Chapter One
I stepped out of my dorm room after switching to casual clothes, finally I was finished with the school year and after today I could stop with this ridculous disguise. I was about to leave for my first class when I saw Dr. Thorn, officially the vice principal of this school though I knew better of course, walking down the hallway when he spotted me leaving he motioned me to follow him and turned around. I wasn't in the mood for dealing with the manticore and his antics this early in the day, but it seemed as if I had little choice in the matter so I simply sighed and followed him.
After a minute of silent walking trough the school we arrived at his office and he entered, so I followed him closing the door behind me.
"Mr. Warwick." Thorn said and I cringed at the mention of my surname, it always felt weird to me to have a surname, considering I didn't even have proper parents.
"Thorn." I replied. "Why did you want to talk?
"I a few hours we take the Di Angelos, I trust you do still remember the orders?" He asked me, heterochromatic eyes staring at me.
"I do," I started. "but I still do not agree with it and I will not allow you to go through with it." I finished, my anger from our previous arguments about this returning.
"And what will you do son of Koios? Thorn asked mockingly. "I do not need you, do as you want, you won't make any difference. You might be powerful for your age, but alone your no match for me, especially with two children to protect, I would crush you!" He ephasised the last few words, nostrils flaring.
"You might be right but I'll still have to try." I told him and stood up from my seat.
"Go then, we are finished her. I am sure you will come to your senses yet." Thorn told me as I slammed the door shut.
A few hours later I was sitting in my dorm room alone, Thorn was right I was no match even with my powers being increased due to season and location I had little chance of rescuing the Di Angelos from Thorn. I looked at my watch, an hour left till the dance started, I knew Thorn planned to grab them there so I had to do something. I knew of course what this course of action meant for me, I would be giving up a lot but I had recently decided that I would break with the titans even if that meant breaking with my father, if you wanted to call Koios as much. Prometheus had made me from his essence of course but still father was a strong word.
More importantly it meant losing my friends, the few others that were like me. Not to mention the risks of fleeing to Camp Half-Blood, which was my only choice. I shook my head trying to get the doubts out of my mind. What mattered now was doing the right thing which meant saving the Di Angelos.
I changed out of my school uniform and into casual clothes the necklace with the scythe and bear medallions remaining around my neck and rose up. I walked over to the mirror in the room and closed my eyes breathing in deeply. When I opened them again my field of view was a lot more limited as I now wore a helmet I pulled it off turning it in my hands checking it before throwing it on my bed.
I was wearing a classical celestial bronze chestplate and pairs of greaves and vambraces as well. I smiled as I looked at the set of armor, it had been a gift from my father for my fourteenth birthday to bad it would soon be used against him.
After checking my armor, I let it disappear again after that I checked my hands the familiar inconspicuous silver rings were still there, better safe than sorry. After finishing my checkup, I looked at the clock again only half an hour left now so I might as well get going.
I entered the hall and instantly regretted it as I heard the screaming kids running around and the music playing from the old speakers of the school, focusing again I saw Thorn standing in a corner and walked over to him.
I stood next to him and looked at him, deciding that it was better to not openly tell my intentions I started to speak.
"I'm sorry for what I've said before, I will help you I guess I owe my father that much at least." I said, hoping that he didn't notice me lying through my teeth.
At first he didn't say anything just looking at me, seemingly trying to decide wether I was honest but after a few seconds he just looked away again his eyes focusing on the di Angelos on the other side of the room but the he looked at me again and replied.
"You've come to see reason, good, just keep your eyes on these two I have to do something." He said and walked out of the gym.
I turned my attention towards the di Angelos. In the last few months that I spend here as a student, I had maybe exchanged two words with Bianca which were nothing but apologies after bumping into each other once and not a single word with Nico. Still I planned to put my life on the line for them. I guess that had little to with them and more with me, not only was I tired of being just a tool for my father and the other titans but I wasn't just going to let them force some random kids to fight no matter who they were or how important, because that they were important I didn't know why but the Titans really wanted them another reason I couldn't let it happen.
I moved trough the gym dodging balloons and running children before coming to a halt at the edge of the room in a relatively quiet part of the room, I leaned against the wall and was about to make a move for the di Angelos when four teenagers entered the gym Thorn behind them, a curse in old tongue slipped out of my mouth as I replanned, the Di Angelos would have to wait while Thorn was watching.
