Sabrina
The Dionysus kids were escorted off the premises of the Big House. It would take another week for the sugar rush to dissipate, if it even wears off. The Big House was usually the spot where the quietness settles deep. It's like the principal's office in every district school. You tried not be called by the principal, so it's not exactly an idea to cause catastrophe right at their doorstep. Unless, of course, you're a Dionysus kid… or a demigod in general.
Zagreus walked in front of me. He was talking animatedly beside his brother. They argued about a game named MythoMagic or whatever the dorks called it. It was the first time I saw him this engaged and interested in a conversation and Nico seems to be so too. He still had the rope slinged onto his shoulder. It got me flustered that he took it from me a while back, not that I wanted him to or anything. He probably figured I couldn't put much weight on me because of my injury, but still… it was a nice gesture. And it placed a good thought in me as we walked, trying to bury the dubious thoughts about what the night might entail.
We stopped by the side of the Blue House. All the lights were visibly off inside, not a word could be heard. Chiron was probably already asleep. Unless, he's up and about somewhere. Hopefully not in the forest again.
"Is this where we throw the rope?" Zagreus asked, snapping me back to the present.
"Uhh.. uhmm, wait, yeah," I said, shaking my head. I was super lost in my thoughts again.
He inched close and looked at my face. The shades of his eyes shifted.
"Are you okay? You can wait here if you're not or you know, go back to the cabin"
"I'm fine," I immediately stepped away "I was just thinking of a plan to get there," I gazed at the dark windows above.
Fortunately, there were bars to tie the rope around. Unfortunately, the windows were locked shut. Either the wind did it or Chiron was scared of some folks jumping into the windows.
"Maybe there's an open one on the other side," Nico blurted. Why haven't I thought of that.
We went to the back of the Big House first and sure enough, there was an open window in sight.
"Can you throw that rope really hard, witch boy?"
He squinted "Lose the 'witch boy', please" he tossed the rope. He aimed just right for the knot to lock at a loop around the bars of the window.
"Nice," his little brother smiled at him. His eyes were filled with revery.
"I'll call you just witch then," I wasn't letting go of the teasing. He ignored my remark and started to tug the rope, making sure it was stable enough for us to climb.
"You know, it would have been easier if we could just go in and ask the Oracle about you present situation. But unfortunately, only a few of us know that you're a god"
With that last remark, the both of them asked me to keep my mouth shut.
I raised both of my hands in surrender, "Okay, okay."
"Nico, you go first, make sure the coast is clear, alright?"
Nico was shocked to be asked to go first but he quickly nodded at his brother. He wrapped both of his hands around the rope and placed his foot on the first knot. He pulled himself swiftly onto the window sill and slid inside. There was a soft thud that followed as he went in and for a few seconds there was silence. He stuck his thumb out at us when he saw that the coast was clear.
Zagreus held out his hand and looked at me.
"Are you giving me a handshake?"
He rolled his eyes. "You told me you weren't going to go back to the cabin. And you obviously can't hide around here," he looked around for bushes or hideout spots - none of those were available at the site. "So the only option is to come with us. I'm going to help you up"
He caught my distress at that thought. "No!" I blurted out, a little too loud. He winced when he realized I almost screamed.
"Uhh… I can climb just fine," I went and wrapped my hands around the rope "See," as I placed my foot at the knot and prepared to hoist myself, I felt the weight on my injured leg. I lost my balance and fell to the ground. Zagreus walked over, shaking his head.
"No need to be condescending," I winced. He wrapped an arm around me and lifted me up back to my fit. He placed his hand on to my waist and bearing most of my weight, we climbed up the window.
"The steel in that window is strong as hell," I remarked to break the silence between us as we climbed up.
"Yeah, but I'm not," he replied. The veins on his neck was visible as he tried to lift the both of us up. I was trying to make myself lighter by helping him with the lift. But there's only much one can do with an injured leg. I pulled myself onto the sill once we came close. Nico helped me onto my feet. He immediately rushed to help his brother. Zagreus fell onto the floor panting.
"A century of sleep didn't do well for my muscles. I gained grandpa levels of strength," he lied on the floor for a moment, covered in sweat.
"Wow, you broke that much sweat just for lifting me. You need to work out more"
"You're welcome," he said sarcastically.
"Alright, Thanks," I grumbled. I helped him get back onto his feet. "And I mean it," I smiled a bit. He suppressed a chuckle.
"So… d'you know which way to go, Nico?"
"Yeah, I could sort of remember where the entrance to the attic was, nothing has changed much in this place"
"Chiron is not a fan of interior decorating that's for sure," heads of deers were hanged on random places of the walls.
"Either that or Dionysus drunk driving to antique shops again"
"I was told he was on a diet coke punishment," Zagreus lifted his brow.
"It's Dionysus, he can get drunk with anything imaginable," Nico replied.
"Beats me how I'm associated with him," Zagreus grumbled.
"Maybe you're a drunk driver too"
"Haha, I don't even know what a car is let alone how to drive it"
"Oh, yeah, a drunk horse rider you are then," I said.
Zagreus rolled his eyes, "Are we getting any closer?"
"We might need to go up another floor," Nico turned back around from a corner. "This is a dead end."
"Are you sure then? This place may be magical or something," I said.
