HIRAETH

Chapter 17

Caleb's POV

I stared up at the ladder to the attic.

I remembered the last time I was here. I went away half crazy and half scared out of my mind. Chiron stared at me, encouraging me to go up.

I guess I have to explain why I'm here.

A quest. These days, it was hard to coax a prophecy from the oracle, but there were many needed quests. Monsters were popping up like mushrooms after rain. I opened the trapdoor and stared at the mummy on the stool, wondering why we hadn't thought of changing it to Rachel yet. I clenched my fists tight and stared at her glassy marble eyes, trying not to think of the last word she had said

"Tell me-"

Green mist hissed out of her mouth, and I panicked. I stumbled back a few steps and landed on the closed trapdoor.

Darkness she hissed Eternal darkness!

Horrifing memories of that last day at the empty camp filled my mind. I screamed, banging at the trapdoor.

Darknessss.... Eternal darkness....

Dark, black water filled my lungs. I couldn't breathe. The oracle was still again, as if it had never moved, but her voice still echoed in my head.

Was it the only thing she would tell me?

Eternal darkness.

~

Honestly, the Chimera wasn't much for me know.

But we were known to be a trio of completely useless demigods, so why not send them off to defeat a monster roaming out there? I looked out the window of the bus clunking down the road. Enoch was asleep next to me, while Carl was fingering his dagger hilt. I sighed and my heart seemed to calm down a bit.

Nothing.

It was so peaceful, so calm for so long after I had came out of camp. I closed my eyes.

I knew it was growing. It hadn't showed, but it starting showing little by little, every day. the small splotch had become something like a bruise, and it started to hurt more.

I sighed. Would I be able to fight if this got worse? What would happen in the end?

Eternal darkness....

Death? A coma? Or... I shuddered. I didn't want to think about that. I put my hand above my heart, partly to feel if it was still beating, and partly to calm me down. I spotted a glimpse of gold and white fangs. I stretched out my neck, hoping to see it once more but it had dissapeared out of sight.

I leaned back. Maybe the Nemean lion? I pursed my lips. It wouldn't be after us. Maybe. I looked out the window once again and searched the plains for anything.

"Enoch."

He blinked a few times as I nudged him, his sleepy purple eyes focusing. "Why?"

"... When was the last time a monster attacked you?"

"Never." he yawned.

"What?"

"I've never been attacked by a monster before." he rubbed his eyes. "Are we there yet?"

"No. How did you know you were a demigod?"

"Caleb." He looked around at the sleeping people around us. "Shh."

I sighed and leaned back. "What about Carl?"

"Twice? Not sure." He stared at me. "What about you?"