[lux, veritas, virtus]

Reese was baffled to say the least. The last time he had seen Alex Deven had been in the Underworld, when Liam Caspar had arranged to meet with the former praetor for evidence on Matthew Baines' escape. It had been weeks ago, and the incident that had taken Alex's life had been years ago, but seeing the son of Mars reopened a wound in Reese, in all of them, really.

But now he was alive. Or at least, it appeared that way.

Their group had ushered Alex inside the Principia—or rather, Alex had ushered them inside—to talk. Alex had stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing the statue of himself, and the room held its breath.

Alex cocked his head to the side. "My nose isn't really that big, is it?"

Kaya elbowed him, practically glowing from the moment she'd seen Alex arrive. "About as big as your ego."

Alex gave her a funny look, but turned to face the others. "I bet you're all wondering what I'm doing here."

"That's an understatement," Kaden managed, watching Alex intently. He seemed to be watching for any flickering, odd lights, or mirages that would indicate that the son of Mars before them wasn't really who they thought.

Alex managed a weary sort of smile, a step up from his familiar scowls. "After the quest group came to visit with me in the Underworld, I started to worry about what was happening up here. Having Vinny running around, free to do and hurt as he pleased, didn't strike the right chord with me."

Imogen huffed a breath, folding her arms across her chest. "Imagine his reaction when he sees you, though. I'll need to commemorate it."

Alex stared off at a point in the distance, a dark look falling over his face. "That's tangentially what I'm here about." He shook off the haunted look, and Reese wondered if it was some odd side effect of coming back to life. "All of this is contingent on a deal I made with Pluto."

"What kind of deal?" Tessa asked, eyeing Alex warily. Reese could only imagine what Tessa was feeling, seeing Alex back to life when he'd died at her feet. He supposed that now that he was alive again, they'd go back to butting heads and things might go back to normal.

Reese almost laughed; what even was normal for them anymore?

"The kind that we might not like," Alex responded, without a trace of sarcasm. "In order for balance to remain with my...return, I suppose we could call it, someone needs to take my place."

Kaya and Imogen shot their hands into the air.

"Can we volunteer Vinny?" Imogen asked, jade eyes wide.

"Not even volunteer!" Kaya insisted. "We can just throw him in."

"Or," Kaden quipped. "We could bribe Pluto to take Vinny with a Papa John's gift card or something."

Imogen pointed at the son of Venus. "That. That's my kind of plan."

Alex caught glimpse of the ring on Imogen's finger, and Reese bit his lip. Naturally, he'd managed to finally get Imogen an engagement ring before Alex returned. The son of Mars gazed at it inquisitively, but apparently filed it away as discussion for later.

"Papa John's gift card or not, whoever takes my place has to be taken the same way I was," Alex said, his voice eerily soft.

"Killed by Vinny?" Reese asked.

Alex met his gaze. "No," He said curtly. "In cold blood. They need to be murdered."

A chill fell upon the room. Reese felt something stir within him—his morality and his strategy. His morality was telling him that it was an impossible decision, that no one else should have to die. But his strategy knew that war came with casualties, and what was one more if it kept one of their number alive?

Tessa drew her eyebrows together, shifting her weight. "How would we anticipate that?"

Alex shook his head, sweeping his dark hair out of his face. "I have no idea," He drew out a long breath. "Seems like an impossible decision."

"It isn't," Kaya said fiercely. "We'll do what we have to do."

Kaden quirked a brow suspiciously at his fellow praetor. "What do you suggest, Kaya? Killing someone yourself?"

Kaya met Kaden's gaze challengingly. "No." She said delicately. "But if fate haves it that one of the enemy finds themselves behind our lines, then we'll do what's necessary."

"The enemy is made up of our friends," Tessa rebuffed. "Unless their lives suddenly carry no weight."

Alex held up a hand, defusing the situation before it started. Reese, narrowing his eyes at the son of Mars, wanted to know how he could retain so much calm and seriousness after being brought back to life. Was there a manual that Hades gave him, or something?

