Know that I would gladly be. The Icarus to your certainty. Oh, my sunlight, sunlight, sunlight
Strap the wing to me. Death trap clad happily. With wax melted, I'd meet the sea. Under sunlight, sunlight, sunlight.
-Hozier
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"I swear it on my honor, on my blood, and the Gods," Xene screams into the inky black ocean. Agonizing emotions rip apart his insides. Furiously, he has been storming up and down the beach, trying to think of a way to get Kore back from Cupid.
The same scene has been playing over and over in his head. Xene's hands flew to his hair while trying to forget the way Kore had looked with the arrow stuck in her side. A scream escapes his lungs. Nobody is around to hear him, as it is past midnight.
His arms feel so bare. Just a day ago he had Kore's lively body with his. The moment of Kore's lifeless body in his arms comes to mind once again. Sand covers Xene's body from where he's been tumbling in the sand. He's done everything including praying - and cursing - the Gods for help, finding evidence of where Kore had gone, and keeping an eye open for Cupid at all times.
His wedding day was going to be perfect. His whole life with Kore was going to be perfect. It all fell apart when that devil of a God crashed their wedding and shot the love of his life. Xene was going to save her, too. He was so close to doing so. Xene hadn't hesitated to pick Kore's hurt body into his arms and rush her to safety, but Cupid had interfered.
During that day, Xene had never run faster than he was. But even so, a winged man is still faster. Cupid had followed Xene out of the wedding and was looming over his shoulder. Xene tried to lose him down many streets, but he was much slower with a body in his arms.
He was so close to saving Kore, but Cupid had stanched her from his arms. In one motion, Xene's arms were empty.
The man's heart tears apart every time he thinks of the way Cupid held her. With no mercy. Up in the sky, he flew away with Kore and since then Xene has been plotting ways to get Cupid back.
Not knowing where Kore is, if she's safe, or even alive, hurts Xene extremely. He hasn't slept since she's been gone and he has eaten little. Now and then, Xene believes he sees Cupid in some shadows, but it's only his hallucinations.
After running around like a seagull without a head for hours, Xene collapsed on the beach. Sleep finally took him in and took his worries away from his body for a few hours.
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The morning comes roughly. Xene sleeps in until noon. None of the locals disturb him as they walk along the coast. An energy of depression had covered the whole town. With sand stuck to Xene's skin and his hair twisted frighteningly, nobody dared to approach him anyway.
Except for one lady.
She was on the older side and it took her a moment to waddle over to Xene. He did not hear her shuffle up to the dune he was lying on, so she shook him awake. He didn't move for a solid minute. The woman keeps poking him, knowing that he's not dead.
With a groan, Xene rolls over in the sand. A sea shell sticks to his forehead right above his eyebrow. The woman takes in his awful state but continues to sit down next to him. She digs around in her bag while Xene takes a moment to adjust to the bright sun.
The older lady, filled with knowledge, notices the way the boy's skin is pale and dried up from dehydration. His clothes are tattered and a strong stench emits from them. Eventually, Xene notices the stranger sitting next to him. He doesn't recognize her, but that may be because he's tired and nothing makes sense right now.
A sandy hand brushes his hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. "Who'reyou?" Xene mumbles to the silent woman. He watches as she pulls a small jar out of her bag and hands it to him. Xene is suspicious at first, but it looks like it's only water. His dry throat begs for him to accept it.
Xene's fingers tremble when he tries to open it. "Here," the old lady offers an outreached hand. He hands it back to her, almost embarrassed by his weakness. It doesn't help that the lady twists the jar open effortlessly. When he receives the water, it is gone within seconds.
"Would you like some food?" The lady offers him while digging into his bag again. Xene questions why she's being generous to him. He also is yet to recognize who she is. Her facial features are strange, ones that aren't from Xene's area.
"Who are you?" Xene repeats. The woman takes a piece of fruit and gives it to him.
"I am a concerned woman who only wants to help you," she replies in a soft, but stern voice, "Now, would you like cheese with that apple?"
Xene shakes his head. Not to the offer, but with his response. Why won't she answer him? He's frustrated enough. If she wasn't giving him food, then he would get up and leave her on this beach.
"You don't even know me. Why are you helping me?" Xene accuses sharply. The lack of sleep and food is getting to his brain. The woman realizes that and keeps her tone level.
She lets out a soft laugh before talking, like she knows something young Xene doesn't. "Oh, I know you, Xene."
The man jumps when he hears his name. The name he never exchanged with this mysterious woman. Her food drops from his hands as he tries to scramble away from her. Xene bites back the urge to call her a witch. This whole interaction has been strange, he needs to get away from this woman now.
