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RP is officially closed and shut down.
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[IC] Camp Athens - Closed
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- GM Mjolnir
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Mjolnir sʟᴇᴇᴘ ᴘᴀʀᴀʟʏsɪs ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ
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3 hrs ago
A flash of lightning illuminated the sky for a brief second, followed by a crash of thunder that shook the whole camp. The rain was oppressive. The ground felt like a frigid pool of mud. It clung to her skin and snaked through her hair. No matter how hard she tried, Andy couldn’t move. She could barely keep her eyes open, rain blinding her as it fell onto her face. The mud felt like it was turning to concrete, weighing her down, rigid and unyielding.
Muscles tensed as she used every ounce of strength she had to lift her head from the ground. With a grunt, through clenched teeth, she barely managed to wedge her elbows under her and prop herself up. A deep, piercing heat radiated from her left forearm. The mangled gashes seethed in protest at the pressure, blood pooling and mixing with the rain and mud.
Lightning, like a flashbang, blinded Andy. Thunder deafened her. Then like a wave, she was slammed back into the ground, the wind knocked out of her.
No… Wait…
She couldn’t breathe. Heavy weight pressed down on her chest and squeezed at her throat. Her hands shot to her neck, gripping and clawing at whatever constricted her. She gasped for air, but only got rain. Legs kicked and thrashed, but nothing could break its hold.
Another flash of lightning revealed her own face grinning menacingly back down at Andy as it squeezed tighter. She tried to scream but there was no sound, just gasps and sputtering water. A strong gust of air stole the doppelgänger's attention. It looked up just in time to see a giant taloned paw come crashing down on them.
Andy bolted upright in her bed with a scream. Her hand clutched at her heaving chest, panting heavily. "Fuck," she cursed under her breath.
Once she managed to catch her breath and calm down, she let out a deep sigh. Her gaze fell to her left arm which rested in her lap. Her wounds did not heal pretty. There were deep gashes where the skin was thin and stretched. She could see the muscle shifting beneath her taut skin as she opened and closed her fist. Her fingertips slowly ran over the trophy left behind by the Nemean lion’s claws, rising and falling with every gash.
She had lost count how many night’s sleep she had lost from nightmares. It used to be the Underworld and memories of her torment that plagued her dreams. But ever since Pandora’s box, it’s all that’s been on her mind. One stupid little box caused more damage, destruction, and death than anything else they had encountered at camp… including the war.
Where was Ajax? Where were the Gods?
Zeus was too busy coddling his precious boy and murderous daughter to give two shits about what happened to the rest of them. Ajax was supposed to be here leading them, not that she can recall him ever doing that. But that was his job, not protecting his psychotic sister at every turn. Gods, what did she ever see in him?
…It didn’t matter. He made his choice. He was gone.
And Nick? She didn’t know him well, and he wasn’t at camp for long, but he deserved better. Everyone who died did. She was never able to figure out what exactly happened, but what did it matter? It was the box. It all was because of the box.
Andy exhaled and ran her hands over her face. She finally looked over at her clock, 7:57 a.m. Well, at least she made it until the morning before having a crippling nightmare. Silvering linings. She was still up a bit early for her to start her daily routine. She had started doing daily morning announcements after the whole box incident. There was never really anything to share. She just wanted everyone to know they weren’t alone, especially while they were all healing and bedridden… and no one told her to stop.
She wasn’t sure why she stepped up to lead camp… if you can call it that. Maybe it was because no one else did? Or maybe because camp was her home and she couldn’t stand by and watch it crumble apart. Andy spent every morning exhausting every ounce of magic she had to rebuild and fortify. Then every afternoon checking in on the injured and bringing them food. It was a lot of work, but after 3 months everything was rebuilt, bigger and better and stronger. Not only was everything back to the way it was before the box, she also built a 15 foot perimeter wall around camp with one gate in or out, aside from the lake. She also added emergency buttons in every building and cabin, along with some free standing ones like you would see at a college, that would trigger a camp wide alarm. It was excessive, she knew that, but extra safety protocols might save lives in the future. She hoped.
It was Andy’s first day free since the box, which also just happened to be New Year’s Eve. So rather than relaxing, she gave herself another list of tasks to keep herself busy. Although this time, at least, it was for a much needed celebration. Nothing depressing. She promised herself that today was going to be about fun and ringing in the new year. Nothing else.
She leaned over and grabbed a folded piece of paper from her nightstand. She opened it and started double checking, for like the tenth time, that she didn’t forget anything.
Andy’s brows furrowed as she tilted her head to the side to smell under her arm. "Ugh... Right. Shower."
She put the list back on her nightstand and threw her blanket off. "Holy shit," she hissed when the cold air hit her bare legs. It wasn’t until the moment that she actually looked out her windows and noticed that there was at least 6 inches of snow, with more still falling. Normally she liked her little glass cabin, but at moments like that Andy could have gone for some insulation. Not wanting to waste more time than necessary in the cold, she quickly gathered some fresh clothes and went into the bathroom, desperate for a warm shower.
Andy stayed in the shower until the hot water ran out and she had no choice but to get out. As much as she hated it, she spent the proper amount of timing blowing dry her hair. The last thing she needed was getting sick. Then Mason and Trinity would be extra pissed at her for working herself to death.
Once everything was properly dried, she wasted no time getting dressed, trying to keep as much warmth in as possible. She grabbed her hat and gloves, stepped into her boots that she left drying by the door, and headed out into the snow. Andy made it a whole 10 feet before she was already turning back to grab the note she forgot on the nightstand. She shook her head in frustration as she shoved the paper in her pocket, then left… again.
Camp had never been so quiet as it was in the morning with the snow falling. It was peaceful, serene. Andy could almost forget the terrible things that had happened here over the years. Her pace slowed as she neared the path that led to Mason’s cabin. Part of her wanted to go check on him, maybe see if he wanted to join her. But there was still a small part of her hurt and mad at him for what he said the night of the box. He apologized, he did. And Andy forgave him. But it’s not that easy for her to get over things… Especially not that. Maybe she still needed more time. She shoved her hands in her pockets and continued down the main trail toward the center of camp.
She hadn’t seen any footprints in the snow on the way to the main office, nothing aside from the occasional animal tracks. It wasn’t uncommon for her to be the first person awake and out of bed. Her nightmares rarely let her sleep in, but at least she got to enjoy some of the silence alone before the day got started.
As Andy approached the main office, her gaze drifted to a piece of paper tacked to the door frame. Her brows furrowed as she gently tugged it free.
Stunned, Andy stood there, frozen, paper clenched tight in her grasp. For 3 months the Gods had been silent, not a word or sign... Nothing. Not even for their fallen children. A new leader?! She had been breaking her back, working, from sun up to sun down for the camp. Did that mean nothing? Of course it did. She broke the heart of Zeus’s starchild, pissed off and was nearly killed by the other one. Not to mention how much Hades hated her as well. She had a running tally of Gods that disliked her. Why in the hell did she think that she’d be allowed to lead?
It’s fine. She clenched her jaw, entering the office and slamming the door behind her. She didn’t want to lead anyway. Andy tossed the note in the trash, then sat down in front of the P.A. system. Now it’s someone else’s headache. She scooted the chair in and cleared her throat. "Good morning, campers. It is currently 9 a.m., on December 31st, New Year’s Eve." She tried her best to sound like her normal semi-chipper self, but the annoyance in her voice was hard to hide. "It’s currently 15 degrees fahrenheit, -9.4 degrees celsius, and snowing. So be sure to wear your boots and winter coats when you leave your cabins today."
Andy paused for a moment. Her announcements were usually brief and she would have signed off there, but she knew she had to share the note… Even if it stirred up confusion. "There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods. Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today." She sighed, tapping her fingers softly on the table. "The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen. So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me."
She nearly ended the announcements there but forgot the most exciting part. Fuck the Gods. They don’t get to take that from her, at least. "And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there."
Muscles tensed as she used every ounce of strength she had to lift her head from the ground. With a grunt, through clenched teeth, she barely managed to wedge her elbows under her and prop herself up. A deep, piercing heat radiated from her left forearm. The mangled gashes seethed in protest at the pressure, blood pooling and mixing with the rain and mud.
Lightning, like a flashbang, blinded Andy. Thunder deafened her. Then like a wave, she was slammed back into the ground, the wind knocked out of her.
No… Wait…
She couldn’t breathe. Heavy weight pressed down on her chest and squeezed at her throat. Her hands shot to her neck, gripping and clawing at whatever constricted her. She gasped for air, but only got rain. Legs kicked and thrashed, but nothing could break its hold.
Another flash of lightning revealed her own face grinning menacingly back down at Andy as it squeezed tighter. She tried to scream but there was no sound, just gasps and sputtering water. A strong gust of air stole the doppelgänger's attention. It looked up just in time to see a giant taloned paw come crashing down on them.
Andy bolted upright in her bed with a scream. Her hand clutched at her heaving chest, panting heavily. "Fuck," she cursed under her breath.
Once she managed to catch her breath and calm down, she let out a deep sigh. Her gaze fell to her left arm which rested in her lap. Her wounds did not heal pretty. There were deep gashes where the skin was thin and stretched. She could see the muscle shifting beneath her taut skin as she opened and closed her fist. Her fingertips slowly ran over the trophy left behind by the Nemean lion’s claws, rising and falling with every gash.
She had lost count how many night’s sleep she had lost from nightmares. It used to be the Underworld and memories of her torment that plagued her dreams. But ever since Pandora’s box, it’s all that’s been on her mind. One stupid little box caused more damage, destruction, and death than anything else they had encountered at camp… including the war.
Where was Ajax? Where were the Gods?
Zeus was too busy coddling his precious boy and murderous daughter to give two shits about what happened to the rest of them. Ajax was supposed to be here leading them, not that she can recall him ever doing that. But that was his job, not protecting his psychotic sister at every turn. Gods, what did she ever see in him?
…It didn’t matter. He made his choice. He was gone.
And Nick? She didn’t know him well, and he wasn’t at camp for long, but he deserved better. Everyone who died did. She was never able to figure out what exactly happened, but what did it matter? It was the box. It all was because of the box.
Andy exhaled and ran her hands over her face. She finally looked over at her clock, 7:57 a.m. Well, at least she made it until the morning before having a crippling nightmare. Silvering linings. She was still up a bit early for her to start her daily routine. She had started doing daily morning announcements after the whole box incident. There was never really anything to share. She just wanted everyone to know they weren’t alone, especially while they were all healing and bedridden… and no one told her to stop.
She wasn’t sure why she stepped up to lead camp… if you can call it that. Maybe it was because no one else did? Or maybe because camp was her home and she couldn’t stand by and watch it crumble apart. Andy spent every morning exhausting every ounce of magic she had to rebuild and fortify. Then every afternoon checking in on the injured and bringing them food. It was a lot of work, but after 3 months everything was rebuilt, bigger and better and stronger. Not only was everything back to the way it was before the box, she also built a 15 foot perimeter wall around camp with one gate in or out, aside from the lake. She also added emergency buttons in every building and cabin, along with some free standing ones like you would see at a college, that would trigger a camp wide alarm. It was excessive, she knew that, but extra safety protocols might save lives in the future. She hoped.
It was Andy’s first day free since the box, which also just happened to be New Year’s Eve. So rather than relaxing, she gave herself another list of tasks to keep herself busy. Although this time, at least, it was for a much needed celebration. Nothing depressing. She promised herself that today was going to be about fun and ringing in the new year. Nothing else.
She leaned over and grabbed a folded piece of paper from her nightstand. She opened it and started double checking, for like the tenth time, that she didn’t forget anything.
New Year’s Eve to do list
- Morning announcements - remind everyone about the party... festivities... Celebration?
- Remember to eat, you’re too skinny
- Double check menu
- Hot chocolate
- Smores
- Finger foods… warm
- Champagne
- Booze??
- Prep the activities field
- Ice skating rink
- Big bonfire, with chairs, log benches and blankets
- Sledding/tubing hill - maybe build off of the arena and have it come down between the practice range and stables?
- Make sure you can reach the top from the arena or add stairs
- Small food pavilion with tables - close to main hall in case we need more food
- Fireworks - talk to Duke
- For the love of the Gods, shower… you smell
Andy’s brows furrowed as she tilted her head to the side to smell under her arm. "Ugh... Right. Shower."
She put the list back on her nightstand and threw her blanket off. "Holy shit," she hissed when the cold air hit her bare legs. It wasn’t until the moment that she actually looked out her windows and noticed that there was at least 6 inches of snow, with more still falling. Normally she liked her little glass cabin, but at moments like that Andy could have gone for some insulation. Not wanting to waste more time than necessary in the cold, she quickly gathered some fresh clothes and went into the bathroom, desperate for a warm shower.
Andy stayed in the shower until the hot water ran out and she had no choice but to get out. As much as she hated it, she spent the proper amount of timing blowing dry her hair. The last thing she needed was getting sick. Then Mason and Trinity would be extra pissed at her for working herself to death.
Once everything was properly dried, she wasted no time getting dressed, trying to keep as much warmth in as possible. She grabbed her hat and gloves, stepped into her boots that she left drying by the door, and headed out into the snow. Andy made it a whole 10 feet before she was already turning back to grab the note she forgot on the nightstand. She shook her head in frustration as she shoved the paper in her pocket, then left… again.
Camp had never been so quiet as it was in the morning with the snow falling. It was peaceful, serene. Andy could almost forget the terrible things that had happened here over the years. Her pace slowed as she neared the path that led to Mason’s cabin. Part of her wanted to go check on him, maybe see if he wanted to join her. But there was still a small part of her hurt and mad at him for what he said the night of the box. He apologized, he did. And Andy forgave him. But it’s not that easy for her to get over things… Especially not that. Maybe she still needed more time. She shoved her hands in her pockets and continued down the main trail toward the center of camp.
She hadn’t seen any footprints in the snow on the way to the main office, nothing aside from the occasional animal tracks. It wasn’t uncommon for her to be the first person awake and out of bed. Her nightmares rarely let her sleep in, but at least she got to enjoy some of the silence alone before the day got started.
As Andy approached the main office, her gaze drifted to a piece of paper tacked to the door frame. Her brows furrowed as she gently tugged it free.
On the eve of the new year, several demigods are expected to arrive at camp. Make the necessary preparations for their arrival, as well as a new leader, and rigorous training regimen.
Stunned, Andy stood there, frozen, paper clenched tight in her grasp. For 3 months the Gods had been silent, not a word or sign... Nothing. Not even for their fallen children. A new leader?! She had been breaking her back, working, from sun up to sun down for the camp. Did that mean nothing? Of course it did. She broke the heart of Zeus’s starchild, pissed off and was nearly killed by the other one. Not to mention how much Hades hated her as well. She had a running tally of Gods that disliked her. Why in the hell did she think that she’d be allowed to lead?
It’s fine. She clenched her jaw, entering the office and slamming the door behind her. She didn’t want to lead anyway. Andy tossed the note in the trash, then sat down in front of the P.A. system. Now it’s someone else’s headache. She scooted the chair in and cleared her throat. "Good morning, campers. It is currently 9 a.m., on December 31st, New Year’s Eve." She tried her best to sound like her normal semi-chipper self, but the annoyance in her voice was hard to hide. "It’s currently 15 degrees fahrenheit, -9.4 degrees celsius, and snowing. So be sure to wear your boots and winter coats when you leave your cabins today."
Andy paused for a moment. Her announcements were usually brief and she would have signed off there, but she knew she had to share the note… Even if it stirred up confusion. "There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods. Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today." She sighed, tapping her fingers softly on the table. "The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen. So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me."
She nearly ended the announcements there but forgot the most exciting part. Fuck the Gods. They don’t get to take that from her, at least. "And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there."
interactions ....|.... none ............... mentions ....|.... mason ............... collabs ....|.... none
#86a8ad ....|..... outfit .....|..... camp entrance > beach ....................................... #0054a6 ....|..... outfit .....|..... camp entrance > beach
River knew that camp was secluded. He did, however, underestimate how secluded it actually was. He wasn’t keeping track, but he and Ocean had trekked at least 3 miles into the woods. Somewhere around the first mile, he took his sister’s bag for her. She couldn’t mind her step and deal with her bag, all while the snow was only getting deeper.
Ocean trudged behind her brother through the snow, silently listening to his complaints. It was times like this, but she was grateful for being a demigod—not only that, but a daughter of Poseidon. The snow was cold against her shoes and pants, but she was able to keep dry by using her hydrokinesis. "I can carry my bag now," She spoke up halfway through the trek. Her brother had taken it from her earlier despite her protests and while she was grateful for the help, it’s not like it’s heavy. River ignored her and Ocean rolled her eyes, readjusting the trident that sat holstered on her back. While the trident was heavy, the training from her father proved useful in giving her the strength to carry it long distances. Not much longer into the hike, River started slowing down and Ocean came to stand beside him. A giant wall and gate loomed above them—Ocean frowned.
They had to have been hiking for at least an hour by the time they saw the gates to camp. He didn’t know what he expected, but the giant walls and iron gate looked more like a military school than a summer camp for demigods… Even if it was winter. A prison to keep demigods in and strangers out.
"Well this looks inviting," he grumbled, setting down their bags.
"Can you blame them?" Ocean retorted.
"Wait here," he told her before heading toward the gate. Ocean crossed her arms and watched as River approached. He didn’t have the slightest clue how to get them inside. It wasn’t like their father gave them a gate code or a key. Maybe there was a doorbell? He had no clue.
On the gate was a small metal box, where you’d think a keypad would be, but there was just a small black square angled slightly upwards. Above it, etched into the box read biometric scanner. River’s brows pulled together in confusion. His father never asked for their fingerprints. He doubted it’d work, but he placed his thumb on the small box anyway. "There’s no way—"
Click. With a cold, creaky groan, the gates began to open, swinging in toward the camp.
River stood there for a second in slight disbelief, before returning to Ocean and grabbing their bags. "I guess they have our fingerprints." He nodded his head toward the entrance, signaling for Ocean to follow after him.
"That’s not creepy at all," She muttered, concerned. How did a God acquire fingerprints in the first place? While it made Ocean paranoid, (who else has her fingerprints?) It was kinda funny to imagine a God dusting for fingerprints. They walked past the gate and into the camp. A building sat just a little further down and if she looked past that, she could see cabins and a big field in the distance. It looked sparse and Ocean wasn’t as impressed as she hoped she’d be.
It wasn’t long after Andy finished her announcements that a light blinked on the control panel in front of her, signaling the main gate was opened. She quickly got up, conjuring a blade in her hand, and hurried toward the entrance, nearly forgetting to close the office door behind her. She made it to the trail in time to see the gates closing behind a young man and woman, both similar in complexion and hair color, bags in hand.
She took a couple steps toward them. "Who sent you?" Andy asked, motioning her blade at them.
Ocean’s hand reached for her trident, but River immediately stepped in front of Ocean, using his body as a barricade between that woman’s blade and his sister. "Our father, Poseidon,", his snipped in response.
Ocean lowered her hand and stepped around River to make eye contact with the woman. "We were able to get in the front door. Wouldn’t you think that means we’re the ‘good guys’? There’s no need to fight." She gave her brother a pointed glance, her eyes telling him to behave.
For a fleeting moment, Andy’s face scrunched in disgust at the mention of the sea God’s name, before she replaced it with a welcoming smile. "Sorry about that." She dropped her hand wielding the blade and before it reached her side, the weapon disappeared. "I wasn’t aware more demigods were coming until like… 2 seconds ago." She closed the distance between them and offered her right hand to the intimidating man. "Welcome to Camp Athens."
Her brief shift in demeanor at the mention of Poseidon didn’t slip past River. He had half a mind to question her, but after the hike he just made, he had no desire to waste time on someone who harbored disdain for his father or threatened him. He looked down his nose at the woman, and her offered hand, with a sharp gaze and clenched jaw. But he didn’t take it.
Andy kept her hand held out awkwardly for a few more seconds. "Ok then," she said, before sidestepping around him to address his far more approachable, presumably, sister. She offered her hand to the girl with a smile. "I’m Andromeda Bolton, daughter of Hecate. But you can call me Andy, most people do."
Ocean gave Andy a dimpled smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her father’s words to not trust anyone, and to keep them at a distance rang in her ears. She took Andy’s outstretched hand, shaking it with her own. "I’m Ocean Sullivan and this is my brother, River. And before you say anything, yes, our mother was super original when it came to naming us," she said, slightly sarcastic.
"Aren’t they always?" Andy jested with a soft chuckle. "I’m named after a galaxy… or a Princess, maybe both? I have no idea."
River, having had enough of the pleasantries and idle chit chat, waved his hand to shoo off any further conversation. "Who’s in charge? I need to speak with them."
An annoyed laugh escaped Andy’s lips as she crossed her arms over her chest, shifting her attention back to the buzzkill brother. "I am."
He scoffed. "You? How can you lead and guard the entrance? How do you manage to keep in order in there, when you’re all the way out here, with your little blade," he added with a sardonic tone, nodding his head to her now empty hand.
"No one guards the entrance. I was just nearby—how unruly do you think camp is that ’order must be kept?’" She retorted with air quotes.
"You went through all this effort to fortify camp, but don’t have a guard rotation? And enough that my father had to come down here to teach all of you a lesson." River mocked with a judgemental, condescending smirk.
"2 people fighting does not speak to the integrity of the camp as a whole." She shook her head, waving off the current debate to circle back to the original topic. "3 people died, and everyone was injured, some gravely… And the wall wasn’t finished until last week. Even with everyone combat ready, there aren’t enough people here to keep a perimeter."
"Camp safety is more important. A true warrior would do what was necessary… even injured."
Andy laughed, but not in good humor. It was a frustrated and annoyed chuckle, like someone who was a second from blowing their top. "What’s the worst injury you’ve ever sustained?"
River straightened up slightly as he felt the conversation starting to turn against him. "A broken wrist."
"Right. Right," Andy tapped her chin and started pacing, making a show of her pretending to connect the dots. "And how many consecutive monsters did you fight while you had this broken arm?"
"None."
"Exactly," Andy said as she took a step toward him. "So you can take that sanctimonious bullshit, and shove it up your ass."
Ocean watched back and forth, anxiety and irritation forming a pit in her stomach. She wanted to give Andy the benefit of the doubt, but River was getting more worked up. While there were some things he needed to learn, that didn’t give Andy the right to make him feel inferior, though Ocean didn’t think anyone could make him feel inferior. Still, that was her brother Andy was insulting, and she didn’t like it. "Not cool, Andy—he’s just trying to help. And River, we’re barely 100 feet in camp and you’re already fighting someone. It’s been a long day and we’ve been walking for hours. Let’s just get settled in and figure this out when we’re in a better mood." Ocean was usually pretty good at diffusing anything River related, though, when he got really worked up, there was rarely anything she could do. She just hoped Andy would drop the argument, because if she didn’t, they’d be here all night, and then she’d get mad as well.
"Being condescending and talking to me like I’m an idiot is not helpful," Andy rebutted, gesturing to River.
Not one to accept being one-up-ed in a conversation, nor was he prone to shutting up after his sister tried to diffuse a situation, River quickly thought of a retort to try and regain control. "If you don’t assign guard duty, don’t keep order, don’t organize training, what do you do? The morning announcements? It’s no wonder my father sent me here. It’s very obvious you are lacking the proper leadership."
"Of course it’s you," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "We’ve been lacking a proper leader for much longer than me."
Andy was over that conversation and his attitude. She turned to face Ocean and conjured a map in her hand much like a magician would a card. "Here’s a camp map. All the available cabins are marked. It’s enchanted, so once you choose the one you want it’ll update. If you need anything, here’s my cabin," she pointed to her own cabin in the Northeast of camp with an apologetic smile. "It was nice meeting you, Ocean."
Ocean blinked at the magical appearing map in her hands, giving Andy a nod. While she wasn’t super new to the whole Greek gods existing and everything, she wasn’t used to seeing other demigods and their powers. Magic seemed pretty cool.
As she turned away to leave, River called after her. "You can have the rest of the day to clean out the leader’s cabin. I’m sure your friends will help you find a new one."
Ocean glared at her brother when he called out to Andy. Why couldn’t he just leave it alone until tomorrow? Gods, Poseidon was a bad influence on him.
Andy pivoted on her heels to turn and face him, continuing to walk backwards. "You might be daddy’s favorite, but leaders don’t get special treatment. You’ll have to settle for a regular cabin… just like everyone else." She gave an exaggerated shrug of fake sympathy. "Oh, Ocean, there’s a New Year’s party tonight on the activities field. You should come." Her gaze drifted over to River. "Unfortunately, it’s an open invitation. So, I guess you’re invited too. But maybe leave the party pooper attitude at home."
"A party? We should be training… Not partying. As the new leader—"
"Not today you’re not," she interrupted. Andy then spun back around and gave them both a wave before disappearing into camp.
It wasn’t often that someone went toe to toe with River. He stood there with a clenched jaw and flared nostrils, frustrated. He should have known better than to expect everyone to fall in line without any resistance. His father warned him about how unruly they all were, but he had hoped to avoid having to crack down so hard the second he got there.
Ocean looked up at River and frowned at his tense frame. She sighed with an irritated shake of her head. "You’re both ridiculous. It’s a good thing dad has us leading together. You start the fires and I put them out." she said that, but she’s been known for starting many of her own fires as well. "I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a party. It seems to be planned already so why cancel it?" Ocean watched the field and the few specks of people that started to wander about. A cold wind blew past and she shivered. "Besides. This place looks like it could use some cheer. It’s so depressing." Ocean moved to stand in front of her brother and tried to grab her bag from him. "Tomorrow, River. Let them have fun tonight and then tomorrow you can be the drill sergeant you’ve been dreaming of becoming," She teased, giving him a real smile.
River huffed through his nose as he handed over his sister’s bag. "She’s going to be a problem, and you know it." He wasn’t a fan of people challenging or questioning his stand. After all, Poseidon sent him to lead, not Andy. She was just a placeholder until someone new came. In the end, if he needed to put her in her place… He would. He sighed and glanced over at the map. "I guess I’ll look for a cabin around here somewhere." He pointed at the map near the ocean, it only seemed fitting after all. "We can look together if you want."
Ocean nodded, slightly nervous over the prospect of being somewhere new. She never had opportunities to fit in anywhere except within her family. She had a more difficult time controlling her powers than River did, so she tended to cause accidents wherever she went. It made it hard to make friends, so she never did. Ocean pinched her thigh as a way to ground herself—a habit she’d picked up since she got removed from public school for accidentally blowing up the pipes. She was 22 years old now, had almost perfect control over her powers, and after having a discussion with Poseidon, realized that she didn’t really need friends to be someone that can make him proud.
She brushed off the nerves and responded to River, pointing at another cabin that was on the beach. "I’d like that. I’m thinking more of a cabin on the beach so I can be close to the water. It’s weird not being on Hawai’i."
"You know it’ll be colder closer to the water?" River asked more rhetorically than anything. They were both more accustomed to warmer climates. It wouldn’t be winter forever, but December was just the beginning. It’d be a couple months of this easily before they could enjoy shorts and surf.
They walked further down into camp and past a dozen cabins before coming across a cabin that was situated fairly close to the ocean. "It looks like a nice location. I’m sure you’ll love it."
River turned his attention toward said cabin. It wasn’t big or anything, which he wasn’t complaining about. He was surprised to see a small in-ground pool off the front porch. Even more surprising was that it appeared to be heated. At the right angle he could see a little bit of steam and snowflakes melted when they hit the water’s surface. He shrugged his shoulders, "I wouldn’t say no to a heated pool." He dipped inside to drop off his bags and get a quick glimpse around. River wasn’t very knowledgeable about interior design but it looked nice. He would have loved to stay inside in the heat for the rest of the day, but there was no way he’d be able to pull that off.
River closed the door behind him and returned back to Ocean. They continued their walk searching for the right cabin for her. River’s was just on the edge of the beach and while there were a few other run-down looking cabins, there was one right in the center with perfect access to the water. "I think I’ll take this one," Ocean stared out at the dark sea that crashed onto shore. She knew that the water would be freezing cold, but that usually didn’t bother her. She’d have a good view from her cabin, that’s all that mattered.
He took a moment to appreciate the view then headed up onto her porch and inside the cabin. No, Ocean didn’t ask River to check out her cabin for her but they knew about this place or the people there. And as their father warned them not to trust anyone, he wanted to make sure his sister’s new home was safe. He doubted someone would be lying in wait under the bed or in the closet, but that didn’t stop him from checking.
After a thorough once over, he came back out and flashed a brief thumbs-up. "All clear." River hopped off the porch and returned back to Ocean. "I’ll let you get settled. I’ll probably just wander around and get my bearings." He gave her a quick kiss on the top of the head then continued in the direction they were heading further down the beach.
Ocean trudged behind her brother through the snow, silently listening to his complaints. It was times like this, but she was grateful for being a demigod—not only that, but a daughter of Poseidon. The snow was cold against her shoes and pants, but she was able to keep dry by using her hydrokinesis. "I can carry my bag now," She spoke up halfway through the trek. Her brother had taken it from her earlier despite her protests and while she was grateful for the help, it’s not like it’s heavy. River ignored her and Ocean rolled her eyes, readjusting the trident that sat holstered on her back. While the trident was heavy, the training from her father proved useful in giving her the strength to carry it long distances. Not much longer into the hike, River started slowing down and Ocean came to stand beside him. A giant wall and gate loomed above them—Ocean frowned.
They had to have been hiking for at least an hour by the time they saw the gates to camp. He didn’t know what he expected, but the giant walls and iron gate looked more like a military school than a summer camp for demigods… Even if it was winter. A prison to keep demigods in and strangers out.
"Well this looks inviting," he grumbled, setting down their bags.
"Can you blame them?" Ocean retorted.
"Wait here," he told her before heading toward the gate. Ocean crossed her arms and watched as River approached. He didn’t have the slightest clue how to get them inside. It wasn’t like their father gave them a gate code or a key. Maybe there was a doorbell? He had no clue.
On the gate was a small metal box, where you’d think a keypad would be, but there was just a small black square angled slightly upwards. Above it, etched into the box read biometric scanner. River’s brows pulled together in confusion. His father never asked for their fingerprints. He doubted it’d work, but he placed his thumb on the small box anyway. "There’s no way—"
Click. With a cold, creaky groan, the gates began to open, swinging in toward the camp.
River stood there for a second in slight disbelief, before returning to Ocean and grabbing their bags. "I guess they have our fingerprints." He nodded his head toward the entrance, signaling for Ocean to follow after him.
"That’s not creepy at all," She muttered, concerned. How did a God acquire fingerprints in the first place? While it made Ocean paranoid, (who else has her fingerprints?) It was kinda funny to imagine a God dusting for fingerprints. They walked past the gate and into the camp. A building sat just a little further down and if she looked past that, she could see cabins and a big field in the distance. It looked sparse and Ocean wasn’t as impressed as she hoped she’d be.
It wasn’t long after Andy finished her announcements that a light blinked on the control panel in front of her, signaling the main gate was opened. She quickly got up, conjuring a blade in her hand, and hurried toward the entrance, nearly forgetting to close the office door behind her. She made it to the trail in time to see the gates closing behind a young man and woman, both similar in complexion and hair color, bags in hand.
She took a couple steps toward them. "Who sent you?" Andy asked, motioning her blade at them.
Ocean’s hand reached for her trident, but River immediately stepped in front of Ocean, using his body as a barricade between that woman’s blade and his sister. "Our father, Poseidon,", his snipped in response.
Ocean lowered her hand and stepped around River to make eye contact with the woman. "We were able to get in the front door. Wouldn’t you think that means we’re the ‘good guys’? There’s no need to fight." She gave her brother a pointed glance, her eyes telling him to behave.
For a fleeting moment, Andy’s face scrunched in disgust at the mention of the sea God’s name, before she replaced it with a welcoming smile. "Sorry about that." She dropped her hand wielding the blade and before it reached her side, the weapon disappeared. "I wasn’t aware more demigods were coming until like… 2 seconds ago." She closed the distance between them and offered her right hand to the intimidating man. "Welcome to Camp Athens."
Her brief shift in demeanor at the mention of Poseidon didn’t slip past River. He had half a mind to question her, but after the hike he just made, he had no desire to waste time on someone who harbored disdain for his father or threatened him. He looked down his nose at the woman, and her offered hand, with a sharp gaze and clenched jaw. But he didn’t take it.
Andy kept her hand held out awkwardly for a few more seconds. "Ok then," she said, before sidestepping around him to address his far more approachable, presumably, sister. She offered her hand to the girl with a smile. "I’m Andromeda Bolton, daughter of Hecate. But you can call me Andy, most people do."
Ocean gave Andy a dimpled smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her father’s words to not trust anyone, and to keep them at a distance rang in her ears. She took Andy’s outstretched hand, shaking it with her own. "I’m Ocean Sullivan and this is my brother, River. And before you say anything, yes, our mother was super original when it came to naming us," she said, slightly sarcastic.
"Aren’t they always?" Andy jested with a soft chuckle. "I’m named after a galaxy… or a Princess, maybe both? I have no idea."
River, having had enough of the pleasantries and idle chit chat, waved his hand to shoo off any further conversation. "Who’s in charge? I need to speak with them."
An annoyed laugh escaped Andy’s lips as she crossed her arms over her chest, shifting her attention back to the buzzkill brother. "I am."
He scoffed. "You? How can you lead and guard the entrance? How do you manage to keep in order in there, when you’re all the way out here, with your little blade," he added with a sardonic tone, nodding his head to her now empty hand.
"No one guards the entrance. I was just nearby—how unruly do you think camp is that ’order must be kept?’" She retorted with air quotes.
"You went through all this effort to fortify camp, but don’t have a guard rotation? And enough that my father had to come down here to teach all of you a lesson." River mocked with a judgemental, condescending smirk.
"2 people fighting does not speak to the integrity of the camp as a whole." She shook her head, waving off the current debate to circle back to the original topic. "3 people died, and everyone was injured, some gravely… And the wall wasn’t finished until last week. Even with everyone combat ready, there aren’t enough people here to keep a perimeter."
"Camp safety is more important. A true warrior would do what was necessary… even injured."
Andy laughed, but not in good humor. It was a frustrated and annoyed chuckle, like someone who was a second from blowing their top. "What’s the worst injury you’ve ever sustained?"
River straightened up slightly as he felt the conversation starting to turn against him. "A broken wrist."
"Right. Right," Andy tapped her chin and started pacing, making a show of her pretending to connect the dots. "And how many consecutive monsters did you fight while you had this broken arm?"
"None."
"Exactly," Andy said as she took a step toward him. "So you can take that sanctimonious bullshit, and shove it up your ass."
Ocean watched back and forth, anxiety and irritation forming a pit in her stomach. She wanted to give Andy the benefit of the doubt, but River was getting more worked up. While there were some things he needed to learn, that didn’t give Andy the right to make him feel inferior, though Ocean didn’t think anyone could make him feel inferior. Still, that was her brother Andy was insulting, and she didn’t like it. "Not cool, Andy—he’s just trying to help. And River, we’re barely 100 feet in camp and you’re already fighting someone. It’s been a long day and we’ve been walking for hours. Let’s just get settled in and figure this out when we’re in a better mood." Ocean was usually pretty good at diffusing anything River related, though, when he got really worked up, there was rarely anything she could do. She just hoped Andy would drop the argument, because if she didn’t, they’d be here all night, and then she’d get mad as well.
"Being condescending and talking to me like I’m an idiot is not helpful," Andy rebutted, gesturing to River.
Not one to accept being one-up-ed in a conversation, nor was he prone to shutting up after his sister tried to diffuse a situation, River quickly thought of a retort to try and regain control. "If you don’t assign guard duty, don’t keep order, don’t organize training, what do you do? The morning announcements? It’s no wonder my father sent me here. It’s very obvious you are lacking the proper leadership."
"Of course it’s you," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "We’ve been lacking a proper leader for much longer than me."
Andy was over that conversation and his attitude. She turned to face Ocean and conjured a map in her hand much like a magician would a card. "Here’s a camp map. All the available cabins are marked. It’s enchanted, so once you choose the one you want it’ll update. If you need anything, here’s my cabin," she pointed to her own cabin in the Northeast of camp with an apologetic smile. "It was nice meeting you, Ocean."
Ocean blinked at the magical appearing map in her hands, giving Andy a nod. While she wasn’t super new to the whole Greek gods existing and everything, she wasn’t used to seeing other demigods and their powers. Magic seemed pretty cool.
As she turned away to leave, River called after her. "You can have the rest of the day to clean out the leader’s cabin. I’m sure your friends will help you find a new one."
Ocean glared at her brother when he called out to Andy. Why couldn’t he just leave it alone until tomorrow? Gods, Poseidon was a bad influence on him.
