Cullen was sitting on the dock of the lake, knees pulled up to his chest as he just looked out at the water. The afternoon sun reflecting on the lake, making the water sparkle and it was a little relaxing. Especially since Cullen was upset, not feeling like he belonged here and he wanted to go home.
"Sulking I'm guessing?" The voice was unfamiliar to Cullen and he glanced back to see a girl standing behind him, he didn't even hear her footsteps. The girl looked to be his age, arms folded as she stared at him with intense muted blue eyes. Her hair was a short crop cut, died a nauseating shade of bright pink. She had on lavender shorts and her orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt.
"Who are you?" Cullen asked simply, never having seen her around camp the whole day he'd been there. And he was sure he would have noticed her, judging on how bright she was.
"The name is Claire, Daughter of Eris," She replied as she walked over and sat down next to Cullen who scooted away from her slightly. She gave off such a mischievous vibe it kind of unnerved him. "Don't be scared. I don't bite, unless provoked."
"That doesn't give me much reassurance," Cullen said which got a small smile and chuckle out of Claire. Making Cullen a little glad that she had some laughter in her and she wasn't all stiff and scary.
"So why are you out here sulking? Did you get beat up or something?" Claire asked and Cullen just glared at her slightly in offense.
"No I didn't get beat up, I'm just thinking," He said in protest which got a small eye-roll out of Claire.
"People who are thinking don't sulk unless something bad happened to them, and you being the new guy obviously something bad must have happened to you," She said bluntly which Cullen didn't appreciate. She had just as much sass as him, maybe even more. It was just at the moment Cullen didn't feel sassy.
"Why are you even bothering me? I don't even know you," Cullen asked and she just shrugged.
"I can't get to know the sulking guy on the docks?" She asked right back which Cullen didn't have an answer to, how was he supposed to compete with such high levels of talking back.
"Claire! There you are, why did you just run off when I was talking?" The voice of Dalton asked as his footsteps were heard walking down the wooden dock towards the two, and Cullen's face instantly flushed red and Claire got up and faced Dalton.
"I'm sorry I just saw this sulking loner and wanted to know why he was so sad," Claire replied and Dalton just rolled his eyes, before glancing at Cullen who could feel Dalton staring at him.
"I haven't seen you since the morning, how are you?" Dalton asked Cullen who became paralyzed. How was he supposed to talk to someone he had a major crush on? And Dalton was so caring, asking how he was. Oh god, what was wrong with Cullen?
"I've been doing alright, today has been a little rough but seeing you makes it all better," Cullen replied, before quickly looking away. What the hell? Where did that even come from?
Claire couldn't help but chuckle a little, lightly hitting Dalton's shoulder. "Aw! Looks like someone has a crush on you Dalton." She teased, which made Dalton blush almost as dark as Cullen was blushing.
"W-Well um, me and Claire were going t-to go training and sense you're here d-do you want to come w-with us?" Dalton asked, embarrassed and fiddling with his shirt, Claire was highly amused at this. Finding the two quite funny when they were so shy.
"Yes! I-I mean, yeah I'd love to," Cullen replied, coughing slightly and getting up. Oh how much more worse could this get? He already had a fight with Ajax, he had a crush on Dalton and Julia. And right now he was making a fool of himself, how worse could this first day get?
"Alright, let's go and try not to get your butt kicked," Claire said and patted Cullen on the back as the three left the docks and head towards the arena. Cullen and Dalton's cheeks still flushed red, and Claire being a little helpful and standing between them so nothing got anymore awkward then it already was.
"So who are we training with?" Claire asked Dalton once they arrived at the arena, and Dalton simply pointed to Nico who was sitting on the bench sharpening his blade. "You're kidding right? We can't spar with Nico, he's way too good. Espeically Cullen here, a first-class newbie."
"You never know what could happen, I've seen newbies hold their ground against Nico. Just because he's new doesn't mean that he can't fight," Dalton said, defending Cullen which he appreciated greatly. He knew there was a reason he had a crush on Dalton.
"It's about time you guys showed up," The three jumped when Nico was suddenly standing next to them, holding his Stygian iron sword which just made him more intimidating then he already was. "I was starting to fall asleep."
"We ran into Cullen over here at the docks sulking," Claire said and pointed her thumb at him, making Cullen just narrow his eyes at her.
"The more the merrier, I was expecting to only fight two but maybe to even the odds I could have Will join my team?" Nico asked out loud, Claire and Dalton both protesting at the same time. "I'm kidding, I know how unfair that is."
"So what are we even doing?" Cullen asked, since no one had told him anything and he didn't know how training worked.
