Chapter 7: To be or not to be
AD 2011
Intense bouts of pain shot through her as the fire wrecked her body, licking mercilessly at every portion of skin exposed. A sea of fire bubbled beneath her, eager to consume its new victim. She knew she could not hold on to the ledge forever. Her strength was abandoning her, leaving her to the mercy of the fire, robbing her of any chance to avoid falling into the inferno below her. One last desperate attempt to push herself upwards ended in vain. The last thing she saw was a faceless figure in grey, tattered robes kneeling on the floor, not bothering to aid her, pleading for her forgiveness. Then, she fell and burned. Overwhelming pain took hold of her as fire filled her lungs…
Not for the first time, Sable jerked up from her bunk, drenched in sweat. Swinging her legs off her bed, she placed her head in her hands, still trembling. She sighed. She shouldn't have fallen into such a deep sleep. But after nights of patrol duty, training, her other commitments and having not slept for near a month, it was no surprise that her body needed some rest. She could still feel the searing heat of the fire that was only supposed to be part of her nightmare that haunted her. It felt so real. Maybe it was real. The dreams that plague demigods are not merely just dreams. They could be visions of the past, present and future, or attempts of both the friendly and unfriendly to communicate with them. But Sable was no ordinary demigod. Her dreams were memories. She had to relive all the bitter painful memories that were permanently etched in her mind every time she falls into a deep sleep. It was bad enough that the scars that littered her body did not let her forget all her experiences. But it was those accursed dreams that forced her to constantly remember the exact pain she suffered during those experiences. The throbbing pain that shot up her leg when it was severed, the ghastly sight of her blood spilling on the floor, staining it red. The time when she was trampled upon and she felt her bones shatter one by one, the feeling when her broken rib punctured her lungs.
"And Chiron wonders why I don't try to get more sleep." Sable grumbled, grabbing the hilt of the sword next to her bed. Sable groaned inwardly when she realised that it was the sword issued to her when she first entered the camp, not her own. Despite the darkness of Soulreaper, it brought her a sense of comfort. Compared to Soulreaper, the Celestial bronze sword that she was holding seemed so lifeless and mediocre. Sable managed to tame the hurricane of emotions stirring within her with seemingly little effort. After all, she was a master at controlling her emotions. It was necessary for her survival and she did have lifetimes of experience in doing so. She glanced up at the clock, realising that it was only eight at night. Grabbing her gear, she strode out of the door, deciding that an hour, or two, at the archery fields was in order before going on her nightly escape from camp.
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Apart from the few campers on patrol, there was not a single soul roaming the premises. It has been a tiring day for the campers at Camp Half Blood. Many had collapsed on their beds by six after the tiring drills they were forced to go through, too exhausted to even have dinner. Sable was accustomed to the rigour of training for long hours. Even though when she was exhausted, she would not show any signs of it and was capable of carrying out her activities. But she knew the other campers would be suspicious of her if she did not show a hint of exhaustion when even the senior campers could hardly open their eyes. So, like other campers, she retreated to her bunk after they were dismissed, and tried to get some much needed rest. She should have known better. Instead of feeling refreshed after her two hour nap, she felt even more exhausted. Sable could not remember when was the last time she managed to get through the night without having to relive her horrible experiences in her dreams.
Reaching for her bow and arrow, Sable began the repetitive motion of nocking her arrow, drawing her bow, aiming her target five hundred metres away, and releasing her arrow. It was one of the most effective ways for her to clear her mind. For fifteen whole minutes, she was undisturbed. Only the occasional rustle of leaves and the sound of the bow filled the air. Then, Sable heard the soft footsteps of another entering the field. Yet, Sable made no move to break her momentum or to acknowledge the other's presence. Only when she released her last arrow did she turn to greet the newcomer.
"Still training? You should get some rest. You have been on patrol duty for the past few nights." Will Solace graced Sable with a smile, gesturing for her to sit beside him.
"I did. But I couldn't sleep any longer. Nightmares. Besides, it's only eight. Don't usually sleep at this hour. What about you? You should be more exhausted. Having to go through training and attending to the injured throughout the night."
