Chaos Academy
Chapter Nine: The Challenge.
Saturday dawned bright and warm; the perfect weather for a spear throwing challenge.
Everybody assembled on the field, in front of the lake after breakfast, and stood in lines alongside their families.
Nyx and Erebus were present, flanked by Hemera and Aether, though none of them looked thrilled at the prospect of this challenge.
Hera and Demeter were the favourites to win, because they practiced spear throwing at every available opportunity.
The main thought in the air at the moment was that Nemesis and her siblings were so stupid that they exceeded even the most unintelligent of mortal's brain power.
Of course no said this to them.
"We're going first" Eris said in a commanding tone, lifting the spear up to rest on her shoulder. She gave the Olympians a smug smirk as she moved to the spot at the far side of the line.
"You're using the wrong spear" Demeter said, causing everybody to turn around and look at her.
"Wrong spear?" Erebus frowned, observing his wayward daughter with dark eyes.
"That spear has been charmed to fly further than regular spears" Hera stepped in. "We had all decided that we would use the same type of spear, but just painted different colours so we would have a clear view of the winner"
"Very well, hand that spear to me, Eris" Nyx said, holding out her hand for the bewitched object.
Eris shot Hera and Demeter lingering scowls before moving over to her mother and handing over the spear.
"Good" said Nyx "Is that the only one you have with you today?"
Eris sighed dramatically and handed over the spear. "Yes mother"
In one swift movement, Nyx had snapped the spear in half, as if it was nothing more than a feeble twig.
The Olympian's tried to stifle their laughter but shut right up after a sharp look from Erebus.
"How is this going to work then?" Nyx asked, "Will you throw one by one, or all at the same time?"
"One by one" they all said.
The line began with Eris, and went on to the rest of the Deities, and finally to the Olympians. The spears soaring and spinning gracefully through the air in a wide, colourful arc and landed in the ground with numerous thuds.
Hemera and Aether moved forwards to check the spears and come up with the rank order.
Obviously two of the spears were way ahead of the others, but after they had finished counting, and Aether and Hemera were walking back over to Nyx and Erebus to deliver the verdict, the voice of Eris rang out, capturing everyone's attention.
"You didn't count my spear"
There was an intake of breath as everybody spotted, way off to the right, Eris's spear. Its place in the ground was unavoidable and undeniable now that everyone knew about it.
Second place.
Eris had come in second, pushing Demeter down to third. Her face fell, and she looked possibly angrier than the rest of the Olympians had ever seen her (with the exception of Hestia and Semele who was watching). Eris on the other hand was a complete contradiction; she looked so happy that people had to look twice at her. Then her face changed from joy to smug triumph and everyone groaned and looked away again.
"So does that mean that the Olympians still win?" asked Hemera.
"We have to add up the distance of all the spears, and the family with the most over all distance win" Aether said.
There were a few moments of maths, and then Nyx cleared her throat and stepped forward. "It was very close. But the winner of the challenge one, the spear throwing contest was…"
The Olympians all looked at her, some with smug smiles, others with anticipation and expectations; beside them, Nemesis' clan looked less confident, all apart from Eris, who was staring at Nyx with such forceful eyes it was like she was trying to brain wash her into saying that her side won.
"The Deities!"
The shocked silence was so overpowering that it bore down on them all, like an enemy was covering their ears with their dark, evil hands.