Chapter 24: November 4th, 1927

“What is it that you have?” Ariadne asked Toha as they sat in their living room.

“Something that belongs to my family. I have to go and repair it, but it is something that I think our daughter will like. I am just adding the finishing touches to it.”

The comfort of the living room in the home of Ariadne and Toha was peaceful and enjoyable. Everything seemed to be well. It was in the middle of the day as the sunlight tried to come through the shades of the two-bedroom home in Nevada. It was hot that made Toha himself debate about taking off his shirt and go bare-chested with the blue pants he wore.

Ariadne, the goddess of weaving, the goddess of labyrinths, the goddess of wine, the goddess of fertility, many words can describe her. The Greek goddess came from a family of minotaurs that dated back thousands of years ago. Being the only survivor of her family from the destructive force known as Cataclysm, she serves the Coalition of Deities to this day. Her story is well known, or at least those that do know her. During World War 1, she tried to stop the rogue mythic named Frieshutz as he made his valiant escape to destinations unknown.

Helping her along the way was her future husband and lover Toha Smith, a World War 1 veteran and half Native American that chose to be with her for the rest of his natural life. It seemed as if destiny was guiding him, but there was more to it than just that. It was as if other forces and mythics were trying to ensure that they met and be together.

Of course, none of that was necessary at the moment. The enclosed confines of the home allowed Ariadne to be in her natural form instead of her human form. The eight-foot-tall walking bovine wore her thin green tunic as she sat on the chair. Her fur was brown with a streaking flowing hair that traveled down her shoulders. She had a tail considerably similar to any bovine in general, and she towered over her husband as she was 8 feet in height. Using her powers of fertility, Ariadne decided that enough was enough. She had lived a life of 500 years and not had a child since Cataclysm wiped out all her children. She had enough time to mourn and move on. Almost nine years ago, she gave birth to a child that she named Theoxena.

“Can I see it?” Ariadne asked as she sat on the couch of the living room. She carefully placed her glass of wine on the table as she opened her hand to receive what Toha had.

“It is a tomahawk that belonged to my grandfather,” he said as he leaned over from his adjacent chair and handed it to her. “I don’t know much of the history since he himself never spoke much about it. I figure that with the mythics and well ... I think our child can use it.”

Ariadne went and pressed her large forefinger to the tomahawk’s blade. She rubbed her finger on it as it didn’t do anything to her skin. She then inspected the rest of the wood and flipped it around a little bit.

She spoke with a slight Greek accent as she handed the tomahawk back to Toha as he himself placed it on the table. “It will work well. Make sure that you coat the blade in mystic silver so that way it can be used on other rogue mythics. Make sure that the handle is bigger so that she can handle it as she grows up,” she gestured to him as she showed her large hands.

“Of course,” Toha reacted.

The sun seemed to make the home hotter than it was supposed to. He rested on his soft recliner chair as he pulled out the book and was about to read again.

“How are you, husband?” she asked him as she took her glass of wine and swished around a little bit before taking a drink.

“I am doing alright,” Toha said as he played with the pendant that he wore on his neck.

She watched him closely taking note of the event. “You are fiddling with that pendant again,” she remarked. “Something troubles you. I know that last night you were still arguing and yelling at nothing. If you have any problems, talk to me, please.”

“It’s ... the war. I had a dream where I saw my comrades getting shot around me. It is ... difficult to shake it off.”

She put her glass of wine on the table again. She reached her hand to him as he looked at it. “I know that it hasn’t been easy for you. The war might have ended almost nine years ago, but for everyone, it was like yesterday.”

“I heard somebody used the term Shell Shock for it. It describes the artillery that fell around me and causing people to go insane. It seemed like it never ends. I hadn’t had that dream since the war ended so long ago. I hear...”

She went and grabbed his hand as he held her hand back hard. “I know love ... it’s ok. You are safe here.”

“I should be braver ... I should be, I come from a people that are fearless and...”

“I remember the man that went with me to stop another mythic dear husband. You did that. You went into a German bunker to go and stop him. You told me the stories of you going into trenches and everything. I have never met a man more fearless than you. It was many reasons why I fell in love with you.”

Toha took her words to heart. “I know ... you are right. I just wish the nightmares would end. It just feels so strange that I have gone this long without the nightmares, and now that I had it again, I wish for it to be gone forever.”

“The only way we are fighting it is being together. That is why we are together. We will never leave you, Toha.”

Toha hadn’t released the grip on her hand. “I am happy we are together, my beloved goddess.”

