Alright, chapter ten. Quick update, I know, but I'm back from the little break and I'm ready to focus on the story a lot more. I've got a bunch of exciting ideas, and I can't wait for you to read them!

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.

10. We Find A New Hideout

Talon

So, turns out, Asuka did in fact teleport us.

Where? I'm not too sure yet, but I'm figuring it out.

We had been right in the heat of battle, Kagutsuchi launched a giant ass fire blast right at the city, the heavy hitters blocked it, and then we came here.

Now you know me, and you know I love a good fight, but this time, I ain't complaining that it was cut short. She made a pretty damn good decision by getting us out of there.

The orange light of her aura came like a light switch, and blinked away before I could even blink myself. We'd warped away from Castle Izanagi and entered a forest of some sorts.

I stood next to the others. Malachi, Goth Girl, Sera, Annabeth, Percy, and Asuka herself. But beyond that, I was shocked to see we weren't alone.

Surrounding us, stood hundreds of people, the same people from the Castle, the innocent bystanders that had been watching the battle. She'd teleported them here along with us.

I had to stop for a second to be impressed. Man, this girl was something else. I'm starting to think I judged her too harshly, pegging her for something she's not. The fact that she could've saved just our seven asses, yet she went the extra mile and saved everybody, spoke volumes. Malachi's told me how tough it is to transport a bunch of people, so it couldn't have been easy.

But that sort of raised the question. What the hell are we gonna do? We just dipped on people that want to kill us...they ain't just gonna stand around. They're gonna come after us.

The others noticed the people too, Annabeth was the first to comment. "Asuka...you teleported them all to safety!"

"There must be hundreds..." Malachi was impressed.

She stood right next to me. I turned to her, "Nice job. They might get the city, but at least they can't hurt anyone."

Asuka paid no mind to our praise, she stared daggers ahead, off into the distance at nothing. As the chatter and confusion among the people began, she steeled herself and to my disappointment, quickly put her cat mask back on, covering up that face I was just starting to get used to.

"What are you-" I started, but she cut me off.

"Apologies, but you guys will have to wait here for a moment. We don't have much time."

I wasn't sure what she was talking about. Before we could ask her what was up, she jumped up in the air and landed on a hill in the clearing, overlooking everyone.

"Everyone, listen to me!"

Her commanding tone silenced everyone immediately. As in, no chatter whatsoever beyond that point. I wanted to shake my head. Can't be a leader my ass, she would run circles around that wannabe shogun! She just proved she can control a crowd, and my guess is she's about to get them someplace where they can hide. At least, I hope so.

"I know you're all frightened by what just happened." She said, addressing everyone. "I understand, believe me, and I am very sorry you had to see that. To see me like that. I know many of you are confused about my identity, and probably feel like you don't know me anymore. For that...I also apologize. But at this moment, we need to put all of that aside and get to safety! We're in a forest not far from my mother's temple! With a short walk, we can make it!"

Some guy in the crowd shouted a question back, in Japanese. I couldn't understand it, but Asuka leaned forward to hear it.

When he finished, she answered with a boom. "We need to hide from Tsukuyomi, Ouranos, and Susanoo! Standing in the open like this only risks our survival more! We're exposing our auras to them, which is why time is essential! So please, if you all would, follow me quickly!"

There was no arguing, and no questioning about her little reveal back at the Castle. I'm glad they knew when to shut up and just do what their told. They're smart.

Asuka saw that everyone was ready, and began to walk quickly down her dirt hill, us coming up the slope and following her in a messy, but straight enough line to not have any wanderers. For the entire walk, Asuka kept looking around the woods and sky, checking for any sign of our pursuers. I glanced at Malachi and Percy a couple of times to see if they felt anything, but they assured me they didn't. The coast seemed to be clear.

She wasn't kidding when she said it was a short walk. We must've teleported right next to it, because it might've been a quarter of a mile and we had arrived.

Looming over us stood a statue of who I guessed to be Amaterasu. She looked a bit like Asuka, only taller, older, with different clothes, and longer hair. She stood regally, straight, with her eyes somehow facing all of us at the same time, despite being made of stone.

Nobody had been in this place in years. Plants had started to grow on the statue, green vines draped over Amaterasu's shoulder and waist, with the tips of them hanging over the temple's entrance. The rest of it, aside from the statue, wasn't visible on the outside. It seemed to be buried under a big dirt hill, like the one Asuka stood on a minute ago.

I raised an eyebrow and muttered to the group, "How the hell are we all gonna fit in there?"

But after Asuka went in, dozen by dozen, the wide line just kept going, like the darkness of the entrance was swallowing them or something. It was weird. Must be some sort of magic where the temple is way bigger on the inside than on the outside. That, or it's just underground, and we gotta walk down a few thousand steps. Crossing my fingers on the former.

When it got to us, we walked out of the fading sunlight and into the darkness of the temple's entrance. Judging by the continuous flat ground, there weren't any stairs.

It was pitch black, and I ended up bumping into someone.

Goth Girl. "Hey, watch it." She hissed.

"I would if I could." I grumbled. "Dark as hell in here."

People started to shout and complain in Japanese. I had no idea what they were saying, but if I had to guess, it was about the light situation too. Everybody was pretty shaken up, understandably, so I'd imagine being huddled up in a dark cave would get me going too. Hell, it's about to in a minute.

