Cruelty

Chapter 6: Astraia

So, you may be wondering … WHAT IN THE WORLD HELD BY ATLAS HAPPENED?!

Well, let me enlighten you in that matter but even I, myself don't know the whole story … all I know is …

Sebastian, Tristan and I were heading towards our respective cabins after a long and agonizing day. The activities weren't bad. Actually, they were really enjoyable! I personally love archery, the students there and our instructor was really surprised when I got a perfect aim during our practice. At first, they won't even let me near any bow and arrows but I always have my ways.

So anyway, my friends and I were making our way to our cabin to retire for the day. My two companions were chatting about random things and occasionally, including me in their conversation when out of the blue someone covered my mouth with a handkerchief that smelled awfully like something is rotting on it. No seriously, it smells awful! I gagged at the unpleasant scent and tried my best to move it as far away as possible but the unknown captors grabbed me from behind. I kept on thrashing on the hands of the not-so-unknown people but their iron grip won't let me go. I heard them mumble among their selves on how troublesome I could be and whisper between each other. "Damn why won't he fall into unconsciousness?" one of them asked.

"Well duh? Seems like we've been tricked by those Hermes kids again, guess they found out about our plot on this unclaimed brat that they call sibling." the speaker shook her head that was covered with a mask. "Shouldn't deal with those pranksters again, it's hard to make a deal from them." She turned her head on her partner's direction and asked him. "Where else can you say we can get more chloroforms? I ran out on our last adventure."

The bulkier kid who held the victim just shrugged. "I don't know. Never dealt with somethin' illegal as that. I only go as far as smugglin' coke in cans and some chocolate bars, but chloroforms and other drugs? I'll pass." Aha! So that's where you get those extra fats fatso!

"You're useless and pathetic. And coke and chocolate? Wait 'till your counselor hears about your juicy little secret. Thought you and your siblings are on an all sugar diet? Gives you extra unnecessary pounds you say." The Ares girl sneered as the person directed with the insult gave her a warning look. This only made her smirk wider and her eyes darker.

"Counselor?" 'bulky' or should I say Arvin, the only Aphrodite kid who isn't fit enough to fit on their size zero clothes because he's as big as the number itself, let the word slide off his tongue with great mockery and disgust. "Tch! That undeserving idiot? One of these days I'll get him myself." No! Not Bastie. I must warn him 'IF' ever I survive from their hands…

The girl's eyes twinkled with excitement as well as her voice. "Hmm… we're cooking another plan I see."

Just then, the third member of the group, a rather skimpy kid dressed in all black attire similar to the other two came panting heavily. I heard the 'girl' asked what took him so long and his only response was a nasty glare. "We must hurry if we want the show to go on. The other campers are heading here already."

"How are we going to humiliate him again?" Arvin asked mockingly.

Ares girl smirked and explained her 'brilliant' plan as if it's the best thing she's done. "We'll let him make a fool out of his self in front of the whole camp with the help of our traps of course. Then make it look like he summoned a great beast that will threaten and attack everyone then voila! He's out of the camp in no time!" Real clever guys, let the unknowing victim hear the plan. "All we really have to do is prove that he is really a threat to this place and I'm sure the old donkey and lame god will kick him out. I overheard the other day that the council isn't too convinced that he's as harmless as he seems specially after that stunt on the archery field this morning. It only made him more suspicious."

"Hmm… guess he stepped on his own trap. He only made our job easier." The other girl in the group chuckled lightly, then she continued with a fake innocence dripping in her voice. "Say, how much does the 'nice lady' owe us if we finish a job well done?"

