The Fight For Freedom
By, Gavin Ruffell
A long time ago there once was a boy named Lebron, and Lebron was the bravest peasant in all of Machu Picchu. He was only a young lad when his parents died and most of the village died to the invaders as well. Then, when they were done attacking the invaders left him to live, and while he was growing up he would to be watched throughout time by the divine god of war Ares and train him to be the protecter Machu Picchu. As a boy Lebron had one friend that was named Cherokee and little did he now that Cherokee was the son of the god Hades god of the Underworld.
A few years past and Lebron decided to go on a adventure to the top of Machu Picchu, while he was saying his goodbyes to everyone he could not find Cherokee anywhere not in his village or near other landmarks until, “Help! It’s not my fault I am Hades son.” So Lebron sprinted to his house and then that is when he saw Cherokee laying on the ground with a knife in his stomach Lebron could smell the blood of his dead friend and with his last words before he died,“Ares was the one who did this?” Then Lebron wiped his tears from his face and says, “ No you can’t leave me you are the only thing I have left, please, please.” Cherokee interrupted “ It’s time I go.” with those words Cherokee took his last breath. In that moment Lebron fell to his knees, and with tears in his eyes he knew what he had to do he stood up without saying a word walked out of the house and gathered up his stuff to go on a journey.
The very next morning Lebron started his journey to find Ares and kill him.
When he got to the edge he did not even look back until he herd a voice say, “WAIT!’’ Lebron turned back to see a little boy right next to him,“I’m coming with you” Lebron in shock says “ NO! it’s to dangerous and not to mention tiring.” then Lebron thought to himself and remembered to ask “wait who even are you,” the boy answered back saying, “Lionel,” Fine you can come but you have to listen to me and do not talk to me’’ Lebron decided. They started the long journey to find and kill Ares. When they got to the edge of the mountain where Ares lives, Lionel could feel his legs about to snap in half, Could we stop for the day” Lionel acknowledged, “No! Why would you come I told you it would be dangerous and tiring.” Lebron told Lionel. So they kept walking until about midnight then they found it, the home of Ares.
Lebron told Lionel to wait out here while he takes care of some business “fine” Lionel told Lebron. Lebron walked very silently to his house with a blade in hand and there he was Ares, laying in bed asleep. Lebron went at Ares with his knife screaming “I hate you” then Ares a woke and jumped on top of Lebron and toke his knife and pressed his blade to his neck and said “I could kill you just as easily as your parents, I could find a new guardian just like that so I better just do that then.’’ Then Ares raised the blade and just as he was about to get stabbed a arrow went straight through his head. A moment of silenced happened before Lionel yelled “Are you okay!” in a very excited tone. Lebron opened his eyes to see Lionel and said “thank you’’ then gave him a hug.
Cerberus’ Hunt
By Jeremy Jones
A long time ago in a small town in ancient Greece there lived a boy named Aeos, he would wake up early and stay up after the sun set farming, only taking breaks to eat. He was very kind and caring. His family lived on a farm near the forbidden forest, and in there lived the god of the forest, Hades. Anyone who went into the forest would be hunted and murdered by Cerberus, a three headed dog. When Aeos was 15, he went into the forest and was immediately cursed by Hades but Cerberus could not go after him until he was 18.
Three years later Cerberus was after him. Aeos didn’t know though, until one day when he was harvesting crops, he saw it. It came out of the forest with a boom. Its gold eyes were glowing on its pitch black head. It had a muscular body with veins bulging out. It was slobbering from all three of its mouths, and bloodstains on its fur. It had a huge scar across its middle head, from someone who tried to kill it in the past, but failed. It had three mouthfuls of daggers for teeth.
Aeos quickly hit the ground with a thud and tried to hide in a groove in the dirt, hoping the Cerberus wouldn’t find him. His heart was racing, thousands of thoughts dashing through his head, the Cerberus was searching for him. Aeos covered himself in dirt so his smell of sweat would be masked so it couldn’t find him. Aeos could taste a dash of disgusting dirt that fell through his lips. Cerberus came near him and Aeos could feel its steps making the ground shake. The freezing dirt on his back gave him a shiver. Then as fast as if came, it disappeared, giving up on its hunt. Aeos went to his house and told his mother about it.
“I can’t believe it,” his mother said, “a Cerberus, on our farm?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either, should I get something to protect myself, like a sword or dagger?” Aeos asked.
“Yes, definitely.” she spoke quickly.
One day later Aeos went to the local blacksmith in town and got a sword created. It had an iron blade, a silver handle, and a lion carved into the middle of the blade.
