"Don't touch-!" Too late, Anna's fingers skimmed a golden orb and colorful sparks flew from it.
"What is it?" Anna said; mildly interested in watching the reflections of the giant workshop they were in distort and change color.
"You mean you can't feel anything?"
"I feel a strangle tingling sensation in my fingers..." Anna said, and Hephaestus gaped. (AN: Lord of the Rings movies, anyone?)
"That's a Archemedes orb. It- oh dear."
The orb whirred and images flew up above it, racing through scenes- a fire, a journal, a little boy, Victoria, Krysta, Cara, a man's angry face, smoke on a field as it burned...
A crazy audio track of mixed voices, some screaming, some laughing, some shouting, a baby crying. The pop of gun shots rang in their ears...
Sensations Victoria had never felt before seemed to hover in the air and dip down onto her skin. A sting of a punch, panic, her chest was constricting, then a warm wash of heat ran up her arms, she felt the sea, smelled it as if it were beside her...
There was a breeze in the shop and two laughing voices swelled then faded, replaced by a man shouting, then a bang that made Victoria jump...
Anna was panicking, and other images were swirling faster and faster, until she yanked her hand away.
"What- just happened?" She was slightly out of breath. "It was like my entire life just passed by."
"Umm..." Hephaestus looked worried. "Your memories have been downloaded onto the orb..."
"Those were her memories?" Thomas sounded surprised. "They were so- so scary."
"What happens now?" Cara asked.
"Now? I tell you all that I can and then you leave as soon as possible. You sox are not supposed to be here." The god seemed awkward. "Something is trying to stop you from going on this quest. I found your things and added a gift to each one." He presented them with bags.
Krysta got a light blue backpack with a strange red charm on it. It was embedded in a silver chain that glittered and twisted in the light. Her sword came with it.
Cara took a white and gold satchel from Hephaestus. The gold matched her hair and wove around the border. It fit perfectly over her head and rested against her hip, and a quiver of arrows were attached, as well as her bow.
Victoria received a sea green back pack with a golden trident embroidered on the front. She swore it felt like there was nothing in it until she put it on. Her sword felt warm as it touched her hand again.
Thomas pulled a school styled book-bag that was a navy blue from Hephaestus' outstretched grasp. His plain sword was handed to him and the boy visibly relaxed when her took it.
Anna got a black messenger bag with her initials embroidered on it in silver silk. She was already wearing her sword lay at her hips. As she pulled it over her head, a silver necklace fell out of the pocket, and she caught it. It had a charm of a sun and a moon on it, one gold, one silver. A second charm was a little amethyst heart. She fastened it around her neck.
Zoe was the last one. She got a pink bag, and like Krysta's, it had cram harm dangling from it. She recirved her sword greatfully.
Then the information session started.
