Ikki walked towards the cabins, his steps slow and silent, as if his mind were far away. The conversation with Silena still echoed in his thoughts, each word laden with conflicting emotions.
Silena worked with Kronos.
Worked with his mother's killers.
His fists clenched at the memory, a flash of fury coursing through his veins like thunder about to strike. A part of him; a dark, cold, vengeful part wanted to kill her right there, end any threat, any shadow of betrayal that might hover over him and those he loved.
But the other part…
The part that knew Silena. That knew she wasn't a bad person. That knew, like many, she was manipulated, deceived, and used.
That part won.
He understood Silena. Understood her reasons. The mistakes she made, the fear that led her to betray everyone's trust. She wasn't a bad person. Just someone who made wrong choices.
Therefore, he forgave her.
But forgiving didn't mean forgetting.
It didn't mean he could trust her again.
Ikki let out a heavy sigh, feeling the cold afternoon wind brush against his skin.
And then, there was the confession.
"I… I love you."
Her words echoed in his mind, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
He didn't doubt Silena's sincerity in that moment. The pain in her voice, the desperation in her eyes… it was all real. But that didn't change anything.
It was like catching your wife in bed with another man and her trying to justify herself, saying it wasn't what it looked like, that she loved him.
Love wasn't empty words thrown to the wind. Love was loyalty. It was trust. It was choosing to stand by someone even when everything seemed to be falling apart.
And Silena chose otherwise.
She chose to work with those who destroyed his mother, with those who wanted to see the world he fought to protect crumble…
And now she said she loved him?
Ikki felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes for a brief moment.
A sigh escaped his lips.
He moved on.
After a few minutes of aimless walking, he passed by the campfire in the center of the camp. The fire crackled softly, and there, sitting before the flames, was Hestia poking the fire with a small branch. She looked calm, small, and delicate as always, in her form of a twelve or thirteen-year-old adolescent. But her eyes, so deep and welcoming, held a wisdom that no mortal could fully understand.
It had been a while since he last saw her. Ikki approached without a second thought and sat beside her. For a moment, they just stayed there, watching the fire in silence.
"I'd say you're being a terrible friend, Hestia. Since you haven't visited me in weeks…" He commented without looking at her.
Hestia smiled softly before answering:
"I'm sorry, Ikki. I spent some time with my mother, Rhea. I thought it was a good time to see her. If this is your way of saying you missed me, by saying I'm a terrible friend, it's very rude…"
"I get it." Ikki nodded, before adding, "I was just kidding. I really did miss you."
Hestia turned her gentle gaze to him, her eyes shining with the reflection of the flames.
"I missed you too. I see you're not so obsessed with reviving your mother anymore and have moved on. That's good…" Then, as if wanting to change the mood a bit, she joked, "But, even without being able to visit you, I knew what happened on Olympus. You're changing my family for the better. And I'm increasingly proud of you…"
Ikki let out a dry, humorless laugh, looking away at the flames.
"It's nothing. I didn't do much."
Hestia smiled softly, her eyes shining with the firelight as she watched him fondly.
"You always say that, Ikki." She commented, shaking her head. "But the truth is you did much more than you imagine…"
Ikki sighed, looking at the dancing flames in front of him.
"I just did what I thought was right." He replied simply.
"And that's exactly what makes you special." Hestia tilted her head to the side, a warm smile on her lips. "You don't realize it, but you have an effect on the people around you. Even the gods are not immune to it…"
Ikki snorted slightly, unsure whether to laugh or doubt those words.
"I don't know if that's a compliment or if you're saying I'm too stubborn to accept things as they are."
"Both." Hestia laughed, swinging her bare feet. "But it's that stubbornness that's making your family change. You don't accept them just because they're gods, you challenge them to be better. That's something rare…"
Ikki was silent for a moment.
"It's my gift, then. Wow, I guess I'm amazing because of that…" He shrugged.
"Absolutely!" The Goddess of the Hearth affirmed.
Hestia kept her gaze soft on Ikki for a moment, as if deciding whether or not to say something. Then, with a small playful smile, she added, "Oh, and I also heard about you and Artemis. Finally, after so many complications, you got a good ending, right?"
Ikki turned to face her, frowning slightly.
"How do you know about that?"
Hestia just raised her hands slightly, as if it were obvious.
Ikki sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"You know what? Forget it. I shouldn't have even asked. You always know things somehow."
Hestia chuckled softly, the sound delicate and comforting like the crackling of the fire.
"It's a gift, I suppose." She said, still smiling.
