The shrouded body of Clarisse LaRue was lifted onto the funeral pyre and two coins were placed over her eyes before fire was set to the wood. Nico watched over the proceedings and gave the proper rites that the daughter of Ares deserved. The God of War stood off to one side, his eyes showing actual pain in them over the loss of his beloved child. The god's wrath when the body of Clarisse had been discovered had been something to behold. Nico had been surprised, he hadn't expected the god of war and battle to show such emotion over the loss of a child. But Ares had wept over her body nonetheless, vowing vengeance on the one who had killed her. It had taken time for the other gods to calm him down enough for the demigods to wrap Clarisse in a shroud of Ares.

"It wouldn't have been nearly as hard on him had she fallen in battle." Chiron said quietly from where he stood next to Nico, his eyes on the burning pyre. "To be killed in the dead of night with no chance to defend herself is of the most grievous insults one can pay to a child of Ares."

"Not that Orion particularly cares." Nico said darkly, the black and red arrow that had pierced Clarisse's heart at the forefront of his thoughts. "Apparently just taking demigods isn't good enough for them now."

"Which means that they are preparing for their next step in this war." Artemis said gravely, two wolves at her side as she walked up to Chiron and Nico. "This is a dark development indeed."

"At least we know what they are doing with the demigods they took." Nico noted. They had received an Iris message from Jason detailing everything that had transpired with Gina's impostor and Ryker's injury and subsequent kidnapping. Each camp had drawn up a list of demigods that had been taken by Orion and distributed them to the other on the off chance that they would try to infiltrate the camps once more. As of yet it appeared that Gina's intrusion was the only attempt the enemy had made. It also looked like Gina's failure had motivated Orion to capture or kill demigods with equal zeal. "If they try anything like that again at least we will be ready."

"As ready as we can be." Chiron corrected. He glanced to Artemis. "How are your Hunters holding up after losing one of their own?"

"They are, understandably, angry." Artemis said. "Jude had been part of the Hunt for longer than many of them and they regarded her as a sister-like figure. Her death has made them hungry for revenge. Keeping them here to defend Camp Half-Blood has frustrated them. They want to go hunt Orion, just as he has hunted them."

"Their continued presence here is extremely reassuring to the campers." Mr. D offered, appearing out of thin air beside Artemis. "Not that I particularly care mind you."

"Of course not." Nico said sarcastically. He shot Dionysus a glare which the god ignored with a disdain that showed years of practice. "So what should we do? If Orion is starting to kill demigods as well we need to prepare ourselves for… for anything. We should warn the Roman camp as well."

"I have already contacted Annabeth and advised them to remain on high alert." Chiron informed them. "But beings as that we have no idea how Orion managed to slip so easily into camp and kill Clarisse our defensive measures might be for naught."

"If it is even Orion." Artemis muttered.

Everyone present glanced at her sharply and even Ares looked away from the funeral pyre, his eyes blazing with hatred. "I assume you have some reason for saying something like that?" Dionysus inquired, summoning up a goblet of wine and then sighing when it transformed into a bottle of water.

"The wounds on Jude's body were not conducive to an arrow." Artemis said after a moment. "The hole in her chest was too large. Even for a spear. The same injury has been found on several of the others who have been found dead."

"So you think that Orion might have someone helping him out now?" Nico asked. "Who?"

"I can't say for sure, my suspicion is exactly that: a suspicion." Artemis said uncomfortably.

"If you know who is responsible for my daughter's death you better tell us." Ares shouted, turning away from the pyre for the first time and stomping over to Artemis. "Tell me so I can kill him and avenge my little girl!"

"I doubt Clarisse would appreciate you referring to her as 'little girl'." Chiron corrected quietly, but Ares did not appear to hear him. "But I agree with him, Artemis, if you have some inkling as to whom Orion could have recruited to his cause telling us could potentially save lives."

It was clear to Nico that Artemis did not like having information forced out of her, but she spoke nonetheless. "You understand that I can sense my hunters at all times, correct?" Artemis asked. When everyone nodded she continued on, "Around the same time that Jude died, Ryker's presence was lost to me. I could no longer sense him. There are two reasons that could happen. The first is that he was killed, which is very possible. The other is…"

"That he was the one who killed Jude." Nico breathed, finishing the thought.

