After around ten minutes of walking silently, I decide to break the thick field of quiet by looking at Andy and asking, "So, er, where are you from?"

She pauses, then shrugs. "I'm not sure, to be honest. I was born here, but heritage-wise, I have no idea, because I didn't know my parents long enough to know."

I frown. "Why not?"

Andy shrugs again. "Mom was drunk, dad was also drunk, ran off together, et cetera et cetera. Kind of."

Wow. Some people in this genration are horrible. "That must feel awful. Sorry."

She grins slightly. "No need to be. I'm better off without them. Then again, Atticus is a lot like a parent, so I'm not exactly free of normal-kids' rules."

Malik chuckles in front of us. "You know, I imagine Atticus as a protective, super strict mom. Am I the only one?"

I laugh and Andy nods and says, "Definitely a mom. He even gets angry when we're out a minute after curfew!"

I smile, but feel a hint of homesickness. Everyone at the Den is like famiky to each other, and I am just an outsider they decided to help. And if I get home, what if it is so weird to be back in the present again that I end up seeing things differently forever? What if I am never able to fit in again? What if I am stuck here forever?

Andy jolts me out of my sorrowful wondering. "Luke, you good there?"

I smile again, aware that I might have been glaring at the air in front of me. "Sorry? Yes, everything is good. Just thinking."

She pauses. "Does everyone in the future think this much? If so, I am so happy I don't live there."

I shrug, not wanting to speak about it. "Mm."

The next half an hour passes by quickly, and I get a tingly sense of nostalgia from when me and Florry used to walk to the park in the morning. I have to stop myself from looking to my side every few minute to check that she is still there, but of course she is not. Perhaps it is an older sibling thing, or I am just paranoid. Probably that.

"What time is it?" Andy asks Malik boredly.

He checks his watch. "Half three."

She groans loudly. "Ughhhh. When's our next break?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Hey, we're only taking a break if either one of us is about to drop dead or we get stopped."

Andy pauses. "How much does it cost to pay someone to half-kill you?"

Malik laughs. "You can always ask. In fact, I'd be more than happy to do the whole job."

I grin at him. "Do you mind if I help?"

Andy steps away from both of us. "Is this just a boy thing, or should I be concerned?"

We all laugh at this.

A sudden thought crosses my mind a few minutes later. "Andy?"

She nods. "Uh huh?"

"Why did you look upset or something like that when we first got you out of the room earlier?"

Malik looks at her. "Yeah, why?"

She pauses for a long times and stares at the ground, before looking at us. "It's... a long and weird story. Not long so much as weird. I'll tell you later."

I nod slowly, wondering what she means by that. "Okay."

A burly, muscly man passes us, walking a bit like duck in labour. He notices us and gives only Malik a dirty look, for some reason, and said person sticks his tongue out cheekily back. The man waddles off furiously and Malik grins in triumph.

I look at him. "Do you know that man?"

Malik shrugs, still smiling. "Nope."

I pause. "So why did he look at you like that?"

He hums, then replies, "Some people don't like me for being.... me. But of course they're delusional, because I'm amazing."

Andy coughs. "Debatable."

Malik mock-glares. "I'll call Atticus and tell him you're misbehaving."

She rolls her eyes. "You really think he's gonna believe you?"

"Fair point."

***

The sky hung heavy, a woolen blanket of thunder grey, smothering the world in a solemn hush, as if it held its breath, poised between the weight of sorrow and the promise of renewal. The forest was bordered by an army of trees, and the moon cast an eerie glow on the clearing, where two men stood. The taller of the men wore a cloak of pure ebony, and the shorter wore a cloak of emerald. They loomed over a dusty cauldrom, peering at its contents.

The taller one looked at his companion. "Is it ready?"

"No, master. Not yet. I need one more thing for it to be completed."

He frowned. "What may that be?"

"The blood.... the blood of a human."

***

"Luke? You there? Earth to Luke?" 

I blink. Andy is waving her hand in my face, staring at me with amusement. "Luke?"

I gently push her hand away. "Yes?"