Andy pivoted on her heels to turn and face him, continuing to walk backwards. "You might be daddy’s favorite, but leaders don’t get special treatment. You’ll have to settle for a regular cabin… just like everyone else." She gave an exaggerated shrug of fake sympathy. "Oh, Ocean, there’s a New Year’s party tonight on the activities field. You should come." Her gaze drifted over to River. "Unfortunately, it’s an open invitation. So, I guess you’re invited too. But maybe leave the party pooper attitude at home."
"A party? We should be training… Not partying. As the new leader—"
"Not today you’re not," she interrupted. Andy then spun back around and gave them both a wave before disappearing into camp.
It wasn’t often that someone went toe to toe with River. He stood there with a clenched jaw and flared nostrils, frustrated. He should have known better than to expect everyone to fall in line without any resistance. His father warned him about how unruly they all were, but he had hoped to avoid having to crack down so hard the second he got there.
Ocean looked up at River and frowned at his tense frame. She sighed with an irritated shake of her head. "You’re both ridiculous. It’s a good thing dad has us leading together. You start the fires and I put them out." she said that, but she’s been known for starting many of her own fires as well. "I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a party. It seems to be planned already so why cancel it?" Ocean watched the field and the few specks of people that started to wander about. A cold wind blew past and she shivered. "Besides. This place looks like it could use some cheer. It’s so depressing." Ocean moved to stand in front of her brother and tried to grab her bag from him. "Tomorrow, River. Let them have fun tonight and then tomorrow you can be the drill sergeant you’ve been dreaming of becoming," She teased, giving him a real smile.
River huffed through his nose as he handed over his sister’s bag. "She’s going to be a problem, and you know it." He wasn’t a fan of people challenging or questioning his stand. After all, Poseidon sent him to lead, not Andy. She was just a placeholder until someone new came. In the end, if he needed to put her in her place… He would. He sighed and glanced over at the map. "I guess I’ll look for a cabin around here somewhere." He pointed at the map near the ocean, it only seemed fitting after all. "We can look together if you want."
Ocean nodded, slightly nervous over the prospect of being somewhere new. She never had opportunities to fit in anywhere except within her family. She had a more difficult time controlling her powers than River did, so she tended to cause accidents wherever she went. It made it hard to make friends, so she never did. Ocean pinched her thigh as a way to ground herself—a habit she’d picked up since she got removed from public school for accidentally blowing up the pipes. She was 22 years old now, had almost perfect control over her powers, and after having a discussion with Poseidon, realized that she didn’t really need friends to be someone that can make him proud.
She brushed off the nerves and responded to River, pointing at another cabin that was on the beach. "I’d like that. I’m thinking more of a cabin on the beach so I can be close to the water. It’s weird not being on Hawai’i."
"You know it’ll be colder closer to the water?" River asked more rhetorically than anything. They were both more accustomed to warmer climates. It wouldn’t be winter forever, but December was just the beginning. It’d be a couple months of this easily before they could enjoy shorts and surf.
They walked further down into camp and past a dozen cabins before coming across a cabin that was situated fairly close to the ocean. "It looks like a nice location. I’m sure you’ll love it."
River turned his attention toward said cabin. It wasn’t big or anything, which he wasn’t complaining about. He was surprised to see a small in-ground pool off the front porch. Even more surprising was that it appeared to be heated. At the right angle he could see a little bit of steam and snowflakes melted when they hit the water’s surface. He shrugged his shoulders, "I wouldn’t say no to a heated pool." He dipped inside to drop off his bags and get a quick glimpse around. River wasn’t very knowledgeable about interior design but it looked nice. He would have loved to stay inside in the heat for the rest of the day, but there was no way he’d be able to pull that off.
River closed the door behind him and returned back to Ocean. They continued their walk searching for the right cabin for her. River’s was just on the edge of the beach and while there were a few other run-down looking cabins, there was one right in the center with perfect access to the water. "I think I’ll take this one," Ocean stared out at the dark sea that crashed onto shore. She knew that the water would be freezing cold, but that usually didn’t bother her. She’d have a good view from her cabin, that’s all that mattered.
He took a moment to appreciate the view then headed up onto her porch and inside the cabin. No, Ocean didn’t ask River to check out her cabin for her but they knew about this place or the people there. And as their father warned them not to trust anyone, he wanted to make sure his sister’s new home was safe. He doubted someone would be lying in wait under the bed or in the closet, but that didn’t stop him from checking.
After a thorough once over, he came back out and flashed a brief thumbs-up. "All clear." River hopped off the porch and returned back to Ocean. "I’ll let you get settled. I’ll probably just wander around and get my bearings." He gave her a quick kiss on the top of the head then continued in the direction they were heading further down the beach.
interactions ....|.... andy ............... mentions ....|.... none ............... collabs ....|.... @Palindrome
Sloane was up long before the sun. Sleep often evaded her now that she was truly alone. It took several nights for both herself and Rocco to get used to the change. The poor pup spent most of those early nights crying by the door, waiting for Liam to come back… and nothing. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t also lay in bed, crying, waiting for the exact same thing. The note he left behind gave no closure or explanation.
She always thought of herself as a strong person, able to withstand her mother, the hell Sylas put her through, and even Lochlan. There was always a reason, explanation, or something for her to direct her anger at, but this only left her confused, grasping at air with no answers. Sloane didn’t know what she did or what happened. How could he leave without saying goodbye? How could he leave behind Rocco? Why? But all she had was a sad excuse for a note that she clung to every night like maybe that scrap of paper would bring him back. It didn’t.
Honestly, she didn’t know if she would have been able to handle it if it wasn’t for Rocco. The poor dog just wanted to love and be loved. He was just as confused as she was. They were both abandoned and used each other to try and find a new type of happiness. It wasn’t the same. Bittersweet, but together, Sloane and Rocco made their own little family. It didn’t stop the tears at night, but it gave her enough strength to burn the note and try to move on.
3 months was a long time. With all the injuries Sloane sustained, she didn’t have much of a choice but to sit alone with her thoughts and come to terms with everything that happened. She was lucky she remembered the box and was able to close it before anything worse happened. But that didn’t stop the survivor’s guilt. She blamed herself for every injury and every death because it was her mother that sent her the box. She left the box for her brother. And it was her brother that opened it.
The combination of guilt and abandonment sent her spiraling into a deep depression. She thinks Andy might have noticed the signs, from her own struggles. She always lingered whenever she brought Sloane food. She never said anything, but she was always there if Sloane ever wanted to talk. It was a small gesture that made her feel a little less alone. And eventually, as her body healed, she was able to start picking up all her broken pieces. She wasn’t fixed, nowhere close, but it was a start.
Like most mornings, Rocco slept like a baby, passed out on the other side of the bed and snoring while Sloane read. She missed sleep, but she didn’t hate her peaceful quiet—aside from Rocco—mornings. The morning announcements startled him awake. He jumped up and barked once or twice, before hurrying over to Sloane with a wagging tail. He flopped down in her lap, wiggling on his back for belly rubs as she listened to Andy.
The beginning of the announcements was nothing out of the ordinary, the date and the weather. But when she was ready for it to end, Andy took a long pause and kept going. "There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods. Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today. The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen." She groaned at the thought of training. She had liked having a couple months without getting her butt kicked every other day. Sloane was happy locked away in her cabin away from the rest of camp… And her brother. But, unfortunately, it looked like those days were over.
"So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me. And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there." In typical camp fashion, there was a party. But given the recent circumstances, this was one of the few times Sloane actually thought a night of fun and frivolity was in order, even if it was likely she’d only show up for the food and leave. Food was fun. Rocco liked food.
After his mandatory morning belly rubs, Rocco leapt off the bed and ran to the door when he noticed the snow. He barked and jumped around trying to bite at the flakes through the window, covering the glass in drool and nose prints. Sloane laughed as she climbed out of bed, bringing the blanket with her and wrapping it around her shoulders. She crouched down next to the puppy and looked out the window. "Is it snowing?" she asked, patting his side. "Do you want to go play in it?"
Rocco started jumping around even more, barking in excitement. "Ok. Ok. Let me get dressed." In hindsight, she probably should have asked him about going outside after she was dressed, because the entire time she tried doing anything he was right under foot, running in circles and knocking everything over with his tail. It ended up taking twice as long for her to get changed and ready to go outside with Rocco always up in her business. But it was cute, so he got a pass.
Sloane didn’t even have her coat on all the way when she finally opened the cabin door and let the dog free. Rocco sprinted up and down a small stretch of the path leading to the cabin, barking and trying to catch snowflakes. She grabbed his leash before closing the door behind her. She rarely needed it because with a couple months down time, there wasn’t much to do besides train him, and he minded really well. But if the announcements were correct about new campers, she didn’t have a clue what they’d be like… or more accurately, how well he’d behave around a bunch of new people. Just a bit of precaution.
Bundled up and as warm as she could possibly be, she whistled for Rocco. He immediately came running back and sat excitedly at her feet. "Are you ready?" He barked. His wagging tail threw snow around and smacked her ankles. "Ok. On your marks." Sloane bent her knees slightly and the dog shifted to his feet. "Get set." She stood like she was about to run while he lowered his torso like a predator about to pounce. "Go!"
And they were off, or Rocco was. Sloane still had a slight limp, her leg had healed, with some scarring, but she hadn’t been able to do much in the realm of physical therapy to rebuild her dexterity and strength. She was one of the least athletic people at camp, but the running was good for her and her recovery. It didn’t take long for Rocco to be long out of sight, but he knew where to go and she trusted him. She tried her best to keep up, but by the time she rounded the stables, she was out of breath and her leg was screaming.
Off in the middle of the field, she could see Rocco impatiently awaiting her, his head down, butt up and tail wagging vigorously. Sloane leaned down, scooping up snow in both of her hands. She walked in his direction molding the white fluff into a ball, then threw it at him. It was a bad throw, terrible honestly. It didn’t even make it half the way to Rocco, but he was ready. He sprinted towards the ball and crushed it in his mouth just before it would have hit the ground. Confused, he buried his head in the snow and sniffed in circles, trying to understand what happened to the ball.
Sloane got another snowball ready and was about to throw it when she caught a glimpse of Andy heading to the Main Hall and two new demigods wandering up the path from the entrance. So it begins. She wondered if one of them was their new leader. And how many demigods were coming? Camp had been so quiet for so long it was weird to think of a bunch of new people wandering around. She kind of liked the ghost town aura, it suited introverts like herself. Either way, she was the farthest person from a welcome party. There was no way she was going to be running around trying to introduce herself to everyone. She was fine with being the weird quiet girl again.
She patted the frozen ball some more and looked down at Rocco who had started eating the snow as he waited for her to play with him. "Ok. Ok. Sorry," she laughed. "Ready?" Once he was ready, she threw the snowball as far away as she could. Although she was hungry, she was happy to play with him for a bit. At least until she could no longer feel her fingers.
I’m sorry. Please look after Rocco.
She always thought of herself as a strong person, able to withstand her mother, the hell Sylas put her through, and even Lochlan. There was always a reason, explanation, or something for her to direct her anger at, but this only left her confused, grasping at air with no answers. Sloane didn’t know what she did or what happened. How could he leave without saying goodbye? How could he leave behind Rocco? Why? But all she had was a sad excuse for a note that she clung to every night like maybe that scrap of paper would bring him back. It didn’t.
Honestly, she didn’t know if she would have been able to handle it if it wasn’t for Rocco. The poor dog just wanted to love and be loved. He was just as confused as she was. They were both abandoned and used each other to try and find a new type of happiness. It wasn’t the same. Bittersweet, but together, Sloane and Rocco made their own little family. It didn’t stop the tears at night, but it gave her enough strength to burn the note and try to move on.
3 months was a long time. With all the injuries Sloane sustained, she didn’t have much of a choice but to sit alone with her thoughts and come to terms with everything that happened. She was lucky she remembered the box and was able to close it before anything worse happened. But that didn’t stop the survivor’s guilt. She blamed herself for every injury and every death because it was her mother that sent her the box. She left the box for her brother. And it was her brother that opened it.
The combination of guilt and abandonment sent her spiraling into a deep depression. She thinks Andy might have noticed the signs, from her own struggles. She always lingered whenever she brought Sloane food. She never said anything, but she was always there if Sloane ever wanted to talk. It was a small gesture that made her feel a little less alone. And eventually, as her body healed, she was able to start picking up all her broken pieces. She wasn’t fixed, nowhere close, but it was a start.
Like most mornings, Rocco slept like a baby, passed out on the other side of the bed and snoring while Sloane read. She missed sleep, but she didn’t hate her peaceful quiet—aside from Rocco—mornings. The morning announcements startled him awake. He jumped up and barked once or twice, before hurrying over to Sloane with a wagging tail. He flopped down in her lap, wiggling on his back for belly rubs as she listened to Andy.
The beginning of the announcements was nothing out of the ordinary, the date and the weather. But when she was ready for it to end, Andy took a long pause and kept going. "There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods. Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today. The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen." She groaned at the thought of training. She had liked having a couple months without getting her butt kicked every other day. Sloane was happy locked away in her cabin away from the rest of camp… And her brother. But, unfortunately, it looked like those days were over.
"So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me. And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there." In typical camp fashion, there was a party. But given the recent circumstances, this was one of the few times Sloane actually thought a night of fun and frivolity was in order, even if it was likely she’d only show up for the food and leave. Food was fun. Rocco liked food.
After his mandatory morning belly rubs, Rocco leapt off the bed and ran to the door when he noticed the snow. He barked and jumped around trying to bite at the flakes through the window, covering the glass in drool and nose prints. Sloane laughed as she climbed out of bed, bringing the blanket with her and wrapping it around her shoulders. She crouched down next to the puppy and looked out the window. "Is it snowing?" she asked, patting his side. "Do you want to go play in it?"
Rocco started jumping around even more, barking in excitement. "Ok. Ok. Let me get dressed." In hindsight, she probably should have asked him about going outside after she was dressed, because the entire time she tried doing anything he was right under foot, running in circles and knocking everything over with his tail. It ended up taking twice as long for her to get changed and ready to go outside with Rocco always up in her business. But it was cute, so he got a pass.
Sloane didn’t even have her coat on all the way when she finally opened the cabin door and let the dog free. Rocco sprinted up and down a small stretch of the path leading to the cabin, barking and trying to catch snowflakes. She grabbed his leash before closing the door behind her. She rarely needed it because with a couple months down time, there wasn’t much to do besides train him, and he minded really well. But if the announcements were correct about new campers, she didn’t have a clue what they’d be like… or more accurately, how well he’d behave around a bunch of new people. Just a bit of precaution.
Bundled up and as warm as she could possibly be, she whistled for Rocco. He immediately came running back and sat excitedly at her feet. "Are you ready?" He barked. His wagging tail threw snow around and smacked her ankles. "Ok. On your marks." Sloane bent her knees slightly and the dog shifted to his feet. "Get set." She stood like she was about to run while he lowered his torso like a predator about to pounce. "Go!"
And they were off, or Rocco was. Sloane still had a slight limp, her leg had healed, with some scarring, but she hadn’t been able to do much in the realm of physical therapy to rebuild her dexterity and strength. She was one of the least athletic people at camp, but the running was good for her and her recovery. It didn’t take long for Rocco to be long out of sight, but he knew where to go and she trusted him. She tried her best to keep up, but by the time she rounded the stables, she was out of breath and her leg was screaming.
Off in the middle of the field, she could see Rocco impatiently awaiting her, his head down, butt up and tail wagging vigorously. Sloane leaned down, scooping up snow in both of her hands. She walked in his direction molding the white fluff into a ball, then threw it at him. It was a bad throw, terrible honestly. It didn’t even make it half the way to Rocco, but he was ready. He sprinted towards the ball and crushed it in his mouth just before it would have hit the ground. Confused, he buried his head in the snow and sniffed in circles, trying to understand what happened to the ball.
Sloane got another snowball ready and was about to throw it when she caught a glimpse of Andy heading to the Main Hall and two new demigods wandering up the path from the entrance. So it begins. She wondered if one of them was their new leader. And how many demigods were coming? Camp had been so quiet for so long it was weird to think of a bunch of new people wandering around. She kind of liked the ghost town aura, it suited introverts like herself. Either way, she was the farthest person from a welcome party. There was no way she was going to be running around trying to introduce herself to everyone. She was fine with being the weird quiet girl again.
She patted the frozen ball some more and looked down at Rocco who had started eating the snow as he waited for her to play with him. "Ok. Ok. Sorry," she laughed. "Ready?" Once he was ready, she threw the snowball as far away as she could. Although she was hungry, she was happy to play with him for a bit. At least until she could no longer feel her fingers.
interactions ....|.... none ............... mentions ....|.... lochlan & sylas ............... collabs ....|.... none
Camp had been eerily quiet for the past couple months. Most campers kept to their cabins, healing or grieving, or whatever it was they did. Sylas was usually someone who could find some way to entertain himself, usually at the expense of others, but with everyone shut away and nursing his own injuries, he found himself immensely bored. And with his palms sliced open, there wasn’t all that much he could do to self entertain either. Most of his days were spent listening to music or staring out the window.
There were a few times where Evelyn checked in on him and vice versa. But everything about whatever they had was… different. She could have stayed at his cabin if she wanted, but he never offered. He had a feeling it was the same for her place. There was no real label or term for whatever they shared, but in the end they had no obligation to each other. Even though he enjoyed seeing her and her company, he was still pissed that she didn’t listen to him during the Pandora’s box incident, which ended up getting her hurt. It was a new feeling for him, the possibility of not being trusted by someone he wanted to trust him. He wasn’t a fan of how that affected him.
Evelyn’s hold on Sylas left him very confused and conflicted on a regular basis. He never was one to bother himself with the opinions and feelings of others before her. Now everytime he did anything, he found himself wondering how she would react… If she would hate him. Oh, she had every right to and she should. But just the thought of that made his stomach twist in an unsettling knot. Romance was for the weak and he was allowing himself to be blinded by it. He was becoming sloppy.
For 3 months camp has been free of the pestilence that was Liam O’Connor, yet what had Sylas done about it? Nothing. Well, nothing beyond giving him the helpful nudge he needed to leave. That man was the hulk with a single brain cell and a wall between himself and his sister. Sloane was now alone, heartbroken and unprotected. A perfect target. But even if he managed to get anywhere near her cabin, she’d be waiting for him. He got caught once before and nearly ruined everything. Not only that, but she now knew she was powerful enough to control him. That was dangerous. He had to be more subtle and work behind the scenes like a puppet master. But he was patient… He could wait.
Sylas stood in front of his living room and sipped his coffee, while his mind kept toiling over all the machinations he had in store once everyone stopped hiding away in their damn cabins. He no longer had Liv to help with any of his dark dealings, so his only hope was Mason. Which last time he checked was so far up Andy’s ass, he might be a lost cause. He sighed. People at this camp were so unreliable… with their morals. Pathetic.
He heard the announcements go off and fully intended on ignoring them like he always did. The fuck did he care about the weather? But the mention of a note piqued his interest. "...New campers…" Blah, blah, blah. "...a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen." And something about another camp party, no surprise there. He was more interested in the new leader and new campers. Nick and Ajax were both useless in the leader category and whatever Andy was doing wasn’t much better. Plus she was complicated territory, if he was caught messing with her then he’d have to deal with whatever Mason fallout followed. But new blood meant new possibilities.
Cabin time was over. He exhaled deeply then downed the rest of his coffee. While passing through his kitchen, Sylas set his mug in the sink then made his way up to his room. It had been awhile since anyone new came to camp so a decent first impression was definitely the goal. He fingered through his clothing until he found something that was charming enough, yet also warm. He sprayed himself with some cologne and headed out the door.
He didn’t love the idea of mingling in a damn snow storm, but he couldn’t avoid the frigid weather forever. Sylas still wasn’t prepared for the wind’s bite when he stepped outside. He turned his collar up to try and block some of the chill, then shoved his hands in pockets. While normally he would enjoy a more leisurely stroll, he wasn’t particularly in the mood to waste time out in that weather. As he passed the armory, he caught a glimpse of Sloane playing in the snow with Liam’s little pet out in the field. His pace slowed as he watched her. How could she seem so… happy? Sylas couldn’t fathom how someone like her could almost die, be the catalyst of a camp-wide massacre, be abandoned by a love, and still smile? When Lochlan cheated on her, she locked herself in her room for half a year and became catatonic. Yet there she was.
In that moment, Sloane froze like she could feel eyes on her, and before he looked away her gaze found his. Sylas’s eyes didn’t waiver as a small, enigmatic smile crossed his lips. He stayed there as long as she kept his gaze, only moving on once she got uncomfortable and looked away. Even now, he still had some sway over her… good. Perhaps leaving his cabin was a good idea. He chuckled to himself and continued toward the Main Hall. It was going to be a very interesting day indeed.
There were a few times where Evelyn checked in on him and vice versa. But everything about whatever they had was… different. She could have stayed at his cabin if she wanted, but he never offered. He had a feeling it was the same for her place. There was no real label or term for whatever they shared, but in the end they had no obligation to each other. Even though he enjoyed seeing her and her company, he was still pissed that she didn’t listen to him during the Pandora’s box incident, which ended up getting her hurt. It was a new feeling for him, the possibility of not being trusted by someone he wanted to trust him. He wasn’t a fan of how that affected him.
Evelyn’s hold on Sylas left him very confused and conflicted on a regular basis. He never was one to bother himself with the opinions and feelings of others before her. Now everytime he did anything, he found himself wondering how she would react… If she would hate him. Oh, she had every right to and she should. But just the thought of that made his stomach twist in an unsettling knot. Romance was for the weak and he was allowing himself to be blinded by it. He was becoming sloppy.
For 3 months camp has been free of the pestilence that was Liam O’Connor, yet what had Sylas done about it? Nothing. Well, nothing beyond giving him the helpful nudge he needed to leave. That man was the hulk with a single brain cell and a wall between himself and his sister. Sloane was now alone, heartbroken and unprotected. A perfect target. But even if he managed to get anywhere near her cabin, she’d be waiting for him. He got caught once before and nearly ruined everything. Not only that, but she now knew she was powerful enough to control him. That was dangerous. He had to be more subtle and work behind the scenes like a puppet master. But he was patient… He could wait.
Sylas stood in front of his living room and sipped his coffee, while his mind kept toiling over all the machinations he had in store once everyone stopped hiding away in their damn cabins. He no longer had Liv to help with any of his dark dealings, so his only hope was Mason. Which last time he checked was so far up Andy’s ass, he might be a lost cause. He sighed. People at this camp were so unreliable… with their morals. Pathetic.
He heard the announcements go off and fully intended on ignoring them like he always did. The fuck did he care about the weather? But the mention of a note piqued his interest. "...New campers…" Blah, blah, blah. "...a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen." And something about another camp party, no surprise there. He was more interested in the new leader and new campers. Nick and Ajax were both useless in the leader category and whatever Andy was doing wasn’t much better. Plus she was complicated territory, if he was caught messing with her then he’d have to deal with whatever Mason fallout followed. But new blood meant new possibilities.
Cabin time was over. He exhaled deeply then downed the rest of his coffee. While passing through his kitchen, Sylas set his mug in the sink then made his way up to his room. It had been awhile since anyone new came to camp so a decent first impression was definitely the goal. He fingered through his clothing until he found something that was charming enough, yet also warm. He sprayed himself with some cologne and headed out the door.
He didn’t love the idea of mingling in a damn snow storm, but he couldn’t avoid the frigid weather forever. Sylas still wasn’t prepared for the wind’s bite when he stepped outside. He turned his collar up to try and block some of the chill, then shoved his hands in pockets. While normally he would enjoy a more leisurely stroll, he wasn’t particularly in the mood to waste time out in that weather. As he passed the armory, he caught a glimpse of Sloane playing in the snow with Liam’s little pet out in the field. His pace slowed as he watched her. How could she seem so… happy? Sylas couldn’t fathom how someone like her could almost die, be the catalyst of a camp-wide massacre, be abandoned by a love, and still smile? When Lochlan cheated on her, she locked herself in her room for half a year and became catatonic. Yet there she was.
In that moment, Sloane froze like she could feel eyes on her, and before he looked away her gaze found his. Sylas’s eyes didn’t waiver as a small, enigmatic smile crossed his lips. He stayed there as long as she kept his gaze, only moving on once she got uncomfortable and looked away. Even now, he still had some sway over her… good. Perhaps leaving his cabin was a good idea. He chuckled to himself and continued toward the Main Hall. It was going to be a very interesting day indeed.
interactions ....|.... none ............... mentions ....|.... sloane & evelyn ............... collabs ....|.... none
"Good morning, campers. It is currently 9 a.m., on December 31st, New Year’s Eve." Blair groaned, burying her head under her pillow, desperate to drown out the obnoxious and very unnecessary announcements. Couldn’t they wait until noon like a sane person? Who in their right mind wanted to be up that early. "It’s currently 15 degrees fahrenheit, -9.4 degrees celsius, and snowing. So be sure to wear your boots and winter coats when you leave your cabins today."
The pillow did little to nothing to block out the noise. She hoped they were over, but Andy’s voice just kept going. "There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods."
"Oh my Gods, who cares?" Blair sat up, ready to throw her pillow at whatever speaker the announcements were coming from… If she could find it. Turns out, she never really cared enough to look for it.
"Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today." Blair perked up, the announcements suddenly a lot more interesting than just the weather. "The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen. So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me. And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there."
"Thank the Gods, boys and a party!"
However tired she was a minute ago was completely gone. She jumped out of bed with an excited vigor and ran to the bathroom. Blair undressed so fast she nearly tripped on her underwear on her way into the shower. It was excessive the amount of time she spent in there making sure to clean, scrub, and shave every inch of her body. It had been months since a guy laid hands on her, the last time being Nick. May he rest in peace. But a girl’s got needs, and she was in desperate need of being thoroughly ravished.
Squeaky clean, she spent twice as long in front of the mirror drying and curling her hair, then put on a full face of makeup. While Blair, obviously, had to look her best at the prospect of new available men to warm her bed, she was disappointed at how cold it was outside. That really limited her wardrobe options, and all her best outfits were definitely for the warmer seasons. She didn’t have a whole bunch in the slutty winter category, but she’d just have to make do. It took sometime, but eventually she managed to put something together that was… good enough.
Dressed to impress, ready to break hearts… and beds, Blair hurried outside and bee-lined for her brother’s cabin next door. She banged on the door, obnoxiously loud. "Lochlan! Open up! It’s fucking cold out here," she shouted from his porch, no doubt pissing everyone off in nearby cabins. She banged again. "Come on," she muttered to herself, bouncing up and down to keep warm.
When he didn’t answer after a couple minutes, Blair’s patience had run its course. "Fuck this," she cursed under her breath. She willed herself intangible and walked straight through his front door like it wasn’t there. "Lochlan!" She called to him, stomping her way up the stairs and into his bedroom.
"Are you deaf?" Blair chastised him as she walked around the room, opening all the curtains to let in light. "Didn’t you hear the announcements?" she asked, not bothering to look at him. She was on a mission. Like a slutty busy bee, she went straight for his closet and started rifling through his clothes. She scoffed or grimaced at every other piece of clothing, shoving it aside and moving onto the next piece. "No. No. No." The screech of hangers dragged across the clothing rod filled the silence of his room. "Gods, did you bring nothing I bought you?"
Blair pursed her lips in thoughts. She sucked in air making annoying high-pitched squeaks. "This will have to do." She grabbed a couple pieces of clothing and tossed them onto his bed, whether or not he was still lying there was irrelevant. "Look, it’s about time you got over Sloane and stopped pining after her. There’s a bunch of fresh faced demigods coming to camp for you to fuck… or fuck with, I don’t care. But I’m getting you out of this cabin." She stopped to look in his mirror and used her ring finger to touch up the lipstick at the corner of her mouth. "So, please get dressed so we can go judge the newbies and decide who’s lives to ruin, ok?" She spun around to face him, giving him her usual mischievous smile. "I’ll be downstairs." With that, she disappeared back down to his living room.
The pillow did little to nothing to block out the noise. She hoped they were over, but Andy’s voice just kept going. "There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods."
"Oh my Gods, who cares?" Blair sat up, ready to throw her pillow at whatever speaker the announcements were coming from… If she could find it. Turns out, she never really cared enough to look for it.
"Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today." Blair perked up, the announcements suddenly a lot more interesting than just the weather. "The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen. So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me. And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there."
"Thank the Gods, boys and a party!"
However tired she was a minute ago was completely gone. She jumped out of bed with an excited vigor and ran to the bathroom. Blair undressed so fast she nearly tripped on her underwear on her way into the shower. It was excessive the amount of time she spent in there making sure to clean, scrub, and shave every inch of her body. It had been months since a guy laid hands on her, the last time being Nick. May he rest in peace. But a girl’s got needs, and she was in desperate need of being thoroughly ravished.
Squeaky clean, she spent twice as long in front of the mirror drying and curling her hair, then put on a full face of makeup. While Blair, obviously, had to look her best at the prospect of new available men to warm her bed, she was disappointed at how cold it was outside. That really limited her wardrobe options, and all her best outfits were definitely for the warmer seasons. She didn’t have a whole bunch in the slutty winter category, but she’d just have to make do. It took sometime, but eventually she managed to put something together that was… good enough.
Dressed to impress, ready to break hearts… and beds, Blair hurried outside and bee-lined for her brother’s cabin next door. She banged on the door, obnoxiously loud. "Lochlan! Open up! It’s fucking cold out here," she shouted from his porch, no doubt pissing everyone off in nearby cabins. She banged again. "Come on," she muttered to herself, bouncing up and down to keep warm.
When he didn’t answer after a couple minutes, Blair’s patience had run its course. "Fuck this," she cursed under her breath. She willed herself intangible and walked straight through his front door like it wasn’t there. "Lochlan!" She called to him, stomping her way up the stairs and into his bedroom.
"Are you deaf?" Blair chastised him as she walked around the room, opening all the curtains to let in light. "Didn’t you hear the announcements?" she asked, not bothering to look at him. She was on a mission. Like a slutty busy bee, she went straight for his closet and started rifling through his clothes. She scoffed or grimaced at every other piece of clothing, shoving it aside and moving onto the next piece. "No. No. No." The screech of hangers dragged across the clothing rod filled the silence of his room. "Gods, did you bring nothing I bought you?"
Blair pursed her lips in thoughts. She sucked in air making annoying high-pitched squeaks. "This will have to do." She grabbed a couple pieces of clothing and tossed them onto his bed, whether or not he was still lying there was irrelevant. "Look, it’s about time you got over Sloane and stopped pining after her. There’s a bunch of fresh faced demigods coming to camp for you to fuck… or fuck with, I don’t care. But I’m getting you out of this cabin." She stopped to look in his mirror and used her ring finger to touch up the lipstick at the corner of her mouth. "So, please get dressed so we can go judge the newbies and decide who’s lives to ruin, ok?" She spun around to face him, giving him her usual mischievous smile. "I’ll be downstairs." With that, she disappeared back down to his living room.
interactions ....|.... lochlan ............... mentions ....|.... sloane ............... collabs ....|.... none
#667c0c ....|..... naked .....|..... trinity's cabin .............................................................. #66356a ....|..... naked .....|..... her cabin
"Good morning, campers. It is currently 9 a.m., on December 31st, New Year’s Eve." Andy’s voice echoed throughout the camp as their daily wake up call roused Wes from his deep sleep. He grumbled and groaned, stretching out his morning stiffness and grogginess. "It’s currently 15 degrees fahrenheit, -9.4 degrees celsius, and snowing. So be sure to wear your boots and winter coats when you leave your cabins today."
Wes had been stuck under Trinity’s watchful… and forceful house arrest over the past 3 months. It was cute watching her worry over him. Blair did a decent enough job cauterizing his wound, that he didn’t really need anything else beside rest. But Trin’s nursing practices went a little harder than bed rest. It was more, don’t leave the bed unless you need to pee or shower, and even then she insisted on helping. It was a month before she let him actually move around her cabin without getting yelled at. He still wasn’t allowed out of her sight, and definitely not outside.
The one positive was if he was stuck in bed, he could usually force her to stay in bed with him. After all, it was important he remained active… to keep his muscle tone. At least, that was the way he painted it to her, and Trinity had gotten pretty bad at telling him no. He was sure the cabin probably smelled like months of sex, and was in desperate need of airing out. But they hardly noticed. Who in their right mind would complain about that?
His hand searched for her under the covers. When Wes found her, his arm hooked around her bare waist and pulled her close. Her body molded to the curve of his with her back pressed against his chest. "Mmm... Good morning, beautiful," he mumbled against her shoulder before giving the back of her neck a tender kiss.
Trinity awoke to Andy’s announcement but didn’t move a muscle. Especially hearing what conditions and cold awaited them outside. Her hostage spree worked well as she benefited from his company, bedroom talents, and warmth.
When Wes pulled her closer and did his affectionate toaster duties she smiled. "Morning."
"There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods. Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today. The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen. So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me." Wes’s brows furrowed at the news, but he remained quiet, his face nuzzled in the crook of Trinity’s neck as he waited for the announcements to end. "And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there."
"Guess that means Ajax and Alex are gone for good." He rested his chin on Trinity’s shoulder. They both had fucked up… a lot, before they left camp. But it wasn’t fair to those they wronged that they were just whisked away to Olympus to avoid the repercussions of their actions. It was hard remembering how he was ever friends with Alex, knowing all the stuff she has done. She shouldn’t have gotten off so easily for the things she did. He missed having friends, and while Alex was his best friend, he didn’t miss it or her… as messed up as it was to admit. All she did was cause problems, and Wes wanted nothing more than to just enjoy his life with Trinity and avoid any of the camp drama bullshit.
Trinity propped up on an arm, frown still in place before glancing back at him. "Did you know that self-proclaimed and God-elected leaders of camp wind up missing or dead?" Granted, Ajax wasn’t really missing as much as hightailed it to Olympus, sister in tow. Nick met his demise and Andy kind of naturally evolved into the reins and it worked. It finally seemed comfortable and to work. Now the Gods were messing with the system again.
"Hmm…" Wes mused to himself, a bit lost in the thought of what it all would mean.
She sighed out before turning to face Wes. She forgot that sometimes Alex was his friend, as much as she would have liked to have broken a few of the daughter of Zeus’ bones. "You okay with them being gone for good?" She stroked his cheek. Sure, she didn’t give a rat's ass but Wes brought out the content and compassion in her. Curse him
Wes leaned his head into her touch and shrugged his shoulder. "I don’t know. I mean, were the Valises ever really good friends to anyone? Look at Andy and how indifferent Ajax was to her." He sighed softly. "Alex did a lot of fucked up shit that I don’t think even I could look past. You can’t apologize away almost killing someone."
Then something pinged in her. Rigorous training as it was referred to excited her but Wesley… her hand reached under the covers rubbing up and down his leg until it slid to his inner thigh. While it seemed she might have been after his goods, and may have grazed them, she was actually looking for aha! She located his scar and pressed her thumb down on the scarred femoral artery checking if it was tender. "Are you and your most recent battle wound up for an intense training regimen?" Because he knew she’d put a halt to that shit if he wasn’t ready. But maybe he had to be. Depending on what power deemed it so.
Wes raised a brow at her wandering hand and for a second he got his hopes up until she found his scar. When she pressed her finger against it he faked a wince, just to get a rise out of her. He laughed, grabbing her hand and kissing her palm before she could smack him out of annoyance. "It doesn’t hurt." He freed his leg from the blanket, bending his knee to get a better look at it. "It’s just ugly. Not as bad as losing an arm though," he teased with a playful smile.
She narrowed her eyes and mocked a growl. Eventually she forfeited the bed and put on the winter layers to brace for the cold. She forgot how tampering Gods could be sometimes. "So," she began forcing her way through some boots, "New batch of campers, new ‘leader’, new training schedule and we’ve been in holiday recovery mode. So…" Trinity hoped Wes would pick up her exact train of thought and suggest pre-training for the day until the gathering. They needed to look, and be sharp and fierce so no bastards tried anything.
However, she supposed she wasn’t totally against his own suggestions.
Wes sighed when she climbed out of bed. He rolled onto his back with a dramatic groan. The last thing on the planet he wanted to do was train. It was no secret he was a shit fighter. He’s won fights by sheer dumb luck and nothing more. He was lucky he survived at all. "So, you wanna train for this ’new leader’ who is probably a d-bag?" He asked, looking up at the ceiling.
Trinity opened her mouth to oppose his theory as the second boot battle began but he got in first.
