Chapter XVI

Forcefully I slammed the stable doors open, shaking some of the Pegasi who were already half asleep awake as I stormed in.

Whoa there my lord, what's with the rush? I heard a muttering Porkpie in my mind.

"Sorry for waking you," I quickly told him as I held my course towards a certain Pegasus. "I need to be somewhere and fast."

Now? The pegasus yawned in my thoughts. it's the middle of the night…

I didn't answer as I stopped in front of one of the compartments, but a certain one. I would be lying if I claimed I didn't have a favorite Pegasi, but unlike a certain someone I wasn't too possessive of him, though he still was my horse of choice.

"Hey, Pyrrhus," I called towards the chestnut horse, which stirred awake.

While I would like to claim he was named after the general, his name simply meant fire-colored and just like his much more famous and human counterpart stemmed from his hair color. Nonetheless I much preferred him over most of the others, perhaps because of the fact he was much less talkative than the others.

My lord, He greeted me as he shook himself awake. isn't a bit late for this?

"Sorry," I gave him an apologetic look. "But it's a matter of life and death."

Whose life? He asked before disgruntledly continuing. And can't it wait till morning, my lord?

"A friend's," I answered firmly. "and it can't."

If he could have he would have sat up straight, but it was clear that the message got across. This was another reason I liked him, he was easily the one most willing to just swallow a complaint and deal with it if the situation required it. I opened his doors and moved to lead him out.

Where are we going? I heard him ask. And do you even have permission for this?

"Baltimore," I replied and again gave him another apologetic look. "I know it's quite the trip, sorry, and no this is entirely against the rules, but who's going to stop me? Unless Chiron grows some wings we'll be fine."

Usually there would have been the matter of our resident dry alcoholic god enforcing Camp rules, but he was away on a mission to ensure minor gods' loyalty, frankly I would instantly side with Kronos if he was the one sent to talk with me, but that's just a personal sentiment. Either way I was very happy about it, it did wonders to raise my spirits not to have him around.

Of course Chiron would learn about my escapade and he might punish me, perhaps it meant washing dishes with liquid fire for a month or the like. But it didn't do anything to halt me as I swung myself on the Pegasus' back. I had to do this even if he might not like it, not to mention I had already given my word and honor meant something to me, at least when it came to allies.

"Let's go, Pyrrhus" I told him as I patted his neck.

He beat his wings a few times and pawed the ground before moving to take off, launching off the ground and rising into the air. As we climbed into the air and left Camp behind I felt that familiar excitement flare up in me.

It was four hours or so later when we finally were above Baltimore, the lights coming from below brightly illuminated the night sky, though there was one spot in the south-east which was distinctly dark. I could make out the abandoned industrial buildings' outlines from up here without problems, no doubt this was it.

As I made my Pegasus lower us I observed the potential battlefield. Even in the dark it was clear that it had been a good few years since anyone had used most of the buildings. The shipyards were in utter disrepair, the metal roofs of the factories were brown and rusted, it was disheartening, but I had bigger problems than the economic decline of America's industrial cities.

I didn't like what I saw, the area was chaotic and while it was a peninsula, which I was glad for, the steel plant complex was a good three hundred yards from the water or so at the closest, which made the second fact far less useful. With regret I realized that I had failed to ask just where in the building she was, there could only be a couple hundred of those I thought annoyed.

"Set me down here," I told Pyrrhus, who obeyed wordlessly, lowering us.

His hoofs hit the concrete of one of the decaying docks and I slipped off. I looked at the rolling mill with worry, hoping that I wasn't too late.

"Stay nearby please," I said to the Pegasus. "I'll call you when I'm finished, try to get some rest before the return trip."

My lord, Pyrrhus bowed his head and took off again.

In the dark I made my way to the most imposing and largest building complex in the industrial area, its smokestacks bearing over me, no doubt the steel mill from its sheer size. I couldn't help but remember the fact that it used to be the world's largest steel mill, uninteresting on its own, but relevant due to its role in restoring the British transport fleet.

My steps started to echo as I slipped in underneath a slightly lifted metal gate which was rusted in place. Some moonlight fell in through cleaving holes in the roof, but even with that it was still far darker than I preferred.

Having Bianca's powers over darkness sure would be useful now, or even Thalia's over lightning. Honestly anything not environment-dependent. Water, as useful as it was when you had it, had the distinct disadvantage of being very situational. Darkness was near omnipresent, much more universal and thus useful. But I couldn't change my parentage, so there was no point in complaining about it.

