BLACKOUT

Life is not as simple as people want it to be. Life is to be feared and hated, treasured and looked after.

Life is everything.

But what is living?

Welcome back to the long awaited chapter of my Troy series, why I haven't updated? Eh... WRITERS BLOCK. I was re-reading some of what I had written in the past and I went wow, I hope I can write like that again.

But... well we shall see.

I am currently doing a Certificate III in Engineering and am the only girl in the class, and no one is talking to me. Yay. This is making me very depressed, not to mention the early hours and the 1 ½ hour drive to and back home (Straya mate!). Then there are the late nights because my mum has been sick.

Hey, quick question, am I scary?

Urgh.

I had several horrible idea's for this chapter that I almost finished, but then almost rolled over and died when I re-read it. Here's an example, originally I was going to have Asha ride to the rescue of Thebe's on a silver stallion... yea.

Anyway. I shall continue to have my imaginary friend and sulk in a corner. Have fun reading this!

CHAPTER 12

Bloody War

Asha stared in fascination at the great dragons head. And in the moment it was there, it was gone again. She didn't know how it happened until she looked around, ready to confront Diomede's. But she wasn't in the temple any-more. She wasn't even in Greece.

Her eyes prickled from tears that wanted to fall. In front of her were the familiar settings of her home. She could smell the ocean that was so close by, heard the chatter of her family. Asha walked forwards, her feet dragging slightly, somehow she knew that time had passed, maybe it was the timber in her families voice, or how the leaves on the family oak tree were coloured in red.

She stopped in front of the heavy wooden door, her hand clenched, wondering if she even existed any-more, if maybe this was a dream, a very good dream, one she didn't want to end.

Asha took a deep breath, moving her hand to knock on the door. The sound echoed throughout her, into her inner-self. She heard footsteps come closer and the door opened.

In front of her stood a young girl with baby blue eyes and golden hair. Her mouth quirked into the biggest smile and she exclaimed, "ASHA!"

Kate lurched forwards and gripped her around her waist, pulling her into a tight hug, "I miiiiiiised you!"

Asha closed her eyes, breathing softly at the familiar caress. Kate was her favourite cousin, "I missed you too."

"Were have you been?" A sharp voice asked, not harsh, but sharp. Asha looked up into beautiful green eyes.

"Kimorei!" Asha said happily, running forwards and hugging her half sister, "It's a long story."

"You still have to tell me. What in hades name are you wearing?" Kimorei exclaimed, staring at her clothing, "No wait, let me guess, it's part of the story. Right?"

"Rei! Leave Ash alone!" Kate wailed in a singsong voice, grinning happily, "I like her clothes, they remind me of a play we are doing at school called-" She broke off, a huge look of concentration on her face, her mouth started to pout and her eyes watered, "I don't know!"

"Iliad. The story of the Trojan war, written by Homer. It's an epic, and it's free to download on iPhone." Kimorei stated smartly.

"Urgh! Don't go technical on me Rei-Rei!" Kate whimpered, wiggling like a puppy.

"I-Iliad?" Asha stuttered, everyone looked at her curiously, she shook her head, "I smell cookies, has Kate been cooking with you Rei?"

"Yes. She's been a very good student. Though I have caught her sneaking some bites of dough." She shot Kate a glace, some heat in it.

Kate blushed, "It was yummy."

"So is little girl." Kimorei stated, then she growled like a monster and picked Kate up, flinging her over her shoudler, "Come on Ash. Time to eat little girl."

"I'm... not sure I want to eat that. Cookies yes, Kate no." Asha stated following and laughing, all worries gone.

Kate flailed without much effort, giggling, "Nooo Rei-Rei, don't eat me!"

They walked into the house, the wooden floor's creaking, welcoming her home. Asha looked at the walls, which were wooden panels and where a huge array of picture's sat, all in different sizes. Most of them showed Kate, Kimorei and Asha together, others showed Kazendae and Ivory working together Some showed their mother and father, which brought back painful memories that she didn't want to relive. So she shoved them back.

She gripped her fingers with a hand, following Kimorei into the kitchen, where on the main table two trays of cookies sat, just waiting to be devoured by Asha.

Her stomach rumbled, after-all she hadn't had a proper, home cooked meal since landing in Greece.

Kimorei let Kate back down and instantly grabbed her wrist, preventing the young girl from grabbing some cookies and shoving them in her face.