She raises her eyebrows. "I've been trying to get your attention for minute. Where is your brain?"

I tap my head innocently. "Up here. And sorry, I just... zoned out."

She elbows my shoulder lightly. "Jeez, if you zone out this much on a walk, I'd hate to see you trying to climb mount Everest."

I frown. "I... won't....?"

She rolls her eyes, but smiles. "I mean it figuratively. Don't actually try that."

Malik looks over his shoulder. "Hurry up, lovebirds!"

We jog over so that we are a few paces behind him, and Andy winks at me before looking at Malik, grinning evilly.

"Well, Mal, you can hardly call me and Luke lovebirds after... you know."

He glances at her. "What do you mean?"

Andy smiles even harder. "Don't think I haven't caught you staring at Orla when she isn't looking."

Malik stops in his tracks, the tips of his ears turning a furious red. "I will murder you, Andrea Wilson! I will destroy every fibre of your being until-"

CRASH.

We all spin around, jokes forgotten.

A man stands in front of us, a black aura surrounding him. He is clad in a long cloak, a bit like the one I had just seen... in my head? Anyway, something about the man makes me get the feeling he is not a human, but not exactly animal either. He seems a bit like a spirit, you could say. His face was covered by the hood of his cloak, and a small emerald glittered on the neck of the cloak, the only hint of colour on him.

Malik steps forward, confusion written all ove his face. "Uh... hi?"

The man looks at us, then at me. Although I cannot see his face, it feels like his eyes are boring into me. "Greetings." His  face shifts as he speaks.

I look at him, trying not to sound as nervous as I feel. "No offense, but who exactly are you?"

He almost hovers towards us. "That, spawn of Drax, is classified. For now, assume I have no name."

There it is.

That name again.

Andy nods slowly. "O..kay, Mr No-Name. So, er, why are you here? Not to be rude or anything- I just kinda imagined someone like you would be mythical. In a good way of course."

The man pauses, as if wondering what to tell us. Then he says, "I am under strict orders by my master to tell you something. Warn you, one could say."

Who is his master? I try looking into his eyes, which is kind of hard considering I cannot see them. "What do you need to warn us about?"

The man turns his head to me. "You sound a lot like your ancestor. Curious. Ignorant. To answer your question, I must warn you that the place you are looking for might not be what it seems. Do not always trust what may seem right at first. That is what leads to many deaths."

I pause, taking it all in. After a few moments of silence, Malik speaks up. "Just asking, how do you know where we're going?"

I can tell the man is smiling coyly. "That, my friend, is classified. Let us just say.... I know a lot of people."

"Creepy much?" Andy mutters under her breath, and I stifle a grin.

Thankfully, the man does not hear her, and carries on. "Well, I have to leave now. Farewell, and good luck."

And with that, he vanishes into think air as quickly as he had arrived.

Malik whistles. "Well, that's something you don't see everyday. Or ever."

I nod. "Definitely."

Andy looks at both of us seriously. "Okay guys, let's just get this out the way. Who the hell is Drax?"

I shrug. "I know only as much as you do. But why does he matter?"

Maliks hums. "Well, we know he's your ancestor or something, and if so many people know who he is, he was probably someone important who did something either really good, or really bad. I mean, that's how it is in all the books."

Andy rolls her eyes and smiles. "Wow, Malik. Who would've thought reading all that Percy Jackson would come in handy some day?"

Malik hums. "Told you it was good."

I pause. "I have no jdea what you two are talking about...."

Andy shakes her head. "It's not that important. Just Malik being Malik is a weird and wacky way. Come on."

She starts to walk, and we follow her lead. But before we take more than ten steps, I hear a gasp from behind us. I turn around, and tapped Malik's sleeve. He catches my eye and turns around, his green eyes going wide.

In front of us is a haggard man, with grey stringy hair reaching just below his wrinkled chin and grey, almost colourless eyes that seem slightly unfocused. He leans on a walking stick and wheezes with every quick breath he takes. His eyes focus on Malik, an accusing and almost histerical look on his face.

He utters on word.

"You!"

Word count: 1595