Announcements: Cutting Costs (2024) » January 2024 Copyfraud Attack » Finding Universes to Join (and making yours more visible!) » Guide To Universes On RPG » Member Shoutout Thread » Starter Locations & Prompts for Newcomers » RPG Chat — the official app » Frequently Asked Questions » Suggestions & Requests: THE MASTER THREAD »

Latest Discussions: Adapa Adapa's for adapa » To the Rich Men North of Richmond » Shake Senora » Good Morning RPG! » Ramblings of a Madman: American History Unkempt » Site Revitalization » Map Making Resources » Lost Poetry » Wishes » Ring of Invisibility » Seeking Roleplayer for Rumple/Mr. Gold from Once Upon a Time » Some political parody for these trying times » What dinosaur are you? » So, I have an Etsy » Train Poetry I » Joker » D&D Alignment Chart: How To Get A Theorem Named After You » Dungeon23 : Creative Challenge » Returning User - Is it dead? » Twelve Days of Christmas »

Players Wanted: Serious Anime Crossover Roleplay (semi-literate) » Looking for a long term partner! » JoJo or Mha roleplay » Seeking long-term rp partners for MxM » [MxF] Ruining Beauty / Beauty x Bastard » Minecraft Rp Help Wanted » CALL FOR WITNESSES: The Public v Zosimos » Social Immortal: A Vampire Only Soiree [The Multiverse] » XENOMORPH EDM TOUR Feat. Synthe Gridd: Get Your Tickets! » Aishna: Tower of Desire » Looking for fellow RPGers/Characters » looking for a RP partner (ABO/BL) » Looking for a long term roleplay partner » Explore the World of Boruto with Our Roleplaying Group on FB » More Jedi, Sith, and Imperials needed! » Role-player's Wanted » OSR Armchair Warrior looking for Kin » Friday the 13th Fun, Anyone? » Writers Wanted! » Long term partner to play an older male wanted »

0
followers
follow

Sloane Astor

The Prodigy

0 · 885 views · located in Camp Athens

a character in “Camp Athens: The Second Year”, as played by mjolnir

Description

Image
Image Image Image
xxxS L O A N E x A S T O R
xxxxxxxxxxxxx• x a n g u i s x • x s n a k e x • x \ ˈ s n ā k \ x •





"If you just accept the chaos... Things will be much easier."
- sloane astor




Imagexxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
Image
n i c k n a m e s x // x the mute , medusa

a g e x // xnineteen

g e n d e r x // xfemale

s e x u a l i t y x // xdemisexual

o r i g i n x // xmoscow, russia

s p e c i e s x // xdemigod

p a r e n t a g e x // xeris






Image
Image
ImageImagexxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx

D E C O R U S


h e i g h t x // x5' 4"

w e i g h t x // x115 lbs

h a i r x // xSloane keeps her hair its natural shade of brunette that borders on black. It goes down past her shoulders and is fairly straight unless treated.

e y e s x // xA soft brown, which hints of golden yellow throughout.

o d d i t i e s x // xThere is nothing odd or out of place about Sloane. No tattoos, no piercings beyond her ears or even scars. But, it can also be said that everything about her is odd. She is a unique one of a kind creature unlike any other young women her age. Sloane as has a fairly heavy Russian accent, to no surprise.

a p p e a r a n c e x // xIt’s been said that Sloane is very austere, plain, simple and overlooked. She has an unorthodox kind of beauty about her that is strange and almost alien. Her gaze is intense while her eyes are striking. Odd, or otherworldly fits her well but in that perplexity, there is beauty and strength. Her large doe eyes feel warm and out of place compared to coldness her body language gives off. She is small in size, often mistaken for someone younger or seen as weak, but carries herself in a way like an unstoppable force. Her posture is impeccable, and her walk is so poised and graceful, almost like she was raised in royalty. But, never in a way that gives off an air of narcissism or cockiness, just confidence and power. Her voice is soft, and almost sweet but also never taken lightly. She’s a powerful creature that comes in a small package, that is rarely underestimated due her presence and the way she carries herself.






Image
Image Image
Image
Image Image
Image
Image
Image
Imagexxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx

I N G E N I U M
xxxxxxxxxxxx• x a b i l i t y x • x \ ə - ˈ b i - l ə - t ē \ x •


c h a o s x m a n i p u l a t i o n x // x Sloane is very skilled at this. She can create, shape and manipulate the chaotic forces in the universe, allowing them to manipulate probability.

e m o t i o nx m a n i p u l a t i o n x // x Through chaos manipulation, she can manipulate the emotions of others bringing negative feelings to the surface and making them grow stronger. She cannot put false emotion in someone's mind, just warp and heightened an already present emotion.

i n v o k e x v i o l e n c e x // x With chaos there is rage, envy and violence. With heightening negative emotions, Sloane invoke others into severe anger or rage, and cause mass violence and discord.


m a n i p u l a t e x p r e c e i v e d x r e a l i t y x // x Sloane is proficient in warping the reality others perceive. It's not changing the world around them or altering reality, but simple manipulates the senses in a way that people think something else is happening. She can make people see things that aren't there, those who are hugging look like they're kissing and sometimes, with great focus, make someone feel they are somewhere entirely different.


F O R T I T U D O
xxxxxxxxxxxx• x s t r e n g t h x • x \ ˈ s t r e ŋ ( k ) t h \ x •


m e n t a l x c o m b a t x // x Through her superior skill and control over her abilities, Sloane can fight most battles with her mind. She rarely, if at all, has the need to wield a weapon.

u n r e a d a b l e x // x It takes a skilled person to know what is going on behind her facade. Sloane is very good at hiding her emotions. She doesn't allow her facial expressions to give away her thoughts or feelings, so it is difficult to know if she is being sincere, lying or anything else.

w r i t i n g x // x More often then not, whenever someone finds Sloane she is either reading or writing. For her, it is an escape. Through the use of dense metaphors, she is able to express her inner most feelings in ways most cannot interpret.



I N F I R M I T A T E
xxxxxxxxxxxx• x w e a k n e s s x • x \ ˈ w ē k - n ə s \ x •


c o m b a t x // x Sloane is small, weak and not very coordinated. If her survival came down to a physical fight, it's not likely she'd last thirty seconds.

t r u s t x // x Not many people have come into Sloane's life besides her brother and parents. And because of that, she has a difficulty opening up and trusting other people.

s o c i a l x s k i l l s x // x The whole concept of white lies to make someone feel better, sugar coating something or just being polite can sometimes be lost on Sloane. She is a brutally honest type person, which often makes her more of an outsider than trusted confidant. Things she says usually come off harsh, rude and sometimes offensive.



M E T U M
xxxxxxxxxxxx• x f e a r x • x \ ˈ f i r \ x •


b e c o m i n g x h e r x m o t h e r x // x Sloane has spent much of her life training under her mother, and the idea of becoming like Eris is terrifying.

l o n e l i n e s s x // x It has been Sloane and her brother against the world for so long. She loves her brother, but because of who they are it just pushes other people away and deep down she yearns to know companionship on any level.

l o s i n g x h e r s e l f x // x For as long as Sloane can remember she's been a shell of who she really is. She's slowly being molded into what her mother wants and in this she fears that she will lose her touch with humanity and her true self.





ImageImage
Image
Image
Image
Imagexxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx

P E R S O N A L I T A T E
xxxxxxxxxxxx• x quiet x • x strong x • x blunt x • x guarded x •


Although Sloane and Sylas are twins, they couldn’t more different in many ways. Sloane is the quieter of the two. She’s the type that would rather observe instead of taking place in most activities. An observer of the world, she is not the type to speak unless there is a reason to. Pointless conversation about how someone is doing, what their day was like or the weather are insignificant and waste her time. Every word she speaks is for a purpose, even if that purpose is to get someone to leave her alone. Some mistake her small stature and quietness as a sign of naivety, meekness or weakness, but anyone who believes that of her is strongly mistaken. But that is also how Sloane would prefer it. Being over looked, ignored and underestimated makes you that much more powerful. Nothing is more intimidating player laying all their cards on the table, showing their bluff knowing full well you didn’t stand a chance.

Stronger than she looks, Sloane is not someone to be messed with. Although it takes a lot more than the average degrading word to ruffle her feathers, once going past the point of no return, people tend to regret ever messing with her. Her strength goes beyond that in her abilities, and is by no means relevant to her powers, but her spirit. No matter how hard anyone tries, they cannot break her spirit, her fight or her sense of self. She has a confidence and air about her that portrays her in a much more intimidating light. Part of this strength comes from deeper inside where she is in a constant battle to hold tight to who she really is, while outward portraying the image her mother wishes. But even as a daughter of chaos, her strength power almost oozes from her pours like an aura around her.

Unlike her brother, Sloane finds no pleasure or reason in telling anything but the truth. No matter how painful, raw or hard to swallow it is. People quickly learn around her not to ask question that they don’t want the honest answer to. If they want someone to fluff their ego or say they were right when they were wrong, then Sloane is not the person they want to go to. This also does not mean she says ever vile truth that crosses her mind. On the contrary, she keeps most of it to herself unless she feels the need for it be vocalized… Or, she is asked. Some would see this as bitchiness, to an extent it’s her way of not bulking herself down with juggling lies or putting on false pretenses. But the main reason is to keep people at bay.

What no one really knows about Sloane as that deep inside her, she is fighting a constant battle. A battle between who she is the woman her mother is molding her into. Be it out of fear or respect, Sloane appeases her mother allowing her outward self to be deceptive and cunning. But unlike her mother and brother, she doesn’t particularly want to watch the world burn and everyone’s lives spiral into havoc. It is of her own opinion that most humans cause their own chaos. But because of this conflicted nature of hers, Sloane constantly holds up this façade, for herself, her mother and everyone else. Most believe this is her true self. No one has tried to see what’s beneath the harsh exterior… or no one cares.






ImageImagexxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx

H I S T O R I A R U M


What kind of man attracts a Goddess of discord and strife? The kind of man that festers like vines on the world, slowly letting his tendrils spread their way through the world around him. Everyone sees the beauty, the potential, blind… Until they are covered. Too deep to get out, stuck in their choices. That was Vladislav Astor. He grew up in a household of wealth, potential and promise. The world was his oyster and he knew it.

It wasn’t long into his adult life before he turned his attention towards the world of politics. What better way for the scum of the earth to rise to the top and even get support. Once at the top, he’d have so much power that he’d be untouchable. And it didn’t take him long get to a strong foot hold in the Russian government. He worked in the shadow of the great ruler before him, a powerful conservative who fought for people but with his own hidden agenda of communism and power.

As Vladislav grew more predominant in the Russian government, he caught the attention of a particular Goddess. As it’s usually said, everything else is history. It was safe to say that Vladislave was not ready when told Eris was pregnant with not only one… But two children. After all, what better chaos would there be than bringing children into the world for a man who wanted nothing to do with a family or kids.

To say Vladislav was a horrible father is putting it lightly. Sloane could count the times on one hand that she actually had a meal with her father. They were more for his political gain than anything else. He’d take them to press conferences, play the part of loving father over his children that tragically lost their mother. But absent in their home life… Or at least for Sloane.

”There’s no place in politics for a girl.” That’s what she was taught. Vladislav took Sylas everywhere with him, teaching him the in’s and out’s from a very young age. And when their father was tired of hearing Sloane beg to come too… He reached out to Eris. Sylas was to be the heir to the dynasty Vladislav was fighting so hard to create, while Sloane would be shipped off to her mother to become Eris’ own prodigy.

For years, Sloane was her mother’s shadow. Eris was never one for having demigod children… Or children at all for that matter. But the prospect of having a mini version of herself to cause havoc where ever she wasn’t, was enticing to her. So, she trained Sloane long and hard, helping her perfect all of the abilities she was gifted with. But even with her mother there was no love there. It was the relationship of a master and an apprentice, not of mother and daughter.

By the time Sloane was a young adult, her mother said she had learned all that she could be taught. A master of chaos manipulation and all that entails, Eris was ready to unleash her daughter on the world and feed from the strife she’d cause. It was at that time that Sloane’s parents decided to send Sylas and Sloane to Camp Athens. To the media it was for their own safety because the life of a political leader is never safe. But the twins both new it was to get them out of their parents’ hair.

For the first times in Sloane’s life she’s been left to be her own person alongside her brother, who was raised to be everything she isn’t. As if their family life wasn’t difficult enough already, they have to hurdle the battle that is their own relationship, and their interactions with those around them. And for Sloane that means truly learning how be part of society, which is something she’s had little to no exposure with. So, while most of the campers are excited at the idea of the camp… Sloane feels like a fish out of water, waiting for the last shoe to drop.





h e x c o d e x // x #c7b29b x // x f a c e c l a i m x // x anya taylor-joy x // x c r e a t o r x // x mjolnir x // x c s x // x mjolnir

So begins...

Sloane Astor's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Andromeda Bolton Character Portrait: Liam O'Connor Character Portrait: Heath Taylor
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.25 INK

#, as written by mombie
x
Image
Image
x
L I A M x O ' C O N N O R
o f x a r e s
#EB641D || Outfit || Location

Image
Liam watched in forced silence and invisible bondage; impossibly still from his restraints, the powers of the Gods ensuring that his rage did not overwhelm the others. He boiled. Not only would everyone blame him for what they are going through, but he couldn’t even control his own emotions. His fuse was ungodly short; a hair away from exploding or imploding, whichever came first.

Most of the Trials did not overly excite him, though some piqued his emotion which were prickling at his skin. When his half-sister was up, he wasn’t sure how to feel about it. They weren’t family-family, whatever that was. Yet something about it rose his blood, if it could have possibly risen to any higher temperature than it already was.

There it was - Ares children, displayed like beasts, killers, pit against their loved ones as if they had no right to that emotion. The collar of Ares was strapped tight to their throats; the leash just long enough to reach something good, only for them to be yanked back into their place. It wasn’t fair to either of them. By this time, words could no longer describe the way he felt. He didn’t like to see how defeated his half-sister looked; like some sort of undeserving animal under Ares’ thumb. If one thread of his restraints would unwind, he’d end up spiraling downward hard.

The last Trial before his was to come was Andy’s. He didn’t know her very well, either, nor did he know anything about the Ajax and Mason situation. Again - the gods sewed more doubt into relationships that might have been stable had they not been the children of shitty parents.

* * *


Liam did not just have skeletons in his closet; he had demons. If anyone looked into that abyss, they'd find that monster looking back at them. That monster was him, Liam. It was evident that he didn't want anyone to view his life, especially Sloane. If it had been any other day before he met her, then maybe he wouldn't care. It was his life. Yet, his life has become wrapped up in her life, and vice versa, which made this whole exposure so... nerve-wracking. That says a lot because Liam wasn't scared of shit. Not until the very moment that his name was called.

He looked up but remained in his seat; unable to speak or move at will, only to glare at the gods as they are so righteously seated with their judgemental eyes. It didn't matter, though. The powers that be, from the gods (whichever it might have been), forced his body up. That same feminine whisper played through his mind, urging him forward. He looked like an inmate being walked to his execution; solemn like it was his last day on Earth. His physical body struggled with the godly command cast upon him, but it wouldn't have done much more than amuse whoever's strings were attached to his limbs.

Before he stepped through the archway, he looked up at Sloane. If he could speak, he would probably apologize for what was about to play out. This was probably going to be the last time he could look her in the face, and maybe even the last that she'd want to look at him. Then, as if pushed by an invisible hand, the beast was shoved through the portal into his darkness.

Little to his knowledge, a little more godly magic would work into his trial. Where it might have done him better to have context into the scenery, a little background into the tragic moments of his life, it would be all but absent. Only the monster would be displayed to the crowd of onlookers. That was true punishment - to let them know that Liam was nothing more than a brutish thug with a nasty pension for assaulting "helpless" people.

The scene that began to unravel was a much younger Liam - a boy that was barely 17-years old but looked like a fully grown adult. Without context into why he had blown up in this way, his mother was crying. The high schooler had flown into a fit of rage, and his mother had her back against the wall, clutching onto his baby sister for dear life. The woman's pose was one of a battered person; her body turning slightly away from him in an attempt to show him her back. That way he wouldn't accidentally attack the infant.

The emotions are strong in this scene; a fit of raw anger that was uncontrolled and devoid of all sense. He wasn't even human. The worst part was that he wanted to stop. Liam loved his mother and sister so much, but his anger was all-consuming and did not discriminate against loved ones and foes. He paced back and forth, his fists covered in bruises and blood, his hands clawing at his face as if his biggest fight was against himself right now.

He grabbed one of the chairs at the kitchen island and threw it at the wall just shy of his mother; the wood splintering, his mom screaming out for him to stop. The infant cried, naturally, due to the stress and the noise. It didn't help that Liam's own emotions penetrated even the little one, causing her to also become unsettled. The entire tiny apartment they lived in was a nasty wreck; he had torn up everything and every person.

And to anyone that was an animal lover, he had killed his mom's annoying cat. Its body laid on the floor in the living room area, which wasn't hard to see through the open-floor design of the impoverished residence.

When that one melted away, more scenes would emerge like a reel of all of his crimes and shitty behaviors. It looked like he just did as he pleased. He treated women like his bitches, even coming close to non consensual physical contact. He did lines of coke, beat men nearly to death in the ring, and generally disregarded everything and everyone he loved or cared for.

In the end, when his memories spat him back out into reality, he was just left with a lot of shame. Most of all, a lot of anger. Yes, he was guilty of a lot of unpleasant things in his life. He wasn't a good man. He never claimed to be, and never wanted to be. He had no reason to be decent. What pissed him off was a lack of context - that everything painted him as some sort of monster without any reason.

This forced him to relive the nightmare and the emotional pain that was losing his father, and that immediately opened the floodgates for resentment.

He could speak, though, as the gods couldn't quite leash him up fast enough, "I'm going to kill someone,". The rage that filled him from sole to crown permeated through Pulvinus. It would affect everyone; especially those more sensitive to emotion. He was free, and his eyes were painted over with some kind of thick red cloud, and he tried to run for Heath like a bull. He didn't even know who he was about to attack; only that it was someone.

Sort of getting within arm's reach of Heath, Poseidon stepped in and grabbed the brute. Liam had clearly lost all common sense. His eyes were glazed over with anger, and they were nearly red in hue. His body had become harder, veinier, like he had hulked out - which would be nearly a correct interpretation.

The bonds were replaced immediately, and the God of the Seas made his intent with Liam clear, "Unfortunately, due to the danger that Liam presents, he will not be immediately returning to camp. We have a special place for animals like him."

With that, Liam was hauled away by several gods, and they dispelled the rage that once plagued the arena to be taken to Tartarus, as was promised.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evelyn Masters Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Mason Hughson Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Trinity Wallace Character Portrait: Liv Pfeiffer
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mjolnir
Image
x
xx
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x

P O S E I D O N
Image

god of the seax • x#006578



Image
Image

xxxxxPoseidon spent a majority of the trials in a stoic and speculative silence. He watched and waited. Not only did he observe the varying nightmares, fears and flashbacks laid out before him, but he also studied the crowd, their reactions and interactions. He wasn't as kind of a God as his brother pretended to be, but he wasn't an evil man. There was a lesson that needed to be learned and he took it upon himself to teach it. There was no room for softness with the demigods. They were placated far too long and that was at an end.

xxxxxMost of the demigods heeded his warning. A majority of the trials passed with little to no more outbursts and relative silence beyond the whispers amongst companions. While they behaved so did he. There was no need to instill more anger or fear into unless necessary, at least for the time being. And he didn't say a word for a long while until the trials hit a couple hitches towards the end. First, Andromeda Bolton didn't seem to come out of the illusion like the others. Under other circumstances he would have been content to let her dig at the dirt until she snapped out of it, but he had things to do and a realm he had been away from for too long. So instead, he had Hecate address her daughter so they could proceed.

xxxxxThen it was time for the final trial. Liam. Not necessarily the singular cause for Poseidon's arrival at the camp but a strong motivator. He kept his word and made the boy wait and watch as everyone else suffered through their illusions. And to no surprise, his trial only seemed to amplify the man's anger and rage. It painted him in a worse light, if possible. Then it ended, but the Gods could not regain their control fast enough.

xxxxx"I'm going to kill someone." Poseidon felt his rage and was on the move before the son of Ares charged. Him and the other Gods had the demigod restrained before he could do any harm.

xxxxx"Unfortunately, due to the danger that Liam presents, he will not be immediately returning to camp. We have a special place for animals like him." He motioned his hand towards Ares and Apollo who moved to either side of Liam, taking hold of his arms. "Liam O'Connor will be taken to Tartarus for a much needed attitude adjustment. He will return to camp once I believe he is no longer a danger to the rest of you."

xxxxxWith a nod of his head, the Gods that had joined Poseidon disappeared, taking Liam along with them. Poseidon remained behind to address the rest of them one final time. "I hope this was a lesson to you all. While fights are inevitable, murder is not. The death of Jennova Ambers and the near deaths of Sylas Astor and Andromeda Bolton will not stand. Tomorrow I will be sending my son to join you. With his arrival you shall recommence training. He will be my eyes and ears at camp. So know that just because I may not see it, doesn't mean I will not hear about it."

xxxxxPoseidon took one final look at all of the campers, even meeting their gaze if they managed to look up towards him. "Don't make me come back here again. I promise, I will not be so forgiving." He ran his hand back through his hair before slamming his trident down on the ground. "You're dismissed." With that, he disappeared leaving the demigods in the arena with one another in silence, absent the Gods.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evelyn Masters Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Mason Hughson Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Trinity Wallace Character Portrait: Liv Pfeiffer
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mjolnir
x
x
Image

wesley preston
aphroditex|xoutfitx|x#667c0c

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Wes didn't watch the other trials that followed his. He didn't care. He sat with his elbows on his knees, staring at his bionic arm. His trial kept replaying in his head over and over. How worthless he was. How he did nothing but get in the way. And looking down at that mechanical appendage only seemed to reaffirm that. He wanted to rip it off, to remove that stigma from him. He wasn't a warrior like everyone else and while Trinity kept begging for him to learn and use his abilities, he always disappointed.

