Chapter 6
Rhea stared at the boy on her bed. He looked about fifteen and if she looked closely, they were quite similar in appearance. They both had dark black hair and an olive complexion, although she was a bit lighter, and there really wasn’t that much of a difference in their eye colours. They both had the same facial structure and the same shaped eyes. He could have been her older brother…no, that’s not possible because she was an only child and she would know if she had any siblings.
Rhea was brought out of her musings as the boy on her bed stirred and woke up. She smiled half-heartedly as his eyes locked with hers. He grinned at her before pulling back the covers and standing up. He looked steadier this time and only stumbled slightly as he stood up. He was quite tall and easily towered over Rhea.
Rhea sighed dejectedly and thought about how to politely tell the boy that he couldn’t stay. She looked up and opened her mouth to speak.
“You look better…” Rhea started weakly.
The boy looked at her in confusion before realising what she had said.
“Oh yeah, sorry I didn’t hear you for a second there. Yeah, I feel much better. I’m Nico by the way, I should have told you that before but I guess I was too tired.” Nico laughed sheepishly.
Rhea smiled and shook her head.
“That’s fine; you were injured so it’s not your fault.”
Nico glanced around her room before looking at her curiously.
“How come you have so many medical textbooks? Is that how you were able to treat my injuries?” Nico asked.
Rhea looked sad but Nico thought he imagined it because she smiled when she answered.
“I want to be a doctor like my mum. These are all her textbooks and they are really good. I was able to treat you because of them.”
Nico looked at her thoughtfully.
“Aren’t you only eight? How can you understand such complicated text books and already be able to treat someone’s injuries?” He questioned.
Rhea smiled proudly before answering.
“Mum always said I was smart and the textbooks aren’t really that complicated. It’s easy to understand if you really want to become a doctor. I might only be eight but I am smarter than any other normal eight year old.
Nico smiled mysteriously.
She could be a daughter of Athena, she’s that smart.
Nico stiffened as he felt three malicious auras heading towards the bedroom. It was a power of his, from his father, to be able to sense evil or bad auras of people and monsters. It was quite useful in a fight because it gave him time to get away before he was attacked.
Rhea glanced at him curiously but then trembled as the door was kicked down and two men and a woman barged in.
The woman looked at Nico before settling her gaze on Rhea.
“You stupid child! I told you to get rid of that brat. Why is he still here?” Rhea’s aunt roared.
Rhea shook in fear and stepped a bit closer to Nico.
“I-I was going to b-but he was still s-sleeping,” she managed to stutter out.
Her aunt’s eyes narrowed before she stalked forward and grabbed her wrist in a painful grip. Rhea started struggling and tried to wrench her wrist out of her aunt’s grasp.
“NO! Stop, let go! I SAID LET GO!” Rhea screamed and the ground shook.
Her aunt stumbled and that was enough for her to take back her arm and to back away. Rhea looked around wildly and gasped as the two men who came with her aunt, stepped towards her.
She backed away as they prowled closer and shook in terror as her back touched the wall. She was trapped.
“P-please go away…leave me alone!” Rhea scrunched her eyes shut as the men reached out to grab her.
A few seconds passed and nothing happened. Rhea hesitantly opened one eye and then opened the other as she realised that Nico was standing in front of her protectively.
“Back off!” He growled at the two men.
The men sneered before taking out a dagger each and advancing. Rhea’s aunt also stepped forward and laughed madly.
“What a catch! Gaia never told me that there was another child of Hades here. I guess I’ll take both of you to her. Maybe she’ll find you useful boy!” Rhea’s aunt cackled madly before shedding her skin. The two men in front of Nico and Rhea did the same.
Another child of Hades? What does she mean?
Nico and Rhea gasped in disgust and shock. Standing in front of them were three grotesque monsters from Gaia’s army. They looked like giant, deformed lizards with razor sharp spikes and claws. They all had daggers in their hands.
Nico reached behind his back but realised in horror that his sword wasn’t in its sheath.
“Rhea, do you have my sword?” Nico asked frantically.
Rhea nodded before rushing to her cupboards to get Nico’s sword. She had hidden it in fear of her aunt. Who knows what her aunt might have done if she had seen the sword.
She grabbed the sword and turned around to see Nico fighting off the three lizard monsters. He dodged and spun around them and landed light blows on them but he still couldn’t do anything serious because he was still recovering.
Rhea gasped as a lizard, she didn’t know which one was which, knocked Nico onto the floor with its tail and placed a clawed foot on his heaving chest.
She watched in terror as Nico struggled under the lizard’s foot.
“You’re obviously still recovering aren’t you, weakling?” the lizard sneered as the other two crowded around Nico.
Nico tried to push the lizard’s foot off his chest but it was futile. The lizard was just too heavy and he was still a bit weak from being attacked in the alley.
The lizard grinned, or what looked like a grin on its ugly face, and leaned its weight on its foot, which happened to be the same one that Nico was currently pinned under. Nico screamed as his ribs exploded in pain.
At this rate, my ribs are never going to heal. It’s like all my enemies are always aiming for my ribs Nico thought sadly before grimacing.
Rhea looked on in fear. What could she do? She looked at Nico before looking down at his sword in her hands. She looked up as she heard Nico screaming. The lizard was crushing his chest and Nico’s ribs weren’t even half healed yet.
Rhea narrowed her eyes in determination. An odd feeling was rising up from the pit of her stomach. It was the feeling of power. She could feel power thrumming through her veins. She didn’t know Nico very well but he was the only person who treated her kindly after her mother’s death. She wasn’t going to let him die, not after he tried to protect her.
Rhea charged at the lizard that was crushing Nico and swung the sword in her hand. It sliced the lizard’s head clean of its shoulders and Rhea was shocked as the body exploded in golden dust. She gulped as the other two lizards glared at her. But she stood straight and glared right back at them.
She held the sword up in front of her and relaxed her tense muscles. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Rhea focused on the power swirling in her. She could feel it coursing through her veins and pumping out of her heart. She could feel it building at the pit of her stomach. There was so much power inside her.
Rhea’s eyes snapped open as she released her breath. Her eyes were much more focused than before and power was emitting from her being but she didn’t notice. She didn’t notice how Nico was gaping at her in surprise and she definitely didn’t realise that she was glowing. She didn’t notice that her eyes were a deep, swirling blood red. She was emitting a dark red and black aura but once again, she didn’t notice.
All she noticed were the two lizards in front of her. They were the same monsters that had killed her mother and were hurting her new friend. They will die and their souls will rot in hell.
Rhea screamed in fury and all hell broke loose.