Sup everybody,
My name's Diomedes and I am a future author/attorney. I'm in the process of writing a book called immortality. here's a preview of it. If you like it make a comment. If you don't like it KEEP YOUR STUPID COMMENTS TO YOURSELF!!!! (I'm just joking. If you don't like it tell me why.)
Here's the first three chapters and im in the process of writing the fourth. hope you enjoy !!
Immortality
_______________
Prologue
My name's Diomedes and I am a future author/attorney. I'm in the process of writing a book called immortality. here's a preview of it. If you like it make a comment. If you don't like it KEEP YOUR STUPID COMMENTS TO YOURSELF!!!! (I'm just joking. If you don't like it tell me why.)
Here's the first three chapters and im in the process of writing the fourth. hope you enjoy !!
Immortality
_______________
Prologue
_________________
The sun began to reveal itself from the onyx black clouds it had hidden behind all day. Now for the first time it shone its goldenrod light upon the snow that covered Ancient Greece. However this snow was a deep red, stained with the blood of the innocent.
Bodies lay motionless on the ground and in heaps. No one spared, not men, not women, nor children. The snow melted to reveal not the usual tuffs of leafy green grass, but in its place, more bodies and dirt imprinted with the frantic footprints of panicked villagers.
A man lay individually in the snow, engulfed in his own blood. His chest rose steadily and then fell. A vain in the man’s neck showed a weak pulse feudally struggling to remain. Run through, severed, trampled, thrown aside like a dirty rag at the hands of a Trojan, this was his and many others fate. However, he was the unlucky one, the one that lived for another few minutes in his tortured forsaken body. His mind consumed with the family he would soon leave behind as he left this accursed realm and entered that of the dead.
The snow began to numb his countless wounds as life faded in and out. He was ready to await the inevitable. Fresh tears appeared on this mere peasant’s face, not from pain but from the horrendous thought that now manifested itself in his throbbing head. The whole time he had assumed that his family was alive and in hiding. But what if they weren’t what if they were dead and their last thoughts were “why isn’t my father here to protect me?” the man made a weak cry of anguish as he felt more tears well up. He gathered his remaining strength and closed his eyes and warm tears ran down his face but soon froze victim to the griping cold. The man never opened his eyes again.
Bodies lay motionless on the ground and in heaps. No one spared, not men, not women, nor children. The snow melted to reveal not the usual tuffs of leafy green grass, but in its place, more bodies and dirt imprinted with the frantic footprints of panicked villagers.
A man lay individually in the snow, engulfed in his own blood. His chest rose steadily and then fell. A vain in the man’s neck showed a weak pulse feudally struggling to remain. Run through, severed, trampled, thrown aside like a dirty rag at the hands of a Trojan, this was his and many others fate. However, he was the unlucky one, the one that lived for another few minutes in his tortured forsaken body. His mind consumed with the family he would soon leave behind as he left this accursed realm and entered that of the dead.
The snow began to numb his countless wounds as life faded in and out. He was ready to await the inevitable. Fresh tears appeared on this mere peasant’s face, not from pain but from the horrendous thought that now manifested itself in his throbbing head. The whole time he had assumed that his family was alive and in hiding. But what if they weren’t what if they were dead and their last thoughts were “why isn’t my father here to protect me?” the man made a weak cry of anguish as he felt more tears well up. He gathered his remaining strength and closed his eyes and warm tears ran down his face but soon froze victim to the griping cold. The man never opened his eyes again.
A glimpse of things to come.
Chapter 1
Diomedes
______________________________________
I laid still on the exceedingly cold ground. My little sister Mariah pressed hard against my body exchanging her warmth for mine. The thin quilt on top of us did very little. Soft plumes of mist rose from her mouth and drifted away in the icy wind. Her steady breathing was hypnotic but often interrupted by light groans as she spoke aloud the images in her dreams. Usually I could sleep through the interruptions but tonight she mentioned her mother. Nothing specific, just the word “Mother”, but it made me think of my own.
From an extremely young age I was told by those wicked at heart that nobody loved me. That my own parents hated me and that’s why they had abandoned me. Those remarks were the reason I had come back to the orphanage many a times battered and beaten after trying to defend my honor. But though they made those remarks throughout my entire seventeen years of existence I always knew them to be false.
Staring into the vast, empty, night sky above me I could see one of the only memories that ever brought me comfort. It’s fuzzy because at the time I was very young, but I can make out a woman, she is holding me close against her warm breasts as if to shelter me from all and any danger. She’s the most beautiful woman to ever exist and she is smiling at me, humming the sweetest of lullabies.
Her voice rings smooth like wind chimes, and I know that she is my mother. The warmth and tenderness emanating from the memory is so inviting and true that there cannot be anything but love. This memory I have desperately clung to my whole life. Even now in near manhood I still hope to be found by the woman of my dreams.
Now another memory pushed itself into my thoughts; the day I was chosen to look after Mariah. I was three begging on the street because the orphanage had run out of food. A woman dressed in thick concealing garments strode up to me. She presented me a big loaf of bread; it was taller than I was at the time. I felt my eyes widen and I grabbed the bread struggling to keep it off of the dirty ground, the woman laughed.
However when she laughed the bulge in her stomach, which I had not noticed until then, startled and began to cry. The woman immediately stopped laughing and withdrew a baby from under her silky white garments. The baby stopped crying the instant it gazing upon my face. The woman’s grey eyes, for that was all that was visible, were now hard. She stared at me for the longest time then thrust the baby towards me.
“Her name is Mariah.” She told me. “I need you to look after her.”
“Miss I’m only three” I told her.
“I know Diomedes”, she said “but you are a big strong boy, and I know you can take care of her.”
I wanted to say no, but nobody had ever called me by my name before. I had picked it myself, because the name sounded so familiar. And the other reason I couldn’t say no was because she had a very compelling nature about her. So I held out my arms and the woman placed Mariah inside them. Then with eyes glistening full of tears she turned on her heels and left.
After she left I considered leaving the baby in the market, or perhaps selling her for few gold coins. But when I gazed into her deep grey vulnerable eyes I realized that I couldn’t. This baby, though I had only had her for a few short seconds, meant more to me than anything in the world.
“Mariah huh,” I said looking at her tiny squished up face. “Well Mariah, my name is Diomedes and I’m going to protect you forever. I promise”
And that was that. I didn‘t know how to take care of a baby but I needed to be with her so I asked the women at the orphanage to look after her. At first they said no because I was the last baby they had there and I wasn’t the easiest baby to handle. Thankfully they too found it hard to resist the little baby and took her in. They taught me how to take care of her and I caught on quickly. They looked after her for a couple of years and I only left her side when I had to beg.
A little over three years later the Orphanage closed down. Mariah and I made a permanent move to my begging corner. By that time Mariah was more mature than most of the adults in the area. She could already walk, speak fluently, and received twice as much food as I did. If it was any other baby there’s no way I could have taken care of her.
One day when I was eight, something terrible happened. Mariah was six at the time; even so she was still wise well beyond her years. She seldom cried, had the kindness of a priestess, and unlike other children I saw around the market, never complained. But this sad day I heard her scream. I ran to find her being held at the ankle by one of the merchants and being beaten black and blue. I screamed for help but nobody cared, so I threw myself at the man. I bit and kicked and punched as hard as I could until he dropped my sister. She was unconscious lying on the road, blood running from her mouth. The merchant grabbed me in the same fashion and began beating me saying, “Teach you to hit me, fine then you will take her place!” I was beaten senseless until one kind bystander interfered. The woman asked my transgression and the merchant claimed the Mariah stole a piece of his fruit. I knew it was a lie but we were kicked out anyway.
I found a damp cave and Mariah and I slept there for the night. When I slept that night I had a dream that surely was sent from the gods. A woman’s voices told me to gather fallen logs and bind them together into a raft then attach a sail. She then told me to sit atop of it and push out into the water south of Athens and she would do the rest.
When I woke I told Mariah of my dream and she said that she too had the exact same dream. So we gathered the few possessions we had, a silk cloth with golden embroiders (the one Mariah was in when I got her), a couple of coins, and the clothes on our back. I forged the raft in a day and used my toga as a sail.
It was risky because the dream could have been nothing more than a dream but it was all we had left so we pushed out that night.
Instantly the tiny sail caught wind and we glided forward. I had made oars from sticks and pieces of wood lying about but I didn‘t need to use them. It felt as if a hand pushed the raft forward.
For three days we drifted. The food was limited and ran out after two days. Finally on the morning of the fourth day when we thought that the dream lied and that we would die; our raft ran aground. We got off and walked through a dense forest in the direction of a thick smoke billowing from the center of the island. It could have been a brush fire but without food or shelter we had to hope and push forward. Finally we arrived.
It wasn’t much, just a small village of men and women who lived off the ground, but it was better than anything we had ever seen. An old woman by the name of Aegina gave us a generous portion of land. We were even more delighted when we found that it already had a few sprouts of various green vegetables.
I built a small shelter immediately, snacking on the pre planted crops in the process. The shelter barely kept the rain off but it held. I never would have finished if the village men hadn’t taken pity on me and pitched in. It was a serious blow to my pride but I got over it soon enough. That night we feasted on vegetables until our bellies were full.
We came to find out that the village was called Aegina named after the kind old lady because she was the founder of the Island. Rumors say that she was once a lover of Zeus. Every man woman and child not born in the village was brought to it by dreams, just like Mariah and I. The fire that had brought us hope on our arrival day had been going for five days for the elders had a dream that told of our coming.
Over the years I built the shelter up into a house through hard labor, planted other various fruits and vegetables, and learned how to hunt from the village men.
Mariah also learned skills from the elders such as the ability to work the ground, sow, and prepare meals.
However I learned one more skill from the men of the village. I learned how to fight. I picked up on the skill extremely fast and learned many different stances and styles. This was possible due to the fact that everyone was sent by the gods. Because of that the village’s origins came from all over. Therefore I got a taste of Spartan, Athenian, Atlantian, Cretan, and many other types of combat. The people took us in as their own family; something Mariah and I had never really known. We grew especially fond of Aegina she was always like a grandmother to us.
Generally the village was comfortable. But on nights like tonight when the dampness of the hut seems to amplify the winter cold, provided it is neither raining nor snowing, Mariah and I like to sleep outside and watch the moon and stars painted bight against the dark sky. We often talk of how artistic the gods must be to create such a masterpiece.
I had hardly realized that I had fallen asleep until I heard the morning rooster crow and felt the immediate dread of having to do my chores. I hear the village children complain of having to do their chores all the time, but it is so much worse when you assign them to yourself because you feel like you have the choice but you never really do.
I sat up and stretched my back, for it had become stiff on the hard ground. The movement woke Mariah who yawned and stretched. She blinked three times in quick succession then appearing fully awake hoped up and brushed the dirt off her light grey toga. She then ripped the quilt off of me and folded it up.
“How do you do that?” I groaned, still extremely groggy.
“Do what?” she inquired.
“Just get up and start the day. Tell the truth you must be tired”
She just smiled and said, “I don‘t need much sleep Diomedes. Plus what‘s the point of acting tired even if I was. I have to get up anyway so I make the most of it.” With that said she turned and skipped off towards the house. I picked up a rock and threw it after her. It missed by a long shot, something I had done intentionally, but that didn’t stop her from turning around and yelling at me. I gave her a look of warning that was supposed to make her quiet down and leave but in sheer defiance she stuck out her tongue and strutted into the house.
Fourteen years of having another child to look after matures you extremely fast but sometimes I just wanted to be her brother. I wanted to be able to yell and order her around. The only problem is that even if that was all I was to her, just her brother I still couldn’t do those things because she was a perfect child. She never gave me too much trouble other than the occasional lip and on top of that she was so delicate that I was afraid to even embrace her too hard lest she break; never mind hit her. I sighed why couldn’t she just be normal?
I rose to my feet groaning as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The night had not been nearly long enough and I was so tired that I could barely compose my thoughts. I shuffled into the house to find some fruit left over from last week’s harvest. Most had rotted and I was beginning to feel like I may have to go without when I found a small wheel of Mizithra cheese. Mariah had here back turned to me so after I checked for freshness I took out my knife and cut off a generous portion.
I had to make sure that she didn’t see me because the fact that we had some meant that she had made it because of some special occasion; probably the festival tomorrow night. If she caught me in the act of thievery she would likely call for my head; though I was oldest she was often the voice of reason. It was annoying when she did that in private but in public it was just plain humiliating. The other boys made a joke of calling me Mariah and her Diomedes. They stopped when the oldest of them limped home.
I held the cheese close to my body and sheltered it from Mariah’s line of sight. I looked over my shoulder in her direction to see if she had seen me. She was still straightening out the blankets. I walked a couple steps forward but was halted by Mariah’s’ voice.
“Diomedes put the cheese back. I think there’s some bread next to the oven. It’s been there a couple days so it’s probably stale but it will have to do.” She said this so casually that you would think my sneakiness was a regular occasion. With that being said you would be right.
I noticed that she had not turned to see me. Another one of her annoying skills; knowing exactly what I was doing every moment of the day. I turned around and approached her.
“Who is seventeen?” I asked.
“You are.” she replied.
“And who is only fourteen?” I continued.
“I am Diomedes. But now here’s a question for you,” she turned around, “Who’s seventeen but still acts like a child and steals food for a festival in the gods honor?” she snatched the cheese from my hand and turned back around.
I puckered my lips and trudged over to the oven. Just like she said; an incredibly hard loaf of bread lay next to it. I picked it up and stuffed it in my toga. I would force it down later. For now I picked up my hoe and bow.
My immediate chore was to tend to the fields which had doubled in size since we bought it. I started with the grapes and worked my way across to the turnips on the other side. The task was done daily and though simple enough took an excruciating long time and left my hands calloused and rough. I finished about midday judging by the sun.
Now’s were the bow came in. For the festival tomorrow night I had agreed to bring some meat worth roasting; perhaps a stag or even better a hog. This wouldn’t have been a problem if I hadn’t procrastinated and done it at the start of the week. But I held it off until the day before. So as I set off into the forest bow strung taught in hand I said a silent prayer to Apollo begging for some big game.
I stalked the woods for hours on end. Finally at sunset I called it quits and with a sorrowful heart began the trek back home. But on the way my prayer was answered, kind of. I didn’t come across a stag or boar like I had hoped; but in its place a bear twice my size. The way I saw it this would be better. That is, if I came out alive.
I strung my bow and pulled back hard, then released the arrow. It sliced through the air making a harsh zinging sound. I closed my eyes and prayed for a hit but it was to no avail. The arrow glanced his ear. Unlike my sister I never was a very good shot. The bear turned in my direction and roared a mighty cry lifting itself onto its hind legs.
I used this frightening but vulnerable pose to my advantage. I fired two arrows in quick succession. The first missed completely but the second lodged itself between the bears shoulder. He roared again and charged. I was glad that I took the time at the beginning of the expedition to tie my hunting knife to a long broad stick.
I drew it from my back with plans to counter charge the beast. But when I saw the enormousness of it with claws and fangs bared I lost courage and found my self hurtling back wards as it crashed down on me like a title wave.
I had my makeshift spear faced towards him so when it fell upon me he found himself with a chest full of steel. The pain caused the creature to rear back, the action ripping my weapon from its body. I hoped that it would continue backwards and fall dead but I wasn’t that lucky. It launched forward back on top of me and snapped at my face. However I was too quick. I placed my spear sideways in its mouth and held both ends pushing it away from my face. It snapped twice splintering the wood.
I knew one more crunch would break it. So I ripped the knife from the end and attempted to stab at its face. But it threw a mighty paw against my shoulder and smashed it down against the ground. The pressure was too great and I heard a snap as my left shoulder shattered to pieces.
I screamed writhing with pain. The bear made the final bite that destroyed my spear. I didn’t have much time so I reached my right arm out along the ground and felt a rock the size of my fist. I grabbed it and swung the rock around as hard as I could; shrieking from the pain in my other shoulder. I connected and smashed the bears face, blinding its left eye.
It cried out slashing my chest with its enormous paw in the process and staggered off of me. I wasn’t sure if it was going to flee or attack again but I wasn’t about to let it do either. I rolled to a crouch and lunged at it transferring my knife to my right hand. I landed on its back which shocked the beast. It tried to shake me off but I stuck my knife in its neck then used momentum to swing my disabled arm around its throat. It felt like fire pulsing through my veins instead of blood. I couldn’t help letting out a scream and the pain nearly made me let go. I regained control and grabbed a tuff of fur. The monster was determined to shake me off and every movement sent my arm into a blaze. If I didn’t kill it soon it would surely accomplish the goal.
I stabbed it as hard as I could repetitively until its legs buckled and it fell to the ground. I then wrapped my dagger arm around its throat. I tightened the strangle hold and held it for a minute to make sure that it was dead. Then I released and stepped off and away from it panting in harsh huffs.
I hadn’t realized how light headed from blood loss I was until now. The adrenaline rush from the battle was beginning to wear off and the pain in my shoulder became so bad that it began to disorient me. The forest started to spin and I took a step forward, lost my balance, and crashed to the dirt below.
Diomedes
______________________________________
I laid still on the exceedingly cold ground. My little sister Mariah pressed hard against my body exchanging her warmth for mine. The thin quilt on top of us did very little. Soft plumes of mist rose from her mouth and drifted away in the icy wind. Her steady breathing was hypnotic but often interrupted by light groans as she spoke aloud the images in her dreams. Usually I could sleep through the interruptions but tonight she mentioned her mother. Nothing specific, just the word “Mother”, but it made me think of my own.
From an extremely young age I was told by those wicked at heart that nobody loved me. That my own parents hated me and that’s why they had abandoned me. Those remarks were the reason I had come back to the orphanage many a times battered and beaten after trying to defend my honor. But though they made those remarks throughout my entire seventeen years of existence I always knew them to be false.
Staring into the vast, empty, night sky above me I could see one of the only memories that ever brought me comfort. It’s fuzzy because at the time I was very young, but I can make out a woman, she is holding me close against her warm breasts as if to shelter me from all and any danger. She’s the most beautiful woman to ever exist and she is smiling at me, humming the sweetest of lullabies.
Her voice rings smooth like wind chimes, and I know that she is my mother. The warmth and tenderness emanating from the memory is so inviting and true that there cannot be anything but love. This memory I have desperately clung to my whole life. Even now in near manhood I still hope to be found by the woman of my dreams.
Now another memory pushed itself into my thoughts; the day I was chosen to look after Mariah. I was three begging on the street because the orphanage had run out of food. A woman dressed in thick concealing garments strode up to me. She presented me a big loaf of bread; it was taller than I was at the time. I felt my eyes widen and I grabbed the bread struggling to keep it off of the dirty ground, the woman laughed.
However when she laughed the bulge in her stomach, which I had not noticed until then, startled and began to cry. The woman immediately stopped laughing and withdrew a baby from under her silky white garments. The baby stopped crying the instant it gazing upon my face. The woman’s grey eyes, for that was all that was visible, were now hard. She stared at me for the longest time then thrust the baby towards me.
“Her name is Mariah.” She told me. “I need you to look after her.”
“Miss I’m only three” I told her.
“I know Diomedes”, she said “but you are a big strong boy, and I know you can take care of her.”
I wanted to say no, but nobody had ever called me by my name before. I had picked it myself, because the name sounded so familiar. And the other reason I couldn’t say no was because she had a very compelling nature about her. So I held out my arms and the woman placed Mariah inside them. Then with eyes glistening full of tears she turned on her heels and left.
After she left I considered leaving the baby in the market, or perhaps selling her for few gold coins. But when I gazed into her deep grey vulnerable eyes I realized that I couldn’t. This baby, though I had only had her for a few short seconds, meant more to me than anything in the world.
“Mariah huh,” I said looking at her tiny squished up face. “Well Mariah, my name is Diomedes and I’m going to protect you forever. I promise”
And that was that. I didn‘t know how to take care of a baby but I needed to be with her so I asked the women at the orphanage to look after her. At first they said no because I was the last baby they had there and I wasn’t the easiest baby to handle. Thankfully they too found it hard to resist the little baby and took her in. They taught me how to take care of her and I caught on quickly. They looked after her for a couple of years and I only left her side when I had to beg.
A little over three years later the Orphanage closed down. Mariah and I made a permanent move to my begging corner. By that time Mariah was more mature than most of the adults in the area. She could already walk, speak fluently, and received twice as much food as I did. If it was any other baby there’s no way I could have taken care of her.
One day when I was eight, something terrible happened. Mariah was six at the time; even so she was still wise well beyond her years. She seldom cried, had the kindness of a priestess, and unlike other children I saw around the market, never complained. But this sad day I heard her scream. I ran to find her being held at the ankle by one of the merchants and being beaten black and blue. I screamed for help but nobody cared, so I threw myself at the man. I bit and kicked and punched as hard as I could until he dropped my sister. She was unconscious lying on the road, blood running from her mouth. The merchant grabbed me in the same fashion and began beating me saying, “Teach you to hit me, fine then you will take her place!” I was beaten senseless until one kind bystander interfered. The woman asked my transgression and the merchant claimed the Mariah stole a piece of his fruit. I knew it was a lie but we were kicked out anyway.
I found a damp cave and Mariah and I slept there for the night. When I slept that night I had a dream that surely was sent from the gods. A woman’s voices told me to gather fallen logs and bind them together into a raft then attach a sail. She then told me to sit atop of it and push out into the water south of Athens and she would do the rest.
When I woke I told Mariah of my dream and she said that she too had the exact same dream. So we gathered the few possessions we had, a silk cloth with golden embroiders (the one Mariah was in when I got her), a couple of coins, and the clothes on our back. I forged the raft in a day and used my toga as a sail.
It was risky because the dream could have been nothing more than a dream but it was all we had left so we pushed out that night.
Instantly the tiny sail caught wind and we glided forward. I had made oars from sticks and pieces of wood lying about but I didn‘t need to use them. It felt as if a hand pushed the raft forward.
For three days we drifted. The food was limited and ran out after two days. Finally on the morning of the fourth day when we thought that the dream lied and that we would die; our raft ran aground. We got off and walked through a dense forest in the direction of a thick smoke billowing from the center of the island. It could have been a brush fire but without food or shelter we had to hope and push forward. Finally we arrived.
It wasn’t much, just a small village of men and women who lived off the ground, but it was better than anything we had ever seen. An old woman by the name of Aegina gave us a generous portion of land. We were even more delighted when we found that it already had a few sprouts of various green vegetables.
I built a small shelter immediately, snacking on the pre planted crops in the process. The shelter barely kept the rain off but it held. I never would have finished if the village men hadn’t taken pity on me and pitched in. It was a serious blow to my pride but I got over it soon enough. That night we feasted on vegetables until our bellies were full.
We came to find out that the village was called Aegina named after the kind old lady because she was the founder of the Island. Rumors say that she was once a lover of Zeus. Every man woman and child not born in the village was brought to it by dreams, just like Mariah and I. The fire that had brought us hope on our arrival day had been going for five days for the elders had a dream that told of our coming.
Over the years I built the shelter up into a house through hard labor, planted other various fruits and vegetables, and learned how to hunt from the village men.
Mariah also learned skills from the elders such as the ability to work the ground, sow, and prepare meals.
However I learned one more skill from the men of the village. I learned how to fight. I picked up on the skill extremely fast and learned many different stances and styles. This was possible due to the fact that everyone was sent by the gods. Because of that the village’s origins came from all over. Therefore I got a taste of Spartan, Athenian, Atlantian, Cretan, and many other types of combat. The people took us in as their own family; something Mariah and I had never really known. We grew especially fond of Aegina she was always like a grandmother to us.
Generally the village was comfortable. But on nights like tonight when the dampness of the hut seems to amplify the winter cold, provided it is neither raining nor snowing, Mariah and I like to sleep outside and watch the moon and stars painted bight against the dark sky. We often talk of how artistic the gods must be to create such a masterpiece.
I had hardly realized that I had fallen asleep until I heard the morning rooster crow and felt the immediate dread of having to do my chores. I hear the village children complain of having to do their chores all the time, but it is so much worse when you assign them to yourself because you feel like you have the choice but you never really do.
I sat up and stretched my back, for it had become stiff on the hard ground. The movement woke Mariah who yawned and stretched. She blinked three times in quick succession then appearing fully awake hoped up and brushed the dirt off her light grey toga. She then ripped the quilt off of me and folded it up.
“How do you do that?” I groaned, still extremely groggy.
“Do what?” she inquired.
“Just get up and start the day. Tell the truth you must be tired”
She just smiled and said, “I don‘t need much sleep Diomedes. Plus what‘s the point of acting tired even if I was. I have to get up anyway so I make the most of it.” With that said she turned and skipped off towards the house. I picked up a rock and threw it after her. It missed by a long shot, something I had done intentionally, but that didn’t stop her from turning around and yelling at me. I gave her a look of warning that was supposed to make her quiet down and leave but in sheer defiance she stuck out her tongue and strutted into the house.
Fourteen years of having another child to look after matures you extremely fast but sometimes I just wanted to be her brother. I wanted to be able to yell and order her around. The only problem is that even if that was all I was to her, just her brother I still couldn’t do those things because she was a perfect child. She never gave me too much trouble other than the occasional lip and on top of that she was so delicate that I was afraid to even embrace her too hard lest she break; never mind hit her. I sighed why couldn’t she just be normal?
I rose to my feet groaning as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The night had not been nearly long enough and I was so tired that I could barely compose my thoughts. I shuffled into the house to find some fruit left over from last week’s harvest. Most had rotted and I was beginning to feel like I may have to go without when I found a small wheel of Mizithra cheese. Mariah had here back turned to me so after I checked for freshness I took out my knife and cut off a generous portion.
I had to make sure that she didn’t see me because the fact that we had some meant that she had made it because of some special occasion; probably the festival tomorrow night. If she caught me in the act of thievery she would likely call for my head; though I was oldest she was often the voice of reason. It was annoying when she did that in private but in public it was just plain humiliating. The other boys made a joke of calling me Mariah and her Diomedes. They stopped when the oldest of them limped home.
