Unlocking Olympus: Chapter 5

Unlocking Olympus

Chapter Five: Alectrona

“If you want to masquerade as a human, you have to learn how to look like them. Dress the part, if you must.” Krissy was telling me, dragging me from one uh, what do they call these again? Outlets?Stores? Ah, never mind. We walked block after block, entered building after building, bought clothes after clothes.

“And then I thought dryads hated humans?”

“You think too much.” she smiled briefly and then wiggled her finger at my direction. “Turn around.” I did what was told and saw her grin in satisfaction. “Come on, let’s pay for all these things and we can go back to the café.”

“How about the coffee beans?” I asked, taking the blue blouse off. “Didn’t you say—”

“Clary said she’ll get some form the treehouse later, so no need to worry.” She wafted away from me, towards the counter. She greeted the cashier with a polite smile, but I could see her hand behind her back, her fingers drawing little circles.

Opening my mouth, a sigh escaping my lips, I just shrugged it off. But seriously though, couldn’t she help herself? Once done paying for my temporary clothing, I noticed the cashier’s face now full of freckles. Whether she’ll notice it or not was none of my business but then even I couldn’t help laughing at her.

“You’re evil!” I chuckled, once we were out of the building, the one with the large Prada logo on top.

She flipped her hair and incredulously eyed me. “You’re one to talk, missy. You had to give the poor customer a tail yesterday!”

“He was annoying!” I snapped, adjusting the paper bags on my arm.

Gaping at me in disbelief, a hand dramatically flying towards her chest, “He was just flirting! Human men always do that!”

“Well, they better not do it with me! I have…”

“Someone else in mind?” she inserted, grabbing my arm and pulling me across the street. 

“Oh, please, Alec. You and he had been over centuries ago! Who knows if the bastard is still thinking of you? You know gods, one fling over and they’re on to the next like nothing had ever happened. Do I need to tell you what happened to my mother again?”

Wincing, I grumbled, “Oh, please no. I don’t want to hear you droning over it again and again.”

Reaching the other side of the street, she pointed a finger at me. “Exactly.”

Heels clacking on the ground as we walked, both of us entered the café. “Girls, we’re back!” 

Krissy announced, “Come on, out you come!”

I sat on one of the tall round stools in front of the bar, watching as most of the girls materialised from the wooden walls. We all haven’t returned to the treehouse since last night because of a ‘staff meeting’ or whatever reason Krissy had. I honestly haven’t listened to her anyway.

“How was your sleep?” Krissy asked, greeting her seven younger sisters.

“Awful!” one complained, arching her back, as if in pain. Well, even if they are wooden walls, those do not have lives anymore. They were basically cut from their roots and stuck to building for support and décor.

I sighed, a small smile forming on my lips. They had been taking care of me, I guess I have to at least be kind and give them some sort of treatment. Raising a hand and pointing a finger at each dryad, golden dust slowly drifted into the air, showering each and every one of them.

Krissy looked at me in surprise and then walked past two of her sisters to pat my shoulder. 

“Well, someone’s generous today.”

I am the goddess of the sky, the sun and waking up. It’s the least I could do to make them feel much better.

“Okay girls! Let’s open Lockheart.”

Wiping the table with a clean cloth, I was surprised to find myself a little bit enjoying. The last customer had just gone out the door and Krissy was ready to close the shop. Or at least she intended to when a red car stopped right in front of the café door. Coming out of the driver’s seat was the same lad two days ago, his face extra serious and his eyes sharper than usual.

Swinging the sling bag on his shoulder, he opened the door with one hand, ignoring Krissy’s polite attempt to tell him that the café was closing.

“Okay, ladies, speak.” He announced. “I know what you are and I know one of you is a fucking goddess of some sort. Keep quiet and you all get burned.”

My head snapped up, offended by his words.

“Where are you getting with this, human?” Chrysopeia’s figure was obviously shifting; her arms twisting into branches and twigs with leaves sticking out of her shoulders. Her once delicate fingers turned into small branches, sharp enough to stab into human flesh. Her other sisters did the same shapeshift, their green eyes gleaming in apparent rage. “We do not wish to harm anybody. Can’t you see we are even serving your kind?”

The lad smirked, looking unconvinced. He studied every last of my dryad friends before darting his eyes towards me. “You’re it, aren’t you?” he walked past tables, knocking the chairs as he went, and stood in front of me, his face straight and stern. “Tell me what happened up there.” He commanded.

