Eyes that see into Infinity

Part 2

Chapter Twelve

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It was late. Phai was listening to his music until he heard a tap at his window. It sounded like a small pebble was hitting the glass. He turned to look for the cause of the disturbance and his body only registered the temperature of fire burning in his eyes. Cassy had opened his window and climbed into his room with no problem acting as if breaking and entering was common.

Cassy smirked at the boy who looked like a vampire ready to kill its victim.

"Get the hell out of my room Cassy. No one invited you!" Phai whipped his earphones off and slammed them onto his desk.

"Stop your worrying Phai." The green eyed boy landed his laced up wet boots onto his room carpet smiling with any decency. Apparently to the teen it wasn't a big deal that the clock was almost hitting midnight.

He was dressed in a heavy grey pea coat that he borrowed from his father. It was raining outside and the bully thought he would just drop by unexpectedly despite the stormy weather. He thought it gave him more of a dramatic appearance.

"Get out Cassy!" Phai kept his voice down and tried to shove Cassy back out the window knowing if he succeeded he might have committed murder, the tree being the only safety net.

Cassy who currently did not care what the boy thought, took Phais' hands and backed him away. "Relax pretty boy, your mom is not going to hear me. She's probably sleeping anyway." He mentioned rattling his soft wet hair and looking around at his half clean, half messy room. "Nice room you got here."

Phai folded his arms and sighed heavily. "Please just go."

Cassy sent him a naughty glint in his eye. "I haven't even said what I am here to say. Don't rush me."

"Then make it quick!" Phai growled silently, keeping in mind his sister and mothers rooms were down the hall

Cassy smirked and looked at the angry blue eyes more. "My, my, you are angry with me. Actually I think you are livid. Am I right?" His green eyes brightened in teasing demeanor.

Everything seemed like a game to him which annoyed the brunette greatly. "You are in my house with no permission. I don't like you enough to have you enter my house even if you were invited." The brunette angrily voiced back. "Now either get out now, or tell me what you are here to say. I don't have time for any of this."

"You don't have time for anything it seems." Cassy mumbled back. "I just came here to talk to you, that's all." He tried his best to sound less antagonizing.

"About what?" Phai was getting less patient.

Cassy perched on the unkempt bed watching Phais' grim expression. "About what I said to you, at school? It was completely wrong for me to say that. I shouldn't have interfered with you and Alex's personal life. I mean it's not my business to know who you like." He said quite convincing but Phai wasn't stupid. As convincing and sorry as the boy sounded he knew it was most likely bullshit and rehearsed.

"You were watching us?" Phai looked back at him vitally.

"No, a friend told me he saw you two, and you and Alex kissed."

"Okay someone else told you, then how do you know it's true or not?' Phai questioned.

"Well why wouldn't it be?" Cassy stood swaying his arm mutually. "Alex has been staring at you since day one. It was only a matter of time until he kissed you. He's not very good at hiding his feelings."

Phai bit his tongue and averted his eyes away from Cassy's. "So let's say it is true, why do you care then?"

"Well, because he doesn't deserve you." Cassy replied bluntly now touching the things on Phais' desk. Cassy hid a smirk and picked up a paper he noticed on the desk. "What's this?"

Before he could finish with another question he felt the paper tore free from his hand.

Phai folded the paper turning annoyed even more. He had gotten over the fact that he and Alex had been caught. He didn't care about that anymore. "Who I chose and who I think is good for me is my decision."

"So you think Alex is right for you?" Cassy asked thinking Phai a fool.

"I am saying THAT Alex and I don't even know ourselves." Phai forced furiously.

"You can agree to disagree, but you have to be aware of things before you start to move any closer. Relationships can be tough."

"What are you talking about?" the blue eyed teen tried not to bark loudly. Cassy was starting to turn him vaguely ill, like he had just downed an entire bottle of stale water.

"It's always the people you think you connect with that you realize you have no connection or bond with at all. Alex could hurt you in the future." He made it sound like the two were playing a dangerous game.

"So you are here to give me a friendly warning. You are far from pathetic Cassy."

The green eyed boy smiled to himself as if pissing people off was a private pass time.

"I am just telling you the truth." Cassy stepped up to him. "Maybe you need someone who won't hurt you and never leave you. Alex left you didn't he?"

Cassy eyed him with something unfamiliar to the brunette. Phai didn't know whether it was infatuation or lust or maybe both. Or it was just Cassy being creepy.