I held the cheese close to my body and sheltered it from Mariah’s line of sight. I looked over my shoulder in her direction to see if she had seen me. She was still straightening out the blankets. I walked a couple steps forward but was halted by Mariah’s’ voice.
“Diomedes put the cheese back. I think there’s some bread next to the oven. It’s been there a couple days so it’s probably stale but it will have to do.” She said this so casually that you would think my sneakiness was a regular occasion. With that being said you would be right.
I noticed that she had not turned to see me. Another one of her annoying skills; knowing exactly what I was doing every moment of the day. I turned around and approached her.
“Who is seventeen?” I asked.
“You are.” she replied.
“And who is only fourteen?” I continued.
“I am Diomedes. But now here’s a question for you,” she turned around, “Who’s seventeen but still acts like a child and steals food for a festival in the gods honor?” she snatched the cheese from my hand and turned back around.
I puckered my lips and trudged over to the oven. Just like she said; an incredibly hard loaf of bread lay next to it. I picked it up and stuffed it in my toga. I would force it down later. For now I picked up my hoe and bow.
My immediate chore was to tend to the fields which had doubled in size since we bought it. I started with the grapes and worked my way across to the turnips on the other side. The task was done daily and though simple enough took an excruciating long time and left my hands calloused and rough. I finished about midday judging by the sun.
Now’s were the bow came in. For the festival tomorrow night I had agreed to bring some meat worth roasting; perhaps a stag or even better a hog. This wouldn’t have been a problem if I hadn’t procrastinated and done it at the start of the week. But I held it off until the day before. So as I set off into the forest bow strung taught in hand I said a silent prayer to Apollo begging for some big game.
I stalked the woods for hours on end. Finally at sunset I called it quits and with a sorrowful heart began the trek back home. But on the way my prayer was answered, kind of. I didn’t come across a stag or boar like I had hoped; but in its place a bear twice my size. The way I saw it this would be better. That is, if I came out alive.
I strung my bow and pulled back hard, then released the arrow. It sliced through the air making a harsh zinging sound. I closed my eyes and prayed for a hit but it was to no avail. The arrow glanced his ear. Unlike my sister I never was a very good shot. The bear turned in my direction and roared a mighty cry lifting itself onto its hind legs.
I used this frightening but vulnerable pose to my advantage. I fired two arrows in quick succession. The first missed completely but the second lodged itself between the bears shoulder. He roared again and charged. I was glad that I took the time at the beginning of the expedition to tie my hunting knife to a long broad stick.
I drew it from my back with plans to counter charge the beast. But when I saw the enormousness of it with claws and fangs bared I lost courage and found my self hurtling back wards as it crashed down on me like a title wave.
I had my makeshift spear faced towards him so when it fell upon me he found himself with a chest full of steel. The pain caused the creature to rear back, the action ripping my weapon from its body. I hoped that it would continue backwards and fall dead but I wasn’t that lucky. It launched forward back on top of me and snapped at my face. However I was too quick. I placed my spear sideways in its mouth and held both ends pushing it away from my face. It snapped twice splintering the wood.
I knew one more crunch would break it. So I ripped the knife from the end and attempted to stab at its face. But it threw a mighty paw against my shoulder and smashed it down against the ground. The pressure was too great and I heard a snap as my left shoulder shattered to pieces.
I screamed writhing with pain. The bear made the final bite that destroyed my spear. I didn’t have much time so I reached my right arm out along the ground and felt a rock the size of my fist. I grabbed it and swung the rock around as hard as I could; shrieking from the pain in my other shoulder. I connected and smashed the bears face, blinding its left eye.
It cried out slashing my chest with its enormous paw in the process and staggered off of me. I wasn’t sure if it was going to flee or attack again but I wasn’t about to let it do either. I rolled to a crouch and lunged at it transferring my knife to my right hand. I landed on its back which shocked the beast. It tried to shake me off but I stuck my knife in its neck then used momentum to swing my disabled arm around its throat. It felt like fire pulsing through my veins instead of blood. I couldn’t help letting out a scream and the pain nearly made me let go. I regained control and grabbed a tuff of fur. The monster was determined to shake me off and every movement sent my arm into a blaze. If I didn’t kill it soon it would surely accomplish the goal.
I stabbed it as hard as I could repetitively until its legs buckled and it fell to the ground. I then wrapped my dagger arm around its throat. I tightened the strangle hold and held it for a minute to make sure that it was dead. Then I released and stepped off and away from it panting in harsh huffs.
I hadn’t realized how light headed from blood loss I was until now. The adrenaline rush from the battle was beginning to wear off and the pain in my shoulder became so bad that it began to disorient me. The forest started to spin and I took a step forward, lost my balance, and crashed to the dirt below.
Chapter 2
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“Diomedes…Diomedes wake up!” I heard a voice. Soft and sweet, that of a young girls. But the words were hard to make out. It was as if I were submerged in water.
“Diomedes get up! What have you gone deaf! I know you can here me boy!” This was a man’s voice. It was deep and rough. I wanted to answer them but it felt like a blanket of darkness lay heavily on my body, disabling movement and pressing so hard on my lungs that I couldn’t speak. “Oh well Mariah. Guess he’ll have to miss out on the Mizithra cheese and festivities of the festival tonight.”
That brought me to. The water that rendered me helpless turned to glass and I lunged through it. It shattered and brought immense pain to my entire body but it wasn’t enough to keep me asleep. I made a week groaning sound as the entirety of the pain set in. “Knew that would wake ‘em up.” The gruff voice said confidently.
“Diomedes you’re so predictable! I can’t wake you but mention food and there’s no stopping what you could do you.” this was the girls voice who I now recognized to be Mariah’s, only now it had a much harsher tone.
“Urhhg” I groaned again. I wanted to be back in the water. It soothed my wounds that I now recognized to be from the bear and not the glass.
“By the way Diomedes,” this was Mariah again but her voice had made a complete one-eighty. She sounded sorrowful. It was like the voices of the priest when he has to tell a mother that her child is dead, “I-I’m sorry to have to tell you this but,” she paused, I had not yet opened my eyes but I could feel her staring at me, “Y-you don’t have one of your legs. We think the bear might have done it.”
I opened my eyes and shot forward into the sitting position. I looked at my legs. They were both there. I heard Mariah giggle next to me. How dare she! How dare she trick me like that! That insolent girl!
I should have taught her a lesson she would never forget but I suddenly felt what I thought to be a lance run through my left shoulder. I felt my eyes widen in shock and I gasped for air. I heard a bone chilling shriek; one close to that of a woman giving birth and was quite ashamed when I came to realize it was me. I grabbed at my shoulder but all I got was a handful of bandages.
“Heh, yah you did quite a number on that shoulder of yours.” this was the man whom I recognized to be Peleus. He clasped me on my other shoulder with his enormous hand. I held in another scream. What was wrong with this one! I looked at my shoulder and found it slashed from the top all the way to my ribs on the opposite side of my body.
I had remembered the bear but now every detail flooded back. Everything from the first arrow to the kill. I couldn’t remember getting back though; and even if I had somehow stumbled into town there was no way I could have dragged the bear with me. “Where’s my bear!?” I asked. I swear if I had done all that for nothing and my bear was out in the forest rotting away to nothing or worse being devoured by vultures I would flip.
“Hahaha! I love this kid. For all he knows his wounds could be fatal and his biggest concern is the bear!” he let out another burst of laughter. I had seen this man be jabbed in the sides with lances and nicked all over with axes and he never shed a tear; but know after I asked a perfectly legitimate question he was flowing from the eyes like waterfalls; practically rolling on the floor with laughter. After he regained control of himself to a degree he answered. “Yes Diomedes your bear is fine.” He chuckled heartily for a few more seconds he continued, “It got late and Mariah’s was worried. Her instincts have never been wrong so we put together a little search party. You weren’t far off but by the time we got there you were face down practically floating in your own blood! We turned you over and saw that nice little gash you’ve got there and feared that it had punctured the heart. So we brought you to Apollo’s priestess, you know Amedilia right? Well at any rate she said that it was deep but not so far as the heart. She said that the it was a clean cut and that the worst of your problems was your shoulder. However she did say that if we hadn’t got there when we did you would be dead from blood loss. You are Quite the lucky boy- sorry ‘man’.”
I was happy that he corrected himself. I was very touchy about being called a boy. Seventeen is hardly a boy. “I can see that I’m going to live Peleus. I feel bad not deathly ill. Now how about answering my question; where is my bear.” I said growing impatient. Since awakening I put up with his laughter and now this story. In all truthfulness that would have been my next question but he should have waited for me to ask.
“Right,” he said, “your bear. As much as I would have liked to let you skin your first big kill yourself you slept too long and the meat was going to spoil so I did it for you. The meat is being kept” ‘What!’ I thought to myself, ‘the skinning of the beast was a right of passage. I understand where he’s coming from but come on!’ I caught myself making a face and quickly recomposed it but Mariah was to perceptive and called me out.
“Diomedes don’t be such a baby! I swear if your brain was half as big as your pride you would give Aristotle a run for his money.”
I drew in a deep breath and shut my eyes. It was best to ignore such comments from Mariah. Getting in a battle of wits with her was like dousing a fire without a drop of water. I rolled my head gingerly then reached out my hand. Peleus grabbed it and pulled me to my feet. My head spun and I felt like throwing up.
“Urgh,” I groaned, “Why do I feel sick?”
“Don’t be stupid,” Mariah answered, “The herbs. They’re very powerful.” I just love how she acts like I should know everything just because.
Peleus let go of my hand and I started to stumble backwards. I hadn’t realized that I had been relying on him to balance me so much. He snatched me just before I hit the ground and pulled me to my feet again. He had one hand to my back and the other grasping my arm.
“Are we going to be okay or should I keep holding on?” I didn’t like his tone. It wasn’t genuine concern; more sarcasm than anything.
“I’m fine.” I replied being as curt as possible.
“If you say so.” he said smiling and let go. I swayed but steadied before he could jump in to help.
I smiled. Mission accomplished. Now I needed to walk. I took a step forward and nearly fell over. “Damn herbs.” I murmured. I herd Peleus chuckle. As much as I admired and looked up to the guy he was really starting to get on my nerves.
My relationship with Peleus came easy. He was a big burly man with broad shoulders and strong arms. He wore his long black hair tied back and shaved his thick beard into a triangle. I had been bragging about the peach fuzz that was just starting to grow out on my face for a while but was shamed into silence whenever he entered the room. Peleus in my opinion was the pinnacle of manliness. Everything from his massive frame to his booming voice. The thing that I admired him most for though was his incredulously beautiful wife.
Her name was Maia and she couldn’t have been more beautiful if Aphrodite herself had given birth to her. Her thick brown hair flowed down to her midriff and her toga hung loose around her high round breasts. I often found myself dreaming about her but cast the thoughts aside. It felt wrong. Not only was she the wife of my friend but she didn’t have the presence of mortal woman. She was like a goddess and it is unwise to dream of goddess’. She spoke very articulately and was always nice to me.
I remember one night when I was eight or nine years of age I stood outside their window. As they spoke I noticed that Peleus kept calling her Thetis instead of Maia. They began to speak lovers talk and being of such a young and immature age I couldn’t help giggling. They stopped talking and I knew I had been found out so I fled the scene. The next day I had a combat lesson with him and afterwards he drew me close and said that he knew it was me that spied upon his house. There was no point in denying it so I asked why he was referring to Maia by the name of Thetis. For a moment he looked pained then let out a round of laughter. He told me that was just his nickname for her but not to call her that or tell anyone else of the name because it was a secret name between lovers. I thought there was something untruthful about that but since he was nice enough not to beat me for trespassing I questioned him no further and obeyed is wishes by not telling anyone Maia’s name.
I took a few wobbly steps forward shaking off the nausea. I had been in bed to long and I felt weak with hunger. My wounds were definitely stiff as were my joints. I stumbled outside.
It felt cold now that I was out of the hearth’s range. My breathe misted in front if me and the grass crunched under my feet. I didn’t know were exactly I was walking to. I just needed to walk somewhere. I heard other footsteps behind me as Mariah and Peleus followed. I wanted to tell them to get lost but they were just being nice so I held my tongue. I don’t know why I felt so bitter. I suppose I was just grouchy. Too much sleep can be just as bad as too little.
I had just been following my feet and didn’t notice where they had taken me until I heard Peleus stifle another laugh. I was standing in the doorway of the storehouse. I pushed the door open and immediately laid eyes upon the bear’s meat. In the summer it would have rotted in a day but the cold was keeping it fresh. Above it was the object that I had subconsciously been searching for, the fur.
The fur on the legs and underbelly were gone but the back, arms, and head was still intact. The jaw was missing and the holes where the eyes had been widened. I picked it off the nail that it hung on and threw it over my shoulders wincing when it fell upon my left. I tied the arms loosely around my neck and flipped the head over mine like a hood. The eyes were a little high and the nozzle slightly covered my mouth but it was nothing that couldn’t be fixed. I flipped the hood back. It was heavy but warm.
“It’s a fair kill Diomedes.” Peleus said. Mariah was nodding her head in agreement. He continued, “Actually it’s a pretty good one. I could barely kill one with a group of elders when I was your age never mind alone. You’ve become the talk of the town around here of late. Some of the girls are starting to take you seriously. Even Adonia wants to accompany you to the festival tonight.”
“That’s true,” Mariah added, “she’s visited your bedside a couple of times.”
With the exception of Maia; Adonia was the most gorgeous girl in the village. She was only a year younger than me and I had had a crush on her since I was ten. She had deep brown eyes and hair of black silk. Her cheeks easily reddened and her figure put the other girls to shame. She developed at a young age and has had as many suitors as a bird has feathers. I was never one of them.
I had thought that I was invisible to Adonia. So when Peleus told me she was actually considering me never mind visiting me I could have jumped up and down with joy.
I contained myself from jumping because I would have looked foolish and it would have hurt. I did however allowed myself to smile.
“Look what we did,” Mariah chided, “this is going to go straight to his head. I think I can actually see it inflating as we speak” Mariah was really getting on my last nerves. I just came out of a coma-like sleep and she was already making jokes. I couldn’t keep the good feeling and found myself screaming at her.
“Mariah! Will you just shut up! I’ve had it with you! You’re fourteen not forty start acting like it!”
“That’s enough Diomedes!” Peleus shouted.
Mariah looked at me with the ferocity of a rabid wolf. I saw her lip quiver and her eyes welled up with tears and the bravado shattered leaving a hurt little girl in its place. She turned away and ran out of the building.
“Mariah wait! I‘m sorry!” I called after her but she either didn’t hear or ignored me.
“Peleus you understand why I got so mad Don’t you?”
“Actually Diomedes no I don’t. She made a joke. You’ve made jokes at her expense before and she just laughed along. I swear Diomedes you’ve changed. Ever since your sixteenth birthday you’ve become even more of a pain in the butt.” Peleus’ tone was harsh.
“I didn’t ask for accusations Peleus.” I yelled.
“No,” his voice was softer but just as bitter, “but you just caused a little girl cry. I think it’s time we start telling you.”
I stared at him for a long moment. The anger melted away and guilt washed over me. Not only was I a jerk to Mariah but also to Peleus. He had been like a father to me and I yelled at him for straightening me out.
“I’m sorry Peleus.” I said fighting back tears. I closed my eyes and felt him embrace me. It was strong but he kept away from my shoulder.
“Go set things right with Mariah.” I nodded and stepped towards the door. He grabbed my arm. “I forgive you and so will she; but Diomedes if you ever yell at she or I like that again you can be sure that no herbs will be able to heal you.” The threat was definitely real but his voice regained its hardy tone. I nodded with understanding and stepped out the door.
Mariah wasn’t too hard to find. She was sitting in a doorway a few houses away. Her knees were curled up into her chest, her arms laid folded atop of them and head buried in her lap. I walked over and sat down next to her. “I’m sorry Mariah.” she didn’t move but I heard her sniff. I figured she must have been cold so I untied my bear coat from around my neck and laid it over her shoulders. She lifted her head but didn’t look at me. I raised my hand to her chin and guided it so that I could look at her face. Her dark brown hair was a little disheveled and shielded her grey eyes. Her face was damp and her toga blotched from tears.
“I mean it. I’m really sorry.” She stared at me for a moment then fell into my arms and sob. \
In between bursts she choked out, “I-I’m sorry too- D-Diomedes.”
“Will you stop crying you’re staining my shirt?” She looked up to see if I was mad but when she saw that I wasn’t she laughed.
“I love you Diomedes.” she said.
“I love you too Mariah.”
We sat like that for a while and probably would have for the rest of the night but we had to get ready for the festival. I put on my best garments. It was a light gold colored to toga with black silk stitched patterns. It had been hand made for me as a present from Aegina on my sixteenth birthday. She had said that a man as strapping as me should not only act the part but also look it. I thanked her and set it aside for special events like tonight.
I also put on some of the gold necklaces that I had won at the games. I was never tall and I don’t suspect I ever will be. Somehow however, I always won at wrestling. I found an inner strength that burst forth from me whenever I made aggressive contact with another being. I got the nickname Diomedes “the Hydra”. I believe that it was Peleus that gave me the name. I was maybe ten and didn’t know much of the monsters of my religion so I asked what the Hydra was. Peleus told me that the Hydra was a serpent monster. It walked on all fours like a lion but had the long neck and head of a serpent. When one head was chopped off, another two grew in its place. If it kept being attacked it could have billions upon billions of heads. I liked the name.
Mariah had a lot of jewelry too. She was masterful with a bow and the archery contest came as easily to her as swimming to a fish.
I looked over at her. She was wearing her silver toga and the prized archery jewels. The toga hung loose and clung tight in all the right places. Even without makeup she looked good. Truth be told she looked drop dead gorgeous. If she wasn’t my sister I would have fancied her but she was I don’t believe in incest. “Are you ready to go?” I asked. “Yep.” she answered and walked past me. I took up her hand and walked by her side. I noticed the scented oils emanating from her skin.
“Who are you trying to impress?” I asked. “Nobody, why.” “I just smelled the oils and figured you were trying to get someone’s attention.” she laughed before she answered. “Diomedes forgive me if you think me to be acting disrespectful, but this is a festival in the honor of all of the gods. Would you wish me to smell bad and offend them with a rank odor. Ignorance can be deadly Diomedes. Keep that in mind.”
The lights of the festival were just ahead. I could hear the singing from here. We were maybe a mile away. The town of Aegina wasn’t as big as major cities like Athens or Sparta but it was a good ten square miles. Mariah and I lived near the center so it was an easy commute to anywhere in the town.
We passed under the big marble archway that they had just recently built and erected in honor of the festival and the smells of all the different food filled my nostrils. I couldn’t wait until it was time to feast; that’s always my favorite part.
“You know Diomedes; you’re probably going to have to tell your story about the bear tonight.” Mariah stated. I chuckled and scanned the crowd for one special person.
Chapter 3
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My eyes immediately fell upon their target. She wasn’t really that hard to find; you just had to look for the biggest group of boys. Somewhere near the center of the mob was Adonia.
I saw a smooth hand wedge its way in between two boys who had their backs turned towards me and push them apart revealing the source of the separation. Adonia squeezed through the now disheartened boys and looked around. Her gorgeous brown eyes passed over me then doubled back and held my gaze. After a moment she smiled and walked towards me.
It wasn’t until she giggled that I realized that I was still staring at her in that sort of dumbfounded, eyes half glazed way. I quickly pulled myself together and tried to smile. I was so nervous it was hard to conceal it.
“Diomedes?” I caught my breath.
“Y-yeah?” I choked out.
“Are you okay? Do I need to call the herbalist?”
“No I’m okay. I’ve been resting for a while and I’m already taking so many herbs that I can barely walk.”
“Are you sure? You face is really contorted and you’re sweating like a pig, it really looks like you’re in pain.” Adonia said with genuine concern. Mariah giggled next to me. She knew that I wasn’t in pain. She knew that that look was me trying to smile under all the nerves.
“I’ll leave you two alone.” Mariah said and started to walk off but Adonia grabbed her by the shoulder.
“There’s no need to leave I have to go dance anyway. I just came over to tell your brother to save a spot next to him for me at the fire tonight.” she turned to me, winked, and walked away.
I faced Mariah. She was smiling at me. “All right,” I said, “What comment do have about that?”
“None. I’m happy for you Diomedes.” she replied, “Oh, and I’m sorry to see that you’re still in pain.” she ran off into the crowd before I could rebuke.
I shrugged it off and smiled. I had promise to be better about my temper and I hold up to my promises.
I decided to partake in the games. There were many games at the festivals. Among the most watched was the Cretan bull dance. A large but stupid bull is released into the ring and a team of Bull dancers goads it then narrowly escape its horns with a graceful leap our bound. They must never harm the Bull and the moves have to be elegant, as if they and the bull were lovers. The most important person is the leaper. He had the most dangerous job. The leaper had to run up, grab the bull by the horns, and basically do a handstand. Then when the bull flicked its head up they were to jump off doing some kind of acrobatic trick, land on the bulls back, and leap off doing another trick from there. The game went on until the bull either tired or someone was gored.
I tried leaping once but the bull almost got me s I threw a big rock at its face. I was disqualified because of that no hurting the bull thing.
The sport that is watched a little more than that is the archery contest. I didn’t even try that. Mariah had it in the bag since she was seven.
The most watched sport was mine.
I passed the bull dance and saw Adonia. She was the leaper. I knew that that was what she had meant by “dancing”. In Crete the bull dance is performed by children of a small and quick nature. However the dance is performed by captured children from Athens. Its Athens payment for Minos Keeping the water pirate free. Here in Aegina it is purely for fun and festivities.
I watched Adonia do a couple of summersaults and flips off the bull. She was so elegant and perfect at it. If she was in Crete she would be the most respected person in all the land. The only problem is that the girls have to be virgins and with that rule Adonia would be out of a job.
After I admired her beauty for a few moments I moved on. A few paces down they were holding the archery contest. Mariah was already at work. She had gotten so good that she could hit directly on the center dot then split her own arrow with the second shot.
Right across from the archery was the wrestling. I was the best at the sport for years. Then when I became a teen something terrible happened. All of the kids that I wrestled grew three feet. I grew as well but not quite as much.
It was then that I found the new sport. It doesn’t really have a name so people just call it the death match or duel. The objective isn’t just to stay alive like the bull dance but it is a big part.
The opponents put on their helmets and armor. The referee draws a line in the sand. Both opponents are given a sword and lance. They each put one foot on the line; the foot is never to be moved. While keeping the foot on the line the warriors fight it out. The objective is to knock the other guy off the line. There’s no hitting below the belt or stabbing in the face, every thing else is fair game. The one exception is that you can hit the opponent in the face with the hilt of your sword.
The weapons are somewhat blunt but not safe. The game has had too many deaths to count. Only some have been accidents most were the result of blood feuds.
I instantly caught fire. Nobody could beat me. When I held the weapon in my hands It was like a surge of power raced through me. Like wrestling size is a big part. The bigger you are the harder it is to push you off; and the stronger you are the easier it is to push the other guy off. But I found myself pushing off men twice my size. Even though the mobility was limited I found an art form in narrow dodges and quick jerky stabs while they were off balance. When I was first tying to perfect my style I often misjudged the space between my dodge and the lance or sword. Because of this I often came away with the win but numerous cuts and glances.
When I arrived at the fight area I didn’t need to look to know that the first match had begun, the deafening cheers gave it away.
I moved to the front to see who it was. Aristedes and Demas were in the ring. The two brothers. Actually to be more specific they were twins but I had stopped looking at them as such. They’re attitudes though similar showed two completely different people. Aristedes was more out spoken and we talked a lot more often. Where as Demas was more outgoing and bright but it was uncommon for him to reach out and start a conversation.
I tried not to pick favorites but I can’t help liking Aristedes a bit more. It’s not that he’s so much greater it’s just that I’ve gotten to know him a little better.
As it was Aristedes had the upper hand in this match. The gashes on both sides showed that the match was close but Demas was showing signs of fatigue and Aristedes was taking advantage of it striking quick but heavy blows to the stomach with his spear. Demas’ armor held but it was obvious that he couldn’t take much more.
“Demas had no chance of winning if he doesn’t do something quick.” I said to the person next to me. Then as if he had heard me through the crowd Demas grabbed his blade from his back leaving him wide open. Aristedes took advantage of this too and delivered a powerful blow. The blow would have made Demas double over in pain on most days but he was determined not to lose.
Demas grunted and brought his blade down on the shaft of his brother’s spear. It didn’t cut the spear in half but it did create a deep gash. So deep in fact that when Aristedes stabbed at Demas’ breastplate it merely bent and snapped off.
“Crap!” yelled Aristedes as he grabbed his sword. Demas got a little payback by stabbing him in the gut with his spear.
“Demas should try using the trick move I taught him.” I said to the man next to me. Of course he didn’t hear me. Either that or he was ignoring me.
Once again as if he heard me Demas slashed downward with his sword forcing Aristedes to parry above his head revealing an open space between his breast plate and stomach armor.
Demas then used his other hand to thrust his spear in the direction of the open area. The blow wouldn’t kill Aristedes but would leave him unable to fight back as Demas pushed him off the line. But at that moment as the spear was centimeters away from his flesh Aristedes rolled his belly in and using his free hand grabbed the spear stopping its forward motion.
Demas pushed as hard as he could and the spear moved forward a little. However Demas focused completely on the task forgetting entirely about his sword. Aristedes saw this and in a last ditch effort knocked Demas’ sword away, which was still in the air, and smashed his face with the hilt of his blade.
Demas was so caught off guard by the move that he stumbled off the line holding the left side of his face.
The herbalist and priests rushed in to determine the magnitude of the wounds; standard for every match.
Aristedes waved his half of the medics away so they left to help with Demas. He tried to wave them away too but do to the injury to the face they insisted on at least a minor examination.
While they were doing that I walked over to where Aristedes was standing.
“That was a good match.” I told him.
“Yeah it was. Too good actually. When did you start giving him lessons?” he asked.
