Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

On a normal day, 032 would be chasing a target, fighting them if required, and finishing his job. He'd be quick about it, not intending to hurt the target more than necessary. Then he'd return to camp, spend some time with his brother, argue with the other numbers (especially 004—he loves riling him up and seeing him get frustrated), train for a bit, and it'd already be night. He'd sleep after having dinner, only to repeat it all the next day.

Except, today wasn't a normal day. In fact, it was so far from normal, 032 wanted to believe it was all a dream. A very bad dream he wanted to wake up from. But wasn't his entire life like that? Getting captured by a mercenary camp at age seven, being trained for ten years to only kill, kill, kill, and then kill some more. Learning your team leader abandoned you, and your elder brother—the only family you have left—went after him and got himself killed. Going to avenge your brother, only to get captured and tortured. Getting rescued by your supposedly dead brother and team leader. Escaping to a whole other continent to survive. Yeah, it was all unbelievable and nightmarish.

Nothing about his life was normal. Yet, 032 had no time to think about what is life had been like. Not when a literal monster was chasing him down. 032 ran and ran, until he could think of something to kill the monster. No matter what weapons he used, and he used a lot of them, he couldn't seem to even scratch the monster. The weapons somehow went through its chicken-like body, as if it were a hologram. 032 might've believed it really was a hologram, if not for the gashes on his arm from fighting that thing. No matter how fast he ran, he couldn't shake off the monster from his trail. He even used the darkness of the night to hide in between alleyways, but the monster somehow always found him, screeching and clawing at him.

All of a sudden, 032 saw a bright flash of gold, and the monster was taken down. A blond haired boy stood in front of him, a golden sword in hand. Behind him was another boy, smaller in build, dark haired, and with.....was that a bronze screwdriver in his hand?

"Are you alright?" The dark-haired boy with—yep, that was definitely a bronze screwdriver—asked. Judging by how they looked, the two boys were probably the same age as 032. They looked like normal teenagers, but all those years at the camp meant 032 knew there's more to them than that. They just took down that monster, after all. In a second, to add.

032 had a lot of questions, but settled on the one he was most curious about. "What was that monster and why could I not hurt it?" He had his knife in his hand, prepared to strike if the two boys tried anything funny. This time, the blond boy replied, "That was a harpy. And you could not hurt it because you were fighting with mortal weapons."

That only added to 032's list of questions. What was a harpy? Why did it attack him? What did this boy mean by mortal weapons? What other types of weapons existed? Was that golden sword not a mortal weapon? Why is the other boy holding a bronze screwdriver? What the fuck is happening? But right now, securing his safety and returning back to his brother was the priority. None of this seemed logical. He needed his brother with him.

Just as 032 was about to run out of the alley, the dark haired boy took out a packet from his toolbelt. It contained some yellow squares, and he handed one to 032. "Eat that. It'll help heal your wounds. Harpy scratches can hurt like hell." 032 looked at the square apprehensively, deciding whether it was poisoned. His brief moment of hesitation must've given away his doubts, because the boy continued, "It's just some ambrosia. Think of it as medicine. You should take it soon, before your bleeding worsens." Then after a brief pause, "Right, we haven't introduced ourselves, have we? I'm Leo, and that's Jason. We heard the harpy's screeches, so we came here."

"How did you manage to hurt that thing? And what was that thing?" 032 couldn't let his guard down. He'd heard of the camp thinking of spreading out branches of mercenary training in different countries. The two boys could very well be sent to finish him off.

"Wait, are you not a halfblood? The harpy seemed to follow you by your smell, so you have to be a halfblood, right? How old are you? I don't think I've seen you at either camps." The blond boy—Jason—came closer to 032, his sword gleaming bright even in the dark night. His face looked caring and calm, but it did nothing to appease 032's worries.

Camp. He said camp. Two camps, at that. The boys belonged to a camp. And they hadn't seen him at either of the camps they're talking about. Meaning they're not from the Grian camp. Or any camp affiliated to it. If they were, they would know he's one of the numbers. So was it one of those branches?

"What camp are you talking about? Who really are you? How did you know I was here?" 032 stood up straighter, taking a defensive stance. He thought he and his brother finally escaped that hell of a life, but it seemed like it would always follow them, no matter where they are. Atleast, it didn't seem like they knew 032 was from the numbers. And they didn't look like they knew about his brother either. He had to take them away from there. 032 couldn't risk exposing that his brother is with him.

"Hey, hey, lets calm down, yeah? We aren't going to hurt you. We just came because we heard the harpy. We really don't mean any harm," Leo said. He had his hands up in a position of surrender, and told Jason to do the same, which he did. 032 asked again, "What camps are you talking about?" Jason took a step back, and pointing to his purple tshirt, said, "Camp Jupiter, if you're Roman. Or Camp Half-Blood," he pointed to Leo's orange tshirt, "if you're Greek."

Ok, these were camps 032 had never heard of before. They weren't related to the camp. But what was this whole Roman and Greek thing? While 032 did not remember anything from his life before being put into the numbers, he did know he wasn't Roman or Greek. He had faint memories of going to see the Statue of Liberty with his parents and brother. And his brother did tell him they were originally from Manhattan. That was why they came here to start a new life.

032's train of thought was cut short by another screeching sound. "Seems like there's a whole flock. We cannot stay here for long. We need to run." Jason picked up his sword and looked at 032, urging him to follow them. Having no other choice as a harpy came into sight, 032 ran behind Jason and Leo.

"How does that thing even exist? That monster—what is up with it?" 032's mind was swarming with questions, and he needed to get answers before the two boys turn out to be harmful. As they rounded the corner into another alley, Jason slashed through the closest harpies, and Leo showered the rest of them with fire, which emerged from his hand. Now 032 began wondering if this really was a dream.

"The Greek and Roman gods are real," Leo began explaining, as if he's done it many times already. "So are the monsters in their myths. Those harpies are one of the monsters. Me and Jason, we are demigods. Children of a god and a mortal. And it seems like you're one of us." Leo brought out that yellow square—did he call it ambrosia?—out again, handing it to 032. "I know it's confusing, but that's the truth. Eat this first. You're bleeding too much."

032 looked down at his right arm. It sure was quite a deep cut. He took the square from Leo, and took a tiny bite. If he's to die anyways, what difference would it make if it happens by the poison in the square or by that gold sword? Surprisingly, even after eating the whole square, 032 did not die. On the contrary, he actually started feeling better. His arm was now hurting less, and......did his bleeding suddenly stop? What exactly was this ambrosia? And more importantly, he was a halfblood? A child between a god and a mortal? What the fuck was going on?

Jason checked around just in case there's more of those nightmare chickens, and once he deemed it safe, he said, "Let's go. We'll take you to Camp Half-Blood. It's not far from here. You'll be safe there." "I'm not going to any camp," 032 said. "I have no clue what gods and monsters you're talking about, but I'm going home. Not to some camp." He started walking back towards his place, taking a roundabout way to deter the two boys.

Leo's voice came next. "I know it sounds crazy, but you gotta believe us. You are a halfblood, and the camp is the only place you'll be safe in. You look like you're about our age. How you managed to survive this long without knowing about your godly parentage is a mystery, but now you've started attracting monsters. The camp is your best bet to stay alive."

His best bet to stay alive? 032 was not buying any of Leo's claims. There was no way he was going to any camp. He might as well die at the hands of those monsters instead. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the events of the past hour, but he was sure of one thing. He's never going to camp again. Ever. "No thanks," he said, as he walked away into the night.

Chapter Text

Constantly checking if he's being followed, 032 took a longer way back home. Well, it wasn't 'home' yet, only an apartment that was empty, save for a few belongings the two brothers brought with them—a few sets of clothes, a first aid kit, a shit ton of weapons, some cash, and that was it. It had been a week since they moved in, but they still hadn't bought any furniture. It was too dangerous; it would lead to them leaving behind traces. They already took enough risk when they bought the apartment. But maybe they could still call it 'home', the two brothers were together and they were safe in there.

As soon as 032 reached home, 006 was all over him with a worried look. "What took you so long? You said you were only going on a short walk. And why do you have blood on yourself? Wait, did they find us?" 006 had a deep frown on his face, not out of fear of his safety, but concern for his brother's.

"No. They haven't found us. But I think someone else has." 032 explained the events of his short walk to his brother. The harpy, the golden sword, the bronze screwdriver, the fire spouting boy, the yellow square of ambrosia which somehow tasted like the first meal 006 had cooked for him, the gods and monsters, and the camps. Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood.

Even as 032 narrated the encounter, it all felt surreal to him. He could tell his brother felt the same, but there was no mistaking the gashes. 032's arm had stopped bleeding, but the gashes remained. They could not have been inflicted by normal weapons. They looked like they were clawed through his skin. That was the only proof that it was all real, not some nightmare. It was all real. Which meant, if Jason and Leo weren't lying, that 032 was a halfblood. Born of a human and a god. Which would mean one of his parents is a god. Which means even 006 has to be a halfblood. None of it made sense, but 032's arm still ached, reminding them it was real.

"Do you remember anything from our childhood?" 032 asked 006. "All I know is my name's Liam Gray, you're my younger brother Lucifer Gray, we're from Manhattan, and our parents died in a train accident when we were on a family vacation to the Middle East. After that, the camp found us before the rescue team could. I remember some events from our childhood, but nothing related to whatever this gods and monsters bullshit is. And what little I remember is also beginning to fade." 006—Liam—said. "Let me first patch up your arm. Come here." Liam took out the first aid kit and motioned for Lucifer to take off his shirt.

After Liam was satisfied with his bandaging on his brother's arm, they decided it is best to sleep for the night. Whatever this halfblood story is, they can figure it out tomorrow. Being too tired to fight wouldn't do them any good anyways. And so the brothers went to sleep, hoping tomorrow would bring them some answers.

That night, Liam dreamt a dream he hadn't dreamt of in a long while. It was the day they got taken to the camp, the day their nightmare started. They were on a family vacation, the brothers and their parents. They were travelling through the Middle East by train, taking in the scenery. Lucifer was so excited, he kept bouncing in his seat by the window, pointing out to things new to him, which was basically everything. He was just seven, after all. Liam sat opposite his brother, a little annoyed at how energetic Lucifer was. Their mother sat next to him, while their father was next to Lucifer. They were all so happy, Liam had wished he could commit the scene to memory.

No matter how hard Liam tried, he couldn't recall the faces of their parents. He willed his dream self to look at their faces, but all he saw was a blur, as if he's looking at a badly taken photograph. The smile on his parents' and brother's face was still there, but he could not make the dread in the pit of his stomach go away. He found himself praying that this happiness never ends, but even before he could finish his little prayer, a dark shadow took over the sky.

The train rattled, as if its tracks were shaking. Their parents held onto the children tightly, as the sunset coloured everything red. Bright, blood red. A red that still haunts Liam. Red, redder than Lucifer's eyes. Until now, Liam had always associated red with good. But this was an evil red. It threatened to take over everything. It threatened to destroy the happiness Liam wished to keep forever. It threatened life and it threatened death. Red, blood red coloured everything, and that was the last thing he saw before passing out.

When Liam regained his consciousness, he was back at camp. All around him was red. Blood red. The same red from the train, but this time from actual blood. There were dead bodies surrounding him, of children his age or even younger. His hands were covered in blood. In the blood of those corpses. He was back at the training arena of the camp. Back to his first year at the camp. Back at the start of hell. Liam looked down at his eleven year old self, cuts and stabs all over him. He had survived, at the cost of fourteen lives. He was ushered out of the arena, and put into a group of kids, all equally red, and soon made to kill more people.

Liam continued to spill more red, more blood, more life. Survival instincts took over, and he became a killing machine. The red continued to grow, to cover everything around him. When he finally became 006, the red had taken over his vision. It was all he could see. Red, blood red.

All of a sudden, the red turned to white. Blinding white, which made him squint his eyes. There was something huge in front of him. Was it a human? No, it had the head of a dog. But its body was unmistakably human. Liam did not know what he was looking at, but he knew it was an enemy. It was after him. And Lucifer. The dog human was there to get them. Liam had to hurry. He had to run and get to his brother and together go to some place safe and—

Lucifer's voice woke Liam up. "Liam, it's breakfast time. Wake up." Liam heaved a sigh of relief. It was only a dream. There was no red or white here. Only Liam and Lucifer. They were away from the camp. They were safe. It was a weird nightmare, but it was over. Liam took a moment to regain his composure, washed his face, and got ready for breakfast.

"I ordered some pizza. We've had enough burgers for a month already." Lucifer had set the table, and was plating their breakfast. Liam took his seat and started eating, saying, "One of these days we need to get some utensils atleast. We should be eating home cooked meals now that we're free. What's the point of getting out of camp if we continue to live like we did there?" Lucifer looked at his brother for a while, contemplating what he said. Then, after finishing his pizza, declared, "Let's go today. While we're at it, lets get proper furniture, too." Liam hummed in response, and they decided to go to the furniture store nearby, which Lucifer had seen on his walk yesterday.

Chapter Text

Their small shopping trip took almost the entire day. The brothers had come to the furniture shop in the afternoon, and it was late evening by the time they'd finished selecting what to buy. It wasn't that they had bought much, or that their apartment was big. The apartment was a simple one, consisting of a living room, a kitchen, and a bedroom, all in one line, connected by a passage. The floor was a brown marble, and the walls coloured in dark beige. The apartment came furnished with a few cupboards and shelves, especially in the kitchen, and a medium sized closet in the bedroom.

The brothers bought a twin size bed, a dining table and some chairs, and a couch. The reason it took them so long was the sheer variety in the options they had. Back at camp, they would live wherever necessary. They did not care about the bed being soft. Hell, they didn't even care for a bed. More often than not, they had to sleep on the forest floors. Beds, tables, sofas—they knew nothing about them. Now that they had to buy those things, they were simply lost. They had no clue what difference a memory foam mattress would make, compared to a latex mattress. And why were there so many types of tables? It took Liam and Lucifer five hours and a headache to decide on what they want to buy. By the time they were finished, it was already starting to get dark outside.

"Let's quickly go and buy some pots and pans. It'll be dinner time soon." Liam was making a list of what basic utensils they will need, taking help from the internet. "We should have looked up stuff about the mattresses, too. Wouldn't have taken us so long then."

Walking beside his brother, Lucifer just hummed in response. He was tired from all the decision making at the furniture store, and he was hungry. It didn't really affect him much, he'd gone for two weeks at a time without food back in the camp. He had no time to be tired at camp; if he would have shown even a tiny bit of weakness, he would've been killed. But now that they were out of the camp, starting a new life, Lucifer thought maybe he could let himself indulge in tiredness. Maybe he could let himself feel hunger. Maybe he could let himself be the troublesome younger brother who is always disciplined by the elder brother. Maybe he could let himself live a normal life. Not that he knew what a normal life was. He was just seven when he got thrown into hell, after all.

"Hey, Luce. Are you seeing that thing too?" He was broken out of his train of thoughts by his brother's voice. He looked at the direction Liam was pointing towards. It was dark, and they were on a narrow street, towering buildings surrounding them. It was hard to see clearly, but there was no mistaking what they were seeing. It was a human-like figure, but with the head of a dog. It seemed like it was sniffing around. It might have picked up on the brothers' scent, because in the next moment, it was running towards them. Liam's breath was caught in his throat. This was exactly like he had seen in his dream. The dog human would chase him and his brother. He had to run. Get Lucifer and himself to safety. He had to protect Lucifer. He had to—

Liam felt a hand on his arm. It was Lucifer, pulling him and running towards the narrower alleyways. If they had to fight, it was best to restrict the monster's movements. They ran and ran, but the monster was close behind them. Soon, the brothers ran into a dead end. They hid behind the wall, out of the dog human's sight. Liam tried to fling a knife from his waistbelt at the monster. It just went past it, as if the monster and the knife were from different worlds. Besides him, Lucifer spoke in a hushed whisper. "This is exactly what happened yesterday. Except it was a chicken human chasing me. Apparently our weapons wouldn't work on the monsters." "What are we supposed to do then? It is coming towards us, as if it knows we're here," Liam whispered back. "That boy from yesterday told me they follow our scents. That is why we cannot shake it off," Lucifer said while taking out his dagger, though he knew it would be of no help.

The dog human was now almost closing in on them, and they were cornered. The monster swung its claws at them, which the brothers easily avoided. The monster kept attacking, and Liam and Lucifer kept dodging. The monster got a few scratches in, nothing the brothers couldn't handle. But they couldn't do this forever. They had to find a way to escape from there. If only Lucifer had asked those boys about their weapons. Asked how they were able to kill the harpy. But it was too late to think of it now. He, in an attempt to sidestep the dog human's growl, sprained his ankle and fell. The monster was about to bite off Lucifer's arm, when he heard Liam. "Luce! Careful!”

All of a sudden, the ground split in a clean line from Liam's foot to the monster. Green vines grew out of them. The dog human lost its balance, and was entrapped in the vines, which were slowly choking it. As the vines wrapped tighter around it, the two brothers noticed a boy pop out of (quite literally) nowhere at the entrance of the alley. He took a quick look at the dying monster, the green vines, and the split ground, before turning his attention to the brothers. "You two are demigods," he announced more than asked. "You need to come with me. Cynocephali are almost never alone. There might be more around." Great. Another wierd boy talking about monsters and going somewhere safe. Lucifer was beginning to think he is going insane.

Liam stood in front of Lucifer, as if shielding him. "Who are you? And where will you take us?" He took out another knife from his waistbelt, pointing it at the boy. "I'm Nico. Demigod, son of Hades, resident of Camp Half-Blood. Put down the knife. I'm not going to hurt you. There's enough monsters who want to do that already." The boy walked towards them, close enough for the brothers to be able to clearly see him. He was a thin, pale kid, probably around Lucifer's age. He wore a black tshirt, and Lucifer recognised the symbol on it. A flying horse. What were they called again? Unicorns? Pegasi? The shorter boy yesterday had the same symbol on his tshirt.

"You're from the same camp as those boys yesterday," Lucifer said. He scanned his surroundings for any more of the camp boys, but didn't see any one. This Nico kid was probably alone, then. And he didn't look strong enough to hurt the brothers. But there was a weird shadow surrounding the boy. Different from the shadows cast by the setting sun. It seemed more like a part of the boy himself, rather than a play of light and dark. Lucifer then noticed the boy's belt. It had a black dagger hanging from it. Pure black, as if it were made out of darkness.

Nico stepped closer towards them, looking intently at Lucifer. Then after a beat, he said, "It's you, right? The boy Jason and Leo rescued from the harpies." Lucifer's doubt was now confirmed. This boy is with the other two. Before he could think of any escape route, the boy turned to Liam and continued, "How did you do that? You're way beyond thirteen years old. I don't think you're from the demigod camps. And yet, you only manifested your power right now." Liam was a bit taken aback, because of the dog human and because of what he apparently did. "I don't know," he answered honestly.

"Geokinesis isn't a common power. And you can make plants grow. Just who are you? Who is your godly parent?" Nico looked as if he's seen something that he shouldn't. "You cannot be. There's no way," he mumbled to himself. He looked at Lucifer again. "Are you two brothers?"

