~Chapter 6~

~Leo's POV~

I stormed out of the infirmary, the Big House, and went straight to my cabin. I was outraged.

My "friends". The people I entrusted my life with betrayed me.

I was ready to leave the camp. I didn't fit in. I hoped of finding somewhere that I was loved.

I thought about where to go. I had no real home. I couldn't go to an orphanage; or else my powers would be exposed; my mom was dead, and my dad-well, my dad lived on Olympus, so…

I always thought they would have my back. Well, I changed my mind. These traitors that called themselves my friends could never love me.

I packed my bags. I was ready to leave. I didn't know where I would go, but that place was certainly not here.

I could go to Olympus, and see what the gods could do.

Yes. That was a brilliant plan. I finished packing after many confused looks from other Hephaestus campers.

As I walked out of my cabin, I bumped into Ariana.

"Leo, please, just stay. It will all be okay. I promise. Just please.." despair settled in her eyes. I felt bad, but I had to leave. I never wanted to see them again.

I walked away in a daze. I was going to Olympus, and I didn't care about her stupid quest. I was done.

I trudged down the hill when I heard someone call my name.

"Leo!" Chiron called.

Anger bubbled up inside me like boiling water. I whirled around.

"Why does everyone want me to stay?! I've made my decision. I'm leaving!" I kept walking down Half Blood Hill. I was never coming back.

~Ariana's POV~

That night I had my usual dream. I was hanging off the edge of the cliff, with Nico and his evil smile. He was possessed. He let me go, but this time, I didn't wake up. I kept falling until I hit the ground. I heard shouting coming from the darkness. Wait-I heard! I was alive. But I had to figure out what the screaming was.

I inched closer to the shouting, my sword in hand. When I got a sword, I don't know. But I held it with practice. It was about 2 feet long, with Greek markings on it reading "The Finder Has Accepted". I didn't know how I was able to read it. I advanced slowly, one foot in front of the other. The yelling got louder. It was dark, but the sword had golden sparks coming out of it.

"Hello?" I called out to the voice.

"Help!"

"I'm coming!" I could hear it much better now. I turned a couple of corners and saw a light to my left behind a ledge. I turned and found a cage, with someone in it.

Leo.

He looked so different. He was usually scrawny, but then he was so skinny, you could see his ribs through his thin shirt.

His face was streaked with dirt and blood, and his hair was longer than it usually was. It was almost to his shoulders. His eyes were pools of pain and agony. He had lost his special spark that made him Our Leo.

"W-Who are you?" he backed away in his tiny cage. How could he not remember me? I examined him. Maybe he was a clone, or a fake somehow.

He looked so tired. So desperate and hungry. I pulled out a canteen of water from my boot (what?!) and handed it to him. He drank willingly, and then told me urgently, "You helped me." There was a sudden crash. "You have to get me out of here. They will be coming in a while,"

"Who will be coming?"

"Me!" A voice echoed in the darkness. A woman….my mother. And standing next to her, eyes glazed over, staring straight ahead, was Nico.

~Nico's POV~

After all that had happened in the past hours, I was still shocked. Leo was gone. I was mad at him, but I didn't mean to take it this far. I didn't know what had led me to make such a bad judgement. I never would've gotten this mad before.

After about an hour, I left the infirmary. I started off to the lake.

"What were you thinking?!"

I turned around to see none other than Ariana, the one who had found a new "friend" after she rejected me. I hadn't thought of what to say when I saw her.

"Well, hi! Just the person I want to see right now!" my voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Nico, why would you do this?! Leo is gone now, and it's all because of you! I can't believe that you would think I'm that shallow!" She crossed her arms and glared at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry that you decided to reject me, and then you prance right on over to Leo, fawning all over him. But the worst part is that you think this is my fault. I cannot believe that I ever trusted you. Or anyone for that matter." With one last glare at her, I shadow traveled away. I went to my quiet Hades cabin where I could finally be alone.

I sat down on my bed. I stared at the wall holding one last picture of Bianca, my favorite. In it, she smiled, and her eyes lit up like stars and her cheeks were a rosy pink. I missed her. She was the only one I could trust.

But I could never see her again. She was dead.

It was never the same to see her as a ghost. I missed her laugh, her smile, and her sisterly care. She was bossy sometimes, but I took those times for granted. I got up off the bed and headed for the showers. As I stood in the hot water, I felt worse and worse. But it made me feel stronger.

Thoughts floated around my mind.

She betrayed me, I thought.

They all betrayed me...

I never needed them...I could fend for myself...

I shook my head. That wasn't me. It was someone else trying to persuade me, which wouldn't work.

I got out of the shower and went to bed early. I was exhausted after such a long day. As soon as I hit the pillow, I fell asleep.

But of course I had a dream.