The Demigod Games (PJO/THG)

34 - Get These Judges Some Herbal Tea

- Hazel

(From inside the studio)
- Hey, Hazel, could you do some kind of quick introduction ? Just a line, so that y'know, the chapter doesn't abruptly start on you entering the training room?

Uh, like what?

- I don't know, something catchy. You're the one narrating the story.

Hmm. Okay, so quick and catchy. How about this...

The boys have had their turn.
Make room for girl power, y'all.

✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

As I opened the door to the evaluation training room, I honestly can't say I was surprised by what I saw.

Overturned tables, knocked-down archery targets, dismembered mannequins looking straight out of a low-budget horror movie... yep, Frank had been here.

I peered over at the judges, who were watching intently my actions. A sort of strange mixture of trepidation and anxiety seemed to be emanating from the judge's banquet table - like they were trying to guess what kind of crazy, spectacular powers I possessed. Does she spew fire from her mouth? Breathe acid? Change rotten fruit into pink baby gorillas, perhaps?

Ah, poor judges. They should've known to prepare for much worse.

Smirking, I calmly walked over to a dark, shadowy corner of the room, one of the only spots untouched by the halogen's light overhead - in such a way the judges had to squint to make my features out. Crouching down onto the floor, I laid my hands onto the ground, concentrating deeply as I felt the ground's faint vibrations deep below me.

Oh, gods. I'd never tried reaching to them from that far a distance - I supposed Hades' children had used their powers so little over the past hundred years, due to risking being hunted down, that the undead had retreated deep below the earth's surface, almost out of range.
Almost.

Pressing my palms hard against the cold floor, I reached into the ground, imagining my spirit dissolving into small tendrils of darkness sinking through the earth's layers, calling forth legions under my command.

Halfway through, I felt a sudden painful throbbing erupt at the back of my head - that couldn't be good. I knew overextending a demigod's powers was never good, and I couldn't risk failing this evaluation.
The throbbing grew deeper, pressing against the barriers of my mind as if desiring to break out. Pain darkened my vision for a second. No. I couldn't fail. Not now. I was almost there, almost -

Gasping, I opened my eyes and threw my head back, disoriented for a second - sure enough, I was still in the training area... and six skeletons were standing before me, awaiting my orders.

Sighing in relief, I stood up warily, my head still spinning, although the pain had somewhat subsided to a dull ache at the back of my skull. Pushing myself off the wall, I shouldered past the line of skeletons and faced the Gamemakers, smiling coldly.

They were terrified. Terrified. Their gaze unclear and glassy, it was clear they were trying to convince themselves it was just an illusion... a trick I'd managed to pull off.
None were smirking by now, and I was pretty sure I could hear a slight trickling sound from below the banquet table...

Keeping my gaze firmly locked onto the judges in a way I knew was unnerving them further, I proceeded to show to what extent I had control over the undead: making them simultaneously shoot bows, prepare a tomato soup, paint a Monet and sing Wagner's Ride of the Walkyries.
Yeah, that last part was probably the most traumatizing of all.