Love Across Lifetimes

The last couple weeks since Hades made him lose his marbles. Things around camp had tense. Not just between Poseidon and Hades cabins, but all around. Almost like all the campers expected a big fight to break out. It was awkward with Grace for a couple of days until Justin apologized and he told her how Kate insulted his mother and she forgave him.

Rose has barely left his side, and any time the subject of Kate is brought up, Rose turned red and gets defensive. When they have ran into her, the tension would become so volatile that Justin would feel like the air would spontaneously combust. The whole situation has been driving him insane.

Rose kept her promise that she supposedly made to Hades. She beat Justin up for three days straight until she thought Justin had groveled and sacrificed enough food to Hades. Even when he scraped his whole plate into the fire on the second day, she insisted he do more.

He doesn’t mind one bit. Reason one, he deserved every bit of it, and he is gladly taking the punishment. Reason two, he is no longer in his nightmare world without his best friend.

Rose keeps asking him what Hades made him see. He kept showing me different scenarios where you died or left me, he would think. But he can’t tell her that. She doesn’t like him that way, and he doesn’t want to ruin their relationship.

The rest of the group kind of hovers around him as well, which is worse. He doesn’t need any protection. Whenever he tells them he is fine and they can leave, they look at Rose, almost like they are asking for permission.

He keeps wondering what they know that he doesn’t. He tried asking Charley, but all he would say was that Rose and Kate got into it and some stuff was said. He wouldn’t go any further, he would just tell Justin to ask Rose, but she wouldn’t say either.

The other campers tease them more than usual. Ever since, he and Rose had been spending more time together, which they had previously thought was impossible. But Justin couldn’t care less. He wasn’t going to let Rose out of his sight again.

When it came time for capture the flag, the camp was divided into two teams. Justin had all his friends on his team except for Grace, which is normal. Hades cabin is never on the same team.

Usually his group runs into the enemy camp to get the flag, but everyone decides to change the plan. This week, Justin, along with Rose and Charley are defenders. While they defend the flag, the rest of the group will split into two groups into a pincer maneuver behind their lines.

When the horn signals the start, most of the group run off into the forest. Justin wants to join them so badly. He can hear swords clashing in the distance and he becomes antsy.

He swings his sword, Anaklusmos, or as he usually calls it, Riptide. He needs to fight someone, release his frustration from the week.

All of a sudden, kids from Hecate and Demeter cabin come bursting into the clearing.

Finally

He blocks every strike brought to him. He bashes a helmet with his hilt, slaps a weapon out of someone’s hand with the flat of his blade. Parry left, block right, before he knows it, fifteen kids lay on the ground nursing their wounds.

He turns towards Rose and Charley. He sees them dispatching the last of the attackers. Rose has a cut on her arm and she looks winded.

“Doing alright there Ro?”

“Fine, keep your head in the game Barnacle Brain, don’t worry about me.”

He can’t help it though. He has always worried about her. Though he never tells her, it might make things weird.

Next thing he knows, the rest of his team come bursting into the clearing, holding the other team’s flag, shortly followed by Chiron.

“Red team wins the match!”

His team erupts in cheers and celebration. But the celebration is short lived.

Out of nowhere a bright light comes into the clearing. Luckily everyone is looking away from the God who entered the clearing.

The next thing that they all know, the Goddess Athena is standing in the clearing. Every camper immediately goes down to one knee.

“Lady Athena,” Chiron started. “To what do we owe the honor?”

“Campers, I come to you in a time of great danger. Hades has gone missing. No one knows where he is. He must be found immediately.”

“I say good riddance,” Justin grumbles to Rose, hoping Athena can’t hear him. Unfortunately his luck isn’t that good.

“Young hero, if you knew the whole situation you might not be so smug. Not only does a missing God cause trouble, but there is even more trouble than just trouble. Minos, one of the judges of the dead has taken over control of the dead and has taken control of the Underworld. He has recruited his son, the Minotaur and has taken Hades’ palace. He plans to take over the mortal world next.”

“Oh…” is all Justin can respond with.

“Yes, now you see the gravity of the situation. There must be a quest to find Hades, and another to stop Minos in the Underworld. The power Hades has over the Underworld is fading, wherever he is trapped it is interfering with his powers. There are only ten days left before his power is gone for good. Minos must be defeated before you free him as well. He will be too strong for Hades to beat at his weakened state.”

The entire camp has now grown completely silent. Hades has gone missing and if he isn’t found and returned to the Underworld in ten days, Minos will take over the Mortal World.

“I must go now, choose wisely for the ones to lead each quest. I wish all of you the best of luck.” With that, she starts to glow. Everyone looks away to avoid the supernova that was Athena’s departure.

“It seems we have some decisions to make,” Chiron says. “All cabin counselors, war meeting at the Big House in thirty minutes. Everyone else, return to your cabins.”

Notes