What's up everybody. I'm sorry about the wait for this chapter, I recently started working nights at work and it took a few days to adjust to the new schedule, so that's the reason. I'm used to it now though so the next chapter should be out sooner than this one. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this one!

Now let's respond to some reviews.

Zutama: "Hey I've been reading this story for a while and it's really good but I always had a question. Where did the inspiration come from? And I also like how it's brutal, did you draw and inspiration from series or violent shows?"

Response: Thanks for the support, and the inspiration came from my love for the books. I just wanted to make a continuation in my image and incorporate my ideas with what was already there. As for the brutality, It's really just my style, but I also take some elements from media I've seen, like the manga Berserk. That's a super rough one, not for the faint of heart.

Shadowhunter2077: "Well I can't blame Harper to still have some doubts about killing Levi, because while the others only see him as the monster he is now, while Harper remembered him when he was a decent person and brother, so I can understand her conflict.

And also will Hercules be with the group during all the books or only this one.

And damn poor Sera, she now must face the same people who sold her as a slave, I hope nothing bad happens to her, also a child of a Sun Goddess would be useful, espacialy when dealing with childrens of a Snow Goddess.

Ps: How f***ed would be Ouranos if Zane lived in this universe."

Response: Yeah, Harper's still conflicted, and understandably so, for the reasons you named. Her struggle will only increase though sadly. And about Hercules, he'll be in the story quite a bit, just keep reading. And I agree that a Sun demigoddess would be useful, but I don't have a character like that yet so you'll have to make do with the gang we have. And about Zane...he could take current Ouranos, but later on...no. Ouranos will be extremely OP, and current Zane wouldn't stand a chance. But as for the first book, yeah he might've been able to end it.

thesuperone342: "I'm so sorry this review is late, but I finally got around to finishing this. First off, great chapter with a lot of feels, some nice action, and funny moments. Talon and Harper have a great dynamic, it's like reading a comic book series with the two or something. Harper being emotionally fucked up in the head after everything that has happened makes complete sense, and is something I think I glossed over to quickly with all of my characters. The scene with the fat god was hilarious, the storm spirit scene was good, all in all a good chapter. Sorry for the super late review."

Response: Don't sweat it, we all get busy sometimes. And thanks, I'm glad you like their relationship. I personally think it as a brother sister dynamic, and it's really fun to write. Can't wait for your next chapter by the way.

MountainBookSage25: "Binged

Like

And anticipation skyrockets

This is a good fic man, suprises the follows, favs and reviews aren't in the thousands already

I can't wait for the Matt and Harper reunion

Sure is going to be awkward"

Response: Thank you, it means a lot. Yeah, It would be cool to have all of those favs and follows, but to be honest, I write this story out of enjoyment, and I'm surprised it has the favs and follows it does already. And I agree, it will be awkward, just stay tuned, cause it's not far away.

SuAvE ViPeR: "This was great, super funny banter between the characters and I loved it. Harper and Talon are a great duo and powerful as well. The fight was great and I liked the god you made, it adds to the story and I'll admit I laughed at the description. Can't wait for Matt's next chapter and to meet Sera's Family!"

Response: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hope you like this one too.

NiHaR OP: "Lmao Malachi and Sera really dont know social cues, when Sera got nervous back in the truck i knew that Sera lived close by or used to live here. Storm spirits fight seemed a bit drawn out but thats just me, looking forward to Matts pov"

Response: Those Malachi and Sera scenes are so fun to write lol, they really don't have social skills. And yeah, it was obvious by the way she reacted. Hope you like this chapter Nihar, and can't wait for next chapter of Never Bow Down.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters (except the OC's) Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Heroes Of Olympus, or Trials Of Apollo. All of that belongs to Rick Riordan.

13. I Get Derailed

Matt

Things were going good until the storm hit.

Father and I had been flying for a couple of hours, with Kyros flying in the air at Mach speeds. We were almost in Kansas.

I know what you're thinking. Matt, you're skipping stuff again!

Yeah, well not a lot has happened. We were on a mission, determined and ready to take action, so not in a talking mood. Father focused on guiding Kyros in the right direction, while I stood firm on his back, eyes open for any aerial attacks. I had made the mistake once, and I would NOT be ambushed by the Norse twins again.

Of course while we flew, I thought...and thought some more. I kept replaying the events of the day in my head, and how insane it had been in such a short period of time. Chiron's death, the near destruction of Camp, Aiden's crush on me, and Harper still believing in me.

Out there somewhere...

We would find them, her and the others. I had to. We had to complete this quest together, because how else would we do it? Ouranos was far more dangerous than we thought, able to ally with other pantheons and Titans. We would have to work together.

Which was another thing to be worried about, could we work together? Would it be the same as last time?

It had bothered me to no end, the anticipation of seeing her again at Camp. And that feeling only increased when I found out she wasn't there, delaying the inevitable...

But I couldn't focus on that now. I had to be ready.

"How much longer?" I asked over the roaring wind.

He said something, but I didn't hear him.

I grunted and unsheathed Viribus from my neck, thrusting it out in front of me, controlling the wind just enough so that I could hear him. Luckily it didn't resist against Kyros's flying.

"What?!" I repeated.

He turned his head, "A few minutes!"

"Seriously?!" I hadn't expected it to be that fast. We had literally left Camp like three hours ago. Then again, Kyros was going faster than a military jet."

Hercules shrugged, "You said be quick, so Kyros did just that!"

I chuckled, "I'm not complaining! I'm ready to do this!"

"Don't get big headed. We need to be ready for whatever's there."

I looked around, the sky starting to turn a shade of gray.

"What do you think's there, anyway?" I asked.

"Not sure, but if it's Ouranos, it's probably a weapon, or another body."

I internally cringed. Doubt it's a body, since he's relying on Viribus...

I stared at the ancient club in my hand, controlling the very wind in front of me perfectly. It contained the energy of two Primordials, both Ouranos and Gaea, a mass amount of power swirling inside. I could literally feel it, like a dark Yin and Yang.

I could no longer regret keeping it. It was my responsibility, and feeling conflicted about it would only make it more likely to get taken away. I had to be strong, and protect it to the best of my ability.

Thinking this, I tightened my grip on it.

I spoke again, "Turning gray, isn't it?" I scanned the area. We were about a thousand feet high, in the lower layer of the clouds, now turning a dark, wild gray, some lightning flashing in other parts. A complete one eighty of five minutes ago.

My father lowered his head, "We're close. Be on guard."

I lowered Viribus and kept my head downward, looking at the new terrain of wheat fields. Huh, I always thought that was a stereotype, but no, the entire land was engulfed in a golden ripple of wheat, swaying to one side heavily from the wind.

