- Created By Reenigrl
Apollo's story (Arsenaway)
Hey guys! I just wanted to share this with you all. It's a story I had been working on for my creative writing class. We had to wrie an original fictional stroy and I chose to write about one of my Arsenaway characters, Apollo.
It needs a little work still but I hope you enjoy it, and it's a bit of bg on the character as well.
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On a road not far from a town called Rovinare, so named for the lord that resided there, a boy of about twelve named Apollo and his family were making their way toward the town to find work with in its walls. Apollo’s family were seen as gypsies to outsiders. They never lived in one place for too long and often traveled from one town to the next looking for work. From time to time they provided extermination services when cats could no longer keep the vermin population under control. However, the family was best known for their musical abilities and were well received at court and town festivals. You see, Apollo’s mother and father shared a great ancestor who possessed the ability to lure and control animals or small-minded beings to his will. This talent was passed down through generations that now allowed Apollo’s family to make a living.
Apollo’s mother, Minerva, was a tall and slender woman with long dark locks that curled down her back. Her instrument of choice was the flute whose tone seemed to flow like a soft wind just as her voice did. His father, Aaron, was just as slender, with short well-groomed blonde hair and glasses that were placed over emerald green eyes. What great talent he possessed to play his Violin he lacked in his eyesight.
Apollo was a small boy. A bit shorter than the other boys his age, but even more so adventures and strong willed as to make up for his size. He kept his dark hair shaggy which at times made it impossible to manage and inherited his mother’s amber eyes but his father’s poor eyesight. He shared his mother’s love for the wind instrument and carried a golden flute of his own.
Apollo was the oldest child but only by 5 minutes. His twin Diana was even smaller then he but was the embodiment of joy and love. She inherited her mother’s dark locks, glistening amber eyes and flute like voice, a bit high pitched but still just as smooth. Her favored instrument was a small golden harp that could be held in her hands with ease.
“Father!” Apollo yelled out as he lagged a few yards behind his parents, swinging at the tall grass with a stick he had picked up sometime along the way.
Aaron paid no mind to his son, focused on the approaching town before him.
“Father, why are we coming to this town again? We were doing so well in Appleton. We were playing for parties almost every week and me and the boys had just found the perfect hang out.” Apollo said with a disappointed furrow on his brows.
“And I loved playing for the churches choir.” Diana said with a sad sigh.
Aaron was pulling a small wooden wagon that held their instruments and a few items of their belongings. He turned his head slightly to see the disappointed looks of his children. “We’re coming to this town because of good word that the lord and his people are even wealthier than those in Appleton. I was told they crave entertainment. They’ve never witnessed entertainers like us, were sure to make a fortune in this town.”
Minerva chimed in with a happy tone “This is a great opportunity for us, with the money we’ll make, you’re father and I promise, we’ll find a home that we can truly call our own.” Apollo let out an exaggerated breath of air and looked forward at the town where they would soon have to start all over again.
The town seemed fairly large from the outside. Apollo could see the pointed tops of lavish roofs that just barely peeked over the top of a stone wall which enclosed the town in a tall circular fashion. The walls stretched so high that it would take the work of 5 men stacked from head to toe to reach its ledges. Through all his travels, Apollo had only seen a small number of towns- less than he had digits on one hand- that enclosed itself with in a wall. He learned the reason for this was that the town inside it was both extremely wealthy and wanted to keep out thieves or the undesirable or that lord in charge was spiteful to outsiders and controlling of his people. Apollo hoped it was the first.
As they approached, Apollo could see an intricately designed double gate at the mouth of the town’s entrance. The gate was open but two guards in dark leather armor stood watch in front of it. They focused their attention onto the entertainers and halted them from going any further.
One of the guards who looked to be in his mid-twenties had slight blonde stubble upon his chin and steely blue eyes that turned upon Aaron, trying to guess the reason they were there. They had no livestock or produce with them that they could sell in market so the guard was puzzled as to why this family of strangers would be entering otherwise.
“What business do you have in Rovinare?”
“Oh, yes.” Aaron exclaimed and held out his pointer finger to the guards to gesture, that the explanation would only take a moment.
