The Blood Of The Beast

6: Apollo's Jar of Screams

(08/07/16 - 10/07/16)

The terrifying creature was a strange mix of the colours green, orange and yellow. Each step it took closer to me, it breather fire. The glass basin in the center of the table kept throwing water at the creature, in miserable attempts to stop it.

Every time the water hits the small monster, a chuckle leaves its mouth and it blows fire again, taking another step.

I attempt to stand up and run, but I realize I am frozen in place.

My eyes roam the room. Aunt Kiara's face is frozen in a state of pure terror. Uncle Archie looks shocked along with Miss Mary.

Mr. Mafia, or who I now truly believed to be Apollo, was staring calmly at the lizard. As if he sensed my eyes in him, he looked up and winked.

You can move now, Alex. Unfortunately, Zeus felt as if I was too selfish so now I can only use my powers to help others, so I can't unfreeze myself. But if you injure the chiæra enough, it will loose its control and everyone can move and I can finish it off.

Someone says in my mind. I look at Apollo again. I start to slowly raise my hand which is clutching the sword.

Thump. The creature, the chimæra, was five small steps away.

I pause and look at his eyes. He can't seriously expect me to significantly hurt a fire breathing monster.

Thump. Four steps.

Do it, boy! You're our only hope!

Before I can think straight again, I shoot up from the cushion and I raise the sword in the air and bring it down at the reptile.

The blade was a centimeter away from the creature when all of a sudden it was surrounded in a burst of light that slammed me against the wall.

The armour proved no defence against the blast, as the chainmail dug itself into my skin.

As I slid down against the wall, I looked up to see a giant wolf instead of the small, fire-breathing lizard. Behind it, everyone was frozen on the floor with splinters of the table around them.

The water spilled from the remains glass bowl seemed to from an arrow to the left of the creature.

I followed it to see me shield, and the head of the gorgon moving. Medusa's head. Next to it, lay my sword, the wings of the owl fluttering softly.

I knew what I had to do.

I stood up, stifling a groan of pain and looked at the monster. Is that the best you can do? You must be pretty bipolar, never staying a permanent form. That's probably why I'm still alive."

The beast roared in fury and lunged at me.

I dodged him and made a dash to where he was and grabbed my weapons.

The monster turned around and lunged again, blinded by so much anger that he missed the swipe I took on his right paw, and rammed into the wall next to me, out of balance.

In the corner of m eye, I saw Apollo twitch a little.

The chimæra turned around once more, and bellowed again, this time spewing flames. I raised by shield to protect my face.

While the creature was distracted by its fire, I felt the owl on the hilt of the sword flutter its wings again.

Throw it, boy. Apollo yelled in my mind again. So I did.

The owl flapped its mighty wing, directing the blade into the monster's back.

As it collapsed, it looked straight into my shield, and turned into a statue, my sword slipping downwards and cutting the stone in half.

The back half of the chimæra exploded into fire, then disappeared. All that was left, was the monster's head.

I felt someone's had in my shoulder and turned around to find my uncle Archie. He grinned and said, "Good job, boy. Looks like you're a natural fighter."

Apollo slipped past us and grabbed the wolf's head. In his hands, it turned back into the original form of the lizard.

"Who sent you." He asked the creature. It attempted to spew fire but failed, only managing to create spluttering coughs.

"You have no powers in the hands of a god, child of Echidna." Apollo growled.

"M-mother sent m-me." A squeaky, stuttering voice came out of the lizard.

Apollo frowned. "Echidna isnt working for Axilux."

The creature gave a chuckle full of fear. "The Dragon-Lord isn't the only one who would benefit with the Slayer dead. You should know that yourself, god of prophecy. After all, didn't Zeus appoint you as his protector?"

Apollo growled, then grabbed something from his pocket with his other hand.

Out came a large jar, painted a deep blood-red. The creature whimpered at the sight of it.

Mary and Kiara shrieked.

"Don't open it in my house!" Mary yelled at Apollo.

Ignoring them, he asked brought the chimæra closer to it."How would Echidna benefit?"

The creature whimpered again. Apollo brought it even closer.

"The Fates have chosen two paths! My mother wants a specific one!" It shrieked.

All of a sudden Apollo jerked the jar open and the room filled with ear piercing shrieks. He tossed the creature in and closed it again.

He looked at me. "That's where I put the horrible voices the fates created to annoy me after their owners go to the Underworld."

He snapped his fingers and room went back to its previous condition, all of the furniture fixed to its prime.

The small paper the oracle gave me fell in the air. Apollo caught it and handed it to me. "Open it when the time is right." And he faded away.

Aunt Kiara put her hand in my other shoulder. "Let's go home, A."

Miss Mary nodded. "You can come back to work tomorrow. Do not tell anyone of what you have learned without our permission." And she shuffled out of the room.

"Alright..."