As The Scrolls Unroll -- One

[vox]

As she stood there Aphemenie found it difficult to concentrate on her immediate surroundings, she could still hear the voices of Fenn and Penn. She hoped that the others had not noticed her sudden distraction and that they did not think she was ‘a bit distant’ or trying to withdraw from the ‘goings on’. Aphemenie suddenly remembered something, something that she had not noticed or placed any importance on before. In all the time that she had spent in her village, she had never seen anyone else fly. The ones that did have wings did not seem to use them, either that or they could not use them! “Hmmm! puzzling?” she thought, “why had I not noticed that before?” She must remember that when she does ‘meet’ with Fenn and Penn, to approach them on foot and not suddenly descend from above, so as not to startle them.

Suddenly out of the corner of her eye she noticed Eurayle walking towards Jason and as she walked it appeared to Aphemenie that the form of Eurayle began to solidify and lose it’s ‘ghost like’ appearance as she helped Jason from the ground. Aphemenie also heard the words spoken between Jason and Eurayle, they stirred a distant memory in the back of her mind. Also, the ‘witch in the blade’ that Jason referred to troubled her, she must be on her guard at all times if she was to protect him, but something else was causing her more consternation. Jason’s features had changed, there seemed to be a ‘darkness’ about him, his eyes had lost their sadness and an evil look, had replaced them, it looked to Aphemenie as if he were out for revenge.

[Phalon]

The following was dictated to me by Scrappy . The first person in the post is Scrappy's character.

We all watched the drama unfold as if we were characters in a Fellini film. The background all black and white, punctuated by bursts of red. Each character living in our own little world, separate, yet all an important piece of the film. Each affected by and affecting the others, Jason’s torment washing over the rest like a raging flood. Aphemenie’s developing affection for the tall blonde tempering our desire to just evacuate to a less melodramatic part of the story. Phalon’s desire to help, but longing for home, and my complete disinterest in their stories. I was the red balloon being tugged along by the wind, going whichever the direction the rest of the stories blew me. It was time I blew back.

I waited while Eurayle helped Jason up, and they exchanged a few words which I could not make out, then I stepped forward and addressed them both. Looking directly at Jason, “I’m sorry for your loss. And I’m glad you seem to be amongst the living again.”

Turning to Eurayle, “But I believe we were promised some answers. I don’t know about the rest of the assembly, but I would like to have them now. I vote we all go back to the tavern, order some breakfast, and talk for awhile.”

Not waiting for a reply, I think mostly not wanting to deal with a debate, I turned, and began making my way down the hill again.

[moonglum]

He watched Scrappy walk away and begin her descent down the cliff path. The others followed after her. Jason shivered and looked around for his shirt. The dawn had brought with it a chill wind and the remains of the pyre guttered and blew sparks across the cliff-top. He put his shirt on and started to follow the others when Soulrazor began to hum. He gripped the sword with his left hand and turned to look out over the ocean. Then he heard it. Still far out, but growing nearer. They would be here soon. For a brief instant, his eyes flickered from blue to black, and back again. He smiled to himself as he followed after the others. Soon my love, she whispered in his head. Yes, soon he thought.

[Phalon]

Slightly amused, Phalon watched Scrappy begin her way down the path. She’d grown used to the woman’s abruptness while in the House of Whoosher. Sure strides on the highly polished floors announced her arrival before she entered a room, and echoed her departure long after she left. The sound of her heavy motorcycle boots emphasized her presence, demanding attention. Here, there were no polished floors. The sound of her boots on the hard-packed earth signaled Scrappy’s departure with a dull thud, less sharp than the striking echoes in the halls. But the effect was the same: they commanded she be heard. Smiling, Phalon wondered if Scrappy ever treaded lightly.

It was for this reason Phalon started toward the path, following Scrappy. Oh, she needed answers too – answers to many of the same questions Scrappy had, she was sure. But there was another reason, a less obvious one, and one that if Scrappy knew, Phalon would have Tartarus to pay. It was to watch over her friend – a friend that felt she would never need protection from another. Scrappy had never been to Greece though.

The Greeks were Phalon’s people, and she knew all too well what a superstitious people they were. Outsiders were regarded as barbarians and viewed with suspicion. Once her visions started, Phalon herself became the object of suspicion in the village of her childhood, and left because of it. Upon her return years later, she was feared and scorned by the many villagers outside her family. Fear of what is not understood breeds hatred which often manifests in violence. Scrappy was an outsider; she did not speak their language. These reasons, coupled with Scrappy’s quick temper – her tendency to not tread lightly – caused Phalon to envision a simple misunderstanding of words escalating into an all out fight. It wasn’t that she felt needed to protect Scrappy; she just needed to act as a buffer between cultures. This amused Phalon - only because she could also envision Scrappy’s response to being watched over in such a way.

It wouldn’t be a quiet response, she was sure.

[Phalon]

Descending down the path from the cliff-top, Phalon took Eurayle’s arm within her own. “It’s good to see you like this, Eurayle”, she said, “instead of only as a vision inside my head, fuzzy around the edges.”

“It’s good to see you too, my Child”, Eurayle smiled.

Phalon smiled back. “No riddles this time around, okay?”

“Phalon,” Eurayle’s eyes twinkled, “that I cannot promise.”

Arms linked, Phalon and Eurayle proceeded after Scrappy, followed by Aphemenie, and then Jason. Their walk was a quiet one, the five of them perhaps absorbed in their own series of questions and would-be answers. Impulsively, Phalon stooped to pick a flower and handed it to Eurayle. “Just like the child in my garden”, Eurayle said, accepting the gift and tucking it behind her ear.

“That seems so far in the past. So much as changed since that time”, Phalon responded. “Did you then, foretell any of this now?”

“The past remains”, the seeress started, and Phalon sensed this was going to be one of those riddles Euryale all but promised she’d make. “It cannot be affected by the present or by the future. Actions taken now mold the shape of things to come. But the past is constant; it can never be changed…”

Feeling like the child again that Eurayle spoke of in her garden, Phalon sighed as her old mentor continued, “Every conflict has a resolution. It may take a day, a lifetime….or even longer, but eventually every struggle comes to an end one way or another. The present cannot change the past, but the past affects both the present and the future.”

“And you”, Phalon retorted, “have not answered my question.”

“Ah, but I have, Phalon. Otherwise, I would not be here. It’d be wise to remember what I just told you. It may come to serve you later.”

They’d reached the small port town; market day was in full swing. Their process through the streets was made slower by the crowds that weren’t there earlier that morning when they struck out to find Jason. It wasn’t long though, before they reached the tavern, and Phalon stopped Scrappy at the door before entering.

“Let someone else do the talking, Scrappy, until you’re seated. If anyone in the tavern says anything to you, just smile and nod.” Scrappy started to protest being told what to do, but Phalon said, “Just do it. I’ll be in in a moment.”

“Oh?” Scrappy said, with her brow raised.

“Something caught my eye…” She slapped the doorframe above Scrappy’s head. Wiping her hand on side of the building, she continued, “Something other than that, I mean. Damned locusts; I thought we got them all last night", she grinned. "Anyway, I saw something I need to check out. The past remains...”

Before Scrappy could say anything, Phalon turned and seemed to vanish, swallowed by the crowd.

[vox]

Aphemenie walked ahead of Jason, this time not watching him. She watched as Phalon and Eurayle linked arms. “Their history must go way back” she thought. Her own thoughts drifted to the ‘other conversation’ she was hearing. Fenn and Penn were still travelling towards them; she knew they were coming as their conversation was much clearer to her than before. It would not be long before they caught up with them. That had at least solved the problem of whether Aphemenie would go to them or not. She would have to ensure that she was prepared for when they finally meet.

What was it they were saying, something about a sword? No! it couldn’t be……..[/i]Why would they want that particular sword?

So that was it! they were not looking for her at all! They only mentioned her name because they knew she was with them. How did they know about Jason and the others? “That’s a thought” Aphemenie said to herself. If Fenn & Penn have the same ‘abilities' as she herself has, they would already know how many were in their group, their names and what has already been said, they would also be able to read her mind!

Aphemenie tried something. In her mind, she asked Fenn & Penn what they wanted. She did not receive any transmitted thoughts from either of them. “Hmm…. maybe they do not have any telepathic abilities!” she thought, either that, or they are not willing to communicate with her. Her head was beginning to ache, from the sheer concentration that it took in trying to mentally project her questions to the brothers.

She dismissed any more thoughts of them as they entered the tavern.

[moonglum]

Aphemenie and Jason entered the tavern and found a table by a window, the other three women lingered by the doorway. The inn was busy and no traces of the previous night’s activities remained. The locals had coped. They were traders, fishermen and merchants. The entrepreneurial market spirit had even provided a new innkeeper, who saw them enter and made his way across to their table with a pitcher of wine and some mugs.

