Solis

Chapter XLII

If you plan to go to Las Vegas alone for sightseeing or to visit someone as a demigod, without any training or preparation at the camp, and if there's a threat of someone trying to kill you, it's best not to attempt it unless you want to be targeted as soon as you arrive. Ron had never encountered an ambush at the airport, but Tyler was aware of his presence and had been observing him—So, it's been a week in Las Vegas, and Ron has been searching for Tyler. During this time, he's already encountered four monsters in a span of a week. With limited arrows, he's had to make a strategic decision to escape and find safe places to conserve his resources.

As for why Ron is alone, he spent two weeks discussing this decision with Chiron just before the end of summer. He had to pretend he was leaving for school and planning to work on other things, but in reality, Ron had to go on this quest alone and complete. Call him stubborn, selfish, or anything else, but he couldn't bear the thought of those close to him getting hurt again.

Chiron was opposed to Ron going alone and insisted on him having at least two companions for the quest. However, Ron countered by mentioning the the heroes before who goes on quests solo. He had seen their achievements in the attic before, but he understood that Chiron was just concerned about his well-being. The centaur always cared deeply for him.

Ron had reached a point where he had had enough. He was sorted into Gryffindor for a reason—and it was his bravery and the bravest thing he could do was to face this quest alone.

The redhead found himself hidden in the alley of the tall buildings of Las Vegas, desperately trying to shroud himself in mist as quickly as possible. He tried to stay hidden and protected in case any monsters were hot on his trail but using too much mist drained his energy, and the mist itself wasn't particularly effective since it only lasted for half an hour before dissipating.

In his current situation, Ron looked like some of the homeless people in Las Vegas. Even though he had packed enough supplies, including a change of clothes, he hadn't really found the right opportunity to change.

At times, when Ron tried to sleep but couldn't, his mind would wander to the things he wished he could do if he weren't in danger. He wished to spend more time with his siblings, friends, and family, especially with Harry. He wanted to share the world with Harry, and to take him to places like New York—he wanted to get Harry out of the Dursleys' place and help him see that there's a bigger world beyond Hogwarts, the Dursleys' house, and the Burrow.

The following evening, Ron held onto the hope that he might dream of Tyler, but he didn't. So sleeping was useless, but it left him still exhausted. Ron wasn't really that smart at planning things like Annabeth or—Hermione, or even someone like Harry, who could quickly devise and execute plans, even in dangerous situations.

All Ron had was a map of Las Vegas, which he relied on to navigate.

The city was huge, and Ron marveled at its beauty, especially in the evening. The buildings' lights sparkled brightly and in various colors. Ron enjoyed the view from the hotel he had booked for the night. He took the opportunity to relax, taking a bath, changing into fresh clothes, and ensuring his weapons were ready. Tomorrow, he thought, he would definitely track down Tyler more properly.

Ron had decided this by himself, but he wasn't certain if he was getting closer to his goal. He set traps, hoping to capture a dracanae and force answers from it, but the monster only mocked his attempts. Frustrated, the redhead seethed with anger and slashed it down with his dagger as the monster exploaded in dust.

As the days passed, Ron's patience wore thin. It was on the third day of the fourth week when the once vibrant Las Vegas sky turned gray. The lively atmosphere transformed into a gloomy one as he joined a bustling crowd in a place called downtown. His stomach rumbled loudly, and he took out a Ziplock bag filled with dollars. Just as he turned around, someone bumped into him quite forcefully.

It was a person in a black hoodie who didn't even offer an apology as they quickly walked away.

Ron grumbled and inspected his hand, but his expression froze as he saw his empty hands. It took him a few seconds to realize that he had been robbed—his money was taken without him noticing. In an instant, Ron's mind raced, and he swiftly turned around, shouting, "HEY, THAT'S MY MONEY!"

It was his money, enough to sustain him for a month for the quest, or perhaps even two if he didn't eat that much!

Ron squeezed his way through the crowd, his sharp eyes locking onto the person in the hoodie. The individual was fast, but Ron was quicker. He reached out to grab the culprit, but another person bumped into him, eliciting a hiss of annoyance. He forcefully pushed them aside and sprinted to catch up with the person in the hoodie who darted toward a short alley and made a left turn then right—

He found himself in the back of an establishment, likely behind a casino or a club. Ron climbed up to a wired gate and crouched down. There were boxes strewn on the ground, a puddle of water from a broken hose, and scattered garbage. The area was eerie and dark.

As he heard a metallic clank, Ron's senses sharpened, and he readied himself. He turned around, and from the darkness emerged four tall, imposing men with huge arms and biceps. They brandished a baseball bat and a knife. Then, another two bulky men appeared, positioned just behind the person who had stolen Ron's money.

It was a boy, around twelve years old, who appeared a little impressed by himself that he was followed. His hands deep in his hoodie pockets. His messy dark brown hair framed his face as he casually sucked on a lollipop. His deep blue eyes shimmered with a subtle light, making them stand out in the dimly lit surroundings.

The five bulky men seemed like they had just stepped out of a gangster group that had spent eight years serving time in prison. Despite their intimidating appearances, they all wore similar shirts that read, I'm Your Donut Man. Their shirts featured a large picture of a donut with pink icing and colorful sprinkles.

"Is it him?" One of the men, positioned behind the hoodie guy, he swang his bat cautiously towards the redhead.

The hoodie-wearing  boy nonchalantly removed his lollipop from his mouth, "Relax," he responded lazily. "Just a kid. You should thank him for the money."

"Yes, thank him for the money!" one of them chimed in.

"Thank him!"

"Thank him!"

Ron scowled at them furiously clenching his fist tightly. "Thank me? You literally stole my money! That was worth a days to spend in this place!"

"Aww," One of them cooed mockingly. "Are you gonna cry? Are you gonna run to your dada?" His bulky friends all burst into laughter.

Ron seethed with anger, and the tallest man in front of the guy howled loudly, letting out a menacing laugh. In response, Ron narrowed his eyes at them. The guy shrugged as if this was all normal for him. "I got you the money and him. Now give it back to me," he said, now turning his attention to the tallest of the men.

The man abruptly stopped laughing, and his expression turned serious. "Boy, you really think money is enough to get your stupid thing back from me?"

The boy frowned, "What do you want me to do?"

One of them stepped forward, brandishing a knife pointed at the redhead excitedly. "Kill him! Kill him!"

"It's alright, Mima. It's alright. We will get there," the tallest man reassured.

Mima? Ron couldn't help but feel a strange mix of surprise and humor at the name. However, he knew he couldn't afford to laugh in this situation. The tallest man then turned to the guy, "You heard what my little brother said. Kill the boy, take him to the place, and then..." he licked his lips hungrily, "we'll eat him."

The boy glared at him, "You promised there would be no killing until I got him to follow me,"

Follow...what...?

"Hush, hush," the man said, waving his hand dismissively. "That's an order, boy. Or do you want me to eat you too? You've been smelling a lot lately."

"Don't threaten me," he snapped, taking out a small knife from his pocket. "Once I've killed him, you're giving me back my weapon." He then turned to the redhead, who stood there.

"You're not going to do what he says, are you?" Ron questioned.

"I am," he replied, and suddenly lunged forward. Ron stepped back as the knife sliced through the air in front of him.

"You're serious?" Ron asked in surprise.

The boy gritted his teeth in frustration and let out a loud curse, "Just die!" He shouted. Ron swiftly ducked, realizing that the guy was exceptionally fast in close combat. Although the guy wasn't holding a sword, the boy's skill with it using a knife was obvious, and he knew where to strike and all. Ron kept retreating until he accidentally stepped on the puddle of water.

The men surrounding them watched with a sick anticipation, as if they were ready to witness bloodshed, licking their lips.

"What kind of weapon is it?" Ron questioned as he felt the wall behind him.

"I don't tell my business to someone who's about to die," the boy retorted.

"You said 'weapon,' I bet it was a sword," Ron commented, and as he crouched down, a knife thrust into where his head had been positioned. He swiftly kicked the boy's leg, making him staggered backward but he immediately attacked again.

Ron clashed his dagger against the boy's weapon, creating a sharp metallic clang. Blue eyes locked onto the guy's one intensely. "I don't have time for this. Give me back my money, and I'll allow you to handle your business with these—" he hesitated and glanced at the five men eagerly watching them.

The guy advanced, pressing the knife against Ron's dagger. "Of course, you don't understand," he hissed. "I've been their pawn ever since they stole my weapon. When I get it back, I'll take them down myself, and that includes you right now. Now play along, and let me kill you."

