#stepping forward to say that he knows strategists from the east (because who else would he need?)

[sskk-manifesto]

(´･ᴗ･ ` )

[sides-of-demigods]

The Forest Incident Pt. 1

Word Count: 1482

Warnings: There’s some cursing but I don’t think there’s anything else.

Author's Note: Just letting you know now, the whole mythology with the serket is a bunch of bullshit. It was inspired by the giant scorpions in Battle of the Labyrinth, but the rest is all me.

Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Virgil just wanted to hang out with Patton and lay there with his headphones on while Patton made flower crowns and such.

But NO

Instead Thomas sent a fellow son of Phobos, Virgil’s little brother Skylar to find Virgil and have him head to the Rec Room. AKA the War Room.

Virgil walks in and sits next to Patton. Logan is across from Patton and next walks in...Roman Prince?

You see, Roman and Virgil did not have the greatest relationship at this point. You know the boys as friends, and maybe on their way to becoming something more. But that's when they are 16.

This is 2 years ago, with the boys at 14 years old.

And they hate each other.

Roman thinks that Virgil is bad because his father is an “evil’ god, but tolerates him for Patton’s sake.

Meanwhile, Virgil thinks Roman is a stuck-up, entitled, judgemental asshole. The only reason they haven’t killed each other yet is Patton.

So Virgil was not happy when His Highness walked in, but whatever, he’d see what Thomas wanted.

Thomas came in just as Roman sat next to Logan and therefore across from Virgil.

The son of Iris’s face was unusually grave, silencing whatever remark Roman had been opening his mouth to make.

“I don’t know about the others but I was pulled directly out of training for this,” Logan spoke up. “You know this considering you organized the training schedules yourself. And, what with how adamant you are we be prepared for anything, I know you wouldn’t have done that unless this was important. So tell us, Thomas, what is this about?”

Thomas sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Virgil could tell now how stressed Thomas seemed. He had dark circles under his eyes from lost sleep, and he wasn’t even trying to be his chipper self.

“Well, campers have been hearing sounds coming from the general direction of the Eris cabin,” Thomas began, sitting at the head of the table. “Me, Chiron, and the counselors didn’t really think anything of it because, well, there are always sounds coming from over there. And then they stopped, so it didn’t look like it needed to be a concern.”

Virgil knew the sounds he was talking about, as his cabin was in the same area. Intentionally or not, when they added the cabins for the gods who weren’t exactly...well-loved, they all ended up in one area. Hades, Nemesis, Apate, Phobos, Eris, etc.

But this time it seemed like there was a lot more clattering and something almost like scuttling. Virgil had just assumed that a Hades kid had summoned a few skeletons for something, but now he wasn’t so sure.

“I get the feeling something changed?” Roman said.

“The noises started up again, but this time from the forest,” Thomas told the group.

“Wait, is that why Capture the Flag has been canceled the last few weeks?” Virgil asked. Thomas nodded.

“You all remember that kid who was attacked by a monster in the last round of Capture the Flag?” Thomas waited for their various forms of agreement before continuing. “Thanks to them, we figured out that those sounds were coming from a monster, and that monster had been released into the woods, attacking that camper when they came across it.”

“I’m starting to get kind of worried about where we fit into this,” Virgil muttered, slumping a bit more in his chair.

“I want you guys to go find and kill it, or them,” Thomas put his hands up in surrender with a sigh. “I know, but you four are our best, and you are handpicked based on how you work together, your powers, and your skills.”

“Logan you’re the best strategist at camp and know more about various monsters and myths than anyone else.”

“Roman your sword gives you access to multiple weapons and you’re an expert with all of them.”

“Patton your powers are a good fail-safe obviously, but your skills as a healer are what I’m really looking for here.”

“And Virgil, if you get overwhelmed your powers can drive things away or keep other monsters from attacking you, not to mention you are just as good a fighter as Roman.”

