RECLUSE - (n) a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people.
MAISIE ELLIOT WAS ANGRY.
Angry at the world.
Angry at the Gods.
Angry at the demigods who seemed to move on too fast.
And when forced onto a quest with three stranger...
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MAISIE TOOK A FEW STEPS BACK
Lit smiled cruelly. Midas stood from his throne. Everybody had all stepped backward to avoid them.
This was bad.
"Don't worry," the king assured them. "You don't have to be turned to gold. I give all my guests a choice— join my collection, or die at the hands of Lityerses. Really, it's good either way."
Piper stepped forward, big mistake, to try and use her charmspeak. "Your Majesty, you can't—"
Quicker than anybody his age should be able to move, he lunged forward and wrapped his hand around Piper's wrist.
"No!" Jason yelled.
A frost of gold settled over Piper, and in a second, she was a frozen golden statue.
Midas turned to get Maisie next, but Leo had stepped in front of her, trying to summon his powers to protect them. Unfortunately, his fire was still not working, and he became a golden statue in a heartbeat.
"Leo!" Maisie yelped.
Midas smiled at them apologetically. "Gold trumps fire, I'm afraid." He gestured to the whole room. "In this room, my power dampens all others: fire ... even charmspeak. Which leaves me only two more trophy's to collect."
"Hedge!" Jason yelled. "We need a little help in here!"
The satyr didn't charge in. Jason wondered if the lasers had gotten him, or if he was at the bottom of a pit. Maisie bet that he was probably too busy eating to notice the fight.
Midas chuckled, "No goat to the rescue? Sad. But don't worry, my boy. It's really not painful. Lit can tell you."
"Wait!" Maisie called out. "We want to fight! You said we could fight Lit."
"I said you could die fighting Lit, but of course, if you wish." Midas said disappointedly.
The king backed away and Lit strut forward with his sword.
"I am going to enjoy this," He said. "I am the Reaper of Men!"
"Unlucky for you," Maisie began. "I'm a woman. Let's dance Cornhusker."
Jason flipped his coin and summoned his javelin. Maisie twirled her axe that formed from her brass knuckles.
"Oh gold weapon, very nice!" Midas called out. "And a battle axe! You don't see demigods wield those often."
Lit charged.
The guy was fast. He slashed and sliced enough to block both Maisie and Jason. Maisie had to admit, it was impressive. They all stemmed to dance as they jabbed, sliced, blocked, and ducked to around each other. No hits had been made yet, but Maisie noticed that Lit's style was all offense. No defense.