Finally, we got some light when I heard a puffing sound come from ahead, like a fire being ignited. It appeared as a small dot of orange, then shot across the room and into a large candle, illuminating that little area under it.

Within seconds, the fire source, most likely Asuka, had lit up every candle holder in the temple. And I say candle lightly, because whatever they were, they were huge. Like those you'd see in a medieval castle. Each one was attached to an outstretched hand coming from the wall, probably Amaterasu's in a straight line parallel to each other all the way across the building.

We had enough light to see, and everyone calmed down. Now that I got a good look at the interior, I could definitely see why Asuka thought this a good hiding spot. Difficult for Tsukuyomi to find, and big enough to fit all of Castle Izanagi's residents.

It wasn't like a cathedral or anything odd shaped, it was more like a church. Square, big, and long. On the side, were the candle hands, stone pillars and floors, little hallways leading to small rooms, and at the very end of what I could see, a giant wall with a portrayal of Amaterasu holding the Kusanagi. Interesting enough, not on the beach where she got it. It was just her in the art, no Tsukuyomi or Susanoo.

"I stand corrected. We can fit." I said.

"Anyone else get the feeling this isn't even all of it?" Percy asked, "It's probably way bigger."

"I'd say there are more levels, in case it gets too crowded in here." Annabeth supplied. "Not a bad spot at all. Deep in the forest, laced with magic...it'll probably give us a few days on Ouranos and the others."

"So what are we supposed to do now?" Goth Girl wondered. "They have the castle now, and worst of all, the Death sword."

That sent a chill down my arm. Yeah, Tsukuyomi had the death sword now, after Goro died, he took it and used it to fight Asuka. Who...sort of turned out to be Amaterasu too...yeah, it's a long story. But I'm sure we'll get to that.

She continued. "Are we supposed to just leave these people here and go out on our own to finish it? Fight that dragon, Ouranos, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo at the same time?"

"We can't do it." Malachi shook his head, keeping quiet as to not worry the others. "Maybe, with a bit of luck we'd be able to take Ouranos, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo. But Kagutsuchi is far too strong. Even alone he would be trouble."

"Before we do anything, we should talk with Asuka first." Sera suggested, and we all agreed. Before, we were hesitant on having talks with her, letting her in on our plans, but now, after what happened, all of that was out of the window. She had revealed her true identity back there, attacked Goro, and basically raised a lot of questions.

For one, what really happened on that night? How did both her and her mother survive? How was she still young if she was eight hundred years old? We just...needed to have a chat, plain and simple.

But right now, Asuka stood below the art of herself, shouting reassurances at her people once again, weaving in and out of Japanese and English. I caught some of it that I could understand. Like- "We'll be okay!" And "Remain calm! We might have to stay here for a while!"

People panicked. They didn't scream or riot, no, but they whispered and fidgeted, which was honestly just as bad in a way. It meant they didn't think we were safe, and that we wouldn't be able to beat those guys if they showed up here. Which...they just might be right. Pains me to say it.

At the end of it, Asuka visibly sighed and came over to us, walking through the crowd with her head low.

"Hey, you okay?" Annabeth asked her, but she didn't even respond, she kept going straight out of the temple and into the forest.

"What's she doing?" Malachi said, eyebrow raised. "Won't she be detected?"

"I don't know." I said, my eyes glued to where I last saw her. "C'mon, let's see what it is."

I took a few steps forward, but stopped when I didn't hear anything behind me. It made me turn back, to see Harper with her arm in front of everybody.

"You go." She said, "We'll make sure everyone has enough space to sleep tonight. The sun's about to set anyway, we'll be here for at least a few hours."

"Wait, we're not gonna check on her?"

"You are." She urged, as serious as if she was in a fight. "Go. We've got this."

I didn't understand what she was getting at, sending me alone out there. I mean, it was a good thing to check on everyone and make sure they were situated, but did it really take five people for that?

I shrugged anyway, "Alright fine, I'll go."

She nodded. "Alright guys, we should spread out. Most of these people probably speak English, but if not, Annabeth, you said you knew some Japanese, right?"

Annabeth's expression wasn't exactly reassuring. "I'm not very good...but I'll try."

"Better than nothing." Percy said. "Let's get to it, guys."

They all split up and started tending to dozens of people, making sure they had a spot to sleep in for the night, checking for injuries, separating the sick, prioritizing the children and elderly, and everything in between. They had it all taken care of.

I made my way towards the entrance, and once I came into the clearing, I scanned around like a sprinkler before spotting Asuka, standing about twenty feet away at the edge of the forest.

Beyond this clearing is nothing but trees on a downward slope, as far as the eye can see. She was staring at it.

"You sure it's safe out here?" I asked, breaking the silence. "You know, from Tsukuyomi sensing us and all?"

She didn't even flinch. Probably sensed me coming out here before I even spoke.

Asuka made a gesture towards the clearing and the tree-line. "The barrier covers all of the temple, and the clearing. Once you enter the woods it becomes unsafe."

I chuckled, putting my hands in my pockets. "Good to know. Didn't want to get smited before a good night's sleep."

No reaction. She hadn't even heard me. That, or just didn't think it was funny. Not my best work anyway. But something seemed to be bothering her.

It might've been safer to stay where I was, but I walked over to her anyway, placing myself right by her side.

"You alright?"

The question seemed to trigger something in her. The cat mask practically creaked as it turned my way.

