This Fire Burns - Chapter 17

[Hestia]

Zeus truly needs to re-evaluate his priorities.

His excuse for not joining her at the hearth to observe the quest had been that he “needed to monitor his daughter’s progress.” A noble sentiment in theory. Hestia was nothing if not sympathetic to familial devotion, but the illusion shattered the moment she realized he wasn’t actually watching the demigods at Camp Half-Blood play Capture the Flag. No, he had done the usual and went off to enjoy the mortal nightlife. Though since her younger sister caught him in time, she didn’t think there would be another demigod of his joining the world so soon.

And even if her youngest brother had done as he claimed, it would still have been a misguided choice. After all, there was nothing better than witnessing Serif’s greatness. And his friend, if she was being generous.

My darling son is, as he would put it, built different.

Hestia manipulated the flames of her hearth into images she’d memorized over the past few days, replaying the best moments of the quest.

Shortly after leaving camp, Serif had faced down a horde of monsters that would have sent other demigods fleeing for their lives. And yet, he treated them like a warm-up. Then, barely a few hours later, he and his friend dismantled what could have been a legion-ending threat, without even breaking a sweat. And the intelligence he’d shown! Sure, he may not have been the official leader of the quest, but he was so clearly calling all the shots. Jupiter’s boy looked to him for guidance at every turn. Then there was that wretched little bandit who thought he could outsmart him. And his pet turtle? Her glorious child outdid Theseus when he freed himself from the inside! And finally, he heroically vanquished that vile pirate, Blackbeard!

His reward for all that hard work was the new blade. She hadn’t recognized it at first, but a deeper look revealed its nature. It contained a spark of Helios’s essence from before the old sun titan faded and his domain fully passed to Apollo. An adequate weapon for her son. Not perfect, since he always deserved more, but it was enough for now.

Hestia then remembered their plans. Serif had mentioned taking a detour before heading back to camp.

Disney World, was it? Since the quest was officially over, there was no rule preventing her from making sure he had the best possible experience there.

She leaned closer to the fire, the image within shifting to show Serif speaking to his companions as they walked through a mortal airport.

“It’s just inconvenient,” Serif complained, his voice a pleasant timbre even when laced with annoyance. “TSA almost didn’t let me through because of my sword. The only reason I didn’t have to use the mist this time was because they saw a custom baseball bat.”

Jason sighed. “We could have taken the bus this time.”

“Are you kidding? There was so much gold on that yacht. We might as well enjoy ourselves!”

Of course! He’s absolutely right! My son has earned this. He deserves comfort, luxury, and every mortal indulgence he wishes for!

Hestia stood up, her brown dress and scarf transforming into a white stola and a suffibulum. 

Vesta had business to attend to.

Stepping directly into the heart of her own fire, she teleported from her humble palace to the atrium of a fortified black villa on one of Olympus’s lower terraces. Not a palace, as only the Twelve plus herself held those, but still impressive in its splendor. Weapons lined the walls, and the architecture showed strength rather than beauty.

Bellona herself appeared at the doorway almost immediately. “Lady Vesta. An unexpected honor.”

“Those demigods did you quite the favor, did they not, Bellona?” Vesta said with a deceptively calm tone. “Your daughters are safe.”

The war goddess stiffly nodded. “They performed their duty to Rome. They will be honored for it.”

Her eyes started burning with a flicker of her true fire. “Honor is well and good, but a debt must be paid. The dashing young man… the one with the fire. He acquired a new sword. Enchanting that blade so it can transform into something more convenient is the least you can do.” She took a single step closer, locking eyes with the lesser goddess. She would not be denied here. “In fact, you should take it a step further. You are a goddess of war. Bless the boy’s weapon. Make it worthy of the one who wields it. Consider it an investment in the glory he will bring to Rome.”

The silence stretched between them until broken by a slow inclination of Bellona’s head. “Very well. Once the boys complete their quest and return to Camp Jupiter, I shall reward them.”

“Excellent!” Vesta’s smile returned, bright and warm once more. “I shall take my leave now.”

