The Oracle & the Augur ➳ Octachel/Rachtavian [Complete]

XI. Flashbacks Told (11)

O c t a v i a n ♛

"Octavian?" whispers someone while poking his side. Twelve year old Octavian looks up startled and a little cranky from being woken up from his nap to see a girl with thick glasses and a ponytail with her eyebrows raised.

Octavian remembers the teacher talking about some new student. Not that he had been paying attention. She's nervously looking at the board where the substitute had put up a list of partners for some project.

He squints his eyes and tries to make out the names. Finally he manages to find his own name and next to it is... Amy? 

Assuming it's the girl next to him, he sighs and turns towards her, "What's this project about again?" he asks in a bored voice.

She takes a deep breath as to begin explaining, but is interrupted by the sound of the substitute calling his name.

"Octavian? There's someone who wants to see you in the office."

He gets up and slouches while walking out the door. School wasn't the most exciting thing.

When Octavian gets there, he automatically recognizes John. Glaring, he asks "What are you doing here?"

The guy looks really upset, almost to the point of crying. Octavian would be sustaining laughter by this point, but John looked extremely serious.

"It's...it's... your mom," he says in a shaky voice.

Octavian drops his cool guy face and his eyes widen in shock, "What happened to her?"

John grabs his coat and starts walking out of the office quickly, with Octavian following him into his car. John takes off and appears to have collected himself quickly. Something was wrong...

"Are you going to tell me what happened with my mom, or not?" says Octavian in an annoyed, yet worried tone.

"She's fine," says John in a strange voice, "for now."

Octavian feels panic rising, "What do you mean, for now?"

"You were always a little too eager, weren't you?" responds John in the same unfamiliar voice.

"What are you talking about? Who are you?" quivers Octavian.

John stays silent and Octavian's heart starts pumping faster and faster. Should he stop the car? Risk his own life and swerve it and figure out how to get out of the car? 

It's too late, they arrive at the apartment complex where Octavian, Aria, and his mom had lived almost their entire lives.

"Who the hell are you?!"

John turns to look at Octavian shortly after stopping in the parkling lot.

"I am Tityos, Phokian Giant, punished an eternal torture by Apollo."

At this point Octavian is feeling a fear he has never felt before in his life. He tries to open the door, but 'Tityos' locks it.

"Listen man, if this is about this morning, I'm sorry, but there's no need to go batshit crazy!" shouts Octavian.

"I cannot go near Apollo, but I can hurt what he holds close to heart."

"What are you talking about?!" cries Octavian.

"You are the son of Apollo, it's only fair that I take your life."

"My dad died when I was baby!" scream Octavian, on the verge of hysteria.