“And if I won’t?” I challenged. “It’s useless trying to threaten me, demigod.” Hearing that, the dryads gasped and he stifled the urge to laugh at their dense intuition. “Well, let’s say you’re something of a fighter but can you really defeat me? You might have that senseless confidence but that’s all there is to it.”

His face twisted in rage and he spat. “Monster.”

“Ha!” I laughed. “See?” I glided away from him towards the centre of the café. I could see his fist shaking and in a blink of an eye, he grabbed something from his pocket and threw something at me. I raised a hand, my eyes glowing the same golden hue. Whatever he was trying to pull off, or thinking that he can defeat me with some puny demigod tricks, well he was greatly mistaken.

My fire burned past the little item that he had thrown and into his direction. Trying to cover up, he covered his face with an arm but that still was caught in my flames. “Retreat. You do not have any place here. Threaten us once more and that’s not the only thing you will get.”

Falling on the ground, I saw him wincing in great pain. Being burned by godly fire wasn’t at all pleasing to the human flesh, even if the victim had divine blood.

“Ah, before you go.” I moved forward. I haven’t felt this way since the creation of men. I haven’t gone into a fight since then too. And it felt invigorating, like the Ichor in my veins was flowing at a faster rate than before. “What is it that you want? Tell me.” Strong currents of wind escaped my body, knocking the tables and chairs that surrounded us.

Before he could even react, smoke surrounded the café and a female voice called to this lad I was currently threatening to kill.

“Adam, are you alright?”

Seeing the lad she had named Adam, I could now see a girl crouched beside him. The lad mustered up a weak chuckle. “Nice timing, Caddie.”

A growl reverberated in my throat and I raised an arm in the air. Scanning the girl’s spirit energy, I could sense strong magic within her, something related to Hecate. But that didn’t bother me. Magic and sorcery haven’t won against the sun and the sky.

“Do it and I’ll—” The female, Caddie, warned, turning both blind eyes towards me.

“Don’t!” Adam warned, catching her in his arms. “She’s one strong shit.” Struggling to stand, assisted by his companion. “I’m not here to kick your ass, lady. Just tell me what happened up there.”

Kick my ass? My brow rose. “Leave.” I hissed.

“What?”

“Leave now!” I screamed, causing them to wince. Looking at each other, the girl mostly worried by their situation, they finally decided to leave and I made sure they were gone before I put my arm down.

Returning to my calm self, I looked at the dryads. “Are you all fine?”

Krissy nodded, wiping her hand with the skirt of her uniform. “Dang girl.” She commented, grinning. “Haven’t seen you rage out like that for over a millennium.”

I mustered a soft chuckle, walking over to the sisters. “I haven’t felt that way for a long time too. And…” it felt good. Like alatent fury.

“And you were awesome.” Krissy put an arm around my shoulders. “Okay girls, let’s close Lockheart. We’re going home.”

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Unlocking Olympus: Chapter 4

Unlocking Olympus

Chapter Four: Adamaris 

I just killed the engine of the car, parked at the reserved lot for tenants when my mobile phone rang. Taking it from my dashboard, I tapped it and placed it between my ear and shoulder so that my hands were free to gather my bag and keys.

“Did you see it?” Cadence’s voice crackled from the other line. Her question made me look up in the ominously clear, dark sky. The lightning and thunder had ended fifteen minutes ago, now the heavens were calm. The nagging need to know what happened in Olympus still burned in my gut.

I went out of the car, managing to keep the mobile pressed against my ears, “I saw it Caddie.”

“Do you know what it was? What happened up there and how did it look like?” She asked her voice eager to get information. I grinned; it was a typical Cadence thing to ask.

Bleeping the car door to lock, I went straight to my building, holding the phone properly against my ears. “I have no idea. I also want to know what exactly happened.”

I could imagine her rolling her brown, doll eyes. “Of course, what do you know?”

Her sarcasm made me chortle as I pressed the button for third floor in the elevator pad. The door closed. “What I know is that Jubilant Street is now safe from harpies.”

“That’s great, Adam. Are you hurt anywhere?” She asked, turning motherly in split second. I mentally assessed my physical condition.

“A couple of wounds in my shoulders, a bad lump on my parietal and that’s it.” I told her, reciting the wounds I got from my fight.

