The Girl in Apollo's Oracle

Eleena was starting her day normally when suddenly a strange creature attacked her. In a blink of her eyes, a man showed up and rescued her only to find out that his knight in shining armor is Apollo--- the multifaceted god. Apollo brought Eleena to his world to protect her from other creatures that are after her head because she is believed to destroy the world they are living in. Eleena, who is just a normal teenager, got mixed up in the messy world of the gods and with a handsome and kind god protecting her, it's not hard to find romance amidst the chaos.

Whereas, Apollo swore to keep Eleena from any danger but what if they end up hurting each other? After all, Eleena is still the girl in Apollo's oracle.

"I hate it when Mrs. Cruz tells her life story when the time is about to end." Mia annoyingly kicked the pebble in front of her as they walked out of the school.

It's already dark since they're last subject teacher didn't dismiss their class on time. Eleena just shook her head at her friend.

"You used to love going home late." She glanced at Mia but she just rolled her eyes at Eleena.

"You're lowkey reminding me that I used to go home with Jacob." Eleena burst out laughing knowing that her comment will annoy Mia even more.

Mia hissed while glaring at Eleena before she playfully slapped her arm but Eleena just let it go. Mia kept kicking pebbles that were on their way as they silently walked. Now that it is night, the busy street in the morning turned dark and quiet. It's quite scary but Eleena and Mia are already used to their place's creepiness. Unlike other towns, theirs became a ghost town when the sun started setting. It was a custom they grew up with as the elders in the town are superstitious.

"See you tomorrow, Eleena." Mia waved her hand to Eleena before she entered their house.

Eleena continued walking because their house is at the very end of their street. As she kept walking, the lamp posts decreased and in no time, she was swallowed by darkness. The sky is dominated by gray clouds so the stars and the moon are not in sight. She didn't mind the dark path because she remembers every detail of the place she grew up in.

Eleena stopped when she felt that she stepped on something hard. She took a step back that revealed a silver necklace. She picked it up and put it in her pocket. When she got home, she quickly went to her room and sat in her bed with excitement. Eleena took out the necklace and her eyes went wide when she saw the necklace.

The thin silver chain is clean and still glistening as if it hasn't been used but the real highlight of the necklace is its pendant because it's unique. The small sickle has little gems in its body that make it stand out.

"I never saw someone wear such a strange necklace but it's cute." She smiled to herself before she hurriedly went to her vanity.

Eleena flipped her long curly hair on her right shoulder then she wore the necklace over her neck. She looked at herself in the mirror with awe. It looks perfect on her as if it is made exclusively for her. The simple necklace suits her tanned skin. The more Eleena stares at the necklace she's wearing, the more she falls in love with it.

"I hope no one owns you." She pouted before trying to remove it but she can't seem to unlock it.

No matter how much she tries, she can't remove the lock so she gives up and hopes that the owner won't see her wearing her necklace. Eleena changed, then ate her dinner with her parents. After doing her homeworks, she went to sleep with the necklace giving her a slightly cold feeling.

Eleena woke up with a good feeling. She kept touching the sickle pendant as if it was her good luck charm. When she entered their school gate, she stopped because she couldn't see anyone. Not a single student or teacher can be seen anywhere.

"I'm late." She whispered to herself when she realized that the classes had started.

She went to their building and started jogging all the way to the third floor. She was out of breath the instant she reached the last step. Eleena held her knees as she tried to even her breathing. When she calmed down, she started walking towards her classroom but stopped when the door of the room she just passed by suddenly opened.

Eleena slowly looked back but her brows met when she saw no one. She was about to turn back when something came out of the room. Her eyes slowly went wide but she still couldn't believe what she's seeing. Eleena wiped her eyes but the thing was still in front of her so she screamed in hope that someone would save her from this horrendous monster.

'I'm just dreaming.'She kept saying in her mind as she sprinted.

Eleena covered her ears when the minotaur roared. The piercing sound caused the windows to crack that made Eleena more terrified. She reached the end of the hallway and faced the monster that's slowly making its way towards her. Eleena's heart is about to burst with its wild pounding.

