Squatting on the slate roof of the mess hall, Athena watched as her peers talked below. Dante, the second strongest in their class, gestured angrily to the dorms, his expression growing darker the longer her team waited. Athena smiled, knowing they were waiting on her.
Their small group was supposed to be training; working on sharpening their physical, as well as mental, states. Athena hated it. She was the weakest in their group, yet was destined to be the strongest because of a predetermined part of her. Fiona, their mentor, constantly pitted Athena against the others, trying to unlock her inner potential. Her teammates took it as a chance to remind her of how much they hated her. Every night she nursed new bruises and aches, vowing that when she became strong enough she would get them back tenfold for what they did to her.
"Where's Athena?"
Fiona's voice carried across the yard, drifting up to Athena on the same faint breeze that had her dark hair dancing across her bare shoulders. Athena sighed, shifting forward on the balls of her feet. Her time in hiding was drawing to a quick end; if she didn't let Fiona know where she was, Athena would be stuck making up twice the amount of hours.
"I'm here."
Athena jumped down from the roof, tumbling instead of landing on her feet. Sprawled in front of Fiona, Athena struggled to orient herself; she hadn't intended to tumble down. When she finally figured out which way was up - after a swift, yet unnoticeable kick from Dante - Athena surged to her feet, brushing the grass off of her thin shirt. The others mumbled around her, throwing dirty looks her way. Uh-oh. Training was not going to be fun.
"Now that we're all here, let's start warming up."
Fiona clapped her hands twice, her hair pinned to the top of her head in an attempt at one of the latest fashions. Fiona was in no way deadly looking. She was petite, very close to the same size as Athena, with long brown hair and piercing gray eyes. The same eyes that were staring expectantly at her. Today was really not going to go well.
"Athena, why don't you lead us through our chant?"
Sighing, Athena stepped forward, ignoring the snickers behind her. Fiona usually would call on Pixie, who would then recite the chant, pitching just the right amount of emotion to please Fiona. Athena hated the chant. She didn't believe in what it represented, and despised being forced to pledge an allegiance to an organization that only kept her surviving. Not living, just surviving.
"Brown, the color of the masses
Blue, the color of the future
Hazel, the color of the strong
Gray, the color of the few
Green, the color of the chosen
Only once the colors can live peacefully
Will the spectrum shine true"
Athena spoke the chant softly, her voice carrying clearly across the empty grass training grounds. Fiona sighed in response, but let Athena's unpatriotic recount slide, obviously unwilling to waste any more of their time.
"Alright, everyone line up. Let's get started!"
Φ
Grumbling, Athena limped her way into the mess hall, her muscles screaming out in protest with every step she took. Training had been brutal - more so than usual. Dante had taken extreme pleasure in being assigned as her fighting partner. His attacks had been ruthless, his hits decisive so as not to look malicious, but instead giving the impression that Athena was worse at defending herself than she actually was. Slowly, Athena made her way to the food line, holding her tray gingerly in her hands. The workers slapped small portions of meat, bread, and corn onto the tray. With the war going on, supplies were scarce, especially for the rebel camp that was supposed to have been blown off the map weeks before.
Athena made her way to a lone table close to the door, her habitual seat. Setting her tray down with an audible thump, she did her best to ignore the looks that came her way. Leaning forward until one elbow rested on the tabletop, Athena twirled her spoon, determined to give the gossipers nothing to say about her bruises. Everyone hated her, just because she had green eyes. Odd, considering they were all part of the rebel movement resolute to bring down discrimination based on eye color.
She began eating her food, chewing mechanically as she waited for the bell that would announce the beginning of their free time. It came moments later, followed by a herd of people laughing as they went off to spend their time avoiding the reality of the war that raged around them. Athena watched as her team walked by, obviously off to do something together. She didn't really mind they left her out. She usually spent the free time meditating, trying to remember every reason she had for being involved in the movement.
Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath through her nose in an attempt to center herself, then stood, leaving her tray on the table for whoever was cleaning tonight. The hallway was empty, the silence so thick Athena felt it press against her as she walked, trying to smother her. She hated being alone, yet here in camp that was all she ever was. No one her own age wanted to talk to her, and most of the mentors wouldn't make eye contact, they were so afraid of the reaction it might evoke. Fool on them, because Athena couldn't get her magic to manifest. She wasn't even sure how it was supposed to manifest. No matter how hard she tried, or what stupid exercise she did, it wouldn't work.
