It was not my fault that my friend turned out to be a forbidden demigod.
Allow me to explain.
My eyes popped open. They then fixed onto one of my friends, Elizabeth. She had woken me up from my sleep, and I was waiting for her explanation. I gave her a dirty look, and she started to explain.
"I need you for a quest."
Mumbling, still groggy from my sleep I said snarkily, "As if."
Elizabeth looked at me with a pleading look. Rolling out from my bed, I looked to her, waiting for an explanation. Why would she want me, of all people? A mortal. Someone whose powers were nothing compared to hers. A demigod. In fact, that's who I was constantly surrounded by. My fault, though.
"You're the only one who can use mortal weapons," she said, as if that was an explanation that solved everything. Rolling my eyes, and pushing off the fabric blanket, I asked her why that, of all things, is important.
"Just in case."
"What? You are incredibly powerful, and you have swords and arrows that could kill anything,"
"Except for mortals."
"Why would you need to kill a mortal? Isn't this quest to the Underworld?"
Truth be told, I'm an eavesdropper. I constantly listen to other people's business, and I heard Elizabeth talking about this quest proposition with her friends, Jane and Beckie. Jane had shoulder-length, dark brown hair, and was the daughter of Hebe. Because her mother was the goddess of youth, there were constant rumors that she would stay young forever. Beckie was the daughter of Persephone. She had slightly long dirty-blond hair and warm brown eyes. Always perky, She was like the spring. Elizabeth, who had elegant, platinum blonde hair, but she preferred a curly red hair wig. Ever since fifth grade, which was when I first met her. Here's the thing about Elizabeth, though. She had no idea who her godly parent was. She never brought it up, but I knew better. Being a leader here at Olympian Middle School, I knew that most students know their parents.
But not Elizabeth.
Sorry for my paragraph of exposition, but, here at OMS, things were a little different here. After 5th grade, those who are detected to be demigods are blood-tested to find out who their godly parent was, or if they were even a demigod. Then, they are trained, and manifest their powers. Elizabeth was tested, but no one could read who her godly parent was.
As for me, I chose to stay here to train the demigods. To be a leader. It was more action than anything I would ever get in my mundane life, and even if it was hard to say goodbye to my family, I visit them on breaks and stuff. I enjoy training the new demigods, and I've learned a lot of important skills.
It's still hard though, to not feel less.
Anyway, I propped myself up on my bed, and Elizabeth asked,
"How do you know it's to the Underworld?"
I gave her a guilty look and said, "I'm a damn good eavesdropper."
Elizabeth shifted, and whispered, "Did you hear about the incident?"
"No, I was touring that new student, George, the son of Hephaestus."
Elizabeth was about to drop the subject when I asked, "What the heck happened?"
"A mortal tried to break in."
"Bloody hell," I said in shock.
"They're gone now, thankfully,"
"Are you scared for your safety?" I asked, full of concern now. The only mortals permitted on these premises are ones that chose this as their way of life.
"You know what happens when demigods try to use mortal weapons. We can only kill demigods and monsters."
Only. I played that word back in my head. I would die instantly if I tried to pull that. Only. I was finally fully awake, and I now realized the stakes here. My friend could die trying to find the truth, venturing out into the mortal world. If this mortal was crafty enough to break onto these premises, they surely could find a way to the Underworld.
I pulled out my gun from underneath my bed. I had dozens more, but no one needed to know that. You see, a divine law was put in place that demigods can't use mortal weapons. (Basically any weapon made after Ancient Greece/Rome), The penalty is simple, like a gun exploding in your face. (Only a child of the 'Big Three' can have this rule not work on them, but that's a whole hassle.)
They say the reason for this law was to prevent a war with the mortals. I never understood this rule, until now. Divine beings sure-as-heck underestimate mortals. If a mortal was going to track down my friend, they were going to pay.
In the back of my mind, I felt like I maybe had a chance to prove that I am worthy. That I can contribute something, even compared to demigods.
Elizabeth looked at me.
¨Athena came to me and told me I have to go on this quest. But I have no clue how to get to the Underworld.¨
I smirked at her.
¨I may know someone who can help.¨
Enter Caleb. Son of Hades.
Yeah, most people would think he's an emo weirdo, but he isn't. He was actually quite charismatic. Was sneaking over to his room against the rules? Yes. Does it look like I give a care, though? Heck no. And yes, I did sneak over to his dorm room, but not for bad reasons. Let me put it this way:
Maybe I like him, maybe I don't.
Swinging in through the window, I heard the noise of video games. George, the new kid, was in there, as was Caleb's best friend, Theo.
Theo was another mortal, and was the only one I ever saw having freetime. (Most other mortals frickin' devote their entire lives to this middle school.) Theo was just like Caleb, except like, not as charismatic. And I mean, obviously, they were different, but personality-wise, they were incredibly similar.
Theo looked over to me, and asked, "What the heck are you doing here, Madison! It is 2 a.m. Go away!"
I rolled my eyes, and turned to Caleb.
"I have a friend who needs to go to the Underworld."
