Story 8
Black Canvas

Introducing…*drum roll!* Thera! She is a minor goddess slash hunter….pretty Bad-ass!
I hope the owner doesn't mind that I developed her character a little more….okay, A LOT more! I hope her owner doesn't kill me. 0o Tell me what you think! Thank you all soo much for the reviews! They make me sooo happy! You just don't know how excited I get when I see a new review….!

Everyone thinks Thera is lucky.

She is the daughter of Poseidon and a minor water goddess named Amphitrite. She is the younger sister of the great Triton. She has lived with Poseidon in his underwater kingdom. She is blessed with the abilities of a minor goddess. She has great power over water and every once and while, if she's lucky, she can summon an earthquake.

However, Thera doesn't feel very lucky. In fact she feels like she is just the opposite. Her life hasn't been very appealing. Thera thinks with all this blessings and gifts, she should be strong and someone of great importance. She isn't. She is just a hunter of Artemis.

Now, this is a great opportunity, but it isn't want Thera thought she would be doing with her life. She expected to have a great role in her father's palace, but that didn't seem to be in the cards.

So Thera just leads a normal life. As normal as a minor goddess/hunter life can get. She contents herself with this life that she lives, but she is always hoping for more…something greater….something that will make her seem important and powerful.

She wants to earn the respect of her parents. They have never put her down, but she sees them scramble for something to tell her other gods when they ask about their children. All of them have accomplished great deeds, but she is the only one that is lacking. She hasn't done anything of significance in her life. She feels like an empty canvas that has yet to be painted.

What would be painted on her canvas?

Nothing.

Maybe a bit of blue to symbolize her heritage, some red for the blood she's shed, grey for the tears she's cried, green for the woods in which she hunts for Artemis, and maybe even black for the sins she's committed.

Maybe her entire canvas should be black. But even that wouldn't be enough to show forth all the bad in her life. She would need to paint every square inch of the world…and that wouldn't even suffice.

Thera is surprised that the gates of Death haven't opened and dragged her Taturus for her sins. Thera made a deal with the devil. It was a dangerous deal that eventually caught up to her and ruined her. She didn't mean to fall into such temptation, but the offer was so sweet, she couldn't refuse. She just wanted to be recognized. For once in her life she wanted to be put first. Thera has always been considered second-rate. It's always Triton this, Triton that. Percy Jackson this, Theseus that, Aeson is so great…blah, blah, blah. And Thera….nothing.

She tries her best at everything she does, but it never seems to be enough. She is still only second best…if that. You can see that this gets tiring. Thera had reached the end of her rope.

She promised her soul to Nyx. She wanted power and Nyx gave it to her. But there were strings attached. Thera rose up against the gods. Lucky, she was stopped before any serious damage was done, but it still wounded Poseidon's honor. She almost managed to help destroy Olympus with her new-found power, but she was brought back to her senses. Nyx's control over her was lifted.

Thera had never been more embarrassed in her life. She wanted to die, but the God's punished her with eternal life and servitude to them. Thankfully, Artemis allowed her to stay with the Hunters. But the gods will never trust her again, this she knows.

Thera hates to think about her past. It pains her greatly. Sometimes she feels sick when she thinks about it. It's unnerving to think about all the pain she caused. Poseidon never answers her prayers. Not anymore. He barely speaks to her. She feels empty and alone. They only voice she hears is from Nyx.

Nyx sympathizes with her, tells her sweet words filled with acid fire. She wants to control Thera again. Thera will not let this happen. Not again. She has too much at stake now. For once in her life, she has friends and people that actually care about her. There is no way she is giving this new life up. She enjoys her life and her tasks as a hunter. Even a task as trying as hunting a Chimera.

Thera hates chimeras.

"Why can't these bloody monsters just stay dead?" Thera wonders as she arms her bow and lets an arrow fly. It soars straight and long, hitting its mark in the eye of the lion's part of the chimera. Her second and third arrow sinks into the side of the goat. Her victory is short-lived. The chimera rears and slams its front paws back down, sending Thera flying into the air.

She flails her arms, attempting to flap like a bird, but ends up tumbling through the air. There is no water around, so Thera is out of luck. She will fall to her death.

She closes her eyes. "I am going to die. After all I have been through, I am going to die at the paws of a Chimera. How flattering." She beings her 'farewell world' speech. She thanks Poseidon and apologizes to the gods for the millionth time. She leaves out Triton, because she is still a little jealous of him and she is afraid that the animosity will come forth. But she does curse Nyx- this lasts the longest.

