A/N: So I am not officially back, and I am now writing in English. This was an assignment for Mythology class and I had a lot of doubts about publishing this (especially because i never thought I would be back on this site) but this is a story that I am proud of and I wish more people would read it. As a small disclaimer I would also like to add that, as this was a school assignment, I got a little inspired by Rick Riordan's Trials of Apollo, so keep that in mind while reading.
Enjoy this original story and stay on the lookout for more.
ps. this is my first time writing in english, please point out any gramatical error, gracias:)
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
A hero's journey never repeats twice, it is never the same way it once was. One never knows where a hero will come from and what will make their journey start. But of course it is usual and natural to look in the crib of many heroes whose stories are legends. A place like this is exactly where our eyes will be: in the Ancient Greece, home of legends, of Gods, monsters and skilled heroes, where this story is set.
It all started with a young man of name Aetius and the day he found the piece of parchment.
He was and ordinary boy, like any other you could find back in the day. If you were to see Aetius maybe you would confuse him with ten thousand other boys, his complexion so common there could be no way of differentiate him among the crowd. That was, of course, unless you knew Aetius personally. The people that knew him would describe him as honorable, first and foremost, good and kind. He was known to be honest, with maybe even a bit of temper. He was a good friend, one that could be trusted with one's life.
He had all kind of good attributes, but once you saw him with his bow and quiver, there was no way you could forget about Aetius. His skill in archery had no match, he always had an excellent accuracy to hitting any target he would put his eyes on Anyone who watched him would declare that his skill must have come from Apollo himself.
Aetius may have had the characteristics to be a hero. Brave and courageous, with a heart of gold and an exceptional talent with weapons; but you see, Aetius envisioned his life being everything else but that of a legendary hero's. He was a common boy with a good name and a goal he had been working on since the days of his childhood.
Aetius was not a hero and he did not meant to be a hero. But, alas, Fate can have plans completely unknown to man.
CHAPTER II: THE HEARTH
Aetius practiced archery almost every day. He was determined to be the best, and most days he was. There was no one that could match him in the competitions he would have with his friends at the archery field. That was until one day, Hyacinth appear. They did not know who his father was, or where he was from. He only introduced his name and immediately got to work.
He was the best archer Aetius had ever met.
His posture was impossibly perfect, his accuracy to hit the target was like nothing he'd ever seen. He was a handsome young man of dark long hair, bright olive skin, a high nose and a chiseled chin. It was safe to describe him as a living sculpture. Watching him practice was almost mesmerizing.
After shooting another arrow perfectly, Hyacinth caught him staring and smiled.
"I have heard of you." he said while taking a new arrow, "Aetius, son of Diogenes of Lesbos. You are good, probably the best of the region."
"Not as good as you, obviously." Aetius stood next to him in shooting position.
"Give yourself some credit, Aetius. No one can be as good as me." he laughed quietly "But you are a fierce opponent, I'll give you that."
He shot the arrow hitting the target, not disturbed by the wind even a little. Hyacinth's arrogance slightly irked Aetius, but he refused to let it get to him. Growing up he had learned that there is someone who will always be better than you, and it was better to use it as motivation to improve. He prepared to shoot his arrow when Hyacinth's voice interrupted him.
"You are moving towards great things, Aetius, I can see it in you" he said. "You have that hero's spirit inside of you. It is palpable."
"I do not want to be a hero" Aetius quickly responded. "I do have goals in mind, but the kind of glory I am looking for is not the tragic-filled one of a hero. I prefer to focus on myself."
"I would not speak so fast. After all you do not control your fate and you never know when you might be called. But again, what can I know about such things?" Hyacinth picked up his quiver and smiled once again. "We will see each other again, I'm sure."
Without expecting an answer, the handsome young man left. Aetius was confused, but prefered to focus on his practice and his daily activities instead of thinking of the mysterious and rather arrogant Hyacinth.
When the day was over for Aetius, he returned home and went to sleep. As he was about to rest, something caught his eyes. A piece of parchment, which he was sure he had never seen before, was sitting on top of the unlighted hearth. It was surrounded by ashes, but strangely, the parchment did not seem burned. Filled with curiosity, he picked it up and noticed there was writing in it. He quickly realized it was a message. It read:
"I am scared… well, terrified would be a better way to describe it. How much time have I been here? I do not know how to answer. I cannot see the sky, or hear the sea. I try to convince myself that if I had a weapon with me I would be able to escape this prison or even avoid it in the first place, but I know these are all lies. Even I can recognize that I have no talent with weapons, no matter how useful they seem at the moment.
I wonder if my parents, my dear parents, are looking for me. The probably are, after all, I am but their only child. I know that I only have to wait for someone to come to my rescue, but how much longer? What if I spend the rest of my life here, scared of listening to the monster's footsteps outside this room every second.
The monster… it's hard to even describe it. My heart quickens just at the thought of his face. I do not want to write his description, for I fear that if I put it down in writing it will stick to my memories. It is something that I have not seen or heard of in my life, and I do not know what it wants from me. I do not know why he keeps me here alive, but I know I hear screams outside of my prison. There must be others trapped like me. I hope someone comes soon, I can't bear the screaming anymore.
ーTheta"
Aetius was confused, and no matter how many times he thought of an explanation he couldn't think of one. How did the parchment end up in his home? Who had put it there? And if the message was truly written by someone imprisoned, then how could it have possibly reached him? He didn't believe it, it was not possible. Even though the message slightly worried him, he thought to himself that there was nothing he could do and it was useless to think about it. He left the parchment where he had found it and went to rest.
The next day, he only found ashes in the hearth, and the distinctive smell of burning parchment in the air.