Lucifer's patience was beginning to fade now. He stood up, making sure to avoid putting pressure on his sprained ankle. "And why should we tell you?" He didn't try to hide the distaste in his voice. He held onto Liam for support, and the two were about to leave, when Nico pulled out a yellow square from his pocket. He broke it into two, and gave one to each brother. "Eat it. It's going to help you two heal from the cynocephalus' attacks. And be quick. I think I sense some more nearby. You have to come with me."

Liam looked at the square apprehensively, but ate it after seeing Lucifer eat it. "What do we do?" Lucifer asked his elder brother. Liam pondered for a moment, assessing the situation. Then, in a voice so low Lucifer could have missed what he's saying if he weren't this close to him, Liam replied, "This is the second time. Yesterday that chicken monster was behind you. And now this cyno-whatever. I don't want to risk your safety anymore. If we can be safe at this camp, there's no harm in checking it out. If it turns out to be dangerous, well, we're the numbers. There aren't many who can hold us down. Not when we're together. Also, I think this camp is the only place we'll find any answers." Lucifer took a moment to process what his brother said, and then replied with an equally quiet okay.

"We'll go with you. But remember, if you so much as even glance wrong at us, I'll rip out your guts," Liam said to Nico, his knife not once backing down. Nico looked at the two as if he were amused, and replied, "Sure, if you can. But now isn't the time. I sense the cynocephali getting closer. We'll need to shadow travel to get out of here before they find us." Nico held out his hand to Liam, which the latter took with apprehension.

As soon as Liam's hand touched Nico's, the three of them merged with the shadows. Everything became a blur, and the next thing they know, they were standing in a forest. "I can't shadow travel further than this right now. We'll have to walk from here. Camp isn't very far, so let's be quick." Nico had already started walking ahead. Liam pointed at Lucifer's sprained ankle and motioned for him to get on Liam's back. "I can walk," Lucifer answered. "The yellow thing he gave, it healed my ankle." And so, the three of them walked towards this camp where they'll supposedly be safe.

The camp came into view as they were descending a hill. It was a vast place, scattered with buildings. There were not many people to be seen though, which the brothers attributed to it already being night. "Let's go. We can make it in time for dinner." Nico led them past a wooden board, which had something written in a foreign language. One moment Liam and Lucifer couldn't make out what was written, and the next, the letters morphed into something they could read. 'Camp Half-Blood', it said. So this was it. They'd escaped camp, only to end up at another one.

Chapter Text

As the brothers passed the sign board, they felt like they just walked through a transparent wall. "What was that?" Lucifer asked. Nico glanced back towards the brothers, for a moment wondering what they were talking about. Then, as recognition filled his expression, he answered, "That's the protective barrier. It keeps the camp safe from monsters. Only demigods can enter through it. And gods. Though it's been a while since we had a god come." He continued to walk ahead, leaving the brothers confused and with even more questions.

Nico led them to what he called the mess hall, the three making it just in time for dinner. There were atleast thirty kids there, ages ranging from around five to eighteen, all of them staring at Liam and Lucifer, making them uncomfortable. Lucifer's hand subtly went to his waistbelt, resting on the hilt of his dagger. He looked at Liam, seeing he had a knife on standby, too. They followed Nico closely, who led them to a man at a table higher than the others, sitting on a wheelchair. Probably the authority of the camp, they figured. "These two are demigods. They were, well, are being chased by cynocephali, so I brought them here." Nico stepped aside after introducing the brothers to the man.

Despite being on a wheelchair, he felt like the most dangerous person around. His hair was showing streaks of white. The brothers had spent enough time at camp to know that age didn't really matter much. It was experience that decided how good one will be at something. And this man's posture gave off both. Age and experience. That made him the most dangerous person around. Between all the children and this man, they had a slim chance of surviving this place if they had to fight.

"Welcome, demigods. I am Chiron, activities director at Camp Half-Blood, trainer of heroes. Your names, please?" Chiron moved his wheelchair closer to the brothers, looking at them with anticipation. The brothers didn't necessarily sense any danger, but were still wary. They took a step back as Liam introduced them. "Liam Gray. And this is my brother, Lucifer Gray."

Chiron looked at Liam as if he expected more information. When Liam did not say anything further, Chiron looked at Lucifer and asked, "Are you the one being chased by the harpies yesterday?" "Yes," he replied to Chiron, who took a moment to think about something. "Liam, Lucifer. The two of you can first have dinner. We have some things to discuss about after that," Chiron motioned towards a table a little larger than the others. It was also the most crowded one. "Connor, see to it that they're comfortable."

A boy, likely Connor, stood up from the table and came up to the brothers. "Hello. I'm Connor Stoll. Head Councellor for Cabin 11. You'll be staying with us for the time being, until you get claimed." Liam and Lucifer both remained silent, seemingly discomforting Connor, who only looked at them expectantly.

"We're not staying at any camp," Liam said to Chiron, with anger evident in his voice. "Whatever you have to discuss with us, do it quick. And then we're leaving." Chiron was a bit shocked by Liam's words, but quickly regained his composure. "Very well," he said, slowly standing up. As he did, legs sprung out of the wheelchair. Horse legs. Not human legs, but horse legs. Chiron's lower body was of a strong brown stallion, while his upper body remained the same.

The brothers' shock and confusion must have showed on their faces, because Connor explained, "He's a centaur. Half human, half horse." The way he said it, it was as if it were perfectly normal to have centaurs roaming around. "Chiron's unbelievably fast, though. I'd follow him closely if I were you." With Connor's warning, Liam and Lucifer quickly made their way behind Chiron, who was as fast as a good steed is.

Chiron took them to a two storey house, which looked like it had seen quite a few wars. Its blue paint was chipping off at some places, revealing the brown and red underneath. It had multiple doors, all big enough for Chiron to pass through. He entered through one of the doors, leading the brothers to what looked like a meeting room. Chiron stood on one end of the room, motioning for the brothers to take seats, which they did, albeit with a little suspicion.

"You two have not been claimed yet, have you?" Chiron asked as soon as the two were seated. "Claimed by what?" Lucifer answered with a question, his grip on the hilt of his dagger tightening. "By your godly parent. You are demigods. Children born between a mortal and a god. Usually, you would be brought to camp and claimed by your parent before the age of thirteen." This time, Liam replied, "We have no clue what all this demigod bullshit is. And we're way past thirteen."

If they hadn't experienced all this, Liam and Lucifer wouldn't have believed that demigods are a thing. But they had been chased by two monsters, and Liam had somehow made vines sprout out of asphalt. And they had a half horse, half human—no wait, a centaur right in front of them, talking to them. This had to be real, then. They were children of a god, and monsters were behind them. It wasn't a dream or a hallucination. It was all real.

"How old are you two?" Chiron asked them. He looked genuinely concerned, which the brothers did not understand. Liam decided it is best to be honest, there was no gain in faking their personal information. Not if this place is the only place those monsters won't be able to attack them. "I am twenty," he said. "And Lucifer's seventeen."

Chiron's face showed, only for a split second, surprise. As if he could not believe their ages. Lucifer was about to retort with something sarcastic, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," Chiron said, and Nico popped his head in. "I don't wanna interrupt but I feel like I should be a part of this discussion," he stated, and took a seat beside Lucifer.

Chiron gave Nico a small nod, and continued, "Usually, demigods begin to manifest their powers, which they inherit from their godly parent, around the age of eleven. After that, monsters start being able to sense them, putting their life at risk. Our satyrs usually manage to find and protect the demigods by then, and bring them here, to Camp Half-Blood. But you two," he paused, fixing his gaze on Liam and Lucifer, "The satyrs weren't able to detect you. You know nothing about the godly world either. Meaning, you haven't manifested your powers yet."

"The older one has," Nico chimed in. "When fighting the cynocephalus. He split the ground and made vines grow out of it." Chiron, this time, made no attempt to hide his surprise. "Geokinesis? Manifesting at age twenty? This is unusual. How did the two of you live unaware of your demigod status for so long when you are capable of geokinesis?" Nico interrupted Chiron again, stating, "Geokinesis is a very rare power. Only a few powerful gods have it."

'We didn't know because we were too busy surviving by killing people', Liam thought. They were to manifest their powers at eleven. And he was already twenty. Basically, nine years late to this whole demigod stuff. But how was he supposed to know he's not fully human if he was only ten years old when picked up from a train wreck, seperated from his brother and put through situations worse than hell, and had to cheat death every fucking day? How was he to know he isn't fully human if he never knew what living like a human meant? How was he to know one of his parent is a god if they both died in a car accid—wait. One of his parent is a god. A god cannot die. Then who was it that died in that accident all those years ago? If one of his parent couldn't die, does that mean they abandoned Liam and Lucifer in that wreck? Or were they never there to being with? Was one of their parents not their birth parent? The life Liam thought he had before being thrown into camp, was it all just a lie?

Liam felt Lucifer's hand in his, tightly gripping him as if he might disappear. He looked at his younger brother's face, seeing in his eyes the same realisation he just had. He steeled himself, refusing to break down. He had to stay strong, for Lucifer. He had to stay strong to protect his brother. Liam squeezed Lucifer's hand, and replied to Chiron, "We don't know. We just know that all of a sudden we started being attacked by monsters, and we couldn't fight them with our weapons."

"Are you not from here?" Nico asked. Liam gave him a questioning look, and he continued, "If you were from here, we would have found you sooner. There's no way the satyrs didn't sense you in twenty whole years. The only explanation is you're not from here." Nico shrugged as he finished explaining himself.

"We are originally from Manhattan, but we've lived abroad for the past ten years," Liam said, still pondering upon the implications of what he has just discovered. He looked over to Chiron, asking for some more explanations. "Why do our weapons not hurt those things? And what do you mean by staying at the camp?" Liam felt Lucifer's grip on his hand tighten even more. Would they really have to stay at this camp now?

Chiron explained, "The monsters are not from the mortal world. Mortals cannot see them for what they are. The Mist disguises anything from our world as things the mortal mind can handle. The mortals cannot touch the monsters either. Nor can their weapons. To defeat the monsters, you'll need divine weapons. Made either out of Celestial Bronze, Imperial God, or Stygian Iron. On the flip side, weapons made out of these metals cannot hurt mortals." Lucifer thought back to yesterday night. The taller boy had a golden sword, and the shorter one had a bronze screwdriver. Maybe they were these divine weapons, not normal ones.

"To answer your second question," Chiron added, "This is Camp Half-Blood. Here, we train demigods to make them capable of surviving out in the world, between monsters and mortals. Demigods usually stay here during the summer, but there are also year-round campers. Since it is the summer, I hope the two of you stay back." Liam felt Lucifer tense up besides him. The two brothers felt the same towards the idea of staying at this place. "We're not staying here. We came back to Manhattan to live a normal life. And we will. If the point of this camp is to make us capable of defending ourselves, we are already able to do that. We just need the right weapons. Once that's done, there's no reason for us to stay here. We'll be going home."

Home. It still felt so odd to say it. Liam finally had a home. A place where he could return to after a long day. A place where he could return to and find Lucifer waiting for him. A place where he didn't have to worry about the mercenaries or Mad Dog or Forest or missions or targets or the other numbers. A place where it was just him and Lucifer, living a peaceful life. But that was not possible anymore. They now had monsters chasing them, and a centaur asking them to stay at a camp. And apparently one of his parents was a god. There went his dream of a peaceful life out of the window. Still, he had to do whatever he could to ensure Lucifer lives as normal of a life as possible.

Chiron rummaged through the drawers near the window, and brought out two books, handing them to Liam. "The books contain all the basic information you'll need about Greek and Roman gods, since we don't know which one you are yet. It also has information about monsters and how to kill them. Atleast stay here for the night, and tomorrow I'll have Leo bring you to the forge and armoury. You can pick up weapons that suit your taste."

Liam looked at Lucifer, asking for his opinion. Lucifer weakly nodded, and the brothers agreed to stay the night. Nico led them to a cluster of cabins, stopping at a brown cabin. The door had a staff with two entwined snakes carved on it. Just as he was about to knock on the door, someone yelled from another cabin's door, "Nico! Get your ass here and finish your dinner. You can't go around eating so little. Especially not after shadow travelling."

The owner of the voice walked towards them, with a huge plate of food in his hands. He had blond hair and tan skin, and the brothers could swear he seemed to glow. "I'm not hungry," Nico shot back, and after looking at the huge amount of food on the plate, remarked, "And that's too much food, even judging by your standards, Will. You cannot expect me to eat all that." The boy—Will, probably—shook his head. "This isn't just for you. These two haven't had dinner either." He turned to Liam and Lucifer and continued, "I just brought whatever I thought you'd like. Sorry if it's not to your taste. Oh, and I'm Will Solace, by the way. Son of Apollo, Head Councellor of Cabin 7, and Nico's boyfriend." Nico blushed a deep red and hit Will's arm. "That last part was unnecessary." Will only laughed, and motioned for the three of them to follow him.

They sat at a hearth in the middle of all the cabins. From there, Liam and Lucifer could see every cabin. Though they were all part of one single structure, each individual cabin had its own distinct style. There was a cabin of white marble adorned with peacock and floral motifs. Another cabin had flowers and tomatoes growing on its wall. The cabin Will came from, it was made of solid gold. The one besides it was made of silver, shining like the moon. The brothers took in the view of all the cabins, wondering why they were so different.

"There's a cabin for each god," Will explained as he motioned for the brothers to eat. "Demigods first stay at Cabin 11, the Hermes cabin, until they are claimed, because Hermes is the god of travellers and wanderers. After you are claimed by your godly parent, you move to their cabin."

"That's why Cabin 11 is bigger than the other cabins." Lucifer exclaimed, almost putting a bite of the food Will had brought into his mouth. Will held his hand to stop him from eating, earning puzzled looks from the brothers. "You first have to offer some to the gods," Nico said, as he put a few slices of orange from his share of the food into the fire of the hearth. "It is to pray to them. We usually ask our parent for something. If you can't think of anything, a simple 'I wish today goes well' also does the trick," Will added.

The brothers offered a slice of bread to the fire each. Liam prayed for Lucifer and his safety, and Lucifer prayed that they be allowed normal lives. Then, they started eating. It was surprisingly delicious, which they had not expected at all. Back at camp, all they were given was watery porridge and almost stale meat. The had lived off it for basically their entire life. As such, they certainly didn't expect this Camp Half-Blood to have such good food. Hell, they didn't even know what half the items on their plate were. They ate their share quickly, thanked Will for the food, and made their way to Cabin 11, leaving Nico and Will at the hearth.

Lucifer knocked on the cabin door, and was greeted by Connor, who opened it. Connor led the brothers to a room in the far end of the cabin. Most kids were already asleep. Pointing to an empty bunk bed, he said, "You'll have to adjust with one bed. It kinda gets cramped up in here, especially during the summer." Liam looked over to Lucifer, who gave him a slight nod. Then, he turned to Connor and thanked him, before making himself comfortable on the bed.

Though exhausted from everything that happened during the day, the brothers couldn't sleep. They lay awake, slowly trying to come to terms with everything. After a while of staring at the ceiling, very quietly, so as to not disturb others in the room, Lucifer said to Liam, "That means one of our parents was not actually our parent. And it means one of our parent is still out there. But they didn't save us from the camp. They are a god. They could have protected us. They could have prevented Mad Dog from finding us. But they didn't. They left us to suffer at the camp. Despite being a god. We were abandoned by our parent. We were—"

A sob escaped Lucifer's lips, the lump in his throat making it hard to speak. After a couple years at the camp, Lucifer had come to terms with his life. His parents were dead, his brother was in the same hell as him, and there was no way out. No one to save them, and nowhere to go. Everytime he felt like giving up, he consoled himself by saying that there was nothing anyone could have done. This was his life now. There was no way out.

But there was a way out. His parent was a god. Who could have easily taken Liam and him out of that hell. But didn't. They abandoned their children. And now, when Lucifer is finally starting to be happy, they had to enter his life. A demigod was supposed to start developing their powers and attracting monsters at eleven. Lucifer was seventeen. If his godly parent didn't bless him with any powers in the last six years, when he so desperately needed them, then why now? Was it too much to wish for a normal life?

Hearing Lucifer cry, Liam pulled him into a hug, as a tear or two escaped his own eyes. But he couldn't cry. No. He had to stay strong. He had to be a pillar of support for his brother. He couldn't let himself wallow in his own sadness. Liam had to keep himself together. For the sake of both of them. So, instead of crying, he only pulled his brother closer to him, one arm as Lucifer's pillow and the other stroking his back, as Lucifer sobbed into his chest. Soon, he felt Lucifer's breathing and heart rate get slow and steady. Only after confirming his younger brother had slept did Liam finally close his eyes.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Liam and Lucifer woke up at the crack of dawn, a habit from their mercenary days. They spent some time skimming through the books Chiron had handed them yesterday, preparing themselves for the day ahead, before going out. They didn’t expect the campers to be awake yet, but there were already quite a few people to be seen as soon as they stepped outside. The morning air was crisp, and a pleasant breeze brought along the fragrance of roses. The glowing boy from yesterday, Will, was there too, looking like he’d just woken up too.

“Oh! Hello there! Did you have a good night’s sleep? The Hermes kids didn’t play any pranks, right?” He looked like he just woke up, but Will already had a half finished cup of black coffee in his hand. “No,” Lucifer replied, craving a good, strong coffee, too. “That’s a relief. They always keep pranking the new campers. Well, it’s gonna be breakfast time soon. Wanna tag along?” Will looked so earnest, Liam and Lucifer followed him to the mess hall. On the way, he pointed out to many campers going about their day, telling the brothers who is who, whom to befriend, and whom to keep a distance from.

As they were almost at the mess hall, a girl with curly red hair and pale, freckled skin came over, whom Will introduced as Rachel, the Oracle of Delphi. The brothers remembered the information on the Oracle from the books. She was the prophecy girl. “Is your father alright?” Rachel asked as soon as she caught Will’s attention. Will looked perplexed for a moment, before asking a question of his own. “Is something wrong with the oracle? Dad seems fine, though. Apparently he even visited Meg a couple days ago.” Rachel let out a sigh of relief before replying, “No, it doesn’t seem like anything wrong with the oracle, it’s just that for the past one week, the same line keeps coming to me. It isn’t a complete prophecy, but only one line of it. I don’t know why I can’t utter the whole thing. But if there’s nothing wrong with Apollo, maybe the prophecy is just lagging.” Will looked like he had seen a ghost. “Prophecies can lag?!” he asked, to which Rachel just shrugged. They entered the mess hall just as everyone else was starting to come, taking their seats at their cabin’s table.

“This place is wild,” Lucifer expressed to Liam once they were seated at the Hermes table. Liam thought for a while before replying, “Not as bad as other places we’ve been to.” Soon, the table was full, and the tree girls—no, dryads, started serving breakfast. Again, the brothers did not know the names of half the dishes in front of them. “The cup refills magically to the drink of your choice,” a girl sitting next to them said. “I’m Julia, by the way.” Lucifer looked at his cup, thinking of black coffee, and watched as the drink slowly filled his cup. Liam filled his with a cappuccino.

