"The eminence has summoned you."
"Me?"
"Yes, my lord, the one has summoned you."
The golden castle lawn it was, the beauty it was, but also mysterious it was and yet most of all, tranquil it was. "Why would the one needed I?" Whispered as uncertain he was. He walked behind the messenger, passing an unseen scarlet garden, unseen species of goat with tiny wings above its hooves, clouds white swam low as he passed by all. Soon it was when the scenery changed as he stepped onto the floor of marvellous golden marbles and the roof of gold that painted with a hidden history. He roamed sights to the balcony which opened a path to the golden clouds, walking alongside him, as a white eagle flew up and low and yet unsurprised he was, unsurprised he was but rather troubled he occurred. "You are in the presence of his eminence, be more than concentrated…" She who stood at right to the throne spoke loud and the messenger fled with hefty yet silent steps. He bowed, kneeled, and feared. "My majesty, I have been informed you, the one, has called a puny ordinary life like I?" Some words dissolve in the air, hard to hear for the reason that waterfalls next to.
"Yes, Kratos." It was a voice deeper than thickest lava and yet gently it sang in Kratos ears, nearly bringing tears within his eyes after hearing his name by him. His figure was big, bigger than anyone in that domain and yet small it looked in the presence of the king. "Say Kratos, how numerous decades have passed since have you been serving the Throne of Olympia?" A silence occurred amid a hidden answer. "W...well, the great one, I have known you and the family of Olympia mostly since your childhood bloomed." Kneeled he was, fear a little rose against arrogance. However, what little he had not known of that answer was not correct. The King's had a smile that may seem gentle and yet that withered upon the answer once dissolved deep in the air. "Kratos, you have known me, my family and yet you fail to memorize what names meant to me?" Words of chaos run through the veins within the family of Olympia and could be understood by only numerous. "M-my lord! Has something I did that wither the beliefs of yours?!" Kratos immediately asked in the deepest forgiveness. It soon arose clear the dialogue exchange was not reaching any further with a deep breath exhaled from his eminence of misfortune in Kratos spirits. "You inscribe yourself as God of Strength?" No mists were hidden and the point was obvious. "Betrayal." She declared even before Kratos thought of an idea to evade as his expression twist. "I ask why, Kratos?" Once again his eminence was as clear as the crystal equal to white sapphire. In the anxiety of never getting an answer quick enough to justify the crime he did, Kratos came up with only a mere apology. "I...I beg I beg you to forgive the indolence I have done!" A plea for his life was all he could have done in the far midst of fear. Nonetheless, his eminence surely has forgiven this unforgivable mistake, but he knew the one who stood before was not pleading guilty for the crime, but for his life to be spared at the cost of any and how would he know? "You are lying." He was the one who stood opposite to her and at the left of the throne spoke loud. "Kratos." He spoke the name of his. "I see lies in your eyes." No other doors left for him, for Kratos as for he was done just because he still thought of himself as God of Strength deep within his guts. The greatness averted his eyes from left to fix at Kratos "I, the ruler of the great Olympia, the God of War, shall declare you as guilty."
"No, I beg you, I beg you from the bottom of my heart." Yet 'no' was given to his plea, after all, he just couldn't feel the same from his spirit. "Kratos, I am positive, you may have heard of Theo ounces appearing on the surface of mankind?" The king has spoken the words of chaos. Hesitant as he was, Kratos was unknown by reply, however, he had to say his thoughts in the presence of his eminence. "Y-yes my majesty, I have a hearing on the matter."
"Then go and find it." His eminence sounded like the melting glass, but words are spoken we're far too harsh than it seemed. "B...but my majesty, the residing world of mankind is sealed by the great Jupiter…" Not that it was an excuse but the truth. "What do you suppose, his eminence does not acknowledge that?" A smirk appeared upon her face, knowing the king had judged the fate of Kratos…
***
A scream howled in the sky, butchered the spirits of the wall with ears, tainted the Olympus with blood and established a norm of punishment to know the name of God of Strength shall not be heard in the reign of his greatness.
....
"Hatim?" Zera spelt his name as he spun those gazes at her, swinging from the sky. "Sorry for the commotion before, those ladies just didn't know you do not come here for red-light streets because, you know, most men came just for that." A bead appeared on her face, revealing her tension. "The men of Marina? Why would they abandon the city?" Athena asked a lady, a wise lady, who walked before them, she was a resident nearby but she was also respected by many since she helps keep Marina alive in many situations. "Ah, actually, most of the men of Marina went for the navy because…" She seemed a little unsettled for some reason, and Zera saw that right through. "Because, you know, Marina once had a navy legion to protect the Artelian, Devian shared sea, but, remember, I told you, things happened and came about what they are now…" A quick explanation was all she could give with her little knowledge but still not enough for Athena. "So, in otherworldly, the navy is on their wits against the Dev army?"
