Chapter 6 Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

CAELON

"WHO THE HELL DID YOU BRING HERE, CAELON?! Did I not warn you that my place is completely off limits?"

The piercing wind blinded and deafened me for seconds and I sigh when I spotted the bright red hair from the distance, a meter away from where I was standing.

She followed me, again.

The message that Emyr sent me a few minutes ago still burns in my mind. He assumes that Hades found me and is currently lurking around the city of Paris, spying. Hades is waiting for his time to attack and take what's due. Emyr has mentioned it before that when the time comes and the scroll finally makes its appearance, Hades will follow through with the plan and claim my soul as he should have done a thousand of years ago.

Emyr said that I have cheated Hades by dying but I don't believe him. Why else would Hades follow me for a thousand years when he could easily claim my soul the moment I died? Something must have happened. The appearance of the scroll and my encounter with a cupid is a clear indication to that.

I just can't remember what has transpired before.

Sighing, I wave my hand at her, "Get out of there, Aila and come here."

The wind picks up and Emyr lounged at her as soon as she makes an appearance, holding her upon her neck. Aila whimpered and I flicked my hand to throw Emyr off of her.

"Caelon! No other people or creature is allowed here besides you and me. Why did you bring such foul creature? I made it very clear- this house is located here for a reason. Why do you not take me seriously? And why are you choosing this cupid over me?"

I watch as Emyr swatted her with his hand and Aila was thrown off to the edge, overlooking the cliff. My heart jumped inside my chest and I found myself running to her and pull her back yet her reaction surprised me.

"Wow!"

"Wow? What do you mean wow?!" The wind picks up as Emyr began seething with anger. Emyr's threat did not work for Aila even though it gave me a scare. Aila stared back to Emyr while the marks on his face, glows.

"Why does he look like that, Caelon?" Though she have said it with a whisper I know Emyr caught wind of it for he began shaking.

"What did you say?" His eyes dangerously glinted as he reach out to take her. I stand next to Aila and hold her close, shielding her from Emyr.

"Look here, mate," I held up a hand against his direction as Aila hides behind me, "I didn't mean to bring her here, okay? She can follow me through the wind. Foolishly and unknowingly, I brought her here so I am sorry, okay? It won't happen again." I watched as Emyr's fist relaxed on his sides and the marks on his face, faded.

"Does it really looks odd?"

"What?" I turn around and see him stroking his face by the mirror, turning side by side.

"My marks," Emyr rolls his eyes before he took a silver flask inside his coat and take a long draw from it, waving his hand on his face. "There, I've sorted it out. I just don't bother with it since no one has to remind me of its existence except that certain foul creature downstairs. " Emyr checks his face once again on the mirror before he settled on the sofa, waving his hand for me to take the other one that is facing him. I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled.

"Is this your plan, Caelon? To take the cupid here and kill her?"

"No." I bit my lip and tried to diver the topic back to him. "The message you sent sounds impossible, Emyr. Hades can't be spying on me."

"Quit acting like a fool, Caelum." He waves his hand at the fireplace and produce a fire that made the room look less gloomy, sending out a bit of warmth.

I settled comfortably on the chair and commented, "Why bother lighting it? You are not affected by the cold, Emyr."

"I know. I did it for you, mon ami." He stared at the fire, his fingers weaved together. He looks like a statue carved upon a smooth marble, a thousand years masterpiece. "The news about Hades is not impossible for I have sensed him after I went to your flat to collect some information." His eyes darted to my direction and he sigh, raising his hands, "Hey, give me a break. I did try to understand you awhile ago even if you brought a foul creature to my home, right?"

"But must the mundane messages be of essential?"

"Well, it's my only means. Plus, if I appeared right there and then in front of all those humans, they'll go loco." He shakes his head, making his golden hair, bounce. "This crazy inventions restrict me more than ever, you shouldn't have funded them in the first place." Emyr puts his phone down on the table and gave it a remorseful look.

"I'm glad I did, though. If I haven't, how many golds would I have wasted buying every last bit I have lost for this year, can you imagine that?" I leaned back before focusing at him, " Back to the matter at hand, do you reckon that he is really after me even a thousand years had passed? I couldn't find Gaea no matter how much I scoured the deepest of the earth. I want to ask her about the scroll and Hades and her demands to marry me off. I've been to Peru and the lot of those stupid gnomes are telling me they haven't gone that deep on earth-doesn't even know what I am talking about and telling me stuff like I've gone psycho. You must see them sometime, your sarcasm will seem like a joke compared to them." I said, watching Emyr as he shakes his head.

