Tides

Chapter 18- Praxis

We were surrounded in the middle of the ocean by a mix of golden dolphins and mer. The fighting had stopped now and though I hated to admit it we were incredibly out numbered. So though they hadn't won they had us cornered.

Looking over at Apollo I could see the grim look on his face. I knew he'd made up his mind already but neither of us were going to be giving up completely. "I would ask your demands," he spoke in a loud clear voice with not a hint of fear in. "But I already know what you want."

"Surrender now," an old bearded man spoke. "And the humans go free. Fight us, or do not give yourself up and we will drown them all one by one and make you watch"

"Why do you want me?" Apollo's voice was like a whisper compared to what it had been before. "Tell me that and I will go with you."

"You will come with us anyway," the old man practically laughed.

"Humour me." The white haired boy sneered.

"You father was a god of the land, your mother a god of the sea. You have powers beyond your wildest reckonings even now and to leave you to your own devices would be catastrophic." The old man said. "You will come with us, learn you powers and when you are the most powerful god the world has ever seen, as that is what you will eventually become, then you may do as you please."

"And how long until then?" He asked, bitterness lacing his voice.

"A thousand years or so," the old man laughed. "Though you can never tell with these things. It depends on the person really."

Apollo gritted his teeth before looking at me. "Don't worry so much, I'll be fine." He walked towards the edge, stepping up onto the side of the boat. "Don't wait for me." He said then dived into the water only to be swarmed by mer and dolphins who had him bound in chains within seconds.

"No!" I yelled running to the edge of the boat. I couldn't let him go, I couldn't just let him slip through my fingers.

"Don't, Praxis he's gone," my sister cried out as she grabbed my arm to hold me back. "Nothings faster than a mer, you'd never be able to catch them no matter how hard you tried."

I clutched the mer scale that hung around my neck from platted mer hair. "It will only work for a few seconds but it'll give you the speed I have. But know, it'll only work once and then the magics gone from it." That had been what he'd said. Use it once, I could only use it once.

I chose to use it now.

Pulling away from my sister I dove into the water. He was fighting them, I could feel it and knew it was giving me the only real chance I had of getting him back. So I swam, faster than I had ever swum before and deeper to.

There was a flash below me and I knew it was him, it was Apollo trying to get free. He came into sight then, a glowing light in the now dark water. I didn't stop to think, instead I just grabbed him and started dragging him back to the surface.

"No," he called out in my head. "Stop, please Praxis stop!"

"I cant leave you, I cant let them just take you." I called back.

"I'm going with them, if I don't then my powers will become out of control. I'll kill you, I'll kill everybody." He told me as he continued to try and pull me back. I was slowing now, my speed decreasing.

Glancing back at him I said, "You wont, Apollo you'd never do that."

"I'd never do it on purpose but I've seen it Praxis. I know what will happen if I don't go with them and though it tears me apart to leave you it's the only way to let you and everyone else I care about live." He said, his eyes pleading with me to understand as my swimming went back to normal. We were to deep though, I couldn't breath underwater and even with his speed we'd never make it on time before I drowned.

Apollo's eyes suddenly filled with understanding as we floated in the water. He looked so beautiful just then that I honestly wouldn't mind drowning if it mean I could keep watching him like that for a while more.

"I can save you, and if you wait for me I'll be with you again but you must understand that if I share my immortality with you then you will live for as long as I do. That, the immortality, it is a curse not a blessing." He sighed taking my hands in his and had we been in the air I know that tears would have been running down his cheeks. "You will watch those you love age and die while you stay like this. You will see people born and live their lives and have to hide your ever lasting one from them. If you wish it then this life is yours and when I am done becoming a god I will find you again so we can be together."

"How is it that someone so young is so wise?" I asked him. "Do it, I will gladly suffer these years without you if I know I will see you again some day."

His smile matched my own as he kissed me. The light radiating from his body blinded me momentarily as my entire being filled with what felt like the warmth of the sun. "There is an island just off the shore of Gillie, it's called san'dior. Settle there with who ever will stay with you when your done with this sea faring life you love. Wait there for me, please."

~~~

When I opened my eyes I was back aboard the ship, Apollo no where to be seen. Everyone seemed sad, we'd lost someone who had been a great asset and friend to us all, someone who could never be replaced.

Rowen looked over and saw I was awake. Coming over I was surprised to see he didn't tell anyone else. Blair was crying into Archer's chest and he had his arms around her, good, I was glad they were together.

"Your ok, thank god's. We thought you'd die for sure." Rowen said as he put the back of his hand to my forehead.

"Why?" I asked, surprised by the rusty sound of my own voice.

"You've got magic in you now, running through your veins. Look." He held up the palm of my hand for me to see. There was a tattoo on it, one that looked like the sun. "You've been cursed. Don't know how, don't know why but there something different about you, something not quite right"