"Or," he teased, shifting to his knees, bare ass out. He grabbed Trinity’s wrist and pulled her backwards onto the bed before she got her second boot on. Wes smiled down at her with a playful grin and brushed her golden hair behind her ear. "We could stay inside and keep each other warm," he whispered like it was a secret. "Sounds like a much more enjoyable rigorous activity."
Trinity laughed and had to smirk up at him. "You think just because you’re a little sex God and all so charming you can get out of anything, don’t you?" She teased back. "Although it is some great fine print you’ve found." She cupped his jaw and guided him in for a kiss where their lips met. "But no.” She booped his nose with a grin and left the bed for the second time.
He groaned when she pulled away, parting their lips and leaving him half puckered up in the bed. "Sex God?" he mused to himself with a proud smile. "Can I get that in writing? Maybe a plaque?"
"I want us to train," Trinity began her famous lecturing while retrieving that second boot once again.
Wes shifted so that he was sitting at the foot of the bed. "Mhmm," he acknowledged her as he hooked his index finger in the belt loop of her pants. With a little tug, he guided her back to him so she stood between his knees. His hand slowly ran along her backside, curved around her thigh, then slowly worked its way down. He grabbed that damned second boot, pulled it off and tossed it across the room.
"Because then we can flex our powers..." Trinity tried to resume the lecture, but he was also very distracting.
Wes spun her around to face him and pulled her close enough that her waist was right at eye height. Convenient. He held her gaze intently while his fingers worked untying the other boot. After getting her foot free, he threw the shoe aside, not paying it any mind. The corners of his mouth tugged into a mischievous grin. He leaned in and grabbed the button of her pants between his teeth. With one small jerk of his head they were unfastened.
"And umm…" whatever she was saying, she was losing sense of quickly. Her words became mumbled nonsense until they evolved into a happy little hum.
"Flexing our power is very important," he agreed, never looking away or breaking her gaze. Meanwhile, his hand inched the clothes right back down her legs. "But, first impressions are important, don’t you think?" Wes slowly stood up, allowing his lips to briefly brush against hers as they passed. "And when was the last time we showered?"
She tried very hard to keep her iron focus but it was faltering, faltering like her steady heart beat. "I… " she answered quietly without much thought. He could ask her what day it was at the moment and she wouldn’t know. All she knew was his touch excited her and he undid her pants with his teeth!
The tip of his thumb ran along the bottom of her shirt while his hand rested on her hip. "But, if you’d rather train…" he teased, grinning down at her with his charming little smile.
Trinity glared at him. If he wasn’t already naked, she’d rip his clothes off in a second. "We’re not training." She all but lunged on him.
When he wasn’t met with any objections, Wes grabbed a hold of the hem of her shirt. He waited for her to raise her arms, then pulled it over her head. He subtly stepped his left foot on her pants that rested around her ankles, then when he picked her up her feet easily slipped free. His arm hooked under her bottom to support her weight as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Even without his bionic arm, Wes managed to carry her to the bathroom with ease while being littered with kisses and nibbles. He lacked some of the finesse a second hand would give him, but still managed to get them both in the shower. He pressed Trinity’s back against the cool tile. "Mind getting the water?" he purred in her ear, then started trailing kisses along her jaw.
Trinity tilted her head for him and reached around blindly for the taps to start the cascade of water.
Wes had been stuck under Trinity’s watchful… and forceful house arrest over the past 3 months. It was cute watching her worry over him. Blair did a decent enough job cauterizing his wound, that he didn’t really need anything else beside rest. But Trin’s nursing practices went a little harder than bed rest. It was more, don’t leave the bed unless you need to pee or shower, and even then she insisted on helping. It was a month before she let him actually move around her cabin without getting yelled at. He still wasn’t allowed out of her sight, and definitely not outside.
The one positive was if he was stuck in bed, he could usually force her to stay in bed with him. After all, it was important he remained active… to keep his muscle tone. At least, that was the way he painted it to her, and Trinity had gotten pretty bad at telling him no. He was sure the cabin probably smelled like months of sex, and was in desperate need of airing out. But they hardly noticed. Who in their right mind would complain about that?
His hand searched for her under the covers. When Wes found her, his arm hooked around her bare waist and pulled her close. Her body molded to the curve of his with her back pressed against his chest. "Mmm... Good morning, beautiful," he mumbled against her shoulder before giving the back of her neck a tender kiss.
Trinity awoke to Andy’s announcement but didn’t move a muscle. Especially hearing what conditions and cold awaited them outside. Her hostage spree worked well as she benefited from his company, bedroom talents, and warmth.
When Wes pulled her closer and did his affectionate toaster duties she smiled. "Morning."
"There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods. Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today. The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen. So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me." Wes’s brows furrowed at the news, but he remained quiet, his face nuzzled in the crook of Trinity’s neck as he waited for the announcements to end. "And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there."
"Guess that means Ajax and Alex are gone for good." He rested his chin on Trinity’s shoulder. They both had fucked up… a lot, before they left camp. But it wasn’t fair to those they wronged that they were just whisked away to Olympus to avoid the repercussions of their actions. It was hard remembering how he was ever friends with Alex, knowing all the stuff she has done. She shouldn’t have gotten off so easily for the things she did. He missed having friends, and while Alex was his best friend, he didn’t miss it or her… as messed up as it was to admit. All she did was cause problems, and Wes wanted nothing more than to just enjoy his life with Trinity and avoid any of the camp drama bullshit.
Trinity propped up on an arm, frown still in place before glancing back at him. "Did you know that self-proclaimed and God-elected leaders of camp wind up missing or dead?" Granted, Ajax wasn’t really missing as much as hightailed it to Olympus, sister in tow. Nick met his demise and Andy kind of naturally evolved into the reins and it worked. It finally seemed comfortable and to work. Now the Gods were messing with the system again.
"Hmm…" Wes mused to himself, a bit lost in the thought of what it all would mean.
She sighed out before turning to face Wes. She forgot that sometimes Alex was his friend, as much as she would have liked to have broken a few of the daughter of Zeus’ bones. "You okay with them being gone for good?" She stroked his cheek. Sure, she didn’t give a rat's ass but Wes brought out the content and compassion in her. Curse him
Wes leaned his head into her touch and shrugged his shoulder. "I don’t know. I mean, were the Valises ever really good friends to anyone? Look at Andy and how indifferent Ajax was to her." He sighed softly. "Alex did a lot of fucked up shit that I don’t think even I could look past. You can’t apologize away almost killing someone."
Then something pinged in her. Rigorous training as it was referred to excited her but Wesley… her hand reached under the covers rubbing up and down his leg until it slid to his inner thigh. While it seemed she might have been after his goods, and may have grazed them, she was actually looking for aha! She located his scar and pressed her thumb down on the scarred femoral artery checking if it was tender. "Are you and your most recent battle wound up for an intense training regimen?" Because he knew she’d put a halt to that shit if he wasn’t ready. But maybe he had to be. Depending on what power deemed it so.
Wes raised a brow at her wandering hand and for a second he got his hopes up until she found his scar. When she pressed her finger against it he faked a wince, just to get a rise out of her. He laughed, grabbing her hand and kissing her palm before she could smack him out of annoyance. "It doesn’t hurt." He freed his leg from the blanket, bending his knee to get a better look at it. "It’s just ugly. Not as bad as losing an arm though," he teased with a playful smile.
She narrowed her eyes and mocked a growl. Eventually she forfeited the bed and put on the winter layers to brace for the cold. She forgot how tampering Gods could be sometimes. "So," she began forcing her way through some boots, "New batch of campers, new ‘leader’, new training schedule and we’ve been in holiday recovery mode. So…" Trinity hoped Wes would pick up her exact train of thought and suggest pre-training for the day until the gathering. They needed to look, and be sharp and fierce so no bastards tried anything.
However, she supposed she wasn’t totally against his own suggestions.
Wes sighed when she climbed out of bed. He rolled onto his back with a dramatic groan. The last thing on the planet he wanted to do was train. It was no secret he was a shit fighter. He’s won fights by sheer dumb luck and nothing more. He was lucky he survived at all. "So, you wanna train for this ’new leader’ who is probably a d-bag?" He asked, looking up at the ceiling.
Trinity opened her mouth to oppose his theory as the second boot battle began but he got in first.
"Or," he teased, shifting to his knees, bare ass out. He grabbed Trinity’s wrist and pulled her backwards onto the bed before she got her second boot on. Wes smiled down at her with a playful grin and brushed her golden hair behind her ear. "We could stay inside and keep each other warm," he whispered like it was a secret. "Sounds like a much more enjoyable rigorous activity."
Trinity laughed and had to smirk up at him. "You think just because you’re a little sex God and all so charming you can get out of anything, don’t you?" She teased back. "Although it is some great fine print you’ve found." She cupped his jaw and guided him in for a kiss where their lips met. "But no.” She booped his nose with a grin and left the bed for the second time.
He groaned when she pulled away, parting their lips and leaving him half puckered up in the bed. "Sex God?" he mused to himself with a proud smile. "Can I get that in writing? Maybe a plaque?"
"I want us to train," Trinity began her famous lecturing while retrieving that second boot once again.
Wes shifted so that he was sitting at the foot of the bed. "Mhmm," he acknowledged her as he hooked his index finger in the belt loop of her pants. With a little tug, he guided her back to him so she stood between his knees. His hand slowly ran along her backside, curved around her thigh, then slowly worked its way down. He grabbed that damned second boot, pulled it off and tossed it across the room.
"Because then we can flex our powers..." Trinity tried to resume the lecture, but he was also very distracting.
Wes spun her around to face him and pulled her close enough that her waist was right at eye height. Convenient. He held her gaze intently while his fingers worked untying the other boot. After getting her foot free, he threw the shoe aside, not paying it any mind. The corners of his mouth tugged into a mischievous grin. He leaned in and grabbed the button of her pants between his teeth. With one small jerk of his head they were unfastened.
"And umm…" whatever she was saying, she was losing sense of quickly. Her words became mumbled nonsense until they evolved into a happy little hum.
"Flexing our power is very important," he agreed, never looking away or breaking her gaze. Meanwhile, his hand inched the clothes right back down her legs. "But, first impressions are important, don’t you think?" Wes slowly stood up, allowing his lips to briefly brush against hers as they passed. "And when was the last time we showered?"
She tried very hard to keep her iron focus but it was faltering, faltering like her steady heart beat. "I… " she answered quietly without much thought. He could ask her what day it was at the moment and she wouldn’t know. All she knew was his touch excited her and he undid her pants with his teeth!
The tip of his thumb ran along the bottom of her shirt while his hand rested on her hip. "But, if you’d rather train…" he teased, grinning down at her with his charming little smile.
Trinity glared at him. If he wasn’t already naked, she’d rip his clothes off in a second. "We’re not training." She all but lunged on him.
When he wasn’t met with any objections, Wes grabbed a hold of the hem of her shirt. He waited for her to raise her arms, then pulled it over her head. He subtly stepped his left foot on her pants that rested around her ankles, then when he picked her up her feet easily slipped free. His arm hooked under her bottom to support her weight as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Even without his bionic arm, Wes managed to carry her to the bathroom with ease while being littered with kisses and nibbles. He lacked some of the finesse a second hand would give him, but still managed to get them both in the shower. He pressed Trinity’s back against the cool tile. "Mind getting the water?" he purred in her ear, then started trailing kisses along her jaw.
Trinity tilted her head for him and reached around blindly for the taps to start the cascade of water.
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18 days ago
After what felt like hours of talking but was only forty-five minutes, light lips pressed on his furrowed brow, and he was staring at a silver arrowhead necklace that his mother just gave him. There were tears rolling down his cheeks from all the pent up and frustrated emotions coursing through his system and he was honestly shocked into being quiet. It was a cold anger rushing through his veins and he knew his throat was going to be raw from screaming at her with all the emotions that have built up for the last twenty-one years.
There was a pure disassociation between his mind and body at this moment in time. One that he could only compare to when he was on different drugs while partying — except this was completely different — and he could feel the faint touches of feminine fingers and palms on his cheek. Artemis was saying something but he couldn’t absorb anything. No words rang out in his ears and nothing lasted in his mind. Internally, everything was screaming, and he felt so clouded that he wanted to throw up.
A sound between trying to speak and not wanting to bawl came out of him before the floodgates let loose once again. ‘This will guide you to camp Athens and keep you safe my son,’ was the last thing that he remembered her sweet voice saying to him before there was a wave of coldness and realization that he was alone. How long had he been alone and when did she leave? His free hand reached up to his face and his tears were dried, how long ago did he stop crying? She didn’t even give him a great explanation on why she wanted him to go to Camp Athens either.
‘I can’t do this…” the words escaped with a shaky breath and he noticed his whole body was in a cold sweat along with a light shaking. It was similar to the few times that he has had panic attacks in his lifetime. A dry swallow scratched at his throat and made it mildly ache. He needed something to drink.
Almost a week had passed and he was mourning everything that he knew because he knew he couldn’t take it with him and it wasn’t like he could tell anyone where he was going — he knew no one that hung around him truly cared — and he stood near his front door. His hiking boots were on, a utility backpack that had a few changes of clothes, hygiene products, a hunting knife, some parachute cord, a few other survival essentials, his guitar and all the money that he had in his account which was truly not much to begin with. It was weird, he paid off his existing rent, practically sold his apartment to a friend of a friend, and was ready to set off on this new adventure… this new life? What was this supposed to be referred to?
Nodding his head, he grabbed the door knob, and set out.
Sitting there in the airport, Anatoliy was almost limp and drained of energy as he thought about everything that could possibly happen. He was not one to be much of an over thinker though this whole situation didn’t give him any answers but gave him more questions — more what ifs? It felt like he was half conscious and he didn’t realize that he had Tetris pulled up and he was half mindlessly playing it until a lady was tapping his shoulder. ‘Young man can you put some earbuds in or turn your volume down?’
He jumped out of his skin at the contact but instantly settled, ‘O-ya-i’ he was trying to get the words out while the woman seemed shocked and startled as well. She was quick with her response, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.’
‘N-no, you are fine. I was just zoned out, that’s all,’ Anatoliy smiled lightly and he knew his smile probably showed his inner emotions more than anything. A softness came to the older woman’s face and she looked like she wanted to ask but knew better than to pry into a stranger's life. Without another word between the two of them, he muted his phone, and he curled into himself. Staring at the screen before shutting off his phone and putting it into his pocket with a sigh. Naturally, he leaned away from the woman, and practically hugged himself to soothe.
Barely awake to board the plane, he quickly found himself in his seat with his bag in between his legs, and leaning against the window of the plane. His mind continued to run its course and he finally grabbed his headphones and put them over his ears but he didn’t touch his phone to turn on any music. He just needed a little more silence. A sliver of peace… he wished that he had some kind of comfort in this moment. Tears began to sting at his eyes and they threatened to heat his cheeks. He was going to end up crying himself raw at this point but he didn’t know what else to do. There was no one in his life to support him in any way through this and the only person that would have stepped up and tried died years ago — his father.
Why can’t you be here? I need you… I need you so badly…
The tears began to roll down his face as he kept his lips pursed and tried his best to not make a single noise except his breathing was a bit heavier and inhaling through his nose was difficult from the emotions. The lump in his throat made his neck even more sore. Rubbing his face into his jacket’s arm and trying his best to hide away from the world.
A soft and almost polite shaking of his body woke him up and the dark eyes that were looking back at him looked concerned, confused, and her full lips parted, ‘Sir… the plane has landed,’ she softly spoke while giving him space.
‘Thank you,’ he whispered while looking around confused. ‘The plane has landed so I’m in… where?’ by the twisting of his face, he knew he looked like a lost idiot, but he had no idea where he was at the moment. He bought a ticket to Athens, Greece—
‘You landed in Athens International airport in Greece,’ she confirmed.
A small and forced smile that looked more genuine than it should showed on his face with a lingering bit of emotional pain, ‘Thank you. I appreciate it,” Anatoliy began to get up out of his seat, gathering all of his stuff, waving to the flight attendant, and making his way quickly off the plane. How long ago did the plane land? He was rubbing at his face and combing his fingers through his hair to try and cope with the confusion of waking up and the emotions that were still lingering in his mind and body. Allowing his headphones to fall around his neck and onto his shoulders as he walked through the large corridors that were packed with people.
Every step made his body echo out, it felt like his soul had left him, and he was zombified. Why couldn’t I have a normal family like most of my friends did? They had moms and dads… their parents were happy. Why did I have to get this? Why couldn’t someone else have got this instead of me? His thoughts were selfish and he knew they were, he honestly wouldn’t wish this on anyone, and he found himself standing in front of a large window while a plane was zooming down the runway to take off.
No one should have to go through this or anything similar — it’s a horrible existence — and Anatoliy stood there and thought for a while. His stomach growled and practically roared but his thoughts had control over his body and the thought about eating made him want to throw up. He didn’t know how long he stood there until he moved but it was at least an hour.
Sitting at a ramen shop that he found in the airport, he played with the noodles for some time before deciding to try and eat, and his body loosened up when food got into his mouth. Flavorful food at that. Practically scarfing down the noodles, Anatoliy didn’t realize how hungry he was, and that bowl quickly disappeared and he ordered more food. He was tempted to order the same thing but he wanted to try a few things on the menu, so he did just that. Eating about sixty-five dollars at the restaurant before paying, leaving a decent tip, and excusing himself.
A part of him was nervous to step out of the airport because that would make this journey more real than it has been for him. Standing at the main doors of the airport, he swayed a little from all the commotion around him, but he stared at the front doors with such a serious absence. His thoughts wandered as he considered the possibilities of turning back but he knew he couldn’t turn back, he got rid of everything, and that might have been him talking himself into listening to Artemis — his mom.
Closing his eyes to pretend he wasn’t where he was at the moment, to calm down, to think things through, and to let out a breath. Letting it out with a slowness that showed determination and a finalization in his decision. Anatoliy opened his eyes and moved for the front doors of the airport before exiting them into the brisk cold air. A light dusting of snow crunched under his feet which warmed him inside. This allowed each step forward to be easier and easier. His hand raised to his shirt collar, took out the silver arrowhead pendant, and he looked at it. ‘I hope you were telling me the truth, mom…” he whispered those words and the last word felt so unreal for him to say. He never had a mother figure and he understood why — his father had to give his only child his full attention and what woman would understand her possible future son being able to turn into animals? Maybe he will somehow make it up to his dad by joining this camp. Would his dad be proud of this decision? His eyes closed, this time he was able to control his emotions and no tears whelmed in his eyes, and his eyes opened back up so he could get moving.
He didn’t realize how tightly he was grabbing that pendant around his neck until he let it go and the sharper edges that were threatening his palm left lingering points that ached and tingled. As the pendant laid upon his shirt exposed, he continued to walk down the sidewalk, and this was where his journey would start on foot and most likely end on foot.
Anatoliy did not spend much time in the city that he landed in nor did he care too — his heart was aching to get out into the wilderness — with each movement, he went deeper into the forest, and he looked happier the further he went in. Waves of relaxation and calm washed over his body and he loved the sensation of being out in the wild. This was something he tried to forget, tried to ignore, and he hadn’t turned into a creature in almost a year or possibly two. He was trying his best to be normal even if that was a difficult thing to do.
The young man stayed bipedal and in his human form for the rest of the day until it began to cool down to an uncomfortable temperature for him. This was when he began to strip all of his gear and items off from him before standing in the nude, in middle of a forest, and the cold hair caused his skin to tighten and his lungs to inhale with a discomfort from the cold, and his body was trying to rapidly self regulate its own body temperature before he turned into a creature of the underbush. Stretching his dark paws and legs with a large toothy yawn. The thick layers of fur felt wonderful compared to naked human flesh. Colors of orange, auburn, creams, whites, browns, and blacks. He was a fluffy creature and dragged his stuff up beside a tree that had a hole near the base of it.
Crawling inside of the small wooden cave, he squeezed himself in, and he curled up before getting comfortable. The thick fur that his non-human body sported was like a natural bed. A soft cloud and his body relaxed so much that there was a light content purr coming from him as he drifted off into sleep.
Waking up was a whole different story as he found himself so comfortable that he didn’t want to move a muscle. All of the heat that was trapped in the stump’s cavity tempted him to stay there. His weight began to shift and his head flopped onto some of the fluff of his own body as he considered what he should be doing right now — did he have to rush to camp Athens? Probably not. His mother didn’t make it sound urgent in any capacity but she wanted him to go there. These thoughts caused him to turn his head back into his chest and his poofy tri-colored tail to fall over his face to block out the possible light before falling back asleep.
It was about an hour before noon as he walked through the woods while playing with the silver arrowhead pendant that his mother gave him. It made his heart feel like he should know exactly where he was going and he was following it — hopefully to the camp. Adjusting the collar of his shirt a little and the bag on his back, he kept wandering through the terrain, and admiring the beautiful scenery. He wondered how many people would never go this deep into the forests and appreciate the secluded sights.
About two in the afternoon, he sat by a frigid source of water and started a fire. Sitting on a log and enjoying the warmth, he looked around, and noticed there was a faint snowfall, but he didn’t mind the weather at all. Any type of weather didn’t bother him — he loved rainy thunderstorms that kept you inside or you could dance around in the puddles like a child. He appreciated the snow storms that trapped you inside so you could stay snuggled in bed all day and it was even better when you were not alone and someone you cared about could be in your arms. The sunny days that allowed you to bask out in the sun or adventure throughout the world were great too. Even the hot days where you had to spend most of your time at the lake was fun for him even if he was sweating from doing nothing.
Sitting by the fire and making an emergency meal, Anatoliy was humming to himself, and his stormy blue eyes wandered around the forest. He wondered if there were other children at the camp like him and that sparked a dreadful pressure all over his body. It blanketed him. It made him lose his appetite as he zoned out for an unknown amount of time but enough to realize that the emergency pack was charring up. “Oh shit!” Anatoliy went to reach for the bag before the flames threatened to burn him. “Awah~” he panicked before reaching over for a stick and moving the bag out of the fire and covering it with snow. Everything sounded like it was sizzling and the snow was melting from the heat.
Once the item cooled down to his touch, he fished it from the snow, and began to open it. It was a rice based meal with a lack of seasonings or anything else but it did have nutritious components. That was all that mattered, right? Anatoliy lifted the packet and jiggled it a bit with his mouth open. Repeating this process until it was all gone and that meant it was time to move on.
Covering up the fire with snow and making sure it was out and cool to the touch, no hot coals or anything else, allowed Anatoliy to move on from the spot and wander forward. At least wherever the silver arrowhead pendant was leading him to. Sometimes the thought crossed his mind that he was listening to a crazy lady and he was on a drug trip. That this could not be real yet he knew in his heart it was.
How long was it supposed to take to get to this camp? He must have been on day two or three — he started losing track after sleeping as a fox but he knew that was day one. Again, he found himself in a position of having to find another bed though he wanted to think for a minute — lifting his hand up and counting how many times he has had to sleep on this journey. This was the third time. The third night. Did he somehow get turned around? Nothing looked familiar or called out to him except the necklace urged his heart to go in certain directions. He shook his head and found a pile of brush around a fallen tree. Setting his stuff beside it, he began to take off his shirt again, and got undressed. He knew how his abilities worked — change into something bigger, your clothes rip, and change into something smaller than you are usually stuck in your clothes. It was freezing cold. Middle of winter and getting undressed in the middle of the woods was not an ideal thing to do but it was better than sleeping as a human in the middle of the woods that was for sure.
This time, he did not turn into the fluffy red creature of the undergrowth, and he chose something smaller. Not that much smaller. He was fluffy and white. His little brown nose twitched, his ears twisted, and his cottontail fidgeted for a minute before he got to digging into the snow. Anatoliy dug and dug until there was a secure burrow just for him under the log. Then he plopped down and laid there, it was warming up naturally, but he couldn’t help to think it was so cold without anyone else around. He missed people. Back home, he had friends, and people he could cuddle and socialize with — now he was on night three of a lonely adventure that he wasn’t even sure about.
When he woke up, he was startled, and he wasn’t alone in the little burrow that he dug in the snow. “Who are you?” Anatoliy asked while looking at the tiny creature that was on the other side of the burrow.
It looked startled, “I’m Ip,” it replied with a shakiness.
“You look terrified, Ip,” Anatoliy started to move around.
“There is a large creature out there,” Ip explained.
Anatoliy perked up to look out of the hole, “I don’t —” he ducked back into the burrow. “There is a large creature out there,” he found amusement in it because it was a large bird. If he was his human-self, the bird would surely fly away in fear, but he would also terrify Ip as well.
“Ip, this might be hard to understand, but I’m not a rabbit,” he explained.
“What’s a wabbit?” Ip asked.
“Well…” Anatoliy didn’t know how to explain this to the little Vole that was in the burrow. “Have you ever seen those gigantic things that stand on two legs?” he asked.
“Giants? Do you mean those things that are tall and only have fur on their heads and faces?”
“Yes! One of those,” Anatoliy got excited.
“I have seen one or two before, they all look the same,” Ip explained. “They don’t watch where they go and they cause my burrows and things to collapse!”
Anatoliy’s eyes brightened, “Well, I am sorry that they do that to you but I am one of those things. And I can scare that bird away for you, if I turn into one, would that be okay?”
Ip seemed to be confused, “What?”
“I can turn into a giant,” Anatoliy explained. “Just don’t freak out and bite me once I do, okay?”
“Okay…”
The young man hopped out of the burrow before turning into a human and the bird instantly hid in a tree. “Hey! Stop bothering Ip! I saw you! Now shoo, go find something else to bother!” Anatoliy shouted while grabbing his clothes.
“I found the little rodent first. Twitchy, squeaky, and oh-so-soft. It is mine!” the crow cawed at him. “If you give the little thing to me. I will give you the tail. Courtesy~ from yours truly,” the bird began clicking its beak.
Anatoliy started getting dressed, “No, I will not give you Ip and I will not keep his tail. Get out of here!” the young man shouted again while getting fully dressed and reaching down and into the burrow. “Ip, don’t worry. I won’t hurt you,” he reassured the creature while bringing him out safely in his hands. “I won’t let that crow get you, okay?” Ip was shaking like a miniature vibrator in his hands and Anatoliy brought him close to his chest to keep him warm.
“Ohhh, touchy, are we? Fine, fine… no tail for you!” the raspy voice echoed out into the woods while Anatoliy looked back up to the trees to spot the dark creature.
He could see the crows head twitching and him moving on the branch that he was, “But… you named it Ip?” The crows head twitched from side to side with curiosity, “That makes it harder.” The crows' voice sounded as if it had to think about any of this. He paused, clicking his beak, and seeming to be thinking. “Still going to eat him!” The crow's wings spread and he came flying down at Anatoliy.
“Get back!” Anatoliy swatted at the crow before slipping Ip into an inner pocket of his jacket. “I will hurt you!” he threatened while waving his hand and that caused the crow to swoop away to a lower branch.
“Nature’s a beast and you are one of the beastly of it all! I am playing my part. Now stay out of it!” the crow screeched.
Anatoliy screamed back, like a roar that echoed through the forest. “And I am a part of nature just like you and it is my nature to help things. Now you go away and leave us alone,” Anatoliy grabbed all of his stuff and started walking away.
The scream seemed to be off putting to the crow, “You better watch that little Ip of yours,” he said before flapping his wings and flying off.
The man shook his head, “Birds can be so annoying,” he mumbled to himself as he pulled Ip out of his pocket and brought him up to his face. “I’m sorry for shoving you into my pocket but I wanted to make sure he couldn’t grab you. Are you okay?” he asked with a smile.
“I am, thank you,” Ip seemed to have calmed down but was still nervous.
“Well, I am glad, is there somewhere you want me to put you so he can’t get you?” Anatoliy asked while continuing to walk.
Ip seemed to look around, “I have nowhere to go. That crow ripped up my home trying to get me,” the little rodent explained.
“How about you travel with me?” the young man smiled. “Would you like that?”
“Sure!” Ip seemed excited.
It was the next day and he was on the road again… the trail… and he honestly started believing that the necklace was a scam, the woman was fucking nuts, and that he was even more insane for believing anything that she said. His headphones were on while he walked through the forest and humming to himself, “I don’t wanna call it off!”
“I’m cliche, who cares? It’s a sexually explicit kind of love affair!” Anatoliy spun in a circle before continuing to vibe on his walk. Dancing while swaying his shoulders and hips back and forth while walking and moving his arms in the air with simple gestures close to him so he wasn’t going crazy with his movements. He was having an innocent time on his multi-day adventure.
“Because we are living in a material world! And I am a material girl!” at this point he was honestly singing and dancing because he could feel the pinching anxiety at his ribs. The swelling in his chest and throat — he wanted to sit down in the middle of this frigid forest and cry some more. He was thinking about all the times that he went hiking with his dad and hung out in the woods. How he was listening to some woman that came to him over twenty years after he was born claiming to be his mom. It caused him to stop and sniffle as his thoughts were really winding up in his mind.
Anatoliy found himself by a creek that wasn’t completely frozen over in spots, the river was fighting to stay alive and unhidden from the weather, and he sat there on the rocky shore. His knees pulled up against his chest and his forehead resting on his forearms and knees. “What the fuck am I doing out here?” he asked himself with so much defeat.
“I should go back home…” he mumbled to himself while trying not to cry. This was so difficult. He wanted to listen to his mother — or who claimed to be — and she did prove to not be human. That was the wild thing. She turned into an animal right before him and he was still having difficulty believing that any of this was real. Maybe the occasional drug usage was catching up to him? Maybe he should stop partying… it really never did much for him anyways except give him wicked hangovers the next day. No one ever stayed. Nothing good ever came from any of the house parties he hosted or attended. Clubs were even a wilder story.
“You’ve been with me for a whole day. Aren’t you getting bored?” the man asked while holding the little creature out in front of him. Anatoliy stopped to eat dinner and allowed Ip to run around and eat something. He enjoyed the company but he was surprised the vole didn’t want to run off and do something else. “I mean…” he paused while looking around and sitting by the fire he made. “I guess it could be fun to travel with a giant like me,” he smiled a little and let Ip down on the snow. Ip moved to the top of the hiking boots that Anatoliy was wearing.
Ip looked up at him, “I have enjoyed traveling and you protect me from that nasty thing,” the creature replied with some enthusiasm.
Anatoliy smiled, “That creature is called a crow. Well, humans call them crows. They are a type of bird,” he explained.
“I do not care for crows,” Ip responded back.
“I don’t care for that crow. He was kind of a douchebag,” he let out a laugh while taking the fire stick and poking at the flames. “I think we will stay here for tonight. It’s not much use for me to continue. I’m tired and I think I have only a day more to travel, if I am understanding this necklace properly,” Anatoliy continued to speak to Ip while staring into the flames.
Ip moved around, “Is that my cue to go?”
“Oh! No! You don’t have to go. I’ll take you to camp and you can live with me or by where I live. I bet you would enjoy dirt more than a house,” Anatoliy focused back on Ip.
“Dirt?”
“Dirt, dirt is the stuff under the snow. Where you live,” Anatoliy explained. “It's interesting how you can speak so clearly and not understand what dirt is. Have you heard humans talk before?”
“I’ve heard the crows say what gi—humans say,” Ip explained.
The man nodded his head in understanding, “That makes sense. They are smart little buggers,” Anatoliy scooped Ip up and put him on his bent knee while moving the fire around.
Before Anatoliy got anywhere near the camp, he decided that it would be a good thing if he washed up, and made himself presentable. It was going to be freezing cold though he was feeling disgusting as well. And he didn't know if the camp had those types of luxuries anyways — plus, what if he ran into someone when approaching the gate? He couldn’t stand beside them confidently while smelling like a muskrat.
Walking up to a body of water that was frozen over, Anatoliy worked on kicking the ice in before stripping down, and getting into the cold water. He hated the feeling at first but relaxed into it — it’s not like he wasn’t used to this. He participated in saunas and ice baths and went in between the two all the time. It was healthy after working out or just to rejuvenate. Still a shaky breath came out as he could see his breath and he hugged himself at first. Once adjusted, he was able to grab a bar of soap that smells like lilacs and sweet grass from his bag and washed himself completely.
Once out of the water, he turned into an animal and shook his coat off, and turned back into a human before grabbing a fresh pair of clothing. Anatoliy put on a pair of dusky gray work pants, a brown belt, and a faded tan shirt. Put new socks on and put his boots back on before slipping into his coat and putting a hat on. He looked like someone that belonged out in the woods with what he was wearing now. It was way more comfortable than the stuff he was traveling in for the past couple of days. Then he set off with the warming silver arrowhead pendant in the center of his chest.
Finally, Anatoliy had made it to the entrance of the camp and he found himself dreadfully staring at the front gates. A fear blanketed over his body, one that he didn’t expect himself to have, and there was a ball of emotion caught in his throat. He wanted to vocalize something… anything at all…
The only thing that he could get out was a breathy sound that didn’t indicate how he was truly feeling as he stared at the gates and wall around the camp. Maybe he should turn around? This wasn’t the right place, was it? There were so many different thoughts racing through his mind because he was hoping the camp was false. That the woman that turned into an animal in front of him to prove herself was lying. Maybe a piece of him hoped that he was on a horrible drug trip but the aching feeling in his stomach proved to him that this was real, too real.
Inhaling sharply, he could feel his whole body shake and shiver on exhale, “I…” he finally got out something but it was only a vowel. Everything felt like it was overloading his system — every little creak from a tree and the lightest crunching of snow made him want to cover his ears. Every decaying scent of winter made him want to gag out in response. His body was being overloaded with stress and uncertainty and none of this showed on his face. A blank expression that almost looked terrified but was too neutral to really emphasize anything at all.
It would be too real if he walked forward and entered the gates, “I can’t…” he whispered to himself and he was hoping that Ip could hear him too. Probably not. The rodent was sleeping in his coat pocket and snuggled up in warmth and safety. All the different fears were surging inside of him and it was coursing through his veins.
“What would dad think if he saw me now? Probably would agree with everyone else and think I finally kicked the bucket on my mental health…” Anatoliy glanced to the winter wonderland behind him before looking at the gates again. The necklace that his mot— Artemis gave him was heated up and telling his heart that this was the place to be. That he was needed here or wanted or something. It was something that was for sure. Something that he couldn’t place but he knew his curiosity was getting the best of him.
Rubbing at his face while his thoughts were racing, he was wondering what he should do, because he was having doubts. He was starting to wish he never came on this adventure, that he ignored the woman that showed up in his life, and he kept living his best life. It would have been better if he stayed in his apartment and ignored her. Now he was standing in the middle of nowhere and hating the decisions that he had made. It wasn’t regret but it was almost to that point. “Fuck…” a hand began to comb through his hair, “What do I do?”
There was a pure disassociation between his mind and body at this moment in time. One that he could only compare to when he was on different drugs while partying — except this was completely different — and he could feel the faint touches of feminine fingers and palms on his cheek. Artemis was saying something but he couldn’t absorb anything. No words rang out in his ears and nothing lasted in his mind. Internally, everything was screaming, and he felt so clouded that he wanted to throw up.
A sound between trying to speak and not wanting to bawl came out of him before the floodgates let loose once again. ‘This will guide you to camp Athens and keep you safe my son,’ was the last thing that he remembered her sweet voice saying to him before there was a wave of coldness and realization that he was alone. How long had he been alone and when did she leave? His free hand reached up to his face and his tears were dried, how long ago did he stop crying? She didn’t even give him a great explanation on why she wanted him to go to Camp Athens either.
‘I can’t do this…” the words escaped with a shaky breath and he noticed his whole body was in a cold sweat along with a light shaking. It was similar to the few times that he has had panic attacks in his lifetime. A dry swallow scratched at his throat and made it mildly ache. He needed something to drink.
Almost a week had passed and he was mourning everything that he knew because he knew he couldn’t take it with him and it wasn’t like he could tell anyone where he was going — he knew no one that hung around him truly cared — and he stood near his front door. His hiking boots were on, a utility backpack that had a few changes of clothes, hygiene products, a hunting knife, some parachute cord, a few other survival essentials, his guitar and all the money that he had in his account which was truly not much to begin with. It was weird, he paid off his existing rent, practically sold his apartment to a friend of a friend, and was ready to set off on this new adventure… this new life? What was this supposed to be referred to?
Nodding his head, he grabbed the door knob, and set out.
Sitting there in the airport, Anatoliy was almost limp and drained of energy as he thought about everything that could possibly happen. He was not one to be much of an over thinker though this whole situation didn’t give him any answers but gave him more questions — more what ifs? It felt like he was half conscious and he didn’t realize that he had Tetris pulled up and he was half mindlessly playing it until a lady was tapping his shoulder. ‘Young man can you put some earbuds in or turn your volume down?’
He jumped out of his skin at the contact but instantly settled, ‘O-ya-i’ he was trying to get the words out while the woman seemed shocked and startled as well. She was quick with her response, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.’
