CHAPTER TWO
Hearts To Eat

Once Percy had been taken under the fractured wing of the Fifth Cohort and the hour dinner break came to an end, it was time for the war games to begin.

Jude, of course, being the so-called "cheater" and "an unfair advantage" that she was, banished her from participating in any camp activity, especially those involving physical contact. Usually, Jude would stray as far away as she could from the Field of Mars, opting to isolate herself in a room at the barracks (at least she could pretend she lived like the other campers) and stuffing a pillow over her face till she nearly suffocated. For some reason, the fucked-up feeling of her lungs screaming till her head pounded made her feel better, it made things feel quiet even though the barracks were so empty to the point where she could hear the wood of the beds splintering.

But Jude felt different today.

Something different was going to happen and she was betting that it was because of the son of Neptune.

So instead, she marched up to the observation tower that stood about a hundred yards from the fort. When she reached the top, Jude was met with what Reyna considered "her roommate." Apparently, having parents that lived in the underworld made you roommates now.

Nico Di Angelo: son of Pluto, king of skeletons, fallen angel.

"What are you doing up here? It's not like you care for anyone down there," Nico looked over his shoulder, asking.

Jude scoffed. "Fuck you."

Nico smiled, a real true smile, and Jude smiled back.

Jude supposed there were worse roommates to have.

Nico returned his gaze to the battlefield, pressing a pair of dark binoculars over his equally dark eyes. Silently, like a shadow, Jude crept up beside the thirteen-year-old and perched her hands over the edge of the banister.

The horizon was covered in green mossy mounds and decorated with a barrier of spruce trees that ran across the northern border. Although the barracks and Principia blocked the view of the Little Tiber, you could still hear the dull sounds of waves crashing against rocks and smell the salt in the air. The fort today was built out of wood and had towers on every side with each being equipped with a water canon. In the sky above, Reyna circled the playing field on her pegasus, Scipio, ready to play the role of judge, jury, and executioner.

And there, under the clear skies, they stood in silence: two disgusting things, two creatures under the hand of Jupiter, two dogs with dead birds in their mouths admiring the view together. As children of Underworld Gods, the stench of death and rotten fruit followed after them like vermin. Flowers wilted in their presence and lights died out when they walked passed. They weren't made to walk this plane of Earth and yet here they were, suffering on it because it seemed like that was all they were good for.

To the eye, Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto and sister to Nico, seemed to have escaped this fate. She walked around camp with gold dust intertwined in her hair and soft hands that were meant to be held. However, there was a fire within her that Jude believed could even bring Jupiter down to his knees and despite her small stature, she wasn't afraid of pressing the tip of her spatha against a jugular because they had hurt a loved one of hers.

Yet, where there was beauty and a kind heart, there was also something that lingered beneath it, something that scraped against her ribs till she felt sick. After all, she was still a daughter of Pluto and so she must burn like one. Jude didn't know Hazel's story and Hazel didn't know hers but there was one thing that connected them: grief.

Jude wouldn't allow herself to ruin Hazel's life and neither would Nico. While it was too late for them, Hazel didn't have to go down the same path. There was still that spark of hope in her.

"Hey, look at this," Nico said, holding his binoculars out to her, effectively ridding Jude of her utter boredom.

Jude took hold of it and pressed the ocular lenses against her eyes. The son of Pluto guided her till she spotted Hazel, Frank, and Percy looming in front of the fort's east wall, successfully avoiding the hellfire of rocks and craters that the First and Second Cohorts were pelleting.

Enduring things was what the Fifth did best. Gritting their teeth and bearing them even while the Third and Forth laughed at them (here's a secret though: when all that's saving them from falling off a cliff is your hand, they aren't laughing as much anymore).

"What the fuck are they doing?" Jude put the binoculars down.

Nico shrugged, "How should I know?"

"It was a rhetorical question shitface—"

The two paused as they felt the sensation of the ground shaking below them. It was as if an earthquake had just descended upon the camp. Jude reached to stabilize herself with one of the support beams but before her hand could wrap around the wood, an explosion erupted, followed by two more.

The rescue eagles dove headfirst into the chaos, dragging injured and unconscious campers out with them.

The curiosity was eating her alive and Jude snagged the binoculars before Nico could.

