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Ajax: Ares, Because Heâs Always The Center of Attention III
Pax almost screamed a third time when Axel sank to one knee. It was more for dramatics than actual fear.[1]
As soon as Garies vanished, the tip of Axelâs blade sank to the floor.
Alabaster led Pax over. âYour arm is broken,â he said. It wasnât a question.
âIn several places,â Axel panted. Up close, Pax could see how badly her brother shook. âGet my helm off. Ajax, can you take the macuahuitl? Alabaster, put Aresâ sword into my good hand. I donât want it going anywhere.â
They complied. The demigodsâ cheers were their victory soundtrack.
Then, Axel proceed to, heroically, vomit.
She and Alabaster stood between him and his fan club for privacy. Alabaster murmured an incantation that zapped the last of the magic reserves from his little battery weasel. It created a secondary image of Axel, merely relaxing back instead of spewing his guts out. Nietzsche slipped down into one of Alabasterâs pockets, and Pax was jealous that the little mustelid was small enough to sleep in Alabasterâs pocket. She wanted sleep in Alabasterâs clothing.
Pax pat her brotherâs back. âDr. Jackâs orders,â she said, âNo more getting eaten by a Nemean Lion and fighting a god on the same day.â
Axel rubbed the back of his good hand against his chin to smear the stray spittle with more dirt. This proved complicated. He barely had the strength to hold up the massive sword at the same time. âWhere did the macuahuitl come from?â
âSome hot punk chick,â Pax said. She didnât see her amongst the crowd anymore. Her hand felt⌠light. When she glanced down, all she found was a puff of smoke where the macuahuitl had been.
Woops.
Alabaster frowned. Either he saw this as some apocalyptic sign or he was incapable of smiling unless it was at the misery of others.
âNeither of you recognized her?â Axel asked.
They both shrugged. Thatâs when Pax realized Alabaster must have also been exhausted. Otherwise, he would have plenty of speculation about the hot girlâs origin. Pax could go for a group nap pile herself. Xbalanque already snoozed in Paxâs pocket. Pax wiggled a finger in to pet him. âHowâs my little clever coward? Just like your momma.â
They half-carryied Axel as he (half-conscious) directed them homeward. Axel blurrily explained how his true sight let him navigate.[2] Alabaster pretended he understood exactly how Xbalanque and Nietzsche found Axelâs helm and assured that Honey was safely back at camp. Jazmin, Ailiseu, Voutia, Nasir, and the other demigods followed after, dragging their semi-disemboweled demigod along on his sled. Ethan sulked away from their relaxed revelry.
Pax thought the lion pelt was an awesome addition to Axelâs superhero costume. âDo you think we should have tried to calm the Nemean Lion? Gotten another pet? Maybe he just had a sword stuck in its paw.â
  âI assure you, he did not,â Alabaster said, âThough, this victory will help our cause nicely.â He gave Axel a side glance. âLeonis Caput?â
Axel grunted.
Pax giggled. She didnât feel like contemplating treachery, or the other kinds of things Axel and Alabaster did for fun. Besides, they were overlooking an important fact. Â âAw, itâs cute! Our helmets named each other!â A sly look at Alabaster. âCloven Terror?â
Alabaster blushed. âAdmittedly, a much better moniker than I could have invented.â
âI canât wait to get mine,â she sighed dreamily.
âWhere did those come from?â
Pax jumped. It yanked her brotherâs shoulder in a way that made Axel growl. She didnât realize how close Ethan had gotten. The demigod glowered at them, eye trailing after the helmets.
âThrift store,â she said, glaring back.
It didnât dawn on Pax how much it mattered that Ethan saw them. Later, once Jack was done healing Axel, he and his weasel were reunited, and Jack demanded a party-concert for Orpheus Metal to celebrate, Pax told Mercedes about Ethanâs sulking.
At the time, he didnât understand why she went so pale.
***
Thank you for reading! Weâre onto our next short, involving a very ill-timed trip to a volcano. Stay tuned for things to start to get dark!
PS: Finally saw kpop demon hunter and I canât get over the idea of Pax and Axel traveling to Korea, bumping into them, and it would be like the first scene meeting the Saja boys, except Axel isnât an asshole and Pax introduces Zoey to metal.
Footnotes:
[1] And to neatly have the third scream in chapter three.
[2] And Pax prayed this wasnât just delirious ravings.
The trap was a simple one. There was a chain across the floor at shin level. That, alone, didnât reveal if the chain triggered a secondary trap, maybe Mathiasâ dream: a shower of Happy Meal toys.
However, the scattered skeletal and not-so-skeletal limbs and dismembered bodies decorating the area in a half-circle? That and the massive axe blades poking out of the walls? Axel had a guess it wasnât McDonaldâs related.[1]
Axel caught up with them as Mary and Ethan triggered Part II of the Fancy Death Machine.
