The Third Camp Trilogy: The Final War?

Chapter fifty six: Neptuna

War.

Virtus had such a tight grip on my shoulder, I could feel the blood flow cut off to my lower arm.

"Virtus!" I heard Carrie growl. "If you hurt her then I'll kill you!"

Aww, he's threatening people for me!

... Why do I find that sweet?

"Let go of me!" I hissed.

"You have to explain some stuff first." Virtus retorted.

I felt my dog tag buzzing, stuff like:

Unknown dragging Neptuna, Praetor sir, what do we do?

Neptuna is struggling, she may need assistance.

Praetor, sir, do we need to assist Neptuna?

No, she can protect herself. I knew this was Carrie. I don't know what Virtus wants with her, but she'll be fine. Virtus knows not to hurt her.

Are you sure, sir? He looks pretty aggressive and Neptuna seems—

She'll be fine.

Virtus dragged me away from Carrie's vision, just far enough even the best ears couldn't hear, there weren't any lookouts either.

"How the hell is he alive?" He growled and pushed me against a tree. "You told me he was dead."

"Virtus, calm down." Angita appeared.

"No! I was told he was dead!" Virtus drew back his fist and drove a punch at me, but I dodged, ducking my head in fear. Instead of hitting me, the tree snapped in half.

What the hell was that? Somebody tapped.

Was that enemy fire?

Are we attacking?

No. Virtus just got a little upset about something. That was definitely Carrie. I could tell from his quick taps that he was scared, but I was sure I was the only one who would know.

Should we go help?

No.

As long as the snapping noise wasn't her spine or her skull then she's fine.

Sounds good.

We can only hope.

Who hooked Natalie up?

Uh, me.

Ricky, you should be back at the camp. You're too old to be in a war.

You calling me old?

Yes, yes I am.

Good, because it's true.

Go back to the camp.

Okay.

I almost laughed, but I was terrified of what Virtus would do.

"Put. Down. The. Tree." Angita growled.

I didn't even realise what Virtus was doing, he had the broken tree ready to throw.

Angita growled at him for a second more, then he finally gave up. He put the tree trunk back down and stepped away.

"Why do you even care? It's not like you guys care about him."

"What did you say?" Virtus spun on me.

"Gods don't care about humans." I spat.

"Trust me," He grabbed my shirt collar and pushed me against another tree. "Sometimes we care." He growled.

His skin started to turn red.

"Virtus, you're doing it again." Angita sighed.

Virtus growled and his skin returned to it's normal color.

I could feel my airpipe being crushed, I couldn't breathe. I was weakly clawing at Virtus' fist on my shirt collar

"Virtus!" Angita seemed more rushed. "Let go! She's more fragile than—"

"Shut up!" Virtus let go and I went into a coughing fit.

He stepped away and I grabbed onto the tree trunk in order to not fall over and pass out.

Angita stepped over to me and touched my neck. My coughing stopped and I could breathe again.

"Are you okay?" She helped me up.

"Yeah, now I am." I nodded, that made my neck sting. Angita sighed in relief then turned to Virtus. She began ranting at him in Ancient latin, then dragged him away. I stayed where I was, trying to comprehend what just happened.

I felt my dog tag begin buzzing furiously.

Unknowns spotted, Neptuna is not with them.

What?

The two unknowns have appeared, without Neptuna.

Where is she?

I'm not sure, Praetor sir.

The taps stopped.

"Neptuna! Are you okay?" Carrie ran up to me he grabbed my shoulders and examined me.

"I'm fine." I assured him.

His eyes spotted the tree trunk, and his eyes widened.

"He didn't touch you, right? Oh gods, Neptuna we have to get you a new chestpiece."

"What? Oh." I looked down at my chest piece, there was a dent the perfect shape of a hand.

"Come on." He put his hand on my back and guided me toward a portal he had just opened.

We appeared in the armory.

"Here, this one should fit you." He tossed me a chest plate.

I started to change into it.

"Uh... I-I should uh, go check on the h-healers." He stuttered then jogged away.

"What...?"