“Leave!” the stranger uttered, “Since you have no ties to the village you can flee to safety.” I scoffed at her and said, “This village is not just their home, its mine too; I will never leave my home.” She smiled at me and said, “Then I will definitely need your help.”
She appeared after the incident that dyed the outside stone walls red and covered my eyes. Her hands directed me back inside, where Eleni smothered me with a tearful hug. When I regained my composure, a tall woman wearing a white ornate cloak that shielded her eyes stood in front of me. Her black hair fell over a note that came from the other side of the gate in her hand. “We have five days,” she stated. Then, the stranger handed the note to Eleni as I remained in her arms. The note stated Dodasa would claim the land in 5 days and to prepare it for their taking. Upon reading, I clenched my hands in rage.
“I can save you all!” The stranger promised. “But, not without Hera,” she spoke while turning to me.
She referred to my inventions, the mechanisms I made for the village, the intricate toys I made for Helios, and the weapons Evander taught me how to forge. She called on me to create a defense for Aigaion. I smiled. That’s all I ever wanted to do. The next few days, I poured myself into my mechanisms. I crafted a variety of weapons that were deadly, yet easy to use. Some I had heard of before, like catapults, and others I imbued with my creativity. The violent intent of the weapons I created did not cross my mind, as I saw them as nothing more than defense measures. The stranger gathered the remaining able-bodied adults and trained them on how to use my creations.
She trained everyone but the sick, elderly, and young to fight. She lumped me in with the young category, so I was useless to her. Because she viewed me as young and weak, I had to get on my knees and beg, “Let me fight with the others!” The outsider denied me, no matter how much I pleaded. Though, she allowed me to be there when training started to show them how everything worked. However, she pushed me away from her lessons after, my face tightened up in frustration. The object of my desire stood as the only action the village forbade me from pursuing. I wanted to fight. I wanted to get stronger. I wanted to protect my home. That desire stayed unfulfilled because Evander, Eleni, and this new outsider denied it. Knowing my wish, they put me under watch to ensure that it would never come to pass.
They forgot about the years of masterful evasion that brought me to them. Despite their restrictions, I disobeyed their cruel orders. I would not let them stop me from fulfilling my purpose. I trained due to my many memories of grief for the corpses we buried. I fondly reminisced about Dimitris reprimanding Colin for not following Ajax’s instructions closely and using me as an example for someone who earnestly listened to every lesson. Ajax used to praise my form and will to fight while forcefully pulling me back to Evander. They called my name and encouraged me, despite not wanting me to join their fight.
“Hera, you are the most determined citizen of Aigaion, but you are not a warrior,” Ajax would repeat again and again.
“I can fight. I can become a warrior like them. I will prove them wrong,” I whispered to myself. I continued to increase my strength whenever I could. I did not know if my tears came from reliving those memories or the searing pain from my fingers clutching the sword I swung for hours. Everyday before the next calamity, I worked the best I could no matter the toll. Despite my hand wanting to peel off, I continued with glee. I needed to get stronger. I needed to stop feeling defenseless. I needed to protect the family who named me.
Eventually, Evander allowed me to exit the gate again. I brought an old stool to prop up next to the gate and just reminisce for a little bit. I placed my hand on the red stone walls, questioning where those two last stood. We already buried all the corpses but had yet to hold a ceremony or decorate graves. I wondered what their final thoughts might have been. The sound of Evander hauling over a couple of my heavier defense mechanisms ended my short break. In preparation for the Day of Calamity, the people of Aigaion equipped the walls with my weapons.
Finally, the Day of Calamity arrived. Everyone stood ready to defend our home, even though death knocked at the door. Dodasa crossed the bridge, expecting us to sit defenseless while they carved their name into our land. The horns screamed the same as before. Our guardian, the stranger, directed everyone to their positions. I took Helios from Eleni as she left to fight with Evander. Before she left, she kissed both our foreheads and whispered, “Hera, Helios, my children, I love you. Everything will be okay. We will protect you.” I loved hearing my name. Of all the words she said, “Hera,” made me smile the most. I ran with Helios in my arms and left him with the elders as I again pursued the gate. I laid down the infant I had cared for as a brother for the last time and left the safe zone to fight. I fulfilled my task of getting everyone not fighting to safety, except me.
No one stood in my way this time, as everyone who could fought outside the walls. I grabbed my sword and lunged to defend my home. I readied myself for this since the beginning of the conflict. I wished to stand with Colin and Dimitris at the gates of the village and guard it with them. That wish can never be granted now. Like Colin and Dimitris, I aimed to get stronger and stronger to protect our most valuable home. I think I understand what they must have thought on the day I last saw them; “Even if I die here, all my efforts were worth protecting this place.”
Outside the gates existed a river of bloodshed. The weapons I created hit many of Dodasa’s men, and they contemplated retreat. I stood on the battlefield among our newly trained warriors. However, when Evander saw me, he attempted to bring me back to the gate once more, but I ran from him into the enemy. “Hera! Stay back!” he yelled. I smiled, “I will not!” as I finally got to protect Aigaion with my own hands.
Upon my entry, I disrupted everyone’s rhythm with their shock of a child coming to the rescue. My eyes met those of our guardian. Her face showed a horrified expression, not the reaction I imagined. Evander and Eleni went hysterical. I continued to swing my blade at the enemies, forcing them away from the gate. Suddenly, a hand grabbed onto me and interrupted my movements. The hand belonged to Evander. He grabbed my shoulders and forced me to face him. He cried, “Hera! You don’t understand! We are not fighting to protect Aigaion or our land. We are protecting you.” The enemies surrounding us began to run away as the familiar sound of one of my projectiles played. I reacted. I pushed Evander as hard as I could and sent him flying a couple feet away from me. The last thing I heard was his scream, “Hera!”
Battle’s End
After Dodasa completely retreated, everyone regrouped and celebrated. I approached Evander and Eleni curled over the frame of Aigaion’s savior. Unfortunately, I failed as their guardian. Her eyes remained shut, but her heart still sang. Evander carried the girl back inside the walls for Eleni to address her wounds. They laid her in her bed waiting for her to smile again. As I followed them, I apologized, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t keep my promise.” Aigaion won at a cost. Surprisingly that cost was not life. Not even a single causality could be reported, but Hera was gone.
Written By: Rachel Caña
Owl Things Considered 