"They won... they really won. How the hell did they... did he..." Aaron looked, stunned and disbelieving at the shadowy screen before him. Ares was there, bleeding from his heel while Percy, badass that he was, stood away from him with blood on his sword Riptide. Percy looked as disbelieving as Aaron himself was, just as startled and almost afraid. It was honestly comical in a million ways, but scary and impressive in a million more.

Hecate hummed beside him, nodding her youthful head. "That happens when you underestimate your enemy and when your fight Ares. He fairs poorly against anyone with power or skill beyond fighting like a beast. Tactics and actually attempting to make him bleed, that is what allowed your friend to win... that and Kronos' interference." She gestured to the image, where they watched as Ares stood still and the image lost some of it's color. "He was influencing Ares' and the man realized that now, but he was playing to his terrible habit of playing with his enemies. Making it so Ares wouldn't do that smart thing and just attack your Brother with full force or any attempt beyond playing with him. This is the future I foresaw and this is the future that we needed to pass."

Standing, she brushed off her robes and gestured to him to stand. He did so, watching the chair he was sitting upon evaporate into nothingness.

"I guess we need to speak now, don't we?"

Hecate smirked. " Of course we do. Your talisman shattering should have either stripped your memories or signified your development of magic both physically and spiritually. It, in fact, did signify that your body has magic but your soul has yet to be fully marked. That is, in part, why you were so effected Kronos' spell and why you could hear the spirits of the dead. All magical practitioners can hear the dead, as all of you have the potential to cast necromantic magics. You are no exception."

Nodding, he turned fully to the Titanness. " So why did I not develop soul magic?"

"You lack an answer, to a very simple but important question. One that will, if you can answer It, allow your soul to be branded with potent magic and fully allow you access to the magic dormant in your blood now."

"What question is that?"

She just smiled at him. "Why did you join this quest?" Reaching forward, she placed her fingers on his forehead, power surging through his body painfully as his shoulders screamed out. When she released her fingers, she smiled at him. "There, I have restored your body from the damage you have collected while on this quest. I will not do it again, but I think as a reward for your success in stopping the war that this is the least I can do. I will return you, along side Sally, to her home."

Before she could do so however, Hades cleared his throat, getting them to turn to him. " Before you leave, I would like to say thank you." Stunned, Aaron turned to the man. " I heard how you defended my honor, repeatedly throughout your quest. No one ever stands up for this place, or me... and while that is not enough to grant you a boon, perhaps it is enough for advice... yes... " The man smiled and snapped his fingers, causing skeletons to rise from the ground, clattering onto the floor. " Magical bones can be touched by anyone, even mortals... I think that if you are searching for a close quarters weapon, that might be the way to go."

Shadows exploded at his feet just a second later, and everything went cold and dark and tight... and then he tumbled to the ground, thankful that his arms were no longer hurt. Slowly he managed to stand, dizzy and disoriented before looking up and seeing the beautiful arm of the even more beautiful Sally helping him to stand. "Sally." His voice was breathless, tired and excited. He barreled into the lovely lady, holding her tight and squeezing her. "Your okay."

Petting his hair and murmuring words of encouragement, she let him cry into her clothes. "I am fine, I am okay, I am-"

"SALLY!" They all turned at the sound of his father's voice, looking at the disgusting man who stared at them hatefully. "Your back?"

Sally

Even as she looked at her husband, seeing the wrath in his eyes, she held Aaron close, desperate to spare him the pain she was so familiar with thanks to Gabe's evil. He was a good boy, he didn't deserve to suffer because of her or Gabe. "We found our way home, safely, isn't that wonderful Gabe. We are safe. Your son, your only son, is safe." She emphasized the word son, hoping it would sooth his rage, and from the softening in his eyes it seemed to if only slightly.

"Really, Aaron your okay?"

Aaron stepped away from her, moving in front of her in a protective gesture that broke her heart. She knew that he knew that Gabe had hurt her, or at least was capable of it.

'He looks so different, Camp has made it's change on him.' He had dropped at least ten pounds of excess weight, gaining firm muscle especially around his shoulders and forearms. His hair had grown out, curling around his neck and ears in the most adorable way that just utterly separated him from his father. However the greatest change was the loss of the dead look around him, he radiated health and happiness and power and a willingness to do anything.

He was beautiful to her.