“Ha, you figured that out eh. It was spur of the moment. He had finished his chores and I was putting mine off so we decided to have a match. He wasn’t doing so well so I gave him a few pointers, that’s all.” I answered.
“Well then I suppose I’ll have to do my chores a little faster then.” he responded and we had a good laugh.
At that moment Demas forced his way through the priests and priestess’ and strutted over to where his brother and I were talking.
“Hey Diomedes thanks for the help. I almost won that time.” said Demas.
“Yeah well giving him pointers once his chores are done is all fine and good but I’d prefer you don’t coach him from the sidelines.” Aristedes added.
“What? You guys heard that?” I exclaimed.
“Yeah we have pretty good hearing.” Aristedes told me.
“Oh well… Uhm.. Sorry.” I said.
“No, no, no don’t worry about it. Infact keep it up.” Demas said grinning.
The three of us laughed for a minuet.
“So” I said, “What’s the verdict? How bad did he screw up your face?” I asked Demas. Just below the left eye it was puffy and extremely purple. The skin was slightly broken too.
“Eh, It’s not so bad. They say he might have chipped my cheek bone. It’ll hurt crazy bad for a While but it won’t amount to much appearance wise long-term.” He answered.
“Darn. I wanted to be the attractive brother.” Aristedes commented then added, “Well more than usual.”
Demas punched him in the arm.
“I’m surprised you can still talk.” I told Demas.
“Eh, we deal with pain pretty good. Besides it could be worse.” Demas looked me up and down, “Sheesh. Talk about food with a bite.”
“Yeah, tell us about that.” Aristedes asked.
“Nope. I’ll tell everyone at the fire.” I answered.
“Oh yeah, that’s right you have to impress a certain someone.” Demas said and jutted his chin towards the bull court, then he winced and grabbed his cheek.
“Serves you right.” I said.
Aristedes looked over at the arena and his face became serious. “Diomedes you’re lucky you can’t compete today. Look over there.” I did as he asked and couldn’t believe my eyes. A man stood at the edge of the arena sizing up all of the Competitors.
He had to have been nine feet tall. His skin was tan and his nails looked like they had been sharpened. He wore a battle helmet that was unlike any thing I had ever seen before. The metal engulfed his whole head and had a series of slits for his eyes and mouth. This guy was definitely not from around here.
“Holy Zeus! What is that?” I yelled. He looked at me and I lowered my eyes.
“Scary isn’t he. Claims to be from Egypt, I’ve met a couple Egyptians, the accents put on.” Aristedes told me.
I looked back at the stranger. “What could he be hiding?” I mumbled. “He got a name?” I asked not moving my eyes from the visitor.
“Claims his name is Ackbarage but I think it’s part of the act. As for what he’s hiding, could be nothing.” Aristedes answered.
“Or,” Demas added, “He could be a convict fleeing authority.”
“He could be any number of things, there’s no sense listing them all.” Aristedes said.
I looked away from Ackbarage and towards Aristedes. “Whatever he is, I think we need to keep a close watch.”
“Agreed.” they both said simultaneously.
I looked back at Ackbarage. His helmet was still facing me. I hoped he wasn’t listening to our conversation.
“The second match will begin!” the referee announced.
“Looks like I’m up.” Aristedes said and took a shaky breath.
“Aristedes that guys ten feet tall. Nobody would think you a coward if you backed out… I sure wouldn’t.” I told him.
“I would.” he answered and walked into the ring. Once inside he raised his hands in the air to pump up the crowd in a show of bravado.
The giant stranger strutted over to the ring.
“Uhm…. I’m sorry we don’t have any armor that will fit…” I heard the armory owner say.
“It’s alright I’ll be fine with just my helmet.” I heard the stranger reply. The voice was muffled through the mask but it was apparent that Aristedes was right; the accent was fake.
The armory owner made a move to protest but Ackbarage was already walking towards the line.
“Okay little man, will you give me a good fight?” he said. He spoke kind of slow like he wasn’t all there in the head.
“You bet.” Aristedes answered keeping up the brave act. I had to hand it to him, the guy had guts.
“Feet on the line!” the referee yelled.
Aristedes and Ackbarage took the mark.
“Weapons to fighters!” the referee called.
A man handed a spear and sword to Aristedes. Aristedes sheathed the blade and wielded the spear. The man tried to give the weapons to Ackbarage but he waved him off.
“Sir, you have to take the weapons.” the man said.
“Is this a rule?” Ackbarage asked.
“N-no but-”
“Then I do not have to take them. I’m accustom to the axe and if there are none available then I will have to use my hands.” Ackbarage waved the man away.
“This isn’t right! I can’t fight a weaponless man, it would be unfair!” Aristedes protested.
“Haha! I will still be more than enough for you little one!” Ackbarage laughed.
I realized that Aristedes was trying to worm his way out of the fight whilst still maintaining his honor but the stranger had just insulted him, so Aristedes had no choice but to fight.
“Fight!” yelled the referee.
The two squared off. Aristedes jabbed his spear at Ackbarage’s mid section, obviously testing his reaction speed. The tip came within a centimeter from his flesh before Ackbarage knocked it away with the palm of his hand.
Ackbarage definitely had the strength but Aristedes was much faster.
Aristedes jabbed twice more then, connection, right in the stomach.
“yessssss!” I couldn’t help hissing under my breath, but my joy was soon replaced by horror. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The spear tip shattered. The whole section that should have been imbedded in Ackbarage stomach had smashed against his skin, as if he were made of stone rather than flesh.
I swore I saw him smirking through the mouth slits.
The crowd which just seconds ago was roaring was now silent. I couldn’t even hear them breathing.
The look on Aristedes face was that of pure unadulterated shock. However he managed to pull his sword and strike. This time Ackbarage met the blow head on with a punch.
Like the spear the sword shattered to pieces.
“Now comes the fun part.” Ackbarage taunted.
Without taking his toes off the line Ackbarage moved his enormous foot so that his heel was crushing Aristedes entire foot.
“I can’t have you running away.” scolded Ackbarage as he reared back his fist. Then he thrusted it forward colliding with Aristedes’ face. The force was so strong that it sent Aristedes flying backward, but the way Ackbarage was pinning his foot caused Aristedes to jerk back. I heard a snap and he slunk to the ground.
“He can’t do that!” I screamed.
I glanced over at Demas. His injured jaw was clenched and his fists were balled up so tight that they were completely white. His whole body was rigid and his dark brown eyes burned with fiery hatred.
“We have to do something!” I yelled. There was no reply. He just watched in pain as Ackbarage picked his brother off the ground by the hair with his left hand and commenced beating him with his right. With every blow came a sickening crunch and blood curling shriek.
“I can’t keep watching this,” I growled, “I’m stepping in to help.”
I made a move to step forward but a hand gripped my upper arm.
I jerked my head around and saw that the hand belonged to Demas.
“We can’t,” he hissed through clenched teeth, “I know my brother, he’d rather die than have someone have to save him.” His eyes were so full of emotion that they were near unbearable to look at.
“But if we don’t help he will die!” I retorted.
“It doesn’t matter. He’s to full of pride. Now stand here and pray that he survives, that’s all we can do.”
He released my arm and faced the arena again.
Ackbarage still had his left arm on Aristedes’ head. He used that to tilt it to the side. He then grabbed Aristedes upper arm and began pulling it slowly away from the socket.
Aristedes screamed louder than ever before then stopped and went completely limp. He had reached his pain capacity and passed out.
“Already? I thought you were going to give me a fight? People these days just don‘t know how to live up to their words.” Ackbarage said and lifted his heel off Aristedes foot. He back handed him across the face and released his grip on his hair. Aristedes flew a couple feet and landed bleeding on the ground.
Demas and I rushed the arena faster than the paramedics. We knelt down and to examine him but the paramedics pushed us away.
I look over my shoulder to see Ackbarage raise his arms at the crowds in the same fashion Aristedes did at the beginning of the match, unlike with Aristedes the crowd stayed silent.
“Is he going to be alright?” Demas asked one of the paramedics as they lifted him onto the deer skin stretcher.
“He has multiple broken bones in his face and jaw, his ribs have been crushed to powder , and his spine is snapped in three pieces. But he’s a fighter and it looks like he will live but he’ll be completely paralyzed and due to multiple concussions he may never wake up.” the paramedic answered in an uninterested tone.
“Oh my god….” I whispered.
I watched Demas fight back the tears. A woman with dark brown eyes and thinning black hair ran into the arena wailing. Demas stood and embraced his mother. She wept in his arms and he stood there like a statue.
Meanwhile Ackbarage was still enjoying his victory. All other participants had withdrawn their name from the game making Ackbarage the victor by default.
Just then I felt a soft hand on my shoulder. I turned and faced my sister.
“I heard what happened.” she said, “Diomedes what he did was wrong, and he’ll be punished for it in the underworld soon enough, but please, please, Diomedes don’t try to get revenge. Diomedes you’re all I have. Don’t risk me losing you….please….”
I stared into her grey eyes for a long moment then answered, “Alright I won’t… But Mariah, if he so much as breathes on one more person here, by the gods I will kill him.”
_____________________________________________
“Diomedes…Diomedes wake up!” I heard a voice. Soft and sweet, that of a young girls. But the words were hard to make out. It was as if I were submerged in water.
“Diomedes get up! What have you gone deaf! I know you can here me boy!” This was a man’s voice. It was deep and rough. I wanted to answer them but it felt like a blanket of darkness lay heavily on my body, disabling movement and pressing so hard on my lungs that I couldn’t speak. “Oh well Mariah. Guess he’ll have to miss out on the Mizithra cheese and festivities of the festival tonight.”
That brought me to. The water that rendered me helpless turned to glass and I lunged through it. It shattered and brought immense pain to my entire body but it wasn’t enough to keep me asleep. I made a week groaning sound as the entirety of the pain set in. “Knew that would wake ‘em up.” The gruff voice said confidently.
“Diomedes you’re so predictable! I can’t wake you but mention food and there’s no stopping what you could do you.” this was the girls voice who I now recognized to be Mariah’s, only now it had a much harsher tone.
“Urhhg” I groaned again. I wanted to be back in the water. It soothed my wounds that I now recognized to be from the bear and not the glass.
“By the way Diomedes,” this was Mariah again but her voice had made a complete one-eighty. She sounded sorrowful. It was like the voices of the priest when he has to tell a mother that her child is dead, “I-I’m sorry to have to tell you this but,” she paused, I had not yet opened my eyes but I could feel her staring at me, “Y-you don’t have one of your legs. We think the bear might have done it.”
I opened my eyes and shot forward into the sitting position. I looked at my legs. They were both there. I heard Mariah giggle next to me. How dare she! How dare she trick me like that! That insolent girl!
I should have taught her a lesson she would never forget but I suddenly felt what I thought to be a lance run through my left shoulder. I felt my eyes widen in shock and I gasped for air. I heard a bone chilling shriek; one close to that of a woman giving birth and was quite ashamed when I came to realize it was me. I grabbed at my shoulder but all I got was a handful of bandages.
“Heh, yah you did quite a number on that shoulder of yours.” this was the man whom I recognized to be Peleus. He clasped me on my other shoulder with his enormous hand. I held in another scream. What was wrong with this one! I looked at my shoulder and found it slashed from the top all the way to my ribs on the opposite side of my body.
I had remembered the bear but now every detail flooded back. Everything from the first arrow to the kill. I couldn’t remember getting back though; and even if I had somehow stumbled into town there was no way I could have dragged the bear with me. “Where’s my bear!?” I asked. I swear if I had done all that for nothing and my bear was out in the forest rotting away to nothing or worse being devoured by vultures I would flip.
“Hahaha! I love this kid. For all he knows his wounds could be fatal and his biggest concern is the bear!” he let out another burst of laughter. I had seen this man be jabbed in the sides with lances and nicked all over with axes and he never shed a tear; but know after I asked a perfectly legitimate question he was flowing from the eyes like waterfalls; practically rolling on the floor with laughter. After he regained control of himself to a degree he answered. “Yes Diomedes your bear is fine.” He chuckled heartily for a few more seconds he continued, “It got late and Mariah’s was worried. Her instincts have never been wrong so we put together a little search party. You weren’t far off but by the time we got there you were face down practically floating in your own blood! We turned you over and saw that nice little gash you’ve got there and feared that it had punctured the heart. So we brought you to Apollo’s priestess, you know Amedilia right? Well at any rate she said that it was deep but not so far as the heart. She said that the it was a clean cut and that the worst of your problems was your shoulder. However she did say that if we hadn’t got there when we did you would be dead from blood loss. You are Quite the lucky boy- sorry ‘man’.”
I was happy that he corrected himself. I was very touchy about being called a boy. Seventeen is hardly a boy. “I can see that I’m going to live Peleus. I feel bad not deathly ill. Now how about answering my question; where is my bear.” I said growing impatient. Since awakening I put up with his laughter and now this story. In all truthfulness that would have been my next question but he should have waited for me to ask.
“Right,” he said, “your bear. As much as I would have liked to let you skin your first big kill yourself you slept too long and the meat was going to spoil so I did it for you. The meat is being kept” ‘What!’ I thought to myself, ‘the skinning of the beast was a right of passage. I understand where he’s coming from but come on!’ I caught myself making a face and quickly recomposed it but Mariah was to perceptive and called me out.
“Diomedes don’t be such a baby! I swear if your brain was half as big as your pride you would give Aristotle a run for his money.”
I drew in a deep breath and shut my eyes. It was best to ignore such comments from Mariah. Getting in a battle of wits with her was like dousing a fire without a drop of water. I rolled my head gingerly then reached out my hand. Peleus grabbed it and pulled me to my feet. My head spun and I felt like throwing up.
“Urgh,” I groaned, “Why do I feel sick?”
“Don’t be stupid,” Mariah answered, “The herbs. They’re very powerful.” I just love how she acts like I should know everything just because.
Peleus let go of my hand and I started to stumble backwards. I hadn’t realized that I had been relying on him to balance me so much. He snatched me just before I hit the ground and pulled me to my feet again. He had one hand to my back and the other grasping my arm.
“Are we going to be okay or should I keep holding on?” I didn’t like his tone. It wasn’t genuine concern; more sarcasm than anything.
“I’m fine.” I replied being as curt as possible.
“If you say so.” he said smiling and let go. I swayed but steadied before he could jump in to help.
I smiled. Mission accomplished. Now I needed to walk. I took a step forward and nearly fell over. “Damn herbs.” I murmured. I herd Peleus chuckle. As much as I admired and looked up to the guy he was really starting to get on my nerves.
My relationship with Peleus came easy. He was a big burly man with broad shoulders and strong arms. He wore his long black hair tied back and shaved his thick beard into a triangle. I had been bragging about the peach fuzz that was just starting to grow out on my face for a while but was shamed into silence whenever he entered the room. Peleus in my opinion was the pinnacle of manliness. Everything from his massive frame to his booming voice. The thing that I admired him most for though was his incredulously beautiful wife.
Her name was Maia and she couldn’t have been more beautiful if Aphrodite herself had given birth to her. Her thick brown hair flowed down to her midriff and her toga hung loose around her high round breasts. I often found myself dreaming about her but cast the thoughts aside. It felt wrong. Not only was she the wife of my friend but she didn’t have the presence of mortal woman. She was like a goddess and it is unwise to dream of goddess’. She spoke very articulately and was always nice to me.
I remember one night when I was eight or nine years of age I stood outside their window. As they spoke I noticed that Peleus kept calling her Thetis instead of Maia. They began to speak lovers talk and being of such a young and immature age I couldn’t help giggling. They stopped talking and I knew I had been found out so I fled the scene. The next day I had a combat lesson with him and afterwards he drew me close and said that he knew it was me that spied upon his house. There was no point in denying it so I asked why he was referring to Maia by the name of Thetis. For a moment he looked pained then let out a round of laughter. He told me that was just his nickname for her but not to call her that or tell anyone else of the name because it was a secret name between lovers. I thought there was something untruthful about that but since he was nice enough not to beat me for trespassing I questioned him no further and obeyed is wishes by not telling anyone Maia’s name.
I took a few wobbly steps forward shaking off the nausea. I had been in bed to long and I felt weak with hunger. My wounds were definitely stiff as were my joints. I stumbled outside.
It felt cold now that I was out of the hearth’s range. My breathe misted in front if me and the grass crunched under my feet. I didn’t know were exactly I was walking to. I just needed to walk somewhere. I heard other footsteps behind me as Mariah and Peleus followed. I wanted to tell them to get lost but they were just being nice so I held my tongue. I don’t know why I felt so bitter. I suppose I was just grouchy. Too much sleep can be just as bad as too little.
I had just been following my feet and didn’t notice where they had taken me until I heard Peleus stifle another laugh. I was standing in the doorway of the storehouse. I pushed the door open and immediately laid eyes upon the bear’s meat. In the summer it would have rotted in a day but the cold was keeping it fresh. Above it was the object that I had subconsciously been searching for, the fur.
The fur on the legs and underbelly were gone but the back, arms, and head was still intact. The jaw was missing and the holes where the eyes had been widened. I picked it off the nail that it hung on and threw it over my shoulders wincing when it fell upon my left. I tied the arms loosely around my neck and flipped the head over mine like a hood. The eyes were a little high and the nozzle slightly covered my mouth but it was nothing that couldn’t be fixed. I flipped the hood back. It was heavy but warm.
“It’s a fair kill Diomedes.” Peleus said. Mariah was nodding her head in agreement. He continued, “Actually it’s a pretty good one. I could barely kill one with a group of elders when I was your age never mind alone. You’ve become the talk of the town around here of late. Some of the girls are starting to take you seriously. Even Adonia wants to accompany you to the festival tonight.”
“That’s true,” Mariah added, “she’s visited your bedside a couple of times.”
With the exception of Maia; Adonia was the most gorgeous girl in the village. She was only a year younger than me and I had had a crush on her since I was ten. She had deep brown eyes and hair of black silk. Her cheeks easily reddened and her figure put the other girls to shame. She developed at a young age and has had as many suitors as a bird has feathers. I was never one of them.
I had thought that I was invisible to Adonia. So when Peleus told me she was actually considering me never mind visiting me I could have jumped up and down with joy.
I contained myself from jumping because I would have looked foolish and it would have hurt. I did however allowed myself to smile.
“Look what we did,” Mariah chided, “this is going to go straight to his head. I think I can actually see it inflating as we speak” Mariah was really getting on my last nerves. I just came out of a coma-like sleep and she was already making jokes. I couldn’t keep the good feeling and found myself screaming at her.
“Mariah! Will you just shut up! I’ve had it with you! You’re fourteen not forty start acting like it!”
“That’s enough Diomedes!” Peleus shouted.
Mariah looked at me with the ferocity of a rabid wolf. I saw her lip quiver and her eyes welled up with tears and the bravado shattered leaving a hurt little girl in its place. She turned away and ran out of the building.
“Mariah wait! I‘m sorry!” I called after her but she either didn’t hear or ignored me.
“Peleus you understand why I got so mad Don’t you?”
“Actually Diomedes no I don’t. She made a joke. You’ve made jokes at her expense before and she just laughed along. I swear Diomedes you’ve changed. Ever since your sixteenth birthday you’ve become even more of a pain in the butt.” Peleus’ tone was harsh.
“I didn’t ask for accusations Peleus.” I yelled.
“No,” his voice was softer but just as bitter, “but you just caused a little girl cry. I think it’s time we start telling you.”
I stared at him for a long moment. The anger melted away and guilt washed over me. Not only was I a jerk to Mariah but also to Peleus. He had been like a father to me and I yelled at him for straightening me out.
“I’m sorry Peleus.” I said fighting back tears. I closed my eyes and felt him embrace me. It was strong but he kept away from my shoulder.
“Go set things right with Mariah.” I nodded and stepped towards the door. He grabbed my arm. “I forgive you and so will she; but Diomedes if you ever yell at she or I like that again you can be sure that no herbs will be able to heal you.” The threat was definitely real but his voice regained its hardy tone. I nodded with understanding and stepped out the door.
Mariah wasn’t too hard to find. She was sitting in a doorway a few houses away. Her knees were curled up into her chest, her arms laid folded atop of them and head buried in her lap. I walked over and sat down next to her. “I’m sorry Mariah.” she didn’t move but I heard her sniff. I figured she must have been cold so I untied my bear coat from around my neck and laid it over her shoulders. She lifted her head but didn’t look at me. I raised my hand to her chin and guided it so that I could look at her face. Her dark brown hair was a little disheveled and shielded her grey eyes. Her face was damp and her toga blotched from tears.
“I mean it. I’m really sorry.” She stared at me for a moment then fell into my arms and sob. \
In between bursts she choked out, “I-I’m sorry too- D-Diomedes.”
“Will you stop crying you’re staining my shirt?” She looked up to see if I was mad but when she saw that I wasn’t she laughed.
“I love you Diomedes.” she said.
“I love you too Mariah.”
We sat like that for a while and probably would have for the rest of the night but we had to get ready for the festival. I put on my best garments. It was a light gold colored to toga with black silk stitched patterns. It had been hand made for me as a present from Aegina on my sixteenth birthday. She had said that a man as strapping as me should not only act the part but also look it. I thanked her and set it aside for special events like tonight.
I also put on some of the gold necklaces that I had won at the games. I was never tall and I don’t suspect I ever will be. Somehow however, I always won at wrestling. I found an inner strength that burst forth from me whenever I made aggressive contact with another being. I got the nickname Diomedes “the Hydra”. I believe that it was Peleus that gave me the name. I was maybe ten and didn’t know much of the monsters of my religion so I asked what the Hydra was. Peleus told me that the Hydra was a serpent monster. It walked on all fours like a lion but had the long neck and head of a serpent. When one head was chopped off, another two grew in its place. If it kept being attacked it could have billions upon billions of heads. I liked the name.
Mariah had a lot of jewelry too. She was masterful with a bow and the archery contest came as easily to her as swimming to a fish.
I looked over at her. She was wearing her silver toga and the prized archery jewels. The toga hung loose and clung tight in all the right places. Even without makeup she looked good. Truth be told she looked drop dead gorgeous. If she wasn’t my sister I would have fancied her but she was I don’t believe in incest. “Are you ready to go?” I asked. “Yep.” she answered and walked past me. I took up her hand and walked by her side. I noticed the scented oils emanating from her skin.
“Who are you trying to impress?” I asked. “Nobody, why.” “I just smelled the oils and figured you were trying to get someone’s attention.” she laughed before she answered. “Diomedes forgive me if you think me to be acting disrespectful, but this is a festival in the honor of all of the gods. Would you wish me to smell bad and offend them with a rank odor. Ignorance can be deadly Diomedes. Keep that in mind.”
The lights of the festival were just ahead. I could hear the singing from here. We were maybe a mile away. The town of Aegina wasn’t as big as major cities like Athens or Sparta but it was a good ten square miles. Mariah and I lived near the center so it was an easy commute to anywhere in the town.
We passed under the big marble archway that they had just recently built and erected in honor of the festival and the smells of all the different food filled my nostrils. I couldn’t wait until it was time to feast; that’s always my favorite part.
“You know Diomedes; you’re probably going to have to tell your story about the bear tonight.” Mariah stated. I chuckled and scanned the crowd for one special person.
Chapter 3
_____________________________________________
My eyes immediately fell upon their target. She wasn’t really that hard to find; you just had to look for the biggest group of boys. Somewhere near the center of the mob was Adonia.
I saw a smooth hand wedge its way in between two boys who had their backs turned towards me and push them apart revealing the source of the separation. Adonia squeezed through the now disheartened boys and looked around. Her gorgeous brown eyes passed over me then doubled back and held my gaze. After a moment she smiled and walked towards me.
It wasn’t until she giggled that I realized that I was still staring at her in that sort of dumbfounded, eyes half glazed way. I quickly pulled myself together and tried to smile. I was so nervous it was hard to conceal it.
“Diomedes?” I caught my breath.
“Y-yeah?” I choked out.
“Are you okay? Do I need to call the herbalist?”
“No I’m okay. I’ve been resting for a while and I’m already taking so many herbs that I can barely walk.”
“Are you sure? You face is really contorted and you’re sweating like a pig, it really looks like you’re in pain.” Adonia said with genuine concern. Mariah giggled next to me. She knew that I wasn’t in pain. She knew that that look was me trying to smile under all the nerves.
“I’ll leave you two alone.” Mariah said and started to walk off but Adonia grabbed her by the shoulder.
“There’s no need to leave I have to go dance anyway. I just came over to tell your brother to save a spot next to him for me at the fire tonight.” she turned to me, winked, and walked away.
I faced Mariah. She was smiling at me. “All right,” I said, “What comment do have about that?”
“None. I’m happy for you Diomedes.” she replied, “Oh, and I’m sorry to see that you’re still in pain.” she ran off into the crowd before I could rebuke.
I shrugged it off and smiled. I had promise to be better about my temper and I hold up to my promises.
I decided to partake in the games. There were many games at the festivals. Among the most watched was the Cretan bull dance. A large but stupid bull is released into the ring and a team of Bull dancers goads it then narrowly escape its horns with a graceful leap our bound. They must never harm the Bull and the moves have to be elegant, as if they and the bull were lovers. The most important person is the leaper. He had the most dangerous job. The leaper had to run up, grab the bull by the horns, and basically do a handstand. Then when the bull flicked its head up they were to jump off doing some kind of acrobatic trick, land on the bulls back, and leap off doing another trick from there. The game went on until the bull either tired or someone was gored.
I tried leaping once but the bull almost got me s I threw a big rock at its face. I was disqualified because of that no hurting the bull thing.
The sport that is watched a little more than that is the archery contest. I didn’t even try that. Mariah had it in the bag since she was seven.
The most watched sport was mine.
I passed the bull dance and saw Adonia. She was the leaper. I knew that that was what she had meant by “dancing”. In Crete the bull dance is performed by children of a small and quick nature. However the dance is performed by captured children from Athens. Its Athens payment for Minos Keeping the water pirate free. Here in Aegina it is purely for fun and festivities.
