Ashley bristled slightly as she jerked out of bed. Another girl dead at the hands of Hannibal. This time it was close enough to wake her.

The young demigod found herself standing on a well-constructed chessboard. How many pawns would be sacrificed before she found the perfect way to peg his king? Or was it queen? Ashley splashed some water on her face as she thought. I've never played chess, have I? Well, regardless, it's my move.

Ashley opened her closet and pretended to ponder over her outfits, which were all neatly hung. She simply abhorred unnecessary creases in her outfits.

Gingerly she picked up her favorite black suit. Strict and professional. Well, Ashley mused to herself, I think it'd be best to bite my tongue and collect evidence if possible. Now, I best get going if I want alone time with the corpse.

By the time the others had arrived, Ashley had all the information she needed. Instead of helping, she settled for distracting Abigail from dwelling on the crime scene in the cabin. She was rather good at distractions. Abigail Hobbs was no stranger to the things that lurked in the shadows, but this was the first one that was deeply personal in its own way.

Abigail let out a shaky giggle at a comment the young brunette had made and a strange sense of pride filled her chest.

Her head turned as she sensed Hannibal's presence exit the cabin. "No Will?" The teacher's first name slipped out of her mouth before she could process what she was saying and she pulled a face. I did it again.

"No, I'm afraid not. Now come along, Agent Crawford wants us to help Abigail collect her stuff."

The ride to the Hobbs residence was painfully silent after the first half-hour. The brunette had fallen asleep, her head resting on Abigail's shoulder. Abigail didn't mind much, but she found that the brunette girl looked almost like an entirely different person whilst asleep, almost as if a well-constructed veil had finally been let down.

It ended as soon as they entered the Hobbs residence, much to Abigail's disappointment. The brunette was woken by the flashing lights and was quick to exit the car.

"Any questions you have about the Hobbs case shall be addressed to me. I shall answer five, but then I'll have to ask you to kindly remove yourselves from the premises."

Abigail let out a shaky sigh. The cold and analytical persona was back. It would make the Al'Ghul a good lawyer if she decided there was a need for a career change.

When Nick Boyle had died, she felt it, and she knew Hannibal had, too. The race towards the last Hobbs had begun.

Ashley felt the pull of the dead beneath the earth and summoned it forth. She didn't know what the mortals saw, of course, but it was enough to send them screaming and it gave her time to slip away. As she entered the shadows, she drew her sword.

Thwack! Hannibal's body crumpled to the floor and Abigail gasped. The brunette lowered her weapon. "Hey, Abby, it's okay. But trust me when I say Hannibal is the last person you want to know about this."

"Hannibal said...he said he'd help me."

The brunette bent down by the other teen. "This is what Hannibal does. He puts people in situations where they have to kill and then he holds it over them. I'll help you, and rest assured, this will never lead back to you. Now come, we need to hide the body and scrub your floors clean."

Abigail nodded. "Right. Um...one problem. There are like, a thousand reporters outside."

"I already got rid of them, but if it makes you feel any better I have another way out. I promise I'll explain later, but right now I need you to trust me. Okay?"

Abigail nodded once more and whispered her response. "Okay."

Ashley set one hand on the body and one on Abigail's shoulder. "Close your eyes."

Abigail obeyed before the shadows swallowed both girls whole. The mortal girl shivered as she opened her eyes. "What...how'd we get here?"

"I already told you: I'll explain later." Extending her hands, Ashley's brows furrowed slightly in concentration. "Besides, there's no point explaining until you run out of questions to ask."

Abigail opened her mouth to ask what that meant before the ground before them caved. She couldn't see it very well because of the shroud the trees provided, but she could feel it.

"You're an earth-bender? Like from Avatar?"

"Demigod, but sure. Now, help me put the body in there."

Abigail and Ashley both knelt in the dirt and carefully shoved it in. Ashley reached into her pocket and withdrew a lighter. "Fair warning: this'll smell absolutely terrible."

"Duly noted."

The two girls watched as the body started to burn. "So... part god, huh?"

"Yes. Let me formally introduce myself: my name is Ashley Al'Ghul, granddaughter of Hades, god of the dead. Any questions?" Her title rolled off her tongue with ease.

Abigail sniffer slightly. "And Hannibal... is he part god too?"

"Unfortunately. The demigods of the underworld have a hard enough time as it is without people like him and Hitler muddying the waters."

The other girl blanched. "Hitler? As in the Hitler?"

"The one and only. The bastard's the reason why the big three swore not to have any more kids. They all broke the promise, of course, but it was still his fault that they made a promise to begin with. Guess we're just 'too powerful' or some bullshit."

"So, if you're part god, does that affect your life span?"

"Yeah. The average lifespan is 12."

"Decades?"

"Try years. Everyone dies a horrible death before they have a chance to become the next Hercules. Otherwise you'd know the names of thousands instead of a spare few."

Abigail raised her eyebrows in surprise and crossed her arms as she glanced ahead. "Jesus."

Ashley followed Abigail's gaze, which had resettled on the body. "He had the right idea. Start your own religion to piss off the gods. Evil genius. Being bisexual, I don't exactly agree with all his teachings, but hey, we can't all be perfect."

"If the average age is twelve, how old are you?"

Ashley pursed her lips. "15, but I don't have much longer if the prophecy is correct."

Abigail glanced at the other girl. "What prophecy?"

Ashley let out a shaky exhale. " A Half-Blood of the eldest gods shall reach sixteen against all odds and see the world in endless sleep, the Hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap. A single choice shall end their days, Olympus to preserve or raze. Raze with a 'z' as in destroy, by the way. I asked."

Abigail paled further [if that was physically possible of course] and shifted her body so she was facing the brunette. "Shit. How much longer?"

She pursed her lips. "Four months at best."

"Then why help me?"

Ashley turned slightly. "Our past isn't so different. I was five the first time my mother put a gun in my hand and told me to shoot."

Abigail stiffened at the implication. Ashley noticed this but continued anyway. "I did it the first time, but after that, it became harder. I could hear them even after they left this realm, and not in a metaphorical sense, either. I didn't know I was part god at the time, but nether less I refused."

Ashley changed her stance and formed a gun with her fingers. She raised her hand and stopped once her hand was level with the spot between Abigail's eyes, causing the girl's breath to hitched. "So Mother made me stare down the barrel of a gun and chose: them or me." Her voice seemed cold and metallic now.

The ice in Ashley's eyes vanished almost as soon as it had arrived. "We should bury what's left of the body and get back. We still have blood to clean up, after all."

Abigail couldn't help but blink at the abrupt change. She could've sworn the younger teen had been moving closer moments earlier. Instead of questioning it, she nodded slightly. "Okay."