Chapter Text
~Oikawa ~
Everything was dark.
There was a large corridor that seemed to have no end. Oikawa tried to move, but his body was too heavy to respond. The sensation of being trapped inside himself suffocated him, as if every attempt at movement were absorbed by something invisible pulling him back.
At the end of the corridor, a strange shadow contorted—it looked like the body of a beast with three heads of different animals.
“Oikawa.”
The sound of his own name echoed like a distant call. He felt as if someone were shaking him, but a dense mist enveloped him, making it impossible to distinguish what was real. His mind wavered between wakefulness and the void, unable to settle on either.
“Oikawa, damn it, if you don’t wake up, I swear I’m going to cut your hair.”
“He seems to be unconscious.”
“Damn it! Right now?”
The voices came from very far away, as if they had crossed an ocean before reaching him. The numbing mist grew denser and denser, pressing against his senses, making everything seem slow, too heavy.
Suddenly, something warm and welcoming touched his arm, traveling through his muscles and dissipating part of the numbness. A gentle relief, almost forgotten, flooded his chest.
“Kawa,” someone whispered near his ear. “Come on, wake up. We need you now.”
The mist began to clear gradually. The creature at the end of the corridor moved and grunted, restless. Oikawa forced his legs—each step was heavy, as if the floor wanted to trap him there. Even so, he moved forward, determined, driven more by the need to understand that shadow than by courage.
When he got close enough to see better, an involuntary shiver ran down his spine. His heart raced. And he let out a sigh that seemed to have been stuck in his throat—then his eyes snapped open for good.
"Argh!" He brought his hand to his face while inhaling deeply, panting, trying to convince himself he was awake.
“Hey, calm down.” The soft voice came from his side, firm as an anchor.
He turned his head slowly, finding four pairs of attentive and worried eyes, totally fixed on him.
"What?" he grumbled, sitting up carefully, still half-disoriented.
"Are you okay?" Suga approached and placed his hand on his shoulder, transmitting that comforting warmth—typical of the children of Hestia—that seemed to calm his thoughts.
“We tried to wake you up, but you seemed unconscious in a strange way,” Kenma explained, sitting on the mattress and watching him with an arched eyebrow.
“I… had a strange dream and it seems that…”
A loud bang cut through the air, making Atsumu jump in surprise.
“We need to go! We are under attack!” The son of Hermes practically pulled him by the arm, leaving no room for questions.
"What? Again?" Oikawa murmured as he ran to the bathroom, feeling his body finally wake up completely.
“Yes! They came out through the woods on the left, near Artemis’ Cabin,” Akaashi informed, throwing his sneakers to him as soon as he came out.
Oikawa put them on in a hurry. When he reached the bedroom door, Kenma handed him his bow. Only then did he realize that everyone already had weapons in hand, with tense expressions.
“Are there many?”
“Enough for us to need to split into attack and support groups,” Atsumu grumbled at his side.
“Wonderful…” He turned his face as the other three approached. “Kei-chan, what’s the plan?”
“Right.” Akaashi opened the map and quickly sketched the camp layout. “The dracaenae emerged from the north side, to the left of Artemis’ Cabin. They camouflaged themselves because that area receives little sunlight.”
Marking an X, he traced the path to the center of the map, drawing a circle there.
“Now they’ve scattered, but we need to lure them to the center.” He pointed to the circle. “There, the light reflects better and the space is more open, making movement easier.”
“Right, but what do we do when they get there?” Atsumu pressed his finger on the circle.
“Simple. Oikawa and the other children of Apollo will concentrate the light in the center to break the camouflage. Atsumu and his group will distract the enemies. Kenma and the children of Persephone will distract them, trying to corner their serpentine trunks. The other groups will divide between attacking their vital points and killing and pushing the creatures into traps.”
“Great. Then it’s our time to shine, bitches.” Oikawa opened the door, facing the chaotic scene outside.
