Here is the next chapter. This is where it starts to really flesh out. Enjoy!

Edit: I had an Anon (Guest) ask if I realized that xxMoonlitexx is a troll. I'm honestly not sure personally. I have met fans like her and know they exist. And the fact that it's at 69 chapters and been going on for a year? I'm leaning towards not a troll; why would a troll spend THAT much effort on it? But that's just me...

Regardless of it it's a troll fic or not, I'm writing this mostly as an exercise in my writing abilities. I want to see how good I really am. It also gives others another good story to read, which is always welcome (I'm assuming).


I sat quietly in Chiron's office in the Big House, nervous. I looked around, having never been there before, trophies, pictures, quest items and a large fire place met my gaze. Above the mantle was a mounted leopard head and I flinched a bit. Poor thing. I decided it would be best to just stare at the ground and twiddle my thumbs until Chiron came in. I sighed. But how… how is this possible!? I mean, this is technically what I was hoping for but now that I have it… I just feel sick and scared. Why did Artemis wait so long to claim me? The sound of hooves on the wooden floor approaching snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up at Chiron as he entered the room.

"Um… I'm in trouble, aren't I?" I finally choked out.

"Not at all." Chiron reassured, taking a seat. "I simply wish to figure out the situation at hand. I asked you to come here so that we may speak in private." I simply nodded and listened. "Many decades ago, a prophesy was foretold, and I believe it concerns you, given who has claimed you."

"A prophesy?" Chiron nodded and stood, taking a book from a nearby shelf that was old and worn.

"In the West stirs the God of Time,

Twice - sealed for his heinous crime.

O Daughter of the Wild, within you will your heart rip,

To Light or Dark, the world must tip."

I stared at the page in mild horror. "And you think it is talking about me?" Chiron nodded. "But… isn't Pan the God of the Wild? Maybe… maybe it's talking about one of the dryads or… or…" But even as I said this I knew that couldn't be it; dryads and other nature spirits could not go far from their host vessel. It could only be me. I swallowed thickly, my mouth suddenly as dry as a desert. "I… I can't…"

"In light of this prophesy, I wish for you to remain in camp." I looked up from the book's page. "If it is true that you will tip the current balance between light and dark, it would be best for you to stay here an-"

"I'm not going to betray the camp!" I cut off, sudden anger flaring up. "I would NEVER betray my home!" Chiron looked at me, startled, before smiling.

"That is not what I meant. What I meant," he continued, "was that I would like you to stay here to be safe. Luke… he was a good kid. He was strong and brave, but bitter to what had happened to his family." I could see sadness in his eyes and I knew what he meant. "He was spoken to by Kronus in his dreams, as he preyed on his sadness. I do not wish the same on you." I nodded in understanding.

"I'll stay." I could see Chiron's shoulders relax at my agreement.

"Since you have been claimed, you may stay in the Artemis Cabin. The Hunters occasionally come, as you know, but I believe there will be enough room for them and you when they come." I nodded, keeping quiet as my thoughts raced around my head, making me feel even sicker than earlier. So much for lunch.


The sun had set an hour ago. Since moving my stuff from Cabin 11 into my new cabin – with the help of some Hermes kids – I hadn't moved from my spot on the floor. First I'd cried. Then I dry-heaved. Then I was silent. I was scared. No, terrified. Everything was falling down on my head, falling to pieces. All I wanted was a home… that's all. To belong. I would have happily lived out the rest of my days as just another camper of no note. It seemed Fate had other plans. Why me? Always me… I curled up into as small of a ball as I could on the smooth, wood floor. Luke… I don't know what to do. I remembered Luke's smile, is compassion, his strength, his quick thinking. I had fallen for him during the war. I'd seen first-hand how Kronus slowly but surely turned all of his kindness into cruelty, his love and compassion into vengeance. More and more Luke had faded away, taken over until he had been nothing but a shell. How many nights had I woken up, nervous about an attack, and heard him crying? In the end, Luke knew of his wrong-doing and could only ask for the release of Death. Will I follow? Just to escape my Fate? Can I be brave, like him? Like Annabeth? Percy? I didn't know. But there was one thing I did know; if I stayed here, the camp would be pulled into another war.

