The Third Camp Trilogy: The Final War?

Chapter sixty four: Neptuna

"Fine. But you can't take any of my first-class trainees."

"Which would be?" Artemis asked, so she could keep Thalia from asking them.

"The trainees with black dog-tags." He sighed.

I glanced down at my dogtag. It was a light gray, I wondered what rank that made me. Probably something weak. I'd only been at camp for a couple of months at most, anyways.

"And not my co-praetor, or anyone of official position." Carrie said.

I knew he probably meant Grace, wherever she was. But what if he had said it because he knew they believed I was his co-praetor still?

"Alright. I agree to those terms." Thalia nodded.

"Demigods, you may all leave. Now we are to assign your praetor's punishment."

"Punishment?" I exclaimed, stepping toward her throne. "No! But he—"

"Silence, girl!" Hera glared at me. "Or I shall have your praetor order you to be silent?"

I huffed and crossed my arms, refusing to leave with the other demigods. Suddenly a giant-sized hand reached down and picked me up, Poseidon placed me on the arm of his fishing throne.

"Carrie, step forward." Hera ordered once all of the other demigods were gone. "Apollo, leave."

Apollo seemed startled, but he couldn't argue. So, he stood, shrunk down to human size, then handed Carrie something while whispering to him and left. The bang of the giant doors echoed through the throne room, then there was silence. Carrie stood up, pocketed the item, and walked to the middle of the room, his steps silent. I watched from my father's throne.

"Since you already have part of your punishment, the next part shall be assigned to you at this time. In two or three weeks time, if you are still alive Apollo will be delivered to you."

"Delivered?" I questioned.

"May I answer her?" Carrie questioned.

Hera nodded, and Carrie turned to me.

"They mean he'll pretty much be kidnapped, stripped of his godly powers and thrown somewhere random."

"Not random." Hera put her pointer finger up.

"Okay, somewhere near thugs where they can beat him into believing that he's mortal." Carrie corrected himself.

She didn't deny it.

"This time, please leave his memory intact."

"Sure." She shrugged.

"That's Carrie's punishment?" I asked.

"No. As I said before, that's only part of the punishment."

"And... What's the rest?" I questioned, scared to hear the answer.

"You may start." Hera ignored my question, looking toward Carrie.

The gods watched in a sort of horrified trance as Carrie placed his hands on his chest and clamped his eyes shut.

All was silent. The only noise that could be heard was the pained noises from Carrie, each one worse than the last.

Oh gods, please make it stop. Please, please, I wanted to beg. But, out of pure terror and worry, I couldn't speak. I could hardly breathe as it was.

Then I realised, he's killing himself.

Carrie fell to his knees, but his hands didn't move. They were steadily pulling away from his chest. Beads of sweat sparkled on his forehead, his face becoming paler by the second.

I jumped up, hoping to run to help, but my dad held me back.

"He's in pain! I have to—"

"No, child. Sit. Watch. See how weak he is? Wouldn't you prefer someone stronger than he?"

I glared at my father, but did as I was told.

I sat.

And I watched.

No matter how much pain it caused my heart.

Carrie was panting as he continued to slowly pull his hands away from his heaving chest.

Something was wrong. The ground around him started to turn black, darkness rising around him, I looked around, I had never seen the gods look so terrified.

"My grandchildren are torturing my son. What an abomination." A voice spoke from the darkness, I couldn't tell if the voice was male or female, it kept changing tones, volume, style, accent.

The voice was just... chaotic.

I wanted to look to where the voice came from, but I couldn't tear my tear-filled eyes off of Carrie.

"If he dies here than you will all die." The voice spoke once again.

The darkness sank back into the floor, Carrie was on one knee, like he had tried to get up but couldn't. I wanted to help, but knew my father would stop me, so I stayed put. I had somehow managed not to cry, but there were definitely tears in my eyes.

Suddenly thunder rang out around the room. A lightning bolt ripped through the air and hit Carrie. He was thrown across the room and into Apollo's throne with a sickening crunch.

"No!" I jumped to my feet.

"Restrain your child." Zeus boomed toward Poseidon, appearing in a cloud of smoke.

Poseidon grabbed me around the waist as I began to struggle and writhe. I needed to get to Carrie!

"Stand, you weakling." Zeus spat at Carrie.

Carrie tried to pull himself up but fell. It took three tries until he could get to his hands and knees. Once he was standing he wiped his mouth, which was dripping blood.

I still fought against my father's grip, and I was surprisingly weak. How come I hadn't gotten out yet? Was I somehow still weakened by the wound on my forehead?

"If you are to kill me, at least allow me to fight back." Carrie seemingly begged.

"You may try."

Carrie tried to reach for his watch, but couldn't seem to get it.

Zeus brought his fist upward, gripping his Master Bolt, getting ready to throw it like a javelin at Carrie. Carrie's eyes widened like that of a deer in headlights.

I sobbed silently, ceasing my struggle. There was nothing I could do to stop Zeus now.

Carrie reached up and pressed the button on his watch with his chin. Then shot an arrow at Zeus.

Next thing I know the only thing I can see is Carrie falling back, and the only thing I can hear is the crack of thunder as it echoed around the room.

Today, Carrie Martin is dead.