[audio hostem / I hear the enemy]

Tessa was frozen, her blood turning to ice, crystallizing her in place as she watched the god of fear torture Kaden right before her eyes.

The son of Aphrodite screamed in agony, tears running down his face. Whatever he was seeing in his head must have been unbearable. He kept screaming apologies to someone named Landon and another named Kassie. At one point, he looked directly at Tessa but it was like he couldn't see her, only some sort of vision in her place.

Seeing the pain in his eyes triggered Tessa's instincts. In one swift motion, she dove at the god's feet, snatching up the shield he had formed from.

Phobos looked over at her in rage. "You dare touch my shield, you foolish girl?" He threw his hand over to Tessa, leaving Kaden alone.

Tessa's sea green eyes widened. She did the only thing she could do—hide. She held up the shield, gritting her teeth as she anticipated the tidal wave of fear.

The shield warmed, becoming hotter and hotter, but Tessa held on. She didn't know that the god's power manifested itself as some sort of thermal energy, but the more she knew. She grit her teeth, forcing herself to grip the shield tighter as it burned into her skin. She needed to counteract Phobos's power, but how?

One idea came to mind and despite Tessa's conscious screaming at her that it would backfire, she did it anyway.

She forced her mind to channel every fear she had into the shield in her hands. Images flashed through her mind of her worst fears, she trembled, but she continued. The shield seemed to cool down, and finally, she forced the energy to return to its source.

Phobos cried out, and Tessa dropped the shield as the god of fear flew into the wall behind him, collapsing. His shield clattered to the floor, steam curling off the bronze.

Tessa took a deep breath, glancing at Kaden. Mark sat beside him, his knives drawn as Kaden watched the scene in horror. His eyes looked broken, which only angered Tessa even more. She pulled her pin out of her hair, tapping the gem as it elongated into Tempest. Fury in her eyes, she approached the god of fear.

As Phobos recovered from the blast, he groaned, sitting up against the wall. The sudden bronze sword at his throat didn't seem to faze him.

"What the hell was that?" Tessa barked.

Phobos watched her calculatingly. "That, my dear Tessa, was a god defending his source of power. I suggest you lower this sword of yours before I do to you what I did to your friend."

"I suggest you give me some answers before I slit that throat of yours. Tell me, Phobos, what happens to a god if they die how mortals do?" Tessa's voice trembled with rage.

Phobos didn't speak. He and Tessa stared one another down, might against might. Finally, he sighed. "What would you like answers to?"

"Everything," Tessa snapped. "Why have you been appearing to me and no one else? Why did you lead me here to your shield and then attack my friends when we came back to see it? What the hell is going on with you and these explosions and fear waves at camp?"

Sword still at his throat, Phobos straightened his posture and laced his fingers together in his lap. "One, I chose you. Two, because of said choosing, I needed to inform you as to my identity and what I needed you to do. The son of Aphrodite was targeted because while I am related to him on my mother's side, he was able to summon me but I did not condone that summoning. Three, that is what I wanted to discuss with you."

Tessa blinked. She glanced back at Kaden and Mark, who watched her in confusion. She was seriously asking for it by threatening a god.

So I tempt death? What else is new? Tessa thought to herself, returning her focus to Phobos.

"Spill," she said. "Or else your ichor will."

Phobos sighed again. "I trust you three aren't idiots, especially you, Tessa. I've watched your training. You truly are a warrior, which is why I chose you to be my champion for the task at hand. I've appeared to you in dreams, discreetly showing you the meetings between Zeus and my father, Ares. I'm afraid we have a rogue god on our hands."

"Who, you?" Mark coughed.

Phobos arched an eyebrow. "No," he said pointedly. "My twin brother, Deimos."

Tessa knit her eyebrows together. "Why would your brother go rogue?"

Phobos shrugged. "He's power-hungry, always trying to get an adrenaline rush off of other people's fears. He quite enjoys causing panics." Phobos's eyes locked on Tessa. "Especially for you, Tessa."

Tessa's body tensed. She knew about her own panics but she would not believe that they were caused by some rogue god. Her grip on Tempest tightened. "Aside from that, what does this have to do with me?"

Phobos sighed. "I would think you heroes know by now that us gods have to call on you to do our work for us sometimes. A symbiotic relationship. Did Chiron not explain this to you?" He looked around and cleared his throat.

"Well, Deimos and I normally help our father with his battles, spreading fear and panic. However, while Deimos's reactions are more...widespread, he decided to try and gain more of a name for himself. He fled Olympus, and is now threatening to wage war against the gods to gain power. He's spreading panic everywhere, trying to cause as much havoc in the mortal world as possible. Those waves of fear you describe at your boundaries? That's him. The explosion at the bonfire? That was Deimos's work as well, trying to stop my interference."

Silence.

"I need you to stop him, Tessa," Phobos concluded.

Tessa almost laughed. Go after the god that provided her with one of her greatest weaknesses? No, thanks.

"Why me?" She asked, her voice deadly calm.

