From a blinding light to the deafening darkness, I found that teleporting always messed with my sight, kinda felt annoying now. I should have learned to close my eyes before teleporting, but I still won't do it, I guess it’s my fault really. I felt Iris’s twin-tail hair and shoulder grazed against my stomach as I tried to make sense of our current location.
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience, you see this world has no safe and secure temple to teleport to, but this place will do,” Zeus said as he moved his arm to reach something.
“It’s not an inconvenience at all, my lord,” Iris said.
“Sure, no inconvenience at all. It’s not at all tight and damp in here,” I rolled my eyes as I pulled a cord above me and brightened up the room.
A broom closet. No wonder the smell of chlorine so strong here. Zeus opened the only door in the small closet and revealed the interior of a gas station on the other side. We exited the closet and somehow our clothes changed magically into a normal set of clothes. This gas station seems familiar to me, the dirty stain on the ceiling, the snack aisle, the out of service refrigerator, and that counter. I looked outside and noticed that there’s no other building near this one, just an empty road, and thick forest.
“Let’s go you two.” Zeus opened the station door for us and we walked through it.
I was surprised again when the view changed, it as if we were teleported again, but this time at another familiar setting. My lips parted as I felt a tinge of pain in my chest, I couldn’t believe what in front of me right now.
“Are we…?”
“Yes...at your home.”
A two-story house, it’s a little bit worn-down, but it seems someone has been fixing it slowly. The corners of my mouth turned up as I took a step forward, but stopped while that forming smile turned into a frown. My shoulders sagged as my eyes went to the place where I fell to my death.
“Should I? Is she even here?”
“I don't know, why don't you find out?” Zeus gently pushed me forward, so I would take the second step then another, then another, until I started walking again.
The beating of my heart kept getting stronger and stronger until my own hearing was drowned out by it. I clenched the thick fabric in front of my chest then let go when I arrived at the door. I then took a long breath and coughed slightly before knocking on the door. The door opened and my bright smile smiled down when the one who answers the door wasn't what I expected.
“Hello, how may I help you?” A teen looked at me with her eyebrow perked up. Brunette hair and rosy pale skin with somewhat Asian characteristics in her look.
“I know you from somewhere…”
“Excuse me?” Her hand move and jiggled a set of keys with a recognizable keychain.
“Mitake Ran keychain, haven’t seen those for a while now.”
“I’m sorry, but goodbye.” She closed the door on me. However, I managed to slip in my leg between the door, stopping her from doing so.
“Wait! wait!”
“AAAAAHHHHH!!!!” I screamed as she maced me with pepper spray.
“Stranger danger! Stranger danger!”
“Why would you do that? I was just looking for Kristy and Kenny Adams,” I backed away from the door and hunched my body forward as the burning sensation intensified.
“Kristy?” The teen said surprised.
“Jin? What’s going on? I heard you screaming.”
My sight still blurred from the mace, but I could still see an outline of an older woman. I squinted really hard and there she was, Kristy Adams. Black neatly tied hairs with a skimmer hat on her head and wore a set of rubbery apron and gloves. The specks of dirt at the bottom of her jeans told me that she was gardening at the back. She rushed to my side, while Jin tossed away the pepper spray she was holding.
“She was like this when I opened the door.”
“No, I’m not, you pepper-sprayed me in my eyes.”
“Well, you deserved it, you pervert!” Jin said while crossing her arms.
“I am not a pervert, where is that accusation even coming from?”
“I can tell from your naughty eyes that you were checking my bod out.”
“No, that’s not true. Damn, that was a shit ton of pepper. Oh man, it’s still painful, I can barely see things.”
“Jin, go get some water,” Kristy said as she rubbed my back.
“Why me?”
“Please?”
“Ugh, fine, aunty.” She groaned as she walked away.
Kristy helped me into her house and sat me on a couch in the living room. After my vision began to clear up, I glanced at the small photo frame on the end table right next to me. I saw my own reflection, but it was not my reflection, there’re no horns or sharp teeth. It must be some kind of illusion magic that Zeus cast on me earlier without me noticing it, just like my clothes. I shouldn't sweat it, it’s better this way, no wonder they didn't notice my monstrosity features.
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My vision focus through the glass and my heart dropped when I saw it. It was a picture of me with mom and dad. I remember taking that picture, we were painting the house together. I was a mess in the picture, blue paint was all over my face. It was a tiring day and yet, it was unforgettable and fun.
“I’m sorry, I didn't catch your name earlier?”
“Andre.”
"Excuse me?" Kristy froze while she looked at me with widened eyes.
"I meant was, I'm here about your son, Andre Adams. I'm a reporter, and doing a story about your son."
"My son?" Her still shoulders still tense as she backed away and took a seat right in front of me.
"Yes, I may have some evidence that he maybe did some very bad stuff when he was still alive."
"I...I don't know what you're talking about." She feigned ignorance, but she knows what he, no, what I did.
"Please don't lie to me, Ma'am. I have enough evidence to put him at that place, at that time the horrific act happened."
"Andre...wasn't a bad kid. He was a good kind kid, I raised him with love, but what happened that night before the killings, changed him." She finally admitted, she knew what happened.
"You must have hated him for what he did." My hand clenched while my eyes glanced away.
