Chapter 81RUBINThe surrounding seems to glow an ethereal blue; gentle breeze streaming inside the tent from the entrance, revealing the detritus of the blazing fire from last night. I yawned, unable to control how wide my mouth becomes when I stretched my arms. Next to me, Caelum softly breaths; his hair thrown to the side as he lie on his left facing me. I smiled.The harsh rustling from the nearby trees wipe the smile off my face as I frowned – what could that be? I slipped on a robe and gingerly crawled to the entrance only to be surprised of the golden glow emitting from the side of the tent. Tying on my robes, I looked back to the sleeping Caelum who gently stirred. Making up my mind, I turned and slowly approached the golden glow. Robes whiter than the ones I was accustomed to see here on earth, are worn by the tall beautiful woman whose face would change from young to old on various occasions according to how she feels. She stands there by the brambles, looking regal and
Chapter 82CAELUM“I need to take you away from here,” I held her hand started pulling her inside the tent but she remain standing there, her face stoic. “Rubin, come on!”“Don’t bother,” her voice was so soft that I couldn’t have heard it if it is not for my strong senses. I huffed, feeling annoyed of her behaviour.“What do you mean? I’m trying to save us both! We have to leave now.”“Hades will find me anywhere I’ll go. I made a bargain with him and he will get what he deserves – he will have my soul in any other way!”“But I don’t want him to have you!” I cringe at my childish but I am se desperate, I couldn’t think of anything to say, “I don’t want you to die.”Rubin raised her head, her eyes full of tears, “I don’t want to die, either.” Her confession made me sigh and I tightened my arms around her, burying her face on my chest as we both stand there, a tangle of limbs, her tears soaking my shirt making it stick to my skin. I adjusted my hold on her before releasing her tho
Chapter 83CAELUMAeon held out his arm to avoid himself from falling down from the tree, “How – I mean – are you certain? Aphrodite – the Venus?” I nodded, scratching my fingers on the bark and started peeling them away, trying to distract myself.“What did she say? Why did she even meet with you?” “She told me about my soul and how I’ve come to possess two.”“What? Is that even a possible?” I can almost imagine Aeon’s brain working over the words and before a minute is up, he speaks, “I see. It explains much – how torn you are and how it seems that there is the two of you acting out all the time.”“Pft. It is still weird and doesn’t make any sense. I am willing to give up both of my souls if that will give Rubin another life. What matters to me now is her, alone.” I bit my lip and decided to tell Aeon about all of it. “Did you know that she made a bargain with Hades so she can return to me when he caught her?”“Blasted girl! She’s really foolishly brave. I don’t know if I should be
Chapter 84CAELUM“Aeon, what are you doing?”“I’m channeling it.”“Channeling what?” I recognize the haze that suddenly appeared around us, shielding us away from curious eyes. “Your soul – now I can recognize it for you have told me about Aphrodite. I can see that the Cupid part of you is more dominant than the Dieoublie. I believe that if I brought out the Cupid part of you, it will be easier for you to go to Acropolis, head to Iria and claim some ambrosia.”My heart thudded hopefully in my chest as Aeon took his hand -the haze around us dissolving.“Caelum,” the sound of my name being mentioned rose me up to his feet, feeling like I have ran a couple of miles judging by the way my chest rise and fall, “Caelum!”She’s in my arms before I even called for her. Aeon wiggled his brows, a knowing smirk plastered on his lips as he walks away, skipping back to the patio.“Why are you calling for me as though I have gone and left you for a thousand of years?”“It’s because I fear you wo
Chapter 85CAELUMGreeks consider it rude to barge inside their temples without paying proper respect to the gods – they consider it much disrespectful to march up to the plinth and demand a drink from the gods - yet, what I did is considered suicidal.I’m delusional and stupid and I don’t need anyone to prove that to me for I can easily perceive it. The marble stone pillars shakes as I materialize in the middle of the collapsed temple just within the acropolis – old Greek men and women basking about in the early dusk and I almost envy them for being so simple. They were thoroughly engorged with their conversations until the pillars groaned, which made them scurry off. With only half a minute to spare, I ran to the other side of the temple so as to avoid it from collapsing on me. But the pillar did not fall on me, instead, it shifted as though someone has carried it to move it to the side. it did not bother me but it rose the brows of the Greeks who witnessed it. They shifted their
Chapter 86CAELUMWhen my hands found gravel at last, I almost cried, rejoicing to the fact that I am safe. I hoisted myself up and lied down, quite glad of my wings for it has cushioned my back from the rough surface, pausing for a while so I can catch my breath. I momentarily stared at the heavens, frowning at the cloudless night spattered with millions of stars which is shining bright with the full moon. What I thought was rain awhile ago was actually the froth brought by the wind from the waves below. I sighed.I pushed myself up and brush the gravel off my coat as I marched down the slope, heading to the wide clearing. My legs seem to tremble with every step I take, my wings fluttering – awakening as I stopped in my tracks, trying to make out the noise that I am hearing.How did they follow me?The cackling and taunting voices made me ran faster than I have ever done in the past millennia, sniffing hopefully for the wine and grapes and the smell of honey. I swiftly turned, bowi
Chapter 87CAELUM“NO!” “Treachery!”“Cheating. You cheated me your soul!”I smiled. “I did not cheat, Hades. I simply tried to survive as how you told me that I should.”I can feel my wings cushioning my fall. There seems to be nothing that matters to me now – nothing that holds me down on earth. I am conscious but I can’t seem to make sense of anything. I remember Hades screaming and me being pulled from his realm but before that, what happened? What I should know about and what I should be doing is a great question mark - a great chasm.My brain painfully throbs and I lurched back from the cold earth as though I was electrocuted – I remember now, Her! My Psyche, my soul – her kind smile and careful gaze, red hair blazing as though it were on fire, her petite freckled face. Yet, she was begging -begging for me not to save herm I fell back to my knees, “Oh Zeus, what did I do?”I reached out to touch the arrow on my chest, remembering the events that happened as Aphrodite cond
Chapter 88RUBINI couldn’t stay calm – my heart felt like it would jump out of my ribcage if I stay still, so I started to pace, round and round, waiting. Suddenly, the relentless rain annoyed me, making me scream in agony. “Caelum, where are you?!”I exclaimed, my voice echoing into the dark as the raindrops fell, drenching my feet.Where could he be? Is it possible that he left me all alone for he got tired and he decided to abandoned me? Is this his way of forgetting? How cruel!I stomped my feet once again and decided to trudge down the hill, not caring about taking a rest for I cannot wait for him any longer. If I could, I will escape this island and search for him.I screwed up my face, a wild idea hatching in my mind, “Aeon!”My voice echoed, bouncing off the wild roots and shaking the leaves. I hugged myself, trying to stop myself from crying. Oh, I just hope that he’ll be able to hear me, “Aeon, please!”I waited with bated breath, looking around the island for any signs