"You know it's weird to think that though, cause Gaea's everywhere. Those gnomes you ask must have been the ones who've gone psycho." He frowns, "So, she still wants you to marry?"

"Yes. She confronted me earlier before and I almost had a heart attack after seeing him in the dark. She is creepy." The earth grumbles and I muttered a 'sorry'. Emyr smirked. "Your suggestion does not work though, the rented girl did not appear. I wasted my time waiting."

Emyr shrugged. He scratches the back of his neck before standing up. Emyr walks towards the table situated at the back of the room, taking a couple of scroll and books on top of it. I couldn't help but be curious as he set them down in front of me. "Though, there is much more pressing matter than you finding a wife right now, Caelon. I found this while I was passing by Italy the other day."

I took the scroll from him and read the message, frowning, " 'The council have decided to have Hades hunt down the first of the cupid who have failed his mission and fell for a human. Aphrodite was furious that she rejected the wayward cupid,  offering him the life imprisonment on earth,' I can't believe that you find this reliable. It got all the information wrong! "

"But as I said, you are here because of a punishment. Also, Hades is following you because of what Aphrodite said. What part of it was wrong? Do tell."

"It wasn't Aphrodite who gave me the chance to live again, you know. It wasn't her. It's Gaea." I rolled my eyes at him, pulling the scroll from him. "Though, it is true that Hades is after me, yes."

"Do you think, Hades has something to do with that cupid downstairs?"

"She-".

"The curious cuckoo cupid downstairs-it's most uncommon for creatures to draw so near and bother you, don't you think..." Emyr's voice trailed off as he tap his hand on his chin, looking like he was deep in thought.

"What do you mean? What has this got to do with that stupid cupid? She is just here because she followed me." Emyr squinted his eyes in suspicion but I ignored him.

"Everything has got to do with her, Caelon. Look, Gaea warned you about it, don't you remember? Caelum, this is exactly what she means!" I look at him, not getting it, "When you perceive love, Hades will see you again! You are falling for her, don't you? You didn't even realize it have you?"

"Falling for her? What kind of rubbish are you spouting, you sod? I just showed her some kindness. You know," I put the scroll down and focus my gaze on him, "burying your nose in this dusty old things would really catch up on you and make you a loony one day. Only then, will I come to your aid and whip you up with a memory glaze for we both know that I excel on that." I winked at him, making his frown deepen.

"Caelon, don't joke about this. Can't you see that I am trying to help?" I stand up, trying to tune out of his discussion. He is just being paranoid. "I saw you look at her, Caelum. Something happened between you and her and I do not want you to suffer because of that."

"I am making her my wife."

"What?"

"She knows who I am and I have kissed her. That might have awakened a bond between us or something but I am drawn to her like a moron. I need to keep her close if I want to monitor her activities plus

Gaea is urging me to find a wife and she is perfect for the job.."

"But making her your wife is extreme. I object to this plan." Emyr takes my arm and yanked me back, making me look at him. "I am preventing this because I want you to live forever with me! I couldn't afford to lose my one and only friend. You are like my brother and I think, this is for the best." He tugged me back on the seat and stuck his hand inside his cloak, pulling a phone and putting it on my hand.

"What am I to do with this? I've got a phone, you know, lots if you don't remember."

"Of course, but this one is not for you. You give it to that lass once you return to Paris, give her some money and part ways," His intense stare is making me a bit drowsy and unorganized. I shake my head, glaring at him for I know what he is trying to do with my brain. "It's not good to continue with this Caelon. You can't make her your wife. I know that Gaea required you to find one but she is out of the options. Let her be."

"You're crazy," I put the phone inside my cloak and stand up. "This is the best plan I've got to survive whatever Hades is planning. I can make her a bait and he will take her instead of me. I refuse to let her go."

"Caelon, listen. If you only consider-"

I stop walking, turning around to meet his curious gaze. "The last time you tried to warn me didn't turn up well, remember?"

"I-well, " he wrung his hands together and bowed his head. He let out a light chuckle making me huff.

"It is your fault why I ruined a family. You shouldn't have told that human at the playground. You should've let her believe that there are no gods. I have to wipe off her memory and you know how I do not want to do that if unnecessary. I am quite sure it addled her mind." My voice drop colder and he sigh.

"I know but it is different this time-this is serious, okay? I am not kidding!" Emyr huffs before trusting the book on my hand, "Think about it Caelon. You have to get rid of the girl. She-"

"Caelon!"

계속