Forgotten prophecy

Chapter 16

"Have fun?" Silver asked interestedly when she found Ryker wandering around the camp. The Romans had gathered for some manner of after-game celebration.

"I think I scared Frank," Ryker said without a trace of care. "He transformed into a bear and I made him attack his friends."

"Well, people generally don't like being controlled." Silver advised. "Did you at least apologize?"

"No." Ryker narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the trees that lined the very edges of the Roman city. He had done some more research in the aftermath of the game and had discovered that each time a legionnaire had been taken no one had seen them disappear. It was as though they had simply vanished into thin air during the night.

Silver saw his studious expression and raised one eyebrow. "So what's this plan of yours?"

"Find whatever it is." Ryker said simply. "Whatever it is won't expect to be hunted back. The camps are on the defensive right now."

"So what, are you planning on wandering into the woods alone?" Silver asked, not following.

"Something like that." Ryker glanced over at the horizon, watching as the sun began to disappear. "There's not much time left in the day. If this thing is going to attack, it will attack when darkness first sets."

Silver watched him carefully as he pulled on the clawed gloves and shrugged off the backpack. "I was joking about the whole walking into the forest alone thing." She told him haughtily. "I was sent to keep an eye on you, I wouldn't be doing my job if you got captured."

"If you want to go with me, go as an owl." Ryker told her. "That way even if I get caught you will have an idea of whatever this thing is to take back to Reyna and the others."

"Are you expecting to get caught?" Silver asked.

Ryker allowed himself a rare grin. He wouldn't admit it, but he was looking forward to tracking down whatever it was that had the demigods in such a panic. Whatever manner of creature it was, Ryker was certain that he would be able to best it. "I'm planning on killing it." He said quietly.

"I thought you were planning on setting some sort of trap?" Silver reminded him.

"I am." Ryker nodded. He examined the gloves one more time before tossing her the backpack. "If it comes for me, I want you to keep an eye out."

Silver watched him as he walked off towards the woods with confidence seeping from him. The nervous looking guards nearly jumped out of their skin when Ryker ghosted past them, both of them fumbling for their spears. "H-halt!" The female guard shouted, pointing her spear at Ryker. "Where do you think you are going?"

"Into the forest." Ryker answered. "Going to stop me?"

The guards exchanged a look and they slowly shook their heads. Ryker set back off into the woods. The guards were further unnerved when he stepped past a tree and seemingly became one with the forest. In reality Ryker simply hid his presence, but to them it seemed like he had ceased to exist. He moved deeper into the forest, silent as a ghost. Quieter in fact. Ryker didn't speak. The Lares seemingly did not stop talking. When he was about a hundred meters away from the guards Ryker sensed someone else in the forest. He didn't react until he passed by where the person was hiding. In an explosion of movement he lunged to the side and grabbed hold of whatever it was that was hidden in the shadow of a tree. Nico di Angelo gave a shout of surprise when he was forcibly pulled from the shadow he had been hiding in. Ryker blinked in surprise when he saw the pale demigod and quickly released him. "What are you doing here?" He asked, confused by the son of Hades' presence. He had told no one of his plans to leave the camp, apart from Silver. But even if she had gone to tell someone he had not given them enough time to track him. Apart from that, tracking him in the forest should have been nigh on impossible. Only the Hunters of Artemis and the goddess herself had been able to find him.