A/N: Drop a review if you like it or if you feel the need to point out something, I don't really know if it helps but it makes me smile. Hope you enjoy!
Rinier didn't know how to feel about seeing Shelby walk out of the forest. On one hand, it would be much easier to get information out of Shelby than someone he didn't know. But if Shelby really did do something then he would not know what to do. It was then that Rinier realized he didn't know what he'd do if any of the campers was actually a murderer, he was vastly unprepared for that possibility. He didn't get the chance to act immediately however, as Shelby was nowhere to be seen as soon as his feet started moving. His shoulders fell as he sighed; the relief surprised him. For how gung-ho he was about the situation, it came as quite a slight shock that he felt that way. The rest of the crowd had begun to scatter soon after. He couldn't hear what most people were saying since they were speaking in hushed tones but he could see the worry painted across their faces. It didn't take much time for his sister to pick him out of the crowd. She grabbed his hand and started dragging him with such force that he almost fell.
"What's the rush sis?" Rinier asked after he finally managed to regain stable footing. She didn't respond until they made it inside their cabin.
"You're going to go, aren't you?" Lou Ellen looked at him. They were now in the cabin's library; Rinier was in a chair and his sister was looking down at him.
"Go where, what are you talking about?" she was shocked by his response at first, then her face settled into a slight smile.
"You know little brother," Lou Ellen sat in the chair across the table, resting her arms on the table. "I've been having dreams about you for a while. Well, I say that, but I didn't know it was you exactly. That is, until you starting shooting off fire in the sword fighting tournament." She chuckled at the thought, Rinier had been thinking about it ever since and still had no clue how he'd done it.
"You've got a lot ahead of you. Man, it was really kind of the Fates to give you so little time to prepare yourself." She said raising her head to the sky, Rinier wondered if the Fates would appreciate the sarcasm. "So, I'll start you off with the basics and you'll have to learn the rest as you go." She got up and pulled a book from the bookshelf, talking as she went.
"All demigods can use the mist if they practise but it comes pretty naturally to us. But magic that's where it gets complicated. How much you can do depends on experience, skill but most of all – how much our Mom likes you."
Rinier almost jumped for joy when it was time for the campfire. Rinier had managed to get decent grades in school, in part since he'd managed to dodge the ADHD and dyslexia Shelby said most demigods had. But the amount of information that Lou Ellen was trying to drill into his brain was unfathomable. He knew they she did it because she cared, but that didn't stop it from sucking. He regained his focus when he saw Shelby and hastily took his seat beside her. At his first campfire, she was just being nice sitting beside him. Now, however, the stars – the letters if Rinier was being truthful – had aligned for them to be sitting next to each other. Lou Ellen and the rest of Shelby's siblings sat on either side of them – the Hecate and Hephaestus Cabins, fully represented. Rinier had waited a while before he broke the ice.
"Pretty wild day huh," Rinier started. If Shelby had heard him then the golden toothpick she was rolling on her fingers was more important to her. He waved his hand slowly in her line of sight and tried again. "Hello, hello Ms.", his voice trailed off. "What'sss your last name again?" He let out an awkward laugh then he caught himself, silently chiding himself at his mistake.
"Yeahhh." Shelby sighed as she turned to Rinier. He watched as her brain worked to catch up with the sounds it picked up. Her gaze returned to the toothpick. "It really was a crazy day. I thought you were getting better for a second there too but you relapsed." Rinier's eyes floated around and he noticed there were a lot more campers around the camp. If he wanted to speak, before the campfire was in full swing then time wasn't on his side.
"Say Shelby, you didn't happen to run into someone today. Maybe someone of the dead variety." Rinier made sure to look at her in an attempt to gauge her reaction. At first, she looked at him like he was a crazy person, then some subdued shock. Her face then returned to normal as she looked away from Rinier into the campfire. She'd gotten bored with the toothpick she was flipping and was now flipping an arrow head made out of the same material through her fingers.
"Don't know if I should say anything, or if I shouldn't. So… yeah it's a toughie." She sighed. Whatever it was that happened in the forest was weighing on her, the spunk that she had about her was nowhere to be seen. Rinier's state of mind quickly changed from conducting interrogation to walking on eggshells, trying not to make Shelby's mood any worse.
"Okay, if you say so", Rinier and Shelby weren't the only ones having conversations. When Rinier pulled his focus away from Shelby he realized the campfire was a buzz and the fire itself was coloured deep green. The centaur, Chiron, chose then as his moment to become the centre of attention.
"Demigods, we received a prophecy today," all talking ceased. "Will could you repeat the lines for me please?" he said.
"In the land of night lies the soul of the sun, one shall sacrifice for the deal to be done, He shall fall to the end of the earth, and view from darkness the third threat's birth." Rinier heard Nyx in his brain quietly. "It begins." Rinier did nothing to hide the shiver as it travelled down his spine, the sneaking suspicion turned to absolute certainty. This is what Nyx and Lou Ellen spoke of, he was meant to go on this quest. After Will had finished repeating the poem, which Rinier now recognized as a prophecy, the flame had glided its way along the spectrum from green to purple. Rinier didn't need to ask what the colour meant; the anxious whispers erupted from every part of the camp. Chiron stomped is hoof and the sound brought silence to the campers.
