Son of Fire

Eighteen

"Someone watching you?" Chiron asked and we nodded.

"When we were in Percy's cabin, it was like someone was watching us." I said then Tyson spoke.

"And I heard someone growl from the back window, though there was no one there when we went around to check." He said then Chiron sighed.

"Well, only demi-gods, gods, and the few chosen humans can pass through the barrier. I don't know of any who have passed through-"

"Andy, are you okay?!" Dad asked as he suddenly appeared then I nodded as he looked at me. Ares showed up then he grabbed my arm, looking worried as he sighed.

"Son, someone passed through the barrier-"

"Wait, Andy is the son of Ares?!" Annabeth asked, but I looked at them both and sighed.

"Look, we're okay! Really, no one got hurt-"

"Chiron, a monster passed the barrier!" Ares said and growled at the centaur.

"How did this happen?!" He demanded, but I caught his arm and he looked at me.

"Ares, that's enough! This isn't Chiron's fault, it's no one's fault! Let's just- we gotta figure out who or what got past the barrier then we go from there." I said and they nodded.

"Chiron, get all of your campers to the sword arena, the gods are going to come here." Dad said and Chiron nodded, going to sound the alarm. The rest of us went to the tree then I circled it, staring as I saw the golden fleece was gone.

"The fleece is gone." I said and they looked upset.

"That means whoever took it-"

"They're the ones who got past." Annabeth cut off Piper and I nodded.

"Let's go, guys." I said and Nico grabbed my hand then we went to the arena where Chiron and the rest of the gods were.

"Chiron." I went to him and he looked at me.

"The fleece was stolen." I whispered and noticed the gods looked genuinely scared.

"Are you certain?" He asked and I nodded.

"Whoever took it, they knew that was the lifeline of the tree now." I whispered and he sighed, looking at the campers.

"I was just informed that Thalia's tree is dying once more, the golden fleece was stolen-" He stopped as whispers broke out, then he cleared his throat.

"The gods are going to remain here, help us protect the camp-"

"They're here to protect Andy, aren't they?!" Clarisse asked and I felt dad grab my shoulder then looked at them.

"Well, they're right to protect him." A female voice cooed then I turned, but stared as I saw Nico with a monster's hand on his throat, her claws digging into his skin ready to slice it open.

"Nico!" I cried, but as I stared, I realized something.

"Wait, Carrie?!" I asked and she grinned as everyone eyed her.

"Hello, Little Andy! I nearly had you, you were so close to being perfect for me, I nearly had your soul! Then your father found you and took you from me! Now, I'll make your soul perfect again! Though, this boy needs to die-"

"Don't touch him!" I snarled and fire lit in my hands, making her cackle as everyone stared, not sure what to do. Not even the gods seemed to know what to do.

"Touch him?! My sweet Little Andy, I plan on ripping his throat out!" She cackled then I saw the fear in Nico's eyes as he gripped her arm, though I knew that look when it changed from fear to something else.

"No, I won't do it!" I snarled at my boyfriend, but Carrie looked confused.

"Do it, Andy! It's your only chance-"

"No, fantasma!" I said then shook my head, feeling fear fill me as Carrie cut his throat with her claws.

"Shut up!" She snarled, throwing him to the ground. I stared as blood pooled under his head, her claws dripping blood, then I looked at her.

"Everyone, find cover!" Leo yelled, watching as fire licked up my arms and slowly covered me.

"You killed him." I breathed, dropping to my knees as I stared at Nico.

"Finally!" Carrie laughed then started to cackle.

"A soul, ripe for the taking!" She laughed, but I shook my head and screamed as grief filled me. I grabbed my head, screaming louder, then the fire flew out around me and burned everything it touched, except for Nico. I looked at him as he laid there motionless, Carrie screaming as she was burned alive, but I stood and went to Nico, grabbing him and hugging him close.

"Please, fantasma, you gotta wake up!" I cried, laying my head on his as I screamed again, the pain that I felt now nothing compared to what I felt when he had broken my heart.

Leo's POV
I hugged Piper tightly, everyone hiding behind the seats and walls of the arena, but the fire continued to rage around us, consuming everything it touched that wasn't made of Olympian stone.

"Leo, we gotta stop him before he burns the whole state!" Percy yelled, but I shook my head as Piper clutched my shirt.

"Only Nico can calm him down now! He's three parts god, he's losing control of his flames because the thing that leashed his humanity is gone!" I yelled over the sound of the fire whipping around us, but I saw even the gods were hiding.

"Why aren't they doing anything?!" Annabeth asked, but I stared as I saw Apollo's arm was burned.

"Because, he could burn them if they get touched by it too!" I said and tried to look at Andy, but my hair started smoking and I ducked back down.

"Hey, Hades, get your son back!" I yelled and he looked at me.

"He's dead-"

"And he's our only shot of calming down the fire guy!" I yelled then he looked confused, but nodded and closed his eyes, disappearing a second later.

"HADES, YOU BASTARD!" Aphrodite screamed, hugging Ares as he kept her from getting burned. Hades, you better have a plan to calm Andy.

Andy's POV
I held Nico close, running my thumb over his cheekbone, and wished he would open his chocolate brown eyes and smile at me and laugh with me again. I looked at what was left of Carrie then looked back down at Nico, my tears falling on his cheeks. I jumped as he gasped, the blood on his throat disappearing and his neck healing, then he looked at me and looked around.

"Andy, you have to stop!" He yelled, moving to stand on his knees. He held my cheeks then I shook my head, hugging him close. As I inhaled his scent, I felt the fire inside me cooling and the fire that was surrounding us slowly vanished, but my tears soaked his shirt.

"Fantasma!" I laughed, hugging him tightly as he hugged my neck, his head on my shoulder.

"I'm okay, Andy." He breathed, letting me hold him however long I needed in the burned remnants of the camp.