Marco & Auge (Angels and Grim Reapers BOOK II)

Chapter 11: The Circle of Memories

Ducking another spike I soared into the void, ignoring for once my senses; I was getting tired, really tired and exhausted. Auge had borrowed to me her wings and with pure willpower I had managed to come this far. But I doubted how much my strength could hold me on flying without rest.

I glance down at the bracelet; seeing my aged, wrinkled arm is painful while the beautiful metal is tied around my wrist. Marco was the one who tied it on me on my 19th birthday. That night I was bold enough to kiss him as we danced on the middle of a ghost club. How far away that time was!

The golden diamond feather glimmered as I begged silently for a clue, a sign of where the portal out from the Fifth Circle was.

"You will never find it." A voice suddenly echoed into the empty space.

I gazed frantically around me, searching for the source of the voice.

"Who are you? Where are you?" I shouted as I flapped my wings, spinning around.

Realizing that the growing spikes had stopped their movement, I stepped into the surface on one of them, looking around me.

"I have no form, only a memory I represent." The voice spoke again.

Although deep, I couldn't distinguish if it was a man's or a woman's. Glistering colors appeared around me and soon I was drawn into them, feeling the warmth of the colors covering my feet and arms.

"What is this? What are you doing to me!?" I screamed as the warmth spread over my body, feeling the pressure overtaking me.

"I will show you what you need to know. If your mind remains sane, I will let you see the Lord of the Realm." The sound echoed in my ears just before the light blinded me completely.

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The sound of birds was the first thing I heard. Then the warm wind caressed my skin making me shiver from bliss. Such warmth!

Wait, there is no heat on Nether Realm!

Frantically I opened my eyes; the light blinded me as the sun was on the sky, indicating that maybe it was midday. Where was I? What happened?

"Persea." I snapped and got up quickly.

I was standing on a hill with some trees round me; the scenery was green and full of life as the sky, crystal clear from clouds while in the horizon the mountaintop could be seen.

Below me, a valley was spreading, fertile and rich but with no sign of life wherever the eye could see. The vague blue line of a river was spreading across the rich land, making me wonder where I was.

"Persea!" I shouted out loud, hoping to get a response.

"Kassandra!" a happy voice was heard behind me and I turned.

Perseus was running towards me but he was human! His body was trained and his lines could be clearly see below his tunic; his hair was light brown, while his eyes were striking green, a color that was missing from his ghost self.

He paced quickly and lifted me on his arms, making me squeal.

"Αδερφέ κατάβηθι μοι!" (Brother put me down!)

"Τι ποιείς εις τους αγρούς;" (What are you doing in the fields?)

They were speaking ancient Greek! Wait, why could I hear a woman's voice while I hadn't spoken?

I am Perseus, son of Euagora from Sparta.

The thought of the time when I met him with Marco on the museum crept into me; Sparta? I was in Sparta? In ancient Sparta!? Then I was inside the body of that woman?