Chapter 44: Chapter 44

S A V A N N A H

“WOULD YOU REALLY offer the same deal you gave Kyle to other half-bloods?” I asked Hera, admittedly with a bit of bite.

I was not completely asking for others anymore. I wanted to ask for myself too. Because perhaps it really was a viable option.

I glanced over my shoulder and met Søren’s gaze. I hesitated, and my frown wavered. I would have to leave everything and everyone behind. After everything we had done thus far; would I really throw it away for reincarnation?

I stiffened, glancing aside. I wanted to believe that I could actually be selfish enough to consider it. But I looked back at him; the hurt evident in his expression —and realised…that maybe I was not that selfish, after all. I could never bring myself to choose willingly to leave.

“Certainly not if they ask as begrudgingly as you are asking me,” Hera remarked, clearly offended. “And it would depend on the threat level the half-blood posed,” she continued. “The higher the threat, the more likely I would not —because power like that does not simply leave a soul. Certain powers stay with a soul even through death and cling to its essence. It is possible for some powers to be taken through reincarnation. In short,” the goddess concluded, “the lower the threat level, perhaps the more inclined I would be to offer that deal. Oh, and in case you were wondering,” she quipped, “your threat level is very high,” she said firmly, narrowing her rose quartz eyes down to slits.

Perfect. That ruled out that idea.

There would be no such luck in getting out of this.

“You’re horrible,” Abigail then spat. I could not tell for whom she had intended that, because I still had my back to her.

“Excuse me?” Hera snarled.

“Not you,” Abigail hissed, confirmed my suspicions. “I meant her,” she said. I tensed, knowing that she was glaring holes into the back of me. “I can’t believe that you would think you could get out of this so easily. Do you even care about the countless others? Do you even know how many Reapers are willing to back you up on this?”

“Don’t say that like it’s a lot,” I scoffed, turning around. “And don’t tell me there’s no way I would know. Because I can clearly see three people and a Phoenix. Only two of those would actually choose to be here. The other two couldn’t care less about me —especially Chainsaw Guy,” I then raised my voice. I was not exactly singling him out on purpose.

I was simply furious.

Confusion flickered over Abigail’s face before she realised who I was talking about. She glared back at me, before opening her mouth to retaliate.

“You’re pretty ungrateful, you know that?” Chainsaw Guy interjected. “We’re here risking our souls for you and the only thing you can talk about is our lack in numbers.”

“That’s not true,” I gasped. “And she started it. And last time I checked, my soul was the only one in definite danger,” I growled.

“That is enough,” Zeus said, loud enough for the room to shake. “I cannot believe the amount of disrespect being displayed here. I would have thought you would show a little less…hostility towards your friends.”

“She is not my friend,” Abigail snapped, folding her arms and leaning on one hip. “And surprise, surprise —mortals taking after their creators? Who would have seen that coming,” she added sarcastically. “We are made in your image, right?”

I actually wanted to laugh.

“I see your point,” Zeus grumbled. “But I have grown tired of this, regardless. Horkos, please escort them away to the cells.”

Horkos smiled. “It would be my pleasure.”

“Yeah, I’d bet it would,” I remarked flatly.

Søren snapped back into action as Horkos walked forward —and he raised his crossbow. A series of arrows shot through the air and struck Horkos’ shins. The giant god hissed and paused, feeling the stinging.

And then Phee-Phee decided to join in the action and breathe fire at Horkos’ feet. Horkos winced, before doing a heavy little dance on the spot. The throne room seemed to rumble with the movement.

“Why you little —” he seethed when the heat lessened, his eyes burning and turning molten with anger.

Søren’s eyes widened and he started, not having thought his plan through. Horkos lunged forward towards them all, but they scattered, yelping in alarm. The room shook with every heavy thud of the god’s feet. It became a game of cat and mouse as Horkos tried to scoop up my failed rescue party.