With a quick nod, they separated. He immediately ran to the left, where several demigods were fighting. There were far more dracaenae than he had anticipated.
“Oikawa-san!”
He turned and saw Hinata in the center, holding back monsters and summoned plants in one hand while waving with the other.
“Ya-hoo, Chibi-chan!” Oikawa replied with a light wave, without breaking his running stride.
He almost bumped into Aran, who was dodging blows with an electrified shield.
As he rounded the curve of Artemis’ Cabin and reached the forest, he found several children of Apollo already in position.
“Yaha-chan!” He stopped abruptly beside him. “What’s the situation?”
“Terrible. Some children of Hephaestus and Dionysus were hit.” Yahaba wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Damn it!" Oikawa turned instinctively, sensing something in the air. He drew his bow and shot without hesitation, taking down a dracaena.
“My God,” Yahaba murmured, impressed.
Oikawa found the reaction so cute that he couldn't contain his laughter. It was so easy to provoke that reaction.
“Don’t be like that, Yaha-chan. One day you’ll get it.” He winked as he saw him roll his eyes.
Then, looking toward the field in the distance, he spotted hair that had never seen a comb. A spark flashed through his mind.
“Hey, be right back! Point your arrows at the sky!” He ran off before Yahaba could protest. “Kuroo!”
The dark-haired boy turned and flashed a wide grin, like the Cheshire Cat’s.
“Well, if it isn’t the amazing Oikawa Tooru who decided to honor us with his presence?”
“Stop that. I need your help.”
“And what do I get out of it?”
"Seriously?" Oikawa rolled his eyes and Kuroo raised his hands in surrender. "Can you create something that reflects light in multiple directions?"
“Well, who do you think I am? I’m not a son of Hephaestus for nothing.”
"Like, for now?" Kuroo sighed, looking at Oikawa with boredom.
"Alright, alright," Oikawa grumbled. "What do you need? And no frills!"
“To not get hit.” He crossed his arms. “And to get to my cabin.”
“Well… that can be done.”
They walked side by side in silence, Oikawa always with his bow ready.
“You know, I’m surprised you called me. I thought you and your little group hated us,” he teased.
Oikawa made a face. "For the record, you’re an idiot. Your friends too. I called you because you were the closest son of Hephaestus."
Kuroo laughed. "Wow. Now I understand what Iwa meant when he called you an insolent brat. Although that seems to be a characteristic of the children of Apollo and—ouch!"
The word hit Oikawa hard. He stopped suddenly, causing Kuroo to hit his forehead against the raised bow.
"What did you say?" he murmured through clenched teeth, making Kuroo stare at him confused while massaging his forehead.
“That it’s a characteristic of the children of Apollo?”
“Before that.”
“Ah! My dear Iwa said, and I quote: 'It’s impossible to have a decent conversation with someone so spoiled and insolent,'” he repeated, amused.
“Unbelievable,” Oikawa retorted. “Especially coming from a bossy, impulsive brute. I think he forgot that the Neanderthal era ended a long time ago.”
Kuroo guffawed so loudly that his body bent over. "Man, that was very—"
He stopped abruptly, looked up and, in a quick movement, threw a chain over the dark-haired boy's head.
Oikawa turned, stunned, to see the dracaenae fall dead behind him.
“Ah. You’re welcome!” Kuroo retracted the chain and quickened his pace.
"What?" Oikawa blinked, still in shock. "HEY! Wait, you idiot!"
The mention of Iwaizumi had broken his concentration. He hated to admit it, but the insult hit home, coming from Kuroo’s mouth of all people.
~ Suga ~
As soon as they separated, Suga ran toward the dining pavilion, where the wounded were sheltered.
The battle had started so suddenly that many were injured—after all, almost no one was awake at that hour. It all happened very fast: screams breaking the silence of dawn, the sound of weapons being drawn in a hurry, confusion setting in before the mind could even keep up.
