Brighpath2: Hi guys! My cowriter wrote part of this chapter and edited the rest, so it's all sparkly and beautiful. Well . . . maybe not sparkly.
Thank you to the Follower we got after the last chapter. I hope you are all enjoying the ride. :)
Disclaimer: Same old thing I'm afraid.
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Chapter 29
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Satyaki
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"Satyaki, you'll go with Jordan on the first scouting mission today," Evan said, his green eyes meeting hers firmly.
"What?" Jordan and Satyaki spoke at the same time, exchanging startled glances. They'd spent the last few hours planning on the best approach against the monster hoard that was six miles away, and finally decided to take scouting shifts in groups of two, staying out of danger, and evaluating possible plans, as well as the numbers and layout of their enemy. Satyaki had expected to be chosen as one of the first scouts, but what she hadn't expected was for Jordan to be her partner. She pretended not to like him, but honestly he was like her annoying younger brother. All the same, she was sure that they wouldn't work well together when it came down to it. They had an unfortunate tendency to argue.
"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Jordan asked anxiously. "I mean, let's be honest, if it's Sati and I, we might spend the entire time arguing."
"He's not wrong Evan," Satyaki agreed worriedly. "Cam could come instead."
"No, I'm already setting up traps around the perimeter of our camp," the son of Mercury pointed out. "I can't do that and go scout."
"Miley then!" Satyaki said desperately, turning to the daughter of Athena. "You could come right?" but Miley was already shaking her head, a look of sympathy and amusement in her eyes.
"Kim and I are setting up our camp in case of a siege," she reminded the older girl softly, "and Evan is standing guard. That's why you and Jordan are going."
"There's no way out of it, is there?" Jordan asked Evan dismally.
The redhead shook his head, and glared at them. "I expect the two of you to work together. You are the first scouts since we discovered the monsters, so you'll be laying the ground work for what the rest of us will do later. I know that you don't always see eye to eye, but this time, you have to set it aside."
"Alright," Satyaki sighed. "We'll do it, won't we Jordan?" she added, meeting the son of Hephaestus's eyes.
He nodded firmly. "We will, and we'll be back in time for dinner."
Everyone laughed at that, and stood. "Alright then, we all have our assignments for the day. I'll post the scouting schedule tomorrow morning, and until then, everyone's dismissed. Jordan, I have a spear for you to use in case of an attack," Evan added as the blonde boy turned to go.
Immediately he turned back, nodding reluctantly. "I was hoping to have finished my sword before I needed a weapon," he admitted, "but thanks." He took the proffered spear, then turned to Satyaki. "Well, Sati? Are you ready?"
She sighed, grabbed her own spear, and brushed past him. "Yes. Let's get out of here."
She spent several angry minutes just walking, hardly paying attention to her surroundings, knowing her companion was a few paces behind her. Evan had been infuriating ever since they made it to the Underworld. He'd barely looked at her, or spoken to her, or made mention of his plans at all. She hadn't been told that Cam and Miley were on a scouting mission that morning, she hadn't been told that the others had jobs to do, and she'd been asking Evan whenever she could if there was anything she could do to help, to which he said that at the moment there were no problems that needed fixing. Gods of Olympus! Was the guy completely dense? Satyaki was going out of her mind without something to do! She was use to moving, fighting, scouting, acting. She was his second, the one with the clear head when he needed someone to listen.
She couldn't do any of that if he didn't tell her anything.
Her mother was the goddess of youth and of forgiveness. So far as she knew, Satyaki's powers didn't consist of much other than being slightly stronger than usual, and maybe a lengthened lifespan.
The others in the group, all of them had some kind of talent to add to the mix. Jordan and Kim could build anything; Miley gave them whatever information that was needed, as well as an edge in the strategy department; Cam was their healer, their runner, and, if necessary, their linguist.
Of course, Evan was their leader, the warrior. He was the heart of the plans, the voice of the team. He had weapons to spare, and speed with which he'd already saved their lives.