'This is impossible.' She thought as she looked at the monster that she only knew existed in the book.

"Help!" She screamed and tried to look outside but there's no one.

As the minotaur closes their distance, Eleena has no choice but to lock herself in the room beside her. She quickly put the tables against the door to keep the monster from coming in. She started crying out of fear. She slowly went to the far corner of the room as she kept her eyes on the door.

The minotaur roared once again before she started slamming the door. Eleena sobbed and sat. She covered her head as her tears continuously raced down her face. She's hopeless and trembling in fear.

She screamed when she heard the door break. She hugged herself tightly as she heard the heavy footsteps and the rowdy breathing of the minotaur get closer. She's not a religious person but at this moment, Eleena started praying hard.

"Eleena!"

Eleena saw hope when she heard someone call her name. She doesn't care who it was, as long as that person will save her, it's fine by her. Eleena looked up and with tears staining her face, she saw a man behind the minotaur who's not that far from her. The monster angrily exhaled as it saw the man before his eyes diverted to Eleena then they turned red. It startled Eleena that she wasn't able to move.

The minotaur charged towards Eleena and all she could do was to bow her head, waiting for her death but it didn't come. A loud thud made her look up again and she backed away when she saw the minotaur lying in front of her. It looks like it is dead. From its gruesome face, Eleena's eyes slowly went to the back of its head and she gasped when she saw a golden arrow stuck through it.

She backed away again which caused her back to hit the wall. She's more scared now that someone just killed this monster.

'If he can kill this monster, then he can do it easily to me.'She thought before she looked at the man who called her name.

He's holding a golden bow so it means that he was the one who saved her from the minotaur.The man slowly walked towards them so Eleena tried to back away again but there's nowhere she can go. She doesn't even know if she can stand after everything that just happened. She started crying when the man kneeled beside her.

"Don't kill me." She even shook her head to show her desperation. The man looked at her with confusion.

"I will not kill you, Eleena." Eleena blinked and looked at him. She copied the man's expression and stared at him with confusion as her tears slowly dried.

"How come you know my name?" She didn't move and looked at him warily. Although the man looks harmless, she's still afraid of him.

"I'll explain on the way. For now, come with me. This will not be the last one to attack you." Eleena's eyes went wide upon hearing the last statement.

She looked at the dead minotaur then back to the man. She cannot trust him but he just saved her.

"Come on. I won't hurt you." He said carefully before he quickly grabbed her arm.

Eleena doesn't have any energy left to protest so she just lets the man drag her out of the room. Eleena's still confused because no one's around even after all the noises caused by the minotaur and her. She looked at the man that's firmly holding her arm. He's not from here because he's not familiar to her and the fact that he knows her name, puzzles her.

"Wait, where are we going?" Eleena panicked when they went to the rooftop.

The strong winds welcomed them. The man didn't answer or stop walking. Eleena tried to pull her arm back when she saw that they're heading to the broken railing. They will fall if they don't stop walking now and the man looks like he doesn't care.

"Hey! Stop!" She still cannot get away from the tight grip of the man.

She started crying when they were just inches away from the broken railing. She tried to stop walking but the man just dragged her. She begged him to let her go but it's like he's deaf that made Eleena sob with fear that's starting to eat her again.

"We're gonna die!" She screamed when the man took a step in the air and dragged her with him. She creamed at the top of her lungs before she closed her eyes tightly but despite her closed eyes, she still knows that a blinding light appeared.

"Oh my god! I'm dead!" Eleena cried as soon as she opened her eyes.

She looked around and she saw everything she imagined heaven would look like. She's in a paradise. She's in the middle of a green field with wind gently blowing. She saw the man standing beside her with amusement in his face. It angered her so despite the tears blurring her eyesight, she slapped him. She slapped him again and when she's about to give her his third slap, he stopped her hand.

His amusement is now gone and replaced with seriousness that made Eleena stop crying. Her fear of him returned and she remembered that the man she slapped twice killed a monster effortlessly. Eleena tried to pull away and she was successful so she quickly distanced herself from him.

