Chapter 2- Tempest
"Hey, mortal, wake up. We're here."
Amy stirred stiffly, rolling onto her side. Hermes pulled away as she
stretched, arching her back, rubbing it from sleeping on the deck all night.
*Wait. I fell asleep at the rail. How did I get....*
"Are you coming or do I have to talk to the Hags alone?" Hermes threw the
anchor over the side, and she heard it splash and hit with a dull thud
against the wharves. He leaned against the rail, waiting for her. Amy pushed
the folds of blanket back, folding it and laying it atop Hermes's already
neatly piled one. She pulled her sandals on quickly, tying them. *And I fell
asleep wearing my sandals, too. Did Hermes...?* "Come on, Princess."
"My name is Amy."
"Whatever. Come on."
*And to think a moment ago I was suspecting he was being nice.*
He kicked the plank over the side, and it shunted into the sand, sinking a
moment, then settling. Amy slid down to the water, splashing her way up the
final few feet to the rocky shore.*Athena must have sent us a good wind to
get us so far so fast....* Amy set out after Hermes, who was quickly
striding up the beach. He clambered over the rocks, outdistancing her.
The beach was covered in fist sized rocks, grey and lumpy. It was a strange
place, the beach sloping narrowly upwards to the maw of a cave. Boulders of
various sizes dotted the shoreline, projecting their broken crests at odd
angles. The light here was not the morning light she would have expected on
waking. It was purple and red, stained with shades of orange rust. A land of
twilight, perpetually locked in a bloodred sun. Shadows pulled across the
rocks, shading the beach. From ahead, the sounds of screeching revibrated
out of the inky blackness inside the cave. The sound of rocks clattering
against one another echoed down to Amy's ears, accompanied by continued
screaming. She flinched, covering her ears at the high pitched sound. *Nails
on a chalkboard, that. Louder than Bunny on her worst days....*
She stumbled over the rocks, drawing closer to the cave. In the corner of
her eye, on the ground, she saw a slight shimmering. She cast a glance to
Hermes' tanned back, which was already nearing the cave entrance. Hesitating
a moment, she went to the gleam, and found a high placed conch shell, half
broken and twisted between two rocks. The glimmer she had seen was that of
golden webbing, spun from the spinnerets of a lady spider, who was sitting
comfortably in her cats cradle. The web had been spun around and between a
strange looking round object. Amy leaned closer, and in her mind she began
to hear the words,
*...Her body
Became a tiny ball.
And now she is all belly
With a dot of a head. She retains
Only her slender skillful fingers
For legs. And so for ever
She hangs from the thread that she spins
Out of her belly.
Or ceaselessly she weaves it
Into patterned webs
On a loom of leaves and grasses-
Her touches
Deft and swift and light as when they were human.*
"Arachne," Amy breathed as she watched the tiny spider wave her slim
fingers at her. The multiple eyes watched her a moment, then the spider
picked her way around on her many legs, vanishing into a crevice between the
rocks. The object she had sewn into her loom remained, and Amy scooped it
up, turning it over in her hands, feeling the smoothly cut facets of what
she realized she would need here. She clutched the gold encased object,
holding it fast, scrambling up after Hermes, who had now entered the mouth
of the cave.
"Aiee! You lost it! How could you, sister!"
"I never lost it! It was her! She did!"
"Liar! You did!"
Hermes bellowed into the screaming match, "Enyo! Pemphredo! Deino!"
The racket of the screaming sisters ceased instantly, and the three Hags
turned towards the sound.
One of the sisters turned and said in her scratchy pitched voice, "Who
knows our names? No mortal man may hear such words."
Amy reached the cave then, to hear the Graeae speak. She stared, blatantly,
at the faces before her. Their bodies were the shapes of ragged birds, grey
feathered and molting, leaving bits of bird fluff floating in the air. Their
necks were distended in length, long and loping, but held tucked close to
their bodies. Human heads sat atop them, and they did have human arms and
hands. Their rickety wings scraped against each other as they jostled away
from their positions around the cave, the sound of shearing metal. Amy stood
behind Hermes, keeping the web covered item close, watching the blind women,
each sitting at a pile of stones. Their eyes, unlike Themis', were not
white, but gone, leaving gaping blood encrusted holes in their sockets.