"He had no choice." Phai pointed out the obvious. There was nothing Alex could do. They were so young then.

"I know, but if I were him, I would never leave you."

Phai admitted to himself, Cassy was really good-looking. He was everything the girls wanted, sassy, strong and flirtatious.

Phai sighed. "So what you are telling me is that you like me?"

"Duh, couldn't you tell after all these years?" Cassy took a small step toward Phai.

Phai only managed a slight nod. It wasn't much of a reward when Cassy suddenly forced his mouth onto Phais' lips because seconds later Cassy then felt a knee meet his gut. The stumbling boy moved away holding his stomach and hearing a laughing Phai. He looked up disbelieving and Phai shook his head, his hair wobbling at his face.

"We are only fifteen and you're making a move on me you idiot! To think I have any feelings for you is not even in my wildest imagination. To think you can turn me on and play me is even worst!" The boy suddenly spat after his wild outburst. "You don't think I know your kind. The kind who like to play with peoples minds, trying to lure them into a love trap only to break their heart later on because you get pleasure by that. You do not like me at all. You want to sleep with me and show me off because I am good looking. I am sorry Cassy but you climbed through the wrong window."

Cassy didn't know what to say. His jaw was tight. He just got humiliated and the brunette saw right through him. He expected to use all his charm and slyness to attract the boy into bed with him and it didn't work out in anyway he thought it would. He clutched his stomach once more before standing straight. "So that's how you feel about me, nothing in return?" Cassy asked, surprisingly not choking on his word especially through the pain.

"You catch on quick."

Everything paused and Phai waited until Cassy decided to leave who was standing with his mouth tense and eyebrows knitted, lines creasing his forehead.

"Now you know how it feels. I need my sleep." Phai recommended raking his hands though his hair and forced a satisfied smile when Cassy still wearing a stuck up face left his window flushed in embarrassment.

He had people approach him all the time as if he was weak and could be stomped on, but he wasn't and never would he be weak within the presence of selfish love. Why so many fell under that spell was beyond him.

He sat back down at his desk after shutting the window and making sure it was locked. He looked upon the paper he took from Cassy picked up his pencil and continued writing the letter to Alex. Cleitus somehow got the information of the new address from Alex's father and snuck it to him.

Cassy wasn't going to be happy tomorrow, Phai thought. His blue eyes suddenly contained an allusion of sadness looking back over his words to Alex.

He hadn't gotten a letter back in return and figured Alex didn't care anymore. What was the purpose in sending another one? His fingers stopped in defiance. He ran his fingers down the edge of the paper.

He shook his head. He was not in the mood so he headed to the door and shut off his lights.

Colorado is a dreadful place. I never detested something so much. The school I was going to was boring. The teachers had no personality and I literally felt locked up in an X shaped box if that is even possible. It was a shame really because I always wanted to travel. I was fond of seeing other places.

I am now forever nostalgic. I lived so comfortably where I was before I came here. Like most mothers, my mom only followed her own advice. She told me it was good to see the world, go to different places and meet new people. Sure. I would have believed it. But I will name you all the many new people I met.

Barsine. And that's it. I didn't know many people who would be classified as friends. I didn't want any either. My mother considered my lack of social life a problem and thought it would be sensible for me to see a special counselor at my school. She thought I had some problems and she still couldn't get over the falling into the pond thing. She even had her father devasted after telling him about it. He started to hide all the knives and sharp objects in the house like a paranoid drug dealer when they see cops around thinking I might try to hurt myself. Bitch please. I fell in a pond. Pond? Knife? Two different things yet he believes they work the same.

I went though to the appointments. I had sessions with him once a week, thank god. I hardly spoke. I just nodded and yawned while he asked me the number one question of the day.

"Why don't you talk about your feelings?"

I was lost here and I lost him there. Every time I think of him, I strive for sleep. I search in rough vain for it. I force my eyes closed but always manage not to. I figure if I slept I wouldn't die and perhaps last longer because truly and deeply I want him so bad. I don't want to live without him and most of all leave him in this cruel world. I want to see him just one last time and make everything right.

Those were my feelings I didn't share. Those were the feelings I kept secret.

