New life

"Hello, hello, Stefania, my dear!" The golden hair man appeared next to me. I was standing on a pedestal near some pole and l wore... well... l wore a black dress for a bad girl, let's say like this. "Oh, l always forget to ask you. Maybe it's better to say 'Andromeda Diana Stefania'? Yes, l know your full name. So, what?"
"I th..." l started, but as always golden hair man cut me.
"No, my dear, it was rhetorical question." He smiled and raised his hands. As he did it the light was on and l could see the room. It was small, even tiny. There was only one red sofa and a pole near what l stood. The walls were empty and that was really dreadful... The grey color, so cold and so dirty, wanted to invade me... "Here is my little room. Oh..." He sat on the sofa. "I really like this place... It keeps me alive... I see fire every day, but l never saw fire in your eyes... Show me fire, my dear..." His eyes shone. A dirty smile appeared. "Show me your fire and l'll let you go..."

He stood up and went to me. I couldn't move. I wanted to run, to scream, to do something, but l couldn't! All my body was prisoned in that black dress and refused to be controlled by me. The golden hair man came towards and touched my lips. I wanted to hit him.

"Oh, my dear... There isn't enough time for me to enjoy you... I wish l could have you as my toy in this place... I wish l could make you immortal... l wish l could make you forget everything..." He looked somewhere left and then back at me. "But l can't wish. My and your destinies have already woven, my beauty... But l can enjoy your last seconds of your life that makes you breath and go step by step, of your power that makes me want to have you, of your beauty that kills."

He touched my belly with one hand and my neck with another. I felt like every other time when he did it. I got used to it. But he knew it. He just wanted to see me suffering, to take my pain, to take my fear.

l got up fast on my bed breathing hard. It was morning already, 6 am, in particularly. I ran my hand through the hair and closed my eyes. My body was a little bit trembling, but l started to calm down. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. I was lying as always next to Percy who now was as always drooling. I leaned back on the bed and laid with my face to his. He was so...relaxed. He was sleeping like a little baby that had no problems at all, that dreamed about some unknown beautiful places, that was so happy.

"You're already awake." Percy said still lying with closed eyes.
"Yep."
"Nightmares?"
"As always." I made a deep breath.
"What did you see this time?" Percy opened his eyes. Oceans wanted to know the truth.
"Well, l was in his nightclub..." l said and got up on the bed. "Percy, why are you always asking me this question? I...l don't want to remember those things and feelings! And YOU ask me every morning to tell them!"

"Stefania," Percy started to use my full name on some special occasions as Charlie. "I ask you, because you need to fight with those feelings. You need to feel like you aren't scared anymore, like you're receiving the pain only to be strong! I do it for you, Stef."

I got up from the bed and went to find my clothes.

"Okay! You're right..." l said putting on shorts, a top and keds. "Are you going with me?"
"Nope. Today your teacher is s little bit lazy and he wants to sleep..." Percy smiled.
"Okay then, see you on breakfast!"

I said and went out from the cabin. It was a lovely summer morning. The dawn was engaging, sun will soon come over the horizon and paint the sky in a variety of colors. I'm ready to admit that Apollo does an excellent work.

I came in the forest and ran. It had been my every morning exercise for 6 days. These days l spent training and training and training! It was hard, yes, but l'm still alive! These days l spent with Percy, Jason, Piper, Annabeth and Clarisse. They taught me some every-demigod-need-to-know-this things. So, now l'm not an amateur, yeah!

Talking about Annabeth... Well, we became closer to each other and l can definitely say she isn't jealous anymore (maybe she just saw how Percy and l made fools of each other and understood that l'm just Percy's friend...). She taught me some Greek vocab and all l want to say is "Oh, Gods! Annabeth, you're so smart!". Well, l'm not definitely the first one who says this. Also, she taught me some strategy lessons where l learnt how to see weaknesses of my enemies and monsters. So, as you can see l'm becoming more smart in this new for me world!

