Mother of Monsters (Camp NaNoWriMo 2015)

Chapter VI

I've done too much running today. My legs are barely rested from all the running I did from Fos to Agapi, and now we're all running from Agapi to who knows where. Maybe if we're lucky we can find an underground city that's relatively close to the mountain range. Then the Fosians won't be able to find us and we could rest for the rest of the day.

At least now we were safer. There really is strength in numbers. I just need to learn how to control and channel my rage so I could summon fire easier. Milea is great with both water and psychic magic, but sadly we're nowhere near the ocean, nor is it raining. Maybe Elios learned a couple of magic tricks while he was on the run from the Fosians, if not, his skill with a sword is still something to be admired, even if he would have lost to the commander back in Fos.

I could tell we were all so tired of running. Our breathing was heavy, leaving no breath for any of us to talk to one another. I didn't have to be my friends to know all our lungs were a million suns burning in our chest.

Elios grabbed my arm and steered me so I would be running with him on his path. I didn't know what he was trying to do, but I grabbed Milea's arm and pulled her towards me. Elios then pointed in front of us. There I saw it. Another city-state. And hopefully this one would have open gates like Agapi. There's no way we could handle out running the Fosians once we stop here.

Luckily, the gates were open, but there were more guards stationed by the gate. One of them caught sight of us as we ran towards the gate. "Whoa! Slow down! Why are you running?"

We all stopped at a safe distance away from the guards. Monstrous coughs followed along with some wheezing. Now we surely got all the guards' attention. "Men...Fos." I tried to explain, but there was no air for me to talk with.

"Chase...us." Milea continued before she suddenly crouched down to let out a series of coughs.

"Stay...here?" Elios asked for permission. He took large breaths of air in between his words.

I was surprised the guards could understand what we were trying to tell them in our broken sentences. "Alright come on in. Can someone get these kids some water?" We all smiled at each other, but said nothing. Air was too precious to be wasting it on words.

This city was quieter than any other I have seen. Sure there were a couple citizens walking from here to there, but it was not lively like Agapi was. "Sit against the wall." The guard instructed us. We happily did so. My legs literally have never felt better. I was so tired I rested my head on Elios's shoulder. Elios slumped back to lean against the wall. Milea wasn't even sitting. She was lying down on the ground, shielding her eyes from the late afternoon sun.

Soon enough two guards returned with glasses of water. They each handed us one and put an extra glass in front of us. "Say, where did ya say you were from?" One of them asked as the other was handing out the water.

I was about to say Pouthena, but Milea beat me to it. "Strago." She answered truthfully. Elios and I looked at her as if she was crazy.

But the guards didn't mind this answer. Their expressions didn't change. Have they not heard of Strago? Impossible, Strago was too close to them. "What's this city's name?" Elios asked.

"Telikos." And with that they both left us to drink our water.

"Telikos." I repeated after I took a sip of water. Water has never tasted so delicious. Maybe the humans are right and the water we're drinking is the tears of all the gods on Mount. Olympus. Now who was their god of water? Because I would like to send a personal thank you. "How close are we to this mountain range?"

"This could be our final stop before we reach Dianae." Elios laughed. Both me and Milea looked at him like he was going insane.

"Are you alright?" Milea asked.