Elves and Demigods

Chapter 18 - Linh

Warning: The end of this chapter has some bloodshed.

"Why do you want that?" Nico demanded.

"What?" Octavian asked innocently. "Doesn't a demigod have the rights to meet his dad?"

"Not this demigod", Frank said. "And we all know that your intentions aren't restricted to family bonding. So you might as well drop the act".

Octavian growled. "I swear that's all I want to do".

"What happened to 'the Graecus stand in our way and must be burned to the ground'?"

"I will see about that later. One last time: Let. Me. See. My. Father".

There was silence before Hazel said, "We will have some conditions".

"You will be escorted by Roman soldiers", Frank said.

"And you cannot do anything except wait for Apollo to descend and then talk to him".

"You will only get twenty minutes and then you will remain in our custody untill we decide what to do with you".

"What to do with me?" Octavian asked.

"You are an enemy of Rome. Now, do you except the conditions?"

Octavian sighed. "Fine".

Linh wondered how Hazel and Frank's decisions were so alike, when they didn't even discuss their thought. She wondered if they were secret telepaths or something.

"Then we shall go right now", Hazel said.

"Custodibus!" Frank called.

Linh didn't know what that meant but she guessed that Frank was calling guards. Two people- one boy and one girl- matched into the room. Both of them wore purple T-shirts and armor, spears slung across their backs.

"Yes, Praetor?" The girl asked.

"Please escort Octavian here to Apollo's shrine. We will accompany you, but Octavian is not to be let out of your sight. If he shows any resistance, you have my order to kill him".

"Yes, Praetor", the boy said.

"I have a bad feeling about all of this", Wylie said.

It took a second for Linh to register his words. She was watching Sophie and Keefe, standing just on the other side of the altar. Sophie was whispering something in Keefe's ear. Whatever she said made him blush. Sophie grinned and her ears turned slightly bright.

"I know", Linh told Wylie. "This person- Octavian- doesn't seem very nice. The other demigods are usually so sweet but it seems like they can't stand to be around him".

"He was saying something about destroying the Greeks . Do you think he is going to attack Camp Half-blood?"

"Or maybe he has already done that before. Clearly he wasn't successful. Maybe he is back for revenge".

Wylie sighed deeply. "Will the Neverseen ever stop causing life-threatening problems?"

"We can't predict that", Linh said softly. "But we can fight back. We can't give up, no matter how many times we lose. If we do, we would be giving the Neverseen exactly what they want". Without thinking, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Wylie's cheek. He looked surprized- and so was Linh- but when she saw his face turn scarlet, she couldn't help but giggle.

From afar, Sophie and Keefe were staring at them. When the caught Linh's gaze, Sophie smiled and gave her a thumbs up. Keefe just looked at them wistfully. Linh suddenly had an urge to gently push him closer to Sophie.

Linh waved her hands a little and summoned a fist-size ball of water and began shaping it into little alicorns.

The demigods had just completed their summoning ritual. Octavian was standing in the center of the shrine, flanked by guards on each side. Frank, Hazel and Nico were right behind them and the elves stood in front of them.

Then there was the light familiar. Everyone shielded their eyes, after which, the god Apollo stood in their midst.

"I heard a summons?" He asked. "Hey there", he told Keefe, smiling strangely at him.

"Yes, Lord Apollo", Frank said. "Your son here wanted to meet you".

"My son? Is it Will? Or Austin?"

"Octavian".

At first Apollo just frowned and then he noticed the skinny boy in the centre of the room for the first time. His eyes widened to the size of baseballs and all the color drained from his glowing face.

"You", he said. He jumped back. "Please don't talk to me, don't come near me, I'M NOT YOUR FATHER!"

"What?" Octavian simply asked. "I'm not going to eat you".

"It would be merciful if you did", Apollo wailed. "You are a disgrace of a son".

Octavian just rolled his eyes.

"I'm going back", Apollo said.

"Wait! I have to give you something".

Apollo narrowed his eyes.

"It's from my mother. She wantd me to give it to you".

Apollo faltered. "She what?"

Octavian fished out something that looked like a coin.

Apollo took it from him. Upon examination, he said, "Hey this looks like-" he was interrupted by a bright orange and purple light coming from the coin. And it swallowed him.

Apollo had disappeared.

Then the soldiers behind Octavian brought down their spears, and his blood splattered the ground.