บท 68: A Qualm Thought

Dark skies turned blue, permitting a passage for a new day.

It has been so many suns and harvest is almost over. Bounties and other necessities were now at their conclusion before their exodus began.

Though her heart might be hollow darkness with only little glints beating for her gain, Eris smiled—somewhat at ease to finally be out from the repetitive scenery of the megaron.

"The moon is finished with her phases. Another season is on its way. I am glad to be soon out of this cage and monotony." Eris stated, not even looking at Enyo who just entered her suite.

"A jolly event," Enyo remarked with a clear dread. "Such bright occasion behind the shenanigans of the god of war."

Eris finally turned around and looked at her. She said no salutations but only with a brow raised in wonderment. "And you invite yourself here because?"

"Are you my ally?" The goddess of bloodshed calmly questioned.

"In what certainty? We may be in arms with the plans on tumbling Olympus down but I do not know in what aspect you mean of me being your ally?"

Enyo ceased for a moment, unknowingly fidgeting her fingers as nails scratched the little skins that slowly drew a little blood. She deeply breathed and followed with a plain sentence, saying, "Did you know that Ares permitted Athena to go beyond the walls of the megaron? Have you also heard of such a friendly exchange between those two?"

"How sad—" Eris mocked, giggling before the petrified Enyo. "I never knew you wanted so much to be the silver-eyed woman's dog. What is next, perhaps you also want to report on how she is willing now to strip for Ares?"

"That is the point, Eris!" Enyo exclaimed. "I do not know where your feet dragged you these past days but murmurs spread of Ares and Athena's civility towards each other. Does this not bring any alarm to you?"

Eris looked at her, eyeing from head to foot with puzzlement and surprisingly, a placidness in her disposition. "A bold move you did to speak of me of the rumours and question me prior if am I your ally." Sitting in a chair, she leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and drained out the nuisance in the ambience. "Your envy is eating you and it reeks out."

"Athena is slowly gaining more and more." Enyo reminded sternly as she walked towards a seat opposite Eris's

"Ha! There is nothing new with that, Enyo." The goddess of discord then opened her eyes and regained her snarky stance. "Athena has always been a threat. The moment she stepped onto the farm, there was an instant enchantment—everyone was in awe of her presence even though they all knew of her tragedy. If she is raised back on a pedestal it is because she is still favored. Have you not noticed that no matter how hard we try to bury her ten feet under, she still managed to climb out from the dirt?"

Enyo snickered and then laughed at her. "Why are you easily accepting defeat, dear goddess?"

"Oh, it is not because I accept defeat. I said those things because it is the truth."

"Well, perhaps you did not consider that Ares is behind her rise?"

Left only with silence as Eris closed her eyes again, Enyo fell back in time and reminisced the moment she snuck behind the deep shadows of the tall trees on that one sweltering warm afternoon.

However, instead of witnessing a grand unison of irritated remarks, there was laughter and singing among the workers. Some men took out their instruments and most women sang songs that told tales of long-gone people who broke their backs in flourishing a civilisation. There were also children playing along the grounds. The scene was a surprise since such glee was rare under Ares's command.

And of all the crowds of working folks, Athena shined the brightest as she smiled and sang along with them. She was ever blooming though she was in rags. She was still lovely though golds and precious stones no longer hung on her skin.

Disdain and secret curses were thrown at the silver-eyed lady as Enyo stayed hidden. With the darkness of the shades looming, her eyes glowed—glaring with much jealousy and desire to eradicate her immediately.

Truly, a certain glow surrounded her. Enyo could not directly fathom why she perceived her that way. Athena's smile was pearly and her cheeks were rosy, quite the opposite of what she wanted to see after all that madness they subjected her to. The worst realisation was that Ares was there, maybe not in the flesh but transformed into an unassuming bird, perched on a trunk looking down more specifically at Athena. She even saw that Athena acknowledged his presence as she stared at him for a while and chuckled afterwards. Enraged, she was ready—ready to take her to her grave as early as she expected.

But then her thoughts reverted to a quiet reality, where Eris returned to observe the people by her wide window while she remained on the seat with an apple on the table before her.

"I do not like the taste of sweet," Eris mumbled, eating her apple while looking down on the working servants. "Too much red is also a thorn in my sight." She added.

As she listened, flashes of Athena's smiling face appeared in Enyo's head, emphasising her pearly teeth and rosy cheeks that added more wounds to her injured psyche. "So am I." She abstractly noted and decided to abandon the red apple.

There were no farewells as she left Eris's suite. Closing the door behind her never gave her relief—there was no stronghold whether the goddess of discord considered her as an ally or woefully had become her competition.