"Am I alright?" She snapped, her tone laced with venom. "That's a hell of a question to ask me after what just happened! We lost the Kusanagi, we lost the Castle, and Ouranos has recruited all of his gods! So yes, I'm doing just fine!"

I tightened my lips. "Hey, don't get all bitchy with me. I came out here to be nice. I didn't have to do that!"

"Oh please!" She groaned, "You came out here to interrogate me on my past. I know what you're thinking, especially after I revealed my true identity. Don't play dumb!"

I reared my head back. Now I'm really starting to get pissed off. "What the hell are you talking about?! I literally just came out here to check on you!" I couldn't believe she was acting like this. Like some little kid. I threw my hands up, "You just assume everything, woman!"

"Assume?" She got in my face. "So I must be forgetting yesterday when you said you didn't trust me? Or when you kept asking about my past?"

"No, I didn't!" I was full on screaming now. I honestly can't remember the last time I argued with someone like this. "I won't lie to you, I didn't trust you! But that was at the start! It's different now!"

At that, she sunk down back to normal, no retort, no comeback, just silence.

I should've calmed down too, and saw her outburst for what it really was. She was worried about her people, about her home. Hell, she had plenty of reason to be wound up. We just lost one of the most dangerous weapons in the universe, along with a Demigod stronghold.

But, like an idiot, I kept yelling. "Yeah, that's right! I'm starting to trust you! I didn't come out here to talk about the Amaterasu thing, or how you're eight hundred years old! I came to see if you were alright!" I scoffed, "That's what I get for being nice, I reckon."

Before I could even lift my boot to storm off, her voice stopped me. "Wait, Talon."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at myself. I just...feel like the entire world is coming down on me. I feel like I've lost everything."

And just like that, I deflated. There it was, the front was gone, the anger was subsided, and now she was talking normally.

My volume went from one hundred to ten in a second. "Don't worry about it. I probably would've snapped on me too if I were in your shoes."

She shook her head and plopped down on her rear, legs tucked in front of her. "I'm such a fool."

I sat down cross legged in front of her on a patch of grass. "Don't say that. You did the right thing."

"I let my emotion control me. Maybe if I hadn't revealed the truth...things would be better. Maybe we would have prevailed."

"I doubt it. You saw what we were up against. There was no getting out of that. Everything went the way it was supposed to. We're still alive."

"But the sword...the castle...they have it now."

"So?" Her mask looked directly at me, her real face probably in disbelief under it.

I just continued, "Look, it's not a good thing, I know, but it could've been a lot worse. All of those people could be dead, but you saved them. We've still got a chance to win."

"There is no chance now." She placed her hands on her knees and lowered her head to rest on her arms, like she'd just ran a marathon. "Don't you understand? I've only delayed the inevitable. With the sword, and with Kagutsuchi at their side... it's only a matter of time."

I started to get annoyed. "Ain't you supposed to be the queen over here? What happened to all that power and rage I saw back at the Castle? You're Amaterasu. You should be able to kick everyone's ass by yourself, let alone with all of us behind you."

"That was a long time ago." She sounded pathetic. Hardly any effort in her voice. I could tell this had her pretty shaken up.

"What are you talking about? I thought gods get stronger with time."

"It's different now." She said coldly, annoyed with my confusion. "I used to be strong. Strong enough to scoff at any challenge, at any jealous god, bloodthirsty monster, or otherwise. But then I-"

She stopped abruptly. I leaned forward. Had she said it, and I just misheard?

But as a few seconds passed, there was nothing. She just didn't want to tell me.

"Then what? What happened?"

"...I joined my soul with this body."

"Huh?"

"I am Amaterasu in spirit, Talon. But in body, I am Asuka."

"Wait, so you're not just Amaterasu? You're two people in one?"

"Sort of. It's complicated. The point is, I cannot conjure the same strength I could in the past. I have to be careful."

"What happens if you do?"

She hesitated. "I...can't talk about it. I just need a minute to myself, please. I have too much to think about."

Part of me wanted to press further, but I knew that it would only get her riled up again. Whatever it was, it wasn't something she'd reveal to me.

"Alright." I stood up and wiped the dirt from my jeans. I took a few steps to the entrance, then stopped myself, remembering something from a long time ago. I don't even know why it came to me, but it did. I heard Master's voice in my ear, just like if he were next to me.

"Can I just say one more thing before I go inside?"

She didn't sound thrilled about it. "Sure."

"It's something my master told me a long time ago." I smiled at the thought of when he told me, because I didn't get it at the time. "It ain't nothing special, especially to a god like yourself, but it always stuck with me."

She waited for it, not taking her eyes off me.

"When you believe in something, it becomes real." She didn't say anything, probably thinking I had more. But no, that's what master told me. "That's it. Good or bad, it doesn't matter. So if you believe that we're gonna lose, then we're already done for."

Finally, she averted her gaze to a tree beside the statue. "That's a nice quote."

"Look, I ain't one for cheesy lines or rah rah speeches either, but every now and then, you gotta have a little hope, and look on the bright side of things." I shrugged before giving a little wave. "Catch you later."

She didn't say anything as I walked back inside.

I found a lot of people settling in for the night. Parents making sure their children had a comfortable place to lay, people using what they could for pillows and comfort, but there wasn't much of anything. All their belongings had been left behind.

