Chapter 2~Birthday Surprise

It was four o’ clock, and my friends decided to walk home with me. Elpis tagged along with us, claiming that she had nothing to do when she reached home.

Just when I reached home, the door opened automatically, but my mom wasn’t behind the door. Carefully, I tiptoed across the living room into the kitchen, only to see my mom glowing gold eyes. She seemed to be talking, but not to me. I couldn’t understand what she was speaking. Slowly, I backed out, and I bumped into my friends, who were stalking me the entire time. Their eyes widened, and they ran out of the house, but not Elpis. She walked forward, seeming entranced by the scary golden eyes, and started speaking. I could catch some words, as some of them were Greek, and slowly my mom’s eye dimmed and Elpis’ eyes grew brighter. My mom was on the verge of collapsing, so I ran to her side to hold her up.

Elpis said, “It is okay. The Lord of Stars was talking to my lady a couple weeks ago, and he was just letting you know that this was going to happen.”

I thought, ''Lord of Stars? Elpis’ lady? What does this all mean? ''

“I thought this would never happen, as she’s a demititan. Is she really that strong?” my mother asked Elpis.

“Demititan? What’s a demititan?” I demanded to my mother, my head bursting with questions.

Elpis ignored me. “Unfortunately, yes. However, I’m a Hunter, and my lady wants her as an apprentice. She’s really strong, and the monsters are starting to search her out. Her aura is too powerful. Although she’s on an island, they’re seeking her, slowly coming here.

“We also don’t want the Titans having her first. She has potential, and the Titan Lord wants her on the gods' side. We have to take her now.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” I shouted. They stopped and looked at me. “What is this, mommy? Why didn’t you tell me before?”

Elpis started to open her mouth to answer my question, but my mom cut in. “I didn’t tell you before, mostly for your own safety. You see, if I had told you, you would have had to leave much, much earlier, for your own good.

“I can’t leave you here much longer, as every second wasted is every second deadlier than the last. I wish I could keep you here forever, but if it is the god’s will, so be it. I wish you luck, but let me give you this.”

She handed me a small trinket box. Inside, it was a necklace, with a blue star pendant. On the border, diamonds surrounded it.

“This was given to me from your father, seven years ago. When you know how to use it, it is a deadly weapon. Now go. Have a Happy Birthday.”

With that sentence, she shoved us out of the door. So much for a happy birthday, I thought. I whipped around to face Elpis and demanded to be explained.

Elpis responded apathetically, “You’ll find out when you reach my house. Now be quiet. I’ve already found a monster.”

As she left, my friend came out of one of my bushes I grew myself. I was about to yell at Catherine, but she shut me up.

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“Remember, we’re supposed to be quiet,” she hissed. “I have to take you to Elpis’ house, so let’s go.”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">My mouth wanted to spit out my questions, but as per order, I stayed silent. We walked quickly and silently onto the sidewalk.

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Catherine whispered, “We’ll have to run from here. Pay attention to what I say if I shout. Ready, set, go!”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">With that, we took off running with a creature overhead chasing us. I did not dare glance at it, but I saw its shadow. It was big, ugly, and…

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“Duck!” Catherine screamed at me. I proceeded to hit the sidewalk, while Catherine dodged, then chucked a beautiful stone that she snatched from her bag. As it flew, the polished rock turned into a spear, and it snagged the monster in the wing. Catherine began chanting in Greek, and the spearhead grew as bright as the sun. Then enemy crumbled into dust. Catherine rushed to pick me up, and we ran with adrenaline to the manor.

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It seemed like the house was a safe haven because there was another monster behind us, but it stayed outside the boundary, furious not being able to surpass the protection. Angry for not being told anything, I spat, “Cathy, you owe me the whole story, and I want it now.”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">She sighed. “Very well, I shall tell you, but it will not be a happy story.”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“You know that we are childhood friends, growing up together. Not only we stuck up for each other, we couldn’t part for more than twelve hours each day, including hot summer days. After the first day of summer break two years ago, it all changed. You noticed that that year, plus last year, I wasn’t home, and my mom told you that I was traveling around the world. Well, no. I was at a place called Camp Half-Blood, a place for demigods, half-human, half-Greek god. I am a demigod, daughter of Apollo. I never knew him until I reached camp. So anyways, while I was fighting monsters, you were at home enjoying yourself.”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“But I didn’t do anything while you were gone!” I protested.

