Half-Blood High

XXVI

       Hazel

"Why did we get the boring job?" Percy moaned for the eighth time. 

"I don't know." I said with a heavy sigh. He was starting to get on my nerves. I have half-hoping a monster or something or come along and give us some action. Or at least eat Percy and give me some peace and quiet.

He kicked at a chunk of black rock and sighed. "Do you have the time?"

I checked my watch. The face lit up, the Roman numerals indicating it was 5:43 pm. I told him, and he frowned. "The game ends at six." He glared at the pavement.

"That's not a whole lot of time left." I pointed out.

Percy shook his head. "I'm just wishing we'd gotten a more exciting job, like football field patrol. I'm in the mood for some cotton candy."

I shook my head. "Do you have your sword handy?"

He nodded. "Yep. I came prepared."

I nodded. "Cool."

That pretty much ended our discussion.

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        Leo

I had never been more scared in my life.

And that includes the time I had to try Aunt Rosá's tuna pepper casserole. Yuck.

Frank was staring at me, his eyes wide as dinner plates. Without another word, he grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the bathroom, around the building. Luckily, no one saw us.

"Hey, easy on the merchandise," I said. His grin was like steel on my forearm. He glanced at me, his face briefly apologetic, before letting go.

"Explain."

I sighed.

"You want to know about... the fire?" I held my hand out, and willed the flames to ignite. Fire blossomed in my hand, a burning red-gold flame. Frank took a few steps back.

"Yes. And could you put your hand out? It's making me uncomfortable." He eyed me nervously, even after I'd killed the flames.

"Well, the truth is, I don't know.

I've always been able to do it. I've been making flames for as long as I can remember. But I haven't done it in a while. And I never knew why. Until now. I think it's a side effect from my godly parent. And sorry if I scared you with it. I probably should have warned you. My bad." I took a breath. It felt kind of good to be able to tell someone about it after so long. Kind of like having a large rock lifted off my chest. Or shoulders, whichever.

Frank rubbed his forehead. "So, you've been able to do this for years, and you've never told anyone? Do Piper and Jason know?"

"Yes and no. I mean, if I told someone, they'd probably lock me up in a mental facility or something."

He nodded. "True. I think you should tell Chiron. He might be able to figure out who your godly parent is."

I shrugged. "I'll tell him, I guess. But about the whole godly parent thing... I just don't know." From what I'd learned in Greek Mythology class, none of the the major Olympians could control fire. Sure, Heztia was the goddess of the hearth and home, but she was a maiden goddess, and would never have kids. Then there was Hephaestus, god of the forges. But he didn't have fire abilities either.

Frank frowned. "Okay well, now that we've got that problem addressed, we should get back to patrol."

I nodded. "For once, I agree."

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          Annabeth

"Piper," I hissed. "Piper!"

She spun around and nearly slipped on the damp floor. I grabbed her arm and steadied her. We were in the Labyrinth, following Luke. It made no sense as to why he was down here. Piper showed no sign of turning back, and I could not leave her down here by herself.

"What?" She whispered.

"Are you sure this is the way he went?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Now let's keep moving."

She and I crept along,trying to stay far enough behind so that we wouldn't been seen, but close enough that we couldn't get lost. I saw glimpses of Luke's blond head, torchlight glinting off it, making it shine. My gut twisted with every step.

This was wrong. Luke couldn't be down here. Shouldn't be down here. Chiron had said that only us, himself and Lupa knew about the Labyrinth.

Right?

I struggled to remember, glaring at the ground. This was probably what caused me to run into Piper.

She let out a quiet "oomph!" And glanced at me in surprise. I started to ask why she'd stopped, but she put a finger to my lips and pointed ahead, to a pair of all-to-familiar black doors.

The Atrium.

The doors were cracked open just a tad, enough for us to peek inside. Piper and I grasped the edge of the door and peered around it. I held back a gasp.

The Atrium had changed. The floor was strewn with weapons and scrolls in a near-careless fashion. On the walls, in between the torch sconces, hung tapestries. On of them depicted a tortoise, another a staff with two snakes curled around it. Yet a third was decorated with a winged helmet.

Hermes. The room was meant to represent Hermes.

Luke was standing in the middle of it all, holding a double-edged sword. It gleamed wickedly in the torchlight, and one side seemed to be darker than the other. He was on one knee, head bent, sword out like he was offering it to some unseen entity.

"My Lord," He voice echoed in the chamber. "Now is the time. The fool Chiron has allowed many demigods to gather together. They are helpless. I suggest we strike now."

"I already know this. Were you not informed? I have already planted soldiers in their midst, soldiers who will take out the youngest of them."

"Take out? Surely you don't mean-."

"Kill them. We are in a war, are we not ?"

I swear I saw Luke's hands shaking. "But my Lord, they are only children. Why not take them captive, and use them as leverage?"

"You know just as well as I do that the Olympians would not look twice at their children. Your own father, Hermes-."

Called it.

"He left you with your madwomen of a mother, left you to fend for yourself. It is a lucky thing I found you, and chose you for a greater fate then you deserve, Luke Castellan. Or are you so ungrateful, that you would question my plan?"

Luke's Adam's Apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. "No, my Lord. I apologize. You know best." He forced the last words out like they were choking him.

"Yes. And now, I command you, Luke Castellan, you will act as my vessel."

"My Lord?"

Out of nowhere, the wind began to pick up. It blew Luke's hair around, tugging at his clothes. Despite it, the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees.

Luke stood up as the winds swirled around him, trapping him in the middle. He threw his head back in a silent scream, as a gust of dark wind tugged free from the funnel. It shot toward his face, straight down his throat. He closed his eyes, going limp like a rag doll.

All at once, the winds stopped. Luke blinked, once, twice, then smiled cruelly. A voice that was not his own, the voice of Kronos, boomed out of him.

"Yes. This will do just fine."
. . .
And now Luke has Kronos inside him again.

Thoughts?

Peace ✌️

-SilverQuillsandRoses