'I won.'
The vines, like serpents, crawled back to where they came from. As I traced the veins to their source, my eyes locked with a pair of green almond eyes.
'Ilex'
Concealed amidst the thick trees, she was observing my fight against the son of Ares from the shadows. Glaring at my injured arm, her gaze conveyed a mixture of concern and shock.
'At least she kept her words.'
"Don't just stay there. Come and help me, will you?"
Reluctantly, she ventured closer, dropping to her knees beside me. Carefully, she assessed the state of my right arm, her fingers tracing the contours of the injury. As she did, her face contorted with a disturbed expression.
"If the blade had dug even a little deeper, you might have had to amputee it. It will take a while for it to heal completely. For now, I can only stop the bleeding."
"Is that so? I guess it's my lucky day..."
"What do you mean lucky? You almost died there."
"What's that? Are you worried about me now?"
"Tsk."
She reached out her hands toward my injured arm, her touch emanating a gentle green luminescence that seemed to dance upon her fingertips. A soothing warmth enveloped my arm, bringing back sensation to my arm. The outpour of blood gradually eased, until finally, the bleeding ceased altogether.
I straightened up and leaned wearily against the sturdy trunk of a nearby tree. I noticed Ilex's apprehension to strike up a conversation with me.
*Sigh...*
"What is it, Ilex? If you want to ask me something, go ahead."
She was taken aback since she still wasn't used to a demigod calling out her name so casually. She tentatively parted her lips, finally voicing the question that weighed heavily on her mind.
"How did you know you were going to get attacked by another demigod?"
"They are traitors working for the enemy. I overheard them discussing plans for an attack on the camp just a few days prior."
"Which enemy?"
"Enemy of the Olympus."
"What? That's nonsense! Why would a demigod work for them? It doesn't even make any sense!"
"If you don't believe me, then why do you think that guy tried to kill me?"
"I am not sure..."
"Sigh... They are trying to eliminate the children of the Big Three."
"Wait, then you are the infamous son-"
"Yes. My father is Hades."
"Ah..."
Her face darkened, as though a realization had dawned upon her about the reason why I was the way I was. Shifting the topic, I began talking about the explosion.
"The raid of monsters following the explosion was to distract everyone while they killed their targets."
"Will the camp be all right?"
A crease of worry etched itself onto her expression. After all, even though she was a nymph, nymphs were still a part of the camp, and some of them even occasionally interacted with other inhabitants of the camp. This sanctuary was essentially her home. Thus the possibility of a looming threat of invasion stirred a fear within her.
"Yeah. I am sure it will. Don't worry about it..."
After that conversation, we waited in silence as she further tended to my wounds. I admit, she was very gentle with it.
Following that exchange, a solemn hush settled between us while Ilex further tended to my wounds. I admit, she was very gentle with it.
"Thank you..."
Ilex whispered to me, with gratitude in her voice. The fact that I had killed one of the traitors and 'protected' the camp as well as her home must have earned me her respect. Not letting me talk back, she stood up.
"I healed your wounds well enough for you to reach the camp without any problem."
"I appreciate the help."
Hearing my thanks, she halted in her steps. She hesitantly turned around to face me once again.
"I wanted to ask you this but... How did you find my tree as well as my name?"
I slightly smiled seeing her doubtful eyes. I raised my hand and pointed at my head.
"There's so much stuff in here, not even the Oracle of Delphi herself would be able to fathom a fraction of it."
"And you want me to believe that? Sigh... I shouldn't have asked that. I am going back..."
With a final fleeting glance, I watched as Ilex melted into the shadows of the forest. Summoning my resolve, I pushed myself upright, relying on the support of my left arm to steady my weary frame. I ventured toward the camp. Though my injured arm still throbbed, it was in a much better shape.
'Ilex is really good at healing...'
The barrier was already restored, and the invasion had been stopped. I slowly dragged myself to the camp. When I arrived, the scene that greeted me was one of frenzied chaos. The cacophony of groans and cries reverberated throughout the camp. The area surrounding the infirmary teemed with the influx of wounded demigods. With the infirmary fully occupied, makeshift triage stations had been hastily erected outside.
As I scanned the crowd, I noticed the absence of some faces, which were not fortunate enough to make it here alive. The haunting death of many hung heavy in the air, their names now whispered in sorrowful remembrance. The metallic tang of blood saturated the atmosphere of the once-lively camp.
'This is the reality of war.'
Amidst the sea of suffering, some demigods who were in relatively good shape darted among the wounded, tending to as much injury as they could. In their tireless efforts, they embodied the indomitable spirit, the light among the darkness of the war
"Need some bandages here!"
"Grace! We need you here!"
"Need some ambrosia and nectar here!"
...
Amidst the chaos, Adriel and Eleanor emerged as steadfast pillars of support. Despite being adorned in the blood of monsters they had killed, they remained largely unscathed by the ravages of battle. On the other hand, Amelia, overwhelmed by the emotional toll of the conflict, sought solace in the quiet refuge of her cabin.
During the war, Adriel and Eleanor played an instrumental role in fending off the monsters and saving many lives. This essentially solidified their status as war heroes and their bravery earned their peers' respect. And now that they were also helping others, it only strengthened this view further.
"Hey! He is over there! THE TRAITOR IS HERE!"
"How dare he come back here after betraying his own kin!"
Some injured people tried to stand up and move toward me but they failed as their legs gave away.
"CATCH HIM ALIVE!"
"NO! JUST KILL HIM! WE MUST AVENGE OUR FRIENDS!"
When the crowd of wounded demigods noticed me, what greeted me was a raging crowd that shouted death threats.
'This is bad...'
Everyone was blinded by the grief, heartbreak, and pain of the war. In the depths of their despair, they sought a scapegoat, someone upon whom to lay the burden of responsibility for the destruction that surrounded them. It was a simple human instinct, that stemmed from humans' inability to face the harsh truth. The truth about their inability to save themselves from the cruel world.
And what's a better way than to push the responsibility onto another human?
In this case, I was the most plausible scapegoat, as I was the son of Hades, whose daughter had caused a similar devastation 100 years ago. I was already hated by many. Their despair drove them to collectively agree that I was the one who betrayed the camp and broke the barrier by exploding it from the inside.
One of the demigods staggered towards me, his movements impaired by his injuries, tried to punch me in the face but missed. Meanwhile, another, seemingly less encumbered by wounds, advanced with swords drawn, his assault driven by the fervent cheers of his peers, who clamored for my demise.
"KILL HIM!"
"DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE!"
"LET HIM KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTIONS!"
"I SAID HIS TRUE COLORS WOULD SHOW ITSELF. JUST LIKE HIS DECEITFUL SISTER!"
'These people are pathetic... They don't even deserve a hero to save them...'
Having had enough of this shit, I swiftly ducked beneath the swinging swords, slipping through the assailant's defenses, and I delivered a blow with a well-timed hook to his chin. He staggered and fell onto the ground. Then I dealt a kick to the other one's stomach. His weakened state made him unable to avoid my kick. With a pained groan, he crumpled to the ground.
More and more people were coming at me with not-so-good intentions.
'I can't take all of them. And I can't run away with the state of my body either.'
*Sigh*
'I underestimated how miserable these demigods are... I should have considered the possibility of such a scenario...'