“You know Thomas, I can’t help but notice,” Patton hesitates, but continues on with a nudge from Virgil. “You kinda seem like you’re glossing over what exactly these monsters are?”

“Guilty as charged,” Thomas admitted. “The monster you’ll be fighting is a herd of serkets.”

“Wait, WHAT?” Roman exclaimed, leaping to his feet. “And you’re only sending four of us?”

“Kinda impressed you even knew what that was, Fault Disney,” Virgil snickered.

“I'll have you know, Tall Dark and Gruesome,” Roman whirled to face Virgil. “That I may not be a nerd, but I have read my fair share of mythology. I have been here since I was six years old, and am very passionate about being a hero. That involves more than just swinging a sword around like a brainless troll!”

Virgil blinked in surprise. He had expected a snide comment, not full-on anger. It felt wrong. Thankfully, Patton stepped in before things could escalate.

“Boys, let's all calm down,” Patton suggested before turning to Logan. “Loganberry, do you mind filling in me and Virgil on what exactly a circuit is?”

“Ser-ket, dear,” Logan corrected him before clearing his throat. “The serket is an extremely large scorpion, the smallest being the size of a human.”

“They have tough armor that isn't impenetrable but still harder to get through.”

“Not to mention the pincers that are sharp and strong enough to snap you in half.”

“But most worrisome is the tail. It's fast and strong and the stinger at the top is razor-sharp. Even worse is that the poison, according to my calculations, that the poison from the stinger’s first strike has a 96% fatality rate. After a first strike, the poison is gone, but the stinger is still deadly.”

Virgil was NOT ready for this.

“And of course the fact that they often travel in herds,” Logan pointed out.

“Of course they do,” Virgil sighed, letting his forehead hit the table and he just sat there. “I don't suppose we have any sort of plan?”

“Actually, you do,” Thomas jumped back into the conversation. “Also you all are going to hate this, but hear me out, okay? You're going to split up.”

“WHAT?” Patton exclaimed. “All this stuff that could kill us and your sending only one medic, and then splitting us up?”

“I know Patton, and believe me I wouldn't do this if there was any other choice,” Thomas said, trying desperately to placate the son of Hebe. “But we have no idea where they could be, and we need to take care of these as soon as possible. For all we know they could decide to attack the camp while we're unprepared. That would be a massacre.”

Patton took a breath. He did not seem satisfied but he pulled forward anyway.

“Fine, alright, what are the teams?” Patton relented.

Virgil already had his expectations. Roman got along best with Patton, and Virgil and Logan got along well. It made sense to him.

“Logan and Patton, you'll be in the west woods,” Thomas sighed, almost as if preparing for a fight. “The east will be Roman and Virgil.”

The room was silent.

Too silent.

Like all five men were holding their breath.

And then….

“HIM?!” Virgil and Roman exclaimed in unison, glaring at each other.

Thomas had been ready for this though.

“Yes, you two. I thought this through too. You too are the best fighters of the group. So the with the two of you together you're less likely to need a medic. No offense, Logan.”

“None taken.”

“Besides those are the teams that work well together. Logan and Patton are practically soulmates so that's obvious. Plus a melee and ranged fighter is strategy 101.”

Roman scoffs. “And what, now you're going to say that Jack Smellington and I are soulmates too?”

Thomas smiled innocently. “No. But don't you two train together, just the two of you, three times a week? If anyone would know each other's strengths, weaknesses, and style wouldn't it be you two?”

“I don't think I've ever heard Roman Prince speechless before,” Logan commented, smirking at the expressions on the two boys. They looked like they had just gotten smacked in the face. “It is a moment I will truly savor.”

“If that’s everything I think you guys should head back to your cabins,” Thomas suggested, standing from his chair. “You’ll want to get ready tonight. You leave at dawn.”

[doctor--malpractice]

How dare you keep all of this in the tags

(´･ᴗ･ ` )