Nathan
After cleaning Glace, I proceed to sharpen it. For that, here in the camp we have some whetstones back in the armory, so I grab one, go to the yard, sit down comfortably in one of the benches and start to restore to its usual sharpness. The first time I did this; just a week after I found Glace, I almost cut out an entire finger. But now, I am able of doing it the proper way taking not much time. I was in this when Hope comes around.
"Quite a long machete, huh?" She says with a smile.
I look at Glace.
"Not that long."
She laughs.
"I didn't … ah forget it, how you doin'?"
"Good." I remain silent for a moment, then add "how's your leg?"
She sits next to me.
"It still hurts, but not that much" says as she shrugs. I continue to sharp my weapon as she says nothing. "I... Just wanted to say thanks, okay?"
I raise an eyebrow.
"Really?"
She sighs.
"You saved my life."
I look at the floor.
"Yes, but if I just carried you, maybe Grover could have healed the wound and you would have your leg now…"
"Hey." She stops me holding my left hand with her right. It feels weird. "You did what it needed to be done; I would do it, no doubt about it!"
What she says makes sense, and I really don't know why I am feeling all this shit. The Commander teach me well: I am able of reacting quickly enough and of making what is "right", what is best for the group. If it was Jodie's leg which I have to cut, I would not have the remorse I have now. I don't get it. It is because I didn't know much Hope? Because she was little more than an stranger? Or it was something else?
I finish sharpening Glace, so I stop and stand up freeing from her hand.
"I guess you are right. What about your shotgun, anyway?"
She smiles.
"The Commander showed great interest on it. I asked her if she could repair it, and she said yes! Actually, I'm gonna check how she does it, so if it get broken again, I could be able of repairing by myself. Thanks Nate!"
And she goes, not really fast, but with enthusiasm, towards our blacksmith-defenses room. It's in there where we repair our weapons, improve them and learn about defensive tactics with the Commander. Also, we store there planks and mobile structures in case of being attacked. A wooden barricade of five feet tall, thin planks for the stairway, and even a mini catapult are part of our arsenal for defense.
The rest of the day was boring. I had lunch, train a few hours with Grover, Jodie and Lenny. Took a cold-water shower, and then patrol the perimeter of the school until the night falls. In my way to the old cafeteria, Robert tells me that today will be an "offering night".
Offering nights are those nights that we get together a portion of all our food, make a big fire at the barbeque of the school, and burn it in honor to the gods. As usual, it was the Commander's idea. She said that by making this tribute, thankful for the food, they will help us. Of course, these offerings are conducted only once a month, since we never were abundant in food. More than one newcomer tried to stop with this tradition, but the Commander leadership was unquestionable. Plus, she argued that with no frequent sacrifices in the Copper Age, they will appreciate ours even more.
I am still unsure about how the gods help us, having in account that most of the time they are trying to hold their position against the Dark Angel. The Commander once told me that finding Jodie was a gift from the gods. I say it was luck, pure chance. It's hard to believe that there are some fancy beings above the clouds, sitting in their thrones and just making whatever they want. But with such proof of their existence like are Jodie powers, the monsters, Grover itself, there were no other option but accepting their existence. I imagine normal people also had hard times facing such a mess up truth, and realizing that everything they knew was a lie or just a little drop in the sea of madness that implies the existence of the Greek and roman gods and myths. Not to mention the sudden turn of the vast majority of mortals into the Copper Ones, making them forever hungry, almost mindless, becoming the principal threat to the human race (and all others mortal beings).
So we are all gathered in the cafeteria, and the Commander is in front of us, next to food piled up on the barbeque, just to be offered to the gods. She begin with "Homeric hymns", which are some sort of invocation or celebration for the original pantheon, then she mentions all the other gods that were added after the second Titans War, by petition of Percy Jackson. Now, the Commander brings the heat on and ignites the food.
"Gods of the Olympus! Accept this humble sacrifice, and hear our prayers." She makes a respectful pause. "Help all of us to be strong enough to endure and survive, fade our past scars and move away from us all evil. May the Traitor fall."
"May the Traitor fall." We all say in loud voice, to give the prayer more intensity. The smoke of the burned food escapes from the room, elevating to the skies. For a very little moment, I think I hear a thunder. Is probably a storm coming.
The next day, after having breakfast, I start to exercise. First, I warm up. I do the stretching series that the Commander taught me, which includes "run slowly in the place", "jumping in the place" and of course classical stretching. Now, I am ready to start. I was about to get into it, when Jodie and Hope appears. She's wearing a ponytail.
"Hey Nate!" They say.
"Hi girls."
"Just so you know" Jodie starts. "The Commander wants Hope to be able of fighting and "being useful in combat", so she asked me to help her to fight while using her crutch."
