The Life of a Demigod

Chapter 17

A shot rang through the air and everyone looked up to the rainbow in the mist. Something hit the ground and sent dust in the air, everyone on the other side of the rainbow was running towards it with the weapons drawn. Another shot rang out and a camper fell to the ground. A monster was visible at the edge of the dust. When the air cleared it looked like the camp had more monsters than campers. Someone screamed and more people fell to the ground.

On this side of the Iris message there was a roar that seemed to shake the very ground and a crash as a giant monster came into view. It opened its mouth and something shot out of it and covered the sports hall. It lifted its front leg and smashed the nearest cabin in one motion.

"Aethiopian drakon.. That's something you don't see every day." Ryo said while admiring the creature even as it destroyed the camp. Mei-Xing hit his arm and yelled to focus. The beast roared again and walked closer towards the group of unprepared demigods. They looked for their weapons. A bow and quiver of arrows appearing from nowhere, swords out of sheaths, somehow a whip and daggers from thin air, an axe carried on someone's back. Every demigod took a fighting position and rushed the monster. Its paw rose again and slammed down onto a camper. Blood splattered but there was no telling what was happening through the dust that rose in the air.

I shot up and almost immediately fell back onto my pillow. The bed I was on was surrounded by the campers at Blacksword and, for some reason, Jay, Jess, and Jake. They all looked somewhat confused as to what happened and mad probably because I left without a word.

"Riley," Jay rubbed his temple like I gave him a headache. "Leaving like that never works. Why would you do that?"

"Yeah," Jess chimed in. "Pulling a Jay only causes trouble."

"Hey! I thought we said we would stop calling it that!" Jay looked at Jess and pouted.

"Hey, you're the one who runs off all the time. You even go get coffee with the hunters of Artemis. How are you not dead from your adventures?" She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"That's different. Artemis happened to give me her blessing. I'm a temporary hunter, you know."

"Oh right," Jess said something along the lines of 'go away' with cuss words involved before continuing. "Jay, son of Athena, blessed by Apollo, blessed by Artemis and an honorary hunter of Artemis? There is no way. If you're going to lie you should at least make it convincing and consistent."

"Hey! That isn't a lie." Jay crossed his arms.

"Umm, guys?" Jake tried to intervene but Jess silenced him with a palm in the air signaling him to stop.

"You're so lame. I don't know how you survived all of those quests. I bet even a greenie could take you down. Or a guppy. Can you even actually hold your own in battle?"

"Of course I can! Jess, you really need to cool it." He glared but Jess didn't flinch.

"Guys?"

"Bring it! I'll fight you right now. See what those noodle arms can do."

"Oh, really? I do not have noodle arms! Stop insulting me. You know what? I will fight. You are such a-"

"Guys!" Jake practically yelled at the two arguing campers as all of Blacksword just watched in amusement. "She's awake. Can we please not pick a fight that'll drive her away?"

They all looked back at me like they just figured out I was here. I waved with a small motion but no one seemed to notice. Instead they all ended up practically on each other to crowd around the bed. 

"Uh, hi?" I was red in the face from the attention of so many people at once, even if they were all my friends.

"I'm sorry, Riley. We shouldn't have been doing that." Jay bowed his head in apology while Jess just snorted.