Chapter the Thirteenth

"Shh!"

"You 'shh'. Your shushing is making more noise than me."

"Well you're breathing too loud. Nervous?"

"...Maybe a little. You're telling me you aren't?... Never mind, forgot who I was talking to."

"I'm telling you, we'll be fine. Besides, even if we do get caught, which is highly unlikely, how mad can they get? We're their friends, we're supposed to worry about them."

"It's not really them that I'm worried about offending."

"...Ares is kinda scary, huh?"

"Ya think?"

"Doesn't matter. Trust me, I'm the lucky one."

"Somehow that doesn't comfort me."

Neil glared down at Atlanta a moment as they skulked towards the gym where they knew Archie and Theresa were training with Ares. They had already scoped out Persephone's solarium, but the goddess had been alone there. So now they had to sneak in on Ares and their friends and hide themselves well enough to spy on them. They had decided not to invite Herry or Odie along on their adventure, and they knew Jay would pitch a fit if he knew what they were up to. But they couldn't wait any longer.

Atlanta nodded towards the side door that would lead to the balcony level surrounding the gym floor. Neil reached over, opening it silently. They paused a moment, making sure the staircase was empty before entering it, climbing slowly upward, taking great care not to make any noise on the stairs. Atlanta let Neil take the lead, hoping his luck would continue to hold out. She poked him gently in the back.

"Remember to concentrate," she whispered softly. He waved an impatient hand at her. Through their training with Artemis, and some tips from Persephone, they had found that the more Neil concentrated on a certain outcome in a given situation, the more likely it was that his luck would prevail and present him with the desired outcome. His inherent luck would warp the situation to his needs, and they were working on how he could expand that to include his team mates in his 'lucky bubble'. Today would be a good test of that, if he could keep himself and Atlanta from being detected, and if they got to see exactly what Ares was putting Archie and Theresa through.

Neil made a mental note to remember that as a point in their favour if they did get caught and Jay found out that they went against his orders. He held back a wince. Really, he did hate going against Jay, if only because it affected his Leaders morale and confidence in being respectfully followed by his team. The last thing they needed was a Jay who didn't have enough confidence in himself or his team. That, more than anything, could lead to their downfall. So, he tried not to do it too often. But sometimes, such as in this case, the boy was just too damn stubborn for Neil's liking.

They reached the balcony and Neil peeked around the corner. He could see Ares off to the side from this vantage point, and though he couldn't see them, he could hear Archie and Theresa. It sounded like they were already training, and had been for awhile, if their harsh breathing was anything to go by. Grabbing Atlanta's hand, he knelt and tugged her swiftly to a column they could hide behind. Taking a steadying breath, he peeked out again. Ares hadn't moved. Good.

Atlanta settled against Neil's back, peering over his shoulder for a glimpse of their friends. Her hands squeezed his shoulders as she saw them in the middle of the room, fighting hand to hand. She frowned at the sight of them though. Sweat poured off their bodies, their clothing completely soaked. Their breathing was harsh and their movements a little choppy. It looked like they had been in here for hours already. Atlanta and Neil had only risen an hour ago, and she had thought that was early enough! Theresa and Archie must have risen and started training before dawn. She winced as Theresa tossed Archie down onto the mats, the boy landing with a loud thud.

Archie groaned as he lay on the mats, unable to make himself get up again. His body was screaming in agony at the brutal pace Ares had been setting for them. He could barely hear Theresa gasping for air over his own wheezing, a prayer for a swift death forming in his mind. At this rate, he would gladly let Cronus kill him, if only to get this misery over with.

"Enough. Take a break you two," Ares voice cut through Archie's morbid thoughts. He groaned in relief and blearily opened his eyes. Theresa huffed as she moved closer to him, holding out a hand to help him up. Archie snorted and grabbed her hand, pulling her down to the mats instead. She landed in a flop against him, her head resting on his chest. She wrinkled her nose half heartedly.

"Ugh, you're all sweaty," she moaned. Archie closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on breathing properly.

"Uh-huh. You like it," he teased, a ghost of a grin floating across his features as Theresa scoffed softly. She didn't move though; couldn't really. Her limbs felt like jello and uncooperative in the extreme. "Terri?"

"Hn?" she grunted.

"Thirsty. Water's too far," Archie whined. Theresa rolled her eyes, but tilted her head, scanning the room for their water bottles. They sat across the gym by the bleachers. She grimaced and narrowed her eyes at them, moving slightly to hold out a beckoning hand. A bit unsteadily, they rose into the air and slowly floated towards them. Her arm trembled form the effort, but she was far too thirsty as well. Frowning, she made a impatient motion with her hand.

