Second Chances

Chapter 19 - Beyond the Dawn

(Hana's P.O.V.)

I sat there, propped against the corner wall by the far back room of Mt. Tam and my mind seemed to be splitting itself right down the middle. I tried to focus, which wasn't entirely going that well, bringing up the events that had just transpired.

Brian just kissed me. He's a jerk, forcing me to kiss him like that.

I cringed at the thought, shuddering slightly as I lightly whispered from inside myself.

“We both know that you enjoyed it, and would love him to do it again.”

Do you honestly think you can convince yourself, there is absolutely no desire there. He's not himself, this is just flat disgusting.

“I don't need to convince myself. Brian is just Brian. That moment was anything but romantic...”

My whispers with myself, were cut off by the door swinging open with a loud crash, as it hit the wall.

“Oh, there you are darling.” I paled at Brian's words for me. He seemed to look even more disgusting than just a couple minutes ago.

Agh, he called us darling. I think I'm going to hurl all over the place, and what is with that putrid smell?

“Quiet you!” I hushed at myself, gaining a curiously but glaring smile from the rather gruesome looking freak in front of me.

“Oh, no. I wasn't trying to say you needed to be quiet.” I flinched a moment as he raised his hand quickly, but only brushed back his long dirty hair. It looked like it might be matted and unwashed been in months.

Smooth one, Queenie. Why not just come out and say he's a hulk of rotting flesh. You still want to be close to him.

“Not for the same reasons you do.” I hissed back at myself, but the large looming guy just laughed with a deathly shriek to it.

“I think we should go see the others, don't that sound so... appealing.” Brian smiled through cracked lips, showing a few blackening teeth.

I felt as if I were being locked further within myself, and I wasn't sure how he was able cast such a spell over me.

“That sounds perfectly marvelous.” I could hear myself admire him, slipping an arm through his.

Gods, this can't be happening. Stop it. Unhand me. What did you do with Theia and Brock, you walking trash can.

Instead my thoughts barely registered to my charmed self, and I vaguely could hear a question escape that didn't sound like anything I had on my mind.

“You got rid of the others, so they won't be in the way of us, right?” I wanted to die as the words registered subconsciously.

Us? What are you telling him, you i***t. There is no us, not with a weird Brian. No, not with any form of Brian.

“Oh, don't worry my dear. Nobody will ever interfere with our romance now.” I felt an icy hand cup the side of my face, sending chills through me in a panic of fear.

I wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but with this internal division, I felt like a caged bird within myself. We seemed to walk for a couple of silent moments down the corridors before we ran into a group of our newer girls. Just my luck too, it was that girl Elise.

“Look there, girls. It seems that the big boy might already be claimed, such a disappointment.” She laughed with a menacing tone directed at me, but I could feel myself just glaring at the group in a mix of spite and jealousy.

“You'd best stay away from him also, our court doesn't mix well with simple peasants.”

Her face blanked and eyes widened, the look of shock on the faces of all three girls was apparent. Then Alexis stepped into our path down to the next chambers. Brian seemed slightly amused by this action and seemed to be humouring the group.

“Elise, Alexis and Kendall. What a splendidly enchanting trio you make.”

I tried growling as Brian spoke, but nothing came as I stood like a stupid doll awaiting instructions.

“Ooh, do you really think so?” Elise asked, flirting back without any concern to the trouble she could be inviting.

Snap out of it, pinhead. Can't you see he's not the real Brian.

The thought crashed into me like a ton of bricks slamming into my gut. Of course it made perfect sense, as much time as we'd spent with ‘Brian’ that this copy was a rather poor imitation. Okay, maybe he was a really good imitation, except for the one glaring flaw that only Brock, Theia and myself knew about.

Oh.. it's so obvious now. He just eliminated the three of us. This doesn't look well at all.

“You say with a bit of flair there, finding anything to catch your eye?” The girls snickered within themselves at the flirting banter between the fake and Elise. Only Alexis seemed slightly rattled by it, but it didn't seem enough to shrug off her friends being deviously charmed.

“Perhaps we can sneak off somewhere to talk about it then?” I would have screamed and yelled, if it were possible. Instead, my pseudo-boyfriend just left me alone in the corridors, as he went off to only Tartarus knows, with the new girls.

