Reness has been lying a lot. In secret. So what happens when Kronos demands of her the truth?
Chapter 1[]
I was laying down in the room. The cell. I was chained, and tossed away. Why? All because I had helped a friend. You see, lies always help you. The saying the lies will only leave you- is wrong. I live with lies. But, now I'm chained up.
"Kronos," I whispered in the dark, straining against my bonds. Kronos helped me. He helped me get out that night. You see, I hate Camp Half-Blood. You don't get anything. But, in the Titan army, you get power, and vengeance. Revenge. That word lives on me, too. It was only a matter of time that night- I would be executed if I didn't escape.
Some memories let my mind fly. I thought to the time of the battle for life- the golden battle for life, and I'm just saying, it has nothing to do with Kronos.
And what did we win? Power. All of us. For those straight 4 years, I fought like any day, everyone I loved would die. You see, now I don't care. The battle's over, my thoughts have washed away.
Why did I do that? Go ahead, ask. You don't want to be my enemy.
"Kronos," I said again. As the words escaped my mouth, golden light flooded the cell. The walls exploded, and my chains were ripped apart, and they flew like paper in harsh wind. And then, I knew Kronos was somehow connected to this.
I'd better flee fast, I thought. It'll only be a matter of time before they find out.
Chapter 2[]
And how did I make it that night? Beats me. Ask Kronos, I guess. But I wouldn't have the courage.
I began to pace, my sweat was pouring down my face. The night lit the way in the dark, I ran like the wind. My hair whipped around in the wind. I shivered, and put down the shalik I was holding. I didn't need it anymore- this was later on that night that I had found out the secret. The key to all my lies.
The air was warm- but the wid made it cold. I trudged on again, daring not to stop. It hurt by every step, but I kept on moving. Just as I would to my troubles. Moving. Then I'd join the Titan army, and it'd go crazy. But I wasn't that helpless or weak. I had to supress a laugh at that in my mind. Weak. Yeah, right.
Just then, a girl with black hair and jade green- grey eyes walked out of the gloom. My first thought- attack her. She had dark makeup on her eyes, and she wore a simple brown coat over a jade-white striped top with long sleeves, hiking boots, and sweats.
"Who are you?" I demanded, my hand creeping toward my knife. Then I remembered- they had confisticated it.
"Jade," she said. "You?"
"Rachel," I lied, fast.
"What are you doing here, prisonor?"
How did she know, I had know idea.
"I forsee the future," Jade said. "I am a seer!"
"Good for you," I said.
"Leave me alone, harmful half-blood," she screeched. Before I could react, she thrust her arm forward, as a volley of stars whizzed around my head. I fainted.
Chapter 3[]
After the encounter with the witch Jade, I wasn't feeling too good. Curse her!
With the last bit of energy, I trudged to the ruins of rocks, an empty area where no one had been for a long time.
I sat down, and studied the stars, they were upside down, I mean, the constellations.
Or was I dreaming? No, I don't think so.
So I was there. Okay. Not so bad. I don't think my encounter with Jade was real now. My head felt heavy all of a sudden. So what now?
Oh yeah, I was secretly helping a half-blood. That's the main reason of the lies, why I was caught. Daffodil.
Watching the clouds move across the moon isn't much fun. My hands bleeding, but hey, pain's necessary in battle.
Lying won't help. The voice courses through my head over and over. I'm relieved that the time slows down a bit. It's truly not worth it, if you ask me.
The truth that works for me: Lying will help.
Wheather you like it or not.
I wish to avenge further, but inside of me, a voice tells me not to.
So where do I go?
The battlefield ruins. That's where. And once again, I feel as though I'm me again, the most courageous girl in the Golden War.
Everbody wanted to be me.
Me.
And so I took the offer, they turned me down.
Run me over like I was a piece of garbage.
I was forgotten. Thrown into prison. All the half-bloods forgot. All the mortals forgot. And what was the biggest catch- Ares forgot.
