Traveler, Lost

A man walks on the side of the road.

I’m not sure where to begin. I’m not sure where anything began. All I know is I have been traveling for as long as I can remember. I’ve never been tired. I’ve never been hungry. I haven’t even been that bored. I’ve seen most of the world and It’s beautiful.

There’s something I’m searching for; I can feel it. I don’t know what it is, but I know I’m closer now than I’ve ever been. I know that if I keep moving, I will find it.

“Hey there, young traveler.” Says a man slowly driving down the road I walk aside.

“Need a ride?”

“I’m alright. Thanks.”

His wife, who I hadn’t noticed at first, leans into view.

“Oh, come on, you look like you’ve been walking forever!”

“Yeah, where are you heading to?”

“I’m looking for something.”

“It’s getting dark. We live on a farm just a few miles up the road. Why don’t you come with us, spend the night, and continue your search in the morning?”

Normally I’d say no to this. I was about to say no to this. Just as I was, something caught my eye; something from above. Something quick, and then it was gone. Something that compelled me to say yes.

“Okay. Just the night.”

“Great! Hop on in” said the man, unlocking his doors.

As I ride in the back seat, I realize this is the first time I’ve moved without using my legs. I’m not moving my feet, but I’m moving faster than I ever have. I look out the window at the sky. What was that? Why do I feel this way?

Why am I?

Where do I need to go?

Guide me.

Later that evening. Dinner is served.

I can’t remember having a warm meal before. It tastes like dry sand, but I can’t tell them that. These are kind people. For the first time ever, I don’t feel compelled to go somewhere else. I feel like I’m finally where I’m supposed to be, but why?

The man begins to spark conversation.

“So, what is it that you’re looking for, young man?”

“Um, I don’t know exactly. I just know I’ll know when I find it.”

“That’s quite vague. How long have you been searching for?”

How long have I been searching for this? How long have I been alive? I don’t even know my name.

“As long as I can remember.”

I wonder if this food really tastes good, or if they actually made it with dry sand.

“You’ve barely touched your food.”

“I don’t usually eat much”

“Do you ever sleep during your search?”

I don’t know what sleep feels like, but I know I can’t tell them that.

“Sure, I sleep sometimes.”

“Well, we don’t have an extra guest room, but we set up a cot for you out in the barn. It should be pretty comfortable.”

“Thank you. No one has ever shown me this kind of hospitality before.”

The man’s wife speaks.

“With all the craziness that’s been going on in the world, we want to be as kind as possible to everyone our paths may cross.”

I wanted to ask what she meant, but I already have enough questions on my mind.

“Thank you.”

Maybe some alone time is what I need.

“If it’s alright with the both of you, I’d like to retire to that barn now.”

“Of course.”

Night. The barn.

Why has my body never needed sleep? What is it that I’m searching for? And why do I feel so close to it now? It feels like it’s… right above me.

There It is.

On a perch in the barn, an owl.

“Are you what I’ve been searching for?”

Why did I expect an answer?

It’s a magnificent owl.

I’ve seen owls before, but this one is different, like it knows something. I can feel it’s presence.

The owl flies out of the barn. Where is it going? I must know.

Outside the barn, there are cattle.

What funny creatures. So silly, yet so useful.

All my life, everything has felt strange and foreign to me, like I don’t belong here, but everything about this feels…

Familiar.

The owl is still here, flying above me.

Does this owl know me?

I put my hand out to the night sky. This is the first time I have felt so close to figuring it all out.

The owl flies around me for a moment, as if it was deciding. I stand still, waiting. I’ve never been so still.

Finally, it lands on my arm. It’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. Somehow, I can tell that it, is a she.

She stares into my eyes like she’s looking for something. What is she looking for?

After analyzing me for a while, she flies back into the barn.

I follow her.

Back on the perch in the barn, she sits and watches me.

“Why am I here?”

She doesn’t move.

“Do you know who I am?”

She starts to fly around the barn.

I hadn’t really looked around the barn much. It’s mostly hay.

She flies to the floor of the barn.

“What is it? What are you trying to tell me?”

She stays still.

There’s a big pile of hay. Was it always there? She flutters her wings. I search through the pile of hay. Nothing there.

She flies onto my shoulder.

