Tales of Olympia : Chapter 13 (Excerpts)

 A few steps forward they came across a commotion in front of a stall selling fried eels. Few people were gathered in front of the stall, as an heavy set women wearing an apron held a thin boy by his elbow.

“Stealing with your dirty hands, you lil punk?  How dare you?”

She yanked the boy roughly and shook him. The boy looked thin and malnourished, with rough curly hair covering his head. He kept his eyes lowered on the ground. But when the women continued berating him and raised her hand, he looked up. His eyes looked hardened and unfaltering.

 

“He is a serf.”

Someone in the small crowd of bystanders now gathered called out.

“Who does he belong to?

“That’s sols color hew wearing aint it?”

 The women turned to the boy with a nasty look.

“When Lord sol hear about this, he gonna teach you a lesson.”

For the first time the boys eye showed something close to fear.

“Call the sol guards and hand him to em, they will make him right.” A man standing right in the front of the crowd sneered.

 

“Wait.” Hades called out, before someone from the crowd left to call the sols guard who were quite fearsome by reputation alone.

 

He stepped out of the crowd to the women “How much does he owe you?”

 

A murmur went up the crowd.

“Isn’t that the prince?”

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 12 (Excerpts)

She saw only white light in front of her as anger blinded her. She was about to claw his eyes out but someone got to him before her. Scar stood in front of her, his sword was out. Po had been pushed back and was unsteady on his feet. And then everything happened in a flash. Po and Scar clashed with each other, scar swung his sword so fast that it was just flashing light, while Po who held a huge golden trident in his hand from nowhere parried the fast attacks. Both of them were dancing across the corridor now. The sound of metal on metal clashed through the corridor. Curious heads peeped out of the classrooms and a small crowd of curious bystanders formed on the sides, careful not to get in the way of the two warring boys.

Delphinus was looking vexed, as he tried to interrupt the fight.

 

“Po, stop it. Stop your guy.” He said looking around at Dora.

 

“What’s happening here?” Hades had arrived. Korai was with him.

 

“Scar and Po got into a fight.” Dora said guiltily.

 

Hades frowned and pursed his lips, and his face got a hard look. A look Dora was familiar with, it was a look of disapproval. Hades went towards the sparring boys unveiling his own sword as he walked forward. A lethal black blade, neither too long nor to short. Po and Scar were too busy throwing their swords at each to notice a new entrant on the field.

 

Suddenly there was a sound like cracking whip, both Po and Scar jumped back from each other as if burned. Hades Stood between them with his veiled sword, it was aflame with black flames.

 

“STOP it, both of you.” He said his voice cool and loud like steel.

 

“Brother, stand aside, unless you want a taste of this.” The air around Po started warming, his hair flew as if in a storm. Small electricity sparks cracked around him and bystanders close to him jumped back alarmed.

 

“Stop it Po.” Hades repeated “You could harm the students.”

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 11 (Excerpts)

The day dawned bright and fresh, Dora woke up early. She let marmee have her way today, pruning and preening her until, her skin shone. She had slipped into a pastel colored chiffon outfit, with a floral print inlaid. Marmee had few strands of her hair pulled back on top and decorated with lilies, the rest of her hair cascaded down her back, in lovely curls. Marmee placed one last lily on her hair and stepped back to admire her reflection in the golden encrusted mirror. Dora gave her a warm smile.

“Miss Dora, you look heavenly.” Marmee gave her a kiss on her head fondly. After she was dressed up and ready, Dora went down to her grandfather’s study. Her grandfather’s raspy voice answered her knock. He was busy pouring over some papers, but looked up when she approached his table. She took her seat opposite him, the place she always took from childhood.

“Dora, my child, ready for your induction.” Dora nodded.

“These are new beginning, not only for you but for the Kashinovs. Break and you, I know have been burdened with expectations. But I am sure you will shine through.”

“Of course grandpa.”

“We have friends in the academia, we can rely on. But I expect you to give your best.”

Dora smiled and nodded. Of course, she knew what her role was. The future of Kashinovs rested on their shoulders, she could never fail, and she will not allow herself to fail.

After breakfast Rueben turned up with a note from Hades, he had to leave early due to an urgency, so Dora was on her own. It was the induction and she would have liked to start the day with Hades, but oh well, looks like she is on her own.

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 10 (Excerpts)

“Hey” Hades called out to her. She stopped midway and turned to look at hades surprised. Green. Her eyes were the color of the green fields stretching forever, where his mother would chase after him and he would run in abandon. He would look back to see her with her arms outstretched, her head thrown back  a slight smile on her face, defiant to the gusting winds around her.

