Path of Fire Book one

Chapter eight

Two more days to save Hestia.

Willow regreted wearing a normal jacket without a hood. Because it began to rain, again. This time, Artemis forced Willow to have an umbrella otherwise she was going to turn her into a jackal. So, they shared one. Good thing that Lauren and Laurel both have an umbrella. So, Lauren and Skylar shared one while Laurel got one herself.

They seemed to walk for miles and miles, and soon Willow's flats got soaked with water and a little bit of mud. She felt like her feet was on fire.

Finally, they came to a dark mansion. A shiver went through Willow's spine as she remembered the prophecy. Find a mansion full of monsters of fright. She glanced around the others; Skylar was muttering something to Lauren while both of the twins looked exhausted. Everybody did, except for Artemis. She gave her umbrella to Willow.

Willow shook her head. Artemis glared at her and gave her the you-know-what-the consequences-are look. Willow sighed and gave her the you-are-the-most-important-one look. Artemis rolled her eyes and shoved the umbrella in her hands before Willow could react. Carefully, Artemis approached the cave and beckoned the others to follow her.

Once in the mansion, Willow closed her umbrella and looked around cautiously. The mansion was dark and damp. The smell of monsters of all kinds reeked inside the mansion.

As they approached further in the mansion, Willow saw the clearing she had seen in her dream.

"Willow," Hestia called in a hoarse voice. "You came."

Willow ran to her "Of course I did, Lady Hestia. I will free you as soon as possible."

Hestia smiled and nodded; she was bleeding from several wounds. She also had a cloak wrapped around her and shivering.

"Here," Willow said as she made some flames around Hestia.

The goddess smiled gratefully.

Just then, Artemis and Hestia cried "WATCH OUT!"

Footsteps, loud footsteps that shook the entire mansion came. One, three, and six giants thundered towards us. One they could handle. Two possibly. Three fight two by two or three by three. Six, chances are low.

Willow shut her eyes, concentrating on making six fireballs to blast at the giants. She felt Skylar next to her, throwing daggers and all kinds of swords. Artemis shot one of the giants in the eyes, who howled with pain. Lauren and Laurel commanded plants to wrap around the giant's ankle, making them fall.

Willow opened her eyes at her blazing hands. Without hesitation, she threw all six straight at each giant. The giants roared and thrashed wildly under the plant stems that Lauren and Laurel created. She heard Hestia gasp behind her.

Suddenly, one of the giants threw a big club at Willow, but she ducked just in time before it crashed onto the wall. Willow saw Artemis fire a thousand arrows at once; straight at the giant's heart. Time seemed to slow down as the giant collapsed onto the ground with a huge thud.

Willow ran to Hestia and examined the chains. She tried to burn them with all her might, but nothing happened. These chains were clearly fireproof. Artemis was speaking gently to a girl around Willow's age that was trapped in another corner. Skylar was also busy with a pretty little girl, who was trapped in the other corner. Lauren and Laurel was speaking to an older woman who could only be their mother.

Suddenly, a cyclops charged in the cave and threw a sharp blade at Willow. She ducked just in time. Then, the blade flew over and landed on Hestia's chains. The chains broke apart immediately. Hestia was freed. Her eyes had their normal glow again and her wounds closed immediately. Fire blazed through her hands and she wiped them away.

She gave Willow a hug and went to help the others. Skylar already freed her sister using her bracelet to get a razor-sharp dagger that chomped through the chains.