And then I was a scrap of paper. Waiting to be written on.
But it never came. I waited. I waited all my life. The offer was gone. Now I'm here.
For revenge.
Chapter 4[]
Once I got to the place where the battle once took place, I gaped at it.
The place was deserted.
It was blank. The starry sky was smoky, and I stared at it in disbelief.
It was true. Everyone had died. It wasn't like my dream at all. I never thought about failing friends.
Stop thinking that way, I scolded myself. Friends were never there for me. Friends had always let me down.
What if I did? What if they came back? What would they say?
We were ex-friends. Let's keep it that way. Like I care.
I trudged up the hills where the tents used to be dressed. Now there's nothing. It's bare. The sky's smoky atmosphere seemed to peel off like new stickers off their pages. I watched the stars move around, and I noticed it was an optical illusion. It was actually the clouds that moved the sky. I watched the sky, and I felt warm inside. Really? I shook myself straight. Plaese. The gods never forgave me for what I've done. Why should I feel sorry? If only my mother were alive. She'd know. She knew everything. She read my face, when something happened, or when I was keeping a secret.
"It's never going to happen," said a voice behind me. I turned, and saw the misty figure of Jade.
"You," I said. "Why are you following me?"
"Your future has a cruel fate." She stepped closer, and I could see her eyes- full of sorrow. "I want to help."
I took a step back. "Get away. Don't pity me. You'd better not dare."
"You've always had courage, daughter." Jade stepped in. "But I'm sorry. It needed to be this way."
"Daughter?" I demanded. Okay, if so you're reading this now, think if this ever happened to you. How would you feel, talking to a stranger whose a young girl who calls you her daughter?
"Oh," Jade said. "I'm the second life of your mother. Thetis is my mother."
"Thetis?" I asked, suspisiously. "Second life? What's your last name?"
"Sadly, I do not have a last name." Jade looked down. "But my father's last name was Erist."
Chapter 5[]
So Mellie's still alive.
The truth was- I went back through time, 30 years from now to 1981 to the Golden War. Then I somehow came back. Mellie also went back- and Jade prooved it.
I couldn't sleep. I thought I could sleep in the only tent standing- which was abondoned. It was the tent for the seniors- the older kids that were over 18, but younger than 25. They had the better resources, but too bad it wasn't now. That was the 1980s stuff. It wasn't that modern. Huh.
I chose Natalia's bed. She was the bossy one- and when I left the other day- or it seemed like the other day, I went back to the future, who knows how.
And Mellie somehow was like me.
She probably kept it to herself. Jade described the girl she saw, and I knew it was Mellie. I had chased Jade away into the open- and I sort of hoped she'd return.
So I sat on Natalia's bunk, and tucked myself in. The blanket was thick- but covered in dust. I had to dump it in the stream an hour before it dried. It's sort of cold- since the stream was cold. I had also collected 3 jugs filled with water, and I had heated myself some water- and put it next to the bed. I'd done a lot of work- including picking some strawberries, and squash. I hate squash, but I thought it'd be a good warm dinner. I then decided I was hungry, so I got up. Moving throught the "doors" were easy enough.
There were silverware in the old drawers. I washed them in the water, then looked in the cupboards. Nothing. Empty. Just some glasses. I washed them out and took them to the bed.
I had fried the squash over the fire, using some oil. It tasted bitter- but I ate every last bite. Then the strawberries. I finished the uncomplete dinner with a glass of water. Tomorrow, I'd look for something good. Probably a store where I could do some stealing.
I tucked myself into bed once again and shivered in the cold. I heard a noise outside that sent a shiver up my spine.
I hadn't thought carefully- what if monsters tracked my scent here?
Chapter 6[]
Cold night. Monsters outside. Now what?
I reached for my knife, then found nothing. I forgot. My hand crept toward the drawer next to the bed- and as I had suspected, weapons were inside. I chose the sharpest knife, that looked the deadliest- with a curve of the blade that added a cruel line.
I crept toward the door, ready to fling myself outside.
