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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 24, 2018 13:05:11 GMT -5
[Ooh you hit a special rank! Yay! Replying now]
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 24, 2018 13:18:56 GMT -5
Lori watched the other girl weighing it up, and spent a few agonising moments wondering exactly what she was going to decide. Lorelei's freedom depended upon what Crystal said now. She might never be freed if Crystal said no and Lori cost Hades his biggest chance yet to topple Olympus.
Making a mistake was not an option
And then, relief as Crystal said yes. Lorelei had to try hard not to be suspiciously happy about being allowed to accompany this girl. So she just gave a smile.
"Like I said, you're not responsible for me like you would be if I were a camper. I'll listen to your orders, but it's not on you if anything happens to me. Like I said, I'm a big girl. And if I do get in your way, I'll bow out. I know when to step back."
Of course, her plan was that she wouldn't step back. She needed to stick around until the end of the quest, until the moment when she would have to turn on this girl and steal the key. She hated that she'd have to do it, but that was what Crystal got for trusting her. Lorelei knew that trusting someone was a guarantee that they'd throw you under the bus the moment it suited them. She was just teaching this demigod a valuable life lesson.
It was fairly easy for Lorelei to accept these conditions. She didn't need to ask about the quest because she already knew, she would listen to Crystal's orders because it would help her gain the demigod's trust and keep her alive, and it was better if Crystal wasn't protecting her anyway because if Lori was allowed to look after herself it meant she would need to be given a weapon. A weapon which would come very useful when the time came to take the key for herself.
But for now, she just let her smile widen a little and nodded.
"You have got yourself a deal."
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Post by ScorchR on Oct 24, 2018 14:05:56 GMT -5
I did lol. Almost didn't want to post just to savor it. XD))
Crystal didn't trust this girl, not with her knowledge, but she could also handle herself. However, there was no threat currently. She could react if one arose. She was quite good at that after all. She nodded to her upon her agreement to the terms. "Alright. Well we should probably head back to your place so you can pack and grab an actual weapon." She didn't mind the small detour for now, but from now on they would have to head in a straight line to her destination. She wouldn't hesitate to get rid of this girl if she became a danger to her mission.
She dropped her crossed arms and waved for Lori to take the lead. After all, she didn't know where this girl lived. She would be taking over though. She pulled out a map as they began to walk, checking her position with her destination. Quite a hike if she avoided some kind of transportation. It would probably be best if they used something. They were close to Pittsburgh, so they could find something there. She followed a line and smiled slightly. All they needed was to get on I-70 and they had a straight shot to her destination. From there things would be easier for a bit. She put the map away and looked over at Lori. "Do you have a car?" She might as well ask, since it would make things easier. Otherwise they could probably rent something or get a bus.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 24, 2018 14:36:23 GMT -5
[Hahah I know what you mean I know this is long, had to get them into her house]
Right. Packing. The problem was that she didn't really have...possessions...per se, anymore. She didn't really need anything when she lived in the underworld, and anything she did need was there. But she had been thrilled when Hades taken her to that lakeside because she recognised it instantly.
She wasn't far from home.
She could definitely walk to her neighbourhood, at the edge of the city, from this lakeside. It wouldn't take too long at all. Her house would be there, the house that hadn't been inhabited for a good couple of years now. She could only imagine what the dust woud be like in there now
But still, she led the way as Crystal looked at her map, and then looked back at the girl as she asked her if she had a car.
"Yeah, I do," Lori nodded "and I'm thinking roadtrip."
It would be an incredibly long drive, but it was better than walking. Or public transportation. They'd be a lot less noticeable and they could take a lot more stuff with them.
It was at this point that they came onto Lori's street. It was a fairly ordinary little street, though the houses were a little smaller than most. Lorelei lived on her own and, being young, wasn't all that well off. She couldn't afford a decent sized house.
And she had to mask her surprise as she approached her own house. It looked exactly the same as the day she'd left it. She knew Hades must have done something, because the grass didn't even look overgrown. It was as if she had never even been gone at all.
She unlocked the door to her house using a key she kept under a plantpot by the door and opened it, gesturing to invite Crystal in if she wanted to follow.
"I won't be long, make yourself at home. Feel free to raid my kitchen for any food you want to take with us." Lorelei suggested
As she headed towards her bedroom, she caught a glimpse of a photograph sitting on her mantlepiece of her and a young man about her own age. Her old boyfriend. Without even giving the photograph a second glance, she swiftly placed the photograph face-down so she couldn't see it anymore before she disappeared into her room. SHe didn't want any more memories of him.
