After Sera had taken Auria home, I stood staring at the Rec Room wall for a long time. How could everything go from bad to worse so fast? Anders was essentially in a coma, and there was so few of us left here. Tadashi, Amelia and I, does not a team make. Having Ethan and Kalysta leave in the middle of the night crippled any hopes I had of making the team work with the others gone. I paced back and forth stressing so much, I was convinced my hair would turn white. Just weeks before Christmas, and my family was torn apart. To make matters even worse, I was pretty sure Kalysta hacked my computer to get my back door into the Order network. Which means if she got caught with it, I was gonna be in big trouble.

  A siren brought me from my crippling thoughts. I spun around the room, flailing as klaxon alarms went off and red lights took over the regular lighting of the room. When I realized it was the intruder alarm, I bolted out the door and sprinted down the long corridor to the main hall. I reminded myself to stop asking how things could get any worse. By then, I should have known that anything could happen. Along the way, I called to my bow, which flickered into my hand with a bright flash. The others were already gathered in the lobby, staring up at the top of the spiral staircase leading to the hidden door into the little office that hid our base. Dad was the only one without an Artifact, choosing instead to monitor the cameras and control systems from his tablet. I was pleasantly surprised to see he was paying attention.

  "Looks like there are three people upstairs in the main part of the Cathedral." Dad said, pushing his glasses up his nose, his brow furrowed. A grotesque screech suggested something more than three humans were upstairs.

  "What the hell was that?" Amelia shouted and we all turned to look at my Dad, who fumbled around trying to find a camera that showed what could have made the sound. A loud crash increased the urgency of his scrolling. The stones rattled above us, as the Cathedral shook.

  "Dad!"

  "Some of the cameras have gone fuzzy, I can't make it out." He told us, panicked.

  "I'm going up there." I trudged toward the spiral stairs, holding Apollos' Bow tight in my hand. My Mom grabbed my shoulder and stopped me.

  "No you're not. We are safe down here." She sounded angry, but her face showed only concern. I turned an stared at her, urgency clear on my face. I looked to my Dad.

  "Andrea, there are people up there." My Dad chimed in. "They probably need our help."

  "They aren't our problem. Just some random people." She tried to sound convincing, but she knew it was the truth.

  "That's what the Order is about. We protect ordinary people and beat back the rising darkness. If we abandon these people, we aren't doing our job." I told her, pulling free of her grip. I tried to sound brave and confident, but no one seemed convinced.

  "I'll go with you." Amelia said, stepping forward. She was wearing her armor, with Gae Bolg slung over her shoulder.

  "No. We can't afford anyone else to go up. If something happens to me, you and Tadashi have to protect the Cathedral down here. With my bow, I can keep my distance from whatever is up there. You guys have to get up close." I told her. I nodded at Tadashi, who returned the gesture; a silent understanding that he would remain there, just in case anything happened to me. I smiled sadly at my parents, fully anticipating that I was going to my death. I climbed the stairs, two at a time, my heart beating up into my throat. I zipped up and disarmed the hatch before climbing out into the office that hid the secret stairs. The sound of screeching was loud downstairs, but up there, it was almost deafening. I started hyperventilating, and clutched my chest as I secured the hatch leading to the basement. Falling against the desk, I felt my heart beat in my ears, the blood rushing to my head. I was suddenly cold.

  Monsters weren't supposed to be able to get inside Order bases. There were supposed to be protections in place. People wandered in all the time, breaking into doors or windows. But monsters...

  I pulled back on the string of my bow and a sun arrow manifested, creating a bright light in the small room. I took several deep breathes before throwing myself out of the door, screaming. I aimed forward, thinking to shoot straight ahead at whatever was there, but I stumbled as I exited the room, and the arrow fizzled away. I took in the scene before me, my teeth clenched.

  Three teens had spread out into the scattered pews, hands outstretched, staying out of the range of the large bronze colored bull in the middle of the room. It had smoke billowing from its nostrils as it scrapped its hooves on the floor, getting ready to charge. My stumble made all eyes turn to me, including the bull's.

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  "'Bout damn time we had some backup." One of the three shouted. He was a bigger guy with broad shoulders and a bit round in the middle. Probably the oldest of the group, being in his early twenties by his appearance. He had a scruffy black beard and a black bandana covering his head, holding back raven colored ringlets.

  "I was beginning to think we had come to the wrong place." The second boy said in a deep voice. He looked like a large onyx statue, tall and ominous. His eyes were a soft brown and his head was shaved.

  "Well don't just stand there skinny! Helps us kill this thing!" The third shouted. Her voice had a sharp South Asian accent. Her long black hair was a mess from dodging the bull, and her dark green eyes were ringed with heavy make-up. She was the first to reveal herself as a Chosen.

