Stars of Opportunity: Part 1
It was a calm and quiet night, with the hint of a breeze blowing in every direction. The sky was clear and the moon looked beautiful. Somehow, looking at the moon and stars calmed me down. I felt at peace. I felt really lonely though. My mom had left me before I had been born, and my dad got shot in World War 3 while I was only 7. I didn't understand why they left me. I thought no one wanted me. I was just a girl diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. I couldn't read English well. I also couldn't understand why guys gaped at me whenever I walked by. I had long auburn hair that was always in a ponytail, and violet irises. I wasn't interested in any of them though. I also had a silver bracelet with star charms on it. My father had said it was a gift from my mother, and that it would help me if I were ever in danger. If I was, I was to press one of the stars.
My mother was said to be a very beautiful woman who was a fantastic archer and runner. She sounded a lot like me. I loved to run and leap around as though I were a deer racing through the forest. I also liked shooting at a miniature target taped to my wall. All the arrows landed on the bull's eye. She'd sent them to me on my 6th birthday by mail because she couldn't come. I frowned. I shouldn't be thinking about this. About my past and how I longed to be able to see her one day. Tears started welling up in my eyes. I shook my head. Stop it, Annabelle. You're never going to stop feeling so down if you go on about this. I looked up at the sky again. My favorite constellation was the one with girl holding a bow and arrow, running across the sky. My science teacher, Mr. Kilr, said there was no such constellation. My history teacher, Ms. Sithea, was really nice and believed that anything could be seen in the sky, depending on your imagination. I stood up and climbed up the rope ladder leading to my tree house and home.
I paced back and forth around campus, waiting for the bell to ring so I could get to class. I didn't have any "friends" to talk to except for Derek, who I couldn't find, and I didn't have my iPod with me. I was pretty much bored. Stupid ADHD! I thought. People were probably staring at me like I was the craziest student at school. I probably was. Riiiiiiing! Finally. I raced towards my class. You may think I'm really excited, but I'm just trying to get it over with. It was science with Mr. Kilr again. Some kids thought his name sounded like Killer. He was evil-ish. The time went by quickly, and before I knew it, the bell rang.
"Mrs. Crestin, could you stay back for a few minutes?" Mr. Kilr asked. Oh shoot, what did I do this time? I thought.
"Suuuure, I guess…"
Suddenly, he turned into this… thing. It was a... dog? It neighed. I stared at it. It had horns and a trunk. Its neck was probably as long as my school bus. And seriously, my school bus was long. It had whiskers on its face. I ran out of the classroom as fast as lightning and almost bumped into Derek.
"Whoa! What's going on, Annabelle?"
"Duuuuuude, Mr. Kilr turned int-"
I didn't have to finish because suddenly, that… thing jumped out of the classroom.
"Annabelle! Get out of here! Come with me!"
He dragged me along ignoring my protests. He pulled me to the cliff on the edge of Acoak Junior High.
"What are you doing?" I shouted. "Suicidal?"
He glared at me. "No. If we don't jump, that would be suicidal."
"Um, if we're gonna jump, this would be the perfect time!"
"Too late. We're going to have to fight. You do have a shinca, right?"
I stared at him blankly. But then my bracelet started glowing. My father had said it was a gift from my mother, and that it would help me if I were ever in danger. If I was, I was to press one of the stars.
"Yeah. I think so, at least."
I pressed a random star and it turned into a sword made out of…
"Celestial bronze." Derek confided.
"Did you just read my mind?"
"Maybe."
I groaned. His face was grim, though. I thought I saw that face somewhere before. I realized it was like my dad's when he got ready to leave and fight in World War 3. I tensed. I could tell when the multi-animal would attack. I raised my sword, ready to battle…
Stars of Opportunity: Part 2
Ahhhh! Don't kill me! I'm too young to die!I screamed silently as it jumped at me. I leaped skillfully (I've had lots of practice, it's my favorite hobby) out of the way and breathed a sigh of relief that I was still alive. Unfortunately, the thing turned around and charged Derek instead. Nooooo! I froze in place, filled with shock and anger. At the last moment I raced towards the unknown creature and slashed at it with my sword. It disintegrated. Thunder boomed in the air and the wind blew really hard. The water rose from below the cliff at least 3 feet, and the earth shook. But only for a moment. Everything stopped, afterwards. Derek and everyone else were staring at me in awe.
"How did you do that?" Derek asked, still shocked. But he wasn't looking at me; he was looking at something above me. Slowly fading away but still faintly visible was the sign of a moon, stars, and a bow and arrow.
"I-I I don't know." I was so confused and deep in thought I jumped when someone spoke behind me.