I dithered helplessly, unable to do anything. I was too high off the ground to survive jumping to the floor. It would not kill me, but I would not be of much help to the situation with broken legs.

“Horkos, remember your promise,” Thanatos clipped, suddenly launching to his feet. I shot him a look.

What promise? What bargain had he struck with him?

The hardened expression he gave me in return did not give much away.

“Leave them alone!” I finally commanded, having had enough. “Let them go. They haven’t done anything. You…can keep me.”

“No!” Søren protested. “We’re not leaving without you!”

“It is too late for that,” Horkos huffed. “They are going to be imprisoned for an indefinite amount of time for assaulting a god.”

“But we didn’t do anything!” Abigail cried, ducking and rolling.

“…You are guilty by association,” Horkos stated.

I clenched my fists and growled, feeling the rage boiling inside of me. And mixed with the heat in my veins, I did not realise that I had summoned fire until the gods gasped. I gasped too —immediately extinguishing the white flames. I clasped my hands to my chest and backed up worriedly.

“She has…pyrokinesis?” Hera breathed.

Her discovery rendered the whole room still and silent. Even Thanatos gawked at me like I had finally managed to impress him.

I shook my head hurriedly, putting my hands behind my back. I could not find any words with which to defend myself. I stumbled into my father’s wrist as his hand curled inward in a protective manner.

“It is not as bad as it seems,” Hades tried.

“The flames are white,” Hera continued, “—so it is not as bad as it seems…It is worse.”

“At least they’re not…blue?” Thanatos offered hopefully.

I gave him a pained expression.

“Zeus, this girl is absolutely dangerous. She should not be existing. What should we do? Move up the execution?” Hera panicked.

“No!” I suddenly found my voice. They looked at me curiously. I paused, shivering in fear. “I’m…I’m not a danger. Not to you —not to anyone. Please don’t kill me…I don’t want to die again.”

Horkos scoffed. “How sickening.”

He was right.

“Please,” I begged shamelessly. “There has to be another solution. I’ll…I’ll serve in Mount Olympus or something —I’ll even serve out a prison sentence, anything. Just please…don’t execute me.”

I somehow always thought that I would be brave when faced with death. But it turned out that I was a complete coward. I did not want to die —now faced with the consequence, I realised that it was some fundamental human trait to tremble at the prospect of predicted death.

A part of me was still mortal —still pathetically mortal.

A rumble then came from behind me. I turned to look up at Hades. He looked down at me; his jasper eyes twinkling. Then he raised his other hand and waved it in a circular motion. A green portal appeared in front of me, the wind coming from it blowing my hair and tears back. He waved his hand again and another portal appeared next to Søren on ground level.

“Hades —” the god of the skies started, but that did not stop my father from doing what he was doing.

My eyes widened as I figured out exactly what that was. I shook my head and backed up. There was no way I was going to just allow him to let me abandon him. And I was not about to anger the gods even further.

“Run,” he said. “I will buy you time.”

“Wait, Dad —”

He then jerked his hand forward and suddenly launched me into the swirling green circle.

✠

“No —!” I cried as I landed on wet grass, face first.

I gasped and scrambled to my feet, before blowing the hair that had fallen out of my ponytail out of my face. I could not believe that Hades had let me escape just like that. But it did get me thinking —why had he not done it sooner? Now he had to face Zeus, Hera and Horkos alone and deal with their wrath.

I started as the sound of far off thunder then tumbled in the sky —as if Zeus was the one behind it.

I gasped as I remembered that I was back on Earth. I glanced around me, worried that I had ended up somewhere I did not know.

It was a huge relief to see Søren’s apartment building behind me. Hades was obviously better at portals than Thanatos.

I paused and rubbed my arm.

It was still pretty weird to learn that Thanatos was Hades’ son —which made him my half-brother. I shivered, thoroughly put off as I recalled every encounter between us that had happened. Especially that stupid maid punishment. It was even more disgusting now.