It was hard to continue with his day while always having the strange message in the back of his head the entire time. The alarming words kept him on edge as the day went by. It only became worse when, the next night, a new message appeared on his hearth.
"I barely eat, and I cannot sleep. I feel more scared by the second. I am scared of crying, for every time I do it I feel my strength leaving my body. Besides, my father taught me that I should be ashamed of my sensibility. It is a weakness and someone like me should not show weakness. I wish to go home as soon as possible, I can only hope that someone will come soon.
ーTheta
As short as it was, the message stuck to Aetius' mind the same way the previous one had. Even so, once again he left the parchment in the hearth and went to sleep. The next day, it was gone.
For several days, every single night a new piece of parchment would appear at his home. The unknown person would write about how many times she could hear new people being brought into the prison. She would talk about the monster without giving much description, and everyday she would speak about how terrified she was and how much she needed rescue.
Whenever a new piece of parchment would appear, Ateius always read it and then left it where he had found it, until one day, one of the messages caught his attention.
"... being alone is the worst part of it all. I speak to myself every night in fear of forgetting how to do it in the first place. I know that if I didn't have a way of writing my thoughts I would certainly go mad. Oh, if only these messages would find someone instead of the fire… How I wish someone were here with me, someone with whom I could share my grief, fears and joys. I wonder if staying alive is worth it if I must be a lonely prisoner, slowly losing my strength every day.
I remain still, in waiting for help.
ーTheta"
In that moment, Aetius considered not for the first time the possibility of someone real writing the messages. For a few seconds he worried about the well-being of the person. Even if he had never met her in person, he had grown used to the messages in his hearth, and had come to know, albeit a little, of the person they were coming from. He knew his honor would not let him live if he was the cause of an innocent's death. If he remained without doing anything even after reading these messages, wouldn't it be his fault if something happened to this person?
He doubted it would work. He ignored how this strange magic brought the messages to his home, but he would have to try. He found something to write in and turned the page over.
"To whom it may concern,
I do not know if this message will reach who I wish it to, and if it does I would like to ask you to not be scared, for I only mean to offer a hand of help. First of all, I must have you known that I have been reading your writings, as they appeared in my home every night. If I have been doing this against your consent I apologize, but you must understand that I did not know where they came from or who had written them.
But, even if I didn't know the origin of these messages, I couldn't help but feel concerned about their content. If the situations written in them are true, I would like to know a few things so I can be of help to you.
How did you come to be imprisoned? What kind of monster is committing this horrible deed? How is the place where you are? Is it exactly a prison? Do you have any family that may be looking for you? If you can answer these questions in your next message it could be very useful.
However, if none of the contents of these messages are true and it is nothing but a mere game, I ask you to stop immediately. One of the things I hate the most is being played with.
I will expect an answer,
ーAetius, son of Diogenes of Lesbos"
And just like he had every night, he left the piece of parchment in the middle of the hearth and went to rest. The next day, it was gone.
For the rest of the day he waited impatiently for the night to arrive, and see if truly there was a real person behind the pieces of parchment. When he arrived home, he was relieved to find a message like he did every day. He quickly picked it up and read it.
"Even if the content of my previous messages were of private nature, I am more than happy that they have reach someone. I am very thankful for your desire of helping me, and I will gladly answers your question if that means a bigger chance of someone finding me and everyone else who is trapped at the mercy of the monster.
The story of how I came to be imprisoned is not a dramatic one, one would even call it pathetic. I, along with some of my friends, were laying around near a stream close to my home. Some were playing music, some signing while others read poetry. It was a beautiful day, with a clear sky and lovely birds chirping around in the trees. Suddenly, the music stopped and the birds flew away. Before i knew it, my friends were running away and I was facing the monster's horrible face. None of us had any weapons to defend ourselves, so we had no other choice but to run away. In less than a minute, I was unconscious and at the monster's mercy.
I woke up in the place I remain to this day. It is not what you would call a prison, I am fed and have a place to sleep in, there are no bars that keep me from leaving. But it is, essentially, a prison. The monster constantly walks around the place, I don't dare to try my luck and escape. The windows are covered, so I cannot see the sky. It seems like an old, abandoned house that once belonged to maybe a scholar. There are old pieces of parchment laying around the room, which I am thankful for, it is thanks to them I can communicate with you. As for location, I cannot tell you where I am. I was unconscious all the way here and I couldn't see which way the monster took me.
My family… I am sure they are looking for me. As I remember mentioning in one of writings, I am their only child, to their great misfortune. I am sure they are doing everything they can.
I hope this answers can be of utility to you. I do not expect you to come to my aid, dear sir, Aetius. You can leave that to my family, please do not worry yourself. To be honest with you, I am more glad that someone has heard me and I am not completely alone in this prison. I thank you for the time you took in reading my messages, even if some of them embarrass me I must admit.
Farewell, and thank you again.
ーTheta"
CHAPTER III: THE CALL
Even if Theta told him to not worry, Aetius still kept tabs of the unknown person who wrote the messages. He recieve them and answered them religiously. Theta wrote about her state in her prison, and how she was still waiting for her rescue, but she never forgot to add "Do not worry yourself with me, someone will come eventually." Aetius was quick to realize that Theta was very intelligent and had an incredible talent with words and was able to express many emotions through her writing. It was a joy to read, and even a greater joy to answer.
-o-
It was not long before Hyacinth returned to the archery field. His technique was as polished and perfect as before and he quickly surpassed everyone present.
"Aetius," he stood next to him and called his name. "You mentioned before that you mean to achieve glory but not through a hero's journey. May I know what that glory is?"
Aetius doubted before answering.