"Hermes. God of Messengers."
The three sisters sneered, lips curling thickly up, dribbles of saliva
drooling down onto their black, rough hewn clothing. They responded in turn,
finishing one another's sentences. "Hermes God of Messengers."
"Comes seeking our knowledge."
"What delicious irony that it was he who took our Eye!"
"Now, we See no longer!"
Hermes sighed, folding his arms. "I didn't take it. Perseus did. And I come
seeking your aid, wise ones."
"Under your influence, and your sister Athena's!"
"Your fault! All your fault!"
"Took our Eye, our lovely Eye!"
Amy took a tentative step forward. "You cannot give us any information
without the Eye?"
The Graeae stopped at the sound of her gentle voice, turning their blank
eyes towards the sound. "Another joins us."
"So we hear," the other two chorused.
"No, we See nothing without our Eye, lost by the interference of that one!"
she pointed somewhat inaccurately at Hermes, who rolled his eyes in
response.
Amy looked at the round object in her hands. "And if I return the Eye to
you, would you tell me-?"
She was interrupted instantly by shrieks by the three Graeae, who leapt
closer together, abandoning the piles of rocks altogether. "You have it!
Give it back! We want it! Anything! Anything! Give us the Eye!"
"Don't!" Hermes grabbed Amy's wrist. "Give it to them, and they won't tell
us anything!"
"But if they can't See anything without it-" she began to protest.
"They're lying!"
"We are not, son of Zeus!" the three shrieked. "Give it to us!" They began
to inch closer, arms and sightless heads pleading as their brown nailed
fingers implored. Amy looked at the golden swathed object in her hands.
*Athena knew. Somehow, she knew. Arachne. Whether that was the actual
Arachne or not, it doesn't matter. That spider kept it safe. Like in a fairy
tale. But this is not a fairy tale. I must get back home!*
"Swear it by the Styx," Amy stated, looking Hermes in the eyes as she said
it. Surprise filled his eyes, and he grinned suddenly, a happy, lopsided
smile that lit his face. He released her wrist, and she looked at the three
bent women. "Swear it to the Styx and to Zeus Oathkeeper that you will tell
me what I wish to know if I return it to you."
The three grumbled a moment, shifting, stopping in their creeping advance.
Finally, they gloomily promised, "We swear."
Amy took a deep breath, stepping forward nervously. "Careful," she heard
Hermes breathe behind her. The three Grey Women sidled closer together, and
she placed the cobweb covered globe in the center one's outstretched hand.
The instant it was in her palsied fingers, the three screeched in triumph,
hurriedly brushing the golden webbing away. The center of activity froze a
moment.
"Cobwebs," the three rasped in unison, touching the orb they held. They
hesitated a moment, then returned to clearing away the golden webbing. The
center one held it aloft, then cackled loudly. "Returned! And so, young
travelers, we See again!" They hovered back a moment, drawing further into
the cave. Around them, the walls seemed to hum, vibrating as the orb they
held glowed. "The Eye!" Brightness radiated out from it, and the three
turned their sightless sockets to the orb. "State your question and be
answered!"
Amy drew a breath, asking, "Where does Poseidon hide, with the timekey and
the Mercury Crystal that is not his?"
The Eye began to pulsate in the fingers of the center Graeae, fragments of
light cutting out from the facets of the revealed crystal within. Each
sister lifted her hands to the pulsating crystal, and it turned in their
hands, glowing softly. The empty holes in their faces began to flame
bloodily as each intoned, "Past familiar shores you must seek the lair of
the Earth Shaker."
"Within the realm of water you will find him!"
"Sail through the bones of Gaea, blasted by the wrath of the gods of
creation."
