A/N :
Writers block sucks.
Hello. Yes Im alive. Thank you for noticing. Im sorry for the delay. Writers block took its toll on me (tumblr and archery too plus I read The City of Bones and The Fault in Our Stars which I recommend deeply dflkjdfkljdskfjldsfjlkds yeah ) and sorry if nothing much happens in this chapter. Although the plot is moving fast and I would like to thank the people who have reviewed / followed / favorite my story. Please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter. Thats kinda it for now so yeah. Stay tuned for more.
-Rare.
( shout outs to : Gia the Great [[ nice suggestions ^_^ ]], The Demiguardian from D12 [[love the name]], Guardian Keeper [[ nice suggestions. ^_^ ]], XxXBlueRose23XxX, Nyx811 [[thanks ^_^]], My cousin [[ sup. lol. ]], Rosepink4140, quoththeraven, Guest [[ SHIPSHIPSHIP]], GeekyGirlMeow, Guest [[ will you marry me. please.]], Pixie9000, CRONA CANT DEAL WITH THIS, iamthesidekick2550, Anna. And to all my readers coz I love you all. )
"Run little fire. Run." A cruel laugh echoed in the darkness around her.
She gritted her teeth and ran the to the opposite direction from where it came from, desperately finding a way out of this nightmare. That's righ' Merida. She tried to reassure herself. I's jus' a nigh'mare. It isn' real. Of course is no' real… Another laugh ringed in her hears and it run shivers up her spine.
She shook her head. Don' le' it get te yer head lass.
Her clothes were tattered and covered in grime, she lost a shoe along the way and her hair was singed to its ends. It was dark and cold, but she didn't feel it against her skin. She just knew.
She was running for her life. What are ye runnin' from lass? She didn't know. She just had to run.
She sprinted on a dry dirt road. No weapons, not a single clue to where her feet was taking her and not a single sign of life anywhere. The grass was deathly gray and the trees were usueless splinters of wood. The silence was deafening, and she felt that the sound of her footsteps would echo for miles and miles and still no one would hear her. But she knew she wasn't alone.
A voice. A cruel, male, sadistic and malicious voice, that gave her chills and goosebumps all over. Every once in a while it will taunt her and try to make her feel afraid. Actually that's all it wants, as far as she could tell, it enjoys seeing her cowering in fear. Who and why though, the answer was nowhere to be found.
"Afraid little spit fire?" the familiar icy tone rang in her ears. Speak of the devil. She scoffed and slowed down to a jog. "Pfft. Me? Afraid of yew?," she rolled her eyes, "Ye migh' as well be lucky." She tried to laugh but it clogged up her throat and came out more like a cough. She felt her cheeks flush and could practically see the voice smiling mockingly at her.
"Tutt, tutt, tutt," he clicked his tongue, "That's how all you lot always are… So naïve…" The sky began to dim and the air around her dropped to a few degrees, ".. Always filled with hope and wonder…" She felt time slow down around her , the ground beneath her began crumbling and swallowing her whole. She tried to scream, but she cant as if her mouth was sewn shut. She didn't have the control of her own body. "Why- Theres only one thing missing.. " A low chuckle escaped his lips and she felt her skin itch of the immensly hot sand creeping up to her neck.
That's when she saw him.
Slick oily black hair pulled back in spikes, a long thin and sarcastic face with human yet inhuman like features. Yellow eyes that glowed bright in the dark, obviously feeding off her fear. Gray lips twisted in a malicious smile, revealing stark white, shark like teeth. He was amused to see her eyes widen at the sight of him, his laughter booming in her ears.
"A touch of fear."
Darkness and weightlessness.
The next thing she knew she was standing in the dining pavilion back at camp half blood. By the looks of the sky, it was about an hour after sunset and the torches by the pillars were blazing bright which made shadows cast overhead the buildings. It was quiet, meaning it was deserted and that she was alone. She whipped her head around trying to find the man, but he simply disappeared.
She looked down and saw that she was wearing her usual, and not a fleck of dust on her shirt . She ran her hand through her hair and sighed in relief when it was completely there. She looked up at the sky and shouted, "Well!? What is i' now ay? Yew and yer little tricks. Firs' the fire-" her voice cracked but she didn't lose her tone. "An now this!" She opened her arms at her surroundings."Wha' ye go' fer me now ay!?" Her voice quivered slightly when she talked but she was dead serious.
And for once he didn't answer back.
The wind whispered in her ears and ruffled through her hair. Okay.. Her eyes drifted to the forest and she gasped at what she saw. She gazed at the little blue flame floating above a patch of dead grass.
