*IMPORTANT!*

Well, here is chapter 4. Remember that this chapter and chapter 3 came out together so don't miss that other chapter.

IV

Leo

Leo didn't realize how late it had gotten. A rumbling echoed throughout the hanger sized cave, and over the roaring of various machinery. He grabbed onto his stomach. It was making a series of gurgles loudly reminding him, that he had gone all day long running on empty. He looked around and he wasn't the only one that looked hungry. Several of his siblings were either holding their stomachs as well, or crouching trying to make the pain go away.

"Guess we should head back to camp for dinner." Leo said getting grunts of approval from everyone. Well everyone that had the strength to spare. "Alright, push everything to the side and let' go back and eat. He didn't need to tell them twice. Once everyone heard that their work was done for now and it was time to eat, yelling for people to move out of the way, tools dropping onto of tables with resonating thunks , and the rolling sound of heavy machinery being pushed to out of the way filled Bunker Nine. With everyone focused on a common goal the time it took clean up was faster than anyone could have thought. In mere minutes everyone was gathered at the front entrance waiting for Leo to give the okay to leave. After doing an inspection and deciding it was reasonable he opened the door to Bunker Nine and carefully stepped out. He wanted to make sure his cabin-mates were safe. He assumed if anyone was going to be killed in Hephaestus Cabin from the Hydra, it was going to be him, and not before the quest started. The wind was blowing very faintly, which was a good sign. Being night didn't help the mood any, no matter how creepy the forest usually was. It took less time to get back to camp then it did to get to Bunker Nine. He saw the familiar sight of the dinning pavilion. It's an outdoor pavilion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. It has stone picnic tables arranged the same way the cabins where. So they made an Omega shape. At the pavilion, torches blazed around the marble columns, and a fire burned in the center in a bronze brazier the size of a bathtub. Each cabin has its own table, covered in white cloth and a purple trim. Near the middle of the pavilion there was a ten foot long thin gray scar on the marble floor. Leo never gave it much thought. To him, the pavilion was old and was in need of a new foundation.

They made their way to the Hephaestus table. Leo sat on the opposite side close to the Apollo table, so he was able to see Abram looking at him as he drank. A group of wood nymphs made their way over placing plates in front of them. There were only certain types of foods served in the pavilion. In front of him platters of lean BBQ, grapes, apples, cheese, strawberries, and fresh bread sat on the table. Leo was starving. If it wasn't for Nyssa stopping him, he would have eaten all of his food without remembering to burn some as an offering for his Father.

He was the last to get up. Quietly he went to the crackling fire and slid off a piece of his brisket from his plate. He found himself whispering, "Hephaestus." As the food burned he caught the scent of a bunch of different foods that smelled incredible but should have not mixed as well as they did. When he turned everyone in his cabin was sitting back at their table. Instead of walking back to his seat, he changed his direction just a bit to the right and walked straight to the table of Apollo's children. Most of them took after their dad's appearance: blonde hair, an athletic build, blue eyes. Abram was one of the few that didn't. He stuck out from the group, which made it easier for Leo to keep him locked in his sights. Abram was talking to one of his brothers, probably about how he had gotten a prophecy and a quest. Leo didn't know the name of guy he was talking to until one of the other Apollo children tapped him on the back and whispered Chris before pointing at Leo. Abram also turned to Leo walking towards the table noticing that his conversation buddy's focus was somewhere else.

The expression on Abram's face was priceless. He eyes got almost as big as you would see on an owl, his face started to turn a crimson shade of red, and his mouth looked like he was whispering: Almighty Apollo! What do you think you are doing? He quickly turned to Chris and whispered something in his ear before turning around and saying the same thing to the kids next to him. It must of have been something about leaving because they did just that, but not before giving Leo a dirty look as if he was just going to bring a curse upon both of the cabins.