"I can manage. I will get used to it after a while." Will replied with a grimace on his face.
"Chiron's new training regime is hard on everyone."
"It's necessary, Sable. We cannot defend ourselves adequately against the upcoming onslaught. The Romans are too disciplined, and are firmly set on destroying our camp. We need to be more resilient."
Sable nodded her head in agreement, not saying a word.
"The camp is falling apart. After Percy's disappearance, there hasn't been a strong leader to lead the camp. You and the other new recruits are not getting claimed by the gods. The old system of having cabin counsellors does not work anymore. Chiron has decided that we are going to have camp counsellors now. Give everyone equal chances of becoming a leader. Hopefully, one of the new leaders will take the initiative to lead the camp, since the old ones does not seem to be doing so. Do you have any suggestions on any potential leaders?"
"Why don't you step up?" Sable appeared not to have noticed the purposeful look Will had shot at her.
"I am one of the old leaders too. I do not want to carry the burden to leading the camp. My services are more in healing than in leadership." Will said, shaking his head.
"Hmmm, Aralien and Amylin could have the ability to lead the camp, especially if they have each other for support. They are both excellent fighters, they are both popular. Their pranks have lighten up the spirit in this camp tremendously. Even the Stoll brothers feel motivated to start their pranks again. They have demonstrated their ability to lead numerous times, especially during capture the flag. Now that they have been released from school for summer break, they are able to, and they have been, be fully committed to the camp."
"Yes. The current group of cabin councillors approve of them being a camp councillor. They have proven themselves as worthy leaders, especially after summer break started in May. I didn't expect the frightened, confused twin sisters I met last year to fit into the camp so comfortably. But their performance has not been very consistent. Yes, they demonstrated strong leadership during capture the flag, but they are overly confident. They think everything will go their way. Remember the spectacle a few weeks back?"
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"The Blue team is strong. The defences that Aralien and Amylin throw in our way are extremely hard to overcome. With Will Solace on their team, the volleys of arrows he shoots pose a huge threat to us. All of us will be taken out even before we reach the flag." Jake Mason grumbled.
"Just charge through all their defences, knock down anybody that come in our way and claim the flag! It's so simple. Dimwits." Clarisse said, with a wave of her hand.
"No. We won't be able to even get close to the flag. There's one entire chain of demigods linking hands in the clearing there, cordoning off their flag . We will need all our men to even have a chance of breaching it. Our flag will be unprotected." Jake retorted.
"Urgh! When we charge towards them, the chain will break and they will literally be overrun. And one of us just stay here to guard the flag. It's so easy!" Clarisse growled in frustration.
"My drones have detected archers hiding behind those lines. And don't forget Will Solace will be on the trees, triggering the nets with his arrows and trapping us. Unless all the children of Apollo, who, mind you, are exceptional archers, suddenly miss all their targets, we all won't be able to reach fifty metres away from that chain. And Sable can't stop them from shooting no matter how good she is with her bow. Chiron has tightened the rules. We can injure the archers but they must still be able to shoot. And no matter how good you are with a sword, Clarisse, our wooden swords are not the most effective weapons against archers. " Jake said exasperated.
"We don't need all of us to slip through. Just one of us will do. Mark can guard the flag. Clarisse's idea do have some merit. As we are reaching the chain in the clearing, we bundle up together, and charge towards the chain in one single unit. At least a few of us will be able to reach the chain and attempt to break through. We do not need to break the chain anyway. Two of us will remain hidden in the trees. While the archers are dealing with the main assault force, the two hidden can use the trees to reach the other side of the clearing without having to worry about being spotted." Sable spoke up, sensing that the Blue Team would already be on the move.
"Then they will just need to deal with Aralien and Amylin, since the rest are deployed at the chain to get the flag. You're a genius, Sable. Alright, then Clarisse will lead the team that is going to charge towards the chain, while I and Sable will be the ones hidden in the trees. Move out!" Jake hollered and the Red team sprang into action.