"It's simple, you three will be fighting against me. Imagine you're on a quest and I'm some, rouge demigod you have to beat to continue on." Nico explained simply, which just made Cullen a little uneasy. "You do have a weapon, right?"
"Yes. It's just a dagger, nothing special," Cullen said and took off his ring which changed into a simple celestial bronze dagger. It was nothing special, but to Cullen it meant the world.
"That's good enough for me, as long as you have a weapon." Nico said with a shrug, "Remember the rules. No killing and stay within the circled area, abilities are allowed." He explained as he led the three over to a large white-circle in the center of the arena, Nico didn't seem too interested in this fight. As if he had done it a thousand times before, which he had.
Dalton's weapon was a celestial bronze scythe while Claire's was a celestial bronze spear, it seemed that Cullen was the only one who had close-range weapons which made him nervous. If something happened to his teammates then he'd have to hold ground, but he was confident they could keep Nico back.
Someone blew a whistle which made Cullen jump in surprise. Dalton and Claire carefully advanced towards Nico who stood watching the two, Cullen just staying still as he watched. Nico was almost like a predator waiting for the perfect time to strike, and it was making Cullen uncomfortable.
Dalton went to slice at Nico once he was close enough, but that was the first and last mistake he made. Nico jumped onto the scythe and then jumped off and over Dalton, slicing his shoulder which made Dalton yelp in pain and fall to his knees. Nico landing and kicking Dalton in the back.
"Don't let your guard down, just because you're hurt doesn't mean you still can't fight." Nico told Dalton who just glared slightly at Nico, but Nico just stepped on Dalton's wound which made him cry out in pain.
"Leave him alone!" Claire shouted as she went to impale Nico who hit her spear away, making Claire stumble but she quickly regained her balance as she jumped back.
"Never shout when trying to attack your enemy, takes away the element of surprise and gaining the upper hand," Nico told Claire who just glared at him.
"Cullen, it'd be nice to have some backup!" Claire asked, which made Cullen jump again in surprise. He had just been watching this whole time and only then did he realize it. He quickly rushed over to Claire's side, making it two against one as Dalton was out of the match.
Nico just stood there holding his sword, staring at the two intensely. Before the ground started to shake and cracks appeared, skeletons crawling out of the ground wearing armor and wielding weapons.
"That's not fair!" Cullen protested as he sliced off the head of a skeleton who crawled out of a crack next to him.
"It is completely fair, I said abilities were allowed. Besides, if this was a real fight do you think I'd care what was fair?" Nico asked with a dark smirk, Claire and Cullen having to fight the skeletons which were just a bother now.
Cullen was getting pretty upset, he could tell how cocky Nico was and it was just grinding Cullen's gears. The skeletons were just a distraction and Cullen knew it, Nico was toying with them and trying to get them exhausted.
Cullen wasn't going to have any of it, if there was one thing he hated it was people playing him.
"Claire, fight off the skeletons. I'm going after Nico," Cullen told her and turned his attention to Nico, glaring at him darkly and Nico seemed to be put off at that. He didn't expect either demigod to come after him.
Cullen twirled his dagger in his hand before gripping the hilt tightly, he felt himself losing control and his anger consuming him but he couldn't do anything to stop it. He started walking towards Nico, before breaking out into a charge. He let out a yell and went to slice at Nico who easily dodged him.
Nico took a step back to put a little distance between him and Cullen, but Cullen quickly closed the gap as he sliced and stabbed at Nico over and over. Nico was holding his own against Cullen, but without any pauses of attacks it was giving Nico a hard time.
"Cullen calm down-" Nico told him only to be cut off by Cullen slicing at him once more. Nico growled in anger and kicked Cullen in the stomach, the force causing Cullen to fall onto his back and the wind being knocked out of him.
"You're acting like an animal, this isn't training if you're just going to be berserk. Stop it and fight me like a real demigod would," Nico scolded Cullen, standing over him and Cullen just glared at Nico.
Cullen went to kick Nico but found his legs restrained, skeleton hands where poking out of the ground and gripping his ankles to prevent him from moving. He also realized his wrists were being restrained as well.
"Let me go," Cullen demanded, and Nico just smirked a little and shook his head in reply.
"Not until you fight me for real, I'm not here to fight some psychotic child." Nico said before turning his back to Cullen who just clenched his jaw in frustration.
"Jesus Christ-" Claire used her spear to break the skeleton hands holding Cullen down. And Dalton managed to rejoin them after having to rip a piece of his shirt off to mend his wounded shoulder.