I searched for the others for what seemed like hours, but didn't find a thing. Eventually my patience ran out, and I resorted to bothering a stranger.

A man who had almost dozed off. I woke the poor bastard up to see if he knew anything, and prayed to God that he spoke English.

"Hey, sorry to bother you, but did you see where my friends went? You know, the group with the white haired girl?" Using Sera was the best bet, since she sticks out the most.

To my surprise, he spoke perfectly. "Oh, the Americans? I think they went down that hallway about ten minutes ago." He pointed to the far corner of the building.

I nodded a thanks. "Appreciate it."

When I slipped around a pillar and into the hallway, I saw where they must've gone. Sitting at the very back of the long path, was a set of stairs dipping into darkness. There must be another level down there.

I worried I might be blind for the entirety of the walk, but thankfully at the next flight, a candle on the wall lit my way. Asuka must've shot out enough fire blasts to light every single one of these things, main floor and everything else included.

After the second flight, which had turned a one eighty to the opposite direction, I reached the bottom step and saw them, sitting up against the wall in a small, empty, dim room. It looked like a dungeon if I'm being blunt, just without the cells.

Malachi and Sera sat on the left side, while Percy, Annabeth, and Harper took up the right. If I didn't know better, I would've assumed they were asleep.

I curled my lip at them. "What the hell are you guys doing down here?"

"Not enough room." Malachi immediately answered. "There are more small spaces like this all over the temple. We had to put some families in them."

"So many people." Sera sighed. "I-I'm worried about them. W-What if we are found?"

"We won't be." Percy said, confidently. "I can feel the magic around this place with my aura sensing. I'd be surprised if Ouranos finds it."

"Don't put too much faith in it, Percy." Malachi countered, "We need to be ready for anything."

Goth Girl grumbled, "After that fiasco at the Castle, I don't think we are ready."

I shook my head at them, "You guys gotta lighten up a little. Seriously. It could be so much worse. We're still alive. All in one piece. And Matt's on his way! Have you all forgotten that or something?"

"It's the end of his second training day." Malachi reminded. "He still has three to go before he can help us. We may be under attack by then."

"Yeah, it's not that we don't have faith in him." Goth Girl said, "It's just...can we hold out long enough until he gets here?"

"Who's to say he'll be able to deal with what we're up against?" Percy wondered. "I mean, Matt's strong, we all know it, but those guys are strong too. And what if Ouranos isn't done? What if he's got more gods to recruit?"

"He's training with Zeus." Sera said, trying to be the optimist. "He'll at least be more powerful than he was before."

Silence fell, and we didn't talk about Matt anymore. Personally, I understood why everyone was down in the dumps, but damn, it usually doesn't last this long. One pep talk and the team's morale is usually lifted. Now though, I guess the odds are so risky, there's no spirit left to draw from.

Annabeth spoke up, breaking the silence. "How was Asuka?"

I let out a sharp puff of air through my nose. "Not too good. She's got a lot on her mind. Worried, like ya'll, about Tsukuyomi, the death sword, losing the castle, etcetera, etcetera. I tried to talk some sense to her, but I don't think it got through."

"She is safe from being detected out there, right?" Malachi asked, once again worrying about her being found.

"Yeah, she's clear. Said the barrier covers the clearing too, along with the temple."

Malachi nodded. "Okay, just making sure."

"Can you guys believe that?" Goth Girl asked, "She's...actually Amaterasu. This entire time. I mean, now it makes sense as to why she hid her face and identity this whole time."

"I don't think anybody saw that one coming." Percy muttered.

"So Goro's gone now, and that means we're up against his samurai too." Annabeth said dreadfully. "Wow, I can't believe I forgot about them. That just makes things astronomically worse."

Oh shit. I'd forgotten about them myself. We had to fight against those guys too now. Damn...maybe things were really bad.

No. I can't be thinking like that. I mean, I can be realistic and say, yes, things are bad, but we can't give up yet.

"Our best bet is probably gonna be hiding out here until Matt comes." I said, letting my thoughts free. "At least then we might have a chance of taking them."

"But doesn't our absence allow them to run rampant?" Malachi said. "If we're out of the way, in hiding, won't they just use this opportunity to take over the world?"

"I doubt it." Annabeth reasoned, and started on one of her logic rants. "Japan, maybe. But to conquer the entire world means they have to go through Zeus. Even though he's training Matt in that weird time room, I'll bet a hundred drachmas that he can still sense what's going on outside. If he knew about Ouranos and the other gods attacking, he would stop them. I don't think Ouranos will risk that just yet."

"Yeah, that and the guy sort of hates us." Goth Girl added. "I think he'll be stupid enough to try and hunt us for the three days. That is, if this barrier can hold up."

"I'm telling you guys, it will." Percy insisted. "It's made from the energy of Amaterasu herself. Or well, Asuka herself, I guess."

"I was curious about that." Sera turned to me. "Is she solely Amaterasu? Or is she also Asuka?"

"Maybe she just changed her appearance to look like her daughter." Annabeth guessed. "As a tribute."

"No, that's not it." I thought back to the brief statement Asuka made about the subject. "She said that she was Amaterasu in spirit, but Asuka in body."

"So they exist inside of each other?" Annabeth asked, specifically to me.

I threw my hands up. "Hey, don't ask me. She wouldn't go any further. Wanted to be left alone."

