Chapter Twenty-Six

Percy trained harder. It had been three days since Luke disappeared and his worry had turned into rage. By now, he was sure Triton had done this to make him suffer. Luke had always said that his fatal flaw was loyalty. Now, it was coming into action. Triton was attacking him by making him suffer. Weakened emotionally, he might die in the Colosseum.

So that was his aim, Percy thought.

Attacking the enemy emotionally was cowardice in his opinion. Triton sought to weaken him, but he had only enraged him. The Emperor would feel the gladiator's fury.

Five days had passed. Luke had counted. Each day the men would come, leaving him with new marks, either whips or knives. They never said why though, which infuriated him. Of course, if it was information they wanted then he would never have given it to them. He drew shapes in the dirt, waiting for today's torture.

It came, the same three men, only today was different. The cloaked man from the first day had not made an appearance for since the first day. Now he was here.

"Bind him," he said. "Let me see his face."

Luke was shackled to the wall, his back pressed against the stone, making him wince in pain. His blue eyes glared at the cloaked man coldly. Surely this was the man behind all this.

The three men stepped to the side and the cloaked man pulled a silver dagger from his waist. The blade was wicked and the man fingered it daintily, like a toy. Luke couldn't see his face but as he stepped closer, two cruel green eyes stared at him. "Luke Castellan, former lieutenant of the 15th legion, 1st cohort, 2nd century. Served under former general Perseus Jackson," the man mused.

"Yeah, and what's it to ya?" Luke spat.

A crack echoed through the cell and Luke's face snapped to the side. "You will learn to respect me Castellan," the cloaked man said, stroking the blade.

Then he struck. He punched, kicked, but never sliced. Not yet. Not until Luke was barely conscious and blood dripped from his mouth, sweat matting his hair to his forehead. Luke raised his head to look at him and was instantly punched in the nose. Blood dripped freely down his face. A cold hand slammed his head against the wall and Luke saw stars. The hand did this three more times and on the third, pinned his head against the wall. Then an icy blade was placed just above his left eyebrow, and it slowly drew down his left cheek, leaving a line of blood from above his eyebrow to the corner of his lips.

When the knife lifted, Luke struggled to hold in a gasp. "Not so pretty now, are we Mr. Castellan?"

The cloaked man left the room with orders to clean the wound. Blood dripped heavily from the line and Luke's vision was hazy from the pain. A cold, wet cloth was dabbed on his face and the next thing he knew, there was a hilt of a sword to his forehead and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

Percy, Thalia, Jason, and Nico sat in a circle, eating their morning gruel in silence. Their eyes held sadness and rage, none more so than Percy. Finally it became too much and he threw down his bowl. The other three stared at him in silence. Percy stood and walked over to the wall. Then he kicked it, and kicked it. Before he could break his foot, a voice stopped him. "Geez, Perce. What did that wall ever do to you?"

Percy turned and stared. "Luke?"

"What you blind Perce?" Luke joked before he was engulfed in hugs. Once everyone had pulled away, he was tackled with a kiss... and then punch.

"Ow!" Luke said, covering left eye. "That hurt Thals!"

Thalia was breathing heavily, a mixture of happiness and rage coursing through her veins. She let out a gasp when Luke removed his hand, revealing a scar on his face. "Luke, what happened?" her voice full of worry.

"Torture," he said, turning his back to them, showing the tangle of whip marks across his back.

The four's eyes widened at the scars and Percy looked about ready to explode.

"Luke, who did this to you?" Percy asked quietly.

"Three men and then a cloaked guy, don't know any of them though. But the cloaked man, he had green eyes," Luke said.

Percy's eyes widened. His suspicions were now confirmed. Triton was out to get him and he was doing it through his friends. How long before he goes after Thalia, or Jason, or Nico? They needed to leave, before his friends got hurt. Tonight.

"So Nakamura, what is the meaning of loyalty?"

"To obey and respect at all times, your Majesty," the general gasped.

A foot was placed on his back. "Good Nakamura. I'm sure you will never fail me again?"

"Yes Emperor Triton."

Triton smirked at the bloody figure on the floor. This is what is done to those who fail me. Those who fail me, fail Rome, and Rome, must live on, he thought.

Author's Note: Luke's scar's origin! Huzzah! Thanks for reading and reviewing. PLLLEEEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSSEEEEE REVIEW!