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Chapter 37
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2022-09-01 10:05:52Related chapters
Fire and Water Chapter 38
Christian laughed deep in his gut and flopped on to his back. He started swimming around like a dolphin—shooting water out of his mouth like one too. “Enough playing around,” Blakeney called out, trying to bring back a semblance of order. “Let’s get to work.” Whipping his heavily soaked hair out of his face, Christian stood and became attentive. “We know you can create a whirlpool with a pitcher of water, now I want you to try it with a body of water this size,” directed Blakeney. “Think you can do it?” His dark gray eyes flashed with a challenge. Christian rose to it. “Piece of cake.” He watched as the young man backed up towards the lining of the pool. When Christian had stood stock still, the water as calm as serene pond on a hot summer day, he closed his eyes and laid his hands gently on the surface. It began from the spot Christian was rooted to. James watched and listened as the emanations of power started to show. A steady thrumming sound reverberated through the wate
Last Updated : 2022-09-01Fire and Water Chapter 39
It was after class the next day and James found himself in the Li-brary with a few books on the table before him. He wanted to get a jump start on his homework so that he wouldn’t have to spend the entire weekend trapped in a book. He cracked the first one—a number which discussed the use of bows and arrows by Genghis Khan for his Military History class—and began to read the first chapter. Or he tried to anyway. He breathed a heavy sigh as soon as he realized he had read the first sentence several times. He closed his eyes and clapped a hand to his forehead. Ever since working with Christian yesterday, his thoughts had been elsewhere. He couldn’t help but run the afternoon through his mind over and over. It was like that annoying song that gets stuck in your head and never goes away; it just replays over and over. But if James was honest with himself, there was a single word which described the undertones of each rerun: jealousy. The lingering doubts of himself as the element of air
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 40
And so it was that he now found himself after dinner the very next Friday, the uniform of a Centurion laid out before him—leather sandals, burgundy-red cape . . . thingy, breastplate and helmet, and whatever you call the leather-like kilt contraption—when he suddenly realized what he had forgotten to do. With the party going on so late, there was no way that he and Eliza would be up in time for training in the morning. James swore at himself for being so forgetful. He checked the time and dashed from the room. Taking two steps at a time, he ran down the stairs and didn’t break stride as he hit the ground floor. He jogged around the lounging students and the massive statue of Athena, before darting down the main hallway and entering the area where the staff offices were. James slid to a stop in front of the door marked: Director. He slowed his breathing and knocked on the heavy wooden door. “Come in,” a voice sounded from the other side. He opened the door, stepped through, and c
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 41
They climbed from the car, made sure the doors were locked, and worked their way through the sea of cars. He held out an arm, Eliza slid hers through the crook of his elbow, and they stepped up on to the decorated porch. Making their way to the front door, numerous costumed party-goers gawked as they walked past. “I think everyone’s staring at you,” she leaned in and whispered. But James shook his head and fought down a laugh. “Nope, not me. You.” “What?” she started to protest, but they’d already arrived at the door. James opened it up, the bass hitting them like the blast from a shockwave and allowed her step in first. She was a little shy and overwhelmed it seemed to him, especially eyeing all the revelry. There were extravagant decorations everywhere, black lights in random places, but that wasn’t the sight of her searching gaze. It was the students doing shots and making out and various other lewd activities in dark corners of the rooms. “It was never this wild when I came
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 42
Start at Chapter 27A dank, musty breeze whispered inside the dark cavern. The lit candles and crackling fire in the large, black marbled fireplace flickered like fireflies. With the smells of the place and the dim, depressing atmosphere, you’d think anyone would hate it here. But to Nicholas Clurife, it was home. In fact, he despised having to leave this temple-like structure which had been forged from an underground cavern. Every time he came back into the deathly environment though, his blood sang exuberantly. It was as close as he could come to being at his father’s temple in the Underworld. His sharp features were half in shadow, but his pale skin glowed a light gold as he stood facing the warmth of the fire. From the expression in his cold, gray eyes and the strain on his face, he was filled to the brim with a quiet fury. He spun on the spot impatiently as he detected her soft, stealthy footfalls. “I have brought him for you, master,” Kali bowed slightly at the waist. Her
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 43
The palpable tension in the air every time Christian and Dieter were near each other refused to abate. They were so close to continuing the fight which had started by the pool that it was as if heat waves could be seen between them like an asphalt blacktop on a sweltering summer day. James thought it was incredibly immature and he couldn’t believe how the two of them could act like such kids. Because of this, half of the time he normally would have spent focusing on homework or being with Eliza, he now spent making certain a brawl didn’t erupt. If Christian lost control and abused his abilities, hell would literally break loose. At least Christian was helping some by staying to himself whenever possible. Apparently one of the ways in which Christian relieved stress or vented or whatever was to grab his board and skate like a mad man. So, most afternoons, when he wasn’t training, Christian could be found skateboarding around the parking lots and setting up various obstacles to sk
