Aphrodite's Acolyte (9 page)

Memories returned of using a slingshot to break a neighbor's window, then having to apologize for doing so. Memories of never doing these things alone as he was always in the company of a yellow-haired, blue-eyed boy nicknamed “Cap”. He put the portrait of himself back on the dresser and laid back in the bed. He stared at the picture, slightly visible by the moonlight penetrating his window, until sleep found him for the night.

The morning sun reflected off the top floor windows of the building across the wide street, directly into the eyes of the sleeping elf. The smells of a full breakfast filled the house, tempting the elf's stomach. Fidel rolled out of bed, following the smell of cooked bacon to Grelin and Asante's modest kitchen.

The table was set for three, orange juice already filled to the brim in each mug. “Good morning!” Asante said with a cheerful voice, placing the skillet back on the wood burning stove and walked over to give him a hug. Fidel smiled and sat down at the table, his stomach growling as his mind filled with thoughts of stuffing it with the salty meat.

Grelin walked in the room and grabbed Fidel's shoulder, looking down at him with a content and proud look on his face. Fidel couldn't help the smile on his face and welcomed the returning memories of his childhood. Specifically, he remembered this particular chair was much larger. He snickered at the thought of the chair being his original seat at the table.

The family sat down to eat for the first time in three-quarters of a century. The conversation continuing from the night before, but this time with Fidel being more of the inquisitor. He learned of his parents and their particular skills. Both of them once rangers for the Lord of Puldechra, both of which retired from that post within five years of Fidel's departure. The stories continued until the morning sun started to approach mid-day. Fidel informed his parents he had to go meet a fellow traveler. His parents looked to each other.

Grelin leaned forward in his seat. “Why not bring your companion here? We have room for one more.”

Fidel nodded his head in agreement, stating it would save him quite a bit of coin. Fidel then washed up and headed out to the city of his youth, promising he would return before the sun passes the mid-afternoon mark. Asante and Grelin waved to him from the door as he walked away, leaving his horse for them to care for. An intentional gesture to remind them he had every intention of returning.

Abby was waiting for him at their agreed upon spot, the statue of Aphrodite just outside the palace. She felt out of place sitting atop her mount and quickly hopped down. She inquired why Fidel did not bring his horse. They exchanged a few words and Abby agreed to meet his parents and stay for the evening. Her heart told her this was a good opportunity to witness the love that had been absent in her life for so long. For the first time in over a decade, Abby carried a feeling that had been foreign to her...hope.

Abby and Fidel spent the day touring Puldechra. They walked the entire length of the city and back over the course of many hours, stopping here and there to check out the many shops that lined the streets. In one store, a store with a sign that looked like a four-leaf clover, Abby paid much attention to some exotic ingredients.  She paid close attention to the tooth of a dragon and its accompanying scales, filling Fidel in on the details of the many potions and poisons such rare treasures produce.

Fidel watched Abby as she combed the store and commented on the several items, showing her immensely deep education in the art of alchemy. Fidel couldn't help but notice the beauty in this human woman, rough around the edges but very much still a woman. He could only smile as she told her stories and let him share in her interests, chiming in with questions and learning what he could about the trade, and of Abigail Lapillus.

As they headed back to Fidel's parents home, Abby asked him how it felt to reunite with his parents after so long. Fidel stopped for a second, trying to form the words. “Remember when you were growing up and you really wanted a specific toy?” Abby nodded, for who could not remember such a feeling. “Well, it felt just like that. And I got it. Best toy ever!” Abby smiled wide, happy for Fidel and his situation.

Fidel asked about Abby's parents. She explained that she had not seen her parents in over fifteen years, when they abandoned her at a church devoted to Hermes, the God of Thieves and various other things.

Fidel placed his hands on her shoulders and stared straight into her eyes with all seriousness on his face. “Would you like to find them?”

Abby stated flatly with no emotion whatsoever. “No.”

