Shocker...
***
Arden
"Ouch," Nikki hissed. Ali was rubbing her back as we sat on the ground of Amazon.
Amazon was another training hall in the Center but not as big as the Battle one next to the entrance. There were alot of halls you could practice in, a lot of rooms too.
Like the Battle Center, Amazon was a circular room with a high ceiling which was amazing considering we were underground. The floor was golden and slick, with different signs, tools, carvings on the walls around us.
We weren't training so we were all kind of just hanging out. Nikki has been complaining about her back for the past few days. Right now, Ali was rubbing it as her face was contorted by pain.
"Maybe if you hold still, it wouldn't hurt." Ali told her. Ace was sitting against another wall, he once again had his guitar. He was was singing and playing, cancelling out the silence on the hall.
Him and Armani have worked everything out. They always do. She was currently carving an arrowhead, laying on her back, her head rested by Ace's feet. I could hear her join in with Ace's singing time to time.
Me, I was concentrated on the ball of water floating in front of me. Sitting with my legs crossed, Perri was in front of me. His palms were raised and his eyes were glowing red.
As Nikki kept groaning at the other side of the room, Perri raised an eyebrow at me and the corner of his mouth raised.
My eyes were shifted and I was trying really hard to keep the water in its formation, and manipulate it out of Perri's control. "Concentrate." He told me.
"I am." I made face while my hands shook with power trying to maintain the water.
Floating water looked cool, it almost seemed non-real. The way it moved in the-
"Arden." Perri chuckled. I looked up at him to see his permanent smile. "You're distracted."
I shook my head, "No, i'm not."
"Yes, you are." I put my gaze back to the water that kept circling and circling-
I actually felt the light wieght in the palm of my hand when-
Water soon splashed, hitting both Perri and I and the legs on my pants were now wet. I gasped as it happened and Perri and I were soon laughing.
"Fantastic job, guys." Ali told us. "Really, incredible."
Way to go, Arden. "See, not focused."
"I was focused. I concentrated so hard."
"Even a slight second of divided attention will cause you to lose the control. Trust me, if I saw it coming, we both wouldn't smell like the beach right now." We laughed again.
"Ahhh, my back." Nikki groaned again. I sighed.
"Nikki, why don't you just ask Ace to take a look."
"Yeah," Armani added. She looked at her now finished metallic arrowhead. "He should be able to tell you what's wrong."
Ali patted her bottom and she dramatically stood up while moaning. "You're such a drama queen." Ali told her from the ground.
She responded with another loud groan. Oh my goodness, she sounded like a moose.
"Come on, grouchy pants, what's the problem?"
Ace stood up also and began listening to Nikki's complaining.
"What are you guys up to now?" A voice came from the archway entrance and in strolled Zane wearing his signature grey v-neck. His dark black hair was in the way that looked like he ran his hand through it a lot. His eyes weren't soft at all, they never were, but they always held a lot of emotion. He was smiling softly, making his cheekbones stand out.
"More like what are you up to?" Perri greeted him. "I feel like I never see you anymore." He pouted.
Zane rolled his eyes looking at all of us. "Ow, Ace!" He gave Nikki and Ace a curious look. Ace held his hands up as he began touching Nikki's back again.
As he stood over Perri and I, he looked down. "What-"
"Arden was trying to manipulate water." Perri explained. "Were you with that girl again?" He asked teasingly.
I raised an eyebrow at Zane already knowing the answer. He's been spending a lot of time with Johanna lately. Although, he didn't miss another training session, he's been very occupied and distracted.
I was curious to why he was spending all this time with her. If he wasn't around, most likely Zane was with Johanna.
Whenever they were around each other, I could feel my fire...almost like it was dying. It made me wary about her. What does that even mean? Maybe...maybe Zane was slowly starting accept that we're just friends? Maybe he feels differently than he used to. Zane rolled his eyes again.
"Yeah, when are we going to meet this girl, I want to see her." Ace called out still examining Nikki's back.
Nikki and Armani locked gazes with me and gave me knowing looks. They know Zane is hanging around the girl he bumped into at the college and now, they've lost it.
In a fast motion, Zane caught a silver arrowhead that was currently hurtling towards him. He caught it with ease and turned to Armani. He shook his head. "Mani, you throw the same damn arrowhead at me any time I see you."
"I actually just made that one, thank you." She corrected him.
"Nice." He smiled at her.
"Hello, everyone." Another voice came from the archway. We all turned at the sound of Athena's voice.