He wanted to see how far he could push it. Leo hopped over the bench and sat with a loud Plop! By this time everyone in Apollo Cabin was staring him down. He was pretty sure if he turned to look, his cabin would be doing the same thing. For some reason or another Chiron didn't seem to notice. Even with everyone whispering and pointing at them. "So, I suggest we leave soonish. Like skip the s'mores, and get someone else to lead the sing along instead of you." Leo said with the biggest smile he could muster up without bursting in laughter.

"Leo, this isn't funny." Abram got up and started to walk away stopping after a few steps. "Well, are you coming or not? Leo was confused for a second, and was sure it showed on his face. "I thought you wanted to leave." Abram finally said.

"I do, but first I need to talk to Chiron about something, and my cabin needs to come with us as well." Leo replied as he got up from the Apollo table.

"Whatever." Abram muttered under his breath as he waited for Leo to take the lead. Leo made his way to the table Chiron was sitting at.

"Chiron, If I am going to go on this quest, there won't be anyone to open Bunker Nine. I propose that Hephaestus cabin stay in Bunker Nine until our quest is complete."

"Hmm, I didn't think about that." The centaur replied stroking his beard. "How will they eat if they can't leave?

"I . . .I was thinking, are there plates thet fill with food as the goblets do with the drinks?" Leo asked .

"Well, yes there are some. Alessa," Chiron said calling over a camper from Hermes Cabin. "can you please bring the plates from the basement?" She smiled and agreed as she ran off.

"We are going to need a lot of them. I also wanted to put them in The Argo II when it was done." Leo added.

"Oh, well she might need some help then." Chiron replied.

"I'll go help her. We'll stat piling them on the porch if you and the rest of cabin nine could meet us there to help?"

"Yeah, sure no problem." Leo said as Abram turned and ran off to catch up to Alessa. "So the goblets, can we take the ones that we are using?"

"I don't see why not. Just make sure they don't get melted down for anything. Not exactly easy to replace." Chiron said with a chuckle. Leo went back to Hephaestus table and told them to take their goblets and for a small group to go the Big House to help Alessa and Abram with the plates. Jason had seen what they were doing and jogged over to Leo with his goblet in his hand.

"What's all this about?" He asked.

"So we have something to drink, and so they have something to live off of when we are out on our quest."

"Huh?" Jason replied, his face in totally confusion. Leo took the next few minutes to explain his plan. How Cabin nine would stay in Bunker Nine and how Jason, Abram, and Leo would have something to eat and drink while in the forest. "Oh, that makes sense." Alessa, Abram, Jake, and Shane had returned with a small stacks of platters in their hands.

"Ready to go?" Abram Asked Leo.

"Almost." Leo replied before jogging off back to the Apollo table and snatching the goblet Abram was drinking out of earlier.a "Now we're ready." He smiled. Abram had a look on his face that said I can't believe you just did that.

The group of campers made their way to the common area of the cabins. "So, how long do we plan on staying out there?" Leo finally asked.

"Who knows." Abram replied.

" It depends on how long it takes to track and defeat the Hydra." Jason added. They put down the plates and the goblets on the ground of the common courtyard the cabins shared, before everyone had ran off to their respective cabins gathering supplies for at the most the next two months.

The kids from Hephaestus cabin grabbed pillows, blankets, clothes, and toiletries. Jason, Abram, and Leo had gathered backpacks filled with clothes, one of the magic plates from the ground as well as the goblet they had used for dinner. A spare backpack sat on the floor that was full of some emergency provisions and Ziploc bag full of Ambrosia squares. Abram and Jason also had their weapons on them. Jason's Gladius hung off his belt on his right side. A quiver was slung over Abram's right shoulder, full of arrows. He also had some extra arrows sticking out of his backpack. His bow was hanging off his quiver. Strapped to his lower back where two thin swords. Their sheaths made an 'X' shape. Leo was surprised, he didn't know Abram knew how to use dual swords. Leo didn't have a weapon. He had his tool belt, which e never took it off so he didn't have to retrieve it. Everyone had also decided to put on full Greek armor. It was a good idea considering they were about to walk through the monster infested forest at night.

