The Fifth Guardian

Chapter 40

Almost a year later

ARISTIA'S POV

"Athenasia!" I heard my sister yell, I turned around, and she was trying to catch up to me. Arete was beautiful; her gold hair was above her shoulders with a crown of flowers, and her white dress that wraps her body tightly. She was at the age to be asked for marriage, but she was a child in my eyes. I just returned from my mission days ago from killing darklings in the human realm; they usually leave me alone to heal.

"Are you done training?" She asked; I nodded, and she then pulled my hand. I was initially confused, but as soon as I saw what was happening. I halted, her face filled with disappointment.

"Asklepios wants to spend time with you," She said, and I sighed. Asklepios was kind, and unlike the others that sought me out, he never made me feel like that. He was calm and honest and always tried to visit me to ask me how I was. I came to find out he is the god, and he can show you the past, present, and future.

"Athenasia," He called me. His voice was deep but calming. I walked to him and gave him a tight hug; he rubbed my back, but only my back. He was a gentleman; he gave me a warm smile.

"How are you," he asked, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm fine; you don't need to waste your time traveling here just to ask that," I said, and he chuckled.

"It's not wasting time when it comes to you," He said, and I blushed. He walked me to the garden behind the temple and sat on the bench. The flowers were blooming today, the ocean sparkling like precious gems.

"Did anything change?" I ask; he was the god of prophecy, truth, and healing. He cannot lie, and that's why I like his company; he would tell me the truth even if it's painful.

"The prophecy is still the same," he said, and I sighed; I hoped it would change while I was here.

"You changed," he said and looked at me; I chuckled.

"The naive and foolish girl is gone, Asklepios, and she will never come back; Aristia is dead now," I said and saw the disappointment in his eyes.

"That naive and foolish girl was the one that caught my heart" I couldn't help but giggle at him. He always tries to comment about his heart being with me or that he fell in love with me as he found me in the river.

"The guardians, is there any update?" He sighs, trying to change the topic.

"You don't want to know Athenasia," He said, and I looked at him blankly.

"It doesn't bother me anymore," I said; he turned his body to face me.

"That's what your head says, but your heart is still weeping," he said, and I stared at his blue jeweled orbs.

"Please don't put me in a tight situation," he pleaded; he begged me not to ask him. He knew something that would hurt me and warned me that it would.

"Show me," I said, and sadness filled his eyes. He took out his hand, and images floated in the air; they laughed and enjoyed their time together. It started to show him naked on top of another woman. I turned away, trying not to be bothered by it. I don't care about them or him. They don't matter to me anymore.

"Shhh," I heard Asklepios say as he held me in his arms, trying to ease my pain when I asked him to show me Raynar. He didn't want to, but I forced him that if he didn't, I would harm myself, and what I saw made the pain even worst.

He was pleasuring another woman, holding he in his arm, kissing her. I wanted to be in denial. Maybe I saw it wrong. Maybe Asklepios made a mistake? I asked him to show me again; his embrace was tight; I didn't think I could feel more pain than I already had. But he showed me; I wanted to know if he really did love me.