The Altered Seven

The Cursed Blade

Piper paced the deck, waiting for Aelin, Lilly, and Leo to return. When she had returned, Killian showed her a knife that had showed up with a note with her name on it. It read:

Piper,

This dagger has played an important role in the history of the world and it appears it is time for it to do so again. This is Katoptris, the legendary blade of Helen of Troy. Although it may not look like much, the blade will show you much more than your reflection.

With love,

Venus

Rhea Silvia had said that it would show them the way, Piper was hesitant on looking into the blade. She knew the story of Helen of Troy. She was the woman who started the Trojan War, though that was because Piper's own mother had promised her to Paris when he chose to give her the Apple of Discord.

The story made Piper sick more than anything. Ajax looked inclined to agree. He would occasionally glance at the blade and mutter things in Ancient Greek under his breath.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Aelin, Lilly, and Leo ran up the plank.

"Now what?" Aelin panted, putting her hands on her knees. Leo collapsed against the railing. "We just ran...all the way...from the other side of town."

"This knife showed up," Killian said, lifting the blade. Ajax probably cursed in Ancient Greek. "A gift from Venus. To Piper."

"Tibernius said it would show the way," Piper said. "I just...I need to look into it."

"Like, as in looking at your reflection?" Leo asked.

"That is what it was once used for," Ajax said bitterly. "That accursed daughter of Zeus used it as a mirror while my friends were slaughtered, fighting to get her back. That fool Menelaus let her keep it after taking her back as his wife. That blade is cursed, Piper McLean."

"And it was a gift from your mother?" Aelin said. "How generous."

"We don't have a choice," Killian said. "Piper, it's time."

"What am I supposed to do?" Piper asked, confused.

Killian shrugged. "Just look into it and look for Alex."

Piper wasn't exactly confident in those directions considering she didn't even know what the two looked like but she gave a whirl anyway.

She looked into the blade, focusing hard, her mind chanting Alex's name. Piper began to lose hope as she continued to see only her own reflection before a bright light shimmered off the blade.

She nearly dropped it in shock before forcing herself to hold it tight as Killian and Lilly leaned over her shoulders to gaze into the blade.

She saw two giants in gladiator armor sitting on oversized praetors' chairs. The giants toasted each other with golden goblets as if they'd just won an important fight. Between them stood a large bronze jar.

The vision zoomed in again. Inside the jar, Alex Mare was curled up into a ball, unmoving.

"We're too late," Jason said.

"Don't say that," Lilly growled. "He's just weak, we need to hurry."

Lilly didn't exactly sound convinced by her own words but it was clear she was not going to accept failure until she laid eyes on her dead friend.

Suddenly the view on the blade rapidly zoomed out until they saw ruins-a few crumbling walls, a bunch of columns, a stone floor covered with moss and dead vines.

"That's the old coliseum," Killian said from over Piper's shoulder.

That was apparently all Killian needed as he stepped back. He snapped his fingers and his body went up in flames. Once they died away, the others gawked at his armor. It was Plated armor, minus the helmet, and colored like a heated hearth. His sword was strapped to his waist and a dagger was attached to his thigh. An ax was on his back.