Thank you

I woke up and found myself in a huge room. There were at least twenty beds, lined in a row, and ten of them were occupied with injured people. Six children were aiding their wounds. This place looked like a hospital.

I realized that all my pain from the fight had subsided. I was feeling better and energetic. I tried to sit up but someone stopped me.

"Don't try to get up. You need to rest." Isabella said in a soft voice. I didn't notice her sitting beside my bed earlier.

"I am okay now." I said

"No, you're not. Now rest." she said with finality and I knew there wasn't any point arguing, she just won't accept 'NO'. So, I gave up.

"What happened?"

"You became unconscious." she said while she changed the bandage on my left hand. I didn't notice when I got wounded.

"No. I mean, what happened to the fight?"

As soon as I asked that question, her expression became deadly serious.

"Umm, nothing. You defeated the monster and then you became unconscious." she said and I knew she was holding back something.

"What is it, Isabella?" I demanded in a serious tone.

"Hecate... she don't want me to tell you this."

"Still, I want to know anyway." I said with determination and she heaved a despairing sigh.

"Adrian, the drakon... it was not Hecate's magic. It was not a copy... it...it was real. A real Lydian drakon. And Hecate suspects that the drakon was sent by... Ares." she said.

I just couldn't believe what she said. I fought the original Lydian drakon! No. This can't be. The drakon was so powerful even Hercules struggled to kill it.

I shook my head. "Look, you're saying that I really, literally fought 'the' Lydian drakon, the same one in the stories... "

"Yes."

"Then there's only one."

"Yes."

"And he died, like, a gajillion years ago, right? Hercules killed it. So... "

"Monsters don't die, Adrian. They can be killed. But they don't die."

"Oh, thanks. That clears it up."

"They don't have souls, like you and me. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Eventually, they re-form." she said in a low voice.

"Okay." I tried to change the topic. "So, why did Ares sent it here?"

"Probably to kill you." she said it so casually like even if I did die, it would be pretty normal and nobody would be affected by it. That thought was enough to cheer me up.

Isabella then, took a piece of eatable that looked like jelly and gestured me to have it.

I sat up and ate it without any objection. It felt really good like watermelon, my favorite fruit.

"Hmm. Why this tastes like watermelon?" I asked her.

"This is ambrosia*. The food of the gods. It tastes like your favorite food. Which, in your case, is a watermelon." she said.

Just then someone... something entered the sick room. It had a human body from waist up but the most disturbing part was that it had legs like a...a goat. Small horns were protruding on his head.

He came towards Isabella and whispered something in her ear. He then looked at me concerningly and then trotted outside.

Isabella noticed my confused look.

"Barton is a satyr*." she said.

"A Satyr," I repeated, feeling completely overwhelmed.

"That's it. I want to go home now."

Isabella frowned. "Don't you get it, Adrian? You 'are' home. This place... this valley is the only safe place on earth for kids like us."

"You mean, mentally disturbed kids?"

"I mean 'not human'. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human."

"Half-human and half-what?" I asked desperately. Though I knew the answer still I would be happy if someone comes and says that all this nonsense shit that I have been seeing is nothing true and I can go back home.

"I think you know the answer." Isabella said. I didn't want to admit it, but I was afraid I did.

"Face it, Adrian. You ARE a demigod, like it or not and that can't be changed." she said angrily and with finality. So, I guessed that was the end of our conversation. She handed me a glass, filled with a colourless liquid, not water, but something very different. Then she walked towards the door but halted at the door. She turned and came near me.

She looked calmly at me and I felt my face burning. I was blushing! I looked away, trying to prevent Isabella from seeing me blush.

I presumed she was going to yell at me or maybe say I am mentally unstable. Honestly, I would be just fine with those remarks. I had been told that a billion times in school by some bullies. And now, I am immune to all these insults.

But...what she actually did, was the last thing I thought she would do.

"Adrian, I'm sorry. I know, it's difficult for you." she paused for a moment.

"Thank you so much." she said and looked at me earnestly. She looked like an innocent little child, pleading her mom and dad to give her chocolates.

"When we were fighting the drakon," she continued. "it was the first time, I could control my charmspeaking power. And it was all because of you. So, thank you." she left just after saying that.

And I was left sitting idlly on the bed, staring at the door, dumbstruck.