A/N: Whew, glad that holiday is over! I'm back here with another chapter, and for those who've read Path of Discord and Strife of Rome this chapter will be very fun for you since this is the closest we've come to a crossover… SO FAR! Hope you guys will enjoy this one, it was really fun to write!

With Samson, Spring 1966

THWACK "AAGH!"

"AGAIN!"

That there, my beautiful children. THWACK -That is the sound of me getting my ass kicked by my elder brother. THWACK "GAH! FUCK, JOSEPH!"

Joseph grunts at my apparent weakness, "Fine ya' girl scout we're done for the day. Did better than before, lasted almost five minutes this time."

I can only mumble an okay in response since I'm currently face down on the ground in the training arena after an hour and a half long sparring session with him.

As I found out after returning from the Winter Solstice party, Joseph didn't actually die when Cacus raided Athenos Manor. He was, however, hospitalized for some time until Nefeli and a few Nymphs broke into the hospital to bust him out.

Being homeless, Joseph and the Nymphs decided to move back into Camp Half-Blood as training instructors and general staff. Most of the campers were happy to have pretty girls serving them at dinner, they were less so about Joseph as he's a rather… cruel instructor.

He nudges me with his foot and I groan. "Need a couple minutes, baby brother?"

I can't see it, but I swear I can feel his stupid grin leering down at me. Gods, for a sixty-year-old man Joseph is still surprisingly spry and strong. I haven't even seen the full extent of his abilities yet since his cane functions as more than a serrated bludgeon, I've just yet to see what it's alternate ability is. The Hephaestus campers confirmed it can transform in some way.

The cheek bastard won't show us yet, though. When we ask him to show us he always say 'too dangerous, you'll ask and won't let up 'till I give in. Then someone's gonna' get hurt or die'.

He lifts me to my feet and plops me down on a bench. I can feel the bruises and cuts he left me all over my body, but I'm thankfully in a strange way I suppose. Joseph has taken me in as an apprentice over these past few months, honing my strengths and minimizing my weaknesses.

It's tough training, I've broken more bones in the past month than I have in sixteen years, but It's so worth it. Brother bonding is part of it, but It's certainly helped my physique quite a bit too. I haven't gained much muscle mass, but I have become far more toned.

The Aphrodite bitches-I mean girls- have started complimenting me much more now. I've even had a few- intimate encounters with them these past few weeks. I'll tell you what, it's a real confidence booster. Mori always chastises me after though, she calls them harlots and 'fille de joie's' in her cute Icelandic accent. Cute?

She's just worried about me, that I'll start getting attached to them. I always assure her that's not the case, that it's only for fun and doesn't mean anything. Well, not to me at least. A few of them dote over me a lot and it's really annoying.

Hell, I can see them at the other side of the arena right now! They're only staying away because Joseph scares them and he'd make them fight if they got near. It's the reason why they avoid him like the plague.

Joseph plops down on the bench next to me and hands me a water bottle which I greedily slurp down.

"So, kid." I stop drinking and look over to him, "What's the deal with that mortal, Max? Can't tell what it is between you two."

I just shrug, I've been asked this a few times by a bunch of people, I don't really know what they mean.

"He's a good friend, was there for me when I got depressed after William and Steven. Don't know what I can say beyond that really." He gives me an odd look but doesn't comment, so I go back to downing this delicious water.

Joseph was changed a bit after what happened before. Physically he's got some burn scars and a nasty looking cut down his cheek. Mentally he's a different person, he's harsher and his judgments certainly hurt when you mess up a bunch during his training.

He's lost some of his compassion and mirth too. He jokes far less and always seems grim and grumpy, kind of like Dionysus actually. I guess… losing William and Steven hurt him too, even if he knew us for less than a few days.

He slaps me hard on the shoulder, "Alright enough of this sappiness! Take yer' butt over and get fixed up in the infirmary."

I groan as I stand up and start heading towards the Big House. Joseph's staying behind to pick up the mess we made since Chiron yells at him if he doesn't. As I'm about to exit the training grounds I hear Joseph yell something at me. I turn around and just barely catch the blunted arrow in the air before it could hit my chest!

