… you cannot oppose the passage of time… hssss... for it is the end for all things mortal… 

… but for now, let ussss see how you demigods will prevail… 

… without your preciousss… light… 

/ 

Tzuyu’s eyes snapped open. 

It was dark in the Apollo Cabin but Tzuyu was used to waking up just before dawn. She liked to watch the sun rise slowly over the valley. It was a calming daily ritual for her. Sometimes, she wondered if this was common for children of Apollo. 

It wasn’t strange for her to look outside and still see the Camp shrouded in the dark twilight hours. 

As she got ready for the day, a weird feeling niggled at the back of her head, like she was forgetting something important. Tzuyu shrugged it off after nothing came to mind. 

Dressed and ready in some shorts and her orange camp t-shirt, she opened the door of the Apollo cabin. 

What greeted her was a strange and unusual sight. 

There was no sunlight. 

Normally, the morning rays would greet her as she stepped out of the Apollo cabin. 

But now there was nothing. 

The fire from the torches still illuminated the Camp grounds. It was still dark in the sky, like the Camp was suppose to still be sleeping. Tzuyu was confused beyond words—she even checked her watch and her cabin’s sundial! (Yes, sundial. Apparently her father still liked to use the archaic device.) 

The time was right—the sun was suppose to have risen a few minutes ago. 

So where is the sun?  

Tzuyu trekked through the Camp, worry lines slowly gracing her forehead as she did so. This was alarming, especially for a child of Apollo, the Sun God. 

She grew wary the further she walked, turning from long strides to small steps. Bothered by the strange darkness, Tzuyu held her hand up and concentrated on her palm. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared hard. Then, a small orb of golden light apparated in her hand. 

Tzuyu frowned as a bead of sweat trickled down her temple. That took a lot more energy than usual to summon. And the fact that the orb flickered like a weak flame about to go out at anytime—well, it only proved that something was wrong. The children of Apollo drew their strength mainly from the sun, and she felt nothing but drained the moment she had first woken up. 

With her summoned (and tiny) sphere of light in her hand, Tzuyu continued walking on the camp trail. Everything looks the same… nothing’s changed, except for the missing sun. Where could it have gone?   

She had just reached the edge of the Western Woods when she decided to turn back. There was nothing of interest to be found and she didn’t particularly feel well-equipped enough to venture through the woods alone. 

Just as she set back on the path again, towards the Cabins this time, a yowling shriek echoed in the air. The hairs on the back of her neck rose sharply as goosebumps erupted on her arms. 

Tzuyu instinctively dropped her body low, her celestial bronze sword already summoned in her hand. She held her other hand, the one holding the orb of light, close to her chest. 

Her eyes darted around, trying to see what was the source of that horrible screech. But then her eyes caught something else. 

A wispy gray blanket of fog started to roll in, spreading faster than it should have, until it encompassed the entire Camp. Tzuyu had to blink her eyes once, twice, three times. Did that really just happen? Did she just walk into a cliche horror movie? 

“Well, isn’t that just great…” Tzuyu muttered under her breath. As if the missing sun wasn’t enough, now there was a heavy fog hindering her vision too? Just great. 

She could barely make out the Pegasus Stables in the distance. Tzuyu willed her orb of light to shine a little brighter to combat the low lighting of the sudden fog. It worked but its shine was still lackluster. 

She jumped as another ear-splitting shriek cut through the air. Her heart pounded at the erratic noise. It seemed to be coming from a different direction this time , she logged in her mind. 

Tzuyu gulped nervously. She had to get back to the Cabins. There was no way she was gonna be a solo heroine in this creepy B-movie setting. 

With her light source stretched out and her sword held in a defensive position, Tzuyu started walking again. She took light steps, trying to make as little noise as possible. Whatever made those terrifying noises was still out there. 

Cold sweat dripped down her back. Tzuyu could feel it as she shifted uncomfortably. She had been walking for a few minutes now. It didn’t normally take this long to get to the cabins, right? 

Just as the thought passed, the familiar rows of cabins came into view. Tzuyu sped up out of sheer relief, now almost jogging towards the familiar sight. 