She is sure she is near the ground, about to go SPLAT! but there is nothing. She briefly wonders just how far she is falling when the air is suddenly torn from her lungs. She gasps and tumbles through the trees for what seems like hours. Thera is sure that she will have many, painful bruises later. Especially from the impact of hitting the ground-which she just did.

Thera blinks to get rid of the dancing centaurs and tries to sit up which results in Satyrs joining in the jig. Shaking her head, Thera pulls herself to her feet. Her legs are wobbly and she is sure she will puke any minute.

Suddenly there is a terrifying sound. It sounds like a child being repeatedly ripped to shreds. The sound is horrifying, Thera covers her ears to block it out.

What is that?

She turns around and sees her answer. It is not a child that is being ripped apart, it is a chimera, the same one she just tried to kill, being torn apart by a hellhound.

Thera is horrified by the sight. Time seems to stop and she is frozen in place. Her breathing slows almost to a stop. She crouches low to the ground and hides behind a fallen tree, trying to calm her raging heart.

The Hellhound is bigger than its normal size. It as if is has been fused together with another animal. It is easily bigger than a minotaur.

Why would a hellhound attack a chimera? She's never seen anything like this. Monsters sometimes fight, but that is only because they aren't too bright. This however, is different. The hellhound has completely ripped the chimera to pieces.

There is blood and the remains of the chimera hanging from the mouth of the hellhound. He looks up and sniffs, picking up on Thera's scent. Thera panics and closes her eyes, using her abilities to seek out a body of water. She senses that there is a lake a few miles away. Although they probably won't answer, she prays to what ever god will as she springs from her hiding spot. She puts extra speed into her feet, as she sprints to the lake.

She wishes she could run as fast as her beating heart. The hellhound as spotted her and is in full pursuit. Thera doesn't dare look back, she knows if she does it'll be the end.

Please, please, please, let me get to the lake! She pleads to anyone that will hear her.

Her lungs are going to burst, she can't keep up this speed for much longer. The hellhound is gaining on her, soon it will lunge and attack her.

Thera risks a look behind her. There is bloodlust in the eyes of the hellhound. He is huge, and hungry. A whimper escapes her lips. She is going to die. This thought renews her strength and she bolts for the lake. She is getting closer, she can feel it. Her mouth waters at the sensation. She is so close-

Sharp claws dig into her skin, yanking her backwards. Thera screams bloody murder, as the pain rips through her body. The hellhound slams her to the ground and presses its huge paw to her chest. This completely takes her breathe away. She is gasping for air, struggling to stay conscious. The paw feels like a ton.

Thera looks up at the hellhound just in time to see a shrouded figure emerge from it's back. The figure is dark and hazy, like mist. It has glowing red eyes.

"Daughter of Posssssseidon…" It hisses. The voice is low and metallic. It scares Thera. "Tell me where Ssssssierra Grey isssss, and I might let you live."

"Sierra? What do you want with her?" Thera yells. She doesn't let her pain effect her defiance.

"Sssssshe is a vvvery vvvvaluable assssset, tell me where sssshe issss."

Thera shakes her head, fear coursing through her veins. "I won't tell you anything!"

The shade laughs wickedly, "Then you ssssshall die!" The hellhound raises its paw to deliver the final blow.

Thera closes her eyes. This is the second time today she has come face to face with death, this time it really is going to happen. This really is it.

Suddenly there is a roaring noise. The sound floods Thera's ears. It is so loud and piercing, the hellhound starts to whine and rear up. The shade's figure begins to flicker.

"What isssss thisssss?" It shouts, trying to regain control of the hellhound.

A wave of water shoots up from the lake. It rushes forward and swirls around Thera's body. It flushes around her and carries her back into the lake. The shade shouts angry profanities, cursing the gods and Thera.

As she sinks to the bottom of the lake, Thera feels immediate rejuvenation. Her scars are healed and her energy is at full. The water rushes around her like nurses, healing her body. When she feels her strength return, she is shot out of the lake, riding on a geyser. The geyser safely deposits her on the surface on the side opposite the forest she was just in.

Thera crawls to her knees, weeping. "Thank you," She cries, hoping the gods-Poseidon will hear. "Thank you so much."

A/N: I. Love. 's such a great character. I wish I'D created her. *pout* I hope you like this chapter! I enjoyed writing it, but there were too many distractions!