War of the Gods. (steel and Fire x Izzy325)

[Steel and Fire]

It was a grey morning. Dark clouds filled the sky with the foreboding of a heavy downpour on the city of London. The city itself was quiet, almost subdued. Every morning had been the same recently as the residents wondered if today was it. Would today be the day that death and destruction came for them? They would have seen it on the news, and in the eyes of the refugees, swarming into the country seeking hope and safety. War is coming. It started in America months ago, with the appearance of strange, mythological creatures and storms of great magnitude devastating the country. Then one cameraman got luck and changed everything. He caught a shot of a sinister looking man, all in black, with shadows writhing around him. Then the ground cracked open before him and ghosts and skeletons poured out. The video went on a while longer, showing the raging of a thunderstorm and the appearance of an unknown man, holding a trident.

People spent hours pouring over it and analysing the details before they came to a conclusion. The figure in black was Hades and the other one was Poseidon, from Greek mythology. The world was in shock, as America and parts of Europe were ravaged by the apparent war between the gods and the rampaging of various mythological creatures. The armed forces of the world had found little success in battling the creatures, and no one wanted to even try and fight the gods. Needless to say, the world was paralysed by indecision and fear. Surely, they believed, it was only a matter of time before the war spread and engulfed the whole world.
And then came the reports of people, men and women with abilities similar to those of the gods, flocking to America and the other battlefields around the world. There were hundreds of sightings of them fighting as well. Researchers and experts identified them quickly as Demigods, children of the gods born by humans, called upon to fight for their god parents.
As a light rain began to fall over London, the city seemed to exhale it's nervous breath and become alive.

In the outskirts of the city, Alex left the small, seedy hotel he had been staying in for the past week. He wore dark, faded jeans, brown boots and a beaten black leather jacket with a white long sleeved top underneath. Slung over his shoulder was a brown satchel. He glanced up and down the street cautiously before heading on his way, brushing his dark hair out of his eyes as the light rain started to soak it through.
He passed an electronics store and stopped, watching the news report on a display tv. It showed a hydra slowly making it's way up the Thames, surrounded by gunfire. A tank got a lucky shot off, blasting a head clean off only for two more to grow back. Several more tanks and heavily armoured vehicles turned up and eventually pushed the hydra back, wounding it enough to make it think twice. That was two days ago.

Alex turned from the display and tried to push all thoughts of monsters and gods from his mind. He turned a corner onto another street and further up he saw charity collectors, trying to raise money for victims of the war. As he passed by he dropped a few coins in their bucket and nodded. One more corner and he soon found himself at a small bus station. He entered the lobby and quickly scanned over the screen with the live bus times before finding one. 10:19 to Birmingham. That'll do he thoughts as he approached the desk and asked for a ticket.
"Leaving the city as well, eh?" The woman behind the desk asked as he paid.
"Somethin' like that." Alex said, handing her the cash and taking his ticket.
"Well good look, for what it's worth." Alex managed a half hearted smile before walking away. He had half an hour to kill before the bus, so he went to the small coffee shop, ordered and tea and sat down at a table. He pulled a book from his satchel and began to read.

 

[Gemini_Rising]

The war raging between the Greek Gods in America revealed to the world that the old Gods do exist. No longer were people flocking to churches and synagogues for solace. Temples and shrines were built to honor and worship the new Gods. Although considering the Gods ages they weren't exactly new but since leaving the modern world they have become somewhat irrelevant. News coverage of the terror and panic that engulfed North America caused the world to descend into mass hysteria. Videos circulated around the internet of this terrifying and awe-inspiring battles between Gods, Demi-Gods, and various mythological creatures. The war between the Gods was quickly becoming a world wide issue and not something only the Americans would have to deal with. Some of the Demigods decided they wanted no part of this war which obviously created certain troubles for the Gods and their siblings.

Which is exactly what brought Namoi to England in search of a particular demigod. Her mission was to find him and extract him bringing him back to America to finish out the war. Namoi looked out the window of her hotel room groaning softly as she finished completing her outfit. London was famous for its terrible and rainy weather but the pretty girl hoped it would be one of the rare sunny days. Hopefully this wouldn't be her luck during her entire stay. Namoi continued to groom herself making sure her hair fell perfectly around her angelic face and her makeup highlighted her best features. Once the daughter of Aphrodite completed her entire look she stood in front of the mirror. Being blessed with beauty did have its perks. She wore a white tang top, with dark blue skinny jeans, olive knee high boots, and a gold necklace in the shape of a feather. She gathered her remaining possessions and made her way outside towards the bus station.

