Tree Snakes

That was not a fun climb. Even for me. For the first time in a long time, I feel tired and winded. For the climb I had Lexi hanging on to me and Kenny had used her shadow powers to secure her to me.

We didn't get very far before something big and serpentine came sliding up the tree at us. This big snake-thing attacked and Claire and Kennedy shot the crap out of it. It was hurt bad then Hal moved in and held onto it to give the girls a chance to take it out. But, not before it summoned a buddy.. and got off a weird breath attack.


Everything infront of it wilted away and died. Despite my best efforts I got caught in the blast and it hit Lexi. I got to someplace flat to check on her while the others took out the other serpent. Mercifully, Lexi had survived, but she said it was because of her playing card. I'll have to ask her about it. The poor girl was in rough shape, but Claire came down and gave her what medical aid we could. Then we resumed the climb.

Once we got down to the roots of the world tree (and I can't stress enough that this was like climbing the tallest building in the world all day every day) we found the path splitting off. We were about to set off in what we thought might have been the right way, but a trio of norns (who we failed to notice) spoke out behind us.

The short of what they had to tell us is that our interfering with Ragnarok has caused a severe "snag" in the "tapestry of fate". The easy way to deal with it would have involved cutting the offending threads (killing us) but thats not something that can be done to demigods, so some other solution has to be found. No doubt, we're not going to like what we hear.

Plans of Mice and Gods

Well, that didn't last long.

I was wandering about the city trying to help out as much as I could while everyone else was back at our little base. Clearing the dead, burying our losses, checking on the earthworks. Anything to keep me busy not not dwell on myself.

Then I started noticing a lot of commotion going on and followed it to it's source: Aphrodite. Kennedy is attractive, Hal is attractive, Lexi is downright gorgeous, but Aphrodite in her full godly-state... that... it was hard to tear myself away from that sight. I just wanted to sit there and soak in that beauty... I... I had to close my eyes and make my way back to the group on sound alone.

Things were tense and none of us knew what to do. In moments, Aphrodite was turning the city around on us and we were going to loose everything. Then Lexi pulled out a playing card and before I knew it, Munin was replaced with Loki. Loki, who gave us an escape route through a tunnel of fire right to a shrine to Artemis. I have to give the huntress this, she may hate me, but she's not taking it out on everyone else by proximity.

Anyway, we found ourselves without a base or army, and it was just down to us, the einherjar, the werewolves, and the gods. Donnie and his band were left behind, I don't know what became of them. Some of us discussed setting up anew in Therungia, which isn't a bad idea, at least that had a castle and natural defenses, but without an army for defense, another god like Aphrodite could show up and take that from us, too.

Loki offered a "give-and-take"; we descend into the norse underworld and find out what's going on with his daughter, Hel, and in return, we get an army of the undead. I doubt it's going to be as easy as a house-call, but when is it ever?

Getting to the underworld involved uncovering the roots of one of the ash trees in Artemis' grove and doing a bit of bleeding on it's roots. Hal bled extra for Lexi. And into the roots we went, then found ourselves among the branches of the world tree.

It's going to be a long climb....

Something Begins, Something Else Ends

I managed to keep my issues buried for the duration of the battle and the events leading up to the battle. We met for dinner (I didn't eat anything) and discussed battle strategy. Well, every one more qualified to discuss strategy did so, I kept quiet and listened.

It was agreed we'd need Poseidon's wrath to be held off, since control of the seas would be of major importance for logistics. Everyone turned to me to answer the call for sacrifice. Nobody, except Claire, knows I'm just Poseidon's bastard daughter. I didn't know how much weight me leading the ceremony would carry, but I agreed to do it. Andrew volunteered to help me, since he knew the most about these things.

From there, Claire delegated out tasks while Andrew and I prepped to make the rounds to the local farms. Since this situation was spearheaded by Claire, everyone (even Hal, who's probably the most prone to arguing his point of view into the ground) shut up and let Claire take charge. It's the first time our band has had anything resembling a leader, rather than arguing out every decision to consensus.

