𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓
𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓: 𝒓𝒆𝒅
❛ the color red : power,
love, vigor, and beauty ❜
𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑: 𝐑𝐄𝐃, Aurora's feet scuffled in front of the group, Thorn had a projectile aimed directly at her neck and threatened that if she so much as opened her mouth, he wouldn't miss.
For once in her life, she bit her tongue.
"What are you doing, Jackson?" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!"
Aurora furrowed her eyebrows and peeked over her shoulder to where Percy was behind her. He saw as he stopped and closed his eyes, he slightly bent forward causing his raven hair to tumble over his head in a halo. Aurora knew he was moments away from running his hair through it. It was a habit of his when his hair got in the way.
"It's my shoulder," Percy lied, trying to sound miserable. "It burns."
He sent her a glance through the corner of his eye and immediately Aurora knew he had a plan swimming in his head. She'd seen that look many times in the past two years.
"Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!" Thorn herded them outside.
When Aurora looked back at Percy, again, she saw his eyes tightly closed with his face now turning red. The upmost concentration written in his form, "You look constipated, What's wrong?"
He leaned over, "I'm trying to contact Grover."
Aurora nodded, "The empathy link?"
"Exactly"
Aurora placed a hand on his shoulder, "I can buy you time!"
Immediately Percy shook his head, "No, he's keeping a close eye on you. And I'm not willing to call his bluff," he looked at her. "There'd be too much at stake."
"Move it!" Thorn insisted, breaking them both apart.
Thorn marched them into the woods. They took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. Aurora could tell Percy's shoulder ached and cursed at herself for not paying closer attention.
"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."
"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"
"Silence, you insufferable girl!"
"Don't talk to my sister that way.'" Nico said. His voice quivered, but Aurora nodded her head impressed by the young boy. He'd do anything for his sister, even if the world was against him. It made her miss her sibling all the more.
Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. Aurora frowned but kept walking and pretended she was being a good little captive. She would attack if she needed to, seeing as she had her bangles on her wrist.
"Halt," Thorn said.
The woods had opened up. They'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, Aurora believed the sea was down there, hundreds of feet below.
Her eyes wandered around the clearing. It was covered in at least half a foot of snow, with leaves crunching with every step they took. Her all-white converse were taking a pretty big beating. They now looked yellow compared to the blanket of snow around them, and immediately she wanted to cry.
Dr. Thorn pushed them toward the edge. Percy stumbled, and Aurora caught him. "Thanks," he murmured.
Aurora whispered, "How's the communication coming along?"
"I . . . I'm working on it."
"I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something—a little metal toy soldier of some kind.
Aurora's heart clenched at the adorable boy, "Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen to y—"
"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!"
They turned.
Thorn's two-tone eyes glittered hungrily. He pulled something from under his coat. At first, Aurora thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."
There was a garbled reply, and Aurora realized Thorn was in walkie-talkie mode. This seemed way too modern and creepy—a monster using a mobile phone. Percy glanced behind them, wondering how far the drop was Aurora noticed this and panicked.
"I am not free falling again, Percy," she shivered. "Never again."
"I'd catch you!"
"Don't even think about it!"
Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Son of Poseidon. Jump! Take your girlfriend with you! There is the sea. Save yourself"
"What did he call you?" Bianca muttered.
"We'll explain later," Percy said as he nodded to Aurora, whose parka was flapping against the wind. Her cheeks and nose were rosy again because of the cold.
"You do have a plan, right?"
Aurora noticed how Percy was desperately trying to connect with Grover and turned to Bianca who was weirdly looking at the boy she had feelings for, "We might have a plan"
"You don't sound too sure!"
"We're working on it!"
"I would kill you before you ever reached the water," Dr. Thorn said while smirking evilly at Percy. "You do not realize who I am, do you?"
A flicker of movement behind him caught Aurora's attention and another missile whistled so close to Percy that it nicked his ear. Aurora stepped in front of the three with a glare on her face directed at the damn manticore in front of her.
"Unfortunately," Thorn said, "you are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise, you would already be dead."
"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I . . . " Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other."
"Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family."
"Luke," Aurora said. "You work for Luke."
Aurora glanced back at Percy who clenched his hands into fists. Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when she said the name of her old friend.
"You have no idea what is happening, Aurora Stark," he turned his mismatched eyes to Percy. "Percy Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you."
"The General?" Percy asked. Then he realized he'd said it with a French accent. Aurora only rolled her eyes.
"I mean . . . who's the General?"
Thorn looked toward the horizon. "Ah, here we are. Your transportation."
Aurora turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then she heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer. She'd recognize that sound anywhere since she had ridden in helicopters many times before. Especially after visiting Circe's Island where a helicopter was parked outside and looked so tempting to ride. Aurora didn't know then how to ride one, but once she got home she forced her father to buy her dozens of books on the matter.