"What the hell!" Nico protested.

"Cry about it."

Bursts of blue, green, and white rose from the fallen walls like fire rising up from a chimney. The water from the destroyed canons flooded within the fort, sweeping First and Second Cohort assholes until their heads were completely submerged under. The screams and cries of campers went straight into one ear and out the other as she watched people losing the ability to distinguish friend from foe.

It was nothing like she'd ever seen before.

"Give me that!" Nico shoved into her, but the collision was so weak that Jude thought the wind had caused it.

"Jeez, alright, kiddo," Jude handed the binoculars to him which he swept quickly out of her hands as if she'd never had them to begin with. "Kids these days..." she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms.

Nico gave her the middle finger.

A few minutes later, Hazel, Percy, and Frank came out of the fort swinging the banners high in the air in triumph whilst riding through on Hannibal's back. The Fifth Cohort formed ranks around them and together, they paraded down the Field of Mars much to the distaste of bitter enemies.

Reyna began descending toward the ground and put the loudspeaker up to her mouth to announce, "The game is won! Assemble for honors!" Jude thought her tone sounded rather strange as if she were trying to hold back laughter but ultimately ignored it.

Nico and Jude headed down the stairs and slowly treaded through the high grass in the direction of the crowd of campers. The medics were tending to wounds and ripping open packets of nectar for the injured to consume while Jude could see Frank being congratulated in the distance by being slapped on the back.

However, the unlucky history of the Fifth Cohort wasn't going to stop even after this victory.

"Help!" somebody screamed. A couple of campers rushed out of the fort, carrying someone on a stretcher. When they put them down, campers from all directions began swarming around like bees.

Jude quickly picked up the pace with Nico following after her.

When they reached the scene, they both fell quiet. Gwen laid on the side of the stretcher with a pilum sticking out of her armor. There was so much blood that nearly all of the golden chest plate was drowned in mahogany red. Jude watched as the medics frantically pushed people aside and continued wrapping gauze around Gwen's armor despite the blood continuing to seep through. Her face was ashen grey and Jude knew that it was over.

Eventually, one of the medics looked up to Reyna, like she was the final hope of bringing her back but when the Praetor didn't react, the medic simply shook his head.

The field went quiet.

Reyna surveyed the campers on her pegasus, her expression hardened into stone and her hand gripping her sword tightly. "There will be an investigation. Whoever did this, you cost the legion a good officer. Honorable death is one thing, but this..."

She didn't need to finish her sentence for everyone knew what she meant.

Nobody wanted to leave the scene first. It was as if everyone's feet had been glued to the ground. Jude wouldn't be surprised if this was the first time some of these campers had witnessed death. Sometimes, they forget that while they are half god, they are still half human and they can bleed just like any mortal or animal.

Jude and Nico dwindled at the edge of the crowd and when they tried to get a closer look, suddenly, everyone stepped back, pushing them further away. The last thing Jude expected to see when she got up on her tippy toes to peer over the heads of campers was a fully healthy Gwen sitting up as if there wasn't a seven-foot harpoon lodged in her chest.

There was so much commotion that she couldn't make out what people were saying but she watched as the pilum was ripped out without a word and how the wound slowly closed on its own until there wasn't even a blemish left on Gwen's chest.

Reyna turned to them, specifically to Nico, and campers immediately dispersed when they realized they were there. "Is this some power of Pluto?" she asked but it seemed as if she already knew the answer.

Nico shook his head. "Pluto never lets people return from the dead."

His answer didn't reassure the campers.

Out of nowhere, a thunderous voice rolled across the field: Death loses its hold. This is only the beginning.

The campers drew their weapons, forming a protective shield around Gwen and the injured. Scipio howled and rose up on its rear legs, nearly throwing Reyna off.

In the midst of the legion, a column of fire struck into the air. Campers held shields over their faces to protect themselves from the heat and those who had fallen victim to the cannons suddenly found their clothes instantly steam-dried. Out of the explosion, a ten-foot-tall soldier appeared and everyone scrambled back. The soldier was dressed in Canadian Forces desert camouflage and their face was carved with scars and bruises.

It was no question who they were. Mars, the God of war.

Everyone fell to their knees, not daring to make eye contact until the God had spoken first.

