5

Mason hadn't had contact with Keith since he ran from him in the woods.

He shifted his backpack on his back as he made his way toward the center of town. Cinnamon followed closely behind him, sniffing at anything that crossed her path.

Emerson spotted them and ran toward them. "So you decided to come after all." she scratched Cinnamon behind her ear. "What changed your mind?"

"Zeus talked to me. He asked me to tag along so I can watch out for Keith."

Emerson stared at him for a while then she smiled. "Ah, I see. You like him, don't you?"

"W-what?"

"It's alright. I won't tell anyone." she looked around. "But I haven't seen him this morning, you?"

Mason looked around, hoping to spot Keith's mop of black hair. "Wait. He's not here?"

Emerson shook her head and continued scanning the crowd that streamed past them.

Mason dropped his backpack to the ground. "I'll be right back. Maybe he slept in. Cinnamon, stay."

Mason pulled a small dagger from his bag and took off in the direction of their sleeping quarters. He threw open the door, and Hestia stared at him wide-eyed.

"Is everything alright?"

"Keith. He's not- do you know where he is?"

Hestia nodded. "Well, I talked to him earlier this morning. I haven't seen him since. Maybe you should check his room?"

Mason raced toward the elevator and punched in the number for his floor. Hopefully, Keith is alright.

To have Keith's bright eyes and smile taken would wound him deeply. He hasn't felt this way about anyone in a long time.. He stepped out of the elevator and ran to Keith's bedroom.

He hesitated for a moment before knocking. Mason waited a full minute before entering.

Owen was sitting in front of the TV playing a game.

"Hey, Owen, have you seen Keith?"

"Oh, uh, I thought he was at the training hall." Owen glanced at him.

Before Owen could say anything else, Mason raced out of the building and into the training hall. He threw open the door and flicked on the light. He spotted his sword in the corner of the room and went to get it.

Mason found it strange that Keith would be in here with the light off.

"Keith? Keith are you here?"

A low moan grabbed his attention, and he raced into the back room and saw Keith slumped against the wall with a huge gash in his side.

***

Keith had been in the back room practicing his stance when he heard the door to the training hall burst open.

Keith ceased his training to go see who it was. He stopped just outside the door when he saw a cloaked figure and two skeletons holding swords walking toward him.

"Who are you?"

The cloaked figure didn't answer but instead pointed at him, and the skeletons advanced.

Keith knew he didn't stand a chance against them, but he held his ground and swung at the first one. The skeleton grabbed the sword and tugged it from his hands.

It threw it out of his reach, and they continued to walk toward him until they backed him up into a corner. Keith tried to slip away but the second skeleton grabbed his wrist and held him up against the wall.

Woah. He's surprisingly strong for a dead person. Keith thought.

"Who are you?" Keith choked out. "What do you want?"

The cloaked person stopped in front of him. "What I want is your blood on my blade."

"Who are you?"

The cloaked figure signaled for the skeleton to release him and Keith dropped to the ground rubbing his neck.

Before Keith could climb to his feet, the cloaked figure kicked him in the stomach, causing him to cough up blood.

Then the cloaked figure picked him up by the front of the shirt and threw him across the room. Keith grunted in pain when he hit the wall.

He struggled to his feet and saw the cloaked figure pull out a large scythe from under his cloak. Keith tried to make a run for it but the cloaked figure held out his hand, lifting him off the ground and throwing him into the back room.

The pain was excruciating. He screamed.

"It's not important that you know my name. My master sent me, he said not to kill so, so instead, I will hurt you."

Keith pushed himself off the ground. "Who is your master? What does he want with me?"

"That is not my business to tell." he kicked Keith in his side making him stumble. Then he raised his scythe and swung.

Keith couldn't move. The skeletons surrounded him on both sides; he screamed when the figure dug his blade into his skin, making a deep cut.

He grunted and clutched his side, trying to stop the bleeding as much as he could.

"Tell no one about this. My job here is done."

Then he hit Keith across the back of the head with the butt of his weapon, knocking him out cold.

Mason crouched over Keith, muttering some healing spells.

He moved Keith's hand from over the wound and saw that it was healed, but Keith hadn't come to.

"Keith," Mason whispered. "Keith, I need you to say something. Anything, please."

After a moment of silence, Keith coughed. "M-Mason? Is that you?"

Without even thinking twice, Mason leaned toward him and kissed him. Keith froze under him, and he made to pull back, but Keith responded and cupped his face with his hands.

"If you ever scare me like that again, I will strangle you," Mason said when he pulled away. "Who did this to you?"

Keith laughed softly. "I'll keep that threat in mind." he took the sword from him and sheathed it.

Mason got to his feet and pulled Keith up with him. "Come on, we're keeping everyone else waiting."

***

When Caleb saw Mason and Keith arrive, something made his blood boil. Maybe it was because Mason had already moved on to someone else, or maybe he was jealous of the attention Mason was giving him.

Caleb was standing with Emerson and the other gods, waiting for Mason and Keith to catch up. Their ride hovering a few feet away.

Emerson spotted Kieth and his bloody hand. "What happened is he ok?"

"Yeah. He'll be fine." Mason said.

Zeus frowned down at his son. "Did something happen to you?"

"I was training in the training hall," Keith replied. "It was just a scratch."

Caleb pulled a map from his pocket and held it out to Zeus. "Before I came up here, I found this and thought it would be of use to us."

"This will lead you to Pandora's box. What will you do with that?" Zeus frowned slightly.

"I thought it would have something to do with the weapons since it released evil into the world." Caleb shrugged. "Maybe it'll show us where the weapons were first made, and who gave them to him."

Zeus pulled on his beard in thought. "That is an interesting theory."

"Well, shouldn't part of that be obvious?" Mason said. "Gaia was his mother, remember? Wouldn't she have made those?"

"She did." Zeus nodded.

"Wouldn't she know where the gods hid it if she's the earth?" Keith asked.

Ares shook his head. "No, young one. We didn't hide them in the dirt."

Zeus took the map from him and ripped it. "Besides, this isn't the real map, anyway. I remember where I threw that box." Zeus shook his head. "It was much too dangerous for this world. It's in Tartarus."