"Nico isn't going easy on us, that's for sure." Dalton said a little out of breath, but Cullen didn't even respond to him and stood up once he was freed and grabbed his dagger. His blood was boiling and his anger was about to peak, he wasn't Cullen anymore.
Nico noticed the change in Cullen but didn't back down. He was determined to fight the demigods and win, besides he was their teacher and he couldn't lose. That would look bad.
Nico rolled the sword a bit in his hand, gripping the hilt and eyeing Cullen who was slowly making his way towards Nico. Eyes boring into Nicos soul but it isn't make Nico uneasy, for someone who had been to Tartarus and back nothing scared him anymore.
"I guess you're not gonna stop huh? Well if it's a berserk I have to fight then bring it on," Nico said and took a fighting stance. Cullen just clenched his jaw angrily and charged at Nico who side stepped when Cullen sliced at him.
"Tsk tsk, gotta try harder then that," Nico teased and sliced at Cullen skillfully, managing to slice at his leg and cut it. Cullen hissed in pain but didn't falter at all, making Nico a little surprised but excited at a challenge.
"Cullen! We're supposed to fight together you idiot!" Claire shouted from behind and went to rush at Cullen who turned around and gave Claire such an intense death glare that she froze in her place. Dalton stood beside her and looked at Cullen, noticing his eyes and was put off at that.
While Cullen was distracted for even a moment Nico managed to land a hit, he hit Cullen in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword which knocked Cullen completely out. He crumbled to the floor and the whole world went black for him.
"Cullen... How could you fail us?" The voice swirled in the darkness and Cullen opened his eyes, only to be back in the dark cold stone cell. He heard chains rattle as he tried to move, feeling the weight on his wrists and ankles. Keeping him sitting on the floor.
"I-I didn't! I tried my best!" Cullen said weakly, his throat raw and voice coarse. He scanned the darkness to try and find the owner of the voice, but he couldn't. He knew there was no body that contained the voice.
"Your best wasn't good enough.. You know what happens when you fail us," The voice warned, and Cullen's eyes got wide as a wave of memories flushed back to him from his childhood.
"No! Please I beg you, I-I'll do better!" His please we're lost to the darkness, and a sharp pain erupted in his back. He arched his body and let out an ear piercing scream, it felt like a knife had been lodged into his spine and was slowly slicing him open.
Tears pricked at his eyes as the pain overcame him, he felt his world spinning and his vision getting foggy. The pain was so unbearable and he felt like he was going to die.
Just then a hand was placed on his cheek, and the pain washed away. He felt warmth envelope him and it felt like the wound in his back was slowly being healed, his vision started to clear and his fathers face came into view.
His father has pepper colored hair, matching his pepper colored beard. His eyes were large and a soft color of green, despite his rugged looks he was a kind and caring man. His skin had pale white patches all over it, mostly on his arms and face. The disease being Vitiligo.
Tears welled up in Cullen's eyes as he saw his dad, his lip quivering and his father just smiled at him and embraced his son. Making Cullen just break down in tears.
"It's alright Cullen, remember as long as I am alive no one can hurt you."
Cullen felt the dream start to fade away, and he called out for his dad as his vision blackened. He didn't want his dad to go, he wanted him to stay so badly.
Cullen woke up with a start, surprised to be in the infirmary with Will Solace standing next to him looking quite scared and surprised as well.
"What happened?" They both asked at the same time. Making them fall silent as the two just stared at each other.
"You were screaming in your sleep, and then you started crying. I was debating waking you up from your coma," Will said and Cullen just blinked at him.
"Wait... I was in a coma? For how long?" Cullen asked and Will glanced at the calendar on the wall. It was September.
"Three days. You were silent, and then within the last ten minutes you just started screaming and crying. Then you called out for your dad.. Are you okay?" Will asked concerned and Cullen just let out a sigh.
"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine.. I'm sorry for worrying you, that happens a lot.." Cullen said, though he was confused himself. He hadn't had a dream, or a nightmare as he calls it, like that for months.
"Alright, if you're sure. You just rest okay? I'm going to gather some stuff to give you before you head back to the cabin," Will told him and left his beside, and Cullen just let out a deep breath.
Cullen couldn't go through this again, not without his dad. Memories came back to him of when he was a child, those horrible nights scared and alone but knowing his dad was there with him. The sleepless nights for his father, protecting his son from the nightmares that were all too real...
This chapter was so hard for me to write, I had so much writer's block with this chapter and I apologize for the long wait! But I am back now with more ideas then ever! I hope this chapter is sufficient enough, I tried my best to push through and finish it for you all!
Please leave a review and let me know what you think! There's lots of things in here to comment on ;)
~I am Katie Daughter of Demeter
