"Where are we?" I open my eyes.

I look around. Blood was building up the walls. Are we in some kind of wooden temple? I turn and I see a long rang of Blood Hunters. I look around. Where are we? When are we? I look up and get smushed by Percy.

"What is going on?" Percy grunts.

"Could you get off me?" I hiss.

"Sorry Vax." Percy says.

He grunts as he gets off of me. Percy helps me up. I turn and I see Calidain walking up to us.

"Just remember you guys asked for this." Calidain says.

He walks up.

"Is this... the ritual?" Pike asks. 

"Yes." Calidain points.

I look up and I see a younger Calidain. One that looked like a teenager. I turn back to him. Were his eyes watering? Just what happened here. I see the younger Calidain pulling off his shirt. An older man walks up and stabs him with a knife.

"That's Dirok, the Tuyuk, kind of like the village elder among Blood Hunters." Calidain says.

I watch as he engraves the mark on Calidain's chest. I look at him. Why does my heart cry out? I never asked about this. I assumed it was always too painful. I guess being stabbed by an old man and engraving a mark is pretty traumatic. I don't think I could do it.

"Were you excited?" I ask.

"Honestly, I don't remember." Calidain sighs.

"Let us welcome another brother!" Dirok yells.

The others clap and roar. I see a man putting his hand on the younger Calidain's shoulder.

"That would be my father." Calidain says.

"Now I know where you get your looks." I say to him.

He looks down.

"Whatever you guys do to me in the future, I won't blame you." Calidain turns.

I look down and I see tears dropping from his face.