Chapter 35: A true war

It was the worst sight I had ever seen.

There was chaos everywhere. There were trees on fire and demigods fighting groups of boars and vultures. Army cannons were being fired everywhere, forcing campers to run away. In the midst of it all, Dionysus was locked in a tense one-on-one with Ares, grapevines sprouting across the fields.

"We got to go!" Kai shouted.

The three of us ran into the fields, looking around for our friends. Just as she had in my dream, Amethyst was flying around the Apollo chariot, swerving past missiles and other various projectiles.

Alexander was facing a large group of Germani all at once, his weapons changing constantly between swords, shields, spears, etc. Geneva and a few other campers were facing Nemesis, trying desperately to stop her.

Chiron spotted the three of us near Thalia's Tree. "Rose, Kai! Do you have the last mask?"

Arthur pulled it out from his bag.

Chiron nodded. "Okay, you need to unite that mask with the other three! That should get rid of Nemesis and Ares's possession!"

That's when we heard a quite obnoxious voice.

"Not on my watch!" Nemesis snarled. She blasted a ray of darkness at the mask, knocking it out of Arthur's hand.

She dashed toward it but Kai interceded, slashing her hand away. "Not so fast!"

As the two fought on, I picked up the mask. I was surprised to find it didn't zap me or anything. I guess once it was taken out of its place, it lost its binding magic or whatever.

Amethyst spotted me from on the chariot. "Rose, the other three masks are-"

A missile hit the chariot, blowing it up to shreds. The campers upon it landed onto the ground, injured and lying unconscious.

Amethyst winced. "Crap! Will is going to be so mad!"

"Amethyst, where is the mask?" Arthur asked.

"I put them near the campfire," Amethyst responded. Groups of Germani charged towards us, carrying their missile launchers.

Arthur nodded towards me. "I'll hold them off. You need to go."

I swiftly moved on, taking down a few empousa and harpies on my way to the cabins. Near the Big House, campers collapsed onto the floor as Hypnos strolled through, wagging his pendant around.

"Hey, you need help?" a voice asked. Standing next to me were my friends from the Hecate Cabin, Oliver, Millicent, and Lou Ellen.

"Yeah," I answered. "I need to get this mask to the campfire, but Hypnos isn't making it easy."

Lou Ellen gestured toward us. "Follow my lead."

She began running towards the Big House, ducking behind a couple of trees like a ninja on a mission so Hypnos wouldn't see her. Millicent, Oliver, and I followed behind her.

"Where are you taking us?" Millicent asked.

"I have an idea," Lou Ellen answered. The four of us eventually made it to the Big House, hiding behind a wall. Hypnos was standing right in front of us, facing off to the left.

"Ready?" Lou Ellen asked.

We all nodded slowly, still confused as to what she was planning. She raised her hand up, creating an illusion of herself right in front of Hypnos.

Hypnos began waving his pendant at the illusion, trying to get it to sleep.

"Now attack!" Lou Ellen cried. The four of us went behind Hypnos and began attacking him. He dropped his pendant before disappearing from his spot.

"We… scared him?" Oliver asked, his eyes wide. "Wow."

Lou Ellen nodded towards me. "Go on, Rose. Save the camp."

I waved goodbye to my friends before continuing forward. In the distance, I saw Kai and Alexander facing off against Nemesis, getting overwhelmed by her speed.

I should help them, I thought.

No. I can't.

As much as I wanted to help them, I had to do this.

Apparently, my mind didn't listen to that at all. I found myself running towards their battle, storing the mask in my backpack. I shot a fire spell at Nemesis, pushing her backwards.

Alexander's face lit up when he saw me. "Rose! I thought you were dead!"

I looked at him with confusion. "Why?"

"Because I didn't see you yesterday for our coffee break!" Alexander explained.

Before the two of us could continue our conversation, Nemesis got up, her sights on me. "You! Give me the mask!"

"Over my dead body," I said.

Nemesis charged me, her katana raised. I barely dodged her first attack before Kai came in from behind, slashing her across the back.

