Hero of the Damned

Forgiveness

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson, nor Heroes of Olympus, Rick Riordan

Shad's POV:

"Welcome to camp..." I said as I took a step into the camp and started walked down the hill

"Everyone split up, we can cover more ground. We need to find clues" Annabeth said and I sighed as I wandered around the camp looking at how time has not been kind to the abandoned camp

I walked to the beach, and saw the canoes sunk to the bottom of the docks which loomed over dark and tainted water.

"What has happened..." I said as I knelt down and reached out to touch the water

"that is not a good idea oh 'Lord of Shadows'" A warm voice said and I turned to see Hestia standing behind me looking around sadly

"And why is that?" I asked

"The lake here is not only cursed, it is tainted by Poseidon's betrayal" She said sadly "Not even the hope of the hearth can sooth it's angry waves" Hestia finishes and I sigh

"I understand" I said as I stood up and looked back at the lake for a moment before walking to the old cabin nearby

"Who are you? You do not seem concerned about searching as much as the others..." Hestia asked as she followed me

"My name is Shad, and I do not care about this petty prophecy" I say as I reach Cabin Three and see it still standing in relatively good condition

The cabin was still standing and I grabbed the handle to the door and opened it gently to see the dust covered beds. It looked like no one had gone inside the cabin for centuries but as I looked closer nothing had changed since I left it. The fountain in the corner was still there though it was all dried up, but the scent of the fresh sea still lingered faintly.

"This... is different..." Hestia comments as she walks into the cabin

"How so?" I ask

"The past three hundred and thirty years the scent of this cabin has been that of rotten seaweed, repelling any and all who tried to enter it, but now it smells as it should... fresh sea air on a summer day" Hestia explained and I nodded as a thought hit me

"I think I know why the lake is poisoned" I said as I marched out and back over to the docks

"What do you mean?" Hestia asked and I looked at her

"The Styx was poisoned by dreams that were given up on. But the objects that land in its waters are duplicates. But those duplicates hold the pain of a forgotten dream" I say as I stare out over the dark waters "but if an object is powerful enough, that pain can linger with the original object" I say and Hestia looks confused

"What does that have to do with the water?" She asked and I smiled slightly as I looked at her

"It means I need to go for a swim" I say as I dive into the water

As soon as I enter, my entire body was engulfed in pain that was unimaginable. However, I pushed it to the far reaches of my mind as I willed the water to rocket me down deeper into the lake. As I went deeper, the water got darker and more painful but I pulled Riptide out and uncapped the sword letting its glow pierce the water before shooting deeper into the lake.

'Where is it...' I thought to myself as I neared the bottom of the lake

'What you seek is where it hurt the most...' a voice from in front of me said as a group of old naiads appeared