Hippocoon land

By mid-afternoon, Heracles and Gwen were back at it, prying open more chests. Dust billowed with each creak of the hinges. Rusty lamps, silver badges, wooden plaques carved with Gwen’s family crest, ancient coins, and porcelain bowls faded with age piled up around them like small hills of forgotten history. “Gwen, come here!” Heracles’s voice rang out, sharper than before. He held something up, eyes bright. “I think this might be a magical stone!” “Where? Show me!” Gwen scrambled across the clutter, almost tripping over a chest lid. Heracles brushed aside a stack of old books and pulled free a dark crystal, placing it carefully into Gwen’s palm. Gwen turned it over in his hand, studying the dull surface. “Help me check this,” he said, passing it back. Heracles flipped quickly through the diary until he found a page covered in sketches. He held it beside the crystal. Gwen leaned closer, his grin faltering. “It matches… but it’s dead. No light left.” His voice was heavy, the words landin...

The search began. The first chest Heracles pried open groaned like an old man. Inside lay rows of swords, their blades dulled by rust. He lifted a few out, their weight heavy in his hands, but no shimmer of magic. Across the attic, Gwen pulled aside a lid and laughed softly. “Armor. Enough to outfit an army.” He stacked the pieces neatly beside Heracles’s weapons, shaking his head. “Still no stones.” Chest after chest fell open, each revealing something stranger than the last—tarnished goblets, maps inked with lands no longer on charts, and a pile of masks carved like beasts. The attic seemed endless, its dust hiding more than just forgotten things. Then Gwen froze. Beneath a heap of cracked shields, a small wooden box glimmered faintly where sunlight touched it. He pushed the clutter aside and pulled it free. “Heracles! Over here!” His voice carried a rare excitement. Heracles crossed the attic quickly and knelt beside him. Together they unlatched the box. Inside lay necklaces and bra...

But then… something changed. Through our bond—a bond that had grown stronger with every heartbeat—I began to sense a longing deep within Ailion’s soul. A word formed in my mind, not spoken yet certain: Home. It grew restless, vanishing into the woods for days before returning. When I finally asked where “home” was, the answer came as a whisper of thought: Beyond the sea. I feared the truth, but I could not deny it. One night, when I asked if it must go, Ailion’s reply burned through my mind: Yes. I could not sleep. After days of silence, I made my choice. If Ailion must return, then I would follow. We rose into the skies together at dawn. The world unfurled beneath us—forests vast as oceans, rivers twisting like threads of silver, mountain ridges lost in mist. When night came, we flew above the clouds, where the stars burned so close I thought I could reach them. But the sea was merciless. Storms rose with voices like gods in anger. Lightning tore the sky; waves clawed at us from below...

They climbed the last steps. Gwen shoved the trapdoor open with a grunt, pulled himself up, then reached down to clasp Heracles’s arm and haul him through. Heracles straightened, blinking. “By the gods… this place is massive.” His voice echoed faintly in the rafters. The attic stretched wide and dim, cluttered with rows of chests, baskets of parchment, and odd scraps of metal stacked without order. Dust veiled everything, so thick that even the light filtering through the roof panes looked tired and gray. “Impressive, isn’t it?” Gwen said with a crooked grin. He swept an arm at the chaos. “Behold, my family’s treasure hoard—or junk heap, depending on your mood.” Heracles gave a short laugh, then shook his head. “You weren’t joking. I don’t think I could find my way out alone.” “Good thing you’ve got me,” Gwen replied easily. He crossed to a small, plain chest tucked against the wall, no lock on its lid, just wood darkened with age. He crouched and brushed off the dust, leaving streaks ...

Heracles paused at the door and knocked. “Mother? It’s me.” “Come in, my son. The door is open,” Alcmene’s voice floated back, calm as always. He pushed the door wide. Sunlight poured through the window, casting a soft glow over Alcmene where she sat in her white gown, a book resting on the table beside her. She lifted her gaze to them, her face serene, almost ethereal. Heracles stepped closer. “Mother, I came to tell you—I’ll be going with Gwen to his home for a few days.” Alcmene’s eyes lingered on him a moment, then softened into a gentle smile. “Very well, Heracles. Go, then. May the journey be light.” “Thank you, Mother,” he said, bowing his head slightly, happiness flickering in his voice. “Good day to you, Queen Alcmene,” Gwen added, polite and warm. “Safe travels, both of you,” she replied, inclining her head. They left the chamber quietly, Heracles easing the door shut behind them. In the living room, Amelinda was waiting. Her eyes flicked between the boys and the small bag He...

