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GARGOYLES: Secrets and Lies (Chapter 4)	By : Odyssey34 Category: +G through L > Gargoyles Views: 2927 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gargoyles, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-GARGOYLES: Secrets and Lies (Chapter 4)
- 1
All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of Odyssey34.

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Cassy sighed, as she walked through the doors from her school.
‘Just once I would like to get through one day without being hassled,’ she thought only slightly angry. There had been a time when she had come home crying nearly all the time and Manty had had to comfort her for hours. Now, after all the years spent living on New Olympus and all the hassles and repeated insults, she had finally grown accustomed to what they were like. It was almost casual to her now.
“Hey, Cass!”
Cassy turned and saw her Centaur friend, Cyan, galloping over towards her. She had had a free period and had got out early.
“Hey horse-girl,” Cassy said joking, giving her a small hug. “Where’s Cyc?”
Cyan rolled her eyes. “Getting a date, what else?”
“Ohhh boy,” Cassy said, her head already aching. She had a feeling that there was going to be the sound of slapping hands, claws and hoofs tonight, all on Cyc’s arrogant and cocky face.
“Where is he this time?” Cassy sighed.
“Outside the Unicorn’s Diner,” Cyan pointed over to the small restaurant around the corner.
Cassy followed her sight until her eyes rested on Cyc standing in front of the restaurant, looking as though he was waiting for someone, most likely them. He dropped something and bent over to pick it up.
Cassy stared at him a moment, but aside from smiling at the passing females and the occasional flex of his muscles; he didn’t seem to be flirting in his usual style of arrogance and vanity.
Cyc dropped something again and reached down to pick it up.
‘Have to admit, he’s got a cute butt if anything else,’ she thought, smiling slightly. She then noticed Cyan’s expression and looked at her, puzzled.
“What is it?” she asked, as Cyan’s face was sneering at the huge Cyclops.
“What do you mean ‘what is it?’” Cyan said. “Can’t you see what he’s doing?”
Cassy looked again, but nothing seemed to be amiss, aside for the fact that he seemed to have got very clumsy at holding his things lately, as he had dropped something again.
Cyan sighed. “All right, here,” She pointed to a young pretty girl with yellow skin and fiery red hair. “Watch her walk past Cyc and don’t take your eyes off him while she does.”
Cassy looked at her a little bewildered, but shrugged and observed the girl, as she made her way down the road, past the Diner.
Cyc noticed her, but instead of immediately pumping himself up and flexing every muscle he could find, as was his usual style. He casually turned around and dropped whatever it was he was holding again and bent over to pick it up.
Cassy eyes went wide and she blinked, understanding now. “You’ve… got to be kidding me?!”
Cyan half-smirked. “Believe it, girl. He says the first thing that every guy or girl look at when they’re looking for some, is their ass.”
Cassy snorted. “And lemme guess? Because he’s got the hottest ass on the island, he’ll be sure to have any girl he wants?”
Cyan laughed. “Close… He actually said his was the hottest in the entire world.”
Cassy laughed too. “God, that guy is so un-friggin-believable. Where the hell does he learn all this stuff?”
“From his cousin, apparently,” Cyan answered her. “He seems to get all his girl advice from him.”
“Oh yeah,” Cassy frowned as she tried to remember. “Cyc mentioned him a couple of times, what was his name... Orion?”
“Orineaus,” Cyan corrected her. “Guy’s the biggest flirt on all of New Olympus. He’s the bouncer at that club called the River Styx. Guy even tried flirting with me, can you believe it?”
Cassy nodded, the memories returning. She had never been to the River Styx, but then again she hardly went out at all. She preferred to keep indoors, as that way no one could hurt her. Despite being used to all the harsh, racist comments and abuse that she had grown accustomed to, she still feared for her safety when venturing out alone, especially at night. Manty, Cyc and Cyan had all tried to get her to come out with them, but she wouldn’t hear of it.
“He’s also a stripper, I think.” Cyan frowned, as she tried to remember. “Can’t be sure though, as we’re not allowed in those kind of clubs. It wouldn’t surprise me though, as the guy’s even more vain, cocky and arrogant than Cyc, if you can believe that. The most that he’s ever worn is a pair of shorts.”
Cassy raised her eyebrows. “Let me take a wild guess at this one,” she said. “He’s the one who told Cyc, ‘when you’ve got a bod as hot as this, why make all the women suffer by covering it up?’”
Cyan half-smirked. “You got it. And incidentally, if you ever wonder what Cyc might be like in years from now, then just go the River Styx and meet Orineaus and you’ll get your answer.”
Cassy shook her head and watched, as Cyc seemed to take his sweet time in picking up the item that he had dropped. He actually moved his hips a little to the left and right, like she had seen a man playing Golf does once, showing off his backside.
She looked at the yellow-skin girl and couldn’t believe it, but she actually seemed to be falling for his trick. She was staring at his giant muscular behind very intensely, like how a bird-watcher would at a rare bird that had just flown into their back garden.
Cyc finally straightened up and turned around, pretending that he had just noticed her.
Cassy couldn’t hear what was being said from so far away, but it didn’t take a genius to know what was going on. The girl giggled while Cyc fell into his usual style of ‘picking up,’ as he called it and leaned over to let her feel his bulging biceps.
Cassy rolled her eyes again and Cyan shook her head in mock disbelief.
“You know what’s even more pathetic,” she said, a little disbelieving.
“What’s that?” Cassy replied.
“It’s that this cheap trick of his actually works sometimes.”
Cassy would’ve have said something to counter this, but seeing as she had mentally complimented Cyc on his posture just recently, she decided to keep her mouth shut.
Cyan nearly blanched, as she saw Cyc lead the girl inside the diner.
“Looks like Cyc is alright for tonight,” Cassy observed.
Cyan grumbled. “Girl’s obviously a few feathers short of a Harpy.”
Cassy laughed and led her friend back to her place, as it was doubtful that Cyc was waiting for them anymore.
“You wait and see,” Cyan said. “By the end of the week, there won’t be a single Olympian who won’t know what Cyc’s butt looks like. Even if it was just this one girl, all it takes is one little victory and he’ll be flunking his stuff everywhere.”
“You sure you’re not jealous?” Cassy said critically.
Cyan glared at her. “Of Cyc??? Don’t make me laugh!”
Cassy grinned. She knew Cyan liked Cyc more than she pretended to, which was a lot, but it would be a cold day in Hell when she would ever admit it. She had to admit that she rather liked Cyc too and if she were a few hundred feet taller and he’d learnt to keep his mouth shut for five seconds then she might be inclined to go out with him.
But the idea of going out with Cyc scared her a little. She knew right away that Cyc would never hurt her, as despite his rough and lustful nature, he had a heart of gold and rarely got into fights. However, when you had heard the stories of what his race had done to humans in the past…
Cassy shuddered.
Despite what all New Olympians had led her to believe that Humans were the oppressors, who had driven them away, she had soon come to realise that no one was as innocent as they claimed to be.
It had been the day when she had gone to visit Cyc at his house for the first time ever. He and she were in the same History class together and since hardly anyone was eager to partner up with a human for their project, the two of them had got stuck together.
She had gone to his house to study and met his family, which basically consisted of just him and his father whose name was Brontes. When she first saw him, she had nearly screamed, as he looked exactly like Proteus had when he turned into a Cyclops.
The reason being, Brontes had said with regret, was because he had known Proteus back in his childhood. They had grown up together and had once been close, but as they neared maturity, Proteus began to grow more and more obsessed with leaving the island, exploring the outside world, which is strictly forbidden.
Brontes had tried to talk him out of it and had even suggested counselling for him, but Proteus was adamant in his decision to leave and was resentful of him to not support him.
It was then that Brontes had had to make the hardest decision of his life, whether to uphold the law or betray his best friend. In the end, he chose the law and informed the late chief of security, Asterion, Taurus’s father, about what Proteus was planning to do.
Asterion had gone down to the beach where Proteus was hiding a small hovercraft that he had managed to steal and was planning to leave on. Asterion tried to stop him, but by then Proteus had lost his mind. It didn’t take a genius to know who had squealed on him to the cops and when Proteus learned his best friend had done it, he went nuts and attacked the chief.
Brontes had gone quiet for a moment then before answering and said that by the time reinforcements had arrived, Asterion was already dead, and Proteus was thrown into custody and has been there ever since. He had gone to see him once or twice, but needless to say that Proteus wasn’t fond of his company, so eventually he stopped going.
There had been another awkward silence after that, but Brontes seemed to shake it off and started talking cheerfully to them, asking what did a nice girl like her want with two handsome studs like him and his boy and began showing his biceps.
Cassy had groaned, seeing where Cyc had got all of his male macho from.
The story had been disconcerting, but that wasn’t the one that had freaked her out. It was the one that Cyc had told her later on, when they were studying in his room.
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Cyc’s room; Three weeks ago:
“I don’t even know why I took up history in the first place,” Cassy said aggravated, as she skimmed through three of the seven books they had to study. “All the history books seem to say the same thing. Humans nearly wiped out the Centaurs, humans tortured the Minotaur, humans did this and humans did that. It’s like there’s nothing, but human bashing in their history books.”
Cyc, instead of studying, was lying back on his huge bed, pumping a large heavyweight that was as big as a tree-log. His room was massive and big enough to hold two large trucks. Because of their large size and stature, Cyclops’ lived on the outskirts of the city in large houses, built adequately for their needs.
He looked at his human friend in mock sympathy. “Awww,” he cooed at her. “What’s the matter, gorgeous? Feeling the burn of studying, getting too much for you?”
Cassy growled under her breath. “Don… go there, Cyc!”
“How’s about you come lie down over here?” he patted a place on the bed with his foot, right next to his hip. “I bet I can help you to relax.” He growled playfully at her.
Cassy just gave him a curious look. “What is it with you, Cyc? Every time that I’m with you or even when Cyan and me are with you, you feel the need to try your very best at flirting with us. You’re the same with every damn woman… err female on the island.”
Cyc shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a chick magnet.”
“More like a chick repellent,” Cassy snorted. “Every time you get near a girl, it isn’t long before we either see her walking away, or hear her calling for security.”
“Hey!” Cyc pushed her with his foot and Cassy fell down, gagging.
“UGH!” she pretended choking. “When’s the last time you washed your feet, Big Foot?! Last century?”
“Watch who you’re calling Big Foot, shrimp,” Cyc laughed. “Or I’ll give you a real close up on why they call me The Stomper.”
They both laughed for a bit and then quietened down.
Cassy wiped a small tear from her eye and then sighed. “But you have to admit, there is an awful lot of human bashing in these books,” she said, pointing to the books. “I always knew that my race had a lot to answer for, even before I came to New Olympus. I mean, there’s pollution, species of animals that we had made extinct, hunting and poaching, crime and a million other things.” She sighed again, this time a little tearfully. “But I never imagined that my kind had done so much evil before. Half of what’s in this one book is enough to give me nightmares for the rest of my life.”
Cyc looked at his little friend, unsure of what to do. He hated it when people got emotional because he never knew what to say or do. However in this case, he did know something that could help, but the only problem was it was against not only the rules of his family, but by every other Olympian in the island.
“You know,” he began hesitantly. “You shouldn’t believe everything you read, Cassy. I mean, these books were all written by New Olympians, so if they were anything like we are today then chances are they would have been pretty discriminating and exaggerated a bit by overdoing the human bashing, as you call it.”
Cassy sniffed. “Maybe, but I remember how my folks used to always complain about the crime rate and another rainforest that had been destroyed and such. I wouldn’t put it past them. My race just has no conscious.”
“Cassy, wait,” Cyc sighed and took a deep breath. “Maybe a lot of what’s in those books is true, but I know this… It’s not the whole truth.”
Cassy looked at him curiously. “What do you mean?”
Cyc sighed and rubbed his hand over his head. “Look, I’m not really supposed to tell you this, but… Well, I can’t have you going all sobbing on me. Cyan would kill me.”
“Tell me what?” Cassy said confused. “What are you talking about?”
Cyc got up and walked to his door, checking outside if anyone was near or listening. “Look, what I’m about to tell you. Promise me you won’t tell anyone I told you, okay?”
“Umm, sure.” Cassy said. “But why all the secrecy?” She suddenly got a little nervous. “You’re not in anything illegal are you?”
“Oh no,” Cyc reassured her. “Nothing like that. It’s not exactly against the law, but it’s not really supposed to be talked about. At least, not in public… or actually, not really at all.” He took a deep breath and then sat back down on the bed, looking at her directly. “Cassy, haven’t you ever wondered why you rarely see any of my race around New Olympus?”
“Huh?” Cassy said, wondering where this was going. “Umm, no, not really. I mean, this is the first time I’ve ever been out here to your home.”
“Well the reason is because there’s hardly any Cyclops here on the island.” Cyc said, a little sadly. “”At most, there’s only about thirty to fifty in total.”
Cassy blanched a little. “It’s because of my race, isn’t it?”
“No,” Cyc began. “Well, I suppose in a way it is, but not the way you’re thinking. Just listen.” Cyc shuffled a bit on the bed and then gave one of his usual cocky grins. “Wanna sit on my lap for the story?”
Cassy rolled her eyes. “Just get to it, Cyc!”
“Okay,” Cyc took on a more serious attitude again, which was exceedingly rare for him. “Well, the original reason why there were so few of my race was because there are rarely any female Cyclops’ born. My own mother was a Harpy, hence why I’m so attracted to them.”
Cassy’s eyes bulged a little. “Your mother was a Harpy?!” At Cyc’s nod, she then asked. “Cyc, no offence, but you don’t look anything like a Harpy, not one little bit.”
Cyc shrugged. “It’s because of my Cyclops’ genes, they’re extremely dominant. There hasn’t been a female Cyclops in my family for… Oh, seven generations now. My great grandmother was Manticore like Manty was.”
Cassy blinked and then shuddered. She wondered how they were even able to bear Cyclops babies. She knew Harpies were a lot tougher than they looked, but she didn’t think that even they would be able to give birth to something as huge as a Cyclops would.
As if sensing her thoughts, Cyc said. “In case you’re wondering, Cyclops babies are actually quite small when they’re born. Not small to you humans, in fact I think they would tear you right up like a wet paper tissue… “
Cassy cringed.
“… But to most Olympians, they’re quite endurable.” Cyc paused and rubbed his nose. “However, that didn’t stop my race.”
Cassy stopped and looked at him, wondering what he meant by that.
Cyc rubbed the back of his head, looking as though he wanted to be anywhere but here. “Like I told you, most of what you’ve read in these books is true, if a little exaggerated. However, they’re NOT the whole truth.” He took another breath. “Cyclops joined the rest of the old Olympians when they came here to live on the island because most of their kind had been wiped out by the humans.”
At Cassy’s sad face, he quickly added. “But trust me; it was not without cause… ” He started to tell his tale.
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Ancient Greece; About 2100 years ago:
Helen, daughter of Diana, doused some water onto the coals to heat the house. It was a cold night, in the middle of winter. She breathed in the hot steam from the fireplace and rubbed her arms with its condensation.

She looked over to where her newly wedded husband was sitting, anxiously awaiting his evening meal.

His name was Acacius, son of Achaicus, and was a hunter like his father and forefathers before him. He had a strong and lean body, forged from years of hunting and fighting, and he bore a noble set face that he wore with a grim look of determination at all times, bringing fear to all. Most people who first saw him were wise enough to be afraid of him, as many said that his face had the power to bring able warriors to their knees.

Helen however knew better. Despite the grim look that his face often gave, she could always see beyond that, by looking into his eyes. Despite the look he gave, the light that shone from his eyes always filled her with love and security, making her feel safe and wanted for as long as he was with her. He was a valued hunter, brave and dedicated to protecting her and their people.

Although only a hunter, Acacius was also an able fighter, and was often called upon by the warriors to help them hunt down and destroy the monsters that were threatening their village.

About a year ago, their village had received word from one of the nearby cities, warning them that the creatures that lived near them had rebelled and were constantly attacking them, leaving no survivors. Although the beasts had yet to make an attack on their home, the village elders didn’t want to take any chances and thus had sent all their warriors to track them down and eliminate as many as they possibly could.

It had been over a year now. The monsters still hadn’t made any attack on them, but many believed the reason was because of their brave and noble warriors, Acacius among them, who had obviously frightened them away, scaring them to the hills.

Helen’s heart was full of pride for her beloved. Their marriage had been arranged at birth, although Acacius was almost a decade older than her, but Helen would have married him anyway, whether or not they weren’t. When they were young, they had started out as friends, but over time that friendship had grown into love. He was the bravest, and most handsome man of the village, and she the most beautiful.

Helen was a bit unusual as, unlike other Greek woman, her skin was much fairer than ordinary, almost as pale as Hecate’s moon itself. However, her white skin made her stand out from all the other women, and when combined with her lithe form, large rounded breasts, ebony black hair, and dark thin eyes, it gave her an exotic look that many of the men found enticing. All through her life, she had had men crowding around her, attempting to court her, until at last her betrothal to Acacius was revealed, and all the men backed away, fearful of his wrath.

Helen smiled again, as to her it seemed like her life had now reached perfection. She was married to her beloved, the most envied and praised man in the village, and with a home of her very own.

The house that they now lived in, did in fact belong to Acacius’s family. It was a small, crude little building of stone and wood that consisted of two main rooms, their bedroom and their kitchen. The family had lived in the same house now for over three generations, so it was traditional that the first son would always inherit it.

Although Helen was more than happy with the way the house was, Acacius insisted that he would one day add more rooms to the house… ‘To ensure room for our little ones’ he had said, winking at her, making her blush, but with happiness. She did hope that they would have a child soon, an heir for her husband’s proud legacy.

She poured some wine into a cup, and sliced some bread to go with the stew she had made, and brought it to him.

“Your meal, husband.” She handed him his dinner, which he took gratefully, smiling at her and planting a kiss on her delicate lips.

“My love,” he whispered. “You treat me too good.”

Helen smiled. “It is nothing compared to what you do for all our people, day after day, husband. You risk your life to track down and destroy those horrible monsters and all of their unholy kind.”

In truth, she didn’t really want her husband to hunt those creatures anymore. True, he did it to protect them, and his fame as one of the best hunters made her one of the most envied wives in the village, but she feared for him so, as there had been a few unexplained disappearances lately. Although no one knew for sure what had happened to them, many believed the creatures were responsible, as the ones missing were the warriors and their families.

Her husband’s smile grew even larger at her praise, so she smiled back at him, not showing her unease. He looked as though he was about to say something, but before he could answer her, a shudder went through the whole house.

“What in the…?” Helen began, but stopped when the shudder happened again. “What is it?” she shrieked, as the house shook once more. “An earth-shaker?”

Her husband didn’t answer, but merely listened to the loud noise that sounded like thunder, occupying the shuddering of the earth. He felt the ground and confirmed his suspicions. If this was an earth-shaker, then it was one that was getting closer.

“We must flee!” he said hurriedly and grabbed his wife, pulling her with him.

“What’s happening?!” Helen asked in panic, but her husband didn’t answer and flung open the door, running out into the dark night. But someone was already outside waiting for them.

Helen screamed and her husband blanched at the sight, as he stared up and up AND up at the frightening sight.

A huge Cyclops stood tall above them, as high as the temple of Zeus itself, seemingly built entirely out of muscle with long white hair and an equally long white beard, his one eye glaring at the male human.

Helen was frozen with fear. The monster seemed to have a terrifying aura around him, so terrifying that she swore she could hear a high screeching noise that seemed to surround him.

‘Probably the ghosts of his victims,’ she thought.

“Little man,” the Cyclops hissed at Helen’s husband. “I am here to settle a score.” He took one step further, making the ground shake as he did so. “You murdered my little brother while he was asleep, not even daring to face him in combat. You turned all our remaining human allies against us, had my father hunted down and slain like a dog!” He took another step closer. “I come now, to avenge them!”

“They merely got what they deserved!” Helen’s husband retorted. “What all your kind deserves!”

The Cyclops glared at the man with what could only be described as all the hatred in the world, all in his one eye. “I’ll show you what we deserve!” roared the giant. He came forth and grabbed the human in his huge hand.

“Aaagh!” The man screamed, as he was crushed by the Cyclops immense strength.

Poor Helen was still so transfixed by the massive build of the creature, and filled with so much fear that her mind couldn’t even fully acknowledge what was happening. She just stood where she was, as she watched her beloved husband being crushed to death.

The Cyclops grinned nastily at the human. “Now you will see what it is to have the fury of a Cyclops on you!” He took his free hand and engulfed the tiny human’s head.

“Aaagh!” The man screamed and then fell silent, as the Cyclops began twisting his head; he twisted and twisted with glee, as Helen looked on in horror. Snapping could be heard, as the man’s vertebrae broke apart like twigs in the mighty Cyclops’ grasp. And then in one yank, the Cyclops pulled off the man’s head.

“Oh God! You can’t be serious! That Cyclops did that? It sounds like he pulled off that guy’s head like a Barbie doll.” Cassandra Williams looked at Cyc in horror.
“Cass! You’re kind of ruining the mood. I’m telling the story here.” Cyc glared at her with his eye.
“Oh, sorry.”
“What’s a Barbie by the way?”
“Cyc! Just get on with the story!”

The Cyclops laughed with insane glee. “I have destroyed this human!” his loud voice boomed.

Helen moved back a few steps, her mind still uncomprehending. Her movements attracted the Cyclops hearing, and he looked at her, seemingly noticing her for the first time.

“Well, well,” he grinned. “It looks like my efforts have won me a prize.” He went to grab Helen.

Helen’s mind seemingly caught up with her at long last, and she ran as fast as her feet could carry her, but the Cyclops easily outdistanced her on his much longer legs.   His foot came down on her and pinned her down to the ground, preventing her escape.

Helen screamed and tried to twist her way from beneath the large behemoth’s foot, as he grinned down at her, but to no avail.

As she struggled, she continued hearing the loud screeching sound that she had assumed for the wind. Only, now that she was closer to the Cyclops, she could hear it more clearly. She paused briefly in her struggle and looked up at the one-eyed monster, as that was where the sound was coming from. She took one look and froze.

The creature was wearing a thin loincloth that barely covered any of its… masculinity, but that was not all that he wore. Hanging around his loincloth, were several young human women.

She could only make out their faces, as they had all been wrapped up in bandages, like how the Egyptians took care of their dead. They had all been wrapped up tightly, and tied to the Cyclops’s loincloth, hanging from its belt. They were obviously still alive, as they were thrusting about, trying in vain to escape their bonds. They looked just like mice, when held up by their tails.

Obviously, this Cyclops had visited other houses before coming to hers. She counted five women dangling from the Cyclops’s belt, at the front, but she didn’t doubt that there were others, as she could hear more screaming from behind the creature.

Helen was so fixated on the horror of what she was seeing, she didn’t notice that the beast’s foot had moved lower down, and one of its big toes was rubbing her in-between her legs.

Helen screamed and tried once again to flee, but he deftly scooped up the screaming maiden. “Ahhh! Let me go!” she yelled.

The Cyclops simply laughed, acting as if he hadn’t heard her. “Well this has been an eventful night tonight! Two birds with one stone! I get my revenge, and an extra prize!”

Helen screamed again, struggling as the Cyclops passed his hands over her.

“But don’t worry, girl.” He smirked. “ I promise you that I will be gentle.” His huge beefy hands began to delicately undo her clothes.

“No, no, please stop,” moaned Helen, as her clothes fell away and she felt the Cyclops squeeze and fondle her body.

The Cyclops laid her naked body flat onto the dirt ground once again. With one hand, he held her down over the torso. He looked at her in great consternation. “Hmm, I really should wait until I get back. Not really supposed to do anything with you till I get back and show you to the others… “ He paused, and then shrugged. “Ah, what the Tartarus! One time won’t hurt anyone.”

He continued his assault of her body. “Hmm, you are awfully small.” He fingered her sex. “Ah, how interesting, you are still pure.” He grinned at her playfully. “Well, it honours me to be the first.”

Helen bit back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes.

The beast took his forefinger and middle finger, and slowly inserted them into her body. His fingers took a rhythmic motion, as he thrust them in and out of her body. Helen tried, but failed to bite back a moan of pleasure, as the Cyclops kept up his rhythm.

The Cyclops’ grin widened. “Like that I see. Let’s see what you think of this.” He took his fingers out of her body and then used his hand to spread her legs far apart. He lowered his head to Helen’s sex. Helen let out a dismayed cry, as the Cyclops used his tongue, flicking her clitoris. She bucked her body against his hand, as she grunted in pleasure.

“By Zeus, creature, stop it! Have pity” Helen moaned and bucked in the Cyclops grasp, as pleasure and ecstasy went through her body like waves.

“Woman, you don’t know the half of what I can do to you,” the Cyclops smirk evident, “but now…” he moved the front part of his loincloth aside, taking care not to drop the women that were attached to it, and exposed his huge member to the human woman.

Helen’s eyes widened. “I can’t possibly take in all of that!” screamed the woman.

“I don’t intend you to.” the Cyclops chuckled. He bent down on his knees and with his huge forefinger and middle finger; he carefully spread apart her legs, as far as he could without injuring her. He moved on his knees next to her. Already he was hard with desire.

“Now keep your legs like that, human.” He instructed her in what was intended to be a harsh tone, but came out as a pleasure filled groan, and he entered what he could into her.

Helen screamed, as she felt the tip of the monster’s member enter her, its huge size almost splitting her apart. He only got in a fraction of himself into her when he thankfully stopped, and took his hand to begin pumping his shaft with.

Seeing as he couldn’t have his full fill of the woman, he had to use alternatives for his obvious size difference. His pleasure-filled groan filled his ears. He also kept busy, using his other hand to hold and caress the woman’s sex, as he heard her moan of pleasure.

