Falling
He feels like he has been struck in the chest with the weight of a thousand bulls. And everything is dark. All he knows in this moment is that he has to kick his legs even though they are as heavy as lead . He is twisting quickly in the water, a thousand ghostly arms pulling him down. But Icarus thinks of the sky, of the air , of flying and with all his strength he moves his legs as fast as he can against the swirling currents below.
Its takes an eternity to reach the surface, the sea desperately trying to keep him under, to lock him away until he becomes nothing but another soul for it to claim amongst the shipwrecks.
But the shimmer of light above finally appears and Icarus breaks through the surface, taking a long intake of breath and trying to adjust his eyes to the bright light.
Surrounded by thousands of feathers and the wooden frame floating nearby, Icarus turns round in the water, searching in every direction, but he cannot see the Argo. He cannot even see land.
Panicked, he yells, though croakily, "JASON! HERCULES! HELP!" but his weak voice is lost amongst the crashing of the waves.
Cassandra opened her eyes. She sat sadly by herself before rising and joining the others on the deck of the Argo.
They were all gathered around Jason as he unfurled a map.
"Here," he pointed, "is where we have to head. Colchis. Its where they say the Golden Fleece is."
Hercules said entuhsiastically, "Then what are we waiting for? As long as we make a few stops on the way for supplies -" and Pythagoras and Icarus looked at each other and grinned, knowing Hercules' idea of supplies was just fine wine, and Hercules continued, "- then we should be there in a week."
Jason shook his head. "Hercules, its not that simple. I've learnt of an island -" and Ariadne interjected, "It is the island of sirens. Their song takes all men to the depths of the ocean, none can resist their call." She glanced at them all miserably, a quiet inevitabiltiy in her words.
Jason continued, "We will pass this island that no boat or crew have survived being near. Apart from one. And we shall be the second". He flashed a confident smile towards Ariadne.
"But how?" Ariadne enquired. "Why should we survive when most of the others perished?"
"Because we have something they didn't." Jason smiled playfully, while the others looked confused.
He picked up an unused sail which lay on top of a chest built into the ship. Lifting the latch, he took a strange object out, then returned to the others and presented it in front of them.
"Its the magical lyre that Orpheus used to save his crew from the sirens and Eurydice from the underworld." Jason looked pleased at the dumbfounded faces that surrounded him.
Pythagoras responded, "You mean to say, he left it here, for the next crew of this ship?"
"Yes," Jason said, turning to each of them, "and we must use it. Orpheus left instructions."
Jason took a small piece of parchment which looked half devoured by rats out of his pocket. He read aloud.
"I have imbued my magic and my song for you
And I must be played by a heart that is true
For the sirens will take you all to the depths
Unless the person who plays me
Knows love the best."
Everyone was silent after hearing Orpheus' words. And then quite suddenly, Jason handed the lyre to Icarus. "I want you to take it. I believe it is you."
Icarus looked positively horrified holding the strange almost bull like instrument in his hands.
Cassandra smiled softly, though there was a deep sadness in her wide eyes.
"I...I can't do this." His hands were quivering. "I can't even sing!" Icarus said with a nervous laugh.
Cassandra took his hand, "It is you, Icarus. You know love the best." The others nodded softly.
Hercules piped up, "I loved Medusa more than anything in this world. But I don't know love the best. And I didn't understand that her sacrifice was done for love. So I know the reasons why it is not me." He gave a warm smile towards Icarus and then Jason spoke, looking down.
"I don't know love the best either." He gave a guilty glance to Ariadne who squeezed his hand though her eyes faltered and exposed her sadness.
Cassandra took Icarus' face in her hands and looked him straight in the eye, "You must do this Icarus, or we all shall fall. You know love the best because everything you ever did was for love. Even your mistakes were because you loved too much." And when she said this, "loved too much", Icarus felt a startling heaviness deep in his stomach, as if Cassandra was giving him a warning. But he could not dwell on this for long as she continued, "And you asked not for forgiveness, but were willing to sacrifice yourself for your friends rather than force someone to silently accept what you had done."
Pythagoras and Icarus exchanged a glance, both smiling through tears.
Icarus looked down at the lyre, then looked up at the circle of faces that eagerly awaited his next words. "Then I am honoured and gladly accept", he said softly, though still overwhelmed by everyones faith in him, for he had never believed in himself.
The evening sun gifted a beautiful glow along the decks of the ship, illuminating it so starkly against the ocean that the Gods on Mount Olympus would have believed it was the Golden Fleece floating upon the waves
Hercules studied the map and Jason and Ariadne were talking sincerely to each other. Icarus regarded them all warmly before turning back towards the sea.
Icarus had got used to the bounce of the Argo now and quite enjoyed being out on the deck.
