Art by my wonderful friend Hannah <3

TW: Abuse, scars and blood

I had to actually rhyme in this chapter. The struggle.

Logans POV

It hurt more than I thought it would to say those five words.

My mind was reeling. How could Patton just be gone? Why would anyone want to take him? He didn't do anything wrong!

"Wait, WHAT?" Virgil looked shell shocked. "By who?"

I shook my head and continued tugging him by the arm towards the campfire pit.

"I'm not sure." I answered. "One second he was there and the next..."

I trailed off before I got too choked up. Emotional had never been a word to describe me, in fact, most people use the word robotic. But once I met Patton, he had been able to make me feel things I hadn't felt in years. (an- keep your thoughts pg everyone. they're only 15 you heathens)

Needless to say, Patton means a lot to me. He's probably the most important person in my life.

"Why'd you come get me? Is there anything I can do to help?"

I didn't want to tell him that I was worried that all my friends had disappeared like Patton had, so I just said

"Chiron wants all the campers in one place so he can assign areas to search." And it wasn't really a lie, since those were Chirons intentions.

I just left out the part about how I sprinted to Virgils cabin to get him before I had to fight Roman over who would reach him first.

Speaking of Roman...

"Virgil!" The son of Aphrodite called as he navigated through the crowd. "Logan!"

He pulled us both into tight hugs when he got close enough. I'm not much for physical contact but to my understanding, embraces might help Roman cope with his distress so I wrapped my arms around him in return.

Roman pulled away and I straightened my glasses. I noticed that Virgils face had gone a noticeable shade of red. Perhaps he had developed a fever.

"Come on, let's grab a seat." Roman pulled us over to one of the empty benches surrounding the unlit fire. Glowing embers were mixed in with grey ashes.

After a few minutes, Chiron began to address the crowd with a grim expression.

"I'll have to cut right to the chase. Patton Morales is missing."

The night air rang with exclamations of surprise and horror.

"Actually, Chiron," I stood up. "I have reason to believe that he was taken, rather than simply missing."

The surrounding campers went quiet.

"Why do you think that, Logan?"

I walked over to where Chiron was standing so I was sure that I would have everyone's attention.

"I was there when it happened and in my opinion, a search of the camp would be ineffective." Everyone looked confused but none of them looked unbelieving. "I was walking with Patton to put his instruments away behind the Apollo cabin when a sort of hissing noise started coming out of nowhere.

I summoned my staff and stood at the ready but there wasn't anything to fight. Then Patton stumbled forward like he was pushed and then dissappeared in a yellow light. And a light with that appearance and effect could only be the doing of a god or something similar."

I stood silently as I let my words sink in.

"Wait, so you think Patton was taken by a god?" One of Patton's sisters, Valarie, asked.

I just nodded. Did I not already say that?

"But which god would want to do harm to Patton of all people?"

"I am not sure." I responded. "But something I do know is that a quest must be issued and a prophecy must be given if we intend to bring him back."

A bit hesitantly, I looked towards Chiron.

"And that is our intention... right?"

Our mentor looked down at me seriously.

"Of course it is, Logan. I shall talk to Mr D about consulting the Oracle-"

"Actually, Chiron," My brother Malcolm called from his bench. "I think the Oracle is coming to us!"

Some campers cried out in surprise as green mist curled around their feet. Then from the shadows came the stiff-walking form of the Oracle.The Oracle's vessel was a yellowed mummy with hollowed eyes that I assume was last alive in the '70s as it was draped in bead necklaces and a tie-dye dress.

"Holy shit!" Virgil yelped as he clutched Roman's arm and lifted his feet off the ground. "What the hell is that?"

"I am the spirit of Delphi." The Oracle said in its hissing snake-like voice. "Deliverer of prophecies and predictions."

"Please," I almost begged before collecting myself. "O spirit of Delphi, please deliver a prophecy to aid us in the search for Patton Morales."

All was silent for a moment before the Oracle opened its mouth, allowing more green smoke to billow out.

"The one who controls what the light casts,

Will find the Sun's child and escape beyond blasts.

Past actions turned secret shall be unduly revealed,

As a close one has a master for which they had heeled."

