Chasing The Dark

Chapter 1 - Thanatos Called Early

Apollo never stopped to think, not even for one second, why Dionysus was always so bitter.

Sure, taking care of half-bloods ('babysitting demigod brats' Dionysus called it) on Earth wasn't a dream job, but it wasn't exactly bad.

That perception kind of change after his first encounter with a group of them.

Some kids of Hermes were hiding behind a bush and staring at their next target that, according to the line of sight, were a group of tanning, lazy and shallow Aphrodite's girls. Apollo's kind of girl. He walked to the Hermes' kids slowly and tapped one on the shoulder, getting his attention.

"Hey..." he greeted them, smirking. The kid nodded at him and went to look back to his target "What are we doing here?"

"We're waiting for the Aphrodite's girls to put on some lotion-" the boys words were muffled by one of his siblings' hand, who was looking at Apollo, apologetically.

"We're on scout duty, Lord Apollo" the other guy lied through it. Apollo knew it right away. Besides being the god of prophecies, music, sun, poetry and else, he was the god of truth. He knew when someone was lying to him.

"And you're scouting the Aphrodite's girls because...?" Apollo left the question open, for them to complete it.

"They can't defend themselves?" a third guy ventured a guess, looking a bit consern.

"C'mon, guys! It's obvious you're pranking them!" Apollo noticed, his smirk not even faltering a second.

"Please, don't punish us" the youngest one beg, lowering his head down. It was obvious he heard stories about how little understanding gods are.

"I'm not gonna-" Apollo's negative was cut by a piercing scream. A girly, ten folds scream.

The Aphrodite's girls fell into the prank.

And they were pissed off.

In a blink of an eye, the Hermes' kids flew from the scene, leaving Apollo by himself, wondering what on Hades' had happened.

~oOo~

Three days after the Aphrodite's girls incident, campers avoid them. They must had though he was gonna pulverize them, or something, because they treated him with respect. And even bow.

"Rachel?! Hello?!" he called his pythia (well, she wasn't his pythia anymore. But, since she hosted his oracle for the first time in a long time, he kind of grew fond to her. He was like an older brother to her, or so he wanted to think), walking inside her cave.

It was Winter Break and, half the campers were out in the mortal world to celebrate Christmas and New Year with their families. Rachel, however, said that she was gonna spend the holidays at Camp, because (and he'll quote here) 'she was sick of going to fancy snob parties with her parents where, the main goal was, either business or setting her up'.

"Yes?" she called back, walking into his view. Rachel's frizzy curly red mane was pulled up in a bun, except for some rebel strands falling in her face. She was wearing some blue capris and a white tank top, splattered with paint all over it "Oh, hey Pollo" she greeted him, casually.

"You're working?" he questioned, plopping down in her couch and turning the Netflix on. Rachel rolled her green eyes at him.

"Well, I need to find myself useful in this world now" she replied, sarcastically. Apollo chuckled, dryly "What brings you here?"

"I don't like being ignored" he admitted, looking for a show to watch "Campers are ignoring me. You never do"

"Campers are ignoring you?" Rachel questioned him, hands in her hips "What did you do?"

"Nothing! Or, that I least remember..." he acknowledged, thinking "There was this prank with the Aphrodite's girls a couple of days ago-"

"Ah, the 'Mustard Incident' as they call it..." Rachel nodded "I know why now..."

"Well?" Apollo wasn't a patience god. He wanted all, now.

"Pollo, they've been under Mr. D's watch for decades... Either they play low or they got turned into dolphins!" she explained to him "And you, catching them, well... Artemis always threaten boys into jackalopes... What would you do?"

"I get it, I get it" he recognized "It's just... Is really boring here!!" he complained.

"Rachel!! Rachel!!" a girl yelled from outside, her voice getting stronger "Rachel, have you seen- Dad!!" Apollo turned to face Kayla, one of his many daughters. Her blonde hair was pulled back with a headband and she looked at the verge of tears.

"Kayla, what's wrong?" Rachel asked her, making her face her.

"It's- it's Will... He's dying..." Both, Apollo and Rachel, paled at the information. Rachel, because Will was like a brother to her. Apollo, well...

"Close you eyes" Apollo ordered. The girls looked away from him and he flashed away.

~oOo~

By the time Rachel and Kayla reached the Infirmary, Apollo was already searching in the basement some remedy for Will's illness. When he was assigned the new Head Director of Camp Half-Blood, Zeus strictly forbid him to heal demigods if their wounds were minimum. Bone fractures, cuts, internal bleeding, he couldn't help much around them. That's why he kept away from the Infirmary.

But this was different. Will was dying and, apparently, it was lethal. His breathing was forced and he was burning up in fever, laying very still on the bed. He mumbled random words, not making sense at all. His body was considerably fin, if you don't count the cuts around her arms and the two tiny incisions in his ankle. They were too tiny, Austin missed them when he was checking his own brother.

"Dad!! Hurry up!!" Austin screamed at Apollo, fear evident in his voice. Apollo began to search faster until he found what he was looking for: sunlight. Sounds silly and some might have said 'Take him outside'. But this wasn't just an ordinary sunlight. This was sunlight from Helios' titanly form. Since he was on the sun gig before him, Helios could see it all and that's what Apollo needed. Light.

"Everyone, out of the Infirmary, now!!" he ordered when he came back. All the healers and nurses quickly started to leave "Wait!!" he stopped them "Take Will to my office" he changed his mind. He couldn't unleash the light without killing unintentionally the rest of the patiences. Austin and another camper moved Will to the newly remodeled office. Seymour, the leopard's head was replaced by a flat TV screen. The carpets were gold and the walls were painted yellow. Very lightly.

As soon as Will was placed, everyone left and Apollo opened the bottle. He placed it in an angle that allowed him to see, but it didn't kill Will, who was grunting in pain. Immediately, the tiny incisions on Will's ankle started to glow and drip blood. Only then, Apollo knew the problem and started to sing his mayhem. Once he finished, Will's skin was redder and he was exhausted. But he was awake enough for the pleased sighed out of Will's mouth.

"Angel..."