Helen screamed, as she felt the tip of the Cyclops member, as big as a toddler’s head, pumping inside of her. She could feel blood and semen seeping out of her, trickling down the sides of her legs, as it jumped and wiggled about inside of her opening. All through the while, she kept shouting into her mind, hysterically, ‘This isn’t real! This isn’t real! I’m not here, I’m back home with Acacius! Tonight’s our wedding night! He’ll protect me! He’ll protect me! He’ll… ‘

Soon the Cyclops could feel his climax coming. “Oh, I’m going to…aaagh!!” He screamed in ecstasy, as loads upon load of his fluids shot out, drenching the woman. The Cyclops closed his eye in ecstasy, as he let the rest of his load shoot onto Helen. By now, the woman was covered from head to foot in his semen. She remained still as a statue, alive but not moving.

He cleaned himself up a bit and then readjusted his loincloth. With great care, he took the woman gently in his hand, removed a length of cloth from his belt, and began wrapping her up, like he had done the others. Pretty soon, he had her all bundled up, like a mummy, and with the remaining bit of cloth that was left at her feet, he tied the end to his loincloth and left her dangling like the others, right at his backside.

‘Now let us see if my work bears fruit.’ He said, as he turned around and began making his way home, walking over the now decomposing body of Helen’s late husband, and murderer of his family. Its head lay several metres away from its body, its dull lifeless eyes gazing at nothing, as the thunderous footsteps of his killer echoed away into the distance.

A while later, Helen could feel the thunderous steps of the Cyclops stop. The rolling waves she heard told her that they must be near the seashore. She heard the large beast yell out. A moment later, someone with a large booming voice, presumably another Cyclops, called out in return. And then she felt herself swaying once again, still wrapped up and secured on the beast’s loincloth.

She heard screaming from the other girls, and then she felt the cloth holding her be pulled from the Cyclops loincloth. They were all placed down on the floor, and then light filled Helen’s eyes as the bandage like bonds were cut from her face and then her body. She saw another girl, dressed in scantily clad silk, cutting the bonds of the other woman. Her arms and legs had been shackled. The despairing cries filling Helen’s ears.

Helen quietly went up to the girl, and quickly took the crooked dagger from her hands. “No!” The slave girl yelled, as Helen took the dagger and launched it at the Cyclops’ eye.

Unfortunately, it sunk into his meaty forearm, as he blocked it. The Cyclops looked at the dagger disinterestedly, as the injury was like if a person had got a small splinter, a simple annoyance but nothing more. A flow of blood flowed from the wound, one that would be a life threatening injury to a human, as it was leaking litres, but it was nothing more than a mere small trickle to the beast.

“That was not nice,” the Cyclops said amused. He bent down low so that he was on eye level to all of them. “Now, why don’t we have some fun.”   The last thing Helen saw was his huge hand coming forth.

9 months later….

Helen screamed in agony. “Aagh!” Her stomach swollen to gigantic standards, she bared down on the thing that wanted to come out of her, the Cyclops looking on in earnest and excitement.

“Come on, girl! You can do it!” The giant encouraged.

“AH! No, no, stop. I can’t anymore!” The woman shook her head in despair and fury at the creature before her, as she lay on her side. The baby was so huge, her stomach was stretched beyond all proportion. She had had to lie on her side for several months now because otherwise it would have crushed her.

She had been this beast’s prisoner now for nine months. After raping her, he had brought her and the other women, whom he had had with him, to his home… his and what was left of the Cyclops race apparently. She had now spent most of those nine months with all of her fellow prisoners in a large cage, like rats.

“You must, that is my offspring you are carrying, and it must live!” The Cyclops growled.

“But I feel that it is tearing me apart!” She looked at him through tear-streaked eyes, pleading for help and mercy.

“Then it will tear you apart, but he must live.” He looked at her grimly. “He will be in part reparation for what your kind did to mine.”

“Nononononono!” Helen looked on in horror at the cave where she was being held. She was not alone. From the looks of it, she could see several Cyclops with several human women, also in labour, like her, giving birth to more monstrosities.

She looked at the floor and immediately felt like vomiting on herself. Behind the Cyclops before her, was a dead infant Cyclops that mustn’t have survived the birth. The dead creature looked nothing like a human, yet she knew it had to have come from a human mother, as although she had seen many Cyclops, she had never seen any Cyclops women. There was also one other important detail… if this baby was indeed newborn, then it was the size of a six-year-old human child!

That was when she knew it; the monstrosity in her was going to kill her. She could feel the abomination clawing at her abdomen, waiting to get out. This thing that had been growing in her was much more active than what she suspected a human babe to be. “Aaagh!” She screamed, as she felt a huge shape pass through her loins.

She looked up to the roof of the cave she was in, wishing she could see the stars. ‘Acacius my love,’ she prayed to her lover, ‘I will be with you soon.’

The Cyclops eye widened in excitement, as he saw his son’s head pass through the woman’s loins, it screamed as it let itself be known that it wanted out. Its one eye was closed, as the baby struggled against his mother.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggh!!!” Helen’s blood curdling scream brought the Cyclops out of his daze. He stared in shock, as he saw what the baby was doing. The child, impatient to see the world, was using its strength to open up the woman more, to accommodate its larger frame. He could hear bones cracking and blood gushing from the woman, as the child’s struggles intensified. It screamed its defiance to the world, as it was slowly pulling itself out of her. The Cyclops winced, as he saw a tear opening up in the woman’s abdomen as the baby’s legs started to kick out.

With erratic violent motions, the Cyclops babe was pulling itself out of her womb and into the world. Soon the woman’s cries became gurgles, as blood started to seep out from her mouth. Her shiny lifeless eyes were expressionless.

The Cyclops went to the still struggling baby and pulled it out from his mother’s body. He cradled the baby in his one hand. It was small by his kind’s standards, perhaps large for a human (the baby would be about fifteen pounds) but its size would eventually rise in years to come, and what it lacked in size now was made up for in its strength. At childbirth, Cyclops babies were very active.

The Cyclops looked at what was left of the woman before him and then at his son, cradled in his hand. “Oh my boy, what have you done?” He whispered mournfully. “What have we both done?!”

Then he shook his head furiously and held his son closer to him. “NO!” he said adamantly. “We did nothing. You were merely trying to get into the world, as all babies do and I… I did what all Cyclops were doing, to save our race and ensure our future. The humans brought this on themselves. They killed most of our people, butchered our kind simply because we were different from them. They were the ones who started this, not us!” But try as he might, each word sounded hollow, even to his ears.

He slowly bent down and picked up the dead body of Helen and dropped it over on a pile where there were more women corpses waiting to be disposed of. He then turned around and walked away, briefly looking at the activities going on around him.

A huge fat Cyclops was sitting on the floor, getting washed and scrubbed by dozens of human women who, by the looks on their faces, were obviously doing it against their will. The big Cyclops grinned, licking his lips, as he forced a young woman in-between his legs, with her struggling all the way.

Other pregnant women were even now screaming and crying, as their children came into the world and tearing them up, as his son had done to Helen. Some were even now being impregnated as he listened, hearing the screams and grunts coming from the next cave.

From nearby, at the corner of the cave, a small group of young Cyclops were laughing, as they drank heavily to some wine from huge goblets. They had to be celebrating to the number of women they had each taken that night, as they all had several women hanging from their loincloths. One of them was playing a crude, but playful tune on a pair of massive drums, while the others danced along to the tune, shaking their hips and swaying the terrified and dizzy women all over the place.

Many of them noticed him and the baby he was carrying, and congratulated him on the birth, not even bothering to ask after its mother.

The Cyclops didn’t feel like himself right now. All the activities that were going on around him, he had done those quite a few times himself, ever since he had brought his first batch of human females to this cave. He had loved doing the kind of things that were going on, and had enjoyed them immensely and thoroughly. That was… until he had just witnessed the first of what was to be the many births of his children.

He finally past by several wooden cages, which were all filled with crying hysterical women. Some were not pregnant… yet, and gazed up at him in fear. Each cage and all the women in it, belonged to a single Cyclops. He stopped at the cage that was his and peered in, scaring the prisoners inside. They were all pregnant now. Some were due in less than a week, or even a few days.

“Won’t be long now for you, my lovely,” he said to a dark-haired beauty, referring to her state, frightening her. His words came out hollow however and he made no attempt at any of his usual jokes. He simply stared ahead blankly and carried his son to his private chambers.

For some reason, he wasn’t looking forward to the births of his other children, as much as he had done his first one, anymore. He fingered his pendant. A large ruby that he had taken after he killed a powerful ruler of a nearby city.

The baby started to cry, as though calling out for someone, someone who wouldn’t ever be coming.

