Akhill

Chapter Five: TwoMoons

Long ago, there lived a boy whose story started not with the dance that the stars made or the song that the moon orchestrated. He came lonely but was never alone." Mr Zeus said in the room enveloped in darkness, with the cloak of silence. "He came from the east county and lighted in the South. Something strange to everyone who heard it." He paused. "'Where are you headed?' They asked. 'How would I know, I had a story bubbling in the tars and I am on my way to capture the wind.'"

"'What wind? The people asked.' 'The wind that blew from Tartarus the home county of the dead.' To be continued." Mr Zues closed the book he was reading to the many eyes that stared at him from behind the bars with different shades of the colour spectrum, one of the eyes stared straight at him with a marble grey-eye caught his attention.

"You come Closer." The figure rose, untangled itself from the many hands that leaned on her.

"Come closer, my dear." Mr Zeus said with a tone of great admiration and somewhat kind.

"You come also." The second figure with dead satin grey eyes and teeth wrote it is questionable through the smile.

"I gave a name to you yesterday. Remind me." The figure with a bright hope of victim beam through it marble grey-eye stood unsure what language he was speaking—maybe not.

"I see you don't understand." Mr Zeus turned to look at Hermes for an explanation.

"Hermes, who gifted her to me?"

"No one sire, she is one of the house originals, similar to Hera." Mr Zeus' smile morphed into a dead coffin towards the Hermes as he swallowed in fear. "Thread lightly with that name, Hermes."

"Yes My Lord." Mr Zeus faced the figure again.

"You are one of my direct children, so you understand what I am saying." Mr Zeus looked into the eye of the figure that has a marble-grey eye as his chestnut brown eye locked intensely, the other figure with the satin-grey eye seem invisible.

"I like this one, I remember now." Mr Zues rose from his seat and walked towards the entrance where Hermes stood to tap him by the shoulders.

"As you wish my Lord."

***

"The gate is too high, who builds a gate this high."

"Obviously, someone who doesn't want to die."

"Well, if that is the case, she failed. The gate should have been higher." A boy whose eye contains only hate said. "Ajax, go round the back."

"The back, are you mad. My life may be a speck but I still want to live, eh."

"What? Do you know any other—" An arrow flew from the watchtower. "I told you Ajax, round the back."

"No way through the gate much—" Ajax interlocked his hands with his partner who threw him upwards, as he ran slantly on the wall, drilling arrows in it for his pattern to follow while cutting down the arrows that flow his way. Some distance away from the edge of the high fence, an arrow flew his way which he flew towards, caught it, twirling in the air as though intending to fall then shot the arrow back with a rope now tied to it. The arrow went through Ajax's target which he used as a swing then landed on the watchtower, slaying everyone there in a matter of minutes.

"Phew! My friends." He lean and looked at his partner who climbed up via the arrow he used to create a pseudo ladder. "See easy."

"Says Artemis ' disciple." He made it over into the watch-tower. "I wonder how you manage to find your way to her heart when she only accepts female hunters."

"What can I say, I am irresistible, even Apollo wants a piece of me."

"That is because he is supposed to be in charge of the males in the East and yet you are with Artemis." The two disarm all the dead Archer before the boy tossed them over the wall.

"I see, you are still evil, Ag— Watch out!" Ajax pushed his partner away then jumped down from the watchtower into the manor, riding the rising tide of the arrow that came at him.

"Surrounded by so many women daily has made you mad Ajax!" Ajax's partner followed suit, jumping but unlike Ajax, he stabbed the wall and slide down then switch the wall.

"The head of the Manor's head is mine!" Ajax shouted as he landed on one of the archers then swirled through the number of painted arrows that faced him, switching between a bow and arrow and the shield in his back.

"Like I care, The fire is my desire and it will burn." The partner cut through every arrow coming his way and landed his sword like a hot knife through butter splitting one of the archers in half. "It will burn."

***

"Fire, by the gods, pit that damned thing off."

"Yes my Lord."

"If the gift of Zeus is delayed, you know he's got a mad temper."

"Hermes, No, you Herm— not you you with the weird nose. Come, come."

