Joel

Joel understood completely.

Daniel had full control of his power, he had unlocked his demi-od abilities, now Joel was the only one who hadn’t. Joel had also been lying to Rachel this whole time and keeping another secret from Daniel. Joel didn’t feel like the best friend or warrior. Joel should have been scared that he was riding a wolf that just tried to kill him, but he wasn’t.

Eventually the wolf stopped, they were still in the valley, Daniel stood crouched down behind a rock, in front was a wide clearing, a lake and a large fire. Smoke sprouted from it and three large buff people stood around it. They only wore loin cloths and by their sides they had big tree trunks that looked like they had a beating. Rachels wolf walked out of the trees crying, Rachel walked up behind it. “Weakling.” She said.

“DOWN!” Daniel sharply whispered the wolves ducked behind the trees and Rachel, and Joel sat beside Daniel. “Trolls?” Rachel asked.

“Ogres?” Joel asked.

“Cyclopi!” Daniel snapped. The Cyclopi had a big horn protruding from their heads. “DIS COW IS SO GOOD BIG BOB!” one muttered, he? She? Had a deep and grumbly voice. They also sounded like they had really big braces in. the Cyclopi were about fifteen feet tall, the one stood up and stretched, he turned around and lumbered toward the lake.

“THANK YOU, BIG BILL!” Another said.

Big Bill had thin sharp teeth and one big brown eye.

“Lets go around them.” Rachel said.

“Yeah, but the second they’re done,” Daniel pointed at a pile of cows: “And that will be soon, they’ll catch our scent, we won’t be able to get over the hill by then, and the wolves are far too tired and malnourished.” Daniel was squinting. “So, three Cyclopi and a pile of cows, which should feed them.”

“We don’t know they’ll harm us.” Joel said. Daniel slowly turned to Joel and sighed. “FINE! But can we beat three Cyclopi?” Rachel slowly turned to Joel: “Are you stupid?” she asked rhetorically.

“Joel walks out there, announce yourself, me and Rachel will surround them.” The Cyclopi on the right was taller and bigger, Bob twenty foot-tall, Bill was fifteen feet tall, and the other one was twelve-foot tall. All of their eyes were brown.

“What!? I’m not being bait!” Joel whispered loudly.

“I can take Bill, the big one!” Rachel said.

“I can take Bob!” Daniel said. “But we need a distraction.” Daniel said averting his eyes to Joel.

“Rachel.” Joel said guiltily.

“Yeah?” she asked.

“My medallion can turn me into animals.”

“I can’t believe, I know I should but why should I keep trust-!” Rachel began sharply.

Joel placed his fingers on the medallion and leapt into combat, immediately he turned into a rhino. Joel charged fourth the Cyclopi expressions turning grim. Bob grabbed Joel’s horn and started spinning him around, “RHINO!!!” He screamed excitedly. He let go, Joel spiralled into the other one, she jumped up and flipped Joel onto his back into the fire. Joel felt his back burning and in a panicked rolled onto the cold grass, he turned back into a human. “GETTEM BETTY!” Betty dove at Joel. Joel saw what Daniel done earlier, what Rachel done all the time, it was his time to be brave. Joel jumped over Betty, he stabbed his sword into spine and as she collapsed into the fire with a crunch he flipped through the air onto her back. Ash and sparks lew into the air, fiery wood smashed against the ground lighting it up. Joel felt the smoke entering his lungs, there was a tingle in the back of his throat reminding him of all the times lately he had been surrounded by smoke. Joel rolled of Betty like water down a ducks back, he wore a fierce expression and looked up at Bob. Bob lifted his trunk into the air effortlessly. The eyes of the cyclopes shone in the fire; two fangs stuck out of its mouth ready to break into three demi-gods. The trunk whistled through the air toward Joel, from one side hot air smacked his face and another was cold air. Joel stepped onto the right side, the cold side. The trunk collided with the ground; small sarks of fire lit it up. The ground shook as the trunk hit the earth, Joel staggered back. The fiery trunk shot toward Joel; Joel swiped his sword through the trunk. Wood splintered everywhere. Betty stood up looking dazed and confused, something flew through the air and collided with her horn, fire shot from the horn, it broke down into multiple pieces. Betty leapt up and ran to the trees in fear. The trunk swung back around to Joel hitting him in the side. Joel felt the warmth and wood chips breaking his skin, Joel’s ribs cracked, and he felt exasperated, he couldn’t breath, Joel sailed through the air and smacked against one of the trees. Joel could only hear his heartbeat. He couldn’t feel any pain anymore. Rachels axe sailed through the air into Bills head, he plucked it out. Joel looked away, and put his head to the tree, he looked down at his side, blood flowed onto his jeans, Joel cried but not because of the pain. Joel heard a splash; he pressed his head against the tree harder. The sound faded into the background. Joel held his side and jammed his eyes shut; the pain rushed back to him. Joel heard a splash, bringing him back to reality. Then he heard of a roar, and a crunch, and explosions. Joel swivelled his head around and looked, again he’d been outdone. The three Cyclopi groaned on the floor crying. Rachel and Daniel stood triumphantly.

“TAKE YOUR SWEET TIME, IT’ S NOT LIKE I’M BLEEDING OUT!!!”

Daniel ran over with a nosebleed and a worried look on his face. It seemed he snatched a healing potion from Rachels satchel. He popped the cork and forced Joel’s mouth open, the green potion guzzled down his throat. It was cool and nice for the back of his throat. Rachel ran over pulling bandages from her satchel. Joel let his mind fading out of reality.

.  .  .

Joel knew he was asleep, he knew he fainted again, failed again. Joel knew soon he would wake up in bad shape being carried along, feeling even more embarrassed.

.  .  .

Joel’s eyes fluttered. He could feel his stomach aching, tight bandages being removed, the fresh air touching his wounds. His hands felt unnatural, as if there was no position were they wouldn’t stand out, they felt loose, they felt like the bones were stitched together by single tight wool, and if he moved a finger the wool might snap. Joel squinted with the light of the sun. Joel felt cold grass below. Joel looked around; Daniel sat on a rock; Rachel lay. The clouds were white and puffy.

“He’s awake.” Daniel said.

Light swirled above them, twenty feet into the sky. All three stared up as a woman started to form out of the light. She had blonde silky hair, blue deep eyes. She wore a gold dress and jewellery.

“Hello, I am Gandr, and you three have had too much assistance on this quest.” The three looked at each other horrified. “You’re respective godly parent have let their fury for the smiths-man to sway how much they are aloud to help you, I will not let this be, you three at random times upon this quest will be transported to a trial, one at a time, if you complete it you have earned to be where you are!” she faded into the sun.