Daughter of the Sky, Son of the Earth

Chapter Twenty-two

Water

I left a little bit after Artemis did. Truthfully, I wished I didn't have to go. I still felt a bit sore and slow, but I knew it was what had to happen. It was time to get to where Zeus's daughter was. I could not help but wonder if she had been raised differently somehow. At least her orphanage was different than mine and Aileen's. It looked to be much wealthier from the image in the compass.

Shrugging, I thought to myself, I guess we're about to find out. 

I had a feeling she was nearer than I thought and that I would reach her today. Just like a lingering shadow seemed to follow that thought. For some reason, she was in danger and something was going to happen soon.

Taking my backpack and the food Artemis had packed for me, I walked out of the cabin. As soon as I closed the door after me, I was bewildered to see the cabin begin to disappear until it looked like nothing was there.

Hesitantly, I extended my hand forward, trying to find the door. But my arm touched nothing but air. Somehow, the cabin had managed to disappear. I was impressed, I could not say I had expected that.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled my backpack closer to me and felt my blade in my pocket. It was a couple of hours after noon, and I wanted to get wherever I had to go before sundown. I wanted this to be over with so that I could find Aileen and meet her halfway. I needed to speak to her. I needed to feel her close. She was my rock, after all.

I took out my compass and headed in the direction it pointed. The thick forest seemed to get thinner the further in that I walked. I tried to keep my steps as silent as possible, after my fight with the monster, I wasn't ready to face another yet. Especially not one as strong as the demonic bull. 

I lost track of how much time had passed as I kept on walking through the forest. Everything was quiet and peaceful. If I didn't know any better, I'd say there were no monsters living here by the calmness of the atmosphere.

Just as the sun began to shine on the horizon, signaling that dusk was almost upon us, I heard the sound of teenagers arguing and talking before a loud whistle stopped them. I walked forward towards the tree line to see what was happening but making sure no one saw me. 

In the shadows, I could see girls in cheerleading uniforms standing on a football field. They looked tired as they crowded around the coach who had a whistle in her mouth as she waited for the girls. 

"That was a good practice session and I think we should leave it here for today. I don't want you getting hurt like Kalani and whatever she has might be contagious so keep a lookout for any symptoms and if you begin to feel bad, don't come to our next practice session. Understood?" The coach asked as she looked around the group with a stern gaze.

Everyone nodded their heads and said, "yes coach."

"Good, now off you go to the showers. I'll go check on Kalani and tell you if I find anything from the doctors," the older woman responded as she grabbed her clipboard and began to head into the big building. The girls chattered amongst themselves as they drank from their water bottles and grabbed their belongings. 

I looked back at the big building and was surprised to see a huge mansion. The red brick made it stand out more in the last of the sunrays. The steps that led towards the front door were wide and made out of concrete but what caught my attention were the small, elaborate designs on the door. The house kept its traditional style and yet, it still managed to look modern and well maintained. I wondered how this orphanage came to be and how the girl I've been looking for managed to get here.

I sighed as I shook my head. All of this could have been easier if our parents had just sent us to the same orphanage. But no, they insisted it was for our protection to keep us apart, but I didn't believe that when I had almost gotten killed in the forest as I had been trying to find my way here.

Slowly, I pulled my backpack closer to me and stepped out of the trees. I probably looked like a mess with wrinkled clothes and dirt on my hair. I had showered back in Artemis's cabin and I had even changed clothes, but I had also been walking in the forest for hours.

Once I was visibly walking towards the building, I was surprised that the girls didn't seem to notice my presence as I walked towards the door. They were still so caught up in their chatting. Shrugging, I got to the door and I looked at both sides before opening it hesitantly and stepping into the building. 

My eyes instantly widened as I walked through and found myself standing in the middle of a hallway with dark wooden floors and cream-colored walls with vintage decorations on the walls. As I looked around, I found myself standing in between very-expensive-looking artifacts. Things you would find in a museum. It didn't make sense to have them in an orphanage but still, they were here.

The big chandelier on top of me lit up then, catching my attention and I gulped. What would an Elemental be doing here? 

I wasn't sure where I was supposed to go now that I was here. Much less did I know who to ask for if someone passed by wanting to know what I was doing. I didn't know the girl's name, and someone might take it the wrong way if I just showed them a picture of her. 

With a frown, I decided to follow my instincts and I walked to my right.

The hallway seemed to extend for miles, and it was obvious I didn't belong here by the way I kept looking at all the vintage artifacts in each room I passed. I was also surprised to see that everyone was wearing a uniform which I found odd. Why would you wear a uniform in your own orphanage? Was it to cut expenses? Somehow, I doubted it.

The teenagers that passed eyed me but didn't try to ask me what I was looking for. As soon as I reached the end of the hallway, I sighed and looked to my left as the corridor continued. I considered following it, but I knew I would get lost. 