Before eating, they watched as the campers quietly made their way to the fire pit in a corner of the mess hall and sacrificed some of their breakfast in it. They’d have to do that too. Except, they did not know what to wish for. Liam was contemplating not burning his food, when Lucifer asked him, “Can I wish for our parent to show themselves? Atleast then we’d have a name to curse at.” A dry chuckle escaped Liam’s lips as he nodded, wishing for the same himself. Once everyone settled down, they all began eating.

Once done with breakfast, true to his word, Chiron had the fire spouting boy show them around the armoury and forge. For some reason, though, the tall, blond boy—Jason—followed along.

“The armoury is seriously cool,” Leo said as they made their way towards the said place. “The weapons there are so well made. Especially the one Beckendorf had made. Like, they’re perfect.” He kept gushing about the techniques used in making the weapons, most of which the brothers just nodded to, not really paying much attention. Right now, they were only thinking of returning to their normal lives, whatever normal would mean now.

In the armoury, there was such a wide range of weapons, and so many of them, it could put the numbers’s armoury to shame. Swords, knives, daggers, spears, arrows, bullets—every weapon the brothers could think of, it was there. The bronze of the weapons glimmered in the sunlight entering through the door, making them look magical. Jason looked at them admiring the weapons and said, “You can pick whatever you want.”

Liam and Lucifer carefully scanned the heap of weapons, deciding which ones to pick. They knew how to fight with all of them, and they didn’t have any preferences either. When faced with enemies in the middle of a forest, they had to fight with whatever they got their hands on. It took them some time to decide what weapon would suit them best. They weighed the pros and cons of each weapon, settling on two knives and a dagger each.

After they were done selecting their weapons, Leo led them back to the Big House—the blue house from yesterday. On their way, he asked the brothers, “So, you're not claimed yet? And you didn’t know you were a demigod until that harpy incident?” Lucifer answered, “No, and yes.” They reached the Big House before Leo could ask any more questions.

The brothers entered the Big House, and were greeted by Chiron, who was in his wheelchair, reading some book. He motioned for them to take seats, but they refused. “We’re leaving now,” Liam said, voice firm and unyielding. It was clear that he would not change his decision. Chiron put down his book and said, “I will not stop you if you want to leave. But the camp is always open for you if you want to come back. I wish you a safe—”

Chiron was cut mid-sentence by Rachel bursting in, green smoke starting to surround her. She was panting as if she had run all the way here, which she probably did. The green smoke had thickened by the time she stood in front of Chiron. “I think a prophecy is about to come, but it keeps lagging. I can only get the first line out.” Even as she said this, the green smoke continued to appear, now even coming out from her mouth. The brothers remembered reading about it. Now, a prophecy would come, sending some hero on a quest.

All of a sudden, Rachel looked as if she were possessed. She stood up straight, as a loud, clear voice, which was definitely not hers, came from her.

The two boys of lively death

On a journey—

As suddenly as it had started, it ended. The green smoke dissipated, and Rachel slumped against one of the chairs, taking a seat and breathing heavily. “It keeps looping at this point,” she said. “I keep saying the same one line.” Chiron manoeuvred his wheelchair close to Rachel, giving her a reassuring look as he said, “It’s ok. For now, we can begin by figuring out what the first part means, until the rest of the prophecy is revealed.”

Then, coming towards Liam and Lucifer, he said, “The two boys of lively death. I think I know who the prophecy is about. Liam, Lucifer. It’s about you. The two of you have a quest in your hands now.” Chiron smiled at the brothers, who were confused. They were the heroes the prophecy is sending on a quest? They just needed a normal life. Why was it so hard to live one? It wasn’t enough that they had to bear that hell back in Grian, now they had to go on missions here, too?

“We are not going on any quests. We’re going home,” Liam said, even more firm than last time. “We aren’t even claimed yet. What makes you think it is referring to us?” Chiron had a knowing look on his face as he said, “It’s just a guess, really. Your powers make sense if you are the ones the prophecy is talking about. I only realised it right now myself.” Since Chiron offered no proper explanation, the brothers only left the Big House, ready to return back home. Their furniture was going to be delivered in the afternoon. They would have to hurry back to make it in time.

Liam checked the time on his watch as they exited the blue building. It was 9 am, Sunday. The time they had agreed to contact Ijin on. Liam took out the old burner phone from his pocket, switching it on. He and Lucifer sent a quick text to Ijin, stating that they were fine and nothing was wrong. No signs of the mercenaries chasing them, either. He did not mention anything about his godly parentage, it sounded unreal to even him, after all.

They were just about to switch the phone off, when they were interrupted by Nico. “You use phones? And you have only started attracting monsters recently?” His disbelief was evident in his expression. “Why? Is there a rule saying we cannot use phones?” Lucifer bit back sarcastically. “Uh, yes,” Nico was serious. “There is. The signal from the phone makes it easier for monsters to sense you. That’s why demigods rarely use phones. Or other electronics, for that matter.”

Liam thought back to the events of yesterday. He was surfing the internet for a credible list of utensils to buy when the dog human attacked them. Was it able to sense them because of the signal? But they didn’t use electronics a lot. Only rarely. In the past, it was because they were often in remote locations, where all network services don’t work properly, or at all. And now, to avoid being traced by the camp. So, Liam replied to Nico, “It’s never bothered us. We don’t use phones a lot anyways.” The brothers then switched off the burner phone and continued on their way back home.

The brothers reached their apartment just in time for the furniture delivery. Once it was done and they had made the bed, the brothers collapsed on it. The mattress was soft, and the warmth of the afternoon sun only added to the comfort. Lying down on the bed, they started thinking of their future, of how they could make their lives normal despite being demigods. “I’ll have to find a job,” Liam suddenly said. “And send you to school.” Lucifer turned on his side to face his brother. “Do I have to go to school? Can I just not? They’ll ask about why I haven't been to school until now. What will we answer?” Liam turned to face his brother, too, as he replied, “I’ll just say you were homeschooled as we travelled abroad. Now that I have a chance, I want to send you to school like a normal kid.” Lucifer nodded, happy with the pretence his brother had come up with. They both soon drifted off to sleep, their brains exhausted with trying to come to terms with everything.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks went by in a sort of haze. Liam looked around for jobs, but it was hard to get one with no college education or past experience. Maybe he should apply to be a bodyguard, just like Ijin.

Or, though reluctantly, Liam thought living in New Rome did not seem like a bad idea. A place where they could live in safety and peace, where Lucifer could go to school like everyone else without any complications, where Liam could easily find something to do. But that would mean putting their lives in the hands of someone else. It felt like a good place, better than the numbers' camp, but Liam was still wary of it. There was also the quest thing they would have to go on if they stay there.

Liam put aside the job search in favour of pondering upon what to do with Lucifer's studies. He was the age to be in the final year of highschool, and most schools required junior year credits for senior year admissions. Even if they lied that Lucifer was homeschooled, they could not fake the documents, atleast not without putting themselves at the risk of getting detected by Mad Dog. He was furious, Ijin had said, because even 005 had escaped now. 

With the job search and the school admissions going nowhere, Liam and Lucifer had nothing to do but laze around. It felt weird, especially considering they had no time to relax, ever. That was just the kind of environment they lived in. Let down your guard for even one second, you get killed. But now, safely tucked in the small apartment in Manhattan, there were no assassins or mercenaries who could pose any danger. It was good, Lucifer told Liam, to just relax and go about their day without worrying about killing or being killed.

It was good, until it wasn't. Liam and Lucifer were at a park, out to get some fresh air after being cooped up at home all week. There weren't that many people, a group of teenagers and a few children with their parents. It was a slow evening, and the two of them welcomed the change of pace compared to their previous lives. They were still on alert, though; they could not get used to such life so quickly. It was almost funny, Liam thought out loud, how they ran away to live freely and they're doing everything except that.

The pleasant wind rustled their hair, messing it up. Both their hair had grown quite long, as none of them had bothered to cut it. Liam smoothed out the stray hairs over Lucifer's head. "You want me to cut your hair?" he asked, putting his hand over Lucifer's hair just under his shoulders, at just the length he knew his younger brother liked. Lucifer only shrugged, not sure whether he liked his longer hair or not.

The calm was soon broken with a sort of hissing sound. The brothers thought it to be a snake, but there weren't supposed to be any nearby. At least, not any snakes big enough to make such a loud, clear noise. Sure enough, as they looked around, the source of the sound didn't seem like a snake, but another of those humanoid monsters. Half snake, half woman.

"Uh, Liam, what were they called again? Empousa?" Lucifer asked, pointing to the empousa standing amongst the parents near the slides, staring at the brothers. She seemed to have realised they saw her, and started making their way towards them. "Not again," Liam said as the two of them rushed to get away from there. If they had to fight it, better to do so in an isolated place. The more they bring attention to themselves the more they risk getting detected.

Liam and Lucifer made their way towards an empty, quiet alley, the empousa walking (slithering?) behind them at a leisurely pace. Seriously, did these monsters not have any other work? The brothers did not encounter a single monster these past few weeks, ever since they left Camp Half-Blood. Why were they suddenly being attacked now? They also thought about why there weren't any monsters chasing them down during their mercenary days. Was it the Mist? Liam and Lucifer read that it could sometimes affect demigods, too, but why was it suddenly not affecting them as soon as they left the numbers?

They didn't get much time to think about why they suddenly awakened their demigod powers, the empousa attacking them as soon as they entered the alley. The brothers fought back with the weapons they had picked up from CHB, turning the empousa into dust in no time. They had heard stories of demigods struggling to fight against monsters, but now that they had proper weapons, it didn't seem so hard. But then again, they were trained mercenaries.

"Maybe we should go to that Camp Half-Blood," Lucifer started, wiping his dagger and sheathing it. "It seems like these monsters won't leave us alone." Liam agreed with him, but was still apprehensive of the camp. Could they trust their lives to an institution and not be used by them? From what Liam read about the Second Titan War, CHB wasn't all sunshine and rainbows as it seemed. Though, he had to admit, it was way better than what they were used to. At least they would get proper lodging and food and better living conditions. They would still have to go on quests, which sounded eerily similar to assassination missions, but they could live with it, right?

Liam was still conflicted, but maybe it really was better to go to CHB right now. If they had to, they could leave later. Not may people could stop them, anyways. "Sure," Liam replied, as they made their way to the camp. He decided he would ask that Jason kid about Camp Jupiter and stay there, if they had to stay at a camp. It appealed to him better than Camp Half-Blood, what with there being a small city of its own where he and his brother could experience normal life, as normal as theirs could get.

Chapter Text

Liam and Lucifer found themselves back at Camp Half-Blood, looking at the sign at its entrance. They had encountered another cynocephalus on their way there, but they took it down with ease. It only made their new life feel so much more clearer now.

"This is it," Lucifer said, running his hand over the barrier protecting the camp. "It feels real now that we are going to be at this place." The whole gods and demigods and monsters and divine wars and rebellions and what not all felt too…unreal, too made up to be true. Then again, their mercenary days also sounded made up. But once they step into the camp, it will become real. They had decided to go to the demigod camps. They would have to accept the fact that one of their parents was not really their parent. And that they were the children of a god. A god who did not save them from that hell they had to endure for ten years. They had completely forgotten about the implications this would have on the what ifs and the why nots of their life. They would have to accept that their parent just let them suffer, while being an omnipotent being able to save them.

Liam let out a deep breath as he stepped past the barrier, readying himself mentally. "Let's go," he said, holding Lucifer's hand. Lucifer held his hand tightly as the two entered the camp and made their way towards the Big House to talk to Chiron. They would have to figure out who their godly parent is if they wanted to live peacefully. If they did not know the truth, the realisation that they are unaware of why they had to go through all that they did would claw at them for the rest of their lives.

The first person they saw as they entered was Jason, with Leo following behind closely. He had with him a…bronze dragon? What was up with Leo and bronze mechanical stuff? The dragon spotted Liam and Lucifer before Jason and Leo did. It fixed its red eyes, which looked like they were made of rubies, on them, steam coming out of its mouth. Leo was probably alarmed, looking for what caused the dragon to form steam at its mouth as he tried to calm it down. He found Liam and Lucifer walking towards the Big House, and beamed—quite literally. He was on fire, lighting up the evening.

"Hello! Liam! Lucifer! Whatcha doing here?" Leo ran up to them, the dragon trailing behind along with Jason. "Oh, by the way, meet Festus! He's kind of like my child." The brothers glanced at Festus, who seemed giant up close. Amazed, Lucifer asked, "Is that a mechanical bronze dragon? Did you make it?" Leo was the Head Councellor for Hephaestus Cabin, and Festus was the proof for why he was chosen for the role. It was incredible how he could make something like this. Lucifer felt intrigued, and raised his hand to pet Festus' snout.

A sheepish Leo motioned for Festus to come closer, while Jason replied, "Impressive, right? You should see the Argo II. Leo really went all out for that." Leo's face got even more red as he waved his hand back and forth and countered, "I didn't make Festus, I only fixed his mechanical parts. Some Hephaestus kids from long ago made him. Also, the Argo II is destroyed now. So, yeah." He looked like he wasn't used to compliments. Jason was about to say something, but stopped after Leo glared at him.

After Lucifer pet Festus, the brothers continued on towards their destination, leaving Leo and Jason (and Festus) to roam around the forest. Perhaps because it was almost time for dinner, the camp was nearly empty, only a few campers to be seen. Liam and Lucifer changed their course, making their way to the mess hall instead, since that is where Chiron would probably be right now.

They were just about to enter the mess hall when Rachel called out to them, sounding out of breath. She looked like she ran all the way here. Chiron was right behind her, shooting worried glances to the red-haired girl. "I knew I'd find you here," Rachel said between pants, "I think there's a prophecy for you." Great. They had just entered CHB, and were already being sent on quests. Efficient.

Chiron was in his centaur form, towering over everyone as he spoke. "The two of you did refuse all quests, but this one is about you. You have to take the quest." He put extra emphasis on 'have' and made it sound almost like a command, which did not sit right with Liam and Lucifer. But they did prepare themselves for this. They did know that they would have to go on quests if they chose to live at either of the camps. And so, there was no other option but to agree. Maybe, if they go on a quest, they could find out about their godly parent.

Liam had only barely uttered a 'yes' when Rachel was beginning to be covered by green smoke emerging from her mouth. The brothers had seen it before, but the scene was just as wierd the second time as it was the first. The green smoke envelloped Rachel, seemingly engulfing her. She began uttering something meaningless first, but soon, the prophecy was said.

The two belonging to lively death

On a journey accompanied by past must set

To the east along with the Sun and the Star

Put a definitive end to the war

Then, too much happened all at once. Rachel returned back to normal. A crowd had gathered around them. Sharp gazes pinned on Liam and Lucifer. Chiron was taken aback. Gasps and murmurs could be heard. A red-green light illuminated the tops of the brothers' heads. They looked up, a sort of symbol visible over each of their heads. It was an intertwined pomogranate and skull, wrapped loosely in vines.

"All hail Liam Gray and Lucifer Gray, sons of Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, the Goddess of Spring." Chiron's voice boomed across the mess hall, and everyone, including Chiron, were kneeling, showing reverence to the symbol over Liam and Lucifer's heads.

Sons of Persephone, Chiron had said. Was she their godly parent? They had read about the gods and goddesses in the book Chiron had given them last time. She was the daughter of Demeter, and the goddess of spring. She had married Hades, becoming the queen of the Underworld. She was a powerful goddess, commanding plants, especially flowering ones, and the dead. She also had some control over the earth, her mother being the goddess of agriculture and her husband being the king of the Underworld. And she was their mother.

Looking back, it made sense, actually. Liam and Lucifer never got lost in the forests or the underground tunnels of the numbers' camps. They also seemed to easily detect natural poisons. And there was that time Liam had made vines sprout from concrete. They were the sons of Persephone.

Though one of their questions was answered, it left many more to be asked. Why did their parents hide the truth from them? Why were they not told that one of their parents is not their biological parent? Or that they are the children of one of the most powerful goddesses in the Greek pantheon? And why did the said goddess not initiate any contact with her children for so many years? Why did she not save them? Why was she only claiming them now, after they were given a quest?

Right, they would also have to go on this quest, now. They had to decode it first. The two belonging to lively death was obviously referring to them. Their mother was the goddess of both, spring and the underworld. That explained the first line. The second indicated that they would have to go on a journey. Sure, they could do that. But what did accompanied by past mean?

Liam and Lucifer were brought out of their thoughts at Will's remark. "The third line refers to Nico and me, I think. We were referred to as the sun and the star on our quest to Tartarus."

Chiron, deep in thought, nodded. "So the quest is also for the two of you. To the east is a very broad phrase. And so is accompanied by past." He paused for a moment, took in the eyes all pointed at Liam and Lucifer and said, "We will think about this. For now, it is time for dinner. Everyone, take your seats."

Chapter Text

It was new. Liam and Lucifer were seated on the Hades table, courtesy of Nico. He said something about wanting to know how his step-mother had two unclaimed children older than him. Will mumbled something about them not being older than Nico. Chiron hushed them and dinner started. Nico looked at them with eyes full of curiosity, with no malice to be found in his gaze. The brothers felt weird, but not uncomfortable. 

The attention was, for once, making them feel good. The attention meant they finally will be able to find out about their parents. The attention meant they finally belonged somewhere. Yes, the numbers were like one family, but it was a family founded upon trauma and suffering. And they had left it behind. There was guilt in their hearts, regret in their minds. For leaving that hell alone. For being the only ones to escape and live a good life while the others still suffered under Mad Dog. Did Ijin also feel the same when he left the camp? Was that why he did not kill any numbers sent after him? No. He just was too good of heart. That was the reason he left the camp, after all. But what about the other numbers? They were here in Manhattan, eating good food and sleeping in nice beds and going on walks to the local park and having fun and not worrying about having to kill or being killed. But what about those they left behind? Their past, their friends, their family.

Wait—their past. Liam finally connected the dots. They had to be accompanied by their past on this quest. By the numbers. Were they to be called for some mission? Who would call them now? Who could trace them? And they had left that life behind. Why would they go on a mission with the numbers again? But the prophecy was clear. They were to be on a team with the numbers. And go east. Go to Grian. Then, what war were they to end? Were they strong enough to actually put an end to a war? They did go through that inhumane training, but they couldn't be that powerful. They were still human—no, they were demigods. Children of Persephone. They were strong enough. But could they—

"What's got you so worried?" Lucifer's voice pulled Liam back to reality. He wondered if he should tell his younger brother what he was thinking about or not. He did not want to hurt Lucifer by telling him they had to go on a mission with the numbers again. However, the quest involves it and so, he will find out soon. Liam settled on telling Lucifer only part of what he had interpreted of the prophecy.

Taking a sip of water, Liam started, "I think I figured out what the prophecy means. Half of it, at least." That brought Nico and Will's attention to him, too. "I think the past we are to be accompanied by refers to the numbers. And we have to go eastwards. To them, probably. I don't know what the final line means, though." He shrugged, putting on an unbothered face.

