I was waken by the early morning sun trying to peek through the clouds. I groaned and sat up. Sleeping on the ground wasn't comfortable at all, but I slept. I was plagued with horrible dreams. Everything Gaea had showed me played on repeat in my head, all my friends from camp lay dead because I wasn't fast enough. My brothers all dead, the gods were all dead and faded, gone from history, and everything else faded along with it. The horrible things the Titan Kronos forced me to see played. The horrors he showed me were nothing compared to what Gaea was planning. But the screams of the dying and hurt and lost played over and over and I woke up feeling awful and unrested. I felt jumpy and on edge. 

I blinked a few times and groaned. Standing over me, floating just a few inches off the ground was General Titus. 

"She lives." he snarked. 

"Unfortunately." I yawned. 

"You're harder to wake then Boulder." He huffed, folding his arms, which looked awkward with the arrow sticking out of his side.  

"Boulder?" 

"Yes. He slept like a rock. And he's huge...so we called him Boulder." Titus explained. He seemed extra impatient this morning. 

"Is there a point in this lovely conversation?" I asked slowly getting to my feet. 

"Yes. I had scout come back informing me there is something pursuing you." 

"Ya don't say?!" I gasped in mock surprise. "Sunna, did you hear that girl? Something is following us!" My Pegasus snorted and tossed her head. 

"I know the Pegasus did not just roll her eyes at me!" Titus cried in out rage, he floated closer to Sunna with his finger pointing in her face. She snorted again.

"What else did your scout say?" I interrupted his little temper tantrum. Titus huffed and turned back to me. 

"He claims it was huge and full of evil vengeance. It will stop at nothing to destroy you." 

I nodded, already knowing this, Gaea wouldn't let me slip through her fingers so easily. 

"I also got another nuntius show up, a messenger. He said to inform you that keep on the Roman path, go to each Roman fort until you cross the Ocean. Then stay in France and Italy- there are Roman forts and roads to travel on." 

"Who? Who was the messenger?" I asked. 

"I don't know! He came bearing the papers of a nuntius. And then took off. He bore the same mark as you have on your arm." 

"One of Mithras's men." 

"Sure. Whatever you say." He waved a hand. "But now that your up, what's your plan? I was supposed to send word back your patron your wear abouts." 

"And let me guess you think that's beneath you, and a great General like your self shouldn't have to keep tabs on me?" 

"It is a direct order from Mithras himself. It is my honor." He cried, his helmet just about came off as he yelped. 

"Well if I'm to stick to the Roman road...I'll do my best with that. Do you happen to have a map?" 

The General rolled his eyes, straitened his helmet and floated away. I gave Sunna a glance and I swear she rolled her eyes. "I'll be back." I followed Titus to the other side of the shimmery ghost fort and at the desk in his office there were all kinds of maps and papers. He picked one up and looked at it and tried to hand it to me. 

"I can't hold the map..." I pointed out. 

"I can't hold the map." He mocked me. "Not so high and mighty now are you, miss Venti killer! Can't even hold a map!"

"I'm not dead." 

"How DARE you!" He cried, his pale face started to go whiter, like thicker clouds, and I realized if he wasn't a ghost, his face would be going red with frustration.

"Well...I can't hold shimmery ghost maps." I shrugged. "Just show me." 

He sputtered for a moment and then with his eyes narrowed he placed the map on his desk and pointed. "We are here. This is the main Roman road. Follow it and it will lead to most of  the Roman forts or barracks or cities. For you mortals, it wont look like much, ruins, earth heaps, but look past the mist, or trust your Pegasus, she saw the fort last night. Travel by day as much as you can, the The Sluagh are out there in bigger groups then I've ever seen." 

"Umm, the what?" 

"The Sluagh..." He repeated, looking at me blankly, like I should understand.

"If you haven't noticed I'm not from here, and you'll have to explain." I groaned rubbing my forehead. This General Titus was really annoying. How he became a general was beyond me. 