We kept flying straight, Kyros's wings steadier and sharper, ready to swoop down as soon as my father gave the order.

I closed my eyes, and felt the area for miles, trying to determine an aura, any aura...

Nothing.

I opened my eyes and looked around again. The skies were completely gray now, dimming the entire foreseeable area, not a sign of direct sunlight anywhere, just bright enough to see. Lightning illuminated the dark places in strobes, not bolts, which I found odd.

If that base was around here...there would be an aura of some kind.

I tried again, and sensed the area, like a radar. Within a few seconds, I felt a tingle in my brain, shooting down the soft spot of my neck, prickling it slightly. The sign of power nearby.

I rubbed my neck. Something very strong was nearby, or my skin wouldn't be tingling right now. I stepped forward a little and leaned down to my father's ear.

"Down there." I said, "Powerful auras."

He looked down, and tightened his lips. Kyros tensed up his back, and slowed his speed, now gliding in the air.

I squinted my eyes in the direction of the power, and spotted a bunker like structure, with two tiny figures nearby.

Them...

It didn't take a genius to know who was down there, and that they were guarding the base.

I pointed down there, in my father's line of sight, "There they are."

He nodded, "How you wanna do this?"

I felt a small pang of pride. My father asking me how I wanted to go in, just proving that I was growing up, that I could take care of myself, hold my own against the strongest. I fought the urge to smirk.

Instead I responded coolly, "Head on. I say we just dive down there."

He grinned wickedly, "I like the way you think, son."

Father spurred Kyros on the side, causing the Great Eagle to caw loudly and dash forward, breaking the sound barrier.

We shot downward in an instant, an immediate adrenaline rush hitting me, along with the wind.

"COME ON!" I shouted, a near maniacal roar escaping my lips. I probably sounded crazy, yelling like that, but I couldn't help it, I was anxious to pay these bastards back, destroy the base, and deal a blow to Ouranos.

In response, lightning shot down from the sky and connected with the ground, sucking up the two figures that stood there. In a fraction of a second, the bigger Son of Thor appeared fifty feet from Kyros, his hammer reared back, a psychotic grin on his face. The other brother...I didn't see. That would be my problem.

My father had this one handled. He didn't even nod to me, I just knew, judging from the battle lines. The big bro was asking for it. As soon as he appeared in front of Kyros, my father stood up and dived off Kyros's head, his fists reared back. For a split second, the Big Norse Brother looked surprised, probably that he had to fight a god now. Then he looked even more excited...that he had to fight a god now. Tells me how these guys think. They love to fight, to kill, they're ruthless.

I would return that, ten fold.

My father's fist connected with his chest, not giving the Norse demigod time to block. His chest crumpled and he shot towards the ground, hitting it and forming a crater in an instant, a shockwave booming and uprooting dozens of wheat plants.

Hercules boosted himself in the air by simply flexing his muscles and he dashed to the ground after the brother just as quick as I could Thunderclap.

"Don't get distracted!" I heard in my right ear, and turned, my face meeting a bright flash of blue light. I was sent flying off Kyros, flailing through the air, steam erupting from my breastplate in a trail of white from the bolt. I inwardly cursed, having been distracted by my father.

I flipped in the air and landed on my feet with a loud CRASH! A huge crater forming at the contact. Soon, the smaller brother landed in front of me, thirty feet away, his axe in hand, red hair flowing wildly with the wind. I could see him better now. He was my height six foot or so, lean with tattoos, and fur armor on his lower body, with a little on his shoulders.

"Son of Strength, we meet again." He said, smiling, his arms outstretched.

I motioned my head over to the raging battle to our right, my father bashing the older brother with punches, shockwaves booming with each blow.

"Might wanna help your brother out." I said simply.

He shrugged, "Nah, Bjorn'll be alright. That's his name by the way, and I'm Boris. But you can call me Bo." He chuckled, "Figured if we're gonna kill ya, ya should know our names."

I spun Viribus in my hand and stopped it in my stance, "I don't give a shit about your names. Do your best, I'll try not to laugh."

That sent him over the edge. His playful smile turned into a murderous glare. He roared and leapt at me, faster than sound easily, his axe above his head.

I brought up Viribus horizontally and blocked the blow, a shockwave deepening the crater I stood in, the wind blowing more and more, now at Tornado level power.

I quickly thrust my arm up and spun in a three sixty, catching him in the kidney with the sweet spot of Viribus, causing him to yell in pain and go skidding through the dirt.

I jumped after him and reappeared above him, ready to bash his head in with Viribus, but a blue glint appeared in my peripheral vision.

I barely dodged by rearing my head back, a giant blue animal thing flew over my head, dissipating shortly after like fireworks, sparkling with lightning in all directions.

"What the?" I muttered, and saw the source coming at me, the big brother Bjorn.

He had sent some kind of animal avatar of lightning at me, as a distraction. It rang true for them, Bo burst from the ground and grabbed my legs, I felt my body lurch forward and soon hit the dirt, my face covered in wheat and soil, then a force on my back, boots stabbing my spine. A sting shot up my body, and I grunted in frustration.

Bjorn grabbed my head with his large hand and threw me up fifteen feet, bringing his hammer back for a swing. But before he could a red glow flashed in the distance and approached faster with every nanosecond.

I knew what it was, and what to do. I forced my body to turn around and put my boot out, aiming at Bo. I side kicked him in the head, knocking him on the ground in a tumble. Behind me, Bjorn summoned lightning around his hammer and yelled, blocking my father's attack, but not before nearly losing his balance himself.

I landed on my feet, backing up slightly to face the two. Soon, my father appeared next to me, his fists clenched, the red aura misting from his skin. Kyros cawed above, circling us.

Bo kipped up and popped his neck, Bjorn growled and walked up next to his brother, paralleling our positions.

"Nice moves, Greeks."

"You can't win this. Give up and let us into the base." My father ordered.

They chuckled, "Don't care if we win, we just need that." Bo pointed at Viribus, in my hand.

I gripped it tighter, "Not a chance."

"Was hoping you'd say that."

I squinted my eyes, ready for any muscle movement, calculating which direction they would go, if they would summon lightning or not. I was ready for it all.

But instead of my eyes being stimulated, it was my ears, at the voice of my father.

"Matt, on my move, go to the bunker, and destroy it."

I knew it would waste time to question, so I simply waited. He could handle those two by himself, at least long enough for me to destroy whatever it was they were hiding.

On cue, he summoned a red glint from his chest and blasted it at the brothers, the flash immediately rolling over golden land and disintegrating the wheat below it. Bjorn and Bo appeared next to my father with lightning auras, their weapons glowing blue and outstretched towards him.

I took my chance and jumped, soaring two hundred feet high and aiming at the bunker. I used Viribus to control the wind and boost me down, wind shot at my back in a giant wave, and I reappeared above the metal mass, my fists connected with each other.

