The Descent of a god

"Saturday night at midnight.

This is a mistake.

This is definitely a damn mistake.

I don't know why I got myself into this dilemma if I'm a coward.

I stared into the void and my legs started shaking, I should be at home resting right now, reading a book or just watching a series. But no, here I am, about to lose my life.

"Jump," he whispered in my ear.

"I don't want to," I reply, shaking my head.

"Jump if you really love me."

I slightly turn my head to look at him and there are those emerald eyes that mesmerized me, that crooked smile that boasts flirtation.

"Give me one last kiss," I plead.

A mix of sensations invades me as he brings his hand to my neck and lightly squeezes it. A moan, loaded with pleasure, escapes my lips uncontrollably. I close my eyes as I feel his breath close, his mouth seeking mine with palpable urgency.

Our lips meet in a dance that seems to have been rehearsed for centuries. Every movement, every touch, it's as if they were meant to fit perfectly. It's a connection that fills me with excitement, but also with a deep unease.

Because as I lose myself in that kiss, I can't ignore the nagging thought in my mind: I don't want to leave this moment, I don't want to say goodbye to him. I don't want to accept that this could be our last moment together.

Fear intertwines with desire, forming a whirlwind of emotions that threatens to consume me. Because I know there is danger on the horizon, a threat that could separate us forever. And the thought of losing what might be the love of my life is too overwhelming to contemplate.

"Now, jump," I whisper against his lips.

I pull away from him, one last look filled with love and farewell before I turn around and throw myself into the void. It's like falling into an abyss of emotions, where time distorts and everything becomes blurry.

As I fall, flashes of my life pass before my eyes, as if it were a sped-up movie of memories and important moments. But I know there's no turning back now, that this jump marks a point of no return.

The water receives me with force, enveloping me in its cold, dark embrace. It's like plunging into a sea of mixed feelings, where the need to breathe becomes a palpable urgency.

Fighting against the pressure surrounding me, I finally reach the surface and break through the water barrier, emerging with a gulp of fresh air and freedom. The sound of cheers and applause surrounds me, but my attention is focused on him.

I look up and there he is, with that smile that knows all my secrets and hopes. That smile that makes me feel vulnerable and powerful at the same time.

6 HOURS EARLIER.

"Today we're going to a party," says my best friend, while eating her cereal.

I roll my eyes and stop typing on my computer, I was making the final adjustments to my thesis and couldn't afford to waste my time, and Jessi knew that perfectly well.

"I can't, I have to give the final touches to my thesis, to get out of here once and for all."

From the corner of my eye I see Jessi giving me a dirty look.

"You're a party pooper and a bad friend, you know that?"

"Yes, I'm a party pooper, but a bad friend? How dare you say that when I've supported you all this time."

"Yes, you've supported me, but you plan to leave me alone here, that's being a bad friend."

"Then come with me, you know I have no problem with that."

However, I didn't receive a response from her. I knew Jessi couldn't come with me because of her mother, the woman suffers from an autoimmune disease that keeps her bedridden all the time, Jessi loves her mother too much to leave her alone.

Nothing compared to me. My mother is an alcoholic, abusive, and manipulative woman, I had to mature at a very young age and get a full-time job so that she could satisfy her addictions.

But I knew I couldn't lead a life as a mere waitress, I wanted to study at a good school and get a job that would get me out of this town as soon as possible. But I didn't stop working as a waitress, I had to pay for my university life.

And in exchange for this, many times I received aggression from my mother when I didn't give her money, most of the students on campus have witnessed how she has beaten me to the point of leaving me knocked out on the floor. Fortunately, the faculty directors took drastic measures against her, and a restraining order, if she approaches me or the university she will be arrested and sentenced.

"Whatever, you and I are going to that party, you need to relax a bit, it's our last semester in college and we must create unforgettable memories."

I turn to look at her, and immediately Jessi puts on her best puppy face.

"Jess..."

"Say yes."

I roll my eyes and respond.

"Fine, just this once."

"Yes!" She jumps on my chair to celebrate.

