37 Chapter 37

Luke

Luke sat alone on one of the dining benches, waiting for his friend to arrive.

No one else tried to join him, even from his own cabin. Not anymore. Not after the beating he had delivered to one of the newest campers who'd dared ignore his warnings and breached his privacy.

Not that Luke cared. He was becoming accustomed to this new loneliness anyway.

'Its what you deserve.' A harsh voice suddenly whispered. 'You should suffer. You killed her, so it's only fair that you suffer.'

With a jerk he sat upstraight, looking around to see if anyone else heard the voice.

No one did. Of course they didn't. It was just in his head, the lack of sleep simply making it seem more...real.

"I'm going crazy." He muttered under his breath with sigh. Though he couldn't really be blamed for it.

The last few months have been... difficult for Luke.

Thalia's death had hit him stronger than anything ever could. It had flamed the fires of hatred in his heart, and not just for Hades or Posieden, but for the whole bunch of Olympians who couldn't care less for their children.

An entire year of killing and suffering...and for what exactly? Because three petty gods couldn't solve their issues like civilised adults?

What had the demigods been fighting for exactly? Survival? But why? Why must they fight for their survival? Because they were born to a life they didn't choose?

'Beause of the Gods.' The answer came unbidden, by the same voice that he'd been hearing ever since he met him.

But this time he didn't shy away from it. He was just so at his wit's end that he simply didn't care anymore.

How much must they beg? How much must they cry? When will he, and children like him, actually get the absolution for a crime they didn't commit? When will they get justice?

'Never.' The answer was harsh but true. But then the voice continued, it's tone sly and knowing. 'Afterall, who can punish the gods?'

No one can, that much was clear in Luke's mind. The gods were too powerful, sitting at the very top of foodchain. Only beings at their own level could hope to contend with them.

'Beings like...Titans.'

Yes, that option was still available to him. Afterall, he had assured him of it.

Luke didn't get more time to think though, as he was soon joined by Mikael.

"Luke." The younger boy greeted with a nod, taking a seat like a king upon his throne.

Mikael...he didn't know what to think about the boy anymore either. They used to be good friends once upon a time. Luke still considered him a friend, but doubted they would be as close as they once were.

He knew it was his own fault of course. Luke had been unwittingly pushing everyone away, but especially Mikael. Why? Simply because a part of him still placed a sliver of blame for Thalia's death on the boy.

It was unfair to expect Mikael to save everyone, Luke understood that, but he a part of him couldn't help but blame him anyway. It was better than wallowing in guilt alone.

And as they started their conversation, Luke felt himself becoming more and more... irritated. The younger boy just looked so...free. Free and unconcerned, as if Thalia wasn't dead at all. As if their existence wasn't actually a joke. As if they weren't just dancing on the strings of fate...

It was shocking, really. He'd had thought the boy was similar to him, considering how hard he himself pushed for improvement.

For the last few months, Luke had devoted himself completely to Swordsmanship, in the vain hope of closing the distance between a god with sheer skill. And the results showed visibly. There were barely any demigods in the camp that could go toe to toe with him for more than 10 seconds anymore. Some even called him the greatest swordsman since Achilles himself.

But if Luke was a genius...Mikael was a monster. He trained even harder than Luke. The younger boy might think he was fooling everyone but Luke knew where the boy flew off to in the dead of the night; Monster hunting.

Here Luke was, queasy at even the thought of facing another monster, and then there was Mikael, actively leaving camp to seek them out.

If there was one person with a thirst for power greater than his own, it would be Mikael.

And yet, for all his strength and power, the boy didn't seem to understand the truth. Not one bit.

He didn't seem to understand Luke's own thirst, he didn't seem to understand the gods faults, he didn't seem to understand how fucked up this world was..he understood nothing. He simply wanted power for himself.

And that was not something Luke could respect.

"Are you sure about this?" The boy asked with a frown, after he was done relaying the mission's information, and Luke's temper finally frayed to its limit.

"Don't be a coward!" He snapped. "If you don't want to join me then just say so."

Perhaps approaching Mikael was a mistake. Perhaps the boy already thought of Luke as some burden– too weak to do anything, too incompetent to fight alongside. Perhaps their relationship was even more broken than Luke had believed.

Mikael's eyebrows scrunched up at his words, lightning flashing around his glove, and suddenly Luke's instincts warned him to back off.

"Carefull now." The boy warned with a cold frown and Luke had to supress a shudder.

Another thing about Mikael was that he never responded well to disrespect. Something Luke was sure he inherited from his father.