All around her the people of London quickly hurried around her. Namoi had been to the city before and it was so full of life and happiness. This war was truly taking its toll in the world. No longer did the mortals feel safe. Namoi walked through the empty streets until she spotted Alex enter the bus station. She quickly followed the only sound on the street is her heels as they came in contact with the concert and the light rain as it fell down around her. Namoi waited until Alex bough his ticket and sat down before entering the almost empty waiting area. A few of the patrons looked up at her as she walked through the sitting area. She could feel the stare of one particular man. If she wasn't on a mission she would have kicked him through the glass door.
"Hi can I get one ticket to...." Namoi brushed her soft brown hair behind her ear and noted the next bus out of there. "Birmingham."
Alex was probably taking the next bus out of there. She paid for the ticket and walked away.

Namoi surveyed the room and took a good look around. She took of note of all the exits. In case Alex decided to run or figured out who she was. She walked over to his table slowly before she stood in front of Alex.
"Hi do you mind if I sit here? There is this creepy man sitting a couple of table over and I'd feel more comfortable sitting with someone. Besides I'd like the company."
Before Alex could answer the pretty girl sat down and placed her bag by her feet.
"My name is Namoi....and you are?" She flashed her bright blue eyes his way as she gave him her award winning smile.
During this brief encounter she observed as much as she could. If it came down to a fight he looked as if he could hold his own. His body was the perfect combination of muscle without over doing it. She couldn't spot a weapon on him but to be safe she always carried at least two weapons of her own. One small knife that fit inside of her shoe and a whip that fit perfectly inside of her bag.

 

[Steel and Fire]

"....and you are?" Alex had noticed Naomi the second she had walked into the bus station. He had heard the gasps and muttering of the people around him and looked up to see her striding confidently through the bus station. Instantly he distrusted her. Too well dressed, too confident, too.... beautiful. He scanned the room, noticing a suspicious creepy man staring at her, even as she made her way towards Alex. There was something off about him, but Alex refused to dwell on it, focusing on his book and hoping the pretty woman would ignore him. He was wrong.

"Trying to read." Alex said in response to her question, putting on a slight Scottish accent that came easily to him. He gazed over the book at her, his piercing eyes studying her. Could be a demigod, he thought to himself.Not Zeus or Poseidon, maybe a lesser god. He tried to estimate how many weapons she had. Two, maybe three is she had a gun as well, but then if she was a demigod she might not need mortal weapons. After all a daughter of Aphrodite could probably charm the surrounding people into attacking him. Although she might be mortal, he'd heard about paramilitary groups trying to fight the gods and the demigods. There were even rumours that some of them kidnapped demigods and other mythological creatures to experiment on them in the hopes of learning more about their powers, which he hoped wasn't true. Alex tapped his fingers on his book while under the table his other hand clenched and unclenched in frustration. Just play the fool, maybe she'll believe it.

Suddenly a wide, foolish grin spread across his face in an attempt to make himself seem less sharp and attractive.
"The name's James. James Hopkins, though me mates call me Jimmy." He sipped his tea, still studying her while trying to maintain the facade of a bumbling idiot. He was seriously starting to think she was a daughter of Aphrodite. No mortal, in these times anyway, were that beautiful and confident and well put together. Then again there were lesser gods capable of creating beautiful children, which he was desperately hoping was the case.
"So, uh what's a-a girl like you doing in a place l-like this talking t-t-to someone like me?" He asked, his fist still clenched under the table, ready to fight, his mind going to the short sword and handgun in his satchel. A call went out to announce that Alex's bus would be arriving at the station in fifteen minutes.

 

[Gemini_Rising]

Namoi continued to study the demigod before her. He was good but Alex had slipped up a bit. She would have fallen for his bumbling idiot act if he hadn't been a bit annoyed by her in the beginning and if he hadn't been reading a book. Of course even idiots read but clearly not at that level. Namoi decided she would play along with his act that is until she grew weary of it and forced him to join her. "Jimmy I like that." She offered up another smile as she leaned forward a bit. "Aren't you just the cutest. Where are you headed to?" She asked as she observed everyone in the room.

Namoi was trained in the art of war and was conditioned as a child to watch her surroundings carefully. Something was off about the man who stared at her the moment she stepped into the bus station. Namoi noticed another two people who looked like they clearly didn't belong. It was what appeared to be a mother and her child but the blank even angry expressions didn't match the pair. Namoi prayed the three patrons were just odd and not dark creatures sent to kill them.

"The bus for Birmingham will be leaving in approximately five minutes." The young girl at the desk announced over the loud speakers. "I'm just trying to visit some friends before the world ends. What are you doing here? Trying to run away from something?" She asked as she smiled once more. She was clearly taunting Alex. She hoped he would have a temper like his father. That way she could trip him up if need be. Although Alex's record proceed him. Before he had abandon the war he was a rising star. One of the best fighters in his fathers army. Namoi could handle her own. If she couldn't charm her way out of a situation she could and would fight. She had brought armies to their knees so one demigod shouldn't be too much of a issue.

The odd couple stood up once the announcement was made for the bus. The foreseeable problem was where they were headed. The terminal's entrance was the opposite way they were walking. The trio was headed straight towards their table. Namoi leaned forward and grabbed the small knife in her boot making sure to conceal it under the table. She watched was they picked up their speed. "Do you know those people? They seem a bit off? They have been staring since I got here and perhaps it's just me but they don't seem human." The pretty girl was not in the mood for a fight but it seemed there was no other way out of it.

