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Chapter 43
Last Updated:
2022-09-02 04:16:04Related chapters
Fire 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 : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 46
“We have much to be thankful for this year,” intoned Blakeney at the head of the small table. At the center of attention was a magnificent roast turkey. On all sides were traditional Thanksgiving dishes: mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, candied yams, cranberries in a jellied sauce, and buttery crescent rolls. The scents filled his nostrils and uplifted his spirits. “So much has changed,” He continued with a warm smile. “We have new family, new friends, and . . . new purpose. Despite all that life brings against us, we will have each other. Always.” Blakeney turned his dark-gray eyes on James. “A son in everything but a name.” Then, he swiveled them onto Adonis and spoke kindly. “And a student, a friend, whom I am proud to know and of course whom I’ll expect free tickets from when your movies are up on the silver screen.” Blakeney chuckled as Adonis blushed shyly. “I guess what I’m saying is, it’s not blood that makes a family, but this . . . right here,” he waved around the
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 47
The grounds were bleak and dreary as James made his way along the cobble-stoned path. He had just left Blakeney’s house and was heading towards the main hall. Even though sunset was still a few hours off, a curtain of gray had been pulled right over the sky and a consistent mist hung in the air. He briefly wondered if the pacific northwest was like this all the time. From those popular vampire movies he’d seen, he figured that the was case. Whatever, James shrugged and huddled into his dark gray coat to help ward off the chill. Going introspective, he hadn’t really thought much about the change in his dream the other night. Maybe it was the words spoken or the acid-like snow eating away at his skin which made him reluctant to revisit the unpleasant experience. He had gotten used to the traditional dream—even come to recognize it as a sick friend of sorts that he would visit often—but this new version was . . . well . . . terrifying, to say the least. Being submerged in the absence of
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 48
The rest of the day went by smoothly. His teachers, for the most part, were passing out study guides and basically just going into review mode due to the coming week. It had been a pretty successful day and James was in his last period—Photography with the eccentric, redhaired Mr. Adams—looking forward to that lovely end of the day bell, when Mr. Adams suddenly called out to him from the front of the class. “James Olympia?” Every eye hound him in less than a second. He looked up from the pictures lying out on his desk. “Yes, sir?” “Director Blakeney would like to see you in his office,” Adams said ominously. There were a few ‘ooo’s’ and even a ‘somebody’s in trouble’, as he quickly packed up his things. He was distinctly red in the face as he made to leave, because everyone was still watching him. “Give me a break,” he mumbled, stepping through the door. Breathing a little easier, he hurried down the stairs and to the front of the school where Blakeney’s office
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They walked in silence down the side hall, but as they emerged out into the main entryway, the fountain of Aphrodite bubbling in the background, Eliza jerked him to a stop. Knowing what was coming, James met her eyes reluctantly. “James…” she sighed. “Mr. Blakeney’s right. We have enough to think about without adding her to the mix. The best—” “And how are we not supposed to think about all those people being killed, huh?” he interrupted. Eliza narrowed her eyes. “Don’t get like that with me just because you’re pissed at the circumstance.” She waited patiently until he had relaxed his shoulders and nodded. Then continued, “I know how you’re feeling. If we could, I’d like to go right now and fight her, but we can’t. We’ll have one chance at this,” she pointed out adamantly, “if we blow it, we may never have another. After all of this is over, we’ll still have our future ahead of us and that’s important too. So please,” Eliza pleaded with him as she placed her hands on his upper ar
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 50
Being in classes the rest of the day was almost an exercise in pointlessness. Eliza had not known anymore about what was going on than he did, so he was left to wonder. As the classes he had in the afternoon were some of his better subjects, he allowed his mind to prep for what was to come, even if the preparation might be in vain. No! he admonished himself, don’t think like that. This time, no matter what, he would not allow Kali to escape. There were too many lives at stake to fail. Even though it was one of those hurry up and wait type of things, he couldn’t help his mind playing over possible scenarios and outcomes like a movie reel. He had just been staring off into space, his thoughts elsewhere, when Jennifer West slid into the seat behind him. “Hey,” she whispered. He shook his head to clear it and faced her. Being discrete, he said, “Hey, what’s up?” “Nothing,” said Jennifer. “You just looked a little lost there for a minute. You okay?” “Yeah… just a lot on my mind I guess
Last Updated : 2022-09-02Fire and Water Chapter 51
A woman in an Air Force uniform with strawberry blonde hair pulled tight into a bun and a warm expression on her face emerged and told them, “I’m Captain Willows and I’ll be the copilot for your trip. Director Masters already explained the situation to me and Colonel Smith and told us not to ask any questions. We’re to deliver you to Charleston and back. Drinks and snacks are in the galley. Have a nice flight.” She turned around and disappeared back behind the cockpit door.With a quiet whir, the stairs began to ascend. The moment the door has sealed shut with an audible thunk, one of the engines began to turn and a low rumble reverberated through the cabin. James looked out of the window and saw that the plane was beginning to move forward. It crossed out of the hangar, turned slowly onto the runway and made its way down to the end. He watched other types of planes take off in the distance, his eyes alight with wonder. It was a testament to the design of the aircraft as he barely fel
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
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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
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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
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“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
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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
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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
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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
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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