I was shocked and my head tilted when I saw she was wearing normal clothes. She was wearing blue jeans with a simple white blouse. It's normal for us to see in her her usual dresses or togas.
We all responded to her greeting and we sat up, listening to her next words. Athena smiled at all of us and sighed as she brought her hands together. "I'm glad to see that you're all here."
"Everything okay?" Perri asked.
Athena nodded and then shrugged. "Well, I actually have some news for you guys. Now before I-"
There soon was a cloud of smoke coming from the right. It looked greenish and I my eyes widened when Ares appeared.
Ares. ARES.
Ali's father was also wearing normal clothes- he wasn't in armour despite being War himself.
"Dad?" Ali asked from his spot on the wall.
Ares had long hair and stubble across the lower half of his face. His hair was a dark brown like Ali's and I'm just now seeing the resemblance- which is shocking. How did I miss that?
I caught myself staring because let's be honest, he's a freaking god.
"Ares," Athena gave him a look. "Do you decide when you get pop up, now?" Ares gave her an amused looked.
"I built this Underground Center. I am sure I am allowed to show up when I want to." His voice was deep and potent. Ares then turned to us with a grin and greeted. "Hey, guys. What's going on?"
We all greeted him back. "Well, before you disrupted us with your dramatic entrance, I was about to share something important to our Potentials."
Ares nodded slowly. "Right, right, I forgot about that." He made a face and I chuckled lowly. "Was that today?"
Athena nodded then looked back at us. "Oh, Nikki sweetie, are you alright?" She asked with concern. We all looked over to Nikki who was rubbing between her shoulder blades.
"Oh, i'm fine." She waved us off. "Just great."
"Okay.." Athena sighed with a slightly smile. "As I was saying, I have two important announcements for all of you."
We all looked around at each other, silently asking the other, 'What do you think this is about?'.
"Now, before I tell you guys, I want to let you know there is a reason why we have brought the executives together..." My body tensed immediately and I had an idea where this was going. Ares cleared his throat as he looked down at the ground.
Is it time for everyone to know that...he's back?
I looked at Perri and then up at Zane, neither of their faces giving away any emotion. "There is a reason why we brought Perri here to train with you guys, however....we all know there are four members to our Executives on Mt. Olympus..."
Now, I could feel the tension in the room. Everyone pretty much a sense Of what Athena was implying. I watched as Nikki stood up straight, her face turning into one of shock. Armani looked around curiously, also shocked, like she was trying to make sure she comprehending what was being connoted. Ali sat there with a hard expression, waiting for the next words of Athena. Ace's expression was cautious, it asked a thousand questions.
Athena looked at Ares briefly before continuing. "We didn't just decide to bring back Perri, but all the future Executives- including Hayden."
"Oh my goodness." I heard Armani mumbled. She ran hand down her face and Nikki's jaw dropped.
"Wait," Ace shook his head.
"Hayden." Nikki repeated, stepping forward. "Are you serious?" She wasn't angry, but she was anxious, you can tell. It seemed like she was going to erupt.
Athena stood there and gave them some time to process the information just given. Hayden left a great toll on all of us. Ace was trapped, trapped inside his own body, he had no control over himself.
Armani was set in emotional pain. She was falling for a boy, a boy that was quickly taken away from her, making it difficult for her to fight back. Not to mention, she had arrows lodged into her body, constantly.
Nikki was tested, they tried to hold her in, bound her, they limited her, which made her weak.
Ali was constantly cheated, and was was driven to anger, the one place he liked to stay away from.
Athena took a breath. "I know...how you all feel about him. But, I ask that you put your trust in us." She stated slowly and strong.
I locked gazes with Zane again and we both gave each other rigid looks. It was going to be hard to watch our friends experience the recurrence and reliving of everything that has happened not too long ago.
I watched as he walked through the archway, hands in pocket, a natural, neutral aura.
I could feel the intensity in the room raise, literally. The air became thicker and I could feel the anger, confusion, and anxiety of their apprehension radiating off of my friends, me included.
Athena touched him on his shoulder, he was slightly taller than her. "Hayden."
*****
Hi everyone! Did you like this chapter?
Because i'm making the chapters shorter in the book, there's probably going to more. The last one had about forty but I seriously doubt that for the sequel.
Well, how do you think everyone is going to respond to Hayden's return?
Remember to vote and comment, munchkins. Until next time,
-brittany.