Strange things had been happening for months. First, reports of dreams that were too vivid emerged—nightmares that seemed to cross the veil of the mind and invade reality. Then, the attacks: monsters appearing in places where they should never be, breaking through the camp’s barrier security as if it were just a fragile illusion.
And, that morning, Oikawa's state.
Although he was used to seeing him have omens and visions quite often, this time was different. Oikawa seemed suspended in his own mind, his senses disconnected from his body, as if he were adrift somewhere inaccessible to Suga. And that image wouldn't leave his head.
Regardless of what was happening, he didn't like it one bit.
He was trying to organize his thoughts when he heard a sharp scream. His body reacted before his mind. He turned immediately and saw, to the right, a daughter of Aphrodite being hit by a dracaena’s whip. The young woman fell to the ground and tried to crawl away, but her limbs wouldn't obey.
Suga ran to her without thinking, summoning a temporary shield with his staff.
“Hey, Kanoka, let me take a look!”
He helped her sit up carefully and held her arm gently, observing. The venom was already spreading under her skin, leaving dark trails. Her breathing was short and irregular.
“Damn it…” he murmured between his teeth.
He placed his hands over the wound, activating the gentle heat of Hestia's blessing. The glow spread under her skin as he channeled all his concentration into containing the toxin before it reached her heart.
Nothing.
Hestia's restorative heat always worked for wounds and infections, but the venom didn't yield; it was a type of cold, corrosive toxin that rejected pure, restorative energy. The energy there behaved strangely, resisting, as if something were pushing it against the healing.
“Hey, Suga!”
He looked over his shoulder and saw Daichi repel a dracaena with an electric strike.
He couldn't help a pang of irritation. Daichi wasn't someone difficult to put up with under normal conditions, but as a son of Zeus, he carried that inevitable air of an "invincible leader"—something he definitely did not appreciate.
“Need help? What happened?” Daichi approached, and only then did Suga notice the other two beside him.
Sakusa Kiyoomi, from Hades' cabin, and Bokuto Koutarou, from Poseidon's cabin.
“Oh, how wonderful, the holy trinity,” he murmured softly, turning back to Kanoka. “She was poisoned. I need Kenma and to get her to the tent.”
At that moment, he knew Oikawa's power would be the most effective there. But Kenma could slow the toxin's progress until a potion could be prepared.
"Right." Sakusa raised a whirlwind of shadows around them with his scythe. "Daichi, help lift her."
"I'll go get Kenma!" Bokuto ran off without further explanation, hitting two dracaenae on the way with his trident.
“Wow, he really has energy,” Suga commented as Daichi lifted Kanoka in his arms, bridal style. “That’s not necessary, you know? She can walk.”
"Is that jealousy, Suga?" Daichi smiled, clearly pleased with himself.
“To you, it’s Sugawara.” He sighed, watching the girl's breathing. “And no. You’re just getting in the way. I need to reach the wound.”
Daichi blinked, seeming to suddenly understand. He adjusted the girl’s position in his arms to provide access to the affected arm.
“Ready!”
Suga rolled his eyes, concentrating again.
"If that's settled, can we proceed?" Sakusa grumbled, keeping the circle of shadows active.
“Ah, yes.”
Suga knew that Sakusa's powers worked best in the Underworld, which made maintaining that shield a considerable effort.
They walked quickly to the tent. Suga brought a stretcher as soon as they entered, and Daichi settled Kanoka carefully.
“Kanoka…” He sought her gaze. “Are you still conscious?”
She looked up with difficulty, her eyelids heavy, and shook her head slightly in denial.
“Okay, great. It’s going to be fine.”
The tent opened again with the arrival of two new demigods.
Bokuto entered clumsily, almost knocking over one of Demeter’s children, while Kenma appeared right behind him—silent as a cat—kneeling immediately on the other side of the girl.
“Kanoka, I’m going to touch your arm and you’ll probably feel a cold, numb sensation, but it won’t hurt, okay?”
