Nov 7th
Beep, beep. Beep, beep
Takashi's alarm goes off without the disturbing thoughts nipping at him. Opening the flap of his tent, a chilly autumn wind pricks his arms. He throws on his dry hoodie as the others stir up.
He nods to his teacher and picks up his sword for his session.
During his training, Iphicles walks carefully into the forest, making note of the traps Heracles had left behind.
He knocks on the door to his hut. "Brother, it's me. Are you there?"
Footsteps. "It's not safe for you to be here."
"It's not the first time you told me that. I bought some flowers that Meg would have liked. Can we talk?"
Through the window, sky-blue eyes are fixated on the bouquet of white lilies. The door creaks open with him snatching it out of his brother's hand.
Heracles sniffs them before putting them in a vase. "She would have liked them."
"Maybe you can give them to her next time."
His brother's silence drops the painful subject at hand. He sits down on the wooden bench outside, while Heracles rests against the doorframe. The human sibling unwraps a fresh loaf of bread and puts it on the far side of the bench.
The demigod's hand slowly reaches before tearing off a piece to consume. The brothers eat in silence which Iphicles doesn't mind.
"How are things with you?", Heracles breaks the silence.
"The gym has been busy as usual. I've been coaching a new client and he's been making good progress. He's the second demigod I ever worked out with."
"Takashi?"
"He's doing well under the training of me and Artemis. But...he doubts himself. I know you won't help him, but could you give me some advice on what to say to him?"
He sighs. "Why does he doubt himself?"
"He feels he hasn't earned anything even though he did it. It's not humility. It's something else."
"He thinks he's an imposter", he guesses.
"That could be it. Do you have any words I can use to guide him?"
"Without knowing the reason, I wouldn't know what to say.....It's good that he's under your tutelage. He doesn't need me to progress."
"I don't know. I might not be of much help to him once he passes his limits. And that's co-"
"I won't help him if that's what you are asking."
Iphicles stands up. "He just wants to be home with his family. He longs to be with them. Can't you sympathize with that?"
"Our situations are different. Drop it", he growls.
Iphicles sighs. "Mom has been asking about you and she's worried. I know she tries to visit you.....Are you avoiding her too?"
Heracles crosses his arms. "You know why I have to. If that feeling ever came back.....You all should stay away from me."
"Although we have different fathers, we still came from the same womb. I'm not leaving you."
"How would you feel if I lost control and hurt your family? Would you still call me your brother?"
Iphicles' silence speaks volumes to the demigod.
Heracles slams the door behind him. "Feel free to leave whenever."
Iphicles stretches his arms. "Might take a nap on the grass. Those twins of mine keep me up and I'm expecting another along the way."
YOU ARE READING
Kronos (Book One)
AdventureTakashi Watanabe taps his feet in anxiety as he awaits his firstborn child. The haunting trauma of his past makes him second guess his new role. Before he can see her, an Olympian deity rips him away from his loved ones and drops him in the world fi...
