Hello everyone and welcome back to Hidden Secrets and Shared Lies!
So it's still just me and the doggo home. He's lots of fun. He had a barbie-movie marathon last night cuz I found a bunch on Vudu and turns out he really likes them. Stayed with me the entire time and looked away from the screen only once. Then today we went on a walk and after we did some karaoke :/ He won, no surprise. He barked Who Let The Dogs Out by Baha Men and nailed it!
Also, pretty important info in this one.
I hope you enjoy and let's get right into this!
The next few days passed Makayla in a blur.
As promised, Ashlyn came back the next day. She stayed with Makayla most the day and Leo stopped by a few times as well but they both had to go back to training. By the third day, Makayla was close to going crazy. She hated being trapped inside without anything to do. It made her feel restricted and trapped. Thankfully, Will came in and told her that as long as she doesn't do any hard-work training like the lava wall she can finally get out of the cabin and start doing easy training like casual sparing.
Makayla nearly ran out of the Hades Cabin, beyond happy to finally be outside. After a minute or so she ran into Jakob. Quite literally, though this time she managed to avoid getting pulled down by his hands. However, he wasn't as lucky and fell.
"Why do we keep running into each other like this?" Makayla laughed. Jakob shrugged from his spot on the ground.
"How am I supposed to know?" He answered, groaning as he stood up. Makayla laughed and returned Jakob's hug after he stood, him giving her a quick pecked on her lips. "I missed you. Where you been?"
"I was stuck in the cabin for a few days because your half-brother is over worrisome," She replied, enjoying Jakob's embrace.
"Don't let him hear that or he might make you go back." The blond cautioned with a wink. Makayla chuckled and Jakob wrapped his arm around her waist. The two walked around for a while before stopping at the training arena where they saw Jason Grace hacking at some dummies. They watched for a while before making themselves known.
"Hey Jason!" Makayla called.
"Hi guys," Jason responded, not breaking his eye contact or concentration. After another minute or so he stopped. "What's up?"
"Makayla here was looking for someone to spar with," Jakob answered before his girlfriend could say anything.
"What?!" The redhead protested
"You made me spar with Percy. Now you get Jason." Jakob replied cheekily.
"I mean, I got nothing better to do after all." Jason agreed. Makayla shot knives but he just shrugged with a grin. She turned back to Jason.
"Fine. You got a sword I could use?" She asked, giving in.
"Do you not have one?" The Roman asked. Makayla shook her head. "We can fix that. Follow me."
Jason led Makayla to the shed where she saw a huge variety of weapons: from swords to throwing knives to bows to daggers, even guns. There were dozens of different styles of each.
"I'm going to guess no knives or daggers?" The son of the sky asked. Makayla shook her head so fast it felt as if it would fall off. "I didn't think so."
Jason picked up a sword and handed it to Makayla but it was too light and she almost flung it to the ceiling. The next one was way too heavy and even Jason had a bit trouble lifting it. They tried a few other things but nothing felt right in her hands. Just as Makayla was beginning to think they weren't going to find anything she saw Jason frown and pause. He then reached behind a stack of what looked like unfinished swords and pulled something out.
"What's that?" Makayla asked, walking over.
"Um, I'm not sure. It was hiding back there." Jason admitted. It was clearly a sword but the scabbard was covered in a thick layer of dust and a cloth was wrapped around the hilt as if to hide it. Makayla opened her mouth to comment on the appearance when Annabeth entered.
"Oh, hey guys." She greeted. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to find something for Makayla," Jason said.
"What's that?" Annabeth asked. Jason handed her the sword. "Where did you find this?"
"It was hiding behind a bunch of other stuff. Recognize it?" He asked. Annabeth frowned and blew the dust from the scabbard, revealing some kind of writing, but as soon as she saw the marks her grey eyes widened and she gasped, dropping the sword to the ground.
"What's wrong?" Makayla quickly asked, wondering if the sword was cursed or something.
For a long moment, Annabeth said nothing. She just stared at the sword. Then, slowly, she moved down to one knee and gently wrapped the cloth from around the hilt of the sword. When it was uncovered Annabeth's hands went to her mouth as if she was horrified.
"What's wrong?" Jason repeated Makayla's question. Annabeth slowly shook her head.
"This sword… it… I thought it had been destroyed…"
"Why would it be destroyed?" Makayla thought aloud. Annabeth stood, her eyes locked on the weapon.
