They stopped. Alexis looked upon them, but they did not move any close from the door frame. They whimpered and barked a few times. Their aggressive nature had disappeared from their red eyes. Their tails curled between their legs and lowered their heads. Their back paws slowly, cautiously took steps backs. Their once proud ears folded behind their heads. Their rage disappeared and was replaced with fear. Then they took flight and raced back inside.
A cold sweat ran down Alexis' spin. The strong built dogs ran away from someone they could have easily torn to shreds. All logical reasons fled his mind, there was only one conclusion of what could have made the dogs do that. He swallowed slowly but deeply. He slowly stood up and saw that he had landed in an arena. White sand stuck to his sweating body and he looked around with fearful eyes. His breath heavily panting as if it hard to take a single breath. Then a low deep growl echoed in his ear. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he slowly turned around.
A huge eye appeared out of the sand and glared at him. The white sand pushed off and the ground lifted Alexis up. He gasped and try to grab the ground. The sand fell down the body of the monster. Alexis stood on his tail as it rose to the air and the sand flooded off its body. A red scaly head appeared with the giant, yellow eye and silver teeth of swords were exposed. Alexis gasped and jumped as the tail thrashed and swang. Alexis landed and rolled into the sand. The sand became unstable and he try to push against it. His heart raced and beat as he try to get his footing on the sand. The tail hit him against his back. BANG, Alexis hit the wall. A tidal wave pain conquered his back and a huge screamed roared from his throat. His body fell limbed on the ground. He reached out his arms, desperate to escape this huge beast.
Than WACK and WHOOSH. The tail stuck him, sending in every direction. Blood escaped from his body and tasted was on his lips. He spat them out and there was a moment a silence. He panted and looked back. The monster had disappeared. He scanned and noticed his tiny chance to escape. The doorway of which he came through. With the strength he had, he moved his arms and pushed his body to it. With each movement, his body yelled at him in pain. His body wanted him to stop and give his fate to death. Alexis glared at the door, there was no way he was dying here. His last meal was not his own blood, nor his last drink. He won't let it happen. No, this is not his last battle. Not tonight, not now, he came to far to let this be the end. His hand was in reach of life, just one more step.
"NNNNNOOOO!" The last words that escaped his lips. In a quick motion, the tail wrapped around him and pulled him away from freedom, from life. His face was eye to eye with his doom. He pant as the tail tighten, he gasped. The monster squeezed the life out of him. He struggled as his ribs were being crashed. Tighter, tighter, there was no end in sight. The pain grew and grew. Every bone in his body crack under those thick tail muscles. There was nothing more to do. His fate was sealed. It was his time. He closed his eyes as a tear rolled his cheek. He didn't want to give up. He needed to be strong. He must be strong. It was too much. He gasped and spoke softly. 'I'm sorry Hebe.' Flashes of his family entered his mind. His brother, his sister, Manu, Lila and their family. 'Goodbye.' He whispered as he felt the last air escaped his lips.
BANG, a loud thunder echoed through the skies. Lightening hit against the earth and beam of light cut through the tail. The monster roared in pain and the tail dropped on the ground. It released Alexis. Air was welcomed into Alexis' lungs and he took another breath. His body lay limb against the ground A glowing figure stood there, a sword in his hand and shield in the other. Armour surrounded his body and a cape flowed down his back. A helmet sat upon his head and his face was covered. A golden aurora surrounded him. "War, you will not feast on blood." The figure spoke boldly and ordered. The monster glared and attacked the helmet warrior. The warrior threw his shield into it's mouth. The fangs and teeth were shattered by the metal of the shield. It howled in pain and the warrior leaped with incredible flight. The sword pressed against it's neck and the head came off in one slice.
Alexis' eyes watered and his vision was blurry. He lifted his head as the god warrior came to him. His helmet had fallen off in the struggle and his face came into the light. Alexis gasped as he slowly slipped out of conscience. "Father?" His eyes closed and his head fell against the white sand.
The inky night brought calm and stillness over Athens. Everyone was fast asleep, resting under Artemis' moon. Dreaming away the night, awaiting for the break of dawn lead by Apollo. But some could not rest when the sun had disappeared. Zack laid in his bed as his body tossed and turned as fears and worries conquered his mind. He had spent the whole day searching for his brother, with Dram, Chiron and Zinara. His mind flooded with regrets and questioning on why he let his brother go. However, he wasn't the only one that had felt like this.