Lucifer was not one to be fooled, though. He could see the worry and fear behind Liam's eyes. As much as the camp and its training was a hell to Lucifer, he knew Liam shielded him from a lot worse. He would often act nonchalant, but Lucifer knew he cared. Being vulnerable or showing a weakness was not an option in the camp. And Lucifer knew, despite what Liam wanted everyone to believe, Lucifer knew he was Liam's weakness. Even now, he could see Liam put on a brave front even when he was terrified and anxious again.

"If we have to, then we have to. We will not be alone, though," Lucifer said, turning his head towards Nico and Will. They were some of the strongest demigods out there. Liam and Lucifer were probably stronger than them, what with that training back then as 006 and 032, but just having someone who can remind them that they aren't at Mad Dog's mercy anymore would be a great help. Liam only said an "I suppose so" when his phone rang. Nico and Will resumed to talking amongst themselves, though they looked like they had a million questions to ask.

It was an alarm, indicating the time they had agreed to contact Ijin. Liam switched on the burner phone in his pocket, checking for any texts from the only saved number—Ijin's. Usually, there was nothing, since they only informed each other of the most important things. Today, though, there was a text. It was short, but indicated that everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. Liam read it out for Lucifer, hoping it goes unnoticed by the couple on the other side of their table. "Most numbers have escaped."

Lucifer's eyes, understandably, widened at that. If most of the numbers had escaped—and met Ijin—it meant that they, too, were sent after Ijin, realised he's not the one who killed the numbers, and decided they had enough of the camp's and Mad Dog's bullshit. It also meant Mad Dog knew for sure Ijin was still alive. And he probably knew Lucifer and Liam were alive, too.

"It's fine," Lucifer said, his voice betraying the cacophony inside this mind. "They wouldn't be able to find us here. Mortals don't know about this place."

Will took that moment to rejoin in on their conversation. "Who is finding you?" The brothers looked at each other, ready to tell their cover story, until Lucifer decided to tell them the truth. They couldn't hide it for long, obviously, since Nico and Will were to accompany them on the quest. He took a deep breath, readying himself for it. This was the first time they would tell anyone of their past. Well, the first time anyone outside the numbers would find out about the numbers. Even Ijin had kept his days as 001 a secret.

"It's…" he faltered, the words feeling heavy on his tongue. Another deep breath. "Someone we knew before coming here. He actually—" He looked at Liam, unable to make coherent sentences. His brain had a thousand thoughts all at once, and he couldn't vocalise a single one of them. Liam held his hand, squeezing it to hopefulling stop the trembling, and Nico's eyes suddenly turned from questioning to understanding at that.

"I take it's a hard topic? You don't have to tell us, then." Nico's voice was soft, but clear. And Liam thought, maybe he, too, had gone though something that completely altered his life. But then again, almost everyone at CHB was a child soldier. They probably had experiences similar to the brothers. But they had to tell them. Nico and Will deserved to know what they were getting themselves into.

Just as Liam opened his mouth to say something, Chiron and Mr. D (yes, they had the literal god Dionysus as their Camp Director) signalled the end of dinner. Liam, Lucifer, Nico, and Will were called to the Big House, to discuss their quest further, while everyone else made their way to their cabins.

Chapter Text

The Big House, for some reason, gave off an intense, formal feeling. Lucifer had felt it the laat time they had been here, too. It felt too important a place to just be refered to as the 'Big House' casually. It had an air of seriousness all around it, despite not being used much. The book Chiron gave them said it was used as the meeting place during important matters. Was that why it had such an atmosphere? Whatever it was, it reminded Lucifer too much of their base camp back in Grian under Mad Dog. It unsettled him, made him uncomfortable. It unmade his being, his confidence, his newfound freedom.

"You four have a quest. Usually, we only have three people team up for a quest, but the prophecy specifies the four of you. We're yet to figure out the meaning behind it, but you can leave tomorrow." Chiron was quick with his explanation, adding to Lucifer's discomfort. He seemed to have just given them the reins for the quest, but the brothers had no idea what to do. Nico, perhaps sensing their unease, replied, "We will try our best."

The four of them, Chiron having left to tend to other business, discussed what the prophecy might mean. Liam was quick to tell them everything before they had a chance to ask. This way, he could get by with telling them only as much is necessary, leaving out all the details neither he nor Lucifer wished to go into. "So, the past we are to be accompanied by, it is from before we came to America."

"Right, you travelled a lot before that," Will stated. "Yes," Liam continued, "Lucifer and I, we travelled a lot before coming here. But, it wasn't…" He took a steadying breath, and started again. "We were mercenaries. In a place named Grian. Sent to missions all over the world. We were part of a camp known as the numbers. The 'past' we are to be accompanied by, it should be the other numbers." And it made sense, too, now. Most of the numbers had escaped the camp. Ijin had sent a list of them. Among the others, 002 and 004 had also left. If they had to go on a mission together, it wouldn't be under Mad Dog now. If the 'past' refered to those who had escaped, that is.

It was Nico who broke the heavy silence that had settled over the four. "That explains why you are so strong. Not anyone, demigod or not, can survive a flock of harpies without a weapon." Liam looked beside him to Lucifer, who looked offended. "I did have a weapon," he retailiated. "Not my fault I did not know normal steel doesn't work on them." He had crossed his arms over his chest, and his cheeks puffed out a bit in irritation. Lucifer looked really cute, Liam thought, and felt warmth spread throughout his entire body, finally seeing his younger brother be able to act like a teenager, seeing his younger brother not be burdened by violence, seeing him be free.

It also did not go unnoticed by Liam how Nico turned the tension in the air into something much lighter. He was starting to like Nico. It'd be great if Lucifer could have friends his age, with whom he is able to just be a teenager, with whom he has no obligations to act a certain way, with whom he doesn't need to hide parts of himself, with whom he could just be. Nico, from the brief interactions Liam had with him, seemed like a good kid.

"Let's focus on the mis—quest at hand, shall we?" Liam brings the focus back to the quest, not wanting any more attention to their past. Will straigthened up, replying, "Right, the quest. So, your old, uh, colleagues will be joining us?"

Liam had spent the entire dinner thinking how and why the numbers would be on a mission together, but had come up with nothing. "I think so, but I'm not sure how I'll get in contact them. I am in contact with only one of them, who, also, had escaped," Liam told them. He was beginning to doubt whether his inference was right. Maybe the past the prophecy talked about was not this.

"Let's think about this later, then. First, we need to go east. And I'll try to talk to dad, maybe. He might know something, because Rachel said a prophecy has never lagged this much, whatever that means." Will had a worried look on his face, probably for Rachel and, maybe, even his father. His father, Apollo, was punished and made a mortal for six months. If Lucifer remembered correctly, Apollo became a god again just a few months ago. Will might've got close to him then, and thus the worried expression.

Liam and Lucifer, meanwhile, had only learnt about their parentage a couple hours earlier. They had never met Persephone, let alone be close to her. And now they had to go back to the last place they wanted to be at. A soft sigh escaped Lucifer's lips, who was already tired of this whole demigod thing. He hadn't even shown any powers yet, and was being thrust into a quest. He wanted to know if his mother cared for him, if she would help them, if she tried to save them. Maybe she did, but failed. It didn't make sense, though. She was a goddess. Surely, she could have saved them from humans, right?

"Lucifer, Liam, I am going to—" Nico, seemingly about to tell something important, was cut off by Rachel entering the room. "Uh, guys, this isn't a prophecy or something, but just a feeling I have, and…" She looked at the four of them, as if asking for permission to continue. When none of them stopped her, she continued, "I think you should go on this quest after some time. Not tomorrow. It feels too early, for some reason. Maybe that was why the prophecy did not come fully at once."

The four of them, having made no progress on interpreting the prophecy, agreed to Rachel's suggestion. After all, she was the Oracle of Delphi. Even if it was just a gut feeling, her foresight wasn't meant to be ignored.

Now that there was no weight of a sudden quest on their shoulders, all of them decided to retire for the night, making their way towards their cabins.

"You were saying something before," Lucifer pointed out to Nico, as the cabins entered their sights. Nico seemed confused for a moment, before replying, "I was. I am going to go meet dad before the quest. I wanted to ask of the two of you would like to tag along. To meet your mother."

The suggestion hung heavy in the air. They could meet their mother. They could ask her all the questions they asked the night air, all the ones left unanswered. They could meet their mother, get to know her, have a place to call home. But they already had built a home, Lucifer thought, in their Manhattan apartment. And now, in the Persephone Cabin. Did they need to meet her?

"Do you want to, Lucifer?" Liam asked, and Lucifer, despite what he just thought, found himself saying yes.

Nico told them to be ready tomorrow morning, to go to the Underworld. Liam realised, then, that he must have sensed their desire to meet Persephone during their conversation earlier. He really liked this kid now.

Chapter Text

Liam and Lucifer's first trip to the Underworld was, well, different from what they had imagined it would be like. They had expected a tiring entrance, trekking through the layers upon layers of the earth below them. They had expected a long walk and a tough bargain with Charon to cross the Styx and a stroll through the fields of Asphodel and… a lot of things, actually. What they did not expect at all was Nico holding their hands, as he had done the first time he met them, the first time they reached CHB, and shadow travelling all the way to the Underworld's throne room.

The throne room was, at least, how they had expected it to look like. Blacks and greys all around, shimmering with a subtle gleam, skeleton soldiers stationed at regular intervals, two huge thrones exuding power and strength. One of the thrones was occupied, a tall man with hair and eyes as black as obsidian sitting on it. Not a man, a god. Hades. He wore black robes, the fabric rippling with trapped souls. An air of authority surrounded him. He looked like he could, and like he would, slowly extract the soul of anyone who dares offend him.

Nico had perhaps exhausted himself, if his increasingly pale face was anything to go by. Liam distantly remembered Will scolding him for exhausting himself beyond his limits with shadow travel. He had to make this kid take an actual route when leaving. Because he had grown to like the kid, and because he had a hunch Will would lose his barely held together composure of Nico doesn't take care of himself.

Another thing the brothers did not expect was their meeting with Hades and Persephone to go the way it went. They had anticipated Hades' glares, his hatred. They were the mortal children of his beloved wife, after all. But Hades was… amicable. Friendly, even. He was not at all stiff with the three of them. He talked casually to them, welcomed them to the Underworld like he actually was happy seeing them, and was having a normal (according to the limited knowledge of normal the brothers had) father-son conversation with Nico. With what they had read about the gods, Hades came a complete surprise. 

A complete surprise, which might have shown on their faces, because Hades was now cocking an eyebrow at them, saying, "Do not lump me in with my brothers. I'm not going to burn you to ashes for speaking something I deem incorrect in my presence or something." Nico snorted at that, about to make a sarcastic remark, but Hades continued, "Persephone thought the two of you died some ten or eleven years ago. It is certainly great knowing you have been well." A small, genuine, warm smile formed on his lips.

Well? Liam and Lucifer had been anything but well. Did their mother really not know what happened to them? Did she realy think they died in that train accident? She was a goddess. How could she not know what happened to her own children? Liam clenched his fists, forcing his mind to focus on the present moment. Hades might not kill them for what they say, but it didn't mean they should get on his bad side. He was, no matter how estranged and how wierdly related, their family.

"We survived the train accident, if that is what you are referring to, and we have been well these past ten years. For the most part," Liam replied, trying his best to not let his voice waver. It wasn't hard, what with all the mercenary work he did in the past. Facing people stronger than oneself, looking them in the eye, not turning away from a threat. Not showing any weakness. It was all ingrained in him by the time he became 006.

The response earned the brothers another cocked eyebrow from Hades, and a question. "What do you mean?" Hades asked, his voice filled with slight concern, though his expression remained impassive. Before an answer could be given, Persephone—beautiful, powerful, full of life—came, taking her seat on the throne beside Hades'. "My children," she said, her gown blooming with various flowers, "Welcome to the Underworld."

Lucifer was at a loss of words. What should he feel in this moment? What should he reply? How did people greet their parent who thought they were dead for ten whole years? How did people greet their parent who they didn't know was their parent until just last night? How did people greet their parent, a goddess, who let them suffer a fate worse than Tartarus, on the account of believing they were dead? How did people talk to their parent who had the power to, but was due to ignorance, unable to save them?

With a quick glance to his right, he realised Liam did not know the answers to this either. Actually, maybe no one knew the correct thing to say in such a situation. Lucifer doubted there were many who even were in this situation in the first place. Getting into an accident as a child and being kidnapped by a mercenary camp and being put through hellish training and escaping only to discover a godly parentage didn't sound like a common occurance. If there weren't any correct answers, there also could not be any incorrect answers. At least, that's what Lucifer thought before speaking.

"Thank you?" It came out more like a question. If he were back under Mad Dog, the trembling in his voice could've gotten him killed. The fact that there were no bullets aimed at him, in some disturbing way, reaffirmed him. He was not 032 anymore. He was Lucifer Gray now. A normal seventeen year old teenage boy. No, not normal. A demigod. But better than what he was before, at least. And so, when he felt Liam squeeze his hand, he took a deep breath, looked at Hades, and continued, "To answer your question, sire, Liam and I… we didn't exactly survive that accident. We were, ah, rescued. By an organisation that trained us into child mercenaries. Actually, we believe the quest we have is related to it, too."

Both Hades and Persephone seemed to sit a little straighter at that. The air, only filled with a sliver of tension until then, suddenly felt thick enough to be able to cut with a knife. For a long, a very long moment, no one spoke. Haded, Persephone, Nico, Liam, Lucifer. All still, all thinking about the implications of this conversation.

And huge implications they were. An organisation that could take away two powerful demigods, hide them so well even the queen of the Underworld couldn't find her own children. It hit Liam and Lucifer then. Demigod powers manifest for the first time when the person is in danger, or in desperation. Liam and Lucifer walked the line between life and death for ten years. Their powers did not appear. Even Hades, the god of the dead, could not sense them. Even the rescue itself—it might have been planned. Maybe it was not by coincidence that Mad Dog's men were scouting the area. But did they know Liam and Lucifer were demigods? Was the lack of manifestation of their powers simply a late blooming or—

The brothers did not get to finish their thoughts. "I need to speak with my sons. We'll take our leave," Persephone announced, getting up and beckoning Liam and Lucifer to follow her. Liam once again squeezed Lucifer's hand. It had become a sort of calming routine for them both. Reminding each other that they were not alone. They had each other. Lucifer squeezed Liam's hand back as the two of them bowed to Hades. "I'll be waiting for you, then we can return back to camp," they heard Nico say. Liam gave a small nod, and the brothers followed Persephone.

Chapter Text

Liam and Lucifer had spent numerous nights wondering what they would say to their godly parent if they ever meet. Maybe ask questions—about their past, about their mortal parents, about their powers, about their childhood. Maybe ask why, as a god, their parent left them to die in the accident. Or why they weren't saved from the camp. Maybe they'll tell their godly parent that they want to get closer to them, since that was the only family they had now. (The numbers didn't count, Liam and Lucifer had abandoned them.) Maybe they would ask for help on a quest, if they find themselves in one. There was a lot to say, a lot to ask, a lot to know, a lot to listen.

But now, as Liam and Lucifer followed Persephone through the expanse of the Underworld into her garden, they were left unable to say anything. There was a lot, and it only made them overwhelmed to the point of silence.

The garden itself, the only place they saw in the entire Underworld which was full of life, was beautiful, to say the least. Flowers—bright, vibrant, shining, alive—bloomed all around them, despite the lack of sunlight. They seemed bigger than normal flowers, and the brothers had an inexplicable urge to touch them. In the center of the garden, beside a small tea table and chairs, stood a pomegranate tree, bright red fruit low enough to pluck and eat. They remembered the part on this tree from the infobook Chiron had handed them. Eating anything here would trap them in the Underworld.

The silence, now, seemed to stretch awkwardly long. They had to say something, they had to do something. They couldn't just stand there, admiring the garden. Were they so entranced by it because they were Persephone's children?

"My sons," Persephone broke the silence, jolting Liam and Lucifer out of their trance, "I truly believed you to have died in the accident ten years ago. How…" She paused, probably trying to find the right words. When the quiet consumed them again, the brothers realised she failed at wording her question properly.

After all, no one, god or human or monster or whatever, could just ask their children how they survived the past ten years when they were presumed dead? What would Persephone even ask? "How are you alive?" "How did you live?" "How did I, the queen of the Underworld not realise you're not dead?" Liam and Lucifer did not like any of these questions, but they had also discussed how they thought their meeting with Persephone would go the entire night after Nico told them he could take them to meet her. They knew there was no 'good' way to ask the question, especially if Persephone really cared about them.

"An organisation found us and took us in. They trained us to become mercenaries. We escaped a couple months ago after…" Liam could not bring himself to continue with the details of their escape.

The fear he felt when Lucifer was held hostage came back to him. The fear that he would lose his brother. The fear that he would lose his brother without ever showing how much he cared. The fear that he would lose his brother because of his own decision to pretend he was dead and go into hiding. The fear, and the rage. Rage towards himself, at being unable to do anything. He had pondered upon this every waking moment after they settled in Manhattan. What if 001 and 004 hadn't shown up? What if they were even a second late? What if Lucifer—no. He would never let that happen. But what could he have done? It was his fault. He shouldn't have disappeared without informing Lucifer. He should have—

A hand slipped into Liam's, squeezing once, twice, thrice. A heartbeat, a deep breath. A fourth time, and another deep breath. "…After some stuff happened," Liam completed his sentence. He turned slightly towards Lucifer, giving him a small smile.

"I thought Hades could sense deaths? And there's also the sorting into Asphodel, Elysium, and Tartarus. Surely, our souls couldn't have been here after the accident?" Lucifer asked the most pressing question, all decorum forgotten. There couldn't be an incorrect answer without a correct answer. There was no correct answer. And Persephone did not seem to take offence at this. So, Lucifer thought, he probably did not say anything wrong.

"You're right. But after the train crashed, I tried to look for the two of you. Your parents had planned to introduce you to Camp Half-Blood when you return from the trip. Once I realised they are dead, I searched for you. I couldn't find you. No satyr could smell you, there were no reports of increased monster activities, nothing indicated you being there." Persephone looked like she was about to cry. It did not suit her at all, the brothers decided. She was like a flower blooming in the spring. Right now, she looked like a flower about to wilt.

What Persephone said made Liam and Lucifer feel more at unease than her expression. Their parents were about to take them to Camp Half-Blood after the trip. They had known their sons are demigods. Leo had told them about his best friend Piper, whose father did not even know she was a demigod. They knew it was inappropriate, but Liam and Lucifer found themselves wishing their parents were ignorant of this whole thing, too. It felt like their parents were taking them on one final trip before saying goodbye forever. In a twisted way, it did work out that way.

Their parents—no, that wasn't right. Their mother was Persephone. One of their parents wasn't actually their parent. But was it really like that? Lucifer didn't remember much, but Liam did. Both their parents had loved them so much. He could never have guessed he wasn't related to one of them. No matter what, they were both his parents. Liam had told Lucifer this last night. He didn't want to know which one wasn't their biological parent.

