"I see you've kept busy," said Emma, looking at the brick patio Arnold had been building.

  "Yeah, but learning how to properly lay brick from YouTube tutorials is a bitch, though," said Arnold. "You learn by trial and error. So, it's a lot of work."

  "I see you traded in the old lawnmower, too," Emma observed.

  "Yeah," Arnold nodded. "The old riding one gave out, so I traded it in and got a push mower."

  "Well, it definitely helped out your physique," said Emma. "You've gone from noodle arms to body builder. I think I've even heard one girl calling you 'Hot Arnold' in the cafeteria last week. You look good."

  "It doesn't matter," Arnold said. "I'm not looking for just any girl."

  "Because you already have a girlfriend, right?" Emma had seen Arnold after school a few times with that same older-looking girl. They sometimes seemed inseparable.

  "What? No!" Arnold exclaimed in shock. "I haven't even been on a single date in my life. Why would you... Oh... Oh! Did you see me with Amelia? Is that what all of this crap has been about?"

  "I saw you with her a month ago, saying she was your destiny or something," Emma shrugged.

  "I said that because she's a part of my family," Arnold sighed. "We're related, me and her, not a couple."

  "But you're with her almost every day," Emma protested.

  "Because she's teaching me about my family history," said Arnold. "History my mom doesn't even know about. And she's preparing me..."

  "For what?"

  "...Do you believe in fate?"

  "What?"

  "Do you believe everything we are and everything we do is predestined?" Arnold asked as he stared up at the sky.

  "Uh, no," said Emma, biting her lip. "Does this have to do with your mom? She's not getting worse, is she?"

  "She's not exactly getting better," Arnold shuddered. "Not that you've cared to ask me about her in the past month. But, no, I didn't mean just her. I meant all of us in a way. Because, lately, I feel like I don't have any say in my life or where it's going."

  "Like reaching a crossroads at twilight," Emma sighed. Arnold gave her a puzzled look. "It's a phrase I learned in Greece last summer. It's supposed to be a metaphor for either letting the world pick the path it chose for you or you making your own way at a difficult time in your life. One decision. Two possible outcomes."

  "What would you do if it were you at the crossroads?"

  "That depends on what each one offered," Emma mused. "You got any ideas?"

  "One road is the path that everyone else tells you that you'll do great on, but you lose everyone in your life that matters; and the other is you spending your life the way you always wanted to... like riding on a Tilt-a-Whirl with the greatest friends you could ask for, no matter how much it made you want to hurl."

  "You did come close to chucking out your guts, didn't you?" Emma grinned.

  "Me?" Arnold smiled back. "I was talking about you."

  "Okay, so it's all about me now, huh?"

  "Oh, definitely," Arnold chuckled, "it always will be."

  "Well, after the month I've had," said Emma without hesitation, "I'd never give up my friends again. Because after my mom left us, you were the only one that I wanted to talk to about it."

  "I'm sorry, we didn't have the chance," Arnold sighed.

  "We have right now," said Emma. "How long of a break can you take?"

  "As long as right now is," said Arnold, "which, in my opinion, is however long you want to make it last."

  MONDAY WAS THE FIRST cool day of the school year. Emma and Allison gave Arnold a ride that morning. Emma was so happy just to have one of her friends back, she didn't even care that Allison kept smirking at them the entire time. It just felt good to have someone to talk to who wasn't one of her siblings again. Someone who always got her more than most people. Emma even started working out again, for the first time in a month.

  And as she and Arnold entered the school together, she told him about Coach's offer.

  "You do know that Helena's going to be trying out today too?" Arnold asked, his eyebrow raised.

  "That'll just make it more fun," Emma chuckled. "I can take her on my worst day."

  "Maybe you should practice before you try out," said Arnold. "It's been a while since you've been in a fight."

  "Since when do you know about training?" Emma smiled, clearly bemused.

  "Well, I mean, I didn't become 'Hot Arnold' just by mowing lawns."

  "Alright, we'll try it right after study hall," said Emma. "That should give us enough time."

