PANDORA
I wish Rey would wipe that silly, love struck smile off his face.
It was obvious he was very much in love with me. I should be happy, but I'm wasn't sure what I felt. I didn't want him knowing there was much restlessness deep within me.
That brief moment I zoned out in the hospital was very crucial, she almost awakened and I was powerless to stop her. I felt her power rising, I still do. The roughness of her palms shaking the lightening cages. The echoes of laughter reverberating in my conscience. This secret has burdened me over five centuries.
I was so lucky the moment I was about to lose the battle for my body, Jamie appeared. He's the only thing keeping her at bay. The only 'god' she feared as of now. I dared not even speak her name or even think about it, anytime I did, my body began to tremble.
Rey put his hands on mine to comfort me. It's as if he knew exactly when I was distress, or crying for help. I was thankful he was the understanding guy who waited patiently for people to open up to him. At least I could find comfort and strength in his presence, though Jamie's presence is what I needed the most.
John cleared his throats trying to remind Rey and I we were not alone. I almost forgot Marlin and Ellen were present at the table. CJ tried to hide his jealousy and contempt for Rey. Marlin was still struck with marvel at the light house, and he was not the only one, though Ellen did a better job at hiding her surprise.
The light house was a gift from Hecate to Jamie. It was a mysterious mansion that responded to only its masters thought. Though Jamie passed the reigns to me, I still haven't been able to take a full tour of the mansion.
There was space the size of a banquet hall with arching roof tops made of iron and gold supported by four mega columns at the end of each arc. The ceiling camouflaged itself to match the skies of the outside world, during sunny days' rays of light shine down, during stormy days' dark cumulonimbus clouds form above, winter time it opened up and allowed the snow to fall into the hall.
Also the walls were made from mountain rocks. I was familiar with these rocks because I was actually caged in them by Zeus. The bricks were from rocks of Mountain Olympus, Hacki, which were painted in ash colour, chiselled in the walls were the story of the previous gods, how the titans came into being, the death of Uranus, the birth of Cronus, the birth of Zeus and so it goes. At the centre of the hall, a stone dais was mounted, inscribed on it was a thunderbolt in the middle of a pentagram surrounded by three oak chairs.
Now it's seven chairs occupied by CJ, John, Marlin, Ellen, Rey and me. The house still recognized Jamie as its master and maintained a chair at the middle of the dais as a constant reminder of its ownership. To my right was a library the size of half a football field, shelves of books were accurately arranged in rows; at the centre a round table was based with chairs for comfortable reading and a laptop with internet connectivity for whatever research necessary. In the kitchen to my left, situated at the centre about five feet long was a dining table always occupied with plates of food. Food was always on the table, it just appeared and disappeared like in the Harry Potter movies. I still didn't understand the mechanics of such magic, but as this was a gift from Hecate I guess it made sense.
A winding stairs of two erected to an upper level of the mansion with two rooms above, as CJ, John, Marlin and Ellen stepped in more rooms appeared.
The light house possessed a mind of its own. I've only seen it physically morph into human form once at Jamie's request.
There were no windows in the banquet hall, only transparent shifting of the walls that told you the house moved in thin air. It was a mystery to be solved.
"What is that?" Marlin asks pointing at the frozen ball of ice standing next to a golden statue of Jamie. I always forgot about the statue, it appeared only in the presence of visitors or new occupants. I remember Jaimie complaining of seeing it once when Hecate gifted the light house to him, and when he invited me to stay in. Then it disappeared until Rey moved in and now.
The frozen ball of ice was another mystery to me. The only person who knew what it truly was, is Jamie. It was round like the moon, deep crusts bore into half of it and another side was protected by crystals of stalagmites.
"Something you shouldn't concern yourself with" I said.
Ellen could see into the mind of whoever was cocooned in that Ice ball, a single thought emanating from the stranger mind, Jamie crying for help. I shook my head to her and she didn't pursue it in front of the others.
The task I have planned for her is going to be difficult but it's a task she needed to complete.
"I only know of one thing for sure guys" I began, "with great power comes great responsibility"
I wanted to smack the smirk off Rey's face. Maybe the late night movies paid off, especially Spider-Man but I needed to start from somewhere. He was going to rub it in my face after this meeting.
"I can't promise this is going to get any easier but I'm going to be honest with you as possible as I can be" Marlin was nervous "It's not just the powers of the gods that have been bestowed upon me" I know the next part coming will be difficult for them, especially CJ. He will take it to heart "As your power unravels, so does your story unravel"
There was no response only confused faces glaring at me like I just said something out of this world.
"Babe you can do better" Rey whispered
I heave a sigh "Ellen, you know the story of Medusa, Arachne, and the Parthenon?"
She nodded.
"Now all those events will unravel in its own way in your life" I saw the slight shift in her shoulders "The same goes for all of you. I blessed you with the powers of the gods, but to evolve into the gods you were meant to be your stories have to unravel. Every demigod, titan, or giant your predecessors wronged or cursed in the past will definitely come after you."
Rey swallowed hard "Can I resign my powers?"
"Shut up Bossman" John snapped.
I cracked a smile "This is just the beginning for us and the rest to come"
I kept a steady gaze on their expressions, waiting for a sudden burst of question, or at least something out of the blue.
Ellen remained stolid yet I sensed after the meeting a barrage of questions would follow.
Marlin was shockingly happy, as if the thought of fighting titans, giants and demigods was appealing.
John was not moved at all, he was the only god throughout history with no quarrel with an immortal being. His duty was too important to waste his time with the dangers of the world, but even so this involved him whether he wanted to accept or deny it.
CJ didn't welcome my eyes. His face shifted in multiple sorrowful expressions which only meant he was hiding his true feelings. Part of me knew he was not alright with fighting titans, or giants. Another part of me felt sorry for him, because his greatest hurdle was Jamie.
I knew Rey so much that by now he was looking for a way to hide himself from this war. He wasn't not a fighter, but a lover. And he was allergic to violence and war.
"What about Jamie?" CJ finally asked "He's the one whose predecessor wronged and punished the lot of the titans, giants, minor gods, and demi-gods"
"Oh wow!" Rey spurted.
"Jamie can handle himself"
I gave a wild glance at CJ warning him not to pursue this subject any further "About Phobos and Deimos, I'll leave them to you and Thanatos" If any two gods could handle fear and terror then it was CJ and John. Each in their own way imparted those two terrifying emotions.
"We'll need bait" John said.
I've always seen this in movies but I never thought it could happen in real life. In unison we all set our eyes on Marlin.
Marlin shook his head "Why me?" he complained "Why not him?" he pointed at Rey.
"Dude" Rey laughed "I'm__"
"Don't be deceived by Rey's looks, he's not as weak as he appears" John said seriously.
Then, Rey and I glance at each like DAMN. Rey swelled up with pride "Thanks for the vote of confidence bro"
"I feel you brother"
Marlin shots at an envious glare at Rey, like Him? Strong? I bet after a year I can take him.
I chuckled
"I'll leave you to it"
"Dora wait" it sounded more of a plea than an order which compelled me to listen to him "We still have to find out what Prometheus is up to"
"He's right" John looked at me "Even if we deal with Phobos and Deimos, he'll just resurrect more powerful minor gods to replace them and hunt new gods. We need to find out his plan, and stop him before he captures any three of us"
John's voice was shaky at the latter end.
"We'll have some answers by tomorrow" I said flatly, "Ellen please follow me"
"We'll have Phobos and Deimos in the underworld by then" CJ confidently said.
I hope so.