“There’s nothing here. I’m lost and I can’t be found. I don’t know what it is you’re trying to show me, but it’s not there.”

“Yes it is.”

What? Did she just speak to me? I look back at the pile of disheveled hay. She was right. It’s there.

A lyre.

I look at her. She flutters her wings again. Is this really what I’ve been looking for all this time? She flies off my shoulder back onto her perch.

She’s waiting.

I walk towards the lyre.

How do I even know what a lyre is? I’ve never seen one before. I can feel her watching me. I can tell she knows so much more than I do. I’ve been searching for this my whole life, and I’m finally here. Am I ready to end the search?

I must be.

I walk towards the lyre. It looks ancient. It’s beautiful.

I reach to pick it up. This is it. This is what I’ve been searching for. I can feel it.

I pick up the lyre.

The owl is gone. I feel a different presence now.

“Hello brother”, says the woman now standing behind me.

I’ve never seen anyone like her before, or maybe I have?

“Who are you?”

“Your sister.”

“Who am I?”

“That’s for you to find out within.”

What does she mean, within? All I know is that I’m a traveler. I’ve traveled all my life. I don’t think I’ve ever sat still.

“Within, brother.” The woman speaks with wisdom.

I think I’ve been traveling since I was born. I instantly found something to travel to. Yes, I remember now. I remember the lyer. I remember making it. I remember the cattle.

I remember her.

“Athena?”

She nods.

“Now, answer your second question.”

“Well if you’re Athena and I made that lyre, then I must be Hermès.”

She smirks at me.

“That’s my clever brother.”

“Holy crap, I’m Hermès.”

She almost laughs.

“You’ve always had a way with words.”

“Athena, what happened to me?”

“You must find that answer within as well.”

The last thing I remember was delivering a message from The Underworld to Olympus. Hades said it was important, but I didn’t care. I was tired with my messenger duties. I wanted to have some fun.

“Wait, did I start a war?”

Athena answers with annoyance in her voice.

“Yes Hermès. You started a war between Olympus and the Underworld because you failed to do your duties as The Herald of Olympus. You carelessly misdelivered the message and Zeus never received it.”

I can’t help but to think it’s all a little funny. One misdelivered message and two worlds fall apart. No wonder I was tired of my duties.

“Why was the message so important?”

“It was a message from Hades. The underworld was being overpopulated. He was angry at Zeus for sending him so many new souls. The message was for Zeus to agree to meet with Hades. When he never received a response and kept receiving more souls, he retaliated against Olympus.”

“Well, that seems extreme.”

“Hermès, this is serious.” She replied with further frustration. “The war between The Underworld and Olympus is beginning to pour over into this world. We don’t have much time until it’s effects are detrimental.”

“How long have I been on this world?”

Athena hesitates, she knows I won’t like her answer.

“Zeus banished you for 1,000 human years. Hades' armies were at the gates of Olympus and he had to make a decision on your fate.”

“What? 1,000 years? How is that even possible?”

“Time moves faster on this world than on Mount Olympus. You haven’t been gone that long. The war is about to escalate now. We need you back, Hermès, to fix this.”

1,000 years. I’ve been lost and traveling this world for 1,000 years because of one mistake. How could the gods be so thoughtless? It’s not like I sent the armies to Olympus. Maybe they deserve a war. Maybe I should just stay lost.

“What if I don’t want to fix it?”

Athena is growing tired of my perceived arrogance. This all seems very important to her, but I just remembered everything and I’m already bored with this. I’m not the only one to blame for this. The gods were already on the brink of war. Why did I get all the punishment?

“If the war between Olympus and The Underworld escalates any further, this world will not last much longer. The Earth’s entire balance is diminishing because of this war and it’s only a matter of time before it crumbles with everyone and everything on it.”

I’m beginning to think I should have never gotten in that car.

I remember enjoying the powers of being The Herald of the Gods, but I also remember how much disdain I had for most of my duties. Being eternal is a bit of a drag when you’re eternally working. I guess that’s why they also call me the trickster, I had to find some way to make my boring duties fun. Time passes faster when you're having fun. I bet that's why time moves so slow on Olympus.

Ha.

“If I help you, I want to do it my way.”

She gazes at me. I think she’s agitated and impressed at the same time.

“And what way would that be?”

“Foolishly.”, I reply with a grin.

