Hello, and welcome back. If you're still following along after the depressing content of the last chapter...I commend you. I know, Chiron's death was sad, and The Big Four are very, very unlikeable, and they deserve the worst. It hurts I know, but it's the realities of war, and people die, so I tried to portray that last chapter, to show that the stakes are high and things are serious.
Sorry this is a bit late, I've been sick for a few days and haven't felt like writing, but I managed to get it out today. This chapter is more of a feels and talking chapter, no fights. I wanted to dive more in to Hercules's character for this one, so here you go.
NiHaR OP: "Hey Echox my guy, lol is it ok if i call u ecox?, anyway sorry i couldnt review been busy but pm me ur discord id or write it down in ur answer to my review in next chap"
Response: Yeah you can call me Echox lol, and I'll PM you my discord. We need to talk sometime, and I can answer any questions you have or ideas you may have for the story.
SuAvE ViPeR: "Wow this was sad man, I honestly got emotional at Chirons death. I hate the Big Four even more now, especially Levi. Harpers probably the most tragic OC I've come across in any fanfic, her and Talon both. This was a great chapter though, well written on all accounts, I just hope you give us sweet revenge."
Response: Yeah, It was hard to write, but I had to do it. And I agree, Harper's pretty tragic, but she's a very fun character to write, and I can explore a lot of themes with her, the big one being revenge, which if you want to see her get...you'll have to keep reading.
darkwalker11: "sorry for not reviewing th other chapter but I loved the story with the adam tree, this chapter was great loved the fights and love the idea of demigods running the place especially Percy and annabeth. great chapter gotta admit i almost cried... almost."
Response: Almost cried huh? Well, I guess that's an accomplishment for me as a fanfic writer. But seriously, thanks for the review, glad you liked it, and I hope you enjoy this one.
thesuperone342: "Damn bruh this was a sad one huh? Great chapter, with Levi and the Big Four being massive pieces of shit. Rip everyone who got killed by the Big Cunts and I hope they get their justice eventually. Damn the flashbacks at the beginning of the chapter rally paint how much Levi has changed and what's motherfucker he is now. I can't wait until Harper kills him. Goodbye Chiron, you will be incredibly missed. Only bit of criticism I can give is that I felt Chiron's death was a little too drawn out, buts that's just my opinion and you know how I like them Invincible style deaths and it being abrupt and all. Can't wait for the next chapter and to see Matt's legendary reaction.
PS: Zane vs Ouranos Possessed Malachi plus the Big Four, who wins?"
Response: Yeah, the Big Four are pretty hateable, and I love how you called them the "Big Cunts" that's hilarious. And yeah, I know how you like quick, shocking deaths, but I felt Chiron's should be slower, so it would be more emotional. Also, I noticed you changed your profile pic to Mark. You really love Invincible huh? Can't blame you, it is pretty good.
About that fight...I'd say Zane. His hardest fight would be Malachi, but I feel he can beat him, and the Big Four he can definitely beat. I mean, Matt could beat the Big Four easy, but he never has the opportunity.
Shadowhunter2077: "I really want to kill Levi the damn coward, he is a deadman walking, there is no way in hell the demigods are going to forgive this, especially Percy and Annabeth, I think is now that Percy is going to take his training seriously.
Also I hope that the demigods live up to Chiron expectations, because they will need to, also damn Chiron had compassion even for a guy who don't deserve like Levi.
And dude Chiron deaths reminded me of Joel death in the Last of Us 2, was this intentional?"
Response: Yeah, that'll be a huge motivator for both Percy and Annabeth. And Levi is very hateable, changing drastically from the way he used to be, it really shows how caring Chiron is to show sympathy to him. And the Last of Us 2? Yeah, I guess it is similar, since he got ganged up like Joel did and killed painfully. Although I feel the Last of Us 2 to be very disappointing, it had some decent moments. But no, it wasn't intentional, however I do see the similarities.
Illuminatedprime: "Man, this made me really sad bro. I just read about a man who I spent most of my childhood with, die. That hurt, and I hope we get revenge via the daughter of revenge herself"
Response: I know, It pained me to write that scene. But don't worry, they'll get what's coming to them, in due time...
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters (except the OC's) Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Heroes Of Olympus, or Trials Of Apollo. All of that belongs to Rick Riordan.
Now then, on with the eleventh chapter.
11. My Father Gets Honest With Me
Matt
Riding back to Camp Half Blood, laid down on Kyros, my front facing the evening sky, I felt a smile dance on my lips.
I was going home.
I could see it now, the line of cabins, each one holding a number of campers, the strawberry fields, the lake, the stables, the arena...everything. I was ready to see it all.
I was anxious to see everyone, anxious at how things had changed. I mean, I had been gone for a year, and obviously Harper had moved on, but had the others? Would they be indifferent towards me?
No, that's not how they are, I thought. They wouldn't write me off.
I honestly couldn't blame them if they did. I knew what going with my father would mean, I knew that it would hurt Harper and worry everyone else. The guilt still ate away at me, but I felt it justified, I had to get stronger. Fighting the Sons of Thor proved it. If I didn't train the way I did, I would've died within minutes.
I tried to clear my head of those thoughts. I needed to focus on what would happen when I got back, not dwell on the past. I needed to figure out how to convince them to go with me to Kansas. Apparently that was the next stop for this "quest."
Things hadn't changed that much, had they? They would still listen to me, right?
Maybe not. Maybe I'd have to go alone.
I wasn't sure. I needed to be patient, we were almost there.
Several more minutes passed by, Kyros's speed remained the same, my father kept his eyes forward, and didn't move a muscle. The wind played with my hair gently, blowing strands of it in my face.
I blew them away annoyingly. I hated this hair, coming down past my ears and to my neck, it was thick and got everywhere, in my face, ears, and eyes. I needed it cut, I missed the old style, the way I used to look.
Once all hairs were out of my face, I absentmindedly grabbed Viribus with my fingers, around my neck, playing with the lion head.
I felt my eyebrows furrow, thinking about my decision to keep the weapon. I didn't feel regret, but...I felt something.
I knew it was problematic to keep it. The thing being what Ouranos needed to return to his full form, every one of his followers would be after it, and I had to keep it safe.
I remembered Zeus's dark undertone and warning, that if it got in the Primordial's hands, it was on me.
He was right, it would be on me. I was still surprised that he let me keep it in the first place. I mean, it wasn't like he couldn't take it by force, which is what I expected him to do. But no, he let me keep it, making it my responsibility to keep it safe, and increasing the pressure.
But I wouldn't let anything happen to it. I couldn't.
I let Viribus slip from my fingers and closed my eyes, feeling a bit drowsy all of a sudden. It had been a while since I actually slept well, and I missed a real bed.
Kyros's feathers were soft and flat, similar to a mattress, and it soothed me. Within minutes, I felt myself drift off...
