Chapter 4: Skyward Bound
"I'll go," Altair said, his voice quiet but resolute. "If it'll keep Pa safe—and if it means finding out who I really am—I'll go with you."
Pa's hand clenched the armrest of his chair. His voice was low, heavy with unspoken emotion. "You'll be careful, won't you?"
"I promise," Altair said.
"Good. We leave at dawn," Cassius said.
Julia frowned. "Dawn? I thought we were in a hurry."
"The Helios Token only works in daylight," Cassius said, tapping his temple. "Unless you want to walk to Long Island?"
She rolled her eyes but didn't press further, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. "Fine. Morning it is."
"Wait," cut in Altair, feeling lost. "What's a…token?"
The morning came too quickly.
Altair stood by the barn, his pack slung over one shoulder. Pa was beside him, leaning heavily on his cane. The old man's face was pale but resolute, his hand resting on Altair's shoulder. "Son, remember what I taught you."
Altair nodded, his gaze fixed on the ground. He felt a lump forming in his throat. He didn't want to leave Pa, not like this.
Cassius fished a golden coin from his pocket, flipping it lazily between his fingers. The embossed sun on its surface gleamed in the morning light. "This," he said, holding it up, "is the Helios Token. A little gift from my dad, Apollo. Maybe you've heard of him."
Apollo. Was he the one with the owls?
Cassius's grin faltered for a fraction of a second, then returned, wider than before. "Wow. You reallyarefrom the sticks, aren't you? Well, suffice it to say, he's a big deal." He tossed the token in the air with an almost casual flick of his wrist, catching it on its descent. Cassius walked a few paces away from the barn and flipped the coin into the air. As it spun, a blinding light burst forth, forcing Altair to shield his eyes. The air crackled with energy.
When the light dimmed, a sleek chariot hovered a few inches above the ground. Its golden frame shimmered, etched with swirling patterns like sunlight dancing on water. Two magnificent horses stood harnessed to it, their coats the color of polished gold. Their manes blazed like fire, their hooves glowing faintly as they pawed at the earth.
Altair stared, his jaw slack. "You're kidding me."
Cassius grinned as he climbed aboard with practiced ease. "Told you. It may not be Apollo'sactualchariot, but it's the next best thing." He glanced at Julia and Merrick. "You two coming? Should I leave you here to admire my ride?"
Julia rolled her eyes, but a small smile played on her lips as she stepped up beside him. Merrick followed, giving Altair an encouraging nod, though his smile seemed strained.
Altair hesitated, glancing back at Pa. The old man stood in the barn's shadow, his expression a mixture of pride and worry. Altair took a deep breath and climbed into the chariot, settling awkwardly in the back.
"Go on, son," Pa called out, his voice strong despite the tremble in his hands. "You've got bigger things ahead of you."
Altair's chest tightened, but he nodded. "I'll come back, Pa. I promise."
The old man smiled faintly, a single tear tracing a path down his weathered cheek. "I know you will."
Cassius snapped the reins, and the horses reared, their manes flaring with light. The chariot lurched forward, and Altair's stomach dropped as they left the ground, the earth falling away beneath them.
"Does this thing… have seatbelts?" he asked, his voice barely audible over the wind.
Cassius barked out a laugh. "Seatbelts? What are we, mortals? Just hold on and try not to fall out."
Altair scowled but tightened his grip, refusing to give Cassius the satisfaction of seeing him panic. Merrick leaned closer, nudging Altair's arm. "You get used to it. The first time's always the worst."
The wind whipped past Altair's face, sharp and cold, stealing his breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, the image of Pa, small and alone by the barn, burned into his eyelids.
The chariot soared through the sky, the sunlight streaming across the celestial horses' golden coats as they galloped through the air. Altair gripped the edge of the chariot tightly, his knuckles white. It wasn't just the dizzying height that made his stomach churn—it was everything. Flying through the sky. Demigods. Monsters. It all felt so unreal.
He glanced at Cassius, who handled the reins with an almost arrogant ease, hair whipping in the wind. Julia sat beside him, her eyes sparkling with excitement, occasionally reaching out to touch his arm or shoulder. Merrick, however, looked pale and uncomfortable, his gaze fixed on the ground far below.
"So," Altair asked, his voice barely audible over the wind, "is this… normal for you guys?"
Cassius glanced back, a smirk playing on his lips. "You could say that. Though it's not every day we pick up a tag-along."
Julia giggled, leaning against the chariot's rail with a practiced air of nonchalance. "Yeah, some people get a little… chariot sick." She glanced pointedly at Altair.
