Escape from the Monsters

Lilliana was in the cave. The dampened walls and muggy air closing in on her. Gods.... she though. Were was the sun in this place? The flowers? The color? On the bright side there was a fire in the middle of the earthen floor. On the downside, there was about ten Dracaena and 4 fully grown Cyclopes in the cave with them. While communicating in grunts and hisses, Lil was pretty sure that they were deciding which seasoning to sprinkle on there skin. Bonded by ropes at both her wrists and ankles bounded by rope, Lilliana struggled to free herself. Unfortunately, that meant rope burn. Her black combat boots were nice... preparing her to run. Her orange CHB t-chirt and shorts covered with grit and grime. Her hair was a mess. She had left it in its usual free fall, causing it to be tangled and filled with twigs, leaves and other various objects. She knew there were other demi-gods in the cave with her, but she dared not to speak to them, no matter how friendly she was.



Aria grunted. Dear goodness. She had almost been killed by a dracaena when she was a small child. Stupid ice-cream offering b*tch. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a high-set ponytail, thank the gods. Her CHB t-shirt was torn and splattered with dirt, her arms covered with scratches. Luckily, she was wearing jeans and regular tennis-shoes, leaving room for hardly any injury there. Her grey eyes were more stormy that usual, giving the sense that she was brewing up a plan in the Athena brain of hers. She did not struggle against her bonds, knowing what affect it would have.

There's that familiar pressure again as Zane shadow traveled, hopping in through a shadow he materialized on some random tree. As he exited the shadow, he was forced to drop to one knee as the shadow spat him out several feet in the air. Zane flipped his hood back onto his head, hating the fact that it falls down every time he travels like that.

"Stupid unreliable..." He started to grumble before looking around, finally realizing he was in some damp cavern. "Where-.." He started to say once more, before his eyes rested upon the sight of a girl struggling to break from her bindings. He immediately knew she was a fellow demigod, but his instinct told him if he called out to her, something would definitely kill him. As he started scanning the area, he withdrew his Stygian Iron blade from the sheath on his back and gripped it tightly in his right hand, ready to attack anyone or anything that jumped out. Hearing the sounds of several monsters, he dashed to the side, hiding behind a particularly large pile of rocks, hoping he wasn't seen.

"Ugh... I never end up where i wanna go.." Zane whispered angrily to himself, hating that after all this time, he still doesn't have full control of his powers.

Valerie opened her eyes to near total darkness, it couldn't be night her brain told her though she wasn't sure how she knew that. She lay against a cold wall, like a discarded toy tossed aside by a careless child. The Demigod was small and skinny, perhaps the monsters didn't think there was much meat on her bones. She could barely see anyone in the darkness, the light of the fire picked out only the faint outlines of a couple of monsters.

Valerie could look into the sun fine and still see clearly, however such a power greatly effected her night vision as well as low light vision, she felt practically blind. The ropes which bound her feet and wrists were tight but not tight enough for her to wriggle her way out of them if she tried. Yet in the darkness she dared not move, for the monsters lurked unseen in the darkness. She tried to force down the mounting torrent of panic that filled her skinny form. Valerie hated the dark. Val could not even recall how she ended up in this mess, a battle then here... But the question remained as to how to get out of here. Or more importantly where here happened to be.

Cautiously moving like a little tiny mouse she began to try and wriggle her way out of ropes, if she managed to free her arms then her ankle should be easier in theory.

Lysander had been kidnapped earlier while roaming in New York. He now woke up in a mostly silent darkness, bounded by a couple of ropes, on his ankles and wrists. He felt like he was against a rock wall, which basically meant cave. He grumbled, his Nike basketball shirt torn, as well as his shorts, with a little Michael Jordan figure thing in the corner. His ling hair was a complete mess. He grumbled, feeling the CB knife in his combat belt gone. He swore if he could get anywhere near water, he would kill the monsters.

That's when Lys noticed that there were other demigods near, but he dared not talk, because he might get them and himself killed. He looked as far as he could, seeing a little light at the end of the cave. Oh, there was defiantly water of some type near- what it was though, he didn't know. Lake? River? Ocean? He struggled a little, and whispered as quietly as he could, "if someone can get me out of these ropes, I can get to the water, and aid us." Why the monsters specifically kidnapped him and the others, he didn't know.

Aria glared at Lysander. "Di Immortals Boy!Why would you talk?" she hissed at him. Why would he talk? that would just bring more attention to there 4 person group. Aria knew Lilliana, and knew that she had 2 hunting knives in her boots. She scooted closer to Liiliana, away from the others. "I'm going to get your knives out of your boots," she whispered quickly.

Lilliana nodded.

Aria turned her back to the girl, reaching inside her boot. Feet was definitely her least favorite part of the body, but they had no time to complain. She wiggled out one of the hunting knives, getting a good grip and started to free her wrists. With the rope finally breaking, Aria freed her ankles as well. She un-bonded Lilliana, still holding the knife. Luckily the monsters were out of earshot.