He nodded his head, accepting her answer. They walked back toward his house, Fidel's arm resting on Abby's shoulder. She rested one of her arms across his back, her other hand leading the unused horse.

As they reached the doorway of the house, Fidel knocked on the door. Asante came to the door and playfully scolded Fidel for knocking. She reminded him the house was his home now.

Asante looked at Abby with a surprised look. “You did not say your companion was a female!” She pulled in Abby for an overly friendly hug.

Fidel's face flushed, understanding the conclusion Asante just arrived at. “Oh no, Mother! Abby is a friend I met on the road from Harlow's Hovel."

Abby, who took the hug in stride and only returned half of the embrace pulled back and looked at Asante. It was Asante's turn to blush. They both shared a light laugh and headed into the house, the smells of a fine dinner in the makings filling their nostrils.

The night carried on in celebration. The family shared story after story, consuming the good food and drink provided, and enjoying each others lighthearted company. And so it continued with days turning into weeks, the family and Fidel's new friend enjoying the good times.

One day, Fidel and Abby were walking the city, noticing the townsfolk working hard to set up for a festival of sorts. At home that same night, Grelin informed them it was the annual festival in the honor of Demeter, the Goddess of Agriculture. A few nights later, when the festival was in full swing, Abby and Fidel decided to attend.

The festival was what one would expect. Rows and rows of fun and entertainment paired with good food. Booths with extravagant items lined the many temporary pathways, peddling goods from all over the continent of Mirater.

Abby stopped at one of the booths, a necklace with a pendant catching her attention. She commented that the pendant looked much like the design on the wizard's robe from their first day in Puldechra. Fidel stared at the pendant, a five-pointed star enclosed in a circle. But this pendant was different from the design on the wizard's robe. The bottom right body of the star was glowing with a light bluish tint, similar to the color of the sky on a cloudless day. Fidel touched his finger to the star and the tinted mist separated.

The booth keeper, sitting in the shadows, commented the pendant was an Amulet of the Gods. A fairly common place pendant, but this one had a certain magic about it the merchant could not explain. When asked how the merchant obtained the necklace, he commented he bought it from a gray eyed traveler while in Maritera, a city on the water of the northern coast of Mirater.

Fidel couldn't pass up the pendant, the blue-tinted mist striking him with great interest. As they left the booth, Fidel asked Abby if she wanted the pendant. She said she didn't, explaining curses and omens that often surrounded such trinkets. Fidel chuckled at the superstitious woman and placed the necklace around his neck.

They continued on for the evening, playing a few games and window shopping. They arrived at the amphitheater and decided to watch the play being performed, a play that portrayed the love triangle shared between Aphrodite, her husband Hephaestus, and her lover, the God of War, Ares.

After the third act of the play, Fidel felt a burning sensation where the pendant was touching his skin. As he pulled the pendant out from underneath his robe, a small flame flared up from the center of the top point of the star, then subsided into a red mist, much like the original bluish tint of the amulet.

Abby shoved Fidel. “See! I told you it's cursed! You better take that thing off and toss it before it consumes you!”

Fidel looked at her with fascination. “Or, this is part of the mystery of this unique necklace!”

Abby looked at Fidel with disbelief. “You're insane!”

After the play was over, the duo departed, heading back to the house. Fidel pulled out his necklace, looking it over curiously as the red and blue tint-filled star points kept him engaged. In a short time, they were back at Fidel's parents home.

They headed to bed for the evening, each to their respective rooms for a good night's sleep. Fidel kept his necklace on as he laid down in his bed and drifted off to sleep, the necklace falling and resting on his chest.

When Fidel woke the next day, he found a mysterious small patch of dirt on his chest and the amulets bottom left star point had filled with a brown mist, much like the red and blue points. The amulet made Fidel more and more curious. He walked to the kitchen and saw Lord Fineal's herald sitting in his seat, Grelin and Asante sitting across from him.

Fidel stared at the herald curiously. “Good morning. Is something amiss?” Grelin started to speak but the herald cut him short.