I brought them down on the flat surface and it shattered like glass, giant pieces of shrapnel flying everywhere, revealing the inside of the underground room.

I landed swiftly and looked back, my father was fighting the brothers at the same time. Hundreds of craters now littered the dark ground, any crop now gone from all the impact. I caught myself staring at the avatars slamming themselves into each other, two blue and one red, flashing and darting around like shooting stars, shockwaves resulting from each clash.

I shook my head and turned to the bunker, realizing that he was holding them for me. I couldn't waste any time.

I took a couple of steps and peeked over the edge, to find...nothing.

Not a single thing, just a gray canvas.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?" I gasped, not sure if I was looking right. I mean, the sky was dark and some of the bunker was hidden by a shadow, so...maybe it was bigger than it appeared.

I jumped down and looked around, trying to spot anything suspicious, but nothing stood out, literally, it was completely empty, save for a dark shadow towards the back.

I crept towards it, anticipation rising in my chest. Surely this was it, whatever it was, was back here.

The moment I stepped on the edge of the black line, I was greeted with a puff of air on my body, blowing my hair back. Then the stench hit me, like dried mucus and animal carcass mixed. I gagged and turned my head.

A single glow of white appeared twenty feet above me, growling.

Growling?

The moment the realization hit me, it was too late. I felt a giant fist smash into my chest, sending me flying upward and out of the bunker.

I landed on the soil and faced the source of the blow, expecting a cyclops.

Yep, It was.

He grabbed the side of the bunker and pulled himself up all the way, massive body now visible even from the gray clouds. He was the same size as Arges, large muscly limbs and beefy torso, with a patch of hair the same size as me on his chest. He wore a burlap loincloth around his waist, reaching just above his knees, flapping lightly with the wind. I was thankful it had calmed some, because I did not want to see what was under there.

I wasn't sure what to call this one, since I suck at myths, and didn't even know there were three original cyclops until recently. So for now I'll just call him what he is. Big, Ugly, Smelly, and Dangerous.

The Cyclops roared and lunged at me. Before I could plant my fist in his gut, a brown blur swooped from the sky and flew past the monster, a streak of blood following in a clump. It roared in pain, looking at it's chest in disbelief.

Kyros swirled around and could be seen now, his beak covered in red. He was desperately trying to tell me something.

What?! I asked loudly in my head.

Behind you! He replied, his emotion filled with urgency. Just then, a powerful aura pinged on my sensing radar.

I turned just in time to block Bo's axe, aimed at my neck. He grunted in frustration and pushed harder, I held tight and felt my heels being dragged through the dirt, closer and closer to the Cyclops.

It ignored it's chest wound and reared it's fist back, ready to catch me in the spine. I would be caught if I didn't do something quick. How they coordinated all of this in seconds, I wouldn't know. The Brothers I could understand, but a Cyclops? It must be smarter than it let on.

But the next second, proved that I wasn't alone. Kyros dove back in and based himself against the Cyclops, knocking it to the side in a roll. The two beasts struggled audibly, caws and bellows shaking the area, blood flying everywhere.

I turned my head back around, all attention on Bo. I pushed up against the axe, effectively escaping, when I did, I let go of Viribus and simultaneously grabbed it with my better hand, bringing it up on his chin with a quick strike.

Blood erupted from his nose and he flew upwards in a flip, body limp. I jumped after him and grabbed his head, a fistful of red hair in my palm. I angrily slammed him down against the earth, face first.

"NOTHING?!" I yelled angrily. Infuriated at being tricked into coming here, when I could've been looking for the others. It had been a trap all along. Of course it had.

When he didn't reply, I bashed his head further into the ground, then lifted him. I didn't even notice I had dropped Viribus.

I gripped the sides of his head with both of my hands, squeezing like a grapefruit. He yelled in agony and beat uselessly against my arms.

I saw red, nothing else mattered. I was going to kill him.

"MATT, THE CLUB!" I heard behind me, my father's voice.

I registered what I had done, and dropped Bo to the ground, quickly turning to grab Viribus, but Bjorn had beat me. The Ancient wooden weapon was in his right hand now.

He smirked, "Finally."

"NO YOU DON'T!" My father yelled, the voice of seemingly a hundred lions, and then he appeared above Bjorn, as an actual red lion, his true form.

Bjorn encased himself with lightning, grabbed his brother, and shot into the clouds.

My father landed next to me, and his aura dissipated quickly, but his urgency didn't.

"I'm gonna throw you! Be ready to intercept!" He ordered.

I was still dazed, "Wha?-"

"Damn it! Just get them!" He grabbed me and swung me around a single time, effectively letting me go towards the sky. With a BOOM! I flew through the air like light and reappeared in the swirling storm, a blue line inside.

I forced myself to focus, to ignore that I had let them get Viribus. I had to get it back, fix my problem.

So I did. I brought my hands back and clapped them as hard as I could, concentrated directly at them, careful not to blow the entire planet up. It still instantly caused the clouds to blow into nothing, the line of blue too fell apart, and the brothers appeared outside of it, flailing wildly.

I let gravity take over and found myself going right at them. I brought my legs out in front of me, like a pencil, and flew faster, eventually reaching their sight.

Before he could warn his brother of my presence, I dug my boots into Bjorn's stomach, causing him to go mute, and all of us to spiral downward towards the approaching ground.

I had hit him so hard that his nose had turned a shade of deep red, thick blood coming out of it. His fingers had instinctively let go of Viribus, and I snatched it out of the air, backhanding it against Bo in the process, causing the little brother to crash into the next cloud region.

I brought Viribus above my head and prepared to strike, but Bjorn wasn't as dazed as I thought, because he roared and summoned a bolt of lightning, hitting me in the back and throwing me off of him.

I felt a sting shoot up my neck, but ignored it, and focused more on my descent. I gripped Viribus by the handle and swiped it under my legs, causing a wind surge to hold me up temporarily, enough to anticipate the next attack.

It came as soon as I stood upright, Bjorn shot a legion of bolts at me, all circling around each other like a light speed corkscrew. I saw them get closer and closer together through my squinted eyes, meaning that they would all hit me, like missiles. They were fast too, far faster than regular lightning.

I held Viribus in front of me and let it take the brunt of the damage, not cracking it at all, it shielded me from the assault like a flat surface. All of the bolts seemingly clanged off of it and soared sideways.

Bjorn didn't even seem shocked, he just kept coming, his hammer somehow in his hand again. We struck and parried for a few seconds, he had the edge in technique, but I had the edge in power. Each of my swipes and jabs caused him to stumble...if you could even stumble in mid air.

