Return Of The Godslayer

chapter two

Sector 12— Camp Half-blood
200 years since the invasion
Four years since the fall of Rome

Sara

"Code nine! Code nine!"

I awoke to chaos. My entire room was awash in brilliant light, blood red and flashing. And over the constant blaring of the alarm system was the sound of gunfire, screams, and the clashing of swords.

I threw off the covers, panic rippling through my being as the sounds resonated through my room, and hurried the closet where I kept a small arsenal of celestial weapons and armor, all polished to gleam and worthy of the war gods of old.

In ten seconds I was donned in stygian armor, guns and knives sheathed and a gladius gripped in both hands casting golden light about me as I raced downstairs prepared to meet a hoard of blood thirsty aliens. I was instead greeted by the smiling faces of my adoptive family. No aliens. No blood. No sign of struggle. Just my two laughing brothers, a cheery mom, and my dad, all standing amid the great bland decor of the family room with the sounds of a battle booming about them— except there was no battle.

"50 seconds," Henry said, waving his datascreen infront me. A timer was set, flashing short bursts of iridescent light across the transparent surface. He taped the device once and the cacophony I'd woken to immediately ceased. 

"What's going on?" I asked utterly bewildered and still restless with adrenaline. My older brothers, John and Brian, were smirking, clearly finding humor at my expense.

Henry regarded my weapons and armor with the scrutiny of an a former war captain. "You're attire is good," he commended. "Stygian battle armor would've provided some resistance to Forsaken fire, though not much. And you're sword... Very nice. Imperial gold is deadly poison to the lesser hoards." His eyes met mine, piercing gold, unwavering, wise, and so seemly ancient they could've witness all four of the great Catastrophes, from the razing of the heavens to the fall of Earth.

He frowned. "You made two mistakes, however. The first: you are dressed for battle. You know quite well that one cannot simple go to battle a Forsaken, much less a entire hoards. And yet here you ready to take on an alien army. Be them of lesser echelon or high you would've surely died. You're second and greatest error is that you were too slow. Forsaken fire would've devoured this house, again killing you five times over before you got down those stairs."

"Henry!" Mom scolded, fixing him with green eyes as intense and unwavering as his were. "Don't be so hard on her. She did well."

"Of course," he said. "It was good. Could've been better, but good"

"Oh c'mon dad, she doesn't have superspeed!" John defended me but then he looked at me and smiled. "We can't all move at the speed of sound."

Brian laughed at his brother. "No, of course not. Some of us move at the speed of light," he grinned at me and just to show off he and John were already challenging each other to a race. It was a pointless race, of course, because though Brian always won, it was a loss for both of them using their powers like that.

You see, some years ago, they were chosen to go to Citadel to participate in what is called an Awakening. It doesn't work on everyone, but John and Brian were that special one percent. It helped that they were already legacies of the gods Hermes and Athena. The Awakening significantly magnified their powers and now they can run faster than bullets— though not for very long and to no great distance. In two years they will become soldiers of the Resistance, honorary defenders of the mortal races, and divine instruments to the goddess's will.

"I still don't get what's happening here," I said.

"Just a little exercise, sweetheart," mom answered, smilingly. "You know, to get you ready for your first day."