"Damn it, come here," she insisted, yelping as the bottles suddenly came flying toward them. Dropping her hand, the bottles dropped a foot away from them, tipping and landing on their sides. Archie grinned down at her as he grabbed at them.

"You're getting better at that," he noted, not bothering to sit up in order to guzzle down his water. Theresa rolled her eyes and propped herself up against him to drink.

"If you drown yourself, I won't save you," she warned him. Not that she expected him to listen to her, or that he would actually drown himself, but some days you just never know. Theresa sighed as she rolled her shoulders, her muscles tight and uncomfortable. She frowned as her spine tingled slightly, the hair at the nape of her neck stnading on end. It almost felt like... they were being watched. She glanced around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Ares was toward the other end of the gym, his back to them as he set up some targets. She shook her head, wary of becoming overly paranoid.

Setting her water to the side, she flopped back down on Archie, ignoring his grumblings as she closed her eyes to rest. Ares wouldn't let them rest all that long, so it was best to take advantage of the lull while it lasted. Archie reached up, letting one of his hands land on her back, fingers rubbing at her shoulders. Theresa moaned tiredly, snuggling further into him as he worked at her muscles. A soak in the hot springs was definitely in order when they were down. Maybe even some food, if they weren't too tired to eat. She seriously doubted it though, even though her stomach was already rumbling painfully in protest.

"Alright you two, get up!"

Theresa startled awake as Ares bellowed at them, her hands clenching in Archie's shirt as he squeezed her tightly. Blinking rapidly they slowly sat up, rubbing their eyes from their short impromptu nap.

"Theresa, Persephone wanted me to run you through more target practice. Archie I want you on the weights."

Archie frowned as they stood, a tired sigh escaping from Theresa. He shook his head and scowled over at Ares.

"She's too tired for that, and you know it Ares," he spat. Up in the galley, Neil and Atlanta exchanged a confused look as Theresa tugged at Archie's arm.

"Archie..."

"No, Theresa, look at you. You're beyond exhausted, they can't expect you to do that in this condition," Archie growled, frustrated and angry at Persephone and Ares for what they were putting Theresa through.

"That's exactly why she needs to practice boy. You think Cronus is going to stop and let you take a break? Wait until you're completely rested before attacking? Wrong! He'll wait for a moment like this, when you're weak and vulnerable," Ares strode over to them, his face turning red as he yelled at them. "She needs to be able to defend you when that happens. It could mean the difference between life and death."

"You pushing her now could mean death!" Archie yelled back, stepping forward to glare fiercely at his mentor. Ares frowned down at him, crossing his arms menacingly.

"Maybe it will. I'm willing to take that risk. Or do you think she's that weak, boy?" he smirked down at the boy, noting how he vibrated with anger. Theresa glared up at Ares then, putting her hand on Archie's shoulder in hopes of calming him somewhat.

"Don't even, Ares. Archie, calm down. I've had enough of you two baiting each other," she sighed tiredly then, resting her forehead against Archie for a moment. Straightening up, she moved away from them, towards the targets that Ares had set up. Ignoring the scowl she knew was forming on Archie's face, and the matching smirk on Ares', she stopped a good distance away and took a few deep breaths.

Atlanta frowned as she and Neil watched, completely confused about what was happening and unhappy that it might somehow involve harm coming to Theresa. They had wondered what Ares was doing to them, but now it sounded like he and Persephone were double teaming the teens, apparently to Theresa's detriment. They exchanged a worried look as Theresa stalked across the gym, wondering if they should let Jay know what they had done after all. Neil gave Atlanta a tiny frown and shrugged slightly as she bit her lip, unsure of what to do. He turned back towards the gym floor, needing more information on the situation first.

They watched as Theresa closed her eyes, standing stock still in front of the targets. Barely breathing, they watched silently as she stood there, waiting for something to happen. Minutes ticked by, and Atlanta fought the urge to fidget. Archie was still standing beside Ares, a fierce scowl across his face as they too watched Theresa.

A flicker of light tore her eyes away from them. She glanced back at Theresa, scanning her for movement, though nothing seemed-

There! Again!

That same strange blue energy was swirling around Theresa now, looking less like lightning and more like flames now, as it writhed around her body. Flowing and whirling, it seemed to grow as it tried to encompass her form, winding its way up her legs and across her arms. A light breeze seemed to move her hair, though Neil and Atlanta felt nothing up on the balcony. They watched as she brought her arms up in front of her body, hands making a cupping motion, one over top of the other.