Also l spent time with my sis, Piper. Yep, you understood correctly-now l call her 'sis'. I found out that this girl is brave and really smart for Aphrodite's child. With her help l started to use my grannie's magic. I started to know French and to change my appearance in three seconds! I really like that one, because l can wear anything l want. And that was all l could do, unfortunately, l didn't have the ability to charmspeak.

I took some lessons from Clarisse... Well, if l say "It was tough", l'll lie, because those trainings with Clarisse were extremely, oh-my-god-I-am-starving and I-am-not-going-to-survive tough! But l understand that l needed those trainings to be strong and hardy. I fought with her in swords, ran three times around the camp, did then some exercise on abs, legs and arms and fought again with her. After one day that l spent with her l was exhausted and all l could was go to the cabin where l would lie on a beautiful, soft and warm bed.

If you're asking to what cabin did l go, l'll say that l slept nearly all days with Percy and only twice with Jason. I just like to lie next to Pers, hear him breathing and see him drooling, to feel warmth and safety with him. But he needed Annabeth, too. I understand that. So, l left him twice for his girlfriend knowing that he's happy to have her close to him. That two nights l spent in the first cabin with Jason and fearsome daddy Zeus. If l woke up in the middle of the night, l always went outside to breath in the air, to listen to some noises, to warm up. Once during this night, when l had a nightmare, l was visited by Akteon, my handsome friend, and we flied together over the sea till the dawn.

So, l can say these days l spent for the best trying on the top of my power and strength, expanding my knowledge and starting to be a part of this amazing world.

I was running through the forest as always when l heard some growl and whisper. I made a deep breath and closed my eyes for a better concentration. Sounds went from bushes that were in the distance of some meters from where l stood. That made me freighted. I knew that the forest is dangerous, but Percy and I always ran in morning and never met a monster... Why do l need to face a monster today when l'm alone for the first time? That's unfair!

I made one step away from these bushes and took my sword just in case this creature would attack me. The growl became louder. "Don't do any harsh movements. Breath in. Stay calm... Breath out... Will this creature attack? When will it do it? And what is it? What will l face now?" I thought going away. I was trying to step as quiet as l could, so that this creature wouldn't attack me.

But, of course, everything wasn't going right! I was about to leave that bushes, but l stepped on a stick which broke with a bang under my keds. Oooops! In the next second a big thing jumped on me.

In the next moment l did the best and the smartest thing every hero need to do in such situations. I attacked the creature that turned up to be a hellhound. I fought it as l was taught. I was brave and if you saw me in that moment, you could definitely start drawing a masterpiece called "Brave girl pierces the hound's body".

Well, l wished it was so, but it wasn't what l did. Actually, l ran. Yes, very heroic. I ran in direction of the camp wishing that someone would help me there and that hound wouldn't attack me till then.

But my wishes weren't supposed to be true. In the next moment the hound jumped on me and l fell down on the ground. "Everything is over. I'll die now and won't fight against that golden hair man... Maybe it's the best way..." l thought "When will it bite and eat me? Will l die in one second or will this creature make me suffer?" I thought about the worst. But in the next second this hound licked me. It licked me! I looked at the hound's snout. The hound's eyes were like.... like it was smiling. The creature was breathing hard and its tongue hung the side of a huge mouth with large tusks.

"Mrs. O'leary, come here!" I heard someone saying and the hellhound ran away from me.

I stood up and cleaned my clothes from the earth. As l did it, l raised my head and saw a boy maybe 15 years old. He was tall and had shortcut black hair. He was in back clothes, that made his skin look whiter. The boy was very thin, but that made him look really handsome in that jeans, T-shirt and converses. What l noticed were a silver skull ring on his ghostly white figures and a Stygian Iron sword that added the image of a bad cool guy. As he went toward me l saw his eyes. They were black like the depth of the hell. He surely looked scary, but l only found him being really sad about something.