Asha felt her mouth salivating, but held back, sitting down and waiting for Kimorei to dish out the cookies. Kate sat down, wiggling and waiting, her eyes wide and bright.

Once they started tucking in Kimorei gave her a look.

Asha swallowed her bite, clearing her throat, "What I am about to tell you, you won't believe me. But you have to."

So she lurched into the story, starting with how she was saved by a prince, attacked by the most gorgeous guy, and then finally to the dragon. She skipped the parts of her killing anyone or anything, after-all Kate was at the table. Her sister and cousin watched her intently, listening. Their eye's grew wider and wider, and at the end of the story they were gaping at her, Kate tugged her sleeve, "I wanna go to Greece!"

Kimorei said nothing, instead she watched her cousin plead with Asha.

"You can't. I think it was a one time thing, afterall, I am back. It might have been a dream, but time has passed." Asha stated firmly, grabbing Kate's shoulder, "And trust me you don't want to have been there. It's not like the stories."

"What did this Diomede's do to you. You kept pausing like it was causing you pain." Kimorei stated out of the blue.

Asha stiffened, she glanced at Kate and shook her head. Kimorei nodded, understanding.

"Hey Ashy!" Kate said, "Come on outside, Kimorei got you a gift whilst you were gone!"

Kimorei grinned, nodding, "Yes I did. And one's for us too."

"Don't tell me you got-" Asha started but Kimorei shook her off.

"It's a surprise."

They all walked outside, the sun was high in the sky the blue ocean serene. Their house was a modern villa with a huge garage attached to it. The roller doors rolled up and Asha's eyes grew wide, in front of her were three motorbikes, all dirt one's. Asha made an extremely happy noise and ran back into the house, to her room. Gazing around the familiar room fondly Asha grabbed her motorcycle gear, which she had hoarded for many years, shrugging it on she ran back outside and leapt on the green motorbike, which she guessed was hers. Kimorei rolled her eyes, "You want me to explain it to you?"

"I've read so many books, I feel like I go be a pro racer already Rei." Asha said, kicking the bike into motion and slipping it into first gear. She revved it, giving Kimorei a wink before setting off.

She followed the familiar trail behind the house, into the bush behind.

Now some people (American's and so on) think that Australia is full of evil things that will kill you. But really, it's not that dangerous. And Asha sped through the bush, perhaps running over a few Brown Snakes (Who are extremely venomous) and ignoring mosquito's and spiders. She felt only the thrill of riding a motorbike, and started wondering how everyone back in Greece would react to it.

Then it happened again. She felt as if she was being pulled backwards and forwards, like something was absorbing her. She closed her eyes, feeling sick.

Dream's are reality, and reality are dreams. A voice said in her mind as Asha slowly woke up. She blinked wildly, finding herself by a familiar beach, the one she originally woke up at Troy.

Blue and gold flashed in her peripheral vision and she glanced over to find Lupaz, the God of the Jewel gazing at her.

"What happened?" She asked, rubbing her head, then her eyes went wide, beside her was her motorbike, "No way."

It wasn't meant to come through, but who cares? Lupaz muttered, his tone bored.

"Where's Sophia? Kyle?"

In Blue Owl Bay. Lupaz answered, he stretched out, Yes, yes, your wondering how they got back. But they didn't. You haven't been there yet, maybe.

"Time's repeated?" Asha exclaimed, "So in a couple of minutes those fishermen will walk over here?"

Maybe, or maybe time has changed, or you have changed it enough to prevent that from happening, or maybe you can change it, or maybe none of that. Lupaz replied, beautiful eyes unblinking.

"Er. What?" But before she could say anything else the dragon was gone, and in it's place were voices.

"That was a horrible catch today!" A fisherman said angrily. They walked around the corner and stopped and stared at Asha.

She gave them a thin smile before leaping up and jumping onto her motorbike, slipping it into gear she surged forwards, towards Troy. Her backpack jiggled cheerfully on her back and she wondered when she put it back on. She thought maybe it was of Lupazs' messing.

She rode by where Prince Hector was supposed to be, only to find him missing. Asha was confused as she rode to the big city, people stopping and staring at her as she did, the city didn't have bronze roof's. The market-place wasn't busy. She cocked her head, wondering what was going on.

That was when she saw him. Diomede's rode in his golden chariot, head held high and followed by an entourage.

He around at the sound of the motorbike and his eyes caught hers, recognition shot through them and Asha almost collapsed. Time hadn't repeated itself, instead it had continued onwards.

Diomede's forced his chariot through a thong of people and towards her.