"What? No! I still love him no matter what he did. He was my son, my only son. Yes, he did bad things, but a mother's love for her kids will never go away, no matter how twisted the child becomes. At least, that's what my husband and I believe. Besides if he was that much of an evil person, why did he saved Jin?" She raised her voice slightly.
Hearing she said that, make my heart ached with regretful happiness. After all this time, after all, I did, she still loves me and accepted me. I should have stayed home that night, I should have done a lot of things that night, but I didn't. My eyes began to tear up as I took a short breathe to calm myself.
"Everything okays, aunty?" Jin shouted from the kitchen.
"Yep, Jin, everything's fine," Kristy replied.
"To tell you the truth," I placed my hand over my eyes, "I wish things were different." My mother looked at me with raised eyebrows.
"I don't follow you."
"It's nothing, I just thought that your son would have greatly regretted what he did," I stood up again.
"My son? Wait, where are you going?" Kristy said as she stared at me.
"What about the story?" I walked to the door.
"What story? Also, you little Bumblebee wish nothing but forgiveness."
At that moment, she saw the unforgettable resemblance of her son on me as I grinned and winked before I left the house. Her eyes welled up as she smiled uncontrollably before the door behind me closed. She couldn't comprehend how did his son come back after his own death.
"Andre…" Kristy chased after that woman, but when she opened the door, her husband with grocery in his hands stood on the other side with a surprised look.
"What happened? Why are you crying?" The husband dropped the groceries, and immediately comfort his wife.
"He was here," Kristy said with a broken voice.
"Who was?"
"Our son."
"That couldn't be true, there was no one here."
"Are you sure she can't see me?" I stood across the house along with Zeus and Iris, my looks reverted back to normal, horns and sharp teeth.
"She won't, no mortal can see us here."
Zeus teleported us again, I wanted to stay behind, but I know she better off without me. Besides, I got worlds to save. Once again, I was transported to a place unknown to me, but this time, the location was on top of some tower rooftop. The cold winds blew against my face as we stared at the sunset.
"You know, one of the music I loved in this mortal world, is by that one mortal. I think his name was Frank. His song 'That's life' summed up why I love the mortals and their life." He snapped a finger and that song played in the background.
"Shouldn't we keep ourselves hidden?"
"Don't be such a stickler," Zeus said, his calm appearance had suddenly gone and replaced by a chill attitude even Iris was caught off guard by the god demeanor.
"Aaah, sure. Do whatever you want."
"OMG, Come one, chillax will Yah?" He summoned a bench and sat on it while both of his shoulders relaxed. He patted the seat right to him and brightly smiled as he invited me to sit beside him.
"Okay. You reminded me of someone." I took a seat with Iris beside me
"Do I?" He tilted his head make this most ridiculous playful face.
"Yeah, you do."
"Lmfao, I'm always been so seriousss. Dude, that prank you pulled with my mom was superb. And also, I want to thank you, I haven't spoken to her for a long time...it was pleasant," He said then hummed to music, but mid-hum, he quickly hunched forward and started to cough terribly.
"Are you okay?" I placed my hand on his back.
"Yeah," he snickered cynically. He moved his hand from his mouth and a smudge of black liquid can be seen on the corner of his mouth and palm.
"This is it."
"You were hit during the fight… I remember now, it's the curse?"
"That's life, right?" Zeus smiled as he kept on humming.
"You need medical help," I was about to stand, but was stopped by Iris's hand.
"Iris?" I turned my attention to her, and she was holding back her tears under that blindfold.
"She knew the outcome, Andre…"
"I can't leave you here!" My eyebrows furrowed and I stood up to face him.
"Don't pretend you care about me Andre, I know you don't like me for what I did to Adrestia."
"What? We passed that! Now come on, we need to get you back home and heal," I extended my hand to him, and he looked at me with disbelief gaze, dumbfounded by me.
"You really are something, you do care about me. Hah, you're a weird woman. Thanks for the offer though, and here. Give this to my son and Odesza. You'll need the firepower, and they need to take over for me and my brother," Zeus took out two golden marble and place it in my hand.
"What is it?" I could feel the warmth and so much power from these two small marbles.
"Poseidon's and my very essence, our power. Once you gave this to them, the power will enter them and turn them into a god." He coughed loudly again, but this time he was groaning painfully.
"Zeus!" I stored the marble in my pockets and rushed to him.
"My wife...my son, they both hated me. I wasn't a good god or a good father, Andre. And you, so much suffering, I have caused to all of them and the people around me...Don't blame Adrestia, Andre. I'm the one who makes her do it. She had doubts when you protect her honor, but I still forced her to go through with it." Zeus rested his palm against my cheek.
"You don't make any sense right now."
"I had to. You're the light, you will save us. Apollo foresaw a terrifying future, but the one who can change it is you."
"I don't understand."
"The prophecy, you must do it. You have no choice." His eyes widened like a mad man.
"Iris, now!" Zeus pushed me, and Iris came then placed both her hands against my cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Andre," Iris muttered while tears were rolling down her cheeks.
I felt my eyeballs slowly rolled back into my head while the whole reality around me melted like ice. Afterward, I felt my very soul being pulled out from my body, and then I saw it, everything.
The truth.