"Perils of the sea you will face."
"The one who will be the clever tactician will point the way."
"Find him, and find the path to Poseidon."
It was with these words the three Graeae told them of their course, falling
into a lapse of palpable silence. Hermes was the first to test it, venturing
to say, "Good ladies, we thank you for your wisdom."
The three Hags rustled their feathers, saying not a word to the pair that
stood before them, letting their empty eyes fill the gap of silence. The
first Graeae shattered the glassy silence by scratching faintly, "Go, now.
Leave three old women to their Eye and Sight." Three backs were then turned
to them, huddling and dragging off deeper into the black cave.
"Come on," Hermes said to Amy, tapping her on the shoulder lightly. They
backed away from the cave, stumbling down the rocky embankment to their
moored ship. The twilight filled place had drawn into deeper shades of
purple, yet the sun still hung redly on the horizon. Hermes pulled the plank
up behind them, and Amy pulled the rope binding up the mast taut. It
billowed outward, and they crested over the rocky shoals, passing sandbar
and wharves, again taking out to sea. "Great. Now we get to go searching for
some guy who we don't know," Hermes muttered as he took the tiller.
*The one who will be the clever tactician? That could be any number of
men...or boys for that matter. They said would be, not is. And they said
'he' not 'she' so we are looking for a male. But still....*
"Where should we head then?" Amy asked Hermes, who was pulling the boat
around.
He shrugged dismissively. "Your journey. You pick."
*This is going to be a long trip if he keeps up like this.* "Well...for
now, lets head back to Zacynthius."
"Fine. Nothing better to do," after a moment, Hermes added, "How'd you find
the Eye?"
She glanced at him over her shoulder, shrugging delicately, straightening
the boom out as they caught a easterly wind. "It was on the beach. A spider
kept it with her."
Hermes gave her an appraising look, measuring her again. He seemed to come
to a decision about something, nodded once, then gave her the lopsided grin
again, this time even brighter than in the cave. He tilted his head to the
side, leaning back. Then his face grew serious. "It won't take long for
Poseidon to find us now that we're back on his territory. Can you swim?"
"Of course," she responded somewhat stiffly. *Never in a storm or what
Poseidon may throw at us, but in the ocean nonetheless....*
"Good. Poseidon can throw one Tartarus of a party when he puts his mind to
it. Hope you don't get seasick."
In response to that, Amy turned away from him, coming to the prow, leaning
forward, enjoying the salty spray as the ship crashed into the oncoming
waves.
Lita leaned forward, placing her chin in the cup of her hands, elbows on
her knees, waiting patiently. She checked her watch. Bunny was in detention
again, as usual. She had been waiting calmly for the last half hour since
school let out, her empty lunchpail beside her, the extra sandwiches eaten
at lunch by the delinquent she was waiting for. With a sigh, she leaned back
into the park bench, opening her bag and rustling through her papers. She
might as well get to work on her history assignment. As she finally located
the paper, buried under a brilliant idea for white chocolate cake she had
thought of at lunch, the doors to the school burst open, and the twin
odangoed blonde form of Bunny tore out, shouting, "Lita-chan! I'm sorry I'm
late!" Lita laughed and said,
"You're always late. I expected it. It's okay," she stuffed the history
back into her backpack, this time on top of the new recipe. "Mina ran off
early. Something about a sale," Lita shrugged and swung her backpack over
her shoulder. "But, Bunny, have you seen Amy-chan? She didn't meet me after
school today to wait for you."
Still catching her breath, Bunny shook her head. "I was going to ask you
the same thing. She wasn't in class. I don't think she's missed a day of
school in her life. And we had a test in math today."
"Amy missed a test? Is she sick?"
Bunny shrugged. "I thought we could stop by her apartment to make sure. Amy
missing school...It must be serious."
Lita stood from the bench, gathering her things. "If she is, I'll make her
some lemon rice soup. The kind with chicken in it. That's better than plain
old chicken noodle."