She teleported back to her palace, looking back to her hearth, only to see that the image had changed. They were already in the airplane, the younger girl sitting beside Serif, her posture stiff as she glanced toward him more often than necessary.

“Stop that,” she muttered at the flame, narrowing her eyes. “Get away from him.”

Of course, the girl couldn’t hear her and just smiled at something Serif said.

“Oh, for the love of Olympus, he’s too good for you!”

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[July 12th, 2007]

A while back, I had promised Jason that after we finished the quest, we would take a vacation.

Given that we were already in Florida, the first stop was an obvious pick.

When we arrived at the entrance to Disney World, a shimmering notice, visible only to the four of us, hovered over the ticket booths. It was some kind of message explaining that you could see it only if you were a demigod, then offering an “extra special experience.” My first thought was that it had to be a trap, but I figured it was better to take down whoever was preying on unsuspecting demigods. They’d think they were getting a few easy targets and end up facing the two strongest demigods alive. Bam, it would be over in an instant. No more demigods dying on our watch.

But nope. Turns out Walt Disney was a demigod himself, and he’d wanted to make his park a place where others like him could actually relax, especially since things were a lot worse for our kind back in his day.

The worker in charge of that program was this really nice lady who was a parent of a demigod. When I asked who her kid was, she just smiled at me and said her son had already left Camp Jupiter. I was worried I fucked up ’cause maybe the kid died or something, but nah. He was just living his best life outside the camp.

Anyway, she had to verify our status as demigods serving Rome, which was a problem, since I didn’t have the SPQR tattoo. Reyna and Hylla weren’t members of the legion yet, either. Good thing we had the camp’s golden boy with us. One look at the eagle and ten bars branded on his forearm, and the lady basically handed us the keys to the kingdom, giving us an all-expenses-paid five-day stay with VIP access to everything. 

She’d even offered to take pictures for us, saying she didn’t really have any work to do. I accepted, and for the next five days, we all had a great time, experiencing everything the park had to offer.

There were a few more places I wanted to take them to, but Jason was satisfied with just Disney World. Can’t say I was upset about it. The place really was magical. Actually, given the year, I guess I should say our dreams came true.

From Orlando, we took a plane to Sonoma, then immediately went into the forest. We had to bring the girls to Lupa so they could complete their training before they’re allowed to join the Legion.

I was the one leading the way now because Jason had no memory of the path. The last he’d been to the Wolf House was when he was two or three. Weirdly enough, even though I walked this path only once, I knew exactly where I was going. Kind of like I had an internal GPS pointing me in the right direction.

I pushed a low-hanging branch aside, holding it so it wouldn’t snap back at the others. Reyna followed right at my heels. Her sister, Hylla, walked stiffly a few feet back, her arms crossed. Jason kept pace beside her, giving her space.

“Do we even have a choice in this?” Hylla asked flatly.

“Of course you do. I’d never force you to do something you don’t want to,” I answered, turning around to face her. “But Camp Jupiter’s the only place where the average demigod can truly be safe. And to get there, everyone has to pass Lupa’s trial first.”

Reyna looked down at her hands. “What if we’re not strong enough? We’re not like you two.”

I smiled. “Don’t worry about that. Lupa’s going to help you get stronger. You two are already survivors. Just do your best, and it’ll be a breeze.”

“Lupa is harsh,” Jason added. “but she is fair. She has a way of testing you that reveals the strengths you never knew you possessed. She’s been doing this for Romans since the ancient times. It’s a trial of discovery.”

Hylla scoffed. “So the only safe place for people like us demands we fight our way in? We have to pass a test just to be allowed sanctuary?”

“I want to try.” Reyna looked back at her sister. “Let’s do it, Hylla.”

Hylla just looked away, not arguing any further.

We continued our walk through the dense woods in silence. 

After a few minutes, Reyna moved up to walk alongside me. “So, this Camp Jupiter… what’s it really like?”

“It’s the heart of Rome in the modern world,” Jason answered from behind us. “It’s where we learn to fight alongside each other, to protect ourselves and create a future for others like us.”

“Yup,” I added. “You do have to be a soldier for a decade, but the trade-off is worth it. We have a whole ass city with all kinds of stuff! You can actually build a life there. And when you arrive, make sure you join the Fifth Cohort.”

