The Spirits of the Universe (PJO)

Chapter 52--We Meet Our Enemies

I think I've explained this at least a hundred times at this point, but the mythological world hates following rules. In fact, it would be accurate to say that anything in said world is allergic to rules. However, as a logical (believe it or not) human being, I often forget about this fact.

For example, after End had used her one free take-over-Percy's-body-without-complaint ticket, I'd thought that jurisdiction over my body was solely in my hands. However, as it turned out, that was all a lie; when End's emotions ran over in panic, she was harder to fight off than an angered bull whose sole goal is to handicap you.

It made me wonder how she and Order felt when my emotions were the ones overrunning. 

Anyways, my vision started darkening as I thrashed mentally, trying to break the thin ropes wrapping around my thoughts like dark nooses—tugging, pulling them to some dark part of my brain that even I was scared of entering. 

Alright End, we can talk about this, I said slowly. We don't have to fight. Just tell me what you need, and I'll for sure do it. Use your words, not your muscle, alright? We're in this together.

Fortunately, it didn't seem like End had lost her rationality yet. She relaxed her attack to the point where I could breathe normally. There's something I need in that caravan— a sword. I need you to—

Are you out of your mind? I'm not doing that!

I thought we were in this together!

That's when I thought you wanted to live! Right now, all I'm hearing is a death wish. 

"We need to get our of here before the scrapers come by," Aridne said. I must've looked confused, because she explained, "Some of the stealthier guards hang back behind the caravan. It's to prevent any small enemy parties from trailing them. It's a tactic that Niyomina's well known for using—and their instant communication crystals have caught several of our scouts by surprise. Unless you want to get tortured for information then disposed of, I'd hurry it up."

"Believe me, I'm trying," I told her. 

End was still screaming in my head when I tuned back in. You moron! I will give you my power—there's a chance we can overpower them. 

A chance? You really want to gamble our entire mission on that? C'mon, End—we've got all the information we need. We can come back for whatever you need when we're prepared—

I don't care! End screamed. Screw your mission. This is way more important. I need that sword to escape your damn mind!

A chill ran down my spine. All this time, I'd been thinking that End was urging me for the sake of my future. I'd completely forgotten that she had her own goals—goals that, given her violent personality, had no chance of lining up with mine. I was so close to agreeing with her . . . who knows how many wars she could start with just one caravan raid.

PERCY! she roared as I turned my back to the caravan. You take one step, and I'm never talking to you ever again.

You say that as if I wouldn't like that, I said drily. Even though I was being adamant, I was aware that I was rushing; this was a big decision. And it wasn't like End had been a detriment to the mission—rather, she'd been a benefit. If we lost her, there was no doubt that our progress would slow down.

Even though there was this much on the line, I felt at ease. Screw the past. End had made it clear that I couldn't trust her anymore. So . . . was there a reason to keep her on board anymore? 

Sure, losing another friend would take a toll on my mental state.

But I was used to it. All I could do was march on forward without daring to look back—the mission came first before my emotions.

So I took a step forward.

~~~

Unbeknownst to me, the moment after Aridne had teleported us back to the mayor's palace using the necklace, the bushes shifted, and a hulking man appeared in the clearing. He had several scars from rough battles running down his face, and even more on his arms. These were obscured from the sunlight by his armor, which, despite its clunkiness, moved like a second skin around the man. It was obvious that he was experienced at what he did.

The man knelt in the grass, and a band of equally tough looking soldiers crept up behind him. Without looking back, the man asked, "Any news, Athen?"

A guy with a red bandanna wrapped around his wrist stepped forward to report. "Sir Nyros, there's no movement within a twenty mile radius of the asset—excluding a trio of deer a mile south of us."

"It's been too calm," Nyros murmured to himself. He traced around a slight impression in the grass—a footstep.

My footstep. 

Upon seeing it, Athen tensed up like he'd said something wrong, but Nyros just held up a hand. "Run the search back—extend it to thirty miles."  

The soldiers saluted, then melted back into the forest.

Nyros stared at my footstep for a moment longer, then jogged behind the caravan.

A few minutes later, he came up behind the rear-most wagon, and the pair of guards there tensed—and then relaxed (well, if you could ever relax into a salute). "Welcome back, Sir Nyros!" one of them said.

"At ease, gentlemen," he said. "Where's Lady Niyomina?"

"You called?" One second, there was nobody; the next, a woman on a horse appeared out of the shadows.

The guards almost jumped off their horses in shock, but Nyros didn't even budge and inch, as if he was used to this. He quickly bowed without losing speed. "Lady Niyomina, I have your report for you."

"Right. But first . . . you two, please go to the front and fill my vacancy."

The two guards saluted. They urged their horses to move faster. They weren't even worried for a second that they were leaving their leader unprotected. 

Niyomina was too strong to even think about that.

The woman waited until they were two wagons forward, then turned back to Nyros. "Well, out with it. Is someone interested in us?"

"There's . . . a slight chance."

"Slight?"

Nyros' mouth tasted sour. "Beside slight traces of their presence, I can't track them. They are too experienced for me."

"You don't give out compliments to our enemies often," Niyomina remarked. 

Nyros hesitated. "Perhaps we should call for reinforcements—"

"No. Our party's barely small enough to be covered by the silencing artifact. Add even one more person, and this whole forest's going to be crawling with Chaos soldiers within the hour. We only have the resources here to fulfill our mission."

"I shall remember that, my lady." Nyros bowed. "I apologize for burdening you with my worries."

"Nonsense. I know better than to ignore the intuition of our leader's best tracker. But fear not—your anxiety will not turn into any future reality. Come here."

Niyomina ordered the caravan to stop, and Nyros followed her to the back of the second-to-last wagon. She unhooked the tarp and pulled out a slim, wooden box. In it was a blood red sword that pulsated with so much energy Nyros was afraid his heart might stop. "Is that . . ."

"They say that this was Chaos' sister, End's sword. Now, I'm not one to believe in such rumors, but seeing it in person makes it hard to doubt them." Her eyes were filled with sickening excitement, like she was racing to mutilate someone. "Do your job. If anyone decides to disturb us, be it mortal, Titan, or primordial—I will deal with it."