Love Against All Odds

Zoe - Battle Ends

Since I had known him, I had never been scared of Oskar. When I watched him fight, he was formidable. His movements were quick and precise, and he always wore a fierce expression that commanded respect. Sometimes, he would smile in the heat of battle, a rare sight that spoke of his confidence and skill.

But now, watching him from a distance, Oskar scared me a little. It wasn't his prowess or deadly combat efficiency that unsettled me. No, it was something deeper, something darker. He seemed completely absorbed in his sphere, surrounded by swirling darkness and shadows that seemed to bend to his will.

The air around him was perpetually chilled, a cold that sent shivers down my spine despite the heat of battle. Yet, strangely, the campers and Hunters around him followed his lead without hesitation. The monsters, sensing his power, retreated from the entrance of the Empire State Building, pushed onto their back foot by his relentless onslaught.

I tried to reach and fight alongside him as we had done so many times before, but Oskar was beyond my reach. He was in a place I couldn't penetrate, battling with his Skeleton Warriors as if he had become one with them. This version of Oskar was different; it was a side of him I had never seen—a side that struck fear into the hearts of our enemies. 

Was it the Phobikinesis he had mentioned once, the ability to invoke fear? Or was the shadows and darkness that seemed to obey his every command, twisting and turning to strike at our foes? 

Whatever it was, it had transformed him into a force to be reckoned with, a harbinger of terror on the battlefield.

As I watched from afar, I couldn't help but feel a pang of concern. This was not the Oskar I knew, the one with the easy smile that could brighten anyone's mood, the carefree and jovial Oskar. No, this was different. This was the Oskar who bore the weight of being a son of Hades, consumed by shadows and driven by darkness that both intrigued and terrified me.

Yet, despite my apprehension, I knew one thing for certain. As long as Oskar fought beside us, as long as he wielded this newfound power for our cause, we had a chance to turn the tide of battle, to push back against the forces of darkness that threatened our existence.

Then Clarisse and the Ares campers joined the fray alongside us. Even without her armour or spear, Clarisse was a force to be reckoned with. She rode her chariot straight into the Titan's army, smashing through everything in her path with relentless determination.

Her bravery was infectious. Even the panicked centaurs began to rally, spurred on by her fearless charge. The Hunters, resourceful as ever, scrounged arrows from fallen enemies and unleashed volley after volley into the ranks of monsters. Meanwhile, the Ares cabin members slashed and hacked their way through adversaries with fierce enthusiasm, revelling in the heat of battle.

As the monsters retreated towards 35th Street, Clarisse's chariot thundered towards the fallen drakon. With swift and practised efficiency, she looped a grappling line through its eye sockets and secured it firmly to her chariot. She urged her horses forward without hesitation, dragging the massive drakon behind her like a Chinese New Year dragon.

She relentlessly pursued the retreating enemy, her chariot thundering down the street, while she taunted and challenged them with bold insults. As Clarisse rode, a red fire flickered around her like an embodiment of war. It was as if she was infused with the blessing of Ares himself—a sight that left Thalia in awe.

"I've never witnessed it in person before," Thalia remarked, her voice tinged with reverence.

For the moment, Clarisse seemed invincible, untouched by the spears and arrows hurled by the enemy. 

"I AM CLARISSE, DRAKON-SLAYER!" she bellowed, her voice echoing across the battlefield. "I will slay you ALL! Where is Kronos? Show yourself, coward!"

The enemy, already trembling in fear from Oskar's ominous powers, took further steps back as they faced the formidable alliance of a child of war and a child of the underworld.