And when I was out in the cold night, the shadows crept toward me, and I didn't move. I pointed the knife at them, and almost immediatly, they backed away. I wasn't going to be made a fool in anything anymore. From now on- it'd be real.
This is no adventure. This is the cruelty of my life- how it came to be the way it is. This is not false, made up for fun, just to make suspense, or just simply make you read more.
This is my story.
I followed the shdows movements to the far end of the open. There was no monster. It was just the open.
Hung in the air. I felt like a fool now. I followed my eyes to the far end, where there was just a black line. I could swear there was a shape making it's way toward me. I didn't want to make myself a coward, and run in fear. I walked closer, my blade out, like it was pulling me toward whatever it was.
Unfortunatly, it was.
Was I insane? I should've dropped the knife and ran. The cold wind tickled my scalp and I watched the blotchy shape just... dissapear.
Just like that. It was gone. Was it hallucination? I watched for a bit more, then decided I'd go back to the tent, zip the door, and just sleep. I guess I was tired, that was all.
But I wasn't convinced.
Once again, my body ached with pain as I willed myself to turn back to the tent. But I forced myself. My eyes itched with sleepiness, and I wanted to close them. One good squeeze.
No. I needed to keep myself awake, and try to leave as soon as possible.
Which was morning.
Turning myself with effort, I didn't closed my itchy eyes. I turned. I then squeeze them, and water filled them up, curing it. That fet good. Better, to say. I watched the lines in my eyelid.
Crack. There was a sound behind me. My eyes shot open in alert, and I whirled around, my hand shaking in the cold, wrapped in nothing but fear.
I was about to open my mouth, raise the knife, bring it down, when all so fast just as I had thought that, something grabbed me and I was wrapped in the blackness.
Chapter 7[]
"Never!" I screeched, writhing like a captured eel. "Never will you escape with me alive!"
"Dead, then?" The voice came. It was spitful, and sort of high pitched. Whatever it was, it came out of the gloom. It was a dwarf-like thing with twisted figures.
"What are you?" I gasped, too shocked to do anything. It looked disguisting, whatever the thing was. It came around me, as I pushed the stubborn boulder, willing it to move. The thing watched me with interest.
"Dwarf!" I muttered, watching it as it watched me. After I said that, it spluttered out a laugh.
"Dwarf?" It repeated. "I'm not a dwarf, I'm a kobalos. There is no such thing as a dwarf."
"Kobalos?" I repeated. In all my life, I have never heard of anything called a kobalos. Something made me jump back, like a pinch on my back. The kobalos rubbed it's hands, and studied the boulder, as if it were it's next victim.
"Too tight?" The kobalos mocked. I gritted my teeth and tried not to leap out and strangle the thing.
"No," I said patiently. "I'm just fine. Thank you." And where would I get that patience? I have no idea. The next time he tried to annoy me, he'd be history.
My response seemed to anger him. He'd probably wished for me to try and get at him. That's when I realized, if I did, I'd get badly injured, because the slope of the boulder toward him was like sandpaper- and I'd scrape by skin if I tried to leap out that way. How was I acting smart all of a sudden? Was Ares feeling nothing but pity for me today? I knew what the kobalos was trying to do, then.
It was trying to trick me.
But then it tried to annoy me. "Whose there when you'll die, Reni? You're father Ares doesn't care, does he?"
This time, it really got on my nerves. I didn't leap out when he said it, I just reached for my knife, and there it was, and made an aim for the kobalos's heart.
The knife went flying. The kobalos had one second of life. Then, when the knife hit it, it burst into golden dust, and my knife lay still. The boulder rolled of me, rocked for a few, ten lay still as if it were in peace finally.
I jumped from my spot, ad took my knife. The cave was still lit from the fire the kobalos had made. I followed the pebbles, and eventually came to the mouth of the cave. With one last backwards glance, I went upward, and fast, because dawn was approaching, and there would be others on the mountain.
Yes, others.
