Chapter 4.
Jessica led the way through the jungle, pushing branches away. "So how do you know where the Nemian Lion hunts anyway?" Ikelik asked. "Well," Jessica said. "When you live on a small island for 8 years, you can't help but hear a lion roaring not far off." Jessica led him into a clearing where there was a shrine with a statue of the Nemian Lion. "Are there any natives on this island?" Ikelik asked.
Jessica shrugged. "I don't know, I haven't seen anyone but you for 8 years." Jessica brushed past the statue and into an even bigger clearing with 5 grasshuts out in the feild. A growl came from the central hut. Ikelik drew his blades and Jessica notched an arrow. From the central hut came Ikelik's target, the Nemian Lion. It's claws were bloody, and in it's jaw was an arm connected to a corpse. "Thought you said there weren't an natives around here?" Ikelik asked. "None that I ever came across."
The Nemian Lion dropped it's food and roared at the new comers. Ikelik stood in a battle stance and Jessica looked down the shaft of her arrow. The Lion charged knocking Jessica aside and roared up onto it's hind legs, ready to strike. Ikelik rolled to the side as the paws came down and stabbed the Lion into it's right eye.
Keeping the blade in the eye, he ran along side it and then jumped onto it's back. He swung the other blade and stabbed it in it's other eye. The Lion roared and jumped onto hit's hind legs. Jessica recovered from her attack and notched an arrow. She waited for the lion to open it's mouth and when it did, she fired an arrow past it's maw and into the inside of it's cheek.
The lion roared and threw Ikelik off his back. The Spartan rolled into a landing and brought both blades to bear. Jessica rolled away from the lion as it swatted at her for shooting it in the mouth. She notched another arrow and stood ready. "Don't suppose you have any arrows lined with Greek Fire?" Ikelik asked. Jessica shook her head, keeping her eyes on the lion. "Nope, haven't been near the stuff since I was at camp."
The lion roared and charged. Ikelik croutched and threw a blade through the lions maw and into the back of it's throat. The lion roared and tired cutting through the chain attachde to the blade's hilt. Ikelik ran up to the lion and actually jumped onto the lion's jaw. Using the other blade to cover his hands, he pushed up and put pressure into his legs, trying to break it's jaw.
The lion pushed down harder on him. "Damn." Ikelik grunted. "This sucks." Jessica took this moment and jumped onto the lion's head and stabbed it in the eyes with her knife. The lion roared and shook Ikelik and Jessica off. Ikelik stood and ran to the lion. Swinging his right handed blade again, it swung through the air and went right through the lion's rear.
The lion roared and fell onto it's side. Ikelik slowly approached the lion and then drove a blade through it's eye and deep into it's brain. The rest of the lion dissipated untill only a long pelt of the lion's fur remained.
Ikelik picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. He checked himself to make sure he wasn't hurt much, only a few bruises and a few scratches on his arms. He helped Jessica up who had a long bad gash on her bow arm. "Come on," he said. "we got to get back to the-" He looked up to see a group of natives ringing around the clearing. "-ship." he finished.
One of the navtives raised a spear and shouted something to the others. "That can't be good." Jessica said, now on her feet. The other natives roared the same thing and charged inwards. Jessica notched 2 arrows and fired into the crowd. Ikelik grabbed his blades and sliced several of the spear weilding natives down.
"Follow me!' Ikelik said. Jessica followed him through a throng of natives as the Spartan cut them all down. "I hope that ship of yours is fast!" Jessica said. "I want to get off this island quick!" Ikelik sliced down branches in his way, throwing a cocky smile back at her. "Fastest ship in all of Greece!" he said. A spear impaled itself into a tree next to his head. "The problem is going to be getting to it!"
Ikelik and Jessica jumped through the final layer of foliage as the natives kept jumping out of the trees. The crew of the Ghosts of Sparta watched confused as they saw their master and some random girl running from an army of natives. Jessica knotched her last arrow and sent it flying through a couple of native's heads. "That was my last arrow!" Jessica said.
Ikelik threw the pelt into the boat and pushed it into the water. "Come on!' he yelled. Jessica jumped into the boat and picked up an oar. Ikelik pushed the boat further into the water and jumped into the boat himself. He started rowing and ducked as a spear impaled right in front of his feet. "Row faster!" Jessica said. Ikelik and Jessica started to row faster as the natives started throwing more spears.
The crew on the Ghosts of Sparta ran along the deck pulling up crossbows and cannons onto the side facing the beach. "Fire!" Ikelik yelled to his crew. cannon balls filled with greek fire and large arrows peppered the beach, blowing the natives away and impalling them to the sand or trees. The rest of them stayed on the beach scattering from the Ghosts of Sparta's weaponry.