She nodded once more. A purplish shadow appeared under Kenma's fingers at the spot where he touched her, spreading gently as Kanoka's breathing slowed. Gradually, her muscles relaxed until she closed her eyes and passed out.
“I can hold this for about 30 minutes, max,” Kenma warned, sitting cross-legged.
“I know, Kita is already preparing a healing potion.”
Suga watched Kenma work. The way the son of Persephone used his abilities was the antithesis of his own power. Hestia's heat restored, and Persephone's shadow suspended and neutralized pain, keeping life in stasis, essentially freezing the advance of death.
“It’s different. The venom. It’s not normal,” Suga murmured, rubbing his arms.
Kenma looked up, his golden eyes fixed on Suga.
"Did you try to cure it?"
“Yes, but the touch failed; it feels like the energy reversed. I’ve never seen a poison reject Hestia’s heat like that. It’s as if... it was made to hit us where we are strongest.”
Kenma frowned, a rare expression indicating deep concentration.
“Ah! I almost forgot.” Kenma pointed first at the three standing demigods. “You guys,” he said, pointing to Suga, “and you need to go to the center. Most of the dracaenae are there now, and Kuroo and Oikawa are up to something.”
“Kuroo and Oikawa?” Suga repeated, frowning slightly.
Kenma shrugged.
“Apparently, Oikawa ambushed him and asked him to create some kind of mirror that reflects light.”
“It’s true!” Bokuto spoke too loudly, making several heads turn inside the tent. “Ah, sorry! Anyway, I found Atsumu, and he was helping to get some materials for Bro to forge.”
"Bro?" Suga asked, confused.
“Kuroo,” Sakusa answered impassively. “Anyway, let's go. This place is bothering me.”
Suga shot him an indignant look, noticing Daichi give Sakusa a discreet elbow.
"What? I didn't lie," Sakusa whispered back.
Suga huffed softly and turned to Kenma, who was already watching him with his usual bored expression.
“Kita will be here soon; he’s the best among Asclepius’ children.”
Kenma nodded slightly. "Be careful."
Suga stood up, adjusting the staff in his hands, and headed out the door, followed by the other three in silence.
Daichi, for some reason, was walking very close to him, but he didn't comment—and Suga preferred to ignore it.
Strangely, the right side of the grounds was calm—probably because there was more light and little vegetation there. Still, Suga remained alert at all times. His eyes scanned the surroundings as he watched the children of Demeter, Asclepius, and Hestia helping the wounded move to safe areas.
A shiver ran down his spine without warning. Before he could react, his body was pushed to the ground.
Suga felt the weight of Daichi's body over his own in the next instant, protecting him while he raised his shield in the direction where he had been seconds before.
An intense flash exploded in the air and the sound of thunder echoed violently as Daichi fired lightning at the dracaenae.
Out of the corner of his eye, Suga saw Bokuto throw a jet of water into the air and knock down two monsters, while Sakusa moved in next, precise as a blade, driving the tip of his scythe and taking them down quickly.
"Are you okay?" Daichi asked, his voice husky, still on top of him.
Suga cleared his throat. "Yes, thank you," he replied, looking away.
“All good, we can keep going,” Bokuto informed right after.
Daichi stood up immediately, getting off Suga.
Still on the ground, Suga sat up and stood up quickly as he noticed Daichi reaching out his hand—silently refusing any help.
Bokuto’s comment came, full of energy: "That was close, huh! Daichi, what reflexes!"
He practically ran to his friend and gave Daichi a hard slap on the back.
Daichi opened his mouth to say something, but an excited voice interrupted him: “SUGA! Good to—”
Atsumu appeared running at high speed and braked sharply, almost colliding with Sakusa, who narrowly dodged.
"Idiot, watch where you're going!" Sakusa exclaimed coldly.
Atsumu straightened up immediately.
“It’s not my fault you’re practically invisible like that. All pale like that, blending into the shadows… who can see you, Omi-Omi?”