One. Two. Three. Members of the Red Team got caught in nets, all thanks to Will. Yet, many of them still managed to advance to the clearing. Will was so distracted with trying to minimise the number of the Red Team on the ground, he forgot those on the trees.
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"We are winning! The Red team is unable to breach the chain. Our teammates should be reaching their flag soon." Aralien exclaimed with a smug smile on her face.
"Are you sure that every single one of the Red team is trying to breach the line?" Amylin glanced worriedly in the direction of the clearing.
"Yes, they will need every single member to try to breach it. Don't worry." Aralien assured.
"You are forgetting Sable is in that team? You know that she is an excellent strategist. We won so easily the previous time because of her."
"Everything will be fine, Amylin. Don't worry too much."
The twin sisters continue scanning the area, ready to catch any Red team that manage to reach the flag. Suddenly, they heard a branch cracking and saw Jake landing on the ground, dashing towards the flag.
"Hurry Amylin! Stop him" Aralien cried, still shock that the Red team managed to get to their base so quickly.
Amylin started sparring with Jake, halting his advance towards the flag, as he was unable to out spar Amylin. Then, Sable knew it was time. Aralien was preoccupied with the spar between Jake and her twin. She slipped down from the tree, and without a sound, made her way to the flag. By the time Aralien realised that Sable was there, the Red Team had won. Sable had managed to grab the flag, leaving both Amylin and Aralien flabbergasted, that they have not even realise Sable's presence.
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"If the both of them had been less confident and more cautious, they probably would have realised that three members of the Red team was not at the clearing. Maybe they will be able to get you. Their overconfidence will be their downfall." Will finished, shaking his head.
"They will learn from it. They won't repeat the same mistake twice. Besides, I'm pretty sure they still won't be able to detect my presence. I am after all"
"A ghost. A ghost that is able to escape any detection and give us a scare every single time you appear without warning." Will said, with a grin on his face, recalling how shocked he was when Sable had suddenly popped up behind him previously.
"Then, who else, Will? Who else do you think is suitable to be camp counsellor?" Sable asked.
"You, Sable."
Sable knew she was one step closer to achieving her goal of becoming a leader. She did not feel any sense of accomplishment. It was almost as if she dreaded being a leader. She was comfortable just being a normal recruit, a lot less responsibilities and burdens. She was much happier when the lives of others did not depend on her. In addition, the closer she is in achieving her goal, the sooner she will have to face the inevitable. She would have to reveal her true self, the true enemy and her true goals. The final stand would be closer than ever. But Will does not need to know this yet. Not for now.
"Why? I am, after all, just as inexperienced as Aralien and Amylin." Sable questioned Will.
"In many ways, you are similar to the twins. All three of you attend the same school. All three of you are great fighters. It is amazing what the three of you have achieved when you have only spent a few months at camp. Yet, you have to admit, your skill with your chosen weapons surpass them. Surpass majority of the campers. And the campers felt your care and concern for them. Your effort to know every single camper here and your sincerity in wanting to lift their spirits in these dark times did not go unnoticed. And you are an excellent strategist and decision maker. The camp needs a leader that is actually brave enough to make decisions. All these time, we have been arguing and arguing and Chiron does not interfere. We need a leader that is capable of making decisions that will determine the safety of the campers and of the camp too. The cabin councillors have been watching you. You left a very good impression on all of us."
"I will have to think about it, Will." Sable was really hesitant on accepting Will's offer. She knew that she would never have another moment of peace after she accepted it. But she knew that Gaia was waking in two more months, by August first. The clock was ticking, Sable did not have the luxury of time to delay the offer any longer. Her sense of responsibility battled with her own selfish intentions of wanting to remain a normal camper with a lot less burdens. But for now, her own selfish intentions had won.
"You better think faster then. The quicker we have a leader, the higher our chances in winning this war." Will Solace watched as Sable got to her feet and walked away, too preoccupied with her internal battle to remember why she was even at the archery fields, or to bade goodbye to Will.
