A Fire Burns Within Me (completed)

Courage and Strength

"WHAT!" An angry voice boomed through the dark and ominous castle, reaching the farthest corners of the halls. It would have made the shadow in the corner jump had he not been listening the entire time and expected it. "What do you mean they got away?"

"My Lord Atlas, the strangers were expecting us," Dexter, one of the men sent to kidnap the strangers at the inn was cowering on the floor in front of the tyrant's throne. "I don't know how they knew but they knew we were coming and they killed Raffel."

The shadowy figure in the corner that no one noticed frowned in amusement. He knew for a fact that the strangers had not been expecting them, the interlopers must have a really inflated ego if they thought they were being silent, a fifty ton elephant would have been quieter.

"You disappoint me, Dexter," Atlas said smoothly. "I expect you to do better in the future."

"Y-yes my lord," Dexter stuttered nervously.

"These strangers are a danger to my plans to take over Pomeacus," Atlas mused lowly, almost too low for the shadowy figure to hear. "They need to go. Or...they might know something we don't."

"My Lord Atlas!" A voice called from the doors. "The scouts just came from the castle, they said that someone went inside and didn't come back out!"

The figure rose his eyebrow. The one day he left her on her own, she lets someone in. This person must have been special.

"How many?" Atlas asked.

"Five, my lord," the servant answered promptly, shifting nervously in the doorway as the tyrant on the lavish throne stroked his scarce beard pensively.

Five? Elpis is slipping.

"For now we will wait," Atlas said, "I do believe that these strangers are the same who got away from you idiots earlier. We will wait to see what they have in mind for the castle and the legend that goes with it."

The shadow nodded to himself. It was time to go. He had learned all he needed as of now and he would learn no more if he stayed. Besides, he had to check on Elpis and make sure she was alright.

🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥

"So how are you here and on Earth?" Thalia asked Elpis at the lunch table. "Or is that some one else in Pandora's pithos?"

I turned to the spirit, waiting for her to answer before turning to Thalia to relay the message. "The spirit on Earth is just a small portion of her, kind of like how all the gods are present in any area where their domain is. Her essence resides here on Pomeacus," I paused, momentarily thrown off by the familiar words, "Elpis has been waiting here in the Empty Castle for the true heir to come and claim the throne."

"Do you know who it is?" Tyler asked.

This time I answered. "Dad thinks it's me," I said before she could say anything. "Mom-Hestia-was hoping it wasn't but I think she's realized that it is inevitable."

"Oh, gods, speaking of your mother," Grover said, hitting his head on the table as he dove for his bag. "She gave this to me to give to you."

"You're just mentioning this now?" I said with a laugh.

"Hey, a lot has been going on since she gave this to me," Grover defended, "not to mention I forgot about it almost minutes after she gave it to me because there was an attack on camp. Sadmep dropped us off at the bus stop right after the messenger came."

The fact that there has already been an attack on camp was not lost on me, I knew we needed to hurry our job here much faster than we were already doing. Nevertheless, I accepted the box solemnly, holding it with two hands. It was made of a dark red wood and had the engraved symbol of my mother on the top with flames surrounding it. The box was the size of my hand and shut securely with a bronze, hook like clasp. Carefully, I slid the hook out of its place and lifted the lid.