Satyaki was losing her purpose here. She'd come to camp to challenge herself, and while the quest had certainly been challenging, she felt as though for whatever reason, she'd lost Evan's trust.
"Sati! Slow down!" Jordan's angry shout made her stop and sigh. Here she was, proving her own doubts right. This was why she wasn't being told of decisions. She couldn't reign in her temper long enough to listen to the instructions given to her and follow them. "Hey, are you alright?" Jordan asked when he caught up. His blue eyes were concerned. "You seemed a little upset back there. Did you and Evan have a fight?"
Satyaki blinked, surprised. Was her uncertainty that clear? "No, we didn't," she said slowly. "I just . . . I didn't know anything about what he said at that meeting. None of it."
A flicker of surprise ran through Jordan's eyes. "He didn't tell you beforehand?"
The group had all become used to the way things worked, with Evan and Satyaki taking time before any meeting they had to discuss all ideas and possibilities. Thus they were better able to explain any plans and attacks. "No," Satyaki whispered, looking away. "He's barely spoken to me since we came to the Underworld. I've done what I can to make sure our camp is secure, but he's not given me other orders, or even said good morning."
"No wonder you've both been distracted," Jordan muttered under his breath, then sighed. "Sati, I really doubt that Evan has lost faith in you. I think he's just worried because he isn't sure if we've done the right thing."
"What?" Satyaki couldn't stop the surprise in her voice.
"By coming to the Underworld," Jordan explained. "I mean, look around! Sati, this place is literally where demigods go to die, and he led us here. He's afraid that he was wrong."
"He's afraid that we'll . . . Fail?" Satyaki asked hesitantly. "That one of us or more might be killed because we came here?"
"Yes," Jordan said simply. "He's choosing not to share his doubts with you because he's afraid you'll feel the same."
Satyaki stared at Jordan wordlessly. "How exactly do you know all this?" she said finally.
Jordan shrugged. "I'm guessing, but it's the only thing that makes sense to me," he told her. "Why else would he avoid speaking with you? If he'd lost faith in you, I doubt you'd be worrying about it. You'd know."
Satyaki looked at the ground. It wasn't like her to feel so uncertain. Maybe the heat and exhaustion from the quest were getting to her head. "Thanks," she said, looking back up at Jordan. They'd halted now, and they'd have to move fast to regain the time they'd lost. "You're not so bad Jordan." He nodded, unable to stop the grin that spread over his face. With the tilt of a head, they were running again.
They were silent over the six miles it took for them to reach the ridge overlooking the monsters camp. Satyaki gave him hand signals from time to time, splitting up to cover more ground, noting hiding places and possible camping grounds. By the end, she had fallen back into her rhythm of giving and receiving orders and her quick thinking—something that had earned her Evan's trust in the first place. This was why he had sent her as the first scout. If he trusted her this much to get them in and out safely, she wouldn't disappoint him, and he knew it.
"We should be getting back." Jordan said, the first words that had been spoken between them for a couple miles.
"Just a little more," Satyaki decided. "We should try to have something to report before we head back."
Jordan groaned, but more out of comic exasperation than real exhaustion. She smirked and mentally patted herself on the back for getting better at understanding Jordan's secret language. It had taken almost the entire of the trek to be able to interperet it, but she was glad.
If only because now he didn't annoy the crud out of her.
Jordan opened his mouth to speak (or maybe to complain) again, but Satyaki silenced him with a hand gesture, her attention suddenly razor sharp. She shoved herself to the back of the nearest dune, and Jordan followed suit.
She tapped an ear, raising an eyebrow—a silent question. You hear that? His brow furrowed as he listened. Dimly, the muffled sound of shifting sand and clanging of metal echoed through the desert. Jordan stretched his body, peeking over the edge of the dune to try and see what was going on. His mouth popped open, breath huffing in a near silent gasp. Satyaki tapped his fingers, ordering him to tell her what he saw, since she wasn't risking her head peeking over the dune. His head jerked down again, and he grabbed her hand, his gaze sharp. He tugged once, jerking his head in the direction they had come.