"I might have been gone for a while, but I refuse to cost our people anymore tragedies," Alex's voice was soft, but in the way that distant thunder was soft. It still echoed across miles, full of force, with enough power to be felt through the walls and the ground, but elusively silent and intriguing. "Even if it saves me."

"Besides," Kaden stepped forward, nodding to his predecessor as praetor. "If this strategy works, we'll have Vinny or Matthew to offer up to the Underworld."

"That," Alex chimed. "Would be preferable."

"You're forgetting someone," Imogen said, her jade eyes electric. "What happens if we catch Aether himself?"

As if waiting for a time bomb to go off, Reese's eyes slid over to Tessa, who visibly tensed. The daughter of Poseidon took a slow breath, looking up to meet everyone's gaze. She hesitated, and for a split second, Reese wondered if just because he was Tessa's half-brother, she'd spare him.

"Aether's a god," Tessa said simply, without a trace of defensiveness. "Luke, however, is mortal and can be killed just like the rest of us. So I'm all for it."

Reese's eyebrows shot up in subtle surprise. "Really?"

Tessa met his gaze, honed to steel. "Yes. Or do you think I'd really spare him because he's my half-brother?"

Reese shook his head. "Not that, just...you're very driven to protect those you love."

"The operative word being love," Tessa said with a thin smile. "And Luke can find his own way into the pits of Hell for all I care."

Reese was almost convinced, but he'd fought and lived alongside Tessa for nearly a decade now. He knew when she was telling the truth, lying, or strategizing her way through something. And right now, she was saying one thing but meant another.

"Anyways," Alex interrupted, unfazed by the little dispute. "What's this strategy of yours?"

"I'll fill you in, Alex," Imogen strode forward, taking the son of Mars by the arm. "If we let one of the others do it, you'll be bored to death."

Alex barked a laugh. "Not exactly fazed by that anymore, Gen."

Imogen grinned, and the two disappeared around the corner. Kaya swept after them the way she must have when they were teenagers running through camp, until the only people left in the room were Reese, Kaden, and Tessa.

"This is going to sound wrong," Kaden began, putting his hands up in surrender. "But do any of our friends end up staying dead?"

Tessa snorted; she was one to vouch. "Careful, Gray. You're looking at two people who've evaded that. Say the wrong thing and the Fates will make us keel over right here and now."

Reese sighed wearily, looking back over in the direction that Imogen, Alex, and Kaya had gone. "I just hope Imogen doesn't leave me for Alex."

Kaden roared in laughter, clapping Reese on the back. "Fat chance of that, Hale. I've seen the way she plans this wedding: it's almost terrifying."

Reese chuckled, a lazy smile on his lips. "You do have a point there."

Tessa smiled, but upon meeting Reese's gaze, she faltered.

"Tessa?" Reese hedged. "What's up?"

The daughter of Poseidon chewed on her lip, looking beyond them at Alex's tribute statue. She sighed and dragged a hand through her hair. "I don't know what to do about...him."

Reese and Kaden locked eyes. Of course, Reese hadn't been there when Tessa had slipped into her breakdown, but Kaden had been. And according to him, it wasn't pretty. While Tessa was doing better, Reese could still see how it haunted her.

"Like there's part of me that wants to see him dead and done for, but then I remember that he's my half-brother, and that'd be like killing Madi or Lukas and I just..." She heaved a heavy sigh. "I don't know what to do."

"He's a bad guy, Tessa," Reese tried. "Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Of course, it does," Tessa chided. "But how would you feel if you discovered that your mom had another kid who turned out to be a villain?"

Kaden met Reese's gaze. "She's got a point."

Reese put his hands up in mock surrender, but sighed as well. "Things will come together on their own, I suppose. Not to make light of the situation, but we have to worry about getting an entire legion into the army of the Hesperides."

Tessa nodded along to the cadences of Reese's voice. "Yeah, I know." She cast a look towards the doors. "I'm gonna...go punch something, or something."

"Have fun," Kaden quipped. "Don't break anything."

Tessa gave Kaden a tired look before sulking towards the doors, disappearing beyond them into the recuperating camp beyond. As soon as the bronze doors swung shut, Reese met Kaden's gaze.