"Because you're one of the strongest demigods of this time. Besides, you are one of the sole children of the Big Three. Zeus is your uncle, by completing this quest you will get him to see reason and halt the civil war erupting between him and Ares." Phobos explained instantly.

"Why not one of the children of Zeus, then? Or Ares?" Mark asked.

Phobos shook his head. "Too testy," he said simply. "Tessa has the strength and reason that I need."

Tessa narrowed her eyes. She knew she was strong, but she wasn't about to be anyone's pawn, or champion. "Why should I trust you?"

A smirk tugged at the god's lips. "You trusted me as a shadow, following me into the night to what would incite this whole debacle," he countered. "Why not as my true self?"

"Well, gee, let me think. You attacked Kaden, your brother is threatening the camp and nearly blew me up, and you're putting essentially the fate of Olympus on my shoulders. Lemme sleep on it." She gritted her teeth.

Phobos smiled like she was an amusing animal, something he could enjoy for a moment's notice. "But I know what this quest means for you. You have been at this camp for three years, locked on the inside, training for something like this. You have not seen your mother in those three years, gaining strength and recognition for your abilities all the while. You want to become that hero based on what you actually can do, not what people think you can do. That is your fatal flaw, after all. Ambition."

Tessa had half a mind to swipe her blade against the god's throat right then and there, but slowly, she lowered her weapon. "Fine," she said.

Phobos' smile widened. "I knew you'd come through. Your father believes in you too, you know."

Tessa's attitude wavered for a moment. "M-my father?"

Phobos nodded. "I consulted Poseidon before appearing to you. He has been watching over you as well, Tessa. He is quite proud of how far you have come."

Tessa opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find the right words. She had never spoken to Poseidon, but it warmed her heart to know that she was doing him proud. It gave her more confidence.

"What's my task...should I choose to accept it?" Tessa asked, straightening up.

Phobos made a face like he was weighing a decision. "Well, you will go west to find Deimos. Aside from his attacks here, the last mass panic was caused somewhere in California, near the mountains. Find him and disable him. In order to do that, you'll have to apprehend his source of power. While mine is my shield, Deimos has a spear that can form into just about any weapon."

Tessa's blood chilled. If Deimos was somewhere in the mountains and had a weapon that could change form...

"Can it become a dagger?" Tessa blurted.

Phobos looked at her in confusion. "Yes, I presume so," he said slowly. "I must warn you, however, Deimos' presence alone is enough to make anyone feel frightened beyond their wits. Facing him in battle or becoming subject to his power...there are better punishments." He sighed. "So what do you say, Tessa? Will you be my champion?"

"No, Tessa, don't do it!" Kaden croaked from the corner with Mark. Tessa had nearly forgotten the two of them were there, and that they had ditched a party to investigate a lead. The laurels on their heads were supposed to be symbols of victory, but Tessa felt like it was weighing on her, a symbol of the decision she'd have to make.

Tessa looked at Tempest in her hand. She ran a finger over the hilt, the trident embezzled at the edge of the blade. She glanced back up at Phobos. "I accept."

Phobos grinned. "Excellent," he said. "I will present Chiron with your decision at once. You leave as soon as he dismisses you. Choose as many companions as you desire, I don't care. Nor do you have a time restraint, but the longer you take, the closer the Olympians are to war."

"So no pressure," Tessa grumbled.

Phobos left her with one last chilling smile before disintegrating into shadows, a feeling in the air like Tessa's worst fear was about to come true.

~~

The next evening, Fourth of July, Tessa sat at dinner without an appetite. She took small sips from her goblet, needing the energy.

Here she was, victor of Capture the Flag, reduced to a worrying and distracted leader of a quest that ultimately could destroy or save Olympus. The laurel wreath had been left in her cabin, its golden leaves reminding her too much of the victory she strived to achieve with her strength, which opened the door to the task at hand.

She watched absentmindedly as people were asked to the fireworks hastily, half-hearted applause to the public proposals, smiles from the more private ones. She had totally forgotten about the annual fireworks display for the Fourth. It explained why she couldn't find Calum and Nova, or Amelie at all that day.

Thankfully, Tessa wasn't condemned to permanent isolation. Mark and Reese slumped down across from her, watching her cautiously, like they'd spook her.

Tessa glanced at them. "I'm not a rabbit, I'm not gonna be scared of you guys approaching me," she told them.

"No, we know, it's just..." Mark sighed. "We're worried about you, kid."

Tessa arched an eyebrow. She gave Mark a look, nodding slightly at Reese to signify that the son of Apollo did not know what was unfolding in her life. The look she got back from the both of them denied that assumption.

"Mark filled me in," Reese clarified.

Tessa scowled at Mark. "So much for secrets, Akagi."

Mark brushed it off. "Point being, we're worried about you, Tessa. Something as big as this, it's gotta be taking a toll on you."

The truth was that Tessa was more antsy and stressed than she had ever been, and she was prone to stressing over a lot of things. However, she merely shrugged. "Nah, I'm fine."

Reese gave her a look. "Tessa, you don't have to put on a brave face."