Cyc finished his tale with a long sigh and looked at Cassy, who stared at him in shock and bewilderment.
“How… “She stuttered out. “How… could… “
Cyc looked at her with regret in his eye. “It was thousands of years ago, Cassy. Cyclops’ were still a primitive people back then, no more than barbarians. Our race was suddenly faced with extinction, and they had no one to turn to, nor any advanced technology or anything to help them. There wasn’t even an Olympus back then… They just didn’t know what to do, so they did what they thought they had to.”
Cyc was beginning to look ill. “Believe me, there isn’t a Cyclops today who isn’t disgusted every time when they hear that story… particularly me, because… “ He paused for a moment. “…Because despite believing that what he had done was for the survival of our race, he never raped another human woman again… and he never forgot Helen or any of the other women he raped. The story has been past down for generations, as my ancestor never wanted us to forget it. And finally, about half a century later, the humans all rallied together with other empires to try and run the Cyclops out of the country. Needless to say they succeeded, and the Cyclops’ were forced to come here to New Olympus with the other Olympians.”
Cassy stayed silent for a few more moments. Up till now she had firmly believed in the stories the teachers had told her, that all of their kind had been mistreated and wronged by her kind. Now, she found that they had left out keen facts that debated the human, Olympians situation. She was confused and even more so… she was angry.
“THEY LIED TO ME!!” she half-screamed.
Cyc shook his head and rested his hand on her shoulder to calm her. “No. I told you that what they told you was the truth about what the humans had done. It’s just that they left out some things as well.”
Cassy still wasn’t convinced. “Why didn’t they tell me the whole truth then?! Why did they leave out all the stuff that the Cyclops had done?!”
Cyc sighed again. “It… wasn’t just the Cyclops either, Cassy.”
Cassy stared at him. “Say what?!”
Cyc felt his throat getting tight. “There were… some other Olympians back then, who were… also… not so innocent.”
Cassy glared at him. “Like who…? Or what, should I say?!”
Cyc swallowed. “Well, most Olympians were good and peaceful creatures except for a few species like mine and… I don’t know all of them, but I do know one of them was the Centaurs.”
“The Centaurs,” Cassy said in surprise. “You mean Cyan’s race?” At Cyc’s nod, she continued. “But I always thought, and was told that Centaurs had always been a highly honourable and peaceful race.”
“Oh, they were,” Cyc said, “when they were sober.”
“Sober???”
Cyc rubbed his forehead. “Centaurs were usually all that you just said, about being noble, honourable and all that. However, because of their animal halves, they were more prone to drink that most creatures. All it would take to get a Centaur drunk, even today, is one glass of wine, hence the reason why Centaurs are not allowed to drink alcohol nowadays.”
Cyc looked uncomfortable. “There were many incidents involving the Centaurs from what I’ve been told. Once they got roaring drunk then nothing could stop them. They ransacked villages, kidnapped and raped all the women, and destroyed nearly everything in sight. Their ancestors were very nearly left behind when they came to New Olympus because they feared what they would do, should they get drunk here, so they made it against the law for Centaurs to drink any alcohol.”
Cassy was beginning to understand her kind’s hatred for these people. “And there were others?” she asked.
Cyc nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t know who the others were. We don’t talk about this at all. At school, we’re taught about all the bad stuff that humans did to us, but it’s only at home when we get told why they did it. Our parents only tell us it once and we’re not to discuss it with anyone. Cyan broke that little rule when she told me about her race.”
Cassy blanched, as she tried to imagine a Cyclops like Cyc and a horde of Centaurs attacking cities and raping girls like her. She imagined Cyc raping her and shuddered.
“So why have you told me?” she asked finally.
Cyc looked at her with true sorrow in his eyes. “Because I couldn’t bear to let you live, thinking that you belonged to a race of monsters. The truth is that although the humans did do some pretty bad stuff to all of us, it wasn’t their entire fault. At the very beginning… some humans got a little pissy at some Olympians, we don’t know who, and they in turn attacked the humans, and that got them scared and made them mad of all the other Olympian races.”
“So they decided to fight back,” Cassy whispered. “They got mad because they didn’t like the way some Olympians fought back, so they decided to wipe them all out, including the ones that didn’t do them any harm… including yours, which led to your race doing… what they did.”
Cyc paused a moment, and then sighed. “They were scared, both my race and yours, and people do crazy things when they’re afraid.”
Cassy had to agree with that, as she remembered how she had run off from Manty and Taurus after she first came to New Olympus. Now she couldn’t imagine life without them.
“But why are people so afraid of the truth?”
Cyc shrugged. “They’re not afraid exactly, but I guess they’ve lived so long with the belief that they were the victims that to suddenly realise that they may have been the oppressors, doesn’t sit too well with them.”
Cassy frowned. “Doesn’t seem like anyone was the oppressors to me,” she wondered out loud. “The Cyclops and Centaurs all did some pretty horrible things, so maybe the humans did have a right to fight them back, but that still gave them no right to attack all of the Olympians.”
Cyc shrugged again. “Maybe or maybe not, either way it doesn’t really matter anymore. It’s been centuries so what can you do?”
Cassy turned her head and looked hard at him, making Cyc feel real uneasy.
“I’m going to tell the truth,” she said simply.
Cyc didn’t say anything else, even after she had left. He knew his friend would carry out what she meant to. Frankly he didn’t blame her.
He stayed in his room for a few hours and wouldn’t come out, even after his father came in to ask if he was all right. Cyc had just told him politely that he was, and he was just tired.
After a while longer, he got up and went into his father’s room. Looking around, he spied the old forgotten chest that they kept in the corner. Wordlessly, he picked it up and opened it. Reaching in, he pulled out the large ruby that had been in his family for generations, ever since the first of their family had taken it from a human king he had beaten in battle, and regarded it carefully.
“I wasn’t lying, Cass.” He muttered to himself. “Even after hearing the story a thousand times, it still makes me sick.”
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One week later:
The next week went by fairly quickly, so quickly that it made Cassy feel nauseous. It was funny, Cassy thought, of how fast time went by when you’re dreading something.
Cassy sat in her seat in the school. Cyc was at the back row way behind her. Cyc had of course not bothered in helping to do their history project, which wasn’t new. His philosophy was that since he was destined to be God’s gift to the female race, as well as a champion bouncer like his cousin, then what was the point in him learning history?
‘Men,’ she thought bemusedly. ‘No matter what species they are, they’re all the same.’
“Miss Williams!” a sharp voice directed her attention to the front where her teacher, Miss Athena, was waiting for her. It was time for her to do her presentation.
She looked back to Cyc, who was lying back on his seat with his arms behind his head, looking as though he hadn’t a care in the world.
‘What I wouldn’t give to be as pig-headed and carefree as he is, right about now,’ she whimpered and made her way to the centre of the large platform at the foot of the stairs.
“Well, Miss Williams,” Miss Neptune said crisply. “Are you ready to give your presentation?”
Cassy swallowed, and then nodded her head. Most children had enough problems with giving presentations in front of their classes, but how was a girl, who was in a class of over a hundred, supposed to survive?
She made her way to the bottom, and turned to see every eye of each child of New Olympus, glaring at her. All except for Cyc who was probably asleep by now, and Cyan who gave her two thumbs up for luck.
Cassy smiled and felt some of her courage return. “Everyone, my presentation today is about before the time when your kind arrived here on New Olympus, of the hardships that your kind endured from the humans, my people, before they finally escaped.”
Cassy noticed some of the smirks on the other kid’s faces when she explained about how ‘her people’ mistreated them. She paid them no heed though and carried on with her talk.
“I’d like to start with the Centaurs, and what led them to their terrible ordeal with the humans. According to my research, it all started around three thousand years ago when a group of Centaurs were invited to a wedding at their neighbouring human tribe, who were called the Lapiths. They were invited to sit at the host’s table, and were offered food and drink. This however proved to be their downfall, as the drink they offered was nothing other than fine wine… “
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Two Hours Later; New Olympus Hospital:
“She started a complete brawl in class!” the headmistress, Miss Neptune, shrieked at Manty, as he bathed Cassy’s bruised head. “When she began talking about the Centaurs wild and lustful natures, the centaurs in the class went mad and accused her of insulting them by making it all up. I barely got them to calm down. Then Cassy went on to speak about the Cyclops, and two of them went completely berserk. They charged down the stairs and attempted to stomp on her. I tried to calm them, but by then they were beyond reason, and I had to call security!”
Manty sighed. “I understand your anger, Miss Neptune. But try and understand this from Cassy’s point of view. She did what she thought was right, by telling her fellow classmates the truth about their races.”
“And nearly getting killed in the progress!” she screeched.
Manty winced, but added more harshly. “Miss Neptune, you and I both know the truth of her words. So don’t go pretending that they’re not real!”
Miss Neptune’s eyes flared at him, wanting very much to take that stupid Manticore by the mane and shake him upside down.
“What do you expect me to do, Manty?!” she sneered. “Give her a good telling off and leave it at that? This isn’t some trivial thing like flicking a stone at a Cyclops’ foot, or tossing a piece of paper on the floor. She caused a riot, which ended up injuring several Olympians, including herself. I’m dreading what’s going to happen when I get back to school and the parents find out. I’ll be lucky to still have a job!”
Suddenly, Manty began to laugh loudly. “Oh boy, silly me!” he chuckled. “I am such an idiot!
Miss Neptune glared at him. “And what is that supposed to mean?!”
“It means that I totally misunderstood you,” Manty lost some of his humour and looked seriously at her. “I thought for one insane moment that the reason you became a teacher was to teach children by telling them the truth. Now I see I was wrong, stupid me.”
Miss Neptune’s eyes, had she been born a gargoyle, would be flaring bright red and ready to fling daggers at him. “How dare you! I spent years teaching those children all that they know, preparing them for the harsh realities of the real world… “
“Preparing them???” Now Manty really did laugh. “You’ve done nothing, but shelter them from the truth. Since they were little, you’ve had them all believing that their ancestors were all the victims that didn’t do a thing wrong.”
“Well it’s true,” she insisted. “At least my ancestors were.”
“Maybe, but not all Olympians were. What Cassy said about the Cyclops and the Centaurs was true. They did commit some terrible atrocities in the past to the humans, and in turn the humans committed some equally bad atrocities to them. I’m not saying they were to blame, I’m just telling you that not all the human’s hatred of us was totally unbiased.”
Miss Neptune paused for a moment, opening and shutting her mouth like a fish from the sea she was named after.
“And what kind of a teacher are you,” Manty continued, “If you don’t teach your pupils the truth. You’re sheltering them from the harsh reality that you said you were preparing them for. They believe whatever you tell them and if you tell them that our kind was at completely no fault then what chance does our kind ever have to reunite with the rest of the world? There’ll be so much bigotry and violence, they’ll be lucky if they last a week.”
Cassy stirred and moaned, as she came to.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Manty turned back to his adopted daughter and stroked her forehead.
Miss Neptune stayed standing there for a while, before turning around and walking out the room. On the way, she bumped into Taurus and Boreas.
“My lord,” she greeted Boreas. “Taurus.” She nodded in respect at the chief of security.
Both of them nodded at her, and she went on her way, leaving them to continue into Cassy’s room.
“Is she well?” Taurus asked genuinely concerned.
Manty turned in surprise at seeing Taurus and Boreas there. “Sir,” he greeted both of them. “Yes, she’s well. She’s just woken up actually.”
“Good,” Taurus said and marched right up to her and from the way he did it; it was obvious he was not happy.
“What in blazes were you thinking?!” he roared, making Cassy’s ears ache. “You could have gotten yourself killed!”
“Taurus!” Manty snarled at him. “Please, Cassy is not seriously hurt, but she still needs her rest.”
Taurus calmed down, but still glared at the little human, making Cassy wince.
Boreas however remained calm and looked at the little human with pity and somewhat sorrow. “Perchance, would you two give me a few moments alone with Cassandra?”
Taurus and Manty both nodded and left the room, still glaring at one another.
Boreas sat down in one of the holographic seats that manifested automatically when he entered the room, fitted for his comfort. “I understand you had quite an eventful day?” he asked her.
Cassy groaned and held the wet flannel to her head. “I don’t remember much,” she admitted. “I was doing my presentation, and then I remember some of the students getting angry at me, and then… then it all just goes blank.”
Boreas gave her a sly look. “So I take it you didn’t hear what Manty and your teacher Miss Neptune were discussing just a few moments ago, when you were pretending to be asleep?”
Cassy’s eyes bulged and then she groaned again. “How is it that on an island as totally secret as this, no one can keep a secret on it?”
Boreas shrugged. “So, do you really not remember what happened?”
Cassy sighed. “Only up to the part when a couple of the Cyclops charged down from their seats at me. I figured that was how I got this bumper on my head.”
“You assumed correctly,” Boreas concurred and looked in pity at her. “You did both a very brave and a very foolish thing today, Miss Williams. What possessed you to tell a presentation like that?”
Cassy felt like curling up under the bed sheets. “I just wanted to tell a story that had neither my people nor yours as the bad guys. From what Cy… from what I found out in my research, the humans in ancient Greece were frightened of you Olympians and then later some of the Olympians fuelled that fear by acting just as the monsters that people claimed they were.”
Boreas sighed troubled. “Yes, I’m afraid what you say is true. I have heard the tales of the Cyclops, the Centaurs and even the Harpies who at one time were flesh-eaters and ate a whole ship full of human sailors.”
Cassy blanched at this and Boreas held up his hand. “The Harpy ancestors were captured by a group of Bigot humans, who had them tied up and left to die on the rocks of a deserted island. They managed to break free eventually, but not until after a few days, by which they were starving and unable to control their hunger. As fate would cruelly have it, a ship of humans was passing by and the Harpies could not control themselves.”
Cassy shuddered and winced quite visibly.
“Do not worry, child,” Boreas assured her. “That time has now long since past. The first thing that our ancestors did when they first came to New Olympus was to find a way to control the radical behaviour of some of our more troublesome kin. The Harpies have long since learnt to control their hunger, even when starved, thanks to a potent drug that our kind developed centuries ago. It dampens the gene in every Harpy, killing their hunger for flesh. In effect, it turns them into vegetarians.”
“Phew,” Cassy swooned. “Thank God for that!”
Boreas laughed heartily. “I’m sure you’re not the only who thinks that.” He then took on a more serious look. “Did you understand fully the consequences of what you were doing?”
Cassy nodded sullenly.
Boreas sighed again, this time with some regret. “I’m afraid that as this island’s protector, I have no choice but to suspend you from school… for a week. After which you will return to school and carry on with your studies. Do you understand?”
Cassy nodded, staying silent.
Boreas got up to leave, but before he did, he took one last look at her and smiled. “Cassy, before I go, I want you to know that… I am extremely proud of what you did.”
Cassy looked up in surprise at him.
“I know that must come as a big surprise considering that I just suspended you, but it’s the truth nevertheless. Our kind needs to learn to live with humans again and they can’t do that if they constantly cling onto the old beliefs without hearing or even acknowledging the full truth of what happened all those centuries ago. You are the first to have taken the first step in that acknowledgment, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.” And with that he left the room, leaving Cassy behind with a stunned, but happy look on her face.
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Present:
Cassy was fortunate, as Manty saw no reason why she should be punished for speaking her mind. The bump on the head, the scare that she had had, and the suspension from school for a week was all she needed.
Taurus however had been less than happy. He told Cassy straight out that if she ever did anything like that again, he would lock her up in a cell with Proteus and throw away the key.
Cyan and Cyc hadn’t exactly been pleased with her project, but they were thankful she was all right.
“Where’d you get all that information about my race and everything by the way?” Cyan had asked. “I mean, that’s not exactly common knowledge, how’d you get everything so detailed?”
Cassy remembered looking at Cyc, who had avoided her eyes and Cyan’s. Eventually, she just replied, “I just read some stuff at the library and even got a few people to tell me some stories.”
“Really? Who?”
Cassy shrugged. “Just some people I met on the street. I could tell you their names, but then… I’d have to kill you.”
Cyan sneered at her. “Oh brother, you’re not going all secret agent on us, are you?”
Cassy had sneered back and had made a brief look at Cyc, who had been staring at her with a large grateful look in his one eye.
Cyan observed the diner where Cyc and his new flame had gone into, before asking, “Say, you wanna come with us to the River Styx tonight?”
Cassy was about to say no, but before she could, Cyan grabbed her by the face and looked straight into her eyes. “Listen, this is your chance to get out. You needn’t worry about the other kids because me and Cyc will be there… and unfortunately, so will Orineaus.” She shuddered.
“Do you have ANY idea of what it’s like to have to deal with TWO Cycs??? I mean, one is bad enough, but try having to deal with him, and a fully grown version of him as well!”
Cassy rolled her eyes. “All the more reason why I… “
“Look!” Cyan was actually almost squeezing the blood out of her face. “I’ve had to put up with those two macho dorks every time we’ve ever gone to that blasted club, because every time we go, Cyc asks his cousin to come sit with us, and now… it’s your turn!”
Cassy wanted to say no, to say she was too busy or something, but somehow, judging from the look in her friend’s eyes, she didn’t think saying no would be an option.
“Oh all right,” Cassy said defeated. “I’ll go, but just for this one time, alright?”
Cyan actually breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you!” Suddenly, there was the sound of breaking glass and a noise of screaming voices coming from within the Unicorn’s Diner.
“Uh oh,” Cyan muttered. “Now if you will excuse me, I better go and see what Cyc has gotten himself into… again.” She trotted over to the diner to find their one-eyed friend.
Cassy sighed miserably. ‘Terrific,’ she thought, ‘a full night of having to put up with a load of teenage Olympians who hate me, and an adult version of Cyc. What a perfect way to spend my Friday night.”
Still, the more she thought about it, the more she grew used to the idea. After all, she rarely went out, and it was only this one night. Where was the harm in that?
She started to make her way home to get ready for tonight and along the way she wondered about Cyc’s cousin. Could he really be as bad as Cyan had made him out to be? Nah, no one could possibly be as bad as Cyc… Could he?
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A couple of hours later, Cassy, Cyc and Cyan were on their way to the nightclub where Cyc’s cousin worked.
Cyc walked as though he was listening to music, mainly because he thought it made him look cooler and showed everyone what a terrific dancer he was.
“You look hot, Cass!” he told her, as he eyed her new dress that Aunt Mantaura had given her for her birthday. One of the handiest things about having a tailor for an adopted aunt, was that you never had to worry about not having enough money for shopping.
“Thanks, Cyc,” she answered, as they neared the entrance to the River Styx. “So where’s this… “
“WELL, WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?!” a large booming voice sounded above them.
Cassy whirled around and was greeted by a huge muscular Cyclops, the likes of which she had never seen. He wore only a loincloth, and his giant body was covered in huge blue-green muscles. He was older than Cyc and he was definitely larger. The larger Cyclops topped him by about four feet in height, and with more muscle mass. His clean-shaven face held a devilish grin and he had short white hair that was combed in an orderly fashion.
She guessed that this was the River Styx’s resident bouncer, and Cyc’s cousin.
“Well, little lady, who might you be?” the large Cyclops gave her an easy smile.
“Uh… well, it’s Cassy, sir.” She replied, more than a little nervous. “Pleased to meet you,” she gave him a little curtsy.
“Ooh, and so polite too. I like this girl, little cousin.” He winked at Cyc.
Cyc smirked back. “I knew you would, Orin. Oh well now, where are my manners? Cassy, this is my cousin Orineaus, Orin for short.”
Orineaus gave her a wide grin and said, “Pleased to meet you.” He bent down on his knee and gave her his hand.
With more than a little bit of reluctance, Cassy held out her own hand for a handshake. She gasped when her hand, and most of her arm was engulfed in the giant’s hand, as he gently shook hers.
‘Holy crap!’ Cassy’s mind raced. ‘I know this guy is being gentle, but if he shook me any harder then he would tear my arm off.’
“So, guys,” Orineaus asked with a smirk. “What brings you to my neck of the woods, eh?”
Cyan spoke up. “Oh, we’re just here to unwind a little and take in the atmosphere.”
“Oh yeah, I heard about that little incident your little friend here provoked.” Orineaus chuckled. “Heh, I bet you really riled up those kids with your remarks, Cassy.”
She rubbed the back of her hand against her golden hair. “Well, I couldn’t just stand there as my race was being bashed by those bigots. I mean, jeez, I know humans did some rotten stuff, but to be fair, you guys weren’t exactly saints either. It’s high time someone aired out the dirty laundry.”
Orineaus gave a hearty laugh. “No arguments there, sweetheart.”
Cyan gave a sigh. “Still, Cass, did you really have to take us with you?”
Cassy winced. “I’m sorry, Cyan. It’s just that… “
Cyan gave her a dismissive gesture. “Forget it, Cass. I understand why you did it.”
Cyc bent down and laid his massive hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, Cass, we forgive you. “ He then glared at her. “But if you ever pull a stunt like that again without warning us, you’ll really know why they call me The Stomper!”
Cyan gave a neigh of annoyance. “Yeah, next time we want in on the fun.” She gave Cassy a devilish smirk.
Orineaus clapped his hands together. “Well come on, guys, enough of that! What do you want to do?”
Cyan smiled up at her friend’s cousin. “Well, why don’t we start off with a round of drinks?”
Cassy glared at Cyan. “Not wine!”
Cyan rolled her eyes. “No, Cassy, not wine.”
After a few minutes, the group was seated and Orineaus ordered some drinks for them. They had all ordered some exotic fruit drinks called Ambrosia.
“Mmm, these are pretty good,” Cassy licked her lips.
“Yeah, pretty good.” Cyan agreed.
Cassy looked at her surroundings. The club seemed to be some sort of bar/dance club for teenage New Olympians. It seemed to be almost like Grecian music, complete with harps. They didn’t have themes like disco or techno music like they did back home. A sigh escaped her lips.
“Something wrong, Cass?” Cyc looked at her, concern showing in his eye.
“Oh no,” she said. “It’s just that… I remember once when my parents took me to a dance club right before we came here, on my birthday. It was a little different than what you guys have here, but it was pretty cool. It was a disco dance club.” Cassy laughed, but her eyes became misty. “I remember my dad getting decked out in this horrible polyester get up. He and my mom danced disco badly. My God, I was sooo embarrassed.”
“Sounds like they cared for you a lot,” Cyan wiped some moisture away from her eyes.
“Yeah, they did,” Cassy nodded. “They were the greatest, Cyan. They weren’t just my parents, they were my friends. They were the coolest. Back then, I didn’t think my life could get any better. I was so excited too because we were taking a trip to Greece.“ Cassy’s face turned into a frown. “I wish we’d never taken that stupid trip now. I wish my parents were still alive, I wish… “
Cyan gave a slight neigh of distress, and reached out her hand to Cassy’s. “Look, you can’t change what’s happened, Cass. I know this sounds harsh, but you just have to deal with the lot that life’s given you.”
“Yeah, Cassy,” Orineaus chose that moment to speak up. “Life can be a bitch sometimes… “
“So you have to show life that you can be a bitch too,” Cassy froze, as she spoke these words. She looked to Orineaus with a look of pure shock in her eyes. “How did you know that? That’s what my father used to say all the time.”
Orineaus looked equally surprised back at her. “I didn’t know that,” he shrugged. “Your old man must have had some very good tastes, I suppose.”
“Right, that’s enough, everybody. Let’s stop with the unhappy thoughts, ladies. It ain’t healthy.” piped up Cyc.
“Right, cous, no point in getting’ yourself down on something you can’t fix, Cass. So why don’t we just stop this and get down to having some fun!”
“Like what, cous?” Cyc looked at his older cousin.
“Why don’t we have ourselves a good ole wrestlin’ match to throw some spice into this party?!” He gave Cyc a sly look. “Let’s show these ladies what Cyclops muscle can do in the ring.”
“Oh Zeus, Cassy. They’re doing it again.” Cyan hissed.
Cassy leaned over to her friend and whispered. “What? What are they doing?”
“They are trying to impress us and every other female in this place.” She said, as she observed Orineaus removing the chairs and tables from the floor, and Cyc removing his shirt. Many New Olympians gathered around to see what was going on. Earlier on, they had stayed far away from Cassy and her friends, because of her, but now many a New Olympian female looked on at the two Cyclops in admiration, and lust.
“Oh God,” Cassy muttered, and covered her face in embarrassment, as she saw what the two were really doing, while Cyan just snorted in annoyance.
Orineaus and Cyc locked eyes, as they assumed a wrestler’s stance. The two contenders were bent forward with one hand locked against the others.
“Cyan, call it!” commanded Orineaus.
Cyan sighed, as she got up and trotted to where the two behemoths stood. She raised her hand and announced. “Ready! Set!” she lowered her hand. “GO!” She ducked out quickly, with a gasp, as Orineaus and Cyc stomped on the floor.
Cyc rushed forward, head on into his cousins’ midsection, trying to topple the much larger Cyclops. Orineaus’ body moved back a few inches from the attack, but then he stood his ground. He grunted, as he began to pry off Cyc’s bulging arms from his frame. He twisted his cousin around and restrained his arms behind his back.
Cyc grunted in pain and frustration, as he was being lowered onto his knees. He heard the shouts of the others cheering for them.
“Go. Orineaus!”
“Go, Cyc!”
The younger Cyclops gritted his teeth, as he summoned all of his strength to slowly get back onto his legs. “You won’t beat me that easily, cous!” Cyc shouted in defiance.
“Oh yeah, small fry?! I’m older than you are, bigger than you are, more experienced, and not to mention waaaaaay better looking. What makes you think I won’t come out on top?” Orineaus sniggered.
“Because chicks don’t go for losers,” Cyc said with a smirk.
“Ooh, our little Cyc is growing up now. My Uncle Brontes raised you well, my boy, but you still won’t come out on top.” Orineaus laughed heartily.
Cassy shook her head, which was cradled in her hands. She then went to rubbing her temples. “I can smell the testosterone from here,” she said to Cyan.
Cyan wrinkled her nose. “That ain’t testosterone, Cass. That’s sweat.”
Cassy gave her a dumb look. “Cyan, you know what I mean. Oh, and I just want to state now that men, no matter what their species are, are complete and utter morons.”
Cyan took Cassy’s hand, as she continued looking on the spectacle. “I hear ya, Cass, I hear ya.”
Cyc’s leg swept out and Orineaus landed with an audible, “OOF!” onto the dance floor. He quickly recovered by getting up with lightning speed and running behind Cyc, wrapping his huge arms around Cyc’s neck, locking him in a sleeper hold. “Now, little cousin, what ya say? Oops, I forgot… You can’t say anything.” Orineaus grinned, as Cyc’s face turned a deeper shade of blue.
Cyc, in an act of desperation, elbowed Orineaus in the stomach and broke free. “Oof!” The larger Cyclops groaned, and then grinned. “Well, boy, looks like you aren’t all talk after all.”
Despite being winded, Cyc grinned back. “Nope, cous, it takes a lot more than that to get me down,” was Cyc’s cheeky response. He turned his back on Orineaus, bent down and slapped his butt, making all the females giggle and stare intensely.
Cassy groaned. ‘Give me a break.’
“Now come on, old timer,” Cyc taunted his relative. “Let’s see ya try an get me.”
Orineaus chuckled. “Oh man, you’re asking for it, little cous.” He dashed up to Cyc and started to throw series after series of left and right hooks. Cyc used his elbows to block them, and then grabbed Orin by his huge shoulders and head-butted him, sending Orin reeling.
“I suppose that’s one way for Cyc to use his head.” Cassy muttered. Cyan just snorted.
Orineaus grabbed Cyc by his hair and slammed his knee into his face. “Oooh!”
Cassy winced. If she didn’t know that Cyclops’s bodies were a lot tougher than they looked, then she would be screaming at them to stop right now.
Many of the New Olympians cried out at the sight of them, as Orin picked up Cyc, fireman style, and dropped him onto the hard floor. The wind was knocked out of Cyc’s body. Orineaus then got up and… “Aaaaaaagh!!” Orineaus gave a war cry, as he jumped up into the air and drove his elbow into Cyc’s midsection. “Oof!” Cyc’s eye bulged out again as more wind was knocked out of him. Orineaus then turned around Cyc with a malicious grin.
“Ohhh, I can’t watch!” Cyan covered her eyes, as Orineaus took Cyc’s leg and hyper extended it.
“Oh! All right, cous, enough!” Cyc called out wide-eyed.
Orineaus let go of Cyc’s leg. He smiled down to his cousin and offered him a hand up. “You had enough, Hercules?!” shouting out Cyc’s real name, earning a few smirks from the audience.
Cyc glared at him for calling him his real name. “All right, I give.” He took Orineaus’ hand and pulled himself up. “So why don’t we get ourselves to the ladies?”
“All right, kid, let’s go.” Orineaus put an affectionate arm around his cousin’s shoulder.
Cassandra put on a fake smile. “Okay, Cyan, here they come. Wow, you guys were great!”
“Good job, guys!” Cyan gave the two Cyclops an equally fake smile while her voice was plastered with sarcasm. The two Cyclops didn’t seem to notice though, as they visibly preened over the ladies comments.