He was stuck on his own personal rollercoaster of self pity when he heard a voice that just twisted in his gut. "Hi... ummmm sorry I missed the memo on the camp meeting, but can someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?... Mother?"

"Nice of you to show up," he groaned under his breath. Wes was neutral on his feelings toward Theo. He knew the kid was one of Trinity's friends, that didn't bother him. What bothered him was the way he pined after her. Jealousy. He knew it was there and saw it before his eyes multiplied in the trial. But that didn't make it easier. Regardless of how he felt about the son of Artemis, Wes wasn't his biggest fan at the moment after seeing him kiss Trin in the illusion.

He knew it was dumb to hold such resentment and anger towards a guy who had no part in that vision, but Wes couldn't help it. It made him sad and angry seeing someone else kiss her. And then adding his tardiness and disregard for the severity at hand just about boiled his blood. He almost chuckled seeing Theo with his hand near his bow. What did he plan to do with that? Insult the Gods? Wes imagined they were already insulted at his indifference and lack of punctuality. He hoped that Theo would get a scolding from his mother or Poseidon, but no such luck.

"Fighting? I've only been gone a day and a half..." It's funny what you can miss when you're not around. Wes shook his head as his lips pulled into a tight, annoyed smile. His gaze fell to his hands that were clenched so tight his knuckles were white. Perhaps it was the trials and stress of the whole situation, or maybe Liam's rage was getting to him, but it seemed everything Theo did struck a nerve. "I assume since I'm here, you have a trial prepared for me as well. Let's get on with it, I guess." Damn straight. If he had to go through that bullshit, then so did the tardy wolf. Even Wes wouldn't have been able to bite his tongue if Theo got away without having to enter that illusion.

Wes's gaze was fixed on Theo from the corner of his eye as he took a seat behind Trinity. His jaw clenched as he watched him lean forward to speak with her. Wes was too far away to make out what they were talking about and, perhaps, part of him didn't want to know. He had to fight every urge not to just stand up and walk out of the arena. It felt insulting. Had Theo not just seen his damn trial? Yet he still had the audacity to sit right behind her. Wes wasn't an angry man, but at the moment, his patience was running dangerously thin.

Luckily, the trials proceeded, offering a small distraction from his racing mind. Mason's own torment didn't move Wes in one way or the other. He knew the son of Hades didn't like him much for the simple fact that he was friends with Alex, but no relationships at camp came conflict free. He had no problem with Mason and sympathized for him, but that was all he had to offer. Regardless, it was sad to see his life taken so violently but Alex. Was that what happened with Jennova? With that thought, he couldn't help but wonder why the hell Alex and Ajax weren't also here to partake. They were just as much a problem with all this drama as everyone else was. No matter who their parent was, it wasn't fair to the rest of them to suffer while they got away scot-free.

"Trinity Wallace." Wes instantly looked up and found the back of her head. Even being conflicted about many things after his trial, he couldn't keep himself from wishing to keep her from that archway. It hurt him in more ways than he could count seeing what he did in that illusion, but if going in it again could keep Trinity from having to experience that... he would. Gods the romantic in him was going to get him killed one day.

At first it was an arena, full of blood sport. People were shouting Ares's name while Trinity stood in the center covered in blood. Nothing seemed inherently terrible for the time being. She was in her element, doing what she did best. Her father promised her another pairing to fight for her. And while Wes didn't know what he was going to see stepping out into the arena, he wasn't expecting himself and Theo. It was like a damn merry-go-round, and every time the son of Artemis was there.

The pair began to fight, holding nothing back. The illusion version of Wes fought far better than he's ever been capable of. He was far more enraged than he thought he was capable of as well. Trinity had no choice but to get involved to try and stop the fighting, but all it did was turn their anger on her. It wasn't long before she incapacitated Theo, which left his own evil doppelgänger. And if he thought her taking down Theo was fast, taking down himself was even quicker. In the blink of an eye, Trin had a blade through his chest.

The vision of seeing himself dead didn't rattle Wes, it was Trinity's reaction. He had seen her angry and passionate, but never so desperate and sad. Had he ever even seen her cry? He hated it. He hated seeing her like that regardless of the pain he still felt after his own trial. He watched in desperation hoping that his twin would push through. "I love you. I love you so much."

Wes leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as his hands cupped over his mouth. His chest tightened and he felt like he couldn't breath. She said it. It wasn't to him, per se, and during a high anxiety situation for her, but she said it. As if Wes's emotions weren't conflicted enough, he found himself so unbelievably happy hearing Trinity finally say it. But he also felt guilty for finding happiness in a traumatizing experience for her. And no matter how happy those three words made him, his own trial still weighed heavily at the back of his mind. All the self-doubt and weakness. What the hell was he supposed to do with all these emotions fighting for dominance inside of him?

His gaze followed her as she returned to her seat, but she Trinity never once looked toward him. Part of him wanted to move up to sit beside her, part of him didn't. And before either side could win the argument another demigod was called forward, leaving Wes where he sat. Iliana's trial seemed far longer than all the others. And while everyone else seemed to face terrifying futures, hers appeared to be flash backs. They were dark and grim, with far too much trauma for one person's life. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes he might not have believe it.

Then it was Theo... again. Although this time he had to suffer his own trial. Wes didn't wish this on anyone, but a small petty part of him was happy he wasn't given special treatment. It was strange how similar Theo's trial started out in comparison to his own. Another strangely familiar battle at camp with the demigods all preparing for war. But this time everyone looked to Theo for guidance and he had nothing. No plan, no strategy, just a half baked pep talk before everyone began to run into their inevitable deaths.

Yet again, Wes appeared in a trial. He watched as Trinity ran to his aid when he was enveloped in monsters. She fought hard to help him, but it seemed with everyone monster she killed two more took their place. "Wes, Wes, wake up! Come on! Don't do this! You have got to wake up. I need you Wes, come on! Wake up!" Another shot to the heart. Jesus, Wes couldn't handle much more of this. He looked away, unable to watch Trinity die before his eyes, even if it was an illusion. This had to nearly be the end, didn't it? Gods know he was at his wit's end.

Thankfully, at that point, there only seemed to be two left. Andy's trial forced her to choose between the two men she was often stuck between at camp. Then, as if to make matters worse, once she made her choice, Hades made one last cruel joke and killed the one she wanted to save. Even though they weren't close, her heart break was palpable and was hard to watch. Liam's, similar to Iliana's, seemed to highlight memories rather than potential futures. None of it painted the son of Ares in a good light. It only seemed to make him appear more daunting and reckless. And, as if his trials weren't enough, he lunged at the closest demigod, quickly getting his own one way ticket to Tartarus for the foreseeable future.

Wes sighed out of relief when no more names were called. Thank the Gods. Then they were finally dismissed. And while many of them would inevitably leave, not wanting to be stuck in that arena, or around one another any longer, Wes found himself glued to his seat. If it was just after his own trial, he would have left without a second thought and locked himself in his cabin until who knows when. But instead, he found himself seated in the stands, unmoving... Frozen. He didn't know what to do. Did he go back to his cabin? Did he grab Trinity and kiss her? Did he confront Theo? No. He just sat there, silent and unchanging like a statue, staring where the archway once stood.




x
x
Image

sloane astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#c7b29b

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Sylas trial was far from surprising, although Sloane doubted any of the campers understood its meaning quite like she did. She had known that truth for far too long. So, watching it unfold before her eyes was nothing new. He would do anything to gain their mother's favor, but no matter what he did and how hard he tried he would never be her. In Eris's eyes Sloane was the prodigy. She had the natural gift and her powers were superior to her brother's. But he had the drive. It was funny how life had to twist things around like that.

Sloane didn't want to be the prodigy or to follow in her mother's footsteps. She's good at what she does, but she doesn't like the chaos it causes. She is not a creature of chaos like her mother and brother. If she could forfeit her powers over to her brother in exchange for him leaving her alone she would, in a heartbeat. She doesn't want them or anything to do with them, yet here she was, burdened. And that only seemed to make Sylas more angry toward her, that she has such gifts and no desire to use them.

Perhaps there was a small sliver of satisfaction seeing a likeness of herself end his life. But there also was another part of Sloane that didn't want to see him die. It was a strange balance. He was a piece of shit to her. That was true without a doubt. But, he is also her brother, whom she cared about and loved, even if that was a complicated sort of love. She loved him out of obligation because he was her brother, but she didn't like him. She would like him more if they existed far from one another and he didn't take out his many frustrations on her. Unfortunately, that was not the life she was given.

Surprisingly, someone moved to take a seat beside her. Beyond Liam and the few people he blathered to about her situation, no one particularly knew her or went out of their way to talk to her. Not that Sloane minded. So when she looked over and found none other than Evelyn seated beside her, she was a bit confused. She could recall seeing her brother flirt with her a time or two before, but that was it. Was she startled seeing some of the truth about him coming to light? Sloane didn't know. And she didn't ask. She was far too lost in her own head to try and dissect someone else's. So, she simply sat there in silence. She didn't ask any questions to break the silence and for the remainder of the trial she hardly passed the red head a glance.

For the following trials, Sloane paid little to no attention. She didn't know many of the campers beyond their name so the truths from their trials would be lost on her. She wasn't like her brother and had nothing to gain from learning the deep dark fears that plagued someone's mind. Honestly, she just felt bad for everyone. She'd hear their screams and sobs, and with every passing test it seemed to suck more of the life from the arena. A person would go into the archway and a zombie would come out. Rinse and repeat. It was degrading and depressing. And Sloane, much like everyone else, was just counting down the time until it ended. Gods did it need to end.

The last and final trial was Liams, just as Poseidon promised. Sloane was not sure how she felt about it. Part of her was still mad at him for pushing her and scared because of the blind rage she saw him unleash upon her brother. And yet another piece of her still cared and worried about what the illusion would do to him. He was already treading on thin ice with Poseidon. One more toe out of line and he'd be taken to Tartarus for who knows how long. He just needed to behave for a little bit longer. That was it. She wished she could will it so, but fate didn't seem to be on her side for many moons.

The scenes that played out were memories, or flashes of a past. It wasn't showing Liam what he was capable of or what he could cause, but devastation that he had already created with his two hands. His mother looked terrified. Her cat was dead on the floor. A lump grew in Sloane's throat and tears filled her eyes as she watched scene after scene play before her like some cautionary tale. What had she gotten herself into? She traded one monster for another. Was this to be her life forever? Traded from angry man to angry man? Her hand started to tremble but she quickly pinned it between her knees trying to hide it. But she couldn't hide the tear that rolled down her cheek. Sloane just sat in a stunned silence, watching. Watching the history of the beast unfold before her eyes.

When Liam came out of the illusion Sloane went pale when she heard him speak. "I'm going to kill someone. Before the Gods could restrain him, Liam was on the move, sprinting at the first person in sight.

Sloane didn't know what had come over her. Maybe it was subconscious, like a gut reaction. She jumped to her feet and shouted out, "Liam!" For someone so small, her voice came out loud and demanding. She sounded disappointed, shocked, but also assertive. Subtly, like carried on the winds of her words, passive persuasion crashed into Liam trying to get him to stop mere moments before Poseidon grabbed hold of him. Sloane didn't intend to use her powers and who knows if it would have been enough to stop him. She stood there, quiet, while her chest heaved from labored breaths. She remained still and waited for him to meet her gaze. She only held it for a moment with tears in her eyes, before she rushed out of the arena.

Poseidon didn't try to stop her and even if he had, Sloane wouldn't have heard it over the pounding of her heart that flooded her ears. She had had enough. Enough of being a spectacle for the Gods. Enough of the trials. Enough of Sylas's malevolence. And enough of getting herself involved with terrible men. She was tired of being the victim or a pawn. Like the flip of a switch Sloane took the reins of her life. She didn't steer it towards Sylas or towards Liam, but down a third path. Her own path.

Her feet quickly carried her across camp to the front door of Liam's cabin. And for a brief moment, she hesitated. Visions from her trial flashed with every blink of her eyes. Sloane took a few deep breaths trying to muster the courage to open the door and step through the threshold. But she remained frozen until she heard a feint bark from the other side. Rocco was just enough of a reminder that the trials weren't real. They weren't.

Sloane opened the door and was greeted by an overly excited puppy that jumped around several times before running down the steps to relieve himself. She left the door open for him to run back inside while she beelined for the corner of the cabin that contained her messy pile of belongings. Sloane knelt down on the ground and quickly began to shove all her clothes back into her bags. She had no idea what she would do, or where she would go. Nothing. She wouldn't return to the cabin she shared with her brother and she wouldn't stay there. She'd search the grounds for an empty cabin, or sleep in the mess hall for all she cared. But not there. Not in Liam's cabin.




x
x
Image

sylas astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#064c4b

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Sylas could feel the judgement and lingering gazes from the other campers. All of their trials were base at most, fears of losing loved ones, death or just phobias. While his own flipped the script for what was expected. He liked being an enigma to those around him and never showing his hand. And while his trial didn't reveal all, if anything, it was confusing to many of them aside from his sister, it painted him as a murdered. Regardless of how terrible of a person others might see him as, he has never been a murderer.

Not that Sylas overly cared about everyone else's opinions. It is what it is. But what did seem to sting, although he didn't show it, was Evelyn. The girl looked as if she'd seen a ghost. And as if on cue, she got up from her seat and proceeded to move beside Sloane. He might have looked like a statue, but he was fighting every urge not to bounce his leg anxiously or swallow the lump in his throat. It was fine. She was just a girl after all, right? Plenty more where those came from. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling. He didn't care about Liam's opinion of him, or Trinity's... But Evelyn was one of the few people at camp who took a genuine interest in him. He wasn't expecting the sting from her disapproval, but there it was.

He tried not to get too terribly lost in his thoughts and focus on the trials. Liv's gained enough of his interest. Given everything that had transpired over the past day, he nearly forgot about their hot, but fleeting, moment in the closet together the other night. Sylas couldn't help but notice some similarities, in particular, the disapproving tone of a parent never satisfied and the need to try and gain their approval. It was an exhausting wheel that never seemed to be broken. Yet, he saw it everywhere. It intrigued him, although he didn't show it. And no matter how hard he tried, his mind was still plagued with lesser thoughts.

None of the remaining trials seemed to hold his attention after Liv's. Sylas picked up bits and pieces of useful information, but for the most part was in and out. Ethan didn't want to lose his father. Typical. And he was scared being buried alive. Boring. Mason's showed a bit more but nothing Sylas couldn't piece together. Trinity's actually seemed almost good, for a moment. Then there was the typical death of a loved one, just a bit worse because it was at her own hands. Again, nothing world altering.

Iliana's played out like a lifetime movie of oversaturated trauma that was too much. If Sylas had sympathy, he lost it somewhere during the second act. Everyone has personal traumas, get over it or let it control your life. It made no difference to him. She was mousy and weak, and looked easier to manipulate that a piece of origami paper. A snap of his finger and he could break her. She was hardly worth his time or effort unless he was trying to get to her overly clingy and possessive brothers.

Theo showed up late. Sylas had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. One, he was stupid for somehow missing Poseidon's call in the first place. Even Sylas wasn't stupid enough to intentionally piss off the Gods. But second, if he managed to miss something important like this, where they are all get spanked by their proverbial parents for misbehaving, why in the fucking world would you announce your presence and subject yourself to the punishment. It's just masochistic. Regardless, his trial showed nothing of note beyond he has zero leader capabilities and had the hots for Trinity.

Andy's trial peaked his interest moderately, mostly for the presence of Hades who hadn't made an appearance in any of the other trials. None of it seemed particularly fascinating until, to his surprise, the daughter of Hecate chose to save Mason, rather than her white knight, perfect son of Zeus boyfriend. So, she also holds a torch for Mason. Again, not that surprising, but quite embarrassing to have that revelation broadcasted for all of camp to see. Sylas actually might have smiled a fraction, if only because it was payment for what happened during capture the flag.

Lastly was Liam, who unsurprisingly was a piece of shit before he came to camp. Once a raging violent lunatic, always a raging violent lunatic. Sylas found an extra level of enjoyment out of seeing him go off the handles. Now everyone at camp would see him for the psycho he was. And while that didn't absolve Sylas entirely, people saw his trial wether he liked it or not, Liam's didn't paint himself in a better light. Then, like a cherry on top of a sundae, the person it got to most was Sloane, disturbed from what she saw. She, no doubt, was hurrying back to his cabin to pack her things and leave. Predictable.

Once everyone was dismissed, Sylas slowly moved to his feet and exited the arena. He wasn't in a rush like some of the others and let those in a hurry pass by him without any fuss. If they happened to brush his shoulder he made sure to sprinkle them with the tiniest bit more of self doubt, insecurities and amplified negative emotions. After all, they just had their secrets bared to the world, they're going to be emotional.

He slid his hands into his pant pockets, walking slowly. While Sylas's trial still bothered him, he tried his best to think of anything but. Instead he replayed all the key factors from everyone else's illusions, committing them to memory. He made tabs on how he could get under each person's skin if he needed to... or wanted to, and also recalled the ones he was curious to know more about, like Evelyn and Liv. But one of the aforementioned women wanted nothing to do with him at the moment, so it could wait. Instead he slowly made his way to his cabin allowing himself time to think.




x
x
Image

andromeda bolton
hecatex|xoutfitx|x#990856

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
There was only one trial left, thank the Gods, but Andy paid no mind to it. You could have asked her two seconds after Liam's trial what happened and she wouldn't have been able to tell you a single thing. She knew something was going on, she could hear it, but didn't register it. She simply sat there and waited. It wasn't until Sloane shouted that Andy actually snapped out of it and looked up just in time to see Poseidon restrain Liam, mention that he would be taken to Tartarus for an unknown amount of time. Sloane, on the other hand, didn't stick around for the closing speech and showed herself out before they were dismissed. Andy thought about following but decided it'd be in her best interest to not piss off the Gods anymore.

Once Poseidon finally said, "You're dismissed," Andy was on her feet. She was one of the first people out of the arena, being sure not to make eye contact with anyone. She was embarrassed and mortified. For over a year she had said time and time again that she wouldn't be forced to choose between Ajax and Mason. It was the one thing she dreaded more than anything. She knew it was inevitable, but not like this. Not displayed like some soap opera for all of camp to see. It churned in her stomach. She didn't know if she was thankful or even more upset that Ajax wasn't there when it happened.

Her feet carried her while her mind raced. Andy trusted her autopilot to lead her back to her cabin while she remained trapped in her mind replaying the trial over and over and over. She knew it was an illusion. She saw Mason in the stands. Yet, her body kept threatening to go into shock and grief as if he actually died. She had to keep telling herself it wasn't real. She would have thought it would've been Hades or the Underworld that traumatized her the most, but it wasn't. Andy still hadn't gotten past her trauma from her last time there. But that practically faded away into nothing in comparison. Now that it was in her mind, she was terrified her trial would become a reality.

Before she knew it, her feet had carried her to the porch. Andy sighed as he lowered herself onto the step and buried her face in her hands. She sat there for several minutes letting it all out. She let herself cry as long as was needed before catching her breath. After composing herself and wiping away the tears she realized her feet didn't carry her where she thought. Andy could have sworn she walked back to her own cabin, but instead she was sitting on the steps leading to Mason's porch.

"Shit," she said under her breath. Part of her wanted to get up and leave before Mason had the chance to stumble upon her. But a bigger part of Andy needed to see him... Just make sure he was alive. She knew he was alive. He was alive. But no matter how many times she told herself it wasn't enough. She'd wait, just long enough to seem him and then leave. That's it. He didn't have to say anything and neither did she. Just... see him and everything would be fine.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Trinity Wallace Character Portrait: Liv Pfeiffer Character Portrait: Rae Meadows Character Portrait: Cherise Boyse
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mombie
x
Image
Image
x
L I V x P F E I F F E R
o f x p o s e i d o n
#00CCCC || Outfit || Location

Image
The daughter of Poseidon was none too happy about anything that transpired. As her gaze held the trials with scrutinizing interest, she had made note of several things. There were certainly many points of weakness to be exploited in the Camp. If the god of the Sea thought that he would be making the Demigods come out of this with some new way of thinking, then he'd be wrong. Already, as her attention slipped side-eye toward Sylas, it was as though she could feel the wheels turning in his brain. They'd only had a brief encounter, but they both had some screwy cogs in their machines, so to speak.

One by one, the Demigods went in and then came out in a myriad of unstable emotions. These trials had made none of them a better man or woman, but worse off than they had been before. Individuals, friends, lovers - the group as a whole - felt like a piece of glass with webbed cracks just waiting to shatter at even the tiniest amount of pressure. This was probably the worst thing that could have been done to a group of young adults already bursting at the seams as they come to grips with themselves and their godly other halves.

Liam's power, as it coursed through the arena only a half a heartbeat after he was free from his own trial, was nauseating. She felt all that rage at the pit of her stomach, and it churned and churned until she was just about to vomit. Just when that point came, his power was immediately sapped and he was restrained, relieving the others from continuous exposure to his beastly fury. Trinity, his half-sister, had nearly lept across the entire space in tandem with Sloane's desperate shouting.

As all was said and done, she watched as everyone began to trickle out of the arena. People were broken. Secrets were exposed, memories lay bare when they were supposed to be held in secret by their host, and relationships lay in tatters on the arena floor - obliterated quicker than they had started.

Liv's blood boiled at the thought that he brother would end up being here. Of course, Poseidon couldn't wait to rub his daddy's boy in her face. She had met Nick briefly, and they were very different Demigods despite the fact that they came from the same bloodline. He was known as the Earth Shaker; his abilities more in line with the aggressive side of Poseidon. Yet, after a promise fulfilled - Liam going to Tartarus - Liv didn't feel it was her place to protest right now.