Altair felt his cheeks flush. He wasn't sick, just… overwhelmed. He gripped the railing tighter, his knuckles whitening. He didn't want to appear weak or afraid, especially not in front of Cassius. He was starting to understand that in this world, appearances mattered.
The landscape below shifted: fields giving way to dense forests and looming mountains.
"Where are we going?" Altair asked, the question barely audible over the wind.
"Camp Half-Blood," Cassius tossed back without turning around.
Julia offered a brief explanation. "It's a place for demigods."
"Mostly," Merrick added dryly, his gaze still fixed downwards.
"What's it like?" Altair pressed.
Cassius sighed, still focused on the horses. "The counselors will explain when we get there."
"But what about—" Altair started, but Cassius cut him off with a pointed sigh.
"Look, kid," he said, finally turning, a hint of impatience in his voice. "You've got questions. We get it. But we've got a long ride, and they'll give you the whole mythology 101 spiel when we arrive. So just… sit back and enjoy the ride." He turned back to the horses, a possessive gleam in his eyes.
Altair's jaw tightened. He glanced at Julia and Merrick, who exchanged a quick look. The dismissal stung. He had so many questions, but they clearly weren't interested in answering them. He fell silent, his gaze fixed on the passing landscape.
Suddenly, a gust of wind buffeted the chariot, stronger than any they'd encountered so far. It tugged at Altair's hair and whipped Julia's words away on the breeze. The horses tossed their heads, their fiery manes rippling.
"Just a bit of turbulence," Cassius said dismissively, but Altair noticed a slight tightening of his grip on the reins.
The wind picked up again, swirling around them in erratic patterns targeting the chariot from all sides. Altair felt a prickle of unease. Was this really just wind?
"What is that?" Julia asked, her voice a little higher pitched now.
Merrick's eyes widened. "Wind spirits," he whispered. "Young ones. They're just… playing."
Altair watched the horses. They were reacting badly to the gusts, their eyes rolling in fear as the invisible forces tugged at their manes and whispered in their ears. The sudden shifts made their stride unsteady. They needed a gentle hand, a steady presence to reassure them.
"They're losing their footing!" Altair called out to Cassius. "The wind keeps changing direction! You need to give them some slack!"
Cassius shot him a dismissive glare, his jaw tight. "I know what I'm doing," he snapped. "These aren't some farm animals." He yanked harder on the reins, trying to force them back into a straight line.
But the horses only became more agitated, their whinnies turning into panicked cries. The turbulence was far worse than any nausea inducing car ride he'd ever endured, his stomach churned uncomfortably and Altair thought he might be getting chariot sick after all.
Just then, a particularly strong gust hit the chariot from the side. Altair stumbled forward, his arm catching Cassius in the elbow. Cassius cursed as his grip on the reins completely loosened. The steeds veered sharply to the right, the chariot tilting at a terrifying angle. The ground seemed to rush up to meet them.
Acting purely on instinct, Altair lunged forward and grabbed the reins. He spoke to horses softly, soothingly, using the same tones he'd used to calm spooked calves back on the farm. "Easy… easy now… it's alright…"
The horses responded almost instantly. Their whinnies subsided slightly, and they began to settle, their pace slowing. The chariot leveled out. Immediate danger averted.
Cassius, his face flushed with a mixture of fear and fury, snatched the reins back from Altair's grasp. "What was that?!" he snarled, his voice tight with barely suppressed rage. "You almost got us all killed, dumbass!"
Altair swallowed, his heart still pounding in his chest. He knew he'd overstepped, but he'd only been trying to help. "Sorry! I didn't mean to—" he said, tripping over his words beneath Cassius's glare. "The horses- They were scared, you were fighting them."
Cassius took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. He glanced at Julia, who was still wide eyed, while Merrick's expression was a mixture of relief and awe. He then forced a strained chuckle. "Everything's fine. Nothing to worry about."
Altair said nothing. Hehadtried to warn Cassius, but he hadn't listened. The wind spirits, their mischievous laughter fading into the distance, left behind a thick and heavy tension in the chariot.
The rest of the flight passed in uncomfortable silence.
The chariot rattled violently as it hit the dirt path, jolting Altair so hard his teeth clacked together. The horses stamped sent up sprays of glowing embers as they skidded to a halt just inches from a row of carved stone pillars. Altair found himself sprawled awkwardly on the floor of the chariot, his hands still gripping the railing.
"Smooth," Julia said dryly as she hopped out, brushing dust from her jeans.
Cassius raised his arms triumphantly. "Another flawless landing!"
Merrick rolled his eyes but said nothing as he climbed out. Altair clambered out more cautiously, his legs wobbly as he stepped onto the ground. His boots sank slightly into the soft earth, and he took a moment to steady himself.
