Book of Panacea

by Tineke Peeters

  "Good morning, everyone!" Hecate announced, interrupting the moment. I groaned out my frustration and heard Phatostai do the same; we smiled at each other and rolled our eyes.

  "I am so glad the both of you are awake! We can get started right after you finish your breakfast." She sounded full of joy and excitement. We both glowered at her, which made her return an evil smirk and a wink.

  "So where is Apple? And Cyriel?"

  "Apple is still asleep and no idea where Cyriel is, probably with Maria." I answered snippy.

  "Well, we will have to wake up Apple and call for Cyriel." She sighed.

  "CYRIEL!" She bellowed so loud we all got a fright, and shot up from the tree trunk. Apple howled from inside the temple and came running out, stepping on one of his ears running down the stairs. In slow motion, we saw the big clumsy dog fall off the stairs towards me. He kept rolling because he stepped on his ears every time he tried to get up. I couldn't move out of the way as the log I was sitting on was on my right and the fire on my left, so I closed my eyes and waited for the impact, hoping I would fall backwards and not in the fire. Phatostai moved his arms around me and when I opened my eyes, I saw Apple right in front of my feet in a mess of heads, ears and legs that seemed oddly out of place. I felt Phatostai's harsh breathing in my hair.

  We heard applause from around us. Confused, I stared up to see Artemis grinning at Maria and us and Hecate clapping excitedly!

  "He did it! One less thing to worry about!" I looked behind me at Phatostai; he winced and sat down gingerly on the log. He put his head in his hands and bent forwards moaning.

  "Are you alright?" I asked concerned. I realised he must have used quite a bit of power, to get a shield around us both, to protect me from the inevitable impact of Apples' tumble in my direction. Walking closer to him, I put my hands gently on his head. He put his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him so he could lean his head against my stomach. It surprised me, but I kept standing there running my hands through his soft hair. He moaned, but I heard this time it was more from pleasure than pain.

  Apple approached slowly, put one of his heads on my feet and one on Phatostai's feet; the middle head was resting on his paw. He whimpered, looking up at us remorseful. Phatostai took one of his hands off my waist and patted Apple on the three heads, one at a time, murmuring something that was muffled by my tummy, but seemed to relax Apple enough. He soon fell asleep again.

  "Ugh, that mutt is worthless, sleeping all the time."

  "Ah, Cyriel, you had time to grace us with your delightful presence." Hecate said sarcastically.

  "The whole island heard you yell, so yes, I came as soon as I could to make sure Panacea wouldn't go deaf." He snipped at Hecate who was glowering at him.

  "You realize I can turn you into anything I want right? And I am definitely not thinking about anything with feathers." She responded with a smirk.

  At that, Cyriel mumbled some apology and cast his eyes down.

  Maria chuckled, and Artemis coughed behind her hand, hiding a smile.

  "Phatostai, are you quite ready with all the lovey-dovey stuff?" Artemis asked with a smile.

  "My headache is almost over." He answered, followed by a fake moan. He pulled me closer and looked up at me, his smile as bright as it could be and his twinkling eyes winked at me; I grinned back.

  After a minute had passed, he pulled his head back, I pouted, but his hands were now on my hips. He used them to turn me around, and pulled me onto one of his knees; as I sat with an 'oomph,' and tried to wiggle off of his leg. I mean, I must weigh a ton in comparison to a regular goddess; however, his grip only tightened, pulling me closer to his chest to the point where I could not wiggle anymore.

  "Let's go to the meadow and practice, everyone needs to come, so we can practice the spells and attack all at the same time. There is no time to waste`." Hecate moved towards the meadow, and Phatostai let me go to get up. Once we were both up, Apple woke up as well thankfully, because he was so heavy that my feet were going numb. Phatostai grabbed my hand and we walked side by side towards the meadow. Apple followed at a slower pace, with Artemis behind him, probably ready to pick him up if he were to go too slow.

  Arriving at the meadow, we all stopped short except for Hecate. She kept walking towards a-a-a, I have no idea what that thing was supposed to be.

  "Hecate what is that supposed to be?" Artemis asked with her arms crossed raising an eyebrow, the rest of us just kept gaping at the 'thing'.

