Memoirs of an Immortal (The Immortal Series) (27 page)

“He’s not here I guess because maybe I offended him or upset him, I don’t know.” I sighed.

“I doubt that would be the reason.” She smiled.

“Whatever the reason is, I just don’t have the confidence to face him right now.” I said regretfully. She leaned her head to one side and gauged me for a moment.

“Do you love him?” Her question shocked me. She was the first to ask me outright.

“Love? I had a love and he died. Right now, I don’t really know what love is.” I responded.

“Yes, I know of your love with Leonidas. It was quite passionate, but that was then and this is now and who you are now is someone completely different.” She retorted.

“My love for Leonidas is something that I am trying desperately to hold on to. If I forget him, if I were to completely let go, he would no longer exist and that part of me that he touched, would be gone to.” I said sorrowfully.

“Do you worry for Hephaistos? Do you think of him? Do you see him as a man? Have you gotten angry at him for hurting you? Do you desire him?” She waited for my answers. “You need not reply. You just need to be honest with yourself. Yes, you loved and you lost, but now is the time to have your happiness, to achieve a greater love. The fates gave you a chance to love a great man and enjoy your mortal life, but now you are given the chance to love a god that can give you the happiness you seek. It’s only a matter of time. You can drag this out and say it’s because of your dead husband or you can be honest with yourself and admit that you are afraid. Afraid to lose yourself. Afraid to give yourself entirely to someone else.”

Our conversation ended when Ares appeared, a tall broad man who had a scar over his left eye, you could honestly tell he was the god of war.

“So how does my little feisty sister feel? I’m excited to see you in action. My sons found that your style of fighting was the most entertaining.” He patted my head and wrapped his arm around Aphrodite.

Ares was by far the most interesting, he was strong and loud, scary and straightforward, but he was also very kind and loving. We talked for a while and then I excused myself.

Back at home, all alone, I was left with the questions that Aphrodite asked me. Agape had walked in and I immediately felt at ease.

“Tonight was great, I wonder what tomorrow will bring.” She said sitting on my bed.

“I don’t know, why don’t you ask Eirene?” I replied as I sat down in the large chair by my fireplace. She laughed.

“Where were you tonight?” I asked, instantly regretting the question. Her thoughts went straight to what she was doing. “Okay, enough, change thoughts!” I waved my hand trying to erase the images of my sister.

Eirene walked in with Eva.

“Why should she change thoughts?” Eirene asked. Agape was now smiling.

“Enough!” I said again. Eva caught on quick.

“Oh! So how was it?” She snickered and nudged at her with her shoulder.

“Why are you not with him now?” I asked.

Agape shrugged. “Well it is our night. Shouldn’t we at least spend it together?”

“We’re not all here are we? Where’s Zoe?” Eva asked.

“I’m here, I’m here.” Zoe walked in with a tray of small clay glasses and a bottle full with what looked like water.

“I got us some firewater, so we can celebrate.” She started pouring “This has been a long journey, but it will be an even longer life.” She finished passing out the glasses. “I’m happy that you are my sisters and that our love does not end, but will continue. I know that there will be times that we will hate each other that we will fight with each other, but throughout it all, we will love each other and for that I am truly happy.” Zoe raised her glass and we followed suit.

“Right here, right now let’s make an oath. We will pass this life together. No matter what happens, no matter what we go through, we will stick together. Not because we were destined, but because we are sisters.” We then raised our glasses and we drank.

Realization

Time had passed. Our skills and our abilities became greater than they were before. Agape and Akhilles had joined and bonded, while Eirene and Herakles continued their happy bickering and as for me, Hephaistos refused to see me. From the night of our party, the bronze mirror no longer worked. I could never properly express how much that had affected me.

I had gone several times to his home and only Kelalion would come out to greet me.

“I’m sorry, but he still refuses to see you.” Kelalion was always so sympathetic to me. My heart hurt every time, he would send me away. I’ve hurt him so much and that day was the last of his patience for me.

“Okay then, I’ll be back tomorrow, let him know if you want or not.” I said quietly.

The distance from Hephaistos had made me anxious. Was he ok? Why was he still angry, even after all this time?

“Mistress?” called out Kelalion. “Maybe it is best that you stop coming here.” The thought of not coming broke my heart completely.

“Really? Should I really stop?” I was on the verge of tears.

“It’s been some time now and he doesn’t appear to be interested in even hearing your name anymore. Perhaps it best to just…” Kelalion hesitated “move on now.” Kelalion had cautiously walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder as my tears fell.

I didn’t cry out or faint or lose my temper, I just stood there allowing the way I had treated him, the way I disregarded him to take me over. This was my mess, this was my creation. I had done this to him. I shrugged Kelalion’s hand off my shoulder.

“Maybe you’re right. Tell him I’m sorry. Tell him I’m… never mind.” I watched as my last hope walked away.

I was home when my instinct went haywire, there was a new attack. These past few months the Diavolis’ attacks had become more numerous and a few new members had joined our ranks, Akhilles, Herakles and now Bellerophon. The Corinthian became an immortal a year after we came to Olympos.

As a mortal, Bellerophon was able to fight and even defeat the Diavolis. I was in deep sleep, when Eirene had her visions of Bellerophon and Eva. I awoke smiling at how happy they looked. Both Eirene and I never revealed her revelations. I guess we wanted her to have her happiness without it being affected.

I had sent Eva to bring him to Olympos and from that point on she took a great interest in training him. I had told her of a new immortal that was going to come here and that she was going to receive him. I sent her to Lycia, where he was in the middle of a battle with a Diavolis. He was fearless even though he was mortal. He fought it without hesitation. He was going to deal final the fatal blow, when it reached over and killed him. She froze time to slow his pain until she was able to reach Olympos.