"You weren't supposed to run." He said. His voice was strong and really cold. "She thought you're playing with her."
"That's why she was growling?" I raised my eyebrow and crossed my hands on my chest.
"Hm..." He looked at Mrs. O'leary and then back at me. "I don't remember you. You're new here, right?"
"Yes." I said wandering what he'd say next. This guy was like a secret, closed for everyone and l wanted to know him better.
"Aren't the new demigods told that it isn't okay to go to the forest alone?" He said looking at me.
"Are you kidding me? Do l look like a little girl who doesn't know anything?" This guy made me angry. He thinks that l'm a stupid blonde Barbie girl!
"Well, you're new here and l'm just asking..." He said and walked passed me to the camp.
"This is it? That's how you greet people?" I asked, but that guy didn't answered me. He definitely made me angry and made me want to know who he was. But, firstly, l needed to finish my morning run.

After the running, that continued till 8, l took a shower and went to the pavilion where everybody was. I sat to my table and ordered fresh fruit salad, a cup of tea and some cookies.

"Good morning, Stef" Jason decided to start a conversation.
"A good morning does not happen, it is a good breakfast helps to" l said sadly. I looked around, but didn't see that morning boy.
"Whom are you looking? I'm here!" Percy sat near me smiling. I couldn't help myself from smiling back. "You see, Jason, I'm making her happy! She even can't live without me - suffers, looks around for me, speaks sadly. Don't worry, Steffie, l'm here!" He hugged me.
"Did he just...?" I looked at Jason. "Did you just..." l turned and looked in the oceans which sparkled playfully with various shades of blue and green in the light. "…call me Steffie?"
"Yeah, why not?" Percy smiled and drank blue Coca-Cola.
"Just asking" l shrugged sending another cookie to my mouth. "By the way, l just saw a guy. He was, l don't know, maybe 15-year old. He wore black and a black hellhound named Mrs. O'leary was with him. Who was that guy?"
"It's Nico, the son of Hades." Percy said looking down on the table. His oceans froze, covered with a crust of ice that conceals some pain, disappointment and sadness.
"So, what do you think about him?" The lightning flashed in Jason's blue light heavens.
"Well... He is a guy l've never met. I mean he's so strange... He wears black, has pale, ghostly skin... You know he looks like a bad guy who is just too cool for everybody, that isn't going to tell anything about himself! He didn't even greet me! And said like l'm a stupid blodie! Ughr! But... His eyes looked really sad... What have happened to him?"
"It's a long story..." Percy said getting up from the table and going to sacrifice some food to the gods.
"So, you're not going to tell me, are you?" I said walking beside him and Jason.
"No, l AM going, but maybe tonight, before sleep..." Percy said throwing his food and closing his eyes. After he'd talked to his father, it was my turn and then Jason's.

After breakfast Percy and l went rock climbing, then we shot arrows and finally did fencing. Only in one of these activities l'm better than Percy and it's shooting. I'm using my power of air to lead the arrow to the aim and always shoot in 10.

After training we went to the seashore where we laid on the sand. It would be hot if there wasn`t cool breeze and spray from the sea. We were lying and looking at the sky. It was so bright and so blue! Sometimes looking at the sky seems like it presses to you with its size, but this sky was so light, that I wanted to fly and to touch it with a hand.

"Stef, l met Nico when l was 14 and he was about 12 years old." Percy started. He told me that he would do it before sleep, but l didn't mind. "Annabeth, Thalia, the real Jason's sister, and l went to take some demigods from the school where Grover worked. We saved them from monsters, but lost Annabeth. We saved two demigods: Bianca and Nico di Angelo, a sister and a brother. Then we went on a quest to find Annabeth, we were told that only five could go and those five should be only girls..."
"Why?" I turned to Percy and opened my eyes.
"Well, because of Artemis' hunters who didn't want to have any deals with boys" Percy stopped and then continued. "So, four girls went including Bianca and Thalia and Grover..."
"Who is Grover?"
"He's my friend-satyr who is now somewhere helping the nature. So, l'm continuing. When they left, l felt like l should go with them, so, l went, too. Everything was okay in the beginning, but then..." His voice trembled. "Bianca died. But l promised Nico that would look after his older sister, but she died sacrificing herself to save us... When l met Nico after the quest, he was angry with me, he even used his powers, but then... then he left the camp. Starting with that moment he lives on his own traveling through the shadows. But not only the death of his sis made him who he is, but also Tartarus and other scary places where he was..."
"Oh..." That was all l could say. He was 12 when his sister died, because of a boy who promised him to protect her... Yeah... This guy definitely has not a best life... that broke him, that made him strong, that made him closed.

