The Seasons Gloom

I Learn to Not talk to the Augur

It all started when the war games ended, the offensive side won, carrying our flag towards their base, and we had just finished eating. The camp milled around, talking and sipping drinks of their choice when I noticed Jaidyn standing far away from everyone, looking off into the distance. I placed my cup on the table in front of me and started to walk towards her.

I walked past campers who congratulated each other and retold stories about the war games and soon was next to Jaidyn. She murmured under her breath in another language I could not understand. I knew a little Latin, but this sounded different.

Jaidyn looked sickly pale and had dark circles under her eyes. She looked towards me and asked if I could accompany her to the garden, I obliged. As we walked, she leaned heavily on my shoulder. Walking out we received many stares from the other campers. Jaidyn glared at them as if what they thought didn't bother her in the slightest. They quickly went back to eating whatever the spirits had brought them. When we left the dining hall, she started to fumble more with her steps. After a few more feet, she collapsed onto the stone steps. Being kind, I tried to pick her up, but she smacked my hand away, like an old teacher I had at a catholic school.

"I don't need your assistance."

"Jaidyn, are you okay?" I inquired.

"I'm fine." She spat and attempted to push herself to her feet.

I narrowed my eyes as she fell again, "Are you going to let down your pride? Or will continue to be stubborn?"

She looked at me with distaste. "Fine, carry me to the garden."

I scooped her up like a rag doll, she was lighter than she should have been, I could almost feel her rib cage pressing against her pale skin. As a fighter I am used to carrying people who are unable to walk themselves but this just felt different. I knew that some demigods may not make it to see the next day, but with Jaidyn something felt off. She felt like a shell of a person.

After a few minutes of awkward silence we reached the gardens, and I set her down on a bench made of ancient grape vines. Flowers and fruit vines surrounded us with a cheery glow, and although I usually came to this place to unwind, I felt uneasy.

"Autumn, you are a kind person to carry me all this way." Her voice was a whisper and she gave me a half hearted smile. It was almost as if she forgot about our previous conversation, and how she rejected my help with a rude attitude.

"Hey! I am just doing my duty as a citizen of New Rome, it is nothing towards you." She gave a laugh louder than what should be able to come out of a person as weak as her.

"Ha, you really think that I care about such trivial things right now? Her expression darkened. "You have no idea what my life has been like these past few months. Darker times are up ahead, Autumn Leggiéri." Her eyes started to dim, and became unfocused, "You need to right whatever wrong that has been done or the cycle will continue."

Jaidyn turned towards me and I swallowed a shriek. Her skin turned greenish purple and started to shrivel like she was aging faster than time. Her face was contorted in pain and she looked like she wanted to scream. She let out a sigh as her legs started to turn to dust. When she spoke her voice sounded raspy and cold, and unlike her normal voice. "Fix this, before another suffers the same fate." She opened her mouth, but no sound escaped her lips. Then her body crumbled to dust and blew away.

My eyes probably look as wide as a roman discus just thinking about it.

* * * * * * * *

I ran up the hill back to the dining hall, The steps seemed larger than they did heading down. I heard the sounds of laughter and cheers but soon my racing heartbeat drowned them out. Then after running for what seemed like an eternity, I reached the dining hall. I threw the doors open and staggered inside.