Age of Chaos and the Reign of Darkness

V. Ajax

Ajax saw everyone sitting in the amphitheater, joking around, some were sitting with musical instruments. Nico and Jason followed by Percy dragged him to a spot beside the others.
'Did we miss anything', Nico asked.
'Nothing important', Annabeth replied.
'Just Lou Ellen running around and stealing everyone's nose', Leo laughed.
'I wasn't ready', Will shied. Everyone laughed and Ajax felt happy. He realised he has not felt that for a long time.
'Is he claimed yet?', Piper asked pointing at Ajax.
'No', Percy replied with his mouth full of marshmallows.
'I wonder', Calypso said, 'Is he ADHD or dyslexic or maybe lactose intolerant?'.
'Are you?' Nico asked.
'I don't think so. I mean, I am no genius but I manage well in studies. Reading or spelling is not really a problem', Ajax replied. 'And well I did the part of a tree in a play which was an hour long and Harlan was a goat. Now I realise why he enjoyed munching on the grass so much. Anyway, I am not lactose intolerant either coz the only delicious thing in our cafeteria was the milkshake.'
'You stood still for an hour? You are gonna drive me crazy', Leo looked mortified.
'This is getting nowhere', Will said.
'Hey guys, Chiron's here', Percy said.
'Heroes, before we begin the song I would like to introduce you to the new camper Ajax Apeiro', Chiron's voice boomed.
Ajax felt uneasy with all the eyes on him but he waved a little and he saw Chiron give him a warm smile.
'And now, a few words from the Oracle, Rachel', Chiron said.
A girl with auburn hair stepped on the dais at the centre beside Chiron. She had freckles on her face. She started speaking, 'Well Chiron, the Oracle is still not responding. So no prophe-'
She suddenly went still and started to sway like she was having a seizure or something.
'What's happening guys? Is she okay?' Ajax asked nervously. He was no doctor but he knew that was something to be worried about.
'Shhh...', Harlan said. 'She is going to say a prophecy.'
Three guys brought a stool and eased her onto it. Her eyes were total grey and a grey snake made of smoke or mist materialised out of thin air. It spiralled around the stool and it seemed that Rachel was surrounded by the night sky. No...her shawl had changed into a fabric made of stars. She would've looked quiet glamorous with that shawl on if she was not looking so paralyzed. Ajax was honestly nervous.
'Okay, that's something new. Never saw her doing this', Harlan  whispered to Ajax.
She slowly opened her mouth and spoke in a voice that wasn't hers. It was not an old person's voice but rather ancient. She started speaking-

The beginning of everything, her end is none
Her blessing can save what little will be left of us
Three brothers who ruled for eons
Shall descend upon Earth one by one
Another two must fight for their place
Till one, an endless depth shall engulf.

A war more brutal than any you have fought
Shall be waged on a land carved by her own hands
Forces more ancient than time itself
Will choose a side and meet their fate
An enemy who was spared, a father who was killed
Friends who were left in the depth to despair
Shall all come forward when you will call for help
And when all the warriors have fought their best
And all the fallen have forever slept
Then a brother's sacrifice to the ancient throne
Will either restore or change what you now call home.

