by Mary Ting
“Fire?” I heaved the word out of my mouth, looking at the palms of my hands. “Impossible.”
“Tame the flame and it will be yours.” He winked.
“It was you? You got inside my head?” I pointed at him, feeling flabbergasted.
“Maybe, maybe not. It’s what the gods like to say. Let me show you something. Stay right there.” We had no choice. Our main purpose was to find Everett, so we had to listen to his command.
He glided toward the wall, but when he swiped his arm in a circular motion, as if a veil had been lifted, Everett and a lady that looked like Zara appeared. They seemed frightened, standing next to iron cast replicas of themselves. Recalling what the stranger had said, I instantly knew he was planning to use them as leverage.
“Tara,” Zara whispered. Her eyes twinkled with happiness and sadness.
“Everett!” Nick bellowed, charging for him, but Mason stopped him.
“No, look.”
One of the vultures was behind Everett, ready to force him to touch the iron statue. Everett appeared happy to see us, giving us a smile of relief, but at the same time, there was fear in his eyes.
“Let him go, you beast,” Amanda shouted. Mason had to hold her back, too. The stranger turned around and hissed loudly, but returned to his task, passing Everett and Tara. I guess he hated being called a beast.
“This is not the way,” Mason whispered under his breath.
“Then what do we do?” Noah asked in frustration. “He has the upper hand.”
Before we could conjure up any escape plan, what I saw next turned my world upside down. “Mom?”
“Gina?” I heard my dad mumble. He was just as stunned as I was. Too busy trying to look for a way out, we didn’t see where she had come from.
Mom couldn’t see me yet, but we could clearly see her. We were situated in the darker shade of this place. “Steven, where are we?” I heard my mom say.
“Steven?” Mason’s voice rang in my head. I had thought it at the same time, only I was in too much shock to say it. The next thing I knew, Mom was running toward…Oh my GOD! The stranger had taken off his cape and was now appearing in front of my mom, wearing jeans and a black sweater. She could clearly see the man’s face, even though we couldn’t.
She hugged him and kissed his lips before glancing around. “Where are we?”
Mason gripped my hand, his way of letting me know to stay calm. Hephaestus, the murderer, was dating my mom, promising her forever. He was welcomed into our home, ate dinner with us, pretended to care about my class schedule, pretended to care about me. Oh God! I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to vomit. And I was mad as hell.
I lightly shocked Mason’s hand, knowing he wouldn’t release me, and ran across the rocky ground. My fingers lit up, and I was going to give Hephaestus the shock of his life. Hearing Mason call my name, made me hesitate for a split second, but the rage inside of me wouldn’t tame. “Steven. You ass—” I started to say, when I was lifted off the ground. Steven used his powers to hold Mason and me in place; he must have run after me.
“Mom! Get away from him. He’s evil. He’s just using you,” I told her as fast as I could, but Mom’s eyes were on Steven’s hand. Blue electrified lights were coming out of his hands to hold Mason and me in mid-air. Seeing my dad and his team gather around, I was hoping that Steven would let go, but he didn’t. Vultures, and to my surprise, Ian, Mia, and his group, were blocking them from reaching Steven.
I glared viciously at Ian when our eyes met for brief second, but he wouldn’t look at me after that. He actually appeared guilty and remorseful, but I didn’t care. He was going to get it.
I knew Ian was no good, but it hurt to see him on Steven’s team. That meant he knew all along who Steven was and knew what was happening to me. He lied to me. He pretended to be my friend, only to spy on me and report back to Steven.
“Have you met Mia, Skylar?”
I didn’t answer.
“Of course you have. She’s not happy with you. You killed her friend, Alena.”
It all came crashing through. Too occupied with what was happening around me, Alena hadn’t crossed my mind, but it now seemed clear. Alena said she was working for someone, but it turned out she was a traitor to both sides. She was told not to kill me, but was going to do it any way.
“She disobeyed your order, didn’t she?” I asked mockingly.
“Maybe,” he answered casually, “but I do have faithful ones…right, Zara? Zara, you may leave with your sister and Victor as you have requested. This was our agreement. If you don’t leave now, I will give them the signal to kill Tara.”