After this we haven't been talking for some minutes, we were just lying on sand. Both of us was in his own thoughts, when we heard Annabeth.

"Well... Yes, in a second. Oh, stop! Yes, of course. Oh..." She went towards and sat down beside us. "Hello, Stef. It's Charlie..." She gave the phone.

I held that phone and didn't know if l should answer, because he didn't believe me and didn't call me in a week. But he is the only one l have in a normal world and l need that chain that will keep me alive, in a good mood, that won't let me go insane. I looked up at Percy and Annabeth. They both were nodding that meant l should answer the phone. I gave up.

"Stef! Stef! Please, say something! Stef!" Charlie's voice was screaming in the phone. "Oh, God! What have l done?! Stef, ple...!"
"I'm here, Charlie. Please, stop screaming. I don't think everyone needs me deaf." I said calmly, but the whole storm was happening in my soul. I looked at Percy and Annabeth. They didn't like my answer.
"Stef! I'm so sorry! I haven't called you for nearly a week, but l was thinking about the whole situation and..." He made a pause. "You said that you needed me all the time... I...l was terrified... l wasn't ready for that... But l wanted to say... I wanted to say that... that..." He hesitated.
"Charlie, say it."
"Well... um... l need you, too..." He said and breathed out. I did that with him, closed my eyes and felt like thousands of tons fell from me, like now l'm free, like l'm happy. One tear made its way on my cheek and l grunted. "Stef, are you alright? I just think you're starting crying... Say something..."
"Yes, l am, everything is fine, great... I'm just so happy...!" I opened my eyes and smiled to this world.
"Me too! Oh, finally l've said what l felt for my whole life! Oh, god! I'm so happy! I have an idea!"
"Really? What is it?"
"Maybe you can come to our place tomorrow? That will be just fantastic!"
"Well, Charlie, l don't know, but l will let you know, okay?"
"Okay." I saw Percy and Annabeth making gestures that it was time for dinner "Charlie, l need to go... You know, some demigod stuff..." l smiled.
"Aha! Okay. I'm waiting here for your call!... um... So..." l can say for sure he ran his hand through his hair now. "Goodbye, my beauty queen."
"Bye, Charlie." I said softly putting in this words all my warmth and love.
"You've finally reconciled!" Annabeth smiled as she got up.
"Wow! That's cool!" Percy screamed. "Stef, you're just shinning! Well, can you tell me now about the amazing Charlie?"
"Now definitely no" l pushed him gently in the ribs and went with them to the pavilion.
"So, haven't you forgotten about today capturing?" Jason said as l sat on the chair.
"Nope, in what group are we?"
"Is it okay, if we are in Leo's?"
"Yes! That's great!" I had a little plan. "Who else is with us?"
"I don't know..."
“Jason, Charlie… I wanted to ask if it`s okay that l`ll leave the camp for one day?” I asked.
“Actually, l wanted to offer that one. I`ve already asked Chiron, but he said that someone should go with you…”
“Oh, that`s great!” l smiled. “Will you all come with me?”
“Hm…” Jason drank Coca-Cola. “I knew you would say that.” He laughed. Oh, gods! Can`t wait to spend all day with Charlie and my friends!

