Akhill

Chapter Eight: MoonDay II

***

Thetis walked, emotion dead from the mental shut down. "It is all ya fault. My family lost because of you." The agony, she felt upon every single one of her cage-mate which she sware to protect came rushing into her damping her mental state the more. "You stopped me from saving them." She remembers the boy holding her back every time she tried to jump the hermes' they came like a fisher to take one of them away never returning them. "I promised to protect them but you," The streams of tears flowing out, continued as she remembered every eye colour shade that stretched to her, desperate for someone to save them and every of her attempt hindered by the boy whispering 'very soon' against the cry of the children shouted 'you said you will protect us!', 'you lied to us.'

"You killed them and now you say I should live." Thetis ran, every reasoning almost dead and the voice crying protect became a little less than a whisper. "Even the voice want ya dead." She closed the gap and rained a sword s***h at him, changing her weapon almost without thinking, her only aim his head but all the boy who had become stunned by her claims could block the weapon though the claims had weakened his defence as he thought for an answer for the breakthrough.

The silence of the arena cracked open and corroded the air as every consecutive s***h spilt blood.

"Go for the head Thetis." A woman shouted, drunk with the sight of blood.

"Gain your freedom. How dare him stop your choice to dead." A man screamed.

"That's it. Tartarus await your arrival Thetis. Kill the mutt" another shouted.

"Let the cry of death be my lover today!" Another said pulling off his cloth, revealing the many scars engraved in his aged body.

"Would you lot just shut up!" Thetis partner shrieked loud enough to send Thetis flying. His voice cracked the walls of the deaf. "I will not let her have her way even if I have the destroy Tartarus." He paused then muttered, "I won't." This shierk seem to cancel the hypnotic state of Thetis, as they hit the ground, remembering every time she was stopped by the boy it was to evade a strike from Hermes.

"Then make it stop." She muttered. "If you are not the fault. Who is?" She shouted sucking in her tears.

"Zeus, yes it must be that. No, no, the whole Olympus will pay for this. I will kil—"

"Breath." The boy squatted beside Thetis, "breath."

"Why. It still hurt."

"Breath, I will protect you." The boy said.

She felt the fragrance of the cage, Mr Zeus' voice faded and a crawled towards her, eye dead and smile, clear as crystal. 'I will protect you the word strangely warmed her heart yet the hurt isn't letting go.

"Don't force it." The boy laid his hand on her shoulder. "Let time be your—" The boy felt a sting by his side, and turned to check. "Why?" He jumped back, holding his side which dripped with red liquid.

Thetis stood up, "why have you not lost your smile in this place of the dead? Who are you the right to save me? Why am I the only one suffering from this?" Thetis readjusted herself, as though she has found a right to live for a while. "You. Answer me why?"

"But Thet." The boy looked at Thetis, his face had nothing but smiles. "I feel nothing. That is why I choose you." He muttered.

"How dare you want to live? How dare you keep smiling?" Thetis look around for a bow to shoot the arrow laying around close to her feet. "How dare you?" She walked towards the bow with the name Artemis on it. "Why should you smile when all I feel is hurt?" She soliloquised. She kept up the arrow, felt the name inscribed on it, look at the moon's light stare at her. "How dear you?" She shot one at the moon. "This will do." She turned and aimed at the boy. "Just let me die in peace." She shot aimed at his heart, he kicked up one of the weapons laying close to him to deflect the arrow while limping towards the shield he held up to stop the arrow rain.

Thetis sent two arrows consecutive aimed at his heart. He ran towards Thetis and swung the shield to deflect one arrow which unintentionally tripped him off his feet, forcing him to catch himself while evading the second arrow with a groan. Thetis unbothered, sent another arrow at the boy which he blocked by placing the shield before him. "This girl is good." He thought, smiling as though proud of what he sees.

Thetis walked backwards to pick another set of arrows then shot one at him at a very close range which he allowed to pierce his shoulder so he could catch her. He headbutted her but missed as she blocked with her hand to her face, but she couldn't break free from his grip.