Andrew told me Poseidon's traditional offering was a prize bull, the choice cuts burned on a sea-side altar. So, I compensated and upped the quantity, getting as many prize bulls as I could from as many farms as I could. I didn't have much time to work, we'd learned the centaur army would reach New Troy by dawn and there was an unnatural storm rolling in. I constructed the altar and made the sacrifice, pouring myself into the ritual. I should note, though, that it was just as much Andrew as me, as he was giving me advice as we went, so I got the right cuts and performed everything right.

I don't know if it worked. It's too early to tell.

We rushed back to the city and Claire assigned me to the front ranks. Even Artemis gave me that "fellow warrior" nod as I ran to my position. It wasn't long until the battle hit us and it wasn't just Centaurs. Three large metal birds came in with the storm (I have no idea what they were) and the Centaurs' ranks were filled out with satyrs and maenids.

I let myself get lost in the fight, blunting the charge with a shockwave from my ax. It's easy to loose track of what's going on in a big battle like that and I found myself quickly surrounded. Felling grunts wasn't going to get me very far. I shouted for direction in my walkie talkie and I was steered towards a general. I heard several loud explosions, which I was told were anti-air missiles against the birds and a mortar strike on another general (overkill?). A few fast and powerful strikes of my ax and I took out the other general. A loud bellow from Claire shattered what remained of their moral and off they ran.

After the battle I began a detail to clear the battlefield of the dead. Others were working on making sure our dead got a proper funeral and the Morrigan insisted the enemy's dead be piled up and burned ( I wasn't going to argue).

I noticed Claire, up on her rooftop, talking to Artemis. Not long after, she and I had a short talk. It's officially over between us. I can't help but think that, while yes, I made a huge gaff that cost me Claire's trust, that this is another one of Artemis' ploys to twist the knife and take her anger at Poseidon out on me. She certainly made our discussion worse, the other night.

If I dwell on it I'm only going to make myself feel worse. I'm going to spend some time apart from the group unless I'm needed. Though... pulling an Achilles and sulking in my room isn't going to do anyone any good. I'll see if I can find something productive to do.... alone.

FML

(The writing on this page is marred with half-written sentences, hastily scribbled over and restarted. The handwriting is messy and erratic.)

F<scribble>
Dammit I <scribble> <scribble> How do I even----

Let's start at the beginning. I guess... relatively speaking...

Triton showed up to wave Poseidon's cock around for him. <scribble out line>. My "father" decided he wants sacrifices made to him again. Every divine asshole with a grudge started coming out of the woodwork. God da---- Ares was there, supporting Donnie in this mess.

<scribbled out entry>

What am I going to do? I--- getting off track.

Claire revealed what she'd found out over the last month. The Gods want to be important again and the whole situation is going to pot because Olympus is going to tear itself apart over New Troy.

The match that lights the fuse, as it were.

Claire was brilliant. She came up with an amazing plan to put a woman in charge of Olympus, applying her Tuatha logic to the situation. Since Zeus is fated to die and be usurped by a son, not so much a daughter or any other female for that matter. Claire even convinced Ares to switch sides and support Claire's gambit. She turned this whole conflict on its head in several masterful speeches.

I was so amazed and proud of her.

Now, I---<scribble>

We <scribbled out line>

I don't even know.

We had a fight, I guess you could call it.
Artemis decided she wanted to weigh in on it, too.

I'm not sure I can write what happened.

I got called out over not supporting Claire, I got accused of still pining for Brynhildr, I got told I'm no better than my father.

Oh yes I-- <scribble>

Poseidon raped my mother. She was a servant of Artemis. Artemis killed her. Artemis hates me because of it. <several scribbled out lines>

I couldn't get anything more out of Claire. I appologized as much as I could, but she kept talking like she could never trust me anymore. I don't know what kept her from ending it, she sounded like she wanted to. She told me that she'd always hated the idea of me also seeing Bryn. ALWAYS! <pencil tore through journal>

I'm such a mess. I feel horrible. I feel like I just want to stay in this room and not come out unless I'm needed. But, Claire needs my help. She needs all our help. We don't need this drama muddying the issue. Claire's our leader in this. <scribble>

I can't think straight. I want to be alone.

<scribble>
I'm so lost. Why did Artemis give me this pendant if she hates me? Why did Claire ask about my emotions? Why didn't she dump me. Does she love me? Did she ever love me?

I still love her.... don't I?

<several half-started sentences follow, but Cindy clearly couldn't continue writing>