Acheron

friend.'

Once Simi had devoured every crumb, Savitar picked her up in his arms to carry her while he walked through the crumbled streets. 'She's impressive, isn't she?'

'My mother or Simi?'

Savitar laughed. 'Both, but I was speaking of your mother.'

Acheron looked around and sighed at the destruction his mother had wrought. 'Yes, she is.' And as they walked Acheron realized something. 'I can't hear your thoughts.'

'No, you can't. And you never will. You'll find that many of the higher beings of the universe will be silent to you. Some gods, demons, and other special creatures. We all have our secrets, but the comfort to you is that most won't be able to hear yours either.'

That was comforting. 'Can you hear them?'

'The answer you seek is no, but the truth is, I hear you, Acheron, and yes, I know all about your past.'

He cursed at what he didn't want to hear. 'What of the others? Will they know my past too?'

'Some will.' Savitar shifted Simi in his arms, then paused to look at him. 'I don't care about your past, Acheron. It's your future that matters to me. I want to make sure that you have one and that you comprehend how important you are to the balance of power.'

Balance of power? 'I don't understand.'

'Apollo cursed his Apollites.'

'And my mother killed them all.'

Savitar shook his head. 'Many died with Atlantis, but there are thousands of them who have spread over the Mediterranean and who live in many other countries now, including Apollo's own son, Strykerius. All of them have been cursed to die on their twenty-seventh birthday. All of them.'

'Then how are they a problem? If they all die in a few years, they'll be extinct.'

Savitar stroked Simi's head before he started walking again. 'They're not going to die, Acheron. They will live and they will procreate many times over.'

'How?'

Savitar sighed before he answered. 'A goddess will lead them and show them how to prey on human souls to circumvent Apollo's curse.'

Acheron was appalled. 'I don't understand. Why would anyone do such a thing?'

'Because the universe is complicated and there's a delicate balance in all things that must be maintained.'

'Yes, but if you know these people will die, can't you stop the goddess from teaching them?'

'I could. But it could unravel the very essence of the universe.'

Frustration ran deep through Acheron. He didn't understand. Why would someone fail to help another if they had the power to?

Savitar picked up a random stone from the ground and held it in his hand. 'Tell me what happens if I throw this with all my power.'

Acheron frowned until he saw an image in his head. It was the stone traveling through the air… it sped until it hit a man in his shoulder, wounding him. No, not any man. A soldier. His arm now lame, the stone's wound forced him to become a beggar…

Eight score people would then die because the soldier could no longer protect them in battles that wouldn't even be fought for years to come. But out of those people who died…

'It goes on and on and on,' Savitar said. 'One tiny decision: Do I throw the rock or do I drop it? And a thousand lives are changed by one innocuous decision.' He let the rock fall to the ground.

Now it was harmless again and history wrote itself forward the way it was supposed to.

Savitar smiled down at Simi who'd fallen asleep in his arms. 'You and I are cursed to understand how the tiniest decision made by every being can go onward to affect the rest of the universe. I know what should happen… what needs to happen. And if I stop something as simple as a rock throw, it could cause catastrophic consequences. However, unlike you, I don't see the future until after I act. The moment I do something, I then see everything unfold from that point on. You are lucky. You will always see the future before you act.'

'But I didn't see my sister's death.'

'No. The Greek Fates, when they cursed you, blinded you to the fate of those closest to you. Anyone you care about will be your blind spot.'

'That's not right.'

'Well, kid, brace yourself. This one's even worse. You also will never be able to see your own future or the future of anyone who seriously impacts your future.'

Acheron ground his teeth at the injustice. 'Can you see it?'

'It's why I'm here.'

'Then tell me what you see.'

Savitar shook his head. 'Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. If you knew what was ahead of you, you'd avoid doing the very things you must do in order to have it unfold properly. One small innocuous decision and your destiny will be altered forever.'

'But you can see your future.'

'Only after I've set it into motion and can't change it.'

Acheron shook his head as he pondered which of them was the most cursed. The one who was blind or the one who saw it instantly and was powerless to stop it.

Savitar clapped him on the back. 'I know how confusing it is for you to have all this power and knowledge and not know how to channel it. Or tap it.'

Acheron nodded. 'It is hard.'

Savitar smiled. 'That's why the first thing I want to teach you is fighting.'

'Why fighting?'

Savitar laughed as they walked. 'Because you're going to need it. There's a war coming, Acheron, and you have to be prepared for it.'

'A war? What kind of war?'

Savitar refused to answer. Instead, he shook Simi awake. 'Little one, I need you to return to your akri and stay on him while he fights. Don't worry though, it's only pretend fighting. No need for you to come off him to protect him.'

Simi nodded sleepily before she obeyed. She drifted onto Acheron's arm.

'Move up, Simi,' Savitar said to her. 'Go to his neck where you won't be hit.'

Acheron frowned at his orders. 'Can she feel a blow when she's on my skin?'

'Yes, she can. And if she's stabbed while she's there and it wounds you, it will wound her too. Guard your demon, boy.'

The next thing Acheron knew, they were alone on a beach. 'Takeshi!' Savitar shouted.

Black smoke roiled out of the earth.

Acheron stepped back as the smoke cleared to reveal a man in armor the likes of which he'd never seen before. Blood red, it was made of shining metal. Wickedly carved blades curved up over his shoulders while a neck piece came up to cover the lower part of his face. All that could be seen were his eyes and the red scrollwork tattoo that was drawn across his forehead.

His black hair was tinged with red tips. His eyes slanted exotically like a feral cat and they were a deep, blood red. But the moment those eyes fastened on Savitar, they lightened with friendship. The metal around his neck folded down from his handsome face to show a man no more than a year or two older than Acheron.

'Savitar-san,' he greeted with a crooked grin. 'It's been a long time.'

Savitar inclined his head to him. 'And I'm calling in a favor.'

With one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, Takeshi tsked as he looked about the beach. 'Sav, you can't keep doing this. I'm running out of places to put the bodies.'

Savitar laughed. 'Nothing like that.' He stepped back to allow the two of them to size each other up. 'Takeshi, meet Acheron. Acheron this is Takeshi-sensei. Listen to him and he'll teach you to fight in ways you can't imagine.'