"Son of Japeto? Do you man Bob?" asked Percy, looking at the young man searching for the features of his friend.
"Yes, exactly. Now, I want to talk to you about the demy titans that are waiting for you in Japan and China"
"Why in there?" asked Piper.
"Because, miss McLean, the gods don´t have much control in that part of the world. They rule over the West Society, so in the east their children would be able to live protected and get stronger to fight a war. A prove of these is Mr. Kuse" answered Chiron.
"Yes, and I have already found another demi titan, Azusa Yuuya, son of Hyperion. His abilities with magic are extraordinary since his birth, so the Lord of Light send him to train with Circe and Pasifae"
"Not those two…" said Hazel and Annabeth.
"I´m afraid so. And it seems that since today they are going to be a nice trio" said Percy, not really looking forwards to see that sorcerer.
"Can´t we stop him before he became a threat?" questioned Reina trough the Iris message, but Kuse only shook his head.
"There is one thing he wants and only learning magic to harm others will give to him: revenge. He wants to harm those who hurt him."
"What happened to him? Was he some kind of bullying victim?" asked Jason.
"You could say so" answered Kuse.
"Care to explain?" said Annabeth.
"In our school, the social status, if you want to call it like that, is decided by a game called Caste Game. A group of people hide some cards in all the school and you have to find one and bring it back to the classroom. While higher the number in your card, your status is higher. The king is on the top and the joke, the target, on bottom. The king rules the class and the target is a blank for bullies" explained the Japanese.
"So these Azusa was a target for a long time and he snapped" said Leo, who have some experience with bullies.
"No… he used to be king until recently, when Karino betrayed him and stole his position, turning him into a target. Thanks to that the abuse he have to suffer was much worse than that of the other targets"
"How bad it was?" asked Chiron. As a teacher, he knew what could happen when a bully became a victim and it was not pretty.
"The last time he was attacked… you could say they were out of control. The boys in our class gang raped him in the school´s backyard and left him there. He disappeared since then, I suppose it is for learning to control his magic"
"No wonder he wants revenge"
"It doesn´t matter if his rampage have a good reason, we have to stop him before he frees the titans from their imprisonment" said Annabeth.
"I suggest that the Seven accompany me to my home and pose as exchange students to watch Azusa once he came back. We cannot let him fulfill his purposes or a lot of mortal´s will die for their own stupidity"
"Question" said Leo, raising his hand. "Shouldn´t the school have done something about that boy´s rape or the attacks he suffered?"
"The teachers and authorities from school just ignore that, the caste game ruled everything in that place. The kings can do whatever they want without fear of the consequences"
"What an awful system" said Hazel.
"It is"
"What is your rank? And are we going to have to play that stupid game if we enter to that school? Because I don´t want to mess with that sorcerer until I really have to"
"I´m a prep, but I used to be Jack, the king´s close friend, when Azusa was in the power. And newies don´t have a caste until the game is played again so… maybe you won´t need to do it after all"
"Wait, you were a close friend of Azusa and let him get bullied?" asked Piper with anger. She will never let his friends get abused by people like that.
"It´s not like I knew him very much, we just pose as best friends. Like I said, the caste game rules the lives of everyone, including your relationship with people and who are your friends or your enemies. Karino, for example, used to be right behind Azusa when he was a pleaser and do whatever he ordered"
"Before he betrayed him to be the new king"
"Exactly, but you are missing the point. After you are given a certain caste, you have to act like it was your real personality. I didn´t even know Azusa that well, neither Karino did, but I have to pose as his best friend and he as a pleaser"
"Why should we believe you? You could be lying like the demi titan you are!" said Octavius, looking at him while strangling a teddy bear.
"Ignore him" said Frank. "Are there other demi titans apart from you and that sorcerer"
"I think so. My father told me that he surprised Ceo talking with someone in my school, a son of his, but I wasn´t able to locate him yet"
"Isn´t it that Karino guy? He could be a pretty bad person for what you have told us" asked Piper.
"No, I´m sure of it. He is the son of an important minister in our country who thinks everything belongs to him"
"So he is a spoiled brat and thought he would be able to toy with whoever he wants without fearing the consequences"
"Yes and he is not even conscious that he is toying with fire and will get burned if he keeps trying to pester Azusa. If he ends up like a rat…"
"Or a Guinea pig, Circe liked Guinea pigs"
"It doesn´t matter. Are you going to go or not?" asked Kuze, exasperated.
"I don´t know if you should, remember that it is a trap specially made for you to fall in" said Chiron.
"But if we don´t go a lot of persons will die just because a stupid game some idiots invented angered a demi titan. We have to go and face him, maybe his destiny is to fail" suggested Percy.
"Just one person could know. Kuse, you requested the mission, so it´s your turn to meet our oracle. Go to her cave and ask Rachel about your future" said Chiron, pointing towards the place through the window.
"So that´s why that thing was here in the first place" said the japanesse, getting up and started walking to meet Rachel.
"What do you think she will tell him?" asked Jason.
"Beware the sorcerer, be careful with the other demi titan, you won´t stop your ex best friend from killing a rodent who is actually the boy who raped him and ordered other boys to do the same… Maybe more, but basically that" answered Piper.
"Wouldn´t it… be better if that king guy receives what he deserves?" asked Hazel, having some experience about being the victim herself.
"Maybe, but not in the hands of a furious sorcerer" said Frank.
"An angry sorcerer with very good reason. Rape isn´t something that should go unpunished"
"I agree with that" said Annabeth. "But that doesn´t mean we should let him be Azusa´s prey"
"I have been turned into a Guinea pig by Circe once" told Percy, remembering his adventure in the sea of monsters. "And it wasn´t pretty"
"Yes, I remember that" said his girlfriend. "Connor, Travis, don´t you have some of your father´s vitamins? They could be very useful in a mission like this"
"In fact yes, we have" said Travis.
"But you will have to pay twelve dracmas for them" said Connor, extending his hand towards her to take the money.
"There you have" said the blond girl, paying. The two demi gods smiled and got out, only to return with a container full of pills.
"All yours, don´t take too much" said the brothers.
"Very funny"
"He is back" interrupted Jason.
"And well, what did she said?" asked Chiron. Kuze was looking down in a very gloomy fashion, like if the future was not very bright for him.
"Something about a sorceress who is a male in the outside and a betrayed friendship. Then that a clairvoyant I already know will be my worst enemy… hum, I hope it´s not your oracle, that would be a huge fight"
"What more?"
"A cage… a very dark cage kept hidden inside some walls finally being opened and let his prisoners escape. And the light and future falling into a no ending pit"
"Well, it could have been worst" said Annabeth, taking it by the positive meaning. Prophecies were not exactly, they could not be the light and the future.
"I hope so" said Percy.