Scrappy sat opposite Jason, staring at him across the table. She leaned forward and said.
"Who are you?"
"That's a very complicated question. I'm not sure I know how to answer it," he replied.
"Try," she said with a sideways grin.
Jason tensed and glared at her, then relaxed as Eurayle lent across and placed a hand on his. "It's alright Jason, you can trust them."
He sighed and said. "I have had many names, but I was born Jerek Courdes. Seventh son of Vaelen, head of the Third Family and Liege to the Middle Realms."
"What Lord of the Rings movie are you living in?” Scrappy laughed, receiving blank stares from those around the table.
"Never mind", she sighed, realizing that none of them had ever been in a movie theater...
"You asked," Jason said.
"But, the symbol on your shoulder? You are related to us, you are part of our bloodline."
Jason smiled and replied, "The mark you refer to is our family crest. Every son was marked at birth. As far as bloodlines go, I've been around for many thousands of your years, so I think it's fair to concede that we may very well be connected somewhere, somehow. But where and why, I don't know." He looked towards Eurayle and, with a grin, said. “Although I suspect you may know more than you’ve ever let on, old friend.”
Scrappy shook her head. "No, there's gotta be more to it than that, there must be. You have an inherited power, right? Some sort of second-sight, maybe."
"My brothers and I were telepathic and could read minds, but ........" Jason stopped mid-sentence and stared over her shoulder, into space. He thought about his family, long since deceased, his brothers and sisters, his mother and father. Sadness clouded his face and Scrappy thought she saw the beginnings of tears forming in his eyes. Someone in the tavern laughed loudly and, as quick as it had formed, the mood was broken. Jason looked into her eyes once more and said, "That was all a long time ago, I can only do it very occasionally, nowadays."

(Many thanks to Scrappy for the 'Lord of the Rings' line.)

[vox]

The wine tasted good, like the sweet nectar from berries that she feeds upon. It had been a while since Aphemenie had tasted something quite so good. She sat there in silence feeling the warmth from the wine coursing through her veins, listening to the probing questions from Scrappy to Jason, wondering if it were her turn next.

Aphemenie was fascinated by the'symbols' and her naturally inquisitive nature was more than interested in Jason's answer, also she was intrigued by the revelation that he is telepathic, but she would wait her turn........

[Phalon]

The past remains of a long ago war were all but forgotten except in hearts and memories of those who fought it. The ashes from funeral pyres were blown across the land by the winds of time. Unclaimed bodies decomposed and returned to the earth. The survivors scattered, some forming small nomadic bands, like the one Phalon had traveled with. And then there were those that just seemed to vanish, leaving no body, no trail, or no trace of themselves behind….

* * * *

As her eyes scanned the marketplace, she thought about what Eurayle had said about the past, present and future. The great seeress had stated the obvious: the past cannot be changed. Phalon knew Eurayle never said anything without reason. Eurayle was dead; that she was the “past” she spoke of, having the ability to change the present and future was easily enough understood. ‘Otherwise, she would not be here.’ What puzzled Phalon was why Eurayle emphasized that she remember something that was evident and accepted without question. That was where the riddle lay. And right now, Phalon did not know the answer.

“There!” she yelled in her head, seeing through a break crowd. The gap closed quickly as people milled about, and she lost sight again. “Excuse me”; “Pardon”; “I’m sorry, but I must get through”, she seemed to apologize continuously as she pushed her way through the busy street. She silently cursed her stature for not being tall enough to see over the heads in the crowd. But then she saw her, the one woman she knew who was even shorter than herself.

“Joxcenia!” she shouted in a loud voice she hoped would be heard over the braying of cart animals, bartering, the squawks of hens, and all the other noises that seemed to thwart her effort to be heard. The short blonde continued on her way, obviously oblivious that her name was being called.

One final surge brought Phalon bursting through the crowd, almost falling at the woman’s feet. “Joxcenia, I can’t believe it’s really you!” she exclaimed, foregoing the typical Amazon greeting of clasping forearms, and opting instead for a hug big enough to nearly topple them both onto the ground. “By the gods, it’s been years!!! We all thought you died during the war”, Phalon gushed on, ignoring the shocked expression on the other woman’s face.

“I…I…I’m sure I don’t know what you are talking about”, she stammered, quite stunned and caught off guard at being accosted in such a manner by a complete stranger. “And I have no idea who you are”, she added.

“But Joxcenia!” Phalon said, grasping the woman by the shoulders. “You don’t remember me? Phalon? The mystic? The blue robe? Come on…we fought together side-by-side? None of this rings a bell?”

“No bells; no whistles either. Maybe a little alarm from getting almost pushed to the ground though”, the blonde uttered with a hint of indigence in her voice. “I am not this Joxcenia person you think I am.”

Phalon shook her head. I suppose I could be wrong, she thought. It had been such a long time ago, she could be mistaken. In fact, she got nothing from having touched the woman; none of the typical snatches of another’s memory she received through contact. It was as if the woman’s mind was nearly a blank slate; a book with all but a few chapters torn from it. Her features though were so similar to Joxcenia’s, they could be twins. So similar to…

…to Joxie’s? Joxie from the House of Whoosher?! Pfft! The thought was absurd, and she pushed it from her mind. “My most humble apologies for what surely has been a case of mistaken identity”, she said with great flourish, sweeping the material of her robe behind her in an exaggerated gesture of humility as she bowed to the woman.

The robe swirled about her legs as she turned and dissolved back into the crowd as quickly as she burst from it. The blonde was left to stare after her, mouth held agape from the odd encounter with the strange woman.

* * * *

"No, there's gotta be more to it than that, there must be. You have an inherited power, right? Some sort of second-sight, maybe."

"My brothers and I were telepathic and could read minds, but….that was all a long time ago, I can only do it very occasionally, nowadays."

Nearly out of breath from running through the market, she plopped herself down at the table as Scrappy and Jason talked. She’d barely stopped in time to open the door of the tavern, causing someone to laugh loudly as she stumbled through its frame, her eyes not yet adjusted to the dimly lit room.

Softly humming a tune she heard not so long ago, she looked around the table and wondered if what Eurayle had said was incorrect. Is it possible for the future to affect the past?

"The worms crawl In, the worms crawl out…"

[vox]

Backstory part 2

It was during one long hot summer’s day, that she spent preparing animal hides in readiness for them to be made into garments, a craft that Gnan had taught her, that she remembered she had been feeling a little drowsy and at the time had thought to herself “ It must be the heat” and before she had realised it, she was awoken suddenly by a knocking on her door, “Who is it” she said, “It is I Goranje!”. She quickly jumped from the bed, hastily tidied it and herself. She was very fond of Goranje and would always make time for him, Aphemenie said “please come in”.

Goranje entered, Aphemenie beckoned him towards a chair and offered him refreshment. “I noticed that you have been away” he said. “Yes, I have been helping my “friends” Aphemenie said. While they were drinking, Aphemenie recalled past events to Goranje. He listened intently, not asking any questions, just letting Aphemenie talk.

After she had told him everything, Aphemenie said to Goranje “I cannot understand why I had such vivid, disturbing visions?” Goranje said “do you remember when I was telling you about how you came to be?” Aphemenie nodded, “What you experienced were visions from Mervina’s past, the things she saw as she was flying high in the sky”. “I am afraid this is something that you are going to have to live with my dear, some of the memories may be nice, and some may be horrendous” “Dragons of old had a telepathic bond with their riders, formed by mental impressions the dragons received at the time they hatch from their eggs”. “They are commonly said to possess some form of magic or other supernatural power”

“Dragon people continue to follow their hearts' desire with dauntless determination”. “Not only will you experience flashbacks from Mervina’s past, you will also experience her feelings….., and all that comes with the gained knowledge of the Linjaldrage”

They finished their refreshment and Goranje bade Aphemenie farewell and returned to his own hut. She was surprised and a little afraid of what she had just been told.

----------------------------------------

Some of it was beginning to make sense to Aphemenie now, her ability to hear other’s thoughts, and how she managed to conjure up locusts from within and also the fire, the fire that raged from her mouth when she wanted to catch the attention of Scrappy and Phalon, something that she would have to keep under control. but she still felt that she needed to find out exactly why she feels that she has a connection with Jason………….

[moonglum]

Commander Marcus Elygious stood in the prow of his Liburnia and felt alive. The fleet had rowed all night, spurred on by the light from the beacon, its flames guiding them towards that distant shore. It would be a few more hours yet before his oarsmen struck landfall, till he felt that crunch of keel on wet sand. This was what he was born for. His galley was the more elegant of the ships in his fleet. He smiled to himself at the thought. It was laughable really; three ships and the Empire called it a fleet. Well, three ships or not, his two hundred men would be enough to quell the growing air of insurgency in these bleak islands and coastal villages of the mainland. He breathed in the salt air with relish, as he thought about the troubles in his own country. Truth be told, he was glad to be absent from Rome. He had always been a loyal subject of the Empire and over the years had elevated himself through the ranks to his first command, but times were changing. Now he intended to show the Imperator-in-waiting that he, Marcus, was worthy of notice. With the Emperor Tiberius living in self-imposed exile, Rome was controlled by Lucius Aelius Sejanus. The self-appointed regent controlled the old Praetorian guard, giving him access to a garrison of some 9000 men encamped within the walls of the city. Sejanus had set about removing all opposition and there were already, almost daily, trials and executions. Young commanders with ambition were dispatched on fool’s errands to keep them distant from the seat of power. To stop them forming stronger alliances with senators who had an eye on that seat for themselves. There was a cloying air of suspicion and distrust everywhere. Yes, Marcus was more than glad to be here. He surveyed the approaching shoreline and thought today would be a good day.

