I'm really sorry that I'm not updating as often, but my school work comes first. I would like to keep my A standard, so updates might be a little scarce. I'm super sorry about that, but it can't really be helped.
Ok, the dedication for this chapter goes to Br1dgette00 for their comment, "OH MY FRAKING GODS SO GLAD MY FRIEND TOLD ME TO READ THIS BOOK!!! THIS IS THE BEST PERCY JACKSON ARMY OF CHAOS FANFICTION EVERY WRITTEN ON WATTPAD, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU UPDATE ASAP I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!! PLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLS FANGIRLING SO MUCH NOW!!!!!!!!" Thanks Br1dgette00! Comments like that mean so much to me.
So, this is chapter 21. Enjoy ...
Chapter 21: Happilt Ever After ... Or Not - Leo's POV
(AN: Just a warning; this is three days after the last chapter)
I woke with a splitting headache.
I kept my eyes closed, waiting for the rocking motion that said I was on the Argo II. It never came.
My eyes flashed open. All at once, I took in the rows of bed, the sterile smell, the medical supplies.
I was in the camp infirmary.
'Hey man, glad you made it.'
Travis was sitting on the end of my bed, trying to look casual. But I could see from his eyes that he was really worried.
I pushed myself into a sitting position, 'You doubted me?'
He laughed, 'Never!'
'Good,' I said, 'Because you should never doubt Flaming Valdez.'
Travis winked, 'I'll keep that in mind.'
The doors of the infirmary were flung open. Clarisse and Luke came marching in, Hazel hot on their heels.
'I'm so sorry, Leo,' she cried, 'I was just happy to see you, and kind of mad.'
I waved it away, 'Don't worry about it. Not as bad as Jason and Piper. They attacked me with questions.'
She gave a watery chuckle, 'I'm still sorry.'
'Leo,' Luke interrupted, 'Are you ok?'
I nodded, 'I'm alright. Just got a headache. How long was I out?'
Clarisse sighed, 'Three days.'
My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.
'Th-three days?' I finally gasped.
Travis, Luke, Clarisse and Hazel nodded grimly.
'Afraid so,' Travis said, 'The Hunters have returned from their search. Everyone's in the Rec Room, trying to formulate a plan.'
I didn't speak, which was something new for me.
Three days. Three days where Percy and Annabeth had been Destruction's prisoners. Three days where I was unconscious, useless as a rag doll.
I tried to tune in to what the other's conversation.
'-can't get them out in time,' Travis finished.
'I can't see how we can,' Luke agreed.
Hazel balled her fists and a ruby popped up at her feet. She quickly grabbed it and stuffed it in her pocket.
'We can't just leave them there,' she mumbled, 'They'll be killed.'
'That's if they aren't already dead,' Clarisse pointed out miserably.
I sighed, 'How about we go to the Rec Room and talk about it there?'
With murmurs of agreement. I struggled out of bed and hobbled to the door. Halfway there, I stumbled and Hazel caught me. Blood pounded in my head, and my ankle burned.
'You ok?' she asked worriedly.
'Yeah,' I said, 'Just a little dizzy.'
'Leo, I'm-'
'You say your sorry one more time, I'll set fire to your jeans.'
She smiled hesitantly and I started whistling, "This Girl is on Fire," as innocently as I could.
Outside, the sun was low in the sky, meaning that it was still early morning. I smiled and turned my head to the sun, happily soaking in it's warmth.
I managed to walk halfway to the Big House without any assistance, which was a good sign that my strength was returning. Being in prison messed up my head more than I thought.
We were close to the volleyball pit when we heard a yell from Half-Blood Hill. It was hard to see with the sun glaring down, but I thought I saw a dark haired girl waving her arms.
'Who's that?' I muttered.
Hazel narrowed her eyes, 'Let's find out.'
The five of us bolted the rest of the way to Thalia's pine where Jason, Piper and Frank had already gathered. I could hear the sounds of a fight; metal clanging on metal.
I was about to ask why the others were just standing there with their mouths open, when I reached the top of the hill and gaped along with them.
Annabeth and Percy stood there, back to back, fighting of a horde of hellhounds.
Hazel, Luke, Clarisse and Travis stumbled to a stop right behind me. Luke seemed to freeze and immediately sunk to his knees, sword clattering out of his limp hands.
'No,' he breathed, 'Not again.'
I didn't understand what he was talking about and I didn't ask. Annabeth and Percy were really starting to struggle against the wall of sharp teeth and red eyes.
I didn't wait for the others. I sprinted down the hill, fire flickering to life in my palms. Man, it was good to have that power back.