Sakusa turned his face away immediately, with an even colder expression.
“Omi… what? Don’t call me that.” He said curtly, as if the nickname had caused him physical pain.
Atsumu rolled his eyes.
“For the love of the gods, you are truly antisocial. And rude. Just like your father.”
“And you are annoying, loud, and inconvenient. Typical of your lot,” Sakusa retorted.
“Thank you! I love it when people recognize my talent,” Atsumu replied, satisfied.
Sakusa sighed, clearly losing patience. "Now I understand why everyone prefers your brother. At least he seems to have some common sense."
Atsumu let out a laugh, walked over to Sakusa, and placed his hand on his shoulder. Sakusa's body stiffened instantly.
“No way, Omi. He only pretends to behave well, but he’s worse than me, he just hides it better, silly. Besides, we’re not even in the same cabin.”
Sakusa brushed his hand off with two fingers, as if getting rid of something unpleasant.
“Don’t touch me.” He turned his back and started walking again.
“Hold on, man!” Atsumu gave a few hops until he was beside him. “Seriously, you should get some sun. Get some color. That way, maybe, just maybe, you’ll look like a person.”
Walking beside them, Suga let out an irritated grumble: "Sure... that’s super logical."
Daichi tried to hide a smile, looking down, while Bokuto let out a muffled giggle.
Sakusa turned slowly to Atsumu, his face completely neutral.
"Do you even know how to think?" he asked in a low tone. "Why on earth would I get sun being the son of the King of the Underworld?" Atsumu just smiled.
Sakusa raised an eyebrow, satisfied with the silence that followed.
As they approached the center of the camp, the air felt heavier. The ground was marked by traces of combat: broken arrows, pieces of armor, and dark stains that Suga preferred not to stare at for too long.
The sound of fighting grew louder. It was impossible not to feel the chaotic energy of that place, even before getting close.
A gust of wind cut through the path ahead with enough force to kick up dust and tear leaves from trees.
"That's definitely a son of Ares," Bokuto murmured, recognizing the palpable tension in the air.
Upon approaching, Suga could finally see the situation clearly, recognizing some faces in the midst of the chaos.
Iwaizumi, the third most powerful son of the Ares clan, was further ahead—his feet planted firmly on the ground, surrounded by chains of earthen energy that rose with every blow dealt against a group of dracaenae. With every impact, the ground vibrated; small stones rose around him as if obeying his fury.
Further back, in an elevated position, he saw Keiji focused beside Komori. The Athena son's power manifested in almost silent patterns—luminescent circles drawn in the air, each releasing strikes of pure elemental precision. The attacks were clean and calculated.
There were other demigods scattered around, fighting in small groups. On the south side, Hinata and Kageyama acted in perfect harmony: one immobilized with vines while the other advanced with precise spear strikes.
“The center is stabilized,” Daichi assessed quickly. “But it seems the number of living dracaenae is greater than the dead ones.”
Suga had to agree. Everyone there was fighting—even some teachers—but it still felt like they were at a disadvantage.
Hanamaki and Matsukawa were fighting near Iwaizumi, clearing a path and destabilizing the monsters so he could strike vital points with his spear-sword.
“Alright, then let’s split up. We really need everyone at their posts,” Suga murmured.
The others nodded their heads, running toward the chaos.
~ Akaashi ~
It felt like an eternity had passed since the moment he separated from his friends.
Akaashi took down another dracaena with Komori’s help before observing the center of the field. Something was very wrong and, if they continued like this, not even the children of Ares would be able to keep up this pace for much longer.
"Komori, I need to get to Iwaizumi-san." Akaashi called the blonde, who agreed promptly.
“He’s a bit ahead of us. If we run now, we can get close without alerting more of these monsters.”
“Let's go.”