She had stated she was in the rolling mill building, but since I had no clue just where to look beyond that I decided to be systematic about this.

Eleanor had an injured leg and foot so she probably was on ground level, I'd just have to search the dozens of rooms one by one. Sighing I summoned my sword, the celestial bronze giving off enough light to let me see somewhat in the dark and made my way to the attached rolling mill building, since this, judging by the tall blast furnaces clearly wasn't it.

Speed was of higher importance than stealth I decided and I started searching around as fast as possible, breaking down doors where necessary. I didn't find much, dusty empty break rooms, maintenance rooms with the copper wires ripped out, everything of worth that wasn't fastened to the ground or weighted a couple of tons had been taken, either during liquidation or by looters after.

I was honestly surprised that I didn't encounter any monsters, hyperborean cyclopes loved places like these, not that I wasn't happy about it but still I found it strange.

Finally I reached open the door to one of the rooms that were farther back, down a hallway, my dyslexia was acting up and the dark didn't help, the room's door read something along the lines of uspresisvor fofice, which I through common sense figured meant supervisor office.

Through the glass window of the door a soft bronze light came. I'd bet a dozen drachmas I had reached the right room, a bet I'd surely win. Too bad I wouldn't get the money, it would be way easier than beating the Stolls at poker and far less of a violation of Camp rules on gambling.

Pushing in, I confirmed that I would have won that bet. Leaning Eleanor stood, her back against another door that led further back. The bronze glow came from her curved sword, of which I remembered that she persistently insisted it was a falcata, not a kopis, a constant source of disagreement between us, illuminating the room. Her breathing was low but steady.

"I remember you being more stealthy," Was the first thing she said and I scowled. "but it's good to see you are no less grumpy, some things never change."

"You know, I think the thing I have missed least since the summer is your constant nagging."

"Oh come on, it was always in good faith wasn't it?" She said with a smile and I shook my head.

"Those complaints about me being too harsh with recruits sometimes? They were not so friendly." I pointed out. "I think you filed three of them after a single hand-to-hand combat training session once."

"You were!" She protested. "Remember that one half-brother of mine, you broke his hand and wrist, for interrupting you a few times-"

"I had warned him exactly what would happen if he didn't shut up and now hush," I interrupted, remembering the seriousness of the situation. "Enough banter, damsel in distress, shouldn't we be getting you out of here?"

"Yeah," Eleanor agreed begrudgingly. "you are right."

She pushed herself off the wall and with shaky steps moved forward. I remembered her injury as I looked on with worry.

"Can you even walk properly?" I asked skeptically. "That must hurt a lot."

"I'll be fine," She brushed it off. "As long as I don't put too much weight on it, I already healed it to a large extent, it's only a bit strained. Dad seems to be happy about my change of mind. I haven't been able to heal injuries this easily since... well, never pretty much."

I nodded, children of Apollo, at least those that could heal, prayed to their father while doing so. From what I knew, it helped in making it more potent and less tiring, the healing itself still came from them, but it was far easier with a little help from their dearest father.

For a moment I wondered if the same could be applied to other demigods. If I started singing hymns to my father while controlling water, would it be easier? I had my doubts, but perhaps it was worth a shot.

"Do you regret your decision?" I asked as we moved into the hallway.

"No," Eleanor said firmly. "and I would have to be idiotic to tell you if I did, wouldn't I?"

"Yes," I agreed straightforwardly.

"But I genuinely don't," She affirmed. "I had my doubts about what I was doing, always had and they only started getting stronger after you left, while at the same time Luke grew worse."

"Glad to be a good example," I stated. "so what made you snap?"

"It was more of a slow crumbling, but if I had to choose something..." Eleanor sighed sadly. "Last month, Luke had six attempted deserters disposed of to say it in his own words. That was the end for me, the youngest was only twelve, not that it makes a difference. That's the first time he has had one of our... no, their own killed, at least for something like this."

"That's extreme," I said grimly. "Even for him, was it him or Kronos that made that decision?"

"Does it matter?" She asked with anger in her voice. "He didn't stop it, he's just as much at fault either way."

I pursed my lips at her anger, though I agreed I still wanted to change the subject. Then she suddenly pushed me behind a nearby blast furnace, throwing herself after me. I heard something fly through the air just moments before a familiar looking spike buried itself where I had stood a heartbeat ago.

"Thorn," I growled lowly as I heard his movements on the metal pathways up along the hall's edges.