  "That, my children are my rendition of Hades!" She announced, apparently very proud of her creation.

  "It is hideous." Cyriel said.

  "It looks nothing like a Hades, more like a satyr that had a really bad night with Aphrodite." Artemis' head was cocked to the side, while she made that comment.

  Phatostai laughed so loud that he could not get any air in, and had to hold on to my shoulder, and then he began choking. Deciding to help him out, Maria clapped him on the back, and he fell forward face down first. Apple who had just arrived could not stop his forward motion, and ran right over Phatostai's back.

  The thing was so hideous, it was hard to explain. It looks like a satyr, only I never really saw one for real, just in one of the books in my dad's library.

  Never have I seen something so ugly. How was it in any way supposed to represent a god? I mean look at my father: long blond hair, tall, muscular, lean, nothing at all like this supposed god. And Phatostai is the only other god I know; look at him, even with the grass sticking out of his long hair, he was gorgeous and tall and those sexy muscles. Those eyes that sparkle whenever he smiles at me, and those lips... So kissable... Ugh, I need to stop daydreaming about kissing him, those two misses are really getting to my head. I was getting frustrated with the whole situation, but I could kind of tell that Phatostai was into me, at least I hoped so. Until we kissed, I would not be sure about anything!

  A hand was waving in front of my face. "Hellooo, Pana, Are you with us?" The hand belonged to Artemis, I slapped it away. When I looked at her, she was smirking. I had been staring at Phatostai who was still struggling on the ground with Apple on top of him; thankfully he was unaware of my near drooling daydream.

  "A little help here?" he called out.

  "I was just contemplating how that thing is supposed to resemble a god," I answered Artemis and walked over to Apple and Phatostai.

  "Sweety, come here." Apple listened straight away and jumped off Phatostai. He let out a whoosh pushing himself up, and gosh, those muscles bulging when he pushed himself up. I hope he is going to be alright with me wanting to kiss him, I am not going to be shy about it anymore; I want my first kiss and he is the perfect candidate.

  I offered Phatostai a hand, which he took. Instead of looking at me with those sparkling eyes, his mouth dropped open and his eyes bulged almost out of his head. Frowning, I turned around to see what he was looking at.

  Artemis and Maria were laughing their asses off (yes I said asses...) and Phatostai and I had no idea what in the gods, this was supposed to mean.

  Hecate was kicking and punching her construction of Hades, her attack was joined with a diabolical laughter that made goose bumps rise on my skin. Apple howled in fear, and tried to hide his big figure behind me. I might not be a thin goddess like Artemis, but I was still too small to hide his big body and heads behind.

  "What is she doing?" Phatostai asked and winced when Hecate kicked 'Hades' in his 'boy parts'.

  "She has a love turned hate relationship with Hades." Artemis answered as if that explained everything.

  "That is a bit extreme though, isn't it?" Phatostai asked, still staring at the scene in front of them.

  "Unless you have loved and lost that love to someone else, there is no way to explain what she is feeling." Artemis sighed looking in the distance as if remembering something; Maria nodded in understanding.

  I raised an eyebrow at that, I never knew Maria had loved and lost that love. Artemis was my aunt, but I only see her like
once every five years, so I was not surprised this was something I didn't know. But I have known Maria my whole life! So how is this possible? However, looking at her face, I would not raise ghosts from the past.

  ***

  34

  "Are you finished?" Artemis had her arms crossed, as we all wondered where this was going.

  "Just a second, Artemis. Yes!" Hecate had just kicked the Hades doll in the boy parts again and was jumping up and down in victory, it was funny really.

  "I am finished. Panacea you had an idea involving Cyriel?"

  "Yes, my plan was to use Cyriel as a decoy. He would fly to Hades, taking the attention straight to himself." Cyriel's eyes were wide at this news, and he slowly shook his head in denial.

  "After that, I was hoping to try something with the chicken and the flame." Everyone looked confused now.