"I think, you should at least take sword Leo." Abram suggested.

"I wouldn't know how to use it if I did." He admitted to Abram.

"Hmm, well go to the weapon shed and see if you can find one that feels good and when we are out there I will teach you the basics."

"I guess it couldn't hurt. . ." Leo mumbled as he walked off toward the weapon shed and started digging around. He must have take a while because Abram had strolled over and was watching him from outside. "How about this." He came out holding a sword that he knew wasn't balanced for him.

"Leo, that sword is too heavy for you. Look how you hold it. The tip is way too low and not at all in level with the rest of the sword when you hold it out like that.

"Fine." Leo replied as he tossed it aside in the shed and brought another one out. "What about this one?" He literally had to drag it outside the shed. It screeched against the pavement leaving a faint scratch behind it.

"Seriously? You can't even lift that you idiot!" Abram chuckled covering his mouth. Leo shot him a smile and dragged it back inside. He assumed his little fun was over for now. He reached for an ordinary blade that hung off the wall. It wasn't anything special. It wasn't too heavy or too light. I wasn't a perfect match, but for training it would have to do.

"Done trying on clothes?" Abram snickered as he playfully shoved Leo.

"I guess, but when we get back you are buying me name brand!" Leo replied with his signature smirk. Abram just sighed and shock his head. They walked back to the group waiting for them in the common area. "Alright, we are heading for Cabin Nine right now." Leo said addressing the group. "We will escort you guys safely there before leaving on our quest. You guys will stay there until our quest is done. Anyone who doesn't want to doesn't have to go. Any questions?" No comment from anyone. "Alright then, Let's move out."

The forest was dangerous during the day. It felt like walking through Tartarus itself at night. The area of the woods they were at had grown so heavy that the only light they had was a small fire Leo held in his hand. They got a lot of dirty looks and "Hey, Don't get that near me!" from wood nymphs as they walked. A group of more than twelve plus demigods all with ADHD and carrying all kinds of things that rattled with each step, it wasn't exactly the stealthiest mission they have ever been on. It wasn't long before the sounds of growls and howling surrounded them.

"Shit!" Leo cursed.

"Weapons, everyone!" Jason said calmly but forcefully. There was a different assortment of weapons out and ready to attack. There were hammers, daggers, regular sized swords and a two handed sword that was twice the size of its holder. As the growling nearer, it got more aggressive and louder. That can't be a wolf or wolves. Leo thought to himself. It didn't seem to move, but Leo guess whatever it was, it wanted to look for the weak ones of the group first.

"Leo, can you give us more light?" Jason asked.

"I'll try man." Leo replied. He focused his energy a bit more and his flame grew twice the size. Its light was enough for everyone in the group to be fully visible, but not enough to light the surrounding area.

"Can you make it brighter? Jason questioned.

"Not without upsetting almost every dryad in the forest." He replied.

"I could try using my powers." Abram said as he approached Jason and Leo who were back to back looking into the darkness around them.

"Are you sure? Last thing we need is for you to faint on us again." Leo told him

"Yeah, I have to start using my power more. I should be fine as long as I don't do anything too crazy." Abram closed his eyes and brought his hand to his heart, like he did back in The Big House rec room. Leo was prepared for a dim light to emerge from his hand but to his surprise Abram held an orb of light that was five times brighter than his fire. The area quickly lit up.

"I wonder . . ." Abram said. Leo could see an idea forming across his face,

"Whatcha thinking dude?" Leo asked him. Lowering his hand and extinguishing his fire.

"I'm gonna try something, let's hope it works." Abram replied looking into the night sky above them. Abram tossed the orb up into the sky where it hovered over them revealing a larger area around them, but at the cost of it not being as bright.

"Well then, Lumos Maxima!" Leo shouted.

"I swear Leo, you are so -are those what I think they are." Abram gasped.

