AN: The words in italics are spoken mentally. Just a heads up.

Chapter 7. Alva: Strangers and Sanctuaries.

I stared up at the purple sky, watching the stars disappear one by one until only the morning star remained. The sun was rising and soon the park will be filled with people. I sat up and looked over to where Vanessa slept on the park bench beside mine. After she had exhausted herself of questions, we had returned here to spend the night. I saw that even in her sleep Vanessa was gripping the sword I gave her. It was a plain Celestial bronze blade that I had experimented with. It turned into a hair pin as well as a dagger.

After listening to her mentally wondering how was she going to defend herself against another monster, I figured she would like it and I was right. I had spent a better part of the previous evening drilling Vanessa and training her to defend herself. She caught on pretty quickly and, of course, asked a billion and one questions. My head spun thinking about all the explaining I had to do. I never talked so much in my life.

I stared at the sleeping Vanessa thinking of the playful glint in her eyes when she spoke. It seemed that I had found a friend. We were very different from each other but just similar enough to understand each other. I shook my head, smiling. I wasn't even making sense to myself. I stood up and stretched.

Walking over to Vanessa, I shook her gently. She opened one big blue-gray eye and stared at me reproachfully. "Wake up," I said softly, looking around to check if the park was still deserted. Vanessa moaned and closed her eyes again.

"The sun's not up yet," she retorted groggily. Sighing, I straightened up and considered my options. I could continue talking to her but that'll take too long so I went for the only other option. Walking to the back of the bench, I placed my arms against it and pushed. The bench tipped over and deposited Vanessa on the grass.

Ouch! I winced as her pain washed over me.

"Sorry," I grunted and shouldered my pack. "C'mon we have to get going." Vanessa glared at me and I shrugged apologetically. Sighing, she stood up, muttering something under her breath. I smiled and turned towards the road. And froze.

A dark-haired boy stood there. He seemed to be about Vanessa's age. He was regarding us calmly as though he saw teenagers sleeping in parks every day. From where I was standing, I could see that he was dressed completely in black. In the weak light of dawn, he looked like a phantom watching us from a distance.

He was too far away for me to hear anything from his mind. I saw his gaze travel from my hair and eyes to my sword and then to Vanessa. Then, he smiled; satisfaction flooded his face and like water from a bursting dam.

I turned and grabbed Vanessa, ignoring her indignant cry. I made my way towards the nearest cover I could see; the park forest. Plunging into the leafy depths, I slowed down. Vanessa kept quiet but I could hear her mental shrieks all too well.

What in the name of the freaking gods is she doing? Geez, I know I'm not a morning person but there's a limit even to extreme measures! I shot her dark look. Apparently realizing that I could hear her, she renewed her mental assault this time directly at me. What are you doing, Alva? I'm not awake yet!

I mouthed the words 'danger' at her. This seemed to take her by surprise. She continued talking mentally. We were walking through the forest silently. I glanced around every few seconds making sure no one was around. Vanessa gripped her new sword.

Monsters? She sounded scared. This I understood. I shook my head and she shot me a questioning look. I recognized the look in her eyes and prepared myself for a dozen questions. You don't mean we are running away from a human?

I mouthed the words 'half-blood'. She looked confused and I put a finger on my lips. She nodded but I could still hear her thoughts. She had noticed my rapidly darkening hair and eyes. Apparently, she took this to be a sign of how serious things were. Pushing the matter from my mind, I blocked out Vanessa's mental chatter and turned my senses outward, ready to react in a second. I smelled the fresh smell of the grass we crushed under of feet, I felt the moisture in the air, I heard the waking birds chirping merrily in the trees and I saw the light of the morning sun filtering through the leafs.

No monsters and more importantly, no dark strangers. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. Vanessa looked at me and glanced around warily.

Safe? I nodded.

"Good. What in the world were you thin-"For the second time in as many hours, I placed my hand over Vanessa's mouth and silenced her with a glance? A branch cracked somewhere to our right. I whirled around in a single silent movement towards the sound. Drawing my sword, I advanced slowly towards a clump of shadows. Vanessa followed close behind, her hand gripping her sword so hard that her knuckles turned white.

The boy stepped out of the shadows. Reacting instinctively, I disarmed him in two blows, catching him by surprise, and placed my sword under his chin. Behind me, I heard Vanessa gasp.