Chapter 8[]
It was worth running up again the hill. Never to be noticed, seen. After what happened, I'd wished that I'd never existed.
Don't wish to die. Whatever you do, don't.
Daffodil paid her life for that. Unless if you wish to be burned alive, squashed by a boulder, eaten by monsters, fatally poseined...
Don't.
I could hear the footsteps up the hill. I didn't urn and run, because there was nowhere to turn to and run. On the top of the hill were my old allies, Carmen and Ossie, holding an unconsious Mellie Reshmeg between them.
Carmen gave a crooked grin. She was wearing a tight suit in black and gold, to symbolize Kronos. Her brown hair had golden streaks in it, and her nails were painted black and gold in a pattern.
Ossie was wearing an identical suit. Though his brown hair was in streaks of gold also. Though like cut up streamer very few were visible, unlike Carmen. And he had not painted his nails gold and black in a pattern. But those two were twins, and they were tricksters. Children of Hermes.
"Well look who we found here, Os." Carmen said, giving Mellie a push. For the first time, she shook her head weakly, then focused on me. She croaked something, probably my name, or "help". "It's Reness Delli, the runaway. Let's take her back."
"Yes, I daresay it." Ossie said carefully, as though I would bite. "She's vicious, remember when Kronos dragged that kicking scrum Dandolin, or something? She bit like a viper!"
"Daffodil." I said with rage. The first time I spoke. I stared at Ossie, with something like hate that I've never felt before. He just threw me a look of pity and loathing, and said, "Whatever. Carmen, let's take her to Lord Kronos."
Carmen grinned, and as fast as a flash, had my hands tied up behind me back. I struggled, but then she gagged me, and dragged me to Ossie, who rolled his eyes. "The last time I carried her, she was as heavy as my grandmother's fat suitcase." I remembered. Ossie had just carried me- and I felt so lost, in love, I guess, and it wasn't even funny because of the part where I almost puked on him.
What he did was nothing like carrying. He just shoved my feet into skates, and dragged me half on my bottom. Carmen dragged Mellie, and I could tell Mellie was as good as scared- maybe dead. She was bleeding, her lip swollon, her eyes with dark circles under them. She was the last survivor.
Then, we arrived at "Aunty Em's Gnome Emporium", don't ask me why, which had statues, or gnomes, that were broken or covered in graffiti. There were dozens of demigods, and monsters. The Princess Andromeda had been blown up.
What about Luke? Just then, a voice that sounded like a thosand knives on rocks said, "Reness Delli."
I turned to see Luke, except gone were his blue eyes. Now they were golden- pure golden. Carmen and Ossie and all the others stayed quiet, and didn't dare move.
"Where have you been?"
A lie. One small little lie. "Camp Half-Blood. I sceretly stole some information." I lied.
"Interesting. Come with me." I finally realized that this was Kronos. Or what was left of Luke. I followed him into a room inside Aunty Em's Gnome Emporium. He turned to see me. I needed more lies.
"What did you hear?"
"That the attack will be planned here- two sneaks from there spied , and as far as I know, an attack will be ready." I lied, hoping it was reasonable. It was. Kronos pondered for a while, then said, "Nothing else?"
To please him, I slowly said, "Percy Jackson saw you. There is two- I mean a girl who can see things. Percy keeps in touch with her. They will stay at camp, though. Um, the pegasus will be used, of course. If you want we can capture them."
"Excellent. Now, why should you waste time," he said. "When it simply wastes you?"
I ducked slowly, and as response, I was saved by a dracanae. A dracanae with a crown came slithering into the room.
"They're here. The half-bloodsss cannot be enough defensssse." She siad. I took my cue, and walked out of the room as fast as I could.
Chapter 9[]
The next morning, as I woke, I saw Carmen. She was wearing another crazy outfit. A strechy black shirt that read it gold letters "KRONOS ROX".
