𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 || 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣¹

002

(chapter ii - monsters and murders and mothers, oh my)

"THIS IS A really bad idea, Percy." Insisted Selene for the seventeenth time, as they walked throughout the dark, empty hallways.

She assumed that they would normally be full, but the party was at it's climax by now. The music was blaring even louder now — so much so that they could hear it clearly through the walls.

"Oops," Percy simply replied sarcastically. She rolled her eyes, walking ahead of the boy and turning around the corner to see...

Bianca and Nico Di Angelo, cowering in a corner.

They were hidden by the shadows at first, so Selene could barely make them out. The girl, Bianca, looked terrified, her eyes wide and full of panic. Her green cap was broken into shreds besides her — and as soon as she saw Selene, she frantically shook her head.

Nico from besides her, sniffled. His dark eyes glimmered with hope once he spotted her.

"Okay uh — shit — shoot, fuck," She mumbled, messily fiddling with Lunar, which was in bracelet form.

Percy, hearing her, hurriedly turned around the corner as well. His eyes widened, taking the scene in and turning to the kids quickly.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Percy whispered. "I'm Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. This is Selene Lock, daughter of Artemis, we —"

"Artemis, did you say?" Interrupted a gruff voice, that obviously wasn't coming from the Di Angelo's.

Selene immediately turned around. Dr.Thorn presented himself from the shadows, grinning and swinging his...tail.

"A Manticore," Selene whispered.

She remembered when Artemis had taught her about some of the monsters she hunted, alongside her companions — the manticore was one of them, and one of their main problems.

"What?" Percy muttered.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "So these are the demigods who are...destined, to save the world? You truly are doomed. All of you are."

"You're one to talk," She growled. "That outfit is going to doom all of us. Honestly, dude, where is your dignity?"

"I would quiet yourself, Selene Lock." Dr. Thorn threatened. "Before I slit your throat."

"Oh, I wouldn't," Percy scowled, uncapping his pen. The pen transformed into his sword — Riptide, the celestial bronze rippling a wave of uneasiness through Dr. Thorn. "Or I'll go up and slit yours."

Selene gave Percy a strange look. It was like his whole demeanor changed — the son of Poseidon looked very angry, and Selene stepped back in shock as he stood in front of her protectively.

Where did that come from?

"Oh, sadly not, Perseus Jackson," Chuckled the manticore, recovering from his panicked state rather quickly. "You shall be the one I kill first." In one swift motion, he launched a thorn form his long, scorpion-like tail, aiming it right at Percy.

However, Selene was quicker. Time seemed to travel by too quickly as she stepped in front of him slightly to intercept it.

The thorn buried into her shoulder, Selene groaning in pain as a tingling feeling entered her.

It was small, but grew immensely bigger with time. The thorn burning into her skin.

Dr. Thorn looked surprised, but smiled nonetheless — as if he was glad it gave Selene pain.