Rachel

Rachel tried to stay awake,

She really did, but she was tired. After a short sleep on a falcon that certainly wasn’t comfortable, she woke up plummeting through the sky toward a lake. It was small but big enough to catch the three in its cold embrace. Rachel swam to the surface of the lake. They were surrounded by huge hills, and just out the lake a few tens of feet away was a large cabin. The sun gleamed over the hills. The three swam ashore. Joel immediately collapsed. “I’m getting away from you two first chance I get! Rachel exclaimed.

“Nuh-uh!” Joel said: “the giants said: new target!!!” he laughed.

“GRAGHHH!” Rachel trampled to a tree and put her fist through it. “Great! We have to wait six months until the S.S Theseus gets back anyway, and I can last until then.”

“No, I don’t think we have six months.” Joel said. “We can’t keep fighting him off, he has an army.”

“He probably doesn’t still have that; he’s just pretending so the gods won’t do anything.” Daniel said.

“No, I had a dream, I’ll explain more later.”

“Wow. A dream that clear.” Daniel said rubbing his forehead.

“It was the eagle.” Joel said standing up. Rachel and Daniel looked at him confused but maybe he didn’t feel like elaborating.

The three walked up to the cabin with not a word, they were hellbent on sitting down comfortably. Rachel’s mind raced about how she was supposed to keep out manoeuvring the smiths/works-man, helping two dumb kids got her into this.

 The cabin was huge, there was a big stone fireplace against the wall and next to it a leather couch, and a red velvet armchair. There was a large map of America outstretched on a coffee table. Daniel walked over to it with a pen in hand: “Sit.” He demanded. So, they all did, but Rachel didn’t like his attitude.

They sat in silence appreciating the fact they weren’t being tailed, well they kind of were, but not the point.

“Children of Vivari, and Leon, huh!”

“Bellona.” Joel said. “What’s your deal anyway? Why did you help us?”

“I could feel your sorrow, but it got me kicked off the S.S Theseus and now I’m being hunted by the Smiths-man.”  

“About my dream: When I got on my eagle I felt a connection to it, I felt linked to my powers, in touch with them. It told me to sleep, and it showed me an army, a line, automatons, southeast through Missouri. We have to attack him. We can’t keep running, it has to end.” It already felt like they arrived at that conclusion, Rachel never saw it working out any other way but know she would have to tag along. They ransacked the kitchen, they didn’t find much, but they did find hot chocolate, they immediately began work on a plan.

“Okay so if Joel you saw the army there... they’re probably guarding his territory so maybe its in Missouri? Or in the surrounding area... I mean obviously it can’t be Nebraska, monster haven...”

“It can’t be around Nebraska either.” Rachel chimed in. “My friends,” Rachel paused: “We went around Nebraska one time for a quest, and it’s plagued with monsters too, so I don’t think its in Missouri. Daniel scribbled out areas around Nebraska.

“Illinois.” Joel said. “Look, the line through Missouri looks like its bending around Illinois, which has to be where it is.”

“Okay but how the hell do we get there!” Daniel said. We can’t go around the line, that’ll take too long, we can’t hold of his forces until then, plus we’ll be way too tired by that point. Same story for going around monster haven, even if we could, we would be too tired.”

“Well lets just march through the line!” Rachel demanded. She knew it was risky, but he also knew she could do it.

“That’s impossible, I saw the line we have to go around the haven.”

“Are you dumb? genuine question!” Rachel struck.

“We can’t do either. Both ways we end up dead or too tired and lost then dead, we have to go through-”

“-THE LINE!” Rachel burst.

“NO! through Nebraska.”

“NO!” Joel and Rachel said at the same time.

“Think about it! The smiths-man won’t be able to send automatons into Nebraska, they’ll all get destroyed by the monsters and he’ll lose our scent.” Daniel said like he struck gold.

“We. Will. Die.” Joel lay it out pretty nicely.

Daniel drew through Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. He then shifted his pen through, Michigan and into Illinois. “We completely lose him and surprise him, we go up into Canada and back down into Illinois, by the time we’re there we would have already garnered supplies along the road, learn to use our powers.”

“Speak for yourself, I already know how to control mine.” Rachel bragged. “Oh, and that plan will take way too long, we are going through that line.”

Daniel tossed Rachel a scowl; “We do it your way we die, you may be stronger than me, but you are for sure not smarter.” Daniel marched off up the stairs. Rachel stood up and walked up the double stairs. Rachel staggered into a room and collapsed.

The next morning Rachel woke up with sun creeping in her window, she lay on a twin bed centred in the room, there was a simple wood wardrobe and a white rug. Rachel stood up and opened the wardrobe, she needed new clothes. Everything in the wardrobe was her size, was this place a gift from her mom? She couldn’t imagine. She put on a white vest and baggy Black joggers. Rachel walked out into the hallway, Joel and Daniel were out there too, Joel was in a purple hoodie, and a golden oval with a diamond protruding from which was hung around his neck. Daniel in a tight orange shirt.
“Daniel,” Rachel said.

“Its okay, tensions were high, it was a lot.” Daniel said.

“No! I wasn’t going to-ugh-apologise!” Rachel stared at the floor for a second. “Sorry.” They walked into a room that had all of their stuff. Shelves of materials. Rachel axe was crossed with a golden spear in a leather strap, Elaine’s satchel was there stuffed with potions that Rachel barely recognised.

“Our parents gave us supplies!” Daniel cheered. He had a golden ring on his right hand, “I got my shield back!” his quiver had red arrows, green arrows, blue (air) arrows, normal arrows. His bow was slung around his shoulder as well and a silver dagger hung from his belt. Joel had a scimitar by his side and clenched something in his fist, and a silver watch.

“What is that?” Rachel asked aggressively.

Joel tucked the necklace into his hoodie. “How did you stop those giant automatons?”

“With my sword!?” Joel said wittily. Rachel rolled her eyes.

“If we’re doing this stupid plan, should we not get started now!” Rachel snapped.

“Well rested?” Daniel asked.

“Yup.” They all moved outside; Rachel pulled Tommy’s coin from her satchel. “Thank god.” On the back engraved into the coin:

Gods immune.

Stay with your commune.

She tucked it back into her pocket. Daniel unfolded his map, it was different it showed their cabin, the lake and a forest and mountain with a line through.