Styx and Stones (a Percy Jackson fanfic)

Ilia 3

"Ilia, what is a like term?" my math teacher asked, shocking me out if my daydream. I was good at maths, really good in fact, but did they seriously expect me to concentrate? Yeah, right. I may look like a nerd because I'm good at it, but there is no way I'm wasting my valuable daydreaming time to learn just more than I absolutely have to.

I blurted out something about pro-numerals, before tuning out once again. Though my eyes were open, I did not see reality, but a world of black and red, of sword and shield, of magic and monsters. I saw a girl with eyes so bright blue they were almost electric and dark brown hair fighting a reptilian monster with a dagger. A barely noticeable electric charge seemed to run through the air as they fought, finally dying down as the girl plunged her dagger into the monster's skull, electrocuting it somehow. I wasn't surprised, in my surprisingly vivid daydreams a lot of things happened. I watched on as the girl slumped to the ground, unconscious, her hair slowly turning blonde.

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Sighing, I began the walk to the train station. Usually, my friends would come with me, but today they were at a netball tournament that went until 4:00. I was thinking about all the usual things a thirteen year-old girl would; strange daydreams, monsters, daggers, electrokinesis and the like, when I turned the corner to see the most ugly creature I had ever happened upon in my life. It was a large, humanoid beast, easily the height of two men, and the width of five. Extraordinarily ugly, he had only one eye planted directly in the centre of it's forehead.

With a squeak, I backed away, hoping it had yet to notice me. Unfortunately, his fixed itself on within seconds. "Ooh, an Apollo whelp!" it cheered, licking it's lips hungrily. I tried to run, but it scooped me up with it's meaty hands, bringing me up to it's level. "Hello, little girly," it said to me in an almost childish manner. "I'm going to eat you for din-dins."

I gulped. "Are you sure?" I asked pathetically.

It smiled at me. "Yup. I'm hungry. Haven't eaten a proper meal of demigod since last week," it told me. I shuddered.

"Perhaps you should cook me first?" I tried. It cocked it's head at me. "I prefer my demigod raw. Or as sushi, but I don't feel like that today."

It opened it's mouth, lifting me towards it, ready to bite my head off, so I did the only thing I could think of. I sang. A look of utter peace enveloped the cyclops' face as it swayed gently to the music. I don't know what I was singing, perhaps it was Michael Jackson? In fact, I'm pretty sure I was so scared that I kept accidentally changing songs, but it didn't seem to care.

Suddenly, I heard a loud battle cry come from behind the monster's back. A shocked expression appeared on the cyclops' face, before it crumples to dust, dropping me over two meters to the ground.

Groaning, I picked myself up, only to find myself looking at the scariest girl I had ever seen. Really. In one hand she held a scythe, and the other a sword. Her death glare was accentuated by the heavy black eye makeup and red lipstick she wore, which was nothing compared to her clothing. Everything was black leather- from the boots, to the pants, to the jacket, to the top. I didn't even know they made black leather tops! Actually, it looked like armour which, considering she had just slain a cyclops, wasn't all that unlikely. I whimpered in fear.

"Hi," she said in a cold voice, examining the yellow dust which was rapidly being absorbed in the black blade of her sword.

"Hi," I squeaked.

She turned to me. "Who are you?"

"My name's Ilia."

She rolled we eyes. "I meant your godly parent."

"My- my what?"

Her shoulders slumped. "Great," she groaned. "Sit down, kid."

Now I was irritated. "You're hardly a year older than me!"

She smirked. "But you're naive, and I know things. Plus, I'm awesome." I scowled. "So, basically, you're a demigod." My mouth dropped open. I'd seen a lot of movies based on Greek mythology, and trust me, I didn't fit the image. I didn't exactly slay the monster with my amazing superpowers, did I?

"Yeah, right."

"I'm serious. I think you might be a daughter of Aphrodite, you're quite pretty, and that singing thing was like a weak charmspeak."

I raised my eyebrows. "Isn't Aphrodite a female god? Listen, I'm only believing this because there's no other explanation for the appearance of a cyclops, but my mother is very much alive."

"Oh. Your father is nonexistent, then?"

"Well, I've never met him before."

She nodded. "Then, your father is the god. What did you say your name was?"

"Ilia."

"Ilios is the Greek word for 'sun'. If I'm not mistaken, you're a daughter of Apollo. That'd explain the singing, and why you're so pretty."

I frowned. "I know Apollo is the god of music, but how does my father's identity make me pretty?"

The girl sighed, slightly dreamily. "Apollo is hot. And not just in the literal sense."

I pulled a face. "You're crushing on the guy who is apparently my father? Gross."

She snapped out of it. "Whatever. We're going to Camp. It's like this place for demigods to train to not get killed."

"Cheerful thought."

"It's really cool, trust me. I've been there for a couple of years, ever since my dad sent one of his minions to take me there."

"Is it very friendly there? I get shy."

"Not at all! Like, everyone hates me because of my godly parent. And I keep accidentally killing people."

I coughed. "What?"

She looked at me. "Don't worry, I haven't done that since last year." I gulped. It was the third of January.

"So, do I get a weapon?"

"You'll probably get a bow and arrow, given your father is The Archer. Well, lets go. Hopefully, we won't run into anymore monsters."

"Wait! What about my mom? I'm not even sure I believe you! Besides, I don't even know you. You haven't told me who you are, and you told me that you kill people! You expect me to just follow you to an apparently not-very-friendly camp? No!"

She crossed her arms. "Your mother has been notified. I told you I haven't killed anyone since last year! Besides, the hate is only directed towards me and my brother. Being a daughter of Apollo, you should be fine."

I frowned. "You still haven't told me who you are."

She smirked at me. "Tora, daughter of Hades."

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This chapter was written by CJ_Graham!