"Oooo...will you make me some?" Bunny begged, smiling and waiting as Lita
picked up her empty lunchpail.
"Sure. Hey...Bunny. Look." Lita pointed to a small pink haired figure that
was running rapidly towards them, a round, cat headed toy tucked under her
arm.
Rini skidded to a halt before them. "Hi! I came to see you!" she announced.
Bunny and Lita stared. Bunny recovered first, shouting, "You came all the
way from your elementary school to see us! All across town by yourself?" she
yelled down at the younger, equally pigtailed girl. Rini folded her arms and
smiled sweetly up at the irate teenage version of her mother. "You could
have been killed!" Bunny continued to rant. "What possessed you to get off
the bus and come here?"
"This!" Rini grinned, pulling a large piece of pink construction paper out
of her bunny-shaped bookbag. She unfolded it and held it up for Bunny and
Lita to see.
In the center of the picture stood a man in a violet tuxedo and a woman in
a flowing white dress, a young pink haired girl between them, also in a
lovely dress. In one hand of Neo-Queen Serenity, she held the Scepter, and
with her other, she held the young Small Lady's. King Endymion was beaming
at his wife and daughter. In the background, four women smiled. Mina was
throwing her usual victory/peace sign beside Raye, who was looking generally
annoyed because Mina was pushing her back somewhat. Lita was winking and
grinning beside Amy, who was sitting and appeared to be glancing up from a
book. "My teacher wanted us to draw pictures of our family and show it to
our parents. So I brought it to you!" she beamed up at the two older girls.
Bunny's anger melted away as her eyes widened, and she grabbed Rini, hugging
her.
"That is so sweet! But...didn't your teacher want to know why we're all in
dresses and Darien is wearing a purple tux?"
Lita added dryly, "And why we all only look about twenty...?"
Rini shifted uncomfortably and scratched her head. She shrugged. "I said I
wanted us to look cool." Switching the subject quickly, Rini looked around.
"Hey, where's Amy-chan?"
"We think she's sick," Bunny told her absently. "We were going to her
apartment. You'd better get home before mom wonders where you are."
"I was going to go find Darien next..." Rini began as she was cut off by
the whistle of Bunny and Lita's communicators.
"Hello?" Bunny demanded into the comm.
"Bun..." the voice of Mars crackled through the static. "...University
Hospital...NOW!" In the background, they heard the sound of Venus screaming
"...Beauty Shock!" The line was abruptly cut off.
Bunny, Rini and Lita gave each other worried glances, then broke into a
run. At the first clear alleyway, Bunny and Rini grabbed their brooches,
lifting their hands into the air to complete the double henshin. "Moon
Crisis! Make-up!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power! Make-up!"
Sailor Mars cast a furtive glance behind her, and did not find the face she
was afraid of seeing. Grandpa had come to the hospital that day for a
check-up. He seemed in relative good-health, but at his age, anything could
go wrong. She had arrived as he was waiting in the lobby, coming straight
from school. A few minutes later, she had gotten that uncomfortable feeling
that precluded an attack. She excused herself, claiming she needed to use
the bathroom, and began to investigate. A few steps out of the lobby, she
heard the first shrieks, and hospital security was shutting the emergency
doors. Several large...things...that Raye couldn't quite identify had begun
to dive-bomb the front gate. Dodging into a handy bathroom, she had
transformed, and contacted the first person she could. Mina, in this case,
who had hurried off from school that day, leaving Lita to wait for Bunny.
Now she stood outside, having leapt through a pane of shattered glass
sliding door. One of the creatures had gotten close, its hooked beak ramming
into the bullet-proof glass, turning it into a waterfall of shards in an
instant. Mars tore outside, screaming, "Aku Ryo Tai San!" and the burning
wards fled from her fingers, sealing the gate magically as well as
physically. Venus arrived as this happened, twirling her Venus Love-me Chain
to begin her battle. There appeared to be dozens of the creatures cawing
overhead, yelping cries filling the air.
