I couldn't believe it. I had heard from one of the other campers about what happened. I ran past several of the campers, up to the Big House's Hospital, where my brother Zack was at. It took several minutes until I finally broke through the crowd of campers trying to get a peek at him. He had dissapeared several days ago, like he's been doing for several months, and was found at the top of half blood hill next to Thalia's tree.
"Where is he!" I shouted at Chiron, who was walking in the hallway. Half startled, he quickly turned around, with a sad expression on his face.
"He's right in here child," he pointed towards the door to his left. "However I must warn you, you might not like what you find." I didn't pay him any attention after he pointed. All I needed to know is where he was, so I could be with him.
A sign on the door said, Do Not Disturb, but I paid no heed to it as I bust through it and shouted, "Zack!" as loud as I could. I saw him on the bed, and quickly ran over to him. "Zack, can you hear me?! Zack!" I shook him, but to no avail.
"Im sorry to say this, but he suffered severe internal damage, as well as much external."
"THEN HEAL HIM!!!"
"WE all have tried, but he is too far gone." I began to cry.
"You better not be saying what I think you're saying."
"I'm afraid I am..." I slowly got up, and turned around to face Chiron.
"Get out. Get out! GET OUT!" I shouted at him. He lowered his head, told me Zack wouldn't make it through the next couple of hours, and left. "Why, why did you go and fight like this! You have been acting so strange after Dad died." I said to myself, hoping he could somehow here me. "I've been sad too, but I don't beat myself over it." I soon began to blame myself, and was becoming hysterical. "I should have went with you," I sniffled, "We would have been able to defeat anything." I began to cry once more, and suddenly felt somebody else in the room, though nobody was there, as the door was closed and had not opened. I began to pray, no, plead, to the gods for them to save him, even though I knew it was pointless. They wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't save him.
"They can't," said somebody directly behind me, "but I can."
I quickly turned around, only to find a young boy, probably around 15, standing there. "There will be a, price, though." I barely registed what he said, as I was too busy staring at his eyes, which were changing color rapidly, but kept reverting back to a shade of brown.
"Are you saying that you can heal him?" There was something off about him, but as long as he could do what he is saying what he could do, I had to shrug it off.
"I can do much more then that Xylia, way more." It took me a second to register the fact that he knew my name without me even telling him.
"How do you know who I am? Are you a god?" I asked him. He laughed at the notion.
"No, I am a demi-god, like yourself. You know, you look alot like your mother, Nyx." He paused, but quickly continued. "Back to business. Like I said earlier, I can heal him perfectly back to health, and all it will cost you is your eternal loyalty. And hey, a bonus for you is Eternal Youth." I couldn't believe what he was saying, he was willing to solve all my problems for me.
"Deal," I said. A lie couldn't hurt, as soon as he healed Zack, I would tell him to
leave and that I wouldn't serve him. He took my hand and shook it. "Now heal Zack," I
said, but was interrupted by a new voice in the room, one that I couldn't mistake.
"Xylia? Is that you?" I turned towards him, just registering the fact that the boy had left, I didn't even learn his name.
However, a voice suddenly appeared in my head, You have five minutes, and my name is Matt. I ignored his voice as I looked at my brother. There wasn't even a scratch on him.
"Yes it's me brother. How do you feel?"
"I feel perfect, but could I please go get some clothes to put on?" I couldn't help but smile at this, but I nodded as he wrapped his sheets around him and left the room.
"Time to go," said Matt as he reappeared in front of me.
"I lied, im not going with you."
"Doesn't matter, a deals a deal in my book, now you are my servant, and we must go. Your life as Xylia Vanessa Aven is no longer. For now on you are Xylia, one of the Servants of the Shadowerer's Lord." As he finished speaking, we were suddenly in a dark room, but I could still see. I had made a deal I shouldn't have, and now I am paying the consequence of it. I am now one of Matt's Servants, and my life has changed drastically for the worst.