A big thank you to all the submitters! I've got a flooded inbox and almost all of them were so good! I had a hard time choosing only 5. I'm sorry if your OC was not selected.

Blog has been updated with the selected Characters! And congrats to those who got in! Blog link can be found on my profile!

And enjoy!

Ciara Ann Williams, 18, Daughter of Hecate

The browning leaves swirled in small spirals on the leaf-littered grounds, giving off a soft crackling sound. The birds sang their final song before retiring into the warmth of their nests. Ciara sat on the forest floor just at the entrance of Camp Half-blood, soaking in the soothing atmosphere and watching the few campers strolling back to their cabins after their last activity for the day.

The grounds were serene and still again, like every night before this, just half an hour before the harpies did their rounds. Nobody wanted to be caught outside their cabins after hours, and neither did she. But she had to wait until this brief window of time before doing the ritual - it was the only time she could have some peace and quiet to go about her more private business.

Ciara would only do it here, in the forest, at the entrance to camp, because it brought back memories of her dear brother. They were supposed to be out there...exploring the forest, going on an adventure together and having fun. Until a Minotaur attacked out of nowhere. She was too young...too naive...untrained. The Minotaur had knocked her to one side, where she stumbled over a large stone and broke her leg, and dismissed her. When she awoke back in the healer's room, her brother had long gone.

There wasn't anything the others could do. They told her Michael had been very brave and had died a valant death to protect her. They told her he would go to Elysium. They told her many things, but her mind would not process it. Her ears were ringing, and her chest was heavy with grief.

It had been her fault. Her stupid arrogance. She'd persuaded her brother to go. Had she just been sensible, understood the danger, all these would never have happened. She missed him.

Now she rolled onto her knees, hearing the twigs snap under her weight. Then she careful pulled a small, black velvet pouch from the inside of her leather boots. Shaking six tiny jeweled stones out, she placed them in a diameter of about two meters.

Reaching out, Ciara placed her hands in the middle of the circle and closed her eyes. She imagined him in her mind's eye, smiling and laughing like he frequently did. And keeping that picture of Michael in her mind, she called his name thrice.

"Michael… Michael… Michael…" She whispered.

And when she opened her eyes, he stood in front of her, looking just as she remembered. The same umber hair they shared; the same warm chocolate brown eyes they both had. You'd think a ghost would be transparent, but that was all just a saying. The image - or projection or soul, whichever you prefer - was solid and colored. He stood there, so real, like every time before this, that Ciara can almost believe he was truly present.

One day if she'd met her mom Hecate, she'd thank her for giving her this unique gift. While the goddess of Magic, Crossroads and Ghosts usually grant their children magic, she'd given Ciara something extra - the ghost aspect. And for that, she was very grateful.

"I'm so glad to see you, little sister." Michael said, "but you mustn't keep doing this to yourself."

"But I can't." She replied.

"It saddens me to watch you grief over me. You've got to move on with your life. You're strong, Ciara. You can let me go."

"You don't understand."

"I do. Really, I do. It wasn't your fault. Besides, you know I won't really be gone. I watch over you all the time."

"I know. I can feel your presence. But sometimes I've got to see you...and talk to you face to face like this, you know?"

"You don't need to see me to know I'm around. We're brothers and sisters...we're always connected...deep inside." Michael placed his hand on her shoulders, and she felt an electrical current spread throughout her.

She didn't know what to say. And for a good five minutes, they sat in comfortable silence.

Michael removed his hand from her shoulders, and looked at her seriously. His tone had dropped a few notches. "I need to warn you, sister."

Sensing the importance in his voice, Ciara sat up straighter.

"I'm not supposed to mess around with the fate of the living, but I can't let anything happen to you, so I have to give you a warning. There's been some news spreading where I am… and you must listen. It is important."

Her breath hitched, "tell me."

"I've heard rumors of a war against the gods. A war in which demigods and mortals are allies against the gods of Olympus. Something about overthrowing them from their raised thrones because they don't want to be bossed around or act as minions of the gods. These demigods and mortals seek to end the reign of the gods, and in doing so, set themselves free and becoming the new 'gods' over the earth," said Michael.

"Oh that's really perfect."

Michael frowned at her sarcasm, apparently not so amused. "They want to restrain the gods. They want to weaken them until whatever remaining essence is left in the gods is used to keep them barely alive."

"Gods can't die, they're immortal, aren't they?"

"You're right. But these people don't intend to just weaken the gods. They are medical doctors...scientists. They want to take samples of the blood of the gods and there is a chance - a good chance - that they might be able to replicate the source of the gods' powers and make themselves the new gods."

Ciara stared. She didn't know what to say. She was surprised that the gods' powers could be harvested and replicated just like that. And the whole plan sounded like a far-fetched one; like one out of a science-fiction movie. What she was certain is that if whatever Michael said was possible and likely to happen, then that would be really, really bad.

Power of the gods, when placed in the wrong hands, could lead to the destruction of all humanity. And there are many mortals, as well as demigods, who above all, desired such immense powers and strength for selfish reasons.

Her expression must have betrayed her thoughts, because her brother added, "Of course, not everyone is like that. But you've got to promise me something, Ciara."

She did not hesitate, "anything."

"I know you would never seek what they call the Cure. Just promise me, you won't let anyone else you care about - your friends...other demigods - to get anywhere close to their research lab."

"Why?" She asked curiously. He was right, she'd never go in search for the Cure. She treasured the abilities Hecate had granted her. It was how she could still communicate and see her dead brother. And as far as she knew, the handful of demigod friends she had was not interested in the Cure either.

