chapter one ― that was too quick, i guess

    ASTORIA CELESTINE TOOK A GLIMPSE OF THE TAROT CARDS.

Each time the cards show up the memories become more surreal bringing her closer and closer to the verge of death and pulling her further away from her father, Astoria’s grasp to stop the past is becoming more impossible or perhaps it is indeed impossible to change what is in the past and using the tarot cards can help her change the past even if it is impossible to do that. Her eyes look through the window hearing the campers' talks to one another, the constant training hours they're taking.

You promised not to but here you are again. The moment the door was opened she already hid the tarot cards before anyone could see it, there was an instant tension in the cabin.

“I thought no more card reading,” Daphne spoke harshly, not having guilt or remorse― it was better this way if she was to tell about it.

“I thought no more criticism about me,” Astoria retorts, letting out a small huff.

“You still think you are better than the Fates,” Daphne adds, raising her brow in a teasing manner. That was too quick.

“Shouldn't you be crafting a flying broomstick or something?” Astoria had the smirk on the corner of her lips, having her last straw.

Daphne was about to reply to that statement when the campers came back to the cabin, disrupting the tension between the two teens. The only person who sensed the sudden tension was Robinne Arden, the spunky daughter of Hermes. She knew about their tension and not so surprising vibe to one another, Robinne can tell it through their long death glares, the way they mock each other and dropping their last straws when one had hit rock bottom.

The moment her eyes laid at Daphne and Astoria the immediate thought of them having an argument struck to her mind, “I thought you would be friends by the time I come back.”

Astoria sighs in defeat before looking at Robinne, completely giving in― or perhaps not yet. “She barges into my personal space.”

“In my defense, I am doing my job because Chiron told me to,” Daphne exclaims in her serious tone of manner, raising her index finger.

Now everyone's in my personal space. Astoria Celestine really has her final straw towards everyone, clutching her hand to the white sheet of blanket on top of the bed where she is sitting, the daughter of Nemesis sighs deeply before speaking. “I admire the concern everyone has but there is  no need to step on the boundaries,” Astoria plastered a smile at the girls before stepping outside of the cabin, meanwhile the other campers had already noticed the tension between Astoria and Daphne.

The topic about Astoria and Daphne isn't something so surprising but still ongoing tension between them, whether it would be training or to compete with the challenges or even surpass their abilities and skills. Although it seems not to be that of a big issue, it is becoming a concern lately. Going back to the past in order to find out the reason, it was because of the bad luck Nemesis had to put in Daphne's family that provoked chaos within the household.

This gave her the urge to have vengeance against Nemesis and when the young witch found out that her daughter is going to the same camp as her, the immediate thought of getting vengeance clicks her mind.

Astoria Celestine and Daphne Williams sure have bad blood.

The view of the lake in front of her eyes becomes a satisfaction for her, the sound of the waves dancing with the wind makes her feel less tense forgetting the heavy burden she has throughout the years. The heavy burden about her father's death seemingly becomes a blur whenever she comes around.

“No matter what happens, do not touch those tarot cards,” his father's last words were like a last will testament for her which haunts her in every dream. Imagine if she never touched those cards during her ninth birthday, none of this would have happened― she could be in London right now living on her dream job and goals she had planned out a long time ago.

Imagine if Astoria just listened to her father once, maybe he could be still alive up to this day.

It is not like she doesn't have the will to let go the more she tries to forget and move on, the cards would come closer to her― following her whenever she goes and Astoria becomes used to the sudden appearance of the cards whenever she goes.

“Maybe I should have listened to you just this once, dad,” she said, it was more of a wish rather than a plain statement.

The cabin of Hermes filled with silence as the lights from their lamps and ceilings were turned off, everyone was asleep in their slumber and this gave Astoria a chance to do tarot reading but this time she wants to try something else. With the lamp as her source of light, the first thing she did was shuffling the cards three to four times then having them stacked into three. All of them pulled Astoria close and wanted to be taken in her hands but the third stack felt something else. What's the event supposed to mean? Astoria doesn't even know either.

Taking the third stack of cards she then again shuffles them three to four times before placing them, distributing them neatly. What is her intention? Will there be good fortune? In what aspect does she wish to see and know? Astoria takes three random cards, all upside down. What is her intention? It is more of wanting to know about future events in Camp Half Blood.

