Perseus the Hunter

Chapter 16

Kynigos reappeared in the darkness. He felt something ooze around his feet, looking down he realised he had misjudged his landing by only one foot. He rolled his eyes skyward and slowly stepped out of the mud and onto the stone platform. He shook his boots trying to get rid of some of it, the smell started to waft through his mask. If he wasn't so used to it it would have made him retch. The sulphur brought tears to his eyes the first time he came here.

He leapt from stone to stone, heading toward the small wooden hut that almost camouflaged into the trees. It was held up precariously by four stilts that looked cracked and splintered, like it would give out any second. Moss and vines covered the walls, hanging down low over the small porch.

Kynigos pulled himself up onto the landing. He sat on the edge and took off a boot, started to clean it off using the wooden fence. He didn't need to turn around to know someone was standing behind him. He could tell they were holding a small knife in front of them, a small sign of protection and territorial instinct.

'Hi Rachel' She stopped in her tracks, lowering her knife to her side. Sighing before moving to sit next to him, dangling her long legs off the side.

"Hi, Perce." She swung her legs back and forth, leaning back on her hands and looking out into the swampland. Her voice was calm but held wisdom with her age. Her hands were splattered in different coloured paint, she'd even got some on her face. Three splodges of bright luminescent green. "I didn't think I'd see you again."

Kynigos finished with his boot and replaced it on his foot before glancing over at the woman next to him. Since the war she started to lose herself as the oracle of delphi grew quiet. She would only get a prophesy every year or so and her mind started to unravel with the sudden silence. She tried to go back to the world, got herself an apartment in the city and found a job at an art gallery, but with everything she knew it became boring and mundane which only made her brain worse. She returned to the camp but no matter where she went people would barrage her with questions about the missing Son of Poseidon which she knew nothing. Eventually she went mad, she stayed in the attic of the big house, no one was aloud to see her.

Kynigos had heard the rumours and went to find her. He had appeared in the attic to see her huddled in the corner mumbling insanities to herself. He tried to talk to her, to bring her out of this state but the only thing that worked was when he took off his mask and brought down his hood. The shock of seeing his face again pulled her back into reality. She'd reached forward and felt his face under her fingertips. Crying when she realised who he was. He had brought her to this secluded swamp as she demanded. She couldn't stand it anymore. Here she was free, she didn't have to be the oracle and she could paint all day if she chose. Kynigos would drop off food and supplies every month. He would even use her house as a sort of base. She had even come to set the sofa up as his bed.

'I'm sorry I didn't come sooner.' She didn't care she looked under the mask trying to see his eyes. He noticed and took off his hood but left the mask up. She didn't need to see the scars. The last time he was here he could talk. As soon as she saw the hidden pain in his eyes she threw her arms around him. Hugging him tightly.

"Oh, Perce. What happened to you?" She was on the verge of tears. When she pulled back she saw the start of one of his scars. Horrified she slowly reached her hand forward and pulled the mask down. What she saw made tears fall from her eyes. "Oh Percy. No. That.. that's why I.. oh my gods." He leaned forward and pulled her back to him. Allowing her to cry herself out on his shoulder. Eventually she became tired and started to fall asleep, he slowly stood and picked her up. Bringing her inside and laying her gently on the small double bed that sat in the corner.

He started a fire in the small wood burner and sat on the sofa. A few hours later Rachel woke up and joined him on the sofa. He still hadn't put his hood back up. Here he didn't have to. She leant her head on his shoulder and stared at the fire burning. It was so calm, so peaceful.