“Yes” her answer pulled him back with a jerk grounding him to earth.

“Your arms keep it straight. And arch your sword a complete half circle.” he said briskly. “Only then you will be able to manipulate your mana correctly. It need to flow with your body.”

She immediately flushed, her face fell.

“Oh, like this.” She asked slashing her sword with gusto.

“Close.”                  

“Show me.” She asked offering her sword to him. He sighed inwardly, exasperated. Great he should have just kept his mouth shut.

“You hold it perpendicular like this. Moreover, when you slash it forward, you need to do it smoothly. Your mana is like water; your sword is an oar. You have to guide it and not get guided by it.” He said cutting the air smoothly with the dummy sword, so that the air vibrated and rippled like water.

She looked on with eyes as wide as two pennies and actually gasped when he created the air ripples.

“I can never do that and I have been practicing, every day morn to noon. I thought I was just terrible.”

“Practice is important, but so is technique.” Something Hades could vouch for. “Why didn’t you ask any of these guys for help?”

“Most don’t want…..anything to do with me, they think am stupid.”

Hades did not exactly have a comeback for that; mortals were not exactly treated with respect in gaia. In fact, demis were seen as abominations. He wondered whether he should nod sympathetically, a sympathy he did not particularly feel. Thankfully, he was saved from any reaction by her response.

“Am korai, I was there for the initiation. I dunno whether you remember.” She said uncertainly, shifting from her left to right foot. Her voice was husky and she had a thick gaian accent.

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 9 (Excerpts)

“Are you satisfied?”

Hades turned to look at the man in the robes.

 

“Yes.” Hades replied.

 

“Now you are king of the dead though.”

 

“It’s what they deserved.”

 

“And did you deserve this?”

 

Their boat came to an abrupt halt, as its hull clashed on solid land. Hades frowned; every moment seemed like a ticking bomb increasing his anxiety. The man got down from the small boat, unhooked the lantern and motioned hades to follow him. Hades drew his arms together, as a defense to the chilling cold that attacked them. He looked around trying to access the location. He was on rocky, uneven ground, melting into black to his eyes. His vision was hazy owing to the mist that hung low over the ground like a thick blanket. He followed the light of the lantern bouncing of the thick mist forming dark shadows and glimmering light. It reminded him of Zeus thunderbolts.

 

The mist started clearing and a huge wall of black molten rock became visible. Hades tried looking at its peak but it seemed to extend forever. He followed the man into a small crevice between two large boulders. The passage inside was treacherous. Sharp rock jutted out in the most importunate places, hades kept hurting his feet trying to negotiate his way around it and the harsh turns every now and then made him feel disoriented. Soon enough the passage cleared into a large area.

 

Hades looked awe stuck, His jaws almost dropped to the ground. By the looks of it, it looked like an ancient throne room came to ruins, caved in this mountain. The throne made of limestone and hardened black lava was embedded in the cave walls at one end. What stuck Hades particularly was the forty feet stone statues standing in a circle around a slightly raised dais in the middle of the clearing. Hades craned his neck to see the face of the statues, but they were armored each holding a great knight sword between their legs. It filled him with wonder, where was he?  The center of the dais, contained a raised structure carved in the shape of a scabbard. The hilt of a long sword was clearly visible embedded in the stone frame. Its pommel was a three-headed dog, with red rubies inserted in place of its eyes.

 

Hades heart beat wildly, was this his prize?

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 8 (Excerpts)

She was no longer in the Kashinov mansion. She was…she did not know where she was. Her eyes were not able adjust to the dim setting around her. Except in front of her, there was the stone chalice containing the orb in it. She wondered if she was somehow back in the arena. The orb was glowing illuminating a white light around it. A woman was standing in front of the orb, her back turned towards dora. She had long silver hair. She was wearing a white robe so silky; it looked like she had wrapped water around her. She was singing.

“You commit endless follies,

Letting your desires make your destiny.”

The women turned around and faced Dora. Her blue eyes glowed, giving her an eerie look.  Large butterflies the color of sapphire with intricate patterns on its wings fluttered around her, some sat on her shoulders, her hair, made patterns on her white gown. The butterflies were glowing a dim blue. She raised a finger and one landed on its tip.

“Aren’t they beautiful Dora.”

