Chapter Text
Chap.2
Ethan forgot all about reporting to Cabin 11 and meeting the nymph. He raced down the hill, towards the infirmary,rushing past campers who gave him startled looks.
“Hey, Wait up!” Alabaster caught up and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to slow down. “Ethan! Wait!” He panted. “There's no way they'll let us see him.”
“But I need to... I can't just...”
“Ethan, I know what you're thinking. I tried earlier and they wouldn't let anyone but a few medics in. I don't feel good about Luke under their control either, but there's nothing we can really do about it now. Besides...”
They reached a single tent, set a few yards away from all the others. A boy was sitting in front of it, rifling through a file folder. He looked up when he heard the two of them approaching. “Hey!” He said. “You can't come in here.”
Though he sounded fierce, the boy looked no older than 14. “I need to see Luke Castellan right now.” Ethan stepped forward.
The boy looked at the elder boy's face and seemed to realize who he was. Both his face and his knuckles on his file folder went white, but he stood his ground. “He's... he's a dangerous patient. Chiron said no one except the medics can go in.”
“I told you they won't let you in.”
Alabaster tugged at Ethan. “Come on. Maybe we could ask Chiron for a permission or something.”
“I just saw him. He didn't even tell me Luke's alive!”
“What's all this noise about?” Suddenly the flap of the tent opened. A girl with black hair and a bow on her shoulder went out. She stood up straight and stared at Ethan. They were almost the same height. “Who... oh.” Her blue eyes seemed to darken for a moment.
They had never met, but Ethan knew at once she was Thalia Grace, lieutenant of the hunters of Artemis.
“You're Ethan Nakamura, aren't you.”
“...”
There was an awkward pause. “You caused Annabeth a lot of pain.”
Ethan couldn't deny that, of course. He had injured a lot of other demigods. He now wondered whether he had killed any of them.
“How is she?”
“She's fine. Apollo healed her.” Thalia adjusted her bow. “And now... I guess you are here to see him.”
“Yes?”
Another pause. Thalia stared intently at Ethan, as though judging him. Seconds passed, then she sighed. “I think it's alright... I'll go in with you.”
“W-What?!” The little boy nearly dropped his file folder. “But Thalia, he is... and Chiron said...”
“Yeah, I know, but I'll keep a close eye on him, I promise, in case of...” Thalia looked at Ethan, and for a moment there seemed to be sadness in her eyes. “Well, actually there's nothing you can do to him now. Come in, then.”
The boy looked horrified, but he didn't stop the two. Alabaster went forward, but Thalia stopped him. “You shall stay here.”
“But I want to see Luke too—” Neither of them paid him attention. Ethan went into the tent after Thalia.
The tent was not big. A single bed lay in it. Luke Castellan was motionless—Unconscious, the left side of his body wrapped in bandages. The body that held the Titan Lord, once invulnerable, now looked frail and—on the verge of death.
Ethan had rushed into the tent without thinking exactly why he had been so anxious. He stood in front of his former general, and a new feeling replaced the anxiety—a mix of grief, dread and maybe hope.
“He is alive, physically, but he has been unconscious ever since the battle.” Thalia's tone was solemn. “The ambrosia and Apollo's healing magic saved him from death, but now...”
“But that's impossible.” Ethan felt his voice was hoarse. “I saw it. I saw him die.”
“Well... The Archilles' Heel and everything, but as Luke's consciousness beat Chronos in the end, we think there's a chance...”
“What do you mean?”
Thalia thought for a second, then sighed. “You don't know the whole story.” She decided.
“Then tell me the whole story.”
It seemed to pain her to talk about this. She took a long breath. “Luke. He was trapped in his own body by Chronos for more than a year. But in the end, he managed to fight him,regain control of his body and... hit his own Achilles' heel.”
“His armpit.”
“Yes, yes,” Thalia said quickly. “Anyway, Annabeth seemed to be the—the trigger. She was—close to Luke, and...” She stopped again, then shook her head lightly. “That's... all you need to know. All the necessary.”
Ethan's head was spinning with the new information. So Luke wasn't completely dead—which explained the few odd acts of the Titan Lord during the battle. Luke had lived—and fought over Chronos in the end. Maybe it was too much to hope, but... Ethan considered it.
But what if Luke woke up as Chronos?
He barely registered Thalia as she said, “Come on,” and steered him out of the tent. Alabaster rained questions on him about Luke and what Thalia had said, but he was so dazed he wasn't sure the details were right.
When he finally reported to Cabin 11, the nymph had a temper about how Ethan was late for one whole hour. Finally, he got his bedding and toothbrush, and went into the cabin.
The cabin was crowded and full of action, as Ethan had always remembered, but the moment he stepped inside, the whole room fell quiet. All eyes were fixed on him.
Ethan took a step forward and look around, trying to find a bunk to place his things. The cabin was so cramped that there was hardly any place to stand.