"I mean to join the army. An archer position is an indispensible one in case of emergency during a battle. I intend to achieve glory through war and my skill, but why do you ask?"
"Just out of curiosity. I never thought someone would not want to be a hero."
"As I mentioned before, I hero's life is filled with tragedy. To be used by the gods as a pawn in dangerous quests is not what I want. Yes, it offers a great glory, but at what cost?"
"I had never thought of it that way" Hyacinth paused for a minute before speaking again. "And if that is your goal, Aetius, then what would you do to achieve your goal?"
"Anything honorable, of course."
Hyacinth smiled, a knowing smile that made Aetius feel as if he was looking through his soul. "I hope you do not forget the words you speak. Even if the journey of a hero is so detestable as you say." He shot an arrow and did not speak for a couple of minutes. Then, almost nonchalantly he said "I wonder how you are not worried about the prisoner of the Boskopathea, if I were in your position I would be terrified."
Aetius froze. He was sure no one knew about the messages he received, or what they were about. Boskopathea? Was that the name of the monster? How could Hyacinth know that if he himself was not aware of it? He looked at him with eyes big as coins, while Hyacinth continued as if it was not an important matter.
"Only the gods know how much longer that poor child can survive at the mercy of the Boskopathea. Just make sure to not be surprised if some day those messages stop appearing at your hearth."
Aetius felt his heart thumping in his chest. His hands were sweating and his bow was slowing slipping from his fingers.
"How do you-" he barely said. Hyacinth looked at him from head to toe until he finally looked directly at his eyes. Aetius realized for the first time that his eyes had a golden rim around the pupil.
"I know many things, Aetius, more than you can imagine. Don't close your mind to what opportunities life can offer you, they may be the right way towards what you desire." He nodded his head and walked away.
"Wait!" Aetius stopped him. Hyacinth turned his dead towards him."How much longer? You said she will not survive much longer, how much time is that?"
Hyacinth tilted his head at the question and chuckled. "I said only the gods know, and as you have mentioned before, you probably don't want to have anything to do with the gods." Without another word, he left.
He could not concentrate for the rest fo the day, Hyacinth's words were the only thing in his mind. He could not shake off the worry for Theta and the confusion as to how did Hyacinth know about his well-kept secret. Who was Hyacinth? He returned home that night and was even more startled to find the source of his worries sitting by the hearth, holding the daily piece of parchment. There was a laurel crown on his head and a golden bow sat by his side. Aetius could not speak for seconds, too surprised to utter a word.
Hyacinth turned his head towards the threshold and acknowledged his presence with a nod. "Sit down, Aetius, I have a request for you that you might be interested in."
Aetius only moved to take a few steps back. "Who are you? What are you doing here? What do you want?"
"Do not speak to me like that, insolent mortal. I have been holding myself from unleashing my wrath on you enough these last few days. Do not test me and do as I say." Aetius still wasn't convinced, but he started to imagine what this whole affair was about. He had heard stories like this before many times, and he could feel the power coming off the man he had known days before. He knew who Hyacinth was.
He obeyed and sat in front of him.
"I trust you know who I am by now"
Aetius looked at the golden bow once again. "You are Apollo, am I mistaken?"
Apollo smiled. "No, you are not. I am Apollo. And now I need you to listen to me"
"Can I first ask why did you disguise yourself and approached me?"
"No." Apollo quickly responded. "I will explain things at my own time."
Aetius had to restrain himself from sighing in frustration. "Very well, then. Please explain, Lord Apollo."
Apollo didn't seem to catch the sarcasm, so he only lifted his chin and started speaking. "Do you know the island of Delos?"
"The place where you were born?"
Apollo nodded "Exactly. Years ago one of my arrows was crafted by nymphs with the wood of a tree that grows only in Delos, and was given to me as token of gratitude for blessing their island. But this was not like any other arrow, this arrow was capable of magnifying any effect I would want my arrows to have. It was capable of killing five enemies in a shot, make a plague more powerful than anything I could imagine. The Arrow of Delos was the most powerful of my possessions. That was of course until it was stolen by a terrible monster."
"How does someone steal from you?" Aetius frowned. Apollo waved his hand nonchalantly.
"That is not important right now. What's important is that my arrow is gone and I need someone to recover it."
"And I imagine you want me to do it."
"You are the best mortal archer I have met. Of course you can't possibly be a match to me, but as I mentioned before, no one has been a fiercer opponent than you before. Is there someone more appropriate for the task than you, Aetius?"
"It all sounds very nice, but as I told you once, I do not want to go on quests for gods. I have said it before."
"For my own pleasure, I don't pay attention to other people's emotions. Only for my enjoyment."
"I do not want to be a hero, Lord Apollo." Aetius stated as firmly as he could. "Fighting with monsters, doing this kind of favors only leads to death and tragedy. This is not what I want." Apollo stayed quiet. Aetius was surprised by the lack of response, so after thinking a little he continued. "You are a god, why don't you just replace your arrow? If nymphs could craft such powerful weapon, I'm sure you can do it too."
"Do not question me, mortal. There are things that you do not understand." he stayed quiet once again before speaking again. "The Arrow of Delos is a very important weapon, I can't have it at mercy of a monster."
Aetius shook his head. "You will have to find someone else. I can't help you, I'm sorry." he stood up "I have wine stored somewhere in the house, drink as much as you want and leave whenever you find it convenient, Lord Apollo"
Aetius was expecting the possibility of being blown up to smithereens for refusing a god, so he was surprised when Apollo did not say a word as he walked away. He stopped when he heard him laugh, loud and clearly. When he turned to look at him, his face shined golden like the sun, illuminating the room ever so slightly.
