There were several things to be surprised about, but the first thing was Aphrodite’s selfless act. Whether she’d done it for Baekhyun or...she’d done it for someone else. Was this her way of apologizing for all the sorrow she’d given her one and only son, Kyungsoo wondered. He also knew that gods were never to be trusted. If they showed an ounce of kindness that certainly  didn’t give a signal to offer your full trust.

Kai helped him up the stairs and onto the main deck of the ship. 

“Thank you,” He told the son of Ares.

“No...I-it was nothing. I just knew it was the right thing to free you.”

“You’re the only one who came to save me. No one else did.”

Kyungsoo blushed. 

“Yeah...well I knew you were being manipulated. No sane demigod would ever try and kill their own kind.”

“I should probably apologize to your friend,” Kai said sadly.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “Don’t worry, he’s gotten over it.”

Kai raised an eyebrow, “How can you be so positive?”

“He’s definitely been through worse,” He giggled.

“So then...what can I do to repay you?” Kai asked all of a sudden.

It was cute. The way his almost eyes face him innocently, continuing to pester him about how he should repay him. Kyungsoo knew an answer, but he wasn’t sure it was the right time to tell him. Or was it? They may die in a few hours; it was all up for grabs. He thought about Aphrodite and the way she looked at him back in the lower deck.

Kai kept on staring at him waiting for an answer.

Kyungsoo tippy-toed and kissed him instead. They’re lips colliding like it was the only right thing to do right now. 

The demigod held his hands out as if trying to catch Kyungsoo, but he eventually wrapped his hands around his shoulders.

Kyungsoo broke apart and whispered in his ear, “Please try not to die, that's how you can repay me.”

------------------------------------------------------------

The fighting got worse. Everyone was having at it. Throwing and jabbing their spears, slashing their swords, and launching their arrows. It was bloody. So much blood, Baekhyun could barely see where he was running towards at that point.

As if the sky was reacting to all the blood shed, it started to grow a ghastly brown-gray color. There was a strong mist that covered the entire camp that it became difficult to see. Baekhyun ran past a lot of confused campers and rouge demigods alike. Some were fighting one-on-one while others from afar throwing spears and arrows. The adrenaline coursing through his veins made it possible for him to dodge just about every weapon that came his way. 

He could hear several other people calling his name and questioning his actions, but he ignored them. He could not get distracted.

Holding it tight to his chest was nothing else but the small water bottle satchel that held his prized possession. If someone were to land a weapon through his leg, it wouldn't matter. He kept the bottle beside his most vital organ. His heart.

This war had to end. 

Baekhyun caught sight of Chanyeol in the crowd. HIs fmailiar bronze armour and heavy-set greek helmet. It seemed like he was busy instructing a group of demigods about something. 

When Baekhyun ran up out of breath, the general told the demigods to run off and commence the plan.

“What are you-where were you? You’re supposed to be with the archers,” Chanyeol threw him a confused look, while simultaneously blocking arrows that were springing their way.

“No,” Baekhyun shook his head.

He held the bottle of ambrosia up.

“What is this?” Chanyeol asked, snatching it from his hands to examine it.

“It’s...ambrosia nectar. I want you to drink it.”

“Baekhyun please-”

“I’m serious. I want you to drink it.” 

“You’ve come at the most impossible time. We are in the front line of battle. I do not have time to drink this...god poison. Now leave, go back with the archers you’re not meant to be here.”

“Chanyeol, you don’t understand. You have to drink this. I won’t leave until you do!” Baekhyun wailed.

He’d expected Chanyeol to decline the drink, but he didn’t expect it to be this hard. He didn’t blame him. 

Suddenly, an arrow flew past them. Thankfully Chanyeol had been diverting his attention to the battle line and noticed. He pushed Baekhyun to the side.

“You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“Drink the ambrosia.”

Chanyeol bit his lip, “You know how I feel about...that poison. Drinking this...would be submitting to the gods.”