Ron glanced back at him and forcefully pushed him away with his dagger. "You don't understand what you're getting into! You're taking someone's life!" he exclaimed.

"So they do!" The boy yelled back. His blue eyes blazed with anger, and Ron felt a strange familiarity with them, a sense of nostalgia as if he had known this person in the past, a feeling he often experienced back in the camp. The redhead then decided to lower his dagger.

"Tell me where the weapon is," Ron demanded calmly, and the boy didn't even hesitate to slash his cheek, causing a large wound that began to bleed. The other men around them began sniffing the air, sensing the blood.

"Why should I tell you?" The boy hissed, sounding skeptical.

"Do you want it back or not?" Ron shot back, giving him a glare.

"It's with the tallest one, Jeff," the guy replied clicking his tounge, eyes narrowing. "In his belt behind him. It's a sword, a bronze one."

"Celestial bronze," Ron said, wiping the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand, causing the guy's eyes to widen.

"How do you know the name?"

"I have one," Ron stated simply. "Now, I need a distraction. Are you going to help?"

"I don't trust you," the boy retorted.

"And you don't trust them," Ron pointed out.

The boy lowered his small knife, saying, "Fair." Then, he yelped when Ron knocked his knife away and swept his leg from under him, causing them to tumble to the ground. Ron swiftly grabbed the boy's knife and stabbed it into the ground, rendering it useless.

"What the hell—"

Ron stood up and placed his foot on the boy's chest while pointing his dagger at the five men—or rather, monsters. "I won," he declared at them.

The boy attempted to move, but Ron pressed down harder with his foot. Jeff growled menacingly at them, and Ron squinted his eyes as their faces flickered with the mist. He noticed another huge eye on their foreheads, and their bodies appeared to be growing larger. Their weapons transformed into a massive cudgel with dozens of sharp nails embedded in it, and just one blow to the head could prove deadly.

The boy also seemed to notice the transformation, and he froze, his mouth hanging open in shock.

Jeff advanced, swinging his deadly cudgel, while Ron sheathed his dagger and readied his bow handle. "Alright," he said, taking a deep breath as they closed in on both of them.

Then, with a determined exhale, he declared, "Let's fight."

 If Ron were to count the time while in the midst of the battle, he would say that it had taken less than ten minutes for the final cyclops—Jeff—to explode into dust after he shot an arrow into its head. As the dust showered over them, Ron coughed, grateful that it wasn't blood, as he likely would have vomited in response. The boy's bronze weapon had fallen to the ground, and Ron picked it up before turning to face him.

The boy was trembling slightly, but he glared at Ron.

"Tell me," Ron began, "how long have you been with them?"

The boy crouched down, stood, and lunged forward, attempting to retrieve the weapon. But Ron stepped backward and ducked to the side, causing the boy to almost tumble to the ground, though he managed to regain his balance. "None of your business," the boy responded.

"It is," Ron insisted. "What's your name?"

"I said none of your business!"

"Do you go to school?"

"Shut up!" The boy said frustratingly, "Give me back my weapon, right now."

"Only if you tell me your name. Are you aware of what you are?" Ron questioned. The boy panted a little, clearly exhausted from his earlier lunging. Ron suspected that the boy needed more stamina training with the satyrs. "And where did you get this weapon?"

"You're asking a lot of questions. Do you really think I'll answer you?"

"Yeah," Ron said. "Or else you won't get your weapon," 

"Fine," the boy snapped, standing upright. "My mom gave me that weapon when those men— or whatever they are, the ones you just killed—killed her."

Ron stared at him, a mixture of shock and sympathy in his eyes. "They attacked us while we were having a picnic, and my mom just disappeared. Since then, they captured me, made me work, and forced me into their little schemes, like thievery. They demanded I give them the money and threatened to eat me soon. They hid my weapon from me," he explained, then took a step forward. "They were terrified of it. They said—"

"They're cyclopes," Ron interjected. "Haven't you noticed their additional eyes...?"

"I did," the boy admitted. "But I thought it was some sort of abnormality in them."

"But your mom—"

"Don't speak about my mom," the boy cut him off. "I answered your questions, now give my weapon back."

"What's your name?" Ron asked. "That's the last one."

The boy's glare deepened, and he exhaled in annoyance. "Zade," he reluctantly revealed.

Ron dropped the weapon and kicked it in Zade's direction. "Then, Zade," he began, "if you don't have a home to return to, there's a place for you in New York. I think I'll let them know about you."

"You're not telling anyone about me!" Zade retorted angrily, taking his weapon and pointing it at Ron. "I don't have a place! I wander, steal, and sleep in this place until I die."

"You do," the redhead insisted. "There's a place for you."

"You don't know anything about me!"

"You're not like others, you're different," Ron stated. "You can't read, you can see strange things, and maybe—just maybe, you have abilities that people don't normally possess."

Zade winced slightly and looked away, clearly deep in thought.

"Am I right?"

"What are you even doing here?" Zade deflected. "And where's this place you're talking about?"

"I'm on a quest to defeat someone," Ron replied honestly. "If you really want to know, it's like a camp. I can send you the address, but not right now. You're alone, and you need someone with you to get there and I could not do it right now."

"I'm not weak," Zade insisted, clenching his fist, and Ron had a feeling he'd done the same thing before.

"I didn't say you're weak," Ron clarified. "I just want to make sure you don't end up in danger."

Zade fumed and was about to offer another retort, but they both heard a loud screech. Ron froze, recognizing the sound all too well. Zade, on the other hand, glanced up in alarm, his celestial bronze weapon at the ready. "What was that?"

"We need to get out of here," Ron urged.

"I'm not coming with you!"

"Do you want to die!?" Ron exclaimed. "The monsters you saw, once they realize you're aware of them, your scent will become stronger, and they'll attack you—"

"I don't understand you, you're crazy—" Zade began, but then another loud screech echoed, and two black figures swooped above them. Ron stomped his foot in frustration. This was proving more difficult than he had expected. He didn't have time to explain everything. Call him crazy, but he recognized the sounds, and when he said it was the Mormos, it meant they were not safe.

He grabbed the boy's arm and hurriedly dragged him out of the place.

In the middle the chaos, they found themselves finally running together. They weaved through various establishments and squeezed themselves into a crowd of people, eventually emerging on another street, away from the downtown area. Ron led them to the nearest shop, allowing Zade to catch his breath.

"How do you—how do you run that fast and—"

"Training," Ron explained, watching as Zade rested inside the shop. "And I think you need it too. You run fast, but you have weak stamina."

"What were those?" Zade questioned, glancing around inside the shop, ignoring his comments.

"Mormolyces, servants of Hecate."

"Are you a nerd?"

Ron glared at him in return. "Well, if you don't even know what you are, then I guess I don't have a choice but to explain things to you, you ignoramus."

"Ignora—what?"

"I don't know, that sounds like the right word for you right now," Ron responded with confusion, earning a glare from Zade. "Look, what you saw is related to Greek mythology. Do you believe in gods?"

Zade snorted, "Gods? What am I, some worshipper or something? I don't have time for things that don't even exist—"

Ron had to restrain himself from whacking his head and took a deep breath to calm down. This boy was giving him a headache. "That sword of yours is called Celestial Bronze. Many children of gods and mortals have them to protect themselves. You know what a demigod is, right?"

"No."

Why was this harder than explaining things to new campers at the camp?

"They are half-mortals and half-gods, like me and—you."

"Like you, and me," Zade repeated, not amused. "I see, maybe this is why I'm seeing things because you're from a cult or something."

Ron's hand twitched in irritation, and he had a really really strong urge to whack the boy's head right now. Maybe he was just tired. Now that he thought about it, he realized he didn't have money on him anymore. He had forgotten to pick it up, just beside the celestial bronze. His stomach began grumbling, and Zade raised an eyebrow at him as the redhead flustered.

"This is your fault for stealing my money," Ron said, annoyed.

"So, what now?" Zade asked, seemingly ignoring Ron's words. "Are we just going to hide here forever?"

"I'm looking for someone, and I've been roaming around this place for weeks, but I still couldn't find him," Ron grumbled, clutching his grumbling stomach. "This is the stupidest idea, but I don't have a choice." He opened his bag and took out a travel map of Las Vegas, spreading it out.

"I'm curious, but...who is this someone?" Zade asked.

"None of your business," Ron retorted.

"Whatever," Zade rolled his eyes, and Ron allowed the boy to wander around the shop while he checked their current location on the map. They stayed for another minute before the two of them walked out of the shop. Zade reached into his jacket pocket and tossed something to Ron, who caught it.