As she sat there in an arena devoid of gods and sprinkled with a light helping of a few leftover Demigods, she wondered what it would mean for her with the presence of her brother. Would people like him more? Was he better trained? Was she going to live under his shadow as the little sister? That all made her gut knot.

She stood up after a while and walked down the row. In the process, Liv slipped past Wes and Theo, only to catch the tail end of their little heart-to-heart. If you ask her, it was probably one-sided. While she didn't know Wes all that well, as she was best friends with no one in Camp Athens, the relationship of Wes and Trinity - to outside observers such as herself - seemed to tread on thin ice. There was the Aphrodite charm that couldn't be reeled in coupled with that fierce Ares attitude. And if you hadn't heard by now, the Ares children have a problem with relationships.

"Read the room, man," she practically snarled as she slipped by. Wes didn't ask her to step in and help him out, and she certainly wasn't going to stick around, but she felt like it was only common sense not to rub salt in someone's obviously gaping wound. As quickly as her words slipped through the thicket of tension building up between Wes and Theo, she was disappearing just as fast.

Liv did what she does best; stomped down the path to her cabin, slammed the door shut, and fall flat on her bed. She screamed in her pillow, gripping it tightly until her pale knuckles were whitening. She did this whole dramatic thing where she kicked at the mattress and screamed some more; irritated by the notion that Nicholas was on his way.





x
Image
Image
x
C H E R I S E x B O Y S E
o f x a p o l l o
#fa8072 || Outfit || Location

Image
x
Image
x
Image
x
R A E x M E A D O W S
o f x a r t e m i s
#ff0064 || Outfit || Location

Image
None of this was real, and Rae knew that. If she took emotion out of it, which she often did, she could look at the situation with a coldly logical eye and see the trials for what they were - a really bad scare tactic. After she straightened herself in her seat, wiped and shrugged away the physical burdens of her emotions, she was able to fall into her typical calm, cool, and collected demeanor.

None of this was real. The memories were certainly not fake, but even memories were prone to the error of the human brain as the finer details get pruned more and more the deeper they are stored. As time passes by, even memories become inaccurate and unreliable. Many Demigods had faced 'what-if' scenarios devoid of evidence that such things would only happen. The only foundations those trials had to stand on were the weaknesses of human emotion and insecurity; the fear of treading unknown territory as people that deem themselves unlovable enter the foreign realm of being genuinely cared for.

She finally stood up, adjusted her top, and dug her hands into the pockets of her sweats. When she got to Cherise (who, by this time, had made her own way toward Daniel) she smiled, "A great end to this day would be to Netflix and chill." She offered this suggestion rather than bring up the trials because it made little sense to her to be worried about things that weren't even real or presently transpiring. On that same note, she's opening herself up to accepting that the three of them could get along together, and that she's not worried about the potential for a Cherise and Daniel romance.

"I think that actually sounds great," Cherise chimed, a sense of relief washing over her. There are many times when Rae's social awkwardness could really make a situation a thousand times worse, but in times like these, she's lowkey thankful that Rae was Rae - able to compartmentalize really well.

Rae gave the pair of them two thumbs up accompanied by her very best wide-lipped smile, "Sounds great. I will let the two of you converse about - well, whatever it is that is on your minds." She started to walk away, and when she got to the last row and she was well on her way out of their sights, she turned around, cupped her mouth like holding up a megaphone, and yelled up at them, "None of it was real!" With that, she waved at the two of them, pivoted on her sneakers, and dipped out.

Cherise was left with Daniel, if he hadn't decided that the trials were too much for him and he needed to get away, anyway. With a bright smile she looked down at him, hands on her hips and head tilted, "So, we didn't get a super slow day but you know, it's not half bad. Some things were seen that can probably not be unseen, but like Rae said - most of it isn't grounded in reality. We don't have to worry about these things."

She offered him a small hand, "You do know that I am not giving you much of a choice to come with me to Rae's place, right?" That amiable smile turned into a goofy little grin, "After all, if you're going to hang around me, you're going to have to deal with her at some point."

She nodded toward the exit and attempted to drag him along to Rae's cabin. If he was truly adamant about not tagging along, she'd leave him be. Otherwise, it's time to hang out with friends and enjoy whatever was left of the day.

Moments slipped by as Rae wandered slowly toward her cabin. The air felt thick with Demigods broken beyond what could possibly be repaired, and even worse - with whatever tomorrow was bringing that loomed over their current thoughts like some ominous shadow.

On the way to her place she walked past Sylas, and something about him just made her want to give him some space. It could have been the brutality of his trial or even Sloane's. In at least two trials, Sylas was the common denominator, and that was always a bad sign. Still, she gave him an easy smile because - let's face it, he was dangerously cute.

But no. Compose yourself, she thought, and by the time she looked over her shoulder, he had disappeared from her line of sight.

Then there was Trinity, and the scene would have been comical if the whole reason behind the Ares woman's steps weren't so profoundly fucked up. Rae didn't know whose cabin the blonde had disappeared into, but she decided to mind her own business. She didn't like to poke bears.

Soon enough she was at her cabin, and she decided to leave her door open for others to come join her. Unlike when she had Pete here, her place was actually cleaned and furnished decently. While awaiting the others, if there would be others, she got to making some snacks and bumping some awfully loud angry music from a Spotify playlist called “Burn it all Down”. While she sliced, chopped, and stirred away, she shook it like it's hot in her kitchen - sometimes using a butter knife as a microphone for her less than stellar voice.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Rae Meadows Character Portrait: Cherise Boyse Character Portrait: Liam O'Connor Character Portrait: Daniel Vadas
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mjolnir
x
x
Image

sloane astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#c7b29b

Image
x
Image

rae meadows
artemisx|xoutfitx|x#FF0064

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Sloane was normally a composed and well-organized individual, but whatever part of her that was slipped away and was replaced with the trials. Over and over they played in her head. Every so often she blinked her eyes hard as if trying to wake up for a terrible nightmare or to erase the images from her head. She didn't fold her clothes but shoved them in the bag, wrinkles being the last thing on her mind. What had she gotten herself into? Where would she go? The questions plagued her mind, but no answers surfaced.

The sweet little puppy let out a soft whine before leaning against her bent knees. Sloane never understood how animals were so empathetic. Perhaps it was because her father never let her and Sylas have pets. Probably a good thing. She could only imagine the torment her brother would unleash on a sweet innocent animal. She sighed softly, letting her hand fall to Rocco's head, softly stroking his ears. She wanted to cry. Sloane could feel it welling up inside and constricting in her chest.

She took a deep breath trying to suppress... all of it. Sloane shoved the last bit of her clothes into the large duffle. It was so haphazardly packed, that sleeves and tights dangled out the opening. In a haze, she still tried to close the bag closed. Every few inches the zipper got caught on another piece of closing. She'd adjust. Try again. Adjust. Until she got fed up and let out a frustrated groan. Gods she was close to her breaking point. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach. Every frustration or sad expression from Rocco made her want to curl up into a ball on the ground and succumb to all of it. She wanted... someone but had no one. Her father was absent, mother demanding. Sylas was a monster and Liam didn't seem all that different at the moment. That was it. She had no one to blame but herself for being anti-social, but she never thought there would be a moment where she needed so desperately.

With a deep breath, Sloane pushed off the ground and moved to her feet. I can do this, she told herself. She reached down and grabbed the bag. It was nearly as big as she was and seemed to all but swallow her up when she hung it on her shoulder. "It's ok, Rocco," she said as she scooped up the pup into her shaky arms. "I'll figure this out." She nodded her head, more to herself, in reassurance. All the while the dog didn't have a single clue. He was happy to be held and go on an adventure. His tail wagged and whenever his face was close enough to Sloane's he gave her a big wet lick on the cheek.

Sloane wrote a quick note and left it on the counter for Liam. I took Rocco with me so he wasn't alone. I'll return him when you're back. She didn't sign her name nor muddy up the message with the tornado that was her own emotions. With nothing else holding her back, she slowly stepped out of the cabin, closing the door behind her.

Every step felt like she was trudging deeper into quicksand. She had no direction and no plan. Were there even empty cabins at camp? How in the hell would she know if she found one? All questions that she didn't bother herself with until she actually began searching. There was Trinity, but they talk all of twice? And while the girl would have most likely helped her, she wasn't the warmest... Which was only backed up when she saw the angry blonde storm across camp on a mission. So, that was a no. The only other idea that came to mind was Wes. He seemed nice enough. But she could only imagine the wrath she would incur from Trinity if she stayed with him. Another no.

There weren't many options. Sloane stopped in her tracks for a moment to adjust the bag on her shoulder. "The main hall wouldn't be so bad, right?" she asked softly, looking down at Rocco. The pup's ears perked up as the faint sound of music caught his attention. Before she could register what it was, her feet were already carrying her in that direction.

Slowly, she approached a cabin with loud, angry music blasting and the front door wide open. Sloane's brows furrowed slightly as she looked around for anyone who might have answered. But there was no one. Then briefly, through a window, she saw a tuft of red hair bobbing and dancing around the kitchen. Rae. She barely knew that girl either, not enough to impose. Yet, her feet carried her up the porch. Her body and mind were at war. Sloane wasn't the type of person to ask anyone for help, let alone someone she spoke to once. But her leg autonomously led her forward.

She slowly ascended the stairs and came to a halt in the entranceway. With her free hand, Sloane knocked on the door. But the sound fell on deaf ears, disappearing under the sound of the loud music. She didn't like entering people's homes uninvited but somehow found the strength to take a step through the threshold. She crossed the cabin until she finally stopped at the edge of the kitchen. Sloane was fine, strong until Rae turned and met her gaze. Then it was like one of those moments when you could be strong until someone asked you what was wrong and then it all came bubbling out. The tears built in her eyes, threatening to overflow as she spoke. "...I had nowhere else to go." Her eyes practically begged. Sloane looked and sounded desperate.

Sure, Rae seemed to have the outward emotional appearance of a slab of cold stone, but she could certainly pick up on someone else's. That's why, when she looked up mid note with the butterknife-mic near her lips, she didn't bother asking if something was wrong. While Rae considered herself quite the genius, it didn't take one to know what was going through the other woman's head.

She pressed pause on the music and gave Sloane a bright and welcoming smile, "Mi casa es su casa," she chimed in a bold and familiar Rae fashion. The phrase rolled easily off her tongue, and she made a gesture with her hand, still holding the butterknife, to the small hallway. "Fortunately for you, this cabin seems to have been made for dos amigas. Why don't you go settle your things down, make yourself comfortable, wash your pretty face, and I'll have some snacks for us?" She paused briefly, tapping the butterknife to her chin lightly, "Or maybe some ice cream. I have a tub of mint chocolate chip that is bound to cheer even the saddest person in the world up."

Sloane hadn't realized she was holding her breath but finally exhaled when Rae said she could stay. To be honest, she had no clue what she would have done if the daughter of Artemis turned her down. She was thankful she didn't have to think about it. With a soft sigh, Sloane started toward the hall but stopped a few feet short of disappearing from view. "Is he ok too?" she asked, slightly lifting the pup in her arms. Rocco wagged his tail happily before yawning. "He's Liam's... I couldn't leave him there alone while he was... gone." Her voice trailed off slightly.

Rae looked down at the dog, and she could feel that it was one happy pup. If she had a heart, she might have felt more sorry like other people. Alas, she felt like the canine was lucky - lucky that it didn't know what was going on and that he had someone else to take care of him. Someone that Rae could tell took decent care of him. After all, she didn't need to bring Rocco with her. He wasn't Sloane's responsibility, but he's lucky to have her in Liam's place. "How'd you know I was more of an animal person? They are tons better than people." She gave Sloane a wink, a smile, and a light bout of laughter at that.

Rae was proud that she was able to not touch on the very obvious subject at hand right away. She didn't know anything about the Sloane, Sylas, and Liam triangle. Nothing. She knew that Sloane had followed Liam house to house just yesterday morning and that there must be some kind of connection, but other than what had been shown at the Trials, Rae hadn't a real clue. It was plausible to assume that there was a deep emotional connection to the brutish man, but love and romance were hardly something that she could fully comprehend. Especially if it's one of those love at first sight things, which could also be possible!

There was nothing that Rae could do about Liam or Sylas, but she could take the two men off of Sloane's mind for a little while. Speaking of the brunette, she shouted from the kitchen, "Oh! We may have other guests over! Possibly Cherise and Daniel. Who knows? I gave the invite at least."

Sloane found her way to the vacant room. She let out a defeated sigh as she dropped her bag onto the ground beside the bed. "This is ok, right?" she said softly, looking down at Rocco. The pup barked happily as he jumped from her arms down onto the pillows and began to explore the room. The day had been exhausting. She was just happy to be somewhere she felt... safe. No, she didn't know Rae well, if at all. But so far, she had been the only person who seemed to be genuinely nice to her without an ulterior motive. It was nice.

She dug through her messy bag, searching for a change of clothes. Sloane decided to take Rae's advice and get comfortable. She didn't really know Daniel or Cherise, but she was beyond trying to impress people for the day. She opted for a comfy pair of pajamas. Once she was changed, she went to the bathroom to clean up. It took her a few minutes to build up the courage to look in the mirror. Seeing her reflection staring back at her only seemed to make the weight of the whole situation sink in. She wanted to cry but she quickly washed her face and took some deep breaths. No. No more tears.

Once she managed to compose herself, Sloane headed back down the hall towards the kitchen. Rocco excitedly ran past her and started to spring around the cabin, sniffing everything and eating any food Rae dropped on the floor. He occasionally ducked in and out of the opened front door, but mostly danced around their feet. Sloane made her way to the opposite side of the counter and gave Rae a faint but genuine smile. "Is there anything I can help with?"

By this time Rae had a produced two spoons and a bucket of mint chocolate chip ice cream, "Actually, yes - you can help me finish this, and we can watch something raunchy like Game of Thrones before Cherise and Daniel come over. Seen it?" Without waiting for the other woman, she went to the living room, plopped herself down on the couch, popped open the ice cream lid, turned on the television, and dug in. Life was better when you had the ability to turn off your emotions.

"Only parts," Sloane replied. She hesitated for a moment, before following Rae over to the living room. She took a seat on the couch beside the red head, tucking her legs beneath her. She gave her best smile. It was still sad, but there were hints of relief in it as well. She wasn't a bite into the ice cream before Rocco scurried his way into her lap and curled into a ball. Several scopes in, Sloane broke the comfortable silence for just a moment. "Thank you." She didn't linger on it or wait for a response. She dug her spoon into the ice cream and brought it to her lips as she relaxed back into the couch.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Liam O'Connor
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mombie
x
Image
Image
x
L I A M x O ' C O N N O R
o f x a r e s
#EB641D || Outfit || Location

Image
It was hard to imagine that Tartarus, a place where the gods imprisoned their most powerful rivals, was someplace where a Demigod could reform himself. If you ask him, it was a bit too much a chastisement that he truly deserved. For gods' sake, the Titans are here. It rested even lower than the realm of Hades. It was even more horrible than the Underworld. If anyone should be in this place, it was Sylas. That man was a genuine monster and a clear threat to everyone, yet the only one facing punishment was Liam.

While it had only been half a day, part of his "punishment" included a warped perception of time. For Liam, it has been days, and those days slipped into weeks. Before he knew it months had crawled by with excruciating slowness. Since there were no signs of a day beginning or ending, they felt even more tedious than ever. In the bowels of Tartarus it was unrelentingly hot; the air so thick they felt like walls crushing him. Sweat rolled off of his body, and he had long since disregarded most of his wardrobe save for his boxers. He was also stripped of his Demigod powers, leaving him as nothing more than a condemned mortal.

Stretched before the son of Ares was a path. It was short and thin; comprised of inky stone with shiny smooth faces. At the other end of this path was the exit. Try as he might, no matter how hard he ran or fast, the path would become engulfed in flames. Liam's flesh peeled from the bone, smoke filled his lungs, and he nearly died the most harrowing and slowest of deaths with every second felt truly and deeply. Just shy of dying, he'd end up at the beginning of the path without even a singe on his body.

He just wanted to go home. Then again, he wondered if there was a home to go to. In between his attempts to run down the path, he had moments of clarity where that feeling of urgency dissipated and he was condemned to his thoughts. They never lasted long - maybe five minutes at the most. During one of them, he had flopped down onto his ass, drew his knees up to his chest, and leaned back against his arms that were stretched behind him. He laughed, thinking about what got him here. A woman. His mind drifted back to the moment they met, and all she had to do was talk to him just once. Just one time. How crazy was that?

The more he thought about that, the more he laughed at himself. From the second she touched him and he noticed her, it was like - she was all that existed. It was silly, he thought. How could a man like him become a lovestruck puppy? Not even a cute one, either. More like a lovestruck bull, maybe?

That thought melted away and his sense of needing to escape Tartarus swelled in his belly once again, and he took off only for the same tragic near-death experience to occur. This time he screamed out with frustration into the void that was Tartarus. He did that many times, actually.

Rinse and repeat, the thought process - these moments of clarity, were also part of his punishment. He just didn't know it. To condemn Liam only to being burned to death would just make him angrier than ever. He needed to be alone with his mind. Liam had never slowed down to think about his life. He never had moments like these. He lived on the edge; a quick and dangerous life that never slowed down enough to consider anything at all. Even at Camp Athens he just did things without thought.

Like with Sloane. She never asked him to do anything for her, he just did it. Like he was some kind of attack dog. Some kind of animal protecting its owner. Or was it that he thought she needed his help? He thought about some of the things she had said during their sparring session. Were they true? Had he done more harm than good?

No, no. Impossible. Sloane had to be forced out of that fucked up relationship with her brother. It was just unfortunate that it had to be him because he had gone about it in all the worst ways. There could have been better paths, but he chose the most violent and unforgivable one. He did do it for her. Right? Right. It wasn't his fault. At the very least, it wasn't all his fault. It was also Sylas'. That prick.

Gods, that snake made his anger boil over.

These were how his thoughts ran amok in between his attempts to escape this nightmarish pit. It was all back and forth - talking to himself, thinking out loud - wondering if he was the monster.

During one of his interims, he became genuinely upset out of nowhere. Tossed back at the beginning of the path, he fell to his knees and slammed his forehead into the ground. His stepfather could have helped him with things like this. Maybe even taught him how to be a better man so that being a monster wouldn't have been the last thought he left the people he loved with. His mom. His sister. Sloane. Maybe even his half-sister and probably the entire camp (not that he loved them). He lost his father at a time when a boy needed one the most.

He didn't remember mourning for him, only being bitter. He pulled his body up a bit, now on his knees with his palms clawing at the hot Tartarus ground. The man was in tears; caught up in an ugly bout of crying. He reached up and grabbed at the center of his chest, clutching the skin and sinew as if trying to dig his heart out from beneath it all. He wiped away tears with his other hand.

What had he done with his life? His father would be deeply ashamed of him. Why was the only father he had left so hands-off in helping to raise him? Why was he left on his own to fend for himself? Maybe if he hadn't scared his mother, gone to juvie for assault and battery, or continued down the same violence-laden path - he might have turned out differently. Maybe if he had a figure to show him how to live through all of this innate rage, he wouldn't be here right now.

How long has it been by the time he's on the ground mentally and emotionally broken? Months? He just wished he could die, really. That would be best. What kind of life could a man like him lead when he just left a trail of broken people in the wake of his bad decisions?

In the last moments of his time down in Tartarus, after he's gone through just about every emotion in the book, he was left with future thoughts. His dad wouldn't want him to live this way. Ares might, but he doesn't consider the god as anything more than a sperm donor. His stepfather, who he's always just called "dad", would have raised him differently. Liam knew what he wanted. He envisioned it. Call him crazy -but love, at first sight, is a real thing. Obviously, as he is living through it.

He wanted to be normal. He didn't want to be an animal constantly worrying that he had to be kept on a short leash. He wanted to be controlled and restrained, but not by others - by himself. He imagined that, if he could become the man that his father was, he could also live happily as he did. Wife. Kids. Rocco. They never had things like money, but what his family had while his dad was alive was happiness.

After so long of living like this, Liam realized that he wanted that, too. At the same time, he knew he'd never get it if he didn't learn that traveling along the same crazy road was going to always land him at the same nasty place. Alone.

* * *

Liam returned to Camp Athens sometime in the early morning in the same clothes that he wore yesterday. He was taken to the beach, and with his hands deep in his pockets, he walked along the path to the woods and eventually toward his own cabin. He noticed that it was empty, but that was to be expected. Even his dog was gone. He didn't stress because, somewhere deep down inside, he thinks that Sloane would have cared enough not to leave him alone. Rocco was with her somewhere.

He showered, changed, and then crashed face first onto his bed. His exhaustion hit him like a truck without warning.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Mason Hughson Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Rae Meadows Character Portrait: Cherise Boyse Character Portrait: Andromeda Bolton Character Portrait: Daniel Vadas
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

xxxxxxMason Hughson
Image
xxxxxxHadesx|xoutfitx|x#05105E
---------------------------------------------------

Trinity was up next and hers seemed to feature an exclusive utopia for the child of Ares. Then the shitstorm revealed itself when Theo and Wes stepped out and went for each other. Trinity was...all things considered pretty patient with them. But when she pinned Theo by impaling him, he knew she was done. Wes was next and met a grimmer fate and Trinity grieved.

Iliana was called. The little thing almost escaped his attention but the spotlight was on her now for them all to see. He doubted that what showed itself was a particular fear play by play but rather what she had been through. But none of it really moved him in one way or the other. Nor did Theo's...even when it had a cameo of him being overwhelmed by the enemy.

Then finally Andy was called. He felt sick. Sicker still to find a part of him interested to see what, of all the things she had been through, would be her worse torment. She appeared to be in the Underworld...of course...it's where she was tortured, it didn't exactly host the best memories. And in the Underworld, Hades resided naturally and menacingly. Seeing himself tied next to Ajax however while Andy had a chance to choose made Mason scowl. Whatever presented itself...whatever her dilemma...Mason hated being compared to the son of Zeus. Especially from Andy's point of view. He didn't want to watch but at the same time, that's all he could do. He sucked in a breath and prepared to face the truth along with others. Gods this would be humiliating.

