Chapter 31

Leo's P.O.V.

"Hey, we've got the goddess of victory tied down in our stables. What can go wrong?" Leo laughed as he and Natalie made their way downstairs to see the tied up Nike.

"You know you really shouldn't say that. On demigod standards that jinxes the luck ninety nine percent of time," Natalie sighed, but smiled.

"Besides," she added. "You've made a promise to a certain lady."

"Yeah but one thing at a time. First this Physician's cure, and then Calypso."

He had gotten used to talking about Calypso with her. Leo never realized she would be so easy to talk with. She always seemed to him like some kind of serious Jason-material lady. Disciplined, beautiful and dangerous. But she had gotten so used to all of the crew that Leo found it hard not to talk to her about things.

"I do hope Frank and Piper get the poison, though."

"Of course they will. Piper's got her charmspeak up her sleeve," Leo told her.

"There we go," Leo said, pushing open the doors. There was Nike, on the ground, tied in a golden net. She was struggling to speak from the sock that was stuffed in her mouth, which was kind of gross, but Leo still found it funny.

"This is like what people say 'this will be one to tell the kids'," Leo joked, putting on a false imitation just to irritate the goddess. "When I was your age I used to have the goddess of victory tied down in the stables of my trireme with a sock stuffed in her mouth."

Natalie sighed. "Well, Nike, we're about to rid you of the sock."

She pulled it out of the goddess' mouth and threw it aside.

"But you have to tell us all the ingredients of the physician's cure. Correctly. Not like the way you muttered two or three before," Leo told her.

Nike smirked. "You demigods are as foolish as you look. Why should I tell you?"

Leo hated such sentences. So, naturally, he brought out the solution out of his toolbelt.

He held it up for Nike to see. It was a tablet, with the Greek letters Eta, the symbol of Hephaestus engraved on the back. Below the symbol were the words - Hephaestus Cabin in Greek.

"This is not just a tablet," he told her smugly.

"Oh yes, until you had told me I was thinking it was a baby elephant."

"Your sense of sarcasm is really bad," Leo muttered. "Anyways, a few clicks, and you'll be broadcasted straight to Mount Olympus. Hephaestus TV."

"Oh, and we'll even stuff the sock back," Natalie told her smugly. "I think the gods will find it very amusing to see you like this, but I doubt you'll be able to stand the shame."

All the colour flooded from Nike's face. She glanced here and there, as if hoping for something to pop up and help her.

"Hurry up, or I'll start the camera," Leo warned.

Nike seemed to be on the verge of choosing life or death. Finally, with her expression pained, she said, "Fine. I will tell you."

"Oh no that's not enough," Natalie told her. "We need you to swear on the Styx and all. The oaths you have to make : First, you'll not try to curse or harm us in any way. And second, you'll tell us all the correct ingredients of the physician's cure."

Nike looked outraged, as though someone had kicked her. "My word is not enough for you?"

"Sadly, no."

Leo held up his tablet. Nike sighed angrily. "I swear on the Styx I will not try to harm or curse you in any direct or indirect way possible. I will also tell you all the correct ingredients of the physician's cure."

Thunder boomed overhead, even though it was a clear day.

Natalie looked satisfied. "Okay, start up. What do we need to make the physician's cure?"

"Even though I tell you, the ingredients are very rare. You will not find them."

"Hurry up," Leo tapped his foot impatiently.

"You need the Poison of Pylos, the Pylosian Mint."

"Piper and Frank are working on it," Natalie said.

"One of the three healing horns of the beast Odontotyrranos."

"Slayed the beast," Natalie told her. "Got two horns hanging in Annabeth's cabin."

"The chained god's heartbeat in Sparta," Nike told them

"Next stoppage," Leo nodded, urging her to continue.

"The curse of Delos," Nike said hesitantly, as though wondering if we would actually get the ingredients.

"Will set the course for Delos as soon as we're done with Sparta."

