The story of Achilles

Chapter twelve - The end

I tied Hectors body to my chariot and drove backto our camp. I felt good about myself, I had revenged Patroclus 'death. HappilyI drove around the Trojan walls a few times. I saw Hectors mother and fatherlook in horror at their sons dead body being dragged around and the looks ontheir faces made me feel even better. I then went back into the camp and sawthe body still was unharmed. The gods had protected Hectors body because theydidn't like the way Achilles was acting now. A dead body had to be treated withrespect. I put the body in one the tents and I ordered a few men to guard thetent for me. I did feel better after killing Hector but I still wanted somemore revenge. For today however, it had been enough, I went to my own tent andwent to sleep.

I was dreaming loads of different things, nothing unusual because half-bloods have that a lot, as long as it weren't nightmares, I was fine with it. Then, out of nowhere, my dream completely changed. I saw Patroclus standing there, right in front of me and he was talking to me. Or at least he tried to. I focused on his image and he became clearer and then I heard him. "Are you asleep, Achilles? I need to talk to you one last time. First of all, I have a request for you. I'm just asking you for a favor. Please don't care as much about my death Achilles. I'm dead now but I was your best friend and lover when I was alive. We will see each other soon enough again. Let my death go, at least for now. Then the second thing I need to ask you, please bury my body quick. I'm already standing at the doors of death and without my body, the souls will prevent me from going to the underworld. Bury me as soon as you can, it's not a very pleasant place to be stuck in. then one last thing, it's your destiny to die in Troy, so please bury me with your body, not alone. I want to be with you the same way we grew up together. I will wait for you Achilles. When your time has come, I'll be waiting for you at the doors of death." I wanted to hug him one last time. "Why did you come to tell me this, Patroclus? I'm confused. But please come closer, I need to hug you one last time." But when I reached forward and wanted to touch him, the phantom faded and my dreams went on again.

A few days later I had already buried Patroclus'body and I told the other people I wanted to be buried with him if I died. Thatevening I was sitting in the tent where Hectors body was. Around 11 o'clock Iheard some noises outside and before I could take a look, Priam came inside thetent. He was the father of Hector and he came onto the camp withApollos help. He saw me standing there and fell to his knees, crying. "Achillesplease, I can't stand how badly my sons body is getting mistreated. I need tohave it so I can give him one last moment of honor for the Trojans. Think ofyour own father, he's just as old as I am, but he still has a strong son toprotect him. He will be excided to see you return from this war. I have alreadylost many sons and now also Hector, my pride and joy. I will richly reward youif you give me his body back. Have some respect for the gods and have mercy forme," he all cried out. I was also tearing up now, I couldn't help but thinkabout my own father and Patroclus. I softly pushed Priam away from me, took hishand and let him get up on his feet again. "You have been trough a lot, it'svery brave of you to come here. Into the lion's den, to the man who killed yourson. I have much respect for you sir, now sit down. We mustn't give ourselvesto the tears. The gods simply have these things planned out for our simplesouls. Meanwhile, he is sitting there, without any worries whatsoever. Zeustends to give our simple souls good and bad gifts, some of us get good and badones, other only get the bad gifts. Crying won't bring your son back." The oldman still didn't want to sit down. He saw his sons body and it didn't look likeit had been taken care of. "I won't leave until I can take care of my sonsbody, Achilles. He also deserves to be treated properly after his dead, like weare supposed to do. Please Achilles, I will give you anything and everythingyou want to get his body back." I felt bad for Priam and his sons body and Istill had respect for the guy. "You can take your son home," I said. "Girls,could you please take care of his body?" the girls got up and they started towash Hector and they greased his body with olive oil. After they had done thisI said one last thing to Prima: "We will have a small armistice, until you havehonored Hector one last time we won't attack you and you won't attack us. Isthat a good deal perhaps?" Priam smiled thankfully, like he hoped that wouldhave happened and then responded: "We have ourselves a deal then." And withthat he turned around, and walked out. A few slaves brought Hectors bodyoutside to his chariot and he safely returned to Troy.

A week later the king of Troy, Priam, gave a sign that Hector had successfully been honored one last time and that the armistice was over. We all prepared for battle again and then went to battle. The war was far from over. Neither of us were planning on giving up and I dominated the battlefields again. I slaughtered loads of Trojans but also their new allies. The people however weren't the problem. The Trojans weren't stupid and when they saw I had killed too many people, they fled back into the city. Safely between the walls. We couldn't get in, and if we wanted to win, we did have to get inside the city. A few weeks went by and we were still fighting although it seemed like the gods started to turn against us. One day, Paris came out of the city doors and that was strange. He had never fought a single fight in his life. I looked at him and saw that he went into the forest, if only I had been paying more attention but at that point I decided not to think much of it. I kept on fighting when out of nowhere, I saw people get out of the way for an arrow that had been shot from the forest. I looked at it and to my big surprise I saw I was aimed at me. For a second I thought, that doesn't matter, it can't kill me. "Wait a second...," I muttered. It was aimed on my heel! No mortal could have made that shot so I knew one of the gods had ordered Apollo to kill me. No mortal knew about my heel, they thought I couldn't get hurt. Only the gods knew about my heel and now it was too late. I felt the arrow touch my heel and then everything went black.

The first thing I sawagain was a dark room, full of bones. I thought I was alone but then I sawAthena standing there. "You have fought so brave, little hero. There is onething you should know. Zeus had ordered to kill you so Apollo made Paris shootyou. You have fought very bravely, Achilles, and you revenged me. You killed alot of Trojans and I'm thankful for that. Not that I pick sides, but Paris wasthe one who did me very dirty and killing the Trojans also hurts him. you cango on with your life now, hurry. I think Patroclus is waiting for you" Ismiled, finally I'd see Patroclus again. I gave a golden drachma to theferryman and I was on my way to Patroclus. Over the river Styx where my journeyhad also begun. I did live happy aver after because now I'm living in thefields of the Elysium with Patroclus forever. Even now, millennials later, I'm stillhere, talking to the few souls who make it in here, like I am now. Now you knowmy side of the story, but I have to go now, Patroclus is calling me. I thinkHades has noticed that a mortal is in the Elysium. You must leave now, beforehe sees you. Maybe I will see you again one day, who knows. Now I say goodbyeto you. I wish you good luck on the rest of your journey. Let us all hope Zeusdid not only give you the bad gifts.

THE END