“Are you going to need stitches?” She asked as a follow up question. I met her in my college; she knew what I was in one glance. See, that’s her gift: her eyes. Her eyes could see everything and through anything. Not like laser eyes, that would be too cool. I think she is some kind of a psychic. She told me that she has witch ancestry and that her bloodline was blessed by the Goddess Hecate, the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghost, necromancy and all that crazy Halloween stuff you can think about.

Cadence is not a doctor or affiliated in any medical sciences. She is just plain genius and in my line of work (not that it gets paid or anything), I had been in the hospital too many times I stopped counting so she became an asset. She practiced some old school stuff in healing, she used magic like she used the potty (my analogy skills is also a gift, suck it). It was as easy as breathing.

“Nah, I can manage. Can you figure out what happened earlier, see if you can gather information about the current state of Olympus?” I stepped out of the elevator and traced the steps to my unit. I fished the key out from my pocket and unlocked my door.

I wouldn’t admit to any soul that I jumped from surprise when I entered my apartment and saw her, sitting on my jelly bean couch. Her curly, dark auburn hair was in a bun at the top of her head as she turned to grin at my direction. 

I forgot to mention that Cadence is technically blind but because of her gift, she could function like any normal people. She could see our energy, even things at rest, as per Cadence has a unique energy and aura so she knew if something was on the way. What she couldn’t see was what normal people could see (how objects look like, how I look like, how trees look like and all that stuff). That sucked. But it never bothered her and that was something really admirable.

“What the heck are you doing in my flat?” I asked, closing the door behind me and threw my bag on the other couch across her. Her head followed my bag and it came back to me.

“You’re home!” She observed.

Shaking my head, I went to the kitchen and straight to the refrigerator to get a bottle of Corona. I could hear her from the kitchen, “I am just about to go,”

“Stay for dinner!” I called out after I popped the cap from the bottle and took a swig. I took another bottle and opened it.

“Are you cooking?” She inquired.

“Yes. We are going to phone that pizza place at the corner of the street.”  Her laughter drifted from the other room. I went back to the living room and flopped beside her, “What brought you here?”

“I am here to discuss to you my theory about what happened earlier.” She said, asking for the other bottle in my hand. I gave it to her and she quickly took a long pull from the bottle. “Ah, I was thirsty.”

“You could have taken one out from the refrigerator.”

“And have you clacking on my ass because I am taking stuff from your house without permission?”

I looked at her in incredulity, “You were in my house without my permission, that’s breaking and entering. That’s illegal. And then you’re worried I’ll…be clacking because of a bottle of beer?”

Cadence gave me a wide grin, her honey colored eyes was twinkling from mischief, and she said “You have quite an unpredictable logic.”

“Coming from you huh, that’s something.”

“Anyway, I think some kind of civil war is happening up there.”

“That’s not new at all, how many civil wars had happened up there over the millennia? Those sons of bitches have nothing better to do in their miserable immortal lives so they create wars. But what happened earlier never happened before. It wasn’t Zeus.” I said, my eyebrows frowning as I thought about it.

She hummed, “You are right, but when I meant civil war, it is the Gods versus something else.”

I looked at her inquiringly, “The titans?”

She shook her head, “Maybe,”

Sighing, I finished my beer before I spoke again, “They are full of shit.”

“You are one of them, Adam.” Cadence was looking in my direction, her eyes were soft.

“You are also full of shit.” I grouched, causing her to chuckle.

“I will also be ah… figuring out what happened.”

“Yeah, call those mojos you call your friends over the, what do you call that?” I questioned,

She snorted, “Parallel world,”

“Yeah, that.”

“Your wounds are closing neatly, that’s good. Next time you should be careful in your fights. Avoid being wounded. You heal quickly but that doesn’t mean you can’t die.” I averted my gaze and took a swig from my bottle only to remember I already finished it.

She sighed, “And I think something dropped down here in our city during that storm caused by Olympus.”

She got my attention again, “Something?”

“I could feel a different aura,” Cadence shrugged.

“I’ll drive around the city tomorrow.”

“You need me to come with?”

“Nah,” I brushed her volunteering off.

After class, I drove around the city to scout anything unusual. I wasn’t able to submit that damned essay because after Cadence and I talked last night, we spent the rest of it, watching Supernatural. It was ironic how she loved watching shows when she couldn’t even see it. She liked hearing it and imagine what was happening, she told me once.

I wasn’t lucky that day or even the next days because I wasn’t able to figure out whose aura Caddie told me about. It took me two weeks to discover what it was.

