The Children // ASSASSINS CREED ODYSSEY // DEIMOS

C38: The Storm

"Barnabas of the sea, at your service" the one eyed Captain had bowed as he'd introduced himself to Kassandra's brother, who had raised his brow before he'd nodded his head, his arms folded,

"I am Dei-" he caught himself. A flutter of dread... no, not that... maybe guilt... he couldn't even be sure... had overtook him for a small moment - he hadn't had to introduce himself before - not as "Alexios".

"It is good to finally meet you Alexios" Barnabas said without missing a beat. The old man hadn't even battered his one good eye lid.

Kassandra had warned him the night before, as they'd sat around the table, the woman shovelling the food in to her mouth as if she was some sort of animal, that Barnabas was not for the faint of heart or, the overly sad. Which, he hadnt known then if it was a jest at him or not - Alexios wasn't sad... he wasn't sure he had enough left inside for that, it was more a mixture of anger, of confusion, of petty hates he knew he had to get under control. Not sadness.

Still, Alexios liked the old man. The Captain didn't stare or treat him any different than anyone else - the rest, it was as if they were walking  on eggshells around him, watching their words so carefully, it was as if they were worried that, if they stumbled, he'd lash out just for the sake of it... and he'd been sure they were passed all of that... Which was not helped by the fact that even Kassandra and Myrine did it more often than not.

His mater especially.

Whilst in Sparta, despite his mater's suggestion that he should at least go and talk to the people who'd lived there - there was no threat in talking to a fisherman at the docks, or a shop keep in the town - they'd never know who he was. The pathetic, blue robes he wore helped him to blend in - much to his distaste at first but, still Alexios had chosen to keep himself to himself.  Not to mention that Kassandra had drunkenly begged him to keep his head low... Something he'd been excelling at brilliantly, where as Eos... Alexios stopped... he couldn't think about that now... not about her...

Overall, he was just trying to not to be stupid... No mate how angry he got, with his maters constant love, trying to make up desperately for all the lost time or, with the time he had for his mind to stew, he knew that, right now,he'd be no use in any sort of fight if he was to get caught out - by the cult, or the order... 

What it had all made him sure of though, was his need for a purpose, something to focus on other than the guilt of before...

This world... The world he thought would be full of opportunities, felt empty and, that only added to the greatest of disservices that he felt - even if he'd done enough to not deserve it - although, he realised that, as Barnabas had passed by him, carrying what could only be a crate of wine, it was that the world never owed you nothing and, you had to take what was yours...

But, he didn't know what that was... he never had... he'd never got the chance to know.

The Champion he'd once been was well and truly gone... Without the golden armour he'd worn so proudly, his apparent death - as pitiful as it sounded - it had led him to be forgotten. A warrior that, despite the chaos he harbinged beneath, did not get the glorious death they may have said he deserved.

"Myrine" the Captain had almost sang, "it is so good to see you again", the two of them embraced, chattering like old woman as they pulled apart.

If Alexios was sure of anything though, it was that he didn't want his 'mater' following on his path of redemption - or, whatever this was.

The relationship between them; it was fine, in its own way, a little strained at times but, that was more because he couldn't be the loving child that Kassandra was.