Lilliana got the silent message. She quickly took the other hunting knife from her other boot and started to move. She cut the others ropes. Spotting someone in the shadows, she crouched down. Another monster? No, it had hair and a Stygian Iron blade in it's hands. Lilliana crawled forward, her brown hair framing her face and knife in hand. She stood up beside of the figure, suprissingly unseen.

Aria stayed were she was, organizing a attack plan.

Zane continued to watch from the shadows as he examined every detail of what went on. He made sure to stay quiet, as quiet as the dead, a so called skill his father gave him. He instinctively ducked down a bit lower as the boy called out for help, saying something about water. Is his father Poseidon or something?, He asked himself, that being the only God of water he could think of at the moment. He flexed his fingers around the handle of his sword, and almost took a step towards the demigods before one of them moved. He moved back into place as she managed to withdraw a small bronze dagger, and proceeded to slice off her binds. Zane jumped ever so slightly as he realized the girl was moving toward him. As she neared, his grip on the sword lessened a bit, thinking if she had wanted to attack him, she would have already.

Zane looked around slowly, scanning to see if any more monsters were going to appear. "W-we need to hurry and get out of here... D-do you know where the exit is..?" He asked the stranger next to him. "I can't shadow travel all of us out of here.."

Valerie struggled to wriggle her way free of her restraints. She could hear the movements of other Demigods and their voices too. She tried to not make too much noise as she didn't want to draw the attention of the monsters. The darkness hid the other Half-bloods from her sight, she struggled against her mounting panic and terror.
Valerie halted her attempt at freeing herself, taking deep breaths to try and calm her nerves. It didn't work, fear gripped her tightly, plunging deep into her spirit, sapping her will. Valerie thrived on light, she despised not being able to see anything.

Lysander grumbled again. He heard a girl asking him why he'd talk, followed by a boy saying that he couldn't shadow-travel them all out of there. He then was released by somebody. He fell, muttering "ow." He got up, looking at the other end of the cave. "I just need to get near the water. That could be a game changer- just someone trust me on this. Also, anyone feel like sharing a weapon? They apparently took mine." He would defiantly give it back later. Assuming there was a later. He really hoped there was a later.

"Let's go," he whispered, tiptoeing against the wall.

Lilliana stood beside the shadow traveling new comer. She shook her head, her body and the other persons hidden in the shadows. Child of Hades? she thought. That was the only god that came to mind at the moment that had the ability to shadow travel. "I-I don't know. I think they brought us in her from the west. I was kind of in and out when they brought us in here. Look, I know you can't shadow travel us all out of here, but can you at least stay and help us?" She talked in a quick, hushed whisper. The monsters could not realize they had escaped there bonds. Her hand was tight around her sword, the only way she could keep her hand from shaking. She was nervous around the Cyclopes, have once almost being attacked by one at the age of ten.

Aria looked at all the demi-gods. She forgot to untie one girl. Lilliana's other sword in her hand, she walked with silent foot-steps over too her. She quickly squatted down beside the girl, putting a finger over her own mouth in order to signal silence. While she was doing this, the blabber mouth boy was continuing to talk. Didn't he get it. Aria looked up at him glaring, walking quickly towards him until he came to an abrupt halt a yard away from him.

"Stop talking! If were to loud they'll notice us. Don't you understand that? Unless you are a child of Poseidon, do not mention another thing about water. For all we know you could be a decoy monster, that plans to take us to the river, drown us and then come back and eat us with the others. As far as weapons go, the only known weapons are held by me and Lilliana. Now please, do be quite." Aria was usually not so rude, but by this point in her torn and tattered clothes, she couldn't help it.

For the last week or so she had been tracking this group of monsters, thinking that it might have been a part of something bigger and badder. Now they had captured other demi-gods and yet another, not have mastered shadow traveling yet, had popped in the cave. Poor guy. Lilliana was talking to him. She scanned the room for her dog, Ginger. She heard a wine from the other side from the cave. Luckily it was on there side. She ran over to the cage and unlocked it, Ginger licking her face and wagging her tail, but silent. Shep ran towards Lilliana.

"Look here's the plan. I know Lilliana has powers to grow vines. She can go ahead and try to bond some of there feet, preferably the Cyclopes since they are so large." Looking for there weapons, she spotted them on the further side of the cave, the monsters side, their weapons slung into a heaping pile. A few swords, hers in particualr and a bow. That must belong to the girl. She looked towards her. "You and me are going to run and try to get the weapons, causing a distraction in the process. Water boy, just... do something. And you over there in the shadows. Son of Hecate, correct. See if you can manipulate the mist or something please. It's the best that I can come up with. Any suggestions or objections?"