Which was another thing, I vaguely noticed we were fighting in mid air, flying around the thunderclouds like two jets, trails of smoke behind us.

Finally he had enough, and roared at the top of his lungs, a surge of energy bursting around him, causing me to see white.

I felt a blow to my head, and it sent me to the ground, my body crashing in the soil.

My vision cleared and I looked up quickly to see him flying at me, head down and hammer at his side, like he was going to smack me and the Earth along with it.

Another blue light joined him, his brother I guess, recovered from my Viribus strike. They seemed to nod at each other and then disappeared with a flash.

Next thing I knew, I felt auras on either side of me, and I instinctively threw Viribus in the air, and blocked their punches with both of my palms, my arms outstretched on either side of me.

We now stood in a fifty foot crater, both brother's to my right and left. I held their fists, knowing that if they got free, they would grab Viribus. I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I was utterly impressed with their coordination, the sheer speed at which they could make a plan, by simply nodding at each other no less. They knew I would have to block them both, and I couldn't waste time turning Viribus back into a necklace, so they guessed I would throw it, which I did. These guys were good, really good.

But I was physically stronger. I focused on the inner rage, like a fire in my chest. Being tricked into coming here, just one more delay, keeping me from the others, from Harper.

I felt engulfed in power, stronger than before, the Red aura glowed around my fists. I clamped down on their hands and felt their knuckles crack, to which they both howled.

I pulled them in at the same time, and grabbed the back of their heads, forcing them together in a bone crushing SMACK! Like something out of a cartoon, I smashed their foreheads together. As soon as they did, I capitalized and pushed them to the ground, their faces buried in the dirt like birds.

I let go and looked upward, spotting Viribus. It was hundreds of feet in the air, spinning around like a baton, falling fast. I had to get it, before them, or that cyclops. Damn, I had forgotten about him. He was powerful, and I wasn't sure Kyros could beat him.

I bent down, and jumped, but right when my feet left the ground, I felt tight hands wrap around my ankles, like handcuffs.

Bjorn and Bo pulled me down and burst their heads from the dirt, blood all over their faces. They looked like demons, their eyes were blue and their faces were covered in red. Dripping from cuts and gashes, from their nose and eyes. Enraged expressions on top of that, had I been a normal person, I would have been terrified.

But I'm not normal.

They swung their arms in a hook at me in perfect unison, to which I barrel rolled under and came up behind them, dual punches of my own ready. But they weren't done. They mule kicked me in the chest, sending me tumbling through the side of the crater and in a tunnel of dirt.

I wound up with half of my body shooting up from the ground, the lower half trapped, like a gopher. I saw them leave their spot in blue flashes, all going to Viribus. Panic welled in my gut, and I did the only thing I could think of.

"FATHER! GRAB IT!"

I had no idea where he had been the whole time, but thank Olympus he heard me. His red aura intercepted with Viribus and grabbed it before the Norse Bros could. I saw what looked to be a swing right when they met him in the air, and their auras shot down to the Earth in half a second, creating a mushroom cloud of dust two miles away.

I brought my arms to my left side and twisted around quickly, all of the dirt under me and around me gone. I climbed out and dusted it off from my clothes and hair. What? It gets annoying.

Hercules landed next to me, his face miffed.

I held out my hand, sighing, "I know, I know."

He tossed the club to me and said it anyway, "Hold on to that thing better. You almost let them get it."

I caught it and stared at the direction they crashed, the gray mushroom cloud still in sight.

"Where were you?" I asked.

He started to answer, when a crackling noise came out of nowhere above us. I looked back and saw a large blue goat lunging at my father, it's eyes murderous and body transparent. It was made of lightning.

Hercules simply punched it in the throat and it dissipated to nothing. He turned to me like he had swatted a fly.

"That right there. The skinny one summoned some lightning animals."

I raised an eyebrow, "Goats?"

He shrugged, "A symbol of Thor, I think."

Made sense, but goats weren't exactly the coolest animal. No offense though.

Together we warily watched the mushroom cloud as it faded into the gray sky, joining the clouds.

I used this time to try and strategize, "We need to fight them individually again. They work stronger together."

"Obviously, they're brothers."

I nodded, "Exactly, they work so well together that their power increases drastically. We need to separate them."

"Alright." We stood in silence for a moment, waiting patiently for an attack. After a few seconds, my father turned to me, "Matt, don't worry about your anger here. These guys have got to go."

I tightened my lips, remembering how I nearly popped Bo's head open earlier, and nearly lost Viribus.

"I just don't wanna lose control."

"Don't worry about that. Use it here. These guys aren't Hephaestus."

I wasn't so sure. I want to defeat them, yeah, but I don't want to brutally kill them. That's just not me. Or at least, I think that's not me...

I put those thoughts on backburner, instead focusing on what was in front of me. I had to be ready, I had to protect Viribus.

Then out of nowhere, a loud screech nearly burst my eardrum, and a brown blur crashed into the ground in front of us.

Kyros.

The large bird was bloody, but not dead, thankfully. His left wing was clearly broken, and he lay there, cawing in pain.

My father went berserk, "KYROS!"

The perpetrator could be seen to our left, it's one eye rippling as it laughed a deep rumble.

My father, who had just talked about control, lost it.

He leapt at the Cyclops, "BRONTES!" He roared, which I guessed was it's name.

"Wait!" I tried, but it was too late, he had already engaged on the beast, beating it mercilessly. I gritted my teeth and ran over to Kyros, checking on his wing.

He cawed loudly, my head filling with his emotions.

OW! It said.

Sorry! Here, let me just... I tried to lift the wing, but he cawed loudly, and I let it go.

I wasn't sure what to do. My father didn't need help, but Kyros did, yet I had no idea what to do. This whole situation sucked. We had been lured here, and now our mode of transportation was hurt.

To make matters worse, the Norse brothers decided to reappear.

They shot down from the sky in dual bolts, directly in front of me, like vultures, only showing up when the rest of the pack was away.

I wasn't afraid of them, hell no.

I stood up, and sheathed Viribus back into a necklace, making it harder for them to grab it. I knew that was their absolute goal, and what they got out of it, I had no idea. But judging by the ferocity they've attacked me with, I'd say Ouranos plans to reward them.

Bjorn and Bo chuckled, their weapons in hand.

"This is the end of the line, Greek." Bo said, "This next attack, ya won't be able to dodge, or survive."

"We'll see about that." I grunted, and disappeared with a flash, reappearing behind them, but they weren't there.

They had already disappeared, to my surprise, and materialized behind me, a bright blue in my peripheral vision.

I turned. It was so bright, like a blue sun, piercing my irises with power. I felt their auras, and they were significantly more powerful than before, rising with each moment, higher and higher. It was like...they were combining their strength.

