Will woke up in a cold sweat. He looked around in a panic, but he calmed down once he saw that he was here in the cabin. Was it all a bad dream? He got up, looking around the room. Nothing was different. It could have been a vision...he'd have to be careful in the next few days. He moved to the door, a sense of dread filling him. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

He headed to the dining hall, noticing the worried looks from other campers. This was unusual, but not unheard of. It was probably one of the Hermes' kids pranks. Nothing serious. He moved to sit at the Hades table with Nico, who looked paler than usual.

Will opened his mouth to say good morning, but Nico cut him off, "So why didn't you tell me?" His voice was hurt, very soft and shakey, "I wasn't going to hate you for it. I wouldn't have been scared."

Will's heart skipped a beat, "T-tell you what?" Please no. Nonononono. Don't be-

"Word's been going around that you can do something dangerous. That you got the gift of pestilence. Sickness, injury, even death if you're not careful. And it's scaring people." Nico shrugged, "I'm not going to hate you or anything, I'm just a bit hurt you didn't trust me to say it."

Will went pale, "Who...who told-" he looked around the dining hall, the stares of other campers burning into the back of his head. Some people looked away in fear, while a few Ares kids continued to glare. "N-no...i...i haven't used that since...since I was young. I didn't know what I was doing!"

Nico took Will's hand, squeezing it softly, "I know that, but people are scared. There have been whispers that you've been working against the camp, that you've been slowly killing your patients. They have no proof of it, but paranoia is a scary thing."

Will shook his head, "I would never! I was stupid and frightened, it was a mistake...I was scared. I haven't since. I...I wouldn't ever use it again, I haven't used it since that night!" He heard the whispers from the other tables, felt the stares. It was too much. He got up, slamming his hands on the table. The hall goes quiet, and Will glances around at the frightened faces. "I'm going for a walk. Alone."

He stormed out of the hall, why would everyone act like this? It's not the first time someone with dangerous abilities has been in camp. Why was this different? He made his way to the beach, kicking the sand in anger. It wasn't fair! He didn't deserve it.

"Life isn't fair." Will whipped around to see Erebus standing behind him. "Have you had enough dear boy?" he moved close to him, putting his hand on Will's shoulder. "They are scared of you. I exaggerated nothing. This is how your "friends" would react if they would find out. You wouldn't be accepted here. But," he smiled at Will, "You will be welcomed in Taurus with open arms. I will treat you like the son I never had."

Will took a step back, shaking his head, "N-no...I can't...I" he took a shaky breath, "Get me out of here! I don't want to be in a world where everyone hates me" He looked frantically around, but there was no one on the beach. He glanced back at Erebus, before taking off back into camp.

Back at camp, he was met with a sword to his throat. "You've been scaring a lot of people, Solace. They don't feel comfortable with a pathológo giatroú around." On the other side of the sword was Clarisse, tears in her eyes. "You know I didn't want to believe them at first. But...I've seen the proof."

"N-no...I haven't...I was a child! Clarisse, you have to believe me. Th-the last time I did it was an accident. I was frightened. My step-father was going to kill me! He killed my sister and was about to kill me! Clarisse, we're friends..." Will trailed off, unsure of how to defend himself. Why would anyone listen to him? He has a terrifying power that he could barely control. It hurts every day to try to hold it back, to try to fight it. He's gotten so used to the pain, he wouldn't even know what it would feel like to not be in pain.

Clarisse pushed the sword closer, the tip digging into Will's neck, slightly breaking the skin. "I don't know about that anymore. I don't know if I or anyone can even trust you anymore. You lied about being a fucking pathológo giatroú! That's more dangerous than a fire user!"

Will stumbled back, a drop of blood running down from the cut. "I didn't know how dangerous it was! And when I found out, there was nothing I could do! I've been suppressing it for years!! There is no danger of me hurting anyone!" He looked around at the crowd that had formed, "I have done nothing but healing for the entire time I have been here. I can't fight, I can't shoot a bow, I am a healer! That's all I am." He turned back to Clarisse, "Please believe me."

She shook her head. "Then prove it. Tell me right now, in front of everyone that your step-father was the only person you ever used it on. Or that it's only ever been in self-defense. No lying, no secrets, tell me the truth."

"He-he...he wasn't...I was a stupid child. I didn't know what I was doing, they were all just stupid accidents. But anyone here who has some sort of power had had similar problems." He looked pleadingly at Clarisse, "I haven't done anything since my step-father. I haven't even tried to use it. I haven't wanted to. I'm ashamed of it! Clarisse please, put the sword down. Please...Clarisse"

"Kill him, Clair!" One of the people in the crowd shouted. "He deserves it!!" there was murmuring in the crowd, some people seemed to agree.

Clarisse shook her head, "I'm not gonna kill him you nub-head, I just needed to know the truth. I had to hear it from him." She lowered her sword, "I believe him. He's not lying."

Will let out a small sigh. Maybe Erebus was wrong. Maybe he wasn't fucked. Maybe he could fix this. Maybe everything could be ok.

"This doesn't mean I fully trust you. I just believe that you're not an immediate threat. We're having a counselor meeting in a few minutes to figure out what to do with you. In the meantime, you're staying in the Apollo cabin with a few of my brothers keeping guard. You aren't going anywhere until it's decided you're safe to be around."

Will tries to protest, but two Ares boys grab his arms, dragging him back to his cabin, locking him in. He screamed, banging his fists on the door, this wasn't fair! "Let me out! I'm not going to hurt anyone!" He leaned against the door, letting out a sob. His head was pounding, he needed to get out. He needed to leave. "Le-let me out...Please"

"Shut up. If it was up to us you'd be dead. Campers like you and your boyfriend shouldn't be here. You're too dangerous to be kept alive."

The boys laughed and Will clenched his fists in anger. How dare they?! It's not funny. There's nothing funny about it. He heard the laughing stop and one of the boy's coughing. He just had a simple cold, it could have been fixed in a couple of days, but now. Now it was going to get worse.

"H-hey! Wh-what are you doing? Will? Stop it!" Will heard shuffling, his hands shaking. He couldn't stop himself. He wanted to do this. It felt...good. "W-will! He's coughing up blood! Fix it!" He heard a thud and then footsteps running from the cabin.

"Well, well, well," Will spun around, seeing Erebus standing behind him, "I didn't think you would have the strength to do it. But you did it. You used your beautiful gift. How does it feel? How does it feel to hold someone's life in your hands and end it?"

Will looked up at Erebus, "It...it felt good. Why did it feel good? I'm not supposed to be like this. I'm a healer. I'm supposed to help people." He let out a strangled sob, leaning into Erebus's open arms. "Why?"

Erebus wrapped his arms around him, holding him in a firm hug. "You've suppressed the power for so long my son. It feels good to let it go. To accept yourself. Now come on. It's time to wake up. We have much to discuss."

Will nodded, feeling the darkness cloud his vision as he woke up."