  "Sounds good," Arnold smiled. "See you then."

  Emma smiled as she watched Arnold walk to class.

  "I see that you two are... what are you exactly?"

  Emma turned around to see Hector standing behind her, wearing a long, black sweater, slacks, and brown dress shoes. The look didn't suit his usual snarky attitude. He also looked a lot paler and skinnier as well.

  "I'm not sure," said Emma.

  "Yeah, I've been there," said Hector. "In fact, I'm still here. I'm thinking of renaming it Hector's Island. Because Arnold and I haven't really talked in about a month... neither have you and me, come to think of it."

  "I didn't mean to — I — it wasn't your fault," Emma stuttered. "I thought Arnold was dating some older girl, and I felt it would be better not to be around either of you since you're both usually a package deal. But it was just a misunderstanding; I'm sorry."

  "You don't need to apologize," Hector shrugged. "I never knew you felt that way about him."

  "What way?"

  "Doesn't matter," said Hector. "Arnold, and I got into a disagreement about Pria."

  "Your girlfriend?"

  "Yeah," said Hector. "I told him I wanted to go to this student conference with her in a few weeks. He told me I was moving too fast with her and that I was letting her take over my life. We both said some choice words and haven't spoken since."

  "I'm certain if you’d just talk to him about what happened, you two could —!"

  "I'm willing to listen to what he has to say," Hector sighed, "if he'll actually say it."

  Ding! Ding!

  Hector checked his phone.

  "Shit," Hector muttered. "Pria needs me to carry her books to her locker. It's after chemistry class, so that means it's the thick books! I'll talk to you later, Emma. Let — let Arnold know what I said... if you think it'll matter. See you!"

  Emma shook her head. She could see Arnold's point on the subject. She felt her phone vibrate in her backpack and took it out. She had gotten an email from...

  "Mom..."

  “ARE YOU OKAY?”

  Emma was crying in the school gym as she practiced kicks at a punching bag.

  “Oh, I’m doing wonderful,” she snapped. “Perfect even!”

  Arnold gave her a concerned look. “It’s your mom, isn’t it?”

  “What gave it away?” Emma kicked the punching bag so hard it snapped from its chains, flying into the empty bleachers.

  “What happened?” Arnold walked over and tried to place his hand on Emma’s shoulder.

  “NOTHING!” Emma shouted as she went to throw a punch at Arnold’s face, which he caught with his hand just in time. He didn’t squeeze it, grip it tightly, or try to do any harm. Arnold just lowered her hand gently and gave her a hug as Emma sobbed on his shoulder.

  “What did she do?” Arnold asked, his voice calm, caring, and soothing.

  “She emailed me,” Emma sobbed. “Basically telling me that she doesn’t give a shit about any of us, and she’ll see me when she sees me, if she sees me.”

  “Would it make you feel better if I called her a heartless bitch?” Arnold asked. “Because that’s what she is, y’know?”

  “I don’t know,” Emma sighed. “Try it?”

  “She’s a heartless bitch, and you’re better off without someone like that in your life,” said Arnold. “It’s hard to accept at first. You’ll blame yourself for some stupid reason or another for a very long time. Then, things will slowly start to get better, and you know life moves on... and even though things are harder in some ways, they’re better in the majority of others. That’s because the person who caused all of your pain is gone from your life. I know because it happened to me when my dad ran out on my mom and me.”

  “I don’t know if I’m that strong to keep feeling this way any longer,” Emma sobbed.

  “Yes, you are,” said Arnold. “Look at me; you are the strongest person I have ever met. Whether it’s in physical or emotional strength. You never give up and you always keep fighting. Because you’re a fighter, Emma. You always have been, and just when people are ready to count you out, you prove them wrong. You know why? Your love for everyone you hold dear in your life fuels you. Nothing can stop a force that fights for those she loves. You’re unstoppable.”

  Emma gave Arnold a watery smile. “You sure know how to give a pep talk.”

  “I mean, I have been practicing.”

  “Have you?”