Will there be good fortune? Astoria wishes for a good one but the second card seems to be the opposite. In what aspect does she wish to see and know? She wants to have a look about the future events of the camp and see if she can do something even though she thinks there is nothing to do.

The first card shows up― reversed nine of swords.

“Hmm… okay,” she whispered.

She flipped the second card― reversed five of cups.

There is a pattern going on, she thought.

The final card shows up― reversed six of wands.

As the tip of her fingers touched the three cards, she was now at the back of the bus with many other teens to be taken somewhere. There was a name Astoria keeps on hearing over and over― Jason. She quickly stood up from her seat and went to the three teens who were discussing going to their school, one of them― Jason was in confusion during their conversation, asking who they were and why they knew his name in the first place.

Before she could even reach them the place suddenly shifts and she's at Camp Half Blood except everyone is in a bit of a rush as if they are preparing for something. She hears Annabeth Chase talking to Chiron about going on a quest and with no hesitation he gladly says yes and gives permission to look for Percy Jackson. Where is Percy Jackson? Maybe he is with his half brother and Percy forgot to tell it to Chiron or to Annabeth. Astoria listens closely but the place shifts again for the third time and the sight of Annabeth Chase crying as he calls out for Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon. She felt emotional pain and getting separated from someone she loved― Percy Jackson is missing?

“Having remorse or have we not?”

A voice spoke― it was more like someone was asking her, having the mockery in the tone. Astoria was about to speak up when it spoke again for the second time. “A remorseless demigod can never leave me hanging,” Astoria composes herself as she turns around to find the source. “What did you do to Percy?” Astoria's voice sounded a bit shaky, the voice laughed at her question and mocks the daughter of Nemesis.

A long pause. Astoria was then shifted to another place but this time it's different than the previous ones, she is at a different campsite and there was Percy Jackson in that camp, having no idea or even recollection of how he got there. She tried to reach out but before Percy could even notice her, the place shifted back to the cabin of Hermes. There was silence, her chest rising up and down as she caught her breath. The tip of her hands became cold as they touched the cards.

What in the fucking world was that?

The first time Astoria tried to stop an event she saw through the cards was when she asked about her English teacher. Nothing much out of the ordinary except when she saw a glimpse of a car accident and a dead woman lying on the ground a few inches away from the destroyed vehicle. She ran towards her as the class ended but it was already too late, the moment she reached the location it was like a sudden rush of wind passed her by. The woman from those cards was her English teacher.

The second time she tried to stop danger was when she saw a glimpse of a man getting shot by a gunman. Astoria doesn't know which is which but every time her father goes out for work and comes home late she begins to have worry. “Didn't I tell you not to play them anymore?” her father would always remind her about the tarot cards but at that time, Astoria doesn't know how to explain about the cards coming back to her no matter how many ways she throws it away. She got used to this, now.

If only Astoria Celestine listened to her father twice and told him about the cards twice.

There were a lot of attendees during the funeral with their condolences to the family and their sorrows for young Astoria Celestine, a child who lost both parents at such a young age with nowhere else to go but to be with her uncle Luis who stood up as her guardian. Astoria didn't say much even after the funeral, having the thought in her mind that whatever she says seems meaningless to him anyway. “I'm sorry dad,” she whispered under her breath as she broke into sobs, hugging his knees to her chest.

“Why are you still up?” Jonathan Beccket, the son of Hermes, spoke. She immediately covers the cards behind her back. 

“I had a nightmare,” Astoria lied, biting her bottom lip as her fingers clenched to the blanket.

“What is it this time?” he asks before going towards her, pointing at the tarot cards.

“I told you… it's a nightmare,” Astoria insists, licking her dry lips.

What's the point of telling him? She tries to dismiss the topic once again having the thought that telling them about what she saw in the cards won't do anything, besides she was already too late to tell her father about his fate which resulted in his sudden death. Perhaps Percy Jackson can be― when was the last time she had a decent conversation with him? A decent one with no one judging her from ever talking to him or other campers.

“Come on let's go outside,” Jonathan spoke, extending his arm for her. Astoria furrows her brows in a concerned manner. “We're just going outside.”

“Where to?”

“Just outside our cabin, where else would it be Astoria.”

“By the looks of it you tend to prank campers sometimes.”

“I'm being serious right now but first, let's keep the cards away from reach.”

