T E N

Eleena stares at Apollo while he’s wiping his lyre. She still cannot believe that that was his reason for protecting her. Although it was the most rational one, Eleena thought of something else, something irrational. Like he likes her. She immediately shook her head before turning her back to him. She assumed that a god, a very powerful god like a mere mortal like her. Eleena is still a teenager, specifically 17, that is why she's still in the stage where love for her is the most wonderful thing in the world. 

“Aren’t we going to meet the other gods?” Eleena turned back to Apollo. She’s trying to strike a conversation. 

Apollo stopped wiping his lyre and glanced at her but Eleena was not looking his way. She’s staring at her sneakers. Apollo carefully put down his lyre then stood and walked towards Eleena but he maintained enough distance between them. 

“I’m sorry, Eleena but you won’t meet them until I make sure they are still on my side.” Apollo sighed as he hated making Eleena upset. She lifted her head and looked at Apollo with her hopeful eyes. 

“What’s your side, Apollo?” She asked in a tiny voice. She contemplated asking him but she’s eager to know. 

Apollo was surprised at her question but he remained calm. He saw anxiety and confusion in Eleena’s innocent eyes and he badly wanted to erase those unpleasant emotions from her. 

“I’m on your side, Eleena. Always.” Eleena froze upon hearing Apollo’s answer but her heart. 

Her heartbeat races as if it is being chased by a minotaur and getting hunted by a manticore. Eleena quickly looks down knowing that she’s blushing but it’s already too late because Apollo already saw her face. He smiled as he watched how adorable Eleena was. She was so fluttered at what Apollo said that she didn't know what to say or do. 

"Okay. It's good that we're clear." Eleena pursed her lips before she nodded. 

"Come on, let's go outside." Apollo grabbed her arm and gently dragged her out the house. 

Eleena blushed more at the contact of their skin and she couldn't help but to smile but she immediately erased it when Apollo faced her. She cleared her throat before she looked around as if the trees interested her. 

"You will train." Eleena quickly faced Apollo and her eyes widened. 

"Train? For what?" She followed Apollo using her eyes. He's looking for something in the trees. 

"To defend yourself." Apollo faced her and Eleena just looked at him unbelievably. 

"What?! I can't." She shook her head and even waved her hands in disagreement. Apollo's lips went in a thin line upon seeing her reaction. 

"You can. You must." Apollo's face got serious as he stared at Eleena. He walked towards her but he didn't get too close. 

"You were almost killed yesterday and I cannot let that happen again. I want you to be able to protect yourself if ever I am not with you." Eleena starts to worry as he stares at Apollo's eyes. 

"I thought you would protect me?" Her voice was almost a whisper. Apollo sighed and patted Eleena's shoulder. 

"I will protect you until my last breath but if the time comes and I am not with you anymore, I want you to stay alive." He gave her a small smile but it only made Eleena worry more. 

"You're gonna die?!" She gasped and covered her mouth using her hand. Apollo chuckled before shaking his head. 

"Let's pretend that I am a manticore." 

"You're too handsome to be a manticore." Eleena's eyes widened when she realized she said out loud her thoughts. She slowly turned to Apollo and her face quickly burned when she saw him smiling at her in an amused manner. 

"I do get that a lot." He joked before shaking his head to stop himself from getting fluttered. 

"Let's start, okay?" He cleared his throat and tried to hide his smile. Eleena just nodded with her eyes still looking down. 

"I will chase you and you need to outrun me. Almost all the creatures here and the gods are fast so it's a must that you're a fast runner too." Eleena nodded at Apollo. 

"Run!" He yelled that startled Eleena but she immediately started running. 

Her strange agility is not present so after a few seconds she started to pant and slow down. Apollo easily caught on her. They reached the seashore and there, Eleena lay down on the sand to catch her breath. Apollo just watched her with amusement. 

"My powers are gone." She said breathlessly. 

"That is why you need to train, Eleena. You only have yourself at the end of the day." Apollo pulled him up and she just groaned as she's still out of breath and her knees are trembling. 

"We're not yet starting but I'm already tired." She put her hands on her waist with her face crumpled. Apollo chuckled at the scene. 