"I know I won't be able of properly using my shotgun, but I'm confident about using my "little one" " Hope says, as she unsheathes her butcher knife.
"Whoa! We don't use real weapons while training! We use wooden ones, which would not harm us, at least not much."
Hope seems like disappointed, but she shrugs.
"Oh well, no problem. How we start?"
"Try to warm up" I intervene. "Yeah, always warm up!" adds Jodie.
While Jodie shows Hope where the wooden weapons are, I carry on exercising. Then, the girls get in front on me, giving me their backs, and Jodie helps Hope to stretch. After a few war up exercises, they decide to lie on their stomach, lift up and hold that position. I couldn't avoid noticing how tight Hope pants are. With no apparent reason, I feel like the temperature rise a little bit. I look up to the sky. A lot of clouds, in fact the whole fortress is in the shadow.
I finish my training earlier, and I go to my room. I drop in my bed, thinking. It's so weird. It almost feels like a necessity.
Later that day, I am in guard at the advance post roof with Lenny. The sun, still covered by massive clouds, seems to be heading down.
"Isn't gorgeous?" Lenny says, looking at the imminent dawn.
"Gorgeous?" I look at it more carefully. Apollo's chariot is almost out of sight, taking the sun with it. The clouds are getting impaled by the sun light, making them colored. There are oranges and red tinted. But nothing remarkable or special at all. "It's just a dawn. It happens every day."
He stares at me.
"Yes, but only once a day. And I am not here every day. And c'mon dude! You can't deny that view" replies Lenny, waving around his arms, demanding an explanation. I kinda smile.
"No, I can´t. Anyway, your guard shouldn't be finishing?"
He laughs.
"So you wanna get rid of me? Okay, you ask for it. I am leaving. 'Luck having such a good conversation with my relay."
He goes and leaves me alone. I always enjoy these times with myself; never get bored of the silence. Hmm. I guess he wasn't completely wrong. It is a beautiful scene. Only of course taking out the horrible context in which we are all in. However, everything seems like solving out. We get food and blankets for the winter, a lot of shivs in case of danger, a revolver and a celestial shotgun, perfect for big monsters. I wonder how long it will last. In my experience, good times are always short. With no exceptions.
"What a dawn, huh?"
I turn around and find Hope getting closer. I don't hate her or anything, but I am not exactly in the mood to be near her. I turn again, ignore her and keep looking to the horizon. I hear her sighs at my left.
"It's getting cold, isn't it?"
"I guess so."
She looks at me.
"Nate, can I tell you something?"
I look her back, concerned or something.
"Sure…" I say slowly. She sighs again.
"It is about my previous group" I nod. "I… I am glad I am not with them anymore." She sees my expression of confusion and continues "They were… mad. Bad people, every one of them. Our leader, Oliver, made us ambush and attack others people…"
"Many groups do that."
"Steal them and then burn them as offering to a god?" She replies with angst face, and then look down. "I was the only one that didn't enjoy it. But the rest… they all did it with passion, without any regrets."
What she said is horrible. I have never heard of such maniacs in my whole life. Nevertheless, it wasn't so different from regular ambushers. The Commander has been very strict in terms of attacking other groups. She stated that we shall be neutral, always minded to establish an alliance with other people. But if they show to be hostiles, we would defend ourselves, naturally. That was exactly what happened with the punks: they discovered us, wanted our place, and attacked us.
"That's… not good." I can see in her face true contrition. She also seems altered, so I comfort her by palming her shoulder. "But don't feel bad about it: you did what you have to do to survive. As everyone."
She raise her head, still bothered but not sad. She smiles.
"Yeah, you're right Nate. Thank you." She says, looking at me. I nod.
"Yes."
Without her crutch, she would be of mi size, maybe a little taller, but now I am slightly taller than her. An airflow strikes us gently, so I breathe into it. I always loved the feeling of breathing deep just when the wind is passing by. It makes me feel alive. More alive than usual, if that's possible. I look at Hope. She has her eyes closed, and a grim of satisfaction. I guess we both like the wind in da face. Her golden hair dances with the flow, making it even more beautiful. Nowadays, it's really strange that someone have blonde hair, most of the people have it brown of black. It is, indeed, a one in a million, if there are a million persons.
Then I notice something at the distance. I turn my face looking at it; still can't recognize what it is. I tap Hope in her shoulder and go to the telescope made by the Commander with magnifier glasses founded in the school, and look at whatever it is on the road.
"Oh Martyrs…"
"What?" says Hope, coming to the telescope.
I let her see through it, at her reaction makes me not wait at all.
"Fucking… shit."
