Two minutes. Two fucking minutes. That was all it took for Jack to throw out his 'strictly non-violent endeavor' out the door. Was it actually two minutes? Maybe, but I'm sure if it was timed it would've been faster.
When we had approached the gates the guards stopped us demanding papers, and invitations from Circe. Jack got irritated as he tried to explain he'd been there years before, and Circe said he'd be welcome back. Whether that was the case or not, I don't know, but I've never known Jack to lie. One of the guards pushed Jack back, and he drew his revolver putting a round in the guard's knee. Before I could personally process what happened we were running through the forest.
"If this is a non-violent solution, then I hate to see what violent solutions look like!" Andromeda yelled, running next to me.
"Just keep running, the faster we get to Circe's palace the better! And don't kill any guards, knock them out or maim if you have to!" Jack yelled back leading us through the forest.
We were losing daylight fast now, after another day of sailing through the realm we were about to be on day 3 of our adventure. I couldn't help but think of Christina back home, she was probably worried sick watching the coast. She was the closest I had to a mom at this point, and the thought of me not coming back haunted my thoughts. I could only imagine how fast she would mobilize the entire Legion of Neptune just to burn down the watery prison.
I looked ahead and suddenly Jack ducked into the darkness of the forest, Leonidas was the first of us to follow suit with Andromeda and me joining shortly after. We crouched behind thick bushes while the sounds of clanking armor and jostling weapons past us, within moments the smells of petrichor, pine, and fir filled my nostrils as Jack turned and led us deep into the forest. We walked silently to a small lake in the middle of this forest, watching as fish swam about without a care in the world. I took a deep breath and walked to lakeside, taking my weapons off and letting them fall to my sides only keeping my hair pin in. I needed to gain some strength back, I needed to be in the water. The lake's pull was suffocating, I couldn't help myself. I practically jumped into the water, sinking into it and letting it consume my form.
My breathing came back naturally as I opened my eyes, scanning my surroundings, and diving deeper into the lake. It didn't carry the sting that ocean water carried, but that wasn't the only thing that made the water feel foreign. The general fear of sharks and dolphins that kept me on land was washed away, as all I could see were fish that normally didn't live together. Rainbow trout, sticklebacks, and spirlin swam about in smaller groups and keeping to themselves. There were many a variety of fish in the lake but they all too calm, domesticated almost, as they paid me no mind. I swam to the bottom of the impossibly deep lake and found a woman singing softly at the bottom, her hand moving along the fishes that swam past her. She wore a flowing white dress that floated around with hair that was almost the same color, her white skin carrying the same blue tinge that all water spirits had.
"Excuse me? Is this lake yours?" I asked swimming next to her.
"Yes, Child of The Water. My Mater brings me fish from all over to care for, it brings me purpose on this island," The Naiad said, her voice softer than silk.
"Your Mater? You mean Circe?" I swam to face The Naiad, looking into her cyan eyes.
She nodded, reaching out to me, "She is the only mother most of us have known, which is why we won't let you reach her." The Naiad opened her mouth, showing sharp siren-like teeth.
The Naiad lunged at me, and I went to draw my hairpin. I immediately thought better about it and used the immediate water around me to shoot myself up and out of the lake. I flew through the air, seeing Dryads come from their trees and surround my group.
While in the air, three thoughts crossed my mind. The first of which was that Circe is protected by trees and lakes, I haven't seen this many Nature Spirits since I went to Artemis' reserve. The second of these thoughts was that I should've paid more attention in Apollo's archery class when he taught us how to do the archer's landing. The third was that I was about to killed by gravity, I'm not sure if there's a god of physics but I really hoped they would be kind.
I shut my eyes tight and hit something soft, I still hit it hard enough to knock the wind out of me. I opened my eyes and found that there was a black mattress under me where there was originally ground. Andromeda must've seen the difficult ordeal I had but myself in, I looked up at her to see Dryads had surrounded her. Then again, this was Andromeda Rose so they kept their distance. Leonidas was protecting Jack with his spear while Jack desperately fished for something in his hat. He was up to his elbow in the magical artifact, reaching around as Leonidas threatened a Dryad with his spear.
