Maybe You Can Change Me

Forgive

I wake up to the sound of crickets. I sit up and look around. I'm in a...forest? There's red flamboyant trees all around. There are a bunch of beautiful bushes with flowers and berries. I'm sitting under a huge oak tree. There's a lake at my left in the shape of a half moon. I stand up and walk up to the lake. When I see my reflection, I'm shocked. It was me. I had a huge smile, I was nine. I wasn't wearing black, and I had Mythomagic cards in my hand. I've changed so much. The sight of that made me cry. I heard a small laugh from behind me. I turn around and see a man standing there. He had blond hair and gray eyes. He was tall and muscular, though not too much. He was smiling at me, motioning to get closer. I stand up and walk up to him.

"Who are you?" I ask. He looks at me and smiles. "My name's Pahaliah," he says. I look at him and knit my eyebrows in confusion. "Isn't that the angel?" I ask. He smiles and nods. Realization was he over me and my eyes widen. "Wow," I whisper. He chuckles.

"Come, we don't have much time," he says. He starts walking to a trunk and we sit down. "What do you mean we don't have much time?" I ask. "You have to go through three trials. I mustn't talk about them. Just know that your fate will be decided," he says. "Please, tell me more. I don't know what to do," I say. He looks down and I follow his gaze. In my waist I had a belt with a black sword.

"That is Stygian iron, you'll need it for the trials," he says. "Will I have help?" I ask. He smiles and grabs my shoulder. "You'll see," he says. We stand up and he observes me.

"You're a dark one, Nico di Angelo. That's why your call is so urgent," he says. "Where am-" I get cut off because a hole opens under my feet and I fall down. I land on the floor with a loud thud.

"Ouch," I groan. I stand up and dust off my pants. I'm surrounded with huge walls. It's all so dark that I can't see anything around me. I hear loud footsteps behind me. I turn around to be knocked off my feet. I hit the wall and slide down. I quickly stand up to look at the creature. When my eyes get adjusted to the dark, I'm able to make out the figure. It had a lion head. The tail had spikes, it was a scorpion's tail. I see its tail move and before I know it, it hits me. Pain shoots in my left arm. When I look down, I see green liquid falling off. Poison. I remember this from my card game, Mythomagic. This was a manticore. I take out my sword and put it up. It strikes again and I slash with my sword. It yelps in pain which gives me time to think. I think back to my game. Three thousand attack power, +5 saving throws. I get an idea. Not a brilliant one, or safe, but an idea none the less.

"Poor thing can't even hit me with its tail," I tease. Thankfully the manticore apparently knows english and it tries to hit me with its tail. This time I jump on it. When it brings its tail closer, I jump to its back. I start climbing to the head. I take my sword and stab it at the side of the head. It brings its tail trying to hit me, but I dodge and it hits itself. I go to the other side and stab as well. I do this a few times, making it hit itself. I wanted to poison him. I don't know if it will work, but I can try. When I think it's enough, I jump off and land on my back. Even though it hurts too much, I stand up. The manticore is stumbling. I take this chance to slash across its face. Good news, I gave it a pretty bad injury. Bad news, it slashed with its paw on my shoulder. When I look, I see that it's left me with a deep cut. It was too busy with his injury, that I'm able to run around it and hide. It starts looking around for me. I come out of my hiding spot and try to charge. But then it turns around and pins me to the floor. It opens its mouth and I can see his razor sharp teeth. Without thinking, I raise my sword and throw it down his throat. The manticore starts to choke and I get away from it. I watch in awe as it disintegrates into nothingness.

The walls start to lower and I can see light. I'm in a park full of families having a picnic, dogs running around, and children playing. I look at my arm and see that the poison is gone. When I look at my shoulder, I just have a big scar. It wasn't bleeding anymore. I start to look around for anyone I recognize. That's when I hear them. I turn around to find Hazel, Marie, Leo, Frank, Percy, Annabeth, Jason, an Piper sitting down in a blanket. Esperanza is coming with some food in her hands.