Cassandra or 'Cassie', the Ares kid mentioned earlier smirked at Adela. "Gold, lots of golds. Now on with the work and enough of the talk. Set all our props." Her sick grin made her look like a lunatic with a very twisted mind. With one swift movement, their hands began to manipulate the so called 'props' or subjects for torture, Erebos kept thrashing around and accidentally, they tore off fabric covering the child's body, yanked off the cap; charmed to hide the long auburn tresses and change its color to black, threw away the pair of walking shoes adorning his feet… hey Sebastian gave me those! And pulled away the enchanted bracelet that concealed his real gender. My secret is unveiled! And I guess even their slow mind wasn't able to process the information quickly, they just gape at me like a specimen under a microscope. Taking this opportunity, I screamed for help and since the bracelet was gone, my voice is very much like a girl's, it really sounded foreign to my ears. I tried my best to cover myself up and salvage the remaining dignity and pride remaining in me.

Seconds later, relief flooded on the boy/girl's features, but the arriving party isn't too thrilled with the unexpected scene that unraveled before them. Sebastian being the observant and know-it all between the two muttered something like 'just as I thought…' and scanned his surrounding for any more surprises laid out for them. He was able to accept the whole ordeal, after all, he already knew of the charade; what else is there to be surprised about?

But Tristan was a different story, wasn't able to digest and recover from the situation at hand quickly as the older boy did. He's as clueless as the captors, that's why when he was able to collect his thought, all he could do was mutter the most pathetic words. "Dude, you're a girl?" way to state the obvious!

'I never wanted this! I never asked for any of this! And now, I'm obliged to do this!' the auburn haired lady slammed her hands on the wheel as she thought of the words running on her head. 'Nothing like this could have happened if only father didn't stick his nose on other people's business' she continued speed up and only to slow down when her destination is fast approaching. She checked her map again to see if she's driving to the correct direction.

She stepped on the brakes and stared at the old building in front of her. The lady sighed, she's been doing this for the past few years, going from one orphanage to another just to come out empty handed and tired. "Little Angel's Heaven: Home for the abandoned and abused." Artemis frowned at the name and the irony. Oh the child she's looking for is abandoned alright! Abandoned by her mother. And abused. She chuckled at this oh how cruel will her fate be. She will be abused, abused with her powers and ability. 'A weapon.' She thought. How was her brother able to accept the fact that he will father a child that will be only used as a killing machine? How can all of them agree with the ridiculous idea? How can they create something to destruct when they aim to stop destruction itself? True, she could really care less. After all, she's the biggest scum of them all, but at least she's not a hypocrite. She wouldn't pretend that she would like it, she wouldn't pretend to care, and she wouldn't pretend to love the child… and she's not making any empty promises of family and home…

Distance chatters of coming demigod snapped everyone out of their trance. By that time Sebastian was able to figure out what happened and dealt with it. The councilor took the little girl in his arms and dragged the little boy. The trio disappeared into the dark forest.

When the campers reached the lake near the bonfire, then can't help but laugh their heads off. There, was a pair of Aphrodite and Ares kids tied up with their own vicious traps and dangling midair with a hellhound at the bottom trying to gnaw his way into them.

The moon maiden stepped out of the structure hovering above her. Another failure, another wasted time… just like the others. 'When will this end?' she thought. Artemis boarded her chariot, which she morphed into a car this time to fit in with mortal vehicles, with so much frustration, disappointment and depression. She checked them all. Looked at each child's faces, features and even attitudes, but none of them was her or him. None of them is the vessel of inhuman powers, none of them possesses the criteria to be the 'one'… None of them holds the warmth of her brother and the sun, or the coolness of her and the moon. Not one has her brother's cocky, impulsive and arrogant attitude, or her serene, calm and rational stance. No one has his brother's golden locks and sky blue eyes, or her auburn tresses and emerald orbs.

