I step outside and the first thing I notice is the creepy silence that fills the streets and the heavy rain clouds heading closer to town.
I start walking towards the centre of the town I am currently living in. The town is not too big but not that small either even if the population is just over one thousand. There is a central mall with all the basic stores for anything the townspeople could need. Anything that's not available gets imported.
As I walk, my footsteps are silent, my black leather hunting boots quieting any possible noise I would accidentally make. The tip of my tied hair tickles my neck and I look around, using my senses (which are much stronger than a normal humans) to see if there are any creatures lurking about.
I see a cat shifter, his fangs pressing into his bottom lip and claws at the ready for any unfortunate prey that might cross his path. I waved and he hissed at me. I decided that he seems harmless. I let him slink back into the shadows of this neighbourhood.
Down the sidewalk, which is clean and smooth, having just been re-done, I notice a family of three, the parents giving me a glance before continuing their stroll. Yet the little boy walking aside them stares right at me as though he can see right through my glamour.
Some Mortals are like that, they can see right through our glamours that disguise us as "normal" people or Mortals, not warriors with weapons. The usual Mortal will see me as a human that maybe looks a little different but there is not a big enough difference to spare me more than a few glances.
Thank the Gods for our glamour because it would be kind of awkward and hard to explain to a human why I had weapons strapped to my waist and a bow at my back. I can just imagine the screaming and the terror in their eyes.
As I'm walking, I think about Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and Hunt. She has always told me such important things, and I well... I mostly listen to her advice.
"Min, you must be yourself no matter what. Just remember to trust the right people. Words can change you."
She had told me this when I was maybe the age of nine or ten. She had told me that right after telling me the story about the huge trouble a Marked One had caused when telling a bunch of Mortals all about his life and mission, thinking they could help him. Turns out they were actually spies for some monsters that had been hunting his group of Marked Ones. It didn't end well.
Anyways, I stick to myself and don't make friends. It's too easy to get attached to someone and then mess up your mission. So I am alone. Always have been except for the Gods and a few helpful spirits or ghosts.
I'm walking slowly while I think, still paying attention to my surroundings. The family with the little boy are turning the corner and he looks back at me and smiles. I wiggle my fingers at him and he giggles, his parents not noticing.
I continue my walk and the clouds have neared closer to the town. It was going to be a pretty intense storm! The wind was already starting to pick up and the trees swayed with it. The temperature dropped and the air became crisp. I could see my own breath when I exhaled. I decided to pick up the pace.
I can see City Hall which is right across the street from the mall. The only library in the town is located inside City Hall. It's a building made of white stone that has slowly faded to a more grey colour. It has two giant Grecian styled columns in front with a beautifully carved wooden door. Just above the door there is "CITY HALL" and "LIBRARY" written in gold polished letters with the towns name and the date the town was founded, in 1854.
I start jogging up the steps as a light drizzle of rain starts to fall. I look up towards the sky and it hits my face and flows off my skin, onto my neck and onto my armour. I hold up my left hand and catch a drop. I stare at it, so simple and delicate but such a force of nature.
I thank the Gods for the rain and am happy that I had put the book in a bag, so that it wouldn't get damaged. I continue up the stone steps and finally make it to the top. I scan the street, looking for anything out of the ordinary before opening the huge wooden doors and stepping inside.
I wave at the Information Booth lady, Lucy, before going into the library section of City Hall. I place the book on the librarian's desk but she pays me no attention as she reads her magazine. I go to the back of the library, the section with the older books.
I reach the Myths and Legends section and browse, looking for anything that might interest me. Being a Marked One, I know pretty much everything about Greek mythology but I always like to see and check what silly ideas Mortals have come up with. They always surprise and amuse me with their explanations and stories of what they believe to be the truth. Like I said, silly Mortals.
I turn to go to the next bookshelf, not paying attention where I'm stepping because I don't think anyone will be in this old section of the library. I was wrong.
I tripped over a big black combat boot, not too different than the ones I am wearing. I see the ground rushing up to meet me as I try to break my fall by twisting to land on my butt. Instead, I am grabbed by strong hands that catch me before I can fall.
The person helps me up and I look up, realizing it is a boy of maybe 17 years old. I don't stare long at him before I see it. I blink and rub my eyes, sure that I am seeing wrong, but no. I am not mistaken.
I give a gasp because on the neck of the boy, there is a tattoo. Not just any tattoo.
This boy is Marked by the Gods, just like me.