"No, no, not quite like that," The wise lady interrupted. "So… you know, some years—more or less, ten years ago, lord Leocus allied with neighbouring countries that there will be no sea war because it cost far too much with far too few results, it was an agreement the leaders already have been thinking about for the longest time and when lord Leocus brought it up, despite being enemies, they agreed on it immediately…"
"There is a reason why he was called the Mastermind of Artelia!" Zera showed her applause, and the lady continued. "Well, it is not Dev navy that troubles us but rather, pirates, and even everyone here knows that they are sent by Dev royals, trying to make their grasp on Marina, almost like what happened to Melidiona, so, most of the men went for the navy, even children at the age of just nine or ten…" No words left to describe it and yet Athena just didn't feel at peace, but before she could open her mouth again, Zera interrupted hastily. "W…what's that?" A tent in a combination of red, blue and purple, quite mysterious it seemed. "Oh, that, uh, actually, you know, it's not what I would recommend, but there's a fortune teller. Most of the people here believe her, for being ridiculously accurate but also many feared her just as why, so… wanna go?" Zera knew there were tons of unpleasant questions heading towards the wise lady from Athena and so, "Yes!!" She accepted the proposal.
For some reason, Hatim was lost in his thoughts and just wanted to gaze at the sky. He felt something was calling him and yet didn't know what. He wanted to stay behind but once remembering the place he is in, the women passing through, gazing at him curiously, he had to go in no matter what, and so, he followed the ladies, though Athena walked behind him, fixed with stares at him. "~Wellcome~" A frail voice echoed even before they could see her. A lady, far in age than any Zera had seen. She seemed older than a hundred years and yet she smiled which surely was not something Zera could not be afraid of, she ran back to Hatim and grabbed his robe by the corner. "Welcome young ones, to this point where your destiny decide." She opens her frail arm as there were slashes that poorly sewed over her palms and yet it welcomed the 'young ones' in her presence. "Mistress Dodona…" The wise lady introduces all three of them while saying they are on her account, however, instantly Dodona fixes her stares at Hatim. "Oh my, a young boy!" Some tension appeared on the lady's face, revealing her complexity of the situation. However, Dodona became even more interested as her eyes dwindled to Athena. "Oh my my, what an absolute beauty!" Athena wasn't wearing her hood upon knowing there were mostly benign women around, hence, it led to Dodona's utter attention to be mostly on her. "Come here, child, I will positively tell you about your future!"
"Future?" Athena separates her stares from Hatim to swirl at Dodona. "I have never believed in oracles." A twitch became noticeable in Dodona's behaviour. "So my child, you have heard about oracles?"
"There are few that I have not known." Calm as always she seemed, but oracle also had met many with the same facade. 'She is just a lost child.' Dodona thought. "Then your knowledge certainly will rise if mixed with mine," Oracle said loudly and for some reason, Athena did not dislike that odds. "It may be able to."
Athena sat next to Dodona. Hatim stood behind along with Zera and the wise lady. "Now, first of all, tell me your name." Athena blink. "Athena." She knew it was futile to use made-ups. "What are your father's names"
"I refuse." It was an immediate answer Athena preferred to give with a straight face. "Hmm…" Dodona paused for a second. "Look my child, I will tell you what could change you for the greater good. Believe me, if you may like it, but if you don't, then you are pleased to leave, but remember one thing for sure; I might find what you are looking for." Athena didn't budge in the slightest. "You can whisper in my ear," Dodona said in a frail tone as a final choice. Athena soon came to know, this lady is not bluffing when it comes to her beliefs… "Very well." Hatim widens his eyes. 'How could she believe an unknown person but not those who walked beside her?' He thought. Athena leaned to Dodona's ear and whispered most of the words she wanted to know. The two distant themselves and merely stare deep into each other's eyes, suddenly Dodona eyes went a little white, an aura that seemed tough to be in presence of, hit them.
"Y...You will find something that you have lost for the longest time. You shall disclose that warmth!"
A loud voice echoed throughout the tent, Zera grasped tight on his robe, and yet they all stood with assurance. Dodona came back and gazed at Athena for a mere second or two but then spun to Hatim. "Now, you come here."
