Gods and Monsters 3: The Rogue Demigod

Foreword

''After the demigods had acknowledged Dhumavati and cured the gods of the deadly plague, they resumed their lives; hearts at ease, thinking that all their problems had been solved now that they were certain every god had been recognized. ''

''But, little did they realize that evil never rests, and had even infiltrated among them, biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They would soon lose their one of their own to the darkness, and whether they could reclaim him was anyone’s guess.''

Prelude

''Lio raced down the hall, footsteps thudding, echoing off the walls around him. The shadowy figure in front of him turned around the corner, out of sight. Lio stepped up the pace, and turned the bend himself. So close, he was so close. The hall stopped suddenly stopped in a dead end, ending in a wall. The figure stopped, searching desperately for a way out. But there was none. Lio grinned with satisfaction, now taking his sweet time, approaching the figure slowly.''

''            “Tamas.” he said, voice dripping with scathing dislike. Tamas slowly turned, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.''

''            “Why? Why did you do it?” Lio asked, glaring at him.''

''            “Why did I do what?” Tamas asked, his tone sweet and innocent.''

            “You know what.” Lio snarled back.

''            “Oh, you mean take down every god in history? Because it was fun.”''

''            “FUN? What do you mean, fun?” Lio snapped. Sensing that he was getting to him, Tamas stepped closer, grinning wider.''

''            “Oh come now, don’t play dumb. Surely you know? Haven’t you felt the urge?” he said, voice as smooth as silk.''

''            “Urge? What urge?”''

''            “The urge to be bad. Come on, admit it, it tempts you.”''

''            “Never! I would never turn evil!”''

''            “Oh really? So you choose to be good? Like that’ll last long.”''

            “What do you mean?”

''            “Being good is sooo boring. No fun at all. No pleasure.”''

            “Yeah right.”

''            “No, really. Think about it. If being good was so great and being evil so horrible, then why is there still evil, hmm? Surely you know why. You’ve felt it. Why else would you try to hard to be a bad boy?”''

            “Felt what exactly?”

''            “Evil. True evil. The tingle you get knowing you’re truly bad, the power, the laughter bubbling inside you, the greatness knowing that others cower before you, fear you. Feeling unstoppable, like you could do anything, be anyone, and nobody dare stop you. The thrill of it, the excitement, the adrenaline through your veins when you watch the pathetic few try to stop you, and you know they never will. Come on, don’t tell me that doesn’t appeal to you. Besides, what fun is goodness? Yeah sure, big hero saves the day, loved by all, blah blah blah. But after a while it’s not enough, the people need more, expect you to save their sorry lives. Always have to waste every spare moment of your time for them. And do they ever truly appreciate it? NO! They want more, you must do more, everything, more, more, MORE! Can you honestly tell me you want to live like that, be that person, the slave to everyone, or would you rather be the master, everyone bowing before you, giving you all you could possibly desire.” Tamas whispered, stealthily walking closer, seeing the web he was weaving around Lio. His mind was so easy to manipulate. As if he ever thought he could defeat him. Ha! He smiled at the torn look on Lio’s face, seeing the internal struggle. He had him. Now in for the kill.''

''            “Come, join us. Nobody will care. Your friends, those ‘goody two shoes’, you really want to waste your time with them? They don’t really like you, just using you. Like that freak, Nahele. Do you honestly think he likes you, especially with the way he treats you? He’s such a stupid wh-”''

''            “YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Lio roared, punching Tamas right in the face. His head snapped sideways and he fell to the floor, clutching his rapidly purpling jaw. Lio stood over him, breathing heavily with rage, both fists balled and ready to strike at the slightest provocation.''

''            “BE GLAD WE’RE AT SCHOOL OR I’D BEAT YOU TO A PULP! DON’T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT! AND IF I EVER SEE YOUR UGLY MUG AROUND HERE AGAIN, I’LL MAKE YOUR LIFE HELL!” he thundered, then stormed off, fuming. Tamas laid on the floor and felt his jaw, moving it gently. It crackled loudly and Tamas grimaced, then grinned once more. He’d done it, he had finally gotten to him. Now it was only a matter of time.''

Chapter 1

Lio stared absentmindedly at the teacher at the front of the class, not really hearing her words. His eyes wandered downward without his notice, then he realized he was staring at the back of Nahele’s head. Man, was he bored. He pulled out a loose sheet of paper and ripped off a corner, scribbling a quick message on it and crumpling it, then threw it at Nahele, bouncing it off her black hair. She whirled around and gave him a little glare, then picked up the paper, uncrumpling it and reading it.

Hi, it said. Nahele smirked and gave him a little wave. Lio tore off another piece of paper, writing on this one and throwing it as well. Nahele rolled her eyes and read it too.

           I’m bored, it read. Nahele rolled her eyes again and scrawled on the paper, throwing it back.

What the heck am I supposed to do about it? Lio grinned and threw another note.

Make it rain. Nahele threw a note back, and a rapid paper conversation ensued.

No, I can’t do that.