She glanced at him and she still cannot recognize him. He's good-looking especially with his curly shoulder-length blonde hair and prominent cleft chin. Eleena's brows met when she noticed his clothes. She was distracted earlier that she didn't notice that the man was just wearing a white pants and a white cloth draped over his shoulder that only covered half of his body. Her face heats at the sight of his left nipple so she quickly looks away.

"Can you explain to me now what's happening? Am I dead? Are you my angel?" She wiped her tears while still looking away.

"I'm Apollo." His name made her look at him in disbelief.

She started to remember everything she knew about the man and her eyes slowly widened when she realized something. She glued everything and the only thing that came out is that the man is the Greek god Apollo.

"Apollo? Did I go crazy?" Eleena sat on the grass and started pulling her hair thinking that she's just dreaming but the pain in her scalp tells her it's real.

Apollo sat in front of her so Eleena shifted her eyes to him. He is looking at her seriously as if he is examining her. Eleena scooted backwards in fear and confusion.

"Let's go. Someone might see you here." He looked around before he focused his attention on her. Eleena looked around as well out of curiosity but all she saw was a vast green field.

"Where am I? Oh my god!" Eleena gasped before she stood and looked around with wide eyes. "Am I on Mount Olympus? You're Apollo, right? Is Zeus here?" She was hysterical after knowing the man's identity. She can't even believe herself that she's accepting the fictional reality she's in.

Apollo stood as well and looked at Eleena in disbelief. He shook his head before he held Eleena's shoulders that made her look at him. He's worried that Eleena is in a state of shock.

"We're going to an island where you'll be safe, Eleena, then I'll explain everything there."

Apollo took advantage of Eleena's shocked state and made her drink a herbal that caused her to lose consciousness. She fell to his arms and he effortlessly carried her.

They arrived at the island of Delos which is a refuge of Apollo. He put Eleena in his bed and let her rest because he knew that she was overwhelmed by what happened to her. Apollo went out with his lyre in his hands. He went to the shore and sat there with the lyre between his legs.

He took a deep breath before closing his eyes then he slowly started plucking the strings of his lyre. The sweet harmony calmed the sea and made the sun shine brighter. Even the birds stop chirping to make way for his music.

The pleasing music awakened Eleena. She panicked when she saw the unfamiliar room. It looks old and everything is made of wood and vintage fabric. She massaged her temples when her head started to ache upon remembering what happened.

"I just woke up, which means, this is real." She whispered to herself before she stood.

She fixed her skirt and hoped that Apollo was not a pervert. But he put a blanket over her which tells her the opposite. She was relieved that she didn't feel violated or harassed and even though she's still confused, she tried to find her way out.

It was just easy since she followed where the music was coming from. When she went out of the house, she was surprised to see that she's in a forest now. Things are becoming less weird for her now. She saw a monster already and met Apollo so everything is possible now.

Eleena saw Apollo sitting in the sand while playing his lyre. It corroborates the facts she learned from school which made her smile. Somehow, it excites her knowing that the character that was just living in a book is now in front of her.

"Hey." Apollo stopped playing and looked back. In an instant, the natural sounds of nature came back.

He stood as soon as he saw Eleena. He brought his lyre with him when he walked towards her. Eleena took a step back when she realized that he's too close and she kept her eyes in his face. She's not innocent but it is awkward for her to stare at a man's nipple.

"Can you explain to me now what's happening?" She crossed her arms and Apollo just nodded.

He walked past her and Eleena silently followed him to his house. It is a simple house made of large stones and some woods. They went inside and Apollo pointed to a chair so Eleena sat and he sat across from her.

"As I've said earlier, I'm Apollo. The god of--"

"Almost everything. You can even replace Zeus with all the things you are covering." Eleena couldn't stop herself from cutting Apollo off. She just got too excited but Apollo saw it as something amusing so he smiled at her.

"I tried that but I failed." He chuckled, which caused Eleena to have goosebumps. His chuckle is deep and just like his music, it's pleasing to the ears.

"So why am I here? I still cannot believe that you are real! And what was that thing that attacked me? I forgot what it is called but I know it's a monster." Apollo chuckled again while Eleena's face heated as she realized she just started rambling in front of a god.