Downstairs, in the glow of a candle light, Zinara leaned over the map of Athens. She groaned as it was covered in black ink. All crosses all over the map as she slumped on her chair. Her fingers ran over her nose and forehead. She groaned in frustration, 'where could he be?' Her voice mumbled under her breath. That guy was all on her mind, she had so many questions to ask and so many things that she wanted to say to him. She sighed and looked down at the scroll of black.
'Still looking for him huh?' A voice came from behind her. She turned around and sighed. 'Yeah, he just gotta be here somewhere. He can't just disappeared. And you should be resting. I've got this.' She spoke as Zack walked up bringing with him a couple of cups. 'I could say the same to you. But we are both up for the same reasons.' He spoke and sat down on the opposite chair. She looked at him and drank from the cup. 'Isn't your wife gonna kill ya if you are out of bed?' A light chuckle escaped his lips and looked at her. 'My wife kicked me out of bed. She told me I'm doing no good just worrying and if I move one more time she will knock me out.' Zinera looked uncomfortable and slightly shifted in her seat. He chuckled, 'Lila means well. She just loves her sleep.' He sighed as he held his cup. 'You care for my brother huh? More than a friend?' She looked upon him and slightly blushed. She gently pulled her golden hair over the side of her face. 'No, well...not really. I just wanna make sure he is okay. We have become good friends and I care for him, as a friend.' Zack softly smiled and drank his drink. She paused for a moment and slightly bit her lip. She opened her mouth and hesitantly spoke. 'You don't think that he is...' Zack shook his head. 'My brother is too stubborn to be dead. He is alive and I have no doubt in my mind.' He said firmly. He believed it with all of his being. She looked at him and nodded. She eyed him up and down. Oh how he looked so much like Alexis but it wasn't him. He was all reason and all strategy. He too followed his instinct but it was different to Alexis. He was all jumping into action but Zack it was all in his mind. He was thinker, he thought things through before he acted. He was the type that would weigh his options before acting.
Then an owl sound broke her thought. She turned her and glanced out the window. There sat a small, blue colour owl. The yellow eyes filled it's small head. It hooted and bounced up and down. It flew through the window and went around the two. Zinera stood up. 'No way.' She stood up, grabbed her cloak and raced outside. Zack got up. 'Hey Zinera, where you going?' He raced after her.
Zinera ran through the town, just managing to follow the small owl as it lead her. She held the cloak around her. Her mind was focused on keeping up with the owl. She must not lose it. Even with the distance cries of Zack, calling her to slow down and come back. She must pressed on. She knew that the owl won't fail her. The owl swooped into a temple. Zinera panted as she entered the temple. The owl flew up to the statue and sat upon her marble shoulder. The owl raised it's wing and pointed to a door in the wall. Zinera nodded and headed to the door. The owl then returned to a marble state.
Zack just manage to catch up to her. He looked up upon the statue and uneasiness fell upon him. He stared at the marble woman holding the shield and spear in her hands. Her helmet covered her head as she stood tall ruling over Athens. Zack tilt his head down and headed to the door which had a light glowing through it. He opened the door and gasped at what he had found in there.
Zinera opened the door and prepared herself of what she was about to see. She walked in and gasped. There the room was full of candles that surrounded a bed. On top of the bed, a young man of brown hair was sleeping gently against it. The blanket covered his body up to his chest and the slow raising of his chest up and down assured her. She smiled as she saw that he was alright. She walked over to the bed and gently stroked his hair. 'Oh thank you, mother.' She whispered and looked upon his face. She sensed another presence as she turned her head. Zack entered the room, he looked a little worried. She smiled at him. 'He is ok. He just need to sleep.' He nodded but his face told a different story. His face had an uneasy look on his face, as if something was wrong. 'So I see, but we gotta get him out of here.' She looked at him in surprised. ' Are you nuts? He can't leave, not like this. He looks like he has been throw enough. We can't move him from one place to another. It will be too much. Look, I know you have a problem with the gods but he is no shape to leave.' Zack shook his head and walked to her. 'You don't understand. He can't wake up in this temple, or any temple for that matter. He will go nuts and it won't be a pretty sight. He hates the gods more than I do.' She glared and turned her head. She stared down at Alexis. 'You don't know that for sure.' Zack sighed and looked at her. 'I know my brother...' She shook her head. She closed her eyes, not wanting to hear more. Silent, fell over them and Zack's voice disappeared. His body didn't move at all. His mouth was open as if he was frozen in time. 'Mmmm, you sure that was wise?' A voice was heard within the room.