Drum roll…or not. The crowd has voted and here it is, an update! For those of you reading my other stories, well, mainly at Cousins at High, expect really late updates. Sorry, but I want to finish my other stories first. Best for last, right?
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I don't know whether I should knock or just barge in. The wooden door for the armory was closed, and I heard voices inside. Taking a deep breath and my chances, I opened the door. Inside, Caxton was talking to Romulus out of all people. When I entered, they stared at me, silent. But on the good side, the room was littered in weapons of every kind, so if I had to quickly murder Romulus, the Imperial gold loaded gun would be great. To top it off, the door slowly closed behind me. Yippee.
"Have you ever heard of manners?" Romulus asked, rolling his eyes at me. Ignoring him, I asked, "Am I interrupting something? I could come back later if you want." Caxton looked at me and Romulus, noticing the tension in the air.
"Romulus, I would like to speak with…Verity in private." Romulus snorted before replying, "Actually, you said it yourself you were going to teach me until my hour session was over. If this collides with our meeting, I'm more than happy to stay."
"He asked you to get out, and that means getting your butt out of that door, waving good bye and going back to your Cohort," I snapped. "Unless, of course, you want me to kick you out. I'm pretty sure combat boots leave a mark." Romulus glared at me, and we had a staring contest until Caxton broke it up.
"Thank you, Verity, but he does have a point." Caxton didn't bat an eye to my protest, but instead shushed me.
"Romulus, ask her about what you found you earlier." I was relieved when Romulus picked up my staff from behind him. "Is this yours?" he asked, holding the wood like it might burn him. Of course, I didn't hit him with it. Hugging it to chest, I fingered the familiar feel of the wood. Then, my fingers stroked words carved into the staff. Managing thanks to Romulus, I studied the staff more carefully, tuning everything out.
It looked like someone had scratched Goddess. A light streak of gold indicated a golden blade. Why do I get the feeling I wasn't the one who wrote that?
"Hey, weirdo, "Romulus called, snapping his fingers under my nose. I would've been pissed at him, but the headache had receded when he had brought me back to reality. Caxton was analyzing me, as if he was looking for any sign of recognition. When he got nothing, he led us towards the back of the area.
"Verity, I'm really sorry for scaring you out. If your father was here, he would've have killed me." Caxton laughed, as if he had said something hilarious. Romulus and I shared a confused glance, and scowled at each other because we agreed on something. Caxton noticed our looks.
"Forget I said anything, "he quietly said.
As if trying to change the subject, he asked, "Would you like to know how Romulus found your weapon?"
Since I had no choice, I replied, "Sure." Romulus looked ready to argue, but with one silencing look from the Lar, he crossed his arms, sullen.
"Romulus and I were just walking towards here when we saw something flying towards us. Romulus took out his sword, and was prepared to attack whatever was coming when your staff bounced off of his head. He fell like a shot solider and started freaking. I don't even want to tell you what he was doing, since most of it was rubbish. Anyway, we got in here, since Romulus needed a lesson on weapons, and I am known as the best Lar mentor." I heard a choking sound behind me and though Romulus was dying, but it turned out he was laughing.
"Says the descendant of Apollo who breaks a lyre by looking at it," Romulus managed. I cracked a smile at that. But something surfaced into my mind of Apollo, how he was the god of prophecies.
"Wait; is that how you knew about me?" Caxton stopped examining a rusty dagger. "That and the fact I've seen you. I doubt you remember but you were the one who led me." Caxton quickly glanced at Romulus, and I knew he would've have revealed more if that guy wasn't here.
"Are we just going to stare at weapons? You said-"
"I know what I said, Blake," Caxton replied, a hard edge in his voice. "If you don't want your ancestors to be displeased of how you treat a Lar, then wait." Romulus gaped at him, and I sort of felt bad for him. Caxton was definitely trying to get him annoyed, so he would get out. Of course, this is when people become smarter and realize what is going on. Romulus narrowed his eyes.
"Are you trying-?"
"I'm not going to do this, Vitellius! Why am I even doing this again?" Cursing under my breath, I recognized Frank's voice. Romulus pressed back into a corner, the bad lighting on that section concealing him. Caxton turned invisible, meaning I was left visible. Should I panic or scream?
"It doesn't matter if you are a praetor. Back in my days, people literally begged to do things like this and they had no shame, since they loved doing these things!"
I heard Romulus snickering at this dialogue. Who was Vitellius, anyway?
"But do I have to?" Frank's voice seemed to be heading closer and closer to the armory and I glanced at the spot Romulus was hiding in, but it seemed too small for two. Oh gods, I was stuck standing.
"You know what? Grab a sword from the armory. If anyone ridicules you, which I highly doubt, since everyone-"
"Loved doing this back in your days," Frank finished wearily. I swear I heard an undertone of, How did I even get into this mess? Meanwhile, I was silently running around, trying to find a place to hide. The guy already hates me (I think), so of course if he thinks of me doing anything suspicious, he has a good reason to kick me out.
Taking deep breaths, I decided to wing it. Taking a nearby sword and a rag from a table, I started furiously wiping the already shiny weapon, praying that Frank wouldn't listen to this Vitellius guy.
"But you do have a good point there, Vitellius." Sighing, Frank opened the door and I tried to look surprised when I heard him say, "Verity?" I turned to him.
"Oh hi, Frank! What-"
Oh my gods. Frank blushed when I saw him. The least he could've done was hid behind something. He wasn't naked, but if he was naked, I probably would have had a good reason for almost dying right then and right there.
