The Son of Hades - Born of Fire

Mackenzie Chapter 53

The night came; bringing along with it terrible winds. Three long weeks had passed by, and Mackenzie had lost all hope on finding a city hidden to all man. Silas became even more restless on each passing moment.

"Is this how we'll die, in a ship far from our own lands," asked Silas.

He sat alone covered in three blankets staring at a man frozen still, with his corpse facing an empty bucket. Mackenzie had joined him on board, wondering where the crew was. He stared at the King for a moment before looking up near the wheel and found no one commanding it.

"Where is the captain?" the son of Hades asked.

Silas began coughing aloud as he pointed a man frozen in the cold. "There's your captain."

Mackenzie looked on but hadn't paid much attention to the corpse before. "He looks like he was trying to take a piss."

Mackenzie stood before the man, he noticed the man's eyes were moving slightly. The son of Hades grabbed hold of the man's shoulders while summoning his red eyes. The man's body became warm with his touch, and the coldness had left his body. The man had lost his pose and he fell on his knees freezing and gasping for air. Silas got up and he gives the man his blankets while helping him get inside.

Mackenzie remained by himself while thick layers of snow began to pile upon the deck. He knelt on the floor and began spreading his palms out wide. All the snow that sat there had melted away. Mackenzie then left the deck and he began climbing the steps toward the wheel. He stood before it, looking out for signs of danger but there was none he could see.

William joins him shortly after, wearing a fur robe that had the thickness of ten. "You should go on inside I'll take over until the captain is well rested."

"Are you sure you can do this all on your own?" Mackenzie asked, cautiously.

"Have a little faith in me. I have done this many times before."

Just as he was finished with his sentence, they heard a loud noise before the ship stopped abruptly. Both William and Mackenzie fell from the upper deck onto the lower floor. They slowly took their time as they had gotten back onto their feet while grabbing hold of their necks and ribs.

"I hope nothing is broken," said William in a low deep voice, groaning.

"The deck is broken," replied Mackenzie.

"I was talking about us," said William.

As they looked closer to their front, they saw the deck of the ship sitting upon a large pointed rock at the centre. "This is not my fault," argued William. "I hadn't touched the wheel yet."

"No, it seems to be my fault," replied Mackenzie with a tone of anger.

"I know," replied William. "Don't be too hard on yourself."

The son of Hades ignored his comment as he headed inside toward the hall. He found Athena on her knees next to Silas while he laid on the ground unconscious. Blood began pouring from his ears and nose while the Goddess pressed a ball of snow against his head.

"What happened?" asked Mackenzie as he rushed over to the ground kneeling beside the King.

"He'll be fine," Athena assured him. "Its blood that had been clotted up on the inside. He took a small tumble off the bench and hit his head on the post."

Mackenzie took him in his arms giving him heat while he slowly gained consciousness. "Don't worry, I'm not going to die until my daughter is home safe," as he said the words Mackenzie nodded his head in agreement.

Athena then took him to his room while the crew came entering the halls standing together at the front of Makenzie. "Now you show your faces. Don't stand and watch, go prepare the twelve boats."