I walked forward, slower than usual, like I was being pushed back by wind. I didn't feel my hair flap though, or my clothes, so it wasn't wind, instead, it was their power...in surges. It radiated out with a loud whirring sound, blue flashes going back and forth, their bodies vaguely visible in the glow.

I would have to get serious to break through. I roared and put my head down, bursting through the surge and facing the brothers head on.

When I pulled my head up, I saw the brothers smirking down at me, the glow now not on their bodies, but on their hands. Circles of lightning coiled in their fingers and palms, a thick sphere of pure energy in each of their grasps. Time seemed to slow to nothing, like I was in a parallel universe, I made no move, I couldn't. I was too shocked.

Before the neurons in my brain could kick in to block, I felt an immense force on my chest, then inside of me, then through my back, and out. My stomach got hot, like magma had been poured in each of my intestines. I felt a heat rise in my throat, then a painful stinging sensation. I felt my eyes widen and mouth open autonomously, blood flying everywhere, in my eyes and nose, blinding me.

There was a moment's delay, and through the blood, I saw the demonic smiles of Bjorn and Bo, like hyenas grinning at their dead prey, then, I was sent to the sky, not a moment to think or react, just force against my front, and the back wide open, soaring to the sky.

I thought I heard my father call out to me, but maybe not. I couldn't really tell, my ears were ringing and buzzing, my eyes were drooping, I felt an intense pain in my stomach, and my mind drifted further into unconsciousness.

Within seconds...I was out.

The next time I woke up, I was still falling.

My eyes were wide open, I was spinning uncontrollably, a bright blue pigment displayed in my sight. I recognized it not as the Brother's lightning, but the sky.

My throat was dry, stinging and bubbling with some sort of acid gargle it seemed, the taste was awful, and I felt a mind-bending pain in my stomach, agonizing, twisting, pain.

"AGHHHH!" I yelled in the air, it escaped my throat with no control, blood coming along after it. I couldn't help it. the pain was nigh-unbearable, similar to Krios stabbing my gut. In fact, this felt JUST like that.

I tried to look at the source of the distress, but couldn't. The wind was too much in my face, my hair flapped wildly in front of my eyes, blocking my view every few seconds.

Finally I slowed enough to see that I was close to the ground, a green landscape now approaching, littered with the occasional gold, what I guessed to be more wheat. Houses sat not far from it, or what I guessed to be. My vision was still hazy, and they could've been giant monsters for all I knew.

A few more seconds passed and I crashed into the ground, sinking ten feet into the soil and uprooting a truckload of it. The pain in my stomach only increased, and I felt nausea creep up my esophagus.

I sat my head up and for the first time, looked at my wound.

I nearly yelled at the sight, it looked just like Krios's attack on me. The gray chestplate that I wore had been torn through, and a softball sized hole resided on my stomach, just above my belly button. Blood oozed from it, trickling down both sides of my body. Gore had been upturned, my insides nearly coming out of their place.

It was too much, I turned over and threw up right there, barely anything solid coming out, mostly clear vomit. It was disgusting, my situation. I was literally sitting in blood, barf, and dirt. This day couldn't get much worse.

I propped a hand on the ground and tried to push myself up, but the pain surged through my nervous system again and I slumped back down, my face falling in my own pool of gore. I guessed it had seeped out of my back.

Everything was fuzzy, the sounds around me, the brown dirt below me, nothing seemed to correspond. All I knew, was that I was hurt, bad, and I needed to get back.

But how? What could fix this?

As if some cruel part of the Universe heard my internal question, I felt Viribus's lion head lightly hit my chin, the momentum of my head being lowered causing the necklace to swing.

No.

I would not use it.

I couldn't. For my sake, for everyone's sake. Now that I knew the truth of my weapon, and just who's energy it holds, and that every time I heal myself, it enters me. I...can't afford to do it, not anymore. I remembered what happened last time, that vision...the horrifying image of my friends all dead, their carcasses hanging like animals, baby Ouranos, his minions.

I wouldn't do it.

I tried again, to no avail, slumping down on my back this time. I groaned weakly, a spurt of blood leaving my lip in the process.

I never begged for anything, but right now, I was really hoping that my father would show up, help me figure out a way to heal myself without Viribus. But what about the Sons of Thor? He'd have to fight them without me, assuming he killed Brontes, it would be two on one. And on top of that, worrying about Kyros.

I cursed inside of my head, unable to produce the words with my mouth. What a shitty situation, all of it. First being tricked into coming to Kansas, then thinking I had the Sons of Thor beat, only for them to pull out a hidden move and nearly kill me, and now...I'm stuck in Zeus knows where.

"HOLY SHIT!"

I flinched at the sudden high pitched shriek. What the hell was that?

My question was answered when I looked up at the edge of the crater, directly above me. A figured appeared there, the sun behind...it. I couldn't tell, as my vision was all over the place, and the sun didn't help.

The figure gasped, "Oh...oh my go-are you alright?!" It sounded like a girl, but I wasn't sure. My ears were still having a field day.

I tried to respond, but it only came out as "nghhh" and a series of groans and coughs, more blood sputtering from my lip. I was losing a lot, I could practically feel the energy fading from me, through the gap in my gut.

Her breaths became frantic, I could practically feel her body twist behind her to yell.

"MOM! DAD! COME OUT HERE!" She turned back to my body, "Hey! Hey, it's-it's gonna be alright!" She slid down the crater and landed at my feet, her hands planting softly on my shoulders, trying to lift my dead weight from the ground.

"Come on" She grunted, "You gotta help me out here..." She pulled again, and I groaned in pain, a surge of stings and pain shooting up my back and chest, like knives to butter.

She practically threw me down, "Sorry!" She breathed faster, panicking more.

"Eliza?! What's going on?!" A gruff voice shouted with concern, just above the crater. Her father I guessed.

"Dad, there's a boy down here! He's hurt!"

I heard two sets of gasps at the edge, then a "Dear lord..."

"Help me!" She pleaded, and pulled at me again.

Her father and mother both came down the crater and tried to help me too, successfully pulling me upright.

I groaned, "I-I'm fine. I'm fine, really."

"You have a hole in your stomach!" The girl named Eliza said, "We have to get you to a hospital!"

"NO!" I said, a lot louder than I meant to. The family jumped back a little, surprised at my outburst. I hated scaring innocent people, but I could NOT go to a mortal hospital. I doubted even the mist could hide this, not to mention they'd surely find out I'm not fully human within the first few seconds of looking at me. No, I had to figure out a way, a way without hospitals, and without Viribus.

This was going to suck...

I put a hand up, "Sorry, but-" I let out a coughing fit, my fist slamming into my lips to block the blood from coming out. Once I got over it, I cleared my throat, "No hospitals, please. I...I can't."