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 44
Surprisingly, a stampede did not spontaneously materialize. He figured that most of the people realized that the quickest way to get in would be for everyone to file in as orderly as possible, thus preventing any kind of clog. Now if only drivers on the freeway around D.C. could figure that one out, James thought. When he, Tres, Christian, and Adonis finally reached the doors the wave of tantalizing smells nearly knocked him over. Seared, roasted, and smoked meats filled the air, sizzling spices and butter, melted, bubbly cheeses and steamed vegetables, all mixed with the scent of cinnamon, pumpkin, and sugar which danced across the dining hall. His mouth was watering. Tres seemed to be n some kind of a food-induced daze and Christian and Adonis were eyeing the meats on the other side of the hall avidly. James spotted the girls at a table not too far from the serving lines and headed their way. As they pulled closer, he saw that Eliza and Svet were guarding the e
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 45
The snow whipped against him like icy pellets hurling from the sky and the wind blasted in a blistering cold torrent driving deep into his bones. He was suspended in a complete whiteout in the middle of the air, still and steady as is the norm these days, but the blinding white was very different. Usually, he was in the middle of a thunderstorm, not a snowfilled nothingness. And normally the cold didn’t affect him as much. He shivered uncontrollably as a particularly freezing gust engulfed his body. Goose flesh rose along every inch of his skin and his teeth began to chatter noisily; his lips felt as if they were turning blue. James looked around him, still not able to see anything, and hunched inward to try and raise his core body temperature. Just as he could feel the blood in his veins thicken and chill, a deep, feathery voice surrounded him. It came from everywhere and nowhere all at once, reverberated from his very soul, and yet, its source was completely familiar . . . Hades.
Last Updated : 2022-09-02
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James sighed; frustration, reluctance, and pain closed themselves across his features. He searched for Eliza and found her. She was speaking with Tres and his family. Almost as if she could feel his eyes on her, she turned and smiled widely at him. “I understand that you do not want to leave her, James. You love her more than anything and yearn to be near her.” Zeus squeezed his shoulder to recapture his attention. “The choice, of course, is yours. I will never take away your free will. But know this, if you choose to stay, yes, you will be with your loved ones. However, it is almost certain then that you would lose this war. As I told you before, sometimes we have to leave the ones we love in order to protect them, even if our absence is only for a season. I can show you how to unlock the abilities which lie dormant within you and give you a chance to save those you love. More than anything, I wish for you to never feel pain again, but I’m afraid my children cannot always travel th
Fire and Water Chapter 79
At that, James and Eliza stood to lead the procession of surviving students. With a single white rose in each of their hands, the just over three-hundred walked down the aisles and passed before the table which held the framed pictures of the victims. Some wept, some simply said goodbye and moved on, but each of them laid their rose to rest in front of their fallen friends. It was significant of a promise to be kept: A promise to always remember their friends and classmates, a promise to never forget, and a promise that those who died would be carried in the hearts of the survivors for as long as they live. The last mourning student placed her rose on the cold earth, a tear falling from her cheeks and splashing onto the laid flowers, and the gathered assembly stood to move amongst each other. As everyone else began to comfort and converse with those they knew, James remained seated, his eyes searching the faces framed before him. He found the picture of Adonis and lifted on corner of
Fire and Water Chapter 78
James studied his appearance in the mirror and absentmindedly fixed his tie. He wore a black, custom tailored suit which Eliza’s father had purchased for him for the occasion. A white dress shirt, black tie, and black wingtips completed the ensemble-mourning clothes. He had been breathing a little easier ever since he and Eliza and the others had finished their goodbyes to their friends, but when he was alone, as he was now, the pressure in his chest returned. It felt as if a weight was pressing down on his heart; threatening to squeeze the life out of him. He closed his eyes, breathed deep and slow, and willed the pain to subside to an acceptable level. In just a short while, Bill Masters would speak on the events which had occurred earlier in the week- the cover story having been a last time. Though he knew with the passage of time the weight of grief would sail away like a ship on the ocean, the loss of so many lives would never truly leave him. With everything that is within him
Fire and Water Chapter 77