Aaron reached into his vest and pulled out a piece of folded paper and presented it to the young guard. The other guard, who was a bit rounder than his comrade, had dark short hair and a juvenile like face. He looked to be in his late teens. He leaned in to his comrade to get a better look at the paper before them. The first guard unfolded the paper and examined the piece.
On it was a stylized illustration of Aaron, Minerva, Apollo and Diana playing their instruments in a delicate fashion. Around the border of the paper were the figures of mice filled in with black ink. The paper read:
SOL FAMILY EXTRORDINARE
Whiteness our Whimsical musical talent!
Your ears will drift into a fantasy and your eyes into a dream. See what many have been talking about and let us bring life to your next party.
(Also offered, vermin extermination services. Ask Aaron for details.)
The guards looked a bit puzzled by the last bit of information but were intrigued by the family’s musical claims.
“Our eyes will be in a dream? What do you mean by that?” asked the stubbly blonde.
A small grin appeared on Aaron’s face, “If you could grant us access into your town we would be happy to give you a show.”
The guards turned to one another, seeking approval to let them in. With a nod from each of them the family was granted access into the town.
“You seem like decent people, we’ll let you in.” The blonde guard turned to his comrade; “I’ll escort the musicians in to town. I’ll send Matthew to cover my place while I’m gone.”
The other guard seemed disappointed that he would be missing out on something spectacular but did as his superior commanded.
The blonde guard turned back to face the family, “I’m Vinn, I’ll show you where you can play.”
Aaron picked up the handle of their wagon and followed Vinn inside the town, Apollo and Minerva on each side of him and Diana on top of the wagon.
Apollo had been so used to dirt roads under his feet that the sound of cobbled stone around him felt like he was hearing an old instrument play for the first time in a long while. The whole town was paved in stone, probably to give it a cleaner and upscale look, he thought. Apollo could now see the homes and buildings that were attached to the lavish roofs he had seen from outside the wall which were all built in a similar fashion. They were constructed of clean, well placed bricks, some with vines of ivy or morning glories climbing up its walls and great white windows symmetrically placed in each corner. At the top of each building was placed a black roof that seemed to make a pattern of swirling shingles that contrasted beautifully against a bright blue sky.
The road that Vinn led them down branched out into more residential areas but they kept following the main roads path that eventually led them to a large circular area that Apollo felt was the heart of the town. In the center, a large fountain was displayed that had four stone maidens rising out of the water with a vase on each of their hips. Around the edges of the circle a variety of shops filled the area. The scent of warm fresh bread wafted from one side of the circle while perfumes of candles, oils, and spices came from the other. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables were displayed in front of small produce markets to entice buyers as to what other lavish foods wait inside. The town was bustling with well-dressed, posh looking men and women going about their errands for the day. The people started to take notice of Apollo and his family as they were led to the center of the circle, as if they knew something was about to take place.
Diana jumped off the wagon and began peering into the windows of the Shoppe’s to get a better look at their goods. Apollo Headed towards the fountain to examine its structure more closely, but before they could get too far Aaron called them back over to the wagon. Aaron and Minerva already had their instruments in hand, reading themselves to play. Minerva turned to the children and ordered them to get two small cages from off the wagon that had been nestled safely between the rest of their cargo. Inside each cage was a rat, one female and one male, the size of a small puppy.
Vinn, the entrance guard was still beside them, eyes wide at the sight of two large rats nestled safely in the children’s hands.
“What are you planning to do with those things!?” Vinn said with a sneer and a shrill of disgust in his voice. “I thought you were going to perform music, not play with Rats!”
Apollo looked up at him with a sly little smile, “You’ll see, just watch.” Apollo and Diana bent down, lowering the cages to the stone floor. They lifted the latch of the cages door and opened it wide, inviting the rats out of their holding.
Some of the passerby’s in the circle had stopped to examine the family’s strange behavior.
The rats took a few steps, unsure of what to do and then began hopping towards the people who had now gathered around. Gasps and yelps began to rise from the crowd with terrified and bewildered looks on each of their faces.
Suddenly the rats halted in their tracks, sniffed the air and began to turn to where they had been released. The crowd’s yelps turned to hushed murmurs as the strings of Aaron’s violin echoed into the air. One of the rats stood up on its hind legs and began to twirl and sway in correlation to Aaron’s melody. The other rat stood up and bowed to its partner as if inviting it to dance with him. The gentlemen rat was now being coaxed by the soothing tones of Minerva’s flute.