‘N-no, you are fine. I was just zoned out, that’s all,’ Anatoliy smiled lightly and he knew his smile probably showed his inner emotions more than anything. A softness came to the older woman’s face and she looked like she wanted to ask but knew better than to pry into a stranger's life. Without another word between the two of them, he muted his phone, and he curled into himself. Staring at the screen before shutting off his phone and putting it into his pocket with a sigh. Naturally, he leaned away from the woman, and practically hugged himself to soothe.
Barely awake to board the plane, he quickly found himself in his seat with his bag in between his legs, and leaning against the window of the plane. His mind continued to run its course and he finally grabbed his headphones and put them over his ears but he didn’t touch his phone to turn on any music. He just needed a little more silence. A sliver of peace… he wished that he had some kind of comfort in this moment. Tears began to sting at his eyes and they threatened to heat his cheeks. He was going to end up crying himself raw at this point but he didn’t know what else to do. There was no one in his life to support him in any way through this and the only person that would have stepped up and tried died years ago — his father.
Why can’t you be here? I need you… I need you so badly…
The tears began to roll down his face as he kept his lips pursed and tried his best to not make a single noise except his breathing was a bit heavier and inhaling through his nose was difficult from the emotions. The lump in his throat made his neck even more sore. Rubbing his face into his jacket’s arm and trying his best to hide away from the world.
A soft and almost polite shaking of his body woke him up and the dark eyes that were looking back at him looked concerned, confused, and her full lips parted, ‘Sir… the plane has landed,’ she softly spoke while giving him space.
‘Thank you,’ he whispered while looking around confused. ‘The plane has landed so I’m in… where?’ by the twisting of his face, he knew he looked like a lost idiot, but he had no idea where he was at the moment. He bought a ticket to Athens, Greece—
‘You landed in Athens International airport in Greece,’ she confirmed.
A small and forced smile that looked more genuine than it should showed on his face with a lingering bit of emotional pain, ‘Thank you. I appreciate it,” Anatoliy began to get up out of his seat, gathering all of his stuff, waving to the flight attendant, and making his way quickly off the plane. How long ago did the plane land? He was rubbing at his face and combing his fingers through his hair to try and cope with the confusion of waking up and the emotions that were still lingering in his mind and body. Allowing his headphones to fall around his neck and onto his shoulders as he walked through the large corridors that were packed with people.
Every step made his body echo out, it felt like his soul had left him, and he was zombified. Why couldn’t I have a normal family like most of my friends did? They had moms and dads… their parents were happy. Why did I have to get this? Why couldn’t someone else have got this instead of me? His thoughts were selfish and he knew they were, he honestly wouldn’t wish this on anyone, and he found himself standing in front of a large window while a plane was zooming down the runway to take off.
No one should have to go through this or anything similar — it’s a horrible existence — and Anatoliy stood there and thought for a while. His stomach growled and practically roared but his thoughts had control over his body and the thought about eating made him want to throw up. He didn’t know how long he stood there until he moved but it was at least an hour.
Sitting at a ramen shop that he found in the airport, he played with the noodles for some time before deciding to try and eat, and his body loosened up when food got into his mouth. Flavorful food at that. Practically scarfing down the noodles, Anatoliy didn’t realize how hungry he was, and that bowl quickly disappeared and he ordered more food. He was tempted to order the same thing but he wanted to try a few things on the menu, so he did just that. Eating about sixty-five dollars at the restaurant before paying, leaving a decent tip, and excusing himself.
A part of him was nervous to step out of the airport because that would make this journey more real than it has been for him. Standing at the main doors of the airport, he swayed a little from all the commotion around him, but he stared at the front doors with such a serious absence. His thoughts wandered as he considered the possibilities of turning back but he knew he couldn’t turn back, he got rid of everything, and that might have been him talking himself into listening to Artemis — his mom.
Closing his eyes to pretend he wasn’t where he was at the moment, to calm down, to think things through, and to let out a breath. Letting it out with a slowness that showed determination and a finalization in his decision. Anatoliy opened his eyes and moved for the front doors of the airport before exiting them into the brisk cold air. A light dusting of snow crunched under his feet which warmed him inside. This allowed each step forward to be easier and easier. His hand raised to his shirt collar, took out the silver arrowhead pendant, and he looked at it. ‘I hope you were telling me the truth, mom…” he whispered those words and the last word felt so unreal for him to say. He never had a mother figure and he understood why — his father had to give his only child his full attention and what woman would understand her possible future son being able to turn into animals? Maybe he will somehow make it up to his dad by joining this camp. Would his dad be proud of this decision? His eyes closed, this time he was able to control his emotions and no tears whelmed in his eyes, and his eyes opened back up so he could get moving.
He didn’t realize how tightly he was grabbing that pendant around his neck until he let it go and the sharper edges that were threatening his palm left lingering points that ached and tingled. As the pendant laid upon his shirt exposed, he continued to walk down the sidewalk, and this was where his journey would start on foot and most likely end on foot.
Anatoliy did not spend much time in the city that he landed in nor did he care too — his heart was aching to get out into the wilderness — with each movement, he went deeper into the forest, and he looked happier the further he went in. Waves of relaxation and calm washed over his body and he loved the sensation of being out in the wild. This was something he tried to forget, tried to ignore, and he hadn’t turned into a creature in almost a year or possibly two. He was trying his best to be normal even if that was a difficult thing to do.
The young man stayed bipedal and in his human form for the rest of the day until it began to cool down to an uncomfortable temperature for him. This was when he began to strip all of his gear and items off from him before standing in the nude, in middle of a forest, and the cold hair caused his skin to tighten and his lungs to inhale with a discomfort from the cold, and his body was trying to rapidly self regulate its own body temperature before he turned into a creature of the underbush. Stretching his dark paws and legs with a large toothy yawn. The thick layers of fur felt wonderful compared to naked human flesh. Colors of orange, auburn, creams, whites, browns, and blacks. He was a fluffy creature and dragged his stuff up beside a tree that had a hole near the base of it.
Crawling inside of the small wooden cave, he squeezed himself in, and he curled up before getting comfortable. The thick fur that his non-human body sported was like a natural bed. A soft cloud and his body relaxed so much that there was a light content purr coming from him as he drifted off into sleep.
Waking up was a whole different story as he found himself so comfortable that he didn’t want to move a muscle. All of the heat that was trapped in the stump’s cavity tempted him to stay there. His weight began to shift and his head flopped onto some of the fluff of his own body as he considered what he should be doing right now — did he have to rush to camp Athens? Probably not. His mother didn’t make it sound urgent in any capacity but she wanted him to go there. These thoughts caused him to turn his head back into his chest and his poofy tri-colored tail to fall over his face to block out the possible light before falling back asleep.
It was about an hour before noon as he walked through the woods while playing with the silver arrowhead pendant that his mother gave him. It made his heart feel like he should know exactly where he was going and he was following it — hopefully to the camp. Adjusting the collar of his shirt a little and the bag on his back, he kept wandering through the terrain, and admiring the beautiful scenery. He wondered how many people would never go this deep into the forests and appreciate the secluded sights.
About two in the afternoon, he sat by a frigid source of water and started a fire. Sitting on a log and enjoying the warmth, he looked around, and noticed there was a faint snowfall, but he didn’t mind the weather at all. Any type of weather didn’t bother him — he loved rainy thunderstorms that kept you inside or you could dance around in the puddles like a child. He appreciated the snow storms that trapped you inside so you could stay snuggled in bed all day and it was even better when you were not alone and someone you cared about could be in your arms. The sunny days that allowed you to bask out in the sun or adventure throughout the world were great too. Even the hot days where you had to spend most of your time at the lake was fun for him even if he was sweating from doing nothing.
Sitting by the fire and making an emergency meal, Anatoliy was humming to himself, and his stormy blue eyes wandered around the forest. He wondered if there were other children at the camp like him and that sparked a dreadful pressure all over his body. It blanketed him. It made him lose his appetite as he zoned out for an unknown amount of time but enough to realize that the emergency pack was charring up. “Oh shit!” Anatoliy went to reach for the bag before the flames threatened to burn him. “Awah~” he panicked before reaching over for a stick and moving the bag out of the fire and covering it with snow. Everything sounded like it was sizzling and the snow was melting from the heat.
Once the item cooled down to his touch, he fished it from the snow, and began to open it. It was a rice based meal with a lack of seasonings or anything else but it did have nutritious components. That was all that mattered, right? Anatoliy lifted the packet and jiggled it a bit with his mouth open. Repeating this process until it was all gone and that meant it was time to move on.
Covering up the fire with snow and making sure it was out and cool to the touch, no hot coals or anything else, allowed Anatoliy to move on from the spot and wander forward. At least wherever the silver arrowhead pendant was leading him to. Sometimes the thought crossed his mind that he was listening to a crazy lady and he was on a drug trip. That this could not be real yet he knew in his heart it was.
How long was it supposed to take to get to this camp? He must have been on day two or three — he started losing track after sleeping as a fox but he knew that was day one. Again, he found himself in a position of having to find another bed though he wanted to think for a minute — lifting his hand up and counting how many times he has had to sleep on this journey. This was the third time. The third night. Did he somehow get turned around? Nothing looked familiar or called out to him except the necklace urged his heart to go in certain directions. He shook his head and found a pile of brush around a fallen tree. Setting his stuff beside it, he began to take off his shirt again, and got undressed. He knew how his abilities worked — change into something bigger, your clothes rip, and change into something smaller than you are usually stuck in your clothes. It was freezing cold. Middle of winter and getting undressed in the middle of the woods was not an ideal thing to do but it was better than sleeping as a human in the middle of the woods that was for sure.
This time, he did not turn into the fluffy red creature of the undergrowth, and he chose something smaller. Not that much smaller. He was fluffy and white. His little brown nose twitched, his ears twisted, and his cottontail fidgeted for a minute before he got to digging into the snow. Anatoliy dug and dug until there was a secure burrow just for him under the log. Then he plopped down and laid there, it was warming up naturally, but he couldn’t help to think it was so cold without anyone else around. He missed people. Back home, he had friends, and people he could cuddle and socialize with — now he was on night three of a lonely adventure that he wasn’t even sure about.
When he woke up, he was startled, and he wasn’t alone in the little burrow that he dug in the snow. “Who are you?” Anatoliy asked while looking at the tiny creature that was on the other side of the burrow.
It looked startled, “I’m Ip,” it replied with a shakiness.
“You look terrified, Ip,” Anatoliy started to move around.
“There is a large creature out there,” Ip explained.
Anatoliy perked up to look out of the hole, “I don’t —” he ducked back into the burrow. “There is a large creature out there,” he found amusement in it because it was a large bird. If he was his human-self, the bird would surely fly away in fear, but he would also terrify Ip as well.
“Ip, this might be hard to understand, but I’m not a rabbit,” he explained.
“What’s a wabbit?” Ip asked.
“Well…” Anatoliy didn’t know how to explain this to the little Vole that was in the burrow. “Have you ever seen those gigantic things that stand on two legs?” he asked.
“Giants? Do you mean those things that are tall and only have fur on their heads and faces?”
“Yes! One of those,” Anatoliy got excited.
“I have seen one or two before, they all look the same,” Ip explained. “They don’t watch where they go and they cause my burrows and things to collapse!”
Anatoliy’s eyes brightened, “Well, I am sorry that they do that to you but I am one of those things. And I can scare that bird away for you, if I turn into one, would that be okay?”
Ip seemed to be confused, “What?”
“I can turn into a giant,” Anatoliy explained. “Just don’t freak out and bite me once I do, okay?”
“Okay…”
The young man hopped out of the burrow before turning into a human and the bird instantly hid in a tree. “Hey! Stop bothering Ip! I saw you! Now shoo, go find something else to bother!” Anatoliy shouted while grabbing his clothes.
“I found the little rodent first. Twitchy, squeaky, and oh-so-soft. It is mine!” the crow cawed at him. “If you give the little thing to me. I will give you the tail. Courtesy~ from yours truly,” the bird began clicking its beak.
Anatoliy started getting dressed, “No, I will not give you Ip and I will not keep his tail. Get out of here!” the young man shouted again while getting fully dressed and reaching down and into the burrow. “Ip, don’t worry. I won’t hurt you,” he reassured the creature while bringing him out safely in his hands. “I won’t let that crow get you, okay?” Ip was shaking like a miniature vibrator in his hands and Anatoliy brought him close to his chest to keep him warm.
“Ohhh, touchy, are we? Fine, fine… no tail for you!” the raspy voice echoed out into the woods while Anatoliy looked back up to the trees to spot the dark creature.
He could see the crows head twitching and him moving on the branch that he was, “But… you named it Ip?” The crows head twitched from side to side with curiosity, “That makes it harder.” The crows' voice sounded as if it had to think about any of this. He paused, clicking his beak, and seeming to be thinking. “Still going to eat him!” The crow's wings spread and he came flying down at Anatoliy.
“Get back!” Anatoliy swatted at the crow before slipping Ip into an inner pocket of his jacket. “I will hurt you!” he threatened while waving his hand and that caused the crow to swoop away to a lower branch.
“Nature’s a beast and you are one of the beastly of it all! I am playing my part. Now stay out of it!” the crow screeched.
Anatoliy screamed back, like a roar that echoed through the forest. “And I am a part of nature just like you and it is my nature to help things. Now you go away and leave us alone,” Anatoliy grabbed all of his stuff and started walking away.
The scream seemed to be off putting to the crow, “You better watch that little Ip of yours,” he said before flapping his wings and flying off.
The man shook his head, “Birds can be so annoying,” he mumbled to himself as he pulled Ip out of his pocket and brought him up to his face. “I’m sorry for shoving you into my pocket but I wanted to make sure he couldn’t grab you. Are you okay?” he asked with a smile.
“I am, thank you,” Ip seemed to have calmed down but was still nervous.
“Well, I am glad, is there somewhere you want me to put you so he can’t get you?” Anatoliy asked while continuing to walk.
Ip seemed to look around, “I have nowhere to go. That crow ripped up my home trying to get me,” the little rodent explained.
“How about you travel with me?” the young man smiled. “Would you like that?”
“Sure!” Ip seemed excited.
It was the next day and he was on the road again… the trail… and he honestly started believing that the necklace was a scam, the woman was fucking nuts, and that he was even more insane for believing anything that she said. His headphones were on while he walked through the forest and humming to himself, “I don’t wanna call it off!”
“I’m cliche, who cares? It’s a sexually explicit kind of love affair!” Anatoliy spun in a circle before continuing to vibe on his walk. Dancing while swaying his shoulders and hips back and forth while walking and moving his arms in the air with simple gestures close to him so he wasn’t going crazy with his movements. He was having an innocent time on his multi-day adventure.
“Because we are living in a material world! And I am a material girl!” at this point he was honestly singing and dancing because he could feel the pinching anxiety at his ribs. The swelling in his chest and throat — he wanted to sit down in the middle of this frigid forest and cry some more. He was thinking about all the times that he went hiking with his dad and hung out in the woods. How he was listening to some woman that came to him over twenty years after he was born claiming to be his mom. It caused him to stop and sniffle as his thoughts were really winding up in his mind.
Anatoliy found himself by a creek that wasn’t completely frozen over in spots, the river was fighting to stay alive and unhidden from the weather, and he sat there on the rocky shore. His knees pulled up against his chest and his forehead resting on his forearms and knees. “What the fuck am I doing out here?” he asked himself with so much defeat.
“I should go back home…” he mumbled to himself while trying not to cry. This was so difficult. He wanted to listen to his mother — or who claimed to be — and she did prove to not be human. That was the wild thing. She turned into an animal right before him and he was still having difficulty believing that any of this was real. Maybe the occasional drug usage was catching up to him? Maybe he should stop partying… it really never did much for him anyways except give him wicked hangovers the next day. No one ever stayed. Nothing good ever came from any of the house parties he hosted or attended. Clubs were even a wilder story.
“You’ve been with me for a whole day. Aren’t you getting bored?” the man asked while holding the little creature out in front of him. Anatoliy stopped to eat dinner and allowed Ip to run around and eat something. He enjoyed the company but he was surprised the vole didn’t want to run off and do something else. “I mean…” he paused while looking around and sitting by the fire he made. “I guess it could be fun to travel with a giant like me,” he smiled a little and let Ip down on the snow. Ip moved to the top of the hiking boots that Anatoliy was wearing.
Ip looked up at him, “I have enjoyed traveling and you protect me from that nasty thing,” the creature replied with some enthusiasm.
Anatoliy smiled, “That creature is called a crow. Well, humans call them crows. They are a type of bird,” he explained.
“I do not care for crows,” Ip responded back.
“I don’t care for that crow. He was kind of a douchebag,” he let out a laugh while taking the fire stick and poking at the flames. “I think we will stay here for tonight. It’s not much use for me to continue. I’m tired and I think I have only a day more to travel, if I am understanding this necklace properly,” Anatoliy continued to speak to Ip while staring into the flames.
Ip moved around, “Is that my cue to go?”
“Oh! No! You don’t have to go. I’ll take you to camp and you can live with me or by where I live. I bet you would enjoy dirt more than a house,” Anatoliy focused back on Ip.
“Dirt?”
“Dirt, dirt is the stuff under the snow. Where you live,” Anatoliy explained. “It's interesting how you can speak so clearly and not understand what dirt is. Have you heard humans talk before?”
“I’ve heard the crows say what gi—humans say,” Ip explained.
The man nodded his head in understanding, “That makes sense. They are smart little buggers,” Anatoliy scooped Ip up and put him on his bent knee while moving the fire around.
Before Anatoliy got anywhere near the camp, he decided that it would be a good thing if he washed up, and made himself presentable. It was going to be freezing cold though he was feeling disgusting as well. And he didn't know if the camp had those types of luxuries anyways — plus, what if he ran into someone when approaching the gate? He couldn’t stand beside them confidently while smelling like a muskrat.
Walking up to a body of water that was frozen over, Anatoliy worked on kicking the ice in before stripping down, and getting into the cold water. He hated the feeling at first but relaxed into it — it’s not like he wasn’t used to this. He participated in saunas and ice baths and went in between the two all the time. It was healthy after working out or just to rejuvenate. Still a shaky breath came out as he could see his breath and he hugged himself at first. Once adjusted, he was able to grab a bar of soap that smells like lilacs and sweet grass from his bag and washed himself completely.
Once out of the water, he turned into an animal and shook his coat off, and turned back into a human before grabbing a fresh pair of clothing. Anatoliy put on a pair of dusky gray work pants, a brown belt, and a faded tan shirt. Put new socks on and put his boots back on before slipping into his coat and putting a hat on. He looked like someone that belonged out in the woods with what he was wearing now. It was way more comfortable than the stuff he was traveling in for the past couple of days. Then he set off with the warming silver arrowhead pendant in the center of his chest.
Finally, Anatoliy had made it to the entrance of the camp and he found himself dreadfully staring at the front gates. A fear blanketed over his body, one that he didn’t expect himself to have, and there was a ball of emotion caught in his throat. He wanted to vocalize something… anything at all…
The only thing that he could get out was a breathy sound that didn’t indicate how he was truly feeling as he stared at the gates and wall around the camp. Maybe he should turn around? This wasn’t the right place, was it? There were so many different thoughts racing through his mind because he was hoping the camp was false. That the woman that turned into an animal in front of him to prove herself was lying. Maybe a piece of him hoped that he was on a horrible drug trip but the aching feeling in his stomach proved to him that this was real, too real.
Inhaling sharply, he could feel his whole body shake and shiver on exhale, “I…” he finally got out something but it was only a vowel. Everything felt like it was overloading his system — every little creak from a tree and the lightest crunching of snow made him want to cover his ears. Every decaying scent of winter made him want to gag out in response. His body was being overloaded with stress and uncertainty and none of this showed on his face. A blank expression that almost looked terrified but was too neutral to really emphasize anything at all.
It would be too real if he walked forward and entered the gates, “I can’t…” he whispered to himself and he was hoping that Ip could hear him too. Probably not. The rodent was sleeping in his coat pocket and snuggled up in warmth and safety. All the different fears were surging inside of him and it was coursing through his veins.
“What would dad think if he saw me now? Probably would agree with everyone else and think I finally kicked the bucket on my mental health…” Anatoliy glanced to the winter wonderland behind him before looking at the gates again. The necklace that his mot— Artemis gave him was heated up and telling his heart that this was the place to be. That he was needed here or wanted or something. It was something that was for sure. Something that he couldn’t place but he knew his curiosity was getting the best of him.
Rubbing at his face while his thoughts were racing, he was wondering what he should do, because he was having doubts. He was starting to wish he never came on this adventure, that he ignored the woman that showed up in his life, and he kept living his best life. It would have been better if he stayed in his apartment and ignored her. Now he was standing in the middle of nowhere and hating the decisions that he had made. It wasn’t regret but it was almost to that point. “Fuck…” a hand began to comb through his hair, “What do I do?”
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It was one of the weirdest things that had happened to him — No… — this was the weirdest thing ever to happen to him by far. There were odd scenarios in college, in high school, and throughout his twenty-two years of life, however, this one took the cake. It was around 22:00 when he heard a knock on his door and he decided to answer it. There was the same woman that made him late to his interview and an annoyance built up in his chest yet he didn’t tell her to go away. Once again, he noticed how beautiful she was and how she looked like she stepped out of history. She looked like a Greek Goddess.
After about fifteen minutes of talking, Elysium let her inside of his house, and not too much later he found himself covering his mouth in thought and light shock while sitting on the couch. My mother is Hestia the Greek Goddess? There was a feeling inside of him that he couldn’t explain. He had so many questions. The emotions were causing his skin to prickle and tingle while heating up. “So —” Elysium began evenly while looking into her eyes. “You’re my mother? And you are the Greek Goddess named Hestia?” The woman standing in front of him just informed him of this but he needed to hear it again. None of this sounded real.
“That I am,” her voice was polite and confident. There was no hesitation or thought to confirm that she was the Goddess Hestia and that she was his mother. Elysium was having a difficult time believing any of this but he was slowly coming around the more they spoke. He continued asking questions and Hestia seemed pleased to answer almost anything that he was asking her.
After hours of talking, it was midnight, and Hestia departed from his home. She blessed him and his journey to the camp that she informed him of. Now the only thing to do was to make a decision on what to do — would he go to the camp or would he continue living his common life? Elysium had no idea what he should do but he knew that he was going to think about this a lot. With thoughts clouding his mind and not allowing him to sit for very long. Elysium paced himself into exhaustion before falling asleep on the couch.
Now he was at the gates of the camp that his mother told him about and he was staring at them. He noticed there were more people showing up at the gates and he wasn’t surprised. His mother said something about the camp being for the children of the gods. Why are they calling on us? This thought went through his head while he looked at the gate and the wall around the place that he was supposed to be. That was one of the questions that his mom didn’t answer or didn’t know how to answer.
Elysium wasn’t sure if he should wait outside of the camp or not. Were there people already in the camp? Demigods of the past? Those were questions that he was curious to get answers on but he assumed there were people before him and the others showing up. Why else would this be built? It looked older as well. “This will be an experience,” his voice sounded impressed while a small curl of his lips emerged.
The man decided to enter the gates without bothering to wait and meet the other campers showing up. He would meet them in good time but he needed to figure out where everything was, especially where he would be staying. That was an important part, did he have his own place here? Were there roommates? Was it going to be similar to college dorms? Tight areas with too much stuff because of two people living in it? “I wonder where the main halls are or the front desk is,” Elysium was looking at all the buildings and trying to distinguish what were the important buildings versus the living areas.
He noticed a difference between the sizes of cabins that looked like homes while the larger structures must have been the main hall and things like that. This was where he started to roam around and trying to find someone to talk to and get a few questions answered. And if he couldn’t find anyone to answer his questions, he would go venturing around the camp, and try to figure out which cabin was his. Maybe there were introduction baskets or something in the cabins from the parents? No… everything that he knew about Greek Mythology, none of the Gods or Goddesses were the best even towards their own.
After about fifteen minutes of talking, Elysium let her inside of his house, and not too much later he found himself covering his mouth in thought and light shock while sitting on the couch. My mother is Hestia the Greek Goddess? There was a feeling inside of him that he couldn’t explain. He had so many questions. The emotions were causing his skin to prickle and tingle while heating up. “So —” Elysium began evenly while looking into her eyes. “You’re my mother? And you are the Greek Goddess named Hestia?” The woman standing in front of him just informed him of this but he needed to hear it again. None of this sounded real.
“That I am,” her voice was polite and confident. There was no hesitation or thought to confirm that she was the Goddess Hestia and that she was his mother. Elysium was having a difficult time believing any of this but he was slowly coming around the more they spoke. He continued asking questions and Hestia seemed pleased to answer almost anything that he was asking her.
After hours of talking, it was midnight, and Hestia departed from his home. She blessed him and his journey to the camp that she informed him of. Now the only thing to do was to make a decision on what to do — would he go to the camp or would he continue living his common life? Elysium had no idea what he should do but he knew that he was going to think about this a lot. With thoughts clouding his mind and not allowing him to sit for very long. Elysium paced himself into exhaustion before falling asleep on the couch.
Now he was at the gates of the camp that his mother told him about and he was staring at them. He noticed there were more people showing up at the gates and he wasn’t surprised. His mother said something about the camp being for the children of the gods. Why are they calling on us? This thought went through his head while he looked at the gate and the wall around the place that he was supposed to be. That was one of the questions that his mom didn’t answer or didn’t know how to answer.
Elysium wasn’t sure if he should wait outside of the camp or not. Were there people already in the camp? Demigods of the past? Those were questions that he was curious to get answers on but he assumed there were people before him and the others showing up. Why else would this be built? It looked older as well. “This will be an experience,” his voice sounded impressed while a small curl of his lips emerged.
The man decided to enter the gates without bothering to wait and meet the other campers showing up. He would meet them in good time but he needed to figure out where everything was, especially where he would be staying. That was an important part, did he have his own place here? Were there roommates? Was it going to be similar to college dorms? Tight areas with too much stuff because of two people living in it? “I wonder where the main halls are or the front desk is,” Elysium was looking at all the buildings and trying to distinguish what were the important buildings versus the living areas.
He noticed a difference between the sizes of cabins that looked like homes while the larger structures must have been the main hall and things like that. This was where he started to roam around and trying to find someone to talk to and get a few questions answered. And if he couldn’t find anyone to answer his questions, he would go venturing around the camp, and try to figure out which cabin was his. Maybe there were introduction baskets or something in the cabins from the parents? No… everything that he knew about Greek Mythology, none of the Gods or Goddesses were the best even towards their own.
Interactions: None - Mentions: None - Collaborations: None
Pristine1281 Long-time Roleplayer
Member
Seen
19 days ago
#808000 ~ Cabin
Always the early riser, even in winter, Heath had gotten up at 6 am sharp. He put on thick winter wear in order to chop wood for him and his sister since they both had fireplaces. Plus it was a past time of his back home in Scotland. He never fully admitted it, but the snow reminded him of that place. Summers were very short up there, so he was used to colder weather than warm. Ethan was the one who didn't like the cold weather since he grew up in the US South. Heath found himself thinking about Ethan a lot, ever since he left camp. He still remembered when Ethan came to him not long after the Pandora's box incident saying he was going to leave. It shocked him a lot, but Ethan gave him valid reasons. Biggest being his only reason for coming to the camp was to help Iliana. However Iliana didn't need his help anymore. Plus, he felt he was't ready to pick up the mantle of being Hestia's son and wanted to go back to his normal life. Heath couldn't fault him for that. At least he stayed and helped with rebuilding things since that was one of his specialties. He left about a few months ago. Heath couldn't say the same for others. Liam left without warning and Cherise did the same thing. He couldn't help but feel disappointed in both. Iliana had been hurt by Cherise's departure but try not to let it get to her since Rae was one of the loses of the incident, and Heath knew those two were friends.
As Heath chopped wood, he thought about that night itself. So much happened. Heath was one of the lucky ones with minimal injuries, so he was able to help out with reconstruction earlier that most. Security was a top priority, so when Andy took charge of that, he was 100% behind her in that regard and tried offering advice and help where he could. While good things happened during that time, the fact that no word had come from their parents had been unsettling. Still Heath would be patient. Maybe this was another test, to see how they would handle the fall out of a catastrophe? Also, his relationship with Iliana had changed too. Her voice was fully back, but she had been wanting to do things on her own more and more. That was a good thing, right? That's what his mind said, but his heart was another matter. He gotten so used to being her protector, and now that she remembered the two most traumatic events in her life, he wanted to be there for her more than ever, but she wouldn't let him. It left him conflicted and without Ethan there, he really didn't have anyone to confide too. He felt he shouldn't complain though, since the camp was more important than his own personal feelings.
Finishing his chore, he carried over some wood to Iliana's house, which was a bit of a chore because of the snow, but Heath was used to it. It snowed a lot more in Scotland for in the past it was called the Highlands, and the snow was thicker and deeper at times. He placed the wood in a basket on Iliana's porch. Glancing he saw her silhouette in the greenhouse next to her cabin. One major change was they didn't share a cabin anymore since Iliana wanted her own space. Ethan had personally built her and Heath's first, including Iliana's greenhouse. He knew better to not disturb her when she was in the middle of her gardening, so let her be.
He headed back to his own cabin and takes a shower to get ready for the day. It was almost 8 am when he headed for the Main Hall to get some breakfast. It was rare for any camper to be here this early, so he ate his breakfast in silence. Finishing, he started heading back to his cabin to get some writing done. He had no idea what to do today since they had just finished rebuilding the camp. Once inside and taking off his thicker clothing, he went to his room, pulled out his laptop and started typing. He was so deep into his typing that Andy's announcement caught him off guard, which was rare since he knew she always made 9 am announcements.
"Good morning, campers. It is currently 9 a.m., on December 31st, New Year’s Eve. It’s currently 15 degrees Fahrenheit, -9.4 degrees Celsius, and snowing. So be sure to wear your boots and winter coats when you leave your cabins today."
Heath couldn't help but chuckle at that. The weather announcement part was always too late for someone like him since he normally woke up earlier than 9. Still it was nice of Andy to mention it anyway. Andy's next words definitely caught him off guard though.
"There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods. Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today. The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen. So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me."
Heath caught the sigh in between. She didn't sound too happy, especially when she said, "exciting". So the gods were getting back involved and sending more campers too. Heath didn't know what to expect, but he can't say he's surprised. He just hoped whoever showed up would help rather than hinder. Camp had enough drama between certain campers in the past. Still he would do what was needed to help maintain order. Heath's thoughts were interrupted when Andy made one more announcement.
"And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So, I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there."
A party huh? Heath wasn't much of a party person, but he would see if Andy needed help setting things up. For now, he would finish his writing.
#4A766E ~ Main Hall
There was blood everywhere. On her clothes and on her hands. She killed them, killed them all with her own hands. The horrible man who dared hurt her daddy and the man in a white coat that did things to her. The little girl cried for her mother, but no voice came forth. That's right, her voice was gone. She destroyed it with her own power. She had to keep her brother safe. They couldn't get to him or others like her. Suddenly the earth shook and the ground open up, as she fell through it. Crying she accepted her fate.
Iliana woke up with a scream. Her heart was raging as it snowed outside. It was pitch black in her room as she took stock of her surroundings and remembered. She was safe. Plus she had her voice back too, all thanks to Apollo and someone else. She still didn't know how she managed to start talking again. Apollo had told her and her mother that her vocal cords were fixed, but she still couldn't speak until recently when she was able to introduce herself to a new camper at the time. Looking at her digital clock she saw it was 3 am in the morning. While the nightmares were becoming infrequent, they still scared her. This one was a blend of two real life events that she recently remembered because of the trials the gods made them go through. Iliana had killed a man as a child when she saw her father get killed right in front of her in their home. And then at college someone saw her using her powers and she got kidnapped and tortured, during the process she did try getting free and did attack the main scientist behind her abduction, but she never killed him. She did destroy her voice though to keep quiet. Thinking about it, Iliana might have gone insane briefly. Her mother had saved her, along with Athena and Hermes. She wouldn't have to worry about being hunted down either. Still, Iliana hated what she had done and become. She didn't want to be a monster. So she won't. Still feeling tired, Iliana found herself going back to sleep.
It was a little past 6:30 am when Iliana woke up again. Stretching, she slowly got out of bed and automatically put on her gardening gear. Seeing that it was still snowing, she put on her winter wear also. She was really glad she decided to have a greenhouse. Thinking about it made her think of Ethan. She was really grateful for all that he did. She never questioned his decisions to leave, but she could feel the effects his leaving did on Heath. Her brother might be good at concealing his emotions, but not from her. He really missed him and seemed want to be closer to her. However in Iliana's mind, until she got full control of her emotions and powers, she didn't want to be too close to him. Plus, she really didn't want to rely on him as much too. After all, she had her own life to live and was starting to feel like this was the place where she belonged. Even though she lived in Scotland most of her life and Heath's family was amazing, it never felt like home to her. She wondered if it's because she still remembered her life before her father died. He had been her home. Before going to her greenhouse, she grabs an apple to snack on.
Once inside her greenhouse, she got to work. Gardening was one thing that always brought her piece of mind. After she fully recovered from her own wounds from the Pandora's Box event, with no healers at the camp, Iliana came up with the idea to try and make healing remedies, like she once tried doing for Andy. The greenhouse Ethan created was not big, but it was big enough for her have a work station and several rows of flora needed for healing purposes. But most of the things she still grew were crops for the Main Hall. Oh, the camp grew their own goods, but Iliana enjoyed contributing her own crops. But the time she was done, she checked her watch and saw it was almost 9 am and her stomach growled when she did. Definitely time to stop. Normally she tried to get things done earlier, but she had extra things she wanted to work on.
Going back to her cabin, she was about to take a shower when Andy's announcement came on. She listened and her eyes widen a bit about new campers and training. She wondered who'd be showing up. The party that Andy mentioned was something Iliana didn't know how to feel about. Best not to worry about it right now. Taking a shower, she gets dressed and decides to take the fresh crops she just harvested to the main hall and then get her breakfast. She also remembered to get the wood that her brother left for her outside. Making she is wearing the pendant her mom got made for her that helped her with her emotions, she went outside, grabbed the crops in her wicker basket, and headed for the main hall. Once there, she drops off her goods before going to the front and grabbed some food to eat.
Vanq The Chaos Ladder
Member
Seen
2 mos ago
...o n e w e e k a g o…
It was a hotel they'd stayed at before, a few years ago, when Lennie was first applying to universities, touring them, interviewing. McGill was in Montreal, but Quebec City had drawn them in instead. At least Ava had always made sure her daughter learned both languages of Canada, and it served her well both for applying at McGill and in vacationing in Quebec City. They had gotten along well on that trip, mostly, except when Lennie had refused again to even speak to the department heads for music or medicine.
She pushed away that annoying thread of guilt that refused to abate. They had traveled frequently, even beyond just how often they had moved around. Her time at university had been one of her longest stretches of staying in one city. And even then, each holiday or summer break had meant taking off with her mother, across Canada or down to the States, a quick trip to London or Paris - though they were unfathomably snobby about her French.
She lounged in one one the suite’s plush lounge chairs, bare legs dangling over one of the arms. A groan pushed out of her throat and her head bounced against the opposite chair arm. “Why even bother?” Guilt from what had happened and what could never happen pulled her down, pushed her one way then the other. She had been languishing in the luxury of the Fairmont for two weeks now. Her mother’s estate had been settled, her funeral already just a memory.
The words bounced around the empty room, meant for no one other than to put meaning to the dreadful feeling that embraced her, smothered her. Why bother with her mom’s final request - no - not request, instructions - no - orders? Why bother finally embracing the pieces of her tied to a father who couldn't ever bother to show up, not even once, in her entire life. Not once, even with how lovesick her mother was twenty years later. Not once, when she was left alone to carry on.
“What else am I going to do?” She answered her thoughts aloud. Her final year at university was over before it ever began, though they had offered her a year deferral due to trauma. Maybe she could return to that, it annoyed her to be so close and yet not finish it properly. A year of travel first, one party to another, continue the high life like her mother had always done. Then back to McGill and finish undergrad even if it…
“Die, probably.”
The voice came suddenly, with a bright figure blinking into being. Elena had time to fling herself forward from the chair to her feet, her heart in her throat, when recognition triggered. Even if she had never seen him before, there was no mistaking the man, the god before her.
“Very slow. You need the training.” The man looked her over, his voice a beautiful music that should have been pleasant and soothing. It probably would have been to anyone else, even tainted heavily with judgement.