"Many things have happened over the past week as it seems that trouble has come upon us once more. We may be moving into the time of another Great Prophecy as such it is important that we act on this message. We will be assigning a quest to go and save Apollo." Chiron stated. The firmness in his voice was second only to how grim his face was.
"Can I lead this quest?" Will Solace rose. He was usually the one leading the campfire songs, with his father being the god of music and all, hearing his voice being this serious was new for Rinier. "I was the one that got the message and as the counsellor for the Apollo Cabin, I think it best that we're represented on this quest." His siblings beside him let out a whoop, which prompted a small smile from their eldest. The camp fell silent for a while, Will looked around him. He'd already gotten nods of approval, from Chiron but he was still looking – volunteers Rinier thought. Rinier's skin tingled as he stood, he could feel Nyx urging him to act they both knew what needed to happen.
"I would like to go also," Rinier stood. He glanced at Will who, still wearing his small smile, gave him a confirming nod. His sister did her best to start some fanfare, but one person's best was a far cry from what Will received. Rinier felt a rush of hair beside him.
"I would like to go as well. Shelby stood up beside him, Rinier didn't even get time to be surprised properly before someone else from the crowd stole the moment.
"If you're going then, I'm going too." There was no cheer to follow up this volunteer, in fact the whole camp fell silent. Rinier looked at Shelby's face and the way her left eyebrow raised and twitched. The way she cocked her head in Stuart's direction, the sheer disgust on her face made Rinier want to crack up but he refrained and the silence held.
"So, before the volunteer list gets any longer don't you think about this first?" a boy spoke up. He seemed to have a lot of sway with the campers, because as he spoke Stuart and Shelby retook their seats so Rinier followed suit.
"Will, I trust you'll be able to deal with this uh… situation. You'll have to iron this out before tomorrow." The girl who sat beside the first boy spoke up – Annabeth was her name if he remembered. "There are some lines of the prophecy that whoever is taking on this quest should take into consideration." Will didn't waste any time, he motioned in Rinier's direction and both he and Shelby followed him as he walked. They were a bit of distance away when they came upon Stuart and Will stopped, all the relevant parties being present.
"I'll start with saying I don't feel comfortable taking more than three people on the quest. It almost always ends badly." Will began.
"Then we can let the new kid stay. He'll be a hindrance anyway." Rinier could follow the reasoning for the first part, but the slight at him was unnecessary.
"I'm pretty sure I could do better than you, if the tournament is anything to go by." Rinier felt satisfied with his comeback and it elicited a typical response from Stuart.
"Do you actually think that I tried in that stupid tournament?" Stuart marched toward him, "I'll have you know I took a bet-"
"Yeah, yeah whatever you say tough guy if anything-" It was Rinier's turn to get cut off.
"-If anything, Rinier's staying." Will stepped between Rinier and Stuart. "Your sister spoke to me, and we agree on certain things. You are one of them." Rinier wondered what exactly they had been talking about before he woke up that day in the cabin.
"What have you to say for yourself, Ms. Grant?" Will turned to her – so that was her last name.
"You do know what this is right?" Shelby brandished the arrowhead she was playing with Will seemed to understand its significance he simply nodded.
"I'm sorry Stuart we really can't, when Lady Artemis got captured five people were sent and only three people returned alive." Will reiterated.
"But…" Stuart's body language was panicked searching for some solution to the problem he faced. "The labyrinth quest, you remember that one. Those four guys are even alive today, there's no need to be so pessimistic right?" Then a thought struck Rinier.
"Well, I mean. One of us is going to die anyway, right? So, if we really need three people to come back then leaving with four is where the magic's at right?" He'd meant it as a joke, sort of, but the look on everyone's faces made him regret it immediately. Will and Shelby's faces were sullen and Stuart had finally gotten some support for his cause. He'd wanted to help him out. Stuart's actions lead him to assume that Stuart had a crush on Shelby. What he didn't account for was how annoying seeing Stuart happy would be.
"Uh…, in all seriousness, we could use the help. There isn't much room for failure here." Rinier tried to salvage the mood. Will looked between Rinier and Stuart and sighed.
"Okay, then why not." Will submitted. "Get yourselves prepared; we've got a lot of head of us. Also, don't think too hard on the prophecy it'll drive you up a wall if you do."
When they had finished their conversation, the campfire had already ended so Rinier trudged back to his cabin. Nyx took the chance while he was alone to speak with him.
"You were correct when you said there is no room for failure. This morning was the beginning, if you fail to free Apollo then more monster attacks will keep coming and soon you and your brethren will fall and the world as you know will most certainly end."
A/N: Drop a review if you like it or if you feel the need to point out something, I don't really know if it helps but it makes me smile. Hope you enjoy!