Aeos went back home and continued to harvest crops. When he was finished he went back inside and saw his mother sitting down waiting for him. Then she told him how he was cursed by Hades and that he would certainly be executed soon. Aeos was astonished by these words. He didn’t know what to say.
The next day he went and harvested more crops but this time he had his sword on him in case he saw the Cerberus again. While he was harvesting the crops he heard the same trot of the Cerberus but this time he was ready. He flung his shovel away from him and took out his sword that glistened in the sunlight. Cerberus saw Aeos ready to fight, it growled and charged at him like a bull. Aeos also started to sprint at the Cerberus. The distance between the two were shortening and at the last second when the Cerberus was going to bite Aeos, he slid on his knees and sliced its belly. Then he came up behind it and stabbed it in the back. Cerberus was bleeding quickly and was laying on the ground, whining with pain. The smell of the bleeding Cerberus body was disgusting, like rotting eggs and he could taste the disgusting blood and sweat of the Cerberus. Aeos climbed on the Cerberus’s back and stabbed the middle head with his sword, sending the beast into eternal darkness.
At that very moment when the Cerberus was slayed the curse was lifted from Aeos. He returned to his house with the blood of the Cerberus on his hands. His mother was horrified at the sight of him. She asked what happened to him, and he showed her the gigantic Cerberus body on the farm crops. She was shocked at the sight of it and got some other people in town to help them move the body off of the crops.
After that day Aeos went back to his regular life, harvesting crops and providing for his family, but he was known as the man who slayed the Cerberus and no one ever went into the forbidden forest again.
Pete’s Betrayal
Long ago, in Ancient Greece, there was a brother, named Pete and a second brother, named Joe, in Athens. It was a dark night, and there was a friend and no one else. The second brother, Joe, killed his friend, for betraying his team, the Greeks, and he had just switched to the Trojans. His other brother, Pete, betrayed him also with switching to the Trojans. Joe, ran through the forest into Athens. Pete had just noticed that he saw his friend dead on the ground and Pete got mad and sad at the same time, so he went back to Athens. He went to their house, and he saw Joe there, sitting, watching the clock tick by, 1,2,3.Pete told Joe that his friend was stabbed, and Joe was looking guilty. Joe knew Pete had switched to the Trojans. He asked Joe if he killed his friend. He heard Joe say,
“N-no..” Joe whispered. Pete saw the guilt of Joe that he killed his friend. Joe ran straight out the door, through the crowds of people. Pete followed. Joe shoved and pushed people out of the way to get away. Joe got to a dead end. He saw Pete very mad at him engaging him slowly.
That's when they started yelling at eachother and then Zeus came and said,
“What are you doing, I can hear this conversation from Mount Olympus!” Zeus screamed.
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“Mighty Zeus, Joe had killed one of my comrades, because we switched to the glorious Trojans!” Pete said.
“I killed your comrade, because you're betrayed me!” Yelled Joe. Pete and Joe started arguing again.
“SILENCE!” Yelled Zeus. They both shut up.
“We shall make this fair to a duel.” Zeus said. They both looked at eachother, eye to eye, anxiously Pete nodded, but Joe didn’t. Pete swung his sword out of his Sheath. Joe silently took his out. They were both ready. Zeus said start. Joe charged at his own brother, Pete, like a bull. He was about to stab Pete when Pete held his sword out and Joe went right into it. He slowly fell of it with blood dripping everywhere. Joe fell on the ground dead.
Zeus looked at Pete, for a minute. Then Zeus went back to Mount Olympus. Pete put his sword away, and walked away from Joe's body, silently, with a bloody sword in his sword pouch.
The New Snow
By Kaci Swenson
One scorching summer day, Kiki had a soccer game. After this game, she went to her grandma’s house to rest before the next game. While her grandma made her a snack, Kiki wandered into the kitchen, complaining to her grandma about how the other team had cheated. Her grandma said that she knew a story about cheating, and Kiki asked her to tell the story, because grandma always told the best stories. The story went like this.
“On a freezing afternoon, a snowflake the size of your hand fell from the clouds, it shimmered and drifted in the frostbitten air. It landed in the deserted snow blankets of Antarctica, but as it fell, it was different than any other snowflake. Despite its massive size, when it hit the ground, the snow shimmered and glowed. It blossomed out and whirled up in a massive snow tunnel, and when it cleared, there laid a beautiful young child wearing a snow colored dress. This child was named Nixinvadia, though she preferred to be called Nixi, she had pale skin and the blondest hair you will ever lay your eyes on. Her cheeks dimpled when she smiled and she had eyes that reflected the stars. She looked like she belonged in the throne of a kingdom. Although Nixi looked seven or eight years old, by heart she was an infant and she was stranded. She looked around scared and alone until the heavens opened. Down strode Zeus and his lovely wife Hera on staircases made of clouds.
