The blast of fire knocked the wind out of me, sending me headfirst through the already crumbling wall. Smoke stung my eyes, making me cough horribly.
"Pallas!" My teammate, Athena called out to me, tackling the other villain.
I pulled myself up, ignoring the shot of pain that crackled up my spine. Damned Prometheus, gave me a nasty burn on my leg. "Focus, Athena! I'm fine." Grin and bear it, Eva.
I hobbled over to the unconscious vigilante, kneeling over their body. The blue-streak haired boy, known to most as the chaotic Dysnomia, looked no more than 15, maybe younger. He had to be younger than Icarus, at least.
My brow furrowed. "You shouldn't be out here… you're still in algebra, kid." I muttered, tracing my finger over a laceration on his head, pressing the wound closed. My hands felt warm, sealing up the rest of the open cuts on his body.
'Cauterize the wound.' I thought to myself, even as the headache dulled to a low throbbing in the back of my skull and my hands lightly scalded myself with heat.
"Hermes! How much time do we have!" I slung Dysnomia's arm over my shoulder, scanning the area. The cops had evacuated most of the city block area, but I didn't have much breathing room with the amount of villains. A coup, that was what they were attempting. And a sloppy one at that.
"Not much, darling- 15 minutes at most. I'll cover for you!" The retirement-age hero had an obnoxiously british accent, and was reckless as most villains, but Hermes got the job done.
"Thanks!" I ran a ice-cold hand over my thigh. The sensation stung, but it gave me just enough strength to get out of the firing zone.
The dust and soot in the back alley was enough to make me hack and cough. The boy slung over my shoulder didn't help my small breaths either. I took a puff from my inhaler before leaping from the fire escape to a dumpster.
I read the sign. "Uline Utility." Pleasant enough.
It was a ghost-town in a figurative sense, what with the lack of noise besides my own breathing. I set Dysnomia behind it, praying to any god that would listen that he makes it home tonight.
I strolled around the sidewalk and back to neighborhood, almost paranoid that someone was about to jump out at me, or Prometheus was at my blind spot. I hated the feeling of their fire on me, and the scratchy scars and blisters that came with. I hated the feeling of things on my neck and face, but at this point, being a hero was sensory hell, and I had to deal with that. Even as dirt and chalk caked my fingernails.
I made it back to the skyfall of the destruction, approaching the other heroes. Most of the chaos had dissipated, although the battle hadn't finished without a few minor casualties. Athena's wings were tucked at an odd angle towards her back, and some of Icarus's prosthetics had broken, causing him to lean against Hermes… who as usual, was perfectly fine.
"Hey, dearie!" He called out all too cheerfully, "How was the trek? Did I buy enough time?" Hermes's signature smirk was plastered on his face. Scratched up and wrinkly, but somehow ageless.
"It was fine. He's safe." I didn't want to talk about it much, not with Athena around. Sure, I skirted her rules a few times, but if she found out I let Dysnomia go, her mood would definitely drop.
"You alright?" Athena stepped forward, blocking off the conversation between Hermes and I. "You stepped away in the middle of the battle. Prometheus burned you earlier." The gray-eyed blonde was blunt, and the sight of her in full armor, broken wings all in view, still intimidated me. Even though I had seen them, many, many times.
"I'm fine, I'm fine." I waved her off. "Nothing Apollo and Daedalus can't fix." Apollo and Daedalus were the home team for the heroes. Apollo was the team's main healer, although he was much more experienced than I was, having been trained as an EMT. Most medical equipment would be too risky to bring into battle, so he stayed at Tower Olympus most of the time. Daedalus was sort of like the "father-figure" of the team, as he created most of our equipment, including his own son's modified shoulder and leg prosthetic, earning his moniker.
"And the fugitive?" I bristled, hearing her refer to the vigilante as something as malicious as that. As if he was on the same level. Athena didn't back down, looking down at me with her stormy eyes, arms crossed with a small frown.
"The child is fine." I stood my ground, staring right back at her. "I healed his injuries to the best of my ability and dropped them off in an alley."
Her glare didn't lower. "Where is he then?"
"…"
It was a stalemate for a moment, just the two of us locked in a staring contest, before Athena broke it off.
"God, Ev-" She refrained from using my real name. "Pallas. Pallas, you know vigilantes are illegal. They harm our society. Rob our country. I don't see why you still hold sympathy for that- that rebel!" She motioned to all the rubble around us. The destruction was minor, but would cause a lot of annoyance for our "oh so saintly and helpless" tax paying citizens.
"He caused this destruction, while fighting a villain. Two high ranking villains for Pete's sake, Eros and Prometheus were tag teaming him! If anything, he'll be safer in juvie than out here. The boy is reckless." I couldn't argue with Athena's point there.
Hermes and Icarus were staring like it was a tennis match.