 I was just passing by the Victorian Street when I felt it.

I couldn’t be mistaken that a God was around here.

I parked the car on the side street, scanning the empty streets. Aside from that brawny energy, some other creatures were around it. It was covering up its scent, like a disguise but I have always had the skill to identify human to non-human. It is a skill you develop over time.

I revved up the engine and looked for the source of those unusual energies until it brought me across a café, two blocks down from where I stopped earlier. I read ‘Lockheart café’ from the sign board and fought the urge to roll my eyes.

The snort was inevitable though, “Seriously? Could they think of a lamer name than Lockheart?”

I parked my car to a reserved area for customers and went out, locking the car behind me. I purposely strode towards the establishment and opened the glass door. I was knocked out by the stench of dryads upon entering and I immediately rearranged my face, staring at them blankly but cataloguing much of their unearthly beauty. One man was inside, having coffee and a plate of sweets. Dryads never play fair, but not all of them were twisted and crazy.

They weren’t kind either. Nothing which came from the loin of titans was kind or good. Not even me.

They greeted me but I paid no attention to what they said. I went straight to a vacant table and sat. Someone came to me, definitely a nymph. Her hair was a bright color of red and orange: autumn. I gritted my teeth and locked my jaw.

“One espresso,” I bit off.

The nymph, unaware of what I was smiled brightly. Your charm wouldn’t affect me, monster, I thought to myself. Just as the thought crossed my mind, I internally winced, a monster calling a monster, what a comedy show.

“Coming right up!” Her high pitched tone grounded in my nerves like a sand paper. I carefully maintained my neutral expression, watching the dryads with subtleness as they interact with each other. One of them owned that aura, I was sure of it.

But which among them?

Someone gave me the mug of coffee I ordered and I had to clench my jaw in order to stop the stream of curses from escaping my mouth. I looked up to see her. She was extremely gorgeous, like the dryads, it was unearthly. There was this elegance in her composure, just like of a goddess. My insides turned cold as my eyes followed her form as she went back at the counter.

“Damn,” I hissed.

 

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New Story Alert: Undead Fate

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                         UNDEAD FATE 

“You know you should thank me.” Fatum said to me as I continued to glare at her despite the tears streaming down my face. Was she insane or was she seriously thinking I’d thank her?

“I’d rather die!” I spat. I know she was wrong, there was no way in hell I’d thank her for doing this to me. She should’ve let me die that night; she shouldn’t have brought me here.

The Fates shouldn’t have let me meet him.

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Unlocking Olympus: Chapter 3

Unlocking Olympus

Chapter 3: Alectrona

I mustered up my widest smile, hiding the popped nerve on my forehead. The bell on the door rang and a customer entered our shop, a male as usual, and positioned himself on the counter near us. “And?” I shot my friend, Krissy, an antagonized look. “Tell me why am I doing this again?”

Chrysopeia, the leader of the tree nymphs who saved me last week, sweetly smiled, making me cringe in fear.

Fine, I owe them one. And fine, she has been my best earthly friend since time immemorial. But to work in a café, serve puny humans with coffee and dress up in something like this was not my idea of payment. And anyway, who names their café ‘Lockheart’?

For the past week that I’ve stayed in dryad territory, I had been staring at the skies and longing to return. Krissy, who’s been my earthly playmate back in the olden days, would often find me curled in bed: unresponsive and listless. I admit I was depressed. Like a child who has lost her home, I indulged in taking flight just above the trees, careful not to touch the clouds.

It had all been to sudden and not every creature in Olympus got informed of the incident. One day while I was lying afloat above Krissy’s tree, a thought had entered my mind. There had been rumours around Olympus for the past few weeks, ones that I either wouldn’t believe or couldn’t really care about.

Lesser gods like me had gone missing and some were found dead. Not just that, communication from gods to their demigod children was becoming lesser than even Hermes and Iris were having trouble conveying messages.

Floating down, I felt a little relived my brothers hadn’t experience the same fear that I felt. I really thought I was going to be one of the many casualties… like that god who had saved me back then.

Who was he anyway? I sighed.

“She’s new here, Krissy?” the male asked, snapping me back to reality.

Wiping her hands with the white apron neatly tied on her waist, she clasped me by the shoulder, the smile never leaving her face. “Yes, so please bear with her, she’s still very clumsy.” She paused, “The usual pair, sir?”