Honestly I had hoped that he had miserably died from his wounds somewhere after our last encounter, but of course I had no such luck.

Perhaps this would be a conclusive encounter, though from the angle of impact he seemed to have the high ground and I only had an injured daughter of Apollo with me. The chances that it would be conclusive were good, sadly my death seemed far more likely than any other outcome.

"You know him?" Eleanor asked confused and I nodded.

"He has tried to murder me twice now," I whispered worried. "Our odds are less than stellar, thanks for saving my life by the way."

"You're welcome," She said quickly. "now less thanking and more planning, how do we fight him?"

"We don't," I said firmly. "At least you don't, not in that state. I'll distract him, we can't let him nail us down here, try to get outside, keep in cover."

Eleanor looked like she wanted to protest and I knew I would as well in her place, but I also knew that I was right, hopefully she'd listen. I didn't stay for her to give any complaints as I walked out of cover and looked at Thorn. His orange fur was dirty and his massive frame managed to look scrawny somehow, he looked like he had been hibernating in a dumpster, though he looked no less hateful than before.

"THORN!" I shouted as loud as I could. "Come down here so I can finish gutting you."

I heard the air swoosh again and jumped aside, a spike clanged against the metal of the furnace making it ring like a very dysfunctional bell.

"Little hero," Thorn called, the o dragging strangely. "you think you can take me all alone, without gods or friends? I wanted to kill you for a long time now, I can't believe it will be this boring and easy."

"I managed you quite well on my own last time," I countered, trying to provoke him. "matter of fact, you are the one who went running tail between your legs."

Daring to glance to the side I saw Ell had thankfully listened and had dashed over to the next furnace, clearly she was trying to keep as far away as possible. But I didn't have time to watch her as I turned back to Thorn, at least if he hated my guts he should focus more on me.

"Why so silent Thorn?" I mocked and was answered with another two spikes, which I heard before I saw.

They had quite the distance to travel and even with the darkness I had easily enough time to react, parrying the first one aside and cutting through the other.

I didn't even need water-enhanced senses for those, but I got the feeling Thorn was toying with me, those were not his usual volleys.

I started running towards from whence the spikes came, seeing a staircase leading up to the pathways I rushed up to meet him in melee. As I reached the top I spotted him, his two colored eyes boring into me with hate and anger from the shadows he lurked in.

"Your aim has worsened," I remarked and he gave me a disgusting grin.

"Do you truly think I couldn't have killed you already if I wanted?" He asked and I raised a brow, though I doubted he saw it under my helmet.

"You didn't seem like you were capable of it before," I taunted as I carefully watched him. "I am surprised Luke still puts up with you and your incompetence."

"Aaargh, you'll see just how capable I am when I finally crush you."

"Well, third time's the charm, isn't it?" I said and braced myself.

Seemingly Thorn's weakened appearance was deceptive. He burst forward towards me with such speed and force that the rusted metal we stood on creaked loudly. His tail came thrashing down where I was or at least where I had been. I felt the feeling of weightlessness return and the thrill with it as I shifted past him.

Over these last months I had it reappear a few times. It always happened during intense situations, in capture the flag or close duels, in the latter often leading to disqualification. My body turned to mist, intangible, weightless, yet still under my control, I knew what happened by now. I just couldn't control it, much to my frustration, it came and went as it pleased.

I appeared above the manticore to his side and brought my blade down on his shoulder, cutting a deep gash into it. Thorn whirled around as he growled, his tail swinging towards me and he would have swatted me away like a fly.

But again my powers came to the rescue as I tried to dodge midair and surged downwards. I came up again, using the chance to sweep my sword across Thorn's stomach in the same motion, cutting a deep gash in.

"Your little maneuvers aren't enough to beat me, son of Poseidon." He snarled, his voice betraying his pain, and his tail flailed angrily, denting the metal pathway on which we stood heavily.

He slashed out towards me with his huge paws. I managed to dodge the first strike without much trouble, even while physical, the second one however was a different story. I barely saw it coming from the side, only managing to dodge downwards enough for it to hit my shoulder. While the claws struck celestial bronze, scratching off my shoulder plate harmlessly, the force still carried over.

"Indeed, third time's the charm as you said," Thorn mockingly agreed with my earlier statement. "you have caused me a great deal of trouble. It is time that you died."

I was sent flying over the railing and the ground was fast approaching, a good twenty feet drop. Moving to roll off I fell, which might still have ended with a broken bone or two but thankfully I again felt myself de-solidify as I hit the ground before swiftly reforming, leaving me unfazed by the fall as I rolled to my feet.

