Light Of Asteria

Chapter Four: Juno

A twisted maze of archaic stone resided before Juno. Stairs and streets, back alleys and darkened shops. Beggars lined the crumbling cobblestone, hands outstretched—crying, emaciated, and broken. Their soft moans resonated in his soul as stench rose from the heaping piles of bodies littered beside the shops. The perfume of dead mixed with a sweet aroma of the nearby bakery's pastries. Grotesque, the blended smell sickened. Nausea created a sea of acid in his stomach. The bottom tier persisted as eternal hell.

Juno's muscles tensed beneath the heavy armor while memories echoed in his mind. A haunting sensation plagued. It twisted inside him, a hollowed ghost threatening to overtake his soul. For a split second, he envisioned himself and his sister. Cold. Wet. Dying. They'd seen better days, yet, others perished.

A similar atmosphere to the one Juno remembered, the bottom tier acted as a watercolor painting of history. Though, times hardened. Almost uninhabitable, chaos worsened. Citizens in rags scampered around corners, struggling to complete their daily duties amongst the dead. Baskets of rotten food dangled from their hands. Their lines of sopping wet clothes draped as banners, graced by silent hopes the linen would eventually dry despite the perpetual mist. Tears flickered against Juno's sapphire eyes at the forlorn scene.

"The demonic attacks against the city gates have increased in number." He sighed. "The people can't take much more of this. Their entire way of life has been skewed, not that it was much better before but . . . still."

Lexi skipped beside him, twirling as he gazed at their surroundings.

"Hmm, I dunno, Juno. I think it's quite charming," he chirped, sarcastic.

Glaring in his direction, Juno arched his brow. Lexi's golden eyes widened as a child would when scolded. He held up his hands and laughed.

"Kidding! Kidding, my friend." He chuckled, again, before gaining seriousness. "But you're right. Things have gotten pretty bad. I don't understand why—"

An older woman shuffled closer, interrupting his words. She collapsed to her knees and bowed her head. Hundreds of wrinkles lined her dirt smeared forehead.

"Please, kind knights, might you spare some coin?"

Lexi jolted back, protruding his tongue. He released a disgusted sound and wiped his hands against the navy sash hanging from his armor, as if her presence alone revolted him. Rolling his eyes, Juno retrieved a few gold coins from a pouch at his waist and placed them in her cupped hands.

"There you are, madam. I know it's not much but I pray to The Great Mother it will be enough."

Glancing up, her eyes sparkled beneath wispy strands of white hair. "Thank you, sir! Thank you!"

The older woman kissed Juno's hand, before using his strength to pull herself to her feet. Tucking the hair behind her ear, he smiled. She bowed a final time, then slipped away around a corner. As quick as she came, she was gone. Lexi snorted, scowling after she'd left.

"She'll likely die anyway, you know, whether you helped her or not. I really don't understand why you do the things you do, Juno." He groaned, crossing his arms.

"That line of thinking is almost what ended mine and my sister's lives, Lex. At least the old woman chose to beg, instead of steal," Juno muttered, shooting him a nasty glare. "As long as you have faith, anything is possible. It was thanks to the kindness of Archbishop Kerberos and Pope Alazar that I'm even still alive, as well as the blessing of The Great Mother."

Lexi tapped a finger to his chin, deep in thought, before thrusting his arm towards the sky.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry, I forgot." He laughed, giving a sheepish smile. "You don't talk about it much and sometimes I forget that you weren't training with the Holy Knights since you could walk. You know, like me. I also find it so strange that you don't remember anything before that day, either, when Kerberos and the others brought you in. You really must've been on death's door, huh?"