But then the Daughter of Apollo froze in her tracks as a loud snapping sound came from her right. 

Frozen like a deer struck by headlights, she slowly turned her head. She didn’t see anything out of the ordinary but she could hear the crystal-clear sound of snapping tree branches. 

Tzuyu raised her sword up to chest level as the noises grew closer. Her heart drummed a fast beat, her palm clammy with sweat on her sword handle. 

The foliage rustled and Tzuyu tried to keep herself from losing her and screaming her head off. 

And then Jeongyeon’s face popped out of the foliage and Tzuyu was this close to losing her . 

“YAH!” She flung her orb of light at Jeongyeon’s head. It bounced off harmlessly in a comical way. She would have laughed if it weren’t for the situation they were in. The orb of light floated its way back to its owner. 

Tzuyu let out a deep sigh before exasperatedly saying, “Are you trying to give me a heart attack or something?!” 

“Sorry.” Jeongyeon had a guilty mischievous expression. She felt a little bad; her girlfriend looked like she just took Atlas’s place momentarily. She extracted herself from the thick foliage and made her way closer. “I was looking for you but this strange fog made it hard.” 

“Felt like I was walking in circles.” Tzuyu heard Jeongyeon mumble as she brushed a few stray leaves off her shoulder. 

Tzuyu wondered what she doing up so early but then she remembered. Ah, that’s right. We were suppose to have archery practice today.  

Tzuyu opened to say something but then another one of those horrible shrieks came out of nowhere. 

The two demigods jumped a few feet in the air before they clung to each other tightly. 

That was closer than the last one! The thought registered in the forefront of Tzuyu’s mind as she grabbed Jeongyeon’s hand and started running. 

“Quick! We have to get back to the Cabins!” 

“W-what was that!?!” 

“I don’t know! But it started when the fog appeared.” 

Her lungs burned and so did her legs but that didn’t stop her. The terrifying noises managed to fuel her speed. Terrified like two school children, the two dashed through the foggy woods, their hands still tightly intertwined. 

The two didn’t stop running until they were back within campgrounds. Tzuyu gasped for air as they reached Hestia’s Hearth. The warmth from the fire washed over her, quickly replacing the cold sensation of the fog with a comforting heat. Jeongyeon stumbled and collapsed onto a wooden bench, her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. 

“It’s a monster—it’s gotta be!” Jeongyeon rasped out. 

Tzuyu’s eyes traveled to hers and nodded. She couldn’t deny that fact. But her statement only raised another question. 

How did the monsters get past the Camp borders?  

Jeongyeon shook her head at the unspoken question, her blonde hair swaying slightly. “There can’t be a hole in the barrier. Yesterday’s patrol reports stated nothing unusual.” 

A beat of silence. The two demigods reluctantly coming to the only logical conclusion. 

“Then that means something powerful summoned them.” Tzuyu said quietly, like she was afraid of speaking it into existence. A feeling of dread began to claw at her gut. 

Jeongyeon rose to her full height, her face wrinkled with worry. “Let’s go wake up the others.” 

/ 

The Camp was hustling and bustling, more so than usual. 

Tzuyu watched as campers ran around like headless chickens, armed to the teeth with celestial bronze weapons and strapped with leather armor. She thought she heard Dahyun mutter something about heavy metal helmets but decided not to ask. 

After the two had met with Chiron and explain what they experienced, the centaur declared the Camp to be in emergency lockdown. The entire camp had woken up and had been on high alert ever since, no thanks to the ear-piercing screeches that echoed from the mysterious fog in the woods. 

Speaking of—Tzuyu winced and covered her ears as another scream split the air. 

“Geez, you’d think they’d run out of breathe by now.” Dahyun said next to her as she rubbed her ear. 

Tzuyu gave her a weak smile in response. She appreciated that the demigod was trying to lighten the mood. She didn’t mention the way both of their shoulders trembled when another shriek echoed. 

Footsteps approached the two demigods. Tzuyu looked up to see Jeongyeon, carrying a quiver of arrows. 