  “Every day in the mirror, before I get dressed in the morning. You should see me; I’m always a mess. But it helps to get a good cry in —”

  Emma leaned in and gave Arnold a passionate kiss. His eyes widened as he returned it with his own. When they stopped, each grinned, as Arnold said, “Not that I’m complaining... but what was that for?”

  “You were rambling,” Emma chuckled, “and I didn’t want it to ruin your great pep talk.”

  “Does this mean... what I want it to mean?” Arnold asked, sheepishly.

  “That you can be a rambling idiot sometimes?”

  “Oh, I...”

  “...And that you’re also sensitive, kind, and I care about you,” said Emma. “That if you asked me on a date, I would seriously consider it.”

  “How about after tryouts?”

  “Only if I make the team.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  AS IT SO HAPPENS, EMMA made the team. Though Helena gave her a hell of a fight this time around. Apparently, she had been training with Hector’s older brother, her boyfriend, Xander, ever since Emma broke her nose. The fight lasted for almost forty-five minutes, as neither one wanted to give in. But Emma, remembering Arnold’s pep talk, focused on all the love she had in her life as she felt a surge of energy flow through her body. Emma then won the fight with a swift tornado kick.

  Currently, Emma and Arnold were leaving Galaxy Coffee. Their date had gone amazingly well. They talked about almost everything. Occasionally, Arnold would get nervous and Emma would reach out, grip his hand, as they would both just smile at each other. They were walking down Main Street, still sipping on their coffees, as a man bumped into Arnold.

  “Son of a...”

  “Arnold...?”

  Emma’s date fell to his knees. Emma almost screamed when she saw that Arnold’s stomach was bleeding like mad from a freshly made stab wound... but his blood was golden?

  “Arnold!”

  Emma took out her phone and tried to call 911, but the man who had stabbed Arnold jumped her. Emma fell on her back inside a nearby alley. Her attacker wore a long coat, sunglasses, and fedora, carrying a large black dagger.

  “GET THE HELL — AWAY FROM ME!”

  Emma gave a swift spin kick, knocking the attacker on his back. Emma got to her feet as the attacker shot up into the air... with its wings flapping violently?

  “What the hell are you?” Emma muttered.

  The attacker’s hat and glasses had fallen off, revealing a scarred, wrinkled, bald face with cat eyes, large fangs, and long claws for hands. If Emma didn’t know better, she would have sworn that it was a...

  “Harpy?”

  The creature swarmed down at her as Emma saw flashes of the same visions that had been haunting her nightmares — herself fighting in a war against gods and monsters from Greek mythology. Just like it had really been Emma who fought those battles — and she was a goddess — she leaped to the fire escape — then, on instinct, tried to unsheathe two daggers. She gasped when she felt two silver daggers actually appear in her hands. “...No freaking way...” Emma muttered to herself as she leaped at the Harpy, stabbing its chest with her blades. The Harpy let out a loud shriek as it stabbed Emma in her arm, forcing the girl to fall to the ground.

  “Damn’t!” Emma cursed as she saw her daggers land a few feet away from her. The Harpy, still holding its weapon, was flying right at her... until it wasn’t. The Harpy crashed into the nearest dumpster with an axe poking out of its back. And Arnold walking quickly behind it. His stab wound almost completely healed. Arnold grabbed the Harpy’s head with one hand and the axe’s hilt with the other. He made two quick pulls in the opposite directions, and the Harpy exploded into ash.

  “How in the hell — did you do that?” Emma gasped. Good lord, did her arm hurt.

  “I’m the God of War,” said Arnold as he helped her up.

  “No, really,” Emma winced.

  “It’s the truth,” Arnold said, somberly. “And you're the Goddess of Love. That’s why the Harpy, one of the Four Horsemen, attacked us.”

  “You can’t be serious,” said Emma in disbelief.

  “When you were in Greece,” said Arnold, “did you learn what ichor was?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good,” Arnold grinned, despite himself. “Look at the blood coming from your arm.”

  Emma looked at her injured arm and nearly had a heart attack. She was bleeding golden blood... she was bleeding ichor.