[Awesome Aphrodite]

Note: This post contains brief nudity of a minor. I was told to add a warning.


"I'm a... what...?"

The teenaged centaur repeated himself.

"You're a werewolf, STUPID!"

I shook my head. That wasn't true. How could I be a werewolf? I was just a kid! Barely even ten years old! I hadn't been bitten by any werewolf. And my mother certainly hadn't been a werewolf. She was an Amazon sorceress.

"You're lying!"

"Oh yeah? Think hard. Think of what it would be like if you were a wolf. Think of running around, chasing rabbits, doing whatever it is that wolves do. If you don't turn into a wolf within an hour of thinking that stuff, I'll buy you lunch for a week."

I stared at him. Was he serious??? Lunch, for a WEEK? That would save me twenty dinars! Ooooh, he was on. Grinning, I stuck my hand out. He took it, and we shook on it.

"Deal."

Sitting in the orphanage yard near his front feet, I concentrated. I don't know how long I sat. Concentrating on one thing for so long was hard, but I was determined to win the bet. And if I didn't look like I was concentrating hard enough, he'd say so. So... what would it be like to be a wolf? Well, firstly, I'd have a tail. That'd be kind of neat. I'd be free of the orphanage, and that would be...

What... was that...?

I heard screams erupting from around me, and the sounds of footsteps running the other direction. I opened my eyes and looked. My hands... were turning into paws...! My clothes were being torn to shreds as I transformed. The centaur who had made the bet stood over me, looking down at me and laughing. I tried to ask him for his help, but all that came out of my mouth were barking sounds. He pointed at me, then kicked me in the face with his left front hoof. I went flying across the yard, only stopping when I hit the fence that surrounded the orphanage grounds. Hitting the ground hard, I stood and looked up.

Oh no. I whimpered. Not her. Turning, I scrambled up and over the fence, hit the ground on the other side, and took off into the woods.

I wandered for a long time. Pretty soon, I had no idea where I was. I was still a wolf. WHY was I still a wolf...?? Could I go back...? Would they take me back...? Had they known...?? I shook my head. I was tired. As it got dark, some instinct seemed to take over, and I followed my nose back to the orphanage, collapsing on the porch.


"Annabelle."

Her voice woke me. I was cold. Opening my eyes, I looked up.

"Hi, Jess."

I could TALK... I looked. I was human again! And... I... was naked...!! Desperately, I tried to cover myself. Jess just smiled and threw a blanket over me. She helped me to my feet and led me back to my room. She had a bag on her back, and she pulled out some clothes, handing them to me. Jess had always been so nice to me. I wished she worked here, and wasn't just a regular visitor. She smiled as I pulled on the clothes she had given me. Before she left, she looked over her shoulder at me.

"I swear, Annabelle, one day I'll adopt you, and take you away from here."

As she left, I thought 'no, one day I'll run away from here.'



A hand on my shoulder woke me up. I must have been making quite a noise.

"Annabelle. Annabelle, calm down. It's just a dream."

I opened my eyes and looked up at Traya, who was looking at me with concern. Stretching, I stood. Her expression changed. She was no longer concerned, but she was serious. She spoke to me as if she knew I could understand her... but... how could she know that...?

"As much as I like you, Annabelle, you belong to Queen Ellie. You should probably go back to her, before she worries about you. Just... be careful out there... the other Amazon tribes arrived this morning. Don't get stepped on. There are a lot of them."

Reaching down once more, Traya patted me on the head and pointed at the door.

"Go on."

I gently licked her hand, then slowly walked out into the morning air.



Notes: Blue dialog is Greek.

[Phalon]

Power Shift: The Rise and Setting of the Sons
Part I

Long, long ago, even before our story began, the reign of the skies was shared equally by man and woman. Brother and sister, Hyperion and Theia ruled together as god and goddess of the sun.

Man eventually became suspicious of having a woman, goddess or not, having so much control. Women were considered the weaker of the sexes in terms of strength and knowledge. A patriarchal society became prominent, and the disempowerment of women was set in motion. This was not only applied to mortals, but was so true for the heavens.

And so began the usurping of power.

Hyperion and Theia eventually married. They retired the skies to their three children: Helios, the new god of the sun, and his sisters, the goddess of dawn, Eos, and the moon goddess, Selene. These new goddesses represented to mortals the embodiment of all that is pale in comparison to the brilliance of the sun. Femininity meant chaos; a weak version of man. Female strength and power meant darkness – and darkness symbolized evil.

As time wore on, even Helios’s light began to fade as new race of gods was born: The Olympians. With them came Apollo, the God of Light. Apollo was the most beautiful and best loved of all the gods. All sun gods and goddesses before him paled in the Greeks’ adoring eyes. Forgotten, they faded like setting suns, and Apollo became the “All-Conquering Sun”.

The all-powerful ruling sun was male from this point forth, and the weaker moon was female. There were no more sun goddesses.

Except for Medusa.

Medusa was more ancient than even Hyperion and Theia. Appearing in the sky as a disembodied head with the rays of sun flaming outward, she was so powerful that a mortal could not look at her directly without going blind, which eventually led to madness. She could only be viewed as a reflection.

During the time of the new Olympian gods, the patriarchal society demanded something be done with Medusa. She was too powerful to just fade away. They reduced her to a hideous Gorgan; her once glorious rays reduced to hissing snakes. One of three sister beasts, she was the only mortal of the three. She could be killed. She had to be.

Athena, an Olympian, was step-sister to Apollo. This virgin goddess was everything a mortal woman was not. She was a goddess of logic and reason, instead of an emotional female. But if Athena was to kill Medusa herself, she would have claimed power reserved for man. So, in keeping with the digression of female power, she had to get a man to do the job. Athena gave her weapons to Perseus, so he can claim the victory over Medusa.

Perseus used a shield as a mirror to see Medusa’s reflection, and cut off her head. Her death is symbolic: a powerful disembodied head of the sun who could only be viewed as a reflection, is now a beheaded monster. To further insult the once sun goddess, from Medusa’s blood springs forth Pegasus, a wondrous horse for the man that killed her. The feminine power of creation now serves man.

The destruction of the powerful female sun was complete.

* * * *

In a different realm a battle for control between light and darkness was also fought. In this realm, at approximately the time Theia was forced to relinquish her reign, another race was born. This was a patriarchal race of sons, each marked with a symbol of power at birth…




author’s disclaimer: the portion of this post written in italics was taken from information contained in an all-time favorite of my favorite threads: Mything Persons. I can not vouch for the accuracy of the information that I wrote, though I can personally vouch extensive two-minute drills were performed in order to obtain it. But really…how extensive can a two-minute drill be?

[Phalon]

Power Shift: The Rise and Setting of the Sons
Part II

“Nice of you to join us”, Scrappy said as Phalon fell into the chair next to her, breathless from running through the marketplace. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yes, I did…and then again, no, I didn’t”, Phalon shook her head, trying to shake the worms in Joxie’s song from it, and along with them, the similarities between Joxie, the woman in the street, and the Amazon she knew so long ago. She sighed, and drank deeply from the mug of wine Scrappy offered her. “What did I miss? I heard Jason say he and his brothers could read minds? I don’t understand. I thought it was only women in the family who had the gift.”

“I don’t understand either”, exclaimed Scrappy. “Remember, Phalon, we found that book of the family’s history in the house? The genealogy traced the symbol bearer throughout generations and generations….from before your generation down to mine. It was always a woman. And then, Malory confirmed it when she explained why we were brought there.”

“I remember”, Phalon nodded, and turned her attention to the Seeress. “And you, Eurayle…just this morning you said it yourself on the cliff-top, ‘Maid, mother and crone…the heirs have all been female with the exception of one.’ Jason. But he and his brothers? What does all this mean?”

“Yeah, one man, ok. Two or three – maybe”, Scrappy chimed in. “But Jason said every son was marked with the symbol at birth. Why then, has it always been emphasized this was a power only reserved for certain women in the family?”

“To answer that, we have to go back thousands of years, and peer into a different realm. Jason’s time and his realm. Looks may be deceiving….although I may appear older, he has lived much longer than myself.” Eurayle chuckled at this, her twinkling eyes directed toward Jason. “You may be older perhaps, my friend, but I will not concede wiser”, she teased. “I’ve got this sage image to uphold, you know.”

When her laugh subsided, she continued. “It began with the age-old struggle between logic and emotion. Which is the better of the two? The more stable? Or is one superior to the other? If logic and reason are thought to be superior to emotion, what happens when decisions are made based solely on conscious reasoning, ignoring the subconscious level of emotion?

“The logic and reasoning of man is thought to be more superior than the emotion of woman. Who knows where this idea originated, but I’d bet it wasn’t a woman who came up with it”, she chuckled again, clearly enjoying being once-again among the living.