The crowd’s eyes widened with wonder as the small fury couple waltzed about their surrounded circle. Apollo and Diana were sitting at the end of their wagon looking on at their parents play. Vinn was standing next to them with a large smile across his face.
“Not what you were expecting was it.” Apollo asked with a smug grin.
“Not at all, this is incredible. I’ve never seen anything like this!” Vinn replied.
“It always amuses me when people think we’re a bunch of lunatics setting rats on the loose. They’re actually quite tame you know, at least when treated kindly.”
Diana leaned in and pointed out the two dancing rats to Vinn. “The Darker brown one is Lady and the other is Cesar. Haven’t mother and father turned them into lovely dancers?” Diana giggled with glee as Vinn nodded in agreement.
The rats performed two dances, took a bow and returned to their cages. When Aaron and Minerva played their final note the crowd was silent only for the smallest of moments before erupting into applaud and cheers. The couple bowed and gave Apollo and Diana their instruments to fasten back into their cases.
“Putting them away already father? Don’t you think the crowd will want more?” Apollo asked looking up at his father.
“If they want to hear more they’ll have to come to us for it, we already gave them a sample, now they’ll have to pay for the rest.”
A few people had gathered around Minerva asking questions about their performance while Diana skipped about handing out flyers, promoting their talent. A few children had come up to the wagon where Apollo was sitting, trying to get a closer look at the rats who were now nibbling on a piece of biscuit.
A tall man with peppered hair pushed through the crowd and made his way towards the entertainers. He was dressed in a fine suit that suggested he was someone of high status among the town. The man called out to the guard who was standing next to Aaron.
“Vinn!” The man approached closer. “Hello, Vinn. Who are your extraordinary friends? The man asked as he turned to look over the family.
“Ah, Marcus, how are you.” Vinn asked caught off guard he straightened his body up to get back into a more professional stance. “This is the Sol family; they just arrived not an hour ago.”
Aaron reached out his hand to Marcus “I’m Aaron, and this is my family. We’re you able to see the show?”
“I was! It was unlike anything I have ever seen. I would like to see more. Are you looking for work? I’m an adviser to the lord Rovinare; he’s having a feast tonight at his manor. I would like it if you could entertain for us; the lord pays quite handsomely for exquisite performances.”
Diana returned to the wagon now standing next to her brother and leaned into his shoulder as she spoke with excitement. “A party!? I love parties. The music and dancing and the dresses, I shall wear my best dress for your lord and he shan’t be disappointed” She hummed, smiling up at the tall man.
Apollo nudged his sister away trying to escape from her embrace and some of the stray hairs from her head that had flown onto his lips.
Aaron smiled “We’d be honored to perform.”
“Excellent, I’ll have Vinn take you to the inn nearby where you can rest and prepare of tonight and then later I’ll have you escorted to the lord’s party. And please, don’t worry about your expenses for your stay you are our special guests. I’ll work it out with the inn’s owner.”
Minerva placed one hand on her chest and extended the other towards Marcus “Thank you, you are too kind to us strangers, we’ll be sure to give you an amazing show.”
Marcus nodded with a smile and disappeared back into the traffic of the townspeople.
Vinn led Apollo and his family to a nearby inn that was just around the corner from the towns circle. It was a luxurious inn, with three floors, a large dining hall and sitting area and a small garden in the back where visitors could view exotic flowers and birds. The inn was owned by an older man that took great pride in his appearance even with what little hair he had left on his head, as well as the upkeep of his business. The keeper sneered when he saw Apollo and Diana hop in front of his desk. He cared very little for children and saw them as dirty little people who could not help but to break everything they touched. The man soon perked up and offered them one of his best rooms when Vinn explained that they were to be honored guests of the lord’s party that night, and of course all expenses would be paid. Before Vinn left to return to his post at the town’s entrance he gave the family a bit of cautious advice. He told them that while it was true that the lord Rovinare loved to be entertained he was also a man whose temper would quickly turn to an unpleasant feature if he became less than pleased with the people before him. The family brushed off the guards warning as needless suspicions and assured him that their act would be the highlight of the party.