Joseph grins as he puts the bow in his hands back on the weapon rack and I roll my eyes at his antics. To test campers' reflexes Joseph likes to shoot arrows at them to see how well they can block them, or in my case see if they can catch it.

Yeah, Joseph is fucking crazy.

I toss the arrow to the side and continue back towards the infirmary.

"What darkness lingers, thee?" I jump in surprise and almost swing an arm, but I hold my reflex back when I see that it's just Thomas.

Thomas is very silent and almost seems invisible at times. He's almost as stealthy as a Hermes camper in the way he can just vanish when you aren't looking at him.

"Brothers, mothers, fathers? Deep down. Deep, deep, never ending."

I roll my shoulder and groan, "I'm just going to the infirmary to get patched up. Joseph knocked me around good and some ambrosia is in sure order."

He tilts his head and his bushel of brown hair bobs with it, "Maniacal screams, down here in the hollows?"

"Oh? Mori's looking for me? Thank you, Thomas."

He nods and walks away back towards the arts and crafts building, campers parting from his way as he mumbles curses and speaks in gibberish.

Mori was waiting outside of the Big House for me after I was done being patched up. She smiles brightly at me as I open the door and I can't help but reciprocate.

"Samson! I've got to tell you something right quick."

She gives me an expectant look and I nod at her as a sign to continue. "You know how me and my dad didn't really get along so hot? Well he's invited me back to our home in Iceland, I haven't been there in years!"

Mori and her father have a kind of strained relationship. Aron, her father, is a superstitious person and has a poor view of Hecate. Mori was the result of a one-night stand between Him and Hecate, which then ended with him being given a child he didn't want.

When Mori was six, Aron sailed with her to New York and turned her over to Chiron at camp before sailing back home and leaving her here. It's the cause of the biggest rift between them, but at least they communicate with letters every other week or so.

They don't get along well, but Mori still cares for the man despite him being a bastard in my opinion.

Mori's smile fades a little, "But um, I'm going alone, and I'll probably be gone for a few months. I don't think I'll be able to send an Iris message since he's pretty warry of 'witchcraft'. I'll be fine, though! So please don't worry!"

I'm taken aback a little, it's dangerous for demigods to be alone, and she's going to be for a few months! Despite seeming bubbly and not looking very impressive, Mori is an incredibly powerful demigod. She can take care of herself perfectly fine, but I'm still worried regardless.

She pulls us into a hug, "Okay, just be careful, Mori. I can't lose you, you're too important to me."

I feel her heat up and she stutters out, "I-I-I'll be fine, geez! I'm not some half-baked sorceress, anything nasty gets a fireball to the face!"

We separate, both of us smiling and our eyes wet. Mori tells me her flight is leaving early tomorrow, and that I should go back to Boston and meet up with Max. She looks at me with concern when she tells me that something is bothering him when she swung by his home a week ago.

We talk for a minute before parting ways; Mori to see her father and homeland again, and me to help out a friend in need.

Traveling through mirrors is always an interesting experience. Even though mother took my first Looking-Glass, it wasn't the only one. I've made a couple of them, but each one takes a lot of resources that aren't easy to come by.

I'm back in the old bedroom in Max's mansion, but something feels different now. The air has a new feeling to it, whereas before it felt heavy and oppressive now it feels thin and morose. It feels sad.

I walk through the house trying to find Max, but the place seems abandoned which is odd since the maids live here too and are always around doing something. For this place to be empty is just… wrong.

I walk around a bit longer and finally I see Max in the living room. He's very despondent looking, and he has an aura of sadness around him. When I feel his emotions, I feel so many kinds that it's almost overwhelming. I feel fear, anger, resentment, but also joy and disgust.

"Max?" I call out and he looks up and finally notices my presence. His eyes are red and puffy from crying, but there's an underlying presence of happiness to them. Whether or not it's from seeing me or something else entirely, I don't know.