She raised her head Upwards. Dora followed her eyes. She let out an audible gasp. Butterflies of all sizes attached themselves on the rocky surface above them. She could hardly see any surface that was not covered with these insects. She looked around; every surface around her was covered with them. These large insects were beautiful with their dim glow. Dora watched hypnotized and yet her insides felt queasy. There was something sinister about these large insects.

The women stepped forward outside the glow of the orb. Her skin was pale and her blue eyes glowed in the dimness. A soft radiance encircled her.

She stretched her hand towards Dora who was still on her knees.

“When the time is fair, and you’re in despair,

When the oceans retreat, and leave you to bleed,”

The tears rolled down Dora’s cheeks, she was shivering. Her body trembled as an unsurmountable grief took over her.

“When the heart betrays, and leads you astray,

“Will you let your sins arise, and make them your best allies?”

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 7 (Excerpts)

A booming sound pierced the air, the blowing of the trumpet to announce the arrival of the Queen and her posse, along with other esteemed dignitaries. They filed into wooden podium, situated at one end of the arena. It was a large suspended wooden stage, attached to the side of the parapet of the first floor. The queen took her seat, at the front and center of the stage, on a gold encrusted seat. On her left, was the valvar chief.  On her right, Raghor sol, the heir of sol family. Today he wore flashy orange satin robes; his muddy blond hair was straight and parted in the middle of his head, it hung below his waist.

The queen was resplendent today in golden robes, which caught the rays of the sun and flashed.

Her crown, with Hugh red rubies, glittered so brightly that Dora could see it all the way from her enclosure.

“Oww…..my eyes.” Skar whispered, shading his eyes. Dora laughed.

She spotted her uncle Kyiv, who was there representing house Kashinov; take his place a few seats away from the queen.

After refreshments were served and all had settled down, Raghor Sol stood up and addressed the arena from the Podium.

 "We are gathered here by the wills of the god, so let’s start this auspicious day by offering prayers to the sun god."

 The sols were rabid sun worshippers. They were one of the richest house on Olympus. They owned the arena, which had many rich patronages, the royal house being one of them. The Kashinovs were also one of the patrons. A sore point with break. It was common knowledge how the arena came into being.

 Soon enough, the arena reverberated with melodious chanting followed by the appearance of the twelve priestess of the sun god. These were beautiful maidens, pledged to the sun god. The priestess followed a head priest, dressed in a white and golden ensemble, into the arena. The center of the arena had a dais, cut from black rock to form a roughly hewn oval shape, irregular and grainy on its surface. The black rock called onyx was one of the most powerful substance known to god kind, for its property of being able to absorb mana, and sometimes reflect the residue. Weapons made of onyx were prized possession. Ironically, it could only be found on certain regions of Gaia. Four metallic pillars on four sides surrounded the oval dais. In the center of the dais, the floor rose to form a stone chalice, supported on a column, raising four feet of the ground. The stone chalice contained a white translucent orb in it.

 The head priest took his place, center of the dais, next to the stone chalice. The priestess formed a circle around the dais, just outside of it. Each of them carried a silver chalice containing a finger of red flame . The priestess were dressed in white flowy robes. Transparent veils covered their faces. The beauty of the sun priestess was renowned throughout all the realms, paralleled to the ‘pulchra tribe of women’ from the mountains and the sirens under the oceans. The priestess never showed their faces to public. “Then how can we judge their beauty” Pandora thought.

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 6 (Excerpts)

She felt an inexplicable relief coursing through her body, as her grandmother's fingers caressed her head, making an uneven course through her thick curly hair. Pandora sat at her grandmother's feet, her head nestling at the latter’s lap. Today had been a very tiring day. The memory of the morning set her heart aflame. She closed her eyes trying to push away the vivid images imprinted in her mind, but it was futile. On the contrary, it materialized even more vividly in front of her eyes. Her grandmother hummed “the maiden sacrifice”, a song she grew up on. As a child she used to love listening to this song, about two lovers who couldn’t be together in their lifetime. But their love lived eternally.

“And she cried out, why this wretched fate,
A life away from my lover is a life lived in vain.
Oh my Gordo, oh my Gordo, I will wait for thee
Like the shores wait for the waves
One day you shall return to me.”

The bells chimed midnight. A single tear rolled down Dora’s cheek. Callidoras love for Gordo was a tale oft repeated in the heavenly realm. For a moment, she was glad her grandma Velamina was blind. She was waiting for break to return, he was on a trip to Gaia. Taking stock of the regions owned by the Kashinovs. He had not attended the initiation and she wanted to give him a first-hand account of the day. She was restless. But her grandmas soothing voice lulled her to sleep. She slowly nodded off as she recalled the day.