Ariadne paused a little bit as she took a deep breath. “You know I wonder ... Se:he, you haven’t mentioned much about him in the last few years.”

“Yeah, I know. I just felt like not talking about him, that’s all.”

“Yet you fiddle with your pendant. It’s like you wanted to do more, but you don’t feel like it.”

Toha sighed. “What is there to say about it? I used his powers since we were last in the fight in that bunker. I don’t want to talk to him.”

“I mean that you don’t consult him when it comes to your nightmares. He might be able to help you out in all this. You do have him inside you, you know?”

“Yes ... but it’s unusual to have a spirit inside you that you talk to all the time. It’s like talking to your reflection in the mirror.”

“I can understand a little bit. You are not the only one that has had spirit conjoining. Usually, though, it is in the form of spirit possession. Ugh ... I hate having to deal with those too. Spirit tries to take over a person, and we have to fight them.”

“How do you fight that?” he asked.

“Simple ... well mostly simple. It really depends on the type of spirit. Sometimes we can do exorcisms depending on the mythic that is doing it. Simple magic can be used, legendary items that we have can do it too. One of the most interesting cases was our kangaroo mythic Minawara that used the Dreamtime to eradicate an evil spirit in a child. I didn’t even think it was possible.”

“A kangaroo god?”

“Yes, Minawara is the god of creation ... well mostly; he is one of our aborigine mythics in Australia. I like him. That guy can shoot pretty damn well too.”

“I have to agree with Daiyu that you might need to consider switching to a gun sometimes.”

Ariadne looked at her glass of wine and then tossed some of it into Toha’s direction. “That is what I think about that. I like my trident.”

“Daiyu is right,” he said as he wiped some of the wine off his shirt. “I mean, look at Frieshutz and what he did with a gun. He managed to put a hole into Sárkány. Thankfully he had his armor to protect part of him.”

“That dragon can take the hits ... he always does.”

“Still, I want to make sure that our child knows how to use a gun. It could make a difference between life and death. The Coalition of Deities has all these magical weapons, yet the humans have range and guns. Imagine that one armored car you assaulted was using mystic silver rounds. You would have been gunned down in a second.”

“You really do sound like Daiyu now ... ugh ... I will think about it. I am not against you teaching our child firearms, but I like my trident. Besides, it feels good to throw it. It just feels right doing it.”

“That coming from a goddess that can send a person into a magically created labyrinth.”

She went and pointed her finger at him. “You know, I still have never been able to do it to a mythic yet. Takes too damn long to cast it, and one time I actually tried to use it, and it bounced off of him and did nothing. I was so pissed off. I still remember Adnoratina getting pissed off of that one...” she paused for a second. “Oh ... he is another Australian god, by the way. That guy and his temper. Every time he throws a fit, we have to have two of our own dogpile on him, so he doesn’t go stupidly attacking random people. How can a gecko god carry that much anger?”

“Ha,” Toha laughed.

Ariadne looked at him as she smiled. “It’s nice to see you laugh. I will have to make sure we get more of our guys to show up so they can entertain us. A good laugh might be good for our daughter.” The minotaur took her hand as she combed her hair down a little bit. “Are you still interested in heading over with me to Taweret’s annual party?”

“Yeah, why not? Sounds fun. Will this be the first time you will take Theo to it?”

“Yes, if she is interested. Trust me, that hippo knows how to have fun. Gets even crazier when Hathor shows up.”

Ariadne released Toha’s hand as she reached over and grabbed her glass. With a snap of her finger, the cup was full of wine again as she took a sip and rested the glass on her fur covered leg.

“Hathor? Oh yeah, the other minotaur that you know.”

“Yep,” Ariadne nodded as she looked away as if in deep thought. “That bovine is crazier than I am. I have seen her bring this plant that she told Renenutet ... erm, one of our harvest goddesses to make. She doesn’t tell us what the plant does, but she took the leaves and started putting it in our drinks. Of course, most of us didn’t know what she was doing, but after that, we were on the floor for hours laughing like mad mythics.”

“Really? ... Must be some good shit...”

“Hathor ... yeah, I like her too.”

“Who shows up for those parties anyway?”

“Usually those that are not on missions. Not everyone goes to them, those Hindu deities are hard to get into it, but some of them do show up. Some of our mythics, though, are really good at the parties. Baron Samedi is always great, especially with his skeleton dancers.”

“Baron Samedi?”

