Twelve

20: Oath

"We accept your help."

Hermes flashed a warm, broad smile externally and released a heavy sigh of relief internally. "First, we must reunite with the others. In this case, there is strength in numbers. Come," he said as he extended his open hands to the pair.

Cori helped his brother up and gently guided him towards the god. Sci walked stiffly, his body acting like it was metalwork instead of flesh and blood. His gaze was still focused intently on the ground, as if the gravel would give him a reason behind everything that had come to pass. Hermes placed a hand on his shoulder, causing the zodiac to raise his head mechanically. It was only then that the other two could see the pure emptiness in Sci's eyes. They were glazed over and the pupils had dilated so much that his iris was almost completely consumed by the darkness. Cori's jaw clenched as he restrained himself from crying out.

Hermes exhaled a heavy sigh. "My friend," he murmured. "I know that you have suffered immeasurable loss time and time again, but you must continue. You must be strong, for your siblings. What comes of you staying an empty shell? Can you fight a skilled killer like this? Can you protect those you love like this?" There was a minuscule spark in Sci's eyes. "The end of it all is almost near. You must defeat the Hunter once and for all in order to return home and be reunited with your kin. You can not kill Orion if you can't even walk by yourself."

The film over Sci's eyes lifted, but his body still remained rigid. "When the time comes, I will be ready, but I promise nothing of myself at the present."

Hermes offered him an understanding smile. "That is all that I ask. Now come, boys, we must find the others."

Hermes gripped both zodiacs by the shoulder as their surroundings blurred into a million colors. The colors abruptly remembered themselves and stopped moving. For the second time in less than half an hour, Cori threw up. 

Hermes grimaced. "Sorry, I should have warned you." He gingerly patted Cori on the shoulder. "The others should arrive soon."

While the god comforted his brother, Sci took in their new surroundings. They had somehow ended up on the roof  of a closed public library. The roof was basic; undecorated, lightly worn from the weather. There was a decent view, being that it was basically a third floor and the library was on a slight hill. The city's florescent lights were brilliant against the darkness of the night, as they always were. In contrast, there were only a few stars twinkling vividly in the night sky. While he was disappointed by the scale of light pollution, Sci still instinctively knew the placement of every single star regardless of whether he could see them. If he closed his eyes, he could feel each twinkling star, each of his siblings shining brilliantly against the sky.

Sci's stargazing was interrupted by the irritable creak that came from the opening of the roof access door. He turned languidly, not expecting what appeared before his eyes. There stood Eran, Meg and Ini, and another man who Sci assumed to be Sur. Sci blinked slowly several times, checking that they were actually there. Cori stood frozen as well, too tired to believe that the people standing in front of him were real.

Meg and Ini stepped forward and croaked out their names. "Sci, Cori."

The pair rushed to envelop her in a tearful hug. "We saw the house," she said, her voice almost cracking. "We thought. . ."

Eran didn't let her finish the dark thought. "Were the two of you hurt?"

Sci and Cori gently untangled themselves from Meg and Ini's embrace and shook their heads.

Sci took a shaky breath. "Was he still there?"

Eran shook his head. "When we got to the house the fire had gone out for a while already. We tried to look through the rubble but we couldn't find anything except-" Eran stopped abruptly, but everyone knew what the except was. "Well, then a crow came and delivered a message to meet here."

There was a small cough in the background. The noise drew the newcomer's attention to the young trickster god. The three immediately tensed up, being unfamiliar with Hermes's aura.

"Relax, children of the sky, I am Hermes. I am a friend."

The hostility from Eran and Meg and Ini was palpable. "Forgive us if we do not trust you. Gods are no friends to anyone."

Hermes's lips pulled into a thin line. Suddenly, the god was on one knee with his head bowed. "I apologize for all of the transgressions that you have been forced to face over the many millennia. Please trust me. It is with pure intent that I desire to help you."

All of the zodiacs were shocked into silence. Sci's eyebrows were close to touching his hairline, Eran's eyebrows were knitted together in confusion, the jaws of Cori, Meg and Ini, and Sur had dropped and had yet to close. Their lack of response caused Hermes to glance up, but he was still in the humbling position.

Eran blinked himself back into understanding and responded clumsily. "It- um- It is okay. Uh, thank you."

Hermes nodded with a smile not unlike a satisfied child and returned to his previous standing position. "If you are still wary of trusting me, it may help to know that both Scorpio and Capricorn have put some of their trust in me."

Meg and Ini sent the silent question to her brothers.

"Yes," Cori answered. "We have. Hermes expressed, and continues to express sincere remorse for out situation and has offered his help. The help of a god."

"The help of a god is not always helpful," Meg and Ini countered.

"How can I assure you that my help is sincere?"

Hermes's question was met by silence.

"Give us Artemis's bow and arrow."

Even the rest of the zodiacs were shocked by Eran's proposition. The god's posture was now rigid. The six of them were frozen in silence, not even the wind dared to disturb the thoughtful god.

"Surely there must be something else? Retrieving the sacred bow and arrow of the most terrifying Olympian is no small task." The trickster god gave no sign of nervousness or anxiety, but instead continued his image of sincerity.

"No."

Another pregnant pause followed the harsh answer. Eran had just rejected a god.

Hermes sighed. "If this is what I must do to gain your trust, then so be it. However, this task will take time. Is my word that I will deliver Artemis's precious bow and arrow substantial enough for you?"

Eran tilted his head ever so slightly, silently asking Meg and Ini to help him. "Make a blood oath," she suggested.

The heavy suggestion was met by an emotionless stare from Hermes. Suddenly a rueful grin broke out across his lips. "You are impressively clever. I accept your request for a blood oath." He motioned for each of the zodiacs to bare one of their palms. A thin knife materialized in Hermes's hand. The knife was simple, elegant, and terrifying. The weight of it's significance could be felt through merely looking at it. The hilt of the knife was etched with swirling designs and runes that only the ancients understood. The blade was the length of Hermes's palm, unadorned, nearly paper thin, and double edged. Hermes ran the blade over his own palm as if he were cutting butter. Next was Sur, then Eran, Meg and Ini, Cori, and finally Sci. Not a single drop of blood fell off the blade, instead the blood began to mix as it danced across the blade. While the blood was uniting, the blade began to glow a burning blue while the runes on the hilt lit up in a fiery red. The transformation of Hermes's eye color intensified as the display on the knife did. Hermes looked at each zodiac in the eye as he said, "I swear to deliver the sacred bow and arrow of the Olympian Artemis to the zodiacs."