Nike remained silent.

"Is that it?"

She shrugged, which turned out to be weird as she was tied in nets.

"Let's go. Piper and Frank are back," Natalie said to him.

"How d'you know?"

She shuffled hesitantly. "I - I heard them, I think."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "The doors are soundproof, and I shut them off."

"Well, I have good ears, then."

He still didn't believe her, but decided if she didn't want to tell him, he'd rather not make her uncomfortable.

Leo turned to Nike. "We're done with you. Lady Nike," Leo bowed to her. "Thank you for your cooperation. You may go back to whatever you were doing while being stuck in the net."

The goddess struggled against her bounds, but wasn't able to escape. They turned to leave. Just as they were about to close the door to the stables, she yelled, "Even if you get all the ingredients, you still won't be able to make the cure."

She laughed maniacally. "The cure can only be made by Asclepius. He won't help you!"

Okay, great. They would worry about it later. Leo slammed the door shut, and he and Natalie headed upstairs towards the deck.

All the other crew members were grouped around them. Piper was holding a strange vial. "Pylosian Mint," she told them as they both approached.

"Three ogres, two earthborn, one dracanae and a bunch of crazy relatives. But we finally got our hands on this," Frank stated.

The vial was small, filled with transparent stuff, which obviously was the poison. He told them everything Nike had told him and Natalie about the ingredients.

After hearing everything, Annabeth nodded. "So we already have half of the ingredients with us now. Only the heartbeat of the chained god and the curse of Delos left."

"But the biggest problem is how we would get Asclepius to make the cure for us," Percy mused.

"One step at a time," Leo said. "I'm going to set a course for Sparta. Once we find the heartbeat thing, we'll head for Delos. We'll probably get info about Asclepius on the way."

"Good going," Annabeth agreed.

Leo dashed off the engine room. He twiddled with the dials, set up the coordinates, then slumped against the wall. He was almost sure of it now that it'll be him who is supposed to die.

Of course, he loves dying. Excruciating pain and all, well that's what he loved, didn't he. He'd been going through it all the time. But this time, he couldn't just die. He had promised Calypso he would come back. Heck, he'd even sweared on the Styx.

There was still a tinge of hope in him. Perhaps they would make the physician's cure. They'd succeed in defeating Gaea and then he could go back to Ogygia and get Calypso out. But even with that, it was not enough. The Greeks and Romans were fighting, and they hadn't heard anything from Reyna, Nico or the Coach ever since they had left. It was all just too much.

Sure, he would rather have liked not-dying, but a part of him still felt it was good enough if he'd do it for his friends. They were the only family he had had. Ever since he'd known Piper and Jason, and then Annabeth, and then Percy, Natalie, Frank, Hazel….well, sure things were complicated with him and Hazel due to the Sammy Valdez business, but she was still so nice to him. She had drawn him a picture of Calypso, realising that he missed her.

He wondered if he could have stayed with her…on Ogygia, the two of them forever…ever…

Leo stood in a room that looked as if it was in New York. He could see the skyline from the glass walls on one side of the room. There was Octavian, and a few of the other Roman guys and girls Leo didn't know, but they all were grouped around a table, spread on which was a map of Camp Half-Blood.

"– and we'll move in as soon as our ally gives us the military support he has promised," Octavian was saying. "We'll surround them from all sides, make camps in those woods and make sure they don't get any reinforcements from the outside. Our scout eagles will be coming back soon and give us the reports."

Some of the guys looked uncomfortable.

"Who is your ally?" a dude asked.

Octavian smirked at him. "You don't need to know that, Larry. We don't have to pay anything, we're getting it all for free, so why are you worrying about it? Your job is only to prepare the Third Cohort for a fight."

"Look Octavian, I've always been all in to support you, but if you won't even tell us – I mean, at least Reyna used to share her plans before–,"

"Oh you like that old praetor better?" Octavian spat. "Why don't you go and cross the limits like her then. Go on an adventure and cross Mare Nostrum, go. Heck, we will even make sure we execute you both together if you actually survive and come back."