I watched Adonia do a couple of summersaults and flips off the bull. She was so elegant and perfect at it. If she was in Crete she would be the most respected person in all the land. The only problem is that the girls have to be virgins and with that rule Adonia would be out of a job.
After I admired her beauty for a few moments I moved on. A few paces down they were holding the archery contest. Mariah was already at work. She had gotten so good that she could hit directly on the center dot then split her own arrow with the second shot.
Right across from the archery was the wrestling. I was the best at the sport for years. Then when I became a teen something terrible happened. All of the kids that I wrestled grew three feet. I grew as well but not quite as much.
It was then that I found the new sport. It doesn’t really have a name so people just call it the death match or duel. The objective isn’t just to stay alive like the bull dance but it is a big part.
The opponents put on their helmets and armor. The referee draws a line in the sand. Both opponents are given a sword and lance. They each put one foot on the line; the foot is never to be moved. While keeping the foot on the line the warriors fight it out. The objective is to knock the other guy off the line. There’s no hitting below the belt or stabbing in the face, every thing else is fair game. The one exception is that you can hit the opponent in the face with the hilt of your sword.
The weapons are somewhat blunt but not safe. The game has had too many deaths to count. Only some have been accidents most were the result of blood feuds.
I instantly caught fire. Nobody could beat me. When I held the weapon in my hands It was like a surge of power raced through me. Like wrestling size is a big part. The bigger you are the harder it is to push you off; and the stronger you are the easier it is to push the other guy off. But I found myself pushing off men twice my size. Even though the mobility was limited I found an art form in narrow dodges and quick jerky stabs while they were off balance. When I was first tying to perfect my style I often misjudged the space between my dodge and the lance or sword. Because of this I often came away with the win but numerous cuts and glances.
When I arrived at the fight area I didn’t need to look to know that the first match had begun, the deafening cheers gave it away.
I moved to the front to see who it was. Aristedes and Demas were in the ring. The two brothers. Actually to be more specific they were twins but I had stopped looking at them as such. They’re attitudes though similar showed two completely different people. Aristedes was more out spoken and we talked a lot more often. Where as Demas was more outgoing and bright but it was uncommon for him to reach out and start a conversation.
I tried not to pick favorites but I can’t help liking Aristedes a bit more. It’s not that he’s so much greater it’s just that I’ve gotten to know him a little better.
As it was Aristedes had the upper hand in this match. The gashes on both sides showed that the match was close but Demas was showing signs of fatigue and Aristedes was taking advantage of it striking quick but heavy blows to the stomach with his spear. Demas’ armor held but it was obvious that he couldn’t take much more.
“Demas had no chance of winning if he doesn’t do something quick.” I said to the person next to me. Then as if he had heard me through the crowd Demas grabbed his blade from his back leaving him wide open. Aristedes took advantage of this too and delivered a powerful blow. The blow would have made Demas double over in pain on most days but he was determined not to lose.
Demas grunted and brought his blade down on the shaft of his brother’s spear. It didn’t cut the spear in half but it did create a deep gash. So deep in fact that when Aristedes stabbed at Demas’ breastplate it merely bent and snapped off.
“Crap!” yelled Aristedes as he grabbed his sword. Demas got a little payback by stabbing him in the gut with his spear.
“Demas should try using the trick move I taught him.” I said to the man next to me. Of course he didn’t hear me. Either that or he was ignoring me.
Once again as if he heard me Demas slashed downward with his sword forcing Aristedes to parry above his head revealing an open space between his breast plate and stomach armor.
Demas then used his other hand to thrust his spear in the direction of the open area. The blow wouldn’t kill Aristedes but would leave him unable to fight back as Demas pushed him off the line. But at that moment as the spear was centimeters away from his flesh Aristedes rolled his belly in and using his free hand grabbed the spear stopping its forward motion.
Demas pushed as hard as he could and the spear moved forward a little. However Demas focused completely on the task forgetting entirely about his sword. Aristedes saw this and in a last ditch effort knocked Demas’ sword away, which was still in the air, and smashed his face with the hilt of his blade.
Demas was so caught off guard by the move that he stumbled off the line holding the left side of his face.
The herbalist and priests rushed in to determine the magnitude of the wounds; standard for every match.
Aristedes waved his half of the medics away so they left to help with Demas. He tried to wave them away too but do to the injury to the face they insisted on at least a minor examination.
While they were doing that I walked over to where Aristedes was standing.
“That was a good match.” I told him.
“Yeah it was. Too good actually. When did you start giving him lessons?” he asked.
“Ha, you figured that out eh. It was spur of the moment. He had finished his chores and I was putting mine off so we decided to have a match. He wasn’t doing so well so I gave him a few pointers, that’s all.” I answered.
“Well then I suppose I’ll have to do my chores a little faster then.” he responded and we had a good laugh.
At that moment Demas forced his way through the priests and priestess’ and strutted over to where his brother and I were talking.
“Hey Diomedes thanks for the help. I almost won that time.” said Demas.
“Yeah well giving him pointers once his chores are done is all fine and good but I’d prefer you don’t coach him from the sidelines.” Aristedes added.
“What? You guys heard that?” I exclaimed.
“Yeah we have pretty good hearing.” Aristedes told me.
“Oh well… Uhm.. Sorry.” I said.
“No, no, no don’t worry about it. Infact keep it up.” Demas said grinning.
The three of us laughed for a minuet.
“So” I said, “What’s the verdict? How bad did he screw up your face?” I asked Demas. Just below the left eye it was puffy and extremely purple. The skin was slightly broken too.
“Eh, It’s not so bad. They say he might have chipped my cheek bone. It’ll hurt crazy bad for a While but it won’t amount to much appearance wise long-term.” He answered.
“Darn. I wanted to be the attractive brother.” Aristedes commented then added, “Well more than usual.”
Demas punched him in the arm.
“I’m surprised you can still talk.” I told Demas.
“Eh, we deal with pain pretty good. Besides it could be worse.” Demas looked me up and down, “Sheesh. Talk about food with a bite.”
“Yeah, tell us about that.” Aristedes asked.
“Nope. I’ll tell everyone at the fire.” I answered.
“Oh yeah, that’s right you have to impress a certain someone.” Demas said and jutted his chin towards the bull court, then he winced and grabbed his cheek.
“Serves you right.” I said.
Aristedes looked over at the arena and his face became serious. “Diomedes you’re lucky you can’t compete today. Look over there.” I did as he asked and couldn’t believe my eyes. A man stood at the edge of the arena sizing up all of the Competitors.
He had to have been nine feet tall. His skin was tan and his nails looked like they had been sharpened. He wore a battle helmet that was unlike any thing I had ever seen before. The metal engulfed his whole head and had a series of slits for his eyes and mouth. This guy was definitely not from around here.
“Holy Zeus! What is that?” I yelled. He looked at me and I lowered my eyes.
“Scary isn’t he. Claims to be from Egypt, I’ve met a couple Egyptians, the accents put on.” Aristedes told me.
I looked back at the stranger. “What could he be hiding?” I mumbled. “He got a name?” I asked not moving my eyes from the visitor.
“Claims his name is Ackbarage but I think it’s part of the act. As for what he’s hiding, could be nothing.” Aristedes answered.
“Or,” Demas added, “He could be a convict fleeing authority.”
“He could be any number of things, there’s no sense listing them all.” Aristedes said.
I looked away from Ackbarage and towards Aristedes. “Whatever he is, I think we need to keep a close watch.”
“Agreed.” they both said simultaneously.
I looked back at Ackbarage. His helmet was still facing me. I hoped he wasn’t listening to our conversation.
“The second match will begin!” the referee announced.
“Looks like I’m up.” Aristedes said and took a shaky breath.
“Aristedes that guys ten feet tall. Nobody would think you a coward if you backed out… I sure wouldn’t.” I told him.
“I would.” he answered and walked into the ring. Once inside he raised his hands in the air to pump up the crowd in a show of bravado.
The giant stranger strutted over to the ring.
“Uhm…. I’m sorry we don’t have any armor that will fit…” I heard the armory owner say.
“It’s alright I’ll be fine with just my helmet.” I heard the stranger reply. The voice was muffled through the mask but it was apparent that Aristedes was right; the accent was fake.
The armory owner made a move to protest but Ackbarage was already walking towards the line.
“Okay little man, will you give me a good fight?” he said. He spoke kind of slow like he wasn’t all there in the head.
“You bet.” Aristedes answered keeping up the brave act. I had to hand it to him, the guy had guts.
“Feet on the line!” the referee yelled.
Aristedes and Ackbarage took the mark.
“Weapons to fighters!” the referee called.
A man handed a spear and sword to Aristedes. Aristedes sheathed the blade and wielded the spear. The man tried to give the weapons to Ackbarage but he waved him off.
“Sir, you have to take the weapons.” the man said.
“Is this a rule?” Ackbarage asked.
“N-no but-”
“Then I do not have to take them. I’m accustom to the axe and if there are none available then I will have to use my hands.” Ackbarage waved the man away.
“This isn’t right! I can’t fight a weaponless man, it would be unfair!” Aristedes protested.
“Haha! I will still be more than enough for you little one!” Ackbarage laughed.
I realized that Aristedes was trying to worm his way out of the fight whilst still maintaining his honor but the stranger had just insulted him, so Aristedes had no choice but to fight.
“Fight!” yelled the referee.
The two squared off. Aristedes jabbed his spear at Ackbarage’s mid section, obviously testing his reaction speed. The tip came within a centimeter from his flesh before Ackbarage knocked it away with the palm of his hand.
Ackbarage definitely had the strength but Aristedes was much faster.
Aristedes jabbed twice more then, connection, right in the stomach.
“yessssss!” I couldn’t help hissing under my breath, but my joy was soon replaced by horror. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The spear tip shattered. The whole section that should have been imbedded in Ackbarage stomach had smashed against his skin, as if he were made of stone rather than flesh.
I swore I saw him smirking through the mouth slits.
The crowd which just seconds ago was roaring was now silent. I couldn’t even hear them breathing.
The look on Aristedes face was that of pure unadulterated shock. However he managed to pull his sword and strike. This time Ackbarage met the blow head on with a punch.
Like the spear the sword shattered to pieces.
“Now comes the fun part.” Ackbarage taunted.
Without taking his toes off the line Ackbarage moved his enormous foot so that his heel was crushing Aristedes entire foot.
“I can’t have you running away.” scolded Ackbarage as he reared back his fist. Then he thrusted it forward colliding with Aristedes’ face. The force was so strong that it sent Aristedes flying backward, but the way Ackbarage was pinning his foot caused Aristedes to jerk back. I heard a snap and he slunk to the ground.
“He can’t do that!” I screamed.
I glanced over at Demas. His injured jaw was clenched and his fists were balled up so tight that they were completely white. His whole body was rigid and his dark brown eyes burned with fiery hatred.
“We have to do something!” I yelled. There was no reply. He just watched in pain as Ackbarage picked his brother off the ground by the hair with his left hand and commenced beating him with his right. With every blow came a sickening crunch and blood curling shriek.
“I can’t keep watching this,” I growled, “I’m stepping in to help.”
I made a move to step forward but a hand gripped my upper arm.
I jerked my head around and saw that the hand belonged to Demas.
“We can’t,” he hissed through clenched teeth, “I know my brother, he’d rather die than have someone have to save him.” His eyes were so full of emotion that they were near unbearable to look at.
“But if we don’t help he will die!” I retorted.
“It doesn’t matter. He’s to full of pride. Now stand here and pray that he survives, that’s all we can do.”
He released my arm and faced the arena again.
Ackbarage still had his left arm on Aristedes’ head. He used that to tilt it to the side. He then grabbed Aristedes upper arm and began pulling it slowly away from the socket.
Aristedes screamed louder than ever before then stopped and went completely limp. He had reached his pain capacity and passed out.
“Already? I thought you were going to give me a fight? People these days just don‘t know how to live up to their words.” Ackbarage said and lifted his heel off Aristedes foot. He back handed him across the face and released his grip on his hair. Aristedes flew a couple feet and landed bleeding on the ground.
Demas and I rushed the arena faster than the paramedics. We knelt down and to examine him but the paramedics pushed us away.
I look over my shoulder to see Ackbarage raise his arms at the crowds in the same fashion Aristedes did at the beginning of the match, unlike with Aristedes the crowd stayed silent.
“Is he going to be alright?” Demas asked one of the paramedics as they lifted him onto the deer skin stretcher.
“He has multiple broken bones in his face and jaw, his ribs have been crushed to powder , and his spine is snapped in three pieces. But he’s a fighter and it looks like he will live but he’ll be completely paralyzed and due to multiple concussions he may never wake up.” the paramedic answered in an uninterested tone.
“Oh my god….” I whispered.
I watched Demas fight back the tears. A woman with dark brown eyes and thinning black hair ran into the arena wailing. Demas stood and embraced his mother. She wept in his arms and he stood there like a statue.
Meanwhile Ackbarage was still enjoying his victory. All other participants had withdrawn their name from the game making Ackbarage the victor by default.
Just then I felt a soft hand on my shoulder. I turned and faced my sister.
“I heard what happened.” she said, “Diomedes what he did was wrong, and he’ll be punished for it in the underworld soon enough, but please, please, Diomedes don’t try to get revenge. Diomedes you’re all I have. Don’t risk me losing you….please….”
I stared into her grey eyes for a long moment then answered, “Alright I won’t… But Mariah, if he so much as breathes on one more person here, by the gods I will kill him.”
Chapter 4
__________________
With all the drama concerning Aristedes I hardly realized that the bonfire was beginning. It took Mariah literally grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me towards the center of town, to bring me out of my silent thought.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming. You can let go.” I told her and she released her grip.
After she let go I once again withdrew into my thoughts but kept my feet moving.
I just kept replaying the match over and over again in my mind, trying to figure out why Ackbarage would have done that. Aristedes and him weren’t feuding, hell they didn’t even know each other! So then why, why would Ackbarage do it unless……
“Mariah.”
“Yes Diomedes?”
“Do you think that Ackbarage tortured Aristedes like that… for fun?” I asked.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that and the only logical explanation is exactly that…. I’m telling you, there are some sick people out there.”
“Yeah… Mariah this doesn’t feel right. how can I celebrate when a friend is so close to death?” I asked my voice sad but my fists beginning to ball up with rage.
“You just have to. This festival isn’t about you it’s-”
“About the gods. I know." I moaned cutting her off.
We reached the fire. Some people were dancing, others were praying, and still others were talking.
I sat on a fallen log and baked in the warm orange glow of the flames, Mariah on the other hand went off to pray and pay homage to the gods.
I closed my eyes and put my head in my hands. The day had been long and mentally exhausting. My wounds were starting to stiffen again and hurt, and I just wanted to go to sleep.
I felt someone sit down next to me and assumed it was Mariah. A satin smooth hand rested itself on my thigh, and the smell of sweet expensive body oils filled my senses.
I knew now that it wasn’t Mariah. I lifted my head and peered into Cocoa brown eyes.
“Hello Diomedes.” Said a voice as beautiful as wind chimes.
“Oh, uhm, hi Adonia.” I responded.
I was beginning to get tired of not being able to speak right when she was around. I decided I’d just have to do better from now on.
“Diomedes I heard about your friend. That’s so sad. Is he going to be okay?” she asked
I was about to give her whole story when I felt her move the hand on my thigh in a smooth seductive rubbing motion back and forth. I decided the short version would suffice.
“He’s in a coma,” I said, “They say he wont die but there’s a possibility that he’ll never wake up and if he does wake up chances are that he’ll be paralyzed.” I told her feeling the emotional pain rise and swell within me.
“That’s so sad. I’m sorry.” She said and leaned into me sideways. I felt her body pressed against mine and it felt good, it felt right. Then she rested her head on my shoulder. My left shoulder.
I held in a yelp as the searing pain blazed under my skin. Even the wisps of silky black hair felt like tons of burning coals.
Adonia looked up at my face, which was contorted with pain, and with a sudden look of recognition jerked her entire body away from me.
“Oh my gods! I am so sorry Diomedes. Please I didn’t mean to hurt you.” She said with genuine hurt.
“It’s okay, I just get sudden bursts of pain, it had nothing to do with you.” I lied.
She gave me a look like she was still unsure.
“I mean it,” I reassured, “you can come back.” I told her. The pain was excruciating but to feel her smooth perfect body against mine was too wonderful to give up.
She giggled and I realized that it almost sounded like I was pleading.
She came back over and did the same as before. Once again I felt the horrible pain but this time saved face.
She looked up and I tried to smile. She seemed to buy it and looked back at the fire.
“So,” she said, “are you going to tell me what happened with the bear?”
“Ah, you’re going to have to wait until story time for that.” I replied.
She laughed and then I felt her shiver.
“Are you cold?” I asked, a little dismayed since we were sitting by the fire.
“Just a little bit… don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine.” She said but I could tell that she was indeed cold.
“Here.” I said shrugging off my bear coat, “Wear this.”
She lifted her body long enough for me to gently lay it over her shoulders then moved back in.
“Thanks.” She said.
“It’s no bother. Really, I was starting to get hot in that any way.” I assured.
Time flew chatting with Adonia and before I knew it the stories had begun. To others I might have appeared to be waiting patiently, however on the inside I was nervous and excited and absolutely terrified, all at the same time.
I never really had stage fright but tonight I was trying to impress and I was having trouble deciding which parts would be appropriate to embellish.
I thought about increasing the size of the bear but then I realized that I had brought the coat so they know the actual size. Then I thought of increasing my number of injuries, but in a small village like mine word travels fast so I’m pretty sure everyone already knew the extent of the injuries right down to the last scratch.
Finally after weighing all my options I decided that there was absolutely no way to make it seem worse than it was, so when the circle came to me I just told the truth. I didn’t think it was as flashy as it could have been but they seemed to cringe away at my every word. I decided to have some fun with it and be as descriptive as possible.
By the time I was finished men were coming up and patting me on the back, being careful to avoid my injuries. And women were hugging me; both parties told me what a good job I’d done.
Adonia tightened the hold around my midsection, which she had acquired during the telling.
As much as I didn’t want to have to leave I was beginning to get thirsty and the smoke from the fire was drying out my throat; so I stood up.
“Where are you going?” Adonia asked.
“I’m just going to get a drink, Do you want something?” I asked.
“Well actually I’m a little hungry, do you mind if we eat dinner?” Her dark brown eyes staring at me turned my legs to jelly and I almost fell over; then again it could have been the herbs.
“Yeah, sure.” I answered and held out my hand to help her up.
She grabbed my hand and I regretted my chivalrous act immediately; pulling her ripped at the gashes on my chest. It took some effort but I did the dead without showing any signs of pain.
We walked over to the townhouse. I found two seats across from each other and proceeded to sit down.
I looked towards the food at the center of the hall. It was set out like a buffet. There was boar, and cheeses, and fresh breads, and nice wine, and of course, bear.
“I’ll go get us some food. What do you want?” I asked.
“Uhm, some cheese and bread please.” She replied.
“Alright.”
I walked over to the food. Mariah was standing in the corner eyeing a small boar leg, it was probably a runts.
“Hey.” I said.
“Hi Diomedes.” She answered.
“I haven’t seen Ackbarage in a while.” I commented, the hatred in my tone spewing out of my mouth like venom.
She looked at me.
“Mhmm, he skipped town after the fight. Said he didn’t feel welcome after ‘playing with the small one’, his words not mine.” Mariah was good at keeping emotions such as anger and hate under control, but her face cracked for the shortest of seconds and I could tell that she was furious.
I nodded.
“He was right, he isn’t welcome here.” I said.
We exchanged looks.
After a moment she said, “Are you having a good time with Adonia?”
“Ha, yeah, I am. And if things go as I plan I’ll be having an even better time.”
“Diomedes!” she shrieked, her tone was playful, “You’re not supposed to tell me that kind of stuff……. Plus, it’s a first date; you’ll never pull it off.” She taunted.
“We’ll see about that.” I winked at her. “Now what was it that Adonia wanted…? Oh, the bread and cheese.” I remembered.
I got her food and brought it back to her.
“Are you not eating?” Adonia asked.
“No I am, I just didn’t think I would be able to carry my food plus your food in one trip.” I stated.
“How much do you eat?” She asked her eyes growing wide.
I didn’t see what was so strange about how much I could eat. I didn’t get much more than a loaf per day so when I got the chance to have more, I took it.
“Well I’m planning on a piece of bread, maybe some boar, bear of course, and maybe some Mizithra cheese.” I told her.
“Oh my gods, that’s a lot of food!” She exclaimed
“Hah. You should see how much Mariah can eat when she’s not holding back. Eat you out of house and home, so she could.” I laughed
“I heard that Diomedes.” A soft voice said behind me.
Adonia stifled a giggle. I turned around.
Mariah just laughed and walked away.
I went and retrieved my meal, adding in a goblet of wine; my throat was still rather dry.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming. You can let go.” I told her and she released her grip.
After she let go I once again withdrew into my thoughts but kept my feet moving.
I just kept replaying the match over and over again in my mind, trying to figure out why Ackbarage would have done that. Aristedes and him weren’t feuding, hell they didn’t even know each other! So then why, why would Ackbarage do it unless……
“Mariah.”
“Yes Diomedes?”
“Do you think that Ackbarage tortured Aristedes like that… for fun?” I asked.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that and the only logical explanation is exactly that…. I’m telling you, there are some sick people out there.”
“Yeah… Mariah this doesn’t feel right. how can I celebrate when a friend is so close to death?” I asked my voice sad but my fists beginning to ball up with rage.
“You just have to. This festival isn’t about you it’s-”
“About the gods. I know." I moaned cutting her off.
We reached the fire. Some people were dancing, others were praying, and still others were talking.
I sat on a fallen log and baked in the warm orange glow of the flames, Mariah on the other hand went off to pray and pay homage to the gods.
I closed my eyes and put my head in my hands. The day had been long and mentally exhausting. My wounds were starting to stiffen again and hurt, and I just wanted to go to sleep.
I felt someone sit down next to me and assumed it was Mariah. A satin smooth hand rested itself on my thigh, and the smell of sweet expensive body oils filled my senses.
I knew now that it wasn’t Mariah. I lifted my head and peered into Cocoa brown eyes.
“Hello Diomedes.” Said a voice as beautiful as wind chimes.
“Oh, uhm, hi Adonia.” I responded.
I was beginning to get tired of not being able to speak right when she was around. I decided I’d just have to do better from now on.
“Diomedes I heard about your friend. That’s so sad. Is he going to be okay?” she asked
I was about to give her whole story when I felt her move the hand on my thigh in a smooth seductive rubbing motion back and forth. I decided the short version would suffice.
“He’s in a coma,” I said, “They say he wont die but there’s a possibility that he’ll never wake up and if he does wake up chances are that he’ll be paralyzed.” I told her feeling the emotional pain rise and swell within me.
“That’s so sad. I’m sorry.” She said and leaned into me sideways. I felt her body pressed against mine and it felt good, it felt right. Then she rested her head on my shoulder. My left shoulder.
I held in a yelp as the searing pain blazed under my skin. Even the wisps of silky black hair felt like tons of burning coals.
Adonia looked up at my face, which was contorted with pain, and with a sudden look of recognition jerked her entire body away from me.
“Oh my gods! I am so sorry Diomedes. Please I didn’t mean to hurt you.” She said with genuine hurt.
“It’s okay, I just get sudden bursts of pain, it had nothing to do with you.” I lied.
She gave me a look like she was still unsure.
“I mean it,” I reassured, “you can come back.” I told her. The pain was excruciating but to feel her smooth perfect body against mine was too wonderful to give up.
She giggled and I realized that it almost sounded like I was pleading.
She came back over and did the same as before. Once again I felt the horrible pain but this time saved face.
She looked up and I tried to smile. She seemed to buy it and looked back at the fire.
“So,” she said, “are you going to tell me what happened with the bear?”
“Ah, you’re going to have to wait until story time for that.” I replied.
She laughed and then I felt her shiver.
“Are you cold?” I asked, a little dismayed since we were sitting by the fire.
“Just a little bit… don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine.” She said but I could tell that she was indeed cold.
“Here.” I said shrugging off my bear coat, “Wear this.”
She lifted her body long enough for me to gently lay it over her shoulders then moved back in.
“Thanks.” She said.
“It’s no bother. Really, I was starting to get hot in that any way.” I assured.
Time flew chatting with Adonia and before I knew it the stories had begun. To others I might have appeared to be waiting patiently, however on the inside I was nervous and excited and absolutely terrified, all at the same time.
I never really had stage fright but tonight I was trying to impress and I was having trouble deciding which parts would be appropriate to embellish.
I thought about increasing the size of the bear but then I realized that I had brought the coat so they know the actual size. Then I thought of increasing my number of injuries, but in a small village like mine word travels fast so I’m pretty sure everyone already knew the extent of the injuries right down to the last scratch.
Finally after weighing all my options I decided that there was absolutely no way to make it seem worse than it was, so when the circle came to me I just told the truth. I didn’t think it was as flashy as it could have been but they seemed to cringe away at my every word. I decided to have some fun with it and be as descriptive as possible.
By the time I was finished men were coming up and patting me on the back, being careful to avoid my injuries. And women were hugging me; both parties told me what a good job I’d done.
Adonia tightened the hold around my midsection, which she had acquired during the telling.
As much as I didn’t want to have to leave I was beginning to get thirsty and the smoke from the fire was drying out my throat; so I stood up.
“Where are you going?” Adonia asked.
“I’m just going to get a drink, Do you want something?” I asked.
“Well actually I’m a little hungry, do you mind if we eat dinner?” Her dark brown eyes staring at me turned my legs to jelly and I almost fell over; then again it could have been the herbs.
“Yeah, sure.” I answered and held out my hand to help her up.
She grabbed my hand and I regretted my chivalrous act immediately; pulling her ripped at the gashes on my chest. It took some effort but I did the dead without showing any signs of pain.
We walked over to the townhouse. I found two seats across from each other and proceeded to sit down.
I looked towards the food at the center of the hall. It was set out like a buffet. There was boar, and cheeses, and fresh breads, and nice wine, and of course, bear.