The Oracle went still and silent once again.

The one who controls what the light casts? Well the light casts shadows and the person who controls shadows...

Oh no.

I turned to Virgil who looked like he was still registering the Oracle's words. Once he seemed to realize what the first line meant, his face went pale.

"The Oracle has spoken." Chiron spoke. "A quest has been issued to-"

"I'll take it!" A female voice called.

Aly from the Hermes cabin was standing up with her hand raised.

"I'll lead the quest to find Patton!"

"Your offer is appreciated, Aly, but-" I was cut off by Patton's brother Jonathan.

"No way Aly! If anyone should lead this it should be an Apollo camper!"

"Jonathan, please-" Roman, who must have decoded the line like I had, attempted. But to no avail.

"Why? So you can screw it up?" Jace from the Ares cabin stood up and shouted as well. "Chiron should send an Ares camper!"

More and more campers from all different cabins began to argue over who should take the role, but the answer was so plainly obvious! How couldn't they all see it?

"EVERYBODY STOP!" I yelled over the ceaseless bickering. Everyone went quiet and looked at me.

"There is no efficient point in arguing about who should lead the quest when the Oracle has already told us!" I said.

I gestured towards the purple haired demigod who was attempting to make himself look small.

"The Oracle was obviously referring to Virgil."

Virgils POV

That's exactly what I was hoping Logan wouldn't say.

I mean, it was pretty obvious, but I was really really hoping that the son of Athena had come to a different conclusion than I had. Of course, I had completely forgot how utterly terrible my luck was.

"What?" A boy that looked pretty similar to Roman said. "Why would the Oracle want us send him? He's too dangerous for a rescue mission!"

I sank back further into my hoodie.

"You must be denser than I thought, Remus." Roman replied stiffly to the other boy. His brother probably. "Did you even listen to the Oracle?"

"Of course I did!" Remus scoffed.

"Then you should understand the meaning of the first line." Logan spoke up. "'The one who controls what the light casts"? Quite clearly meaning someone who can manipulate shadows."

He looked around at the gathered campers.

"Do any of you have that ability?" Everyone was quiet. "Well Virgil does. So definitively, he is the leader of the quest."

Everybody turned to me, most with disbelieving or angry expressions. I shrank back even more.

"I-I don't have to go alone, do I?" I asked Chiron uncomfortably, internally cursing myself for stuttering.

"No, Virgil."Chiron shook his head. "You can bring two others of your choice."

"I choose Roman and Logan." I said instantly. Then I realized what I had said and looked over to my two friends. "That is, if they agree to it...?"

"Of course I accept." Logan assured.

I looked to Roman next.

"Like I'd let you go without me." He confirmed with a sideways smile and a wink.

"Well then," Chiron announced. "The quest to return Patton Morales to camp will begin tomorrow. And I for one, sincerely hope you succeed."

Then we all got sent back to our cabins. Most of my fellow demigods glared daggers at me as they left but I was too busy staring at the ground.

Once everybody had left, I groaned and dropped my head into my hands.

What is my life?

******

I eased the door open silently, trying to keep the hinges from creaking. I closed it behind me just as carefully and puffed out a bit of air in relief.

"Where the hell have you been?"

I whipped around to face the voice.

Sebastian was sitting on the couch with the TV on and a half empty bottle of beer in one hand. He clearly wasn't sober.

"Answer me, boy!" He said loudly, slurring his words slightly.

"I um," I began to answer hesitantly. "I was just at Joans. We have a history project."

"That boy is disgusting." He spat. "He shouldn't be allowed at that school."

I tugged on the frayed ends of my faded black sweater.

"Joan isn't a boy..." I corrected quietly. I knew he wouldn't like this comment but I'll always stand up for my friend whenever I had to.

"Oh right," Sebastian swung his arm over the back of the couch so he could face me without sitting up. "He has that whole delusion about his gender or whatever. I don't know why his parents allow this nonsense."

"They're not a boy!" I spoke up. "They're non binary. It's a real thing, not a delusion."

Sebastian's face hardened.

"Don't speak to me like that." He glared.

"Then don't talk about Joan like that! They're a better person than you'll ever be in a million years."