Not once did Artemis deny that possibly, the child could hold her features and her attitude that would truly irk her brother. But he would love them nonetheless, because they're part of her as well… but no one in this building or on the other ones holds a child with the sun god's features and the moon maiden's or even the combination of both! … Because none of them is his child …

When Sebastian decided that they are far enough, he gently settled the shivering girl on the ground and unbuttoned his own shirt and wrapped 'Erebos' with it. "Are you alright?" his gentle voice laced with calmness and concern gave both children a wave of relief and equal calmness. Tristan automatically knew what this is; Sebastian is using his special talent. He's using his gift of tongue. The auburn haired child simply nodded her head and rested it on the older lad's chest, quietly listening to his heartbeat that seemed to have a calming effect on her. "Tell me, why did you do this?" he asked once again with a subtle hint of the mesmerizer. Once he uses his charm, the victim under its influence has no choice but to comply with his demands. This is the reason why Aphrodite chose Sebastian as councilor. The child has powers beyond what a demigod can possess. His tongue can predict, dictate and curse couples. He can also charm everyone to do his bidding, he can practically have anyone under his spell but of course, he never does that … not until its needed. And this disappointed his mother greatly, as well as his siblings …

'Erebos' can't seem to have control with her own body. Her tongue seemed to have a mind of its own that left her no choice but to spill her secrets even if her mind is against it. "I… I conceal my real identity to survive." She answered slowly and Sebastian just nodded silently; taking in whatever the child will reveal to him and encouraging the girl to continue. "It started when I met Thallas."

"Thallas?" Tristan finally spoke.

"He's my best friend, or he used to be." The child's voice faltered and she looked down while fumbling with the buttons from Sebastian's trade mark shirt. "We're always on the run and we kept on knocking on death's door. We're always in trouble for no good reason." She paused, remembering the feeling of running away. The freedom and the wildness of it, the thrill and the adrenaline rush! It felt like it was only yesterday that they took up residence in the streets of Manhattan or on the wet cave near the islands around the vicinity. "I've been passed on, titan to titan. Traded like slaves, sold as food. Demigods have no escape from the brutal torture they're subjected to. They kept on waiting, waiting for someone to save them; hoping that one day, they will be redeemed and be united with their parents.

"Little did they know that some of them were given freely by their parents to these monsters in return for their other family's safety, sadly they still believe that their parents love them. They've been fooled by the illusion of home.

"I escaped yes… but reality only strikes there."

"How did you?"

"Easy, my tongue got me in trouble as usual. I was never the obedient type so I kept on answering back! No one wanted to buy me, they say I'm too troublesome and I've always spent my days inside a cell. Never made friends for other demigods see me as the odd one." Erebos lightly chuckled at the memory while her other two companion shared the same grim look. "One day, they had enough of me so they tried to get rid of me. Dragon's lair, that's where it was. Then I met Thallas, he saved me, but of course I needed to go into hiding. I was convinced that I change my everything, even go as far as keep my gender. It worked. But of course it didn't end there. I kept on being caught by different 'collectors' and every time I escape, I'll change my look again so they won't trace me. Hey did you know that blonde hair looks good on me?" she joked and even gave a small smirk but the two just remained quiet.

"It went on like that for a few more years until this old woman found me. She knows what I'm doing so she gave me a charmed bracelet that completely conceals my identity since she knows that sooner or later, physical changes will occur in my body. It even changes my voice."

"What is your name?"

Erebos bit her tongue. She can't tell him her name; he can't know her! But her tongue betrayed hey again. So reluctantly, her name flowed out of her lips. "A-Astraia."

"Do you want to continue the charade?" Sebastian asked as he fumbled with the item inside his pocket. "Or do you want to tell everyone and come out as what you really are?"

"Why are you giving me this choice?"Astraia voiced out while offering a broken smile. "It's obvious that they already found out. I'm exposed."

"No."

"No?"

"They won't remember what they saw. They never knew." The blonde explained monotonously.

It was the child's turn to be confused; she frowned at the older lad and quarried. "How?"

"I told them to forget and filled their heads with a story."

As much as she wants to believe and as much as the option seems tempting, it was still too good to be true. "You words can't wipe out what they've witnessed." She turned her head away from him only to be gently turned back by his soft fingers.