It was a chocolate bar.

"Did you pay for it?" Ron frowned, looking at the chocolate.

"I've never done that in my whole life."

Ron hesitated, but hunger got the better of him. It's not like he could go back now; they were already far from the shop. He opened the chocolate bar and started chewing on it. He had never appreciated chocolate this much until today, and Zade was looking at him amusingly.

"You have a weird face," Zade remarked. "And your hair too."

"You're ugly," Ron retorted as he took another bite.

It was strange, but bantering with the boy made it feel like they had known each other for a long time, even though they had just met earlier. 

As Ron finished his food, Zade took out another lollipop and began to eat it, most likely stolen, in Ron's opinion. He couldn't shake the feeling that Zade might be one of Hermes' children, but something about it didn't feel right. He decided to ask how long Zade had been stealing. The boy then popped out his lollipop and stared at the passing cars.

"When those men made me work for them," Zade explained, "I just got used to it. It became like my everyday job."

"These men weren't even mortals; they were called Cyclopes," Ron said, growing a bit more patient. "And in return? They gave you food?"

"Not really, they only gave me something if they were satisfied," Zade replied.

"How long...?"

"Five years. When I was eight..."

"I'm sorry," Ron immediately said. Kids shouldn't have to experience those things, especially under the threat of monsters, he really felt bad about it. Zade must have noticed Ron fidgeting uncomfortably, so they decided to drop the topic. 

"Heh," Zade began, "I do believe you about the monster part, but me being a half-god, I mean, that sounds cool, but if one of my parents is a god, why don't they show up?"

"That's a good question, because, honestly," Ron explained, "They don't."

Zade frowned at him, "They don't? What are they supposed to do? Watch their children from their castles?"

"Castles?"

"Yeah, if kings have castles, so do they."

"They only have thrones, stupid."

"Yeah, whatever," Zade said. "You know what, I've made up my mind about this. I don't have a place, I don't even know what's supposed to be my home anymore. But I might as well try this camp you're talking about, in New York, right? That's going to be a long journey. I might as well just steal five wallets before going there."

"You're not going to steal five wallets," Ron scolded him, wearing a stern expression. "I'm going to ask someone to accompany you back there."

"Why not you?"

"Because I can't go back there right now," Ron explained. "And besides, I have a quest to complete here."

"You mean finding that someone? Are you really that desperate? I mean, come on," Zade sighed heavily, wiggling his lollipop in the air. "How can you find that someone in this huge place?"

"I just need to track him down by talking to monsters. I need to find Tyler; he's the key to something important," Ron said seriously. "And if I do, I'm going to defeat and stop him."

"Do you hold that grudge that much against someone?"

"Can you keep quiet for a second and be a good kid for once?"

"And tracking him by using monsters? Well, that's a good plan. He was the talk of those Cyclopes, whatever they are, around two weeks ago, if my memory serves me right." 

Zade continued talking, and Ron sighed, feeling exhausted. Fine, if this is how things are going to work with this boy, then fine. There were so many demigods out there; why did he have to end up with someone so... so infuriating that it made him want to strangle him? He could have just letter a saty with Otus and called a satyr, and then he could have returned to this place and found Tyler without any problems or anyone. 

Smooth, and all.

All without monsters talking about Tyler and Tyler...and wait.

Ron spun around, causing Zade to jump in surprise. He grabbed the boy by both of his shouldrt and shook him. "You said the Cyclopes talked about him? Can you tell me what they said, anything! Just anything that could help me track him!"

"S-stop! You're making me dizzy, you idiot!"

"What's his plan, where's his next stop, just anything—" 

"Okay, okay—fine!" Zade yelled, trying to stop the redhead from shaking him. "I don't know about this Tyler, whoever he is, but the monsters were saying how dumb he is and all for asking their part in his attack on something. But they said that the food was nice when they were invited to his place called Grand Desert in the east—"

Ron finally stopped shaking him. Of course, the guy would be using a top grand hotel for his scheme. Why didn't he think about it sooner? He then opened his bag and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil, then began writing on it.

"What are you doing?"

"Duh. I'm notifying the camp about your whereabouts and our exact location. A Satyr will come to get you so that I can continue with the quest without—" Ron stopped in mid-sentence when Zade immediately seized the paper from his hand, crumpled it, and tossed it onto the street.

"There's actually a trash bin nearby—"

"I'm going with you," Zade declared firmly.

"No," Ron responded firmly, "Definitely not. We're going to wait for a Satyr here, and you'll go back to camp—"

"You don't get to decide where I go! I don't even know this place, and I don't trust you—"

"Then why are you even sticking with me if you don't trust me—"

"Because you're an idiot—"

"You're the idiot here!"

They exchanged heated glares for a minute before Ron leaned back, adjusting his backpack as a truck rumbled past. "Fine. If you die on this quest, it won't be my fault," he stated, then started walking angrily, unfolding the travel map as Zade hurried behind him. The two fell into an awkward silence as Ron focused on navigating the area, his stomach kept grumbling again.

This silence led to them talking nonsense and arguing over which direction to take, but Zade's knowledge of the place won out, and Ron reluctantly let him guide the way. They arrived at a spot with the largest ferris wheel Ron had ever seen, and he couldn't help but stare in awe until Zade let out a snort at his expression.

Ron quickly turned his head, his cheeks slightly flushed. Memories of an amusement park visit flooded his mind, where he was attacked by stupid stymphalian birds. He sighed and veered off in another direction. So what if it was his first time here? He scratched his arm, feeling uneasy.

"I've been here before; it's called the High Roller," Zade explained as they walked. "My mom and I came when I got an A+ in science."

"Your mom sounds nice," Ron said.

"She is," Zade replied somewhat happily. "But wherever she is now, hope she's doing well. I would like to visit the place again alone when I have money,"

Ron struggled to find the right words in response. He, too, had never met his mom, as she had passed away when he was very young. Hearing Zade talk about his mother reminded Ron of their shared loss, both having lost their mothers at a young age. Zade's experience of being captured by cyclopes at such a young age and enduring five years of captivity weighed heavily on Ron's mind. It was one of the reasons he was so insistent on getting Zade to camp, to provide him with a safe and stable home.

"Come," Ron called out to Zade as they continued down the streets. Zade handed him another bar, this time vanilla-flavored, and they ate in silence, both lost in their thoughts.

Zade's theft from the shop only sustained them for a short while. They continued walking, growing more exhausted, with Ron frequently stopping Zade to steal supplies. Zade told him that they would starve if they didn't find food soon. Suddenly, Zade disappeared and returned after an hour with an apple from the nearest market.

This gave Ron an idea. He decided to leave notes at the stores Zade had pilfered from, along with the stolen items, and included a promise to pay for them when he returned to camp alive. It was a way to make amends for their desperate actions while ensuring the shopkeepers wouldn't suffer any losses.

They arrived at another bustling place , and this time, Zade halted in front of the most fancy building Ron had ever seen. In front of the grand hotel, a colossal staircase led to the entrance beckoning visitors to climb the steps and enter the place. Zade gazed up, squinting at the imposing structure in front of them.

"This is it," Zade declared. "The East Grand Hotel."

"How did you even know this was the place?" Ron asked.

"This is the only grand hotel in this part of Las Vegas," Zade explained. "It's popular among tourists and influencers."

"I can see that," Ron remarked, impressed. 

"Inside is even cooler than the outside, like there's another world in there. But to enter, you need a ticket or a reservation. If you want to buy a ticket, it's worth about a year's worth of your school allowance," Zade explained, leaving Ron quite surprised.

"How do you know all of that?" Ron questioned.

"I know every part of Las Vegas," Zade replied with a hint of pride. "Inside or outside."

"I'm not sure whether to be happy or..." Ron's words trailed off, and he shook his head. "Fine, but we still need a plan to get inside. I can see guards over there."

"There are a lot more of them inside," Zade warned, and Ron decided not to ask how he knew that.

Ron then looked up at the stairs leading to the entrance. The Mist would only work for a few minutes, and if they were going to use it to become invisible, they needed to hurry. He grabbed Zade's arm and pulled him into a hidden corner, out of sight from the people ascending the stairs.

"I have a plan, but," Ron began, "I need you to not cause any distractions. We need to get inside without being noticed."

"And...you mean?"

"We're going to become invisible," Ron said with a hint of hesitation. "It only lasts for a few minutes, so we have to be quick and sneak inside."