Cyc grinned. “Yeah, ladies, I know we are both hot stuff.” He wiped his sweat filled brow. “Don’t we just look great all buffed up and sweating like this, ladies?!” Both Cyc and Orineaus began to take on various bodybuilding poses, as Cyc began flexing his bicep.
Cassy’s grin stretched even wider, so wide that it almost hurt. She was giving them a vapid expression and spoke through her teeth. “Yeah, you guys were great. I mean wow, you guys are just wow!”
“Don’t overdo it, Cassy.” Cyan whispered through clenched teeth. She too gave them an empty happy look.
The rest of the night went pretty smoothly. They had a few more drinks, almost half the girls in the club asked to feel Cyc’s bicep and then asked him for a dance, to which he happily complied. Cassy found it rather funny to watch Cyc dance with some of the girls like the Centaurs, who were many sizes smaller than he. She almost laughed, as she watched Cyc having to bend over and carry the poor girl, otherwise they never would have been able to start dancing.
Orineaus, as he was working, spent most of the night at the main door and being ready to take out any people, who were there to have more than their fair share of fun. Cassy caught him smiling at her and Cyan once or twice before he went back to flexing his muscles at another girl, who had just entered.
‘Destiny’s couple,’ she thought bemusedly. How Cyc’s family had ever been cursed to have two of the same Cyclops like him and Orineaus was beyond her.
Cassy was most thankful that none of the other Olympians came over to them. She had been more than afraid that maybe some of the Olympian teenagers would come over and give her a hard time about her presentation… or worse.
She looked up from her drink and watched Cyc, as he pranced about all over the dance floor, shaking his backside and holding whichever one of the girls he was dancing with at the time.
Cyan had a bit more style, as she was dancing rather gracefully with a cute Minotaur that she had been eyeing all night.
Orineaus had kindly asked her for a dance, but Cassy just didn’t feel like dancing. Although no one had made any advances to her about her presentation, they were still giving her cold looks.
‘I wish I was home,’ she thought miserably.
“Is this seat taken?” a voice suddenly spoke above her, startling her.
Cassy looked up, and found a rather handsome Centaur smiling down on her.
“Huh? Oh… yeah, actually. My friend sits here, but she’s dancing at the moment, so feel free to take the weight off your hooves.”
“Thanks,” the young male Centaur eased himself into the seat of cushions and smiled at her again. “I haven’t seen you here before. You’d think I would’ve noticed something like a human in a place as small as this.”
Cassy smiled back at him. “This is my first time here. My friends coaxed me into it.”
The Centaur shrugged. “Yeah, that’s how I ended up in this place too, but I found it to be a great hangout, so I come here regularly now.”
Cassy shrugged. “Seems like a nice place, but I don’t think I’ll be coming back again.” At the Centaur’s questioning look, she added, “There aren’t that many Olympians, who appreciate seeing a human in their hangout, as you call it.”
The Centaur gave a half-smile. “Yeah, I guess it’s not much fun when a lot of people don’t like you. Incidentally, I heard you made quite an impression with that presentation of yours at the school? I’m sorry I missed it.”
Cassy looked up surprised. “Err… thanks, I guess. I don’t think I’ve seen you around school often... Say, what is your name by the way?”
The Centaur bowed his head slightly. “Name’s Nessus, and you must be Cassy, right?”
Cassy blinked.
Nessus grinned. “There aren’t that many Olympians who don’t know the name of the one and only human living on New Olympus.”
“Oh… right,” Cassy looked at him curiously.
“And in answer to your other question,” he continued. “I don’t go to the Western Olympus School; I go to the Eastern one.”
“Ah,” Cassy said, realising now. “I’ve only been there whenever our schools were against one another in the Olympic sports.”
Nessus grinned. “Yeah, I remember seeing you there in the audiences.”
At Cassy’s quirked eyebrow, he laughed a little. “I’m a runner for my school,” he explained.
Cassy smiled. “Cool!”
Nessus smiled, but underneath he thought, ‘Cool?’
“It must be nice to represent your school like that,” Cassy said a little sadly. “If I were to join in any of the sports, I’d most likely be booed and shouted off the field before I even got a chance, and even if I did, then I’d never be able to keep up with most of the Olympians.”
Nessus nodded in understanding.
“Say, how’d you know about my presentation anyway,” Cassy suddenly enquired, “Since you don’t go to our school?”
Nessus smirked. “Are you kidding?” he said slightly amazed. “There isn’t a single Olympian on the island that doesn’t know about it. Everyone’s been talking about the lone human who decided to take it upon herself to wrong the name of New Olympus, and disgrace its ancestors.”
Cassy felt her lungs deflate. ‘Ohhhh God,’ she thought.
Nessus grinned at her. “Don’t sweat it,” he reassured her. “Deep down, everyone knows the real truth about what happened all those centuries ago in Greece. It’s just they want sooo much to believe that their ancestors were the victims that the thought that they might have started it all is unthinkable to them.”
Cassy nodded. “Yeah, I’ve heard that mentioned once or twice. I honestly don’t know what I was doing at the time. It seemed like a good idea at the time… until I was in front of the class ready to present it.”
Nessus shrugged. “Well personally, I think you were right for telling it.” At Cassy’s questioning look he added, “Our people keep saying they’ve advanced so much, yet they refuse to acknowledge the truth or at least the possible truth about what their ancestors truly were. If they can’t do a simple thing like that, then what hope do we have for our future as a great people?”
Cassy smiled. “I didn’t think I would ever meet another New Olympian that actually agreed with my statement,” she said unbelievably.
Nessus smiled. “Well, now you do.” he said, and patted her hand. “So who’re your friends by the way?”
Cassy pointed to over where Cyc was dancing with three girls at once, two were on his shoulders, and the other he was holding close to his torso as he danced.
“That’s Cyc,” she said.
Nessus’s own eyebrows shot up. “HE’S your friend?!”
Cassy nodded and Nessus laughed. “Forgive me for sounding so surprised, only I know that guy… In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if most of New Olympus knows him, particularly the female population.”
Cassy grinned. “Yup, that’s Cyc alright. But don’t worry; Cyc and I are no way in a relationship.”
Nessus laughed again. “That’s good to hear. I’d hate it if that guy got pissed at me for stealing his girlfriend.”
Cassy snorted. “Even if I was, I doubt Cyc would even be able to remember which girl was his girlfriend. He’s had so many that he can’t remember their names and keeps calling each of them by the wrong one. Provided quite a show when he called his girlfriend by his ex-girlfriend’s name at the school dance, I can tell you.”
Nessus chuckled. “So… “He hesitated, “would you like to dance?”
Cassy gulped a little, as the song that had just come up was a slow moving and obviously romantic one, but she didn’t want to be rude.
“Umm, okay, sure,” she got up and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. She watched thankfully, as not one of the other kids looked at her, as they were too busy dancing with their partners.
Nessus lead her onto the dance floor and proceeded to gently circle his arms around her, holding her hand and placing his own above her left hip.
Cassy felt a little weird, as dancing with a Centaur was… different to say the least. She could hear the clip-clop of his hooves, as they tapped on the floor, and he had to lower his face straight down to look at her and ended up resting his chin on top of her head.
She took extra special care in this dance, as she didn’t want to risk getting her feet stepped on by his large hooves, but he seemed particularly careful in holding her, and seemed to be an ace in dancing.
She enjoyed the slow rhythm of the song, as Nessus waltzed her around the room. She noticed Cyc and even Orineaus, dancing with more than a few girls at the same time, holding them close to him like a mother with their newborn babies.
Cyan was also dancing with the Minotaur that she had fancied, and Cassy noticed, with a raised eyebrow, how she had her hand on his butt as they twirled to the song, both of them with goofy grins on their faces.
‘And she slams Cyc’s flirting skills???’ she thought amazed.
She got a little nervous when Nessus held her close to his chest, as they continued dancing gracefully. Unlike most of the other Centaurs she had seen, he wasn’t wearing anything except for some kind of odd Egyptian style collar around his neck, other than that he wore nothing. But he was really gentle with her, and in some way she felt safe and warm in his embrace.
He was really very handsome, with a delicate face with high cheekbones and a straight nose, blonde hair that was combed back in a fashion similar to Orin’s, shining golden skin that bulged out with muscles, and dark brown eyes that gazed intensely into hers. Even the horse-half of him was beautiful, with a dark auburn coloured hide that was neatly trimmed. It looked like how a racehorse would look back home.
Cassy couldn’t help though, but remember the tales she had heard about the Centaurs. However, there hadn’t been a case like that in centuries and the security here was tighter than Fort Knox, so she had nothing to fear.
Cassy sighed, as she buried her face in Nessus’s chest, enjoying the warmth of his touch and the steady beating of his heart… hearts? Cassy could swear she could hear the double beating of two hearts from him.
Cassy looked up at Nessus curiously. “Nessus?” she began to ask. “Forgive me if this sounds stupid, but I’m no doctor… Do you have two hearts?”
Nessus nodded. “Yes, one here in the chest like you humans do,” he then reached his hand back and patted the back on his horse-half, “and another one here in the lower part of my body.”
Cassy blinked. ‘Whoa, two hearts,’ she thought. ‘No wonder Centaurs were so hot blooded, what with all the energy that two hearts must give them.” She summarised that was what all Centaurs needed, as with their kind of bodies they would need the extra stamina.
She leaned forward again and listened to the heart in his human chest, together with the echo of his second heart in his horse body.
“You have a beautiful heartbeat,” she said. “It’s such an unusual rhythm, so peaceful to listen to.”
Nessus smiled. “Most people wouldn’t give it a second thought. I’m glad in a way that you notice these things.”
Cassy smiled back. “Even after all these years on this island, I’m still getting used to things and learning new stuff everyday.”
They stayed like that for a few minutes, listening to the music and moving softly to its tune, until finally the music came to an end and they had to step down.
Cassy saw her friends and, to her dismay, Orineaus sitting at their table where Cyan was leaning forward with her head in her hands, and Cyc and Orineaus seemed to be having an arm wrestling contest.
“I’d better be off,” Nessus said and then reached for her hand, kissing it politely. “I hope I’ll see you again soon.”
Cassy smiled. “I’d like that, very much.”
Nessus grinned. “Well… if you want to see me again, then you’d better start coming to the club regularly.”
Cassy rolled her eyes. “Oh geez, not you too!” she exclaimed.
Nessus laughed and trotted away.
Cassy couldn’t help, but gaze at his rear as he left, and then mentally shook herself.
‘Okay,’ she thought. ‘Now that… is scary. Okay, maybe there is some truth to what Cyc said about how potential lovers always end up checking each other’s… posterior out. But come on… The guy has the backside of a horse for crying out loud!’
Cassy remembered how her parents had once taken her to a Texas ranch where they had fed the farm animals and ridden the horses across the plains, and her dad had promised her that one day he would get her a pony of her own.
‘Somehow,’ she thought amusedly, ‘I don’t think Nessus was quite what he had in mind?’ she chuckled and made her way back to their table.
“So?!” Cyan sprang her head up from the table, ignoring Cyc and Orin as they attempted to best each other out, best 2 out of 3. “Acquired a new friend, have we?” she slyly remarked.
Cassy didn’t even blush, and just sat down casually. “If you mean Nessus then yes, he was very nice and we share a great deal in common.”
“Ohhh really?” Cyan rested her chin on her hands, sneering at her human friend. “Is that all?”
Cassy shuffled a bit. “What else is there?”
“How’s about… “ Cyan began. “What a great dancer he was, how handsome he is, how big his muscles are… Did your eyes get sore after watching his butt make its way out of the club?”
Cassy did blush then, as she glared at her best friend.
“Huh?!” Cyc asked loudly, his attention drawn away from his arm wrestle.
“Yeah, huh?!” Orineaus joined in, his voice a little slurred from the drink he had just had. “Why’d you wanna check out some wimpy little Centaur kid, when you’ve got 2 God’s gifts right here?” He thumped his own chest like a gorilla and playfully punched Cyc’s shoulder, which Cyc shrugged off.
Cyan wrinkled her nose. “Gee,” she replied sarcastically, “I just can’t imagine, can you?” she looked to her friend, who sat down, wearily looking at the two Cyclops’.
Suddenly, Orineaus got a wicked glint in his eye, and he leaned over to his cousin, whispering in his ear and Cyc then got the same glint, which made both Cassy and Cyan very, very nervous.
“I have no idea what the heck those two are planning, but come on let’s go.” Cassy said with a role of her eyes. As Cassy and Cyan got up to leave, they were scooped up in the arms of the two Cyclops.
“Hey!” protested Cyan, as Orineaus picked her up in his brawny arms. He gave her a devilish grin, as he pressed the Centaur up against his large muscular chest. Cyan looked around and found that Cassy was in pretty much the same situation, as Cyc had Cassy in his huge arms and pressing her to his bare chest.
“Cyc!” Cassy slapped the Cyclops on his chest, to which he just grinned. “Let me down!”
“No way, Cass,” the Cyclops grinned down at her, “Me and Orin are going to show you the time of your lives! No boy Centaur is better than we are! Ha!” With that, Cyc and Orineaus started to dance to the rhythm of the club music.
‘Oh God!’ Cassy thought, as Cyc began dancing with her, holding her in his strong arms. Well if you could call it dancing, as the two girls could do nothing as the two Cyclops spun and twirled with the two girls in their arms.
The Olympians who were left in the club noticed the odd couples dancing, and began pointing at them. Some of them burst out laughing at the funny sight, as Cyc and his cousin twirled the girls around, holding them close, and even planting a kiss on both of their cheeks.
‘I’m gonna kill them!’ Cassy and Cyan both thought simultaneously.
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Five days later:
Cassy laughed, as Nessus joked about some of his teachers from school, from Mrs Joy the Pan who was forever bossing them on their homework, to Mr Eros the Cupid who once broke his wing and had to spend all morning standing on large piles of books to see everyone.
Cassy had to admit that she was growing quite fond of Nessus. He was very handsome, with an exceedingly masculine chest, big muscular arms, and a wonderful sense of humour, with a pleasant laugh.
After their first meeting, Cassy had gone back to The River Styx again, the very next night, and this time she made sure to give him her number, to contact her. Thankfully, he gave her his number as well. They had been spending quite a lot of time together so far.
Today he had invited her to lunch, which she had gladly accepted.
She was actually supposed to have met Cyan and Cyc at the Olympians Baths, and go swimming with them at the beach. However, she didn’t think they would mind too much if she skipped a single day with them. After all, she had spent nearly every day with them since they had met, when she first came to New Olympus, so what was the harm in her wanting to try something new?
“So how’s school been?” Nessus suddenly asked her.
“Huh?” Cassy asked, pulled out of her reverie.
“I said, how’s school been?” Nessus repeated. “The other kids still giving you heat about that talk of yours?”
Cassy smiled brightly. “Some are, but some are actually starting to listen to me, and have even begun to question their folks about the truth of their ancestors. It was a little hard at first, but I think people are starting to listen to me.”
“That’s great then!” Nessus said joyfully. “So you did get through to some people.”
Cassy nodded. “I never thought the day would come when anyone here on this island would ever listen to me, but… The last few days have been a real turnaround. There’s even been talk that some of the kids are going to start a debate club, where they talk about the truth and such.”
“Cool!” Nessus exclaimed, using the word that he had learnt from Cassy, even though he still didn’t know what it meant.
Cassy grinned proudly, but stopped when she saw Cyan passing by on the street. “Oh, there’s Cyan,” Cassy got up and dropped some money onto the table to pay for her lunch. “I better go talk to her. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Actually,” Nessus began, “I’m gonna be pretty much tied up for the rest of the week, Cassy. I’ve got waaay too much schoolwork to catch up with.”
Cassy felt dejected. “Oh, well… School does come first, I suppose… “
“But hey,” Nessus said more happily. “There’s a party this Friday at my cousin Ixion’s house. You wanna come?”
Cassy’s face brightened. “Sure! Where is it?”
“At the east coast, at one of the provenance houses,” Nessus replied. “Oh, but before you say anything else, I should warn you that most of all the guests going there, will be Centaurs.”
“Oh, how come?”
Nessus shrugged. “Dunno. My cousin Ixion has never really been fond of hanging out with other races before, and has stuck to his own kind.”
“Oh, then maybe I shouldn’t come,” Cassy began a little fearfully. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your cousin’s birthday.”
“Nah,” Nessus scoffed. “He won’t mind. In fact, he personally asked me if I would invite you. He’s never met a human before, and is most interested. Besides, any idiot with half a brain who saw you, would immediately want you to stay.”
Cassy blushed. “Thanks,” she then noticed Cyan almost around the corner, and out of sight. “Ummm, okay,” she said hurriedly, “I’ll come.”
“Great!” Nessus got up to say goodbye to her. “I’ll pick you up at around 5-0-clock on Friday evening?”
“Great,” Cassy started to leave. “I look forward to it!” She yelled back to him and waved goodbye, as she hurried after her friend, Nessus waving goodbye to her back.
“Cyan!” Cassy called out to her Centaur friend, but for some reason she didn’t seem to hear her. “Cyan, wait up will you?!”
Cyan finally stopped and turned around, as Cassy jogged up to her. Cassy however stopped, when she saw the stern unhappy look in her friend’s eyes.
“Cyan,” she began hesitantly. “What’s wrong?”
“We were supposed to go swimming today, remember?” Cyan said crossly. “I was waiting for you at the Baths for over two hours, Cassy!” she glared at her friend. “I was worried, wondering where in Tartarus you were, and nearly went straight to Taurus, only to find you flirting with lover boy back there!” she pointed back to the restaurant from where Cassy had just come.
Cassy’s face burned. “I’m sorry,” she said honestly. “I guess I just lost track of time and…. I didn’t think you would mind me missing one day… “
“Mind?!” Cyan exploded with rage. “You left me standing at the baths looking like an idiot, when all the time you were back there sitting comfortably with Muscle-man!”
“I said I was sorry, alright!” Cassy replied hotly, “What more do you want me to say?!”
“How’s about apologising to Cyc too,” Cyan wouldn’t give an inch. “In case you forgot, we were both supposed to meet you at the baths a while ago.”
“Well, yeah…” Cassy began. “But he won’t mind. I mean, he never has any trouble in finding something to do in his spare time.”
“That’s not the point!” Cyan shouted, and cringed when a few onlookers stopped and stared at them. “We were supposed to get together to plan my birthday party this Friday, remember?”
Cassy felt her blood run cold. “Fri… Friday?” she asked a little fearfully.
Cyan eyed her suspiciously. “You had better be about to tell me that it just slipped your mind, and NOT that you have just made other plans for that night?” she hissed.
Cassy winced and wanted to bury herself right there and then. “I’m… I’m sorry, Cyan.”
“Oh fine!” Cyan stomped her hoof and strode away. “Some friend you are!”
“Cyan, wait!” Cassy pleaded with her. “I’m sorry. It just happened. Nessus asked me to go with him to his cousin Ixion’s birthday party. It was a spur of the moment thing, I completely forgot.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Cyan continued walking away, breaking into a gallop. “Well I hope you, your boyfriend, and his cousin all live happily ever after, goodbye!” With that, she galloped away and didn’t even give Cassy a chance to blink.
“Well that’s certainly put a dampener on my day,” she grumbled.
00000000000000000000000000
Two Days Later:
The next couple of days went by slowly, as Cassy had eagerly waited for Friday to come. She had tried to speak to Cyan a few times, and was close to actually breaking off her date with Nessus if that would have won her friend back.
‘Am I really being so selfish in wanting a new friend?’ she thought, and then added, ‘or something even more.’
Sure, she shouldn’t have left Cyan and Cyc by themselves at the Baths, or at least told them that she had had other plans or something, but… In all the time they had known each other; she had always made it to their hangouts in time, and had spent all of her free time with them for years. Why were they being so bitchy about her wanting to spend some time with someone else for once?
Well, Cyan was at least, as Cyc had been busy working at the City Baths all week and she had rarely seen him. He wasn’t one to hold a grudge though, and had most likely left when she didn’t show up, probably gone flirting with another girl. He would also of course be attending Cyan’s birthday party.
‘The party that I should be attending,’ Cassy thought miserably. ‘Why am I even going out with Nessus? I hardly know him, and I certainly don’t know his cousin, so why am I going to a party for someone I don’t know, when I should be going to my best friend’s one?”
The answer was simple enough… because she wanted Nessus to like her. True, he didn’t seem like the type who would get mad at her for not going out with him, but she didn’t really want to take the chance.
She applied the last few touches of make-up to her face at her dressing table, and took a look at herself. She wasn’t one for make-up, so she had only added a little lipstick and some eye mascara.
She had never been to the Provenances, where Nessus’s cousin lived. She hoped there weren’t too many of the usual human haters there, as she didn’t fancy the idea of being trampled to death by loads of angry Centaur hooves.
‘Still,’ she thought, ‘there is an upside if that does happen. Maybe Nessus will rescue you and carry you on his back… or better yet in his arms, and carry you to safety with him holding you all the way.’ She grinned, as she imagined Nessus holding her with those strong arms, and caressing her with those gentle hands of his.
Cassy felt her face flush, and murmured in pleasure, as she pictured him with her right at that moment. She briefly wondered what might happen if he did come onto her? Part of her wanted him to, and it was now possibly for her to mate with an Olympian. She then looked down at herself for a second, and wondered.
Only just a few weeks ago, she had had to go with Manty to his clinic, where she had to have some genetic treatment that enabled her to mate with any of the Olympians on the island. At the time, she didn’t think she would ever have any kind of relationship with any male on this island, but unfortunately it was the law of New Olympus that she had to have it.
The treatment was done by Manty, which had made it a little easier for her. It was a simple procedure that hadn’t lasted longer than a few minutes. The treatment itself basically did something to her genital area, making her skin and vaginal area more… stretchable, she supposed was the word she was looking for. She didn’t know the correct term for it, only that it literally enabled her to mate with any number of males on the isle, whether they were tiny creatures like the Cupids, or massive beings like the Cyclops.
Cassy shuddered, as Manty had joked at the time, saying that now she could have a relationship with Cyc if she wanted. Needless to say, if Manty weren’t her foster father, she would have wanted very much to punch his lights out that day.
It felt weird, because she didn’t feel any different, nor did her personal area, but Manty assured her that she was safe and healthy.
The treatment had been created long ago because on an isle as small as this, many of the different species of Olympians ended up falling in love and mating with each other. The only problem was, at the time, a lot of the races were not compatible with each other, because of size difference mostly. So the treatment had been created, allowing any race member to be with whoever, or whatever, they wanted. Every Olympian had to go through the treatment once they reached almost full maturity, as they didn’t want to take any chances in anyone being hurt or killed, if raped by a being larger than they.
“Cassy!” Manty’s voice suddenly called to her. “Your date’s here!”
Cassy blushed. One day she would have to find time to talk to Manty about stealth.
“Coming!” she called back to him. She quickly finished off the last of her eye shadow, stood up and looked over herself in the mirror. She was wearing the latest dress that she had gotten from Manty’s sister, Mantaura. A short gold dress that was cut, almost indecently short, right up to the thigh, with a white-silver lining and a red star brooch pinned on her breast.
She didn’t know whether or not she would look hot to a Centaur in this outfit, but Manty had sure approved when he had whistled and wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Cassy smirked. Manty may be getting on his years, but he still had the heart and spirit of a teenager.
Satisfied with her appearance, Cassy smoothed out a little of her hair, and then made her way out into the hallway where she found Manty and Nessus talking.
“So the Centaur walks into a bar and the bartender says, ‘why the long face?’”
Nessus half smiled, as he must have heard that joke about a million times in his life.
“Have you ever thought about taking Genetics and becoming a geneticist?” Manty suddenly asked the young Centaur. “It’s a great way to make a living, and you’ll always be sure to have plenty of cash to support a family.”
Nessus shook his head, his cheeks turning red. “No, I’m afraid not. I’m thinking about just becoming an ordinary… “He paused for a moment, and then added quietly, “…a family doctor.”
Manty cocked an eyebrow at him, and then nodded. “Yes, I started out as a family doctor.”
“Really?” Nessus asked curiously.
“Yeah, my wife planned to be my next patient once when she and I wanted… “Manty trailed off, and then stopped when he spotted Cassy standing in the doorway to her room. “Ah, the lady arrives.”
Nessus turned to look at Cassy, and she swore she could see his eyes bulge out when he saw her.
“Wow!” Nessus exclaimed, as he looked up and down at her. “You look… Wow!”
Cassy grinned. ‘Definitely got to thank Mantaura for this dress,’ she thought happily.
Manty grinned too, at the almost cartoon expression on Nessus’s face, his jaw dropped so low that it was practically touching the floor. He leaned over to Nessus’s side and whispered in his ear. “You might like to know…. Your mouth’s open.”
Nessus shut his mouth, blushing a little more.
“Shall we go?” Cassy said hurriedly, wanting to spare Nessus anymore of Manty’s bad jokes and constant harassment.
“Now, remember to be home by eleven,” Manty began quoting. “No breaking cur fume, I don’t want to smell any alcohol on you, no torn blouse… “
“MANTY!” she shrieked embarrassed.
“What?” Manty asked, pretending to be confused.
Cassy rolled here eyes and kissed Manty quickly on the cheek. “I’ll be seeing you later,” she said and gave him a short wave with her hand, as they left the apartment.
“Be sure to…! Manty began, but she cut him off.
“Goodbye, Manty!” she quickly shut the door behind her and hurried beside Nessus. “Sorry about that,” she told him. “Manty has this annoying habit of enjoying embarrassing people, especially me.”
Nessus chuckled. “Don’t sweat it. I have folks like him who make me turn red all the time.”
Cassy smiled. “So, how far is this cousin of yours’ house again?”
Nessus shrugged. “Not far… or at least it won’t be if…. “He looked a little embarrassed.
“If what?” she asked.
“If… you wouldn’t mind riding me?” he asked hesitantly.
“What?!”
“I mean ride on my back,” he held up his hands defensively. “We could get there a lot faster if you get on my back and I gallop us there.”
“Oh,” Cassy shrugged. After all, what harm could it do? “Okay, but if you throw me off, then I’m suing, alright?”
Nessus laughed and kneeled down a little on his knees so that she could climb up onto his back.
“Now hold on.” He said, as he kicked his legs, getting ready to run.
“By the way,” she began. “I’ve always wondered… Just how fast do you Centaurs goooOOOOOOOO!!!!!”
She screamed, as Nessus charged down the road so fast, she felt her hair wave behind her like a banner.
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Cyan’s house:
Cyan smiled pretending at all her friends from school, and her relatives, as they all danced to the music blaring out of the music box.
Cyan sighed, as yet another couple of her friends from school turned up. She greeted them with a forced smile and accepted their gifts. All of her friends and family were there at her birthday party, everyone except her best friend, Cassy.
Cyan felt lousy. She hadn’t felt at all like dancing, eating, drinking, or doing any of the kind of stuff that people would usually find her doing at a party, whereas Cyc seemed to be doing all of it for her.
Cyc had three giggling girl Harpies in his arms, as he swerved from left to right.
Cyan regretted the fight she had had with Cassy, and wished she could take it back now. Yes, she had been mad at her for standing her up at the Baths, but it wasn’t as if it was a regular occurrence with her. She had just been so mad.
Cyan frowned. She wondered if she should try calling her, and asking her if she would still like to come to her party, but then again she’d have probably already gone out with that Centaur, Nessus.
“Hey, Cyan!” Cyc’s booming voice sounded in her ear. “What’s up? This is your party, girl! Time to get down and shake that tail of yours!”
Cyan rubbed her ear painfully. “Thanks, Cyc, but I’m really not in the mood,” she moaned.
Cyc cocked his head at his friend. “What’s up?”
Cyan sighed. “Cass and me had a fight. You remember when we were supposed to meet up for swimming at the beach, a couple of days ago, only she never showed up? Well, I found out that the reason she never showed was because she’d been having lunch with that Centaur boy she met at the River Styx a few days ago.”
“Oooh!” Cyc’s eyes went wide. “Cass has a man? Yah, way to go Cassy!”
Cyan snorted. “Trust you to take her side,” she mumbled.
“Aren’t you glad she’s got someone?” Cyc asked her curiously. “I mean, someone other besides you and me. She can’t hang around with us for the rest of her life, you know.”
“I know!” Cyan hissed. “But she didn’t have to leave us hanging like she did. What’s worse is that she’s not even here at my birthday.”
“You mean she’s not here?” Cyc asked confused, and looked around.
Cyan snorted again. “You’ve been too busy with the Harpy triplets back there to notice that she hasn’t shown up.”
“Whoa,” Cyc breathed in surprise. “I just assumed… I mean, neither of us has ever missed one of the other’s birthdays.”
“Yeah, I know,” Cyan murmured.
“Do you know where she’s gone?”
Cyan shrugged. “She said she was going with that Nessus guy, to his cousin’s birthday party or something. I think his name was Ixion.”
Cyc went quiet for a few moments and looked at her strangely.
“What?” Cyan said, wondering why he was looking at her that way.
“Did you say Ixion?”
Cyan nodded. “Yeah, what of it?”
Cyc frowned. “Nothing, at least I don’t think so.”
“Cyc?”
Cyc sighed. “I’ve just been hearing things about some guy named Ixion,” he held up his hands defensively. “Just things that I heard around the baths, and other places, about some guys getting together and having some wild parties, going crazy and all that stuff.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Cyan asked confused.
“Nothing,” Cyc shrugged. “Except that most of the people who ever went to these wild parties, often wound up in the medical centres.”
“WHAT???!!!”

