The Daughter Of Night

Chapter Thirty-Nine - I Go For A Wonder

Chapter Thirty-Nine - I Go For A Wonder
Posted: Thursday 11th July 2024

Watching the god of archery take an archery class and fail miserably was quite funny. However, when the stupid sun god swore on the River Styx he would not use a bow or musical instrument again until he was a god I could have wrung his neck.

As someone who had made and broken an oath on the Styx, I had spent enough time looking over my shoulder and hoping it wouldn't catch up to me, I was no pleased to have to watch Apollo make the same mistakes I had.

The day whiled on and preparations for the three-legged death race were well underway. I was helping Chiron with the preparations and ensuring that the younger campers did not cause any chaos when Apollo approached me.

"Ariadne we need to call off this race," he said. I was only half listening as I was chastising a young daughter of Hebe and a son of Iris who's legs were bound together and had just been trying to claw eachother's eyes out.

"Apollo, I know you don't want to - Put that down!" I had spotted an Ares camper with a flare gun aimed at Harley. "I'll speak to you later," I said to Apollo as I hurried off to deal with what was about to be a big issue.

Once the campers had been let loose on the course the camp quieted and I heard a faint whispering coming from afar. Half in a daze, I looked to the woods.

"Help me daughter of darkness," a voice said, it sounded like it was screaming far far away, hardly a whisper of its pain reaching me, "help me..."

A daze overtook me.

*

The next thing I knew I was lying on my side with smoke filling my lungs. I pushed myself up on my knees and coughed, trying to rid the smoke from my body.

"My beautiful son!" Someone was saying to my left.

"Ah Apollo," someone else - Austin- said, "whats eh- why am I wrapped in smelly bandages? Could you free me maybe?"

"Me too!" I added, realising that I was also wrapped from chin to toe in damp bandages which were greatly restricting my already restricted movements.

"Ri!" Apollo scrambled over to me, "Are you okay?"

"Fine," I said, "confused." I added.

Apollo was laughing slightly hysterically as he set about freeing Austin first.

Once Austin was free he straightened up and he and Apollo made their way over to me.

"What's going on?" Austin asked, "Where is my saxophone?"

Apollo laughed again and then stopped, the two were looking at something which I couldn't move enough to see.

"Don't mind me!" I complained, "I'll just lie here."

"Free them," Apollo said, handing the spear he used to free Austin to his son. "I'll be back."

"You're going in there?" Austin demanded. "Is it safe?"

"In where?" I demanded, struggling to get free of my binds.

"I doubt it," Apollo ignored my question and answered Austin before running to somewhere which plainly wasn't safe.

"Where'd he go?" I demanded, "Austin help me!"

Austin set about freeing me and as soon as I was on my feet I moved to follow Apollo. Austin caught me.

"I don't think you want to go in there!" He said.

I looked towards to foreboding trees, "what is there?"

"I have no idea, last thing I remember Kayla and I were winning the three legged death race," Austin said, "then I wake up here."

Nyx's words were ringing in my ears, do not allow yourself to get caught up in his plight, you are not invincible. I hated that my mother's words made sense. Nothing good could come of me going into that grove. I set about helping Austin free the others.

We were all covered in a sticky cobweb like substance and it occurred to me as we freed Ellis from the final stake that it looked like we had been made into human candles, then I noticed that we were all caked in Greek fire.

"This stuff is disgusting," I complained.

Austin produced a bottle of water and began to help all of us clean the greek fire from our faces.

Eventually Apollo returned from the grove, looking only slightly worse for ware. The geyser god- Paulie- immedidatley greeted him and Apollo told him to go and meet someone name Pete and the god hastened off.

"So the voices I heard from the grove... It's really an Oracle? Those trees can give us prophecies?" Miranda Gardener asked.

We all gathered in a little group.

"Perhaps," Apollo shuddered.

"Can I see-?"

"No," Apollo said forcefully, "Not until we understand the place better."

"I don't get it, you're Apollo? Like the Apollo?" Ellis grumbled.

"I'm afraid it's a long story," Apollo sighed.

"I thought I heard Meg's voice," Kayla looked around, "Did I dream that? Was she with you? Is she okay?"

"She's... alive," Apollo managed, "she had to leave."

"Why?" I demanded.

"Nero, she went after Nero," Apollo said,

"Hold up!" Austin raised his hands in the air, "when you say Nero."

Apollo sighed and did his best to explain what had happened, Nero and several other Roman Emperors were alive and had been trying to get into the grove of Dodonna, which had cried out for help, luring us here.

Apollo's eyes eventually widened, "oh gods, the Colossus! Nero is going to destroy camp, he will use his Colossus as a wrecking crew!"

"The Colossus Neronis?" Ceil asked, "that was destroyed centuries ago."

Ellis frowned, "Supposedly so was the Athena Parthenos and it's sitting on top of Halfblood Hill."

"Speaking of Athena..." Austin said, "won't the statue protect us? I mean that's what she's there for right?"

"She will try," affirmed Apollo, "but she draws her power from her followers, the more demigods at camp the more formidable she is. Right now..."

"Camp is practically empty," Miranda said.

"And the Colossus is about twice the height of the Athena Parthenos," Apollo mused.

"It's not even the same weight class. It's an uneven match!" Declared Ellis, ever the Ares kid.

The ground rumbled. In the distance was an awful sound, like a ship scraping over the see floor.

"Please tell me that was thunder," Kayla said.

"We need to get back to camp right now!" I said.

We all subconsciously closed ranks. Most of us there had been through two wars, our battle senses were second nature.

"How do we get out of here?" Austin asked.

"Where even are we?" I asked.

"The Mymekes lair," Apollo offered, "giant ants. I don't suppose any of you can fly?"

"I can cook," Cecil offered.

"I can shadow travel," I offered.

"No," said Apollo and his two children at the same time.

"Will made it clear you're not allowed!" Kayla said, "and I'm more scared of him than I am of you!"

Apollo was lost in thought, but eventually turned to us, "I think there is a way! But I need your help!"

"Anything!" Austin said, "We're ready to fight."

"Actually, I need you to lay down a beat."