“Whichever god decided this was so, he bestowed upon the males in one family the ability to see into the lives of others by reading their thoughts on both a conscious and subconscious level. This was a great honor to the family, and a power not to be taken lightly. It was meant to be used to bring Order and Justice back to a dark time marked by Chaos. The symbol Jason said was placed upon them at birth came to be looked at as a sign of supremacy - a symbol of knowledge, logic, and reason: the triple knots of the triquetra.

“For a great many years this worked as was intended: logic and diplomacy prevailed, and the balance between Order and Chaos was maintained. It wasn’t always maintained easily, and without price though. It was a continual struggle, and the price paid by some was the ultimate one.”

She spoke softly, looking into Jason’s eyes now. “Jason’s family perished in the struggle; all of them murdered by the hands of the Lords of Chaos. Still, both the struggle and tentative balance continued as the bloodlines’ male heirs passed the power from generation to generation.

“There was a problem the gods did not foresee, though. What becomes of the possessor of power who uses only logic when dealing strictly with emotions? No man – or woman either – can look into the soul of another and not feel the emotion contained within that soul’s heart. Many of the males possessing this power were ill-equipped to manage such a flood of emotion. Wrought with feelings that weren’t their own, they became incapable of the very thing their power came to represent – logic. Quite simply, a great deal of them went mad.”

Eurayle paused to wet her lips. “Pour me some more wine, Dear. It’s been so long since I’ve spoken, my mouth has become quite dry.” Phalon drained what wine remained in the pitcher into Euryale’s mug.

Taking a few sips, she continued, “Madness presents itself in many forms. Those who did not lose their minds went mad with power. Power corrupted them, and was used in a way that had never been intended – for personal gain. Father turned against son, and brother against brother, seeking to destroy one another in attempt to gain complete control. It took hundreds of years, perhaps more, but ultimately they destroyed everything the power represented. Many died. There were those who chose to take their own life in madness; others took lives of their own kin, seeking to become more powerful.

“Nature, in her wisdom, sought balance. She had to or the bloodline would have eventually ceased to exist. It is only when the power of emotion wins over the love of power, that the gift can be used as intended. The gift – for that is what it should be viewed as, and not a power - was handed over to the matriarchs. The more emotional of our species became the heirs.

Maid, mother, and crone – the three stages of woman. One woman each generation, with the sisters who came before her to guide her along the way. Mind, body, and soul – all three rule together; one can not dominate the others; they are not separate. They are intertwined so that the logical, physical, and emotional aspects of our beings serve as a whole. Earth, sea, and sky – the three realms in this World in which we serve. This is what our family symbol – the triquetra – has come to represent.”

Bright rays of sun shined through the window. They lit Eurayle’s face just as her smile did. “This is the way it is intended.” Almost instantly, the sky clouded; her face darkened.

“Our family’s earliest history serves as a warning that this is the way it always must be.”

[EllieNeo]

“here she is now.”

lauri spoke to one of the amazons who had arrived to help. there were so many amazons in the village that it was hard to walk. though many of them had gone to the medical hut or were setting up tents in the surrounding woods to get out of the way, that didn’t change the fact that there were still hundreds of amazons in a village designed for fifty.

ellie walked up to lauri. she noticed annabelle, in wolf form, was standing next to lauri. the amazon that lauri had addressed was wearing the garb of a queen. ellie nodded at her, and the two clasped arms in the traditional amazon greeting. pulling their arms apart, the amazon addressed ellie. she spoke in greek, which ellie had expected.

“it is a pleasure to meet you, queen ellie. i am queen reece. queen eglise was a fine amazon warrior with a long and proud history. she will be sorely missed.”

ellie nodded.

“yes, she will be.”

queen reece raised an eyebrow and looked at lauri.

“what did she say?”

lauri looked at ellie. she spoke to her in english, and queen reece gave them both a weird look.

“you know these amazons don’t speak your language, queen ellie. you’ll have to speak to them in greek.”

ellie sighed. she understood greek. she’d even spoken it, once, to the centaur she had spared during the year-long war. but that was only about one sentence. and she knew she got the accent wrong when she spoke it. she didn’t want to sound like a moron. she’d rather have a translator. how she wished universal translators like the ones in star trek were real. ellie’s eyes met lauri’s.

“no. translate. and don’t call me ‘queen’ ellie, unless you want a black eye or a fist in the mouth. you knew me before i was queen. and you know i never wanted the throne. it should have been ava’s. if i knew any of the amazons well enough to trust them with the throne, i’d pass it on. i don’t want it. but i have no choice. cuz the only living amazon i know very well other than you is janis, and i’m not[/i] giving the throne to her. and you told me you don’t want it, either. so just call me ellie. darnit.”

lauri sighed heavily, but agreed. she turned to queen reece and told her that ellie wanted her to translate. lauri knew that if ellie didn’t want to speak greek, no one could make her. lauri then told queen reece what ellie had said a moment ago.

queen reece nodded. she looked at ellie, and ellie felt her curiosity mixed with the sadness.

“i understand you were friends with queen eglise’s daughter, ava, while she was alive. and that she gave you her right of caste. which is why you are now queen.”

ellie almost glared at queen reece.

“at the beginning, yes, we were friends. and then best friends. but by the time she died, we were much[/b] more than friends.”

while lauri translated, ellie started to walk away. she had to get away from the huge crowd. her head was starting to hurt.

queen reece and lauri followed her. ellie couldn’t even hear herself think. she’d always hated crowds. she exited the village, the two women, omri, and annabelle behind her. once outside the village, in the quiet of the woods, she turned and addressed queen reece again.

“but that’s really nothing you need to worry about. is your tribe the only one that answered the call? where are the other queens? why are you all a day late? if the centaurs and romans had retaliated yesterday, you would have arrived at an empty village filled with bodies.”

after lauri had translated, queen reece pointed back towards the village.

“this is three amazon tribes, other than yours. so, four, total. queens ista and renee are still in the village. they’re getting their tribes organized and ready. combined with your tribe, there are a total of three hundred six amazons. we were late because there was very thick black smoke blocking our view of the road yesterday morning. we were all traveling together, and we couldn’t see two inches in front of our faces. this smoke was near a small town not far from here. we apologize for being late. we always answer calls for help from our sister amazon tribes, regardless of their size. and your tribe is the smallest tribe i’ve ever seen… no offense.”

ellie shook her head.

“none taken. we would be larger, but the year-long war that ended three years ago took many of our amazon sisters. including ava,... and... our unborn child." ellie paused, and wiped a tear from her face before continuing. “the war would not have happened if our centaur allies hadn’t turned on their leader and attacked us. so, sorry if it seems like the amazons in this tribe aren't very polite. they don't trust easily.”

queen reece looked at ellie and blinked slowly. ellie felt her confusion, but wasn’t sure why she was confused. as queen reece spoke, it soon became clear to ellie.

“i warned eglise about the dangers of allying herself with rondex’s tribe. rondex was a good man, and i know he was ava’s father, but the rest of his tribe were flea-bitten, blood-thirsty brutes. i’m confused, queen ellie… perhaps something was lost in translation. ava was pregnant… with your[/i] child… how is that pos…[/font]”

ellie raised her hand before the queen had finished her sentence, and she fell silent. ellie was glaring at her.

“lauri knows my language just as well as i do. nothing was lost in translation. you got that right. but, with all due respect, your majesty, it’s none of your damn[/i] business.”

ellie, no longer wanting to talk about ava or the war, turned and walked into the woods. omri followed at her heels, and they were both out of sight before lauri and queen reece had time to follow.




reminder: blue dialog is greek.

[Awesome Aphrodite]

I listened carefully to every word spoken between Ellie and Queen Reece. Most of it was just condolences, and information exchange. I didn’t expect to hear Ellie say what she had said before storming off into the woods. How was it possible that Ellie had fathered a child? My head hurt just thinking about it. I sat and listened to Lauri translate Ellie’s words to Queen Reece. The queen started to go after Ellie, but Lauri grabbed her shoulder and held her.

“Leave her. She needs to be alone. She will return soon. Tell the other queens to not bring up Ava or the year-long war in Ellie’s presence. She is still very sensitive about Ava and the war. Prepare your tribe for the battles ahead. Do not worry about Ellie.”

Queen Reece simply nodded, and the two women turned and walked back into the village. I sat where I was for several minutes, not sure what to do. I had been told I needed to help the Amazons win this war. That was one reason they had sent me. It was what the note from my mother had told me. But how could I fight a war for a people I knew very little about? I needed to know more about Ellie, how she had fathered a child, and why she was ‘The Chosen One.’ How were we supposed to save the Amazons if we didn’t even know anything about each other?

Using my powerful sense of smell, I followed Ellie’s scent into the woods.


Notes: Blue dialog is Greek.

[Phalon]

note: the following post was written by Scrappy and dictated to me by Dixie's Evil Twin. Or was it the other way around? Maybe it was written by the rabbit, and dictated by the fish? Maybe the fish did the typing, while the rabbit watched, and I ate carrots. Whoever did what, it's a Dixie's Evil Twin post.

The thing that inhabited Dixie’s body squeezed the rabbit’s chest a little tighter and stared into its black eyes. “Come little one, let me in.”

