The Blood Of The Beast

16: Heart beat a Tattoo

(06/11/16 - 19/01/17)

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Thank you once more!

Alex...

Alex, wake up!

Alex, please!

Alex...

I slowly blinked my eyes open, and looked around, sitting in an upright position. Chlöe was crouched next to me while Mara growled for us to hurry up.

Damn... I really need to stop waking up like this.

"Alex!" Chlöe's hiss snapped me out of my thoughts. "C'mon, we have to go and get out of here! The Drakkon is waking up!"

The Drakkon? The Drakkon.

The Drakkon!

I jump up, stumbling since I had lost feelings on my leg. I looked over, and there it was.

I truly took it in this time, black scales and slowly blinking yellow eyes. Familiar eyes. And a scar that started on his neck and ended at his hind leg.

Murderer...

Adriana...

Darren...

I stood still, feeling rage and adrenaline travel through my veins. Except, this time, I felt in control and I knew exactly what I would do.

I was going to kill the monster who took my parents, and my future with them.

I square my shoulders, ready for what was coming. Remembering how I fought the chimæra. How I killed the Cyclops.

I reached by the side of my waist, where my sword was meant to lie. Sanguis-Draconis.  There was no way, no way  that sword would be there against my hip, it went against everything I was brought up with, everything I was taught, yet my instincts screamed at those futile beliefs, challenging them to realise that all that we have been through in this single day  - chimæraand Cyclopses, meeting Greek dieties and traveling through Earthworm Holes to end up in Rome - it was real.

And I felt myhands wrap around the cold handle of that sword. I felt the metal feathers of the owl brush my fingers. I felt my armour wrapping itself around my body; protecting me. I felt the world finally come in to place around me. For the first time, I didn't feel like I was drowning in my own despair and axiousness, I felt hope, like I had finally found my place in this world. And it felt amazing.

I charged fowards with my blade up in the air, an ancient cry of war escaping my lips, head on the now awoken and ready Drakkon, and fought it.

And failed.

The beast had raised one mighty, clawed paw, corded with obsidian scales glitsning in the faint light of a torch, and brought it down on me; lke the dragon in my dreams.

So I gave in - to the pain, the embarassment, the adrenaline, the defeat. However, not before grasping ball of of darkness and obscurity and tucking it into my pocket as I felt my arour melt away once more.

-_-_-

I woke up in my room, in my own bed, no longer coated with sweat, dust and blood, as if all that had happened was a dream. As if it never happened.

"What never happened, darling? Did you have a bad dream?" Aunt Kiara's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"How did I get here?" I snapped, my voice sharper than I meant it to be. This wasn't right, I knew there was no way I dreamed up a couple of days so vividly like that. I wasn't thick, but not bright enough to come up with a dream as fantastical as my reality. My confusing reality.

C'mon, boy. You ain't that thick.

Shut up, brai- goddamn my sword is speaking in my brain! I thought recognising that familiar voice whispering me information for the past days and connecting it to the one that always haunted me.

Close, but no banana. I ain't your sword but I speak through it. I'll meet ya soon, Alex.

"- what you're taking about, munchkin'. You came back from work yesterday and went straight to bed, saying you weren't feeling too well." Kiara mused with a worried expression on her face.

"Maybe you have a fever, I'll wait for Arch to get home, he'll know what to do."

She turned around and ambled towards the door, muttering something about me not getting up and her making soup.

As she closed the door behind her, I shot up and ran towards the mirror in the bathroom.

No blood.

No scratch.

No scar.

I took my shirt off, checking my chest. Nothin- a searing pain came over my chest, burning and scorching, branding something over my heart and I fell down upon my knees, biting my lips to keep from crying out, clutching my hand towards the root of the pain, as if to make it stop.

It felt like and eternity had gone by when it finally did stop, and as I slowly pulled my hand off my chest, which was sticky from sweat, there was a tattoo over my heart.

Black ink swirling and dancing in the cheap flu recent light of the tiny bathroom, forming a dragon curled up around a sword. My sword. Drawn the exact same way it was carved on the bottom Stone of Balance.

The sound of items hitting the floor snapped me out of my trance. I looked down to see the whistle Artemis had given me and the swirling ball of darkness.

There was no denying it now, it was no dream.

"Alex, are you alright in there." Kiara knocked through the closed bathroom door.

I quickly pulled my shirt on and threw the items down the hideous oriental vase my aunt put in every room if the house.

At least one of them was coming to good use.

"Fine, aunt K, just dandy." I tried to sound as normal as possible, albeit it came out scratchy and dry.

I could almost imagine her pressing her lips together and trying not to burst in.

"Alright, darlin', I just wanted to let you know your friend Jason and your girlfriend Chlöe," she said her name with contempt, "Are waiting for you in your room, I brought them up, so come out decent."

"Oh no, she's not my-"

"I'll bring some soup up dear." And I hear her amble away, her heels clickity-clacking  on the floor, like a woman on a mission."

I grabbed the vase, not wanting to touch the dark orb again and walked out.

"We need to talk, Beck"