Ray of Sunshine

15

 Last night was great. All of us were relaxed. Apollo had been amazing. Rose finally seemed to feel good. Tamara laughed like she had never done before. Artemis seemed to feel okay with men next to her. Achilles and Patroclus were in love once again. So were Ariadne and Dionysus. The next morning, I felt great. I screamed through the entire camp that I was going to get us water and walked away. I didn't really get water. I walked up to the river and sat on a rock looking over it. I sighed. Now I really knew what silence before the storm meant. Everything was so peaceful. I stayed by the river for a while. Eventually I decided it was time to get back. I got some water and started to walk back to camp. I was stopped by someone saying: You didn't only get water. I looked in the voices direction. Dionysus was leaning against a tree. His hair feel in front of his eyes, so I couldn't directly see them. No. I didn't, I said. The weather is good. So I decided that if this is my last day ever, I would like to see the sunset. He waved his hair out of his eyes. What exactly is the problem you are facing? He asked. We are trying to get ancient demigods, who are roaming the earth looking for power. I know I sounded really snappy. But that question annoyed me. So we don't all get killed and all. That might not be a problem for you, but the rest of us can die, you know. I looked straight into his eyes. He nodded. It is a problem that ancient spirits came back to life. That can't be good for the world. They don't know much about this new world. That's your concern? Not that people cheat death? Yes. He didn't say more. Than I remembered something. Wait. Is that myth in which you resurrect your wife from the underworld true? Or that myth in which you yourself died, in one of three different ways, I thought after that. Yes. His tone didn't imply that that subject was open for discussion. Why did you ask? I asked. I wondered why you wanted me here. You already had Artemis and your boyfriend. When he said boyfriend, I felt my heart falling into my stomach and I blushed to my ears. He... He eh... He is not my boyfriend per se. He smiled. I hated that. No. He is not your boyfriend. Which is why you kissed him twice yesterday. I wanted to slap him, physically, but that didn't feel like a smart idea. Let's walk back to camp, I grumbled. Also, you have been married for at least 3000 years. It is not like you don't understand what is going on. I started to march back to camp. At least people know Apollo loves you, I heard Dionysus mutter behind me, I got so many versions of myths where I abused my wife, that even the Olympians started to wonder If I really, truly didn't do that. I looked at him, and thought about what Herr Linckens had said. Dionysus looked like it really bothered him, and I understood. Well, people don't know about me and Apollo at all, so maybe that I... I didn't get further. An arrow glided past me. I screamed. Well. Have you ever, I heard Dionysus say. An arrow stuck out of his shoulder blade. He quickly started to lose blood. I stood there, frozen. I didn't know a simple arrow could hurt a god. Dionysus turned around with an icy expression. He flailed his good hand towards a few bushes. A scream sounded. Three people feel out of the tree. They screamed something about lions and tigers eating them. I didn't really hear it, because I attacked. In this insane state, they were easy to take down. Yet, before that, one of them threw a discus. It hit me straight against my hand. I screamed and quickly smacked him on his head before I let my sword fall and my hand started to really hurt. I took one last look at the disintegrating person, going back to Hades. It was Perseus. In the meantime, Dionysus looked like he was dying. The arrow had gone right through his heart. That would also be heavy for a god. He would probably pass out, and he wouldn't be able to fight at all. That was a shame, because I had just seen what he could do to three demigods, one of them being Perseus, one of the greatest fighters to ever live. I ran back to camp, screaming at the top of my lungs what had happened. Everyone came out of their tents. Ariadne and Apollo quickly walked into the woods. Rose and Tamara came up to me, asking what had happened. Artemis pulled out her bow. I gestured that she should put it down. I quickly told them what happened. Ariadne and Apollo had gotten Dionysus back to camp. He was still conscious, but it wasn't much. They layed him down, and he was gone. Everyone started screaming. Silence! I screamed at the top of my lungs. We need to be prepared. Everyone went silent. I didn't feel anything yet. Rose offered, in a little voice, to make lunch. Everybody nodded. The silence was gone. The storm had begun.