The Mark of Athena,Heroes of Olympus, Book 3

Leo XXV




Leo began walking towards Annabeth's room, but decided against it. He didn't want to interrupt whatever Percy and Annabeth were talking about. They were talking, alright, but, quite frankly, Leo was sure it would make him throw up. Some people liked getting details, but Leo wasn't one of them.

Leo returned to his workshop, where he continued to work on Piper's electric knife. By the time he gave up, he had been shocked seventeen times. Leo was just way too tired to even bother with his spatha again.

"Need some help?" Leo turned around, and Hazel was standing in the doorway. "You look frustrated."

"Frustrated's an understatement," laughed Leo.

"How's the spatha going?" Hazel asked.

"Bad. The blade keeps melting." Leo didn't know why, but with anyone else, this conversation would be totally awkward.

"I know that's Imperial Gold, but what's the other metal?"

"Celestial Bronze. I thought it would make the blade stronger."

"Have you tried separating them?"

"No," Leo said slowly. "I didn't think about that."

"Well, Imperial Gold is Roman, and Celestial Bronze is Greek, so maybe the blade isn't melting because of the fire, but because it can't work with the other metal."

Hazel concentrated on the container, and the Celestial Bronze flew out of the vat and into another on.

"Whoa," Leo muttered. He took the Celestial Bronze and poured it into the mold he had been using. Leo closed the lid of the mold and inserted the hilt into the slot. Leo pressed his hand on the red jewel that he had no name for and the jewel glowed. Hazel watched quietly as Leo opened the mold and pulled out the sword.

"It actually worked that time," Leo whispered. The sword was about three-and-a-half feet long. The jewel that adorned the mold was now imbedded into the hilt of his sword. Fire glowed around the edges of the blade. Leo tried to summon fire with his free hand, but it wouldn't appear. The sword was absorbing Leo's power. Leo set the spatha down, and the glow died. Leo summoned fire again, and it worked.

"That's cool," murmured Hazel.

"Thanks," Leo told her.

"No problem." Hazel grinned and walked out again. When she was safely gone, Leo pumped his fists in the air.

"YES!" Leo cheered. "I've got me a sword!"

"Hazel told me you got your sword to work," Jason said, hesitantly poking his head in.

"Yeah! She kind of helped me with it. She separated the Imperial Gold and the Celestial Bronze and, this time, the blade didn't melt! Look!" Leo picked up the blade, and immediately, the jewel glowed again. The fire flickered around the edges.

"There's only one problem. I can't summon fire when I'm using it. The blade absorbs my power. But I'm okay with that! My sword works! HA! Take that, curse!" Leo laughed.

"Leo, have you been tested?" Jason said, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah! It came back positive!" Leo couldn't keep the smile off his face. "I can make a fire sword!"

Jason chuckled and shook his head. "You realize it's, like, ten o' clock. That's what Hazel originally came in here for." Leo shrugged.

"'Kay, let me clean up a little." Jason nodded and left. Leo grabbed his engraving tool. In careful Greek letters, he wrote, "The Argo II-Leo Valdez."

Leo looked at the sword, proud of what he had done. He knew his mom would be, too. Leo went to bed and realized just how tired he was. He fell asleep as soon has his head hit the pillow. He soon regretted it.

Leo held his hand out towards the doors. Annabeth snorted.

"Come on, Repair Boy. Do you really think that you of all people could close them?" Percy, Jason, Frank, and Annabeth laughed. Hazel glared at them.

"Just because you can't doesn't mean he can't," she said. Annabeth raised her eyebrows.

What's up with her? thought Leo. Why is she acting like this?

Hazel and Piper stood beside Leo.

"Come on guys," Piper said. "That's mean."

"He couldn't even fix the stupid dragon. How could he close the doors of death?" Jason laughed.

"Hey!" Hazel said. "Quit that!"

This made Percy, Annabeth, Frank, and Jason laugh even harder. Leo felt his vision turn red, and, just like the night his mom died, flames washed over everything. When they finally died down, Leo was the only one in the room with the doors.

Leo awoke in a cold sweat.

"Just a dream," he muttered, stepping out onto the top deck. The rain had finally stopped. "Just a dream. Annabeth's not that rude, and I doubt Percy would laugh at that, Jason's my best friend... and I don't know about Frank, but he doesn't seem that bad..."

You trust your friends too much.

"Gaea," growled Leo.

Yes, it's me. You have too much faith in your friends. Especially Annabeth. Who's to say she won't do that?

"Me. Piper. Percy. Hazel. Luke. The list goes on and on. Annabeth isn't cruel. She's actually pretty nice when she's in a good mood."

Hmm. You and that Jackson boy are going to need much more convincing. She is dangerous. She has no special powers like Percy or yourself.

"Lady, you might as well give up now. Everyone knows she's dangerous, but not to the people she cares about. Percy knows that. I know that. Piper knows that. Luke knows that. Hazel knows-"

Do you really think she cares about you?

"Not as much as she cares about Percy, but I'm her friend, so, yeah."

You are blind. She thinks you're just the Repair Boy who occasionally makes dinner. You annoy her. You-

"Shut up, Lady!" Leo yelled. "Quit messing with my head! Quit messing with my friends!"

Messing with them? No, no, no. I am trying to lead them on the right path. You are obviously a lost cause. The Jackson boy as well. I'm beginning to think you two are much more alike than I previously observed. Maybe your fatal flaw is loyalty as well.

"Maybe it is! Maybe it isn't! I just know one thing!"

And what is that?

Leo was shaking with anger. His hands caught fire.

"It's on, Gaea! It's on!"

Leo was suddenly back in his bed. A dream inside of a dream. But Leo got the feeling they weren't accidental.