"Get down, silly!" I say with a laugh.

"We're going to have fun until dawn tonight!" She gets off my lap to run to her room. "Hold on tight, guys, because we're going to conquer!

Jessi is that sister I never had and it's amazing to live with her every day, we've never had arguments that escalate to another level, because we always talk about each situation. And as a good sister, I couldn't refuse to reject her proposal to go out.

And here I was at the damn party we were invited to. Jessi opted for a mini skirt and a corset that molded her body perfectly, on the other hand, I wasn't that typical friend who dressed horribly, in fact, we both stood out with our style. I wore a short black dress, tight to the body, my red hair and lips highlighted all my features and of course my clothing.

As we walked through the crowd of people, most of the men looked at us with desire, and the girls with envy, but we didn't care at all.

"Here are my girls!" Paul, our classmate, exclaims.

"Stop shouting," Jessi scolds him. "Besides, we couldn't miss the party, and I had to convince her a lot." She points at me.

"You should stop being a bit of a hermit," Paul looks at me. "But fortunately, you came, because I'm going to introduce you to a great guy."

"I didn't come to hook up with anyone, I just came to have some fun with my best friend."

"Come on, Kendall!" Paul raises his hands in the air. "Let yourself go a little, my friend is a good guy, I'm sure you'll get along great."

"The last time I listened to you I had to break some idiot's nose." I remind him.

"Yeah, yeah, that guy was an idiot, but this friend of mine..." Paul gestures with his hand for me to come closer to tell me something more confidential. "He's loaded with money, his parents own 'ETER'

it's the best restaurant chain in the world, to dine there you have to book a year in advance and the cheapest dish on the menu is $2,500. And from the moment he saw you, he wanted to know about you, that could be your way out."

"I'm not interested if he has money or not, the less relationship I have with people in this city, the better for me."

"Ouch!" Paul touches his heart as if it really hurt him. "I consider you the sister I never had."

"What a liar you are, you have two younger sisters." Jessi gently hits him. "Anyway, if she said no, then it's no, but I'm willing to go out with that great prospect."

Jessi flirts with her eyebrows.

"I'm not going to introduce you." Paul makes a face of annoyance. "He only wants Kendall."

While I smile slightly. I knew about Paul's platonic love for Jessi, but it seems that my best friend doesn't realize what's happening right in front of her.

"Don't be mean and introduce him to me." Jessi pouts her lower lip.

"N.O. And that's my final answer." Paul says, crossing his arms.

"You're an idiot." Jessi walked away from him. "Let's go somewhere else, this man no longer considers us as his friends." My best friend took me by the arm and pulled me very hard to leave the place.

However, I collided with a strong and tall human body. His perfume immediately penetrated my nostrils, giving me the best scent I have ever smelled in my life. I slowly raise my gaze and it immediately met with emerald-colored eyes, a gaze so warm, yet it gave me that sensation of terror. I had that feeling of fear and wanted to run away from him, but at the same time, I didn't want to separate from him.

'I'm sorry,' my voice comes out higher than usual.

'Don't apologize.'

I swear my legs trembled upon hearing his powerful voice.

'Kendall,' Paul stands by my side. 'Let me introduce you to my friend Nikos Eter.'

'Nice to meet you,' a crooked smile appears on this Nikos guy's face, one of those smiles that melt any woman and I must include myself.

'Um... I mean the same,' I reply trying to clear my thoughts.

'And I am...'

'She's nobody,' Paul stands beside Jessi and covers her mouth with his hands. 'We'll leave you two to talk.'

Paul drags Jessi away, while she struggles to break free from his grip, but they both disappear from our lives.

'Hey...' I scratch my neck a bit tense. 'Sorry if Paul gave you the impression that I want something with you, but I...'

'You're not looking for a relationship, I understand,' he responds without stopping smiling. 'I'm just happy to meet you.'

Still, hours later I was falling from the second floor of the ΔΕΩ fraternity house "Delta Epsilon Omega" and he was enjoying what I had done for him, but the words "I love you" danced in my head over and over again.

How could I love someone I barely knew?

