Chapter four

That night when Cressida slept, she experienced a very skin-prickling dream. It was all dark, and the air felt hot on her skin. She couldn't see anything. It was as if she was in the void of darkness, a place very, very powerful. She walked in the darkness, but she wasn't afraid. In fact, she felt familiar with the place…

"Cressida," a feminine voice purred softly, it echoed throughout the void of darkness. "Do you know who I am?" The voice felt ancient, very ancient. It was a powerful voice, full of pride and power. The voice shivered down her spine, and her toes felt cold. But Cressida replied, as if she was expecting to answer that question.

"Nyx, Goddess of night." When the words came out of Cressida's mouth, she knew without a doubt they were true. The power radiating out of the darkness was so strong, she has never felt anything like it before.

She could hear the smile in the goddesses voice, "Come forth child, don't be afraid."

Cressida didn't know whether the dream was real or not, but she talked anyway. "I can't see." The darkness curled around her, and her feet moved as if she knew where she was heading.

The goddess chuckled, and a presence emerged from the abyss, its form was so shadowy and strong it radiated power. Cressida would've been stupid not to be scared, but this was a dream, it wasn't real. Nyx stood forty feet tall; she loomed over Cressida as if she were an ant. Her wings were pitched black, she was a churning figure of ash and smoke, her dress was black mixed with colours of the galaxy. Through the dark, Nyx' face was hard to see. Her eyes shone like quasars and something about her made Cressida's spine tingle with familiarity, something about Nyx that Cressida sees in her.

Cressida's breath caught and she stumbled over. "This is just a dream," she told herself, convincing herself. The goddess smiled as if she were sharing a secret.

"Cressida," The goddess said, her voice was so soft. "You share many qualities of mine. And know that, the gods will be suspicious of you, because you are not yet claimed. I know deep inside your thoughts, that you know the truth."

Cressida shook her head, confused. "It can't be – you– it's not possible." As much as Cressida seemed frightened, she actually felt a bit of prideful hope.

"Do you know how long I have lived? I am beyond the gods, the titans. The mother of all terrors. I have watched the earth spring from chaos, the titans being overthrown. I have watched the gods rise from their birth. I have seen it all, Cressida. After all, I am the oldest, ancient, primordial deity and the first born from the void. Do you not think I cannot do the impossible?" Nyx' wings retracted, the air hovering darker than usual. Cressida read about Nyx that she would ride in her chariot, pulled by two horses – Shade and Shadow – but Nyx' figure was just there, no chariot, no horses. No surely this must be a dream…

Cressida gulped, this was just a dream. It was just a dream. Nyx kept talking, "The gods won't like it, but they fear me more than ever. But child, make me proud. Soon after you've settled into the camp, I will give you a sign. Therefore, they will bow down to you, and you will be claimed mine. Show your strength, show your darkness. It is great power, beyond the power of others. I will be there during the night, for now, I'll leave you to rest in peace."

Everything the goddess said was daunting. But it made sense, how Cressida's eyes flashed in constellations at the dining pavilion, how Cressida felt at home whenever she gazed at the night sky. The essence around her shimmered with shadow and mist. The goddess' last words echoed with breeze and darkness, and everything went black. Cressida's slept into a dream transformed into a blank dome of darkness. The darkness of the dream lingered around her, but it was comforting and familiar.

Next morning was a sunny, beautiful day. Despite the shiver from Cressida's dream, she was excited to get a weapon. She cleaned up, ate breakfast with Sarah and headed off to the armoury. Outside, the sky was blue with no trace of a cloud. Birds chirped overhead, and the lake glittered against the sun. As they sauntered on the grass, the big house looked in the distance. She could hear the wind chimes tinkling. The house is baby-blue with a white trim.

In the day, Cressida doesn't feel all that powerful compared in the night. It's kind of a weird feeling during the night time, it's like she could do anything. But, in the day she feels… normal. She shook her head, all that talk takes her back to her dream she had yesterday night. She wanted to turn a leaf and change the subject.

"So why is the weather always perfect and sunny?" Cressida asked Sarah. Sarah's dirty blonde hair was long and tied in a ponytail. Her dagger was tucked into her waist band.

