Back Home – Part 2
Percy followed Luke through the forest. With so many trees overhead, more and more sunlight disappeared the deeper you went. Luke still carried his sword in one hand as he walked ahead of him and the pack of sodas in the other. But he hadn't said a single word the entire way.
Meanwhile, Percy walked behind him, occasionally looking at Luke's back before focusing on their surroundings. For some reason, there didn't seem to be any monsters nearby. Obviously because of the protection provided by Thalia's tree, which kept them away. That was why Percy didn't understand what Luke meant by trying to find something to fight. Unless he wanted to leave the camp's protected zone.
And judging by where they eventually stopped, that seemed to be exactly the case, because both of them came to a halt right in front of the line separating the camp from the outside world. Once they stepped beyond it, monsters would be able to sense them. And since they were deep in the forest behind the camp, maybe one or two monsters could be hiding out there, waiting for some distracted camper to wander too far.
But Luke made no move to cross the border.
Instead, he glanced toward a large nearby boulder.
He stood there for a few moments before turning around to face Percy, still wearing that friendly smile.
But this time, maybe because of the shadows cast by the trees, Percy felt like Luke's eyes weren't smiling along with it.
Percy looked at him for a moment before one of the soda cans suddenly flew toward him. He caught it in midair while Luke casually leaned against the rock, opened his own can, and took a drink.
"So... I'm sure your quest was pretty fruitful," Luke said.
Percy looked completely confused.
"Which part? Getting attacked by monsters every other step or having my life constantly in danger?" Percy asked while slowly opening his own can.
"I'm talking about the gods," Luke said. "You saw their true faces, right?"
The moment he said those words, Percy caught a brief flash of fury crossing Luke's face before it disappeared again, returning to normal. Then, after finishing his drink, Luke crushed the can in his hand before tossing it aside.
Which made Percy glance at the can for a moment, because one of the first things you learned after arriving at camp was that if you littered in the forest or around the grounds, the nymphs and naiads would almost certainly take revenge by filling your bed with dirt and worms if you were lucky.
And every camper tried very hard not to break that unspoken rule.
"Well, yeah. More than I wanted to. At this point I definitely can't call myself an atheist anymore," Percy said while holding the can but never bringing it to his lips.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Luke replied in a slightly more serious tone. "You treat Harry Potter like your blood brother, right? Even though you don't share a drop of it. He's descended from Hecate, just like those other guys who have their secret base up in the trees. Do you want to know why they're the only ones who can be accepted as legacies despite not being full demigods? It's because they're used as spies in the magical world. Chiron, Mr. D, both of them allow Hecate's legacies into the camp so they can use them to keep an eye on the magical world and keep it under control. Because they're afraid of it," Luke said with an amused smile.
Percy kept watching Luke and his expression grew more serious the moment he started talking about his brother.
But he didn't interrupt.
He simply listened in silence.
"They weren't the first to join and they won't be the last. But what happens when Zeus once again decides they're becoming too dangerous, just like he did before?" Luke continued. "I wouldn't be surprised if another witch hunt started. And not even the kids at Camp Half Blood would be spared."
"Why are you telling me this, Luke?" Percy asked while staring directly at him.
He had heard some of that story during his adventure.
Something Harry still thought about a lot even if he rarely talked about it.
"So you'll understand who your enemies are, Percy. Your family's enemies. You know the saying; the enemy of your enemy is your friend," Luke said again, putting that friendly smile back on his face.
But now it was completely dark.
He no longer looked like the cheerful, friendly guy Percy had met on his first day at camp.
The one every girl at camp said was the most handsome.
Now his face showed exhaustion and an almost desperate need for something Percy couldn't quite understand.
The scar on his cheek stood out much more sharply, as if it had only recently been carved there.
And his bright blond hair now looked pale beneath the little sunlight that filtered through the treetops.
For the first time, Luke looked far older than he actually was.
But there was also an uncontrollable fury in his eyes.
One that looked ready to destroy everything if necessary.
"And your enemies are..."
"The gods, Percy."
Luke didn't hesitate for even a second when he said it.
As if he had repeated that answer inside his own head so many times he no longer needed to think about it.
"And if we're going to defeat them, we're going to need a lot of help. You and your brother would make great allies. And if we can get the magical world on our side..."
Luke never finished the sentence.
"You were the thief. You were the one who framed me. You work for Kronos," Percy said, his eyes fixed on Luke as his hand moved quickly toward his necklace.