Provenances Mansions:

Cassy blinked a little in amazement at the massive mansion standing before her.
“Your cousin lives here?!” she asked amazed.
Nessus smirked. “Yeah, when his mom and mine were kids, they fell in love with the same guy, who was one of the richest kids at school. They spent years trying to get him to fall for one of them… My aunt won.”
Cassy laughed, and then blanched a little at all the Centaurs that trotted past them, into the main building.
“Don’t sweat,” Nessus rubbed her arm in comfort. “You’ll be fine as long as you’re with me, because I won’t let anyone do anything to you, understand?”
Cassy smiled, and snuggled into his embrace. “Thank you.”
“Oh, one thing I should warn you about,” Nessus paused. “Ixion has been known to get… a little wild at his parties.”
“A little wild?” she asked.
“Wellll… “Nessus had a wicked glint in his eye. “Let’s just say they don’t call him ‘Steam up the windows Ixion’ for nothing.”
Cassy blushed, as they went inside.
Everywhere she turned, there were Centaurs all over the place. So many that she had to keep dodging left and right to avoid getting her feet trampled on by the heavy hooves of them. It reminded her of when she had gone to the ranch, with her parents. That had been a time when she had had to jump to avoid getting her foot squashed too.
A lot of the Centaurs were giving her the eye, but she had been expecting them to, her being the only human and all.
Actually, she seemed to be the only other species there at the party at all. Nessus had been correct, as there seemed to be virtually no other races in the house, only Centaurs.
As she passed by some of the Centaurs, with Nessus in tow, she overheard some of them whispering, but paid no heed to them. If it was about her, and that they weren’t happy with her being there, then that was just tough. She was there on a date, and she would be damned if she would let any bigots ruin it for her tonight.
However, as it turned out, the Centaurs were not talking about her, or anything to do with her. One of them handed the other a long bottle of a pale blue liquid. He glanced around quickly, to make sure no one was looking.
“You’re sure you know what to do?” he asked the other Centaur.
The other Centaur also glanced around worriedly. “Yeah, but… Are you sure about this?”
The first Centaur scoffed. “Who cares? Ixion’s paying us major credits for doing this, and besides, it’s not dangerous.”
“Then why have they outlawed it then?”
“Good point, but if that’s the case, then why don’t they stop drinking too? I’ve seen some of our island security, and politicians, down at the local club, drinking. It doesn’t affect them.”
The second Centaur still looked doubtful, but the first one was relentless.
“Don’t worry,” he assured him. “Nothing bad will happen. We’ll just mix the stuff in with the punch, and it’ll get people’s juices flowing. You wait and see! It’ll be fun. This party is going to be sooo bustin tonight, people will be talking about it in years from now.”
The second Centaur finally agreed. “Alright, I’ll… Whoa!”
“What is it?” the first one turned to where the second was looking, and saw the human girl that Ixion’s cousin, Nessus, had walked in with. “Whoa, indeed.” His eyes bulged out at the pretty human, “Pretty sexy for a girl with only two legs.”
He licked his lips at the sight of her. “If all goes well tonight, and if Ixion doesn’t beat me to it, I think I might have a dance or two with her.”
He chuckled, and made his way to talk to some other Centaurs, all of which were also looking at the lone human, while the second started to make his way toward the punch bowl.
Cassy noticed some of the Centaurs looking at her… Well, leering at her would be more accurate. She gave them half a smile, and put her arm around Nessus’ bicep. He smiled down at her, seemingly not noticing his date’s discomfort.
“So, how are you liking the party so far, Cass?” Nessus gave Cassy an easy smile.
“Oh it’s great, Nessus,” Cassy gave him a little nervous laugh. “I’ve been wanting to make some new friends for quite some time now.”
She wasn’t exactly lying, as ever since her forced stay on the island, Cassy had really only ever had Cyan and Cyc to hang out with. Now while she was thankful that she had them, and they really were the best friends she could ever hope for, she still really wished she could make more friends here on the island.
A pang of regret crept into her heart, as she remembered the words she had said to Cyan. And the anger and disappointment on the Centaur’s face, as she said she would be missing the party. ‘But she’ll understand,’ she thought. ‘It’s only this one night. She has to.’
Nessus gently lead her by the arm. “Come on, Cassy. I’d like you to meet my cousin, Ixion.” Nessus lead her through a crowd of Centaurs, mostly males, who looked on at her in curiosity, and one or two in…lust?
A pit started to form at the bottom of Cassy’s stomach. She looked to Nessus and his handsome face, and smiled warmly. ‘Best to keep my eyes on him,’ she thought.
“Cousin,” Nessus spoke to someone. “I’d like you to meet Cassandra, Cassandra Williams.”
A Centaur, about a head shorter than Nessus, turned around. Like Nessus, he was bare-chested but had a slightly lighter tone than he did, a Caucasian if that term could apply to a Centaur. He had a striking face, which Cassy could almost picture as one of the Classical Greek sculptures, or perhaps Michelangelo’s David. His horse-half was the classic brown that most Centaurs had, except near the back of his body, where he had three white spots on either side.
Ixion smiled at Cassy. “Hello, Cassandra. I’ve heard many things about you.” He gave her a charming smile, as he went to kiss her hand.
Cassy blushed, which could be easily seen through her peach skin, “All good things I hope.”
He turned to Nessus. “So, cousin, this is the famous human that’s been living on our island and making a mockery of our history, is it not?”
“Yes, Ixion, the one and only. I hope you really don’t mind that I brought her?”
Ixion gave a dismissive gesture. “Oh no, not at all, cousin.”
Nessus raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I was rather surprised when you asked me to invite her here. I mean, you’ve always had these little social events exclusively for Centaurs.”
“Oh, well yes, Nessus.” Ixion looked a little uncomfortable. “Well, you’ll forgive me, Cassy, if I say… You are exotic. I mean, we could have had Minotaurs, Harpies, and Pegasi, but despite all them… You are the only human on the whole of New Olympus.”
Cassy glared at him, as her face turned red with anger. “Is that the only reason you had me come here? Because I’m an oddity?!”
Nessus loomed over Ixion, as he glared at his cousin. “Is this true, Ixion?”
Ixion was a bit taken back, as he looked at the human uncertainly. “No, no… Well…that was part of it, yes, but you misunderstand me, Cassy. I mean, you being the only one of your kind here is a plus yes, but there is also the fact that you are a friend to my dear cousin Nessus, and for me that is enough.” He gently led Cassy by the arm to the punch bowl. “Here, Cassy,” he poured her some of the blue and red liquid, “why don’t you drink this and relax.” He then poured another drink for his cousin and handed it to him.
Cassy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “All right, maybe I overreacted there.”
She took the punch and drank. She almost smiled at the sweet and yet sour taste in her mouth. It tasted like it had something else in too, like…alcohol?
She shrugged. ‘You only live once,’ she thought, and she downed the rest of the drink in her hands.
“Whoaaaaa!” Cassy squealed, as the room started liquefying in front of her eyes. Everything turned blue with a myriad of other colours, dancing in front of her eyes. “Ohhh… boy, this is great stuff.” She giggled in delight, as she noticed Nessus and some of the others starting to drink the strong punch.
Most of them barely had more than a few sips, before they started roaring out loud, and running off around the room, dancing, shouting, and fighting. Nessus on the other hand, seemed to look quite ill from the moment he took his first sip, but continued drinking it anyway.
“Yeah, come on, come on!!!” She started dancing around in the middle of the room, as some of the other inebriated Centaurs started to surround her, as they danced around with her.
It was really quite comical to see Centaurs dance. One of the Centaurs tried to do a twirl on the floor, but ended up falling over and landed straight on his side. What with their horse bodies, they could only do so much dancing, as in silent tap-like dancing and nothing more than that.
A couple of them came up to her, and sort of squeezed her in-between their bodies, their horse backsides pressing up against her. Both of them looked unsteady, and were grinning like mad, but Cassy was having too good a time, and was too drunk to notice. She even grabbed a handful of what she could of their backsides and squeezed, gaining a large smile from each of them.
As Cassy danced around, between the two Centaurs, she looked up and saw Nessus and Ixion. They appeared to whining with anger, as they got up on their two back legs and kicked each other on their bodies. Nessus received a kick on his upper torso and then his head, falling on the floor unconscious.
Cassy blinked. “What the…?”
Ixion then hurried over to her, still snuggled in-between the two Centaurs, and licked affectionately on the side of her neck. “Come on, why don’t we go somewhere else?”
Despite the effects of the drink, Cassy felt a chill go up her spine. “No, I don’t think so. Let me just go check up on Nessus.” She moved away from the three Centaurs, and went to Nessus.
“Nessus?” Cassy looked to her escort who, other than a bruise, was snoring rather contentedly.
“Hey, get your butt over here, human!” roared one of the Centaurs that had been dancing with her.
“Yeah, we aren’t through with you yet. You’re gonna show us a fine time.” the other laughed lewdly. Many of the Centaurs started to advance on Cassy.
Cassy shrieked and tried to make a run for the door, but five other Centaurs were already there and were looking on her none too kindly. They grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, and one kissed her quickly on the mouth.
Cassy whimpered in her throat, as the Centaur tasted her, and the others started caressing her body.
“Nice,” one said drunkenly, as he sniffed at her like a mongrel dog.
One of the Centaurs then turned around, with his back to her, and two others suddenly grabbed her legs and lifted her up, turned her around, and placed her onto the Centaur’s back, with her facing his rear.
Everyone laughed at the sight, while the Centaur she was sitting on, turned his head and blew her a kiss. “Wanna go for a ride, bitch?” and bounced her on his back a few times.
In a split second, Cassy brought her leg up, and slammed her knee into the face of one of the Centaurs who was holding her, breaking his nose as it did so.
“Aaargh!” the Centaur shouted. “Human vermin!”
Cassy struggled out of the other’s grips, and jumped from the Centaur’s back, making a dive to the floor, and rolled. Many gave whinnies of anger, as they started to rise on their hind legs and stomp down on the floor. Cassy made a desperate attempt to dodge their blows, but she wasn’t quick enough, as one the Centaurs clipped her on the shoulder. She felt a searing pain in her shoulder, as she made a mad dash for the exit.
She heard the clip clop of their hooves, as they started to run after her. She sobbed, as she ran out of the house and into the nearest bush, hoping to get away from the mad beasts. She heard a crash, as a window was broken, and an angry Centaur galloped out into the night, looking for her. Cassy shivered, praying that they didn’t find her. She mumbled pathetically, as tears blurred her vision. How could things have turned so bad so quickly?
Her shoulder felt like it was on fire. She felt along her back and cursed, as she found a tear in her dress, and what was most likely the flap of material. Yet it didn’t feel velvety, like her dress should be. Her shoulder really hurt like hell.
Her mind was still hazy by the powerful alcohol that she had most likely ingested.
She could have sworn her Aunt Mantaura had used a fabric that was close to velvet, on her dress. Yet this material felt soft and doughy. She felt the tear some more, her hand enclosed about something gooey, and what felt like slime, almost like…butter.
Ugh, it made squelching noises as she grabbed it, constantly slipping from her hands. Her hand went further into the tear, and now she felt something firm and wet. Come to think of it, the wetness was starting to slide down her back. The firm material was very strange, as it was almost like meat, and she tugged at it and was surprised when she felt her arm twinge. ‘Huh, what’s going on? Why does my back feel numb?’
Cassy took her hand and wiped her hand across her forehead, and again she felt the slick wetness on her face. ‘What in the world?’ She brought her hand down and looked at it. Trembling, she gave out a small whimper, as she saw the red substance on her hand. Her hand it was covered in…blood.
Opening and closing her mouth, she gave out a strangled cry, which descended into hysterical hiccups as she reached her hand again and felt the flap, the skin flap that she fingered. She didn’t scream, she would not scream. Instead, Cassandra Williams fainted.
If she had stayed conscious long enough, she would have heard the clip clopping of horses hooves coming nearer to her.
“Well, well,” one of the Centaurs slurred. “Here’s sleeping beauty!”
Ixion smiled darkly. “Bring her back into the house. The party has just started!”
All of the Centaurs cheered and laughed, as they advanced on the fallen and bleeding human.
00000000000000000000000000
Cyan’s house:
“What do you mean most of them ended up in the hospital?!” Cyan asked Cyc, shocked.
Cyc shrugged his massive shoulders. “Just what I said,” he replied. “Apparently, some of them got real wild at the parties they went to, the ones with this Ixion character. There was even a large brawl, as I recall. One Centaur nearly lost a hoof, and another nearly got his entire upper torso torn off.”
Cyan’s flesh was now creeping, as she thought of her human friend with this Centaur. “Come on!” she cried. “We’re going!”
“Going?” Cyc blinked. “But what about the party?”
Cyan glared at him. “Forget this party and think about the other one we’re going to!”
Cyc brightened up. “Another party?! Cool!”
Cyan groaned. “Just come on! I just hope that I’m wrong about this, and if not, then I hope we’re not too late.”
“Wrong about what?”
“JUST COME ON!”
00000000000000000000000000
Provenance Mansions:
Cassy stirred, as she groaned and tried to raise her head.
Her eyes were blurred, so she couldn’t focus on what was going on around her… but she could hear.
There was a lot of noise, so much so that her ears and head were booming with pain. They were loud sounds of what was obviously a wild party going on.
‘Party?’
Suddenly, Cassy remembered what had happened… the party, Nessus, Ixion, the other Centaurs, and the brawl. A sharp sting in her shoulder reminded her of her injury.
Cassy tried to struggle to sit up, but found that her hands and legs had been bound together. She angled her head to the side with difficulty, and saw that her shoulder had been sewed crudely. Garish looking stitches showed her where the gash was.
Cassy blinked her eyes, forcing the mist from her sight, and stared at the scene before her, and tried not to scream.
It was a wild party all right, even more than what she remembered.
Nessus was still lying where she had last seen him, completely unconscious, snoring contentedly, whereas the rest of them room was a different story altogether.
Everywhere she looked, she saw one Centaur or another engaged in some activity. One was standing in a corner with one of the few females she had seen at the party, giving each other some… personal attention.
A group of five Centaurs were on the other side of the room, dancing around wildly, laughing and drinking some of that punch that her head was still recovering from. One laughed and spilled some of the drink from his mouth, as he twirled his massive frame in a circle. If she weren’t so terrified then she would be laughing now.
Other Centaurs were doing pretty much the same thing, as she stared about the room, dancing, drinking, shouting and fighting.
She looked down on herself, and shut her eyes in petrifying terror and humiliation.
They had done more than just tied her up, as they had trussed her up like a Christmas turkey. Her clothes had been completely stripped off, leaving her naked and shivering, and they had set her on her knees, with her legs spread apart.
Cassy whimpered, feeling violated and disgraced. They had set her right in the middle of the room like she was a centrepiece at a Thanksgiving dinner.
Suddenly, a loud roar came from the dark end of the room, and Cassy instinctually opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a Minotaur standing behind a pillar, bashing in a Centaur’s head. At first, she was overjoyed because she thought that since this was a Minotaur, then it must be a security officer or something, sent by Taurus. Unfortunately, she was soon to be disappointed.
The Minotaur, or what she thought was one, came out from behind the pillar, its ‘horse’ hooves clopping across the marble floor.
Cassy blinked at the unexpected sight. It was another Centaur! But instead of looking like an ordinary man from the torso up, it had the upper half of a Minotaur.
It was also the largest creature she had ever seen, at least eight and a half feet tall. Its horse half was like that of an old English horse, and its Minotaur half was like that of Taurus, big and muscular. If it were the same height as Cyc, then its muscles would probably be about the same size as his.
It looked just like Taurus, except that its hide and pelt were that of a dark blackness, so dark that its hide seemed to shine blue. No wonder she hadn’t noticed him before now, he must have blended in with the shadows well. Golden bull’s horns adorned his head, a gold earring in his right ear. He wore nothing, like many of the Centaurs here, except for a golden silk-like substance that was used to tie his beard. The beard itself was long, and the gold string tied his long beard into one long continuous braid.
The Mino-Centaur banged the side of another Centaur’s head, knocking him aside, though it was clear that he was not doing it to rescue her. The unfortunate Centaur seemed to have just been there at the wrong place… and at the wrong time.
The Mino-Centaur had grabbed the drink from the fallen Centaur’s hand, gulping it down instantly, laughing loud and hoarsely.
Ixion cried out laughing when he saw him, and thumped him affectionately on his back. They talked and laughed for a bit, conversing over things that Cassy didn’t really want to know about.
The black Mino-Centaur noticed the sleeping form of Nessus and seemed to ask Ixion about it. A few moments later, he laughed at what Ixion had just said and kicked Nessus in the shoulder, to which he didn’t even stir. Apparently the drink had taken more of a toll on him than Cassy thought.
Suddenly, Ixion spotted her looking at them and, realising that she was conscious, whispered something in his companion’s ear and pointed over to her direction. The beast stayed still for a moment, and then began to gallop on over to her.
Cassy did not like the look he was giving her, which was a cross between rage and bitterness. She looked at him closely and then noticed something else, something that made her want to pass out again.
It seemed that rage was not the only thing that this creature had on its mind, especially considering what huge thing was dangling below its lower torso.
“No… please,” Cassy whimpered almost pathetically. ‘Manty,’ she cried out in her mind, as if wishing it would make him appear right now.
“Well what do we have here?!” the Mino-Centaur boomed, as it loomed over her.
“Like her?” Ixion leered. “I thought you would. One thing great about this gal, is that you’ll never find another one of her kind all over the island!”
Despite being petrified with fear, Cassy couldn’t help her curiosity and wondered what kind of a creature he was? She had never seen anything like him before in either her life, or her time on the isle.
The combination Minotaur-Centaur trotted closer to her. He snorted, which produced steam from his nostrils… like a Minotaur.
Cassy stared wide-eyed at him. The Mino-Centaur looked back at her. His onyx eyes narrowed, and he snarled at her. Ixion and every other Centaur backed off to give the creature a wide berth.
The Mino-Centaur reared up close to her. He bent down on his front legs, his muzzle touching her face. It was wet from sweat and saliva, Cassy realised with disgust. The nostrils inflated, as the creature started smelling her face. He went lower, as he took in the scent of the rest of her body.
“Hmm,” the creature moaned.
Cassy felt a shiver go up her spine. The creature’s voice sounded very deep, menacing. Almost like a harsh whisper.
“You smell very nice.” He sniffed her again. “Like fresh fruit,” he gave her a sneer.
He bent down again and then she saw his wide cow tongue. He licked her on the cheek. “Mmm, you taste good too.” He smirked.
Cassy was about to reply, but then the creature cut her off by kissing her deep. She felt his broad tongue go down her throat. Tears of shame welled up in her eyes.
Meanwhile, the Mino-Centaur went down further on his front legs and started kneading her breasts. Cassy could feel a gag come on her, through her throat.
A strong beefy hand tightened around her neck. This time she did gag, as the monster looked at her sternly. He shook his head no, signifying that he didn’t want her to gag. His head descended down again, as she felt his enormous tongue fill her mouth again.
“Uhhh,” Cassy sobbed through the creature’s version of a French kiss. His groping hands went down to her nether regions, where she felt them pass by her hips. Then she felt a wave of pleasure, as he probed near her clit.
The tears slid down her cheeks. She had never felt so ashamed, so degraded.
Suddenly, he took his tongue out of her mouth, and his hands from her lower regions. She looked towards him and at the massive organ standing fully erect. Like a horse, she saw how it came out from a pouch in his underside. It was pink, it was erect and it was huge!
This time, Cassy did scream. “Aaauugghhhh!!!” She struggled helplessly, but it was no use, he was going to enter her.
The Mino-Centaur chuckled, as he pushed her down on her back, with her legs spread out wide. A couple of other leering Centaurs came forward to hold her down, cupping her breasts as they did so.
The beast walked forth, his great width and mass passing right over her like a dark cloud. Once he was over her, he lowered himself until he was almost crushing her with his terrible mass weight.
Cassy whimpered, as she felt the heat from the tip of his member, just barely touching her.
“Shut up!” the beast commanded in a firm and heated voice. “Don’t worry about it,” he then added suavely. “Trust me… you’re going to love it, human!”
Cassy cried, as she felt him getting ready to thrust, with the other Centaurs practically slobbering over her in lust.
“Casssssyyyyy!!!” boomed a huge powerful voice.
She looked behind the Mino-Centaur, and saw Cyc with Cyan, Manty, Taurus, and Chiron. The two security officers wasted no time, as they started firing their automated bolos at the Centaurs.
Ixion yelped, as he was bided in them. He fell over when his horse legs became entrapped in the bolos.
“Vile filth!” Manty roared. His huge mouth was open with teeth ready to tear into the Mino-Centaur. He pounced onto the creature’s shoulder, and raked him with his sharp claws.
The Mino-Centaur roared with pain and outrage. He grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, and threw Manty into a wall.
“Oof!” Manty yelled, as he slumped to the floor.
“Give up, creature!” Taurus roared. He threw a right hook at the creature’s face. The Mino-Centaur head snapped up.
He glared at Taurus, his face twisted into a snarl. “Never,” he roared back. He got Taurus on the chin. Chiron made a grab for him, but the creature saw him and elbowed him in the face. Chiron grunted, as blood sprayed everywhere from a broken nose.
“Cyc!” Cyan screamed. Her voice was like a high-pitched squeak from the fear she had had of this monster. “Don’t just stand there. Help them!”
“Oh… right,” he said. He ran into the fray, glaring down at the strange creature.
The Mino-Centaur was throwing punch after punch at Taurus’ face. Taurus blocked most of the punches, and returned a few. The creature saw the giant run towards him. He took Taurus by surprise, grabbing him by the waist, and then threw Taurus into Cyc’s midsection.
The Cyclops doubled over in pain. The creature used this opportunity to run over to him and deliver an uppercut to his chin.
“No!” Cassy screamed. She saw her friends being pummelled by the unknown New Olympian.
Cyan whinnied in anger. She charged the creature, preparing to tackle him. She received a swift kick from his hind legs, in her midsection. She doubled over, having the wind knocked out her.
The Mino-Centaur turned his head and smirked at her. He shook his head in a “no-no” gesture.
That was all the time that Cyc needed. He grabbed the Mino-Centaur, Cyc’s one eye glaring down at him in rage and hate. He squeezed on him. The Mino-Centaur screamed out in pain.
“Big trouble, freak!” Cyc spoke in hate, uncharacteristic of his usual cheery voice and carefree attitude. “You messed with my friends.” Cyc whispered murderously. “Nobody messes with my friends.” Cyc snarled and then threw the Mino-Centaur.
“Aaaaaaaahhhh!!!” The creature screamed, as he flew through the air. He slammed into several decorative pillars, smashing them to pieces. He hit a wall with a sickening crack, as the concrete-like substance caved in, making an impact crater where he landed.
Cyc growled, as he advanced on the fallen creature.
“Grwaaaauuuuuggghhhhrrrr!!!” The Mino-Centaur got up. He charged on Cyc and tackled him to the ground.
“What the…” Cyc exclaimed in surprise, as he felt himself being lifted in the air.
The Mino-Centaur’s muscles bulged from the effort. He gritted his teeth and shut his eyes from the feat of strength he was doing.
Cassy, Cyan, Chiron, Taurus and Manty stood with gaping mouths at what they were seeing. The Mino-Centaur stood, shaking with effort, as he held a struggling Cyc over his head. Every vein on his muscular body bulged from the effort that he was putting on himself. He gripped Cyc’s massive sides, as the teenager could only struggle helplessly.
Then he threw him.
“Graaaaaauuuuuugggghhhhhh!!!” The creature roared, as he sent Cyc sailing toward his assailants. Manty and Cyan ducked out of the way. Chiron and Taurus weren’t so lucky. Cyc crashed into them, sending them all sprawling into a side of the mansion. The wall exploded outward, as the three were sent flying into the front garden.
Manty let loose a lion’s roar, as he leapt for the creature. He sunk his teeth into the creature’s massive chest. Getting extreme satisfaction, as he roared, and blood trickled down the beast’s ebony fur. Cyan for her part delivered kicks from her front legs, intermixed with punches to the torso.
The Mino-Centaur gritted his teeth. He grabbed Manty by the scruff of his neck and Cyan by her arm. He slammed them together, knocking them out.
He soon heard angry shouts from outside. He galloped outside, through the hole that he had made by throwing Cyc. He saw a flame-headed security guard, Helios, leading other security guards. The group was made up of male Harpies, Minotaurs, Centaurs, and an angel-like man that was like Boreas, only human sized. The Mino-Centaur dove under Cyc’s massive frame.
The crushing weight made the creature’s body ache in unimaginable pain. He heaved Cyc up with all his might. Slowly and steady, he lifted up the unconscious form of Cyc over his head. He gave the security guards a hateful glare.
“Eat this!” The Mino-Centaur boomed, as he ran with Cyc, the giant he used as a battering ram. Several of the security force screamed, as they tried to get away.
Multiple thuds could be heard, as the guards were being knocked over by Cyc’s head. Several security guards flew, being pitched forward from Cyc’s massive shoulders.
“Rwaaaauuurrr!!!” The Mino-Centaur roared, as he threw Cyc. Cyc’s head hit a nearby building, a crater forming on impact.
He then ran away, galloping on his hooves, roaring into the night.
Cassy opened her eyes suddenly. She shook with fear, as she heard the rage filled roar of the creature.
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Taurus limped up to Cassy. He looked down at her sleeping form. A cold rage filled him, as he saw her tied down, naked with dried tears streaked on her face.
He himself didn’t look any better. His right eye was swollen shut, a black eye already forming there. His lip was split, and he had a purple bruise on the side of his muzzle.
He looked to his second, Chiron, who was currently nursing a broken nose, as well as other multiple wounds around his body. He had an unconscious officer, a Minotaur, draped over his shoulder.
“Any word on that…that things whereabouts?” Taurus asked venomously. His face was a stony countenance, as he looked at Chiron.
Chiron spoke, but with his nose broken, his words sounded distorted. “No, dir, he escaped through the jungle, and he took out most of the decurity dorce.”
Taurus growled. “Order a squad of officers to scour the island for that creature. I want him found, and I want him to pay for what he’s done here!” He smacked a fist into his open palm.
Chiron nodded. “Yes, dir,” he went off to carry out his orders, and drop off his charge to the infirmary.
“Manty?” Taurus went over to the now recovered Mantius. He was attending to an unconscious Centaur.
“Taurus, thank the gods we got here in time!” Manty exclaimed. Tears were shining in his eyes. “What happened here? Cassy!” Manty suddenly became frantic. “Cassy! I have to check up on my dau… my Cassy!” He then ran off towards Cassy who had a blanket over her.
The Manticore gasped at what he saw. She was huddled into a ball. Her peach skin was pale white, but the most disturbing thing was her eyes. Those usually bright blue eyes had a faraway look to them.
“Cassy?” He nudged her.
She turned and a flicker of recognition shone in her eyes. “Daddy!” She launched herself into him. She hugged him tightly around his neck and mane.
Shocked, Manty used his paw to hug her awkwardly. She had never called him ‘daddy’ before, only Manty. Tears streamed down his face. “Cassy, I’m…so sorry. I shouldn’t have let you go to that party. I’m a terrible father.” Choked sobs escaped his throat.
“Take me home, daddy.” Cassy voice rose. It sounded strangely child-like.
Manty wondered if this is what Cassy sounded like when she was a smaller child. She sounded so vulnerable and desperate.
Taurus came forward and put a hand on her shoulder. “Cassy, I’m so sorry about what’s happened here.”
Cassy shrieked. “Get away! Get away, you monster! Get away!” She buried her head into Manty’s mane and started crying.
Taurus stood shocked. Cassy had never behaved this way towards him. He gave her a remorseful look. The creature that did this would pay, he swore.
“Ooooohhh!!! My head.” Cyc came in stumbling from the hole in the wall. He was bleeding from a nasty gash on his forehead.
Manty released Cassy. Cassy immediately latched onto his torso. “No, daddy, no. Don’t let me go.”
“Cassy,” Manty lovingly stroked the side of her face. “It’ll be all right, just let me check that nasty gash on Cyc’s forehead.”
Cassy meekly nodded her head, and unlatched herself from his torso. She stayed close though.
“Cassy?” Cyan meekly trotted over to Cassy. “Are you… are you all right?”
Cassy started shaking uncontrollably. She went and tugged at Manty’s fur.
He stopped treating Cyc’s head wound, which wasn’t too serious he realized, and looked over at Cassy. “Yes, Cassy?”
“Make her go away, daddy.” She pointed at Cyan. “Please, I don’t want her anywhere near me.”
“Cass!” Cyc gasped, clearly shocked.
“Please, daddy,” Tears were streaming down her face. “Make her go away.” Cassy’s voice sounded like a child-like whine. “I don’t want anything to do with her. I hate her!”
Cyan stood there frozen in shock. Her lower lip was trembling. A tear dropped from her eye. “If that’s the way you feel, Cassy. I won’t bother you. I hope you feel better soon.”
Cassandra Williams teeth clenched. “Go away,” she hissed. She walked over to Cyan and gave her an open handed slap.
“Cassy, stop, that’s enough!” Manty said, clearly shocked at his young ward’s reaction. She was acting more like a baby than a teenager.
“Cassy, please,” Cyc pleaded, sounding desperate. “She’s our friend.”
Cassy turned to Manty. “Daddy, please,” her voice rose in that child-like whine, “I just wanna go home! I just wanna go home!”
Cyan sniffled back some tears. “It’s all right, Manty. I understand.”
Cassy hugged Manty tightly. She glared at Cyan and Taurus through hate filled eyes. “Go,” she snarled.
Manty looked at them helplessly.
Taurus nodded his head sadly, and took Cyan’s hand, leading her away, but not before giving Cassy one final pitying look.
Cassy broke into tears and cried into Manty’s mane, with him holding her gently and totally at a loss of how to proceed.
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Manty’s Apartment; Five hours later:
Cassy shivered uncontrollably, even though she was asleep. It had taken Manty over 4 hours to get her to calm down and get into bed, and even then she had never let him out of her sight. She had latched onto him, refusing to let him leave her until she had finally fallen asleep, and even then she had woken up a few hours later, screaming for him.
Manty growled in frustration. He had never had to deal with a situation like this before in his entire life. He was a doctor, not a psychiatrist.
Manty scraped his claws across the hard marble surface of the apartment floor, as he thought of how all this had come to be. He had stupidly allowed his adopted daughter to go that party, filled with young male Centaurs.
“Zeus damn it!” Manty snarled, as he reached up and banged his paw against the floor, nearly fracturing it in the process.
He couldn’t believe he had been so stupid to do that. Everyone knew how dangerous Centaurs were when they got drunk, which was the reason why it was forbidden for them to consume alcohol.
If he had only known whom that cousin of Cassy’s boyfriend… correction, ex-boyfriend… was, then he would have never permitted her to go. As a doctor, he had had a number of cases where a patient had been involved in some sort of scuffle involving a Centaur, or a Centaur party. And in almost each one of them, Ixion’s name had been brought up, but they had never had enough evidence to implicate him.
‘None until now,’ Manty thought with a slight grin. Ixion had been charged with illegal ownership and handling of alcohol. The rest of the Centaurs had been more than eager to implicate him, in order to lessen their own charges. It would be a looooong time before he would ever have the chance to hold another wild party.
It was only too unfortunate that they hadn’t implicated him any sooner.
Manty sighed. He knew that things could have been a lot worse, as they had arrived in time to prevent Cassy’s rape from that… that thing.
He knew that Taurus had spent the last few hours searching through the island’s database for anything about the bizarre creature, and Manty had called in a favour from his sister to see if she knew anything about some kind of Minotaur-Centaur. She was always in on the gossip, and knew the word on the street, but she had yet to come back to him on that. So far, he had had no luck in locating any file on such a being.
‘Ironic,’ Manty thought. ‘You’d think that a creature like that would stick out, even on New Olympus.’ Since all Olympians went through genetic tempering, when they married someone not of their own species, all their children were born purebreds. There had never been a case of any child being born as a complete combination of two races, which was obviously what this creature had been.
The real irony however was when Cassy called him ‘daddy’. Ever since he had taken her in and raised her as his own child, he had loved her as such, but she had never called him anything like daddy before. She had always just referred to him as Manty, and that was it. Manty had accepted it because he knew that try as he might; he could never replace her father in her eyes.
‘And yet last night she called me daddy,’ he thought bitterly. He had got his wish, only for it to be thrown in his face. She was obviously in shock, and her poor fragile mind had sought him out as the one thing she could turn to, and who would take care of her.
He still couldn’t believe how she had reacted to Cyan. The two of them had been best friends for years now, they were almost never apart.
‘It ‘s just shock,’ he told himself mentally. ‘She’ll come around in time, once she’s had a chance to adapt.’
Somehow though, that didn’t bring him much comfort.
“MANTY!!!” Cassy’s voice screamed for him from her room, to which he hurried.
Cassy was hugging the covers of her bed to her chest in sheer fright; her eyes wide open and scared. As soon as Manty came in, she threw herself against his chest, tears streaming down her face.
“The… the thing,” she blubbered. “The thing was here!”
The thing was what she and everyone else was calling the Mino-Centaur that had tried to rape her, since no one knew what his identity was.
“Shhh,” Manty tried to soothe her. “It’s alright, Cassy. It was just a dream, nothing more.”
Never in his whole life with her, had Manty ever seen Cassy so vulnerable. She had always been so strong in her mind, never wanting to let people get the best of her. And in one tragic night, she had had her strength stripped away from her.
Manty swore that the ‘thing’ would pay dearly for his crime, this he swore on his life.
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Cyan’s home:
Cyan eyes dripped with tears, as she crouched on her bed, her face buried in the pillows.
A knock sounded on the door, but she chose to ignore it.
“Cyan?” Cyc’s voice whispered through the door, as it slowly opened, his eye peeking in, as he was too big to get through the doorway.
“Please, Cyc,” Cyan cried. “Just leave me alone.”
“Come on, Cy,” Cyc all, but pleaded. “I know Cassy didn’t mean what she said. She was just too upset to be thinking clearly.”
“She knew what she was saying,” Cyan said adamantly. “She had to!”
Cyc sighed, wishing he were small enough to get into the room so that he could comfort his friend. “She’d nearly been raped, Cyan. You can’t expect her to be thinking straight so soon after something like that.”
Cyan refused to listen, as all she could remember were the words, ‘I hate you,’ sounding in her ears.
Cyc sighed again and began to close the door. “I’ll be out here if you need me?” he said, but Cyan was too busy crying her heart out to listen.
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Cassy and Manty’s Apartment; Next morning:
Cassy shook, trembling, as she tried to steady her hand to sip her tea, with Manty watching her earnestly.
“Cassy?” he began. “Maybe you should think about booking an appointment with one of the local psychiatrists, talk to them about what happened?”
“No!” Cassy said, shaking her head furiously. “I don’t need to speak with anyone!”
Manty sighed. “Then how about you ring up Cyan and Cyc, talk with… “
“NO!” Cassy exploded. “I don’t ever want to talk to either of them ever again!”
“Why?” Manty growled. “Just a short while ago, the three of you were inseparable. Now, you won’t even speak about them. Why?”
Cassy stayed silent.
Manty put his paw over her hand. “Cassy?”
Cassy pulled her hand back. “I just don’t want to talk to them… They… “ She didn’t say.
“They weren’t there for you,” Manty finished for her. “And I’m also willing to bet that because Cyan is a Centaur like… Like the one who hurt you, and Taurus looks just like him… You resent them for it?”
Cassy seemed to glare at him, but said nothing.
Manty gave another deep sigh. “How disappointing.” He said, as he got up.
“What?” Cassy asked in confusion.
Manty gave her another sad look. “I was thinking about how disappointing what you’ve just said has had made me feel. You refuse to go near Cyan and Taurus, one who was your best friend and another, who you even had a crush on as I believe?” He smirked a little at that.
Cassy’s fists tightened.
Manty sighed. “I know of your despair, Cassy. I mean, Zeus I can’t even begin to imagine what you’re going through right now. But I know what you’ve had to go through these past few years with my fellow Olympians.”
Manty walked over to her and once more put his paw over her hand in comfort. “Have you forgotten all the endless nights when you would come home from school and cry into your pillow because of what your school chums had said to you, because of what you are?”
Cassy sniffed. “What kind of question is that?” she retorted, “How could I possibly forget?!”
“Do you remember some of the words they used to say to you?”
“I remember every one!” Cassy bit back tears, as she remembered the way some of the kids used to crowd around her, taunting her of her lineage and sometimes for not being as bright as they were.
“And what were they?” Manty pressed on.
Manty bit her lower lip. “Basically, most of them just said that because I was human, I was nothing but filth because of all the pain and hurt my race had caused.”
“They blamed you for the things that your kind had done?” Manty asked.
Cassy paused for a moment, and then nodded.
“Did you think that was right of them to do so?”
Cassy shook her head.
“Why not?” Manty asked, as he cocked his head at her.
Cassy blinked the tears back, but these were tears of shame, as she slowly began to understand where Manty was going with this. “Because… because I didn’t do anything to them. It was my race that hurt theirs, but I myself never did anything to them.”
“And do you think that was right of them to do so?”
Cassy took deep shallow breaths, and shook her head.
“Do you think it was right of you to do the exact same thing to Cyan and Taurus, just because they resemble the one who hurt you?”
Cassy didn’t say anything, and just sat there, gazing into nothing.
Manty stayed still for a moment, waiting to see if she would speak, but after a while, he sighed and stood back up.
“I have to go buy some groceries for dinner,” Manty told her. “I won’t be long, but… In the meantime, why don’t you take a lie down and think about what we’ve just talked about, okay?”
Cassy still didn’t say anything, so Manty just kissed her on her cheek and left.
Cassy sat there, her fists clenched so tight that her knuckles had turned white. She had gone from in shock, depressed, confused and now, downright angry.
She was angry at Cyan for being a Centaur, and angry with herself for thinking that, and having said to her best friend the same things that had been said to her most of her life. She was furious with Manty for speaking with her and making her see the error of her thoughts, confusing her even more. But most of all, she was enraged at one particularly being that even now she wanted to find above all else.
Cassy got up from her seat, walked over to the kitchen counter… and picked up a knife from the rack.
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Somewhere down New Olympus Market:
Manty frowned, as he walked through the market stalls and shops. He hoped that his talk with Cassy had helped, but until she actually called and talked to Cyan, then there was little else he could do.
A small chime ringed along his mane, coming from his radio transmitter, making him stop.
He touched the small button-like transmitter to activate it. “Manty here,” he spoke into the receiver.
Manty? Taurus’s voice came through. We’ve been searching through all the databanks, but so far we’ve found zilch on this Minotaur-Centaur thing. There’s no record of any such creature being born on the entire island.