I still remember her thoughts on how much she admired his skills and courage, how beautiful he was in his ability to fight. From the moment that he entered Olympos and became immortal, they had not spent a day apart.

I walked into our battle room that we had now dedicated to our missions.

“My instincts tell me that this will be a great encounter.” I said no longer being surprised at who was there.

“Apparently, they will be attacking the island of Delos.” Eirene replied. “I saw it in my visions.”

I looked down at our maps. These maps were given to us by Hermes. He was the god in charge of travel, the god of the crossroads. These maps were mystical. With one touch you could zoom into the area you desired and with one, we could easily transport ourselves there.

“Since it’s such an important religious place, they figure it’s best to attack it, to throw our morale off.” Zoe added and I agreed.

“Alright! Suit up and let’s go. I’m in the need for a good fight. Bellerophon, be ready, this will not be the same as the other fights that you have been accustom to.” I warned him.

Everyone cleared out to get ready. I stood over the map, looking down on it.

“I guess he didn’t want to see you?” Agape was trying to comfort me.

“It’s fine.” I said, not looking at her. She hugged me from the back letting her head lie on my shoulder.

“Don’t worry he will, just keep trying.” Her arms became tighter around my stomach.

“No Agape. No, I don’t think so. I think it be best if I distance myself now.” I tried not to become emotional, I guess Agape sensed it and calmed me. “Go get ready, we’ll be leaving soon.” I squeezed her hands and then let her go. Agape had become a sense of comfort for me, a person I could turn to.

She didn’t try to control my emotions like she did in the past, but rather she helped me deal with how I felt now.

“Okay, I’ll go, but Psykhe, try not to overdo it. When you’re upset, you fight like you want to die. We are more now and you command us, so try not to hurt yourself too badly.” She said softly.

We appeared on the island of Delos. This island was important to the gods and to our people. It has been purified several times due the constant attacks of the Diavolis. They would defile and destroy temples and kill priests and priestesses. If the Diavolis were to gain access to this island, it would be a landmark win.

The air was dense, Eva knelt down. “I could feel them, and they’re all around.” Bellerophon looked at what Eva was doing. She took his hand. “Our senses are sensitive. We can feel and smell them coming from far away.”

“Bellerophon!” I cried out. “Take out your golden blade and let’s see your namesake. Akhilles, Herakles take him with you. Go to the west part of the island.” I ordered them and within seconds they were gone. “The rest of us will fan out. The island isn’t too big, once we find them, the others will follow.”

I walked on the mosaic tiles that paved the road that was lined with temples. A feeling of uneasiness began. The normal sounds that would be heard were no longer there, a deafened silence overtook everything. I turned slowly and there on top of Apollon’s temple was a Diavolis. Our eyes met and he lunged down at me. I dropped and rolled away. I ran to gain some distance, as I ran, I yanked out my blades, the intuitive threads held my blades up in the air. I turned and ran up a pillar and threw myself up into the air and with one thought the blades were ready in my hands. I landed from my leap, the Diavolis’ back was to me and threw my blades to his back and ran to him. I leaped a few times until I reach his head, there I drew back one of my blades and stabbed him hard, he then vanished into dust.

I could hear my sisters and the others. Everyone was fighting. I called out and saw that Eva and Agape were surrounded by four of them. Eva was turning her large sickle cutting any that would come near her. She then detached them and hooked her knives right into Diavoli’s chest, it yelled and then disappeared. I ran and joined them. To gain distance, Agape jumped backwards up the temple of Artemis, she began to rapidly throw her javelins, her aim was precise.

“We need to end this quickly. Make sure there is no damage to any of the temples, the last thing we need is to have Artemis and Apollon upset because we disrupted their birthplace.” I cried out.

Our fight ended and from a near distance, I could see that Zoe and Eirene’s fight was nearing its end. As Eirene delivered her last blow, Zoe began to walk towards us.

“There seems to be quite a few here today. When one dies another appears.” Eirene said, as she was dusting herself off, when another four appeared.

“Eva!” I smirked. “Let’s make a wager! Whoever kills the most gets to have the other as a slave? What do you think?” I asked. She smiled wildly

“Ok, but…hey?!” She yelled. I began running. All I needed to hear was her agreeing with me.

Nightfall came and in the end over thirty had appeared. Herakles had made a fire and I had decided that we would stay the night just in case.

“Come on Psykhe, I initially killed two before, so that would at least make us tied.” Eva was whining. She hated losing. It wasn’t so much for the wager, as much as it was, for the fun of making her upset.

“A bet is a bet and our bet only started when I mentioned it, not before.” I said very nonchalantly. Akhilles was back with Bellerophon with some meat so we would grill and eat.

“Well to be honest I didn’t notice how many you killed. I didn’t count.” She continued.

“Eirene?” I cried out.

“Thirteen” Eirene said indifferently, while playing with the fire.

“See!” I pointed at her. “Just let it go. Stop being a sore loser. It doesn’t look nice in front of everyone.” By everyone I meant Bellerophon.

I nudged my head in his direction, her eyes bugged out and she quickly started yelling at me with her inner thoughts. I couldn’t help, but laugh.

“Oh you’re laughing, it’s been a while.” Agapes took notice.

Whenever I fight, I forget whatever problems I have, but her one sentence, was able to bring them right to the forefront of my mind. The smile left my face and my mind when numb.

“Well at least we know you’re not without caring.” Akhilles said as he chewed his portion of the food.

“What?” I said, knowing full well where he was going with this. Akhilles threw the meat he was eating into the fire and glared at me.

“My brother was willing to give you everything. He dealt with you and your problems, even your lack of decorum, but in the end even he couldn’t deal with you.” The fact that he was saying this to me felt like someone had knocked the wind out of me. I felt like I deserved it, but how he was saying, that was what was getting to me.