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Sable needed to get her priorities right.
What was most important to her? Defeating him? Protecting the lives of the innocent? Or taking this opportunity to be free of burden? When the curse first broke, Sable was determined to dedicate her life to his downfall. But after spending a mere few months at camp, Sable realised that for the first time, she had a choice. She did not need to suffer any longer. For all those years, all she experienced was pain. She fought bitterly for the survival of others, but never for herself. She believed that her life could be thrown in the trash, while the lives of others were like precious gems. She cared for everybody else but herself. And what did she get in return? Even more suffering and pain, just because she had too big a heart. Now that she has the opportunity to truly live for herself, would she have the strength to give it up? Sable sighed as she sat on the beach, watching the water crashing against the shore.
Sable knew that her physical strength, her power have grown, but she was still emotionally weak. Many would think that those who had a firm control over their emotions, those that are able to shield their emotions meant that they were mentally strong. This is not the truth. Sable needed to build up a shield because she was too emotionally fragile and vulnerable. She needed to ensure that her emotions would not be exploited. Her emotions would be her downfall. She depended way too heavily on her ability to control her emotions. After the experience at camp, she was struggling to do so. She had immersed too deeply into the life of a normal camper. Sable was able to maintain the shield because she needed too. When you are a normal demigod, there is little need for that. Sable could feel her shield weakening. And she liked the feeling of not needing to control her emotions, to express freely what she wanted to, to just be a normal person. Maintaining the shield took up much of her energy. It worn her out. By taking on a leadership role, it meant using even more energy to maintain her shield. Before she entered camp, she was willing to do so. But now, she wasn't so sure that's what she wanted. She assured Chiron that she was emotionally ready for what's ahead. In actual fact, she was far from ready. She would never be ready.
What was bothering Sable more was that she was considering about giving up. She knew that the world would not stand a chance against him without her aid. The world will fall. She will fall. Even with her, most likely they will still fail. She knew if she decided to take on the burdens of leadership, to give her all to protect the lives of others once more, she would have to give up that opportunity of having a normal life. And she would be fighting a losing battle. Could she really bear to watch everybody else suffer because of her own selfishness in wanting to be normal? To be able to let loose her emotions? Frankly, she did not know anymore. She had suffered for so long. She wanted to cease her suffering. She did not need to shoulder the responsibility of destroying her enemy. She had a choice not to do so.
Sable smiled bitterly. The curse might not have succeeded in turning her towards the dark side, and it made Sable loathe the dark side with a passion. If there was one thing Sable was sure of, it would be her resolve never ever to serve the dark side. But the curse did manage to breed darkness right inside her, filled Sable's soul with darkness. It made Sable recognise and respect the power of darkness. To some extent, she even grew to love the power of darkness. That was the main reason why the weapons she crafted were of darkness.
She hated herself for being so weak. For not being able to prevent darkness from infecting her. Sable looked up at the star-filled sky. She wished she had the power of the stars. Surrounded by total darkness, yet they still managed to resist the darkness. To keep shining in the sky without letting any darkness seep into their souls. She was ashamed at the darkness in her own soul. It was because of the darkness she considered abandoning the world to her enemy just so she can enjoy a few years of her life without any suffering. Yet, it was the same darkness within her that gave her unlimited power, gave her the power to be able to face her greater enemy. It was up to her. The darkness has taken its hold on her. It was up to her to let the darkness control her, or to control the darkness.
Sable sighed. It was nearly ten. She needed her brainpower for other purposes at the moment. She had to go to that exact same place she goes to every single night. A place that caused her so much pain. Reluctantly, Sable got up from the cushion of sand, ready to leave the camp. "The real question is, when darkness is present in the soul of a person, does that person need to fight for the dark side? Can a person of darkness fight for the light, and remain loyal to the light side?" Like all the other questions she had that night, she did not have an answer. Shaking her head, she disappeared on the spot. She had done enough thinking for the night.
Chapter 7 is up :) Dumbledore and another one of my favourite characters will be in the next chapter. Enjoy!