 “No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness.”
-Aristotle.
     I opened my door to the sound of my mom coughing from her room. Thomas smiled slightly when he saw me before the microwave beeped. He usually asked how my day was or why I was late again today. I felt a lurch in my stomach at the fact he didn’t as he raced back to my mom.
Shaking off the dread, I grabbed a granola bar off the counter. The apartment was small to say the least. One bathroom, one kitchen attached to the living room, my moms room, and then my room. My room had gray walls and dark wood floors. A small black desk in the corner, a small built in closet, and an unmade bed.
I sighed. All I wanted was to flop onto the creaky bed until school started again. But then a pecking sound came from my window. The window was basically the only way of light into my room. A dull shadow of a bird lay across my floor, dim light coming through the gray clouds.
“Took you long enough,” Notos scoffed, jumping through the window. Where the h-
“What do you want?” I mumbled, wanting this freak show to be done with.
“The all-powerful Aeolus has a quest for you. My three brothers, Boreas, Zephyrus, and Eurus, betrayed him long ago and are now trying to steal his throne once again. After their last mutiny, Aeolus trapped them for everyone’s safety. Now they are planning yet another uprising. They must be slayed before they can get free and attempt to take over Olympus and, soon after that, enslave the foolish and weak mortal race benamed ‘Humans.'”
That’s it. I’ve officially lost my mind. “Olympus… as in the home of the Greek gods? Well, as for your quest, I’ll consider it. Now get out.”
“You don’t exactly have an option- and it’s not MY quest, it’s the great Aeolus’s and you dare disrespect him like that?!” Notos stared at me with horror.
Stifling a laugh, “yes, I do. Now, if you don’t mind, get. out.” But, alas, the elf-bird just stared at me with so much shock, I was almost impressed his jaw didn’t fall to the ground.
“I’m not sure you understand, the fate of the WORLD is at stake here. You will also be in the gods favor. You will be a hero!”
“You speak pretty well for an Ancient Greek God.”
“Not the point, but, thank you. I spent a while practicing speaking like a human of this time period.”
Okay, so this elf-bird boy doesn’t speak sarcasm. Brilliant.
“I’ve been waiting centuries for the right hero to defeat the other gods of the wind, someone who would be strong enough for it. I guess I thought wro-“
“Yep. Now, goodbye,” I cut him off. He glared at me. It was honestly funny.
“Are you kidding me-“
“Nope. Bye.”
Notos let out a groan.
“No school, no worries. You just have to accept this quest.”
That caught my attention. I could then help my mom. Get money for a better apartment, her medicine.
Reluctantly, I nodded. Notos smiled. There was something in his eyes.
I can’t trust him.
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