Not Your Hero ✔

-34-

"Why'd he leave?" Mel asked, her tear-stained face looking at Randel. Randel gave a low growl, half of frustration, half of worry before he answered. "I don't know, but he'll be back. Don't worry about it." He turned to the Mystique, who sat by the window, looking out blankly.

They were losing him, Randel knew. Maelstorm's power seemed to be fading or he was taking it away from them, bit by bit. The marks that Mystique and Randel's clone seemed to disappear. Mystique was slowly turning into the emotionless clone he was at first. Randel was turning back to how he was on Kaworie, impulsive and irrational. Territorial and possessive. It had led to the demise of that prince he had killed, and if Randel didn't keep it in check, he'd kill everyone in the cabin.

Which is why it infuriated him that he was alone watching a small child and a detached clone. Weeks since Maelstrom had disappeared, since the strange attacks on the horses, and the petty wars within the camp began. Randel wondered if this was where Maelstrom really cane from. He was born 'Percy', but the world 'Percy' worked so hard to save seemed useless and not worth it. Even now, when a disaster such as all of their horses were dead or their greatest hero had disappeared, they argued on who's fault it was instead of actually finding him. Those Chaos soldiers retreated into their quarters, and they never came back out. And throughout all of the chaos, Order hadn't shown up once.

The more Randel sat and thought about it, the deity stopped contacting them when they reached earth. He could no longer feel Order's presence anywhere, and Randel felt as if Maelstrom's mentor had abandoned them.

A knock at the door gathered Randel's attention, the heavy smell of blood and death mixing into the air. Randel sniffled at the smell but went to open the door. Someone with bleak dark eyes and black hair stood there. He looked fatigued, and his glare almost rivaled Maelstrom's. Randel had never seen this being before, and while he didn't have the same power level as Maelstrom, this human seemed to be much more powerful than the rest. Randel would've found him intriguing had the powerful human had not been glaring at him, or if he had not had a very intimidating blade hanging from his waist.

"You really do look like him." He said, inviting himself in. The stench of death and blood filled the cabin, and Randel held in a snarl. "Who are you?" Randel asked. Mystique didn't even acknowledge the new presence in the room, and Melody's eyes trailed the human's every move. "My name is Nico. Percy's friend." The being who had now been identified as Nico said.

"Why are you here?" Randel said through gritted teeth. The smell of death was unsettling and this guy reeked of it. "Simple. We need to find Percy, as he might be in danger or, as much as I don't actually believe it, a danger to himself and the entire universe." Nico said.

"Yeah... that explains absolutely nothing on why you are here," Randel said. "From the frustratingly limited information the Chaos Elite Team provided me with, you have some talent in tracking. Combined with my sister's skill to track metals and my stepmother has given me a tracking flower, one that my father added some of his own power." Nico explained.

Randel thought this kid looked pretty shady, or maybe it was the fact that he smelled like he just stepped out of the middle of a massacre, and Randel couldn't think of any reason to trust him.

He said he was a friend to Maelstrom, but Maelstrom was sentenced to execution by his friends and family, so why would he be interested in helping him? Randel didn't know who he was, and he was working alongside Chaos' handmaids which was another reason to not trust him. He'd be the only one going too-- Mystique was out of commission for Randel didn't know how long and while Melody had healed after a week being doused in water she was still a child. He would have no backup. Chaos and his team had been after Maelstrom for a while, and he saw no reason to trust him.

But if he was genuine and Maelstrom was his friend it meant there was more help in finding Maelstrom. No. Randel decided. He and Maelstrom were linked. If Maelstrom needed help in any way he needed only to reach out to Randel wherever he is.

"If Chaos' handmaids want to find him they better do it themselves. They after all are the reason he got pissed in the first place. No one told that guy to kill a bunch of horses." Randel said. Randel knew nothing on why the deaths of those horses meant so much to Maelstrom, but Randel was certain it was what set him off. Randel could sense the pent up anger before that happened, but it was always under wraps, Randel hadn't imagined that it would ever come out.

"So what you're saying is, you're not going to look for him? Isn't your name 'Loyalty'?" Nico said. Randel growled but stopped, aware of the fact that the shadows were bending towards the boy in front of him and Melody was still there. He wasn't going to fight in front of her out of anger.

"The little team Chaos sent here is worried about Maelstrom turning evil. Destroying the very thing he fought to protect. The ones in charge here, the gods, they did the same thing." Randel said. Nico glared at him, "You weren't there."

"And evidently you weren't either. Maelstrom told me some of his friends still remained his friends. They didn't all betray him. You were one of the few that weren't present enough to do anything right? Maelstrom didn't tell me the names of those individuals, but there or not you didn't betray him." Melody entered the conversation. Randel didn't know all of that, only that Maelstrom was betrayed and not many continued to be loyal, but he and Maelstrom never really talked about it.

Nico didn't respond, but his eyes darkened at Mel's words. Yeesh, someone has anger issues. Randel thought. "I said no, you have my answer, please get out," Randel said. "Fine then. I'll find him without your help." Nico said.

When Nico left the cabin and the door closed, Maelstrom's face flashed in his head.

"Death Breath will remember that." He said in a gleeful amused tone. He looked different and pulsed with a new power. "Death Breath. That is an appropriate title. He smelled like dead people." Randel said. They were in a forest, a dead one. In a sense, it smelled exactly like Nico di Angelo-- death. But in another, Nico di Angelo's rotten smell suggested that there was once life. This forest didn't smell like any war Randel had encountered, nor the jobs he did alongside Maelstrom.

"You look tired Randel. And worried. Very worried." Maelstrom said. "I wonder why," Randel said sarcastically. "Maelstrom, why haven't you come back? Mystique isn't looking too good and neither is the kid. You know you're like a father to her." Randel said. Maelstrom looked thoughtful at his words. "Maelstrom isn't my name. I'm done running away. I'm embracing my past. My name is Perseus." Maelstrom clenched his fists and grimaced as if the words tasted vile in his mouth. Randel tried to reach out, but Maelstrom's mind was on lockdown. He wasn't letting Randel in.

"Don't you worry about finding me. You'll be seeing me very soon. That's if you live that long, of course." Maelstrom said. Randel narrowed his eyes. "The holy hells is that supposed to mean?"

"A few friends will be dropping in. Just one last thing I want to do before I end this miserable universe, one planet at a time." Maelstrom said. "What? Mael--" "The only reason you're not dead yet is because I'm sure my host would find a way to kill us both if you died, at least by my hand. It is I who makes the choices on what we're doing but this host has burdened me with a conscience. It's Perseus. I'd say call me Void, but I'm not quite that anymore now am I?"

"You're Void. You've taken Maelstrom as a host." Randel said, mostly to himself. "I'm sending you back now. For some reason, my host wanted to see you, and you know what they say: Happy host, happy life after destroying this universe and with it my pitiful brothers. Ta-ta mutt. Also, feel free to tell them everything you learned. My host thinks that we should at least give you a heads up on what you're up against." Void said. "You'll need the help of those demigods-- all of them-- to stand a chance so get over your distrust of them. But do be cautious. I have a friend there who Percy in particularly hates."

And suddenly Randel was back in the cabin. Melody didn't seem to notice anything and Mystique stayed motionless and still as always. Randel stormed out of the cabin, glaring at the gawking campers.

He had a traitor to find.

Oof, that's the end of this chapter! Sorry it took so long... What did you think? Any guesses on the traitor? Thanks so much for reading, and until next time,
                  ~DemonsFromAbove