"Uh...Matt?" I heard my father say over the wind, still facing forward.
I lightly groaned, "Are we there yet?"
"Yeah...you might wanna see this."
His tone had a grim sound to it, and I sat up immediately, wondering what the source of uneasiness was.
My eyes fell on the mound of green in the distance, above it, sat a large gray thundercloud, swirling with malevolence. It was Camp. I recognized it by the tall green trees, the swirling road leading up to it, and the beach below.
But the tornado looking thing wasn't there when I left.
"What the hell is that?" I said, eyes squinted, trying to look inside the trees at Camp, but I couldn't spot anything.
My father was doing the same, but not at Camp, instead, at the giant thundercloud.
"Nothing good..." He muttered.
My nervousness grew. What was going on? Had something bad happened?
"Faster. We have to get down there!" I yelled at him urgently.
My father listened, and patted Kyros on the neck, signaling him to go faster. Kyros veered his neck down and flapped his wings. Our speed increased, and we shot down towards the Camp.
I stood up on Kyros, my body tense and alert. Whatever was going on down there, it wasn't good, and I needed to help.
When we finally got near Camp, I jumped off Kyros before he even stopped. My combat boots planted firmly on the hill, and I ran a few steps to get a good look at the front of Camp.
My jaw immediately dropped halfway, my heart sunk and my stomach twisted at the sight.
It was nearly destroyed.
Over half of the cabins were scorched black, wood laying all over the place. The arena and pavilion were nonexistent, a black circle and small debris pieces occupied where they once stood. All of the campers were walking around, either carrying tools or fresh pieces of lumber, trying to repair the damage.
I felt my breath escape me, "What the hell?"
I looked around more, side to side, seeing that the Camp itself was only half of it. There were craters everywhere, trees blown from their roots, stains of blood on the green grass, and what appeared to be monster remains.
I heard the ground crunch next to me as my father caught view of the horrible sight.
"What the...?"
I didn't respond to him, my mind went on autopilot. I felt my legs move on their own, running down the hill.
Finally I stopped, and just stared at my favorite place, broken, battered.
By who?
I glanced at the thundercloud above. It was clear who had done this...
"Ouranos." I seethed, rage entered my mind, the absolute want of killing the Primordial clouded my emotions. He had messed with my home, my friends.
My friends.
My heart started beating faster, I scanned the area desperately for Harper, Percy, anyone. Where were they?
But no one paid attention to me. It was like they had been brainwashed. All of their faces were sunken, dead eyed, and depressed. They carried lumber and supplies lazily, like they didn't want to be here.
"No, no, no..." I muttered. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Camp Half Blood was a haven for people like me, a place where kids could belong, and make friends, make memories. Not experience horror and death.
Then another terrifying thought entered my mind.
If Ouranos had attacked...who had died?
No, that wasn't an option. They wouldn't die, none of them. Malachi was here, Percy was here, Talon was here, I had faith in them, all of them.
"Matt?" A voice rang in my left ear, I turned quickly and faced the source.
I was greeted with medium length black hair, an aviator jacket, dark t shirt, jeans, and olive skin. Nico Di Angelo.
"Nico?" I said in disbelief.
His eyes widened as he studied me, "Holy shit, it is you!"
Some of the other campers turned and looked as well to see what the fuss was about. When they saw me, many of their faces lit up, and an aura of hope seemed to rise exponentially. They rushed over to where Nico and I stood.
"Matt's back!" One screamed.
"Finally!" Another one exclaimed.
"Dude, where've you been?!"
Many more bombarded me with questions and shoulder claps. Normally I would've felt over the moon that all of these people missed me, but I was too worried at the moment.
I waved my hands to signal that I needed silence, and the crowd obeyed, bringing it down to a few hushed whispers.
I gestured to the cabins, "What the hell happened-" But before I could finish my question, I felt a force slam into my face.
I wasn't expecting it at all, my head fell to the side in recoil, completely stunned. I remained standing however, and turned to face the attacker.
But as I turned my head, I was met with a celestial bronze sword, jabbing at my forehead.
I backed away and clenched my fists, expecting it to be one of Ouranos's guys, still lurking around. But my fists unclenched once I realized it was a familiar face.
Aiden.
He didn't look happy at all. In fact, he looked downright furious, his sword was gripped so tight that his knuckles looked identical to sheet paper.
"Aiden?" I said, my arms falling to my sides.
"Come here, you son of a bitch!" He yelled in anger, and tried to charge me. But Nico caught his arm and held him back.
"Take it easy, Walker!" He said, and I noted that he called Aiden by his last name, something that Nico only did for friends.
"Let me go, dammit! I'm gonna kick his ass!"
Nico held him tightly and tried to calm him, "Stop, Aiden!"
Other campers watched on with uneasiness, probably not used to seeing Aiden this angry.
I knew what it was about, why he was so mad, and all at once, the guilt came rushing back to me.
I sighed, "Let him go."
Nico raised an eyebrow, "What?"
"I said let him go. He wants to kick my ass, let him."
Nico obviously didn't understand what I was getting at, and after a few seconds of exchanging looks, he sighed and released Aiden, who didn't lose face at all, and came at me.
I lowered all strength from my body, all durability. I deserved this.
He decked me in the jaw, a sting shot up my face, and I stumbled back.
"You bastard! You stupid bastard! I hate you!" He screamed and continued his assault, punching me in the cheeks and chin relentlessly, like a boxer. I noticed through the pain that his form had gotten better, and his punches were harder, more efficient. He had also grown quite a bit, a couple of inches taller and leaner, his unkempt hair in the front looked quite a lot like Percy's.
He reared his sword back and cried out a guttural scream, slamming the hilt into my nose.
I fell back on my rear, and Aiden kicked my shoulder, effectively knocking me on my back. I had lowered all of my strength and suppressed it to the point where I was basically a normal human, so that I would feel all of the pain. I took it, my face indifferent, because I knew that I deserved worse.
He kept a foot on my chest and leveled his sword at me, the tip two inches away from my throbbing nose.
The other campers backed up, their eyes wide, not sure of what to do. Nico grabbed Aiden's shoulder.
"Dammit Walker, that's enough!"
Aiden shoved him away, "He left her." Then he glared at me, his eyes watering, "YOU LEFT HER, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! YOU LEFT ALL OF US!"
I nodded, my lips tight. I accepted it all, knowing that this for sure would happen. Only I expected it to be Harper instead of Aiden.
"Aiden, stop!" Nico tried again.
"It's okay." I said, "It's okay. I deserve this."
Aiden wasn't expecting that, I saw his resolve fade for a split second, then his fury returned.
"Damn right you deserve it!" He seethed, a tear dripping from his face now.
We stayed like that for a minute, him holding his sword at my face, the campers watching on, and me on the ground, not moving.
I sensed an aura run up to the group, my father, and he was pissed.
"What the hell is going on here?!" He yelled, and I knew he was about to kill Aiden on the spot.