“That’s absurd,” Manty snorted. “This island isn’t exactly small, but it’s not huge either. He can’t have just appeared out of thin air?” A thought suddenly occurred to him. “Could he have been a shape shifter?”
Hmmm… It is possible. However, our security checks indicate that no shape shifters were in any close proximity near the Centaur manor when the offence took place.

Manty frowned. “Well, then I’m at a loss. If he wasn’t a shape shifter, and there’s no record of any of his kind before, then where in Tartarus did he… “He stopped. “Say, Taurus?”
Yes?

“Could you do me another favour?” Manty asked. “Could you check your database again, and check to see if you can find any old cases involving Centaur and Minotaur couples, about say up to twenty years ago? Maybe if there was such a couple, they may have decided to keep their child’s existence for some reason?”
Affirmative… Oh, wait a moment! There was a pause where Taurus sounded as though he were conversing with someone on the other end, and it was definitely a heated conversation. After a while, Taurus added. Manty? I think we may have a problem? Where’s Cassy?

“Cassy?” Manty blinked in surprise. “I left her at home, why?”

Good. Taurus’s voice sounded regretful. There’s something you should know, friend… I’m sorry, but it’s about Ixion…
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Cassy walked the streets of New Olympus, some Olympians sparing her a look, but otherwise leaving her alone. She walked with the knife she had taken from the kitchen, inside her jacket, concealed from everyone.
She didn’t know where she was going, as she had no idea where to look for the guy who had hurt her, and even more so, she had no idea of what she would do when she did.
“Hey, Ixion!” a voice sounded behind her, making her freeze.
Cassy slowly turned around, and saw the person she was least eager to see… Ixion.
But still, seeing him was enough to make her blood boil and turn sour.
He was talking with a small Gorgon, but seemed to be in a rush to be somewhere else.
Ixion finished talking to the Gorgon and went on his way. Curious, Cassy started to follow him. She kept her pace so that no one would see her following the Centaur.
When he trotted out of the city, she wondered just where he was going. He was going into the deep jungle/marsh lands that were on the outskirts of the city, lands that most New Olympians stayed away from.
Thousands of years ago, when the New Olympians had first come to this island, they brought with them some of their wild animals too, animals that were said to have been created by the Gods themselves. In here, in these jungles, only the strongest and bravest Olympians would go to hunt for sport.
Cassy looked around and jumped, as she saw a bright blue lizard run off. She shook her head and pressed on. Ixion seemed to be going deep into these jungles. About fifteen minutes into their little walk, they came to a large shack, made entirely of wood. It was more like a large cabin, and a Cyclops could’ve probably fit into it. But despite its large size, the cabin was concealed thoroughly by large vines and strange purple flowers. From a distance, it would have been impossible to see.
Ixion knocked on the door. And to Cassy’s shock, the last person… correction, the person she most wanted to see, opened the door. The large Mino-Centaur opened the door for Ixion. They talked for a bit, and then Ixion walked in. The door slammed shut. ‘Not a person,’ she thought bitterly, ‘a monster.’
Cassy waited patiently in the bush for what seemed like an eternity. She over heard a few words, like Ixion had to get going, as he wasn’t allowed out of the city or they’d throw him back in jail. The door suddenly opened on the large cabin and Ixion walked out. She waited until she heard the distinctive clip-clop of his hooves fade away, as he rushed off.
Cassy then took a few deep breaths. She stepped out of her shoes. ‘This is it, this is what I wanted.’ She got out of the bush slowly. Quietly and with careful steps, she crept closer and closer to the cabin. She kept close to the ground.
She was shaking with fear. Her eyes were shut. A few more calming breaths and a quick prayer, she ever so slowly stood up. With her back still to the wall, she carefully took a small peek through the window.
The Mino-Centaur had his back to her. She couldn’t see what he was doing, but she could hear the break of bones. Cassy winced. Whatever it was he was killing, she hoped it wasn’t her that was next. Without making a sound, she climbed inside through the window.
With light feet, she slowly inched her way forward towards the huge beast. He seemed to be busy chewing on something, as she could hear tearing noises. He greedily swallowed whatever it was that he was eating. As long as it kept him distracted…
What she didn’t notice was how his ears twitched.
She was right at the back of him now. Cassy raised the large knife high. ‘Die, you bastard!’ she screamed in her mind, and brought it down…
… And was shocked to find his massive hand holding her wrist above her. He squeezed gently, but firmly, which was enough to make Cassy drop the knife.
The creature spoke again in its harsh whisper of a voice. “I wouldn’t try that again, girlie, if I were you.” It turned around with Cassy hanging from the vice grip he had her in.
“How did you…”
“I could hear you, girlie,” he tapped his nose, “and I could smell you too. That peaches scent you have is very distinctive.” He gave her a growl. “I bet you didn’t know Minotaurs and Centaurs have better senses then your average human, eh?”
Cassy could slap herself. Of course she remembered how some New Olympians had better senses than others. She had once asked Taurus and he had said his eyesight wasn’t as good as hers, but his hearing and sense of smell was superior to her own. It would figure that a creature with combined characteristics of a Minotaur and Centaur would have their abilities too.
The Mino-Centaur sneered at her. “And they probably forgot to tell you that I’m much stronger than either race.” He gave a small squeeze on her wrists, to which Cassy groaned. She wouldn’t give this thing the satisfaction of hearing her scream though.
The creature used its other hand to slap her on the face. He probably didn’t mean to be so forceful, but had made Cassy’s nose and mouth gush out with blood. Her whole face ached, but she looked at him defiantly.
He threw her to the floor, her butt aching from the impact. “Now stay there while I finish my meal.” He ordered.
Cassy, terrified, complied. He then turned from her, and again looked to his meal.
Now that she could see it, she cringed. It was a very large boar. It seemed to be cooked rather thoroughly, except that she see it had all the trimmings… literally. It still had its fur on, now burnt to a crisp, and its head was still intact with its mouth hanging open. He grabbed one of its hind legs, and with one mighty pull he tore off the appendage and some of the accompanying meat.
She cringed even more when she saw the thing eat the boar’s leg voraciously. Her mouth hung open.
She felt something land in her lap. She looked down and screamed, as it was one of the pig’s ears, mixed together with some of the purple herb that she had seen growing outside around the shack. And then she felt a sharp tug of her hair, as the creature brought her up to his eye level.
“Eat,” he rumbled in her face. He then threw her down.
Cassy reluctantly picked up the pig’s ear, and after forcible effort, started chewing on it. She fought back the lurching in her stomach, as she started swallowing the ‘meal’.
“You should’ve stayed where you were, little girl.” The creature said suddenly.
“Are you, are you going to kill me?” Cassy asked in a meek voice.
“You tried to kill me,” he retorted.
“You tried to rape me,” her voice shook with emotion. She felt her anger rising up, as she pointed an accusatory finger at him, but stopped when he came forward and grabbed her hand.
“Ah ah ah!” Cassy bit her lip, so as not to scream.
The Mino-Centaur had taken her finger, along with the rest of them, and bent them back uncomfortably. The look he gave her said it. “If you don’t shut up now, I’m going to break them.” He released her.
“Achilles does what he wants, and not you or any other Olympian is going to say what he can and can’t do.” He growled at her. He then pinched her nose, making even more blood spill out, and she howled in pain.
‘Achilles? Is that your name?” Cassy asked. “All right, he’s in control, so now what?’ Cassy rubbed her aching nose. She looked at Achilles warily.
“You and all New Olympians think you’re better than me, but I showed them,” he laughed amused.
“Why? What do you mean?” Cassy asked.
“Your friends tried to save you, but I put them and those security people in their place.” Achilles gave her a feral smile.
“What did you?” Cassy asked. She couldn’t remember what had happened at the mansion, as she had been unconscious at the time. A shiver of fear ran up her spine for her friends… No, ex-friends.
“Nothing much, just beat them up.” Achilles gave out a hearty laugh.
“You, you monster!” She got up and punched him in the face. He stood with a smirk on his face, motionless, while she reached for her hand and hissed in pain. Hitting him was like hitting a brick wall!
He suddenly gripped her throat, nearly cutting off the oxygen. “Monster? You wanna hear about monsters?! I’ll tell you about a monster, two monsters in fact! It all starts off about a little boy…

New Olympus, 20 years prior

In a grand mansion, a couple waited happy news of the new addition to their family.
Raon paced back and forth outside his bedroom. The large Minotaur heard the harsh cries of his wife, as she gave birth to their child. One of the midwives was attending to Narcissa, as they didn’t dare call a doctor. If Kor or any of the other authorities heard of their mating, then neither of them would have any peace, and Raon could kiss his election campaign goodbye.
It was not that a pairing between a Minotaur and a Centaur was forbidden, far from it, as many Olympians mated with one another. The reason being was that when two Olympians of different races, like he and Narcissa, chose to be together, they underwent genetic tampering that would ensure that all their children would be born either purebred Centaurs, or purebred Minotaurs. It was the New Olympian way of ensuring the survival of all species, for if all Olympians mated with one another, then eventually there might not be any purebreds left.
It was a good solution, Raon thought, with only one small problem… He and Narcissa had been so eager to be together that they failed to go get their treatments before mating, and then Narcissa had gotten pregnant!
Raon remembered the day when they had found out that Narcissa was expecting. Most soon to be parents, once finding out, would have been ecstatic with joy, but for him and his wife, the news had been like a deathblow. Without the treatments, there was no way in knowing what this child was going to turn out like.
Raon thought of that fool Brontes who had fallen in love with a Harpy. They had been talking about having children in the future, but not yet. Raon felt envious of Brontes, as he was a Cyclops, and for some reason, Cyclops didn’t have to undergo the genetic treatments, since all their children, no matter who they mated with, were always born purebred Cyclops.
“Lucky bastards,” he muttered under his breath.
“AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!”
Raon winced, as he heard Narcissa’s screams of pain. They had decided not to go with a doctor. They decided to have children the old fashioned way, by natural childbirth, just in case the child did turn out to be ‘not normal’.
“AAAUUUUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!”
When he couldn’t stand it any longer, he heard the cries. The loud infant like cries of his baby.
The door opened and out came the Harpy. The mid-wife looked sick. She had her clawed talons over her mouth. She appeared to be in shock.
Raon heard the strong cries of his son. For he knew it was a son. What else could cry so loudly and forcefully? Tears of joy ran down his face. He turned to the mid-wife.
“How is he?” He asked.
The Harpy cringed. “He is fine, Raon.” She forced a smile on her face. “He is a strapping male. Now if you’ll excuse me.” The Harpy hurried off away from the cries of the infant.
Raon was confused. He hurried inside and shut the door in his wake. A few moments later, a howling wail could be heard. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”
New Olympus, 5 years later
Picus, the old Satyr, sauntered up to a beautiful Centaur woman who was decked in fine silks and gold jewellery. He took in her elegant black coat.    She was currently in a conversation with an angel man. She laughed musically. Picus tapped her on the shoulder. “So, Narcissa, how have you been?”
The elegant Centaur turned around. “Oh, I’ve been wonderful, Picus. You?”
The old satyr gave her a roguish smile. “Quite good, my dear lady. I still dabble occasionally.”
Narcissa gave another light laugh. “Picus, you old coot, you will never change.”
“Still talking with this old coot, my dear?” Raon joined his wife’s side as he put a hand on her shoulder and hugged her close to her body.
Picus smiled at the happy couple. “You two are just so happy together. It’s too bad that your son past away…”
Raon’s smile faltered. “Please, Picus, let’s not talk about such unpleasantness now. Let us enjoy the party.”
“Of course, Raon,” he bowed to Narcissa, “my Lady.”
“Picus,” Narcissa bowed her head to Picus one of New Olympus’ Senators. She then turned to her husband. “So, dear husband, would you care to join in me in celebrating these festivities?”
Raon kissed her hand. “Of course, my dear,” they then took to the dance floor and danced for hours.
A few hours later…
Narcissa opened the door. She climbed up the steps to the attic and noticed the ruin in which it was in. She wrinkled her nose. The room reeked of urine, feces, and body odour. Much of the elegant decorations that had been stored here were covered in dust. She then heard the rattling.
A creature’s cries reached her ears. “Momma! Momma please let me out. I wanna be let out.” Its hands covered in grime and its own filth was gripping the bars of the cage.
Narcissa looked on at the creature in disgust. “Shut up! I’ve come here to bring you this.” She took the bag she was carrying and dumped its contents out. Inside was half eaten foods stuff, pieces of fruit that had been in the garbage rotting in there for days.
Little Achilles reached out his hands and grabbed the garbage. He began eating the food ravenously, eating noisily and swallowing the food in whole gulps.
Narcissa took in the child’s appearance. It for it was an, it had its blackish blue fur matted from lack of tending. She could see the white lice jumping around in its fur. The things eyes were bloodshot. She sighed in impatience. Its eyes were bloodshot because it had probably been crying again. Thank goodness none of the party members had heard it. They had always made sure to keep this thing away from the people. They could never find out. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “I hope you choke on that food, freak!”
She then turned and left. When he was sure she was gone. Achilles let loose the choking sobs that he had held in his body. The rotted food in his mouth dribbled down his fur, as he wept.
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Raon grabbed the boy by the scruff of his hair and slammed his head into the wall. He looked at the boy with hatred in his eyes. “Can’t you do anything right, retard!” He roared. Raon in his infinite sympathy and compassion for Achilles had taken it upon himself to teach the boy how to read.
Unfortunately, the boy just didn’t want to learn how too. The boy was obviously stupid.
“Ten years now,” Raon growled at Achilles, “ten years and you still can’t do something as simple as read.”
The boy desperately wiped away his tears. “I’m sorry, daddy. I’m trying, it’s just that you make me nervous.” *Whap!* Blood flew from Achilles lip, as Raon slapped him.
The larger Minotaur got in the Mino-Centaur’s face. “What was that, idiot? I, in my graciousness, try to teach you how to read and you tell me it’s my fault you can’t read!!” Raon cracked his knuckles. “I think it’s time I taught you a lesson, boy.”
Achilles eyes went wide. “No wait, please don’t. AAAUUUGGGGHHH!!” *BAM!* “OW NO STOP YOU’RE HURTING ME!” *BAM!*   “AAAUUUGGGH!! DADDY, PLEASE!” *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
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“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO!” Roared Narcissa. She gripped Achilles’ muzzle and squeezed hard.”
Achilles stood trembling outside his cage. On his underside the yellow drops of urine were dribbling down onto the attic floor.
Narcissa pulled him forward hard by his muzzle. “Answer me.” She hissed.
Tears were streaming down Achilles face. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold it anymore.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I told you to hold it in retard until me and Raon came back from the party.”
“Ohhh!” Achilles sobbed. “I’m sorrrry.”
Narcissa tossed him backwards. The look she gave him was one of pure unadulterated hatred. “Not as sorry as you’re going to be when I tell Raon what you’ve been doing.” She turned and then trotted away.
Achilles curled in on himself and starting sobbing once more, he knew that there was no hope, no future. Those two monsters would end his sorry existence soon. And in a way he welcomed it.
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“But death was not my destiny, Cassandra Williams.” The large creature, known as Achilles, spoke solemnly. His eyes were hard, but misty. Tears were threatening to spill. But the large behemoth wouldn’t allow this. He furiously wiped away at them. “Soon they…”
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“Please don’t, Mom, Dad.” Achilles looked at the two indifferent creatures before him. Raon had his arm locked into a vice grip, as he dragged the hybrid along. They were taking farther and farther into the woods.
“We are sick and tired of your whining.” Narcissa said. “We’ve had to put up with it for fifteen years. I’m tired of having to sleep knowing that there was a filthy monster there. And now that we have our baby Alejandra, we need to dedicate ourselves to her. So out you go.”
After they had had the genetic treatment, like they should have done in the first place, they had had a beautiful and normal Centaur daughter called Alejandra. Narcissa had shown Achilles pictures of her, to show what a cute baby she was. She was beautiful, compared to the ugly monster that he was.
Raon looked to Achilles and spoke. “Narcissa is right. Now that we have her, we can’t take care of you anymore. So out with you!” He forcefully shoved Achilles away from them. The boy landed in heap.
As they were leaving, Raon felt something tug at his legs, he turned and saw the beast there.
“Please don’t leave. Please! I’ll stay quiet and let you beat me. But please don’t leave me here alone!” Achilles pleaded and pleaded with them. But it was to no avail. Raon shook him off.
“Ugh, have some dignity. We’ve done all we can for you. Now it’s up to you to see if you can survive. Goodbye!” and with that, both Narcissa and Raon left.
“Mother! Father!” Achilles collapsed to the ground and began to weep. He wept for the first of many nights to come.
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Cassy stared wide-eyed at Achilles. The silence engulfed them, as she pondered about his past. She really didn’t know what to say. The violence, the anger, could it all be just a product of a misunderstood individual with a tragic past? Steady low breathing interrupted her reverie.
Dead silence gripped them, as they stared each other down. The crackling of a low dying flame was the only sound heard. She was starting to feel warm and tried to gauge the look in his eyes. His dark face was twisted in a mix of anger, confusion, and sadness. His deep brown eyes betrayed a look of immense sorrow.
“What, what are you going to do to me now?” she asked nervously. She knew of course what he was going to do. His large erection, near the back of his horse half showed that. She suddenly felt very flushed, the room though was not particularly hot.
His frown deepened, as the lines of brow creased. “I think you know what I’m going to do, girl. So why ask?”
She sighed. “I’m sorry.” Cassy slowly got up and cautiously walked towards him. The creature gave a neigh of alarm and reared back, causing her to pause a second. She held up her hands in a placating gesture, and crossed the distance before them.
The height difference before her was daunting. She was petite per se, in the human world she would have been considered average height, but here amidst the Mino-Centaur’s presence, she barely came up to his waist.
“Look,” she got up on her tips, and put a hand to his cheek, “I know you’ve had a hard life, but its not too late to change. You can stop being an outcast and reintegrate yourself into society.”
He inhaled through his wet nostrils and blew out a puff of steam. He grabbed her wrist a bit forcefully and put it by her side. “I don’t think so,” he said shaking his head, “the people here don’t accept me for being…different.” He looked down at his horse’s body.
Cassy could sympathise being that she was in the same predicament. She sighed again, as she felt the room getting hotter, and she then came to a decision.
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Cyan’s Place; A Couple of Hours Later:
Manty straightened out his mane with his forepaw, as he nervously waited for the door to be answered. He knocked again. Then he heard someone bang his head and curse for the house being too small? The door opened, and he found himself looking at a large blue green muscular leg. He looked up and found Cyc rubbing his one eye. The teenage Cyclops had on his tight fitting Speedo, and nothing else.
Which made sense, Manty thought, as most Cyclops wore pretty much the same, the cold (if there ever had been on the isle) having little effect on their tough muscular hides. And Cyc, Manty saw, had always been a tad on the large side. He yawned, and Manty saw a large cavern where he could fit himself in.
“Manty, do you know what time it is?” Cyc asked sleepily.
Manty didn’t really question what Cyc was doing in Cyan’s house. He really didn’t have the time. Maybe he’d talk to them later, but not now. “Cyc, have you seen Cassy?”
Cyc stopped rubbing his eye, the sleep having gone out of his system. “No, last I heard she was yelling that she never wanted to see us again. Why?” He looked at the Manticore with a curious eye.
“She disappeared earlier this morning. I went out to do an errand, and when I came back, she was gone. Have you seen her?” Manty looked hopefully to Cyc.
Cyc’s muscular body tensed. He didn’t like the sound of that. “No, I haven’t seen her since she yelled at Cyan.” He rubbed at his chin and narrowed his eye. “Do you think she could have walked out to get some air or somethin’?”
“Do you think she could have gone after Ixion and his buddies?” Manty mentioned distractedly.
“I don’t think so, Manty. I mean, they are like twice her size,” Cyc rubbed the back of his neck, “No way she’d be that foolish.”
“Oh,” Manty gave him a curious look. “And what, may I ask, would you call the time when she went after Proteus by herself, when he escaped and hurt Taurus?”
Cyc’s face seemed to pale a little. ‘Oh Zeus,’ he thought. ‘Please no, tell me she didn’t.’
“Guys?” A tired voice came through from the back, as Cyan came in, the distinctive clop clop of her hooves noticeable. She wore no cover over her torso. Manty looked away from the teenager, blushing. Oh yes, he would definitely have to talk with these two. He tried to compose himself and hide his reaction.
Cyc caught his look though and quickly spoke up. “Oh, uh, it’s not what you think,” he explained apprehensively, “I just slept over to help Cyan, and… and I slept here.”
“What you do on your own time is your own business, guys.” Manty whispered harshly. “You are a little young, but I’m sure you know what you’re doing.”
Cyan’s eyes went wide, as the implication hit her. “No! Cyc really was trying to help me sleep.”
“Oh, I’m sure.” Manty snorted. Cyc and Cyan both grimaced.
“That…didn’t come out right.” Cyan began to twirl her finger in her hair. “My parents are just upstairs, Manty. Do you really think I would disrespect their house like that?”
“Anyway,” Manty began, “you haven’t heard from Cassy, have you?”
Cyan crossed her arms. “What,” Cyan raised an eyebrow, “miss ‘I hate you and all your race’ isn’t home?”
“You know she didn’t mean what she said, Cyan.”
Cyan waved a hand. “I know she meant it, Manty, and it’s okay.” The Centaur rubbed her shoulders with her hands. “She’s human,” her voice cracked, “and we all know humans and New Olympians don’t mix. I’m sure she’s fine.” Cyan finished with a wave of her hand.
“Cyan…” Cyc began.
“No, Cyc, its how Cassy feels.” Cyan shrugged her shoulders. “It’s fine.”
Cyc shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, girl, but I’m going with Manty to go look for her.”
She walked up to him and patted one of his tree trunk legs. “You do that. Go on. I’ll be fine.”
“If you say so.” Cyc shrugged, still unsure. He turned to Manty. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“Don’t you want to get dressed?” Manty asked.
Cyc gave him a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”
“Never mind, let’s go.” Manty motioned him to follow. After the Manticore went out the door, Cyc followed, having to bend down, so as not to hit the doorframe.