"Uh- can we go back to base now?"
The ride back to Tower Olympus wasn't too bad. Awkward at best, the tension seemed to make it last longer…
I sat in the lobby, working on lesson plans and grading what little I could before the adrenaline from Apollo's healing ran out. Not much important stuff was happening, just some busy work exercises for the students. No snow days so far except for the "regularly scheduled" ones, so all I had to do was copy my files over to this year's folder.
After what seemed like a while, I shut down my laptop and called Lynn.
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///Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system. Please leave a message at the tone.///
///beep///
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No answer. I resorted to texting her.
"Hey sis" My nails clicked at the screen. "Coming home soon. Hate late night meetings, lol" I sent a bored emoji as punctuation.
"dinner's in the fridge. be safe <3 I'm in the middle of my nightshift tho, don't text me rn." I frowned, watching as her little green "online" icon went gray. Is that why she missed my call?
Be safe? Really?
I huffed, slinging my bag over my shoulder and packing up the rest of my graded papers. It was 9 anyways, I should get home.
Later that night, I got off of the Los Angeles Metro Rail. It was a short walk from there to the apartment complex- at least I knew Lynn wasn't gonna be home until the early morning hours, I had the house to myself.
I flopped onto the couch as soon as I could, turning on some trashy reality TV and heating up some leftovers in a bowl as I hugged my pillow. Between the whole Dysnomia chase and my own job, I was exhausted as I tugged a blanket over my shoulders, eating my food.
The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was the sound of traffic.
The next day I awoke with a start, hearing my alarm clock in the other room. My weighted blanket fell off the couch with a small "thud!" Getting my work clothes on was no problem, I had put them in the dryer the afternoon before I caught the subway. Quickly making 2 cups of coffee (Lynn definitely needed it if she was up all night), I knocked on my sister's door.
"Lynn? I'm heading out in a few, want coffee?" I knocked on the door again, and it creaked open. I furrowed my brows. Had she not locked it? Quickly glancing around to see if no one was there, I took a step in. "Lynn?"
There was nothing that worrying about the room, really- at least nothing worrying I could see in the dark. I flicked a light on, and gasped. It was a total mess, nothing like Lynn's usual cleanliness. A few colored pieces of cloth were scattered on the floor, with what looked to be bloodstains. She had a few folders with various documents and pictures in them, one poking out more distinct among the rest. And to top it all off, her laptop was open on her desk, with a set of emails pulled up.
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I shut the laptop down, instead going for the files strewn across her bed. Transcripts, photos, and other documents were stuffed messily in the folders- some blacked out with marker, as if no one wanted them to be seen in the first place. One caught my eye.
It was a picture of Athena- not in her usual hero garbs. She looked a lot more plain and civilian-like besides her bold makeup- like one of the art teachers I would see on campus. There was a box of other info to the side of it.
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I held the file in my shaky hands, How the heck did Lynn get this?
Each individual folder kept the personal information of a hero, dating even to a half-century ago. It listed everyone in Tower Olympus today- Me, Athena, Daedalus, Icarus, Hermes, and Apollo. Even a few names I didn't recognize- Odysseus, Medea, Achilles, and Aphrodite.
I saw another worrying file, in the folder labeled Odysseus.
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I heard the door open and flinched, dropping Odysseus' folder. And in walked Lynn, dressed in an odd attire, looking like a fed-ex employee, aside from her nose-ring and eyebrow piercing. She gave me a quizzical look, nervously pulling at the blackened strands of her ponytail. "Hey, Eeeeev… what'cha doing?" An awkward, but questioning grin was sent my way.
I paused for a second, noticing the little dusts of sand falling out from her insoles. So she had been at Huntington Beach. Then my words came out all on their own. "Dropping off coffee… you weren't here. Cleaned a bit-" I did a convenient check of my watch. "Oh nooooo, it's eight 'o clock. I'mgonnabelategoodbyeeee- - -!" I dashed off and out of the door, hopping into my car.
Later that morning, I was having a good commute. I drove onto the highway, sipping warm coffee from my thermos as I sped on by, from the highway to the- And of course, traffic had to ruin my wonderful description of the trip. It was just a few minutes pause, but the anxiety in my head ticked up and up like a clock each second I didn't move. I felt restless, tapping on my knee, the wheel, picking at my lips until they bled.
I didn't expect the call from Icarus.
My burner phone buzzed, and I flinched, it tumbling around in my shaky hands as if I was playing hot potato, until I picked it up and pressed the call. "Jayd- Icarus?" I looked at the "video call" request he sent me and turned it back on. "Hey- kid, what the heck's going on?"
The boy was firing his semi-auto manuballista attachment, holding the phone on his shoulder. "Pallas! Pallas- wait, why the crap is video call on? Oh my god, I cannot do this today- I literally have a compsci exam!" He grumbled, explosion noises going on in the background.