Who I guessed to be the mother said, "Why on Earth can't you?!"

I put as much urgency as I could in my tone. I had to convince them somehow.

"I just...I can't. Please."

They exchanged nervous looks, silently wondering what my issue was. I couldn't tell them the truth, no mortal, besides my mother knew about me. Well, none that could remember anyway.

It was a different world. I always knew that mortals only saw what they wanted, and that was a good thing, because if they knew the truth, if everyone of them knew the truth...it would be hell on Earth, and they'd all be insane.

I couldn't tell them, I couldn't break cover. I had to somehow make this seem like an accident or something. A...car crash! Yeah, that'll do it.

"I...was in a wreck, a little ways over. I...think I hit something" I motioned weakly to my wound.

They hesitated, but I guess I looked pleading enough, because the father sighed and put his arms under my kneecaps and back, lifting me off the ground bridal style. Which...sounds weird, but that was the position.

My eyesight was still disoriented, so I couldn't get a good look at the family, but the father had to be pretty strong, because I weighed at least two hundred pounds, probably more, and he hefted me up like I was a potato sack.

"We need to get this boy in the house, now. Apply some pressure to the wound and clean it." He seemed to look at me, "I don't know why you won't go to a hospital...but you seem to have your reasons, so we'll do the best we can."

"Thank you..." I croaked, and felt myself losing my grip on the world, everything coming and going in waves. I noticed the man moving quickly towards a large structure, the mother and the daughter close behind.

But beyond that, I caught nothing, because shortly after the door swung open, I blacked out.

In my consciousness, I was on top of a mountain, the very peak. Yet it wasn't pointed like you would expect, instead it had a rather flat surface, about a football field's worth of circumference space, all covered in a thick sheet of white snow, more flakes falling out of the gray sky. The surrounding land was hardly visible through the blizzard, but I managed to spot the faintest shadow of more mountains in the distance, them too frost covered.

But as I focused further, I found something sticking out of the ground, right in the center of the flat surface. It appeared to be a staff, something long, thin and cylindrical, with something large at the end.

As soon as I noticed this thing, the temperature seemed to drop twenty degrees, the air twisted and crackled with energy, my mind got tight with pressure, nearly causing me to lose focus.

But I remained aligned, and I willed myself to get closer to it. Ten feet away, I finally got to see what it was.

It glowed a light blue and transparent white, allowing me to make out it's shape and identify what it was. I followed the shaft up to the large object on top, and saw that it was thin in width, and somewhat shaped like a triangle, with a sharp point on the end.

Suddenly it made sense, and I knew what it was.

The Heavenly Diamond Spear.

If I could widen my eyes here, I would've. I hadn't seen the indestructible weapon since the Cursed Island, when I fought a Ouranos possessed Malachi. I remembered the thing in action, it's origin told by Talon, and how it could permanently kill gods. I assumed it had been lost after Zeus destroyed the Island, buried on the ocean floor or something. Obviously that wasn't the case. But where was it? Where was I right now?

I heard a low chuckle behind me, and I turned, to see not a figure, but the same flat snowy surface. Then it came from all sides, pure pleasure in it's tone, at seeing me confused.

"Ouranos" I muttered, knowing full well who it was taunting me.

"Matthias" He said from above, and I heard thunder, the clouds started to swirl and form a face, gray features and blue eyes, both of them coiled with lightning, "Hello again. How's the club treating you?"

I gritted my teeth, "Just fine."

In an instant, he disappeared from the sky, and the scene changed to a Kansas wheat field, the very one I stood in not half an hour ago, only it was vacant, and I stood in an open circle, burned wheat crunching at my feet. I looked around, miles upon miles of land surrounded me, not a house or tree in sight, no roads or cars, nothing but wheat and me.

And Ouranos. He appeared in front of me, not in color, but as an eight foot tall mist figure, bearded and dressed in what looked like a toga.

I saw a smirk form on his smoky mouth, "You'll have to use it eventually. That wound is awfully nasty..." He raised a thin finger, lightning danced off the tip and I felt a searing pain in my stomach, like an iron rod being held to the skin.

I looked down and saw my physical body, legs and all, only my stomach was being torn open, more and more, until the same wound I just received appeared. But blood didn't pour out like in real life, it just sat there, agape and dark.

My mouth got hot, my uvula started to sting, but I managed a voice.

"I won't."

He stepped closer to me, my head at his chest, he looked down at me with intimidating eyes, "You will, or you will die."

"I won't let you in anymore."

His aura flared for a moment, then it calmed, and he forced a friendly smile. He stepped behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. I couldn't move or smack it away, my body was like concrete, stuck to the ground.

He leaned down and whispered, "It's just one time, Matthias. What's the big deal? You can't fight the sons of Thor if you aren't at full strength, let alone me. Just use Viribus, use it and be healed."

The pain intensified by a hundred, and I let out a guttural scream, echoing throughout the realm of this dream. I couldn't even fall to my knees. It was like I was completely frozen, all but my mouth and eyes.

He switched back to my front, and kneeled down to my level, a look of psychotic happiness on his cloudy features.

"The pain can stop, son of Hercules. Just use the club, for a little bit. Sure a part of me will be inside of you, but think about it, you'll be more powerful, you'll have the power to annihalate those Norse demigods. All you have to do, is wake up, and press it to your skin..."

I glared at him and shook my head vigorously, "You don't own me." My stomach twisted some more, and a yell escaped my mouth, "YOU DON'T OWN ME!"

Ouranos wasn't phased, he didn't even blink. He just stared at me, "I never said I did. I'm trying to help you."

"Bullshit."

He chuckled, "Okay, you're right, I don't want to help you. But you're not left with much choice here."

"I don't care, I won't do it."

He groaned, "Oh come on, Matthias. How do you plan on continuing like this? How will you reunite with you friends in this condition? With Harper?"

Hearing him say her name made me cringe. It sounded so awful, so wrong coming from his mouth.

"Don't say her name." I ordered angrily.

He laughed at my weak attempt at a threat, like I was a baby tiger trying to bite it's keeper.

"Maybe you shouldn't hear it from me then." He stood up and flicked his hand, and the scene changed. Instead of a Kansas wheat field, we stood in a familiar place. A front yard of green grass and tall spaced out trees, a farmhouse in front of us.

It was Harper's house. I remembered from that night in the hotel, when she showed me her past.

"Recognize it?" The Primordial asked.

"Bastard." I growled, "You think you can convince me like this?"

"No." He said simply and waved his hand again. Mist rose from the green ground and swirled like a tiny tornado, eventually taking shape of a girl. Then the girl gained features. Black hair, pale skin, one blue eye and one white eye, then black clothes...

"H-Harper?" I said weakly, my face relieved of all tension, my eyebrows raised in confusion.