“Then let her go. I will leave with them.”
“You…we trusted you. You lied to me…to us,” my father said to Tara. His eyes were glowing mad. “We believed in you. How could you bring my daughter to danger? How could you betray your people for your own selfish need?”
It dawned on me that the person she was talking to when she thought we were all asleep at the Night Forest was Hephaestus—Steven—or whatever he was called.
“Victor, it’s not what you think. I knew Skylar’s team would work it out. You and I need to leave now. Trust me, it will all be fine. I’m sorry. I had made a deal with Hephaestus that I would bring the one he needed. You may think this is a selfish trade for me, but the world needs Tara. Only she and I can help you defeat the evil that has spread among us, the only reason why I agreed. He’s not going to kill Skylar. She’ll be fine. He needs her.”
“Liar! I’m not going to leave my daughter behind and I’m not going to let you leave.” Dad grabbed Zara, but he was thrown to the ground. Mia had zapped him with her light. She was going to get one back from me.
“Victor?” my mom called softly, as if she couldn’t believe he was there. “What’s happening?” Before she could move, one of Steven’s vultures captured her.
“Let her go. She has nothing to do with this,” my dad pleaded. “Let everyone go. I can help you with what you want.” My dad was only saying whatever necessary to distract him, as his eyes shifted from my mom, to Steven, and finally to Zara, who was hugging Tara. When Steven turned just long enough for Nick to position himself, he zapped Steven’s hand, freeing Mason and me. Then, it was chaos.
Lightning flashed across space. Spear-like icicles and fire darted in my field of vision. There was so much energy and confusion that it was hard to tell which way to go or who to shoot, especially when everyone was moving at a super-fast speed. Having big boulders in the cave helped us hide, just long enough to catch a breath and get back up to fight. As for me, my main goal was to get my mom out of Steven’s hands, and it seemed like it was the same for my dad.
Carefully calculating Steven’s moves, I swirled around after dodging a light that wasn’t meant for me. Steven had no idea I was behind him, which was to my advantage. My dad eyes caught mine and he shook his head. Why was he trying to tell me to stop? He wanted to save my mom, didn’t he? My plan was short lived when my dad’s eyes grew big with fright, and he ducked to dodge the two vultures that swung at him. Seeing my dad was fine, I turned to discover not one, or two, but four vultures holding Mason. The lights from their fingertips protruded out like long silvery whips. Each of his arms and legs were imprisoned by their lights.
“Mason!” Nick bellowed from where he had just released Everett.
Countless lightning bolts were headed right for Mason, while several more came from different directions. I jumped and held up my hand, not knowing what I was doing besides trying to shoot those coming toward me. It was a natural reflex, but it was a stupid move, one that would kill me. However, all I could think of at that moment was saving Mason.
I would die for him, that was how much I loved him, and I didn’t realize it until I was put in this situation. Mason had always put my life first before his. Then it dawned on me how much he loved me back. The greatest kind of love was the kind that was freely given, not asking for anything in return…it was given simply bec
ause a person meant everything to you. And Mason was everything to me. If I died right now, I would die happy knowing I had found what love truly meant. It was not selfish, nor bold. There were no limits, no boundaries. It was just there. It was the purest kind of love that expanded one’s heart till they thought it would burst.
“No, Sky!” I heard from both my dad and Mason.
It’s okay, I wanted to say. I wanted to tell my dad that I forgave him, even though I was too stubborn to say it. At that moment, knowing I could die, somehow I let all of the anger go. It melted in my desperation, my fear, as I was staring death right in the face. Yet, nothing came. I felt nothing.
I slowly peered through the arms that blocked my vision. All of the lightning bolts were frozen in place, just inches away from me. What the hell? Not only did I stop them, I froze them. From the heavy weight, they dropped to the floor and liquefied. Holy cow!
Suddenly, the vultures stopped attacking and backed away, except for the ones holding Mason. Steven had his hand held up, and seemed to be motioning for them to back away. Why? He looked at me as if he were proud, and it gave me shivers down my spine, disgusting me.