He tackled them from behind. Blades swooped above them as they hit the floor. Ethanâs sword and the lighter clattered to the stone ahead.
âGet off of me!â Ethan snapped.
Axel altered his weight to pin Ethan down, praying that Mary didnât try to fight him too.[2] He knew how strong she was and didnât want her to lift all three of them into the still-swinging blades.
ââSwish Swoosh,â says the pendulum! âDid you know that Iâm but a clock unwound? Tic-Tok!ââ she shrieked in glee. She rested her hands over the back of her head, like this was a game of hide-and-go seek. ââSlooth, slosh, Iâm too tired to go on.ââ
Only two swooshes of death above them. Ethan, fortunately, had gotten the message and stopped struggling. Axel hoped the blades didnât swing in a descending pattern.
Several mechanical clicks later, the axe blades settled back into place.
Axel puffed up his cheeks and popped them. His lighterâs flame hadnât gone out. The turquoise blaze spiraled lazily ahead of them, lighting up several dismembered limbs. Axel could see one wore a Happy Meal crown like a bracelet. Maybe he shouldnât tell Matthias about that one.
Carefully, Axel sat up. He glanced to see how close the chain was. Several feet back. He didnât readily see another trap.
âYou could have gotten us killed,â Ethan snarled at Mary.
She didnât respond. Her gaze had gone unfocused on Axelâs lighter.
Axel picked it up, watching her reaction as he did. She didnât blink or follow the flame. She stared into the darkness. He didnât know if that was more or less comforting than her earlier attention.
Ethan snatched up his sword. âWe should leave her and get out of here,â he hissed.
Axel hesitated. She seemed completely nonresponsive. âI donât want her to pick us off, one by one.â Axel could imagine her popping out of various doors in the labyrinth, Scooby Doo style, hoisting off demigods.
âWhat do you propose, genius?â Ethan Nakamura snapped.
We could unleash her onto Camp Half-Blood, the helm rumbled.
Axel liked that idea even less. She wasnât a weapon. Unlike most gods, Axel didnât get the vibe she was intentionally hurting people. He wondered if Prometheus could help her remember herself. He doubted âMaryâ was her godly moniker. And, if it was, Catholicism had quite a few delusions that needed untangling.
âShe could come with us,â Axel said.
Ethan glared, pointedly, at Axelâs bent shoulder pauldron then at the finger prints sheâd left on Ethanâs arm bracer.
Point taken. They couldnât exactly stroll merrily arm-in-arm.
Axel glanced at the pile of corpses. âIf we have her hold a severed limb as we walked, sheâd crush that instead of our hands.â
Ethanâs glare deepened. âI donât like being mocked, Mayan,â he spat the last word like an insult.
Axel clenched his jaw. Anger boiled in his stomach. It eased when his helm spoke, Sacrifice him to this goddess to assure safe passage.
It was strangely calming. Maybe it shouldnât have been comforting to be the reasonable one between you and your enchanted armor, but Axel would take the wins he could.
âI wasnât mocking you or joking about the limb,â Axel said once he could keep his voice even. Alabaster or Pax would have brainstormed with him. He desperately wanted that right now. Maybe Ethan hadnât carried enough limbless Titans around to know about the mythological options. âI was trying to figure out how to bring a lost minor goddess back to camp.â
Ethan lowered his gaze. He adjusted his shoulder straps.
At least he wasnât arguing.
Axel crouched down near Mary, but not within touching distance. âMary, what do you want to do?â
She blinked, still staring absently into the dark. âI donât want to do anything.â Her voice was a soft drone compared to the previous fluttery tone.
Axel hesitated again. âAre you dangerous?â
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She dug her nails deeper into her scabs. âNo.â
If she hadnât proved how easily she could snap his arm, he might have touched her shoulder.
âYou heard her. She wants to be left here,â Ethan said, âWe need to get back to the others.â
The sacrifice is correct. We must rally your troops for battle.
Axel swallowed and rose. He would be sure to tell the other minor gods  and titans about her. She shouldnât be left to wander like this in the labyrinth. âIâll make sure others know youâre here.â
She continued to silently weep as Axel and Ethan cautiously retreated. When they stepped over the trip chain, Axel lost sight of her amidst the dismembered corpses.
âThis feels wrong,â he murmured. Which titans would be able to help herâ? âOhâthis way.â
Ethan had turned down an unlit corridor. He paused and glared back. âHow can you tell?â
Axel gestured towards the dim glow of the corridor beyond his turquoise firelight. âCan you not see it?â
âI can still see,â Ethan snapped, a little too quickly.
