Soule fell to the ground with a thud. But he didn’t react.
Athena, Heli, and the boys rushed to his side.
“Where am I…” he asked.
The air felt cold. He shivered. Athena wrapped him around her arms. But then…Soule coughed. He heard the voices echo as he slowly became unconscious. He even heard Athena cry out his name.
SOULE! SOULE! OH MY GOD!
He felt numb all over his body as he was carried out on a hospital stretcher.
He tossed and turned. Eventually, he felt himself curl into a ball.
Soule envisioned a streak of red in his eyelids. And then…he heard the sound of rumbling thunder. And then…his nose, his fingers…and his toes twitched.
“SOULE!” said the voice of Avys, “SOULE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!”
Soule groaned as he was still in pain. And then, he opened his eyes.
A hospital?
He jolted up, and then Athena rushed to his side.
“What happened?!” he panted, “I-Is everyone okay? What about Avys?!”
Athena held her son in her arms.
“My son,” she sobbed, “I thought we’d lose you?”
Soule could not coordinate his surroundings. He became dizzy and plopped back down on the deathbed.
“Mom,” he said, weakly, “What happened to Avys?”
“He is alright, darling,” said Athena, “He’s–”
Athena stopped. She looked at Avys laying beside Soule’s side of the bed. He seemed to have been crying the whole time when Soule was unconscious.
“It’s all my fault,” he cried, “If only I didn’t trip over…”
Avys then sobbed uncontrollably. But Soule smiled and patted his head. But Athena and Heli were confused.
“Quite a crybaby, isn’t he?” asked Athena.
“He can be,” said Soule, “But the truth is, he is emotional for a good reason.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Soule returned home to Hearst Castle. His mother was the powerful Athena, the Princess of the Serpentine. He felt exhausted from passing out for whatever reason. He laid down in his bedroom comfortably when Athena came with a glass of water and a biscuit.
“You know Avys was scared to death when he saw you passed out in the hospital room.” she said in a motherly tone, “He was so concerned he actually cried uncontrollably. I know it wasn’t funny back then, but if you think about it, it did seem a little…far fetched.”
Soule didn’t smile and ate the biscuit anyways. There was silence thereafter. But Heli’s presence made Athena worry. She knew she had to tell you the truth.
She then sighed and said, “The doctor was curious how you manifested the magic.”
“I wanted to ask you,” said Soule, “But you were busy yelling, screaming and cursing at our staff and crew members about our ‘horrible mistreatment’. There was no way I could ask you during those times of the day.”
“Even though you are way past the age to manifest magic, you are very smart and very strong.” said Athena, caressing Soule’s head.
Soule pursed his lips.
I can’t explain it, though, he thought, I want to tell my mother that I didn’t want anyone getting hurt, or about that vision I had while I was hospitalized. It’s going to just crush them!
“I’m not quite sure,” he said, “But all I know was that I didn’t want anyone to be injured or, even worse, to die. I don’t know…if I’ll be able to do that again.”
Athena put her hand on top of Soule’s.
“Soule,” she said with concern, “There is…something that you and I and your father need to discuss at dinner. It’s important too.”
Soule was confused.
*~*~*~*~*~*
When Athena was still in Decelis Academy, she was like any normal teenager. She had friends, a family, and, most importantly, she was loved.
But during her last year as an actual student, she just couldn’t help but think that she had been together with her love Heli for the past two years. She frowned and sulked. Once she returned to the school for her final year, all she could do was cry in Heli’s arms.
“I’m sorry,” said Heli, during that time, “I know how you must feel. I am afraid, too. But…we are in this together. I love you so much, Athena.”
But Athena still cried. She cried blood that dripped all over Heli’s white polo top. She couldn’t take what she felt anymore. Athena abruptly stopped crying and pulled onto Heli by his top.
“I want to love you for all eternity! I want to grow old and live my next hundred years with you. Until we have aged and have done enough for ourselves! Please…let’s have children!”
