Chapter Seventeen (The Blood of the Bird)

There is no emotion as destructive as rage. Learning to quell the boisterous desires without bloodshed is a skill left unlearned by many…

Marc

I squinted as I stared upwards at the clear blue sky.

The glaring rays of the sun threatened to claim my eyesight as my hand rose to shield them as best as it could. Shifting my gaze back to the scenery in front of me, I brushed away the sweat collecting at my brows.

"It should be just up ahead, a few hundred metres from here."

I grunted in response to Zina, who turned her attention from the parchment in her hands towards me. I bit back a sigh of relief as we passed under the cover of some lofting trees.

"What's it doing?"

Zina stared past me. I didn't need to shift my gaze any further to know that it was Jerome who had asked the question.

"Maybe it's fucking a horse?"

I blinked at her response, recoiling slightly in shock. Jerome's voice was equally filled with disbelief as he replied.

"You're fucking with me, aren't you?"

A soft laughter cut off her response before it could be uttered.

"Yes, she is."

I felt a presence at my side, and I turned to find Helen. Her lips parted, sharing her radiant smile with us for a moment. Her pink eyes seemed to sparkle as she glanced at Zina. The daughter of Bia sighed heavily before returning her gaze back to her magic sheet.

"We have no way of knowing precisely what it's doing. We might be able to guess but that would be of little benefit to us until we can scout it in person."

Jerome uttered an exaggerated 'thank you'. Zina's eyes shot up at the son of Hermes' after his mocking tone, but Helen quickly interjected.

"I think it's time to get Adrian and his squad."

I nodded quickly, offering a soft smile to Helen.

"You're right. Jerome, can you get them please?"

The son of Hermes muttered something under his breath but quickly sprinted behind us to retrieve the other squad leader.

I took a deep breath, letting a hand pass through my hair as I stood still. I closed my eyes, letting the harsh warmth of the sun sting my skin as I did my best to compose myself.

"Hey, are you good?"

I opened my eyes to find twin orbs of pink staring into mine with evident concern. I offered a soft smile, pulling her hands into my own and squeezing slightly.

How could I tell her that I wasn't? That it felt like the group was quietly falling apart at its seams and that Percy was adamant that there was no way to save it? That the end was inevitable… Or maybe he was wrong. I bit back a wince as my left arm throbbed slightly, a sore reminder of my injuries.

How could I be good knowing that we knew all of this, were speculating all of it, but were keeping it from everyone else?

"Much better now."

Her eyes narrowed as they shifted slightly to scan for any trace of deception. She shook her head, a soft chuckle slipping free from her lips and spreading a warm wave of ease through my body.

"Whatever it is you're going through, just know that I'm here for you." She freed her right hand and placed her palm against my cheek. Pushing herself upwards onto her toes, she slid her face next to mine until her breath tickled my ear, "Even if it's one of those secrets you need to keep."

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer to my body.

"Thank you."

She slowly pulled herself from me and offered another heart-warming smile.

"You're welcome."

"Is it just me that's completely uncomfortable with this entire situation?"

I turned to see Teucer staring at Zina, who shook her head quickly.

"No, I completely agree with you. I wish I could teleport away from here."

"If you suddenly figure it out, please take me with you."

The daughter of Bia nodded, earning an exaggerated 'thank you'. This time, the response earned a smile from Zina.

"I can help the both of you find love too. Maybe then you'd appreciate what we have a little more."

Teucer seemed to consider it while Zina baulked at the suggestion.

"No thanks, the last time you matched me with someone I had a lovesick puppy chasing after me for weeks."

Helen shrugged.

"It's not my fault you gave him both of the potions instead of drinking one."

"Potion?"

I turned and locked eyes with Teucer, who had spoken at the same time as me.

Helen brushed my shoulder lightly.

"Don't worry about it. If you were under the spell of a potion, you wouldn't have reacted to us mentioning it."

I eyed her cautiously for a few seconds longer before shrugging and nodding. Teucer however, was still keen on broaching the topic. Though his words were cut short by the sound of leaves being crushed under boots.

My eyes shifted to the trees where Jerome had sprinted off towards. I felt the leathery grip of my axe handle as I waited to put a face to the approaching presence.

"Is the bird moving?" Kerwin asked as he broke from the trees first. I sighed deeply, letting my hand slide off my axe as my muscles relaxed.

"No, we just called you to see if your scent of bitch could lure it towards us!"

I smirked slightly at that comment from Zina. Kerwin had been provoking her for some time now whenever our groups merged, and it seemed that the daughter of Bia had reached her tipping point.

"Woah, pipe down bird fucker. That's how we handled the erratic behaviours before, fuck me for asking a question!"

I sighed at my half-brother's response. Shaking my head, I stepped past Helen who was already positioning herself to intercept the budding conflict. Instead, I let my eyes trail past Kerwin and to where Jerome was being accompanied by Adrian and the rest of his group.

I felt the air grow suddenly stale, the tell-tale sign of Zina drawing in power, and flickered my eyes back to the growing argument.

"I'd rather fuck the bird." Zina spat at him.