Naiads came from the lake behind me, filing out with claws that had shot out from their fingers and teeth as sharp as swords. I held my hand out, my wrist and arm tensed as I brought up a water wall around us. The nature spirits circled my barrier like sharks that smelled fresh blood.
"What are you looking for man!" Leonidas shouted, watching The Naiads specifically.
"A totem from an old friend!" Jack shouted back over the roaring water.
My body began to drag on me as I kept the barrier up, without much proper rest I couldn't keep going. I thought back to all of my stupid uses of power, time I could've, should've, relied on Andromeda. I made the barrier turn into a cyclone, my head began to pound as my wrists began to relent.
"Jack! What ever you're doing you need to do it now!" Andromeda yelled.
I could feel her eyes on me as I dropped to my knees, the barrier shrinking. The waters slowed as the nature spirits tried to get in, I was fighting an element that some of them personified.
"Hold your breath and brace yourselves!" I shouted over the roaring waters.
I quickly crossed my arms, a tidal wave hitting me full force with the weight of the deep ocean. Within the moment I spread my arms out, shooting water in all directions. My power was entirely spent, Jack's idea had better work. I looked around as drenched spirits came from the woods, Dryads had sharpened their limbs and Naiads moved through the puddles in stride.
From behind me there was a flash of silver and suddenly the grass at my hands had turned silver, some of the trees around me had followed the pattern and some of the leaves shined bright in the darkness that had started to consume the forest. Associating Dryads had also started to glow and seemingly calm down, their limbs relaxing.
"What was that?" Leonidas asked.
"Moon tears, it can calm Dryads and Naiads if used properly. Artemis used it to turn her Reserve silver, and to bring joy to the nature spirits that help guard it. I got some vials from Selene years ago," Jack smiled.
"Why is that what you used?" I asked, struggling to stand up.
"Becausehe used it last time, and it got my attention immediately," A woman's voice called from behind. "Jack, you've caused trouble on my island."
Circe. She appeared behind us, I slowly turned around to see her in a light pink dress with golden adornments on her hips and at the neckline of her dress. Circe wore a rose gold crown, intricately wound up in her walnut tone hair, that complimented her sapphire pink eyes. Circe looked at Jack like he was an old friend, a slight smile lit up her face as she circled him.
"Circe," Jack said coldly.
"Mister Ace Silver, that's how you introduced yourself when we first met. I know your true name now, Jack Silver, but it's still funny you thought lying to me would help your case originally. I implore you to refrain from your frivolous tactics and jump to answering truthfully with every inch of sincerity you can still muster all these years later," Circe folded her hands infront of her.
I reached for the gun at my hip, I clicked the hammer back slowly, "Circe, we come in peace."
"If guns worked I wouldn't be here," Circe called out.
"How does your magic fare at night, during a new moon? I noticed that a day into our trip, the night is eternal darkness making the night its own prison for you. I'm a Daughter of Selene, you hurt my friends and no amount of magic will save you Daughter of Helios," Andromeda threatened.
"If I didn't know her fate, I'd assume that was your sister," Circe pointed at Andromeda. "Now, threats aside, why are you here Mr. Silver? And, most importantly, why have you brought these demigods to my door?"
"I'm a little misplaced in time, so I have no one to answer to anymore. I was wondering if you still needed help with The Owl infestation here," Jack bowed deeply, taking his hat off. "As for the demigods, they need help finding the path to The Underworld."
Circe's smiles filled with a mix of delight and intrigue, turning to us in a little spin. "My my, you're following the path of Odysseus! It's been many many years since anyone has attempted such an adventure! Come, we have much to discuss!"
Circe began walking along the path to her castle, but something sat with me that shook my core. Circe had gone from wanting to kill us, to leading us into her home. Maybe we'd be turned into pigs, or whatever animal she keeps now, but she seemed genuinely happy about Jack's offer of assistance and our journey. I wonder what this witch has planned for us, and why she seemed so genuinely happy to have us at her disposal.