God Rising: Battle of Atela

"Here's your tea my lord" Monica bowed as she placed the miniature silver tray on the table along with a plate of bread and vegetables. Exactly how he liked it.

Within his mug was every shade of brown he adored, blending so perfectly. Monica made sure she always got it right because his tongue was sensitive to taste, and could make out differences and also things that are missing.

He took two sips from the cup, and Monica's heart settled and a sigh of relief made it's way out of her lips.

She took a few steps and stood beside Demigod's friend and also brother. Served him the same food, but he preferred his with juice.

"Excuse me, sirs" She bowed before leaving the two beastmen to discuss matters that weren't for slaves to hear.

"I heard."

A slight smile appeared on the Demigod's face. He already knew what his brother wanted to say. The news of the human with powers was what brought him to his mansion so early in the morning. It was obvious.

"You allowed a threat to live?!"

"He will be of use later on" His voice was calm, and he ignored the raise of his brother's rude statement.

"What exactly do you want to achieve with such a being? Is he a taboo child?"

"We know little about those kinds in the first place, but I doubt he is. There's something he's hiding. Sooner or later I'll find out, but for now, I need him alive."

The man on the other side of the table feared what his destructive and secretive older brother had in mind. He drank his orange juice and brought up a household problem, and the issues of the Livingston blood line.

"About the heir... is it still Derren?"

Marcellus nodded, and he looked up from his parchment when he heard the crack of a glass.

"Why did you hurt the cup? It did nothing to you." His question mafehis brother angry, but he couldn't lay a finger on him. He couldn't before, and there was no way he could so now.

Marcellus was aware of everything going on the family, but his decision remained. "I will crown Derren, the overseer of the clan, and not Vincent."

There was nothing anyone could do to change that.

***

"Armin!!!" Keith called as he dragged Armin's ears. The faux boy turned to look at him and glared, "that hurt!"

Their bickering stopped once they heard footsteps around the corner. The two exchanged dreadful looks before bolting away from the chart.

"Are you nuts, kid?!" Keith scolded as Artemis dropped off the wood in the spaceless storeroom.

"I wonder how they find things in this kind of room." She heaved in between her words as she examined the items that were out of place.

"They don't. We find it for them, and we have to. Or else we'd lose a finger. Let's go! If they find us here, and not in the preparation room, we're finished." Keith knew the shortest route to the preparation room, and he urged Artemis to follow.

They both sat at a corner, and Artemis's eyes darted to the hall that hadn't changed a bit. The only difference was who was in it. Slaves everywhere. Quiet and scared.

"I read the chart. Derren doesn't have a rank?"

"Oh, you saw." Keith peered his head before moving close to Artemis's ear to whisper "He doesn't like it, but people call him the Beastman with no powers."

Beastman with no powers?

They were silent for a while, but Keith liked gossip, and Artemis was his new gossip partner, so he was willing to let her in on all the rumours he heard.

"Right now there's a deadly disagreement in the Livingston household. The elders want Vincent to head the clan because he is fit for it, but the Demigod rebuked the idea."

She wanted to see Derren up-close and examine him herself because she'd pictured the Demigod's children to be giants, but from what she was told, her perception changed and she pictured the first son to be a pup in a big body.

"I also heard his father wants him to fight in the summer games. Weird, right?"

Artemis agreed, "What about Vincent?"

"Oh, the two brothers don't get along. Vincent is the one that practices all day, but Derren couldn't even dream to do the same workout routines with him. Not everyone Vincent, but he's favoured by the Elders but not his father. That's mostly the reason for his anger. He seeks to be acknowledged as a powerful warrior, but his father only has his eyes on the weak son of his."

"Out!!!" A guard commanded the slaves, and they all went out to join the beastmen training on the fields.

Keith nudged Artemis a little to get her attention, "You see that tiny Wolfman over there. That's Derren Livingston."

Artemis recalled seeing him In the hall when Vincent attacked. He seemed somehow happy, but back then he looked terrified.

"Alright children, it's time to hit the human eye!" He clapped his hands and smiled.

Artemis turned to Keith as the beastchildren sang "Hit the human eye, hit the human eye!"

"That's what they do to practice Archery. They hate humans, so why wouldn't they want to launch arrows at the eyeball of humans?"

Artemis stared at who might be her opponent on the battlefield some day. "Derren?" If he would really compete, it would be an easy win for wheoever would be paired with him.

She watched the Wolfman play along with the children. He seemed so fragile. His body was still smooth like that of a baby. His face had no hairs, and his form was much smaller than that of his brother.

He didn't have the confidence that his Vicent possessed. Artemis could tell by the uneasiness he felt whenever he got crowded.

The beastchildren lined up, and once their names were called, they shot their arrows.

There was a little boy that stood out. He was small, and it looked as if the bow in his hands was bigger than him.

"Theodore you did well" Derren pat his head, and the beastchild seemed happy for his not so perfect achievement.

"Well, we're up next" Keith said as he was grabbed and hauled forward to the stakes. They pushed Artemis along with him and they had ropes tied around their body.

Ten slaves were needed for practice, and Artemis was part of the unlucky few selected.

The children regrouped and Artemis prayed she'd get the best Archer in their set, but once Theodore stood in front of her, she lost hope of surviving.

His one shot might either kill her or not. The slaves were blindfolded, and the guards placed apples on their heads. After every name, she heard a thunk, and with each passing seconds her heart pounded against her chest.

"Theodore!!!" Once it finally got to her turn, her heart sank, and she gulped. Everywhere went quiet as the boy aimed, and the older kids placed bets that he would miss.

All Artemis wanted was for him to not miss the target. Even if he did, she hoped the arrow wouldn't pierce her head.

"And shoot!!!"