Another week and another, then another after that. It had been a month since Noah's disappearance and I was wondering if I was the only person who was actually bothered by that fact. It seemed like neither Olivia nor Aaron had given care and nobody was even bringing up the topic. It makes me wonder that if I randomly disappeared would these bozos even attempt to look for me, just thinking about how anyone could just pass off such a thing was beginning to make my head hurt. I decided to sit down in my bed, since before, I was pacing around the room as the Sun shone through my window, kissing my lightly colored hair causing it to glisten in the sunlight.
"I don't want to think about it and I didn't know why this was bothering me. It wasn't like he was my brother or something so why do I feel so weird by him being gone for so long. Maybe I'm just being anxious, I don't know."
There was a knock at the door.
[THUD, THUD, THUD!]
"Hm?"
"Amelia?! It's me open up."
I could tell by the voice, it was Olivia and I had locked the door so she wouldn't come barging in like she always does, I found it rather rude. She continued to knock and I chose not to say a thing, not a word nor whisper, I didn't want to be bothered. I was still trying to think as to why I felt the way I did and I wanted a resolution, but she knocked again.
[THUD, THUD, THUD!]
"I'm not going to go away you know."
Sighing, I knew she was right, knowing her, she would knock until the sun inevitably blazed the planet, but this had me thinking. Instead of frying my brain on the subject, why not just ask her directly. It's more efficient and I'd have the answers I wanted, although she really can't answer for Aaron himself. Exhaling once more, I gave in and walked towards the door before undoing the lock and turning the cold copper knob of the hatch. I opened it a bit, just enough so that the crack was as wide as my eyeball itself so that I could peek through.
"What?"
"You've been in there for weeks and have only come out to eat and use the bathroom. I'm worried if it's healthy for you actually.
My face changed into that of a grim expression
"Worried huh?"
I decided to open the door completely, enough so that she could actually come in this time.
"Amelia, you look bothered by something."
I gave her a passionate stare and a confident stance, looking at her innocent face.
"I don't like to beat around the bush so I'll get right to the point."
"Okay, what's on your mind?"
She shot me a look of discern
"Aren't you worried Noah hasn't come back?"
The room grew silent.
"..."
"Olivia? Is there something that you and Aaron aren't telling me? I personally know that you like to hide secrets, so if you're not telling me something I need you to."
"Look. Amelia, I don't think it's my place to tell you-
She had a look of surprise as she seemingly had to cut herself off from saying something
"I knew it, so there IS something that you aren't telling me."
[Olivia began to speak in a regrettably low tone]
"Shit."
"Olivia, what is it? You have to tell me if you cherish our friendship."
I was beginning to think she knew about Noah's disappearance but just didn't want to spill the tea. I grabbed both of her shoulders, shaking her.
"Tell me!"
She snatched from grasp and grabbed one of her own arms while looking down as if she didn't want to say something.
"Olivia, this isn't like you."
"Well...maybe I can tell you something. You see-"
A brash voice cut through the air, interrupting Olivia. It was Aaron who was standing behind her and overheard our conversation.
"Olivia!"
He gave her an adamant look as if he knew what she was going to say, but silenced her and so, she stopped talking again.
My emotions were getting the best of me and I stormed out of the room, pushing past both of them and making my way into what most would call a living room.
[Aaron noticed through Amelia's room window that clouds formed from outside seemingly from nowhere causing it to hail ice the size of golf balls. This hail storm looks as if it stretched from miles, but in actuality covered the entirety of London.]
"What's so important that you guys can't tell me."
They both still remained silent, not saying a word.
[THUD, THUD, THUD!]
There was a knock at the door, but this time it wasn't mine, but the "living room's" door. I stepped towards the door and looked out of the mail slot to see a man who seemingly looked harmless and so I unlocked the door, opening it.
"Sorry you'll have to come back, we're having 'family' problems at the moment"
I looked at the man and he was rather tall, with golden or gingery hair which I couldn't figure, wearing a roman looking robe.
"Oh excuse my pardon, I was meaning to bid you well on behalf of your comrades passing."
A worried and confused look spread across my face.
"Comrades passing?"
"Oh, have you not known? Young Noah, he's a follower of mine. Oh excuse me, allow me to introduce myself. I am Apollo, God of Truth, Light, healing and much more. For, I was generous to give you all the 'Sun', one of my more disposable fabrications."
"You're Apollo then, so you're the one who gave Noah his hybrid powers. What are you doing here?"
"I was rather disheartened by hearing of the passing of one of my followers and I felt I was obligated to let his friends know of it."
"Passing? So he's advanced to a new stage of power or something? What is it?"
"Oh, how do I say this to where a mortal could understand? His soul has left this realm, he's no longer living."
My mind went blank for a minute and then I gave back to reality. He couldn't be serious, I actually felt as if this was all some sort of an elaborate scheme by Noah.
"I'm not buying it, you're lying."
"I assure you young Amelia, for what reason do I have to tell such a tale?"
Apollo was right and he had no reason to Lie. I put my hand over my stomach as I looked down at the floor, my insides beginning to feel tight almost like I'd been stabbed by my own ice, I wanted to vomit. Looking back up at the majestic God I asked
"Why...only tell me?"
"Well, I am a God of Truth. As my name promises, I am to deliver the truth to all those who don't know."
I gave off a confused look.
"To all who don-?"
I slowly turned around only to see Olivia still looking down at the floor and Aaron watching us, giving off a nonchalant vibe as if he couldn't care any lesser.
"So you two knew."
Olivia looked at me with a caring gaze.