I turned and attempted to get down the hall to my bedroom, but before I could get far, Sebastian threw his bottle at me.

It smashed against the back of my head and I fell forward and hit the floor hard.

I could feel blood dampen the back of my neck and seep into my clothes. Pain flared through my body and I yelled at the impact.

I tried to push myself up on my elbows, but Sebastians foot landed on my back. I could feel small pieces of glass lodge themselves into my face as he pushed me down.

"Learn your place, boy." He growled. "You'll listen to what I say, or I'll make you. Got it?"

Through the silent tears and fat droplets of blood trailing down my face, I nodded weakly.

He lifted his weight from me and flopped back down on the couch.

"Now get out of my sight. And that glass better be cleaned up before you leave for school tomorrow or else."

I couldn't make myself do anything but stumble to my feet and get to my room as fast as I could, wincing with every step.

I closed the door behind me and fell to my knees. My body shook with sobs as I curled up in the darkness.

I lurched up from my bed, gasping for breath.

My t-shirt clung to my sweaty chest as brought my knees to my chest and clutched my hair in my fists.

I'm okay. I'm at camp. He's not here. You'll never see him again.

I kept repeating those words frantically in a whisper until I calmed down enough to think clearly again.

I practiced the breathing exercise Patton had taught me on my first day. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight.

Finally, I felt okay enough to stand up. My alarm clock on my bedside table showed that it was nearly six in the morning so I figured I might as well get ready.

I walked into the bathroom and really didn't feel like looking in the mirror so I just washed the drying tears off my face and jumped in the shower. When I got out I could make out my newest scar through the fog on the mirror.

Three pale claw marks were stretched across my chest diagonally. I raised a hand to trace over the mark. It definitely bothered me a bit but after living with my old foster parents for so long I was pretty used to scars by now. I had more than enough marks littered across my skin including a jagged line on the back of my head under my hair from, well, what I had just had a nightmare about.

I shook my head to get that thought out of my head and went back into the bedroom to get dressed. Somehow I had managed to spend half an hour in the shower. Whoops.

I pulled on my iconic ripped black jeans and patched hoodie, along with a grey t-shirt under it. Then I fastened my sword in it's scabbard around my waist, swung my backpack over my shoulder, tied my black Vans to my feet, and I opened the cabin door.

I blinked in the sunlight and began my trek up Half-Blood Hill where Chiron and my friends would meet me. I should've gone to breakfast, but I'd rather not sit at the empty Hades table while everyone stares at me. So I sat against the big pine tree and fiddled with a daisy between my fingers until three figures appeared over the crest of the hill.

"Good morning, Virgil." Logan greeted. "When you didn't appear at breakfast I was beginning to wonder if you had changed your mind about taking on this quest."

"Of course I didn't." I responded, standing up. "I can't let you guys have all the fun."

"Here, Doctor Gloom." Was Roman's way of greeting as he tossed me and apple that I caught with ease. "Eat up. I'm not letting you starve just because you bailed on breakfast."

I smirked, hiding how slightly touched I felt.

"Aw but Princey, you know my lifelong dream is to starve to death at the age of fifteen."

He shrugged.

"I guess I'll have to foil your evil plans then."

I rolled my eyes playfully. Then I turned to Chiron, who was holding a small folded pile of extra clothes and a couple more supplies.

"Take these, Virgil." He said, handing me the pile. I fit it all in my grey backpack. "There's some Nectar and Ambrosia along with some rations, drachmas and mortal money for your journey."

"Thanks Chiron." I responded. I remembered what Nectar and Ambrosia did from when Patton's sister Valerie gave me some while I was in the infirmary. I discovered that to me, Nectar tasted like hot chocolate from the one restaurant by my old high school I would hang out at with Joan during the winter. That hot chocolate was probably the only thing I missed from outside camp. "It'll probably come in handy."

He nodded and looked like he was about to say something else, but decided against it and nodded with a small smile.

"Argus will meet you on the road and he'll drive you to Grand Central Terminal. Some nature spirits have reported a large magic disturbance in Columbus, Ohio. Perhaps that would be a good place to start your investigation."

