Categories > Cartoons > Class of the Titans > Demons Within Me

Awake and Dreaming

by Demenior 3 reviews

A calm, relaxing ride home, and a nice peaceful sleep. Tulais has awoken and it seems that Cronus is looking to make a deal with him, but then instead reveals an utter shock to the demon, meanwhile...

Category: Class of the Titans - Rating: PG-13 - Genres: Action/Adventure, Fantasy, Romance - Warnings: [!] [?] [V] - Published: 2006-05-18 - Updated: 2006-05-19 - 2128 words

1Hot
Demons Within Me

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Warnings for this Chapter: A short scene on Tulais's hunt that could make some people fidget, but it's nothing gory- just a neck snap...

Pairings: Same as always

Chapter 4: Awake and Dreaming

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It was actually some time later when the group left the beach, and Archie could easily say it had been the best day ever for him. They were all tired and worn out, Atlanta leaning against his shoulder and her eyes closed and a light sleep. On her other side was Neil and Odie who were slightly fighting the oncoming drowsiness, but quickly succumbing to it. In the front, Theresa was leaning on Jay's shoulder and he was just wrapping an arm around her. Herry was the only one able to barely keep his eyes open enough to drive, and he wouldn't let anyone else rive his truck but him. As for Archie, he was leaning against the window in a haze between reality and dreams.

Herry had the radio turned on for some comfort to keep him awake. The sun was dipping low in the sky and casting magnificent strands of light along the clouds. They appeared to be the only ones on the road, and the truck seemed to be just skimming along the magnificent scene. Man, Herry just loved going out for a drive. Just him and the road, stopping wherever and whenever he wanted. His eyelids were getting heavier... closing slowly....

BEEEEEEP!

He jolted upright and swerved back onto his side of the road as the semi drove past. Oh man... he was awake now. The others had been mildly disturbed by the loud noise, but it didn't really seem to bother them. Herry, one the other hand, was gripping the steering wheel so tightly his fingers had gotten stuck in the metal. He pulled his hands off and cursed mildly when he saw the large indents from where his hands had been. Being strong was definitely useful and it had its perks... but this was just outrageous! He'd wrecked his truck! Ah well, he'd have to get Hephaestus to fix it when they got back.

Hercules's many-times-descendant managed to get the truck back to their dorm without any further excitements. It was dark out now, and though it did take some time to wake everyone up (he'd had to carry Neil under one arm with the umbrella's under the other since the blonde wouldn't wake up) and get unpacked, they were quickly settled into bed and snoring not too long afterwards.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Tulais pulled himself up and crawled out of the low overhang. The sun was bright out now, almost mocking him for trying to travel in the horrendous weather earlier. He snarled in annoyance and continued plodding along in the same direction he had been heading in.

Life, growth and the sweet scent that followed rain was in the air, he could smell it in his sensitive nose.

"Bah!" he spat in his deep, husky voice. It wasn't too difficult to speak with this muzzle, it did take some getting used to and unfortunately his voice had changed from what it once was to this raspy, deep foreign sound that now vibrated from his chest. He wiped some dirt form his eye with a rub from his paw and flicked his tail as he walked.

Though becoming used to four legs had taken some time, he now pitied humans for being proud of their two skinny, chicken legs. Four long, powerful legs were far better. Truth be told, he was actually happier being a demon than a weak human at some points. His stomach growled momentarily, and he lifted his head to scent the air. He caught scent of a small herd of deer just up ahead. Crouching down, he managed to sneak up closer to them. But deer are very finicky things when they ever feel a change in the atmosphere especially, and they knew something dark, something angry, was nearby.

They needed not see Tulais to have any reason to bolt and they did so. Faster than they had ever run before. Tulais flew from his crouch like a whirlwind and was upon one in an instant. He sunk his long fangs into its throat and broke its neck with one snap. It fell dead instantly. Happily, he howled loud and clear to the sky and then turned down to his kill.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Warm, rested and now with a full meal in his gut, Tulais felt content. He dozed a while near where he had killed and eaten the deer. After he had woken up, he sniffed around and found a small stream and drank from it to quench his thirst and then continued on his way.

Something was bothering him though. What was it that he had smelt last night? It had almost been the smell of his closest friend, Achilles. But that was impossible... Achilles was off fighting in Troy, wasn't he? This place was nothing like Troy or Sparta.

Suddenly, Tulais stopped. A growl formed in his breast and spread throughout his entire being. Someone was coming, someone who was emitting a dark, dangerous presence. He didn't like this one bit, but the demon Tulais would never turn and run away. Never.

He was shocked when of all things; Cronus stepped out of the woods towards him.

"Ah, Tulais my dear friend. It is so very nice to see a familiar... face. Tell me, how are you?" the god of time said cheerfully.

Tulais knew better, "What do you want Cronus? I've had enough of you gods and your trickery!" he snarled angrily, feeling the heated rage inside him begin to spread.

"Oh, I thought that after all these years you might've calmed down a bit more. But I think I'd like to use that rage against my enemies..."

"I'll never work for any of you gods again!" Tulais's fur was standing on end now; his size seemed to nearly double. Half startled, Cronus took a slight step back but quickly regained himself.

