Aphrodite's Acolyte (14 page)

She darted into the closet of reagents, pulling every possible item she could in an attempt to fill the bag as much as possible. She pulled bottles, vials, dragon's teeth, horns, centaur hoofs, anything within her reach. She completed her shopping spree, clearing out Methvas' store. She looked embarrassingly at the old man, feeling rather guilty about letting her greed get the best of her.

Methvas, still with a smile on his face, nodded at her. “It is all yours Abby. Like I said, not much of an alchemist here.” He walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, “I will fill it back up in time.”

Abby relaxed and once again gave Methvas a hug before departing on her way. She looked forward to telling Fidel of the great treasures his father provided her.

The day of departure finally arrived. The three companions said their good byes to all who had helped them. Fidel made it a point to inform Yardana he was forever in her debt, bringing a great smile to the young girl's face. On their way out of Harlow's Hovel, Fidel was sure to stop at Shar's shop and bid his mother good-bye for the second time in less than a year.

Fidel and his companions rode to the southeast, out the gate that led toward Marisali. They rode hard to gain as much distance between them and Harlow's Hovel before the sun dipped below the horizon to their backs.

From within the forests quickly retreating behind the traveling trio, hundreds of gray eyes watched. Waiting for their orders.

The trio from Harlow's Hovel traveled to the southeast, cutting a path through the eastern portion of the Rivolus Desert which surrounded the oasis. They traveled by night and camped by day to avoid the desert sun, a trick Fidel learned from his merchant friend, Fardicus. Every sunset, a few hours before the departure, Abby was hard at work. She converted the vast stock of reagents Methvas gave to her into several potions and poisons. Fidel and Cap watched her, enjoying the smile on her face as she worked excitedly in her craft. Abby found peace in those hours.

On the final desert sunset, the male companions awoke to a large bang and the worst smell they ever imagined. They darted out of their small camping tents and saw Abby sprawled out on the ground, some twenty feet from her makeshift fire pit.

Fidel ran over and rolled her to her back. He felt her pulse and listened for air. He looked up at Cap, “She's alive!”

Abby opened her eyes and shook her head slowly. After her eyes focused on Fidel, she shouted, “What color is it!?”

Fidel looked at her with one eyebrow raised, “What?”

Abby, unable to move her limbs, shouted again. “What color is it?! In the pot!”

Fidel shook his head and walked over to the cooking pot. He shouted back, “Kind of orange, and very thick.”

Abby smiled wide, trying to get up. She passed out again and Fidel ran back to her side, checking her vitals and informing Cap she was still alive.

Cap walked over to the pot and stirred the mixture, “I seriously hope we are not expected to drink this direly foul liquid!”

Fidel smiled, “I bet you she'll want somebody to drink it. I'm voting for you!”

Cap shook his head and put his arms up in defense. “Oh no way. This is for her love, Mr. Fidel Austempes!”

Fidel ignored the remark and started pouring water on Abby's face.

She squirmed and attempted to rise, only to find she couldn't move her limbs. “Stop with the water already!”

Fidel, feeling his ear drums about to explode from her harpy-volume screech, tossed more water on her face. Abby tried to squirm, once again, unable to move. Fidel called Cap over with a sly grin on his face. “Want to join?”

Cap grinned and grabbed some water. The two men flicked droplets of water on her face and laughed at her rather annoyed response. Within a few moments, the men were outdoing each other. One would flick a few drops, the other would spill a little directly from the mug. The next one would pour the whole cup over Abby's face.

Abby's rage pumped blood back through her muscles, forcing them to respond to her will once again. The paralyzing grasp receded from Abby's right arm first. But the water kept coming, Fidel staying just out of reach of the reanimated appendage. Her second arm gained movement and Cap copied Fidel, tossing some more water, forcing Abby to squirm some more. The scene repeated a few more times as Abby's limbs finally obeyed her commands. She rose up quickly to chase Fidel, only to fall face down in the dirt.