What came of the results was something entirely different. Andy apologized to Ajax and pulled the lever and his body suddenly dropped. Andy leapt into action, and she struggled to keep him up, easing the strain before hacking the rope he was tied to. Mason didn't feel joy or pride, only guilt at how much she had changed to save him over Ajax. Mason side glanced at fellow demigods and how they'd read the situation, barely able to bring his eyes back on the scene. Yet he did, watching Andy dig at dirt and plea hopelessly.

When she came to, their eyes met. She was the first to look away and retreat towards the exit. Mason stared where his corpse had been. It was too surreal. Did she know what she was doing and really pick him over Ajax? He didn't have too much time to unpack it because Liam was called. Really what showed was nothing he didn't already know. Dude was a ball of raging testosterone and douchery only, Mason had really undersold it for the big guy.

Anyway, he didn't much care that Liam went for the hair model unbiasedly. He didn't much care or sympathize with anyone's trial beyond his own and whatever he saw in Andy's. He should have been glad or relieved at least witnessing Andy's but...he couldn't because...it made them both each other's weakness and meant...they cared a lot more than words could ever cover.

By then the arena was half empty. It was unlike Mason to be lost in thought. He supposed some congratulations was due to the gods. They had broken their own demi-beings.

He headed to his cabin and thankfully everyone had their own shit to deal with meaning he'd be left alone. He'd wager it was going to be a quiet and long remainder of the day. But that suited him. Everyone isolating in their own little area was like a dream. Although as he lifted his eyes he saw Andy sitting at his steps. He sighed out a little under his breath.

"Come on then." Mason unlocked the door and pushed it open before taking Andy’s arm and pulling her along with him. Nothing too forceful just a little guidance. Usually, one would offer the traumatized a blanket or nice warm drink but Mason was a minimalist and looking at her now he could only think what the hell he saw. "Did you...did you mean to pull that lever?" He wasn't rubbing salt on the wound, only getting his head straight about what he thought he saw. Mason fell and died anyway but Andy's choice was to save him.

Before he knew it, he pulled her into a hug for once. Whatever she chose, it had to be hell for her and she clearly cared for him. And Mason cared for her. Without Andy, Mason would probably bury himself in the Underworld and morph into a Hades junior. She really tethered him to his humanity. He turned his head towards hers and kissed her head unabashedly. "You can stay here as long as you want." And longer still, but he didn't say that. And deeper down, he wanted her to stay. For tonight at least.




Daniel Vadas
Hecate | HEX: #8b9068 | Outfit


ImageDaniel clucked his tongue. After that, absolute shitshow, that's all he could conjure. What a bunch of madness. Still, he smiled to Cherise before Rae joined them with some surprisingly wise words or a good recommendation at least. After some brief moments, Daniel opened his mouth to speak before the red head's words shouted down to them. "None of it was real!"

He knew. They knew that. But...there was a big but floating around that he didn't take great assurance in. Maybe because his was a little too close to home. Maybe because one of his greatest fears were shown to all of camp and kinda made him look mega shallow and would cause further misunderstanding than knowing him and a person's death should be...sacred? Somewhat private and not advertised. However, there was no denying Rae's logic. It was better to be in the present with a certain marvellous brunette standing over him laying down some future plans for the night. Definitely not asking.

Daniel smiled and took her hand and played puppy in love, following Cherise's lead. "I think I'm quickly learning what I signed up for," he confessed.

As they walked he was oddly happy. A misplaced mood given the recent happenings but he truly felt content to be walking hand in hand with the Daughter of Apollo. He'd squeeze and unsqueeze her hand, not because of anxiety or the sort, but simply because he could. And yeah they dawdled and he had nothing witty or charming or anything to say at all but, it wasn't an awkward silence. At least, he didn't feel it was. It just felt good to be out of that arena and oppressive atmosphere and see the world outside of hellish illusions again. "You know, I'm not sure why or how, but I expected it to be post-apocalyptic coming out of the arena. All burned up and full of debris. But it's good to see green again."

A boot through the open threshold and Daniel's nostrils were greeted by the scent of food. He didn't really expect Rae to be the hostiest hostess. Unless the girl had a mighty appetite and stress eating was a totally valid thing. The only sound of activity was the tv making Daniel turn to see two girls and one pooch on the couch with a tub of ice cream. Being concerned about Cherise's BFFL seemed lesser because honestly, what the hell did he say to Sloane? Glad to see your puppy isn't bleeding slaughtered? His gaze drifted back to Cherise to make the call and lead the charge. Whether they retreat and give the girls their time and space or shift the mood, join their binge watching, rule it as a girl's night, which he wouldn't take to heart. "Should I..." he gestured out the open door, speaking lowly. Honestly, he couldn't tell if the girls were awake or not, and even then, movie manners. "There will be plenty of opportunities for you to drag me over another day." It might have sounded a lot like an out, and usually Daniel was all about company and intruding. But girls needed to do their flock and hen things and stick together. Besides, Daniel knew when the ice cream was out things were getting real.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Rae Meadows
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mombie
x
x
Image

sloane astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#c7b29b

Image
x
Image

rae meadows
artemisx|xoutfitx|x#FF0064

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xSloane was happy in the silence as the two girls shared the ice cream and watched TV. To say she had no idea what was going on in the show was an understatement, but the distraction of trying to figure it out more than sufficed. She was able to sink back into the couch and let her mind wander to anything but what happened over the past day. Rae pretty much did the same, only she was more content to sit back and watch the show without any reservation about whatever transpired today.

Sloane didn’t know what time it was. She expected their ice cream binge to be interrupted by Cherise and Daniel as Rae mentioned, but it never seemed to happen. Instead, it grew dark outside and hours ticked by with the passing of new episodes. Before she knew it her eyes grew heavy as an empty carton of ice cream sat between them. She was yawning more than she wasn’t and Rocco had already nestled himself into her lap for the long haul… or at least until she woke him up to head to bed.

With a stretch, Sloane yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I don’t think I can keep my eyes open much longer." She slowly scooped the pup up into her arms, somehow managing to not wake him up. "Thank you, again. I uh… This just means a lot." She gave Rae a small smile before wandering her way down the hall to the room she was given.

"Oh! Right, it is pretty late," she laughed, surprised by the time. She gave Sloane a wave as she slipped away into her own room, but Rae, herself, needed to get her cabin together. She closed the front door, cleaned the kitchen, and then headed to bed.

A soft sigh escaped Sloane’s lips as she looked around at the foreign walls of another room. Since her time at camp, she has bounced between three different cabins. She felt out of place, like for some reason she just didn’t quite belong anywhere at camp. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do, maybe get her own cabin at some point, although she wondered what Sylas might do once he knew she was on her own. A struggle for another day. Before she could worry herself with overthinking, Sloane climbed into bed with Rocco and quickly drifted off.

* * *


When Rae woke she decided that maybe Sloane could use some breakfast at the cabin instead of forcing herself out to the chow hall. The redhead didn’t have much in the fridge, but she could whip up something. She looked like shit - having forgotten to take off her makeup, foregone a morning shower, and ate way too much ice cream for her own good. The music she put on was very light unlike last night; a sort of tribal like tune that gave her peace of mind when her body felt like it was hit with a dump truck - rather treated like one the night before.

Sloane slept... Some. Not Much. It was a restless night of tossing and turning. Rocco comforted her... Or best he could for being a dog that didn't really know much of what's been going on. When the sun started to pour in through the window, she figured that was as good of a time as any to get up. It wasn't like the pup was going to let her get much more, whining and barking at the door. The second she opened it, he bolted out of the room and toward the kitchen, obviously wanting a piece of whatever Rae was cooking.

When Sloane woke up, Rae put some scrambled eggs in a bowl for Rocco and smiled. Every dog liked eggs, and they were good for the coat. While he ate, she spoke to him like she was having a conversation with a human, "I knew I heard you begging in the room when I started cooking. You can’t fool me, buddy." She gave him a quick pat on the head and then swiftly turned her attention to the brunette.

"Let’s eat and talk, yeah? Now that we’ve had a night to think about what’s happened, it’s a good time. I didn’t say anything last night because - well, you seemed a bit emotional when what’s necessary more than that is viewing what you saw through a logical lens." The way she spoke had a more aloof tone than that of which she used to speak to the dog. Animals operated on a basic set of biological and innate predispositions, so they were easier for her to connect with. Rae also operated the same way, or so she liked to think. Most humans did not, so she had trouble connecting on a more relaxed and emotional level. That is why she tended to be that friend. The one that will tell you all the things you don’t want to hear because that’s what was necessary.

"You talk, I will listen. That’s how this works. When you feel yourself start to get emotional, I’d prefer that you take a breath, hold your tears, and think before you continue. I have a no crying policy in my cabin. I rarely make exceptions. So, please - go on." She pointed at Sloane with a spatula then went back to scrambling some eggs. She tossed some on a plate and shoved it toward her companion. They ate a tub of ice cream so a lean breakfast was necessary.

Sloane slunk onto a chair in front of the eggs. Her gaze fell to the yellow blobs and whatever appetite she had quickly faded away. She didn't want to talk, especially not about what Rae was hinting at. She'd be far happier pretending like the past couple of days didn't happen while slipping away into nonexistence within this cabin. Neither one of those seemed to be a likely option. On the one hand, it wasn't any of the red head's business, nor did Rae really give a warm, non-judgmental vibe when it came to unloading her problems. Sloane didn't plan on crying, but being told to suck it up didn't really sit well with her.

In the end, she settled for a compromise. "My brother and I don't see eye to eye. Our relationship is... complicated. Liam is a case of wrong place wrong time. He went all knight-in-shining-armor and spirited me away. He's been helping me, but the other day he pushed me a little too far out of my comfort zone... That's when I ran into you." It wasn't everything. Sloane's brief summary of the events that have transpired since she came to camp was vague, to say the least. But she didn't lie and she did what Rae asked... talk. "Then Liam tried to kill Sylas, which brought Poseidon here, and you saw the rest." That was the best she was going to get.

Sloane haphazardly picked at her eggs, taking a couple bites to not insult Rae, but she wasn't hungry. She hoped the girl didn't ask her more questions or pry further. She wasn't in the mood to take a trip down memory lane. It wasn't the most comfortable environment for sharing. The last thing she needed was another person chastising her for the decisions she's made and how she has handled her situation with her brother. Rae seemed to be more opinionated than most and lack a bit of sympathy, so she could only imagine the less than comforting things that would come out of her mouth if Sloane told the truth.

After one last bite, Sloane got up from her chair looking down at Rocco. "I'm going to go get dressed. He probably needs to go on a walk." Without another word, she shot Rae a small smile and disappeared into her temporary room. There was no reason to try to impress anyone, Sloane didn't plan on running into anyone while she was out. So she grabbed the first matching outfit she could find and put it on.

Just before Sloane slipped outside with the dog, Rae made it a point - in a judgmental way, to offer a bit of food for thought, "Knight in shining armor? You sound judgmental, if I were, to be honest. He pushed you too far out of your comfort zone? I guess that makes you the victim. I get it. It’s easy to judge people like us - the ones that can’t properly handle people and emotions. If you ask me, which you didn’t - maybe you’re the one being harsh. I mean, aren’t you the reason we all had to undergo trials? The common denominator sounds a lot like you. But whatever, girl - you’re the victim in all of it."

She took a little bit of offense to someone calling another person a ‘knight in shining armor’, when what had happened was that Liam simply protected someone that he didn’t even know.

Sloane stopped dead in her tracks as Rae spoke to her. While her gaze was focused forward and her expression blank, she heard every word. She was the problem. She thought it for a while now, but hearing it come from someone else didn't make it any easier. Part of her wanted to cry. She felt her throat tighten as she began to blink more, fighting it best she could. Without a word, she turned around and headed back for the room. It wasn't her room, not anymore. It seemed her lot in life was bouncing around from cabin to cabin. In the end, she was just another person's burden. As Rae said, she was the common denominator. So, the solution was removing herself from the equation.

She gathered up what little bit of her items weren't in her bag and shoved them inside. Deja vu. It's fine. She would be fine. Sloane kept reassuring herself as she zipped up the bag and put it over her shoulder. When she stepped back out into the common area, she looked over to Rae. "I never said I was innocent... And maybe I was judgmental, I didn't mean to be." She adjusted the duffle bag over her shoulder and exhaled softly. "It is hypocritical to accuse someone of being judgmental while you judge them."

With nothing else to say, she gave Rae a small, sad smile. "Thanks again for your help and thoughts." Sloane took up Rocco's leash and headed out of the cabin. She didn't say she wouldn't be back, but Rae wasn't stupid. Leaving with her bag in tow was a pretty plain indicator of that. Considering the woman didn't seem to care much about emotions, she doubted that she offended Rae by leaving. And as she mentioned before, no crying her cabin. Sloane quickly got a feeling that the two weren't going to see eye to eye, or at least not well enough to live under the same roof.

Rae simply smiled, waved, and let the girl be on her way. She’s not one to chase.

The fresh air felt nice and seemed to be a bit lighter on a new day. The weight of the trials still lingered about like unseen fog, but new thoughts plagued her mind and weighed her down like an anchor. Sloane let the dog lead her about. She had nowhere to go or be, so mindlessly wondering would perhaps hold off the stress of finding somewhere else to stay. She hoped Rocco didn't carry her towards another person wishing for her to sit down and bear her soul. She didn't care what dots people connected from the trials. They could think whatever they wanted and spread their whispers. It didn't bother her. Anything was better than facing a gauntlet of inquisitive demigods.

Rocco seemed to be on a journey, one that Sloane didn't realize the destination until they were there. Liam. His cabin looked as empty and vacant as it did the night before. He was in Tartarus for who knows how long, but it already felt weird without him there... Even if he always did and said the wrong things. She sighed, preparing to turn back when Rocco's leash slipped from her hand. Without a moment's hesitation, the dog bolted for the cabin and ran up the steps. Once on the porch, he began to bark and scratch at the door.

"Rocco!" Sloane called after him as she slowly followed behind. "Come on, buddy. He isn't home," she said softly as she leaned down and picked up his leash.

Rae, herself, eventually left her cabin in nothing more than a bikini and a beach skirt. Even now the sun was bright in the sky, and it was already quite warm. She’d stroll to the beach, lay down a towel, and plop herself right down on her back. She wasn’t going to worry about women, men, and their countless dramatics. If there was nothing else to do, she’d chill and maybe the gods will bless her with a man without a shirt.

Probably just in her dreams. Even then, she wouldn’t complain. For now, a little tanning - not that she ever fucking tanned - did the mind wonders.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evelyn Masters Character Portrait: Mason Hughson Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Rae Meadows Character Portrait: Cherise Boyse Character Portrait: Liam O'Connor
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.75 INK

#, as written by mombie
x
Image
Image
x
C H E R I S E x B O Y S E
o f x a p o l l o
#fa8072 || Outfit || Location

Image
To be fair, Cherise was also not in the mood for anything dour. As she stood on the porch with Daniel and looked into Rae's cabin, she felt like it wouldn't be a great place for her. With Sloane being there, and after all that had transpired during the trials, it seemed that she'd also be out of place - not just Daniel.

With a bright and wide smile, as per usual, she spun around to face her companion and chimed, "On second thought, I am not sure that I feel much like a girly gossip." The brunette's head tilted from side to side as her thoughts raced. What to do? Then it hit her, "My cabin? Of course, you'll have to sleep on the couch." Since she and Rae arrived at the same time, their cabins were close to each other. Daniel and Cherise wouldn't have very far to walk at all.

While it seemed as though she was giving the guy a choice in where he would stay for the night, she kicked into a playful competitive mode. After biting her bottom lip and raising both of her brows, she pulled her hand out of his and started to walk backward. "Last one to my place is a sore loser!" Of course, she already gave herself a headstart.

She slowed down at the porch - whether she was first or not, it didn't matter at all. After she opened the door and the both of them slipped inside, she made quick work of setting a place for him to sleep. A few pillows and a blanket were tossed at him. It wasn't that she didn't want to sleep in the same bed as him, it was just that she's not that sort of girl. As tempting as it is. It also didn't feel like a good time.

A lot of things weren't feeling right tonight. At the very least, she could smile and put a little brightness at the end of a long dreary day. Once he had everything all settled, she rolled onto the tips of her toes, plopped an innocent kiss on his right cheek, smiled stupidly, and then fled to her room. She did not take a shower. She did not change. She just fell onto her bed with her eyes closed and already snoring. It was that kind of day.

* * *

Cherise tended to wake up a lot earlier than others. She's a... before the sun rises kind of gal. After her eyes opened she took a few moments to stretch out and greet the early day. She crawled out of her bed and dragged her feet to the closet so that she could pull out this morning's workout clothes. Every movement made was quiet and slow because she had a guest over, and it's unlikely that he was also awake. Not this early. Was the sun even starting to come out? No.

By the time she was ready to go the day was breaking. A quick stop is made in the kitchen area to jot down a note for Daniel when he woke. Out for a morning jog! I'll probably see you are breakfast. xoxo. Then she was out the door.

The air was nice and crisp; a cool early morning that was just shy of being warm. She stretched a little more on her porch and did some movements that would warm her body up, then she was off at a steady pace. She preferred the path that was already paved as it would cause her the least errs in step. There was nothing fun about tripping over roots, which she already has in this place.

A few Demigods were passed - Liam was one of them. He didn't look like someone that wanted to talk, and she really didn't want to poke a bear. She watched him slink off into his cabin and continued about her way. There was Sylas, and then shortly thereafter, Liv and some new face. It looked like they weren't on friendly terms, but the daughter of Poseidon seemed to have a lot of issues to work out.

Time passed by, as Cherise could probably run for days if given the opportunity. She was soon at the cliff that overlooked the beach, and a certain red-heads hair glinted in the bright sunlight. It wasn't even tanning time yet, but Rae didn't tan. It was far more likely that she was trying to get some peace and quiet, so Cherise wouldn't bother her. Not this time. They'd talk soon, but only when Rae was ready.

Just as she started to pivot, a man came out of the water. Had he been there the whole time? Was this the son of Poseidon? Not that it mattered. When he sat down next to Rae, Cherise thought that she must have been glad for it. She couldn't help but laugh, thinking that a man was something that Rae was probably wishing at the stars for. That would start her day off well.

With her friend in good hands (hopefully), she decided that it was that time for the main hall. Breakfast. Coffee. Gods know she needed some caffeine right about now. She half-hoped that Daniel would be around so she wouldn't have to randomly sit by someone else, but the other part thought that he deserved some extra sleep. After the brief jog to the chow hall, she paused at the entrance to assess the occupants. Evelyn slipped past her, in which Cherise would move aside, and there were several others inside. None that would interest her. One or two that make her a little on the uncertain side.

As she got the food she noted a lonely Mason. She probably shouldn't approach him, but then - would it be wrong to? She didn't know what the right answer was. With faux confidence, she approached him but keep the conversation rather light so that he could have an out if he needed it. It was also short, and with her intonation, sounded like she didn't intend to stick around for too long. "How are Andy's injuries?"

She'd have said good morning, but Mason didn't give off the small-talk vibe.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evelyn Masters Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Nicholas Bower Character Portrait: Liam O'Connor
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mombie
x
Image
Image
x
L I A M x O ' C O N N O R
o f x a r e s
#EB641D || Outfit || Location

Image
Even a sturdy alpha male, for better or worse, like Liam as susceptible to the vulnerability of fear. To say that Tartarus was a place that the best of them could handle would be underselling the terror his punishment was meant to stoke. Even though he was released from his punishment, what was nearly unheard of for those banished to the bowels of a realm so heinous it exists beneath Hades itself, he felt the remnants of it.

In his short sleep, he could barely stop himself from sweating. The sheets were wet and his clothing damp from excessive perspiration. The son of Ares tossed and turned; sometimes even mumbling out pained noises as his nightmares were trained on being burned alive over and over again. That wasn't even the worse part—it was just the physical punishment. It was supposed to be painful. Psychology 101, really. It was actually the mental and emotional aspect of his chastisement that hurt him the most. Physical pain was. . . tolerable. It would go away. Mental and emotional torture was something that just stuck. It didn't go away. The only cure for these things would comprise of all of that which Liam could not do.

He woke up even though he hardly slept at all. For a long time, he sat on his bed. He eventually forced himself onto his feet. The sopping wet shirt was tugged off and tossed onto the floor, and he walked out of his room with the intent to take a shower. However, something gave him pause just shy of stepping into the bathroom.

There was scratching and barking at his door, and a smile found his lips after what felt like. . . months of dour expression. He swiftly made his way to the entrance and pulled open the door. Rocco naturally ran right un; jumping, wagging his little butt and tail, and spinning around in yipping joy. A puppy could make anyone happy, to be honest. He knelt down and let the over joyous canine jump into his arms, lick his face, and do what little dogs do when they haven't seen their owner for like. . . any amount of time. Liam looked pretty happy to see his best friend, too.

As Rocco's head rested against the crook of his neck, Liam looked up to see Sloane standing there on his porch. There were far too many emotions rushing at him all at once, and he couldn't properly calculate what his next actions should be. He could express his thanks for taking Rocco with her, but then that brought up the recollection that she abandoned him without any chance to explain anything. Then that thought brought up others, like. . . Why should his past have anything to do with her? Why did his past define him? Was he not also partly human? At worst, was he not also human and Ares born? While there could be no justification for his actions in the past, there were more factors than. . . Liam was just a bad guy. A bad guy is pretty much what he felt like right now. Unfairly judged, too.