Larry turned red. "I didn't mean – I won't disobey – won't break rules –,"

"You're dismissed, Larry," Octavian said. "Now you better go before I change my mind and punish you right here, because now, as the head of the legion, I have all the powers to punish your insolence."

Larry shuffled off the room, muttering furiously, though neither Leo nor anyone else could make out what he said.

"Kahale," Octavian turned to a muscular dude standing right beside him. "Make sure that neither his, nor any other cohort's loyalty wavers towards Rome."

The Kahale guy nodded, and left, though even he looked strangely doubtful about Octavian.

"So now you'll spy on the legionnaires, respected Praetor," a guy remarked. Leo tried to rack his brains, he knew that person. Kool Aid, he thought. Dakota, that was his name.

"You got a problem with that Dakota?"

"No. Only I was thinking it would have been better to wait for Reyna–,"

"Oh you still have sympathy for her do you? Her, Zhang, Levesque? Oh and of course, Carter. You would obviously have sympathy for her. You fifths and your little family. And your newest addition Jackson."

Octavian slammed his fist. "If you don't have anything useful to say, you can leave too, Dakota. So can all of you!"

The legionnaires lumbered away hurriedly, stealing glances at Octavian as though any moment he might erupt in flames and engulf them all. Leo really didn't understand these Roman title things. That Kahale guy alone could have knocked the stuffing out of him, then why didn't they all just beat him up and tie him if they didn't agree with what he had to say, even if he was the Praetor. But for Romans, that's what made all the difference. He was the Praetor.

Octavian gazed sinisterly at the map, as though already watching it burn.

"Revenge," he said with such relish that Leo thought he was definitely some creepy vampire dude.

His dream shifted. He was near a mountain, and on the mountain was the sleeping face of Gaea.

"You see, Leo," she laughed. "The Romans will soon attack Camp Half-Blood and burn it to flames."

Leo wanted to yell some colourful words at her, but he couldn't say anything.

"Your friends fight a hopeless battle against the wolves," Gaea said, and an image of Reyna fighting a wolf man with a silver knife flashed before him.

"You cannot win, demigod," Gaea added. "Soon, on the Feast of Spes, I shall rise and destroy all that you love, along with you."

She laughed, her voice echoing and boring into his ears like someone was trying to drill them in. He was shaking. No, someone was shaking him. He jolted awake.

"Leo!" Piper looked concernedly at him.

"Must've dozed off," he muttered.

She gazed at him intently. "You should really sleep, you know."

"That's what I was doing before you woke me up."

Piper sighed. "No, I mean, sleep nicely. You're literally dozing off in the engine room. It's a million degrees inside here. Come on, it's time for dinner. But then, you're going straight to your cabin and get some sleep."

"Geez, Pipes. You're such a mom," Leo told her.

Piper frowned at him. "You look awful."

"Yeah, I just had a dream. I guess you'll be hearing the happy story in the dining hall."

The story was not at all happy. As soon as Leo told them about what he saw, everyone started thinking. He could almost hear the mechanical whirring of everyone's brain.

Annabeth was pacing from one end to the other, saying continuously. "Octavian won't wait long. He'll strike as soon as he gets the first opportunity. Camp Half-Blood has defenses, but if they're cutting off our reinforcements and getting military support, they won't be able to hold for much long."

"Who's this ally he spoke of?" Percy inquired. "Did you hear the name?"

"No," Leo told him. "Octavian doesn't seem to have told anybody about him. Some Larry person asked him but he just told him to leave."

"Who would help them in New York? How come somebody's providing a legion with military support, and that too for free?" Percy said, leaning back into the chair.

"You think Gaea is helping them?" Frank asked.

"No," Jason and Natalie said at once.

Everyone stared at them.

