The Rise of Hyromorphus

Chapter 5: The Chimera

Chapter 5

      We walked through the village onMaranadeIsland, children are running around laughing and playing; adults are running errands and working to make ends meet. It seems like a pretty peaceful village.

      Caspian and I dropped the horses of at a stable and booked a room in an inn nearby. We decided to rest tonight because we don’t know what surprises the Journey will hold and we both needed time to rest. We discussed the plan for tomorrow. A man named Judith apparently the one guarding the map of the labyrinth so we will have to meet up with him first. He lives on the other side ofMaranadeIsland so it will be a long walk.

After talking about random things we settled in for the night and as soon as my head hit the pillow darkness overwhelmed me.

    I woke up to the loud sound of a rooster early that morning. I groaned and got up. I stretched my limbs and glanced at me sleeping companion and decided on a good way to wake him up. I smirked as my devious plan formed in my mind.

  I changed into my attire and ran to the lake near the inn and filled a bucket that I found. Dipping a finger in it to make sure it’s cold I made my way back into my room. I suppressed a laugh as I approached a snoring Caspian. I stood before him and raised the pale of water above his sleeping form.

   I tilted it upside down and watched as he yelped and leaped up as soon as it touched his skin. I backed away in time and finally let the chuckles I’ve been holding back escape my lips.

   After Caspian got over his initial shock, he moved his attention to me rolling on the floor with tears streaming down my face.

  I stopped my laughter when I felt his deathly glare burn into my skin. I looked at him wide eyed and bolted for the door. He shouted me name as he charged behind me; I sprinted into the fields and looked behind me. I didn’t see him behind me, no I felt him. He slammed his body into mine causing us both to fall to the ground. Luckily he dried off a bit from the running so I didn’t get soaked. We wrestled each other for a good twenty minutes, punching each other here and there until are stomachs growled, informing us that it’s time to eat. We laughed and helped each other up and headed to a small bakery which should have something we can eat for breakfast.

   “You’re a jack ass,” Caspian grumbled as we ate. I snorted and ate my raison bread.

  “You should have been up when the rooster called,” I stated and he only glared.

Caspian is now a hundred percent dry and dressed.

We finished our meal and went to some markets to get some last minute supplies. We bought some food and water and fetched the horses for the journey ahead.

We rode into the forest at a walking speed. We admired the beauty of the nature that Demeter blessed us with. Ever since finding out my biological father was Zeus I now believe in the Gods and Goddesses. If I didn’t then I am even more stubborn then I was initially.

   I told Caspian of my family heritage and he thought that it is remarkable that I’m a demi-god, but personally I find it a pain. I mean now I have this whole destiny that seems completely stupid, but I’m not going to turn down this quest because such actions are dishonorable. I am a man of pride and this is a chance to prove my strength.

   Snap. I head the breaking of trees to my right and whipped my head to look for the intruder. Snap. I hear it again, it sounds like it’s coming from a distance. I glance at Caspian and he nods, we turned into the direction of the loud noise.

   Our horses started getting restless, they obviously sense danger so we thought it best to leave them here until we observe or destroy the creature destroying the forest.

   My hand rested on my swords hilt as we wondered deeper into the forest, as we get closer the noises get louder.

   When we finally approached the culprit our eyes widened in surprise. This is the first time we saw such a vile monster. 

  The Chimera stood before us in all his glory, its three heads bent towards us baring its yellow teeth dripping with blood.

  Dead men lie around its body, some even torn to pieces. Blood covered the green grass and many trees have fallen and were smashed. 

     Its snake head thrashed around the goat like body, and lion like legs. The goat headed glared menacingly at us, and the lion head bared its teeth and growled. The beast sauntered towards us and we instantly draw our swords.

   We take cautious but confident steps towards the monster, masking any fear we felt.

One of the main rules of being a warrior that Athena said was to never show fear in a battle, and to be sure of every move you make.

   The snake hissed at us, and I held back a flinch at the sound. Once we got 3 meters close to each other we started to circle. I think the Chimera is sizing us up. I smirked when the goat head in the middle of the body made a threatening bah. I don’t think it appreciated it very much because all three heads snapped towards me and it charged.

  Caspian backed up a step or two and I raised my sword and positioned myself, ready to strike.

   The giant lion paw tried to clobber me but I softly dodged and I countered with slashing its goat belly with my sword, and army rolled away. The creature yelped from the pain and I wasted no time leaping on its back. The snake tail came at me bearing its fangs; I could see the venom dripping off, ready to sink into my flesh.

   The goat head is coming up beside me, instantly I grabbed it but its horns and pulled it so that the snake bites the goat. The lion growled and attempted to buck my off but I held on. I glanced quickly at Caspian to see him sitting by a tree checking his nails.

  Really that jackass, I sighed and continued my attack.

I reached around the goat to grab the snake’s neck which is hard to do when it’s trying to shake me off. Holding the snack there I gripped my sword and sliced the goat’s neck and the snakes straight after. The lion head at the top of the body let out a strangled yelp, and it stopped struggling and fell to the ground. I climbed off and strolled in front of the Chimera. The beast glared and growled at me one last time before I brought my sword down on it neck, separating the head from the body. The body twitched the slumped to the ground.

   It took me a good 10 minutes to destroy a beast by myself, and the now dead men didn’t even leave a scratch on the monster. I whistled lowly, to call the horses and they came dashing outside of the forest to me almost instantly.

  Caspian lifted himself of the tree and strode towards me. I scowled at him, “Thanks for the help,” I spat out sarcastically and he chuckled. “Didn’t think you needed any,” he shrugged and I rolled my eyes.

    We glimpsed at the several dead men strewn across the scenery. “Should we bury them?” I asked unsurely. I glanced up at Caspian who shook his head. “No, we don’t have a shovel,” he stated.

I grunted a reply and climbed up on Amero and Caspian mimicked my movements and got on Marcus. We rode away from the battle field and proceeded on the path.

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Picture of the Chimera at the side