"The gold stands out against the black," she explained to half-bloods that stared. She had done her hair in a crazy way. Somehow, it was short and curved slightly toward her neck. Her hair was brown, but in gold, there was a picture of a eagle with an arrow sticking out of it somehow dyed in her hair. I figured the eagle symbolized Zeus, and it was pretty mean... but the style looked cool. Her nails were black, with KRONOS, and on each nail, each letter in gold.
Where does she get that stuff'? I wondered. Then I guessed there was a half-blood here who dealt with beuaty and all that other stuff I had no use for. Ossie, was no where in sight, but I figured his outfit wouldn't be as crazy as his sister's.
I stared at my ratty gray shirt covered in blue and red stuff- and I wanted to change very badly. I flung it off without a word, and was left in an undershirt. I didn't care. It was humid, and I probably could ask Carmen, as a daughter of Hermes, to steal something for me to wear. I needed another lie, of course. Then tomorrow, freedom. I'd just go back to Camp Half-Blood, and spy. Then come back, post, then spy again. Then lie. Of course, that was my hobby. Carmen began putting on makeup. When she turned, she was wearing a ridiculous mixture of black and gold. Her eye liner was black, her eye shadow gold. The lipstick was pink, and she had applied glitter to her cheeks, along with the red stuff whatever it was called. I just silently laughed, as Carmen got up, and pointed a fingernail at a 12 year old boy who was lanking on the ground.
"Keep me posted, and you'll be fine." she snickered as she left, probably to her brother. They were attached to eachother. I doubt she would live without him.
"Pity she doesn't have time to think herself." A girl sneered. I turned to see her. She was possibly my age, or a bit older and she wore a vest and had pink hair that waved onto her shoulder. The girl frowned slightly at me, then turned back to the door. "It's her mother, a woman with the same obnoxious brown hair and not an ounce of fashion sense."
I turned my back to her. Why should it end in a lie? Kronos's fault, that's why. I didn't care, anyway. A few minutes later, Carmen returned with a raised eyebrow, and then her expression changed abruptly. She snapped at the boy she had adressed 20 minutes ago, "Well, what happened?"
The boy shakily rose, and bit his lip. He looked very nervous, and didnt want to be smacked- not by Carmen, but anyone he snitched on.
"S-salena- said you d-didn't have t-time to think, and your m-mother was obnox-"
"SALENA!" Carmen exploded. "How dare you! Your just as sour as your name!"
Salena glared at the boy. He winced, and tried to hide. He was obviosly scared. Salena lifted her sword and was ready to stike, when another blade hit hers, blocking the boy. He wasn't so relieved. He was still holding in his breath.
Another girl blocked Salena's attack. She stricked her eyes on Salena's. The blue seemed to shock Salena for a while. The girl's short purple hair fell into her neckplace, where it twisted a while, then stopped.
"SOUR AS SALT!" Carmen screamed. Some half-bloods laughed.
"Hey Sal," said one boy. "You never told us your name means salt." More laughter erupted. Salena growled and looked as if she would stab Carmen. Carmen was fuming, and her hand inched to her sword, when a voice called, "Carmen! Get over here, you're not even finished."
The girl with the purple hair whispered something to the twelve year old boy, and walked him over to his place. She patted him, then he caught me looking, scowled, and pushed her away.
"It's just soup." Carmen announced, popping her head in.
"Carmen, get back here!" yelled a high pitched voice. She disappeared behind the curtain. The voice yelled, "Where are you? I have a cane, you know?"
More laughter. I sneaked a look at Salena, who disappeared as well. She was nowhere in sight. Then, Ossie came in, soaked. The girl with purple hair fell down, purposly or accidentaly, and cried out. Ossie didn't even notice. Everyone fell silent. The twelve year old boy ran over to the fallen girl, and pulled her with difficulty. No one helped him. They all were watching Ossie.
"What?" he yelled. "What's the matter? Get your eyes rolling at Carmen! What do you think she dressed up for?"
