Rain splattered onto the path as the winds howled in protest of darkness. The powerful currents blew at the waving trees, littering the ground with countless leaves. All at once, the currents pushed the leaves and they flew into the air, and lightning flashed overhead. Thunder chased after it a heartbeat later, and the creatures on the path scrambled for safety. The blackening clouds closed in on the shining moon, and in a moment, the only source of light vanished. A peregrine falcon zipped through the air, expertly dodging the branches of the dancing trees that flew towards its small head. When it flew into a tiny clearing, it immediately spread its wings and lifted above the canopy. In the shadows below a figure shifted from a tree's base into another shadow. The vibration of a thin object being strung onto some sort of wire was heard, and then a pixie's whistle. The sharp end sliced through the air and missed the falcon by a millimetre. The figure disappeared and another boy crept out from under a tree. He notched his arrow; there were no room for mistakes now. He let it fly, and it chased after the bird. It reached the bird before it had time to turn and it grew limp, crying only once in pain. The boy yelled in triumph but another bird's cry answered his call. The real falcon flew into view and soared higher, an angry barrage of wood fused with bronze chasing hopelessly after it. It rose until it blended into the clouds. The first figure shook his head in dismay.
"No! We must retrieve that scroll!" he shook with anger. The second, shorter figure stood silently.
"We have not even deciphered the whole thing. Father will not be pleased."
"Apollo?" the first boy scoffed. "Father can't do anything about it. Chiron will be extremely disappointed though.
"We'll probably get a real long lecture."
"Lectures! Screw those lectures. It doesn't affect us. It's the content of the scroll we must worry about―" The two boys sulked back towards the camp entrance.
Meanwhile, the peregrine falcon escaped the storm and glided through the clouds. It located a small opening on the side of a mountain and dived towards it. As it flew through the entrance, it slowed down until it landed perched on a large man's right arm. Carefully, it opened its beak and dropped a small scroll onto the man's lap. The man smiled. He relaxed himself for the first time in centuries on his stone throne and put his hand gently on the women sitting next to him. He opened his mouth to a crack.
"The Time has come, my darling wife . . ." he rasped.