"I told you once that you do not control your fate, and I would trust me on this. I am, after all, the god of truth and prophecy. Sooner or later, you will have no choice but to listen to me. We'll just have to wait" Apollo took the forgotten piece of parchment in his hands again, reading through it quickly. He read aloud "'My only comfort is receiving your precious words from the fire each morning. They are like the sun in this room without windows. I expect them like one waits for spring'" Apollo chuckled "A fine poet, this child would make. On your next message, Aetius, please send my regards to Θ"
A bright light then enveloped Apollo. It was so bright that Aetius had to cover his eyes to not be blinded. When the room was left in darkness once again, only the piece of parchment was left where once the archer god had been.
CHAPTER IV: THE KING AND QUEEN OF ARCHIAS
Apollo, no matter how arrogant and even petty he had been, would eventually be right. Not even two days passed before a messenger arrived in Athens, asking for Aetius. He was solicited in the city of Archias, for the king and queen of the place desired to see him. Aetius could not imagine what could possibly be the matter. Why did the rulers of a city he had never been to would want to see him? He asked himself, but of course he could not refuse. He packed what was necessary and left first hour in the morning.
Archias was an almost isolated city, their rulers barely involved themselves with their neighboring states' affairs. When he arrived, Aetius noticed that it was a beautiful and seemingly peaceful place. If any disruption were to happen, it would definitely look out of place in a city so perfect, and yet there was an eerie feeling in the air. The place was too quiet and it was a if the entire city was holding their breath.
Aetius was directed to the assembly with the rulers of Archias, where the King, a tall and imposing man, immediately went to the topic of discussion.
"An unknown monster has been terrorizing our city for months now. People started disappearing at night, and the few that could escape described a horrible creature that could make them feel weak with a single stare. Of course we tried our best to solve this matter, but it all became more serious when our own child disappeared. Our child was near a stream with some friends, and when some of these friends returned to the city screaming without our child with them they swore the monster had attacked them and taken a few of them."
Aetius held his breath. He had heard this story before.
"We sent searching parties everywhere, but we found no trace of the monster or of its prisoners. We considered giving up."
"That was until," the Queen continued, then she spoke with pauses as if thinking what she should say. She held a piece of parchment and signaled one of the guards to pass it to Aetius "this message appeared one morning. In it, our child is asking for help and describing the place... the monster is keeping its prisoner. The message also mentions the name Aetius son of Diogenes of Lesbos."
Aetius received the parchment and read through it. He noticed the familiar material and handwriting.
"I have tried several times without success of delivering this message, but nothing seem to be working. After discovering that my personal writings have been reaching someone after burning them, and confirmed that I can receive an answer from such person, I concluded that I could also contact my family to ask for help, but every time I throw a new message intending to send it to my parents, it only burns a little but stays in the same place…."
The message described what Theta had written to him before. How she had come to be in this situation, detailed descriptions of her prison and vague ones of the monster. She wrote that she felt weaker than ever before and she could no longer wait for someone to rescue her. She was desperate. Aetius finally arrived to the part here she mentioned his name.
"...if it wasn't for the words I receive from my dear addressee I wouldn't be able to stay alive much longer. Aetius, son of Diogenes of Lesbos, has answered me almost religiously. He has told me that he is a talented archer in the city of Athens and wishes to join the army. He offers me comfort when I need it the most. Once I am free, I wish to search him and personally thank him, for there is much that I am grateful for…"
Aetius felt his cheeks burn as he looked up. The King and Queen looked at him expectantly.
"Why was I called here?" he asked respectfully.
"We believe we know where the monster is keeping its prisoners." the King answered "We could send our own army, but we have reasons to believe this is not the best idea. We think you are the best candidate to carry out this quest. Your reputation precedes you, Aetius, we know you will be successful."
Aetius did not answer,
"Of course it wouldn't be a favor" the King continued. "Our child mentions that you wish to join the army. If you do this for the city of Archias, if you bring back home not only our child but the children of the city that are captured, we will give you the greatest honor in our army. You will be considered a hero among Archians and will be respected as such. Will you do this?"
Aetius knew it was dangerous, and that it was everything that he did not want to do, but the reward was everything he had wished for. To join the army and with the greatest honor was not something he could achieve easily on his own, but he could do it. Maybe the dangerous was not worth it…
But then, it came to his mind. The image of Theta, whoever that person could be, sitting alone for so much time, losing strength and just waiting for someone to come. Maybe she was waiting for him, maybe the happiness of seeing him would make Thea recover after this horrible experience.
He sighed, knowing that, effectively, he had no other choice. With his head low, he agreed to the rulers' offer. Satisfied, the King offered him place to rest so he could set off on his journey as soon as possible. A guard directed him to his room. When Aetius opened the door, instead of a small guest room he found himself in a wide, shiny room, with polished marble walls and stone pillars. Aetius could see springs of clear water surging in the ground and statues decorating the space. There was a table in the middle of the room with abundant food and wine, and seated on the table was Apollo, golden laurel around his head and dressed in an elegant white chiton.
"Somehow I knew this had to do with you, Lord Apollo."
Apollo smiled almost mockingly. "I'd like to give you the honor of joining me for dinner."
Aetius sad next to him, and watched him serve wine. "I suppose you planed all of this."
"What would make you think that?" he heard the teasing innocence in his voice.
"The mention of a monster, you significative knowledge of the rulers of Archias' situation and my involvement in it. Now you are here, it is easy to put pieces together"
"I didn't plan all of it of course, some things were just extremely convenient and I had to take the chance of use them in my advantage." Apollo took a sip of wine and continued. "Of course the Boskopathea targeting Archias was not my doing, that creature found this place by itself."