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“However, you were lucky. You didn’t need to fight for your life two years ago. I hate to break the news to you, but you are also a demigod, or a demititan. You are one of us. You are special. You are the fighter of the sky.”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I was stunned. They knew me better than I know myself, and that is creepy. Not only that, I would have to fight for the rest of my life. But I composed myself and asked, “Who was the girl in my room this morning? What was the monster at the bottom of the ocean? What was chasing us?”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Catherine answered smoothly, “I was in your room this morning. I’m sorry that I didn’t knock, but it was for your own safety. I was taking a look around to see if there were any monsters in your room, as it seemed to us that your aura around you was becoming more powerful. The monster at the bottom of the ocean was one of Lord Poseidon’s merman fighting off the Kraken. You saw this because you have the ability to see through the Mist now.”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I cut in, “There is no mist at the bottom of the ocean.”

<span style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">“Mist, not mist,” my friend said impatiently. “Mist fogs the regular mortal’s eyes from seeing the things we see. However, some mortals, like your mom, are able to see through the Mist, and it doubles the danger for them. Let me finish your last question. The thing chasing us was a dragon. To be more precise, an <span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> Ismenian Dragon. Anymore questions?” she drawled.

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Yeah, what is the monster out there?” I pointed to the monster pacing outside the manor.

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"A lycanthrope. He’s really hard to kill. Only the Hunters are able to kill that thing.”

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A glowing silver arrow appeared out of the monsters chest, and it collapsed. Elpis passed the border, carefully stepping over the lycanthrope’s body as it disappeared into the air. “Come on, let’s go, we’re wasting time,” she called out.

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">As we went into Elpis’ house, excuse me, the Demigod safe haven, the room spread out into an impossible length, with several beds, weapons, and first aid. It was quiet, as we were the only three there, but it was extremely comfortable.

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Sit down, and I shall tell you my story,” Elpis said as she walked over to the uniquely designed sofa. I learned later that it was made by the Hephaestus’ campers.

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“I was born in Idaho while my mom was here touring the country. She had just graduated from college and wanted to do some sightseeing. My mother started in Maine and went down and up the states from there. However, in New York, she was caught by Zeus’ eye, as she was extremely pretty. Unfortunately, Hera got wind in this act, and she cursed my mom: to die in an unfortunate accident.”

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Which was…?” I asked.

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Don’t worry; I’ll get there,” Elpis said. “Hera also ordered that my mom called me ‘Elpis’, as I will give hope for every demigod and I will do my best to protect them from dangers.

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“My mom, soon after she gave birth to me, wanted to live back in her home country and license for piloting. When I was four, she became the best pilot for Canada Airlines. However, as I turned eight, she crashed into a field during a short solo flight because the brakes were unable to work. The rescue crew couldn’t find her remains. By this time, I was fighting monsters at Camp Half-Blood in New York, and when I heard the tragic news, the voice of Hera filled my head, reminding me what my job is. ‘You are the hope of demigods,’ Hera said. ‘Give them a chance. Be an eternal maiden. Join the Hunters.’

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Right now, I’m lieutenant in training, and I have been sent to fetch you. I was ordered by my lady to take you to her, so you won’t have the training regular demigods have. You are the future savior.”

<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I looked at Elpis, curious about her age. She looked about ten, apparently was magically changed by some supernatural being. Her height was average, but she was skinny. Her hair was long and black, filled with layers. Her eyes were electric blue and on her head, there was a glowing gold band.

 Athletiger <font color="CC0099">Talk~<font face="Calibri" size="2" color="#0519FA">Diana Chen 01:45, December 1, 2011 (UTC)