He was thinking about Orpheus and Eurydice as he held the lyre in his hands. It had been perhaps 100 years since Orpheus had returned with her from the Underworld. Their love had been so powerful people still sung about them, about how he saved her from Hades, how he was the only mortal man ever to enter the underworld and through his beautiful music, convinced the King and Queen to release Eurydice's soul. There were even rumours that he had left instructions as to how to traverse the underworld and charm the various beasts and dangers that lay there.
Icarus looked down at the lyre he held so carefully in his hands. How could he play such an instrument from a man who charmed the King of Death himself? Icarus jumped suddenly when Pythagoras appeared beside him.
"Sorry!" Pythagoras grinned.
Icarus smiled back, then looked absorbed in thought once more.
"You can do this," Pythagoras reassured him. "You saved us before. You can save us again."
The radiance of the sun shimmered like treasure spilled out upon the sea.
Icarus looked at Pythagoras then, his eyes reflected like golden coins. And in that moment, Pythagoras would have sworn he was looking at an angel.
In the dying light they stood close and then Pythagoras leaned forwards and slowly kissed Icarus. He placed his hand upon his face, exploring it reverently.
Icarus responded and their soft lips unlocked each other in every way possible, the secret words spilling out silently between them.
Hercules happened to look up then to see them kissing and though his eyes drowned with tears as memories of Medusa flashed in front of him, he smiled affectionately and went back to studying the map. He wouldn't intrude upon them this time.
The golden sun had set hours ago, and the Argo was mostly silent except for the snoring of Hercules and the agitated tap of Jasons hand upon the map.
Cassandra was alone once more. And truly alone in her mind.
All the knowledge and wisdom she possessed was such a burden. For she saw things that could not be shared, they came in pieces like a giant jigsaw with no clue how to put them together. She felt pain beyond burning and fear larger than the greatest of beasts.
She resigned herself to these pieces once more.
"SSCSCSCSCCCCCCCCCCCSCSGSHSHSJJJ!" and all Jason can do as the sound reaches him is shout at the top of his voice, "NOW ICARUS NOW!"
It snores, which Hercules finds amusing and he almost opens his mouth to make a witty comment but the sour look Pythagoras greets him with quells any desire to be humourous.
"He's...he's gone." Jason shakes as the words leave his mouth.
"Who dares to enter darkness itself, to challenge me, God of the underworld?"
Their long hair trails like rivers down their willowy bodies and though still far from the Argo, the brave friends feel their pull already.
Cassandra moved her hands in quick circles, her eyes tightly shut but her eyelids were moving uncontrollably as the visions came ever faster and stronger.
A dark river like thick tar, almost impossible to traverse lies ahead of him. He swallows hard and takes a step forward.
"Death will find you Icarus."
The chasm below spits flames and screams from unseen souls. And the air is bitter.
"There are no angels."
He reads from the golden parchment, his hand trembling, "You will find on the right in Hades' halls a spring, and by it stands a ghostly cypress-tree..."
His thirst only worsens in the salty gloom of the underworld.
A pale figure follows far behind, his touch upon the earth disturbs no dust or water or air. He is silent.
"Please?" he begs, but Charon's thin lips just twitch as he cannot let a single word escape.
He slips.
"Love destroys all," Persephone says sorrowfully, "And he will trick you, he will take him, take everything," and she looks down, images of harsh winters haunt her and suddenly icy hands dare to touch her face. She quivers. Persephone chastises herself every mournful day she spends in the depths for believeing in him.
Cassandra took a deep breath and murmered the last vision she saw, "Love destroys all."
"I do not believe that," Icarus whispered softly.
Cassandra looked up to see Icarus standing in the shadow of the doorway.
"Im sorry," he said genuinely, "I was passing by and couldn't help over-hearing." He smiled kindly at her. "I shall leave you in peace."
As he turned to walk away, she said quite loudly,"You are so loved. And he is so loved by you."
Icarus turned back to face her, knowing her outstretched hands were an invitation to enter the room.
"Love," she continued, "It destroys reason and darkness, sadness and tears, loneliness and...even time."
She took his hands in hers and gently stroked her thumbs across them.
Icarus, transfixed upon her wise face couldn't stop the smile threatening to break at her words. Then she continued, her voice sombre, "But eventually...it will destroy you."
Icarus slowly released his hands, the smile never reached his face and after a short pause he said, "Why would you say that?"
Cassandra turned away, looked down upon the floor and resumed her encantations.
More agitated now, he asked again, "Why would you say that?"
But Cassandra's gaze remained fixed upon the floor. Though she felt Icarus' fearful eyes bore through her until she could stand the pain no longer and looked up and faced him, her shining eyes pooled with tears.
And Icarus knew then - he was going to lose Pythagoras.