The redhead blinked, trying to process the name? Oscar? That weird kid she had met just a little while ago? The one that claims to have accidentally de-aged himself ten or something years? The one that had been hitting on Askira, and that was friends with Ben? That Oscar?
Jerome stared at her, waiting for Askira to give him any indication that she had heard him. After a while, when she hadn't, he snorted. "Just follow me, you little prick, and I'll lead you to him. That guy sticks out like a sore thumb. He isn't hard to miss one bit." The claimed son of Hephaestus turned around and started walking through the forest, leading Askira to her target, to her first kill. To Oscar.
Askira swallowed thickly, not daring to open her mouth in fear she might scream. She didn't want to kill Oscar. Yeah, sure, he was annoying the whole five or so minutes she had been talking to him, but he was entertaining. She liked Oscar. She didn't like the fact that he had been hitting on her, but she liked him. He would have made a good friend for the lonesome demigod, and now she had to kill him.
Askira suddenly felt like throwing up at the thought, but she held it back, only gagging instead. Palms sweaty, the unclaimed redhead followed after Jerome, fiddling with the dagger she had gotten from the training area.
The redhead jumped when she heard metal clashing against metal, and she scampered over to a tree quickly and froze, back pressed up against the thick trunk as a defense. Jerome continued walking, not realizing that the jittery demigod had stopped. Askira thought that was good. Maybe, if Jerome lost her, she wouldn't have to kill Oscar. Oscar would be spared, at least for the day, or week, or month or year, and she wouldn't have to kill him, instead the target changing to someone she hadn't yet interacted with. That would make things easier, right? Killing someone you don't know?
However, her hopes fell as soon as Jerome came back, his eyebrows furrowed.
"The hell are you doing?" The demigod asked, the metal still clashing in the background.
Askira opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a squeak.
Jerome sighed. "Pathetic," he grumbled before making his way over to Askira. He pulled out his sword and slid the blade between Askira's back and the tree she was pressed up against. The teen's green eyes widened and she jumped forward a few steps. Jerome followed after her, lowering his weapon, but making sure Askira could still see it to encourage the demigod to continue to move forward.
After awhile, Askira finally found her voice.
"Wh-why do I n-need to kn-know h-how to... k-kill?" she stuttered out.
"Because you just do, prick. Why do you need to question everything?"
Why does it need to be Oscar? Askira asked silently, not daring to ask her question out loud in fear that Jerome might disregard any and all consequences he'd get from breaking his oath and force her to kill Ben. It's better than killing him, Askira, she told herself. He's done more for you than Oscar. Just be glad it isn't him. I'd rather it be Jerome, or someone I don't know, but at least it isn't Ben. He's done too much for me. Way too much for me to be able to just turn around and kill him. At least it isn't him.
Askira kept thinking those final five words as Jerome led her through the forest. She concentrated on those words until they drowned out everything around her, including Jerome, causing her to collide with him. The older teen turned around and gave her a vile and disgusted look before gesturing with his sword to what was in front of them.
Askira peered around Jerome to see Oscar, crouched down in the dirt of a clearing and messing with some vials. He was in front of some sort of makeshift alchemy lab, things in beakers bubbling rapidly, and some even changing colors just as quickly. Some of the liquids inside some of the beakers would pop loudly periodically, creating a flash and making Oscar jump before quickly fanning them with his hand and pouring a different liquid into it. He kept muttering some words, repeating "Ω , η Εκάτη , προστάτιδα θεά μου. Δώσε μου την ευλογία σου , τη μητέρα , και να με βοηθήσει , όπως εγώ ετοιμάζω αυτό το φάρμακο για τη ζωή , για το καλό, και για τη νίκη πάνω από τους εχθρούς μου . Θα σας επαινέσω , η Εκάτη . Δώσε μου την ευλογία σας ."
"'Oh, Hecate, my patron goddess. Grant me your blessing, mother, and help me as I brew this remedy for life, for good, and for victory over my enemies. I praise you, Hecate. Grant me your blessing,'" Askira murmured along with Oscars words, quietly so that only Jerome may hear her. She looked up at the older teen. "That's what he's saying, isn't it?"