Lennie frowned. Now? Now is when he shows up without even a hello or how are you doing or sorry for your loss? The words couldn't form in time, her mouth dry and tongue refusing to form the many rebuttals that coursed through her mind. She could only stare at him, eyes wide, arms crossed against her abdomen, mouth slightly agape. She hadn’t even brushed her hair that day, it was in a mess of a bundle that threatened to come undone at the slightest movement.
“You're taking too long. You cannot be late.” His voice still dripped with judgement, other than his tone, his body was loose and he looked at her with all the disinterest of meeting a new intern or something. Still, it sounded like a threat to her, more than a warning.
“Here.” He extended a hand that was now wrapped around a glimmering roll of paper. “The Camp is not easy to find, don't disappoint me.”
He turned away the moment Lennie took the scroll from him. Her mouth finally caught up with the raging thoughts. “That's it?” She hated the way that squeaked out, disappointment laced through a simple question. “That's all you have to say to me?”
“Yes. Goodbye, Elena.”
He was gone, the room darker without his brilliance. Midday sun still poured into the room through the wide open curtains, but it felt dim and drab now, as her eyes readjusted. Her heart raced, thumping against her chest with a dying surge of adrenaline.
Her mother had known about the camp, how? It was a question she had tried hard to ignore ever since that stupid email appeared in her inbox. She had known and hidden it, hidden how she had learned about it, until it was too late for them to have an explosive weeks-long argument about it.
“Well fuck you too mom. Dad. Both of you.” Rage-filled tears threatened to spill out. Lennie’s hands squeezed the roll and for a brief moment she considered tossing it in the trash and leaving regardless of what Apollo said.
Slow? She wasn't slow. She wasn't disappointing. Who was he to say that as if he had ever been around to know just what she was capable of?
Lennie looked at the scattered bits of her life throughout the suite and let out a long sigh. A challenge was a challenge even if she didn't want it to be. It would pick and scrape at her until she just did the thing to prove she could.
So she would.
...n o w…outside camp
The rest of her trip had been uneventful. The flight to Athens International had been long enough that she had a couple of nice naps in between watching trashy new releases. The wine hadn’t hurt either. From Athens she took a couple of puddle jumper flights until she landed on the island her mother’s instructions had contained.
It hadn’t been hard to see which direction to go next, even without her da-Apollo’s instructions. The mountain loomed over the island, and quickly enough it surrounded her. The last few miles took longer than the rest of her journey to the camp.
Lennie pushed herself the rest of the way, the scroll Apollo had given her had been nothing more than a compass that she trusted pointed not north but to Camp Athens. It took her a winding path up the mountain. The weather turned colder, though nothing quite like the winters spent in Alberta or Calgary. Snow began to fall and then the ground was covered with a deep blanket of white. She was glad she had bought hiking gear in town before taking off.
She wasn’t sure if it was her head or not, but at a certain point, something felt different. She trudged on, checking the compass every so often to ensure she was still going in the right direction. The wall that appeared at the horizon told her she had. She crumpled the scroll into her backpack, if she couldn’t find her way from here, she really would be a disappointment.
No one seemed to be around, though she thought there were others that had gone this way from footprints still visible in the snow. The gate closed but left unmanned. “Anyone home?” She called out, her voice carried away and muffled by wind and snow.
Lennie laughed dryly. All this distance to be stopped at a gate? Her eyes darted around the gate where it met the wall, looking for an intercom box or alarm, or…something. The small metal box finally caught her attention. She pulled off a thick glove to feel around, her thumb landing against a cold smooth glass surface. A buzz followed by the creak of metal told her it had been that simple. And weird, definitely weird.
She walked through the gates, buildings ahead of her, she made her way towards the largest, calling out in a half-sing-song manner again. “Hellooooo!”
The creaking of the deck beneath his boots was all the clue he needed to tell him about the worthiness of the vessel. The old chug of the engine and the black smog of imperfect combustion were other signs that pointed towards the boat's prime, if one could even call it that, being far in the past. One of many such craft that worked to ferry tourists around in the Summer months but could be repurposed for fishing in the Winter.
The gentle breeze off the Aegean may have been several shades colder than he would have preferred but the Winter Sun played bright colours across the water as it set, something the seasonal tourists would never see. Sightseeing wasn't his purpose here though, even his eventual destination was secondary, at least for the moment. The other people in the boat eyed him as he rose from his own hunkered position in the back of the boat, other unfortunate souls paying scraped together money for desperate passage away from the prying eyes of the Hellenic border police. He wasn't here for them either.
As Osée Baptiste passed on his way towards the front of the boat he caught a reflection in the cabin window as he passed. His own visage was partially obscured by the low light, but over his shoulder there was another, a dark smudge in the glass in the shape of a woman's silhouette over his shoulder.
“Bonjour, Maman.” He breathed quietly, like a prayer, before moving on. By now one of the small crew of two men that operated the boat had noticed one of their passengers, more accurately their cargo, had began to move forwards. A few terse words in Greek drifted his way. A command to halt, to get back to his place. When Osée responded it was in Greek, a more ancient version and but a single word.
“Skótos”
There was a sudden cry of alarm from the man ahead of him, his weapon, a beaten up rifle, swinging around as he found his senses betrayed him. This was soon followed by cries of panic and fear from the other passengers, as well as further yelling from the cabin where the boat's pilot found himself plunged into darkness. Thankfully the man had the good sense not to jerk the wheel in his sudden confusion, or this would have got rather more complicated.
While his mother's gifts had enabled him to blind all others aboard, swamping them in a darkness of their mind's own creation, it was his father's legacy that drove him onwards in the next few moments.
Isolate the weapon, disarm, discharge. One palm strike battered the errant rifle aside, several shots plunging into the chilled waters of the sea as the man errantly fired, before Osée wrenched the weapon from his frantic grasp. The stock went into the man's gut, before the mag was pulled free and both rifle and ammunition went into the Aegean separately, cast to the depths.
He did not have dextrous control of his mother's gift to control the senses, but he had enough, to keep the mortals around him in thrall for a moment, and to deafen the unfortunate souls in the back, to leave his words only for the two men that were the true reason his mother, in her own way, had directed him to reach the Greek mainland by this method.
“You have trespassed against the Goddess Nemesis, upset her balance, your hubris has been your undoing.” For all that Nemesis was the goddess of justice, her's was a balance of retribution. These men who had taken the precious coin of others to move them across borders, but not to prosperity but to the hands of other such criminals, had erred not in the morality of their act, but in their location. The islands they plied had been sworn long ago to the humble priesthood of Nemesis, and as such, their crimes earned her attention. Osée did not pity the men for what he must do, although he found it untasteful, that such a shallow reason would be why his mother called him to act, but he felt compelled to do so all the same.
”I praise bright-eyed Nemesis, daughter of dark-cloaked Nyx, Nemesis who watches, who knows whenever, we have done harm, who makes certain that all evil, is punished, that all who are guilty receive their due. Swift-winged Nemesis, Let Retribution Begin, Let Retribution Begin, Let Retribution Begin.” Osée spoke the words in a low drone, his tongue easily slipping through the Ancient Greek syllables. As he did, the men began to groan, shuddering motion passing through their forms. Nemesis did not wish them dead, that could be difficult, involving further complications to those they trafficked should the remains be found. No, not the release of death, but a balance to the pain they had caused.
So then he spoke another word, and the howling began.
”Pathēma.”
He held the passengers in a state of sense deprivation for a while longer, keeping the low moans from what remained of the mental state of the two men from them as he steered the boat to the coast of the mainland. Ultimately they were incidental to the justice his mother demanded, but he still made the effort of recovering the money they had given over the two men, leaving it on the boat deck before moving ashore himself.
He let the grasp of his power over them slip as he did. They weren't far from civilisation. Ultimately their fate would be their own, unless they wronged the Pantheon in some way, then he supposed they may cross his path again. Nemesis didn't just provide retribution for herself but all her divine siblings, so long as they paid their own respects.
This was as far as mortal transportation would take him all the same, his eventual destination was one only people like him should be able to find, at the behest of the gods.
The remainder of the way would take him through the forests and foothills of Greece, secluded and isolated. What he had been told would be his new home, even if true home was thousands of miles away at the root of the world.
He paused as he began to walk through the woods, the lingering shadow beneath a tree resembling that of a person for just a moment too long.
“Proud yet, Maman?” His gaze lingered in the swirling shade of sunrise, and only silence was his answer.
It was a long route, but years of training alongside his father and then alongside various rugby teams had conditioned him well for the effort, and while it was impossible that mortals might find his destination it was the reverse for him. Eventually, all those with the blood of the gods could find themselves here.
The path lead to a gate before the camp, his mother had suggested that the numbers had dwindled recently and he would not be alone in being newly arrived. With a steady exhale, and with pack slung over his shoulder, he began to walk into the camp.
The gentle breeze off the Aegean may have been several shades colder than he would have preferred but the Winter Sun played bright colours across the water as it set, something the seasonal tourists would never see. Sightseeing wasn't his purpose here though, even his eventual destination was secondary, at least for the moment. The other people in the boat eyed him as he rose from his own hunkered position in the back of the boat, other unfortunate souls paying scraped together money for desperate passage away from the prying eyes of the Hellenic border police. He wasn't here for them either.
As Osée Baptiste passed on his way towards the front of the boat he caught a reflection in the cabin window as he passed. His own visage was partially obscured by the low light, but over his shoulder there was another, a dark smudge in the glass in the shape of a woman's silhouette over his shoulder.
“Bonjour, Maman.” He breathed quietly, like a prayer, before moving on. By now one of the small crew of two men that operated the boat had noticed one of their passengers, more accurately their cargo, had began to move forwards. A few terse words in Greek drifted his way. A command to halt, to get back to his place. When Osée responded it was in Greek, a more ancient version and but a single word.
“Skótos”
There was a sudden cry of alarm from the man ahead of him, his weapon, a beaten up rifle, swinging around as he found his senses betrayed him. This was soon followed by cries of panic and fear from the other passengers, as well as further yelling from the cabin where the boat's pilot found himself plunged into darkness. Thankfully the man had the good sense not to jerk the wheel in his sudden confusion, or this would have got rather more complicated.
While his mother's gifts had enabled him to blind all others aboard, swamping them in a darkness of their mind's own creation, it was his father's legacy that drove him onwards in the next few moments.
Isolate the weapon, disarm, discharge. One palm strike battered the errant rifle aside, several shots plunging into the chilled waters of the sea as the man errantly fired, before Osée wrenched the weapon from his frantic grasp. The stock went into the man's gut, before the mag was pulled free and both rifle and ammunition went into the Aegean separately, cast to the depths.
He did not have dextrous control of his mother's gift to control the senses, but he had enough, to keep the mortals around him in thrall for a moment, and to deafen the unfortunate souls in the back, to leave his words only for the two men that were the true reason his mother, in her own way, had directed him to reach the Greek mainland by this method.
“You have trespassed against the Goddess Nemesis, upset her balance, your hubris has been your undoing.” For all that Nemesis was the goddess of justice, her's was a balance of retribution. These men who had taken the precious coin of others to move them across borders, but not to prosperity but to the hands of other such criminals, had erred not in the morality of their act, but in their location. The islands they plied had been sworn long ago to the humble priesthood of Nemesis, and as such, their crimes earned her attention. Osée did not pity the men for what he must do, although he found it untasteful, that such a shallow reason would be why his mother called him to act, but he felt compelled to do so all the same.
”I praise bright-eyed Nemesis, daughter of dark-cloaked Nyx, Nemesis who watches, who knows whenever, we have done harm, who makes certain that all evil, is punished, that all who are guilty receive their due. Swift-winged Nemesis, Let Retribution Begin, Let Retribution Begin, Let Retribution Begin.” Osée spoke the words in a low drone, his tongue easily slipping through the Ancient Greek syllables. As he did, the men began to groan, shuddering motion passing through their forms. Nemesis did not wish them dead, that could be difficult, involving further complications to those they trafficked should the remains be found. No, not the release of death, but a balance to the pain they had caused.
So then he spoke another word, and the howling began.
”Pathēma.”
He held the passengers in a state of sense deprivation for a while longer, keeping the low moans from what remained of the mental state of the two men from them as he steered the boat to the coast of the mainland. Ultimately they were incidental to the justice his mother demanded, but he still made the effort of recovering the money they had given over the two men, leaving it on the boat deck before moving ashore himself.
He let the grasp of his power over them slip as he did. They weren't far from civilisation. Ultimately their fate would be their own, unless they wronged the Pantheon in some way, then he supposed they may cross his path again. Nemesis didn't just provide retribution for herself but all her divine siblings, so long as they paid their own respects.
This was as far as mortal transportation would take him all the same, his eventual destination was one only people like him should be able to find, at the behest of the gods.
The remainder of the way would take him through the forests and foothills of Greece, secluded and isolated. What he had been told would be his new home, even if true home was thousands of miles away at the root of the world.
He paused as he began to walk through the woods, the lingering shadow beneath a tree resembling that of a person for just a moment too long.
“Proud yet, Maman?” His gaze lingered in the swirling shade of sunrise, and only silence was his answer.
It was a long route, but years of training alongside his father and then alongside various rugby teams had conditioned him well for the effort, and while it was impossible that mortals might find his destination it was the reverse for him. Eventually, all those with the blood of the gods could find themselves here.
The path lead to a gate before the camp, his mother had suggested that the numbers had dwindled recently and he would not be alone in being newly arrived. With a steady exhale, and with pack slung over his shoulder, he began to walk into the camp.
Pristine1281 Long-time Roleplayer
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19 days ago
#f1724b ~ Near Main Hall ~ Interaction- Elysium @The Savant
Nelly had another late night of developing her pictures. She didn't get to be until almost 3 am in the morning. Why did her creative juices work like that? It's just that yesterday they finally finished fixing up the camp and Nelly got pictures of their hard work. She tried getting pictures of others, but most didn't want their picture taken. Doing physical labor these past few months had been an experience for Nelly and she loved new experiences. Nelly was just thankful to be here after that chaotic night the result the deaths of a few and everyone had gotten some kind of injury, others worse than others. Nelly herself had a big scar on her upper back due to that huge snake that got her and she suffered from some blood loss, but that was pretty much it. She always been a fast healer thank goodness for Nelly was a horrible patient when she was stuck in bed.
At the moment she was sprawled in her actual bed, asleep, when she heard the morning announcement. She groaned and tried ignoring it until her ears picked up the mention of new campers. That got her attention. And just like that, she was up and out of bed, but not the way she hoped for her covers got twisted up around her legs and she tripped out of bed.
"Ow! Great job Nelly . . . well it wouldn't be the first time." she said as she rubbed her head since she hit it on the floor.
Wide awake now, she fixed up her bed and got ready for the day. Having traveled a lot, she made sure she packed winter wear. She smiled when she opened a curtain to see the snow. Snow meant fun! It was then she remembered that tonight was New Year's Eve. Didn't Andy's announcement involve the holiday? She would just have to ask someone. Right now she was thinking about the new arrivals. She recalled the day her dad told her to go. Still smiling, she reminisced.
Nelly had just got home from visiting her mother. The other day she gotten back from one of her photo excursions, this time from Turkey, more specifically the Ephesus area on the Mediterranean Sea. She got some great photos of the locations there. The ancient city was bigger than she that and she loved exploring the area. Right now she planned on relaxing for the next few weeks as she got her images developed. Deciding to watch a movie for now, she went into her family room before letting out a scream when she saw someone sitting in her recliner. The man laughed before standing up. It was her father, Hermes, who was known to be a trickster.
"Sheesh, dad, it's a good thing I am a demigod, for my mortal side just aged a couple of decades!" she exclaimed, trying not to laugh herself since it was pretty funny.
"Well this just proves you need to be on your guard more and be ready for anything." he said, sounding serious for once.
While Nelly rarely got to see her father, she knew better then to comment on that. So she decided to get straight to the point since she knew he never stayed around for long.
"Nelly-girl, it's time for you to head for Camp Athens. I know you have been putting it off and since you're on break, I am not letting you off the hook this time."
Nelly had a feeling that was the reason for his visit. She'd known about it for nearly a year now.
"Quick questions, what about my house payments and does mom know?"
Hermes just gave her a look as if she asked dumb questions.
"Okay, all good there. So how do I get to this place then? You said it was hidden right?"
Hermes nodded and gave her a map before vanishing on her just before she could thank him. No time for a movie now, Nelly had another flight to schedule, after calling her mother.
Had it already been three months ago, close to 4 now? It felt like a lot had happened such then. Both good and bad. Nelly certainly hadn't made good impressions on a few, but she couldn't help her curious nature. She was her father's daughter after all. But it looked like things were about to get back to normal. She wondered when the new arrivals would get her. She did need to eat first though. Curiosity overruled hunger at the moment, so grabbing a thick coat, gloves, and hat, she headed outside. The chilly weather caused her breath to fog up, she loved it. Trekking through the snow, she passed by a few buildings and was close to the Main Hall when she saw someone near it. As she got closer, she saw it was someone new. Well that was fast. Eager to meet the new camper, she approaches him, using a bit of her speed to get through the snow. Sure she could teleport in front the guy, he was close enough, but she didn't want to scare him. So she does something else to get his attention, by waving her arms at him as she gets closer.
"HI!" she yelled.
She was a bit out of breath when she reached him. Looking at him, she saw he had amber colored eyes and brown hair, and he was tall too, but so were other guys at this camp.
"Welcome to Camp Athens! I am Penelope, but please just call me Nelly. I am Hermes's daughter. We just got an announcement that new campers were coming. Are you hungry? This here is the main hall where we get all of our meals. But you probably want to find a cabin first to help you get settled. Hmmm, the campgrounds are big. I could show you where everyone stays, but that be a walk for sure. I have perfect visual memory so I could show you which cabins are available too. There's plenty. Just tell me what you require and I'll help you the best I can!"
Unfortunately it was at that time her stomach let out a loud noise. Nelly laughed in embarrassment.
"Hehe, sorry about that. I haven't ate yet."
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xNocturnax
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1 day ago
#ffc300 | Cabin > Beach | Interaction: River
Evelyn lifted her top to reveal her mid section in the mirror and traced over her scar as had become part of her new private routine. Over the past few months, she was sort of fixated with the foreign mark on her body and thought herself a little experiment. Did they heal faster because they were demi-beings opposed to full mortals? Would it fade to nothing with the right treatments? Why was she even fascinated?
She had never been in a confrontation like what came from the box: something so physical and abundant, violent and imminently life threatening. Evelyn had never even been in a fight before until camp forced her into a duel. She was only fortunate to have gotten off light with the son of Hades there.
This was her first scar. Evelyn winced as a phantom pain came from dwelling on it. The blade went through her like paper and it dug deeper and deeper and could have gone still if she wasn’t able to get a lucky break and slay the winged warrior. Then Duke slowed and sanitized the bleeding the only way he could on battlefield…Gods, the searing pain. She never complained aloud though. Not when there were worse fates.
The biggest wonder for Evelyn had to be if it was a mark of failure or victory. Letting Sylas down for one but conquering an enemy of her own. Perhaps it was a blend of the two.
Andy’s announcement came over the PA and pulled her to reality. She let her top fall back down and pulled her hair back for a moment. It wasn’t that she was a grinch or anything, however, Evelyn already knew parties at camp rarely ended peacefully or untampered. But, maybe it was some vision of reward for everyone clawing through the last few months and a nice mingle occasion.
Evelyn moved to a soothing warm shower and embraced it for as long as she could before she had to forfeit the warmth to the bite of the cold.
Once dried, dressed and outside, Evelyn began the trek to the main hall, only, she took the scenic route heading down along the beach first, arms clamped around her chest to keep heat in. The only reason she went this way was in attempt to give herself more buffer time before facing the more trafficked areas. It was there she saw a figure ahead, most like Duke’s build. Upon getting closer she realised they were more unfamiliar. A new camper already. He didn’t look stressed or frazzled , nor held a pace that said he was in a particular hurry.
“Acquainting yourself with the area?” she offered when they came close enough. Though a hello probably would have been just as effective.
It was more the camp initiators job (unofficial as that was but there were types of people) but she threw a hand past the cabins and trees, pointing as the crow flies. “The Main Hall’s that way if you want some food, drinks, warm coffee.” God knows she could have used one her first day at camp after the journey. Even now in fact. “Just a good area to recoup second to your own cabin.”
She sucked in a breath and shrugged gently before continuing her path to the hall. He was more than welcome to join her in stride or he could go his own way and she’d go hers equally as fine.
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Expllo pretty girls please manipulate me
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12 days ago
Ace Hendrix
Honey, I can’t stay awake…
Heat clung to the ground like a fever, even as the light began to fade. The sun was sinking fast, bleeding crimson and gold across the endless stretch of the Arizona desert. Where cell signals died and bodies disappeared in sand, Holbrook was a dead-zone town. Abandoned buildings, gas stations, and telephone poles that hadn't buzzed with a dial tone in years. The only road for miles was a cracked, forgotten vein of asphalt, running like a scar through the wasteland. At its shoulder, dust curled in lazy spirals as two motorcycles came to a growling stop followed by an additional six. Dust slowly settled around them. “After this, you're done…” The older, much more grizzled, man said as he and Ace swung off their bikes. Boots crunched the gravel as they walked forward. The grey-haired man, eyes hidden behind aviators, lit a cigarette. Ace chuckled, hand resting near the pistol tucked under his cut. “Yeah, that's what you said last time. Time before that too, oh! And the time before that too-” Ace was cut off by the impending sound of two more bikes approaching from the road. Two bikers dismounted in unison, across from them. One carried a black duffel, the other a sawed-off shotgun hanging loose at his side like a casual threat. No introductions. No greetings. Just the wind, the thrum of cooling engines, and the faint whine of a distant coyote. A bag hit the ground. It was unzipped - only halfway - to reveal it filled with cash. It probably couldn’t zip much further in all likelihood. Ace continued to study the two, watching for the slightest hint of movement towards their weapons. The sound of the second bag hitting the ground followed. Tension crackled in the air like a storm building without clouds. Then came a sound. His uncle’s hearing began failing him during his time in the military, gunfire, explosions - which is why Ace was frontline during these deals. He could pick up on the little things and differentiate between what was good, or bad. In a dead-zone town? If it wasn’t a tire or the wind, any other sound was considered bad. Especially the click of a radio. It was a set-up! The cops must have noticed Ace coming to the realization as they drew their weapons just as quickly as he did. “Police! Drop your weapons!” “AMBUSH!” One of the six bikers yelled as cop cars began emerging on their position. The only explanation was an inside-job, there were supposed to be scouts here. Who was compromised? “Ace… drop the gun son,” His uncle pleaded, “You can still make it out of thi-” his words would be cut short as a bullet pierced his shoulder. Ace’s eyes widened as he tackled his uncle behind his already-burning bike, heart-hammering. The roar of a dozen engines hit like thunder. Another gang—black cuts with red skull patches—barreled down the hill from the ridge above. They poured in like jackals. They weren’t with the buyers. They weren’t with anyone. Just there to kill and take. Half of them opened fire on both sides, gunfire shattering like glass under a boot, the sounds deafening. The deal had been a trap inside a trap. Cops and bikers alike scrambled, some screaming, some fighting, most just trying to live another minute. Blood pooled fast on cracked pavement. Bodies hit the ground hard. A shotgun blast took a man off his feet. Muzzle flashes lit up the dust. Another biker dropped behind his bike, returning fire with wild eyes and a full clip. Ace looked to the east. Beyond the chaos. Beyond the blood. He could run. He should. But his uncle was still here, shot, and bleeding out. Tears began welling in his eyes - a mixture of sadness, anger, and dust being kicked up around him. In a moment’s notice, he and his uncle were suddenly at the next building over. Ace pressed his hand to the gunshot wound. “Stay with me old-timer, you’re okay, you’re okay…” Ace pressed harder in an attempt to stanch the bleeding. His fingers slick with warm, pulsing, blood, as it soaked through his palm and ran down his wrist. He didn’t ease up. If anything, pressed harder as if sheer willpower could hold the life in. His uncle forced a smile, reaching up to hold Ace’s face. “I’m sorry Son, I’m sorry I brought you into this…” “No, no, no! None of that sappy shit old man, just save your strength!” Ace began looking around frantically, for anyone or anything that would help. There was nothing around them but chaos. “I love you kid, find your dad… your dad is… he… he’s…” Ace had a singular minute to process the death of his uncle before a flash of movement clouded his vision. He never saw it coming. One second, he was turning his head—maybe mid-sentence, maybe just distracted—and the next, CRACK! A brutal arc of steel backed by full force swings out of nowhere and collides with the side of his face with a sickening, metallic thud. The sound was sharp and wet, the sound of metal meeting bone and flesh. The pain didn’t register right away—only the impact, sudden and massive, like being hit by a truck. Then came the burn. A white-hot explosion of pain bloomed across his cheek and temple, and blood surged instantly, thick and fast, pouring from his nostrils. His legs almost gave out, knees buckling, hands instinctively reaching for balance as he stumbled backwards. Ace didn’t scream. Just a gasp, cut short, as the dull clang of the crowbar being raised again echoed through the haze of ringing ears and fading light. Ace, moving off instinct, narrowly dodged the second swing before throwing a left hook. His fist slammed into his assailant’s jaw and sent him stumbling. Ace wouldn’t waste the opportunity, letting out a guttural noise of anger and pain that was barely human. Ace sprung forward, wrapping his arms around the rival gang member. He lifted with all his strength, before slamming the man on his back. Ace climbed atop the man and began bludgeoning him with fists. Left, right, right, left, both at the same time with unavoidable speed. Ace was now a mess, covered in dust and blood belonging to three different men. The sirens approaching broke him out of his trance. He slowly raised from the body now lying dormant. The crimson liquid dripped from his bruised and raw knuckles. Two unresponsive bodies in-between him and cops. No amount of explanation would get him out of this, and in his mind there was nothing to explain. So he did what he always did when he got into trouble with the law, and ran without looking back! Ran faster than he ever realized he could run! The desert, once silent and still, echoed with chaos—sirens in the distance, fire in the sky, and the howling fury of men betrayed by everything except the heat. The desert took everything in. Blood. Screams. Fire. And when it was over, it would give nothing back but silence… |
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Barely recognizing the face staring back at him, the blonde-haired man stood silently in front of the mirror. His features were swollen and bruised - his right eye ringed in a deep purple, tender and puffed. A faint crust of dried blood lined across the nostrils of his raw and crooked nose. He let out a heavy breath as his fingers probed the misalignment. His other hand gripped the edge of the sink for support. Ace knew it would hurt like hell, but he didn’t care. He set his thumbs on either side of the bridge. With a tightly clenched jaw and a brutal motion, he snapped his nose back into place. With white knuckles and lips curled back, let out a low grunt as the pain came like a surge of fire behind his eyes. Immediate, sharp, and nauseating. He just leaned forward, letting the blood drip freely now. His body shuddered. He gave himself a moment. ’You should have seen it coming… that’s all you're good for is knowing when something is coming!' He could tell himself that all day. Truth was, he didn’t see it coming. The crowbar hit. The betrayal. The setup. Not any of it. It’ll haunt him ‘till the day he dies, but it won’t be a mistake he’d make ever again. The flickering overhead light casts shadows across his battered face. The rusty pipes groaned in protest as he turned the faucet and cupped cold water into his hands. With slow, deliberate movements, he splashed his face, wincing as a sting revealed open cuts upon his cheek. Ace reached for a stained towel, gently dabbing around his nose and cleaning all the blood from his face and hands. A knock on the door would grab his attention. Who would come to the Crimson Piston’s Bar this late at night? Right after the incident as well? “You’re probably wondering, ‘Who would come to the Crimson Piston’s Bar this late at night?’” A jovial voice called out from behind the door. “Listen, I’m not ‘fuzz’ or whatever you hooligans call these people nowadays. Hell, I can’t keep up anymore. Hell… Hells… Hades, Underworld, you know it’s all the same thing anyway-” The door swung open. “HOLY SHIT WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!?” Ace yelled, at this point not caring to be discreet much longer. “I have no fucking idea what you’re going on about dude! Fuzz? Hades?? Dude - Look, I will hurt you if you don’t tell me what the fuck you want!” The taller, slender, blonde-haired stranger smiled wide and opened his arms. Inviting Ace in for a hug. “My son! I am Hermes, God of-” Ace slammed the door and turned. To his surprise, ‘Hermes’ was laying across the bar counter biting into an apple. “I hope you don’t mind, I tend to enjoy these…” “I tend to enjoy avoiding bullshit… how’d you do that?” Ace tilted his head. “Same way you just avoided cops for miles, while on foot. The same way you’ve always avoided them, and the rest of your problems at that…” Hermes muttered the last line, before standing and heading towards the door. “But you’ve always known there was something different about you… that’s why you’re not really shocked about this.” Ace let the man walk past him. “I left you a hoodie. There’s a bus ticket in the pocket - it’ll take you to Camp Athens. Take it or leave it, up to you…” “Why now?” Ace asked, before turning to face his ‘Father’. “If you’ve always existed, always ‘watching’... after all me and mom have been through… why show up now?” ‘When everything is already taken from me?’ Hermes smiled wider. “You’re my wildcard, problem-child. You’re my Ace in the hole.” |
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Ace was ten years old, pressed up against the window as his uncle rolled into the gravel lot of the bar. Men laughed loudly alongside their steel animals - rows of bikes, gleaming, chrome and thunder. Stories flying around like fists - the kind a kid should never hear, at a place they weren’t supposed to go-but Ace always wanted to, badly. This place used to embody untouchable, eternal, freedom… Now he stood, just outside the blaze. Boots planted firm in the gravel, lighter still glowing warm in hand. Not even as the roof began to cave in did his eyes not move. They were fixated upon the flames-but he wasn’t seeing fire. He was seeing then. Flames licked the walls like hungry tongues, curling up the wooden beams and swallowing the Crimson Piston’s old neon sign. The crackling of burning wood mixed with the soft ticking of cooling engines; the smoke carried the smell of gasoline, charred leather, and something else—something older. He took a breath now, the smoke filling his lungs like old ghosts. The fire surged again, glass shattering as the flames reached the liquor shelves. Ace wouldn’t flinch. His hand finally dropped the lighter to the dirt, embers glowing against the gravel before fading to black. And he walked away—one last time. Behind him, the bar crumbled in on itself, the past turning to ash. There was only one thing left remaining that he had to bury. The night hummed with the low buzz of neon and the distant rumble of traffic. The alley smelled of cigarettes, wet pavement, and something sweeter—cheap perfume and memory. Ace stood behind The Velvet Vixen, under the dim orange glow of a flickering street lamp. Half-hopeful, half-regretful, his eyes scanned the door. His brain almost convinced him to leave until his heart caught sight of her… She hadn’t changed. Her quiet, magnetic presence drew him in. Something timeless in the way that she carried herself - even in a tight black hoodie zipped halfway, stilettos, and slightly-smudged makeup indicating the ending of her shift. Her expressive eyes, wide and dark, flickered with unspoken stories. Those same eyes, still sharp and tired, told him she knew why he was here. They didn’t touch. Words hovered in the air like smoke: apologies neither would say, questions neither wanted answered. She lit a cigarette, passed it to him, watched as he took a drag and didn’t meet her eyes. “Now the bruises I’m used to, but not looking me in my face?” She moved her head, forcing his gaze onto hers. “What happened, Ace? What are you not telling me?” “I’m leaving, Jordan… I don’t blame you for what your family did, but they killed the old-man.” She clenched her jaw, saving face. Ace could see the hurt through the facade, anyone who knew her knew she loved the old-man just as much as he did. Jordan blinked the tears away, giving a nod. “So… this is it?” He nodded, turned, and began walking. Her hand on his shoulder halted him in his tracks. “Please, Ace… There's something telling me to leave this place, everyday. I know if I ever decide to, I want to live better than I was here. I want that for you too. So, please, use this as an opportunity to do better. You can start over…” He placed his hand over hers, eyes closed. He let out a sigh. The past needed to be ash. “I don’t need the fuckin’ speech,” he removed her hand and pulled his hood over his head. “Take care of yourself, Jordan.” His words would fall on deaf ears as she had already walked away. |
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Ace knew better than to fall asleep if it was possible he had a concussion. No books, no phone, no TV… just his thoughts, memories, and motion of the bus moving. On top of that he was exhausted, so sleep came with ease whether he wanted it or not. Eyes opening to the bright, white, scenery outside his window convinced him he had died and went to heaven. The bus was still. “Where… am I?” He whispered as he stood and made his way to the front of the bus. No driver. Was this his destination? Ace climbed off the bus, the cold immediately punching him in the chest. He approached the wall. The boots were Ace’s only saving grace as he yanked his hoodie tighter and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He felt like an alien. He placed his thumb onto the scanner, muttering curse words to Hermes for only getting him a hoodie. Tricky bastard. Once inside, he kept a reasonable distance from the people standing around. New arrivals? Old ‘campers’? Whoever they were, the sight of them only added to the irritability of his soreness and the cold. Ace drew in a breath through his nose, deep and wet, and then let out a harsh, echoing HAWK! That came from somewhere below the lungs, scraping up through his throat like gravel in a pipe. He leaned to the side and spat hard, not too much caring of who or what was around him. With a sticky splat! The loogie hit the ground, like rusted syrup mixed with spit. The dark red, stringy, phlegm clung to the snow for a moment before oozing its way downward. The snow was stained red regardless. He wiped his mouth with the arm of his hoodie, smearing a little crimson across the fabric. His lip curled slightly, more in habit than disgust, and he glanced at the mess like it owed him something. As much as he wanted to scream into the void at Hermes, or scream for someone to get a fire started, he would be on his best behavior. The last thing he wanted to do was make a scene. Ace would cross his arms, patiently waiting on some type of explanation. If there wasn’t one provided in the next five minutes, he’d be damned if he survived all that just to die in the cold. He’d lay claim anywhere warm. Just where the fuck was he? |
Too Long - Didn't Read: Ace gets into a fight, Ace meets dad, Ace says goodbye to an old friend, shows up to camp spitting a blood loogie in a random direction!
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The Savant A mind filled with chaos
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18 days ago
Upon arrival, there were people outside of the gate or at least one individual, but he didn’t care to bother them. Entering the gate and walking towards camp, he noticed someone far ahead, off in the distance there was another person with a dog, and he noticed someone approaching him — at least there is life here. His mom honestly made it sound bad or at least her explanation sounded somewhat extreme. However, he was here now, and it didn’t seem terrible.
While the woman approached him, he smiled, and he could hear the gate going off again – opening — and he noticed two other individuals entering it. This was practically what his mom explained. A bunch of new people, including him, were going to be coming to Camp Athens. ‘Good day,’ Elysium smiled with an appropriate amount of subtle charm. She seemed excited to see a new face.
‘Are you okay?’ He was only asking because he noticed how out of breath she seemed when she stood in front of him.
His eyes settled on her and his face seemed to naturally neutralize while listening to her even if a delicate and barely-even-there smile continued to be on his expression. ‘Thank you,’ he appreciated the welcome to the camp. It was better than what he thought was going to be at this camp. Pretty much no one or nothing. Hestia made it sound like whatever happened in the past made this place barren, so he was glad that was not the case. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nelly. I’m Elysium, I guess a son of Hestia,” he introduced himself with some humor in his tone. It was odd saying that. Introducing himself as a son of a goddess — a goddess that he had never met until she appeared in his life and twisted it like a game.
As she continued to speak and explain things, he nodded to show her that he was listening, ‘I appreciate the offer and I would love to be shown the cabins. If that isn’t a burden to your time,’ Elysium had no reason to decline her offer and it was exactly what he wanted to figure out — where he would be staying during his time here. ‘And I’m not really hungry, not yet,’ he wasn’t terribly hungry since he ate before hiking here and he had snacks along the way. He didn’t come unprepared which might be noticed by the backpack he had. A bag full of his old life for the most part.
Hearing someone else’ stomach growl caused him to chuckle, ‘I have homemade snacks if you want one?’ he wasn’t sure if he should offer anything or not. However, this was when he got talking as he took off his bag. ‘I knew I would be hiking and meeting new people, so I made some things, and I can influence food to have different properties,’ he explained.
Elysium put his bag down in front of him, opened it up, and grabbed a few baggies of homemade snacks. ‘There are peanut butter bliss balls, banana blueberry oatmeal muffins, whole wheat carrot cake muffins, and baked kale chips,’ he extended his hand with the ziplock bags in it.
