A/N: Hey guys thanks so much for not ditching my story after that scary chapter. I found a name in my studies, so you will be introduced to a new character today. So I'm going to join in this contest that my friend, Thunder48 is doing. I urge you to go to her book it's under my favorite stories, and compete in her contest. She's looking for entries so far she's only got two, me and some other random kid. So go ahead and compete, it's the least I could do for her. Thanks-F.H
I listened to a bullet crackle over the field. I turned and saw Reyna; she wasn't at all like she had looked like yesterday evening. She was scarred and burned, but her beauty still shined through the grey morning. She saw me, and then hissed. Then pounced, I unleashed a vine and it swapped around her ankle. She looked up at me her eyes glassy with tears. I wasn't going to kill her; I just wanted to talk to her.
"What's your problem? Listen chick, you gotta get a hold of your emotions. If I went rampaging around screaming insults, and having tantrums, you know the world wouldn't be a very nice place." She switched out a golden sword.
"You think you're the only one with power? I'll show you power." She unleashed her grip on me, and her scream echoed through the empty camp. I cried out as the shock of a pulse on my heart was blinding me, I screamed in her pain. A light blinding my eyes, "Heart Medicine, hurts doesn't it? Since Venus could control the heart's emotions, she could also burn it to pieces. See ya, goddess." She pulled out a golden arrow, and just as she was about to shoot. A rumbling was clicking on the ground; she turned and saw what was coming. A fast speeding chariot, two people in it. She growled, "You're not going anywhere!" She stabbed a golden arrow into my shirt sleeve, and then flew a match down and the meadow began to burn. But they weren't just plain flames; they were sparkled with a deadly gold. I felt my arm begin to touch the painful flames. I didn't scream, I let the burning continue to grow. I didn't cry, I felt the flames lick my face. I didn't fear, I just let it happen.
"Get your ass off the ground!" I felt myself be lifted, and then thrown into a chariot. I looked and saw a girl and a boy. Standing in the chariot, the girl long red hair was braided into a tight neat braid. But the boy rocked the picture of a white, Lil'Wayne. His perfect golden dreads were flipping through the flaming battle field. Then Reyna's scream, I felt my heart pound. But my mouth wasn't working, I got out,
"Iirends!" The girl turned around and I saw her long red hair wasn't the only pretty thing about her, but her nose was a little crooked; her top lip was a little disfigured. A long scar ran down her face. But she was very pretty. Her eyes were a burning red almost like Hestia's. But she couldn't have been Hestia's kid…could she?
"We can't take your friends, we'll save them later. You need to be out of harms way, my goddess." I ignored her comment, and saw we were riding away from the meadow and towards the docks.
"No! No! My friends…My little brother! No…" I flung my vine out into the open meadow hoping to connect with anyone, someone!
"My goddess," The red head crooned, "Don't worry, they'll be ok. You have a very valuable gift that must be protected. We were sent by our lady…To guide you, you are important to the whole world. You must not be lost." We jumped off the dock and the pegasi thundered up into the air, their wings flapping over the blue ocean of the Pacific. I felt my stomach knot, I hated flying in chariots. I grew my wings and flew along next to it, I felt more reassured. As I gazed over the ocean I studied the two, they were totally different in appearance but they seemed to have that same, not wanted look about them. The boy was what Pearl would say, "hot", long gangly muscled arms, tan, his legs the same way. But his face caught me off guard, his face had the same structure of Athena's, but more fierce. Like he could kill if he wanted to, we flew over the ocean for a good time. I finally got the nerve to ask,
"Where are we going?" The red head, smiled then pointed down to a small island. It had come out of no where. "You couldn't see it because of the mist, it is called H.A.A. It is the protected fort for those who have the forbidden mothers. No one knows of it, but you and the other virgin goddesses." I coughed under my breath, was. The chariot glided across a golden reef then landed on a small dock. Two boys waved happily and took the pegasi's halters, and unhooked their harnesses from the chariot ropes. I watched after the boys as they laughed and talked. The red head and the boy got down; they walked down the dock and to a small camp. It was very small, three cabins were set up. The first made of a rosy red wood, and a small chimney rose from it, smoke coming out of it. The second looked like a planetarium, it had a giant telescope bulging from the roof, and many globed windows popped out, and a faint glow came from it. Silvery almost. The third cabin was made almost like a library, but it was cobblestoned and looked very pricy.