            Why not?

''            I just can’t, moron. It’s not in my power.''

            What can you do?

            Make a tornado.

            Then do that.

''            Are you crazy? No!''

            Why not?

            BECAUSE NO! 

            Lio threw back another protest, which Nahele glared at, then slowly, deliberately, making sure that Lio was watching her, she picked up the piece of paper and ate it, chewing it up and swallowing it. Lio snorted with suppressed laughter, his shoulders shaking with mirth. Leave it to Nahele to do something like that. Obviously their conversation was over. Or was it? Lio ripped off another piece of paper and threw it at her. She snatched it out of the air without looking and popped this one in her mouth as well. Then all their other notes followed, as if she was disposing of the evidence. Then the bell rang, signaling the end of class and start of lunch. As they went out the door, Nahele sidled up to Lio.

“Dude, you have got to stop passing me notes in class, there’s only so much paper I can eat.” she complained.

“Well then, why do you keep eating them?” Lio teased.

“Because passing notes in class is against the rules and I have to get rid of the evidence somehow.” she replied.

“Why not just throw them away?”

“Because the trash can is not as secure as my stomach. Trash can be searched, my stomach not so much, at least not without a good fight.”

“Why so paranoid?”

“Because every bit counts, and you don’t know who is watching.” Nahele stated seriously, her tone indicating that the conversation was over. They went into the creepateria in silence, picking up their lunches and going to their seats of choice, Lio still following Nahele, determined to bug her still. He leaned over and gave her his most irritating grin.

“Now will you make a tornado?” he asked. Nahele glared at him.

“NO!”

“Why not?”

“Lio, we are not doing this again!”

Lio opened his mouth to make one more protest, but was cut short when Nahele picked up his roll and stuffed it in his mouth. Lio gagged slightly, then quickly chewed it and swallowed, ready to continue where he had left off, but abruptly shut his mouth with a snap and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender once he saw that she was holding an apple with a threatening look on her face.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” she said, then continued to eat her lunch. Lio chuckled silently, then finished off whatever food she hadn’t already shoved in his face.

Soon the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and the start of their next class, which for the two was Physical Deaducation. They left the creepateria and went to the locker rooms to change into their gym clothes, then headed into the grimnasium with the rest of their class to wait for the teacher, Coach Igor. He soon came in, with his signature disfigured scowl on his face and limp in his stride, his peg leg clunking on the floor with every other step. He strode up and down the line of students, scowling as he looked at each and every one of their faces, and the students stared back, wary of what torture he had planned for today’s class. Finally he stopped in the middle of the line and yelled for all to hear.

“All right class! Today you get off a little easy. We have a relaxing exercise in store for today, because I don’t think any of you pixies can take anything harder,” he barked. Carly, an actual pixie, fluttered her wings and scowled with indignation at her kind being used as an insult, her steely gaze burning into the coach’s back. Coach Igor plowed on, heedless of what the class thought.

“Today, we play DODGESKULL! Now get out there and get to it!” he roared and the whole groaned. Yeah, dodgeskull, real easy, sure. They grabbed balls and lined up, waiting for the coach’s whistle. It came, high and piercing, and pandemonium began. Balls began to fly left and right, whistling from the amount of force that they were thrown. Several students were quickly taken out, with two to the stomach, three in the leg, and one with a resounding “smack!” to the face. Most, however, like Lio and Nahele were quite agile, gracefully avoiding the soaring projectiles. Lio looked over to his friend and noticed that quite a lot of balls were headed her way, and he turned to see the source. The torrent of rubber inflatables were coming from a group of three guys, a demon, a werewolf, and an orc, all of which were singling her out with deadly determination. But Nahele’s reflexes were too good, and she easily dodged them, looking almost bored. Then, after a near miss from the demon breezed past her face, she seemed to have enough, scooping ball after ball from the air and returning them. The orc was the first to fall, his feet knocked clean out from under him, then the werewolf went down, winded by a solid wallop to the stomach, and finally the demon, who caught one right in the face. The three snarled and advanced on the Hawaiian demigod, murder in their eyes, but a blast from Coach Igor’s whistle stopped them.

“Now, now, no time for sore losers! Go to the bench and sit it out!” he chided, and the three sulkily followed, casting death glares at the smug Nahele.

After a few more minutes of chaos, Coach Igor’s whistle blasted again, this time signaling the last few minutes of class.

“Alright everyone! Cleanup time! And I better see everything put away, or the entire class stays behind and scrubs the floor! I’m sure Ogrethor would appreciate it!” he bellowed. The class groaned and dragged their feet, but everything was put away, even the occasional ball that had popped with either an enthusiastic throw or from landing on a sharp horn, spike or barb protruding for a student’s body. Once everything was put away, they all filed out to the locker rooms, Lio and Nahele the last to leave. Then Nahele left, Lio trailing behind her, lost in thought. He found himself staring at the floor, gazing at three dark streaks, then he realized what they were. Stretching out across the ground behind her, three ominously dark shadows followed Nahele.