"This." Salena suddenly drew forward, coming out of nowhere. She dug her nails into his arm, and he kept in the scream. "She doesn't want the attention. You're her everything." Salena smiled cruelly. "And she won't live longer if you're afraid."
And just like that, she went back, and was gone, like she was never there.
Chapter 10[]
Everyone who knew Salena Ciesi swore that they hadn't seen her after that day. Nobody knew where she went, or what she intended to do. The twelve year old boy, and his sister, also disappeared on that night. I was just on short of Carmen, and I hadn't seen her for the past two days. There were rumors that Salena and Carmen's disappearance were connected.
I was chewing a stick of salted bread, that didn't taste much of what you might call "good". But I stole some turkey, and that was good. I saved it in a plastic ziploc- it was in Carmen's trunk. People have been stealing lately from her trunk.
Ossie- well, he too vanished. I hope he'd never come back. Or Carmen. Or Salena. Or the twelve year old boy and his supposedly sister.
I chewed the last of the salted bread stick, and began on the turkey. After that, I slapped my cheeks free of any food, and went back inside "Aunty Em's Gnome Emporium". I'm not dyslexic. Carmen, who was, supposedly thought it said, "Utany Mes' Negom Memipourm."
It was pretty cold, and I found an old sagged quilt in one of "Aunty Em"'s a.k.a Medusa's personal room. It also was possiblly that she left it before she had "died". I isn't funny though. It's sad.
"Reness, come inside."
Chapter 11[]
"They vanished."
Ossie and Carmen had fled and no one had seen them. People were lying to the others and themselves by saying that they had seen either Carmen or Ossie. Fat chace of anyone believing you.
I also ran one day- I had it. I took my bag and pulled on a cape. Beef jerky- I stole from this snotty kid with a bad attitude. I was silent most of the time- but I was small, and if anyone tried to pick a fight, they had no chance of winning.
So, as I was saying, I saw Salena. She was really annoyed and had her pink hair in a snow jacket hood.
"You," she snarled, glaring at me. "Why are you here?" she eyed my pack. "Run away?"
"Have you? I mean, comeon. We all do. Just look at you!" I said tentatively. She laughed a fake and sarcastic laugh.
"Whose we? And no, Kronos only is using you, but poor Carmen's attacked, and now she can't recruit half-bloods." Salena shrugged off a patch of a snowflake. She stared at me with her dark eyes. I stared right back. Her hair was strawberry blond, not pink after all. It was just very light, and looked pink. Pastel pink.
"No." I said slowly. "It's not like that. And what do you know? I fought in a war when I was thirteen. Not to be awfully rude and disresfectful, but I think Kronos will lose. I'm not picking sides this time- it's not a big chance. If I do, I'll back up Camp Half-Blood, and do some killing for Kronos. Probably get a shot at that twit Percy Jackson.."
"Fat chance you will," Salena gave another sarcastic laugh. I rubbed my eyes, and that was my mistake. It was only half a second. When I removed my hand, Salena was gone. It was the most wierdest thing happened to me this week. Carmen disappearing or something stranger. I was not really picking Camp Half-Blood sides. But of course, I'd fight both sides. See who wins. I'd betray some people. Maybe even lay off. I laughed to myself. Who wanted to be mortal? When there was something in front of me- it was like a veil had been placed between you and the gods. Nothing in your heart could truly stick out, because life is only what you call a test. There is no true love. You should love here, and when your death comes, leave it behind.
And how do I know this? Daffodil.
I never really liked her. We weren't even friends. But she was 3 years younger than me- she was almost a sister. The sister I never had. Her soft white-blond hair like feathers- it only reminded me of her laugh, and the time in the summer I ever first bonded with her- only a few months, even though I'd known her for 4 years.
And she died. There was nothing. Just the body. In the water. Whoever killed her would pay. It was at the pool, the water blood red, Daffodil in the water, lifeless. And my scream was louder than I'd ever heard. That was five monoths ago. I could still remember Daffodil. The memory pained me. I couldn't remember again- about Daffodil. It hurt too much.