"If you will die Thet, let it be without remorse." He punched her in the face but missed again, as though intentional. "What is the point, if death wont give you rest?" He threw his hand to punch her and missed again then let go of her. She looked at him, defenceless.

"It is ma victory." She looked at the boy with blood crawling out of him unchained and lifted her hand bearing an arrow.

"I will collapse soon anyways." He smiled and looked up. "The moon is really beautiful but you are more like the sun." A gentle wind blow and he staggered abit and maintained his stand. "If you really want to die in peace, just live one day." He jerks forward abit and back. "Come at me I will stop you even in death."He took a weak combat stance. " I wont let you have your way in death." She looked at him not sure what to make of his unwavering determination to save someone who does want it. "Come Thetis."

She stared at him for a while, sure he as lost track of the space between them being less than an arm stretch. She dropped her hand and knelt in submission, one kneel to the ground, face bowed in defeat. "You win. Fool." She giggled silently. He looked at her bowed in defeat through his blurred vision, and leapt towards Thetis.

"Hope is what I see in your eyes." He mumbled. Thetis looked up to confirm what he said. "Please live." He said as the word dragged through and his body gave in to gravity, feeling face flat, beside the bowed Thetis, sending sands flying into time.

*****

"How is he doing Chirry," Thetis asked looking at the boy afar, who was aiming arrows at a swinging target.

"Not bad, Just an issue with his anger. You know." Chiron pointed to show Thetis the pile of bow needing repair. "Ten days and he has broken thirty bows."

"Wow, Really." Thetis giggled.

"Yes really. I saw him glare at me once like some wild predators."

"No way, that cute innocent boy."

"That boy is far from innocent. He is like that because you are here."

"I doubt that."

"Hid behind me awhile." The boy looked in Chiron's direction and missed his shot. He ran towards the target and whacked it till the bow snapped.

"That makes it thirty-one and it is not even dusk." Chiron releases a breath of defeat. "If you were not paying me, oh if you were not paying me." He walked towards the boy. "Boy, you are free to break as many as you want. Thetis will run in debt and I will become a —" The boy charged at him with the broken sword to attack but saw Thetis which made him lose his redemption and trip off. "If not, boy. Get your wacky aim right." The boy glared. "See." Chiron pointed.

"The last bow is on you, Chirry."

"I know. What?! Why?"

"Ya taunt him."

"If he can not focus when will he ever become an archer"

"Should he tried swordsm—"

"No!" The boy was protected.

"Yea, No." Chiron Agrees. Thetis raised an eyebrow. "Because he will become a murderer with his uncubbed anger." Chiron looked at the boy who was raising from the floor. "Imagine he misses the aim and swings his sword against his fellows. At least a bow will direct the anger." Chiron pointed at the aim, glaring at the boy, who though unfazed picked another bow and then walked away. Thetis looked at the boy walking away and smiled as an image flashed in her mind, making her rub her belly.

"Maybe you are closer then you first dreamed." She muttered.

"Closer to what? That boy is nowhere close to it."

"And dear friend and how long do before he gain mastery."

"For reasons, I have not found, He already mastered the arrow. He is like an elf with the temper of a troll." Chiron dust is hands, "a very bad mix."

"And?" Thetis raised a brow.

"And yes I will make it work woman. I am his beloved teacher."

"Ya. More lak his enriched teacher."

"It is still the same." Chiron turned and then remembered. " I get weary of his name, Boy. Who names their son Boy? Are going to name the daughter, Girl. Eh."

"My son?"

"The whole county calls him your son."

"As much as I love to, I won't force him to become my own nor force a name on him."

"Why not?" Chiron picked a stone and threw it at the boy who reacted like a skilled warrior by stopping it with an arrow. "Can I name him then?"

"Do as you please."

"I will. And I will name him 'Peleus'."