Earth to Hana. He's using some form of enchanting magic. You can't start thinking like that, or you’ll end up like those twits.

I shrugged off the emotions as best as possible, but still felt in a sickening daze. I had to find someone who knew better, and the first people I thought of were Jace and Sam.

It seemed entirely too easy to find them, as it didn't take long to search a few rooms before I caught sight of them. Jace and Sam were both there with Chang and a small group of others.

I strained to see the boy who seemed to be half laying down, half rested against the wall uncomfortably. He had rather pleasant looking tanned skin, just a shade or so darker than Chang. I couldn't help but gaze in wonder, curiosity overwhelming all of my other senses. My eyes drifted towards the messy black hair that covered a battered and scared face. Then I caught the unmistakable silver eyes and I knew the resemblance immediately. Tajima Kou.

The boy sputtered and coughed slightly, but from everything the real Brian had told us before, we had somehow stumbled upon both of the ill-fated Dioscuri of the modern age.

“You're alive?” I heard myself say with a slight irritation in my voice.

Multiple heads turned to face me, as the head slightly turned itself and winced through a smile that leaked blood.

“I’m a tougher cookie to kill than that.” The coughs erupted following the words, spilling blood that pooled into an already larger puddle on the floor.

I steeled myself and slightly gained my usual self, as I walked to the group. “Jace, you really should be treating him properly. I don't know how he's not dead, but he will be if you can't heal him from the inside.”

“From the inside?” Chang asked with a look of worry sketched all over his face.

“Someplace pure, that can keep him hidden from Gods or Titans alike.” Jace seemed to pick up on my meaning, as I replied to Chang.

“I think the Queen is referring to Ogygia, which is good in theory.” Jace looked nervous about the idea.

“How do we get that kind of idea, past the General.” Sam shifted momentarily on the ground, a bundle of rags and a bucket of bloody water to her side.

“First off, we need to properly heal him. I'm not sure how he's held together through everything so far, but we're just wasting time playing doctor now.” I snapped at the group, uncharacteristically.

“That sounds great and all, but how do we exactly go about doing that.” I stared at Chang, his question leaving me blank as to how to help effectively.

“What about Stella?” Jace asked with a small smirk.

“Not just Stella, though. Sam would need her potions book to administer the right touches to keep him surviving long enough.” They all nodded at my words, now the hard part was presenting itself.

“So, how do we get to Ogygia? How do we convince Atlas to agree to this, and where is Stella?” Sam couldn't help but look nervous at all the questions.

“Sam, how about you hunt for Stella. I'll leave Chang to stay here with his brother, and meanwhile for Jace. You go to the back corridors, and collect what's in the far chamber. I'll deal with boulder-breath.”

They all nodded and we split into our different directions, myself heading back to the main section of the black marble palace. It only took me a few minutes to reach the main section, and I slightly shocked to find it disturbingly empty, minus the grumbling Atlas on the far wall.

“Girl, come here and let me take a short break from this accursed weight.” He halfway yelled through gritted teeth.

“As tempting as that sounds.” I replied back sarcastically. “I came to ask suggest a simple idea, that might help our your cause more quickly.”

His face strained with sweat, but the look from his eyes told me that I had his full attention.

Don't blow things now, Hana. This is the best chance we've got at this trick.

Right before I could open my mouth to explain, the fake Brian sauntered into the room with a look like a starving dog that had just overeaten. I shivered and struggled to push all of those thoughts away vainly.

“Oh ho ho. What have we here now?” He smirked darkly, before glancing and making a slight bowing gesture towards Atlas.

“This girl was just about to offer an idea of how to progress our plans, son.” I hated the torment I kept dealing with from inside of myself, but I was fully confident that this crumbling corpse was not anything close to our real Brian.

“You didn't kiss all of those annoying girls, did you?” I heard myself asking as the fake stepped closer to me, his disgustingly death aura seeping into my skin.

What? We don't have time to ask about the silly girls who don't know any better. Focus, Hana, focus.

“Jealous, my dear? I promise I can show you exactly what they missed out on later.” The poser flashed a mix of smile and snarl, as I averted my eyes to the side.

Who would ever be jealous of some dirty worm, like you? Eww.. you better not ever come near my chambers either, sicko!