"I would like everyone to go to their next class except for Annabelle and Derek." Ms. Sithea came forward. Everyone backed away, some still glancing at us in amazement and fear. Suddenly, Mrs. Sithea flickered, changing form. Oh please don't tell me she's one of those "things" too! I worried. Then there was a flash and in her place stood a beautiful girl whose features reminded me of… Hestia.
(Author's note (A/N): This is kinda cool, 'cuz Sithea is actually Hestia scrambled. =D Oh yeah, liked it? Leaves a "dun dun dun" at the end, huh?)
Stars of Opportunity: Part 3
"Lady Hestia?" Derek asked, surprise clearly in his voice. He bowed, and I did the same.
"Hello, Derek. Annabelle." She nodded in acknowledgement. She smiled warmly at us.
"L-l-lady Hestia? May I ask you a question? I-I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?" I stuttered, amazed by the fact that Greek gods and goddesses were real. Hestia, the goddess who stepped down from her throne to let Dionysus, god of wine, up to the throne, came into my life. Would she be the only?
"Well, when you put it that way…" she thought of a way to explain her sudden appearance, "let's just say a certain goddess asked me to watch over you two. I also wanted to give you this prophecy:
When darkness meets light, doom shall enter
Two shall battle to meet the centaur
Blood shall be shed throughout the land
Because of the mistake of being unplanned
Though the forbidden shall not fall
Torn a hole will be in the wall
A single choice shall change the Earth
Slowly fading will be the flame in the hearth
Unless be rescued by the broken vow."
(A/N: Oooh, scary, yes? You also probably noticed I shrunk the size for this. I wanted everything on the same page. Hope ya liked it!)
Stars of Opportunity: Part 4
I stood there, shocked, unable to move. Fear swelled about me as I realized that the two that would battle would be Derek and I. Would we be fighting side by side, or against each other? And the blood being shed because of not planning things out? What hole would be torn, and in which wall? Questions circled around my head, almost overwhelming me.
"Annabelle! Are you alright?" Derek's tone was full of worry. I blinked.
"Yeah, I think so."
"Well then come on, let's go!"
"Where? Wait, Derek, are you-"
"Ditching class? Yeah, pretty much." I stared at him. Derek was either both the smartest kid in the school and all the teachers' pet or he could read their mind and say exactly what they wanted him to. Why would he want to risk losing his amazing reputation by escaping the school grounds?
"He must have lost his mind like I'm about to." I muttered under my breath.
"What? Did you say something, Anniyo?"He grinned at me. I rolled my eyes at the old nickname.
"Never mind. Well, if we're going to leave, this would be a good time." I looked around us to make sure no one was watching before Derek gave the cue to run as fast as we could out of the school and into the forest that lay beyond.
As we raced through the woods, I wondered whether I would ever see that place again. And though I longed to turn around and glance once more at the safety of the world that I was used to, I knew that my path had been laid out for me, and that there would be no turning back.
(A/N: =)I like the nickname "Anniyo"… Anyway, I know this part was kinda boring, so I promise that the next one will be a little more exciting! I hope… )
Stars of Opportunity: Part 5
We settled down a while after we leapt the creek. Derek was lying next to a tree, while I paced back and forth beside another. Why can't we just continue? I suggested silently. Though I knew Derek was drained of energy and that it was getting late, (actually, it was around midnight), I was anxious to continue the journey.
(A/N: Grr, can't get rid of these lines…↓)
I was wondering about what we were going to do next when loud footsteps (or perhaps pawsteps?) coming from the side we came from interrupted my thoughts. I exchanged glances with Derek. He mouthed "Minotaur". We took position with weapons in hand, and slowly backed towards unknown territory. I felt grateful that Hestia's lessons taught me some things, like how to kill one. I looked out at the horizon, seeing the sun beginning to inch its way up the sky. Suddenly, I remembered the first line of the prophecy: When darkness meets light, doom shall enter. I gulped. Here was dawn, and we had encountered our first monster. Er, make that second. Mr. Kilr still gave me the creeps. The Minotaur roared, having heard the rustling of leaves. We blindly jumped out of the way away from the spot we'd been standing on just in time for the hideous monster to come crashing into the trees beyond. We went to work right away, and in no time the monster disintegrated. (After all, it was just a slash or two before it poofed and disappeared. D)
"Good… job… Anna… belle…" Derek huffed. "Phew! I know… that wasn't… really… hard, but I'm still... pooped out." I smiled a little at "pooped out", and nodded my thanks at the compliment, but I was so tired I collapsed right where I was, too tired to care if any other monsters would be coming.
(A/N: Whoo! Finally some action, huh? There's still more to come, though! Prepared to be amazed… =D Hope you enjoyed it!)