in the land of gods and monsters {private}

Fern had been asleep when everything happened. She'd stayed up late the night before training with a new weapon she was trying to learn. Eventually, someone bothered to try to wake her up and tell her what was going on. She'd shrugged it off and gone back to bed. People found bodies everywhere. These bodies just so happened to still be alive. She felt bad for the girl that found the bodies on the hill, but at the same time she felt satisfied. Someone knew what it felt like to see a bunch of mangles bodies in something you loved. Just like when she found the bodies of Jack and Holly Daniels. She'd never forget their lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

Fern shook off any thoughts about her parents before throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She found it amusing that something so bad would happen on a perfect day. The sun was shining, but there was a light breeze. There was a crowd in the courtyard, and Fern was immediately drawn to it. She found some of her friends, or people she liked to call friends, and started talking to them. They gave her more details than the camper that woke her up in the Hera cabin. For once, Fern didn't like this. There was something suspicious about it.

Just as Fern was thinking about this, she heard a girl call out. The Asian girl looked about the same age as her, and Fern already liked her. She was right. Fern practically sprinted over to the secluded spot where the girl was standing. She stood right next to her and saw the crowd look at them as if they were the scum of the earth. "Fern, daughter of Nemesis." She whispered just loud enough for other demigod to hear. "These people sure are stupid." Fern said louder this time with a smirk.

Fern's smirk only seemed to get wickedly larger as the other demigod introduced herself. Mania. It was as if the gods had paired them up on purpose and more importantly, paired them up perfectly. It was rare for Fern to find someone who shared the same ideas as her. Mostly because her ideas were cold and heartless. She couldn't help but find Chul's name interesting. She refrained from commenting on it because one, she was making a friend, and two, Chul didn't look like the fake girls that would do whatever Fern told her to do. Sure it was fun, but Fern wanted someone different. Her thoughts somehow drifted towards Nathan. They were so alike, yet so different at the same time. But he left. Fern just hoped that Chul wouldn't leave or die. She barely knew the daughter of Mania, but whenever she got close to someone, they always left her.

When Chul started talking again, it snapped her out of her reverie. She wrinkled her nose at what the other girl said. "What sucks is we don't even know if it's a monster or a person. Two different things, but one's definitely easier to take down." Fern sighed as she thought about it. It made her anxious as hell just thinking about facing the monster or person. She could only reassure herself by repeating the mantra in her head, You've been training at this camp for five years. It's about time you put it to good use. Fern gave Chul an incredulous look. "Obviously not." She stated matter-of-factly as the pair kept walking. "Does it look like I'd be friends with someone who can't take care of themselves? I'm not a babysitter. Why do you?"