Ikelik and Jessica rowed up close to to the ship and cables were dropped down to them. They attached the cable's to the hoks on the ship and waited to be lifted out of the water. The crew hoisted the small boat to the top of the ship. "Get us away from this island, now!" The Ghost at the wheel started turning it away from the island. "Aye aye sir!"
Ikelik turned to her. "You have done a great survice towards my farther, and I have given you what you asked. I would apreciate it if you would help me some more Jessica." he said. She shrugged. "I'll consider Ikelik, now where's the infirmary? This gash won't stitch itself up."
Ikelik pointed to a ghost who was walking among the ropes strewn across the floor. "He'll give you some nectar for the wound. She walked off and Ikelik walked to the statue of his mother. "Mother, I have slain the Nemian Lion. Now I need someone to weave it's pelt into my armor."
His mother's aura returned to the statue. "You must seek out Arachne, the mortal enemy of Athena. She will weave the pelt into a cloak of unstopable armor." Ikelik bowed his head. "Thank you mother, where can I find her?" Ikelik asked. "Arachne can be found in the remains of Crete, where she challenged Athena into her infamous weaving contest."
"Crete! My farther would have risen by the time I would return here to the have your husband forge the Hydra armor!" Ikelik said. "Do not worry my son." Aphrodite said. "Arachne can also be found near the sea of monsters. Find the island of Nassu, near the Bahamas. There you will find Arachne." Ikelik bowed his head again. "Yes mother."
His mother's aura faded from the statue and he turned to the pilot. "Set sail for the island of Nassu! My quest is coming closer to an end!"
(10:30 PM, 80 miles away from the island of Nassu)
Jessica sat on the edge of the crow's nest, the cool sea breeze blowing through her hair. "Finaly free of the island." she whispered to herself. "Let your resolve is questionable." someone said behind her. She turned to see one of the Spartan ghosts she had seen around the ship. "Before you ask." The spartan said. "I am Master Ikelik's instructor, Elwerf. I have been with the Master since he was born, Lord Kratos and Lady Aphrodite have instructed me to gaurd him with whatever remains of my life."
Jessica just nodded. "So you are sworn to protect Ikelik untill your final death." The ghost nodded and 'sat' on the edge next to her. "Please, tell me daughter of Apollo, why have you sworn to serve Lord Kratos?" Jessica sighed. "The gods had abandoned me to the island of the Nemian Lion. I wanted my revenge against those traitorous bastards."
"So to do this you align yourself with the only one who can help you?" the ghost asked. Jessica stared daggers at the ghost. "I was abandoned on that island for 8 years, none of the gods sought to help me. I came close to the death more than 12 times during my time there. The only Half-Blood I had seen in years was Ikelik, the son of the true war god."
"So you seek companionship, and revenge?" the ghost asked. "You could say that." she said. The ghost looked up at the stars, humming a soft tune to himself. "Tell me, ghost of Sparta," Jessica said to her companion. "what really happened to Sparta. What drove Kratos to kill the gods?" The ghost looked down from the heavens casting his gaze upon the tortued ghosts of the crew. "The fault belongs to the gods Ares and Zeus. Ares binded Kratos to his will and forced him to slaughter his wife and child, then the oracle who binded the ashes and nightmares of his crime upon him. After Kratos fulfilled the gods will of killing Ares, they refused to take away the nightmares that haunted him for 10 years."
"After being stripped of his godly powers at the hand of Zeus, Kratos waged a campaign against the gods. Kratos was succesful in his endauver, but was killed in his sleep by Athena. At this moment, Lord Kratos is climbing his way out of Tartarus to finally kill the gods." Jessica looked down at the shimmering blue images of the ghosts. So many souls lost their lives on the hope that their god would exact vengance against the gods. "I promise, if it helps at all, to help Ikelik destroy the gods." The ghost nodded and gave a smile. "It helps to know that we have someone to help us with our cause." Jessica turned and dropped onto the floor of the crow's nest. "I should get some sleep. I just wanted to look at the stars, knowing I wasn't about to die." she said.
The ghost looked up at the stars. "We all need to, sometimes." he said.
(Off the coast of Nassu, 8:23 AM)
Ikelik looked out onto the island of Nassu. To a mortal it looked lik paradise, but to the ears of a half-blood, it was an island death trap. Jessica walked up next to him. "Know anything about this place?" she asked. Ikelik jumped up onto a boat. "Only what the books in my room said, an entire island inhabited monsters and deranged demi gods. Ever book I consulted said that this is one of the most dangerous places for Greek children in the entire world." Jessica jumped onto the book and grabbed hold of a pully. "And your mother said Arachne would be here?"
