#pjo!au

The first mission you two went on together could have easily started World War III. During that time, Roier had often wondered what the hell he was doing among you, since he seemed to be the only one in his right mind. When he accepted Hermes' mission and considered the idea of choosing the two, he did not expect to face the wrath of two demigods who had recently discovered that they hated each other.

However, the mission was a success, and some gods saw a potential group of warriors forming if it weren't for the constant fighting you and Foolish had. He was the son of Aphrodite, attentive and a bit flighty, but he was good at fighting and, unfortunately for you, very handsome.

Being the daughter of Athena gave you quick agility in developing strategies and being quite intelligent when necessary, but something you didn't have was the ease of dealing with your heart, and that often led you down somewhat dangerous paths in your life. And one of them was when you decided to choose Foolish as your mission companion once again.

This time, in addition to Foolish, you had the opportunity to choose two other people, Bagi and Roier. Bagi, your sister, was someone who loved puzzles, perfect for the mission your mother had given you. And Roier was a great fighter and easy to handle.

The mission seemed simple: to protect an ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess of Wisdom by some humans who lived nearby. The forest was not very dense, but it looked like a labyrinth to strangers, and for some reason, it caught the attention of some curious humans. They were looking for relics to sell, as they were extremely valuable pieces.

The people of the region welcomed you all very well. They even seemed to suspect who you were, but if they knew, they didn't let on. The place you managed to stay was like a bungalow hotel, with Foolish and Roier in one and you and Bagi in another.

The two of you, being sisters and spending a lot of time together at camp, knew a few things about each other and managed to fit in well in the bungalow room. Bagi chose the bed on the right, while you chose the one on the left. And without saying much to each other, she was the first to go to the bathroom.

So you lay down on the bed on your back and thought about some things, which took a few minutes, because Bagi had left the bathroom, and you decided to go in.

As you guys arrived almost late in the afternoon, you decided that it was better to rest for the rest of the day and go and analyze your mother's temple early the next morning. So, after a hot and relaxing bath, you looked at the items that you had collected and that your subconscious thought would be useful for the mission.

But before you even got close to your bag, you heard a knock. You went towards it, realizing that Bagi was busy with something else, and with her headphones on, she probably hadn't even heard the knock.

As soon as you opened the wooden door, Foolish was there.

You narrowed your eyes, waiting to see what he wanted, but he seemed doubtful.

"What do you want?" you asked briefly.

"Do you have any soap I can borrow?" He scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed.

You continued to look at him, wondering what was going on in the minds of the two boys, even more so when they realized that they had forgotten some soap, knowing that they would be away from home for days.

"What's the matter, we ran out and didn't get everything." He seemed to understand the look you were giving him. So you went to your bag, took out some soap, and handed it to him.

Without further ado, he thanked you for the soap and returned to his bungalow, which was right next to yours.

As soon as you closed the door and looked back, Bagi laughed loudly as you looked at her from the side.

"You're really stupid, you know that?" she said, sitting on the edge of the bed she was on. "Your passion for him is becoming more and more stupid to watch."

You threw yourself on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Who told you I like him?" It was your turn to ask.

"It's literally written all over your face," she replied.

Maybe she was right. Your heart missed a few beats whenever you were around the boy, and you couldn't deny that Foolish really was someone sculpted by a Greek god, his mother was the goddess of beauty, and he couldn't be any different.

"I don't like him," you repeated, this time a little louder, and Bagi took it as a sign that you didn't enjoy the conversation.

"Okay... But you can't deny that he has beauty." She giggled while you grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at her.

The conversation ended there, with both of you quiet, but with your minds in complete confusion, so you preferred to continue like this. You both wished each other a good night and went to sleep.

The next morning, everyone got up early, did their things, and met in a kind of open lobby in the middle of the bungalows. You had the necessary things in each backpack: food, water, and your weapons. Foolish somehow managed to hide his sword in his backpack, and Roier his two daggers. You already carried a kind of scythe, which was easy to hide, and Bagi, a good old bow.