"FATHER, NO!" I yelled, and he stopped in his tracks, a fist reared back.
"What?!"
"Stop, just...stop, father. This was bound to happen, I deserve it."
"Don't be stupid! He's gonna kill you!"
I looked back at Aiden, who hadn't even glanced at my father. His expression was indeed murderous, and...sad.
"If that's what he wants...then he can do it."
Nobody was expecting that. Hell, I hadn't planned on saying that. I pictured a lot of apologizing, but accepting death? Not on my list.
But right now, seeing the anger and hurt on Aiden's face, I realized just how badly my absence had affected those closest to me.
"Aiden, I'm sorry. I really am, and I'm not gonna make excuses. What I did was an awful thing, even if I had to do it to get stronger...it was still awful not to let any of you know. So...if you wanna kill me, then go ahead."
His eyes widened, and his sword started to shake. He gripped it tighter, and grit his teeth wider, a battle raging inside of his head.
"Just, tell Harper I'm sorry, okay?" I said softly.
That seemed to have hit a nerve, his mouth fell open and his eyes were glassed, like he had just received horrible news.
Finally, he sighed, and lowered his sword. He stepped off of my chest and turned his back to me.
"She's not here." He muttered, and walked away.
She's not here?
Wait, what?"
I got up, and looked at him walking away. What did he just say? Did I hear that right?
I turned to the other campers, their faces grim, and finding the ground below them interesting all of a sudden.
Only Nico remained in contact with me, his face dark as well.
Like a helpless child, I almost whimpered the words, "What the hell happened here, man?"
Nico's face seemed to age ten years at my question, and I noticed he had bags under his eyes, from not getting any sleep.
"A lot, Matt. A lot. It's better if we take this inside."
After Percy and Annabeth explained the situation to my father and I. I was in utter disbelief.
I sat there, not a thought in my mind, not an expression on my face. I was just...there, relaying the horrifying information.
My father had a million unpleasant emotions on his face, sadness a main one.
"Chiron..." He breathed, and closed his eyes.
That had to be the thing that broke me, was Chiron. He had been killed, by Levi of all people.
If my heart could sink even further, it did at the thought of Harper having to watch that, what she was going through.
I heard it all. The Big Four invading Camp with a near army, Levi lining everyone up, killing several demigods, including Will, and eventually Chiron. Harper, Talon, Malachi, and Sera had already embarked on their quest, planning to go to Scandinavia, in search for the source of the Norse pantheon. That detail Annabeth didn't know, and looked just as shocked as I did when Percy said it.
"Harper...she's...gone?" I asked, my eyes still glued to the floor.
"Yeah. I'm sorry Matt, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."
Of course she didn't. Once she had her mind set on something, she pursued it. That was one of the many reasons why I admired her.
Despite that, I put my head in my hands, rubbing circles around my temples, the situation more overwhelming than anything I had ever experienced.
My father was no better, he was pacing back and forth, stopping to say, "And Chiron, we're just going to ignore the fact that the leader of this camp is dead?!"
Percy raised a hand, "Nobody's forgetting that, believe me." The poor guy definitely didn't look good. He had bags under his eyes, his hair was more unkempt than usual, and he had even grown out some stubble, not bothering shaving, due to the stress of taking Chiron's place.
My father looked like he was going to explode, he raised an accusatory finger at Percy, "Aren't you the one they idolize now?! Why the hell didn't you do anything?!"
I felt anger at my father blaming Percy, and was about to tell him to go cool off, when Annabeth beat me to it.
She didn't look good either. Which is a shocking claim, considering she looks like she belongs on the cover of those popular magazines all the time. Now, her eyes were puffy, and her cheeks were red from crying, along with her hair, her clothes were just as messy.
But still, she stood up to my intimidating father and got in his face, "Leave Percy alone!"
Percy grabbed her hand and gently eased her to the couch he sat on. He was remaining surprisingly calm. It was probably because he was so tired, if anything.
"Ouranos blocked our path. Harper managed to get through, like I said, but the Big Four...they were too much."
My father looked like he wanted to retort, but instead, he just huffed and stormed out of the building.
"He's just...well, he can be a dick sometimes." I said.
Percy waved a dismissive hand, "It's okay. Chiron was a mentor to him just as much as me, so I've heard."
It still didn't seem real. Chiron, the Chiron, was dead. The source of wisdom for so many, the father figure to all Campers...was gone.
It made me enraged.
Enraged at Levi Pierce, at the rest of the Big Four, at Ouranos, and...myself.
I should've been here. Had I stayed, this might not have happened.
But what would it change? If I hadn't gotten stronger, would I have put up a better fight?
I don't know.
I sighed sadly, "Guys...I'm so sorry. I...I should've stayed."
Annabeth looked like she wanted to agree, but didn't say anything. It looked like she just didn't have the energy, like she was empty.
Percy still had enough to respond, "It's okay, Matt. None of this is your fault, it's Ouranos's. I told Harper the same thing actually, she blamed herself too."
I leaned forward, "How long has it been, since she left?"
He shrugged, "Few hours, maybe."
"And Scandinavia? She really thinks that'll work?"
"Makes sense if you think about it. Besides, what else is there to do?"
I didn't know. It did seem plausible, since that was the native land for Norse Mythology, but would Ouranos be there? Would their HQ be there? And would the team she assembled be enough? I mean, I know we're talking about Malachi here, who's probably around my level of power, but still, all of the Norse pantheon could be over there, we don't know.
I got up, "I need a breather."
Percy nodded, "Yeah, we do too. Are you staying the night?"
Part of me honestly wanted to leave right now and go after the others, but another part...really wanted some sleep, in a real bed. I was more exhausted than I thought.
"I'll stay the night, yeah. And if you guys need help with anything, just let me know."
Percy nodded, "Thanks man."
As I left, I saw him talking to Annabeth again, probably some comforting words. Olympus knows she needs them, we all do.
I found myself standing outside of the Big House for several minutes, just taking in the depressing atmosphere that was Camp Half Blood.
This kind of mood was so foreign, and the only other times it was like this, I hadn't been here. Percy described once that Thalia's tree had been poisoned, putting everybody on edge. Then another time nearing the Battle of Manhattan, when Campers started going on mini-quests to thwart Kronos left and right, and many people died. But looking at it now...somehow I doubted those times were as dark as this.
I saw the location of Chiron's grave, along with Will's and the other campers, by the lake just how Percy described. My father was kneeling at Chiron's, the largest one.
I wanted to go over there, and say something. But I couldn't.
So instead, I milled about Camp, walking around and trying to make myself believe that this was all fake, an illusion of the mist.
But as the minutes went by, and the sky got darker, it never changed.
The exchange of stories with Percy and Annabeth had taken longer than I thought, and the sun had gone down, the sky now a dark black, littered with speckles of stars. Somehow though, they weren't as beautiful tonight.