Adrian stared at the girl in shock, before shooting me an inquisitive glance. I shrugged at the son of Athena as Kerwin chuckled at the response.

"Ah, it was worth the try, I guess."

I paused slightly, scrunching my eyebrows as I turned to Helen who gave me a small nod. I groaned, stepping up towards Kerwin and pulling him away from my favourite pipe bomb.

"You keep pissing her off, and I won't be able to save you."

Kerwin snorted, "From Adrian?"

I shook my head, indicating towards Zina, who was practically exuding her malicious aura. Kerwin gulped suddenly, as he nodded in understanding.

"So… we're finally taking a crack at the bird?"

I turned to Adrian, letting my tight grip on my brother's shoulder release as I did so. I gave the son of Athena a nod as I stepped back towards Helen. I took quick stock of my group to notice that Jerome had also made his way to us, while Helen had moved to start whispering gently into Zina's ears.

They had been friends in Camp for a long time before the Vanguard. I just hoped that whatever Helen was saying would be enough to help the girl keep her cool.

"At any rate…" Adrian spoke up for the first time, eyeing Zina warily, "Let's get to making a plan."

Zina sighed loudly, drawing attention to herself.

"Finally. Okay, so I was looking at the map and I think that I've found somewhat of a pattern…" She started to turn the scroll around to show us the map. "If we look at this point right here, we can see that the bird is establishing a habit of where it rests."

"What's it doing?"

Zina turned to Kerwin and rolled her eyes, "You weren't there when I said it was fucking a horse, were you?"

"You were serious?!" I groaned at Jerome's sudden input while doing my best to hold back the ebbing smirk.

"No, she wasn't. We were in the middle of planning, weren't we?"

I nodded along with Adrian at Helen's words. Zina shot her a small smile before motioning towards the map in her hands.

"Right. As I was saying, the bird is most likely to be here to rest after its last meal."

"That meal being a farmer's family that we were too late to save…"

Zina paused and gave Shaquille a once over before nodding.

"Yes… that same one."

"What exactly does this mean for us going forward?"

I turned to Crystal, humming in agreement before turning back to Zina.

"It just means that we should have a good chance of attacking it now, while it's resting."

"If it's resting."

I clicked my tongue at Crystal's added rebuttal.

"You do have a point there, Crystal."

I gave a nod of agreement to Adrian. "Yes, we have no real way of knowing right now. Twice is barely a habit."

Zina looked exasperated at my words, but I raised my hands.

"But these are the chances we have to take. Even if we face it while it's awake it'll be a good chance to put this mission to bed."

Adrian hummed in disapproval, garnering our attention as he shook his head slightly.

"I think we should keep tracking it and build on these habits that Zina was talking about."

Zina slammed the scroll shut suddenly, taking a step back and shaking her head in disbelief.

"Guys, this is the time to strike. Why would we keep waiting while it's out there killing mortals!"

"Because it isn't killing us." I saw all eyes shift to Crystal before I gave the daughter of Hermes my attention as well. "We've been through a lot already. From that Cyclops camp to the Dracaena and that cave. I think it's time we start being far more careful instead of rushing in."

I let my eyes shift to Adrian, after all, we held the final say. The son of Athena seemed a bit put off by everything that was said, a grimace hung loosely on his lips. I could only imagine what was going through his head after our last meeting. After a moment, he sighed and looked towards me.

"I think we should send a message to Percy and Chrysilla before we make this decision."

"But the monster would likely be tipped off to our scent if he's around, especially with all the other demigods he'd bring with him," Teucer added.

I groaned, feeling a headache building at the ensuing disagreement.

"And besides, this is a great time for one of you to step up into your role as the second in command."

I quickly turned to Crystal, who was staring suggestively at Adrian.

"There is no second in command. The hierarchy has already been established."

Crystal shrugged at me though her eyes shifted back to Adrian's and the pair stared at each other for a moment longer.

I clicked my tongue, interjecting before their silent conversation could finish, "How about-"

"She's right, Marc."

I shook my head and turned towards Zina who had huffed, her baffled gaze locking onto Adrian.

"No matter what happens, there will need to be someone to step up whenever Percy is around. Otherwise, what would we do? Stay disjointed whenever he's not around?"

"Adrian…" I offered a warning to the son of Athena to be careful with his words.

He waved his hands passively, stepping closer to me. "Think, Marc. If we had someone between us two who was the definitive next in line, we wouldn't be arguing about what to do. We'd already have done what needed to be done."

I grunted at the boy, staring into his grey eyes that begged me to listen.

"And what exactly is it that needs to be done?"

"We need to attack the fucking bird!"

I turned to Zina, nodding slightly at her, and taking a step away from Adrian.

"And what if it's another trap?!" I paused at Adrian's words. "You've never had to be the victim of any of the traps that have been set. You have no idea what it's like, Zina!"

"But what am I supposed to do? Sit by in silence while that monster is out here putting lives at risk? Sit by in fear that it might claim mine next? All because you need to prove to Marc that your dick is bigger than his?"

"I doubt it," Jerome muttered.

I sighed at his words, knowing he meant little by it, but that it would only stoke the flames.