Taking a deep breath, and sighing obnoxiously, he turned to me, and said,
"Does it look like I'm your personal Uber to the Underworld?"
"Is that any way to talk to an old friend? I even let you play my N64!"
Theo looked over to Caleb. Theo's eyes seemed to be asking 'Why would you help her?'. To that, I told Theo, "It's not your decision!"
"I didn't say anything!"
Caleb interjected with, "Shut up."
I rolled my eyes and told him, "It's something for a friend of mine. Look, Kaitlyn, (Daughter of Apollo) gave me her bow that can kill any monster, Alessandra (Daughter of Iris) gave me one of those blood tests, and Trilana (Daughter of Janus) gave me a curse that can determine who any demigod's parent is. We just have to go the Underworld,"
Caleb cut me off.
"Yeah, yeah, where all the magic lies, 'cause Hecetate (Goddess of Magic) is there. Ugh, I've heard this a million times from everyone else. The answer stays the same."
I winked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"But everyone else isn't me"
Theo was about to interject, but Caleb rolled his eyes so hard, they hit the ceiling. (Obviously not.)
"Fine," he finally stated, "What is it you say? Ah yes, 'Bloody Hell'. Well, bloody hell, you are persistent."
I smirked.
"Bloody hell, you are annoying."
Me and Elizabeth gathered into Caleb's room. He was still a little annoyed by me, but what can I say? I'm quite the charmer. Caleb summoned dead souls (That was the manifestation of his powers.) and these souls came, and they looked like ghosts, (save for they were crimson and black.) Rather than speaking Ancient Greek to will them to his bidding he said, nonchalantly,
"Take us to the Underworld."
And we were off.
Let me tell you, the Underworld is no five-star resort. It's filled with places of punishment, terrifying monsters and dead people. Must suck to live here.
Caleb had transported us to Hades' palace. It's a looming, black and crimson palace, with skulls engraved into its marble walls.
"Okay, I got you here, now go do your crap," he said, and I could tell he couldn't wait for us to be gone. I walked up to him , as if to give him a kiss, but at the last second, I playfully punched his arm.
"You wouldn't want us to die here, in the Underworld, now would you?"
He smirked, yet rolled his eyes. Elizabeth was watching us, and you don't have to be Einstein to know she was uncomfortable.
I pulled away, and Caleb gave us the directions to Hectate's cave. She would know how to read Elizabeth's blood. Then, I heard Elizabeth scream.
I turned, and saw a tall, dark, caucasian man, about in his thirties, and he had a knife to Elizabeth's throat. Elizabeth tried to yell out,
"It's... the same... mortal... from yesterday!"
The man spoke, ominously,
"No, I am your father!"
Elizabeth gasped, and in an instant, I shot the man. I don't even know how. I was just walking, and in an instant I turned and shot him. Right in the chest. Elizabeth gasped, and was crying, and I apologized for killing her father.
"No, it's really alright. You saved me." she said through tears, " What kind of man would try to kill his own daughter?"
The man was choking out his last words, and with blood gurgling,
"I... tricked... her mother!"
Before we could even process what had happened, Hectate appeared behind us. Gotta love the mysterious god of magic. (She's very weird)
"It is decided."
In shock I yelled, "Dammit, Hecate!"
Hecate wasn't phased. She just pondered the symbol that was appearing from Elizaeth's few drops of blood on her arm. It formed a silver moon. She must have used the blood curse.
"Artemis," was all Elizabeth could say.
"But that's impossible!" Caleb said.
I interjected.
"Artemis swore to be a maiden forever."
But then I remembered what that man said. He had tricked her.
This only made Elizbeth cry more.
"I'm a forbidden demigod!" She cried in anguish.
I looked at her with pity.
"I'm sorry." I started, "But you are my best friend. You are not forbidden in any way. You deserve to exist. And you deserve to know who your parents are."
Caleb excused himself and walked into his father's palace after winking at me. I winked back, and turned back to Elizabeth.
"How do I know my mother won't think I'm a mistake?" she said, still in tears. "What if she hates me?"
I wanted to take away her pain. To help her. But all I could offer was my friendship.
Hecate was still there, and said,
"There is only one way to find out," she said as she opened up a portal to a lush green forest, where the goddess of the hunt was stalking her prey.
I looked at her and said, "You're my best friend, I will still love you, no matter what your mother says."
I watched as Elizabeth stepped through the portal, and she grabbed my hand, still visibly concerned. I walked with her, a gentle smile on my face.
Stepping into the beautiful forest, I watched Artemis, as she stalked a deer. I looked to Elizabeth, and whispered our parting words.
"You're no forbidden demigod."
She smiled at me, and I watched her walk towards her mother. I had never felt happier for her.
She came up from behind and her mother instantly turned her bow to her. Elizabeth put her hands up, and Artemis put the bow down.
Elizabeth looked to her mother, and with a warm smile on her face, she said:
"Hi."
Artemis looked at her, silver hair shimmering in the sun. (That's why Elizabth had that hair color!)
"Mom."