BANE: avenge

chapter 23

Apollo? More to tell me?

Another flash of white light blinded me, & there stood a tall man, yellow eyes & hair smouldering, lighting up the room with an ab-natural light.

“Hello, I am Apollo, if you hadn't noticed."

He walked up to me, looked me up & down & nodded.

“Yes, perfect."

“Perfect?"

“Oh, yes. This time, you shall certainly succeed."

“Succeed?"

“Yes, you shall kill your mother the right way this time. I am sure the curse will finally be broken."

“Curse?"

“Oh, yes. The Banes of Atreus. Surely you know your family is famous - or should I say, infamous - for its misfortunes."

“I should say so. My great-aunt's children all died in horrible ways, my grand-"

“Yes, yes, I know it. Have you ever read all those Greek stories?"

“Of course I have."

“You, my dear, are the reincarnation of Orestes."

I thought about it. Mother kills father, Orestes must kill mother to avenge father, he kills mother, &... I can-not recall the rest.

“I thought the Curse had ended when he killed his mother?"

“It wasn't properly ended. You see, he got killed afterwards, & the gods decided that your family would be perfect for a reincarnation of the story & having a good ending to it where Orestes doesn't get killed."

“So, basically, my whole life has been nothing but puppetry. The gods made me live so I could give them a happy ending to a story?"

“Basically."

I was angry. exceedingly angry. He continued smiling, though, as if I was not fuming.

“Oh, & another thing. I wanted to get revenge twice on Clytemnestra for killing my Cassandra without permission, make sure you keep that in mind."

“Didn't you curse Cassandra because she didn't want to be with you?"

“Popular misconception. No time to explain that now, though. Off you go, dearie."

He winked at me & then I was blinded again.

****

I opened my eyes & found myself in Simply Edward's flat. I walked to the dining hall & found no one inside. Pippin was pacing in the kitchen & I smiled. Poor thing. He truly did worry about me. Simply Edward was seated, pensive.

I coughed & they looked up. Pippin ran to me, delighted & gave me a hug.

“Ollie! Where have you been? Are you all-right?"

“I don't quite know where I have been."

“Don't quite - Who is that?"

I turned & saw Almira.

“That's my sister."

“She got shrunk & gender-bended?!"

“Elle! Elle! Poor Elle! You got shrunken & turned into a boy? Do not fret, I shall teach you how to be a proper boy!"

“No. On both accounts."

Almira stared at me with a face that suggested she was amused.

“Then why are you so small?"