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Meg was somewhere below me, but Python only had eyes for me. I stared up at the amber orbs paralyzed with fear, I was trapped his grip. His scaley coils were wrapped around my chest crushingly tight. I could feel my ribs cracking under the pressure. The snake laughed, as green smoke started to come out of his mouth. Python’s eyes sparkled, as the green mist thickened, the spirit of the oracle was possessing him. Much to my horror Python started to sing.
“I am the prophet with the answers you seek. Time I’ve unlocked it. I see past and future running free. There is a world where I help you get home, but that’s not a world I know.”
Ice seemed to crawl down my spine. “What?”
“I see a song of past romance. I see the sacrifice of man. I see portrayals of betrayal and a brother’s final stand. I see you on the brink of death. I see you draw your final breath. I see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it’s no longer you.”
“This can’t be. I’ve suffered and gone through the toughest of hells. Now you tell me my efforts will be for nothing.” Oh, great now I was singing, habit, I guess.
“I see a palace covered in red. Faces of men you had long believed were dead. I see you sister with a man who is haunting. A man with a trail of bodies.”
“WHO?”
Python looked amused.
“I see a song of past romance. I see the sacrifice of man. I see portrayals of betrayal and a brother’s final stand. I see you on the brink of death. I see you draw your final breath. I see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it’s no longer…”
The snake seemed to laugh at me as he let go of me. Gravity took hold just as he started to finish his sentence, “You.”
He held the note, as I fell. At any other time, I would have been delighted in the beautiful note he was holding. Now all I felt was terror, my thoughts a jumbled mess, so much so that I couldn’t think straight. I fell into the green mist, that had started to appear, when Python had started singing. It swallowed me, and everything went black.
I see a song of past romance
I might not have loved him but I couldn’t let him die. After all the grove wasn’t the only thing that had moved to the woods. I flickered from tree to tree urging him forwards. Red ran down the side of his face, as he stumbled along. It hurt to see him like this. Mortal. His face was pale and his eyes glazed. Whoever this was it wasn’t Apollo, or at least not the Apollo I knew. Apollo was cocky, confident, and his eyes were always bright with a more than human power. This Apollo looked out of place, almost shy, and his eyes, even through the pained glaze I could see the fear he desperately was fighting to hide. I coaxed him forwards, and I tried not to let the tears that fell down his face distract me. Pain squeezed my heart as he begged my forgiveness. As if it was his fault I’d died. His face was slowly losing more color, telling me he was getting worse. Just a little farther, I noted in relief, then he almost fell, and I felt a surge of panic. I tried not to let it bleed into my voice as I continued once more to call him forwards. He shuffled forwards, just a little farther, I held my breath until he passed the boundary of the woods. I could go no farther, but I watched as he continued forwards, a ghost followed his progress looking more worried than I had been. I stayed until he crumpled in front of the other camper. I nodded to the ghost, who gave a curt nod back, as I melted back in to the trees.
I’d been sitting by my past lovers’ side since the early morning. He was looking better. His face already regaining some of its color, and his son, who looked so much like him that it hurt, had healed his wound. He looked so peaceful right now. My heart was heavy, because I knew what he faced next. I gently pushed the hair away from his forehead, or tried to. In my current state I couldn’t actually touch him. I watched his peaceful sleep for a moment. I couldn’t stay much longer. My form was already fading. I leaned forwards and kissed his forehead, before I finally woke him.
I see the sacrifice of man
The smell of smoke coiled through the cold winter air. The flames licked greedily at the air, crawling towards the forest. Heat radiated from the hungry green flames. They didn’t deserve that color, the color of life. The ragged teenager begged for help, as the fire strayed a little too close to one of the unconscious fuel bound forms. I was the first to throw myself forwards, to put out the flames. I don’t know why I did it, but for some reason I couldn’t let those kids die. I felt the presence of others in my last bit of consciousness. I managed to hang on to life long enough to see the fire out and the kids safe before I faded into the peaceful black.
I see portrayals of betrayal
I stepped away from Lester. I didn’t look back, as I joined my stepfather and stood at his side. I didn’t flinch as Nero gently placed his hand on my shoulder. Apollo stared at me, the look of betrayal on his face hurt me more than Nero’s grip on me. The order burned on my tongue but I said it anyway. I had to. I couldn’t release the beast.
And a brother’s final stand
The boat shuttered. I managed to stay on my feet. I met wide electric blue eyes.
“Go! Remember!”
The figure slumped forwards, a smooth wooden spear shaft protruding from between his shoulders.
I stood frozen in shock. Lightning crackled, and a violent burst of thunder left my ears ringing. Tempest reared up, and Caligula dodged to avoid getting kicked by the ventus horses’ hooves. The emperor looked directly at me he didn’t say it but I knew. This was my fault.
I see you on the brink of death
Apollo’s skin crackled, heat radiated from his body, and fire escaped through gaping holes in his skin. He looked as though he was being burned alive from the inside out, which he really was. He screamed, the chains clanking as he shook in agony. His hunched form looked nothing more than mortal as whatever was left of his godly essence was being pulled out of him by the sorcerous. A mortal wasn’t able to withstand the true form of a god. It turned them to ash. But Medea was bringing forth the sun gods fire in such a way that it wouldn’t instantly kill him. A blessing, and a curse. If this went on, he would die. It was coming slowly as his mortal flesh gave way to the power of his own godly being. I knelt. He needed to finish the prophecy. It wouldn’t numb his pain but it would give him some relief, help him hold on until the help came.
I see you draw your final breath
Death was coming. His heart was sluggishly beating. Though by only a stubbornness that my brother possessed he clung to life. Not to live. No. He wasn’t fighting death. He was staying only to make sure that his companions had time to get away before he succumbed to Tarquin’s influence. He stayed long enough to watch me kill the foul creature that had dared lay a finger on him. He smiled at me. My sweet darling of a brother smiled at me, in a way that said, I don’t blame you, and maybe, I’m sorry. He let out a soft breath of relief. He didn’t pull in another. His chest fell still, he fell, his heart pumping its last before he hit the ground.
I see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it’s no longer you
He looked like Lester. The one that Nico and Rachel had said had died in the fight with Python. Yet here he was, looking sheepish as he waited for my reaction. I walked up to him slowly, he never so much as flinched as I hugged him with mud and dirt-stained hands. My eyes watered, as he held me close, whispering softly in my hair apologizing for being late. My heart ached; it was dangerous to love a god, but Apollo wasn’t a god anymore. He wasn’t the person I started the quest with either. He was my friend and he would remember.