Chapter Two

3 weeks before fall

The air was thick with the smells of pine and fire. “Charlie, Raven Wait up!" Jack exclaimed, out of breath, lungs burning, and boots thumping the compacted earth. The trio were racing from the mess hall to the amphitheatre. Jack was a year younger than the Amber twins. He had known Charlie and Raven since they were kids, scrappy and inseparable. But now, at 17 and 18, the dynamic had shifted. Less like siblings, more like something Jack couldn’t quite name.

The trio had stayed too long at dinner, chatting with friends, caught in the rhythm of friendly banter with old campmates, and had to run to get to the amphitheatre on time. They’d abandoned the half-eaten cornbread and chili on the table.

“Gotta make me run, huh?” Jack panted as they approached the stone steps of the amphitheatre.

“Gotta keep you on your toes, Dukes” Raven smiled, flipping her jet black hair. Charlie playfully shoved Jack in the shoulder. Jack once hated when the girls ditched him, but it hit different as teenagers. Plus, they seemed to revel in it. Why not let them.

The trio stood in the back of the open air amphitheatre, a half moon of weathered stone benches wrapped around a massive fire pit and stage. Half-eaten food littered around the crowd of several thousand halfborn. Jack’s mind wandered off as the girls scanned the room for seats. Childhood, goofing off, fighting together, killing hellhounds. Then jeans, the way they fit both girls, Charlie's light and frayed, Raven’s dark. Gods. Keep yourself together man, Jack thought, returning to the present. Charlie tugged on his elbow, they’d found a spot to sit. It was on the eastern side of the amphitheatre, with a great view across the entire audience.

Charlie and Raven sat first, at the very back of the amphitheatre. Jack sat next to Charlie, on the other side of Raven. Raven smiled knowingly, always the more observant of the twins. God dammit. Jack's cheeks turned a more vibrant shade of red than they already were.

Charlie's bare shoulder was against his, and she leaned close. "What do you think we missed?" Her breath was light and tickled his ear.

"Just the boring recaps, I'd bet." Jack shrugged.

The induction ceremony had already started, the trio missed the opening remarks. “Welcome everyone, it is good to see you gathered together for the yearly induction ceremony.” Logan Reeves, of house Athira began. He was the camp trials master, the son of Athira had skills in planning, Athira was the goddess of wisdom, the main drawback of the powers being insomnia, and decision paralysis. Most children of Athira had similar issues, some had sociopathy or tended to isolate themselves. The echos to each power varied, and everyone reacted different.

“Today ends the 6th year since secession from camp Mythling, another year of peace.” Good riddance.

Camp Mythling was the original and more powerful demigod camp. They resided in north Kentucky, a few hours North of Ironsoul. A decade ago the leadership declined, the camp got more and more strict. Camp Ironsoul split off, residing in Georgia. There were also rumors of a second splinter group forming. Jack saw Raven grow tense at the mention.

“Members of Ironsoul, today we welcome our newest members. Of house Athira, Ron and Vivian Wilder, Ricky Bell, Henry Johnson. Of Arex, Olivia Hatcher…” The list went on, around a hundred new members, either sent here by their mortal parents, found their way, or recruited by fellow Halfborn planted in schools across the nation. Jack’s house gained 3 members, Raven and Charlie each got 2. Though they were twins they were Fullborn, both parents divine, but not themselves. Raven mostly took after Vaelix, god of trickery, whereas Charlie was more like Nythrana, goddess of magic.

Jack zoned out during the listing of names, remembering his childhood spent at Mythling.

Early on it was not a bad place to be. He was free to roam as he chose, people married full mortals, eternals gave up their divinity to be with halfborn or quarter. But at some point, Jack was perhaps 7 or 8, everything got harder.

For 4 years everything seemed to get more militaristic. Jack couldn't remember the reason why, but full mortals were no longer allowed in camp, anyone of divine blood was no longer allowed to mix with mortals, and nobody was supposed to leave the camp. It got progressively worse over the next 4 years, ultimately coming to blows and a full on split.

Jack looked over at to the twins, Raven had split off the trio, leaving Charlie alone with Jack, not such a bad thing. Jack thought, watching Charlie with her pretty green eyes and red hair. “Anyone promising in your group?”

“Nythrana or Vaelix?” She chuckled lightly. “No I know. That Gregory Pitters kid looks pretty promising, something like 16 years old.”

“Bit old for a Halfborn ain't he?”

“Yeah, oldest in ages. Should be good to have a more mature recruit.”

“Fair enough,” Jack replied. The vast majority of campers came in around 12 or 13 years old, usually brought in by their mortal parent. Others had to figure it out for themselves, and others still were scooped up my scouts all across the nation.

The conversation got quiet for a short while, Jacks arm around Charlies shoulders. “Hotdogs by the embers tonight?”

“No I’m sorry Jack, I told Ivy i’d meet up with her after dinner,” She smiled, Jack helped her up as she stood. “I’ll see you tomorrow Dukes.” She was fond of using his last name. Jack didn't like it as a kid, but now…

“Ah that's alright. It’ll be good to have her back,” He said, and they parted ways. Ivy Riversong was the wood and river nymph hybrid. She tended to roam, and went down to Georgia to meet with some old relatives she hadn't seen in years.

