Demigod Tales

Chapter Nine

We're running, faster than ever. My legs are slipping through the grass but I still find my balance, trying not to fall down. I'm the last one behind. Umbra claps and Thyen appears again to my side, aiming to keep me safe. The screams are coming from everywhere at the same time. The air is buzzing with the shrill voices and my head is starting to hurt. Now we're in the city and running through the streets. People are looking at us in disbelief but we keep running. Then Alec shouts something to Lux who passes it to Umbra, who ends up telling me "take as much food as you can." I look to the front and notice that while they're running, Alec and Lux are collecting fruits, meat and anything they can get hold of left and right. I do that too. My breath is leaving me; I'm exhausted. I don't feel pain though, my senses are still dull, but I need a moment to breathe. We've been running for like, ten minutes now, and I don't know what exactly we're running from since the last time we heard the screams was on that hill and now we're nearly on the wall. Alec pushes the door open, or actually he puts a hand on it and waits. It does move, and it was easier than expected. Umbra steps out of "Rome" and disappears. I look through the door and she's not there. Must be another portal. Lux follows her. I'm readying myself to walk through, when I hear a girl screaming to us. "THIEVES! Thieves! They've stolen our goods!" People are starting to gather around. She's young: I expect her to be a year younger than me. She's blonde, and well, I must say, she's beautiful. But she's pointing towards us and she's still screaming. The people can see that she is right. My arms are hugging a couple of mangoes and pineapples and Alec is holding sausages. They are still standing in their place but the girl started walking forward. "You have stolen. You have broken one of our rules. You will be punished!"
Alec whispers to me, "I like her, she's cute." She must have heard him. She's looking at him with wide eyes, and her cheeks started to blush. She looks more like a King's daughter rather than a merchant's. She's still walking closer. "Priam, step aside. Walk through the door. I'll follow you."
I don't know if I should. What if something happens, what if he stays locked there and I never see him again? I remember what Hera said about one of us disappearing and never coming back for good. It might be him or I. I look at him and open my mouth to protest, but with his free arm he pushes me hard and I fall on the ground, realising that now I'm on the other side, and in front of me is nothing but the vast emptiness in which we were right before we walked through those doors. It has disappeared. The whole city of Rome has disappeared.
I'm waiting for my brother, we're all silent. Lux and Umbra are standing on either sides of me. They're also worried. I can see it on their faces. But not as worried as I am.
A couple of minutes go by in complete silence which is torn by screams and a loud thud of someone falling to the ground. I look at the source of the sound and see Alec. I'm not surprised at the sight of him, but at the circumstances in which I got to see him. He's fallen to the ground, hugging the blonde girl who was screaming at us. Now she was letting out muffled cries and she's covered with blood. But not hers.
I rush forward and realise that Alec's arm is bleeding. I do what I have to do, cleaning it up, bandaging it, and I ask him what happened.
He said he had no idea either.
The girl stops crying. She looks at the lot of us and doesn't ask us what we were expecting, "where am I", but rather starts telling us the story.
"My name is Adriane. I followed you as soon as I saw you running from beneath the hill. I don't come from the city so the people who were there had never seen me before. They'd never seen any girl like me, probably too. There aren't many blondes in Rome, and when they see one, they immediately want to get their hands on her. That's what this guy saved me from. They let everything fall to the ground and started walking towards me. He held me, hugging me from behind. An old, fat guy came close and ordered him to let me go only he didn't. He took his pocket knife and slashed at him. That's when he looked back and stepped backwards through the door. I'm thankful."
Then she adds, looking at me, "I'm sorry for screaming at you like that. I wanted some attention. I've been locked up most of my life, and if only I had known that's what it'd have gotten me..."
This is so unfair.
I don't get it, how life can be so cruel towards such people. I mean, why?
Lux steps forward. "Listen, Adriane. What we're doing is dangerous. You will wait for us when we leave. We can't risk your life too."
She looks at Alec. "But I owe you my life. Surely there is something that I can do."
"We'll see. Just not yet."
We introduce ourselves. Each one of us says his name, how they're related to whom and states their god parent. She's not surprised when we tell her each one of us has a god as a parent, she announces that poseidon is her father. Wow.
We're all sitting in a circle, and the food we've collected lays scattered in the center. We start eating, regaining some energy, and then Adriane stands up and starts walking away. I follow her. Alec shoots a glance towards me but I nod, telling him that it's okay, that I got everything covered.
Now I'm walking beside her.
"Your brother is a real hero, you know?"
"Yes, I do. It runs in the family."
She laughs.
"You don't have to be afraid. We're not going to hurt you."
"I know you aren't. I just can't stop thinking about what might have happened if Alec hadn't held me and stepped back."
"I don't know, but it didn't happen. That's what matters, isn't it?"
"Yes, you're right. It's just painful."
I nod. She looks so sweet, so innocent. It's such a shame these things keep happening to good people.
We sit down behind a rock, and remain silent for a while. She smells great. She looks great. My heart is beating faster.
"Tell me more about yourself."
I smile. "I'm nothing special, really. I'm good with a bow, and, uh, my artistic side is pretty much highly developed."
"What do you see in me?"
"I see a broken girl who wishes to find bits of herself anywhere she goes."
"And where do you think I'll find that first bit?"
"I don't know. But I will help you."
She turns her head and looks away. Her hair isn't really blonde, it's a yellowish shade of white, and her dress is made of silk. It's a shame it's ruined now, marked with a red splash of blood.
I'm guessing we should head back, I don't know when the next step might come knocking. And we do. We go back to the three demigods, who are looking at us. Alec is half smiling, but I guess he half expected me to come back holding her hand. I roll my eyes with a smile.
Alec stands up and comes forward. Adriane keeps walking and sits next to Umbra. They immediately start talking. As for my brother, he walks towards me and leads me away from them.
"I was just talking with Lux about, well, you'll know later. But I'm guessing we should try the odds."
"What is it?"
"Lux told me about his friend whose father is Hermes. He told me he could communicate with people in their heads." I don't answer, so he adds some explanation. "Hermes is the messenger of the gods. Messenger. Communication."
"I don't see where you're going."
"Your bestfriend's father is Hermes, isn't he?"
"Yes but why would he give us this gift? I mean, this is huge."
"Because Hera is holding him locked in a cage. And we might be the key for his escape. This might also keep us alive, which is on the plus side, a gift for Andel, keeping his bestfriend alive."
"Okay. I doubt this will work."
We kept walking till we were far enough from them. Then Alec held the palm of his hands open and told me to do the same thing. My left hand was under his and my right hand above. "Close your eyes". I did.
"Now, repeat after me."
"I call upon you, Ô Hermes, messenger of the gods."
I repeat.
A cold breeze sends our hair flying. I want to hold out to adjust it but I cannot move my arms.
"He's listening."
"Whither my brother thinks, I shall receive. Whither I send, he shall hear.
Life to Life and Mind to Mind
Our Spirits now will intertwine.
We meld our Souls and journey to
The one whose thoughts we wish we knew." Then, as normally as it would seem, he removes his left hand then his right one. I cross them on my chest and lift an eyebrow. "Now what?"
Now you try to send me a message.
This is stupid.