Her mind had turned into an asylum of lunacy. Anxiety is boiling her blood and anger is eating her head and most of her insides. Enyo was a walking terror, a soul spiralling into obscure insanity as her eyes grew wider and her pleasant countenance faded.

Walking down the hallway, the trails she left were ominous as if light decided to retrace its path and never dared to beam once she passed by. Though she tried to be calm and diverted her head to something worthy, the silver-eyed enchantress naively swathed her into her web—trapping her without even lifting a finger.

"You are more a monster than a charm, Athena." Enyo roughly declared. "I will drag you deep into the pits."

Continuing to walk down the hallway, the goddess suddenly thought to pay Medusa's disciples a short visit, hoping to get some clarity, especially from Tanis.

"Tanis be better be in good spirit."

***

Smoke swirled around, taking every inch of the room with flower petals scattered on the floor. The scent of saffron lingered as it tempted you to be in a passionate bliss of perpetual disassociation from the world.

In the centre—where a makeshift altar was placed—the bust of Medusa stood proud, decorated with flowers and fruits on her neck and a barrel of wine right below her. Devotees gathered around as they hummed a tune while their naked bodies were lathered in oil.

The aura was not bright yet not menacing. Everyone was euphoric and the songs resonated throughout the corners as if waltzing with the incense that floated above their heads.

And there was Tanis, the priestess who once had her mind traversing in the depths of madness with visions that drew out the last spark of rationality, was now somewhat in peace as she lowly prayed before the image of her patron. As soon as the harp strummed the right note, the serpent priestess sang a melody, pleading for the gorgon's aid as she deified her with her voice raised and hands lifted towards the skies.

"Hear this plea of your humble servant,

Let the morrow be not a glory from blood,

But a glory of wins.

Cast down upon us the moment

To bring righteousness back to your name."

Tanis sang as her sight fixated on the statue before her, hoping to have some glimpse of their master's spirit.

The disciples echoed her tune, closing their eyes as they repeatedly bent down and back up again—swaying like the curves of ocean waves. The flames on every lamp danced along with them, giving the faintest illumination, glowing only in some areas of the room—especially the central part of their focus.

"Come—come to me. Let your spirit take me to the answer." Tanis coarsely mumbled while smelling the fumes from a small jar of a certain concocted elixir. Tanis whispered more prayers, fervently closed her eyes, and let the aura enwrapped everyone in one skin until their heads whirled into a deadly silence left only with relief.

With a few more strums on the harp and a few more lyrics from the old hymns, the noon settled on overcast weather as the sun bid an excuse, permitting the soft silver light upon the mortal plains.

But before their ceremony reached its pinnacle, the door opened—revealing the presence of Enyo as she contrasted the light behind her. She was a looming shadow, a formidable apparition that stared at them with unreadable expression.

A choral gasp escaped from the devotees, surprised by her entrance. And without a word, the goddess moved forward, passing everyone as they bowed before her.

Turning her head around, Tanis was equally stunned by her but was quite more mindful of her reaction. As Enyo approached her, she rose from her kneel, offered her a smile, and warmly said, "Ah, your grace, how can I be of service to you?"

"Well—a distress. I require some advice." Looking around the room, eyes stared at them in awe, prying on those words that would come out of her mouth. By those inquisitive demeanours from the rest of the cult, Enyo then whispered, "But I would rather have our conversation hidden behind private walls."

Understanding her demand, Tanis led the goddess to her private quarters where no one could interfere.

Inside the room, the fire cackled amidst the tranquillity as there was barely a light except for the hearth that burned unceasingly. They remained silent—not opening their lips as the goddess and the priestess wanted nothing more but to absorb the solitude blessed upon them.

Enyo closed her eyes as she listened to the fire and felt its warmth. On the other hand, as she settled on the opposite seat, Tanis studied the goddess and sensed the burden she was carrying. She also closed her eyes and immediately drifted to a vision that seemed to be a dimension representing Enyo's state of mind.

The whole setting was enwrapped fully by a fog and dust blocked her nostrils—torturing her while her lungs drowned with every entering particle as she breathed. Tanis was struggling—gravely struggling—by the moment she looked down on her hands, a beating heart rested on her palms and gushed out blood from the wounds it oddly sustained. She was frightened but could not scream because of the blistering dusty winds that circled her. And when she looked up, she saw a soldier lounging at her, who then mercilessly sliced her head off with his sword.

Tanis awoke from her vision, stared at Enyo with wide eyes, and stuttered, "Yo—your stru—struggle... Your burden will be your end. It is best for you to be at ease and—"

"What?" Enyo sharply inquired.

Tanis halted, gripping on the arms of her chair like a scarred child all the while still trying to comprehend what she just saw. "Perhaps some kykeon first before we proceed?" She then curved a fictitious smile on her lips as she rose from her seat and turned towards a small pantry on the corner.