Challenges

"Let me ask both of you a riddle. The one who gives me a correct answer will be more cleverer than the other," Darren declared as he stared at Fury and Athena. "It's black and white, and it's red all over. What is it?"

Athena fell in deep thought and racked her brains to find a relevant answer but she could not find any. It's black and white, and it's red all over... Does that make any sense? What could it be?

"I don't think there is any answer to your riddle," Athena protested as she scratched her head.

"What about you Fury? Have you come up with an answer?"

Fury went to sit on his shoulder and squeaked in his ear.

"Well, Fury has an answer. It's a newspaper."

"Animals don't talk," she gritted her teeth.

" Sure they do."

"No, they don't."

"One last riddle, what has a tongue but no mouth and teeth?"

" A worm?" Athena said doubtfully.

Darren chuckled. " Let Fury answer."

"As I have said before, animals don't talk," she replied in between gritted teeth.

" It's a window," Darren laughed but Athena only glared at him.

"Fine, I will give you another challenge. Somewhere in this forest, there are blue roses growing in the middle of other flowers. All you have to do is to pluck one out and bring it here within twenty five minutes. The one who brings it first to me will be the winner."

" That's it?" Darren nodded.

" No clues? But this forest is so big! How are we going to find those blue roses in this huge forest?" Athena protested.

"Fury can find them," Darren said as he patted the squirrel. Athena glared at the squirrel that looked rather arrogant. Although this little squirrel was cute, she found it so annoying and irritating. How she wished she could cut off that bushy tail...

Athena gnashed her teeth in annoyance and began to storm off.

"Hey! Are you going already?"

Athena did not answer him and kept on walking. She was going to prove that she was smarter than that good for nothing squirrel.

"Why is she mad?" Darren asked Fury. Fury only squeaked and jumped from his shoulder. It looked at Athena's disappearing back and decided to use another route. There was no way it was going to be with that grumpy ugly duck!

"It's always that squirrel! This... Fury can do this. This... Fury can also do that!" Athena stomped her feet in frustration. She felt like Darren was giving that damn squirrel too much attention. He praised it too much! He never praised her that way.

From the day that squirrel appeared, she had been in a bad mood lately.

''Are you jealous?" A voice spoke in her mind.

"No, I am not!" Athena sighed while running a hand through her hair. "Maybe a little bit but still everything about that squirrel pisses me off. Its arrogant attitude, the way it looks at me... It acts like it's all superior."

"It's because that squirrel is way better than you in all aspects. Fury is smart, brave, fearless and also cuter than you," the voice said mockingly.

"Why am I even talking to myself," Athena sighed and dismissed the voice. She was now sure that she was going nuts! So now, where can she begin to look for those blue roses?

"Go left."

Athena frowned at the noisy voice. "You again! Can't you just get out of my fucking head?"

"Children don't swear."

" Who is a child?"

" You of course. Now do as I say. You are running out of time. The squirrel is already ahead of you."

" How do you know?"

" I just know. Now if you want to prove to your lover that you are smarter than that squirrel then you have to get going."

" Lover? He is not my lover!"

" Whatever. Just get going."

"Why should I trust you?"

" I did not say that I want you to trust me, did I?"

Athena sighed. Should she take the risk? A look of determination flashed in her eyes. Left it is then!

"You have to walk quickly. That squirrel is now very close to the place where there are those blue roses," the voice urged her.

" Already?" She cocked an eyebrow and began to walk faster.

Time passed as she continued to walk deeper into the woods but did not find any single blue rose.

"Where could those flowers be?" Athena thought aloud as she stopped walking.

"Turn right," the voice sounded. Athena's lips pressed into a thin line. "Why should I listen to you?"

"I am just helping you," the voice replied. Athena was about to say something when she heard something rustle.

"There are four vampires heading your way. Be ready."

" Huh? Vampires?" Athena exclaimed in puzzlement.

At that moment, four nasty looking vampires emerged from the bushes and surrounded her. Athena pulled out her sword and pointed it at one of the vampires.

"Don't come any closer or I will kill you!" Athena threatened in a cold tone but it was evident that she was scared for her hands were shaking uncontrollably.

"Pfft," the voice began to laugh. "Seriously? Don't come any closer or I will kill you!" The voice imitated her words in a funny tone. "Do you really think you can kill them? I advise you to escape!"

Escape? Athena scoffed. How can she escape when she was surrounded. This imaginary voice was dumb.

"I am not an imaginary voice and I am not dumb too! You are the one who is dumb!"

Athena was puzzled for a moment. How did this stupid imaginary voice...

"I can hear all your thoughts so don't think anything stupid about me!" The voice interrupted her thoughts. "And I am not called imaginary voice! I have a name too!"

" And what could that name be?" Athena asked curiously.

" Flame," the voice said boastfully. " Although I am the other you, I am not a weakling like you so there is no way I can use the same name with you!"

" Who is a weakling? I am stronger than you!" Athena said with an irritated look.

"No, you can never be stronger than me!"

" Just get out of my head!"

The four vampires who wanted to attack her looked at each other in bewilderment. Who was she talking to? Wasn't she afraid that she was going to be sucked dry very soon?

"Why is she talking to the air?" One of the vampires asked. The other vampires only shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe she is a little girl with a mental illness."

" Are we going to drink blood from a madwoman?" The shortest vampire amongst the four said, looking uncomfortable. It was obvious that he did not like the idea. What if the madwoman's blood affect him and make him go nuts too?! He cringed at his own thoughts. No, he was not going to let that happen to him!

