Chapter Three
Kai stood in the doorway, towering over Clarisse. She stood there shocked by his size, their difference in mass was looming.
"What's wrong Clarisse?" A boy started walking over. "Who's ther-"
"Good evening," Kai ducked under the doorway and entered the cabin, pushing past Clarisse. "This is Ares Cabin correct?"
The boy nodded, his face full of confusion.
"What did we miss at the Campfire?" He looked at Clarisse.
Kai walked past them, ducking under the hanging lights. Other cabin members looked at him in awe as he looked for an open bunk.
"There seems to be no bunk for someone my size?" He frowned.
Clarisse followed, trying to make something come out of her mouth but to no avail. The boy shook his head and sighed.
"You're not exactly a normal size, even Frank Zhang has a custom bunk at Jupiter." He said.
"Then make me one!" Kai boomed and moved towards the back of the Cabin.
"That's not exactly how it works-" He shook his head and stopped. "What's your name again?"
"Kaiden Olyth," Kai grinned. "Son of Ares!"
Clarisse snapped out of her daze and her old mean look returned.
"Oh, okay my name is Jaiden Asworth." The Blonde boy nodded. "Also Son of Ares."
Kai waved at him which the two others found awkward and strange. Clarisse stepped forward, inspecting Kai's face.
"You're all scarred up," She murmured. "Where'd you come from?"
Kai thought to himself, surges of information about New York began to circulate from the dead that lived in the Fields of Asphodel.
"The Bronx," He nodded. "Rough Place."
Jaiden nodded, "I feel ya."
Clarisse was not convinced, "People don't get that many scars from just living in a rough part of New York."
"Actually," Jaiden crossed his arms. "Some people do, my Uncle Oshawa had lots of Scars from torture methods used by rival gangs."
He quickly froze, "Were you in a gang?!"
"Gang?" Kai's brow furrowed as he thought of the Pantheon. "I guess you could call it a gang though I wasn't exactly a part of it."
Clarisse let out a noise of frustration and turned to Jaiden, "Quit it! This is not normal Jaiden and your family isn't normal either so STOP!"
Kai held in a chuckle and Clarisse snapped her neck in his direction, "And you…you're definitely not just some kid from The Bronx."
Clarisse stared at him and he stared back with a slight grin, eventually she let out another noise of frustration and marched towards the back and into a door which slammed shut behind her.
"Don't mind her," Jaiden leaned against Kai. "She's always like this, especially after Chris."
Kai nodded, "Love is rough, I heard."
Jaiden nodded and paused, "Heard? You've never been in love?"
Kai pursed his lips, "I've never been loved, so how can I love?"
Jaiden stood straight and glanced at him, "You should come and hang with me and my girlfriend tomorrow…maybe it'll teach you how to love a bit?"
Kai chuckled, "This must be what they call a third wheel?"
Jaiden laughed a bit and patted Kai on the back, "Woah, you're kinda built huh?"
The lights began to turn off one by one throughout the Cabin, "Time for lights out…you know where Hermes Cabin is?"
Kai nodded, "What about it?"
"Go sleep there for the night," Jaiden yawned. "They always have extra bunks and cots so maybe they can push two up for you…I'll grab you in the morning for Breakfast."
Kai smiled gently and moved towards the front door, "And Kai…don't be afraid to love here."
He nodded and waved, "I won't."
"EXCEPT APHRODITE CABIN! THEY'RE ALL TROUBLE!" Jaiden called after him as he shut the door slowly.
"SHUT UP YA BLOODY IDJIOT!" A muffled voice shouted inside.
Kai couldn't help but laugh a bit, "What an unruly bunch for children of war."
He quickly made his way through the dark, he spotted a figure sitting on a log near the dim and almost extinguished campfire.
He frowned and made his way over there, "Campers shouldn't be out so late."
The young girl looked at him and frowned, "Shouldn't that apply to you too?"
"I was on my way to a Cabin," He popped his knuckles. "What are you doing out?"
"I'm tending to the flame," She moved a strand of her black hair away from her face and behind her ear. "I've always done this…so fragile yet so dangerous, kind of like you, yes?"
Kai stared at her, his gaze was now stale and emotionless.
"Which one are you?" He asked.
"Which one of what?" She put her hand in the flame and moved a log over.