Frank Zhang, the almighty praetor of the First Legion and boyfriend of Hazel Levesque, was wearing red boxers with pictures of pink and white bunnies all over them.
I honestly don't know who was blushing more-me or him. Shielding my eyes, I just threw the sword I was cleaning to him.
"Have a nice day, Frank!" From the corner of my eye, I could see Romulus snickering. Thanks for all your help, Romulus.
"Uh, thanks." He awkwardly started to walk out. When I thought he left, I snapped my ever present staff into my bracelet. Ignoring Romulus's shock, I turned to call Caxton when Frank reappeared. "Verity, forgot to tell you-"
"Oh my gods!" I jumped so high that it would make even a gymnast jealous. Frank blushed, and quickly said, "Reyna'scallingyoutoheartheprophecy."
Comprehending bits of what he said I managed to reply, "Thanks, Frank. Before Hazel kills all the girls in the camp, can you put some clothing on?" With a face red as his boxers, he quickly left, and I swear I saw a glowing Lar materialize next to him.
"Caxton?" I looked around, and the Lar appeared next to me. Romulus popped out of his hiding spot, a mixture of amusement, shock, and fear on his face. But then he sneered at me and I turned my full attention to the descendant of Apollo, who was studying my jewelry. He caught me staring and looked at me in the eye.
"You have to listen to the praetor."
"So you're telling me to get out?"
"No, he's telling you to get out, and that means getting your butt out of that door, waving good bye and going back to your Cohort," Romulus calmly retorted, "unless, of course, you want me to kick you out. I may not have some fancy shoes like yours but my sneakers do leave a mark."
"You know what? I have better things to do and listen to your attempt at trash talking. I don't have time to lose brain cells, hearing your babble, Romulus. Bye Caxton." Waving good bye to the Lar, I quickly walked out the armory. I honestly had no idea where I was heading off to, but I felt someone walking besides me. Rex.
"Where is it?" I asked. Rex wasn't stupid, so he knew where I was talking about.
In front of you, he answered, and I mentally face palmed when he left. Of course. Sighing and managing a thank you, I jogged towards the temple, feeling nervous.
It was huge, with clouds covering the top of it. I heard a screech of a bird and I looked up, noticing a hawk. It stared at me with beady eyes, then did something like a laugh and started to fly behind the temple. When the bird realized I wasn't it, it stopped and seemed to beckon me with its head.
Curiosity got the best of me and I followed it.
It leads me to Fabius and Reyna, who stopped talking when I approached. Fabius gave me a slight wave and I waved back. Reyna gestured towards the hawk, which was now perching on Fabius's shoulder.
"Fabius sees the future through birds. That's why we are back here instead of inside the temple. It's nice of you to join us Verity."
I flinched when the hawk retracted its claws from Fabius's shoulder, perching towards a tree branch. "That must hurt. Do you have any ambrosia?" I looked at Reyna, who brought out a small flask and poured it over his wound. He blushed and took out a piece of paper.
"Um, this is what I understood," he told me. The words were written in Latin, but somehow, I only barely made out the words. I read it out aloud.
Mortals see forbidden secrets through the goddess in danger
Three shall go; wind, waves and shadows will aid the stranger
The accursed one and youth's child shall aid the son of magic the Mist veil
And the gift of the freed shall end with a wail
I frowned. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?" I turned to Reyna, who seemed perplexed as well. "I honestly don't get how this is supposed to be related to me."
"But," Reyna started, "something peculiar happened earlier. We had gotten reports of a hydra and Frank and I had decided to send two scouts to see what was going on. When they had returned, they had told us that the mortals saw the monster and the demigods."
Whenever Reyna spoke, I felt like she was a thousand years old. In a good way, since most old people don't have teeth to talk with so they jabber like babies.
"Did you understand anything else?" I asked, studying the words. Fabius cleared his throat.
"We understood three people should go, but the only thing that we gleaned was a child of Juventus, the goddess of youth, and someone with a curse should go. In Camp Jupiter, there are at least five sons of Trivia, goddess of magic, in each Cohort. And, that's about it."
I stared back at the words, my mind translating each of the goddesses' names into their Greek forms. Hebe, goddess of youth. Hecate, goddess of magic.
"Reyna, sorry for interrupting but did you see Frank anywhere? Whenever I ask anyone where he is, they start laughing. Hi, Fabius. Verity." Hazel walked in, looking confused. My cheeks grew warm, and thank gods she didn't notice. Reyna rolled her eyes.
"He's with Vitellius, who told him to be a man by wearing a piece of clothing." Hazel frowned, apparently lost. "What is it?"
"Exactly what she said. A piece of clothing, meaning single, nothing else," I offered. Watching Hazel's face, I quickly added, "Do you understand any of this?"
Grabbing the paper from Fabius's hands, I gave it to Hazel, who softly read it to herself. When she looked up, she raised an eyebrow.
"I'm just surprised the words all rhyme while making any sense. The day we have a quest related to something orange, we're screwed," she said, nervously smiling. We all stared at her, and she grew uncomfortable.
"What?"
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Oh, Hazel. Shout out to Lenister once again, this time for helping me with the prophecy. Such an awesome friend right there. I think this was the longest, and I've been suffering with writer's block. This means, I'll be writing after I get those creative juices running. Just a question (and no this is not QOTC), if I were to do a Hunger Games story, do you think I might be able to finish my other stories?
To darkmagician751 and TotallyCray-Cray, I made some corrections to what I sent the both of you, because I realized I had a ton of mistakes. Sorry, guys.
Now, QOTC!
QOTC: What is Vitellius's real name?
For bonus- What is Vitellius's nickname?
Hope you liked it!