Her mother used to tell her stories about these special souls. They say it would lead you to your fate. They called it.."Wisp." She reached her hand out to it but it disappeared into thin air before she could brush it with her fingers. Just then a whole trail of them appeared, heading deepeer and deeper into the woods. She sighed. Better ge' this over with.
She started walking towards the woods, hesitating on where her feet would land, a bit wary it might swallow her up again. The wisps were silent, which was odd because her mom always said they made small whispering noises. They evaporated when she got too close. It was a long walk, into a region of the forest where Merida never explored before. They passed Zeus's fist (which by the way was so inappropriately named ) ages ago and it was her only landmark along her way. Now she was completely lost with her feet were going numb pretty quickly and getting harder to see.
When the last wisp faded into darkness, Merida scanned her surroundings. They reached a part of the forest, where the trees were so high you can barely see their tops, blocking out the last of only sound she could hear was that of her breathing. The he forest itself seemed to be still. If she didn't know any better she would have presumed the forest was dead. She waited and waited for something to happen.
Suddenly she heard a low rumbling sound followed by a small whimper that came from a shrub that Merida was sure wasn't there before. She shook her head. Yer losin' it lass. Mgih' be a wounded animal. She scooted over to it, peering over to get a better look.
It wasn't a helpless wounded animal.
The bear pounced , baring at her with its massive claws as sharp as swords. She scampered away before it could scratch her face and raised her arms in defense. Instead it ripped her sleeve into shreds and left a long gash on her arm. She doubled over in pain and staggered to get up. She felt her arm was cut and doused in gasoline and set on fire. It cant hurt this much. She realized its claws might be coated in poison. She saw her hands covered in blood, and spots danced her vision when she tried to get a good glimpse of the monster.
It was 15 feet high at least, with pitch black fur and soulless golden eyes that bore deep into her soul. Its face was disgusting to look at- it had a frothy maw with fangs as long as knives, a long red scar running down from its left eye to its chin. One of its ears have been cut off and the whole body reeked like rotting flesh. Some parts of its fur had bald spots as if someone used the worlds biggest waxing strip on it but underneath it its skin looked as tough as armor. It was eyeing Merida like it hasn't eaten in days. And she was its first meal.
She was halfway up when the creature pounced on her again, pinning her wounded arm on the ground beneath them. Pain shot through her like daggers and she cried out with tears stinging her eyes. She opened her eyes and found the monster staring at her face to face, its frothy mouth dripping on her shirt.
It triggered a memory from long ago. She realized this was exactly what happened with her and Mor' Du. She got injured and the monster pinned her to the ground, and the beast was ready to take away her life with one swipe of a paw but Hiccup stopped it before it could. Hiccup. Only now the beast was much stronger and scarier, there was no Hiccup to save her this time.
No. She gritted her teeth. He's coming I know he is. He'll never let me down never. Any second now hes gonna come in and save me. Just like he did. I trust him. He wont let me down.
"But he already has." The man reformed out of the shadows and stood by her side, smiling at her. "He's gone now. All of them. They've left you." His smile turned to a twisted grin which was gruesome to watch on his face.
Merida spat at him and continued to struggle from the beast, "LIES!" But was it a lie? She shook her head frantically. It is a lie. Don't trus' this creep. The bear pushed her arm furthur into the ground. She screamed.
"Why not trust me? Open your eyes Merida! Hes not here. No one is. They've all left!" He thrust his hands in the air and wagged a greasy finger at her, "Because of you." Her heart accelerated ten fold and she met those golden amber eyes. He snapped his fingers and the beast evaporated into mist. "Do you really believe in friendship?" He chuckled.
She lay there, staring at the darkness with tears streaming down her face. He didn't come. He didn't come. A part of her told her that this was a nighmare, and that if this was real life then he would have saved her, but right now she wasn't listening. She could feel herself shivering and her wound stung in the open air. She cocked her head to the side and saw that he had disappeared again.
"Merida?"
Jack.
"Merida whats going on here?" She looked around frantically, trying to find him but all she saw was darkness. "Merida?"
Hiccup.
She felt chills crawling on her skin. Jack! Hiccup! I'm ere ay! She struggled to get up but she was frozen in place.
Then she saw them. Jack looked the same as she had first saw him. Eyes bright and alert while his hair sparkling in the moonlight. Hiccup was the same only his hair was still in its messy state. Jack was hovering over her with those intense blue eyes while Hiccup was sitting next to her giving her the same look. She sighed in relief. "Yea' boys its me. Come on now help me up."
They both laughed. A laugh that was so harsh and mocking it vibrated in her skull. So much unlike the Jack and Hiccup she knew. Or thought you knew.
"Why should I." Hiccup's voice cut poisoned her like just stared at her with dead eyes, a small smile on his lips.
