The Daughter of War and Medicine

Prophecy Calls

When the campfire was trampled out and the amphitheatre was emptied, Kassandra snuck out the back and into the forest. She didn't have much reason to trust whoever that was in her head, but since she was in camp borders there was little to risk. But then again that had been proven wrong around 5 years ago.

She found the rushing stream that was the camp creek relatively easily and began to follow its path. The serenity was calming. It was somewhere she'd expect the Iris kids to meditate and do yoga. She took long steps down the creek, leaves crunching underfoot.

One step, two steps, three steps... 

Ouch!

She walked directly into something hard, causing her to fall to the floor and hit her head for the second time that day.

"Mother Bellona, what in the name of-"

Her voice hitched as she got up and looked for what hit her. But weirdly enough there wasn't anything unusual around. No branch to have run into, no person who may have knocked into her; nothing.

She looked around, hoping this wasn't a joke from the Stolls, and put her hand in front of her face, walking forwards again. She hit something again, something and smooth to touch.

It wasn't a flat surface, as she trailed her hand down to reveal there was a slight curve. She pushed forwards, and suddenly her hand fell through. It disappeared through whatever veil was there.

Furrowing her brows, she pushed the rest of her arm through, quickly followed by the rest of her body. There was a tingling sensation as she passed through the barrier, but it passed over quickly when she was through.

Blinking, she snapped her knife from her hip and held it out defensively.

It didn't look like she had travelled anywhere, her surroundings looking pretty similar to just before. Trees, the flowing creek, rocks. Well, something actually did stand out.  A rock, well carved into the shape of a headstone stared at her ominously.

It was about half the size of her and was almost decaying, with chunks almost torn from it and moss covering much of its surface.

She cautiously approached said headstone, her knife held out. Nothing blew up, no nets sprung from the ground and she didn't snag her foot on any tripwire. When she got to the headstone, she knelt down and could make out some words. It was a little difficult, but she could make out a few words and names.

Elara, Zoe Nightshade, lover, warrior, triumph, failure, aunt, memory. Someone mourned here, and this was a message to the dead, not for her.

She got up and brushed her knees. Somehow, she felt connected to this place. Putting her fingers to her lips, she kissed them and gently placed them on the top of the headstone.

"Mater, pater, ubicumque es, ad me redi," (Mother, father, wherever you are, please come back to me,) she whispered, leaving the closed off land. She figured she'd keep this place a secret, vowing never to come back to it.

She continued to follow the creek, watching it get faster and wider the closer they got to the lake. Selene and the constellations above watched her as she walked. The orphaned god.

Soon enough she reached where the lake met the creek, an eery silence surrounding her. 

"I trust the sandals were to your size?" asked a voice. It sounded weak and quieter than she was usual to.

"Uncle Hermes!" she exclaimed, spinning around to meet the god face to face. 

He wore a post master uniform, lacking his signature caduceus, but something further was off. His face was twitching, almost like a computer glitch. One moment he was grinning like the mischief maker he was, and the next he had the perfect poker face. It was creepy to say the least.