Ikki understood her reference, shaking his head, exasperated. After everything that had happened, he didn't want to just talk about himself. He let out a small sigh before speaking:
"Right, we've talked enough about me. Now tell me, how was your visit? How was it seeing your mother?"
Hestia smiled softly, seeming grateful for the change of subject.
"It was good." She said, with a tone of nostalgia. "My mother misses seeing her children together, like we used to be before everything… Well, before the war against Kronos. Now only I visit her…"
Ikki nodded, understanding the weight behind her words.
"I imagine it must not have been easy for her. And you continue to be better, you're the best Hestia for being the only one to visit your mother..."
Hestia shook her head, blushing slightly and fidgeting nervously.
"No, I'm not. Sometimes Demeter also visits with me, so I'm not the only one…"
The two continued talking about everything, enjoying each other's company.
How did they become so close?
Being the Goddess of Hearth and Home, Hestia felt when his 'home was destroyed,' she said. So, she sought him out in the underworld under the guise of visiting her brother and talked with him. A part of him was grateful for that, as she allowed him to vent and just stayed by his side. She didn't try to change his mind or stop him from looking for a way to revive his mother when she found out, she just said he was the only one who might be able to find a way.
Her visits became frequent, and when he traveled the world she would sometimes appear to keep him company, usually in moments where he felt most lonely, around bonfires he made.
She kept the promise of both being friends that they made at the end of his first summer at Camp Half-Blood. Well, it was more of a declaration from him wanting to be her friend.
The conversation stretched into the late afternoon. Between laughter and moments of silence, Ikki and Hestia reminisced about the past with a touch of nostalgia. Time seemed to slow down as the words flowed, light, as if the weight of the world had been left behind for those brief moments.
But all good things must come to an end.
After a pleasant conversation with Hestia, Ikki said goodbye.
He walked slowly through the camp, absorbing the tranquility of the gradually falling night, with the distant sound of laughter and conversations. He passed by the cabins, the lights on in some windows, and the typical camp sounds filling the air.
However, instead of going to his cabin, he walked towards the dining pavilion.
Upon entering, he saw Percy, Grover, and Annabeth standing in a corner talking. Dinner hadn't been served yet.
Ikki approached, greeting them with a nod, and joined the group for a brief moment, conversing about various things. Annabeth had decided to stay at Camp Half-Blood, but Percy decided to leave in a week, and Grover also wanted to go back to searching for Pan.
He noticed that Annabeth seemed a bit strange around him, but he didn't comment. She asked him what he would do next and tried to ease her suspicious look with a joke about not disappearing for a year again. Ikki admitted he would be leaving in a few days as well, he had some plans regarding that.
When they were about to ask about it, dinner was about to be served. The farewell was quick, and he headed to the Zeus cabin table, where he sat in silence.
He couldn't help but notice the furtive glances from the children of Aphrodite, the resentful and curious looks. It was clear they were upset about Silena's state, who hadn't shown up for dinner.
Their glances were quick, but Ikki couldn't ignore them completely. He let out a sigh.
After dinner and the usual food sacrifice to the Gods, Chiron called him over for a chat as they walked to a secluded spot to talk about his plans for the coming war.
After that, Ikki returned to his cabin.
Upon arriving at the Zeus cabin, he went to his bed, taking off his shoes and sitting in silence, his hands resting on his knees. The room was quiet, except for the soft sound of the breeze passing through the cracks in the windows. Closing his eyes, Ikki took a deep breath, stepping away from the mental turbulence and beginning to meditate.
He tried to understand even more of the [Nameless Manual]. Until now, he had only understood five words, but he felt he was close to understanding the next one. While trying to comprehend this obscure manual, he also focused on understanding laws and concepts. Having already materialized several, it became much easier to understand; his progress was on another level compared to before.
During the day, he exchanged a few messages with Artemis, and the two agreed to meet in a week. The goddess was busy hunting the most terrible monsters with Apollo. That's why he came to his cabin to meditate and wasn't with her.
…
Athena Cabin.
The Athena cabin was a solid and imposing-looking structure, with pale gray exterior walls that conveyed a sense of stability and resistance. The entrance was marked by a massive wooden door, carved with the image of an owl, the classic symbol of the goddess of wisdom. The well-maintained white curtains contrasted with the sober color of the walls, giving a touch of softness to the environment.
Upon entering, the first thing one noticed was the clear division of space. The cabin had two main areas: one dedicated to study and the other to practice. In the central part of the cabin, a large library occupied a good portion of the space. Shelves lined with precision were filled with books and ancient scrolls, well organized by subject. The tables and chairs were arranged functionally, creating an environment conducive to reading and discussions, as if research and learning were the predominant activities of the place.