She emerged a few moments later with her clothes packed into a bag and a sword at her hip. She hadn't bothered taking a gun; they were ineffective against supernatural beings. Her sword was made of celestial bronze so that it would be effective against these monsters. She could have taken the one Hades usually provided her with, which was made of Stygian iron, but she knew that Crystal would recognise that as a marker for Hades instantly and she wasn't about to give anything away
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Post by ScorchR on Oct 24, 2018 15:30:17 GMT -5
You're fine.))
Crystal nodded, slightly relieved. She didn't like public transportation as it was, but since she lived at camp she didn't have a car. She had her license, sure, but nothing to use it on. She just hoped that Lori was okay with her driving. She didn't want to give away their destination, or at least the end. Better to let it remain a mystery just in case this girl found where she wanted to stay. That way she could continue on without revealing anything. Be much easier that way.
Once they reached the house, Crystal tensed a bit, but she didn't know why. Something felt...off, about this place. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it almost felt like magic or power had been used on it. There was only a remnant of something though, so maybe she was just paranoid. She followed Lori inside and looked around. Seemed normal enough. She nodded again as the other girl moved into what she presumed to be her bedroom. She stayed still for a moment, before heading into the kitchen and looking through fridge and pantry. Everything seemed brand new, like it had just been bought. Even fresh produce. Why would this girl be so eager to leave with all this fresh food laying around? She shook her head, hard. She needed to stop being so dang paranoid. Not everyone was out to kill demigods, even if it seemed like it sometimes. She couldn't shake the feeling she needed to keep her guard up though. She grabbed a couple snack foods and slipped them into her bag to join the rations she had for the trip. Might as well, since the offer was there.
She turned around when Lori reappeared, noting the sword on her hip. She hadn't been lying about having weapons. Made her wonder where a mortal could have possibly gotten it though. "I have to ask where you got the celestial bronze sword." They were common, but not among mortals. She also had to wonder what other kind of weapons this girl had. Suddenly that feeling of staying on guard felt justified. She wouldn't let this girl get to her. She was definitely more dangerous than she'd first appeared.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 24, 2018 15:54:43 GMT -5
She kind of knew that question was coming. This girl was smart, after all, and she seemed to be keeping her guard up. This was something Lori respected, but definitely not something that made her job easier.
In answer to the question, she returned to the picture on the mantlepiece, lifting it back up to show Crystal the image. Lori, maybe a year or two younger, smiling alongside the young man in the image.
"My ex-boyfriend is like you, he is a son of Poseidon. He used to be a camper but left when he got older, and when he met me he was so pleased to meet a mortal who could see what he saw. But of course, being with him got me into a fair few scrapes, so he gave me this to protect myself. Until he met a pretty little daughter of Aphrodite and decided he was too good for me." the girl said.
That was all true, apart from she'd missed out the part before he met the Aphrodite girl, where he got himself killed on a quest and Lorelei had gone and made a deal with Hades, bargaining her soul away, only to be repaid by her boyfriend running off with someone else.
With that, she gave a glance to the girl. She could tell she was on edge, suspicious. She didn't think there was a whole lot she could do about the situation.
"Does that help at all?" she asked, looking to see if the girl was satisfied with her answers.
She grabbed her car keys from the hallway before throwing them to Crystal.
"No point me driving to a secret destination, now is there?" Lori smiled.
She had known Crystal would ask, but she decided it was less awkward for the both of them if she just gave her the keys straight off. She couldn't be bothered with overcomplicating things.
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Post by ScorchR on Oct 24, 2018 16:17:11 GMT -5
Crystal stepped over to the picture and looked it over. She narrowed her eyes, recognizing the guy. She remembered him, especially the part about him dying. It had turned out to be a rumor when he showed up alive. She even knew the girl he'd run off with. "I knew him. Or at least, I thought I did." She looked Lori, eyes a bit sad. "I'm sorry. He never mentioned having a mortal girlfriend before." She looked at the picture again. "Then again children of Zeus have never really gotten along well with children of Poseidon. So maybe he just refused to talk to me about anything besides challenging me to something or another." She did feel bad for the girl though, especially since she knew the guy she'd been dating. At least she hadn't been friends with him. She would have broken that off the second she heard about this.
She turned away from the picture and nodded to her. "It explains a lot actually." She then caught the keys as they were thrown to her, a slight smile on her face. "No there's not." She turned and started to head for the door. "If it helps at all, I won every single challenge against him. He wasn't that great of a fighter." She hadn't seen the guy in almost half a year at this point, but it wasn't like it mattered. She didn't plan on seeing him again after this. If she did, she would have some choice words. "Also very few demigods actually like Aphrodite's kids. Since we know about their charms, they don't work on us as well. So we actually look past that, and most of them are terrible people." She walked out the door and waited for Lori to join her.