“Yes, please.” He answered, smiling as if he was facing some holy being.

I cringed at the thought. No one’s holy, for goodness’ sake.

“Alec, prepare our dear customer’s coffee. Now be careful with the mug, okay? You don’t want to be in the dunce’s list of employees, now do you?” she added lovingly.

Pulling her a little far away from the customers, placing both hands on my hips, I grunt, “Say that again and I’ll blast your trees into bits.”

“Well, say that again and you’ll never see the morning light ever again.” She matched my bitchy face. Now, despite this everyday routine, this was one of the reasons we were the best of friends.

Once again, the bell to the door clanked and we instinctively looked at the new customer.

“One espresso.” He simply said, a deep frown on his already-serious face.

He had white blonde hair, sharp blue eyes… his skin was tanned like he had been basking in the sun.

“Alec?” Krissy nudged at my elbow. “One espresso. God, girl, don’t ogle the customers.”

“What?” I snapped. “I wouldn’t do that. There’s just… something…” Whispering to myself, I couldn’t help observing the lad that came in, even as I made the damn espresso.

I watched Krissy as she served the first guy, thinking I should practice my hospitality since I did know I’ll be staying here for the time being. Hell if I cared how to serve humans but it’s not like I had the choice. Looking around, the other dryads were attending to the customers in a similar way. They were all polite, all-smiles and sweet. A shiver ran up my spine. Oh, mother of gods, I can’t handle this.

Manoeuvring myself outside the counter, I gently placed the cup beside his arm. He was writing something on a piece of paper and he wouldn’t even look up to say thanks. And observing the others, I could tell they were more appreciative than this little ingrate. Resisting the urge to snap at him, I instead returned to my post.

Back behind counters, Krissy put an arm around me and patted my shoulder. “Very good.” I tilt my head to scan her face and her red-orange hair shining in the sun’s light.

I guessed it was autumn here in the human world and the dryads’ hair colour change according to season.

“Thanks.” I said listlessly and went back to what I was initially assigned to do: wipe the mugs.

Eyes darting back and forth from the mug in my hand to the lad on the far corner of the shop, just beside the large glass wall, I could see something different, something godlike. I knitted my brows. Could he be? I blinked once, my eyes lighting up in a golden hue and set my sight on him.

I gasped. All I could see was fire: warm, gentle flames surrounding his whole body. Aha, a demigod. Blinking my eyes again, I refocused my attention on the mug. Demigods aren’t at all rare and I’ve seen many since the olden times too. Nothing has changed and that wasn’t spurring either but…

His flames were different.

Count the gods you know who are associated with flames and you can find surprisingly many of them. And each flame-associated god is different. Ares’, for example, is wild and all-consuming. Apollo’s is solar, no further explanation is needed. Hephaestus’ is creative, for crafts-making.

I grinned and went for the next mug. My flames, though associated with the sun too, were much gentler but can be harsh when permitted.

His was… I re-examined him. It was relaxing and staring at it somehow soothed my nerves.    

“Alec!” a voice suddenly brought me back to the present and I dropped the glass mug by mistake. “Alec!” Krissy repeated, complaining. “I told you to stop ogling the customer, that’s against Café rules. Never mind that you’ve been wiping that mug for the past five minutes, now it’s broken.”

I breathed out when she finally said, “Take a break, okay?” she held my shoulder, speaking quietly. “I know you’re still shaken by what had happened in Olympus. I understand.”

Nodding, I got out of the counter and sat on one of the cushioned chairs, on the far corner of the shop, where I could do whatever I wanted to do. I rested my head on the table, feeling the homey ambiance. Wood walls surrounded the inner part of the café and slow-spinning ceiling fans kept the place cool. On the outer part, where most of the patrons would sit, the glass walls viewed the roads and most of the cityscape.

My eyes darted towards him again. Drawing circles in the air with my fingers, I wondered how he lived as a demigod. Being half and half… how has he been accepted to both? Sighing at my foolish thoughts, I decided to call it a day. I’ll just pretend I didn’t see that demigod ingrate.

I breathed out. Maybe I should fly to Rhodes and visits my brothers? That’ll be a good way to see what they’re doing now. And while I do expect them to be stargazing all day, at least they could welcome their big sister, right?

Going out of the shop after bidding Krissy and the other dryads goodbye, despite thinking I won’t be meeting him again, I couldn’t help feeling otherwise.

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