With smooth sureness, it began to release its hold on the witch’s body and began to slide into the rabbit. Like thick black smoke, it seeped into every vein and encircled the tiny pounding heart. Simultaneously taking control of the little animal and pushing its soul into the witch’s already abused body. The thing exhaled its last as Dixie and breathed a deep satisfying breath as the rabbit. Consciously slowing the rabbit’s out-of-control heart, the thing opened its new eyes and took stock.

“It’s a tight squeeze”, the thing muttered to itself. “But at least it’ll be less noticeable.” It attempted to stretch its new legs. “Yes, this will do just fine.”

The rabbit looked out of the blonde’s eyes and saw itself being squeezed by pink, fleshy hands. Abruptly the furry body dropped to the ground and looked back at itself. A look of pure terror crossed the witch’s face as she bolted on all fours into the woods.

[Joxcenia]

Trenna tried to shake the mood the old crone had brought upon her. She had been warned about the crazed woman who accosted villagers at the market, and had feared coming into contact with her. Some feared her magic was real and would not bring charges against her for fear of retribution. Others believed her to have lost her mind from past sins, but relatively harmless, in that she possessed no powers of any kind.

So why this mood? Could it be because she secretly feared the loss of her memories was due to past sins? Was she being punished by the gods? Or was it a self-inflicted punishment? There was speculation among the hospice workers that she might have gone to see Mnemosyne herself because she could no longer face the choices she had made in her life. If this were so, she never took into consideration that she’d be lost in the world, wandering for a place to call home --- a people who’d accept her without a time period of proving herself as worthy of friendship, and a place within the family dynamics. It didn’t help matters that she held back, feeling unworthy of inclusion within the fold.

“Joxcenia?” That name echoed in her head. It had a familiar ring to it. Like she’d heard it spoken before. But when? And where? Certainly not anytime in the recent past. So it would have to have been before she’d lost her memories. And if that were true, then her memories were not lost, they were merely dormant. And that thought gave Trenna hope. Hope that she would one day know everything again. Hope that she wasn’t being punished for past sins, and that she was a good person.

Trenna set her last rabbit trap and took off toward the river to quench her thirst. She sighed sadly at the thought of the dying woman who had begged for a taste of rabbit stew before she drew her last breath. She hoped the woman could hold on long enough to get her wish.

A motion out of the corner of her eye caught Trenna’s attention. A ball of gray fur scurried into tall weeds. Trenna crouched down low and slowly made her way toward the movement to see if the animal found its way into a trap. Eyes peered through leaves, watching her move near. The way the eyes focused on her made Trenna nervous. Goosebumps rose on her arms and legs, and every hair on her body stood on end.

“Let this one go,” a voice in her head warned. She paused mid-step, as she and the voice argued over whether or not to go after this rabbit, or to let it go. She scolded the voice on its fear of a harmless rabbit. Rabbits were born to be prey; they had no predatory bone in their body. Food or pet were their only choices once caught. Freedom was only a choice if they managed to elude capture.

Trenna smiled at the peering eyes. “I’m sorry, friend, but today is not a good day for you. I don’t relish taking your life, but I promised a dying old woman she would have you in a stew today. And I promise you, your death will be quick and painless.” She crept closer to the rabbit as she spoke, mesmerizing it with the sing song of her voice. She was one with her prey, both of the same minds, both becoming one being. “Your death will bring pleasure to another. What better reason to die for? What else is there for you to even exist for? You only exist to eat, breed, and feed. And today you feed. Nothing personal, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

The rabbit moved toward Trenna, a wide grin grew across its face, showing long sharp teeth. These teeth had not been worn down in a very long time, if ever. Trenna froze. The voice in her head went quiet. She smiled back at the rabbit nervously. That smile faded as the rabbit doubled in size then tripled. “Who’s the prey?” it asked?

Trenna cocked her head sideways. Did that rabbit just speak, or was it a voice in her head? Dumb question. Of course it was in her head. Rabbits don’t talk, and they don’t grow right before your eyes either. Still, she moved backwards against her will, struggling with the urge to flee.

“Cat got your tongue?” the rabbit asked with a hysterical giggle. As it grew larger, it divided into two.

That was all it took for Trenna to take flight. She ran towards the river at top speed, dodging all the traps she had laid between her and the water’s edge. As she leapt over one trap, a rabbit hopped out in front of her. She jumped to the left to take a different route and found that path blocked by a rabbit as well. Their smiles were evil, and Trenna’s stomach churned from the sheer panic engulfing her.

The two rabbits divided again and the four of them herded Trenna toward one direction. They ran her ragged, looping her around in circles, keeping her in the area of her traps. She managed to avoid the rabbits and the traps for an hour or more, and then managed to make her way to freedom. Somehow she made her way to fresh ground. Ground that was clear of her many traps. She collapsed, thankful to have gotten away. Now she knew what the rabbits felt like when she hunted them. The thrill of the hunt was lost to her forever.

*** Snap ***

Trenna froze at the sound of a twig snapping. Okay. She may be free of her traps, but she was not yet free of the pursuing rabbits. She sent out prayers to any gods who might kindly take note of her distress and took off at a sprint. She stumbled as her feet were yanked out from beneath her with a sudden force. Up into the trees she went, first her feet, then her legs, and then the rest of her. She hung there as the rabbits hopped ever closer, grinning from long ear to long ear. They bumped into each other and the four became one. It sat watching her, and she tried to focus on it, keeping it in her sight. Something she wasn’t able to do until she finally came to rest.

Now what, she wondered. Her eyes wide with horror.

[EllieNeo]

warning!: this post contains nudity.


ellie sat on the grassy hill overlooking the river. omri lay by her side, looking around. it had been years since she’d been here. it hadn’t changed. she closed her eyes, and again found herself lost in her memories.

they lay naked in the grass, looking up at the stars. ellie had her hand on ava’s bare belly. ava had been pregnant for three months now. the baby wasn’t old enough yet to be kicking, but ellie could feel its contentedness. she kissed ava’s belly and ava giggled.

“hey, i told you… that tickles.”

ellie smiled and held ava. the stars in the sky were so bright that it wasn’t dark. they laid on a hill overlooking the river, and they could see all the way to the other side.

“what are we going to name it?”

ava shook her head and placed her hand on her belly.

“if it’s a boy… i’d like to name it after my father. i… haven’t thought of any girl names.”

ellie thought that that was odd, since ava was an amazon, but she didn’t say anything. ellie thought for a moment. then she smiled.

“how about… nela?”

ava smiled, and looked up into ellie’s eyes.

“perfect.”

they kissed and held each other. after a long silence, ava spoke.

“ellie. if something happens to me in this war…”

ellie shook her head.

“don’t talk like that.”

“no. listen to me. if something happens to me in this war, i need you to go to father’s hut. i’ve written a note for you, and left it there. i sneaked in last night, when the centaurs were all sleeping. but i only want you to read it if i… if i die.”

ellie shook her head hard, and sat up, looking down into ava’s deep blue eyes.

“why are you telling me this now? did lauri show you the future? is something going to happen to you? you’ve never talked like this before.”

“it was just a dream… but… it made me feel like i needed to tell you some things. and i can’t tell you them if i’m still alive. promise me. if something happens to me, you’ll find the note. it’s in father’s dresser, by the back wall. promise me.”

ellie had tears in her eyes. but she nodded.

“i promise.”

ellie laid back down next to ava. neither of them spoke another word. they held onto each other tightly, and fell asleep on the hill in each others’ arms.

ellie felt someone’s curiosity and looked up. annabelle walked up behind her and sat, still in wolf form. ellie stood. she began walking, and annabelle and omri followed her. ellie really wanted to be alone, but she discovered that she didn’t really mind annabelle’s company.

[moonglum]

To say that Marcus was happy was perhaps an overstatement. It was true he enjoyed being free of the politics of home, and that he felt more alive at sea than anywhere else; but he had nagging doubts at the back of his mind. The passage here had not been without incident. During the night his ships were becalmed in a thick sea-mist and had to rely solely on their oarsmen. The mist showed no signs of abating and a strange wailing gradually swelled to accompany them through the night. It set their teeth on edge and jangled their nerves. Some men said the Sirens had risen to claim them as their lovers. His captains, although shaken themselves, had to exert authority to keep the manipularii from revolt. The lifting of the fog and the sighting of the beacon had lifted their hopes. Now however, as the coastline drew ever closer, Marcus slowly began to realise this was not the Greek coastline he knew of old.

[Phalon]

note: The following post is Scrappy's as dictated to me.



“Ok, so we’ve got the family history straightened out. Jason is from the near beginning of our line?” Scrappy looked to Eurayle and Jason for verification. They both nodded in unison. “I don’t know why, but I’m not surprised by any of this…and, eventually I’m sure we’ll figure out why we’re all here together now.”

She focused on Jason once again. “I just have one more question. We were all in that hell house together. I don’t remember anything after Malory’s speech and that dinner meeting. And the memories that I do have are fading and becoming unreliable at best. But before it’s all gone, I need to know what happened to Dixie.”

Jason looked back at Scrappy, but didn’t seem to recognize the name.

“Dixie, blonde witch. She was my…..she meant a lot to me. You were there at the end, you must know what happened.”