Zade stared at him for a moment and then nodded slowly, "Right..."

"I know you still don't believe me about some things, but just follow me, okay?"

"I can do that, I guess," Zade shrugged.

Ron was still not entirely satisfied with the answers, but he pulled out his wand from his pocket and cast a mist that enveloped them. They started moving, observing people entering, and guards inspecting them. They had to wait for a moment before slipping into a space between the crowd. Zade almost stumbled, but Ron quickly grabbed the back of his jacket, keeping them hidden in the Mist.

Ron was sweating profusely as they hurried toward the others, coming to a stop when he saw the view inside. Zade had been right.

The interior was even more impressive than the exterior. Two grand staircases framed the corner, leading to a large door at the top, where a few people were entering and exiting. There was a massive door in the middle, just a few meters away from them, giving a glimpse of the outside. It revealed a large park, resembling a plaza, surrounded by similar buildings, each with their names above them. Most were shops, restaurants, and even casinos and arcadades, all different from the place they had walked through to get here. In the center was a grand fountain in the middle of a circular pool and surrounded by benches, with more people taking pictures.

"This is weird," Ron remarked, taking in the surreal scene.

"I told you," Zade said.

"But—" Ron started, his thoughts momentarily distracted. "This place is huge. How are we going to find him...?" They then began walking around, scanning the surroundings, and noticed what appeared to be a mall-like area in one of the corners.

Ron was about to enter the mall-like area when a saleslady appeared seemingly out of nowhere, causing him to turn around when she spoke. "Hm, kids shouldn't be left alone in this area." She smiled broadly, her blonde hair tightly pinned in a bun and wore a thick make-up, thicker than Drew's one. She seemed more like a flight attendant than a saleslady, but he could tell she was one from the pin on her coat.

"What—left alone?" Ron chuckled nervously and glanced around. "Our parents were waiting for us inside," he fibbed.

"Indeed they were," Zade replied.

"Is that so, what are their names? I should verify the list of people visiting this area. We don't want unaccompanied children wandering about," she mentioned, still wearing a smile.

"Well, okay—" Ron elbowed Zade discreetly and gave the saleslady a forced nervous grin. "We'll manage just fine," he assured. "Plus, we're well aware of where we're going,"

"Hmm, I could walk with you inside; it's the least I can do," the saleswoman insisted.

"No, thank you," Ron responded, taking Zade's arm and entered the mall, despite the saleslady's insistence.

Zade withdrew his arm from his grip and gave him a sharp look. "Are you crazy? He has the list of names in this area. We could ask about where Tyler is!"

"You're stupid," Ron countered. "We shouldn't casually mention names like Tyler. He's not an ordinary person; he has many connections. And I have a bad feeling about that woman. There were plenty of children around, but she seemed particularly interested in us. It's not like we looked homeless."

"Yes, you do," Zade replied, clearly irritated.

"Shut up," Ron muttered. As they surveyed their surroundings, they found themselves in a mall that sold upscale clothing, accessories, and bags. Zade was touching one of the items, and the redhead gave him a warning look. The boy rolled his eyes and moved to check another display. However, as he walked towards some jackets, he suddenly got goosebumps and touched his neck.

He turned around and glimpsed a figure that immediately vanished.

Ron squinted his eyes and bumped into Zade, who was slipping something into his hoodie's pocket. "Zade, take those out and put them back."

"It's just a necklace!" Zade protested.

"Just put them back; we're leaving," Ron insisted. Zade huffed but reluctantly returned the necklace.

The two headed towards the exit when the saleslady reappeared, holding her notepad. "I see, you two are still here. Where are your parents?"

Zade pushed past her and walked directly toward the exit. Ron followed closely behind as they heard her hiss behind them. Just as they hurried, another saleslady appeared, this one with black hair pulled into a tight bun. She smiled but blocked their path.

"I see, another lost children. What are you two doing here alone?"

Ron then pulled Zade in another direction, and they started running towards the bathroom. A few people cast glances in their direction. They entered the bathroom, both squeezing themselves into one of the cubicles with wide-eyed expressions.

"Are they cyclopses too?" Zade asked.

"Same monsters, but different species," Ron replied, drawing his bow. "They know what we are."

"They seem fixated on asking about our parents and why we're alone," Zade said, unsheathing his sword. Then, they heard hurried footsteps outside the cubicle, and both of them exchanged anxious glances as whispers and hissing noises echoed around them.

They waited for a moment, and when Zade nodded, Ron kicked the door of the cubicle open. Instead of the saleslady, who had already transformed into the monster— a dracanae or snake-like greek creature, they found a girl standing there instead. She was wearing a varsity jacket and checking her reflection in the mirror. She spun around and saw the two of them, weapons at the ready.

The three of them stared at each other for a moment before the two boys scrambled out of the bathroom. Ron glanced up to see the sign on the door and both blushed.

It was a women's bathroom, of course.

Zade was huffing out, and swayed his sword in the air. "Damn it," he muttered.

Without time for embarrassment, they quickly exited through another door. However, before they could get through the exit, the glass door suddenly exploded as two figures with bat-like wings, long hair, and four tongues soared in. Ron stepped back, while Zade moved forward, sword at the ready to slash.

"We meet again," one of the Mormos sneered.

The mall's alarms blared, and people inside began to panic, screaming. These monsters seemed indifferent to the chaos they were causing in a public place.

"To the second floor!" Ron shouted, pulling Zade and tossing him toward the escalator.

"What!?"

"SECOND FLOOR!" Ron roared, notching an arrow as one of the monsters lunged toward him. The arrow found its mark, hitting the creature in the face, sending it tumbling backward. Zade was already on the second floor, locked in a battle with the two salesladies, his sword clashing against their triple-ended spears. He was quick and managed to slice one of them, causing it to explode into dust.

As three more figures materialized from below, like dust taking form, Ron knew they were in a dire situation. They needed to get out of the place before the security officers arrived. People had undoubtedly already called the police. He glanced around, spotting the two Mormos circling, ready to attack him.

Ron knew he had to act fast. He sprinted up the escalator to join Zade, firing arrows at the approaching threats.

"We need to get out of here," Ron told him, kicking one of the approaching monsters and shooting an arrow into its forehead.

"We're literally on the second floor!" Zade shouted back.

"Well, think!" Ron exclaimed, trying to find a way out of this escalating situation.

"We jump and die!" Zade's words left Ron momentarily speechless. He desperately scanned their surroundings, and as a Mormo lunged at him, he leaped backward, using his bow to deflect himself from the creature's attack. He swiftly stabbed it with his celestial bronze sword, but it didn't die.

More monsters were materializing, encircling them, and Ron and Zade found themselves back-to-back.

"Ready?" Ron asked.

"Ready," Zade affirmed with a nod. They both bolted to the right, slashing at the approaching monsters until they sprinted toward a glass wall. They crashed into it and found themselves falling onto tables where people screamed in surprise.

It was painful, but then Ron felt something sticky in his hair. He quickly pulled it out. "Pizza with pineapples? What the...?"

Zade shook his head, finding a scrap of food above his hoodie jacket, his face contorted in disgust.

"Hey, you!" They heard a booming voice and spotted five guards approaching. Both of them froze, but Ron quickly unfroze himself and pulled Zade along as they limped in another direction to escape.

"This is the dumbest idea we've had!" Zade shouted, though he didn't appear too disappointed.

They made their way back to the building they had entered. A few guards passed them, and they stopped when they saw Ron and Zade. Ron cast a mist as they rushed up the grand staircase, bumping into many panicking people. Their priority was to find Tyler, right now.

They reached another floor, and this one was spacious. A circular counter was in the middle, with a few people waiting in line.

"That's where you can ask people who've reserved rooms here," Zade explained as they joined the line at the end, the mist around them having already faded.

"Then we need to hurry up," Ron said.

Zade pulled his hoodie over his head to hide, and Ron tried to cast a strong mist as the guards approached, looking around and giving directions. When it was their turn, the woman behind the counter raised an eyebrow.

"Tyler Hubbertham," Ron said immediately.

"Visitors?" she asked.

"Yeah," Zade replied. "By the name of Zadeust Hamilton." Surprisingly, the woman appeared momentarily surprised and checked the list on her computer.

"Zadeust Hamilton, alright," the woman said, jotting down a number on a scrap of paper and handing it to him, which Zade immediately hid in his pocket.

"Wait, what are you—"

"We need to hurry if you want to get to Tyler immediately," Zade insisted, walking toward a large elevator. Ron hesitated for a moment before following him.

