Helios: God of the sun (book 2) boyxboy

Chapter 34

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Sean couldn't tell how long he had been sleeping next to Diego but the rambling of the ground woke him up. His eyes instantly moved to Diego and found him in the same position as before.

The rambling came again and this time with a loud animal growl. Sean's eyes cast outside of lord Helios' tempo, and he pushed himself off the ground. He made his way to the door and found a xaloc, not one but rather three of them. Sean took steps back and yanked the door of the tempo closed. He could hear the loud paw steps getting closer to where they were "Diego, Diego it's time to go wake up"

But as before Diego didn't make a reaction. Sean glanced around for any help he could find but he got none. He tried summoning Alexander and Aeneas but he got zero replies just like these past few times he has been calling out for them.

He was alone and terrified.

He didn't know what was wrong with Diego but whatever Darthaniel did to him it proved not great. Sean ran over to his bag crossing it over his shoulder. He ran back to Diego and started pulling him away from the door when the Xalocs started pounding it.

Before they could hide the door was pushed off its hinges falling with a loud clash a few feet away from Diego'a feet. Sean gasped frozen in space for a second, he wielded his body to pull Diego far away from the door but the xalocs were stepping forward ready to attack.

All Sean remembers from them is that they are dangerous. Close to the gods and hard to kill. They never leave the mission unfinished. Sean's back is on the wall and he knew he had no escape as he held the book up wishing it could at least kill them with its light like it has done so many times back "Please, please" he whispered under his breath but through the fear the book ended up outside of his grasp landing on the floor as one Xaloc launched towards him.

With his eyes wide in fear, sweat falling down his face he saw light pass through his eyes when light blasted through the tempo. Sean covered his eyes and when the light died down one of the xaloc was down with a new xaloc standing over it.

This had feathers as yellow as the sun, wings massive with reddish ends. It snarled as blood dripped down its chin before it launched to the other two xaloc which also attacked without any fear.

A battle between the three creatures tore out, the new one biting and crawling with both its claws and wings. Sean watched with fear still inside his body, his eyes looking at the yellow Xaloc and where he left his book that was now missing.

He was having a hard time piecing both together, the book of Helios turning into a xaloc was not something he expected to find out today or any other day.

He pushed himself back when one xaloc crash-landed by his feet, it struggled to get back up when a huge xaloc foot stomped onto its head crushing it.

Sean glanced up and the yellow xaloc looked down at him. It had a wound on the side of its wing, it leaned down whimpering by his head. Sean felt concerned to consume his being as if he has known it for such a long time 'Maybe because it has been his book for days now'

His hand lifted to touch it when a figure appeared from the wall. The long hair and shimmering skin showed she was an Aki, her hair was long enough to reach her thighs, dress floated on the ground as she took small steps with her bare feet.

Sean took a close look at her and the face is familiar, she had unshed tears in her eyes as she reached Diego kneeling next to him. Her delicate fingers touched his face, and a sob was heard from her not even a second later before she lifted him off the ground-hugging him.

Sean could hear and feel her sadness, he had so many questions but he swallowed them back because the sight was sad. Diego's situation was already making him extremely worried. The xaloc nudged his side as it licked the tears that had fallen from his face, he smiled through the sadness and ended up hugging it. He needed a hug even from an animal that has come from the book. All he knows is that it has saved him countless times now.

Sobs were heard throughout the temple for some time and no words were said. The xaloc soon slept down and Sean followed sitting next to it his back between its torso and was filled with warmth. Just then the lady turned to him, and that is when Sean realized he has not said a thing to her not confirmed if she was dangerous. He let his guard down because this was Diego's mother.

He licked his chapped lips "Hi" he voiced out feeling embarrassed for being here in a moment like this. She looked like she needed time with her son alone but Sean also didn't feel like leaving "I- I'm Sean" the lady turned back to her son without saying a word, Sean tried to glance at her once again but she has her attention to her son "Where did you come from?"

"The afterlife" Sean nodded "Sean" She then called when he thought the conversation would die like that "It's time for you to say goodbye"

"Say goodbye?" he pushed himself away from the xaloc getting closer to them.

"I am here to retrieve his soul" he glanced at her and then Diego. He held Diego and took him away from his mother, was she crazy "I don't want to do it but it's his time to leave his place"

"I don't know what you're talking about but you are not taking his soul anywhere" Sean held onto Diego's pulse and it was still steady "He is not dead"

"On the outside but on the inside" Diego took in a shaky breath "He has been dead for a while" She held Diego's hand and Sean felt like needles going through his skin. He didn't know the entire process of retrieving a body but he hopes that is not what she is trying to do because they will be having a problem "I killed him...I killed him the day I died"

Something flashed through Sean's eyes. A bloody hand hitting the ground, it had a green feathery bracelet. Blood seeped out of it making a sigil of the sun and the eye of a demon.

Sean gasped back as if he had fallen asleep for a second. His eyes moved to her hand and the same bracelet was on it, his eyes moved back to her face his mouth hanging open "You cursed him" the words came out breathlessly, all along they have been searching for where the curse came from only to find out it was from Diego's mother.

"The curse of an angry mother" her eyes stared into Sean's "I have always learned to control my anger, no matter what he did. I would remind myself that I am a mother and he was my son. When the attack broke out and everyone died I forgot I was a mother. I forgot he was my son and that our death was punishment enough" Sean didn't judge, he was in no position to do so. Yes, Diego has suffered immensely because of the curse but he also had no idea about what she had felt in a moment like that.

"Do you forgive him?"

"I did... a long time ago"

"Then why is he still cursed?"

"Forgiveness does not equal cure" Sean took in a deep breath having so many questions but she spoke before he could ask "There is nothing we can do for him now except bring him to the afterlife, I can not stand his suffering"

"Suffering does not equal death" Sean held Diego tighter "Unless he is dead, you're not taking him anywhere"

"You will suffer more if we let him wake up"

"What do you mean?"

"Thousand years of memories messed with" She sniffed while holding a hand on his cheek "He will not even know his own name"