Hemophobia: Fear of Blood
Aurelia hated Octavian with everything in her.
The battle was mayhem. She waded through the enemy with Frank, Percy and Hazel, plowing down anyone who stood in their way. The First and Second Cohorts—pride of Camp Jupiter, a well-oiled, highly disciplined war machine—fell apart under the assault and the sheer novelty of being on the losing side.
Part of the problem was Percy and Aurelia. Although the two were both still wary of each other, they understood each other. They had moved together, like a team—like they were both used to having their own partners already.
Percy fought like a demon, whirling through the defenders' ranks in a completely unorthodox style, rolling under their feet, slashing with sword instead of stabbing like a Roman would, whacking campers with the flat side of his blade, and generally thriving off the mass panic.
Aurelia created mass panic. Once again her eyes were fully pitch black, and shadows danced around her, whispering to her where they wanted to go and who they wanted to ruin. Everyone who wasn't stumbling around blind with fear, was at the mercy of her gladius, and with each stab into them, they got added to the collection of screaming defenders.
Percy had been kind enough to Aurelia. He had reached Octavian first—it was easy to find him, considering he screamed in a shrill voice, ordering the First Cohort to stand their ground or trying to sing soprano (it was hard to tell). Percy somersaulted over a line of shield and kicked Octavian through the line, towards Aurelia who stared at the augur coldly.
The image in front of him was Octavian's biggest fear. When Aurelia fought, there was never a smile on her face that indicated she enjoyed herself or the chaos she created. Even her eyes, which often harbored a tiny gateway into her emotions, were concealed by sheer darkness. And Aurelia was directing a lot of that darkness into Octavian as she hit him straight into his helmet while he stood on his knees, frozen in absolute terror at the sight of her. The centurion collapsed like a sock puppet, and the tiniest of a smile appeared at the corner of Aurelia's lips as she continued to fight beside Percy through the next line of defenders.
Nearby, Frank had been shooting arrows until his quiver was empty, using blunt tipped missiles that wouldn't kill but left some nasty bruises on his victims. He broke his pilum over a defender's head, then reluctantly drew his gladius.
Aurelia snapped out of her attacking frenzy when she heard Hazel's voice. "Let's go, slowpokes!"
Hazel had climbed onto Hannibal the elephant and was charging toward the center of the fort, grinning down at her friends. Frank radiated a miniscule amount of affection as he looked at Hazel.
Aurelia caught Percy's eyes as they surveyed the damage they had caused.
"I can see where you got the name from," Percy said. Shadows were still dancing around Aurelia's neck and her fingertips as she gave a small nod at Percy.
They ran to the center of the base. The inner keep was virtually unguarded. Obviously the defenders never dreamed an assault would get this far. Hannibal busted down the huge doors. Inside, the First and Second Cohort standard bearers were sitting around a table playing Mythomagic with cards and figurines. The cohort's emblems were propped carelessly against one wall.
Hazel and Hannibal rode straight into the room, and the standard bearers fell backward out of their chairs. Hannibal stepped onto the table and game pieces scattered.
By the time the rest of their cohort caught up with them, Aurelia, Percy and Frank had disarmed the enemies, grabbed the banners, and climbed onto Hannibal's back with Hazel. They marched out triumphantly with the enemy colors.
The Fifth Cohort formed ranks around them. Together they paraded out of the fort past stunned enemies and lines of equally mystified allies.
Reyna circled low overhead on her pegasus. "The game is won!" She sounded as if she was trying not to laugh. "Assemble for honors!"
Aurelia was placing her necklace back on when caught her cousin's eyes, which sparkled with amusement and cockiness. Aurelia could basically hear her saying, I told you so. Aurelia shrugged, her tiny smile still on the corners of her lips as the camper slowly regrouped on the Field of Mars.
Aurelia watched Frank like a proud soccer mom as he slid off the elephant and was swarmed with comrades, pounding him on the back and complimenting him. The atmosphere around the Fifth Cohort was won of pure joy, excitement and triumph. Aurelia couldn't remember the last time she had felt it so full—probably not since Jason was elected praetor. But it came crashing down quickly.