"What're you thinking?" Reese asked, trying to read his best friend's expression.

Kaden slid his eyes to meet Reese's. "What do you mean? I'm not thinking anything."

Reese blinked. "Kaden, I know you're a son of Venus, but come on."

Kaden made a face, but shook his head. "I'm gonna go..."

"Punch something?" Reese offered impishly.

"Don't," Kaden said weakly, to which Reese put his hands up in surrender for what felt like the dozenth time that day. The son of Venus turned and headed towards the elevators, but Reese only watched him go with a funny look.

Reese turned on his heel, heading for the door. But just as he was reaching the threshold, a feeling like lightning striking his spinal cord froze Reese in his tracks. His head snapped up, and his legs went numb. He collapsed to the ground in what felt like slow motion, coughing like his throat was on fire.

His vision began to blur, and the feeling like lightning returned. He could hear muffled shouts, muffled footsteps, and when he opened his eyes, he saw blood on the marble floors of the Principia. His blood. Oh, gods, what was happening to him?

Reese was rolled onto his back, and just as he saw Imogen and Kaden appear over him, the world slipped out from beneath him and everything faded to black.

~~

In the dream, Reese was back in Crystal Cavern. He, Kaden, Tessa, and Dale stood on one side of the collapsing cavern, with Mark on the other end. Boulders and debris fell from above, and despite his and his friends' shouts, Mark ran to the other side.

But Reese knew how this story ended. Mark had been connected to Orion, forced into being his lieutenant by means of his katana. The cave-in would lead Reese and his friends to believe that Mark had died, and they would go back to a burning Camp Half-Blood as a quartet instead.

This time, Mark made it back—and there was no katana in sight. As Tessa, Dale, and Kaden grabbed Mark and ran for the exit, Reese turned back to the cave-in.

That moment had altered their fates forever, uniting their group far beyond a quest to stop a rogue god. That moment would lead to their discovery of the Regiment, and the union of the Greeks and Romans. That moment would destroy Orion and his portals, turn Vinny dark, and send Flynn into another dimension. That moment would bring every other aspect of their lives into fruition, into a world of war and despair.

Reese watched as more and more rocks fell into the cavern, but he could see a figure moving in the distance. Was it Orion, waiting for Mark to fall into his trap? But without the katana, Orion wouldn't be able to connect to Mark. So who was in there?

Reese took a step towards the cavern—

A slap met Reese's face, and he sprang awake. He looked around in bewilderment, blinking sleep from his eyes. He was in Camp Jupiter's infirmary, on a cot isolated from the many others—most of them occupied. And standing at Reese's bedside was a very disgruntled Flynn.

"Since when is slapping the patient a viable way to wake them up?" Reese rubbed at his cheek.

"Since the patient decides to keep a very important secret from his twin brother and doctor," Flynn retorted, a stern look on his face.

Reese watched his brother incredulously for a moment, then everything came falling back. His episode in the Principia, his condition, his madness...right. Suddenly, Reese became very interested in the architecture of the infirmary.

"What gave it away?" He asked under his breath, watching his brother out of the corner of his eye.

Flynn tilted his head. "I had a feeling when you asked about that really hypothetical situation. Then I noticed that you've been really hyper, and Imogen said that you've hardly gotten enough sleep lately. And then what happened in the Principia a few hours ago."

Reese's eyes widened. "I was out for hours?"

Flynn thwacked him with the clipboard. "Not the point."

Reese dodged the clipboard, shooting his brother a look. "I know the point." He huffed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Reese! Even if you didn't want to tell me as a doctor, I'm your brother. I know you more than I know myself. Why didn't you trust me?" Flynn sat down at Reese's bedside.

With a sigh, Reese sat up in the cot. His head felt heavy—probably the result of his distorted sleep schedule. "I only told so many people about what happened...over there. I didn't want to bring it back up again. Especially to you."

Understanding began to blossom in Flynn's eyes, and he turned to look out the window. "I get it. That place was a nightmare."

