HELENTIA - ACT I - Part Three: The Two Brothers

“Kieran... Kieran, wake up.”

“I must have hit my head pretty hard,” Helentia muttered as he picked up his carved wooden figurine and shook the mud from its splintered hair. “Kieran found himself in the middle of a great battlefield. Much of the grass had been stomped away, and the trees left as blackened stumps. Scorched barricades remained steadfast, and decomposing soldiers clutched shredded banners flying the enemy sigil.”

“Totally amazing.”

“Shush, say your line.”

“Get to your feet, quickly,” Michael screamed.

Helentia picked up a soldier on a horse and pretended to gallop it towards them. He raised the soldier’s large battleaxe and smashed the two toys together. “As Kieran attempted to roll out of the way, the axe’s swing carved a large chunk of flesh from his right calf. He thrust his sword into the earth and lifted himself with his freshly wounded leg.”

“It’s so violent.”

“Just wait for this next part.” Helentia snatched the toy from Michael’s hands. “Aaron removed an arrow from his quiver and, with the slightest twitch of his finger, sent it barreling through the air at such speeds the sound just about punctured Kieran’s eardrums as it swooshed by.”

“The arrow hit the hors-”

“Not gruesome enough.” Helentia cut him off, “The arrow plunged deep into the horse’s eye. Blood spurted from its mouth. The animal came down at full speed, tumbling and twisting into a mess of bone and muscle. The momentum threw the rider from his saddle, caving in his helmet on impact.” Helentia threw the figure from the horse and into the mud. “He stumbled into a charge, waving his axe wildly overhead, and loosed a final battle cry as blood poured from where the dent in his helmet had pressed into his skull.”

Michael closed his eyes as if Helentia’s words came to life around him. “Gross.”

“Are you watching?”

“Yes.”

“Aaron fastened his bow to his belt. He deserves a quick death; he fought with honor.” “I shall grant it,” Helentia had Kieran respond as he walked him towards the fallen soldier. “The soldier froze in fear at the sight of Kieran’s extraordinary physique, standing over seven feet with shoulders as wide as a wheelbarrow. Kieran stopped and watched the dying soldier choke on his missing teeth.

“Kill m-,” before he could finish a word, Kieran forced a bear sized fist into the helmet, causing it to further press on his brain.”

“Michael? You aren’t watching.”

“Sorry, it’s so scary. Where do you come up with all this stuff?”

“This is another one of dad’s adventures.”

A few seconds of silence passed.

“Helentia... Do you think I’ll get to meet dad one day?”

A chill wind rushed through the grass.

“Boys, dinner is ready.”

---

Helentia regained consciousness. His brain pulsed and pushed against his skull. Warm, fishy-smelling breaths hit his face, and the sound of deep snoring resounded throughout his chest. A large bear, standing upright like a man, cradled him like a cub. The giant fuzzy paws swaddled his small body, and he dozed off.

---

Helentia awoke again midair and fell on his face. “Why did you do that?”

The bear took a seat on a big boulder next to him and cleaned itself with its enormous tongue.

“Are you listening to me? Hello?” Helentia shifted his attention to his surroundings. There was a dusty rug, a few tin cups, some ripped up books, and a small couch, all lit up by an old lantern hanging from a dangling rope. Stalactites oozed murky water and the walls curved like waves. As he surveyed the shadows, he was startled by many clomping feet reverberating from deep within. He began inching more into the light when a sleuth of bear cubs sprinted out from the dark and flattened him, trampling him under their furry bodies. “Get off. Get off me!” The young bears buried their noses in Helentia’s clothing and licked him all over; some playfully bit him. “Quit it!” Helentia giggled. A smaller hairless bear pushed its way through the horde, but it wasn’t a bear at all; it was Michael. “Michael? What are you doing?”

“Helentia, it’s you. It’s really you?” Michael bit him.

“Get the hell off of me!”

Michael and the cubs retracted. Helentia shuffled to his feet, but Michael leaped into his brother’s arms and hugged him, knocking him back on his ass. “I’m so glad you’re here. Where’s Mom?”