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 5 (Excerpts)

It all happened in a moment; neitor was upon the boy and slammed him by his collar on the parapet. Zeus rushed in from his seat and pulled Neitor off the boy, along with Delphinus. While the curly haired girl yelled to let him go. Po towered over her; she was but a delicate thing. He had half a mind to fling the boy off the walls, or let neitor do it. With great effort he composed himself.

“Neitor back off” he commanded.

Neitor spat on the ground angrily. He knew Neitor was angry and was rearing for a fight. The girl opened her mouth and was about to say something angrily, when a boy called out to her from the seats. “Come to your seat Dora. You’re blocking the way.” He turned to see that it was his step-brother Hades. Hades was dressed in all black from head to foot; his tunic was high collared and covered his neck. He held a book in his hand and looked mildly irritated by all the disturbances. He gave po a curt nod, a courtesy po didn’t return. The girl struggled for a moment and angrily moved out of his way, glowering at Neitor. Her friend still maintained an ugly grin on his face.

“Let the dogs bark” Po said savagely in mereen to his boys. ‘Dogs of olympus' was their choice nickname for the landling lords. It was coined by Brys the fool, Po didn’t find him much of a fool though.

They made their way right at the back. He noticed that the crowd had gone very quiet and people kept glancing at them warily. But he cared a damned. The mereens were always regarded with wonder and apprehension on land. And he was quite used to it.

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 4 (Excerpts)

His valet pulled the white jacket over his muscled arms. It was a fine thing made of white leather stripped of the famed white  cobra slayed by his mother, when she was a young maiden. His mother was a famed warrior in her younger days. Stories of her valor was something oft repeated to children in d mereen world. The jacket was a gift for him, when he was named will bearer. A poor consolation prize he thought.

 “will of the sea” he said aloud. If this was not proof enough , what could be? The old houses of mereens would never admit it though. Atleast they could not deny it, he thought.

The mereens were many things, but humble was not one of them. And he bore this particular quality as well any other mereen. He was the son of Queen Amphitrite, and the oceans were his, a thought he liked to repeat aloud to himself stubbornly, trying to will it to happen in the future. He said it aloud now, as he pulled his garment at the cuff. He was growing tall at an alarming rate, and soon this jacket would be of zilch use.

Delphinus and Reginald were already waiting for him in the common chamber. Delphinus wore traditional mereen attires. His upper body bare and chiseled, blue engravings ran up his arms, symbols of his ancestral house. He wore loose fitting silk trousers, pooled at the ankle. Around his neck he wore an assortment of gold chains, like Poseidon himself. Gold was the mereens choice ore. Reginald in contrast was dressed in his usual plain garb, linen tunic with a common jacket, and black trousers.  He looked grave, sitting almost at the edge of his plush chair. He stood up and bowed at Poseidon’s entrance, giving a pointed look at the hour glass kept on the table beside him. Poseidon shrugged nonchalantly.

Reginald cleared his throat and began “Lord Poseidon, as you know, today is a momentous day. All your dormant powers will be awakened and you will initiate on your journey to ascend the full force of your will. Today you will demonstrate the power of house Oceanus, in front of the entire Lords of Olympus.” Reginald said in his baritone, his expression somber.

Poseidon burst out laughing. Delphinus followed suit.

“Why you gotta make it sound lyk sum one died old man.”

Reginald frowned “Poseidon I implore you to take this seriously…”

“I don’t care about this landlings and what dey ****think.” He put an arm around the delicate frame of the man beside him. “I will beat them bloody anyone who’s got any doubts as what mereens  can do”

“Yass, let them face him like a man” Delphinus chorused.

Reginald frowned and held his tongue as he was usually wont to do against Poseidon’s outburst. Reginald was no mereen. He was a landling. He had served Poseidon from the time he could remember. His family was one of the few landling families, aligned with the house oceanus.

“Let us proceed” is all Reginald could manage, with an obstructed expression on his face.

The three of them set out towards the colosseum situated at the heart of the city, where the initiation ceremony would be held.

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 3 (Excerpts)

He could hear the voices, it surely had to be Pandora, her voice was sweet and melodic. she was talking loudly and playfully. There was a pause and he could here break laughing and chiding her. They were climbing down the stairs, in the adjoining room and soon appeared arm in arm in his sight.

“Ahh hades, good to see you mate” Break said grinning, and extending his hand to hades.

“Good to see you break” Hades replied calmly.

“Hades, have you been waiting for long” Pandora asked extending her other arm to hades, who lightly held it in his hand.

