Chapter 5: Where on the world we are? (part 3)

“What do you mean?” said Gwen at one while Heracles chose not to speak. He kept silent, carefully observed.

“You mean that the symbols are a sorted by rank, right?” said Heracles, raised his voice at the end. He kept looking on Amelinda.

“Yes – It’s what I want to say. You can see – the thunderbolt, the most powerful symbol belonging to god Zeus is placed at the center while the trident, the symbol of god Poseidon and the Cap of Invisibility, the symbol of god Hades have to stand around it. Then eagle, owl, vulture, bull and Cerberus were next to them. The farther away from the center the less famous symbols.” said Amelinda gently.

“And,” she stopped, looked toward a standing stone. “There on the standing stones also have symbols of the twelve Olympians.” she said slowly.

“Really?” said Gwen, gave her a suspicious looking.

“You can see them.” said Amelinda. Her eyes took on standing stones.  Gwen stood still looking to Amelinda for a while then made his way to one of standing stone. Heracles also went to take a look. Stood in front of the standing Heracles felt even smaller. He didn’t think that the standing stone was so enormous. It’s not difficult for him and Gwen to see symbols there. They were deep carved on body of the standing stones, bigger and more complex. Heracles carefully observed the symbols and suddenly discovered the symbols there only belonged to an Olympian. Gwen who was next to him also seemed to realize something.

“Those, symbols belong to goddess Athena.” Heracles spoke up, turned to Gwen.

“You’re right Heracles.” the voice of Amelinda behind their back. Gwen and Heracles turned back at one and saw Amelinda walking forward them.

“What do you discover Amelinda?” said Heracles. He frowned.

“Not much but I think each standing stone here represents each god or goddess.” said Amelinda gently.

“You mean that the twelve standing stones represent the twelve Olympians.” said Gwen, staring at her. Heracles also looked at her, waited for her answer.

“Yes,” she said shortly.

Hurriedly Gwen and Heracles made their way to other standing stones. Heracles walked toward the standing stone to his right, Gwen turned to left. The standing stone Heracles come seemed to represent god Zeus. There at the highest position was a thunderbolt. Behind it were eagle, bull and oak. They looked very real that Heracles could felt power from them. He stay there a while then made his way go to the next standing stones. The next standing stone was also enormous but it’s smaller than the standing stone represented god Zeus and it represented goddess Hera, the queen of gods, goddesses and Zeus’s wife. Heracles didn’t spend much time there he hurriedly stepped to other standing stones after to realize the symbols. He walked into circle and at last met Gwen at the standing stone representing goddess Hestia opposite Athena’s. Heracles looked at his friend. “What did you find?” he asked.

“Poseidon, Apollo, Ares, Aphrodite, Hermes, the symbols of them on standing stones. And here the symbols of Hestia” said Gwen, “What did you discover?” Gwen’s curious.

“Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Artemis, Hephaestus.” Heracles answered.     

“So the twelve Olympians’ symbols all are here.” said Gwen thoughtfully.

“Yes, they are.” said Amelinda.

Gwen and Heracles quickly turned back.

“But what are these things for? Do you know it?” squealed Gwen, looked at Amelinda expectating.

“I don’t know.” said Amelinda shortly.

“Heracles,” said Gwen, turned to him.

Heracles looked at him, shrugged his shoulders. “Dunno.” he said.

“It seemed to belong to some ancient culture.” Amelinda spoke up, “Very ancient and may be isolated. I have never seen them in any of book I’ve read.” She turned thoughtful.

“Whatever.” Heracles spoke up. His voice turned heavy, “Where are we now and how can we turn back our homes?”

“We should find a place to have meal and rest. It will be dark soon.” said Amelinda thoughtfully.

“You’re right.” said Heracles. His voice lowered “We should do a camp.” he added.

“Okay,” Gwen spoke up, “I and Heracles will go finding something to make camp. We also wander watching around in case we can discover this place. I think you should stay here and help us watch on our bags.” He made his way take his bag, put it together with the others’.

“Alright -- I will here.” said Amelinda.

“We go Heracles.” said Gwen.

“We’ll be back soon” said Heracles, looked at Amelinda.

Then he and Gwen walked. The place they were wide green meadow and the standing stone – circle was at middle of it. Far away at one side of the meadow was a forest. Heracles and Gwen walked passing the meadow walked straight to it. Amelinda stood still seeing their shapes turned smaller and smaller then latter disappeared behind the trees. After they went in forest few seconds, Amelinda let their bags on ground she went around to explore the place. She took the way opposite Heracles and Gwen’s and quickly got to the meadow’s edge. It seemed to be a peninsula or an island that place because there was a rocky beach next to the meadow. She stood there at the meadow’s edge looking down the rooky beach, overlooking the vast sea. She listened to the waves hit on the rocks a while then turned back to the standing stones. The standing stones were not random appeared there. Took the bags on hands, Amelinda observing them one more time then bring the bags to go heading to the forest. When she reached to forest’s edge, she stopped laid the bags down, found the way to sit down, rested her back waiting for Heracles and Gwen.

Few minutes later, Heracles and Gwen emerged from the forest, brought big bundles of both dry and fresh tree branches with them. They quickly saw Amelinda sitting under a tree her back leaning on the trunk. They turned the way to her.

“Amelinda – why do you come here?” said Heracles, laid his bundle down.

“I’m waiting for you. We will camp here.” said Amelinda.

“We camp here?” said Gwen, put the down branches on his arms.

“Yes, this place.” Amelinda stressed, “Please, help me clear grasses on ground.”

“Okay, let it for us.” said Heracles.

Then they started clearing grasses on ground. By some way Heracles and Gwen had prepared small shovels and the moment get them from their space rings. It took long time for them to clear an area enough wide for camping. Heracles started digging holes after that while Gwen turned to bundle of branches, chose some then put them into holes his friend did create. He made the tent frame. Amelinda also help him a hand. She used ropes, tied branches together. The frame looked nice and firm when it was completed. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda stepped backward few feet admiring their result.