“Here.” The Daughter of Hermes said as she handed the quiver over to Tzuyu. “Just in case you need extra.” 

Tzuyu nodded before slinging the quiver onto her back. 

“Hey!” Dahyun interjected. “What about me?” 

To which Jeongyeon blankly stared back at her. 

“Oh! I see how it is!” Dahyun exaggeratedly crossed her arms with a ‘hmph’ . 

Jeongyeon still stared at her with a deadpan look. “Dubu—you don’t even use arrows.” 

“It’s the thought that counts!” 

Tzuyu giggled as the two launched themselves into a redundant debate. She was pretty sure Dahyun was just messing with her girlfriend. 

Just as the debate was about to escalate into a wrestling match, a flash of bronze metal caught their eyes. 

It was Nayeon, Sana, and Mina. A company of Athena and Ares kids trailed behind them. 

Nayeon gave a few hand signs as she turned to the mix of demigods. Tzuyu assumed she barked out an order cause the next thing she knew, the demigods had scattered towards the Armory and the Forge. 

Tzuyu watched as the older demigods continued making their way over. Nayeon had an annoyed look written all over her face—if her face didn’t give it away, her death grip on her spear sure did. Sana and Mina were speaking with each other rapidly, occasionally looking back at Nayeon as if to confirm something. 

Jeongyeon called out to them just as they reached within ear-shot. 

“How was the scouting party? Did you find anything?” 

Nayeon huffed out a breath, sounding more annoyed than she’s ever been. “No—the fog obscures all sense of vision and direction. We were struggling to even stay in formation.” 

Mina added, “We believe it’s been enchanted by the creatures dwelling within. It’s most likely to confuse wanderers so that they have the chance to attack.” 

“Great. So we’re going in blind.” Jeongyeon had thrown her hands up. “Please tell me you guys have a plan.” 

Sana and Mina exchange a brief look. “Technically, yes.” 

A conch horn bellowed in the distance, almost strong enough to mask the ever loud hair-raising shrieks. The campers that were scurrying around earlier now formed ranks, almost orderly enough to mask their chaotic demigod energy. 

“That’s the plan.” Sana said as she twisted her ring, summoning her spear and shield in a flash. “Half of our forces will be on the defensive, while our other half will search through the fog. Chiron will take care of camp defenses while we tackle the woods.” 

The demigods shot to their feet as the groups began to march. They followed after Nayeon and Sana, heading towards the fog-infested woods. 

As they walked, Mina divulged a little more on the plan. “Chiron sent patrols near the borders and trails of the campgrounds. Meanwhile, several parties of demigods will scour the woods. He believes that the source of the fog is inside.” 

Tzuyu saw other groups near them, all moving the same way. It looked like they were all entering the woods from different directions. Ah. We can cover more ground this way.  

They had neared the edge of the woods. The fog creeped on the outskirts but never crossed over to the campgrounds. Is something preventing it, Tzuyu wondered. 

Nayeon stopped in her tracks, holding her spear and sword at chest level. “Ready?” 

Tzuyu scanned her friends’ faces. She felt better now that she wasn’t alone, and armed to the teeth. Still, she couldn’t help the shudder that ran down her spine as another screech erupted. It sounded much louder now that they were near the woods. 

As ready as I’ll ever be, Tzuyu thought as the group resumed their path. 

/ 

Tzuyu didn’t know how long they had been scouring the woods. The fog made her sense of direction fuzzy and it was almost impossible to tell the time of day with the missing sun. 

Was it possible to go mad without the sun? Tzuyu wondered if the missing sun had the same effect on the other demigods. Or was it just because she was a Daughter of Apollo that she felt so much worse off. 

“Hey, Dubu.” Jeongyeon tapped Dahyun’s shoulder. “Can’t you clear this fog out?” 

“Oh believe me, I tried . But every time I do—” Dahyun ed out a palm and a sharp gust of wind followed. The fog near them had dissipated, right before rolling back in. “—it comes right back as if nothing happened.” 

Dahyun pouted after her attempt. Mina had stepped closer and patted her gently, as if to say ‘you tried, A for effort’ . 