  “We need to get to the Hoof,” said Arnold. “So, the kids can check you out and fill you in on everything.”

  “Whose kids?”

  “...Ours.”

  Chapter Five

  Arnold

  The Four Horsemen

  “You’re joking, right?”

  “Emma... if you’ll just hear them out,” Arnold sighed.

  “We’re not gods, Arnold!”

  “As hard as it is to believe, Mother —” Tristan started.

  “DON’T CALL ME THAT!” Emma shouted furiously.

  Arnold had brought her to the Hoof, an abandoned warehouse outside the city limits that Tristan and Amelia had turned into a personal Olympian training facility. It was where Arnold spent the past month learning how to master his growing godly abilities, and where he received his Deicide axe.

  “Emma, I can prove it,” said Arnold. “If you’ll let me.”

  “I KNOW WHO I AM!”

  “Then how would you explain the Harpy attacking us in the alley tonight?”

  “...Arnold,” Emma grabbed his shoulder and pulled him over to the side. “I can’t be someone else. Especially not a goddess and a mother. I’m barely able to handle going to school and living with my dad. How in the hell could I deal with... all of this shit. I’ll really lose my mind if...”

  “I don’t like this either, Emma,” said Arnold. “But we’re and everyone we love is in danger. That Harpy was one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. They are harbingers of Twilight. They won’t stop until they kill us because we’re the only ones who can put an end to it.”

  “You’re not making any sense,” said Emma as a tear rolled down her face.

  “I will, if you just let me show you what I’m talking about,” Arnold pleaded. “We can’t run from who we are.”

  “I... can’t,” said Emma, “I can’t do this!”

  Emma then took off at a run, leaving Arnold and their children behind.

  “She was always stubborn,” Tristan sighed. “Give her time, Father. She’ll come around soon enough. Until then, I’ll keep a watch over her.”

  “That’s okay, Tristan,” said Arnold. “If she sees you, she’ll freak.”

  “But the Horsemen...”

  “Won’t lay a finger on her,” said Arnold calmly, “because I’ll be there to protect her.”

  “But what about your...” Amelia started.

  “I can split my duties up a little more,” said Arnold, “after all, who needs sleep?”

  FOR THE NEXT THREE days, Arnold spent his time in four ways: Going to school, training at the Hoof, taking care of his mother, and watching Emma from the trees outside her bedroom window. Each night, Arnold wished he could lie beside her, holding her gently in his arms. As he slowly drifted into a reluctant sleep, Arnold remembered how his journey to this point began...

  “YOU ARE THE GOD OF War, Father,” said Amelia. “You were the leader of Zeus’s armies!”

  “Then what happened?”

  “Zeus and his brothers, Poseidon and Hades, led a revolt against the true King of Gods. They failed miserably, just as Lucifer did before them.”

  “Wait a minute... you’re not saying...”

  “Yes,” said Amelia. “The Olympians were originally God’s highest-ranking angels, until they broke his most sacred law. They conceived children with mortals. These children were deemed too dangerous and destructive because of the angelic blood mixing with a mortal’s would usually result in the creation of a demon, so, after countless of these children caused a terrifying massacre, God sent his most trusted warrior, Uriel, down to slay them all when they were of age. Barely any of them survived.”

  “Oh, god...”

  “Zeus was outraged, so he gathered the Olympians together to try and overthrow God... and when that failed, a traitor amongst the Olympians was given the task of punishing the others. He cast a curse that would scatter his brothers and sisters somewhere in time but stripped of their identities and powers. Then, on the year of Twilight, the Four Horsemen would track them down and kill every last one of them. Only Hades managed to escape.”

  “It’s hopeless, then,” sighed Arnold. “There’s no fighting God’s will.”

  “But that’s not the end of the story,” said Amelia. “God decreed that night, a few Olympians could retain a portion of their powers, and if they could use it to slay the Four Horsemen — all the remaining Olympians would be allowed to live and Mount Olympus would be reborn. Where the revived Olympians could serve as protectors of the world, as they always should have been. All you have to do is let us train you for this fight. Please... Father... please.”

 

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