Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Ch. B14: Death Reek
Yin sighed as memories of recent pain and death filled his mind. This happened every time he tried to think of his mentor. Yin recapped; his name is Dante he is a year older than Yin. Dante had black hair and warm eyes he also had a pale complexion. Dante often had spirits lingering around him oh yeah his father well he was Thanatos the Greek god of Death. Dante often said he sided with the titans because he would never be allowed on ether Greek or Roman grounds. That was why he had trained Yin.
Yin shook his head as he approached the entrance to Dante's cave. Snowy pines made it well hidden and in both Latin and ancient Greek a message was written in blood.
"Demigods Beware Death Lingers Here." A voice spoke from behind Yin. The Demititan spun around Neck Lacer at the ready. Before Yin stood Dante both locked eyes noticing how much each other had changed. "Three years?"
"Almost four." Yin said carefully relaxing when his mentor grinned.
"Good to see you Yin." Dante said walking forward from the tree line to shake Yin's hand.
"Same here." Yin replied noticing a scar on his mentors chin. "What happened?"
"Nothing just an accident in town." Dante said leading Yin into the cave. "Though I'm happy to see you in person Yin what brings you so far from Camp Kronos?"
"Can't I visit a good friend?" Yin countered.
"Yes but what really brings you here?" Dante said cutting through the bull.
"Demise." Yin answered.
"Ah the son of Hyperion and the reason you left my side?" Dante said indifferent to his own words.
"You know the story." Yin said coolly.
"Yes and I can tell you have killed as well Yin." Dante said his tone Ice cold. "Though you tried your best in merely maiming-"
"I figured but let's keep the number a secret." Yin said not making eye contact.
"Killing never came easy to you." Dante said as they reached a large wooden door, which he opened. Yin gasped as he looked upon his mentors dwelling. It was a massive loft with one wall full of books the other weapons and armor. The back wall had stacks of video games that probably hadn't been touched since Yin had been here last. There was a rustic leather couch in the center of the room. To the left a bar stood with a sign saying
Slow children at play.
To the right was another door, which led to his room.
Since three years ago there were twice as many books and three times as many empty Coke cans. The place needed a good cleaning for sure.
"Sorry for the mess I haven't been expecting any guests for a while." Dante said plopping down on a recliner. "Please take a seat."
"Sure." Yin said falling back into the massive couch.
"To be honest Yin I didn't think I'd ever see you again." Dante said grabbing a random book from a stack flipping through it. "Also you should know I've been keeping tabs on you and Demise."
"I figured as much." Yin replied grabbing a Japanese book on war from the cold ground.
"You've become quite the warrior you know." Dante said coolly. "I always expected you'd be better than Yang."
"Betting against long odds was your favorite pass time." Yin mocked.
"Well when death is kind enough to be your father it becomes hard not to push luck." Dante said cheerfully. "Now what about the son of Hyperion brings you here?"
"I need his story." Yin said carefully not trying to push his welcome.
"Do I sense disloyalty?" Dante asked.
"No only wariness." Yin answered quickly.
"Ah in my eyes they go hand in hand but I'm afraid a story won't do." Dante yawned. "He has far too many layers for my shelf unlike the man's your reading."
Yin gulped forgetting that every book Dante had was a copy of one's life ideals until death. "Yeah forgot about that."
"Understandable I find most intelligent life is fast to forget disturbing information." Dante scribbled something in his current book. "Which sums up this guy's experience. Getting back on topic Demise is by no means a perfect leader but he's the best for now."
"Nice." Yin said feeling like he'd just been sucker punched.
"Don't worry Yin your time is coming and by good odds you will make a brilliant leader." Dante paused thinking about what he'd said. "Though I don't bet on such simple answers. Either way for now Demise is looked up too by his soldiers or for that they won't fail him. But first things first you wish to take action with time and a well-planned victory?"
"Yes." Yin answered directly.
"While your way may seem best and have the best statistics..." Dante yawned. "Demise's way has had fewer victories but when it does death it's beautiful. And I can tell you from experience with Rome and Greece combined you're going to have one hell of a fight. And in odds yours is the longest."
"If war comes here to Alaska who would you fight for?" Yin asked bluntly looking his mentor dead in the eyes.
"While I have respect for the demigods releasing my father from Gaea I know I will never be respected by them." Dante said coldly closing his book. "And if my fellow demigods march on Alaska I will defend it."
"And if Demititans do the same you'll defend it." Yin finished expecting a new answer. "Same as before the long odd is you."
"Good memory but let me ask you something Yin." Dante stretched. "If you didn't have the daughter of Kronos which side would you fight on?"
"I..." Yin stopped unsure how to answer.
"Exactly..." Dante said grimly. "When one has nothing to fight for and can't find anything worth fighting for. One finds the long odds because everyone dies so that's a given but when one has nothing that deadline seems a mile away. The long odd is the most unlikely and always there ether it's surviving a nuclear explosion or even dying after winning the lottery."
Yin took a deep breath. "The longest odd the final breath one to keep to his dying word never found never-"
"Yes." Dante said coldly as the room's temperature dropped ten degrees. Yin was sure he could hear the moans of the dead echoing off the walls. "That was one of five prophecies the only one I showed you..."
"Sorry..." Yin said breaking eye contact. Dante shook his head the room returning to normal.
"No that was my bad..." Dante sighed looking at his Leather wristwatch. "You deserve the truth Yin much more though than you know."
"Where did that come from?" Yin asked raising an eyebrow. "Accident in town?"
"Yeah though that accident was an advancing party of both Roman and Greek demigods." Dante said scribbling in another book. "By my odds they'll be at camp Kronos in one week."