He sighed heavily, like he was dealing with a toddler. "The Sluagh...they are a class of malevolent spirit in Irish and Scottish folklore, they are the restless souls of individuals barred from all three afterlives in the Celtic belief system; Heaven, Hell and the Otherworld - these spirits would gather like a flock of birds and prey upon the living, always arriving from the West." 

"Oh, the bird shadow people things." 

"...bird shadow people..." Titus repeated. 

"Yes. I've met them already. Nasty things." 

"They come out at night. So...stay in doors during sundown if you don't want your soul reaped." 

"Great advice General Titus." I nodded, trying very hard not to roll my eyes. "Well if that's all, I'll be on my way. The sooner Sunna and I can leave the better." 

"Indeed." I nodded like the idea of me leaving his fort was the best thing in the world. 

"Good bye General Titus. Thank you for the place to sleep." 

"Ya ya..." He shoed me the the office. 

I found Sunna waiting for me at the front gates. I mounted up and we left for another wild day full of monsters and evil spirits. The map that General Titus had showed me said  the next fort was only about an hour drive. So about the same with a Pegasus being chased by angry monsters. Our way was blocked so we had to keep going, I knew our trip across Europe was taking too long, and our way to the fort was blocked by whatever was hunting us. I could feel its evil presence. So Sunna and I decided to try and get to Lunt Fort. 

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Sunna and I trudged up the road towards the fort Gates. I had gotten off and walked for a while, She was limping, her wing hung at a weird angle, but the monsters had disappeared for now. They got tired if being blasted by fire balls. I didn't even know what they were. Some kind of flying cat, the huge flock or pack of them were nasty and angry. Sunna was scratched and bloody. I tried to take as much as I could, my Curse of Achilles seemed to hold up with these monsters. Gaea's hunter was close by as well. I could feel his evil, I shivered with anxiety. 

There was also one spot in a hollow of two hills even during the day I heard them. Nightmarish creatures, some kind of demon spirit shrieked. I didn't stay and find out, but there was a giant sign that said something about some ancient battle of two old Celtic tribes happened. Sunna and I figured it was some kind of death demon that feasted on the dead. We booked it, but they came after us. We couldn't see them, but I sure felt their claws and razor sharp teeth. The screams of these things made my insides feel weak and my hands shake. (These Celtic monsters were quite terrifying.) I had to swing the axe around, I wasn't sure if I even hit the daemons, because I couldn't see then. But every once in a while I saw black smoke, and more ear shattering screams, which meant i hit something. The further away from the old battle field the less they perused. But I was still left bleeding and bruised and sore. 

Sunna and I tried going faster up the hill road that led to the gates of Lunt Fort. I could feel the shadow birds, The Sluaghs, were waking up. We got to the gate, the fires in the watch towers burn bright. I saw the fire reflecting off helmets of the watch men. 

"HEY!" I yelled. "Open the gate!"

"Who are you?" Came a loud voice. 

"We seek shelter!" I yelled back, "Open up!" 

"Who are you to seek shelter in Lunt Fort?" 

"Open the damn gate!" I yelled "In the name of Rome, and the god Mithras, open the gate!" 

I saw someone else appear behind the wood walls. The gateman was shoved out of the way, and a new helmeted head appeared. 

"Oh gods, how did you get here?" I groaned. 

"Mithras's goddaughter, was it?" General Titus asked, as innocently as he could.

"Titus, open the damn gate! I have all kinds of Celtic and Roman monsters on my heels, and unless you wanna deal with them like the Venti, I suggest you open the gate and let us in!"

I could see him rolling his eyes, but he gave the signal and the heavy gate opened up and Sunna and I raced inside, just as another loud shriek of some new monster on our heels. The gate slammed shut and I collapsed. 

"Well you made it." Standing in front of me, his hands on his hips was General Titus. 

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." I groaned. 