“We can more intimately discuss that option later.” My body leaned into his kiss, making me scream from the inside as his lips felt like creepy crawlies.

“Haha, good. Now, please enlighten us with this idea of yours.” I forced myself to focus harder than ever, or I'd end up suggest something entirely wrong.

“My idea...” I forced out slowly, much to both their amusement. “Is that we take the severly wounded, along with the garbage and dump them somewhere secret, for safety and insurance.”

I huffed for a moment, the words finally spilling their way out at last. The fake Brian just looked up at Atlas with a vacant expression. It took a couple of moments before Atlas did reply with a growl.

“Yes, taking out the trash would be ideal, but where do you suggest, girl?”

This was the best part of the plan, in my opinion. “Ogygia. The Gods tend to forget about that isolated island, and it's large enough to stash plenty of bodies we never want found.”

They both jumped lividly at the idea, but something seemed off with their expressions. Had I missed a vital piece of information.

“Very articulate thinking, girl. You shall gather up the usurper's and once presented to me, I shall dispatch them to Ogygia. Now, make yourself scarce.” He snarled unpleasantly, and I wasted no time in rushing down into the corridors.

I kept going until I collided with Cassie, both of us toppling to the floor is heaps.

“Oh, excuse me. I didn't see anyone there.” Cassie blushed lightly as she apologized.

“Cassie, is something the matter, you look flustered?” She hesitated to my question a moment before answering.

“We bumped into Jace a while back, and he asked to see you. Something seemed terribly wrong though.” I nodded at her explanation, but I knew I couldn't dare explain what was happening yet.

“I'll handle it, so please go find Arty and the others and tell them to stay in their quarters until morning.” She looked at me with a twist of worry on her face, but nodded and smiled before giving me a quick hug and rushing back off.

It took a couple more minutes to run across Sam and Chang, who informed me that Jace was being helped out with Stella. There was a bit of a problem with what Jace stumbled across. Jace was setting down Brock on the floor, and he had a nasty gash running across his forehead. I couldn't help but gasp, then pale when I saw Theia next.

She was battered badly, her body looked like it'd had the life snuffed out from it and I vaguely remembered a conversation with Brian before he kissed me. I had given him the idea, the means to do the job. The levity of the situation nearly swept me off my feet and then I saw the third victim, Kathryn, who was being carried out by Stella.

I quickly rushed to the group and looked at Jace with an air of panic. He quickly caught me by the shoulders and made me look at him.

“Hana, that thing is a beast. He easily took out Theia, Brock and Kat. Whatever he is, it's apparent what he isn't.”

I nodded back in response without admitting out loud I was partially responsible. Then my attention turned to Stella, who was busy checking for vital signs.

“There is a hope, my lady.” She stated coolly. “Brock will recover shortly enough, and Theia is in a more severe condition.. but somehow, Kat is also barely breathing.”

I stared in disbelief before the thought had it's way to worm into my brain fully. Jace however got an idea of what happened much quicker.

“There is still a bit of luck then.” We both looked at him oddly.

“Luck? How so?” I asked more forcefully than intended.

“It appears that, this dead copy of Brian, is incapable of doing something beyond the means of the original.” Jace stated proudly, but I didn't entirely grasp the concept yet.

It was the voice from the shadows that explained it out with an alarming malice.

“For whatever reason, this Nega-Brian, can't kill any of us. He can't override the wishes of the real Brian, who he was modelled after.”

I spun around to find a shaken looking Trevor. So this is where he had disappeared to in the last couple of hours.

“Nega-Brian, I kind of like that title for it.” Jace smirked defiantly. “Can you spare a minute to help us with the bodies?”

Trevor just shook his head and slipped back down the opposite corridor. I was left staring at Jace and Stella, as we each hefted a body and began our procession march back to the Nega-Brian and Atlas.

As we got closer we heard the unmistakable shouting from Trevor. He was cursing up a storm at the imposter, and demanding answers. in a violent, rash manner. The walls occasionally rattled with impact, that could only be that of fighting. When we finally rounded the corner, the horror became evident. Trevor was almost on all fours, with nasty skid marks across the floor from the multiple times he'd been smashed across it by the undead freak.

