The First Quest (2)

*Tiss...*

The bus doors swished open, releasing us into a sea of contemporary architecture and bustling urban life. Towering skyscrapers punctuated the skyline, emblematic of humanity's grand achievements in the modern era. Yet, this architectural splendor was also a reminder of mortals' blissful ignorance concerning the supernatural forces that dwelled unseen among them.

After a brief moment of marveling at the cityscape, we embarked on our journey through the labyrinthine streets of the metropolis. With each step, the throngs of pedestrians gradually thinned until we found ourselves traversing quieter avenues. Eventually, we arrived at our destination, where a formidable high school building stood stoically before us.

However, we were taken aback as we beheld the sorry state of the school. The walls bore the scars of neglect, marred by dirt and disrepair. Cracks snaked their way across the façade. One of its windows was smashed into pieces, its shards of glass strewn like fallen tears upon the ground.

The concrete courtyard only had a solitary basketball dulled by layers of rust. It was painfully evident that this institution had been abandoned to decay, its facilities left to wither beneath the weight of disregard. But it was not only the physical structure that bore the marks of neglect; the students within its walls seemed equally overlooked. Clad in tattered garments, their weary countenances made it obvious none of them was happy at all.

Their eyes, devoid of life or spark, reflected a profound emptiness that struck a chord within me. I recognized all too well the vacant gaze of the children. Those were the eyes of children who had endured the loss of their parents long ago.

This high school was an orphan school. And among them was the demigod we sought was also an orphan. Her mother was Artemis, but her father had abandoned her as an infant, leaving her to the mercy of the orphanage's doorstep. From there, she had traversed a tumultuous path, drifting from one orphanage to another, until fate led her to this high school tailored for those without families.

The main cast was also at a loss of words at the scenery before us. It was Eleanor who finally broke the silence, her voice tinged with doubt as she voiced her question.

"Are we sure we came to the right location? I mean, this looks more like a forgotten ruin than a high school?"

"It is written 'High School' on the sign over there, though."

"Why is this place so neglected?"

Drawing nearer to the school's main gate, it became apparent that the neglect of the building was not the only anomaly here. A perceptible aura of divine energy emanated from the direction of the school.

"Chiron was right! There really is a shroud of divine energy surrounding the school! Let's go! There must be a newly awakened demigod in one of the classrooms!"

Adirel took the lead and began approaching the guard stationed by the entrance.

"Excuse me, sir. we ha-"

"Yeah, yeah... just go."

The guard's dismissive and careless demeanor made Adriel realize the corruption that seemed to taint the governance of this school. While our unhampered entry worked to our advantage, the lax security protocols in the school left a bitter taste in Adriel's mouth, especially considering we were in America.

"Thanks..."

Adriel muttered, offering a strained smile to the indifferent guard as we passed by. We ventured further into the school, navigating the dimly lit corridors in search of the source of the divine energy leak. It didn't take long for us to pinpoint the location. Standing before us was a door to a classroom.

"The concentration of divine energy peaks beyond this classroom door. Should we just go in? Classes seem to still be in session,"

Adriel voiced his doubts. Amelia responded to his question with a sensible answer.

"The monsters may be coming at any moment now. We can't risk it just to not interrupt a lesson."

"Yeah, Amelia's got a point. We should just push our way in, retrieve the demigod, and make an exit as soon as possible."

I interjected to speed up the decision-making process.

"Alright..."

With a determined nod, Adriel pushed open the door, and we filed into the classroom behind him. All eyes turned towards us as we entered, drawing the attention of both students and the elderly teacher. The teacher paused his lecture, his expression morphing into a disapproving frown as he addressed us.

"Kids, it's basic courtesy to knock before entering a classroom. We're in the middle of a lesson. Now, what brings you here?"

Whispers rippled through the classroom, a natural response to the presence of three demigods whose parents were gods themselves.

"Omg... Look how handsome he is∼"

"Is she an angel∼"

Disregarding the murmurs of admiration that swirling around us, we approached towards a girl sitting at the far end of the classroom, her slender body emanated subtle threads of divine energy.

With her mid-length auburn hair cascading untamed around her shoulders, she possessed an air of wildness, her hair disheveled yet somehow alluring. Her silver eyes, reminiscent of a hunter wolf in the wilderness, held a sharp gaze. Despite the bruises marring her otherwise fair complexion, there was an undeniable beauty that radiated from her, casting a captivating aura that set her apart from the rest. Standing slightly taller than both Amelia and Eleanor, she remained lost in thought, her natural beauty a stark contrast to the neglect evident in her appearance.

She remained unaware of our presence, her gaze fixed pensively upon the scene beyond the window.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing? I asked you a question!"

The old teacher's voice boomed across the room, his tone laced with annoyance. His outburst startled the girl, drawing her attention back to the classroom from her daydreaming. As she tried to make sense of what was happening, Adriel stepped forward, towering before her.