Now that I remember my sister, I remember that she is wise. She knows me. She knows I’m a trickster; but she also knows that I deliver.

“So, how do I get my powers back?”, I ask knowing I’ll get a more complicated answer than I want.

“If you end the war, Zeus may grant you back your powers and duties as The Herald of the Gods.”

“Oh he may? How gracious of the mighty god.”

“Hermès, this is still your mistake; and your the only one who may be able to undo it”

“I guess this is a test to see how wise you are too.”

She didn’t like that. I enjoy her frustration a little bit. She is my older sister after all, what fun would it be if I wasn’t an annoying little brother to her?

“So then how in The Underworld am I going to get back to Olympus?”

That one made her chuckle.

“You don't have your godly powers, but you do still have a magical influence.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Within.” She answers softly, and closes her eyes.

This again? How do I remember my whole life in a few moments? The roads I’ve traveled led me here. Nothing kept me still for long. I’ve been called to a lot of places, but always temporarily. Over the years of my travel, I played many tricks, and took many shortcuts. I was always messing with animals.

The cattle.

“I created hidden gateways, to get back to Olympus quickly.”

Athena smiles, as if she knew that but was waiting for me to figure it out. Wow this is all so unbelievable, but somehow makes so much sense. I’ve been searching for this my whole life, and finally I know exactly where to find it.

I head back outside of the barn to the cattle. Still such silly creatures. What I love most about them is their will to follow the rest of their herd. I begin to play the lyre and sing these words.

“Live with ease and love for free, Purchase a ticket and ride with me. I’ll ask you for nothing just try with me, reason and rhyme won't pass by for me, come now come you cattle and fly with me.”

The cattle start to bellow and huddle together. They travel clockwise in a circle around us. They gain speed with each rotation. I repeat the lyrics again. The cattle are moving so fast that they begin to blur together and create a glowing ring around Athena and I.

“You might wanna pick a cow and hang on, sister!”

I laugh. This is my favorite part, and by the look on Athena’s face, her least favorite part.

“You’re lucky I’m wise enough to know this just might work.”, She says with the slightest sense of enjoyment.

The glowing ring around us starts to raise above the ground, along with us.

Godly magic always excited me, even when I was a god. Being around it all again feels right. I’m finally going home. Let’s just hope they welcome me back.

The Gates of Olympus.

War has not been kind to this place. It looks so fragile now. Towers have been toppled and destroyed. The whole city smolders. I may have made a bigger mistake than I thought.

Athena glares at the city, then at me.

“The war is in between waves now. We should have some time before another battle begins. We have to reach Zeus.”

“Then what? What am I supposed to say to him that would end a war?”

“Hermes, you were The Herald of Olympus; the mediator to the gods. There’s no one else who even has a chance like you to make it right.”

“Well, why did we come to Olympus? Shouldn’t we have gone to the underworld to tell Hades to pull his troops back?”

“You may have regained your memory back, but there is still more to learn about your family. Zeus is all powerful. Nothing happens without his permission. He has allowed this war to happen. He enjoys it. He’s willing to have all of Mount Olympus destroyed for his ego.”

I’m not sure she’s as wise as they say.

“And you expect a messenger, out of everyone else, to convince him to stop?”

She looks at me with a vulnerability she had not shown me before. She believes in me.

“It is said that you invented the very idea of speech. You have spoken to so many in all of your travels. You know more beings than any man or god. You know Zeus. You’re a clever one, dear brother. You know what to do.”

Now that I’m starting to remember my whole life, I remember Athena usually believed in me more than others. That’s got to count for something, right?

“Alright, let’s do it.”

Athena smiles. If she can believe in me this much, then I guess I have to believe in myself. At least a little.

“Zeus is in his Throne Room.” She says. “He’s hardly left since the war began.”

I can remember a lot about Mount Olympus now, almost every nook and cranny. Things were much easier when I had the powers of a god. Now I’m not so sure I’ll even make it to the Throne Room.

“How can I get there without my powers?”

She glares at me again, then walks behind me. I turn to see her, as an owl again.

She uses her talons to grab the neck of the lyre, which I have been holding this whole time. She flaps her wings and I begin to fly away with her.

As we fly through the air, I start to remember what it was like to be a god, to fly over Mount Olympus. I think I could get used to this again. I just hope I can get my powers back after all of this is done with.