 

[Steel and Fire]

"T-thank y-you." He said, his fingers still tapping on his book, faster and faster. "Oh I'm heading nowhere important, j-just..." His words faded away as he scanned the room, noticing the creepy man walking over slowly alongside the woman and child. One of them alone could hide, but all three of them together were unmistakable. The Furies of the Underworld, no doubt sent by Hades to track him down and drag him back, kicking and screaming. Other demigods may not recognise them for what they are, but as a child of Hades, with all three of them before him, it was too obvious.

"Wandering from place to place." He muttered, finally finishing his sentence, no longer speaking in the pretend Scottish accent. He looked from the Furies to Naomi and back, over and over and she continue to talk. The bumbling idiot had melted away, leaving something else. There was a look in his eyes, a mix of panic, desperation and rage. Slowly the rage begin to take over, white hot inside him, burning brighter and hotter with every step the Furies took closer. His fist came down suddenly on the table between him and Naomi, nearly splitting the wood in half.
"What is it with you people?" He snarled at her, his face contorted with the rage and hatred. "Why can't you just leave me the hell alone?!" He stood up, a few people nearby looking and murmuring after he had hit the table. The Furies stopped suddenly, watching him, watching the shadows in the room which suddenly seemed alive, writhing around Alex. He took a step closer, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a small hunting dagger, inscribed with various sigils.

The blade took the man in the chest, sent flying by a simple flick of the wrist. He screamed an unearthly, shrill scream before the illusion dropped and the fury underneath was exposed, before bursting into a swarm of insects that flew out the building. People all-around began to scream as Alex closed on the second fury, whose facade dropped, revealing the hag underneath, with black, leathery wings and serpents entwined in her hair. She shrieked again as Alex charged, swinging with a right hook. She stepped back, flapping her wings and Alex fell to his knee to grab his dagger, taking a knee to the face for his trouble. The force of it sent him flying back, through the floor to ceiling window of the bus station and out into the rain. With a groan he stood up, facing the hag with his dagger in hand, while she cracked the whip in her left hand, the rain soaking Alex's hair and clothes. The little girl stood off to one side, among the mortals watching the scene who were too afraid to flee.

 

[Gemini_Rising]

Namoi watched as Alex's facade slowly dropped around him. After her comments she turned back to the oddly moving group of people. Her attention was drawn back to the table. Despite being a demigod with considerable reflexes she was shocked by Alex's reaction. Namoi knew it wasn't going to be easy to convince the son of Hades to come fight but she had no idea he was so against the idea. Although she had to admit she liked the aggression that erupted from inside. Perhaps it was something inherited from his father. Nonetheless she turned to the matter at hand.

Namoi quickly pushed back from the table reaching into her bag. One fury was down and Alex was going to make quick work of the second. Her black leather whip wrapped around her hand which made her feel right at home. Namoi hadn't seen a good fight in almost two days and she was becoming bored. The whip Namoi carried was similar to the ones the furies had. The only difference was that it only worked with mythical beings. Humans could not feel the burning pain the leather whip inflicted upon it's victims. Slowly Namoi creeped closer to the fury who paid no mind to anyone else. She raised her arm and swung it back allowing the whip to slice through the air and wrap itself around the ankle of the fury. Before the evil creature had a moment to react Namoi pulled the whip back which succeed in knocking the last fury to the ground. "AHHHHHH" The fury screamed as Namoi dragged it across the floor. She made sure to slam her into every table and chair possible.

The fury shed its disguise which made the whip slide off easily. "You little bitch. I'm going to enjoy tearing off that pretty face." The fury yelled as she circled the girl. Namoi reached into her boot to grab her small golden dagger. It was a gift from her mother forged in Mount Olympus. The leathery wings of the fury brought Namoi back as the fury prepared to attack. Quicjky she diced through the air Namoi dodged the wing but the fury manager to slice her shoulder with her finger. "Is that the best you got bitch? Surely you have more fight than that." Fire erupted from the fury's hand as Namoi taunted her. The girl dashed through the now empty bus terminal as the fury shot balls of fire at her head. One nearly missing her head by inches. Namoi ducked behind a overturned table and inspected the room. The Fury had disappeared.

Slowly she turned around to find the fury hovering over her. "Oh shit...." They fury swooped down and grabbed her. A struggle ensued as both women twisted and turned through the air. They crashed through one wall separating the two. The Fury crawled over the debris to reach the groaning demigod. Namoi dropped her whip at some point during the struggle which left the dagger. Namoi turned over to see the fury's hand. She caught the fury's hand as she drew it in order to swipe at her face. With her hand that held the dagger she reached up and plunged the dagger into her neck. As her sister she burst into a swarm of insects before disappearing.