“Well, well, well,” Steven chuckled. He was standing near the iron statues with my mom. She looked so frightened, still disbelieving what was happening around her. “I knew you could do many things, but I didn’t think this was possible.” He seemed amused and amazed at the same time. “You are more than ready.”
What was he talking about? Ready for what? Before I could ask, he tugged my mom in front of an iron statue of her. He had made one for her, too?
“Let me tell you what’s going to happen. I need Skylar to go down to the Underworld and kill Hades. Yes, Hades is still alive. Since I am unable to go to the Underworld, he was the only one I couldn’t capture. I can’t completely rule the world with him around. I’m sure he’s scheming to get out of there somehow and have me killed. After he is dead, then I can truly be the only God everyone will worship.”
“You’re crazy!” Mason bellowed, trying to free himself.
“I was afraid you might think that, but I’m sure if any of you had the opportunity, you would do the same.”
Nobody said a word, perhaps coming to realize that no matter what we said to him, he was beyond crazy and there was no stopping him.
“Why Sky?” my dad asked, surrounded by vultures.
“Because, she is the only one that can tame the flame. Only the one that has the power of all three gods can go to the Underworld. As you all know, your daughter has a special blood type that can absorb others’ powers. You and Gina had brought Skylar for treatment when she spiked a high fever. She was just a baby then. I took a sample of her blood without anyone knowing. I’ve searched for decades. It was the reason why I became a doctor. I took tons of samples of baby’s blood that I thought would be my salvation, so you can imagine how happy I was when I finally found the one.
“I observed and watched your family from afar until I knew it was time. First, I had to get rid of you. That was the easy part. You were my first experiment. I fed you vulture’s blood without you knowing. I thought you would die…instead, you tried to kill your own daughter. I tried increasing the dosage, but again it didn’t kill you. And because your blood was not like Skylar’s, you didn’t absorb the power. It was just temporary.
“When Gina kicked you out, it was the perfect opportunity to move right in, but of course I waited until she was ready. She really loved you. Your family grieved for you as if you were dead. In retrospect, I should have killed you instead. Look at all the trouble you’ve caused. You found an army of descendants, but soon they will be working under me. Oh, by the way, if you didn’t already know, one drop of Skylar’s blood can multiply when mixed with vulture’s blood. So I have tons of it stored away. It’s also the reason why the vultures turn to stone. They can’t handle the rapid growth. However, when mixed with ambrosia, it tames the growth. Thus, my new evolution of vultures.”
Steven’s eyes were greedy and heated, as if he could smell his own victory.
During Steven’s confession, my heart had dropped to the floor. All those years with my dad and the life we could’ve had had been taken by Steven. He’d robbed us of our happiness and left us with misery and grief. I wanted to rip out his heart, but did he even have one? There was nothing I could do. He had my mom and the vultures surrounded us.
“You’re sick. How could you do this to us? You’re a monster. I never loved you.” Mom tugged and yanked to escape as she spoke. When hope seemed lost, she stopped. Tears fell down her cheeks as she locked her eyes on my dad. I could feel her pain through her words, through her eyes—it was the same pain I was feeling—and I felt my own tears fall.
Steven jerked my mom hard and fast to his chest. “It didn’t bother you when you screamed my name in bed, Gina. Too bad you won’t get another chance. If I can’t have you, certainly Victor can’t.”
I panicked. Those words meant death. “Steven,” I called, “I’ll go to the Underworld for you. I’ll kill Hades for you. Just let my family and friends go. You have my word.”
“No, Sky.” I’d heard Mason, but I didn’t look at him. Right now, my goal was to get us out of there, even if my words were a lie.
That got his attention. “You’ve made the right choice, but I’m not stupid. I need collateral. Your mom and Mason will be my hostages. I’ll let your other friends go so they can help you on your journey.
“No! Let Gina and Mason go,” my dad intervened. “I’ll stay behind. Sky needs Mason. He can help her.”
“Victor,” Noah called softly. He had no voice in this matter and he knew it, but he wanted to tell him not to do it, just like I would have.