Fidel ran back over to Abby. “Here we go again, Cap!”

Cap approached her and noticed one of her eyes remained opened, a wide grin on her face. As he started to warn Fidel, Abby grabbed Fidel's foot and pulled hard, tossing him hard to his rump. She pulled one of her daggers and stabbed Fidel hard in his leg, tearing through his currently unarmored thigh and deep into his hamstring.

Fidel howled in pain and Cap froze in his spot from shock, not sure what to do with one friend stabbing the other. Abby's grin grew wider at Cap as she arose with her bloodstained dagger and marched toward him.

Cap turned and ran into his tent, intending to grab his trusty bow and prepare for his forthcoming battle with mad Abby. When Cap darted out of his tent, he screeched to a halt as he saw Abby fill a small vial of the newly created mixture.

She raised her hands up defensively to Cap, “It's okay Cap. Watch this! Trust me!” She walked over to Fidel, who was clamping his new wound shut as much as he could. She poured the mixture directly into the deep wound. The wound bubbled and an orange gas started to escape. The blood flow stemmed as the arteries and veins bonded back together. The muscles and tendons appeared to tie in knots and then snapped back into their proper locations. Fidel's tan skin started forming from the inside and the layers could be seen rebuilding until no wound remained.

Fidel and Cap watched in amazement as Fidel's leg appeared exactly as it did before mad Abby slashed his thigh, a tan and muscular leg of a fairly thin elf. Fidel looked up at Abby, astonished. Cap dropped his bow.

Abby smiled at the two of them. “Not too shabby for my first time on this particular brew, right?!” Abby smiled even more.” It's the most rancid smelling potion, but as you can see, the benefits are quite welcome. The batch I made is enough to heal at least a thousand wounds like Fidel's well deserved one!” She helped Fidel to his feet and instructed him to walk.

Fidel stopped after a few steps of having no issues. "That was your first time with this mixture?” Abby smiled and nodded her head, folding her arms proudly. He looked at her incredulously. “And you stabbed me in the leg to test it?!”

Abby kept her posture, turning her smile into a grin, and nodded again.

Cap interjected with a grin of his own. “Better you than me!"

The men packed up camp as Abby divvied up her new mixture. She gave three each of the small vials to Cap and Fidel to hold in their pockets. She then poured the rest of the mixture into a couple large flasks and corked them for use later. A short time passed and the trio was heading southeast once again toward the coastal town of Marisali, riding their steeds hard in the desert sand. They wanted to clear the scorched wasteland by sunrise.

As the sun peaked over the eastern horizon, the trees of the realm known as Aphrodite's Woodlands came into view. The group road faster and harder as the signs of life exploded before them. They rode straight into this forest that bordered the desert and stopped once the canopy above was thick. Enough to block the majority of the sun's rays. They slowed their pace and looked for a water source, finding a fairly large pond shortly after.

They set up their camp for a day of rest and relaxation to reset their biological clocks to daily sunrise and sunset routines. The friends, along with their horses, thoroughly enjoyed the pond's offerings for hours, desperately needing a little break from the fast and hard travel across the arid desert.

The evening came faster than desired and the group settled in for a good night of food and friendship. The trees swayed in the cool breeze, rustling the leaves and creating a rhythmic and relaxing swooshing sound. Insects of all types joined the harmony with chirps of their own, adding to the natural orchestra of various nocturnal creatures. Howls and footsteps also joined the chorus adding to the entertainment.

None of the companions decided to use a tent this evening, favoring the uncultivated wilds before them. The fire burned low as the friends found dreams which could only be revealed in such a beautiful and peaceful milieu. Hundreds of wild eyes peered at them from the docile backdrop.

Fidel awoke suddenly, finding himself trapped in a square room filled with a blinding light. A robed figure materialized before him, a woman of fine features and anatomically desirable in every way imaginable. Fidel found himself entranced by her beauty. He did not realize the room was dimming and changing form to an elongated rectangle with a feasting table in the middle.