"What did the woman give you?" Ron demanded, grabbing Zade's arm.

"It's a number to Tyler's room. I thought you needed it."

"Well, yeah, but—"

Zade pushed his own arm back, entered the elevator, and immediately entered the number as Ron joined him. The redhead continued to regard him with suspicion until the elevator doors closed. Zade seemed to notice this and grew annoyed.

"Will you stop?" he asked.

As the elevator continued its ascent, Ron remained in silence. He had a nagging feeling that there was something he should know, but he was too exhausted to argue or seek confirmation. The numbers on the elevator display climbed higher – eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. Ron's stomach churned, not from hunger, but from the anticipation of something worse looming.

The elevator doors finally opened on the sixteenth floor. They stepped out into a luxurious hotel corridor. Zade pulled off his hoodie and started walking in silence, and Ron silently followed him.

They halted in front of a grand door, adorned with a large silver number—248. Zade knocked five times as the door opened.

A tall, imposing man dressed in a tuxedo and wearing black shades appeared, holding the door. "Motives?"

"Tyler," Zade replied.

Ron suddenly frowned.

"And what do you want with the boss?"

"I've got him," Zade stated, and the redhead snapped his head towards him.

"You know that the boss will get mad about this, Zadeust," the man said, and Zade glared at him.

"I don't want to be in this form anymore!" Zade cried out. "I want him dead!"

"He will kill you," the man replied, shaking his head in disappointment. "We were all made with this form, forced to take it. But we don't have a choice. What else do we have in this world?"

"What—" but Zade grabbed his arm tightly, his hand shaking.

"Just let us in," Zade demanded firmly, and then he pushed Ron inside. He stumbled and dropped to the ground, but it wasn't a normal floor—it was cold and strange. He looked up and saw Zade gazing down at him, flickering and fading.

"Zade—" Ron tried to call out, and was about to get up, when the tall man swiftly struck his knee, causing him to fall back to the ground.

"You're right," Zade said, his expression pained. "I'm different. I'm no demigod nor mortal. I'm forced to become a mist form by Tyler."

"No—"

"Good luck." Zade said.

The tall man closed the door, plunging Ron into darkness. He felt anger bubbling within, but he couldn't pinpoint what exactly he was angry about. Zade had helped him get to Tyler, but why? This was part of a plan, he should be relieved. Standing up, he glanced around in the blackness. It was as if he were blind, but then he noticed something at the end. As he walked toward it, the object became clearer and closer.

He halted in front of a white door and didn't hesitate to open it. The world seemed to flip as he stepped inside, and his body dropped onto something hard.

Ron groaned as his head hit the ground, clutching it in pain. It was still dark until a sudden, bright light shone on him. He closed his eyes, wincing from the intensity. When he dared to open them again, he found himself in the middle of a vast stadium. Spotlights illuminated the area, and he could hear cheers and jeers on him from various monsters and mist forms, many of them brandishing different kinds of weapons.

In front of him, seated on a throne-like chair, was the familiar figure Ron had been searching for—Tyler Hubbertham. He looked exhausted, but he maintained his posture and expression. He still wore his Ilvermorny uniform, which gave him an air of royalty, but his disheveled hair and pale complexion indicated that he was far from well.

"Oh," Tyler began as he looked at Ron. "And what do we have here?"

His voice resonated throughout the stadium, and the monsters and mist forms sneered at the scene. Tyler raised his hand to silent them and stood up from his throne. Ron also got to his feet, but before he could make a move, Tyler waved his hand as something, probably an air, punch him in the stomach, causing Ron to double over and fall to the ground, clutching his aching abdomen.

Tyler clicked his tongue in disappointment. "This is who's going to defeat me tonight?" He asked. "Weak!" That made the others roared in laughter.

Ron snarled at him, pulled out his dagger, and lunged swiftly. However, Tyler deftly deflected the attack with his sword. "Weak? Do you even look at yourself in the mirror?" Ron retorted as their weapons clashed, then he jumped backward, balancing himself with the dagger in his hand.

Tyler appeared to be slightly offended but didn't move. He brushed his shoulder mockingly. "I see. You're already prepared to defeat me." He walked forward and sat back on his throne, crossing his legs.

"Now go on, kill me," Tyler taunted.

Ron stood there, panting and feeling unusually weak. Perhaps it was the result of a whole month of wandering Las Vegas without sufficient food and sleep, or perhaps Tyler was wielding a dark surge of power that was affecting Ron's one.

"Tired already?" Tyler smirked and began laughing, joined by others in the stadium. "Come on! You wouldn't want to bore my people, would you?"

"Right, your people that you forced into this," Ron retorted, glancing to the few demigods in their armor who watched the confrontation. He then turned his attention back to Tyler. "Fight me yourself if you consider yourself that strong in front of your followers." He added coolly.

Tyler then stopped laughing and his expression turned serious in an instant. "Very well," he began. "If you don't want to fight me, then I'll admit I had to entertain my people. Rebius!" He called and snapped his fingers.

The spotlight shifted behind Ron, and he spun around to see a large, bald, burly man with a murderous expression. The man shoved a boy to the ground, and Ron's eyes widened.

"Zade!" he exclaimed, about to move to help, but the man produced an axe.

"Ah, I knew it. You two know each other," Tyler said. "My Mormos filled me in." Then three figures suddenly appeared, two landing beside Tyler and another one at a distance. All of them had menacing expressions and hissed.

"Now, now," Tyler said, "You'll get your meal after I've dealt with the boy."

"You're not going to kill him!" Ron shouted, his anger evident.

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he questioned. "And why not?"

Ron looked back at Zade, who was staring at him with wide, scared blue eyes, but the boy was making an effort to be brave. He then turned his attention back to Tyler. "You're going to have to kill me first," Ron declared.

Zade shook his head and tried to call out, but it seemed like his voice was muffled or silenced.

"What is this, like something out of the movies?" Tyler remarked, standing up. "Oh, please, don't kill him, kill me," he mocked, mimicking a movie scene and earning another round of laughter from the crowd, along with a chant of his name. But then his face grew serious once more. He drew his wand, and Zade's body flew as the axe hovered above his neck.

"STOP!" Ron shouted, but the crowd jeered at him, pelting him with cans and rocks.

"Come on, now," Tyler urged. "This is going to be a great show! Let's see, a fantastic spectacle courtesy of Apollo!" Flashes of light darted toward them.

"Two of his children getting killed tonight," he continued, then turned to look at the dozens of cameras that had appeared, flashing at them. "And getting cooked by my Mormos, this is going to be a popular cooking show." The crowd cheered, and the Mormos hissed excitedly.

Tyler must have noticed the confusion and shock on the redhead's face, and he hummed thoughtfully. "Oh, hasn't Zade told you who his father is? Or perhaps you hasn't tell the same?" He glanced at them with an impressed expression. "Oh, this is going to be fun,"

Tyler retrieved his sword and advanced toward Ron. "You want to show them how strong I am?" he taunted. "Then, I'll show you." In an instant, Tyler was in front of him, and his sword swung at Ron. The redhead, feeling weak but determined, deflected the blow with his dagger and sent Tyler's weapon spiraling away.

"Trying to impress daddy?" Tyler smirked as hos sword flew back towards his hand.

The two of them then clashed in close combat, and Ron wasn't that particularly skilled in this and give Tyler an opening to land a few hits, and the redhead found himself getting cut in the process. Ron doesn't know if Apollo was really watching, but it would be even worse if he died, defeated by Tyler. He had no idea what Apollo would think of him anymore. 

"Come on," Tyler taunted, delivering a cut to Ron's arm, this one even more substantial. "Show me how strong you are."

Ron was already bleeding too much, and he knew he needed to eat ambrosia to heal, but his bag had disappeared, and he had no idea where it had gone anymore. Ron was growing weaker, and continuing to fight in close quarters seemed like a losing battle. He didn't notice as Tyler seized his jacket and threw him harshly to the ground, the sword pointed menacingly at him.

"Kill him!" They all shouted, chanting it. 

"Wouldn't it be nice to slice him into pieces first?" Tyler laughed, enjoying the situation. As Ron struggled to get up and used his dagger to steady himself, he then lunged back at Tyler, grasping his arm as their eyes locked. Ron's blue eyes blazed with intensity as suddenly the world seemed to spin around them, like it was sucking them into one corner, fitting and squeezing them into an unknown space.