I was shocked at how he could take such a violent beating, when Atlas laughed before he noticed us arrive.

“You have quite the fight in you, boy. Much more than your pathetic leaders did.”

Trevor made another charge at the Nega, but the result seemed futile. He was slammed in the chest and sent skidding a wall across the room. This time he didn't seem to try and get back up.

“Stay there, and we will let you live today.” the Nega snarled. “If you use that ferocious spirit for us, your precious Duchess will continue to live.”

Trevor just stayed rested on the wall, spiting out a clump of blood. I cleared my throat to draw as much attention from him as possible.

Go now, you i***t. Get back and recover before they decide to kill you anyway.

He got the hint, slipping silently away safely, as we dropped off the unconscious bodies nearly Atlas. As if on a well timed cue, Sam and Chang brought in Tajima and did the same.

As Atlas looked over the four bodies, Chang had a lingering thought that he made known.

“What of the other Knights?”

Atlas and the Nega both scoffed at the remark. I had totally forgotten about them, myself.

“Do you think hiding dead bodies will do any good?” Atlas laughed with that stone grimace on his face.

Chang just bowed up defensively as he growled hatefully.

“Oh, has the spineless pup finally grown some claws. You are too deep in this catastrophic life, to ever think you will survive unscathed or whole. Your attempts are insignificant and insane.” the Nega cooed with a metal screech to his words.

Chang just smiled for brief moment, before laughing slightly. I swore he finally was losing it, not that I could entirely blame him after everything the poor guy must have been through. That didn't seem to be what was happening as he left me stunned by his response.

“Sometimes, insanity is the only alternative.” Chang grinned with an eerie malice.

“Fine!” Atlas boomed, cutting off all of the banter. These four, plus the boy's other two will all be transported to the cursed isle.” Atlas glared and strained at all of us.

“Stella and Sam too.” Jace blurted out indignantly, but Atlas agreed with a grumble and that seemed to close the whole matter at once.

“Leave me be, annoying pups. Go and nurse your wounds and rest well before the next step reveals itself soon.” Atlas grunted and growled, as we scurried back into the corridors with haste.

I didn't want to stick around and listen to the conversation that would surely take place before too long between the Nega and Atlas, so I let myself slip back down the paths to the isolation of the backroom chamber. I lighted the walls softly, painfully glancing over all of the blood, cracks and fissures in the room from the battle.

(Adara's P.O.V.)

It had been quite a while since I'd participated in any formal activity or council with the other cabin leaders and demigods. Yet here we were, in the biggest group together since the day Chang showed up at camp.

I looked around the table and crowded tent. Nico, Clarisse, Fumio and Reed from the Knights, Travis and Connor, Michael from Hephaestus and Taylor from Nemesis. Even the Aphrodite leader, Victoria was present. It seemed the only people missing were Chiron, Percy and Thalia.

Everyone sat in a bit of an awkward silence for the minutes that passed as we waiting anxiously to hear what was going to happen next. Grover and Tyson came in first, along with Chiron, who was quickly followed by a bickering Percy and Thalia. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at them.

At last a final, much larger man entered behind them. Such dark features and long, flowing hair. I couldn't help but think how he looked so familiar to me, but I didn't ever remember seeing him before.

“I still don't see why you need to include him in this.” Thalia spewed with frustration.

“Child, to close this chapter out properly, you need know all of the facts.” Chiron retorted amidst the quiet crowd.

“I don't ‘need’ to know any extra facts. We won, end of chapter.” Thalia glared back, Percy looking slightly exhausted from the argument that was taking place.

“Maybe it's best if you listen to what he has to say...” Percy sheepishly offered, to which Thalia stared him down with a loathing intent.

“Or perhaps, listen to who he is.” A feminine voice struck through the air, giving way to the face of an unmistakable blond, Annabeth.

“What do you mean, Annabeth?” Thalia asked incredulously with a frustrated glare.

“I mean, Thalia, that I've seen him before.” The reply came back just as curtly.

“He has been around the camp quite a bit lately, if the reports hold accurate.” Thalia snapped back.

“No, I mean from like a textbook. I've read about him, I'm fairly sure.” Annabeth took a chair and waited for a reply that didn’t come back from Thalia.