"I refuse?" Chiron looked searching for a reason why she snapped.

"I thought I could name him."

"Yes, you can but any name but that."

"It is just a name, many people can bear it."

"Why not keep calling him Boy then, Chirry, since that too is jast a name."

"Woman, how am I the wrong one, again?"

"Who says ya are wrong?" Thetis spoke with an acted straight face.

"I will call him," Chiron returned to the main subject at hand, not ready for a logical argument which was Thetis's forte, "hmm, how to call him. Haha." Chiron walked away from Thetis towards the boy, excited about the name swimming in his mind.

"You—" an arrow flew his way. Chiron evaded, "You are years too young to kill me." He said.

"Maybe a bit lower." The boy muttered,

"You really want to kill me. Thetis this boy wants to—"

"Lair." The Boy shouted.

"An Archer is no use for lies." Chiron held the boy's head. "I Chiron, your master, bestow upon you…" Chiron placed his other hand on his waist. Thetis stared in embarrassment at him. "I Chiron, the son of the wind and water, bestow upon you…" The onlookers felt the air energized at the powerful aura leaking out of the prideful man, "I bestow on you the name Achilles, Son of—"

"Meh, not a chance, Call me Boy." The boy responded with indifference. Chiron felt a prick go through his ballooned pride.

"What!!!!" Chiron shouted.

*****

"Enough fight. Let's sup." Athena placed all who sat around the dinner in order while holding Thetis in one hand ready to punch. The wind in the room placed its hands around its mouth.

"Phew, I thought she was a goner." One of the people in the dinner said, eye-popping, enraptured by the skilful display of Lady Athena.

"Well done girl." Athena dropped Thetis and smiled at her.

"I am honoured ma, Lady." Thetis bowed and followed behind Athena.

Athena treats all under her care, though trained to be warriors, as her children. They all sat together to feast and both as one.

"Tomorrow and then the next will be the celebration of literature." Athena hit her glass, then continued as every of her word seem to send excitement into the most bored.

***

"Finally, a breather from all the sword."

"Yea, brother I have longed for this day for so long."

'Yack, who want a festivity of Literature when we can blow the horns of the clash of the titans."

"You battle drunk musclehead, why do you only think of battle?"

"Leave me be. Who doesn't love the thrill of clashing swords and spilt blood with a bliss death before you?"

"I Nickel, I don't like it. My father sent me here Nickel because feels I am weak."

"But you are we—" A punch to the gut.

"Shout it, Nick. You say he is weak and not once have you defeated him in a duel."

"Nay. I defeated him once."

"Reeallly."

"Yea, I defeated him in the chess of the gods."

"How is that a battle."

"Because—"

"Silence!" The echo strum the fibres of the room and the silence rose like ambrosia of the gods.

"My apologies my Lady, These lot be just drunk in excitement."

"Leave them be. It has been a while they rested from tradition." Athena replied to the lady who stood by her, said to be the only female Hermes and second only to the Commander in Chief of all the Hermes who dwells as Zeus'' confidant in battle.

"Still my Lady, a festival out of the blue."

"In four days, Thetis and the boy without a name would be on their way for the emergence." Athene breathes out. "Let's at least send them off with a blast, with the hope that they live." She gave a dry smile and then continued her announcement.

"We all know her strength and her partner's might. Through the passage of the festival, you all are free to challenge any of them to the battle in the ring."

"Yeahhhh, bow that my friends is why I love Lady Athena." Nickel shouted in excitement.

"Note, you can only challenge both of them. No one else."

"But Mother," one of the ones present in the dinner called Athena.

"Yes my child."

"The boy is yet to heal from his wound."

"True but the emergence will be worse for him if he lets such pain overcome him." Athena looked at the lady by her side.

"As you will my lady. I will make the preparation for his arrival." The lady by Athena said replied to the eye contact.

"My Children sup till dawn and let tomorrow feast on your creativeness and the day your presence."

"Yea!!!!!!!" The hall roared.

***