His pain tolerance was very high as it turned out. Reyna had several Romans escort Ryker out to the center of the city while she went to look for something. They tied Ryker's hand around a large wooden pole and ripped the Camp Half-Blood T-shirt off his back. Ryker could have escaped, he knew he probably should have escaped, but something he could not put his finger on kept him there. He wasn't entirely certain what punishment Reyna had in mind. Bound as he was, he did not see her when she returned. Dozens of Romans had gathered around the clearing, all of them staring at the Greek with mixtures of contempt and something that bordered on pity. "Romans!" Reyna called. Instantly everyone quieted. "Before you is the one who hurt our brothers-in-arms. I have listened to his side of the story and theirs as well. Harming a Roman in cold blood is cause for immediate execution. All of you are aware of this. But after listening to both sides of the story I have decided that this Greek was simply defending his companion. However, harming the guards as he did cannot go unpunished. As Praetor, it is my duty to issue out a fitting punishment. Had he been one of the legion I would have cast him out and that would have been the end of it. As he is not, I have decided that thirty lashes will be his punishment."

Ryker heard something heavy unfurl and hit the ground. Reyna strode around to where he could see her and she knelt down beside him. "Put this in your mouth." She muttered. She pulled a piece of fabric out of her cloak and placed it between Ryker's teeth. "Try to bear the pain."

She swept away and moved to stand in front of Ryker. She crossed her arms and nodded to someone whom the bound man could not see. He heard something whistling through the air and a moment later something slammed against his back and knocked the air from his lungs. The pain came a moment later. An involuntary groan ripped itself from his throat and Ryker slumped forward. The cloth in his mouth nearly slipped out, but he managed to reclaim it just as the second strike snapped against his back. He managed to keep the groan from escaping him a second time, but the third strike wrung one from him. "Ryker!" Silver's shout echoed across the clearing and the sounds of a squabble ensued. "Let me go! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"Hold her!" Reyna commanded.

"Reyna, what are you doing?" Annabeth demanded. "He's on a quest! The gods sent him on this quest themselves!"

"He spilled Roman blood!" Reyna shouted back. "By our laws retaliation is required."

"He was defending me!" Silver spat. "Against your soldiers!"

The lashes had continued throughout all of this, but Ryker had lost count of how many they were on. "Be that as it may, he went too far."

"You know, I don't think that is entirely true." A man dressed in ornate battle armor said fairly as he appeared in front of Ryker in a flurry of dancing flames. In one hand he held a massive spear that stood as tall as he was, probably about ten feet. In the other hand he held a large square shield that he leaned on. "In battle there really is no 'too far'. After battle there is, that is certain, but during the battle the one who survives is the one who does whatever it takes to win. I thought you Romans would understand that better than anyone."

Everyone assembled sank to one knee and even Ryker breathed out a silent thanks for the gap in the lashes. The massive man turned back to regard the bound man and the ropes that bound Ryker's hands burned away. The fire might have brushed his skin, but the pain was lost among the absolute agony that was his back. Ryker managed to keep from falling face forward on the dirt, but only just. "Lord Mars." Reyna said, gazing up at him uncertainly. "Your presence honors us. What can we do-."

"This one." Mars pointed at Ryker with his spear. "Stop punishing him. This time anyway. Plenty of time for that later. For now, heal him as best you can. He has a job to do."

"Of course My Lord." Reyna nodded. "We have been told that he is here on some sort of prophecy, could you tell us what that prophecy is?"

"I could." Mars seemed to consider the question. "But I'm not going to. That's for him to figure out." He pointed at Ryker again, who had apparently lost consciousness.

Mars sighed and snapped his fingers. Instantly his spear turned into a vial of golden liquid. He poured it over Ryker's back and the demigod's wounds began to smoke and close at the same time. Soon the only thing that was left of the wounds were slightly pink scars along his back. Mars snapped his fingers again and Ryker shot up, drawing in a raspy breath of air. His hands went to his back and he frowned when they came away without any blood. He got shakily to his feet and gazed up at Mars. "God?" Ryker guessed. When Mars nodded Ryker shrugged. "Figured as much."

"So it's true." Mars seemed to look Ryker over like Venus had only an hour before. "Raised to fight like the beasts rather than a man. You chose claws over a sword as well. Not bad, not bad. Fighters like you were always some of my favorites. The Romans are great and all with their formations, but fighters like you are always the most fun to watch. That style is going to cause you trouble in the future though. You are going to need to depend on more than just yourself in the coming days."

"What does that mean?" Ryker asked, crossing his arms. "You gods haven't told me anything about what I'm supposed to do here. Am I here to figure out what's been-." Ryker's voice was suddenly gone, as though it had been stolen away.

"That's a conversation for another time." Mars told him. "With someone else. I'm just here to stop them from completely alienating you. The Romans and the Greeks are going to need you, and soon. Even the Gods aren't sure of what your true role in what is to come will be. But you will be very necessary. So on that end I am going to give you something. A blessing and a curse."

Ares seemed to shrink until he was just under seven feet tall. He placed his hand on Ryker's head and spoke, "You, who fights like a beast of the wild, will become more and more like a beast the more you fight like one."

"What does that mean?" Ryker asked again. He was becoming more and more infuriated by the way that the gods seemed to dance around every single question that he asked of them. "More like a beast?"

"You will see soon enough." Mars told him. "For now, put out your arm."

Ryker hesitantly complied and the god wrapped his wrist with his massive hand. Ryker's skin burned white hot and when Mars removed his hand a mark was left there. The letters SPQR were tattooed onto his flesh just at his wrist along with the symbol of a howling wolf. "That's not a normal symbol." Mars told him in a voice so low that Ryker was certain he was the only one who could hear him. "That is the mark of the hunter. What you were speaking of earlier, start there. Whoever, or whatever, is taking these demigods has a plan in store. None of them have been sent to the Underworld, which means they are still alive. Find out who is taking them and there will be the start of your quest. Be careful, not even the gods know who the culprit is."

"I don't suppose that you can give me something else besides just that?" Ryker complained, but he was secretly glad of the direction.

"Hm…" Mars looked him over and his gaze fell on the hand that contained Artemis's bow. "I see you carry the weapon of a Greek God. Seems only fitting that you should carry a Roman one as well."

Mars grabbed Ryker's other hand and pressed his finger into the center like Artemis had when she imbed her bow in his other hand. "There. I think that is more suited to your fighting ability. Use it only when you absolutely need to. You have three uses."

"Artemis gave me twelve shots." Ryker remarked, examining the symbol of the flaming spear that Mars had left on his palm.

"I gave you three uses because that is all your body can handle." Mars told him sternly. "Any more and you would… well. Use it anymore and you will see for yourself."

Mars turned back to the assembled Romans and grew back to his former ten foot stature. "Any questions? No? Good. Help him any way you can." Without another word Mars disappeared in a pillar of flames.