Chapter 10
PYTHIA
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Smokes were rising from the cracks of the floor. As Achilles was going deeper and deeper into Pythia''s dungeon, the scarier it became for him. He saw shadows on the walls and voices, probably from spirits or from dead people. It was true that he had witnessed a lot of things in his life. But nothing came close to this… The whole experience, with every step that he took forward, the more his heart raced. On the other hand, he would become one of the very few people who saw Pythia, the servant of Apollo herself. Oh, Nikolaus, would be so jealous of him!
After a long walk down to the mazes and turnarounds, he finally arrived at a sizable chamber. In front of him it was a huge, metal door. He tried to force it open. But by the time he touched the door, it opened by itself, with a loud sound. He was taken aback. He tried to look into the chamber, but he could not see anything but smoke. Something was burning.
“Incense,” he said to himself as he smelled through the air. “From the Temple!”.
He started walking in. As he walked slowly, he stepped on something soft. With terror he realized that it was a snake. With quick reflexes, he used his knife to decapitate the poisonous animal before it could make an attack on him. He took a good look around. There were snakes hissing all over the place.
“Gods, it is like the Underworld...” he thought to himself.
“This is not a place for the living nor the dead” a loud voice of a woman said to him.
Achilles tried to locate the source of the voice, but he couldn''t, because her voice echoed from every direction.
“This place is a place fit for the Gods. Only they can enter” the voice was heard again, this time from his left.
He turned to his left, drawing his sword.
“Who are you?” he shouted.
Someone, or something, attacked him with great speed and forced him to the ground.
“The real question is...” the voice said again. “Who are you?”
Then someone jumped on him. He could not see if it was a human that attacked him but from the shadows, he could tell it was a humane, at least, figure. The only thing he managed to see was the big, fearsome claws, just inches from his eyes. Achilles tried to fight back, but this little creature on top of him had extreme strength, as it seemed. He was pinned to the ground. He sensed a claw on his torso, ripping his cloth and his skin beneath. Blood poured from the wound. The figure, with its slimy hand, took some of the blood and tasted it.
“Achilles, son of Poseidon...” the voice said again. “Forgive my insolence”. The pressure on Achilles'' back was relieved as this little creature jumped in front of him.
The figure let him free. Achilles stood, realising the creature possessed no threat, he decided to sheathe his sword.
“I am here for the Pythia,” he said.
“Are you now?” the voice asked, with a mix of playfulness and sarcasm.
Then the figure in front of him clapped its fingers. Fire came out of torches all over the room. In his surprise, Achilles found himself encountered with a little girl. She didn''t have ordinary hands, but claws, her body was covered in dirt and blood, and she had no eyeballs.
“Well, that was unexpected,” he said to her.
“Do not be a fool of yourself, son of Poseidon. I am Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi!”
Achilles looked at her, dumbfounded.
“Do not let this form of me fool you. In reality, I am a thousand years old. I have been here since the time my master Apollo put me in this place!”
She came close to him again.
“Give me your hand”.
Without any question, Achilles extended it to her. She pulled out a dagger and cut his flesh. “Is this really necessary?” Achilles asked, “You tasted my blood a moment ago…”
Pythia looked at him, raising an eyebrow, “That was only to intimidate and wound you, young demigod. Tasting your blood allows me also to identify you. Which I did. But the blood from the palm of your hands has different uses as the Fates allow me to see both your past, present and future. Now sit still!”
The poured blood of Achilles was collected in a small cup. Achilles only made a painful grimace.
“Hmmm... You are tough”, said Pythia.
“If I had a drachma for every time I heard this, I would be the richest man alive in Greece” he said smiling to himself, full of pride.
Pythia did not answer that, but he was sure that she made a small smile at the tip of her lips. She then took the cup, and went up some stairs, leading to the altar, in front of a throne. Pythia sat on the throne. She cut herself on the wrist and put the blood into the same cup. Achilles was about to stop her.
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“Do not be afraid, son of Poseidon. I cannot die. No matter how hard I do harm to this body, I cannot be set free. That is my curse”.
For a split second, Achilles saw something like grief taking shape on her face. But Pythia immediately stopped it. She mixed the blood of her and Achilles’ together; she poured some magical powder and started saying some psalms. As she was saying those words, the ground started shaking and more smoke started coming up from the cracks on the ground. The snakes came closer to the throne of Pythia and wrapped themselves around Pythia''s hands, feet, and neck. She grabbed a snake instantaneously, she put its fangs against the cup, pressing its head to lead some of the snake''s poison into it… After that, she threw the snake away.
Then she took three sips from the cup with the mixed blood and the rest of it, with a rapid move, she spilled it on the altar. By doing that, light came out of her eyes and with a deep voice, not like the one he heard before.