"Sorry, emo. You're going to have to go through me first." he said.

Alexander then jumped in and bashed her on the head with his hammer. "Hammertime!"

Nemesis snarled and slashed towards him with her katana. Alexander quickly changed his hammer into a shield and blocked the attack before changing it into a sword. He then jabbed at her chest. Golden ichor drizzled down her torso.

I then cast a time spell, freezing Nemesis in midair. Kai blasted her down with a large fireball.

The goddess curled her lip. "How dare you!"

Kai barely dodged her first strike before she kicked him in the chest. Alexander was next, as she faked a slash and sweeped his legs with her right leg.

"Hand me the mask, missy, or else things are going to get ugly!" Nemesis commanded.

I shot a big Mist cloud at her face, blinding her temporarily. Then an arrow hit her in the chest, wrapping her up in a thick, iron rope.

I looked towards the direction where the arrow was shot.

Towering over me was Chiron, his bow held out. "Rose, you must go quickly. Dionysus can't hold down Ares for much longer."

Kai and Alexander began following me as I continued my descent to the cabins. The two of them guarded me, knocking down any monsters in my path.

That's when I saw a large tank speeding behind us, it's cannon ready for fire.

As I braced myself for a missile, a stream of lightning hit the tank, frying it. Arthur and Geneva ran in behind us, carrying an injured Amethyst in between them.

"Hey, is Amethyst okay?" I asked, concerned.

Arthur nodded. "I think she has a broken ankle, but beside that, she seems okay."

"Thank the gods," Kai muttered. "Well, continue on Rose. The four of us will clear you a path."

I smiled at him gratefully as I progressed towards the cabins, my friends following me.

"No you don't, girl!" a voice bellowed.

"Rose, watch out!" Geneva warned.

I quickly moved to the side as Ares drove at me with his motorcycle. He parked it a few yards ahead before turning towards me.

"Let's do this the easy way," he said. "Hand me the mask, and I might let you live."

"Real generous," I muttered.

"Get out of here, Ares," Kai said. "We're never going to let you take the mask."

"Fine. Your funeral."

Ares took off his black leather jacket and put on his sunglasses. He took a sword out from his pocket. "It's time to die."

He charged me with monstrous speed. I rolled to the side as he plunged his sword into the ground where I was just standing. Arthur shot a beam of light at him, but Ares merely deflected it.

Kai then slashed at him with Scorcher, but Ares parried it. Before he could hit Kai with his other hand, Alexander jumped in the way, blocking his blow with Slammer and Jammer.

"Pathetic. My own son thinks he can beat me," Ares spat.

I shot him with a large Mist cloud, but he dodged once again. Geneva and Kai came rushing at him, their weapons raised. Ares parried both of their attacks before stamping his foot on the ground. A minor quake knocked all of us off our feet.

He turned towards me. "Goodbye, hero."

Right as he was about to slash me with his sword, bullets began raining down on him from above. Soaring above my head was "Li'l Lenny" and Oman was steering the wheel.

"Get off her, ya cotton picking dummy!" Oman yelled.

Ares roared in anger. He then jumped all the way up on the plane and began shaking it.

"Hey, get off ya scoundrel! I just got this fixed up, and I'm not about to clean it again!"

Ares punched the plane into the ground before turning back toward me.

Just as he was about to dash at me, Kai came in and stabbed Ares in the leg. Geneva slashed at Ares's chest and then Alexander pushed him back with his shield.

"Rose, hurry!" Amethyst cried as she hobbled on one foot. "We'll take Ares, but you need to reunite the masks!"

I nodded and ran off, going as fast as I could. As I neared the cabins, I could hear Ares bellowing in rage. Smoke covered the camp like a blanket and there were cries of battle everywhere.

When I finally got to the campfire, the three masks were united in an uncompleted rhombus shape. I grabbed my bag and quickly got the last mask, putting the mask in the final position.

A large wave of purple energy hit me backwards and the world became dark.