"Is this the "traffic" I'm in? Oh my freaking lanta, I have a compsci exam to direct!" I banged my head against the steering wheel, jumping back off when the horn sounded off. "Gah- I am literally stuck in my car, what should I do?" I knew I had a spare disguise, but I could reveal my identity just by getting out. People are crazy enough to find ways to link heroes to their real-life personal info, and just the thought of that scared me.
"There's already enough chaos-" The video quality was getting poorer by the second. "people are getting out of their cars, dad's getting a reading on-" His voice cut out again. "back at T.O. You ha-" The call disconnected.
I groaned, shoving some sunglasses on and tying my hair back to make room for my earpiece, tugging a brown trench coat over my blouse and slacks, which did absolutely nothing for the cold and windy morning.
In the distance I could see Athena flying around a few buildings, some reduced to rubble- as usual. I ran until my calves ached and my breath heaved- which was quite a distance.
Apollo, Icarus, Hermes, and Athena were on active duty, Athena on target for the main instigator, Hermes Icarus covering her blind spots, and Apollo evacuating the civilians. I jogged over to the brunette, Apollo was definitely swamped.
"Hey! Apollo--!" It took a while to catch my breath as I met his gaze. "You alright? Icarus called me- I don't know what's going on, but if it ain't done soon I'm gonna be late for work." I looked around, he already had a few stretchers out, and was wheeling injured people away.
"Pallas! Oh, thank the gods you're here." His dark scrubs were coated with a thin layer of dust and residue. It was clear he had been working for a while. "Athena and Icarus are gonna clean it up, all I need for you to do is work your healing magic. Find people, fix whatever you can, and load 'em up into stretchers. I'll finish the rest at the hospital." He gave a tired, but equally charming grin. "Could ya do that for me?"
"Gotcha." I shot him a thumbs up as I ran to the crumbling building. The task he gave me wasn't too hard, as long as I ignored the sound of the screams. I managed to collect 4 people and get them out before the building caved in on itself.
A mother cradled her teenage child, sobbing with relief. Her baby was safe, and back in her arms. "T-thank you-" she choked out, wiping her eyes. "You're our savior, I don't know what I would do if…" she trailed off, not wanting to say it.
"Hey, no problem, miss- all in a day's work." The phrase felt foreign in my mouth as I said it, peeling off grimy soot-covered gloves. I felt that same relief, that same solace as everyone else in Tower Olympus did when people made it out alive in situations like this- but I didn't know if those feelings were real or if I felt it because I was telling myself I had to.
I didn't have much time to dwell on it as the other 4 jogged up to me. Icarus and Hermes were grinning like a maniac, the latter clapping a rough hand on my shoulder. Apollo looked half-asleep, and Athena had a proud smile on her face.
"Haha~! We did it!" Icarus pumped his metal fist in the air, his shaggy blond hair falling out of its short braid. "It's over! Holy heck, I think this was the biggest surprise mission I've had in a while!"
"It certainly was a surprise…" Apollo muttered, hands on his fists. "I'm deffo calling in sick as soon as I get these people transported."
"Hell yeah we are! We deserve it, after this mess." Athena ruffled up my hair. "You did good, E. I heard the call between you and Icarus- I'll get the press away from this whole fiasco, don't want your identity being revealed now."
I smiled back at her. For once things hadn't gone to crap- I did good. I did good!
The remaining conversation was short enough before we drove back to Tower Olympus.
"Guys, drinks are on me-"
"Yeaaaah, let's get hammered!"
"Icarus, you are NOWHERE NEAR drinking age-"
"Cheers to that, 'Thena!"
The rest of the day wasn't as bad as the morning. The Tower Olympus members went out to drink and dine, and the night was filled with laughter and love as we drove back to our own homes. For once… I felt I was able to sleep at night, as my head hit the pillow.
I wish the next day had been better.
It started the same as usual- most students who weren't absent had taken the compsci exam. As a celebration, I had bought cupcakes, and we watched a movie. By the time I had gotten home after lesson planning and grading, it was just before sunset. Traffic hadn't hit (thank god), so I got to go home quick. I warmed up some tea as I laid on my bed, listening to my Spotify playlist when I got a call on my burner phone.
"Ey, Hermes?"
"Hey, hey! Miss DeLuca, how are you?" His cheery intone was never missing, although I wondered how he knew my last name.
"I'm doing quite alright, aside from the massive amounts of grading I have to do- but let's not dwell on that. How come you're calling me this late at night?" I questioned, sipping on some tea as I gazed out of the window.
"Well, you see, I'm on duty for patrol tonight… I can't miss that." He mumbled. "I'm a bit of a nyctophobic- it's stupid, really stupid, but having another person along would calm my anxieties. Everyone else is busy. Could you do me a favor and come with me?"