"Where are those lazy nuntius?" He yelled over his shoulder. A scrawny Roman legionnaire showed up. "Good. Take this message to General Mithras and in form him his..." Titus looked down at me still on the ground, trying to dig through my bag trying to find something to stop the bleeding on my arm. "What are you to Mithras?" 

"His god daughter." 

"Tell the Legatus  god Mithras his god daughter has made it to Lunt Fort and she will be safe for the night." 

"Yes sir." The nuntius saluted and disappeared in a shimmer of the air. 

"Come on, and stop bleeding all over the place." He chided. I groaned and got to my feet. I finally got a good look around. This place was fully rebuilt. 

"Yes before you ask. This fort has been fully excavated by the modern mortals, and rebuilt. It's open to the public, for tours and festivals and such nonsense. The mortal workers are full Roman legionnaires of Rome, some are legacies of demigods and what not. They work here year round giving tours and hosting festivals to mortals. It's a fully working and occupied Fort. So you may actually have a warm meal and bed. That should please Legatus Mithras." 

"We wouldn't want to piss him off, now would we?" 

"Indeed. That would not be wise." 

A few of Roman soldiers came running, they were all real humans, not ghosts.  One came up to Sunna and started to examine her wounds. One woman came over and gave me a kind smile. 

"Hey. Good thing you made it when you did, the nights lately have been terrible lately."

"Dawn. Take this one to the kitchens, clean her up, and find her a place to sleep." 

"Yes sir."

"You're Pegasus will be held in the stables, I'll have someone take a look at her." 

"Thank you Titus." I nodded. He just waved his hand like he was done with the conversation.

"Do not break my Fort, Sun child." Titus sniffed and floated away. 

I followed Dawn to the kitchen where I was given a wood bowl of stew. It was good- not as good as Nana Calantha's food, but it was warm. Dawn then showed me one of the barracks where there were bunk beds. I sat down with a groan and she sat down and started to patch me up. She didn't say much, which was fine. I was tired. It had been a long few days of running for my life. I could tell she was curious about me, but I didn't really feel like talking. She finished wrapping my arm and I just sat staring at the wall. 

"You look like you need some sleep." She said gently. 

"Ya. Thank you. Uhh sorry, it's been a long few days." I appolagized. 

"No need to be sorry, Britannia is dangerous on a regular day, but then for a demi god of your caliber alone...with The Earth mother stirring, and waking the deep evils of every known belief system...no offense, I'm surprised you made it this far." 

"Oh... uh..yeah. I'm trying to get to Greece, so...have to cross this place first..." 

"Yeah...well if you can get to Dover...The Romans call it Dubris...it's a port city, find a woman named Savannah. She runs a pub near the docks. It's called The Popina. She can help get you across the English channel. The highway would take you 3 hours by car.... but with all the crap that's been going on, and how injured your Pegasus is...I don't know. But I'll see if there are any of the supply trucks leaving tomorrow." 

"Thank you." I nodded. 

"Roman's stick together, woman gotta stick together." 

I nodded again, and Dawn got up and left me in the quiet of the barracks. I pulled my water out and some powered Unicorn horn and mixed them together, I chugged it back, and I could feel the healing effects already. I sighed in relief and then lay back and let my eyes close, I didn't even bother taking the armor off. 

My Vison Sight hit hard. 

I was back in a dark stone dungeon. This one had a small window, there were bars over the window, and it was dark outside, you could at lest see the stars and get some fresh air. There was a dark shape laying on the ground. A full sob rose in my throat. I crossed the small cellar room. Laying in a heap was Raph. His shirt had been ripped by what looked like claws. He had dried blood from the claw marks, his face was bruised and beat up, his wrists were raw and red from the chains. He was covered in dirt an grime and sweat and blood. 

I knelt down beside him tears rolling down my face.

"Raph..." I whispered. 

His eyes fluttered open. "Sunshine..." even his voice was raw. 

"Raph?" I whispered, "Can you see me?" 

