The Legend of the Grim Reaper

CHAPTER 7 — Homerlus Patrol

"A bright day!" Alrodes said working over some ancient scripts.

"Good morning Alrodes" Julie, Andrew and Michael said in unison.

"How well are you?" Alrodes asked not looking up from his scripts.

"Awesome" Julie said. They all got seated around Alrodes.

"Where were you guys during this last one week?" Andrew asked.

"Would you make something for me to eat, so I'll have strength for your answers?" Alrodes finally looked up.

"Of course why not!" Julie said standing up.

"Michael could you help get some bush rats? And Andrew some woods and apples" Julie instructed.

"Can't you do that without Andrew?" Andrew complained.

"Serve the ladies without complaining" Michael jerked Andrew as the two friends laughed. They have missed each other's company.

Andrew and Michael went out of the woods together.

"So buddy tell me where you went to" Andrew began

"We went to Sorates"

"Sorates, where is Sorates?"

"Andrew let's leave the conversation for Alrodes, but I must say I enjoyed Sorates"

"Okay. I guess I'll have to wait then, for Alrodes to bring up the story"

"Yes. But meanwhile, I'll tell you about the lady who was so bent on seducing me to her passionate net of love"

"Whoa! Tell me" Andrew's eye brighten.

"Her name is Nephila. She almost jumped at seeing my elegant handsome self."

"Whoa! Did you take advantage?"

"No! I have Angela on my mind. It will be unfair to her."

"But Angela would never know."

"Yes, true she would never know, but I could not let Nephila's beauty sweep me to sleep with her."

"She is beautiful?"

"I must confess, far more beautiful than Angela, but I love Angela's beauty. Don't go telling Angela that I said some other lady was more beautiful than she was" Michael laughed.

"Of course not. I wish I was there, maybe I would have taken advantage"

"I know you're a silly boy. So your decisions will be sillier" Michael laughed.

He sighted a bush rat, with his arrow he caught it.

"This is big enough, isn't it?" Michael showed Andrew the meat.

"Of course, now let's head to the farm. We'll get apples" Andrew said.

As they moved to the farm they gathered woods along.

"Alrodes. I want to communicate with Steven" Julie said.

"Of course you can" Alrodes encouraged.

"I don't know how, but I made a communication device and it got through Madanland from Medronz" Julie wondered.

"Yes, that's the deity," Alrodes thought.

"Exclusive gift, keep it up!" Alrodes encouraged.

"Alrodes there is something I don't understand. I just constructed that device of no available source. It's weird. I need to understand some things" Julie dropped the pot of soup, walking towards Alrodes.

"You would know soon" Alrodes patted her hands.

"How soon?" She thought.

Andrew and Michael walked in.

"You're back. Kindly roast the meat and Andrew slice the apples." Julie delegated their duties.

Andrew followed Michael to the backyard. They did their duties together. Soon breakfast was ready. They had spicy soup full of meat with manna bread and some fried eggs. The apples were used as a dessert.

"Wow, so scrumptious" Alrodes complemented.

"Scrummy!" Andrew added

"Yeah, yummy!" Michael added.

They had their breakfast in silence. After eating.

"Now tell us about the adventures" Andrew began.

"Shouldn't I have at least a little rest?" Alrodes pleaded sitting on the sofa.

"Alright" Julie and Andrew echoed.

"Look here Michael, I made a communication device while you were away"

"Let me see it, inventor!" Michael asked.

Julie brought out a phone, just like the ones they used in Madanland.

"It's exclusive" Michael marveled.

"How does it work?" He asked.

"Just like a normal phone. But it is strange because Medronz is another world entirely. A magical land for that matter. Communication from Madanland to Medronz surprises me. Putting my sim card I can contact all my friends at Madanland, and they can call too" Julie explained quite puzzled herself.

"Whoa! Your inventions always marvel me, but you're quite correct, it's strange. Maybe you should ask Alrodes" Michael said.

"Alrodes said I'll find out soon!" Julie exclaimed.

"How soon?" Andrew asked.

"That's what am yet to find out," Julie said, resting her chin on her hands.

"Let's contact Egborton. We should receive news of what's going on at Madanland" Andrew said.

"Of course I had called earlier. The news still revolves around women disappearances. We need to get this mission moving." Julie said, then turned pale.

"What's it? Michael asked.

"I miss Steven" Julie said

"Call him then, have you tried calling him?"

"Yes, but he isn't picking," Julie said sadly.

"I think he has lost interest," Julie said

"Lost interest! I wouldn't like to believe that" Michael said.

"Steven! We'll deal with that soon. Julie just get your mind off there" Andrew added.

"Call him now!" Michael ordered.

Julie called Steven… The phone rang at Madanland

"Steven pick up your call," Teresa said, she was sitting close to Steven.

"Okay," Steven murmured.

"Hello," He said

"Hello, it's Julie. Steven, I am sorry I couldn't reach you all this while. Where I was needed to construct a communication device and I just did. I've missed you, Steven. I wish you were here to be near to me. I need you" Julie moaned.

"Julie, it's high time we get this straight. I'm breaking our engagement. I have a new fiancée. Julie, I am sorry, but I can't wait for you any longer"

"Steven!"