The black haired teen nodded in affirmation. "Correct."
"How come I'm able to understand it?"
Jerome gave her an impatient look. "Enough questions, you little prick. Just go over there and kill him. Make sure you don't get any of his blood on you, because Zavid will be able to smell it."
"The manticore?" Askira asked.
"Yes. Now, shut up and go kill him!" Jerome hissed before grabbing hold of Askira's arm and shoving her forward.
The demigod yelped when Jerome's shove caused her to fall over and tumble. The noise startled Oscar, causing him to knock over several of his vials of boiling liquids. The demigod quickly stood and backed away from the mess as the liquids began to combine and explode on impact.
"Oh, shit," Oscar said quietly, still backing up. He stopped when his shoe hit Askira, and he whirled around quickly. His eyes widened when he saw the stunned redhead, and he quickly crouched down to try and pull her up. "Come on come on come on," he kept saying. "You gotta stand up, Askira! The liquids are mixing, and they're about to blow this entire clearing up! Get up!"
Never had Askira heard more encouraging words than that before, and she worked on getting her feet underneath her. Oscar continued to encourage her, the tiny explosions behind them getting louder and more frequent. Once the redhead was on her feet, the son of Hecate quickly pulled her out of the clearing and to safety, just moments before a loud boom sounded behind them, shaking the ground they were standing on a little and the air surrounding them. Not even a second later, both demigods were showered by dirt, rocks and pebbles, and a few chips of wood from a couple of the trees affected by the explosion. Aside from the scrapes and bruises the two got from being pelted by the things thrown up in the explosion, both demigods were left unharmed and standing.
"Jesus, Askira," Oscar said, standing up straight so he was no longer protecting the aforementioned girls head and neck. "Ya gotta be more careful! Hecate only knows how much worse that could have been. We both could've ended up dead! Or maybe everyone in this forest!"
Askira winced, and she rubbed her arms, not looking at Oscar. "I'm sorry..."
The brown haired boy gave Askira a weird look. "Hey. It's okay, Askira. It wouldn't have gotten that bad. I know what I was mixing. I make sure that if anything gets messed up, nothing too bad is going to happen. So you're fine, okay? We both made it out alive."
"I... guess..."
Oscar sighed. "Are you... are you hurt anywhere?" He asked, looking her over.
Askira shook her heand and shied away from Oscar's gaze. "I'm fine..."
"You're not. You're not being feisty like you were earlier, and you aren't getting defensive or physical. Come on. Let's take you to the medical building so we can get you checked out." The son of Hecate wrapped an arm around Askira's shoulders and began to lead her away, only to stop when he spotted two people coming their way, one black haired and the other blonde.
"Oscar!" The blonde called out, and it took a couple of moments for Askira to recognize the voice and face to be that of Zavids. She glanced to the person running with him and saw Jerome. They bother stopped in front of the two young demigods. "Jerome told me what happened. Are you two okay?"
Oscar nodded. "Yeah, we're fine," he told Zavid. "I'm going to take Askira to the Medical Building, though, just in case."
Jerome looked at Askira when Oscar said her name, and he gave her a hard look, causing her to swallow thickly. Askira expected him to speak up, but he just stayed silent, returning his attention to Zavid as the camp director began to speak again.
"Very well," he said. "You two are excused. Jerome, come. Both teams are down four people, and with these two it is now five each. We must return to the game, now."
Jerome nodded, and both he and Zavid turned around and went deeper into the forest, away from the explosion and the two younger people. Oscar and Askira watched them leave for a few moments before the son of Hecate clicked his tongue.
"Well, then, missy," Oscar said to Askira, adjusting his arm so that it was underneath Askira's so he could support her more. Askira didn't complain, head pounding and barely able to support herself. Oscar gave her a small look before speaking again. "Guess it's our turn to start going now, so let's do just that. Come on," he said before starting to lead her to the Medical Building again.