They had passed another tall tree—possibly the same one—when a rustling from nearby made them all freeze. 

She almost didn’t hear it, not with all the ear-shattering shrieks that seemed to echo every five minutes. 

The whole party tensed up, sword arms poised and ready to strike. 

Another screech was the only warning the demigods got before a large figure darted out of the woods, flying towards them at a breakneck pace. 

They all reflexively ducked—all except for Nayeon. 

The Daughter of Ares stood fast with a fire lit in her eyes. 

She ed her spear outwards but the monster was surprisingly nimble despite its large form. 

She let out a cry—whether out of pain or outrage, Tzuyu couldn’t differentiate—as the monster carried her in its claws. The demigod was slammed into a tree and the monster darted back into the cover of the woods. 

Nayeon shot back up to her feet with a growl. In a burst of anger, she slammed her shield into the bark of the tree, leaving a prominent dent in the wood. It was apparent that anger was the demigod’s source of motivation. 

“It’s coming back around!” Sana had been observing their surroundings ever since the monster made its retreat. The foliage of the trees rustled every once in a while, like it was random. 

But this is Sana we’re talking about. The Daughter of Athena was able to take note of the locations and pin-point a pattern. 

“9 o’clock!” Sana shouted as she pointed her spear in said direction. 

The group immediately turned just as the monster burst back into the clearing. The fog had dimmed somewhat with the creature’s appearance, providing the demigods with clear view of what was plaguing the woods. 

The creature’s body was a terrifying morph between female and bird. It had long and lanky limbs that looked deathly pale and boney. Instead of hands and feet, it had claw-like limbs, evident when it snatched Nayeon into the air earlier. The creature also had wings that jutted out from its back. No wonder it was so easy for it to dive and swoop from the treetops. It’s face was a blend of human and bird; sharp and soft features that looked otherworldly. 

Or underworldly , Tzuyu shivered when it’s beady eyes stared directly at her. 

The demigods charged at it, their weapons held high. Tzuyu pulled back her bow, aiming her arrow at its bird face. 

In a split second, the creature let out an ear-piercing shriek. 

Tzuyu could have sworn she saw the air particles in front of them split apart. 

The demigods stumbled to their feet, hands desperately cupping their ears to block out the noise. Now that the source was only a few feet away from them, the sound was louder and more powerful than before. 

Siren, Tzuyu thought. It was all clear now; the source of the fog and the screams had been because sirens had appeared. 

But the question of why still remained. 

Tzuyu managed to raise her head, watching in horror as the siren swooped down again. Its sharp claws glinted in the pale moonlight as it dived. 

She was frozen—still trying to recover from the stunning effect of the screech. 

A body slammed into hers, moving her forcefully out of the path of the siren’s menacing talons. 

“Oof!” 

A pair of hands brought Tzuyu back to her feet. When she steadied herself, she realized that Nayeon had pulled her out of the monster’s path. 

“Thanks.” Tzuyu breathlessly said, still a bit winded from what just happened. 

“No problem.” Nayeon kept her eyes on the siren’s movements. 

It was circling above them now. Occasionally, a shriek ripped out from its mouth, the soundwaves shaking the trees and rippling through the foliage. 

“Spread out!” Sana shouted to the party. 

“Stay away from the treetops!” Mina chimed in as the siren took to wider circles. 

Dahyun opted to summon her celestial bronze sword instead. Her halberd was out of the question—there was simply not enough space for it here. She wanted to summon her lightning too, but once again, there was no space. She couldn’t risk the collateral damage here. 

The siren had swooped down again. But this time, the demigods were ready. 

Dahyun parried the monster’s talons before blasting it with a burst of air. The siren let out a shriek as it tumbled through the air, not expecting the sudden gust. 

Tzuyu nocked two arrows in the bow before letting them fly. The awkward movements of the siren made it an easy target. Her arrows hit home, striking the beast in its side. 

A shriek erupted from the siren, this time resembling pain. Its feathers ruffled violently as ichor bled from the arrow wounds. 