Alex entered is mothers fathers house, Neolemus, and closed the door shut. He came home late after his gym classes were over and his mother was off at work. He had been stuck with her father almost all week and he was starting to drive him crazy even though it wasn't much of an understatement. The worst part was that she knew her father didn't like him. It was never nice coming home from school with him being home. He was always talking shit. The house always smelt of something weird and nothing familiar like he was used to. There wasn't a lot to compare. He would rather smell the strong scented cigarettes his father smoked, causing the rooms to reek like an ash tray.

He had been to his original hometown, to the long state of California and now he was placed at the center state in North America. All three places appointed but he did not share as many memories until he came to California and met the brown-haired boy.

Most of the lights in the house were off and he quietly moved into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was stocked with food but nothing he liked. His grandfather was on some sort of diet only buying almond milk, a lot of vegetables and everything young teens did not eat.

Alex stepped back, dropping his back pack to the floor glad to get the weight off his back and started to dig more into the frig hoping to find something edible. He frowned, finding nothing but packaged salami and turkey and some bread to make a sandwich. His stomach had been growling all day and would have decided to go out and buy some fast food but he was broke at the moment. The sports classes had him always arriving home raiding the cabinets and everything in the house.

Another reason why his grandfather didn't like him. The boy ate a lot. He was growing immensely.

Neolemus entered the kitchen sensing that he was home. He grunted and folded his arms high up on his big chest watching Alex quietly making his sandwich.

The man had salt and pepper longish hair and a mean long face. Alex just looked up at him, shook his head with a smile but didn't say anything and went back to what he was doing.

"Are you going to say hi to me?" the older man asked reaching into the cabinets to make himself some coffee.

"Hi." Alex mumbled. He brought a finger to his mouth and licked the knife that he used to spread the mayonnaise and mustard.

"Pfft, it's a wonder why my wonderful daughter could put up with such a disgusting unpleasant child." The older man jerked his coffee cup out of the cabinet and slammed it semi hard on the counter.

"Well then be disappointed with her. She's the one who didn't abort me like you suggested." The boy noted.

"Always a smartass. I kind of wished she had." The grumpy old man grumbled pouring the dark brown liquid into his cup.

"And you need to go to a retirement home where you could be cranky around people just like you." Alex gazed up at him, smirked and tossed the deli meat back into the refrigerator while the man glared sharply. Alex kicked the frig shut. "You know, meet new friends." Another arrogant smile rose upon his face.

"You better be thankful boy that you have a roof over your head and that I was happy to take you in." The old man announced harshly and hitting the edge of the counter shaking his coffee cup as the glass rattled against the tile.

'You weren't happy to take me in, you were happy to take my mom in and I am just another burden to bear. Well fuck you." Alex yelled defensively before walking away until the man lunged at him and took the boy strongly by the arm and pushed him up against the frig. He adjusted the boy's posture so that they were facing each other.

Both of there locked eyes were imposing.

"You will not raise your voice with me as long as you are in my house and if I hear you say another foul word I will wash your mouth out with soap."

Alex snapped to attention. "You are not going to lay a hand on me old bitch. Don't expect me to bow down to you because you think you did me a favor by inviting me into your stupid house. I didn't want it. I play by my own rules." The teen argued fiercely snatching his arm away.

The man rose his hand high ready to hit him but the vicious glare the boy gave him told him to turn the other cheek.

The old man could explode by how red his face was turning. He dropped his brutal hand by his side. The man shook off his plans for having coffee and left the kitchen mumbling under his breath and growling in frustration.

Alex turned to look at his sandwich and didn't feel hungry anymore. He bent down to pick up his things scattered on the kitchen floor. He swung his backpack back over his shoulder and took his sandwich incase he grew hungry again.

I didn't know how I saw it. Or how I sensed it even. Maybe Phai and I were closer than we thought we were. I wasn't smiling to begin with but I still felt my face die. I looked down at the trash can next to me. I dropped everything to the floor again. What I caught sight of had me drown in all emotions. I frowned deeply in sadness. Was this another betrayal to him because I didn't notice? I traced the beautiful print of his handwriting.

And to think I would never hear from him again. Why is this?

The beautiful general in my dreams once told the king that he was blinded by what is important because he had so much to take care of. Maybe this is why I didn't notice, because I had so many things on my mind that I needed to take care of.

Alex paused for a long moment before he reached over and pulled two ripped pieces of envelope paper sitting on top of the trash for his different eyes to see.