I saw a weak smile cross his lips. His eyes were clouded with pain. A few more tears slid down my face. I reached a shaking hand out, and tried to cup his cheek, but this was a dream and I couldn't touch him.  But he was looking right at me. 

"Nora...where are you?" 

"In the middle of the back country in England. Hera tried to get ride of me." 

I saw him chuckle and then he coughed, and winced. "Can't get ride of you that easily." 

"Nope. I'm on my way to Greece, I'm going to meet Percy and the others and I'm gonna kick Hera's ass and then Gaea. But...Raph...what happened. Baby, your a mess!" 

"Ahhh, It's not that bad." He groaned as he slowly and gingerly pushed himself to sit up. "Don't lie to me. This may be a dream thing- but I still know when you're lying." 

"I missed you." He whispered. His eyes held so much pain. More tears slid down my cheeks. I moved closer, I wish I could touch him, but I was just a manifestation of myself. A dream spirit. He reached a dirty and bloody hand out, the chains rattled. He cupped my cheek, as best as he could. I placed my hand over his. I just sat with him, there would be time to talk later- he didn't seem to have a lot of energy left. 

"What is Octavian doing to you?" 

"How do you know?" 

"Please." I tried to inject some of my sass into my answer. "I'm the daughter of the All Seeing Titan, I know things. I also know he's working with  Lycaon, the Werewolf that Gaea has been using...Octavian is in bad company. I don't know what mind games she's using on him, but he's bat shit crazy." 

"Oh I know. We have moved, they take me out and drag me around, beating and flogging me. Sometimes when he's board I fight different monsters-" 

"Like a gladiator?" I asked horrified. 

"Ya, I guess so." 

"Raph...I'm so sorry!"  

He shrugged. "They are on the move, the whole legion, all of the twelfth legion, they left the camp and are marching across the country to wage war on us." 

"I wont let that happen." 

"I know." He smiled at me. 

"Raph...I love you. Don't you die on me!" 

"Wouldn't dream of it." His voice sounded tired. "I know I can't hold you, but come here...I can pretend I'm holding you close again." He lifted his chained hands up and I stifled a sob and laid my head on his chest. We stayed like that for a long time, I felt his breathing even out, and he drifted into sleep. 

"I love you so much. Stay strong." I whispered. Shifting my head to look at him. Tears slid down my cheeks. "Mithras...please...if there is anything you can do for him...please!" I prayed. 

The air shimmered, Mithras appeared stepping out from what looked like a battle field. He was in full camo uniform, his military hat pulled low, he had guns and a knife strapped to his back and hips. He must have been in the middle of some war.

"Flower petal." His voice was the same as always, gruff and rough, yet held a gentle kindness when he talked to me.

"Please...help him!" I sobbed. 

He squatted down on Raph's other side. I sat up, using the back of my hands to dry my Vision tears. Mithras pulled his sunglasses down and observed Raph. He frowned taking in his injuries. Mithras placed his huge hand on Raph's chest and I saw it glow for a moment and the claw marks on his chest healed and he looked healthier, the beats he took disappeared and he slept easier. 

"I can not take him from the situation, but I can heal these injuries and increase his bravery and hope in you and the others. He has courage. He is a true son of Ares. He's an honorable young man. He won't die here. I make that promise." 

"Thank you." 

Mithras looked at me and frowned. "You need to hurry. You're time is running out." 

"I'm going as fast as I can!" 

"I know...I will send Vlad and Alfred to meet you Dover." 

"Thank you. Hey...did Marcus make it?" 

Mithras nodded. "He's been accepted, they are a little leery of him, but he's made it and settled." 

I nodded. I could feel my self waking up. I didn't want to leave, I wanted to stay with Raph. My body jerked as I tried to wake up.

"Go my spring flower. I will stand guard for the night. He will sleep un harmed." 

"I love you..." I looked back at Raph trying to memories his face as my mind woke up, pulling me away from the stone room and back into the barracks of  Lunt Fort. 

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