"Yeah, 'course! S' not stupid." I slid on my usual trench coat, slacks, and turtleneck sweater. Good thing I kept my goggles in my closet- I hated using those sunglasses to hide my eyes, it did nothing for my vision problems. "When should I head out?"
"Now-ish is good. Meet me at Huntington Drive." He hung up.
Later that night, I drove and pulled over to the side of Huntington Drive, leaning against the white picket fence when I saw Hermes walking up to me. He white-knuckle gripped his staff, with an air of paranoia and guilt that was so unlike the confident man I had grown to know.
I waved him over. "Hey! Dude, you ready?" My breath fogged up the air, as It was cold outside. I smiled, thinking maybe I could get to know him a bit better.
"Yeah… yeah I'm ready, kid." Hermes seemed a lot more solemn at night.
We walked for a mile or two down the street until we got to the urban city block, watching the paved dirt road turn into sidewalk. No cars were going down the road, the only sound we could hear was our own breathing.
"So… this your usual spot?" I put my hands in my pockets, looking to the empty pavement, not even lit up by the streetlights. "I mean- of course it’s your usual spot, stupid question… but it seems really melancholy, don't you think? I get why it's a bit unsettling here, it's super dark."
"It is. The road is a quick harbor to the beach… sometimes I go there after it's all over." He met my gaze, smiling softly. "The sea is a good place to think of the future, y'know?" He looked to the sky. "You have a bright one comin' ahead of ya, kiddo. I'm really proud of you… you're better than most heroes I know."
Lies, lies, lies. I don't know why I still think that.
"Hey!" I elbowed him playfully. "Don't get sappy with me, old man! We still have a job to do." I walked forward. "C'mon- maybe when we finish patrol you can take me there." He still stood there. "Hermes?"
"Eva…" He sighed, frowning. "Gods, Eva, I can't do this to you."
"What do you mean?" I felt myself stiffen as he said my real name. How did he know that? He's not supposed to know that! I took a slow exhale. "Hermes? What- what's happening?"
He muttered a flurry of expletives under his breath. "Pallas… I hope you can forgive me for this, dear."
"Hermes?" I felt a blade press against my neck. I slammed a burning hot hand against my assailaints face, and the slender man stumbled back like a wounded animal.
"Theseus." Hermes growled, hands clenching at his sides. "I told you to back off-"
"It's Psyche now, jerkwad." He sneered, lowering his crow's mask as the older man gaped. "Oh, don't tell me you don't recgonize your little brother?" The handsome man had big blue eyes, and sharp yellow teeth, that all glinted in the moonlight as he laughed. Equally calm and maniacal. "Oh, don't telling me you're backing out now. Unless ya wanna call in that… favor you've been keeping."
"That's gonna be a problem, Drew." Hermes pulled me back by my shoulder, I fingered my knife. One wrong move and we're done for, but at least we had the villain's name. Though I doubted I would ever use it. "The kid's with me." I didn't feel safe.
"Ah. Ha. Ha. Ha." Psyche was so reminiscent of his brother, it terrified me. They even had the same laugh, except Psyche's was just… wrong. "You messed up, Hermes. Another step, and you'll be dead. Your blood will paint the floor, and your… kid, will be dead too." Everything about him felt wrong. "Better to leave her with us, huh? I've never broken my word… unlike what you've done. Dis… dis… dis-lo-yal." Psyche singsonged.
"Don't speak to me of loyalty!" Hermes yelled. Conflict swimmed in his eyes. "Not after father died. You're a corruption, Andrew. You take the most bright, happy, generous and kind people and leech them into a dead weight." He stepped away from me, raising his gun. "I won't forget what you did to Aphrodite."
And the mirror in Psyche's eyes cracked. "I did it for love, Mark. Eros did it for love." "I wonder who loves you?" Shooting a twisted smile.
They rushed at eachother, the last thing I saw before my vision went blurry, my ears rang, and I blacked out.
The room was dark, too dark for my liking- and I was a night patroller. My hands burned, my neck felt ice cold, and my control over temperature was all out of whack.
I picked at the knot near the back of my bounds, it scratched at my wrists.
I couldn't feel scared. I can't be scared. No, not right now, even though the dark room and the scratchy rope, the hood on the back of my neck, everything about it was torture.
How long will they leave me in here?
"Pallas, c'mon… you always get into situations like this." I'm not Pallas. I'm Eva. "Stupid, stupid, liar."
I couldn't be scared. They would sense it, they're villains, they're the Maenads for gods sake. If Dionysus knows who I am, I have to act like a real hero. Justify the cost of Athena or Hermes having to come rescue me.