Theresa furrowed her brow as she concentrated, her breathing coming harder now at the toll the energy was taking on her body. It was easier to summon now, under any circumstance, but it was still difficult to hold onto. Even more difficult to use it and direct it in any way other than a wild discharge. Gathering it together in a ball, she narrowly opened her eyes and picked a target. Lifting her arms, she fired the energy toward it, satisfied as it hit its intended target with a loud crack. Panting harshly now, she sucked in a breath and took aim again.

Atlanta and Neil watched, wide eyed as she fired off the shots of energy, decimating the targets that stood in front of her. This was way more than just basic training. And why hadn't they been told anything? This was the kind of information that might be useful the next time Cronus made an appearance. Neil scowled. Jay might not have wanted them spying, but he was damn sure going to want to know about this. And about why it had been kept from him.

If it was kept from him. Maybe he does know, and that's why he didn't want us checking up on them by ourselves. But why keep this secret from us?

Atlanta jumped as Archie raised his voice suddenly.

"Enough Theresa! You're too worn out for this," he called to his partner, knowing that she would be extremely ill after this. He could see it in the way her body was beginning to contort, the way she was wheezing for breath. Closing her eyes, she let her arms fall and the energy dissipate. The cramps were swiftly taking over her body, forcing her to her knees. Whimpering, she wrapped her arms around her stomach even as she started coughing, a bone jarring hack that echoed throughout the room.

"Theresa!"

Neil cursed softly as Atlanta bolted down the stairs, blowing their cover. Standing up to go after her, he noted with some alarm that there was a small puddle of blood forming in front of Theresa. Archie blinked in confusion as Atlanta suddenly appeared at his side, Neil coming quickly down the stairs after her. Shaking his head, he turned back to Theresa, coaxing her back into his arms so he could pick her up and bring her to Chiron. Wincing as she cried out in pain, he lifted her as gently as he could.

"Is she okay? What's wrong with her Archie?" To say Atlanta was worried was an understatement. She felt slightly frantic at the sight of her friend, sickly pale and obviously in tremendous pain.

"You two! Just what in Tartarus do you think you're doing in here?" Ares bellowed at them. Archie shook his head and headed out of the gym, Atlanta close at his heels. Neil shrugged at Ares and scampered after them, not wanting to be left behind with the angry god of war.

"Sorry Ares, just training!" he called over his shoulder. Catching up with the others, he pulled Atlanta back slightly. "Easy there Lannie, let the man walk."

"Actually, Atlanta, can you run ahead to Chiron and let him know I'm bringing Theresa?" Archie asked steadily, trying to stay calm even as Theresa wheezed and coughed up more blood. The words were no sooner out of his mouth than he felt the air blow around him, signalling Atlanta's departure. Neil trotted at his side, hating how helpless he felt. He winced at the sound of Theresa's wet, ragged cries, at the sight of the blood covering her chin and shirt.

"Archie?" he ventured dumbly, shock numbing his body.

"Not now Neil," Archie shook his head as they rounded the corner, spotting the door to Chiron's study just up ahead. Racing into the room, he was relieved to see a bed already set up and Chiron himself awaiting them. The centaur gestured for him to put her down, immediately taking out his instruments to look her over.

"She pushed too hard again, didn't she," Chiron frowned, cursing Ares in his mind. Archie scoffed from her other side where he stroked her hair soothingly, giving her hand a gently squeeze.

"Doesn't she always? Shh, it's gonna be okay Theresa. Chiron's here," he murmured to her, hoping to calm her down as the centaur worked to ease her pain and fix the damage she had inflicted on her body. Atlanta bit down hard on her lip as she watched them, her eyes stinging. Blinking rapidly, she took a shaky breath as Neil slipped his arm around her, steadying the both of them.

"Chiron? Is there any way we can help?" he asked for them. Hopelessness settled in further as the centaur shook his head gently, sparing them a sympathetic glance.

"I'm afraid not. Why don't you two wait outside. I'll let you know when we're done," he assured them. Neil nodded in defeat and tugged a catatonic Atlanta back out the door. Archie didn't even twitch as they left, completely focused on his partner. Taking a breath as he shut the door behind them, Neil released Atlanta and stumbled over to the opposite wall, sliding down to sit in a heap on the floor. Atlanta rested against the door, her gaze dazed and far off. He gestured toward her.