"Help!" somebody yelled. A couple of campers rushed out of the fortress, carrying a girl on a stretcher. They sat her down and other kids started running over. From the distance, Aurelia could tell it was Gwen and she quickly slid off the back of Hannibal to hurry over towards her centurion.
Gwen was in bad shape. She lay on her side of the stretcher with a pilum sticking out of her armor—almost like she was holding it between her chest and her arm, but there was too much blood.
The medics barked at everyone to stand back and give her air. The whole legion fell silent as the healers worked—trying to get gauze and powdered unicorn horn under Gwen's armor to stop the bleeding, trying to force some nectar into her mouth. Gwen didn't move. Her face was ashen and gray.
Many people were shocked, or shaking their heads in disbelief—including Frank who had also ran to Gwen's side when she had first been brought out.
Finally one of the medics looked at Reyna and shook his head.
For a moment there was no sound except water from ruined cannons trickling down the walls of the first. Hannibal nuzzled Gwen's hair with his trunk.
Aurelia was having a very time keeping her tears in. All she could feel around her was sadness and mourning. Their friend was dead and Aurelia's mask of indifference was about to slip. Her mask nevers slips.
Reyna surveyed the campers from her pegasus. Her expression was as hard and dark as iron. "There will be an investigation. Whoever did this, you cost the legion a good officer. Honorable death is one thing, but this ..."
Aurelia felt a small surge of confusion but it was quickly stifled as the weapon that killed Gwen was revealed. The wooden shaft of the pilum was engraved: CHT 1 LEGIO XII F. The weapon belonged to the First Cohort, and the point was sticking out the front of her armor. Gwen had been speared from behind—possibly after the games had ended.
Aurelia felt something off. Like a needle in a haystack had come out to poke her. In the sea of sadness and concern, there was someone whose emotions were not that. She tugged on it and her eyes fell on Octavian. Who was missing a pilum.
Her mourning was replaced by fiery hot rage. Blood pounded in her ears as her hand went to her necklace. She hated Octavian with everything in her. Aurelia fingered her jewel and she was ready to unleash hell on Octavian.
But at that moment Gwen gasped.
Everyone stepped back as she opened her eyes. The color came back to her face.
"Wh-what is it?" She blinked. "What's everyone staring at?" She didn't seem to notice the seven foot harpoon sticking out through her chest.
Behind Aurelia, a medic whispered, "There is no way. She was dead. She has to be dead."
Gwen tried to sit up, but she couldn't. "There was a river, and a man asking ... for a coin? I turned around and the exit door was open. So I just ... I just left. I don't understand. What happened?"
Everyone stared at her in horror. No one tried to help her up.
"Gwen." Frank was the first to move and he knelt next to her. "Don't try to get up. Just close your eyes for a second, okay?"
"Why? What—"
"Just trust me."
Gwen did what he asked. Frank grabbed the shaft of the pilum below its tip, but his hands were shaking. The wood was slick. "Percy, Aurelia, Hazel—help me."
One of the medics realized what he was planning. "Don't!" he said. "You might—"
"What?" Hazel snapped. "Make it worse?"
Frank took a deep breath. "Hold her steady." Hazel and Aurelia each went to hold Gwen's side, holding her still. "One, two, three!"
He pulled out the pilum from the front. Gwen didn't even wince. The blood stopped quickly.
Hazel bent down to examine the wound. "It's closing on its own. I don't know how, but—"
"I feel fine," Gwen protested. "What's everyone worried about?"
With Frank and Percy's help, she got to her feet. Frank glowered at Octavian, but the centurion's face was a mask of polite concern.
But Octavian saw another pair of eyes boring into his and his mask slipped slightly. Even with her blank face the monsters in Aurelia's eyes were boiling with pure rage. Rage that was directed straight at Octavian. Fear crept into him and Aurelia could feel it. She could feel his fake sincerity towards Gwen, and she could feel his fear towards her.
He's lucky that Gwen came back. Otherwise, Aurelia wouldn't have hesitated to offer him the same fate he tried giving her centurion.
"Gwen," Hazel said, gently, "there's no easy way to say this. You were dead. Somehow you came back."
"I ... what?" She stumbled against Frank. Her hand pressed against the ragged hole in her armor. "How—how?"
