Zöe's problems

[Lysandros Evermore, Camp Half-Blood]

Back to the morning on the day I finished the barrier, I woke up as usual, had my morning routine, then had breakfast, before meeting with Zöe in the same place as last time.

We had arrived together, so I took the lead and greeted her - "Morning! What's today's plan, teacher?" - I asked, waving at her.

I could see she got a little embarassed at being called teacher, but played it well, and managed to hide it almost perfectly - "Today, I shall teach thee how to wield thy bow!"

"Oh... should I change my bow? You know, pick up one that is less destructive?" - I asked with concern, afraid of accidentaly killing someone if my fingers slipped.

"That would indeed prove troublesome. Here, allow me to take a look upon it." - She agreed while extending her hand and asking to see the bow.

I think about it, and, feeling a bit mischievous, decide to act like it was just another normal bow, handing it over to her. And as soon I let go, the bow plummet towards the ground, and with it came Zöe, not expecting the weight of the weapon.

Understanding something was wrong, she soon let the bow go, but it was already too late, as she had already lost her equilibrium, falling on her butt. She just stayed like that, blinking, as if trying to understand what had just happened.

I could not help but let a small laugh out - "Pff..." - And that seemed to wake her up.

"Th-thou!" - She even stuttered - "Thou didst that on purpose!" - She said, slightly angry.

"My bad... but you've got to admit it was funny." - I said smilling at her, earning myself an annoyed snort. She is not a bad person once you have some time to know her, so let's not make things hard on her.

I extend my hand to help her back up, while I say - "So, how is it? This thing does pack a punch, right?" - After hesitating for a while, she takes my hand and hum in agreement.

"That doth seem to be the case."

"Can you wait here for a bit? I will get a common practice bow with the guys from Apollo, and will be right back." - I turn and start to leave.

"Wait! I shall go with thee!" - She said and went after me.

"Hey Zöe, can I ask tou a question?" - I ask after she caught up to me, earning a look of curiosity, as she nodded.

"Why do you speak the way you do? Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against it, I'm just curious." - I ask.

"The way I doest?" - She seemed to ponder it for a while, seemingly a little unsure as to what I was talking about.

"You know! Like, why do you speak in such a formal and even archaic way all the time?" - I explained better what I meant.

"That?" - She started to think more deeply about it - "Tis but the way I have learned. I know not how to speak otherwise..." - She said, even sounding a little troubled by it.

"Really? What then? Would you like me to teach you? You teach me these tips and I teach you how to speak like people normally do today!" - I propose, not really expecting her to agree.

"Wouldst thou truly?" - She asked, and there even seemed to be a twinkling in her eyes.

"Why not? I owe you for helping me with this, even if it was all due to Lady Artemis' request." - I say, and she seems to enter a good mood.

"Was it this that was troubling you before?" - I ask, trying to make some small talk with her.

Her good mood seemed to deflate a bit, and she explained - "We, the Hunters, are but facing some vexation with a quest bestowed upon us by Lady Artemis..."

"Seems tough..." - I shake my head - "What are you hunting this time?"

"A terrible being! It is the Mice of Delphi, a wily beast that delights in sowing chaos and wreaking destruction..."

"Whoa... that seems quite the ordeal." - I say, while I go towards the armory to get a bow. I greet the campers on guarding duty, and pick myself a nice practice bow.

Our way back was much quieter, with none of us trying to start a conversation. Before long we were back, and teacher Zöe started her class.

I really can't emphasize just how helpful it was. She taught me many things, but the one that amazed me the most was this one. A trick to increase your precision when shooting a target.

She explained that, when aiming to take a shot, humans tend to tense up on the moment of releasing the arrow, causing small deviations that impact accuracy heavily. That did ring true, as I had been bothered by this problem for at least an entire week.

While I did improve with time, there was always a couple arrows that found their way beyond the target I had in mind, and when wielding a monstruosity like Firefly, things could, and they sure as hell would, get tricky.

As for the tip she gave me, it was really unexpected. She said for me to try and release the arrow randomly. Well, not in the way you are thinking.

I need to properly aim, and pull the string, but I should not think too much when it comes to actually shooting the arrow, and that this is a problem created by overthinking too much. Crazy, right? I admit I was a bit skeptical in the beggining as well, but thinking that, since she said it, there must be a good reason, I just tried to do as I was told and, to my surprise, it worked REALLY well.

I guess sometimes all it takes is for one to go full on Leeroy Jenkins for something to work. Shocking right? Huray to the muscle heads! Well, I guess this is all that happened the day I completed the barrier.

* * *

[Somewhere in the Underworld, domain of Hades]

A man sat on a huge black throne. His skin a sickly pale white, that one could even mistake him for a cadaver. Dark, intense, gloomy black eyes, that seemed to draw you into them, like a lake trying to pull you down, and drown you in its gelid waters.

His night black hair, flowed, somewhat unkempt, like shadows dancing in the dark. He stared menacingly at some spectral beings that laid, on their knees, before his throne. His cold and ruthless voice, that sounded deep and commanding, echoed across the dark walls of the throne room, that emanated a gloomy and ominous aura of decay and death.

"So... what did you find on that little bastard that not only saved that forbidden child, but also destroyed our monster army, AND mocked me?" - He said in a quiet and collected tone, dripping with iced venom, barely hiding his fury.

"W-We did as we were told, Lord..." - Said one of the specters beneath the throne, shivering at his master's anger.

"His name is Lysandros Evermore. Born on April 11th, 11 years ago. He is a demigod, son of Mnemosyne. Currently staying at the greek demigod camp. His father died just as he was born, but we never managed to find his soul..." - The man, hearing this, got even angrier.

"USELESS! How come nobody notified me of that?!" - The missing soul only further incensed his fury.

"H-He could be part of one of the other's domain..." - Tried to reason another one of the spectres.

"No... I don't think so... having a demigod child he became too influenced by us for him to just be taken away by some others. There is something foul afoot here. But we can take care of that later. Continue!" - He ordered after musing to himself.

"H-He was raised in an orphanage in Los Angeles, California, and there he met the cursed child and two others... that's all we managed to get M'lord!" - The first spectre said with a faint tremble in his voice.

"Take this." - He tossed a ball made out of pure darkness towards his servants - "The moment he leaves the camp, I want you to mount an attack and hit him with this little toy of mine."

"B-But Lord, Lord Zeus might get pissed if you directly kill that boy like that! It's against the rules!" - Questioned one of the frightened spectres.

"Hehe..."- Laughed the man - "He won't die... but he will wish he had... as for that mongrel brother of mine? We are being indirect enough not to outright break the rules, and he doesn't particularly like that atrocious brat either."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Hello guys! Hope you all have a great weekend! Enjoy the chapter!

Time for some suffering, to make MC remember why he was sent there!

Peace out!