City of gods - Hellenica by Jonathan Maas

protect you.”
    We are pit-fighting now, thought Gunnar, and no one short of Heracles can best me.
    Gunnar crouched on the ground and lowered his center of gravity.
    “You’ve seen many foes, but not a Berserker rage and—”
    In a flash, Gunnar blasted into Rowan’s legs. Rowan tried to jump over Gunnar, but Gunnar was too quick. He grabbed Rowan’s armored leg and used gravity to push the Norseman’s momentum downward, slamming the Berserker’s face into the ground. Gunnar locked Rowan’s legs and put his knees on Rowan’s shoulder blades. Gunnar used his free hand to lock Rowan’s arm, and instantly the Norseman was helpless.
    “I suggest you apologize to my teammate, Berserker,” whispered Gunnar. Gunnar twisted his opponent’s arm just to show that he could break it if he desired.
    “I will apologize to neither your teammate nor anyone else,” said Rowan. “Break both my arms if you wish, but I won’t apologize.”
    Gunnar twisted Rowan’s arm. Rowan spat and snarled, but he didn’t yell.
    “Look upon these four!” yelled Rowan, addressing the rest of the students. “Death and destruction is in their nature. The cripple will bring plagues, and the brute above me will one day foment genocide. Laugh at me for the prideful warrior I am, but hear my message. These four will hasten the end of Hellenica, then soon thereafter the conurbation, and then one day the world.”
    Heracles burst into the room in a rage, followed by Charon. Heracles picked Gunnar up as if he were a rag doll and threw him against the far wall. Heracles was hiding his strength during our initial fight , thought Gunnar. No one has ever thrown me like that.
    “What’s the meaning of this?” screamed Heracles.
    Gunnar remained silent, but Rowan spoke up.
    “I was ridding the Academy of these destructive creatures from Hell and—”
    “Quiet, you!” yelled Heracles.
    Heracles turned red and picked Rowan up by his neck. Rowan’s tan, muscular arms grabbed onto the hairy shoulders of Heracles, but Rowan was like a child in the strong man’s grip and could only flail about helplessly. Heracles looked as if he were about to crush the Berserker in his fists, but after a moment dropped Rowan, who fell with dead weight onto the ground.
    “This is precisely what’s killing our society, creating blood feuds when there are none,” said Heracles. “In-fighting will not be tolerated. Any more blows, deserved or not, will warrant both parties being sent to Tartarus. For now, we’ll let you off with a warning; your first test is punishment enough. Charon will escort you to the training center. Now go!”
    “Follow me,” said Charon. “A brutal lesson awaits.”
    Charon went out of the room and each student soon followed him, sticking to their own groups. Gunnar got up to follow too, but Heracles stopped him and held him by the arm. Once again, Gunnar felt that he could be broken at any moment.
    “The Berserker Rowan is a fool; we know this,” said Heracles. “But we still took him in because of the value that he brings. One day you’ll lead him into battle and his Berserker rage will accomplish more than ten squadrons. Until then, you’ll not take his bait, you’ll not take his feuds, and you’ll not best him in combat.
    “I said your days of pit-fighting were over, Redstone, and I meant it. You’re a General, not a petty brawler. Any more comeuppance from you and I’ll personally ensure that your punishment is harder than it should be. Is that understood?”
    Gunnar nodded yes.
    “Good,” said Heracles, “now concentrate on your first day of training. It’s up to you to keep your teammates alive.”
    “I thought you said we couldn’t die this day,” said Gunnar.
    “We’re protecting you, this is true,” said Heracles, “but a god can die any day.”
    /***/
    Charon walked the students out of the lunch hall, across a courtyard and up to an ominous building that looked like a windowless gladiator’s coliseum.