Ficlets: from the 100 prompts (084)
(084) Without
Time had eroded the stone, making the inscription uneven and difficult to read. They knew it was some sort of commemorative landmark, laid near the Cancer temple -probably by a new saint who had wanted to honor his master- long, very long ago.
ForAthena
backtogetheragain
They newest batch of gold saints had deciphered the first line easily enough but he second one had taken longer. They were almost ready to give up when at last Shura shouted:
- “Back together again! He knew they’d be back, as brothers in arms, to protect their goddess!”
Aldebaran flashed a smile and palmed Shura’s back with such force that the newly fledged Capricorn saint was about to fall. The boys walked away, cheering to their goddess and the gold saints’ sacred mission. Yes, life as a Saint was hard, but they would live on, in their successors. No matter what, they would be back together again.
- “Funny.”
Aphrodite turned around and stared at the only man left still kneeling by the stone.
- “What’s so amusing, Cancer?”
Deathmask’s grin was as wide as Taurus’, but nobody could have mistaken one for the other.
- “How the fools read what they want to hear. Come see, if you’ve got any brains of your own.”
Aphrodite sat by the stone and looked on, as Deathmask’s fingers moved over the inscription. The traces were the same, but the words could have a darker meaning if you knew how to look.
For Athena, back to get her again.
- “It seems my predecessors had it all right, after all. I was starting to think they were a bunch of emptyheads, just like those chanting their way down the stairs.”
Aphrodite was quick on his feet, but Deathmask was quicker in grabbing his wrist. Pisces knew then that there would be no “disagree and simply leave.” He wasn’t sure there would be a “leave” at all, after such a confession. At least not for both of them.
- “I will do this, pretty face. I am here to get her, and take my prize afterwards --
The grip on his arm tightened, and Aphrodite’s gaze fell back on the stone and its inscription. Here to get her. A gold saint had written those blasphemous words long ago, and he hadn’t been banished.
-- with or without you. So, what is it going to be?”
Aphrodite’s fingers brushed over the stone. Maybe he wouldn’t have to fight his way out of Cancer’s hands, after all.
Time had eroded the stone, making the inscription uneven and difficult to read. They knew it was some sort of commemorative landmark, laid near the Cancer temple -probably by a new saint who had wanted to honor his master- long, very long ago.
ForAthena
backtogetheragain
They newest batch of gold saints had deciphered the first line easily enough but he second one had taken longer. They were almost ready to give up when at last Shura shouted:
- “Back together again! He knew they’d be back, as brothers in arms, to protect their goddess!”
Aldebaran flashed a smile and palmed Shura’s back with such force that the newly fledged Capricorn saint was about to fall. The boys walked away, cheering to their goddess and the gold saints’ sacred mission. Yes, life as a Saint was hard, but they would live on, in their successors. No matter what, they would be back together again.
- “Funny.”
Aphrodite turned around and stared at the only man left still kneeling by the stone.
- “What’s so amusing, Cancer?”
Deathmask’s grin was as wide as Taurus’, but nobody could have mistaken one for the other.
- “How the fools read what they want to hear. Come see, if you’ve got any brains of your own.”
Aphrodite sat by the stone and looked on, as Deathmask’s fingers moved over the inscription. The traces were the same, but the words could have a darker meaning if you knew how to look.
For Athena, back to get her again.
- “It seems my predecessors had it all right, after all. I was starting to think they were a bunch of emptyheads, just like those chanting their way down the stairs.”
Aphrodite was quick on his feet, but Deathmask was quicker in grabbing his wrist. Pisces knew then that there would be no “disagree and simply leave.” He wasn’t sure there would be a “leave” at all, after such a confession. At least not for both of them.
- “I will do this, pretty face. I am here to get her, and take my prize afterwards --
The grip on his arm tightened, and Aphrodite’s gaze fell back on the stone and its inscription. Here to get her. A gold saint had written those blasphemous words long ago, and he hadn’t been banished.
-- with or without you. So, what is it going to be?”
Aphrodite’s fingers brushed over the stone. Maybe he wouldn’t have to fight his way out of Cancer’s hands, after all.