“Is that the one you’re in?” she asked.

“Mhm, we’re the best in the legion!”

“Okay, I’ll remember that.”

It took another ten minutes of walking before we finally made it past the tree line and into the familiar clearing with the crumbling, roofless mansion that is the Wolf House. As we approached, a large gray wolf came out from the shadows of the main archway, lowering its head once it saw me.

Grinning, I crouched a little. “Aww, looks like you remember me. Is Lupa around?”

The wolf growled, but it was out of acknowledgment rather than aggression, then turned and trotted inside.

We followed it inside. The main area was exactly the same as it was before I left. In the makeshift arena, there were about half a dozen young demigods sparring with members of Lupa’s pack. And standing on a raised section of the old foundation, watching over them, was the she-wolf herself.

“Guess who’s back!” I called out.

Lupa’s head snapped up, locking her gaze onto me, then shifting it to Jason. The intimidating aura she was projecting seemed to soften ever so slightly. 

I jogged over to the base of her perch. “Lupaaa! It’s been a while, huh? You know, I’m here on divine business, and I brought with me a certified, verified Centurion of the illustrious Fifth Cohort. The prince of the sky himself!”

“We went on a quest,” Jason stated, coming to stand beside me.

“Yeah, what he said,” I continued, gesturing back to Reyna and Hylla who were standing near the entrance. “We rescued these two from the pirate Blackbeard. Like, the real one from centuries ago. We think they might be daughters of Bellona, but no guarantees.”

Jason nodded. “They will be joining the legion. We brought them here to undergo your training.”

Lupa turned to the sisters. For nearly a minute, no one said anything as she appraised them. “Good,” she finally said. “They have seen the world’s cruelty. It will make them less prone to complaint. The pack will strip them of their fear and weakness. If they are worthy, they will emerge as Romans.”

Jason went to continue discussing details with her. While they did that, I jumped down to the arena where the trainees were. When we arrived, they stopped sparring to watch our interaction with all wide-eyed while whispering among themselves.

“Sup,” I said, catching their attention. “None of you know me, but I did the same training you guys are doing about two years ago. Well, actually, mine was way tougher ‘cause I was so far ahead of everyone else… Anyway, listen up. Lupa and her pack prioritize individual strength here. Being strong on your own is important, yes, but that changes when you get to Camp Jupiter. In Rome, teamwork makes the dream work and all that good stuff. Seriously, help each other out. Not all of you will make it if you only look out for yourselves.”

Seeing as none of them had anything to say after I shared my wisdom, I walked back to where the others were.

“Jason has told me of the changes you brought to the legion, Serif,” Lupa said. “The revival of the Fifth Cohort. Forcing the others to grow stronger. I am pleased.”

I smirked. “Just keep sending us recruits, and I’ll make the Twelfth Legion the greatest it’s ever been.”

Her piercing silver eyes met mine. “I believe you will. Together, you and Jason will make it stronger than when it was under Julius Caesar’s command.”

Probably the most famous Roman... That’s some high standards to live up to. 

Still, I agreed with her.

Anyway, our duty was done. It was time for us to leave.

“Listen to Lupa,” Jason said, addressing the girls with that formal tone he used when speaking as a Centurion. “She will teach you everything you need to know to become a true Roman. We will await your arrival.”

I placed my hand on Reyna’s shoulder. “This is where we leave you. Work hard and get strong. I’ll see you at camp in a few months. Maybe less if you do it fast enough.”

She looked up and nodded. “We will.”

Hylla was watching us with an unreadable expression. Even if we didn’t get along, I should at least say something to her before leaving.

“Family is the strongest bond,” I told her. It was the best I could come up with on the spot, but it felt fitting, so I continued. “So long as you two stay together, you’ll succeed with ease.”

With our goodbyes said, Jason and I turned and walked out of the Wolf House.

------------------------------

[Hylla Ramírez-Arellano]

Flipping the boy over her shoulder, she watched him hit the ground hard, then pressed the tip of her practice spear against his chest before he could recover.