She stood there like we had never left each other. She looked the exact same, maybe a bit more mature looking in the face and body, curvy and even more beautiful than I could imagine on my father's island.

She smiled that perfect smile, "Hey, Matt."

My resolve broke, and suddenly I was free of whatever trance I was in. I could move. I broke into a run and nearly tripped trying to get to her. She laughed and outstretched her arms for a hug, to which I practically threw myself into.

I was more than shocked to find that she was physically here, and not made of mist. I wrapped my arms around her soft body, squeezing so tight that I never wanted to let go. I closed my eyes and inhaled the intoxicating scent of her hair.

"I missed you." I said, not even thinking of the possibility that she was fake, that this was all an illusion. I mean, Ouranos had literally summoned her, a part of my brain said, but I ignored it, my emotions too strong. She had to be real, she had to be here, with me.

She returned the hug, "I missed you too."

I pulled back and cupped her face with my hands, my heart so high in my chest that it might as well have been in my throat. But when I traced my thumb across her cheek, I noticed it was wet.

I looked into her eyes and saw that they were sad, and leaking tears.

"Harper? What's wrong?"

"You're hurt." She said, motioning to my wound. It suddenly stung again, the agony returning.

I forced a smile, "It's nothing."

Her body heaved in a sob, nearly breaking ever fiber in my heart. I had missed her so much, and seeing her cry was the LAST thing I wanted.

"Hey, it's okay. I'll be fine."

"Viribus." She breathed, "Please Matt, use it."

I looked around for Ouranos, but was surprised to see that he was nowhere to be found, not a trace of mist or electricity anywhere. I looked back at Harper, then at the area.

This wasn't real. I had to face it. I knew it wasn't, Ouranos was trying to tempt me with Harper's image. She wasn't actually here.

"This isn't real. You're a figment of my imagination." I backed away from her.

She grabbed my left hand with both of hers and pulled me back, "No! I'm here, I'm here with you. I just want you to be okay..."

It hurt to see her like this. "Her" it wasn't even her, it wasn't Harper. I had to keep telling myself that.

"I'll be okay once I see you for real."

She gave a little tug on my wrist, "I am real, and I believe in you. You're strong enough to resist him. You can use Viribus and be okay."

I shook my head, "I don't know, Harper." Flashbacks of that awful vision replayed in my head. "It's already bad. I can't let him in more."

"How can you protect me if you aren't healed?"

I scoffed, "You don't need me to protect you."

"Yes I do." Then something weird happened. Her head started to vibrate, like she was having an allergic reaction to something. Her mouth opened and she gasped, her good eye started...bleeding.

I mean a thin line of blood down the lid and onto her cheek, then from her nostrils, and then her mouth. It freaked me out, like a scene from a horror movie, and seeing it on the face of her...unsettled me.

I looked away, telling myself it wasn't real, she wasn't real, just an illusion. She wasn't hurt, she wasn't actually hurt.

I turned around, but when I did, she reappeared in front of me, her face covered in lines of blood, her once beautiful icy blue eye now red.

"I'm scared." She said, "I need you to save me."

Mist and smoke started to emit from her body, then after a second, she disappeared, the scene changed to Camp Half Blood, in flames and nearly destroyed. What I imagined to be the scene just before I returned.

Ouranos's voice returned in my head, "You couldn't save your mentor, you couldn't save the Camp you love, and you won't be able to save your friends, if you have a hole in your stomach."

I gritted my teeth. Of course he'd keep using that against me, as if the guilt was already enough. I hadn't been there, I couldn't save Chiron, I knew that, and it hurt, it made me feel useless. And now I was out of options, I had to do something to get back to normal.

"You know what to do." Ouranos hissed, "Use it. Use it and be powerful, more than you can imagine..."

I'd had enough of this, this temptation. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed plausible, and that was bad. I couldn't consider it, I had to get away from here.

"Get out of my head." I said lowly.

"Use it..."

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" I screamed, and began to run from the scene, I turned at Harper's driveway, and booked it down the dirt path, my super speed failing me, the wound in my gut searing and more painful than ever, with each step it felt like I was being stabbed or shot, and then twisted with a spear. But I kept running as fast as I could go, I ran so long my calves started to burn, then my lungs started to squeeze, my diaphragm was on overdrive. I had ran a mile or so, then finally, I reached the road, but instead of pavement, it was a giant wall of thunderclouds, as far as my eyes could look up, it covered everything in a line.

I skidded to a stop and looked behind me, to see another wall of thunderclouds coming fast, it seemed to roar in my direction, like it was frustrated I was running. I looked back and forth between the two, and decided to go with the stationary one. Maybe it would give me an escape.

My wish came true, because the instant I leaped inside, I woke up, my eyes shooting open like slide glass doors.

I was breathing hard, sweat covered my arms and chest. I immediately noticed two things right off the bat about my now real surroundings. One, I was in a bed, shirtless, with large bandage cloth wrapped around my stomach. And two, my stomach...it hurt, very bad.

I fought down the urge to vomit again, the pain was so great. Realistically, the lightning had probably singed my organs, or maybe even disintegrated a few. But that was unlikely, I was more durable than that...right?

Wrong.

I tried to sit up but an intense sting surged through my entire lower body and I slumped back down, groaning loudly.

"Hey, you're awake." A voice said from the other end of the room.

I managed to crane my neck just enough to see the source.

It was a girl. About my age, with long red hair and a slim frame. She didn't wear makeup, and you could tell just by looking at her that she didn't care about her appearance. A denim jacket with jeans, a t-shirt underneath and Vans sneakers...yeah, she wasn't putting herself out there. But it didn't work, she was extremely pretty, and if she tried to doll up, I had a feeling it would be hard to look away from her.

She had a questioning look in her eyes, almost cautious. Like she was silently wondering if I was some kind of alien, and...given the context, she had every right to believe that.

"Where am I?" I looked around the room, noting that it was exceptionally large, like master sized. Hell, even the bed was big, it had to be four times my frame, and that's a lot. Not trying to brag, but a year of training puts on a lot of mass.

The rest of the room was formal, fancy Victorian style almost, but in a farm house kinda way. Two tall bookshelves lined at the other end of the room against the wall, a nightstand stood next to my bed, and a dresser to my left. Usual stuff, like the wall being painted cream, and the floor having a soft carpet on it, nothing strange.

Okay, so these people were most likely mortal, but things weren't always as they seemed. A normal house most of the time meant the things inside, were monsters.

But judging by the look in this girl's eyes, she had no clue what was going on, or how I survived that crash.

Mortals then. I would have to keep my cover up.

She responded to my question, "You're in our house. You refused to go to the hospital for some reason, so my dad patched you up the best he could."

"Is he a doctor?"