"Camps magical borders. It can prevent bad weather, and also monsters. I'd tell you the story behind that but it's pretty long. Anyway, yeah. So basically we kind of get really amazing weather, if it's raining heavily in New York, we get sunny all day long." She explained. Cressida read about monsters in the ancient Greek book. They usually prey for demi-gods so that's why half-bloods are in constant danger.

As they walked, they stopped at a big metal shed. It was already opened, a girl with dark hair with her back facing Cressida, she was rearranging things on the shelves, and ticking off something on a clipboard. Sarah stepped in, and Cressida followed. Inside, the shed was lined with all sorts of dangerous weapons – swords, knives, daggers, bows and arrows, and even guns. Lethal guns.

The dark haired girl whose back was facing them, turned around. She had striking grey eyes. She was tall, tan and athletic. Cressida recognized her from the Athena Cabin. She sized up Cressida. "You look better the last time I saw you."

Sarah was preoccupied, Cressida was full aware that Sarah was stealing some things. Cressida faced the other girl, "Last time you saw me?"

The other girl nodded her grey eyes unfocused as if she's thinking about all kinds of things at once. "You were lying limp on the ground unconscious." Cressida's cheeks were hot; she's never ever felt embarrassed before.

Sarah came up beside Cressida, her pockets looked chunky. "Oh hey, Dominque. Brain girl." She said to the other girl, her name was Dominque, a daughter of Athena.

Dominque's smile was tight and she rolled her eyes. "I see you've been stealing again, Sarah. You Hermes children… such kleptomaniacs."

"Whatever." Sarah said, and then she turned to Cressida. "Let's find you a weapon, shall we? All demi-gods need a weapon."

Dominque left, and Sarah and Cressida rummaged through some weapons. Sarah offered her a spear made from bronze. "Celestial Bronze. Made for harming monsters, but is impervious to mortals."

"I don't like spears." Cressida replied.

Sarah offered her a dagger. "Very effective." She supplied, but Cressida shook her head. No daggers. Sarah sighed exasperatedly when Cressida declined all weapons Sarah presented.

Cressida went to look for her own. She didn't want any swords, or daggers or spears. But something caught her eye on the far wall. It was placed among other bows and arrows, but this was made from obsidian black. Sarah caught up to her and caught what she was looking.

"You want to practice Archery?" Sarah asked with eyebrows raised. Cressida thought about it… she really admired Archery.

Cressida shrugged, "Yeah, I guess. I've always wanted to learn how to use a bow and arrow." She plucked off the bow from the wall, and the arrows that were held beside it in a black leather quiver. It was dusty. She blew on it.

"That's made from Stygian Iron, that kind of iron harms both mortals and monsters. It was dipped into the river Styx in the underworld." She shivered despite the warm clammy weather in the shed. "It's like imperial gold – which the romans use." She spat out the word 'roman'.

Cressida turned around, still holding the bow and arrow. She decided mentally that she was going to use that as her weapon, but first, it needed serious cleaning. "Why do you talk about the romans like their venom?" She asked Sarah as they exited from the armoury.

Sarah scrunched up her face in disgust, and played with the hilt of her dagger tucked in her waist band. "The Greeks and the romans have always been on bad terms – long story. Anyway, last year the seven of the prophecy defeated Gaia – the earth goddess –blah, blah yadda, anyway, yeah, so they defeated her right after we made some kind of peace with the romans. Because the romans from Camp-Jupiter were coming to attack camp half-blood and we kind of battled with them for at least a few minutes before we made peace. But, anyway collateral damage was done, and most of our campers got hurt – thanks to that douche bag of a roman Octavian."

Cressida tried to process all that. Okay, romans… The seven of the prophecy? She just sighed and let Sarah talk trash about the romans and how Greeks are more superior. Cressida couldn't argue with that, obviously because she's Greek. After that, Cressida cleaned up her black obsidian bow and arrow. She slung the arrows in the quiver on her back, and the bow. Sarah took her to the archery field where Chiron and the Apollo kids practiced and taught Archery. Cressida was anxious but also in exhilarated anticipation.