The Demons of Rome

XVII - Heroes and Hydra

Iatus woke up sore again. Every muscle in his body screamed in pain as he rolled out of bed.

"Ah, the mighty warrior arises," Aelith crowed from his perch.

Iatus stood up but was overtaken by dizziness and lay back down.

"You're going to miss class," Aelith continued.

"Go away," Iatus complained and Aelith chuckled.

He shut his eyes and mentally pushed away the annoying, high pitched voice and was just drifting off to sleep when Ava came in.

"Sorry Master Iatus, I let you sleep as long as I could but you will be late if you don't get up now."

Iatus cursed under his breath and dragged himself out of the covers and threw on some clothes.

"Does no-one care that I was pounded on by a minotaur yesterday?" he moaned softly.

"Yes they do, but unfortunately their amity does not entitle you to miss classes."

Iatus rubbed the sleep from his eyes and half staggered out of the door. Aelith landed on his bruised shoulder, causing pain to send his arm into spasms.

"OW! You couldn't stay in the rooms today?"

"What, and let you roam the halls alone? You get into enough trouble with me about, think what would happen if I left you alone."

Iatus almost cried.

"Hi Iatus, well done for yesterday!" an older student called to him as they past each other in the corridor.

"Umm, thanks," Iatus replied, unsure and wondered off.

As he rounded another corner a group of students waved and cheered him. He didn't respond this time, scurrying off as fast as he could.

"Good duelling Iatus!"

"Great show Iatus!"

"Well done with that minotaur!"

Everyone seemed to be in the corridors today congratulating him and he wasn't sure if he liked it. Normally he was lucky to be ignored, at least when they were calling him names he understood why, this was something new and strange.

When he got to theoretical demonology the class all turned to look at him, some with fear but most with admiration. The only one who's perception didn't appear to have changed was Amber's, she was looking straight ahead, waiting for the class to begin. He tried his best to ignore them and took his seat next to Max.

"So how does it feel to be famous?" Max asked him as soon as he sat down, a big grin on his face.

"Umm, unnerving."

Max laughed, "Romans love their gladiators."

Iatus didn't know what to say and was glad that Scipio chose that moment to come bustling in.

"Oh, Iatus, I didn't expect to see you today, not after the pounding that minotaur gave you."

The class laughed and Iatus bit his lip, trying not to let the attention get to him.

"Capitus, on the other hand, seems to be absent, I suspect that that is more of hurt pride than anything else, anyway, onwards."

The lesson proceeded as normal but Iatus didn't have the energy to focus much and it fell to Amber to answer all the questions, Iatus spent his time scribbling the occasional note on parchment and trying to find a position that didn't cause him too much discomfort. His perpetual pains caused the day to drag, minutes turned to hours and hours to days, by the end of it he felt he must have done at least a week's worth of work. The weather didn't help either, the wind had picked up and rain was falling in great gusts that rattled around the castle, rain always made Iatus miserable, probably because of the years he hadn't had shelter from it.