Just, don't ever ask if she's put her skill to use afterwards, or if she has her license.
"Where are you taking us?" Nico said, he had taken a liking to Aurora—it seemed, even in the short ten to twenty-minute frame they'd known one another because he stood behind her back and only peeked over her shoulder when necessary.
Percy wasn't a fool, Aurora had that aura of warmth to her that attracted people to her like a magnet—even if she didn't want it to. It seemed more noticeable with children or kids younger than her.
"You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls."
Nico frowned, "They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—"
"Shove it up your ass!" Aurora finished. A proud smirk on her face:
"Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy," he hardly paid any mind to Aurora and only sent her a menacing glance. "And if you do not, well . . . there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway."
"The Great what?" Percy asked. Aurora glanced around at each of them to formulate a plan.
"The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!"
"Okay," Bianca whispered to Aurora and Percy. "He's completely nuts."
"We have to jump off the cliff," Percy told her quietly. "Into the sea."
"Oh, super idea. You're completely nuts, too."
Aurora narrowed her eyes, "Hey! Drop the attitude and listen if you don't want to die."
Bianca zipped her mouth shut at the staggering glare she was receiving.
Aurora turned back to Percy, "And I thought I told you not to even think about it?"
"Do you have a better id—"
Suddenly an invisible force slammed into Aurora. Looking back on it, Annabeth's move was brilliant. Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the di Angelos and her best friends, knocking them to the ground. For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over their heads.
Aurora had been slammed into the most powerfully causing her to tumble towards the edge of the cliff almost falling off completely if it weren't for Percy's quick thinking to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her further away from the cliff that looked like it was moments away from pulling her in.
She gripped his ripped shirt, "Thanks, ocean eyes."
"Always, pretty girl."
"For Zeus!"
At the sudden cry, Aurora and Percy turned their attention back onto the fight before them. Thalia's usual medusa shield which always made Aurora cringe when she laid eyes on it was fiercely placed in her arm, and her spear looked deadly. Thalia jabbed at the manticore's ( Aurora and her brilliant deduction skills ) head, but he snarled and swatted the spear aside. His hand changed into an orange paw, with enormous claws that sparked against Thalia's shield as he slashed.
As it was, she managed to roll backward and land on her feet. The sound of the helicopter was getting louder behind Aurora, but she didn't dare look.
Dr. Thorn launched another volley of missiles at Thalia. The missiles deflected off Aegis, but the force of their impact knocked Thalia down. Aurora rushed in and tugged Thalia, pulling her out of the line of fire as Grover sprang forward. He put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play—a frantic jig that sounded like something pirates would dance to. Grass broke through the snow. Within seconds, rope-thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him.
Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body was that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions.
"A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. Her magical New York Yankees cap had come off when she'd plowed into them.
"Daggers!" Aurora yelled and she felt the familiar weight of her daggers. "Called it!"
"Who are you, people?" Bianca di Angelo demanded. "And what is that?"
"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and five to saving throws!"
"You two!" Aurora pointed at the siblings. "Stay as far back as you can! We have it covered."
The manticore clawed Grover's magic reeds to shreds then turned toward them with a snarl.
"Get down!" Annabeth pushed the di Angelos flat into the snow. At the last second, Percy remembered his shield. He hit his wristwatch, and metal plating spiraled out into a thick bronze shield. Not a moment too soon. The thorns impacted against it with such force they dented the metal. The beautiful shield, a gift from Tyson, was badly damaged.
"Yield!" the monster roared.
"Never!" Thalia yelled from across the field. She charged the monster, and for a second, Aurora thought she would run him through, but then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light from behind them. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets. It wasn't until she took a step closer that she noticed something that drew her attention.
Written on the side of the helicopter was a familiar HAMMER INDUSTRIES, in big, bold, and black lettering.
What the hell was Justin Hammer doing with demigods?
Justin Hammer was a familiar figure in the world of weapons manufacturing. Despite the ill designs and schematics that Aurora could do much better at the age of three, he made a name for himself in their world. A millionaire who strived to be better than Tony Stark himself, even after Stark Industries seized production on all of its weapons.
Aurora knew a bit about the man due to the many sittings she would participate in with her father, whether it be meetings, building, negotiations, business proposals . . . you name it, Aurora was there. She'd been there since she was nine, and unfortunately got the displeasure of meeting the man.
But now, Justin Hammer was written in neat letters on Aurora's shit list.
The searchlights blinded Thalia, and the manticore swatted her away with its tail. Her shield flew off into the snow. Her spear flew in the other direction.