“Oh, you will know him as you see him. Yeah, Haiti and some of the other cultures really like him, and how couldn’t you? For a walking pile of bones, he is charming. All of us participate in the party. Mythics bring their human companions, lovers, mates, and we share our stories. It is a time of fun and understanding. Everyone that doesn’t normally fight in combat gets to contribute something. Me ... I always bring the wine,” she said as she lifted her drink in the air before downing it and setting it on the table.

“It’s funny that after all of this time, I just heard of these parties you guys have. Why is that?”

“No,” the minotaur shook her head. “Taking care of our daughter, and being together, I needed some natural space. The good news is that since Theo is old enough, we can finally go back and enjoy the whole party again. I heard that Xuanwu ... you know her, right?” she asked him as he nodded. “Yeah, anyways, Xuanwu has been asking that we try to make some baseball game get together instead of just a party. I am not against it, but since we always have mythics coming and going, it will be difficult to make things more stable for sports games.”

“How would you get away with having the games in an open environment without mankind seeing it?”

“Most likely the same way as we do it ... freeze time, create a pocket of another universe or reality, or find an isolated area on Earth to set up the game.”

Toha shook his head. “Somehow, I have a hard time picturing gods playing baseball.”

“Right now, it would be, but when it does, you will be the first to see it, I assure you.”

Toha got up from his chair as he went to stretch his legs. He felt the blood begin to recirculate on his legs as he stretched his arms out.

“I got to admit ... maybe I should get some sunshine,” Ariadne commented. “I wonder if Theo should come?”

“I agree. Let’s all go outside.”

Toha looked at his surroundings. The inside home of the place was spacious for the living room to accommodate the more significant height of Ariadne and his growing daughter. It was a two-bedroom house almost parked on the edge of Sun Valley, Nevada, a well-isolated area for the two to spend their time together and raise a child in peace.

“You know,” Ariadne said as she stood up and looked at the home. “It will be nice to see our child start to work with the human environment more. She will have to keep up her human appearance, but it will be a good learning experience for her.”

Toha went up to his hat rack as he pulled out a good hat for him to wear. He chooses a cowboy hat to wear as he slipped it on. He looked at his green shirt and blue jeans and felt that they were good enough to wear outside.

“Yeah, I think they would notice that,” he paused for a short bit as he looked at the tomahawk on the living room table. “I think I might as well give this to her... , “ he quietly said as he walked up and stuffed the tomahawk behind him on his belt.

“Come on, let’s go outside,” Ariadne beckoned again.

Toha stepped back as Ariadne lifted one hand. With a simple gesture, a bright light emitted from her form. Her body shrank down in size as the light faded quickly. Within moments she now stood as a blond woman with a beautiful dress on. She looked at herself and nodded. She looked like a typical Greek woman from the ancient Greek time period.

“Beautiful as always,” Toha remarked. “We are missing one thing, though... , where is our daughter?”

Ariadne went and took a look at the closed door that led to her room. She took a deep breath and called out her name.

“Theoxena! Come on out!” she looked at Toha. “She’s probably asleep or taking a nap. I imagine she would have heard our conversation earlier and come out by now.”

“Mom!” they heard a lighter voice call out in response. Ariadne nodded upon hearing it.

“Dear, we are heading outside. Mind if you come for a walk with us?”

“Sure thing!” an excited young female voice came from the other side of the door. Toha listened closely as they heard the sound of hooves smacking the wooden floor planks of the home as she ran to the door to meet her parents.

Within ten seconds of the announcement from their parents, the door to Theo’s room opened up. Toha was greeted by a little girl that stood before them. The minotaur stood at almost four feet in height. She had white and black spotted fur that covered her body. She wore a pink velvet-like coat dress that ran from her shoulders down to her legs. She had a pink ribbon on the left side of her black hair by her ear and horn. The was an adorable smile on her face as she had her hands behind her back.

“How’s my baby girl doing?” Toha asked her as Ariadne looked down at her.

“Doing well, dad. I want to go for a walk,” she replied.

“Come on then,” Toha told her.

“Eh!” Ariadne interrupted them. “Theo, remember what we always trained you. What is the rule when we go outside?”

“Always be human with the other humans, mom.”

“Good,” Ariadne said as she patted her on the head.

Ariadne watched and enjoyed the scene as countless times as before. Theo emitted a white glow from her body as her form shifted. She was no longer the minotaur as she was before, but a three-foot-tall human girl with the same signature black hair. Toha nodded as he reached his hand out to his daughter. She grabbed his hand in return. They walked up to the door and rotated the knob to open the door.

