Memoirs of an Immortal (The Immortal Series) (13 page)

“Lets us go inside. You must be hungry from all the training.”

As we entered, I noticed that the house inside appeared to be larger than the exterior. A sizeable hearth was to the left and a small fire roared with a pot that sat over it.

“Come, I have made you food as a welcoming gesture. Over the meal I will discuss with you our ways, what you can and cannot do.” At the last part of her statement she looked right at me.

As we sat at the table, she began to hand out plates with food.

“I am Themis a Titian. I am sure you have not heard too much about me, but I created the laws and norms that are allowed here. Basically, I am the law.” She smiled softly, “Anyone in our realm, who needs guidance, will come to me. When I am not at home, I am overseeing the various oracles. I was the one to first see the prophecy that speaks of all of you.”

We all turned our heads to look at her.

“I even consulted the Moirai. They are the ones who attach and weave the threads of fate to the humans. They were the ones, who helped me find you and cut the strings to your mortal life.”

She finally sat down at the head of the table, placing her plate in front of her. She looked at us and nodded, gesturing us to eat.

I tried to eat with my right arm, but I couldn’t lift it. I could feel it getting better, but I still could not use it. Agape gave me a knowing look and tried to help.

Themis had gotten up from her seat and sat herself next to me. She reached for my arm, her touch soothed my pain.

“Prometheus must have been very angry. Your arm is broken. Does it not hurt?” I merely shook my head afraid to say anything. “Do not worry yourself. It’s in the process of healing. What you did was not the end all. Learn first. Grow with every little experience and you will achieve great confidence in your abilities and mind. Trust me when I say, he must feel very bad for his behavior towards you, but it was more from worry than disappointment. Prometheus has come to love you and care for you very much, Psykhe. Like an older brother looking out for his younger sister.”

She looked around to see the faces of my sisters. “And you all, do not judge your sister too harshly. All of you will do things under the great folly of stupidity. Trust me. I have seen it.” Her words were comforting.

Zoe was sitting on the other side of me. She looked curiously at my arm. She then reached over and took it.

My mother had taught her some medicine, but her behavior was different than before.

“I can see the bone.” She said in a serious tone. “Yes, there it is. It’s broken near the wrist. Psykhe? Why didn’t you say anything?” Zoe lifted my arm.

“Yes Zoe, well done. Now follow your instincts.” Themis encouraged her.

Zoe hesitated, but then proceeded. With one hand, she held my arm with the other as she glided her hand over my wrist. The more she did it, the better my arm felt.

“Now how does it feel?” Zoe had asked me,

“I can move it!” I said astonished.

“I know! I can see the bone, it’s completely healed.” Zoe inquisitively looked at Themis.

“So I see that we each have abilities, which have awoken when we regained consciousness in our new lives.” Zoe always was a quick learner when it came to studies.

“You are right Zoe. Each of you has an ability, which will help you throughout your lives. These abilities are in tune with you and have chosen to be part of your journey. Trust in your instincts, they are what will make you thrive in this world.”

Themis was like no other, she made us feel as though we were part of this unknown world. She had given us guidance and had always made us feel welcomed. Kindness is not a reality in our world. It is an emotion that the gods know very little about. The emotion that rules here is selfishness that they know a great deal of.

Our first day had ended and Prometheus had ushered us back to our room in silence. Before I had entered, he had pulled me aside, his face was somber.

“I’m sorry, not for yelling at you because you deserved it, but for hurting you.” He then raised his hand gesturing for me to enter.

“I’m sorry for being stupid. I promise not to embarrass you again.”

He smiled and I reached naturally and hugged him. He stood not knowing what to do.

“You hug back stupid.” I said my face muffled in his chest.

“Oh.” I heard him say. He grabbed me lightly and held me close.

I let him go and said goodnight. I walked into our room and closed the door behind me.

Not bothering to look at any of my sisters. I walked over to my bed and sat down and stared out the window again. This had been such a long day. I was hoping my mind would be too exhausted with today’s events, but all I could do was remember Leonidas.

‘
I know that you are somewhere, but not here with me. Why can you not be here? Do you know of what has happen? Even with my sisters here, why do I feel so alone?’

I was lost in the memories of my past life, wishing that I could be back there, where everything made sense. My thoughts were interrupted. Someone had sat next to me. Eirene had placed her head on my back.

‘I should have not mentioned him. It was wrong of me. I don’t honestly know what it means to lose someone that was as important as he was to you, I’m sorry.’

I could hear her thoughts clearly as though she spoke to me. Silently, I accepted her apology. We both sat there comforting each other, consumed in our thoughts, accepting our new reality.

There is no concept of time in this world, it could have been days, it could have been months, but any and all free time was spent training both our physical and mental gifts.

I had spent most of the time dealing with the task at hand. I was so exhausted from our daily activities, that I slowly stop thinking about Leonidas and my past life and just focus solely on becoming the best fighter I could be.