The family rested and ate so that they would not perform weary and with empty bellies. They dressed in their finest of clothes that suggested they had played for royalty many times before. Aaron and Apollo were dressed in fine embroidered vests with golden clasps that fastened it down the front, black pants that were trimmed neatly at the ankles and shoes that were polished so carefully that Apollo could see his reflection when he looked down. Aaron’s blonde hair was groomed neatly to the side as always while Apollo’s mane remained still slightly unmanaged as his mother did the best she could with his wild hair. But still, the locks that twisted about his face still gave him the charming look of a boy with Great Spirit and adventure. Minerva and Diana wore similar white dresses embroidered with gold thread upon their chests and silken scarves that draped delicately around their bodies. Minerva’s dark locks were pulled to the side and twisted with gold ribbon down her shoulder. Diana’s hair hung down her back with a small crown upon her head made of white flowers.
When the sun was nearly set a large carriage sent by Marcus, came to take the family to the party. Lavish cushions padded the seats and lace curtains were tied to the sides of the windows so that the family could gaze at the beautifully dressed party guests who were making their way to the lord’s manor. They stepped off the carriage and were escorted into the lord’s home by use of a side door not meant for the main guests to enter through. They entered into a long hall that served as a gallery of sorts. The sound of music and people chattering could be heard echoing down the hall. Long detailed rugs covered the dark polished tiles. Large paintings of Gods and monsters of myths adorned the walls, beautiful and frightening all at once.
“Oh Mama! These paintings are all so frightening I can’t bare to look at them. Why did they bring us down this way?” Diana shuddered. Minerva patted her daughter on the head as a gesture of comfort.
“I think they’re amazing!” Apollo said. His mouth agape as his eyes studied the giant beings from one painting to the next. Apollo always had a strong fascination with ancient beings of myth. The old gods were so beautiful yet held so much power in their hands that they would curse or smite anyone that offended them in anyway.
Apollo turned around as he heard a door creak which led to the party outside the hall. Marcus entered and greeted the family with a large smile. “Good evening, Lord Rovinare knows that you are here and is extremely excited to see your performance. Please follow me to the ball room so that we can get started.”
Marcus Led the family into the center of the ballroom, some of the guests backed up to give them space knowing that it was the same family who had performed earlier that day. Others didn’t budge thinking nothing of them but typical musicians. Apollo began to hear whispers coming from around the room as attention started to turn toward the family. In the furthest center of the room was a medium sized platform that held a table with beautifully decorated desserts and foods. A hand full of men and women sat at the table dressed in fashions quite different from those of the other Rovinarians he had seen that day, fashions that suggested they were of the highest of class or from another region of the country. In the center of the table sat a rounded man in fine dark clothing, his hands and chest adorned with gold and jewels. He seemed to be in his early forties with grey hair that peppered into his dark locks, and all though he wore a smile on his face Apollo felt that it was crooked and unsettling.
“My Lord!” Marcus called in a loud tone. “The special performers have arrived.” Marcus stepped to the side with an arm open towards the family as to shift the attention to them.
“Wonderful! Let us hear them play. Everyone quite down, I hear we’re in for a treat.” The lord adjusted himself in his seat and focused his attention onto the performers.
Aaron walked forward and informed the audience that they would indeed receive a wondrous show but they wanted to start the performance with their children. Aaron beckoned Apollo and Diana to the center as they readied their instruments. Apollo could hear the Awe’s and scoffs of the guests who either thought he and his sister were too adorable or that their performance would be a joke to hear.
Apollo brought the golden flute to his lips and began to play. His song started out slow like the sun beginning to rise at dawn, and then softly picked up into bright day as Diana chimed in with her harp. The scoffs silenced as the two continued, a beautiful duet without words. Diana danced about in graceful steps never missing a strum of her harp. The audience was captivated in awe to see such young and graceful talent. After their performance Apollo’s mother and father stepped into the center, releasing the rats from their cages. Some of the party guests let out yelps of fear and disgust as the rodents bounded towards the crowd. Lord Rovinare stood up with a look of bewilderment upon his face.
“What is this!? They’re scaring my guests! I’m trying to make a good impression!”
Marcus was now by lord Rovinare’s side to insure that he was pleased with the show. “Don’t fret my Lord; you will see in just a moment something amazing will happen.”
