Lanson Gate and the Spirits of Mischief, Chapter 3

Some Honey Nymphs Sic Killer Bees On Me
Imagine being inside a dark forest with little to no light at all. Now add some scary noises and a creepy feeling running up and down your spine. That’s what the Camp woods were like.

I tried to keep on the trail of the Kobaioi, but it was so dark that I quickly lost sight of the two birds. I stopped in a small clearing to regain my breath and sipped some water out of a small pond. A roar pierced the night and I looked across the water to see a massive bear lumber pass.

“I’m so glad I don’t have to chase after that dude.” I muttered.

“The bear? He’s just a baby.” A voice behind my back said and I jumped, startled. I turned around to see a beautiful girl around my age with pale skin, blue hair, and wearing jean shorts and a pink tank top sitting on a rock smiling at me. She was barefooted.

“Who are you?” I asked.

The girl smiled. “My name’s Brook. I’m the Naiad of the pond you’re drinking from. What’s your name?”

“Lanson Gate.” I smiled. The girl’s voice was like the sound of water rushing over rocks, and reminded me of happy days at the beach. “Pleasure to meet you. I’ve never met a Naiad.”

Brook turned her head away from me and I had a suspicion she was blushing. “Pleasure to meet you too. So what are you doing out at this time of night?”

I frowned, remembering Nick and Trick. “I’m chasing after these two Kobaioi. They’ve been stealing stuff from camp and I’m going to get it back.”

She laughed. “Aren’t you the valiant one? I know of the creatures you speak of,” Brook stepped off her rock and frowned. “No matter how many times Chiron kicks them out, they always find a way to sneak back into camp borders to stir up trouble. You should’ve been here to see the Paintball Snow Fight they caused in 1978.”

“Paintball snow?”

“I know right?” Brook signed. “Me and my sisters never liked them. Especially my eldest cousins. They’re always stealing something of theirs and not returning it.”

Suddenly Brook’s face lit up. “I don’t know where those Kobaioi are, but I bet you my cousins do! North of here is a small grove filled with ash trees. You can find them there.”

I was so happy I ran over and hugged Brook, causing her to yelp in surprise. “Thank you Brook, you are one awesome Naiad.” I let go and in the dim moonlight I could see her blushing.

“Valiant, nice, and handsome,” she grinned. She walked past me and stood in her pond. “I hope you come see me again, Lanson.” And then she was gone.

I stared at the pond for a couple more seconds, committing its location to memory.

“Next stop, the grove of ash-trees.”

As soon as I entered the grove, bees immediately swarmed me.

Honeybees. Bumblebees. You name it and that type of bee was probably there. They moved quickly through the air, appearing almost white in the moonlight. I hoped my orange camp shirt didn’t attract them. I've been stung by bees before and it was something I did not want to go through again.

Like Brook had said, the grove was filled with ash trees. The air smelled insanely sweet and the grass stuck to my feet when I walked.

“Hello?” I called out. “Um, anyone? I need some assistance.” Nobody answered.

I yawned. That sweet smell was making me drowsy. I sat down on the rock and was beginning to nod off when pain seared through my head.

“We got you now!” yelled a high pitch female voice. Before I could respond it seemed like dozens of hands grabbed my arms and legs and began to carry me off.

“Hey, let me go!” I yelled, but my kidnappers kept moving. Soon I just gave up and decided to see where they were taking me. Hopefully not to my death.

Suddenly we stopped and I looked around nervously. “Toss him in!” cried a female voice and I had enough time to yelp before the hands holding me threw me into the air.

PLOP! I fell into some thick, sticky, sweet-smelling golden liquid and instantly closed my eyes on instinct. I sank into the liquid and swallowed some of it. Honey, I realized as the taste overwhelmed my mouth. I’m inside a pool full of honey.

Just when I was thinking the other campers were going to discover my decomposed body floating in this hole a hand grabbed mine own and pulled me above the surface. I breathed in and opened my eyes, and found myself staring into the face of a beautiful girl with light gray skin, golden eyes, and blonde hair pushed back into a ponytail.