“I’ll go get us some food. What do you want?” I asked.
“Uhm, some cheese and bread please.” She replied.
“Alright.”
I walked over to the food. Mariah was standing in the corner eyeing a small boar leg, it was probably a runts.
“Hey.” I said.
“Hi Diomedes.” She answered.
“I haven’t seen Ackbarage in a while.” I commented, the hatred in my tone spewing out of my mouth like venom.
She looked at me.
“Mhmm, he skipped town after the fight. Said he didn’t feel welcome after ‘playing with the small one’, his words not mine.” Mariah was good at keeping emotions such as anger and hate under control, but her face cracked for the shortest of seconds and I could tell that she was furious.
I nodded.
“He was right, he isn’t welcome here.” I said.
We exchanged looks.
After a moment she said, “Are you having a good time with Adonia?”
“Ha, yeah, I am. And if things go as I plan I’ll be having an even better time.”
“Diomedes!” she shrieked, her tone was playful, “You’re not supposed to tell me that kind of stuff……. Plus, it’s a first date; you’ll never pull it off.” She taunted.
“We’ll see about that.” I winked at her. “Now what was it that Adonia wanted…? Oh, the bread and cheese.” I remembered.
I got her food and brought it back to her.
“Are you not eating?” Adonia asked.
“No I am, I just didn’t think I would be able to carry my food plus your food in one trip.” I stated.
“How much do you eat?” She asked her eyes growing wide.
I didn’t see what was so strange about how much I could eat. I didn’t get much more than a loaf per day so when I got the chance to have more, I took it.
“Well I’m planning on a piece of bread, maybe some boar, bear of course, and maybe some Mizithra cheese.” I told her.
“Oh my gods, that’s a lot of food!” She exclaimed
“Hah. You should see how much Mariah can eat when she’s not holding back. Eat you out of house and home, so she could.” I laughed
“I heard that Diomedes.” A soft voice said behind me.
Adonia stifled a giggle. I turned around.
Mariah just laughed and walked away.
I went and retrieved my meal, adding in a goblet of wine; my throat was still rather dry.
We ate, exchanging pleasantries. She ate her small meal in little bites while I scarfed mine down.
“Could we go somewhere quieter to get more properly acquainted?” she asked once we had finished.
I was beginning to get nervous again.
“Of course.” I answered.
We stood and walked out of the dining hall.
“Where do you want to go?” I asked.
“Well…. I was thinking that you could take me to the spot where you killed the bear….” She answered.
I thought about it for a moment. The burning in my shoulder rose in intensity as I remembered the night.
“I don’t know…. It holds a pretty bad memory for me.” I said.
“Well, maybe we can make some good ones…” she said softly, her bright green eyes seemed to glow and her light rose colored lips drew me closer like a magnet.
“You-you know what, I’ve been thinking and that spot sounds great.” I choked out, my voice cracking an octave higher in the middle.
She grinned and took up my hand.
“Thought you might change your mind.” She said, still sounding extremely seductive.
We walked through the woods for a while, when I found the bear I was just kind if wandering back so I didn’t really know where I’d found the bear.
“I’m sorry,” I said, “I wasn’t really paying attention to where I was at the time so…”
“That’s okay, here will work.” She said.
We sat down on a fallen log. She scooted closer.
“Diomedes, I think I really like you,” she said taking up my hand, “But I want to make sure.”
We moved closer together. Once again I felt that magnetic pull of her lips to mine then like magic we connected. The world seemed to melt away in her arms as her lips, warm and soft, cradled around mine.
I could have kissed her for the rest of eternity and been perfectly happy but she suddenly started to pull off my toga from the middle.
I broke away from her lips.
“Adonia… I don’t know if I can do this. It-it’s only the first time we’ve ever really talked. Don’t you think we’re moving a little… you know… fast?”
She smiled her seductive smile.
“Diomedes, word is that you’ve liked me for a while, and I like you. So this is going to happen eventually, why wait?” She was inches from me as she said the last two words. Her breath smelled of the sweetest berries and I couldn’t say no.
“I-I, well it’s just that I’ve…. Never done this before… and I’m not exactly in perfect condition.” I said blushing as I pointed to my arm.
“Awww,” She said as if I were a puppy, “I didn’t know that you were still a virgin, but don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it. And as for the condition thing,” she shrugged off the cotton straps of the toga and the whole thing slid to the ground, “I’ll be gentle…”
The worst sound I could possibly hear at that point sounded, the war horn.
“You have got to be kidding me.” I groaned.
“What’s going on?” Adonia asked her eyes huge with worry.
“That was the war horn. The village is probably being raided by pirates or something.” I thought for a moment, “Ackbarage.” I said with sudden recognition. “Damn! Adonia I have to get out there and help fight them off.”
“How do you think you’re going to do that in your current state? Just stay here with me.”
“Do you even know what you’re saying?! My sister is back there!” I half yelled.
“Diomedes, I just meant-"
“I’m sorry, I have to go help.” I said, “You should stay here until the fighting is over. I’ll come get you.” I paused, “If I die or just don’t come back….. walk back to the village at sunrise.” I took one final look at her fragile body sitting helpless on the log, and left.
I sprinted through the woods. My chest was burning and I was worn out but I couldn’t afford to stop.
I broke though the clearing and into the village.
The people were frantic; women were being pulled away from their husbands and dragged into a group with other women and children that would soon head for the safe house.
Men suited up for battle, their gold and bronze armors reflected the orange moon; their spears brazen and sharpened to lethal points.
I had to hurry but there was a possibility that this was just a false alarm. I had to remind myself that the lookouts are just able to see to the shore and only sound the horn to report an unidentified ship.
I was looking for two people. My number one priority was Mariah but Thankfully I saw her with all the other women and children in the safe house group; actually it looked like she was leading them.
My second was Peleus. He was our appointed commander and chief in situations such as theses; if anyone had information it would be him.
I spotted him about thirty yards off talking to a watchman; I’m guessing the one that blew the horn.
I walked over and stood beside him. He finished talking to the watchman and turned to me.
“Looks like pirate, the watchman saw black sails dock on the bank.” He said.
“Pirates.” I grunted. “Ackbarage has something to do with this, I just know it. How can I help?” I asked.
“First you’re going to need some armor.” He stated, “Agapios! give the boy some armor.’ He yelled to the Armory owner.
Agapios was only a few paces off.
“I’m all out of medium and small,” he looked me up and down, “and large would swallow the lad. However,” he added, “we have a medium helmet.”
“Better than nothing; Ill take it.” I said before Peleus could. I hated it when people talked about me like I wasn’t there.
Agapios tossed me a bronze helmet and I slipped it over my head. It was a slight bit too big, but it would do the job.
“Where do you want me positioned?” I asked.
“I want you to get Demas and the two of take the women and children to the safe house, then stay there and guard it.”
It was like a sword being run though my pride. That was always my job. I had thought that I was just too young to fight, but I was of age now, something that I hadn’t been the last raid, yet still I had guard duty.
“Peleus! I am of age and I am just as strong as half the men out there. I want to fight!” I yelled.
“No.” he responded.
“Why not?” I growled through clenched teeth.
“Simple. In your current condition you’re more of a liability than an asset, and I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my battles for worrying about you.”
“But I would be fine-”
“Diomedes, please just do what you’re told this once and escort them to the safe house.”
“Fine.” I sneered and whipped around. Furiously I walked over to Demas at a near stomping pace.
“We have to take them to the safe house.” I told Demas pointing to the group.
“Fine.” He replied. His eyes were cold and stone-like.
The usual sky blue of his eyes had drowned and suffocated in the darkness of his emotions and were now a blue so dark that it was hard to tell whether or not they were black.
Together we approached the group.
Mariah ran over to greet me.
“So here’s the deal Diomedes, The watchman saw some black sails on the horizon-”
“I know.” I said, but she was too lost in telling her story to hear.
“-black sails and everything. Then they docked on our shore-”
“Mariah!” I said a bit louder.
She stopped speaking.
“Take a breath, I already know, Peleus filled me in.”
“Oh… okay then.” She said. “So then what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be out there preparing for battle like the rest of them?”
I made a face was meant to look annoyed and angry; she got the message.
“I see. Well it’s only because you’re hurt, next time.” She said trying to make me feel better. It didn’t work.
“Yeah, sure. That is until something else happens to prevent me.”
“There’s nothing I can say is there?” she asked.
“Nope.” I replied.
“Alright I’ll leave you alone.”
I turned to Demas.
“You take the front I’ll guard the back.” I said and he silently moved to the front.
This was all part of my plan. We began moving to the shelter, and when nobody was looking I ducked behind a bush.
If the only reason Peleus didn’t want he fighting was because he would be too worried, then this wouldn’t be a problem. As long as he wasn’t aware that I was involved, he didn’t have any thing to worry about.
“Diomedes, what do you think you’re doing?”
I nearly jumped ten feet.
“Mariah you scared the hell out of me! What are you doing here; you should be going to the shelter with everyone else.” I said.
“I could say the same to you.” She countered.
“I don’t care what Peleus says; I’m going to help.” she glared at me for a minute.
“If you die I’ll never forgive you.” She said still glaring.
“I won’t die.”
She walked away to catch up with the group.
“And if I do die you can not forgive me all you want, it’s not like I ‘m going to have to listen to you.” I mumbled.
“I heard that.” she said still walking away with her back to me.
I sighed. I probably could have been more annoyed that she once again heard something she wasn’t supposed to but my mind was on the battle. I needed something to fight with. I wasn’t going to be able to get anything from the armory, I was sure that the owner had heard Peleus telling me my job. I searched the ground and found a pitchfork. “This will have to do.” I muttered. I snuck over to the field. The battle hadn’t started yet. The men were in a straight line facing the woods. Peleus was out in front. Apprehension for what was surely to come was getting to them. Some were sweating like pigs, others were shaking, and still others were whispering nervously to one another. The only person who seemed to be staying calm was Peleus. His golden armor looked nearly white as it reflected the bright moon. His long black hair was tied into a ponytail. His beard was also tied into a line. The true warrior.
“Could we go somewhere quieter to get more properly acquainted?” she asked once we had finished.
I was beginning to get nervous again.
“Of course.” I answered.
We stood and walked out of the dining hall.
“Where do you want to go?” I asked.
“Well…. I was thinking that you could take me to the spot where you killed the bear….” She answered.
I thought about it for a moment. The burning in my shoulder rose in intensity as I remembered the night.
“I don’t know…. It holds a pretty bad memory for me.” I said.
“Well, maybe we can make some good ones…” she said softly, her bright green eyes seemed to glow and her light rose colored lips drew me closer like a magnet.
“You-you know what, I’ve been thinking and that spot sounds great.” I choked out, my voice cracking an octave higher in the middle.
She grinned and took up my hand.
“Thought you might change your mind.” She said, still sounding extremely seductive.
We walked through the woods for a while, when I found the bear I was just kind if wandering back so I didn’t really know where I’d found the bear.
“I’m sorry,” I said, “I wasn’t really paying attention to where I was at the time so…”
“That’s okay, here will work.” She said.
We sat down on a fallen log. She scooted closer.
“Diomedes, I think I really like you,” she said taking up my hand, “But I want to make sure.”
We moved closer together. Once again I felt that magnetic pull of her lips to mine then like magic we connected. The world seemed to melt away in her arms as her lips, warm and soft, cradled around mine.
I could have kissed her for the rest of eternity and been perfectly happy but she suddenly started to pull off my toga from the middle.
I broke away from her lips.
“Adonia… I don’t know if I can do this. It-it’s only the first time we’ve ever really talked. Don’t you think we’re moving a little… you know… fast?”
She smiled her seductive smile.
“Diomedes, word is that you’ve liked me for a while, and I like you. So this is going to happen eventually, why wait?” She was inches from me as she said the last two words. Her breath smelled of the sweetest berries and I couldn’t say no.
“I-I, well it’s just that I’ve…. Never done this before… and I’m not exactly in perfect condition.” I said blushing as I pointed to my arm.
“Awww,” She said as if I were a puppy, “I didn’t know that you were still a virgin, but don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it. And as for the condition thing,” she shrugged off the cotton straps of the toga and the whole thing slid to the ground, “I’ll be gentle…”
The worst sound I could possibly hear at that point sounded, the war horn.
“You have got to be kidding me.” I groaned.
“What’s going on?” Adonia asked her eyes huge with worry.
“That was the war horn. The village is probably being raided by pirates or something.” I thought for a moment, “Ackbarage.” I said with sudden recognition. “Damn! Adonia I have to get out there and help fight them off.”
“How do you think you’re going to do that in your current state? Just stay here with me.”
“Do you even know what you’re saying?! My sister is back there!” I half yelled.
“Diomedes, I just meant-"
“I’m sorry, I have to go help.” I said, “You should stay here until the fighting is over. I’ll come get you.” I paused, “If I die or just don’t come back….. walk back to the village at sunrise.” I took one final look at her fragile body sitting helpless on the log, and left.
I sprinted through the woods. My chest was burning and I was worn out but I couldn’t afford to stop.
I broke though the clearing and into the village.
The people were frantic; women were being pulled away from their husbands and dragged into a group with other women and children that would soon head for the safe house.
Men suited up for battle, their gold and bronze armors reflected the orange moon; their spears brazen and sharpened to lethal points.
I had to hurry but there was a possibility that this was just a false alarm. I had to remind myself that the lookouts are just able to see to the shore and only sound the horn to report an unidentified ship.
I was looking for two people. My number one priority was Mariah but Thankfully I saw her with all the other women and children in the safe house group; actually it looked like she was leading them.
My second was Peleus. He was our appointed commander and chief in situations such as theses; if anyone had information it would be him.
I spotted him about thirty yards off talking to a watchman; I’m guessing the one that blew the horn.
I walked over and stood beside him. He finished talking to the watchman and turned to me.
“Looks like pirate, the watchman saw black sails dock on the bank.” He said.
“Pirates.” I grunted. “Ackbarage has something to do with this, I just know it. How can I help?” I asked.
“First you’re going to need some armor.” He stated, “Agapios! give the boy some armor.’ He yelled to the Armory owner.
Agapios was only a few paces off.
“I’m all out of medium and small,” he looked me up and down, “and large would swallow the lad. However,” he added, “we have a medium helmet.”
“Better than nothing; Ill take it.” I said before Peleus could. I hated it when people talked about me like I wasn’t there.
Agapios tossed me a bronze helmet and I slipped it over my head. It was a slight bit too big, but it would do the job.
“Where do you want me positioned?” I asked.
“I want you to get Demas and the two of take the women and children to the safe house, then stay there and guard it.”
It was like a sword being run though my pride. That was always my job. I had thought that I was just too young to fight, but I was of age now, something that I hadn’t been the last raid, yet still I had guard duty.
“Peleus! I am of age and I am just as strong as half the men out there. I want to fight!” I yelled.
“No.” he responded.
“Why not?” I growled through clenched teeth.
“Simple. In your current condition you’re more of a liability than an asset, and I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my battles for worrying about you.”
“But I would be fine-”
“Diomedes, please just do what you’re told this once and escort them to the safe house.”
“Fine.” I sneered and whipped around. Furiously I walked over to Demas at a near stomping pace.
“We have to take them to the safe house.” I told Demas pointing to the group.
“Fine.” He replied. His eyes were cold and stone-like.
The usual sky blue of his eyes had drowned and suffocated in the darkness of his emotions and were now a blue so dark that it was hard to tell whether or not they were black.
Together we approached the group.
Mariah ran over to greet me.
“So here’s the deal Diomedes, The watchman saw some black sails on the horizon-”
“I know.” I said, but she was too lost in telling her story to hear.
“-black sails and everything. Then they docked on our shore-”
“Mariah!” I said a bit louder.
She stopped speaking.
“Take a breath, I already know, Peleus filled me in.”
“Oh… okay then.” She said. “So then what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be out there preparing for battle like the rest of them?”
I made a face was meant to look annoyed and angry; she got the message.
“I see. Well it’s only because you’re hurt, next time.” She said trying to make me feel better. It didn’t work.
“Yeah, sure. That is until something else happens to prevent me.”
“There’s nothing I can say is there?” she asked.
“Nope.” I replied.
“Alright I’ll leave you alone.”
I turned to Demas.
“You take the front I’ll guard the back.” I said and he silently moved to the front.
This was all part of my plan. We began moving to the shelter, and when nobody was looking I ducked behind a bush.
If the only reason Peleus didn’t want he fighting was because he would be too worried, then this wouldn’t be a problem. As long as he wasn’t aware that I was involved, he didn’t have any thing to worry about.
“Diomedes, what do you think you’re doing?”
I nearly jumped ten feet.
“Mariah you scared the hell out of me! What are you doing here; you should be going to the shelter with everyone else.” I said.
“I could say the same to you.” She countered.
“I don’t care what Peleus says; I’m going to help.” she glared at me for a minute.
“If you die I’ll never forgive you.” She said still glaring.
“I won’t die.”
She walked away to catch up with the group.
“And if I do die you can not forgive me all you want, it’s not like I ‘m going to have to listen to you.” I mumbled.
“I heard that.” she said still walking away with her back to me.
I sighed. I probably could have been more annoyed that she once again heard something she wasn’t supposed to but my mind was on the battle. I needed something to fight with. I wasn’t going to be able to get anything from the armory, I was sure that the owner had heard Peleus telling me my job. I searched the ground and found a pitchfork. “This will have to do.” I muttered. I snuck over to the field. The battle hadn’t started yet. The men were in a straight line facing the woods. Peleus was out in front. Apprehension for what was surely to come was getting to them. Some were sweating like pigs, others were shaking, and still others were whispering nervously to one another. The only person who seemed to be staying calm was Peleus. His golden armor looked nearly white as it reflected the bright moon. His long black hair was tied into a ponytail. His beard was also tied into a line. The true warrior.
Suddenly a man walked out of the brush the soldiers were facing; Ackbarage. Peleus strode over to meet him half way. They stopped with about ten feet in between them.
“Ackbarage,” Peleus greeted, “our guest has returned. Twice in one day, to what do we owe this honor?”
“I felt very…. Unwelcome earlier. And though your words are kind your actions prove them to be false. Not many ‘honored’ guests are greeted by an army.”
“We saw black sails and assumed it was pirates. By the way, where are the other men working that ship?”
Ackbarage made a face.
“Nobody else is on that, it is mine and mine alone.”
“Ackbarage, you are a very big and mighty man, but surely you cannot man that alone?” Peleus questioned.
The tension in the air was so dense that you could cut it with a knife.
“Are you calling me a liar?” Ackbarage asked.
“Of course not, I’m just curious as to how you do it. Perhaps you could give me some tips.” Peleus answered still trying to stop this from turning into a brawl. Ackbarage wasn’t having any of it.
“Enough. I was mistreated and disrespected during my visit; Lord Zeus, protector of travelers has told me to wreak revenge for my mistreatment.”
Peleus’ pleasant face hardened.
“Lord Zeus?” he asked, “Or Lord Cronos?” Ackbarage’s entire body tensed and his massive firsts balled.
“How dare you!” he yelled, “How dare you accuse me of such trechery, and what’s worse, without any proof what so ever!” Ackbarage Hissed.
“Except for the mark of Kronos on your back.” Peleus retorted, his voice calm, his body ridged. Ackbarage stood still for a moment.
“I guess I’ve been found out.” He finally said.
Ackbarage raised his giant hand into the air and balled his hand.
Instantly, like angry bees erupting from their hives, men emerged from the woods and rushed our lines. Weapons already drawn, the invaders had an advantage and struck a couple villagers too slow evade or block.
Finally the villagers started fighting back. The straight line ranks they had were broken and it turned to individual skirmished.
The villagers were outnumbered nearly two to one. And to make things worse it appeared that the pirates were the better warriors.
I took my eyes off of the villagers and looked back towards Ackbarage and Peleus.
They both still stood there, hadn’t moved an inch.
Peleus finally took up his spear in a fighting position. Ackbarage simply pulled an axe from a pouch behind his back.
The axe was enormous. it was almost al big as me.
There was something very peculiar about the way the axe was made though. The head was rough and cracked and made of stone instead of steel. It was as if the weapon had been made back in the time without recollection, the “golden times”.
The “golden times” was a time long ago when the titans ruled the earth. Before the gods led us in the direction of divinity, before steel, or homes, or even fire.
“Come now Ackbarage, take off your helm and let me see the face of the man I am about to kill.” Peleus said.
It was hard to hear them talking through all the clashing and clanking of armor and swords so i relied alot on reading Peleus' lips. Ackbarage's voice was booming and more than legible.
“I cannot do that, for I do not know who you will kill. However I can reveal to you the face that will be your end.”
Ackbarage took off the dark helm he had been wearing.
Underneath was a face, scarred and mutilated, hairless, and weirdest of all, though I was far away I could swear, he only had a single eye right in the middle of his forehead.
Peleus’ body tensed so much that I could count every vein that popped out.
“What is your real name?” he asked, taking a step back.
The Cyclops laughed.
“Polyphemus.” He stated.
Peleus clenched his spear so tight that I could see the whites of his knuckles.
“How do I get myself into these messes?” Peleus asked and lunged.
The blow was struck down by Polyphemus’ axe. Polyphemus lifted the axe and struck downward again over Peleus’ head. Peleus dodged to the left but in doing so came face to fist with a left cross thrown by Polyphemus.
The punch was of such great force that it picked Peleus up off the ground and sent him back a foot.
Peleus regained his balance and landed on his feet, skidding back for another foot or so.
Peleus took a running step then planted his spear in the ground and using it as leverage, vaulted off the ground and towards Polyphemus with his leg extended, attempting a flying kick.
However, the Cyclops grabbed his leg in mid air and released a bone crushing blow on his mid section with the back of his axe.
Peleus slammed to the ground.
He laid there, writhing in pain. I couldn’t stand it anymore; I already lost a friend to that monster, I wasn’t about to stand back and watch it happen again.
I burst into the battle field, pitchfork in hand.
“Peleus!” I yelled charging towards him.
He looked in my direction, terror in his eyes.
“Diomedes,” he choked out, “No! Go back!”
I stopped running about thirty yards away from them. Then I noticed something from the corner of my eye.
“Peleus watch out!” I yelled to him.
But it was too late. Polyphemus brought his axe down on Peleus’ neck, terminating his existence.
The Cyclops smiled.
I looked at him as he turned to face my direction, his eyes gleaming with the pleasure of a job well done, and I as I looked upon him and thought of what he did to Aristedes and now the man who was like the father I never had, I snapped.
Something inside me gave way, like an animal that had been there my entire life, but I hadn’t noticed it. Like it was dormant in its cage held within until this very second when it broke the bars and took over my entire body, filling me with its intense ferocity.
Everything went blurry. I was no longer in control of my body, in fact it wasn’t even my body anymore. I no longer felt pain, or any emotion other than hate and anger.
I didn’t know what was happening but suddenly I was in front of Polyphemus. My movements where fluid and lithe yet strong and lethal.
There was more blur then I was crippling the Cyclops with a a sideswipe kick to the legs.
He began to fall forward and his face collided with my fist.
The thousand pound Cyclops lifted off the ground and flew, colliding with a tree twenty yards away.
More blur. Now I had a spear, and was standing atop of him. I jabbed the spear numerous times. There was a tap on my back. I turned without thought and struck down the culprit.
There was more blur and more movement and then as the animal within lifted its arms to strike once more, I saw the face of the soon to be victim staring up at me with fear in her eyes, her grey eyes…
I dropped the spear. I could feel the animal being pushed back within and finally trapped in its cage. Once again I had control over my body.
I looked at Mariah first.
“Diomedes?” she asked in a small scarred voice.
I looked around the battle field. Nobody was alive. Not for the enemy nor for the village, all lay lifeless.
“D-did I do this?” I asked.
Mariah nodded.
I was overcome by grief and turmoil. I saw the corpses of friends and neighbors, and realized that I killed them.
Tears filled my eyes.
“What have I done?” I whispered and fell to my knees.
I lifted my hands to my face and found them covered with blood.
“I-I didn’t mean to.” I sobbed. “It wasn’t me. It was- ” and that was all I could say before I burst into hysterics.
I sobbed in her arms then over come with exhaustion fell asleep, right there on the battlefield.
Ackbarage raised his giant hand into the air and balled his hand.
Instantly, like angry bees erupting from their hives, men emerged from the woods and rushed our lines. Weapons already drawn, the invaders had an advantage and struck a couple villagers too slow evade or block.
Finally the villagers started fighting back. The straight line ranks they had were broken and it turned to individual skirmished.
The villagers were outnumbered nearly two to one. And to make things worse it appeared that the pirates were the better warriors.
I took my eyes off of the villagers and looked back towards Ackbarage and Peleus.
They both still stood there, hadn’t moved an inch.
Peleus finally took up his spear in a fighting position. Ackbarage simply pulled an axe from a pouch behind his back.
The axe was enormous. it was almost al big as me.
There was something very peculiar about the way the axe was made though. The head was rough and cracked and made of stone instead of steel. It was as if the weapon had been made back in the time without recollection, the “golden times”.
The “golden times” was a time long ago when the titans ruled the earth. Before the gods led us in the direction of divinity, before steel, or homes, or even fire.
“Come now Ackbarage, take off your helm and let me see the face of the man I am about to kill.” Peleus said.
It was hard to hear them talking through all the clashing and clanking of armor and swords so i relied alot on reading Peleus' lips. Ackbarage's voice was booming and more than legible.
“I cannot do that, for I do not know who you will kill. However I can reveal to you the face that will be your end.”
Ackbarage took off the dark helm he had been wearing.
Underneath was a face, scarred and mutilated, hairless, and weirdest of all, though I was far away I could swear, he only had a single eye right in the middle of his forehead.
Peleus’ body tensed so much that I could count every vein that popped out.
“What is your real name?” he asked, taking a step back.
The Cyclops laughed.
“Polyphemus.” He stated.
Peleus clenched his spear so tight that I could see the whites of his knuckles.
“How do I get myself into these messes?” Peleus asked and lunged.
