Celestial Flames (Percy Jackson Universe)

The Metal Shroud

Clarisse was more then a little harsh during training. Her attacks were more aggresive and I constantly had to dodge the harsh sparks flying from her electric spear. 

I blocked her thrust and sidestepped to give myself more room. She charged thrusted again and I dodged. Her spear caught on my shirt as I went, making a tear across the middle and decapitationg the pegasus. I was very glad I was wearing a plain bra. I stepped back as she charged. I sidestepped and hooked her knees with my bow, pulling up. She hit the ground hard, a groan coming from her lips.

I pointed the end of the bow at her neck. She almost growled at me and shoved the bow away. 

"I get it, I get it, I'm dead," she grumbled, sitting up. 

"What happened?" I asked. "You're more aggresive then usual. Did you and Chris have a fight?" 

She snorted and rested her arm across her knees. Her eyes were on her boyfriend who was across the arena, watching us with concern in his eyes. "I wish it was as simple as that." 

I kneeled next to her. "What happened?" I asked. 

She let out a breath. "You know that mission we went on the other day?" 

I nodded. I knew Clarisse and her siblings led a raid in Philadelphia at a warehouse that was stocked with supplies for Kronos's forces. They had gone with the Apollo cabin for extra insurance (also at Chiron's insistence). 

"We recovered a flying chariot at the warehouse," she explained. I felt my eyes go wide but I didn't say anything else, letting her talk. "But stupid Apollo cabin decided that it belongs to them since they were the ones to find it in the battle." 

I sighed. "I'm gonna hear about this in archery, aren't I?" 

Clarisse scoffed. "Probably. Yew will try to convince you that it belongs to him, but you don't listen to him, you hear me?" 

"I'll probably have to get a new shirt before then," I said, looking at the decapitated pegasus head. 

"Yeah, go get a new shirt, you're gonna need it," Clarisse told me. 

I nodded and stood up. I shouldered my bow and started walking back to the cabin. I paused when I saw it.  It was there, right next to my pillow. I furrowed my brows. Usually the tapes came in the morning, right when I wake up, they're always there. 

I put on my American Ninja Warrior shirt. I crouched down next to my pillow and picked up the small envelope. Same writing, same stamps, same emblum of Hermes Express on the back. But there were two words underneath the emblum, written in Ancient Greek in a handwriting I didn't recognise. 

 Σας ζητώ συγγνώμη

I apologize

I opened it up and tipped it over. The tape slid down and into my hand, along with something else. I set the tape down and examined it. It was a pair of dog tags, the metal cold in my hand. 

I slid the tape into the player and put the headphones in the jack. I felt my hands shake as I pressed play. 

"H-Hey, Lizzie," Jordan greeted. "I-I, um, God, how do I say this?" There was a pause as he took a shaky breath. "E-Erik's dead, Lizzie. God. God, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." 

I felt as my hands lowered the recorder. I couldn't hear the words anymore. I could barely hear him speak. He was saying about how the military had no one else to send the dog tags to so they gave them to him, and then he sent them to me. 

I felt my eyes prick with tears. 

Erik. 

Erik.