The woman in front of Fidel motioned for him to take a seat at the table, in which Fidel, completely infatuated with the robed goddess, willfully complied. The woman, realizing her beauty was quite a distraction, softened her features to become more ordinary in appearance, breaking Fidel from the trance and allowing him to gain his levelheaded persona once again. He shook his head, perplexed by how the presence of a female could take him to such a false paradise.

The ordinary woman spoke, her voice sounding official. “Fidel Austempes, we have not formally been introduced. I am Aphrodite, Goddess of Love. Welcome to my home.”

Fidel immediately jumped from his chair and averted his gaze from the goddess, taking the position taught to the mortals from a very young age. He placed both knees on the floor and placed his body forward, touching his nose to the ground.

Aphrodite, amused at the reflexive actions of this non-religious elf before her, raised her hand in protest. “Fidel, you do not need to worship me. I understand you are not the most holy of the elves in this land. Please do rise and take a seat, I wish to speak with you of your journey and your destination.”

Fidel hesitantly relaxed and, wondering why he would bow to any being in such a way, rose and took his seat. “You are the Goddess of Love? Ruler of the elven race and resident of Olympus? Why would you summon me?”

Aphrodite touched the table and a glowing mist full of twinkling lights seemed to explode forth from within the marble construct. The mist materialized and a bountiful variety of foods and drinks formed on the table. Fidel grinned wide as he noticed every type of food had appeared.

Aphrodite graciously swept her hand before the table. “Feel free to enjoy any of this. We are in for a long discussion.”

Aphrodite began the conversation while Fidel enjoyed the meal set before him. She started by explaining the reason for the summons, informing Fidel that his journey to defeat Pravas Medeis must succeed. “Pravas Medeis is over two hundred years old. She is a great and powerful sorceress, very capable of destroying legions. She has faced hundreds of powerful creatures and prevailed. She has faced scores of wizards and knights, and has defeated them without much effort. She has faced dragons and trolls, without even so much of a scratch.” Aphrodite continued, “But not the other day. This time, she faced an inexperienced elf with his trusty companions, and lost over a year of preparation of all progress toward her greatest ascension to power.” Aphrodite looked at Fidel with a concerned look on her face, “How do you think she is going to react, Fidel?”

Fidel, suddenly losing his appetite, put down the sweet roll he was eating and looked into Aphrodite's eyes, his eyes growing narrow. “She will try to go after my family, she has already said she would do so!”

Aphrodite interjected, “No, Pravas will not hunt your family. That is not her way. But even with such knowledge, you still pursue her? An evil and powerful sorceress threatens those that you love and you feel compelled to give pursuit, instead of staying with your family and defending them?” 

Fidel's face tightened, not out of fear or anger, but out of pride. He remembered the lessons of his first human parents. “A long time ago, my father taught me that waiting for an opponent to make their move increases their chance of success. If I waited for Pravas to go after my family, hoping I could defend them, I would have to find a way to place myself in two different cities separated by miles of terrain. Or, I would have to ask my family to change their life out of fear of attack.” he stopped for a few seconds. “If I change myself or my family, then Pravas has already won. That is what my heart tells me. By giving chase, Pravas, a calculating and powerful fiend, is forced to think of her own defense. She is forced to think of her own course of protections, and has less time to focus on how to hurt my loved ones. She cannot pursue her continued desire for power with this forsaken amulet. I pursue her not because I want to destroy her, but because I want to prevent her from destroying those I hold dear.”

Aphrodite considered Fidel's words, their meaning taking hold. She smiled widely at the handsome elf, a being of her own designs. “I find your answer full of love for others.” She rose and patted Fidel on the back. “I am proud of you. You are one of my kind, yet are the embodiment of the wisdom and intellect of Athena and the passions for justice of Zeus himself. Grelin and Asante made a wise choice when they took the raw skills of an elf and merged them with the passions and intellect of the human race.”