I flung two fireballs at the nearest demon dogs. I pulled a hammer out of my tool belt (yes, I still have my tool belt) and chucked it at another.
I reached into my tool belt for another hammer and came out with nothing. Damn recharge.
Reluctantly, I drew my sword, Iginis. The celestial black seemed to almost glow with firelight. That gave me an idea.
I focused a burst of fire from my hand and it shot down the length of the blade, lighting the metal as it went. Awesome. Now I have a flaming sword.
I ducked under the teeth of one hellhound and sliced through another. I thrust my sword just in time to deflect a claw from decapitating Percy.
The clang made him jump around to face me. He was wearing a cloak the definitely wasn't from Chaos. I could tell because this one was completely black, and Chaos' ones were silver on the inside.
'Leo!' he shouted, 'Am I glad to see you!'
'Ditto,' I yelled back, 'How about we catch up when we're not about to die?'
'Sounds good to me.'
Annabeth glanced back at me, but I had my hood up. She wouldn't know who I was, but she had heard Percy shout my name.
Which was why I was stunned when she simply smiled and called out, 'Good to see you again!'
'Uh, sure.'
I wasn't really sure how else to respond so I just decided to go along with it and keep fighting.
Just as I ducked under a hellhound's claw, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. No, not something.
Someone.
A girl. She had long dark hair braided over one shoulder. She wore a cloak that matched Percy and Annabeth's, except her hood had blown down in the fight.
I wasn't sure who she was, but by the way she was fighting the hellhounds, I could tell she was on our side.
I swung my sword through one demon dog, then back flipped (yes I can do that now) over another, stabbing it in the behind. I ducked under Percy's sword and shot fire at a hellhound behind Annabeth.
I found myself standing next to the girl. She looked straight at me and I did a double take. Her sea green eyes reflected Percy's. They could've been brother and sister ...
She smiled while stabbing a hellhound with her dagger, 'Name's Azelle. You?'
'Leo,' I managed while dodging a claw swipe, 'Good to meet you.'
'Likewise.'
A few second later, almost all the hellhounds were either dead, or running away. Only four remained; one for each of us. Coincidence? Yeah, not so much in the mythological world.
Two monsters lunged at Percy and Annabeth, who immediately started to fight them off. The other two leapt for Azelle.
What, was I not good enough to be eaten?
I ran forward to help Azelle ran her dagger across one hellhounds back and it melted into darkness. The other hellhound swiped at my leg and cut through my jeans. I grimaced slicing Ignis straight up through its maw. It dissipated into darkness.
'You're hurt,' Azelle mumbled, tearing some cloth of the end of her cloak.
I waved it off, 'Nah, its fine. Doesn't even hurt.'
It did.
Percy and Annabeth came over looking utterly exhausted. When he saw me, Percy frowned and held out a hand to help me up.
'Good to see you alive and well,' he grinned.
'I could say the same for you,' I was still stunned, 'How did you get out?'
'Azelle,' Annabeth said happily, 'She was a prisoner there, too. We convinced her to escape with us.'
'And,' Percy added, 'It turns out she's a daughter of Poseidon.'
I frowned, 'But doesn't that mean the oath was broken yet another time.'
Percy scratched his neck, 'Well, it would but-'
'I was born in the 18th century,' Azelle admitted, 'I was kidnapped when I was five, then made immortal when I was fourteen so I could be a servant to Destruction forever.'
I just stared at her with my mouth hanging open. I did my best to close it.
'We better get inside camp borders,' Percy muttered.
'Yeah,' Annabeth agreed, 'We've had enough monster attacks the past two days.'
We started up the hill, me limping behind. Percy glanced at me.
'So, what happened at camp?' he asked, 'Any attacks?'
I shrugged, 'I wouldn't know. I've been out for three days.'
'Three days?' Percy said, 'Why?'
'Uh, Hazel was kinda upset when she found out who I was,' I muttered, 'She might have gone overboard.'
Percy chuckled, 'You should know not to get on her bad side.'
'How was I to know she would go berserk when she found out I was alive,' I said, throwing my hands up in defeat.
'How did she find out?' Percy asked.
'Festus.'
'Ah,' he sighed and nodded, ' Your old dragon bud. How's he doing?'
'He said he's better now I'm here,' I said.
'Isn't that sweet.'
We reached the top of the hill where Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, Luke, Clarisse and Travis were waiting, looking more than a little guilty.
Luke started forward, 'I'm so sorry commander. I just...so familiar...reminded me-'
'It's ok, Iroas,' Percy cut him off, 'I understand completely. I know what it reminded you of.'