"This isn't about the size of my cock! It's about the size of my brain and how well I can use it! If you were here to strategize and make plans, you'd be a commander! How about you stick to blowing shit up and let us direct you to your target!"

The air rapidly grew crisp, causing me to blink a few times as I began to feel lightheaded.

If there was a way to define empty space, without the cold of it all, I swore that this was it. I stepped in between the two demigods, but I wasn't needed as Helen grabbed Zina by her hand and pulled the glowing girl away from the group.

"I can't lie. I think the best idea is to wait for Percy, so leave me out of this argument."

I turned to Katherine and found that Teucer stepped beside her. "I agree with her here. You guys have your priorities out of whack, and I don't want to provoke Percy just to fuel your egos."

"I couldn't have said it any better. I'm going to find a place to sleep until you all figure your shit out."

I sighed at the sight of Shaquille joining the kids of Apollo to a tree opposite where Adrian had come from. The son of Hypnos fell asleep the moment he sat against the tree while the children of Apollo started their own light conversation.

"You need to get Zina under control or have your little girlfriend do it for you." I whipped my head around to Adrian, the rage boiling in the pit of my stomach as I felt my eyes narrow.

"Watch your words very carefully."

Kerwin stepped in front of me so that I could only stare at him

"Hey, hey. Easy. He might be being a huge cunt right now, but he's pretty important to the group. And he's not entirely wrong either."

I narrowed my eyes at Kerwin, but he shook his head quickly.

"About the failure part. You know words aren't our strong point." I sighed and nodded in understanding, taking a small step back to show him I would cool my emotions.

"Adrian," The son of Athena was in the middle of a quiet, but heated argument with Crystal and Jerome. "What the fuck is going on man?"

He shook his head and pushed past the children of Hermes.

"You know I'm right. We need to do more scouting than this!"

"It's been two days!" I shot back, huffing as Kerwin's hand shot to my chest instantly.

"Exactly, and we know nothing yet!"

"I understand Adrian, but people are dying! Innocent people! And forget all of that, just because you had an awful experience with your mission from Athena, doesn't mean we all will!"

Adrian groaned at me, shaking his head as he turned to Crystal and motioned her away from us.

"If you're going to ignore me, that's fine. I'm content with you waiting for Percy. I'll take my group and do what we're good at."

"And actually die this time?" I clicked my tongue in annoyance at his cold words. I drew my axe, motioning for Jerome to step behind me as the son of Athena turned back to face me. "What are you going to do this time when Percy isn't around to help you out?"

"I'll do exactly what it is that he wanted me to do since he gave me this group. I'll lead."

I saw Helen rushing towards me.

"Marc! It's Zina! I tried to stop her but she-"

A massive gust of wind tore through the trees, blasting Shaquille, Teucer and Katherine towards us and knocking a few of the other demigods over as I slammed my axe into the dirt to use it as leverage.

"What the fuck?"

The eagle screeched, its massive frame a few metres above the trees as it shakily flew through the sky. I pointed at the children of Apollo, not taking my eyes off of the sky.

"Shoot it!"

I yelled, not wanting it to get away from us.

I heard the drawing and release of arrows. Turning slightly, I saw that the children of Apollo had been quick to recover and heed my commands while Crystal fumbled slightly with her bow, still stunned by the sudden shift in the situation.

"Where's Helen?" I asked swivelling to find her.

"Stop!" I heard from Adrian. Turning to the son of Athena, I felt my innate demigod instincts stamp out the panic as my adrenaline started to accommodate the intensity of the situation.

"Zina's on top of the fucking eagle?"

"What!" Jerome summed up for the rest of the group.

Immediately, the arrows stopped flying through the sky.

I felt like the surge of adrenaline had been suddenly cut off as I stared up, powerlessly at the massive Eagle in the sky.

My axe dropped to the floor, disbelief shaking my core as we were forced to just watch.

"What the fuck do we do now?" Kerwin asked.

"Maybe if Oliver was here, he might be able to fly up." The bitter sarcasm from Shaquille stung the group.

"I'm sure Percy could've done something too…" Katherine added.

"Well, he isn't here, but we are! So, what the fuck do we do?!" I roared, looking around at the group who stared at their feet, defeated already.

I gripped my axe, beginning to raise it as I felt fury build within me.

"We get ready for when the bird comes crashing down," Adrian said with a sigh, his voice coated with dismay.

I all but spluttered over my emotions as I turned to him, not completely comprehending the lack of actionable advice.

"What was that?"

"Zina's cutting the wings off?"

I turned my gaze to the sky, stunned at the words I just heard.

I could barely make out the bronze sword as it tore through cartilage, the terrible shrieking finally slipping past the rush of blood to my ears as I felt what was a light drizzle wet my face and hair.

"How do we prepare for that?" Jerome asked, his voice almost too soft to pick aside from the pattering of rain and the shrieks of agony from the bird.

"Apollo kids, get your medicine gear together. Hermes kids, try to keep track of where the bird's going to crash. We'll have to rush over as soon as it hits the ground."