He turned to glance at Charlie, “Sunday?”

She smiled, “Sunday.”

Jack wandered around the camp for a short while, most people gave him space, sole living son of Syla and all. He resided in the Nephel house, his granddad was the God of storms and sea, which was uncommon, but he was the only child of his mother’s house.

Jack walked to his cabin, ecstatic. Guess it's a good thing that Charlie declined tonight, couldn't have her see me like this.

“You seem happier than normal.” Emily Carter commented, raising an eyebrow. She was leaning on house Nephel, flat of her foot against the wall. Emily was Jack’s Half cousin, being wholly of Nephel and a mortal. A halfborn. The most common type of demigod.

"Oh I am," Jack grinned, opening the door and walking inside. Emily followed, curious.

"What came over you?"

"I got the nerve to ask Charlie to a date of sorts."

"You have been chasing those twins for years," Emily chuckled, shaking her head.

"We aren't kids anymore," Jack shrugged, taking to his bunk.

"That's fair." Emily climbed up the ladder to her own. There wasn't a ton of privacy in the camp, but it was new, and there was plenty of time to expand. "Well have a good night, Jack."

"You too." He said, and quickly drifted off to sleep. Jack didn't even change clothes.

He was awoken the next morning by the alarm that rang every morning at 7:30am. Soon he was dressed in a fresh pair of jeans and a camp tee. He tucked it into his jeans, put on his belt, and tucked hid handgun in his belt. Jack had been carrying the last two years, since a fellow member of the camp was shot by a Mythling spy.

Before he got to the mess hall, he was pulled aside. "Jack, got a meeting right now."

The Iron council ran Ironsoul, the leaders of each house were members, and they chose their seconds. Jack was a member, sole son of Syla, and Raven led house Vaelix. Charlie was second to Acantha Vale in Nythrana

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice.” Micah Rhodes, son of Nemathae, goddess of retribution began. He was the camp leader, elected out of his position as head of house nemesis. “Mythborn finally made a move. They've cut transfers entirely, declared war, and cut all contact.”

“Finally.” Gavin Hayes grumbled, he was second of house Arex. Ever the warmonger. Then again, it's been a long time coming. Jeffrey Lee was the first of the house. He was a quiet man, around 35, and stayed silent through the meeting. Jack didn't like the man.

“Plans?” Lana Bellwether sighed loudly. Lazy daughter of veluna.

“Prepare, because none of you fools would join my house and meet them.” Gavin scoffed.

“Damn right.” Cass Mason, head of house Athira said. “Idiotic idea.”

The council held a vote, overwhelmingly against Gavin's proposal.

"I have to say," Micah started, slowly, "I dont entirely disagree with Gavin in principle. I believe we need to send a scouting party or two. We need to know what we are up against."

"I think I can agree with that," Jack nodded. Some of the others agreed, namely Charlie and Raven.

"I'll be going then," Gavin said, standing. I'll form a crew, we'll leave in an hour.

---

3 days post fall

"Fuck" Jack said, hearing the wall crack. He rushed out of the Pavillion, and saw Nova dive from the sky. She landed a short distance away, and the Amber twins joined Jack. "We need to evacuate. Have the Athira kids guide Veluna through the tunnels," Jack said, pulling his rifle off his back.

"On it." Charlie said, running form the area.

"I'll get with Cass Mason of Athira, we need a fast plan." Raven said, but stopped.

Jack watched as the western wall failed. He racked the slide of his rifle and ran toward the wall. Hundreds of the dead surged into the gap.

"No fucking time," Raven yelled, drawing her twin knives and rushing forward. Jack joined her, jumping forward and cleaving a walker's head in two.

---

"Gods above." Jack swore as he looked over his group. From a thousand to two hundred, in less than 10 minutes.

"Nothing we can do now." Raven said, spitting blood from her mouth. Blood covered her face, a mix of the enemy and her own. Charlie sat to the side, changing the bandage on her left arm. She didn't meet anyone's eyes.

Nova walked into the room, with all the grace of a goddess. Her face was half ghostly, a product of her mother, Hela. Her wings neatly folded behind her, a product of Thanon, her father. "My parents are dead. I cannot reach any of the others."

Jack looked at the ground, then took a seat against a tree. "I figured as much. I hope we learn what the hell happened."

"I wish I had someone to blame other than myself." Raven said, sitting across the path from Jack. The 4 of them were the last of the powerful leadership of the camp, all of two divine bloodlines. Charlie and Raven were fullborn, but not immortals. Jack was the sole living son of Syla, and grandson of Nephel. Nova, an eternal, full blooded.

Jack was reminded of a moment so long before, sitting with these same 3, after coming to Georgia.

---

6 Years Before

"What do we do now?" Jack asked, picking at a newly formed scab over a cut on his knee.

"Guess we wait. Wish we were in charge, I would have slaughtered those stupid Yankees." Raven said, laying back in the grass. She was mo more than 12 years old. Charlie sat on a stump adjacent to Jack, but Raven was across the path. The air smelled of georgia pines, freshly cut.

