The Adventures of Atlanta Johnson: The Golden Arrows

Chapter 11: Skeletons invade our iris-messege

    After we found the piece of the quiver, we wanted to contact Chiron immediatey. Also to update him on everything.
"How can we contact him so far away?" I asked.
"We could iris-message." Drake said. "Anybody got a drachma?"
I patted my pockets, "Nope."
Harmony foraged through her backpack and handed one to Drake.
"Thanks, now we have to make a rainbow somehow."
"Atlanta you could make mist can't you?" Harmony asked.
"Maybe." I said.
"Or we could find a spray gun." Drake requested.
"That's be easier." I replied.
"Okay, lets find a car wash or something."
The good thing was that we were close to a town, bad thing was that the only car wash was in front of a busty street.
"How are we going to send an iris-message without getting caught?" Harmony asked.
Drake shrugged.
I looked at the busy street. If we were caught, what would mortals think?
"Maybe the mist will make them see it differently." Drake said, as if reading my mind.
"The what?" I asked.
"The mist."
"What does it do?"  Harmony asked.
"It masks mortals eyes to make them see only what their minds can process."  Drake said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh." Harmony said.
"So, if they see us sending an iris-message...." I began
"They might see just three kids having a water fight." Drake finished.
Harmony and I laughed. Maybe we could do this without trouble.
Boy was I wrong.

We decided to wait until it got darker to send an iris-message, so we couldn't draw attention.
"I'll be glad to see Chiron again. I said.
"Me too." Harmony agrees.
"Okay, let's do this." Drake says.
Harmony puts the quarters in and pushes start. Water erupted out of the hose and a small rainbow appeared.
Drake held up the drachma and said, "Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept our offering." And threw it into the water. It disappeared.
"Chiron, camp half blood." He said.
The water shimmered, and Chiron appeared, talk to a boy with dark hair.
Harmony gasped, "Andy!" She exclaimed.
They both turned, and Andy yelled "Harmony!" And came running over, with Chiron following behind.
"So glad to see you" Chiron said.
I smiled in agreement.
"Are you guys alright?" Andy asked.
Harmony nodded, "Just wanted to check in."
"Have you found anything?" Chiron asks.
Drake nods and pulls out the small silver piece of the quiver.
"We found and piece of the quiver in an octopus cave." He informs.
I snicker. "My face still hurts.
Chiron and Andy look confused.
"Don't ask." I tell them.
Just then, and loud CRACK and a scream sounded behind us. I looked nervously at Drake and he nodded.
"I'll be right back." He says and jogs away.
"So what do you plan on doing now?" Andy asks.
"Well we still have a lot of ocean to search, but at least we have a trail." I answer.
I heard Drake yell, even though I couldn't make out what he said.
"Ummm.. I'll go see what's wrong." Harmony says.
As she ran off to help, Chiron was whispering in Andy's ear. He frowned. Andy turned to me. "I'll see you later Atlanta. Tell Harmony I said Evakas."
I looked at him with confused expression, I didn't have a chance to ask before he ran off.
"Atlanta, we need too talk." Chiron said lowly.
I nodded. Chiron leaned on the desk in front of him, and took a deep breath.
"Child." He finally said. "I'm afraid you now have a deadline, for your quest."
"What?! Why?" I exclaim.
"Because the owner needs them before trouble breaks through."
"What kind of trouble?"
"War."
"Really?"
"Yes Atlanta. One god is trying to overthrow Zeus." Chiron said.
"Who?" I asked breathlessly.
"Not who you think." He said reading my thoughts.
"Who is then?"
He didn't speak for a moment, then he said quietly. "Ares."
Thunder cracked in the distance.
I laughed nervously, "Uhh, what?"
Chiron started to say something, but Harmony turned the corner, all bruised and cut up.
"Atlanta you gotta help! There are skeletons and zombies everywhere!" She exclaimed.
"Atlanta we will talk later, go!"
Chiron slashed through the message and was gone.
"Come on! Drake has gotta be overwhelmed by now!" Harmony said while she was back towards him.
I followed, and was surprised to see Drake holding his ground. But more and more undead were appearing out of the ground. He would be overwhelmed if we didn't help.
I pulled out my dagger and ran to the fight, slashing through a dozen or so warriors. I ended up back-to-back with Drake, going through them like they were nothing.
Soon there was nothing but bones and rolling heads in front of us.
"Yeah!" Drake said pumping his fist in the air and wrapping his arm around me and fist bumping me.
"Great job." I laughed.
"You too." He said back.
I looked to Harmony. Her bow was on the ground. She was staring dumbfounded behind us.
She pointed, "Uhh, guys?"
Drake dropped his arm and we turned around. The bones and heads were reassembling, into one huge zombie/skeleton.
I stepped back, and Drake put his arm in front of me in a protective manner.
"Oh gosh," Harmony said behind me.
The zombie/skeleton must've heard her, because he stomped right toward her.
"Harmony watch out!" I screamed.
Harmony yelped and rolled to the left. The skeleton roared angrily and swung his hand out to grab her. I shook away my shock and ran towards it, slashing at his legs. I cut clean through one of them, and it came off. The monster stumbled and fell, but as fast as I cut it off, it reassembled again. The thing was now focused on me.
Better me than my friends. I thought.
I leaped and the skeleton swatted me away. I landed with a THUD in the dirt, almost passing out. The thing came barreling towards me and would've killed me if it wasn't for Drake.
Drake had to be really brave or really stupid, because the stood between me and the big pile of bones. His long bronze sword was blocking each blow.
"Atlanta get up! Their is no way we can beat this thing!" Drake yelled.
"Where's Harmony?" I asked getting up.
"I don't know! Go find her!" He replied.
I ran through the car wash, and all around it.
No Harmony.
I ran and looked through the bushes by the street.
No Harmony.
I went back to Drake, where he was still fighting.
"I can't find Harmony!" I yelled.
When the skeleton heard her name, he perked up. His head turned sideways, as if listening to someone talking in his head. Then he totally lost interest in me and Drake, and ran off towards the forest.
"Oh no! Harmony is over there! Why didn't I think of that?" I screamed.
Drakes eyes widened, and he ran over toward the tree, with me close behind him.
Right before we got to the trees, we heard a scream and some grunting, as if something was struggling.
I recognized the voice immediately.
"Help me!" Harmony yelled.
We turned left and saw the skeleton, with Harmony clutched in his hand.
I gasped, and starting running as fast as I could. I knew I couldn't make it.
The thing must've saw me coming, because he pulled something out of his head. It looked like a boar insignia or something. It began glowing, and a second before I got there, they disappeared.
"No!" I screamed.
I collapsed onto the ground where they had been, and put my head in my hands. Though I could not cry.
Drake had caught up with me, because his arm was wrapped around me. I looked up at him, and his eyes looked straight into mine. His filled with sympathy, and mine close to tears.
Harmony. My best friend. Was gone. Possibly forever.