I looked up at them, my chin facing the direction in front of me. Due to this, I didn't see the person walking towards me, and bumped into them.
My chest hit his chest, and we stumbled.
"Sorry about that." I said absentmindedly.
"No, no, I'm sorry. It was my fault." Said the boy, not moving, but instead making sure I was alright.
I looked at him fully now, and thought that he seemed familiar. He was about Malachi height, so taller than me, long blonde hair, and an elfish type face.
"Do I know you?" I asked.
His eyes widened, "Wait a second...You're Matt, aren't you?"
I nodded, "Yeah, last time I checked. Do I know you?" I asked again.
He held out a hand, "No, we've never met before today. I'm Logan Barnes."
It was like a tiny shock of electricity hit me when I heard that name, I recognized it immediately from my visions. The visions where he got flirty with Harper...
Something snapped in me and I grabbed him by the shirt, picking him up and pushing him up against an intact cabin wall. Ares, I think.
"Whoa! Take it easy!" He yelled.
I only gripped tighter, "Yeah, I know you. You're the bastard that went out with Harper."
He tried to loosen my grip, but it was no use, "I-I can explain!"
"MATT!" I heard across Camp, a booming voice.
I turned my head to see my father glaring at me, silently telling me to put Logan down.
It hit me just what I was doing. Losing control again.
I immediately turned back around and dropped him gently, rubbing my face with my hands.
He straightened his shirt and breathed loudly, "Dude, I can explain."
I leaned up against the wall in shame, "No, it's...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."
"No offense man, but how do you not mean to do something like that?"
I sighed, "I have anger issues man, okay? I'm sorry. I just...I know about you and Harper."
He went silent after that, and simply stared at me.
"I'm not mad, Logan. I get it, she's a great person, and you seem alright...and I was kinda gone for a year-"
"No!" He said almost urgently, then calmed himself, "No, I mean, look, I don't know how you know about that, but it was only one time! And she broke it off with me immediately!" His eyebrows furrowed, "Not that we were even a thing to begin with to be honest."
This caught my interest, I leaned my head forward, "Wait, what? I saw it in a vision, you and her."
He nodded, "Yeah, we kind of flirted a little, but...I don't know, we weren't really interested in each other." He held up a defensive hand, "And I swear I had no idea about you. I would never date anyone that was already taken. It was...really just a fluke. A lot of my family members were killed, and well...she said she missed you, so it was more of a comfort thing, to be honest."
I processed this information. Harper and Logan hadn't dated? She still cared about me?
"Wait, so...she cut it off?"
He nodded again, "Yeah, she said we could still be friends, and that she believed you were alive, and that she was going to find you." He nervously gestured my body, "Well, here you are..."
I shook my head, "A few hours late."
"Yeah..."
A silence ensued after that, enough silence to make me feel sick. I was so close, so close to meeting her again, only to come short.
Is that what I get? Is this my punishment? For hurting her the way I did?
"You're lucky." He said, vaguely in my ear, but I heard it.
"Sorry?"
He cleared his throat, "I said you're lucky, man." His tone wasn't condescending, or anything otherwise, it was simply reminding. "You have a girl that cares enough about you...that she would do anything to get you back. And believe in you even after a year."
It hit me right then, how she must have felt. I mean truly hit me. I imagined her crying, worrying to death about me, if I was gone for good, or still out there somewhere...
What an asshole I am.
Right now I wanted nothing more than to time travel and slap my former self in the face, to scream at him to stay and be with her.
But how would I have gotten stronger?
That was the reason, right there. The only thing that somewhat justifies what I did. But thinking about the pain she must have went through, on top of her brother...well, I wasn't sure.
Finally I sighed, "Yeah, I know I'm lucky. I don't deserve her."
"Hey, don't beat yourself up man. You just gotta move forward."
I looked up from my slumped position and saw him half smiling at me, in reassurance. Me, the dude that nearly beat his face in. This guy was too good natured, better than me.
Maybe he should've ended up with her. Hell, he probably wouldn't leave her.
No, I can't think like that. He's right, I have to move forward and try to make amends.
I stood straight and held out a hand, "Thanks Logan, and uh...I'm sorry about pushing you against the wall."
He shook my hand, smiling, "No worries, I understand."
I looked past him towards the Nemesis Cabin, to see Aiden in the doorway, glaring at me.
Logan followed my gaze, "Oh..."
I stepped away from him, "I gotta take care of something. Excuse me." I made a beeline to the cabin, noting that it the front part of it was destroyed. Minor details, I needed to talk to Aiden.
Just as he saw me walk toward him, he turned around and went to the back of the cabin, I quickened my pace.
When I got to the entrance, he was sitting on his bed, not looking at me.
I stepped inside, cautiously.
"What do you want?" He said sharply.
"I wanna talk, man."
He scoffed, "What's there to talk about? You left, she's gone now, you missed your chance."
"I know I did." I walked closer, almost all the way to the bed, and he allowed it, not moving to stop me. "I know I screwed up, Aiden. And I'm gonna fix it."
"How?"
"This war isn't over." I said grimly, "Hephaestus said something about a base in Kansas. My father and I...we're going after it. I'll find Harper and the others too, no matter what it takes."
He remained silent.
I sighed and sat on the bed with him, glancing over at Harper's for a moment. Still made up, like she had left days ago.
I turned to him, he was facing the floor, and I was about to say something, but be beat me.
"You hurt her, Matt. After you promised me you wouldn't."
"Aiden, I-"
But he continued, "And I know you had your reasons, to get stronger or whatever. But still...at the end of the day, you broke her heart. And I can forgive...but I won't forget."
His words weren't menacing or threatening, they instead had a heavy undertone of disappointment. And that made me feel ten times worse.
"I don't expect forgiveness from her, and...I don't deserve it. I just want to make amends, and maybe...I don't know." I rubbed my head, exhaling audibly. It was like my mind was in a jungled mess, just all over the place.
"It's alright Matt. I get it, this whole thing has been crazy, and you probably have a lot of pressure on you. I just..." He stopped, and I waited for him to continue, not interrupting. After a minute of silence, I didn't think he was going to finish his sentence, but finally he did. "I just, sometimes I forget that you're a kid, like everyone else."
I wasn't expecting him to say that. In truth, he was right, the same thing applied to me. Sometimes I forget that most of us are just teenagers and kids, meant for normal things like school and video games. But instead we risk our lives to fight monsters and an evil Primordial.
I slumped, "Sometimes I forget too."
I felt him staring at me in my peripheral vision, probably determining how he was going to tell me off. I braced myself.
But instead, he just sighed and said, "Look, I can't speak for Harper, but...I understand where you were coming from. And I'm not gonna break off our friendship just cause Ouranos is a bitch."
I registered what he said for a second, then looked at his face, he was holding back a smile. I ended up laughing.
He joined in too.
