This Fire Burns - Chapter 15

[July 5, 2007]

Thinking back on it, Jason’s theory about monsters targeting demigods in Camp Jupiter made even more sense. The entire state was crawling with creatures drawn to us. The horde outside the library back in Berkeley had been bad, but the amount that attacked us at the LA Union Station made it look like a joke. I couldn’t even count how many there were.

But the moment our bus crossed the state line into Arizona, the frequency of attacks dropped dramatically. We still had to deal with the occasional Hellhound or Cyclops at a rest stop, but that wasn’t something either of us broke a sweat over. None of the mortals ever noticed anything wrong.

The next problem turned out to be a bus driver who was a stickler for the rules. He refused to let us transfer to the New Orleans bus, citing a company policy about unaccompanied minors not being allowed to make transfers.

So I used the Mist to make him forget he’d ever spoken to us, and to make sure it didn’t happen for the rest of the trip, I nudged the illusion so we looked like we were in our early twenties.

The bus went into an underpass, and the windows went black, turning into the perfect mirrors. I couldn’t help but use it as an opportunity to check myself out again.

Damn, I look good.

I hadn’t even been trying to make us look better, just older, but if this was what I had to look forward to in a few years, I wasn't complaining. Benefits of the divine genes, I guess.

Although that had its own side effects.

A pair of college-aged girls sitting in the seats ahead of us had been glancing back every few minutes ever since they boarded in Houston. Suddenly, they turned around and practically draped over the headrests, giving us a good view of their tits.

“Where’d you get this?” the blonde one asked, reaching over to trace the scar on Jason’s lip with a perfectly manicured nail. “It makes you look so dangerous.”

Jason went completely still. 

This was the same guy who could face a horde of monsters without flinching, command wind and lightning, yet he short-circuited from a girl showing some interest in him. I guess spending your entire life in a military camp doesn’t prepare you for this type of interaction.

I leaned over, whispering into his ear. “Just tell them the truth, man. ‘I tried to eat a stapler when I was two.’”

“Aww, that’s adorable!” the girl cooed, apparently eavesdropping. “You must have been the cutest little baby.”

Jason’s ears turned red.

I grinned, turning to the girls. “You’ll have to forgive my friend. He’s the strong, silent type.”

“Don’t worry, I like that type of man! It’s always the quiet ones who have the most to say… later.” She winked at Jason.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Jason’s knuckles go completely white on the armrest, and I even heard a faint groan from it.

I finally took pity on him.

“My friend’s actually dealing with some problems back home, so we’d prefer to keep to ourselves on this trip.”

The blonde wasn’t deterred by the casual approach. “Well, I can definitely take his mind off that.”

“Seriously,” I said firmly. “He’s not interested right now.”

That should’ve been the end of it, but then the other one turned her attention to me.

“What about you then? You’re definitely more forward than your friend.”

For a second I was tempted. The only females to hit on me so far had been Dracaenae and Empousai. Still, it would have been a dick move, considering the Mist was changing their perception.

I gave a polite smile. “Appreciate the offer, but I’m gonna have to pass too.”

The girls finally took the hint, pouting before turning back around in their seats. As they did, the one hitting on me scribbled something on a napkin and discreetly slipped it onto my armrest.

I snapped my fingers and burned it to ash.

Jason slumped back in his seat, still pink around the ears.

I looked out the window at the endless stretch of flat landscape. It was nice being away from the rigid structure of camp, out here where the only schedule was the one on the bus ticket.

“You know, for a divine quest, this has been surprisingly boring. A few monster fights, sure, but mostly just sitting around and waiting. We should’ve just taken a plane.” 

“And what about our budget?” Jason asked.

“Relax, I’m sure we could’ve used the Mist to board for free.”

“The quiet is good,” he said, ignoring my ethical solution. “It means we’re conserving our strength. The real challenge will begin once we’re in Florida, when we go out to the sea ‘where the lawless sail.’”

“Fair enough,” I conceded. “It’s only an hour until we reach New Orleans, anyway. We can explore the city a little before we transfer to the next bus.”

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One hand was all I needed.

I had the creature pinned to the floor by its throat. Up close, it was even uglier than I had realized: a grotesque parody of a woman with a pug-nosed furry face, red bulging eyes, and leathery wings like a bat.

It tried to move its shriveled arms, but they just twitched pathetically, paralyzed by one of Jason’s lightning bolts earlier in the fight.

I ignited my other hand. The creature let out a shriek as I brought my hand down to its head, causing it to disintegrate into a pile of black dust.

Once it was completely gone, I stood back up and dusted off my hands.

“Are you hurt?” Jason asked. “Check yourself for any discoloration or a spot that feels unnaturally cold. Even the smallest scratch from a Keres can be fatal. They’re spirits of disease and pestilence as much as violence.”