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Achilles’’ Home; Same Time:
Cassy looked at her handiwork and smiled. A piece of cooked boar was before her. It had taken her hours to prepare, but pretty soon the fruit of her labour was done. She took in the rich aroma of the meat and felt her stomach grumble. She tore off a piece and tasted it. It was a bit much for just lunch, but she had soon found out that Achilles had a large appetite.
She had decided to stay with Achilles, for a while. When… Actually, she couldn’t exactly remember when she had decided to stay. For some reason, her head felt so cloudy, like it was swimming. Was it this morning, yesterday, or last week? She couldn’t, for the life of her, remember.
She decided to concentrate on preparing the meal for now and, slowly, she let the meat’s flavour settle into her mouth. Carefully, she chewed. Good, but it still needed more of that spice. She tore off a leave of a blue grey tint that looked almost like sage, yet it held a lemon type flavour to it.
Good, honey, now you add some oregano to the chicken breast. And now we are going to put this in the oven while we wait for daddy to come.

Yes, mommy.
Cassy opened her eyes and then wiped her brow of the sweat that was forming.   She felt hot, very hot for some reason. Okay, so I was cooking for a couple of hours no big deal. Yet she didn’t know why, but…she had felt very hot since coming to Achilles’ place. She gripped her trembling hand. What was wrong with her?! She felt very hot, her whole body was trembling, and for some reason her vision was blurring.
The door opened, as Achilles came trudging through with a second boar that he must have hunted down. Cassy winced, as she saw he was covered in blood. He gave a grunt. Cassy immediately took the platter and put it on the old wooden table.
“Do you want to get cleaned first?” The only response she got was a grunt (no). She had no idea where the blood came from, as the boar didn’t have that much on it. She did figure out though that it wasn’t his. And she really didn’t want to know.
He grabbed the meat in his large palms and ripped it in half. Then he began tearing piece after piece into his mouth and stuffing it in his face.
Cassy looked down at the bloody boar on the platter and shrugged. Hey, she wasn’t hungry. She noticed the strange purple herb that he had brought in with his kill. Surprisingly, he had cleaned that off. She took a whiff and noticed the sweet smelling aroma that wafted off the plant.
The Mino-Centaur grunted and said something about the food he was eating, getting a few morsels on Cassy in the process.    She realized that he wanted her to take a bite. Gingerly, she nipped a leaf of the herb and found it did indeed taste good. Not unlike mint, she tore off another piece of the plant chewed it like a person would tobacco. It did seem like she had tried this before, but she didn’t know where. Instead she relaxed, as her anxiety melted away.
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Security Centre:
Taurus looked up from his paperwork, as he heard someone signal him. “What is it, Manty?” He wanted to work on this case where a lot of New Olympians were getting hurt in illegal fights, but he knew this had something to do with Cassy and she took priority.
“Taurus, I can see you’re busy, but I need help. Cassy, she’s missing.” Manty finished weakly.
“How long has she been missing for?” Taurus got up. He took a notepad and started fingering the controls on the screen.
“Just for about half a day, but she’s never gone for so long without telling me, and she hates to go out anyway.   Something’s wrong. I just know it. She hasn’t been herself since she went to that party at Ixion’s.” He mentioned the younger Centaur’s name with venom. “Cyc and Cyan are out looking for her, but so far, they haven’t found anything.”
“I’ll get my people on it.” Taurus tried to quell the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Why hadn’t he seen it?! He berated himself. People who suffered trauma had to be watched. When his father was murdered, he had felt his world crumble, and had wanted to join him. What if Cassy wanted that type of escape? No, he couldn’t, wouldn’t think that. “Right now, the important thing is finding Cassy.”
“Then come on,” Manty waved over Taurus, “Cyc and Orin are already waiting for us.”
“Good,” Taurus replied. “Oh and by the way, just so you know, Ixion is back behind bars.”
“Oh?” Manty asked, with a barely hidden sigh of relief and a grin. “I thought his parents had gotten him out on bail?”
Taurus nodded. “The terms of his bail were that he would stay in the confides of the city, and not venture out, for any reason. I had some witnesses say they saw him going out into the jungle. That alone gives me the right to lock him up again, this time without bail.”
Many did grin then. “That maybe the first bit of good news I’ve had all day.” He replied. “Oh, have you found anything about any Centaur or Minotaur couples, like I asked?”
Taurus shook his head. “Sorry, but no. We checked and there have been a number of Centaur and Minotaur pairings, many of whom had children, but none fit the description of what we fought at the mansion. As you know, thanks to genetic engineering, when two beings, such as a Centaur and a Minotaur, mate… their offspring always ends up as being one or the other. The couple either get a nearly purebred Centaur, or a nearly purebred Minotaur. There’s never been a case of an offspring being an exact half of each. ”
“Damn it!” Manty swore. Somehow, he knew that finding this beast would be the key to finding his daughter.
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Cassy grimaced, as she tried to push off Achilles from her. He was savagely kissing her neck and touching her breasts. Earlier, he had ripped off the top of her blouse. “No, Achilles, not like that.” She tried her calmest, most soothing voice “You have to be gentle.”
He roughly started trailing his kisses down to her breasts. He spoke with a voice heavy with lust. “Oh come on, don’t I excite you?”
She groaned when his grip on her arms became too tight. “Not when you are being so rough, no! Pleeeaaase,” she gently pushed him away, “gently.” She rose up on her tips and kissed him. A low growl rumbled from his chest to his throat.
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A Few Hours Later; On the Outskirts of New Olympus:
“Cassy!” Taurus called out. He looked around and found nothing, but marshland. The muck they were walking in was up to his waist.
“Hey, you need a lift, Taurus?” a big booming voice called down to him. Taurus looked up and saw Orineaus’ concerned face looming over him.
“No thank you, Orin.” The Minotaur noticed that the large Cyclops didn’t have his usual boisterous tone in him. The big idiot was just as concerned for Cassy as he was.
“Where could Cassy be?” Manty despaired. He was a terrible father. He should have never let her go to that party, never let her out of his sight. He should have seen that Cassy was hurting. He was a doctor for Zeus’ sake, he should know these sorts of things. He should’ve, he should’ve…
Cyc looked over at Manty who was sitting on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring pat. The Cyclops gave him a reassuring yet guarded smile. “Don’t worry, Manty. We’ll find Cassy, we’ll bring her home.”
Manty looked over and gave him a nod. He kept looking on his perch for something, anything that would lead them to Cassy, his daughter, because yes, Cassy was his daughter. No matter what blood said.
Taurus was talking with one of his officers when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Cyan’s worried face looking up at him. “I heard that Cassy still hasn’t been found yet?”
At Taurus’s sad nod, she sighed and said, “Is there anything I can do?”
Taurus smiled. “Yes, you can help us with our search.”
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A Few Hours Ago:
Cassy screamed as she crashed into the wall. Pained radiated along her back, as she looked up in terror at the huge Mino-Centaur looming over her. She didn’t know what she did wrong. One minute she had been talking soothingly to him and then the next, he flew off the handle.
“You think I’m a bastard! You pity me!” He roared.
“What are you talking about, I didn’t say anything!” She cried. What the hell?!
“Don’t give me bullshit! I can see it in your eyes!” He went down on her and started to rip what was left of her clothes off.
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City Centre; A few hours later:
Nessus cried out in pain, as he was slammed into the wall by the large fist currently holding him. The large meaty hand squeezed, causing him to scream out. “I don’t know! I don’t know where she is. I swear.” He looked at the menacing Cyclops glaring down at him. His body ached all over from the beating Cyc had given him. He had large bruises all over his human and horse halves, cuts and scrapes along his face and his right eye was swollen.
“How do I know you’re not lying? Cyc growled in a menacing voice. He squeezed the Centaur again, causing him to scream.
“Why would she want to see me again? After what happened, I don’t think she’d want to see me again.” Nessus squirmed in Cyc’s grip. “I’m a total loser, Cyc. She wouldn’t want anything to do with me.”
“Heh heh. You got that right, loser.” Cyc sneered down at the Centaur. “I should just squeeze and see how your head pops.”
“Cyc, no!” Cyan put a hand on his huge forearm. “Taking out your anger on Nessus won’t solve anything. “Right now the most important thing is finding Cassy.”
Cyc’s face crumbled down into one of sorrow. He let go of Nessus, who gave Cyan a grateful look. Cyan returned the favour with a kick to the stomach. “Look, Nessus, I don’t like you! Because of you my best friend is missing, she was drugged, and to top it all off, she hates us. Now you better be telling the truth.”
Nessus took in a shaky breath, and stood up. He groaned and rubbed his stomach. “Look, Cyan, I don’t know where Cassy is. I haven’t seen her since the party.”
“Come on then, Cyc. It’s obvious that this was a waste of time. We should be looking somewhere else.” Cyan moved to leave when she felt a tug on her arm.
Nessus looked straight into her eyes. “Look, Cyan. I would like to help look for Cassy.”
Cyan jerked her arm away. “We don’t need any help from you. We’ll find her.” She said coldly.
She started to walk away, but stopped, and turned around. “Oh and, Nessus? One other thing before I go. Don’t ever go near Cassy again. If you do, I’ll have Cyc step on you.” She jerked her finger towards Cyc who smiled down at Nessus nastily. He lifted his foot and wiggled his toes. Nessus looked up from under the shadow of Cyc’s foot, looming over him.
Then Cyan and Cyc turned to leave. As they were leaving and as Cyc’s heavy footfalls echoed down the street, Nessus whispered. “You can’t stop me from seeing Cassy.” She was the first person to make him feel the way he felt right now. Strange, who would’ve thought he’d falling for someone so soon? And a human at that!
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Same Time:
Cassy looked to the side, her eyes focused on the simple wooden jug that was on the table, near them, ignoring what was happening to her. She was just so hot, and her head felt like it was floating.
Her body jumped and quivered with each thrust, as Achilles grunted and roared, his enormous weight practically crushing her.
Achilles chuckled, as he felt her body jerk. “Come see the amazing human girl,” he laughed. “She wiggles, she jiggles, and she spreads her legs wider than a Cyclops!”
Cassy didn’t respond and just continuing lying where she was, which started to piss Achilles off.
“Hey!” he shouted, pausing for a second. “You still there?”
Cassy still said nothing.
Achilles’ face twisted in fury, as he bawled his fists. “You miserable, no good, fucking BITCH!!!” he slammed himself against her, thrusting all the way.
Cassy did react then. She shrieked loud and high, her hips bucked against his legs, as tears sprang from her eyes.
Achilles grinned. “No one ignores Achilles, bitch! Never forget that.”
Cassy still said nothing, but lay there with tears streaming down her face.
Achilles continued with what he was doing for a few moments longer, before finally he roared and shot his seed into her. At first, he lay there on top of her, completely crushing her until she thought for sure she’d suffocate. Fortunately, at the last minute, he brought himself up on his knees and then climbed up off of her.
Achilles sighed, as he lay down beside her. “You were good,” he said, as he stroked her. “Very, very good. No wonder my ancestors liked to screw around with you, humans.”
He reached over to his left and pulled back some more of that purple herb. “Here, eat!” he said simply and stuffed some of the herb into her mouth. “It’ll make you feel good. Trust me.”
Cassy silently chewed the herb and lay quietly. Achilles lowered his head down to her, and rested his face in her chest, as he began to snore contently.
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New Olympian Security Centre; Two Days Later:
Manty walked down to Taurus’s office. Passing by the force field secured cells, he looked around. Most were empty, some were not so. He noticed a few more occupants.
Ixion crossed his arms over his chest, as he glared at him.
“You can’t keep me here, you old coot. My parent’s will get me out!” He banged on the force field, causing him to jump back from the electric shock he received.
Ixion had been released on bail, but he had barely been out a day before he got arrested again, when some witnesses had come forward with some interesting information.
“Oh really, boy. Last I heard, drinking for Centaurs is illegal. And more so with that Nightshade you spiked it with.” Manty had heard about the plant. Being a doctor he learned about its soothing qualities. Cassy had actually explained that there actually were some teas in the human world that were used to calm people from stress.
‘A lot better than the drink I always say’ She had said. Manty had commented that her people must have been heavy tea drinkers. To which Cassy had rolled her eyes and mumbled something about stereotypes.
Ixion smirked at Manty. “It may be that I had the drinks spiked there, but it’s my word against hers. No one’s going to believe the word of a human against a New Olympian. I’ll be out of here faster than you can say ‘Innocent’.”
“Don’t bet on it.” Taurus’ low voice rang out. He walked up to the cell and looked calmly at the teen. “We’ve got eyewitness reports of you paying two Centaurs to put the alcohol in the beverages.” Taurus dug out a notepad from his pocket. He placed the screen against the force field. “And this, this is a notepad from the store where you purchased the Nightshade concentrate used in your little toxic concoction. You are going away for a very long time, Ixion. And not even your parents’ money can save you.”
Ixion’s face crumpled, as he remained quiet. He suddenly wasn’t so sure of himself.
Manty looked expectantly to Taurus. “Any word?”
Taurus shook his head. “Nothing, Manty, we’ve been searching for almost three days now and still nothing. I’ve even asked the gargoyle clan on Mt. Thanatos to keep a look out for the girl.”
“Thank you, Taurus, you don’t know what this means to me.” Manty replied sincerely.
“You don’t have to thank me, it’s a pleasure.”
“Hey, what’s this I hear about a missing girl?” A sneering voice asked from his cell. “It wouldn’t be that human girl that our security chief’s been bitchin’ about.” A large figure stepped back from the cell.
Manty looked up to its dirty white fur and into its sneering canine faces. The thing noticed Manty staring at it, and smiled.
“Now if I had her,” Taurus and Manty both noticed a growing pink length coming out from his nether regions, “I would show that human the time of her life.” One of its mouths hung open and it licked the top of its razor sharp teeth, while the other head was busy showing his arousal by saying. “Oh, oh OH!”
Manty was disgusted to see the creature was jerking off and getting hornier by the second, just by thinking about his daughter. “Oh Fuck YEAH! If I had her I would shove this baby,” he gestured a head towards his large and very erect member, which was already releasing pre-cum, “up into her tight little ass.
“Oh! Oh! Oh YEAH! Oh shit! Oh shit!” The creature began to jerk off harder and faster. “Oh yeah! Oh yeah! OHHH YEAH!!” He roared, as his load shot off and landed on a wall.
Manty, thoroughly disgusted by the display, turned to Taurus and asked. “Do you think we could talk somewhere else?”
Taurus, unfazed by the monster’s lurid and disgusting display, said. “Of course.”    By now he was used to this particular inmates tactics. Like Proteus, he liked to push buttons. But unlike Proteus, Geryon was a sexual predator of the worst kind who got off on the despair and humiliation of his victims. “In here.” He motioned for Manty to follow him.
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Achilles’ Hut:
Lying in a fetal position, Cassy rubbed her arm. She should feel rage, despair, anything, yet she knew she felt nothing. Of course she did feel the pain. Looking down at the blood down where she had felt him penetrate her and take away her virginity.
With a slow but deliberate hand, she dabbed at the blood and looked at it in fascination for a while, before looking over the rest of her body.
Cassy looked over her cream coloured body and sighed. She heard his content snoring next to her, and closed her eyes. For her first time, this was not how she had envisioned it would be like.
She had envisioned a time, where the man she loved would have carried her over the threshold. Gently being lowered onto an elegant bed, and then feel his hands delicately undo her dress, while kisses were trailed down her spine. And then she would turn around and look into a warm face, a human face smiling lovingly down on her. Then his lips would touch hers...
But she more and more she thought about it, the more she found a bull’s face replacing her knight in shining armour.
She quietly took Achilles’ hand off her bareback, and laid it on his chest. Her first time… She scratched the itch on her face. Looking around, she saw the room she occupied with her ‘mate’, as he called himself to her. The walls of the cabin were made out of orange red wooden logs. They were actually stacked neatly one on top of the other. The floor was of the same wood material except it had been fashioned into smooth planks.
The crackling of the fire burned brightly in its fireplace. Cassy got up and knelt down by the fire. She balled up her hands in front of her face and blew on them. Then rubbed them together and felt how the friction produced heat. Moving her hands ever more slowly, perpendicularly, from each other, she separated them and placed her hands outwards. Careful not to burn herself, she let the heat of the fire warm her body.
A few hours ago, she’d been so hot. When Achilles touched her, he said it was like she was on fire. She had closed her eyes, but it only seemed to turn him on more. But afterwards, after the sex she had felt cold.
The house had the fireplace and she hadn’t been out of Achilles’ cabin in what seemed like a week. She should be warm?
She got up and poured herself a glass of water. Her throat was always dry she had noticed. She guzzled the water down and felt the satisfying liquid wash down her throat.
As she put down her glass, she noticed more of the purple herb that Achilles had brought her. It was tied together in a little bundle. She tore off a small piece at the stem and chewed the sweet purple and green in her mouth. The cold left her body and her thoughts of love and of her friends were blissfully ended, as her mind went blank.
She sighed, as the contentment and warmth enveloped her.

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Security Centre:
A light went on in Manty’s head, as he remembered Geryon’s lurid display. “Oh shit! I’ve just thought of something.”
Taurus perked up, as he saw his friend become very agitated. “What is it, Manty? Do you know where Cassy could be?”
Shaking he turned to look at Taurus with wide eyes. “That strange creature, that Mino-Centaur. Do you remember?”
A horrifying thought came to Taurus’ mind. “Cassy, she would never”
Manty looked Taurus straight in the eye. “Taurus you know what trauma can do to someone. Heck you lived it remember? You know that a person that’s been traumatised is unpredictable. Besides, if she has, then it’s nothing that Cassy hasn’t done already. Remember when Proteus escaped?”
Taurus shuddered, as he remembered when they had to pretend that he was badly injured, in order to draw Proteus out of hiding. When Cassy heard he had been hurt, she got out to look for Proteus to avenge him. It had almost cost her life.
“If she’s gone after that guy, who knows what could happen?” He got up off from his seat. “Come on, we’ve got to find her before something terrible happens.” He ran out the door with Manty close behind him.
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New Olympian Security Centre:
Nessus made his way, painfully, into the island’s jail, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from some of the passing Olympians, staring at his multiple wounds that he had received from Cassy’s friend, Cyc.
It had been almost a week since his… interrogation, but the wounds he had received were far from healed. He could have simply gone to a doctor, but that would mean meeting Manty again, which was something he did not want.
He limped up to the counter where one of the officers, Helios, was sitting, reading a magazine.
“Officer?” he asked.
Helios looked up from his magazine and arched his fiery eyebrow at the beaten Centaur. “I think you have the wrong place, son? The hospital’s down the street, four blocks over.”
“No,” Nessus replied. “I just… fell down some stairs. I’m fine, honestly. I’m here to see my cousin.”
“Oh,” Helios didn’t looked convinced, but he just got out his notepad. “What’s your cousin’s name?”
“Ixion of the Centaur house of Centaurus.”
“Ah, one of the big boss’s son, eh?” Helios said with a smirk. “Guess, having your cousin in here won’t be doing your family’s good name any good, huh?”
Ixion’s family were of the House of Centaurus, named after the God who supposedly gave life to their race. They were the oldest race of Centaurs on the island, probably the descendants of the first ones ever born.
Nessus just shook his head hurriedly. “Doubtful, but I just need to see him. It is quite urgent.”
Helios rechecked his list. “Well,” he said unsure. “He’s not supposed to be having any visitors… but since you’re family, I guess it’ll be okay.”
Helios pressed a tab on his side of the panel and the door separating them, opened.
“Walk forward a few steps,” Helios ordered.
Nessus did as he was told. The instant he walked in-between the two doorframes, a light past over him, scanning him for any weapons or metallic objects. A green light soon began blinking, indicating that he was clean.
“He’s in cell 5, area B,” Helios explained, as he got up. “Follow me and don’t go anywhere near the cells.”
Nessus slowly walked behind the fiery-headed officer, as they past by several cells on either side of them. Many New Olympians, of various races, all sneered, growled and shook their fists or whatever at them, as they past by them.
As they came to area B, of the Security Centre, they past by a cell, which had an enormous, two-headed, wolf creature inside. The beast seemed to be growling at something, though it was not looking at them and didn’t seem to have even noticed that they were there.
Nessus paused for a slight second and tilted his head to gaze into the creature’s cell.
He immediately withdrew, as he noticed that the beast’s cell was covered with posters and magazine pictures of New Olympian females, from every race, which were all nude. He also noticed that the thing had one of the pictures in his paw, and that he was not growling at all, but moaning, as he masturbated.
“That there’s Geryon,” Helios said suddenly, startling Nessus for a moment. “If by any chance or miracle, he ever gets out of jail, and you should happen to meet him. Don’t stand there chatting or anything, just run. The guy’s a monster of the truest meaning. He rapes girls, usually killing them in the process, and brutally mutilates the men.”
Nessus gulped shortly. He remembered hearing something about a guy named Geryon, who had tried raping one of Boreas’s advisers, Echidna, but was stopped.
“This is your cousin’s cell,” Helios said, as they came to the next one.
Nessus said. “Oh, will it be possible for him and me to be alone? I have some family stuff to discuss with him.”
Helios shook his head. “Afraid I can’t do that,” he said. “Can’t leave anyone alone with the prisoners, even if they are family. I can place you in the cell with him, but I’ll be right outside in case he tries anything.”
Nessus sighed. “Okay. I guess that’ll do.”
Helios nodded and banged on the column next to the force field. “Yo, rich boy!” he called inside. “You got a visitor!”
A low grumbling sound came from within, one that sounded sleepy. “Tell them to come back tomorrow,” he mumbled.
“You refuse me now and I won’t come back at all,” Nessus called back.
A slight clatter came from inside and Ixion’s face was soon at the force field, staring right at them.
“Nessus?” Ixion said. “Damn it! It’s about time you got here! Alright, let him in, firefly!”
Helios scowled a little, but entered the code and released the field, allowing Nessus to pass through.
Ixion immediately greeted his cousin with a fierce bear hug. Nessus did not return the affection, but Ixion didn’t seem to notice.
As soon as Helios had his back turned and was leaning on the wall, Ixion started speaking to his cousin in hushed words.
“So,” he started, “what’s the word? Have you or the folks got any idea of how to get me out of here yet?”
“No,” Nessus said, “but I do have one thing that you might be able to help with.”
“Oh,” Ixion arched his eyebrow at him. “What?”
Nessus suddenly grabbed his cousin’s shoulders and slammed his body up against the wall, ignoring the aches and pains that his own injuries were giving him in the process.
“You can tell me where the hell Cassy is?!” he hissed at him.
Ixion’s eyes practically bulged out at him. “What the hell are you doing?!” he snarled, keeping it quiet, so as not to alarm Helios. “Get your hands off me or I’ll… “ He stopped, as Nessus moved his right hand up to Ixion’s throat and started choking him.
“Are you…” Ixion choked, as he struggled to breathe. “Are you out of… your mind?!”
“Possibly,” Nessus said casually, and indicated his own injuries with a tilt of his head. “I haven’t had the greatest of weeks because of you.”
“Me?! What did I do?”
Nessus snorted. “Let’s see… You get me to invite Cassy to your party, with the full intention of raping her. You spike the punch, breaking the law, thus getting me in trouble with the police, not to mention Cassy’s friends. You disgrace our family, and sour our good name… Where would you like me to start?”
“Hold on!” Ixion said, gasping. “Alright, I admit that I did spike the punch. But trust me, I never intended it to go this far. I just thought it would liven things up a bit. I didn’t think everyone would go nuts.”
Nessus snarled at him. “And Cassy?”
Ixion shrugged. “Same reason,” he said. “I just thought having a human at the party would make it more interesting. Plus, I had heard you were dating her, and about the trouble she had been through, so I thought I’d give her a break, try and meet some new friends.”
Nessus narrowed his eyes at his cousin. “You,” he began, “are nothing, but a god damn LIAR!” He squeezed his fist, almost crushing Ixion’s windpipes. “You have about as much love for a human, and for me, as you do for hoof-rot. Why was she really there?! What was the real reason?”
Ixion struggled against his cousin’s grip, but for once, his cousin was too strong for him. “I-I don’t know what… “
Nessus banged his head against the wall, checking that Helios hadn’t heard, but Helios seemed to have some headphones on, listening to something, and couldn’t hear a thing.
“Why?!” he growled angrily.
Ixion gulped fearfully. “Alright!” he finally gave in. “Alright… It was for a friend, okay?!”
Nessus paused. “What friend?” he said, as he eased his grip, but didn’t remove.
Ixion breathed deeply, gaining his breath back. “Achilles, the Mino-Centaur.”
Nessus blinked. “You mean that thing they all saw at the party that everyone’s talking about? The one who beat up Taurus and all his officers?” Nessus couldn’t remember, as he had been unconscious the whole time. The alcohol had affected him the most that night.
Ixion nodded. “Yeah, I met him about a year ago. The guy is one serious nut, okay. I mean, one minute he’s all chummy and laughing, the next he’s getting ready to bite your head off.”
“How’d you meet him?” Nessus continued asking.
Ixion shrugged. “It was just on the outskirts of the city, near where the marsh is, where all those wild animals are supposed to be. I had some business there, some guys were cheating me. When I confronted them about it, they… “
“And what business might that have been?” Nessus asked slyly. “The kind that you don’t tell mom and dad about perhaps?”
Ixion’s face turned red with anger. “Hey! Do I… “
“Never mind!” Nessus interrupted. “Just get on with it.”
Ixion snarled back at him. “Anyway,” he continued, “the guys started getting rough with me. They were saying I was cheating on them when they were the ones doing the cheating. I was about to drop the whole deal, when one of them popped out a dagger at me. Guys were really taking it seriously and looked as if they were gonna slit my throat.”
‘Shame they didn’t,’ Nessus thought, but didn’t say anything.
“Just when they were about to, you know… Achilles turned up right out of nowhere. The guys thought he was Taurus at first and tried to make a break for it. You can imagine our surprise when he came out of the thicket, with his horse-ass and everything.” Ixion chuckled, but stopped when he didn’t see Nessus smiling. “Anyway, when they saw it wasn’t Taurus and something that they had never seen before, they just laughed and tried rushing him… Biiiig mistake!”
Nessus arched his left eyebrow at him. “What happened?”
“A massacre is what happened,” Ixion laughed. “Achilles wiped the floor with them… literally. He ripped them apart and spread them all over the ground. Guy’s sure one serious head-case, lemme tell you that, cous.”
Nessus ignored him. “So what happened then?”
“Lemme go and I’ll tell you.”
Nessus paused for a while, but finally he relented and released his relative.
Ixion sighed, as he rubbed his throat. “Well, at first I thought he was gonna kill me too, so I beat him to the punch and offered him a job, acting as a sort of bodyguard for me. You know, in case any other guys tried getting smart with me, or something. I told him he could have anything he wanted, the best of everything, from wine and silk linen beds, to foxy girls in black leather. He seemed really interested in the girl part, lemme tell you. So he let me go and started working for me.”
Nessus grounded his teeth together, in rage. “So, was he the reason why you got me to invite Cassy?!”
Ixion gulped nervously. “More or less,” he said timidly. “See, like I said, Achilles is one major head-case, totally off his rocker. At first, it wasn’t so bad. He was a real good fighter and he kept all my rivals at bay and everything… but with him, he’s like one second, happy and chummy with his pals, namely me, and the next second he’s all ‘I wanna fight and kill’.”
Ixion sighed. “He’s totally unpredictable and when he’s mad, he can’t tell the difference from who’s bad or good. He just lashes out at everyone and everything. I had to keep him happy, otherwise there’s no telling what he’d do.” He sighed again. “It’s a constant job to keep him happy. I mean, you seriously do not want to get him mad and be on his bad side, which I’m sure you, or at least Taurus, have figured out by now.” He grinned, indicating the battle between Taurus’s men and Achilles.
Nessus didn’t blink however. “Go on, Ixion. I think you’re just about to come to the part about why you had Cassy over?”
Ixion looked more nervous now than ever. “Well… Like I said, I had to keep him happy, calm and all that. And the only things that ever really calm him down, are either hunting, fighting or… “
“Yes?” Nessus folded his arms, staring at him.
Ixion rubbed the back of his head. “Women,” he finally said. “And I’m not talking about just looking at them too, you know what I’m saying?”
Nessus’s eyes flared at him. If he were a gargoyle then his eyes would be burning white-silver by now, brighter than lanterns.
Ixion started to step back, away from him. “I mean, it’s not exactly an uncommon method of relaxing, cous. I’m sure millions of people use mating as a way to relax and let out some steam. It’s also a good exercise for the body, you know?”
Nessus didn’t answer and glared at him, his scowl worsening by the second.
“Err, no,” Ixion said sheepishly. “On second thought, I guess you don’t. You don’t get out much, do you?”
Nessus started to step towards him.
Ixion held up his hands. “Whoa, cous,” he tried reasoning with him, hoping for some help. “I had to do it! I told you how crazy he gets. Usually, I just go out and hire some pleasure girls for him, but that wasn’t working anymore.”
‘Pleasure girls’ was of course the New Olympian title for prostitutes.
Ixion carried on, now backed up all the way to the wall again, with Nessus closing in on him. “Achilles had gotten tired of all the usual girls he gets, and he was sick of getting girls who were only doing it for money. He wanted something more, so I… I… “
Nessus snapped out his arm, like lightning, and once again seized his cousin’s throat, cutting off most of the circulation. “What?!” he hissed.
Ixion gasped, the air not getting all the way into his lungs. “I…I heard about the human girl. I thought about getting her for Achilles, maybe hiring her for an evening or two, but it didn’t take me long to figure out that she wouldn’t be into that sort of stuff. I had considered forgetting about it, but then Achilles started getting all crazy again. Then you came along and said you were dating her.”
“So you got me to invite her to your party!” Nessus deduced angrily, his grip increasing around Ixion’s throat. “And you arranged to have some of your cronies spike the punch, so that Achilles could have his way with her, and everyone would be too punch-drunk to care or lift a finger to help!”
Ixion gasped and struggled for breath, as he futilely batted at his cousin’s hand, around his throat, but to no avail.
“Nessus…” he struggled for dear life. “… Please… I…. “
“To think I actually once considered you my friend, as well as my cousin,” Nessus bore into him. “And all the time you were planning something like… like this!” He lowered his head, his eyes staring right into Ixion's. “Where… do I find… Achilles?!” he said simply and threatening.
Ixion’s face was starting to turn blue, and his eyes were practically frozen in fear. “In the marsh lands,” he revealed. “He has a hut out there, beyond the outskirts of the city, on the west end” he choked. “It’s in the really deep part, quite well hidden, but you’ll find his hut with some purple flowers on it.”
“Hey!” Helios yelled, having finally removed his earphones and heard the commotion coming from within Ixion’s cell. “What’s going on in there?!”
Nessus threw his cousin down on the floor and turned around, just as Helios deactivated the force field. “I was just leaving,” he announced. “I have all that I came here for, and have unfortunately learned a few things about one of my relatives that I wish never to speak about.” He turned back for a second and looked at his pitiful cousin, clutching his throat in pain. “As far as I’m concerned,” he spoke one final time, “my cousin is dead!” With that, he turned and left the prison cell compound.