The uncomfortable silence continued, as though a serial killer had enter the room. A few campers inched back, away from Ethan. Suddenly the bathroom door opened with a 'Bang' and a black-haired boy strided in with a big smile on his face.
“Hey buddy! Glad to see you made it through the big ordeal alive!” Connor Stole's voice was cheerful. “Well... you're a bit late. It seems that you'll have to sleep on the—” His voice died as he realized who he had been talking to.
“Chiron told me to stay in Cabin 11.” Ethan hoped the sheets and pillows in his arms were enough to prove his honesty. They weren't.
Conner tried to drive Ethan out of the cabin with a mob, and then sent a demigod to run to the big house to confirm the facts with Chiron. There were complaints and words of disbelief, and at last Ethan settled down in a corner of the cabin, with a three-metre radius of clear space around him.
Well, it didn't surprise him.
Ethan noticed that none of the other members of the Titan army were in Cabin 11. He asked Alabaster at dinner and learned that they were all staying in the big house. This was odd enough, but Alabaster seemed too preoccupied with something else to discuss the topic. “Sorry, Ethan, but I need to think about... about something now.” He said and returned to his food.
Ethan didn't join in the cheerful mood in the dining pavillion that night. Most celebrated the victory of the battle. The members of the Titan Army—about a dozen of them—nuddled together at a lone table, most of them looking confused and afraid. A few looked angry.
Ethan finished his dinner without really tasting the food. He wandered in the silent camp ground a little, noticing small changes since he had last been at camp: a newly built bridge, a few new climbing walls and for some reason a big hole in front of the mess hall with a sign next to it saying 'Tunnel to Underworld : DO approach!'
He went to the campfire to see the shroud-burning ceremony before returning to Cabin 11. He watched as the shrouds—each containing the body of a demigod—burned in the dark flames and turned into smoke and rose into the sky.
There were more celebrations. Ethan returned to Cabin 11. The toothbrush from the camp store had a wet smell, as though this wasn't the first time it has been used, but Ethan had so much on his mind, he barely noticed.
It was surprising enough that he had survived at all. Then he had found out about Luke bathing in the Styx and finishing Chronos off with a stab to his own armpit. It was too much for one day. Ethan expected himself to lie in bed for a few hours before falling asleep. Instead, he got into his simply made bed on the floor, closed his eyes, and instantly drifted off.
Of course, the dreams didn't left him alone.
He was 11 years old, running through the thick rain, pushing past bushes. The rain and darkness almost blinded him. The sword he had used for over a year hung on his belt, bent and melted, bumping uselessly against his legs. His right thigh was burning with pain, but he didn't dare stop.
Even over the rain, he could hear the drakon crashing through the pushes behind him. He couldn't stop now. The pine tree was just ahead, nearly in reach, the tree his mother had told him about, and he could see a few figures standing just beside it, their silhouettes barely visible in the night. The tallest of them raised an object—almost like a bow...
Then the pained howl of the drakon pierced the rumbling thunder and rain.
Feeling almost nothing besides the rain against his face and the pain, Ethan stumbled forward blindly, towards the big pine. Moments later he felt an arm around him, supporting his weight. He heard voices.
“Lucky boy. C'mon, gotta get him out of here.”
He couldn't remember how he got to the big house. He was semiconscious when they put him on a warm couch. A guy put a straw in his mouth and he drank some of the sweet, tasty liquid. The sudden light was equally blinding as the pouring rain outside.
“You're quite lucky. That big lizard was almost on top of you, but Chiron always has a perfect aim.”
Ethan shifted, panted, then his eyes went into focus. The guy who had spoken sat next to him, his blond hair totally wet and plastered to his forehead, getting into his eyes a bit—His blue eyes, which were not like anyone's eyes Ethan had ever seen,sparkling as he smile at Ethan, but a vivid scar on his cheek made his smile look a little crooked.
The guy bent down and gently ripped open the cloth near the wound. He examined for a few moments and exhaled lightly. “Drakon bite... can be serious. We'll get a healer to check it out for you quite soon.”
He looked up at Ethan and the smile returned. “I can tell you're a fierce fighter. That sword of yours—You must have stabbed that lizard quite hard in its soft point. We need a fighter like you here at Camp Half-Blood. You'll get proper training, help defend the camp against monsters, and... Well, I should save some of the things for later. What's your name, kiddo?”
“Ethan... Nakamura.”
It was at that moment that Ethan began to sob. Tears mixed with the rainwater on his face and streaked down his cheek.
He felt a hand on his head. Luke stroked his head gently, his fingers sliding through his wet hair. He leaned his face close to Ethan's.
“Jeez, Ethan.” Luke murmured. “It's alright. You're safe now.”
Luke Castellan didn't know it, but it was the first time anyone had done this to Ethan.
The dream changed. Luke's face melted into shifting colors, and the room was replaced by the throne room on Mount Olympus. Ethan had been there just a few hours ago, but the place looked totally different. The twelve Olympians were each on their own throne. A small group was waiting in line in the center of the enormous room, all of them looking grim. Ethan had met only a few of them, but he instantly realized that they were the minor gods—This is a trial for the minor gods who had joined Chronos' forces in the war.