The items were all different:
The peanut butter bliss balls were made up of peanut butter, oats, chia seeds, dried cranberries, and honey. The banana blueberry oatmeal muffins had blueberries, banana, walnuts, oats, ground flax, almond butter, and a hidden veggie inside — cauliflower — and sweetened with maple syrup. The whole wheat carrot cake muffins had warm spices, walnuts, raisins, carrots, applesauce, brown sugar, and whole wheat flour. The baked kale chips were made with olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, granulated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
‘The peanut butter balls are infused with sustaining warmth since I knew it would be cold. While the banana blueberry oatmeal muffins will help soothe sore muscles. I willed that because I knew I might be hiking for a while to get to camp. While the whole wheat carrot muffins are comfort of the hearth, meaning they will offer a deep emotional comfort. I didn’t know how emotional this journey would be for me or others,’ Elysium was showing how thoughtful he was without even realizing it. He knew that he was emotional when facing his mother Hestia but he had evened out — he bet others might still be struggling to cope with everything that was going on. ‘And, last but not least, the baked kale chips. These are willed with cleansing, so if you eat them, you might feel really refreshed mentally along with aiding your body's functions like digestion.’ The man hoped his explanations were not overboard and didn’t scare the woman away. However, he honestly felt relaxed, because he could be upfront with people on what the food he offers does. This was a safe place in a sense.
While the woman approached him, he smiled, and he could hear the gate going off again – opening — and he noticed two other individuals entering it. This was practically what his mom explained. A bunch of new people, including him, were going to be coming to Camp Athens. ‘Good day,’ Elysium smiled with an appropriate amount of subtle charm. She seemed excited to see a new face.
‘Are you okay?’ He was only asking because he noticed how out of breath she seemed when she stood in front of him.
His eyes settled on her and his face seemed to naturally neutralize while listening to her even if a delicate and barely-even-there smile continued to be on his expression. ‘Thank you,’ he appreciated the welcome to the camp. It was better than what he thought was going to be at this camp. Pretty much no one or nothing. Hestia made it sound like whatever happened in the past made this place barren, so he was glad that was not the case. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nelly. I’m Elysium, I guess a son of Hestia,” he introduced himself with some humor in his tone. It was odd saying that. Introducing himself as a son of a goddess — a goddess that he had never met until she appeared in his life and twisted it like a game.
As she continued to speak and explain things, he nodded to show her that he was listening, ‘I appreciate the offer and I would love to be shown the cabins. If that isn’t a burden to your time,’ Elysium had no reason to decline her offer and it was exactly what he wanted to figure out — where he would be staying during his time here. ‘And I’m not really hungry, not yet,’ he wasn’t terribly hungry since he ate before hiking here and he had snacks along the way. He didn’t come unprepared which might be noticed by the backpack he had. A bag full of his old life for the most part.
Hearing someone else’ stomach growl caused him to chuckle, ‘I have homemade snacks if you want one?’ he wasn’t sure if he should offer anything or not. However, this was when he got talking as he took off his bag. ‘I knew I would be hiking and meeting new people, so I made some things, and I can influence food to have different properties,’ he explained.
Elysium put his bag down in front of him, opened it up, and grabbed a few baggies of homemade snacks. ‘There are peanut butter bliss balls, banana blueberry oatmeal muffins, whole wheat carrot cake muffins, and baked kale chips,’ he extended his hand with the ziplock bags in it.
The items were all different:
The peanut butter bliss balls were made up of peanut butter, oats, chia seeds, dried cranberries, and honey. The banana blueberry oatmeal muffins had blueberries, banana, walnuts, oats, ground flax, almond butter, and a hidden veggie inside — cauliflower — and sweetened with maple syrup. The whole wheat carrot cake muffins had warm spices, walnuts, raisins, carrots, applesauce, brown sugar, and whole wheat flour. The baked kale chips were made with olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, granulated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
‘The peanut butter balls are infused with sustaining warmth since I knew it would be cold. While the banana blueberry oatmeal muffins will help soothe sore muscles. I willed that because I knew I might be hiking for a while to get to camp. While the whole wheat carrot muffins are comfort of the hearth, meaning they will offer a deep emotional comfort. I didn’t know how emotional this journey would be for me or others,’ Elysium was showing how thoughtful he was without even realizing it. He knew that he was emotional when facing his mother Hestia but he had evened out — he bet others might still be struggling to cope with everything that was going on. ‘And, last but not least, the baked kale chips. These are willed with cleansing, so if you eat them, you might feel really refreshed mentally along with aiding your body's functions like digestion.’ The man hoped his explanations were not overboard and didn’t scare the woman away. However, he honestly felt relaxed, because he could be upfront with people on what the food he offers does. This was a safe place in a sense.
Interactions: Nelly @Pristine1281 - Mentions: Anatoliy, Andy, Sloane, Osée, and Elena. - Collaborations: None
PatientBean Hi, I'm Barbie. What's up?
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12 hrs ago
The snow clung to the glass that overlooked the one of many streets in Manhattan. It was your typical winter day in New York but it still felt different. A mix of the warmth of a cup of cocoa and the steel resolve of a boss bitch in a boardroom.
Chariselle maneuvered through the knick-knacks and accouterments in the sitting room like she owned the place. And in a sense, she did. But in a greater sense, she did not but that was something she would deal with shortly.
Chariselle put her phone in the tripod and positioned it just so; a way to have the light from outside give her the best natural scenery she needed and the angle to ensure she looked her best. Once she was satisfied (which, let's be real, took longer than a church service which meant she had to adjust as the light from the sun shifted over time) she pressed record.
"What is up Charis-belles, it's your girl here in New York on this beautiful Winter day. There's just something magical about it, isn't there? I know, I know it's a cliche, but cliches exist for a reason. Winter in New York is something everyone needs to experience if you want to reinviograte that young desire for magic again."
As she spoke, Chariselle was careful about the words she used, the tone, the way her shirt opened slightly in the front, but not too much that she get flagged. Body language, hair movement, the simplest of blinks; it was all a part of the image. And it helped she had a bit of assistance from mother-dearest.
"Oh I am seeing the comments and you all are the sweetest! Those morning routines are so important not just because it's good for your body, but also for your soul. Oh thank you bellabelle204, I did get some new lip gloss which brings me to the sponsor for today. You all know I love looking my best and that sometimes means you need a little extra help. I know my girlies understand and even some of my fellas. And my non-binary baes also, #ally. Well this company produces some of the best make-up I have worn since I played in my mom's vanity. They are ethically sourced so you know you are putting good into the world and they come in a range of beautiful colors and good for all skin tones and varieties. I am so serious when I say this company is going places and I am so blessed to be one of the first to help market them!"
Chariselle obviously hid the fact that the company didn't give a fuck about the environment or the earth or how they treated their workers, both in their main office as well as the 'shops-that-shall-not-be-named', but they paid the bills. Or, rather, whatever she considered to be a bill (Starbucks didn't pay for itself!). When she approached them it took some convincing to even have her do this, but you'd be surprised what a little extra love will do to a person.
"So my belles, please use my code Charisbelle20 for 20% off your first order and free shipping! And they are constantly updated products so keep an eye out and keep watching because I guarantee I will not stop hyping them up!"
Chariselle watched the comments scroll in. One after the other as if it was attached to her veins, fueling her with the love. There was a troll comment here and there but that was to be expected from inbred momma's boy bitchtits who had nothing better to do than determine a woman's worth by calling her fat or ugly on the internet while hiding behind the anonymity of the internet. Chariselle could just slap the bitch to invented it, putting humanity so far behind what it could be.
"All right, I do have a bit of sad news. As many of you know I will be taking a brief hiatus from posting on here. It's nothing major I am fine and healthy, don't think I don't see those comments about weight loss or rehab. I encourage everyone to detox from social media now and then to recharge because as positive a space I try to make this be, the internet will internet."
As she spoke she heard the door slam and knew what that meant.
"All right my belles, I am hopping off but please check out that brand and write in the comments a positive affirmation that gets you through the day! Love you!" and she finished with an air kiss.
As she stopped recording she fought an eye roll over. She heard the clomp of feet and turned to face who had entered her domain.
Well, it was his domain but details.
Kyle or Vick or Rick or Sergio or whoever-the-fuck this guy's name was had come back home. While he should have been at work Chariselle knew what brought him home early. Before she could greet him he through the bag he had to the ground. "What the fuck!?!?"
If Chariselle had to guess, Benny or Denny or Mick had left work for lunch and used his debit card, which declined. He probably used it again and it declined. Then Toby or Joby or Quinton scratched his little head and pulled out his phone to open up his banking app to see. Maybe he put a hold on his card and forgot? Yeah, that had to be it. And after facial recognition let him in he would see that he had a balance of -$12.36, the price of the sandwich he had tried to order.
And then Huey, Lewey, or Dewey there would wonder what the hell happened. Was he hacked? Surely he wasn't scammed, he was careful with his information. He didn't save his card numbers anywhere and changed his pin as often as he did his underwear. He was paranoid to a fault. So what could have happened? Laurel or Yanny would then check his history and see a large chunk was deposited from an ATM. And Robert or Tobert would think 'well, I didn't do that' because only a drunk or high idiot would do something as stupid as take all his money out, which meant someone else did.
And then Dasher or Dancer or Prancer or Rudolph would recall who it could have possibly have been. And then he would have stormed out of the shop as one of the workers called out that he still had the sandwich in his hand and in a fit of anger he would throw it to the ground despite the huge number of starving people in the world (a real problem!) and marched back to his apartment.
And here we were.
"I repeat: what the fuck?!?"
"I heard you the first time. What's the problem?"
She could almost see the little vein near his right eye gush. "You know what the problem is!"
"Well, obviously not or I wouldn't have asked. Did something happen at work?"
"Did something....did.." he clenched his fists as he walked back and forth, "No something didn't happen at work."
"Well something clearly has you upset? Come, let's sit and talk about it."
She reached for his hand and he pulled away and she could swear he made a fist, but quickly unclenched it. Good, he knew better. "Why did you do it?"
Chariselle tilted her head ever so. "Do what?"
He clenched a fist again but he held it. "You know what.." His breathing was getting more intense. "Sweetheart, I have no idea what you are talking about, but I want to figure this out."
In a blink she was on him, her body pressing against his, chest to chest. Her eyes met his and she held his gaze slowly, steady, almost like a snake with its eyes on the little mouse that would be dinner. Her mouth pressed against his neck slightly before she cradled her hed into the space, nuzzling against him. "I think we need a minute alone together. Your job has you so stressed out. You have been complaining about it for weeks now. You need a break. Let me take care of you."
Walter or Wally or Walnut's anger seemed to evaporate into the ether. Whatever words hung on his lips melted away with her touch. "Right, yeah, so stressful."
"It's so hard doing what you do. You need some TLC."
She grabbed his wrist and led him towards the bedroom. He followed in an almost loopy daze. "TLC sounds nice."
Chariselle smiled as she pushed the door open, pulling him inside and preparing to make him forget everything for a while.
Chariselle got dressed as Nick or Knack or Paddywack laid there, content and blissfully unaware. She grabbed her wallet and put it in her purse, checking to see if the bills she had deposited still were there. She grabbed her togo back and her luggage as well as the passport and ticket she had booked weeks prior. Once she was satisfied she closed the bedroom door behind her and took her things. She looked around one last time. This was a nice apartment, but she knew it wouldn't have lasted. At least Jason or whoever would be happy for a bit until he realized he would have no way to pay rent. Ah well, c'est la vie!
Chariselle closed the door to the apartment and made her way outside. A short taxi ride to the airport and she would be on her way to bigger and better things! She would miss New York, but she would be back once she got what she needed.
camp athens entrance
The trip was a blessing. It really did pay to fly first class. Anyone else doing less was missing out. But she had arrived in Greece and found transportation for her ready and willing. The journey is the best, but the destination had its merits.
Once she arrived she looked around. She saw a gaggle of people coming and going, milling about. It was so cute! Like a real summer camp. She grabbed her stuff and strode forward, expecting someone to greet her and take her bags to wherever she would be staying.
Camp Athens needed to be ready. Chariselle had arrived.
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- Blizz,
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DELETED3986e3
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2 mos ago
Ocean wanted to protest when her brother inspected her cabin, but she held her tongue. Ocean knew he felt out of place and overwhelmed - they both did - so she let him do as he pleased before excusing himself. She dropped her bag on the cabin porch and did a little inspection for herself, though instead of looking for dangerous ambushes, she was looking for things that might need to be fixed up. Andy had mentioned that the cabins change with each owner- Ocean was interested to see if this cabin would reflect her personality.
The cabin was wooden and painted a baby blue color. It kind of reminded her of her house on the beach back in Hawai’i. It had windows with white trim and a wrap around deck- also painted white. Ocean decided she’d like to get some lounge chairs for the warmer months… assuming she’d be here that long. Poseidon never gave her a timeframe and she didn’t know if River got one. He never told her anything.
She walked into the cabin and was pleased to see that the interior was modern and practical. White walls, wooden floorboards and a cute seashell pink runner-rug along the floor. There were two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. Ocean felt excited over the prospect of having her own space away from her brother and her mom. She brought her bag in and placed it in the bigger room before leaving the cabin to make her way to what she assumed was the main hall. Her stomach growled and she hoped there was food. River was in charge of packing snacks and to her surprise (not), he forgot to include them.
She cut through the trees and deep snow behind her cabin and walked along the path until she saw the big field and what looked like horse stables. Ocean grew excited over the prospect of there being horses. Out of every creature she was able to talk to, horses were the most fun. Her stomach growled again and she made a mental note to come back and see if any horses actually occupied the building. When she rounded the big field, Ocean saw a few people -girls and guys- standing near the main office.
Some of them looked confused and out of place- Ocean assumed they were new like her. While most of them looked dressed appropriately for the weather, there was one guy who sported a bruised face and a singular hoodie. Ocean winced when she imagined the amount of cold water that must be soaking into his pants. She was suddenly even more grateful for her ability to remove the water from her clothes. Another man walked further into the camp with a girl by his side. He held baggies of what looked like snacks in his hands. At least someone came prepared. A part of her wanted to go up and say hi, but she didn’t know what she was doing and doubted she’d be any help to them, so she continued on to the main hall.
The smell of food invaded her nostrils and she had to stop herself from rushing. The last thing she wanted was to embarrass herself and be known as the crazy food girl. She had to make a good first impression. Ocean grabbed a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal before finding an empty table to sit at. Most of the tables were empty and Ocean realized that most people must just be waking up and getting ready for the day. Ocean wished she could have slept in a little, but she and River had been traveling since last night. First on a plane (which Ocean was terrified of. She would’ve preferred going by boat but that would’ve taken ages), and then hiking to camp early this morning. Walking to her table, Ocean noticed another table that she hadn't before that had a woman sitting at it. She was eating her breakfast as well and Ocean gave her a small smile and a wave before sitting at her own table- a few tables down from the woman.
Ocean poured an obscene amount of sugar and cinnamon in her oatmeal before taking a bite and smiling as it warmed her up and filled her belly. She thought about what she’d do for the rest of the day and decided that she might go for a swim in River’s heated pool. With or without his permission. It was weird not living by the ocean and by a lake instead, but she couldn’t complain. At least there was a body of water.
interactions ....|.... Iliana ............... mentions ....|.... Andy, Ace, Elysium, River, Nelly, Osee, Lennie, and anyone else that is inside the camp by the entrance. ............... collabs ....|.... none
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Blizz Archmage of the Fucking Universe / Etc
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0-24 hrs ago
 | Azariah Willow Child of Hecate * Camp Entrance |
|---|
Azariah was a long, long way from home. Not that she had a problem with that.
A gentle poof of a stick accompanied the hardy crunch of boots walking through snow. In the form of a stout woman, Azariah strolled through the woods one winter morning. Today was the last day of the year, and she was spending it on the move. Once upon a time, that would've made a bit more sense, given that people traveled for holidays. But this? Oh, no, this wasn't even the same country. This wasn't the United States, and getting a passport took some time. Of course, navigating a whole new country whose language she didn't speak certainly didn't help, nor did Hecate being Hecate about the whole situation.
That fact made Azariah grin, for all it was worth.
She used her staff to periodically blow away any falling snow, shoving it this was and that way with a bit of telekinetic force. She did dress for this weather, with thick pants, a heavy parka and some wool gloves. Though, where Azariah was from, it usually didn’t snow this much in winter. She considered just turning into a bird and flying through the trees to avoid a lot of it. The only reason she didn’t was that, allegedly, the gods were laying close attention to this area. And by extension, so would their kids. She didn’t want to turn into an animal in case some demigod with a magic bow came through thinking she was an easy sacrifice.
Azariah had to wonder what they were saying, back in that small town where she never seemed to want to leave. He never went to college, where are they going now? Why didn't he tell anyone he had a job- Was it a job? There wasn't any real reason to fool them, her mom or dad or anyone else in town, about where she was going. Azariah could've just told them she'd been putting money away to move out somewhere and lied about where. Telling people why wasn't an option. Though, it was more habit than anything that she'd left them all completely blindsided. It just happened to go over her head.
The gate came into view.
Walking up to it, it didn't seem like it was magic or made of fancy god metals. There was a keypad on it, and putting two and two together -Hecate's suggestions making two, and this making four- Azariah stuck her thumb on the fingerprint reader. When the gate opened for her, there were so many people milling about at this hour. She assumed they were demigods. After all, it was a pain in the ass to get here, and there was no way in all hell that every last one of these people were Greek by nationality alone. There were cabins in the distance, loudspeakers up around the place, and looking off into the distance... Was that just a literal coliseum? There were cabins everywhere, and they all looked pretty distinct from each other.
Azariah picked a direction and started walking towards the closest building, the main hall.
 | Marlen Ross Child of Apollo * Camp Entrance |
|---|
There exists a point where someone has too much of a good thing. When the medicine for what ails becomes the poison and should therefore be withheld. Apollo had once told Marlen that they should just do what they felt they needed to do for themselves, and as a god of medicine and general well-being, it was hard to argue that he had a point. But that was years ago, and Marlen considered Apollo to at least have some sense in his divine head. He told Marlen that there was a place for their kind, the demigods from all over Earth, and framed it in a way that made sense: It was good for a person to change every now and then, and socialize.
It wasn’t hard to reason with Marlen. Both them and Apollo knew that much, and though he wasn’t very hands-on throughout their life, he’d been watching like any godly parent would. He watched Marlen coast from place to place, hopping trains and seeing the world, and knew that it was healthy for them. They were a strange kid who eventually grew up to be a strange adult. Their own needs were something they valued highly, being on the road so much, so Apollo knew just how to convince them without any serious arm-twisting. Getting here from the United States presented its own problems, but gods as their witnesses, Marlen pulled through.
For the last two months, they'd been a stowaway on a passenger ship. Marlen was lucky that they hadn't completely sold out rooms aboard it, and even luckier that this one happened to cross hemispheres. A day after the ship had cast off, Marlen just approached a worker, wearing stolen clothes, and told him there must've been a mistake because his room and keycard weren't ever given to him. The worker was, of course, too damn busy to scrutinize. So he just escorted Marlen to an empty cabin and took down some basic information. And just like that, Marlen had blended in and was able to eat food and sleep in peace. It felt so weird getting away with that, they had to wonder if Apollo had asked Poseidon to just brainwash the guy and let it be.
That ship landed in France, several countries away from where they needed to go.
It took another month to hop trains and cross through valleys, jump over rivers and navigate towns with different languages, to end up in the right country. From there, it was another week to get to this snowy forest. All of that was Marlen's life for years, so it was like clockwork to them. Anyone else probably would've taken a week just to find where this place was, let alone make it here in person.
All to end up before a metal gate with some weird contraption out front. Marlen curiously touched it with their gloved hand, and it beeped. They pulled a pan flute out thin air and swatted at it to make it stop beeping. The gate slid open, and Marlen came to the conclusion it was some sort of security thing, like all the gates and checkpoints used to keep people from going somewhere they shouldn't. They'd had to deal with a lot of those, especially here on this continent where public transport was way more common.
In they went.
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The Savant A mind filled with chaos
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18 days ago
Anatoliy was standing outside of the weathered wall, it was tall, and well built. He wondered who built it and even more importantly… why they built it. This was not a place for regular folks and he assumed everyone here was a child of a god. Winter had dug in deep — frigid air gnawed through his coat and it might not have helped that he decided to take a freezing cold ice bath. Another thing he noticed was his breath came out in thick white plumes. It reminded him of how the smoke of trains came out in childhood story books.
Everytime he shifted his weight, he could hear the crunching softly under his hiking boots, and the more he stood there, the more it felt like his whole body was being dusted with a frost. A frost that wanted to enter his skin and freeze him to his bones. Then he noticed an olive skinned man walk past him and enter the gates. They locked eyes only for a second before Anatoliy looked away because he didn’t want to bother him. Then the gate shut and he wondered if he should go in. How could he talk himself into moving? He looked back at the tall wall and swallowed dryly.
At first, he thought nothing of it, and continued to ponder about this camp and what he should do. Then a few more people stood outside of the camp, didn’t say a word to each other, and continued to walk through the gate before disappearing into the camp. His brows furrowed with confusion — Are all these people new?
No… there is no way. They are walking in like they know exactly what they are doing. Why aren’t any of them saying anything to each other? This concerned Anatoliy for a variety of reasons. The only person that glanced his way was the first man… everyone else… not a single glance his way, not a nod, and not even a wave. This was disruptive for him internally. They must not be a friendly bunch…
The next individual that walked by, Anatoliy tried to smile but it came out way too tentative — but it vanished into the air like his breath, ignored. He pulled his hands deeper into his sleeves and his brows creased together in thought. This is strange, he thought. You’d think someone would at least acknowledge me. Something. Anything.
Everyone was showing anti-social behavior and he was beginning to feel like he would not survive in camp. It was the first day, maybe everyone was nervous like he was, but he doubted it. If everyone was so self absorbed or unwilling to interact, he was going to have to make the miles and miles worth of hiking back to civilization to get some form of attention from someone. That sounded awful. Spending almost a quarter of the day traveling to at least get some small talk.
He looked around again, rubbing at his stiff fingers through fabric. Maybe they were all new to the camp too or maybe they were hardened residents, long past the point of welcoming strangers. It was hard to tell beneath the hoods, scarves, and whatever else they were wearing.
Still… If we’re all new, he thought. Couldn’t hurt to wave or glance.
But no one did.
'What do you think Ip?" he whispered while looking at the front gates where most people wandered into and noticed a few others standing outside of it.
'No clue, Ana!' Ip responded while crawling out of his shirt pocket.
Anatoliy nodded his head, 'I think we should head back to civilization. This is reminding me of those National Geographic episodes that deal with cannibalistic tribes,' he explained to the little vole that appeared to be very confused.
Some squeaks could be heard, 'What?'
'Nothing... It just means I feel like these people are crazy and dangerous." he added his opinions before stepping further away from the gate and wall. Slowly. Anatoliy was trying to be invisible now. Already planning the quickest route back to civilization and staying off any major paths to avoid crazy and dangerous people.
Everytime he shifted his weight, he could hear the crunching softly under his hiking boots, and the more he stood there, the more it felt like his whole body was being dusted with a frost. A frost that wanted to enter his skin and freeze him to his bones. Then he noticed an olive skinned man walk past him and enter the gates. They locked eyes only for a second before Anatoliy looked away because he didn’t want to bother him. Then the gate shut and he wondered if he should go in. How could he talk himself into moving? He looked back at the tall wall and swallowed dryly.
At first, he thought nothing of it, and continued to ponder about this camp and what he should do. Then a few more people stood outside of the camp, didn’t say a word to each other, and continued to walk through the gate before disappearing into the camp. His brows furrowed with confusion — Are all these people new?
No… there is no way. They are walking in like they know exactly what they are doing. Why aren’t any of them saying anything to each other? This concerned Anatoliy for a variety of reasons. The only person that glanced his way was the first man… everyone else… not a single glance his way, not a nod, and not even a wave. This was disruptive for him internally. They must not be a friendly bunch…
The next individual that walked by, Anatoliy tried to smile but it came out way too tentative — but it vanished into the air like his breath, ignored. He pulled his hands deeper into his sleeves and his brows creased together in thought. This is strange, he thought. You’d think someone would at least acknowledge me. Something. Anything.
Everyone was showing anti-social behavior and he was beginning to feel like he would not survive in camp. It was the first day, maybe everyone was nervous like he was, but he doubted it. If everyone was so self absorbed or unwilling to interact, he was going to have to make the miles and miles worth of hiking back to civilization to get some form of attention from someone. That sounded awful. Spending almost a quarter of the day traveling to at least get some small talk.
He looked around again, rubbing at his stiff fingers through fabric. Maybe they were all new to the camp too or maybe they were hardened residents, long past the point of welcoming strangers. It was hard to tell beneath the hoods, scarves, and whatever else they were wearing.
Still… If we’re all new, he thought. Couldn’t hurt to wave or glance.
But no one did.
'What do you think Ip?" he whispered while looking at the front gates where most people wandered into and noticed a few others standing outside of it.
'No clue, Ana!' Ip responded while crawling out of his shirt pocket.
Anatoliy nodded his head, 'I think we should head back to civilization. This is reminding me of those National Geographic episodes that deal with cannibalistic tribes,' he explained to the little vole that appeared to be very confused.
Some squeaks could be heard, 'What?'
'Nothing... It just means I feel like these people are crazy and dangerous." he added his opinions before stepping further away from the gate and wall. Slowly. Anatoliy was trying to be invisible now. Already planning the quickest route back to civilization and staying off any major paths to avoid crazy and dangerous people.
Interactions: None - Mentions: Elysium, Elena, Osee, Ace, Chariselle, Azariah, Marlen - Collaborations: None
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Qia A Little Weasel
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21 hrs ago
The airplane cabin hummed with the quiet, steady rhythm of engines, its luxurious calm a distinct contrast to the turmoil within Anissa Quinn's mind. The scent of freshly ground coffee wafted gently down the aisle, mingling with hints of rose from the hand towels passed around earlier. Plush ivory seats lined the first-class compartment, each designed to cocoon its occupant in comfort, creating a private sanctuary thousands of feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
Outside, through the curved plane window, the horizon blurred softly between twilight and dawn, streaks of lilac blending with indigo. The surreal beauty of it momentarily drew her gaze away from the letter that had consumed her thoughts since boarding. Yet, even as she admired the colours, Anissa's fingers compulsively traced the folded edges of the heavy parchment nestled inside her coat pocket.
She had read it countless times, each word burned into her memory, each phrase resonating deeper each time she revisited them. What would it hurt for a third time…or a fourth…or…:
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
For days, she’d ricocheted between rationalizations. Perhaps, she’d caught a stalker’s fascination, though if that were the case, they would have to be both omnipotent and omnipresent to hold the knowledge expressed. Another idea she’d briefly considered was that it was a powerful delusion conjured by sleep-deprived neurons. But certainty had crystallized in the pit of her stomach when even that could not explain how real it had felt in her hands, how she would have to be mad to have written the words to herself somehow. Her mother, of course, remained oblivious of the whole thing, and Anissa intended to keep it that way. Let her believe the boutique’s resurgence and Anissa’s sudden “college tour” to Greece were unrelated. Better to preserve the fragile peace they’d carved out than watch her mother’s resurrected smile fracture under fresh dread.
Especially when whoever it was sent by hadn’t even bothered to leave their name, despite surreptitiously claiming to be her long-lost father, finally returned from a terribly long milk run.
Growing up under her mother’s careful, attentive gaze had been both sheltering and isolating. The boutique, filled with decadent fabrics and ornate accessories, had always been their haven, its comforting familiarity so different from the whispers and stares Anissa endured elsewhere. She admired her mother fiercely; the woman who never complained, who wove resilience and elegance into every facet of her life, who’d sometimes managed to camouflage her daughter’s strangeness beneath couture. Yet no amount of love or skill could bridge the widening gulf between the normal life her mother envisioned for her and the unsettling truths Anissa had often had to face alone.
Like the night she’d been fourteen, pacing the boutique’s backroom after closing, studying her reflection in the full-length mirror as her mother adjusted an emerald velvet dress around her shoulders. Her mother's gentle chatter faded suddenly into a muted hum, overtaken by a different voice whispering frantically into Anissa's ear. “She took my pearls, buried them beneath the floorboards, make her give them back. GIVE THEM BACK” The voice had crackled like static, desperate, insistent, leaving Anissa's fingers shaking and her breath caught in her throat. When she'd snapped out of it, blinking back the unshed tears, she’d met her mother’s concerned gaze with a forced smile, pretending the tremor in her voice was excitement for the fabric's softness and not fear of her first spirit encounter clinging desperately to her reality.
The memory sent a chill skittering up her spine even now, pulling her abruptly back into the present, to the quiet hum of the engines, the soft lighting, and the surreal peace of the airplane cabin. Ani leaned back into the plush seat, willing her racing heart to slow. All those memories, all those moments…she could never truly outrun them. They’d followed her onto this plane, she was sure of it, and they’d be waiting for her wherever she landed. It was only a matter of time….
Her gaze flicked nervously around the cabin, briefly catching her own reflection in the darkened windowpane, a study of many contradictions—wide-eyed but mesmerizing, pale but glow-kissed in the cabin light, faint shadows beneath her brown eyes that popped with her eye liner, belying sleepless nights spent dissecting every line of that letter. Not to mention the dream that had come not too long after it, erasing whatever doubts she may have had at the time.
Three nights after the letter arrived, Anissa found herself drifting seamlessly into a vivid dream. She’d found herself on a shore defying logic—obsidian sands shimmering with bioluminescent flecks, an ocean stretching placid and endless beneath a bruised sky. No moon, no stars, only brilliant streaks of violet and gold smeared across the heavens as if by a god’s careless thumb. The horizon hung low, heavy with impending storms, clouds churning restlessly in the distance. The ocean before her stretched endlessly, eerily calm, its stillness more unsettling than any violent wave.
It rose from the water’s glassine surface, a colossus draped in kelp that writhed like living serpents. Shadows clung to its form, obscuring features yet, at the same time, sharpening its aura of dominion. In its hand, a pomegranate split open, seeds glistening like gems. Juice dripped from its fingers, staining the water crimson where it fell. No words passed its lips, yet Anissa felt the offer reverberate through her: a summons, Persephone’s bargain, a descent into realms where sunlight dared not reach.
This time, she was the one bound for hell.
Not as a translator, not as a guide, but another poor, lost soul who had yet to comprehend the cost of being claimed by the dead. What it meant to be chosen not with love but with inevitability.
When she dared blink, the figure had vanished, leaving only the fruit adrift before the abyss reclaimed it. But the vision’s aftershocks lingered. She’d woken with brine stiffening her hair, the pomegranate’s cloying sweetness clotting in her throat, her pulse racing, certainty carved firmly into her soul: the letter had been no coincidence, the dream no mere figment. Her father's claim was real. Still… she’d tried to shake it. Even searched “pomegranate dream meaning” one night, like it was a fever she could self-diagnose.
Half the results were biblical, while the rest had said she was either fertile, cursed, or emotionally constipated. So, no help there.
Whatever awaited her in Greece was inevitable, a destiny she could no longer ignore.
The plane shuddered as it cleaved through puffy cumuli, turbulence rattling the ice in abandoned glasses. Anissa’s fingers retrieved her phone, its screen glowing with the artist she hadn’t stopped playing since boarding (she was a fan, what else could she say to explain it?). She slid the earbuds in slowly, the silicone tips sealing her into her own private underworld.
And I've been sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool…
The cabin’s opulence dissolved, replaced by the black-sand shore of her dream, the pomegranate’s garnet seeds glinting like eyes in the dark. She pressed her temple to the window, cool glass grounding her as the singer’s voice slithered into her skull, a serpent offering knowledge she both craved and feared.
Do you feel like a young god?
No, she thought. She did not feel like a god. She felt like a lit match in a gas leak, all spark, no control. Chosen? She was chosen only in the way a rabbit is chosen by a hawk. Powerful? Her “gifts” had always been a curse, peeling back veils to reveal horrors that sometimes left her mute for days. Yet the song thrummed with a truth she couldn’t outrun: power wasn’t purity. It was the hunger in the god’s gaze as they devoured their humble and foolish earnest supplicants.
Her lips moved soundlessly with the next verse as the cabin plunged into temporary gloom. The plane lurched again, and she let her eyes close, surrendering to the vertigo.
This is how it happens, she realized. Not with a portal or a bang, but a slow bleed. Camp Athens wasn’t a destination, it was an autopsy table. They’d crack her open and pluck out the long, rotten core, the thing that drew spirits like flies to meat. The letter’s author knew it. The drowned woman knew it. Even the pomegranate god, offering her a choice that wasn’t a choice at all, knew it.
Revelation or ruin, the distinction mattered less now. The shadows had already tasted her. All that remained was to see which would claim her first: the gods waiting below, or the ones she’d carried inside her all along.
Outside, through the curved plane window, the horizon blurred softly between twilight and dawn, streaks of lilac blending with indigo. The surreal beauty of it momentarily drew her gaze away from the letter that had consumed her thoughts since boarding. Yet, even as she admired the colours, Anissa's fingers compulsively traced the folded edges of the heavy parchment nestled inside her coat pocket.
She had read it countless times, each word burned into her memory, each phrase resonating deeper each time she revisited them. What would it hurt for a third time…or a fourth…or…:
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
𝕸𝖞 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝕬𝖓𝖎,
𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖒𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖜𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖜𝖍𝖞 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖉𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖍 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖞𝖔𝖚, 𝖜𝖍𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖆𝖎𝖗 𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖛𝖔𝖎𝖈𝖊𝖘 𝖓𝖔 𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖊𝖑𝖘𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖊𝖒𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗….
𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖉 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙 𝖘𝖕𝖔𝖐𝖊, 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖍𝖎𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖐𝖘 𝖇𝖊𝖓𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖘𝖈𝖔𝖗𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖉 𝖘𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖓 𝖌𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖘, 𝖓𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖑𝖊𝖙𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖒𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖘𝖊𝖊 𝖍𝖔𝖜 𝖉𝖊𝖊𝖕 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝖌𝖗𝖎𝖕 𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖑𝖞 𝖗𝖆𝖓. 𝖄𝖔𝖚'𝖛𝖊 𝖆𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖜𝖆𝖑𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖓𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖔𝖜 𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖊𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖉, 𝖓𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖋𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖊𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖑𝖒.
𝕯𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖗𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖒𝖇𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖎𝖆 𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖊 𝖇𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖔𝖑𝖉 𝖈𝖍𝖚𝖗𝖈𝖍 𝖔𝖓 𝕸𝖆𝖎𝖓 𝕾𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖙? 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝖇𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖘𝖔𝖒𝖘 𝖆𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖋𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖙𝖔𝖔 𝖘𝖔𝖔𝖓, 𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖕𝖊𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖘 𝖑𝖎𝖐𝖊 𝖙𝖊𝖆𝖗-𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖋𝖊𝖙𝖙𝖎 𝖔𝖓 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖕𝖆𝖙𝖍. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖋𝖊𝖑𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖔𝖜 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖞𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖊𝖑𝖘𝖊. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖓𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖙, 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖘𝖎𝖑𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖉 𝖔𝖋𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖙𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊.
𝕬𝖓𝖉 𝖞𝖊𝖙, 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖙𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖈𝖆𝖒𝖊. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖜𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓 𝖉𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝖘𝖊𝖆𝖜𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖗, 𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖘𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖔𝖜 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖍𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖘. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖓-𝖘𝖔𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖕𝖚𝖉𝖉𝖑𝖊𝖘' 𝖜𝖍𝖎𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝖌𝖚𝖎𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖊𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖉𝖎𝖉𝖓'𝖙 𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖍 𝖙𝖔 𝖚𝖓𝖈𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖇𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖐𝖊𝖊𝖕 𝖇𝖊𝖓𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖕𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜, 𝖎𝖙𝖘 𝖕𝖆𝖌𝖊𝖘 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖉 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖎𝖓𝖐 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖘, 𝖙𝖗𝖞𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖉𝖊 𝖛𝖎𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘 𝖓𝖔 𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖊𝖑𝖘𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖕𝖔𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖇𝖑𝖞 𝖋𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖒.
𝕴 𝖉𝖎𝖉 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖆𝖇𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖔𝖓 𝖞𝖔𝖚, 𝕬𝖓𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖆. 𝕴'𝖛𝖊 𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖑𝖞 𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚, 𝖍𝖊𝖑𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖙 𝖆𝖗𝖒’𝖘 𝖑𝖊𝖓𝖌𝖙𝖍 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖗𝖐𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖙'𝖘 𝖈𝖗𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖞 𝖔𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖇𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖍. 𝕭𝖚𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖛𝖊𝖎𝖑 𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖆𝖑𝖐 𝖌𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖑𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝖊𝖆𝖈𝖍 𝖉𝖆𝖞. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖆𝖒𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖚𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖎𝖙 𝖒𝖊𝖆𝖓𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖉𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖌𝖔𝖉𝖘.
𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝕮𝖆𝖒𝖕 𝕬𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖓𝖘. 𝕱𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖘𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚'𝖛𝖊 𝖆𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖘𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍𝖙, 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖙𝖍 𝖔𝖋 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝕴 𝖆𝖒 𝖙𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚.