I can see Zeus’s tower, this is it. I’m suddenly worried I might not be able to do this.

Athena calls out to me, as if to warn me of something.

Before I can react, Athena is gone.

Here I am, falling in Olympus, without my owl. Somehow, the plan not going accordingly is actually kind of satisfying. Now all of my options are open.

I hit the ground of Olympus. I’m not surprised I’m alive, I figured I would be since I am still immortal, I just thought it would hurt more.

I look up to the sky, to see if I can locate Athena. She’s nowhere to be seen.

In front of me I now realize that there are demons from The Underworld, surrounding me. This really did turn bad very quickly.

“Is there any way we can talk this out?” I say with as much charm as I can muster.

I hear a sound now from above. I look up to see a chariot pulled by demons, with Hades at the reins. Athena sits next to Hades, stuck as an owl in a magical cage. He rides his chariot down to me and the rest of the demons. Hades exits the chariot and strides toward me, with Athena in his hands.

“The Herald hath returned at long last!” Hades says in a sarcastic tone.

“Hades, don’t you think this is all a bit much?

“Don’t you think a messenger should deliver messages, Hermès?” He retorts with a grimace.

“Listen, I was having an off day. Don’t we all have one of those? We’re eternal and don’t sleep, why are we expected to get everything right all of the time? I’m sorry I didn’t deliver your message to Zeus, but couldn’t you have just talked to him before you brought your armies to Olympus?”

Hades laughs.

“Zeus was overloading The Underworld with unwanted, pure souls for far too long. You delivering the message would have only given him more time to prepare for war. I’m glad you’re a terrible messenger.”

That really hurt my feelings. When I did my job, I was a great messenger.

“Hades, nothing good will come from this war. You have to stop this.”

“It seems that you’ve been lost, traveling an unfamiliar world for far too long, dear boy. I can do whatever I want. I am The God of the Underworld! Destroy the rest of Olympus my demons!”

I was prepared to have a nice talk with Zeus but I can’t fight an army of demons. There’s not a trick I can think of to get myself out of this.

Hades throws Athena’s cage into his chariot and the demons begin to fly throughout Olympus.

Just as this happens, Zeus appears in a flash of lightning. He throws a bolt into the air, which electrifies all the demons and sends them back to The Underworld. Just Hades remains, with an empty chariot.

I run to the chariot to free Athena. I open the cage and she flys out. She remains an owl and lands on my shoulder as I face Hades and Zeus.

“Has it been 1,000 years already?” Zeus says in a deep voice.

Zeus puts his arm around Hades. They both smile.

Athena flies off of my shoulder and behind me. I turn to see her, once again as a goddess.

“Good job Hermes, you brought Zues and Hades together again.”

“Wait a minute.” I say. “Was this a trick?”

Athena walks towards Zeus and Hades.

“More of a lesson for you, little brother.”

“You banished me for 1,000 years to teach me a lesson?”

“Actually, you were only banished for a few hours. Hades cursed your memory so you would have no concept of the passing of time.” Zeus explains, as I become more and more shocked.

“Hermès, you are the only Herald of Olympus.” Athena says, in a comforting voice. “We needed you to know your importance. There have been far worse punishments for less crimes, brother. The gods of Olympus thought it would be best for the trickster of Olympus to experience a trick himself.”

“What about my powers?” I ask.

Athena smiles at me. “You’ve always had your powers brother. You just have to remember them, within.”

I remember them. I remember my winged sandals and my staff. As I close my eyes and begin to remember my powers, I feel myself flying. I have my power back.

I am Hermès, The Herald of Olympus.

Zeus smiles and laughs with glee. “That’s my son!”

I’m back.

“Hermès, there’s one more thing we need to tell you.” Hades says with a devious smirk.

I look at them with concern. Athena turns back into the owl.

Zeus and Hades turn into the man and woman who picked me up on the side of the road.

“Hey there, young traveler.”, says the man.

The woman waves.

I’m not sure if there’s a lesson here, or if you saw this coming before I did. All I know is that I’m a traveler. I’ve been traveling all of my life. Now I realize that it’s my job to travel and to deliver, and if I don’t, my crazy family will make me pay for it in the most bizarre way they can think of. At least they care.

The End.