Yowsers, he's hot.

I didn't move my sword but glared at Vanessa over my shoulder. She met my eyes and grinned, an innocent look on her face.

What? He is.

I rolled my eyes and faced the boy again.

"What do you want?" I asked harshly. He met my eyes evenly, seeming unperturbed by my erratic appearance.

"I am," He said haughtily "to take her to Camp Half Blood." He pointed at Vanessa and I noticed a gold ring on his finger which was shaped like a dolphin. I felt my temper rise and pressed my sword to his throat.

"And who exactly are you?" The boy grinned ghoulishly.

"I can't exactly introduce myself like this." He looked at my sword like it was annoying him. I grunted and released him. I didn't lower my sword though.

The boy brushed himself off and bowed, looking directly at Vanessa. "Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades, at your service. I heard Vanessa's mental sigh and rolled my eyes.

"You said you were ordered to get here." I indicated who I was talking about with my sword. "Who exactly sent you?" The boy was still looking at Vanessa.

She's prettier in real life.

I suppressed a mental groan. First Vanessa now this. When he spoke, he directed his words at Vanessa, whose mental babbling had suddenly gone silent.

"My father. I think he got it from your godly parent. But I'm just guessing there." Vanessa stepped forward as though enchanted by his words. He glanced at me but when I remained silent he continued talking to her about gods-know what. They went off to a little clearing; I followed them silently. I felt uncomfortable. The boy was one reason by my sixth sense was sending of warning bells again. I stared at every shadow and jumped at every movement. Vanessa and the boy, Di Angelo paid me no attention. They were absorbed in their own discussion and I caught snatches of their thoughts. All of a sudden, I felt like third wheeler.

Turning my back to them, I stared at the forest. My sixth sense was going absolutely wild. I stared at the forest frowning, noting the sudden silence of the birds that were making a racket before. Then, in one fluid movement, more monsters than I had ever set eyes on before stepped out of the forests. They were looking directly at us.

I knew then that these were no ordinary monsters out looking for an early morning snack. They were hunting us down. I walked backwards as quickly as I can, stumbling over my own feet. I cursed Di Angelo. He was a child of the Big Three! As though my magic infused scent and Vanessa's scent wasn't powerful enough.

"Get her!" A few harpies who led the monsters charged us shrieking. I felt their thoughts which were filled with bloodlust and rage directed only at Vanessa. She was no ordinary demigod. No run-of-the-mill demigod would have attracted this much attention. Then, I heard Di Angelo's thought's which were faint with surprise.

They found her. She's one of the seven. And they found her.

Dimly, I registered his words. My mind was reeling. My gaze swept through the line of monsters. I saw the Nemean lion, a Cyclops and countless others. Despair overwhelmed me and my vision flickered with gray stars. No one could ever, ever defeat this many without an army.

"Get her my allies." A woman's voice rang out from nowhere and I heard Vanessa suppress a scream. The woman's voice was dark and earthy. She was garbed in a moss green dress which seemed to be a part of the forest. I recognized her from Vanessa's memories. The Earth Lady.

For the first time in ten years, I was terrified. My breath came in ragged gasps and I couldn't think. I sensed that Vanessa and Di Angelo were just as surprised and scared as I was. Forcing myself to think calmly, I considered my options. Only one presented itself to me. It was risky, stupid, pointless, and probably wouldn't even work. For the sake of our survival, I took the risk.

I turned my back on the monsters, ignoring every instinct to fight and every impulse to flee. I raised my arms high and prayed to every god I could think of that this will work.

"Ω πανίσχυρη θεά της μαγείας, μας προστατεύει και μας ταξιδεύουν σε ιερό επιδιώκουμε!" I cried. "Please, mother," I added in a whisper.

A brilliant flash of light enveloped us. At that precise moment, I heard Vanessa's scream of horror and something clawing my back, from my right shoulder to my left hip. Pain, greater than I ever felt before took hold of me and I tumbled into a seemingly infinite darkness. As I feel, I felt myself smile.

Vanessa is safe.

AN: Three chapters! In a day! Whew! Anyway, review!

Ω πανίσχυρη θεά της μαγείας, μας προστατεύει και μας ταξιδεύουν σε ιερό επιδιώκουμε!

(Omightygoddess ofmagic,protect usand take us to thesanctuary we seek!)