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Post by ScorchR on Oct 24, 2018 17:21:43 GMT -5
I hope you don't mind Crystal knowing the dude by the way, figured it would make sense with how long Crystal's been at camp.))
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 24, 2018 17:22:56 GMT -5
[No that's okay that makes total sense I figured she'd know him. I poofed but I'm working on a reply now ]
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 24, 2018 17:24:49 GMT -5
"I thought you might know him," Lori replied with a nod "the demigod community isn't huge by any means, at least not from what I know of it. I'm not surprised he didn't mention me. But you don't need to feel bad for me. I'm better without him anyway."
She didn't want or need pity. She was long past that, and god knew she'd never had any from Hades. The god couldn't care less about Lorelei. Not that she wanted him to care. If Hades cared about you it generally didn't mean anything good.
She did feel a little angry that her ex-boyfriend had never even mentioned the girl who had sacrificed so much so he could live. If there was such a thing as limbo, Lorelei was in it. And all because of him. She hoped he felt guilty.
As she spoke next she was pulling her jacket on.
"Hey, knowing that you consistently beat him is more than enough for me. I tell you something, the gods could live on his ego instead of Mount Olympus; that boy fancied himself the best fighter at the camp."
She followed the other girl to the door, pulling it open so they could head out. Now it was time to go.
"That makes sense," she said in response to Crystal's words about Aphrodite's children "I suppose he is just shallow. Either that or she's actually a decent person, which I really doubt."
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Post by ScorchR on Oct 24, 2018 18:36:00 GMT -5
Crystal nodded a bit. "Yeah tell me about it..." she mumbled. She then glanced at the girl, looking her over once more. "Alright I won't." She then smiled slightly. "But I agree, you're much better without him." She headed out to the car, unlocking it and opening the back door to toss her backpack in. There wasn't going to be enough room for her to keep it up front with her and drive, so she kind of had to. At least Lori would be up in the front with her.
She closed the door and looked over at Lorelei again. "I believe that. It was kind of fun showing him who truly was the best." She looked thoughtful for a moment as she tried to remember who her ex had run off with. "From what I remember, she was an airhead. Even to the other kids of Aphrodite." She shrugged slightly. "They ran off together about seven months ago, so I'm not even sure they're still together. They didn't exactly write as far as I know." She opened up the front door and started to climb into the car. She had to do a quick adjustment on the seat, before she closed the door and started to buckle up.
This was happening. The thought seemed to click in her mind as the seatbelt did. She was about to basically head out on a road trip with someone who was pretty much a stranger to her, while on the way to finding an extremely important artifact that had the power to potentially end the world as she knew it. She forced herself to take a couple deep breaths. Yeah, she was definitely going to need to retire after this. She turned the key in the ignition and listened the care purr to life. She then glanced at Lori, the girl she had just met and was now about to drive across the country with. "Ready?"
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 28, 2018 11:00:15 GMT -5
(Oh my gosh I totally forgot I didn’t reply. I’m on it now )
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Post by ScorchR on Oct 28, 2018 11:03:07 GMT -5
You're fine!))
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 28, 2018 11:15:02 GMT -5
She was an airhead, huh? The girl couldn’t say she was that surprised at this information. Well, that was okay. If that was the kind of guy he had been, she wasn’t interested in him. God knew that, being bisexual, she had a pretty big pool of people from which to choose a partner. The world was her oyster. And certainly Hades loved that fact that she was bisexual, because it meant he could have her use her sexuality with more people.
She climbed into the passenger seat beside Crystal, clicking her seatbelt into place. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. She could never believe the things Hades made her do. It was crazy. But she just got on with it because it was basically her job.
Seven months ago? That long? Her concept of time was sort of slipping at this point. Which was probably what Hades wanted. If he could make it more difficult for her to figure out how long she had been under his control, he could keep her for longer
She knew what kind of game Hades was saying, but what she didn’t know yet was how to beat him at it. And she really wished she could. Because if she couldn’t outwit her captor, she wasn’t entirely sure if she was ever going to escape. As far as he was concerned, Lorelei belonged to Hades. And he got not benefit from setting her free again. No matter how often he suggested he would one day release her.
She looked over at the other girl to ask if she was ready. Honestly? Not really. But she had to be ready, there wasn’t an alternative. And so she flashed her a smile, something much rarer than her smirks.