Helentia shoved his brother in haste. “I don’t know.”

“She said she was going to find you.”

Helentia dusted himself off. “What?... What are you saying, Michael?

“Mom said she was going to return with you.”

“Return with me? Here? Where did you see her?”

“She was here a little while ago.”

Helentia grabbed Michael by the shoulders and shook them. “This doesn’t make any sense to me. Mom was here? When? Why?”

“I told you a second ago. I don’t know why she brought me here. You never believe m-.”

“She brought you here? Impossible. Couldn’t have been her.”

“It was Mom, I’m telling you. She always said, never go with a strang-”

“She was at the house.” Helentia said aloud.

Michael clasped Helentia’s forearm with both hands. “You see her?”

Helentia stuttered, “N-no.”

“Do you know where Mom is?”

“No.”

“Is Mom okay?”

Helentia pulled his arm away. “I told you I don’t know!”

Michael sported a pout. “Alright, I believe you. Please don’t ever leave me. I’m scared. She said I was in danger.” Michael rested his head on Helentia’s stained shirt.

“I won’t! And we’ll be fine, trust me.”

“I’m worried about her.”

Helentia pulled away once more. “Michael.”

“I’m sorry. Do you really think she’s all right?”

“I said I don’t know!”

“You’re making me cry, brother.”

“I’m sorry, Michael, I’m just confused.”

“Why, did you see her?”

“No!”

Michael began to cry. The mama bear got off her rock and rested a paw on Michael’s forehead. He dried his tears in her fur while the babies surrounded him and rubbed their bodies against him. “Michael, we need to get out of here.”

Michael sprung out of his depression. “Let’s go find mom.”

“No!”

Michael scoffed, “Then I’m not leaving.”

“We’re leaving.” Helentia took Michael’s wrist and dragged him across the rocky floor.

“Helentia, stop!”

The bear set a paw on Michael’s leg with enough weight to immobilize him. The sudden inertia caused Helentia to trip over his own feet. “Let go!”

The bear growled in a deep tone.

Michael slapped at Helentia’s hand. “I don’t want to leave.”

“We’re going.”

“No, Stop it!... I don’t like you when you’re like this, brother. Mom told me to stay here till she got back, and that’s all I’m going to do.”

Helentia released his grip. “Let’s forget her and run away.”

Michael got up and backed away, rubbing his wrist. “What? No.”

“Think about how much fun it will be. No more nap time, no more bath time. You and I traveling the world? Mom could hardly balance the two of us. The more I think about it, she barely watched over us at all. Let’s live the adventures we would act out in the yard. I honestly wouldn’t mind not seeing her anymore. She never once felt like a mother to me.”

Michael took a few more steps back. “What are you saying, Helentia? I love Mom.”

“I don’t. I don’t even feel sad that she’s gone. I don’t need a guardian to boss me around. I’m glad she’s not here.”

Michael’s mouth was agape. “I’m waiting for mom to get back.”

“No, you’re not!” Helentia lunged forward, seizing Michael by the hair. “You’re going to listen to me because I’m your older brother.”

“Stop it, stop it. You’re hurting me.”

Helentia smacked Michael across the cheek. “Shut... up.”

The bear’s cubs cowered behind their mother’s legs, and the mama fixated her eyes on the boys.

Helentia pushed Michael to the ground and straddled him. “You either come with me, or you die - alone in this cave.”

“I’m staying.”

Helentia choked Michael blue. A kick to the stomach weakened Helentia’s grip, and Michael tried rolling out from under him before Helentia restrained both of his wrists above his head and whispered to him. “We don’t need her anymore.”

The mama bear rose to her hind legs and stood over the boys. Her maternal presence triggered Helentia’s body to shrink in submission. He let go and got up from Michael, breathed in deep, exhaled with anger, and walked towards the exit.

Michael, holding back tears, echoed throughout the chamber, “I’m waiting here for Mom! Okay?”

“Mom is dead.”

Helentia left the cave.