“Yeah, I know. I made sure to be careful,” I said, doing a quick pat-down of my arms and torso. “Anyway, let’s get out of here before someone notices we snuck in.”

We made our way out through the back door and onto Royal Street. A small crowd of tourists stood on the sidewalk on the side, taking pictures of the infamous Lalaurie Mansion. None of them seemed to notice us.

Having had enough entertainment for the day, we scrapped the rest of our plans for the city and started walking toward the bus station to continue with our quest.

Jason sighed. “Let’s agree not to do that again. We took a one-hour break to check out a haunted house because you felt something strange inside and ended up fighting a Keres.”

“I wasn’t wrong, though,” I mused. “One of them being so far from the Underworld is unheard of. Think that was Madame Lalaurie herself? A serial killer who tortured and murdered slaves secretly being a spirit of violent death seems pretty damn fitting.”

“Who knows? But I think that might have been what the second line of the prophecy meant. ‘A third would fall into a deadly snare.’”

“Hmmm, I see what you mean. Walking into that mansion was the snare. If anyone else had been with us, they probably would’ve been nicked by a claw and died from some magical disease before we could do anything about it. Good thing the two of us are so fucking OP that we got out without a scratch.”

“That means overpowered, right?”

I grinned. “Damn, old man, you’re actually learning. I’m so proud.”

After another thirty minutes of walking, we arrived at the Union Passenger Terminal and got in line at the ticket office. 

When we reached the front, I rested an arm on the counter. “Two tickets for the next bus to Jacksonville, Florida, please.”

She gave me a tired look. “Sorry, sir. All eastbound buses are halted indefinitely as there is a structural failure on the I-10 Twin Span Bridge. Nothing’s getting across until they finish repairs.”

We stepped away from the counter, the noise of the bustling terminal suddenly feeling a whole lot more annoying. 

“What do we do now?” Jason asked.

I ran a hand through my hair. That bridge had no pedestrian access. We were effectively stranded. Or, we would be, if we were normal. 

My good mood came right back.

“I guess we just fly over and catch a bus from the other side. That bridge is five miles long, so we can easily make it in under an hour with our powers.”

Jason shook his head. “I don’t know, Serif. That fight with the Keres took more out of me than I thought. I’m not sure I can stay airborne that long right now.”

I sighed. “Taking a different route to get around the bridge would end up taking too much time. I suppose the best option is just to take a longer break for a few hours until you’re ready to fly over. While we wait, we can have lunch. Any place you want to eat at?”

As he was thinking, I saw a man in a business suit yelling at the teller.

“What do you mean ‘Act of God’? It’s a bridge! They’re supposed to stay up! My conference is in Mobile! How am I supposed to get there now?!”

Meanwhile, a different pair of travelers were talking nearby.

“I heard there’s some local guy with a boat running a private ferry service or something.”

The asshole who yells at service workers for things out of their control snapped his head around. “What did you say? Where can I find this ferryman?”

“You sure? I heard this guy charges a fortune,” the other traveler chimed in.

“Just tell me! Money is not a problem.”

“From the pier down by the industrial canal,” the first traveler said with a shrug.

The businessman ran out of the terminal.

I turned to Jason. “We should go check it out. If it’s a bust, we can just stick to the original plan and take a break until you’re good to fly.”

He nodded and then we started making our way toward the pier. The businessman was two blocks ahead of us since we weren’t in as big of a rush as him.

“So, now that you’ve had the time to soak it all in, what’s the verdict? How are you liking this trip outside Camp Jupiter?” I asked.

Jason took a moment to answer. “It’s interesting. Very different from my last quest.”

“You went on a quest before this?”

“It was a requirement. To be eligible for Centurion, you have to complete at least one official quest. Mine was back when I was eight, just a few days after I completed my fifth year of service.” He slowed his pace, looking ahead absent-mindedly. “I was escorted by both of the Fifth's Centurions at the time. Every move was planned by the Senate.”

Grinning, I slung my arm over his shoulder and pulled him ahead with me. “Shit bro, that sounds like hell. Y’know what? After we finish this quest, we’ll take every detour on the way back. Hell, we can get ‘lost’ and end up in New York on the opposite side of the country!”

“…Thanks. I think I’d like that.”

After a few minutes of silence, we arrived at the pier. At the end of it was a trawler tied to a piling. Leaning against that same piling was a man in his fifties wearing a worn-out windbreaker. In front of him was the same man from earlier, and it looked like they were arguing.

“Look, I’d love to help you out, pal,” the captain said. “But demand is sky-high. I’ve only got a couple spots left on this run, and my fuel costs are through the roof. A hundred is the best I can do.”

The businessman’s shoulders slumped in defeat. Despite knowing he was being price gouged, he still pulled out his wallet and handed over a hundred dollar bill before boarding.

Damn, a hundo for a short boat ride. I’d respect the hustle if it wasn’t about to come out of my pocket next.