"You mention that name again. Boskopathea. Is that the name of the monster that has been taking the citizens of Archias?"
"Yes, and it is also the monster that took advantage of my suffering and stole the Arrow of Delos from me." Apollo said bitterly.
"Your suffering?" Aetius asked. Apollo took his time to answer.
"The Boskopathea is not a common monster. He doesn't feed on flesh like other monsters do, he feeds by, in a way, eating your emotions and your spirit. Everything that the human soul is capable of feeling… anger, happiness, sadness and excitement- the Boskopathea will absorb it and feed on it. If someone spends enough time close to the monster there is a possibility that it may completely rob their soul and take their emotions until nothing is left but an empty shell of bones and muscle.
When the Arrow of Delos was stolen from me I had just lost my lover, and I was weak. The Boskopathea must probably smelled that and took advantage of the situation. He made me lose my strength, letting my grief take over me and by the time I regained my conscience the arrow was gone.
Just like me, he targets people that already have strong emotions within them, vulnerable, and then imprisons them so they fear and he has more to feed off from." I am scared of crying for every time I do it I feel my strength leaving my body. Aetius remembered one of the messages from Theta that started to make sense with Apollo's explanation. "He has the arrow and the citizens of Archias, it will be like killing two birds with a stone. You get what you want, I recover what's mine."
"Why me?" Aetius asked in a quiet voice.
"I told you. You are the best archer of your time, Aetius. I only want the best of the best doing quests for me, and I am sure of your success."
"I have no other choice, I will do as you say. It will be an honor to serve you, Lord Apollo" Aetius bowed his head respectfully. Apollo huffed.
"Don't try to be smart. I've already tolerated more insolences from you than any other mortal I have met before. Just target the Boskopathea's eyes and try not to die. You will know the Arrow of Delos when you see it." Apollo stood up his face shining golden like the last time. "Oh, and Aetius," he turned his face again towards the mortal boy one last time. Aetius was startled. His eyes were dark with an almost sad look. He added in a serious voice. "Do not let your emotions control you when you face the monster. Grief, anger, love… those are the greatest weaknesses."
There was a burst of light and when Aetius regained his vision, Apollo was gone.
CHAPTER V: PERICLES
The next morning, Aetius started his journey alone. He carried his bow, a quiver full of arrows and a bag of supplies with him. He heard the directions of the place the people of Archias believed the monster was keeping its prisoners. It was not a long way, Aetius believed that without any inconvenience he would get there in less than two days. Without any inconvenience of course, because for a greek story, there is always an inconvenience.
The inconvenience for Aetius appeared when, while resting after a long walk, he heard a clash of metal and a male scream in the distance. He quickly stood up and ran towards the source of the sound. He immediately grabbed his bow in his hand when the sight came in front of him. There was a man with a crooked helmet struggling to set free from the claws of a harpy. The creature had the body of a red bird and the face of a woman. Her face had high cheekbones and sharp eyes, her teeth dangerously close to the man's face. A sword was thrown in the ground a few meters away from them.
Aetius took and arrow and from his position shot it with the harpy's feathered body, but a sudden movement made him miss. However he did succeed in getting the harpy's attention. The creature dropped the man and soared high in the sky until she was almost invisible.
Aetius ran towards the man, helping hem stand up. "Are you hurt?"
The man shook himself "No, I am perfectly fine, thank you. Where is the harpy?" he said looking in all directions.
"She left. She flew high into the air."
The man looked at the sky with big concerned eyes and ran to retrieve his sword. "I would not put away your bow if I were you, young man. She'll be back. I've fought the that of her kind many times, she is only regaining her strength."
And just as he spoke, Aetius could once again see the harpy in the sky, swiftly flying face first towards them. Aetius took and arrow from his quiver.
"Run into that direction and try to keep her distracted and as still as possible, I will shoot and arrow. Stay as far from her as you can."
"How do I know you won't kill me accidently?" said the man without taking his eyes off the sky.
"I won't, trust me. Someone told me that I am the best archer of the region."
"I hope it wasn't your mother"
"Just run downhill so it is easier to target her heart from my position." Aetius ignored his remark and tried to decipher the wind direction. The man looked at him and sighed.
"Fine, I will trust this time but only because I have no other choice. I will just warn you, the harpy is fast, it won't be easy." he gripped his sword tightly and ran downhill. The harpy in the sky followed his direction and attacked with her sharp talons. The man dodge her and defended himself with his sword.
Aetius stood in a shooting position. As the man said, it wouldn't be anywhere easy. The harpy's movements were fast, on error and he could miss, or worse, wound the man. He concentrated and kept his eyes on the harpy. From his positions he could see the man's rapid sword coming close to the harpy's body but not close enough, until finally the sword's blade grazed the harpy's wing. The shriek the monster let our was ear piercing. The wound made her slow, and by consequence an easier target. Aeitus took breathed deeply, watching as everything slowed down around him. He let go of his hand and released his arrow.
The arrow moved swiftly through the air and in a blink of an eye, it had impaled the harpy. Her body fell heavily over the man. Aetius ran downhill to join the man and help him move the harpy's body.
"I am Pericles." was the first thing the man said, removing his helmet. "I hate to admit it, but you saved my life. I am indebted to you."
"I am sure you could've been just fine by yourself. I saw your skill with that sword." Aetius said humbly. Pericles shook his head.
"I know that harpy would've killed me if you hadn't arrived" he looked over the hill. "That is a very long distance, and with the harpy in movement it would have been impossible to hit her heart. How did you do it?"
"I've been practicing since I learned how to walk."
"Well, that practice paid off." Pericles stood up and dust himself off. "Where are you off to?"