She shook her head and walked closer to where I was, "Nah, but he was a vet a long time ago."

I managed to sit up, after a series of groans. I was surprised but not offended that the girl didn't try to help me. I guess she was angry, for some reason?

Well, you did create a crater in her yard, and you bothered her parents. I thought.

I leaned up against the headboard and glanced down at my wound, to find a thick layer of cloth wrapped around my body, like I had felt. A large splotch of blood caked the smooth fabric, like it had been poured on there.

"Yeah, it was pretty bad." She commented, "Didn't think you would live, and really...no normal person would have."

I noticed she had a bit of a southern accent, which was understandable, since I guessed I was still in Kansas. But I didn't let that fool me, she was intelligent enough to spot that I wasn't normal. I had to convince her the best I could.

"Guess I'm just lucky."

"Lucky people can survive car crashes, sure." She walked even closer, to the point where she was staring me down two feet above me, "But lucky people don't survive being thrown hard enough that it creates a crater, not to mention being stabbed all the way through the stomach."

I looked up at her and found green eyes glaring at me, arms crossed on her chest.

"Look" I sighed, "Thank you for helping me, I appreciate it, and I'll do whatever it takes to repay you." I got up from the bed, and walked past her, nearly falling out in the floor from the throbbing, but I managed to stumble over to the window.

I looked out onto the crop fields, no sign of my father. He obviously knew I had been hurt and thrown for miles no doubt, so where was he? Fighting the Sons of Thor still? Taking care of Kyros?

It didn't matter. I was on my own.

More doses of pain shot up my nervous system, causing me to wince. It was getting worse, worse than before.

"I don't think you should be moving yet..." She said, a hint of concern in her tone.

"I'll be-" then the coughing fit started, and I held up my hand to catch the droplets of blood. My mouth gained the taste of iron, and it was so bad I had to resist the urge to spit it out.

She grabbed my shoulder, "You need to lie down."

I walked away from her and to the door, "Bathroom. Where's your bathroom?"

The question shocked her, but she replied, "Down the hall and to the right, but what are you-"

I gave her no time to finish, "Thanks." I hobbled as quickly as I could down the hallway, not even bothering to look around and take in the rest of the house. I didn't have that kind of time right now.

I made it to the door and opened it, walking inside.

I shut it as quietly as I could, and then locked it.

I stood there and breathed for a few seconds, trying to ward off the agony, but it remained, nothing seemed to work.

I might have to use it.

"No" I told myself, "Don't."

I looked in the large mirror above the sink, and saw that there was more stained blood than I thought. It wasn't just on my stomach, but it was on my back too, where the blast had gone all the way through.

I clutched the edges of the sink, another surge washing over me. It was unreal, unbearable, like poison, it ate away at me. Hell, it might have been laced with poison for all I knew.

This was worse than what Krios did, worse than any Red Aura pain I use to have, or when I received my scar.

My face was pale and ghostly, like I had been in a coma for a week, inactive and sick.

How could I save anyone like this? How could I fight like this?

I had to defeat these guys, I couldn't let them hurt anyone.

But in order to get my strength back, I would have to use it...

No. No, there had to be another way. Ambrosia...no, that was out of the picture, along with Nectar.

Maybe I should go to a mortal hospital.

Would they even be able to fix it? A wound like this, not to mention it being supernatural, caused by the combined power of two Norse demigods.

I couldn't risk our world being exposed like that. It probably wouldn't work anyway.

That left me with only one option.

I grabbed Viribus around my neck and held it in my palm for what seemed like forever, that girl or her parents never bothered me, which I was both thankful for and not. A part of me wanted the pain to stop, to be back to normal, even stronger than before. But another part wanted them to stop me from making this decision, to keep me from being tainted further by Ouranos.

I looked at it, then back at the mirror.

A small price to pay...

I removed the necklace and squeezed it, the familiar club appeared instantly in my grip.

Without any more hesitation, I ripped off the bandage cloth and looked at the wound again. It hadn't lessened. If anything it looked worse. The only thing I could say had improved was the lack of dirt. I guessed the girl's father had cleaned it.

I hesitated for a moment, thinking about the consequences of this decision. I knew it would be bad, but really...what other choice was there?

Maybe there was one, and I was just too stupid to think of it. But right now, I was half blind to reason, I just wanted to be strong again, useful to the resistance against Ouranos. I hated not being able to do anything, to be weak.

So I did it. In the next second, without hesitation, I placed Viribus over my wound, and instantly, it closed up, like time had been put on rewind, any trace of fresh blood seeped back into my body, the hole closed shut and the scar left behind faded too. I felt invigorated, healed, and even more powerful than before, more powerful than I had ever been.

I sighed with relief, glad it was finally over.

I sheathed Viribus and put the necklace back around my neck, noting that If I appeared like this to the family it would immediately break my cover. So I bent down and picked up the bloody bandages, and put them back on, thankful that some medical tape sat in the cabinet above the mirror.

I applied the tape and looked myself over. It looked like it did before, you couldn't even tell the difference.

I almost smiled. The biggest problem was out of the way, and I could worry about disturbing visions later. Right now, I needed to convince that girl that I wasn't an alien, and somehow regroup with my father.

I was about to open the door, when I felt a slight stinging in my eyes and around them. It wasn't painful, but instead, shocking, like a little prick of needles all around.

I rubbed them and thought nothing of it, until it returned. I got annoyed by this, and figured some bug had flown in them or something. Which sounds weird, but hey, it's happened before.

But when I looked in the mirror, I knew that wasn't the case.

I was speechless to find that my eyes were bloodshot, tiny red veins littering the white area around my brown irises. But that wasn't the scariest part.

Around my eyes, were black veins.

I'm not kidding. The veins around my eyes were sticking out like tiny tree roots, and they were solid black. They didn't spread all the way across my face, but the area above my eyebrows and next to my nose...they were there.

It was insanely unsettling. I looked so different, almost...evil. My mouth fell open and I leaned in towards the mirror.

"What the hell..." I breathed, and reached up to lightly touch my face, then one of the veins. Sure enough, it wasn't an illusion, they were real.

My finger brushed up against it, and I felt my heart drop. This was the result of Viribus, of using it to heal me.

It was a sign that more of Ouranos's dark energy had entered me.

I could practically hear him laughing inside of my head in victory, that he had won, I had used it, and made a mistake.

The biggest mistake so far...

(000)

Well, that was something else to write, really had fun with the fight scene, and I hope you all enjoyed it. Again, sorry for the wait, it shouldn't happen again, but if it does, I apologize. I'll do better at managing time. Because I personally love writing this and want to get the chapters out as quick as possible so you guys can read it!

Anyway, be sure to stay tuned for the next installment!

Until Next Time.