We all had become quite adjusted to our new lives. The only thing that we kept from our past was our hobby. My sisters and I would come together and share music. I usually sang, while the others played and sang too. Even Prometheus had gotten carried away with our behavior. He would bring us instruments and would sit and listen to us play. So whenever we had our breaks with our daily sparring with Deimos and Phobos, we would lose ourselves in music and song. It felt natural and calming. Maybe the only reason we kept that part of us alive, was to pay homage to who we were and that no one could take that part away.

We were musical and that was not divinely given or predestined, it was just something we worked hard at and loved. I sometimes wondered why we tried so hard at music. I always thought it was because of our parents, it seem to bring them so much joy just to watch us dance and sing. Now our parents were replaced with Prometheus and Themis, we would sing and play and share our music with them.

One afternoon, Deimos had stopped our exercises. Eirene and I were bloody from our duel. I had sat down on the stairs, leaning back and enjoying the suns hot rays on my skin, while Zoe tried to work quickly on our wounds.

As immortals our wounds heal, but not quickly enough. Depending on the severity, it either took hours or days, but the pain that was still real. As a human when I was hurt, I would feel it, but as an immortal the range of pain was far more different.

As I lay there enjoying the sun, I could smell the odor of burning metal. I have often smelled it as we practiced and anywhere I had gone alone.

“There! There it is again! What is that smell?! It can’t be us. I know we are fighting, but our weapons have never smelled before!”

Zoe still relishing in her new found ability and took her time to answer.

“Well I have often smelled it too. Have you smelled it anywhere else?”

“Yes, it’s everywhere I go. It’s starting to annoy me” I answered.

None of my other sisters smelled it other than in our training area. So I guess I was the only one who had been pestered with this hateful odor.

“I could only imagine that it would be quite agitating, especially now, since our senses have only become sharper and more keen.” Zoe was now done with Eirene’s wounds.

That was true. Everyday our senses only became stronger and more honed. We could now clearly see for miles. Our sense of smell had now intensified. Even what we ate was an event onto itself. We could taste the sun on fruit, the rain that nurtured the ground, the sweetness of fruits were sensational. Even the richness of our meals had a taken on a life on its own. Our hearing had also become more acute, there wasn’t a thing that we could not hear clearly.

Phobos had said it was only natural for them in this world and we were granted these gifts and not to take them lightly.

“Hey Psykhe, are you going to see Themis today?
Cause I wouldn’t mind going together
” Eva asked the first question out loud not to sound like she was trying to play favorites, but we always seemed to be a better fit. We weren’t just sisters but friends too.

“Ask Eirene, she should have the answer?” I was being cheeky.

“Yes, you will go and you will stay the night!” Eirene said it in an ominous voice, making light of her awakened eye.

I stood up and went into the baths. I cleaned up and changed from my fighting attire, which was a piece of linen that was tightly fitted to my lower body, while another was wrapped tightly across my chest. As I finished cleaning up, I walked out to the courtyard. It was Eva and Agape’s turn to fight. Our movements were far quicker than the average person, only because now our strength was unbound. Seeing Eva’s rapid arm movements with her double sickle was mesmerizing, but Agapes’ spear attacks were far more accurate and spirited.

‘
Hey you should go now, if you’re late, you know how she acts!’

Prometheus thoughts barged into my mind. I looked over to where he was. He didn’t even look at me as he stood with Deimos watching my sisters in their duel. I stuck out my tongue at him and proceeded to leave.

‘I saw you’

I smiled at him and then yelled. “I’m glad.”

Themis was cooking like always. She liked it. It made her happy cooking something delicious. She often said that a good host always catered to the needs of the guests and today that was me.

‘
So how goes the training? I hear that you and your sisters are surpassing expectations.’

It was Themis along with Mnemosyne, who was also a Titan, who would help train Eva, Eirene and me, to hone in our mental skills. While Zoe, was being taught by Asklēpiós. Agape was learning how to understand her ability with the winged god Anteros.

Themis often allowed me to read her thoughts, unlike the other gods and Titians, their thoughts were always shielded from me. Themis had said that only if they allowed it, would I be able to hear them. She said that with time, I could control my ability and even project my thoughts onto others.

Listening to murmurs and voices in the beginning was deafening and overwhelming, but little by little I learned to respect the inner voices of those who I could hear.

“I’m glad that we’re exceeded what they thought. Trust me, Themis we will prove to them that we are great.”

For the first time in a while I was happy and I took pleasure in this feeling.

‘You still have ways to go, my child, but I am pleased that you seem to be somewhat happy.’

There is was again that foul odor, it was stronger than before.

“Themis, do you smell that smell of burning metal? It’s not in my mind I know it’s there. I feel like I can sense something, but it fazes in and out.”