“I’m sorry, Scrappy. The house is magic, and the beast that inhabited it turned in on itself. Nothing could have survived that. Your witch was there with us at the end, but unless she was transported to the clearing like the rest of us…..” He left the rest unsaid.

“Ok.” Scrappy did her best to keep the pained look off her face. “Thank you for the information.” She pushed her chair back from the table and stood up. “If you’ll all excuse me, I need to go retrieve the rest of my gear from the room. And then I think it’s time I was on my way again.”

Scrappy turned toward the door, all eyes on her, then abruptly stopped a few paces away from the threshold. She turned back toward the table, a single tear rolling down her cheek, “Did you even try to save her? I mean,” her voice cracked, “at end? Did you at least try to keep her alive? Did I?”

Jason stood, “I’m sorry”, was all he could manage.

“Right. I understand.” Fists clenched, she stormed out of the tavern.

Phalon stood. Grasping Eurayle’s hand in her own, she said, “I’m sorry…but I must go too.”

“No need to apologize, Child.”

“But our visit was so short…too short.”

“We will meet again soon, Phalon. If not in this form, then in another. Now go see to your friend.”

Phalon kissed her great aunt on the cheek, nodded her head at Jason and Aphemenie, then followed Scrappy out the door. She found her friend in the room they had shared the night before. Her shoulders stiff and squared, Scrappy stood at the only window, her back toward the door. Phalon scanned the room. There was no gear left to retrieve. That only thing out of place were the dishes from Scrappy’s meal the night before. “So I see you left a lot behind. Are you going to pack up that dirty bowl to take with you?”

Scrappy didn’t bother to turn around. “I just couldn’t sit there any longer.”

“I know….”, Phalon let her voice trail off, and knowing her friend didn’t like to show emotion, she didn’t press further.

“I need to get out of here. Are you coming or not?”

“Of course, I’m coming. I can’t very well leave you to get in trouble all by yourself, can I?” she grinned in a weak attempt to cheer Scrappy.

“Ok, we need to pick up some supplies and head back to my bike. Then where to? Didn’t you say something about family around these parts?”, knowing full well Phalon had been anxious since they first discovered they were in Greece to find her family.

A short time later, laden with a few traveling necessities, they headed up the trail to the cliff for the second time that day, and to the forest beyond where Scrappy’s bike was hidden.

[moonglum]

Jason watched Scrappy stop and turn at the door. He saw the tear forming in the corner of her eye and thought of Dixie’s face as he held her in that dark cellar.

“Did you even try to save her? I mean, at the end.”

He had saved her. He had healed her and took her to Sanctuary. The only way to save her, to save all of them, was to return her to the others before he destroyed the Gods. Only, the others were gone. He had no control over that.

“Did you at least try to keep her alive?”

He sighed inwardly. Her anger was something he could understand, but didn’t need right now. He was tired of confrontation and he knew that, in what was to come, he would be unable to face emotions like this. Jason simply replied, “I’m sorry.”

Then with a, “Right, I understand.” He watched her storm out the door. Jason stood gazing at the closed door for a time before he realised the other woman was speaking. Turning towards her he acknowledged her nod and watched her depart too.

[EllieNeo]

special note: this is my 1000th post on the whoosh! forum.

WARNING! NIGHTMARE FUEL!!! these next two posts, though not as bloody as “what have i done?” are still very bloody posts. read at your own risk.[/u][/i]


ellie walked back to the abandoned centaur village, and into the hut that had once been rondex’s. omri and annabelle followed her in. she sat in the middle of the floor and again allowed the memories to overtake her.

the war dragged. many amazon and centaur lives had been lost. ellie hadn’t moved from ava’s bed except to eat. she was lost in her depression and spoke to no one. she lost weight, and she had no more hope. lauri sighed and entered ellie’s hut. ellie looked up at her. lauri’s eyes met ellie’s as she spoke.

“queen eglise has decided to surrender. she’s doing it tomorrow at dawn.”

after she said this, lauri turned and left ellie’s hut without looking back. ellie heard the rain start to fall outside, and a clap of thunder. ava’s voice rang in ellie’s ears.

“if the centaurs defeat us, they’ll kill us all.”

was this why ellie had been brought back? if she didn’t do something, the amazons would lose the war. if they lost the war, they would be wiped out. ellie shook her head and buried her face in ava’s pillow. ‘what would she want me to do?’ again, ava’s voice rang in her ears.

“promise me. if something happens to me, you’ll find the note. it’s in father’s dresser, by the back wall. promise me.”

ellie’s tears stained ava’s pillow as she started to cry. she whispered back to ava’s voice.

“i promise.”


ellie leapt through the trees. thunder rolled, and the pouring rain soaked her clothes and hair. it was after midnight. the only sounds were of the storm, and her boots colliding with branches as she leapt from tree to tree. finally, the centaur village was in sight. having lost their leader, the centaur tribe had become much less organized. their attacks had gotten sloppy, and out of a tribe of over a hundred fully-grown centaur warriors, less than twenty remained. she had come here without permission, and without telling anyone where she was going. she had had enough of this war. it had taken the love of her life, and their child. they all deserved to die for that. she would not give queen eglise the chance to surrender. she was going to end the war now, or die trying.

as she expected, there were two sentries posted near the entrance to the village. one of them held a bow, and a quiver of arrows was mounted on his back. the other one… ellie recognized him as the centaur who had thrown her sai in the river. his right front leg was bandaged. that wound must have been worse than ellie had realized, to still be bandaged so many weeks later. he carried a pair of sai. whether they were hers or not didn’t matter to ellie. she didn’t want them back. quietly, she drew the black sai from her boots. edging to the end of the branch she stood on, she waited for the pacing centaurs to turn their backs on each other.

she flew down from the tree, and her sai stabbed the throat of the centaur with the bow. he crumbled to the ground. ellie set her eyes on the other centaur. she felt his fear. he recognized her. good. she could use his fear against him. she ran at him, and their sai met with a clang. she knew that would draw the attention of the other centaurs in the village, but she didn’t care. she and the centaur exchanged blows for a few minutes. then she rolled to the right, and in one fluid motion dropped the sai in her left hand, drew her katana, and cut off his left front leg at the knee. he fell forward and his scream echoed through the village and the woods. ellie sheathed her katana, picked up the sai she had dropped, and stabbed his throat. when she looked up, she was surrounded by centaurs. they all glared at her. she felt certain she was going to die. then the image of ava’s faded, glazed over eyes returned. ellie threw her head back and screamed out in rage. her temper took over.

she leapt to the nearest centaur’s back, landing on it with both feet. she stabbed him in his throat. the one next to him tried to swing his sword at her, but she caught it with her sai, then swung it around and used it to slice his hand off. putting her sai on her boots, she did a backflip onto the roof of a nearby hut and drew her bow. she shot centaur after centaur, and they kept falling to the ground, arrows protruding from their foreheads. one of the centaurs managed to shoot ellie in the right arm before her arrow hit him between the eyes.

[EllieNeo]

one of the centaurs called a retreat. ellie wasn’t going to let them get away. she threw her katana at the centaur who had called the retreat, and it pierced him, through the back, in the heart. she leapt down from the roof, retrieved her katana from the centaur’s back, and chased after the last two remaining centaurs. she caught the first with her katana on the back of his right back knee, and he fell forward. she ran forward, and with one swing, removed his head. the last remaining centaur stopped running, and turned and looked at ellie. he had a chestnut body and dark brown hair. ellie was still enraged and she was seeing red. the rain was coming down in buckets. but she could still see his face. her eyes met his and she growled. he was terrified… he’d just witnessed the death of every other remaining centaur in his tribe. he dropped his sword to the ground and fell to his front knees into the mud.

“p…please… don’t kill me.”

ellie could feel his fear. she looked in his eyes. he couldn’t have been that old… why was he here, fighting in the war? ellie didn’t know. she brought her temper back under control and sheathed her katana. the centaur bowed his head. ellie turned her back and looked over her shoulder at him. not knowing if he would understand english, she spoke to him in greek. she had never spoken to anyone in greek.

“leave here. and never come back.”

the centaur nodded, stood, then turned and ran off into the woods.

ellie wandered the abandoned centaur village, stepping over the bodies of the centaurs she had killed. she entered the hut that used to be rondex’s. it was obvious no one had been in this hut for quite a long time. cobwebs were everywhere, and ellie saw a rat scurry across the floor. she sat in the middle of the floor. pulling the arrow from her right arm, she healed her wound. she then drew her sai from her boots and looked at them. the sai that had been ava’s. the sai ellie had always wanted. and now she had them. but the cost was too great. she’d give them back if she could. if giving them back could bring ava back to life. but ellie knew it wouldn’t.

she stood, put her sai on her boots, and approached the dresser ava had told her about. she opened the top drawer. inside lay a single piece of parchment, folded very small. she reached in and pulled it out. she started to unfold it. she jumped when she heard a rustling noise. she put the parchment in her pocket. she took her sai from her boots and held them out in front of her. a tiny black wolf pup emerged from under a chair by the dresser, pulling itself on its belly with its front feet. ellie felt its pain… it was wounded. she put her sai on her boots and approached it. could this pup be the offspring of the wolf that had been here during her temper training? it couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old. it was whimpering. she cautiously reached a hand out. the pup approached her, and let her pick it up. its back legs were shattered. she placed her hands on its tiny back legs. a green glow filled the hut, and ellie felt the pup’s pain subside. she put it down and turned to leave. at the edge of the centaur village, ellie turned around. the pup was following her. she sighed. looked like she’d made a friend.