Persephone spoke again after collecting herself. "Maybe I should have searched for you better." She seemed to have finished saying her bit. It was now time for the brothers to ask all the questions they had wanted the answers to for forever.

Their conversation went on for quite some time. Liam and Lucifer asked questions, Persephone answered them. They asked about their powers, their childhood, whether Persephone ever came to see them as children, what kind of people their parents were, why Persephone had taken so long to claim them, why had they not shown any demigod abilities until now, what the quest is about. Persephone replied, your powers are very strong, you were both quiet as kids, I would come every once in a while, your parents were such good humans, I thought you both were dead so seeing you arrive at CHB shocked me and I hesitated in claiming you, I don't know why your powers only manifested now, prophecies only make themselves clear over time.

Liam and Lucifer left the Underworld mostly satisfied with their meeting with Persephone. Sure, there were still so many things shrouded in mystery, but at least they now knew who they were.

The brothers met Nico in one of the rooms of the palace, to which they were escorted by a skeleton soldier after their conversation with Persephone. Nico once again asked them to hold his hand, preparing himself for shadow-travel. Liam was clear in his opposition to the idea, pointing out Nico's pale and tired face. Nico, in turn, muttered something about not even Will being so strict, but eventually gave in to Liam's stern glare. They took the 'normal' way out, emerging somewhere in Los Angeles, and making their way to the camp from there.

Chapter Text

There wasn't much to do once Liam, Lucifer, and Nico returned to CHB. Rachel believed they should lave for their quest at least after a week. They hadn't even figured out what half of it meant, anyways. And so, upon returning, all they did was train, eat, and rest.

Liam used this time to ask Jason about Camp Jupiter and New Rome schools and colleges. Luicfer fulfilled most of the admission criteria, making Liam decide to enroll him to school in New Rome once they return from their quest. Jason also told him about a school some other kid named Percy had gone to, which did not require junior year credits. Something about Percy and Jason losing their memories after being kidnapped by Hera and Percy going missing for almost a year and so not attending junior year. It didn't exactly sound like a good school, though. Liam wanted his brother to attend school like the normal teenager he is, not some "troubled" kid. He'd have to discuss this with Lucifer after the quest, though. He seemed adamant on not going to school.

They played Capture the Flag and some other games throughout the week, because of which Liam and Lucifer got to explore their powers. They could create shallow chasms, grow spring flowering plants out of nowhere, and even command shadows. Not as much as Nico, rhey couldn't shadow travel, but they could manipulate shadows to change shapes and forms. More than anything, the most powerful ability they had was to be able to turn living things into flowering plants. Mint came especially easy. They did not know whether the ability would work on humans, they hadn't tried, but turning small animals into plants was quite easy.

Other than that, the days were peaceful. So peaceful, Liam and Lucifer weren't used to this peace. It was too quiet, too mundane. They took to extra sparring practice to spend their extra time and energy. And to get their minds off the nightmares.

They couldn't figure out whether these dreams are the demigod kind or PTSD symptoms kind, but it didn't really matter. They would wake up in the middle of the night, covered kn a cold sweat. Dreams of Mad Dog chasing them, dreams of being covered in blood, dreams of 005 and 008 getting fatal injuries, dreams of fighting Mad Dog. It wasn't anything new, of course, but before, they would only get such dreams every once in a while. Now, it became a daily occurance. Like clockwork, the two of them would wake up, around two or three in the night, not screaming, never screaming, but panic in their eyes and trembling bodies and thundering hearts. It filled them with dread, and a vague sense that the dream held something of importance, though they did not know what.

Their unease was only exacerbated by a message they received from Ijin a week later. Mad Dog was on the hunt for escaped numbers, Ijin predicted he might find them in a few days. They had to hide their tracks, or else they might be found. Liam and Lucifer were safe in Camp Half-Blood, or in Camp Jupiter. No mortal could find them. But what about the other numbers? They were all out there somewhere, probably trying their best to keep themselves hidden. But it was Mad Dog who trained them, after all. How much could they hide from him? Liam and Lucifer wanted to go to them. They survived the last ten years together, they should survive the hunt together.

Ijin probably predicted they would feel like this. The very next message was for them to stay hidden, and stay safe. To not worry about him. But could they, really? All the other numbers had nothing to lose excelt themselves, but Ijin had finally found his way back to his family. Mad Dog could, and he really would, attack Ijin's grandfather or sister. They knew how much his family meant for him, and so, they decided to go to Korea, and to help Ijin.

"We need to go to Korea," Liam announced the next afternoon, "and we need to do so quickly." The Big House seemed, for a moment, to tremble. "You have a quest," was all Chiron answered. "We do. But we need to go. We didn't come to ask for permission, but to inform you," Luicfer refuted, looking at Chiron and Mr. D, his red eyes firm with resolve. Ijin helped them survive with his leadership. They weren't leaving him alone, quests and monsters and wars be damned.

Chiron looked up from whatever book he was reading. "If that is what you wish, sure. I cannot force you to stay at camp. But I hope you will not back out from the quest." And with that, the brothers made their way to their cabin, packing all essential supplies. They'd leave as soon as possible, reach Ijin before Mad Dog, and maybe, just maybe, be able to defeat Mad Dog. They could do it, if they all work together.

Liam and Lucifer had just exited their cabin when Will spotted them. He asked them where they were going, to which Lucifer replied, "Korea. An old friend is in need of some assistance."

Will's face lit up. Literally. He glowed, like the late afternoon sun above them. "You're going east," he started with barely contained excitement, "and helping someone from your past. Is it what the quest means?"

At that moment, it was as if all the small jigsaw pieces finally connected to form one big image in Liam's brain. "Wait, call Nico, too. I think I figured this one out," Liam said, and the three of them made their way to the Hades Cabin, where Nico was sleeping. Will woke him up, kissing his grouchy cheeks, and an impromptu meeting began.

"So, the two boys of lively death—Lucifer and I, we go towards the east. To Korea. And we aren't in proper contact with any of our old teammates, but they probably are thinking the same as us. Which means, we'd be accompanied by our past teammates on this journey. 'To put a definitive end to the war' part, well we're going to help our friend fight against an old enemy, and hopefully crush him for once and for all. So, there you go. Prophecy solved." With Liam's explanation, understanding dawned on Lucifer, too. "It makes sense," he said, nodding along to his brother's words.

Nico interrupted the excited atmosphere. "Actually, prophecy not solved. Where do we come in your fight? It clearly states we are to help you. But when?" That was a valid question. Liam did not know where Nico and Will come into this whole situation. He obviously could not let them fight Mad Dog.

"Another problem," Lucifer added. "A quest would not be about our mortal past. There has to be something about gods and monsters. Maybe helping Ijin is a part of it, but there's still the divine element missing."

"We should just start on our journey to Korea. Maybe the answers to these questions will become clear once we actually start?" Will suggested, to which everyone agreed.

The next morning, with Chiron's good wishes and the rest of the camp's encouraging words, the four of them left for South Korea.

Chapter Text

The journey itself was not at all anything to note about. Liam, Lucifer, Will, and Nico reached South Korea without encountering anything non-human. No monsters, no gods, no demigods, no random creatures from the Greek world. Or the Roman world. Just once, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, they had seen a few hippocampi gliding across the waves. Other than that, they either slept, or just looked out of the window. It was rare for any of the four to have this much time to do nothing, and they made full use of it.

Though their bodies were resting, the same could not be saod for their minds. They were on a quest in a whole other continent. It went without saying that it was an important one.

"The last time we had a quest across the seas, it was horrible," Nico had told Lucifer when Liam and Will were asleep. "We had to go on a flying boat, what's with Zeus and Poseidon and their unnecessary dislike towards each other's sons. Atleast we get to travel normally this time."

Lucifer had heard about the Great Prophecy from other kids at camp, especially Rachel. He had also read about it in the infobook Chiron had handed them on their first night at the camp. Back then, he was so caught up in processing his own troubles that it did not seem like a big deal to him. A group of demigods go on a journey to Europe to stop a primordial goddess and her minions while also trying to prevent a Greek vs. Roman demigod civil war from happening. How hard could it be? He had gone on assassination missions that included much more dangers.

But now, after having come to terms with his old life and the new one, with the fact that his mother was a powerful goddess who thought he was dead, with his powers and abilities, and having thought about everything calmly, he could see how wrong he was. Especially for Nico, that journey must have been something that would haunt him for his entire life. Like the image of his first murder haunts Lucifer. It was something one could never escape from, no matter how hard they tried. He had learnt that Nico would spend a lot of time with Mr. D after the whole thing was over. He didn't need to guess why.

"Can we be friends?" Lucifer suddenly asked. He was as surprised of the words that came out of his mouth as Nico. "Uh, I mean, if you, um, want to? I've… " He let out a frustrated sigh. Normal socialising was way harder than he had thought. "I've never done this before," he said with a groan.

With how Nico was looking at him, Lucifer was sure he had broken some unspoken rule of social interactions or something. Well, it wasn't his fault he was cut off from civilisation in his formative years. (He learnt that term from a child psychology textbook he had seen Mr. D often read. Psychology was quite an interesting subject when he didn't have to use it for survival and assassination.) Lucifer was almost ready to retract his words, and he would have, if he knew how to. The impact of the last ten years on his life never felt this huge.

Even back during the training period, when he was just a recruit, Lucifer had known that he would never be able to return to the way he was before all this started. Seven year old Lucifer knew, somewhere deep down, that this would change him forever. Irreversiblly change him. But he still hoped, in a naive and childish and optimistic way, that he could walk out of there unscathed. Now that he was away from that place, now that he was in society, he realised how wrong he had been. The last ten years had destroyed him, mentally and physically. He had always known, but it was only when he met Ijin's sister did he consciously realise that. They were the same age, but he would have never helped a random kid off the streets like she did.

It would be the same for all the children at CHB, too, Lucifer had realised. They were taken away from their homes, just like the numbers. Trained to hurt and kill and destroy, just like the numbers. Sent on tasks that could result in their deaths, just like the numbers. Made to fight wars, just like the numbers. At the mercy of someone way more powerful than them, just like the numbers. It wasn't much different. If so, Nico, or anyone, really, wouldn't think of him as weird. He couldn't fit in completely, he could never fit in completely anywhere except with the numbers, but atleast he wouldn't stand out.

"I was born in the 1930s." Lucifer was brought back to the present with Nico's words. The confusion in his mind must have shown on his face, as Nico began to explain, "You're probably thinking about how you feel like you don't belong here. How everyone is normal except you. That's—"

Lucifer interrupted Nico with a "No, wait," and attempted to 'set the facts straight', or whatever the slang was. "I didn't think that. Well, the first part, yes, but not that everyone else isn't like me. CHB sounds a lot like the mercenary camp, just with a lot better living conditions and resources. And—no, first, what do you mean you were born in the 1930s? Aren't you the same age as me?"

Nico laughed. Not those polite smiles or quiet giggles Lucifer had seen this entire time, but a proper laugh. The way he'd seen Nico laugh only with Jason and Leo and other friends of his. Did this mean they were now friends?

"I was born in the 1930s in Italy," Nico said once the laughter subsided. "Then the World War broke out and the Big 3 gods decided to not sire any demigods and Zeus wanted me and my sister dead. Dad hid me in this place called Lotus Casino where time moves, like, real slow. Took me out when I was maybe ten in normal time." He narrated the whole thing so calmly, as if he was talking of the weather, not of him being literally freezed in time. "What I mean to say is, I get the whole Am I breaking some socialising rule I didn't know because I was cut off from society for so long? thing. You don't need to worry about it. And yes, I would love to be your friend."

Lucifer smiled, feeling warmth spread in his body, starting from his chest. His first friend outside of the numbers. It felt weird, the word itself. Friend. He had a friend now. With this thought, Lucifer woke up Liam and Will, the plane being almost at its destination.

Chapter Text

The first thing Liam did after landing in Korea was to text Ijin their plan. It wasn't really a plan, all that was mapped out was that they would ask Ijin to meet up somewhere, divide themselves in two pairs and follow Ijin's grandfather and sister, making sure they are safe. Not really a plan, but then again, would it really be the numbers if they didn't leave half the things to improvise?

The next thing they did was to eat something. Something good, not whatever they were served on the plane. It was Nico's first time travelling by air, and to say he was disgusted by the food would be an understatement. "I expected the food to be, um, better than that," he had said while they were waiting for their food to arrive at a restaurant close to the airport, his nose scrunched in dislike. Lucifer had then asked, "How have you never been in an airplane? How did you travel your entire life?" A very incredulous looking Nico had replied, "I shadow-travel? Why would I waste my time in any sort of transportation when I can just teleport?" He received a good twenty minutes long speech on taking care of himself and not overexerting his powers.

Finally, they were on their way to Ijin's house. It wasn't too difficult to go there by public transport, but that would mean getting civilians involved into any fights that might take place, with Mad Dog's people or with monsters. Some Percy kid getting a whole bus involved into a deadly hide and seek game with a Fury was a popular story among the campers. The four of them hailed a cab, any suggestions Nico made of shadow-travel getting shut down by the other three.

"So, this friend of yours, Ijin, he was also a mercenary? The numbers, right?" Will asked as they got into the cab. "He was 001," Liam answered, locking the door behind him. "Our leader, our best. Got recruited at a young age. He isn't much older than Luce. Maybe a year or so."

Will and Nico looked curious, and Liam wanted them to know how much Ijin meant for the numbers, and how happy they were for him. He really did, but it wasn't his story to tell. It was their story, all the numbers together. From being recruits to becoming the numbers to forming the bond they have. It was not a friendship that just happened. They chose to be friends. They looked at the threat and challenge in front of them head-on and decided to support each other through it. They had to hurt each other, yes, and they did. But to stay with each other, it was a choice made despite knowing that they might die because of it. Even when they found out Ijin had betrayed them, even when they were sent to kill Ijin. Liam and Lucifer did not decide to kill Ijin because they were given orders, but because he broke the trust, the very fragie and delicate trust they had built over their ten years in that hellish place. And they were sure it was the same for the other numbers, too. 002, 004, 005, 008, 018. All of them. Despite not having any contact with them, Liam was sure it was the same for everyone.

"His family means a lot to him," Liam said, not wanting to talk much about their past. "And since he means a lot to us, we want to help him protect his family."

It had been almost four months since they's escaped. Four months since they left behind that place, four months since they were finally free. It had been four months they had to come to terms with their past. And yet, they couldn't. Liam still found it painful to talk about it. But then again, it had been just four months they had to come to terms with the last ten years. Ten years wasn't a short time, of course it would be difficult to heal all that within four months, if healing was at all possible.

The very little information they were givem seemed to be enough for Nico and Will, probably because they could sense Liam and Lucifer's discomfort around the topic. The rest of the ride seemed to fade into quietness, except Nico occasionally exclaiming about something he saw outside. He really reminded Liam of Lucifer—a child, thrown into a cruel world, made to fight death itself multiple times. And yet, Nico didn't lose himself. At least, he seemed not to. It filled Liam with hope, that Lucifer, too, could emerge out of the darkness surrounding him. And if he doesn't, at least he would know that the darkness is not all there is to life. Maybe Lucifer could learn to live. Not survive, but live.

The four of them soon reached the hotel they were going to stay in (courtesy of Rachel), and Liam messaged Ijin the same. He also asked Ijin to meet them, so that they can discuss things together. Mad Dog, if he was really serious about hunting Ijin down, would leave no stone unturned. If they were to prevent Ijin from being captured, they would have to work together. That was the only way they could defeat Mad Dog. He knew too much about their strengths and weaknesses for them to be able to hold him off individually. But if they worked together—if they chose each other even in a situation designed to tear them apart—they could win. And it would be a definitive victory. They would be free from the clutches of that horrible place for once and for all. Completely free.

But before that, they had to tell Nico and Will about all this. Not because they were now friends, but because if they were going to help Liam and Lucifer defeat Mad Dog, they needed to know everything about him. Information about the target was the first thing they were taught to look at. It was the biggest weapon they could wield. And now, they would wield that weapom againt the very person who taught them how to use it.

After dinner that night, Liam and Lucifer decided on how much information to give out to Nico and Will. Only as much as they need in order to defeat Mad Dog. Anyways, they couldn't talk more about it even if they wanted to.

"So, the person we're fighting, well, the person who's out to hunt Ijin and Luce and me, his name's Mad Dog. All the recruits of the camp were brought by him, he oversaw our training, he ranked us all. Basically, he knows everything there is to know about us. So, we cannot fight him head on, which is why I've set up a meeting with Ijin." Liam relayed all the information between deep breaths, Lucifer's hand squeezing his, it ending up saying 'I am right here' in morse code.

Lucifer picked up where Liam stopped, saying, "Other than the forty numbers, there is also another mercenary unit run by the camp. Those are more…" As Lucifer's words trailed into silence, the memory of his capture flashing against his eyes, it was Liam's turn to signal his support. "More loyal to the camp," Lucifer continued. "They would not hesitate to launch a full blown attack against us. They've already done that numerous times. We need to be careful."

"So this Mad Dog person is our main enemy and he has a bunch of underlings we need to be cautious about. Got it." Will summarised the whole discussion. "Just like every other quest we have been on. Great." Nico added with a nod of his head.

Liam was really grateful to them. They always seemed to understand when to be serious about heavy topics and when the mood needed to be lightened. At the same time, Liam understood that this came as a response to their own traumatic pasts, and Liam could see the ways in which they were affected. He wanted to reach out his hand and pet their heads and say that it would all be fine. But his hand was currently trembling, barely kept stable to prevent Lucifer from worrying. It was also not his position to say anything. He didn't even know what they had gone through. But whether it was his elder sibling instinct or the intimacy of all four of them having been through things so bad they never should have happened, Liam really wanted to comfort the three kids now under his care. But to do that, he first needed to become strong himself. He couldn't protect Lucifer, Will, and Nico if he himself was trembling at just the mention of the camp and Mad Dog. He needed to pull himself together, because it wasn't fair towards the kids. He was supposed to be taking care of them, not the other way round. He would—no, he had to get over it. Tomorrow, when he meets Ijin, and the other numbers hopefully. Tomorrow he wouldn't falter. He wouldn't tremble. He wouldn't waver. Tomorrow, he would be strong. He would.

Chapter Text

Ijin was against Liam and Lucifer helping him. Obviously. Even after he left the numbers, he still worried for them. "Don't get involved in my problems," he said as he started walking away from the abandoned warehouse. But, it wasn't something Liam couldn't handle. "We're not doing this for you," he lied. "We all want to see Mad Dog dead. You, me, Lucifer, every one of us numbers. Well, I bet even the others would come join us if they heard what we are planning to do." At least this part wasn't a lie.

"But—" Ijin didn't get to make whatever argument he was trying to make. "Oh look, if it isn't our three runaway members," came a teasing voice. Liam was proven right. The other numbers did jump at the chance to kill Mad Dog.

