War's Champion (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter Four

I now presnt to you, chapter 4. For you, my lovely readers.

Chapter Four: In Ares's palace on Olympus.

Point of view: Ares/Mars

When the kid choked on his words, I heard the emotions flowing back into his voice. I turned into Mars and I smiled, I don't want an unfeeling kid, even if it helped him in battle a little bit. I was unsure of what he needed, until I realized he needed someone to talk to and I was the only one who made him feel comfortable enough to even express anything. I embraced him and it all came pouring out. I flashed us into my palace and let the onslaught begin. He let everything out. But after realizing he wouldn't stop for awhile and he needed more than me to help him get it all out, I made him sleep. He cried in my arms until he started snoring softly.

He's slumped into me and I look down at him curiously. I've never held one of my own like this. He was so hurt I didn't know how to respond without thinking about it for a few moments. I lay him down on the couch and find a blanket to drape over him as I turn into Ares again. I pull the couch over to the fire. He is so cold. Not even Apollo realized how cold he was. Probably because Apollo is burning up all the time whenever he worries. Nearly burns down Mount Olympus like that, the idiot that is my brother. I drag an armchair to sit in font of the fire as I watch my new son's sleeping form.

His face is peaceful as he snores softly and quietly. He look into his head and see his happy memories with his mother and then he just sleeps with nothing in his head at all. All the while unmoving. He stays facing up like a patient in a hospital bed doeswhen they are in a coma. He is just more lively than they are. I smile at my son and touch his cheek. I bring my hand away to find that it's still wet and use the blanket to dry off his face.

And when the blanket doesn't dry his face, I realize he is crying in his sleep. Even without the dreams. I watch as his emotions coil up and down. I feel a hand touch my shoulder. "You care for him. Why?" My aunt Hestia asks me. She's in her eight year old form.

"I made him my son, aunt. I've gave him relief from the bottled up feelings and now he is venting. Even now. His emotions are riding on high and he relieves his burdens as he sleeps. He needs more people he can trust. I cannot watch him break down alone and he can't find true peace if I am the only one who helps him. Will you watch over him here until I return?" I ask Hestia.

She nods. "I will." As I rise, she takes my seat and I flash away.

I flash into the camp. It's midday and I'm standing next to a tree. A sign, a beautiful sign carved out of marble, stands beneath the tree. A dragon wraps around the tree and I see the Golden Fleece in the boughs of the pine. I walk up to the pine and read the sign. It reads:

Thalia's Pine

The tree that kept one of the best, most beautiful, most couragous, and most sparky demigods alive enough to be resurrected after sacrificing herself to save her friend so that they would live instead of her. Her name was Thalia Grace and I follow in her path every chance I get. Follow her example and live a life worth living.

                                                                                                               ~Perseus Jackson

My son did all of this? He really is talented. I take in the beautifully written words. They were repeated below again in Ancient Greek and Latin. He wrote it three times and in three different languages. The sides were decorated with streaks of real-looking lightning and thunder clouds. I see silver-filled cracks all over and a tiara rests upon the sign. The tiara of a lieutenant of Artemis. When I touch it, it's marble, silver marble. Bows and arrows surround the words and the weapons of Thalia Grace were carved beside 'Thalia's Pine' so that it lied in between Aegis on the left and her spear on the right. If I look closer at Aegis, I can see every detail of Medusa's head. As I continue inspecting the sign, I find the words, 'I'm sorry' etched into the bottom of it in very small print. It's written in Ancient Greek.