"Let's start at the very beginning, shall we?" Apollo smiled and Eleena just nodded as she's still embarrassed.

"My oracle visioned you. A mortal who will destroy both of our worlds." His smile vanished as well as Eleena's comfortable feeling.

She's sure that she heard the right thing which is why she started to feel anxious and scared again.

"I don't know how or why or when because that's all the oracle showed me. It was supposed to be a secret among us gods but the news broke out and everyone is doing everything they can to hunt and kill you. That minotaur is just the first one and I assure you, it won't be the last despite being under my guard."

Eleena shivered upon listening to Apollo. She can't help but to look around in fear that someone might kill her. Tears started to pool in her eyes at the thought of her lifeless body.

'I'm still young. I'm just at the peak of my teenage years so I can't die. I haven't even had my first kiss yet.' She thought to herself.

"That is why I took you to keep you from dying." Eleena's tearful eyes turned to Apollo's serious ones.

"Why? You're supposed to kill me, too, since I will destroy the world." Eleena's voice is so small that Apollo almost didn't hear her. She's too afraid to speak properly. She's even trembling in fear.

"I want to know what made you special. And when I knew that...'' he looked directly at Eleena's glistening eyes. Unlike Eleena's eyes that are dripping with fear and confusion, Apollo's are filled with determination.

"And when I know that, Eleena, I'll kill you with my bare hands."

As soon as Eleena heard Apollo's warning, she quickly went out of the house. All she wants now is to go home and hide in her closet. She's safer there than in the hands of a person who will kill her eventually. Eleena ran as fast as she could and instead of going to the shore, she entered the deep forest.

She looked back and she didn't see Apollo chasing her. She stopped and looked around in fear that he's just hiding somewhere. Eleena sat at the huge root of a tree as she caught her breath. She wiped the beads of sweat that formed in her forehead and groaned when she felt that she's thirsty. All the running made her crave for a cold soda.

Eleena quickly dodged the arrow that was almost buried in her face. She freaked out and quickly stood with her heart pounding against her chest due to fear and tension. She doesn't even know how she managed to dodge the arrow when she didn't even see it coming. She's more terrified now that she's becoming strange too.

Eleena looked around and she squinted her eyes when she saw a woman on top of a tree's branch. She's holding a bow and when she took an arrow from her back, Eleena quickly ran away. Suddenly, she had a strong instinct and agility. She bolted while dodging the woman's arrows. Eleena can't even feel she's out of breath when she originally has a weak body. The changes in her body started to frighten her.

"You're fast."

Eleena looked at her side and her eyes widened when she saw a man running beside her. Due to shock, she stopped and bumped her head on a branch. She tumbled but didn't feel any pain in her body. It's like she rolled on a soft mattress. Eleena quickly sat even though she's getting scared of the people she just saw and to herself as well. Tears started pooling in her eyes as her heart started to pound even more.

She quickly stood but she felt a thick liquid dripping down her cheeks so she touched it and she panicked when she saw that it was blood. Before she could even process what happened, the man started walking towards her with a playful smirk on his lips. Eleena backed away but she bumped into something and when she looked back, it startled her seeing the woman from the tree standing behind her. Eleena's tears are about to fall and she feels that she might faint any moment now because of fear.

"Why did you run away? Look what happened." Eleena's eyes diverted at Apollo who's walking towards them.

Despite knowing that he also has an intention in ending her life, Eleena still ran to him. She knows Apollo more than the two strangers so she thought that it's better to stick around him for now.

"Wipe your forehead. Someone might smell it and know that you're here." Apollo whispered then gave Eleena a small cloth that he ripped from his top.

Eleena is still overwhelmed but she still followed Apollo's order in fear that more people and creatures will hunt her. She looked at the strangers in front of them. They are amusingly watching her as if they didn't inflict fear on her.

"She has strengths like us. She's not just a mortal." The woman glanced at Eleena before she shifted her attention to Apollo. Eleena felt Apollo's stare at her but she didn't look back because even her couldn't understand what happened to her earlier.

