Chapter 99 - Icarus and Athena (Part 1)

  Icarus:

  I was wandering through a random alley iy of Cyl, desperately searg for something to eat. It was hard to find scraps of food sihe ey reparing for the visit of the Goddess Athena. The safest pces, where I could usually find some trash, were pletely ed out for the festival. I didn’t dare veo the dangerous zones in search of food, at least not without Helen to protect me.

  My friend disappeared just as she said she would. Ever since she found out that the Goddess Athena was ing to our city, Helen had been nervous, always ag cautiously. She was terrified of being captured ao Agoge because of her skill with Aura.

  Now, I’m on my own.

  Over the years living with Helen, I learned a lot. She always showed me where to find food without riskiien by the guards or wandering into areas trolled by local gangs.

  Even though she's older, Helen is alatient with me.

  I kept rummaging through the alleys, but everything otless.

  “What now? What am I going to eat?” I muttered to myself, frustrated.

  I sighed, missing Helen.

  “She could’ve takeh her…”

  Helen had even improved the pce where we slept. We had a secret hideout in the sewers where we lived. Since I started sleeping there, I no longer had to spend cold nights oreets. That small space had bey home. Helen had stolen some bhat were drying at a rich person’s house. She expio me that stealing was wrong, but it was even worse to steal from someone poor, who would certainly suffer more.

  I tinued walking around the city, looking for something.

  “Mister, I have a fruit?” I asked a vendor.

  The stall owner looked at me with disdain. “Get out of here! You’ll scare away my ers!” he shouted, throwing a few sto me.

  I ran to avoid trouble. The guards didn’t like seeing street kids wandering around the market, and anyone would report us without hesitation.

  “Looks like the clothes Helen gave me are getting worn out,” I murmured.

  Helen taught me a trick: wear new and always clothes to walk in richer areas without drawing attention. With a good appearance, we could go unnoticed and avoid the guards.

  Today, it seems I won’t get anything to eat… damn Goddess.

  The Goddess Athena almost never left her pa the city of Athens, and her presence was shrouded in mystery. Ever since she desded from Olympus and began to rule over us, many things ged. In the past, war was stant, with many invasions iies. The Persians and Spartans fought, and everything was a plete mess. That ged when Athena desded to Greed brought a time of peace. She subdued the Persians and Spartans and now rules over half of Greece. Her dream is to quer the world and end wars and evil.

  But because of her visit, I have nothing to eat.

  I walked out of the market, watg the activity at the stalls. I saw one almost at the end of its sales. I khe owner would throw away the fruits that had gone bad. I spent the entire day hiding among some crates, waiting in the scorg sun. Finally, the owner finished pag up his things and carried a wooden box to the trash area. I followed him, stopping at the alley. Thanks to Athena, there was an effit garbage colle system that prevehe spread of diseases. This helped us because we knew where to look for food.

  The mahe crates in an alley, in the colle area. It was a rge metal square that everyone called a ‘dumpster.’ As soon as he left the alley, I ran over before any other homeless person arrived.

  I approached the dumpster and jumped inside.

  “Where is it?”

  I searched until I finally found the box. It had some rotten fruits, but that didn’t stop me from grabbing them.

  “Finally! I’ve been in that heat all day…”

  Now, I just o cut off the bad parts and enjoy what’s left.

  As I tried to get out of there, I noticed a guard approag, so I bolted.

  “Hey, kid!”

  He shouted after me, but I kept running. I saw him followi didn’t care. As I turned into an alley, a hand suddenly grabbed me by the shirt and lifted me up.

  "Let me go!" I tried tle, but when I realized it was anuard, fear gripped me.

  "Finally caught up with the little shit," said the guard.

  "I swear I wasn’t at the market..."

  They exged gnces.

  “That doesn’t matter now. Just know that the Goddess Athena will be parading through the cities, and tomorrow it’s this ourn.”

  “And what does that have to do with me?” I asked, trying to hide my fear.

  He spped the bay head.

  “You and the other street rats will go and pay homage to her. We o pack as many people as possible so she sees a crowd cheering, making the other cities jealous. Got it?”

  I quickly nodded.

  “There’ll be soldiers patrolling the areas and cheg around. If we catch you wandering around, you’ll get a beating you won’t fet. We need all of you to help fill up the route she’ll pass through. The more on folk she sees, the better. Uood? There’ll even be food handed out for you.”

  I nodded again and was released with my fruits.

  When I got back to the poor district, I found out that some guards had already beeo spread the word. Everyone was aware.

  I’ll have to go to the parade, or I might get a beating.

  I could still hide in the shelter where I usually slept, but knowing I could go to the festival, a part of me was excited.

  I might get to see some real soldiers, the true Aura users.

  Maybe I’ll even see a General… I thought, feelied.

  Generals were the pinnacle of human power in the realm of Aura, and I was a big fan of some hero stories featuring those powers, like the great Hercules.

  “I’m such a fool… There’s going to be an actual god passing by. I’ll get to see a goddess and eve free food.”

  I’ll get some food for Helen.