The amount of time that he spent staring at her was uncertain. The truth was simple—he didn't owe her anything as his past had nothing to do with her. If he needed forgiveness, she was not the person it would come from. He had come to terms with being estranged from his mother and younger sibling for most of his life. He has never laid a finger on Sloane with malicious intent. If anything, he thought he had been pretty far removed from the "bad guy" the world seemed to think he was. He liked to think that, even in the short span of two days - or however long it's been, he can hardly figure it out after Tartarus, that she had made him a little bit better. He couldn't help his personality traits. He couldn't help but want to beat the shit out of her brother, but he certainly wasn't the same as he was pre-Athens.

He clenched his teeth, looked off to the side for a second, and ran a hand through his damp hair. He couldn't possibly look at her when words finally fell from his mouth. He was afraid that he'd take everything back, beg for forgiveness, or whatever else that he didn't feel he needed to do. Sloane had this guileless appeal to her with those big eyes and her small and gentle stature. It was one of those combinations that could make an angry god melt. "Thanks."

A short phrase, but he kept his eyes off of her while he turned around, closed the door, and shut himself into his cabin.

That was a close call. It was. . . really close.





x
Image
Image
x
N I C H O L A S x B O W E R
o f x p o s e i d o n
#795B3F || Outfit || training arena

Image
Could Nick's morning continue down the path of offending possibly every woman in camp? Why, yes - yes it could.

He had managed to get far enough away from the overwhelming and intoxicating magic that seemed to roll effortlessly off of the daughter of Aphrodite. However, his hapless luck would not end at this point. His steps were still hasty, and it seemed that his previous engagement left his senses in a haze and he was uncharacteristically inattentive to his surroundings.

Nothing would yank him out of this cloud like hot coffee. "Jesus, what's the rush?" A female voice, the source of his problems this morning, followed a slight splash of the hot beverage against his shirt. It didn't really bother him as it had practically doused Evelyn with Nick mostly spared.

"I don't think Jesus has much to do with it. More like Aphrodite," he responded, his tone less flirtatious now that he could think with his brain. Polite still, however. Charming, yes. He was not devoid of charm just because he had no intent to flirt. Now anyway. The redhead was definitely beautiful, but he just got in trouble for hitting one a woman unintentionally, so he didn't want to test someone else.

When she took off her shirt he most definitely looked. He was a human man, was he not? She obviously didn't seem to care much for modesty, and it wasn't like he leered at her with drool coming out the corner of his mouth. He stepped closer to her as he peeled the jacket off of his torso. It'd fit her pretty much like a parachute, but it was the only thing he could offer at this moment.

As he closed in on her, his chest rested against hers without salacious intent behind it, he draped the jacket over her shoulders and pulled it closed in the front. He didn't zip it, but he would spare her the glances of anyone passing by at this very unfortunate moment. He scratched the back of his head, stepped back, and dipped one hand into a pocket, "Sorry about that. I normally don't make it my day job to get in people's way. I just had a run-in with the daughter of Aphrodite, and I think my brain got scrambled in the process." A slight laugh fell from his lips, but it was nervous.

Redheads always looked like they could eat a man alive.

To escape whatever weight her gaze would cast upon him, for good or bad, he squatted down to pick up the dishware she dropped. Once it was all gathered up, he stood, "I'll... clean this up for you. You can just - give me the jacket back whenever. Again, sorry. Really." His character was genuine as was his apology. He tried his best to give her a smile, but the anxious note thinned it a bit more than usual.

When he stepped around her, dishes in tow, he cursed under his breath. If she looked at him as he moved away, she'd note that he was obviously condemning himself with regards to what happened. He should have asked for her name, at the very least. He must look like an asshole right now!

Maybe he was just a magnet for bad luck this morning. Did he piss someone up there off?

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Wesley Preston Character Portrait: Ethan Knox
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mjolnir
x
x
Image

wesley preston
aphroditex|xoutfitx|x#667c0c

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Wes didn't have any real goals in mind other than food. He completely forgot to eat dinner after the trials, as probably most campers did. They were all reoccupied with more important things than worrying about food. And while he didn't notice it the night before, he felt it now as he walked towards the main hall. Just the thought of breakfast made his stomach growl in angst, screaming that he wasn't moving quick enough.

Something that definitely wasn't high on his lists of priorities was getting sidelined by someone he didn't know. Why did it seem like every time he wanted to go get something to eat someone had to stop him? Did he really look like the type of person who wanted to be bugged constantly? Maybe he needed to ask Mason about pointers on how to scowl constantly or get a resting bitch face. It was becoming quickly apparent to Wes over the past couple days that he must appear too friendly.

Either way, it was too late to put on a resting bitch face now. The boy beelined right over to him, similarly to how Nelly did the other day. There was no pretending it was meant for someone else. Wes sighed, slowing his pace to a halt as the guy came up to him. "Good morning. I hope I am not being a bother, but I just wanted to introduce myself to you. My name is Ethan Knox and I am Hestia's son. If you're heading to the hall, mind if I accompany you? I've already ate, but I wanted to meet more of my fellow campers."

Wes's brows furrowed a bit as Ethan addressed him. He thought everyone was supposed to be grumping around today. The last thing on his mind would be introducing himself to people who just watched his worst nightmares play out the day before. To be honest, he couldn't remember the guy's trial to save his life. Wes was little preoccupied with other trials. There was a handful of things he found a bit off about the whole encounter. He couldn't say anyone has ever sought him out to meet him, nor have they offered to go back somewhere they didn't need to go to get to know him. A day of firsts all around apparently.

"Uh, hi?" Wes said, a bit confused, still trying to figure out how to react about the whole situation. "I'm Wes." That was a sufficient introduction. His last name was irrelevant and everyone knew that everyone was a demigod. He didn't really care which asshole brought everyone into being, nor did he think it matter which asshole birthed him.

His gaze drifted over to the main hall. Sure, Wes could lie, say he wasn't going to the main hall, but then his stomach would probably eat itself. With a sigh, Wes shrugged his shoulders. "Sure," was all he said before he continued onward to the main hall. He didn't check to see if Ethan followed or not because his mind was focused on food and food alone. Honestly, he would have thought people around there would have better things to do than wonder after him getting to know him. Wes was one of the least exciting people at camp.

Wes entered the main hall and filled up a plate of just... everything. Anything that he saw and looked good, he added to the heap. He also grabbed himself a tall glass of milk and some toast before taking a seat at an empty table. His ass was barely in the seat before he started shoveling it in. Gods, did it feel good to finally eat.




x
x
Image

sloane astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#c7b29b

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Sloane was trying to grab Rocco's leash when the door to Liam's cabin opened. She froze right where she stood, a lump growing in her throat. There he was. She thought he was in Tartarus and she expected him to be there much longer than a day, yet he stood right before her. The dog seemed overjoyed to have his owner back and even with everything racing in her head, Sloane had to stop herself from rushing over to him and hugging him.

She didn't know how she felt after everything. A large part of Sloane felt guilty. Guilty for dragging him into her problems and what those problems did to him. Her presence in his life has done nothing but made him miserable. It had driven Liam to nearly killing Sylas, dragging everyone into the trials and getting himself thrown into Tartarus. If she hadn't stepped into his life none of that would have happened and she knew that. She knew Rae was right, but it didn't make it hurt any less.

Then there was another part of her that worried she was trading one monster for another. She didn't think Liam had the capacity to be even a fraction of a monster as Sylas but seeing his rage the morning before and in the trial, along with his trial would cause anyone to pause. She had only spent a couple days with him, but her time with him he never laid a hand on her or hurt her... Beyond the stupid things boys say, but that can happen with any male, good or not.

Sloane found herself more conflicted than ever before as she stood mere feet in front of Liam. There were so many things she wanted to do or say, but neither of them did anything. It was just a heavy awkward silence holding each others gaze. He looked hurt which only twisted her gut more. What had she done? Leaving wasn't the answer... But that was what Sloane did. She never let people close to her and at any sign that she may get hurt, she pulls away. But in doing that she might have hurt him.

Just as she parted her lips to perhaps say something, Liam looked away. "Thanks." Then without meeting her gaze again, he took his dog, turned around and closed the door... Shutting her out.

That one movement took all words from her, knocking the wind right out of her chest. She had done it, intentionally or not, she pushed him away. Sloane inhaled a shaky breath, trying to remain composed as her heart sank. She wanted to cry, but the masochistic part of herself chastised her for her own self pity. What did she expect would happen? As Rae had said, she was the common denominator. So, in Sloane's mind, the only way to make it better was to remove herself from the equation. Maybe... maybe it was for the best. Maybe now Liam's life could go back to normal and Sylas would leave him alone.

It's unknown how long Sloane stood there staring at the shut door like a discarded pet. But eventually, she somehow managed the courage to turn her back to his cabin. She took a deep breath before descending the stairs. I will not cry, she kept telling herself. Once her feet hit the dirt she looked from left to right trying to decide what to do next.

Sloane chose a direction and started walking. It was a camp after all. There had to be more empty cabins somewhere for new arrivals, so that is exactly what she'd do. Rather than bouncing from one person to another making her problems theirs, she'd suck it up and deal with the hell she's put herself in on her own. So she continued down the path, walking past occupied cabins and wandering deeper into the forest. Once or twice she thought she might have been out of luck, but eventually she stumbled upon a small cluster of cabins that look like they hadn't been touched in a decade. They were small, more like Andy's cabin, not the mini mansion like the Valises had. They looked to have a singular room with a bathroom off the back. Sloane didn't need more. After all, it was just her.

All of the cabins looked a little worse for the wear, but that didn't bother Sloane. Maybe before she came to camp she would have sneered at the thought of having to fix something up and get her hands dirty. But now, the manual labor might do her good, help clear her mind. With a sigh, she walked towards the one that looked to be in the best condition and set her bag down on the small porch. "Just needs a bit of cleaning," she told herself as opened the door. It wasn't nearly as bad on the inside as it was outside, just a layer of dust. It was small, quaint and forgotten... A match made in heaven by Sloane's accord.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Veera Han
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image

XXXV E E R AXXH A N

Image

D a u g h t e r Xo f XH e p h a e s t u s
X{ O u t f i t } X || X#c16759


Image
Laying on that motel bed, Veera could only think about the camp. Her father’s map that she held above her head, studying it, was making her stomach twist in nerves. The closer she gets to the truth of her heritage, potentially having siblings and meeting others like her, coupled with only recently learning that everything depicted of the greek gods was in fact reality and her father . . . was one of them. Needless to say, it was a jumbled mix of emotions for her. The nerves were from learning about her own kind but the simmering annoyance that irked her was stemming from learning about her father. She turned over, clenching the map to her chest and furrowing her brows. How do you think that type of news was supposed to make a person feel? “Tch, asshole.” she grumpily whispered to no one, in particular, that was there but the dust and mice. With another grumble, Veera pushed herself up from the bed, taking a swig or two from her water bottle.

No matter how she felt in the moment, there were more pressing matters to attend to so with that vee shook off the feeling if only for the moment, and threw the remainder of her items that laid around the room into her satchel. Pulling her arm up to sight, she glanced at the watch on her wrist. It read 8:15 pm. If she left now she’d be at camp in a handful of hours if she wanted, but thinking about it, vee wouldn’t mind a couple of more hours to herself to relax before she officially accepted everything that was happening to her wasn’t just a dream. Going through the motions of pulling on her jacket and satchel, she grabbed her keys last and exited through the front door. Whatever faced her next, she was ready for it. Or so she told herself. After checking out and returning her room key to the nice old man in the front, Veera got on her motorcycle with renewed energy and tore across the country roads. She had comfort in knowing that she still had some time to herself, but just the thought of having a father who was godly kept tugging at her annoyance. Why did he have to have me? Then let me and my mother live like that!? Actually . . . no, she wasn’t mad about that. What was really getting on her nerves was the fact that he let someone like her lose on the earth without guidance or a lick of who she is or what she’s capable of. She’s hurt people for god's sake but she guesses they don’t care about that. She’s read the stories about the gods, to her they held half-truths and way worse than what she’s been through. “Whatever it is . . . “ she began, “FUCK YOU! YOU DON’T DEFINE ME!” she yelled into the night, hoping it made some sort of difference but it was only temporary relief. When all she got was silence in return, she relaxed a little into her seat. She didn’t really know if hearing anything back was a good or bad thing but whatever happens, she wasn’t going to run away.

The low powerful hum of her bike mixed with the wind in her ears, chittering bugs and chirping bats above made for lovely music to the ears. With hair whipping in the wind, goggles secured and no helmet, a certain calm is always bestowed upon vee whenever she gets to ride on her bike. As the night consumed the sun in lively sound, it left behind only the moon and stars to guide her thoughts and ways tonight.

After a few hours of uninterrupted and peaceful riding, Veera’s mind ended up wandering off again, this time to her mother. Back in her letter, sent earlier in the week, she mentioned that she was doing fine. Not one sign of the mafia men, though they still collected taxes. It was alright though because Veera split all the earrings she saved up from her fights with her mother. It should be enough to keep her afloat for a decent while longer. Her grandfather was dying though, her mother waited until she was out of the country to break the news to her over letter so vee wouldn’t change her mind about seeking out her truth. Atsuko was mentioned too. The young woman visits her mother whenever she can, to help around. A smile crosses her lips. Atsuko was always too kind, it was sad that she grew up in that type of life but Veera was happy to have had the time that she had with her. A little bit of unrequited love, or something that just didn’t have the time to blossom fully, who knew at this point. She just cherishes the fond and tender moments now.

XXXXXXXXX

It was pretty late when Veera got to her spot. The point in her journey where she couldn’t just ride her bike everywhere. Instead, she marked her entry point on the map and began walking it through the forest that she had to trek in order to get to the camp. With the headlight on to illuminate her way and the soft tune of her radio to keep her company, she got just about two hours into her walk before she decided to ditch her bike. Well, not so much ditch as it was hiding it in case the camp didn’t allow them there. Honestly, it would have hurt more to have her bike denied when she got there than knowing it was safe somewhere she could easily retrieve it.

Burning away a piece of the rope that held her katana securely to her bike with her fingertips, she slung it over her shoulder and grabbed a few trinkets from the back compartment. Those she stuffed in her satchel, along with a flashlight she kept in her hand. The new beacon of light to guide her, for now. As she made her way through the foliage, Vee remembered her grandfather saying many times before, “a quiet forest was a dangerous one”. Lucky for her, everything was alive. About two hours into her walk she decided to make camp as she was fairly close to her destination. At one point while gathering wood she thought she heard . . . voices? Maybe it was the prolonged exposure to the night with only a small light to guide her that had her hearing things or the excitement and nerves that she felt.


The fire she made was roaring, the only reason she uses a flashlight instead of her abilities. It was warm enough to make her sweat though. Funny thing is, her skin was fireproof. She knew that by now but she could feel the heat to a certain extent. Found it pretty handy that she was her own personal lighter too. Shedding a few layers including her jacket and white shirt, only slightly dirty from the dust and dirt, Veera made herself comfortable with only her sports bra on. She always ran hot, especially at night. Sitting crisscrossed, she set her folded clothes to the side, took a deep and calming breath, and pressed her fist to her open palm in front of her. It was a nice night, and vee took advantage of that. Meditating was almost like her joyrides, it helped calm her, especially when her nerves are the way they are tonight. It was also good in helping keep your head on straight. Think clearer.

By morning she’d make her way towards the camp and . . . do what exactly? Confront her father? Very much to her dismay, there is a possibility he could be there. Why did she feel like she needed to prove something to him? Why did he bug her so bad . . . “damned old man,” she mumbled again, this time with eyes closed and fist still pressed to hand, releasing a deep breath.

XXXXXXXXX
Daybreak arrived a little too early for what Veera would have liked but she made do with it. Maybe drinking half a pint of whiskey before bed last night wasn’t a good idea? No, she’s done it before and burned the alcohol off within the hour. It was probably staying up into the late hours watching twilight on her phone until it died. Yeah, twilight she knows, but she lives for the cheesy romance, and Carlisle Cullen. Bite her, no pun intended.

Veera started off by chugging the rest of the water that she had and some stretching. Nothing like some exercise in the morning to get the blood flowing or at least that’s how she looked at it. For breakfast, she munched on some jerky and a granola bar that was a little too melted for her liking but it’s all she had at the moment. It still wasn’t enough to satisfy her though. Halfway towards the camp, after packing up her things, she already burned off that food, her stomach growing every few steps and so. Ughhh, I need real food! Temporarily defeated, a big sigh escaped her lips and her pace slowed.

Anyone could see that Veera was stalling, at least a little bit but eventually, that had to end. It wasn’t that much further now, another fifteen minutes or so according to the time and her map. She couldn’t possibly just camp out here forever . . . maybe she could upgrade to a hovel? Thinking about it, it wasn’t a bad idea. Become some old witch with her own little hut helping the occasional lost traveler. She smiled at the thought. Was it selfish? Dreaming of a little slice of her own freedom without having to think or worry about anyone. A part of her thinks it isn’t but a big part of her feels wrong if she did.

As vee approached the camp, she looked out and saw decrepit cabins. As she got closer there was a sudden feeling, a weird tingle from her head to her toes but it was gone by the time she abruptly stopped walking. A couple of seconds tops. What was that? Looking around and behind her, there was a sense of curiosity. Did I just . . . cross something? She couldn’t see anything but she definitely felt something, whatever it was could wait. She’d just have to remember to ask about it later on.

Walking towards the front of the cabins, Veera honestly didn’t think she’d bump into anyone yet, or at least she was weary of it, but of course, as soon as she turned the corner she saw a shadow by one of the open doors to a cabin. She hesitated in her next step but only for a second because it didn’t take long for her to make up her mind in situations like these. Tightening her grip on the strap of her satchel she skipped up the short steps, not realizing how fast she was actually taking them until a smaller figure emerged from the door. Veera had no choice but to stop on her tiptoes as fast as she could in order to not run into this woman in front of her. “Oh crap, I’m sorry! Almost took us both out there.” Taking a step back so she wasn’t all in her space vee got a good look at the girl. She was adorable with doe-like eyes and . . . a bit dusty, just a mark on her forehead. Cute.

“I didn’t think I’d run into anyone so fast, I’m Veera. Is this the camp . . .” she trailed off for a second. Was it really safe to say demi-gods? Or would she look at her like she was crazy? With no other way popping into her mind at the moment to phrase it without saying the words, Veera just pointed in between herself and the woman. “. . . for people like us?” A thought suddenly hit her, vee reached into her bag and pulled out her map. “This was my fathers map . . . It’s how I found this place. I just want to make sure I didn’t stumble upon the wrong place or sound crazy. . . things have been a lot of that lately.'' Veera shifted her eyes down to her hands, reflecting on her own troubles for a moment. When she looked back up though, vee smiled her stupid bright grin, peaking slightly over the girl's shoulder into the cabin curiously. “Working hard, huh?“

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Mason Hughson Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Trinity Wallace Character Portrait: Andromeda Bolton Character Portrait: Wesley Preston
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mjolnir
x
x
Image

wesley preston
aphroditex|xoutfitx|x#667c0c

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Halfway through shoving an entire pancake in his mouth, Wes looked up to see Ethan trailing behind, making his way to the table. "Hey, sorry. I guess my greeting was pretty sudden. I am also trying to keep the mood light because I don't want to think about yesterday. So I'll let you eat in peace."

Wes sighed softly, realizing his greeting was less than friendly. It wasn't that he was in a bad mood. On the contrary, considering the previous day's events he was nearly giddy. But that didn't mean his trial didn't loom around his head like some shitty hangover. He was trying his best to ignore it and focus on some of the better things that came out of the day, one in particular. But that wasn't Ethan's business. And to be honest, he really was hungry.

"I get it. I don't know if anyone really wants to think about yesterday. I'm just really not in the friendliest of moods right now." He then stabbed his fork down in whatever piece of food was next. "I have a one track mind and I haven't eaten since before the trials."

Ethan went to leave and Wes shoveled another bite in. Mid chew, the son of Hestia pivoted, looking to want to say one more thing before parting. "Can I ask one last thing though?" Wes looked like a chipmunk with food stuffed in his cheeks as he chewed. He couldn't answer without half spitting his food at the guy, so he simply nodded his head.

"I know you've met my friend's sister, Iliana. She currently wants to be on her own, but her brother Heath is looking for her because he's worried about her. If you could keep an eye out for her, that be nice. Oh, you don't have to watch over her though, I wouldn't ask that of anyone." Wes gave a thumbs up, which happened to be the best answer at the moment. "Anyway, you have a nice day Wes."

Wes nodded his head and saluted Ethan as he turned to leave. Now alone, or relatively, he looked around the hall as he continued to eat. There wasn't as many people there as he would have thought. But there was one glaring absence... The Valises. He couldn't deny that he was a little pissed that the children of Zeus got out of the trials while the rest of them had to partake. Drama at camp had been at an all time high, but Alex and Ajax were not innocent. Alex nearly killed Andy a few nights ago, not to mention the numerous fights they've gotten into with Mason. The son of Hades did his time in a trial, so should the Zeus duo.

He chugged half his glass of milk before proceeding to eat like a slob. Wes's mind couldn't help but wonder back to the trials. He tried his best not to think about the worst of it, but instead focused on what Poseidon had said. His son was supposed to arrive today... Along with continuing training. Wes groaned to himself as he halfheartedly stabbed at food, but this time didn't eat it. That's all he needed, to be over stuffed and barfing all over the place during training.

With a sigh, he pushed his plate away before leaning back in his chair. Wes was definitely not in the mood to train, not like he ever was. But if anything, his trial made him feel even more inadequate when it came to combat. He didn't feel up to the task of failing in front of the entire camp... again. He couldn't fight. Everyone at camp knew it. So, why put him through more hell just to prove that he is a hinderance rather than a help?




x
x
Image

sloane astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#c7b29b

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
It was odd. Sloane had never been on her own before. Not fully. She lived with her brother and father in Russia, then in Manhattan. There was a time she stayed with her mother. Then at camp it was Sylas, then Liam and then Rae for a night... And now, she stood before a dusty forgotten cabin, alone. She had no one but herself to blame. But, she was going to try her best not to wallow in self pity, at least for an hour or two.

