    ‘Eleftheria i thanatos’ (‘Freedom or Death’) -Ancient Graecian Motto
 The harsh, tinted school lighting blurred my vision. I glanced anxiously at the clock. “Earth to Cody!”
“What? Sorry, Ty.”
“Dude, you’ve been spacing out a lot recently, everything alright, Code?” Tyler questioned. His concern was touching- but annoying. Tyler was lean, yet not boney, and had dark brown eyes.
“Yep.”
Tyler frowned: the bell rang before he could protest. I grabbed my bag and darted out of my school, Aquila High School. Usually, I would walk with Tyler or Ajax; I had been walking on my own for the past week.
My mom, Daisy Raine, had gotten sick five months ago and I was the only one who could take care of her, as well as work. Fortunately, her boyfriend, Thomas Trane, a college theoretical physics professor, had come back from a long field trip and had taken to caring for her.
I threw my hood up, glaring at the clouds that threatened to break. Strange. Most animals should be away in their nests right now, I thought as thunder sounded to the south of me, shaking the ground. A fairly large bird was flying circles around the schoolyard. I sighed as it lowered itself enough so its shape was more visible.
“It’s a Red Kite, my second favorite bird. Although, I was almost certain they were strictly European birds.” With a scowl, I turn to see Tyler’s girlfriend, Myrah Fallow, jumping down from the school roof to stand beside me. I didn’t know how, why, nor when she got up there. She was the sister of Ajax.
“Didn’t realize you were a bird freak, Rah.”
She scowled, “not exactly. I just find birds of prey interesting. It shouldn’t be out right now- nor should you-“
“‘Nor,’ really?”
Now Myrah was glaring. Myrah was the sweetest girl you will ever meet… not that that means you should mess with her or her brother.
“Anywho, how come you haven’t been walking with your friends. Or, I noticed, talking to them as much.” Myrah walked forward with a small skip in her step, turning as if waiting for me to follow. I was confused until I remembered that she didn’t know I moved.
“Busy. Now, mind leaving me al-“
“Yes. Now, wanna get food? Ever have Wendy’s? I just recently had it for the first time. My dad would never let me get it, but Tyler is obsessed with it.” She hummed joyfully. Taken aback, I just stared at her before following.
Honestly, I didn’t have work today and if she wasn’t going to leave me alone, she was not going to my apartment and seeing how I had been living.
She grinned. “Walk or do you have a car?”
“Walk,” I muttered, hoping she would leave me alone now. But alas…
We had been walking for about half an hour before the place was in sight. Myrah had tried to talk to me but quickly dropped each topic. “Myrah! I flinched at the sudden burst behind us and turned to see Ajax and his boyfriend Hunter. She grinned and turned to face them.
Hunter had dark brown hair, similar to mine, but longer and more defined, whereas mine was a dusty brown. He had brown eyes where I had deep blue. Hunter wore a gray hoodie and jeans, like usual. The hoodie was light gray, already a contrast to the rest of his appearance. Ajax had green eyes and hair dyed russet with khakis. Hunter was nice, but I hadn’t known him that long.
“Cody- you’re not hiding in your apartment?” Despite his tone and mischievous demeanor, I could tell he was relieved. That just annoyed me more. Hunter elbowed his ribs.
“I’m dragging him to McDonalds!” Myrah exclaimed and Ajax shook his head. I thought it was Wendy’s.
“Not without us, you’re not. I need to talk to Coder here, anyway.”
I winced. Ajax was still smiling but there was an edge to his voice that said ‘he definitely won’t want to listen, but I’ll make him.’
“Actually, I just remembered, I have to go now. Thomas asked me to be home early so- peace!”
“Hey!”
I ignored Hunter’s protest and the feeling of Myrah and Ajax glaring at me, I began to run towards the direction of the apartment building I lived in with my mom and, now, Thomas.
My mom has actually told me to stay out longer, hang out with my friends. With that in mind, I changed course. I let my feet carry me where they wished me to go, pulling my hood up against the rain that now pelted me. The woods. I looked back at the city of Chicago before leaning against the trunk of one of the trees. A call sounded above me in the branches.
Brown, red, and white feathers of a medium sized bird stared down at me. Said bird looked down, yellow eyes piercing into me. I think the animal has an eye issue, as it was staring intently on me for who knows how long. Squinting my eyes, I recalled the bird that was circling our school earlier. A kite, Myrah had called it. It released from its perch so abruptly, I flinched. The feathers shot out of the tree.
I sighed, turning to look back at the city. Piercing yellow-green eyes glinted and I flinched back, my spine hitting the bark. There was now a boy with light blond hair. He was shorter than me but about a foot but looked about my age. He looked like an elf mixed with a bird mixed with a boy. Red and brown feathers in his hair. The weird part is, I didn’t hear him coming and most people don’t just take a stroll around the outskirts of Chicago during a thunderstorm- at least, I doubt it.
“Hello, you look confused. I am Notos, God of the South Wind. Apprentice of the magnificent Aeolus, Keeper of The Winds. My master has a quest for you, Cody Raine, you should be proud of yourself.”
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