Baekhyun closed his eyes. He was restless at this point. The longer he attempted to reason with Chanyeol and his stubbornness the more people were going to get killed.

Before he could think of any other brilliant idea, he heard several shouts from behind him.

He squinted to get a better look, recognizing the campers.

Sebastian with his leg all splintered up and ready to fight, Cole alongside him.

They looked fiercer than the last time Baekhyun had seen them. Like they’d lived several lives before coming out to fight.

This frightened Baekhyun. Like if he made any sudden movement they may attack too quickly and he's loose sight of his original mission-which was to get Chanyeol to drink the nectar.

“Attack!” Bellowed Sebastian.

He immediately took out his dagger. 

Cole struck him first. He had a longer bronze sword, so already it was a mismatch in power. Baekhyun wouldn’t have minded, but his skill with an arrow would have been more sufficient.

Cole’s sword almost hit his arm, but Baekhyun instantly dogged, jumping out of the way. He turned quickly to see Chanyeol had his own hands full with Sebastian. It was the same as last time. 

Baekhyun had a bad feeling.

He continued to fight, clashing his dagger with Cole’s comparatively bigger sword. The rookie demigod didn’t harness any sort of seasoned fighting skills.

Yet, somehow Baekhyun felt himself being pulverized with exhaustion.

If he hadn’t run a mile to get here he wouldn’t have been so tired. He was losing stamina.

Occasionally, he’d turn to watch Chanyeol and see how he was doing. Of course, the son of Zues was holding off Sebastian fine. With one hand he uses his sword and the other to summon lightning. 

Baekhyun made a minor mistake though.

Just as he glanced towards the son of Zues, he left a millisecond of room for Cole to garner his strength. The son of Hermes wasn’t built with strong muscles and  he was clumsy with his moves. When he stood up after being beaten down by Baekhyun for the fifth time, his eyes shone with something animalistic. 

Baekhyun slowly turned his head back to see Cole, but was surprised to see he wasn’t where he’d left him.

Instead, Baekhyun felt a sense of inexplicable pain wash over him. It was like it radiated from every nerve so it was hard to pinpoint where it was coming from.

Then, when he felt a stinging sensation from his stomach, he looked down.

Cole was on his knees, digging his sword deep into Baekhyun's lower abdomen.

Baekhyun's nerves suddenly went haywire.

The son of Aphrodite used his charmspeak the best he could, “M-move-”

Baekhyun heard some yells and screams of his name. Specifically Chanyeol, who was still in the middle of fighting Sebastian. 

Baekhyun fell to the ground holding his abdomen staring at it with cloudy eyes. Then his eyes trailed over to Cole one last time who looked scared. His hands were shaking with the bloody dagger in his hand.
Baekhyun took a steady breath and attempted to look at the almost black blood oozing from his stomach.

His hands shook at the sight of it. His mouth opened from wanting to speak, but not having any more energy to do so.

Then, there was a momentary blackness.

---------------------------------------------------------

Chanyeol was confused by Baekhyun’s actions. First, he’d wanted to fight this war, the next he was begging him to stop this. Then, when he’d come to him in a hurry trying to get him to drink the god’s poison called nectar things weren’t adding up.

Just who was Baekhyun? 

This is something he had been asking himself for a while. When he’d first come to the resistance he was a mere nuisance, but as Chanyeol began to recognize his strength and clear skill in combat it was a no-brainer to keep him around.

When the son of Aphrodite spoke he sounded like he knew more than he was letting on. Like a child who was gifted amongst their classmates, but not just about combat...about Chanyeol.

He seemed to understand his dislikes, his nuances, his humour. It was like they’d known each other in a different lifetime. 

Then he’d fallen in love with him. Too easily. 

First, he’d blamed it on the fact that he was the son of Aphrodite. That it was understandable to fall in love with a good-looking person, but then Chanyeol felt his gut churn and heart skip a beat every single time he’d lay his eyes on him and the rest was history. 

He drove him insane. Over the top. Over the edge. 