~~𝕱𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖉 𝖍𝖆𝖉 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖘𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖓 𝖞𝖔𝖚
🥀
For days, she’d ricocheted between rationalizations. Perhaps, she’d caught a stalker’s fascination, though if that were the case, they would have to be both omnipotent and omnipresent to hold the knowledge expressed. Another idea she’d briefly considered was that it was a powerful delusion conjured by sleep-deprived neurons. But certainty had crystallized in the pit of her stomach when even that could not explain how real it had felt in her hands, how she would have to be mad to have written the words to herself somehow. Her mother, of course, remained oblivious of the whole thing, and Anissa intended to keep it that way. Let her believe the boutique’s resurgence and Anissa’s sudden “college tour” to Greece were unrelated. Better to preserve the fragile peace they’d carved out than watch her mother’s resurrected smile fracture under fresh dread.
Especially when whoever it was sent by hadn’t even bothered to leave their name, despite surreptitiously claiming to be her long-lost father, finally returned from a terribly long milk run.
Growing up under her mother’s careful, attentive gaze had been both sheltering and isolating. The boutique, filled with decadent fabrics and ornate accessories, had always been their haven, its comforting familiarity so different from the whispers and stares Anissa endured elsewhere. She admired her mother fiercely; the woman who never complained, who wove resilience and elegance into every facet of her life, who’d sometimes managed to camouflage her daughter’s strangeness beneath couture. Yet no amount of love or skill could bridge the widening gulf between the normal life her mother envisioned for her and the unsettling truths Anissa had often had to face alone.
Like the night she’d been fourteen, pacing the boutique’s backroom after closing, studying her reflection in the full-length mirror as her mother adjusted an emerald velvet dress around her shoulders. Her mother's gentle chatter faded suddenly into a muted hum, overtaken by a different voice whispering frantically into Anissa's ear. “She took my pearls, buried them beneath the floorboards, make her give them back. GIVE THEM BACK” The voice had crackled like static, desperate, insistent, leaving Anissa's fingers shaking and her breath caught in her throat. When she'd snapped out of it, blinking back the unshed tears, she’d met her mother’s concerned gaze with a forced smile, pretending the tremor in her voice was excitement for the fabric's softness and not fear of her first spirit encounter clinging desperately to her reality.
The memory sent a chill skittering up her spine even now, pulling her abruptly back into the present, to the quiet hum of the engines, the soft lighting, and the surreal peace of the airplane cabin. Ani leaned back into the plush seat, willing her racing heart to slow. All those memories, all those moments…she could never truly outrun them. They’d followed her onto this plane, she was sure of it, and they’d be waiting for her wherever she landed. It was only a matter of time….
Her gaze flicked nervously around the cabin, briefly catching her own reflection in the darkened windowpane, a study of many contradictions—wide-eyed but mesmerizing, pale but glow-kissed in the cabin light, faint shadows beneath her brown eyes that popped with her eye liner, belying sleepless nights spent dissecting every line of that letter. Not to mention the dream that had come not too long after it, erasing whatever doubts she may have had at the time.
Three nights after the letter arrived, Anissa found herself drifting seamlessly into a vivid dream. She’d found herself on a shore defying logic—obsidian sands shimmering with bioluminescent flecks, an ocean stretching placid and endless beneath a bruised sky. No moon, no stars, only brilliant streaks of violet and gold smeared across the heavens as if by a god’s careless thumb. The horizon hung low, heavy with impending storms, clouds churning restlessly in the distance. The ocean before her stretched endlessly, eerily calm, its stillness more unsettling than any violent wave.
It rose from the water’s glassine surface, a colossus draped in kelp that writhed like living serpents. Shadows clung to its form, obscuring features yet, at the same time, sharpening its aura of dominion. In its hand, a pomegranate split open, seeds glistening like gems. Juice dripped from its fingers, staining the water crimson where it fell. No words passed its lips, yet Anissa felt the offer reverberate through her: a summons, Persephone’s bargain, a descent into realms where sunlight dared not reach.
This time, she was the one bound for hell.
Not as a translator, not as a guide, but another poor, lost soul who had yet to comprehend the cost of being claimed by the dead. What it meant to be chosen not with love but with inevitability.
When she dared blink, the figure had vanished, leaving only the fruit adrift before the abyss reclaimed it. But the vision’s aftershocks lingered. She’d woken with brine stiffening her hair, the pomegranate’s cloying sweetness clotting in her throat, her pulse racing, certainty carved firmly into her soul: the letter had been no coincidence, the dream no mere figment. Her father's claim was real. Still… she’d tried to shake it. Even searched “pomegranate dream meaning” one night, like it was a fever she could self-diagnose.
Half the results were biblical, while the rest had said she was either fertile, cursed, or emotionally constipated. So, no help there.
Whatever awaited her in Greece was inevitable, a destiny she could no longer ignore.
The plane shuddered as it cleaved through puffy cumuli, turbulence rattling the ice in abandoned glasses. Anissa’s fingers retrieved her phone, its screen glowing with the artist she hadn’t stopped playing since boarding (she was a fan, what else could she say to explain it?). She slid the earbuds in slowly, the silicone tips sealing her into her own private underworld.
And I've been sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool…
The cabin’s opulence dissolved, replaced by the black-sand shore of her dream, the pomegranate’s garnet seeds glinting like eyes in the dark. She pressed her temple to the window, cool glass grounding her as the singer’s voice slithered into her skull, a serpent offering knowledge she both craved and feared.
Do you feel like a young god?
No, she thought. She did not feel like a god. She felt like a lit match in a gas leak, all spark, no control. Chosen? She was chosen only in the way a rabbit is chosen by a hawk. Powerful? Her “gifts” had always been a curse, peeling back veils to reveal horrors that sometimes left her mute for days. Yet the song thrummed with a truth she couldn’t outrun: power wasn’t purity. It was the hunger in the god’s gaze as they devoured their humble and foolish earnest supplicants.
Her lips moved soundlessly with the next verse as the cabin plunged into temporary gloom. The plane lurched again, and she let her eyes close, surrendering to the vertigo.
This is how it happens, she realized. Not with a portal or a bang, but a slow bleed. Camp Athens wasn’t a destination, it was an autopsy table. They’d crack her open and pluck out the long, rotten core, the thing that drew spirits like flies to meat. The letter’s author knew it. The drowned woman knew it. Even the pomegranate god, offering her a choice that wasn’t a choice at all, knew it.
Revelation or ruin, the distinction mattered less now. The shadows had already tasted her. All that remained was to see which would claim her first: the gods waiting below, or the ones she’d carried inside her all along.
Fresh snowfall clung to Anissa Quinn’s boots, softening her footfalls as she trudged up the winding path toward the camp. The trees flanking either side of the trail stood like sentinels, their bare branches powdered with frost, crackling faintly under heavy snow. Wind hissed low between them, not sharp enough to sting but cold enough to gnaw at exposed skin. Anissa’s breath fogged before her in shallow bursts, her gloved fingers curling tightly around the handle of her suitcase as it rolled reluctantly through patches of ice and half-buried gravel.
She wasn’t dressed like someone bound for possible danger or someone seeking sanctuary, for that matter. Instead, Anissa wore a long, black wool coat cinched at the waist with a wide leather belt, the lapels turned up to shield her neck from the cold. Underneath peeked dark leggings tucked into heeled ankle boots—not the most practical for trudging through snow, but the fur lining offered some compromise. Her mother had always insisted on style even in practicality, and the coat, at least, was warm enough. A soft blush scarf was looped around her throat, matching the inside of her satin-palmed gloves. Her hair was worn loose today, dark waves tumbling over her shoulders, already dusted with snowflakes that clung to it unwilling to let go. Her face also bore traces of makeup: faint shimmer along her cheekbones, mascara clinging to her lashes despite the chill. Her lips were slightly chapped, but still painted with a warm rose tint that defied the ice-cold bleakness around her.
Dragging behind her was a pale pink suitcase with gold metal corners, the wheels rattling against frozen patches of earth. Her carry-on, slung across her body in a black faux-leather satchel, was just as sleek-looking and carefully maintained, with a silver zipper shaped like a crescent moon. Attached to the strap was a small rabbit’s foot charm she’d found in her mother’s sewing drawer when she was thirteen. Sentimental superstition. Even now, the soft fur grazed her hip with every step like something she couldn’t quite leave behind. Perhaps as a reminder of the person it had belonged to, that she had.
Ahead, through a thinning cluster of trees dusted in white, the girl was finally relieved to see the silhouette of the top part of a gate emerge, tall, imposing, and etched black against the purity of winter. Its iron spires reached skyward like talons petrified mid-strike, the sight spurring both intimidating and oddly reassuring feelings within her. Frost had filigreed the metal with crystalline lace, transforming the structure into a macabre masterpiece of beauty and menace entwined. This was no sun-dappled refuge of canoe rides and campfire songs. The few earlier fantasies of normalcy she’d had, of bunk beds, friendship bracelets, some sanitized version of belonging, now seemed laughably naive. The camp’s austerity was a confession: Here, we do not pretend or hide what we are and what we can do.
There were no cheerful banners to gaslight her into forgetting why she’d come, no kindly counsellors to dilute the truth. The gate’s severity was a contract etched in iron. Once she passed its bars, the luxury of her ignorance could no longer be kept. Containment, possibly, but also, weirdly enough, catharsis.
Her steps faltered as the flutter in her chest metastasized, wings beating against her ribcage. She paused, scarf slipping as she tilted her face toward the gate’s apex. The cold gnawed at her exposed throat, but the true chill came from within—a creeping certainty that the camp’s walls were not barriers, but sieves. They’d let the right horrors in. Keep the wrong ones out.
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Anissa froze.
Her pulse quickened, breath catching softly in her throat as every muscle tensed in sudden awareness. Her mind immediately raced for explanations: a deer, perhaps, or a branch heavy with snow finally succumbing to gravity.
But she knew better. She always knew better.
“Just keep walking. You’re almost there,” she murmured softly to herself, her voice offering more comfort than courage. Anissa resumed moving, faster now, snow and ice protesting beneath her impractical footwear. She forced her gaze straight ahead, locking onto the gate that appeared more and more, even as every instinct screamed that she was no longer alone.
Yes, she was no longer alone. She could spot a few figures now standing at the camp’s entrance, two, maybe three, their shapes blurred by distance and snowfall. Human? She willed herself to believe it. To quicken her pace. But the presence behind her pressed closer still, a pressure against her spine as tangible as a cold breath on her neck. Her boots skidded on ice, the suitcase lurching sideways. She caught it, heart jackhammering, and turned.
The trail behind her stretched empty, tranquil. Mocking her unease.
Trees stood silent on either side, branches heavy and still. Her eyes darted nervously from shadow to shadow, searching for movement that wasn't there. The oppressive silence felt louder somehow, punctuated only by the ragged cadence of her breathing and the distant murmur of voices ahead at the gate.
“You're finally losing it, Ani,” she whispered harshly, breath frosting on the air. She turned forward once more, shaking her head, determined now to reach the gate before paranoia consumed what little composure she had left.
The figure materialized inches from her face, its form coalescing from snowflakes and dirt.
Frost rimed its outline, a negative space shaped like a man, features smeared as if by a thumb across wet paint. Cold radiated from it in waves, searing her lungs with each breath. Anissa recoiled, but her boots rooted to the earth, muscles locked in primal submission. In turn, the apparition seemed to shudder, fingers elongating from vapour and shadow. Its mouth gaped, a black hole howling in silent form. She felt the plea in her mind instead, not quite words, but a raw, magnetic need she could not comprehend.
Anissa had seen spirits before. Felt them. Spoken to them. The dead clung to her like perfume that never washed out, always there, always familiar. But this was different. This wasn’t the slow, aching sorrow of a lost mother looking for her child, or the furious grief of someone murdered and buried beneath the wrong name. This wasn’t one of the ghosts she’d grown used to parsing through tears and riddles.
This was an incarnate absence.
There was no true emotion in it. No voice. No name curling at the edges of her thoughts, begging to be remembered. It didn’t ache with longing or throb with unfinished purpose. It simply was, and its presence left her gut empty, her body humming with the basic understanding that she was in the presence of something that should not be.
Not a ghost. Not even a soul.
Just a scar in the world, still bleeding.
And then it was gone, as abruptly as it had appeared. Not cauterized, but no longer allowing itself to be seen if she had to guess. Anissa stood unmoving for a moment longer to make sure, ears straining for an understanding that didn’t come. The silence had returned, but it wasn’t peace. It was the aftermath. Her breath steamed out in tight, shallow exhales, clouding the air like smoke from something just extinguished.
She didn’t move until the frost began to bite again through her gloves.
Even then, her limbs obeyed stiffly, as though whatever she’d witnessed had rearranged her bones beneath her skin. Her boots scraped against the ice, suitcase lurching behind her like a dragged body. Her fingers curled tighter around the suitcase handle, and she found herself wondering, without meaning to, what kind of violence had created what she’d seen. What kind of death? Who had it been? More importantly, how much of them was left to even be called human?
But no answers came. Just the snow. The wind. And the faint creak of the camp gates ahead, now visible in full, iron black and waiting. Whatever happened here, she thought grimly, she would probably find out with time. For now…there were people to make note of. Possibly to speak to.
She spotted him standing a few paces from the gate, rigid, like he wasn’t sure whether to storm the place or bolt for the trees. His clothes didn’t scream demigod or danger, just… forest-dwelling sad poet with poor layering instincts despite his coat. Dusky work pants stuffed into boots that had seen too many winters, as far as she could tell. She clocked the hat, the faint tremor in his shoulders, the blank expression trying too hard not to be fear.
Stylish? No. Curious? Definitely.
Anissa tilted her head, considering her options briefly, before making her way over to where he stood. She slowed as she neared him, her suitcase wobbling behind her, boots sinking deeper into the snow. He hadn’t seen her yet—or maybe he had and just didn’t care. That in itself was strange. Most people looked at her at least once. He, on the other hand, seemed busy murmuring to the inside of his coat. Not muttering nervously or praying under his breath like the truly unhinged, to be fair, but speaking softly, pointedly, as if someone (or something) were answering back.
Anissa arched a brow. Wonderful. Either he was like her… or much worse.
Still, something about the way he looked at the gate made her pause instead of pass by. If anyone here might understand what it meant to be haunted, it was probably the boy holding a conversation with his pocket, wasn’t it?
She cleared her throat gently, boots now crunching to a stop a few feet away. “Are you... waiting for an invitation?” Her voice carried that polished, mildly condescending lilt—part defence mechanism, part default tone. “Because I think we’re free to go in, if that’s what you’re wondering.” She stated this while gesturing to a few of the others as they walked right through the entrance to the camp.
That was when her eyes, while shifting around, spotted her, a vision of cashmere and composure, gliding through the snow as if it were a Milanese runway. The girl was practically elegance weaponized: Cream turtleneck tucked into a pleated skirt that would’ve fluttered if the air weren’t so bitter. Knee-high boots, long coat draped over her shoulders, a quilted designer bag swinging from one arm like she was late for lunch on Madison Avenue. Every piece of clothing screaming of old money and opulence.
Anissa’s brow twitched faintly.
She was pretty, with a capital “P”. A dangerous kind of pretty. Just her luck.
“Of course,” she murmured under her breath. It wasn’t envy. It was more so the reflexive bristle of someone trained from youth to spot perfection before it walked past them—and maybe to loathe it a little, just in case.
That was when Anissa’s attention slid back to the boy before her. Maybe not as perfectly packaged, but at least he seemed as out of place as she felt. And maybe that was reason enough to stick with him for now.
“So,” she continued, her voice a little softer while edged in something amused, “do you have a name, or should I guess?” Her head tilted slightly enough to catch the winter light across her cheekbones, the gesture effortless and way too practiced to be unintentional.
She wasn’t dressed like someone bound for possible danger or someone seeking sanctuary, for that matter. Instead, Anissa wore a long, black wool coat cinched at the waist with a wide leather belt, the lapels turned up to shield her neck from the cold. Underneath peeked dark leggings tucked into heeled ankle boots—not the most practical for trudging through snow, but the fur lining offered some compromise. Her mother had always insisted on style even in practicality, and the coat, at least, was warm enough. A soft blush scarf was looped around her throat, matching the inside of her satin-palmed gloves. Her hair was worn loose today, dark waves tumbling over her shoulders, already dusted with snowflakes that clung to it unwilling to let go. Her face also bore traces of makeup: faint shimmer along her cheekbones, mascara clinging to her lashes despite the chill. Her lips were slightly chapped, but still painted with a warm rose tint that defied the ice-cold bleakness around her.
Dragging behind her was a pale pink suitcase with gold metal corners, the wheels rattling against frozen patches of earth. Her carry-on, slung across her body in a black faux-leather satchel, was just as sleek-looking and carefully maintained, with a silver zipper shaped like a crescent moon. Attached to the strap was a small rabbit’s foot charm she’d found in her mother’s sewing drawer when she was thirteen. Sentimental superstition. Even now, the soft fur grazed her hip with every step like something she couldn’t quite leave behind. Perhaps as a reminder of the person it had belonged to, that she had.
Ahead, through a thinning cluster of trees dusted in white, the girl was finally relieved to see the silhouette of the top part of a gate emerge, tall, imposing, and etched black against the purity of winter. Its iron spires reached skyward like talons petrified mid-strike, the sight spurring both intimidating and oddly reassuring feelings within her. Frost had filigreed the metal with crystalline lace, transforming the structure into a macabre masterpiece of beauty and menace entwined. This was no sun-dappled refuge of canoe rides and campfire songs. The few earlier fantasies of normalcy she’d had, of bunk beds, friendship bracelets, some sanitized version of belonging, now seemed laughably naive. The camp’s austerity was a confession: Here, we do not pretend or hide what we are and what we can do.
There were no cheerful banners to gaslight her into forgetting why she’d come, no kindly counsellors to dilute the truth. The gate’s severity was a contract etched in iron. Once she passed its bars, the luxury of her ignorance could no longer be kept. Containment, possibly, but also, weirdly enough, catharsis.
Her steps faltered as the flutter in her chest metastasized, wings beating against her ribcage. She paused, scarf slipping as she tilted her face toward the gate’s apex. The cold gnawed at her exposed throat, but the true chill came from within—a creeping certainty that the camp’s walls were not barriers, but sieves. They’d let the right horrors in. Keep the wrong ones out.
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Crunch.
Anissa froze.
Her pulse quickened, breath catching softly in her throat as every muscle tensed in sudden awareness. Her mind immediately raced for explanations: a deer, perhaps, or a branch heavy with snow finally succumbing to gravity.
But she knew better. She always knew better.
“Just keep walking. You’re almost there,” she murmured softly to herself, her voice offering more comfort than courage. Anissa resumed moving, faster now, snow and ice protesting beneath her impractical footwear. She forced her gaze straight ahead, locking onto the gate that appeared more and more, even as every instinct screamed that she was no longer alone.
Yes, she was no longer alone. She could spot a few figures now standing at the camp’s entrance, two, maybe three, their shapes blurred by distance and snowfall. Human? She willed herself to believe it. To quicken her pace. But the presence behind her pressed closer still, a pressure against her spine as tangible as a cold breath on her neck. Her boots skidded on ice, the suitcase lurching sideways. She caught it, heart jackhammering, and turned.
The trail behind her stretched empty, tranquil. Mocking her unease.
Trees stood silent on either side, branches heavy and still. Her eyes darted nervously from shadow to shadow, searching for movement that wasn't there. The oppressive silence felt louder somehow, punctuated only by the ragged cadence of her breathing and the distant murmur of voices ahead at the gate.
“You're finally losing it, Ani,” she whispered harshly, breath frosting on the air. She turned forward once more, shaking her head, determined now to reach the gate before paranoia consumed what little composure she had left.
The figure materialized inches from her face, its form coalescing from snowflakes and dirt.
Frost rimed its outline, a negative space shaped like a man, features smeared as if by a thumb across wet paint. Cold radiated from it in waves, searing her lungs with each breath. Anissa recoiled, but her boots rooted to the earth, muscles locked in primal submission. In turn, the apparition seemed to shudder, fingers elongating from vapour and shadow. Its mouth gaped, a black hole howling in silent form. She felt the plea in her mind instead, not quite words, but a raw, magnetic need she could not comprehend.
Anissa had seen spirits before. Felt them. Spoken to them. The dead clung to her like perfume that never washed out, always there, always familiar. But this was different. This wasn’t the slow, aching sorrow of a lost mother looking for her child, or the furious grief of someone murdered and buried beneath the wrong name. This wasn’t one of the ghosts she’d grown used to parsing through tears and riddles.
This was an incarnate absence.
There was no true emotion in it. No voice. No name curling at the edges of her thoughts, begging to be remembered. It didn’t ache with longing or throb with unfinished purpose. It simply was, and its presence left her gut empty, her body humming with the basic understanding that she was in the presence of something that should not be.
Not a ghost. Not even a soul.
Just a scar in the world, still bleeding.
And then it was gone, as abruptly as it had appeared. Not cauterized, but no longer allowing itself to be seen if she had to guess. Anissa stood unmoving for a moment longer to make sure, ears straining for an understanding that didn’t come. The silence had returned, but it wasn’t peace. It was the aftermath. Her breath steamed out in tight, shallow exhales, clouding the air like smoke from something just extinguished.
She didn’t move until the frost began to bite again through her gloves.
Even then, her limbs obeyed stiffly, as though whatever she’d witnessed had rearranged her bones beneath her skin. Her boots scraped against the ice, suitcase lurching behind her like a dragged body. Her fingers curled tighter around the suitcase handle, and she found herself wondering, without meaning to, what kind of violence had created what she’d seen. What kind of death? Who had it been? More importantly, how much of them was left to even be called human?
But no answers came. Just the snow. The wind. And the faint creak of the camp gates ahead, now visible in full, iron black and waiting. Whatever happened here, she thought grimly, she would probably find out with time. For now…there were people to make note of. Possibly to speak to.
She spotted him standing a few paces from the gate, rigid, like he wasn’t sure whether to storm the place or bolt for the trees. His clothes didn’t scream demigod or danger, just… forest-dwelling sad poet with poor layering instincts despite his coat. Dusky work pants stuffed into boots that had seen too many winters, as far as she could tell. She clocked the hat, the faint tremor in his shoulders, the blank expression trying too hard not to be fear.
Stylish? No. Curious? Definitely.
Anissa tilted her head, considering her options briefly, before making her way over to where he stood. She slowed as she neared him, her suitcase wobbling behind her, boots sinking deeper into the snow. He hadn’t seen her yet—or maybe he had and just didn’t care. That in itself was strange. Most people looked at her at least once. He, on the other hand, seemed busy murmuring to the inside of his coat. Not muttering nervously or praying under his breath like the truly unhinged, to be fair, but speaking softly, pointedly, as if someone (or something) were answering back.
Anissa arched a brow. Wonderful. Either he was like her… or much worse.
Still, something about the way he looked at the gate made her pause instead of pass by. If anyone here might understand what it meant to be haunted, it was probably the boy holding a conversation with his pocket, wasn’t it?
She cleared her throat gently, boots now crunching to a stop a few feet away. “Are you... waiting for an invitation?” Her voice carried that polished, mildly condescending lilt—part defence mechanism, part default tone. “Because I think we’re free to go in, if that’s what you’re wondering.” She stated this while gesturing to a few of the others as they walked right through the entrance to the camp.
That was when her eyes, while shifting around, spotted her, a vision of cashmere and composure, gliding through the snow as if it were a Milanese runway. The girl was practically elegance weaponized: Cream turtleneck tucked into a pleated skirt that would’ve fluttered if the air weren’t so bitter. Knee-high boots, long coat draped over her shoulders, a quilted designer bag swinging from one arm like she was late for lunch on Madison Avenue. Every piece of clothing screaming of old money and opulence.
Anissa’s brow twitched faintly.
She was pretty, with a capital “P”. A dangerous kind of pretty. Just her luck.
“Of course,” she murmured under her breath. It wasn’t envy. It was more so the reflexive bristle of someone trained from youth to spot perfection before it walked past them—and maybe to loathe it a little, just in case.
That was when Anissa’s attention slid back to the boy before her. Maybe not as perfectly packaged, but at least he seemed as out of place as she felt. And maybe that was reason enough to stick with him for now.
“So,” she continued, her voice a little softer while edged in something amused, “do you have a name, or should I guess?” Her head tilted slightly enough to catch the winter light across her cheekbones, the gesture effortless and way too practiced to be unintentional.
Location: Outside Camp Entrance
Mentions: Chariselle (@PatientBean)
Interactions: Anatoliy (@The Savant)
Scene 1: Anissa flies to Greece in first class because, let's be so for real, trauma should at least come with leg room.She reads a creepy-but-weirdly-poetic letter from someone claiming to be her deadbeat god-dad, who didn’t sign his name but absolutely knows everything there is to know about her. Cue a recall of a dramatic dream sequence: she's on a cursed beach, a seaweed-covered shadow-daddy offers her a bloody pomegranate. Then, she wakes up mildly soggy and deeply unsettled, listens to Halsey, contemplates fate, curses the gods, and prepares to be metaphorically autopsied at Camp Athens. Yayyyy
Scene 2: Anissa hikes through Narnia to get to the camp, which looks more like a prison than a camp. Something that isn't a ghost pops up briefly, kinda scares her, and then pops away. She continues on of course, rattled but absolutely still her fabulous self *flips hair* Spots Anatoliy talking to himself and of course judges him a bit for it. Then she spots a goddess (Chariselle) but still decides to at least ask Anatoliy for his name.
Scene 2: Anissa hikes through Narnia to get to the camp, which looks more like a prison than a camp. Something that isn't a ghost pops up briefly, kinda scares her, and then pops away. She continues on of course, rattled but absolutely still her fabulous self *flips hair* Spots Anatoliy talking to himself and of course judges him a bit for it. Then she spots a goddess (Chariselle) but still decides to at least ask Anatoliy for his name.
5x Like
Sir Sparky That Guy
Member
Seen
2 mos ago
Location: Main Hall
Mason had healed well over the months and even better, there seemed to be a universal agreement not to hassle each other. Or him at least. When you had witchy friends and were a child of Hades, it’s amazing what could be accomplished.
He was lighting a smoke on his couch when Andy’s voice rang out. Most of it was average. The day, time, weather, pro advice: don’t go out in a bikini. Okay. But where she usually shut off there was a pause instead. Mason knew she wasn’t the kind to forget to turn it off. "There was a note left at the main office for me to find… from the Gods. Exciting news, new demigods are expected to join us today." Mason’s brows furrowed having another drag. Was that exactly what the note said? He doubted it. Someone should’ve given the poor girl a pay raise. "The note also mentioned a new leader and, quote, a rigorous training regimen. So, today will be the last day of these daily announcements… at least from me."
A single brow quirked up. They could try. However, if Andy still found announcements cathartic couldn’t they at least give her that still? She’d been through enough stress. Let her have her pulse checks through camp.
He had to admit, he thought that was it. "And last, but not least, tonight at sundown on the Activities Field we will be having a New Year’s Eve celebration. So I’ll be seeing you, and the new campers there."
He puffed out a last cloud of smoke and smothered his cigarette in the ashtray. He didn’t know if sooner or later would be less busy in the hall but the bandaid method seemed to work good enough in any case.
Mason threw on his coat and headed for the main hall hoping to be as invisible as possible or ignored. Either would work. There didn’t seem to be too many demigods walking his direction yet. That or Mason completely tunnel visioned them and was full of certainty that any voices heard weren’t for him.
At the front of the hall, he put his hand on Sylas’s shoulder in greeting before sidestepping him. He’d have to forgive him but he was sort of in a hurry. He would have sat with Sylas or talked a bit but sometimes he liked to play with people and Mason wasn’t feeling like feigning overly social and pleasant. Inside, Mason found the hall was relatively empty so kept to his tunnel vision routine, throwing some bacon and eggs on his plate thoughtlessly and grabbing a table as tucked into the back as he could get.
While he wanted to be quick, he didn’t have the appetite back yet to scoff food and that would probably let him down. Able to pay a proper glance around he saw Iliana already perched at a table and an entirely new face. Shit. Already?
Interactions: Sylas | Mentions: Andy, Iliana, Ocean
#47815a | Location: Outside of Main Hall
He was awake. Just not up. If he knew a child of Khione he’d get them to turn the snow off or maybe he could target a sun child...the thought brought him pause.
The pale creature became a blur hiding behind trees with a streak of blonde hair taunting Daniel as it circled. He whirled around trying to keep up. An enormous force hit his chest and sent him flying backwards, knocking the wind from him. A stick crunched underfoot off in the distance where he could just make out some other campers in a group, but it also gained the monster’s attention. It seemed to actually smirk at him with fangs on display then dashed off. Daniel extended a hand out, willing an invisible barrier in front of his latest foe while he got to his feet awkwardly. He strained a cough and the barrier faltered. Just like that he ended up chasing a vampire through the woods like a madman, using his powers to hinder her speed and pull her back that only had effectiveness of slightly slowing her down. Regardless, Daniel reached out as the vamp sprang for Cherise’s neck. His fingers clutched the beast’s hair, yanking her back and with his free hand, he balled his fist and punched her in the face before any devouring could happen.
Daniel got approximately nothing for his efforts, even down to acknowledgement. Like, ever, because she just left. But snow could be fun.
As he was psyching himself up, Andy came over the systems with her usual bout of camp news, though as of late it was never really news. Not much had happened. Camp gradually took shape again, people would mill about, there were no robberies or destruction on the southside or anything. Daniel hadn’t even summoned anything destructive in ages…or anything at all.
However, today apparently there were new campers coming. Daniel sprang out of bed at the mentioning and got dressed as if a race. There was a catch though, being a new leader was also sent as well. Daniel froze trying to find a positive in that to keep his Mr. Brightside attitude. It shifted Andy from the spotlight a little, he tried to convince himself. "I swear if it’s the Valises reformed or something..." he muttered.
Apparently there was also a part three of news today! A party! Daniel initially got excited but it took seconds before he got offended. She hadn’t even ran it by him to be DJ or anything. She’d hear about it and she’d be sorry.
Daniel snatched up his music and earphones. The moment a song began to play, everything was back on track and right again. Snow was great, new demigods were exciting, it’d be an eventful day. Stepping onto his porch Daniel even gave a deep inhale and cheesy smile. He jumped down and headed for the main hall, his pace only hindered by rhythmically rocking back and forth on his heel or sliding a leg back with song. Daniel shook his shoulders slightly trying to contain his musical routine for once.
“Hellooooo!”
A muffled voice reached his ears bringing him to another halt. He plucked out a headphone a little confused where it had come from. "Marco?" he prompted looking around meerkat-like.
There was a girl ahead, heading for the hall. Daniel quickened his steps to meet her. "Hey." He grinned and offered a hand. Behind her, Nelly was making quick friends with another stranger and behind that, more people wandered in but other than a quick glance and quick thought of how many the gods did send, Daniel focused on the company in front. "I'm Daniel. You, uh, going in?" he gestured to the hall, plucking out the other earpiece and tucking them in his pocket. "You’re probably going to want your own place too. We're having a party tonight and it's not super camp out weather. You could even be my neighbor," he jested.
Daniel shuffled a couple feet away in attempt to guide the girl. "The good ones will sell fast." He pointed vaguely to the gate she had passed then tapped his nose. Get a cabin first and voila, camp’s home and she’s not carrying a backpack around any longer.
Interactions: Elena | Mentions: Andy, Nelly, Elysium
3x Like
The Savant A mind filled with chaos
Member
Seen
18 days ago
There might have been a second or two in his mind where the crunching snow would have alerted him that someone was very close to him though he was completely absorbed in his thoughts and talking to Ip. He was completely unaware of the girl that was near him as he continued to whisper to the little creature, ‘Have you ever been to a hotel? Those are fun,’ he continued to speak to Ip while he began to turn away from the wall. There was no point in hanging around here any longer.
‘AAAhhhhmmmmhmmm~’ the stranger made him jump out of skin but he had already put himself on edge. Comparing the individuals wandering into the camp as cannibals from National Geographic episodes put him on guard and he was surprised anyone was interacting with him at all. He didn’t have great control over his face, expressionful, and currently it was accusing. A similar look would have been given to Anissa if they were in the schoolyard and she told him and the group of people playing hide-and-seek that she wasn’t playing them proceeded to join in out of nowhere.
A part of him was doing mental gymnastics and he was trying to figure out what to do but he stood there and stared at the woman. Scanning her face. ‘I was already invited,’ he said that way quieter than he wanted to but he was allowing his nerves to settle from being spooked. Then he found it somewhat humorous — the woman standing in front of him looked like one of the people that you would least expect to even give you the time of day. Not even a glance because she would have more important things to do. And… you could only understand out of pure curiosity of the mystery, if she was ever nice or not.
Then he looked confused, ‘Of course?’ he heard her because they were close and he was so familiar with faint speaking — such as the little one in his shirt pocket, Ip, was a quiet talker. He had to really focus to listen to him. And that was when Anatoliy noticed that she wasn’t even paying attention to him until she turned back — She wasn’t speaking to you idiot.
Though he perked up, similar to how one would think an animal or a dog would when being spoken to, and a gentle and almost invisible smile curled at his lips. ‘I’m Ip,’ that was when his brows furrowed but he was gesturing to his pocket. ‘No, I’m Anatoliy. This is Ip,’ Anatoliy corrected himself while fishing Ip from his pocket and holding him in his hands.
Anatoliy found himself a little nervous because the woman in front of him had a confident beauty — handsome and strong — and he was surprised anyone was giving him the light of day. It was normal for him to be ignored so he wasn’t sure how to go about this. ‘I? Should I introduce myself as Artemis’s kid too? My full name is Anatoliy Voronin and I’m a son of Artemis,’ he explained and introduced himself better with a shrug of the shoulders and a semi-forced and semi-genuine smile before putting Ip back into his shirt pocket.
Then he looked at the gate, ‘And for the invitation comment,’ Anatoliy was looking more relaxed and confident now. It was helping him warm up and communicate, ‘I just… I don’t know. I’m having a hard time wanting this to be real and I feel like it will become too real once I step through those gates,’ he explained and he knew it sounded crazy. No one would probably understand that. Everyone else seemed to be taking a minute to absorb the power of the walls, the gate, and what is lying ahead for them. Then he was here outside of the gates trying to talk himself into going in and he couldn’t even do that.
‘AAAhhhhmmmmhmmm~’ the stranger made him jump out of skin but he had already put himself on edge. Comparing the individuals wandering into the camp as cannibals from National Geographic episodes put him on guard and he was surprised anyone was interacting with him at all. He didn’t have great control over his face, expressionful, and currently it was accusing. A similar look would have been given to Anissa if they were in the schoolyard and she told him and the group of people playing hide-and-seek that she wasn’t playing them proceeded to join in out of nowhere.
A part of him was doing mental gymnastics and he was trying to figure out what to do but he stood there and stared at the woman. Scanning her face. ‘I was already invited,’ he said that way quieter than he wanted to but he was allowing his nerves to settle from being spooked. Then he found it somewhat humorous — the woman standing in front of him looked like one of the people that you would least expect to even give you the time of day. Not even a glance because she would have more important things to do. And… you could only understand out of pure curiosity of the mystery, if she was ever nice or not.
Then he looked confused, ‘Of course?’ he heard her because they were close and he was so familiar with faint speaking — such as the little one in his shirt pocket, Ip, was a quiet talker. He had to really focus to listen to him. And that was when Anatoliy noticed that she wasn’t even paying attention to him until she turned back — She wasn’t speaking to you idiot.
Though he perked up, similar to how one would think an animal or a dog would when being spoken to, and a gentle and almost invisible smile curled at his lips. ‘I’m Ip,’ that was when his brows furrowed but he was gesturing to his pocket. ‘No, I’m Anatoliy. This is Ip,’ Anatoliy corrected himself while fishing Ip from his pocket and holding him in his hands.
Anatoliy found himself a little nervous because the woman in front of him had a confident beauty — handsome and strong — and he was surprised anyone was giving him the light of day. It was normal for him to be ignored so he wasn’t sure how to go about this. ‘I? Should I introduce myself as Artemis’s kid too? My full name is Anatoliy Voronin and I’m a son of Artemis,’ he explained and introduced himself better with a shrug of the shoulders and a semi-forced and semi-genuine smile before putting Ip back into his shirt pocket.
Then he looked at the gate, ‘And for the invitation comment,’ Anatoliy was looking more relaxed and confident now. It was helping him warm up and communicate, ‘I just… I don’t know. I’m having a hard time wanting this to be real and I feel like it will become too real once I step through those gates,’ he explained and he knew it sounded crazy. No one would probably understand that. Everyone else seemed to be taking a minute to absorb the power of the walls, the gate, and what is lying ahead for them. Then he was here outside of the gates trying to talk himself into going in and he couldn’t even do that.