“When death is encountered, with death must be fought. But when the wars are over, then this blessing becomes a curse”.
Then the earthquake stopped. The smoke dispersed and the snakes, slowly, came down from her and disappeared. The Pythia stopped radiating light out of her eyes and went back to her natural form.
“You poor thing…” Pythia whispered,
“What happened?”
“Apollo gave me a glimpse of what the Fates have in store for us. Your mission is vital for the Argives… and the whole Greece!”
Achilles was about to ask about the riddle. But Pythia stopped him with a move of her hand.
“I cannot say anything more to you, son of Poseidon. My master forbids me to explain the riddles I give to those who visit me, for even we Oracles cannot fully fathom their meanings… I will speak no more on this matter. You must go now”.
Achilles looked disappointed. But respected Pythia’s commands. He turned to leave the chamber.
“Wait!” she exclaimed. “The slayer of Python, the Great Apollo, grants you only one thing”.
“And what is that?” Achilles asked, curious.
Pythia smiled. Her rotten teeth appeared on that disgusting face.
“Since you broke the sacred law, barging in the temple with force, normally you are forbidden to get another prophecy ever in your life. But Apollo sees what others cannot… So hear my words!” Pythias eyes turned green again and an echoing voice began to come out of her mouth “When chaos is nigh, follow the nymph, under the veil of night”
Achilles looked at the Pythia with question in his eyes.
“What is that supposed to mean?” he said.
She put a finger on her lips, showing the young demigod that no more words would be spoken.
“Go now, son of Poseidon. Go and save us all from the games of the Fates”.
*
He exited the chamber of Pythia; questions and theories were rapidly gathering his thoughts. Every prophecy… Every damn prophecy has to do with death, chaos and with high stakes… He released a sigh.
When does this end, is our world truly so flawed… Why do the Gods not intervene when they see what is going on, especially when they already can see the future… Apollo is the master of the Oracle, allows them to grant the prophecies, but does offer a clarification or any explanation in order to evade the worst…
A strange light interrupted his inner thoughts, he looked around and saw a statue glowing with bright light like the sun. He approached it and a gentle young man''s voice echoed from it. “Young cousin! I see you witness the skills of my subordinate.”
“Apollo…”
“In the flesh! Or rather in stone! Ha ha ha!” Apollo''s voice had a playful and melodic tune in it.
“Why are you here?...”
“Ohhh, why so grumpy cousin? Enlighten your life man!”
“I am not in the mood for any more riddles, you gave me enough already…” He was about to leave, but for a moment a blazing heat was felt down his spine. Apollo may be kind, handsome and just, but he is also wrathful and punishing if he is not treated with respect. Achilles understood that and turned again to the statue.
“My Cousin… I know you do not actually like us, the Olympians, but being respectful is a common courtesy don’t you think?”
Achilles remained silent
“Ahhh, no worries; I forgive you. But it is ironic don’t you think? You do not like us, the Gods -maybe because of my uncle Poseidon- but still you live and work under the Brotherhood of the Argives who do our bidding. It’s kinda funny if you think about it ahahaha!” Apollo wanted to light up the mood.
“Why are you here?...”
“You are no fun! Anyways… I have to punish you, you know”
“What do you mean”
“You broke into my sacred temple, your comrade assassinated one of my priests, while you barged in the Oracle demanding a prophecy for your mission…”
“It was the only way! An order from my father, Poseidon!”
“I know, I know, I cannot get in the way of my Uncle''s demands, so my punishment will be lighter. Since you were banned from getting another prophecy again, I allowed Pythia to offer you a second one, for the future to come. But since I like you, I will offer you a way to redeem yourself!”
“I do not really care…”
“Trust me cousin! You do not want to get on my bad side…” An ominous feeling was wrapped around Achilles head, like the heat of the sun was piercing him, for just a quick second he thought that his head was going to explode. It was just a moment, but enough to get the memo from The God of the Sun and Light. “Right, as I was saying; in order to regain my trust, support and favour I want you to make a stop at Thebes. For some reason my insights from the Temple there are blocked… I want you to solve that.”
“Thebes… As I remember correctly… You had abandoned the priests of Delphi, when Alexander sieged the city!”
“I did not abandon them! I had foreseen that outcome that is why I sent, via the Argives, you! in order to save them, which you did; and ever since you are on my good side. Help the Oracle of Thebes once again and you shall reclaim your right to enter Pythia again!”
With that the glowing yellow lights inside the statue’s eyes faded away, signaling that the Olympian God was not present any more.
Achilles released a tiresome sigh. “These gods and their missions…”