Lord Rovinare was still on edge but the sound of Aaron’s violin began to play and his shoulders relaxed back into his chair. Once again Aaron and Minerva coaxed the animals into an elaborate dance. The crowd and the lord yell out in cheer as the rats waltz about the circle.
“I am indeed impressed. Who knew rats could even dance; I must find a pair of my own dancing vermin!” Lord Rovinare chuckled to Marcus.
“My lord, those rats are not dancing on their own. It is the musicians who control them.”
Rovinare’s eyes widened, an inconceivable thought began to grow in his head. What the family did not know was that the lord was a very spoiled and paranoid man with a sickness of the mind. He could be joyful one moment and unexplainably cruel the next. Many of the towns people in fact were frightened of him, afraid that they would be punished if they did even the tiniest of things to offend him.
These people can control animals and use them at their will; the people love them and fear me, he thought. He began to panic at the idea that they were here not to entertain, but to control and drive him out of his town. After the performance the crowd cheered with delight and they were invited to speak with the lord face to face. Lord Rovinare congratulated them on their spectacular performance and while they spoke he had ordered one of his guards to slip some of his best silverware into their bags.
The night had grown late and Apollo and his family were ready to leave the party. The guard that had slipped the silverware into their bags stopped them at the door, and requested his lord’s presence.
“My lord, you cannot allow these people to leave. They have taken your silver and hidden them in their bags; I witnessed it with my own two eyes.”
“Surely you are joking.” Rovinare laughed knowing well enough what was about to happen. “My dear guests please empty your pockets and show this man that you have not done what he claims.”
Apollo and his family looked at one another confused. His parents asked if he or his sister had taken anything and they both denied and exclaimed that they hadn’t even had a bite to eat. To show good faith they emptied their pockets, their eyes widened as the sound of clanking spoons and forks fell to the ground.
Aaron spoke in a strong voice. “There must be some mistake, we would never steal, and most certainly not from our host.” Lord Rovinare’s face turned red with rage and his brow furrowed. “How dare you steal from me, after I invite you into my home, complete strangers! I suppose I should have known better!” he yelled. “Guards arrest these thieves, and see that they are punished for their crimes.”
“Arrested!? We didn’t do anything wrong! Let us go!” Apollo yelled as Diana began to cry. Aaron and Minerva shushed their children and told them that all would be figured out soon enough.
The family was brought to the town’s prison to be contained until they could be tried the following morning. Unlike the rest of the town the cell they were in was the complete opposite of comfort and beauty. It was cold and smelled of mildew. There were no beds but only a wooden bench against the wall for them to sit on. It was the worst experience Apollo had ever been through, he wished he could break out of his cell and leave the town that instant. Seeing his family distressed, especially his sweet Diana, began to grow a mass of anger with in his stomach.
The following day the family was brought before the town’s judge, who was greatly influenced by Lord Rovinare and his wallet. The crime for stealing from a royal’s home would be punished by death, declared the judge. The children would be allowed to go free, as the lord was still trying to win over his people, however Apollo’s parents would have to take the punishment. The guards began to separate and escort the children from their parents, Diana became inconsolable and reached out for her mother and father as the guards began to drag her outside. Apollo was able to escape his guard, punching him in the face. He ran towards his parents as they too struggled to break free from their holders. He was able to grab onto his mother’s hand but soon lost consciousness as a guard struck the back of his head with the hilt of a sword.
It was nearly dusk when Apollo awoke leaning against a brick wall outside the courthouse. Diana was next to him leaning into his shoulder, her eyes were red, and no longer crying but a trail of dried tears stained her cheeks. Their instruments and the rats had been returned to them and were now sitting alongside their feet. Apollo’s body jolted so quickly from against the wall that Diana nearly fell over onto the ground.
“Mother! Father!” Apollo yelled and banged on the door of the court house. He turned around to see Diana pointing across the street. He saw a large wagon being loaded with long wooden boxes that were nailed shut. “You’re wrong! That’s not them, they aren’t in there.” Apollo’s body began to quiver and his stomach started to turn.
“It is… I saw them. I saw them put their bodies in those boxes. Their faces were blue and their necks had marks all around them. They Hung them Apollo… but they gave me these…” Diana opened her hands to show Apollo their father’s glasses and their parents’ wedding rings.