He scooches over on the couch and pats the seat next to him. I sit down beside him, and silence stays in the room between us as he looks down I at his hands.

I reach a hand out and awkwardly put it on his shoulder in some attempt of comfort. I'm really not good at this, but Max seems to appreciate it anyways.

We stay silent for a few moments until Max speaks out, his voice croaking in strain, "My dad's gone off to the war. He got his draft letter last week and left this morning."

I wrap my arm around his shoulder and pull him closer. The war's taken a lot of Men from their homes and torn many a family apart. I frown at the thought of Ares racing around the world bringing war with him and having the gall to smile and be proud of his actions.

"I won't lie, I hate that man." Max practically hisses out as if any mention of his father is venom in his mouth. "When he told me he's going off to war I felt happy. I was happy at the thought of him leaving, happy that maybe out there in rice fields some young man would get lucky and take my old man down."

He lets out a small laugh, "The idea of him dying made me excited. He'd be gone, and I'd be free!" He's silent for a moment, "My moms' has never been around for my whole life, you know? He never let me try and find her before, but with him gone I went through his address book and found out she lives Catskill New York."

He turns to me and he has a new conviction in his eyes. "Sam, I'm gonna find her. I'm gonna knock her fuckin' door down and get answers. I'll wring them outta' her if I have to! You don't have to, but I'd appreciate it if you could give me some backup."

I'm silent for a moment as I consider everything Max just laid out on me. This is a serious matter, a personal matter, but he's my friend. I'll always be there for him.

"Are you sure you'd want that? Traveling with a demigod is dangerous, almost certainly we'll be attacked by something."

He wipes his eyes and leans back into the armrest with a cheeky grin on his face. "I'm not worried bout' that. You're my best friend dude, together nothing can stop us!"

I can't help but grin as well, Max has always been a strong and convicted person.

"So, what's the plan?"

Let it be known, Maximillian Strife is not a sane person by any means. When he told me he could defend himself, I was expecting boxing or martial arts skills, maybe a knife. I was quite surprised when he led me to his room and pulled out a pair of black Python Revolvers.

His giddy attitude about his weapons left me just a little nervous as words spilled out of his mouth at a thousand miles per hour, describing things like the make, the history and the type of steel used in them.

He holds his guns in the air and tries to look like some kind of western outlaw. Unfortunately, his short stature and casual fancy clothes makes him seem closer to an adorable nerd than anything intimidating.

He shakes the gun in his left hand, "Vengeance." Then the other, "Justice."

I keep staring at him dumbly.

"These two are my babies. They'd blast through some sheriff and drop his deputy fifty feet behind him. There's no monster that wouldn't think twice about messin' with us when I whip out these bad boys!"

"Max, you'd be surprised by the idiocy of monsters. I'm more worried about the fact you're bringing hand held cannons out into public."

He shrugs his shoulders, "You're a magician, right? Can't you do that fog magic stuff or whatever it is?"

"The Mist? I think so, haven't used it on mortal made object. Give me a second, I'll give it a shot." I reach out and snap, the telltale sign of the mist being used crackles through the room.

Max looks down at his guns, "Uh, guess it worked? You did that firecracker thing, so I guess it's fine."

"Well, I guess we'll find out in a second here. How're we getting to this place? I can't use the mirror with a normal human."

He just grins, and a shiver works its way down my spine.

"So, Sam." We swerve and I smack my head into the window. "Tell me bout' your pops if that's okay?"

We swerve again and I almost smack into Max. He's driving us in his shiny cherry red Corvette to Catskill, swerving and dodging around cars on the highway while going at speeds far beyond the legal level.

"Well, he was an interesting person, that's for sure. Never lied or abridged the truth when I asked about things, never showed affection but somehow still made me feel loved." We're quite for a few moments.

"My nickname from him was Little Retard."

He almost chokes on his water bottle. "Jesus, I don't know how I'm supposed to respond to that."

I shrug and we keep talking about things for a while to pass the time. We drive for a few hours until we need to stop to fill up on gas again.