[EllieNeo]

back in her hut, ellie sat on her bed and dried the pup off. he enthusiastically licked her face, and for the first time since ava died, ellie smiled. she placed the pup on the floor.

“stay.”

the pup sat and looked up at her. when she left her hut, he didn’t follow. she entered lauri’s hut without knocking. lauri sat where she always did, and ellie sat in front of her and waited. after what seemed like hours to ellie, lauri opened her eyes.

“lauri… i… i killed them.”

lauri nodded.

“i… i killed them.”

ellie hung her head.

“i cannot take that pain away, ellie.”

“that’s not it, lauri. i killed them. i saved the amazons. i want to go home. you promised me i could go home. now send me home.”

lauri stood. ellie stood. they looked at each other for a moment. then lauri broke the silence.

“come.”

she exited the hut, and ellie followed her.

lauri led ellie to the place she had first awoken seven years ago. lauri sat, and ellie sat next to her. lauri began chanting. the woods glowed blue, the trees sang their sad song. the rain continued to fall. lightning flashed across the sky. but nothing else happened. after several minutes, the glow faded and lauri stood, looking down at ellie. lauri’s purple eyes could not calm ellie tonight. when she spoke to ellie, her tone was gentle.

“i cannot.”

ellie stood. she felt her temper start to rise, but fought it down.

“what do you mean?”

“it is not yet time.”

“but… but i saved the amazons! queen eglise was going to surrender tomorrow! the amazons would have lost the war and been wiped out! that has to be why i was brought here! what else can it possibly be?”

lauri left the clearing, and ellie followed her. when they reached lauri’s hut, lauri’s gaze met ellie’s.

“i don’t know. but we will find out.”

when lauri disappeared into her hut, ellie stood there staring at the door for quite some time. then she turned and went home. the pup greeted her, but she barely noticed. taking off her weapons and hanging them on the back wall, she sat on her bed and read the note ava had written her. tears welled up in her eyes when she had finished it. she refolded it, and placed it under ava’s urn on the table. wiping the tears from her eyes, she collapsed on her bed and drifted off to sleep before her head hit the pillow.


…this is it. this war is what she had to save the amazons from. but… ellie looked at annabelle, who sat next to her. what did she[/i] have to do with this…? what was it lauri had said…? ‘one often meets her destiny on the path she takes to avoid it..’? what was that supposed to mean, anyway. it hadn’t been the first time lauri had said that, either. she had also said it many years ago, when ellie had told her she didn’t want to fulfill her destiny. but ellie was still not sure what the hell it meant. ellie cleared her throat and addressed annabelle.

“we need to talk.”

[Awesome Aphrodite]

I found Ellie quickly. She was seated on a grassy hill overlooking the river. As I arrived, she stood. I followed her back to the abandoned centaur village. She walked into the largest hut in the village and sat in the middle of it. She sat in silence for a very long time, and I sat next to her. When she looked at me and spoke, her voice was gentle.

“We need to talk.”

Wow, was that the understatement of a lifetime. I nodded. I backed away a few steps and transformed into my human form. I spoke to her in English, which I think surprised her.

“Yes, yes, we do.”

She motioned for me to sit next to her again, which I did. She sighed heavily before she spoke again.

“Lauri told me your name is Annabelle. So. What didn’t she tell me?”

I shrugged.

“You tell me.”

Ellie chuckled.

“Well, for one thing. She didn’t tell me you spoke English. How the hell do you know English? Well, I gathered that you at least knew English, because you knew what I said to you when we first met. But… how? I thought only this Amazon tribe knew it.”

I nodded.

“My mother taught it to me. She also taught it to Lauri.”

Ellie stared at me.

“You’re… Ren’s daughter?!?”

I nodded again. Ellie stood and began pacing back and forth.

“Lauri didn’t ever even tell me that Ren had[/b] a daughter. Let alone a… werewolf one.”

I watched in silence as Ellie continue to pace back and forth. She seemed to be trying to get a grip on the information she had just received. She stopped pacing after a moment and sat in front of me. Her eyes met mine.

“Was your mother a werewolf?”

I shook my head.

“My father was. Though mother… didn’t choose him as my father. He… chose himself. Nine years after I was born, he pretended to be wounded. Lauri, not realizing who he was, brought him to the village, to help him. But it was a trick. He just wanted to get to the village. He killed many Amazons, mother included. Lauri eventually drove him away. For my protection, I was sent to an orphanage. A… special… orphanage. For children with one human parent and one non-human parent. I… was the only werewolf there. After a couple years there, I took off. Found some people who took me in. I’ve lived with them ever since.”

Ellie held up a hand.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA! …Information overload.”

I chuckled to myself, and Ellie smiled.

“Sorry.”

She shook her head.

“It’s ok. I just… I knew most of that story. Not the part about you being sent away... but... the rest of it. Ava told it to me. She was... explaining to me why her mother and the Amazons did not trust outsiders. But that was the only way I knew that werewolves existed... until you collapsed in the clearing the other day. And now you tell me that there’s other… ‘non-human’ things in the world other than animals, centaurs and werewolves...? Just… whoa, ya know?”

I nodded.

“I understand. We can talk about something else if you want.”

Ellie nodded.

“Good idea.”



Note: Ellie wrote her character's dialog and actions.

[EllieNeo]

ren had a daughter? whoa. and there were other ‘non-human’ things in the world that ellie didn’t know about? double whoa. but what had lauri meant? was annabelle a part of ellie’s destiny? would she help her save the amazons? if so, ellie wouldn’t mind. she could use all the help she could get.

the two of them sat in silence for a few moments. finally, annabelle spoke.

“why are you ‘the chosen one’?”

ellie shrugged.

“hellifino. all i know is i was pulled back in time to help save the amazons. i’ve been here ten years. i thought i had fulfilled my destiny three years ago, but it wasn’t that war that i was supposed to save the amazons from, i guess. but…”

her voice trailed off, and she let it. the image of ava’s faded, glazed over eyes flashed across her mind. she stood and began pacing again.

“i’ve lost so much since i’ve been here, sometimes i don’t think i even really want[/b] to fulfill my destiny.”

annabelle raised an eyebrow. ellie could feel her confusion.

“yes, i… heard you say you’d… fathered a child…? and that ava was killed while carrying it…?”

ellie stopped pacing and nodded, looking down at annabelle.

“yeah, that’s true.”

annabelle shook her head.

“how is that possible? you ARE female, aren’t you?”

ellie chuckled.

“you noticed that, huh?”




note: awesome aphrodite wrote her character's dialog and actions.

[Awesome Aphrodite]

I couldn’t help but laugh at Ellie’s response to me asking if she was female;

“You noticed that, huh?”

I tried to hold in my laughter and failed. Once I started laughing, so did she. A few minutes later, the laughter subsided. She sat next to me a moment later and our eyes met. I chuckled.

“Yes, I did.”

Ellie smiled.

“You know what Lauri thought? She thought that it may have had something to do with my powers. Like, maybe I have powers I don’t even know I have. Which is weird, but hey. Ava had never been with anyone else, so there was no other explanation. Still kinda weird, though, having powers you don’t know you have, and don’t even know how to use. Guess you wouldn’t know anything about that, though, huh?”

I blinked. I was about to say ‘No, I wouldn’t know anything about that,’ but that would be a lie now. Because I did have powers I hadn’t known I had. And I didn’t know how to use them. I shook my head. Ellie raised an eyebrow.

“Something wrong?”

I shook my head again.

“Just that… I found out right before the battle that… that I inherited powers from my mother. And I didn’t know I had them. And I have no idea how to use them.”

Ellie stared at me for a moment.

“Uhm… what… powers?”

I rubbed the back of my neck.

“Seeing the future… and… maybe… raising the dead.”

Ellie’s eyes widened. I thought I had said the last three words quietly enough that she wouldn’t have heard me, but maybe she had.

“You said… what now…?”

I shook my head. Ellie looked at me intently.

“No, I KNOW I heard you say something. Did I hear you right? Did you say you can raise the dead?”

Damn, she had good hearing. I nodded. She stood, and her eyes lit up.

“That’s… incredible[/i]! That… that means you can bring Ava back to life, right…? And Queen Eglise? And the other Amazons that died…? Right???”

I shook my head. She stared at me, and then sat back down.

“I… I don’t know how to use my powers yet. Lauri has to teach me. I don’t know how long it will take. And she said there’s a… limit… to the raising the dead ability.”

Ellie shook her head.

“What… kind of limit…?”

My eyes met hers. I had never seen eyes that exact color of green. Deep green. Green so deep you felt as if you could get lost in the color. Despite what I had said about the limit on my power, there was still a lot of hope showing behind those deep green eyes. Pulling myself from my thoughts about her eyes, I shrugged as I answered her.

“I don’t know.”