‘Nixinvadia, welcome to your new home,’ Hera exclaimed.
‘What where am I?’ Nixi stammered, surprised by the sound of her own voice. ‘Who are you? Who am I?’
‘This is your new home. I am your queen, my name is Hera, and this is my husband the king, Zeus. You are the snow goddess Nixinvadia,’ the Queen explained in a gentle voice. With a wave of her hand a beautiful snow palace appeared.
‘And this is your home,’ she added with a smile.
‘If you need anything, come up to Mount Olympus for help,’ she said as she and Zeus floated back to the clouds.
‘And welcome to Earth, Nixi.’
As time moved forward, Nixi turned 16 and was still a gorgeous girl. She still had cute dimples and eyes that could light up a room. Her hair had straightened out and it cut off just below her shoulders. Though Nixi was beautiful and had many friends, she had one enemy who was popular and deceitful. Her name was Clarus and she took pride in stealing others moments in the spotlight. Clarus was good showing off and had many temples built in her honor. Nixi was able to do the same things as Clarus, even better, but she was shy and modest, while Clarus used other people's powers for her own fame.”
“The sweet Nixi, who usually didn’t let others people words or actions get to her, was so frustrated! She was fed up with Clarus getting all of the attention, so she did what she knew would get people to love her. In frustration, she sent a blizzard to a town in a drought. The blizzard went on for hours until it there was over a foot of snow! The children of the town were joyous, making snow angels. Nixi was so overjoyed that someone appreciated her work. Then one little kid trotted over to his mother and asked why there was snow. The mother answered that the amazing Clarus had blessed them. The mother then proceeded to tell the child that him and his friends needed to stay here while they give offerings at Clarus’ temple. One women offered Nixi’s favorite meal, chocolate fudge cake. The rich chocolate tasted like an eruption of flavors with its berry toppings. The gooey frosting felt like the amazing taste could last forever. And it smelled like a chocolate factory. There was a lot of food given to Clarus and Nixi’s mouth watered for one bite of that cake. As Nixi went up to Mount Olympus, she passed by Clarus who was sitting there wolfing down everything as fast as it came. All the gods and goddesses were all so thankful that she helped them and helped the humans through a drought. She accepted the praise thankfully through a mouth full of the offerings of the mortals.
Nixi was even more furious. In her anger, she sent six feet of snow to punish them as she turned sharply, slamming the door. The sound echoed around the building like thunder as she walked out into the cold, the snowflakes stung her face as she stomped into her ice palace. That was about when she lost it. She ran to her room, tears streaking down her face as she landed on her bed. She then laid there for a long time, soaking herself in her tears.
Nixi cried herself to sleep, but as she did so, her tears rained down from the heavens to where they are needed most. The tears made its way to the place she had cursed with six feet of snow and her magic tears melted the snow, blossoming flowers and creating food from failing crops. She did this all without knowing, and with thinking she was a failure.
From the night before, she had swollen eyes and tear streaks down her face, just as she was about to fall into a deep sleep, Nixi heard a knock on the door and she went to answer it. When she answered it she saw 30 gods and goddesses shivering in the freezing Antarctic air. One stepped forward to congratulate her on her own temple. Nixi was very confused.
Someone asked, ‘Didn’t you make those amazing fields of green in replace of the snow?’
‘But I’m not a planting goddess!’
No one knew how this was possible. When she asked how everyone knew it was her, only one child spoke up.
‘Words rode on the wind. From one plant to another, it sounded like they were whispering to each other. It is also said that your new name is Nixinorus which means the new snow, to show that snow can create something beautiful,’ a small child replied.”
“What happens after that Grandma?” Kiki inquired.
“Well Nixi is finally acknowledged and gets to help people, and Clarus is revealed to have lied when she can’t steal others thunder, or other kinds of weather,” Grandma replied.
“So, I guess cheaters never really do win,” Kiki remarked.
“Nope, because they can’t win without cheating, and one day they will get in trouble for that.”
“Thanks Grandma!” Kiki exclaimed, giving her grandma a hug.
“Of course!” Grandma replied, “Now, are you ready to win this next game?”
“You bet!”
“Ok! Let’s go!” Grandma said.
Fostering God
By Jenny Than
“Attention fellow people of the court,” the judge took a pause to put on his glasses. “Today we are here to happily decide if Zander Blog is to go into our Independent Living program for his reason of abusive foster parents.” Within a moment I was about to tell everyone my ending of a chapter in my life.