✷ 　 　　 　 ·

　 ˚ * .

　 　　 *　　 * ⋆ 　 .

　　　　 ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧　✵

· 　　 ⋆ 　　　 ˚ ˚ 　　 ✦

　 ⋆ · 　 *

　 · ✵

“Astoria!”

It sounded more of yelling rather than pleading for help. She slowly opens her eyes, raising her hand immediately to cover her face from the sunlight. Astoria gets up dusting the dirt from her clothes― where is she? One moment she was at Camp Half Blood having her training with the other campers and the next thing she's… somewhere else.

She then saw a group of teens running away as if someone or something was chasing them and that is when she noticed the familiar faces from the cards. “Leo...” her lips spoke as her feet tried to go after him, her voice was like a whisper.

Who is Leo anyway? How did I even know his name?

“She's coming, Astoria… her awakening is coming too soon.”

The moment she touched Leo's hand was the moment she was dragged away from him, screaming on top of her lungs as she was dragged from behind and Leo didn't even notice it. Astoria fights for the struggle but it is already too late now― like how late she was in saving her father's life before.

“Astoria!”

Her body jolts up as she takes a deep breath from her mouth as if she had woken up from a nightmare. Everyone steps back except for Daphne, Jonathan and Chiron who instructed the other campers to step back and help Astoria. Was that my mother? Talking to me? A soft and gentle grip on her hand made her yelp in surprise immediately looking at Daphne― she made the daughter of Hecate worry again for her.

“Your hands are not cold anymore,” she said, more likely a statement of observation from Daphne, this made Astoria wonder what she meant by that. Hands aren't cold anymore? Was she dead in the first place?

“What happened?” Astoria asks, her eyes looking at everyone around her.

“Ask Percy what he did,” one of the campers spoke and their gaze now turned to Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon.

“I didn't mean to― we were about to start the match when she passed out,” Percy explains in his defense, shaking his hands in disagreement. “Do you feel sick Astoria?”

Sick? She can't remember getting sick or not feeling good in fact, Astoria seems to be… okay and her energy is in good condition. Maybe she skipped breakfast. Well… the moment she woke up her stomach was already grumbling in hunger and she remembered having a commotion in getting breakfast with Robinne. “Yeah… I just got zoned out I guess,” she answered before looking down avoiding the gaze from the other campers.

Bullshit! That's bullshit! Daphne would tell her that excuse the moment she lies to everyone but this time it was different. The daughter of Hecate remained silent to her response and gently let go of her hand, Astoria did the same thing by remaining silent. Percy Jackson apologized to her over and over about the incident and she shakes it off calling it an accident although both of them knew it was not an accident to begin with.

There was no accident in the first place.

Chiron told her to take a rest for a while and the challenge got cancelled because of the incident. The cabin of Hermes was filled with worry and concern from the children of Hermes. “Were you hurt? Did you get any serious injuries?” Astoria tells them not to worry too much but she appreciates their concern for her “I'm fine now so you don't have to worry for me,” she said but it seems not everyone is pleased about it.

“She's coming, Astoria… her awakening is coming too soon.”

Who is "she" that is coming? What's the awakening all about? Also, was it really her mother who spoke to her or perhaps one of her schemes for Astoria to believe it is her?

“Leo…”

Who the hell is Leo anyway? Saying his name is like she had known him for years and had memories with one another. Maybe she did know someone named Leo but her mind was preoccupied with many thoughts and he had slipped away. Or maybe she chose to actually forget Leo and her mind suddenly remembers him once again. 

“Don't pressure her but this doesn't mean we are done, Astoria. We have something to discuss.”

Daphne looks at her but from all of the looks, there was concern in her eyes.  Her facial expression changed all of a sudden as if Astoria did something and might have slipped in her mind, “Don't worry not everyone heard that name.”

That was quick, I guess. So this is what Daphne meant by 'something to discuss'― Astoria better start wishing no one asks either of them what is going on right now.

( 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 )

revised: june 5, 2021

edited: this is the what? 3rd revision of this chapter and ngl i almost abandoned this because of writer's block but tried my very best to revise and rewrite the whole chapter ( and to the other chapters as well ) i changed bits of the characters especially astoria as well as her development throughout the story so yeah,,,, let's get into that one aight 

( gif by -flowerfairies !! )