I couldn't tell because of his hood, but I thought Luke might've blushed.
'Iroas,' I heard Annabeth whisper from behind me.
Everyone turned to face her. She slowly pulled her hood down and advanced carefully.
'Iroas,' she repeated.
There was a ringing familiarity in her voice, like she knew Iroas was Luke. But, that wasn't possible, unless-
'What did you tell her?' I hissed at Percy, 'How is it she know who we are? I thought she betrayed you!'
Percy shook his head, 'She didn't; not intentionally. It was never her fault. It was all because of that half-wit son of Ares.'
I fumed, still not happy that he revealed our identities without us. Turning back to the situation at hand, Annabeth and Luke stood staring at each other in awe. I was pretty sure that Luke knew that Annabeth knew who he was.
Annabeth reached up for Luke's hood, but he tensed and she froze.
'Iroas,' Percy said softly, 'It's ok.'
Ever so slowly, Luke's shoulders relaxed. Annabeth lifted her hand the rest of the way and tentatively took hold of the edge of his hood. Very gradually, Annabeth lowered his hood until we could see his face.
His blonde hair and blue eyes were much as they'd always been. The jagged scar that ran down his face had faded over time.
'Luke,' Annabeth said sadly.
'Hello, Annabeth,' he whispered.
She gave him a watery smile, her eyes shimmering with tears. She brought her arms up and wrapped them around Luke, cementing him to the spot with shock.
'You-you're not mad at me?' he asked in bewilderment.
Annabeth looked up, arms still around him, and smiled.
'How could I stay mad at my brother?' she said.
Tears started to well up in Luke's eyes. They burst forth and rolled down his cheeks, glistening in the early morning sun. He threw his arms around Annabeth, picked her up, and swung her around. Annabeth squealed with delight.
'Remember how we would do this when we were young, little sister?'
Annabeth laughed, 'I remember. Especially the time you dropped me.'
'Hey, I apologized!' Luke protested.
Percy, Travis, Azelle and I watched them rattle on about the childhoods. The others wandered back down the hill to practice swordplay, or have a go at the climbing wall, or something like that.
Eventually, Percy cleared his throat and the two stopped chattering.
'I'm sorry to break up this happy reunion,' he said, smiling, 'But I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal Luke away for now. He's still in the army and that is his first priority.'
'Of course, Commander,' Luke gave a mock bow and Percy glared at him.
I couldn't help but laugh. The situation just seemed so bizarre. But maybe we could finally have the happily ever afters we deserved.
Suddenly, an image of Chaos shimmered into existence next to us. He looked incredibly panicked. Whatever could scare the creator of the universe, I didn't want to know.
'Epsilon, Iroas, Flames, Bandit,' he called us by name.
His form flickered dangerously, flashing in and out of focus. Harsh sounds interfered with the projection, drowning out his voice.
Percy stepped forward anxiously, 'What is it father?'
His voice wavered, growing soft before going loud, and then soft again.
'Warn ... Destruction ... attack ... camp ... midnight!'
We could understand everything he was saying, but we got the gist of it.
Destruction was planning an attack on camp at midnight.
Luke's face hardened, 'We have to organize camp.'
'How can we hold off Destruction's entire army?' Azelle cried.
'Don't panic,' Percy sounded plenty panicked, 'The campers and the Chaos warriors together are pretty damn strong.'
'Strong,' I muttered, 'Not invincible.'
Travis shot me a grim look.
Chaos had almost completely faded. He managed a final sentence.
'Gather ... army ... campers ... hurry!'
Then, he was gone.
Percy flipped straight into battle mode.
'We have to warn the campers and warriors,' he said, 'We must fight this battle together. But we will need more than just our fighting skills. We're going to need a plan.'
'A trap,' Travis added, 'I think the Hermes cabin can help with that.'
Annabeth grimaced, 'I'm sure they can. But we need to have a meeting with the councillors and Chiron. They need to know whats going on. And we need to formulate our set-up.'
The six of us nodded our agreement and started down the hill in single file. As we went, one thought lingered in my mind.
I think I spoke about happily ever after's a little too soon.
I am SOOO sorry it took that long to update! School comes first. I'm not supposed to be on Wattpad during the week, but I'll update when I can.
Last chapters question was, "what is your favourite part of the Lost hero?" The question for this chapter is; what is your favourite part of the Son of Neptune?' For example, my favourite part is Hazel, Percy and Frank escaping the Amazons.
So, thanks for reading. Please vote, comment and follow, not necessarily in that order. Peace out, people.