Heart of Gold

Book Two of the Emerald Stone Trilogy

Chapter One

Emerald listened to Damian's story. Apparently, demigods had been going missing for a while now. There had been a rash of disappearances up and down the country, but mostly from the Training Academy itself where several trainees from the Hermes and Ares dormitories were already missing. Damian had said he didn't know what had happened to them and when confronted by Chiron who had been angling for a quest by the Olympians, he thought it'd be best to get somebody on the case. Before more innocent demigods got hurt, or worse.

"This quest has been a bit of a relief," Damian explained, "I'll finally get to find and punish whoever has been taking the other demigods from our Academy. Of course it could be that they've left on their own accord, like Jonah did a couple of years back."

"Jonah was before your time here, Emerald," Jason explained cheerfully, "one of the top warriors in the Apollo House. Nobody knows why he chose to leave. There have been rumours, none of them good."

"One of the theories the Gods had about the disappearances was that you were involved somehow Emerald," Damian said moving right along to the point, "But Chiron persuaded them out of it, and said your mind was something of a puzzle to work out. I want to see if that's true while we're on this quest."

"Why would I want to kidnap any of these idiots?" Emerald growled, "None of them are in my league. I'd much rather kick butt than worry about what these losers think."

"Precisely," Damian said, eyes glinting.

Jason watched Emerald's face change from a frown back to that annoying smile she'd worn ever since she'd met Damian. It was always the same over the past two years. She'd drop everything to speak with Damian. She'd let the guy train with her. She'd even speak, she wouldn't be rude, and she'd be totally nice to him! Emerald was none of these things to Jason. In fact, every time he tried to get close it was like Emerald built up some kind of dividing wall between them. She was insulting more than anything else and Jason had been just the same back, until he realised it wasn't doing him any favours. But there was something he just didn't trust about Damian, Damian, Chiron's little golden boy.

"Right, so when do we go to the armoury?" Jason asked trying to get a word in edgewise.

"Well I thought we'd do that now since I've already debriefed you on our mission," Damian said brightly as he swung up from the couch.

Jason watched as Emerald got up from the sofa and followed Damian. Jason waited for a while and then followed them out of HQ. The Armoury wasn't that far a walk from HQ. Jason strode along trying to regain some of his composure, sure he was just a sidekick this time but maybe in the next quest he'd be leading. Then he'd show Damian who ruled—of course it would always be him, Son of the Sky God. Jason stepped through the stone pillars that led inside the armoury and squinted. The armoury was flashing with bronze, silver and gold weaponry from swords to cutlasses to the metal glint of guns. If a mortal police force raided this building they'd find a million and one reasons to arrest everybody on Academy grounds.

"I know you've already got a sword Emerald," Damian was saying as Jason came upon them, "But I've seen you with a bow and arrow. You could practically be part of the Apollo House; you've got such good aim. It's a lightweight crossbow I think you should have in your inventory."

"Awesome!" Emerald laughed, taking the crossbow from Damian, "This should be really easy to cart around in my pack. You really do think of other's needs, don't you?"

"I try," Damian said with that annoying glint in his eye.

Jason waltzed over annoyed and picked up a nearby, much heavier crossbow and aimed it at the nearby darts board. It hit it square in the bull's eye, something Jason had been dying to do for a while. For a first, frustrated shot it was pretty good. It also made him feel slightly less sick when hearing Emerald and Damian together, chatting like they were best friends or something.

"I think I'll take this one," Jason announced as he placed it in his kit.

"You sure you want that one?" Damian asked concerned, "It won't be that easy to carry, you'll find yourself struggling. I'd recommend taking the lightweight crossbow like Emerald and I."

"I'll have more accuracy with this one," Jason said stubbornly as he stared at Damian angrily.

"Whatever man," Damian said with a shake of his head, "Don't come crying if that crossbow slows you down."

"It won't," Jason growled now getting extremely annoyed.

Jason, Emerald and Damian quickly finished packing their weaponry kits. Emerald had a few light darts that she could throw. Given the right aim and put in exactly the right spot in the body, they could do a lot of damage. As could the crossbow, and her black sword that she'd received from her father the previous year. Damian had the same lightweight crossbow that Emerald carried in her kit, but also had a bronze sword, a few healing potions, some tranquilizer darts, and a couple of throwing knives. Jason had packed his own kit ignoring the advice from Damian and trying to look confident in his choices, now regretted packing so many weapons. His heavyweight crossbow was weighing him down incredibly, his golden sword he had in it's sheath, but everything else he'd taken—a relatively small collection of knives, a pocket shield, and one other gift from his father that he wouldn't be revealing any time soon. But he also knew he wasn't going to admit he was tired, or slowing Damian and Emerald down. He was going to keep up and prove that being the Son of the Sky God, he could do anything.

Damian next took the trio to the kitchens. After getting down a good meal Damian then proceeded to chuck the two demigods some ration packs. There were a good three meals in there after their money for the trip ran out. Emerald offered to ask for some money from her father, but Damian refused. They'd do with the funding that the Academy gave them and nothing more. After the kitchens Damian made sure the two packed a change of clothes and some toiletries. Jason gritted his teeth the whole time Emerald spent gushing at Damian for his thoughtfulness, and how Damian waved it away with a smile. Emerald didn't compliment just anybody.

By the time the trio were ready to leave it was almost nightfall. Damian made them trek all the way to the front gate where Chiron met them with the God's Taxi Service, the Goddess Rumour that Emerald had met two years ago. The carriage ride was pretty much quiet, simply because Jason was in it. Jason knew he shouldn't feel smug about being who he was, but it was because of him that Emerald and Damian got such a good ride downtown where they'd be investigating. The trio's first stop was a hotel to discuss their plan of action. Emerald paid Rumour and gave the surprised Goddess a farewell hug, and watched the carriage take off into the sky once again.

"So who are we questioning tomorrow?" Emerald said sleepily as she snuggled into the sofa in their cosy hotel room.

"The usual," Damian said from the armchair next to the fireplace, "Amphitrite usually knows a thing or two about what's going on, more than she lets her husband know. Iris also is one of the Goddesses that we could ask, but I think we'll question Hermes if we can get hold of him. He's usually very busy, but he might help us if he thinks it'll benefit him in some way."

"So these Gods and Goddesses will know something?" Jason asked as he fixed himself a snack in the kitchen.

"They may give us leads to go on," Damian said reasonably, "It can't hurt to try."

"Why don't we start with my old friends?" Emerald asked sleepily, "They might know something. Course we'll have to avoid monsters they set after us…"

"Maybe in the morning," Damian replied looking at the time, "We've got all the time in the world tomorrow."

"Yeah," Emerald agrees.

Jason watched the two with a sickening feeling in his stomach. He doesn't like what he's seeing and more and more he's convinced that Damian's up to no good. With a frown Jason leaves the room and heads off to bed, hopefully for a good night's sleep and some well earned rest.

Author's Notes: Sorry this is so late. It's been a while and I've been working on other stories. New ones for you guys to read that are mythology based is 'Hunter, Hunted,' and 'The Eternity Code' I hope you'll like them. Though the Eternity Code is more supernatural than mythological, you'll soon realise that the plot lines are completely different. Hunter Hunted is a more advanced version of mythology than

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