“You bet.”
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Post by ScorchR on Oct 28, 2018 11:33:37 GMT -5
Crystal nodded with a small smile of her own and put the car in reverse, pulling out of the driveway. She really hoped that monsters left them alone, she didn't want to have to get this girl a new car. Once she threw it back in drive, she began their journey. She glanced at Lori as they got to the first stop sign. "Might need you to guide me out of your neighborhood and towards Pittsburgh." She wasn't afraid to ask for help when she knew she didn't know the answer. So this wasn't a problem for her. But when it came to combat or quests? Only the gods really kew more than she did. So that was a whole other process.
Still, she couldn't believe she was driving a stranger's car, basically taking them on a road trip. If this wasn't the fastest way to get to her destination, she probably would never have agreed to bring this girl. At least this was bringing her travel time down from weeks to a day or two. They would be in the Rockies in no time. At least she knew exactly where to go. That didn't always happen, so this was actually a much easier start than she'd thought it would be. But she knew better than to think things would be laid out in front of her and actually continue being easy. This was a quest. Things never went according to plan.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Oct 31, 2018 15:47:35 GMT -5
[Sorry for my absence! I'll reply probably tomorrow but maybe tonight]
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Post by ScorchR on Oct 31, 2018 16:08:44 GMT -5
Don't worry you're fine.))
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 1, 2018 16:31:31 GMT -5
“Sure,” the girl said “turn left once you get to the end of the street here.”
And so she gradually guided the girl out of her neighbourhood, then out of the city, until they were on the open roads and she hoped the girl would be able to guide herself from that point on.
Lori was beginning to feel a lot better now she was dry and into some nicer clothes. She pulled her loose curls into a messy bun, wanting to keep it out of her way so she was more comfortable. She tended to opt for a ponytail if she tied her hair up but this felt more comfortable for the moment.
Now they were out on the roads and there wasn’t much more need for her to direct the other girl, Lorelei turned to her.
”So, a daughter of Zeus, huh? That’s interesting. I’m assuming you possess some pretty cool special abilities.”
This was her way of getting to know this girl, gaining her trust a little and figuring out what she would ultimately find herself up against. She had already gained her trust with the (admittedly true) story about her ex boyfriend, but she just needed to take it a little further. It would be gradual, since the quest seemed like a long one, but she still couldn’t waste any time.
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Post by ScorchR on Nov 2, 2018 23:58:47 GMT -5
Crystal nodded and followed the directions to the letter. She wasn't going to make a mistake and get them lost two minutes into this little trip of theirs. That would just be embarrassing. Once they were out, she took them towards Pittsburgh. It would be a quick drive through the big city, simply changing highways. Though...maybe they could stop for lunch. Her stomach was beginning to complain, and it made her realize what time it was and just how long it had been since she'd eaten something. She would wait until they got closer though, they still had about half an hour before they got there.
At the comment from Lori, she glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow. Well if that didn't sound like fishing, she didn't know what did. Still, she supposed telling her wouldn't be a bad thing. It wasn't like there was a way to stop certain parts of her powers. "Well, I've got a mixture of atmokinesis, aerokinesis, and electrokinesis. Basically I've got little bits of all three, instead of complete control over one. It can be annoying, but I work with it." She didn't want to get into details, but she had a feeling this girl was going to keep pressing. If not now, then later.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 4, 2018 3:05:16 GMT -5
I should get a reply in here today)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 5, 2018 17:44:01 GMT -5
Okay I tried to get a reply up tonight but I couldn’t so I’m gonna promise you 100% that you’ll get a reply tomorrow I’m sorry!)
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Post by ScorchR on Nov 5, 2018 17:45:54 GMT -5
You're totally fine! Life happens sometimes.))
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 6, 2018 15:46:40 GMT -5
"Hey, those sound pretty cool," she shrugged "I mean, I know they aren't always the best, but I would love to have abilities like those, you know?"
Lori knew this girl was smart - she seemed to be able to tell what the girl was doing despite her best efforts to be subtle about it. That was okay, she'd figure this out. She just had to work out how to fly under this girl's radar, get information from her undetected. Manipulate her. She would get there eventually.
But for now, she wouldn't mention the powers issue again. She had enough to go on and watching the other girl in battle would only help. So now she needed to talk about something else. Gain her trust a little bit like she had done when she'd been talking with her about her ex-boyfriend.
"I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you to have grown up with those abilities. I mean, I've always been able to see the stuff you can see. But I never told anyone because I was afraid they would think I was crazy, not even my mother or my big brother. I just sort of kept it is - the first person I told was my ex. How on earth did you manage when you discovered you had these abilities? When you first realised you were different."