"Thalia!" Aurora yelled as she rushed towards her best friend doing her best to avoid the spikes aiming at her and Percy. When they reached her, Aurora noticed that he wasn't aiming at her and now was aiming at Percy. Dr. Thorn also swatted him away.
Dr. Thorn laughed. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield, little heroes."
They were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter. They had no chance. Aurora frowned, Nate would've been fantastic for this situation. He'd turn the helicopter to dust within minutes.
Then they heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods. The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades.
"No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—"
Aurora sighed, "Styx" she cursed under her breath.
His sentence was cut short when something shot past Aurora like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder. He staggered backward, wailing in agony.
"Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two.
The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. Aurora tried to swipe at him with her dagger, but he wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged her attack and slammed his tail into her shield gauntlet, knocking her aside.
Then the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten. The oldest, about fourteen, is like Aurora. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions.
"The Hunters!" Annabeth cried.
Next to Percy, Thalia muttered, "Oh, wonderful."
"Hunters?"
Aurora stood up, "It's a long story."
One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery-colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess.
"Permission to kill, my lady?" She kept her eyes on the manticore.
The monster wailed. "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws."
"Not so," another girl said. This one was a little younger than the group, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon.
"The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted."
The manticore growled.
"If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!"
He lunged at Thalia and Percy, knowing they were weak and dazed. It reminded Aurora of seeing Thalia back in action when the older girl, Luke, and Annabeth saved her from a nest of basilisk back in a New York alleyway. How fast she sprung to action for a girl she didn't even know with no regard for her safety.
And Percy . . . Oh, Percy.
She wouldn't let a damned thing happen to him.
"No!" She yelled, and she charged at the monster with her dagger in her hand.
It was in that moment . . . Aurora could feel her aura turn red. Meaning only one thing, Love.
And you know what they say about love, it's a powerful emotion, one that held the world as a calamity if something were to happen to its recipients. A scratch could ripple into the destruction of their planet if it so much as meant that a lover was well, because darling, what is the world without your lover in it?
What was the world without Percy in it?
"Get back, half-blood!" the girl with the circlet said. "Get out of the line of fire!"
Aurora ignored the sounds around her and gracefully leaped onto the monster's back drove her knife into his mane and twisted. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Aurora hung on for dear life. Her knuckles were white with sheer force and determination.
"Fire!" Zoe ordered.
"No!" Aurora heard Percy, but she was on tight. She was not going to let go until she was able to defeat it, with that in mind she raised her shield-covered wrist to her mouth, "Dagger!"
With the new weight in her hand, she drove another dagger through his mane receiving a howl of pain in response. Now, with one hand on each dagger, she wrapped her legs around his body and gave a hard tug as though she was riding a bull toward the direction of the hunters.
She let out a battle cry, "Do it! Now!"
The hunters didn't hesitate, The first arrow caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest.
The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!"
Aurora tugged hard at one of her daggers using her legs for momentum, and within a second one of her daggers wedged free.
"This is the end, but not for her," she brought her dagger down on his eye. "For you."
The manticore continued to stagger, however, as he wailed in agony. Aurora pushed her dagger deeper into his eye socket and within a second the manticore exploded in monster dust causing her to tumble to the ground as exhaustion covered her body.
"Baby Stark!"
She heard faintly as she swayed when she got up on her feet. Her knees were moments away from giving out on her as the adrenaline washed off. Even her vision grew hazy, or maybe there were always two different Percy standing twenty feet away from her, staring at her with a big grin on their stupidly handsome faces.
A sharp pain from her stomach made her look down.
Three manticore spikes were protruding from her stomach, blood already soaking her clothes.
She looked up just in time to see Percy running straight to her, his mouth moving in urgency as he stretched out an arm as if to catch her, but even in that moment, Aurora couldn't hear a thing. It was as though she was underwater, moments away from drowning.
She shouldn't be worried right? No water would harm her with Percy around. He'd saved her from drowning at least two times before, What's the harm in a third?
"Percy?"
And that's the last thing she said before the world turned black and the feeling of being weightless overtook her shivering body.
— NAT TALKS !
So, I've been thinking, once I finished writing this book I'll go over it again, and publish new chapters as the shows season comes out with Aurora being in the show for show watchers only, for example chapters will be called chapter one ( show ) and I'll write Aurora for the show.
It was an idea, because I don't want to write an entirely different book for the show! especially when this book is going to have marvel movies and shows as well.
Let me know what you guys think!
Another update whoooooo!
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❪ the prodigy, 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 book. ❫
༢ ͎۪۫ ༊ ❛ ©CELESTIALAPHRODITE 2023. ❜ ¨. ༢ ͎۪۫ ｡𖤐
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