Still, I flinched when the door opened, and a creak of light went in my view. I scooted to the edge of the wall, not willing to let them touch me.
I could recognize those builds anywhere, although they didn't have their typical outfits on. The heart-faced woman with a bright pink bob of hair, and a stone-faced man with a pepper and salt slicked back ponytail, with a bit of stubble. The man who kidnapped me earlier.
"Oh Psyche, look-it!" The woman cooed, yanking my face up by the front of my hair. "Seems we have ourselves a little hero, eh? She tried to lure our boy away from us, the siren." A hissing woman. What does she mean “Our Boy”?
"And I suppose Hermes won't be angered by this, dear Eros? He resisted at first. He clearly has… attachments. Too much for an information broker." The pepper and salt man lowered his spectacles, staring at me in a way that took me apart and put me back together like a pen. I was both enthralled and intimidated by his eyes, it was the first time I had looked at them for that long. If I hadn't gotten kidnapped by the man, I would've asked him out then and there.
"Your dolt brother left her here, silly! Like a trick of the light, he ran off- and there the little mouse was! All alone… just for you. Poor Pal-lass." I could tell I hated the woman and she hated me. She hated me. Just by the way she said my name, the way her sickeningly sweet breath pooled on my neck, the way she had me-- she had me! In an iron hard grip.
I hated how helpless she made me feel. Like a caged animal. Caged little mousey Pallas.
I growled, knocking my head against hers. "Screw you… god, screw you, Eros. Go die in a ditch." I spat in her face.
Anger replaced my fear as instinct took over. Even as the woman's nails sharpened to knife points, and the man's violet eyes narrowed to slits. "Screw both of you! Kidnapping me wasn't a good idea. You know I'm a hero- and they're my friends. If you piss off Athena…" I couldn't think of a response, despite my attempt at bravado. "who do you think she'll send?!"
"Naughty. Mouse. I'll cut your throat, maybe that'll shut you up." The woman tilted my chin up with one of her claw-like nails, the other pointed at my throat. I imagine it would be slightly more terrifying if my hood weren't covering my eyes.
And before I knew it, another streak of light came into my view. The door opened and closed with a thud, and both Eros and Psyche flinched, backing away from me. I kept my back pressed to the wall.
"Alright, which poor unfortunate soul did'ja nab this time, Psyche?" I heard a familiarly tired Italian accent, with a slight roll of the R.
"I know you'll like this one, Prometheus." The man's voice was cold, though I heard the hint of smugness.
I froze.
I felt Prometheus stand over me, felt the fiery warmth of their hands from where they lifted my hood. "Wow Psyche, as vague as eve-."
We made eye contact, and it all seemed… a bit clearer. I blinked the wetness away from my eyes. Their face turned ashen. Prometheus froze, wavy dark hair framing their face. No blindfold to pin it away. Doe brown eyes all in view.
"Eva-?" My sister said, before clamping a hand over her mouth as if she had cursed.
"Lynn." I choked out.
Lynn looked incredulous. The tips of her fringe lit up on fire as they brushed against her warm forehead- before she calmly smothered it out with her hand. So that's why her ends are always blackened and broken off.
"Out. Both of you. Now." She snapped a finger at Eros and Psyche. They hurried out after one withering glare from her.
She turned back to me, and her gaze immediately softened. I could almost imagine we were back at home, just a normal life, having settled mother and father's last affairs by now. A hackneyed picket-fence life. Our life.
Back when we were Eva and Lynn DeLuca.
"What happened?" She asked. "I-is this where you've been, what you've been doing? You're with Athena, of all people?" Her look was heartbroken, crestfallen, and yet I couldn't help but feel remorse.
"I could ask you the same thing." My glare held no malice, no contempt, only disappointment.
"All those times you worked late- Lynn, I was worried. You could've told me…"
<"Don't act like you're innocent." Her hands shook at her sides. "You said it was an intern job… what BS. All those times I punched, kicked, burned- I hurt you, Eva. Why did you have to join this- I wanted to keep you safe from this!" She cried out, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm trying to keep Alexander safe from this."/p>
The next following words were short.
"Alexander?" I questioned. Somehow the name, the smile, almost seemed familiar to me.
"Dysnomia.."
"My compsci student." How did I not realize the resemblance until now?
"What."
"I- holy hell, Alexander is my student, like Icarus, Icarus has a friend named Alex, Alex has a friend named Jayden, Jayden is Icarus- If this gets out to Athena--!" I muttered under my breath, tugging at my hair.
Lynn cut me off. "Woah, woah, woah- Eva!" She put a hand on my shoulder. "Chill. We can talk about this later. We gotta get you out and de-escalated first, things will be worse if Athena comes by." Her face looked strained and weary, glancing around occasionally as if she were worried the god-like human was already here. "We- we have to go."