Thorn came crashing down behind me, the impact of his landing leaving cracks in the ground. I had no intention of letting him take initiative again as I charged him, bringing my sword up with two hands towards his side.

It was a good strike, one that would have turned your average monster to dust as it sank in. But howling in pain, the manticore stopped it with one of his paws, grasping the blade which had already carved a good inch into his side and stopping it in its tracks.

"Did you truly think you could kill me that easily?" Thorn mocked as he pushed the blade to the side.

He raised his other paw to strike and with my weapon in his hand I had no choice but to let the sword disappear back into its bracelet form. I leaned back and felt the claws scrape along my breastplate, sending sparks flying.

The quarters were far too close to summon my sword again and use it so I pulled my knife, though I still hadn't quite gotten used to the replacement, despite using it for already four months now.

I dodged underneath a strike from the other paw and was about to strike at him again.

"Theseus, back!" Eleanor suddenly yelled and I didn't question it a second as I jumped back.

Something glowing and bronze sailed over my head and hit one of the metal beams above. Celestial bronze cut through rusted steel like butter and the already damaged metal pathway above came falling down with a thundering sound as the other metal supports broke. If I had waited a second I'd have been crushed underneath, but thankfully I did not. Thorn however had no such luck, as an estimated two tons of steel smashed him into fine golden dust.

I looked at a grinning Eleanor who leaned against one of the gates leading outside.

"Didn't I tell you to leave?" I asked as I started to walk towards her not that I wasn't grateful but it was about principle.

"I think I just saved your life, again," She remarked off-handedly. "besides, you just said that, I never agreed."

"Fair," I conceded. "though I would've managed. But that was an amazing throw, I remember your aim being much worse."

I thought back to archery training on the Princess Andromeda. She wasn't Percy levels bad of course, no one was except for my brother himself, but for a daughter of Apollo she was still a rather embarrassingly unskilled archer.

"I am really not a good archer," Eleanor agreed without hesitation. "but that doesn't apply to aiming in general, you are standing before the Titan army's reigning javelin throwing champion after all."

Amused, I shook my head and looked to where Thorn had died, though another worry shot to my mind.

"Didn't you speak of a search party?" I asked, confused. "I expected demigods, not a single monster."

"I did as well." She stated, now sharing my worried expression. "And I assumed they would come, I didn't even manage to leave undetected, some bastard managed to hit Myra before we got out of range. She carried me here, all the way up from Norfolk before she collapsed, damned loyal beast that she was."

I nodded sympathetically, fondly remembering the white mare.

"So they didn't follow you?" I inquired again.

"Of course they did," She scoffed. "for most of the way they were not too far behind, I could see them not too far behind, but eventually we managed to lose them. I don't think they have just given up. Which is why we should leave while we can, I assume you came here per Pegasus yourself?"

Carrying two people wasn't exactly very comfortable for Pyrrhos and slowed us down severely, but with a decent amount of breaks we eventually arrived back in Camp just before noon of the next day. Of course bribery, in Pyrrhos case with watermelon, played a significant role as well, everyone has their price after all.

Without much hesitation I stepped into Chiron's office, Eleanor behind me. Chiron's expression was hard to decipher as he noticed me enter.

"Ah, Theseus, where were you?" He asked, clearly displeased. "You cannot just go as you-"

His voice stocked as Eleanor entered behind me. I knew they were quite familiar with each other, she used to be a year-round camper for three years or so before she left with Luke. She had stayed at camp since she was ten years old and had always talked fondly of him. From perplexed to surprised to happy, a plethora of emotions was displayed on his face in the span of moments.

"Eleanor, is that you child?" He asked, disbelieving.

"Hey, Chiron," She greeted with a smirk. "indeed it is me, I am back."

Chiron's eyes flicked back to me. "I see we have a lot to talk about, though this doesn't excuse your actions."

"I am aware and am willing to bear the consequences," I stated firmly.

There was no pretending that I had any intention of changing my behavior, I acted as I saw neccasary, this was a war we were fighting after all. Chiron pursed his lips but relented and sighed and turned to the daughter of Apollo, signaling her to speak.

"Well I guess I should start explaining myself, shouldn't I?" Eleanor said, stating the obvious as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Alright then, I've already given Theseus the rough draft, but this'll take a while with full details." She said and took a chair.

I leaned against the wall and prepared myself for listening, though frankly what she said still shook me.