Jason nodded. "Hellhounds." .

The growling had turned into an ear-piercing howl that shook the earth underneath their feet and ripped through the night air. In front of them appearing out of the darkness were three large, black mastiffs with piercing red eyes, and dagger-like fangs. They stood smacking their lips as if they had just found a bag of treats. Leo had to do a triple take because at first he thought they were just grizzly bears, but then his friends said hellhounds. He really wished it would've been grizzles instead.

"Everyone, behind us!" Jason yelled as Leo and Abram rushed to his side.

"Dude, do you think we can take them down?" Leo asked him

"We have no choice." Abram added as he fell in line with them. He now had his bow drawn and six arrows notched. I knew Abram was a good archer, but damn six arrows? Leo thought to himself. "Pushing your skills a bit nightlight?" Leo asked.

"Not even close flame boy." Abram replied giving him a smile. "You should have seen me when they re-opened the chariot races four years ago."

One of the hellhounds snarled in their direction before melting into the darkness. It reemerged behind a tree on their flank. It's barked startled everyone behind Jason, Leo, and Abram. They quickly jumped back from the source bumping their defenders, which was more than enough to set off the hellhounds. The sudden movement made the them lunge in for the attack.

"Fuck, not good!" Leo yelled as he pulled a silver pin hammer from his tool belt. Jason jumped in front of him and brought up his Gladius to block the swipe of one of the hellhounds. Its claws stayed on the blade trying to break through it. Leo took this time to raise his hammer and smash it down on the hellhound's head. It yelped in pain and staggered off in confusion. It walked straight into the other hellhound as it was in mid swipe knocking it to the ground.

"Oh thank gods." Abram sighed before he launched his volley of six arrows to the hellhound that Leo and Jason had confused. Even with Abram's perfect aim, the hellhound was moving too fast. The arrows had not hit were they were intended to hit, but still hit the hound. Two arrows dug into the monster's back right thigh. The other four impelled the side of the beast's stomach. It roared in pain. Sending chills up Leo's spine. The attack didn't stop it though. It was enough to slow it down. A dark liquid oozing out of its wounds and leaving a trail on the ground. Behind them the other campers tried to defend themselves, but were not making any notable progress at a moment's glance of taking it down. They had the beast surrounded a few yards away. Poking and prodding it with their weapons.

In front of them, the hellhound that wasn't wounded seemed to take offense that they group of demigods weren't dead yet. It growled and barked bearing its teeth to Jason, Leo and Abram. Its bark made the leaves in the tree shake as well as the ground. Jason lost his footing and fell to one knee. The hellhound took this opportunity to attack and leaped towards him.

"JASON!" Abram cried. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and held its neck, a little bit under the arrowhead. He jumped and caught the beast. He wrapped his arms around its neck and thrust his arrow into it. It quickly fell to the ground from the extra weight and barely missed sliding into Jason. "Leo, the other one!" Abram huffed trying to get his arm out from underneath the monster before it could get to its feet and attack him.

Leo's attention turned to the wounded hellhound with arrows in it. He snapped his fingers and summoned a fireball to each of his hands. He threw them at the beast's feet trying to scare it away. It seemed to work for a few seconds, but it growled and started to charge for him. His eyes widened at the speed it was coming at him. He barely had time to jump out of its way. He landed hard on a lump that hugged his right leg. The sword Abram forced him to bring. The hellhound stopped before running into the other group of demigods and turned around to face Leo. They had killed the hellhound they surrounded and were coming over to aid Leo. Before it could charge again Jake had stabbed the beast on its back left thigh.

It howled in pain before turning around and snapping at him. It moved so fast that Jake had forgotten to pull out his weapon. Its attention was on the Hephaestus Cabin group now. Leo unsheathed his sword and stared into the blade, his reflection staring back at him. The light was starting to fade from Abram's light orb he threw into the sky earlier. He rotated his blade a bit and saw Jason and Abram fighting the other hellhound behind him. He stopped when Abram took up the full reflection in the blade. The image was slightly orange. The light that created the reflection was coming from fire Leo had thrown on the ground. It warped the image a bit making it look like Abram was being engulfed by flames.