"Good question." Reyna turned to Nico, who was watching grimly from the edge of the crowd. "Is this some power of Pluto?"
Nico shook his head, "Pluto never lets people return from the dead."
Except Hazel, Aurelia thought her eyes shooting a quick glance at the thirteen year old girl.
A thunderous voice rolled over the field: "Death loses its hold. This is only the beginning."
Campers drew weapons. Hannibal trumpeted nervously. Scipio reared, almost throwing Reyna.
"I know that voice," Percy mumbled from beside Aurelia. He didn't sound pleased.
In the midst of the legion, a column of fire blasted into the air. Heat seared Aurelia's eyelashes. Campers who had been soaked by the cannon found their clothes instantly stream dried. Everyone scrambled backward as a huge soldier stepped out of the explosion.
The hair on Aurelia's arm stood up. The soldier was ten feet tall, dressed in Canadian Forces desert camouflage. He radiated confidence and power. His black hair was cut in a flat-topped wedge—like Frank's. His face was angular and brutal, marked with old knife scars. He wore a military utility belt with a sidearm, a knife holster, and several grenades. In his hands was an oversized M16 rifle.
As campers stepped back, Frank stepped forward—drawn to the soldier. He took three more steps before sinking to one knee.
Quickly, the campers followed his example and knelt. Even Reyna dismounted.
"That's good," the soldier said. "Kneeling is good. It's been a long time since I've visited Camp Jupiter."
Only one person stayed standing. Percy Jackson, his sword still in hand, was glaring at the giant soldier.
"You're Ares," Percy said. "What do you want?"
A collective gasp went up from two hundred campers and an elephant. Even Aurelia's eyes widened slightly as she grabbed the edge of Percy's shirt and tried to pull him down to his knee. Percy refused.
Aurelia got ready for the punishment. For Percy to suddenly explode into fire or get turned into some kind of exotic animal for insulting the soldier—who was obviously a god.
Instead, the god bared his brilliant white teeth. "You've got spunk, demigod," he said. "Ares if my Greek form. But to these followers, to the children of Rome, I am Mars—patron of the empire, divine father of Romulus and Remus."
"We've met," Percy mused. "We ... we had a fight ..."
The god scratched his chin, as if trying to recall. "I fight a lot of people. But I assure you—you've never fought me as Mars. If you had, you'd be dead. Now, kneel, as befits a child of Rome, before you try my patience."
Around Mars's feet, the ground boiled in a circle of flame.
Aurelia tugged Percy's shirt again and he looked at her. The monsters in her eyes were pleading for him to just kneel. She wasn't scared of the god, or of the situation. She was scared of what the god would do if Percy didn't kneel.
Percy clearly didn't like it, but he knelt beside her.
Mars scanned the crowd. "Romans, lend me your ears!" He laughed—a good hearty laugh that unsettled many people. Aurelia could feel fear all around her and shadows began to appear on her body as she absorbed the fears. She touched her necklace and the shadows quickly dissipated from her skin as the fear around was placed into Ferrum Temoris.
"I've always wanted to say that," Mars continued. "I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter doesn't like us communicating directly with mortals, especially nowadays, but he has allowed this exception, as you Romans have always been my special people. I'm only permitted to speak for a few minutes, so listen up."
He pointed at Gwen. "This one should be dead, yet she's not. The monsters you fight no longer return to Tartarus when they are slain. Some mortals who died long ago are now walking the earth again." Aurelia almost winced as Mars glared at Nico di Angelo.
"Thanatos has been chained," Mars announced. "The Doors of Death have been forced open, and no one is policing them—at least, not impartially. Gaea allows our enemies to pour forth into the world of mortals. Her sons, the giants, are mustering armies against you—armies you will not be able to kill. Unless Death is unleashed to return to his duties, you will be overrun. You must find Thanatos and free him from the giants. Only he can reverse the tide."
Mars looked around, and noticed everyone was still kneeling. "Oh, you can get up now. Any questions?"
Reyna rose uneasily. She approached the god, followed by Octavian, who was bowing and scraping like a champion grovel. Pathetic.
"Lord Mars," Reyna said, "we are honored."