The two led me to a small cottage where children darted in and out, but when you walked in, a wide reception area greeted you, the walls were jammed packed with files. They reached endlessly into the air; the red head led me to a woman sitting behind a wooden desk, she had blond hair much like Artemis's, she had a silvery glow around her. Like Artemis, her eyes even a pretty silver. She looked up and smiled at me, and gave a small head bow. "I'm Leah, Daughter of Artemis." She gave a small smile, and then turned to red head. She gave a small gesture to her; red head nodded, and then led me out of the reception area. She led me to a small room over looking the island; in the distance I saw a town. "Have you guys formed a city? Just because your mothers are afraid of telling, that they have children."
"Yup, it's who we are."
"What's your name? Who's your mom?"
"My name is Ignia, my mother well…" She snapped her fingers and the small cozy fireplace exploded into flame. She waved her hand and a small light flickered around the room, making it seem homier. I looked at her…
"Your mom, is she Hestia?" She smiled, and then nodded.
"You can live here for a time being, we'll go back and get your friends when the battle clears. But for the time being my goddess, you could fix up the garden in the camp, or the flowers around the shrines. They need a little cheering up. Also the satyrs will be glad to see you; they have long awaited your arrival." I nodded, and then looked down at my ratty T-Shirt, "You got a new one?" She smiled kindly and grabbed a blouse from a drawer, "My goddess, you seem so disoriented, are you ok?" I shook my head,
"I appreciate you saving me, don't get me wrong… But my friends are back there…my little brothers back there, you chose the wrong goddess to take, I'm afraid." I gave her a little warning, but she just smiled sadly, but then a question came to my mind, "Ignia who was that boy that was with you when you came and saved me?"
"That would be Arion, he is the Son of Athena. But he does not speak, for his sword movements tell his whole story. They are pained and graceful, but very accurate, he is a killer inside, but he hides from his mother. He hides from the world; he chooses to be secretive and singular. Very individual, you must realize, many girls fall for him, but he is a very dangerous you mustn't do the same."
"What makes you think I would?" I asked my mind becoming angry at her words,
"You hide the spirit of love inside of you, it falls for the ones you cannot have. But the one who wants you most, the spirit does not want. Do not think we are peaceful, because we are not. We are just as bloody as the other demigods. Keep in mind my goddess; you hold the last blood of Pan within you."
"But how can he be a Son of Athena, and he lives here? There is a cabin for Minerva and Athena at both Camp Half Blood, and Camp Grey Stone." She looked uneasy at first, then explained,
"Arion was not birthed like normal Athena children; he wasn't born by thought, but by the womb. He was born like a normal child, he is ashamed of his mother, and he thinks he is a mistake. He was so close to being normal, and go with the other Athena children, but he can't he isn't birthed like them."
She left without another word, my mouth frozen, she was reading my mind…She must have been a fortune teller; she must have been a mind reader. What was she? I looked out onto the grassy plains where the small island held a secret. A wide beach on the other side of the dark forest, no one was on it besides Arion. From the high tower I seemed to be in, even though it was a cottage on the outside, I could see him. His golden dreads were noticeable from fifty miles away. He was very mysterious, but I couldn't help but feel a deeper vibe come from him. I walked out of the room and past Leah. She smiled at me, I guessed Leah ran the camp, kept files, and taught the half-bloods how to fight. I ran out the doors and to the forest, I poked through it until I found the beach. The sand was a pure white and a reef was nestled in water. Arion was delicately and elegantly fighting, but he had a deadly twist. He taunted, he threw, he sprang, and he danced. He didn't notice me, but his skill was being the daunting.