"Yes my Lord."

"I need to— would you stop calling me your Lord. My name is—" The horde of Hermes rushed towards him to cover his mouth. "Don't say it, my Lord, we don't want your head hanged on a pointer." They said.

"Spine Uhm uth." He said through his covered mouth as the Hermes gradually let go.

"Fine. Can someone get this room cleaned and you get me a barrel?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Yes my Lord. No my Lord. This my Lord. Freaking that my Lord. Why can't they call my name within these walls."

"Because—"

"Yes I know, I live in Olympus. Come on I don't even like the sea well maybe eating the fish but the sea. Pee on you!"

"Ease down, Mr Poseidon." A voice said walking into the room littered with all sorts of things covering the floor.

"You are the chosen king of the North, don't be too childish." The voice allured and heart-piercing dressed provocatively, so much victory was handed on a plater.

"I know, Chief Aphrodite, I know. As so much impure thought is what comes to mind when I see you?"

"That is a compliment from my Lord." She bowed and Mr Poseidon's eye had a see-through so much he cried covering his eyes.

"I can't take this, this torture" He swung his finger around.

"What is it, my Lord. All you need do is say the word and I am yours." She said as she rose the bar of seduction to the height so high Mr Poseidon held his uncontrolled heartbeat.

"No, I can't cheat. No way, I can't." He cautioned himself with the walls of his thoughts, for his body was already reaching out.

"Can somebody clean this up?" He shouted to distract himself from the Chief Aphrodite.

"What my Lord?" Hermes asked.

"The, The, forget it." He faced the Chief Aphrodite. "Not today, Chief, I will outlive your seductive—" Je paused, to access her while she rose from her bow.

"Maybe," He thought then shook his head. "I wi outlive you."

"Chief Aphrodite can you get the Chief Herm— by the gods this naming is ridiculous— I need to sort the gift for Zeus."

***

"Boy, How long will it take you to stuff, them bag?!" Mr Kenneth shouted through the roof into the room where the boy was lying by the bed on the floor, for the comfort of the foam was weird to him.

"My head, seven days and this voice still make my head ring." The boy said, yawning and stretching.

"Eh, boy, I don't pay you to slack." Mr Kenneth raised his voice higher.

"Hephaestus, Leave tha boy," Thetis said. "Cont he stay with you."

"No way I will allow another runt freeload under ma roof." He looked straight into Thetis' eye. "You know." Thetis looked around for a weapon— you know to wack Mr Kenneth for that word.

"Mr Kenneth, can't you just say you plan on setting both of them together," Marius whispered to Mr Kenneth.

"No way, those two are better off my ranch. No way will say that." Mr Kenneth shouted hiding his intention while simultaneously answering Marius.

"Boy!"

***

"Hermes, are those two ready."

"Yes my Lord."

"Are they fit for the emergence."

"No my Lord, we are making preparation to send them yo Lord Athena before the day of the emergence."

"Hmm." He signalled him away then called him again before he went out the door. "Bring them to me. I will to bestow names on them before living for Athena."

"Yes my Lord."

The Hermes left the room and the musing of the orchestra rode the air in the throne room.

°°° Can't I see, Such a sky,

Such a cloud that is painted me.

Can't I hear, such a storm,

Such a strike that that calls to me.

When would I inhale the song,

Taste the echoes that begat pain.

As you feel all I have, left alone,

Is the rain of scarlet smiles.°°°

The minstrels of Mr Zeus sang to him the songs of his poetry well designed that no one seem to understand but him, as he dozed off on his throne.

"Rook, Rook my son. Are you awake?" He turned in the room different from his throne, yet he know it well.

"It is I your—"

"Mr Zeus, They are here my Lord." Mr Zeus open his eyes gradually as he saw the three individuals standing before him. He gestured Hermes out of the room as he accessed the two stand before him especially the girl with caramel skin tone, bright hopeful yet hateful marble grey eye and a rich black low trimmed hair. She looked skinning to the bone as one smiting by the desert wind.