  "What if Artemis has a raw piece of chicken on her arrow, Phatostai directs the flame to the chicken instead of directly to Hades. And upon smelling the chicken, I will send Apple after it. Cyriel will fly away just in time for the arrow to reach Hades. With Hades distracted by first Cyriel and then the roasted chicken arrow, Apple might have the time to get to Hades in time. He needs to get there before Hades takes the arrow out of him." I took a deep breath and looked around to see what the others were thinking.

  Everyone was silent.

  "It sounds crazy," Artemis said.

  "Why would Phatostai burn the chicken? Why not just burn Hades?" Cyriel asks.

  "I don't want to hurt Hades," I answered.

  "Why? He wants to use you!" Cyriel asked incredulously.

  "I am a healer, not a harmer Cyriel. It is not as if we know if he would cause me harm!" I crossed my arms and dared Cyriel to answer back; he just sighed and flew off to another branch.

  "Cyriel don't be such a spoilsport! The idea is good." Maria said with a smile in my direction.

  "I do agree we could burn him," another sinister look graced Hecate's face, "but first of all the concentration to get his flame to do that, is enormous. He could even burn you again or the gods forbid, the whole forest." Cyriel dropped his head between his feathers after that announcement.

  "Second, he needs to be ready to shield Panacea in case Hades manages to make a move towards her. If he has to concentrate to make sure the flame doesn't burn everything down, he will not have any concentration left to keep an eye on Hades." Hecate explained.

  "The plan is so nuts that no one would expect it, not even me! And I am nuts! I am pleasantly surprised!" Hecate clapped me on my back, pitching me forward. Thankfully, Phatostai was my hero again. Saving me from eating dirt, he picked me up and swung me around.

  "You are brilliant!" He said. "I am going to train hard with the flame!"

  "I don't like it."

  "Of course you don't like it Cyriel, You have to do something risky for a change." Maria snipped.

  "Let's give it a try! No time to lose!" Phatostai was excited about the plan.

  First, we had to get the chicken from the cornucopia.

  When I went to the cornucopia I closed my eyes, concentrating on the chicken; instead, a piece cloth or dress or something appeared. That was definitely not a chicken. When I tried again, I got a brush. I threw it over my shoulder in frustration.

  "Hey, watch it will you!" I looked backward and saw the brush sticking out of Maria's colorful hairdo, I cringed.

  "Sorry! Are Charlie and Lottie all right?"

  "They are somewhere in hiding, not here." She answered looking around.

  "Why?" I wondered.

  "The flame."

  Ah yes, 'the flame' was a bit amoral towards the two fairies, almost ended in a toasted fairy.

  "I am going to need them since the cornucopia thinks a dress and a brush is what I need, and not a chicken."

  I wondered why the cornucopia would think I needed a dress and brush. Sure, my hair looks like a bird's nest and my draped white sheet was not the most flattering colour on me, but, I was on a training island about to be molested by another god.

  Molested was maybe overreacting, but he would try to kidnap me. It won't work, but the next best thing would be outing me and possibly getting me killed.

  Ugh, I hated being the last one to know that I am only a half goddess until the end of my training, I hope Phatostai doesn't mind. Maybe the dress and brush were a hint towards getting my first kiss, and I am sure that is what the cornucopia thinks I need; and as usual, the cornucopia is right! I need my first kiss.

  I felt my lips curving into a smile and looked at Phatostai; he was looking back confused. I winked, which confused him even more, as one eyebrow raised in question. But I shook my head and mouthed 'later,’ he nodded.

  "I need to get the flame anyway, I will see if I can find them on the way."

  "We are here!" Lottie and Charlie cried out from behind a tree, stopping Phatostai in his tracks as they flew towards him to hover before his eyes.

  "Keep that flame away from us, I do not fancy getting burned; and I am sure I can find some magic to disappear something you might need later." Charlie was looking pointedly towards Phatostai's 'boy parts,' which he covered instantly.

  I had to bite my fist not to laugh, ‘cause he didn't know that Charlie could only make his clothes disappear, not something...else!

  "Unfortunately, I cannot conjure a chicken." Lottie apologized.

  Artemis was trying the cornucopia and got an arrow. "I already got one, you stupid thing." She mumbled and walked away still looking at the new arrow.