"Y-yeah, I- just cut me out. I hate these." I held out my wrists to Lynn, and her hands touched it with the gentlest care, leaving no marks left on my skin- only ash. It was hard to believe that this was the Prometheus who had attacked me, who hit me, who burned me, almost killed me- not just me, many other people. And when Prometheus went for the kill, you’d better believe they succeeded.
Prometheus was ruthless, but Lynn was my little sister. My gentle twin, my other half.
I couldn't act like I hadn't done the same to her, even as I struggled to stand.
"C'mon, we don't have much time." She let me lean on her, and we walked out of Eros's basement. I had to give props to the woman, even as she glared at me, her house was very well kept.
Psyche didn't exactly look pleased that I was being let out, but he didn't look that opposed to it either. "Eros- turn on the porchlights." The woman nodded at her lover's command, clicking a button on her phone.
We stepped out into the open, fresh, air- I felt a sense of hunger for it, especially after being stuck in the humid basement for who knows how long. My knees grew weak, I put my head on Lynn's shoulder as we sat down on the steps. "I really missed this, you know. When it’s just us."
She sighed, returning the gesture. "I do too. We keep secrets from each other too much." Her voice was much softer than usual. "I missed you, really. I'm sorry I didn't say anything."
Her eyes were swimming as she held my hand, thumb running over my chafed wrist. "After Father died… we were both vulnerable, I guess. Dionysus- Mr. Chase when I first knew him; as bad as he was, he was like a second father to me. He's the reason I got into this mess, and I only have myself to blame that I didn't realize his true nature until later. Athena killed him, and I suppose… I just hold that resentment towards her still. I shouldn't take it out on you, after all, you're on the better side of life. Helping people- this was literally only to pay off funeral costs in the start."
"I'm sorry too." I whispered. "I wanted to get out- to feel like I was doing something other than wallowing in self-pity and burying myself into work." I chuckled weakly. "God, Lynn, if anything you're much more selfless than I am. I took advantage of this job and the people who need me and turned it into self-satisfaction. That’s the only reason I’m still there after the things I’ve seen. You've been trying to make ends meet while…" I trailed off. "It's a lie, I was in denial. Everything about Tower Olympus is. If anything, you know that better than me, don't you? You’re honest. You do this because you care."
Lynn didn't budge, looking down almost shamefully. "It's not your fault."
"What?"
Lynn turned back to me, holding both my hands in hers, but I didn't hear the next word of what she said.
When I woke up it was night, and I had fallen. My back and shoulder blades stung with the heat of the sun, and I felt an iron-like taste pool in my mouth. I lifted my head, and saw Jayden- no, Icarus looking back at me. "Hey… You're okay, you're okay- don't get up too fast." His words had a sense of urgency and obvious concern in them.
Of course I didn't listen. I steadied myself on my palms, looking back up. The boy put a hand on my back, and I shoved him off. "Stop. Stop it." I felt my breathing quicken, getting dangerously close to hyperventilation. "Where is she?!" I cried out.
Apollo spoke up, having sprinted over to us. "Eva! You're okay. Here, let me- Eva!" I started running, despite the shouts from Apollo and Icarus. I ran, and ran, and ran until I couldn’t hear them over my own screams.
The mansion of Eros and Psyche was in shambles. Fire was spreading up from the roots of the soil, and soot and ash were in the air, making me cough horribly. But still, I had the intense warning bell in my brain that something was wrong. My heartbeat pounded in my brain like a metronome, going tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick-
"Mrs. DeLuca!" A red-cloak clad boy ran up to me. The handcuffs dangling off one of his arms and the shagginess of his hair, complete with the outgrown black roots and headband made him look older. Almost like a modern-day Odysseus with how he carried himself. It took me a while to realize who he was, until he spoke again. "Mrs. DeLuca, are you okay?"
"Alex." He froze, his eyes widening. "I'm sorry. Dysnomia... can you please do me a favor?" I smiled at him, it didn't reach my eyes.
"Yeah- of course! Whatever you need." His smile was far too innocent. I didn't want to ruin that, but it would happen eventually, no?
"I need you to take me to Hermes."
Everything was relatively fuzzy in my mind. I couldn't recall how it happened, but before I blinked, I saw the boy shift- into a tiger. Its fur white as snow, piercing blue eyes beckoning me to climb on, and I did. Warmth echoed throughout my body, tingling on my palms and cheeks as we bounded off to a field not too far. It looked tragic, but there three figures stood- Eros, Daedalus, and Hermes.
I bounded off the snow-white tiger, patting its head as a sign of thanks. And just as it did earlier, the tiger-shifted back into a boy. Alexander.
"You're a... were-tiger?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Even better," He grinned, "M' a shapeshifter." That smile kept on his face until he turned his head towards what I saw. I didn't have the heart to send him away.