"I meant to ask, are you sure you want me along? Your quest will get a new level of difficulty with me besides you." Mikael finally responded, staring at him carefully.

Luke sighed. He had misjudged his friend again. Of course he wasn't questioning his decision regarding the quest. Predicting the boy never did anyone good, and he should really learn not to try it.

Now he was feeling guilty about thinking so harshly of him...

"Yes." Luke finally managed to reply. "Yes, I want you with me."

"Very well." The boy nodded. "I'll be ready tomorrow."

"Great. Thanks." Luke muttered before quickly taking his leave.

Talking to the boy nowadays gave him migraine. Though not as much as when he went to sleep.

Lord Kronos...gods why was he thinking about the Titan so respectfully? Kronos! It was Kronos, not lord Kronos. The being was manipulating him, plain and simple. Luke knew this, knew the stories about the Titan, knew how dangerous the being was...and yet, he still did not reject his presence.

The Titan had a point afterall.

The Gods managed to overthrow the Titans and rule the world. Yet, were they truly better? Atleast the Titans left mortals alone, instead of raping and killing whoever they wanted like the Gods did. The Gods were simply lesser evils, not some benevolent saviors.

And the world needed to know this.

But Luke wasn't sure he should support the Titans either. What if Kronos was lying? What if all the things he promised were just a part of his manipulation? Can he live with the fact that he doomed the world just for his grudge against the gods? Luke wasn't sure.

But the old argument repeated itself in his mind.

Kronos wanted a second chance, promising to be a much better ruler than before. And why shouldn't he get another chance? The Titans were the first true rulers of this planet and they made mistakes due to being young and inexperienced.

Gods came later and simply avoided repeating the mistakes that their failed preceders made, instead of actually being better than them.

Now the Titans knew what to expect, had a much better perspective of mortals and this world, were more wiser than they once were, after spending millions of years in Tartarus...so why shouldn't they be given a chance?

Clutching his head, Luke let out a groan of annoyance. He shouldn't be thinking about this now. He had a quest to go on.

But honestly? His heart wasn't in the quest.

Luke just wanted to give his father a chance, thinking maybe if he completed a quest and showed his father his worth, then Hermes would finally tell him about his fate.

Instead, the god gave him the same blasted quest that Hercules had! Same quest that every single incompetent hero went on! Same freaking quest! Why can't he have a proper chance to show his worth? Why must he follow on the footsteps of the old heroes? Luke wasn't asking much, just a simple orginal quest that would give him a chance to earn some glory and prove himself capable.

But even that was denied to him.

Whatever. He'll just complete this quest and ask for his fate one last time.

If Hermes cared even a little, then the god will tell him what he needed to know.

If not? Well...Kronos was always available.

------------------------------

After a council meeting with all the cabin counselors, Luke and I left for our quest.

Luke had already visited the Oracle but wasn't willing to divulge the info (which distressed Chiron but he didn't press), not even to Annabeth. Poor girl had almost cried when she heard about us going on a quest without her again.

We received multiple gifts and had our shrouds made for us, as was customary. The shrouds were supposed to be burnt when the questers returned alive, or be treated as burial shrouds to wrap around the dead. My shroud was created by Apollo and Aphrodite cabin together cause I didnt have cabin members of my own. It was a pretty thing, with a lightning bolts wrapped around four white wings.

We left the camp in the evening, Argus driving us to the Manhattan terminal. The journey was supposed to take multiple days, and so Luke had packed quite a few things for himself. I had a different idea.

"So, you have any plan?" I asked luke as he absently stared outside the window.

He didn't seem excited, hell he didn't even seem interested in the quest. Why was he forcing himself into this journey was a mystery to me. Perhaps his jealousy has reached a limit and now he wanted to show everyone he's as good as me? But he wouldn't have invited me then.

Whatever his reason, the boy seemed to have some more bigger concerns in his mind. Not like I truly cared though, cause the main reason I was coming with him was because of my own quest.

[Quest Recieved: Keep Luke safe]–

Bring Luke back to the camp alive

Rewards: 20 Levels.

Twenty whole levels for a single quest? I'd be willing to wrestle the Nemean lion barehanded for that.

To put it in perspective of how much the twenty levels meant to me; In the last 7-8 months since the battle of monsters, I've only gained fifteen levels in total.

Not for the lack of trying mind you, I actually left the camp each night to hunt down monsters for the last half a year. And yet, fifteen fucking levels. Just fifteen. Though I was sure I was close to get another level, but still, it was incredibly slow.

At this rate I wouldn't be able to reach lvl 600, or 7th tier, before my 13th birthday, and probably become that bitch Hera's new victim. Hopefully I could get more of these quests, cause monster slaying was not a good way to level up.