"Beyond honored," added Octavian. "So far beyond honored—"
"Well?" Mars snapped.
"Well," Reyna said. "Thanatos is the god of death, the lieutenant of Pluto?"
"Right," the god agreed.
"And you're saying that he's been captured by giants."
Right."
"And therefore people will stop dying?"
"Not all at once," Mars explained. "But the barriers between life and death will continue to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Monsters are already harder to dipstach. Soon they will be completely impossible to kill. Some demigods will also be able to find their way back from the Underworld—like your friend Centurion Shish kebab."
Gwen winced. "Centurion Shish kebab?"
"If left unchecked," Mars continued, "even more mortals will eventually find it impossible to die. Can you imagine a world in which no one dies—ever?"
Octavian raised his hand. "But, ah, mighty all-powerful Lord Mars, if we can't just die, isn't that a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely—" Aurelia wanted to punch him. Then stab him. Then leave his body in the woods to be eaten by bears. Or wolves, whichever came first, she didn't care.
"Don't be foolish, boy!" Mars bellowed. "Endless slaughter with no conclusion? Carnage without any point? Enemies that rise again and again and can never be killed? Is that what you want?"
"You're the god of war," Percy spoke up. "Don't you want endless carnage?" Not even glancing away from the god of war, or showing any emotion, Aurelia punched Percy's arm. He jumped back surprised but she didn't even spare him a glance of disapproval.
Mars's infrared goggles glowed brighter. "Insolent, aren't you? Perhaps I have fought you before. I can understand why I'd want to kill you. I'm the god of Rome, child. I am the god of military used for a righteous cause. I protect the legions. I am happy to crush my enemies underfoot, but I do not fight without reason. I don't want war without end. You will discover this. You will serve me."
"Not likely," Percy said.
Again, Aurelia waited for the god to strike him down (at this point she thought Percy deserved it), but Mars just grinned like they were two old buddies trash talking.
"I order a quest!" the god announced. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the gods. You will free him and thwart the plans of the giants. Beware Gaea! Beware her son, the eldest giant."
Hazel made a squeaking sound. "The land beyond the gods?"
Mars stared down at her, his grip tightening on his M16. "That's right, Hazel Levesque. You know what I mean. Everyone here remembers the land where the legion lost its honor! Perhaps if the quest succeeds, and you return but the Feast of Fortuna ... perhaps then your honor will be restored. If you don't succeed, there won't be any camp left to return to. Rome will be overrun, its legacy lost forever. So my advice is: don't fail."
Octavian somehow managed to bow even lower. "Um, Lord Mars, just one tiny thing. A quest requires a prophecy, a mystical poem to guide us! We used to get them from the Sibylline books, but now it's up to the augur to glean the will of the gods. So if I could just run and get seventy stuffed animals and possibly a knife—"
"You're the augur?" the god interrupted.
"Y-yes, my lord."
Mars pulled a scroll from his utility belt. "Anyone got a pen?"
The legionnaires stared at him.
Mars sighed. "Two hundred Romans, and no one's got a pen? Never mind!" He slung his M16 onto his back and pulled out a hand grenade. There were many screaming Romans and Aurelia quickly latched onto people's surrounding fear, her hand on her necklace. Then the grenade morphed into a ballpoint pen, and Mars began to write.
Frank looked at Percy with wide eyes. He mouthed: Can your sword to grenade form?
Percy mouthed back, No. Shut up.
"There!" Mars finished writing and threw the scroll at Octavian. "A prophecy. You can add it to your books, engrave it on your floor, whatever."
Octavian read the scroll. "This says, 'Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by sundown on June twenty fourth or die.'"
"Yes," Mars said. "Is that not clear?"
"Well, my lord ... usually prophecies are unclear. They're wrapped in riddles. They rhyme, and ..."
Mars casually popped another grenade off his belt. "Yes?"
"The prophecy is clear!" Octavian announced. "A quest!"
"Good answer." Mars tapped the grenade to his chin. "Now, what else? There was something else. Oh, yes." He turned to Frank. "C'mere, kid."
Aurelia could feel the dread coming from Frank, but it seemed like the asian boy couldn't stop himself from stepping forward.
