Circe (39)

My pace slowed as I took the lead. Half the tents I remembered standing here were gone and a quarter of those still standing seemed unused. I could sense from the few followers that remained only tension and fear as we approached. Circe stood at the door of her home looking expectantly at me making me slow my pace further. Meli and Sert stood behind me looking around them as we walked at a turtles pace forward.

“The dread bird returns?” she asked dryly. I could not see if she was ignoring or simply not seeing my companions. Only I appeared in her focused mind. “I understand not sending word to me since none would venture here to deliver it.” she added.

“I may have been renamed “Kestrel', but it is not the “dread bird” that stands before you.” I corrected her harshly. The sharp intake of breath from her followers pushed Meli and Sert into defensive stances as they watched over me. “And my time with the Atlantians has made it harder to visit or send word to you directly of my coming.” I continued softer. Little thunder remained hidden silently in a nearby tree watching like my companions did.

“Sertian and Mekiliean.” Sert announced to her. They moved to take places at my side while Circe ignored them even more. “We are Lord Kestrel's retinue from Atlantis.” he added quickly. Most of her followers had disappeared into their tents.

“So why is the dread bird here?” she asked in a sibilant voice. “Trying your luck at my hands?” she continued with a crooked smile. She slowly slunk forward at me. I signal Meli and Sert to back away as I responded.

“You know my honour will not permit me to do anything.” I tossed back at her. She continued her approached as her smile turned predatory and madness touched her eyes. She ran a single nail edged finger tip down the side of my cheek and jaw. “What has happened to make you turn on me like this?” I whispered to her. She moved her body closer to mine as her lips brushed my ear.

“Everyone leaves in the end.” she whispered. “Even turning them into beasts does not hold them here with me anymore.” she whined in my ear. “Would your honour make you stay here if I took you to my bed?” she added huskily.

“It can never be Circe.” I replied in a whisper. “My duties would drag me away from you daily.” I explained slowly. “I will never lie to you with my words or my flesh.” I concluded. I place my hands firmly on her shoulders raising a gasp from her few followers still visible. I pushed her back hard as I step away from her.

The remaining followers darted to the safety of their tents as Circe hissed loudly at me. With an open palm wave, I halted Meli and Sert as they moved to retake positions at my side. Circe and I glared at each other for a few minutes before she groaned in frustration as she turned to retreat from me.

“What was that about?” Meli asked. Her and Sert were at my side watching Circe disappear into her home. Her followers emerged with most of them carrying their meagre belongings in hand. I sensed that they were all ready to flee even if it meant the impossible swim to potentially hostile shores.

“Isolation is driving her to madness faster than expected.” I muttered in Atlantian. Some of her followers froze as they glanced at us huddled together between Circe's home and their tents. “She came here because so-called civilization could not accept that she had powers.” I explained slowly. “Like most of her followers, they have been turn on by others forcing them to seek isolation just to stay alive.” I continued at the same slow pace. “Like Atlantis did under the ideals a protection.” I added softly.

“Will she become a threat to us?” Sert asked. I shook my head before glancing at her followers that stood watching us. “And to them?” he added bluntly. He had spoken in Greek so I knew they understood his words. Their eyes widen with fear as I felt their despair wash over me.

“If they remain, they may all end up as beasts.” I replied calmly in Greek. I heard the murmured sigh from them. “Better than dying in their own lands that have forsaken them.” I added bluntly. I held back revealing they were all of mixed blood to have abilities abnormal to other humans. Better to hide this secret from all of them or risk my companions suggesting they be brought to Atlantis for proper training and permanent relocation.

“Do we hazard entering her domicile or set ourselves up out her until Balthis arrives to retrieve us?” Meli asked softly. I could feel she wanted to be away from this place even if she had her magic to protect herself here.

“Do as you two see fit.” I remarked quickly. “I must enter to gauge how close she is to falling fully into her madness.” I stated softly. My companions stared at me in silence. “If she is too close to the edge, her followers leave with us to be deposited in their respective lands safely.” I added in a whisper. They nodded to me as they smiled about my decision. I could not have left them here even if their fate was not truly dire.

