letters | pjo leo.v

5┊oh Judas

What Leo needed was peace and a good nap, but being a demigod, it was obvious he was not getting it, even with his headache. It still was with him as he woke up in the empty field. Judas stood tall in front of him, only one face was facing Leo and he made his way forward towards the smaller boy.

"I see you've come to a junction," he said as he stepped aside to show a big path which was split into two. "Now, which path would you take?"

Leo looked at Judas with a big frown. Why bother appearing at all if all he was to do was to show him two paths. He appraises each path, wondering what each means. One, is just like a normal path, with flowers growing at the sides. It's coloured with dots of flowers, and a gentle breeze seems to blow him towards the path. It's definitely one of luxury, but it there is a sort of sting in Leo's eyes when he looks at it. His headache pounds in his head, like an alarm going off. He takes a deep breath and looks at the other path. It's bare and rocky. It looks dull compared to the other, but it feels more complete. Like it belongs there. The sudden greenery felt fake and temporary. He knows what that means, pick the barren one, but his headache isn't helping.

Thoughts of what happened today, his talk with you, what he should have said, all these possibilities swarm him, and his vision is clouded with anger when he locks eyes with the god in front of him. "What is this for? Why bother even showing up when you can't even help me a single bit?"

He can see Judas tense his jaw, his eyebrows furrowing, lips pursed into a thin line. He stays calm however, and doesn't react to Leo's harsh words. He wants a reaction, not just a statue.

"If you truly are a God, why can't you just... I don't know? Make this easier? I have a headache and it hurts like heck, I've been through shit and I expected things to finally be peaceful, but no!"

Leo can feel his chest burn, his thoughts the flame to his boiling anger. His regret and his confusion over you and Calypso, Calypso's disappearance, his talk with you recently, his past feelings-

The talk with Eros.

Judas seems to radiate heat, and Leo stops. He knows if he continues he will cross the line. Judas is just like every single greek god, selfish and not helpful, but he knows better than Leo, sometimes.

"I'm sorry," he says as he sags. His whole body deflates as the anger rushes out of him and he becomes numb like an empty vessel. "I just... I mean, after the talk with Eros, I thought I made the right choice... but now I'm not too sure if I have the power to do so..." He sits, crossed legged on the path as small clouds of dust rise. It helps cover the tears forming in his eyes.

His headache is persistent, and it pains him to know this won't be a good sleep.

Judas finally speaks for what seems like hours, taking a step forward and kneeling down. His big, massive, tall body is intimidating, but Leo controls his shakes. He has done that since young, controlling his tears and the way his shoulders will shiver when he wants to cry. He controls his fear now.

"I am here... not exactly to help-"

Leo holds down the temptation to roll his eyes.
"- but I know when I am involved in something, which is now..."

Leo looks up from the floor and looks at Judas as he turns sideways so he can see the profile of both his face. The other face rolled his eyes and scoffed at the demigod. "We can't help you decide which path to pick, that is your choice, we gods don't do everything for you, but, we can help you."

"How so? By giving me a gift?" Leo raises an eyebrow, not liking the attitude the other face is giving him, nevertheless, a gift from a god is a gift and Leo likes gifts.

The other face takes over, Judas's hands shaking as a way to say "no". He then nudges towards the splitting path and asks him to stand. "We won't do anything of such sort, we do not own much to give, however, we can give you insight to what you need and how you can get it if you ever pick a path-"

"Which you must," the other face interrupts. "Before you wake up, so do it quick."

Leo wants to think about it, knowing when Judas shows up it means the decision he's about to make is a really big thing, but his feelings tell him not to think. Just do. Just walk towards one of the path he thinks is the right. He takes a step towards the path littered with flowers accompanied with the soft breeze, but as he approached the path, his headache grows once again. He turns, and walks the barren path.

Judas nods both his head, one looking a little pleased while the other looked a little annoyed. Leo then stood his ground and turned to look at the god. "So what now?"

"Danger awaits you,
a curse to uplift,
you have picked your fate,
along you shall bring a gift."
"What gift? For who?"
"Why do we need to tell you? You were rude to us."
Leo snapped his fingers. Right. He was talking to a greek god.

"But you said you would help me."

"And we did," the same face replied. "Bring a gift."
"At least tell me for who!"

The other face shushes the other before giving him his answer. "Aphrodite."

Before Leo can ask more questions, however, Judas waves and he disappears in ripples of Leo's memory. When he wakes up, in cold sweat, all he remembers vividly are the details of the question and the poem that sends chills down his spine. It makes him feel a  mixture of both warmth and cold, and he doesn't know the exact reason why he's shivering so badly. He shakes, his headache still there, but less noticeable with the inarticulate emotions swirling in his gut. He has to find Calypso. He has to.