Axel paused, considering Camp Othrysâ newest recruit, examining his weathered eye patch in the flickering light. Ethan was very quick to assume others intended insult. âWhere were you? Before here.â
Ethan looked away. He fidgeted with his shoulder straps again. âCabin Eleven.â
âThe children of Hermes werenât particularly kind about your eye?â
He sneered. âChildren of the trickster god. What do you think?â
Axel nodded in understanding. Maybe Ethan wouldnât be shedding any tears for the missing Chris Rodriguez. âI didnât mean anything about your vision. The floor has a glow to it in the direction we need to travel.â He would need to ask Alabaster why no one else could see it. Navigating the labyrinth didnât seem that daunting. Axel took a step forward, then paused one more time. âWhich side do you prefer I walk on?â
If Ethan had previous cabin mates that teased him about his vision, Axel imagined he would have a preference that was frequently denied.
Ethan gave him a suspicious look. He pointed to his blindside. âMake sure nothing attacks us from your direction.â
Strategic, Axel mused, trusting Ethan to guard their other side.
They began walking.
The corridor seemed to have elongated. Axel hoped the other demigods were still there. He hoped Mary hadnât sprinted them away in a sack like a evil Santa Claus, handing demigods out to hungry mythological creatures like presents.
âIâm sorry about the Mayan thing,â Ethan said.
Axel grunted.
âI thought only mortals could have clear sight that strong,â Ethan said, âWhy didnât you tell Lord Kronos that sooner? You could have saved us a lot of trouble navigating the labyrinth.â It sounded accusatory.
In answer to both, Axel asked, âWhat is clear sight?â He thought about it. âYou mean that I can see through the Mist? I donât hide that. I didnât know that would affect how we travel the labyrinth.â
Ethan snorted. Axel was getting the vibe this kid didnât like him. âThat seems convenient. Alongside the fact that you havenât pledged your soul to Lord Kronos.â
Axel stopped walking and pivoted to face Ethan, only to realize Ethan couldnât see the movement. Convenient? The lionâs helm felt heavy on his back. Didâdid Ethan somehow know aboutâthere was no way he could know about Alabasterâs meeting. That happened in Hecateâs realmâprobably somewhere in Erebos. âI canât. Iâm not a half-blood.â He gritted his teeth. âAnd who told you that?â
Not many people knew. Except Pax, Alabaster, andâ
âLord Kronos.â
He couldnât help it. âYou mean Luke?â Axel resumed walking.
âShow him respect,â Ethan snapped.
Axel didnât know how to break it to Ethan: heâd seen Luke so drunk he could barely sit on his barstool as he babbled about how beautiful Thalia was. There would be no âlordâ when talking about his friend.
Ethan seemed to straighten his posture. âLord Kronos will be sending me on a secret mission.â
Maybe Axel should point out the definition of âsecretâ in a dictionary to Ethan. Instead, Axel grunted, âGood for you.â
âAnd I plan to assure no one gets in the way of it.â Ethan turned his head sharply, so he could see Axel. This time, his expression was one of wary curiosity. âYouâre really not the spy, are you? Youâre not going to ask me any question about it?â
âWhat are you talking about?â Axel made sure not to make eye contact. He missed the standard issue helmet that covered his ears. They could be a dead giveaway when he was uncomfortable. He wasnât a spy though. He was just making back-up plans to kill Luke if his friend totally lost his mind. Axel refrained from rolling his eyes, wondering which âLord Kronosâ would find more treacherous.
âThe Romans knew about the Hecate childâs lab,â Ethan pushed, like Axel hadnât been there, âIâve heard what some of the monsters are saying. There have been other times the Romans knew too much.â
âI almost died in that raid,â Axel growled. Heâd just been happy that he and Alabaster managed to keep Pax somewhat safe.
âAnd you got elevated to a hero with your brother and friend. I think you three have been very⌠lucky,â Ethan said the word like it was vulgar.
Lucky?! Axel barely refrained from pivoting to hit Ethan.
No one will find his body in the labyrinth.
This helm kept making excellent points.
Clutching the helmâs cold metal over his shoulder, Axel managed to control his temper. âWhat does that have to do with me not being or being a spy?â
âSometimes you need to take things into your own hands. Make your own destiny.â Ethan tapped his eye patch. âBefore someone steals it away. Iâm going to find this spy, and Iâm going to kill them.â
Axel didnât like that Ethan was investigating this behind Mercedesâ back. He knew Mercedes had been working tirelessly. He wondered if he couldâno, if Pax couldâask her about her best guesses. Axel and Alabaster still wanted Camp Jupiter to fall, but maybe this Roman spy would be useful to their cause. Maybe they could work together.