"Oh?" the councilor smirked. He studied the child's face illuminated by the moon herself. 'Beautiful' he thought. 'Beautiful and innocent' "What if I tell you that I have the world wrapped with my hands? Never underestimate the power of words…" he slowly let go of her. "So, your choice is?"

She only turned away from him, head down cast and her body was trembling. "Don't worry, I've fixed everything. All you have to do is ask." He coaxed, coating his words with hypnotizing charm. "Just tell me." He whispered into her ears.

"I-I want to…"

Artemis slammed the door shut, she furiously marched her way to the structure that held dozens of drunk underage teenagers reeking with the smell of alcohol and sex; she obviously stood out and didn't blend well with her formal and decent clothes, 'natural look' make up and twisted bun and mature stature. Disgusted with the sight and with the guy who kept on eyeing her from afar, she quickly made her way a certain blonde boy drowning his self with a glass of cheap alcoholic drink while entertaining the girl beside him. Anger bubbled inside the goddess' chest. 'How dare he?!' she furiously walked towards him and dragged him by his ear. The boy and the girl he's flirting with were clearly taken aback but the lady will always have her way. When they reached her car she let go of him and gave him a hard slap. "What do you think you're doing?"

The blonde rubbed the site where his sister hit him and smirked at him on his drunken stupor. "My, my, my… I didn't know you can get jealous as well Arty. I really like this side of you; really feisty."

"Shut up you idiot! I've been running all day, orphanage to orphanage, house to house just to find your child but you?! You've spent your day wasting yourself in a cheap and disgusting place such as this?" she rubbed her temples and spoke more calmly while catching her breath. "I thought you're better than this Apollo. I thought you've learned…"

"Arty wait!"

But Artemis already boarded her car and sped off. "Artemis!" he mirrored his sister's actions earlier and sat on the ground near his own chariot morphed as a car as well. He remembered, because of this habit of his, he lost his child. Because of this attitude, the basket containing his son fell from his window… because of this, his dear sister drifted away from him.

"If I'd be given a choice, I wish to remain as my alter-persona. This camp knew me as him, as Erebos. The last thing I need is more suspicion and questions to answer. I'm tired… tired of explaining myself to people I know wouldn't even listen."

Sebastian nodded. "So shall be it." He reached for the item in his pocket and clasped it around her wrist. He offered her a small smile and spoke. "Sleep for now Astraia and tomorrow, you shall wake Erebos…" the little girl's eyelids grew heavy and slowly she slipped to dreamland. Sebastian caught her and held her in his arms once again, his work only began. He must recollect her old clothes charmed to hide his physical features and wipe away Tristan's memory. Only he should know, only he would know. 'When time comes.' He thought. "When time comes, you'll find out again Tristan, I'm sorry but it's her wishes." He turned to the other boy whom he paralyzed earlier with his charms. He knows that Tristan would pressure Astraia in revealing herself to the whole camp, which she isn't ready to do, thus an honest choice wouldn't come out. So he shut him out for a moment.

'No!' Tristan screamed inside his head. But the magic with Sebastian's words slowly penetrated his head even with much fight he put up. 'No! This is wrong!' then the boy was out cold as well.

All credits goes to our beloved author who made 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' possible, and to the Greeks who brilliantly made greek mythology. And I own nothing; characters, settings, etc.

Thanks to all who read and reviewed ... it's very much appreciated :D I apologize for the snail slow updates but I'm trying my best to improve ...

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ShadowsClaw: Thank you for the second opinion :)

Myx078-Secret: I hope you enjoy this chapter :D

Angel01: Thank you for the lovely review, and sure. You can call him/her anything you want :) I'm getting confused with what to call him/her as well. And about Thallas, well he won't be getting a screen time soon which really disappoints me since he's one of my favorite characters :(

Peachs: hahaha well yes a gender switch is really un expectable :D And yes, Leto knows ... guess Apollo lost for the hundredth time this century ... Anyway, thanks for reviewing for almost every chapter!

Wolfah202: Thank you for the compliments ... I'll try my best to improve :)

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