A servant led the way before us, his nervous glances abiding towards us by the second. I did not know what I was to expect---my destiny perhaps. But I forever feared that it would be proven to be atrocious. Apollo was the god of many things; healing, medicine and the bright circle that beamed over our heads. But also what he was most saught after----'twas the god of prophecy. It made the tips of my fingertips benumbed and my legs unweildy. I feared what I knew not.
We came across her residents in the center of the Temple of Delphi. 'Twas a room showered with gifts and extravagant rugs. The smell of cypress and rosemary flooded across the walls. And there she was, surrounded by small, uproots of life. Upon our presence, her company was no longer entertainment as she waived them away-
"Beggars."
Mother scuffed and watched as these men were hearded away by servants of Delphi. "They beg an oracle to change a fate so fermented. They have no shame in the house of Apollo."
I said nothing. Was I not a mirror image of them? If I had spent my years progressing to find that I would never achieve it----I would be one and the same.
"Approach, servants of Apollo."
I came forth and bowed before the barrier between us, the tip of my forehead brushing against the cool stone. "My greatings, Oracle of Delphi."
"I have seen visions of you---contridictions."
Ah....contridictions...confusion.
"I feel the spirit of Apollo within these walls, it is unmistakable. I will pry further."
I raised my head to meet her astute, grey eyes. Pry further?
"Clear the room, bring the wine of Apollo. The queen must be escorted out."
I peered over my shoulder as a bustle of servants went forth to carry out her commands. The room was emptied away with, including the likes of my mother and a small golden cup was placed in front of me. What was to happen?
"What is this?"
The oracle gazed down upon me, her expression omnimous. "Drink. To see his visions before it is too late."
I hesitated before bringing the cup to my lips, absorbing its bitter contents."How shall I speak to him?"
I leaned forward and rested my hand on the barrier's sureface, striken with a preceptitious vertigo. My body felt heavy, as if my soul were leaving its vessel, my vision obscure and darkened.
"You speak to him in the way he reveals."
************************************************

A soft wind fluttered over my skin and I opened my eyes. A wave of vivid green leaves circled through the sky above me, bringing upon a small whirlwind. I pushed myself away from the ground and my hands found the soft moss underneath me. In front of me was the greatest tree I had ever seen. There were countless shrubs and boughs to this tree, it would seem this was the forest.
Where....where was I?
I stood up and brushed the dirt away from my chiton. This....this place was beyond the world that I knew.
Standing at the foot of the tree's vast trunk was a woman. She wore a silk, cardinal scarf and a blue gown that expatiated the profound curve of her figure. Her bare arms and legs were the color of cinnomon.
I stepped towards her, percieving the immensity of this forest. It was bewildering---the alluring beauty of this place bringing upon a profound energy. I...had no words to fully describe its entity.
"Oh. Who're you?"
I glanced towards the woman. Her scarf had fallen across her shoulders which revealed an array of fiery, vehement curls that stretched out in all directions---encompassing the soft edges of her face and spreading across her shoulders.
"What's going on? Shit's odd as hell, what the fuck."
She looked quite innocent----did I hear such crude language excape her lips? From a woman?
She turned to me and frowned. "Well....random man in the....Greek thing, what's going on? Why is there some random, big ass tree in the middle of nowhere?"
I observed her questioning gaze and glanced at the tree. "I am Hellenic descent. And I do not know of this tree."
She glanced behind us as the forest wind grew silent. "Well....why do you sound like that? I'm...getting a sort of slavic accent going on. Do Greeks---I mean---Hellenics speak Russian?"
....what?
"Ok, so you don't. I mean, understandable. There are other slavic languages out there."
"I...what?" I stared at her perplexed. "We speak this language---as we speak. How do you not know what language this is?"
"True, true....but here's the thing, right?" She leaned against the trunk of the tree as her face expressed confusion. "I only speak English---and a little bit of Spanish---I don't speak hellenic like you."
"Macedonian." I corrected her. "I speak Macedonian, and in my eyes, you speak the same."
She laughed. "Oh, really? Odd. Do I sound weird?"
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Affirmative."
"Well." She shrugged. "I could say the same for you....but switched around. I'm Baani, by the way."
'By the way'? What does that mean? It is such an odd way to end a sentence. Did she find it on 'the way'?
"Ah..." I nodded. "I am Alexander."
"Well, hellooo there, Alexander." She walked towards me and wrapped an arm about my shoulder. "I don't really know you that well, but we're kind of in this together----for the sake of the friendship, okay?"
"I....?"
"But what I mean to say is...." She pushed herself away and posed in front of me. "I've been stuck in this place for days---"
She perched her hands forward and lifted her leg---I suppose it was a flying beast she wished to imitate. I watched her, hesitant.
"----I've tried to get out in many ways." She shook her mane and winked before moving her neck to that of a chicken. "The creatures come out at night, they don't come to play. They after my cheeks, it ain't no game, game."
I could not tell whether she wished to be a crane or a hen. Was....was she sane?
"But now its pretty clear," She held her fists close to her face as she parodied as a contestant to a boxing match. "I couldn't live in fear."
Wait, did word of possible beasts excape her lips? I watched her, too amused by the tale to inquire further.
"But I had to find an ace." She reached into the pocket of her dress and revealed a small, bage lizard. "The homie's name is Dave."
I....okay.
"---I was kinda loosing face, but now you're here. I even found a cave, so no need to shed any tears."
The tale had ended and I studied her, not exactly aware of the correct way to respond.
She lifted her arms to the sky, and clapped the tips of her fingers together enthusiasticly. "Thank you! Thank you! I appreciate it! Yes, yes, I did come up with them bars on the spot. How? Heheehhh, a magician never tells."
I clapped the tips of my fingers together as well, but more reclined and less enthusiastic. "Congratulations."
She jolted her shoulder up and flipped her hair, turning to flare her nose at me. "Why, thank you."
The winds suddenly grew stronger, as it pulled the dancing leaves along with it. She paused, gently stroking her beast as she looked towards the darkened sky----her mood also changing. "Welp. It might rain. Well, thats good----fresh water. But its also almost nighttime. We better go back to the cave."
She started forward before I could even agree.
I....is this what Apollo wanted me to see?