Apollo and Diana became orphaned and having no money of their own, they were stranded in the streets of Rovinare. The weeks that passed became a dark place for the twins. They could not retrieve what belongings they had from the inn keeper as he confiscated the items as payment for their stay the night of the party. No one would take in the orphaned thieves’ children and so they built their own home in the back allies of the town. Although Rovinare was a wealthy place, there were dark pockets with in it that only a few knew of. Vinn the entrance guard, whom they met on their first day in the town, was the only one willing to help them in secret. For fear of his own life he could not shelter them in his own home, but helped them build a safe place in the allies. He brought them a mattress stuffed with hay and blankets to keep them warm at night.
Apollo had Diana by his side and he was grateful for that, even still he was losing faith that there were no good people left in the world. Aside from Vinn, it seemed as though no one cared that his parents were wrongfully charged for a crime they did not commit. And no one cared if he or his sister lived or died in their streets. He wondered if they refused to help in fear of their Lord or if they were all just as cruel as he.
Although the children had Vinn to bring them food every now and then, he would often be on duty for days at a time and their supply was running short. Wanting to restore their funds and her brother’s spirits Diana suggested to Apollo that they play in the town’s main circle. They were both happiest when they played together, and she was very insistent that there were still good people in the town that would allow them to play. Apollo was at first hesitant but agreed to his sister’s plea. His heart had been clouded in darkness for so long that the thought of playing, if even for a little while began to brighten his spirits and the hope that with enough money earned they could finally leave Rovinare.
The children entered into the circle under a dark clouded sky. The area was not as busy as Apollo had remembered, the smell of rain warded off many of the shops customers. They set the rats in the center of the circle near the large fountain. The scent of fresh bread was muddled in the thick air but was enough to make Apollo’s stomach growl in hunger. People began to stop and stare at the strange dirtied children who were now readying their instruments. They let out the rats and began to play. They too possessed the same gifts as their parents and were able to replicate their routine just as beautifully. Diana smiled and Apollo’s heart grew warm as people stopped and cheered at their performance. Apollo had set out a small box to collect donations from the passerby’s watching. By the end of their performance they had enough money to buy some bread from the nearby bakery.
Across the street Marcus had been in the circle running some errands for the lord. He heard the familiar melody of the deceased musicians and stopped to watch the children play from afar. To him the children looked hungry and desperate, he pitied them but felt that their presence was tainting the towns seemingly peaceful atmosphere.
It wasn’t long after their performance that word of the children’s presence in town had reached Lord Rovinare. He had no idea that the children also possessed the same abilities as their parents. He had never seen them perform and therefore did not believe that they were a threat to him. Afraid that children would seek revenge for their parents’ lives, Lord Rovinare set up a plan to finally be rid of them.
The children continued to perform in the center to earn extra money in order to leave Rovinare. One day as Apollo was packing up their gear, Diana decided to use some of their earnings to buy two sweet buns for their desert. A horse and cart were parked outside the bakery; a man sat atop if it. His face was covered to shield from the now nippy air. Diana hoped into the street, pleased with her purchase and began to make her way back to her brother.
Apollo turned around to see his sister crossing the stone road. He noticed that the man in the driver’s seat of the cart was focused intently on Diana. The man kicked the horse in such a sharp motion that it became spooked and he lost control of the animal. The horse took off trying to escape whatever had frightened it and Apollo watched, as his sister was rundown by it and the cart that followed. The man and the horse took off, leaving Diana’s body limp and battered in the street.
Apollo ran to his sister and fell on his knees beside her. He was careful not to touch her, not knowing how severe her injuries may be. The people around them gasped at the terrible incident they had just witnessed and were asking each other if they had seen what the man looked like. They turned to Apollo asking him if Diana was okay.
“Diana! Can you hear me!?” The girl remained motionless, Apollo placed an ear above her lips to try and feel any sign of breath. Her chest looked sunken in, he could feel no air or see no movement coming from her body.
Another man had picked up the sweet buns that rolled across the ground and placed them next to Apollo. She’s gone boy. It looks like that horse and cart crushed her ribs. Where are your parents? You need to take her to a priest so that he can bless her soul and body before you burry her.”
Apollo became enraged at the man’s words. He clenched his fists so tight that his palms began to bleed. How could he be so heartless this man and these people. Apollo and Diana had been in the streets for weeks playing for their scraps, not once had they bothered to talk to them or offer them any kindness. Lord Rovinare killed his Mother and Father and now he killed Diana, he knew that this was no accident; he saw it with his own eyes. And these people didn’t care. No one cared.