“Savannah!”

I then turned around at the sound of Søren’s voice. Phee-Phee was flying alongside him, completely ablaze. My eyes widened but I did not have time to react though, as the Trainer suddenly crushed me in a fierce hug. I blinked, before tightly hugging him back.

“I’m glad that you are still alive, first of all,” he admitted, withdrawing. I smiled back weakly. “Second of all, you won’t believe what just happened back in the throne room.”

“Oh?” I frowned curiously, reached out to stroke Phee-Phee’s back. Phee-Phee jerked away alarmingly and tried not to let me touch him. I laughed lightly and finally succeeded in stroking his feathers, which evidently confused him.

So, I held out my hand and summoned a small flame in the palm of my hand. “…See, Phee-Phee?” I said softly. “I can touch fire now.” The Phoenix cooed and flapped around excitedly, before nuzzling against me.

“Well, you know who can’t touch fire?” Søren then redirected my attention. “Horkos,” he said smugly.

“How come?”

“Oh, you should have seen it,” Søren then gasped. “After your Dad sent you off, Horkos flipped out and went ballistic. Zeus then snapped and threw a thunderbolt —and it hit Horkos right in the —”

“Hey!”

We were suddenly interrupted by Abigail, who then forcefully pulled me backwards and away from Søren. I nearly fell backwards at her strength.

“Hey,” I protested. “What was that for?”

Phee-Phee squawked in agreement and raised his wings at her somewhat threateningly.

“Oh no you don’t,” Abigail growled. I flinched. “You don’t get to have a damn touching reunion moment. You don’t deserve it.”

I pressed my lips into a line and did not try to deny her.

Phee-Phee rubbed against my leg affectionately, but it did not do much in the way of comforting me.

“Abby, are you still going off at her because of Kyle?” Søren sighed.

“Yes!” she cried, baring her sharpened nails at me. “It’s all her fault.”

“No, it isn’t,” he insisted.

“I’m on Abby’s side,” Chainsaw Guy then declared, running up to us with his weapon sickeningly gleaming in the early morning sunlight. “Because Kyle would still be alive if —”

“If what, Melchior?” Søren challenged, taking a protective step in front of me. “If you hadn’t volunteered to come with me? That’s bullshit. Did I beg either of you or Kyle?”

“Don’t you dare try to blame Abby,” Chainsaw Guy snarled, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m not blaming her,” Søren huffed. “I’m not blaming you either. I’m blaming Kyle himself —no one asked him to come along.”

Abigail gasped as we all went silent.

She looked at each of us. I turned away awkwardly. Chainsaw Guy was stunned. Søren daringly did not turn a single hair. The blonde paused, appearing to come down from her rage high, before she angrily wiped her face. She looked back up with an unreadable expression.

“How dare you,” she said nonchalantly, her face a cold blank wall. As though she could not believe what she was hearing. No one responded. “Fuck you,” she breathed. “Just…fuck you, Søren.” Her words lacked anger or any sort of emotion at all. They were tired. Void of conviction.

Abigail then turned away and stomped off down the street.

I looked at Søren, but he had not wavered.

“I’ll talk to her,” Chainsaw Guy sighed reluctantly, before he wandered in the same direction after Abigail.

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Søren snarled, and then walked off the opposite way. I dithered, before following the Trainer and letting Phee-Phee follow after me.

“Søren, wait,” I called, reaching for his sleeve. He stalled, before looking down at me. “That was really harsh,” I said.

“What was harsh, exactly? What I said, or what Abigail said?” he seethed, turning away from me.

“No one was justified,” I said quickly. “But…that was awful. I understand why she was mad at me, but I can’t believe that you would treat your friend with such insensitivity.”

“Well, I’m apathetic remember?” he snapped. “I don’t feel anything, for anyone.” His tone was forced, as though he were trying to convince himself that it was a matter of fact.