"The echoes in your eyes, bleed through the ink that formed the night. Why do you hate me, little girl." Mr Zeus asked but all he heard was silence and a glare that kill the ordinary man.

"Fine then. Boy, what is your name?"

"I don't have sire." The boy said with a smile so bright Mr Zeus wondered why he was smiling when his eye looked so dead.

"Shall I bestow you with a name that resonates with your smile?" He said to the boy with the dead chestnut eye and almost as lanky as the girl beside him.

"I won't mind my Lord, but I did prefer to be called her partner whether in life or death."

"Why so?"

"I can tell even if I knew sire." Shock by the boy's smooth way with words and zero hatred for him as he smiled through the discussion.

"Very well, this once. A smile as changed my approach to a summon. This once I will yield to another's request."

"Hermes!" Mr Zeus called as a lanky figure not much different from the children though older came in. "Where is the other." He asked a bit confused by the change of person.

"He was summoned by the chief my Lord."

"Get these two the naming chamber. His name is her partner. Let it be, by dusk this day I yoke them together." Mr Zeus became silent.

"And her my Lord."

"Burn it upon her arm, the beauty of a nymph that grew to be feared. Her I give 'Thetis'."

***

"Pesky old fool, you thought your throne would last forever."

"Ease down, you already killed her whatever do you still need."

"Ajax, I am still angry. Let's burn the manor to the ground, send it back to its foundation. Let's make it a ruin."

"Fine Brother, whatever calms your burning heart."

By the day's end, the Manor became burnt to the ground and that day a boy took his step closer to be called The eyes that see only ruins. The two took their journey back to Olympus, branched in the east county— their home, watched by their guidance and gods Artemis and Apollo surrounded by library and records stored for the children and anyone willing to learn by the will of Mr Zeus.

The brightest of children bought mainly for war and strategy cane from the east wing of Zeus's Olympus.

"We are back Apollo, Artemis."

"Oh by the gods, why don't you have any ounce of respect for our retainers," Ajax muttered. "You know at the snap of their fingers we be dead."

"I date them Ajax. I dear them!" The boy lifted his voice higher. "I dear them to try it."

"Your death is at the corner ag—"

"Wow, did you two just arrive.".

"Yes, my lady." Ajax bowed but his partner stood tall with no intention nor a dot of reverence.

"And you, come closer."

"Why should I Artemis. You are not my retainer."

"Ease now boy, you are well aware we both are in charge here."

"Yes Apollo, I still don't get the advent possibility of it when every other county has one."

"That's my boy is what makes this place special." Apollo walked towards the boy and pulled him by the ear, forcing him to bow to Artemis afterwards drag him out of her presence. Artemis looked as they left wondering if Apollo has not spoilt the boy.

"Lady Artemis," Ajax called

"You know you are free to call me by my real name."

"That my Lady is you saying I should imagine my head on, on, blech, on that platter."

"Go to know you have not let freedom get to high up your head, unlike—" The clinging of the sword echoed in and the endless rain of the training arrows glued to the hands of the huntress, the studous going through of pages upon pages finding the loopholes attached to every plan and a plan to counter each loophole.

"Go watch, the bells of lunch is upon us."

***

"My Lord, they are ready." The chief Hermes of the north county bowed as he ushered in two young highly handsome boys and two ridiculously beautiful young girls with the title of an Aphrodite though still in training and being buttered by the Chief Aphrodite— The office held by the most alluring and seductively attractive of the whole Olympus between a certain age range before been replaced by another more or exactly alluring.

"Hermes, can't they wear something less revealing and more comfortable."

"My thoughts exactly my Lord but Aprodite mistress said anything less will soil the Aphrodite image."

"That, That, wo— Aphrodite!" Mr Poseidon shouted in distaste as the sight of the children that stood before him was nothing less than an abuse but in a land where abuse is based on Zues' will, Mr Poseidon only asked for his head placed decoratively on a plater set for the crows. "How long shall I wait."

"My apologies my Lord." The Chief Aphrodite said bowing.

"Can you give two reasons by the gods why I should not end your reign permanently?" Mr Poseidon's heart beating and ears steaming, contrary to what he said, he wished she doesn't have one because he knew she had her hands deep in the culture and heart sold to Zeus.

