Dishonored: Son of Death

Chapter 7: The Campfire

Abigail pulled me with her to the campfire she talked about. When we got there, the place was full of people. We sat next to Tyler.

"It seems like the whole camp is here." I said in awe.

"That's because they are." he said.

There was a semi-ring of people, huddled around this multicored central bonfire. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Well, everyone except Clarisse, who was glaring daggers at me. It looks could kill, I would be dead by now. Next to the fire, in the center was Chiron and the man from the Big House yelling about wine and diet coke.

"Hopefully you'll get claimed." said Abby.

"What does that mean? Getting 'claimed'?" I asked.

"It means that your godly parent let's you know that you're his or her's. It'll be shown by their symbol glowing bright above your head."

"Okay, everyone. Settle down." said the wine man. "We're going to move on to the campfire songs" he said in a very bored voice. "for the thousandth time in the row." he mumbled, forgetting he was in the middle of an amphitheater.

"Who is that guy?" I asked Abby. "I've seen City Watch guards more upbeat than him."

"That's Mr. D." she replied. "He's the leader of the camp."

"He doesn't seem to like his job that much." I said.

"That's because he's forced to be here. A long time ago, he was after a nymph that his father, Zeus, declared off limits. So as punishment, he has to be here for about a hundred years." said Tyler.

"Well maybe he'll learn his lesson here." I said hopefully.

Abby was about to reply, until Mr. D turned towards me.

"Ah, a new camper. As if we don't have enough already. Come down here and sing us a song."

There was some laughing in the background. Especially from where Clarisse was at.

"A... song?" I asked confused as I walked down the steps.

"Of course" he replied. "It's only fitting for the new guy to sing for us at his first campfire with us." He had a cruel look in his eyes. I could tell he was looking to make me as embarrassed as possible. I wonder if he was like this with everyone.

"Fine" I said. "I'll sing you a song."

I turned towards the crowd. Clarisse was chuckling with her siblings. Abby and Tyler were looking at me with pity. I remembered only one song, one my mother had sung to me. I often heard whalers sing it on the docks, packing for the years they will spend overseas. I cleared my throat, and began.

"What will we do with a drunken whaler,

What will we do with a drunken whaler,

What will we do with a drunken whaler

Early in the morning."

I heard even louder laughter coming from Clarisse.

"Way, hey, and up she rises,

Way, hey, and up she rises,

Way, hey and up she rises

Early in the morning.

Stuff him in a sack and throw him over,

Stuff him in a sack and throw him over,

Stuff him in a sack and throw him over

Early in the morning."

Laughter started filling the whole amphitheater. Mr. D was trying to conceal it, and Chiron, Abby and Tyler were embarrassed. I didn't care. I kept singing.

"Feed him to the hungry rats for dinner, Feed him to the hungry rats for dinner,

Feed him to the hungry rats for dinner

Early in the morning.

Way, hey, and up she rises,

Way, hey, and up she rises,

Way, hey, and up she rises

Early in the morning."

The laughter started to die down. Some kids had confused looks on their faces. "Is that how it goes?" one kid asked. "It sounds kinda violent for a nursery rhyme." I kept singing. Mr. D and Chrion had a strange look on their faces. As if they've heard it before, and had bad memories of it.

"Shoot him through the heart with a loaded pistol,

Shoot him through the heart with a loaded pistol,

Shoot him through the heart with a loaded pistol

Early in the morning.

Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver,

Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver,

Slice his throat with a rusty cleaver

Early in the morning. "

The amphitheater was quiet, except for me. They were all staring at me, deathly pale. What got into them?

"Way, hey, and up she rises,

Way, hey, and up she rises,

Way, hey, and up she rises

Early in the morning."

It was dead silent. Everyone was still staring at me. I turned to Chiron and Mr. D, but they were staring too.

"What?" I asked. "Never heard the Drunken Whaler before?"

"I should have known." Said Chiron. "That marking, the mask, the song... the parent..."

I was about to ask what he meant, until I realized that they weren't looking at me, they were looking at something above me. I looked up, and saw a floating symbol above my head. It wasn't glowing though, like Abby said it would. Just the opposite. It seemed to absorb the light from the fire. It was a black holographic skull floating above me.

"It is determined." said Chrion. "Hades, Death Bringer, Lord of Riches, King of the Dead. All hail Nikolas Crane, son of the Death God."