"That's good," Mars approved. "Kneeling is good. It's been a long time since I've visited Camp Jupiter."

"You're Ares," a lone voice said full of bitterness. "What do you want?"

Campers tilted their heads upwards in shock and let out a collective gasp. Percy Jackson had refused to kneel and his sword was still in his hand. Jude figured Mars would strike him down there and then and rid Camp Jupiter of this problem child, but Mars just bared his teeth.

"You've got spunk, demigod," he said. "Ares is my Greek form. But to these followers, to the children of Rome, I am Mars—patron of the empire, divine father of Romulus and Remus."

"We've met," Percy stated. "We... we had a fight..."

What the fuck.

Mars scratched his chin, looking off into the distance as if trying to recall. "I fight a lot of people. But I assure you—you've never fought me as Mars. If you had, you'd be dead. Now, kneel, as befits a child of Rome, before you try my patience."

Around the God's feet, the ground boiled in a circle of flame.

Frank had to drag Percy down onto his knees.

Mars scanned the 200 campers. "Romans, lend me your ears!" He laughed. "I've always wanted to say that. I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter doesn't like us communicating directly with mortals, especially nowadays, but he has allowed this exception, as you Romans have always been my special people. I'm only permitted to speak for a few minutes, so listen up."

Jude fought the urge to get up and simply walk away from the scene. She owed the Gods nothing, not even a minute just to hear what they had to say. Jude didn't want to say that the Gods had hurt her. Definitely, not "hurt". Hurt is but a four-letter word and it's too short, almost adorable sounding. "Awh, did that hurt?" is what people ask when all you do is trip. So no, it didn't "hurt." Destroyed, crushed, demolished, ravaged, or eradicated maybe... but definitely not "hurt." They didn't "hurt" her at all.

The God of war pointed at Gwen. "This one should be dead, yet she's not. The monsters you fight no longer return to Tartarus when they are slain. Some mortals who died long ago are now walking the earth again."

Jude swore she saw Mars's eyes wander to Nico's side for a split second.

"Thanatos has been chained," Mars announced. "The Doors of Death have been forced open, and no is policing them—at least now impartially, Gaea allows our enemies to pour forth into the world of mortals. Her sons, the giants, are mustering armies against you—armies that you will not be able to kill. Unless Death is unleashed to return to his duties, you will be overrun. You must find Thanatos and free him from the giants. Only he can reverse the tide."

Call Jude horrible or cruel or whatever (she really couldn't care less) but she had to bite down on her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing. Thanatos, the literal personification of Death, chained up? Really? Gods, how pathetic can you be?

Mars looked around and noticed that everyone was still silently kneeling. "Oh, you can get up now. Any questions?"

Reyna rose first and approached the God uneasily.

"Lord Mars," Reyna addressed, "we are honored."

"Beyond honored," butted Octavian. His voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard to Jude. "So far beyond honored—"

"Well?" Mars snapped and Octavian shrunk down into his armor, slowly backing away.

"Well," Reyna interjected, "Thanatos is the God of Death, the lieutenant of Pluto?"

Mars nodded his head. "Right.

"And you're saying that he's been captured by giants."

"Right."

"And therefore people will stop dying?"

"Not all at once, but the barriers between life and death will continue to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Monsters are already harder to dispatch. Soon they will be completely impossible to kill. Some demigods will also be able to find their way back from the Underworld—like your friend Centurion Shish kebab."

Gwen winced and repeated the unusual nickname she'd been baptized with.

"If left unchecked," Mars continued, "even mortals will eventually find it impossible to die. Can you imagine a world in which no one dies—ever?"

Jude wasn't the only one who sighed when Octavian raised his hand. "But, ah, mighty all-powerful Lord Mars,"—what a fucking tryhard—"if we can't die, isn't that a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely—"

"Don't be foolish, boy!" Mars bellowed. "Endless slaughter with no conclusion? Carnage without any point? Enemies that rise again and again and can never be killed? Is that what you want?"

The thought of being able to stab Octavian over and over again nearly convinced Jude to side against Mars.

"You're the God of war." Percy Jackson was asking for a death wish." Don't you want endless carnage?"