A few more desperate-looking travelers were already making their way down the pier.

“Let’s leave,” I murmured to Jason. “It isn’t worth paying for. We can't even negotiate with these other suckers lining up.” 

Jason nodded. “Agreed. We shouldn’t encourage a blatant exploitation of a crisis.”

Before we could walk off, the captain called out, “Woah there, son. That price’s for the suits. Heavens, I couldn’t live with myself charging a couple of kids that much. Hop on, the ride’s on me. Free of charge.”

The businessman, who had been settling into a seat near the back, leaned over the railing. “Kids? Those two are practically the same age as my nephew in college! How are they getting on for free?”

The captain turned to him, his smile vanishing. “You got a problem, you can get your ass off my boat and take your refund. Otherwise, shut your mouth.” He turned back to us, the easygoing chuckle returning. “I’m Captain Ron. In my book, if you’re not bogged down with a mortgage and a miserable job, you’re still a kid. Life’s too short to grow up too fast, am I right?” He winked. “Now, are you two getting on or not?”

I gave Captain Ron an appraising look. My monster-sense was completely silent. This guy wasn’t a creature, just a mortal hustler.

I glanced at Jason. A silent conversation passed between us. 

This is suspicious, his look said.

Yeah, I know, mine replied. But it’s a free ride.

I didn’t want to be the kind of paranoid demigod who saw a monster behind every act of kindness. Besides, if something sketchy did happen… Well, I was confident the two of us could handle it.

I hopped onto the boat. After a moment of hesitation, Jason followed.

“Sorry, folks!” Captain Ron shouted to the other people waiting on the pier, untying the thick rope from the piling. “That’s a full boat! I’ll be back for another run in half an hour!”

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[Jason Grace]

A son of Jupiter shouldn’t be here.

It had only been fifteen minutes since the boat left the dock, and Jason already felt his stomach churning, as if the sea itself was rejecting his presence. He’d always known the sea belonged to Neptune, a god Romans had good reason to fear.

The unsteady rocking of the boat reminded him of the first time water tried to claim him.

He was three years old, crossing the Little Tiber, the currents tugging at him as if it wanted to drag him under. Water was rushing in his ears as he splashed and flailed. His nose was snotty, but his gasping breaths kept taking in water, burning through his nose. At that point he was just padding to not get washed away, let alone reach the other side.

Through his half-squinted eyes, he could see silhouettes on the shore just watching him.

The moment his hands scraped against the mud of the far bank, they were ready to welcome him, wrapping him with towels. But only after he’d made it on his own. Before that moment, they simply waited to see if he would sink or swim, no matter how much he screamed.

It was the kind of memory he couldn’t be sure was real or not. He’d heard the story about his legendary arrival being recounted so many times that his brain could have just filled in the blank. He could remember remembering it, maybe, but it had otherwise faded into a collection of sensations. 

While it was happening, he hated them. For the child in that river, the difference between trial and apathy was nonexistent. He wanted to blame the legionnaires posted along the Little Tiber for not rescuing him on the spot. He’d imagined throwing himself at them for their coldness. Though a few years in the legion transformed that sentiment into understanding, or at least acceptance.

A legionnaire had to prove himself by making it on their own. Two years ago, before everything turned sideways, he would have nodded and done exactly what the others did if that same situation happened to someone else.

He wasn’t so sure what he would do now, though he knew for a fact someone else would act. His friend would dive in to pull the child out himself, and afterwards, he’d probably toss every bystander into the river, telling them to grow a brain.

He still dreamt of being at that same riverbank sometimes.

Lately, though, there was a change in the dream. There was another boy on the far shore, reaching out.

“You good, man?”

Jason was pulled out from his thoughts by Serif’s voice.

“I’m fine. Just not a fan of boats,” he replied, making an excuse so his friend had no reason to worry about him unnecessarily.

“We’re over halfway across. We’ll probably be done in less than ten more minutes.”

He nodded, trying to focus on anything else. He took the time to observe the passengers on the boat. There were eight others besides him and Serif, including the captain. A middle-aged couple sat near the bow, the businessman from earlier was talking on his phone about getting a reimbursement, calling the boat ride a travel expense. A group of travelers a few years older than him were talking pictures with the water behind them.

Captain Ron paced around the deck, constantly scratching his ankle with the toes of his other boot as looked at the water.

“Oi, Jason,” Serif said suddenly. He was also staring down at the water. “I can feel something coming up from under us.”

Jason’s hand went into his pockets, instinctively reaching for Ivlivs. He brought his head over the railing, following Serif’s gaze and finding a dark shadow under the boat.

In that split second of shared distraction, Captain Ron lunged, moving way faster than what should be possible for a man his age, and flipped Serif overboard.

A massive head covered in scaly green skin burst from the surface and snapped its jaw around Serif, swallowing him whole before descending back, leaving only a swirl of water.