"We couldn't have done any better," Charlie said, shaking her head.

"They wouldn't let me use a damned spear even." Raven grumbled.

"To be fair you haven't trained with a spear." Charlie smiled, glancing at Jack. He returned the smile.

"It was a bad example." Raven sighed.

Nova stood, back turned to the trio, looking over the other exiles. "It could have been worse. Only a hundred or so are gone."

Jack's mind was immediately overcome with the initial slaughter. They were running, bodies dropping by the dozen from gunfire from behind. They'd initially been left to go free, but then the machine guns began.

---

Present

"It isn't your fault, Raven," Charlie had said, walking over to her sister.

"Charlie's right," Jack agreed, shaking his head violently for a moment.

"Jack, 800 people are dead. We barely got out, this could have been prevented if we didn't wait three fucking weeks. You know who voted against it?" Raven barked.

"That was a vote, it js meaningless in the grand scheme. Nobody expected to be overrun. The walls shouldn't have broken."

"Dont you dare claim it was intentional by one of the group," Raven snapped back. "Get over that idea. There were several thousand corpses pressing on the wall dammit."

It still shouldn't have broken, Jack yelled in his head. He knew better than to bring this back up. He decided to sit in silence a while, it would be good to simmer down.

The evening meal was quiet also. Jack sat with the twins, Nova was alone somewhere else. He scanned the survivors faces, for the hundredth time. Every time he was relieved to see a face he thought he'd lost. This time it was his half sister, Emily Carter. He smiled and stood, abandoning his half eaten meal. He smiled as Raven slyly took the plate from his spot, and began to eat.

"Hey Emma."

"Jack. I'm glad you're alive."

He sat down, leaning his head on his fist. "I don't know what to do now, Emily."

"Take the reins. Micah and Logan are both dead. That leaves you and the twins, and of course Nova." Emily said, tossing her empty paper plate into the woods behind. Logan Reeves had been the camp coordinator under Micah Rhodes, Lana Bellwether would make a shitty leader, and Gavin Hayes was gone, as was his first,

Gavin had left with some of his higher members on the scouting mission weeks before. Jack hadnt seen them since the world ended. He would have been the one to take up the house after Jeffrey Lee died.

Jack wasn't sure how the houses would work, given they'd all lost the majority of their populace, especially Veluna and Arex. Perhaps they'd dissolve, or form factions without regard to house. Maybe it's for the best.

The houses served as a structure and organization for the formerly large group. The houses only truly mattered in classifying who had what powers. One could claim to be a child of Vaelix, but without proof of a house, they could be a child of Arex or someone else, having entirely different powers than a child of Vaelix. One was born into their house.

"Maybe you're right." Jack said at last.

Emily stood, "I believe in you. Now i gotta take someones place for a few hours and keep watch." She patted Jack's shoulder affectionately and left the clearing.

The group had made very good distance in the afternoon after the horde invaded, and sat 17 miles to the south of their former camp. We need an apartment building or something. if they stayed on the ground for too long, the hordes would inevitably come from Athens to the south.

Jack was an avid fan of zombie fiction, something the twins once teased him over. Now he had nothing better to do than contemplate all the possible scenarios. Athens was a medium sized city, less populace than it was before the splinter war. Now its population was spread out along highway 78, to the east and west. fucking Yankee scum. The Athenians were lucky it wasnt a nuclear weapon the US used on the city.

The dead would most definitely tear up the city in large hordes, and whatever remained would spread out in all directions. The city would be uninhabitable for several weeks. Rural areas would be better, but not for a group of Ironsoul's size. The city would be the best place for scavenging, as well as finding fellow survivors.

"Jack," Nova said, landing gracefully behind him.

"Nova."

"Located a publix just a couple miles to the south. Seems as good of a place as any."

"Guess that'll do." Jack sighed, "We'll move in the morning."

---

4 Days post fall

That morning, Jack, Raven, Nova, and Emily went off to claim their new home. Better be temporary.

Nova had been scouting it since that night, using her powers to numb the feeling of tired. Jack could tell, she usually had more energy. But with Nova's scouting, and Emily's planning, it would be easy to take the store.

Jack was first across the highway. Cars and trucks alike completely filled the road toward Athens, many fewer were headed out. Idiots.

He heard corpses scratching st the doors and windows of some of the vehicles, and blood coated the glass. Jack drew his shortsword, and held it backhanded. He beheaded the first walker, and pinned the second to a third. There were only a few dozen in the lot, but the store was bound to have more.

Jack cleaved the arm off a fourth walker and broke the glass of the front doors. Why the hell weren't the boarded up? He disregarded the thought and tossed a grenade into the store. He and the others knew there weren't survivors from the hours of observation.

Jack rushed back to the other three, busy at work finishing the last of the dead. Meanwhile the grenade sounded off, drawing the rest from the building toward the entrance.

Raven used her powers of transformation to become a tiger. Jack heard the bones and muscles rearrange, and tried not to cringe. Nova drew a knife and soared through the air, cutting down corpses 3 at a time.

Within a half hour they had the entire lot clear, and a new home as the prize.