"I am on a quest in the rulers of Archias' name. I have to find the monster that has been taking their citizens and destroy it."
"I heard of that affair before. What do you say if I come with you and help you? It's the least I can do after you saved my life."
Aetius thought about it for a few seconds. He had seen his skill as a warrior, he could come off handy in his mission, and he wouldn't mind not doing the journey alone… but he would have to tell him first.
"There is something you must know." he started, retrieving his arrow from the harpy's dead body. "That is not the only mission in I have on this quest. I am also doing an… errand for god."
"What kind of errand?"
"The same monster that torments the city of Archias stole something from the god Apollo, i have to retrieve it for him. Do you still want to be part of this quest?"
Pericles shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see how that changes anything, we would still have to fight the monster. So I will accompany you, if only to pay my debt to you…"
"Oh, I am Aetius." he introduced himself.
"Well, it will be a pleasure to accompany you in your quest, Aetius."
So together they continued to journey. Not many things disrupted their way for the rest of the day, and they had a peaceful walk while they talked and got to know each other. When the night fell , they found a place to rest and lit a bonfire. They ate and offered some of their food to the god. When the food finished burning, a dramatic and quick event happened. The bonfire died in an instant and a piece of parchment appeared at the center, which Aetius recognized immediately and took in his hand as he could. The bonfire lit again as fast as it had died.
Aetius read through the message.
"I believe my parents finally received my message! I am very happy and I hope now finally we can be rescued from the monster. After delivering my message, now I hope these return to its original addressee. I would hate if because of my interference from two days ago now this connection might be broken. I hope you receive this message, dear Aetius, and you can rejoice with me at the prospect of being finally at home soon.
Once I am free I hope to look for you and personally thank you for everything you have done for me. I don't know how I can repay you, but I will find a way. I hope you have a good rest tonight and think that soon we will finally meet.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. In your last letter you expressed concern about my well-being and health. I ask you to please not worry about such things, I am as healthy as ever, only a little bit tired these days. I sleep more than usual, I suppose I am just exhausted from worrying so much.
I sleep happily in hopes of seeing you very soon, which I am glad for. I am afraid I am running out of parchment.
Sleep well, my dear Aetius.
—Theta"
By the time he finished reading, he was smiling without realizing. He looked around.
"I have nothing to write with…." he murmured to himself. He then spotted a patch of flowers growing not to far away from them. These were flowers like Aetius had never seen before. They were bulbs of smaller flowers, each varying in colors of purple, pink and white. They released a pleasant aroma, that was almost too nice to resist. He stood up and picked the prettiest one he could find. He wrapped it with the parchment and, saying a short prayer, threw it into the fire. The fire quickly consumed it.
"Are those the messages you mentioned before?" Pericles asked. "The ones you exchange with the princess of Archias?"
Aetius looked at him curiously. "Do you know anything about her?"
"Not really. I wasn't even aware that the king and queen of of Archias had a child, or that it was a girl."
"Well, I do not know it she is a girl, I just inferred she was based on the situation. Theta never speaks about it and the rulers of Archias did not mention it either. While I was staying in the city, no one would speak about Theta even if I asked."
"Then you don't really know who or what you are rescuing tomorrow?"
"What do you mean 'what'?"Aetius said indignantly.
"Well, you know how these royals with their secrets are. You've heard about the Minotaur in Crete, I am sure. Queen Pasiphae really pushed out a baby with the head of a bull. Who knows? For all you know, you could be rescuing a half horse, half woman creature."
Aetius tried to imagine in, but it was impossible. He shook his head "I really do not think you are right."
"I just want you to keep in mind that we could find anything tomorrow." Pericles nodded towards the fire "You don't really know who you are sending your love words and flowers to."
Aetius felt his face burning with embarrassment and before Pericles could notice he wished him good night and closed his eyes to rest.
He knew he was right and that he probably needed to worry, but even to his own surprise he did not worry about Theta's identity, that was not important. But Aetius did worry, a long time before falling asleep. One of Theta's written words had stuck in head, "...a little bit tired these days. I sleep more than usual." He remembered Apollo's words, about how if someone spent enough time with the Boskopathea, the monster could feed off their soul completely until just an empty shell was left. What if Theta was finally reaching a limit? What will happen if she spends more times at the monster's mercy?
Of one thing he was sure. Theta, his precious Theta, however that person may be, needed to be rescued by the end of the next day. Theta, along with the citizens of Archias, could not spend a day more at the mercy of the Boskopathea.
CHAPTER VI: Θ
The next day, they continued their journey as soon as it dawned. There was not much distance left, they would soon reach Theta's prison. Before long, he could see an old, big and abandoned house in the distance. They had reached their destiny. Aetius and Pericles prepared their weapons and talked about what to expect from the monster. Aetius remembered Apollo's words, Do not let your emotions control you, and he gave this advice to Pericles. Pericles told him to not worry, for he was good controlling his emotions.
They entered the house.
At first impression, they house seem completely empty, not inhabited for years. There was dust in the air, vines grew around the pillars and fallen, crumbling walls let the sunlight stream in, giving the impression of a wide space. There was complete silence, or so he thought until he heard more carefully. Weak whimpers could barely be heard around the house, but they were definitely there. Strangely, Aetius could also catch the trace of weak and airy laughs.
The sounds became louder and louder by the second, until Aetius had to restrain himself from covering his ears and wondered how he hadn't noticed them when first entered. He wanted to run away and never return to the house, but he knew he couldn't. He was sure the sounds were about to make him go mad when suddenly- complete silence.
The silence was so sudden, so out of place, that even if his earing was relieved that the sounds were gone, he still felt a chill running through his bones. Something was wrong.
