Twilight eventually fell upon me after walking mile after strenuous mile. The sky bursts with a mixture of blue, red, and orange. It was my favorite time of the day. It was always at this time I felt at peace. In Mount Olympus this was when I got off work, and when I was in Forks it signaled the end of another blissful day with the man of my dreams.
I have been trying for hours to focus only on the quest. I have even gone so far as to hum quietly to myself, but even a simple song breaks through my "Edward Filter". Which leads me to finally give in and quit fighting the battle against my thoughts. Besides, the trip to Camp Jupiter leaves me with nothing but time to think.
Instead of dreaming of our future, like a normal person would, I wonder about what he's doing. Is he going out of his mind? Is he scared? Does he think I'm dead?
Hopefully, if he does believe that I'm dead, his grief will turn into anger and power his vengeance against Gaea. Anger in a war is like the steering wheel to a car. Without it, you don't have the fuel to go on or a clear sense of direction.
A twig snaps behind me, ripping me from my thoughts. I lightly breath out and quietly pull my bow from the belt. I slowly slip out an arrow from the sheath and attach it to my sleek bow.
I turn around and pull the string back, buying myself some time to take in the intruder.
It's a hellhound. A black wolf with blood red eyes and a massive body that resembles an elephant. His shoulders hunched forward, but he made no move to attack. His beady eyes locked with mine, sending a chill down my spine.
My arm begins to shake with the force it takes to keep the bow strung back. Usually I wait to give the animal a chance to withdraw, to redeem itself, but my strength is deteriorating and my grip is rapidly looseing. So I give in and shoot the creature.
A feeling of remorse swells in my gut, almost forcing me to look away from my prey. It was tempting, but I watched my arrow just as it was about to pierce his skin. Only..it didn't. The arrow whizzed straight through the hellhound, contorting the animal into a whisp of black mist. A taunting cackle erupts through the mist and then it fades away.
I gape at the spot where the creature originally was. It must have been a message of some sort, because no creature of the night could fade before it was even hit. Then there was also the laugh that forced goose bumps to bubble on my skin. A laugh sent directly from Hades.
It wasn't a message, but a warning. With the twenty-four hours almost up, he's reminding me that time is running out. Message received loud and clear.
I take in my surroundings, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get there in time. The only way I could make it on time is if I took a bus in the morning. The thought repulsed me, I had never cared for that method of transportation, but it seemed as though it was my only option. I sighed and changed my course of direction from Camp Jupiter to the nearest bus stop.
*~M~*
The sun slowly began to rise, reminding me of my timely mission ahead. I've been waiting for the bus for well over two hours. An elderly woman sat to my left and a homeless man to my right. They struck up a conversation to pass the time, not batting an eye towards the stranger sitting in-between them. I didn't mind, small talk was never something I was particularly fond of.
After what seemed like hours, the bright blue monstrosity finally made its grand appearance. I grabbed a handful of coins from my pocket and secured them in my fist. I let all the others go before me, buying myself some time to find out where the bus would lead us. I examined the side of the bus, hoping for any clue, but there was no sort of indication. A sigh of frustration reached my lips as I decided to just take my chances and pray it was near my destination.
I got in line behind the elderly woman and slowly climbed the stairs behind her. She leaned over and asked the bus driver where he drops us off at. My head snaps up and I watch the man let out a sigh before grumbling a reply. It was the spot just before the gate that leads to Camp Jupiter.
The woman thanked him and scurried up the steps. I climbed up after her and deposited a few coins in the machine. I looked over at the bus driver and offered him a small smile, but he waved me off looking as stoic as possible.
The bus consists of only a few people scattered among the seats. A few dark-skinned teenagers take up the back row. Their hoods are pulled down low, masking their ultra white teeth hiding behind plump lips. I make a note to avoid them at all costs.
The bus lurches forward, knocking me into one of the front seats. I huff and glare at the bus driver, which earns me a satisfied smirk. Jerk.
I sigh and look over a the strangers across from me. A young woman with her newborn child. She rocks the baby softly, smiling and cooing at the small bundle. The young woman looks too thin, like she's sacrificing her health for the baby's.
It reminds me of my own mother, during the period before the Big Three pact. My father was away so much, she was forced to raise me and take care of Mt. Olympus on her own. Being a goddess is a hard enough task on its own, with all of that extra stress piled on it really took a toll on her. There would be days where she would lock herself in her room and simply cry. I never judged her during those times, instead I learned to respect all of the tasks she took on.
Seeing that young woman reminded me so much of my mother, and I knew I wasn't going to finish this quest until I had helped her. I scramble through the contents of my bag and finally stumle upon a wad of cash. Just as I'm about to offer it to her, the bust falls to a stop. I look up and see the bright blue sign indicating that we have already made it to the next stop. I sigh and fist the money in my hand.