Ciara watched as her brother snapped his head around suddenly, as if he'd heard something approaching on his side of the line. Then he turned back to Ciara, his eyes desperate.

"They've found me; I must go now. Please just give me your word, Ciara - that you will - "

"I promise," she said.

Relief showed in her brother's features, "Good."

As the connection started to blur, she hanged on to her brother's last words. "Also, you must stop mourning for me. Start living your life. That's the best thing I would want."

And what was left of the blurred projection of her brother faded into thin air. The six pieces of jems she'd laid on the floor had disappeared as payment, and the forest grounds was quiet and still again. The warmth she felt in her chest when he brother was around slowly left her.

Checking her watch, she noted it was ten minutes before midnight. If she wanted to live through the hectic discussions and planning with the rest of her cabinmates for Capture the Flag tomorrow, she'd better head back to bed now.

What really hastened her to get a move on was the sound of distant rolling thunder, and the pitter-patter of raindrops against the forest canopy. For now, the trees would hold the wetness out, but not for long. Already, large droplets of water had managed to seep in, and a wet cooling sensation hit her scalp.

Her skin prickled, yet it was not due to the rain. It was something else that had caught her attention, almost like a sixth sense. She noticed another sound - much softer - of footsteps approaching, and it had nothing to do with being able to hear and sense the dead; she'd know that feeling anywhere. Then as the pair of footsteps drew nearer, Ciara caught a pair of voices.

"...and I promise I'll follow you," a girl was saying.

"In the morning there would be too many people watching. I've got to leave tonight," came the reply. Ciara recognised the voice belonged to Galen.

"It's a lot more dangerous at night. Please just wait till morning."

The pair of demigods came into view from behind a large oak tree. They were so intent in their conversation that they did not even spot Ciara who was just a couple of meters away from them, so she took the opportunity to observe them.

She was right. The guy was tall, slim, wearing a dark grey flannel shirt over a white tee with long black pants, looking pretty casual. His tousled brown hair was damp from standing in the rain. The only thing that made him look out of place was the haversack he was currently shouldering.

Galen had suddenly stopped in his tracks, so abrupt that the girl beside him continued walking a few more paces before realising her companion was no longer beside her before coming to a stop and looking behind too.

Ciara's heart skipped a beat when she realised Galen had noticed her too. Their eyes met briefly, and Ciara quickly directed her gaze at the other girl instead, desperate to fill her mind with other thoughts.

Dark blue eyes… square rimmed glasses, lush raven hair that reaches down to her hips. And tall. Even taller than Galen beside her. And if Ciara had been a guy, she definitely would have thought her pretty. Ciara remembered this girl, she was a daughter of Ares, though she certainly did not look like one.

What's her name again? Ciara thought. Dominique? Monica? Oh right, she snapped her fingers, Dominca. Monica was just her nickname. Got it.

Dominca Paix. The nice Ares girl who loved to help others. She'd used to lend Ciara a listening ear when she was depressed over the sudden death of Michael, before she learnt of her powers to communicate with the dead, and for that Ciara was thankful.

Dominca, who'd followed Galen's line of sight, had also spotted her, "Ciara?"

"Monica!" She called back, "I just needed to clear my head. Was about to go back. What are you two up to?" Then she flicked her eyes towards Galen and added, "Hi!"

"Hi." Galen offered.

Dominca explained, "Galen here, wants to leave camp to -"

"I'm going down to the I.L.B.R. facility to get the Cure," Galen cuts in, then waits, waiting for her to stop him.

"And I was telling him that it's too dangerous at night because that's when the monsters come out. I told him to wait for morning and I'll accompany him there if he really insists on going," said Dominca.

"I'm sorry," Galen carries on, "but I'm going to leave now. I'll... see you when I get back."

He shoulders the backpack again, adjusting the straps, and taking a step past them. But Dominca stops him, flinging an arm out to block his path.

"Wait." She said, "alright. We leave now, okay? I'll go with you. It's too dangerous for you to go on your own, let alone at night. If you can't wait for morning, then I'll go with you now."

Galen hesitates, but finally replies. "You sure?"

"Yes."

"Thank you," he said in a low voice.

"But you give me one minute so I can run down to fetch a couple more friends to go with us. It's safer for us demigods to go as a group," Dominca said.

Galen opened and closed his mouth, as though wanting to argue, but decides against it. "Fine. Just one minute. Then I must leave."

Ciara made up her mind in a split second, which was so unlike her. She turned to Dominca, "I'll help you gather a few others." Then she addressed Galen, "I'm following you there too."

Galen just looked at her. And Ciara could not help but notice the color of his eyes changing like a kaleidoscope - something which many Aphrodite kids could do - from brown to green to blue. It stayed at that light shade of blue that Ciara always found attrac - Don't think that! Careful what you think!

"Guys," Galen said, "I mean it. I'm not going to wait all day." Then he plonks down on the damp ground against a tree trunk and straightens his legs, as the rain starts to shower more heavily.

Ciara and Dominca shared a glance, knowing they had to be fast. Then they turned and sprinted down towards the cabins.

Ciara Ann Williams belong to ItzBriii. Dominca Paix belongs to Images of the Lost. I know it was just a small part for Dominca, but she'll get her own POV in later chapters. Gotta take turns!

So how did you find Ciara?
What do you think of Dominca from that little bit you've seen?
And perhaps a blog review on the main cast?

Thanks in advance!