I smiled though as I took a closer look at the teenagers, two of them I recognized Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson both had been on the Princess Andromeda this summer with Luke almost killing the latter. While I hadn't seen the other one, I still recognized her from descriptions and her companions, Thalia, daughter of Zeus. The last was a familiar face Grover Underwood. He was in my class, and we both knew from the beginning something was off about the other, he couldn't fool me he was satyr as much was sure and he probably knew I was a demigod or demititan for that matter. They could be possibly ruin everything, but I didn't like my chances of taking Thorn on alone so maybe this was just what I needed..
To avoid drawing attention I retreated into the room accidentally bumping into someone. I turned and came face to face with a pretty girl, I think her full name was Eleanor though all just called her Ellie, though we never really talked that much.
"Oh hi Astor," She said happily. "I've been wanting to talk to you for the entire day now, but you're here now... do you want to dance?"She asked slightly awkward. I wasn't happy about the distraction but at least I shouldn't draw attention this way and I could still keep an eye on the di Angelos.
"Sure Ellie." I said and grabbed her hands, and we slowly began to dance while I kept an eye on the siblings.
We danced for a few minutes and as far as I could see the Di Angelos were still there, unluckily my view was blocked as we danced away slightly and a crowd was now blocking my view. When we could see the spot again, I noticed the Di Angelos missing and the door behind them open. The song just a few seconds later and I stopped dancing. I turned to Ellie who looked like she was about to say something.
"I am really sorry but I need to go, just don't wait for me." I said to her already taking off.
I sprinted through the doors, barely sparing a look for the traces of the fight as I crashed trough the doors into the snow. As the cold hit me, I instantly felt more focused and strengthened. My sight felt clearer despite the heavy snowfall and I had no problem finding the barely visible footprints. I rose up again and started following them easily sprinting through the snow without any resistance. Soon I came to a little path which I recognized from my time here, it led to the cliffs, I knew Thorn was taking the Di Angelos there so I must be close by now.
As the winds calmed, I heard voices farther up the path so I dropped into the bushes to my side and quickly summoned my armor as the familiar weight settled onto the my body I began creeping forward through the bushes at the side of the pathway, as I got closer I could clearly hear Thorn talking.
"The package- it is ready to be delivered" Thorn said and as I finally got to the edge of the woods I could see clearly the situation. There were the Di Angelos and to my surprise someone else, Percy Jackson, I cursed this would complicate the situation quite a bit. I originally planned on just ambushing Thorn before he could react considering how I was in my element with the deep snow and cold I probably would have been strong and fast enough to overwhelm him but with three the risk might just be a bit to great. Instead, I decided it was time for an attempt at deception, so I rose up from my cover behind a bush and started walking towards Thorn, who quickly spotted me and put the walkie-talkie away.
"So you have finally arrived, you were supposed to keep an eye on these two not go dancing off." He told me clearly to annoy at my lack of help.
"Sorry about that, but you managed just fine didn't you." I replied as I walked closer only a couple of metres left now, I held my hand at the ready prepared to summon my blade.
Thorn remained silent as I approached. As soon as I got close enough I lunged forward my sword appearing and I slashed the long, curved blade upwards of my kopis carving into Thorn's side. Before I could deal any serious damage Thorn had already reacted though, and I was sent flying backwards by a powerful strike of his tail hitting me like a whip. The spikes failed to pierce my chestplate as far as I could see but it still hurt like Hades. I crashed into a heap of snow and only barely dodged a spike that impaled itself next to my head.
"You didn't really think that would work now did you." He jeered at me as held one hand on his wound. I ignored his mockery and instead looked behind him. The di Angelos and Percy were still there, though they slowly started moving away. Unluckily Thorn noticed as well and grabbed them roughly pulling them back. I used the short opening and retreated behind a tree. Thorn had me outmatched and outranged an any hope of surprising him was gone now too. The only hope of defeating him I really had was the environment. Perhaps I could tackle him down the cliff, but no I was getting desperate not suicidal. Not to mention I might kill the others with it and that was if he didn't impale me beforehand even if I used my control over the snow to cover me.
I heard Thorn started talking again, while it was somewhat annoying that he didn't take me serious enough to focus at least it gave me time, time I desperately needed. I looked around me and saw someone sprinting through the woods, perhaps I wouldn't have to solve this on my own. Deciding that the best I could to right now was distracting Thorn I summoned my shield and started walking towards him.
"Oh so you're back want to test your luck again?" He asked me mockingly his tail whipping around behind him ready to fire at me though he held back for some reason.
"Come on Thorn are you so afraid to kill me. I don't think big K or the general care that much for me." I shouted at him and was instantly answered by a volley of spikes.
I moved my hand in a sweeping motion, and the snow followed it smashing the spikes to the side as I carefully advanced since I doubted I could react fast enough at close range so I had to keep my distance. I didn't have to wait long as soon Percy and the Di Angelos were thrown to the ground, causing Thorn's spikes to miss.