At first Nico did not want to believe it. Ryker might have been many things, but a cold-blooded killer was not one of them. But the more he thought about it the more it made sense, even if he didn't want it to. They had been readying themselves for an attack from Orion, but that had in turn exposed them to an attack from an unexpected source. "But why would he do that?" Chiron asked, clearly just as unnerved by the idea as Nico was.

"I do not know, as I said, this is just a theory." Artemis said, glaring at them for their reactions. "But if it is correct it would imply that Ryker has switched sides and joined our unknown foe. As for his reasons, they are beyond me."

They continued to talk on various measures they could take to counter the next attack from Orion or Ryker, but the son of Cybele had heard enough. He cut the link he had made with a Great Horned Owl and dropped out of tree after running a kind hand down the owl's feathers. The owl hooted happily and flew silently away into the night.

Orion was leaning against the tree that Ryker had been sitting in, and watched as Ryker landed lightly on the ground in front of him. "Hear anything interesting?" Orion asked curiously, cocking his head to one side. His ever-present bow was leaning against the tree at his right side, the dark metal nearly invisible in the moonlight. "Or were you just eavesdropping for fun?"

Ryker nearly laughed. Nearly. He glanced at Orion and shrugged. "They seem to have figured out that I am working with you now." He then amended the statement. "Or at the very least they suspect it. It will make taking demigods that much more difficult."

"That's fine." Orion shrugged and smiled slightly. "We don't have any more demigod targets to take. You, on the other hand, have a new target."

Ryker's eyes tightened but he gave no other indication of his annoyance. Had he already not killed enough? But he shook off the thought before it could take hold and looked to Orion expectantly. "Who?" He asked in a bored tone.

"Travis Stoll. Son of Hermes." Orion said, watching Ryker intently. "After him you are free to go."

"Am I now?" Ryker asked suspiciously. He had only been working for Orion for a few weeks, not nearly as long as he had expected to. True, he had been sent on assignments far more often that the demigods had but a few weeks was far sooner than he had expected. Perhaps things were finally starting to look up. "And after I kill him I am free to return to my forest?"

"I swear on the River Styx that I will not try to stop you." Orion vowed, smiling pleasantly at Ryker. "Like I said, I'm a fair guy. We had similar goals, I want to stay alive and you want to go back to your forest. This way both of us get what we want."

"You're immortal." Ryker said slowly, drawing up the cowl on his coat. His new wardrobe had been given to him by Orion. The coat, the gloves, the pants, the shoes, all of them had been gifts from Orion. They were woven from some strange fabric that seemed to pull at shadows, begging Ryker to step into them. It made disappearing into the darkness painstakingly easy, yet emerging from the shadows proved to be a chore. It was almost like the coat was made of shadows and did not want to be taken away from its kin. "You can be killed but you can't die. Not for good anyways."

"Yeah." Orion laughed, a hard and cold sound. "Let's just say that's not the case, not right now at least. All those monsters that get dusted by the demigods? Most of them aren't coming back. That's why they are fighting so hard. They don't wanna die either. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't even be part of this stupid war. The Hunters and I had a good thing going. I kill them, they hunt me down and occasionally kill me. Everyone's happy. But with this guy, he's playing for keeps."

"So you are fighting because you are afraid." Ryker nodded. "Fear is a motivator just as much as anything else."

"Yeah, that's one way to put it." Orion said darkly. "Trust me, if I had it my way I would be wasting just as many monsters as you. This guy's end goal isn't what I would call…. It's not my idea of a smart plan."

"You never have told me who it is that you are working for." Ryker noted, pulling his bow from his shoulder and gazing out towards Camp Half-Blood. "Or are you still worried I am going to betray you?"

"Nah, not after wasting so many demigods." Orion laughed again and shook his head. "The gods don't take lightly to that."