I didn't think that whatever took Patton would be so close, but I figured it was better than nothing so I nodded.

"Good luck you three!" Chiron called after us as we descended the hill.

We climbed into a grey van with the words "Delphi Strawberry Service" printed on the side in cursive, which was killer on my dyslexic eyes. Logan went in first, then Roman, then I followed them both.

The man in the drivers seat almost looked like a typical dude-bro kind of guy that surfed every weekend. He had wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. I would've assumed his name was Chad if he didn't have a hundred eyes all over his body. He nodded me as I sat down.

"Virgil, this is Argus." Logan introduced. "Camp Half-Bloods bodyguard and driver."

Argus nodded silently and I gave a slightly shocked wave in return.

We all buckled up, because even demigods listen to Dora the explorer, and we were soon cruising out of the countryside.

I was staring out the window until I felt someone nudge my arm. I turned to look at Roman, who. was holding up the apple he gave me that I had shoved in the side pocket of my backpack.

I rolled my eyes, but when Roman gave me an insistent look, I plucked the fruit out of his hand and took a bite. Roman seemed satisfied.

Once he turned away to talk to Logan, I found myself accidentally watching him out of the corner of my eye and unconsciously smiling. I could've sworn that the eye on the back of Argus's neck winked at me.

Argus dropped us off across the street from Grand Central Terminal. We thanked him and jumped out.

I stared around at the buildings and people around me and marvelled at the huge structure that was the terminal.

"Aren't you from the city?" Logan inquired, noticing my impressed expression. "Haven't you seen these things before?"

"Yeah but I'm from Queens." I replied I schooled my expression. "Manhattan is very different. I've never been to this part of NYC before."

"Why not?"

I didn't want to tell him that Sebastian never let me go anywhere but the house and school, and if I did manage to go somewhere else he'd greet me with punishment, I downplayed it.

"You know," I shrugged. "Too far from home."

"Come on! Let's go!" Roman pulled us across the street quickly, causing a couple cabs to honk at us. Luckily it wasn't the middle of rush hour or I think we probably would've been run over.

"Woah woah woah calm down Roman!" I exclaimed as he tugged us up the steps of the terminal. "It'll still be there in a couple minutes."

"I know but this is so exciting!" He responded excitedly. "I've never been to Manhattan before! Besides LA, this is the city were a no one can become a someone! Its super inspiring."

I cracked a small smile.

"If you say so. I'm going to go buy us some tickets so just chill here for a sec."

"I don't believe 'chilling' will be too hard. I think the terminal has air conditioning." Logan said absentmindedly and looked a bit horrified when he realized the accidental joke he let slip.

"Your boyfriend would be so proud." Roman teased, wiping away a fake tear.

I stifled a laugh as I left them over in the waiting area to go stand in the ticket line.

"Hi I'd like three tickets to Columbus, Ohio." I told the ticket seller who was sitting in front of a computer looking very bored.

"We don't have any trains to Columbus." She said, looking down at me.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Okay well what's the closest you can get us?" I asked.

She typed for a second before telling me.

"I can get you to Pittsburgh. From there you could take a bus to Columbus."

"Nice! I'll take three tickets to Pittsburgh then."

I handed over some mortal money and she gave me three train tickets.

I began to walk back to where I had left my friends, looking down to read the seat numbers on the tickets when I heard Roman's voice call out something to me that made my blood turn to ice.

"Virgil, why does this say Virgil Morgenstern?"

AN- All comments are read and appreciated <3

That was a doozy oof. A couple plot points are coming together and things are getting seriousssssss.

Oh yeah, once I get my CHB t-shirt I'm going to start doing this au on my TikTok (Virgils_thundercloud) as well as here. No story updates will be added on TikTok, it just seems like a fun thing for me to do. All updates and story info will only be canon if you see it here.

Also, I'm going to start adding little fun facts about the characters and story at the end of each update that I can't seem to fit into actual chapters so

Fun Fact: Virgil is two inches shorter that Roman and is the shortest of the four.

Thanks for 2k reads btw! Love y'all!

By the way, if you want to post any fan art, videos, theories, or any type of post about this story, tag it with #LimitsFic so I can find it easier.

Hope you enjoyed :)