After a second, he clapped me on the shoulder, "It's good to have you back, Matt."
And just like that, the tension was broken.
"Thanks."
He kept his hand on my shoulder, longer than I expected, and I looked up at him again. He had a strange look in his eye, like...something was wrong.
Only nothing was wrong, so why was he looking at me that way?
"Aiden, you good?" I asked, chuckling lightly.
His face didn't waver though, and it seemed he hadn't heard me. I wasn't sure what was going on.
That is, until he started to lean in.
At first I thought he was messing with me, but when he didn't stop and only closed his eyes I panicked. What the hell was going on?
I backed away, "Uh, Aiden?"
He only continued to advance.
"Aiden!" I shouted, my body all the way at the end of the bed now.
That seemed to snap him out of it, his eyes opened and he looked at his current position.
His eyes widened and he jumped away from me, like he had accidentally hurt me.
"Oh gods! Uh, dude, I'm sorry!" He winced, "Dammit!"
I gulped, was he about to kiss me? But that didn't make sense, Aiden wasn't-
Oh...
The possibility hit me, and when it did, I immediately felt uneasy. I had no idea how to handle this.
"Aiden, it's cool, just...sit down."
He shook his head, grabbing his hair with his hands, "Oh no, I just screwed everything up, didn't I?" He turned around and punched the wall, "I'm such an idiot!"
"Aiden, stop. You're not an idiot." I said calmly, trying to keep him from hurting himself.
He did, and looked at me, like I was going to punch him or something.
"It's okay, let's just talk about it."
He nearly flinched, "Y-You're not mad?"
"Mad? No. Confused...kinda." I said awkwardly, not sure on how to address this. A male's never tried to kiss me before.
He sat back down, his hands never leaving his head. He kept muttering "oh gods" over and over again.
I tried to break the silence, "Aiden, just talk to me. What uh, what the hell was that?" I asked, chuckling nervously, it came out and I couldn't help it. Probably making me seem insensitive.
He shook his head, "I'm so sorry, Matt. I'm such an idiot."
I wiped any humor from my face, he was upset, blaming himself. I needed to reassure him that it was cool.
"Hey, don't sweat it man, it's...fine."
"No, it's not fine!" He said loudly, his hands quickly leaving his head to look at me, "I just tried to kiss you! A straight guy, who likes my sister!" At that last part he groaned shamefully and put his head back in his hands.
I wasn't sure what to do. Pat him on the back? Say something? But what? This was totally out of the blue for me, I never knew Aiden felt that way towards me, towards any boy in fact.
"Aiden, I'm not mad, really. Just explain to me what's going on."
He looked at me nervously for a second, then back at the floor, like he was afraid I was going to run or something.
But I didn't, I just sat there and waited patiently.
"I'm...into guys and girls, I guess. I'm still not sure, I mean...it's all so confusing."
"Yeah, romance is something else." I agreed, remembering my own turmoils. But I quickly wiped those thoughts away, it was silly to compare them to his troubles. I couldn't imagine the struggle he was going through.
He nodded though, "Yeah. I guess I've sorta...had a crush on you since you got to Camp."
My eyes widened a little. That long? Wow, I...hadn't even noticed. I always just thought he really admired me, but now that I think about it...there were some hints there.
"Okay..." I said, prodding for him to continue.
"I was scared of these feelings. They were the same feelings I had for Veronica from the Aphrodite Cabin. I would steal glances at her and think of her all the time, how pretty she was, you know. And I wasn't worried about that, since it's natural for a boy my age. But when...I had the same feelings for you...I panicked."
I nodded, not missing a beat.
He continued, his aura getting slightly more comfortable, some of the tension easing.
"I tried to put them away, but the more things you did, like beating up Jett Atkinson, or beating all those monsters...my feelings just grew. And...I got jealous of Harper."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I saw the way you looked at her, and the way she looked at you. I just couldn't help myself..."
I remained silent.
He huffed, determined almost. "But I'm done with that, I'm gonna move on."
"Aiden...I'm sorry."
He looked at me, and for a few seconds we stayed like that, a million emotions passing through the air, like some force was sucking them out, or making them float.
"It's okay, Matt. It's not your fault. I know you don't feel the same, and I don't want to ruin our friendship, so I'm gonna move on."
I started to say something, but he held up a hand.
"Seriously dude, it's okay. You like girls, and that's fine. Don't apologize."
Again, I was speechless. He was being super cool about this, and I felt well...guilty. I hated that he went through that, and I had no clue.
"Aiden, I just want to let you know, this doesn't change anything. I'm still your friend."
He smiled, "I know. And I'm still yours."
I was grateful for his understanding, as I'm sure he was with mine. I never had any prior experience with this kind of thing, but from what I heard...it's not easy to reveal that information. And Aiden had trusted me with it. And I didn't just write him off, because of course I wouldn't. He was a good kid, and he had a good heart.
He looked out the window at night sky and clicked his tongue, "Getting pretty late, huh?"
I nodded, peeking out the window myself. Most campers had already gone to bed.
"Yeah, guess I'll crash too." At that moment, I let out a huge yawn, stretching my arms over my head.
Aiden raised an eyebrow, "How long has it been since you've had any real sleep?"
I groaned, "Dude you have no idea, training with my father was tough. I had to sleep on the sand."
He laughed, "So, a year?"
I thought about it, and yeah, it had been over a year since I had slept in a real bed.
"Yeah, I guess so."
He shook his head, "Damn, you need some sleep."
I got up and walked over to the gaping entrance, but not before turning around, the question on my tongue.
"Are we...good?"
He laughed humorlessly and shoved me out of the cabin.
"Shut up Matt, and get some rest." With that, he disappeared from sight.
I smiled. Despite all of that, we were still friends. I was glad, and it somehow filled up some of the guilt that I held, but only some.
I took a minute to feel the night air, and try to imagine Camp as the way it was before, full of life and hope, unbroken.
I found myself at the lake shortly after, not meaning too. It was like my legs had a mind of their own, leading me towards the body of water.
Before I knew it, I stood in front of Chiron's grave, Will Solace and the others right next to it.
I stared down at the flat ground, and the large stone above it. It was crafted with extreme skill, and seemed to have something enscripted on it.
I leaned down and squinted my eyes. It took me a while, but I finally deciphered it.
Chiron
Trainer of Heroes
Leader of Camp
A father figure, mentor, and friend.
Once I read those words, I stood back up and fought the stinging in my eyes.
It infuriated me, the thought of those bastards, coming here and terrorizing Camp, killing Chiron.
It made me sick.
"I won't let you down." I muttered, vowing revenge on Ouranos, on the Big Four. I would end this, for him, for everyone. So no one else would suffer.
A fire burning in my chest now, I decided to go to my cabin, and fall asleep. I still had a long road ahead of me, a hard road, full of hardship and pain.
