Chapter 2:
Giving a Heartbreaking Mission Report
Oh come on. Demigod dreams, you know I was quite happy without those last year. Regardless, this is what was shown: it was on Othrys. Kronos survived, (Are you KIDDING me?) was sitting on a black throne, Arkham was there also, Nelo Angelo (Vergil) and Diavolo Bianco (My Dad, Dante) behind him.
"The Princess Andromeda being destroyed is a minor setback." Arkham said, "I am sure that Lux Redgrave and Percy Jackson would've survived also."
Kronos looked at Atlas, still holding up the sky. "A shame," Kronos said, "But I know Lux's weakness."
Arkham turns to Arkham, "Due tell."
"His fatal flaw of regret." Kronos said, "He won't harm those he cares about. He will not harm the people he cares for, one person in particular."
"Your little spy?" Arkham asked,
"It's painfully obvious." Kronos chuckled, "Though I must give credit where credit is due: Lux is very strong."
"Yes," Arkham replied, "Defeating Mundus, even though he was using a mortal anchor, he still was a threat, close to your level, Lord Kronos."
Kronos nodded, "But I'm sure he will try everything to stop us."
"Do you reckon he knows of The Mark of Achilles?" Arkham asked,
"I think he was testing the waters against me, he must know." Kronos stood up, "Come Arkham, let us begin the preparations."
"Yes," Arkham replied, "Let the death of the demigods begin."
Then I woke up, I felt like I was asleep on Phantom (The Spider Demon made of rock and lava), because I felt rough.
"About time you woke up." A familiar voice said, I turned and saw it was Lady, "How come you ended up here?"
"Fire travel." I said,
"Well, what were you doing?" Lady asked,
I explained to Lady what I was doing, including The Princess Andromeda, The Gods being at war with The Titan's again, how I'm a demigod myself and one of my former friends is now a vessel for Kronos.
"How badly did your mission go?" she asked,
"The enemy was one step ahead, kind of bad." I replied, "Also one of my friends died."
Lady then gave me a cup of coffee.
"I'm gonna make a call to Chiron." She said, "Then I'll take you back to camp."
"Thanks." I replied. Lady walked into the kitchen. "By the way. This is Lena's apartment. Is she letting you borrow it?"
"Well, Demons have been hunting all of us." Lady said, "Including Nero and Lucia."
"You have Arkham to blame for that."
Lady looked at me, extremely concerned, "Arkham?" she asked, "So he's back, huh?"
"Yeah," I replied, "Do you know him?"
Lady nodded, "He's a manipulative, self-centered, heartless demon." she said, "Who just happens to be my father."
"That bad?"
"Killed my mother to become a demon." she added,
"Shit." I replied, "He's more of a scumbag than I thought. Sorry that I didn't kill him sooner."
"You don't need to be sorry, Lux." She said, "Just make sure you kill him."
I nodded, "Let me save Dad and Vergil first."
"How're you gonna do that?"
"Nico and Bianca Di Angelo have The Devil Sword Dante and The Yamato respectively." I explained, "Nico should be at camp soon and Bianca is with the Hunters of Artemis."
"So they're safe?" Lady asked,
"Artemis is too dangerous for Arkham to approach." I replied, "Nico should be with Hades right now."
Lady nodded, "I'm gonna call Chiron now," she then placed a cellphone on the counter, "After I've finished the call, let's go over a plan."
I nodded and finished the coffee.
Lady made the call, Chiron is relieved. But he wants me back at camp asap. Lady was able to agree that I'd come back this evening.
We also agreed that when I find out who the spy actually is, I'll call Lady to pick me up afterwards and take me to the apartment again and then I'd have Legera tell The Hunters to meet up with at Oakland Lake. Then I'd take it from there.
Lady had two motorcycles, her one and the one I left. We decided to take both and began to drive to Long Island. By the time we got to Half-Blood Hill. It was dusk, it almost looked too somber.
"What are you gonna do for this evening?" Lady asked,
"Charlie had a girlfriend," I replied, "She deserves to know."
"Okay," Lady said, "I'll see you soon."
I began to walk my motorcycle up Half-Blood Hill. Clarisse was seemingly waiting for me at the top.
"Where's Percy?" She asked,
"Not here yet." I said, "You have people on the beach?" Clarisse nodded, "Good, where's Silena?"
"In her cabin, why?"
