The Choice of the Augur {ON HOLD}

Chapter One: Juno Who I am?

A boy, who was about 17 years old, woke up in an alley. Not much light shone in the alley though.

The last he remembered was fire. A giant fire ball, an explosion, and metal dragon maybe? He gripped his head.

He looked down at what he was wearing—a purple t-shirt which was almost torn to shreds, and there might have been writing on it once, but now it was unreadable. He wore tattered jeans, and what looked like a torn bed sheet.

His whole body felt sore, like he had been burned and then healed again. On his arm was several lines that looked like a bar-code, the letters SPQR, and a lyre. It was a tattoo.

A few questions rang in his mind:

Who am I? Where am I? What in Pluto is going on?

Pluto...The boy stumbled, his head spinning. He tripped over the stupid torn bed sheet he was wearing. He pulled it off and leaned on the alley brick wall.

He knew that name. He thought hard and he remembered a cold and dark place. He remembered vaguely trees, going on forever, and floating around mindlessly.

Yet he could remember something else about Pluto (He was positive Pluto was a guy, and very powerful). He remembered a shrine, perhaps, the roof covered with gems and jewels, and also...a girl with curly hair and dark skin? Yes...and she was wearing the same purple t-shirt, and there was a marvelous camp...He closed his eyes, breathing heavily. He remembered another person though...a boy with shaggy black hair, pale skin, with a skeleton ring and a dark sword...and he felt a strange anger towards the person he was thinking of. Everything about him seemed to scream: Enemy. Must destroy all of them.

His eyes flew open. He brushed his dirty blonde hair out of his face. It was a little overgrown and greasy.

Now, if he could only figure out who he was, and what was going on. He needed to find a shelter, perhaps get some food, take a shower and get new clothes. He could use some good food...he felt like he hadn't eaten in ages.

Just then he noticed something he hadn't before. There was a dagger on his belt, still shiny and shimmering gold. He grabbed it and turned it over in his hands. It felt strangely familiar, like he had felt it in his hands a million times before...

He dropped the dagger suddenly. He had caught a glimpse of his reflection. Memories flashed in his mind, just a few though. He picked up the dagger again. He studied his pale face, covered with ashes, he had a pointed nose, and his eyes were pale blue. He felt very fragile, like he could shatter at any moment.

But the important thing was, when he looked at his reflection, a name kept flashing in his mind, and he assumed it was his name:

Octavian.

Octavian gripped his dagger and studied his surroundings. He saw fire escapes zig-zagging up brick walls. The sky was partly cloudy and the sun shone bright, which hurt his eyes. He closed his eyes and listened. He heard cars honking, pigeons cooing and people shouting things such as taxi!

Octavian guessed he was in some sort of city. He opened his eyes, but what he saw made him blink a couple of times.

A woman stood there, quite taller than him. She was glowing with some sort of aura. She looked confident, and her facial features were sharp and stern. Her brown cinnamon hair was tied back, and a golden tiara was on her head. She had a flowing blue dress on, along with what looked like a goat-skin cloak. In her hand there was a staff topped with a lotus flower.

"Ah, Octavian." She smiled. She looked beautiful, yet with a sense of power, like she could—and would—vaporize him if he was disrespectful.

Octavian thought he should kneel and he did. The lady seemed amused.