"Yes, Gabe, I am alright. Sally kept me safe after we were attacked. Someone mugged us, and destroyed your car. We were running from him for a long time, we didn't want to risk bringing him to your home so he'd hurt you, too." Her adopted son's lies were smooth, perfect and just this side of believable. Yet she saw it, the lie in them, it was a subtle falsehood that Gabe's ignorance couldn't manage to detect.

In fact he seemed uplifted. "That was good of you son... say, you don't know how to play poker, do you?"

"Yes, I do. Let me get a shower first, I haven't had one in forever." With that, he grabbed Sally's hand and led her away, making sure to skip past Gabe as he walked back to his constant game of poker. "I'll be down after I grab that shower and some clothes."

"I'll see you then."

They moved into the hall and then into Sally's bedroom, wading through trash and filth as they did so.

"How long has he been hitting you?" He looked at her, eyes cold and brown and filled with determination that she felt lacking in herself. " I can tell your terrified of him and I know an abuser when I see one. He looked at you like my mom used to look at me before she beat me."

Her heart shattered at those words. "For a while... but I learned to avoid it. You see his scent, it-"

"Masks Percy's, I know. Grover told us. I learned magic while you were away, I am sure I could turn him into a toad for you or anything like that. He deserves it."

She just laughed. "Your a lot like Percy and his father, you all think you can just make everything happen for me with a wave of your hand. If my life is going to mean anything then I am going to have to make it happen myself... now, what happened since I've been gone? Don't spare a detail, I can handle it."

As it would turn out, her heart could barely handle it. The whole story, front to end, was almost unbearable on her aging heart.

"So yeah... that's what happened."

His words were like an hammer to her soul, she sighed and slumped. " I am sorry, you were so unattached to all of this and now you are fully involved. I wouldn't blame you if you'd want to lose your memories. But can I ask you, Because I do wonder and think Lady Hecate had a point... why did you joint he quest? I mean even with all that happened, Percy was basically a stranger to you?"

"I... " He stopped and for a long moment said nothing. Then the words came out of him in such a way that it left her already aching heart all the more painful. "I wanted to matter, I wanted a chance to make my life mean something outside of just being his brother or Gabe's son. I did it for myself."

With his words, heat exploded off of his body, rippling across the room and her skin. They shared a gasp, his eyes twinkling as the power forever marked his soul.

"Your power?"

He nodded, a smile on his face. "It's back... for the first time I guess... I am a sorcerer. I have magic on my own."

Aaron

It felt strange, even as he walked away from Sally to hop into the shower. Cold strength, like a radiator in reverse, washed through his blood without the presence of his damn coin. He could feel it, pulsing almost as if in tune with his heartbeat, pumping slowly throughout his body. His senses felt in tune with it more then anything else, like the world had been dark and too warm before but now was cold and bright and beautiful.

The warm water crashing onto his skin felt wonderful against his newly cool body.

"What am I going to do... am I going to stay here or go to Camp. Does Sally need me here or would I only impede her? Camp has better resources and I would be welcome there now what with the quest... what should I do? What can I do? Gabe seems like he actually likes me now, what a joke that is. I wonder what's going on in the fat head of his."

Knowing it wouldn't be wise to be in there for long, he quickly got out, stunned about how much weight he lost as he put on the damn clothes that used to be Gabe's. Bracing himself he knew his choice...

"I'll stay for a day, then it is off to Camp. Sally said she wants to make the choice for freedom..." He stopped short of the bathroom door and closed his eyes as a brilliant idea came to his mind. A prayer came to his lips. " Lady Hecate, as your newest fully fledged Acolyte, I have a request... look into Sally and consider this. She admires choice and personal power deeply. She would be a fantastic witch on her own right and that would give her the means to protect herself and Percy... please... if she is what you'd desire, then help her... give her the power of that choice, be it with magic or with another path that she may have in front of her but not realize it." From within the pocket of his old clothes, he pulled out the remains of his old coin, fingering it gently as he reminisced about his time with it. "Help her help herself..." Happy, he stuck the shattered coin in his pants... and jumped when it, completely restored, fell from his pocket and onto the ground.

A wicked smile came to his face as, one again, he sensed magic oozing from it as he reached down to get it back.

"Thank you, Lady. Hecate." Smiling, he almost skipped away, chanting loudly. "OHHH Sally! I have a something to show you!"

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the review.

This was fun, powerful and interesting and I am okay with it's shorter length to present it.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.