Being on her own could do her good. Maybe she could find herself again. It seemed like she's been a ghost of her former self for years. Sloane had been working to get back to normal for awhile. Between a heart break that spun her whole world upside down and then Sylas's monstrous nature that slowly came to the surface, she just closed in on herself. It was easier to handle the pain, emotional and physical, when she put on a tough outward shell and repressed her feelings so deep inside that even she couldn't find them.

Sloane's mind started to wander as she started opening blinds and removing dust cloths from the furniture inside the cabin. Her emotions weren't as buried deep as she had previously thought. Or maybe camp... or Liam, brought them out of her. She couldn't quite figure out which. But since her time at camp, she has cried more than she had in the past couple years. Sloane wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad one. She used to be so good at repressing everything. And now... Now she was in a strange limbo somewhere between the old Sloane and whatever the hell she has been for the past couple of years.

Between busying herself and lost thoughts, Sloane didn't hear anyone approaching. It was an easy mistake to make, thinking she was alone. This part of camp looked like it hadn't been visited in months, if not longer. She scooped up all the cloths she pulled from the furniture. She started bundling up the fabric, sneezing as all the dust flew into the air. Just as she stepped out the door she was met by someone else. The girl came to an abrupt stop while Sloane stumbled backwards when her heel clipped the threshold. She managed to steady herself but nearly lost her balance and bundle of blankets in the process. "Oh crap, I’m sorry! Almost took us both out there."

The girl took a step back, giving Sloane enough room to adjust her hold on the cloths and get stable footing. To the best of her knowledge she had never see the stranger before. Sure, Sloane wasn't the most social of campers, but she liked to think she was good with faces. And while half of the campers might not know who she was... or at least didn't before the trials, she paid enough attention to get idea about everyone else. Perhaps the girl was new?

Sloane looked her over similarly as the girl sized her up. She was a little taller and definitely looked like more of a fighter. She couldn't help but notice the katana at the stranger's side. Anywhere else in the world seeing that might have made her nervous, but here at camp, it was far from strange. Sure, she could have been up to something worse, maybe some sick trick of Sylas's. At this point, Sloane couldn't care less. She was tired of always having her guard up, so if this girl was sent by her brother then so be it. She might not have been the best judge of character, but she didn't think the girl meant any harm.

"I didn’t think I’d run into anyone so fast, I’m Veera. Is this the camp..." Veera's voice trailed off as she seemed to search for the appropriate words. Meanwhile, Sloane took a step to the side of her new company and set the pile of dusty blankets down on the small porch. "...for people like us?"

Sloane's brows furrowed as she tried to catch the girl's meaning. "Like us?"

Veera then started to dig around in her bag until she brought out a map. "This was my fathers map... It’s how I found this place. I just want to make sure I didn’t stumble upon the wrong place or sound crazy... things have been a lot of that lately."

Sloane studied the girl's face for a moment before taking a half step forward to look down at the paper. To be honest, Sloane wasn't the best when it came to geography. So looking at a map to confirm or deny anything wasn't going to go well. Luckily, after scanning the page for a few moments, she caught some Greek writing that spelled out 'Camp Athens'. She raised her hand to point her index finger at the writing. "You're looking for Camp Athens?" she asked, more rhetorically than anything.

There wasn't a Camp Athens 101 course when anyone arrived, but Sloane was almost certain that there was some sort of magical barrier around camp. There had to be a reason the Gods sent their kids here to be safe and train. If that was the case, then Veera couldn't have just stumbled onto this place by accident. "So, you're a demigod then?" Sure, it might not be the best question to just ask anyone. She didn't have to answer. It was kind of self explanatory if she had a map to the camp. But if, somehow, Veera was in the wrong place, Sloane could wipe the memory before the girl knew what hit her.

After a moment or two, Sloane picked up one of the dust covered cloths and began to shake it out and beat it against the porch railing. Nothing said she couldn't talk and be productive.

"Working hard, huh?" Veera asked with a chipper smile while she looked past Sloane into the cabin.

"Uh... yeah," Sloane laughed awkwardly as she folded the first blanket. "I needed a new cabin... Well, new to me anyway." She smiled, or at least gave her best attempt at a smile. It usually was just a small tug at the corner of her mouth, but it was genuine either way. "But I'm sure they have nicer ones for new campers. I think these have long since been forgotten," she said while nodding her head to the few other run down cabins that took up that small area of the woods.

When she finished folding, Sloane hung the fabric over her left forearm, holding it to her torso. "I'm Sloane, by the way," she said while offering Veera an extended right hand. It might have seemed a bit formal, but growing up a politician's daughter handshakes as greetings became the norm.



x
x
Image

andromeda bolton
hecatex|xoutfitx|x#990856

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Surprisingly, Andy didn't encounter or cross any other campers on her way to her cabin. Thankfully. It wasn't that she regretted what transpired the night before, but that didn't mean she wanted it sent off on the gossip train first thing in the morning. It would get around eventually, but she'd prefer that happen after her and Mason figure out... Whatever was going on between them. She feared that anything could set it off course. Up until last night their relationship has been rocky, and while they may seem on the same page, that didn't mean it couldn't still be touchy.

Once inside, she wasted no time stripping down and hopping into the shower. The hot water seemed to do miracles. Andy was still sore form her encounter with Alex and it always seemed to be worse in the morning. The warmth helped loosen her muscles and numb some of the discomfort. But showers always were a bit therapeutic too. In there, alone, her mind could mull over the past day... The Gods, the trials... Mason.

Her right hand rubbed the back of neck as thoughts of the night before plagued her mind. Never had Andy thought that anything like that would have happened... but it did. She could remember it all. She could relive every moment of it. Her pulse started to quicken as she stood beneath the shower head. It all replayed in her mind like a movie. Her thoughts could have ran away with it if she let it, but almost out of reflex, she quickly grabbed the faucet handle and made the water ice cold. "Shit," Andy hissed, forcing herself to stay in the stream of the bitter water.

The temperature change was more than enough to hurry Andy along with her shower. Once she was clean, she wrapped herself in a towel and headed back into her room. For the first time in who knows how long, she was second guessing every outfit choice. What the hell was going on with her? He had seen her in pajamas, nice clothes and casual clothes, from near death to life. Why the hell did it matter what she wore? Before Andy could overthink that decision too, she pulled on whatever outfit her hands were on. She wasn't trying to impress anyone... Right?

Just before she headed out of her cabin, she side stepped in front of the mirror to brush her wet locks back from her face. As she was about to leave, her gaze fell to the reflection of her arms. Along her shoulders and collarbone there was still a yellowish tint of bruises fading from the other night at the bonfire. Just thinking about it made Andy wince, remembering the pain of the lightning bolt. The thought that someone else had seen her like this... naked, made her cringe. She forgot what it was like to be self conscious about her appearance. Her face saddened slightly as she grabbed a cardigan and pulled it on.

Andy finally exited her cabin feeling a little bit refreshed. She started to make her way toward the main hall when she saw a blonde sprint through the woods past her with weapon in hand. "Trinity?" she asked confused. Her voice was a mumbled whisper, so there was no way anyone actually heard her, especially not the daughter of Ares. Andy hesitated where she stood looking between the direction Trinity ran off in and the main hall. Before she could make a decision her feet started after her friend. She hoped Mason wouldn't be too pissed if she was a little late. But whatever was going on with Trinity, she couldn't just ignore it.

Trinity ran fast and whether or not Andy wanted to run as well, she didn't seem to have a choice if she wanted to catch up. She followed the path laid out until she came upon the blonde panting heavily with her blade lodged in a log. "Trinity?" This time she spoke loud enough for her to hear as she took a tentative step forward. "It's me... Andy."

Andy knew better than to sneak up on a worked up child of Ares. Every step she took was slow, making sure to step on twigs and leaves so that her approach didn't come as a surprise. She slowly extended her right hand and rested it on Trinity's shoulder. Her other hand held a bit at-the-ready just in case she still somehow managed to catch the daughter of Ares by surprise.

"Hey," she said softly once she had Trinity's gaze. Andy slowly moved around to face her. She waited a moment before reaching out and taking the blade from the blonde's hand. Once the weapon was seized, she set it down on the log so that she could take both of Trinity's shoulders in her hands. "What's wrong?" Andy would let Trinity vent as little or as much as she needed. There was no one around. She could get anything and everything off her chest that she needed to and Andy would listen.

When there was silence once again, she looked Trinity over with a slight smile. "I was going to meet Mason for breakfast. Have you eaten?" Andy didn't really wait for an answer. She hooked her right arm with Trinity's left and started leading her back to the main hall. But she didn't rush Trinity, they could take all the time she needed.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Veera Han Character Portrait: Emory Cantor Character Portrait: Dahlia Black
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK



    Image
    Image
    Image

    emory cantor
    son of zeus | outfit | #BCB6B6

    Image
    Image
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xIf there was one thing Emory had hoped for, it would be to see some familiar faces again. It’s been three years since they left the camp, and a day hadn’t gone by where they didn’t wonder if they’d made the right choice. They were practically raised here. These people helped them grow into the person they were today, supported them when they had no one else to turn to. And yet they left. It was a good thing, one of the counselors had told them. They’d be able to travel the world, go wherever they wanted to, and surround themselves with wonderful new people. And that's exactly what they did. They’d thrown caution to the wind and lived every day to the fullest, never backing down from the chance to try something new, carrying that same fearless with them everywhere they went. They would've never grown up to be their most authentic self without Camp Athens. After all this time, it seemed only right for fate to bring them back.

xSomething must’ve happened since they’ve been gone. Whatever it was, it must’ve been big. Something terrible enough for Zeus to ask them to come back personally. It had been their first time meeting (ever) and the God hadn't even give them much to go off of, or had really even acknowledged that they were his child. “Perhaps your return might be of aid to them,” was all he had said, and then he was gone just as quickly as he appeared. Not that Emory had expected much to come out of their first meeting. After all those years - after everything that happened - the God had never bothered to show up... not until it benefited him. A part of them wondered if Zeus treated all of his children that way, or if they were for some reason ostracized. Those thoughts were quickly outweighed by something a counselor, a fellow child of Zeus, had told them in their youth. Most Gods greet their each of their children with the same level of indifference as any of the others. They all have too much on their plate, and far too many offspring, to worry about one or two of their children in particular. Zeus was no exception. In fact, the King of the Gods was the prime example. A deity like him doesn't play favorites.

xAs soon as they walked through the gates of Camp Athens, they were struck with a powerful surge of emotion. It was like walking into their childhood. Everything was where they remembered it: the mess hall, the weapons room, the training arena. If they didn't know any better they'd think time had stopped the moment they'd left. It took a moment for them to recall where their cabin had been, and another to hope that it was kept the same as they'd left it. When they were greeted at the door by some old friends, that hope could only blossom. A few of their old counselors met them with open arms, telling them how happy they were to have them back. With the promise to fill them in on all of the adventures once they get settled, they raised the question about their cabin, relieved to hear that they'd kept it locked up tight for them. One of them left to get the key for the door as the other two stayed, hesitant to let their old friend go. Emory was in the same boat, their suitcases discarded at their feet so their arms could be free to embrace them one more time.

xOnce the other counselor returned with the key, Emory was pointed in the right direction, the path beneath their feet leading the small cluster of deserted cabins deep in the dense woods. A lot of them used to be home to demigods that were no longer at the camp. They'd like to think that a majority of the previous owners had left voluntarily like they had, but they knew that likely wasn't the case. Why else then would the cabins have been emptied when theirs had gone untouched? They wouldn't let themselves think that them having stayed could've made a difference. Wouldn't picture these cabins occupied with smiling faces that they didn't get the chance to save because they were off being selfish. They knew they'd be chastised for it, letting something like that put a damper on such a wholesome moment, but it couldn't be helped. That's the first thought that always crosses their mind, and one of their greatest fears.

xThey finally reached their cabin, passing by a petite brunette bent over in the empty cabin just beside theirs. Making a mental note to greet their new neighbor later, Emory made their way up the stairs, taking them two at a time with bated breath. Turning the key in the lock, they threw the door open, immediately succumbing to a coughing fit when a cloud of dust greeted them at the door. Waving their hand in front of their face, Emory took a few tentative steps inside, taking everything in. They really had kept it just the way they left it. The thought of their friends preserving their cabin so they would have it to come home to moved them to the point of tears. Quickly tipping their head back - so's not to smudge their makeup - Emory willed the tears away, moving further into the cabin once they pulled themself together. They discarded their luggage on the bed, arguably the least dusty thing out of everything in there, and opened every window. They summoned a stiff breeze, weaving it through their cabin with practiced ease, taking care of most of the dust. The repairs would have to wait until later, they decided, once they greeted everyone else. They would have time to make this place feel like home again.

xEmory walked out of the cabin, locking it behind them just because they could, the key dropping into the pocket of their coat. Next door they noticed that the petite brunette was no longer alone, another girl having come up the steps to greet her. Neither of them looked familiar to Emory, but how new they were to the camp had yet to be determined. "It doesn't hurt to ask," they thought, and they trotted down the steps to do just that. "Hey there neighbors!" they greeted warmly, loudly from in front of their own cabin. They made their way over, their smile fading a bit apologetically when they realized they might have just interrupted their introduction. "Welcome to Camp Athens."




    Image
    Image
    Image

    dahlia black
    daughter of hades | outfit | #AE5452

    Image
    Image
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xxx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx

x"This is as far as I can take you,"

xAfter a thirteen hour flight, an hour long bus ride, and a hike that lasted a few more, Dahlia should have been glad to have finally arrived. Instead she found herself mourning the loss of her traveling companion, her gaze flitting over to the spectral figure at her side. She never would have known about this place without Nisha. The recently deceased demigod had told her about Camp Athens, a place for demigods to grow and learn how to hone their unique abilities; a place for them to be with their own people. It almost seemed too good to be true. She'd been treated like a freak her whole life, surely 'Camp Athens' wouldn't be any different. That being said, the spirit world had never led her astray before, and Nisha seemed like she genuinely wanted what was best for Dahlia. What seemed like so long to be on an airplane had been mere minutes for her, being as alone as she's always been. Nisha had become the closest thing to a friend she's ever had, even among the dead, and she was hesitant to let that go.

x"Why?" Dahlia asked, hoping it was something she could talk the ghost out of.

xNisha turned to her, a sad look in her translucent eyes, "Because there's a barrier keeping anything but the Gods and their children from entering,"

xThat didn't make sense. "You're one of their children," Perhaps Nisha had forgotten. It's been known to happen to spirits that spend too much time in the mortal realm.

x"Not anymore," Nisha said, her expression no less despondent than before, "I belong to your father now,"

    xWith an aching heart, Dahlia reached into her pocket, taking out two gold coins - the same ones she had placed on Nisha's body back home. It felt good to see the spirit finally smile after looking so miserable for most of their hike. "For the ferryman," she dropped them into Nisha's palm, watching her hand solidify just so they wouldn't fall to the ground. It was the last bit of strength the former demigod had before her soul began to fade, her lips mouthing out a soft 'thank you' before she quietly let herself pass on; the gold coins were the last to disappear. For a while Dahlia just stood outside the camp, her gaze fixed on the spot where her friend once stood. Loneliness crept up her spine like a cold chill, forming a shallow feeling in her gut, as if she had just swallowed a bunch of stones.

    xMelancholy was the only loyal friend Dahlia has ever had.

    xDeciding to get this over with, Dahlia crossed the threshold into camp only to be greeted immediately. Three older young people were clustered at the entrance. Camp counselors, Dahlia would guess, if this place had that sort of thing. The ones that hadn't greeted her had their attention somewhere else, or rather someone else - a effeminately dressed young man carrying luggage, walking west towards the dense wood. At their other counselor's greeting, the two then turned their attention away from the young man, their smiles varying degrees of guilty at not having spotted the new arrival beforehand. Dahlia was almost sure these weren't 'camp counselors' but she didn't knew what else to call them. They were merely older demigods helping the younger, less acquainted ones find their way. Ferrymen in their own right.

    x"New cabins are straight down that way," one of them said, "You can set yourself up in any one you want, so long as it's free."

    xWith a nod, Dahlia made her way further into the camp, following their direction towards the newer cabins. She walked as far as she possibly could, making her way deeper and deeper into the camp until the cabins were fewer and farther between. As much as she would like to make friends here, Dahlia knew better than to go out of her way to mingle with people, lest she become a target of their ire. Finally choosing one of the cabins further away from the camp's epicenter, Dahlia made her way up the cabin steps, analyzing the exterior of what would be her new home. She opened the door, immediately spotting the key hanging off the key ring to her immediate right. It seemed to be empty, which was ideal. It meant she could finally stop walking. Placing her things on the bed, Dahlia let herself collapse beside her bags, staring blankly at the ceiling. A soft breeze made its way in through her open door, the surrounding sounds of the forest easing her into a feeling of security. Only time would tell how long it would last.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Veera Han Character Portrait: Emory Cantor
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Image

XXXV E E R AXXH A N

Image

D a u g h t e r Xo f XH e p h a e s t u s
X{ O u t f i t } X || X#c16759


Image
Upon hearing the name of the camp Veera perked up just a tad bit, averting her eyes from the inside of the cabin to the woman next to her. If this woman could read the scribble on the map, then she was probably at the right spot. That or maybe she just spoke greek but Veera’s assumption was secured once the girl asked if she was a demigod. That wasn’t the kind of question you just throw out there. "Uh... yeah," the woman began, giving out a little laugh. Veera’s shoulders started to relax at this point, though she came right up to the first person she saw, she was still prepared for hostility. Not everyone in the world was so decent.

Veera listened to the girl, following her nod towards the other cabins. “Actually these look pretty rustic,” she interjected, taking a few steps back to get a better look at them with hands on her hips. They were unused that's for sure but had a certain charm to them. ” But, I believe there is nothing wrong with some change in your life once in a while. Good or bad.“ Vee matched the girl's smile. She adjusted her sword a little. It always had the bad habit of sliding down on one side because the strap that she’s been too busy to fix sits just loose on her. Granted the sword was her grandfather's so there is a slight size difference. As she did so, Vee watched, side glancing at the woman as she finished tending to her sheets in a way that could only be described as curiosity. Then there was a blur of tan and black further out behind the girl going into one of the cabins? Veera’s eyebrows began to raise when the woman then turned towards her, a small elegant hand outstretched towards her. With that Veera’s lips melted back into a smile. "I'm Sloane, by the way,"

Grabbing her hand, vee returned the greeting, almost bowing awkwardly instead but she successfully saved herself from the small embarrassment. At least now she had a name for the adorable face and knowing the meaning behind her name, to her knowledge at least, made vee stifle a chuckle. “A pleasure, the name really fits you, but to answer your question from earlier,” Veera held her hand up and ignited one of her fingers, letting the little flame dance along with her fingertips before putting it out. “ I am a demigod, it’s called a bàn shén where I’m from, but yeah. My father is hephaestus.”

Strange to feel comfortable this fast when meeting someone new vee thought to herself. Other than her family and Atsuko, not everyone that she’s met so far made her feel like she could relax in their presence. The realization then hit her a little too slow again, maybe the alcohol didn’t burn off as fast as she thought this time. Sloane just dusted her sheets and just mentioned moving into a new cabin. Veera didn’t mean to take away time from her tasks; she just got caught up in her excitement. “Hey, uhm, if you don’t mind I could help you out with the cab-” before veera finished her sentence a loud voice called out from across Sloane's cabin. "Hey, there neighbors!"

Deep brown eyes landed on a dashing young man trotting down his cabin steps towards them. It was the blur of tan and black Veera saw earlier. Her shoulders slightly tensed back up but she received them with a warm smile. She was going to give him the benefit of the doubt and whoa, his nails looked really nice. “Thanks, I’m just glad I made it to the right place and not some occult worshipers community. “

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evelyn Masters Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Mason Hughson Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Trinity Wallace Character Portrait: Liv Pfeiffer
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mjolnir
x
x
Image

wesley preston
aphroditex|xoutfitx|x#667c0c

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Wes had more than his fill of food... for the morning at least. He pushed back his chair and spared a glance around the hall. There were a fair bit of people there, but no one he was really itching to sit down with. Part of him wanted to seek out Trinity. But knowing her, she needed some time to digest everything that happened. The trials... and everything else. He knew better than to hover around her or make her talk about something she isn't ready to talk about. With a sigh, he stood up, cleaned up his dishes, and exited the main hall.

He really had no destination in mind. Alex hadn't been seen around camp for a couple days now and before he really noticed, his feet were carrying him in the direction of the Valis cabin. It didn't take him too long to get there and as he climbed the stairs he was met by dark windows. Wes knew the chances of anyone being there was slim, but he still knocked on the door and waited probably longer than he should have.

As he waited, Wes looked around the surrounding area, which is when he saw someone with caramel skin and curly brown hair. They didn't look familiar. Were new campers coming today? He remembered Poseidon mentioning the arrival of his son, but nothing was said about other demigods, but it wouldn't be unlikely.

Wes sighed, looking down at his feet. Without Alex there, he started to realize how he was lacking in the friend department. Another female friend probably wasn't the best route when things got a bit more serious with Trinity, but he always seemed to get along with women better. Maybe it was the Aphrodite allure bullshit. He didn't know. But it had been a long time since Wes had a close male friend. But in his opinion, a friend is a friend. And he remembered, vaguely, what it was like being the new kid at camp.

Fine. Fine. He told himself before heading back down the steps to the Valis cabin. He turned down the path in the direction he saw the stranger wonder. She wasn't too terribly far in front of him, but he wasn't going to chase after her or anything. He had enough people run up to him randomly and bug him over the past couple days. He didn't want to be that guy. So he took his time trailing behind, slipping his hands into his pockets and kicking any small rocks that laid in the path in front of him.