"Yes, I do!" She snapped. "Because this is my quest and if I'm not brave, then who will be? It's on me to be confident for myself, no matter how worried I am."

"What's got you so worried about it?" Mark asked sincerely. Concern was evident in his dark eyes.

Tessa glanced from Mark to Reese, both boys wearing identical expressions. Finally, she sighed.

"For a few weeks now...I've been having a recurring nightmare. I'm walking through a twisting cavern, not sure of where I'm going, but I know I'm looking for something and I'm afraid. Then, just as I get closer to the end, I'm stabbed from the back through the heart and I wake up." Tessa mumbled. She reached for her goblet, and saw that her hand was trembling. She forced her hand to her lap, lacing her fingers together.

Mark blinked. "Tessa, why didn't you tell us?"

"Because up until now, I thought it was a stupid nightmare!" Tessa countered. She sighed, shutting her eyes. "Look, I just...I need some time to process this all, okay?"

Reese nodded. "Of course," he said. "You can count on us."

"Good," Tessa remarked. "Because I want you two on the quest with me."

Mark made a sound like a cat being strangled. "What?"

"You heard me," she said. "Unless you're scared."

"Of facing the god of terror while trying to protect the camp and save Olympus and ultimately the world? Yeah, just a bit," Mark confessed.

Tessa blinked at him, a blank expression on her face. She knew Mark would come through, he just needed silent intimidation.

Three...two...one.

The son of Iris sighed. "Fine," he groaned. "But if I die and go to Hades, I'm complaining about you."

"My uncle loves me."

"How would you know?"

"How wouldn't you?"

"Guys!" Reese interjected. He ran a hand through his blonde hair. "Focus, please? Tessa, who else are you choosing?"

"Easy," Tessa looked at him. "Dale and Kaden."

Mark and Reese shared another look, more of a grimace this time.

Tessa narrowed her eyes. "What? What's wrong with them?"

Mark bit his lip. "We haven't heard from Kaden all day. His siblings say he's just sitting in his cabin, not doing anything. Whatever Phobos showed him...it's taking its toll."

Tessa felt an icy fist grip her heart. She wanted to throttle the god of fear right then and there but she took a deep breath. "I'm not surprised," she said. "Fear reaches everyone, no matter how strong. And Kaden's one of the strongest demigods I've ever met. He'll come around."

Mark sighed. "I hope so," he said. "Well, I'll see you guys at the fireworks! Gotta go find Dale."

"I should probably find Flynn. Knowing him, he's locked himself in the infirmary. I swear, the kid needs to get out more." Reese laughed, standing from the table. "See you, Tessa."

"Bye, guys," Tessa called.

A little while later, the horn sounded. People hollered and cheered, grabbing their friends and heading down the hill to the beach to watch the fireworks, which would begin in a half hour. Slowly, Tessa got up and followed.

The good thing about the beach was that no matter where you were, it wasn't going to be crowded. Sure, there were a lot of kids at camp, but a larger amount of shoreline accommodated them all comfortably.

Tessa found her and her friends favorite spot, on a small grassy hill right where the forest met the beach. The waves were only a few feet away from the bottom of the hill, another group seated below them and around them, but Tessa didn't mind. Already there were Dale and Mark, laughing together.

"Hey guys," Tessa grinned. "Did I miss anything?"

Dale shook her head. "Nope, we've got some time."

"Fabulous." Tessa sat down onto the picnic blanket Dale had brought, folding her legs and looking out to sea. The sun had set a while ago, leaving the ocean a glassy obsidian color as the sky turned violet.

Dale and Mark continued to chatter until they were interrupted by Reese, carrying a picnic basket. "Hope you guys saved room for snacks!" He hollered, sitting down beside Dale, who promptly blushed.

Mark gave the son of Apollo an offended look. "I always save room for snacks." He dove into the basket, digging out a bag of chips.

"Get any crumbs on my blanket and I'll turn you into a shrub." Dale wagged a finger at the son of Iris threateningly, who stuck his tongue out at her.

Tessa smiled. More and more people filtered into the beach, even Chiron and Mr. D. Tessa bit her lip, scanning the crowds for the head of brown hair that somehow was always near her. She began to worry, dejection filling her heart.

She looked back out to sea, her heart beating in time with the sloshing of the waves against the rocks nearby when she heard a voice.

"Save any room for me?"

Tessa whirled around faster than she liked to admit. "Kaden!" Her voice was filled with relief, excitement, shock, and worry. A medley of emotions, fueling her heart to a faster beat.

The son of Aphrodite smiled softly at her. "Hey, Tess." He sat down beside her after greeting the others.

Tessa bit her lip. "I, uh, thought you weren't going to show up."

Kaden made a face. "And miss the fireworks with you? Not for the world." He smiled warmly, although Tessa could still detect a small shatter in his eyes.

Tessa returned the smile. In that moment, she didn't seem to worry about the quest or the gods, or anything else. It was just her, Kaden, and their friends, having the time of their lives as the enchanted fireworks lit up the sky, disrupting the darkness of that night.