"She can dodge Artemis's arrows and can even outrun me if we'll race." The man said that made Eleena look at them again. She tried to remember the other gods but they are so many that she can't pinpoint the names of the two.

"Was it Ares?" She whispered to herself as she stared at the man with short curly hair and innocent face. "I'm sure he's not Hephaestus because the books told us he's ugly." She continued.

"We can hear you, young woman." Artemis said before she gave Eleena a snide smirk. Eleena's eyes widened as heat spread across her face. She didn't know she was mumbling already.

"The fact that you thought I'm Hephaestus is sickening." The man glared at her which made her stick closer to Apollo.

Apollo and Artemis laughed a little at the remark of the man but Eleena kept thinking of his name. She's certain that he's an important god but she cannot seem to remember his name. It's a good thing that he mentioned the woman's name because Eleena's worry lessened.

"He is Hermes." Eleena looked at Apollo and caught him already staring at her. "He was the reason why everyone knew your existence." He added before smirking at her.

Eleena's brows met when she remembered Hermes's character. He's the messenger of the gods. That's all she remembers but she's certain that he is also a god of some things. She realized what Apollo just said that is why she couldn't stop herself from glaring at her and Hermes glared at her too.

"I cannot believe that you do not know me!" He exclaimed and even threw his hands in the air which made Artemis shake her head.

"Gossiper." Eleena said to herself while still glaring at Hermes. "You should be the god of the gossipers."She added but now in a louder voice that caused Hermes' face to get serious.

"You should not insult a god, Eleena." Apollo whispered before he went in front of her as if he's shielding her.

Eleena got annoyed so she went out of the back of Apollo's back and stood in the middle. She looked at him then at Artemis and Hermes.

"Why can't I, huh? You are all trying to kill me. Am I offended? No! But just a little remark and your stupid egos already broke.Just so you all now, I don't even want to be here nor be part of your stupid oracle and play this crazy chasing and hunting game! Just kill me now so this ends now!"

The three gods were dumbfounded and speechless as they stared at Eleena. All that happened already got to her. She wants to go home and rest but she cannot because she is stuck in this world where everyone is after her head. It was like she's a walking target that anyone can attack. It's a depressing situation for her. She bursted into tears as her heart couldn't hold it anymore.

"I just want to be a normal girl." She cried and looked at them. "I can't even open a jar so how can I end the world?" She harshly wiped her tears.

"I want to go home." Eleena looked at Apollo pleadingly but he just stared at her with pity because he knew it was impossible.

Apollo quickly went to Eleena and covered his mouth while Artemis and Hermes and on both sides of them. They are alert and ready as they hear faint footsteps coming towards them. The three gods sensed danger but they are ready to protect Eleena as what they promised to each other.

"What can it be? And how did it find Delos?" Hermes asked breathlessly as he warily looked around.

No one answered him. The footsteps suddenly began getting loud and fast as if the creature was running towards them. The three gods almost glued their backs on Eleena who is now shaking in fear. She hadn't moved on yet about what she learned and the attack of the minotaur yet here is another one again.

Artemis positioned his bow and pointed it everywhere as the creature might pop out from somewhere. Apollo drew his sword and held it tightly while Hermes just stood as he watched the surroundings. He's ready to fight the creature with his bare hands.

The rustling of the trees above them made the three gods' eyes turn above. They are ready to attack the moment the creature shows up. Eleena held her breath when someone landed in front of them. She cannot see what it is as Artemis and Apollo's backs are covering her eyes. She just prayed that these three gods can protect her even just for now. Anyway, she didn't mean her death wish earlier. She was just frustrated.

When the three gods saw who's in front of them, they withdrew their weapons and stood properly. Apollo looked at the person disappointedly and although he's used to his mischievous acts, he still cannot believe that he played them. Artemis glared at him but he just smirked at her proudly before winking at her.

"Is it dead?" Eleena whispered breathlessly.

Apollo and Artemis parted so Eleena saw another god in front of her with an annoying smirk. She can tell he's naughty based on his smirk alone.

"Eleena, this is Ares." Apollo said as he still stood close to her.