But I would make it through. I was confident in myself, confident in the others. Harper, Talon, Malachi, and Sera. They were strong, and I knew they had the same desire as me.
Once I got to my cabin, I took in the sight of it. I missed it more than I knew, the awesome decorations, it's perfect size, everything. I was glad to stand in front of it.
Then out of nowhere, I heard a grunt to my left and turned quickly, to see my father standing at a fallen tree. The stump of it stood straight up, and the rest lay at his feet, like it had been chopped down with an axe.
I stood there several seconds, and watched him lift the tree up, and haul it over his shoulder. What the hell was he doing?
I sighed and shook my head, not sure what he was getting at, but I wouldn't bother him. He could do what he wanted.
I stepped into the cabin and closed the door behind me. Once I knew it was secure I took a long look around the interior. Man, I missed this place.
Everything was how I had left it. A statue of my father in the center, a large bed on the right, various decorations of animal hides and weapons on the wall, and a bathroom in the corner. Where the shower was...
Realizing that I hadn't properly showered for a year, hit me like a dump truck. I mean sure, I bathed in the ocean on the Island, but it's definitely not the same. Right now, I probably reeked of Davy Jones's Locker.
I stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower, the level all the way to the red mark, indicating that only hot water would come out. As it got warmer and more steam emerged, I took a look in the mirror.
I definitely looked different than before, and seeing it in a large mirror as opposed to the water's reflection...it made a difference.
Medium length brown hair sat on my head, coming down to my neck and constantly tickling my ears. My face seemed older, more mature and defined. Light facial hair rested comfortably on my lip and chin, the traces of a beard. It was hardly noticeable, but it bugged me.
Knowing that I didn't have a razor, I took my short fingernails and did the best I could, scratching and rubbing them against my lower chin and upper neck, all along my face and sideburns, until it looked somewhat decent and aligned.
I turned my head from side to side to examine, and it looked good, at least better than before. I brought up a finger and traced the small scar on my jaw, remembering that night, when the Chimera got me, when it got my mom and traumatized her.
I forced those thoughts to leave my head, and got in the shower, the water temperature now just right. I let the warm water wash over me, simply closing my eyes and standing there, all of the filth encompassed this last year drifting down the drain. It felt good to get rid of it, refreshing even. It was like I was breaking out of a shell.
After a few minutes I turned the water off and grabbed the towel outside, rubbing my hair first, as I always did even before it got to this length, and the rest of my body. Finally, I dried off and put on a fresh pair of clothes. I looked at the gray breastplate on the floor, the thing that I wore for the past year, a gift from my father. I loved it to be honest. It fit me perfectly, kept me safe, and never got in the way during a fight. The only problem was...it was filthy as well.
I decided to scrub it off in the shower as well, bummed that I didn't notice sooner, as I could've just took it in the shower with me before, but I didn't mind.
After a few minutes of hard scrubbing and rinsing, the chestplate looked new and shiny. I took it out and placed it on the floor in front of my bed.
I was about to lie down when I remembered my father, supposedly still out there.
I hadn't thought about him sleeping here with me. There was only one bed, but either he or I could sleep on the floor.
Why didn't he come in? I knew him, and he wasn't so polite that he had to be told that it was okay to crash wherever he liked.
I looked harder and noticed a faint glow of orange. A small campfire he had built.
What was going on?
I didn't know, but whatever it was, he probably wanted to be left alone. So I didn't bother him. Instead, I laid down under the soft covers and fell asleep.
Which of course, was soon followed by disturbing visions.
I found myself in the same African Savanna as before, an orange light illuminating the entire area, especially around the watering hole, where two lions lay.
One was a cub and the other was full grown, as usual. The larger one sat comfortably while the cub drank water, slurping down each fill with enthusiasm.
In the distance, on a grassy overlook, of course, stood the dark figure.
He never changed appearance. Like every other time, he wore a black suit, a tie, and a top hat. He had white skin, fancy gloves, and a thick mustache, hiding a good bit of his face. A darkness seemed to exude from him, and I could sense it. It wasn't malevolent, but it was somehow...dark, and feared.
I wasn't sure what to make of it, I had this dream often, and many times now, it always appeared the same. The only difference being that the cub grew slightly each time in size. But I put that off as nothing.
I wanted to know what it represented, what it meant. All of my visions usually had meaning, but this one didn't. Unless it did and I just didn't know.
Before I could study the scene any further, it faded away and a new image appeared.
I found myself in a place I had never seen before. It was snowy, first of all, and the terrain was rocky, jagged, and dynamic. It looked like the top of a mountain, but the sloped white hill disproved this. The wind blew like it was in a blizzard, dangerously nipping at anything that moved.
I noticed a yell to my left, and autonomously, my body drifted over to it.
"MASTER, I'M SORRY!" I heard.
"SORRY?! YOU'RE SORRY?!"
That voice I recognized. It was tainted with darkness, it boomed and hissed at the same time, it was Ouranos.
I got a good view of what was happening. The Big Four stood on a snowy hill, all watching on with uneasiness as Ouranos blasted Levi Pierce with a lightning bolt.
Levi fell back several feet, groaning in pain and clutching his side.
"I accomplished what you asked! I killed the old centaur!" He yelled desperately. If I could've smiled in this vision, I would've. Seeing Levi in pain kinda soothed me. And for once I was rooting for Ouranos to give it to him.
A large face emerged from the gray sky above, intimidating features outlined with a black tint, blue glowing eyes swirling like Yin and Yang.
"That was not all I asked of you! I asked you to kill all of those that were unfit! And to destroy that Camp!"
Levi held a hand up, "Master, they were stronger than anticipated."
Ouranos shot anther bolt at him, it connected with his chest and sent him skidding back on his rear. Levi yelled in agony, steam erupting from his cloak. The other members of the Big Four flinched and looked concerned for him.
Ouranos was seething, "You would have done it all had you not used your time to gloat! You could've killed all of the ones who resisted, but no, you managed to decapitate their healer."
Levi managed to get to one knee, and kneeled at Ouranos. "I'm sorry, master. I should've been quicker. But I did kill Chiron. Surely that is enough?"
Just hearing the traitor say his name enraged me. He wasn't fit to say it.
Ouranos's aura spiked angrily, and he was about to kill Levi, until he stopped, and considered his words.
"You did kill him, and although you didn't destroy that wretched place completely...you did quite some damage."
Cherry chose this time to chime in, "We destroyed a lot of cabins!"
Ouranos chuckled, "Indeed. Hmm, Perhaps the situation is better than we thought." His tone became menacing again, "But you are not to fail, do you hear me?! I want all four of you to track down the daughter of Nemesis and her band of fools, and kill them! Kill them all!"
Levi nodded immediately, but Grayson raised his hand.
"What about the Sons of Thor?" He asked.
Ouranos grunted, "After Matthias, they are going to retrieve that club from him. Is that clear? You will be going after the girl and her group, while the Norse brothers will go after Matthias. We cannot let them cross paths."