Nayeon narrowed her eyes. They had inflicted damage. It was imperative that they continued the momentum. 

“Mina!” The Daughter of Ares called out as she took a knee. 

Mina’s head snapped over at the sound of her name. She took a look at Nayeon’s shield braced in front of her and understood instantly. She dashed towards her at a fast speed, not stopping until she reached her destination. 

Even then, Mina didn’t stop. She jumped, planting both feet on the face of Nayeon’s shield. Nayeon let out a grunt as she used her strength to launch Mina upwards. 

The Daughter of Athena spun in mid-air, whipping her dual swords around as she drew closer to the siren. Ichor sprayed into the air as Mina managed to land several slashes. 

The siren was about to swipe in retaliation when arrows came flying at it. It rolled in the air, barely managing to dodge the projectiles. The siren hastily sweep down again. 

Sana had mimicked Nayeon’s stance earlier with her own shield, but this time it was Nayeon who went sailing through the air. 

With a menacing battlecry, the Daughter of Ares hurled her spear as she barreled towards the siren. She bashed the siren’s side with her bronze shield just as her spear pierced one of the monster’s wings. 

The siren cried out as it was struck. Its body tilted off-balance—from the heavy slam of metal and because of the spear lodged in its wing. 

It fell to the ground with a loud thump! Dirt scattering and ichor splashing upon impact. 

Its body twisted in pain as ichor pooled out of the gaping wound on its wing. Disconnected screeches ejected from its mouth, interrupting itself at every painful twisting movement of its limbs. 

Jeongyeon loomed above the creature, her sword held steady above her like a waiting messenger of death. Tzuyu thought it was ironic—after all, Jeongyeon’s father was the Messenger of the Gods. The siren’s beady eyes stared at Jeongyeon as it hissed. It’s mouth opened wide as if to let out another shriek but then— 

Jeongyeon’s sword had come down, lopping off the monster’s head and cutting its horrible shrieks off. 

Permanently. 

Just when the demigods thought they finally had a moment to rest, something strange happened. The siren’s body shook violently and Jeongyeon stepped back in alarm. The monster quaked before something burst from it. A hazy sphere of purple floated in the air before it launched itself at the sky. It hit the dark sky before shattering at the same time the siren’s body disintegrated into golden dust. 

There was a shriek, and a hiss, and a pop. 

Then part of the dark sky—or what Tzuyu thought was the sky—splintered into cracks. 

A few seconds passed as the demigods stared at the growing cracks in wonder. 

The cracks soon shattered under the pressure and light seeped through. 

Everyone’s jaw dropped as they watched sunlight poured through the small hole, illuminating a small portion of the woods and returning it to its state before the fog blanketed everything. 

The sun! Tzuyu’s brain went haywire. Thoughts ran through her brain. But she shut them off just as she shut her eyes. 

Sunlight streamed down. Tzuyu could feel herself being slowly rejuvenated. A comforting warmth seeped through her body—from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. 

Oh, how she missed this sensation. The Daughter of Apollo let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. 

Tzuyu opened her eyes to see her friends slowly gathering together. They all looked weary from the fight with the Siren. 

It was Sana who spoke first. “It’s a dome of shadow! The sirens are the source holding the Camp captive.” 

“So if we destroy the sirens, we can return Camp back to normal?” Nayeon had shouldered her spear after retrieving it from the pile of golden dust. Dahyun, who stood next to her, wrinkled her nose and backed a step away. 

Sana opened to answer but then another hissing shriek echoed in the air. The demigods whirled around and watched as a similar purple beacon shot up into the sky. The same thing happened—cracks split the dark shadow dome until a hole burst open, letting in sunlight. 

Another siren down. 

Tzuyu observed the dome. The size of the holes weren’t too big, but they weren’t too small either. She didn’t know how many sirens had dwelled within the fog but she knew that they had to get rid of them all. 

“Looks like we have our work cut out for us.” 

Tzuyu nocked another arrow into her bow as she turned back to her friends. They looked as weary as she felt. But there was a new look in their eyes. 

A look of determination—now that they knew the solution to their problem.