The door opened up as the sunlight began to flood into the home. Toha had to avert his eyes as he walked outside to the porch with his daughter next to him. Ariadne closed the door as she stepped out.

The wooden planks creaked a little bit as their weight pressed down on it. The home on the outside was simple in design. Toha didn’t care how the home looked like. It came down to Ariadne’s personal opinion on the house as well. It consisted of a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a storage room. Outside the home were the partial green and sandy landscape of the Nevada landscape. The home connected to a dirt road that led to other houses of the neighborhood. Their goal, however, was to head the other way, which led to the vast sand and dirt.

“It seems nowadays us mythics start to find more and more remote places to live,” Ariadne commented. “It’s like for us, we find a human mate, and then we live together and do everything we can to avoid human contact.”

“Isn’t that the idea, though?” Toha asked. “I mean, I wanted to live here so I can get away from people too.”

“Yeah ... but with some mythics, they just prefer to be away from humans in general, and that is getting harder and harder to do. Xuanwu is right. Even the skies are being claimed by you humans. We used to be able to take flight so easily but not with aircraft. We just get spotted the moment we take to the air.”

They stepped around the house and began to leave from their backyard to the sandy wooded area. Beyond it, there was no human civilization for miles and miles.

“Dad,” Theo called out to him.

“Yes,” he replied, looking at her as they walked.

“Tell me about the pendant and what it means.”

“I told you this story before, though.”

“She likes this story,” Ariadne replied.

“Alright... , “ he replied to his daughter as they walked. “The pendant is a part of my family. It is the person who walks the maze or the man of the maze. The tale is part of our family history and the importance that it stands to me ... and to you.”

“Am I Native American?” Theo asked.

“Yes,” he replied while looking at Ariadne. “My blood runs through you. You are part of that lineage.”

Theo smiled as she looked at her father. They walked past some trees as the sun beat down on them. Toha could smell the dust kicked up when a small breeze kicked in.

“Father, is it true about the man of the maze being a part of you now?” Theo asked.

“Yes, he is. I can summon him at will. I use his magic to control and manipulate the sands around me.”

“And more young one,” Ariadne added. “So much more, he just has to explore it.”

“Yeah...” Toha hesitantly replied. Toha seemed to frown a little bit as his daughter saw his facial reaction.

“What’s wrong dad?” his daughter asked.

“It’s nothing ... I haven’t used those powers in a long time.”

“Why are you so sad about having magic, dad? Mom has magic.”

“It’s because a spirit inhabits him, dear,” Ariadne tried to explain. “He is afraid...”

“I am afraid that if I keep using it, then I will become something else that I don’t want to be.”

“Mom told me that you used your magic to fight before in the past? Right, father?”

Toha nodded. “Yes, I did. The magic feels great to use, but ... it’s not me, though. I feel his presence within me when I do. I start to feel like I am someone else when it happens. I just ... don’t want to experience that unless it is necessary.”

“I understand, father.”

“Heh,” Toha smiled. He was reminded of something. “Theo, I have something I need to give to you.”

“What is it, dad?”

“Come with me to the nearest tree here.”

Theo let go of her father’s hand as she ran up to one of the many Joshua trees. She approached it and turned around as she saw her mother and father slowly reach up to her.

“My dearest daughter,” Toha said. “I wanted to give this to you. Close your eyes.”

She replied as she closed her eyes and awaited her father’s commands.

“Now hold out your hands. Don’t peek. I see you trying to open them.”

She nodded again as she held out her hands. She was greeted with the feeling of a wooden handle that landed on her hands. This caused her to open her eyes in reflex. She saw what looked like a small ax.

“A gift to you from my grandfather,” Toha explained to his little girl. “This is a tomahawk that belonged to him. It is a family heirloom that belonged to him. He told me that he used it once or twice, but not much after that. This is yours now.”

Theo went and inspected the tomahawk that was in her hands. She naturally got next to the tree and began to swing the tomahawk at the tree lightly. The small blade cut into the bark as she did a series of light swipes at it.

“Now be careful with that,” Toha explained. “The tomahawk’s handle is weak. It needs to be fixed. I also need to make other adjustments to it as well. For now, though, it’s yours.”

“I will also add that the tomahawk’s blade cannot hurt you or me at this time, but it can still hurt your father or any human for that matter. Your dad is going to be adding something that eventually. Whatever the case is, be careful when you swing it.”

“I understand, mom,” Theo said. There seemed to be a joy in her eyes as she stopped swinging it and looked back at her father. She adorably hugged her father as she gripped the handle with one hand. Ariadne looked at the environment and nodded.