"Do not toy with me girl." He reached slowly for his Konpi.
She noticed his reaching and sighed, "So aggressive…I suppose you are the result of War and Death."
Kai glared at her, tightening his grip on his Konpi. She grabbed a piece of coal and blew the fire off of it effortlessly.
"Relax Olethros," She smiled. "I am Hestia, one of your Grandmothers"
He didn't release his grip and instead backed up, "So you know of my presence in the Camp…what now? Report me to Zeus?"
"My brother has decided to allow you a few weeks to explore, and decide whether or not you want to really destroy what we've created." She placed the coal next to the edge of the campfire, just away from the fire but near the other coal. "In return, you will not fight or kill unless they aggress you."
Kai thought about it, "And the Olympians? Will they interfere with my explorations?"
"No, we won't expose your fake alias either…in fact everyone fears your decision so much that even Zeus decided to keep your identity cryptic in his warning." She chuckled. "It was something to behold indeed."
He grinned and nodded, "Very well…I agree to these terms."
"Good! I will return to Olympus and tell the others!" Hestia beamed, flicking her hand and she began to glow. "And Kaiden, explore your emotions while you're down here grandchild…maybe some Therapy as well?"
He shielded his eyes as she brightened and eventually through his fingers the light faded, even the darkest of God's can be persuaded by Hestia.
"Keep good on your word Zeus," He sighed. "So far this world isn't so bad."
He tucked his hands in his Jacket pockets and walked towards Hermes Cabin, the rocks under his feet crunching. The wind suddenly died down as he reached the door of the Cabin, almost as if someone's anxiety felt relief. Kai looked up at the sky and saw the clouds begin to clear up.
"Good to see they're keeping their end of the bargain." He pursed his lips and opened the door.
He squinted his eyes as the light from the inside blinded him, the noise was almost unbearable as soon as he entered. The door shut behind him as he stepped even further in, he opened his eyes to find the inside was a cozy brown wood and orange flags all around.
"Hey there!" A girl with green and blonde hair waved from atop a bunk.
"What's up?" He surprised himself with the new slang he'd been learning subconsciously.
"That's a good question friend," She hopped down and she was actually quite tall. "Whacha doing here?"
He glanced up and saw a bunch of beds in the back that were unused.
"Need a bed or two," He spread his arms. "Ares Cabin doesn't exactly have one in my size."
She nodded, "I feel ya…mine just came in the other day despite asking for months."
He nodded and smiled, "You're tall for your age, Yasmina."
She looked at him, "How'd you know my name?"
"You're a Cabin head," Kai began to lie. "Jaiden told me."
She nodded and gestured for him to follow, "Well hopefully Jaiden will continue to be useful and take you to Hephaestus Cabin tomorrow for an order."
"Order?" He asked.
"Custom Bunk." She pointed at two single beds in the back. "Grab two and you've got yourself a spot until then."
He continued past her as she stopped, "Thanks."
"Don't mention it!" She nodded and walked off.
The noise began to die down as the lights suddenly dimmed, "Listen up! It's time for lights out!"
There were boos and groans of annoyance, "Shut yalls mouths and get some sleep before I call the harpies!"
That shut them all up and the lights shut off, this was funny to Kaiden.
He grinned in the dark as he laid on his new makeshift bed, but he also felt something else. What was this? He thought. It hurt like a stab wound yet he was unharmed, his heart felt heavy.
Kai frowned and shook his head under the covers, shutting his eyes and ignoring his feelings.
He slept easily, not dreaming of anything almost as if there was nothing Hypnos wanted to give him. The night passed quickly and he awoke to the sound of moving bodies, morning yawns, and swinging of doors.
"Good morning, Claimed One!" Yasmina stood over Kai's bed.
"Claimed one?" He groaned and sat up.
"New nickname the others came up with while cleaning up," She smiled. "I like it."
"I do not," He stood and put on his converse. "It's lame."
He noticed her distraught facial expression, "What?"
"You slept with that on?" She looked at his jeans and leather jacket.
He shrugged, "Wasn't so bad…at least I took off my beanie?"
"How are you not dead?" She shook her head. "Maybe the ability of sleeping with leather jackets and tight pants comes from that ass of a God."
That made Kai laugh and she grinned, "Alright let's go get breakfast before your Father actually strikes me down with a spear or somethin."