Natalie sighed. "Look, I know Octavian's a big old idiot, but you can never deny the fact that he's just as loyal to Rome as any other legionnaire. He would die rather than take support from Gaea."

Jason nodded. "Well it's a pity he didn't die. Could have saved us a lot of mess, but she's right."

"Okay," Hazel said. "You both are seriously putting your belief on that person?"

"No offense, Hazel," Natalie said. "But Jason and I have been at Camp Jupiter longer than any of you. We've seen and put up with that person ever since we arrived. As much as I hate to admit it, Octavian's not taking Gaea's help in this. There's someone else who's doing that, and that just makes it more dangerous."

Hazel nodded disappointedly, as if she would have been glad if Jason and Natalie had called him a traitor.

"Either way," Annabeth said, resuming her continuous speech. "We don't know who that person is. We don't have any info about him, so we can't do anything from here."

"And Reyna and Nico and Coach Hedge?" Piper asked. "What about them?"

"The man you told them about seems to be Lycaon," Annabeth stated, pushing a strand of her blond hair out of her face. "He's the leader of the werewolves. That explains why Reyna would fight him with a silver pocket-knife rather than her sword."

Percy and Natalie glanced at each other, their faces darkened. It was like they had a secret between them about Lycaon.

"And we can't help in that matter too," Piper said.

"Yeah, so the best we can do," Annabeth said, finally sitting at a chair beside Percy. "Is to continue what we're doing. If we stop Gaea, we can put a stop to all this. Leo, when are we reaching Sparta?"

"Tomorrow morning," he told her.

"Great," Jason said. "So let's eat, rest, and we'll see what to do tomorrow."

Turns out, they didn't need to see what to do the next day. Leo was actually feeling good enough after some decent sleep. Surprisingly enough, he didn't even have dreams. But of course, Piper's vision spoiled it all.

Percy destroyed nearly the whole plumbing as soon as Piper told him she and Annabeth had to go.

"Man," Leo groaned. "Did you really have to do that?"

"Sorry," Percy said absentmindedly. "But do you two really have to go alone?"

"It has to be us," Piper explained patiently.

"Who's put all the water–ACK," Natalie yelled. She would have slipped if Frank hadn't caught her.

"Thanks," she said to Frank. "Why's all this water here?"

"Courtesy of your brother," Leo told her.

"I'm sorry!" Percy said desperately.

Natalie closed her eyes, concentrating. "Okay, I'm trying to keep the water from overflowing. Go fix it as fast as you can."

"Okay," Leo said. "I guess I have problems to manage. Whoever's going, best of luck from my side."

He rushed off to go downstairs. "Buford, get all the mini tables working on the plumbing!" he yelled as he ran by Buford.

Meanwhile, he saw Jason gasping as he made his way upstairs. "What's with the –,"

"Working on it. Wait a minute," he said, rushing off into the engine room. He pressed a few buttons, the pipes resealed themselves. He was glad he had added those features to Argo II.

"Fixed," he said to Jason. "Here, I'll help you get upstairs."

He leaned on to Leo, and he looked at Jason's wound as he helped him to the deck. It had turned a sickly shade of green.

"Man, your wound looks depressingly bad."

"It's getting okay," Jason grunted.

"You're sure you don't wanna try the hor–,"

"Oh come on, man. Please don't start bickering like Natalie or Piper again. They're already having my head for it. I'm telling you, I've had worse injuries. It'll heal."

Leo shrugged. "Sure."

Just as they reached the deck, Piper and Annabeth were about to leave.

"I've kept a jar," Annabeth said, shouldering a pack. "Just in case we need to fill the heartbeat in something."

"I still don't get how we're going to use someone's heartbeat," Frank muttered.

Piper strapped Katoptris on. "Neither do I, which means we're going correct."

They climbed below and landed on the ground. Waving them goodbye from the surface, they turned and walked to find the chained god's heartbeat.