One thing became clear as she spoke, I had terribly underestimated our enemies over these last months, I had been no better than the gods. I had to say Luke clearly finally got a proper grip on Kronos' army, strengthening discipline, his recruitment has been ranked up as well, among monsters and demigods equally. Morale still seemed to be strong, despite what she told of extreme actions, well no wonder, Kronos was an incredibly admirable manipulator.

"Last week some demigods attempted to desert, low rank all of them. An officer overheard them talking about it and informed Luke, they caught them red-handed while trying to leave at night." She explained, retelling what she had told me. "Luke had all of them sent away in a cloak-and-dagger action-"

"Hold up, Ell," I said, interrupting her for the first time. "When you told me you said he had them disposed of, now you said he sent them away?"

"Patience, I would have gotten there, but yes, both fit the case." She said grimly. "They are sent to be sacrificed, to the one who is reforging it, for him to use their blood."

"It?" I asked and exchanged a worried look with Chiron. "Are we talking about the original murder weapon, the scythe?"

"Yes," Eleanor nodded, confirming it. "Kronos' scythe is being reforged."

The temperature in the room felt like it dropped by a good few degrees and it was not just because of Kronos' name. Even in me the idea of Kronos' having his scythe back inspired fear, the titan lord would grow even more powerful with his symbol of power at his disposal. But there was another reason it made me worry, its existence could mean my death- no my very erasure from existence.

The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap the great prophecy said. If there ever was a weapon which deserved that title it was Kronos' scythe. I hadn't worried about it too much before. I never thought it was speaking of me, I was not his foe, though I guess that changed by now. If I was the hero of the prophecy it could mean my soul being wiped out if Kronos got his scythe.

"Are you sure?" Chiron asked, though I felt like we both knew the answer.

"Yes, he spoke of it too often before to doubt it." Eleanor said decisively and Chiron's expression became unreadable.

"Perhaps there is some silver lining to this yet..." I said carefully as an idea came to mind.

"My boy, what do you mean?" The centaur asked concerned.

"If it is still being reforged, it is not in his hands yet." I stated as I moved to lean on his desk. "We can prevent him from getting it, Kronos' is not the only one who can attempt to control the prophecy."

Chiron shook his head, clearly not happy about what I was implying.

"Theseus, we both know there is great risk in trying to control prophecies. Even if I can't blame you in this case." He stated with pity. "What you are proposing is a gamble, a dangerous one."

"And would you have us do, just wait and do nothing, like we did these last months?" I asked angrily. "We know what he is doing, we have an obligation to try and foil his plans."

"What we can do for now is prepare and be ready for the day he comes," Chiron argued. "he will not remain idle for much longer."

"Which gives us all the more reason to act before he does, does it not?" I retorted and turned to Eleanor. "Do you know who is reforging it? Or where?"

"No, he was only referred to, never named, some old immortal from context presumably." She stated unhappily. "As to where? I honestly have no concrete idea, it seemed to be somewhere hidden away and distant."

"Well that certainly complicates things," I conceded, though it didn't change my resolve. "Chiron, I implore you, we need a quest, while there is still a chance for one."

"As I have said," Chiron insisted firmly. "what you are planning is dangerous, it is not worth the risk."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This was the only right thing to do, we had to act while we still could, this was not a chance we could waste.

"Let me try to go ask the oracle at least," I tried to bargain. "if the fates ordain it there will be a prophecy and there will be a quest."

"No," Chiron said, his voice growing steely calm. "as hard as I know it is for you to accept this right now, my answer remains the same."

For a few tense moments I met Chiron's eyes and we stared each other down. I had no intention of backing down while I was right. He might be old and wise but he still could be wrong and he was in this case, I was sure of that fact.

"Chiron," Eleanor said hesitantly. "I'll have to agree with Theseus here, the importance of the scythe cannot be overstated."

I threw her a thankful look, but as the centaur just shook his head and sighed I got the foreboding feeling her support would do little to change his mind.

"I am well aware of its power, child," Chiron said calmly. "and under different circumstances I might agree with his judgment. But for now I think you should finish telling what you were before we took this detour."

"Go ahead Ell," I said and pushed myself off the wall. "I know the story from here on, we'll talk later I guess, I'll be going for now."

Without waiting for any reaction I walked out the door and left the Big House not long after. I was not in the mood for dealing with any of Chiron's shit any longer. Perhaps the old horse in his mind was protecting me or some other poor excuse served as justification for his behavior, it mattered little...

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