It was horrifying, really. The battle, the powers, the carnage- but what terrified me the most, was Eros. Her flesh bent to her will, yanking out bones, webbing skin, to do anything she wished. Whether that be to fly, run faster, withstand a particularly heavy blow... as long as it she didn't leave anything fatal, like her spine and head exposed by the bones she yanked out of her body, by the muscle she stretched into working limb, she was completely fine.
And the worst part was that Hermes and Daedalus were making quick work of her. I knew for a fact from my history of battling the woman that she could easily overpower anyone with brute force, but the two heroes she faced were built on strategy.
The most I could do was watch, and grip Alexander's hand tightly in my own as he shook.
"Aphrodite... It's been 3 years, how long will this little game of yours go?!" Hermes hit Eros with a quick strike to the throat, sending her tumbling into the dirt, choking the wind out of her breath. Blood from her open wounds pooled by her. "C'mon, you still have a chance... you have friends here! You can get out of the life you trapped yourself in." He reached out an arm towards her. "We're both hurting from losses... let's leave this behind us, and we can go home."
Eros looked up at her old comrade and gripped onto his arm with the furiosity of a mother bear. "Your organization of “heroes” actively recruits children, kill investigators who are just trying to earn their keep, and erase clean evidence that incriminates ANYONE at that damn tower. I mean- You recruited my SON, for god’s sake." Her nails dug into his sleeve, nearly cutting through.
"HELL-" I covered Alex's ears, hearing Eros drop the F-bomb. "-NO!"
I watched her slam his body to the ground and heard the sickening crack that came after. Both Eros and Hermes fell. And with that, the facade of Dysnomia broke. All that was left was Alexander.
"Mom!" He cried out, running over. He crouched on his knees by her limp figure, watching as her bones shifted back into place, holding her hand as her webbed wing-like skin stretched taut back into her shoulder blades. He cursed out the world under his breath, holding her closer to him as Daedalus stepped closer. "Don't- don't you fu-"
"Hey, shh. Shh." Daedalus raised his hands cautiously, only stepping closer when he got an okay from the boy. "I'm not gonna hurt ya, Dys." He kneeled to Alex's height, meeting his eyes. "I just wanna get Hermes back to Apollo. He's hurt, bad, and time is of the essence. You got it?" He tilted his head, putting a hand on Alex's shoulder.
Alex nodded, eyes swimming. "I-I can get my mom somewhere, I promise- but don't take her away. Not now. Please." His voice wavered again, and he buried his face into his mother's shoulder. "I didn't know- I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry."
"You're doing amazing, kid." Daedalus comforted, wiping Alex's eyes. "I'm proud of you- you're gonna be alright, I promise."
When Psyche ran over from the mansion, that was when we knew it was our cue to go. Daedalus grabbed Hermes and pulled him over his shoulder, and I took his other arm. "C'mon- lets go, Pallas. Glad you're back with us."
I could only nod as we started running.
The distance back wasn't too far in my mind. By then I had been through everything, what was one more crappy run? Apollo waited diligently for us, keeping Icarus safe and away from the main battle, where Prometheus and Athena were having it out. Daedalus gently dropped Hermes at Apollo's feet. "What's the damage?"
Apollo ran his hands over the older man, assessing for the level of injury. "Broken ribs… something in his back… hopefully not a spinal injury. If any weird white crap comes out his ears- might be bad, 'cause that's probably spinal fluid, and if he’s not at the hospital when that happens, our man is a goner. But we're good for now, so who knows?" He sighed. "Still taking him to a hospital when this all blows over…"
"Got it. Thank you." Daedalus nodded, before sitting us both down. "Okay…. So we’re on the same page, right?” He looked at me, his grey eyes were piercing like an arrow, even as his body was covered by the countless gadgets of his creation. I felt safe. “As soon as you’re rested up… we need to know what went on down there. If they hurt you, or- or put some thought into your head about hurting yourself-"
"Daedalus!" I put a hand on his shoulder. "Daedalus, I’m fine. Really. I- I can’t- ugh." I put my head in my hands. "Where is my sister?"
"What?"
"Where is Ly- where is Prometheus?" God, I felt tired. I am tired. I just want to go home. Where is my sister. "Where are Athena and Prometheus?"
“Pallas, y-you’re not seriously thinking- I don't know why you would want to go back there.” Icarus put a hand on Daedalus’s shoulder.
“Dad.” He glanced at me, giving a quick smile. “I think she has something to do.”
Daedalus looked to his son, and then to me, letting out a long sigh. “Please be safe, Eva.”
“I’ll be so safe, Lewis.” I joked, before running back towards the mansion.
The skyfall was so like the battle only a few days ago, it gave me a sense of déjà vu as I stood there, watching my sister and my mentor fight.