Sera leaned up to look at the staircase. "Is she still outside? It must be dark by now."

I waved a dismissive hand. "Nah, probably came inside to sleep by the door." I hoped she did. It was the cold time of year, she didn't need to be out there where the air turns your snot into icicles.

Malachi tilted his head a little, then shook it. "No, her aura is still in the clearing."

"What?" I said, a little too quickly. I cleared my throat and eased up a bit, trying to act casual. "Damn, that girl's crazy, trying to sleep outside in winter."

Sera sunk against the wall. "I feel sorry for her. Should we go out there and keep her company?"

"Nah." Goth Girl said, doing her best to find a comfortable position for her head, "She wants to be left alone, so we should grant that. I know the feeling."

"Ain't even got so much as a blanket out there." I grumbled. Not sure why, I mean, it's not like I cared if she got cold or anything, and it's certainly not that I wanna find an excuse to go back up and talk to her some more. No way in hell it's that. I'm just baffled by the craziness of some people. "She'll freeze to death."

"She's a goddess, Talon." Annabeth said, surprised by my sudden passion on the matter. "She can warm herself with her own aura if she wants. And make her own decisions on where to sleep." She yawned, "Speaking of, I think I'm going to hit the hay. If I can manage on this floor."

"Hey, we slept on the floors of the Labyrinth." Percy recalled with a smirk, "Remember?"

Annabeth didn't smirk. "Don't remind me. These are even worse."

I sat there, all pouty like a little kid. For a second, I wanted to step outside of myself and kick my own ass. What, you wanna go give Asuka a blankie? Make her feel better? Maybe stargaze a bit with her? Do you, you little Romeo bitch?

Part of me hated that these little feelings were starting to boil, because that ain't me. I don't do romance, not anymore. I don't make sweet gestures, write thoughtful notes, or bring breakfast in bed to anyone. All of that shit's overrated, and it's temporary.

And besides. Asuka?! I mean, come on, out of everyone? Nah, no way.

But after I pushed the notion aside, my thoughts drifted to what I kind of liked about her. She's hot, for starters. I mean, I'd be lying if I hadn't thought about asking her to take that mask off again so I could get another look. Let's see...she's strong, a great fighter, and she tries to do the right thing. She stands up for what she believes in, and protects the innocent, even at the risk of her own life.

She's also been through a lot of shit, and didn't turn out to be a psychotic bastard. That's another big one. It's one thing to be dangerous and crazy, but to be dangerous and disciplined...that's admirable.

Ah, who am I kidding. So what, I kind of like her. Big deal. I ain't gonna do anything about it, and even if I did, that shit would just go right down the drain. It would probably just turn into another fling.

But what if it didn't? A little voice said. You haven't been truly happy since Mary. Don't you want that again?

What? Do I want to be heartbroken again? Do I want to watch the girl I love get killed in front of me again? Nah, I think I'll pass.

You can start over. It said. Find another love.

I ignored it, and it didn't push any further. But it really did make me think about things. Could I move on from Mary, if I already haven't? How do I know if I have?

Suddenly, something compelled me to announce, "She don't need to be outside in the middle of freaking winter without something to cover up with." I started towards the staircase, but Goth Girl stopped me. When she spoke, I could practically hear the smirk on her lips, and that made my teeth grit.

"Wait a second, cowboy. You're telling me, that you're actually gonna go up there and make a blanket for Asuka with your powers?"

My face got hot as a firecracker, much to my fury. I tried to fight the blush down, but nothing worked. I turned on Harper, putting as much anger in my voice as I could with a hushed volume. "I was going to, yeah. What the hell of it, Green Day?"

She was trying her best not to laugh, which only pissed me off even more. "You gonna tuck her in?"

My eyes widened, and I was ready to go over and smack her on the head. "You got a lot of nerve! I oughta-"

"You gonna give her a goodnight kiss?" She taunted, pushing her luck even further.

I balled up my fists, standing there like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode. "Kiss?! The hell do you take me for?! No! I ain't kissing her, I ain't doing nothing like that! I don't even feel that way about her, okay?" None of them looked convinced. "Okay?!" I roared. "Got it?!"

As if I hadn't already made myself clear, Percy actually had the balls to tease me. "Yeah, I agree Talon, kissing would be way too quick. I mean, you guys haven't even gone out yet."

"Jackson..." I growled.

Sera had her hands clasped this entire time, and cooed with delight. "Don't listen to them, Talon. I think it's very sweet that you want to keep her warm."

"Princess! Not...another...word!"

They all had a good laugh, and soon that laughter died down into happy silence. I waited for Malachi to chime in with his own joke, since he was the only one that didn't say anything, well, he and Annabeth, but blondie was already asleep. No, Malachi actually didn't even laugh at their quips, he just...stared at me, like he was reading into my soul or something. Hell, he almost looked sad for me.

I didn't pay it much attention. Everyone ended up saying goodnight after another minute or two, and I made my way up the stairs and into the main area of the building.

Everyone was sound asleep, and I mean everyone. Out of the hundreds of people, I couldn't spot one person sitting up or walking around. Everyone was on the floor, either resting, or out like a light. And judging by the snoring, I'd say it was the latter.

I snuck around the horde through the hallway, walking down a long path until I reached the end that the entrance was on. I made a left and crept on the side of the wall, my back glued to the stone so I wouldn't accidentally step on anyone. I wanted to roll my eyes. This reminded me of when I used to sneak out of Master's hut to play with Mary and Mateo.