"Makayla, you do not want this. Trust me." Her voice was grave. "Put it back and forget you ever saw it. I am dead serious."
"Why?"
"Well… a lot of the weapons here have a history. Like Piper's dagger once belonged to Helen of Troy. Or Percy's sword Riptide: it was originally Poseidon's. But this sword…" Annabeth shook her head. "This has a history I and pretty much everyone else have forgotten."
"What's its history?" Jason wondered.
"Sorry, but you don't want to hear it. Especially you, Makayla."
"Well now I really do!" Makayla argued, crossing her arms. Annabeth was silent for a moment, probably trying to decide whether or not to tell, then she sighed heavily.
"A few years ago, there was this camper. She appeared out of pretty much nowhere, bruised, bloody, her clothes torn up, and she looked exhausted. She stumbled into camp and collapsed. We patched her up as much as we could but some of her injuries wouldn't heal. While she was asleep she was mumbling stuff about snakes and secret marks." Makayla's Snake Scar tingled across her body as Annabeth continued. "When she woke up enough to talk she told us she had been kidnapped by someone but she couldn't remember their name. She had passed through the border so we figured she had to be a demigod and we trained her. She already knew the basics but we taught her more. When she got to choose a weapon she asked the Hephaestus cabin to make her a sword, this sword, and after it was made she named it Desolation."
The name caused a shiver a run down Makayla's spine. From the look on his face, she guessed the same was for Jason.
"We didn't know the reason why she picked the name at the time. She seemed to be a pretty good person; she followed the rules, always did she told, kept promises. She became friends with pretty much everyone. Even Mr. D liked her. Then we noticed that things had started to go missing: first it was just a small trinket then it turned to some clothes disappearing and we finally started to get suspicious when people's weapons started disappearing. The whole time she was still Miss Perfect but over time she started to change. She became sour and rude and would bully the new campers. She would disappear for long amounts of time then come back like nothing happened. It was about… about six or seven months after she appeared when akcamp was attacked. People and monsters came from everywhere. They attacked everyone and everything in sight… except for the girl. She stood at the entrance of camp watching the battle like it was a movie.
"When I confronted her she told her that she had planned to destroyed camp since she arrived. She had betrayed everyone at camp and used the same sword we made for her to kill dozens of campers. If this had been a regular camp, everyone would have been slaughtered but this is a camp for demigods. It was a big battle and in the end she died, but her sword… I don't remember keeping it." Annabeth finished the story. Her eyes were still locked on the sword.
"But what does this have to do with me? You said I wouldn't want to hear that story. Why?" Makayla reminded her. The Daughter of Athena sighed heavily.
"Because the girl's name was Makayla and she looked exactly like you."
Ω Ω Ω
For a long moment, Makayla was frozen.
There had been another camper with her name and had looked just like her. The fact that she nearly destroyed Camp Half-Blood and betrayed everyone didn't help.
Makayla looked down at the sword. Slowly she knelt to one knee and carefully uncovered the hilt of the sword, touching only the cloth. Her purple and silver eyes widened at the sight of the hilt. It was beautifully simple. The hilt was a two-hand grip and was wrapped with light-colored leather. The crossbar was white in color and straight, a slight up-curve at the tips. Makayla could see a small bit of the blade from when Annabeth dropped it. Completely transfixed by the weapon, Makayla slowly traced her hand along the sheath, removing more dust. There was a strange pattern on the sheath and she froze when it became clear to her.
"Makayla…? Are you okay?" Jason asked when he saw her freeze.
She didn't, couldn't, answer. Her eyes slowly traced along the patterns. It started at the bottom, twisting tightly around the leather, the scales looking real as they twisting to reach the top, the opening of the sheath being the mouth… She would recognize that image anywhere.
The Serpents' snake
Makayla's body-sized Snake Scar tingled and sent a shiver running down her spine. It seemed like everywhere she went and everything she did somehow have something to do with that evil group. But… even Camp Half-Blood? How did Past Makayla have that symbol on her sword? The Serpents were nearly impossible to find and join unless forced or recruited and Makayla doubted Ganabranth or whoever the leader had been would have armed a prisoner.
Slowly, Makayla wrapped her hand around the hilt and pulled the sword from its sheath.
"Makayla don't-" Annabeth stopped when the sword's blade showed. She pressed her lips together nervously. It was silver: that was all they saw.
"Who made this?" Makayla asked slowly.
"Um, I think it was Charles Beckendorf. He was the former Hephaestus Cabin counselor." Annabeth said. Her voice caught slightly at her friend's name. "He was one of the best blacksmiths here."
