14 Narcissus

The path at my feet faded as it lead me into the darkness of the woods. My feet followed the narrow strip of naked earth among the giants of root and leaf.

I let my hands touch their skin as I passed, feeling their gentle spirits soothe my own. A smile crept onto my visage.

Living in Ancient Greece was therapeutic. The best retirement plan an old man similar to me could ever ask for.

Before long, I was in front of a small pond. It had a calmness from its core to the lull in the clear water.

Beside the pool of water was the other side of the forest that I had never ventured into. My sisters and mothers had warned me to never ever step ahead of the dividing pond.

So I was hesitant to ever step in. A part of me wanted to run over there but the other one slapped that part away.

Half of the stories in Greek Mythology took place because either Zeus fucked someone or some character disobeyed a certain warning.

Near the clear laden pond, a young man sat on a smooth rock, his back bent as his eyes peered into the sky reflecting water.

A smile formed on my face. This was Narcissus, my only male friend. The perfect friend one could ask for in Greek Mythology.

Just like every other day, he stared into the water. I kept a basket of fruits near his legs. The man silently slid his hand inside and grabbed an apple.

Biting into it, he smiled.

"He looks beautiful even when eating apples."

I scratched my neck a little. The problem with Narcissus is that he does not realize that the person in the reflection is himself.

It's a little weird. There are many versions of this story. It's actually pretty confusing.

In one of the versions, Narcissus was cursed by Aphrodite, the Goddess of Beauty and Love. In this version, Narcissus rejected the nymph, Echo, and broke the hearts of many others.

In a different version, Narcissus was cursed by Nemesis after he rejected an arrogant Chinese young master known as Ameinias. Then gay man pleaded to the Goddess of Revenge to curse him.

Then Zeus... then Artemis...

However, since I am here in real-life. I know the truest version. Narcissus is cursed by them all and the Gods are not aware of that too.

After all, for them, the lives of others do not matter. After cursing, they simply forget about it. Job over for them.

In case they do realize... they do not care much about the tragic fate befallen upon their subjects.

They only care about their images rather than who was right or wrong... if angered... then perspective does not matter to them.

I unknowingly clenched my fists a little. It was annoying. They behaved like a bunch of babies instead of how rulers of Heaven should.

From the corner of my eyes, I glanced at Narcissus as he ate the apples happily. A smile crept onto my face.

All that this young man wanted to do was hunt by himself, and enjoy nature... but the fates did not allow it.

He was too handsome and so everyone bothered the man in order to sleep with him.

It was pretty much a double standard. In the beginning, Narcissus told everyone off politely but when someone would be too forceful, he was a little harsher.

Women do that all the time but the one time a man did it... this was the fate that befell him.

A sigh escaped my mouth as I sat beside the handsome young man, a tragic character in a world of fairies and gods.

He ate the last of the apples and spoke in a low tone.

"Thank you for the apples Mex. I was very hungry."

Of course, he was. He would never look away from his reflection, in fear of never being able to see it again.

In the end... he would not even for a moment move away from the spot.

It was pitiful. In every version, one thing is the same. Narcissus realizes that his love for himself would never be reciprocated, melting away from the fire of passion burning inside him.

Eventually turning into a gold and white flower.

In fact, it had already started. I could feel it. Narcissus had begun to realize. Some would ask me why I have never tried to change his fate.

Firstly, it is not like I have not. Many a time I told him that the image in the mirror was himself but all to naught.

Secondly, curses can not be broken, withdrawn, or removed.

Thirdly, even if a curse is somehow broken... the gods may realize and direct their attention, and knowing how they are it is better to not make an enemy out of them.

If I am correct then the Blade of Olympus has the respective power to alter reality which includes the ability to break curses.

Rumors are that the blade is lost but some say that Zeus still has it, hidden away from prying eyes.

This was getting a little annoying. I pressed my forehead lightly, massaging it.

*Gulp....gulp...gulp...*

Narcissus began to drink water from the spring. I looked at the young man and nodded to myself. At least everything is fine for now.

He had bright golden hair and unnaturally pale white skin. Even more than my own. It was similar to bleach itself and his eyes for the last part were a glimmering shade of orange.

I knelt on the grass as I looked into the pond. An urge to throw stones crept into my mind but doing that would create ripples and that would make Narc panic.

*Swoosh!!*

Oops.

Narcissus's eyes widened as he began to scream similar to a maniac, crying and growling but then the ripples became lulled again... calming the boy.

Heh. I can do this all day.

It was very much similar to a schizophrenic patient in my opinion. Of course not all that intense, just a small percentage.

My body relaxed as I prone over the grass. A congregation of clouds lit up the blue, each of them drifting across the skies.