Apollo got up from the ground, picked up their belongings and placed them on Diana’s body, then carefully picked her up and walked back to their little home in the ally.
He laid his sister on the straw bed with in their make shift home. He cleaned up her wounds and brushed back her dark locks so that she looked to be sleeping. He wanted to believe it, that she was only asleep but his heart was heavy and he knew that she was no longer with him just by touching her now icy skin. When their parents died he tried not to cry, he wanted to be strong for Diana in order for them to keep on going. She was gone now. And there was no point in hiding. Apollo breathed in heavily and began to sob. Large tears fell from his eyes and onto Diana’s dress as he held her body close.
Apollo pulled back and wiped the tears from his stinging eyes. “I’m sorry this happened to you, to all of us. If I was stronger or bigger maybe I could have gotten us out of here, maybe we wouldn’t even be here and our family would still be together.” Apollo reached for his flute, brought it to his lips and took a deep breath. He wanted to play their favorite song, one they had performed countless times before together, and now he played it for her one last time.
As the song played Diana seemed to move. Apollo brushed it off as his imagination and the tears that still lingered in his eyes and continued playing. As he did, Diana’s eyes opened, dull and soulless, she sat up in the bed. Apollo stopped and rushed to his sister, just as he did she collapsed back into his arms limp and lifeless once again. He came to realize that his music not only controlled the movements of animals but the dead as well. The thought of it frightened Apollo but his new ability gave him an idea. Lord Rovinare was an ugly man with a tainted soul he cared for no one but himself and because of it Apollo had lost the only family he had and vowed to avenge them.
Only a boy of 12, Apollo was no match for a grown man, but what strength he lacked he made up for with his small size and agility. This allowed him to maneuver in and out of small spaces and go unseen in the darkness. Apollo managed to make his way into the back of lord Rovinare’s manor. It was the dead of night but Apollo remembered the road to the lord’s home. He managed to open a window that led into the kitchen. The room was dark and empty but Apollo could make out a wire rack on one of the counters, which held an assortment of knives. Apollo licked his lips and pulled out a medium sized knife from the rack, nervous about what he was going to do with it. He didn’t need to overpower all the guards. He just needed to take down one with a quick thrust of the knife.
Apollo carefully opened the door to the kitchen and walked out to a small hall. He peeked his head around the corner and saw a single guard walking toward him. Apollo’s heart began to pound, and his hands began to sweat as he clenched the hilt of the knife tighter. He could hear the guard’s footsteps coming closer. “I’m sorry.” He whispered into his chest and lunged out at the approaching guard. They toppled over from the collision. The guard’s helmet rolled off onto the floor. He reached for his sword but Apollo grabbed the man by his hair and quickly swiped the knife across the guard’s throat. The guard clenched his throat and made a horrible gargling sound as dark blood spilled over his hands. The final look on the guard’s face was a look of surprise. Apollo realized he had taken out the guard that had planted the silverware in their pockets.
Apollo sat on the ground for a moment trying to regain his composure. He had just killed a man; it gave him an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. Apollo took a deep breath and smiled. He assured himself that what he had done was for justice for Diana and for his mother and father. Everyone under this roof deserved to die for serving a horrible man, more like a horrible monster Apollo thought. Apollo tucked the knife into his belt and wiped his hands on the side of his pants. He pulled out his flute and began to play, watching the fallen guard rise from the ground.
Having obtained the guard from outside the kitchen, Apollo was able to use his corpse to take out the remaining watch that guarded the lord’s home. He could manipulate it to move in a life like motion as long as he thought of what he wanted it to do he was able to play it out using the lifeless body to slice away at its once comrades.
Lord Rovinare’s room was at the end of a large hall on the second floor of his home. The sound of a flute roused him from his sleep. He felt as though he was trapped in a bad dream, as the music of the dead entertainers grew louder. It took only a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness before he realized there was someone standing in his doorway.
“WH-Who’s there!?” He yelled out, his body tense ready to flee from his bed. The figure stepped closer towards lord Rovinare who was now able to make out the figure at the foot of his bed. It was his most trusted guard whom he had plant the silverware into the pockets of Apollo’s family.