And they smelled.
Bad.
Really, really bad.
Like a toxic waste dump had just deposited itself in front of University
Hospital.
Snakelike bodies coiled in the air, shades of mossy green. Red tinged
vulture wings flapped wildly, talons poised to strike.
"Burning Mandala!" The rings tore outward, but the strange snake-birds
scattered. Two of the rings flew true to mark, but barely singed the wings
of the attackers, hissing and steaming as they impacted.
"Mars!" Venus called. "What are those things? Venus Love Chain Encircle!"
"I don't know, V-babe! Hold them off! I'm going to contact Sailor Moon!"
"Venus Love and-"
"Bunny! We need you at University Hospital! NOW!"
"-Beauty Shock!"
The whip cut across the air, slicing through a thick tangle of the beasts,
but several of them apparently were able to regroup, tucking their wings
close, and the wind screamed around them as they banked closer. "Mars Flame
Sniper!" The fiery arrow cut through the center of the creatures, forcing
them to veer to the sides. The gate still stood, and Mars cast a hurried
glance behind her. No Grandpa. But she did recognize another form at the
glass entrance, a woman doctor. Dr. Mizuno, Amy's mother, with a horrified
and panicked look on her face, who was struggling with two security guards.
They were trying to hold her back. "Get back!" she waved sharply at the
guards and Dr. Mizuno. Shock registered on her face and she complied, slowly
allowing the guards to pull her away from the action.
It was then that the sound of sirens ripped into the air, their loud wails
making the attacking youmas spin cartwheels midair. Fire engines and police
spun into a circle, blockading the street off from any traffic. Red, blue
and yellow lights spun in dizzying circles around them. The squawking grew
more frenzied, and another knot sped towards the awaiting Mars and Venus.
"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" Two familiar voices called out at once. The
twin blasts of light slammed into the creatures. Several were hit, but most
broke off, gathering wind under their wings and soaring back up into the
frothing numbers above.
"About time!" Mars shouted at the late arrivals. "We've been able to hold
them off, but..."
"Flower Hurricane!"
The swelling mass above was forced upwards, tumbling over each other to
evade the oncoming winds. They cried all the louder for their setback.
"What are they?" Sailor Moon shouted at the other scouts, not really caring
who in particular answered her.
"I don't know!" Mars screamed again. "How are we supposed to fight these
things? Where is Mercury? We need her here, now!"
"Out sick!" Sailor Moon responded, wrapping her fingers tighter around the
Moon Kaleidoscope. "We think."
"You think?!?"
For a response, Sailor Moon shouted her attack again, aimed at a single
winged snake that was plummeting at Chibi Moon. Jupiter appeared out from
behind a van, conveniently parked at a fire hydrant, and grabbed her as the
Meditation blast flung the creature across into an opposing building. It hit
hard, and slumped down the brick wall, curling up onto the pavement. In
retaliation for this, the creatures broke apart above them, abandoning their
usual dive-bombing of the front gate to focus on each individual senshi.
"Ohhhh, no you don't!" Chibi Moon shouted. "Get away from my mama! Moon
Gorgeous Meditation!" Her attack pulsated out, striking into the tangle that
was streaking towards Sailor Moon. "All right!" She cheered when they broke
apart to reassemble.
But the attack was far from over. Again the creatures circled overhead, and
again they attacked at once, this time not avoiding the diminutive pink
pigtailed girl. Venus this time blocked Chibi Moon as Jupiter ran to take a
position closer to Sailor Mars as several of the creatures were sloping in,
aiming past Sailor Moon. "Mars! No!" Sailor Moon cried as Mars drew breath
to call out her attack, but two of the winged serpents banked suddenly,
flipping midair, their coiled tails stretching out behind them as they
arrowed forward. It was a feint. They switched directions, their shrieks
tearing from their throats as their sharp beaks slashed open, their talons
splayed, each aiming straight for Sailor Moon.
