Until now.
The sight before me made my knees give out.
I crawled across the rivers of blood and cradled her lifeless body in my arms.
“My sweet Jasmine, may your soul find peace in the fields of Elysium.” I kissed her forehead, not caring that my lips were coated with the blood that was smeared across her head and soaked into her hair. She deserved better than this.
I held her for many minutes before going about making a pyre for my love and my fellow kind. They all deserved more than to be left dead on the ground.
I wished I could have done better, but I did what I could. After using wood from the homes of the dead and carefully collecting their coins, each body was ready to burn, the money to pay the ferryman over their eyes.
My eyes gave Jasmine’s body one last glance before setting the wood to flames.
There were no more tears shed for the futures that were now burning.
Turning my back on what was, I grabbed the pack I’d made and walked away.
After weeks of traveling I’d found work as a healer in the army, under General Draco. He was said to have the blood of Achilles running through his veins and was unmatched in battle. We hadn’t met before, but I tended to his men, getting them back to their feet.
It wasn’t the life I had wanted, but it would do. Until that day I saw something that changed me.
My father, standing next to the other gods, next to Draco.
I hid behind a tree, praying that my father wouldn’t be able to feel I was alive, but he never even glanced my way.
Then it dawned on me—they looked sick. They were dying.
Killing their own children hadn’t sat well with mankind. Which led to the people giving up belief and faith in them, hence the dying. They couldn’t live without people believing in them.
Served them right.
With one last chance to save the humans they loved more than their own blood, each of them spoke to Draco and told him that he was their chosen one to protect man. Their powers would be sent into the blood of mortals, who would need him to train and lead them.
My blood was burning as I listened to their words.
He slowly removed his armor and shirt, turning, giving his back to them, and sinking to his knees.
One by one, they sliced into their palm and touched his spine.
My mouth fell open in pure shock.
Once the last god burned his blood and power into Draco, they disappeared.
I couldn’t believe what my eyes had shown me.
The gods had made Draco immortal, destined to carry out their will to protect mankind after having exterminated the demigods.
All except me.