I flashed my eyes to my dad. At that moment, I realized that I had missed all of the kindness and thoughtful gestures he had shown me ever since he’d come back into my life. I was so blinded by my own stubbornness, pain, and anger, that I couldn’t see the good man he was.
“Very well.” Steven let my mom go. He watched her run to my dad and continued to stare as she hugged him tightly. Steven’s eyes grew with jealousy, causing his muscles to twitch. His distorted facial features appeared for a second, then calmed.
“Victor.” Mom held on to him as long as she could.
My dad planted a kiss on her forehead. “You’re safe now. Go to Sky.”
Dad watched Mom run to me, then made his way to Steven. The malicious grin on Steven’s face gave me chills.
My dad raised his hands to surrender. “I’m here. Let them go.” In his tone, I could hear defeat. He was preparing himself, but for what?
“How noble of you, but you know what this means, right?”
My dad nodded before looking at my mom and me. “I’m always here,” he pointed to his heart, “heart’s honor.” When he turned to the iron cast that was next to the one meant for Mom, I knew why he had agreed.
“I need hostages, Sky. I need to give you extra incentives. You bring me Hades’s head and the stone, then I will free your dad.”
“You want Hades’s head, and now you’re adding the stone. What stone? What are you talking about?” I hastily asked, recalling Ian’s friend asking me if I had a stone. Why would they ask me that question if they knew Hades had it all along, unless they didn’t know for sure?
“Ask Hades. Tell him to give it to you.”
As if it were that simple. Feeling anger and frustration brewing inside of me, knowing there was nothing I could do, I tried to calm down, but when I saw what Steven was doing, I lost it again.
“No!” I bellowed, shooting out lights from my hand, but Steven blocked them. I was so distraught that my aim sucked. Slipping out of my mom’s grasp, I ran to my dad, but it was too late. Steven had already forced him to touch the cast. “Dad!” I sobbed, pounding on the iron that was covering him, getting harder by the second. “No, no, no.” As tears poured down my face, I refused to let him be covered like this.
“Sky, run. Take all of you
r friends with you and run. Don’t look back…run away as far as you can. Forget me. I was dead for a long time anyway. Don’t go to the Underworld. You can’t kill Hades. He’ll kill you before you even have a chance.”
My dad’s words were killing me, but what hurt even more was that I couldn’t release him. I was supposedly the Keeper of Life with all these powers, yet I couldn’t even do this simple thing. “Dad!” I panicked, still trying to peel the layers off him. It had already covered up to his waist. “I’m so sorry. I was so mean to you. I hated you for staying away all those years. I should have known better. I should have believed that you wouldn’t hurt me. Oh God! How do I make this stop?”
My hands were moving the way dogs did when digging in the dirt. My lungs hurt from being out of breath; my muscles hurt from moving so fast. I was desperate, and seeing my dad like this, my heart ached as if it was being stabbed over and over again. Finally, knowing there was no hope, I was now begging. “Please forgive me, Dad. I’m so sorry.” I was going to lose him; there was a huge possibility this was going to be the last time I’d ever see him. He was giving up his life so we could have a chance to escape.
“Sky!” my dad shouted. Startled by his stern tone, I paused noting the iron had covered him up to his neck. “Stop. There is nothing you can do. I am so happy that we finally know the truth, and you don’t hate me anymore. That is all that matters. I love you and your mom so much. You’ll always be in my heart. You are my heaven, my sky.”
I placed my hand in his iron hand. “I’ll come back and free you. I’ll find a way. I swear. I won’t stop.”
“No, Sky. Run. Don’t ever look back.” Dad couldn’t speak anymore. The iron had covered his mouth.
“Heart’s honor, Dad. I promise.” I touched the skin of his cheek just before it was covered with iron.
What I saw next ripped me to shreds. A teardrop fell from the corner of his eye, and just before it fell, his eyes were covered. Hearing what sounded like the loud gasp of a dying person, I shuddered. My dad was in there. He wasn’t dead, nor was he alive. I took a moment to gather myself, but that was only for a brief second.