Alex Rider: Luck of the Goddess

A Bigger Family

Alex whipped around behind him. In the spot where he had been standing was a very strange looking girl. She had earthy clothing on and green-tinged skin.

Alex thought he had stepped into some fantasy movie with fairies and nymphs and...
Nymphs...

"Who are you?" And Alex had a sudden moment of panic. He turned around again to look at the spot where the monster had been, but it wasn't there anymore. He looked at his feet in confusion but found he was standing in a pile of gold dust that was slowly being carried off by the wind.

"I'm Maple, and don't worry about the Empusa; she won't bother you for a while. Although they do like to get revenge for friends, you didn't kill her so technicalities. Come with me please, there are things to explain, and people to meet, and places to go; of course, I can't go anywhere. Though, lucky for you, I currently know someone in the vicinity who would be pleased to help... I think."

Alex tried to focus on what Maple was saying, but it all got filed away in the back of his brain as he stared at her green-tinted skin.

"...You have an accent, are you British? I love Brits, always respectful of us trees."

Alex didn't realize he was walking until he tripped and landed on his face in the dirt.

"Oh, sorry, let me help you up."

So Alex accepted the green hand that was offered up in front of him, and with surprising strength, pulled him to his feet.

Alex's cheeks were a bright red and flushed as he brushed off the dirt on his clothes.

When Alex got back up, it hit him like a brick wall. He had worked it all out and was very confused about the world he had just landed in.

Demigod?

Zeus?

Empusa?

Nymph?

Trees?

Dryad?

Jack was seriously going to be mad.

"You're a dryad." He stated it as a fact more than a question.

Maple giggled. It was a strange sound, like the rustling of leaves.

"You're a fast one, aren't you? Come on, he's just up ahead!" Maple sped up, and despite Alex's reservations about all the myths and their endings, he matched the new pace.

Up ahead was another clearing with what Alex assumed were more dryads and a man wearing normal clothes.

Suddenly the harsh whispers coming from the clearing died down to silence as they spotted Maple and Alex. All eyes: kind, curious, devious, and questioning turned to Alex, and he flushed once more. He was definitely not expected.

Maple did her best to introduce Alex, except Alex suddenly realized he never told Maple his name.

"Hi everyone, Lord of the Wild," she nodded to the one man in the clearing, which Alex didn't fail to catch. There was a system here. He just didn't know how it worked.

The man... bleated. Alex didn't know what to call it. He sounded like a goat.

"Grover, please."

"Well, Grover, Lord of the Wild, I found this demigod... "

"Alex Rider," Alex supplied

"Yes, Alex Rider, being attacked by an Empusa; only I didn't realize until I stretched out my branches and accidentally killed the Empusa." She said casually, and Alex was very concerned. His continued survival was accidental.