In an instant, they were transported to a large cave with huge stalactites and unstable rocky ground. Both of them had their wands drawn, pointing at each other. Between them, a dark, massive dark cloud loomed, coiled and condensed, forming a barrier that separated them from whatever is behind it, there were small sparks of thunder and electricity on it, but the two of them remained entirely focused on each other, their wands at the ready.

Then before Tyler could cast the redhead had already shouted a hex. It was exhasuting, ducking and throwing hexes and curses, but that's better than close combat. 

Then both of them chanted the same word as their spells collided, bursting forth and throwing them onto their backs together. In the aftermath of the spell clash, Tyler quickly apparated in front of Ron, grabbed his collar, and slammed him against the cave wall.

"You're wasting my time," Tyler sneered, pressing Ron harder against the wall. "I might as well just kill you, leave your body there, and show it to your father while the Mormolyces eats you."

Ron gazed up at him, his face and head bleeding, but he managed to give Tyler a defiant smile. "Oh yeah?" he said. "Then kill me. Maybe if I sacrifice myself, I can be the key to freeing the gods."

"You'd never do that," Tyler hissed, his breath ragged.

"I could," Ron hissed through the pain when Tyler deepened the point of his wand into his side. "You know where we are, Hubbertham."

Tyler narrowed his eyes at him, "This is why you're such a failure, Prewett. You rely on your bravery rather than your brain. Do you really think I would sacrifice myself, cry, and tell my final words, just like your friend, Castellan?"

"Well, that's my goal," Ron said and cried out as the wand went deeper, causing intense pain and making his side bleed profusely. "You know that it could be either of us, and the result will be the same. You will lose. You're afraid, and your father knew about it. You tried to prove yourself, and..." The redhead screamed when Tyler twirled the sword, driving it deeper inside.

"Don't talk about my father!" He snarled.

"Are you scared?" Ron asked and gave a weak chuckled. "I might get killed by you, but Zeus doesn't care anymore because Hecate will be freed, and you'll be in trouble. Those people you had control over there, they'll all die, including you," he said, closing his eyes, trying to catch his breath, but the pain in his side was making it hard.

Ron then looked at him and said, "This is how the gods play, they knew all along. Hecate gave me the wand with ancient magic, because she knew it will be mixed with mine, and If I didn't managed to kill you, and I die, the result will be the same. Don't you understand? They knew the prophecy a long time ago."

Tyler remained silent as the wand slowly slipped from his wound. Ron hissed in pain and quickly grabbed it to stem the bleeding. "My father despised me from the moment I was born," Tyler began staring at Ron.

Ron replied, "I know, all the gods treated people like us poorly."

Tyler shook his head. "You don't get it," he said. "Hypnos tried to end my life when I was just a year old, but my mother protected me, asking him to give me a chance to prove myself to the gods. The result? Well, I survived and grew up healthy," He started to chuckle, which gradually turned into laughter.

"Do you know what he said when I managed to learned something cool just for him? My father looked at me as if I were pathetic, weak, incapable of doing things like any demigods can!" He went on, "Then, when I found out he was imprisoned and he forced me to sacrifice myself, I questioned, 'What's the point of serving his foot?'"

"Tyler—"

"No!" Tyler shouted, "He tried to kill me in every way, and yet I stood here, resolute. Even Nyx tried to end my life. Do you know what she said? I'm disgusting, born to be discarded and obliterated, and Nyx tried to kill me with her dozens of hellhounds. I survived, almost dying, and that happened almost every week," then he took a step back, stumbling as he tried to laugh, but instead, tears welled up in his eyes.

"You were losing hope," Ron tried, "So—"

"Don't you get it?" Tyler said. "Can't you see why there were hundreds of mist forms?"

"You were trying to kill yourself."

Tyler chuckled as he stood up straight, "Mist form requires a significant amount of effort to create. It involves your strength and the essence of magic. There's a limit, but yes, you're right."

"And wanting to leave something behind, people who will remember you once you—"

Tyler then laughed again. "Pathetic, right? Using and creatingpeople to remember me... I only found what home and protection really is, when I heard about the camp," he said. "I only got to know people when I made friends at Ilvermorny, but I ended up betraying all of them."

Ron couldn't bear it any longer; he stepped forward and gently embraced Tyler, feeling the taller man's tears on his shoulder.

"I'll do it." Tyler whispered. 

Then Tyler stepped back, drew his sword, and slashed a gash on his hand, standing in front of the dark, looming clouds and looking back at Ron. "Tell my mother that I love her, and the mist forms, you can guide them back to their card form, it will appear when you need them."

"Tyler, I..." Ron tried to speak, but words failed him.

"It doesn't matter anymore, right?" Tyler snapped. "My father knew I was going to do this soon." He took a deep breath and continued, "Zade, he wasn't fully mist yet. You can help him, help him find what home is, give him the family he needs."

Then he turned around, clenched his fist, and said, "May the gods grant us the justice we need," before walking into the looming clouds. The redhead's knees then dropped to the ground as he watched Tyler's body disappear. Suddenly, the clouds grew larger and larger, squeezing himself, and then they exploded. A powerful surge of magic burst forth in the cave, causing it to shake. Stalactites trembled from above, and a few of them started to fall.

Ron clung to the ground tightly, clutching his side.

Zade.

He thought.

Zade! Let me go to where Zade is!

He shouted in his mind, then he felt that squeezing sensation again as he disapparated.

The redhead found himself back in the stadium, but what he encountered was chaos. The few demigods who had joined Tyler were now locked in battle with the monsters, including Zade, as they fought fiercely. Mormolyces screeched overhead, adding to the mayhem. The Mist Forms stood there, unsure of what to do, weapons in hand.

Ron then let out a loud piercing whistle to grab their attention, and he summoned hundreds of Mistform cards into the air with his wand. "Attack!" he bellowed. The Mistforms then flockered and suddenly readied their weapons, and a few demigods nodded in agreement, even Zade appeared wide-eyed, surprised to see him alive.

When he gave the command, there was a resounding cheer from both Mistforms and demigods as they battled the monsters inside the stadium.

Ron joined Zade in the fight, and the boy tried to ask him what had happened.

"Focus!" Ron instructed firmly. "On your left." Zade swiftly stabbed a dracanae to his left, right in the middle, causing it to emit a loud screech before exploding into dust.

Ron then pointed an arrow above and shot it, and the arrow duplicated itself into dozens, changing direction to point below. He took out his wand as several monsters flew in the air and were impaled by the arrows. 

The fight continued for another hour, and the demigods who had fought cheered as they gathered around the redhead, who was clutching his side and panting breathlessly. He gave them a proud smile. Ron realized how young these demigods were, all of them removing their helmet armor to look at him.

"Why did you join Tyler?" he asked them. They all glanced at each other guiltily.

"I'm a witch, my dad's Hermes," one of them admitted. "I didn't know what to do..."

"You are?" Ron said surprised 

"I think we all are," the eldest among them, likely around fifteen, stood up straight. She had wavy hazel hair and green eyes. "My mother's Demeter, but when she realized who I am, she left me with my dad. I didn't really know I was a demigod until Tyler found me and told me to join him."

They tried to explain what they were, and Ron smiled at them. "Have you ever heard of a camp for people like us?"

One of the young kids, whose eyes had sparkled with excitement, "For wizards like us?"

"Half wizard and a half god." Ron replied happily.

"Wow," the young kid said in awe. "There's such a thing?"

"Zade," Ron said as the boy appeared, clutching the redhead's bag. "Take a paper and a pencil, write to the camp where we are and include my name."

"Got it," Zade said, taking out a paper and pen and beginning to write on it. An owl appeared, pecked Ron on the head, and then took the paper when Zade had finished writing it. The Mistforms had joined them, but when Ron tapped the Mist Form card, they flickered and disappeared. Most of them had already vanished, and Ron was left wondering how, but he intended to find out.

Zade's body began flickering, and suddenly he dropped to his knees. Ron stood up from where he was crouching and helped him.

"Zade?"

"I'm fine," he said, hissing in pain. "Just not used to it, I wasn't fully mist yet."

"I'm going to take you to the camp and see what my friends can do about this," Ron said.

"Yeah, whatever."

Ron smiled at him and affectionately whacked his head. "I'm your brother now; you don't speak to me like that."

"Come on, let's get out of here and wait for the others," he said, helping Zade up.

🔆

They used chariots to return to the camp, and when Will saw the blood all over the redhead and his wound on the side, he was in a state of shock. His other siblings tended to heal Ron instead, while a few helped with the others. Zade complained as Gracy, their sister, tried to heal him, but then the girl lunged herself at him, and they both toppled to the ground, fighting with each other.