"What, we should plot out where it's going and go now!" I stated, raising my axe fully, resting it on my shoulders as I tried to calculate the trajectory on my own.

"If we go now, someone else might be crushed or hurt when the bird comes down…"

I growled at Adrian though I couldn't rip my eyes away from the falling, almost wingless, bird.

"If we don't start moving now… someone's going to get hurt right fucking now!"

"Ah shut the fuck up!" Shaquille said. I turned to him, noticing the blood that dripped from his head.

"Are you okay?" I asked quickly.

"Did you hit your head when you fell?" Crystal asked.

Soon our attention shifted to the son of Hypnos.

"I'm fine you absolute shitheads, it's not my blood and it's on all of you. How stupid can you be?"

We paused. The sound of the drizzling was replaced by the shrieking of the bird as it drew closer to the earth.

Wait… it wasn't raining though; I was looking at the sky but there were no black clouds….

I trailed my hand against my face, bringing it up to my eyes to inspect it.

"The blood of the Bird…"

"It could also be…" Teucer bit back his words.

"They're going to hit the treeline now!" Jerome yelled.

"Let's go!" I yelled, not waiting for Adrian to keep me back any longer, I charged towards the direction Jerome's blood-stained finger was pointed.

The tree blocked my sight, but I heard it.

The awful sound of trees cracking under the weight, the bird shrieking and Zina's…

Before long, the shrieking of the bird had silenced, the sound of the trees and earth being crushed and dug up silenced.

Zina's scream tore through the air for a few seconds before that too, silenced.

Third Person

"Then we came across the clearing and…"

A cold chill crept up onto the small gathering of demigods. The fire in the hearth flickered erratically under the gripping bite of frigidity. The demigod who had been talking shivered, their brown eyes shifting from the coarse battle between frost and fire and towards the icy green eyes. The green oceanic orbs swirled with an icy tint that sent sharp pangs of cold even to his very soul.

"Is that the end of the story?"

The green-eyed demigod seemed to revel in the cold, basking in its presence as his eyes shone an ethereal hue of green.

"No," The brown-eyed demigod managed, though the quivering of his lips and chattering of his teeth did little to let its utterance be easily heard. "But I don't think…"

"Yes, I'm aware of that. But I asked you to tell me what happened, yet here you are ignoring more of my orders."

The green orbs swirled for a moment before they vanished behind the lids of his eyes. He took a deep breath and there was a momentary respite from the cold. He flickered his gaze to a younger demigod. There was a certain warmth and innocence to the browns of her eyes which peered back into his greens.

She too was unaffected by the waves of cold which crashed upon the banks of the shore of warmth, provided by the hearth.

"Is there anyone else who would like to finish the story on his behalf?" His words were softer as his eyes flickered back to the fire, which was catching itself under the release of the harsh cold.

Only silence reigned from the mouths of the demigods.

The timber of the fire crackled under its desire to remain alight.

Green eyes vanished behind their curtains once more.

"By Poseidon's beard," A sharp breeze brought with it the cold of the Atlantic, "if no one else speaks, the children of Apollo will be forced to become expert healers…"

The threat loomed over the demigods, sending a shiver down their spines. One far more sinister, and coated with dread, than that of which the temperature could foster.

"I think that I've done my share in helping them reach there," All eyes darted to the newcomer, who seemed slightly perturbed by the biting cold, "and they deserve a little break."

Her movement was stunted by her unfamiliarity with the crutches which kept her upright. She swayed slightly under the pressing breeze, causing a boy to dart from his chair and guide her to the seat next to his. As she sat, she let out a sigh of relief, as though the cold no longer sought to deny her of any warmth.

"Thanks, Ajax. It's still a little much to get used to." Her words were soft, yet they carried over the persistent silence of the group.

"Zina." The green-eyed boy acknowledged.

"Percy." The silver-grey-eyed girl responded.

"I'm glad to see that you're moving about."

"I wouldn't really call it moving with how unbalanced I am…" She glanced around at the downtrodden faces in response to her words, "Tough crowd. When did they lose their humour?"

"Probably since Percy has been listening to their recap of what happened."

Zina turned to the girl next to Percy. Her black hair seemed abnormally still despite the sharp winds, but her grey eyes told the story that even she felt the weight that hung in the air.

"Where did you reach before I interrupted?"

"You didn't. Marc stopped the story right about when you were plummeting to the earth."

All eyes turned towards a pair of hazel orbs.

The boy in question simply shrugged, also seemingly unfazed by the cold.

Zina chuckled lightly to herself before shooting the boy an appreciative look.

"At least you're still a blunt cunt, Jordon."

Jordon simply smiled back at her.

After a moment, Zina sighed and turned her eyes back to Percy. The older boy stared patiently at her. Another sigh parted her lips before words soon followed.

"Okay, since no one else was going to speak, I guess I'll let you know what happened on my side."

Zina

The sounds around me faded out.

The soft thrum of energy in the air trickled in the sudden silence, beckoning me to summon it.

I felt its soft touch on my skin as it slipped into my pores and invigorated my very being.

My soul felt alive.

