Hot wind ruffled his dirty hair, blowing it in his face. He turned his
head, embracing the caress of the breeze against his
face. He longed to sit up, to stand, to raise his arms and feel the
air rush over his body.
Yet he could not, forever he could not.
He pulled his arms against the restraining bite of the metal cuffs to
no avail. The chains were too strong, the metal too thick.
He repeated the action with his legs yet again found his shackles were
too strong once again.
It figured, of course, that a god would ensure the chains he used on his prisoner would hold through the sentence.
Eternity? that was how long he was going to be chained to the rock, tied to his prison.
For blessing mankind and enlightening their race he was forced to this punishment.
He gave them fire, knowledge and power? he received eternal death.
He heard it then, the sound that signaled his anguish day after day.
The screaming rage of a huge eagle. It always came at
the same time, never early, never late. He was to die the exact same
way each afternoon, no change in technique to add a
tantalizing flare of interest.
He turned his head and watched as the great byrd(2) came into view.
The sight had always impressed him for no ordinary
eagle was given the task of killing the Titan. The eagle was not just
a bird, no, he was a byrd of the god’s choosing.
Another deep cry echoed through the crisp air as the eagle swooped down
to claim its prey. With the grace possessed by
only the greatest fliers, the eagle landed on a ledge next to the man.
The eagle was a byrd, a special blend of creatures. He was gigantic
by bird standards, with wings that could span vast
distances. His feathers were long and elegant, and glistened in the
afternoon sun.
However, he was far-gone from looking like a normal bird. His body was
a lean, muscular mass; tanned flesh covered the
quivering muscles. His arms and legs were long and thin, though far
from scrawny. He possessed a power envied by man,
beast and titan. No feathers stuck out from his flawless skin, for
he had the body of man. The byrd wore no clothing or
scrap of cloth to cover his nakedness for he was still an animal and
had no reason to have modesty. Last in procession yet
not in character was his face. A beautifully sculpted face with perfect
lips and perfect eyes; eyes that could search a soul or
scorn a man with a look.
With a soft lift of his lips he looked at the Titan. "Prometheus," his
voice was smooth and cool, combining a gentle breeze
with a fiery energy that lay inches behind it.
"Eagle," Prometheus spoke with a nod of acknowledgement. "Here to kill
me again?" A hint of a laugh was woven between
his words.
The byrd sighed deeply as he turned his head to gaze in the distance.
"It is also my eternal fate, Prometheus, to kill you
each day, to eat your liver savagely."
Prometheus nodded. "And I am glad to be killed by one such as your self,
Eagle, for it is a strange occurrence to rest my
eyes on such a lovely beast."
The byrd turned back to face Prometheus. "The guilt you cause me is
my own torment, Prometheus, and as a result of no
deed of my own," he said softly.
"I gifted the race I created with an element of the god’s and for that grace I am tormented."
"I cannot apologize for I serve the very gods you disobeyed."
"I know and understand, Eagle, do not set your mind to worry about such
things; the matter should not bite at your
conscience."
The eagle walked toward the titan with slow steps as he folded his long
wings behind him. A smile graced the titan’s lips as
the same one was mirrored on the eagle’s face.
"I can set my mind to ease, Prometheus, though my heart refuses to be calmed."
Prometheus’ eyes lit with humor. "You and your heart, Beast, not what the gods intended."
"The gods’ intentions can be thrown away if only for my comfort," he grinned as he sidled next to the titan.
Prometheus lifted a great arm in invitation for the eagle to proceed.
The byrd pushed himself up level to Prometheus’ face. "It comforts me
to know I can offer relief to the pain you bore simply
for your good deed. You do enjoy it?"
"Immensely."
The byrd smiled softly before he leaned down to offer a slight brush
of lips. The titan lifted his head to deepen the kiss. He
pushed at the other’s lips in a silent request for entrance. The byrd
obliged as he opened his mouth. His tongue briefly
battled the titan’s before the byrd gave in to submissiveness.
Prometheus groaned. He longed to run his hand through the golden locks
that encircled the eagle’s head. He wished he
could move, if only to hold his tormentor-gone-lover.
The eagle pulled away with a sorrowful sigh. "Prometheus…"
"Already?" A rumble of a laugh echoed in the titan’s chest. "Everyday
you do this and everyday I am taken by surprise at the
moment."
A sad smile graced the byrd’s lips. "Everyday I do this and yet everyday
I leave in sorrow after the deed is accomplished, I
cannot stand your pain, Prometheus."
Prometheus smiled gently for his lover. "It is not you that gives the
pain to me, Eagle, blame the gods, for they are truly
responsible yet for the sake of their own consciences they send you
as tormentor."
The eagle sighed again. "Prometheus,"
"Hush now, Eagle, the noon grows long and your time short. Do what you
must and be done with it, I wish not the wrath of
the gods on you."
"I love you, Prometheus, truly." The byrd leaned down once again and pressed his lips to Prometheus’ tightly.
Prometheus kissed back with vigor, pleased to have his lover with him
once again. He pulled away briefly, "My heart is
yours." The eagle smiled. "As is my liver," Prometheus joked, a chuckle
rumbling his chest.
The eagle smiled, before he pressed his lips to his lover’s a final
time. He pulled away hesitantly, regretfully stepping back
from the titan. "Oh, Prometheus,"
"Do it, Eagle, prolonging the inevitable only adds to the ache."
"I wish it was not so, Prometheus… Eternity is a long time," the byrd said, a hint of a smile crossed his face at his joke.
The titan sighed; all at once he looked sorry and pained yet the attack
was not on him. "Eagle, I must tell you something."
The eagle waited for him to continue. "I had a premonition again,"
Prometheus said heavily, "Tomorrow you will go to
battle."
Surprise flitted across the eagle’s face. "Oh?"
"Yes, tomorrow you will not inflict your torment for tomorrow I will
be pardoned by the son of Zeus." One of the eagle’s
eyebrows lifted in question. "Hercules will free me for my imprisonment
is an injustice to his human side."
The eagle stood silent for long moments. "And what of myself? What am I to do for eternity?"
"I know not, Eagle, Lover, I speak of only what I saw."
"I see," he said softly. "Such as your premonition this will be our
last encounter then." Prometheus looked sorrowful as he
nodded.
"Yes."
"I love you, Prometheus, for all eternity." The eagle spared his lover a smile that exposed his feeling of love.
Quicker than any human eye could follow the eagle sprang on his lover,
viciously ripping into his abdomen with a sharp
blade. Prometheus cried out in agony? both from the searing pain of
his flesh, and the aching in his heart.
(1) This is similar to the story of Prometheus’ punishment yet involves
a romance rather than strictly punishment. It is my
twist on thing and I mean not to infringe on anyone’s particular belief
on what took place concerning Prometheus.
(2) The eagle is called a "byrd" purposefully for the intent of this
story. The definition of "byrd" I offer is simply thus- A
combination of bird and man, possessing the wings of a bird and body
of a man. "Byrds" have no talons on their feet so as a
substitute they carry sharp blades.