“Kane, what are you doing here!? Something is amiss in the house. Do you not here that music playing? The music of those we murdered?” The guard fell onto the bed with a heavy force and Lord Rovinare screamed in fear. The music had stopped and the guard was once again motionless, pinning down the lord with his dead weight.
The sound of soft footsteps brought the lords attention to the doorway once again. Apollo entered the room, stepping out of the shadows. Lord Rovinare broke out into a sweat, struggling to get the guard’s dead body off of his own.
“You Brat! You’re supposed to be dead! This is what I was trying to prevent form happening! I knew it, I knew this would happen, you and your demon family, I had to end them before they did it to me.”
Apollo walked closer to the bed glaring at him with eyes that seemed to glow like fire. Eyes filled with hatred and disgust for the man that sat before him.
“Shut up. Stop talking or I’ll kill you now.” Apollo pulled out the kitchen knife that had been tucked inside his belt. “You are the demon. You did this to yourself. My family and I, we came here to make a living but you, instead you took our lives away. We never had any intention to hurt you or anyone. We were good people. They- my family- were good people who wanted nothing but to share their talent with the world. You are not a good person. You are tainted. Your soul is black.”
Apollo stepped closer pointing the knife against the flesh under lord Rovinare’s chin. “No, Please, I am good, I spared you from being hung remember, you don’t want to do this. You’re a good boy aren’t you?” Lord Rovinare pleaded raising his hands above his head in surrender.
“YOU ARE NOT GOOD. And now, neither am I. Your soul of hatred has tainted my own. Killing you won’t bring my mother or father back. And it won’t bring back Diana. But it will bring me peace to see their killer choking on his own blood, at least then I can rest at ease, and your people will no longer have to cower in fear of the thought of you.”
Lord Rovinare opened his mouth to speak, but Apollo lunged his knife into the softness of his throat before he could mutter another word. Apollo watched as his family’s murderer bled out onto his sheets, waiting until all signs of life were drained from his body.
Apollo walked down the large staircase of the manor and headed for the door. He saw a figure move in the darkness. It yelped when it saw Apollo and ran out of the door. Apollo chased it out into the night’s air. The moon came out from under a blanket of clouds and revealed the man as Marcus, who had been hiding from Apollo’s killing spree. Apollo was no longer afraid of being too small and too weak. All those thoughts vanished as he lunged at Marcus to take down the final piece that had caused him such grief and misery. Marcus frightened and weak fell over onto the stone ground, Apollo raised his knife but was stopped by an unseen hand.
“Apollo, STOP! That’s enough.” Apollo struggled to break free as Vinn tightened his hold around his little body. Vinn had heard of Diana’s death and went to seek out Apollo to offer him comfort. When Apollo was nowhere to be found he headed to the one place he was sure to be. Vinn noticed that Apollo was changing. His once bright and happy soul was becoming darker as it consumed the cloud of despair around it. The moonlight poured down to expose the blood that speckled over Apollo’s hands and face.
“Let me kill him, he deserves to die along with his master! He is the one that brought us here. He knew that man was a monster and he still handed us to him and he did nothing as they were accused and died!” Apollo screamed out, kicking Marcus into the ground.
Vinn held Apollo tighter and whispered into his ear. “Don’t do this. Look at that man. He is helpless and frightened.” Apollo looked down on Marcus, he coward in fear, tears staining his face. He did look helpless and weak. Apollo began to feel pity for him. He did not know Marcus. He only knew him as the man that offered them a job to play for the lord’s party. Did he have a wife or children? What would they do if they discovered him covered in blood dead on the ground?
Apollo relaxed his body and dropped the knife to his side. “I don’t want to be here anymore.” Apollo whispered. Vinn released his arms from around Apollo’s body and walked him out of the manor’s gates.
Apollo’s soul was no longer bright. It was dull and cloudy. He was able to avenge the death of his family but at a cost and lost his innocence in doing so. Sparring Marcus’s life kept his soul from turning black but with out love and compassion to feed it, his soul would remain unlit.
Vinn helped Apollo collect what belongings he had left. He gave Apollo a cart which they placed Diana’s body on and enough money for food and burial. He led Apollo to the town’s entrance and watched him walk back down the road that had first led him to Rovinare.
End