How was I supposed to find a girl I didn't even know in this place? It was too big. Not to mention that it felt as if it were a maze. 

Sighing, I took out my water bottle to take a drink and just as I was putting it back into my backpack, the blade inside my pocket caught my attention. My blood went cold when I saw it glow faintly, signaling danger. 

I looked around but the hallway was empty. Whatever monster was in here, it wasn't far, but it also wasn't after me. I had a feeling it was here for another reason. 

I gulped as I took out my blade and slowly walked forward. I didn't have an actual plan in mind, I didn't even know what kind of monster I was facing, much less if it was alone. All I knew was that it was best to find it before it did any damage to anyone. 

My blade glowed brighter the further inside I walked. The hairs at the back of my neck rose as I looked around and took hesitant steps forward. Something was wrong. It was almost too quiet.

Suddenly, a girl's screams caught my attention. They sounded distant but as if she were in pain. Instantly, I stiffened and shook my head. The screams rang again a couple of moments later and I noticed the trees shake dangerously outside as a gust of wind flew by. That had to be a sign Zeus's daughter was in danger. 

Quickly, I picked up my pace and followed the muffled screams as my blade lit up much brighter. The girl was in danger, and she probably didn't know what was happening or how to defend herself. All I could think was, how had this girl managed to get caught before she went through her transformation? 

Shaking my head, I stopped in front of a closed room. The hallway was empty and outside, the trees were still swaying dangerously. I waited for a sign that I had reached the right room before I barreled inside and scared someone with my sword which was now extended in my grasp. 

A muffled groan was enough to confirm my suspicion and I reached for the door handle to open it, but it would not budge. It was locked. 

With a groan of frustration, I took a step back, and, using my foot, I kicked the door open before barging in. My eyes widened as I saw a scene that looked like something out of a horror movie.

In front of me, there was a young teenage boy sitting with a bloodied knife over a girl. His eyes looked hollow and filled with annoyance as he saw me come in. Quickly, he got to his feet and I could now see who was lying on the couch behind him. It was her. The same girl from the picture in my compass.

Her bloodied body made my face pale. I had gotten here just in time.

The monster sneered at me and before it could say something, a gust of wind broke in through the window and sent the monster flying across the room. His body hit the hard, stone wall with a loud thud and I looked at the girls lying on the couch. 

Her eyes were on me, but she didn't seem to be looking at me. Her hair was messy, and her uniform was ruined by the blood that had stained it. I began to walk towards her, to help her free herself when the monster in the room let out a loud cry of anger and charged at me with its knife.

Quickly, I raised my sword and blocked his attack. "You think you will win, boy? I have been around to fight much more skilled heroes. You won't get out of here alive and neither will the girl, I promise you," he said through gritted teeth before I pushed him back.

"You don't know anything about me," I said tightly as I pointed my sword towards him. The creature glared at me and smirked. 

"You are Poseidon's boy, aren't you? I can feel his blood course through you. You're powerful but not as powerful as me," he said as he charged at me. My eyes widened as I realized he moved with supernatural speed. One moment he was standing in front of me and the next I had to turn around quickly because he was about to hit me from the back.

The monster attacked me with much force, speed, and precision as I worked on dodging his attacks with my sword. It wasn't until he had me pinned against the wall that I thought, enough. 

My sword seemed to get the message as the blade began to consume itself in a white flame. The monster's eyes widened in surprise and I could see his confidence falter slightly. Nevertheless, it charged at me and I easily dodged his attack.

His small blade was turned into nothing as it touched the white flame.

The monster shrieked and shook its head in disbelief. The anger in his eyes was clouding his judgment and without hesitation, he ran towards me with his hands extended in from of him. 

I moved my sword through the air, and I watched as it perforated through his skin, leaving burn marks on his arms. The creature screamed out and looked at his arms in shock, giving me the entrance I needed to plunge my blade deep into his chest. 

The creature looked at me with wide eyes as a gasp escaped him. He slowly fell to his knees and shook his head in disbelief. "This is impossible," he muttered as I walked towards him and grabbing my blade with my hands.

"Like I said. You don't know anything about me," I muttered. Without hesitation, I pulled the blade out of the creature's chest, giving it the last blow, it needed to turn into ash on a pile on the floor.

Sweat was running down my forehead as I panted. I could not believe I had done that. It had happened so quickly. 

Slowly, I turned my attention to the girl that was now lying on the couch unconscious. I was quickly by her side, looking at her wounds. Some weren't very deep, but she had lost a lot of blood. She needed medical help. 

Shaking my head, I pulled out the last of the elixir Artemis had given me and poured it into the girl's mouth. She coughed slightly once the liquid had gone down her throat. But she didn't wake up. Anxiousness and fear coursed through me as I waited for something to happen. 

I could not let the girl die. She needed to live. She had to.