But before he could even draw one of his swords, a small circle of flames suddenly lit up beneath him and a completely black scorpion the size of a hand emerged from it, aiming its stinger directly at Percy.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. An Abyss Scorpion can jump up to five meters. Its stinger can pierce steel, and you'll be dead in less than a minute," Luke said with a sigh, as if he already knew Percy wouldn't be convinced so easily.
"Seriously, Percy. I'm sure you carry a lot of resentment toward the gods. Ares, Zeus, your father. None of them care about us demigods. They only create us so we'll worship them, so we'll fear them, so they'll have someone to use while they entertain themselves watching us. Do you know what quest I was given? The one that left me with this," Luke said while lightly brushing the scar on his cheek.
"To steal one of the apples from the Garden of the Hesperides. One of the exact same quests they gave Hercules in the past. Just repeating the same things over and over again. And when I failed, all I got was a disappointed look and a pat on the shoulder. You, who completed the quest to return the Master Bolt, what did you get from Zeus?" Luke asked with an amused smile. "Let me guess. Your life. The privilege of not being murdered by him. Am I right?" he asked mockingly.
"Well... yeah, more or less," Percy said.
But his attention wasn't really focused on Luke.
Nor was all of his concentration.
Instead, it was fixed on the scorpion that had begun climbing up his pant leg.
"Predictable," Luke said. "So, what do you say? I don't have much time. I'm pretty sure Ares has already sold me out by now. That damn coward who calls himself the god of war. Join me, Percy. You're far more valuable than you think," he added.
Percy looked up at Luke for a moment after hearing that last part, wanting to know what he meant.
But right then a flash shot out of the forest at high speed and struck the scorpion, which was already standing on Percy's chest, sending it flying away.
And another flash flew toward Luke.
Luke moved to the side and dodged it while his gaze shifted toward the trees, where Harry emerged holding his wand.
In his other hand he carried a cloak he had just taken off, pointing his wand directly at Luke.
Percy immediately touched his necklace and his silver sword flew straight into his hand just as the scorpion that had been thrown away leapt toward him, attacking with its stinger.
Percy swung his blade and cut it cleanly in half.
"Now I understand why Alabaster told me not to trust anyone," Harry said while keeping his eyes fixed on Luke.
But Luke wasn't looking at Harry.
He was looking at Annabeth.
She stood nearby with a completely shocked expression, staring at Luke while holding a dagger in one hand and her invisibility cap in the other.
Luke seemed to realize both of them had overheard the conversation and, instead of looking worried or anything like that, shifted his attention just as Percy charged at him with his silver sword.
Luke instantly raised his own blade and blocked Percy's strike.
At the same time, Harry lifted his wand.
"Flash!" he shouted, creating a blinding burst of light.
But Luke reacted quickly and raised his free arm, shielding his face. At the same time, he lifted his right leg and launched a kick toward Percy's chest.
Percy twisted his body to avoid the kick and used the movement to return a slash, putting all the momentum of his spin behind it.
Luke had to grab his sword with both hands to stop the force of Percy's attack.
Even so, he was pushed back a step.
But that didn't stop him from immediately swinging toward Percy's neck.
Percy ducked beneath the attack while sweeping at Luke's legs at the same time Harry shouted:
"Expelliarmus!"
Luke saw both attacks almost simultaneously.
One aimed at his legs to knock him down.
The other trying to disarm him.
Luke jumped just as the red flash flew toward his hand and took the Expelliarmus directly in the chest.
The impact sent him flying several meters backward.
As if he knew exactly how the spell worked.
Harry frowned for a moment and raised his wand, preparing another attack.
Meanwhile Percy was already sprinting toward where Luke would land.
But Luke twisted his body in midair and drove his sword into a nearby tree as he passed by it.
The blade slowed his fall, leaving him hanging there while he looked at Percy, who had stopped abruptly, and Harry, who was already preparing another spell.
Meanwhile Annabeth, perhaps too shocked by everything that had happened, still stood frozen in place, staring at Luke with a betrayed expression.
"You're stronger than I expected. My invitation will remain open to both of you. A new Golden Age is coming. You'll have to choose your allies carefully," Luke said while looking at Annabeth one last time and giving her a smile.
Then he yanked his sword free from the tree and let himself fall.
But before touching the ground, he slashed through the air.
The cut hanging in the air suddenly opened.
And the rift swallowed him whole, making him vanish inside a wave of darkness.
Leaving the three of them standing there with serious expressions.
Especially Annabeth.
Who watched Luke disappear, finally understanding that the person responsible for all the problems they had faced was none other than Luke himself.
For the first time since arriving at Camp Half Blood, Annabeth didn't know what to think.
Because one part of her still wanted to believe Luke had an explanation.
And another part had just watched him try to murder Percy.