"Because I'm injured and yer mah friend." Her voice cracked but he seemed unmoved by her desperate plea. "Mah bes'frien'. "
He spat at the dirt near her feet. "I don't have friends." Then he walked away. He walked away without a second glance.
She called his name, but he walked on like he couldn't hear her. It stung. It stung more than it should have. She turned to Jack but her eyes widened in horror. He was being held hostage by a man with bear like features, only to be ruined by golden eyes. It was holding a long knife to his throat, and she could see that it has already left a gash in his neck and was dripping scarlet. She screamed. "Jack!" She couldn't move. No matter what she did she was rooted to the spot. The man smiled at her, revealing small pointy teeth.
"No! Don't hurt him!" She pleaded as she watched as the man took Jack away with him into the darkness followed by a horrible defeaning scream which could only be his. Then it was Hiccup's scream. Then Rapuzel's. Then Mavis's….
She wanted to lie there and wait for her heart to finally stop. She stared off into space, feeling empty and dead to the world listening to the horrible cries of her friends.
She felt herself succumbing into the darkness the way she fell asleep.
Slowly, then all at once.
That's right little one.
"Something's keeping me from her."
"You have to try Joseph. Please its our only hope." Hiccup said nervously. Watching Merida twist and turn in her sleep gutted him deeply he had to turn away.
"Im trying," he said through clenched teeth, eyes shut in concentration.
Rapunzel was holding Merida's hand, lips pursed and quivering. Jack stood behind her, eyeing the scott anxiously and biting on his own cheek. This is all my fault. He thought, remembering the night before and the way that Nightmare was playing with him. It didn't want him it wanted something more, that is why it seemed like it was hplding back. Stupid stupid stupid… He turned to Joseph. "Whats keeping you from her?"
Even though his eyes were closed, you could practically see them roll in his sockets. "I don't know."
Jack turned away from him and Merida. She barely knew her but still seeing her like this left a pang inside of him. Well he did, in a way, cause this to happen. He knows too much. His eyes found its way to the floor.
The Apollo cabin had hard mahogany wood ones that were freshly waxed and sparkling in the sunlight. Figures. But then Jack noticed it was perhaps too sparkly for his taste. He raised an eyebrow and sank to his knees. He swiped his hand on the cold surface and examined his fingertips closely.
His heart sank down to his stomach. Charcoal black sand. He immediately wiped any traces of it off him. Recoiling as if he just touched poison, and it was burning through his skin. This is wrong. He never leaves a trace. Ever. He glanced at Merida. She has stopped struggling, a sheen of sweat trickling down from her brow. She was pale and her fists were glued to her sides. He got her. He really got her. This is bad. Very very bad. The memory of glowing eyes and moving shadows, stirred in his mind and made him think twice about telling the others. He chose to shut up about it. He couldn't tell them.
Not here.
"Wait! Wait! I think I'm close!" Joseph suddenly exclaimed, rubbing his temples for the enth time. "Come on Merida, stay with me."
Yeah Merida. Hiccup thought, brushing her hand with his fingertips. He remembered all those times they had together, each one tying another knot in his heart. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and pleaded.
Wake up.
"Merida?"
She surpressed a sigh. What trick is this now? She squeezed her eyes shut, not even wanting to open them. The voice definitely was familiar. But whatever ( Yes. Its an it. Its always been an it. ) it was going to do she didn't want any part of it.
"Merida! Merida are you okay? Listen to me. Its Joseph. Im going to get you out of here but I cant do it without your help."
Her mind fought back. Joseph? Lies. Pathe'ic stupid lies. She bit her lip to keep herself from speaking so hard it started to bleed.
He sighed. "Okay. I'll try to get you out myself."
She felt the world spin around her and she braced herself for what monster was going to leap at her next. But there was none. Only a never ending pit of the darkness in her mind.
"I can't wake her up, but I can give her a dreamless sleep. When shes ready, she will wake up on her own." He explained to them, shoulders hunched as if he aged ten years.
Hiccup nodded and shifted on his chair next to her bed in the Infirmary. Rapunzel was helping Jack place nectar on his feet which seemed to heal immediately. He smiled in thanks, and watched her smile back and sit next to Hiccup.
They were an odd sight. Jack thought. The two of them. He sighed and stood up to leave, stuffing his hands in his pocket. "I'm going to the Big House," he declared and left without giving them a chance to reply.
Hiccup scoffed. "What's so important in the Big House that's more important than Merida."
Rapunzel smiled at him cheekilly and raised an eyebrow at him. "Maybe hes going to talk to Chiron and tell him whats happening. Why Hiccup?"
Hiccup turned to her, mouth open midsentence, but blushed in return instead.
The sun was brightly hung in the sky. Definitely not the type of weather when winter was only a few weeks away. The camp seemed unfazed, despite of what is stirring in the infirmary. And was bustling about with its daily activities like a perfectly normal day. Jack felt resentment in his heart. If only they knew.