“Oh my god, did you see that?” A woman screamed.

“A whale just ate that guy!”

Captain Ron was barely holding back his laughter, opening his mouth to speak. 

Jason didn’t care about anything he had to say.

He grabbed the captain’s arm, twisting it until a sickening crack echoed, and then clamped his hand around the man’s neck. Blue-white electricity coursed from his fingers. Captain Ron convulsed and then went limp, collapsing to the deck. 

He had never used his power like this, but it seemed to be a signature move of Serif’s when he fought monsters, and right now, Jason didn’t care what this man was. He only wanted it to hurt. 

“That man has a taser!”

“Oh my god, he broke his arm!”

“Stay away from him! He’s dangerous!”

Everyone else pressed themselves against the far railing, going as far away from him as they could. Some of them even cried, staring at him like he was the one who pushed his friend off.

He didn’t have the time to deal with them right now.

Jason turned to the water. The surface was calm now, showing no sign of the massive turtle. Just endless dark water stretching out in every direction.

Drown. 

He heard a different voice in his head. A person who thinks all the time has nothing to think about except thoughts—shit, how did the rest of it go? Uhh, oh yeah, that’s it! Ahem, so he loses touch with reality, and lives in a world of illusion. Basically, stop deliberating all the time, and JUST DO IT!

Jason’s shaking stopped. His breathing steadied. Serif was down there. 

He climbed onto the railing, about to dive in. 

Suddenly, he could see steam start to rise up. The giant turtle resurfaced, a plume of black smoke billowing from between its clenched beak.

Jason didn’t hesitate, launching himself into the air.

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Life as a demigod could be so interesting at times. I never thought I’d be eaten alive, but here I am. No idea what ate me either.

Despite the terrible smell, I wasn’t panicking or anything. Thanks to the fact that I could just hover right above its massive, slimy tongue, I knew I was in no immediate danger of being digested.

Using a small flame in the palm of my hand as a flashlight, I started to observe my surroundings.

The creature’s throat was lined with spiky things. Since they were all aimed inward, I assumed their purpose was to make sure that anything that went in never came back out.

I flew over to one of the spikes and poked it with my finger, noting that it was as hard as a bone.

Hmm...

Bracing myself against the fleshy wall, I wrapped my hands around a spike and started pulling. It snapped free with a satisfying crack. I turned around and stabbed my new weapon into the soft tissue nearby. I repeated the process, breaking off several more spikes and using them to repeatedly stab the surrounding flesh.

Unfortunately, the creature didn’t open its mouth. The only reaction I got was its tongue squirming around, trying to lick at the new wounds I was making.

Ah, screw it. This thing seriously tried to eat me. It doesn’t really matter if I make it suffer.

I hovered back above its tongue and ignited my palms, skipping past orange and straight to blue flames. I pressed my palms down onto the tongue and dug in, my fingers curling until I was practically wrenching the flesh upward with all my strength.

The creature’s tongue spasmed wildly, trying to throw me off, and the entire mouth-cavern shook.

A bright circle of daylight suddenly appeared as it opened its mouth. Outside, I could see Jason hovering in the air and hurling lightning bolts at the creature’s head.

Still clinging to the burning tongue, I shouted out, “Yo, wassup Jason! What is this thing, anyway?”

“It’s a giant turtle! Get out of there!” he yelled back.

“Sure, just give me a second!” 

I poured more power into my palms. The blue flames turned into a blinding white that started eating the surface of the tongue. The turtle thrashed in agony, trying to fling me loose. It lolled its head and dragged its tongue against the water, but I refused to let go. I kept burning and pulling until the flesh was charred.

Finally satisfied, I released my grip and flew over to Jason, covered in a bit of slime but otherwise perfectly fine. “That should do it. It’ll probably starve to death now, but I’d prefer not to leave it alive for any longer. Think you can stab its brain or something?”

Maybe I should get a weapon. I know I can handle this on my own, but burning it to death would take too long. It would be nice to have more options in future fights.

While I was thinking, Jason flew higher in the air. The turtle must have been stupid since it kept licking the sea. Didn’t it know that the saltwater would’ve only made the pain worse? No worries big guy, it’ll all be over soon.

Jason shifted Ivlivs from its gladius form into its lance form and then dove. He plunged it straight down into the turtle’s skull, causing it to instantly dissolve into a thick slurry of golden dust and seawater.

I looked down at the boat. The mortals were in a complete panic, screaming as they pointed at us.

At least phone camera quality in 2007 is so shit that no one’s gonna have a good video of us. All we have to do is wipe their memories with the Mist, maybe toss their phones overboard just in case anyone took a picture, and we’re golden.

“Did you kill the captain?” I asked.

Jason shook his head. “No. I had more important things in mind.”

“Great! I want to have some words with him.”