Finally, I reached the entrance. It was a lucky thing that there weren't any gates or doors, because if I had to open a giant, creaking wood door, I'd be serious trouble. Might as well just turn right back around.

But all it took was a simple stride, and I was home free, out in the open, greeted with the wide night sky, and tons of tree silhouettes at the bottom.

"Damn..." I whispered, unable to hold it back. It was quite a sight.

Staring at it, my little smile melted into a scowl. I couldn't let Ouranos destroy something so beautiful. Matt or no Matt, we're gonna manage somehow. We're gonna survive and fight back. Show him what demigods can do when they have something to protect.

My eyes drifted and found Asuka, asleep on a small mound of dirt, leaning back against it with her legs propped up and knees bent, kind of like how she was sitting earlier. Weirdly enough, she still had that stupid cat mask on.

"Even while you sleep? Damn, girl."

I sighed and walked over to stand above her. She must be in a pretty deep rest, considering she can sense auras. That, or she's just pretending to be asleep. I sure as shit hope not, because if she knows I did this...I would never live the embarassment down.

With a bit of concentration, I managed to summon a long, thick, woolen blanket, the very same that I used to sleep with back at Master's hut. It was the warmest thing in the world. When under it, it felt limitless in size. No matter how much you tossed and turned, or messed with it, it would still cover you. That's why I loved it.

Golden light flickered, and the blanket popped out into my hands, nearly touching the ground as it flopped over. Damn, still as heavy as I remember.

Carefully, I reached over and laid it on her, moving as slow as possible so she wouldn't wake up. When I made it flat and put the last corner over her leg, I just sat there, bent down, and stared for a second.

It was almost like watching a rare animal do something cool. It was weird to see Asuka sleep. I mean, so far, she seemed like the type that never slept, and upon the whole goddess reveal, it seemed even more plausible that she was always awake. Always alert, on the look out.

But here, she was as peaceful as anyone could be. I couldn't even see her face, but just by the way her chest softly rose up and down, and the placement of her hands, the stillness of her body, I could tell she was having a good rest.

I furrowed my eyebrows as my eyes trailed over her mask. Why does she still wear it? She's already shown her identity to everyone, so why not just toss it? Be proud of who you are.

Or maybe she's not. Maybe she just feels guilty.

Either way, I didn't like it. I wanted to see what was under it again. I wanted to talk to her face to face.

Slowly, on stupid impulse, my hands reached out to grab the sides of her mask. But just as my fingertips brushed up against the wood, I stopped.

"No..." I breathed. "Nah...I can't do that."

I retracted. I can't just make her show herself. That ain't right. That would be like making me take my sunglasses off. Taking them off takes away the familiarity of them, the feeling that I've gotten used to over the years. Just as she has with the mask. She probably feels safe within it. Safe from judgement. Nobody can see her true feelings with that in the way, which means nobody can see her at her worst, when she's feeling doubtful.

I stood up and nodded at her. "Yeah...I get it, girl. I understand."

She'll show it when she's ready. And when she does, we'll be here. We won't turn away. We'll show her that we trust her.

I might've stood there for a few more minutes if I didn't hear a snapping sound coming from the forest. A sound that reminded me of a twig breaking. Like...someone stepping on it.

I wanted to call out and see who was there, but I held my tongue. Didn't want to wake Asuka up. But still, I had to find out what that was. It could be Ouranos or Tsukuyomi for all we know, planning a sneak attack on the temple.

I jumped behind a tree and peered around it. If there was anything, it was too dark to see.

So instead of looking, I listened. I closed my eyes, and there it was, another twig break.

At that, I knew it wasn't some coincidence. I popped out from behind the tree and stared in the direction of the sound, hands ready to grab my guns.

But standing there, was a face I hadn't seen in a long, long time. If made me immediately drop my hands.

"M-Mary?"

Mary was standing about halfway down the slope, in between two trees. Her body glowed a bright white, and her dress was partly transparent. She looked like she'd been dressed up as an angel. What with the white clothes and the long hair flowing with the wind.

She looked like a ghost, more than anything.

Mary didn't say anything, she just stared at me sadly, as if I had done something wrong.

Done something wrong. Asuka...

I swiveled my head and glanced at the sleeping form of the goddess again, then back at Mary.

I felt so guilty. And ashamed. I just wanted to crawl behind the tree again and hide, hide from that look she was giving me.

"Mary, I wasn't-" I tried, but stumbled over my words. "-I wasn't doing anything..."

Still no reply, just a gloomy expression. Mary turned her back on me and walked away, with each step her form dissolved.

I started to run after her, but my hand touched the barrier, and I felt an invisible force push me back.

"Hey, wait!" I called, desperate. "Mary!"

"Talon?"

At the new voice, I snapped around and reached for my revolver. Shouldn't have been my first instinct, but I was so high strung at the moment, I was ready to do anything.

It was Malachi. He saw what I was doing and put his hands up. "Are you okay? Why were you shouting?"

I took my hand off and sighed. "Nothing, man, I'm good. Go back to sleep."

His eyes darted between myself, the forest, and Asuka. I could see the gears turning in his head as he slowly figured it out. Malachi wasn't the smartest guy in the world, but when it came to figuring out what I'm thinking...well, he knows me better than just about anybody.