“I know that we’re all in a lot of pain right now, but we don’t know how long this period of inaction on the part of our enemies will last,” said James, eyeing each of the faces gathered in the room. “The task ahead of us won’t be easy, but I’ve had people die in my arms and I don’t want that to happen again.” “What are you saying, James?” Bill interrupted, wanting clarification. He glanced around the room again. “I’m saying it’s time to fight. I’m saying the time for secrecy among us is over. We need to gather everyone together that can fight and train them to go to war. Mr. Blakeney once told me that during the World Wars there were thousands of swords, shields, armor, spears, and arrows made from metal mined from Olympus and forged by Hephaestus and his workers.” His eyes seemed to harden with resolve as if they were marbles. “We need to find this cache and build an army. Never again will we be caught unprepared, not ready.” James elevated his voice as he spoke. “It’s time to ta
Fire and Water Chapter 76
The past few days had been filled with alternating times of mourning and grief followed by periods of clarity and resolve. He and Eliza had spent much of the time on horseback or on foot meandering through her family’s vast estate. Being together and out in the cold, open environment, had allowed each of them to process their emotions and grieve properly for the fallen director. Robert Blakeney had been particularly special to them. Having spent the entire summer together and going out on numerous missions since, they had continued to grow closer. An unbreakable bond had been forged. Or so they thought. Everyone had been completely blindsided by Clurife’s attack and the betrayal of Oliver, but James was giving himself no room for excuses. It was outright stupidity to believe they were safe at the Academy. He, Eliza, and Blakeney had known someone was giving Clurife information and it was only a matter of time before the school itself was targeted, especially after Kali was killed. N
Fire and Water Chapter 75
James had never been inside Romero’s home before. There had never been a reason to because over the summer their base of operations had always been Washington Manor—the Director’s residence. Under normal circumstances, he would have found the house to be warm and comfortable. It was built in a classic American style from a bygone era: wood floors, wood paneling intricate crown molding and lots of fireplaces. He couldn’t help but think it a miniature version of the Director’s place. It was for that reason alone that in lieu of any comfort, he felt stifled and suffocated. Ignoring all else, he made his way through the house and onto the screened back porch. He sat into a wooden Adirondack chair hoping to process more than a few of his rumbling emotions. He studiously avoided thinking about Blakeney and instead focused on the others which had died. There were many he didn’t know, but of the few he did, he had known them well. There was Jennifer West, the beautiful and spontaneous girl
Fire and Water Chapter 74
They pushed their way through the trampled snow and to the fountain where the escaping students had gathered. James set Jennifer down on the cold earth and surveyed the panic-stricken mass. Far too many were missing from their numbers and Blakeney was nowhere to be seen. He turned to Eliza as he shrugged off his jacket and ripped his shirt in two. “Help them, okay?” he told her desperately, handing her one of the two pieces. Eliza nodded and went to work trying to stem the flow of blood coming from Jennifer’s battered body. One look was all that was required, however, for her to know it was hopeless; the girl’s lungs had been severely pierced. Even though they had been at odds in the past, this last semester, they had become acquaintances, maybe, ironically, the pair had even been heading towards friendship. But now... this. She tried to provide whatever comfort she could during Jennifer’s last moments of life. “It’s going to be okay,” Eliza said with a small smile. “You’ll be fine
Fire and Water Chapter 73
Arriving at the end of the hall, James lifted a single foot and kicked the door in. The struggle going on in the room shocked him enough to crack a shallow wedge in his confidence. Svetlana lay on her bed clutching her bleeding chest, while in the far comer by the window, Eliza barely held the attacking soldier at bay with her dagger which was held in a vise-like grip. She was trembling with fear and tears spilled profusely from her eyes. The shattering doorframe had knocked the soldier’s attention from her and as its eerier eyes were coming to rest on the intruder, James flew into action. In barely more than the blink of an eye, he batted away an attempted strike and skid his blade clean through the enemy’s chest. With a flick and twist, the heart was pierced, death instantaneous. James slammed the body into the ground with disgust and moved his eyes to Eliza. “You okay?” he asked gently. She sniffed once and nodded. He secured his sword and shield onto his back, then went to S
Fire and Water Chapter 72
Blakeney had been up and working in his office when the screaming alerted him. Not taking any chances, he grabbed the sword he kept by his desk and marched towards the school’s foyer. As soon as he stepped onto the marble floors from the staff offices, the sight of flames consuming the dormitories filled his eyes. His breath quickened and his pulse pounded in his ears as the building flames engulfed his school. The students I his mind shouted above the growing fear. He sprinted down the thoroughfare, protection of innocent lives the only thing on his mind. But, no sooner had he made his way into the inner courtyard, then a sinister, pleased laugh echoed amidst the granite. “Hello, Director Blakeney,” a deep, steady voice spoke. Blakeney whirled on the spot, searching for the source. Like an image being born from darkness, Nicholas Clurife stepped into the light. He wore all black, his evil Stygian blade held at the ready, and the smile that spread across his face oozed with crue