Standing outside of her dorm, Athena didn't bother to chastise herself for not paying attention to her surroundings - she didn't fully remember the walk she had just made. Athena never looked at her surroundings, even when she reminded herself to. No matter where Athena was, she couldn't help being wrapped up in her own head, running over the same things over and over again.
Inhaling deeply, Athena pulled open the door to her room, walking into the simple space that showed no indication of who lived there. There was nothing in the room that would show this was her room, and not another rebel's. Habit, from her years on the run, yet the simple sight brought Athena comfort.
Bone tired, she leaned back against the door, sliding down until she sat on the hard floor. Always tired, yet she had slept soundly the night before. This exhaustion was soul deep; an ache she felt each moment she was alone. Athena closed her eyes, letting her breathing become deeper and more easily controlled. At first, she had no intention to let her meditation take her deep into the memories she had been fighting for so long, but before she could open her eyes, there they were.
Her mother, so beautiful, stood next to the proud man she had called father. They were smiling, extending their hands to her. Inviting her into a fantasy she could never have. Her father had his arm around an older boy, one with her eyes and smile. Dimitri, her gentle brother looked at her with love.
Pain exploded in her chest, rising up so to choke her so swiftly, Athena cried out. Tears burned behind her eyes, blinding her as she tipped forward, landing on her hands and knees. She tried to blink back the tears but they wouldn't be stopped; hot salty water ran down her cheeks, dripping onto the backs of her hands. Slowly she came back to reality, her breathing ragged as she tried to cope with the rebirth of the crippling loss of the only people she had ever cared for.
The knock at her door brought her fully back to reality. Wiping hastily at her tears, Athena pushed herself to her feet, pushing all thoughts back into the black hole they were normally kept in, and slamming a firm lid back onto her emotions. She was not weak. No one would see this vulnerability. The knock came again, but this time she was in better control. Taking another deep breath, Athena opened the door, surprised to see Fiona standing on the other side. Mentors usually visited their pupil outside of training, but Fiona had never bothered to hide her disdain for Athena. If Fiona noticed her red eyes or blotchy complexion, she gave no sign as Athena moved silently aside.
"What's up?" Athena finally asked, her throat tight from suppressed sobs.
Fiona examined Athena's room, pacing around until she was back at the door. Fiona was avoiding eye contact, and the thought that she was hiding something brought goosebumps to Athena's bronzed skin. Fiona was always quick to speak; if she was reluctant to voice her words now, that couldn't bode well for Athena.
"I know you haven't been here long... And I know you don't get along with your teammates..." Fiona cleared her throat, obviously uncomfortable with where the conversation was going, "But we've been cleared for a mission. It's simple reconnaissance, but I've requested that you be allowed to go, and it was approved."
Athena blinked in shock, her mind for once blank. She had been cleared for a mission? She couldn't even fight! If they sent her into the field, she would die. If the reapers didn't get her, surely her team would.
"Y-You can't be serious! I've been here for a month!"
Fiona sighed, "Athena, I'll be frank. We expected you to make more progress than you have. After I talked to the council, we decided that maybe if we put you in the field, we could awaken your powers... It's a chance we have to take. You want to take vengeance for your family, don't you?"
Athena jerked back as if she had been slapped. There was nothing more that she wanted than to avenge her family, but if she died, how would that help them? Nothing else they had tried was working to rouse her powers, and she was desperate, but was she that desperate? Athena ran her hands through her inky black hair, her eyes flashing in anger.
"Just get out. I don't want to talk to you."
Fiona crossed her arms, her own anger boiling to the for as she spat, "Don't think you can say no. You will go on this mission, Athena. When you came to our camp you made a decision. You're a part of the movement now, whether as soldier or a weapon, it's your choice."
Turning, Fiona stormed from the room, leaving Athena alone, facing a decision she didn't think she would be making this soon. Would she dare to defy the faceless commanders that held her life in the balance? Where would she go if she did? She had nothing. No one who would help her on her journey of revenge; her choices were plain: become a weapon for the rebellion or die.
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art of athena by little_amb on twitter :)