Twins of the Hunt - Book 1: The Golden Hind ✔️

Chapter 8: We're Offered A Quest

1103 words

"No, no, no!" Raiden said, panicking. "My father is Kronos? This can't be happening!"

"Calm down," Chiron said.

We were sitting in the porch of the Big House, drinking lemonade. The sky was dark and stormy. Even though the magical barrier was supposed to keep the weather nice, it wasn't. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Not to mention the fact that the plants were going crazy.

"Zeus is angry," I said, glancing up at the sky. "And so is Artemis."

"Why, though?" Aidan asked. "We didn't do anything to upset Artemis. Seriously, we worship her. And we didn't insult Zeus."

"It's because of me," Raiden said, scowling. "Since I'm the daughter of the worst enemy of the gods, the Titan who's supposed to be defeated and in Tartarus, one of the biggest threats to the gods, Zeus views me as a threat. I can't believe he's my half-brother. Gods I'm embarrassed to be related to him."

"Even I have not idea how this happened," Chiron said. "But I have a theory."

"What?" We all asked.

"Well," Chiron said, scratching his beard. "There has to be someone in camp helping him. Someone had to summon that hellhound within the camp. Monsters can't cross the border."

"But, why?" I asked. "Why would anyone try to kill us? We've never killed anyone."

Chiron raised his eyebrows. "That's true, but often people and gods kill without reason."

"Anyways," Chiron continued. "We have two angry gods. We know why Zeus is angry. But why is Artemis?"

"I know," Aidan and I said together.

"Well," Aidan said. "You know of the Ceryneian Hind, right?"

"You mean the scared deer of Artemis?" Raiden asked. "With the golden antlers and bronze hooves?"

"Yes," I said. "This hind has been chained. I don't where, but we had a vision of it in chains. It was dark, and there was a presence. It was foul, dark, and evil. There was a deep, man's voice. Cold and cruel. It said 'Come. Come down little heroes.' And then the voice laughed."

I shuddered.

"It was horrible," Aidan said. "It felt as if time itself had frozen. There was darkness and evil everywhere, the hind begged us to say her, but we couldn't. The ground broke beneath us and we fell into darkness, with the cold laugh echoing around us. Then, we woke up."

Chiron laced his fingers together, brow furrowed. It looked as if he understood something that we didn't.

"Well, then," Chiron said, a serious look on his face. "It appears we need a quest. Aidan and Ainsley will lead. You need rescue the Ceryneian Hind within 4 days, starting tomorrow."

"4 days?!" I exclaimed. "There is no way we can do that. We don't even know where the hind is!"

"The Olympian Council will meet on June 21st, for the Summer Solstice. You need to get the hind back to Olympus by June 21st. It's the only way to appease Zeus and Artemis."

"Woah, woah, woah! Hold your horses, Chiron! We haven't even discussed this yet."

Dad and Zoë came walking out through the door of the Big House, with Snow at their heels.

"For one thing," Dad said, pointing a finger at Chiron. "You can't just go around giving quests out. They need to train first. The hind can wait. I'm not losing anymore people."

A silver arrow came flying out of nowhere and nearly hit Dad in the eye. The world seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

"Never mind," Dad said. "Apparently, the hind can't wait. You two can go on the quest, but I'm coming. And no arguments. It's my job to protect you until you can protect yourselves by mastering your powers."

And what are we?! Agro and Pher demanded angrily. Chopped liver?! 

Dad ignored them and exchanged a look with Zoë.

"Very well, then," Chiron said, scratching his beard. "Go consult the oracle."

We walked into the door of the Big House and up the stairs. I opened up the trap door and coughed.

"Ugh," Aidan said. "It's so dusty up here. It smells like snakes, nice."

I saw a dead rotted corpse by the window. She was wearing, I think it was she, a tie-dyed sundress, a lot of beads necklaces, and a headband over her long, black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery like her skull, and her eyes were glassy, white slits. Like her eyes were marbles. She'd been dead a long, long time. She sat in a 3-legged stool, with green mist pouring from what was her mouth. Inside my head, I heard a voice. It coiled around my brain and slithered in 1 ear and out the other.

I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seekers, and ask.

"What do we need to do?" Aidan asked.

More green mist spewed from her mouth.
"Five shall go west to the sacred in chains,"

"To face enemies in the needle of rain."

"The Grandson of Olympus knows the trail,"

"Campers and Hunters combined prevail."

"You shall be betrayed by the one you love the most,"

"And learn to love the son of the coast."

I glanced at Aidan. We both had no clue what that meant.

"What did the oracle say?" Dad asked.
We had walked back to Chiron, Dad, and Zoë.

We told him.

"Well," Chiron said. "Five must go then, but two spots are already taken. Who are the rest, then?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I said. "Dad has to come. I want Zoë and Raiden to come."

"Agreed," Aidan said.

Zoë nodded in agreement.

"You want me to come?" Raiden said, surprised. "Really?"

"Really, really," I said, grinning.

"But we just met," Raiden said.

"So?" Aidan said. "You're our friend. No, best friend. And you seem like a good person. So, yeah. Why wouldn't we want you on our quest?"

"B-because-"

But before she could finish, Chiron interrupted.

"Go pack. Leave at dawn. The Hunters shall stay here until you return, hopefully."

"Hopefully?!" I demanded.

Chiron ignored us and gestured to Dad.

"Orion," He said to Dad. "Come inside the Big House. We need to talk."

Dad turned to us.

"Go," He said.

And with that, he left us.

Zoë walked us to the cabins and left us there.

"So, what now?" Raiden asked.

"Now," I said. "We train. And pray to every Olympian that Kronos isn't rising. Well, every Olympian besides Aphrodite and Hera that is. And Zeus. Praying to him has never helped anyone."