“Good morning, Mr. Austempes. Lord Fineal has requested I fetch you for a meeting as soon as possible.”

Fidel stared curiously at Grelin and Asante. “Mother, Father, are you aware of the circumstances surrounding this summons?”

Grelin and Asante both shook their heads. The individuals then struck up conversation, requesting details on what the visit was about. The herald did not reveal the details of the meeting but did reassure the family that Fidel was not in any danger and would be returning. Fidel excused himself to clean up and returned a few moments later, dressed and ready to meet the Lord of Puldechra once again.

The journey to the palace was short and quick, but the entrance for this meeting did not reside via the front door. The herald led Fidel to the front door and then turned to the left, heading down the pathway about a hundred strides.

They entered through the left tower of the palace, Fidel thinking this was perhaps the lord's private quarters. As Fidel entered the tower, he noticed it was hollow. An empty tower with no layers, no stairs, he could stare straight up the entire fifty foot length to the roof. The herald quietly slipped out the door they came through and closed the door hard, the thud echoing up the full length of the tower. Fidel suddenly got nervous, reached into his pack, pulled his staff out, and prepared himself for  a  confrontation.

The walls of the tower shifted. The stone looked like the distorted rocks of a river bed that would be seen through the eyes of a man fetching a drink of water. Wind rushed in from the top of the tower down to the bottom, filling the room with an invisible matter. The air felt solid under Fidel's feet. He found he had to lift his feet to keep from being buried. The invisible dirt continued to fill the tower. Fidel had to take frequent steps to raise himself higher and higher.

When he was halfway up the length of the tower, the wall opposite him started to take on a new shape. The shape of a door appeared, first in outline and then one wooden plank at a time materializing. Within a few heartbeats, a full solid oak door was before him.

Fidel looked down the tower shaft and saw Abigail rush into the tower, looking around confused. She called his name but he could not hear her. The door in front of him opened and Lord Fineal emerged. “Do not worry Fidel, she will be safe, as will you. Please join me in my private quarters, I have knowledge to share with you.” Fidel looked down, watching Abby tapping on the walls. He stepped into Lord Fineal's chamber and the door closed behind him with a loud clanking sound indicating a heavy door lock.

Fineal immediately started the conversation, “By now, you must be curious of that amulet you carry.” He walked over and poured a drink. Fidel looked at Fineal curiously, not sure how this meeting was to go. For the second time in the past month, he decided to choose faith over fear and placed his staff back in his pack.

Fineal smiled and pointed at Fidel's hip sack. “Those are some very clever contraptions.”

Fidel returned the smile. “Yes, my father gave it to me before leaving Harlow's Hovel.” Fidel chuckled. “I look forward to filling it!”

Fineal shared in the lighthearted jest and offered Fidel a drink. “In time, Fidel, I believe you will have plenty of opportunity to fill that bag to the brim.”

Fidel gave Fineal a look of intrigue.

“Ah, yes Fidel, I should explain that amulet you carry. That will shed some light on the subject.” Fineal moved to a chair and signaled for Fidel to do the same. Fidel complied and sat down, taking a sip of the sweet tea.

“Fidel, you have been chosen. Or maybe you have chosen.” Fineal paused for a second and considered the ambiguity, “Either way, you are involved. That amulet is like many of its kind, by all appearances. But the amulet you carry is enchanted. It is part of a large design.” Fineal stopped and took a sip.

Fidel asked sarcastically, “What design would that be? Some grand prophecy that I would save the world like many stories of our realms and our gods?” Fidel took a sip from his tea.

Fineal's eyes widened as he jumped up excitedly, “Exactly! So you do understand!?”

Fidel spit out his tea, giving an incredulous look at Fineal. The brown-haired Lord started laughing. After a few moments, Fineal regained his composure and continued. “No, not a prophecy that you would save the world. But there is a prophecy that the world may end. When all the points in that star are filled, the Cascian Knights are to rise under the control of the master of the amulet's power. When the amulet is full with color, the amulet's master will receive the full strength of the gods.”