(The story continues from Chasing Ilium- A micro story saga)

Day 7 – midnight

Wickem howled as he crabbed across the deck tossing mermaid bones. Unimpressed by his divination, I squinted at the notches and tried to read the signs.

Day 8  

“I don’t believe you,” screams captain Carda as she slams the door to my war room. “Wickem is babbling something about you touching his prize bones and claiming he can’t read the signs no more.”

I stood unmoved by her tirade. I should have hired a haruspex and filled my hull with steers for the slaughter. Scanning the indifferent stars, I searched for Ilium. It was here somewhere hiding from me. But it was my destiny to conquer it.

“Are you even listening?”

“Find Ilium.”

“How? You broke my diviner.”

I touched my wrist and captain Carda dropped to the floor screaming until I released her.

Day 9

Cold and unfeeling
the stars are reeling, hiding
prizes in dark’ning space

My night’s unending as my search goes on. I crumpled the page and slammed it into the trash. Outside space’s darkness stretched on without break or revelation of my quarry. Day nine was a bust.

Day 10

Ilium burned, melting its metal pylons and I laughed at the disaster I’d caused. All their vaulted potential lost. A buzzing interrupted the fire’s crackling and misgivings replaced maniacal laughter.

Opening my eyes, I screamed into my pillow. It was only a dream. I was still chasing Ilium and my revenge.

Day 11 

I stepped off the transport and my polished boots sank into the mud. Sneering at the trees rustling in the breeze, I squelched into the forest.

“You’re sure it’s here?”

A helmed head nodded and gestured for me to follow. A phalanx of armed guards closed in around me.

“Tell them to guard someone else.”

“But Sir…”

I shook my head and ghosted through the ranks of armored men. They froze at my touch and unfroze when I materialized on a hillside ahead. If my traitorous wife was here, I would find her and deal with her myself. My jacket whipped in the wind as I threw my head back and roared.

Day 12

I found her bower, but the slut had vacated it with her lover. I was too late once again. Cowering in the corner, I found a strange young man.

O King, you’re Apacalypse is rising,
on flame spitting turrets its coming soon
she who launched a thousand ships is crying
you’ll catch her and revenge will be your boon

As he spoke, he rose and his sequined robes dropped. He struck a pose and his diamond eyes fixed on me. What luck, I’d found a master diviner. As the diviner prophesied, he danced, naked and unafraid.

O King, you’re Apacalypse is coming,
its flaming wings carries your destiny.
With its firebrand, O King, you’re vanquishing
Ilium’s weaponized immunity

A red laser painted the blue-skinned dancer’s chest. Unperturbed, he continued his gyrations around the pillow-strewn love shack. I lowered the corporal’s weapon.

O King, time has come for thee to decide–
continue without a diviner’s aid
or take a chance, extend a hand and side
with I who was to die by brigade. 

“Sir? Let me shoot the toad.”

“Check him and his clothes for weapons.”

The corporal kept an eye on the blue-skinned diviner as she stooped and felt the discarded robes. Turning, I removed a leather glove from my hand, my left, which can paralyze with a touch.

The creature ended his dance with a flourish and bowed over my hand.

Dare I touch the hand of a conqueror?
If I do, I’ll kiss darkness for’ver more. 

The hunt for Ilium continues tomorrow. 

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For A Month of Mini Writing Challenges, days 7-12.

Previous parts: Chasing Ilium- A micro story saga