"What?" He whispered to himself with incredulity. The letter was ripped down the middle and he quickly put them together. He recognized the torn pieces as a letter sent from Phai. This whole time Phai was trying to contact him and for what? For him to miss out. Alex put the papers aside. He suddenly turned angrier than he already was.

"Who did this?" he first whispered then got the strength and yelled. Seeing the letter alone made his stomach sting. He knocked over the tin can and got to his knees searching through it more. He didn't care what was in the trash all he cared about was finding the rest of the letters from his old neighborhood friend. He took out a few more trashed envelopes sent and dated apart from each other.

After moments of trying to calm his own anger he halted when he heard Neolemus come in and clutch him off of the floor and force him aside. "What are you doing searching through the trash can you savage boy?"

The old man crunched down balancing onto the balls of his feet and started cleaning up the mess Alex had made. The boy ignored his complaints, completely mesmerized at the lost letters after so many years. He looked as if a bolt of lighting struck him in the face after he decided to play with thunder.

By this time the furious boy was standing out front before the mailbox desperately searching through the series of mail. But he found nothing more for him. He was tempted to scream. He blinked distractedly not knowing what to do and what came to mind was merciless. Alex made up his roiling mind. He snatched the mail that was inside and made his way back into the house pushing by his grandfather who was still picking up the trash and mumbling that he was ungrateful.

I can't tell you how bad my body was boiling. It was not a surprise though how angry I got. To take my letters and throw them away was a huge lack of my personal respect. In anger I usually make unconscious decisions but this was my conscious telling me to do this. If Phai were with me telling me to relax, I wouldn't have done what I did. I took all of my grandfather's mail and my mother's mail and tossed it into the oven and closed the door. I flipped the notch, heated it up to the highest the machine would allow. I didn't laugh about it then because I was furious but I can laugh about it now.

I never understood why they would try to hurt Phai like that. What did he do to deserve that?

"What are you doing boy?" the old man stood up with wide eyes and tried to push Alex back but Alex shoved him away. He had the advantage because he was younger and faster.

"Back off. You take my mail, I will take yours."

"You arrogant brat step aside." The man tried with force again. "That is important stuff."

"No! Did you do this? Did mom? Who?" Alex yelled as he possessively clutched the letters in his grip.

"Do what?" The man was shocked at the boy's bad mannered behavior.

"Take all my mail I get and throw it away so I never see it?" The young teens voiced ached with incoming tears.

The man refused to answer and shouted at the boy to step aside but his hands remained pressed at the door of the stove. Alex reared back against it.

"Look! You are not my father. Do not ever tell me what to do again, do you understand me? You and your daughter took my life away!"

"She took it away for good reason young man. You weren't well there. Would you rather be around your inconsiderate father?"

"You are no better!"

He was no better. I let the letters burn and I stepped aside letting him take care of the large fire that fought its way out of the door while flaming towards the stove. He put it out and opened doors and windows and anything that blew out air, killing the house of smoke.

I stood their watching like a sinful child the old man, not knowing if I should feel bad for doing what I did? Or if I should feel accomplished. After all I did it for Phai. I did it for me. I am the king in my dreams and he is mine. He always had been. The words going through my head that night was "Do not fuck with me? I will fuck back."

After that incident I remember getting yelled at by both my mother and her dad. They sat me down and rebuked me harshly. She was taken aback. She didn't know that I had such aggressiveness in me and insisted that I have more counseling. My counselor volunteered to bump it up to two days a week instead of one. He asked me all kinds of stupid questions that I didn't answer. It was starting to become a waste of his time and mine. The second important question of the day?

"What makes you happy? What do you do for you?"

You can't care about happiness when your life is literally blindfolded and you are being forced to walk the plank. That was my answer.

The second question was easier to answer. I saved the letters from Phai. That is what I did for me.

My mother didn't like my progression as the years went by with my attitude as well as my health. She took me to the doctors often. I was getting meaner, sicker and weaker and I already knew the time was coming. The office she took me to couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I gave them my side effects and my symptoms, everything I was feeling the best that I could but they still couldn't figure it out. My blood tests were completely normal. I was completely composed. The time went by fast, like my death couldn't wait much longer. Unlike the doc who found out what was wrong with me in the first place, these doctors didn't bother scanning my brain. They thought I was fine and sent me on my way.