It was an odd sensation, the way that anger built up past my internal damn before cooling in a numbing sensation. The cool relaxing touch of the raging emotion caressed me in a way that reminded me of the taste of nectar as it expanded the amount of energy I syphoned out of the air.

"Zina…"

I felt the faint trace of power as it coated the silky words. It was always fascinating to watch the ways that other entities imbued power into things. Yet even as I saw it happen, I was prey to its spell.

"Yes, Helen?"

I turned to see the daughter of Aphrodite; her pink eyes alight with concern. It was a look I hadn't received from her in quite some time…

I shook my head, quelling the roiling rage within as I stifled the overflow of power which had begun seeping from my pores. I managed to force a smile at Helen, but I couldn't deflect the wry nature of it.

"You had me worried there for a moment. Thought you were going to blow us all up."

I felt my own chuckle mingle with the soft twinkling of her own. It was still a pleasant sound as ever.

"I just can't have them mess this up for me. This is-" I felt the parchment in my hand heat up, a warning signal that the bird could be on the move. My eyes widened as I quickly unfurled the paper.

"Zina…" Helen warned, but I shook my head. I wasn't going to let them get in the way of what needed to be done.

"Helen, fuck this, I'm going to handle this on my own."

"Wait no, we can still wait for Percy, things will get back in order when he reaches."

"But the bird won't be here anymore!"

I brushed past the girl, shifting past Katherine, who was lost in her conversation with her brother, and grabbing her loose sword as I went.

My breath hitched as the warmth of the paper increased and I broke off into a sprint. I ignored the ways the branches slashed at my body, littering me with cuts as I desperately made my way to the creature.

I growled at the nature around me as another branch licked my forehead, drawing a small stream of blood. Katherine's sword cared through the next branch in my path, and I smiled in satisfaction at my retaliation as I caught my prize.

The rumbling of the earth caught my attention, alerting me that the bird was near. I squeezed the branch tighter in my hand, draining it of its energy and forcing it to my legs to propel me even faster towards the Eagle.

I caught the faintest glimpse of a feathery wing before my powered legs became a hindrance. I plummeted to the earth as a fallen tree crumbled under my powerful stride.

I was up in an instant, but that moment was all the bird needed. I saw the bird shift quickly, its wings unfurling as it prepared itself for flight.

Growling, I pushed myself to my feet. I threw up Katherine's blade before catching it like a spear and launching it at the retreating Eagle. It caught between the feathers on its back, digging deep into its skin. I grinned wildly as it screeched and stumbled back to the earth at the sudden pang of pain.

The bird swivelled its neck, trying its best to dislodge the blade from its back, while I continued to close the distance between us. It caught a glimpse of me and gave its massive wings a heavy flap. I felt a barrage of leaves and pebbles as the mighty bird generated near-gale-force winds to heave its massive body upward.

I winced at the stings of the tiny lacerations from the bird's act but shrugged it off as I steeled my nerves. I was way too close to lose it again.

I couldn't afford to sit idly by and let this bird kill anyone else.

I couldn't sit idly by and be caught off guard and let the others get caught up in all the fighting.

Not again.

This was my mission, from my mother, and I would be the one to see it through.

I was tired of seeing everyone's battered bodies after each near-fatal mission. I was tired of hearing their cries at night as they suffered from horrific nightmares from this forsaken world.

I was tired of not being there when I knew that I could make a difference.

I launched myself off of a tree to my left, grabbing onto a low-hanging branch on a nearby tree to the right and hauling myself quickly upwards.

I shot a quick beam of energy at the bird, grazing its massive leg and causing it to lose a bit of altitude. I clicked my tongue as I realised it was still too high. I scanned the trees around me before I quickly nodded to myself.

This was definitely a stupid idea.

I jumped off of the branch, grimacing as it crackled under my sudden movement, and kicked off another tree to my left. I grabbed at the bark of the tree, focusing the energy of the tree to crumble a small ledge for me to grip onto. Moving quickly, to maintain my momentum, I pulled my knees to my chest and kicked off the tree.

I pulled my head away from my knees, twisting into a backflip. As I twisted in the air, I noticed that I had managed to flip just above the bird. A savage grin began to stretch across my face as I reached my hand out to grab onto the bird. I was dealing with seconds; a few loose feathers of the bird were already brushing past my face as its wings flapped again. I shifted my head, eager to shoot the smugest grin I could at the fleeing bird, when I locked eyes with it.

Its cold pitch-black eyes shone with an untold amount of intelligence. I felt the pits of my stomach drop as the bird suddenly tucked its wings and our vertical positions shifted to a horizontal one.

So that it would no longer catch me.

My eyes widened as my eyes flickered to the forest floor below. I'd survive from this height but not without a few broken bones at least. I caved into the internal panic, despite my best efforts to remain calm, and my hands flailed to the manic tune of my terror.

Until I felt the soft leather against the palm of my right hand.

I gripped on tightly, screaming as I felt it slip slowly downwards from its perch. The action caused a shrill shriek to emanate from the Eagle's beak as it straightened itself to stop the blade from slicing through its body.

