Luna Silver: Daughter of Artemis: Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Artemis gives me a gift
I gulped, Thalia was so beautiful it was intimidating, but not only that, her electric blue eyes gave me the chills, as if one wrong move and she’ll electrocute you, which I’m afraid can be possible since she is Zeus’ daughter.

“Umm… Hi.”

I thought she was about to do something that I would be scared about, but she laughed. Everybody was looking at her with confused eyes, but the Hunters didn’t flinch, they were all studying me.

“Well” Chiron said, “We must let you rest, Thalia.” He looked at me, “Luna? Why don’t go with them to Cabin Eight.”

I nodded, “Sure Chiron.”

I walked the Hunters towards Cabin Eight without an eye not staying on me. I put my hair down to hide my face but Thalia was beside me then, she whispered, “True beauty shouldn’t be hidden, Luna. That’s what your mother told us. Beauty is within and should be seen by many but that doesn’t mean it should be defiled.”

I nodded, Artemis said that? Was she talking about me? And what was Thalia going to give me that was from my mother? The questions were buzzing inside my head.

We arrived at Cabin Eight, the Hunters filed themselves into a circle as they walked in the room, and Thalia was in the center of the circle her eyes fixed on me.

“Please, come here with us in the circle, Luna.” She said, “I have something for you that were given to me by your mother.”

I stepped closer, when I was in their perimeter the Hunters moved into a crescent shaped form, Thalia took a step towards me, she took a silver silk folded into a rectangle shape form her white parka jacket. She handed me the silk and said, “Open it.”

when I touched it, I could almost feel my mother’s presence, I can imagine how she folded this with her own hands, I can smell the scent of the woods from the silk, it was quiet ironic, the fabric was silky and smooth and silver – just like the moon – but when you close your eyes, the smell of the scent would make you think your were holding one of the most fresh leaf from the woodland – the fabric represented the moon, but the scent represented the woods – the Hunt. Just like Artemis being the goddess of the Moon and Hunt.

I carefully unfold the fabric, inside was a silver necklace with a pendant that was shaped like a crescent moon, it was beautiful, and the pendant was a plain crescent shape, no details or carvings at all.

“Turn it over” Thalia encouraged.

I did.

My eyes bugged just looking at it, the silver crescent pendant disappeared into a black oval shaped like the full moon, it wasn’t the same silver crescent moon like before, and it was a gem flattened into this beautiful pendant.

“Look at your hands.” Thalia said to me, instinctively, I did, but I had no hands – or fingers, or shoes, or waist or anything, my entire body was missing, I think I was about to faint.

“We – Where – Where is my – Bo – Body?” I stuttered.

Thalia smiled, “You’re body isn’t missing” she said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, “You’re invisible.”

“Invisible?”

Thalia nodded, “That’s the magic of the Pendant, it was forged by Hephaestus himself, and the materials were found by your mother, by Lady Artemis herself.”

I was so dumbstruck that I said something intelligent like, “Oh…. Ohhh – Kay….”

“Turn it over again.” I did, and my body was visible again, “The crescent makes you visible but the other half makes you invisible.”

I nodded, “Thanks Mom.”

“There’s another thing but you have to prove you are worthy.”

“What other thing?” I asked.

Thalia didn’t answer me.

I wore the necklace after me and the Hunters talked a bit, I remembered almost all of them, some nymphs and even humans, but most were demigods. I learned Thalia’s history how she was turned into a tree and all her quests, she made my life look plain and putting into consideration the fact that I was frequently chased by monsters who were supposed to be not real.

We were called for dinner, I went with the Hunters, Thalia and I agreed that she’d be the head and I’ll be second since she was older and she knows more about this stuff than me. I’ve noticed the Hunters would glare to everyone with Y chromosome within a foot of us; all of them had that grace and silvery aura that made it so intimidating to come near them.

It was such a relief not being alone in the table for once, the Hunters was so much fun to be with and it felt so nice, they called me a sister, though I wasn’t a Hunter.

“It feels so nice to have company in this table.” I told them.

They all gave me a big grin, “Of course, just because were chaste and we dislike males doesn’t mean we’re not fun.”

I laughed in agreement.

“Why don’t you join the Hunt, Luna?” an Asian girl with brown eyes told me, I remembered her name was Sheila, she looked about fifteen or sixteen.

I didn’t respond, I haven’t though about that at all, there was complete silence in out table for once.

Chiron’s hooves clapped the floor, “Tomorrow on Sunrise, we shall be having the Capture the Flag with Hunters!” he looked at Thalia, Thalia nodded calmly, I saw her eyes drift from Chiron to Percy, something passed between them. “Let us all be fair and please, enjoy your meals!”

Everybody was eating now; tonight we had pizza made of strawberry, I know it sounds weird but it tasted awesome. “Are joining us tomorrow or the campers?” Phoebe asked.

“Ummm… I’m not sure …” I said, chewing my food.

“Luna is a Camper, then, she will join the Campers.” Thalia stated and drank her diet coke.

I nodded, “Yeah, I guess Thalia’s right. Besides, it’ll be a fair thing, right?”

Nobody answered, “What? You cheat?” I asked.

There was complete silence again, some of the Hunters looked as of they were going to punch me, Thalia raised her hand, “Calm down” she said and leaned towards me, “This is your first Capture the Flag, correct?”

I nodded, not taking my eyes away from my food, “Then you do not know anything or how this game is played?”

I shook my head, “Not a clue.” Phoebe grunted at me.

“We may use all means to win, Luna” Thalia said, “But we never cheat.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Just make sure you actually beat us tomorrow, then that’ll be a first of 59 games we’ve played.” Phoebe laughed.

ℓʋиα ƨιℓvɛя 11:13, February 9, 2011 (UTC)