Akhill

Prologue

Lost in the gleam of the bluey hue of the night sky, shades of amber spiralling through, the rattles of the wind caressing the gates and the neighing of the horses shew hay while the leaves groaned at every pressure.

"Help!" A man panting heavily as one chased by the grim reaper. "Help!" He banged every door in his part, seeking solitude. "Please help me." He continued light on foot, constantly looking backwards into the endless silence of the singing wind. "No, No, please! Help me!" He clutched his stomach and stretched his hands towards the women dialoguing and making haste into their homes. "That's Him." One muttered to the other, increasing the pace into their home, starting a chain reaction of shutting doors and clasping windows.

"Please! Help me, I promise a great reward." A whistle cut through the wind and landed a splash through his left shoulder. "Arrgh!" He shouts as He stumbled forward catching himself before falling. Again and again, he ran forward and looked backwards and for a while, his legs knew no rhythm save, "I must escape."

A warm chill sled down his hand and the ground received a drip drip sound. "Hmm," He agonised, "If I survive this, you are all dead, dead!" He raised his voice as he spotted an amber through a window. " You all are!" He paused for a while to calm his stomach then shouted "dead!"

The wind grew chilly as his blood dripped louder, the floor wobbly and his eye saw twos as eight. His environment spun, then he caught an image of a figure approaching, covered in the embrace of the night. "I can still make it. '' He pulled forward but was then sent aback by a punch to the face. "I can't die." He dragged himself forward undeterred by the chorus of death, burrowing through like an earthworm covered in dirt. His lips grazed the way. "Not like, "He gritted, "This can't be how I—" The boot of this shadowy figure struck his side as the sweat on his face went dry by the force that followed. "Hmm" He groaned as the whisper that afore struck his shoulder slithered deeper. "What did I do to deserve this?" He inquired, lying face upwards towards the smiling moon. "

Who do you think you are?" He shouted with every strength he could muster which He wished he hadn't, for with the shout came a flush from his stomach out his rump, soiling him. He felt his dignity drop into the gutter and attempted to regain his ego. "Do you know who I am?" He asked as he held his stomach tight to silence the rumble of fear echoing loud, for every speech that escaped his lips affirmed the certainty that Hades awaits at Hell's gate. "If, If, If I die here, you are dead also. You, you hear that. you are dead." He stuttered, feeling life crawling out of him. "My family would have your head"

As one talking to the wind, the figure embraced in the night responded not except for his last statement "My family would have your head." The figure pulled out an object that gleamed the bright smile of the night then squatted close to the one that laid down soiled by his excrement. The shadowy figure raised the shape of a gleamy object and drove it through his body. "Their heads have a spot on my wall already." The figure whispered.

The journey through the city of the dead came sluggishly.

"Where has he gone now?" The brothers discussed, standing outward expecting the return of their youngest brother.

"Sir, we can't find him."

"What—"

From the far distance, a prancing horse came towards their home, without a rider but had a package. The angry brothers were bloodshot in the eye, for they were sure he was not one to leave the company of his guards. The horse prancing continued and halted meters from their home, as a shin swoosh followed aiming for the heart of the eldest. "Get down!" He shouted, as he moved sideways and caught the arrow with his hand.

"We are under attack!" A guard shouted. "Easy, I doubt that." The Eldest brother said, pulling the cloth tied around the arrow. "It's a message."

"What does it say? Brother." One of his younger brothers asked as he brought the touch closer. "Uhm, A gift" He readout. "What does that me—"

Jolted by the realization, he ran towards the horse "No, No, No." He said, " It can't be." He pulled the figure off the horse, unveiled it and discovered his missing brother holding a thread of life.

"Who did this?" He asked, knowing the battle against death was a win for death. "Tell me, please Troilus. A name please."

"Troilus' refusal to surrender without a farewell said, "Ak-Hill, Ak-Hil—" Troilus pupils rolled into his skull and the melody of his heart halted.

"Find that killer!" The Eldest shouted "Find that unnamed killer. Turn the city to ash until you find him." He continued" Kill, burn, I don't care, crucify anything or anyone. Find him and bring him to me alive!" He breathed out heavily with a racing heart. "I will make him suffer for what he did." He muttered to himself as he lifted the excrement covered, blood-drained body of his beloved younger brother into their home."

Troilus, assured, revealed the name of the figure embraced in darkness before Hades welcomed him and Tartarus swallowed him up but his brother heard him wrong. "Er-kill-er, Kill—"