Reese examined his brother's expression for a moment; he seemed to be far away from the infirmary then. "How do you live with it? Seeing all of us every day? Seeing Tessa?"

Flynn shut his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Amelie helps. Living life helps. There was something nightmarish about the alternate dimension, like it was truly created to be the opposite of what I knew in my own. Being back home, having my friends and family around with me, reminds me that this is real."

Reese nodded in understanding. He and Flynn were silent for a moment, mostly for Flynn's sake. Any time that he started to dwell on the horrors of the alternate universe, he needed a minute or two to come back down to earth.

"But that's not the point," Flynn shook his head. "The point is that you're on the verge of succumbing to classic Ancient Greek madness, and that needs to be prevented."

"Imogen and I were looking for a cure," Reese offered. "Until we found out that it's in the Garden of the Hesperides."

"Yeah, that's quite the pickle," Flynn got to his feet, making a considerate face. "How do you expect to go about your own rescue mission when you have a war to fight?"

"Gee, I don't know," Reese rolled his eyes. "Any suggestions?"

"Yes, actually," Flynn pinned him with a funny look. "Drop the sarcasm, first. Something tells me the Masks and the Hesperides don't have a sense of humor. I know that their dragon doesn't."

Reese blinked like he'd been hit between the eyes. "Dragon?"

"Yeah," Flynn said simply. "Ladon, the guardian of Hera's wedding gift? He lives in the Garden. Which sucks for you because part of the cure involves one of Hera's golden apples."

Reese shut his eyes, resisting the urge to bash his head against the wall in frustration. "Naturally. Anything else?"

Flynn shook his head. "I'll worry about the rest, but I'm serious, Reese. If you feel even the slightest out of sorts, you need to tell me. Or Kaden. We can help you."

"I'll try," Reese muttered. "But I make no promises."

"Promises don't mean much," Flynn said, looking down. "But acting to keep them does."

And with that, Flynn emerged from Reese's curtained off cot, into the infirmary beyond.

~~

As was the tradition with the Romans, Alex's return prompted a celebration. A feast was being held in the former praetor's honor, and seeing as the camp was both recuperating from a battle and preparing for another one, it was a much needed distraction.

Reese was cleared from the infirmary shortly after the feast began, so he hurried his way through Camp Jupiter until he arrived at the illuminated dining hall. Laughter floated through the air like leaves on the wind, and as Reese walked into the lavish dining hall, he could pretend that nothing was wrong. People dined on low Roman sofas with plates upon plates of decadent food before them. At a head table at the front of the room sat Alex, wearing his old laurels, with Kaya on one side and a Lar at the other. Julius sat awkwardly on the other side of Kaya, trying to worm his way into the conversation.

"There he is," Reese heard. "Reese!"

The son of Apollo whirled around to see Imogen, Kaden, Mark, Tessa, and Eli seated at a table, waving him over. Reese weaved his way through the incessant crowd of people getting up and sitting down to join his friends, and sat down opposite Kaden and next to Mark.

"He lives," The son of Iris clanked his glass with Reese's. "What happened to you earlier, dude?"

Reese looked around at his friends' prying gazes, and met Imogen's concerned one. He gave her the slightest of nods before returning to Mark. "I felt like passing out."

Tessa snorted, taking a sip from her goblet. "And everyone's worried about that happening to me with my mental bond."

Everyone laughed, and Reese felt part of the tension on his shoulders disappear. He reached for the goblet that had materialized before him, taking a swig of the drink inside. Something fruity, but Reese didn't mind.

"Oh, yeah, about that," Eli asked, wiping his hands as he finished off a mozzarella stick. "Anything from our friends on the other side?"

Tessa arched an eyebrow, her turquoise eyes dancing with the light of the torches hung nearby. "Nothing as of late, Dr. Facilier, but if I see anything you'll be the first to know." She smirked.

Eli made a funny face, wrinkly his nose. "Why am I Dr. Facilier?"

"Would you rather be Mama Odie?" Tessa said sweetly, batting her eyelashes at the son of Ahklys.