They all nodded in understanding, and they disappeared from sight.
The scene remained the same, with Ouranos's face in the clouds looking out at the snowy plain. He started to chuckled, louder and louder.
Something inside of my head told me to get out of there, now. But I wouldn't listen, I couldn't move.
Suddenly, Ouranos turned on me, and my stomach dropped. He smiled maniacally with his distorted face, eyes blinding with a blue glint.
"Can't keep to yourself, can you Matthias? I know that you are here. A part of me is inside of you now, in your head. The price of using that weapon, I'm afraid."
I tried to run, but I couldn't. It was like I was trapped in some ultra straight jacket, unable to break free.
In an instant, Ouranos laughed a sinister laugh, and reappeared before my face. Right when I feared he would blast me with a lightning bolt, I woke up, sweat on my forehead.
I panted lightly, looking around to make sure I was in my cabin, for real. Once I determined I was, I sat up, suddenly not tired.
I rubbed my eyes. How long have I been out? I wondered internally, feeling like it had only been five minutes but at the same time two hours.
Either way, I wasn't going back to sleep yet.
I decided to check on my father, since he still hadn't come inside. I was curious, and also kinda guilty. He had been alone basically all day, and I failed to go up to him and talk when I had the chance.
I wasn't going to give out now.
I walked to the door and opened it, revealing the night in front of me, and an orange glow beside me.
I looked to my right and saw my father sitting on the tree he had broke down, like a log chair. He was tending a campfire in front of him with a stick. Kyros lay on the other side of him, curled up in a mound of feathers.
"Mind if I sit?" I asked, gesturing to the spot beside him.
He looked up at me for a moment, then back to the fire, "Go ahead."
I sat down on the tree. It wasn't very comfortable, but I could live with it. In truth, I wanted to see how he was doing, coping with Chiron's loss and all.
"Why didn't you come in? I would've slept on the floor."
He chuckled, "Nah, I'm fine. I've slept on the ground most of my life anyway."
I simply looked into the fire, watching the way the orange tips danced with the wind, blowing back and forth, letting off heat as it circled.
My father put his stick down and looked up at the forest ahead, "Why ain't you asleep?"
"Couldn't" I said, "Visions, nightmares. You know."
He grunted, "That I do. But if we're gonna go to Kansas, you gotta have your energy."
I raised an eyebrow, "We?"
"Yeah we. There a problem with that?"
"Not at all, I just...figured you'd go back to your Island, and we'd part ways."
"That what you want?"
"No! No, I'm not saying that. It's just..." I exhaled, "I'm glad. I could use the help."
Silence ensued, at least between us. The crickets were going nuts tonight, chirping loudly in each branch of the forest it seemed. Owls too, their hoots could be heard by the dozens above, below, you name it, there it was.
"What do you think's in Kansas?" I asked.
"I dunno, but it's probably something dangerous, knowing Ouranos."
"When should we leave?"
He looked at me hesitantly, "I was thinking tomorrow."
"Okay."
He looked surprised, "Really?"
"What?"
"Nothing, I just...thought you'd wanna stay a little longer."
My face darkened, "Yeah well, this place isn't what it used to be."
He didn't reply.
It was like someone had tightened the air around us with tension at the mere thought of what happened, the current state of the Camp. But I wasn't going to shy away from it, I was going to talk about it.
"I'm sorry about Chiron, Father. I really am. It hurts me too, to come back and find him like that, but blaming Percy?" I turned to him, giving him an incredulous look, "He did everything he could, all of them did."
My father lowered his head, "I know."
"What?"
"I didn't mean anything towards Jackson, alright? I was just angry, Matt. I knew Chiron when I was a boy. He trained me, mentored me, helped me out of some of the most challenging points of my life, and...I wasn't there to save him. I don't blame Jackson. If anything, I blame myself."
I was shocked at his words, and how sincere they were. It made me go from being annoyed at him to wanting to console him within seconds.
I tried the best I could, "He was proud of you. He talked about you all the time."
That brought a hint of a smile from his lips, "I was always his favorite."
I chuckled, and we sat in silence for a bit, listening to the sounds of the night, of Kyros's breathing, just...there.
He interrupted with, "We need to talk about Hephaestus, and that kid that you almost beat to death."
I knew what he was talking about, and the mood somehow dropped even lower, my scowl was probably very visible in the firelight.
"I know you don't like talking about it, but we need to-"
"I know I lost control." I interrupted, almost muttering, "I know I went crazy, and almost hurt innocent people. Or well, innocent god and demigod."
"Matt, it's alright-"
Again I interrupted, his words not reaching me, "I know it's bad, okay? But I can't help it! I mean, I thought I could, but then the whole Hephaestus thing happened, and...damn it." I couldn't finish the rest, I still felt so guilty about what I did, nearly killing the blacksmith god. I had let my anger take over, cloud my judgement, and acted purely on instinct, not rational thought.
"I know it's tough, and I know it's easier said than done...but you have to let your rage work for you, not against you."
"But how?" I said desperately.
He sighed, "That's a hard question, Matt. Even I don't know the full answer. But you have to let all of your problems wash over you, like a calm river. That doesn't mean you don't acknowledge your problems mind you, but you simply let them engulf you, you make them work for you, be on your side. You have to clear your mind, and focus on the task at hand, all the while, your struggles and hardships remain in background. Because if they don't, and instead they're front and center... then others can use that against you."
I shook my head, "I'm not sure I understand."
He pursed his lips, and stared into the fire, maybe contemplating on what to say, or maybe he didn't know what to say, and just hoped that I would forget about it.
But no, that wasn't it. He seemed almost...uneasy and nervous. His aura was weird, like he was conflicted on telling me something.
"What is it?" I prodded.
He looked up slightly, "Matt, I'm gonna get honest with you."
I reared my head back a little, "Uh, okay..."
"Have you ever seen that Disney movie about me?"
Okay, I was definitely not expecting this. I held back laughter, making sure that this was a joke. But when his face showed no sign of humor, I bit my tongue and stopped.
"Yeah, I think I've seen it before."
"It's a good movie, but it left out some major details."
"Well, I guessed that, myths are far more brutal."
"This is serious, son. I'm trying to get to a point here."
His tone offered no lightheartedness, no fooling around. So I shut up.
"That Hercules...well, I wish I were like him. I wish that was the real me."
"Why?"
"He had it good. He got a happy ending, learned his lesson, and became a better person by the end. Me? No."
"What are you talking about?" I tried, "You're a good person! You trained me, even when I didn't want to, because it was best for the world. That's noble."
"I lied to you, Matt."
I cringed, "Yeah, but still, I would've died against those Sons of Thor if not for your training."
He didn't hear that part, he kept looking at the fire, like it was the most exquisite piece of art in the world.