"I didn't know at first either until Aaron had told me. He said to not tell you because he knew you'd probably attempt to go after his killer."
I was getting upset again, letting my emotions take over.
"Killer? So he was murdered then, neither of you were going to tell me?
I turned back to Apollo
"Who killed him and couldn't you have helped him.?"
He shook his head downheartedly
"A corporeal projection who's name is Hussein is the murderer of your friend and as I should tell you at this moment, God's are not to intervene with mortal affairs and conflicts, it simply isn't our place to do so."
"Projection? So is he not real?"
"Not only Hussein but this entire group you mortals refer to as 'The Consortium' are merely physical holograms of another entity, doing their efforts for their cause."
I gritted my teeth, trying to process what Apollo had told me. Not only had my friend been murdered, but not even by a real man. Did the Consortium's leader really see Noah so low they didn't want to even do it themselves
"The Consortium's Leader, what's their cause? You would have to at least tell me that Apollo."
"The spirit that dwells within you, the Ghost Witch."
"Ghost...Witch?"
"Your body is inhabited by two souls is it not? The Consortium is after the soul you contain but do not own, she calls herself the Ghost Witch."
"That's impossible. The ghost inside of me is the dead daughter of a family."
"As the God of truth, I must inform you that the information she has provided you is false."
"So what is this 'Ghost Witch' exactly?"
"I assume you know who Omnidea is correct? Somewhere in history a being once siphoned a finite yet minuscule portion of Omnidea's soul, not being able to contain such power and the curses that came along with it, they banished the soul into a seed which became sentient in its own right. This seed roamed the world in search of a vessel to inhabit and in due time failed. It gave up and lie onto that of the Earth's soil, growing to be a flower of irresistible beauty until one day a wonderous woman found such a plant and decided to harvest it for her garden as a tribute for her husband's lost family. After several years it finally met a human it could take over that was full of youth. It isn't legal by deity standards for humans to possess the souls of Gods or even parts of their souls for that matter, but since it has merged with you completely there is nothing I can do but allow it. You possess part of her soul but not her power in all of its entirety. Imagine your power as if it were a grain of sand compared to the endless cosmos."
"Well that's a lot to remember, but I think I got the gist of it, but."
I just couldn't get over the fact that a comrade of mine was killed while I sat here, ignorant to what was going on. I probably could've helped him out, we could've defeated Hussein, together...
"No, you couldn't have"
I heard Apollo's voice in my head and looked at him
"You..can read minds?"
"Telepathically, I can speak with you"
There we were, having a telepathic conversation to where Olivia nor Aaron could hear us, but it did feel a bit weird talking with my mind instead of my mouth.
"What do I do about Noah, I can't stand by just not doing anything. If the Consortium's Leader is really after me then why didn't they come directly after killing him, it's been an entire month, has it not?"
"The Consortium's leader is an assertive but not anxious one, they plan on achieving their goals without needing to rush and want to do so at their own pace."
He placed his hand on my head and I felt warm and relieved
"Apollo, help me. I don't want Noah's death to be in vain so can you assist me in stopping the Consortium."
"Young Amelia, I already told you prior that it is not a God's place to intervene in mortal affairs."
"I-"
He had cut me off
"But, if it's training you'd like to receive I can do so easily."
He removed his hand from atop my head
'"You'd do that for me?"
"Most certainly. I am no stranger to training mortals in the way of the divine combat."
The telepathic conversation ended and we started to talk normally before I turned around to face Olivia and Noah.
"Well, I've made up my mind. I'm leaving to learn under the belt of Apollo. Even if you guys don't agree with it, I'm leaving anyway."
Olivia looked saddened by the fact that I wanted to leave their side so she attempted to speak out against me.
"What if you get caught by the Consortium?"
"The chances are lower. Since they already know where I am currently, it would be best for me to relocate and get stronger so that I can stop the Consortium. Alone."
"Why do you have to go alone?!"
"Olivia isn't this what you guys wanted, to stop the consortium?"
She ran to me giving me a warm hug which almost made me shed a tear
"Yes, but you don't have to do it alone."
As I've done once before, I gave into her, hugging her back.
"I guess that's fine. You can come along, but you have to pull your own weight, Olivia. This is the time we both have to get serious about doing this, we can't joke around anymore."
I heard her adorable sniffle.
"I understand."
The hug ended and I looked over at Aaron seeing what he was going to do next
"So are you coming too?"
"I'd rather not."
"Tch. Do you not care that much that you'd let one of your friends die without doing anything."
"Who said anything about him being my friend."
The room grew silent
"Then I guess it's settled."
[30 Minutes later]
Both Olivia and I had packed some things, I packed the few things I did have, and we headed towards the door where Apollo waited. Passing by Aaron, saying not a word before arriving at the threshold.
"Okay Apollo, we're ready to go now."
"Are you sure you have all of your belongings? The world of Gods is but a few lightyears away and it takes approximately three months to travel by divine flight."
I got a worried expression on my face and so did Olivia
"Three months?! What'll we do until then."
"Simple, you won't be conscious."
"What do you mean?"
"All beings who aren't on a God's level simply can't handle that level of speed so I'll render you into a three-month sleeping bind until we arrive."
"So we'll be sleeping on your back through space? Won't we die?"
"You'll be fine. As long as you're in my presence Death herself won't be able to touch you."
I turned around giving Aaron a final glance before Apollo used some kind of weird gesture to shrink our belongings and fit them into his robe. Walking outside, both Olivia and I each grabbed a wing of Apollo and within a few seconds, everything went pitch black.