"Hey y'all, I've got a crazy idea!" Leo yelled not knowing if anyone was listening." He looked at his Cabin-mates who were having trouble with their second hellhound. The first seemed to have taken a lot of their energy. "Let's boogie," he said. "Before I come to my senses."

He ran at a full sprint up a nearby hill, jumped, and aimed for the hellhound attacking his siblings. He landed on its neck and wrapped his legs around it to keep from falling off. He picked up his sword and slammed it down tip first into the hound's neck. It slid through with a sickening CRACK! The beast stopped moving and fell to the floor throwing Leo off of it. When he looked back, the body of the hellhound was melting into the shadows, soaking into the ground until it disappeared.

"Leo! Look!" Harley screamed pointing to Jason and Abram behind him. They were still fighting the last hellhound, and by the looks of it, it wasn't going good. The hellhound had pushed Jason away with its right paw as he went in closer to lunged at it with his sword. It turned its attention to the last one standing in front of it, Abram.

He had his dual swords out now and was trying to fight melee to melee with the beast. The hellhound lunged with its left paw, but Abram blocked it with his left sword. Similar to how Jason defended Leo earlier. Its claws stuck on the blade and instead of pulling back, it pushed down harder. It stood on its hind legs and swiped with its right paw now. Abram blocked its attack again with his right sword. The hellhound pushed down harder and knocked Abram off balance. It pinned Abram to the ground and snapped its mouth trying to bite him.

"Jason! Get up!" Leo yelled as he ran to Abram's aid. Jason shock off his daze and tackled the beast off of Abram before Leo got there.

"You okay?" Jason said offering a hand to Abram.

"Yeah, thanks Jason." Abram grunted as he got up.

"Watch out!" Leo yelled.

"JASON" Abram pushed him out of the way, then turned around in time to see the hellhound jumping in to attack. He couldn't react fast enough and only thought of to raise his right arm to protect himself. The beast's razor-sharp claws ripped through his armor like paper. Abram grunted with pain as he grabbed his wound. Jason quickly stood back up and impaled the beast's ribcage to his left side. Leo had finally arrived with his sword raised up. Running with so much force allowed his blade to slide into the hellhound's heart with ease. The blade slide all the way to the hilt. A dark liquid gushed from its wounds staining the floor underneath it. The rushing fluid slowly came to a trickle covering Jason's and Leo' hands. The hellhound thrashed its head in pain but didn't move any closer to them. It finally collapsed, losing any energy it had left. Its body disappeared in the same manner as the one before. It slowly melted into the shadows under it, soaking into the ground before disappearing.

Everyone was trying to catch their breath. "Everyone good?" Jason asked. A series of "Yeah" and "I'm alright" came from everyone in the group except from Abram.

"What about you Abram?" Leo huffed.

"Yeah, I'm f-fine." Abram replied with a wince.

"You don't sound fine. HOLY Hephaestus! What happened to your arm."

"It's ju-just a scratch. I'll be fine." Abram said still holding on to his right arm.

"Dude, that is not fine!" Leo rushed to Abram's side and gently held his arm up to examine it. He had to force Abram to let go, but he managed to do it. On his forearm there were three deep gashes. His skin was stained crimson from his blood. "If you keep bleeding like that you are going to bleed out!" Leo quickly grabbed their bag that was full of their medical supplies. He took out a Ziploc bag and tore off a piece of Ambrosia. "Open!" Leo demanded Abram.

"I'm not a baby Leo!" Abram snapped. His face was starting to turn a very faint shade of red, but it still looked pale in comparison to the other times he got embarrassed in front of Leo.

"Hey, argue when you're not dying." Leo screamed back at him. Abram took the ambrosia chunk from Leo and gulped it down.