I felt the rough feathers on my face as I slammed onto its back, the prickly plumes uncomfortable against the many abrasions and lacerations across my body.

I took a deep shaky breath as I clung to its feathers as tightly as I could with my free hand. I shifted my gaze to its head and my breath caught in my throat.

There was something utterly breathtaking about the sky. It always caught my attention and amazed me growing up. I hadn't been on many aeroplanes, but the few times I had, I always found myself in the window seat, staring off into the clouds for as long as I could before I drifted off to sleep.

It was even more stunning to be in Zeus' domain without a plane.

The soft whistling of the winds that brushed past your face as you basked in the stunningly crisp and cold air was something out of a dream.

Even with my life hanging in the balance.

It was enough to make me content with the end if it were to come this way.

I stared down at the small trench Katherine's sword had made in the back of the bird. I hadn't had the time to notice it before, but the gouging wound had trailed to the edge of the left wing of the bird. I stared at it for a few seconds before sighing to myself.

"Eagle, I'm not sure who's going to hate this idea more. You, or Percy."

The bird seemed to pick up on my idea the moment I shifted the Celestial Bronze blade. It began frantically flapping its wings to propel us in more erratic patterns. Its attempts to dismount me were futile as I drew upon the latent energy in the air to strengthen my grip.

Third Person Pov

"Let me guess, you said fuck it?"

Zina stared at Ajax sheepishly before shifting her eyes back to Percy. The boy's cold green eyes seemed to soften ever so slightly, but it dissipated quickly. After a few moments, he urged her to continue her story.

"Go ahead…"

Zina

"Fuck it!"

I tugged at the blade, taking great pleasure in the sickening squelching it made as it tore through the Eagle's flesh. Its horrific screeching, sang my heroic melody as I continued my conquest of its wing.

I reared back suddenly as the bird flipped upside down. The sword slipped free from the bird's wing and fell. I gasped in shock as I was bucked off behind the blade. I grabbed onto the mutilated wing with my left while my right gripped the edge of the hilt.

There was no respite as the Eagle pivoted once more.

Acting swiftly, I swung the sword through the half-detached wing. Pulling myself closer to the bird, I kicked at the wing, forcing what little tendons remained to snap off. The bird screeched horrifically as it began losing altitude. Its single wing flapped frantically and futilely as I repositioned myself to work on its remaining wing.

The second wing fell prey to my blade much more easily as it could do little without its other appendage. I gasped at the sudden lurching sensation of plummeting to the floor as the bird began to careen to the floor. Its weight pulled it to the earth much quicker and I was left to stare at the bird and the forest looming below.

I sucked in a deep breath, drawing in as much energy as I could from the air as I plummeted behind the wingless Eagle. Closing my eyes, I winced and braced as best as I could for the impending impact.

Third Person

A sharp whistle tore through the clearing as the winds picked up.

The fire shied away, licking tentatively at the floor, as the winds battered its intensity away.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do with you all. It's as if this is karma for how I made Chiron feel the last few years…"

The winds silenced, the fire blazing into the gentle breeze which lingered.

"Percy-"

"No. I don't want anyone else to speak right now."

Silence reigned once more.

The green-eyed demigod shook his head, his hand sliding easily through his jet-black locks.

His eyes trickled to the girl to his right. Her grey eyes stared at him cautiously. He shook his head before his eyes fell to the floor.

"Alright." He started with a sigh, pushing himself from his seat as he stood before the rest of the group. "I know I said that there would be no missions before, but I broke that rule to spite the gods."

Thunder rumbled overhead as a few gasps rang throughout the camp.

"I suppose this is as much my fault as yours, with it being my decision. That being said, there will be no such frailties in my decision-making going forward. But know this…"

His eyes narrowed as the green oceans seemed to swirl in endless, enticing vortexes.

"This time, the lack of missions is all on you. Before I couldn't trust the gods. Now, I can't trust you. Until you've earned that back, there will be absolutely nothing but training. The only time you'll see a monster is if they attack, and the only time we'll move is to find another location for hunting reasons."

His words were met with a mixture of shock and fury, yet not a single demigod dared speak their defiant thoughts.

"And what will you do when the gods return, uninvited?"

A bronze blade elongated out of his hand suddenly, the tip humming as it shivered in eager anticipation of tasting blood.

"Easy, Perseus…"

Her silvery eyes peered at the edge of the blade, but the woman made no move to yield at the sight of the deadly weapon. The son of Poseidon stared at the woman, an icy fury blazing in the marine greens of his eyes.

He took a deep breath and lowered the blade.

"Bia."

"Perseus." The goddess replied curtly, though there was a strange gleam in her eyes as she held his furious gaze. "That's enough anger from you."

Percy blinked suddenly, the anger draining from his face. He retracted his sword into its pen form as he took a step back and stared at the goddess once more, though this time with avid curiosity.

"That's an odd experience."

"I've been told." Bia broke eye contact with the demigod for the first time, shifting her head to peer at the group behind him before shifting back and holding his gaze once more. "You've got quite the angry bunch with you, Perseus. Was the mission unsuccessful?"

Percy shook his head slightly, "It was a success. Though it came at a great cost."