More people would die, more couples torn apart, friends left alone, families missing chunks of their members. I sat up, whipping the semi-dried tears from my eyes. Not again. Not because of me. I slowly stood up and went to the bathroom to rinse my face off. Large, scared, silver eyes looked back at me, pale skin blotchy-pink on the nose and eyes and cheeks. "Some Huntress…" I whispered to myself. But I knew what I had to do. I went back into the main area of the cabin and started pulling out clothes for the journey; black and grey jeans, a few black blouses, a black t-shirt and an extra 'Camp Half-Blood' shirt. I didn't have a weapon yet; I had refused to take one after the War. I had NEVER wanted to fight again. But now I had to and I bit my lip in worry. The weapon's shed is heavily guarded… I'll have to go weaponless. I also packed some basic toiletries and ambrosia before going back to the bathroom mirror to re-do my eyeliner, focusing on the task to keep myself calm and my hand steady. When finished, I looked back to see my handiwork and for a moment a shock went through me; this time, I looked strong and ready, silver eyes now not filled with fear but determination and will. I quickly looked away, unsure of how to feel, before putting the liner and a small compact into my backpack, zipping it closed and then finally putting on a pair of sturdy black boots. I was ready.


I waited until the dead of night, when I was least likely to get caught. I knew I was disobeying direct orders but the thought of everyone being hurt because of me, so shortly after the War, drove me forward into the shadows. But first, I want to say goodbye to Ivy. Saying goodbye to Annabeth would be too risky. Luckily, Ivy's place was right at the edge of the woods, by the strawberry patch. I lightly rapped on the pile of ivy that was her home. "Can we talk?" I whispered, trying to keep to the shadows the trees were making; the full moon was bright and illuminating everything like a spotlight. A light wind came before my friend's appearance.

"It's so late Flavia. What's wrong?" Ivy asked me sleepily.

"I'm leaving camp."

"When?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?!" she yelped, fully awake this time. "But why? What did Chiron say? You've been in the Artemis Cabin all day." Eye green-browned eyes were almost luminescent in the full moon's light, worry on her face.

"There is a prophesy." I said. "It said I would bring war."

"You? But… you're so against killing! That makes no sense." Ivy shock her head, dark green curls waving wildly. "No, it has to be someone else. What exactly did it say?" And so I re-iterated what I had read in the book.

"Sounds to me like you're done for." a new voice said. Ivy and I jumped at the sound and she disappeared into her home. I grabbed for a weapon on instinct before remembering that I was weaponless. "Unarmed? A pacifist? And you're planning to leave alone? You're signing your death warrant. You can't be that stupid." Finally I found the producer of the voice; Nico Di Angelo. He stepped from the shadows of the forest and looked at me coldly, his black eye glittering in the light like chips of obsidian. Despite it being summer, he still wore his leather aviator jacket.

"I-it's none of your business." I stuttered. I knew quite a bit about Nico; he was a son of Hades, able to summon the dead, melt into shadow and become shadow itself. He was quite skilled with a sword and ice-cold to most to boot. I remembered seeing him fight during the War, The unflinching gaze; he had even convinced his father to come join the fight, a nearly impossible task. He may have been 2 years my younger and skinny as a corpse, but he was not to be messed with.

"It will be when I turn you in to Chiron."

"No!" I covered my mouth quickly when I realized I had shouted. I scrambled up from my knees, walking to him. "Please! Just…. j-just let me go. Don't tell anyone. Please?" I begged, reaching out for his arm. He pulled away, seeming to half-melt into the shadows.

"Don't touch me." he hissed, eyes glaring at me in anger so intense I flinched.

"R-right…" I was shaking a bit from both my fear of the journey and of Nico. Nico seemed to notice my distressed and sighed.

"Where are you thinking to go than? I heard you mention a prophesy."

"West. That's all I know."

"Again; are you asking to be killed?

I sighed in frustration now. "The weapon's shed is locked. I can't pick the lock and it's guarded."

Nico frowned. "Wait in the shadows. You're an archer, right?" I simply nodded. I became shadow and vanished.