The Big House was a short walk from the infirmary and even with his feet all patched up and back to normal he resisted the urge to run. As he neared the baby blue building, he felt someone was watching him from afar. He turned around to briefly find a girl with olive skin wearing all black attire with matching hair staring at him with watchful blue eyes and a pointed look as she knows all his secrets. She turned away before disappearing around the corner.
Jack shrugged, dismissing her. He deserved that look.
He arrived at the porch steps of the Big House while the front door was already wide open and he invited himself in. The door to Chiron's office was slightly ajar and from the hallway you could hear him in his office having an intense conversation with someone whos voice Jack wasn't familiar with. They talked in hushed tones, though they had an urgency to them like something was wrong. He was making his way towards it when he stopped at the handle.
Perhaps he already figured it out. Maybe this is a bad idea. He stuffed his hands back to his pockets and started to walk away when, "- the new camper." He froze.
He looked to the office and back to the front door and sighed. If he catches you you're dead. He carefully tiptoed to the door and peeped through the open space.
"That is not a matter to be joking around with Percy. Is it confirmed?" Chiron said, his back facing Jack. He looked worried, with his back sagging as he sat on his wheelchair. Right now he looked like a sickly old man. He was speaking to mist. Literally. Chiron was talking to a person made out of vapor. If he remembered correctly, Merida called them Iris Messages. He bit his lip. Merida.
"Same goes to you Chiron. Are you absolutely sure that he is-" he paused as if deciding wether he should say something before finally picking the right word to say. "Back?"The boy in the misty form had wavy black hair and sea green eyes. He looked a little older than Jack, probably in his early 20's. He was wearing a plain white shirt with trousers, and when he spoke, he had a kind of authority in his voice, yet it had a sort of lightness to it. His eyes had the glint of a troublemaker but it had a sort of sadness in it. Percy? The name rang a bell. So this is Percy Jackson.
"Well 'back' wont be an appropriate term. But what I'm cartain of is that he has an accomplice." Chiron stated nonchalntly.
Jack raised an eyebrow. Even more surprised when Percy knew exactly what he was thinking.
"He isnt the kind of person that makes accomplices." Percy insisted, eyes turning a dark blue.
Chiron shrugged. "Well right now we have other matters to attend to. A Quest?"
Percy furrowed his eyebrows by the sudden topic change. "Yeah. Like I said. Rachel told me it revolves around the new camper." He started to fumble with his shirt.
"Well, now we don't really have to do a lot of explaining to him then. Am I right Jack?" The teacher's eyes were on him now as were Percy's. But when Jack looked into Chiron's eyes and tried to find anger in them he only found sympathy and kindness. A look hes never seen on him before.
Jack cleared his throat and hung his head in embarrassment while ruffling his hair. "Chiron.. I uh.."
Chiron waved his hand to shut him off and gestured to Percy, who was grinning at him through the vapor. "Jack this is Percy. Son of Poseidon. I guess you know who he is…"
Jack nodded and offered an apologetic smile to the older demigod. "Hey."
"Hey," Percy smiled at him. "So you are the Jack Frost Rachel ws talking about.." his eyes seemed to scan him from head to toe and nod in approval and shrugged, remembering his place. "Anywyas. I guess you heard enough to go on. Are you up for it?" There wasn't a sign that he was annoyed at him for eavsdropping, it was as if he used to do it too.
He raised an eybrow and turned to Chiron. "Erm..Up for what exactly?"
"A Quest." Chiron and Percy said in unison.
Jack thought about it for a while.
He had heard about these quests often at this camp. Stories of demigods who seek out fulfilling their destinies by defeating monsters and saving people outside the borders. As good as it may sound it definitely wasn't rainbows and sunshine. Many have died, gotten injured if they were lucky. Got lost and never returned or even go mad on some occasions.
But then his mind drifted to his newly found friends. He barely knew them but it was as close as hes got to a home. And now something is out there, threatening his new family. He had an idea of who it might be but as what Chiron just said somehow he has found a new friend he has to deal with as well. He knew from the bottom of his stomach that he was the one to face it. It made a point by whizzing past him last night and almost turning one of his friends mad. It was his responsibility and for once now is the time for him to be responsible.
He smiled at them before answering, "I'm in."
Chiron sighed and gave him a small smile while he clapped him on the back. "You should get ready to travel with Percy to see the Oracle."
Percy was beaming at Jack when he faced Chiron with an exhasperated look. "When?"
Jack's eyes widened at the both of them as he barely could contain his excitement. "Oracle?"
The old centaur pursed his lips and reguarded both his students, old and new.
"Immediately."