In the meantime, Axel didnât like that Ethanâs investigation had come near him or his friends. âNakamura, donât go around accusing others without evidence.â
Thatâs what he meant to say. But lionâs helm chose then to speak, âChild of Nemesis, if you hurt anyone under my protection, I will break every bone in your body, starting with your left hand. And when Iâm done with you, you will have neither an eye with which to see nor a tongue with which to slander.â
Axel was beginning to really enjoy this helmâs input.
-----------------------------
Thank you for reading! And thank you for your patience! Life should be hopefully settling down in the next month or so. (I feel like Iâve been saying this for awhile, but let me live in my delusions, damn it! XD)
I hope you enjoyed! This chapter felt janky to edit since it has been awhile. Hoping, as always, to get back onto a regular writing/upload schedule, but we might have another skip while life gets settled.
Thank all of you for your continued support! You guys rock and all your asks, comments, and likes have been very encouraging! (Which, I promise, I will one day get to! XD)
---------------------------------
Footnotes:
[1] Pax wanted to point out that it is: just Ronald McDonald FNAF edition.
[2] I donât think youâd be in my fan base, but for those of you who were looking for Axamuraâ
Pax, singing from somewhere, âWhen the cat hits your back in a Paxboy attack, Axamura!â (Name that song--!)
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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âYou left the sword, Axel? The one weapon that wonât break on you with Aresâââ
âGariesââ
âNot now, Ajaxâwith Ariesâ curse?â Alabaster said once the Pax brothers finished debriefing him, âAnd you didnât kill the Roman?â
Alabaster lay in their âinfirmary.â Since Jack would kill any other children of Apollo that might come into camp (intentionally or otherwise) it was staffed by a daughter of Ascelpius, the God of Medicine, a son of Hygeia, Goddess of Hygiene, and a daughter of Panacea, Goddess of Universal Remedies. These three were, in fact, all half siblings with the same mother. Axel chose not to listen to Alabaster when he pointed out, according to Epione, that also made one of them a half-sibling to the othersâ parents.[1]
Aoi, the son of Hygeia, and Himari, the daughter of Panacea, grumbled about the number of wounded in their infirmary. Their older half-sister, Mei, shook her head and shoed them to tend to the others injured from the Sabotage Unit. None of them could instantly heal the way Jack could, but Aoi could disinfect any wound, Himari could cure any illness over time, and Mei could mend wounds overtime. They were perfect for keeping demigods stable until Jack could help.
For such a vicious fight, they had few causalities. It was an overwhelming success.
But Axel couldnât stop replaying that final fight in his head.
Alabaster seethed at being ignored. âAxel. The sword? The Roman? Are you concussedâ?â He cut off with a gasp. Mei had set his broken wrist, but couldnât do much for the three broken ribs.[2]
Pax sat in a chair beside his infirmary bed. He fidgeted with one of his spy photo albums in one hand while his other squeezed Alabasterâs good hand. His grin was goofy. âWe did have a handsome, unconscious witchboy on one hand and were retreating from the Second Cohort with the other. We would have needed more hands.â
âThere are four between the two of you,â Alabaster said, but Paxâs tactic worked: their embarrassed friendâs scowl had weakened. His pale cheeks brightened with rouge.Â
Not for the first time, Axel wondered what was going on between the two of them. Now, however, wasnât the time to remind Alabaster how fragile the rest of his ribs were.
âIt canât be that hard to find another weapon outside of Aresâ curse,â Axel said.
Alabaster glared.
âYou are the grumpiest victor ever,â Pax teased.
They did kill Praetor Ari. Her medallion hung on his lion skin, threaded beside Julianâs. Two lovers together again at last.
Axel felt sick. Just as the sensation threatened to make him shut down, it seeped away into the Leonis Caput helm.
Leaving him replaying that battle. [3] He rubbed the contusion on his thigh. It was tender. As were the bruises along his bracers. Even through the Nemean Lion fur and his bracers, the centurionâs sword blows still left him bruised. âWeâre lucky we didnât lose more. That Centurion recovered the troops much faster than we predicted, even calculating in her training from Circe. She was good. A better fighter than me.â
âBut, you can kick Lukeâs ass. And Gariesâ,â Pax said.
Axel glanced at his little brother in confusion. He hadnât been seeking a confidence boost; he was stating a fact they would need to keep in mind. âIâll bet,â he said, âshe could too.â
Before she kicked him, he saw something he wasnât used to seeing: it wasnât that she didnât fear the monster attacking her. She did. She didnât care about fear. Her courage, the kind she was sharing with her troops somehow, was choosing duty over terror.
Something Axel did often.
Something Axel did when he realized she could have killed Alabaster and Pax in under ten seconds.