Eventually the girl found her way to an empty cabin and let herself in. Wes waited a bit before slowly walking up the steps. He lingered on the porch for a moment, then took a step forward and lightly knocked on the open door. "Um... Hello?" He wasn't going to let himself into someone's cabin, especially someone he didn't know. So he waited a moment or two before calling out again. "Sorry. I just happened to notice you were new and thought I'd offer my help if you need it... Or not. Just... ya know." His face scrunched up as he tried to think of what to say. "Hi. I'm Wes," he said, awkwardly, as he waved his bionic arm at the empty room.




x
x
Image

sloane astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#c7b29b

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
"Actually these look pretty rustic," Veera commented while taking a few steps back to get a better view. Sloane's gaze followed hers. Perhaps they were. Her own knowledge of rustic was limited. She grew up around wealthy politicians so if something wasn't expensive or brand new then she knew nothing about it. Everything was about looking expensive and keeping up with trends. Her own experience with camp has been quite humbling. Sloane tried her best not to be the snobby rich type.

"But, I believe there is nothing wrong with some change in your life once in a while. Good or bad."

Sloane gave a faint smile and nod of her head. "You're probably right." Her life has been no short of change since she came to camp. For better or worse.

Veera accepted her offered hand and gave it a shake, half bowing as well. The girl hid a small chuckle which confused Sloane a bit, but she said nothing. "A pleasure. The name really fits you," she commented. Sloane's brows pulled together in contemplation. She couldn't say she knew what her name meant. Something she'd have to look up later. "But to answer your question from earlier..." Veera raised her hand and in a flash she conjured a flame the danced along the tips of her fingers. "I am a demigod, it’s called a bàn shén where I’m from, but yeah. My father is hephaestus."

Sloane took a slight step back at the produced flames. She wasn't scared of fire, but flames appearing out of thin air was enough to startle anyone. It was a bit of a showy way of answering a simple question, not that she would have said anything regardless. "Then I'd say you're in the right place." She gave another small smile before stepping into her cabin. Sloane wasn't ignoring the girl, she left the door open for her to follow or continue talking or whatever else. Part of her was hoping to avoid the question about who her parent was. Plus, the inside of the small cabin smelled musty and she wanted to open the windows. It was something to keep her busy so she didn't look like a deer in headlights around new people. Introvert problems.

"Hey, uhm, if you don’t mind I could help you out with the cab-" Veera began to say but another distant voice called out, cutting her off.

"Hey there neighbors!" The loud voice made Sloane jump as she opened the second window. She wasn't used to being the popular person by any standards. To be honest, she thought she was quite invisible... At least until the trials yesterday. She slowly emerged from her cabin, seeing a slender, chipper person clad in beige. "Welcome to Camp Athens."

"Thanks, I’m just glad I made it to the right place and not some occult worshipers community."

Sloane was going to speak up, but Veera beat her to it. So while the two conversed, she busied herself by carrying her bag into the cabin and setting it on the bed. She also opened the last window before sheepishly stepping back out onto her porch. "I'm not new. I've been here for a couple weeks," she began but realized how harsh that might have sounded. "I uh..." Her words fumbled out of her mouth for a moment. "Sorry. Thank you."

Over the past few days Sloane has had more social encounters than she knew what do with, between Liam trying to train her with his sister, and now the strangers at her doorstep... If she could call it her doorstep considering she claimed it all but a few moments ago. Hoping to move the conversation on from her own awkward attempts at socializing, Sloane pointed her finger at their beige jacket. "I used to have that jacket. Looks nice." Ok. That was a little more normal.



x
x
Image

andromeda bolton
hecatex|xoutfitx|x#990856

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Andy jumped a little when Trinity spun around and held the blade to her throat, but she expected it. She didn't get mad or angry. She let her friend take her time coming down and getting calm. Everyone, or nearly everyone anyway, was on edge after the trials. It's not easy facing your deepest darkest fears. No one walks away from that unscathed. And everyone handles it differently. It was no surprise that Trinity wanted to fight it all away, because that's what she knew.

She waited patiently for Trinity to talk. They were in no rush and Andy felt like the both of them could do with a little venting in the safety of each others' company. The one place they could speak their minds judgement free.

"I can’t get yesterday out of my head. It scared the shit out of me. Then we had to watch the people we love go through their own torture."

Andy nodded her head as Trinity motioned to her. "I guess we should be thankful we didn't show up in each other's trials," she joked half-heartedly. It was a shitty attempt at trying to lighten the mood, but not entirely wrong. Her trial was hard enough having to choose between Mason and Ajax... The last thing she needed was tossing Daniel and Trinity in there for good measure. Just the thought of it churned her stomach. All of it hurt. The hardest part was seeing some alternate version of herself hurting those she cared about. She couldn't help but be terrified of doing that for real.

"Then..." She could sense the hesitation in Trinity as she seemed to search for what to say. "Wes and I spent the night together." Andy's eyes instantly widened as a small smile crept across her lips. "Which was great," Trinity quickly added, making sure she didn't get the wrong idea. "And I don’t have self-esteem issues but you know – child of Aphrodite, been around and done it all. And Wes isn’t the type to compare but…"

Andy's smile faded slightly. "Was he still there in the morning? Did he seem happy?" She asked. Two questions that Trinity might not have thought to ask herself. Whether or not Wes had a darker past didn't change how he felt about her. "Because from what I've seen, he's crazy about you. He arrived at camp around when I did... And I haven't seen him flirt with or look at a girl that wasn't you." Yes, of course he looked at other girls. He had to. But not in the way Andy meant, and Trinity knew that. Sure, he seemed to get along with women better than men, but not once did she ever think it was anything beyond friendship.

"You shouldn't compare yourself to the 'has beens' of Wes's life. There's a reason he wants you." Andy lightly bumped Trinity's shoulder with her own. "Have you ever thought that it's because you're not like the other girls?" She raised an inquisitive brow as she held her friend's gaze.

She let Trinity wave off the conversation. While they were best friends, both of the girls only allowed themselves to groan about girly things for so long. Neither of them were the sleepover and gossip about boys type. Perhaps that's why their friendship worked so well. They could talk about the serious things when they needed to, but they would also spar and fight alongside one another. By all definitions they were more bros than besties. If it was possible for two women to have a bromance, they did.

As they walked arm in arm, Trinity turned the conversation on her. "So what about you anyway? Are you all good?"

Andy sighed as her gaze fell to her feet. Her pace slowed with Trinity's until it inevitably came to a complete halt. They were alone in the woods and whatever she was or wasn't going to spit out, she wanted it out of the way before prying ears could overhear. "Not really," she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. "Watching everyone's trials was hard. I hated that I couldn't do anything but..." her voice trailed off as she kicked a small rock. "My trial scared the shit out of me."

Her expression saddened and showed all the worry and pain she felt inside. "Yes, the Underworld and Hades are scary, but..." Andy's voice trailed off as she tried to find the words. "I never want to have to choose who deserves to live or die. I have been stuck in the middle of their feud for so long, refusing to choose a side, only for it all to unravel... in front of everyone."

At this point the flood gates were open. Everything had been boiling up inside her that now once it was started, she couldn't stop. "And I feel terrible. I'm disgusted with myself." Andy's voice wavered as tears filled her eyes. But she refused to cry. "I spent a year with Ajax and I couldn't save him. I wouldn't. Because I knew if the tables were turned... He wouldn't save me." She paused a second. "And that pain... Mason has been feeling that every day for a year." While she sounded angry, the only person she was scolding was herself.

Andy sighed, taking a deep breath. "And seeing him die." Her voice cracked. "Was the hardest thing I've ever experienced." She held Trinity's gaze knowing full well that the girl knew exactly what she felt. Both of them killed people they cared deeply for in their trials. "I was so scared that he was actually dead that I waited for him at his cabin afterwards... Just to be sure."

That was it. All of it, laid out for Trinity. It was probably more than she wanted to hear but if Andy didn't vent to her then who knows who she would have unloaded that all on. She smiled weakly feeling like she could breathe a little easier. She hooked her arm around Trinity's once again and started back in the direction of the main hall. They were just about to step out from the tree line when she realized she left out a key detail. Andy's free hand pinched the bridge of her nose trying to search for the most delicate way to say it. But inevitably, she ended up just blurting it out. "And... I slept with Mason."

She spared a brief glance over to Trinity with a nervous, slightly guilty smile. That was it. There was nothing else to say. All her secrets were out in the open, just like Trinity's. And while they both shared similar nights, neither of them were the type to compare notes. So before either one of them wanted to unpack all of that, Andy guided them towards the main hall.

Andy looked over all the food, realizing that the previous day's events still left her stomach in knots. And while she was hungry, she didn't know how much she'd be able to keep down. So she settled for an apple. Once Trinity had grabbed her food, she made her way over to Mason's table as Cherise spoke to him. "How are Andy's injuries?"

"Still a little sore. But mostly just bruises," she replied as she took the seat to Mason's right. "Thanks again for your help. I'm sure Daniel is grateful I'm not dead." Andy's gaze briefly drifted over to Mason. She knew he was glad too, but she wasn't going to put him on the spot like that. "I'm glad he has you for a friend." Meaning, Andy was glad that her brother wasn't crushing over Alex anymore and moved onto someone who wasn't a self centered bitch. But her comment was still genuine. Cherise seemed like a nice girl.




x
x
Image

sylas astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#064c4b

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
"I'll take Nosy Nelly over my brother any day of the week. She's much easier to force submission with."

"Hmm," Sylas hummed as he looked over at the tipped over chair. "True. But at least my sister knows when to shut the hell up." He shrugged his shoulders and took a big swig of his coffee. It was far too early in the morning to have to deal with a chatty Nelly. And to be honest, he didn't know if he'd every be in the right mindset for that. At this point, everyone in camp thought he was some murderer, so who was he really trying to impress anymore?

After a moment or so, Liv scooted her chair in, leaning closer to him. "You know, I wouldn't mind helping you with this... Liam issue."

Sylas was in the middle of stabbing his fork into a piece of food when the comment sunk in. He froze. Only his eyes moved to meet Liv's gaze. There was no way that word of anything going on had made its way to her ears. From what he had seen, she was in a similar boat to himself... No friends and an unlikeable disposition. So she had to gather that he was an issue purely from the trials. Smart. "I'm listening."

Liv tilted her head to the side, gauging his response. "I do have a brother issue. Well, it's more along the line of deeply traditional values that severely impact my ability to claim what's more rightfully mine. I.E. my father's seat. What does my brother know of the sea anyhow? I just happen to have two X chromosomes."

So a partnership? He scratches her back and she scratches his? Liv did seem more likely to help him. Sure, he had offered his partnership to Mason as well. But from what he had seen the Valises haven't been around for a few days. Plus, the Zeus duo looked to be digging their own graves quite well. And while Mason could help him with this little kerfuffle... He was friends with Trinity, and Liam is her brother. He'd imagine that wouldn't go over well. Not to mention his own desire to get a little payback against the Hecate girl he loved so dearly after what went down in capture the flag. That would almost certainly put Sylas on Mason's kill list.

The brunette started glancing around the hall, sizing up the other campers. "So many new faces. You can't tell me that your handsome looks can't charm a few unsuspecting newbies?"

He chuckled, taking a sip from his coffee. "Who am I seducing? Them?" He motioned his hand in a general sense as if signifying the rest of camp. "Or your brother?" Sylas smirked slightly. It was a joke, although not that he would be opposed to bedding an attractive Poseidon son. But at the current moment he was far more interested in the woman seated opposite him.

"A little more division between demigods would mean less attention on us. You should think about it. Hmm?" Liv commented with a wink. "You never know. Nervous Nelly might be a good asset. She certainly floats around and talks enough."

Sylas's smile turned into a slight sneer at the comment. That's all he needed was a manipulated Nelly being clinging and annoying. Not that Liv was entirely wrong. Regardless, he was not bridging that today... Maybe not even tomorrow. His gaze floated around the room. Who would even be good to manipulate? Mason? No. Sure he was useful, but if Sylas was going to get him to help him with Liam, then it'd need to be of his own volition. Trinity? Maybe. She is Liam's sister after all. But sadly, the real person who could ruin the son of Ares in a blink was Sloane... And as he unfortunately found out, she's strong enough to control him. Not the other way around.

Lost in his own thoughts, he almost didn't notice Evelyn walk into the main hall... With another guy, no less. Sylas didn't know the face, nor did he really care. And, whether he liked it or not, the red head was not his. They slept together once. That does not mean commitment on any level. But something about him was drawn to her. With Evelyn is was the mystery, but with Liv it was the danger. Both strong women that tugged at different parts of him. But, even though he'd never say it out loud, seeing her move to sit beside Sloane during the trials... hurt. She didn't owe him anything, neither him to her. Yet, his gaze was still fixed on her as she lingered before disappearing into the kitchen.

Once she disappeared out of sight, Sylas moved to his feet and exited the main hall before he saw her again. At first he began to wander aimlessly, letting his feet carry him wherever about the camp. But eventually he managed to find his way to Liv's cabin. He contemplated moving on, but instead he slowly ascended the steps of her porch. He hesitated for a moment, staring at the door before he knocked. His tall frame filled most of the doorframe as he rested his hands on either side of the opening. When she opened the door, a small smirk crossed his lips as he looked down at her. "So... What kind of partnership did you have in mind?"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evelyn Masters Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Mason Hughson Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Trinity Wallace Character Portrait: Liv Pfeiffer
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mombie
x
Image
Image
x
N I C H O L A S x B O W E R
o f x p o s e i d o n
#3a9ef1 || Outfit (no shirt) || training arena

Image
Image
Image
x
B L A I R xC A R M I C H A E L
o f x a t h e n a
#e69c7a || Outfit || training arena

Image
By the gods, was Nicholas secretly blessed by Aphrodite before being tossed into Camp Athens? He must’ve been because every time he turns around, another woman is running right into him— or he into her, depending on how one reads the situation.

Here he was just walking; hands in his pockets, a hum in his throat, thoughts in his mind about all that had transpired thus far in his short time here. The redhead, for whom he is cursing himself for not catching the name of… the Aphrodite girl that he had unintentionally insulted. Possibly. He thought to himself, it couldn’t get any worse. Right?. Or better? He placed an index finger on his chin as he wondered, Was it good or bad luck? His head went from side to side, as though weighing the thoughts in his head. Well, beautiful women running into you doesn’t happen every day. Then again... he frowned, Would the Aphrodite child tell everyone he’s a perv later? He made a disgusted look at no one in particular and judging by his motions, he was having a conversation in his own head anyway. I’m not a perv… it wasn’t my fault.

It was right in the middle of starting to ponder the redhead when his instincts kicked in and an arm dashed down to brace the back of Blair. A hand folded gently around her waist, and he brought her up and helped her regain her balance. What seemed like half a heartbeat, her fingers grasped his biceps and they were intimately close. Not that he’d complain much.

His internal voice asked, Am I the child of Poseidon and Aphrodite?

Since the woman seemed to revel in the close proximity, he made no real motion to create additional space between them. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," she apologized, but the way she smiled and giggled said otherwise. She’s not that sorry, if she is at all. "The outdoors and I aren't really simpatico. But I wouldn't mind being on a first-name basis with you."

Simpatico. Simpatico. What did that mean? It must be French, he thought. No one said he was the sharpest tool in the shed, just one of the sturdiest. He just chuckled at that and pretended he understood, but she could probably tell that his brain wasn’t all that intellectual. Not that it appeared she was looking for some profound conversation anyway. Not with the way she’s flirting and hanging onto him without any shame at all.

"I'm Blair," she introduced herself, and he took her hand and gave it a firm but still semi-gentle shake. She was a woman, after all. He was ungodly strong and had to mind himself.

"Nicholas, but you can just call me Nick," he responded as he finally stepped back. It just occurred to him that he should, at the very least, give the other demigods a warning before just summoning them to train out of the blue. That’d be starting out on the wrong foot with a lot of the others, and he may already end up in hot water with the guys depending on who all these hot women belonged to. They just had to belong to someone.

Nick wanted to stay and flirt a little, but he also had a job to do in Camp Athens. He looked at her and tilted his head in thought. You know what? He could do both. Ah, but typically he wasn’t the quickie sort of guy, even though she was certainly tempting. So tempting.

"Coming, Blair?" he inquired as he began to walk backward. He eventually turned around to head for the main office of the Camp, which was just past the chow hall. A short walk.

Blair quirked a brow at his offer. Well that didn’t take long. Perhaps it was she that was the daughter of Aphrodite. Then again, it was never women who struggled to find someone to warm their bed. Hell, what better way to christen camp than to have a little fun with Fabio. Sure, he didn’t seem like the smartest guy out there, but she wasn’t flirting with him for his brains. Dumb boys were always the easiest to get what she wanted from anyway. So, she said nothing but followed after him, wherever he led her.

They arrived at their destination; a small office that was empty save for the P.A. system. That’s what he needed. Once he shut the door, he turned toward the raven-haired woman and smirked. If she was looking for a dumb guy that would just easily hand over the reaffirmation that she could have any dumb guy she wanted - well, she certainly got it.

He’s going to blame the jacked-up hormones on the aftereffects of Aphrodite’s daughter for what happens next. He hooked his hands under her bottom, hoisted her up once she had her arms wrapped around his neck, and walked her toward the counter with the P.A. system, "I’m normally more of a romantic, but I had a run-in with the daughter of Aphrodite, and I am a bit… on edge." And that was hardly even the tip of the iceberg.

Blair’s coy act faded away when they were in the privacy of the office. She had already gotten him and she was far from coy. As Nick scooped her up, her legs instinctually wrapped around his waist. Her fingers snaked through his dark locks and gave them a playful tug. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, dollface."

He released her, moved between her legs as she settled on the counter, but he leaned off to the side and past her to press a button to turn the system on. His voice would echo through the entire camp - inside the facilities and outside.

"Good morning, Campers," he began then went on to introduce himself, "I’m Nicholas Bower, and as you’ve heard from Poseidon, I will be assisting in your training." He kept one of his hands on her thighs and as he continued to address the camp Blair’s hands trailed down his chest. They stopped when they found the top of his jeans. With a smirk, she began to unzip them. "It is now...," he paused and looked at the watch he clearly didn’t have on his right wrist, "...something o’clock, so be ready at the training arena at 4:30 pm sharp. This training is mandatory. Be dressed for the part, and everything else will be provided for you."

Being the sturdy, but not sharpest tool, in the shed - he forgot to turn the P.A. system off, "Why’d you have to wear pants?" He sighed at that, but it was playfully disappointed rather than actually disappointed. But lowkey… he was a little disappointed.

"I want you to work for your meal." In the confines of the small office, Blair quickly turned from prey to predator. She wasn’t some naive girl who didn’t know how boys were, but a woman who knew exactly what she wanted from a man. A minx. She grabbed a fist full of his shirt, pulling him close so their bodies pressed together. "And I’m not fast food," she purred, her lips so close to his that when she spoke they brushed ever so slightly.

Blair trailed her lips along his jaw and down his neck, stopping at his shirt collar when her gaze fell to his hand still holding the P.A. button. "Boys," she scoffed softly under her breath as she took his hand off the button and placed it upon her chest. "I hope you’re not expecting this to be over quickly."

Ah, she was a feisty one. Dominant, too. It’s a bit awkward for him, but it was also a blessing. Nicholas didn’t want to think about anything - if he even thought at all. In fact, he didn’t even notice that she removed his hand from the PA system button, only that it was now on her chest and he was happy about that. "We have a couple hours." He seized her hair at the back of her head and gently tugged it back to expose her neck, "I’ll try my best to leave you intact for training." It wasn’t a promise that he was likely to fulfill.

* * *

Only the gods know how much time was spent in the P.A. office, but it smelled like sex. Whatever was on the counter was on the floor to make room for two worn-out Demigods. Sleep after physical excursion was only logical.

Unlike Nick, who fell asleep shortly after finishing, Blair just laid on the table looking up at the ceiling. In her typical fashion, whenever she was faced with situations she had no control over or didn’t like, she’d backpedal into one of her vices, sex in particular. For her, it was a coping mechanism. She didn’t have control over her life, but she could have control when it came to her sex life. It wouldn’t make sense to many people, but it was the weird sort of fucked up way she functioned. And it worked.

Nick rolled over and ended up on the floor with a loud “bang”, which was followed by an audible groan. "Shi--...," he started to curse but let it trail off as he rubbed his face, rolled onto his back, and pulled himself up to his feet. When the haze of being tired eventually cleared up, he looked at the small clock mounted on the wall just above the P.A. system.

4:23 pm. "Ah, shit," he cursed while running a hand through his long messy hair, and began to dress. In the midst of all this, he would toss some items of clothing onto Blair. "We gotta go."

Blair was barely able to hop off the table before Nick started throwing clothes at her. She caught the first couple of pieces. "Alright, Jesus," she grumbled as she tried to juggle the clothes in her hands and catch whatever else he tossed. She managed to hook her bra on her finger, but things began to slip from her grasp. She set the pile down on the table as she started pulling on her undergarments. "I don’t think daddy is going to kill you for being a little late."

"Have you met Poseidon?" He’d wait for her, as it was only natural not to leave a woman cold after sex. Even women like Blair. Since she wasn’t adept on her feet, or so she claimed, he grabbed her wrist and pulled them both into a light jog toward the arena.

Blair had just barely pulled on her pants when he took her hand and dragged her out of the office. At the rate he was going, she just barely managed to scoop up her purse and cardigan. She definitely was not the running or jogging type and punctuality was not something she worried herself over. Blair was more of the fashionably late-type, not the rush to grab a taxi type. Halfway there she scoffed and jerked her arm free.

If Nick wanted to race to the arena like an idiot he could, but sex was enough physical excursion. Especially if he planned on her training. That was a whole other battle. So rather than wearing herself out any further, Blair freed herself of the meathead and took her own sweet time getting there. She saw what direction he headed in, so it was easy enough to follow while she adjusted her appearance to look a little more presentable… as much as possible anyway.