“You thought you and your brother was just going to come back here and steal our honey again, didn’t you?” she said, and grinned triumphantly. “Well, now you can have all of the honey you want!”

I looked back at the girl. “What in Hades are you talking about?”

Ponytail snorted and stared at each of the other girls. There were about 11 of them, and they each had gray skin and gold eyes. “Did you hear that, sisters? He doesn’t know what I’m talking about” Her sisters jeered.

“Well, I don’t!” I yelled. “Your cousin Brook directed my here…”

Ponytail smiled. “Brook directed you to us? Oh, she is such a sweetheart. We’re going to have to give her a discount on her favorite honey pops she likes.”

“Honey pops?”

“Oh yes, honey lollipops.” One of the other girls grinned. “We’re Meliae- nymphs of the ash tree and honey. We sell all kinds of honey products. Honey canes, honey drops…”

“Until you and your brother stole our entire stock of honey three years ago!” Ponytail interrupted. “We had to go out of business, and are lord Aristaeus got mad at us. But now, the tables are turned. You shall pay!”

She let go of my hand and I fell back into the honey. She then raised her hands and an intense buzzing noise started up. Bees the size of bullets suddenly poured out of hives hanging from the ash trees and began to hover directly above my head. I didn’t need to be able to see the future to know what was about to happen next. I sank beneath the honey and swallowed a big deal of it before I gave a mighty push and rose back above the surface. The nymphs looked surprised.

“Hey!” I yelled at Ponytail while I struggled in to free myself. “I’m not a Kobaioi. My name is Lanson Gate and I’m a demigod.”

One of the Meliae started to scratch her chin. “Now that he mentions it, he doesn’t look like the typical Kobaioi.”

Ponytail frowned and stared at me. “Let’s check to see if this Lanson Gate is a demigod like he says,” But then her expression hardened. “But if you’re lying…”

“I know. You don’t have to remind me.” I said while staring at the bees. I swear it sounded like one of them buzzed in delight.

The nymph picked up a small rock from the ground moved over to me. She frowned, and then with a fast stroke she scrapped my chin. I winced, and a drop of blood fell into the honey pool. Ponytail yelped.

“You are a demigod!” she exclaimed. “Quickly sisters, get him out.” The killer bees flew aside while the other nymphs reached into the pool and pulled me out with a greasy ‘pop!’ noise onto the ground.

“Ew…” I got up and stared down at my clothes, which were now covered in a mixture of honey, dirt, and leaves. Some of the bees flew over to me and landed on my shoulders. “Thanks.”

“We’re so sorry!” Ponytail said. “Me and my sisters overreacted a little bit. My name is Grace.”

“Uh yeah, nice to meet you.” We shook hands and I started to feel better. You know, now that I wasn’t about to get stung by a hundred killer bees.

“So, why are you chasing after those two mischief spirits?” Grace asked. We were sitting in plastic chairs in the grove and her sisters were chatting to the bees around us. I told her about the situation at camp, and how I was certain that Trick and Nick were responsible for stealing everyone’s possessions.

“Yep, that sounds like them.” The Nymph said with disgust. “They’re always trying to take everyone’s stuff and then sell them to other people for a higher price.”

“Brook told me you knew where they were.” I said and Grace nodded.

“They have something like a store on top of a hill in the center of the forest. We would’ve went there ourselves, but we can’t leave outside our grove. If you’re going there, be very careful. They have all kinds of junk- and you can best believe that most of it’s dangerous.”

I nodded, and thanked Grace for her information. I got up and was about to go when she grabbed my arm.

“If you are ever in the area again Lanson,” she said politely. “Come and buy some honey pops! Special discount, just for you.”

My insides went spelunking and I started to feel sick. “Uh, that’s a nice offer and everything Grace, but I’m good.”

Oh gods, I am never going to eat honey again.

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