When Baekhyun had done that little exercise with him to get him to use his flying powers he didn’t think he could ever feel that way towards someone. But, seeing him fall over the edge and knowing that may be the last time he saw Baekhyun drove him crazy. 

When they’d sailed across the sea and come to the camp to begin their mission, he felt his heart ache. What if he died? It was possible and not out of the ordinary for a general to die in battle. But then he thought about Baekhyun. He couldn’t see himself leaving his side.

They were fighting now. Against those same demigods who’d somehow infiltrated the resistance lair. Sebastian, Chanyeol remembered Baekhyun saying.

He was fighting him. It was all too easy. With his leg bandaged up and clearly looking like a cripple he’d easily win this battle. 

So focused on the enemy in front of him, he hadn’t cared to glance over at Baekhyun who was also fighting someone. 

When Chanyeol had finally pushed Sebastian down and made sure he’d stay down he turned to Baekhyun. But with his chin up, he couldn't see him anywhere.

That's when his eyes finally trailed over to the ground.

Chanyeol’s eyes became wide. His heart beating quicker and soon enough his breath became ragged.

--------------------------------------------

“B-baekhyun!” Chanyeol came running to him.

It felt the same as when he’d been stabbed in his thigh a year ago. Yet, it was all different because it had been done by the hands of someone who used to be on his side. 

Cole’s hands were shaking. He’d probably been instructed to kill, but he stopped now. His mind wandered off as he stared at the floor. Had this been his first kill?

Baekhyun felt his head being lifted by Chanyeol gently into his lap.

It hurt to take a breath even though he desperately needed to.

He could make out Chanyeol’s face. It’s softs lines and his yellow speckled eyes. Oh how those eyes have harmed him more than once.

It was like the world was silent. Perhaps everyone else became conscious of Baekhyun lying there, the life being out of him. They’d all forfeited their weapons.

“Chanyeol...the ambrosia…” Baekhyun croaked.

.

The son of Zues exhaled sharply, but subdued his thoughts and grabbed the water satchel. He flung it open and held the opening to Baekhyun’s lips.

“Drink,” Chanyeol waited.

But Baekhyun his lips. Clearly, he was savoring the sweet taste of the nectar, but he tried not to show it. He’d been meaning for Chanyeol to drink it. He’d completely forgotten  he’d just sufficed a fatal injury.

“No…”Baekhyun trailed off.

“Baekhyun. Drink it.” Chanyeol’s jaw clenched.

The demigod hesitated. There was more ambrosia around, but this was the closest. Everyone was still fighting, slashing their swords, ducking arrow heads, throwing punches. It was pure chaos.

Sure, camp half-blood had copious amounts of ambrosia, but the resistance fighters had nothing.

 He needed Chanyeol to drink it. He needed him to drink it now. Even if Baekhyun drank it everything would just go back to the way it was-they’d keep fighting wars. The gods would still be in power and the titans would still hold grudges. It was a never ending cycle.

Perhaps this wasn’t the smartest decision, but it was the right one.

Baekhyun opened his mouth.

The warm and sweet nectar immediately pleased his tongue.

But then.

Baekhyun held up his hand and used it to beckon Chanyeol forward.

“What is it?” Chanyeol asked, leaning in.

Baekhyun still had some of the liquid in his mouth. He hadn’t swallowed it.

Suddenly, the son of Aphrodite grabbed the back of Chanyeol’s neck and pressed their lips firmly together. Baekhyun opened his mouth and let the liquid flow into his mouth. It was done so quickly, Chanyeol had no other reflex reaction but to swallow it.

The son of Zues flew back coughing and wiping his mouth with the back of his neck.

Baekhyun sighed a deep breath of relief. Not for himself, but for Chanyeol. Finally...finally you’ll remember me.

“Are you crazy?!” Chanyeol crawled back over to Baekhyun.

“Chanyeol…” was all Baekhyun could say. 

He hadn’t received any of the benefits from the ambrosia. He just prayed someone could come with some more. But he also knew that he was no longer on camp-half blood’s side and they wouldn’t offer him any. He prepared to take his last breath and say his last words.