 "Could you step outside the classroom for a moment? We need to speak with you."

"What do you want?! You fucker! Go kill yourself!"

Dumbfounded by the girl's aggressive response, Adriel instinctively withdrew, visibly startled. Seeing this interaction, I couldn't help but facepalm in frustration. Stepping forward, I decided to take control of the situation. I met the girl's gaze with a steady stare.

What Adriel didn't realize was the underlying dynamics of this neighborhood. In such a place, there were no strict legal or moral restrictions for the children, meaning strength often dictated hierarchy.

So children living in the orphan neighborhood, in the absence of familial protection, had no choice but to be watchful of their environment. Children were forced to navigate a world where survival often depended on vigilance and assertiveness. Right now, this girl was rightfully assuming we were sent by someone to beat her up, and that we were threatening her. Considering that she had been a menace to other kids till now due to her demigod nature, it was likely that she had accrued her fair share of enemies among her peers.

Without a trace of complaint, I spoke in an apathetic voice.

"We're not here on behalf of anyone, nor do we intend to harm you. So there's no need to be so on edge. Do you understand?"

"Heh... And you expect me to buy into that that shit?"

"Let me ask you a simple question. Do you hear voices in your head?"

Though she didn't answer me, I could discern from her reaction that she was indeed hearing those voices even as we conversed. I slowly pulled out one of my daggers, maintaining a calm demeanor as I continued to talk to her.

"Even if you don't believe me now, you will come with us eventually."

The students around us gasped as they saw me unsheathing my dagger. This sight prompted some to rise from their seats, trying to get out of the classroom. The main cast had a look of confusion, evidently perplexed by me taking my dagger out against someone we were tasked to protect. Meanwhile, the girl's gaze fixed unwaveringly on the gleaming blade in my hand, prepared to defend herself if necessary.

'It's coming...'

As tension hung thick in the air, a sudden commotion outside diverted our attention. All eyes were drawn to a dark mass hurtling towards us from outside the window. Initially resembling a shapeless black slime, it soon resolved into the form of a dog, its fur coated in a slick, oily substance. Within the darkness, a pair of crimson eyes glinted ominously, casting an eerie glow.

With a sudden, violent crash, the beast burst through the window, shards of glass exploding into the room like deadly confetti. The girl's attention was torn away from me, her gaze fixed in horror upon the monstrous creature hurtling towards her.

As the dog lunged, its jaws gaping wide, the girl found herself frozen in shock, her eyes widening, staring into the abyss of its razor-sharp fangs. In that harrowing moment, she braced herself for what seemed like an inevitable demise.

However, before the dog could drill its fangs into her flesh, a dagger whizzed through the air, finding its thrust in the creature's throat with lethal precision. The dog was sent crashing into the wall with bone-jarring force. As the red glow in its eyes dimmed, the dog's form dissolved into a puddle of viscous liquid, its sinister presence extinguished in an instant.

All of this had happened in a few seconds.

*Kyaa!*

"What the actual fuck?!"

"It is a school shooting!"

"Who the fuck would execute a school shooting at an orphan school? Are they crazy?!"

"Quick, everyone, take cover under your desks!"

Despite the old teacher's attempts to restore order, panic swept through the room like wildfire. Teenagers scrambled in all directions, desperate to flee from the perceived threat to their lives. Within moments, the classroom emptied, leaving only us and the trembling figure of the old teacher, who had sought refuge beneath his desk.

Snapping out of his daze, Adriel grasped the direness of the situation. With urgency in his voice, he swiftly rallied the rest of us.

"We gotta go, now!"

"Wait! What was that dog just now? And why did it attack me?!"

"We don't have enough time to explain! Just follow us, alright?!"

"Arghh! Okay, I get it. Where are we going then?!"

"To the camp the voice in your head mentions."

The girl didn't understand what was going on, still grappling with the bewildering turn of events. But after witnessing the monster firsthand, she recognized it was much more reasonable to stick with these people than deal with another one of those dogs on her own.

We got out of high school, racing through the city streets together, our footsteps echoing with urgency, we made our way towards the nearest bus stop, where we planned to find a taxi.

Amelia took a moment to ask the girl her name.

"By the way, I'm Amelia. What's your name?"

"Oh... I'm Nadia. Nadia Yale. But more importantly, will someone please explain what the hell is going on?!"

However, while Amelia and others were breaking the news about the supernatural world of Greek Mythology to Nadia, they all missed the lurking shadows concealed behind the buildings. They had been following us since we had left the school. Yet...

'Why haven't they ambushed us yet? They should have been attacking us right now when the group was distracted and lowered their guards.'

At that moment, a sense of foreboding crept over me, shrouding my consciousness in an ominous veil of uncertainty.