"Lanta. Come here," he commanded gently, watching as she pushed herself away from the door and woodenly moved to sit next to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close and pressed a kiss against her hair. Huddled together, they sat and waited for Chiron, a shroud of confusion and worry settling over them like a heavy blanket. Atlanta trembled from the adrenaline coursing through her body, wanting to do something, but unable to move. Pressing tighter against Neil, she wound her arms around him and buried her face into his neck.

All they could do was wait, and hope for answers.

An hour later Chiron sighed as he wiped his hands on a rag. Looking down at Theresa, pale and worn, he shook his head. The gods asked too much of these mortal children sometimes, all in the name of themselves. He also failed to see how breaking the prophecy at their own hands by killing one of the Seven would be of any help in this war. For surely that was the only way this could end.

Moving to gather a small green bottle, he turned back to Archie and held it out.

"I want you to let her rest, but try to wake her every four hours and give her a spoonful of this. It will help with both the pain and to heal her further," he instructed the boy. Making sure he understood, Chiron went to open to the door, unsurprised to find Neil and Atlanta slumped on the floor. They looked up at him, eyes wide and hopeful. He sighed again at the innocence he found in that moment and tried to give them a reassuring smile.

"Come. She will be fine, with some rest," he told them. They sighed in relief, scrambling to stand on shaky, tingling legs. Cautiously, they moved into the room, slightly apprehensive at what they would find within.

Archie glanced up as they entered, giving them a wan smile. They went to his side, gazing down at Theresa as she slept. Atlanta rested a hand on Archie's shoulder, noticing how he trembled slightly. He was exhausted. Roughly rubbing a hand over his face, Archie stood wearily and moved to pick Theresa up.

"I know you guys want answers. Just let me get her home, okay? She needs to rest," he sighed. Stopping at the hand on his other shoulder, he frowned at Neil.

"Let me," Neil said, going around the bedside to gather up Theresa. Archie shook his head, bemused.

"Neil, she's covered in sweat and blood. You're going to carry her?" he let out a mirthless laugh. Neil closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I know," he said, voice strained. He opened his eyes and bent down, gathering the redhead close to his chest in order to not jostle her as he stood. "But, you're completely exhausted Archie. I doubt you could carry a mouse right now. Just, open the doors for me, 'kay?"

Too tired to argue, Archie just watched in abstract amusement as Neil picked Theresa up gently, managing not to grimace at how filthy she was. He shook his head, feeling like he had missed something along the way, but led them out of Chiron's study regardless. Atlanta stayed by his side as they walked, eyeing him like a hawk as she watched for any sign of imminent collapse. The hallways twisted and turned as they made their way to the vine covered door beside Persephone's solarium. Archie glared at Persephone's door before opening his own, angry at the goddess and the world in general. Moving through the living room, he stalked through the bedroom towards the bathroom, intent on getting Theresa clean and comfortable.

Neil let out an appreciative whistle as he followed Archie through the bedroom. Atlanta gave him a strange look and he nodded towards the bed.

"You guys weren't kidding when you said the whole team could fit in your bed. It's the biggest I've ever seen," he commented. He heard Archie snort softly and mumble under his breath. It sounded suspiciously like 'that's what he said'. Neil frowned and rolled his eyes as they walked further into the room, passing into the bathroom. His jaw dropped. "And you have a hot spring? Dude!"

"Yeah, yeah. Focus Neil. Bring Theresa over here, and set her down on the bench, okay?" Archie gestured impatiently, fetching a large towel. Neil did as he was told, freezing as Theresa groaned slightly when he set her down. Immediately Atlanta and Archie were at his side, Archie pushing them away slightly as he cupped Theresa's face in his hands. "Theresa? You wanna wake up a little for me princess?"

Atlanta held her breath as she watched the other girl's eyes flutter before opening the tiniest bit, making a small whimpering noise as she did. Archie gave her a soft smile and stroked her cheek as Neil kept her propped up.

"Hey. There's my girl. Need to get you cleaned up, kay?" Archie said softly. He took the small noise she made for assent and moved to take her from Neil. "Thanks man. I got her. Atlanta, gimme a hand? I need to get her into the hot springs."

"O-okay," she stuttered, unsure of what exactly Archie wanted her to do. He gave her a small smirk as he leaned back, Theresa securely in his arms.