A black blur flew forward then, rolling as it hit the open-mouthed Sailor
Moon. They hit the pavement hard, the two breakers backwinging too late to
slam into the cement. "Perfect timing, as usual, love." Sailor Moon gave
Tuxedo Mask a peck on the nose as he lay sprawled on top of her.
"This isn't exactly the time to get romantic. Come on," he hauled her to
her feet, his top hat knocked askew on his head. He flung it off, since it
was getting in his way. She snatched up the Kaleidoscope from where she had
dropped it when Tuxedo Mask had rolled her out of danger's path. Again.
"We can't figure out how to stop them," she informed Tuxedo Mask as they
watched the creatures soar back up into their flock. She grimaced. "And they
smell real bad, too," she added as an afterthought, even though this was
already pretty apparent. Several of the police and firemen, who usually had
strong stomachs, were leaning against nearby buildings, attempting to
restrain their roiling stomachs.
"Do we know how to fight them?" he asked, holding the edge of his cape over
his nose.
"Mercury's gone."
He frowned at that bit of news, and then he looked at the waiting
firetrucks. Then at Jupiter, who was now standing beside Mars. "I've got an
idea. Hold them off. And keep them together! Jupiter! Help me!"
He took off running, cloak winging out behind him. Jupiter abandoned her
position, giving Mars an encouraging look. She took off after Tuxedo Mask.
"All right!" Sailor Moon shouted, brandishing her weapon. "You heard him!
Keep them together! Mars! Chibi Moon! Venus!" she ran beside Mars, taking
place before the glass doors. "Champion of Justice and Love, Defender
against Evil..."
"Ah, Sailor Moon?" Mars interrupted. "I don't think they understand
speech."
"But..." she spluttered. "It sounds good for everyone else!"
"Guys!" Venus broke in. "Can we worry about this later?"
The youmas had completed their regroup, and were now angling towards the
awaiting senshi. "Fan out!" Sailor Moon commanded, and the three other
scouts obeyed, Chibi Moon to the left, Venus to the right, and Sailor Moon
following Chibi a few steps behind. "Keep them together!"
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
And two voices called out, "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!"
The flying snakes broke apart, cawing loudly, then swarming together again.
From the side street, a sirenless fire engine roared forward, skidding and
turning to the side. Three firemen, accompanied by Tuxedo Mask and Sailor
Jupiter, leapt off, the firemen going straight for the largest hose. They
hauled it off as the creatures began to tighten up for another dive. Tuxedo
Mask flipped open the nozzle of the hose, and a massive blast of water
thundered out of the coils. The three firemen behind him wrestled with both
leaping hose and leaping stomachs. The stench was becoming incredible.
"Now!" Tuxedo Mask called, and the nozzle was abruptly shut off as Jupiter
let the last words of her attack come out.
"Jupiter Thunder Shower Down!"
The multiple streaks of lightning arched between her hands, impacting on
the water that was even then hitting the flying creatures. Soaked wings
became heavy with water, and they struggled to stay afloat on the air. The
lightning hit them, and water, ever a good conductor, spread through their
ranks, electrocuting them as they hovered. The stink of charred feathers
added to the already present smell, but the flying youmas, now cooked,
crashed into the ground.
Venus wrinkled her nose. "Kentucky Fried Winged Snakes. Not going to be a
hit. Those sandwiches are good though. Eww...."
Strangely, though, the smell began to dissipate with the death of the
birds. Tuxedo Mask moved closer to Sailor Moon and Chibi Moon, placing a
protective arm on both of them. "Well..." Sailor Moon announced nervously,
looking around. The security guards had opened the gates, and had cautiously
moved outside. Dr. Mizuno was being held back again by one of the more burly
guards. She was looking around at the various senshi very strangely. "Looks
like we had an audience this time," Sailor Moon finished weakly. Venus waved
and smiled at a news van that was pulling up.
"Do you think we'll make the five o'clock?" she asked, hurriedly
straightening out her red bow.
