Half Blood Heroes: Eternal Rivers

Where Oars Are Swords

The oar began to emit a light blue glow. "Arin." Of course, Arin was busy looking for the said boat. "How come you're doing cool things and mine is just- ugh," Aspen complained, picking up the golf club. The oar glowed and when the light ceased I was holding a freakin' cool sword. It had a titanium hilt decorated with intricate carvings traced with blue wire. The blade itself was made of two kinds of metal. One special metal and steel. "Now you have a sword? You're always the lucky one." Aspen rolled his eyes and threw the golf club again but before it could hit the Fomorian's eye it glowed blue and turned into a spear with a steel and ivory hilt. The tip was made of bronze with a light blue tassel at the end. The Fomorian roared in pain as the tip hit its eye. A branch from the tree fell off and hit Aspen right in the shoulder. "I found the boat, get your weapons and get in." Aspen picked up his spear and I picked up my sword. We jumped in the boat as he started the engine. "You two in one piece?" Aspen was clutching his cut and dislocated shoulder. "Barely." He said through gritted teeth. Arin nodded and pulled out clear liquid and bandages. "I'll just pop it back in." Aspen stepped back in protest. "No thanks." I rolled my eyes and grabbed his arm and relocated it. He hissed in pain pulling away. Arin poured the liquid onto his wound and bandaged it up.

"You know Kendra, I always knew you were mad in the head." Aspen hissed at me, I rolled my eyes. Arin was examining our weapons. "You two might be half-siblings." Aspen And I turned around and looked at her. "What?" We said in unison. "It's a possibility, both of you were found together, have weapons of similar aura and you both have similar auras." Arin traced the wire on the weapons. "No way, he's too idiotic to be my brother," I said, pointing at him biting on a piece of wood. "Yeah, I'm too idiotic to- wait a second." He thought for a second. "I am not idiotic." I scoffed and turned to the front of the boat. "Where are we going?" Arin tied up some things and walked up to me. "To Canada, that's where the camp is." The wind suddenly picked up bringing the boat outside the Golden Gate Bridge. "We're looking for a whirlpool to drive into so keep your eyes peeled." I would've thought three things at that moment. If he's insane, wants to kill us, or is just a nice person who uses the phrase 'keep your eyes peeled'. "Over there." Aspen pointed towards a small swirl of water. The boat slowly began turning. We were sucked in, cold rushed around me. But the water wasn't filling my lungs. I opened my eyes, I could see Arin and Aspen turning the boat over.

"Arin." He turned around and swam to me. He carried me back onto the boat. "Oh, she gets special treatment because she's a girl?" Aspen said, climbing up the side of the boat. Just as he was saying that Arin put a towel around me. We heard a scream and saw Aspen fall back into the water. "You're not gonna help me up and I bet you won't give me a towel." Aspen's pale blond hair was scattered over his face. He muttered sarcastic comments through gritted teeth.

"Aspen, you're dry." I pointed at his shirt which had not a drop of water. "I'm dry." I looked down at my shirt and my clothes.

Above us, a pale glow illuminated the sea. Arin pushed the boat towards the shore. "Hurry." Suddenly the world began spinning. There was a loud ringing in my ears. Arin and Aspen turned around. Aspen pulled out pills and Arin walked over to me. "Aand scoop." He picked me up bridal style and the last thing I heard was Aspen complaining.

When I opened my eyes I was in what seemed like the largest camping tent combined with urgent care. I looked around and saw a boy probably two years younger than me holding a glass of water. He had a bandaged arm and dull gray eyes. His aura was 'don't go near me. "Can you please stop staring at me? I didn't brush my hair but it doesn't look that weird." Now that he was looking me straight in the eye, I could see the lightest tint of red. "Good, you're awake." A girl with light sea-green eyes and sandy blond hair waltzed in. She had a clipboard and pen in hand. "Kendra Diana Waters?" I nodded. She took out probably five forms and asked me around a hundred questions on my health.

"Age?"

"14"

"Date of birth?"

"July 19, 1990."

"Last PMS cycle?"

"A month a- wait what? I'm not gonna answer that." She flashed me a bright smile like the last question she answered wasn't super personal. "Just did Kendra, Arin and your half-brother will be here soon." 'Half-brother? I have a half-brother?' My silent thoughts were interrupted by Arin and Aspen walking in. Arin wore an emerald green shirt decorated with an intricate four-leaf clover design. He threw his arms around me. Aspen looked stoic and just stared at me. He had a light blue shirt with a decoration of a river flowing through it. A three spiral thing was embroidered on the side. "You're my half-sister hooray." Aspen said breaking the silence, his voice was sarcastic as it was rude. "You wanna know how I found out? Because while you were out then pulled to the side, THEY TOOK A FRIGGIN' NEEDLE! PRICKED MY SKIN AND TRACED IT ON PAPER JUST TO SEE WHAT SHAPE IT WOULD CREATE!" He yelled angrily. His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw and fists. "What he means to say is that we took a test that required a drop of your blood. And it showed that your godly parent is Danu. She just so happens to be the goddess who was taken captive. But since we found her children, it'll be perfect to just have you and your half-brother lead us to her."

"Taken captive by who-

"Whom"

"Sorry, whom. And you say me and Aspen can lead you guys to her?"

"Exactly." A gentle but stern voice replied. A woman with copper-red hair and blue eyes walked into the tent followed by two other people.

"Brigid." Arin quietly whispered into my ear. "My mother or in general the mother to all gods and goddesses went missing. I am sure the goddess, Morrigan, had seen my mother. Her crows are all over the world. It was our original plan to do that but Morrigan is on edge and isn't in the mood to be nice. So we planned to send Arin out to find at least one child of Danu who was a half-blood. It is easy enough to just go to Tír Na Anam but as I said, Morrigan is only allowing demigods or half-bloods. Like you two." Brigid held her hand out. Instantly, the sword that I had zoomed into her hand. "Take it, it's yours. Its name is Mear, keep it." The sword felt like a perfect match. "Kendra, I hope it isn't too much to ask. Please go with Arin to Tír Na Anam. Get the information and bring it back. After that, you'll see your mother again." I hadn't been at this camp for more than a week and now I was gonna be sent on a quest to the Irish Underworld. I did want to meet my mother but it was a lot to ask. The reward was too good to be true. A dangerous quest to see my mother?