When the moon had risen I felt the scorching feeling of burns on my cracking skin. My room was invested with the aching smell of tequila and I could hear the moaning of my vulnerable foster dad. My foster mom at the bottom of my ragged bed drunk as ever, thrashing me with a scaly belt of pure leather. I didn’t cry. Nor would I ever cry. If I ever did, then I would completely lose myself during the process. Time had passed, and my blue hair had become drenched in sweat from my own faults. I felt defenseless, so I waited until the red moon was at it’s highest. The time she would finally fall into her trance. At the moment she did, I decided I was tired of letting this happen every night. I was done going through the abuse of an insane wome
n and a being seen as foolish from a shunned upon father.
The sun had excelled and I knew this wasn’t the right way to collide back with my family in the sky, but there was something different with this foster family. Something that with the other “amazing” foster families always had with me. I had lost all hope with this one. I didn’t care though, it was time. The sky came with a vibrantly ombre pink and the wind was filled with the taste of bitter sand. I sealed my eyes for a moment, I was finally at the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
I freed my eyes to see me facing Port Jackson. I pulled out a smooth and dull piece of leftover mirror from the first night with my current foster parents and glared at myself. Was this what is really right? For a far too long time I was just staring at myself.
I was far from ready, but it was time. I was supposed to walk onto the air into the raged waters into my own destiny. Instead, I was deaf by the sound of sirens and face to face with who made me understand where I belong. Thanatos, the greek god of death. I stared blankly into his sickening eyes where I thought he would terminate me into the underworld or overworld, but instead spoke with his distinctly
sharp voice.
“For why have you chosen the path,” with a shortened pause when he shifted his eyes onto my bruised legs. “That most mortals would rather face their demons, than encounter in the time of their lifetime?” If I were to lie, I would be cursed with a blessing of living with the dead and my family, or I could tell the truth and learn what I truly was to feel. What would you do? Well me not being able to bare lying to someone so important, I quickly told the truth.
Afterwards, he threw me a confusing feeling of what can only be explained as relief. He knew that this was no right way to die, so Thanatos, being the “loving” god he is, returned me into the mortal world with a responsibility.
“If the god of death was to let you with this responsibility,” as the judge once again took a pause to take off his glasses. Shuffling papers and then picking up his iron gavel. “I see the representative to be capable to live into the Independent Living Program, but be required to attend classes to learn what it means to be a good parent.”
My heart is racing, and this is just the beginning of my endless future.
The Legend of Night and Day
By Leslie
Once upon a time in Ancient Greece on the lavish, beautiful palace of Mount Olympus that sat above a roaring river, there dwelled two gods the god of the sun and light, and the god of the moon and darkness. The god of the sun wore robes that were as detailed as a painting and held a glowing staff that was as bright as the sun, when he struck it down on the earth it created light, his favorite things were peace, happiness and light. He smelled like fresh flowers and summer days. When you around him you could feel the warmth and happiness. The god of the moon was the complete opposite. One day the god of the sun was seated happily on the edge of the palace and cast his light on the world, when suddenly his worst rival came up from behind and yelled at him saying that the world should be dark as well as light.
The next day, the gods started fighting. They yelled about if it should be dark or bright in the world. They fought for months and caused the mortals to suffer because it was consistently inconsistent between dark and light. They could not grow crops because every time they started growing it would turn dark and all the crops would fail.
The god of the sun would say, “It should be light because the world needs light to work and see!”
Then the god of the moon would shout back angrily, “It needs to be dark because the people need to sleep.”
Eventually, the two god’s constant shouting and rivalry finally caused the other gods on Mount Olympus to go crazy, so finally one day the gods had had enough.
“Enough!” Screamed the enraged Zeus “We have all had enough of your disagreement, you need to make up now!” And with that said Zeus stormed angrily out of the room.
Later that night in the palace, the long awaited, much overdue, peace meeting was held. The halls were decked with long flowing banners of silk draping over the large magnificent windows. In the great hall there sat a gigantic, old, mahogany colored table. On the table lay dozens of platters carrying every color food fit for the gods, there was every sort of food you could imagine. The god of the sun arose from his seat to look over all of the joyous gods and realized he was wrong to be battling his fellow god, and should come to an agreement. The two gods finally made up, and rejoiced for the rest of the enjoyable feast
The next morning, when they awoke they realized they still had not come up with a plan of how to share the day. The god of the sun raced down the marble staircase to find the god of the moon already awake and enjoying the morning. He proposed a solution where they split the day, half of the day would be light and be called daytime, the other half of the day would be dark and called night time.
After that everything was harmonious again on the beautiful Mount Olympus. And for years after that the gods both lived in peace and harmony once again.