"Careful," Reese warned. "I got on her case about the Disney nicknames and I never saw the end of her calling me Frollo for weeks."

"That was a good one," Tessa motioned to Reese with her goblet before raising it to her lips.

Kaden chuckled, reaching for the tray of appetizers on their table. "Disney nicknames aside, what else is new?" He glanced at Imogen. "Wedding plans?"

Imogen quirked a sharp brow. "Trying to wheedle your way into the wedding party, Gray?"

Kaden snorted. "Me? Wheedle? What a concept."

Everyone laughed again, but at the mention of the wedding, Imogen clung to it the way sharks would catch a scent of blood in the water and rush to a feeding frenzy. Reese could only smile and comment when he could, losing himself in the blissful reality of it. Whenever they won this war, Reese and Imogen would be saying their vows, each other's for the rest of eternity.

By the end of the wedding talk, it was decided that Flynn would be the best man, with Mark, Kaden, Ben, Charlie, and Alex as the groomsmen. Eli would be the hired DJ for the night, which the son of Ahklys seemed fine with. Kaya was the maid of honor, with Tessa, Dale, Madi, Amelie, and Adhara as the bridesmaids. The conversation withered for a moment at the mention of Dale and Adhara, who were both AWOL at the moment, but if Imogen was determined that they would come back, then who was Reese to try and sway her belief?

The conversation had swept into some debacle with Kaden and Mark, but when Eli got a notification on his phone and choked on another mozzarella stick, the talking died cold. Imogen and Tessa thumped Eli on the back until he stopped coughing, and he gasped for air.

"Yes, Eli?" Mark said airily.

"I just got a notification from Adriana," Eli reported. "They're ready."

"What's ready?" Kaden asked, drawing his eyebrows together in both confusion and intrigue.

Eli was practically jumping from his excitement—or panic; Reese wasn't sure. "I've been working on a secret project as soon as we figured out that the Masks are just our brainwashed friends. After what you guys witnessed with Mallory—some kind of spell is put on them to make them obedient and unresponsive—I got to work. And now they're ready. I can't believe they're ready."

"What is it, Eli?" Tessa drummed her fingers together on the table.

Eli drew up a picture on his phone, handing it to the daughter of Poseidon at his side. Tessa skimmed the image, but her eyes widened in intrigue.

"They're sort of like earpieces that I developed to counteract the abilities of the Masks," Eli explained. "Part of their strategy is to confuse their target, with their occult language and chanting, right? So when the Masks get too close for comfort, the earpiece emits a wavelength that counteracts the—I don't know, brain voodoo?—that the Masks implement. Therefore, no one on our side will become a Mask in the midst of battle."

Tessa passed Eli's phone around, and when Reese got a hold of it, he saw that Eli's creation was indeed a sort of high-tech ear-piece. Some of Eli's hastily scrawled notes were on the photo as well, but judging from the son of Ahklys' explanation, Reese was sold.

And just like that, Reese felt it begin to stir in the air. He looked up from Eli's phone, tuning out Kaden's questions and Imogen's worries about it clashing with her outfit, and watched his friends react. They all could feel it too; the shift in the atmosphere at this change in the game. This was an advantage, one that would protect them all.

One that could help them win.

Tessa met Reese's gaze, and the understanding that passed between them was nearly tangible. They mirrored one another's smiles, and Tessa raised her goblet. "To Eli's earpieces," She began her toast. "To Imogen and Reese's wedding, and to the victory we're so close to capturing."

Reese drew up his goblet, followed by Imogen, Kaden, Mark, and Eli. They all clinked glasses, and Reese swore that in that moment, a ripple shook their world. Because even if Luke had Aether's powers, had Project Maelstrom, had darkness on his side, they had light. They had hope. They had love and friendship and determination, and there was no sharper blade than that forged from the flame of all that was good.

Madness or not, Reese thought to himself as he watched his friends' faces illuminate with hope. Every last bit of this is worth it all.

And so, Reese and his friends dined and laughed and celebrated the night away, driving the darkness back to its shrouded caverns. The shadows of the past still reign, but the glow of the future conquers all.