âI think her shampoo was honey-scented,â he muttered absently. It had been bothering himâthat sweetness barely perceptible intermixed with the armor and sweat. Had he really made a joke about being Canadian? He definitely wasnât going to share that (or how she chased him around the clearing like a scared, hopping chicken) with his friends.
Pax almost choked, âWowâthat is the creepiest thing youâve ever said. Stop everything. We need to call 1-800-APOLLO-STALKING for advice.â[4]
Axel fumbled. âExcuse me?â
âAjax, thatâs too many numbers for aââ Alabaster tried to sit up, grunted, and sank back into his bed. Pax, subtly, propped him up. âAxel, is there any chance she bewitched you when the two of you were alone?â Alabaster sounded genuinely alarmed. âIf she had tutelage under Circe, she might be able.â
âWhat? Noââ
âTaâda!â Pax interrupted. He plucked a photo from his album, triumphantly presenting it between the three of them. âReyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, Axelâs new crush.â
Axelâs cheeks felt hot. âShe is notââ His fingers froze while reaching to snatch the photo.
Paxâs grin was one of sinister delight. âYou think sheâs cute, donâtcha?â
Centurion Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano: the name sang and rolled like sunrise on the Gulf of Honduras.
His little brother had trapped him. If he said, âno,â he would sound unconvincing and like an asshole. But, could Axel say, âyesâ in a way that showed factual indifference?
âFuck, she is cute,â was not the right way to put it, and that is exactly what came out.
Axel could feel his ears sink into his hairline.
âOooooOOOooo!â Pax called, gleeful, âBut where would you raise your childrenâ?â
âShut. Up.â Axel hissed.
The members of the Sabotage Unit were desperately pretending not to hear this. They were scattered around the infirmary, but they werenât that far away.
As Mei walked by to bring more bandages to Nasirâs bedside, she took a quick glance at the photo, nodded, and continued forward. âShe looks like someone who stretches before battles. Someone could learn a thing or two from her,â she said.
âYes, maâam,â Jazmin, who had torn a muscle, grumbled from her bed. This proved, in fact, everyone could hear them.
âDo you think theyâll have cat ears?â Pax went on, grinning evilly. He tucked the photo back into his album. His expression widened to earnest excitement. âTitans, Axel, I could knit them little hats with cat ears built in! Why have I never done that for you? The Cat Cap. The CatKNITâhee hee heeââ
âAjax, stop. This is serious.â Alabaster glared.
âSo is the CatKnitââ
Alabaster ignored him. âIâll have Lou Ellen help me make a potion to counteract this. She knows more about Medea-like magic.â[5]
âNo, you will not,â Axel snapped.
âHeâs right. You canât,â Pax said, âLelly will be too heartbroken to hear Axel is in love.â
âIâm notââ Axel clenched his jaw. Each time he denied it, he sounded less convincing.
Besides, what ifâŚ
Wouldn't she be perfect?
He would never need to worry about liking her. Itâs not like they would ever meet outside of battle.[6] He didnât need to worry about it preventing him from fighting, because she was already a better fighter than he. Santiago Pax would never know about her.
She was safe. She was safe to idolize from a distance.
But, that didnât help shut Pax up. Or stop Axelâs face from burning.
âDo you think you breed in litters--?â
âMy boys!â The infirmary door slammed open and Jackâs voice boomed into the room.
Axel mouthed, âIâll rip your fucking ear off,â in Mayan. Jack was not to hear about this.
âBut you need a best man with ears. Two ears. To model your future childrenâs cat knitsâoh, but what if one of the demi-kittens only has one earâaye!â
Axel snatched at Paxâs ear.[7]
Pax ducked out of Axelâs reach, behind Alabaster.
Alabaster hissed in pain. âBroken. Ribs.â
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the boys' last chance at being goofy (in-a-less-traumatized-way)
I've been contemplating doing an AU (yes, an AU of an AU) with Reyna and Axel. I keep going back and forth. Let me know if it is anything you'd be interested in reading!
Footnotes:
[1] Donât overthink it. It isnât worth it. I just like to think the Camp Othrys kids donât pretend theyâre not all distant cousins.
You also know Pax will IMMEDIATELY point out that, in most telling, he and Alabaster are not related on the godly side.Â
[2] I made a whole character for Mei that canât be jammed in here. Sheâs in her thirties, is a pediatrician, and is horrified these kids are fighting an adult war. And sheâs one of the only people Alabaster wonât give lip to because he respects her and fears her temper. She also keeps her hair in a tight, braided bun.
[3] Leonis Caput, âYou could think about that. Or you could think about the hot girl that made us look like a fool.â
[4] Axel, âYou literally stalk Reyna.â âYeah, but thatâs my job.â Alabaster, âThatâs also too many numbers for a phone number.â (Yes, I made this joke as a footnote, decided to put it in the text, and kept both.)