The Goddess of Love walked slowly back to her seat, turning to face Fidel before she sat down again. “What is your plan when you face Pravas? It is, after all, just the three of you and she will be sure to bolster her allies in this battle.”

Fidel corrected Aphrodite, “Actually, there will be four. The dwarf Noxater will be in attendance as well, if he has not already faced off against her.”

Aphrodite chuckled as she sat. “Fidel, I am not a master of warfare. But even I would not be counting a dwarf who cannot control his own mind as one of my allies in this battle.” She paused for a few moments. “You saw he could not issue the final blow on Pravas at the Rivolus shrine to Apollo.”

Fidel shifted in his seat. “You are right. I have not put too much thought into the strategy and was not planning on doing so until we arrived in Marisali. Abby's made quite a few potions that will help. Cap has a new bow and his skills are beyond any when it comes to placing an arrow where needed. And I have plenty in my repertoire where I can fill in any missing gaps.” He paused for a moment and looked to Aphrodite with a sly grin, “Perhaps I can ask Pravas to stop her madness and it will all be over?”

Aphrodite laughed hard for quite a few heartbeats at Fidel's  comment. “That is highly doubtful!” she said with tears in her eyes at the notion. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and continued. “Well, I am sure you will come up with something. After talking to you this evening, I am more confident you will be victorious in your endeavor. Of course, I wish I could help in the matter further. But the gods are not permitted within the boundaries of Maserun.”

Fidel interceded, “Why would the gods not be permitted on a land of their creation and design? I never understood why you permit people like Pravas Medeis to exist.”

Aphrodite's face grew serious. “We discovered long ago, on another planet, that human beings needed conflict and hope in order to survive. We also learned that the intervention of gods in a direct way created even more disorder. Our interruptions even created outright hatred for us.”

Fidel interrupted. “Another planet? Do you mean Maserun is not unique?” 

Aphrodite smiled. “Maserun is unique. But yes, there are other planets out there, Fidel. Maserun is not the only planet to create and sustain life. Maserun's twin was the first planet to do so.”

Aphrodite and Fidel carried on with their conversation for many more hours. Aphrodite taught Fidel how the planet known as earth was a battleground between the gods and their creators, the titans. She educated Fidel in the intricacies of human and god interactions on earth and how such interactions ultimately led to the demise of those faithful to the Olympians. She filled Fidel's head with stories of half-god heroes like Perseus and Heracles.

Fidel folded his arms, as-if just catching a child in a lie. “Wait, you said the gods could not be directly involved within the boundaries of Maserun. How did Heracles create the lake and the burned desert around the town of Harlow's Hovel then?”

Aphrodite leaned back in her high-backed chair. “The event that created Harlow's Hovel is exactly why we stopped getting involved in the mortal world directly. You see, Heracles was doing a favor for the humans. The wells in the area dried up and the humans were praying for water. Prior to the punch to the land that sprung forth the well, we gods were commonplace on Maserun, directly answering the prayers of the many residents."

Aphrodite leaned forward. “When Heracles put his fist through the forested grounds of Harlow's Hovel, the thunderous effects of that mighty blow destroyed more life than it saved. The Rivolus Desert was the western part of my woodland and Harlow reduced it to a vast wasteland. That one punch of the mighty Harlow created so much death that Zeus was prompted to take action and called a meeting of the gods. We all agreed to not visit the planet directly ever again.”

Aphrodite stopped for a few moments. “We made the same pact on earth too, long ago. But on earth, the gods would not adhere to the agreement. Zeus was often found helping humans on that planet and, being ruler of the gods, had nobody to answer to for such actions. Knowing our past digression, Hades was very insistent on creating a barrier that would prevent any god from ever returning to the land of Maserun in physical form. And so we all agreed to make such a barrier, Zeus included.”