06-Family Reunion

The flame’s warmth spread up my body and renovated my strength. I gasped again I’d never felt this good in my life, everything was wonderful, I felt happy all my worries had been taken away, and a huge grin broke out on my face. I walked up the steps with my new found vigour and when I got to the top almost opened the door but then I stopped some kind of feeling over came me, I guessed I had to do something or the door wouldn’t open….either that or something would blast me into a million pieces I was feeling good but I don’t think that it would have helped me in the slightest. I racked my brains trying to figure out what to do. The warmth started to fade away and the fire started to dim, tiredness set back in again. I sensed my time was running out. Frantically I searched again, there was nothing on the door that told me what to do, the doormat said “open” I saw that and something took hold of me. As if I wasn’t controlling my own mouth I spoke,

“Anoiktí̱,” which I somehow understood to mean “Open” but I couldn’t place the language. The fire grew to an inferno and my strength returned; I felt well rested again. The door opened silently of its own accord surprising me; the blue flames were inside too lending the place more warmth. In front of me a hallway stretched out to a door where I could see a lounge on one side there was a wooden table a few bits of paper were spread across it. I didn’t stop to take any notice of anything that was on the paper if there was. I walked slowly into the lounge it was a large square shape with a couch on one wall facing the big glass sliding door. I walked over to the glass curious to see the view. On the other side of the door was a balcony that looked over a whole mess of plants, bits of an old wooden fence showed through some of the foliage,

 “Why do you come here boy!?” a gruff woman’s voice made me jump I reached for my sword and drew it half out of the sheath with a hiss.

“There is no need to draw any weapon in my house!” The woman spoke again sounding angry. The fire below me started to get hot for the first time and a small inkling of fear started to nibble at me. I looked around for the speaker but I couldn’t see anyone.

“Well put it away!” I spun towards the sound, on the couch was an old wrinkled woman, she was a little chubby around the gut and seemed so old that if it did end up being a fight I could take her on, the heat from the fire reminded me otherwise. I slid my sword back into its sheath,

“Wise move,” she commented and the fire went back to its original warmth,

“What’s your name?” she asked again,

“Desmond ma’am,” I said standing straight, she laughed,

“No need to be so formal Desmond, relax,” her tone lost some of its gruffness, I stayed how I was and didn’t say anything,

“Okay then don’t. How did you know the word to open the door?”

“I…I’m not sure,” I answered truthfully, if she was part of the Regiments I figured she would have killed me by now so what was the point in lying,

“So boy, can you see the flames?” she asked gruff once more

“You mean the blue ones?” I asked,

“A simpleton too, do you see any other flames here?” she sighed gesturing around with wrinkled hands,

“Yes I see them,” she started muttering to herself and I couldn’t quite understand what she was saying, I just caught snippets and they confused me even more,

“…has the necklace…can see the flames…doesn’t speak…no training…” I fingered Hammond’s necklace wondering what she was talking about,

“You’ll have to do I guess,” she sighed, “What happened to Hammond?” the question caught me off guard,

“Hammond?” I asked getting suspicious of the old woman, “What do you know of Hammond?”

“I know he is my grandson,” she said simply,

“How?” I asked in disbelief,

“I’m not going to go into his mother’s conception boy!” she growled, I blushed and tried again,

“What happened to his mother?” I asked, knowing after I said it that I didn’t want to know,

“She died, not long after Hammonds brother was born,” I looked down,

“I’m sorry,” then her words totally sunk in,

“Hammond had a brother?” I blurted, she laughed, and started coughing, I watched with concern,

“Yes Hammond does indeed have a brother,”

“Where?” I demanded she laughed again although this time with less enthusiasm,

“He’s in this room with me,” I looked around shocked and confused,

“I can’t see anyone…” She stayed silent and it started to dawn on me that she’d meant me,

“If you’re telling the truth…Did he know I was his brother?” I asked not believing her,

“Of coarse foolish child,” She laughed,

“Then why didn’t he tell me?” I asked bluntly, not believing a word she said anymore,

“I don’t know, maybe because he wanted to protect you,”

“From what?”

“The guards,” that stopped me, I looked out the window thinking about the siblings that had been found out to be related in our dorms, both were taken away and never seen again,

“Do you want to know who you are?” I looked at her and nodded slowly,

“I assume you don’t know much about the ancient Greek Gods?” she asked, I thought back to the camp, Hammond had told me about reading a book once that said the ancient Greeks one of the first human civilizations in the old world and the Gods they worshipped,

“The twelve Olympians; Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Dionysus, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Hermes,” I said, the woman nodded,

“You know the basic story though right?” I nodded

“There were the original Titans who ruled and the Gods overthrew them right?”

“Yes you have the basic theory, but there were in reality thirteen Olympians, the last was Hades, oh and they weren’t Gods, they were human rulers who used sorcery, and the titans where the same,” I looked at her and started to ask a question but before I could she butted in,

“No questions we don’t have time, you are a descendant of the thirteen, well all of their blood runs in your veins,”

“What!?” I exclaimed,

“Just listen, you have some of their powers, or at least I’m guessing you do because you can see the fire and you’re wearing Hammond’s necklace,” I think then it finally dawned on her that Hammond had died,

“He lived a good life,” I whispered, as she wiped away tears,

“Never mind that, it’s bloody horrible he died but I must tell you something, I don’t have long left,” I nodded.

“If you make anything strange happen, stop doing it immediately. You could die if you misuse magic,”

“How do I stop?”

“Just cut the flow,”

“How?” I asked confused,

“You’ll know when it happens,” her voice grew quiet,

“Now you know Desmond, and now I shall be at peace,” She sighed,

“Desmond you are powerful and you will choose the fate of the world and everyone on it,”

“How can I be that powerful? I don’t want to be able to do that,”

“And that is why you will make the good decision, just make sure good is also right, and remember there are more like you,” I nodded having no idea what she was talking about,

“It is done,” she sighed and the flames suddenly went out, instantly everything cooled down, I stood there for a while taking in the still form of my grandmother. My mind still reeling from the revelations of what I had just been told I turned around slowly and walked back through the kitchen and into the hallway moving slowly towards the front door. I left closing the door behind me, before I had even taken it in I was at the house that we were staying in, I turned back to look at the silhouetted house I just left,

“Thank you,” I whispered the door of the house we were all staying in opened behind me and out ran Accalia with her accompanying squeal that made me wince,

“Desmond!” she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a tight hug,

“I was so worried about you!” she exclaimed pulling out of the hug so she could punch me in the arm as hard as she could, which was really hard, I shot her a questioning look,

“That’s for leaving,” she then wrapped her arms around me again, standing on her tip toes she kissed me,

“And that’s for coming back,” I laughed,

“How are all the others?”

“They're scared of you after what happened with Akantha,” she said serious all of a sudden, it took me a moment to remember what she meant; I pulled Accalia in closer to me.

“They’ll have to get used to what happened to Akantha,” I said simply remembering what my grandmother had said,

“…and remember there are more like you,”

Who were they?