The one no one knew how to control; the one no one knew how to harness. His body moved with such grace and agility, he had a whole lot of something in him. But I couldn't place my finger on it, but I was attracted to him. I came out of the brush; he saw me and stopped dead. His sword slid back into his belt, he gave a small bow. But I shook my head; I pulled out my own sword, his eyes met with my own. He understood. He pulled out his sword again and then circled in a predator move. I moved in his circle and then, went at him, he was fast and ducked, but my senses were just as quick as his. I pivoted and jumped at him, he parried. But I faked out his next move, I delicately spun and went for his hip, but he spun around and blocked. Sand dusted up and stung our eyes, but we kept fighting. The waves hit our feet, cooling us to the core. For the water was an icy chill. I leaped back and breathed heavily, he did the same. But then I reversed and went for his back, but he was just like me. Never off guard. He twisted around and spun his sword right near my neck. I ducked and rolled. I danced around him; he became extremely annoyed I could see it in his eyes.
He went for me, but my foot tripped his foot he fell to the ground. I held the sword up to his neck, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. I held the sword then laughed, easier then I thought. He smiled, the last thought I had in my mind was…Oh shit. He pulled my sword and flipped me down onto the sand, but he didn't know how quick a goddess could be. I went for his leg with my vine; he jumped and ran at me with speed. I leaped away. This fight was one of the hardest I've ever fought. So I thought of the move Carlina had taught me, I dropped my sword and held out my hand. He moved towards it, and then he shook his head. He wasn't stupid. Then pushed my hand away, but then as it touched mine, something happened, force against force. An electric shock, shot through me. I clamped down on my hand. "Ow!" He looked at me contritely. I stared at him,
"Arion, are you a son of Zeus?" He looked at me, his eyes moving cautiously up and down me. Then he gave a small shake of his head. His grey eyes showing no truth but no lie. He was an enigma, "Why are you silent?" He shrugged his shoulders, and then I stopped him. "Why do you not use your voice? You have anger behind your eyes, and venom is on the tip of your tongue, use it…" He looked away, then grabbed my arm and pointed to the ocean. But I saw what he meant far away was a distant land. "Well if the world saw you, they wouldn't be ashamed. If the half-bloods saw you, they wouldn't treat you any different then, your friends here do." He laughed, and then rolled his eyes. I liked how his laugh made my heart flutter, "What? You have friends here right?" He shook his head, no. "Why? Ignia likes you, just fine." He nodded; a look came into his eyes. "You like her, don't you?" He nodded, "Then speak to her, Arion. She likes you… She worries for you." He shook his head, and then looked down. "Why do you think that…Unless she sworn herself to virginity forever… Is that what she did?" He nodded, "Well it's not too late for you, you know? Just speak, bigly. Be outspoken for the ones who don't want to understand you. Live your life, it's nothing to lose. Your young, Arion, I'm young. You have to trust the fact that if you speak to the world, if anything, people will be jealous that you have the fortitude to speak above others. To speak for your mother." He growled, and then flung me to ground, planting an arm protectively around my waist. I hadn't felt it since…well…a long time.
He growled once more and this time golden spears flew out of the forest, he moved quickly, swinging me up into his arms and then dodging them. He ran to the camp and flung me inside the reception area. What worried me next was, who threw those golden arrows, some one knew I was here. I walked out and saw Leah was talking on the phone; she nodded, and then put down the receiver. She wrote a note down on a sticky note. I looked at her my eyes widening.
"What the hell! You stand there, while their out there fighting!" Leah looked at me, and then shook her head.
"Dear, its nothing, its death threats from the other gods. They found out the island, and wondered why we have you."
"They don't think…"
"I'm afraid so…But if you'll excuse me." She walked out of the office. I didn't want the other gods to kill Arion or Ignia or any of the other forbidden demigods for that matter. They were innocent just like the rest of the demigods were… Who could have possibly seen me…?