Ikelik started to lower the boat into the water. "That or go all the way to Crete." The two rowed the boat to shore, talkng battle stategies to adapt with Jessica's bow and Ikelik's blades. They left off on a ranged tactic when the boat reached the shore. Ikelik helped Jessica out of the boat and they headed toward a massive cotage on the shore. Jessica knocked on the door. "Hello? Anybody home?" An empty echo of her voice bounced around the house, untill some one called back. "Leave here and never return!" Jessica pounded on the door again.
This time the voice was closer. "I do not deal with the children of Olympians! Leave me be!" Jessica sighed and busted the door down with a quick kick to the center of the door. An old woman jumped back ward in surprise. Jessica walked up and grabbed the crone by her dress. "We aren't with the Olympians! Now answer my questions, damnit!" Ikelik Stood behind the threshold with his eyes open and his arms crossed. "Aah! Scary half-blood! Why the half-blood need me!" the crone screetched. "We're looking for someone, now what's so hard about answering a few questions!"
The crone tried prying Jessica's fingers, Ikelik walked in and looked around. She had several different relics hung on the walls, Greek vases, shields, swords, chunks of armor, helmet plumes, all sort of other ancient artifacts. "I never answer! I never!" Jessica sighed and dropped the crone onto the floor. "Well this place is a bust." she mumbled under her breath. "Not really, where's your daughter?" Ikelik said to the old crone. "No daughter! Am not mother! Will not say anything!" Ikelik nodded and jessica picked up the crone again. "The relics you've collected are mostly pointed to one spot of hatred, Athena Goddess of Wisdom."
The crone seemed to grow angry and tried getting free of Jessica. "Not mention that name! Athena shall die! Not mention that name in this place!" Ikelik chuckled, he was right. "Listen crone, I seek Arachne's help. I've come to seek her help to mend a cloak out of the Nemian Lion's pelt." The crone tried wriggling out of Jessica's grasp on her dress. "I will not help children of gods! Gods ruined my daughter! Arachne will not help you!" "Relax mother, I will deal with our 'guests'."
From a dark corner of the house, a giant spider withthe upper body of a woman where the head should have been crawled out. "I am Arachne, why have you sought me out half-bloods?" Jessica released Arachne's mom and walked to Ikelik's side. "I am Ikelik, son of Kratos and Aphrodite." Arachne's eyes widened. "Kratos? God of War, I have not heard that name in a long time. Why do you bother me now son of Kratos?" Ikelik walked closer and knelt. "Lady Arachne, I have sought you out to help me in the destruction of the Olympian gods. Even the goddess that has binded you to this form." Arachne smiled wickidly. "Kill Athena? I'm interested. What would you have me do?" Ikelik took the pelt and held it out to Arachne.
"I only ask that you weave a cloak out of the pelt of the Nemian Lion. From there I will help my father destroy the gods. The curse that Athena placed on you will be removed and you will return to your natural state." Arachne turned her back to them, nearly crushing her mother under her legs. "I wish I could help you, son of Kratos, truly. But when I came to this island, I did not have my sewing materials." Jessica stood next to Ikelik and kneeled. "But, you are half spider. Can't you just weave it like a web?" Arakne turned back to them and shook her head. "Child, weaving a web and weaving from fabric is completly different. With web, I am weaving single strands together. But with matieral, I have to remove several parts to form what I need."
Ikelik swore under his breath. "Maybe I can help you. What would you need?" Arachne chuckled. "You are that devoted child? You are willing to risk your life for me to gain mere armor?" Ikelik stared directly into her eyes, into her very soul. "Arachne, I was born to serve my father. To kill the gods of Oylmpus who would not serve him. We may not have many allies, but I will do what my father asks of me and kill the so called gods of Olympus!" Arachne stared at him in surprise. "Such tenacity, such devotion to one's parents. Fine, there is a colony of giants living in the mountains, they've stolen half-blood women and several different items from the villages here on the island. Their bound to have taken a loom for the women to make clothes for themselves and the women. Bring me the loom and I shall make you your under armor.
Ikelik stood and gave a small bow, Jessica followed suit. "Thank you, Lady Arachne. We will be back with the loom." The two half-bloods left the house, Jessica picking up the door and setting it in the door frame and walked away from the building. "Pillaging now huh? What are giants going to do next?" Ikelik looked up at the mountain in the distance. "So giants are now capturing half-blood women who are condemmed to this island, and forcing them to weave clothing for them. I always thought they ate them." Ikelik said aloud. Jessica shouldered her bow and headed for the mountain. "Let's go, those ginats aren't going to be stolen from by themselves."