“No, But we should leave soon. You don’t want to be late for your initiation”

“oh no. Break, see you delayed me. Let’s go Hades” she freed her arms from Break, and moved towards Hades.

“So kind of Hades, to come and pick you all the way here” Break said, his voice sugary sweet.

Somehow his eyes never matched his smile, they always remained cold. Only time his eyes lit up were when it was on Pandora.

“You know it was no trouble. It’s on the way after all”

“Of course. Goodbye love, have a sweet day and beware of anything with more than two heads.” Break winked, and proceeded to lightly kiss her on both cheeks, bidding farewell. “It’s going to be a long day”.

“And you better rest for the day, okay. And don’t think otherwise, I will come to know about it.” Pandora replied warningly. ”Shall we, Hades” 

Hades walked Pandora towards his chariot. Break always made him feel queasy. Pandora was quiet beside him, a slight frown on her face.

“Nervous” He asked her to break the silence that stretched between them.

“huh. No. You are with me.” She said coquettishly locking her arms in his and leaning closer.

Hades was immediately silenced by her unabashed cheekiness, and gave a weary glance. Are they going to play their little game? The one where she pretended to be besotted by him and he tried to step warily around her lines of entrapment.

She laughed at his look.

“So, Should I beware of you?”

Her blue eyes caught the ray of the sun, and glimmered in the light, like huge opal sapphires. Rippling like waves in the calm ocean. A small mischievous smile on her pretty lips.

“Do you see more than 1 head on me?” he played along

She laughed again. She laughed easy.

“Imagine that. On one side, zues, on the other po, the three brother’s triumvirate...”

And she prattled on her, laughing, amused at her own conjuring.

He wondered whether, their lies were a reality or their reality a lie. He decided it must be something in between

Tales of Olympia : Chapter 2 (Excerpts)

“Mother, come back” He considered jumping into the black ominous water of Thames in pure desperation, but fear crept around his body like binding creepers and held him back. The water kept calling out to him, lulling enticingly, raising a seducing melody by it’s to & fro motion, its depth boundless. He watched the boating vessel carrying his mother getting further and further away. His Heart constricted. He screamed, but no one paid any attention to him. His mother disappeared from his view slowly, like a slow torturous death. Finally, his mother was not visible anymore, swallowed by the horizon. People were already starting to disperse. He curled his fists in anger, fuming. His screams lost to deaf ears. Anger was bubbling inside him like hot lava, he was about to erupt. He flipped around to see the little royal party, all collected under their little canopy, turned out in their funeral best, as if gathered to witness a melodramatic tragedy. Now they were getting ready to disperse, as in the end of a play. He started running up the passage, his heart beating furiously. His Father, pretending to be solemn and sad sighing heavily was being helped to his feet by his personal guard. The queen sitting beside him, her evil black eyes, unfathomable, held a solemn expression on her face, fit for the occasion. Nobody paid any attention to him as he rushed furiously towards them. Something felt heavy in his hand and to his utter surprise he saw that he was already holding an unsheathed sword, black and dangerous, in his left hand. On reaching the landing, he pushed the king’s personal guard angrily out of the way. Only then the king seemed to have become aware of him.

“aah Hades my boy….” The king started. He held the sword with both his hands drew it back and flung it into his father’s chest without a second thought, blood poured out, staining his hands and garment.

“My son…How could…” He stabbed it deeper. His father was spluttering blood, slowly losing his balance.  

 

The queen started screaming suddenly, and his half-brother howled even louder. His father took two steps towards him, his hand outstretched, his eyes wide in shock and then collapsed on the ground.

All the noise was starting to give him a terrible headache. His vision started to blur. He staggered unsteadily and collided on to somebody behind him. He whipped around; to behold a pair of cold grey eyes staring icily back at him. He was face to face with a familiar looking young boy, with smooth shiny black hair and a face, with very sharp features. The boy looked deathly pale and there were trail of tears smeared on his face. For a moment they both just stared at each other. Realization dawned on him and he gasped loudly. He was staring at his 5-year old self from back when had lost his mother. What kind of sorcery is this?

“What have you done?” the boy asked stoically.

“What have you done?” The boy repeated his voice getting louder.

“What have you done Hades?”

People had started murmuring, their voices rising like the buzz of bees, slowly increasing in volume.

“What have you done Hades?” The boy was practically screaming his fists curled in fury, his eyes screwed shut, tears streaming down his face.