He came over and put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, my friend. I know it's hard to not think about her."

I didn't even try to put up a tough front. "It's never gonna stop, man. I guess I'm just stuck in the same old loop."

I hated feeling like this. Like I'm stuck. But every time I try to move on, I feel like I'm disrespecting her memory. Disrespecting all the times we had together.

It was a long time ago. I was just a kid. So why the hell can't I get over it?

Malachi seemed to read all of this. "Come on, let's go back inside."

His arm slipped around me, and he led me back to the temple.

I ended up crashing on the floor with the others.

I've gotten too comfortable. Too soft. Actually complaining about the stone floor is a sign of that. In the past, I've slept on much worse, and I didn't make a peep. But now, I've grown fond of my warm bed at Camp Half Blood.

I never thought I would find a stable place after I was taken to the Island. I figured that would be it, I would somehow die on that patch of sand. But then I made it...without my friends.

And that ate me up inside. To the point where I never thought I could be normal again. I thought that I'd failed Master by not doing the right thing. By saving my own ass.

I drifted, and drifted, and it was lonely. That's where alcohol and drugs become your best friends.

I fell so deep into that pit that I just didn't care anymore. I didn't care what I did to survive, even if that meant killing people. Money was money, and I knew how to fight. It seemed like an easy option.

How stupid. I didn't even try.

And when Matt, Harper, Percy, and Annabeth popped up in the park that day, I didn't even know it would be the greatest thing to happen to me. I treated it like a normal job. Hell, I treated it like a lesser job. I remember well, thinking that these stupid kids were in over their head, and that I'd have to practically hold their hands on this one.

But all of that led me back to Malachi and Sera. It led me back to something normal.

I guess that's why despite our situation, I still have hope. Because I've seen the impossible happen before. We've gotten out of a bind time and time again. No, it didn't always go the way we wanted, but we always found a way. I never thought I'd see those two again. I failed them, and that was that.

Is it destiny? Hell if I know. I never believed in such a thing. But now I'm really starting to wonder. Everything's coming full circle. My Dad released me onto the world all those years ago, and soon I'll be going back to him.

As I lay flat on my back, I thought about what it might be like. What he'll look like, how he'll talk, what he'll say, what I'll say.

I got so many questions; I won't even know where to begin.

Thinking about him soon led to a dream. A familiar dream.

I'd seen this before, many times. A small house under a clear, sunny blue sky. A man tending to his small collection of crops while his wife holds his child.

The man is Nikandreos. Dad.

In these dreams, he doesn't look like a god. He looks as normal as anyone else, resembling me heavily.

But that dream's always cut short. By the attack.

Behind him, at the beginning of the city, comes a tidal wave like no other. A tsunami higher than the tallest building, rushing through without remorse and trampling the citizens. The last thing I see before the dream switches is always Nikandreos's expression of horror.

It shifts to a black void. I don't see him, but his voice calls out to me.

Talon.

It feels like I'm standing in cold, dark room. Looking around to find him, but he's just out of reach, beyond the walls that I can grab. A one way mirror.

Why can't I see you? My mind asks.

In time, you will. But there is not much right now. I cannot be noticed.

By who? Ouranos?

He didn't answer that. Relay this insight to your friends. You must stop Tsukuyomi before he gains more power. Go to the Land of Yomi.

Before I could even say anything, his voice went away, and a new vision appeared.

It was of Ouranos, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, and Goro's samurai.

I couldn't see Kagutsuchi from here, but the other three were still in front of the main castle, as if they'd never left their spot. And judging by the sunlight...this vision must be taking place right after we teleported outta there.

They seemed in no hurry to come after us. Tsukuyomi stood facing the Castle's entirety, admiring the death katana.

"Finally, the Kusanagi is in my grasp." He shook his head with disbelief. "After all these years...I have the power I deserve. It's magnificent."

Susanoo glared at him, and I could tell he wanted to protest on that sword being his, but kept quiet. Instead he stormed right up to his brother's shoulder.

"Fool, we don't have time to think about that! Amaterasu is still alive! Those demigods are still alive!"

Tsukuyomi didn't seem to really care. "Trapped in the body of that girl, she is. In that state, she'll never be able to beat me. And as for her little friends...well, they're not even a challenge now. None of them have the ability to stand against me with this blade." He finally looked up from the Kusanagi, and gestured to something in front of him. "Besides, we've gained some soldiers."

The vision panned back, and revealed all of Goro's remaining samurai on one knee, kneeling to Tsukuyomi.

"We serve you now, my lord." One said.

"It was Lord Goro's final order." Another said. "Whatever you need us to do, we will do it without fail."

Tsukuyomi shrugged, like their help wasn't even worth acknowledging. "Well, I have no use for you. Ouranos? Do you want them?"

Ouranos had been quiet, leaning up against the castle wall in the far corner, looking out over the fields in the distance, seemingly in deep thought.

"Of course. The more power we have, the easier it will be." He turned to look at the samurai. "All of you, if you see, or sense any of those demigods that fought us here today, you attack them immediately. And attack to kill. Understand?"

They all nodded, and gave a resounding, "Yes sir!"

Susanoo scoffed at them, "Even so, we cannot be foolish about this, brother. Not this time. It's how we were defeated by her before."

"Before, we didn't have the blade. Now we do."

