-Camp Half-Blood, Earth; Lunch Time-

~Commander Nyke's Point of View~

In the last three hours since we arrived at Camp Half-Blood, and since Kosmos disappeared into the woods, the campers slowly calmed once they realized we genuinely didn't know where Percy was.

Just thinking about what would happen when they eventually found out the truth. Because knowing Camp Half-Blood and Annabeth, the truth will come out at some point. I'm more curious about who the unit leaders actually are underneath their hoods.

Chaos always stressed the importance of keeping our identities a secret. I never understood he didn't give an explanation. It was just something that everyone in the army knew. No one knew each other's identities.

"Commander Nyke?" Charis softly asked. And that was one thing that I liked most about the leader of unit four, she was one of the kindest people I have ever met.

"Yes, Charis?" I replied, smiling softly.

"We made it to the dining pavilion for lunch." She gestured to the tables that sat before us, all filled with campers as they started to eat and talk with their siblings.

"Oh." I blinked, owlishly. "Then let's get some lunch!" I announced to the leaders, walking to an open area towards the back where I closed my eyes and sent a prayer to Chaos for a table.

The next thing I hear is a thud and sounds of awe coming from the campers. Once I opened my eyes, I could see why they were. Standing proudly in the previously open area is a table just like the one we have back on Plant TO.

"Wow," Milos commented. "I forgot how dramatic Chaos is." We all laughed at that. We all know how dramatic Chaos can be.

For the next ten minutes, we all laughed and joked about past missions, training, and pranks. The dining pavilion went quiet around us, except for the whispered conversations.

"What?" Hesper finally snapped at the demigods. To be fair, I would have snapped at them too for getting on my nerves. When did the campers become annoying? And always in the new arrivals business-

No, wait, the campers were always like that. We demigods never know when to stop looking for something that's not there, but considering the fact that the veteran demigods are more world-weary towards anyone. It's what you learn to do as kids who are hunted down by monsters because of who their parents are.

Now I sound like a child of Athena...great.

"They are whispering about how none of you sacrificed an offering before eating," Kosmos appeared behind me, honestly scaring everyone in the dining pavilion. "Although we don't because Chaos hates it."

The whispering came to a full stop as they focused on the assassin that appeared out of nowhere.

'Kosmos, what are you up to? Why do you make it so easy for everyone to paint you as the bad guy...?'

"Kosmos!" Clarisse yelled out in an angry tone.

"Clarisse, this isn't the time to-"

"No!" She yelled at Chiron, not realizing that the centaur is only trying to help. "He knows something about this war and it could save-"

"You're starting to sound like a child of Athena." Of course, Kosmos has to open his mouth and say that to a child of Ares. Clarisse nonetheless.

"You little punk!" Her face grew red from anger. It took five of her siblings to hold her back. They knew it wasn't wise to go up against someone like Kosmos. Clarisse was reacting out of anger...or was there something else.

I do what to find out what happened after I left camp, but making Kosmos didn't do something stupid was my first priority.

"Kosmos!" I reprimanded, sending him a stern glare.

"I'm only saying this because Lord Chaos commanded me to. Commander Nyke, I won't be back until after dinner." Kosmos ignored everything that just happened - ignored what he did - to tell me he was leaving?

"Where are you going this time?" Milos crossed his arms, standing up.

"I can't tell you."

"Can't or won't?" Hesper stepped into the mix.

'Kosmos...what are you doing? Don't you know you are tearing apart, not only this team but also our relationship with the gods and the camp? What are you doing...?'

Kosmos' shoulders tense. "Don't give me that look." He glared at me, glowing ice-blue eyes appearing in the darkest of his hood. "Stop-"

I ran after the assassin. "Hey!" I called out. "Kosmos! Wait up!"

Instead of slowing down, his pace quickened.

I sped up, catching Kosmos by surprise as he rounded the corner to get to his room. He tensed. "Stop-"

His whole demeanor changed in an instant. Kosmos looked more human and...tired? His shoulders were slumped and breathing became more shallow as if holding something back. "Are you okay?" I asked in the silence that Kosmos created.

Kosmos didn't talk, didn't move, and he didn't fix his sagged shoulders. Kosmos just was and he was actually human after all. At least, human-like because I still haven't out if he's from another planet or Earth.

"I'm fine. Sorry about that, Commander." with those flat words, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving me with the memory of what had occurred between us.

I blinked away the memory. Kosmos must have thought of the same thing I did because he walked away without a word, looking as much as he did that night I caught him after an assassination mission he was on.

"Nyke?" Charis spoke up once the assassin was fully out of sight.

"Yes, Charis?" I sounded more like a tired parent than a commander right now.

"Where did Kosmos go?"

And that was the question everyone had on their minds, and to which I replied with a quiet, "I don't know." I stared at where he was, unseeing. "But something is definitely wrong."

Malantha spoke up next. "Why do you say that?"

I looked back, glancing around the dining pavilion. I pursed my lips in thought. "Counselor meeting after lunch," I announced to the still silent pavilion. "This war is going to be hard. That doesn't mean we won't win. Either we win or lose, we will fight each battle together. No more fighting among ourselves, we need to stand together. Now more than ever."

I took a deep breath. Of course, speeches like these are a part of my job...

"Now who's with me?!"

Cheering and yells of agreement answered my question.

Maybe this would turn out okay, after all...

I'm not going to lie, I made this chapter back in August and haven't published it until now.

I'm sorry. I really am, but I'm more sorry at the fat that I can't promise it won't happen again.

I am working on the next chapter right now if that makes you feel better. I can't promise it will be out anytime soon though...

*Clears throat* Anyway! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will see you soon (maybe...)!

Later!

~MsPenguingirl1234.

Published: April 10, 2020.