"'Was'?" Jason asked.
"He died fighting against Kronos. He was a true hero." The daughter of Athena said simply. Sensing she didn't want to say more Jason left it at that.
Makayla however, had completely zoned out the little exchange. The silver blade was mesmerizing but the redhead could have sworn it was making some kind of sound, like a kind of… singing. She furrowed her eyebrows. Slowly she reached out a hand. Her fingers touched the blade…
There was a flash of light and suddenly images flashed in front of Makayla's eyes:
She saw a woman laying on a hospital bed, clearly pregnant.
Then surprisingly, she saw Ganabranth holding a small pink bundle: a baby.
Ganabranth was in what looked like a living room, his arms out as a small red-haired baby walked over, the woman smiling in the background.
Ganabranth standing in front of a gravestone, the child about 2 in his arms, tears in his muck-green eyes.
The child now about 5 in a cell-looking room, facing away from Makayla.
The girl about 7 behind Ganabranth's legs as he yelled at someone, the other person's face hidden in shadows.
Ganabranth standing above the person, a bloody knife in his hand, the person now on the ground and clearly dead.
Ganabranth standing in front of a large cheering crowd in what looked like a large underground cavern, being appointed the leader. The girl was beside him.
The girl about 11 fighting a man, both with daggers, the girl clearly winning. Ganabranth was in the background watching with a small smile.
The girl about 14 getting something marked on the back on her shoulder.
Ganabranth hugging the girl who was now about 16.
The girl was at Camp Half-Blood, a strong-looking camper (Makayla guessed Hephaestus's son that Annabeth mentioned) handing the girl a finished sword, her back still facing Makayla.
The girl standing in front of a war-scene holding 'Desolation', demigods fighting with lifeless bodies scattered everywhere.
The girl, dead on the ground. Three strangers stood around her body.
Ganabranth crying on his knees while holding the girl's limp body close to his own, stab wounds visible on her back and her body covered in cuts and stab marks.
Ganabranth standing in front of a gravestone beside the first with his hand clenched into a fist, the dagger on his hip clenched tight, fury blazing his tear-filled eyes.
Makayla saw the girl's face: her lips in a cruel smirk, her green eyes open, otherwise looking exactly like her.
Then she saw the gravestone with all the words blurred except for one word, one name: Makayla
Makayla ripped her hand from the blade, stumbling back against the wall of the weapons shed and sending weapons clattering to the ground. The images passed by her eyes in flashes, barely quick enough to see, yet each was as clear as day.
"Are you okay?" Jason quickly grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling onto her back.
"What happened?" Annabeth asked at the same time.
Makayla's didn't hear them. Her breathing was fast, eyes wide and her heartbeat racing. Her gaze snapped to the sword laying so innocently on the ground: Desolation. Its history explained the name. She was so confused about the flashes showed yet… she knew exactly what she saw. Just the thought made so much sense but, at the same time, she never would have even thought about it.
"She was his daughter..." Makayla muttered, her eyes still on the sword.
"What? Who was whose daughter?" Annabeth asked, confused. Makayla blinked and shook her head.
"No, no, no! No, you don't get it. You don't get it, it makes so much sense and I never would have guessed! I- I understand it all now: why he was so focused on me, why he wanted to find camp, why he's so mad all the time, why he uses his knives: it all makes sense!" Makayla told the two demigods, her mind racing a million miles per hour, her talking speeding up with excitement as it all began to fall together. "He's so mad about her death that he's trying to find camp to avenge her but he can't find it so he caught me and tried to get me to tell him but I wouldn't say anything so he started hurting me like she was it makes so much sense-!"
"Makayla stop!" Annabeth cut off Makayla's rant, grabbing her shoulders, worried that her friend was just talking gibberish. "What the Hades are you talking about?! Who are he and her and what about camp?"
"I- I- I- I gotta go find Chiron. I gotta tell him what I saw!" Makayla exclaimed. She quickly snatched up the sword, flinging open the door of the shed and sprinting out.
Annabeth and Jason exchanged looks.
"Any ideas?" Jason asked. Annabeth shook her head.
"I got nothing."
And that concludes the twenty-seventh chapter of Hidden Secrets and Shared Lies!
Thank you all for reading and I hope you chose to continue. Feel free to leave a review as criticism, complaints, advise, and/or compliments are welcome to be said and heard.
Have a good one and I'll see you later!