For a long time, they tried to have children. But they just couldn’t. Female Serpents wouldn’t bore any until the age of eighteen. They had to wait for a whole year to pass until she was ready.
But it was after Decelis Academy’s graduation ceremony when Jacob, one of Heli’s friends, ran to the group that he named the Blood Altar.
“Jacob,” said Jaan, the oldest, “What has happened? You’re all sweaty and pale. Something must have troubled you.”
Jacob panted, “Athena is pregnant!”
*~*~*~*~*~*
“What did you need to tell me?” asked Soule at the dinner table, “I know you have been concerned that I have been training to be a K-Pop Idol and everything after school, but…isn’t there something else you wanted to tell me?”
“Soule, darling,” said Athena, “Your father wanted me to tell you…”
“Tell me what? Mother, it’s okay, you and Dad can tell me.”
But Athena struggled to finish her sentence.
Eventually, Heli said, “We wanted to tell you…that you are a Serpent. A demi-Serpent.”
Soule felt speechless.
So…I’m half Serpent…half something else? What are they talking about? Am I going to have this sort of potential?
“What do you mean? Why are you only saying I’m half Serpent? Please, tell me the truth!”
Suddenly, there was a slight rumble. And then, the house furniture began to float in mid-air. And then, the couple floated as they were in the middle of the spindle of furniture and broken items. When transformations were complete, everything made crashing sounds as they went back to their original spots.
Athena felt young; Heli felt strong. But Soule still curled up into a ball. He then uncovered himself and saw his mother and father in the bodies of two young teenagers with their exact same souls.
Mom? Dad?
*~*~*~*~*~*
Soule couldn’t believe his eyes. But he could see quite a difference between his mother and father.
Athena was Serpent, however, she was transformed to an Airess (term for a Daughter of the Air). She was not an Angel. Her wings are clear and transparent.
Heli was a demi-Serpent, born an Angel. He had sky brown wings.
“We want you to understand,” said Athena, “You are not just any ordinary seventeen-year-old boy. You are the prince of the Serpentine, a Duke to the Angelics, a Supreme Leader of Odysseus, Heli’s hometown. We need you to rule for us, after our time on this planet has been all used up. Please…just trust us!”
*~*~*~*~*~*
It was bedtime. Soule was already fast asleep.
Athena entered and said, “First day at school tomorrow.”
Soule groaned and said, “Why does it always have to be so difficult? That feeling when you have to go to work or things like that.”
“You must learn your first life before you coordinate the second one. It was how me and Heli did it. Now it’s your turn.”
In the morning, the students of Decelis Academy rushed in and out of their dorms. Even though it was only the first day, they couldn’t be late.
Soule was frozen. He stood in the middle of the hallway and looked at the distance. But just when he was about to proceed from the hallway, a girl his age stood right beside him.
“You're the son of Athena and Heli, right?” she asked.
Soule flinched, “Yes…how did you know!”
The girl curtseyed.
“I’m Bella. Bella McAfee. I know this sounds a little too soon, but…I think I like you.”
Soule paused for a moment. For the first time in his life, he had never heard anyone putting out their true feelings on him. But he couldn’t bear to break Bella’s heart.
So, he said, “I’ve heard quite a bit about you, so I’ll reciprocate your feelings.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Soule’s first friend supposedly turned out to be one of the boys. But he never thought that he would befriend a girl in school. It was while he was in class when Bella sat right next to him.
“Sorry,” she said, “Usually the girls’ classes and the boys’ classes are separated from each other, since there are relationships blooming too often. I want to ask you, is it that difficult being a magical K-Pop idol?”
Soule nodded his head slowly.
“Our manager wasn’t very nice to us. He took everything and even once threatened us to take away our company car.”
“That sucks!”
“I know, it does. But I have to keep going. That is what my mom said. But I think she meant something else.”
When school was over, Soule found a car that stretched to the school’s gates. He stood there in shock.
Who could possibly be picking someone up in that?