At the back of the cabin, there was a large workshop, equipped with several workbenches and tables, all with tools and materials arranged in an orderly fashion. The space was filled with 3D models of buildings, detailed maps, and plans of ancient constructions and war strategies. There were cabinets full of building materials and projects constantly being worked on, reflecting the practical and innovative aspect that was also part of Athena's legacy.
In a separate corner of the cabin, a metal shed housed the armory. The place, which looked like a storage shed for gardening tools, actually contained a variety of weapons, all organized and maintained with great care. The environment in the armory, like the rest of the cabin, was clean and tidy, reflecting the focus on discipline and preparation.
Annabeth was lying on her bed, the soft light from a nearby lamp illuminating the pages of a book on architecture, but her mind was far from the technical content of the words. Her eyes scanned the words automatically, while a part of her was completely lost in thought.
Ikki's words were echoing in her mind. Luke killed his mother. She couldn't simply ignore it, couldn't move on without confronting this fact, but something inside her refused to believe it. Luke, the one she always saw as an older brother, someone who was always there, someone with whom she shared so many battles, so many struggles and victories. How could someone be capable of something so monstrous? Something so cruel?
But Ikki's eyes, the way he spoke, his posture… She knew he wouldn't lie about it. He wasn't someone who spoke lightly. When he told her the truth, she saw the pain in his eyes, and it hit her with the same force as a punch in the stomach. Even if she wanted to deny it, she knew he wasn't lying.
The truth was there, stark and raw.
And there was something else that tormented her. The fact that Ikki had loved Artemis. She tried to ignore the knot in her chest.
She loved Ikki, that was clear to her, but how could she compete with something like that?
The fear that he would never see her the same way, that she would never be enough for him, consumed her inside. But at the same time, there was a flame of hope, an insane thought that tried to make itself heard amidst her confusion. He loved Artemis… so, if he loved someone like her, maybe I have a chance…
It was a foolish thought, she knew, but she still couldn't completely dismiss it. Maybe there was a chance, a small, tiny chance that he could see her differently. Maybe what she felt wasn't so impossible after all.
Annabeth closed the book with a sigh, unable to focus on the words written on the pages any longer. She turned to her side, hugging her knees to her chest, letting the silence take over. Ikki's words, the truth about Luke, and her own hidden insecurities mixed into a mass of feelings and endless questions.
Meanwhile…
In the Poseidon cabin, the atmosphere was more relaxed. Percy was sitting on his bunk, looking at the water that flowed magically around him, playing with it as he used his powers. He stretched out his hands, creating small whirlpools and aquatic shapes that danced in the air, an exercise he learned to do to improve his control.
But although he was distracted by the water, his thoughts were far away. He was thinking about something that made him truly happy: his best friend, Ikki, seemed to have found a way to move on, even after everything that happened. Since returning from the quest, he seemed calmer, more… at peace.
For Percy, this was good news.
He was also excited about the near future, as he had convinced Ikki to return to New York, an idea that seemed right, given the situation. He knew his mother wouldn't mind having his best friend at their house. And besides, he felt that it would be good for Ikki, a way to start over, away from the tensions of camp.
Ikki agreed with his idea, although he said he wouldn't do it right away because he had to deal with some things regarding his old house, something Percy understood and said he wasn't in a hurry.
As he continued playing with the water, Percy lost himself in the thought of how life could be lighter, with things gradually falling into place.
Suddenly, a sound interrupted his thoughts. A loud banging on his cabin door.
"Boss, are you in there?" Hearing the familiar words, he let out a sigh of relief. Opening the door, the black winged horse appeared, tossing its head and flapping its wings restlessly.
"What happened now, Blackjack?" Percy asked, already anticipating another unusual mission.
He had already been through so many during this winter that it was ridiculous.
"There's another sea creature in trouble, Boss. And… well, she won't be able to save herself. Could you help me?" Blackjack said, tapping his hooves against the floor impatiently.
Percy rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile. No matter how much he tried to escape adventures, they always found him. Like he couldn't have a moment's peace, huh?
"Okay, okay, I'll go…" He replied. "Just because you're my friend, Blackjack. And because I'm not going to leave sea creatures in dire straits…"
He grabbed his jacket and left the cabin. The Pegasus, with its large presence and wings shining in the starlight, was impatient, yet seemed eager to leave.
"Let's go, then…" Percy said, mounting the winged horse, feeling the cold wind against his face. "I just hope this time it's not another mermaid singing me into trouble again…"
Blackjack snorted and beat his wings, taking flight. Although Percy was tired, he couldn't refuse the mission. He only had one thought as they ascended into the dark sky: I can never rest for long, can I?