The air shimmered as they passed through an invisible barrier, and suddenly the sounds of camp life surrounded them: laughter, shouting, the clatter of weapons from a distant training field.
Altair's breath caught. The place was vast. He could see rolling green hills dotted with wildflowers, and hints of structures scattered across the landscape, but the sheer size of the area made it impossible to take it all in at once.
Rolling green hills dotted with patches of wildflowers framed a central valley alive with motion. Marble statues stood at crossroads, some depicting gods or heroes, others abstract, their forms twisting elegantly toward the sky. To one side, an enormous amphitheater curved gracefully into a hill, its stone steps dappled in sunlight. He saw a small building nearby with supplies stacked on shelves—the Camp Store, he guessed. He could also make out what looked like a large, ornate house not too far from where they landed.
"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood," Cassius said grandly, spreading his arms as if he owned the place. "Greatest place on earth—if you're lucky enough to belong."
Julia snorted as they began walking. "Says the guy who complains about camp every other day."
"Yeah, well," Cassius said, smirking, "it used to be better before they let just anyone in." He gestured vaguely at the cabins as they passed. "Back in the day, it was just the Olympian . Now we've got kids of every minor god under the sun. Legacies. Even mortals with some magic spells. They're watering down the brand."
"Cassius," Julia said, pretending to scold him, though her smile gave her away. "You can't say stuff like that."
"What?" Cassius said, grinning. "It's true! They're scraping the bottom of the barrel these days. Next it'll be 'Hey, my dad's the god of mismatched socks. Can I join?'"
Merrick frowned, crossing his arms. "You know, some of us actually appreciate that the camp's grown more inclusive."
"Of course, Merrick," Cassius said smoothly, flashing a disarming grin. "I'm just saying, it's gotten… crowded. That's all." He exchanged a conspiratorial look with Julia, and the two dissolved into laughter.
Merrick looked like he might argue. Instead he said. "Let's get to the Big House, Chiron's expecting us."
Altair glanced between them, utterly lost but too wary to ask for clarification. In the end, he said nothing. He followed in silence, feeling out of place. Merrick stayed back with him, occasionally glancing his way but offering no words of comfort. Altair wanted to ask about the buildings, about the strange barrier they had passed through, but every time he opened his mouth, the words caught in his throat. They'd probably just be annoyed by him again.
As they neared the Big House, the crowd around them thickened. Campers of all shapes and sizes gathered, their chatter filling the air. Many greeted Cassius with enthusiasm, some patting him on the back or calling out praise.
"Cassius! Back already?"
"Did you finish the quest?"
"Of course he did. He's Cassius."
Cassius basked in the attention like a cat in sunlight. Julia stayed close to his side, sharing a few quiet words and laughing at his jokes. Merrick trailed a little behind them, but even he drew greetings and nods from passing campers. No one so much as glanced at Altair.
Finally, they entered the Big House. Inside, the air was cool and smelled faintly of parchment and pine. There stood a creature with the body of a horse and the torso of a man. A centaur.
Chiron. Altair had heard Cassius mention his name on the ride, but nothing could have prepared him for the quiet authority the centaur exuded. His eyes, warm and ancient, scanned the group as they entered.
"Cassius, Julia, Merrick," Chiron greeted them with a nod, his voice calm and steady. "You've returned safely, I see. I trust your quest went well?"
"Not just safely—victoriously," Cassius declared, puffing out his chest.
The boy launched into a detailed—and Altair could guess, highly embellished—account of their adventure, complete with dramatic gestures and exaggerated sound effects. Julia chimed in occasionally, her eyes sparkling with admiration for Cassius, while Merrick subtly corrected the more glaring fabrications, a faint blush creeping up his neck.
Chiron listened patiently, his gaze occasionally flickering to Altair, who hovered awkwardly at the back of the group. When Cassius finally finished his tale, Chiron turned his full attention to Altair. "And who is this young man?"
Cassius answered before Altair could speak. "Just a kid we picked up on the way back. Saved him from a monster. Merrick thinks he's a demigod." He waved a dismissive hand.
A flicker of annoyance sparked in Altair's chest. He clenched his fists, resisting the urge to argue. It wouldn't do to start a fight on his first day, especially not in front of Chiron. But the image of the monster, its hollow eyes narrowing as he'd drawn back his slingshot, flashed through his mind. He'd had it. He'd beenready.
"I'm Altair," he said, his voice quiet but steady. He met Chiron's gaze directly, a spark of quiet defiance flickering in his eyes. "I wasn't just… picked up." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the slingshot, holding it out in his open palm. "I was… handling it."