"Charlie's gone." I said, I shook my head, "He went down with the ship."
"What!" Clarisse exclaimed, "You were supposed to be in and out before they could even find Jackson or Beckendorf. What the hell went wrong?"
"They knew." I replied, "they knew we were coming for weeks. They knew where we were gonna plant the bombs, that I'd be there and I was the bait."
"What are you saying?"
"We were set up." I continued, "Luke's spy was informing them of this." Clarisse looked uncomfortable. "Tell Silena to go to The Big House. I'm going to tell her."
"Shouldn't Chiron -"
"It would be better if I told her." I said, "PLease, just do it."
I began walking through the Camp until I got to The Big House. Chiron was waiting for me. I told him everything that happened.
"Ah," Chiron said, "You did well to complete the mission. But losing Charlie, that's a huge hit on us."
"No shit." I said. Silena then walked through the door, "You should go and wait for Percy."
"Very well." Chiron replied, before trotting off to the beach.
"What happened?" Silena asked,
"Sit." I replied.
Silena sat down, she then looked at me, pleadingly, "Lux, please, what happened? Where's Charlie?"
I swallowed and then said, "We were able to blow up the ship." I said, "But Charlie..." I held back my own tears. "Charlie went down with the ship."
Silena looked shocked and began to shake her head, "No," She muttered, "This has to be a joke, it just has to be."
I shook my head, "I wish it was some fucked up prank." I said, "But it isn't Charlie's gone."
Silena looked at her locket, of her and Charlie. She shook her head. "No." she muttered, "no, no. Why him?"
"I'm sorry." I said, "I take full responsibility for his death."
Silena then clung to me, digging her face into my shoulder as she cried. I didn't blame her, she just lost her boyfriend. I held her and simply whispered for her to just let it all out.
"Just let yourself breakdown." I whispered, "I'll hold you together this time. I promise."
I even let some tears fall. She was heartbroken, I lost the first ever real friend I made at camp. Silena lost her boyfriend.
We were there for an hour.
Drew walked into The Big House.
"Percy's back." She said,
I nodded, "I think Silena just wants to stay here at the moment." I replied, "Thank you."
Drew walked up to us and wiped a tear on Silena's cheek, "You just keep here, kay?"
Silena nodded.
Drew looked at me and winked before going out to see Percy.
"She likes you," Silena said, her voice croaky "You know?"
I nodded, "I gathered that," I said, "She's nice and all. But I don't know if she just wants to do that 'right of passage.'"
"They tried to pressure me to have Charlie be my 'right of passage,' you know." Silena added, "But, I loved him, genuinely."
"I know you did." I said,
"Tomorrow," She said, "Could you follow me to the forest?"
I nodded, "Sure thing."
Hours passed.
Silena decided to sleep in my room in The Big House. I decided to stay in The Hold this evening, Legera and I needed to talk.
"You lost a Child of Vulcan." Legera said, "Or, well, Hepaestus in your case."
"Yeah." I replied, I then explained to Legera the plan to save Dad and Vergil. Legera agreed that she'd Iris message Zoë in regards to meeting up with Lady and I at Oakland Lake.
"Hey, Lux." Legera said,
"What's up?"
"Kronos, he threatened somebody you care about, right?" she asked,
"Yes," I replied, "She threatened Silena Beauregard."
"What did he say about his spy?" She asked,
"He didn't give a damn about them."
"I don't you're gonna like what I'm about to say." Legera said,
"Get to the point."
"Well piece it together." Legera said, "Kronos knew, likely from Camp Half-Blood's side of the planning. Meaning Charlie may have told someone."
"No," I said, "Don't you dare finish that sentence!"
"No!" Legera exclaimed, "It's the most logical decision here. She's the most likely person that Charlie would've said."
I turned away, "I know."
Legera placed her hand on my shoulder.
"She may have been manipulated by this Luke guy." She said, "He could've convinced her that she was doing good. We're all dumb kids at one stage."
I nodded, "I hope that's the truth." I replied, "Gimme a second."
I Walked out of the hold and looked for someone, "Annabeth!" I called to her,
Annabeth walked up to me, "What's up?"
"Get me Silena," I requested, "This is important."
Annabeth nodded and went to the Aphrodite Cabin.
Silena walked out and walked up to me, I gestured to her to follow me into the hold.
Legera hugged Silena and then we sat down.