It was late in the afternoon when Max pulled us into a dingy gas station off the highway. The place seemed old and rundown, the sign was rusty and a few of the letters were missing. The sign looks like at some point it read Murphy's Gas Hole. Clever.

We go to the pumps, but it seems that the hose has been chained down through the handle. Looks like we need the attendant to unlock it.

Max and Myself walk inside the store and a foul smell fills our nose. It smells acidic with a mix of iron and small traces of brimstone. The lights are flickering, and the inside looks trashed like something large threw the inside all around and it's been left there for months. There's no sign of the attendant.

I pull my dagger out and look at Max, he nods and pulls his revolvers from his belt. I tell him to follow behind me and we silently sneak around the counter and head towards the back.

The smell of iron becomes stronger and seems to be coming from behind the office door. I creep over and slowly push the door open and peek inside.

It's pitch black inside and I can barely make out anything inside. I reach over and flick the light switch, but nothing happens. I tell Max to guard the door and creep inside and feel around the desk for drawers.

I open a few and feel around inside until my finger brushes a ring of some sort. I pull them out and sure enough it's a ring of keys. As I turn my foot clanks into something round on the floor. I'm curious at the sound so I reach down and feel for whatever it was.

I find it and pick it up and use the faint light reflecting in to try and make out whatever it is. My eyes widen when I see that I'm holding an old skull with dirty brown blood dried all over it. I almost throw it to the floor, but I stop myself and set it gently back on the floor.

If whatever killed this person is still around, then dropping the remains would alert it to our presence.

I briskly walk back to the door and pull him away from the office. He gave me a curious look, but I put a finger to my lips. He starts to sweat a little as he understands something is wrong here.

We sneak around the counter and back outside. I hand Max the keys and he unlocks the chain and starts filling the car with gas.

He wipes the sweat from his forehead nervously, "So uh, what was it back there? Nothing big, right?"

I keep my eyes trained on the building scanning for movement through the dark and dirtied windows.

"I don't know, there wasn't anything in the office except for the bones of some poor soul."

He gulps nervously and starts looking around, "Think it's still around, is it near?"

I shake my head, "I don't know, the bones seemed kind of old but I could still see dried blood on it. Just fill the car up and we can be gone from this place."

He nods and goes back to pumping. Nothing happens as we wait, the pump is old and fills the car painfully slow. After a few minutes it clicks, telling us that the tank is full.

We waste no time and quickly hop in the car, Max puts us in gear and we race out of the lot and back onto the highway.

He lets out a shaky sigh in relief and asks a question to try and calm our frazzled nerves, "Any idea what it was back there? Smelled like a chemical plant in that place."

I look out the window and watch the fields pass by, "I'm not sure exactly, I think it was a small Drakon or something. That chemical smell was probably it's venom or acid. Small ones can be really dangerous since they're so quick."

He gulps nervously, "Shit man, an acidic dragon! Fuck I'm glad we're out of that place!"

I pat him on the shoulder, "Welcome to the world of demigods."

We drove for another hour until finally we saw a sign for the town of Catskill. His face grimaces as he sees several groups of hippies meandering around the town. He pulls us into a public parking lot and turns the car off. He breathes heavily, and his knuckles turn white from gripping the steering wheel so hard.

I put my hand on his shoulder and he looks me in the eyes. His eyes are watery when he meets mine, but he quickly pulls himself back together after a second and we get out of the car.

Max takes us to a fast food place first before we do anything else, both of us hungry from the long trip. We decide to eat in an old park not far away, the scenery seems to calm down Max's nervousness. The peace giving him time to prepare for the coming confrontation.

I look around the park at the families walking about and enjoying the serenity of nature. I turn to Max, "So what are you going to talk with your Mom about? You said she wasn't around, but have you ever met her?"

He chews his sandwich and swallows it down with a sip of his drink, "This'll be the first time we've met. I just -I just want to know why she wasn't around. To know if she cared at all."