"Don't put all your trust in that thing, Tsukuyomi." Susanoo argued, "I know it is powerful, but remember, these demigods come from another land. They are of the Greek world. If we advance with our plans...our foes will increase to match. The god Zeus will most likely stand in our way."

"Let him." Tsukuyomi snorted. "I'm not afraid."

"You should be." Ouranos said, causing Tsukuyomi to snap his head around.

The moon god chuckled. "Just because you're frightened by Zeus doesn't mean that I am. We have everything in our possession to assure victory."

Ouranos's face didn't even twitch, which surprised me. Usually when someone even suggests that he's afraid of Zeus, or anyone, he gives a visible reaction. But here, he didn't, and he didn't even refute the claim.

"One thing I noticed, is that Matthias Beckett isn't among them." Ouranos's eyebrows were furrowed. "Which is very odd. Usually, he's at the forefront of that group."

"Maybe he's dead." Susanoo offered.

"No." Ouranos immediately countered. "Not that persistent worm. He will do anything to help those worthless demigods. Which is why it is so surprising to not see him here..."

"Perhaps he stayed behind to protect that Greek camp you mentioned." Tsukuyomi guessed.

"There are only two instances where Matthias has been separated from his friends." Ouranos said. "One, when he trained with his father. And two, when my brother Tartarus captured him on my request. My brother was defeated, so I am his only foe at the moment. That means nobody else should be trying to capture him..."

Ouranos paused and came to the conclusion. "It can only mean one thing. Matthias is in training. He's becoming more powerful."

"Self-training?" Susanoo asked.

"No, not for him to be separated from the group. He can self-train among them." Ouranos was breaking it down by the second, doing a damn good job of figuring it out. "This is a longer, more thorough training session. One in which he will gain great power."

Tsukuyomi rolled his eyes, clearly not intimidated in the slightest by Matt. "Why worry about some brat who's not even here? Besides, if he's beyond the power of the gods, who's going to train him?"

Ouranos lifted a finger. "There is still one god that stands above him, above all the rest. His grandfather, Zeus."

At that, Susanoo's eyes widened. Tsukuyomi just laughed.

"Zeus training a mortal? Don't make me laugh! I know that your ancient laws don't allow that! Besides, that old fool wouldn't even bat his eye at a mortal asking to train!"

Ouranos shook his head. "Zeus has changed. He's not like the god from the stories that you've heard anymore. He wants to kill me, and I think he'll do anything it takes at this point. Even training a half-blood."

Tsukuyomi didn't give two shits about it, but he humored Ouranos anyway. "Okay, fine. Maybe he's being trained, but it still doesn't matter. We have the Kusanagi now, and we have Kagutsuchi on our side. I don't care who that boy trains with, he'll never be powerful enough to defeat Kagutsuchi alone. He was powerful enough to nearly kill Izanami! As a newborn!"

Ouranos wasn't budging. "No, it still may not be enough. I'm telling you, both of you, I'm not having my plans set back again! This time, I will make sure I kill them! In the past, I've taken the most extreme of measures to make sure they are destroyed, and do you know what happened? They survived. I thought for sure that Atlas would be their downfall, but he wasn't. I had full faith in Tartarus that he would wipe out all of Matthias's friends, but he failed. My brother is more powerful than both of you combined! And he was defeated!"

Both Susanoo, and even Tsukuyomi, finally listened. The moon god glanced at the ground, and then back to Ouranos, taking his words a bit more seriously.

"If it satisfies your worries, then we'll figure something out."

Susanoo's face lit up, "Hey, you mentioned Izanami earlier, brother. Do you remember what happened to her?"

"Father abandoned her in Yomi. She was trapped there, and she died. What are you bringing this up for?"

"What if she didn't die?"

Tsukuyomi's cream-colored eyes shrunk a little in confusion. "But...she did die."

"You assume she did. But if she's still alive, you could absorb her energy! Any of us could!"

Absorb Izanami's energy? The woman Asuka talked about in her story? The Primordial?

"Tch, she's been trapped in Yomi for millennia. It would be impossible for her to survive."

"But we don't know for sure..." Susanoo tempted, while Ouranos seemed interested in the idea, nodding along with every word. "It wouldn't hurt to look, now would it?"

"It very well might." Tsukuyomi said, "If one ventures too long in Yomi, the gates of death will close on them, and they will be trapped forever."

"You couldn't possibly be worried about that, brother." Susanoo said, giving a devious smirk. "Not with that new sword of yours."

Tsukuyomi growled in anger. He had been talking a big game about that sword. So now if he backed down from this, he'd look like a bitch.

"Very well. We'll look. But if she's dead, you owe me one!"

"Of course, of course." I knew what was going on the second I saw Susanoo's smirk. He wanted Tsukuyomi to be the shield. He'd use the sword to get through Yomi, then at the last second, Susanoo would betray him and take the energy of Izanami for himself. I could read it all over his face. It was obvious he'd planned to betray his brother from the beginning.

"So, we have a plan?" Ouranos asked, "I don't know where this Yomi is, so you'll have to lead the way."

"Oh don't worry." Susanoo said. "We know it well."

"Yes." Tsukuyomi lifted the Kusanagi up in the air to let the sun shine on it. "And if Amaterasu, or any of those cursed demigods get in my way...I'll cut them down."

(000)

Thanks for checking out the chapter! Hope you liked it!

Until Next Time.