I was frozen. Truly frozen, as if the grapevine of Dionysus had rooted me firmly to the ground, like knotted puppet strings. But there’s no way he could have come back from the dead, could he?
Everything felt… wrong. Alarm bells rang off like mad in my brain, and it all lead me back to here. Go figure.
Blood rushed to my head as I ran up the burning building. “Lynn!” Smoke blurred my already teary eyes, and sucked the air out of my lungs, but I kept pushing my legs forward no matter how much they ached. “Lynn! Athena-” I doubled over in a coughing fit. “Sis?”
The stairs were crumbling underfoot every shaky step I took, clinging onto the railway to not fall. Finally, I made it to the balcony.
Lynn and Athena were locked in combat, fist against sword. Lynn was holding herself well, but Athena was slowly overpowering her, with the tactical advantage of her long-ranged gladius. “It’s over, Prometheus. Vincere aut mori.” By now she had the tip of her sword to Lynn’s neck.
“Oh, I love it when you speak Latin to me, mia cara.” Lynn growled, tackling Athena off, nearly to the ground. “You really wanna kill me? Hate to tell ya, but it just won’t happen.”
I was too weak by then, arms barely able to hold myself up. I kept coughing, but I couldn’t get out the smoke that engulfed my lungs, and I choked. It was just enough to make me crumble to the ground, nearly a safe distance away.
I watched but could not save her. Athena had Lynn at the edge of the building, cornering her. My sister was going to die. “Lynn…” I wheezed, reaching my hand out as she fell. It was too far. I lost hope, and my vision went black, hearing the slit of the fencepost going through her chest and her scream of pain.
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My ears rang, and I saw double vision.
“Oh, you’re awake?”
A light shined in my face as I heard a feminine voice. Am I dead? Is this heaven? Am I in hell? Purgatory? Where am I?
“Here, let me help.”
The light dimmed, and I opened my eyes. Apollo, and an older woman were standing over me. I couldn’t sit up- I felt a sharp pain in my ribs each time I tried.
“Better?”
I nodded.
“You’re very lucky we found you alive after this ordeal, Miss DeLuca.” The woman spoke. “There was too much smoke- the building you were found in crumbled in on itself soon after the fight. A few more days and you would have lost all oxygen. Your blood cell calokinesis wouldn’t have saved you from death.”
“It is you, isn’t it? Our colleague-“ She nodded to Apollo. “he recognizes you. I just want to make sure, as a precaution.”
I nodded once again.
“I know you have questions for us- just like how we have questions for you. But for now you should rest. Mr. Christian will watch over you.” She clapped a hand on Apollo’s shoulder and left. “I’ll leave you to it, rookie.”
I was left alone with Apollo. The air conditioner was on, and it was quiet, the only noises being the constant beeping of my heart monitor, and the air going through the vents.
“You doing alright?” He asked. I gave him a side-eye.
He chuckled. “Sorry, sorry, stupid question.”
I leaned back in my hospital bed, closing my eyes hard- then opening again. The IVF poked into my wrist in an awkward way, I picked at it. “What’s today?” I spoke.
“Monday- ah, uhm, you still feel a bit loopy?” Apollo tilted his head, worry etched on his face. “Be careful with that, it’s what keeping ya all aware and crap.”
I relented against the annoying IVF, letting my arm go limp.
“Don’t wanna talk right now?” I shook my head, no.
“Yeah, I get it. Sometimes it’s hard to process what’s going on, especially after a traumatic event like this. Draining as hell. It- it’s really important to remember though-” He took my hand. “It’s over now. You’re safe, Prometheus is gone. You’re out of the rubble.”
He grazed his thumb over my knuckles, the same way she would do. “You can breathe.”
Warm tears ran down my face like a summer rain.
My sister was gone.
(((redacted))) “Mitchy” (((redacted))) is a (((redacted))) at (((redacted))), having written many other works of fantasy and fanfiction such as her Neocities debut, Saint Bernard, and her longest (and still W.I.P.) work, “I am Real”. She has two little siblings who she hopes will enjoy this writing class as much as she does. She enjoys writing in coffee shops, in the rain, under a playground structure, but most of all, at home while watching her favorite anime. Some of her other hobbies include running, web developing, drawing, listening to music, and being a general nuisance. Visit her online at https://no-sleep-mitchy.neocities.org.
Just a general list of songs I listened to while writing this, or I feel fit the story. Enjoy listening, and thank you for reading!
Evelyn Evelyn – Evelyn Evelyn (Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley)
Humpty – Mitski
Bad Bad Things – AJJ
Fortune Cookies – Rare Americans
Spy? – WHOKILLEDXIX
Neath the grove is a heart – Yaelokre
Red Green Yellow – The Garden
Pale Machine – bo en
Headlock – Imogen Heap