"That Hercules was a true hero. Me, well...I was a hero, but not a real one."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I let the fame get to my head." He started to continue but something stopped him. He rubbed his hands through his hair once and then dropped them, the look on his face pained, and a little wistful.
"Megara was real, son. She was my wife in real life, and I loved her."
I knew he had a thing with Hebe, the youth goddess, but I never knew about Megara, a mortal woman. I always thought that was just part of that movie.
"What happened?" I asked, knowing something grim was coming by his tone.
"Hera's anger towards Zeus and me, it boiled over, and she used my nature against me, my anger. It caused me to see red, nothing else, and I ended up killing Megara, and...our children."
My eyes widened in shock. He had killed his own wife and kids? I had no idea.
So that's what Ouranos meant...
He continued, "That's when I had to carry out the twelve labors, as punishment. After that, I vowed that I would show Hera, I would show all of the gods that I could become even stronger than them, I would become the greatest hero of all. So I did, and traveled the world nonstop, taking credit from companions that I gained, and using it for my reputation. I defeated many monsters, but sometimes I had help too." He spat on the ground, like he had a nasty taste in his mouth, "But I would make it like I did it all myself, that's how obsessed I was with stardom."
"How did you die?" I asked when he paused.
"By my own stupidity. I was poisoned by someone I had wronged. My actions came to backfire against me in the end."
"And you were made a god?"
"I was made a god. A stupid decision. That Jackson is wiser than me in that prospect, choosing mortal life over immortal. I envy him in that regard."
"You regret it." I said, more a fact than a question.
"I do. But at the same time, it's justified. I stay on that Island, alone, with nobody but Kyros to keep me company. After all those years of using people to further myself, I ended up in solitude." He chuckled humorlessly, "It's quite ironic."
I had no idea about my father's past, and how he had acted. It was...mind blowing, to hear how he used people, and how Hera had tricked him into killing his own family.
He noticed my face and sighed, "The point is, Matt. You have to keep the rage inside of you. You have to resist. And I know it's hard, the hardest thing to do, in fact. But it's in our nature, and nature can be used against you if you're not careful. You have to resist, resist above all else. Okay?"
I processed his words, and didn't respond quickly enough.
"Okay?" He asked again.
"Okay, father. I'll try."
He seemed satisfied with this, and leaned back, looking at the fire again.
"I'm sorry, I just...don't want you to end up like me."
After hearing his story, I didn't want to end up like him either. I couldn't. I was my own person, I wouldn't follow his footsteps, I would be different. Better.
I had to be.
"So..." He said, "To change subject. Let's go over the plan."
I leaned forward, glad to move on to something else. For some reason, hearing about my father's past bothered me. It blew away all expectations out of the water, and replaced them with an awful reality.
"We leave tomorrow for Kansas..."
"Try to regroup with Harper and the others." I added.
"Wait, you think we can find them?"
I nodded, "Of course. I mean, we should at least try. Six is better than two."
He hesitated, but eventually sighed, "Alright then, we try to meet up with your girlfriend, then we go to Kansas."
"And stop whatever's going on in that base."
Hercules nodded, a smirk on his lip now, "Then we go to Scandinavia somehow, and kill the source."
"The Norse source." I said, nodding. I noticed that those two words rhymed, which only made it cooler.
"The Norse source." He agreed, and we nodded at the same time.
We kept nodding like that for too long, to the point where we didn't know why we were doing it.
"You wanna stop this?" He asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, let's"
We stopped nodding, and started chuckling at the childish behavior. That was just how we were, we could go from talking about a horrible past, to making rhymes and nodding in unison like a couple of idiots.
"So, what now?" I asked.
He looked up at the sky, "Still got a few hours until sunrise, I suggest you get some more sleep. Then we notify Jackson and the others that we're leaving."
I nodded, not sure how I was going to go back to sleep, but it sounded good. "Alright, see you in the morning."
"Goodnight" He said, and with that, he hopped over the fire, and leaned up against Kyros, using him as a pillow. The eagle didn't mind, in fact, he curled himself more to make it comfortable for my father.
"Those two..." I said, laughing. With a head shake, I walked back inside.
Eventually I got under the covers, and prepared to close my eyes.
I had a new purpose, a new understanding of my father. And while it made me uneasy, it also gave me a picture of what I shouldn't become.
I needed my friends.
I was strong, and I knew that. I didn't have to prove it to anyone, and I didn't have to be the strongest either.
As long as I was able to help defeat Ouranos, that's all I need.
With that hopeful thought, I closed my eyes, and let a smirk upturn on my face.
The next morning, I was ready to go.
I had on my thin gray chestplate, now clean, blue jeans, combat boots, and Viribus around my neck.
I found father outside, Kyros by his side.
"Ready?" He asked, and I nodded.
We informed Percy and Annabeth of our departure, and they wished us luck.
Percy looked concerned, "Are you sure you guys don't need me to go too? I can-"
Hercules surprisingly held a hand up for silence, "No need Jackson. Chiron trusted this Camp to you, so you need to be here, and keep it alive."
Percy nodded, his eyes a bit brighter than before.
Annabeth hugged me, "Be careful, Matt."
I returned the hug, "I will. You keep Percy sane, alright?"
She pulled away and laughed, "I'll try."
Hercules was getting some last minute supplies from Percy when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Aiden and Nico standing behind me.
"Oh, hey guys." I said.
"Hey." Nico waved, "We just came to wish you luck."
"Well thanks, I'm sure we'll be fine."
Aiden held out a hand, "Be safe man, and...I hope you find Harper."
I shook it firmly, "Me too, and thanks Aiden. Remember to keep things in line, huh?"
He smiled at the memory of me saying something similar on the first quest.
"I will."
My father had loaded up everything on Kyros, and motioned for me that it was time.
I hopped on the back, "See you guys!"
All of Camp noticed and came running over to see us off, and somehow...the mood had lifted a little, like there was...hope again.
Father tapped Kyros and he ran off, once in a circle, then straight, and flapped his wings once, we shot into the sky.
I turned around and waved at the Campers, they waved back, yelling good lucks and well wishes from below.
As they faded with the distance, I smiled, and didn't take my eyes off of them until we were clear.
"You'll see it again, kid. Sooner this time."
I turned around, and saw my father smirking at me.
I smirked back, "I know."
With that in mind, I prepared myself for what came next. The Sons of Thor, Scandinavia, Harper...all of it, I was ready.
The second quest had truly begun.
(000)
There it is everybody, chapter eleven. I apologize again for the delay, but I caught allergies last week and I've been sick for a few days. I'm getting better thankfully, and I'll be able to start straightaway on the next chapter.
I hope you all enjoyed this one. I know there were no fights, but I felt it necessary to have Matt develop more with both Aiden and his father. I also really wanted to explore the theme of guilt, and how heavy it is on Matt right now, due to his decisions.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and be sure to stay tuned for the next chapter, I've got a lot in store for Team Harper!
Until Next Time.