Sert moved away from us. He began talking in whispers to the followers and I knew he was organizing them to be ready on the dock for Balthis' arrival. Meli stayed at my side as I moved slowly to Circe's dwelling. My thought were more focused on how Balthis would react as he realized he was crossing Circe. I had one last card to play if Balthis refused but it may leave us all here stranded waiting to face Circe's rage. But I feel confident that sailing on a ship with stolen technology and an enemy engineer would seem safer than staying here.

If Circe was too close to the edge, I would show her what the future had in store for her. It was my only hope as it rendered her unconscious for many hours after it ended allowing me to save the others trapped here. It would either make her regain her sanity or force her forever over the edge of madness with all I would show her. With but a mental thought, my little thunder was airborne to find Balthis and have him hurry his arrival. I wished that my decision could save Circe without causing her to fall deeper into the madness leading to her future actions. Human freedom was about to be challenged directly by my actions here. It was more than giving passing advice which I would normally do. If I did not interfere now, her madness could spread to her followers causing more damage than could be allowed.

“You are a persistent and foolish old bird.” Circe remarked. We had entered her sitting room where she sat in half broken chair as if it was a throne. “Why do you try so hard when we are such a wretched race?” she asked in a half whisper.

“It is my duty to them, my lot in life to help and protect them.” I answered quietly. Meli stood a few feet behind my left shoulder. “Is that the reason for your outburst?” I continued calmly. “Have you lost faith in yourself and in those you teach?”

“The more I teach about honour, the less they seem to understand it.” she replied. I felt Meli move closer to my side as sparks of magic began swirling round Circe. “It all seems for nothing since I am starting to confuse honour and dishonour before me.” she continued slowly. False tears ran down her face as she spoke and the magic swirled faster around her. “If you stay, you could teach them so much better than I will ever be able to.” she added.

“No!” Meli screamed. Her hand shot out before her as she moved to stand between me and Circe. The soft earth at our feet turned into solid stone circle stopping the plant tendrils from reaching us. Circe was on her feet hissing at Meli. I felt the energy rise in both of them as they prepared to dual magically over me. Meli dropped to her knees gasping as she felt the mentally charged bolt of magic lash out from me at Circe.

“See your path and learn true fear.” I commanded. My hand was out before me in a clawed position. Sparkling ribbons of magic flowed forth from my hand into Circe's head. She feel back crashing through the chair she had occupied. “Meli!” I interjected hard. “Get to Sert and have everyone to the docks ready to leave immediately.”

“Yes sir!” she replied before rushing from the room. I moved forward slowly flooding Circe's mind with all the possible path that stretched out before her. True tears ran down her face as her eyes opened wider showing more white than should be possible for a human. I seared the multiple futures into her memory without mercy. I felt her slip fully into her madness bringing tears of regret to my eyes. Another would find her here in her madness but that was his destine to prove himself a hero even if he is thought as being among the dead.

I left her after she collapsed from the strain I inflicted upon her mind. She would not regain consciousness within the day and take at least another day before she could even move again. My actions here had been forced by her madness and loneliness and ended badly for her. “Dread bird did return to you poor Circe.” I whispered as I left her home. Little thunder was returning fast diving in to land on my shoulder hard. I listened to his little squawks and beak snaps. “Go back to watch over them.” I ordered in a whisper. Things were turning worse by the moment but we would still be long gone before Circe awoke.

If the full potential of the Leviathan was available, we could have all her followers dropped off and be back in Atlantis before night fall. The ship would be drained and stuck in port recharging in Atlantis for a week though. I did not relish explaining to Annianka, the Council, or the two sets of guards why a ship with Lemurian technology sat in their harbour. Worse part was I could see Lockey trying to appropriate the spent crystal from Atlantis. The potential conflict it could cause would work against the peace treaties Brother War and Brother Death were already working on in Lemuria.