And it was then that Charlotte also burst into laughter, my best friend knew she was a confident woman, and knowing that, she chose the highest bidder. Roman Batista was the one who predominantly controlled the entire monopoly in town, followed by Guevara and Loto companies. They both met him once when he went to the history museum to borrow a sculpture, obviously on loan, but everything comes with a cost, as they requested an insurance fee in case the sculpture got damaged during transportation. It was quite a high fee due to the artwork's history.

Everything went perfectly, and Charlotte was in charge of overseeing everything. They met and soon after, they formalized their relationship, and they haven't been apart since.

Alcohol gradually rose like foam, and everyone was so intoxicated that the teasing didn't stop because some were already asleep and lying drunk on the floor. But to relax a bit, Evangeline decided to sit down and grab her purse. She took out her cellphone, intending to call her ex and tell him how stupid he was for leaving her for a temporary fling. But the first thing she saw on her phone's wallpaper was the painting of Darien of Macedonia. She was so obsessed with the painting that she had it on her phone. But what she would love even more is to have the painting live and in person in her room.

"What's up, boss?" Drew sits next to her.

"Nothing, I just wanted to check the time."

"Are you planning to leave already?" he exclaims.

"Of course not, I was just checking the time."

"I hope so because otherwise, I'll tell everyone not to let you go."

"Don't be a pest, Drew. When I decide to leave, they won't even notice."

"You're a mean boss."

"I'm not mean, I'm fair," she winks at him.

"Thank God for your blessings," he clasps his hands as if he were about to pray. "I'll keep partying, you can rest your feet if you want. Those heels seem to be killing you."

Drew walks away, but soon Charlotte approaches with narrowed eyes.

"I know you're terrible at noticing flirting, but it's obvious that Drew is flirting with you from miles away."

"No, Charlotte, not everyone who approaches me is flirting with me. Besides, Drew is gay."

"Right, I forgot," she teases.

"Why are you so insistent on me being with someone?"

"Because I don't want to see you sad, staring at a painting all the time."

"But I like looking at Darien's painting."

Then something clicked in Charlotte's mischievous mind, a wicked smile forming on her face, almost unrecognizable to Evangeline.

"What if we borrow Darien's painting?"

"What!"

"Yes, we borrow it for one night, so you can have it at home, and then we'll return it to the museum."

"Do you want me to remind you how much it cost Roman Batista to get that sculpture?"

"You're still reasoning even when you're drunk."

"Of course, I'm reasoning because Darien's painting is literally the only thing that keeps me afloat on Earth."

"But think about it this way, you can have it in your room for one night and think all the dirty thoughts you want while looking at his face."

"Char..."

"Come on," Charlotte takes Evangeline's hand.

"Where to?"

"We'll see."

As they leave Pink, they take the first available taxi.

"Near the history museum, please," Charlotte tells the driver, and he starts driving.

"What are we going to do there?" she whispers for only her friend to hear.

"We'll see."

"Charlotte, whatever we're going

to do, we should consider that our jobs will be at risk."

"They won't be, calm down."

"This is going to end badly."

During the entire ride, neither of them said a word. Evangeline bit her nails while feeling a bit nauseous from the alcohol swirling in her stomach. In just a few minutes, they found themselves on a street below the museum.

"Can you wait for us here?" she asks the taxi driver.

"Will it take long?"

"No, it will only be about 5 minutes."

"Alright."

Charlotte and Evangeline get out of the car and walk the remaining street to climb up. They enter through the alley next to the museum. Clearly, Evangeline had keys to enter through any entrance of the museum, so they easily went in without raising any suspicion. They tiptoed towards the large painting of Darien of Macedonia.

"You take one side, and I'll take the other," Charlotte whispers.

"We shouldn't..."

Her words were cut off when they realized that the painting wasn't as heavy as expected. It was also a bit smaller than they thought.

"Wow, it's lightweight..."

"And small," Charlotte finishes. "Now, let's run."

They somehow managed to take Darien out through the alley door and squeezed into the car.