Satyaki didn't move. She pulled back, her stance demanding an answer. His gaze flickered from her to the dune again, and quickly mouthed one word.
Monsters.
Immediately she pulled away, sliding back down the dune as Jordan scrambled after her. After they'd made it several hundred yards away, Satyaki turned back to Jordan. "How many were there?" she asked quickly.
Jordan had an unreadable expression on his face. "There were hundreds. Maybe even thousands. All of them are armed to the teeth too. They looked like they were setting up camp just beyond the river."
She felt her heart sink in her chest. "Gods of Olympus. How are we supposed to beat that with seven demigods?" Thousands was far too many for a group of demigods of their size!
A hint of determination filled Jordan's eyes. "We'll figure it out," he said firmly. "Come on," he added, turning to the left. "I want to see their camp from a different angle."
Satyaki nodded in agreement. They were the scouts, the first scouts. They needed to get as much information about these monsters as possible. Then she heard something. A growl. A creaking sound. Something that resembled the sound of knives scraping together.
She looked up, and then leaped forward. "Jordan, move!" Satyaki yelled.
Immediately he dodged to the side, and feathers, sharp as knives, hit the ground where he'd been standing. "What in the name of the gods are those things?" Jordan said, his voice shaky as he held his spear at the ready.
Satyaki stood next to him, and glared upwards at the metal birds above them. "I read about them once, but I don't remember what they're called. All I know is that they throw their feathers to impale their victims."
"Ah." Jordan gulped. "Do you happen to have a bow or something?"
Satyaki grimaced. "No. We'll have to tell the others never to leave camp without one."
"Alright, so what's the plan then?" Jordan asked.
Satyaki sighed. "Why do I have to come up with a plan?"
"You're older, and you're higher ranked."
Crap. He was right.
"Fine," she muttered. "I think our best bet is to use evasive maneuvers. If that doesn't work, we need to figure out a way to get up to them, or get them down to us."
Jordan nodded. "Good plan," he agreed, and they both dodged another rain of sharp feathers. "Also, let's make a note to bring shields next time, agreed?"
"Agreed."
They took off running, swerving around each other and backtracking when they thought they'd gone too far from their original position. The birds had become infuriated, and they screeched, a horrible cacophony of metal clanging. Satyaki was worried they would draw the attraction of more monsters, and she was right to be worried. She and Jordan rounded a corner, and stopped dead. Satyaki felt herself freeze, and heard Jordan mutter a faint curse at the sight of what stood in front of them.
"Colchis bulls," Satyaki breathed. "Gods above."
"Sati, I want you to back away," Jordan said slowly. "I can take them."
Satyaki turned to stare at the younger boy in disbelief. "Jordan! Colchis bulls? They breathe fire! We don't have the Medea SPF sunscreen on, you'll be burnt to a crisp!"
"I'll be fine," he insisted calmly. "Trust me Sati, I know what I'm doing. You take the birds; I think they're about to attack."
Looking up, Satyaki realized that Jordan was right. The birds were swarming, preparing for another attack. Taking a deep breath, she quickly hugged Jordan, taking him by surprise. "Don't do anything stupid," she whispered in his ear. Then she walked a few steps away, and yelled a challenge to the skies. The birds came upon her immediately, and she was lost in a battle of sharp wings and a strong spear. She could hear the sounds of conflict behind her, but didn't dare turn and look. Jordan, the fool that he was, was going to get himself killed fighting creatures that could fry him in a heartbeat.
She heard him cry out, and her heart stopped, so she turned to look, and nearly dropped her spear.
Jordan was burning. He was literally on fire, but he was still fighting. He didn't even seem to be in pain! One of the bulls was already down, and the other two seemed weary.
Jordan glanced back towards her, and his eyes widened. "Sati, behind you!" he yelled.
Satyaki turned, but not fast enough to stop the cyclops club from hitting her directly in the head.
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Aaaaand it's Cliff Hanger, hanging off a CLIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiifffffff . . . . . .
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