"Can you really trust him?" I heard Ivy's voice ask from behind me. I turned to see she had re-formed.

"I don't know. But… he might be all I have ally-wise. I know you can't come with me."

Ivy frowned. "I know. I'm so sorry. I HATE that I can't come with you. I'm not much of a fighter but I can heal a little…"

"Thank you Ivy. I appreciate the thought anyway."

"This good?" I jumped and spun around once more and saw Nico with a bow and quiver full of arrows. I nodded, swallowing. "You better know how to make arrows; you'll eventually run out."

"I know." I took the bow and quiver from him, attaching the quiver to my right hip. Nico then handed me something else.

"Dagger, just in case. Hope you know how to use it." I took it from him and attached it to my left hip.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked suspiciously.

"Good question." Nico began to walk into the woods and I followed him. I didn't know why he was helping me, what was in it for him, but I had an ally regardless. I hope I'm doing the right thing and not actually placing the camp in more danger.


I wasn't sure how long we'd been walking through the woods.

"I'm surprised we haven't run into anything dangerous." Nico said, breaking the silence.

"I'm steering us away." I explained absent-mindedly. "I can… I can sense where everything is in the woods, and what it is; monster, animal or human. There are these static patches where I can't sense anything though. I'm guessing that's where towns and cities are." I turned to Nico.

"That's pretty useful." he replied, mildly impressed.

"Thanks." I looked up to the sky, seeing the dark blue beginning to lighten. "The sun will rise soon."

"We should probably find a place to rest; we're less likely to be caught if we travel by night." I nodded in agreement with him. "Any man-made places nearby?"

"Um…" I tried to focus but I was too inexperienced with this ability and too tired to be able to find specific details. I shook my head. "Too tired."

Nico sighed. "I can sense earth-bound spirits that way." He pointed to our right. "Probably a haunted cabin. We can stay there."

"Haunted!?" I squeaked a bit.

"Don't be a baby; they won't bother us with me around. Come on." Nico took off and I quickly followed. I could feel the fatigue of staying up all night and sleeping poorly the night before really getting to me. Soon after we reached a small, decrepit cabin. Nico opened the door – it had been unlocked – and we went inside. Dust, grime and cobwebs covered the inside.

"I'll take first watch." I offered, staying by the door and Nico shrugged off his jacket. "Percy mentioned once that shadow travel task it out of you. And you probably came to camp via shadow travel, right?" Nico looked at me for a few beats, face unreadable and eyes dark and murky in thought.

"… fine." He folded up his aviator jacket to be used as a pillow while I sat down beside him and pulled out the dagger. Nico lay down, back facing me. He curled up, knees to his chest, which caused his black shirt to ride up a bit, and exposed a slice of pale flesh on his lower back. I could see his spine. I quickly looked away, flustered. I didn't have much experience with guys beyond fighting – or really with girls either – so suddenly seeing his skin, even if it was just a little and unintentional, made me feel uncomfortable. Mixed with my concern about how skinny Nico was made for an odd combination.

I reached into my back and took out a small square of ambrosia and took a bite; it tasted like warm, melted chocolate and caramel. I smiled, feeling myself calm. Mom… please… am I doing the right thing? Guide me. Silence was the answer. I sighed unhappily and started my watch.


Falling. Darkness. And pain all over my body. First a dull ache, then slowly become more and more intense. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was, what was causing the pain, or even when I'd hit the ground. My search turned up nothing, as the pain continued to dial up. Soon, I was screaming, the pain unbearable. Laughter mixed with my screams.

"Come to me, foolish child."


I woke myself up from the screaming but froze instantly when I realized there was a blade on my neck. "What are you doing here Flavia?" a familiar voice asked coldly in my ear. "No one should be able to find this cabin with the wards I put up. I turned my head slowly to meet rich, hostile green eyes.

"Alabaster?" I asked in shock. "Where have you been all this time?"

"A better question is; what are YOU doing HERE? Especially with HIM." He indicated with his head toward a sleeping Nico. "And don't lie; I'll kill him if you do. I've had enough creatures hunting me; I don't need demi-gods as well."


Again, let me know what you think and if I missed any spelling things. Thank you!