004 entered first, followed by 008 and 005. 018 and 002 were the last to enter. The warehouse probably wasn't the best place to hold a secret meeting, considering they did get found out. But then again, it was the numbers who found them. They had trained together, of course they could locate Ijin. Liam himself had found Ijin a few months ago, only becauce he knew Ijin.

It didn't look like the other numbers had contacted Ijin beforehand. His usual stoic face was showing, just for a brief moment, surprise. It was like their days back at the camp again, except, this time, they weren't killing a target for money, but banding together to get rid of a monster that had made their lives a nightmare. It was kind of like fighting against those monsters they'd encountered because of them being demigods.

Actually, their life as a demigod wasn't very different from their life as a mercenary. They had to fight for survival against forces far more powerful than them, because of circumstances not umder their control. Their entire existence had been reduced to how much they can hurt and kill others. Violence was the foundation on which their lives were based, both, as mercenaries and as demigods. The only difference was that they didn't have to fight each other anymore. And they got good living conditions. But other than that, there wasn't really any difference.

Liam and Lucifer had decided to keep the fact that they are demigods a secret from the numbers. Firstly, it was, quite frankly, unbelievable. It took multiple monster attacks for them to believe it themselves. Also, they didn't want to mess with whatever the Mist was up to. Will had also told them that the lesser the mortals around them knew about this whole thing, the better. Nico had told them of Percy's mother being held hostage by Hades and Piper's father being tortured to get to her. So of course they would not tell the numbers anything about it.

But more than that, the brothers did not want the numbers to worry about them. The demigod life was very similar to the mercenary life, and though they might not show it, all of them cared for each other. Liam and Lucifer wanted them to believe they were living a normal life. After all, that was why they had escaped.

"Looks like you thought the same thing, huh?" 005—Maya asked the brothers. It was hard to call someone they had called something for ten whole years by some other thing. "Looks like it," Lucifer shrugged. The 'it' sounded like a chance to get back at Mad Dog, but everyone knew what it really meant.

The numbers had, once again, chosen each other. Despite everything trying to wedge them apart. It was a kill or be killed world they came from, but it didn't prevent them from being there for one another. There was nothing like comraderie or friendship in that world, but they cultivated it nonetheless. They weren't just teammates, they were a family. Even when it meant losing their own chance at survival, they had helped each other survive. And because of it, they all survived.

They all looked at Ijin, waiting for him to speak, out of habit or out of choice, it wasn't clear. When Ijin didn't say anything, 002 spoke up. "We are going to trace down Mad Dog, which should be easy considering he's looking all over for us. Killing him wouldn't be a problem in itself. The real trouble is the mercenaries the camp keeps."

As if it were a cue, everyone started offering their inputs into the plan of action. It didn't take long for a concrete plan to develop. They would track down Mad Dog, and also every mercenary that could hinder them. Then they would confront Mad Dog, and all together, they would kill him. He was strong, but not stronger than eight numbers banding together. They would kill him, and anyone who dares interfere. The people behind Mad Dog—they tried to find out who those were, but couldn't—had already given up on him. They wouldn't try to chase after the numbers.

It was finally within sight. The end to all this. The end to their nightmare of a life. And to their worries of getting found. To their time as numbers. It was all going to be over. It was something they had all wanted since almost eleven years ago, when they were brought in as recruits. They had all wanted it for so long, and yet, it didn't feel like it should feel when one finally gets what they wanted for basically their entire life.

More than the joy of being free, it remained unsaid, the fear of failing plagued them. Mad Dog was the one who trained them, and knew all their weaknesses. He could very well exploit those and then everything would be for naught.

But even more than that, it was the idea that they wouldn't be numbers anymore that turned the atmosphere all weird. Yes, they had wanted for almost eleven years to not be a number. But they had been one for nearly the same time. How does one just forget ten whole years of their life? How does one undo all the damage done over a period of ten years? How does one redefine themselves free from their shackles, when being bound is all they know? How does one know who they are, if all they've been for ten years—almost their whole life—is just a tool for someone to use and discard on whim? And how does one assert their humanness against the said someone? Would doing so assert their humanness to themselves? Could they, even after all this, really be free of their past? Does all the hurt and all the pain go away when one defeats the one who caused it? Once they kill Mad Dog, could they really live normally? More importantly, could they live happily? How would they even live? All they knew was how to kill. Would the guilt of all the murders they've committed leave them over time? Could they wash off all the blood on their hands? Would the scars, both physical and mental, always hurt? Would they heal? And finally, would they by happy? No, did they deserve to be happy in the first place? Was their situation justification enough for all their wrongdoings? Would their future decisions and behaviours be influenced by the same mentality they had when they were in the camp? Could they ever get rid of that mentality?

The plan was finalised, tasks were assigned, and it was decided that they would all meet in three days. The location they agreed upon was an empty, abandoned apartment complex near where Ijin worked. "There is no risk of anyone finding us there. Very few cameras, no security," Ijin explained his choice of location. "Ok, then," 002 said. "We all get to our assigned tasks, and meet there in three days' time. Make sure to cover your tracks properly. Mad Dog knows 001 is in this country. No one's coming to save you if you get caught."

It felt real now. They really were doing this. Something they only could ever dream of. It was now actually happening. They were going to kill Mad Dog. It was starting today. 

However, there was one important question on Liam and Lucifer's minds. How was all this connected to prophecies? A prophecy was about something related to the godly world. Them killing Mad Dog was not. It was a very mortal battle they were about to fight. Why was it prophesised, then? And why did the prophecy mention Nico and Will? What did they have to do in all this? There was surely something—some information, some clue, something—that the brothers were missing. And that meant there was something else that could affect this mission. What could it be? How could Mad Dog be related to Camp Half-Blood?

"We will have to figure this out before the next meeting," Lucifer remarked to Liam, as they made their way back to the hotel. Nico and Will were about to come back from their sightseeing trip soon. They would discuss this with them. They were going to find out what the prophecy really means. They had to. They couldn't risk the success of their plans on this variable.

Chapter Text

Nico and Will weren't sure what their role in the Mission: Kill Mad Dog was. Both of them had no connections to the whole mercenary business, nor did they have anything to do with the numbers' camp or with Forest. Then why was killing Mad Dog a quest? There had to be something that would tie all the loose threads together. But what?

"The Titan Army!" Will exclaimed after some moments of silence. Recognition dawned on Nico's face, as if everything now started making sense. "The what army now?" a confused Lucifer asked.

Will began explaining, "The Titan Army. It was the army of monsters and demigods the Titans had created, during the Second Titan War. I was too young to actually fight on the front lines, my position in the war was of a medic. But there had been some mercenaries in the army. They had those half Celestial Bronze, half normal metal weapons." Liam and Lucifer remembered reading about the war. It was bloody, brutal, tragic. And there were mercenaries involved in it.

"As far as I know, the camps did not send any mercenary army to America during that time. It cannot be related to Mad Dog, then," Liam reasoned. "Wait! Liam, remember, like, a year ago? Most of the mercenaries of the camp aside from the numbers were sent somewhere. Only a handful had returned. And those who had returned—" Lucifer stopped suddenly. "Had gone insane, as if they'd seen something they shouldn't have," Liam completed the sentence. "As if they had seen through the Mist."

Will seemed unsure for a moment, but then said, "Dad's trials started sometime before a year. The three Roman Emperors—the Triumvirate began being more active. But why would they need mortal mercenaries? They had Nero's entire tower."

"Us numbers had started to be sent on more missions in America and even Europe around the same time. Most of our targets were adults, usually single parents. I remember this because I found it weird that literally every other person we killed was a single parent. But now that I think about it," Liam paused, trying to frame his thought correctly, "I think we were being sent to kill mortal parents of demigods. I can't be sure, but I have a feeling that's what it is."

The atmosphere grew thicker and thicker as the four of them connected more and more dots. Nico spoke about how Nero would kidnap demigods, kill their mortal parents, and groom them into something very similar to mercenaries. Lucifer said they had tried to find out who was behind Mad Dog but failed. Nico told that it had taken them a long time to find out who was behind all the things going wrong, because the Triumvirate was very good at hiding their tracks. Liam added that all of their targets had children younger than ten, and hadn't remarried. Will explained how Python would use the Oracle of Delphi to find out about the best time and place to kidnap demigods from. Liam and Lucifer told how each number was found in a helpless situation by the camp and taken in, similar to Nero's tower. But it raised an important question.

"Why would the Triumvirate want mortals, if it really is the thing behind the mercenary camp? Why go to such great lengths for someone who might not even be able to get the work they need done?" Will thought out loud. "Unless," Nico started, " They aren't mortals at all." And then, to Liam and Lucifer, "You two are demigods. What if the others are, too? With how you did not show signs of being demigods until you came to Manhattan, I assume all your other teammates' manifestations of power had also been suppressed."

It made sense, actually. It sounded far-fetched, but it made perfect sense. The numbers were kept separate from the other mercenaries, they were trained differently, they were sent of different missions. The numbers were supposed to be the most elite of the camp. It made sense that they were the best, if they were all demigods being compared to mortals. Even if their powers had been suppressed, they would of course be stronger than mortals. If the Triumvirate was really behind all this, then it made sense as to why they couldn't find out anything. Also, it was defeated around the same time as the numbers beginning to defy Mad Dog. If the masterminds behind the camp were dead, it made sense that there were no major repercussions when the numbers started disobeying the camp. And it made sense that their demigod powers were somehow suppressed. The Triumvirate could, after all, even hold a god captive.

"Was that why Rachel said the prophecy feels wrong? Becaue it's related to Python?" Will asked, though it was more of an obervation than a question.

Liam took over the lead, bringing the meeting to an end, since it was about to be time for dinner soon. "So to summarise," he used his dagger to ghost over the floor of the hotel room, like pen over paper, "The Triumvirate is behind the camp. They used the Oracle to get information about demigods, and kidnapped them to bring them to either the camp or the tower. Those who were brought mostly had their mkrtal parent killed. If the parent was alive, they used us mercenaries to get rid of them. And Mad Dog is basically Nero's underling. So, probably a demigod himself. The other numbers are most probably demigods, too."

"Then the war we are supposed to put a definitive end to is the one against the Triumvirate," Nico added. They then concluded their meeting, all of them hungry and exhausted.

After dinner, Liam and Lucifer, before going to sleep, discussed how much of this they can, or they should, tell the numbers. They didn't know why they were the only ones to manifest their powers, or if any other number had done so, too. But they didn't seem like they knew anything. And the brothers did not want to tell them that their entire life had been orchestrated. Or that one of their parent was a god who didn't save them from all this. Or that they were, in the end, only a tool. It would be too cruel to them. If it meant that the other numbers could now finally live freely, normally, happily, Liam and Lucifer were ready to lie and hide information.

"I think that's why Nico and Will were to come with us," Liam said, as they were beginning to drift off to sleep. "To take care of anything not mortal. So that we can focus on killing Mad Dog." "Maybe," Lucifer agreed, stiffling a yawn.

That night, the two of them had the most peaceful sleep they've ever had in forever. There were no dreams, no battle calls, no gunshots, no nightmares. Just good, calm, peaceful sleep. They didn't know whether it was because they had finally figured out the truth, or because they were not in Manhattan anymore. They only started having such terrible nightmares and monster encounters once they came to Manhattan. Maybe it was something about being so close to the gods' main base. They didn't know, but it was good to finally get a good night's sleep.

Chapter Text

The three days before the numbers' next meeting went by awfully slow. It was not a difficult task to figure out the locations of Mad Dog and his mercenaries, with how they were searching the entire world for the numbers, they practically advertised their location. They were getting sloppy, a very clear indicator of how frenzied Mad Dog was. His elite team had not only defied his orders, they had escaped. From right under his nose. Whoever, or whatever, was behind the camp, they were surely chewing out Mad Dog. And he hated it when things didn't go his way. He must be furious, and in his rage, forgot to cover his tracks. It wasn't just the numbers, literally anyone could track him. And he did have a lot of enemies. In the first day itself, Liam and Lucifer had located him.

The others had also completed their tasks. Ijin had secured ammo and transport. Some friend of his helped, he said. 008 and Maya located all the mercenaries, and 002 mapped out all the possible plans of action they might have. 004 and 018 were in charge of hiding the numbers' own tracks. And then there was 016, newly betraying the camp and joining them, in charge of finding out any information that could be of even a little help to them. It was all going well, but that was exactly what made them uneasy. It was going a little too well.

No mishaps, no accidents, no mistakes, nothing going wrong. It was too peaceful. The numbers (and Nico and Will) had never been on a mission (quest) that went by without any problems. Something always had to go wrong. "Maybe Tyche is on our side this time," Will had joked. Maybe she really was. None of them had really asked for good fortune, but they appreciated the help. They just hoped it lasted until the end. If their theory that numbers were all demigods was true, maybe one of them was a child of Tyche.

It didn't really matter though. With or without luck, they'd succeed. They had to. There was too much at stake here, too much to lose. They couldn't afford to fail. They had to succeed. If anything came in the way, they would have to barrel through it. They had to win this fight. A definitive end—that was what the prophecy had called it. And it would be so, whether they ended up killing Mad Dog or they ended up being killed by him. A definitive end to the past ten years. Even without the prophecy, they knew the importance of this mission.

"We are all set," Ijin had naturally assumed the leadership of this mission, "to attack Mad Dog. We all know the importance of this mission. Let's go over our plan one last time before we begin."

That was 002's cue. "So we go to Kazakhstan, where Mad Dog is," and pointing to a map, "here. Depart as soon as the sun rises. We ambush him at night, using the darkness and the element of surprise to our advantage. 004 and Ijin will do all the close combat, the rest of us will be a little farther out. Our job is to make sure none of Mad Dog's loyal mercenaries—numbers or otherwise—interrupt these two. And be on the lookout for 003."

They seamlessly meshed together like this. It was exactly like their time as numbers. As if it hadn't been almost half a year since they had done missions together. As if there wasn't a death warrant hanging over their heads. But they were used to it, to having their lives always be in danger. It came with being a mercenary.

But 003—that was something new. She had not only deflected, she had also harmed her own. It was because of her that everyone thought Ijin to be a traitor. She was the one, if what information 016 had compiled was all correct, who killed the numbers on Ijin's tail. And now she was missing. "A trouble for another day," 004 had said, but it was still important to stay vigil. They did not know what her motives were, or whether she killed the other numbers on Mad Dog's orders or her own will. They didn't know whether she would side with them or not. It was better to avoid her for now. They would deal with her when it was time. There was already too much to worry about right now. They did not have the time or energy or resources to add a traitor to the list.

Nico and Will were waiting for Liam and Lucifer when they got back. They were bombarded with a "So, how did it go?" as soon as they entered their room. "Pretty well, we leave for Kazakhstan at dawn," Liam said, already starting to pack his things.

"Already, huh? You lot sure are quick," Nico remarked, and then a beat later, "You suppose we can shadow travel to Kaz—" He didn't get to finish his sentence. A definitive "No." was all Will said, with a very scary look on his face, effectively stopping any dumb thing Nico was about to say. Which was good, because if he didn't, Lucifer would have not hesitated to grow vines and tie Nico down with them. Or maybe he could try expanding his turning stuff into plants powers by testing them on Nico.

"The two of you will work behind the scenes. I'll explain the sudden lack of mercenaries in the area by saying they all were blown up with our explosives. Which, obviously, will really be there. You'll have to be careful of them. But other than that, there isn't anything to worry about." Liam was quick in debriefing, while also being clear. It was an ability Lucifer envied.

"We don't have anything to worry about, unless we are right and everyone there is a demigod," Will added. Lucifer sighed. There was too much that could go wrong. Too many variables. All mercenaries could be demigods, the other numbers could be demigods, Mad Dog could be a demigod, the Triumvirate could somehow come back, Python could possibly still have some control over Delphi, and there was 003. Too many variables that could mess things up.

But they didn't have time to dwell over any of that. It was an all or nothing mission, a kill or be killed quest, a situation where there were only two possible endings. And they had to do everything they could to reach the ending they want. If it were all a novel, and they were all characters, even then, they would fight against the author to get the denouement. God, author, fate—whatever it was, this was no time to succumb to them. The numbers would take hold of their own lives. If all the world really was a stage, and all people merely actors, they would go off script if necessary, change things up wherever needed. They spent ten whole years being controlled by a higher power. Not anymore. They would kill Mad Dog, and they would be free.

Lucifer had also told Liam that he didn't really want to live at Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter. The gods didn't seem any different. They sent their children on quests and didn't care about their well-being. It was, just like the mercenary camp, a place created out of a system designed to control people like them. Was there really any difference between the gods and the monsters they sent their demigod children to fight against? Even Apollo—one of the twelve Olympian gods—couldn't escape his godly parent sending him to fight a battle that could very well kill him. No matter how much Persephone treasured them, she still couldn't stop Liam and Lucifer from going on this quest. It was their fate from the moment they decided to stay at either of the camps. And so, they'll just not stay there anymore.

They had enough of their lives being dictated by someone else. Once they get back to Manhattan, they would live their lives on their own terms, how they want to. No trainers, no superiors, no councellors, no gods, no fate, no destiny. Just them and their choices, made out of free will. No putting all their energy into surviving, no always watching over their shoulder for death, no bowing their head and doing what they are told to do just because the other option is death. They would now live, free and of their own accord. Would they be happy? Who knows. But atleast, even if they were to suffer, it would be suffering they brought upon themselves. Not suffering imposed upon them. At least their lives will belong to them.

Chapter Text

It really took a while to reach Kazakhstan, more than the four of them had anticipated. While their journey to Korea had been a breeze, they had encountered many difficulties on their way to Kazakhstan.

For one, Liam and Lucifer had to hide Nico and Will from the other numbers. The two of them were to go by plane to Turkey, and then take various road and rail routes to get to their destination. It was the best course of action, practically speaking, to have Nico and Will go with them, but conspicuous enough that the others don't realise there are two more people on the mission (quest). The second problem was that there were quite a few monsters that they saw throughout the journey. Some of them, they could identify, but there were some they weren't even sure were Greek or Roman monsters. Most of the monsters minded their own business, but some attacked the four of them. It was on hell of a task to fight without garnering attention.

The final problem was that they were to take two trains on their journey. And Liam didn't like trains. Especially when Mad Dog was involved. He didn't really show it, but the incidents of ten years ago still haunted him. He acted as if he had accepted the misfortunes of his life, but it's not like it would erase the trauma. The only constant in all of Liam's nightmares was the train they were in before Mad Dog kidnapped them. And the colour red. All his nightmares started in the same way. He was on the train, Lucifer was sitting opposite him, their parents were there, they were all laughing and joking and enjoying, they were happy, they slowly started becoming invisible, everything started turning red, red, red, red, red—

The red would usually morph into white, which is when the prophetic dreams (nightmares) would begin. The train had become a symbol of Liam's past, it had become associated with losing his parents, almost losing Lucifer, and the ten years he spent at that godforsaken camp.