The moment I saw Thalia charge out of the forest I made the mistake of looking at her shield, even if it wasn't facing you it still was a horrendous sight leaving me stunned for a few seconds. Just like me Thalia was driven back, though Thorn started changing revealing his true form evident by the pair of huge orange paws in place of his hands.
By now I could see and hear the helicopter approaching, worried began closing in on Thorn and moving around him hoping to get another strike in by flanking him.
Thorn turned to follow me but reed pipes began playing and soon he was entangled by thick ropes of grass grasping at his legs. Though it stopped him for a second, it mostly only annoyed him further and caused him to change fully with him growing in size and sending projectiles everywhere I quickly dropped behind my shield and felt a few hit it causing me to slide back further in the snow. I lifted my hands and pushed forward willing the snow behind me to move forward quickly in a miniature avalanche throwing Thorn backwards and causing him to miss another volley.
I was about to follow up when a clear sound coming from the woods behind me pierced the air, the sound of a hunting horn. Everyone on the clearing froze in their movement.
"No," The manticore said shocked. "It cannot be-"
His words were cut short as a silver arrow whistled past me and buried itself in his shoulder, causing him to stagger backward wailing in agony. I moved backwards from the wounded monster allowing me a closer look at the shooters and to confirm my suspicions. Out of all the possible options, the Hunters of Artemis had arrived. I guess there were worse gods to explain myself to than someone with a titan parent being technically my niece at that.
One of the older girls advanced further than the others, which besides the gleaming diadem in her hair marked her clearly as their leaders, not to mention the commanding demeanor that accompanied her regal appearance, she reminded me strongly of someone though I couldn't quite say who.
"Permission to kill, my lady?" She called back into the forest, confirming the goddess' presence to me.
"This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws." Thorn wailed infront of me.
"Not so" One of the girls replied, it was one of the younger girls around thirteen if I had to guess. Her appearance startled me though it wasn't her beauty but much rather her cold eyes, that reminded me oh so much of my father's and of my own.
"The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast. Artemis turned backed to the leader. "Zoë, permission granted"
Thorn growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead."
He lunged at Thalia and Percy but I was too far away to have any chance of reaching them in time so I could only watch.
I saw the daughter of Athena yelling, charging the manticore, despite Zoë's calls for her to get back, she jumped burying a knife in the manticore's neck causing him turn in circles wildly trying to throw her off, though she kept clinging to his neck.
"Fire!" I heard Zoë's voice call and despite Percy's objections a rain of arrows hit the manticore's neck and body causing it to stagger backwards, crying in pain.
"This is not the end huntress! You shall pay!" The manticore cried before throwing himself off the cliff with Annabeth still on his back.
Percy rose up to run after her but was quickly driven back by the heavy gunfire of the helicopter causing most of the hunters to scatter aswell, most but not all as Artemis just remained standing calmly.
"Mortals," She announced. "Are not allowed to witness my hunt."
With a simple thrust of her hand, the helicopter and it's occupants dissolved into black birds, ravens, barely visible against the dark sky.
The hunters now advanced on us.
Zoë stopped her movement when she saw the daughter of Zeus. "You." was all she said as she looked at her.
"Zoë Nightshade." Thalia replied her voice filled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."
Clearly there was some past bad blood between them though Zoë didn't pursue it further and instead turned to us others.
"Five half-bloods and a satyr, my lady." She reported.
"Yes," Artemis confirmed."Some of Chiron's campers, I see."Though a look from her told me she knew I didn't belong.
"Annabeth!" Percy yelled. "You have to let us save her."
The goddess turned to him. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help."
Percy tried to get up but a couple of the hunters pushed him back down into the snow.
"You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs," Artemis told him.
"Let me go!" He shouted. "Who do you think you are?"
Zoë stepped forward and raised her hand, and I already winced at the incoming smack, though it never was heard, thanks to Artemis' intervention.
"No," Artemis told her lieutenant. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand. I am Artemis, goddess of the hunt."
Percy was visibly shocked as he stared disbelievingly at the goddess in the form of a young girl. The yappering satyr on his knees reminded me that bowing would perhaps be appropriate, so I bowed, although in a hopefully more appropriate and less awkward manner. As soon as Bianca started asking questions about the gods ans such I stopped paying as much attention and started thinking about my day, my life certainly would change quite a bit after today wether it would be for the better or for the worse still remained to be seen.
I know, I know not the most original spot to start a story or the most original going off point but I at least plan on it getting more unique later on and avoiding just lifting from the book and cheaply insert.
With that please review to tell me your thoughts!