The young woman hops up and grabs the newborn with one arm, and grips a diaper bag with the other. She slides into the aisle and I quickly dive in behind her. As we are waiting for the other passengers to get off, I slip the bundle into her diaper bag. I snap my head up, desperately hoping she doesn't notice.
I watch for any sudden movements, any fondling with the bag, but nothing happens. I sigh in relief and gracefully leap down the steps.
I look off to my right and notice the big hill with the gate molded into the side of it. A smile lights up my face, this quest was almost too easy. I glance to my left and right, making sure that no one is paying any attention to me. When the coast is clear, I jog up the side of the hill.
At first I run up the right side of it, to make it look as though I'm heading for the sidewalk at the top, but then I dart to the left at the last second. I dive into the gate and run down the narrow hallway.
Before I know it, the tunnel opens up and the valley stretches before me. I allow myself a minute to take in the beautiful sight before me. The vibrant green of the grass, and the ripples of the creek that tears through the middle of the valley. Just like a picture from an art gallery.
My eyes venture a bit further and land on the gathering of the demigods. Their eyes are shifted towards the sky waiting for something. My feet slowly drag forward as my mind tries to process what they are looking for. A plane? A monster of some sort? Or.. a ship.
Realization dawn on me and my feet are suddenly ripping through the grass. I skid down the river until I find the narrowest part of it. I push myself back, get a good running start, and then launch myself over the river.
My right foot lands on the edge, but my left couldn't find purchase on the slick surface. My body falls down onto my ankle, sending a sharp pain throughout my leg. A soft cry of agony reaches my lips, but I shove it down.
I grit my teeth and limp towards Hazel. I try to put as much weight as possible on my good foot, but it still isn't enough. Each step is more painful than the next, leaving me winded by the time I finally reach her.
"Hazel," I pant. The expression on her face indicates that she's going to run if I don't start explaining fast. Not that I can blame her. I'd be a little weirded out too if a stranger pops up out of no where and knows my name.
"Your father needs to see you before you leave for your quest. It's important," I explain. She gives me a weary look, clearly not buying my story.
"I know you don't recognize me, but I'm telling you the truth. Now I have two pearls, one is to get you there and one is to get you back."
"Who are you?" she demands.
"We don't have time for that. Soon the ship is going to land and you need to be here when it does. Take these," I plead. My fist wraps around the pearls and I jerk them out of my pocket. I open up my hand and gesture for her to take them. She shoots me another hesitant glance before gently retrieving them.
"Good. Now just imagine that you are in Hades, and stomp on that pearl." I command. She sighs and closes her eyes, picturing her father's land. Hazel tosses a pearl and squishes it onto the ground.
A gray mist wraps around her body, slowly morphing into a bubble of sorts. When the mist fades, the bubble submerges underneath the ground. Finally, my mission is over.
I limp towards the river, a buzzing of whispers trailing behind me. I only catch pieces of what they are saying, but it's enough to know they are talking about me. A part of me wants to turn around and explain what happened with Hazel, but another part, a more dominant part, wants to get to Edward as fast as possible.
Suddenly there is a loud crunch of grass echoing behind me. Before I can react, a strong hand grips my shoulder and plunges a knife into my back. A cry of pain bubbles to my lips as the knife twists to the left and then the right. The control over my body evaporates, and my knees buckle under the weight of my upper body. The knife is finally pulled from my back, earning a shocked gasp from some of the demigods.
"Stop! Look, Frank. She has gold blood, she's a goddess," a young man yells. Frank instantly drops his weapon, stepping away from me as if that could erase what he has done.
Black spots dance across my vision. The bright green of the grass fades into a dull gray. The calming blue of the river withers into a neutral mixture of gray and white.
I can feel myself slowly slipping away from the earth. My mind conjures up a list of people I love to use as a weapon to hold me here. The Cullens, my parents, Jacob, and Edward. The mere thought of his name tugs at a suppressed memory.
"You know, I've never had much patience with Romeo," he commented as the movie started.
"What's wrong with Romeo?" I asked, a little offended. Romeo was one of my favorite fictional characters. Until I'd met Edward, I'd sort of had a thing for him.
"Well, first of all, he's in love with this Rosaline-don't you think it makes him seem a little fickle? And then, a few minutes after their wedding, he kills Juliet's cousin. That's not very brilliant. Mistake after mistake. Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly?"
I sighed. "Do you want me to watch this alone?"
"No, I'll mostly be watching you, anyway." His fingers traced patterns across the skin of my arm, raising goose bumps. "Will you cry?"
"Probably," I admitted, "if I'm paying attention."
"I won't distract you then." But I felt his lips on my hair, and it was very distracting.
A smile plays on my lips at the distant memory. What I wouldn't give to have Edward distract me from this excruciating pain. Blood gurgles up my throat as the black spot spontaneously explodes. Darkness envelops me and I am pulled into a sea of lost souls.
There you have it :) Next chapter is in Edward's Point of View. Please R&R! :)