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Outside New Olympus City:
Nessus galloped at full speed through the swamps. He swatted a few branches that got in his way. He had to get to Cassy before Achilles got to her. There was no telling what that monster would do to her if he got a hold of her.
“Aarrgh!!” Nessus screamed, as he felt a giant weight come crushing down upon his body. He landed face first into the muddy waters.
“I thought we told you that we didn’t want to see you ever again!” Cyc growled. He ground his foot more into Nessus’ backside, causing the Centaur to moan in pain.
“I didn’t promise anything,” the Centaur said through gritted teeth, “I only said what you wanted you to hear. But I’m not going to leave Cassy alone. I…I care for her.” He tried to push himself up, but the Cyclops’s weight was too much and he collapsed once more into the mud.
Cyan glared down at the dark Centaur. Slowly, with deliberate steps she made her way around Nessus. She pushed up Nessus’s chin with her thumb and forefinger. “I think I ought to let Cyc here just smash you into a pulp, you’ve caused so much trouble for Cassy. What are you doing here anyway?”
Nessus suppressed a shudder of pain as the Cyclops’s foot was bearing down on him. He was going to die, but he wasn’t going to die without telling them. “I love her.” He whispered.
“What?” Cyan growled. She bent down to his eye level. “Say again? I don’t think I heard you right.”
“You heard me.” He glared defiantly at Cyan. “I said that I love her. I’m looking for her same as you are. I could ask you the same question. What are you doing here?”
Cyan crossed her arms and gave him a ‘as if you didn’t know look.’ “Every other inch of this island’s been combed. This is the last place that the security force hasn’t looked. Now where were we? Oh yeah… Crush him, Cyc!”
“All right stop!” Taurus’ harsh voice called out to all of them. The Minotaur crossed his arms over his large chest. “Let him go, Hercules. He might have vital information to where Achilles is.”
“All right…” Cyc reluctantly lifted his foot off of Nessus. “But if you try anything funny.” He pounded a fist the size of a boulder into his outstretched palm. He gave Nessus a not so nice smile, to which the Centaur gulped and nodded mutely.
Taurus laid a hand on Nessus’ shoulder. “All right, son, you know where Cassy is? Tell us.”
“Achilles. She’s at Achilles.”   He pointed through the thick vegetation. “He’s about another half kilometre that way.”
Cyan looked at him suspiciously. “How do you know?” Inwardly she hoped he was wrong. As much as she cared for Cassy, she must admit that she had an impulsive streak and perhaps not the best judgement. And as far as she knew, bad things always did seem to happen to her human friend.
He looked back at her with a determined look on his face. “I just do. Now are we going to help her or not?”
“All right, then I’ll go. You three,” he gave them all an annoyed look, “try and stay out of trouble.” He ran off to where Nessus had pointed through the brush.
Nessus got up painfully. “Thanks for the help.” He grunted when he saw neither Cyc nor Cyan giving him a hand to get up. “I’m fine, thank you.”
“No one asked you.” Cyan retorted. She turned to walk off, but then turned around and looked at Nessus impatiently. “Well, are you coming?”
Nessus looked at Cyan with a confused expression on his face. “I thought you didn’t want me to come along with you.”
“I don’t,” Cyan growled, “but we need all the help we can get, if we are to get to Cassy. She remembered when Achilles had wiped the floor with them the last time and didn’t want that scene repeated. She heard snorting noises, faint but distinct.
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Achilles’ Hut:
Achilles yawned loudly, and stretched his arms out, reaching for Cassy. When he didn’t find her, he awoke suddenly and shot up, his eyes searching for her.
“Where… “ he stopped when he soon saw her, sitting by the fire, warming herself.
He growled and strode up to her, grabbing her by the hair and hoisting her up to his face.
“Ouch!” Cassy whined. “What is it?” she tugged her hair, trying to get it out of his grasp.
Achilles snarled. “You left me!” he simply said.
“I was only over here by the fire.” She tried to reason with him, but her head was still floating and she couldn’t focus. “I was cold and… “
Achilles cut her off, and kissed her deeply, his huge tongue filling her mouth.
Cassy soon forgot what she was going to say, and felt herself melting into his kiss and embrace, as tendrils of small pleasure went over her skin.
When he pulled back, he looked deep into her eyes, and said. “Don’t… ever…. Leave me!”
Cassy just nodded her head, and allowed Achilles to pick her up and carry her back over to the bed. When he reached it however, he stopped and seemed to look around, his ears twitching.
He dumped her on the bed, and turned around.
“Stay here and don’t leave!” he ordered her, and left the cabin.
Cassy didn’t nod or anything, and just lay back down on the piles of furs, resting her head.

Taurus ran through the brush swatting away an errant branch as it hit him on his forearm. A million thoughts ran through his mind on what the large hybrid could do to Cassy. One stuck out in particular, and he feared that they might be too late to do anything about it. If Achilles did…then he would make the monster wish he were in Tartarus.
Whoosh!
Taurus stopped in his tracks as he felt the arrow flew mere centimetres from hiss calf. He looked around into the seemingly unoccupied brush and then he took out his laser and hid behind a tree. “Achilles? Is that you? Show yourself!”
Three more arrows whizzed in rapid succession out from the brush and landed in the dirt close to Taurus’ feet. “Not likely, Minotaur. I know why you are here, Taurus. You’ve come because mother and father have sent you to retrieve me. Well they are not taking me back! I’m staying here in this place with my wilderness and my prize. And there’s nothing that you can do about it!”
Prize?? He means Cassy. I’ve got to play this cool or he could hurt her. He breathed deeply a few times and called out. “You’re parents didn’t send me here to retrieve you. I just came here to get the girl that’s all. No harm will befall you.”
Achilles peered through the large brush he was huddled behind and narrowed his eyes. “What was that?” He inclined his head and listened and nodded. “Yes, I think he’s fooling me too. He wants her for himself and he’s going to take me back to mother and father so they can kill me. I won’t have it!” He whispered harshly. He looked out towards the tree and called out. “All right you can have her back. I just want to be left alone in peace.” He inclined his head again and listened. “Others, you’re sure? He’s brought others to corner me, the betrayer! Okay, okay. You take care of the others and I’ll take care of Taurus.”
The large Mino-Centaur threw out the metallic bow that he had on him. It made a hollow wet noise landing on the swamp’s floor. Achilles came out with his hands in the air. “All right I’m done. You can have the girl, but please don’t hurt me.”
Taurus cautiously approached Achilles with his weapon poised. “You have my word. Now where is she.”
“She’s,” Achilles turned his head slightly to indicate the direction then suddenly whipped his head back, “right here!” And the heavy braided beard that he had snapped like a whip and knocked Taurus’s gun out of his hand.
“Aaugh!” Taurus rubbed his hand in response and then got knocked clean by a right from a heavy fist.
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“Hey, what’s that noise?” Cyan looked around and heard the grunting snorting sounds. “Cyc, is that you?”
“Eh no, but whatever it is, it’s louder now.”
Then they heard several squeals as that “something” suddenly charged forward and emerged from the brush. And then they gasped as they saw the biggest boars that they had ever seen in their lives.   They were about the size of a large bison.    No fat whatsoever as their entire bodies were packed with muscle. The colour of their skin was blood red.
Cyan had to look again and had to stop herself from gagging. It wasn’t that these “boars” had blood red skin that disgusted her. But the fact that they didn’t have any skin at all and were covered in their own blood.
The other boars moved away and then the biggest of them came forward. This one three times the size of the others, had two heads, one smaller than the other was sticking out from its neck like a tumour. It squealed and the other head, malformed as it was, gave off a smaller squeal. The pack squealed in return and charged at them.

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Taurus blocked a cross from Achilles and gave off his own with connected with the side of his face. The hybrid growled and gave off a kick that connected with the Minotaur’s stomach.
Taurus countered with an uppercut to the chin.    He then went around the Mino-Centaur and locked him in a full nelson. He started to bend his torso backward putting pressure on his spine. “Give up, Achilles. Even if I fail, sooner or later my men will find you. Make this easier on yourself and give in. I promise we’ll give you a fair trial.”
Achilles gritted his teeth from the pain. “Never! I won’t let you take me back!” He pushed backward and rammed Taurus into a tree. He then started doing it repeatedly. “I won’t,” BAM! “go” BAM! “back!” BAM! “You” BAM! “can’t” BAM! BAM! “make me!” BAM! BAM! BAM!
Taurus fell into a boneless heap.

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Cyc grunted, as he grabbed the largest boar by its tusks. It squealed madly at him as it thrashed trying to eviscerate him with its sharp tusks. It lashed out a spiny-toothed tongue at him. “Ouch! OUCH!”
Meanwhile the smaller boars were ramming into his legs. “Cyan, Nessus, d’ya think maybe you could get those other boars off of my legs for a second!” He grunted, as he struggled with the huge monstrosity. Even for its size for Zeus’ sake! This thing is stronger than it looks.
“Ouch!” One boar hit Cyan in the shoulder. “I’m trying, but there’s too many.” She back kicked a few errant boars and slammed her arm into another.
“Augh! Where are they all coming from?” Nessus gripped his bleeding shoulder.   “Watch your back!” Nessus kicked a boar charging at Cyan with his front legs and killed it.
“Thanks.” The Centaur muttered. She continued killing off more boars. But another just jumped into its place.
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Achilles grinned nastily, as he looked to Taurus’ barely conscious form. He bent down and picked him up roughly by the horn. He slammed Taurus face first into a tree. “Wake up! Wake up! I want you to be awake and meet your death on your feet like a man.”
The blood from Taurus’ nose and mouth caused him to sound strangled when he replied. “You haven’t killed me yet.” The bull said groggily.
“What was that? I couldn’t hear you. Speak louder. Wait,” Achilles grabbed Taurus’ horn in both hands, “let me help you get your second wind.” CRACK!
“AAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!” Taurus screamed out. He touched where his horn was and felt only jagged bone. He looked at his hand and found out he was bleeding from the base of his horn. He felt the anger boil up inside of him. He roared and tackled Achilles.
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Boreas brushed aside a piece of shrubbery that was blocking his way. He sighed. Why must the past always come back to haunt me? “Artemis?” He called out. “Artemis, I know you are here. Show yourself!”
A woman materialized in front of him. She was bronze skinned in colour with green eyes and pointed ears. She wore a simple toga, sandals and had a cheetah’s pelt draped over her shoulders. Artemis looked at the larger being with anger and showed her sharp white teeth. “You! What is it that you want?”
Boreas looked impassively at Artemis, and spoke. “I want you to stop this nonsense at once. You and I both know Achilles must be stopped before he does anymore harm.”
“Him! What about the harm your kind,” she pointed a razor sharp finger at him, “have done to him? When I found him in this abandoned area he had been thrown out by his parents. I adopted him as my own child and took care of him. He was garbage to your kind, but to me he is my son. And I won’t let you hurt him!” She created a ball of energy that she hurled at Boreas, it exploded on impact.
Boreas dusted himself off. “Artemis, please, must we?” She threw a punch at him. Unmoved and unharmed, Boreas took her wrist and started to squeeze. “I don’t want to harm you, but if you force me to, I will. Now, as I was saying, your son he has someone, a human girl. Where is she? If you tell me now, I might be able to save him from Taurus.” He outstretched his hand and an image shimmered to life. In it they could see Taurus savagely beating Achilles.
Artemis gritted her teeth. “Achilles, he has her in his cabin. He wanted her for his…special needs. So I gave him some herb to give to her. The herb clouds her judgement, compels her to go to him, and make her susceptible to his needs. PLEASE don’t hurt him.”
A look of compassion came over Boreas, and he helped the goddess to her feet. “No harm will come of him. I promise.”
Artemis wiped away angry tears from her eyes. “Why are you doing this to me? My son, he doesn’t deserve this. You yourself have done far worse than what he has done. As I recall, you were quite the womaniser in your day.”
A look of sorrow came over Boreas’ face. “I know. My crimes will haunt me to the end of time, but I am trying to make amends.”
“How many children do you have abandoned about, BOREAS? Let’s see.” She started counting on her fingers. “There was Hercules, Perseus…”
The large winged man rubbed his brow. “Yes…Enough, Artemis, I get your point.”
“Oh, but why stop there? Why don’t we tell the New Olympians about why you guard them? Why not tell them the truth?!” She accused.
“ENOUGH!” He thundered, as he produced a jolt of lightning from his hand. “Don’t you think I know what I did was wrong?! Don’t you think I’m paying for my sins?! I can’t reveal to the New Olympians that their whole existence is a joke! A sick joke played out by an arrogant, ARROGANT man. It’s too cruel!”
Artemis smiled. “You know, as much as I love making you suffer, I see you do a better job of that yourself. You are suffering terribly and it makes me feel immensely happy. Go on then, retrieve the human. Stop my son, but help him. That is all I ask.”
And then, Artemis was gone.
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Cyc continued grappling with the boar when it disappeared. Cyan and Nessus noticed that the other boars were nowhere to be seen as well.
“What do you suppose happened to those creatures?” Nessus asked Cyan.
“I don’t know and I don’t care just as long as they are gone.” Cyan answered. “Come on we better get going and see if Taurus needs help.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Taurus answered. He was carrying Achilles over his shoulders. The others gasped as they took a look at him. Half his armour seemed to be ripped off and he was full of cuts and bruises. They looked up.
“Taurus!” Cyan gasped. “Your horn!”
Taurus felt the broken down stub where his horn used to be and waved it off. “I’m fine.” Really the shooting pain in his head was anything but fine but he didn’t tell them that. “Here.” He handed Achilles to Cyc.   “You take him, we still need to find Cassy.” The others nodded.
A few minutes later they followed Achilles hoof-prints back to where his cabin was. They opened the door and found Cassy huddled on a pile of furs, curled up in a foetus position. Taurus went to her and bent down on his knees. “Cassy, Cassy?”
Cassy looked to him and he saw her a hollow vacant look in her eyes. “Do you know who I am?” he asked her.
She nodded.
“What happened?”
She opened her mouth to talk, but no sound came out. She shook her head.
“What? What do you mean?” Taurus gave the others a confused look.
She took a finger and wrote in the dust on the floor. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?” He gave her an even more confused look. The others looked at each other unable to make out her behaviour. “Are you sure?”
She nodded yes. She gave him a pleading look and grabbed his arm.
“All right, let’s get you up.” Taurus picked her up in his arms.
She noticed the sharp stub where his horn used to be and gently touched it. He flinched as he fought the wave of pain and gently pushed aside her hand. “Come on, we’ll get you back to Manty.” He said softly. Turning he went out from the cabin, the others wordlessly following him.
Nessus looked as though he wanted to talk to her, to help her, but thought it be better that he stayed out of the way for now.
As they left the now abandoned cabin, none of them noticed the green eyes that followed their every move, with a look of regret, pain, and anger.
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Manty and Cassy’s Apartment:
When they got back to Manty’s, Cassy had found her voice. She had found her voice and was currently using it to quietly sob with.
The large Manticore was gently rubbing a paw into her silky golden hair. “Shh, shh, Cassy, it will be fine. It’s over now. He can’t hurt you anymore.” Manty spoke out with vehemence, edged in his usually calm and cheerful voice. Everything would not be all right. No, Cassy had been marked forever. He did not tell her this, and only gently stroked her hair.
Cyc was strangely quiet. He stood in a corner with his arms crossed over his massive frame. His sullen eye looked desperately towards his stricken friend. He felt lost. All this power, all this strength and yet he couldn’t help save his friend, who was more like a sister, from being raped. What good was he?
Nessus had stayed with them all the way back to Manty’s apartment, until Taurus had politely told him that he thought it would be better if he left, since he doubted that Manty would be too pleased to see him. Nessus had objected at first, but the stern look from Taurus, and the raised foot from Cyc, convinced him otherwise. So he had left to go home, but silently promised Cassy that he would keep in touch with her as soon as possible.
Cyan looked towards her friend with tears shining in her eyes. She tried to take a step forward to place a reassuring hand onto her, but paused. Damn! She did this to her! She did! It was Cyan that had gotten angry at Cassy over missing their swim. It she who didn’t figure out in time that Nessus was going to take her to his cousin’s home. And if she were a better friend she would have known that Cassy might want to try and revenge herself upon that, that THING! She blinked back tears, as she rubbed the sides of her arms with her hands. If only… If only…
God, why did her kind have to be such monsters? Cyan breathed in a shuddering breath. Cassy didn’t need her.    She needed her to be as far away from her friend as possible.
“Cyan!” Cyc reached out, as he heard Cyan give a pained whinny and trot out of the room. Soon the clip clop of her hooves became a gallop, as she ran out as fast as her equine legs could carry her.
With tears streaming down her face, Cyan galloped out of Manty’s housing complex, as fast as her hooves could take her. She needed to get as far away from Cassy as possible. Her kind, were monsters. She was a monster!
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A Few Days Later:
A few days passed and word had passed that Cassy the human had been brutally raped at the hands of a monster. Many had been shocked at hearing of such a thing happening. Mostly because such things didn’t happen, Proteus and the murder of Asterion had been the last violent crime to be committed on New Olympus in many years.
Some had expressed their sympathy to Manty, who gave a silent thank you to those few charitable to express kindness to his daughter. Others had not been so sympathetic.
Taurus waved off the wave of disgust and anger in the pit of his stomach when he saw a few of his people smiling when they had learned.
He absently rubbed at the golden coloured prosthetic that completed his horn.   The line connecting New Olympian alloy where bone met had a jagged look that made it obvious that the horn was broken. The technician who had made his new prosthetic and screwed it into his horn had muttered about how stubborn he was. He didn’t care, as he wanted it as a reminder of his failure. He failed the one person who needed him most. He could deal with this!
A gentle knock, and the Minotaur could hear someone shifting their weight. His ears twitched back and forth as they tried to pick up on what was being said. He heard a tired mumble and the door slid out, with a whoosh.
Manty looked at him through tired bloodshot eyes.     His faced looked like it had aged several years in several days. Cassy was asleep on his shoulder, using his soft pelt as pillow.
“Could you?” Manty looked at the pillow near a couch that Taurus was standing by. Taurus went over and took the pillow over to Manty. Manty gently eased out from under Cassy as Taurus held her head. He then gently put the pillow under her.
“I’m glad you came, Taurus,” Manty’s voice sounded so tired, so hollow, so old. He sighed and ran a paw through his mane. “I tried to take Cassy to the medical centre so she could get checked out, it didn’t work out.” Manty had cautiously asked that Taurus come over so he could relate what he had found out.
For a while all they talked about was small chat. Taurus commented off hand that Echidna’s Isolationist Party was gaining clout among many of the New Olympians. Taurus himself had talked with Boreas who thought contact with humanity would be a good idea. They had been going over plans for a small party to go to the human city of New York and meet up with their officials… But then he might find her.
He closed his eyes and sighed in frustration, as he tried not to think of her ink black hair cascading down her back. About how he couldn’t stop thinking about her easy smile. Or those chocolate brown eyes that Taurus so loved about her. But that had been put to stop at least for now. Cassy. Cassy had been hurt and right now helping her was the most important thing.
“How’s she doing?” he asked finally.
Manty sighed. “To be honest, I don’t really know. Whatever that stuff was, that Achilles fed her. It seems to have completely drained her of any or all emotion. She doesn’t seem to feel anything.”
“Can you do anything for her?”
Manty shrugged. “I haven’t a clue as to what the herb was, but I believe its effects will wear off eventually. As for Cassy… I can only offer her a sympathetic ear, some counselling, and hope.” He growled. “What about Achilles? What’s happened to him?”
Taurus growled lowly. “He’s been sent to the mental institute for evaluation. So far, preliminary results show that he is dangerously unstable, possibly as a result of troubled youth, or an abused childhood. I don’t know what else they’re going to do, but you have my word, if he ever gets out, it won’t be for a long time.”
Manty nodded, mildly satisfied. “At least Cassy won’t have to worry about him no more.”
They both nodded, and watched as the little human slept soundly on the couch.

To Be Continued…
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GARGOYLES: Secrets and Lies (Chapter 4)