"Silena." Legera said, calmly, "We need to know."
"Know what?" she asked, clearly she was intimidated,
"How did Kronos know about the plan to destroy The Princess Andromeda?" I asked,
Silena began crying again, they weren't croc tears, they were genuine.
"I..." Silena said, "I told him, Kronos, he - he..."
"Blackmailed you?"
Silena nodded, she then showed me the same amulet that Kronos had.
"Luke told me that I would be saving lives." Silena admitted, "He promised that I'd be doing good."
"But he manipulated you." Legera said, "I think I get it." She gave Silena a can of Pepsi to calm Silena down. "We can't rely on Lady. Call her up and say that there's a change of plan."
"Which is?"
Legera held her hand out and Silena placed the amulet on her palm. Legera proceeded to stomp on the amulet until it broke in two.
"First, Lux, you come with me." Legera said, she then turned to Silena, "You go back to your camp. And remember: This is not your fault. You had no idea that Luke was manipulating you."
"Thank you." Silena said, her voice shaky, she then hugged me tightly, "Don't die, please."
"I'm not gonna die." I said, "I promise."
Silena then kissed me abruptly and then broke away. My face must've been red.
Legera smiled and hugged Silena, "Go, I'll keep an eye on this dipshit."
Silena nodded, "please do, Legera." She said, "But what about with the camp?"
"Tell them that I was the spy." I suggested, "Annabeth and Clarisse won't buy it, but the rest will. It'll give us time."
Silena nodded and ran out. Legera and I went to New Rome. I called Lady and told her not to pick me up and that Legera and I are going to meet up with The Hunters.
It was night time in New Rome. Reyna was sitting at a coffee table.
"You told me that your meeting wouldn't take long." Reyna said,
"Sorry about that." I said,
Reyna turned and looked at me, "How is Hylla?"
"She's doing okay." I said, "How are you?"
"I'm doing okay." Reyna replied,
"Legera told me that you became Praetor recently." I said, "Congratulations."
Reyna nodded, "Thank you." She said, "I do wish your sister would join me as a fellow Praetor."
Legera shook her head, "I really don't trust many people to lead The Second Cohort, you know that."
"By the way, Legera." I said, "Have you met our mom yet?"
"Not yet." Legera admitted, "But I take it you know?"
"You are the Daughter of Vesta."
Legera looked stunned, "Vesta?"
I nodded,
"I wish I could've told you sooner." A familiar voice said, "But yes, you are my daughter Legera."
Reyna knelt, "Lady Vesta."
Mom turned to me, she smiled, "My son and my daughter." she said, "You two have grown. I expect you two are going to do things?"
"Yep." I said, "I'm gonna need Ivory."
Legera reached for Ivory's holster and I strapped it next to Ebony.
"If I may ask Lux," Mom said, "Why do you need both Ebony and Ivory?"
"I'm gonna save my dad." I replied, "He's gonna want them."
Mom nodded, "Very true." she said, she then placed her hands on Mine and Legera's faces, "Whether Roman or Greek. I promise you my children, I shall watch over you both."
She then disappeared in a burst of flames.
"What should we do?" Reyna asked, "We are a part of this war."
"Mount Tamalpais." I said, "Othrys is on the summit."
"Then we storm it." Legera said, "Roman and Greeks."
I shook my head, "We Greeks are going to be defending Olympus itself."
A small ember swirled into my hand, then a note appeared in my hand. I unraveled it and then I realised what it was.
"The Great Prophecy." I said,
"THe Great Prophecy?" Legera said, "A Greek one?"
I nodded and read The Great Prophecy:
"Half-Blood of the Eldest Gods,
Shall reach sixteen against all odds,
And see the world in endless sleep,
A Hero's soul cursed blade shall reap,
The Demon Blooded Child's decision shall end his days,
For Olympus, to preserve or raze."
"Fuck." Legera said,
"Indeed." I added, "Percy might die."
"Percy?" Reyna asked,
"The Son of Poseidon." I explained, "He's almost sixteen."
"How do you know this doesn't involve Jason?" Legera asked,
"Because this is a Greek prophecy. Not a Roman one."
Legera and Reyna nodded.
Legera turned to me, "Oakland Lake, right?" I nodded, "We should sleep before we do anything else tomorrow."
"Agreed." Reyna said,
I nodded and went into a guest bedroom to sleep.