[5] Pax, âNow, Lou Ellen. It would be immoral to bewitch my brother.â Lou Ellen, staring dreamily after Axel with Medeaâs playbook in her hands, âI knoooowwww.â
[6] Lol. I donât even know if Traitors of Olympus counts as âoutside of battle.â
[7] So Pax can model for the one-eared demikitten.
(Or, Reprised: Weâre only Sworn Enemies. Whatâs the Worst that Could Happen?)
This was meant to be a suicide mission. Axel knew it. Those loyal to him in the Sabotage Unit knew it. The drunk centaurs probably knew it: they offered to bash heads with everyone before they left to start Stage One of the Operation Ice and Run.
Why else would Luke send him after a praetor with a whole cohort of legionnaires? A praetor that, Pax would add, probably daydreamed about filing her nails with Axelâs femur.[1]
But, Axel was prepared.
As prepared as you could be to get a battering ram to the face.
âYou know you have to actually kill her right? Like, you canât prostrate with a sign that says, âStab Here To Avenge Missed Smoochies,ââ Paxâs voice was a dark hiss through the Silver-Tongued Serpent helm. He wore face paint that glittered through the eye sockets, giving his skin a scaly appearance.
He crouched beside Axel in a ditch, in the middle of the Sabotage Unit.
âThat wonât be a problem,â the Leonis Caput and Axel growled in harmony. He cracked his neck to the side.
He ran his fingers over Julianâs praetorian badges. Pax had threaded them into the lion peltâs fur. âTo make him look more like Conan the Barbarian. Whoever the fuck that is.â The rosettes painted onto Axelâs exposed forearms and calves glimmered.
All around them, the Sabotage Unit looked similar: painted and masked monsters. Not all of them were Greek. Ailiseuâs mask had the blank features of a dalgyal guishin or egg ghost.[2] Nasirâs shambling ghoul-form was properly disturbing. Twilight rays filtered through the twigs and leaves that hid their (hastily constructed) ditch. The rays muted and dispersed in the thickening fog. The effect was terrifying.
Perfect.
They were almost ready.
Centurion Ari had been promoted to Praetorian Ari in her boyfriendâs absence. The Second Cohort had a new Centurion: a girl, according to Paxâs intelligence, that might know some magic from the great sorceress, Circe. If she could see through the Mist, it would be a problem.
But LukeâKronos. Not Luke. That monster isnât my friend. My friend wouldnât protect Mercedesâ murdererâtold the Pax brothers not to come back unless it was with news of Praetor Ariâs death. Just a great big, âI like the Nemisis boy more than you. Also, youâre not even Greek.â
They lost a close friend, the best Spy Master for Camp Jupiter, and had gained Kronosâs ire. Just a regular Tuesday.
âDo you think Luke told Jack we went to the store to get cigarettes and milk?â Pax asked.
Axel snorted. He had no idea what Luke planned to tell Jack and Flynn if they really didnât come back. [3]
Different words came out than Axel intended, âIs the other unit in place?â
Axel could feel Pax roll his eyes. âVoutiaâs Team is a go.â
That unit was in real danger. Thatâs why Axel only allowed volunteers, and only ones that had a short time to regenerate time in Tartarus.[4] They knew the risk; they were the most likely to be slain.
Pax continued to update him on troop deployment, âThe centaurs donât need orders to party in the woods; theyâre already loudly dancing. The Bestest Lil Weasel of All Time isâoh shit.â
Axel looked over.
Baller had silently skittered up Paxâs scaled armor. The tiny head bobbed against the Silver-Tongued Snake helm.
That was their signal.
The Romans were coming.
Others around noticed. A hush descended over the Sabotage Unit, until all they could hear was the murmur of a soft, Latin incantation. Lou Ellen and Alabaster had been prepping the fog and an extra layer of Mist for the false roof that covered their ditch.
The chanting, also, silenced.
Axel felt, more than heard, the approach of the Roman cohort: the rhythmic march thudded into the walls of their ditch. The rustle of armor. Surprisingly, a laugh, cut off by a sharp command.
Axel raised a fist into the air. A sign to hold position.
The Sabotage Unit tensed. The children of Hecateâs fog muffled sound, but Axel could see indications of its absence: hands gripping weapons, boots shuffling to face the approaching troops, one demigod squeezed the arm of another.
Axel had already given a speech before they were close to Camp Jupiter. He wished he could say more now.
All they could do was watch and listen. Footsteps rumbled alongside their ditch as the Romans encroached. All they could do was wait for Voutiaâs tiny cry, âNow!â
Some of his troops flinched. But they didnât move yet. Axelâs raised hand was their signal.
Axel locked his jaw and clenched his fist. He rubbed the lighter in his other hand.
