eyes never left the giant as he replied, "We wait. See what he does, who he talks to. Maybe we'll learn something useful."

He nodded, though his unease remained. He signaled a serving girl for drinks, knowing they needed to blend in. As she hurried off to fetch their order, he turned his attention back to their man.

The giant was still at the bar, downing his ale with impressive speed. His massive hands dwarfed the mug, making it look like a child's toy. Despite the noise around him, he seemed oddly isolated, an island of solitude in the sea of merriment.