"Three, I will give twenty."

"Uh," Mr Poseidon's jaw dropped as his beating heart silenced and steaming ears was dipped in cold water.

"But my Lord's time is most precious to me, I will state one." Mr Poseidon swallowed in sound defeat.

"And, and that would be?" The chief Aphrodite dipped her hands into her bosom and pulled out a folded canvas filled with paintings made by Zeus aided by the second Chief Aphrodite— her grandmother— on how the Aphrodite should dress before appearing before a prospect because that's what they are bred for— lustful pleasure.

"But still—"

"My Lord, I fear you may be walking on a thin line and on your way to cross the Styx bridge" Mr Poseidon weighed her words, looking at the painting then picking his cup to drink in the air of the empty cup while eye-balling the child. "Drunkenness is my only way to survive this, this reign. Four more years." He thought.

"Fine, package them up and send them to Olympus Centre. My greeting to Mister crowned—false god— big brother." He said through the cup as the thought escaped his rounded belly through his mouth into the cup.

"Eris, don't overdo it before Zeus, he can be a hard man to access and to please impossible." One of the four children ended out-turned and bowed again as they followed the two chiefs out.

***

"You know something, Marius, that boy needs some whooping. How long would you stuff a little baggy? How long?"

"Ease down Mr Kenneth. Your shouting is making the baby in her womb prepare for war."

"Funny you would say that. My grandchild must be a warrior and not an aggressive lazy bone like this one."

"Ya better take that back old man." Thetis snapped from where she sat, comforted by Lucille from the back and forth.

"You see aggressive."

"Ya know I am lazy because I live under the roof of a lazy aggressive old man for years."

"I—"

"And so it begins again with these two poking at each other eye." Lucile shook her head and rose to calm them while Marius stepped back.

"Why can't you two—"

"Quiet down Lucille, the adults are talking." The two lashed at her and she returned defeated back to her seat, leaving them to their back and forth. After a while of highs and lows, spits and gestures, they stopped and started laughing at one another then cried as Mr Kenneth said. "Why can't you stay here. It is practically the same."

"You know I cont," Thetis replied. "I cont understand if I am not amongst them."

"I know, I know but I am—"

"Set!" The boy walked out. "I an set Mr Kenneth." They all except Mr Kenneth—who choose to keep his head down because he couldn't control his tears which add become a dear friend to his old eyes— looked in his direction.

"Boy, you like young master Ki—"

"Don't Marius." Mr Kenneth whispered. "Make sure nothing, not even a scratch touch her lest you want me to end your wages." He readjusted his hat to guard his face against being noticed."Make sure you perform your duties till your last breath."

"I know Mr Kenneth." The boy came closer as Mr Kenneth walked passed him without a farewell to anyone.

"Old Marius is Mr Kenneth's ill health."

"You can say that."

"So Lady Thetis, how may I be of aid to you from here on out " The boy bowed like Marius always does, carrying a backpack designed by Mr Kenneth.

"First—"

.***

"On your way to Athena make sure these names her erased by these two. No helping them. I desire to breathe freedom into this names through the hands of Thetis and her partner

"Yes My Lord."

***

"Apollo, who are you sending from your side," Artemis said whilst playing with the silver hair of Ajax. "Because I am sending Ajax to represent my huntress." Apollo raised a brow thinking 'Ajax how you have bewitched my sister'.

"Who else, I can't send my weakness now can I."

"I see you are sending him then," Artemis said with a disdainful tone.

***

"Why can't we move this luggage with one of Mr Kenneth's horses."

"One, 'cos that old man is callous."

"Oh really," Lucille said.

"Shh, two I need to remain as this folks I want to understand. So they have no excuses."

"Hmm hmm."

"Lucille, ya making matters worse and this—"

"Let me guess, This dre—"

"Yea Mrs goody two shoes. This dreams burns hot seeks to be fulfilled."

"A dream, I thought dreams are for rich folks."

"And who even told ya that?"

"The old Lady who clean the cathedral and someone else." The flashes of fire breezed his sight as he stiffed abit.