The blow was struck down by Polyphemus’ axe. Polyphemus lifted the axe and struck downward again over Peleus’ head. Peleus dodged to the left but in doing so came face to fist with a left cross thrown by Polyphemus.
The punch was of such great force that it picked Peleus up off the ground and sent him back a foot.
Peleus regained his balance and landed on his feet, skidding back for another foot or so.
Peleus took a running step then planted his spear in the ground and using it as leverage, vaulted off the ground and towards Polyphemus with his leg extended, attempting a flying kick.
However, the Cyclops grabbed his leg in mid air and released a bone crushing blow on his mid section with the back of his axe.
Peleus slammed to the ground.
He laid there, writhing in pain. I couldn’t stand it anymore; I already lost a friend to that monster, I wasn’t about to stand back and watch it happen again.
I burst into the battle field, pitchfork in hand.
“Peleus!” I yelled charging towards him.
He looked in my direction, terror in his eyes.
“Diomedes,” he choked out, “No! Go back!”
I stopped running about thirty yards away from them. Then I noticed something from the corner of my eye.
“Peleus watch out!” I yelled to him.
But it was too late. Polyphemus brought his axe down on Peleus’ neck, terminating his existence.
The Cyclops smiled.
I looked at him as he turned to face my direction, his eyes gleaming with the pleasure of a job well done, and I as I looked upon him and thought of what he did to Aristedes and now the man who was like the father I never had, I snapped.
Something inside me gave way, like an animal that had been there my entire life, but I hadn’t noticed it. Like it was dormant in its cage held within until this very second when it broke the bars and took over my entire body, filling me with its intense ferocity.
Everything went blurry. I was no longer in control of my body, in fact it wasn’t even my body anymore. I no longer felt pain, or any emotion other than hate and anger.
I didn’t know what was happening but suddenly I was in front of Polyphemus. My movements where fluid and lithe yet strong and lethal.
There was more blur then I was crippling the Cyclops with a a sideswipe kick to the legs.
He began to fall forward and his face collided with my fist.
The thousand pound Cyclops lifted off the ground and flew, colliding with a tree twenty yards away.
More blur. Now I had a spear, and was standing atop of him. I jabbed the spear numerous times. There was a tap on my back. I turned without thought and struck down the culprit.
There was more blur and more movement and then as the animal within lifted its arms to strike once more, I saw the face of the soon to be victim staring up at me with fear in her eyes, her grey eyes…
I dropped the spear. I could feel the animal being pushed back within and finally trapped in its cage. Once again I had control over my body.
I looked at Mariah first.
“Diomedes?” she asked in a small scarred voice.
I looked around the battle field. Nobody was alive. Not for the enemy nor for the village, all lay lifeless.
“D-did I do this?” I asked.
Mariah nodded.
I was overcome by grief and turmoil. I saw the corpses of friends and neighbors, and realized that I killed them.
Tears filled my eyes.
“What have I done?” I whispered and fell to my knees.
I lifted my hands to my face and found them covered with blood.
“I-I didn’t mean to.” I sobbed. “It wasn’t me. It was- ” and that was all I could say before I burst into hysterics.
I sobbed in her arms then over come with exhaustion fell asleep, right there on the battlefield.
chapter 5
____________
I could see it. In my dream it all became clear. Every part of the battle that had been blurry or forgotten was relived with incredulous detail.
I felt the pulses of my victims slow and drop, I felt their bones being snapped like twigs.
I saw the plea in their eyes and the monster I had become drain every ounce of light from those eyes.
I heard the ear piercing screams of not just my enemies, but my friends, my neighbors, my family…
How did this happen? How could I allow myself to be possessed by such a creature?
Even now as I slept I could feel the monster, held by weak chains, waiting for the chance to break free and take more lives.
What was it? But more importantly, why did it choose me as its host?
In my dream I raised my lance to Carolos, a longtime friend. He was the one who had taught me how to fish with a net instead of a spear, made my job a whole lot easier… gone.
My dream took an unexpected turn. I was suddenly thrust into perpetual darkness. Then a light brighter than the sun erupted through the black, and I found myself on a path made of gold.
The sun burned bright in the sky, brighter than I had ever known, yet it wasn’t hot, nor was it cold, it was perfect.
I looked around. I was at the top of an enormous mountain that’s beauty surpassed all others. The top, where I was standing was nearly flat with a slight lean and it stretched for approximately half a mile.
The grass on either side of the path was a mixture of bright greens and extravagant blues. There was a small pond off to the side and flowers of all different flowers grew all about.
There where fountains that gushed water and statues that did the same.
Up above I noticed a large temple like building. It was hundreds of feet high and looked as if it pierced the heavens. I found myself compelled to approach it.
As I walked the golden road and got closer to the building I saw the most strange, yet beautiful creatures. They played and laughed and groomed, without a care.
I finally reached the building. It looked even bigger up close. Its walls were mainly composed of pearl and marble with decorative and exquisite statues and designs imprinted all over it. The art could not have been sculpted by human hands.
I felt the sun on my back again, its warmth was enticing, I could have stood at the doors forever; but I knew that I needed to enter the building.
I lifted my hand to knock but the doors opened before I could lay a finger on them.
I stepped inside and found it more beautiful than it was outside, if you can believe that.
However, as captivated as I was by the marvelous structure, I was even more captivated by the beautiful woman sitting on a throne just down the hall.
The woman beckoned me forth with her eyes and I did as she asked.
When I got to the room she was in I found Mariah there too.
I looked at the woman and then Mariah, they were almost interchangeable. Granted the woman was older than Mariah but they were so close that they could have been sisters.
“Diomedes,” the woman said, “do join us.” Her voice was calm and kind yet carried beneath it the feeling of power.
I couldn’t speak; not because I was scarred but because I wasn’t sure what to say. Her presence was unlike any I had ever felt before. On one hand she seemed as if she couldn’t hurt a fly and on the other it felt like she could end your very existence at the snap of her fingers.
“I have brought you here in your sleep for a very important reason Diomedes.” She told me. “But first may I ask, do you know where you are?” she smiled. I wanted to make her smile again.
I looked around. Such beauty as this wasn’t made by mere man. There was only one possible answer for the question.
“Mount Olympus?” I asked. I had meant to say it with more conviction but around such a dominating presence it was hard to be completely sure of anything.
“Very good.” She said and smiled again. “Do you know who I am?” she asked.
I studied the throne she was sitting in. it too, like the castle it was made of a pearl and marble mix, however it seemed to be a bit more silver than the castle.
I looked back at her.
“You’re a goddess right?” I asked.
“Mhmm.” She answered.
I studied her once more. She was definitely beautiful, but I didn’t think she was Aphrodite. Her presence didn’t fill me with the lust associated with the goddess of love; but instead one of knowledge and wisdom.
“You are Athene. Goddess of war, peace, and wisdom.” She nodded.
I couldn’t help wondering why Athene, A goddess, was talking to me; and why brought me all the way to Olympus?
Suddenly it all fell into place. It wasn’t just coincidence that Mariah looked like her. It was too close, Their fragile appearance, comforting tone, dark brown hair, and near silver eyes.
Athene must have seen that I had come to the conclusion because she grew stern.
“You’re Mariah mother.” I said in disbelief.
She made one slow nod.
“Not just hers…” she said staring deep into my eyes.
I took a step back; overcome with emotion. My first emotion was shock but soon that turned into joy. I had found her, the woman of my dreams that held me close as I was a baby.
Then I came across a revelation that trampled the joy and crushed it to dust, leaving behind nothing but anger and hate.
I had thought that my mother had loved me and only given me away because she couldn’t provide a good enough life for me; but she was a goddess. She lived in a giant castle.
“You left me in an orphanage.” I hissed.
“It was for the better.” She replied in the calm voice that Mariah pissed me off with.
“For the better?!” I spat, “You live here! You probably eat your fill every day! I was lucky to receive a piece of bread per day!”
I felt a firm hand grasp my good shoulder. I spun my head in that direction.
“Diomedes!” Mariah chided. “You have a right to be angry but she is still a goddess. Remember what I told you earlier? Ignorance can be deadly.” She emphasized the deadly.
I gritted my teeth; as angry as I was she was still right.
“It is okay Diomedes.” Athene said. “I understand why you might feel the way you do but I did it for a reason.”
“What.” I said, I worked hard to keep my tone less harsh but conveyed my attitude with my glare.
“There was a prophecy when you were born,
“The lord of Darkness shall rise once more,
His rebirth shall start an uneven war,
A child is born of awesome might,
Cursed to join the wretched fight,
The fate of the earth he will decide,
A burden that he shall take in stride,
The outcome is truly up to him,
The future could be bright or dim,
Two of great power will fall to their death
A child of war takes their last breath”
“This is your destiny Diomedes, whether you like it or not. You, my son, will decide the fate of the world. Not just your world but the world of the gods. Please understand I sent you down to live on earth so that when the time comes you will fight harder to protect it. I love you. I have loved you from the minute you were born but I had to do what I did.”
I wasn’t so mad anymore, I was fearful. I was fearful of the prophecy. It seemed that I would be consumed in the fear and then, she said she loved me. My mother loved me. She said it with such sincerity that I couldn’t mistrust her.
“Tell me what the prophecy means.” I told her.
“I cannot. Not only can prophecies mean a number of different things but they also have to be deciphered by the individual. I can tell you this much though; the Dark Lord Kronos has been regaining his strength. His scythe which gives him great power has been stolen and cannot be found. I fear he has possession of the weapon. If that’s so, it won’t be long until he spurs a war.
Some of the minor gods have already turned against us and Cyclops’s as well. The Cyclops you encountered was never on our side. Polyphemus has been a thorn in the god’s sides ever since the end of the last war where we overthrew the Titans.”
“Well I took care of him.” I said, the anger I felt towards him welling up at the mere mention of his name.
“Not quite. The Cyclops’, like the gods and Titans, are Immortal. By now he’s already left your village and is headed back to Troy.”
I balled my fists. He was immortal. How could I possibly fight something that didn’t die?
I thought of the monster that had overcame me on the battlefield.
“When he killed Peleus…. Something changed inside me, wasn’t even in control of my own body… what was that?”
“Patience young one, I will get to that in a moment.” She said.
I nodded for her to continue,
“You are a godling, the son of two gods.”
She stopped speaking and let me ponder something for a moment.
She had said the son of two gods. If she was my mother then…
“Who’s my father?” I asked, “And why isn’t he here?”
She nodded.
“Your father is the god of war, father of the slaughter, Ares.” She answered. “As for why he isn’t here, due to the pressing situation we are desperate for soldiers. Your father is out training the other godlings for battle.”
“Wait! There are others?!” I asked, amazed.
“Of course, thousands.” She answered. “However, most godlings live here on Olympus until their sixteenth birthday when their dormant power reveals itself. When you where born we weren’t completely sure if you were the child from the prophecy, but we couldn’t take any chances so we sent you to earth anyway. After today though we are almost positive.”
I just stared at her. I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to talk or not. Finally she continued.
“You Diomedes are the true heir of Ares. When a time of desperate need is approaching, true heirs are born.”
“What separates a ‘true heir’ from a regular godling?” I asked. I felt kind of strange saying ‘regular godling’, as if there was anything regular about being a child of the gods.
“All godlings inherit a ‘gift’, if you will, from one of their parents. The magnitude of the gift is much less than that of the gods and is slightly different. However, a true heir is born with their parent’s strongest gift. To answer your previous question about what overtook you on the battlefield, it was your gift; the gift of your father, the gift known as, Ainmhí.”
The word sent chills down my spine. It was ancient, like it was from the time of the Titans, the time without written words, the time of ignorance. And the way she said it was a sharp hissing sound, as if a snake had spoken the word instead of her.
I had never before heard the word but I knew its meaning instantly.
“The beast” I mumbled.
Athene regarded me with uncertain shock.
“That’s right” she said narrowing her eyes, not in distrust but curiosity.
“What language is that?” I asked, unsure of how I knew the word.
She held my gaze for a few moments.
“It has no name,” she finally said, “It is the language of your ancestors. It is the ancient language.”
I wanted to see how much of this ‘Ancient language’ I really knew, however I was still curious about my gift.
“What is my gift? Not the name, the actual being itself.”
“Diomedes, I believe you would know more than anyone, other than Ares, Why don’t you tell me?”
I thought about it. It was hard to think of the right way to put it.
“Well… It felt like-like this animal, or beast I suppose, possessed my body… like it wasn’t me anymore… not until I saw Mariah anyway.”
Athene’s eyes sparkled with delight.
“Yes, that’s how it got its name. But tell me my son, how did you stop from killing your sister? Ainmhí has only one instinct and therefore one objective, kill. There have been true heirs before you Diomedes but all have been consumed by their ability; thrust into a perpetual killing spree that became so up hauling that we gods had to stop them… for good. But you,” She smiled revealing a perfect row of porcelain white teeth. “You have done something that nobody but your father was able to do, and even he took years to do, you have controlled Ainmhí.”
“So much for controlled!” I yelled thinking of the village that now laid dead on the ground, “I killed them! I killed them all and it was all because of this gift! But it’s not a gift; it’s a curse!” Tears started to blur my vision, “please,” I begged, “take it away.”
I wiped the tears from my eyes tat had not yet fallen and looked at my mother. She had a look that was both concern and outrage.
“Diomedes,” she said, her voice had not changed it was still calm and melodic; “It doesn’t work like that. Besides, you should be happy. You were blessed with Ainmhí not cursed. Many godlings would kill to have your ability.”
“Then let them have it!” I yelled
I felt soft finger brush the backside of my hand, Mariah. That calmed me down a little.
Athene sighed.
“I won’t use it.” I said through clenched teeth, “by Zeus almighty I swear I won’t.”
Athene stared at me, her hard grey eyes peering straight into my soul.
“Set out for Athens in the morning, if you refuse to use your gift I will just have to train you. When you arrive seek out the one named Sotiris. He is one of my priests; I will give you more directions from there. But for now I must say goodbye, for the sun is almost high above your head and you have a busy day ahead of you.”
She stepped off of her throne and walked towards me.
I wanted to say something but being so close to a goddess was intimidating yet euphoric. I wasn’t sure whether to cringe or smile.
“Here,” she said handing me a spear, “to keep you safe on your journey.”
I grabbed the weapon without looking down at, my gaze still transfixed on her eyes.
“When you awake your wounds will be healed, goodbye my son.”
“No! Wait! I still have questions!” I cried but it was too late I was thrown into the darkness again.
Something very peculiar happened then. I was suddenly very cold. The darkness still pressed upon me like an endless void but I wasn’t spinning anymore. I had frozen.
I heard a heavy raspy breathing.
“Téigh i mé garmhac.” hissed a voice. The words echoed and chilled me to the bone. It was a whisper, not even a whisper, it was as if the creature behind it merely breathed out the words. Yet even in such a soft voice, it carried beneath it a dark and eerie power.
I shot up into the sitting position. My eyelids opening just as fast.
“Diomedes,” Mariah said with relief, “you didn’t wake up when I did. I got so scared, some people have died after encounters with gods, their presence overwhelms them, and-”
“Wait,” I interrupted, “You mean it was real?” I asked.
“Mhmm”
“Then there’s something I need to tell you. I think I know why we didn’t wake up from the dream.”
“What, what is it?”
“After we left Athene,” I explained, “I was thrust into somekind of perpetual darkness, I couldn’t see a thing. Then this voice, this creepy voice said…” I paused and recalled the exact pronounciation, “Téigh i mé garmhac.”
Mariah’s eyes widened with shock and she took a cautious step backwards.
“Diomedes, Do you know what that means…?” she asked in a small terrified voice.
The words came to me instantly.
“Join me grandson.” I said.
“Kronos…” she whispered.
I felt the pulses of my victims slow and drop, I felt their bones being snapped like twigs.
I saw the plea in their eyes and the monster I had become drain every ounce of light from those eyes.
I heard the ear piercing screams of not just my enemies, but my friends, my neighbors, my family…
How did this happen? How could I allow myself to be possessed by such a creature?
Even now as I slept I could feel the monster, held by weak chains, waiting for the chance to break free and take more lives.
What was it? But more importantly, why did it choose me as its host?
In my dream I raised my lance to Carolos, a longtime friend. He was the one who had taught me how to fish with a net instead of a spear, made my job a whole lot easier… gone.
My dream took an unexpected turn. I was suddenly thrust into perpetual darkness. Then a light brighter than the sun erupted through the black, and I found myself on a path made of gold.
The sun burned bright in the sky, brighter than I had ever known, yet it wasn’t hot, nor was it cold, it was perfect.
I looked around. I was at the top of an enormous mountain that’s beauty surpassed all others. The top, where I was standing was nearly flat with a slight lean and it stretched for approximately half a mile.
The grass on either side of the path was a mixture of bright greens and extravagant blues. There was a small pond off to the side and flowers of all different flowers grew all about.
There where fountains that gushed water and statues that did the same.
Up above I noticed a large temple like building. It was hundreds of feet high and looked as if it pierced the heavens. I found myself compelled to approach it.
As I walked the golden road and got closer to the building I saw the most strange, yet beautiful creatures. They played and laughed and groomed, without a care.
I finally reached the building. It looked even bigger up close. Its walls were mainly composed of pearl and marble with decorative and exquisite statues and designs imprinted all over it. The art could not have been sculpted by human hands.
I felt the sun on my back again, its warmth was enticing, I could have stood at the doors forever; but I knew that I needed to enter the building.
I lifted my hand to knock but the doors opened before I could lay a finger on them.
I stepped inside and found it more beautiful than it was outside, if you can believe that.
However, as captivated as I was by the marvelous structure, I was even more captivated by the beautiful woman sitting on a throne just down the hall.
The woman beckoned me forth with her eyes and I did as she asked.
When I got to the room she was in I found Mariah there too.
I looked at the woman and then Mariah, they were almost interchangeable. Granted the woman was older than Mariah but they were so close that they could have been sisters.
“Diomedes,” the woman said, “do join us.” Her voice was calm and kind yet carried beneath it the feeling of power.
I couldn’t speak; not because I was scarred but because I wasn’t sure what to say. Her presence was unlike any I had ever felt before. On one hand she seemed as if she couldn’t hurt a fly and on the other it felt like she could end your very existence at the snap of her fingers.
“I have brought you here in your sleep for a very important reason Diomedes.” She told me. “But first may I ask, do you know where you are?” she smiled. I wanted to make her smile again.
I looked around. Such beauty as this wasn’t made by mere man. There was only one possible answer for the question.
“Mount Olympus?” I asked. I had meant to say it with more conviction but around such a dominating presence it was hard to be completely sure of anything.
“Very good.” She said and smiled again. “Do you know who I am?” she asked.
I studied the throne she was sitting in. it too, like the castle it was made of a pearl and marble mix, however it seemed to be a bit more silver than the castle.
I looked back at her.
“You’re a goddess right?” I asked.
“Mhmm.” She answered.
I studied her once more. She was definitely beautiful, but I didn’t think she was Aphrodite. Her presence didn’t fill me with the lust associated with the goddess of love; but instead one of knowledge and wisdom.
“You are Athene. Goddess of war, peace, and wisdom.” She nodded.
I couldn’t help wondering why Athene, A goddess, was talking to me; and why brought me all the way to Olympus?
Suddenly it all fell into place. It wasn’t just coincidence that Mariah looked like her. It was too close, Their fragile appearance, comforting tone, dark brown hair, and near silver eyes.
Athene must have seen that I had come to the conclusion because she grew stern.
“You’re Mariah mother.” I said in disbelief.
She made one slow nod.
“Not just hers…” she said staring deep into my eyes.
I took a step back; overcome with emotion. My first emotion was shock but soon that turned into joy. I had found her, the woman of my dreams that held me close as I was a baby.
Then I came across a revelation that trampled the joy and crushed it to dust, leaving behind nothing but anger and hate.
I had thought that my mother had loved me and only given me away because she couldn’t provide a good enough life for me; but she was a goddess. She lived in a giant castle.
“You left me in an orphanage.” I hissed.
“It was for the better.” She replied in the calm voice that Mariah pissed me off with.
“For the better?!” I spat, “You live here! You probably eat your fill every day! I was lucky to receive a piece of bread per day!”
I felt a firm hand grasp my good shoulder. I spun my head in that direction.
“Diomedes!” Mariah chided. “You have a right to be angry but she is still a goddess. Remember what I told you earlier? Ignorance can be deadly.” She emphasized the deadly.
I gritted my teeth; as angry as I was she was still right.
“It is okay Diomedes.” Athene said. “I understand why you might feel the way you do but I did it for a reason.”
“What.” I said, I worked hard to keep my tone less harsh but conveyed my attitude with my glare.
“There was a prophecy when you were born,
“The lord of Darkness shall rise once more,
His rebirth shall start an uneven war,
A child is born of awesome might,
Cursed to join the wretched fight,
The fate of the earth he will decide,
A burden that he shall take in stride,
The outcome is truly up to him,
The future could be bright or dim,
Two of great power will fall to their death
A child of war takes their last breath”
“This is your destiny Diomedes, whether you like it or not. You, my son, will decide the fate of the world. Not just your world but the world of the gods. Please understand I sent you down to live on earth so that when the time comes you will fight harder to protect it. I love you. I have loved you from the minute you were born but I had to do what I did.”
I wasn’t so mad anymore, I was fearful. I was fearful of the prophecy. It seemed that I would be consumed in the fear and then, she said she loved me. My mother loved me. She said it with such sincerity that I couldn’t mistrust her.
“Tell me what the prophecy means.” I told her.
“I cannot. Not only can prophecies mean a number of different things but they also have to be deciphered by the individual. I can tell you this much though; the Dark Lord Kronos has been regaining his strength. His scythe which gives him great power has been stolen and cannot be found. I fear he has possession of the weapon. If that’s so, it won’t be long until he spurs a war.
Some of the minor gods have already turned against us and Cyclops’s as well. The Cyclops you encountered was never on our side. Polyphemus has been a thorn in the god’s sides ever since the end of the last war where we overthrew the Titans.”
“Well I took care of him.” I said, the anger I felt towards him welling up at the mere mention of his name.
“Not quite. The Cyclops’, like the gods and Titans, are Immortal. By now he’s already left your village and is headed back to Troy.”
I balled my fists. He was immortal. How could I possibly fight something that didn’t die?
I thought of the monster that had overcame me on the battlefield.
“When he killed Peleus…. Something changed inside me, wasn’t even in control of my own body… what was that?”
“Patience young one, I will get to that in a moment.” She said.
I nodded for her to continue,
“You are a godling, the son of two gods.”
She stopped speaking and let me ponder something for a moment.
She had said the son of two gods. If she was my mother then…
“Who’s my father?” I asked, “And why isn’t he here?”
She nodded.
“Your father is the god of war, father of the slaughter, Ares.” She answered. “As for why he isn’t here, due to the pressing situation we are desperate for soldiers. Your father is out training the other godlings for battle.”
“Wait! There are others?!” I asked, amazed.
“Of course, thousands.” She answered. “However, most godlings live here on Olympus until their sixteenth birthday when their dormant power reveals itself. When you where born we weren’t completely sure if you were the child from the prophecy, but we couldn’t take any chances so we sent you to earth anyway. After today though we are almost positive.”
I just stared at her. I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to talk or not. Finally she continued.
“You Diomedes are the true heir of Ares. When a time of desperate need is approaching, true heirs are born.”
“What separates a ‘true heir’ from a regular godling?” I asked. I felt kind of strange saying ‘regular godling’, as if there was anything regular about being a child of the gods.
“All godlings inherit a ‘gift’, if you will, from one of their parents. The magnitude of the gift is much less than that of the gods and is slightly different. However, a true heir is born with their parent’s strongest gift. To answer your previous question about what overtook you on the battlefield, it was your gift; the gift of your father, the gift known as, Ainmhí.”
The word sent chills down my spine. It was ancient, like it was from the time of the Titans, the time without written words, the time of ignorance. And the way she said it was a sharp hissing sound, as if a snake had spoken the word instead of her.
I had never before heard the word but I knew its meaning instantly.
“The beast” I mumbled.
Athene regarded me with uncertain shock.
“That’s right” she said narrowing her eyes, not in distrust but curiosity.
“What language is that?” I asked, unsure of how I knew the word.
She held my gaze for a few moments.
“It has no name,” she finally said, “It is the language of your ancestors. It is the ancient language.”
I wanted to see how much of this ‘Ancient language’ I really knew, however I was still curious about my gift.
“What is my gift? Not the name, the actual being itself.”
“Diomedes, I believe you would know more than anyone, other than Ares, Why don’t you tell me?”
I thought about it. It was hard to think of the right way to put it.
“Well… It felt like-like this animal, or beast I suppose, possessed my body… like it wasn’t me anymore… not until I saw Mariah anyway.”
Athene’s eyes sparkled with delight.
“Yes, that’s how it got its name. But tell me my son, how did you stop from killing your sister? Ainmhí has only one instinct and therefore one objective, kill. There have been true heirs before you Diomedes but all have been consumed by their ability; thrust into a perpetual killing spree that became so up hauling that we gods had to stop them… for good. But you,” She smiled revealing a perfect row of porcelain white teeth. “You have done something that nobody but your father was able to do, and even he took years to do, you have controlled Ainmhí.”
“So much for controlled!” I yelled thinking of the village that now laid dead on the ground, “I killed them! I killed them all and it was all because of this gift! But it’s not a gift; it’s a curse!” Tears started to blur my vision, “please,” I begged, “take it away.”
I wiped the tears from my eyes tat had not yet fallen and looked at my mother. She had a look that was both concern and outrage.
“Diomedes,” she said, her voice had not changed it was still calm and melodic; “It doesn’t work like that. Besides, you should be happy. You were blessed with Ainmhí not cursed. Many godlings would kill to have your ability.”
“Then let them have it!” I yelled
I felt soft finger brush the backside of my hand, Mariah. That calmed me down a little.
Athene sighed.
“I won’t use it.” I said through clenched teeth, “by Zeus almighty I swear I won’t.”
Athene stared at me, her hard grey eyes peering straight into my soul.