I was bothered by the whole thing. I just wanted to know what it was.

“So you can smell it? Maybe he should work on that.” She said under her breath.

“Themis, why can I no longer hear your voice? Have I done something?” I was upset. I liked when she let me hear her.

“Because I no longer want you to linger in my mind. You should know Psykhe, it is exhausting.”

For the rest of the night she no longer allowed me in her mind, she served me food and we spent the night sharing stories.

Our Weapons

I was dreaming a beautiful dream when I was awoken by Prometheus screaming at me. He had no problem allowing his mental voice to be heard.

‘Get up! We need to get you girls fitted. It’s time to move on in training. GET UP!’

I dragged myself out of bed and washed up. I ran outside of Themis’ house where he was waiting for me.

‘Your sisters are already there, now let’s go.’

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You will know soon enough.” He kept walking. “How was your night with Themis?”He asked not his usual self.

“It was fine like always, why?” He seemed preoccupied by something, “Is everything ok?” I asked.

“Yes why?” He answered, but didn’t look at me.

“You seem off somehow. Do you want to talk about it?” I asked concerned that something had happened to him.

“No” He snapped. He continued to walked, but then he stopped abruptly. “Yes, yes I do, I’m jealous!” He bit out. I stood, shocked.

“Why? Of whom?” I asked.

“Of everyone who speaks to you.” He answered bluntly.

“What are you talking about?” I stopped and stood wanting to listen to what he had to say.

“When you were in Sparta, I was the one who protected you. I was the one you leaned on. Here everyone has a part of you. You no longer have time for me!” He pouted.

I giggled and reached for his face. With his face firmly in my hands I said. “Prometheus, you are the most special person here, to me, you are like a brother, a protector, we are now family. I promise I will always have time and a love which is just for you.”

He huffed and squinted his eyes. “Are you sure? Do you really promise?” He frowned.

“Yes and to prove it let us drink together tonight, just you and me.”

I released his face and he beamed with happiness. I laughed at how easy it was to make him happy. I walked ahead of him, leaving him behind.

“Well come on now!” I waved at him. “Where are you going to take me now?” We both laughed and he ran to my side.

We walked along a large long hedge row until we reached an opening. As Pro and I stood at the entrance, I could see an enormous and vast workshop.

That smell that had harassed me was stronger here, as we walked into the courtyard. I could see men working, but they were not normal flesh and blood, but rather made of metal.

‘
Oh my Zeus! Where are we?
’ Eva’s voice was almost always the first one I would hear.

I could see my sisters waiting for us at the end of the courtyard, which led to the workshop. They were staring at these metal men working. There was an intricate synergy, a harmony in their movements. It was astonishing. I had never seen something like that before.

The sound of a smith working and pounding on metal made me look to one direction, while another sound of marble being chipped away, took my attention to the opposite side. Before I could look around more, I heard Prometheus yell. “Hephaistos? Where are you? Hephaistos?”

Finally a man appeared, but this man did not look like the Hephaistos I heard of while growing up.

By all accounts he was to be lame and hunched over with a heavy hump. His looks were believed to be ugly and disfigured, shunned by the gods. But this man in front of me was nothing of what I was told.

He had dark features. His dark brown hair was wavy and long, but not enough to tie, but enough to be tousled around. His beard was merely stubble that helped heighten the features of his face. His pronounced jaw line and his inset eyes that were a piercing green, just like mine. His body was well chiseled, his lean muscle perfectly defined. He only wore a long black garb from the waist down, leaving his chest completely exposed. He had a large black branding that started from his arm and came over his shoulder and ended near his navel. It was intricately designed with curved waves and circles. His demeanor was quiet and indifferent.

He merely looked at Prometheus and then at us, he then proceeded to walk away. The branding he had in the front now continued down his back. I looked at Prometheus and he shrugged.

“Come now Hephaistos is this a way to treat our new ones?” A young blond and blue eyed man sat on a rock that was next to a giant tree at the corner of the workshop. His body was a smaller version of Hephaistos. However, his manner was all arrogant and fun. He sat with one knee bent, while his other hand leaned on it, as he bit into an apple. He seemed very nonchalant about our presence, as he slowly sliding off the rock and veered towards us.

“Hello, I am Akhilles and there is my rude but pleasant brother Hephaistos. I apologize on his behalf. Perhaps he’s not accustomed to seeing such beauties in his workshop.”

Akhilles was exactly what I had imagined, tall and lean, his muscles were not as pronounced, but he looked proficient with his abilities. He not only looked good, but he was also well spoken.

“So you are the daughters of Nikephoros. I have heard that you are keeping the twins on their toes. I cannot wait until it is my turn to train you.” He grinned wildly. “The next phase will be with me, be ready for this challenge. I am not like Ares’ spoiled brats.” He finished his apple and proceeded to leave, but not before stopping in front of Agape.