Mars grinned at him. "Nice job taking the wall, kid. Who's the ref for this game?"
Reyna raised her hand.
"You see that play, ref?" Mars demanded. "That was my kid. First over the wall, won the game for his team. Unless you're blind, that was an MVP play. You're not blind, are you?"
Reyna looked like she was trying to swallow a mouse. "No, Lord Mars."
"Then make sure he gets the Mural Crown," Mars demanded. "My kid, here!" he yelled at the legion in case anyone hadn't heard.
"Emily Zhang's son," Mars continued. "She was a good soldier. Good woman. This kid Frank proved his stuff tonight. Happy late birthday, kid. Time you stepped up to a real man's weapon." He tossed Frank his M16. The gun changed midair, becoming smaller and thinner. When Frank caught it, the weapon was a spear. It had a shaft of Imperial gold and a strange point like a white bone, flickering with ghostly light.
"The tip is a dragon's tooth," Mars said. "You haven't learned to use your mom's talents yet, have you? Well—that spear will give you some breathing room until you do. You get three charges out of it, so use it wisely."
Frank's emotions were a mixture of confusion and dread, but Mars acted like the matter was closed. "Now, my kid Frank Zhang is gonna lead the quest to free Thanatos, unless there are any objections?"
Of course no one said a word. But many of the campers glared at Frank with envy, jealousy, anger and bitterness. Aurelia sent a wave of calming emotions to dwindle their hatred.
"You can take three companions," Mars said. "One of them needs to be this kid." He pointed at Percy. "He's gonna learn some respect for Mars on this trip, or die trying." Mars eyes found Aurelia. "And Venus wanted me to recommend you bring her champion, Aurelia Ramirez, as well." Aurelia felt a small sense of pride at the fact that her patron still thought so highly of her. "As for the last person, I don't care. Pick whomever you want. Have one of your senate debates. You all are good at those."
The god's image flickered. Lightning crackled across the sky.
"That's my cue," Mars said. "Until next time, Romans. Do not disappoint me!"
The god erupted in flames, and then he was gone.
Reyna turned to Frank. Her expression was part amazement, part nausea, like she'd finally managed to swallow that mouse. She raised her arm in a Roman salute. "Ave, Frank Zhang, son of Mars."
The whole legion followed her lead, but Aurelia could feel Frank wanting to hide. His perfect night had been ruined.
"Aurelia," Reyna finally said as she got on Scipio. "Come." And the daughter of Pavor quickly left with cousin before anyone else could say anything.
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After Aurelia helped ease her cousin to sleep, she had retired to her bed as well. The past few months had been haunting her with nightmares. If you could even call them that.
Before Jason disappeared, her nightmares mainly consisted of flashbacks from her childhood—her mother's death, her uncle's demise, the destruction of Circe's Island or being kidnapped by the pirates.
But ever since a few months ago, her nightmares consisted of Jason.
The first time it happened, she made herself wake up and she refused to go back to sleep no matter how tired she was. She believed that it was a cruel trick her mind was playing on her—because at the time she had convinced herself Jason was dead. Reyna had made her give up searching. He had to be dead.
The second time, she listened for a little while, and tried to feel for his emotions. It was just him. His voice. He was calling to her, trying to find her. Trying to get her to find him.
Maybe this is the reason she hadn't given up on finding him, even after so much time. She still believed he was out there, waiting to be found—or trying to find her.
She couldn't give up on him, for she knew he wouldn't give up on her. But this night was different.
The next few times, she yelled back. She asked where he was, if he was okay, if there was a way to find him, but she never got an answer. Like him communicating with her was only a one way street, where only she could hear him.
"Please, Lia," Jason pleaded. "We're going to find you. I'm going to find you. You just have to wait a little longer, please." There was a long pause. "Is Percy Jackson with you?"
Aurelia felt her heart stop. "Yes."
There was another long pause before there was a laugh. Jason's deep laugh. "I heard you. I heard you." He sounded on the verge of happy tears. "You're listening ... I wasn't completely sure if you could hear me." He laughed again. "We'll find you."
Before Aurelia could ask who "we" was, she felt his presence disappear. She woke up.