Mortals Turned Demigods

Ch. 18 We're Sent On A Quest To Recover Hera's Diadem

Ezmeralda 

  So, after Orwynn and Ree found their true loves and James ran off crying. Things just got worse from there. And here's why. So everyone was happy for each other, haveing found .... well you get the idea. Wow, this story got mushy fast. Lucian and I decided to visit Hestia a her hearth. Since she had been teaching us how to control our fire powers. We headed for the mess hall, but what we saw next we definitely didn't expect. Like a lot of things that happened to us while we were in the dining pavilion, this had to be the most surprising.

   Sitting there, right next to Hestia was...(gasp) Hera queen of the gods. They were in a heated conversation when we got to the offering brazier. "Hestia, we can't send them they've barely been here over a week! They're not ready!" "We've no other choice, if someone doesn't find your diadem soon all the demigods are going to go to war again." Hestia retorted reasonably. " Um, Lady Hestia, Lady Hera what diadem?" I asked. "My diadem, my symbol of power. It's been stolen." Hera exaggerated. "You'll have to excuse my sister she's a... grief stricken." Hestia explained with careful words. I translated this to I'm sorry my sister's a literal drama queen. Hestia's face said the same story. Eye roll and all.  "But I thought... oh, so it has to be a demigod, a demigod threatened with in an inch of their life, or a demigod being controlled against their will." Lucian chimed in.

"So you did pay attention to my speals." I said as I gave him a kiss. He blushed and set on fire, Hestia had to smile. Thankfully, Calypso made us fireproof clothes. "Um Lucian, your on fire." I whispered in his ear because he didn't realize it. He quickly put himself out. "Sorry." he apologized sheepishly. "So, I'm guessing you were talking about us?" Hestia nodded "We'll go tell the others." I sighed.

    We were going on our first quest, wheather we wanted to or not. Percy was going to be pissed when he found out. I used my necklace to tell everyone to meet us at the lake front. When everybody had shown up with their significant other, including the seven,I began to speak. "Here's diadem was stolen last night." Percy's face had anger written all over it as soon as I said Hera. "No, your not going on a quest any of you! I won't allow it!" he yelled "Especially not for that no good queen of b-" "Percy language!" Hazel snapped. All his anger was replaced with embarrassment. "Anyway, as I was saying. We have no choice. If someone doesn't return her diadem soon, Demigod war three could start." I continued. 

"Stupid quest." Skylnn mumbled under her breathe as Elwood pulled her close. "When do we leave?" Orwynn asked. "Tomorrow." I said voice shaking. "Then we better get ready." Gryffin said then walked off with Kelly. Aellô staying behind to talk to Skylnn for a few minutes before walking off. "What did he say?" Elwood asked. "It was Zeus, he said that our quest starts in Arizona." she scoffed. We all knew who lived in Arizona. "We don't have to go to Arizona. We could go ar-" "No Ezzy, we can't." she shouted then stormed off. 

   I fell to my knees and started crying, and bursting into flames. I knew who was there, the ghosts of  her biological parents. Lucian calmed me down enough to where I felt like I had a fever. And believe me I felt sick.

After awhile, I talked to Lucian a while more until we decided to get ready to go for the next morning.  From there, by the time I was done packing I had time to blow off some steam at the arena. I tapped my ring on the head and it turned into a sword. I started slashing at a dummy angrily, sobbing and screaming just the same. I felt like I had let all my friends down. I guess I have this overbearing mama bear instinct. Thinking I can keep everyone safe and happy.  I fell to my knees once more. Weeping into my hands. The sand around me slowly turning to glass. Then  I heard foot steps, two sets. "Lucian thought you'd be here." Nico said. "Yeah, well he knows me quiet well." I told them. "Ezmeralda, what's wrong?" Will asked I could feel his concern. "I feel like I've failed my friends that's what's wrong." they were sitting by my now, well as much as they could be without being burned. "Your so much like Percy." Nico told me. "He still beats himself up about the littlest thing for the people he cares most about."  Will laughed.

   "You know you can't save everyone. Percy learned that the hard way." Nico sighed "On his third quest my sister Bianca, fighting Colossus." "Like in the myth, with the dude and the flags?" I asked as my forest green flames went away. He nodded then continued "She gave her life to save her friends. And so I could get this." he held out a small figurine of Hades. "Percy gave it to me when he got back, and broke the news that she was dead." "You must miss her." I told him. "Yeah  but, being with the ones you love," he tilted his head towards Will who blushed "can make you feel a whole lot better. Even if you've literally been through hell and back." I was laughing now wiping tears from my eyes. " If we don't find Hera's diadem, my life will be a living hell." " Ezzy, how about you worry about that when it's time. The best thing you can do now is to try and keep everyone's morale up, that's what you do best." Will said as he gave me a hug. Good thing I was completely calm now.

"Now come on, we'll help you some more before you go. Unfortunately, we can't help you with your spells." Nico said sarcastically as he un sheathed his black sword. We practiced until dinner, everyone was silent. We knew what we had to do tomorrow morning.