A/N: This is my first fanfiction and…a little strange. I just was watching The Matrix and got an idea for a story where the gods didn't have to be the good guys. And, of course, I picked Thalia for the main character. I hope she's IC, I've never written…a fanfiction before…so I'm not sure. Okay, well, read and I hope you like it. Thanks.
Darkness at Dawn
Chapter One: Oh What Fools These Demigods Be
She slowly draws the bow, feeling the cold but smooth wood that the arrow is now set against, she pulls back the string with her fingers and releases it, allowing the arrow to shoot and twist through the chilly night and land with a faint thud in the target. Smiling slightly to herself, she picks up another arrow off of the ground, glad that she's becoming better at the sport. For so long she has been struggling to keep up with the Hunters, unable to fight without a sword and missing most targets. All of the midnight practicing is certainly paying off, and while immortal, sleep isn't entirely necessary.
Her electric blue eyes focus on the target as she waits for the arrow to fall off, making a quick descent to the dewy grass. The clouds that have been haunting the sky all night are beginning to part and while darkness surrounds her with only stars and an oddly bright moon to light her practice, it's beginning to lighten outside.
She checks her watch and her eyes flash wide for a moment. It's seven in the morning…yet the sky is black as midnight. Swallowing, she turns back to the arrows, seeming as though she's trying to pay it no mind.
The Hunters have been in the same camp for two weeks now, and it's enough to know when the sun will rise. Perhaps it's the mist that clings to the edges of the rough mountains near them, or perhaps it's the fact that the caldera of Crater Lake, which resides a few miles away from the campsite, is making it difficult for the sun to shine above the lower lands. There are lower lands in Oregon, and higher lands, beaches, forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, volcanoes, dunes, marshes, deserts and most every landscape anyone can think of. It's the reason that Artemis enjoys the area so much. And it isn't disturbed like New York by the troubles of the gods.
The girl, around sixteen, though as a Hunter she must be older than that, shakes away her disconcerted eyes and expression, returning to her archery personal training. Closing her eyes, she breathes in the scent of a lavender-ish smell, possibly caused by the Indian Paintbrush and other flowers that peek up from under the dirt at this time of year. It's a soothing smell, almost intoxicating as she begins to melt into the surroundings. There is something magical about Crater Lake, she's hear enough about it to tell and as she's there in the time of day when no one dares come around, her body resonates something different. A new feeling of some sort.
"Thalia!" someone snaps behind her and she spins around, dropping the bow to the ground and causing the girl to cringe.
"What?" Thalia asks, feeling annoyed, no matter how much she secretly likes Alexandria.
She brushes some black hair that has been growing longer over time behind her ear and crosses her arms. Alexandria honestly seems to enjoy interrupting her, causing Thalia's not-so-well controlled temper to set off. She doesn't want to be interrupted in the middle of what could've been a great realization. Earlier she had been trying to ignore the magical feel of the place, and just as she's starting to sink into the sensation of this wilderness, untouched by mortals, the annoying Alexandria has to get in the middle of it. Ugh.
"Firstly, you probably shouldn't drop Lady Artemis' bows on the ground-"
"Show me a law that says I can't."
Alexandria rolls her brown eyes and Thalia's grow wide with annoyance and frustration, anger starting to flame up behind them. Alexandria is probably the worst of all of the Hunters, even of the ones who don't want to truly accept Thalia due to her age and…other reasons.
"Secondly," she says, with emphasis, clenching her jaw, "There's going to be a meeting in a few minutes. I'm supposed to warn you, but, of course, you just can't get over yourself. I'll see you at seven thirty."
Alexandria gives a swift faux sweet smile and walks away, leaving Thalia alone. Thalia walks away and towards her tent, chewing on the inside of her lip. The tingling feeling from whatever it was that happened to her a few moments ago still hasn't left her.
Suddenly, she hears something in the bushes, pulling her arm near her to use her bracelet; she waits for the monster to approach. It sounds like a monster, or maybe a person, it's definitely not an innocent rabbit. But there isn't a monster. Just silence.
She reluctantly lowers her arm, knowing that she has to, but still her mind is caught on the noise in the bushes. It seems unlikely to her that any beast or wacko would ever come into Artemis' camp, just for the risk of losing its life. She should be faithful in Artemis but she has a sudden qualm about the safety of herself and the hunters. Something strange is in the air this dawn. It could be the darkness, or it could be her visceral assumption that something is happening.