Mars's infrared goggles glowed brighter. "Insolent, aren't you? Perhaps I have fought you before. I can understand why I'd want to kill you. I'm the God of Rome, child. I am the God of military might used for a righteous cause. I protect the legions. I am happy to crush my enemies underfoot, but I don't fight without reason. I don't want way without an end. You will discover this. You will serve me."

Percy was already shaking his head before the God finished his little tantrum. "Not likely," he answered.

Honestly, maybe Jude and Percy had more in common than she thought. Pissing off Gods and making everybody's life hell? Oh, yeah.

"I order a quest!" the God announced. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the Gods. You will free him and thwart the plans of the giants. Beware Gaea! Beware her son, the eldest giant!"

Jude wanted to scream.

She wanted to spit on his idea of glory.

She wanted to rip his heart out. She wanted to rip all their hearts out.

Here's what she would do if she got her hands on them:

She would begin by using the small and sharp knife of her mouth to separate the hearts from the ribcages, puncturing the most vulnerable parts of the hearts to keep them soft. Then, she would marinate the raw flesh with empty affection until they were sleek and tender. To keep the blood ripe, she would glaze the inner lining with kisses that are too hard they turn into purple bruises. She would strain skim love through a sieve until it is a weapon, a disease, and drizzle it on like parsley for seasoning.

That is how she would prepare their hearts for eating.

Fortunately for them, they didn't have hearts, but Jude wouldn't mind eating another part as long as they bled.

"Now, my kid Frank Zhang is gonna lead the quest to free Thanatos, unless there are any objections?" Mars ordered.

Jude hadn't realized that she had zoned out for so long.

"You can take three companions," Mars said. "Those are the rules. One of them needs to be this kid."

He glared at Percy. "He's gonna learn some respect for Mars on this trip, or die trying."

Mars then proceeded to look up at the crowd.

His eyes roamed the campers until his finger pointed at Jude. Everybody turned to her but Jude wasn't afraid of anything. "You there, tell me, are you Judith Kwon?" he asked.

All she did was nod her head.

From his utility belt, Mars pulled out a little package. It was a box enveloped in beige wrapping paper and held together by a string. In his hands, the box looked like the size of his pinky finger, if not smaller.

"Here," he threw her the box which she caught between her two hands. "Your mother wanted me to give you this."

Hearing the word mother made Jude feel sick.

"Oh, yeah, and you're going on the quest too," Mars said.

Jude scoffed, "What kind of fucking game are you playing at?"

The field around them went quiet.

Mars put his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I'm just passing on what your mother told me to and she said that you have to go help your half-brother."

She will never change.

"It's not my fault my half-brother's a fucking moron and getting himself chained up. Go back and tell her to get someone else to do her bidding." She dropped the tiny packet onto the ground and squashed it into the dirt with her foot.

Mars opened his mouth to reply but was quickly cut off and for the second time that day, an unknown voice descended down upon the camp: Judith Min-hee Kwon, you will go on this quest or so help me I will come down there and you will wish you were never born.

"Oh geez, not the governmental name and everything..."

With a loud bang, the sky flashed black as if the sun had been ripped from its spot in space. Campers all around ducked low to the ground and held their shields over their heads like they thought the sky was going to collapse on them. Even Mars clutched his fucking fire weapon closer.

"Fucking hell! Alright, I'll go!"

Slowly, the blue and white hues of the midday sky began piercing through the dark clouds until there wasn't a single spot of black left. It was like nothing had happened at all.

Everyone stood in silence for a moment, trying to process everything that had just happened in the span of 10 minutes or less.

"...I believe that's my cue," Mars piped up. "Uh, until next time Romans. Do not disappoint me!" He sounded more than happy to be going.

The God erupted in flames, and then he was gone.

Jude didn't bother staying around when Reyna raised her arm in the Roman salute to christen Frank as Mars's son.

...ok so

LISTEN

YES ITS BEEN A YEAR... probably more... BUT CHAPTER 2 IS HERE NOW SO

ALSO just pay attention to the beginning of the chapter because the end is just blah because i really rushed through it :/ i just wanted to get this chapter up and running and i'll edit it later :)

i suppose this can be my lil holiday present from me to u for the 5k views on this fic WHICH IS AMAZING BTW

u guys are so cool

i love u guys

ill see u guys in a year again <3