I had replied to Phais' mail and told him to not bother sending me anymore. I couldn't risk them becoming trash again. Before I sent my last one I ended up in the hospital fighting for my life. I wrote everything that I felt about him. I wrote to him about my visions as well as my health problems and that I was soon to die. I poured out everything my heart would allow. It helped me better understand why I was afraid to love him in the first place. It was because I was afraid he wouldn't love me as much if he knew I wasn't going to be on earth much longer. So abandonment. Ha, something I am used to by now. I could take it from my parents but not from him. Never from him. It would break me.

Yet the letter was never sent.

I was sicker on my sixteenth birthday yet it was the best birthday I had in years. I had five very special birthday gifts. First present I received, I broke up with Barsine. She and I really weren't doing much for each other anyway. I rarely called her, hung out with her and she didn't like it but I knew it would end that way and the simple fact was I didn't love her. We kissed maybe twice in our relationship, clumsy as can be. I was still a virgin and did not mind. And it was obvious she wanted sex from me. She wanted me to be one of those guys who took her, ditched class and fucked her behind the school. I didn't have that passion. She never thought the day would arrive when I told her I didn't want to be with her. I didn't hate her though. We had good moments but not good enough for me. I became ambitious. I wanted more. I wanted someone that I could relate to. I wanted someone that I could share my life with without feeling stupid, someone who would hide my secrets within them. That gift was fifty million miles away. So it felt.

The second gift being my therapeutic counselor having to move out of state. My mom thought he was the best and didn't want anyone to replace him. Either way I hate them all the same. I was free.

The third being Neolemus finally shutting his goddamn mouth and stop degrading the little things that bother him about me.

Now the last two were the best. Forgive me if they aren't actually gifts that I can unwrap.

The fourth was destroying death.

I finally met the bed dying, my headaches finally kicked in causing me excruciating pain. My visions blurred and I blacked out. Deep blue eyes cried for me. I was in the center of a bloody battle field as my body ruptured with the heat of the hooves as horses and men came at each other both ways fighting over me. They collided, fought and fled. The general got to me first covering me keeping me safe from the enemy. In my case it was Hades. I awakened to the ugly face of my grandfather and the scared to death face of my mother. As much as I hated them, they were beautiful to wake up to. Even though I had tubes down my throat, eyes rimmed red, needles in me for gods know why, I felt wonderful.

And since I was this Alexander in my dreams, this great King, guess what came next. I became him. I became happier, stronger. I became louder, funnier. I became more outgoing and determined. I was ruthless in school, in wrestling and football. I exceeded everybody in everything accept for dance class. I killed the shy boy I was. It was a long battle between two very different but similar souls.

Needless to say I became indestructible. I cheated death I felt. Everything turned brighter in the world. I ridded of all depression. It got to my head. It sounds conceited and prideful, but don't fool yourselves with this tricky smile I have plastered upon my face. Do not think that I have lifted weights so the hot girls down the street could admire me. Do not think that I got stronger because I felt the need to fight the jocks who hate me because they couldn't claim the trophies anymore. Do not think that I ran around the block five times a day because I liked the way the old ladies complimented me and my effort. Don't you dare think that I am doing my best to please my mother? I did this all for him.

I was old enough to get a job but I worked just part time because my other time went to my schooling. I spent days wandering the cities and going shopping. I even bought a car. I was so happy. I felt different and less introverted. It was a good feeling. A new one.

Finally and lastly, my fifth present, cursed the fate of us all. It was more news than anything. My dad had gotten injured in a car accident. Two cars smashed into his somehow in the intersection on his way to work. He's handicap for now and needs me to go help him around the house. Mean? I know, I know, but I am rewarded.

Phai had it right. He once told me we all live forever after death and that death is just a figment of the imagination that everyone will succeed one day. I succeeded.

I will be seeing Phai soon.

Callista dressed in painting clothes ran outside and through the field to give her brother the news. She started to yell once close enough. "Phai! Alex sent you a letter finally!" She hopped with excitement. She was tempted to read the letter but her good will told her not too even though she thought she deserved it because she had interrupted her own art time just to go look for him.

Phai jerked his head up as he sat in his little boat, his strands of hair twisted as the breeze shuddered the clear sky. He was going to ignore her at first because he didn't believe what he was hearing. Her shouting getting in focus meeting its depth more and more was like seeing the light at the end of a very long tunnel.

The young girl trotted against the deck waving the little envelope high in the air, paint brushes falling out of her multicolored stained apron. "Phai come quick before I open it!"

