Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The wise and ancient god departed, leaving Jason and Eva reeling from his final declaration. He shuffled away slowly and stiffly. Neither could figure out his meaning. What was so important about Midgard? Why was it such a key world? What secret was hidden there? Neither of them like the idea that they had been marked by good and evil. Or that they would be pivotal in deciding which side would prevail. Jason couldn't help but feel that the gods still weren't telling him something, there was still a key piece of information missing. Eva scrubbed a hand over her face and growled. "Is this what going mad feels like? I think I finally understand why you chose to be alone so much when we first found you" Jason quietly studied Eva, he took a long time before replying "there was more to it than that but yes"

Eva's dark eyes widened in surprise "Like what?" Jason had never spoke of his early days in Elysium or what he went through on an emotional and personal level. Was he finally about to tell her? Jason stayed quiet, he kept his eyes on the grass. Eva waited patiently and almost gave up hope of getting an answer when Jason said. "I woke up in a ruined hell world, my beliefs were proved to be false, my gods didn't exist, and everything I had put my trust in was a lie!"

"Kinda like what I'm going through now" muttered Eva darkly. Jason studied her and nodded gravely "Yes. I was plunged into a world of darkness, lost and completely alone for the first time ever. I mean, completely alone. I had no gods to turn to for advice or guidance. My sanity was pushed to the very edge of reason by the presence of a talking cat!"

Eva frowned but stayed silent. What could she possibly say to such a statement anyway? She didn't fully know how Jason had got there or why he had a magical cat as a companion. When Eva had woke up in Elysium there was no magical animal to guide her. Jason continued speaking to the grass. When Janus showed up, my mind became completely unhinged. For a brief time I thought he was the real thing, I let myself believe his lies and that I had been damned to hell"

Eva's mind drifted back to that moment. She had been hiding upon a rooftop and watching the whole thing. She didn't know who this Janus person was or who he was supposed to represent. Two years of living in Elysium had corroded her mind and memories. She had forgotten all about Christianity and Jesus. Jason looked up, his blue eyes, glistening with tears meeting her dark ones "When that fight started, when I was surrounded by hundreds of those Passus. I knew all hope was lost. I gave up the will to fight. I knew darkness would claim my soul for eternity." Eva held her breath, Jason had never spoken so openly or deeply before. She waited for him to continue. "I have always been a fighter. Even when all was gone I still fought those damned creatures. Then in the darkness a light shone out. At first I thought the goddess Artemis herself had come to save me"

Eva frowned, just like her memories of Christianity, all her knowledge of Greek Gods was also gone. "Who?" she berated herself for blurting that out. Would Jason stop talking now? He smiled at her and said "She was a Greek Goddess, a fierce warrior, master of the hunt. Her weapon of choice was the long bow"

Eva's cheeks reddened as she realized who Jason was talking about. She had been called many things in her lifetime. But being mistaken for a goddess? No chance.

"I was touched in such a deep way that I have never felt before. The way you fought beside me, stood shoulder to shoulder with me and you didn't even know me. I still don't know why you risked your life to save me that day?"

Eva went even redder, if that was possible. It was her turn to look down and talk to the grass. "I don't know....Tiberius said you were important and had to be saved......I mean, maybe.....I just wanted some other company than a miserable eighty year old man"

Jason burst out laughing, he could tell there was more to it than that but still it did make sense

"That is a very valid point but that is still not the reason" he looked deep into Eva's eyes "I know you, I can tell your holding something back from me still"

Eva held his gaze, she thought back to that day on the rooftop. She remembered being completely unimpressed with Jason the first time she saw him. He certainly didn't look special. Except there was something in his eyes, there was something so familiar. She didn't remember it then but she had seen those eyes before, she didn't remember that she had met him before, had a raging crush on him before but something in her heart or soul remembered that.

Jason had been facing off against the twins and then the demon Janus had intervened. In that moment Jason did something that put Eva to shame. He had done what she could not do. One thing that Eva had never told anyone was what really happened on her first day in Elysium. One minute she was being hit by a car, the next she was waking up in a hell world. She instantly gave up, she laid down and didn't try to fight on. When Janus found her, she didn't even try to fight him, she stood there and let him run her through with a sword.

Jason on the other hand had stood up to the demon, stood up to the twins. He fought tooth and nail for what he had believed in. even when he knew all hope was lost, he still fought on. I his eyes, Eva found a new hope, a new reason to live and fight. Eva had often wondered if it was more than a crush, maybe in Midgard she had been in love with him already. And simply seeing him again reignited that. It was something she had never dared to bring up with Jason.

Eva took a deep breath and settled herself onto Jason's lap, wrapping her legs around his waist. She looked deep into his eyes and said "From that first moment in Elysium that I laid eyes on you, I knew I loved you. I have often wondered if that love had actually started two years earlier in Midgard but I honestly can't say for sure. My memories of that world are too faded now."

Jason nodded with understanding, he too was finding it harder to recall his life in Midgard clearly. Eva had a two year head start on him and he often wondered just how much she had lost.

"It doesn't matter if you remember or not. All that matters is we are together now" he wrapped his arms around Eva's back and held her close. Eva decided to make the most of this openness and asked the question she longed and dreaded to know the answer to.

"Did you love me back then?"

Jason smiled at a memory and said. "Honestly I don't know myself. I remember Cassie constantly saying that I clearly was in love with you, that I was obsessed with you"

Eva broke into a huge grin before kissing Jason passionately. She could perhaps begin to understand why Cassie had disliked her so much from the very start now. When they finally broke apart Eva asked "So what are we going to do about this final battle? Choosing good or evil and saving the world?"

Jason's face darkened, he sighed and said "We simply do what we can"

Eva frowned and punched Jason in the arm "Now you sound like the Gods, you are spending far too much time with them!" Jason sighed dramatically and put on a wise old man's voice

"Yes I have grown wise and old before my time. It is the burden of such great wisdom. Still.... Maybe there is a way to be young again"

Eva screamed with joy as Jason wrestled her to the grass and began kissing her again.