Son of the Sun Chapter 2 (Part 2)
Nico emerged from the forest, sword bloody. His face was set with grim recognition.
Will knew Nico had been to Tartarus before—this was his dream after all—but he’d never imagined it was this terrifying.
“I killed it. We need to go this way.” Nico said, walking ahead.
Will and Clovis followed. Will could tell from his boyfriend’s stiff posture and stony expression that he was trying to hide his fear of this place. Nico had spent days, maybe even weeks, trapped in this hellish dimension—Will couldn’t imagine what that would have been like. No wonder Nico was afraid.
Will wanted to comfort him, remind him that this was all a dream, but before he could the trio arrived at a circle of dead trees.
“Whatever it is that’s calling me is here.” Nico said, pulling back a branch.
A man lay in the centre of the clearing, asleep. Will didn’t recognise his face. The ground around him was wet, as if he’d emerged from one of the pustule-like mounds that Will had seen from the cliff.
“It’s Lycaon.” Nico whispered.
“Is there a way to see what he’s dreaming?” Will asked Clovis. If, somehow, they could work out his plan they might be able to stop it.
“We can, but you can’t talk or interact with anything once in the dream. If he notices us, well, let’s just say he won’t be happy.” Clovis said, walking up to the body.
“Nico, hold my other hand. We’re going in.”
This time, Will was prepared for the sudden shift in reality. The hellish cavern gave way to a hot, mountainous landscape that reminded Will of Texas.
Nico pointed at a sign: Mount Wrightson. They were in Arizona.
Clovis pulled them out of the way of a woman who was walking up the hill, carrying an assortment of tools. The trio glanced at one another, deciding to follow her.
She led them up the hill to a cave where a building was being painted. If Will hadn’t been able to read the Greek letters carved into the wood panels, he’d have assumed it was a regular log cabin, but the words that he could make out told him this was a shrine to Lycaon. There were other things on the walls too—symbols he couldn’t make out and constellations he didn’t recognise. He glanced at Nico and Clovis, but they didn’t seem to recognise any more than he did.
Carefully, dodging the people (who looked through them, as if they weren’t there) they made their way inside.
The cabin was divided into two main rooms. The first, likely a ceremonial chamber, had decorative carvings set with moonstones on the walls. In the centre was an altar, lit by a ray of sunlight from a hole in the cabin’s roof. A number of scrolls lay upon it, though none were unfurled. Will was sure there would be answers written in them, but he remembered Clovis’ warning not to touch anything.
The second room was much smaller. There were no windows— instead the room was lit with hundreds of light strips. The only thing of note in the room were a pair of silver shackles attached to the floor in the centre of the room. Will didn’t want to imagine who they were for.
“Have the preparations begun?” A voice from behind spoke, making Will jump. He turned to see two men, one holding an unfurled scroll, discussing their plans.
“Yes. The room is ready for the sacrifice. How is the pack faring?”
Ready for what? Will wished these people would give him a little more information to work with.
“Good. Remember, we need him alive. The blood must be fresh. Is there a contingency plan in case the pack fails?”
“There is. There’s more than one demigod with the blood of a god of death, after all, though the Son of Hades’ blood is the most potent. If the plan succeeds, another might be led right to us-”
The whole world began to ripple.
“You thought you could spy on me in my own dreams?” A voice echoed through the barren landscape. They were back in dream-Tartarus, standing beside the empty mound where Lycaon had lain previously.
“Think again.” Will and Clovis turned to see Nico being choked by Lycaon. The monster’s claw-like nails dug into the Son of Hades’ throat. If he so much as coughed his arteries would likely be severed.
“Nico! “ Will screamed as Clovis pulled him back.
“We can’t fight one-handed. He’ll have to fend for himself.”
“No.” Will could see the fear in Nico’s eyes. “If he moves he’ll be killed. If he doesn’t he’ll choke.”
Will wrenched his hand out of Clovis’ tight grip and ran forward, nocking an arrow. Before he could shoot, the dream dissolved once again.
Nico fell to the paneled floor, coughing. Will ran to him, checking his neck for injuries. Nothing life-threatening, though the Son of Hades would likely have a bruise. That is, if dream injuries transferred into real life.
Will glanced around him. They were in his house. It wasn’t the same one that Naomi—Will’s mum—lived in now, but it was where Will had grown up. They’d been forced to move around a lot—the more they did, the less chance there was that a monster would find them. Will hadn’t understood the danger as a child, only that he’d move away from his friends as quickly as he made them. He’d hated it.
“Will, darlin’. I’ve got something to tell you.”
Will turned, hearing his mother’s southern drawl echo across the kitchen. She was younger than the last time Will had seen her, her long blonde hair tied up in an intricate braid. Her eyes lacked their usual sparkle and her face was somber.
Will remembered this. It was the day she’d told him they had to move again.
“Is that your mother?” Nico asked.
“Yeah.” Will said, hands shaking. “I think we’re in a memory.”
Shit. Will had forgotten that Nico and Clovis were here. They didn’t need to see this. He didn’t want them to see this.
“We’ve seen what we need to. Clovis, can you wake us up?”
“I’m trying, but since you did exactly what I told you not to and let go of my hand, I’m not really in control of this.” the Son of Hypnos huffed.
“I’m sorry—I was trying to help Nico. Just… please do your best. Quickly.”
“Will? Are you alright? You seem scared.” Nico asked, taking his boyfriend’s hand.
“It’s nothing. I’m fine. I just want to get out of here.”
A young Will ran between the pair, holding a paper windmill.
“Look what I made, mum!” he grinned. “Asha taught me! She said she wanted to be my best friend!”
That’s… that’s lovely honey.” Naomi sighed. “Sweetheart, do you remember that I said we might have to move again?”
Young Will’s face fell. “But… I thought you said this was the last time…”
“I know, and I know it’s been so hard for you moving around this much but we have to. I’ll explain–”
“When I’m older.” Young Will scoffed, tightening his grip on the paper windmill until his fingers were almost white. “I don’t want to move. Please, mum.”
“No!” Young Will screamed. “I’m not moving. You can’t make me!”
“Darlin’ we have to.” Will could see the tiredness in her movements as she walked to her son. She bent down to hug him–
“Clovis?” Will shouted, voice frantic.
Will shut his eyes, but he couldn’t escape the sound of his mother’s body hitting the floor.
Jolting awake, he pulled his hand out of Clovis’, running out of the cabin.
