The Third Camp Trilogy: The Final War?

Chapter nine: Neptuna

I peeked my head out of my cabin and looked around, Carrie was sitting alone in front of the fire, his bow over his shoulder. He had a new item of clothing on, a sweatshirt.

I sighed but something told me to keep watching.

Carrie reached over to grab a water bottle but sparks ricocheted from his fingers and shot the water bottle just out of his reach. Carrie jumped up and stared with wide eyes from his fingers to the water bottle.

"I don't think that's supposed to happen." He murmured under his breath.

"I guess that's what you get for being shot by the Master Bolt." I emerged out of my tent.

"How did you know about that?" He wheeled around as to face me, his bow aimed toward my chest.

"I was there. Do you really not remember me?"

"No, I don't— Get down!" Carrie yelled.

I ducked just in time, a chimera twice my size jumped over me but was quickly turned to dust by one of Carrie's arrows.

"Uh, thanks." I stood and brushed myself off.

"No problem." He sighed, almost tiredly then he walked over to the fire and sat down, "So who's your godly parent?"

"Poseidon." I sat down across from him.

"Huh, well you should get some sleep, it's going to be a long night."

"I'm not tired." I lied.

"Okay, then I'm going to go and secure the perimeter."

"I'll stay here." I nodded as he got up and walked into the forest.

I sat there just watching the flames dance and listening to the wood crackle, the heat warming my heart and comforting me in the middle of the cold summer night.

After about an hour of hearing grunts and growls from the forest Carrie finally stumbled out looking extremely beat up.

"What happened?" I ran over to him and helped him sit on one of the logs.

"Lots and lots of monsters." He grunted as if it hurt to even speak.

"Are you okay?" I eyed his bloody wounds.

"Yeah, it's just my legs, as long as I stay seated then I'll be fine." He sighed. "By the way you might want to duck again."

I ducked and Carrie fired four arrows above my head, turning the four monsters that were about to attack him into dust.

"So why are nectar and ambrosia forbidden?" I sat down across from him.

"Wait, how'd you— ugh, nevermind. They're forbidden because if we eat the food of the gods or drink the drink of the gods then we might think of ourselves as gods."

"That's stupid, no one would think of themselves as gods."

"You would be surprised, also it limits the number of deaths per year by having healers instead. So, any more questions?"

"Yeah, how'd you become such a good archer?"

"Lots of practice and a little help from the twins."

"Twins as in Apollo and Artemis?"

"Yeah."

"Alright." I looked down at my hands.

"You okay?"

"I-I'm fine..." I mumbled. "I just kind of wish you remembered me..."

"Well, if we were friends I apologize for not remembering you but I don't make friends easily so I hope you can feel my confusion." He shrugged.

"I-I've been thinking and, why don't you guys sacrifice things to the gods? Maybe that's why the gods hate you so much."

"No, that can't be it. We have temples for the roman gods and fires for the greek gods."

"But you should still sacrifice to them, shouldn't you?"

"No, we're sure they're fine with it. All they care about is that they're seen and that they are the only things that matter in life."

"So... the popular kids?"

"In a way. But these popular kids are immortal and just so happen to have so much power that their mere presence can turn anyone to dust."

"Yep, definitely the popular kids."

He let out a small laugh and looked into the fire. I gazed at him, not knowing if he would even live through the night. But I had hope in him. I wouldn't let him die that easily.

"You look different." I eyed him, not exactly liking the changes.

"Yeah, Max told me." He sighed and continued to look into the fire as if it had all of the answers.