He often tried to reason it out. It wasn't the train that caused his suffering. It wasn't the train that took his parents away from him. It wasn't the train. It was Mad Dog. It was the Triumvirate. It was not the train. But the human mind is a funny thing. It doesn't believe in stuff easily, and when it does, it cannot easily give up on believing in that thing, even if it knows it's not true. Knowing that the train wasn't at fault here didn't mean Liam could easily get over his hatred for it. That's just how PTSD worked.

Liam had approached Mr. D in the few days they had before embarking on the quest. He had asked Mr. D for help. It was, even without knowing the actual meaning of the quest, pretty simple for him to guess it would involve working as if he were a number again. Even when working as a number, only the adrenaline of the life-or-death situation kept him sane. Now that he had finally escaped that life, there was no string keeping him attached to reality, no threat of losing his life for even a moment's carelessness, no other thing to be focused on other than his own thoughts. And he really needed someone, anyone, to help him get through this. Mr. D seemed like the perfect person—no wait, god—to approach in this situation.

Their current quest (mission) wasn't different from the missions Liam would do back under Mad Dog, and this, too, was a serious life or death situation, and he had a lot to worry about, but the finality of it all kept him free of worry. And left him with a lot of time to think about how much he hates trains. Even if he hadn't been on this quest, he still would need to get over it. He had to. It wasn't fair to Lucifer if he didn't even attempt to get over his hatred of trains. What if they go on some trip in the future? Liam couldn't bear the thought of denying Lucifer a trip, just because he feared trains.

But more than that, the fact that trains were a trigger for Liam meant that he was still trapped in his past. In that camp, covered in blood, bowing before Mad Dog. And he couldn't accept that. If he let his fear take over him, it would mean Mad Dog's victory. Even if they end up killing Mad Dog, even if they end up winning, it would still be a defeat. So, Liam had gone to Mr. D asking for help. Who else was a better option in this situation than the god of insanity, after all.

"Being afraid of trains doesn't make you weak," Mr. D had told Liam. "In fact, it means that you survived. Honestly, with whatever bullshit that camp of yours was pulling, the fact that you are mostly still sane is impressive in itself." He had looked at Liam properly after that sentence. Not in his usual standoffish way, not with his usual disdain, not with the boredom always on his face. He had really looked at Liam, and it felt as if he could see what was going on in his mind. Liam had then asked, "But what is the point of surviving, if I can't even travel by train without losing my mind?" Mr. D looked almost sad. It wasn't pity, nor was it contempt. He wasn't making fun of Liam, either. He looked sad, as if he were sympathising with Liam.

"But you did survive. And you didn't lose your mind. You'll get over your fear of trains, too. And even if you don't, you are living. You are living the way you always wanted to. With your brother, in your hometown. Freely. Your fear is not a sign of you being weak, but a sign of you being strong enough to survive those ten years. Go easy on yourself."

Liam hadn't expected much when he had first approached Mr. D. It felt like a waste of time, it wasn't like a god would take humans seriously. Especially not a god who was punished to take care of a camp full of humans. But Mr. D's advice was really helpful. His words didn't magically take away Liam's trauma, but atleast it gave him a new perspective on it. He was strong, and he survived the camp. Of course he could survive a train ride.

"Hey, Liam, are you alright?" It was Will. He had his usual medic expression on his face, one that meant that he knew there was something wrong. Lucifer and Nico looked at him with concern, too. Lucifer asked, "You're not pushing yourself too much again, are you?" He didn't say it, but a like you did back then hung in the air. Liam thought Lucifer was unaware, but it seemed like the latter knew how hard Liam tried to protect Lucifer at camp. When they were on the plane to Manhattan after first escaping from the camp, Lucifer had told him that he could rest now. That he didn't need to work so hard now. That it was now Lucifer's turn to protect him.

Right. Liam had Lucifer by his side. And Nico and Will. He had people who cared for him, who wouldn't abandon him for having any weaknesses. He had people who would help him. He wasn't alone anymore. Looking back, he wasn't ever alone. He had the numbers with him in the camp. He always had people who would support him through anything and everything, who did support him through anything and everything. And they would support him through this journey too. Both literally and metaphorically. Liam could get through this. He could reach victory.

Chapter Text

The first train ride of the journey was fast approaching. The four of them were waiting at the train station, their train scheduled to arrive in another fifteen minutes. Well, one could only mentally prepare so much. It was reassuring for Liam to know that he wasn't alone in this, but he also couldn't shake the thought that he was alone in his mind, which is where the problem arose from. He shouldn't be so anxious about a train ride. It was just a train ride. He had handled worse. Why could he not handle a train ride?

"Say, if it was your brother who was afraid of trains, would you tell him, 'It is just a train ride,' or would you support him and help him overcome the fear?" Mr. D had asked Liam this question once.

At that time, Liam didn't understand why Mr. D was asking him this. "Of course I'll help Luce. I'll be there for him. It's not like he chose—" Then it hit him. Right. He would always be the safe place Lucifer can turn to. Lucifer would be the same for him. All the times Lucifer had found him trembling from yet another nightmare and had consoled him. The times Lucifer helped him through anxiety attacks. The times just Lucifer being there with him gave him confidence. Lucifer was always there for him. Always. And would this time be any different? Obviously not. Not when Lucifer had made it known that he wants to be Liam's safe place.

But it was also true that Liam was the older brother. It was his responsiblility to take care of Lucifer, to provide a shoulder to lean on, to be a hand that caresses. It was all his burden. Not Lucifer's. What kind of elder brother would Liam be if he couldn't even handle his problems on his own? What kind of elder brother would he be if he had to trouble Lucifer with his issues? And those issues were too dumb to be so bothered by. He couldn't, no, he wouldn't trouble Lucifer with his anxiety. Neither would he be a burden for Nico and Will. He was the eldest. He was supposed to be the one who solves their problems, not the one who gives them another problem to deal with.

"Remember, a relationship goes both ways. How can you expect Lucifer to lean on you when you keep pushing him away? I'm telling you, the resentment builds up over time. One-sided problem solving is the worst thing you could ever do for a relationship. Imagine how bad that kid must feel if he keeps taking help from you and is unable to repay?" Mr. D was surprisingly convincing; Liam hadn't expected the god to actually give sound advice.

"Why would I expect Luce to repay me for simply performing my duty as his brother?" Liam had asked.

"Don't you think your brother has the same thoughts? He's your brother. If you don't ask him for understanding and help, who would you ask? Would your brother not want to help you, just like you want to help him?"

It took a few more of such conversations before Liam had finally told Lucifer of his fear of trains. He told Lucifer of his dreams: of everything turning red, of the train rattling, of Lucifer's scared face, of the red transforming into pure white, of a man pulling the two of them into a camp. He told Lucifer of his adrenaline rush during missions and how it kept him sane. How there was nothing to ground him anymore. How he was scared. So, so scared. And Lucifer just took his hand, squeezed it thrice, smiled, and told Liam that he would always be there for him. Just like Mr. D had said Lucifer would react. Liam still felt a pang of guilt, but it wasn't as bad as before.

And Mr. D waa right. He couldn't get through this without help, so why not accept it? He was not at Mad Dog's camp anymore. There was no survival of the fittest here. There was no penalty for failing. There was no one waiting for the right moment to exploit his weaknesses. He was out of that place. Then why couldn't he shake off the impact the place had on his mind? He could do this. No. He had to do this. He would do this.

"You alright?" Nico had slid up besides him completely unnoticed. Liam had only two explanations for it: either he was way into his own thoughts or Nico was really good at being stealthy. It seemed to be the latter, but Liam couldn't be sure. There was no way the kid was this quiet. Then again, from what Liam had heard, Nico was raised in Mussolini's Italy. He could be this quiet.

Taking a deep breath, Liam replied, "I'm fine. Just a bit shaken." He gave the best placating smile he could, though he knew it wouldn't make any difference.

Thankfully, Nico believed him. Or atleast, pretended to believe him. Liam was relieved; he didn't feel like explaining himself. All he wanted was to get this journey done with. Fight Mad Dog, kill him, get back to Manhattan. By air, not by road or rail. He needed some rest after this whole ordeal was over. For both, his brain and his body. Liam had never been able to properly rest, what with there always being the danger of being attacked no matter where he was. This time, he had a sneaking suspicion that after it was all done, he'd be so exhausted, he'd fall asleep, all protocol and training he was taught forgotten. Honestly, only waiting for the train was exhausting.

Before the conversation could continue any further, the train arrived. Loud horns blaring, numerous wheels moving, the sound of metal clanking—the train arrived in all its ugly, mechanical glory. Liam was sure everyone around could hear his heartbeat. He wondered how he was able to handle it for the past ten or so years. Was the fear of Mad Dog and of death enough to overpower his trauma?

"You did what you could to survive that hellscape," Mr. D had answered when Liam asked why his fear and anxieties were surfacing now. "Dissociation and depersonalisation work wonders to make you forget who you even are, and if you don't think of something as happening to you, of course your brain would not process it as such. You did not experience any symptoms of PTSD because you were still in a damgerous situation. You did not have the time to process any of what happened to you in those ten years. Now that you are free, your brain has understood how fucked up that place was, and is reacting accordingly."

Liam had asked another question to Mr. D. "Will I become normal once we kill Mad Dog?" Mr. D had answered by asking another question, "What do you think is normal?"

"Normal would be like other people," Liam was about to answer, but Mr. D had vanished. Normal would mean someone who doesn't get scared by a fucking train ride, Liam had wanted to answer. Normal is someone who doesn't think of killing as their first option, Liam had wanted to answer. Normal is someone who doesn't carry ten daggers strapped onto their body everywhere they go, Liam had wanted to answer. Normal, Liam knew, was someone not like Liam. And in knowing that, Liam knew he could never go back to normal. He hoped, wished, prayed, but he knew. Even if he kills Mad Dog, even if he erases the camp, even if he gets to the root of it all, even if he tears those roots away, he will not be able to go back to normal. Normal is no something someone like him can reach. It's not something someone like him can ever even dream of reaching.

Liam felt Lucifer tug at his arm. "Come on, we need to board the train." Liam took a deep breath, grounding himself with the feeling of Lucifer's hand in his, and boarded the train. Accepting defeat here would mean accepting Mad Dog's power over him. And worrying everyone else. Lucifer, the other numbers, Nico and Will. He couldn't let anyone down.

"Do it scared, then," Mr. D had told him. "It's better than not doing it at all, isn't it?" And so, he did it. He did it scared, he did it anxious, he did it terrified. But he did it. He got on the train, sat down in his seat, took deep breaths the way Pollux had taught him. Focused on the mission, the quest, the task, whatever killing Mad Dog was. Went over the plan again and again in his head.

After this train ride, the four of them had to travel by bus to finally get to the meeting spot. Nico and Will were to help them from the shadows, so they would find accomodations somewhere nearby. Nico knew a local deity's daughter, someone he met when we was settling an Underworld related dispute on behalf of his father. The numbers would be staying at a small motel. Mad Dog's hiding was near that motel. They'd take the day to regroup, and the next day, they would launch an attack. Not a frontal assault, there were too many mercenaries around for it to be successful. They'll discreetly take out the surrounding mercenaries first, and then target Mad Dog. Nico and Will would be hidden outside, taking care of any backups. It was an excellent strategy, one which had very little chances of failure. But of course, Liam couldn't ignore it. If anything could go wrong, it would. This much he had learnt in the past ten years. Yet, he was determined to make sure they succeed. there was too much at stake for them to even entertain the idea of failure.

Dissociation did work wonders, Liam realised, as the train was at their destination before he even processed that he is in a train. "Our bus would be arriving shortly. Let's get something to eat until then," Will proposed as they exited the train station. Everyone agreed, and they found a small food stall near the station. They ate their fills, enjoyed the sense of calmness for a moment, and it was time for their bus to arrive. It was the last moment of peace they would have for now.

Chapter Text

Lucifer knew this was a mission (quest?) of huge stakes. One mistake and it could mean everything the numbers built over the past ten or so years would be destroyed. It could mean the life Liam and Lucifer built in Manhattan could be destroyed. One mistake, and it could mean repeating those ten years, or maybe something even worse. He knew, and he desperately hoped they don't fail. Failure was not an option. They had to make it through, they had to.

"You're overthinking." Liam popped up beside Lucifer. "Again," he added, in a disapproving but concerned tone.

"I'm not," Lucifer said, fully aware he was sulking. Before, he wouldn't be caught dead behaving as such. It posed too much risk. Mad Dog would exploit any weakness he could find, and so, Liam and Lucifer had to act like they felt nothing towards each other. Total indifference. Even if all they wanted was to hold each other and protect each other and love each other and care for each other. Even if all they wanted was to run away with each other.

For those ten horrible years, Lucifer thought Liam really didn't care for him. And Lucifer knew Liam probably thought the same about him. Their act was so convincing, they convinced each other of it. It was only when Lucifer heard of Ijin allegedly killing Liam that Lucifer realised how much he treasured his brother. Yes, he would have stormed over to Korea even if it was one of other numbers who was killed, but not with the same rage and hatred. They were family. Liam and him. It took him ten horrible years to realise it, but once he did he couldn't just sit back. He went to Ijin despite Mad Dog's warnings. And there, he realised how much Liam loved him. They just found each other again. Lucifer couldn't bear to lose Liam because of Mad Dog yet another time.

"Why is that our quests are always in such scenic places? I can't even enjoy the view," Nico exclaimed, leaning on Will's arm, effectively bringing Lucifer out of his reminiscing.

Will pushed Nico's bangs out if his eyes and replied,"Does that mean you see Tartarus as scenic? You have such weird tastes." Nico scoffed, and said, "And I like you. So that must say something about you, too."

It was cute, the way Nico and Will were so in love with each other. Lucifer wondered whether he would ever find someone who would accept him like that. The way Nico and Will accepted not only each other, but their pasts as well. It wasn't that Lucifer wanted a romantic relationship; what he wanted was someone who would understand him. He hadn't known the two for long, but it was clear as day that Nico and Will viewed each other as their strengths. He had heard about their quest to Tartarus a few months ago, how they only succeeded because they had each other. What Lucifer wanted wasn't a romantic relationship, but someone he could trust enough to go to Tartarus willingly with.

He had Liam, and he had the numbers, but they saw Lucifer as a younger brother in need of protection, not as an equal. Of course, he didn't hate it. The brotherly love the numbers gave his was the reason he made it so far. The relationship he had cultivated with them was the most treasured thing in his life. But he wondered what it would feel like, to bare your heart and soul in front of someone with no obligations or responsibilities towards him, to someone with no connection with him, and receive love. Not disgust, not fear, not anger, but love. Was it really possible for him? Or was he too damaged to ever experience something like that? Plus, there was also the chance of his significant other being targetted because of him. Back at that hell of a camp, Lucifer had seen two of the trainees fall in love, only for it to be used against them. They both didn't make it through the training period. What if the same happens with Lucifer?

No, that wouldn't be the case. They were going to kill Mad Dog and end everything for once and for all. Then, no one would be out to harm them. Well, there were going to be random monsters spawning around them, but they were easy to deal with. Monsters weren't aware of every weakness Lucifer had, nor were they aware of where he hurt the most. They didn't have any grip over his mental state. Mad Dog, on the other hand, wasn't stronger than them, but it was because he knew their psyche that he was the most difficult opponent. He was the one who trained them, of course he could exploit any openings in their stance.

"We're meeting the other numbers in half an hour. Nico and Will, the two of you can go check into your hotel. I will Iris Message you after the meeting," Liam instructed.

The meeting itself was very redundant, since they simply went over their plan for what Lucifer thought is the millionth time. But it was necessary redundancy, considering their lives were at stake and even a minor, inconsequential mistake could mean the end of everything. 001 and 002 took the lead, just like they did for so many years. Honestly, Lucifer felt stupid for ever doubting 001. Ijin was the one who cared about the numbers the most. Why would he kill everyone on his trail?

From what the numbers found out, it had been 003 who killed those numbers. She was the one who lied about everything. Was she working with Mad Dog still? Would they have to fight her to get to Mad Dog? 003 was a variable in their plan, but a very powerful one. If they did find her with Mad Dog, the entire mission would be much more difficult than if she wasn't there. The numbers did plan for each scenario, but in their ten years of experience, even the most meticulously crafted plan wasn't fail-proof.

They had their demigod abilities now, which would make everything easier. But they couldn't tell this to the other numbers. They'd worry for no reason. And if it was true that Mad Dog only abducted demigods to make his mercenary camp, it meant the others were demigods too. From what Percy's stories had implied, once a person realised they were a demigod, the monsters around them would, too. It was better for everyone to be ignorant about them being demigods. Liam and Lucifer had Camp Half-Blood to fall back on, but the other numbers all planned to relocate to different parts of the world. They would not have any such support.

After the meeting, everyone dispersed to their respective lodgings, far enough from each other to not raise any suspicion, cose enough to be able to group together at a moment's notice. Liam and Lucifer were assigned as each other's partners, while 004 and 018 were paired together, and so were Maya and 016. Ijin and 002 were both alone, too stubborn to be paired with each other and too concerned to be paired with anyone else. Nico and Will stayed close to Liam and Lucifer, a part of the plan but also not. Though the two said they were fine being in the shadows and understood the importance of keeping the whole demigod quest thing a secret, it was unfair to them. They were to block any monsters, rogue demigods working for Mad Dog, or mercenary backups the numbers didn't predict. They were doing the most important task out of all of them, and they couldn't even take credit for it.

That night, none of the numbers could sleep. They needed to be well rested for the next day, but the anticipation, fear, anxiety, and nervousness didn't let any of them fall asleep. Once the sun rose, it would be time to begin their assassination plan. Freedom would be theirs, they just had to make it through next twenty four hours. It still felt unreal to the them. Ten years of suffering, all of which would get the closure it deserves. It felt unreal, as if once they wake up, it will all be a dream. As if none of it was tangible. For ten whole years, they had experienced the worse of everything because of Mad Dog. Was it really possible to end all that in twenty four hours? Was it really possible to attain freedom? These were all questions keeping them awake, despite their very best efforts to fall asleep.

And then there were the prophetic nightmares Liam and Lucifer got as a bonus for being demigods.Every time either of them dozed off for even a minute, all they saw were dreams so much more terrifying than reality that staying awake and risking their efficiency the next day was a much better option. They saw snakes, a lot of snakes. They saw blood everywhere. They saw Mad Dog in a log cabin in the middle of a forest, his eyes glowing red and a spear in his hand. They saw their friends—no, their family, the numbers. They saw the numbers lying on the floor, barely breathing. Sometime around four in the morning, Lucifer dreamt another nightmare, of Mad Dog picking up a small fallen branch anx turning it into a sword.

"A sword?" Liam asked when Lucifer told him of his nightmare. "Yeah. He picked up the branch after you knocked all his weapons out of his reach. Then his eyes glowed red and the branch turned into a sword," Lucifer replied.

Lucifer explained the same to Nico and Will by Iris Message. "That's a power children of Ares have," Will said, looking as anxious as Lucifer felt. So their opponent wasn't just a skilled, well-rounded fighter, he was a child or a legacy of Ares or Mars. They only hoped that when the sun went down the horizon the next day, it was Mad Dog who went down with it, not them.