“Set out for Athens in the morning, if you refuse to use your gift I will just have to train you. When you arrive seek out the one named Sotiris. He is one of my priests; I will give you more directions from there. But for now I must say goodbye, for the sun is almost high above your head and you have a busy day ahead of you.”
She stepped off of her throne and walked towards me.
I wanted to say something but being so close to a goddess was intimidating yet euphoric. I wasn’t sure whether to cringe or smile.
“Here,” she said handing me a spear, “to keep you safe on your journey.”
I grabbed the weapon without looking down at, my gaze still transfixed on her eyes.
“When you awake your wounds will be healed, goodbye my son.”
“No! Wait! I still have questions!” I cried but it was too late I was thrown into the darkness again.
Something very peculiar happened then. I was suddenly very cold. The darkness still pressed upon me like an endless void but I wasn’t spinning anymore. I had frozen.
I heard a heavy raspy breathing.
“Téigh i mé garmhac.” hissed a voice. The words echoed and chilled me to the bone. It was a whisper, not even a whisper, it was as if the creature behind it merely breathed out the words. Yet even in such a soft voice, it carried beneath it a dark and eerie power.
I shot up into the sitting position. My eyelids opening just as fast.
“Diomedes,” Mariah said with relief, “you didn’t wake up when I did. I got so scared, some people have died after encounters with gods, their presence overwhelms them, and-”
“Wait,” I interrupted, “You mean it was real?” I asked.
“Mhmm”
“Then there’s something I need to tell you. I think I know why we didn’t wake up from the dream.”
“What, what is it?”
“After we left Athene,” I explained, “I was thrust into somekind of perpetual darkness, I couldn’t see a thing. Then this voice, this creepy voice said…” I paused and recalled the exact pronounciation, “Téigh i mé garmhac.”
Mariah’s eyes widened with shock and she took a cautious step backwards.
“Diomedes, Do you know what that means…?” she asked in a small terrified voice.
The words came to me instantly.
“Join me grandson.” I said.
“Kronos…” she whispered.
Chapter 6
___________________
I stood up and wiped the sweat from my forehead. Despite the cold weather the sun was beating hard on my neck, and I was beginning to feel sorry for not wearing more sheltering clothing like Mariah had warned me to. I touched my neck ever so tenderly but instantly recoiled in reaction to the pain.
“Too late now.” I mumbled and took a couple steps back. The task was almost done.
After convincing Mariah that I didn’t plan to join Kronos, which took some time, I made a commitment to give every last villager a proper burial.
It was hard to look into their cold drained faces and know that for each and every one of them, I was the killer. I had managed to keep myself contained thus far though and there was only one villager left… Peleus.
I didn’t want to burry him, because burying him would mean to admit that he was dead and I didn’t want to accept that.
I sighed. I had to burry him. If there was anybody that deserved to be honored with a proper burial it was him.
I walked over to the headless corps and bent down to pick him up.
“He looks heavy. Do you need some help?” asked a gruff voice.
It startled me; unless Mariah had suddenly dropped ten octaves, it didn’t belong to her and she was the only person on the island I hadn’t killed. I jerked my head up and was shocked to see Demas standing in front of me.
His sky blue eyes where still just as cold and lifeless as they had turned after what happened to his brother. Now the tall, strapping sixteen year old was merely a shell of what he once was.
But I didn’t care. Shell or not he was Demas. I suddenly remembered the women who had gone to the shelter. So there was hope for the village, hope that some of the bloodlines might still be carried on in those who were already pregnant.
“Demas,” I said standing up. I was so happy he was alive. But as I looked around I remembered why that specific detail made me so happy, “Demas I… I killed them… I didn’t mean to I just…”
He stared at me for a moment.
“I can’t say that it’s okay and I forgive you,” he said, “But I understand…”
“No Demas, you don’t. There are things about me that you’ll never understand… things about me that I don’t understand.
“I understand far more than you think,” he said and a spark of life returned to his eyes as he unveiled the truth, “You’re a godling.”
“How do you-?”
He pointed his thumb to the left; I followed its track until I was staring at Miai.
“Miai?!” I exclaimed.
“I think you mean Thetis.”
I looked back at him, dumbfounded.
“How do you know that name?” I asked.
“Because she told me.”
“Hold on,” My mind was reeling, “why did she tell you her lover name?”
Demas laughed, not a hearty laugh like before the Aristedes incident, but still a laugh, progress.
I thought for a moment and was shocked when I came across the answer.
“Demas!” I yelled, “Are you sleeping with Miai?”
He laughed a bit louder.
“You really don’t know your gods, do you?” he said when he finally stopped laughing. “Miai’s real name is Thetis, and Thetis is…?” he stared at me as If I was supposed to answer.
He sighed.
“The goddess of the silver fleet.” He answered shaking his head.
I gasped
“But…” I was still pondering something, “but why did she tell you that I was a godling?”
“Because I am too.” He stated.
“You too?” I exclaimed. I wasn’t sure even I believed that I was one, and now there were two of us.
“It really wasn’t that much of a shock to me, I think I knew it all along. I mean when I really think about it, my brother and I were always different. We were always taller than the other children, People seemed to gravitate towards us for advice, and the weather never bothers us.”
Are you a child of… Zeus?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Listen, I know you must have questions, so go talk to Thetis, She’ll explain everything.”
I looked back over at Peleus’ now widowed wife.
Her eyes were red from crying and her hair was a mess. Regardless, I couldn’t help but notice that even in a state of mourning she was still gorgeous.
I walked over to her apprehensively.
“So you’re a goddess?” I asked.
She nodded.
“I’m sorry.” I said softly.
“For what?” she asked.
“It’s my fault that Peleus was killed. If I had listened to him and guarded the safe house he wouldn’t have been distracted and he would have lived, and all this,” I motioned towards all of the graves, “wouldn’t have happened.”
She took my drooping head in her hands.
“It wasn’t your fault Diomedes. This was Peleus’ fate and he knew that going into the fight. Whether you were there or not he would have been killed.” She paused and whipped her eyes, ridding them of fresh tears. “You only did what was natural. You are seventeen now, correct?
I nodded.
“That is the blooming age of true heirs, those who are not true heirs, like Demas, bloom at sixteen…. Peleus knew you were a godling, and I’m sure that he is honored that his…. passing, was what caused you to bloom.”
I pulled away from her hands.
“Why would he be honored? What, is he supposed to be proud of me? What is there to be proud of? I became a monster! I killed the only people who were ever good to me! How can he be proud of that?”
Thetis raised her hand and brushed the hair out of my face, her hand was smooth and cold like the waters of the sea from which she came.
“The determination of your father yet the kindness of your mother.”
She pulled me close.
It was obvious that she was a lesser god than Athene; I wasn’t as anxious or timid around Thetis.
“Your gift can be a curse if you let it,” she whispered, “but it can also be a blessing. Your fist encounter with Ainmhí, like many before you, was that of trauma. However Diomedes, You must use that experience as fuel to learn and fight to tame the beast within.”
“But I don’t want to have to think about it. I see it every time I close my eyes, why would I want to think about it when they’re open?”
“You misinterpret my words Diomedes, Do not dwell on the past, just use it to spur you on.”
“I still don’t want my gift. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tame it, I’m not in control, it would be like me trying to take over your body; it simply can’t be done.”
Thetis sighed.
“Diomedes, I am not the expert on Ainmhí, speak with Ares if you need information about that, but I can answer any questions you have on other topics having to do with the immortal world.”
I did have a few questions. It was strange, I was a godling, and yet I knew nothing about them; it was as if I didn’t know myself.
“Are godlings immortal?” I asked suddenly. The thought of living forever both amused and terrified me. While I would never have to worry about dieing in the heat of battle, or anytime else for that sake, the thought of out living everybody I came in contact with left me distraught. Suppose I found a wife. Would I have to watch her die and know that I would never be able to join her in the other life?
“No, you’re not immortal Diomedes.” Thetis said, putting an end to my fears. “You are what’s known as a Demi-immortal.”
“So I- do live forever?”
“No.”
“Then what about me is immortal?”
“The difference between a human and a Demi-immortal is-“ she stopped and looked around. The Women and children where entering the village apprehensively. I felt bad for them, it wouldn’t be long until they noticed that their husbands and fathers were dead.
“Let’s talk in a more private place.” Thetis said and began walking in the direction of her house.
I caught up in a couple of strides and walked next to her.
“So the difference is…?” I asked in an attempt to restart the conversation.
“Not now.” She said whilst walking. “We’ll discuss the matter when we are at my house and protective measures have been taken.” She paused and had a sudden look of what appeared to be anger. “I just realized how careless I’ve been, Discussing such matters in a wide open area…” She mumbled for a moment or so, “Anyone could have been listening.” She stopped walking and looked straight at me, “Anyone.”
I shuddered at the implication of her words.
We finally reached her house and stepped inside. The smell of sweet salt air filled my nostrils. I had never realized the reason behind the smell until now, Thetis, goddess of the sea.
The pulled the curtains over the windows and all went dark.
Thetis lit a candle creating a warm glow in the center of the room. She walked over and placed it on the table.
The tiny flame wasn’t much yet it did it’s job by filling the room with an orange glow. As I walked to the table I examined the room. I had been in the house before but I had never looked too close.
There were scrolls and books of all sorts in a self, and a bed off to the corner. The house wasn’t big, just comfortable for two people. I could smell somewhere between the aroma of the sea, there was a bread baking. The house had a very warm and relaxing feel to it.
I sat down at the table. She took my hands with her eyes closed and began to mutter something.
Without warning the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Fear coursed through my veins like venom. I pulled and yanked away but Thetis tightened her grip refusing to let me go.
The words swirled around me, hissing and growing louder with every second until there was nothing but the words, vibrating against my eardrums, so loud that I couldn’t hear the thoughts in my head.
Then silence.
I opened my eyes, my head was throbbing I had my teeth clenched so tight that I had inadvertently given myself a headache.
Thetis was staring at me from the other side of the table. She released her grip on my hands and I stood up, unsure of what had just taken place.
Had she put a curse on me? Was my initial thought. Was she so angry that I had played a part in her husband’s murder that she decided to eternally damn me with the curse of a goddess?
“You have nothing to fear.” She said as if replying to my thoughts.
“W-what was that?”
“That was the forgotten language. The language of the Golden times.”
“Like Ainmhí? I asked.
“Yes, like Ainmhí.”
I still wasn’t convinced. The words were the forgotten language, no doubt about that, but I didn’t understand the meaning behind the words. There was still a chance that it was a curse.”
“What did it mean though? You didn’t… curse me did you?”
As soon as I uttered the last syllable she did something I wasn’t expecting. She laughed.
“Dear child, why would I put a curse on you?”
“Because I distracted Peleus, if it wasn’t for me he might be alive right now.”
She stopped laughing and looked deep into my eyes.
“I told you earlier, it wasn’t your fault. He died the way he would have wanted to,” she paused. “Protecting those that he loved, like you and me. Now would I be honoring his death by cursing one of his loved ones? No, tis better to leave the past in the past, I am terribly sad about my husband and have grieved but to dwell on it will not raise him from the grave. I suggest you take the same advice”
“I suppose not.”
She was right, but now I felt bad that I had ever thought she would hurt me so I sat back down to show that I trusted her.
“I was saying a barrier incantation.” She said answering my previous question.
“Oh.” I said dumbly. “Wait! You mean like magic?”
She laughed again.
“Diomedes, with everything that’s happened to you in the past few days I would think that you would be use to the phenomena of the immortal world.”
I frowned. I knew that she was joking but it still irked me. It was hard enough without her jokes.
“Yes, like magic. The forgotten language is very rare, and very powerful among men. It is a language like no other, a language that carries the names and life force of every living and nonliving creature out there with every word. If phrased correctly, the words can carry out tasks, provide you with food and water, and even kill.”
I took all of that in. there was a way for somebody to kill with just a few words.
“Thetis, I didn’t like the forgotten language before but when you were speaking there, it was gut wrenching, I felt fear and pain. Why was that?”
“The forgotten language also has the names of people. I said your name in order to include you in the barrier spell, but,” she looked puzzled, “You said the language never caused that discomfort before, when did you hear it before? I know that Athene visited you last night but what did she tell you of the forgotten language?”
“Nothing much, just that the name of my gift is Ainmhí,” I shivered I didn’t like speaking the language, it left a bitter taste in my mouth, “but that’s about it.”
Thetis nodded.
“Mmm, I see. Times are tough on Olympus she must not have had much time to go in depth. Is there anything else she told you?”
“She told me about Kronos, and the prophecy that was told when I was born, and-oh then in the dream she gave me a spear but, come to think of it, when I woke up I didn’t have it.”
“Really? What did the spear look like?” Thetis asked with an inquisitive look.
“I didn’t get a good look,” I blushed, “truth be told I was too bust looking at her.”
Thetis chuckled.
“Athene is a very powerful and beautiful goddess, it’s only natural. But please, think hard. Did the spear have any emblem or design on it?”
I thought about it.
“Well… in the corner of my eye I saw a silver insignia.” I thought a bit harder trying to remember the slightest details, “It was an older, but incredible picture of an owl, and boar butting heads.”
Thetis gasped.
“Crois lann.” she whispered.
“Uhm…. Thetis?”
She had closed her eyes and was breathing heavily.
“I had only heard stories about the legendary spear-blade.” She breathed.
“Spear-blade?”
“Yes, Crois lann. Well, technically Crois lann translates to cross weapon; but the weapon itself is a cross between a sword and a spear. Like a hybrid I suppose.”
“Then that can’t be it, all she gave me was a spear. But I don’t see why we’re talking about it anyway, I don’t have the spear.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” she scolded. “Of course you have the Crois lann you just don’t know where it is yet, that’s all; and it doesn’t look like a spear and sword at the same time it- you know what, I’ll just have to show you, but for now, did she tell you anything else in the dream?”
I thought for a moment.
“Yes actually, she told me to sail to Athens before sunset.”
“Today?” Thetis shrieked.
“Well, yeah.” I was confused as to why she was being so dramatic.
“Zeus almighty, you don’t have much time! How where you planning to get there?”
“The same way I left when I was younger. I was going to build a raft.”
“A raft.” She started mumbling to herself. “Oh no-no-no-no that just will not due. The tides are going to be rough the next couple of days. Poseidon, the old bag, still upset about…”
This went on for a couple more moments then she suddenly snapped her head up.
“By Zeus I’ve got it!”
I gave her a quizzical look.
“I’m coming with you!” She said.
“You are?”
“Yes! This will give me time to teach you a little more about the Forgotten Language, and the gods…”
She began to mumble again and I tuned out. There was no point in me listening to her ramble on and on. I had never noticed before how fast paced everything was with Thetis. Her words all rammed together to the point where it was hard to understand what she was saying, and the more excited she got the faster she spoke. Plus she was so dramatic. Regardless, it was nice to know that there would be another familiar face to turn to when we reached Athens.
“There!” she exclaimed waking me from my thoughts, “I’m all packed.”
I hadn’t even noticed that she had gotten up from the table but there she was standing a few feet away with a leather satchel on her back.
When she stood so close I could take in the whole essence of her beauty.
Her Black hair cascaded down over her high cheekbones and cradled around her crystal blue eyes. The black mourning toga she wore was loose on her frail hourglass body.
Her appearance used to be pleasing but now it only reminded me of this whole new world that I had unwillingly become a part of.
I wanted to stop. Just throw myself off a cliff and let it all be over. But I knew that there was more. I wasn’t doing this to avoid the fury of the gods or even to collect glory for myself. I was doing it for Mariah, to protect her from the traumas and dangers of this war.
“I know this must be hard for you Diomedes.” She said. Her voice was sympathetic. I noticed that I must have put on some sort of face while I was thinking.
“It is,” I said not wanting to lye to a goddess. “but I have to do this. Athene said that I was to be a key part of this war and that if the gods don’t win it Kronos will enslave everyone. I could care less about the rest of the world but I would never be able to live with myself if Mariah was ever hurt. So to answer, yes, it’s hard, but it must be done.”
“I sympathize with you. However as you said, it must be done so we must be off.” She walked over to the windows and drew the curtains open again.
She proceeded to walk over to the door and open it.
“You coming?” she asked. Her tone implied that it was more of a statement than a question.
I stood up out of the chair and walked over to the door. Thetis nodded her head in acknowledgement and walked through.
I went to walk through the door but when I stepped into the doorway something was blocking my way.
Startled, I took a couple steps backward and rammed the barrier with a running start. This however only resulted in me being smacked right back and onto the floor. I stood up and rubbed my butt.
Hmm, I thought, maybe that wasn’t the brightest idea….
Thetis peaked her head back in.
“Why aren’t you coming? Hey, this is no time for sitting down! We have work to do.”
“There’s something blocking my way! I said exasperated.
“There is?” she asked.
Cautiously, she put her hand in the doorway and waved it around.
The look on her face was quite comical. Her lips were puckered and her eyes wide.
I began to laugh.
“What?” she questioned, her face took on a demanding look, “Were you just joking around? Come now be serious.”
I was still chuckling a little.
“No,” I said when I stopped laughing, “there really is something here.” I walked over and put my hands in the door way, instantly a force pushed back against me. “See.”
“Well that is a problem.” She mumbled.
She placed one foot in the door and tapped the floor inside the house. Seeing that as safe she hopped from one foot to the other then bounded through the doorway.
I began to laugh again but stopped when a thought crossed my mind.
“Is it Kronos?” I asked when it dawned on me that that could be the case. What? Was this his new strategy, ‘If I can’t get him to join me I’ll just trap him inside some house for all eternity’.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” she said. “Kronos doesn’t have that kind of power.” She started to mumble, “no-no-no it’s not that, uhm…. OH! I know what it is! Silly me, the incantation.”
“The what now?”
“The barrier spell I used earlier. See, what it does is blocks any sound from entering or escaping the confined area in which it was used. It also apparently creates some sort of,” she waved her hand in the doorway again, “force field to block the entrances into the area.”
“Well then why isn’t it blocking you?”
I doubted she heard me. She was too busy muttering to herself about how remarkable it was.
“…I’ve never preformed the incantation before so I find it quite amusing.” She continued, confirming my suspicion that she hadn’t heard my question, “I’m curious as to how much pressure would have to be applied before it broke, that is, if it has a breaking point…. Diomedes.”
I was staring at her in wonder. I didn’t talk to her too much before today, in fact, I think this was our longest conversation ever, and I was beginning to see how her constant muttering and mumbling could quite possibly drive me insane during the next few days. How does Peleus do it? I couldn’t help thinking. I looked her up and down again, oh yeah, that’s how…
“Diomedes.” She called a second time, “Could you ram the barrier for me, perhaps it would shatter if you hit it hard enough.”
“I’d really rather not,” I said rubbing my sore backside, “it kind of hurts.”
She sighed. I felt relatively bad now. I had taken her excitement away.
“Fine, I suppose we could do it the easy way, I’ll reverse the spell.”
A sudden fear washed over me. I recalled the feeling of anguish that had enveloped me when she had made the incantation, if that was going to happen again, suddenly a sore backside didn’t sound that bad.
“Are you going to have to say my name again when you perform the cancellation?” I asked apprehensively.
“No, the cancellation spell requires but one word of the Forgotten Language, Cealaigh!”
In the doorway I watched as a small flame appeared in the middle and spread outwards to the frame then extinguished on the edges.
Amazed, I took a few steps forward and reached my hand out to where the barrier had been moments ago. This time nothing resisted against me.
I stepped cautiously though and was actually relieved when I felt the sun burn I had developed earlier this morning heat up in relation to the suns rays.
I was outside again.
Thetis was mumbling to herself again. I couldn’t catch all of it but what I did hear was something like, “Perhaps I could redo the spell then get … no that wouldn’t work…”
I thought that she might have stood there for the rest of the day pondering whether or not the now non-existing barrier could be broken.
“Thetis?”
“Yes child…” she said still in a daze.
“Athens?” I coaxed.
“Mhmm.” She replied without looking up.
“I have to sail there by sunset.” I reminded.
She looked at me as if to decipher my words, she hadn’t really been paying attention to our conversation.
“Oh!” She exclaimed when she came into complete awareness, “Right, Athens! We have to get down to the shore.”
She walked out of the house and in the direction of the woods.
“Uhm, Thetis?”
“Yes child?” she said turning around.
“The shore’s that way.” I pointed in the opposite direction of where she was going.
She stared at me. There was an awkward silence during which she blinked all of three times in quick succession.
“We’re on an island, the shore is every direction.” She contemplated her answer for a moment then seeming satisfied turned around to start walking.
“But Mariah’s this way.” I added, pointing in the same direction I had before.
Thetis turned around for a second time and there was yet another awkward silence.
“So she is.” She said with a sigh when she could find no other way to win the conflict.
She walked my way and passed right by when she got to my coordinates. I wondered if she was perturbed that I had beat her in a battle of wits, I don’t think that happened to goddess’ much.
“Let me get those for you.” I said reaching up for her bags.
She was coming with me on my way to Athens after her husband had died, and on my account no less; the least I could do was carry her bags. Plus, perhaps this would make it up to her for being right, as strange as that sounds.
A smirk came to her face.
“Fine,” she said, “but I warn you, they’re heavy…”
I looked at how weightlessly she carried the bags on her frail body.
“I think I can handle it.” I said with assurance.
“Oooookay….” She said with an uneasy humor.
She took off the bag with a single hand and placed it in my outstretched one.
As soon as she released it, I was pulled down by its weight. The satchel hit the ground with a thud.
I looked around amazed. The bag must have weighed two-hundred pounds.
I placed both my hands on the strap with a strong grip and heaved.
It didn’t move an inch.
Thetis snickered.
“What’s in this?” I asked.
She began to laugh.
Now it was on. I had to lift the bag.
I steadied my stance and pulled on the bag once more.
“Cealaigh!” she said.
The bag instantly became light and before I could stop myself I was lying on my back.
“What was that all about?” I asked exasperated.
“I just haven’t used the forgotten language in so long that I thought I’d try to loosen up with a few spells. Quite honestly I’ve forgotten some of it.” She laughed at the pun she had made.
I stood back up and threw the bag over my shoulder.
“Fine, but from now on, do you mind not practicing on me?”
“Sure, sure.” She said and was back off to dreamland.
It dawned on me that her inconsistent personality was due to her being goddess of the sea.
The sea is almost always gentle though it can be rougher on some days, it’s constantly changing, sometimes quiet and gentle, other times choppy and active, but always doing something, never resting.
We walked in silence until we reached the main part of the village were Mariah was.
She stood talking to Demas.
I couldn’t quite decipher her demeanor. She looked both happy and sad at the same time.
I approached them.
“Hey what’s going on?” I asked interrupting Mariah in mid sentence.
They both looked at me.
It was quiet for a moment as they both waited for the other to speak.
I raised my eyebrows, and Demas took the initiative.
“I was just telling Mariah how Aristedes just woke up.”
A glimmer of happiness returned to his eyes but was instantly doused with anguishing sadness.
“He’s paralyzed from the neck down.” He added.
The words came to me like a blow to the stomach. I was aware that these were the circumstances but I so ignorantly assumed through a secret hope that he would be the lucky one and come out of the infirmary in a few days walking tall; the old Aristedes.
But alas…
“I-…I don’t know what to say…” I said sympathetically, “I’m sorry.”
Demas balled his fists.
“No. The one who’s going to be sorry is that damn Polyphemus.” He said through clenched teeth. “I’m going to find him, and when I do, he’s going to pay; when I do, he’ll be sorry.”
There was a fire in his sky blue eyes that burned to intensely I knew he would kill him, Polyphemus didn’t stand a chance.
“How do you plan to find him?” I asked.
“I’m going to go to Crete, the land of my father, and find out about my past. I just have this gut feeling that I’m supposed to be there, it’ll make me stronger. And after that…” he paused and looked towards the sky, “I’m joining the war, and I’m going to torture that bastard on the battlefield like he did my brother.” He was clenching his fist so tight that I could see the whites of his knuckles.
The thought of possibly losing another friend to this war was excruciating but I understood, I too had a grudge with the Polyphemus but I didn’t know how to beat him without releasing the beast, and I refused to do that.
“I understand.” I told him.
He nodded.
I clasped him on the shoulder.
“You know, I almost feel sorry for him…” I told him.
Demas smiled. It wasn’t a full out smile though, just a twinkle of one, he was too preoccupied in his mind. I supposed he was imagining the time when he met Polyphemus again.
“Erherm.” I heard Thetis clearing her throat behind me.
I turned around.
“Oh no, I don’t want to interrupt…” she said signaling me to continue with the conversation.
I faced Demas again.
“However, we do need to be going soon.” Thetis added.
“As do I.” Demas said officially ending our conversation. “The sooner I get to Crete, the stronger I’ll be when I kill Polyphemus.”
“How do you plan to get to Crete?” Thetis asked.
“I suppose I’ll spend a month or so building a boat to sail in.”
“Well don’t be silly, come with us.” Thetis invited, “I could have you there in a few days.”
I gaped at her, dumbfounded.
“Thetis! A raft is dangerous enough going from here to Athens, but to go all the way to Crete is suicide! Even if you are goddess of the sea, you don’t have control over pirates!”
“A raft!” Thetis mocked, “Dear child, we will not be using a raft. As you just stated I am a goddess.” She really emphasized goddess, “I have a few tricks up my sleeve…”
“Well unless you can raise a ship out of the water, I doubt those tricks will help much.”
She gave me a sly look.
I raised my eyebrows at her and looked over to find Demas doing the same.
Come with me.
The two of us followed her in silence; I was too busy speculating what she was going to do. For some reason, I had this gut feeling that it was going to involve The Forgotten language; I was right.
When we reached the edge of the island, which took nearly half an hour, she closed her eyes and began to chant the words the sickened me.
She started in a near inaudible whisper and grew louder and louder until the last line which she nearly shouted.
I looked at Demas. His face was sheet white and his hands trembled. I couldn’t help wondering if that was how I looked.
Thetis took the diving position.
