Hi guys, I suddenly had some inspiration, so here's a second chapter. I have no idea where this story is going, so we'll just let the imagination go where it will!

Thank you Phooey and doukissa for your reviews! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own references in Greek mythology—including names and places.

An Unexpected Turn of Events

At first she saw nothing and only felt the force of gravity pulling her down into… She paused, for frankly, she did not know what she was falling into. Either way she was thrilled because this moment provided her with a freedom she had never tasted. It excited her that she was breaking the rules and her heart pounded with anticipation of the wonders of the mortal world. She could scarcely believe all of this was real.

Soon she saw lights. She thought they were stars, but as she drew nearer she realized they were fires or candles—so many of them scattered across the expanse below she couldn't even fathom counting their numbers. One aggregation of lights caught her eye, for she saw that the lights were moving. When she squinted, she thought she saw arms waving in the air and straining her ears, she thought she heard the sound of cheering and carousing. Perhaps it was a celebration or a festival, Athena thought.

However, as she drew nearer she realized it was no celebration. The cries she heard came from a menacing crowd chanting for the death of another. The victim, a young girl, was tied up and there were two guards standing over her, forcing her down before a makeshift altar. They didn't have to try too hard because she seemed ready to give up her life already.

The onlooker's chants made a terrifying harmony that echoed into the night. "Kill her! Kill her!" Young and old bellowed the same merciless words.

Athena was appalled. Her first glimpse of the human society, and she sees a bloodthirsty and callous group of people ready to murder another of their kind. She didn't know what the cause for the public execution was, but even she could tell the girl looked harmless and incapable of hurting anyone. Her senses told her that there was foul play and she needed to save the poor girl, right away.

She held out her hand and a cloak materialized and fell into her palm. Quickly, she flung it over her body and pulled the hood over her face. She didn't want her identity to be known, lest Zeus already began a search for her in the mortal realms. With graceful agility, she slid down a pillar and stealthily walked in the shadows. As she neared the crowd, she noticed a single woman prostrating herself over and over on the floor. She was crying and another woman was by her side trying to console her.

Athena knelt before the crying women and took her hands. "Can you tell me what is going on?"

The woman shook her head and tried to speak but her words were lost in her wails. She was not very old, as Athena had first thought, but her grief had added years onto her complexion. The other woman spoke instead, "You must not be from Athens, for everyone who lives here must know of the sacrifices. This time it is Agalia's daughter. She has been inconsolable since the news broke out."

Athena stared at the crying woman, who must be Agalia, and then she looked at the little girl on the altar. "Who allows this injustice?" she asked quietly.

"It is Ares, the god of war, who ordains this. He requires a human sacrifice for him every month. This has been tradition for nearly a century now." Her words dripped with scorn, especially when she spoke the word tradition. "If we do not obey, he will bring war to our city and many shall die then."

Athena was astounded. She knew Ares was her half brother, but she had never seen him before. He did not frequent Olympus and Zeus never mentioned his son at all. She couldn't believe that the first thing she hears about him is that he is a coldblooded killer. If this was who Ares was, no wonder Zeus never spoke of him. Even she wouldn't want to have anything to do with him. Yet the occasion calls for her to intervene—she could not step aside and let this injustice continue having known the truth.

She stood up and stared at the torches swaying in the night. "Don't worry. Your daughter will be spared tonight."

The women looked incredulous and the crying woman even found her voice. "I beg you not! Nothing can be done and if you interfere, they will kill you too! Ares will not mind seeing two sacrifices tonight!"

"He will be having no sacrifices as long as I am here. Trust me."

Athena turned away from the frantic women who were still trying to dissuade her from her reckless decision. Her mind set, she pushed herself through the crowd, shoving people aside when they refused to move. The people were swarming around the intruder in anger. One man dared to pull her back by grabbing the ends of her cloak. He seemed shocked at her appearance when she turned around, but he remembered himself and jabbed a finger at her. "Watch where you're going," he shouted at her.