Chiron was busy helping the other healers tend to and examine the others, all the while explaining who they were to those who didn't know about the camp. The wounded demigods were receiving the care they needed and Ron had fallen asleep on a cot outside the Big House, still holding a plate of sandwiches. He wanted to help, but he was completely drained. 

Ron had a lot to do, including returning to the wizarding world, letting others know he was alive, and preparing for another war.

During dinner, the Hermes table was packed, and most of them had to give up their seats for others. Connor was shocked by the sight of them, and even Zade joined the Hermes table, albeit reluctantly. A few campers stared at them, but their attention shifted when the hazel-haired Demeter's child had her symbol appear above her head. 

Their eyes widened, and Ron couldn't help but break into a wide smile. Even though some of them were aware of their godly parentage, the symbols above their heads still clearly showed that the gods had claimed them. Second is the young girl who had told him about Hermes, the symbols continued to appear one by one, and they all stood up and knelt in acknowledgment.

Chiron was taken aback by the sudden claims, and lastly, it was Zade's turn. Apollo's symbol appeared above him, and Ron couldn't contain his excitement. He cried out with joy and hugged the boy who didn't hug him back.

Even Mr. D nearly tumbled out of his chair at the sight.

"Well," Chiron said smiling widely, raising his cup, "To the new demigods!" The entire assembly repeated it enthusiastically.

"And for the quest that has been completed," the centaur added, giving Ron a proud nod. Mr. D grumbled and slumped in his seat as the loud cheers resounded through the camp.

Ron couldn't exactly celebrate with everyone else. Instead, he waited until everyone gathered at the campfire for the Sing-Along, and then he approached Chiron. The centaur had a knowing look in his eyes, clearly anticipating Ron's question. The redhead then didn't join the others at the campfire and found himself packing again. He needed to return to London and continue with the plan. 

After packing and changing, he made his way to the stable and a chariot was waiting there, along with Jerry.

"Hullo," his brother said warmly and hugged him tightly.

"Sorry, I had to get you out of the camp immediately," the redhead apologized, ruffling his hair.

"S' fine," Jerry replied excitedly, adjusting the strap of his backpack. "I'm ready, and we've also got a new companion."

Ron gave a confused look, "Huh?"

Then, a figure shifted in the chariot, and a head popped up. Zade's face appeared, and he was looking rather satisfied. "Sup, new brother?"

Ron rolled his eyes, saying, "I know I'm happy that you're my sibling, but you're not coming with us,"

"Come on," Zade retorted, rolling his eyes as well. "You want Lacy to kick my butt for the rest of my life here? It's going to be boring."

"You have to train here and its Gracy not Lacy," the redhead reminded him as he placed his bag in the chariot. "And two young siblings are a nope. One is enough."

Jerry pouted at this. "Really?"

"Not you, Jerry. You're my baby brother!" Ron said, hugging Jerry again. Zade crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at them, clearly unamused by the sibling interaction.

"I'm coming no matter what you say,"

"Fine, idiot. Do Chiron knows?" Ron asked.

"The half horse half human was?"

"Centaur," Ron corrected.

"Yeah." Zade stretched out, his sword was in a sheath on his back. "Come on, let's go to London!"

"How do you even know we're going to London?" Ron asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at Jerry, who stifled a laugh and hopped onto the chariot as the two shared a high-five. The redhead looked at them, clearly exhausted. This was going to be an interesting journey back, to say the least.

🔆

Maintaining the pegasus as they flew from New York to London was exhausting for Ron. He had never gotten enough sleep at the camp, maybe just a few hours before dinner, but at least he had enough food with him. However, the sight of the ocean below them was beautiful, especially as the sun began to set. It brought warmth and a calming sensation to the three of them.

Jerry opened up London's map and traced the lines with his fingers, while Zade looked at it. They shared directions with each other, and Ron was surprised to see that both of them had a common interest when it came to navigating and maps. Maybe he was right to let Zade come with them after all.

They managed to reach London from the countryside to the main city.

"Here, this is the place," Jerry said, showing them the map. "Near the British Museum, lots of people usually gather around this area, and it's close to Covent Garden. There are a few flats over there."

Ron veered to the right and spotted a narrow alley. He lowered the chariot there, and they immediately hopped down, collecting their belongings. Zade, however, only had his sword and a lollipop. Jerry glanced around and started walking towards the alley, while Ron examined the structure at the back of the buildings.

"How much money do we have?" Jerry questioned.

"We can pay for the entire apartment for a year," Ron replied. "If you add my money from the vault, I mean."

"What kind of apartment do we need, exactly?" Zade asked as they walked along a street.

"Something spacious," Ron explained. "We have Lou and others who can enchant it to create more room and expand it magically. But for the meantime, let's find a suitable one while they work on the magical transportation."

"What's magical transportation?" Zade asked. "You mean the Pegasus one?"

"Well, you could say it's a form of magical transportation, but it's more like, um, in Greek terms? Magical transportation is for witches and wizards. There are a few of them," Ron explained, while keeping an eye on their surroundings. It was Saturday, so the place was bustling with lots of people. The cafes were full, as were some of the shops in the alleys.

Otus appeared, dropping a letter that Ron immediately caught. The owl landed on his arm and nuzzled him affectionately. "It's okay, Otus. I miss you too, sorry for making you work hard."

Otus hooted and then jumped toward Zade's head, causing the boy to shout in surprise.

"Come on," Ron said, as he opened the letter while Jerry continued to look around for apartments.

The letter was from Daphne. Ron had informed her that they were already in London, currently checking for flats. The letter mentioned that her friend would help, and Hogwarts had been different without Ron. As he read the rest of letter, Ron's heart began to race for some reason. He couldn't help but think about Harry and how he would greet his bestfriend. 

Ron was filled with anxiety. Would Harry be angry with him? It had been four months already.

"Hey, are you okay?" Zade asked as he petted the owl on his head.

"I think I'm going to vomit," Ron said, feeling dizzy.

"Uh, what?" Zade looked concerned.

"This is the place!" Jerry exclaimed in front of them, pointing to one of the tall buildings. "Let's go inside and check!" He added excitedly, and before Ron could say anything, the boy had already run inside with Zade and the owl trailing behind him.Ron sighed at them heavily before following them into the building. 

The first place they checked wasn't large enough, with only two rooms, one bathroom, and a small kitchen. The three of them shook their heads in unison and stepped back outside to continue their search.

Zade recommended, "What about a studio?"

"Studio?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, if you're looking for a spacious place without separate rooms, like it's all in one room," Zade explained. Jerry hummed in thought, and after a moment, he nodded, and they continued their search with this in mind. 

They reached the last studio apartment on their list, and all three of them nodded in approval. The apartment they had chosen wasn't dark and had a bright and pleasant atmosphere, which made it suitable. It was located on the fourth floor of the building and was spacious enough, and they could make it even larger with magic.

"I'm going to talk with the landlord," Ron informed them. "You two write letters back to the camp. You have Otus with you." He pointed to the owl. Zade lazily saluted in response, and then the two of them took out papers from the bag, ready to write letters back to the camp.

🔆

Lou and the others teleported into the apartment. Some of them apparated, while the rest used mist to teleport. They had their wands out, and with their magic, the room expanded to create four additional rooms. Shelves and dozens of soft cushions appeared, and a fireplace was in the center. Ron helped put strong mist and protection charms all over the place, including the building itself, just in case.

Gracey and Tamara were there to check the transportation, while a few of them sat around, each with a cup or bowl.

"What are they doing?" Ron asked Freya, who was munching on a snack.

"Oh, them? They're tracing the line to Hogwarts, so it's like a one-way transportation," Freya explained.

"Cool," Ron replied.

Having demigods around was bound to add a touch of chaos. Jerry found himself in a heated argument with four others over which food items should be stocked in the vending machine there. Meanwhile, a different group debated which weapons to place just in case. Jaymie appeared and, with a swish of her wand, covered all the walls in the place with various kinds of weapons, glaring at them. Ron couldn't help but think she would fit in better in Ares' cabin.

Alaska, the Demeter girl Ron had met at the stadium, attended Castelobruxo. She was strategically placing pots all over the place, and with a wave of her hand, the plants were growing on their own. 

"It'll be ready at the end of the month," Lou informed him, holding a can of Sprite. "Oh, and I've got some ideas, just in case enemies attack this place, not that they will."

"Lou..." Ron began, hesitating. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Lou replied.

"About Hecate, can you feel her?"