"There mom, can we go now?" Abram asked full of sarcasm.

"We really shouldn't be out here longer then we need to be with this many demigods together." Jason said. Everyone just nodded in agreement and continued walking towards Bunker Nine. It didn't take long from them to get there. The group of hellhounds stopped them about twenty minutes away from the bunker doors. Leo placed his hands on the side of the cliff and the door opened how it usually did. Everything was exactly as they had left it.

"Alright guys, let's setup for the night! Unpack your things and claim a space to call your room for the next two months. or so. Also set up a eating area and place the plates and goblets there." Leo ordered his cabin before turning to Jason and Abram. "I think it would be best to stay here until morning."

"Yeah, we could all use a little time to gather our energy after that fight." Jason replied.

Leo nodded in agreement. "Guys, get the sleeping equipment from that storage room as well please."

Bunker Nine isn't just a hidden workshop. It is at least two hundred years old. It used to be a strongpoint for Hephaestus Cabin during the Demigod Civil War and only has been used a couple of times since then. Leo had discovered it before they set out on their quest to save Hera, so naturally they are a lot of things that haven't been discovered yet in Bunker Nine. One of the things that has been discovered was a storage room filled with sleeping supplies and camping equipment. It had cots, a ton of extra blankets, and enough pillows to supply to cabins for a pillow war. Another thing was a room filled with weapons and spare chunks of Celestial bronze.

The Hephaestus Cabin kids had already set up cots around the room towards the walls. Almost all of them, besides one, was taken.

"Abram I think you should take it." Jason said noticing the lack of beds.

"Nahh, I's alright. I can handle the floor."

"You sure?" Jason asked him. "I mean you were hurt pretty badly, just a little while ago."

"Were, keyword." He raised his arm and showed Jason. "It's all healed." The area that was badly injured twenty minutes ago was fully healed. "Ambrosia, plus natural healing powers. Pretty sweet if I do say so myself." After Jason and Leo had a bickering moment between themselves it was decided that Jason would get the last cot to sleep in, and Abram and Leo would sleep on the floor.

"Thanks guys." Leo said as Harley and Nyssa came over with armloads of blankets and tossed them in front of him.

"So how are we doing this? Abram asked Leo. "Do we each take half and make a bed out of it?"

"Nahh dude, we'll just unfold them and pile them up. Like a sleepover. It'll be more comfortable that way. Leo replied

"So. . . you don't mind sharing a bed?"

"Nope. I ran away six times, I've slept in weird places. Sharing a bed is nothing. Why? Do you have a problem with it?" Leo asked

"No, just didn't want you to be uncomfortable. Oh by the way, that was really nice swordplay out there. Nyssa told me how you killed the second hellhound."

"Oh, yeah I have no idea where that came from. I honestly don't know how to use a sword."

"Could've fooled me." Abram replied. "You and Jason realy saved my ass out there. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." was all Leo managed to say.

The spent the next few minutes make a place to sleep that wasn't entirely uncomfortable. Their bed made a 'T' with the wall, the way they had set it up.

Leo had taken off his armor and his backpack and thrown them next to the wall. He unbuckled his sword from his pants and held its hilt in left hand and its sheath in his right. He unsheathed the sword and stared at the reflecting celestial bronze. A sword. Not my first choice of weapon, but it really helped out today. Leo thought to himself. He was glad that Abram told him to bring it. If he didn't, things might have gone a little different in that fight with the hellhounds, and something told Leo not for the better. He re-sheathed the sword before placing in on the ground next to him.

He looked to his right and saw getting ready for bed as well. Abram put his bag down and took his armor off. He set them both next to the wall close to his side. Hey placed his quiver and bow in arm's reach, Leo guessed in case he needed them for any reason. He put his glasses in between the bowstring and the bow before laying down.

"G'night Leo." Abram said barely above a whisper so only Leo could hear him and he wouldn't wake anyone who was asleep already.

"Good night Abram" Leo replied before falling asleep.