Luke didn't look like someone who had just walked into enemy territory. Even while surrounded by armed campers pointing weapons at him, with others drawing theirs, ready to fight him at any moment.
Knowing how dangerous he was, the only one who didn't seem to fully react to that danger and hostility was Thalia. She had a complicated expression as she looked at him standing there, unsure of how she was supposed to react.
"What are you doing here, Luke?" Percy said, drawing his sword just like the others, as if ready to face the demigod in another fight.
But Luke only smiled calmly.
"Doesn't that mark tell you anything, Percy? I came as a participant in the trial. And from what I understand, anyone marked as a champion has the right to take part," he said, his gaze moving across the campers who watched him closely, ready to strike at any moment, and even toward Chiron, with a faint smile.
Meanwhile, Chiron frowned deeply as he looked at Luke standing there as if nothing was wrong. Even Dionysus was watching Luke from where he stood, his gaze fixed on him, yet he didn't take a single step forward; something Chiron, of course, noticed.
"Lower your weapons," Chiron said immediately.
"But, Chiron, he—" the campers surrounding Luke tried to protest, but Chiron cut them off.
"It's true. As a champion, he cannot be attacked and must take part in the trial as dictated," he said in a serious tone, slightly colder than usual for the centaur.
Luke let out a faint smile, almost mocking, toward the campers around him, who clearly wanted to attack him. The fight from a few days ago was still fresh in their minds, along with all the injuries it had left behind.
Even Percy looked genuinely annoyed seeing Luke there, acting so casually. He tightened his grip on his sword, as if considering cutting him down right then and there; lowering it slightly, but not putting it away.
All while watching Luke walk toward them.
Annabeth, who had run over and arrived near the end along with Grover, was also shocked to see Luke standing there. And seeing him approach Thalia made her frown, but she didn't seem able to move closer. The cold of death emanating from the goddess present kept everyone at a distance, allowing only the champions to approach. Even Chiron stood a few steps back.
"Hi, Thalia. It's really good to see you finally free from your curse," Luke said with a genuinely friendly smile, almost sounding happy. For a moment, even his eyes seemed to shine with memories of the past.
"I don't want to hear anything from someone who broke his promise," Thalia replied instantly, her tone dry, with a hint of pain behind it.
Luke opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again, letting out a faint, forced smile. More than anyone, he knew Thalia's personality, and he was sure Annabeth had told her plenty. In a reunion this brief, it wasn't something he could easily get past.
"Even so, I'm really glad to see you again. I missed you. A lot," Luke said more quietly.
But Thalia only looked at him for a moment before turning her gaze away.
Luke simply shook his head at her reaction and shifted his attention to Percy, who was still watching him closely, sword in hand.
"Looks like we're meeting again pretty soon, Percy," Luke said, noticing how guarded he still was, yet remaining completely calm.
"Yeah. And I see your nose still hasn't healed properly," Percy replied with a slight smirk, glancing at Luke's slightly crooked nose, still marked by the hits Percy had given him, along with bruises and cuts from their fight.
"Oh, this? It'll take a bit longer to heal," Luke said casually, as if it didn't bother him at all; though the look in his eyes suggested otherwise.
Percy gave him a sarcastic smile without adding anything else, though for a moment his gaze shifted toward Luke's head, a faintly confused expression crossing his face.
Something Luke, of course, noticed, as he stared right back at Percy.
"Now that all three of you are here, I'll give you your first trial," Hel said, cutting in completely with her cold, emotionless tone as she looked at the three champions.
"Wait a second… uh, Miss Hel? Aren't there supposed to be two champions in a trial between two pantheons? Why is he being chosen as a third?" Percy said, raising his hand slightly before pointing at Luke.
"Because he is the third champion. Now I will give you your trial," Hel replied with complete simplicity, direct as ever.
"Yeah, I get that… but since when do rules just change like that?" Percy insisted, interrupting again.
That made Hel look at him once more.
"Because he bears the mark of a champion," she said just as easily. "Now, the trial," she repeated.
That still didn't sit right with him.
Percy stared at the goddess of death for a moment and felt like they were not understanding each other at all.
"Percy, we'll figure that out later. For now, listen," Chiron said, cutting in before Percy could speak again, casting a brief glance toward Luke.
Who looked completely at ease.
Percy shut his mouth with clear reluctance, still throwing looks at Luke.
"Find what you call the Ophiotaurus," she said plainly.
"Claim what belongs to death."
"If you fail… there will be nothing left to claim."
"Sorry, what?" Percy said, as if he hadn't fully processed it.
"Find what you call the Ophiotaurus."
"Claim what belongs to death," she repeated, word for word.
"Yeah, I mean, I heard what you said, I just didn't really get most of the—" before Percy could finish, he felt Hel's gaze settle on him again for a moment. And even though her face didn't change, for some reason he felt… something like impatience.
"Your teacher holds great knowledge. If you are to represent him, you will need more than just a sword," the goddess said, looking at him directly.
"You know my teacher?" Percy asked, now clearly interested.
But Hel didn't answer another word. Instead, the cold that had filled the air suddenly vanished, as if it had never been there at all.
And the animals, which had been completely silent, as if death itself had claimed them, began making noise again from the forest, as if nothing had ever happened.
That caused a slight stir around them, people turning toward the sound for a moment, including the three champions. But when they looked back at Hel, she was already gone.
As if she had never been there, just like when she first appeared.
"She's not very talkative, is she?" Percy said after a moment, glancing at Thalia.
But she only gave him a faint look of disdain before glancing at Luke for a moment, then turned and walked toward Annabeth.
Luke gave Percy a small smile before turning to leave. But before he could take more than a few steps, the campers quickly moved to stand in front of him, blocking his path.
"You might want to rethink that. You should know the rules… or maybe you don't. But you can't stop me or harm me. All you'll do is put your champion at risk of disqualification and cost them the trial, not to mention earn yourselves a penalty. Isn't that right, Chiron?" Luke said, glancing over his shoulder.
At Chiron, who was watching him closely.
"How did you do it?" Chiron asked, ignoring Luke's question as he stared at him.
"What are you talking about? You're wise enough… you should already know. Who do you think created this trial? You should have figured out how by now," Luke replied calmly.
Chiron fell silent for a few seconds, his face filled with unease and frustration, as if he understood part of what Luke meant… and how everything had spiraled out of control.
"Let him go," Chiron said to the campers.
No one really lowered their guard as Luke walked past. More than one of them still looked ready to attack… even knowing they couldn't.
Reluctantly, they stepped aside, allowing Luke to pass between them before he stopped for a moment.
"We'll see each other in the trial, Percy… and this time, there won't be any interruptions," Luke said without turning around.
"If you're not afraid of your nose ending up even more crooked… anytime," Percy shot back, watching him for a moment before Luke continued walking toward the forest, disappearing between the trees and brush.
Percy remained standing there, and he could hear Chiron say:
"This is far worse than we feared…"
He said it quietly, pressing a hand to his forehead.
Percy understood what he meant… and he didn't like how the pieces were starting to fit together.
Because the loser would have their soul claimed by the god of the winning champion.
Which meant that if Luke won, the souls of two children of the Big Three would fall into Kronos's hands.
And maybe the prophecy was now even closer to being fulfilled.
And this time…
it didn't seem like there was any way to stop it.
Or maybe there never was.