"Ah yes, my daughter!" Bia peeked beyond the demigod again, her eyes softening at the sight of Zina. "Would you mind if I addressed her properly?"

"I think she'd appreciate that a lot."

Bia turned back to Percy, offering him a smile before stepping past the demigod towards her daughter.

"Ah, my daughter!" The goddess stopped before Zina, the girl's façade melting instantly as her eyes puffed up with tears. Bia held her face gingerly, a sorrowful smile spreading her lips as her silver-grey eyes locked with their replicas. "There's no need for tears, my daughter. You have succeeded with your life. You should be overjoyed for your triumphs and for the gift I come to bear."

Pure white wings unfurled from her back, sending a flurry of feathers into the air. The wings flapped gently, sending a soft gust of wind into the floor as the goddess took flight over the hearth.

"It has been many centuries since the mortal realm has been blessed with a child of mine. It has been longer since they've taken to the skies as have I." The goddess glowed, her natural energy colliding with the warm oranges of the hearth, magnifying her presence.

The massive brown wings of the Eagle appeared before the goddess. They too were bathed in the thrumming energy of Bia.

"For accomplishing a task assigned to my siblings and me, I offer you the wings of the bird."

The wings melted into a single ball of light.

"You may not walk the earth as mortals do, but you may fly the skies and be above them. As you should."

The ball of light shot off towards Zina, hitting her square in her chest and coursing through her body before blasting out of her back. The warm rays of the light grew blinding, forcing the eyes of the demigods around away. A few moments later, the light settled, and two angelic wings adorned Zina's back.

The demigods stared in awe at the magnificent display as the goddess descended at Percy's side.

"Perseus." The son of Poseidon drew his widened eyes from the goddess' daughter and back to her. "You have my thanks for what you've done to save my daughter's life. I assure you it will not be forgotten, and it will be rewarded appropriately."

Percy shook his head, his green eyes taking a softer gleam that seemed almost out of place after his prior, unyielding, fury.

"There is no need at all. Giving Zina those wings is more than enough for me."

Bia stepped forward, her wings having vanished, and placed a hand on his shoulder. The goddess motioned for them to step away from the rest of the group and Percy obliged with a slight nod.

"I'll admit. Zina was created after the trickery of Apollo and Hermes. They coerced the strongest liquor from Dionysus and slipped it into my glass at a banquet many years ago. In my drunken state, I met Zina's father."

Percy stared at the goddess in confusion, and discomfort, at her sudden revelation of the conception of her daughter.

"There is little else I can give you that you don't already have. What I can offer, however, is a child born to my true desire."

"I have absolutely no idea how that could be considered a gift."

The goddess tilted her head slightly, peering at the mortal with great curiosity.

"The child would be born with great power. One that would rival even your own."

Percy raised an eyebrow at her comment but sighed and shook his head.

"I'm not interested in more power. I also have a girlfriend who wouldn't be too fond of a random child that isn't her own."

"Hm, they rarely are."

"How about the ability to request your aid once?"

"Absolutely not." Percy baulked at her tone, but the goddess released her hold on his shoulder and smiled apologetically. "I've been known to be… prone to particular malicious tendencies in battle. I'd rather avoid murdering your members in the heat of battle."

Percy hummed lightly in agreement.

"I'm not sure what else to ask for then."

Bia nodded in response, shifting her gaze back to her daughter.

"I'm sure there will come a day when I can reward you sufficiently. Whether it is by bearing your child, or in some other way."

Percy stared at her in utter bewilderment at the casual nature in which she stated that.

"In some other way, yes."

The goddess sighed before turning her gaze back to Percy.

"Would it be alright if I took her to help her get used to her wings?"

Percy nodded, and the goddess offered him another smile.

"Until we meet again then, Perseus."

Percy

I shifted my focus back to the hearth, staring into the comforting inferno for a few seconds.

I shuffled lightly back to my seat, groaning slightly as I took it, before setting my eyes on the rest of the Vanguard. They watched in amazement as Zina and Bia took the sky, staring off after them even after they flew beyond their sight.

Their amazement ebbed away slowly as they found themselves before me once more, their smiles waning as the situation at hand returned to the forefront of their minds.

I waited until they had all reclaimed their seats and smiled fondly at Cassandra, who threw herself on my lap with a massive yawn.

The early morning sun began to peek over the trees, yet the chill of the night had yet to be touched by its rays.

"What is it that you all expected to happen when we left camp?"

There was no response for some time as the question festered in their minds.

"I just kind of expected us to not be in camp if I'm honest."

I turned to Jordon and nodded. There were a few agreements with his sentiments.

"I figured you'd have a hard time dealing with a bunch of newbies and decided to lend you a hand."

I turned to Adrastea and shot her a soft smile.

"Even the gods can't explain how much I appreciate that."

A few campers made their dislike of our words known, but we simply laughed them off.

"I expected there to be fights and ambushes but I never could have imagined us doing so many quests… I mean missions for the gods."

I flickered my eyes to Kerwin, nodding at the son of Ares.