I look at him in pity, Max hasn't had it easy with his parents. "Are you sure this is what you want? You may not like what you'll find if you do this."

He shakes his head downtrodden, "It's something I have to do, for closures sake. I just want to know so I can move on."

I keep quiet, I'm not sure what I can say. This trip means so much to Max that I don't think I can even comprehend it.

We eat in peace for a few minutes until Max notices something, "Hey, Samson? Where'd all the people go?"

I look around the park and sure enough it's completely empty. I look at the streets outside the park and I see no one else either.

I hear a loud, unholy shriek come from behind us and we quickly spin around. The thing that made the sound doesn't even look real. The creature has a rooster's head and body with a long serpent tail and wings that seem like a mix between a bat and a bird with foot-long talons at the bend of its wrist.

"SAM WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!" Max screams and I nearly go deaf from his yelling.

"It's a cockatrice, don't look in the eyes they can stun you!"

The monster shrieks and charges at us. I roll between its legs and slash at its underbelly. As I turn around to ready another attack it lashes it's clawed foot out and grabs my face and throws me across the grass, it's claws raking across my face as it does.

I slam into the ground and use the momentum to roll quickly back to my feet. I barely jump out of the way as it slashes at me with its scythe like claw. I'm forced to keep back tracking as it doesn't let up with its attacks.

A loud crack snaps through the air as the super chicken shrieks from the hole Max just blew into its side with his gun. He lets another round off that slams into its thigh, dropping it down onto one foot. I run forward and quickly stab it in the neck.

It screams and slams me to the side with its claws, slamming me into a tree fifteen feet away. My silver jacket protects me the claws, but I feel a rib crack from colliding with the tree.

I stand to my feet and quickly charge the beast as it turns its attention to Max. I bring my xiphos through the left wing and slice strait through, taking the whole thing off. I lashes out to kick me but I dodge back and slash my dagger and sever the foot at the ankle.

It shrieks and cranes its head around to gore me with its sharp, spear-like beak. I roll backwards as it slams its beak deep into the dirt. The monster rips its head free and putrid globs of acid fly from its mouth like projectile vomit.

I throw my sword into the side of its neck as I dodge the blast of acid puke. My sword hits the pressure organ in its neck and the blast of vomit loses power until it can barely pool from its beak.

Murder chicken seems to glare at me as it stops puking itself and starts hobbling awkwardly at me. Before I can prepare for its attack chunks of flesh and bone explode from the side of its head as Max blows its brain cavity out with a well-placed shot from Vengeance.

It rocks back and forth for a second until falling forward and splashing onto the ground in a pile of gold dust.

I pull a vial of nectar from my jeans and take a sip, the elixir works immediately as the pain in my ribs fade and the flesh on my face weaves back together and closes the gashes.

I wipe the blood off my face with my hand and walk over to a shell-shocked Max and pat him on the back. "Good job, man. It's a good first kill."

"…Holy Shit, Sam."

I walk over to the corpse and fish my sword from the dust pile. As I do I notice an odd bulge buried in the gold. I pull it out and see its one of the talons from the wing.

Max walks over and stares down in disbelief at the remains of the monster he just killed. I tap his shoulder and hand him the talon. He looks down confused at it, "What? Why do I get this?"

He moves to give it back, but I shake my head, "It's a spoil of war. Your kill, your trophy."

His eyes widen as he stares down in astonishment at his earnings. I pat him on the shoulder but stop when I realize I'm splashing my bloody hand onto him. Thankfully he doesn't seem realize as he's still dumfounded from killing a cockatrice.

It didn't take us long to find Max's mothers home. He knocks on the door and an older looking woman wearing a tie-dye dress and flower crown opens the door. I wait down at sidewalk, but I still can't hear them well since I bashed my head in the fight earlier and my ears are still ringing.

Max and the woman disappear inside her home and I'm left outside alone. Max asked for privacy with this part so I'm respecting his wishes.

Two or so hours pass, the sky turns dark orange as dusk begins to settle. Finally, the door slams open as Max storms outside and past me down the street.

