Forgotten prophecy

Chapter 80

"It is amazing what can be accomplished when the threat of imminent death is there to provide a nice amount of motivation." Dante said cheerfully as two of the guards, one Greek and one Roman, led him back to camp. He kept his hands on his chakrams, casually running his thumb across their razor sharp edges.

The Greek and Roman glanced back at him with angry glares before turning their attention back to the path before them. The two Camps seemed to sense that something was amiss and a small group of them met the sentries as they entered the main settlement. They shot questioning glances to Dante and he raised his chin and smiled in a superior fashion. He heard muttering begin as he passed, catching brief snippets regarding his odd weapon choice and choice of clothing.

Sure enough, more and more demigods appeared at the edges of the path they walked. The sentries paused before a rather large tent and turned back to face Dante. "Stay here." The Roman woman commanded, slipping into the tent. The Greek shot him a scowl and followed suit a moment later.

Dante smirked and followed right after them, the cloth doors of the tent not so much as moving as he passed silently past them. There were two people inside the tent, not including the guards who were looking very nervous now. The two other people were both female, hunched over a map stretched out on the desk before them. Knives had been used to keep the corners from rolling in, standing straight up on the desk. Dante knew both of the women, their appearance and garb a dead giveaway. "Thalia Grace." He said softly, his voice scarcely more than a whisper. "And Praetor Reyna."

They both looked up sharply and Reyna narrowed her eyes, glancing to the sentries. "I thought you told him to wait outside?" She snapped.

"Oh, they did." Dante said, striding forward and patting the Greek sentry on the shoulder as he passed. "But I have no reason to listen to them, or you for that matter."

"And who might you be?" Thalia asked, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear and frowning slightly.

"My name is Dante." He answered politely. "I think, Thalia Grace that you may want to summon your patron. I've been sent to speak to the leaders of the two camps and the Hunters of Artemis."

"And who sent you?" Reyna demanded, rapping the table with a knuckle and fixing him with a dangerous look. "Making such demands is dangerous, particularly nowadays."

"I am aware of your... problems with the Corrupted and Tartarus." Dante informed them. "Very aware. But, to answer your previous question, I was sent by Ryker. Ryker... and Orion."

The speed at which Thalia removed a dagger from the corner of the map and launched it at Dante was impressive to say the least. Unfortunately for the guard directly behind Dante, the dagger sailed right through his chest and buried itself in the flesh of her shoulder. She fell to the ground with a confused cry of pain, her spear clattering to the floor beside her. Dante glanced around and frowned disapprovingly before he glanced back to Thalia and chided, "Now, you see what you did? Really should be careful with knives. They can really hurt someone."

Thalia was still moving before he had finished speaking, momentarily having been stunned from the ineffectiveness of her knife against Dante. She grabbed him by the front of his shirt, appearing somewhat surprised at her ability to actually touch him, and gave him a rough shake. "What do you know of Orion?" She hissed, her voice low and deadly.

"A fair amount actually." Dante said, stepping backwards. Thalia's hands, which had been gripping his shirt tightly, were suddenly holding nothing. He brushed off his shirt, lip curling in disgust and rolled his eyes. "But, as I said, it would be best for us to have this conversation with the leaders all present. I do so despise repeating myself."