Note: Ellie wrote her character's dialog and actions.

[Phalon]

The following post is Scrappy's as dictated to me.



The companions walked in silence, making their way back to the place they’d left the bike. Scrappy walked in her quiet contemplation, kicking small stones along the path with her heavy boots, trying not to break down in front of her friend, and Phalon understanding that to push could cause major backlash. She had witnessed Scrappy’s hair trigger enough times to be very wary in situations like this. In fact, the seer was surprised that she hadn’t exploded when Jason gave her the news.

Their time in the house had aged her friend and not all for the worse it would seem. With age came wisdom. Phalon hoped it was that wisdom swirling around in Scrappy’s head and not rage. She tentatively broke the silence. “So where are we going?”

Scrappy looked over her shoulder and sighed. “Well, I thought we should get my bike before someone finds it.”

“Yes. Good idea.” She continued to stare at the blonde’s back, almost willing her to talk. “And then?”

Scrappy growled under her breath a little. She knew her friend was trying to gage her mood by talking around the subject. Any other time Scrappy would be all too happy to drag out the dance and torture Phalon a little with stupid grunted monosyllabic answers, but not today. Scrappy abruptly stopped, and faced Phalon.

“I let her down.” Scrappy stumbled over her words. “I promised I’d watch her back. We knew we’d probably die in that house. ‘We’ being the operative word. So either I let her down by not protecting her or I let her down by surviving. And I know what you’re going to say”, she put up a gloved hand to prevent Phalon from interrupting. “I had no choice coming here, being saved from the final battle. Hell, I can’t even remember if there was one.” She characteristically ran a hand through her hair in frustration. “Knowing I had no choice, and not knowing exactly what happened, doesn’t help.” A tear slid down her cheek.

“I understand.” Phalon reached for her friend’s arm.

Scrappy wiped the tear off on the sleeve of her coat. “I suppose it’s a blessing in disguise that the longer I’m here in your time, the less I remember about the house.” She turned and again headed for the bike. This time Phalon took up position beside her friend instead of behind her. “Jason knows more than he is willing to tell. I couldn’t stay there. I’m feeling my age. I’m tired of being tossed around in the damn game.”

“I know.” Phalon let the silence settle in again for a moment. “So, back to my original question….now what?”

“You don’t have to come with me. I just needed to get away from Jason. It sounds unfair - he’s just the messenger - but I couldn’t bear to look at him anymore after hearing what he said.” Scrappy paused and grinned a little to herself before she spoke next. “Having said that, I thought we might go see your family.”

Phalon smiled widely. She was ecstatic. Through all they’ve experienced and learned since leaving the house, seeing her family again had been foremost on her mind once she discovered she was back in Greece. But it wasn’t just the possibility that it might finally happen that made her smile. Scrappy’s suggestion was a small sign that although she was experiencing deep pain, she was still able to put it aside for a moment and think of her friend’s happiness. And that meant she wasn’t letting her pain absorb her every thought. That eventually, she’d get past this.

Finally, they made it back to the clearing where her bike awaited them, buried under branches and leaves. The companions began uncovering the bike, when Scrappy heard something behind them.

She pulled her gun, and made a single finger “shhhh”ing motion to Phalon. Slowly she removed her duster and let it fall to the ground. The gun pointed forward, she quietly headed to the area of the underbrush they had heard the noise coming from. Scrappy paused, tucked her weapon in the waistband of her jeans and crouched lower, listening and trying to pinpoint the precise location of the noise. She quickly determined that whatever it was, was too big to be rabbit and too small to be a centaur. Without warning, Scrappy crashed into the undergrowth with what Phalon could only describe as a fair attempt at an Amazon yell. “Yi-yi-yi-yi!!!”

Suddenly, Scrappy tumbled back out into the clearing, all arms and legs, and sticks and branches, indistinguishable from each other. Finally, she rolled onto her knees, pinning the wild, flailing, scratching, biting, screeching creature to the ground. When things settled long enough for her to get a good look at her prey, Scrappy couldn’t believe her eyes.

[moonglum]

The Roman galleys anchored at low tide and Marcus led his men ashore. Despatching a small company of men to secure the cliffs above, he marched the remainder along the shore towards the village. After a short distance, the soldiers stopped at the edge of the village. Marcus ordered his men to empty the buildings and assemble everyone in the market square. His men were thorough. In short order, the soldiers began gathering all the men, women and children together in the market. The stalls were swept aside to accommodate them all. One of his men from the hill-top, returned to inform him that the fire which led them here was not a beacon. In fact, it was the remains of a funeral pyre. Now Marcus had doubts again. Why’s and wherefores? Why a funeral, why did the coastline seem changed and where were his men, sent here earlier to guide his fleet?

In the tavern Aphemenie was left feeling stunned and confused by the sudden outburst from Scrappy and their earlier departure from the tavern. What was in store for them now…….? Eurayle turned to speak to Jason and, as she did so, she appeared to fade slightly. He could begin to see through her to the wall beyond. “It quickens. I feel it pulling me back”, she said. Her form grew more spectral until, finally she said. “Farewell Jason, till we meet again,” and she was gone. Outside they heard the sounds of people running and shouting. As Jason listened to the commotion coming from the market he felt the sighing of his sword. His left hand had not left the hilt since he had awoken on the cliff-top. It clung to Soulrazor and anchored him permanently to her. Her whisperings filled his head and made him giddy. ‘They have come. Mmm......, we will feed on their souls and devour their flesh’. He could feel her shiver with anticipation. ‘This day we dine well, my love.’ A man burst through the door and shouted, “The Romans are here! Outside, come we must flee.” Jason’s knees began to buckle and he gripped the edge of a table for support as he sank down onto a bench. His head was spinning and throbbing from all the noise outside. Suddenly through the open doorway, a soldier entered. "Everyone, outside!" he yelled. No one moved. Jason looked up from the table and his eyes flashed black. From deep within his throat came a sound. A long, low rumble that slowly changed to a growl. He heard Aphemenie shouting something at the soldiers, but it seemed distant as if through a thick fog.

“My Lord Commander.” Marcus stirred from his reverie, disliking the interruption. A captain of his manipularii stood at his side. “Excuse me my lord, but people are refusing to obey our commands. They claim they are strangers and want no part in ‘our games’, as they put it. They will not leave the tavern.” Marcus sighed and looked into the man’s eyes. “Kill them, kill them all” he said. The captain departed and Marcus resumed his thoughts.

A group of roman soldiers entered. Mayhem ensued as the soldiers started attacking, regardless of sex. They were slaughtering everyone left in the tavern. “Jason, what’s happening?” shouted Aphemenie. When she received no answer, she drew her daggers from her hips and charged at the nearest soldier. Aphemenie had not killed anyone until this moment but she knew if she did not, she herself would be killed. The soldier swung his sword and Aphemenie ducked, rising swiftly she plunged a dagger into his neck and was showered in his blood as he slumped to the floor. Amongst the screams and loud clashing of weapons; the crashes of tables and benches being overturned and smashed, Aphemenie fought for her life. At one point she was flying, doing a 360 degree turn and managing to slit a throat or two as she turned. As she landed, she looked for Jason amidst the chaos. Suddenly everything went black as she lost consciousness and slumped to the floor.

Marcus listened to the commotion, the screams and shouts from within the tavern, and then, nothing! A quiet so cloying, you could peel it like a pear. A stillness so complete, that even the wind respected it; descended over the market place. No one moved and no one made a sound, until it became almost unbearable. “By Caesar’s ghost,” shouted Marcus and, unsheathing his sword, he marched over to the tavern door, kicked it open and stepped inside. The door swung shut behind him. The sight that met his eyes rocked him to the very core of his being. A dozen of his men had preceded him and their blood now covered the floor, the tables and most of the walls. All he saw next was a sword, which was even now arcing its way towards his chest. As the sword bit deep into his soul, Marcus realised just how wrong he’d been about his day.

Outside in the marketplace, still no one moved. Then the door to the tavern swung slowly open and something was thrown out. It landed at the feet of one of the captains. As he looked down, he saw it was the severed head of his commander. A flurry of movement, a blur of vision and he stood facing a demon. A white haired demon with jet black eyes, which burned into his very soul, and a sword which seemed to sing to him. He stared up into those eyes and thought, just before he died, that he looked into the coal black fires of hell.
Aphemenie awoke her head pounding. There was no noise, all was quiet. How long she’d been unconscious, she did not know. She rose from the floor unsteadily, her slippery hands and feet sliding in the blood. Looking around her, she saw everyone in the room was dead. Some she recognised as her own handiwork. The kills were clean, swift and decisive. A few were civilians, the work of the Romans. Then she saw the soldiers themselves. Butchered, hacked at and decapitated. Jason was nowhere to be seen. What had befallen him, where was he? She staggered towards the door and pulled it open. Stepping outside, the sight that met her eyes made her stomach retch. The market square was littered with dead soldiers. There must be hundreds of them, she thought. Walking out among the corpses she looked at the same frozen masks of fear on all their faces. Some had met their deaths head-on; others had been cut down whilst running away. This made no sense. What army had done this? Why had she been spared? Where was Jason?

(written by Vox and Moonglum)