He recognized the goddess at the front of the line—Hecate, the goddess of magic. She was kneeling in front of Zeus's throne,her blonde hair a mess. Her hands seemed to be bound to the floor by invisible chain.
“Hecate.” Zeus's voice boomed even in a dream. “You offered great assistance to Chronos during the war. You used your magic to aid his invasion. Do you have anything to deny?”
“No.” The goddess said through clenched teeth.
“The Jackson boy made us swear on respect for the minor gods... but in your case, I take punishment as necessary. All of you in favor?” Several Olympians raised their hands, but Hecate spoke again: “Your punishment won't stop the action of rebellion, Lord Zeus.”
“What did you say?” Zeus's eyes were dangerously bright.
“It's clear that you haven't learnt much from the war against the Titans. Punish me as you like, Zeus, but you can't douse the flames. Me and my remaining children—My remaining child...”
The dream changed yet again. This time Ethan was in a dim room with a low ceiling and metal walls. He also felt weight—pulled down to the ground by gravity, instead of being just an observer floating in the air.
“Ethan.”
A woman stood beside him. Her black jacket was tattered, as though she has recently been in combat. Her hair and eyes were black, too, the exact same color of Ethan's.
“Mother.”
“I'm glad to see you made it through the war.” In contrast to her words, there was little gladness in Nemesis's eyes. “I wish we can talk more... but right now time is scarce. I cannot keep you here for long. Sit, please.”
Two black metal chair appeared. Ethan took one. Nemesis took the other and sighed. “You have seen the trial in the room of the gods.”
“Yes. Did you...?”
“I haven't been judged yet. Zeus seems to take me as a criminal, presumably because one of my sons rose to become the lieutenant of the Titan Lord.”
“Have you heard from him?” Ethan realized his question was strange as soon as he said it. “I mean... Is Chronos really dead?”
“Not dead. Banished. His soul shattered into millions of pieces, just as it had been in the First Titan War. The Styx contains powerful magic. Powerful enough to destroy a Titan.”
“But then it means...” Ethan gulped. He looked straight into his mother's eyes. “All those wounds, those near-deaths on the battlefield had been nothing, haven't they?”
“It is not like that.” Nemesis stared back into Ethan's lone, black eye. “I promised you vengance on the gods, the ability to gain rightful respect for our kind. The death of the Titan Lord does not necessarily mean I broke the promise.”
“But how am I supposed to gain vengeance with Kronos gone and the Olympian gods all triumphant?”
“Ethan.” Nemesis's eyes were calm. “I understand your anxiety. But you should know that the goddess of revenge had never failed a promise. Not one. My powers directly interferes the fate—the missing piece on the wheel of fortune. You pay something, you get something else in return. Even if you don't trust my powers, well retribution will find its way back to you eventually, maybe in ways you can't imagine.”
A few moments of silence passed, then Ethan lowered his head, breaking eye contact. “What am I supposed to do now?” He asked.
“The Olympians aren't done with us yet, and I still need time to contemplate the situation. For now you should wait. Stay in Camp Half-Blood and stay low. And stay in contact with the other demigods in the Titan Army. I know some of them will try to run away, but alliances can be important. If there's progress, I'll contact you.”
That's exactly what Chiron had told me to do, Ethan thought. Sit and wait.
“If it is for the balance...”
“I assure you, it is.” Nemesis seemed slightly satisfied. All around them, the floor started to shake. The surroundings seemed to get brighter, as though light was leaking in through tiny cracks in the wall.
“It's time for you to wake up, my son. Remember what I have said.” Nemesis said, and Ethan, looking at her, decided to ask one more question. The question would sound inappropriate and unnecessary, but he need to know the answer.
“Do you know anything about Luke?”
There was a strange gleam in Nemesis's eyes—something Ethan had only seen once before, and it was disconcerting. “In fact, I had.” She replied. “As you must know, Luke Castellan is unconscious and in the hands of the gods now. The gods have taken his soul hostage. They are still not sure what to do about him.”
“Taking his soul hostage... how can they do that?” This sounded ominous enough, and yet, as he said this, Ethan felt as though a lump in his stomach had dissolved. At least Luke is really alive...
“Barely alive.” Nemesis seemed to read his heart. “Luke's soul is in a delicate state, somewhere between the border of life and death. Some of the gods are suggesting destroying his soul once and for all, but hopefully that won't happen.”
“So it all depends on whether the gods let him go or not.”
“Exactly. If I have heard correctly,this particular decision shall be made in a few days by the gods.Also…” The ground shook violently, cutting her off. “Well, we shall talk again soon. Go now, my son...” The light intensify. The dark figure of the Goddess of Revenge was drawn in a blinding white light, and Ethan fell through the air.
(End of Chapter 2)