I paused and blinked rapidly, taken aback. I knew that he was upset, but that hit me hard, and hurt me in a place I had not known that it could. He paused too, re-evaluating his words.

“…Do you really mean that?” I asked, glaring at him. The heat Phee-Phee’s was emitting then intensified as though he was on my side.

“Savannah, of course I don’t,” he said gently. “It just came out. I’m sorry. Of course, it’s not like that.”

“How?” I demanded.

“What do you mean?” he scoffed. “I do care and feel things —you know that. And I’m becoming nicer. I’m not completely apathetic.”

I glanced down and bit my lip. “Do you ever wish that you were?”

“No,” he insisted. “Because then I would miss out on everything that makes me human. Love; pain; sadness; happiness —I wouldn’t get to experience any of that. And I don’t know if I’d be able to live that way.”

I softened, much to my slight disappointment; I would have liked to see how much further I could push the fight. Phee-Phee seemed to be thinking similar things, because he was still arching menacingly.

I sighed and put my hands on my hips. “Even though I’ll end up forgiving you,” I breathed, “I don’t think that Abigail will be so easily swayed.”

“I…know. You were right. I wasn’t being tactful. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything at all,” he sighed, glancing downwards.

“No, I think voicing the idea that it was Kyle’s own fault was something that she needed to hear,” I whispered. “It was difficult, but it had to be put down on the table.”

Søren nodded solemnly. “But now Abigail wants to use my head to break that table in half.”

I chuckled softly at that, before offering him a hug.

But Phee-Phee was having none it; he kept nudging my leg in the way which dogs do to signal a problem.

I sighed in amusement as Søren and I withdrew.

“What happened to us becoming friends?” the Reaper frowned at the Phoenix. Phee-Phee disapprovingly stuck his beak in the air. “Oh, I see,” Søren grunted. “This really was only for Savannah.”

“He’s just jealous,” I whispered to Phee-Phee, tossing my head in the Trainer’s direction —which earned me an unamused scoff.

“Look, I’m sorry that I made you doubt me,” Søren then apologised. “I was just really pissed off. It’s just unfair for Abby to keep picking on you.”

“No,” I whispered. “I think that I deserve it. I could have done something, Søren,” I said earnestly.

“No Savannah, don’t start,” he said firmly. “He chose to get reincarnated. I’m not sure there is much that you could’ve said to him that would have changed his mind. You should’ve heard the talk Abigail gave him. She went on and on about family and accepting him into the group —all good things, but they slid right off of him. He had always been alone when he was alive, and after the death of him and his mother, I don’t think that there were any words that could dull that pain.”

“That’s so awful,” I murmured, frowning in concern.

“Exactly. So, what could you have said? Now all we can do, is hope that he’ll do better in his next life.”

“I suppose so,” I mumbled. “But I don’t think that I will ever stop feeling like this —almost guilty.”

“The wound will scar eventually.”

“But there it will always remain,” I said softly.

Søren then looked at me in disappointment.

“Christ, Savannah —you took something that was supposed to cheer you up a little and turned it into a depressing quote.”

“Half of my existence is depressing quotes,” I deadpanned.

“But the other half is motivational,” he quipped. “I don’t think that you can dispute that one.”

I paused, mulling it over. “…Yeah, you’re right. I can’t,” I admitted. “I’ve been cursed with my mother’s persistence.”

Søren chuckled softly. Then his eyes widened as he remembered something. “What are we going to do now? I mean, we have no way of getting back to Mount Olympus. Are we just supposed to hide and wait for the gods to seek?” he suggested rather pessimistically.

“No,” I frowned empathetically. I turned away and started pacing on the sidewalk. Phee-Phee hopped around back and forth, cutely mimicking me. “…I’ll think of something. Probably.”

“Well, it had better be fast,” Søren breathed, looking up at the sky.

I looked up too and gulped. That far off thunderstorm was now fast approaching. “…Zeus looks impatient.”