People were looking at him accusatorily. He could hear the queen’s voice in the background, somewhere faraway, barking some order crisply. Slowly the murmur was growing louder, the news of the king’s murder spreading. He looked at his hand. They were dripping in blood. He saw members of the king’s order, warrior of the highest ranking, making their way hurriedly towards him. They all had seemed unaware up to this moment.

 

“No” he whispered. He was not going to let them put him away in the abyss. His father was no saint and deservedly dead. He made a bolt past the 5-year-old him, running through the narrow passage way, jumping down the descending platforms. The warriors were on the run after him. The barrier on both sides, kept the crowd behaved, though some lunged at him. Moments before his mom was carried through the same lane, the crowd mourning, the warriors carrying her lifeless body, with the highest honors she was set afloat on Thames, cherished. Now he was running down the same lane, the crowd was yelling for his head, warriors running after him to throw him in to the infinite abyss, defamed. He reached the edge of the embankment, panting. He did not even have to look back to know the warrior were almost upon him. In front lay the black, in venerable Thames, foreboding as ever. There was no choice. There was but one choice.

“Mother, here, I come to you.”

The black water gushed around him, pushing him down, as if it were an infinite wall, smothering him. He gaggled, Fought, jerked his hands and legs, ready to do anything to ease his suffering.

But his vision had slowly begun to darken and his Chest constricted uncomfortably. He was drowning, drowning in Thames, drowning in sorrow, drowning in despair. He really could not breathe anymore. So he stopped. He stopped trying to breathe and Let himself be embraced by Thames, while he embraced death.

 

“No”

Tales of Olympia: Chapter 1 (Excerpts)

"Can you please shut the curtains" Pandora yelled crossly her voice muffled under a pile of sheets and blankets.

"its mornin mi maam, ye still wish to sleep till noon, hav you forgotten the date" said the matronly women, bustling about her bedroom, pulling all the curtains wide open with a vengeance.

"aaaaarghhhh maaarmmmmy shut the curtains" she whined. “I even said please.”

The women previously termed marmee, continued hustling & bustling across the room, picking up fallen clothes and other toiletries, not giving any heed to the petulant child crumpled under the sheets, while all the while muttering under her breath" aa wat do wid this gal..... sweet child but no sense of propriety...."

Pandora sighed. No use trying to sleep while marmee was on one of her diatribes, on her favorite subject. Why does marmee have to be so unreasonable? She tugged her blanket tightly above her ears trying to drown out marmee’ s thick voice and native accent. Marmee was from a tribe called Kushnovas. They had served the Kashinov household from time immortal, at least according to her grandfather. Her grandfather kash ‘trov’ had once told her the Kushnovas were born to serve them.

“coz we are gods?” Pandora had asked innocently, from behind the ebony oak table, her legs barely touching the ground from the armchair she was seated on.

Her grandad who was seated across the table, had a large antique looking book, open in front of him, with unintelligent looking scripture sprawled on them. They were in his old study. Her grandfather’s study was a handsome room, with ancient hardbound copies lining the walls from the top to bottom.  A lively fire cackled in the ornamental fireplace, carved with the family crest of the Kashinovas, the basilisk. Breaks haven. Many years of her childhood had been spent, happily pursuing the ever elusive history, adventures and mysteries of the three worlds, in this very room situated right at the heart of their manor.

Her granddad had looked up at her, his blue eyes gleaming steely from the light of the fire. His ancient face broke into a wry smile. His hard carved chin and deep-set eyes made him look like  he belonged to a museum/mausoleum, a headpiece, wise and old. A sly fox according to brake.

 

“No silly, coz we are powerful” Break had injected nonchalantly, from the seat beside her at that time.

Tales of Olympia : Excerpt

“Break, surely you did not….” Pandora whispered in both horror and wonder as she sat up. Her fingers lightly skimmed across the irregularities on the surface of his back. Trying to sooth the angry red skin and hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.

“Pandora, I am almost there; I can already feel it. Once I can summon it then I can ascend.” Break turned to face her, clasping her by her shoulders and slightly shaking it, his voice quivering in excitement, a maniacal gleam in his eyes. “All of them will be at my feet”

 

“Not me for sure” she replied immediately, annoyed at his smug phrasing. Should she be elated or despair at the significance of what he was saying?

“Of course not my love, you will be at my side, always” he took her hand and placed it on his heart. ”Okay”

Well, you are always grand with your expressions, she thought , looking at him feeling quite hopeless.

“Break, my dearest, don’t go and break my heart, okay”

The day break ascends would be the happiest and saddest day of her life. She could already foresee it.