Zane gave a quiet sigh of frustration. He didn't like to fight but he knew it was necessary sometimes. And he couldn't live with himself if he had just left them here to die, even if his dad is the God of Death, it wouldn't be right. "I'll help. I'm not the best fighter in the world but I can hold my own." He told the girl next to him and watched as she went to untie the others. As the previously tied girl got up and grabbed the weapons, he listened to her plan and couldn't help chuckling a bit at her assumption of his parent. "Not Hecate, i'm afraid. My mother was human. My father on the other hand.... was Thanatos." He informed them, a small shiver running up his body as he said his dad's name.

Valerie could barely see so jumped out of her skin when Lilliana out her finger over her mouth. She felt her rope bonds be cut, she rubbed her hands and ankles before slowly getting to her feet. She moved as silently as she could, moving as quiet as a mouse, trying not to trip up over any rocks, stones or worse... Bones. Val didn't have the courage to admit that she could barely see anything. The darkness filled her with fear. "Erm... I... I can barely see in the darkness." Valerie whispered her voice quiet. "I can see great in the light however." She added just as softly, yet somehow this ability wouldn't be much use in the cave or tunnel. Val didn't know exactly where she was or how to get out of there.

For the others it may have been dark, but for her it was almost pitch darkness she could barely make out their faces next to her. Valerie tried to control her panicky breathing, she felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack.

Aria chuckled quietly. "Thanatos, interesting. I apologize for my mistake. I am Aria, daughter of Athena." She thought for a moment, changing the faults in the plan while Lilliana piped up, her voice ranging out just a bit to loudly, enough for a sleeping Dracaena to hiss in her sleep.

"I am Lilliana, by the way. Daughter of Demeter."

Aria looked at her. "Alright then. Lilliana, you stick to the original wrapping around the legs, please. As for you, Daughter of Apollo, you can stay here and do your best to help Water Boy. She handed Valerie the hunting knife that was originally Lilliana's. "Son of Thanato's, please take her place and cause the distraction with me."

She scanned the room. Gods how she needed her sword. She did however feel a bit better, Ginger now by her side and safe.


OOC: Sorry for the short post guys >.<

Simply nodding, he gripped his Stygian iron sword and moved up beside Aria. He preferred to be an attacker, not a distraction. It made him feel like a piece of meat, but he was horrible at thinking of plans so he went along with it. His battle honed eyes constantly scanned around, glancing at anything nearby.a

OOC: Yours isn't short. MINE, is short haha Sorry XD

Valerie felt the cold blade against her hand, she would have preferred her bow, yet it could be of little use to her in the darkness. Almost as little use as giving her a blade, she held the weapon tightly but try as she might her eyes failed to make it out. Until they got more light, she was worse than blind. "Get my bow." Val wanted to recover that weapon, her short bow if they managed to some how get more light then her archery skills would be of use.

She crouched down, not really knowing where everyone was. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, like a trapped bird struggling to break free. Valerie despised being underground and in caves, she hated them even more when there was no light or even little light. She tried to control her breathing but it was a losing struggle not to panic, her mind filled with uncontrollable terror caused by the inky shroud that surrounded them. "Also if you find a light switch, flick it on please."

Aria nodded at Valerie. Her breath hitched in her throat as she began to have second thoughts. Was this plan foil proof? No of course not. Every plan had some type of flaw. Aria looked over at Zane and then trained her eyes on the group of 14 monsters. This was it. She was running into this with no weapon. A son of Thanato's to cover her, a Daughter of Demeter to aid her, a Half-Blind daughter of Apollo, and some boy screaming about water. Oh, and don't forget the two dogs. She spoke in a shaky voice, loud enough for only their small army to hear. "On my count of three, everyone. Take your positions." Ginger came to Aria's side, growling lowly. She had done these things before.

Lilliana bent down and told Shep to charge and get the Bow for Valerie, and bring it back immediately. Shep walked over beside Ginger, joining in on the growl.

Aria looked around frantically. Here goes nothing She paused a moment, taking a calming breath. "One... two... THREE! Aria's shout startled all of the monsters, waking the few that were asleep and turning the heads of the ones that were not. The cyclopes bellowed with rage and the dracaena hissed. "Demi-godssss" they said, the snake like eyes of the monsters following every move that she made. Aria ran around the monsters, 2 of the dracaena throwing there nets, missing. A cyclops bellowed toward her, his feet stomping. Aria continued to run, now sweating and leg muscles hurting. She found the stockpile of weapons and base-ball slid over to them, fumbling for her sword as the Cyclops swung his meaty fist at her. She picked up her sword and in one quick movement, sliced the monster's legs out from under him. Well, one down, thirteen to go. She continued fighting her way through the crowd of monsters, Ginger nipping their feet and growling viciously.

Lilliana felt a tugging sensation in her gut. Suddenly, the vines sprang out of the ground. Vines curled around 3 of the dracaenas' trunks legs. She did, however focus on the largest cyclops. The tugging in her abdomen got stronger, urging the vines to grow as quickly as possible. Shep bit another cyclops in the leg and then speed of to retrieve Valerie's bow and arrows. Doing so, she plopped them down beside the girls feet and ran to go and bite the monsters legs again.