“Heroes!" Chiron announced when everyone finished eating. It turned out that there were cabins of Hephaestus, Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, Iris, Dionysus and Hestia in my team, and our opponents were daughters and sons of Ares, Athena, Hades, Aphrodite, Demeter, Nemezida and Hermes. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves and good luck!"

On Chiron's last words we entered the forest and took right where was our territory. As we were on some clearing in the woods, we started to think about our strategy. I volunteered to go to enemy's land. Percy decided to go with me. Jason, was decided, would go right after us holding a distance. Son of Apollo and a daughter of Hestia stayed and guarded the flag, others went to the offence spreading in the forest.

Percy and l went quietly stopping sometimes so that l could listen to the air. We have been walking for some time, but l heard nothing, like the whole forest was dead.

"I don't hear anything, Percy." I whispered.
"Something is going on..." He looked around and in the other second sat on the ground, so that nobody could see him. I did that, too. "Stef, look there" Percy pointed somewhere on the left. "There are people, do you see them?" He whispered right in my ear.
"Yeah..." l said. I saw 4 people, but l couldn't hear them.
"Now look right and you'll see red flag."
"I see it."
"So, l have a plan." Percy turned to me and watched me in the eyes. "I'll take those people with Jason and you have to run as fast as you can to the flag. Okay?"
"Yes, let's do it. But how will you say this to Jason?"
"We've already decided this." Percy smile crafty. "On three l'll run there and you'll wait till Jason comes. So... One... Two... Three!"

He ran on the group with his sword right above his head. I smiled. He was really brave and could save his friends by his death. In a second Jason appeared on a battlefield. I stayed for a second in the bushes and then ran.

And ran l as fast as l could. I overcome quite a long distance in a few seconds. I've never run so fast in my life! As l appeared on a clearing where was the flag l noticed some movement. The person came out from the shadows and l understood who it was.

"Hello, Stef!" Clarisse said walking towards. "You thought that you could easily take this? Nope. You'll take it only if you defeat me."
"Well, that was my plan" l said and ran towards. Yes, l wanted to win Clarisse, because last time she defeated me. Now l needed some kind of revenge.

Clarisse began to attack. Her movements were honed by thousands of workouts. She lunged, hoping to hurt me, but I jumped and hit her in the sword. She didn`t expect that, but came back to reality fast, starting again to attack. It seemed that the fight lasted an eternity, and I almost did not have the strength to reflect Clarisse`s powerful attacks, but I took care of ace in the hole. She also kept a stiff upper lip, but it was evident that she was too tired. Clarisse brought it out and hit me on, I made the block, and she stepped out of inertia a few steps back. At this point in my head flew thought with the speed of light "Now", and I gathered all my strength and struck her with the air. Clarisse could not stay on her feet and fell to the ground, and the sword flew somewhere.

"Are you going to give up?" I asked her moving towards and holding my sword in few inches from her neck.
"Okay" She breathed out.

Never thought Clarisse would so easily give up. But never the less l passed her and took the flag. I, the daughter of Zeus and a little beauty goddess, won. Hoooray!

"What l see?..." Chiron stepped out from the trees. “Our new girl defeated Clarisse! My congratulations, Stefania!”
“Thank you!” l smiled and raised Ares` flag.
“l knew that you would come here and would try to beat Clarisse” Annabeth said taking of her cap that makes her invisible. “My congratulations, Stef!”
“Thank you!” l smiled.
“You know what, Stef…” Percy appeared from the woods. “l hardly control myself from crying… My student defeated her first enemy! Oh… l`m so happy!” Percy theatrical wiped the tears.
“Oh. Come on, Pers!” I pushed him gently in the ribs.
“So, now, heroes, let`s go to the campfire!” Chiron said and we all went out from the forest.

I didn`t want to go there, l just went to the third cabin. There l messaged Charlie that l and a few of my friends would come to visit him and then l fell asleep.

Notes

So, here is the next chapter as l promised! Hope you'll like it... If there is smth u want to say about my story, just wrire below.