Not Your Average Myth

      I woke up the next morning to find that Aesos had separated our cots. He was also not on his. I wondered where he was.  ----------------------------------------      I walked to Mount Olympus alone. No other Demi-Gods followed behind me. No attacks would be made anymore. I was stopped at the gates and two guards asked to see the mark Zeus had given me as a child, as proof that I was his child. I showed them the lightning-shaped mark on my right forearm and they allowed me to pass. I walked straight through the town of Gods and Goddesses without caring. I entered Zeus' palace and found him almost immediately. He saw me and glared wildly. As he was about to call for his guards to come attack me, I spoke over him.        "Dear Zeus, I have come to surrender on behalf of all Demi-Gods. We realize that fighting a war with no end and no remembered cause is a futile and wasted effort. To seize further killings of untold numbers of your own sons and daughters is worth the ruined reputation. Please accept a cease-fire and sign a peace treaty."       His face exposed his shock all too well. He had been surprised by this notion.        "Good Aesos, my own blood and sweat, the fruit of my labors. You come asking for peace, yes? Well, you make a valid point. The war has gone on for so long that no one God or Goddess can remember its true origin. Its meaning has been lost throughout the years. The killing of our own sons and daughters has been too terrible to keep control of. I therefore accept your cease-fire and will sign your peace treaty. I only hope you do not think of us Gods and Goddesses as barbarians."       I pulled the treaty out of the sack around my waist and presented it. Zeus procured a feather quill from the air around him, and signed his name.        "I thank you, kind Zeus. The others will certainly appreciate this."      "Of course, of course. We are glad to have our children back. Tell them to come reunite with us tonight. There will be a feast here. You are welcome to bring anyone as a guest if you would like, Aesos."        "I would be honored to bring someone. Can this someone be human?"       "Of course, boy. Anyone is anyone."       "Thank you Zeus. Thank you whole-heartedly."       I left the palace and returned to the anxiously awaiting Demi-Gods, waiting for news. Then I would return to my Osimius. ----------------------------------------        I sat in my lonely tent for hours. We waited for battle to begin again. However, no one person from the opposing army came at us. So all there was to do was wait.       I was about to fall back asleep when a shadow appeared at the entrance to my tent. The shadow knocked on the support post and I told whoever it was to enter. It was not who I had expected.        The man, or rather creature, that entered had a human form to his body, but wore all black. The cape and the armor, even his hair. All black. The one exception to this black were its eyes. They were bright orange and seemed to glow. I thought at first that I had actually fallen asleep and was dreaming, until the creature approached with blinding speed and bit me. I yelled in surprise and fell off my cot.       "Aesos!" I yelled. "AESOS!"       Seconds later, Aesos ran in and pulled the creature off of me. He pulled out his sword and the flash of silver scared the creature. The creature sprang out of the tent and before he left my sight, I saw a pair of large black wings sprout from his back and he flew into the night, unharmed.       I lay on the floor, bleeding and in pain, but in a surprisingly good mood. After all, Aesos was back with me.        He came rushing to my side, his sword clattering to the ground in the effort. He pulled me into his arms and laid me back on my cot gently. He looked purely concerned. He began healing my neck instantly.        "Osimius, you were just bitten by an Angel of Death. I do not know exactly how long you will live. I suppose it is a good thing that we are going to see Zeus at his party tonight. We shall ask for you to be made immortal. It is a risk we must take at this point, or I would lose you forever. That is not my intention, and it never will be."       He was more talking to himself now, rather than me. I gently slapped his cheek. He immediately came out of his deep thought. He looked dazed. I laughed a little.        "So, we are going to a party at the palace of Zeus, you say?"       "Yes. He invited the Demi-Gods and told me that we can bring whomever we want with us."        "Are you not still at war?"        "That matter was resolved just today. We have stopped fighting. The war was getting us nowhere but dead."        I smiled and put a hand to his cheek. He smiled and took it in his. Then he turned and kissed my palm.         "What shall I wear to this party?" I asked frivolously.         He laughed this time.        "I have proper clothes waiting for you in my old room at Zeus' palace. He will be appreciative to see that you are a soldier."         "If you say so. Now, can we go? Or shall we miss this opportunity chatting down here?"         He smiled and pulled me into his arms. He carried me away from everyone else, out of eyesight, and he flew up into the sky, carrying me.