afraid ツ l. valdez

20. eden is afraid of what's happening to her

Eden ended up going with a purple-skinned mermaid horse named Paphos. He was unlike the other two, who were large and muscular, by being small and scrawny. He had a long sword strapped to his back and his green curly hair was wrapped in a headband of seaweed. 

He was silent the whole time they drifted down the corridor, neither making a move to speak. Eden, because she was too afraid, and Paphos because he was probably leading her to her demise. 

They reached a city of towering seaweed, ranging from anthill to skyscraper. Eden considered summoning a cloud of darkness to swallow both of them and then darting off into the field, but then remembered her withering hands had been modified in some way.

She lost track of how far they drifted, only telling the progress by the school of fish that followed directly above them. Whatever these creatures were, they were smart. They had removed weapons, disabled powers, and separated the group. She was completely hopeless in the moment- Eden could only hope a brilliant idea would come to her.

Finally, they exited the kelp and emerged onto a beautiful sight. Eden gaped at the city before her. They were stood on a hill, and below them was a town of Greek-style buildings. 

The roofs were tiled with mother-of-pearl. The gardens were filled with coral and sea anemones. Hippocampi grazed in a field of seaweed. A team of Cyclopes was placing the domed roof on a new temple, using a blue whale as a crane. And swimming through the streets, hanging out in the courtyards, practicing combat with tridents and swords in the arena were dozens of mermen and mermaids—honest-to-goodness fish-people.

"It's beautiful." Eden whispered. 

Paphos turned his head to the side and smirked. "It is indeed." His voice was a rich tenor. 

Eden looked a little closer to the city and realized the familiarity. "It's like Camp Half-Blood."

Paphos nodded. "Yes, We are Ichthyocentaurs, the half-brothers of Chiron."

"I can tell. You both look similar." 

"Here we have trained many hero's, much like our brother. Triton,  Glaucus, Weissmuller, and Bill have all trained on these very grounds." 

Eden looked sideways at him. "And who have you trained?"

Paphos blushed. "No one, yet. I am simply an assistant, learning the most I can and not become the joke of my people."

"I know a thing or two about that." Eden said. 

Paphos smiled and laughed a bit. "Yes, well, if you could do me a favor and share your story, I could help you a little."

Eden didn't hesitate- something about the purple-skinned man comforted her, and she saw herself in him. She started from the beginning, how her father was married and she was taken to Camp. How she was scared of everything and never made an effort to make friends, causing her to become nearly invisible. Eden told him about how she had gone her whole time unclaimed, and then after being mentioned in a prophecy her father finally claimed her. She told him about the journey with Leo, Piper, and Jason and how they were a part of a bigger cause. She explained the quest of the eight, Gaea, the Argo II, and their journey to save her brother. 

Paphos looked interested the entire time. His facial expressions shifted from intrigued, to shocked, to excited, to horrified. He nodded and commented things like, "No!" and "Mhm" at all the right times. 

When she finished, ending with Shrimpzilla, the fish horse was silent for a moment, processing the information. 

"You speak the truth." He said.