μάγευμα ✸ pjo x hp

vii. εβδομος

Lola managed to take a week of the strange dreams about her mother, before she cracked. Whereas before she had made an effort to participate in class, though it was still the first week so there had only been theory, she had now stopped. She didn't speak with her classmates, and only really talked to Cedric, who had been insistent in taking the younger girl under his wing.

The worst part about the strange dreams was that they left her feeling, and looking, tired. She would wake up unrested. It was in the early hours of Saturday morning, when she decided to do a bit of additional exploring of the castle, specifically the forest.

The forbidden forest was dark, and dangerous, and you could hear all sorts of strange howls from it at all times, but there was something about the soft earth of it, and the beauty of the trees, that captivated Lola. There was a similar forest back on Aeaea, where she used to find and domesticate little piglets which she found cute.

Despite the comforting memories, Lola felt like she was stepping into a horror movie as she strolled through it. All the trees were tall and the branches created weird shapes in the moonlight that would make almost anyone paranoid. The place must have been so scary that not even squirrels would dare enter because she had been inside for at least half an hour now and had yet to see a friendly squirrel, although it was so dark that she may have just been missing them.

As she continued to delve deeper, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise. She was being watched. Her hand reached for her knife and she began to draw it until a voice called out to her.

"Halt. Turn around."

Lola turned and saw a centaur. His gentle features almost reminded her of Chiron. He had a palomino body, long white-blonde hair, and pale blue eyes. He sniffed at her.

"Godling," he realized. "You must be one of Chiron's campers."

Lola perked up. "You know Chiron?"

"Who does not know of that man?" the centaur questioned. "Why is there a young godling far away from her safe haven?"

"I'm, well... I go to school here." She said stupidly.

"Ah," he seemed to understand. "You are the prophecies child."

Lola didn't want to seem rude, so she just plastered on a grimacing smile and said: "Yep, that's me."

"Firenze," another centaur came. His face was hard and not as friendly as Firenze's. He had a black body, black hair, and black eyes. He stared at her, and seemed to come to the conclusion of what she was. "Godling," he muttered under his breath. "So you are the reason for the forest..."

Lola's head tilted in curiosity. Sure she knew how to manipulate what was already in a forest, but she had no other powers linked to nature, not like the Demeter kids. "The forest?"

"The creatures here have become restless since you have arrived. Some are hungry for you, others fear the ones who want to kill you. And more monsters are coming," he said, looking up. "A big one is coming soon as well. But I cannot tell which. The stars have yet to given me an exact shape."

"Oh." she paled. Monsters were coming. She knew this would happen, but they couldn't even give her a week...? So soon?

"We have managed to kill some," Firenze told her softly. "But we cannot kill them all. Not forever at least."

"I can try and help you!" Lola stated, eyes wide. She wasn't the best at fighting, but could hold her own. She was definitely better than any mortal. "Can you take me to them?"

The dark centaur regarded her with a look of approval. "The other monsters are not too big of a threat, but a particular herd of—"

"—Bane," Firenze cut in. "She is but a foal."