"Yet here we are. Free of their eyes, yet not of their will." My words drew many eyes to me, "We've got only ourselves to blame for this. I've impressed upon you the dangers of this world beyond the borders, and you've all seen it first-hand. Yet you still treat it without the proper care that you should. I've gotten by with a lot of close calls in my life, and I promise you, eventually it catches up to you. One day you'll be caught in a situation where Lady Tyche's attention is elsewhere and then what?"

I let my words hang in the air for a few moments, shifting Cassandra slightly as her sleeping figure began to slide off of my legs.

"This isn't an abstinence from godly missions, think of it as a boot camp. There are things that I've been discussing with the squad leaders, things that we've found that are still in development. I'm not willing to explain further what it is, without it being more understood by us, but it's a huge chance for us all to reach new heights. I told you at the start and I'll tell you again. My main goal is for you all to be able to move freely in this world while being able to stand before whatever may choose to target you.

"I know the idea of us avoiding all missions may seem dull, especially with how active we've been since we started, but I need you all to focus on what's almost been lost. Think about how we've been hurt. Zina may fly, but that's at the price of her legs. You all may have survived everything up to this point, but not without the memories which scar you. Trust me when I say, there comes a point, where just surviving isn't worth the price you have to pay for it."

I took a deep breath. Letting my eyes linger on each demigod before nodding slightly to myself.

"Every step we take is one in uncharted territory. Every victory we achieve is another step towards cementing our place in history. All we are doing is forging our legacy. You will step into the annals of the ages. All I ask is that you trust in my decisions. I wish to see you all at the heights of the mythos and avoid having to pay tribute to you when the rest of us reach the summit."

There was a bundle of low chatter and they muttered their thoughts quietly to themselves. I let their words mingle and grow before the flaming hearth for a few minutes.

"Alright. Let's get to work. We still need to establish a campsite that would be sufficient for all of our gear. Jordon, you're in charge of the scouting party to search for the new campsite, Ajax you're in charge of hunting our breakfast and lunch in the meantime. Chris, I'll need to have a word with you in private later. The rest of you follow your squad leader. Dismissed."

A few moments later, I was left alone with Chrysilla, Cassandra and Oliver. I sighed, nodding at Chrysilla who took Cassandra to put her to bed.

"Percy, I'm really sorry about what happened. I know I was rude but it's not that I've been slacking off, it's that I just don't know how to do any more than call the winds to me or float a little bit. I've been trying so hard, but I just can't and I'm afraid that I'll never be able to, and I thought if you knew I couldn't, you'd send me back to camp."

I stared at the boy for a few moments.

"I found out about my powers when I was twelve. I've had close to seven years of training them, and I still have barely scratched the surface of what I can do. Things like this take time and effort, but most of all confidence. You need to believe in yourself more than anyone else. Your abilities aren't a gift from your father, they're an extension of yourself. They're no more than the hands and legs you've been blessed with. Just as you need to train them to lift a sword, you need to train your abilities to use them."

I stood up and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Take some time to focus on your training with your sword and shield. Get more acquainted with your weapons and more in tune with the sensation of battle. Sometimes taking a step back is what we need to take a huge leap forward."

The son of Aeolus nodded at me, offering a soft, shy smile as I patted him on the back.

"Thanks Percy. I really am sorry again. Zina may have her legs if I-"

"Many more demigods would be alive today if I were stronger when I was younger. Yet, you all are alive today because I'm stronger now. After all, it spurred me to train harder. Don't wallow in self-pity, use it as your motivation to go even further beyond what you could have imagined possible."

He nodded at me again, a smile forming on his lips in response.

"Now, you should probably go back to Chrysilla quickly. I have a feeling the squad leaders are going to be particularly… focused on their training going forward."

Oliver paled but nodded and scurried off to where he could find his squad.

I chuckled to myself, shaking my head as I reclaimed my seat and stared off into the fire.

Something was brewing. I could feel it in my gut.

Now it was time to batten down the hatches and prepare to weather the storm.

A/N: I've been gone for quite some time!

This chapter, and quite possibly the next few, was a pain to edit. I've also been dealing with some responsibilities that I need to take care of that's had my attention. I very well may take another week or two before the next chapter comes while I figure out how to fit everything in. I really want to finish this story by the end of February though, so we'll see.

I wrote that at the start of January and kind of left the story alone. I'll be honest, I got burnout over writing this. I've been working on it for about a year mostly consecutively before uploads started and all the way during it up until now. And I think it's shown in the last few chapters if I'm being honest.

I'm still committed to finishing the story, especially seeing as it is coming to an end soon. But I'm probably going to be taking a little longer between each chapter to make sure I'm completely happy with them instead of just rushing to meet a deadline. I want these final chapters to be as impactful as they can be and do the story justice with it's end and that, unfortunately, means a little more time until that day comes.

That day will be within the next few months because I'm looking forward to moving on from this project and into other things.

That being said, I appreciate you all being a part of this journey to this point, and I can't wait to see your responses to the end of this book.

I really hope that you're all having a great day whenever you're reading this. I can't explain my appreciation enough for you all and I can't wait to see you all next time!

-ZedricSOZ