“Why did you-we need to get you more...I-”Chanyeol looked lost, afraid for the very first time.

“Shh…”Baekhyun closed his eyes, “Save the camp…promise me…”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kyungsoo and Kai ran. They ran so hard that they’d forgotten there were rocks and bumps in the ground. They’d falled over a couple times, but all that mattered was that they were together. 

When they came to the scene they were shocked to see not a lot of fighting and combat going on. It was like everyone had been frozen in time. Most of the demigods were crowded in one area near the middle of the training field. They’re heads were down looking at something.

Kyungsoo edged closer.

He almost yelled out his name, but decided against causing a scene.

One could make out a soldier had fallen. Blood coming from his body oozing a deep black and purple.

“Someone get him to the infirmary!” A demigod yelled.

Another agreed, grabbing Baekhyun by the arms and flinging him onto a wooden stretcher. He seemed alive...but not well.

Kyungsoo ran towards his friend, Kai, following closely behind.

He saw the damage now.

Baekhyun’s lower abdomen completely littered with blood, the but of the dagger hilt deep into his flesh. The medics of the Apollo cabin, who’d previously been their enemy a minute ago, immediately began to cover the wound.

“Back up! Emergency!” One of them yelled.

Kyungsoo wanted to follow them, but he knew he’d only cause trouble. He left the Apollo kids to do their work.

Then, he saw Chanyeol. Sitting on the ground, lifeless like he himself had been shot with an arrow in his heart.

Kai realized and walked over, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, “Chanyeol…”

The son of Zues turned quickly, upon hearing a familiar voice, “Kai...how did you…” Then his eyes met with Kyungsoo who looked at him sheepishly.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Chanyeol said instead, “We have a war to fight,”

“But Chanyeol, I’m not-”

“They’ve taken what was mine! There is no way I am calling for peace!” Chanyeol's loud roaring scream.

It came from nowhere. Yet, Kyungsoo understood immediately where the bitterness extended from. Baekhyun.

“Chanyeol, you’re angry. I get it. But right now is not the time to avenge Baekhyun. With ambrosia he’ll be fine. We’ll figure this out. You need to call a truce.” Kyungsoo told him.

He wasn't sure himself if Baekhyun was capable of surviving such an injury, but he’d survived everything up until now. It would be cruel of the fates and even his mother to have let Kyungsoo escape for her son to die. It would be cruel for Baekhyun to know that his mother actually loved him, that Chanyeol loved him. Everyone loved him.

“This is nonsense…”Chanyeol grabbed onto his sword again.

Kyungsoo felt like he heard his voice crack. Like he was holding in a cry.

“Look at these demigods. They’re all standing here because they want peace. No one will fight you. This war has ended,” Kyungsoo said again, this time desperate.

Kai nodded, “He’s right. If we fight this war we’re only giving into our enemies. What difference is there between us and the gods?”

“Not when I’m here.”

Everyone turned their heads to the voice and it’s owner, standing with a greenish-blue trident in his right hand. Junmnyeon looked angry beyond belief. He seemed like he was ready for war.

“Junmnyeon, what do you mean?” Kyungsoo asked.

“The spoils of war mean nothing at this point. War has already begun. We’ve taken some of your men, you've taken ours. This is inevitable.”

The son of Poseden spoke to everyone. Like a true-born leader. He addressed the masses with such confidence and charm it was easy to obey his every move. It was a leader's charmspeak.

“I won’t fight this war,” Kyungsoo dropped his weapon.

“A foolish mistake.” Junmnyeom smirked, slamming his trident into the dirt so hard it sent ripples through the earth. 

Almost all the demigods fell back from power. Some held their arms out to balance themselves on the shaking ground.

Kyungsoo hated taking back what he’d said, but soon, he grabbed his weapon too.

It wasn’t like Junmnyeon to think so irrationally to wage a war that could kill and destroy thousands. He was the son of the big three though, and with that came an immeasurable strength and corrosive  behavior.