That seemed like a safe topic, if she wanted to talk about it. She might not be willing to, which was totally okay too. But why not at least try, right?
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Post by ScorchR on Nov 6, 2018 17:05:08 GMT -5
Crystal shrugged slightly. "They're okay I guess. Can definitely be useful." She glanced over at the girl for a moment, then focused on the road once more. How much was she willing to tell this girl that she'd basically just met? She didn't want to tell her her entire life story. Probably be boring anyways. "Well, luckily for me I didn't discover my abilities until after I got to camp. Otherwise I didn't really notice anything was different. Sure strange people that were probably monsters would appear in my life, but nothing ever came of it." For a daughter of one of the big three, her life had actually been boring for the first eight years.
Then things changed quite suddenly with the death of her mother. "My mom died of cancer right as I was turning nine, and then all of a sudden there were monsters everywhere. My school was attacked, my grandparents were attacked, it was like my entire world was ending. Apparently news reached the camp, cause they sent a team of their best to get me out of there." It had been several weeks of terror after her mother's funeral. To say she was traumatized by all the events would be an understatement. "I've been at camp ever since. I only leave to go on quests." She glanced at Lori again. "Be glad you aren't a demigod. Especially one like me. Our lives are hunt or be hunted. We can't live normally, because we're meant to die fighting."
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 7, 2018 16:03:51 GMT -5
(Hoping to get a reply up today)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 9, 2018 2:18:25 GMT -5
(Or today... haha I’m so sorry. I promise a reply today)
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Post by ScorchR on Nov 9, 2018 10:35:40 GMT -5
You're totally fine. Stuff happens.))
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 9, 2018 11:04:25 GMT -5
“I’m sorry it’s so difficult,” Lorelei said softly “it can’t have been easy. But if anyone could survive outside of camp I’d say it would be you.”
She seemed capable. More capable than any other demigods she had ever come across and more capable than Lori’s ex-boyfriend by miles. She knew how hard it was for demigods outside of camp, but she meant what she said. If any demigod could survive outside of camp she would have said it would be Crystal.
Of course, Crystal being the most likely demigod to survive outside of camp also meant that Lorelei’s job would be harder. As she discovered more about this girl she was beginning to doubt more and more whether or not she would be able to actually defeat this demigod. She could be killed, which meant her soul would not longer belong to Hades, but not in a good way.
“If you were given the chance to go back in time and grow up but not be a demigod, then, would you take it?” Lori asked out of curiosity.
She wasn’t sure if she would rather be a demigod than a mortal. It was a complicated question. But she was still curious about how this young daughter of Zeus would answer.
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Post by ScorchR on Nov 9, 2018 11:29:11 GMT -5
Crystal shrugged a bit. "I'm used to it, which is more than can be said about a lot of demigods." She was definitely one of the few children of the big three that could survive outside of camp for extended periods of time. She just didn't want to bring any harm to those she cared about. It was why she couldn't live a life outside of camp, she could only complete quests. It was why she was chosen so often. It was why she wanted to just have a break, and maybe enjoy the fact that she was still alive for a bit.
Crystal took a moment to think of an answer to the second question. She wasn't completely sure. When she first learned of her heritage, she would have taken the offer in an instant. But now? After years of serving the gods, of serving her father, and saving all the lives she had, she wasn't sure. "Honestly, if I could trade this life for my mom, I probably would. But since I know that can't happen, I'll stick with this." She figured her life wasn't meant to be long, so she figured she would be in the Underworld sooner than later. She glanced over at Lori for a moment. "What about you? Would you go back in time to grow up as a demigod?"
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Nov 12, 2018 11:52:54 GMT -5
"I don't know," Lori said after a moment "I mean, I've encountered monsters anyway, and I see your world anyway. I'm just on the fringe of it. The way I see it, I lose nothing by being more of a part of it. I'd be living in exactly the same way as I was when I was going out with that boy, except I'd be more able to defend myself because I'd be more powerful. So I suppose I would, but it's impossible to really know how different my life would be."
Maybe if she had been a demigod she wouldn't be in the position she was in right now. Or maybe she would and Hades would be using her for even worse things. After all, if control of a human soul was good, what could the god of death do with control over the soul of a demigod? He would have been able to do even more terrible things.
Perhaps she should be grateful she was a mere mortal. And she should wish that, instead of becoming a demigod, she could turn back time and never get together with her ex. Even if this world was amazing, it was dangerous and even seeing it wasn't easy.
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