I look back but all I see is the door closing gently. I turn back around and catch up with Max. He's furious as his face is red in anger and his body is tense and rigid. Tears pour down his cheeks and past his scowl, but I stay silent as I follow Max back to the car.

We arrive back at the car and Max puts his hands down and leans over the hood. I gently rub his back as he cries for a few minutes. He wipes the tears from his face as he hiccups and then turns to me, "She's a fuckin' waste Sam! Some stoned hippie who passed me to my dad after I was born! Got knocked up as a teen and couldn't be bothered to try and stick around!"

He turns around and leans back against the hood and looks up in the sky, "She tried to act all sad but it didn't mean anything. Thirty-two years old and not one fucking letter!"

He closes his eyes and inhales deeply before exhaling for a solid fifteen seconds. When he stops his face is calm and his body relaxes. He looks back to me with a sad smile on his face, "Thank you, Sam. I really appreciate you being here for me. Let's go home."

"Not so fast, boys."

We look over and see a girl standing with her hands on her hips as she looks at us. She has raven black hair pulled into a pony tail and fair skin. She's wearing dark sunglasses and a studded leather jacket with spikes and light bell-bottom blue jeans.

She's looks about our age, sixteen, but something about her seems off, she's far too pretty to be human. She takes her glasses off to reveal a pair of startlingly pretty red eyes. It takes me a second but then it clicks, the only being with red eyes like this is…

I drop to one knee, "Lady Eris, it's a pleasure to make your-" She cuts me off, "Oh stop with dick sucking, Brown Noser!"

I stand back to my feet and look to Max and see he's completely frozen in place. Then he quickly smooths out his clothes and hair and extends a hand out to Eris with a sly grin on his face. "Hey, gorgeous. Name's Max Strife, what can I call you?"

She looks at him unimpressed before adopting a seductive smile. She struts over and pushes him so he's sitting down and leans over his lap, placing her hands on the hood.

"Well there, lover boy, they call me Eris, biggest bitch this side of the world." She leans forward until her face is only inches from his. Max turns red like a tomato as his sly grin drops off into a nervous smile.

She pecks him on the cheek and suddenly stands back up with both Pythons in her hands. "Thank's for the guns, love." Her face is indifferent as the weapons disappear in a puff of red smoke.

Eris turns around and starts walking away, "Saw you avenge my son, damn rooster killed him a while ago back at that gas stop. Thing tracked you down when you stole those keys, the petty bastard."

She turns her head around and looks back at Max and winks, "IM me sometime, kay?" She turns around and starts walking away again.

Before she can leave, Max quickly runs over to her and grabs her hand gently, "Wait! Don't go yet, we just met!"

She looks flattered at how gently he's holding her hand for a second before she makes her face neutral, "I've got places to be, love. I'm a busy goddess this time of the century."

His eyes widen, and he quickly drops to a knee and bows his hid, "Then I pledge myself to you, I promise I'll give you everything you'd ever want!"

He looks up and she's shocked by the conviction in his eyes. Eris seems dumbfounded for a second, "I'm a goddess, Max. There's nothing you can do for me."

"I don't care! I will do anything you ask, I swear it if it makes you happy!"

Her mouth gapes in disbelief, "You treat me… like I am more than I am, Max."

Their eyes sparkle as he speaks, "Eris… to me you are everything."

He stands, and they stare deep into each other's eyes as I stand there awkwardly and try to figure out what the hell I'm looking at.

She leans and whispers something into his ear and takes the claw I gave him earlier then disappears in a puff of red smoke. He walks back to me after a few moments. He doesn't say anything and opens the driver's side car door and scoots in. I raise an eyebrow and walk around and scooch into the other seat.

He sits there with a goofy grin on his face until he looks over at me with stars in his eyes. "Sam?"

"Yes Max?"

"I think I'm in love."

"Max, you're sixteen."

"Doesn't matter, I love her!"

I look down at his empty gun holsters and raise an eyebrow, "She robbed you."

He ignores my statement and starts the car.

"What the hell is an IM?"