Without another word Ryker disappeared into the forest. He made scarcely more noise than the shadows he hid in as he crept into Camp Half-Blood, an arrow nocked to his bow, and moved through the tents. There was a moment of tension when Nico di Angelo and Artemis strode by him, both of them engaged in conversation, but they didn't seem to take note of his presence. One of the cleaning harpies that made its residence at Camp Half-Blood did notice him when he emerged from the shadows beside the Hermes Cabin. It made to take into the air, drawing in breath for a screech, but Ryker silenced it with an arrow through one eye. The monster crumbled away without another sound. One of the Hermes demigods strode out of the cabin in irritation and looked up to where the Harpy had been sitting. "Stupid chicken-ladies." The demigod muttered before walking back into the cabin.

Ryker waited until he was at the door before making himself known. The second that the camper had stepped off the porch to look for the harpy Ryker had vaulted onto the wood from the other side and sat in the shadows, waiting for his prey to step back onto the porch. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, the years of thieving experience, or even some sixth sense, whatever it was, something alerted the son of Hermes to Ryker's presence. He managed a brief cry before Ryker's ungloved hand clamped over his mouth, silencing him. The damage had been done though, the inhabitants of the cabin had heard the sound of surprise. Ryker quickly inspected the face of the demigod he had captured and made a sound of digust. "You aren't the one I was sent for." He said, pushing the son of Hermes in front of the door and tearing off of the front porch. He could only hope that the cowl on his cloak had hid his face enough for the demigod to not notice who he was.

The second that his feet hit the floor Ryker tore off for the forest. Staying in an attempt to kill Travis Stoll would have been foolhardy, and potentially fatal. Horns of alarm went up along the camp in record time, before he could even make it back to the woods, and fires began to run across the camp's borders. Ryker had just managed to make it to the border when the ring of fire completed itself. He skidded to a halt as the flames rose to tower fifteen feet into the air. The sounds of footsteps had Ryker spinning around and ripping a special arrow that Orion had given him from his quiver. Scores of demigods were rushing towards him with a medley of weapons in their hands.

"Well, I would be remiss to say that catching you hasn't been entirely easy." Dionysus drawled, appearing in mist of wine-smelling air beside the demigods. A silver flash and a pillar of fire signaled the arrival of Artemis and Ares. "But, as they say, that all ends now. You can try going through the fire if you would like, in fact please do, but you should know that it will burn you to cinders the second that you touch it."

Not good. Ryker thought to himself, his eyes darting back and forth between the three gods and then to the line of demigods. Too many. Too much power.

He kept his arrow drawn, the explosive tip swaying back and forth. This bow was better than the one he had been given by Artemis, stronger. Keeping it drawn was so much easier as well. "You are the one who killed my daughter." Ares growled. He strode forward and a pillar of flame encircled the god and his target. Ares grew taller and taller until he stood as tall as the very highest of the flames. He gazed down at the hooded demigod in rage, a massive broadsword now in his hands. A loud crack rang out above the flames and the prison of fire that had encircled Ares and Ryker died down until the flames were completely gone. The ring of fire around the camp however remained fully intact.

"As much as I agree with your rage, I think that we should interrogate him first. Don't you think that would be best?" Artemis asked coolly. Ares slowly shrank to a normal sized human and stepped back even as Artemis stepped forward. "Why don't you surrender, Ryker?" She asked, her voice carrying an unmistakable plaintive tone that was most unlike her.

Ryker wasn't the one who answered. He lowered his bow and threw back his cowl, glaring at the gods and goddess and demigods. It was Orion who answered, leaping up as a hole opened up in the earth. The Giant grinned at the looks of surprise on the faces of those assembled and winked at Artemis. "Been a while. Miss me?"

"Orion!" Artemis hissed, drawing her bow. She let loose a silver arrow at the Giant which was intercepted by an identical one. The mini-explosion from the arrows kicked up a small cloud of dirt, though not nearly enough to obscure the vision of either side. She glanced to Ryker in surprise and outrage. Ryker looked back at her with a blank expression, his own bow slung over his shoulder and Artemis's bow drawn with another arrow ready.

"Looks like we have reached an impasse." Orion reasoned. He nodded his head to the pillar of fire and smiled. "On the other side of this fire is a legion of monsters far larger than anything you have seen thus far. Now you can go ahead and try to kill us before the fire defense is broken, or you can let us go and I will call off the monster attack. It's your choice."