"We'd better go," Jupiter urged, stepping closer. The street had been
silent until then, and as the group drew closer together. As the group
looked for a quick exit, a generally held breath suddenly expelled, and the
onlookers broke out into wild cheers.
For two days Amy and Hermes sailed eastward. The swift wind sent by Athena
was gone, and they traveled far more slowly, relying on winds of a less
divine nature to send them forward. It was in the evening of the third day
at sea that Poseidon found their tiny boat, cresting steadily through his
seas. The Earth Shaker, true to his name, struck his trident into the water,
turning it in circles, stirring his depths into a cyclone of seaspray. The
tiny boat was tossed high in the waves, a tiny toy fighting the master of
the Mediterranean and Exuine seas. Mountains of water in tempestuous rage
swelled high above them, pummeling down onto the deck, flinging their craft
round in a furious spin. And above them, in the sky, lightning flew by, and
drumming of thunder rolled. Through the onslaught of squalling rain, the
galewinds struck with great force, shredding the sail to ribbons.
Hermes leaned against the steering oar, desperately trying to bring some
direction to the rudder. Amy flung her weight against his, lending her
strength to bring their ship through. Resistance from the rudder broke as
the wooden oar cracked, shearing off from its bindings. They were flung
against the rail, thudding into each other. Hermes grabbed her wrist,
pulling Amy into the cranny that held their supplies. She heard him shout
something to her, but in the tumult of the sea, the words were lost. He
pulled out a braided hempen chord from one of the bins, tying it to his
waist. Another wave crashed over them, and Amy's fingers scrambled to find a
hold on the storage containers. They failed. She and Hermes alike were swept
down the deck, water slicking their way. She slammed into the mast, wildly
reaching for Hermes as she clutched the pole. Fortune gave a sardonic smile
for a moment, letting her wheel turn, and Amy found a fistful of silky cloth
in her hand. Hermes scrambled upward, wrapping his arm around the mast,
tying the chord around it, then pulling Amy close, wrapping the chord under
her arms as they tightly held the crackling shaft.
Again the waves assaulted them, hurling them from their feet. The chord
pulled taut, preventing them from being flung overboard. Amy gasped for air
as the braiding cut into the soft flesh under her arms, but even then was
glad of its insurance. She was still onboard. Yet another wave curled over
them, beating into the wood. Their supplies exploded, food, water and dry
wood escaping into the waves. They were tossed higher in the water, bobbing
and weaving wildly until Poseidon at last thundered a tsunami over their
soaked heads, and the mast was snapped mid-shaft, cutting their lifeline to
the relative safety of the ship. The flood engulfed them, sea swallowing
them whole as they impacted the frigid turbulent water.
Each strained against the torrential breakers, kicking their way back to
the surface. Amy shoved her head up through the waves, Hermes a moment
later, only to be knocked below again. She felt him jerking against the
chord that bound them, fighting his uncle's fury. She managed to surface,
this time to see the fingers of broken deckboards fold together in outraged
prayer, sinking into the watery graveyard that would now be its home. A
sharp jerk downward brought her attention back to survival, back from the
loss of their ship. Hermes was under again, herself, tied to him, a moment
later. She pulled against the rope, kicking, hoping that the fuzzy light
above was not a trick of her eyes, but the reality of the sky. Together they
reached the air, and fought each pell-mell wave as they were tossed down the
currents. Each wind tossed them between the other, a cruel sport to play,
even for the gods, harrying them ever forward.
The winter here's cold, and bitter
it's chilled us to the bone
we haven't seen the sun for weeks
to long to far from home
I feel just like I'm sinking
and I claw for solid ground
I'm pulled down by the undertow
I never thought I could feel so low
oh darkness I feel like letting go
If all of the strength and all of the courage
come and lift me from this place
I know I could love you much better than this
full of grace
full of grace
my love
-Sarah McLachlan, 'Full of Grace' from 'Surfacing'
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