"I thought there's no P.E. in this world but I guess I was wrong. I hate P.E, you know?" She faced Apollo and he just nodded even without understanding what she meant. 

"Do you know how to throw a punch?" Eleena nodded without even thinking properly so Apollo put his hands up. 

"Punch my hand as powerful as you can." Eleena stood properly and clenched her hand. 

She never punched anyone or anything before and she doesn't even watch a boxing match as she hates violence but now, she's obliged to hurt someone just to stay alive. Eleena took a deep breath and thought that Apollo won't get hurt as he's a god. After motivating herself, she threw the most powerful punch she could give.

"Ah!" Her scream startled the birds resting in the trees. It also startled Apollo. 

Eleena walked away while shaking her hand. It felt like she punched a wall. Tears stung her eyes as the excruciating pain travelled in her whole body. Apollo quickly went to her and checked her hand. His eyes widened when he saw that three of her fingers got dislocated while her knuckles started bruising. Eleena checked her hand too but Apollo quickly covered it using his own. 

"Why?" Eleena asked with tears in her eyes. Apollo quickly shook his head and gave her a small smile. 

"I'm sorry, Eleena. I didn't know this would happen." Apollo began healing Eleena's hand before she could even see it. He knows it would startle her. 

Before Eleena could answer, she sensed something and acted quickly. He pushed Apollo using her free hand while she leaned backwards. Her eyes widened when she saw an arrow passed between them. She looked at the trees and squinted her eyes. She saw something moving so she immediately went closer without minding her injured hand as she cannot feel the pain anymore. 

When she took another step, another arrow was launched to hit her but she didn't dodge it. Instead, she caught it. The blade grazed her palm and it started to bleed but it was nothing to her. She's literally feeling numb. Someone was behind her so she quickly turned and saw Hermes attacking her with a wooden staff. Eleena dodged it before kicking Hermes's knee which caused him to lose balance. She took that as an opportunity to stick the arrow she caught in his thigh. Hermes yelped in pain but he still attacked Eleena using the staff. 

Eleena doesn't know what's happening to her. It's like somebody is controlling her. She doesn't want to hurt Hermes but she can feel the danger he's bringing so she cannot stop herself from fighting back and getting violent. 

While Hermes is busy attacking Eleena with the staff, Artemis launches three consequent arrows towards Eleena's direction. She quickly sensed it so she rolled in the sand as Hermes was simultaneously attacking her. Apollo just watched from afar. This was his plan so that he could see Eleena's ability. He just distracted her to know how her abilities come out and now, he's certain that it only appears when Eleena is in danger. 

'The creature inside her doesn't want her to get hurt. He needs her.' He thought before clenching his fist in anger. 

Artemis went down from the tree and decided to fight Eleena physically. Hermes backed away when he saw Artemis coming their way. He groaned when he pulled out the arrow before he fell to the sand, panting. Meanwhile, Eleena doesn't feel tired. In fact, she's hungry for more fights.

"Is that it?" She tilted her head and smirked at Hermes. 

She turned on her back when she heard Artemis coming towards her. She smirked before she ran and Eleena met her halfway. She threw a punch to Artemis but she dodged it before she pushed Eleena on the ground. Artemis went on top of her and tried to punch her face but Eleena stopped her using her hand. She pushed Artemis off of her before grabbing Hermes's staff. Artemis quickly stood upon seeing Eleena picking up a weapon. She took her bow from her back but she could even reach for an arrow, Eleena attacked her. She used her bow as a shield but Eleena is fast. 

She can easily spot an opening that's why she can attack Artemis effortlessly. Artemis couldn't defend herself anymore and fell to the sand. Eleena smirked evilly and aimed to strike the staff to Artemis's face but Apollo quickly saved his twin. He took the hit that was supposed to be for his sister. He groaned when he felt the powerful smash on his back. 

Suddenly, Eleena's powers disappeared as she can't feel any danger anymore. She gasped and dropped the staff when she saw Apollo in front of her. He turned to her and he still managed to smile at her despite the pain. 

"You're good, Eleena. Very good." Apollo stood and helped Artemis stand as well. 

"You surprised me, Eleena." Artemis smiled at her and offered her hand but Eleena just stared at it. She's confused and scared.

"What happened to me? I became a monster." She muttered before running away from them.