"To Spring Avenue," Eva informs the driver, and the car starts moving.

There was no turning back for what they had done. It was likely that their jobs were at risk. Neither of them said anything; silence accompanied them. The alcohol they had consumed had left their systems, leaving them sober.

Upon arrival, they helped each other carry the painting.

"Here you go," Charlotte pays. "Keep the rest."

Likewise, when they enter the elevator, silence prevails. Now that they have the painting, what are they going to do with it? What they had planned was simply impulsive, but what role will it play in the apartment? They enter the apartment and turn on the light.

"Char... What are we going to do now?"

"I don't know, maybe if we say his name three times, he'll come out of the painting," she laughs.

"Sure." I follow along. "Darien of Macedonia, Darien of Macedonia, Darien of Macedonia."

"I hope your beloved shows up soon."

"I'm crossing my fingers," she raises her hands with crossed fingers. "What if you stay the night? It's too late to go in a taxi."

"Yes, I agree with you."

"Okay, let's go. Tomorrow we'll have to solve this little problem."

Soon the sun began to rise, peeking through the window and shining into the eyes of the two best friends. But the result was that Evangeline woke up first and, still drowsy, she got up and stretched her entire body, but soon the headache shot through.

"Damn it," she muttered as she left the room and headed towards the kitchen where, for some strange reason, her emergency kit was located. But as she passed through the living room, she noticed something strange. She slowly turned and noticed a painting, one that she knew perfectly, but there was something different...

"What the...?" A shrill sound caught her attention, and without thinking twice, she grabbed the first thing she saw and headed towards the source of the sound.

She took deep breaths and entered the kitchen, witnessing the refrigerator doors wide open. Without hesitation, she ran and let what she had in her hand collide with the intruder who was raiding her precious fridge. But nothing happened.

The thief straightened his broad back and slowly turned, revealing his face.

Evangeline turned all colors, her blood pressure rose and fell, her sugar levels reached their limit, and she definitely experienced kidney failure.

"Ah!" she screamed so loudly that Charlotte jumped up and hit the hard floor, but quickly got up to help her best friend.

"What happened? What's going on? Who invaded the house?" Charlotte arrived completely disoriented, but when her gaze fell on the refrigerator thief, her jaw almost dropped to the floor as it does in cartoons.

"Char, tell me you're seeing the same thing I am."

"Are you seeing Darien of Macedonia?" she asks.

"Yes," Evangeline replies.

"Then I think we're having a shared dream."

"That's almost impossible."

"Well, apparently not, because I'm dreaming about your art crush."

"Crush?" Both of them, upon hearing Darien's deep voice, startle and take a few steps back. "Where am I? What time is it? Why is it so cold?" he points at the refrigerator.

"This must be a damn tasteless joke," Evangeline blurts out. "Who the hell are you?"

"They call me Darien the Valiant, and I am the commander of King Alexander III of Macedonia's troops."

"That's impossible," the girl mocks. "You must be someone who came to mock me."

"Eva," Charlotte calls her attention. "I think the guy is telling the truth."

"Do you really believe him?" she crosses her arms.

"You have to see this."

Both of them leave the kitchen and head to the living room where the real Darien is supposed to be, but they were in for a surprise.

"Char, if you don't hold me right now, I swear I'm going to faint."

Evangeline starts to descend slowly, but Charlotte holds her in her arms to prevent her from falling to the ground.

"There must be some explanation for this," Charlotte tries to reason.

"You know what, maybe we are having a shared dream," Evangeline immediately straightens up. "Slap me."

"I won't do that."

"Just do it, Charlotte, or I swear I'll throw myself onto that glass table, and you know I'm capable of it."

"Ugh, you're so stubborn." Without further delay, Charlotte gives Evangeline a strong slap.

"Damn it," Evangeline brings her hand to her cheek, rubbing it. "It's definitely not a dream."

"Now what are we going to do with this man?" Charlotte whispers.

"I don't know, but the first question is: How did he get out of the painting?" Evangeline whispers back.

"Maybe I can explain," he says.