Phai stopped the progress of whatever he was doing. He looked more horrified than excited to hear the news. Callista had to repeat it again in order for him to react more normally. He refused to sail his way back to the deck so he jumped into the warm pond and swam his way. He climbed up quickly with the help of his sister tugging on him with her little hands.

"Wait!" she shouted, like she had seen a nasty looking bug.

She refused to hand her wet brother the letter. She took the end of her dress and let him dry his hands. He rolled his eyes and kissed her on the cheek chuckling and took the letter from her lose grip and unconsciously walked away in privacy.

"I am such a good sister." She stood proud.

"Whatever." The thought of Alex had been cut deep within his brain. This was almost dreamlike. Tears started to fall like rain.

"What does it say?" Callista asked as she saw her brother withdraw heavily from her company.

"He didn't forget about me." He answers her smiling beautifully.

"Why are you crying?" she asks fearfully. It was unusual to see her brother cry. She couldn't even remember the last time he had shed a tear. "Do I have to go get mom?"

Phai grinned at her question. "Don't get mom. It's because he didn't forget about me." He stated again.

"That's a good thing right?" she questioned instinctively scratching her head. She didn't know how to react to her brother's merge of emotions.

"It's a very good thing sis. I didn't want be here fading. Because I would have let go."

The general had enjoyed sleeping his anger off as he slept side by side with is king. His head was pressed against Alexander's chest; his burnt brown hair flopped over covering them both while he was holding onto his cold hand for dear life.

It was a cool and bright day outside. He was initially improving, by starting to eat more and take better care of himself, but only leaving the king alone in short time.

Although he refused to speak with the generals, and often cussed out the queen from entering the tent he had enjoyed eating and drinking lots of good wine. He even managed to take walks and breathe in fresh air and not the stony coma his king was undergoing. He was spoiling himself.

Even though his king wasn't feeling better, he was starting too and the generals couldn't figure out why he had changed suddenly. They assumed he was getting sick of being in the king's tent moping all day, which they found wonderful, if only it was the case but it wasn't.

Hephaistion thought it for the better. Alexander wouldn't want him swallowing himself in the depths of pity and sorrow. He had not realized the moments they had spent together were worth remembering instead of dying over. Secretly he knew the king wouldn't take his own advice if it were he to die instead of Alexander. He thought about his own death and how Alexander would have reacted to it. He would either be very, very angry and start going crazy or remain silent until death took him by the hand. Understanding the kings anger tribulations especially when drunk and how clumsy and careless he could be, he would mostly likely injure himself before he had the chance to take out his wrath on the rest of the world.

As the days shifted to the next he had took care of Alexander himself washing him and trying to feed, mouth to mouth letting the pages and servants rest for once. No matter what good hands the king was in he couldn't fight the gods much longer. They must have wanted Alexander for a reason. He thought maybe the gods loved him as much as he did.

Everything was falling into place. He would spend the rest of his days well and stop chasing the dream that he might awake. But it was a lie. It was always a lie. He would never stop chasing the dream that Alexander might have another chance of opening his eyes.

The sleeping general felt a spasm in his tingling fingers. His blue eyes opened briefly. My hand must have fell asleep, he thought. He closed his eyes again and felt the spasms again. He leaned up and managed not to cry while he watched as the king's fingers tightened within his hand which were causing his contractions. His heart started to race. Hephaistion leaned in closer his locks shaping his face. "Alexander?" he whispered hopingly. He saw Alexander's breathing sounding more normal and not so much busy heaving. The sensation triggered the general a smile.

He hurriedly took off out of the bed and rushed to go get Phillip.

After five minutes of running around he found the doctor. They both entered in. The general was like a very amused child, grace and joy flowing upon his facial features as Phillip took another look at Alexander. All Hephaistion heard and all his ears would take was Phillip mentioning that the king's health was improving becoming only vaguely normal. Slightly? Vaguely? Who cared, it didn't leave the general skeptical. It was better than it was. Much better.

"Come on Hephaestus take his hand and put it into the fire. Make him wake up." Hephaistion prayed to the god of forge with tears of joy slipping.

Phillip had left after the good news to go give the rest an update on the king's life. Hephaistion knelt by the bed again watching the steady breathing of his lover. He then took his hand and felt Alexander grip it tighter.

xxxx

Sorry for the long chapter, I am still not used to writing short ones, so forgive me!

Stranger