Like Chanyeol who had snatached his obsidian sword from the floor, holding it up in such a manner that all his minions followed suit. Behind him was Harmonia, who was holding her bow and arrow taut to his cheek ready to strike at any moment.

Kyungsoo felt the world around him falling apart. Piece by piece.

--------------------------------------------------------

Baekhyun didn’t think he’d hear his heart beat again, but when he felt a warm-honey like liquid drip to his lips his blood pumped once again. It was like he was being resurrected from the dead, he’d almost seen the gates of the underworld.

Ambrosia had never tasted any sweeter than when you were on the brink of death.

Consciousness was also a curse. He felt excruciating pain radiation from his lower abdomen and extending towards his limbs. Where had he been stabbed exactly? Why? His mind was jumbled.

  “You’re going to be alright.” a familiar voice soothed him.

Baekhyun’s eyes opened slightly, but he could only make out a grey shadow, surrounded by light. He thought it was the angel of death, maybe hades, but when he awoke this time with more energy he almost cried.

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun’s voice cracked.

“Shh...rest. Everyones going to need you when you go back out there.”

“What...are you doing here...am I dead?”

Jongdae shook his head, his smile gentle and serene.

It seemed like they were in the camp's infirmary, but it was only the two of them. No one else. It was like a white blank room. Perhaps a dream land where Jongdae could connect from the underworld.

“No, the fates don’t plan to kill you,” He told him cautiously, “But Baekhyun be careful. When you go back out there into the world...don’t act with haste.”

Baekhyun sat up slowly, staring at Jongdae’s eyes for a while, perhaps waiting for him to vanish, but he did no such thing. This was him. Perhaps not his body, but his soul. The same smile and upturned eyes, his hair a light brown and puffy.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re going to stop the war...but you have to do it carefully.”

“You mean stop everyone? How? I’m injured. Crippled in the infirmary. I’m as good as a rock now.”

“No...you are in no shape to do so...but the Gods have called upon you. After the sacrifice you’ve made to save Chanyeol by giving him the ambrosia, Zeus wants to console you.”

Baekhyun took it in slowly, “With me?”

Jongdae smiled, “You’re given a second chance. Speak to the gods, tell them your story...explain where they’ve gone wrong and offer them a plea. They will listen. They know you’re noble.”

“But I…”

“I know you’re noble,” Jongdae said.

“You think they’ll listen?” Baekhyun asked.

“If you have a good story to tell...they’ll listen. You have a way with words, we both know this.”

“Okay,” Baekhyun agreed.

He wasn’t sure if Jongdae was telling him the truth or if any of this was even real. Perhaps he’d entered a forever dream land where he could only see the dead, but he felt a sense of life rush through his chest. 

He’d always thought the big three children were the stars of the show. That they would somehow avenge and succeed in their plans, but for once Baekhyun felt...important. 

Needed.

“Very well...I’ll send you off now.” Jongdae clasped his hand, rubbing it as a last minute blessing.

Baekhyun would have cried, but he didn’t want to already look vulnerable among the gods, so he it up.

“It was nice to see you again,” Baekhyun held back his cry.

“You too, Baekhyun. I’m always watching you...don’t worry. I am proud of you...what you’ve become,”

“Jongdae…”

“Yes?”

Baekhyun smiled, “Nevermind. Let's go.”

---------------------------

Authors note:

Im back guys and it's only going to get better from here. So...I have a lot in store and I'm thinking of wrapping up the sotry in about 2-3 chapters so stay tuned. I've basically written the entire story now I'm just editing and tweaking a few ends and it should be all good to go. You guy are not ready for this ending! Also...I recently haven't been very active on asianfanfics and have recently moved towards posting more on Archive of our own. If you guys are curious I use the same userame on that forum as well "Breakfastfic" I have posted a recently completed fic on there so please check it out when you can! Once I complete this series I think I'll transfer it there as well so stay tuned!