Before Heracles could retort, a knock came at the door. “Heracles—Gwen, are you in there?” Amelinda’s voice called. “Yes, we’re here,” Heracles replied, rising to open the door. “Hi, Amelinda,” Gwen greeted smoothly, flashing a bright smile. “Hi, Gwen. I heard you just arrived,” she said as she stepped inside, eyeing the table with curiosity. “Fresh off the carriage,” Gwen said lightly. “And already dragging Heracles into trouble.” Heracles muttered, “He’s not wrong.” Amelinda folded her arms. “Then why lock the door?” “Obviously,” Gwen said with mock gravity, “because we were sharing the deepest secrets of manhood.” “You’re not men. You’re just boys,” she teased, lips curving. “True,” Gwen said, pointing at Heracles. “He’s a boy. I’m a boy genius.” Heracles groaned again. “Ignore him.” Amelinda arched a brow, looking between them. “You’re not hiding something from me, are you?” “Nope,” Gwen said instantly, too fast. Then he softened it with a grin. “Unless you count how many sweets I ...

Silence lingered, thick. Then Gwen’s grin crept back, sly and secretive. He shot a glance at the door, rose, and slid the latch into place. When he turned again, his voice was hushed, almost conspiratorial. “Forget waiting for your mystery armor to make up its mind,” he said, eyes gleaming. “I’ve got something better. A journey. I’m leaving soon—and I want you with me.” Before Heracles could reply, Gwen’s space ring pulsed. A roll of brittle parchment shimmered into view, landing on the table with a soft thud. Heracles narrowed his eyes. “What’s that?” “A map.” Gwen unrolled it carefully, the parchment cracking faintly with age. His finger pressed to the center. “Here. Aurelia Isle. The old tales call it the Isle of the Sky-Beasts.” Heracles leaned in. The island’s outline was uncanny—an eagle’s head carved into the sea, beak jutting east, the rest of it adrift and alone in endless waters. “And here’s us,” Gwen added, tapping the coast on the far edge of the parchment. Heracles frowned...

Over the next few days, the household slipped back into its rhythm. Aunt July vanished often, leaving at dawn for business in town and returning only when the lamps were lit. Lena busied herself with meals, humming as she chopped herbs, her laughter spilling now and then from the kitchen. Alcmene remained serene, dividing her time between her books and the roses that bloomed beneath the eaves, their fragrance wrapping her in quiet solitude. Amelinda, however, withdrew. When she wasn’t with Heracles, she shut herself away, bent over tasks she never explained—ink stains on her fingertips, strange powders lingering on her desk. Heracles alone could not settle. He drifted from room to room, restless. Sometimes he lingered with his mother, listening to her voice while she read aloud, though his thoughts wandered. Sometimes he tapped at Amelinda’s door, curious, only to be waved off with a distracted smile. Most often, he found himself outside, beneath the eaves, watching the Old Gardener te...

Meanwhile, Heracles and Amelinda walked back down the corridor to his room. Heracles pushed the door open, set the wooden box beside his bed, and dropped heavily onto the mattress. Amelinda lingered near the window, her expression tight, watching him. For a while neither spoke. Then Heracles broke the silence. “It vanished. Just like that. Why would armor choose me… only to disappear?” Amelinda leaned forward, her brows drawn. “Not disappear. Hide. That’s what it felt like. The spell was intentional.” Heracles sat up, restless. “So it’s still here? On me? Inside me?” “Maybe,” she said slowly. “The letter mentioned a binding charm—to ensure no one else could use it. That doesn’t sound like a prank. It sounds like protection.” He rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. “Then how do I bring it back? There must be a way. A word, a sign—something.” Amelinda crossed her arms, thinking. “Some enchantments answer to commands. Others to emotions. We don’t know which. Not yet.” Heracles gave a fr...