  Bladed chakrams flashed into her hands surrounded by a blaze of embers. She threw them at the beast, each cutting a burning swathe in the creature before disappearing, only to reappear in her hands instantly. The fiery weapons didn't seem to faze the creature as it reared up to charge her again. It trampled through the pews and stone, sending wood flying everywhere. I had to take cover behind the wall again, and used the moment to draw another sun arrow. The creature let out a metallic screech that pierced through my ears as it slammed into the far side of the Cathedral. When I peered back out, I loosed several arrows, which landed along the bull's left flank. It spun around, its bronze hooves sparking off the stone floor.

  "Damn ugly bastard followed us in. Its been stalking us for days." The scruffy looking bandana wearer chuckled as he stalked closer to the bull, as it was focused on the girl. He held his hands out, waiting for it to spin on him. I went to shout out to him, to warn him of his foolishness, but the tall one approached me slowly shaking his head.

  "He is not in danger." He told me in his deep baritone voice, chuckling a bit.

  I looked on, offering cover fire along side the flaming chakrams that slammed into the bull, and watch as bandana dude called forth his Artifacts. Two slender, oddly shaped curved blades manifested in his hands. His movement changed from a stalking saunter to a vicious dance of sword and flesh as he closed in on the bull. Sparks flew off its bronzed hide, but we made progress as he began to pierce its metallic hide and, finally, blood oozed out. The bull screeched, trying to back away, opening its mouth. Deep in its throat, I could see the light of flames building.

  "Look out!" I shouted at the other two. The man beside me summoned his Artifact, a glorious golden trident, and slammed its butt-end into the ground just as flames roared from the bull's mouth. Fire washed over the girl, completely engulfing her. Behind her, a wall of water erupted from what I can only assume was our plumbing, shielding the bandana guy. I stared at the golden trident and recognized it for what it was immediately; The Trident of Poseidon.

  A dizzying array of swordsmanship erupted from the steam created in the blast, as bandana man slammed his two swords together and in a flash of light comparable to my own arrows, the two swords became an unwieldy looking great sword. He lifted it with great ease, heaving it up over his shoulder, and with a roar of something in a language I didn't know, he slammed the mighty blade down on top of the bull's head. A metallic clang shook the Cathedral. The bull collapsed with its head caved in. I took a huge breath, realizing I had been holding it. When the steam dissipated, I noticed the girl with the chakrams was untouched by the flame. I turned to face the man standing beside me, a large grin on his face.

  "Excellent job." He said to the others, clapping. I guess he was talking to me too, or at least I figured he would congratulate my assistance, such as it was. He turned to me and offered his big hand for a shake.

  "I am Adewale. Ade, if you will." I took Ade's hand and his grip could breaks my fingers. But there was something very warm and comforting about him.

  "This is Nim," Ade pointed to the Indian girl as she approached us, her chakram bursting into flames before disappearing. She waved at me as she came near, leaning on an upside down pew to catch her breath.

  "And that strange man with the large sword is August." Ade said, motioning to the other guy, who was desperately trying to reef his sword free of the bronze bull's head. Eventually he gave up and simply dismissed it, throwing his hands in the air.

  "I don't care what you call me. It doesn't matter." He clapped his hands clean on his baggy jeans as he walked towards us.

  "We're your new transfers." Ade continued.

  "What? Transfers?" I turned to look at him. My face must have dropped to the floor, cause he chuckled and patted my shoulder.

  "Anders Pendragon sent for us weeks ago, but we've been running into issues along the way. I apologize for our delay." Ade put his hands on his hips and looks around, his smile turning into a frown. "I thought the Cathedral would be bigger."

  I was honestly relieved. These three could not have come at a better time. It was almost like Anders had anticipated things going to shit and had knowingly sent for help. I thanked the Gods that he was still alive, even if he was out of commission for now.

  "My name is Orion Wells. I'm one of the Chosen here. Or what's left of us. We really could have used you earlier, but all that matters is you're here now. Unfortunately, Anders isn't here and we aren't sure when he's coming back." I told them, as they gathered.

  "If you'll follow me downstairs, I'll introduce you to the others and get you set up in the dorms."

  "Wonderful, thank you." Ade said, taking my hand and bowing his head slightly. He was very formal. I led them to the latched door leading down to the spiral stair and led Adewale go first.

  "Sorry about the mess!" Nim said cheerfully as she passed me. I gave her a tired smile and sighed. I looked to the bandana guy as he headed down behind her.

  "Yea, good luck with that." He said, disappearing downstairs.

  I peeked my head out from around the office door and looked over the decimated Cathedral, the stone floor cracked, pews destroyed and part of the wall scorched.

  "That's a tomorrow Orion problem." I whispered to myself, before heading back into the basement.