"Help me get her clothes off. Neil, could you wait out in the living room?" Atlanta noticed Archie didn't look altogether uncomfortable with the idea of undressing his partner. Neil just nodded and left the room, muttering something about tea. Atlanta smiled faintly, knowing there would be a fresh pot waiting for them when they were done in here. Turning back to her friends, she took a breath and set to getting Theresa out of her dirty clothes and wrapped up in the towel Archie held.

It was a slightly awkward process, and Archie was glad to have help this time. He had had to do this twice on his own already, though the first time had been at Theresa's insistence. She had been conscious that time, but extremely groggy and uncoordinated. This time, as with last, she was drifting between awake and asleep, and was no help. Sighing as he averted his eyes so Atlanta could strip off Theresa's undergarments, he closed his eyes briefly, wondering just how many more times they would have to go through this. He felt Atlanta grab the towel from his hand and lay it modestly around Theresa. Opening his eyes, he shifted to wrap it tighter around her body, securing it snugly in a knot.

"Thanks Atlanta. I really appreciate it," he muttered gratefully, catching the younger girl's eye. She paused, giving him a wobbly grin. He reached out to ruffle her hair slightly. "I can take it from here. We're just gonna soak in the spring for a few minutes. Why don't you go join Neil?"

"Sure. Just give a shout if you need me," she whispered. Watching her go, Archie heaved another sigh and gingerly laid Theresa down so he too could strip out of his clothes and into a towel. Wrapping it tight about his waist, he gently picked her up, relieved when she made another small noise.

"S'ok princess, I got ya," he whispered as he lowered them down into the hot spring, settling her on his lap. He knew the soothing heat of the water would help her tense muscles relax, helping to prevent any further cramping while she slept. Rubbing at her shoulders and arms, he gazed at her face, stomach twisting at the lingering pain he found there. Reaching up to stroke her cheek again, he pressed a kiss to her thin cheek. Nuzzling against her, he held her close and tightly shut his eyes.

"You need to stop scaring me like this," he whispered mournfully, throat closing as he choked back all the anger and fear and every other emotion that threatened to spill forth. Letting out a yawn, he sank further into the steaming water, momentarily thankful simply that she was alive and in his arms.

Neil and Atlanta were sitting on the couch, talking quietly when Archie emerged from the bedroom a half hour later. Closing the door half way behind him, he tiredly walked over to join them. A smile flitted across his lips as Neil poured him a cup of what smelled like chamomile tea. Clearly, Theresa and Persephone had been shoving too much tea down his throat if he was starting to recognize the different scents of them. Gratefully accepting it nonetheless, he let out a jaw cracking yawn as he fell into a chair. Sipping at it, he glanced over at his two friends, already weary of the conversation that they would have. A thought occurred to him and he set down the cup.

"Before I say anything, can I just ask: what were you guys doing in the gym anyways?" he wondered. Neil and Atlanta flushed and shared a guilty look. Atlanta squirmed a bit on the couch, fidgeting with the cup in her hands.

"We were worried about the two of you. It's been two weeks, and we haven't trained with you at all. We just wanted to make sure you were okay," Atlanta mumbled.

"So, we decided we should maybe, ya know, spy on you guys and find out what was going on. Really, it was all my idea," Neil added. His eyes widened slightly. "Please don't tell Jay."

"I was about to ask the same thing," Archie snorted. He shook his head. "Jay doesn't know about... that... and I'm sure if he knew, he'd flip out."

"Yeah, he didn't want us spying on you either. Said he'd speak to Hera about team training time," Atlanta nodded. She bit her lip, and glanced through the bedroom door, where she could see Theresa laying peacefully on the bed. "So... Is Theresa going to be okay? What happened to her?"

"She'll be fine. For now. Until she does it again," Archie scowled down into his teacup, frustrated at the aimless hatred he felt boiling underneath his skin. He let out a harsh breath and settled deeper into the chair, swirling his tea. He refused to meet their gazes as he explained the situation to them.

"We all knew, right from the start, that Theresa is a psychic. It started out just as clairvoyance and slowly grew into telekinesis and a bit of telepathy, as far as dumb creatures were concerned. But now, it's morphing into something else. She's been having dreams, ominous ones. I don't know if they're prophetic or not; Persephone seems to think that since we've already seen what happens in them, we can try to avoid it, or warp it to our satisfaction. And, like you saw earlier, Theresa can now physically manifest that latent psychic energy that she uses when she has a vision. The gods seem to think this could be a great weapon, a way to ensure Cronus' defeat.