"What are you doing here for?" She asked him, making sure that she was slightly away from him.

"I'm here for the wedding." He answered, then his eyes narrowed, "You disappeared right in front of me, right into thin air. And then no-one could find you until now. Where did you go?"

"Home." Asha answered, "How much time has passed?"

"Two years." He answered, "And Thebe's is mine. Though every single man, woman and child had evacuated before I took it. I take it I should be thanking you for that?"

But Asha didn't hear him, instead her shoulders slumped, her eyes wide, "Two years?" She murmured. She had only spent mere minutes back in her time, but two years had passed, maybe Lupaz had done something, forcefully changing time, and maybe he had lied to her.

"Where's Kyle?" Asha asked, eyes glaring into Diomede's.

The Prince blinked, "You don't know? He's here in Troy, at the palace. He and his people sought refuge here."
Asha nodded, "Then excuse me." She slipped the bike into gear and sped off, leaving Diomede's in her dust.

The familiar street's of Troy flew by her, people jumped out of her way, surprised by the weird thing she rode upon. The motorbike surged forwards, surpassing the speed that a horse could gallop at.

Asha saw the huge palace, and the gate guards there. She pulled her bike to a stop in front of them, their gazes incredulous.

"Can you watch this? I need to speak to Prince Kyle." Asha said, pointing to the bike.

The guards nodded, "He's with Prince Hector in the main courtyard."

She nodded her thanks, walking with haste into the palace and to the main courtyard, she had never physically been into the palace, but she had watched the movie Troy, and knew where the main courtyard was. Asha started to jog, eating up the ground and eager to see her friend. She ran through the gate to the courtyard.

Sighting Kyle she called out to him and he turned around, surprise lighting up his features.

Prince Hector stood beside him, an astonished look on his face.

"Kyle!" Asha yelled out, running up to her friend and bear hugging him, "Kyle, Kyle, Kyle!"

Her friend started to laugh, "Ash, it's been two years, where have you been?"
"Home." Asha answered, then remembering that Hector was there dipped in a curtsy, "Prince Hector."

He smiled gently, but there was something in his eyes that made Asha look twice, he looked relieved, but also sad, "We all thought you were gone."

"Well technically I was." Asha grinned, "but thank you for worrying about me. Kyle, a word in private?"
Kyle nodded, curious as to what Asha needed. They walked over to the fountain and stopped for a minute.

"What happened Asha."

"As I said, I went home." She stated, "Hey, where's Sophia?"

Kyle smiled slightly, "She's in her room with our son. When you say, you mean your time. Don't you?"

Asha sputtered, "But I thought she couldn't stand you! When did you have a son?"

"Don't change the subject." Kyle snapped, grinning happily.

"Yes, when I say my home, I mean my time, but also my home. When I originally came here I wasn't at home, I had been on Blue Owl Bay."

"So you ended back at home, and now your back, how did that happen?"

"I think Lupaz has something to do with it." Asha stated.

Kyle's eyes widened, "But he's the God of the Jewel's. You've met him?"

"You sound surprised..." Asha trailed off, narrowing her eyes at him.

"He never shows himself to humans. He barely shows himself to gods. If you have seen him, then you must be here for something bigger then we originally thought." Kyle stated.

"Oh yeah? Also I have a quick question. Helikon had told me about something called the Goddess's Mask or something, I think the Sun have it."

Asha watched as slowly Kyle kneeled on the ground, hands shaking, "They have had it for two years."

"Kyle?"

But he shook his head looking up at Asha, "We must protect you with our lives. If the Sun capture you, then the whole world will crumble and burn."

"Why would they want that?" Asha asked, holding out her hand.

"Because they want to destroy a God."

CHAPTER END.

Hope you enjoyed this one, I spent some time at tafe writing it up, since I barely have time for myself these days. And when I do, I want to play Dragon Age.

DRAGON AGE IS AWESOME.

Ahem. So thank you for reading this new chapter! I know it's not as long as the others, and not as engrossing. And the end leaving a lot of questions to be asked, buuuuut. Tough cookies.

There is a reason that Asha went back to her time, other then getting a motorbike, which I know many of you will find illogical. But trust me it straightens up again.

And Kyle and Sophia are gorgeous together :P

BTW, Australia really isn't that dangerous. We should overexaggerate. Because there is probably only a million of things that could kill you in one step... oh wait, that's in a nail size... hehehehe. Don't be too worried.

SB7 Reporting Out!