Chapter Text

"So, here's what I think might be happening. Your camp, it sounds awfully like Nero's Tower. And now we know that Mad Dog is most probably a demigod of Ares or Mars. Nero is dead, but we can't ever be sure. Your friends would have no chance against a demigod, no matter how skilled they are. Not to mention hidden monster armies Mad Dog probably has."

Liam knew Nico didn't mean to come off as negative, he only wanted to help. Liam also knew it was his own anxiety making everything negative. He couldn't really blame Nico for it. Nico was a kid, and he was right. Realistically, Liam knew that if Mad Dog really was a demigod, there was no way even 001 could stop him. And Mad Dog would have to be quite a powerful demigod, considering he kept a mercenary camp of powerful demigods. There was the whole thing with Nero or someone from his army possibly returning.

"I can't," Liam replied, with a resigned sigh. "I can't tell them the truth. I can't tell them that their entire lives were planned out, that their tragedies were orchestrated, that the decade of suffering was because their own parents abandoned them. I can't tell them their parents are gods, nor can I tell them it is because of those gods that they had to go through all that. They finally escaped and started living a normal life. I can't thrust them into the world of gods and monsters. I just can't. Nor will I let anyone."

Will nodded in understanding, but said, "They are already a part of this world. You can't stop them from finding out—"

"Their powers haven't manifested yet. And it doesn't look like it will. I don't know why Liam and I suddenly got our demigod powers, but they haven't," Lucifer said.

Because the other numbers didn't have their powers yet, it meant no one could tell with certainty that they are demigods. Well, except satyrs and monsters, but currently there were neither of those. And though their dreams were mostly prophetic, there was a chance Lucifer's dream was just a dream, not a vision if the future. And even if Mad Dog was a demigod, there was nothing to indicate that all the numbers were demigods too.

But it was also a logical conclusion to make. No matter how much Liam and Lucifer tried to rationalise against it, they couldn't deny that it made complete sense that the numbers were possibly demigods. They didn't want to push the numbers into the demigod world, but if they started showing signs of their powers, there was nothing the brothers could do.

"We'll worry about it when we come to it. For now, we need to focus on how to defeat Mad Dog without changing the plan 001 and 002 came up with," Liam said, trying to calm his racing thoughts.

"Anything Mad Dog calls as back up, we can deal with. The man himself, though, you will have to try your best," Nico said. "I can help you a little from outside, but not enough to defeat him without revealing myself."

The strategy was to trap Mad Dog into his own cabin, and attack him from all sides. There was little Nico and Will could do that would go unnoticed by the numbers.

"I have a plan," Lucifer exclaimed. "We follow 001 and 002's plan, but I can alter the ground of the cabin. Mad Dog is used to the floor being as it is, but if we alter it strategically, we can at least hinder him a little. It would put him in a disadvantaged position compared to us, who have never been in that cabin. And if my dream is really prophetic, and all the numbers are really going to be heavily injured, we can use our powers while they lie unconscious because of the wounds." He looked at Liam, confidence in his tone, as he continued, "The both of us are powerful enough to take him down."

"There's a lot of what-ifs in this entire thing," Liam sighed.

Lucifer smiled as he said, "We can think about that later. For now, we need to meet the numbers in, like, twenty-three minutes. Let's leave."

Liam and Lucifer barely reached the meeting point on time. As soon as everyone was assembled, they went over the plan one last time, just like they would have had it been a mercenary mission. They would surround the cabin Mad Dog was in, take out anyone in their way, enter the cabin, and attack Mad Dog from all directions. They wouldn't leave him any room to even breathe. 004 and 005 would be outside the cabin, taking care of any interruptions and back ups. It was a sound plan, with very little chances of failure. If Mad Dog didn't really turn a branch into a sword, that is.

"Let's go have some fun, yeah?" 004 was as amped up as ever.

"One final mission," Maya said, fidgeting with her gun.

"Let's begin," 002 ordered, and everyone got into position.

Contrary to Liam's worries, it did all go according to their plan. They entered the forest and wiped out all of Mad Dog's mercenaries they encountered, blocked any possible routes Mad Dog's back ups could take to reach him, and successfully surrounded the log cabin he was in, without him even realising.

002 raised his hand in a signal to be alert. He slowly walked closer to the cabin, and knocked twice on the door upon reaching it. A beat of nothing, and then two. Lucifer was getting anxious by it. Another moment of nothing, and 002 knocked again. This time, the door opened. It was a mercenary, who attacked 002 as soon as she saw him, but was killed in a minute. Inside the cabin, Mad Dog sat on a wooden chair, his elbows resting on the desk in front of him. His eyes glowed red, and Liam couldn't tell whether it was some demigod power or just the evening light reflecting off Mad Dog's eyes.

"Welcome, 002. Are you finally going to bite the hand that fed you?" Mad Dog's voice sounded collected and prepared, as if he predicted he was going to be attacked.

He stood up, a knife in his hand, as he walked up to 002 with slow, measured steps. Mad Dog radiated confidence; he looked like someone who knows they will win.

It was wrong. Everything was wrong. Liam should have known. If Mad Dog is a demigod, of course he could predict when the numbers would attack him. He could have seen it in his dreams. Will had also told the brothers about Python taking over Delphi. Maybe there was a prophecy about this. Liam wasn't sure what exactly was wrong, but he knew something was. And that something could completely derail their mission.

Liam focused his thoughts on the course of action. He couldn't get all anxious and mess up his part. 002 going up to Mad Dog and attacking him, all the other numbers except 004 and 005 surrounding him, everyone on the offence against Mad Dog at once, and Mad Dog dead. Liam tried his best to visualise the entire plan, leaving no room for any mishaps.

A loud gunshot rang through the air, snapping Liam back to the scene in front of him. 002 had fired, but Mad Dog dodged it. A hand signal from 002, and everyone ambushed Mad Dog.

Whatever happened next, it was a fever frenzy. The numbers attacked, Mad dog dodged. The numbers attacked again, and Mad Dog somehow dodged again. They kept attacking, but were unable to critically injure Mad Dog. How was this happening? Guns, knives, punches—nothing worked as planned.

Though the numbers could only scratch and bruise Mad Dog, his hits all landed perfectly. A punch landing on 018's chest, a kick to 016's stomach, a knife grazing 002's arm, an elbow into 008's ribs, a dagger slashing into 001's thigh, and another punch to Liam's solar plexus. It knocked the wind out of him, but when he saw Mad Dog stabbing into Lucifer's arm, the anger brought him back to him feet.

They were all taking a lot of damage, more so than they expected. Mad Dog, on the contrary, was somehow able to take all of them without any serious injuries. It confirmed Liam and Lucifer's suspicions. Mad Dog was a demigod. Being a child of Ares would explain everything.

In a blur, 018 fell to the ground. He was bleeding severely from where Mad Dog had slashed his midsection. The numbers kept going, they did not have the option if stopping to make sure 018 was fine. He wouldn't be fine with such a wound anyways.

One by one, the numbers kept getting gravely injured. It was beginning to look exactly like Lucifer's nightmare. The fallen numbers, the blood everywhere, the sunlight red at dusk, the Mad Dog's glowing eyes—it was all beginning to come true. But Liam was barely conscious to notice it, though he somehow managed to drink enough nectar to be able to stop his wounds from bleeding.

Newly energised by nectar, Liam rose to his feet, wobbling towards Lucifer. Together, they could probably overpower Mad Dog with their powers. By the time Lucifer recovered enough, even 001 and 002 had been defeated by Mad Dog. He turned his attention on the brothers, his face twisted into an evil grin.

"So you two figured it out?" Mad Dog was inching closer to them, the knife in his hand gleaming red.

Lucifer offered a short, quick prayer to his mother, before shooting a vine through the ground where Mad Dog's feet were. They wrapped around his ankles, refusing to give way, but with a swipe of the knife, Mad Dog was free again.

Scared and vulnerable, that's how Lucifer felt. His vines were cut apart in no time. He had nothing else to protect himself and those around him now. He had to think of something. He had to think of something quickly, or it would be the end of everything for him and the numbers. He couldn't let that happen. There had to be something he could do to defeat Mad Dog. There had—

"Luce! Luce, breathe. You can't win by being anxious." Liam put a reassuring hand on Lucifer's back.

He did try to breathe deep and think clearly, but by the time he could control himself and his powers, the vines he shot earlier grew taller and taller, until they became trees. It formed a circle around Mad Dog; a wall he was struggling to break apart. Lucifer stumbled to the floor, too tired to keep himself upright.

Liam steadied his brother, growing his own vines around Mad Dog. The best way to defeat him currently seemed to be by engulfing him in plants, enough so that the plants absorb him. It had worked against a cynocephalus, it should—it would work against a human. No, a demigod. Mad Dog was a demigod. But nonetheless, it would work. It had to. And so, Liam put all his focus into trapping Mad Dog into his vines.

A loud crack, and then, the slashing of a sword against Lucifer's trees. A realisation followed. It was exactly as Lucifer had seen in his dreams. Well, nightmares. A branch that Mad dog turned into a sword. Their comrades—family—lying in pools of blood. Mad Dog's eyes glowing red. It was exactly as Lucifer had seen.

"Can you shield us?" Liam asked Lucifer, who had taken a sip of nectar and was able to stand again.

"I think I can."

"Good. I'll focus on trapping him in our vines."

It was a struggle, what happened next. That was the only part Liam and Lucifer remembered. Mad Dog attacked, Lucifer defended, Liam shot more and more vines. They did not know how long it took, but by the time Mad Dog was covered in enough vines to immobilise him, the brothers were absolutely exhausted.

Summoning the last of his energy, Liam stood up, barely making it towards Mad Dog. The sword that was transformed from the branch lay near Mad Dog's feet, and though his face was covered by the vines, Liam could feel Mad Dog's stare burn into his head. Liam picked up the sword, and in one swift, clean motion, stabbed Mad Dog's heart, exactly how Mad Dog had trained him to do. Quite poetic, he thought, killing someone by their own teaching and technique.

But he did it, and it was over. They had killed Mad Dog. They won. They were free. They—

"Liam. We should get rid of any evidence of demigod magic," Lucifer said between pants and gasps.

With their depleted energy, it took them a while to make all the plants disappear back underground, but they did it before anyone saw them. They were too exhausted to even move, collapsing on the floor. Well, 004 and 005 would be here soon. They would take care of anything else.

For now, all that mattered was that Mad Dog was dead. Yes, there were many unanswered questions. Were all numbers demigods? How did Mad Dog know which children were demigods? How did they not manifest their powers? Why were Liam and Lucifer the only ones to manifest? Which of their parents was their real parent? What really happened on that train all those years ago? Why did Mad Dog make the mercenary camp? Was the Triumvirate really behind all this?

There were many questions, but Mad Dog was dead, and the brothers did not know who else to ask. Dead people did not really answer, though, Lucifer mused, maybe Hades could make them answer. But it was a concern for some other time. He was too tired to strike a deal with a god. For now, all Liam and Lucifer wanted to do was let their consciousness slip away, which is exactly what they did.

Chapter Text

Will would be lying if he said he didn't love his father. Apollo was not perfect, but he was trying his best. He was putting in effort, more than what any other god was. Apollo was trying, and that was what mattered to Will. But Will would also be lying if he said he didn't hate his father. Apollo was trying, but it wasn't enough. A god who had lived for four thousand years had enough time to make a multitude of mistakes and create a host of problems. And one of those problems was staring right back at Will, venom dripping from its mouth. Literally.

Python walked, no slithered, or did whatever snakes did, coming closer to where Will and Nico were hiding. It was almost midnight, which meant the darkness protected them. But it also meant Apollo couldn't watch over Will anymore. And it was a new moon, meaning no Aunt Artemis either. Not like he had the time to think about offering something to gods. Python was so close to their hiding spot, even a slight movement would give them away.

It wasn't exactly Python, of course. Apollo (Lester, technically) had sent it to Tartarus just a few months ago. There was no way Python could regenerate so fast. Even if it did, the doors of death would not let him pass yet. Unless Thanatos was captured again. No, Nico would know if that happened. It was probably Python's remaining magic, his remaining influence over the demigod realm. Whatever the case, Will was currently hiding from Python, his father's worst enemy, and by extension, his worst enemy. It was at times like this that he resented his inability to fight. He could have perfect archery powers, or a singing voice so immersing he could basically hypnotise Python. He could have infinite knowledge—of the universe, of demigods, of abilities, of monsters, of how to defeat Python. His father was a god of a million things, and Will inherited the one power that was of no use in a battle.

Well, it was of use, Will knew that. Without someone to heal the injured soldiers, no army could survive. But it wasn't a power that could be used in a situation like this. And what did his healing abilities do for him anyway? When he desperately wanted to save his siblings who were injured in war, he could do nothing. When he injured himself in Tartarus, he could do nothing. Now when he was so close to death, he could do nothing. He was not only unable to do anything, he was also unable to keep Nico safe. His healing abilities had never helped him.

Will felt a rustle in the bushes behind him, Python's hissing ringing in his ears. Nico stiffened beside him, his Stygian iron dagger held in between them and the bushes. Maybe Will should have asked Nico to teach him a thing or two with daggers. It was too late and too early to regret his inabilities. He had to do something, and he had to do it quick. Nico could fight Python, but considering the hoard of empousai and hydras they fought not too long ago, Nico was tired. No matter how strong he was, he was still human. Fatigue could get to him.

"Demigods, huh? Not a part of the usual group. This is new," Python hissed as he discovered their hiding spot.

Nico thrust his dagger, aiming for Python's eyes, but the snake deflected easily. It progressed into an intense fight, and despite all of Nico's skills and efforts, Python had the upper hand. He slithered around, as if mocking Nico. Though Nico was able to injure Python, he was too tired and injured himself. Python had appeared right as Will was about to heal a nasty gash on Nico's left forearm.

Will followed the fight closely, out of worry for Nico and because he couldn't do anything else. He was useless here. Why did he even come here in the first place? He was just a medic, he wasn't meant for fighting. There was nothing he could ever do for those he cared. But looking at Nico, looking at how he kept going even in the condition he was in, looking at his determination to protect Will, something rose from deep in Will's heart. The desire to protect. The desire to do so despite the chances of failing were more than winning. It was already there, he realised; he just never had the strength to act upon it.

Python recoiled and shot forward, his venomous teeth grazing Nico's forearm. The injured forearm Will didn't get the time to heal. That was fatal, there had to be something Will could do. He lost many people already in the seventeen short years he had lived. Not Nico. He couldn't lose Nico. But what could he do? Nico had jumped in front of him and protected him. Will was just hiding behind Nico.

Nico slashed close enough to Python's left eye to have blood drip into it. Irritated, Python swished his tail in every direction, managing to hit Nico and put him off-balance. Nico was losing. And it wasn't because of his own weakness. It was because Will failed to do the one thing he had to do. This wouldn't do, Will knew. He had to do something. He couldn't let this go on.

While Python adjusted to seeing with one eye, Nico pulled Will back into the tangle of bushes. "He's not whole. It's just a part of him," Nico said, his eyes on Python's movements.

Will quickly began administering nectar and ambrosia and medicines to Nico. He couldn't heal Nico completely, but he could do something at least.

Python was at them again not before long, and this time, he definitely had the upper hand. Nico was struggling, but didn't back down. That was one thing Will admired about Nico. His stubbornness and refusal to give up. But right now, it was the same refusal that was putting him in more danger. Python's venom was almost impossible to detoxify. This fight had to end soon, so that Will could begin getting the venom out of Nico's body. Or else—

No. No, that couldn't happen. That wouldn't happen. Will would make sure of it. He couldn't lose Nico like this. Especially not to something meant for him. Python was there as a challenge for Will. Nico couldn't die because of this. Will felt his blood boiling with anger. At Python, at his father, at the other gods, at the Fates, at himself. He couldn't let this happen.

Will was glowing. He usually had control over it, but he couldn't stop it this time. He was glowing, bathing the dark night in goldens and oranges. And attracting Python's attention to himself, he guessed. As Nico jumped back to reset his strikes, Python turned towards Will instead.

"A child of Apollo? This is fun." Python was closing in on Will.

There was a huge flash of light, as bright as the sun. It took Will a moment to realise he caused it. And next came the sound of Python sneezing. It took Will another moment to realise he had caused it too. He did give Nyx a hay fever back in Tartarus, but he didn't understand how he was able to do that. He didn't understand it now, either, but whatever worked, worked. He tried reaching within himself, finding the source of his healing powers. Maybe all he had to do was reverse them?

Will closed his eyes, steadied himself, and tried to feel whatever it was he had felt when he made Nyx sick. And with a little trying, he was able to make Python's sneezing worse. Nico just stared at the scene, his expression confused and concerned.

"Now's the time," Will pointed to Nico's dagger and then at Python, signalling for Nico to finish this. Which he gladly did. A few well-placed slashes, and Python was no more. All that remained was dust and a distant hiss.

"How—" Nico began to ask, but Will stopped him.

"I don't know, honestly. It was the same with Nyx. I don't know how exactly I did this."

"Are you fine? You were glowing really bright."

At that, Will smiled. "You don't really have the time to worry about me. Let's get the venom out of you first."

Will began healing Nico's wounds, first the snakebite and then everything else. It wasn't completely healed; Python was, after all, one of the strongest monsters. Will would have to ask his father for an antidote as soon as they get out of this forest. But for now, Nico was safe. He was in no immediate danger. Will let out a sigh of relief. It was finally over.

Or not. Liam and Lucifer still were somewhere near the cabin. They should have been back by now. There was something wrong at the cabin. It shouldn't have taken them this long. Will and Nico made their way to the log cabin, prepared to fight that Mad Dog guy, only to see him already dead. And the others pretty close to death. Which is why Will let Nico shadow travel to get more nectar and ambrosia.

It was way past midnight by the time Will was able to heal everyone. They were still all unconscious, but they were alive. Will took care to not treat their injuries to the point that it becomes suspicious, just enough to keep them out of danger. It wasn't really ideal to have to explain how he could heal a stab to the gut in an hour or so.

It was Nico who heard footsteps approaching, prompting the two to exit the cabin and hide in a tree beside it. They were fully prepared for another fight, but the footsteps were just of Liam and Lucifer's friends. A tall, well-built woman and a man spinning a knife around in his hand. It looked dangerous to Will, but who was he to question other people's fidget habits? As the two entered the cabin, their worried voices could be heard. They'd take care of everything now. Will and Nico's job was done.

"Let's go?" Nico asked, looking at Will with all the love in the world. It still baffled Will that such an amazing boy was his significant other.

"Yes," Will replied, already planning how to get that antidote from his father. Or Asclepius. He would get it, no matter what. While the venom was removed from Nico's body and his injuries all patched up, there was always the risk of lingering effects. Plus Will did let Nico shadow travel halfway across the world to get nectar and ambrosia. Nico was beyond tired by now.

Will also had to learn more about his plague powers. Preferably soon. Hopefully from Apollo himself.

It was a quest for another day, though. For now, all Will wanted to do was reach their accommodations and sleep until sunrise. And so did Nico, if his extremely sluggish steps were anything to go by.