  "I am getting my flame, you little ladies, you better make yourselves scarce." Charlie stuck out her tongue to Phatostai, while Lottie was frantically looked around, probably for a place to hide.

  Hecate was walking in front of the cornucopia and said: "Make sure to keep the flame close to you." Phatostai nodded and walked off towards the temple.

  ***

  35

  Apple was running around after a butterfly when he passed the cornucopia, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a chicken float out. I grabbed it before Apple saw it, and threw it to Artemis. Thank the gods she was good at catching as my throw was off by a mile. Raising an eyebrow at my horrendous skills of throwing a chicken, she put it up in a tree. I shrugged; it’s not as if I ever practiced throwing a chicken.

  "What is that?" I asked Hecate, still wanting to know about her gift from the cornucopia.

  "It is the binding wire needed to complete the binding spell."

  "Oh, okay. So, when do we need to learn the spell?"

  "Don't worry about it; I’ll magic the spell in your heads."

  "Not sure I want you in my head," Artemis said. Maria nodded.

  "Well, there is not enough time to get you to learn the whole thing by heart, so that is the only option."

  "I am here and so far, the flame is behaving. So, can we try it?" Phatostai asked.

  "Sure, let me spear a piece of the chicken, or should we throw the chicken up in the air?" Artemis wondered. We all just shrugged.

  "Let's try spearing it first. Everyone on their marks?" Hecate asked.

  I was in the middle of the meadow with Apple, partly hidden behind me and partly behind the cornucopia. Phatostai was hiding behind the closest tree to my left, Artemis was to his right hiding farther back, and Maria was even further back right behind me.

  I turned towards the Hades figure as Hecate yelled: "Go."

  Cyriel flew towards the Hades doll and pecked at the head, with Hecate behind it acting as if she were Hades. Why we couldn't use her as Hades was beyond me, as Artemis' arrow flew towards the target; oh, that's why. The flame followed the arrow but was too slow to light it on the way there.

  It still went after the chicken piece and before Phatostai could stop it, it set the piece and the doll on fire. By the time I had Apple running after the now burning doll, Hecate had already removed the arrow (as Hades would) and doused the fire (again as Hades would).

  Apple yelped when he reached the charred c
hicken piece that was now on the ground, and tried to take a bite out of it.

  I winced, Artemis cringed and Phatostai dropped his arms and head, disappointed with the flame.

  "Can't we put the chicken on fire first?" Phatostai sounded hopeful.

  "No, you need to be able to keep an eye on the flame and to keep yourself hidden in case you need to get to Panacea," Hecate answered out of breath.

  "The chicken flying towards him will confuse Hades even more, so he won't be able to react soon enough." She said.

  "Can you call your flame back please Phatostai? It is hard work to keep dousing the fire." With a sheepish smile, he called the flame back.

  Once the flame was on his palm, I could see his eyes flash orange. When I blinked, it was gone, but I was sure I had seen it.

  "Panacea, a little help here! Apple burned his tongue and I have a burn on my hand." Hecate called me over.

  "Which tongue did you burn my baby?" I asked.

  "All of them it seems," Hecate grunted while keeping a hold of her fiercely blistering hand. I closed my eyes and suddenly my hands held something ice-cold; I tried not to drop it, but it fell on the grass anyway.

  "What is this?" I wondered. It should help with Apple's tongues, but I did not understand what it was. I was picking up the ice-cold pieces and saw in my mind what I had to do with it. I gently slid them over his tongues, as he let out breaths of relief. I was getting faster at this!

  I moved to sit next to Hecate and looked at her burns. Closing my eyes again, I got a piece of something my mind told me was called Aloë Vera. I squeezed the green prickly hard leaf carefully to get a few drops out on top of the wound, and Hecate let out a sigh of relief as well.

  It helped a lot, but didn't make the blister go away all the way. I frowned.

  "You are getting more powerful by the minute! You got all the healing 'products' without using the cornucopia; it all just came to you! Make sure to not let it go to your head, ‘cause there is darkness when power goes the wrong way." Artemis smiled at me. I smiled back but was insecure, the blisters on Hecate's hand had not healed completely.