Aetius turned to look at Pericles, who also had a discomforted expression in his face. He shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth to speak, but an unknown sound interrupted him. Loud and heavy steps somewhere in the house, like boulders falling into the ground. Aetius could feel his heart thumping along with the steps. A terrifying and shrilling roar echoed through the house and the steps became faster. The Boskopathea knew they were there.
"He's coming." Aetius told Pericles and prepared his arrow. "Remember, target at his eyes and do not let your emotions control you."
Aetius saw Pericles holding his sword and was determined to clear his mind of all weak emotions. He was ready to fight, and then… he felt it. It was as if water had suddenly filled the room and was slowly drowning him, as if a huge stone had been dropped on his shoulders. He felt the grief of his mother's death as if new, the happiness of his first successful shot. He felt the fear of failing his mission more acutely than before. He was overwhelmed and couldn't think straight. Just as Theta had described, he could feel his strength leaving his body.
Do not let your emotions control you. Apollo's voice boomed in his mind.
He had to think clearly. The steps of the monster sounded closer, so close he could actually feel them. He turned to look at Pericles. He seemed to be better composed than he was. Aetius hoped he didn't noticed how his hand was struggling to not shake while holding his bow and arrow.
"Maybe…" he struggled to say. "We can do what we did with the harpy, you will distract him and I will try to shoot his eyes."
"That sounds like a good idea, if we knew how the monster looked like." Pericles said, his voice also shaking. "But we don't, so it's the only option we have." he paused, listening carefully. The Boskopathea sounded almost there. "It's coming this way. If I go this way I may attack him by his back."
"And what if it attacks you instead?"
"Then I'll fight him and you shoot him."
It sounded easy enough. Aetius took a deep breath, this was his mission and he had to take control. He saw Pericles leaving the room and then, he was all alone in the big space, listening to the monster's steps just a few meters away.
He saw the Boskopathea, and he wished he hadn't. He had a big, bulky body, with a small head a two sharp fangs that sprouted out of his mouth like those of a boar. Aetius noticed something; the monster was looking at him, and yet he was not. He sniffed the air, looking around with blank black eyes. He was blind, and Aetius had to think of a way to use this in their advantage.
The effect of his power was stronger than ever, but Aetius stood his ground. He thought of Theta, sitting in an empty room for a long time, being robbed of her soul, and he felt his chest growing hot with emotion. The Boskopathea only seemed to love that even more.
Aetius saw Pericles walking behind the monster and the Boskopathea seemed alert, as if sensing him. There had to be a way of keeping his attention on Aetius. An answer came to his mind. He let his barriers fall and his emotions take over him. Grief, pain, happiness, fear and something more he couldn't explain. He became an easy prey; vulnerable, as Apollo had described. The Boskopathea sniffed the air and let out a triumphant roar, heading towards him.
He was moving too fast, even if he tried he wouldn't be able to target his eyes. Then, Pericles did an immense act of bravery. He ran and jumped on the monster's back, holding him by the neck. He moved his sword, and slightly slashed the back of the Boskopathea's neck. The monster screamed and Pericles held him. The wound was not deep enough to kill him, but it was enough for Aetius to be able to see his eyes clearly. He anchored the bow in his ear, aiming straight at his face.
"DO IT NOW!" Pericles screamed with laborious breath.
Aetius shot two arrows in total. One hit the monster's short neck, and the other hit the desired target. When the arrow impaled his right eye, The Boskopathea stopped struggling and fell to the ground. The heavy air that Aetius had felt since he entered the house was gone. He approached the monster, not even bothering to retrieve his arrows.
"Thank you, Pericles." he said eyeing the monster. "I believe you did most of work."
"My debt is paid, and I wish I can presume this can surge into a friendship."
Aetius smiled, and shook his hand tiredly. "Now we need to find Theta and free the prisoners."
"We are finally meeting the apple of your eye." Pericles added teasingly. They were about to leave the Boskopathea's corpse, when something caught his eye. An arrow, very similar to his but not quite, was hanging inside the monster's shaggy coat made of animal ski. It was a very simple arrow, wooden and with feathered vanes, it was hard to believe it could be the Arrow of Delos. And yet, he knew. He took it from the body and stored it in his quiver.
"Come on, let's look for the prisoners."
-o-
It was not hard to find them, they were dispersed around the house's many rooms, corridors and cellar. They found people pale as goat's milk, with pronounced dark bags under their eyes. Most of them were weak but alive, but for some of them it was too late. None of them recognized Aetius' name until they reached the end of the corridor in the last floor. The more he approached the more he could smell the distinctive aroma of parchment.
"This must be it." he said to himself.
"Go on, meet your damsel in distress, I will go help the rest." Pericles left him on his own.
Aetius took a deep breath and walked into the room. He could hear the words he had read for so long, those beautiful words that had made him swoon even if he didn't admit it. No matter what he found in that room, we just wanted to see Theta's face, and hear Theta's voice. He no longer imagined and just looked for what it really was.
Inside the room, he did not find a damsel, or a half woman, half horse creature like Pericles had suggested. He stood frozen. Inside the room, there was a young man with boyish, almost feminine features. He wore elegant but dirty clothes, and a golden crown that intertwined with his thick brown hair. He was sitting against a wooden shelf, his eyes closing as if he were falling asleep, holding a familiar purple flower in his shaky hands. He looked up at him with startling green eyes and weakly stood up.
"I am Aetius, son of Diogenes of Lesbos." he announced himself, looking for a sign of recognition in the boy's eyes. He found it. "Theta?"
