Remember that question I put out to you all in chapter 22 (that's 23 in the drop down box)? Well, only one of you answered and got the answer correct. Well done pinkiepie0706 for the correct (and only) answer; Nyssa. I give you cookies, now. (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)

Now I hope you've enjoyed this story as this is the second last chapter. The last chapter will bring a little surprise, but I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 25:

The Eagle Saves The Day

Jaden sat there, crying into the body of his partner, for a good ten minutes. It got to the point where Magnar literally had to drag him away from the body and down to the cabin area where he proceeded to punch the thirteen year old in the jaw in order to try and snap him out of it. It worked, though a mere slap would have been a lot easier. Now Jaden had to deal with a sore jaw and a broken heart.

" Kid! Death happens! You can't save everyone!" Magnar growled before lowering his voice. " I should know."

All Jaden hear, however, was a whole lot of yelling. He was too focussed on the fact that he was the cause of Buddy's death… in more ways than one. He wasn't even aware of the eagle pendant that now made its home beside his dog tag/sword. Despite having been dragged away from the dog's body, all he could think about was Buddy; how Buddy did tricks on the streets in an attempt to get something to eat; how he protected Jaden from anything he deemed a threat; how he would always bark or whimper whenever Jaden was about to faint from exhaustion; and how he looked when Jaden had first met him, being bullied by those other dogs.

A sudden flash of lightning instantly changed the image in the boy's mind to the most recent image of Buddy; the one with the lightning scar across his side. As the sound of thunder rolled across the sky, he realised just who it was that had caused the lightning strike. Buddy's death could only mean one thing…

Zeus had found him.

That was when something inside of him shattered like glass to an opera singer's voice. To be honest, it felt like a hurricane had broken loose from its confines and was wreaking havoc on the country. Everything around him slowed down – like he was the eye of the storm – but everything else, everyone else was gold tinged and dipped in red and sounded like an earthquake – unintelligible and broken. He couldn't even make out the panicked voice of the son of Ares who he brought back to life.

With another flash of lightning racing across the sky and carrying Zeus to Camp Half-Blood, Jaden called on his sword, Erinus, and charged at the god. Thunder crashed each time their weapons met. Zeus' voice boomed with the thunder, but Jaden couldn't make out the words from the buzz that surrounded his ears. All the boy could think of was that it was one of Zeus' lightning bolts which had caused Buddy the amount of pain that he was in during his last moments of life.

And that was all it took for Jaden to see red.

He wasn't even sure how long he had been fighting for. One minute or five hours? Every time Zeus went in to smite him with lightning, his powers would act on their own accord and freeze the god long enough for Jaden to get out of the way. If Jaden was knocked down, his powers would speed him up and he'd be back on his feet in a matter of seconds. Every ounce of his training seemed to disappear. He was a loose cannon bent on revenge.

Around him, Jaden could hear voices. He wasn't sure who they belonged to, but it was definitely a mixture of male and female. Then there was the sound of barking. It was a deep bark followed by deep growls, nothing like Buddy's voice, but it was enough to spur the tiring demititan back into action. It was like that every time. Jaden would be getting tired and his hearing would start to get better, then he'd hear the sound of dogs barking and he'd be launched back into his frenzy.

There was one point where he heard someone ordering him to stop fighting and lay down his weapon. He wasn't sure who they were, telling him not to avenge the death of his dog, but they sounded so convincing that he lowered his sword arm. At that point, he felt someone's hands fall onto his shoulder and arm. Unfortunately for them, they had to mention Buddy's name and the golden red glow in Jaden's eyes returned. Finally, his skin burning and his other hand tingling badly, someone was able to get through Jaden's barrier.

That is quite enough!

The eagle's voice easily snapped Jaden out of his rage and the boy woke to find himself on Camp Half-Blood's beach, standing in front of a great golden and white eagle with its giant wings spread wide. It was also clear that he wasn't the only one seeing the eagle.

Stop this madness at once, Jaden Castellan! I thought you wanted to make peace, not war with the king of the gods.

" He struck down Buddy!" Jaden roared back, tears stinging his eyes as they made their way down his face.

Buddy's death is a sad and torturous one, but he would not want you to act like this. While I was attached to him, I was linked to his mind and soul. And despite his simplicity, he believed in and cared for you. He saw you as a peaceful being right from the start, and here you are declaring war at his funeral pyre. You should be ashamed of yourself.

" He… he really thought that?"

Yes.

Jaden gave a sigh and rubbed at his eyes to try and rid them of their tears. Now that he had been snapped out of his frenzy, he was well aware of the entire camp watching him as well as quite a few of the Olympians. He also felt the heaviness of using too much of his power at once… and no amount of training was going to stop him from blacking out.

But there was one thing he could do, as he looked down at Erinus' sharp tip, before darkness fell over his mind once more.

With all the strength he could muster, Jaden turned to face Zeus and raised his sword. Around him, everyone tensed, fearing he would strike, before watching him dig his sword into the sand. Not long after he was sure Erinus was placed firmly in the sand, he forced both his hands onto the golden and black hilt.

" I'm sorry, Lord Zeus." He forced out, falling to the ground with his head lowered. " I didn't mean to go into a frenzy and attack you like I did. It's just that lightning struck my dog, Buddy, and I was upset because I had to put him down as well as use his life thread to bring back Magnar Forza, son of Ares. And because lightning is your symbol of power, I thought that you had shot Buddy down as a warning to me to leave Camp Half-Blood."

Zeus looked like he was about to interrupt, but Jaden still had his head down and so continued on with his apology.

" As for breaking your rules of exile, I'm sorry for that too. But it was the only way I was able to save Magnar Forza from death – and it wasn't an honourable death, Lord Ares. Also, this day was prophesied. I had to come back to camp. But I give back to you a treasure lost during the civil war; I found him while I was exiled. Here is the eagle which my uncle, a son of Hermes by the name of Theodore, stole from your shoulder in 1864. I had hoped to return him to you in a more peaceful way, though.

" If you choose to accept my forgiveness, I promise I shall only use my powers to help others and not to treat them badly. This I promise on the River Styx." Thunder boomed as the promise was made. " If you choose to kill me, then strike now and may your bolt bring my death swiftly so that I can live with my dog and my mother once more."

As if to prove that he was willing to die, Jaden ripped open his already torn and bloodied shirt and closed his eyes. He was vaguely aware of the Olympians talking amongst themselves over the matter. In fact, he thought he felt time shift during the minutes that passed. However, he did manage to hear the word 'forgiven' before a sharp pain erupted in his head and he lost all consciousness.