Lou gave him a reassuring smile. "Yeah, she's gaining power...she'll be fine. And Ron, you don't need to worry about Tyler. Clovis and the rest of the campers there have held a proper burial for him."

The redhead nodded. "Yeah, it's not about that..." He paused and then added, "Just, just...I don't know..."

"Hey," Lou said, clapping his arm. "You'll be fine." He offered some comfort and encouragement to Ron, who was clearly carrying a lot on his shoulders.

"I'll let others know about this place when we're all done," Ron stated, his hand in his jacket's pocket. "You should meet my friends from Hogwarts; they'll be happy to work with us." 

As the weeks passed, they continued to strengthen the new hideout, making sure it was secure and the transportation was reliable. The place was becoming more and more like a haven. Ron had managed to catch up on some much-needed sleep during his stay. The weather turned colder as November came around. Ron continued to exchange letters with Daphne and his friends at Hogwarts. They updated him on their progress in recruiting Slytherin students, but there was a recurring issue with Draco. The blond wizard kept dismissing their plans, expressing doubts about their chances of success and worrying about betrayal.

The location also turned into a meeting ground when a few of Annabeth's brothers and sisters showed up. There was a big circular table to the side where papers, pens, and maps were scattered about, including copies of the Daily Prophet with news about Ron's death. 

Ron informed them that he would come back to his aunt's house during the Christmas to take care of some unfinished business.

And yes, that also involves Ron showing up at the place alive.

Zade then insisted that he would come too, but the redhead told him he couldn't. However, he remembered what Tyler had told him, and he felt guilty. Zade had been on his own since he was eight, only having those monsters to serve and stealing food every day, forced to be a mist, and Zade is his brother. Ron returned Zade's hug as he saw tears welling up in the boy's eyes.

Zade trusted him more than anyone, and if the boy wanted a family, then Ron would be the one for him.

On the day before the winter solstice, Ron used the chariot to go back to St. Catchpole, and he watched as Zade hopped on with his bag now filled with new clothes.

"Are you really going to make a new room for me?" Zade asked.

"Lou taught me how," the redhead replied with a happy smile.

Ron rode alongside him, maintaining control of the Pegasus. Then, the horse spread its wings and kicked off, soaring into the sky. They flew high above London and ventured beyond the clouds, heading to the countryside to the right. Zade gazed down at the hills and farms blanketed in thick snow below.

Well, one might have thought they were in for a smooth journey back to the Burrow, enjoying the beautiful view from above. What could possibly go wrong? But then, suddenly, as they were about to land in the town near St. Catchpole, three figures collided with their chariot, causing them to yell in surprise. The impact was so strong that they nearly toppled out.

Soon, three furious Mormolyces appeared, angrier than any they had seen before, their hair growing longer as they launched an attack.

"Ron!" Zade shouted, trying to deflect the attack with his bronze.

"Hang on!" Ron yelled back in panic, struggling to regain control of the chariot.

"It's impossible! They couldn't have followed us all the way from London," Ron exclaimed frustratedly. He quickly steered the chariot away from the pursuing Mormolyces, finding it hard to believe that Hecate hadn't regained her power to control them and banish them to the Underworld.

"Take the rails!" Ron instructed his brother, who hurriedly did so, while Ron notched an arrow and shot at one of the Mormolyces.

Of course, they wouldn't die!

In the middle of this unfair situation, Ron continued to shoot at the Mormolyces and even blasted them with Greek fire. However, one of them managed to evade it and lunged at the redhead. As Ron fell backward from the chariot, his hand found Zade's other hand, gripping the railing tightly.

"Ron!" Zade shouted in alarm.

"You think we'll let that woman control us!?" one of them snarled. "Think again!" she added before slashing at the Pegasus's reins. The two of them screamed as they spiraled in the air, plummeting toward the hills.

Just as they were about to hit the ground, a flash of color sped towards them and they found themselves falling into the seats of a convertible car. Although it was a relatively soft landing, the redhead hit his head on the car door, causing him to hiss in pain. Zade fared no better, dropping fully into the car, and his leg hit the headrest of the front seat.

Their bags fell toward their stomachs, and they both choked from the sudden punch.

The guy, likely around seventeen years old, had long flowing blonde hair and wore black shades, he has a tanned skin with few freckles in the face. One hand on the wheel and the other draped over the back of his seat, as he turned to look at them with a wide grin. His teeth were incredibly white, and Ron had to squint and close his eyes when they flashed in the bright light.

"Hey, there," he greeted happily, the teen wore a sleeveless button-down white shirt tucked into shorts or pants, although Ron couldn't see what he had on from his vantage point below. Who would dare to wear something so summery in the middle of winter?

The two were too dizzy to fully grasp what was happening, but Zade managed to wave a hand. However, instead of a friendly greeting, he unintentionally used a curse word that made the teenager frowned at them disapprovingly.

"Hey, hey—that's a bad word!"

Then he took off his black shades as they veered left and looked up at them again, winking. If there was anyone who epitomized both being handsome and hot, the teenager was certainly up there with the best of them. The redhead helped Zade to sit properly, and Zade scowled at the teenager in return.

"Don't look at me like that. I literally saved the two of you from those monsters!" he exclaimed, pretending to be offended by the boy's reactions. Ron began glancing around and realized they were in a flying convertible car, soaring above.

"How did they—"

"Duck," the teenager interrupted.

"What—?" Ron said, but he couldn't do much when the car suddenly surged forward, causing both him and Zade to yelp loudly.

"Duck!" he repeated panickly, and the two immediately complied. The car then veered to the left as the Mormolyces reappeared, attempting to strike from above, using their hairs. The teenager had to maneuver in different directions to evade them as they duck them. 

"Whoa!" exclaimed the teen. "That woman's minions! No wonder they can't be fought fairly."

"LEFT!" The two both shouted as one of the Mormos had found a way to strike from the left.

"Oops," the teen said.

It's pointless—the Mormos continued to follow them, and Ron wouldn't ever allow them to hurt anyone since Mormos were capable of attacking mortals even with the mists surrounding them. 

And how in Zeus are they here in London? How did they—they weren't supposed to follow them through here; they were supposed to be in the west. If these monsters couldn't be fought with weapons, then...then Ron would be the sacrifice. It was only a matter of time, right? The Mormos were there to kill him because he succeeded in the quest, and they were mad.

Is this how Percy feels when monsters chase him and try to kill him?

"What are you doing?" Zade asked.

Ron grabbed the strap of his bag and slung it over his back. "Look," he began. "I don't have any weapons with me right now, but I can summon mist-formed arrows."

"What, why are—"

"Zade," Ron said firmly, looking at his brother. "I need you to go back to the Burrow, tell Molly who I am—you'll recognize her immediately if you ask them."

Zade opened his mouth, but Ron tightly grabbed his arm. "I'll let them chase me out of here. Just promise me that you'll be safe."

"But what about you?"

"I'll be fine," Ron said, standing up from the back seat. He looked down at the teen driving the convertible car, who hadn't said anything. When the teen noticed him standing, their similar blue eyes met through the rearview mirror.

"And how do you plan to let them chase you?"

"Keep my brother safe," Ron answered.

"Look, your idea is not that smart you will die—"

"Thanks for the reminder."

He heard the teen sighed, "You don't even know me. Why do you trust me that much with your brother?"

Ron checked out his surroundings and then looked down; they were high above the ground but he didn't look back at them, instead he tilted his head a little, gazing past the clouds in front them. "Because gods don't just appear right in front of demigods in a dangerous situation and help them,"

"Unless the god has something to say to the demigod." Ron added, voice suddenly cracking, "Or maybe they wanted to apologize for not being present in their life for years and only appearing because they're so proud right now."

"Ron...?" Zade called worriedly.

Ron looked at them with furious tears forming in his eyes, "I'm gonna go."

"Wait—" the teen said and stopped his car.

"I'm sorry." Ron didn't even look down below again to brace himself; he jumped because he just wanted to be away. Because he was scared, because everything wasn't enough. He felt so many emotions—anger, sadness—but all of it...he just wanted to be happy.

Why couldn't he be happy?

Ron could feel the air rushing through him as he fell, and could hear the sound of screeches following him. He tried to focus on his fall, took out his mist form, summoning a broom. This would only last a few hours, and it had limits; it would burn up, so he had to finish this quickly.

He could feel something beside him and saw a Mormo. When a broom appeared, he immediately caught it with his own hand and rode it.

"You want a fight!?" Ron shouted angrily at them.

He heard a disgusting screech from one of them.

"Fine, I'll give you one."