Nico cleared his throat softly. “Chiron, would you like to begin?”

Chiron looked around the table slightly nervous, before beginning.

“Annabeth would be correct. Our guest is in fact my cousin, and while mostly omitted from the Greek myths and stories, he holds a place within a slightly different set of tales.”

Chiron took a slight pause, allowing any concerns and thoughts to be heard.

“So, you mean... he's ancient, just not Greek?” Percy asked with a furrowed brow.

A few glances were cast around the room as people put two and two together, or at least tried to. I finally couldn't bear the knowledge, and the fact none of the Knights were talking.

“He's a Roman god.” I blurted out, with a bit more force than I wanted.

Talk about awkward. It took a few moments before I was asked how exactly I knew all of this.

“It's rather simple...” I started out nervously. “I spent a lot of time with the Knights, before I ever made it to the camp.”

It was Clarisse who growled out the next sentence harshly. “You don't mean to imply, that the Knights aren't Greek also, do you?”

Fumio was about to begin to answer, when the guest cut him off with a wave of his hand.

“Adara is right. I am like the Roman version of Chiron, essentially. The Knights, are also demigods like you, but they are Roman children.”

Thalia didn't seem overly thrilled with the new revelations. “So why reveal yourselves now? You tricked us all into thinking that we were just helping a group of demigods like us. Not some Roman rejects who pick fights with entire armies. The only one of you had any sort of brains, you drove away mad. You're just a bunch of stupid Roman dogs.”

She knocked her chair over as she stood up and stormed out of the tent, Percy hesitating and apologizing before following her reluctantly out. We could easily hear her screaming at him from just outside the tent, but he didn't come back to the council.

Chiron waited a moment before picking up the tale. “This is the Roman immortal, Barrick. God of heroes.”

“Aye, and I believe everyone is due the truth now.” Barrick cut in, placing a hand on Chiron's shoulder.

“During the last battle in Manhattan that you all endured against Kronos, we waged a similar war on this side of the states. Unfortunately for us, Kronos had a better idea on how to deal with our demigods. The Knights have been off hunting ancient armies that Kronos had been reviving for the last few years. The last of these were the Trojans.”

Everyone seemed stunned, as Fumio injterjected as Brian paused. “Technically, with most of our best warriors fighting all over the place, our camp was divided. Eventually, we suffered a similar attack as yours, but aside from the few in hiding now, all of us have become Knights.”

The two Knights hung their heads, as a momentary silence crept back across the council. Brian Barrick continued once again.

“The small group I led before, are outcasts, like Zoe Nightshade was. There are the unfortunate kids of Titans, who wants nothing to do with their parents who sired them. They are the Lux et Veritas. They generally try to monitor things like Atlas and the state of the west, and keep any too many bad occurrences from all springing up at once.”

Just outside the tent, unknown to all of us at the council, Percy and Thalia sat hushed listening to the stream of information about it all.

“We must quickly depart this place and make our way to Olympus though. There is much to be done, and Percy needs to fully assume his duties as a God.”

Annabeth couldn't help but know the question burning inside her head. “How come, if your name is Barrick, that you also refer to yourself as Brian. Most Gods don't really bother with modern mortal names.”

“Ah.. well, when I first came across the current group for the Veritas, they suggested it best to keep my unrevealed to the younger members.” Brian Barrick started in as to reply.

“Their leader, a girl named Theia, came up with the idea to rename me and make me seem like them. Thus she also took it upon herself to give everyone that joined us, similar nicknames. Nobody would suspect anything as much, if our whole collection had similarly fashioned names from the girl in charge. We setup a similar command structure and council much like a cross between the Knights and your own camp.”

“Hmm... she sounds rather clever, but nobody really thinks of you as anything else.” Nico curiously puzzled at the thought.

“I have a lot of practice being ordinary, and it helps having to leave often to deal with godly problems. Nobody puts much thought into it, because of the ‘errands’ I usually take on.”

Chiron stood up and stretched out slightly, announcing that the council was at an end, and had learned everything it needed. Thalia and Percy quickly scurried off back to their tent.

(Percy's P.O.V.)