"But I think you'll be interested. Do you even know how long you've been wandering, demon?" Cronus said in a frighteningly calm tone.

"A... a long time," Tulais admitted.

"Do you know that Troy has fallen... and that Achilles was killed? And..."

"What? No- you lie you foolish god! Achilles is- should be, immortal! No one knows his secret! No one but me!" It couldn't be, it just couldn't. Achilles couldn't be dead. Nothing was left for Tulais but the hope that bringing back a way to make Achilles immortal would grant him the grace of being allowed to be considered a hero- even in the form of a demon. But how could anyone have learned Achilles' secret- that his heel was his only mortal defect? It was impossible to believe. No, no, Cronus had to be lying, trying to find some way to stop Achilles or something.

"Am I lying, Tulais?" the god asked smoothly.

Tulais opened his mouth in a loud snarl. If he had been able to think clearly, he might wonder how Cronus had escaped from the Underworld, but he couldn't think at all.

Instead, Tulais made to spring at Cronus and tear the lies from his living flesh, but then he stopped. Something on the wind. A scent. He had caught a brief whiff yesterday. It came off the scythe that Cronus held, it came off Cronus himself. The god had been in a fight- with Achilles! The scent told that it was probably fairly recent too, only a few days old.

If Achilles was dead, then how could his scent be so new on Cronus? Tulais grinned and took one last smell of the immortal standing opposite of him. Something didn't seem quite right about Achilles' scent though... it seemed... muddled. Different.

But Tulais could not bother with small things like that now, he had to find Achilles. He had to know that Cronus was lying.

Tulais turned and ran away.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The brownstone was silent, save for the few murmurs in sleep. Dust settled on shelves and on photographs of happy, smiling teens. These photos's sat on shelves, on bedside tables or on walls. In the kitchen, a drop fell form the tap. Some unwashed dishes lay discarded along the counter. At the front door, there was a jumble of shoes thrown into a messy pile and some clothes randomly discarded here and there.

In one room, a faint blue light illuminated the face of a sleeping teen, his messy dark brown hair falling over his dark skin. He had fallen asleep at the computer after checking up on his satellite connections to make sure nothing 'funny' had happened while they were out.

In another room, the moonlight was bounced every which way by the mirrors that hung everywhere and on every wall. The snoring boy slept in a calm posture, a mirror on both sides of his bed so that whichever side he woke up on he'd see himself first thing every morning. Pictures, magazines, combs and autographed pictures muddled up the overall look of the room. Everything ha done thing in common though, they were all of the blonde-haired teen snoring away.

The next room was messy, with a dirty plate here and there, and clothes in every corner of the room, save for the dresser they were meant for. A half eaten slice of pizza stuck out from under the sagging bed and the strongly-built boy slept. He clutched his cherished teddy to his chest and shifted slightly to get more comfortable.

A dull light came out form under the door in the next room. Here, the infamous leader had fallen asleep at his desk, trying to finish his homework which he'd 'forgotten' over the weekend, without the others knowing. What he'd find out in the morning is that it's not a good idea to fall asleep on pencil and paper and the handle of your sword, since it would leave some impressions in his cheek the next day. His room was altogether nice and tidy, well kept, like a room should be. His casual yellow and purple-striped shirt was lying forgotten on the bed where he'd left it when pretending to got o sleep.

The next room was furnished like one you would find in a rich mansion. The bed was larger than all the other beds in the dorm, and it even had a little cute canopy. It was fairly clean, save for the slippers on the side of the bed, as one had flipped on it's side as she had hurriedly leapt into bed, and the clutter of photos with the girl with long flowing hair and the blonde, or her and their leader. Under her pillow she kept a picture of the entire group and she was smiling in her sleep, one hand just reaching under and lightly fingering the photograph.

Right next door in the other girl's room, it was furnished with kayaks, a small chair and cleats, shin pads, running gear and all other little assortments that any active person would die to have. Her favorite bow and arrows hung on the wall by her bed, and some special pictures of her and the group, and her and a certain mullet-haired friend on one of their many escapades through the town together. She was murmuring quietly in her sleep, and kicked off the blankets in annoyance, then rolled over and quieted down again.

But in the final room, all was not peaceful. The boy tossed and turned, whimpering and even yelping at points in some form of pain. His purple hair was curling and sticking to his forehead in the cold sweat that came from nightmares. He whimpered again and clutched the sheets on his bed tightly as another wave of panic surged through him.

Archie didn't know why, but somehow, in some strange way, he was reliving, or imagining, some great battle that had been fought long ago. He wasn't sure how, but he knew it was the battle of Troy...

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Dun Dun Dun!!! So now Tulais is off in search of Achilles? And we understand that he really, really hates the gods/titans.

Haha, it was fun writing about their rooms, and I got sleepy while writing the first part with them driving home. It was just so calm... until Herry nearly killed them (hahaha, silly boy)

Well, I hope this keeps you interested for now, and the next chapter should be coming out any day now since I'm half finished and I've got a boatload of inspiration to help ;)

Review please, it helps me work faster.

And if you could, take the time and rate this story too!

Demenior
Sign up to rate and review this story