'Was that a prophecy?' Ajax heard someone say but before anyone could respond, the campfire was extinguished.
'I got that', Leo said as he lifted his hand. A fire appeared in his palm but that went off as quickly as it started. 'Wait a second', Leo looked shocked. He tried to restart the flames but all he could manage were sparks.
Suddenly the night got darker. A fierce wind blew and a voice floated in the amphitheater, 'All the wars and bloodshed and all my sister could manage was a wake-up spectacle for me. Twice Olympus was on the verge of falling but no worries, I have sorted that out for you.'
Darkness got dense and a man materialized in front of them. That guy looked more handsome than Tristen McLean which was saying something.
He stepped forward and said, 'So you all are the ones who defeated Gaia; not much, puny demigods. I expected more but then again she is my little sister, can't expect much from her either.'
He casually strolled to the centre and picked up a piece of wood, examined it, then dispersed into darkness.
At this Percy got up and said, 'Who do you think you are?'
'Just a few millennia and everyone forgets you', he grumbled. 'I am Erebus, impersonification of Darkness, the first immortal, the first ruler, creator of the Underworld.'
Huge storms of darkness swirled behind him. Black lightning crackled and everyone felt like they were being suffocated in darkness.
'You said you created the Underworld. How about we give you a tour', Nico got up pulling out his sword. Percy and Jason followed his suit.
Then Erebus smirked and raised his hand, a gleaming pitch black sword appeared in it.
Percy yelled, 'For Olympus', and the three of them charged.
But even before they could start, all of them were thrown back just from one wave of Erebus' hand.
All the demigods were shocked from what happened. Erebus stepped forward and said, 'You call yourself heroes, pfft... no wonder you called the name of Olympus for the battle. The Olympians are just as pathetic as you; a watered down version of the primordial gods. They never were and could never be our equals.'
Suddenly a rock hit Erebus between the eyes. It did nothing apart from infuriating Erebus.
Ajax said, 'You can't even dodge a stupid rock.' Ajax was scared out of his wits and he didn't know where that stupid courage to throw a rock at a man who just swatted away Percy, Nico and Jason like flies, came from. Why the hell did you do it? Are you crazy? Now he will kill you so enjoy that tour of the Underworld, Nico was talking about. Ajax thought miserably.
Erebus just flicked his hand and a wave of darkness pushed Ajax towards him. He grabbed Ajax's neck and picked him up and smashed him against the Earth. Then he said, 'A little show of power would be nice perhaps.'
Then a huge cyclone of darkness touched down around them. Ajax heard people yelling, archers drawing their bows not sure what to shoot down.
Suddenly Ajax's hand started glowing white. He grabbed Erebus' hands. Both their hands started hissing and smoking.
Erebus' eyes widened in disbelief. 'But this isn't possible. She couldn't possibly do it.'
Then a searing glow broke through the cyclone and the twister disappiated.
Erebus looked a little hurt but in that handsome kind of a way (if that's really a thing). A portal of darkness opened behind him and he walked into it saying, 'Mother strikes again but don't worry brother this is not the end. I'll be back. Till then try not to miss me much.'
When Erebus had gone. All the campers, satyrs and Chiron really registered what had happened. Chiron gravely said, 'War council, report to the Big House and others, curfew is in effect.' And he trotted away.
Panic broke through the campers. Councillors tried to lighten the situation but failed.
Then Calypso climbed to the top stands and yelled, 'Everyone calm down. Now councillors, take your campers to the cabins and then return to the Big House for council meeting. Don't panic. This is no different than any of the crazy gods we have handled before. Now go to your cabins.'
Her voice had a soothing tone and a wave of calmness spread through the panicked crowd. Everyone got in order.
Annabeth and Piper came running to Ajax. 'Are you okay? Is your ribcage fine? The way he smashed you was terrifying.' Piper was genuinely worried.
'Yeah...I am fine. Just a little shaken', Ajax replied. 'Where is Harlan?'
'He is probably with Chiron. Maybe trying to contact Mr. D. Anyway let's go. It's time for you to get sorted', Annabeth said.

Ajax met Harlan somewhere on the way to the Big House. Harlan was by his side while the girls were arguing about something.
'Why didn't you tell me that you can control light?' Harlan asked. 'Oh right, you didn't know that yourself. But if you could have figured it out earlier, it would have been so useful at night in the school when we sneaked into the kitchen to steal cookies.'
Ajax only said, 'What's going to happen to me at the council?'
'We will decide how to kill you', Harlan joked to lighten Ajax's mood.
'Harlan!' both the girls said in unison.
'Just kidding', Harlan quickly added.
In the council room, Ajax sat beside Harlan. The war council was held in the rec room with a ping-pong table in the middle and a leopard head called Seymour which hung to the wall.
When all the councillors came as well as Chiron in a wheelchair the meeting started. Ajax didn't know what kind of wheelchair can hide the entire back portion of a centaur but whatever worked.
Chiron said, 'Councillors, swear upon the River Styx that you will not tell anyone about whatever we will discuss in this meeting.'
Ajax whispered to Harlan, 'What do I do?'
'Just say, I swear upon your terms', Harlan whispered back.
When all the councillors took the oath, Chiron began, 'We all know Erebus has risen from the depths of Chaos again. I guess Annabeth has already figured everything out. So, Annabeth lead away.'
Annabeth got up and said, 'You all saw how Ajax stood up to Erebus. Ajax seems to have power over light and this seems to counteract Erebus' darkness. And later before going, Erebus called Ajax his brother. But this would only be possible if  Erebus and Ajax would have the same mortal parents. But Erebus  isn't a demigod, in that case councillors, I present to you Ajax Apiero, son of Chaos, the creator herself. Any questions?'
All eyes went straight to Ajax. He felt like hiding his face or running away. He didn't know what being a child of Chaos really meant. But from the kind of look everyone was giving him, it was either super bad and villany or super important.
I will ask the other children of Chaos in the camp. They will definitely help me out. Ajax assured himself.
Percy said, 'That clears it up.' 'Yeah', Jason said. 'So we have a demigod who is a child of Chaos, probably the first one ever and oh, how can I forget, a deadly world ending prophecy at hand to deal with.'
What? No child of Chaos at camp. This means trouble. Ajax thought uncomfortably.
'Let's figure out the prophecy so we can go on a quest and kill a couple hundred monster. Who are the three brothers?' Clarisse asked happily. Probably the only one happy in that room.
'We will do that once Mr. D returns to camp. We sent him an urgent message. He'll be back soon', Chiron replied.
As if on cue, a door materialised beside Chiron and a man in a burned purple track pant, shirt and a leopard print running shoes stumbled through. He was totally burned and badly hurt and his blood...his blood was golden.
'Mr. D!' Chiron said. 'Get him up.' The others eased him onto a chair and he somehow managed to say, 'Dear centaur, everything is gone...everything.'
'Tell us what's wrong Mr. D?' Chiron asked in a soothing voice.
'Olympus...Olympus, Chiron', Mr. D sputtered blood.
'Yes, Mr. D.'
'Olympus has fallen!'