Steven had hung up.

Julie cried.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked.

"He broke our engagement. He has another lady. Oh am lost. I did love him, why?" Julie cried.

Michael consoled her, so also Andrew.

"What's wrong here?" Alrodes came in.

Michael explained.

"Do not worry my child. What just happened is a success and a good thing. You'll come to understand it." Alrodes consoled.

"My child cry no more." He added.

"Now let me disclose our adventures," Alrodes said, leading all of them to the field. They were all seated with a bowl of apple in their midst, listening attentively.

"We went to Sorates" Alrodes said.

"Sorates? Where is that?" Julie questioned.

Trying to get her attention to the news.

"Sorates is an empire, ruled by Mars god of war," Alrodes added.

"So that's where Michael got his lessons," Andrew said

"He must have found it interesting" Julie added

"Interesting? Well let's accept that, but the keyword is painful and tiring. Although adventurous" Michael said.

"Well we found out lots of things" Alrodes continued

"May we know?" Andrew showed interest.

"Of course," Michael said.

"But first we must prepare our weapons, cause after my meditation today, tomorrow we'll make the move. We'll be moving to Homerlus" Alrodes said

"Homerlus at last. Can we know about Homerlus? Julie asked.

"Yeah, but that will be after my meditation, better still tomorrow. But now we are going to be discussing our findings" Alrodes diverted the former aroused topic of Homerlus.

"So what was it you uncovered?" Julie questioned, now adjusting to the stories.

"Well, it is something I and my old friend Mars had known but had waited for today of all days to spell it out," Alrodes said demonstrating.

"We are all ears" They sang.

"Michael is a half-god of liberty and mysticism. He is a half-god of riches too. Half gods are always scattered by their parents to other worlds outside Medronz until their children get to know about their powers and how to control them. Better put, identities. So Michael found himself at Madanland, not only him. There are other half gods and goddesses there" Alrodes paused to see if there was a contribution or question.

"So you mean Michael's real parents are in Medronz and are gods?" Julie asked.

"Exactly" Alrodes affirmed.

"Well that's outrageous, so my best friend is a half-god. Well sounds interesting" Andrew marvelled.

"Well, the more findings and discoveries will be brought to you shortly after this mission or during this mission. Let's figure out Homerlus" Alrodes said.

"Yes, what about Homerlus?" Michael reached for an apple.

"Fadarela said during one of her last visits, that Homerlus is the same one that I knew"

"Meaning?" Julie popped out.

"Meaning, Homerlus isn't changed. You know I thought Grim Reaper went to create another Homerlus, but it's still the same existing Homerlus he went to."

"Homerlus! Does it have a god?" Andrew asked looking puzzled.

"It has. Grim must have defeated him. From my findings, Grim Reaper has overthrown Zela, the god of Homerlus and reigns in his stead. He holds all inhabitants of Homerlus as slaves. All working tirelessly for him, yet he is invisible most times. Always clothed or wrapped in green clouds, so irritating." Alrodes spat.

"So how do we get to Homerlus?" Michael questioned.

"We need the Mercator projection of Homerlus" Alrodes said thoughtfully.

"And what's that?" Julie volume in.

"It's a map that will bring us to Homerlus only with the aid of a gyroscope which would be found by the use of a locator" Alrodes explained calmly yet seriously.

"I don't understand," Michael said, his face mixed with confusion.

"I mean. I have the map (Mercator projection), but I don't have the gyroscope, and you must find the gyroscope. But I know how to get a locator" Alrodes said, a light of hope beamed in.

"How?" Andrew asked.

"Julie would create that." Julie looked with shock.

"But only under my instructions, though it will be pertaining to some things, greater production of the locator lies in Julie's hands," Alrodes said as she stood to pat Julie's shoulder comfortingly.

"Why do I have to do this?" Julie objected. She just wanted to be left alone now to sink in her pain.

"Julie you are not ordinary. You can do without me, but I choose to help, so get over this Steven, we have lives to save." Alrodes pushed out.

"Okay," She murmured, even though she didn't quite get a thing

"So what do we have to do" Michael referred to her and Andrew.

"We just have to postpone this mission, and get ready. In fact, we are already on this mission. Grim Reaper has to be taken unawares, we need to be fully prepared." Alrodes concluded.

Michael and Andrew sighed.

"Let's get to our work" Alrodes dismissed with a wave.

Julie produced the locator. It was like a compass, but it is a locator.

"Now that's alright, this doesn't need postponing, and we can journey as from tomorrow" Alrodes restructured.

Julie showed them all how the locator works.

"We need to make some swords" Alrodes arranged for that.

Michael took hold of his magical loden, mercerize cloth, his loaded mescaline bullet pistol and some other equipment.

Julie with her special chemicals, and communication devices.

All were set.

"We should be on our way," Alrodes announced. He has summoned Miranda and her sisters.

"Take care of my cottage. Tell my sons to take care of Nafitath. I'll be back, am off to fight the intruder of Nafitath." Alrodes said to Miranda.

"May the blessing of the gods follow you and bring you all alive and victorious." Miranda prayed.

"Amen" They all chorused then left.