The boy's eyes went wide "Aetius" he murmured to himself and tried to walk towards him, but he was visibly week and almost fell to the ground halfway across the room. Aetius rushed to hold him by his arms before he hit the ground. He looked at Theta's pale and rather pretty face. He looked exhausted, so exhausted, but his expression was gentle and his eyes soft. Aetius could envision the words he had written coming out of his mouth perfectly. Theta gave him a kind smile, and Aetius' heart quickened.
"I am the Prince Themistius of Archias."
Themistius. Θεμίστιος. Of course, theta was the first letter of his name. He almost laughed.
"I told you not to worry about me, Aetius. Why don't you listen to me?" he said weakly, closing his eyes and sighing contently.
Aetius' heart now definitely stopped.
CHAPTER VII: HYACINTH
A hero's journey never repeats twice, it is never the same way it once was. One never knows where a hero will come from and what will make their journey start. Aetius was received in the city of Archias like the hero the king and queen had promised he would be. He was witness to the many happy reunions of some families, and saw the sadness of others when they received the news of lost loved ones.
Themistius was accompanied by guards to the palace, where he was tended to by physicians and was given time to rest and recover. Before the door closed between them, Themistius walked to Aetius and bowed before him, thanking him like he said he would in his message, and Aetius could only try to hide his blush. The young prince smiled sweetly at him and left with the guards, still holding the purple flower in his hand.
Aetius had one last assembly with the King and Queen of Archias, where they talked the details of his reward. He didn't forget to mention how Pericles had help in the mission, to which the rulers responded that they would show their gratitude. Aetius would soon be called to receive his honor and place in the Archian army, but for now, he would return home.
When he arrived in Athens, everything was as he had left it. He returned to his duties, his mind still full with monsters, quests for gods and the newly discovered identity of his beloved Theta. It was until a few days after his return home when one of his friends ran downhill calling for Aetius.
"A old man is looking for you under the tree at the top of the hill, Aetius." he told him. Aetius nooded, taking his quiver with him uphill. There was still something to do for the quest to be completed. Apollo was at the top of the hill, sitting next to a patch of purple flowers growing in the ground. Aetius recognized them, they were the same type of flowers that he had given Themistius. He looked like Hyacinth, the young man that arrived in Athens days before.
"An old man?" Aetius questioned.
"I rather like disguising myself." Apollo said. "I see you were successful, as I predicted."
Aetius took the Arrow of Delos from his quiver and presented it to Apollo. The archer god stood up from the grass and reached his hand for it. As soon as his hands touched the wooden shaft, the arrow disappeared in white smoke.
"There, now it is in a safe place again." Apollo sat again in the grass. "For someone so repudiant to the life of a hero, you seem to be handling it very well. Not so bad after all?"
"I was merely lucky" Aetius said sitting as well. "I received help, I'm sure you know. His name is Pericles, I probably wouldn't have been successful if it weren't for his help."
"I am aware. He helped recover my arrow as well, and for that I will be sure to give him the appropriate blessings." Apollo caressed the petals of one of the purple flowers with his fingertips and said. "I heard Prince Themistius is quite the handsome boy, if I say so myself."
Aetius scoffed. "You knew."
"Of course I knew, my insolent mortal, I am a god after all." he laughed quietly. "Of course it was fun to see it all play out."
"There's still something I don't understand." Aetius said. "In Archias, everyone, even the King and Queen seemed so secretive and even ashamed of talking about the prince. They didn't even tell me I was looking for a prince in the first place."
"He is an only child, a prince with no talent for weapons or any attributes that are considered necessary for a young prince to have. He is a man that could not save himself. Can you imagine the shame the rulers of Archias must have felt if they told a man that they need him to rescue their grown son?"
Aetius only nodded. He understood.
"Poor child." Apollo continued. "It's such a shame that he was born a prince. Themistius has the soul of a poet, his sensibility is a treasure and a pretty boy is not something you always find. He must have felt so lonely and pressured to be something he's not."
"That's why the Boskopathea found him. He felt lonely." Aetius realized with a heavy heart.
"We all feel lonely at some point."
"Even you, Lord Apollo?"
"No, I am the exception." he said looking at the sky, and then at the flower he had been caressing. He ran his fingers through the soft petals and the stem, but never once picked it from the ground. "I created this flower, not long ago. I wanted it to be as beautiful as the name itself."
"How are they called?"
"Hyacinth"
"That makes sense." Aetius let out a low chuckle "They are very beautiful. I gave one to Themistius on the last message we exchanged a day before we rescued him from the Boskopathea." he continued, also admiring the flower. Being honest to himself, he felt a little sad at the thought of not receiving pieces of parchments signed by Theta any longer. He would miss his pretty words.
"Don't sing a tragic song before it's time, Aetius, and keep and eye on the hearth at your home. You may be surprised."
And so, the archer and the god sat at the top of the hill as the sun set on Ancient Greece. Aetius watched as the sky was colored with different tones of orange and red, the winds carrying the smell of hyacinths' with them.
ーFINー
Disclaimer: Poetic freedom was taken while writing this story. Historical inaccuracies may be found in more places than I can count so please take anything I've written related to Ancient Greece with a grain of salt. Many things have been direct product of my imagination as well.
The Boskopathea is not a real monster from Greek mythology. Its name was formed from the Greek words boskos (to feed) and pathea (feelings, emotions). They city of Archias is also fictional.
With the character of Apollo I took as much liberty as I could take with a mythological god. I wanted to give his character a much more humane feeling, which is why he seems more forgiving and tolerant rather than the temperamental greek god that is portrayed in the myths. I also hid an easter egg in his story that if you know greek mythology you will easily find.
I hope to see Aetius and Themistius soon, I got rather attached to them