They ran across the clearings in the field, dodging isolated attacks and taking down the occasional dracaenae that appeared in their path. Iwaizumi had a natural instinct for combat—perhaps the best among his siblings—and Akaashi needed to be near him to organize any kind of efficient response.
When they finally reached him, Iwaizumi had just defeated three monsters with a single spin of his spear-sword, the aura of power still vibrating around his body.
“Iwaizumi-san.” Akaashi approached, keeping in line with his rear while observing the enemy’s advance.
“Hey, Akaashi,” Iwaizumi replied without looking away from the field. Despite his absolute concentration, tension was noticeable in his shoulders.
For a moment, Akaashi felt that raw energy reverberate through him, almost as if the son of Ares' determination was sustaining everyone’s pace around him.
“Something is wrong,” he said, adjusting his stance so they both formed a stable front line. “The dracaenae formations are disorganized… but not randomly. It’s as if they are being pulled toward a point we can’t see yet.”
Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes, analyzing the more distant movement.
“I felt it too. They aren’t really attacking; they seem to be holding back, as if they are waiting for a signal or something more important.”
Akaashi nodded, feeling a shiver run down his spine. He was a son of Athena; he saw patterns. And the pattern here was that of bait.
"They are being drawn to a point we can’t see yet, Iwaizumi-san. The goal isn’t the center of the camp; it’s our exhaustion. They are concentrating us here. But why? What target did we leave defenseless by concentrating all our energy here?"
Before anyone could reach that conclusion, a voice echoed in the distance, cutting through the field.
“Children of Apollo, here! Now!”
Akaashi turned his face to the left flank, following the immediate movement of several demigods who were changing routes to answer the call. At the same instant, a strange metallic sound cut through the air—creaks, sharp snaps, and a deep vibration that made the ground beneath his feet tremble.
Kuroo was gathered with other children of Hephaestus a few meters behind the combat line. Metal plates rose and connected quickly, forming a curved structure with a reflective surface, supported by runes that still glowed intensely.
“A mirror…” Akaashi murmured, calculating the shape and already projecting its possible uses.
At the front of the newly formed formation, Oikawa positioned himself as the children of Apollo gathered at his side. Points of light began to condense in the air like living golden threads, slowly converging toward the same center.
The sound increased, becoming almost deafening.
The nearest dracaenae hesitated.
Some turned toward the construction, others simply interrupted their attacks, gripped by an instinctive reflex of perceived threat.
Akaashi felt the exact moment the enemy formation lost cohesion.
It was the opportunity they needed.
“Iwaizumi-san,” he called firmly, already adjusting the position of the nearby line. “This is the chance. Let's advance.”
Iwaizumi gave a crooked smile. "Right. Guide us, son of Athena."
Akaashi projected his voice: "Now! Advance through the center!"
The response was immediate.
Iwaizumi broke through the enemy line with full force, opening space for Hanamaki and Matsukawa to advance in sequence along the flanks. Akaashi followed two steps behind, ensuring the movements remained compact and synchronized.
Above, the light finally hit the mirror.
The impact fragmented into dozens of reflected beams, sweeping the field at multiple angles. The dracaenae’s camouflage shattered instantly, and the intense glow hit their shadowy bodies full-on.
Screams ripped through the air. Some creatures turned to dust before even touching the ground.
Others simply fell, blind and disoriented, becoming easy targets for the close-combat fighters.
The formation commanded by Akaashi kept the pace; he could see Atsumu running at high speed while firing his daggers simultaneously.
Oikawa and the other children of Apollo stood firm, despite having used much more power than usual.
“They are retreating!”
Akaashi heard Iwaizumi’s voice and looked toward the center, watching the monsters finally fall back.
Almost immediately, the children of Hecate joined together and began to cast a strengthening spell, reinforcing the camp’s magical barrier.
Almost instantly, everyone relaxed. The invasion had been contained.
But Akaashi pressed his lips together, forming a thin line.
Contained, yes. But not stopped from fulfilling its true purpose, whatever that may be.