"I hope you both enjoyed the soap," Bagi commented, trying not to laugh.

"Vete a la merda (Go fuck yourself)," Roier replied, hiding a smile, knowing it was just a joke. And Bagi burst out laughing.

Foolish laughed at the comment, but you noticed a slight blush on his cheeks as he laughed and looked at him to see what his reaction would be.

After this brief conversation, you informed some of the townspeople and then set off on the path you had received on a piece of parchment. You don't know exactly how you got it, and you have many questions about how it got into your things, but you didn't reject the piece of paper, and it was useful.

As you went deeper into the forest, the more confused you guys became. The map wasn't being useful, and you started to get stressed about everything going wrong. In a moment of pause, you sat on a rock and began analyzing the map again, which only resulted in more stress.

"I think we should separate," Bagi suggested, breaking the silence. "I think this would be more practical, and we could mark it with something to know where we've been," she continued, and Roier nodded in agreement.

"And how will we know if the other found it or not?" you asked skeptically.

She placed her backpack in front of her, opened it, and rummaged through it until she took out two flares, smiling as she held them up.

You mimicked her action, standing up, feeling excitement reignite within you.

"You and Foolish go there, and Roier and I will go this way," Bagi instructed, pointing first to the left and then to the right. When she paired you with Foolish, your smile faltered.

Foolish and Roier agreed without hesitation, standing up as the mood between everyone seemed lighter with Bagi's idea.

She threw a flare to Foolish, who quickly caught it midair.

Despite not commenting on the pairing, Roier looked at Bagi with an enigmatic expression, as if communicating silently. She gave him a playful push and said goodbye, with Roier mirroring her movements and following her.

You looked at Foolish, your mind racing with thoughts. He, too, seemed to be analyzing you silently. Neither of you moved or said a word, the tension almost palpable.

"How are we going to mark where we went?" you asked, breaking the silence.

Foolish looked around and pulled a small knife from his pocket.

"We'll mark an X on the trees."

You nodded and took the initiative to lead the way.

Every few steps, you noticed Foolish carving his marks into the trees while scanning the surroundings for signs of the temple.

The silence between you was awkward, neither of you wanting to break it.

Your mind wandered back to your last mission together. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t pinpoint where this animosity between you and Foolish originated. From the moment he arrived at camp, a silent rivalry had sparked between you, intensifying over time—perhaps due to the age-old rivalry between Aphrodite and Athena.

After what felt like hours, it seemed like you were walking in circles. The “X’s” on the trees had disappeared. Frustrated, you scanned the area carefully until you spotted an olive tree in the distance.

Without a word to Foolish, you headed toward it, realizing that there were more olive trees ahead, forming a winding path. The trees led you to the temple.

What you failed to notice was the Minotaur waiting in ambush. The beast lunged at you, but Foolish reacted instantly, drawing his sword and shield to block the attack. Despite the shock, you gathered your composure and pulled a small device from your pocket, which transformed into your shield.

The Minotaur was unlike anything you'd fought before. Towering and menacing, it had enormous claws, bulging eyes, and massive horns. Its intent was clear—it was there to kill. But so were you.

Foolish glanced at you, concern evident in his eyes, but the look you shared conveyed everything. On the battlefield, you were allies, despite your differences. Your training together at camp had prepared you for moments like this.

The two of you split off, analyzing the beast like predators stalking prey. Without a word, you moved in opposite directions, gripping your weapons tightly.

Meanwhile, Bagi and Roier stumbled upon the scene, shocked by the battle unfolding. Without hesitation, they unsheathed their weapons and rushed to join you.

Together, you fought fiercely, and it didn't take long for the Minotaur to fall lifeless to the ground.

As the dust settled, everyone tried to catch their breath. But Foolish suddenly groaned loudly, drawing all attention to him.

You turned to him, your heart sinking when you noticed the red stain spreading across his shirt near his abdomen.