But with these 20 Levels, I would finally enter the 6th tier. And that made this quest too important for me to fail.

"Yes." My thoughts were broken by Luke's answer. "We go to the gardens of Hesperides, you keep the dragon off of my back and I steal the apples."

"A fantastic plan. It really is." I said, nodding my head sarcastically. "But I was asking about the plan to actually get there. The gardens are in Mount Tamalpais remember? Do you actually want to travel for days in some cramped bus or something?"

He frowned, probably thinking about it for the first time since getting the quest.

"What do you suggest then?"

"Oh, I've got a much better idea."

---------------------------

"I hate you so much kael!" Luke's screams were music to my ears.

We were flying through the skies, higher than any building, at an insane speed of 1800 miles per hour, having already burst through the sound barrier in the first few seconds of our flight.

I could've definitely gone much more faster but I didn't want to injure luke. My wings were flared, flapping against the wind as I clutched one of Luke's hand with my own for assurance while dragging him alone with threads of air.

Yes, I was more than confident in dragging someone at around 2000 miles per hour through the skies. I had complete trust in my Lvl 9 Air and Wind Manipulation afterall.

Luke screamed again, cursing my ancestry, and I had to zap him with a quick shock of electricity. "Oh shut up, you whiny brat. We'll reach San Francisco in couple of hours at most. A journey that would've taken multiple days, in less than two hours! How could you complain about that?!"

"I could complain because I'm freezing my butt off! We need to take breaks, Kael!"

"You are joking, we aren't even that high!"

"Its December, you dunce! Sorry that my body works normally unlike you! Now let's take a break! Or do you want to crash an airplane or something!?"

"Yeah, you're right. You mortals really are too squishy, aren't you?"

In the end however, I relented. Wrapping us both in demonic concealment magic, i flew us down towards a row of houses, and behind a dark alley.

We both walked out like nothing was wrong before resting on an open bench. After a few minutes of investigation, I found we were in St. Louis. Our speed of travelling was fine, considering we left the manhatten terminal barely half an hour ago.

But we still had a long way to go, and our presence was attracting too many monsters if we stayed in one place. So after a short 15 minutes break, we were back in the air. This time, I crafted a pair of thick woolen coat and a hat for Luke. I wanted to directly reach San Francisco.

We travelled for another 30 minutes through the air, before stopping at Denver, Colorado for a quick evening snack as the sun started going down. Plus some monster slaying helped me through these boring travel time.

My demonic skills came to a huge help here and we didn't need to spend money on food. Was I morally troubled at using my hypnosis magic like this? Not a single fucking bit.

I mean I already did that when mother left me in New York alone. It was actually a bit concerning how callous I was in this situation, especially because I can create a dollar bill easily with my object creation, I just needed a single look at a note.

But I didn't pay it too much mind and we went back to travelling at around 5:30-6:00 pm.

I maintained our speed, going around 1500 miles per hour still. We took another break after two hours, this time in Sacramento, a city in California.

"Why did we stop here again?" Luke asked as we sat under the shed of a burger stand.

"Me? To rest, eat again, and recharge myself back to the peak before reaching San Francisco. You? To plan for what we should do next."

And I did as I said. I ate a delicious meal of quarter pounder cheese burger, with fries and cola at the side.

"There is nothing to plan. We'll fight the monster guarding the tree and steal an apple. Simple."

"I was talking about today, stupid. We should start looking for a hotel already. What if we weren't able to find one in San Francisco?" I asked as we sat upon an empty bench outside the McDonald's drive through.

"...Can you get us directly to San Francisco?"

"Of course I can. We are in Sacramento, barely a few minutes flight from San Francisco at my speed."

"How do you even know that? How are you keeping us in a straight path through tbe air anyway?" Luke asked with a frown.

"I...have perfect bearings in the sky." I replied after a moment of hesitation. "I know exactly where we are at all times."

I'd never noticed it before. Oh sure I knew my senses were supernatural in the air knowing my own speed at all times, but knowing which city I was in exactly? And what time it was, and how much time we'll need to go somewhere? Nope.

This seriously made me upset cause it meant there might be more things that I'd inherited as the son of Zeus but just haven't discovered yet. I was so focused on leveling up my existing skills and game-given things that I completely forgot about exploring my powers. I'll have to focus on that after this journey is over.

"Well that's handy for sure. Come on, let's get this quest over with."

"Very well. Off we go to San Francisco then. Though for this last 85 miles, I'm going to fly at my fastest. Which is a lot, so you'll need... some extra protection in the air."