How do you continue an Agoge, knowing that you're better than the other children around you? A simple answer, in fact two. First, I wouldn't know; several of us were between being able to handle a civilian and a soldier. Secondly, my answer has to be very quietly.
Nothing will turn your team-mates against you faster than being a Naggar or a Nikita. The rumors around those two were NOT what you would expect from eight year olds.
"She's not even mature enough for that." I told Krassus. <1>
"You'll be amazed what she has planned in four years."
"What do YOU have planned in four years?" I asked.
He looked at me like I was stupid.
"So you're saying she's planning that far ahead of the rest of us?"
"You shouldn't." he said. "You'd be a ball of fat with withered limbs by then."
"Ah." I said. "Rumors of the Culling."
"They're not rumors. And who told YOU?"
"Does it matter?"
Life actually treats me well; at work, I'm a victim of my own success. I help the others with thorny problems so much that a little under half of the day is left for my own work. Which we do, because team.
But enough about me. Ajax was, yes, muscular and actually has a Spearman level. But Naggar was cheating, using his sin abilities.
Actually, I need to do that. Bonus chapter sometime this coming weekend; currently surviving members of the Agoge.
As always, thank you for your continued readership. It means more to me than crafting my own wooden sword, which a lathe is a poor choice for.