no matter how many times a snake shed its skin, it would always be a snake. no matter how hard kit dempsey tried to prove he was no longer a traitor, camp half-blood would always view him as the boy who betrayed them for kronos. but not leo valdez...
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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: VIOLENT ENDS
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DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU began the story, it was about Luke Castellan. Even before he died, before everything spiralled, Kit had been dreaming of the estranged son of Hermes and a life of possibility. However, as opposed to now, where Kit's dreams were hallucinations inspired by guilt, his dreams back then were real.
When Luke first fled from Camp Half-Blood, he was alone. And in some ways, despite physically being surrounded by people every day, so was Kit. Part of his subconscious longed for Luke to come back, despite what people said about him, what Kit knew deep down was the truth. Perhaps this was why he said nothing when the dreams started, Luke visiting him with seeds of doubt always revolving around one thing.
Everybody knows, Kit.
Ares never claimed Kit Dempsey. It was a fact everyone knew, and it wasn't something Kit could ever forget. Eventually, everyone else would get sick of hearing it, but how was the neglected child inside of Kit supposed to accept that his father hated him enough to leave him with a life of isolation. Luke pointing this out hurt. Truth be told, Kit would've preferred a punch to the gut over Luke taunting him with what he knew Kit feared.
Even Percy knows. Ares told him. Perfect Percy. Do you think Ares would've preferred him as his son?
Kit knew logically it was bullshit. If Percy was to die tomorrow, Ares would've been the first in line to spit on his grave. But that was the thing about fear. It was irrational but unavoidable.
I want to make things right for you, Kit. You're like my brother. I thought you felt the same, but you're not here so maybe you don't.
Luke would never find out just how wrong he'd been. Or maybe he was aware the whole time, and the part of him that opened up Kit's heart was lost long before he died. Kit would never know either way. He never got to speak to Luke one last time. The years went by, Kit fled Camp Half-Blood with Ethan, watched as Luke Castellan's soul -- the misguided boy, Kit's brother in every way that counted -- was replaced by Kronos and never really seen again. At least not by Kit. The last to see it, of course, was Percy Jackson.
No one would even notice if you left, Kit. What's stopping you from joining me?
Kit wasn't sure when he reached breaking point, when Luke's words became his thoughts and the rest became history.
But even now, with Luke long gone and Kit standing on a battle-field much like the one his brother bled and died on, Kit's mind whispered with doubts planted eons ago. His first instinct was to fight, not just the urge in his heart that told him to run towards the commotion head-first, but to war against his own subconscious with the intent of protecting himself and himself only. Thalia's presence certainly didn't help any. Kit took one look at her face and the voice in his head became all the more distinct.
