Adriadna’s Divine Will

Chapter 5

Ammon was a God? How come I had never studied about him in Nymph studys? What had he done to keep his name out of the history books? All I knew for sure was I was going to find out from him when I came back to camp. "Women, if you go any slower I'll leave you on this God forsaken mountain!" Leonidas yelled back at my sweat glistened face interrupting my thoughts. One thing I understood was that I never worked so physically hard in all my life. I didn't know the body could be pushed so far. This is not what I had in mind for adventure.

Breathing heavy, I pushed myself to catch up to Leonidas so that we were standing side by side. His breathing was steady as if he did this sort of labor every day. I looked at his sweat free tan face and I had to admit he was worth looking at. It must be the half God in him. He caught me staring and grinned down at me. I quickly looked away.

"You are a strong willed women I'll admit that. Most would have stopped half way up." He said admiringly.

"I don't know whether to thank you or ignore you. Why do you insist on insulting my sex? There are many great heroines that have proved they are just as worthy as men." I said insulted. He laughed a deep laugh that showed his dimples in his cheeks.

"Adriadna, oh, I have heard of great women. I just have never met such a women yet and I think you just might be a great heroine but without a person telling you, you can not do something great, makes you want to prove them wrong. Am I right? I'm simply helping you be worthy." Leonidas said with a grin. Oh, how I hated him and his wit and yet I loved the way he always challenged me. I gave no reply just narrowed my eyes at his sandy brown ones and turned away.

We trudged up the rest of Mount Pelion in silence I noticed my surrounding were desolate and the trees were dry and withered.  It looked as if the Gods had cursed this Mountain. There was a faint rumbling in the distance.  

"They have found us." Leonidas said in even voice with no hint of fear, as if he had been expecting this.

He put his hand on his sword to prepare for a fight but I quickly placed my hand on his."You must show respect and surrender, Centaurs are half wild mare. They will kill at any sign of a fight. When they come closer be sure to bow your head and wait to be spoken to first." I whispered quickly, He opened his mouth ready to protest, "Just trust me." I continued. The galloping stopped I looked up and saw the burning anger in the leader of the Centaurs blood shot eyes. I recognized him as Chiron the wisest and only immortal centaur. He is most known for tutoring Greek heroes like Achilles, Asclepius and Actaeon. I slowly bowed my head and I saw Leonidas do the same in the corner of my eye.

"Humans, Why do you trespass on our land?" A gruff male centaur voice boomed that I assumed was Chiron. Leonidas and I raised our heads. They were amazing creatures their horse fur looked so silky and smooth.  I estimated there was about thirty or so surrounding us. Considering they were about seven feet tall I would say the chances of us being killed if something went wrong was a strong possibility.

"We have come onto your land to ask you to join our fight against the Gods." Leonidas answered with strength looking Chiron right in the eyes.

Many of the centaurs snorted with amusement. "You, a human start a battle against the Gods? What have they done to you to make you hate them so? We have our own reasons for hating them but you are like their children you worship them, build them temples and fight in the name of them!"  Leonidas took a step toward one of the dark haired bull of a centaur.

"The Gods have too much power. They kill and take whatever and whoever they want. They give us  little in return.  My mother said I should be proud to have Zeus as my father and yet I never was. He was not my father, just a man who took my mother's innocence and ran. That is why I fight. As you great centaur has said you have your own reasons to hate the Gods, haven't you every just wanted to taste sweet revenge? I want to live on an earth without Gods!" Leonidas proclaimed with such passion I for one felt as if I must join his cause, even though I had to remember why I was sent to earth in the first place. I was to fight for the Gods. 

Chiron bowed his head in reverence, "I can sense the hatred and pain in your heart. We have respected the Gods til they let our land be cursed with famine and drought." He glanced at the others and nodded.

 "We, Centaurs could help you fight but you will never defeat them with men and beasts. You have to find the weak link in the chain of Gods, equally as powerful as them. If we are to defeat the Gods we must release the titans."