But what none of them seem to want to admit, aside from Chiron and Persephone, is that it's killing her. Every time she uses more and more energy, and her body takes the brunt of it. Her mortal body, that wasn't built to house this kind of power in the first place. But we're the children of the gods, right, the great heroes! We should be able to handle anything that's thrown at us."

Archie couldn't take it anymore and stood up to pace, restless anger filling him. He felt caged and helpless.

"They told us we had to take care of each other. How the hell am I supposed to do that when they seem so fucking bent on destroying her? I shouldn't have to protect her from the gods; they're the ones that brought us here in the first place! They're the ones that need us,not the other way around!"

Neil and Atlanta watched helplessly as he paced and ranted. It felt like the rug had been pulled from beneath their feet; this war was suddenly all too real, and harrowing, in a way it hadn't been before. Before, they were just the Heroes; the Chosen Ones, who would defeat the evil god and save the world. Now, they were beginning to realize just how futile it all seemed. Laughable almost. Seven teenagers? Against an ancient god who had once ruled the world? They had held their own so far, but after their last encounter with Cronus, they couldn't help but wonder if maybe the god had been holding back somewhat.

Neil gazed down at the floor, wondering if it wasn't just blind luck that had gotten them all this far. It certainly felt like it, in this moment. And Theresa. What was going to happen to her? What happened if the gods did push too far, and she died? He shuddered, not wanting to even think about, a wave of superstitious paranoia running through his body. Instead, he concentrated on imagining her whole and healthy again. If his luck was good for anything, he hoped he could at least help his friends. He tiredly ran a hand through his hair.

"I wish Cronus would just show up again, so we could force a confrontation with him and get this over with already," he muttered dejectedly. "Two years of our lives wasted already. Live or die, either way I'm tired of waiting."

"Neil!" Atlanta gaped at her partner, never having seen him depressed in all the two years that they had known each other. "Don't talk like that. You're far too pretty to be so damn fatalistic."

They shared a weak grin as Archie snorted, hoping to force a bit of normalcy back into this conversation. They glanced over at the man still pacing restlessly in front of them. Neil shook his head and stood, tugging Atlanta up with him.

"Pretty or not, doesn't make all this any easier. Look Arch, we won't say a word to Jay. He's worried enough already," Neil shook his head. Giving his friend a critical look, he let a cocky grin cross his face. "Go get some rest. You look like shit."

Archie gave him a sour look and flipped him off as Atlanta rolled her eyes and shoved Neil toward the door.

"Geez Neil, you're just a regular sweetheart, aren't ya?" she scoffed. Twisting to look back at her friend, she gave him a small smile. "Get some rest dork. If you need anything, you know where to find us. Just follow the sound of Neil's girlish screams."

Archie finally laughed as he watched her shove the blond out the door, listening to them carping at each other as they moved down the hall, back towards their own rooms. Letting out another giant yawn, he stretched and shuffled back into the bedroom where Theresa lay soundly sleeping. Clambering over the giant bed, he made his way to her side and settled down underneath the blankets. Tugging her gently against his side, he lay down and wondered again how they could possibly make it through the rest of this war alive. Brushing an errant curl away from her cheek, he held her close and prayed that they would make it out alive.

That he wouldn't lose her.

Closing his eyes he let himself finally drift off to sleep for a little while.

Jay frowned and tried to hold back the worry rising within him as he left Hera's chambers. She had refused to allow them more time together as a team, stating that the gods had a certain method of training that they were each employing and that it could not be thrown off balance. He snorted and stalked down the empty halls toward his and Herry's rooms.

Bullshit. Something's going on that they don't want us knowing about,and they're deliberately keeping us away from Archie and Theresa. The rest of us have trained together without it being a problem, but mention that we want to see those two and suddenly it's all suspicious looks and reprimands. As though we were children and not their damn saviours. No matter; I'll get to the bottom of this one way or another.

He paused as the corridor branched off; one direction leading him to his rooms, the other to Archie and Theresa's. Shaking his head after a moment, he continued on homeward. They likely weren't there anyways, and he had no desire to confront Ares after the stern rebuke he had gotten from Hera. He could wait for a better time. And then he would get answers, one way or another.

The gods might have recruited them, given them a home and purpose. But this was his team.

And he would be damned if he let anything happen to them.

A/N: Holy, look at me! I'm on a roll, eh guys? iheartyou07, I hope there was enough Archie/Theresa in this chapter for you! And look, I listened to you and updated before the new year! Haha, well I hope you guys like this chapter, and thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I love checking my email and having a bunch of review alerts in my inbox!