Xene scrambles backward too fast, he trips over himself and lands back in the sand. At this same time, the woman has picked up her things and is hovering above him. More sweat beads down his forehead. Her old face blocks the sun so the rays circle her.
"Don't be alarmed. You know of me, Xene. Only, not in this form," She calmly states. This only confuses him more. What is she talking about? As she speaks, he seems to be frozen in place by fear. She's only an old woman, why is he scared of her?
"What do you mean?" Xene almost screams. He doesn't know what else to do. An amused expression comes from the lady, breaking her character of looking calm and collected. Her eyes never leave his. It's intimidating.
"I'll show you." A smirk comes from her lips. Xene doesn't get to say anything before he is blinded. It was only for a second, but his vision had gone away. Something so bright had taken the place of the woman in front of him. Xene's hand covers his squinting eye. Water pools up as he blinks rapidly to see what had happened to the woman in front of him.
The strange bright light had faded. Xene's focus goes to the ground where she was just standing. Where her old, wrinkled legs had been, they were now replaced by a pair of tanned, strong legs. The sight is alarming. Xene's eyes budge as he wonders what had just happened.
A sharp laugh comes from above. Xene snaps his head up to see a man standing in front of him. Not the old lady he was just talking to, but a completely different person. A person Xene can recognize out of nowhere.
"Apollo," Xene breathes before flinging himself before the God. He bows at his feet while crying for forgiveness.
"Can you, uh... not do that. Emotions aren't my thing," Apollo's bright voice asks from above. The God watches how Xene panics and backs off of him. How come mortals always have to get so spazzy around him? It ruins the mood.
Xene can't even look at the God who stands before him. Full of shame, he begs and begs some more for assurance from him. "Apologies my God for my state of being. I am honored to be in your presence, please forgive me. Please, acknowledge by offering and prayers towards you, I am a strong believer."
Apollo awkwardly looks around as he waits for the mortal to finish. This happens every time. Maybe he should have just stayed in the old lady's disguise, but he has business to accomplish.
"Xene?"
"Yes, my God. Anything, anything for you," Xene pleads.
"Shut up."
Xene's mouth snaps close immediately. How could he be so stupid? Rambling to his idol. He has dreamed of seeing Apollo in person ever since he was a young boy and people have said he reminded them of the great God Apollo. Xene doesn't have anyone else that he looks up to more, and now he is making a fool of himself.
Xene shakes his head regretfully. He can't even bring himself to look at the gorgeous God. Thankfully he doesn't look, because Apollo rolls his eyes to himself.
"Enough time has passed," Apollo starts to speak again. His golden hair shines in the sun against his tanned skin. But, Xene can only bring himself to look at his sandals. "I have something to ask of you, Xene."
The man coward in the sand, looks up. Overwhelmed by the honor of being asked something by Apollo, Xene quickly nods his head to indicate he is listening. Apollo continues talking. He explains how he needs help getting revenge on Cupid.
Xene freezes once he hears the name of Cupid. Those dark emotions from the last couple of days come right back to him. He almost completely forgets about Apollo because anger takes over his mind.
Apollo snaps his fingers to get Xene's attention. "Good! Do you see that? All your anger towards that stupid Cupid, yeah, I need that." Apollo grins down at Xene. He is exactly what the God needs to get back at Cupid. "I am aware that you've had some conflict with the God of Love recently, and so have I."
Xene's eyes widen as he listens to Cupid. He's honored to know that Apollo has seen his troubles and is here to offer something. He listens to how Apollo speaks about his run-in with Cupid lately.
"Yeah, so I was talking to this cute mortal girl recently, and Cupid shot her with an arrow and made her fall in love with a cow. So unfair, right?" Apollo scoffs at the situation. "And now, he's messing with your girl. What's her name again?"
Xene's heart breaks, but answers, "Kore. Her name is Kore."
"Yes, right. Now, Cupid is too busy with her to take the spell off my girl."
As Apollo waves his hands around in the air. Xene is left to wonder what he's going to be doing to help God. He is only mortal. A mortal filled with rage, but he still doesn't believe he can do anything to Cupid.
Xene stops Apollo in the middle of his rant. "And what will I be doing?" He regrets his words immediately.
Apollo stops and points a finger at Xene. "Yes, you are going to kill Cupid for me. I would do it myself, but it would be way more satisfying if a mortal killed him. I mean, yes Cupid is immortal so he will come back and will probably kill you once he does, but don't you want some sweet revenge?"
Apollo had Xene hooked ever since he transformed out of his old lady disguise. Anything the God asks him to do, he will do it. Besides, Cupid took the love of his life, of course, he is going to take the opportunity to get revenge and Kore back.
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1950 words
Posted 4/20/2024
Wassup! What do you all think about Apollo's offer? Would you take it?
Wishing you a good rest of your day :)