Not even half an hour after the two forces of nature had left, and they were immediately put to training.

And she already hated it.

She was surrounded by children, ten, maybe thirteen years old at most. Every last one of them were training to become soldiers for a new Rome. A disgusting empire founded by a man who’d murdered his own brother. Greedy, just like all men. They had built a city together, and in the end, one had killed the other just to become king. 

She was sixteen, a grown woman by the standards of any age, and the thought of serving a system built on such a foundation for ten years made her skin crawl.

She knew it wasn’t just her age that gave her the advantage. Before her match, Reyna had fought and expertly defeated her opponent in under a minute. The two of them were superior to the others here. It was a simple fact. Their suffering made them stronger. 

It reinforced the one lesson she truly understood: power is the only guarantee.

At C.C.’s Spa, she felt powerful. She had authority and the ability to turn arrogant men into rodents. But it had all been an illusion. That was Circe’s power, not her own. The moment the men were unleashed, she was helpless, a victim with no personal strength or magic of her own. That was her mistake. She relied on someone else’s strength. True safety didn’t come from a powerful protector. It came from having power yourself, power to do whatever you want, power that no one could take from you.

The boy on the ground groaned. Hylla scoffed and walked away without offering him a hand, heading toward the edge of the arena where Reyna was watching.

Family is the strongest bond.

What a joke. Family? Her father had been the first, and worst, betrayal of her life. A man who should have been a protector instead became the monster she had to flee.

And yet… a part of her was drawn to the one who said those words. Despite having so much power, the way Serif looked at her and Reyna was something she never experienced from a man before. He saw them as people to be saved, not pawns to be manipulated or possessions to be claimed.

But the reality was that only he could afford to be that way. He could talk about ‘leaving no one behind’ because he was strong enough to never be the one left. Kindness was a privilege of the powerful.

She would not settle for this. Being a soldier meant being a weapon pointed by another’s hand. She had to be better. She would be the hand that wielded it.

In her time on the island, she learned many things about the world mortals didn’t belong in. It was larger than the Roman camp and the wandering Greeks. There were other options. The Hunters of Artemis provided eternal life, but that was just another form of kneeling, trading a male master for a female one. But Circe had once spoken of another society, a matriarchy that survived since the ancient times, hiding in plain sight. Operating in Seattle, the Amazons used an online retail company with the same name as a front.

A kingdom where no man held the reins.

That’s where I belong.

She reached out to Reyna and pulled her aside. “Reyna, we need to talk. In private.”

They moved outside, into the relative seclusion of the surrounding forest.

“So? What is it?” her sister asked.

“Look at this place,” Hylla said, gesturing back toward the ruins. “Does this feel safe to you? Don’t you think it feels like we just escaped one cage only to volunteer for another?”

“Did you forget what happened on that yacht?” Reyna countered. “They were using their powers to protect us. To save us. If I go to that camp, maybe I can become like them.”

“Protecting us today, giving us orders tomorrow! That’s how it always ends with men. Rome isn’t the right place for us. There’s a society in the north, built by women, for women. The Amazons. With them, we wouldn’t be victims or have to serve anyone. We could be the ones in charge, Reyna. So let’s leave this pla—”

“I don’t care if I’m not the one in charge,” Reyna cut in, shaking her head. “Listen to me, Hylla. Following that path has never made things better for us. You know this just as well as I do.”

“You’re choosing to become a victim again! That’s why we need to go,” Hylla insisted, grabbing her sister’s arm. “This place will just turn you into a soldier for gods who did nothing for us! It’ll be different this time!”

Reyna gently pulled her arm free. “Hylla, I’m tired of taking the easy way out. I already have power. I killed our father, remember? If the wolf-goddess can teach me how to control it… then I can finally stand and fight on my own terms.”

All Hylla could do was stare. This was the first time her sister sounded so confident. Trying to force her to leave would make her no better than their father. Reyna had made her choice. Now, she had to make hers.

Knowing this would be their last moment together, she wrapped her arms around her little sister. “Okay,” she whispered. “Then be strong, little sister.”

Releasing her without another word, Hylla turned and started walking away into the forest alone. She didn’t look back.