Athena ignored him and continued through the crowd. She was relieved when she finally snaked to the front. The girl had since collapsed on the ground and seemed to be unconscious. Her guards were idling and drinking wine, waiting. Just as she was wondering what they were waiting for, the sound of a bell ringing resounded through the temple. Immediately, the crowd was silent. The guards exchanged a glance and a nod before they stepped up to the altar. Two guards hauled the girl onto her knees and poured wine on her face. The girl became conscious again, coughing and gasping for air. "Kneel," one the tall guard commanded.

The girl's eyes were wide with fear. Even as she knelt there she shook her head frantically. The guard slapped her in the face, but that only made her wilder. She was screaming now, screaming for them to let her live. The guard who still had a jug of wine in his hands came over and pointed the tip of his sword in her face. "Shut up or you die now. I was going to end your life quickly, but if you continue to annoy me I will flay you or gut you."

"Or how about I kill you first?"

All eyes fell on Athena. She was standing before the crowd, her spear ready at her side. Her hood still covered her face and her long cloak covered most of her body. She was nearly invisible in the dark.

"Who are you?" The guards inquired, brandishing their swords in front of the stranger.

"Just a passerby who disapproves of this injustice."

"You have no business meddling in our affairs! What we do is legal by law."

"Even laws can be unjust."

"You dare speak against the great god Ares?"

"Gods and mortals alike must be stopped from committing evil."

The drunk guard lunged forward and tried to grab her but she easily evaded him. He cursed and tried to slash at her from behind but only fell into the ground when her spear came down his shoulder. Seeing their comrade on the floor, the other guards ran at her with their swords and spears but she slipped out of their reach and used the blunt end of her spear to send them flying backwards. They scrambled forward in another wave, but she countered their every strike. Before they could come at her a third time, she ran to the girl and pulling the frail body over her shoulder, she raced into a small alley. She did not stop running until she turned many corners and finally lost the crowd. She had seen trees ahead and knew that it would be safest to find shelter in the woods. Sometimes she heard the girl whimper from behind her, and she wanted to stop and reassure her that she was safe. Instead she held the girl tighter, hoping that some sort of comfort was being channeled through their touch. They could not rest til the trees covered their tracks.

"What is your name?" Athena inquired the wide-eyed child.

Hollow green eyes stared back at her from a small, dirty face framed by yellow hair that was shoulder-length. She did not blink when she said, "Phylicia."

Athena raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Well named! Indeed you are a fortunate one." She held her hand out to the girl. "You can call me Anetha. Don't worry you will be safe with me."

Phylicia stared woefully at Athena, "the last night of the month has gone by and there was no sacrifice." When Athena seemed not to understand the gravity of the situation, Phylicia shook her head. "The god will surely punish us now. What are we going to do?"

Athena's gaze met the pair of green eyes squarely. "Nothing," she said. "Leave it to me to handle the god."

"How are you going to stop him? It's not like you can reason with him," she said flatly.

"I'm not afraid to try. I'm pretty sure if I bugged him enough about it he will stop," she joked.

Phylicia smirked.

"You know, you don't act like a kid much."

"That's because I'm not. I'm almost fifteen."

Athena stared. "But you're so…"

"Small? Well starvation does that to you. Add a bit of anxiety and stress and you become stunted."

Athena didn't very well understand. She herself was born already fully mature. At her maximum height of nearly six feet, she easily towered many of the mortals although she was on the shorter end compared to the other gods. Still, she knew better than to judge a mortal, since she knew so little about them in the first place. In the end she said, "I suppose."

"You wouldn't understand. I don't know where you came from but it has got to be better than this place. We live in constant fear wondering who the next sacrifice will be." She paused, "I guess we don't have to be afraid of who's next now, because we're most likely all doomed."

"Are you always this pessimistic? Did you forget that you were doomed just last night, and yet I saved you?"

"Well you just helped postpone my death."

Athena rolled her eyes. Were all mortals like this? She saves one of them and instead of receiving some form of gratitude, she was getting blamed for wrecking their tradition and putting all their lives in danger. Was saving Phylicia a mistake after all? As these thoughts wormed their way into her head, she quickly tried to shake them off. She knew that saving an innocent was always the right thing to do.

"Why can't you just be the cute little girl I was expecting?"

"I can't help being what I am. Life's hardships have ruined me long ago."

Athena arched her eyebrow again. "Well, whether you believe me or not, I will stop Ares."

Hope you guys liked it! R&R for more :)))