"Does that matter? It's just blood. It's not like we are going to eat her brains or something. Let's now feast on our little prey."

They all bared their sharp fangs at her and moved closer. Their nails became longer and sharper. They all looked hungrily at their little prey, ready to pounce on her!

"Step back or I will not show any mercy!" Athena threatened but did not actually mean it. Instead she was rather looking for a way to escape.

"Be a good girl and drop that sword," one of the vampires said while smiling sinisterly, making her heart skip a bit. Okay, she got to act strong right now...

She held her sword tightly. "Then you leave me no choice." She lowered her head and a vicious look flashed in her eyes.

"What are you going to do, crazy girl? Scream and beg us to spare you?" The tallest vampire with bushy eyebrows said sarcastically. In their eyes, she looked like a little crazy girl who was scared shitless at this moment.

"No," she answered quietly. "I will have to kill you!" With a shout, she began to attack the vampires.

"Stupid little girl. Do you think that you can kill us?" The vampires laughed and began to dodge her attacks effortlessly. Their movements were swift that she could not touch their clothes.

They laughed sinisterly as they attacked her. Their attacks were so quick and lethal. All Athena could do was to defend herself. Soon her clothes were drenched with sweat and her breathing became laboured. One of the vampires managed to cut her shoulder with his long and sharp nails. Blood stained the sleeve of her dress.

In a few minutes, Athena felt worn out and the sword felt so heavy. She staggered as she tried desperately to defend herself. Blood seeped from the corner of her lips.

"Just surrender little girl. You can never defeat us."

" No," Athena said with difficulty. She slowly wiped away the blood that had seeped from the corner of her lips. "I will never surrender!" She dodged their attacks and used the little strength she had left to attack them. The vampires were quite surprised and impressed by her stubborn resistance. Too bad, she was their food.

After a long struggle, she managed to cut off one of the vampires' head. Blood splattered on the ground and the head fell on the ground and rolled a few inches away from her. The body then fell. She immediately stabbed its heart. One thing she knew was that vampires don't die easily. The only way they can die was to stab their hearts.

The other vampires looked at their headless companion in shock. They then looked at the surprisingly calm Athena.

"You... You killed him!" The shortest vampire exclaimed in disbelief. Athena flicked her hair lazily. "I did warn you, didn't I?"

The vampires all became angry because of her indifferent attitude. "You are going to die today, little w**re!"

Athena pulled up a long face. "That's not something to call a nice lady like me."

"Die, you b*tch!" The vampires bellowed and began to attack her. Athena fought back with the same ferocity. A bloodthirsty smile appeared on her pale face, sending chills down their spines. Right now, Athena was looking rather spooky.

"No, I am not the one who is going to die... It's you!" Athena shouted and continued to fight with the vampires. One by one she defeated them and she suffered a few injuries from the long struggle. These vampires were too strong for her. Soon, headless bodies were scattered on the ground. Her clothes were now soaked with blood.

"Your sword skills are so poor. You have to train hard. You took such a long time to defeat a few weak vampires," the imaginary voice, Flame clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. "You are so slow in avoiding attacks."

"Just shut up," Athena said. She kicked a headless body in frustration. " Now, I am late. That damn squirrel must already have found those roses. It's all these stupid vampires' fault!" Athena looked at the blood on her sword and her expression darkened. She did not feel satisfied. She wanted to kill more... She wanted to shed more blood.

She felt like something dangerous deep inside her was trying to claw its way out. Her bloodlust was increasing by every passing minute. She held the sword tightly. A bloodthirsty look flashed in her eyes and she shook her head. Athena gave the bodies one more glance and left the place in haste.

"What on earth are vampires doing in this forest anyway?" Athena grumbled.

" Looking for food," Flame answered as a matter of fact.

After searching for a while, she managed to find the beautiful blue roses growing near a small brown stream. Athena did not have any time to admire their beauty. She plucked out one of the beautiful roses and ran all the way back to where she left Darren sitting.

She soon arrived, panting heavily. Darren was still sitting on the same spot, holding a blue rose. Fury was laying beside him. Darren was smiling at the squirrel while patting it. Athena clenched her fists and an indescribable emotion flashed in her eyes. She did not like the way Darren treated that squirrel. Not even a tiny bit. It was like he had shifted all his attention from her to that squirrel. It made her feel like she was the third wheel.

"I lost," Athena said in a empty voice and threw the flower that was now stained with blood on the ground. Darren raised his head and was surprised to see her soaked with blood from head to toe. "Athena, what happened to you?"

"Vampires that's what happened. I was attacked by some hungry vampires when I was looking for the roses."

Darren stood up and began to check to see if she had any wounds. Fortunately, her wounds were not serious. Fury only shot her a disdainful look and looked away. "Come, I have to treat your wounds," Darren said looking concerned.

" Don't bother yourself. I can do that," Athena said and she began to walk away.

"Athena?" Darren called out.

Athena stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.

Darren wanted to say something but when he saw her empty look, he shook his head and then said, "Never mind."

Athena gave him a curt nod and walked away slowly. Darren watched her tiny pitiful frame that swayed in the wind worriedly. There was something off about her. He could feel it but he could not point a finger on what was really off about her. And that empty look... He was used to seeing her smiling all the time and her eyes always lively.

He picked up the blood stained blue rose and sighed. She was becoming distant and he did not like it. He needed to find out what was really going on.