"Definitely, this is insane," Evangeline paces around the room, unable to believe that this handsome man is in her living room. Though in a way, her dreams had finally come true, there seemed to be no human logic to explain how Darien of Macedonia would come out of the painting at night.

"Tell us, Darien," Charlotte approaches the commander from ancient Macedonia. But she couldn't concentrate with the sexiest man on Earth standing in front of her, completely naked. "You know, Eva, we should find him some clothes first."

Evangeline turns in Charlotte's direction and finally notices that her Adonis is indeed naked. She had seen him so many times that she didn't even pay attention to the rest of his body.

"I think I have some clothes that Eric didn't take in my closet," she announces. "I'll get them, and you keep an eye on the man from the painting so he doesn't escape."

Evangeline heads back to her room, leaving her friend and her desire alone. She opens her wardrobe and indeed finds some clothes her ex-boyfriend had left behind. But Eric was a bit skinnier than the commander, so maybe the pants would fit, but the shirts definitely wouldn't. She comes out again, and inevitably, her gaze meets Darien's. The slow-motion effect takes over, and she can clearly see his honey-colored eyes shining. The texture of his skin is so perfect that it seems like it was carved by the Greek gods themselves. His braid is just as perfect, not to mention his skin tone.

"I found these; I'm not sure if they'll fit you exactly," she offers him the clothes.

"Thank you," his voice sends shivers down Evangeline's body. Darien definitely exudes masculinity from every pore. "I've always wanted to hear your voice."

"What?" she asks, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Yes, you are the first and only thing I've seen for so long," he says as he puts on the pants, which are a little above his ankles.

"I still don't understand what's happening."

"You should sit down," Charlotte suggests, staring at Evangeline. She does as she's told and sits next to her best friend. "Maybe you should explain, big guy."

"Maybe you should sit too," Darien gazes at Evangeline. She complies and sits next to her best friend. "First of all, I don't know how I got out of there," he points to the painting. "The last thing I remember is you pulling me out."

"So... you could see and hear us inside the painting?" Charlotte asks.

"I couldn't hear you; I've lived part of my life in silence."

"So that we can understand what's happening right now, explain everything from the beginning," Evangeline desperately urges Darien to reveal all the historical knowledge he possesses. She crosses her legs on the couch, ready to learn the truth.

"Do you know about the Gorgon Medusa and her story?"

"Yes," the two girls respond simultaneously.

Something like that happened to me. We had returned home after a long battle, victorious. Wine flowed everywhere, and soon I lost control of my own body. The next morning, I woke up with someone; I don't remember exactly who. But she appeared with her priestesses and, without waiting for an answer, she cast a spell and trapped me inside that painting," he points.

"Who is she?" Evangeline asks curiously.

"Hera."

"Damn..." Charlotte mutters. "You earned the hatred of the most vengeful goddess."

"I know

, I know."

"How many years, centuries, minutes, seconds have you been trapped in the painting?" Evangeline asks.

"I don't know. For a long time, I was buried underground until some men unearthed me. The women wore big hairstyles and looked very pale."

"It must have been the 1700s," Charlotte adds, and Evangeline nods in agreement. "What else have you seen?"

"I saw the machines changing, saw many people running around. I was also in the hands of a man with a small mustache on his upper lip."

"Hitler!" the two friends exclaim simultaneously.

"Who is he?"

"He was a German genocidal leader who killed millions of Jews. He was obsessed with creating the perfect race with very fair skin, blue eyes, and blond hair," Eva explains.

"I only understood the part about him being a killer," Darien's face blushes, finding something very endearing about it.

"You'll find out soon," Eva consoles him in a way. "What we need to figure out right now is how Darien got out of the painting."

At that moment, Evangeline's phone rings. She gets up from the couch and follows the tune of her cellphone, finding it in her bag from yesterday. As she takes it out, all color drains from her face. She turns to Charlotte from a distance and shows her the name of the head of security.

"We've been discovered," she says.

Evangeline starts pacing around the room, hyperventilating. Charlotte grabs her and shakes her repeatedly.

"You need to calm down, woman."

.