"No… thanks." It was the kindest he could decline and yet Dodona fixed her wrinkly stare at him. "You carry a burden?" A smile curled on her face, it was far too disturbing that even the wise lady felt a chill through her spine, and so she quietly fled the tent with silent steps. Hatim brows crossed with anger. "I would rather be the bait than listening to your nonsense."
"Do not think of yourself as miserable. You have far greater than you think, my child, you have far greater to lose." It was these words that peaked Athena's eyes as they swirled to Hatim in a flash. When did she stop ceasing more knowledge? Why did she don't want to know about Hatim even in the slightest, even now? Thoughts mixed and left Athena with some mere words. "You are committing this." Hatim spins his gazes at her, even angrier. He walked to that seat opposite to a table, opposite to where Dodona sat. Athena rose to her feet and Hatim sat in her place, Zera and Athena stood a little distant but still close enough."Tell me your name."
"Hatim." He replied without any shed of hesitancy
"Tell me your father's name." The same old question. Hatim swirled his eyes around to them. "Alexan Leonal II." A massive shock Dodona understood. "W-wait, what. Alexan? Unwithered his eyes were, Dodona replenished with turmoil. "Are you the lost one of the King?" Hard as it was to understand, Zera didn't even recognize the meanings of it while Athena merely stood with her usual blank facade. "Name of your mother?" She asked once again, in the hope of getting the wrong answer. "Alexan Leonal Gori." However, Hatim replied instantly. There was no mistaking it. This child is of that King. She was mashed up with thoughts, after all, no one, not even the nobles have ever known the last name of royals, except for royals, and except a few. She had known it from her great hundred-year-old knowledge, but a mere child could never have obtained the information, particularly, in an era like this one. A smile curled up her face, tension grew in her eyes, she was terrifyingly excited. "Name your blood."
"Alexander's." He once again replied with no hesitation at all. She then demands his hand, palm. Slowly, he pushes it to her, slow as it seemed a little strange as it seemed far too slow than it ever should. Once again, Athena wants this to never happen no matter the cause, she just can't cease more. Yet, running from what she does not know is not an answer, never has been. Dodona grasps his hand.
A presence, far worse than one could ever deduce, filled the air within that tent. What was it? Zera doesn't want to know, after all, how many unseen things have happened in her past few days, so this doesn't surprise her but suffocate her, hard to breathe it was, Dodona eyes weren't just white, they mixed, streamed with black and white, like a pound of two fishes, encircle every corner in the eyes she had.
"y.... you…is t—the… a curse… o—on… upon the world…. w—will…. tAint it for centuRiES. DIE before that happens, DIE, DIE, DIE, please, DIE… before that...… happens."
It was her scream, begging. Her grasp was tight upon his hand just as why he was unable to detach it even after using his tremendous strength. Suddenly, everything calms down, as if dissolved but 'as if' Athena surely could feel something wrong, but as before they all could cleanse more, Dodona woke, covered with sweat and just then when her eyes wandered to Hatim, she screamed. "Go away! You are no man, you are a curse, you are The End of This Era!" The wise lady shortly came in a hurry, she was standing next to the entrance, and so she was at the scene in a matter of minutes.
***
Calm and gentle breezes wiggle her short hairs. They all were mute this time, none knew how to proceed and even if they did, why would they? Hatim somehow had a blank facade, despite the experience, he felt nothing at all, no fear, no scar, but just simply empty. Athena was more into her own prophecy told by Dodona. 'You will find something that you have lost for the longest time." An image appeared deep within her eye, a burning figure and a smile as those words repeated in a cycle in her head. "I… I'm very sorry, this might be your worst experience in Marina. Despite how gentle Misstress Dodona is, I still can't believe she did something like you. I'm very sorry." She genuinely seemed sorry, but little Zera never took any of those things at heart, especially, regarding these two. "You don't have to worry. Hehe…" Though, tension didn't flee her eyes.
"Look, mama! A man! A powerful man!" Suddenly, a tiniest voice echoed, pointing at Hatim significantly. A child, small enough to fit Hatim's hand, pointing her index finger at him with pride to find him, to find a man. Her smile was brilliant. And all those fragments of tensions suddenly faded but grew warmth with a smile curled on Hatim, so did it curl on the wise lady as she leaned to give her a smooch on the cheeks. Zera, however, laughed, and also gave the child a similar kiss on her jiggling cheeks. The moment felt warmth in a matter of seconds.
All they laughed and yet Athena didn't. Zera swirled her snake-ish glares at her, unaware. "Why do you laugh?" Athena asked genuinely, however, another large smile appeared on Zera's face. "Well because we are humans. We don't forget how to laugh."