This shocked me a little. We weren’t on some gigantic cliff side, but it wasn’t exactly a hop away either. Besides, why was she going into the water?
Before I had a chance to question her she dove into the crisp sea. Her dive was the most elegant dive I had ever seen. For a moment I considered telling her that she should join the swimming portion of the Olympics. Then I realized how ridiculous that was, a goddess in the Olympics? First of all it wouldn’t be fair, and Second and probably most important, only men were allowed participating.
Throughout the entirety of my Olympic thought process, Thetis hadn’t returned to the surface. I didn’t worry at first, but after another thirty seconds passed I couldn’t help it.
I faced Demas.
“Do you think she’s okay?”
“I’m sure she is,” Demas said, “she is the goddess of the sea. Besides, what’s she going to due? Die? She’s an immortal.”
“Still, I’m pretty sure immortals can be injured or knocked unconscious, and it wouldn’t have to be by the sea itself, she could have hit a rock of something like that.” I countered.
“What are you two talking about?” Thetis asked.
She was bone dry despite that she had jut jumped into the ocean.
“Nothing now, we were just…” my voice trailed off. “You’re not even wet.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Are you two going to stand there gaping at my being dry, or are you going to get on board?
“Too late now.” I mumbled and took a couple steps back. The task was almost done.
After convincing Mariah that I didn’t plan to join Kronos, which took some time, I made a commitment to give every last villager a proper burial.
It was hard to look into their cold drained faces and know that for each and every one of them, I was the killer. I had managed to keep myself contained thus far though and there was only one villager left… Peleus.
I didn’t want to burry him, because burying him would mean to admit that he was dead and I didn’t want to accept that.
I sighed. I had to burry him. If there was anybody that deserved to be honored with a proper burial it was him.
I walked over to the headless corps and bent down to pick him up.
“He looks heavy. Do you need some help?” asked a gruff voice.
It startled me; unless Mariah had suddenly dropped ten octaves, it didn’t belong to her and she was the only person on the island I hadn’t killed. I jerked my head up and was shocked to see Demas standing in front of me.
His sky blue eyes where still just as cold and lifeless as they had turned after what happened to his brother. Now the tall, strapping sixteen year old was merely a shell of what he once was.
But I didn’t care. Shell or not he was Demas. I suddenly remembered the women who had gone to the shelter. So there was hope for the village, hope that some of the bloodlines might still be carried on in those who were already pregnant.
“Demas,” I said standing up. I was so happy he was alive. But as I looked around I remembered why that specific detail made me so happy, “Demas I… I killed them… I didn’t mean to I just…”
He stared at me for a moment.
“I can’t say that it’s okay and I forgive you,” he said, “But I understand…”
“No Demas, you don’t. There are things about me that you’ll never understand… things about me that I don’t understand.
“I understand far more than you think,” he said and a spark of life returned to his eyes as he unveiled the truth, “You’re a godling.”
“How do you-?”
He pointed his thumb to the left; I followed its track until I was staring at Miai.
“Miai?!” I exclaimed.
“I think you mean Thetis.”
I looked back at him, dumbfounded.
“How do you know that name?” I asked.
“Because she told me.”
“Hold on,” My mind was reeling, “why did she tell you her lover name?”
Demas laughed, not a hearty laugh like before the Aristedes incident, but still a laugh, progress.
I thought for a moment and was shocked when I came across the answer.
“Demas!” I yelled, “Are you sleeping with Miai?”
He laughed a bit louder.
“You really don’t know your gods, do you?” he said when he finally stopped laughing. “Miai’s real name is Thetis, and Thetis is…?” he stared at me as If I was supposed to answer.
He sighed.
“The goddess of the silver fleet.” He answered shaking his head.
I gasped
“But…” I was still pondering something, “but why did she tell you that I was a godling?”
“Because I am too.” He stated.
“You too?” I exclaimed. I wasn’t sure even I believed that I was one, and now there were two of us.
“It really wasn’t that much of a shock to me, I think I knew it all along. I mean when I really think about it, my brother and I were always different. We were always taller than the other children, People seemed to gravitate towards us for advice, and the weather never bothers us.”
Are you a child of… Zeus?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Listen, I know you must have questions, so go talk to Thetis, She’ll explain everything.”
I looked back over at Peleus’ now widowed wife.
Her eyes were red from crying and her hair was a mess. Regardless, I couldn’t help but notice that even in a state of mourning she was still gorgeous.
I walked over to her apprehensively.
“So you’re a goddess?” I asked.
She nodded.
“I’m sorry.” I said softly.
“For what?” she asked.
“It’s my fault that Peleus was killed. If I had listened to him and guarded the safe house he wouldn’t have been distracted and he would have lived, and all this,” I motioned towards all of the graves, “wouldn’t have happened.”
She took my drooping head in her hands.
“It wasn’t your fault Diomedes. This was Peleus’ fate and he knew that going into the fight. Whether you were there or not he would have been killed.” She paused and whipped her eyes, ridding them of fresh tears. “You only did what was natural. You are seventeen now, correct?
I nodded.
“That is the blooming age of true heirs, those who are not true heirs, like Demas, bloom at sixteen…. Peleus knew you were a godling, and I’m sure that he is honored that his…. passing, was what caused you to bloom.”
I pulled away from her hands.
“Why would he be honored? What, is he supposed to be proud of me? What is there to be proud of? I became a monster! I killed the only people who were ever good to me! How can he be proud of that?”
Thetis raised her hand and brushed the hair out of my face, her hand was smooth and cold like the waters of the sea from which she came.
“The determination of your father yet the kindness of your mother.”
She pulled me close.
It was obvious that she was a lesser god than Athene; I wasn’t as anxious or timid around Thetis.
“Your gift can be a curse if you let it,” she whispered, “but it can also be a blessing. Your fist encounter with Ainmhí, like many before you, was that of trauma. However Diomedes, You must use that experience as fuel to learn and fight to tame the beast within.”
“But I don’t want to have to think about it. I see it every time I close my eyes, why would I want to think about it when they’re open?”
“You misinterpret my words Diomedes, Do not dwell on the past, just use it to spur you on.”
“I still don’t want my gift. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tame it, I’m not in control, it would be like me trying to take over your body; it simply can’t be done.”
Thetis sighed.
“Diomedes, I am not the expert on Ainmhí, speak with Ares if you need information about that, but I can answer any questions you have on other topics having to do with the immortal world.”
I did have a few questions. It was strange, I was a godling, and yet I knew nothing about them; it was as if I didn’t know myself.
“Are godlings immortal?” I asked suddenly. The thought of living forever both amused and terrified me. While I would never have to worry about dieing in the heat of battle, or anytime else for that sake, the thought of out living everybody I came in contact with left me distraught. Suppose I found a wife. Would I have to watch her die and know that I would never be able to join her in the other life?
“No, you’re not immortal Diomedes.” Thetis said, putting an end to my fears. “You are what’s known as a Demi-immortal.”
“So I- do live forever?”
“No.”
“Then what about me is immortal?”
“The difference between a human and a Demi-immortal is-“ she stopped and looked around. The Women and children where entering the village apprehensively. I felt bad for them, it wouldn’t be long until they noticed that their husbands and fathers were dead.
“Let’s talk in a more private place.” Thetis said and began walking in the direction of her house.
I caught up in a couple of strides and walked next to her.
“So the difference is…?” I asked in an attempt to restart the conversation.
“Not now.” She said whilst walking. “We’ll discuss the matter when we are at my house and protective measures have been taken.” She paused and had a sudden look of what appeared to be anger. “I just realized how careless I’ve been, Discussing such matters in a wide open area…” She mumbled for a moment or so, “Anyone could have been listening.” She stopped walking and looked straight at me, “Anyone.”
I shuddered at the implication of her words.
We finally reached her house and stepped inside. The smell of sweet salt air filled my nostrils. I had never realized the reason behind the smell until now, Thetis, goddess of the sea.
The pulled the curtains over the windows and all went dark.
Thetis lit a candle creating a warm glow in the center of the room. She walked over and placed it on the table.
The tiny flame wasn’t much yet it did it’s job by filling the room with an orange glow. As I walked to the table I examined the room. I had been in the house before but I had never looked too close.
There were scrolls and books of all sorts in a self, and a bed off to the corner. The house wasn’t big, just comfortable for two people. I could smell somewhere between the aroma of the sea, there was a bread baking. The house had a very warm and relaxing feel to it.
I sat down at the table. She took my hands with her eyes closed and began to mutter something.
Without warning the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Fear coursed through my veins like venom. I pulled and yanked away but Thetis tightened her grip refusing to let me go.
The words swirled around me, hissing and growing louder with every second until there was nothing but the words, vibrating against my eardrums, so loud that I couldn’t hear the thoughts in my head.
Then silence.
I opened my eyes, my head was throbbing I had my teeth clenched so tight that I had inadvertently given myself a headache.
Thetis was staring at me from the other side of the table. She released her grip on my hands and I stood up, unsure of what had just taken place.
Had she put a curse on me? Was my initial thought. Was she so angry that I had played a part in her husband’s murder that she decided to eternally damn me with the curse of a goddess?
“You have nothing to fear.” She said as if replying to my thoughts.
“W-what was that?”
“That was the forgotten language. The language of the Golden times.”
“Like Ainmhí? I asked.
“Yes, like Ainmhí.”
I still wasn’t convinced. The words were the forgotten language, no doubt about that, but I didn’t understand the meaning behind the words. There was still a chance that it was a curse.”
“What did it mean though? You didn’t… curse me did you?”
As soon as I uttered the last syllable she did something I wasn’t expecting. She laughed.
“Dear child, why would I put a curse on you?”
“Because I distracted Peleus, if it wasn’t for me he might be alive right now.”
She stopped laughing and looked deep into my eyes.
“I told you earlier, it wasn’t your fault. He died the way he would have wanted to,” she paused. “Protecting those that he loved, like you and me. Now would I be honoring his death by cursing one of his loved ones? No, tis better to leave the past in the past, I am terribly sad about my husband and have grieved but to dwell on it will not raise him from the grave. I suggest you take the same advice”
“I suppose not.”
She was right, but now I felt bad that I had ever thought she would hurt me so I sat back down to show that I trusted her.
“I was saying a barrier incantation.” She said answering my previous question.
“Oh.” I said dumbly. “Wait! You mean like magic?”
She laughed again.
“Diomedes, with everything that’s happened to you in the past few days I would think that you would be use to the phenomena of the immortal world.”
I frowned. I knew that she was joking but it still irked me. It was hard enough without her jokes.
“Yes, like magic. The forgotten language is very rare, and very powerful among men. It is a language like no other, a language that carries the names and life force of every living and nonliving creature out there with every word. If phrased correctly, the words can carry out tasks, provide you with food and water, and even kill.”
I took all of that in. there was a way for somebody to kill with just a few words.
“Thetis, I didn’t like the forgotten language before but when you were speaking there, it was gut wrenching, I felt fear and pain. Why was that?”
“The forgotten language also has the names of people. I said your name in order to include you in the barrier spell, but,” she looked puzzled, “You said the language never caused that discomfort before, when did you hear it before? I know that Athene visited you last night but what did she tell you of the forgotten language?”
“Nothing much, just that the name of my gift is Ainmhí,” I shivered I didn’t like speaking the language, it left a bitter taste in my mouth, “but that’s about it.”
Thetis nodded.
“Mmm, I see. Times are tough on Olympus she must not have had much time to go in depth. Is there anything else she told you?”
“She told me about Kronos, and the prophecy that was told when I was born, and-oh then in the dream she gave me a spear but, come to think of it, when I woke up I didn’t have it.”
“Really? What did the spear look like?” Thetis asked with an inquisitive look.
“I didn’t get a good look,” I blushed, “truth be told I was too bust looking at her.”
Thetis chuckled.
“Athene is a very powerful and beautiful goddess, it’s only natural. But please, think hard. Did the spear have any emblem or design on it?”
I thought about it.
“Well… in the corner of my eye I saw a silver insignia.” I thought a bit harder trying to remember the slightest details, “It was an older, but incredible picture of an owl, and boar butting heads.”
Thetis gasped.
“Crois lann.” she whispered.
“Uhm…. Thetis?”
She had closed her eyes and was breathing heavily.
“I had only heard stories about the legendary spear-blade.” She breathed.
“Spear-blade?”
“Yes, Crois lann. Well, technically Crois lann translates to cross weapon; but the weapon itself is a cross between a sword and a spear. Like a hybrid I suppose.”
“Then that can’t be it, all she gave me was a spear. But I don’t see why we’re talking about it anyway, I don’t have the spear.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” she scolded. “Of course you have the Crois lann you just don’t know where it is yet, that’s all; and it doesn’t look like a spear and sword at the same time it- you know what, I’ll just have to show you, but for now, did she tell you anything else in the dream?”
I thought for a moment.
“Yes actually, she told me to sail to Athens before sunset.”
“Today?” Thetis shrieked.
“Well, yeah.” I was confused as to why she was being so dramatic.
“Zeus almighty, you don’t have much time! How where you planning to get there?”
“The same way I left when I was younger. I was going to build a raft.”
“A raft.” She started mumbling to herself. “Oh no-no-no-no that just will not due. The tides are going to be rough the next couple of days. Poseidon, the old bag, still upset about…”
This went on for a couple more moments then she suddenly snapped her head up.
“By Zeus I’ve got it!”
I gave her a quizzical look.
“I’m coming with you!” She said.
“You are?”
“Yes! This will give me time to teach you a little more about the Forgotten Language, and the gods…”
She began to mumble again and I tuned out. There was no point in me listening to her ramble on and on. I had never noticed before how fast paced everything was with Thetis. Her words all rammed together to the point where it was hard to understand what she was saying, and the more excited she got the faster she spoke. Plus she was so dramatic. Regardless, it was nice to know that there would be another familiar face to turn to when we reached Athens.
“There!” she exclaimed waking me from my thoughts, “I’m all packed.”
I hadn’t even noticed that she had gotten up from the table but there she was standing a few feet away with a leather satchel on her back.
When she stood so close I could take in the whole essence of her beauty.
Her Black hair cascaded down over her high cheekbones and cradled around her crystal blue eyes. The black mourning toga she wore was loose on her frail hourglass body.
Her appearance used to be pleasing but now it only reminded me of this whole new world that I had unwillingly become a part of.
I wanted to stop. Just throw myself off a cliff and let it all be over. But I knew that there was more. I wasn’t doing this to avoid the fury of the gods or even to collect glory for myself. I was doing it for Mariah, to protect her from the traumas and dangers of this war.
“I know this must be hard for you Diomedes.” She said. Her voice was sympathetic. I noticed that I must have put on some sort of face while I was thinking.
“It is,” I said not wanting to lye to a goddess. “but I have to do this. Athene said that I was to be a key part of this war and that if the gods don’t win it Kronos will enslave everyone. I could care less about the rest of the world but I would never be able to live with myself if Mariah was ever hurt. So to answer, yes, it’s hard, but it must be done.”
“I sympathize with you. However as you said, it must be done so we must be off.” She walked over to the windows and drew the curtains open again.
She proceeded to walk over to the door and open it.
“You coming?” she asked. Her tone implied that it was more of a statement than a question.
I stood up out of the chair and walked over to the door. Thetis nodded her head in acknowledgement and walked through.
I went to walk through the door but when I stepped into the doorway something was blocking my way.
Startled, I took a couple steps backward and rammed the barrier with a running start. This however only resulted in me being smacked right back and onto the floor. I stood up and rubbed my butt.
Hmm, I thought, maybe that wasn’t the brightest idea….
Thetis peaked her head back in.
“Why aren’t you coming? Hey, this is no time for sitting down! We have work to do.”
“There’s something blocking my way! I said exasperated.
“There is?” she asked.
Cautiously, she put her hand in the doorway and waved it around.
The look on her face was quite comical. Her lips were puckered and her eyes wide.
I began to laugh.
“What?” she questioned, her face took on a demanding look, “Were you just joking around? Come now be serious.”
I was still chuckling a little.
“No,” I said when I stopped laughing, “there really is something here.” I walked over and put my hands in the door way, instantly a force pushed back against me. “See.”
“Well that is a problem.” She mumbled.
She placed one foot in the door and tapped the floor inside the house. Seeing that as safe she hopped from one foot to the other then bounded through the doorway.
I began to laugh again but stopped when a thought crossed my mind.
“Is it Kronos?” I asked when it dawned on me that that could be the case. What? Was this his new strategy, ‘If I can’t get him to join me I’ll just trap him inside some house for all eternity’.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” she said. “Kronos doesn’t have that kind of power.” She started to mumble, “no-no-no it’s not that, uhm…. OH! I know what it is! Silly me, the incantation.”
“The what now?”
“The barrier spell I used earlier. See, what it does is blocks any sound from entering or escaping the confined area in which it was used. It also apparently creates some sort of,” she waved her hand in the doorway again, “force field to block the entrances into the area.”
“Well then why isn’t it blocking you?”
I doubted she heard me. She was too busy muttering to herself about how remarkable it was.
“…I’ve never preformed the incantation before so I find it quite amusing.” She continued, confirming my suspicion that she hadn’t heard my question, “I’m curious as to how much pressure would have to be applied before it broke, that is, if it has a breaking point…. Diomedes.”
I was staring at her in wonder. I didn’t talk to her too much before today, in fact, I think this was our longest conversation ever, and I was beginning to see how her constant muttering and mumbling could quite possibly drive me insane during the next few days. How does Peleus do it? I couldn’t help thinking. I looked her up and down again, oh yeah, that’s how…
“Diomedes.” She called a second time, “Could you ram the barrier for me, perhaps it would shatter if you hit it hard enough.”
“I’d really rather not,” I said rubbing my sore backside, “it kind of hurts.”
She sighed. I felt relatively bad now. I had taken her excitement away.
“Fine, I suppose we could do it the easy way, I’ll reverse the spell.”
A sudden fear washed over me. I recalled the feeling of anguish that had enveloped me when she had made the incantation, if that was going to happen again, suddenly a sore backside didn’t sound that bad.
“Are you going to have to say my name again when you perform the cancellation?” I asked apprehensively.
“No, the cancellation spell requires but one word of the Forgotten Language, Cealaigh!”
In the doorway I watched as a small flame appeared in the middle and spread outwards to the frame then extinguished on the edges.
Amazed, I took a few steps forward and reached my hand out to where the barrier had been moments ago. This time nothing resisted against me.
I stepped cautiously though and was actually relieved when I felt the sun burn I had developed earlier this morning heat up in relation to the suns rays.
I was outside again.
Thetis was mumbling to herself again. I couldn’t catch all of it but what I did hear was something like, “Perhaps I could redo the spell then get … no that wouldn’t work…”
I thought that she might have stood there for the rest of the day pondering whether or not the now non-existing barrier could be broken.
“Thetis?”
“Yes child…” she said still in a daze.
“Athens?” I coaxed.
“Mhmm.” She replied without looking up.
“I have to sail there by sunset.” I reminded.
She looked at me as if to decipher my words, she hadn’t really been paying attention to our conversation.
“Oh!” She exclaimed when she came into complete awareness, “Right, Athens! We have to get down to the shore.”
She walked out of the house and in the direction of the woods.
“Uhm, Thetis?”
“Yes child?” she said turning around.
“The shore’s that way.” I pointed in the opposite direction of where she was going.
She stared at me. There was an awkward silence during which she blinked all of three times in quick succession.
“We’re on an island, the shore is every direction.” She contemplated her answer for a moment then seeming satisfied turned around to start walking.
“But Mariah’s this way.” I added, pointing in the same direction I had before.
Thetis turned around for a second time and there was yet another awkward silence.
“So she is.” She said with a sigh when she could find no other way to win the conflict.
She walked my way and passed right by when she got to my coordinates. I wondered if she was perturbed that I had beat her in a battle of wits, I don’t think that happened to goddess’ much.
“Let me get those for you.” I said reaching up for her bags.
She was coming with me on my way to Athens after her husband had died, and on my account no less; the least I could do was carry her bags. Plus, perhaps this would make it up to her for being right, as strange as that sounds.
A smirk came to her face.
“Fine,” she said, “but I warn you, they’re heavy…”
I looked at how weightlessly she carried the bags on her frail body.
“I think I can handle it.” I said with assurance.
“Oooookay….” She said with an uneasy humor.
She took off the bag with a single hand and placed it in my outstretched one.
As soon as she released it, I was pulled down by its weight. The satchel hit the ground with a thud.
I looked around amazed. The bag must have weighed two-hundred pounds.
I placed both my hands on the strap with a strong grip and heaved.
It didn’t move an inch.
Thetis snickered.
“What’s in this?” I asked.
She began to laugh.
Now it was on. I had to lift the bag.
I steadied my stance and pulled on the bag once more.
“Cealaigh!” she said.
The bag instantly became light and before I could stop myself I was lying on my back.
“What was that all about?” I asked exasperated.
“I just haven’t used the forgotten language in so long that I thought I’d try to loosen up with a few spells. Quite honestly I’ve forgotten some of it.” She laughed at the pun she had made.
I stood back up and threw the bag over my shoulder.
“Fine, but from now on, do you mind not practicing on me?”
“Sure, sure.” She said and was back off to dreamland.
It dawned on me that her inconsistent personality was due to her being goddess of the sea.
The sea is almost always gentle though it can be rougher on some days, it’s constantly changing, sometimes quiet and gentle, other times choppy and active, but always doing something, never resting.
We walked in silence until we reached the main part of the village were Mariah was.
She stood talking to Demas.
I couldn’t quite decipher her demeanor. She looked both happy and sad at the same time.
I approached them.
“Hey what’s going on?” I asked interrupting Mariah in mid sentence.
They both looked at me.
It was quiet for a moment as they both waited for the other to speak.
I raised my eyebrows, and Demas took the initiative.
“I was just telling Mariah how Aristedes just woke up.”
A glimmer of happiness returned to his eyes but was instantly doused with anguishing sadness.
“He’s paralyzed from the neck down.” He added.
The words came to me like a blow to the stomach. I was aware that these were the circumstances but I so ignorantly assumed through a secret hope that he would be the lucky one and come out of the infirmary in a few days walking tall; the old Aristedes.
But alas…
“I-…I don’t know what to say…” I said sympathetically, “I’m sorry.”
Demas balled his fists.
“No. The one who’s going to be sorry is that damn Polyphemus.” He said through clenched teeth. “I’m going to find him, and when I do, he’s going to pay; when I do, he’ll be sorry.”
There was a fire in his sky blue eyes that burned to intensely I knew he would kill him, Polyphemus didn’t stand a chance.
“How do you plan to find him?” I asked.
“I’m going to go to Crete, the land of my father, and find out about my past. I just have this gut feeling that I’m supposed to be there, it’ll make me stronger. And after that…” he paused and looked towards the sky, “I’m joining the war, and I’m going to torture that bastard on the battlefield like he did my brother.” He was clenching his fist so tight that I could see the whites of his knuckles.
The thought of possibly losing another friend to this war was excruciating but I understood, I too had a grudge with the Polyphemus but I didn’t know how to beat him without releasing the beast, and I refused to do that.
“I understand.” I told him.
He nodded.
I clasped him on the shoulder.
“You know, I almost feel sorry for him…” I told him.
Demas smiled. It wasn’t a full out smile though, just a twinkle of one, he was too preoccupied in his mind. I supposed he was imagining the time when he met Polyphemus again.
“Erherm.” I heard Thetis clearing her throat behind me.
I turned around.
“Oh no, I don’t want to interrupt…” she said signaling me to continue with the conversation.
I faced Demas again.
“However, we do need to be going soon.” Thetis added.
“As do I.” Demas said officially ending our conversation. “The sooner I get to Crete, the stronger I’ll be when I kill Polyphemus.”
“How do you plan to get to Crete?” Thetis asked.
“I suppose I’ll spend a month or so building a boat to sail in.”
“Well don’t be silly, come with us.” Thetis invited, “I could have you there in a few days.”
I gaped at her, dumbfounded.
“Thetis! A raft is dangerous enough going from here to Athens, but to go all the way to Crete is suicide! Even if you are goddess of the sea, you don’t have control over pirates!”
“A raft!” Thetis mocked, “Dear child, we will not be using a raft. As you just stated I am a goddess.” She really emphasized goddess, “I have a few tricks up my sleeve…”
“Well unless you can raise a ship out of the water, I doubt those tricks will help much.”
She gave me a sly look.
I raised my eyebrows at her and looked over to find Demas doing the same.
Come with me.
The two of us followed her in silence; I was too busy speculating what she was going to do. For some reason, I had this gut feeling that it was going to involve The Forgotten language; I was right.
When we reached the edge of the island, which took nearly half an hour, she closed her eyes and began to chant the words the sickened me.
She started in a near inaudible whisper and grew louder and louder until the last line which she nearly shouted.
I looked at Demas. His face was sheet white and his hands trembled. I couldn’t help wondering if that was how I looked.
Thetis took the diving position.
This shocked me a little. We weren’t on some gigantic cliff side, but it wasn’t exactly a hop away either. Besides, why was she going into the water?
Before I had a chance to question her she dove into the crisp sea. Her dive was the most elegant dive I had ever seen. For a moment I considered telling her that she should join the swimming portion of the Olympics. Then I realized how ridiculous that was, a goddess in the Olympics? First of all it wouldn’t be fair, and Second and probably most important, only men were allowed participating.
Throughout the entirety of my Olympic thought process, Thetis hadn’t returned to the surface. I didn’t worry at first, but after another thirty seconds passed I couldn’t help it.
I faced Demas.
“Do you think she’s okay?”
“I’m sure she is,” Demas said, “she is the goddess of the sea. Besides, what’s she going to due? Die? She’s an immortal.”
“Still, I’m pretty sure immortals can be injured or knocked unconscious, and it wouldn’t have to be by the sea itself, she could have hit a rock of something like that.” I countered.
“What are you two talking about?” Thetis asked.
She was bone dry despite that she had jut jumped into the ocean.
“Nothing now, we were just…” my voice trailed off. “You’re not even wet.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Are you two going to stand there gaping at my being dry, or are you going to get on board?
Chapter 7
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