Athena and Soule’s boy group then stepped out of the car.
“SURPRISE!” shouted Athena.
But Soule felt confused.
“What’s with the limo?” he asked in a shout.
“We just found a new manager for you and the boys. The company’s owner had fired the last one you were with.”
Soule then followed his mother with his friends, little did he know that Bella had a concern stifling down her spine.
*~*~*~*~*~*
It was on the car ride to the studios when the driver was talking quietly on his mobile phone.
“Magic usually takes time to master. But you seemed to have handled it very well on stage the other day.” Athena said, patting Soule’s head.
“Mom, if you were up there, trying to save me, you could have been the one ending up hospitalized,” said Soule, “I had to do it…so that no one could get hurt.”
Avys creped closer to Soule and said, “Dude! Did you see what went on in the news? You’re famous now, Soule!”
Soule looked at the reports of him manifesting his magic at last. Soule felt proud but also embarrassed.
If only Mother would have told me sooner about my abilities!
The driver stopped for some reason. As he was on the phone, Soule could actually hear the conversation.
“Just Soule?” asked the driver, almost aloud.
They arrived at Star Road Entertainment. Only Soule was allowed to step out.
“Are you sure I can’t come along,” asked Athena, “I am his mother and do want to make sure he is alright.”
“It’s okay, ma’am,” said the owner of the company, Mr. Kim, “I shall see to it that Soule will be alright.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Soule and Mr. Kim silently walked the way to the TV station. But Soule felt an uncomfortable feeling. A very uncomfortable feeling.
“So…” said Soule, beginning the conversation, “This solo project that I’m going to be working on…am I going to have the others join in? I really don’t want to take opportunities that only revolve around me. It wouldn’t be fair, wouldn’t it.”
But Mr. Kim didn’t answer as he was still on the phone.
“Yup,” he said silently aloud, “We are almost there.”
“Also…” Soule shivered, “This isn’t the way to the TV station…isn’t it? I think we must have gone the wrong way.”
But Mr. Kim looked at Soule with a smirk and so did the driver of the limo. Soule was frightened nearly to his death.
“Do you know what kind of magic you used to save your little friends that day?” asked an ominous voice.
Soule was still frightened and responded, “It can’t be wielded around by anyone. Even I don't understand it at all.”
“It seems to me that you don’t know how to handle your own magic, let alone know how to make it. But we’ll see about that.”
The ominous voice cackled. And then, a figure of a woman flew by and tried to assault Soule. But then, just when the woman was about to get close to him, Soule put his hands first…and there was a shield surrounding him, blocking out the three people that were with him.
*~*~*~*~*~*
“Are you alright?” asked Eugene to Athena, “You seem worried about something. Are you?”
“Yes,” said Athena, “But that does not mean I can’t be worried about my own son, I hope he is doing alright.”
Suddenly, the car began to speed away quickly. Athena and the boys were confused and terrified.
“Boys. Was that just me, or is this car actually moving?!” asked Athena with a terrified voice.
But no one knew a thing.
Meanwhile, Soule had a vision about the insanely driven car. He knew that his mother and friends were in danger. The shield made an explosion, making most things crash deafeningly. Soule ran out to rescue his mother and friends.
Luckily, they didn’t go that far. But still they were terrified for their lives. Athena tried to take control of the wheel, but it was too strong for her to control! They then saw the train speeding in front of them.
That train, thought Athena, It was the first one that I had gone on with my mother and father. But then, the accident…and I had to use my powers…in front of everyone. Now I–
Suddenly, Soule went in front of the car. And when it was about to touch him, a force of lightning lifted up the vehicle and threw it out of the train’s way. And another car was gaining right in front of him. He sensed that Mr. Kim was driving it.
As it was about to run him over…Soule jumped and leaped over, floating all the way in the air. While he still had the force, he lifted up the vehicle, and threw it away, where it made an explosion, and Soule collapsed to the ground.
SOULE?! NO!! SOULE…!!!