"Really ya see—"

"Would you two stop talking and let's get home first." A man with a load strapped around all his body as she dragged under the sun shouted. "The luggage is killing me."

"Oh no Luke, my sweet be strong for our sakes eh." Lucille smiling. "We have one pregnant woman, a lanky boy and your fragile wife." Lucile wiped the sweat off Luke's face.

"Come on Luke, I thought you say you are a man." Thetis teased.

"Yea, Thetis I am a man, not a donkey but if we don't arrive fast, I will end up accepting the call of a woman."

"Lucille, I knew ya husband is a man for show."

"Really Thetis, you should have told me before now."

"I didn't. My apologies Lady Lucille for my Ignorance."

"Very funny you two. I am a sta, stallion of war not a donkey. Do I look to you a beast of burden?"

"Yes Mister—"

"Why you."

"Oi, carriage come over." A carriage for hire ran towards them then while they bargained, Luke unstrapped himself and lay on the carriage.

"Lazy bum." Thetis poked him.

"Ah, Ah Thetis, I can't stop laughing."

***

"Hope the prospect are well settled Hermes."

"Yes my Lord."

"Are all around?"

"No my Lord, we received word from some saying their arrival would be a day before the agreed moon."

"And the two, have they left?"

"At your word my Lord, lead by Hermes to the arena of warriors at Athena's."

"Am I missing any other thing?"

"The gift from Poseidon has been orderly settled in their rooms for the emergence."

"And the South, West and East."

"Apollo and Atermis' choose are on their way. None from Athena and Hades."

"Hmm." He signal him out after he said. "Get the gift from Poseidon some feast on for in about a moon their destinies may be uttered."

"As you wish."

***

"Ajax, why are you shivery!"

"Why are you not?" Ajax asked his partner.

"Why should I, it's not like I am going to meet go—" Ajax jumped to seal his partner's mouth.

"Brother, you will be the death of me."

"Let go, I doubt death is any worse than this."

"We are on the way to Olympus Centre. Every son of Olympus prays to see Zeus and we just happen to be going without doing anything special."

"And why would my heart be flustered because I am living in hell to another that may be worse."

"You have no class brother. Not one Ag—" The chariot hit a stone that jerked it, almost to a fall. "Another trap, I am tired of this, Ajax stops the chariot, I need to see the inside of the unwise enemies."

"As you wish oh bloody one." Ajax poked his head out."Stop the chariot! We are going on offence." The chariot stopped as Ajax and his partner came out breathing in the air to track the scent of the enemy.

"Left."

"Indeed." They ran all geared up towards the left in the dark path of the foresty landscape.

"Don't lose your head Ajax, I perceive five mixed scents and one odd one."

"Fear not my friend, my head would only be lost on the tables of Artemis. I have locks on the five you go for the odd one." Ajax leapt as a monkey to a tree climbing as a point of an arrow flew his way almost hitting him but he turned and cut it with his teeth shimmery in gold. "Oh don't be in haste." He leapt from tree to tree seeing beyond the shadows then jumped high, almost covering the moonlight like a god descending then twirling in the air sending five arrows simultaneously which locked on his target with miss while he lands then strikes his signature pose with a smile. "My heart longs to drink from you my Lady, beautiful Artemis!" He shouted.

"Something is broken in that boy's head." Ajax's partner said as he leapt in the air as a series of arrows came his way unlike Ajax, he pulled his sword, cut through diving down headfirst at the enemy who seem stronger than the individual five.

"Bullock." The enemy looking at Ajax's partner dived down the slope. "This boy is mad." Ajax's partner drove his sword down aiming to slice down the enemy in half but failed, striking the enemy pulled shield. He swiftly recollected himself, switched the sword to his other hand, rushed at the enemy. "Pity is Ajax way but I detest it. That is why I will make you feed my hatred till the fay Olympus falls at my feet." The boy's eye becomes bloodshot as he strikes his enemy without defending himself till he bleeds the enemy of his blood, separating every one of his limp then setting him of fire. "I still not satisfied." He said.

***