"I'm pretty sure Nico knows this place well because he's been here before. He wasn't drunk the day visited," he placed an odd emphasis on the word drunk. He wasn't letting the joke go.
"Fine, let's go"
"I hope you're okay with stairs because I'm not carrying you up again"
"Yes, I can do fine now. There are handrails so no need to carry me bridal style, mister"
Nico chuckled at the last remark. Zagreus gave him a stern look and soon enough, Nico was five steps ahead of us. The rails aided the problem with carrying my weight. In a minute, we found ourselves in the upper floor of the Big House.
The floor was completely empty, save for items that looked really old and for disposal.
"There it is," Nico pointed at the door. It was painted in pink and a sign said, "open for business"
"It looks way livelier than the last time," Nico added. "Probably because the last occupant of that room was well… half dead"
"Can't wait to see her in the Underworld then," Zagreus took a step closer to the room.
"I don't know what awaits us there, but I have a bad feeling about this"
"It's going to be fine. Rachel is a nice girl"
"She is, but whatever spirit that inhabits her may not be"
Zagreus turned the knob of the door without hesitation. Here we go.
-page break-
Zagreus
There was no Oracle in the Underworld, save for the Fates who are ever mysterious in their ways of dictating a mortal's future. You can't really change your destiny, but you may gain a head start of it with prophecies. There were prophecies surrounding my birth. I could remember some of them through the dreams I had where my mother was present. But none of it made sense or gave any definite answers as to why I am here on Earth. I was a deity of the Underworld, so something may have went really wrong for me to be here.
There was loud music booming across the room. Canvases were strewn across the floor. A girl with a black oversized t-shirt was humming in front of a canvas. She painted a ambiguous scene with greens, browns, and purple, an interesting combination of colors. This must be Rachel, I thought. What a modern kind of Oracle. Gone were the days of ladies sitting on a three-legged stool spitting verses from the fumes of an old cave. They were now humming tunes from an iPod, which made them much bearable in a way. It took a moment for her to notice us. The music stopped and she turned around. Her bright green eyes was immediately fixed on me. She tilted her head a bit and frowned as if trying to remember who I was.
With a gasp she came close, until her face was only inches apart from mine. She stared deep into my eyes like trying to read every vein in them.
"It can't be," she whispered.
"Uhh… I'm Zagreus," I said with hesitation.
"I know who you are," she said. "You are the son of Hades. You-you're the one I keep seeing in my visions."
"What about them?" I asked. I grabbed her arms in desperation. "Please tell me about them"
"They're-they're horrible," tears were welling at the ducts of her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
She motioned at the canvases thrown across the floor. They were streaks of black and red. It was visible that the subjects were fighting in each of the panels. The bright green in one of the subject's eyes indicated that one of them was me, and it looked like I was ensuing and taking over the fight.
"What are these? Please tell me why – "
And her composure broke. Rachel collapsed to the floor. Her head hung low, the bright red curls covering her face. There was silence in the room. I can hear Nico and Sabrina breathing heavily by the door. They won't come near her and I was sure they wanted to exit the room if it weren't for the gluing presence of the Oracle.
The entire attic seemingly shook. Rachel came back but in her stead, an omnipotent voice boomed from within her. Her eyes glowed golden and her lips were still until she spoke a verse I was dreading to hear.
Zagreus, son of Hades, you finally came to hear your destiny and the past that has brought you to this stead.
So the Oracle gives you an idea of your past too, huh? I thought to myself. I might have been a fine exception.
"You woke up a century after that battle with your father. There were no winners to that battle alone. But for the treason you committed against your father led you to being casted in the depths of the Underworld in an indefinite slumber. Even your mistress, Nyx, could not do anything about it, as powerful as she be. There was nothing that got through your father that time, even your mother remained hopeless. That's why your father sought solace elsewhere," her gaze shifted towards Nico. I knew what she was implying. I learned that Nico was actually born early in the 19th century. A fair enough point.
"Your mother continues to seek for you, day and night, as autumn and spring passed. Only the primordials knew where you were hidden, and the rivers stood as your guards. You were stirred from your slumber by the events that took place in this Earth not long ago. The battle of the titans, whom you were tasked to guard. You were the guardian of Tartarus, Zagreus, and you kept them at bay with your command. The soul of Tartarus instills that upon you and by that, you have awoken. He has sought for the body of his host, to complete the prophecy you fought your father for."
The voice… so it must be him. It must be Tartarus. It made sense in a way, but why was I fighting my father for it?
As if hearing my thoughts, the voice stopped. The green in Rachel eyes came back, she was staring blankly at the floor.
"Rachel, I-"
The prophecy slipped from her lips.
The fruit of the King and Goddess of Spring
Has taken the scepter to rule Underworldly beings
Destined to guard the depths of Tarturus
The boy shall bring
Peace by the death of his King
After that, Rachel's eyes closed and she passed out. Nico was quick to catch her. Sabrina placed a cushion below her head. She shook my shoulders.
"Zag, are you alright?"
I wasn't and I didn't know how to react. I was destined to kill my father… and I may have tried to fulfill that prophecy.
Hiya! I'm finally back. It took me a while to post this prophecy chapter. I have a bonus chapter written featuring the Underworld rivers! I don't know if y'all are interested to see that haha. But I might post it, nonetheless. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know your thoughts by posting a review. Have a good day everyone ~