Violence erupted.
Swords, spears, and armor clashed.
The Leonis Caput helm kept Axel calm, Steady. Do not let them fall in vain.
Axel could feel Pax and Alabasterâs eyes on him. Some of the screams would be Alabasterâs family, dying, being cast into Tartarus.
âIacite pila!â Ari Praetor called. Finally.
Axel snapped the lighter open. He dropped his fist.
The Sabotage Unit exploded out behind the Roman lines.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I'm excited to finally get to one of my favorite canon characters! :D
If you're celebrating, have a lovely celebration! Either way, have a wonderful weekend!
Footnotes:
[1] Axel blamed this idea on Jack. Jack couldnât find a nail file and had attempted to use one of the hellhoundsâ former-demigod-chew-toys. As it turns out, bones do not make good nail files.
[2] Pax, âOmfgsâaâeggs have--?â Ailisue, âI will shoot you in the foot.â
[3] Though, Jack would just be pissed if he heard Axel went to get cigarettes.
[4] Pax, âI promised a kissing booth set up in Tartarus to all the monsters that volunteered.â Axel, glaring, âYouâre too young for a kissing booth.â Pax, smirking knowingly, âOh, Iâm not the one manning it.â Axel, rolling up his sleeves, âYou know your ear will be vulnerable once that helm is off.â Pax, already running away, âWhy do you think Lelly volunteered?"
         Axel stalked twenty feet behind Ethan Nakamura before the screaming started.
         Something felt wrong. Nakamura seemed too intent on Axelâs training regimen for the Sabotage Unit, like he wanted to know where Axel would be for the next thirty minutes. Nakamura had pretended to walk off to talk to Luke before doubling back. Each step up the volcano took too much concentration; he didnât want Mercedes or Pax to see him.
         But Axel didnât expect Nakamura to push them.
         Details became too sharp as he watched: his little brotherâs look of shock, Mercedes stiffening before tumbling, the way Nakamuraâs shoulders shook, from fear-or-pleasure-induced adrenaline, Axel couldnât tell.
         He didnât care.
Save your brethren.
         Axel didnât need the helmâs encouragement.
If something happened to Pax, Axel assumed he would remember his mother and Uncle Frasco. He thought he would remember that terrifying helplessness of watching them die.
         But the helm forsook such weakness. The fear eased away into the metal dangling on his back, alongside the lion pelt.
         Axel tasted blood in his mouth. The click of his lighter blurred with his murmurs in Mayan, âXmaâsuâtal Xib, Liikâil Xtaabay!â The flame flicked turquoise. He had covered half the ground; the power thrummed through his limbs. He secured the helm over his head, narrowing his vision to his prey.
         Nakamura crouched over the edge of the volcano, bringing a rock down.
         He didnât get to do it again.
         Axel grabbed the back of his neck and threw him bodily down the outside of the volcano. He didnât see how far the demigod fellâno time.
Axel dropped to the groundâthe lion pelt saving him from a jagged rock edge. His nails dug into Paxâs wrist before his brother could drop into the lava.
Despite Paxâs squeal of painâthe way his skin split and bledâAxel exhaled in relief. He didnât focus on what was missing. The person who would never be there again.
From what Axel could see, he didnât even know where she landed. It couldnât have been on one of the telekhinesâ blacksmithing catwalks or platforms. Then her body would be visible. She must have fallen straight intoâŚ
Axel reached his other hand down, taking hold of Paxâs. As gently as he could, he pulled Pax over the lip and onto solid ground.
         Pax sobbed. He cradled his left hand against his chest as Axel righted them. He kept saying her name over and over. âHeâhe killed Mercedes! He fucking killed Mercedes! AxelâAxelââ
         Tears streamed down Paxâs cheeks. His lips were chapped. He held his fist to his chest. The fingers bent at odd angels. They were blue and indigo with busted blood vessels.
         The child of Hermes is gone. Your enemy is not.
         Axel rounded on Ethan Nakamura.
         Had Ethan been as smart as Luke thought he was, he would have run. He would have left Camp Othrys with no trace Axel could trail.
         But he stumbled to his feet, dazed, staring at the Pax brothers. The mountain tumble barely left him scraped and bruised.
         Not enough.
         At the volcano base, the Sabotage UnitâAxelâs unitâstopped training. They froze in uncertainty and confusion.
         âShâshe was a spy!â Ethan said.
         âNo SHIT!â Pax screamed back.
         âNo! She was snooping through Lukeâs files before his trip to Tartarus. Sheâsheâs the reason Alabasterâs labââ
         Maybe Nakamura had just realized it: he was between Axelâs unit and the Pax brothers. The volcano was loud. There were no titans here to save him.