Nicholas made it to the arena with Blair not trailing too far behind. He had gotten dressed in everything but his shirt, but as a beach boy, he hardly cared. He had some scars and a large tattoo on his right side. Otherwise, he was a very typical musclehead - all brawn, and as Blair figured out, no brain. At least, no brain for intellectual stuff like books and shit. He didn’t need all that when he knew that his place would eventually be alongside his biological father.

Once Blair arrived, she made her way over to the stands and took a seat. And in typical snobby girl fashion, she put on her sunglasses and a resting bitch face. She crossed her right leg over her left as she sifted through her purse for a sucker. Strawberry, her favorite. She plucked the wrapper off the candy and then placed it between her lips. Perhaps giving Nick the best sex of his life and disappearing into the crowd would get her out of training. She could hope.

He tried to place himself in a place where he could be heard at all, which wasn’t hard because he could certainly bellow his voice to command attention. "As I stated before, I am Nicholas Bower, son of Poseidon. As you’ve heard, I will be assisting you all in your training. The gods have all agreed that Camp Athens has ventured away from its original purpose," he scratched the back of his neck as he parroted the words he was given to relay. "Before I get to training, I do have to update you all on the status of the Valis children. They won't be returning to camp. I wasn’t given any other info. Just relaying the deets… So there it is." He gave everyone his notorious finger guns gesture at that.

With that out of the way, he smirked, "With that out of the way, welcome to the training arena." He held his arms out to gesture to the massive structure. "It has magical properties that allow observers to be unaffected by powerful influences and/or abilities. So, you can go ham on each other in here." He shook his head from side to side, then jabbed an index finger toward them all, "No killing. No harm to life, limb, or eyesight. Yadda yadda. Healers will be on standby."

Nicholas paused to give everyone a moment to digest everything before he continued, "The arena’s unique property allows it to transform into an environment best suited for the pair of demigods. That means, unless a gladiatorial style arena best suits both of you, this empty space will not be your environment. All weapons, elements, and anything else both Demigods might need, will be provided for you. Though if you have your own weapons, you are welcome to bring them with you."

He stopped because he had to think about everything that he could possibly be missing. He pointed a finger up in the air, "We are going to see where you’re at in terms of Demigod skills, so our first training is a spar. To avoid favoritism, the pairings will be random. So, everyone come and grab a token." He produced a pouch (which he was honestly surprised he remembered), and shook it. He reached in and pulled a blue one, then handed it to the next Demigod for the drawing. "If you grab a blue one, you’ll join me in the arena for the first dual."

Blair scoffed, rolling her eyes as she moved to her feet. She held the lollipop in her mouth as she wormed her way past other campers to grab her token and be done with it. She didn’t bother with the pomp and circumstance of digging around to find what token spoke spoke to her. Her fingers tightened on the first piece she felt and pulled it out to find that she had silver. Well, at least she wasn’t first. Silver lining she supposed. Blair tucked the token into her pocket before returning to her seat.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Mason Hughson Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Trinity Wallace Character Portrait: Nicholas Bower Character Portrait: Cherise Boyse Character Portrait: Andromeda Bolton
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mjolnir
x
x
Image

wesley preston
aphroditex|xoutfitx|x#667c0c

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Wes wasn't surprised at the announcement of training later on. Although the borderline porn audio book was something he wasn't expecting to hear. He couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. What he'd give to see the reactions of the campers who were more... modest at camp. That would have been funny. He didn't have any plans, so instead he spent most of his afternoon wondering around camp hoping to avoid any spontaneous introductions if possible.

Once it was time for training, Wes reluctantly wandered his way over to the arena and took a seat beside Trinity. He gave her a soft kiss on the shoulder, not wanting to make much of a scene, nor was he a fan of PDA. It didn't take long for others to join. The son of Poseidon who called the training came hurrying in close to the final hour with an unknown raven haired girl in tow. Well, now he knew who the other participant over the P.A. was.

Wes tried his best to give Nick his attention as he introduced himself. But it was his next comment that caught his attention. "Before I get to training, I do have to update you all on the status of the Valis children. They won't be returning to camp. I wasn’t given any other info. Just relaying the deets… So there it is." His brows furrowed as his gaze fell to his hands. The Valises were free to do as they pleased, but knowing Alex left without a goodbye or anything stung. He sighed softly, but tried his best not to linger on it.

Then the son of Poseidon moved his speech on to talk about the arena and their training. Wes knew he'd lose... When did he ever win a fight? He sighed and pushed off his knees to stand. He went over to the bag like everyone else and pulled out a token. Bronze. He tossed the chip once in the air, catching it and then returning to his seat beside Trinity. Unlike her, he hadn't really noticed the rain. It wouldn't make much of a difference to him when he got into the arena.

Wes smiled at Trinity and lightly tapped his token against hers. "At least you don't have to kick my butt."




x
x
Image

sloane astor
erisx|xoutfitx|x#c7b29b

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Sloane did her best to entertain her company, but that never was her strong suit. She wasn't the most social person at camp and no matter how much she wanted to busy herself to keep her mind occupied she couldn't help but wonder about Liam. Eventually playing the part of social and friendly wore on her, so she excused herself into her new cabin.

There were plenty of things for her to do inside. It honestly wasn't as bad as it could have been. Sure the place had been neglected for a couple years, but nothing that a little elbow grease wouldn't work out. She quickly busied herself with cleaning and was happy to find that the cabin was still hooked up to electricity... or whatever magic power the camp used. Either way, the lights worked, the water ran and everything seemed to be in functioning order, just a little dusty and dirty.

She had just gotten elbow deep into scrubbing the bathroom when she heard a loud static P.A. announcement echo throughout camp. Sloane stopped for a moment, wiping the sweat from her forehead as she rested on her knees and listened. "Good morning, Campers." She groaned, rolling her eyes. He sounded far too chipper like some infomercial about a camp parents could send their kids to, but was secretly hell. "I’m Nicholas Bower, and as you’ve heard from Poseidon, I will be assisting in your training."

Sloane sighed, tossing her dirty rag into the bucket she was using. How could she have forgotten what Poseidon said about sending his son. She paid enough attention to the rest of what he said as she moved to her feet. When she thought the announcements were over she started pouring out the dirty water into the bathtub. "Why’d you have to wear pants?" Her brows furrowed slightly, but she shook it off assuming she misheard him and perhaps it was about their dress code for training or something.

... Until she heard, "I want you to work for your meal." Her eyes widened in secondhand embarrassment. "And I’m not fast food." Sloane gasped and her hands slipped, dropping the bucket. Dirty splashed all over the tub, bathroom and her. Thankfully the P.A. switched off before anything else unsavory replayed for all of camp to hear.

"Gods damn it," she sighed.

For the next couple of hours, Sloane continued to liven up her cabin. It didn't take too terribly long for her to finish cleaning and unpack her belongings. She even managed to wash the bed linens and hung them along her porch to dry. As long as the weather cooperated, they should be plenty dry by the time she went to bed. It was a small feat, getting this place back in working order, but she was actually a little proud of herself. She couldn't recall the last time she did something like this by herself for herself.

Once she finished, Sloane had just enough time to take a quick shower and change into clothing that was better suited for training. She took a little too long getting cleaned, but with a slight jog and wet hair, she managed to get to the arena in time. It wasn't really until that moment when she was faced with all the demigods that she realized one thing she did lack at camp was friends. She took a deep breath and put on her best brave face before taking a seat on one far side by herself.

The guy from the P.A. got up in front of everyone, introducing himself again and then proceeded with any other announcements he had about the training. Sloane was curious to discover that the Valises had left camp. It seemed that drama followed the pair wherever they went, but it felt cheap that the siblings who were in the middle of just as much drama as herself weren't also subjected to the trials. Perhaps that's why they left? She couldn't begin to try and understand that. Did she even share a word with either Ajax or Alex?

The training seemed straight forward... Or as straight forward as it could be. Liam and Trinity had both tried training her the other day but it just ended in Liam making her feel like shit and her knocking him to the ground. That hardly qualifies as a successful training in Sloane's opinion. She did some work in capture the flag, but again, it wasn't much. Something told her that she was going to fail terribly at this and better yet, it'd be in front of everyone. Maybe once everyone saw she wasn't a threat and forgettable she could continue her existence at camp being invisible.

Sloane waited for most of the others to grab their tokens. She wasn't in a rush and was hoping to avoid small talk if possible. When it was her turn, she grabbed the first one she touched and pulled it out. She didn't even really look at it until she returned to her seat. Purple. Other demigods might have looked around trying to sneak a peek and find their partners. But Sloane just slipped the token into the pocket of her yoga pants and waited patiently for her turn.



x
x
Image

andromeda bolton
hecatex|xoutfitx|x#990856

Image
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
xx
x
Andy smiled at Cherise and gave her a small wave before the girl left. The remaining trio sat in silence as they ate, or Trinity and Mason ate. Andy just kind of nibbled on her apple half-heartedly. Everything felt a little awkward, like there was an elephant in the room. And that elephant was sex. All three of them had engaged in the deed within the last 24 hours and none of them seemed keen on talking about it. The silence at the table was so palpable that they could hear a pin drop. It wasn't that what any of them did was wrong, but that didn't stop the morning after from being a bit awkward.

Then an unfamiliar voice rang out on the P.A.s catching her attention. "Good morning, Campers." Andy spared a glance to Mason and Trinity as she listened to the rest of the announcement. "I’m Nicholas Bower, and as you’ve heard from Poseidon, I will be assisting in your training. It is now... something o’clock, so be ready at the training arena at 4:30 pm sharp. This training is mandatory. Be dressed for the part, and everything else will be provided for you."

"I don’t hate training, but as if we haven’t been pulled through the mud enough," Trinity commented.

Andy sighed, tapping her hands on the table. "I suppose we saw that coming. Although I thought we might have had a day to—"

"Why’d you have to wear pants?" The voice on the P.A. cut her off.

Blood quickly rushed to Andy's cheeks as she turned about as red as the apple in her hands. She didn't know if it was more embarrassing to hear what they were saying or to be them. But she quickly became interested in a chip in the table, picking at with her thumb as more comments were broadcasted. Thankfully it didn't last much longer and the intercom was finally switched. She let out the breath she was holding in with an awkward laugh.

"Yikes."

There was a moment or two of silence before Trinity looked between Andy and Mason with a tight smile. She then held out her plate to Andy with an impish grin. "Closest to kitchen has to chuck 'em away."

"What the—" Andy started to say but stopped herself. "Fine. Fine," she groaned as she stood up and took Trinity's dishes with a roll of her eyes. If she was going to go she might as well take Mason's too. Andy looked down at him with her free hand hovering near his plate. "Finished?" When he didn't argue she took up his plate and headed toward the kitchen. She had no idea what Trinity was going to say to him and how much of it was going to be a threat, but a small part of her was happy not to know.

Andy took her time, making sure to steal glances towards the pair and waited until they seemed to be finished talking before returning. But it seemed just as she reached the table, Trinity was ready to go and got to her feet. "I'm gonna do a few things. Pre-train, bug Wes...think about getting changed for training." Then she waved and was off.

Her brows furrowed as she watched her friend leave. Part of Andy wanted to chase after her and force Trinity to tell her whatever she said to Mason, but instead she was left standing there like an idiot. "I'm sure you have some things you'd like to do before training. So, don't let me hold you up." She smiled slightly. "I have a book I was reading waiting back for me at my cabin anyway," she added with a thumb point over her shoulder in the general direction of the cabins.

She smiled at him once more, while brushing loose hair behind her ears. When Mason didn't argue she pivoted on her heels and headed out of the hall. First Andy started in the direction of the cabins. Did she have a book she was reading? No. But she also didn't want him to feel like he was obligated to spend time with her. Plus she was a bit embarrassed about how awkward she was acting. It was like after the night they spent together she completely forgot how to act around him. And while she wouldn't admit it out loud, she was scared of misstepping and somehow pushing him away.

Once she reached her cabin, Andy decided rather than sitting around for a few hours she'd grab her iPod and go find a nice quiet place to listen to music. She let her feet carry her whichever way until she ended up in a spot at the edge of the woods not too far from Jennova's grave. She couldn't see it from where she was, but Andy was familiar enough with the area to know it wasn't far off. She settled into a comfy spot at the base of a tree and rested her head against the trunk. It wasn't much, but a little time to herself might help her clear her mind and prepare for training.

* * *

At some point in the shade of the tree, Andy managed to doze off. When she awoke it was nearly time for training. Luckily she wasn't dressed in the worse clothes for it because she had no time to stop by her cabin. She rubbed her eyes and shoved her iPod in her pocket before heading toward the arena. When she arrived she noticed Trinity already seated and waiting. Andy decided to take a seat next to her, giving both the blonde and Wes a friendly little wave and smile.

A tanned brunette boy stood up and began to address the rest of them. "As I stated before, I am Nicholas Bower, son of Poseidon. As you’ve heard, I will be assisting you all in your training. The gods have all agreed that Camp Athens has ventured away from its original purpose." Well, at least she could put a face to the voice she supposed. "Before I get to training, I do have to update you all on the status of the Valis children. They won't be returning to camp. I wasn’t given any other info. Just relaying the deets… So there it is."

Andy's heart sank. Whether she chose Mason or not wasn't the point, nor did it cancel out her past with Ajax. She might not have been with him, but she still cared about him. She was already hurt that he didn't come to see her in the infirmary after his sister nearly killed her and now he left camp without so much as a good bye. Andy clenched her jaw, trying not to let it get to her... Or to, at least, try and hide the anger she felt. She knew she didn't come first in Ajax's eyes, but she thought he would have at least had the decency to tell her he was leaving. Apparently not.

She could feel Trinity's gaze on her, judging her reaction to the news. Andy looked over at her and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. It wasn't worth bringing attention to it. She knew where she lied on Ajax's priorities... She didn't. Fine. If anything it squashed some of the guilt she felt and reaffirmed her decisions in the trials. He made his choice and she made hers. And she'd be damned if she got some self righteous lecture from Ajax if he ever decided to return.

To be honest, Andy half paid attention to anything Nick said after that, but it was fine. She wasn't dumb and could connect the dots. "If you grab a blue one, you’ll join me in the arena for the first dual." She followed everyone else and grabbed her token. It wasn't until Andy had returned to her seat that she looked down and noticed that hers was blue.

Andy sighed. "I guess I'm up first," she mumbled under her breath to Trinity. She glanced over her shoulder toward the arena and Nick, then back to her friend. "Poseidon, right? I guess it's a good thing I can swim," she jested as she took off her cardigan and laid it down on her seat. Then, with token in hand, she head toward the arena.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Evelyn Masters Character Portrait: Sylas Astor Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Lochlan Carmichael Character Portrait: Liam O'Connor
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by mombie
x
Image
Image
x
L I A M x O ' C O N N O R
o f x a r e s
#EB641D || Outfit || Arena

Image
He didn't bother changing. He didn't bother getting into a shower. He didn't bother eating or making any attempt at being a respectable human being, rather demigod, at all. He didn't care. After the rather poor attempt at napping, he listened to the announcement of the training to come, and the extra pornographic feature - and stared at himself in the bathroom mirror.

The gods were setting him up, weren't they? He brushed a large hand across the thick stubble that darkened his jawline and sighed. He'd have to avoid falling into the trap. Another trip to Tartarus would ruin him - as if one already hadn't.

He was one of the last of the campers to leave and for perfectly good reason. He didn't want to train at all. He didn't feel like beating someone to a bloody pulp, as he most likely would because that's just the sort of uncontrollable and feral creature he always has been. It was too tempting not not be that way. The first taste of rage from his opponent - the smell of blood lacing the air - there was no better way to make a child of Ares get excited. He had this extra drive, much like that of his father, to win no matter what the cost was at the end. Victory. The God of War and his children were not really all that different. Were they? He didn't know Trinity very well, but Liam knew himself.

He spent a few moments, and lurked further behind, and watched the commencement of the training from Poseidon's son. Now, that one would give him a run for his money, but Liam would place his bet that he'd get stuck with someone with noodles for arms that everyone would feel sorry for. Big bad Liam beat someone again. The son of War could never change, could he?

His dark gaze slid toward Sloane as she took her own seat, and the knot that settled in his stomach was heavy. He didn't even know why he was mad at her, or if he was at all. Liam was most likely bitter with himself, and it just so happened that Sloane got caught between two sides of the same coin - an unmistakable Ares child and a guy that had no idea what he was supposed to be doing with this new... experience.

While he would keep Sloane, and by proxy - Sylas - in view at all times, he chose to sit next to Evelyn. He didn't know why, but she had an aura. A captivating one. It was cold, like his own - yet not. Somehow. Sloane was the only woman that caught his eye and attention, but one could not just gravitates to a redhead. She stuck out like a sore thumb. Of course, her fiery mane was not all. He felt naturally cautious (as he is learning women are too complicated for his wee-man brain), but also curious. Quietly curious. He didn't want to give Sloane yet another reason to mistrust him, and whilst he might a pig be, he's really trying his best to give up womanizing!

He had grabbed his token before that. Whatever color it was - he didn't pay that much attention.

When he sat down he crossed his arms over his broad chest, looking like the most brooding and menacing homeless man one would ever see in their lifetime.

He watched the fights with an analytical mind, but his thoughts also ventured toward his own. What was he going to do? He finally opened up his fist to take a look at his token. It was red. It didn't even register that, Lochlan, the man sitting on the other side of Evelyn also had a red token.

As each battle came and went, even Evelyn's own, he felt his body temperature rising - excitement. The beast in him was already growling, clawing, begging. This was his life - his whole life, but perfectly legal compared to his past. The animalistic memories flashed through his mind of victory in bloodsport, near deaths, blood, the smell of sweat, and sore losers.

His left leg shook restlessly.

Reel it in, Liam. Reel it in, he reminded himself because Tartarus had not left him, either. The real question would be answered here today: Did the punishment of the gods prove to be successful or not? It could go either way. He didn't know himself. Not even in the slightest.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sloane Astor Character Portrait: Lochlan Carmichael Character Portrait: Liam O'Connor
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Liam O'Connor & Lochlan Carmichael

Image Image
Egotistical as he may be, Lochlan watched enough versus by now to have just a little bit of hesitance. These were males verse females and nobody held back and they all had gifts. Lochlan was used to ruling the roost among common people where everything was predictable and a cake walk. He was so deep in two mindsets. One; acknowledging he was in over his head and really had no idea what camp he had stepped into and two; they didn’t have powers like him though.
He squinted at the latest battle unsure if he had been deceiving himself of a familiar rivaling face. But there was Sylas Astor. Which meant…Lochlan was propelled to his feet to search the stands. He got even further forced to start walking the stairs down towards the arena, and when he caught his own actions, he froze for a moment. Deciding to own his odd actions and rather than be seen as retreating, he entered the gladiatorial arena and held his token high. He used the opportunity of middle ground to spin slowly but less in search for his opponent than… Sloane. Simultaneously his heart fluttered and sunk.
"Sloa-"

Liam watches Lochlan get up and walk down to the gladiatorial floor. He had been, after all, sitting just on the other side of Evelyn. He saw the red token held up but remained seated for a few moments more. Then the behemoth rose from his seat and walked down to face Lochlan. He took the token between his fingers and crashed it into fine red dust as if it were nothing. He didn't really want to be down here facing this shrimp. Luckily for Liam, Lochlan just uttered the right thing at the perfectly worst time.

The Arena didn’t even get a chance to shift because of Lochlan’s mouth. As soon as that name began to spill out of his mouth, Liam's fist came into contact with his jaw. It'd be an instant nap. Nothing special. Nothing glamorous. A boring duel, if one could call it a duel at all. To those sitting outside, perhaps it appeared that the Son of Ares was taking it “easy”, for lack of a better term. However, people failed to realize just how agitated the man was, and how much even the slightest smell of blood or even the way his knuckled cracked against Lochlan’s jaw, tantalized his violent urges. It was damn hard not to give in to it and just beat his opponent to a bloody pulp - yes, even if he was unconscious.

He stood there for a moment as if thinking about whether or not he should continue. Lochlan’s shrimpy snoozing face made his blood boil - even what came out of his little shrimpy mouth. Shrimp. Sloane doesn’t need a shrimp man. Or maybe she does? He was thinking again, right in the middle of the arena. What is this shrimp was what Sloane wanted? Why did he say her name? Who was this shrimp? Gods, that made him want to just– no, he couldn’t. He remembered Tartarus; his burning flesh and what felt like an eternity of impossibly hot hell.

His chest visibly heaved, and a couple of minutes passed. The Arena had yet to shift because it was testing him. Would he do it? He stared down at Lochlan. Where was his calm? That’s right… because he caught her in his peripherals. His calm. He looked in her direction for a moment, and she sat on the edge of her seat. He drew his gaze back to Lochlan, sighed, and put his balled fists back into his pockets. He’d just scare her again and earn another trip to his own personal Hell.

As the arena worked its magic to wake Lochlan up, the Ares child moved toward the observation seats. Instead of going back to Evelyn, he chose to sit next to Sloane. The pair wasn’t exactly talking right now, but Liam realized a fundamental truth to his own character. He needed her, and they’d have to reconcile somehow. Once he sat down beside her, he leaned back against the next row of steps, spread his legs, and looked pretty chill to almost everyone. Except, his right leg shook uncontrollably and his fists remained in a ball in his pockets, and his entire body felt tense because his adrenaline had not been fully vacated.

Being a good guy sucks. He almost looked like a junky on a drug withdrawal.

Lochlan’s revival from being hit by a freight train was shocking to say the least. His lights went out, his body crumpled without any indicators and now he laid in the arena, eyes wide open and breathing heavily trying to make sense of it all. With whatever dignity he could muster, he used it to get up and wipe the dirt from himself and get back in the stands. But this time he was sure to sit by himself. Far away from others.

He rubbed his jaw uneasily expecting some sort of phantom pain but there was nothing, yet he knew it happened. He dared to glance at his giant opponent sitting by Sloane then flickered his eyes to the arena again with a thousand yard stare. That single punch packed a lot of power and it seemed he had some relation with Sloane.