The Chiaroscuro: Chapter 8

Josh's P.O.V

After I discovered that Demetra is the spy, I tied her up in the underground vault with chains so tight she wouldn't be able to breathe.

I looked around the camp. Everything is scarred and destroyed. My friends are either wounded or mortally wounded.

I ran around camp, collecting every survivors. There were many survivors, except they are beaten, tortured or otherwise being treated badly by the Dark Circle.

I looked at one camper, she's bleeding badly and is fatally wounded. I gasped, because it's Sarah Cahill.

I immediately approached her hand embraced her. She seemed to cringe in pain but not for long. As I watched, her wounds began to heal. Even the wound at her ribs seemed to close up as I embraced her.

I wanted revenge so bad on the Dark Circle, and we're going to hit Dark Circle harder than they hit us.

Once every survivors had been collected, I embraced them all, therefore healing them. Hyperion once told me that I had healing powers through touch, embraces, and other physical contacts. He told me that if I sleep, and someone carry me or something like that, they would heal twice faster, but I can't be asleep now. He said I am like a golden fleece, which is true since I can heal people and even trees, naiads, dryads and other nymphs. It only works when I want it to though so it doesn't work on monsters or enemies.

Only a few died during the bombing and the invasion, but fortunately for us, it's none of our members that died. I am really thankful that I had healing power. If it hadn't for my healing power, a lot of my members would have died by now.

So I gathered all of my members in a group so that they can listen to my announcement.

"Alright!" I spoke through the megaphone. "As you all know, the Dark circle has attacked us twice this year. It appears that the group can't leave us alone just for a few months. Looks like someone had set up Center of Light, but hurting people that are innocent is just not right. Lora had been taken by the Dark Circle, and I want all of you to participate on this, whether you're on the order or not. Lora is a good friend, and she had been taken by the Dark Circle. We will not let our friends be taken like that. On top of that, they had fatally wounded my friend, Sarah Cahill, my friend from the demigod vs demititan war. So, all I want is to wage war on this good for nothing group. What do you say???"

They thought about this for a moment. I allow them to speak among themselves, and after 1 minute, they straightened and faced me.

All of them are talking at the same time, which makes it a lot harder for me to listen to all of the people.

"Silence!!" I shouted through the megaphone, and everybody shut their mouths.

"So, what is your decision, guys? Will we do something about it, or we just leave the group alone?"

"War! War!" my members chanted.

"Alright, I have the same thought too, because the Dark Circle has gone too far. I know someone is setting up this group, but this has gone too far."

Just then, a girl raised her hand, "Yes?"

"Excuse me, what has gone too far?" The girl asked. She isn't from our group so she didn't know the story.

"You'll understand," I want to explain things but I was on a roll. "So, they will pay dearly for this, and they will no longer underestimate us!"

A cheer went up from our members, and I went ahead explaining.

Then, I gestured Mikmak to open a safe located beneath the ground. She did so and revealed the hidden golden armory since we relocate here. I already have a plan in mind of where we are going to relocate now. I know this is a dangerous place for demigods since the mist is so strong.

We're going to relocate to Mount Othyrs.

The group complained again. As I explained things to them, how the strong mist would protect us from the Dark Circle, and how strong the base is.

By the way, our armory had been tested by the leaders: Josh and Mikmak. The armor has been proven to withstand intense pressure and intense heat. The swords are indestructible, they are almost unshatterable. If they are shattered, it will release an explosion that blasts a very hot energy 30 meters radius. I told them not to worry, because it has been proven that the blast will not hurt them as long as they are wearing the equipment sets that we give them.

"Alright! You know where we are going! Let's go, Let's go!!" I hauled each of them to a humvee.

So we take a ride from New York, to San Francisco. It's going to be a long ride.

I mounted on the humvee, and we began to drive our way to San Francisco.

"Listen up you all!" I stopped all of the humvees and began to brief every member. "The trip to San Francisco is approximately 1 day, so I suggest that you guys take a nap. I will take first watch, Sarah, your next. Mikmak, you're third. Katherina, you're forth..." And I kept telling them which shifts they are in.

About 18 hours later...

About 70 clicks left from reaching San Francisco, we heard a jet engine noise. I recognized the sound. This is the same exact jet that they use to attack Camp Half-Blood.

In the hatch, Adeline's face popped up. "So, you're moving bases? How clever!"

So basically, she knows where we are heading, and I don't know why. Could she have another spy? Or is she following us all along in secret?

Adeline smiled. "Oh, looking for your little friend, are you?" She said mockingly. Then she grabbed a girl. I and Sarah gasped when looking at the girl. She's Lora stone, and she's bleeding badly. Her knees trembled and her face looked terrible.

I saw the other people in the jet. Stuart Draganov and Damion.

Adeline pushed her out from the jet and I and Sarah caught her.

I hold Lora in my hands. As I embraced her, her wounds began to heal. She is still shaking, probably in a state of shock because of the Dark Circle.

I yelled at Adeline. "How could you do this to our friend??"

Adeline just smiled. "You know the answer, Josh. You organized the group to kill Nyx's priestess."

"That's a lie!" I yelled. "We would never do that!"

Adeline's hand caught on fire, black fire. She is about to throw it when Sarah and I yelled. "NO!" A wall of force, greater than usual, blows the aircraft to smithereens. Adeline somehow jumped down before we used the wall of force. But since the force was made by me and Sarah, it's way greater.

We drove as we watch Stuart coming out of the helicopter, drenched with blood. Damion is also drenched with blood, but far more worse than Stuart. It looks like Damion isn't going to make it.

We continued our journey to San Francisco, Mount Othyrs. The reason I picked that place is because the mist is so strong that no one will know we're here.

NOT YET DONE!