When You're Gone

No Return

Hazel woke up to the sound of the horns in the middle of the night.

Annabeth opened her cabin door, expression blank. "It's time."

Hazel nodded; she'd been preparing herself for war and bracing herself of losing close friends for days. This was the dreaded day and the reason she was even doing it.

"How did you open the door?" Hazel started to strap her armor on. She'd learned it from the legion, and she was perfectly legitimate to do it on her own. Even the Ares cabin can't beat that. "I locked it."

Annabeth tossed a copper wire behind her. "One of my charms. Let's get going before Sherman berates us. I'm so done with him."

Hazel strapped her sword on her waist as Annabeth waited for her. She knew that Annabeth was anxious for this war to end or never come. Sherman never bothered her.

When Hazel walked out of her gloomy cabin, the blazing torches' light hurt her eyes. She was never a morning person, but this was in the middle of the darkest parts of the night where Nico and she were usually still awake, lurking in their cabins like vampires prowling for blood.

Demigods rushed everywhere. Rachel made herself useful by running around bringing bows, swords, and quivers to cabins. Calypso's invisible servants fitted every demigod with their weapons, freshly polished and sharpened. Clarisse and Sherman inspected every cabin.

"Clarisse's back," Hazel noted.

Annabeth nodded listlessly. "Came back as soon as she heard the news. Every demigod who left for college... they returned. Travis, Katie, and more. Just wish it wasn't for this stupid war."

Her tone usually had a deadly edge to it like she would be talking about sunshine and cats one second and the next she's holding a sword to your throat. But tonight it seemed anxious.

"The Romans are efficient and quick," Annabeth said. "You should know that. They intend to destroy Camp before dawn. Gaia sees that pride. That's why she chose Camp Jupiter instead of us."

Hazel glanced nervously at the young campers, who were no more than ten, weeping by the Hermes cabin while Piper consoled them.

She chewed her lip and hurried forward. They had to win this war. They had to.

"You're late," Clarisse declared, ushering campers into a war formation. "You stand behind with the archers. Perhaps your powers can come in handy."

Hazel looked like she hit an invisible wall. Annabeth sighed and nudged Piper at the back with the archers and the children of Hecate.

What powers did she have? She could raise diamonds and jewels and riches from the ground, but she doubted that the Romans would appreciate little sparkle in their carnage.

No. There's more to it than this, she told herself. She could use her power to disarm the Romans! She could disarm Percy and Reyna and have them hostage! But then over two hundred demigods would have their heads for this.

But Reyna knows about Gaia. Would she play along? Would she betray her own legion once more? Does she know the sacrifices for this war alone?

"Chin up! Winners don't whine!" Holly barked on her right. "If you speak the truth, we'll beat it into the Romans! If they still don't get the point, we'll stab it into them!"

"There's nothing to fear! You're the third best!" Laurel quipped. "Next to me and my sister, of course. I'm the best!"

"No, I am!" Holly argued.

"You're just jealous!"

"You two, stop it! You're like squabbling chickens," Clarisse snapped. "Hazel, you know how to use your powers. Disarm the Romans and we will not kill them unless necessary."