She glances behind her once more, but, attempting to leave the thought behind her, she continues to her tent, slipping inside and into the warmth. And more importantly, away from the fear that dampens the outside like the dew on the grass or the mist around the caldera of Crater Lake.
Looking at her watch, she breathes in, still having a few minutes until the meeting. More meetings with Artemis. Day after day after day it will all be the same thing. Her life is balanced with them, tranquil, everything is perfect…nothing's real. Seems they've dried up all her tears, tear after tear and year after year. Her wild days are past.
Her head is somewhere hazy…and for once…her feet are on the ground.
She still misses the life she left behind. She still misses the dizzy heights and all of the excitement. Missing being a halfblood seems strange, but after ten years with Artemis, she realizes that it will all be the same for thousands of years. She misses the pain.
Now she's just wandering through the wilderness, but nowhere is the air clear and cutting like a knife. She misses her life.
Thalia pulls her knees to her chest, wondering where all of the thoughts are coming from. She's been repressing them forever, only letting them come out sometimes. But it seems that the air and the smell of flowers and the power of Crater Lake have cleared her head. It's made her realize the truth of the way it will be until she's killed in battle or the world ends.
"Thalia." Ophelia walks into her tent but her expression falls when she sees her friend. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," Thalia replies quickly, standing up and her head grazing the top of the canvas tent.
"Let us go," she says softly, looking concerned as the empathetic girl always tended to, "we must be there in two minutes."
"Ophelia," Thalia says as they walk closer to Artemis' tent, "do you ever feel like…it's never going to end? Like there's something else you should be doing instead of being a Hunter?"
Ophelia pauses, studying her closely for a moment.
"No," Ophelia replies, but Thalia senses a lie.
She continues walking, ignoring Ophelia's comment. Not able to accept it, Thalia stares over at the forest. Her eyes flash wide as she sees a flash of red in the green and brown. Her mouth opens to warn the Hunters, but something tells her not to. It must be that air again.
She walks into the meeting, cracking her knuckles and entering what will be the next meeting in the million more weeks of her life.
Thalia exits the meeting greyly, the same light and spirit not in her as before. Artemis said that she's nervous about something out there, and that they all must be on the lookout. Thalia had nothing to say, despite what she has seen.
The pebbles and dirt crackle and crunch under her black and worn army boots as she walks through the forest, letting the cool air rest on her arms, giving her goose bumps. Her life had made her crazy, with them it's safe and sound. But she still feels like something is missing. Something other than Artemis' perfect world. Something…
"Thalia Grace," someone says behind her and she spins around, drawing her sword and holding it to him.
It's a boy, brown hair and forest green eyes, staring at her with an amused smile on his face. He must be only about fourteen or fifteen and he watches her for a moment, not holding any form of weapon. A girl comes up behind him, a little younger than him and sets her hand on his shoulder. Her golden red, Aphrodite-esque hair is untamed and captures her attention for a split second.
They're an interesting twosome, looking dark and frightening yet enticing and intriguing, like they are about to say what she is waiting for.
"Who are you?" Thalia whispers, asking at her own risk, "Why aren't you at Camp Halfblood? Kronos is dead so…?"
"Oh, what fools these demigods be," the boy laughs mirthlessly, a creepy smile resuming on his face.
"Keiran," the girl snaps, "Shut up and let me talk. My name is Solstice, daughter of Aphrodite and this is Keiran, son of-"
Keiran puts his hand over her mouth, not threateningly, playfully, like they have been friends for a long time. Thalia starts to feel oddly comfortable around them, more so than Ophelia or Artemis. The friendly but dangerous aura they resonate is powerful enough to make Thalia hold her weapon looser, feeling safe with them.
"We need you," Keiran says and patiently waits for her reply.
"What?" she asks, thinking to herself that she sounds like an idiot.
"You think you know everything about your gods, don't you?"
"I know them well enough," Thalia replies and Solstice laughs, closing her light blue eyes.
"What would you say if I told you about their conspiracy? That the gods aren't all you believe? We all have secrets, Thalia Grace."
Thalia smiles, thinking, despite his serious tone, that he's insane.
"I would say you were crazy," she says with a smile, hoping it's good enough.
"What would you say if I could show you?"