Once we got back to the tent, we began to process the information as Thalia and myself sat on the bed, slightly clutching hands. Roman demigods was a rather big announcement, but it seemed like such an unfortunate way to live. Only hunting down armies and being isolated from everyone else in the world.

“Are you alright, Thals?” I found myself asking as I softly cupped her face into my hands before kissing her forehead.

“How can the gods keep such a big secret from us all. Not only that, but think of the burden someone like Chang has gone through.”

She rested against me, as I held her tight, softly running my hands through her hair.

“Their home was wiped out, and nobody ever bothered to lift a finger to help them. Are our parents that cruel to their Roman children?”

I had no answers for her, I just held onto her tightly as we sat there quietly for what seemed an eternity in itself. Finally, the idea popped into my head, the one that needed to be done first.

“Thalia, I need you with me. We can return back to camp now, and then would you consider marrying me?”

She leaned into me, softly planting a kiss on my lips.

“I wanted to before, you kelp head. So yes, as soon as we get back, let’s get married first thing.”

I couldn't help but smile and kiss her back just as deeply. “We can still make a difference, even for the Romans. I believe that no demigod should ever have to feel neglected, I still believe that.”

I kissed her once more, before we had a surprise group of visitors in the tent.

“Lord Hermes, Lady Aphrodite, Lady Artemis.”

“How touching, this is the day I've been waiting so long for.” Aphrodite crooned at us.

“Yes, yes.” Hermes cut her off before she could get started into all her rants about love and us being perfect together, or about how she always suspected we would end up together and that she was glad she thought of it first.

“We will let your parents both know and start making the proper arrangements at last. Everyone needs a bit of a celebration to cheer up the mood lately. A wedding between our favorite heroes would be ideal.” Hermes finished and backed out of the way for Artemis.

“Thalia, sister, just know that I don't think ill of you for wanting this. I'm keeping an honorary spot for you in the Hunters, but we will need to pick out your replacement rather soon.”

The godly trio departed just as quickly as I pulled Thalia back in close and kissed her once again deeply. “Now, my love, we start to rebuild.”

(Artyom's P.O.V.)

I stayed crouched against the wall, hugging it tightly as I eavesdropped on the jerk Brian and Atlas in the main room. Something hadn't seemed right about him lately, and I was intent on finding out exactly what it was. All of the recent activity though, made it quite difficult to do any proper spying.

“Have you completed the next task, son?” Atasl gritted and boomed.

“Yes, the are ready to appear at last.” the Nega stated with his usual broken rasp.

“Good, present me with my new subjects. Ones who will support me without question.”

As Atlas stated this, a creepy black mist began to swirl around the entrance to Mt. Tam. The next thing was even more startling, as shrouded figured began to walk out of the mist, a total of eight figures broke into the room with cloaks and hoods. As if on cue, each slowly pulled the hoods back one by one to reveal themselves, and then proceeded to bow before Atlas.

“Good, and now properly identify yourselves.” Atlas commanded, but Brian offered the introductions instead.

“You're already familiar with the first two, so let's save them for last.” Brian paused and composed himself with a bit of an eerie excitement.

“First, we have two sons of Apollo. Lee Fletcher and Michael Yew.” The undead boys stood up when presented.

“Next, we have Ethan Nakamura, son of Nemesis and Charles Beckendorf, son of Hephaestus.” The pair followed suit as the first two, when introduced.

“As for our lovely ladies. Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite. Bianca di Angelo, daughter of Hades.” The girls also said nothing when presented to their new master.

“This brings us back to the two you're familiar with, father.” Brian paused slightly before continuing. “My lovely sister, Zoe, and of course we can't forget the last. Luke Castellan.”

Brian made a grand gesture as if he were simply welcoming lost friends or dinner guests. “Welcome back to the land of the living, we hope you enjoy your stay this time around.”

The palace was filled with a haunting laughter, as I raced off to find anyone I could tell about this. I started to panic as I couldn't seem to find anybody for a good couple of minutes, until I bumped into Jace and Hana at last.

“What's the matter, Cody. You look as though you've seen a ghost.” Jace asked me with a smile.

“I have just seen a ghost... more like eight of them to be exact.” I huffed out the sentence, with a new sense of dread creeping across us all.

Hana gripped me sternly by the shoulders and sat me down. "Tell me everything that's going on."