Leo made it to breakfast right as the last breakfast burritos were being cleared off. "Come on, man!" he moaned, staring at the empty trays. He watched a nymph take the last one. "I mean.. You could have at least saved one for me!"

Inside he wasn't that hungry, just a bit offended that no one had bothered to save him some. He turned, heading off towards the Hephaestus cabin. Jason watched him go, concerned at the way Leo was twiddling his hands. As if something inside him was nagging. He decided to talk to him later, but for now he needed to go practice swordmanship with Percy.

Leo was glad Jason did not follow him. He did not think he could manage to speak another word without breaking down again. His stomach was hard with a strange sadness, and all he wished to do was bury himself under the covers. Unfortunately, that was not an option. Especially not in a camp designed to train young demigods. Leo was booked for the wall climbing, pegasus riding, and sword designing. He had about twenty minutes before the Hephaestus cabin was scheduled to practice their wall climbing. Apparently, Annabeth was going to be teaching a class on strategy. Leo should have been excited. Like danger and crazy, shaking walls covered in simmering lava was his middle name! He would be happy to show off his skills.

But he had started to lose interest in climbing the walls, or doing any sort of show-off activity lately. His friends believed he had finally started to be humble, but in reality, the nagging voice in his head told him not to do it.

"You are no good at rock climbing, or sword fighting. Go die in a hole. Your friends barely put up with you," the voice spoke maliciously.

Usually, when Leo was feeling sad, there was a God to blame. This time though, there was no one to blame beside his own puny self.

And so Leo turned and strode towards the climbing walls, doing his best to ignore the exhaustion seeping into his limbs. He walked the short distance to the wall, basking in the moment of silence. Trees reached over the path, dappling the ground in a beautiful array of light and dark. The air was cool and refreshing, tinted with the scent of pine. He crossed a stream, a couple campers, and a bridge before arriving to the site.

"Leo!" exclaimed Annabeth as he walked up to the side of the wall where others were strapping helmets to their heads. "I'm so glad you could finally make it. Go strap on a helmet, and get in line."

"Your goal," she began, addressing all the campers, "is to get from here, to there." She pointed at a nearby tree which held a zipline in its branches. "Once you reach the zipline,

She waved at the beginning of the course, "first person start here. You have one minute to complete the wall. Go!"

As the first person grabbed for foothold, Annabeth walked over to where Leo was trying on helmets. "Hey, Valdez. Are you doing okay? You look real pale… did you get breakfast?" Leo felt bad about lying, but he nodded.

"I'm just tired, I guess."

Annabeth nodded, reaching to pick up a large white helmet. "This one'll fit you." She handed it to Leo and looked at him for a moment longer. "Are you sure you're okay? You can take a day off from wallclimbing if you'd like. We can do extra tomorrow…"

"No, really, I'm fine, Chica," insisted Leo, clipping the buckle under his chin. "Let's do this." He turned and strode to get in line, where the person in front of him launched themselves forward. He watched as the lithe girl scaled the wall, leaping to avoid bubbling lava, and nearly falling as the walls shook. Suddenly, a lump rose in his throat.

Could he do this?

A few weeks ago, he knew he could. But now… he felt so… weak. The idea of conquering a wall as terrifying as that when he could barely master his emotions was impossible.

The girl finished scaling the wall, ringing the brass bell in triumph. Annabeth turned to Leo, concern etched in her face. "Are you sure-"

"Yes!" insisted Leo, gripping the first rock on the wall.

"Alright.." mumbled Annabeth uncertainty, "Go!"

Leo pushed off the ground, immediately finding foothold on the wall. He had a few moments before stuff started to get gnarly, and he needed to get as far up as he could. Rock after rock passed his hand as he used his lightweight body and forge-hardened muscles to scale it. The air was hot around him, and he could sense lava beginning to boil down the wall.

His curly hair was plastered to the front of his head, the helmet slipping dangerously. His hands were beginning to itch, which was strange because usually he had the most steady hands from working in the forges all day. He pulled himself up further, muscles burning and sweat streaming down his impish face. His breath came raggedly.

He glanced down quickly, the ground reeling ten feet away. Annabeth was peering up, a slight hand shielding the sun from her eyes. The line of campers behind him were beginning to shift nervously.

"Leo!" shouted Annabeth.

"I know, I know!" he yelled back, turning to gaze at the finish line. So close. He took a deep breath gathering energy to continue on. His feet found hold on the rocks, his legs pushing him even further up the wall. Lava began to gurgle down the walls towards him, sliding like a slinking cat.

Leo leapt to the side, hanging on my a hand and a foot. While lava would not burn him, it would burn his clothes. He had no desire to be left hanging, naked and afraid, on a simmering wall above other campers. He decided to spare their eyes, and did his best to avoid the roaring hotness.

There was poison in his mind as he climbed. Every step that brought him closer to his destination came with another doubtful thought.

I can't do this. They probably set the lava on easy. They want to see me fail.

Leo glanced down at the campers.

They want to see me fail.

The lava grew even closer, and he was forced to dodge it again. His arms were aching tremendously from the strain, and he knew the walls were going to begin their shaking.

I need to go down.

He needed to evacuate the wall, but below him spikes began to rise from the ground. Leo silently cursed the Hephaestus cabin who had designed them. This wall didn't need to be any more difficult. Now he was hanging, arms screaming for relief, while the harsh wind did its best to knock him onto spikes below.

He looked up, reaching an arm to continue.

But suddenly, he was frozen.

The world tightened around him. Lava flowed over his immune hands. He leaned his head against the wall, every fiber of him struggling to hang on to the wall. Horror flooded his mind, rendering him helpless. His arms began to shake, his mind shutting down with fear. The walls began to shake, rattling his bones. He opened his mouth to shout for help, but nothing came out.

He could feel his fingers beginning to slip.

Maybe it would be better to fall. Fall down.

The wind whipped his curled hair into a frenzy. Sweat gleamed on his straining arms, reflecting the orange glow of the lava.

His mind was reeling. The campers below were beginning to mumble with worry. Leo knew he was going to fall.

"Annabeth."

The word was raspy on his lips, but Annabeth must have heard it, for a beat later she was scaling the wall. She wore no helmet, and her long blonde hair whipped in the wind behind her. Her arms pulled her up, closer and closer to Leo. Grey eyes were sharp and calculating as she reached over a trickle of lava and flattened herself to the wall. The rocks shook, trying to expel her. She clung tightly, waiting out the quake before continuing up. Leo's mind was dark, and he was about to let go when she reached him.

Her hands were cool and comforting as she wrapped an arm around him, pressing him against the wall, in a desperate attempt to avoid a tumbling boulder. As it fell and dashed against the spikes at the bottom, she took Leo's face in her hands, looking into his dazed brown eyes.

"Leo, stay with me. What's wrong."

"Ughh" was all Leo could manage to get out.

"Right," mumbled Annabeth. She glanced up at a fresh trickle of lava, slipping towards them. "We need to get down."