Interactions: Anissa @Qia - Mentions: None - Collaborations: None
GM
Mjolnir sʟᴇᴇᴘ ᴘᴀʀᴀʟʏsɪs ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ
Member
Seen
3 hrs ago
It took a bit of self control for Andy not to glance back over her shoulder toward River and Ocean as she walked away. Her first interaction with the new demigods did not go well. It wasn’t her intention to immediately cause problems, but it really chapped her ass when someone talked down to her. Especially when he had no clue what they had been through. She pressed her thumb into the palm of her right hand as she trudged through the snow toward the Main Hall. If she kept that shit up, she’d be on her way to being a social outcast. Wouldn’t Mason love that.
She had every intention of going about her day like it was any other day: go to the main hall, eat breakfast, then immediately make herself too busy to dwell in her own thoughts. Her to-do list wasn’t getting any shorter and half of what she needed to do could only be done by her… Or Daniel. But she didn’t fully trust her brother to help without creating a monster or turning the sledding hill into a crazy death trap. His modus operandi always involved causing problems rather than solving them. Which was exactly why she didn’t ask for his help.
Her pace slowed slightly when she noticed Sylas walking toward her, presumably with a similar goal of heading into the Main Hall. Andy rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue in her mouth. She had zero intention of walking in with him or humoring whatever conversations he’d want to have. While he might not be at camp anymore, she remembered what Liam had said about him. Sylas was bad news. That was enough for her.
Something moved out of the corner of her eye and nearly caught her attention… Until she saw someone coming up behind Sylas, Mason. She sucked in a sharp breath, the cold air making her teeth uncomfortably frigid like she bit straight into a popsicle. Even pissed, her heart still skipped a beat when she saw him. There was a gnawing in her gut telling her to go to him, kiss him and move on. But her mind festered in her anger like quicksand. And unfortunately for Mason, she was stubborn… as hell. He didn’t seem to notice her as he patted Sylas on the shoulder and made his way inside, but Andy’s gaze never left him until he disappeared into the Main Hall. She sighed, frustrated at herself, and her own conflicting emotions. "Pathetic."
Just as she started up the stairs to the Main Hall, a voice called out from behind, catching her attention. "Anyone home?" Andy was hoping to avoid being all susie-camper because she really did have a lot to get done. "Hellooooo!" the voice sung out again. Maybe the new camp leader River would do his leader shit, and show people around the camp. You know, the camp that he knew nothing about. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Not likely. She took a deep breath, then spun around.
Her eyes widened, surprised to already see several new faces wandering onto the grounds. And, shocker, no River in sight. Andy rolled her eyes as she hopped back down the steps. One of the first arrivals was a tall man with dark hair. He looked friendly, and rather calm, if not a bit lost as well. Luckily, or unluckily depending on how antisocial you were, Nelly rushed over, practically sprinting, and waving her arms around to get the guy’s attention. It definitely looked a little nuts, but she was thankful for one less person she had to greet. Andy flashed him a smile and a quick, "Welcome to camp," as she continued past them. Not far beyond them she noticed her brother greeting another new camper, but at this point she was on a mission and couldn’t stop to chit chat.
There seemed to be a growing congregation of campers lingering around the entrance or slowly wandering toward the main hall. Andy was definitely not someone who liked being the center of attention, or public speaking. But rather than bouncing around from person to person, she figured she’d handle it all at once, no matter how uncomfortable it made her. She snaked her way through the newbies, trying to get as central as possible. She licked her lips, then pressed her ring and pinky fingers against her tongue, letting out a loud whistle. "Attention new campers," she called out, waving her right hand in the air to get everyone’s attention.
Once everyone was looking at her, Andy took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves in check before continuing. Gods there were a lot of them. "Sorry that there’s no proper welcome. I was notified of your arrival like 5 minutes ago… So yeah." Andy laughed awkwardly. Ironic the Gods told her to make preparations for the new campers without giving her time to actually make said preparations. "Anyway," she clapped her hands together softly. "I’m Andromeda Bolton, Andy. Daughter of Hecate, if that matters." She always thought it was weird introducing herself by sharing who her mother was. But in a demigod camp, people seemed to care about that sort of thing. "I am—was the de facto camp leader after…" Her voice trailed off, struggling to find the words to say, in the end deciding not to say anything. She didn’t want to scare them all right after they arrived with what they went through a couple months ago.
She took a few steps back toward the edge of the activities field closest to the entrance. Andy flicked her right hand toward the ground. Her outstretched fingers trembled slightly as something roughly 4 feet wide emerged from the earth. She raised her hand, lifting the conjured board until it stood a bit taller than herself. Where there once was nothing now stood a wooden bulletin board like the ones near nature trails. Andy flicked the blank surface and a large enchanted map of camp appeared, taking up a majority of the wooden board. It showed every building and location of importance, all the cabins, taken and available, along with the current time, weather, and event schedule, which conveniently highlighted the New Year’s party with little fireworks that went off on a loop. And on either side of the stand there were wooden pockets holding folded pamphlet sized maps like the one she made for Ocean.
"These maps are enchanted. All the cabins are listed and once you claim one it’ll update." She scratched her head trying to think of anything else. Andy then started to point to the various buildings around them as she listed them off. "Main Hall has food 24/7, although most cabins have kitchens or kitchenettes for anyone who prefers to cook for themselves. Couldn’t be me," she added with a laugh, poking fun at her own lack of skill. "Main Office is for the camp leader, Infirmary, stables, practice range, and that’s the Armory behind it. Oh and the Arena." She motioned to the giant colosseum-like structure at the far end of the field. "Everything else is on the map. If you see anyone around that looks like they know what they’re doing, they’ve probably been here awhile. Feel free to bug them if you have questions. Or the big tall surfer looking dude. He’s the new leader." Ok, so she might have added the part about River because the thought of people asking him questions and him having no clue was hilarious.
"Also tonight, at sundown, there will be a New Year’s Eve party here." She pointed toward the field behind her. "Everyone is welcome and it could be a good way to… Socialize or whatever." Andy laughed awkwardly again, her nerves taking their toll. "So, yeah, I think that’s it. If anyone needs help with their cabins or anything, I should be around," Andy motioned to the field behind her a second time as that was likely where most of her day would be spent. "There’s also my brother, Daniel—Daniel raise your hand." Once she saw his hand, she pointed toward him so everyone could see him. "He can do magic and conjure shit too. But he also causes problems. So don’t trust him," she teased with a playful smile.
With nothing else to add, Andy gave a slight nod and one last wave. "Welcome to Camp Athens." Ok, now food. She smiled at the demigods as she weaved her way through them and headed back toward the Main Hall. By that point her stomach was screaming, desperate for some sustenance.
As she made her way inside, she was surprised to see Ocean already helping herself to some food. Mason, of course, had found the most remote and secluded table, farthest away from the door. And there was also Iliana, who she often ran into around breakfast time. Andy was starving, yet at the same time had no desire to eat, but she needed her energy for the amount of magic the party set up was going to take. She stacked a plate full of food, mostly carbs and protein, like she was a bodybuilder. She tucked an apple under her arm and grabbed some orange juice. Hopefully that was enough.
With her arms full to their breaking point, Andy turned to face the tables. She had already started off on the wrong foot with Ocean and her brother, they didn’t need to rehash that so soon. Her auto-pilot started carrying her toward Mason’s table. It probably would have been an awkward and silent meal… but, she also knew he hated how people tended to gravitate toward her. Rather than making their whole situation worse, and more awkward, at the possibility of a newbie joining them, she opted for the table closest to the entrance and the buffets. This way she was open and available if it’d make people more comfortable to bother her. She didn’t mind.
No longer the center of attention, Andy was finally able to breathe and began digging into her mountain of food.
She had every intention of going about her day like it was any other day: go to the main hall, eat breakfast, then immediately make herself too busy to dwell in her own thoughts. Her to-do list wasn’t getting any shorter and half of what she needed to do could only be done by her… Or Daniel. But she didn’t fully trust her brother to help without creating a monster or turning the sledding hill into a crazy death trap. His modus operandi always involved causing problems rather than solving them. Which was exactly why she didn’t ask for his help.
Her pace slowed slightly when she noticed Sylas walking toward her, presumably with a similar goal of heading into the Main Hall. Andy rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue in her mouth. She had zero intention of walking in with him or humoring whatever conversations he’d want to have. While he might not be at camp anymore, she remembered what Liam had said about him. Sylas was bad news. That was enough for her.
Something moved out of the corner of her eye and nearly caught her attention… Until she saw someone coming up behind Sylas, Mason. She sucked in a sharp breath, the cold air making her teeth uncomfortably frigid like she bit straight into a popsicle. Even pissed, her heart still skipped a beat when she saw him. There was a gnawing in her gut telling her to go to him, kiss him and move on. But her mind festered in her anger like quicksand. And unfortunately for Mason, she was stubborn… as hell. He didn’t seem to notice her as he patted Sylas on the shoulder and made his way inside, but Andy’s gaze never left him until he disappeared into the Main Hall. She sighed, frustrated at herself, and her own conflicting emotions. "Pathetic."
Just as she started up the stairs to the Main Hall, a voice called out from behind, catching her attention. "Anyone home?" Andy was hoping to avoid being all susie-camper because she really did have a lot to get done. "Hellooooo!" the voice sung out again. Maybe the new camp leader River would do his leader shit, and show people around the camp. You know, the camp that he knew nothing about. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Not likely. She took a deep breath, then spun around.
Her eyes widened, surprised to already see several new faces wandering onto the grounds. And, shocker, no River in sight. Andy rolled her eyes as she hopped back down the steps. One of the first arrivals was a tall man with dark hair. He looked friendly, and rather calm, if not a bit lost as well. Luckily, or unluckily depending on how antisocial you were, Nelly rushed over, practically sprinting, and waving her arms around to get the guy’s attention. It definitely looked a little nuts, but she was thankful for one less person she had to greet. Andy flashed him a smile and a quick, "Welcome to camp," as she continued past them. Not far beyond them she noticed her brother greeting another new camper, but at this point she was on a mission and couldn’t stop to chit chat.
There seemed to be a growing congregation of campers lingering around the entrance or slowly wandering toward the main hall. Andy was definitely not someone who liked being the center of attention, or public speaking. But rather than bouncing around from person to person, she figured she’d handle it all at once, no matter how uncomfortable it made her. She snaked her way through the newbies, trying to get as central as possible. She licked her lips, then pressed her ring and pinky fingers against her tongue, letting out a loud whistle. "Attention new campers," she called out, waving her right hand in the air to get everyone’s attention.
Once everyone was looking at her, Andy took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves in check before continuing. Gods there were a lot of them. "Sorry that there’s no proper welcome. I was notified of your arrival like 5 minutes ago… So yeah." Andy laughed awkwardly. Ironic the Gods told her to make preparations for the new campers without giving her time to actually make said preparations. "Anyway," she clapped her hands together softly. "I’m Andromeda Bolton, Andy. Daughter of Hecate, if that matters." She always thought it was weird introducing herself by sharing who her mother was. But in a demigod camp, people seemed to care about that sort of thing. "I am—was the de facto camp leader after…" Her voice trailed off, struggling to find the words to say, in the end deciding not to say anything. She didn’t want to scare them all right after they arrived with what they went through a couple months ago.
She took a few steps back toward the edge of the activities field closest to the entrance. Andy flicked her right hand toward the ground. Her outstretched fingers trembled slightly as something roughly 4 feet wide emerged from the earth. She raised her hand, lifting the conjured board until it stood a bit taller than herself. Where there once was nothing now stood a wooden bulletin board like the ones near nature trails. Andy flicked the blank surface and a large enchanted map of camp appeared, taking up a majority of the wooden board. It showed every building and location of importance, all the cabins, taken and available, along with the current time, weather, and event schedule, which conveniently highlighted the New Year’s party with little fireworks that went off on a loop. And on either side of the stand there were wooden pockets holding folded pamphlet sized maps like the one she made for Ocean.
"These maps are enchanted. All the cabins are listed and once you claim one it’ll update." She scratched her head trying to think of anything else. Andy then started to point to the various buildings around them as she listed them off. "Main Hall has food 24/7, although most cabins have kitchens or kitchenettes for anyone who prefers to cook for themselves. Couldn’t be me," she added with a laugh, poking fun at her own lack of skill. "Main Office is for the camp leader, Infirmary, stables, practice range, and that’s the Armory behind it. Oh and the Arena." She motioned to the giant colosseum-like structure at the far end of the field. "Everything else is on the map. If you see anyone around that looks like they know what they’re doing, they’ve probably been here awhile. Feel free to bug them if you have questions. Or the big tall surfer looking dude. He’s the new leader." Ok, so she might have added the part about River because the thought of people asking him questions and him having no clue was hilarious.
"Also tonight, at sundown, there will be a New Year’s Eve party here." She pointed toward the field behind her. "Everyone is welcome and it could be a good way to… Socialize or whatever." Andy laughed awkwardly again, her nerves taking their toll. "So, yeah, I think that’s it. If anyone needs help with their cabins or anything, I should be around," Andy motioned to the field behind her a second time as that was likely where most of her day would be spent. "There’s also my brother, Daniel—Daniel raise your hand." Once she saw his hand, she pointed toward him so everyone could see him. "He can do magic and conjure shit too. But he also causes problems. So don’t trust him," she teased with a playful smile.
With nothing else to add, Andy gave a slight nod and one last wave. "Welcome to Camp Athens." Ok, now food. She smiled at the demigods as she weaved her way through them and headed back toward the Main Hall. By that point her stomach was screaming, desperate for some sustenance.
As she made her way inside, she was surprised to see Ocean already helping herself to some food. Mason, of course, had found the most remote and secluded table, farthest away from the door. And there was also Iliana, who she often ran into around breakfast time. Andy was starving, yet at the same time had no desire to eat, but she needed her energy for the amount of magic the party set up was going to take. She stacked a plate full of food, mostly carbs and protein, like she was a bodybuilder. She tucked an apple under her arm and grabbed some orange juice. Hopefully that was enough.
With her arms full to their breaking point, Andy turned to face the tables. She had already started off on the wrong foot with Ocean and her brother, they didn’t need to rehash that so soon. Her auto-pilot started carrying her toward Mason’s table. It probably would have been an awkward and silent meal… but, she also knew he hated how people tended to gravitate toward her. Rather than making their whole situation worse, and more awkward, at the possibility of a newbie joining them, she opted for the table closest to the entrance and the buffets. This way she was open and available if it’d make people more comfortable to bother her. She didn’t mind.
No longer the center of attention, Andy was finally able to breathe and began digging into her mountain of food.
interactions ....|.... anissa, anatoliy, chariselle, osée, daniel, azariah, lennie, marlen, ace & elysium ............... mentions ....|.... ocean, river, mason, sylas, nelly & iliana
4x Like
Pristine1281 Long-time Roleplayer
Member
Seen
19 days ago
#808000 ~ Main Hall
Heath got to a good stopping point. He was actually working on something very personal that he knew he would never get publish, a record of his Camp experiences, including his own personal thoughts. One could say he was writing a diary, but it was more akin to an autobiography. He was careful to only include facts also. He included all he met from those where here briefly to others who had been here longer than him. Deciding to see if he could find Andy to see if she needed help with tonight's party, he bundled up again and headed outside. His cabin gave him a clear view of the Main Hall and he was quick to see people around it. Coming closer, he saw Andy show up and welcome the new campers. She pulled out a map of the camp and talked about the cabins and other things, including tonight's party. While she explained these things, Heath got a good look at the faces he did not recognize.
First was a brunette who was with Nelly. Nelly was someone who was very gregarious so he wasn't surprised she had already found someone to talk to. The man next to looked decent enough. Daniel was assisting a female brunette. Daniel was another person who liked being around people. He was still someone Heath didn't know what to think of, but he was close to his sister, so that was something.
There seem to be two people of darker coloring too, one male and one female. Growing up where he did, it was rare to see people like that so it was a bit of a shocker to him. Still he would never judge. The female was close to the Main Hall while the male was close to the entrance. Another guy was wearing a hoodie, so Heath couldn't get a good look at him to see what he looked like he had pale skin. There was a young person too who looked androgynous in appearance. They looked nervous too. Polar opposite of that was a blonde with a lot of luggage. Heath would be lying if he didn't feel this instant tug towards her and that made him wary. In same ways she reminded him of Blair, who he learned was also his sister, but he didn't go out of his way to get to know her. He knew that his mother had other offspring, but he had hope it wasn't someone that high maintenance. Oh well, it was what it was.
Besides the new people, he saw Sylas and Mason, both heading for the Main Hall. Also after she spoke, Andy headed into the Main Hall also. Deciding to see if Iliana was there, and to check with Andy, he himself passes the new campers, giving them a nod. Once inside, he's quick to see his sister, but approaches Andy first.
"Andy, I just want you to know, if you need help setting up for the party tonight, I'll lend a hand. I'll leave you to eat now." he said.
After getting her reaction, he nodded and headed for Iliana's table.
Interactions ~ Andy ~ Mentions ~ Chariselle, Osee, Daniel, Azariah, Lennie, Marlen, Ace, Elysium, Nelly, Iliana, Mason, Sylas
#4a766e ~ Main Hall
Iliana was sitting in a spot where she could see whoever came in. So when she saw someone she didn't recognize, she couldn't help but stare. Iliana knew new campers would be showing up, but not this quickly. The young woman looked nice, but Iliana knew to be cautious of who she delt with in this camp. Still she liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. Still it was a bit of a surprised when the young woman smiled and waved at her. Iliana naturally waved back and decided to go back to her breakfast, which was waffles with berries and cream. For drink she had a cup of orange juice. She really loved her fruit. Soon a few more people came in, one being Mason and soon Sylas. Then finally Andy. She couldn't help but see how Andy avoided Mason. Iliana didn't need empathy to know something had happened between them since the Pandora's Box situation. Still she never got involved in anyone's personal matters. She just hoped they could work things out because there was tension between them and it made Iliana uncomfortable.
It was no surprise to see Heath come in. He always checked to see if she was eating around this time since he knew she liked working in her garden in the morning. And she knew he would have ate already too. After Heath briefly talked with Andy, he headed straight towards her table and sat right in front of her.
"Morning Heath," she said simply.
"Morning, I guess you heard Andy's announcement?"
"Yes,"
Silence stretched out between them. Heath didn't know how to talk to his sister anymore. Likewise, Iliana didn't just have as much to talk to him about. She was still trying to figure herself out, but she did know she had to do this on her own and didn't want to rely on Heath as much. She would never hurt him deliberately though. Almost done with her meal, she tried conversing a bit more.
"I wonder who the new leader will be and when more campers will arrive."
"Well, more campers have already showed up. The gods work fast it seems. Andy already gave them information regarding the cabins and about tonight's party."
Iliana nodded before finishing her meal.
"I'll see you later," she said before getting up and taking her dirty dishes away.
While Iliana had planned to bring some of her healing goods to the infirmary, she decided to greet the person who waved at her. Shyly walking up to the brunette, she smiles gently.
"Hi, um, I am Iliana, Demeter's daughter. Nice to meet you."
She didn't know what else to say after that.
Interaction ~ Heath, Ocean ~ Mention ~ Mason, Sylas, Andy
#f1724b ~ Outside Main Hall
Nelly's eyes widen when Elysium mentioned he was Hestia's son. That made her think of Ethan. They guy decided to leave to finish his schooling apparently. She wasn't one to judge, but it was a darn shame he didn't stay long enough to meet his brother.
"Fascinating! I do hope you like our architecture here then. At lot happened here a few months ago and we had to rebuild a lot. And sure, I'll help you find a place. I have perfect visual memory, so I know where everything is."
Nelly was pleasantly surprised to see how resourceful the man was. Having traveled a lot, Nelly found herself in areas where she had to bring her own gear and survival stuff. Camp Athens itself was pretty high class for campgrounds in her opinion. Like the ultimate form of 'glamping'. She couldn't help but stiffen at the sight of the peanut snack.
"Ohhh, all of that sounds great, but sadly I am highly allergic to peanuts. Learned that the hard way, but hey at least I got to meet my father for the first time that way."
She would have said more, but she saw Andy from the corner of her eye and saw her talk about the cabins and other things she figured she missed from this morning's announcement. She loved hearing about the party though.
"Well, there you go. Do you want to check out the map to see what cabin you like? I can show you where it's at once you've picked. And the magic part about the cabins is true. It definitely worked for me when my cabin was reconstructed. I've never had baked kale before, so can I try that, please?"
After she helped Elysium, she would definitely get a real meal in her before interacting with others.
Interactions- Elysium @The Savant ~ Mentions- Andy
3x Like
So Leo knew that this would be a long trip and did not know what to expect. Especially the camp being in Greece, having to deal with all this snow on the way, and essentially trekking all the way there. That was something no one thought to tell him, though maybe that was a thing with being a child or Ares. Making him into a proper warrior or something like that by doing all of this. Leo would feel that familiar sense of annoyance and bitterness. The last thing he needs is a warrior talk or prep by his father after all this time. But then Leo remembers why he is coming here, not for him but for her, his mother. Leo deeply breathed in and out at the thought. All he wants is not to have to deal with his father while at camp.
As he was looking ahead and thinking more about this. He was lost in his head and did not hear the sounds of footsteps behind, and an unexpected "hello," took him by surprise.
Leo quickly turned to his right, the source of the sound, and found a young white haired woman next to him. Though surprised, Leo still kept his cool somewhat and sounded annoyed. "Do you have to sneak up on me like that?"
The whited haired woman simply replied. "Well, I was trying to get your attention earlier, but you were not saying anything, so I thought about doing it close up." Sofia had a forgiving smile on her face. "I was not trying to scare you or anything."
Leo then turned his head back behind him and slowly then back to Sofia and sighed. " Then that is my fault for being in my head that deep that I could not hear you. Sorry." Leo's attempt at an apology.
"It is fine, no harm done, and I bet people here do have some thoughts to think about." Sofia, look at Leo in his eyes. "People like us, I mean."
Leo quickly realized what she meant since who else would be coming down this way. "Demigods, you mean."
"Yep," she quickly replied and took a moment to speak. "First time coming here and first time meeting a fellow demigod." She put her hand out to him. "I am Sofia."
Leo shook with a firm grip, "I am Leo, and yeah, this is my first time here and meeting someone like me." Leo gave a short nod, "it is nice and being able to talk to people like us. Besides having to walk all this way."
Sofia gave a smile, "Yeah, that does sound nice, and yeah, I would have liked it better if it was not snowing." Her smile turned into an uneasy frown.
Leo looked a bit concerned, "What is the matter? Something about camp or something?"
Sofia took a moment to say something and sounded worried. "Well, while I would normally be the opposite of this, it is mainly about my father. Hades, as I was told... has not done good things to demigods like the ones at camp." Sofia looked ahead and then back at Leo. "So I am a bit worried about how the camp will treat me, with me being a daughter of Hades."
Leo sounded concerned and looked at Sofia with worried eyes. What did your father do?"
"From what my mother told me... and I am not sure if it is all that he has done, but one thing he apparently tortured a camper." Sofia sounds more concerned, "So I imagine that that camper may not like or hate me."
Leo took a moment to think and spoke in a semi serious tone. "I know that is bad, and I wonder if my father did anything but, you are not Hades. Hades did that, not you, you did not harm anyone. You said it was your first time here, and well, they may not hate you for something you did not do, or yeah they can be petty and treat you badly because of what your father did. But you are still heading to camp anyway and not with him."
Sofia stopped in her tracks and stared at Leo with relieved eyes. "I... that is nice of you to say. Especially, since we just met and.... " Sofia walked up to Leo and gave him a warm hug. "I hope you are right about that, or else I have another reason to hate my father." Sofia let out after a minute and had a big smile on her face. "But thanks and who is your father anyway?" She started to walk again to camp.
"Do not mention Sofia, and I hope so too, the campers will not hold anything against you for something your father did." Leo being genuine and had a half smile on his face as well until she asked him who his father was. Leo, being hesitant at first, did not sound happy about who his father was. Ares, he is my father, and I am kinda surprised he wanted me here." Leo started to walk with her again.
"Why do you sound not happy about that?" Sofia wondered and stared at Leo. "Something your father did what?"
To put it bluntly.... we had a bad first meeting." Saying it as a matter of factly.
"How did you go and did you two not click or was it something you or he said?" Sofia is now curious about what the backstory here was.
Things got heated, and I tried to punch him in the face." Saying it straight and to the point.
Sofia looked at Leo with a face that screamed, you did what now and quickly uttered a reply with a raised pitch. "Wait, you tried to legitimately try to punch your father. Ares, the god of war, in the face?"
"Well, when you say it like that..." Leo put his hands in his pockets and looked a bit ashamed, but was not. "I just got angry at him, and when he insulted my mom... I lost it, and while he did not hit me. He did almost choke me out, and for two years, I was free of him until he sent me a message about coming here to be safe." Leo does not sound like he fully realized how it all sounded until now, since this is the first time he has talked about it with someone.
Sofia, with a shocked look on her face, would only say. "That is bad Leo, I mean a parent should never harm their child or try to and..." Sofia had a disapproving look on her face as she shook it twice. "Well, I guess he still cares about you, to want to keep you safe about coming here, but why are you here?" Sofia looked with annoyed eyes, "I would just say fuck that and not listen to the old man"
"My mother is the reason I am here." Leo signed, " She was worried about my safety after getting the message, convinced me to come here. So I am here for her and not him." Leo tried to give a smile, but it would not work, and his face stayed as it was.
"That makes sense, Leo, since my reason for being here is because of my mother. Hades has so far not tried to contact me, and she wanted me to be safe from him, so here I am." Sofia took a moment to think, "I guess that means we both have reasons to not like our fathers. Funny how that works."
Leo let out a short chuckle, "Yeah, funny how that works out, and we have something else in common. Bad fathers." Leo saying it how it is and felt some relief. Since he is not the only one with a father they hate, he wondered if the story is the same for the other demigods. It would be something to him if it were, and he is not quite sure how that works if anyone hated their godly parent at camp. Like what is the point of being there in that case.
Still, as Leo started to bring a word, Sofia stopped him and pointed straight ahead. "Look, a wooden wall," Sofia exclaimed, and as Leo would soon see as well as they got closer. "I bet that is camp!"
"Finally, I was getting worried I would have to walk more today."
Sofia had a mischievous look on her face as a funny thought came to mind, and she looked at Leo."I bet I can beat you there first." She said and quickly started running to the front entrance.
"Oh, Oh no you don't," and Leo ran after her and to the front entrance.
To Sofia's folly, Leo would clearly get there first and wait for her to reach the entrance. She would stop at the front entrance despite her clear loss. "I see you are better suited to running in the snow than I am." Sofia, chin up and still looking confident with a smile on her face. "Remind me to bet on you when someone else tries to beat you in a race."
"Will do," Leo turned to inspect the front entrance. A wooden gate, and after looking around some, he found a small metal angled box that read biometric scanner. Leo's eyebrows were raised, and he looked at it confused. "Is it really that easy?" Leo said as he pressed his thumb on the scanner, and the gate opened. "Uh, I guess even a camp for demigods, they still have some magical tech and have our fingerprints.." Sounding, amazed by this discovery.
"I guess so, but it's time to go inside and see how this camp is all about." Sofia sounding a bit nervous and took a long deep breath.
"Yeah, I hope things will go well for you, Sofia, and yeah, time to see what that place is all about." Leo walked into camp. Sofia joined him, and the two walked into camp.
Soon being greeted by the sound of a loud whistle, and both turned to the source, which was a woman who was trying to get everyone's attention. After listening to what she said, Leo was amazed by Andy using magic to conjure the stuff. Leo spoke after looking around and seeing all of the new demigods. "New leadership and a party? Sounds like a good welcome to camp day. If the new leader is any good." Leo said as by he said this. He watched as Sofia started walking over to the maps, and Leo followed her.
By the time he got there, Sofia had already picked two maps out and handed one to Leo. "Thanks, and what are you going to do now?" Leo asked while looking at the map. "Find a cabin to claim?"
"Yeah, and I see that one cabin by the lake is still open, so I will make sure that it's mine before someone else takes it." Taking a look at Leo, "You do the same?"
Leo looked over at her, "Yeah, I see a spot I like, but I think after that, I will run to the main hall and get some food."
"Ah, and I think I will explore camp after claiming my spot, so I guess I'll see you later. Either before or at the party. Which ever comes first, and it is nice to have met you, Leo." Sofia looked at Leo with warm, piercing eyes. "I mean that." Saying that while trying not to sound too attached to the son of Ares.
"It was good to meet you too, Sofia, and I hope you have a good time meeting people." Leo replied.
Sofia smiled, "Same, Leo, and see you later." The two are now departing from each other. Each heading to their cabin spot and going their separate ways.
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Anissa blinked at the minuscule creature in Anatoliy’s palm, a drab tuft of fur and twitching whiskers, more lint than living thing. The dramatic tension of a moment ago deflated like a popped balloon, and her brow lifted slowly.
“…So you were talking to a…a rat?” There was no real malice in her voice, just flat disbelief delivered with the polished dryness of someone who has absolutely seen weirder things and nevertheless refused to normalize them. Still…the absurdity of her life, including this moment, almost made her smile. Almost.
However, as Anatoliy stumbled through his introduction, Anissa tilted her head, dark waves brushing against her scarf as she studied him like one might study an unfamiliar painting at a gallery: half critical, half intrigued.
“Anatoliy Voronin, son of Artemis,” she repeated softly. Her gaze shifted briefly to the gate, then back to him. “That’s…kind of a mouthful.” And for a fraction of a second, something flashed behind her dark eyes.
He knows.
There was certainty in the way he said it. Ownership. As if the answers to his questions, unlike hers, had come with a concrete name and a divine signature. His godly parent had not chosen riddles and metaphors. Half-truths. An invitation disguised as a warning. No shadows at the foot of his bed. No cryptic dreams where gods remained faceless, pulling the strings from just out of reach. No waking with seawater on the floor and no explanation to offer. The contrast stung more than she wanted to admit.
Not that she planned on revealing that to the boy with the talking rodent.
Instead, Anissa simply tilted her chin just so, sculpting her mouth into a smile. “Lucky you.” And nothing more to his confessed worries about entering the camp. They were cute at best, understandable even, but Anissa had long since passed the stage where uncertainty terrified her to such a degree.
She’d been baptized in the too real long before the frozen purgatory before her. It had seeped into her childhood bedroom, where shadows pooled into shapes that whispered her name. It had followed her to school, where locker doors clicked and trembled under unseen fingers, and mirrors in empty bathrooms sometimes reflected blurred, shifting silhouettes that stared too long. She’d pleaded with her mother through tear-clotted lashes, “Please, let me transfer,” only to be met with a referral to a therapist who scribbled histrionic in neat, dismissive cursive. Her classmates’ desks inched away from hers as if her curse were airborne, their giggles sharpening into barbs: Freak. Liar. Ghost girl.. And after a while, she’d found herself wearing their scorn like a crown of thorns, sharpening her posture, her wit, her smirk, until she could slice back without flinching.
So yes. Walking through these gates? It was a relief, almost insulting in its triteness. Because at least here, the abnormal like her seemed to wear their truths openly and pretty proudly thus far.
Her fingers idly adjusted the strap of her satchel when a sharp whistle suddenly shattered the stillness, drawing her back to the present. Anissa winced reflexively, her gaze shifting toward the commotion.
A girl around her age stood near the center of the gathering crowd, dark hair catching stray flecks of snow, her fingers still poised at her lips. “Attention, new campers,” the stranger called, waving a hand as figures slowly turned toward her.
Anissa watched with faint, detached interest as the girl—Andromeda Bolton, daughter of Hecate—awkwardly introduced herself. Her eyes narrowed as the map board rose from the ground with a flick of her fingers. A soft breath escaped her lips, part resignation, part bitter amusement.
Of course, Anissa thought. Dramatic entrances and enchanted bulletin boards. Why not add a skywriter next?
Andromeda’s voice droned through protocols and cabin assignments, but Anissa’s attention snagged on two words only: New Year’s Eve. A party. Her throat constricted. As if anything about this place screamed confetti and cheap champagne. She wasn’t exactly unfamiliar with parties, but they’d become a foreign concept somewhere between her first screaming vision in public and the slow, quiet exile that followed. Sleepovers rescinded. Birthday invites that never came. Even the shallow popularity her looks had once granted her hadn’t been enough to compete with the unease she inspired.
She hooked a strand of hair behind her ear, exhaling.
Not that I care.
The girl shifted her weight then, focusing back on the iron gates, their twisted bars now parted like the jaws of some slumbering beast as campers continued to scan their fingers, trickling into the compound. She cast a cursory glance at Anatoliy before hoisting her satchel higher.
“Well, I’m going in,” she declared, already starting to move forward.
“…So you were talking to a…a rat?” There was no real malice in her voice, just flat disbelief delivered with the polished dryness of someone who has absolutely seen weirder things and nevertheless refused to normalize them. Still…the absurdity of her life, including this moment, almost made her smile. Almost.
However, as Anatoliy stumbled through his introduction, Anissa tilted her head, dark waves brushing against her scarf as she studied him like one might study an unfamiliar painting at a gallery: half critical, half intrigued.
“Anatoliy Voronin, son of Artemis,” she repeated softly. Her gaze shifted briefly to the gate, then back to him. “That’s…kind of a mouthful.” And for a fraction of a second, something flashed behind her dark eyes.
He knows.
There was certainty in the way he said it. Ownership. As if the answers to his questions, unlike hers, had come with a concrete name and a divine signature. His godly parent had not chosen riddles and metaphors. Half-truths. An invitation disguised as a warning. No shadows at the foot of his bed. No cryptic dreams where gods remained faceless, pulling the strings from just out of reach. No waking with seawater on the floor and no explanation to offer. The contrast stung more than she wanted to admit.
Not that she planned on revealing that to the boy with the talking rodent.
Instead, Anissa simply tilted her chin just so, sculpting her mouth into a smile. “Lucky you.” And nothing more to his confessed worries about entering the camp. They were cute at best, understandable even, but Anissa had long since passed the stage where uncertainty terrified her to such a degree.
She’d been baptized in the too real long before the frozen purgatory before her. It had seeped into her childhood bedroom, where shadows pooled into shapes that whispered her name. It had followed her to school, where locker doors clicked and trembled under unseen fingers, and mirrors in empty bathrooms sometimes reflected blurred, shifting silhouettes that stared too long. She’d pleaded with her mother through tear-clotted lashes, “Please, let me transfer,” only to be met with a referral to a therapist who scribbled histrionic in neat, dismissive cursive. Her classmates’ desks inched away from hers as if her curse were airborne, their giggles sharpening into barbs: Freak. Liar. Ghost girl.. And after a while, she’d found herself wearing their scorn like a crown of thorns, sharpening her posture, her wit, her smirk, until she could slice back without flinching.
So yes. Walking through these gates? It was a relief, almost insulting in its triteness. Because at least here, the abnormal like her seemed to wear their truths openly and pretty proudly thus far.
Her fingers idly adjusted the strap of her satchel when a sharp whistle suddenly shattered the stillness, drawing her back to the present. Anissa winced reflexively, her gaze shifting toward the commotion.
A girl around her age stood near the center of the gathering crowd, dark hair catching stray flecks of snow, her fingers still poised at her lips. “Attention, new campers,” the stranger called, waving a hand as figures slowly turned toward her.
Anissa watched with faint, detached interest as the girl—Andromeda Bolton, daughter of Hecate—awkwardly introduced herself. Her eyes narrowed as the map board rose from the ground with a flick of her fingers. A soft breath escaped her lips, part resignation, part bitter amusement.
Of course, Anissa thought. Dramatic entrances and enchanted bulletin boards. Why not add a skywriter next?
Andromeda’s voice droned through protocols and cabin assignments, but Anissa’s attention snagged on two words only: New Year’s Eve. A party. Her throat constricted. As if anything about this place screamed confetti and cheap champagne. She wasn’t exactly unfamiliar with parties, but they’d become a foreign concept somewhere between her first screaming vision in public and the slow, quiet exile that followed. Sleepovers rescinded. Birthday invites that never came. Even the shallow popularity her looks had once granted her hadn’t been enough to compete with the unease she inspired.
She hooked a strand of hair behind her ear, exhaling.
Not that I care.
The girl shifted her weight then, focusing back on the iron gates, their twisted bars now parted like the jaws of some slumbering beast as campers continued to scan their fingers, trickling into the compound. She cast a cursory glance at Anatoliy before hoisting her satchel higher.
“Well, I’m going in,” she declared, already starting to move forward.
Location: Outside Camp Entrance
Mentions: Andy (@Mjolnir)
Interactions: Anatoliy (@The Savant)
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