         Paxâs expression contorted into something Axel had never seen on him. âHe killed Mercedes,â he said, quieter, through gritted teeth. âMake him do his best impression of a car sale balloon.â
         The only order Axel needed.
         Ethan couldnât have heard Pax. Maybe he just felt the hatred. He drew his sword.
         Axel tilted his head back. He roared.
         He tore down the side of the volcano.
         Ethan flinched. He staggered back. âShe was a traitor, Axel! Canât you see! She was the spy! Sheâs whyââ
         Axel wrapped his hand in the Nemean Lion pelt. He grabbed Ethanâs blade, wrenched it from his grasp, and smacked him with the hilt like he was going for a homerun, releasing the blade right after contact, letting it spin off into oblivion.
         The demigodâs jaw snapped.
         Blood sprayed as he twisted to the side. It strangled his scream. He fell backwards.
         Axel lunged. He snatched Ethanâs arm before he could hit the ground. Just like Santiago taught him, he pulled it taught.
         Before slamming his palm into the hyperextended elbow. Â
         The bone gave.
         More squeals, like a cacophonous symphony.Â
âI will teach you what happens to those who harm the chimera and those under its protection,â they snarled as one.
But, Axel wanted this traitor to pass out as badly as he wanted to attend one of the monster strip clubs. He grabbed the traitor by the forehead and jammed an ambrosia cube into his mouth.
The demigod squealed as the healing square pressed past the shattered bone.
âI will show you what happens to those who cross the Triple A Chimera,â they assured him as he lifted the demigod by his uninjured arm. Lacing their fingers like he was going to dance.
Axel pressed his thumb to the forefinger.
And pushed until it dislodged.
The demigod reduced to whimpers and shakes.
         Next would be the ribs.
âAxel! Axel, my boyâstop! Stop! Axel, please!â someone desperately shrieked.
It didnât matter. All he could see was the fleshy canvas of pain ready to be made an example. All he could see was someone who almost took away the one thing he still loved.[2] Our brethren. Our allies.
         Music faintly filtered through his helm.
         His limbs weakened. Sweat broke out on his brow. The hand holding the demigodâs shook violently. Wooziness blurred the training grounds, including the approaching figure of a redhead.
         Jackâs song trembled. âAxelâŚ.â He whispered, awed.
         One last shot. An easy one. Axel tried to snap a ribâjust oneâ
         His eyelids felt heavy. He couldnât raise a hand. The traitor fumbled from his grip, sagging to the ground. As he blinked, Jackâs concerned eyes leveled with him. âAxel, pleaseâLuke is going to be so madâAxelââ
         Luke? So mad?
         Fuck Luke. He is not to be trusted.
         Axel tried to respond. His throat felt raw. Coughs erupted. The fever brought him to his knees. He scowled from Jack to where Jack pulled Ethan into his lap. Singing to the demigod. Healing him. So much more than he deserved.
         Jackâs fragile look returned to Axelâs. âYouâre acting like him. Youâre acting like your dad.â[3]
         That should have hurt. Somehow, Axel knew it would hurt later. For now, it didnât matter. Axel felt numb. All he could taste was his own blood.
Axel clenched his jaw. The energy sapped completely from him. He swayed, threatening to sink to his side. âJack⌠Mercedes is gone,â he rasped, âThis fucker tried to kill Pax.â
         Jack flinched. It was then that Axel noticed the bruises on his face. Like heâd seen Luke recently. One day, Axel hoped, Flynn would notice.
         Axel felt Pax before he saw him. Pax stepped beside Axel, crouching down. He huddled against Axel, like it was for comfort and not to spare Axel the humiliation of collapsing. His little brother shook with fury. He toyed with a dart, scowling at Ethan Nakamura. The demigod had lost consciousness.
         Pax puffed up his cheeks and popped them. âI think⌠I think she knew he was after her.â His voice was raw from the screaming and crying. âI think she was trying to escape. I think she was going to take me with her.â
         The numbness chilled Axelâs insides. He was certain: everything was about to change here. And he, Alabaster, and Pax had to be ready.
         âLuke will fix this. Heâll fix this. He always fixes things,â Jack babbled. His voice rose, singing louder, like his angelic tenor could repaint the violence and loss with the caresses of melody.
         Axel slid off his helm at the familiar song. It shattered his calm. These were the words Jack first sang when he found out Mercedesâ name, âLâoiseau que Tu Croyais Surprendre Battit de Lâaile et SâenvolaâŚâ
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! And thank all of you for the support!
[1] âThe bird you surprised.â
[2] Lapis, âWell fuck you too, Axel!â
[3] Pax, âDonât you and Flynn go on torture dates for funsies?â Jack, âThatâs different. Thatâs parent business. Now go back to making deadly traps with Matthias.â