5 YEARS LATER
When you turn twelve, you expect a party with friends and family, presents, and cake. Lots and lots of cake. Preferably chocolate.
But what you don't expect is to discover that you are a being that has only been heard about in stories. Tales of great deeds that have been permanently recorded in human history. After all, for a twelve-year-old girl with dyslexia and ADHD, it's hard to believe that you're paired with big names like Hercules, Achilles, Theseus, Perseus, Orpheus, and many others.
Yes. It's hard for a little girl to believe that she's a demigod, the daughter of one of the ancient Olympian gods who ruled over ancient Greece. And what's even harder to believe is that she's not the only one. That there's an entire summer camp for the sons and daughters of gods and goddesses. That demigods went there to train and prepare to face the ancient and dangerous monsters that still plagued the land.
That idea could be considered surreal. Crazy even. Worthy of a person with a very inflated ego to call himself the son of a god. Or it could be used as an idea for a book series that could become very popular.
¨Ha. I wish there was a book like that¨ she thought absentmindedly ¨But considering how many books there are these days, it wouldn't be surprising. I mean, there are books about teenagers falling in love with vampires! They sparkle in the light of day! How crazy is that?¨
If a few days ago someone had told her that the world she had lived in until now was a lie, she would have looked at them as if they were crazy and asked them what they were smoking or injecting.
But now, after what she had witnessed at the museum, after seeing her math teacher turn into a creature straight out of her worst nightmares and then being chased by a large pack of dogs the size of cars, while she rode on the back of a centaur who turned out to be her Latin teacher... Let's just say she didn't feel so skeptical about the possibility that the world she thought she lived in wasn't what she thought it was.
Either that, or she was going crazy from the amount of sugar she had ingested in the last few hours.
That thought was only reinforced as she lay in her bed at Yancy Academy boarding school, staring at the ceiling in an attempt to figure out if what she had seen was real or a product of many of the hallucinations she had had throughout her short life.
Mrs. Dodds, the terrifying maths teacher she once had, became even scarier when she grew bat wings on her back, her fingers lengthened into claws, her mouth filled with huge yellow fangs capable of crushing anything, and she attacked her with a desire to tear her to shreds.
It was only due to the timely arrival of Professor Brunner, the friendly Latin teacher and the only teacher he liked, that he was able to save himself by the thickness of a cat's whisker.
The kindly professor threw a pen at him which then turned into a sword – a sword! – and in a fit of panic he swung it at the demonised Mrs Dodds, cutting her deeply in the shoulder until she exploded in a cloud of golden dust.
When everything was over, she realized that she was alone. There was no monster, no Mr. Brunner, and in her hands, she only had a pen.
"Did the sandwich Grover gave me have drugs in it? Or am I becoming a schizophrenic?"
That could certainly be a possibility. Because his imagination was not good enough for all this to happen.
"Or is there some kind of glitch in the Matrix? Am I... the chosen one?!"
The loud knocking on her door brought her out of her pre-teenage ramblings. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity, wondering who would be knocking so late at night.
"I'm going," he said, lazily getting out of bed.
Clearly, that didn't calm the hectic knocking, as whoever was on the other side of the door began knocking even more rapidly.
–Okay, okay, calm down. Tone down the concert a little, Bruno Mars– she said, somewhat annoyed.
He opened the door and was surprised by the sight of the one he considered his best friend.
He looked agitated, taking short, rapid breaths in an attempt to catch his breath, even holding his knees in a sign of exhaustion.
"Grover…" she said, a little alarmed.
The boy thought she was a little taken aback by seeing him in that state, as if he had run a marathon to get here so late at night, but what she said next erased that thought.
– What are you doing in the girls' dormitory? – he asked accusingly.
That question took him by surprise, but he decided to put that thought aside in favor of the urgent situation he found himself in.
– This is urgent, Andy! You're in danger! – Grover exclaimed, panic in his voice.
Andy raised an eyebrow in confusion, not fazed by the urgency in her friend's voice.
"Danger?" she asked. "What kind of danger? The kind where I'm the butt of a joke? Or the kind where a teacher discovered I was illegally selling candy in my room?"
"The kind of danger that's dangerous! "Grover exclaimed, as if that explained everything.
Andy just looked at Grover even more strangely as she crossed her arms.
"You know that doesn't make any sense, right?
– Will you shut up?! – a shrill voice exclaimed – You're annoying!
Andy groaned in annoyance and turned to glance sideways at her roommate who she found infuriating and annoying.
"Shut your mouth, Nancy" Andy said."Why don't you go steal some pens or something?
-Why not...
"This isn't the time for this!" Grover interrupted urgently. He grabbed Andy by the wrist and dragged her down the hall in a hurry, ignoring Nancy's outburst. "We need to go to Qui… Mr. Brunner now."
Andy raised her eyebrow, feeling even more confused, but she let Grover drag her along nonetheless as they ran down the dark hallway.
"What does Mr. Brunner have to do with this? "she asked.
Grover seemed nervous to answer. He looked around and out the windows in case something might jump out of them.
"He will explain to you what is happening. He was always much more eloquent when it came to revealing the truth.
" What truth? What do you have to explain to me?
She was starting to feel impatient and annoyed by the vague answers her friend was giving her. If he had the nerve to drag her out of his bedroom at night against her will, she at least deserved to know the reason.
For some strange reason, she had a feeling that that sounded wrong, but she decided to ignore it in favor of waiting for the answer to the question asked to her friend.
It was then that she noticed something curious. Grover wasn't using his crutches, and that was incredibly strange to her because she had never seen him without his crutches. Another thing she noticed was the strange way he ran. It seemed as if he was imitating the gallop of a horse.
Grover hadn't answered the question by the time they had gotten down to the teacher's office. All of them were dark and empty, except for Mr. Brunner's. Andy had many memories of spending hours helping Mr. Brunner file some papers or helping him organize his graded tests. More than once she had glanced at his test, and each time she felt down and sad about seeing the "fail" on that piece of paper. The apologetic look the kind teacher gave her didn't help either.
Grover walked through the door, not deigning to knock.
" Sir! I brought her!
As she walked in, Andy expected to see the Latin teacher in his wheelchair wearing his tweed jacket, drinking coffee while listening to his awful prehistoric Frank Sinatra music on a record player. What she didn't expect was to see Mr. Brunner on a horse... no... Mr. Brunner WAS the horse, more specifically from the waist down he had the body of a huge white stallion.
"Mr... Brunner?
Andy was shocked to find that her favorite teacher was a pony.
"No... a centaur" she corrected herself mentally.
He didn't want to offend his teacher in any way for fear that he would fail the next exam.
Mr. Brunner turned and looked at the two of them. There was a slight look of panic on his face, but it faded when he saw them.
"Grover, Andy... Thank the gods you're both safe. Go in and close the door. Quickly" the centaur lord urged.
Grover closed the door and locked it. Andy still couldn't take his eyes off Mr. Brunner. It was as if his brain had shorted out and was rebooting, but he managed to formulate a question.
" My teacher is a centaur?
Mr. Bruner gave him a compassionate and somewhat sad look.
"That is not how I wanted you to discover the truth, my child. I would have liked you to enjoy your ignorance a little longer, but I fear that the situation is too serious and warrants immediate action.
"What... What truth? What is happening? I don't understand anything! "he said, his voice becoming more and more anxious.
"Andy," Grover called, seeing his friend's expression. "This has to do with Mrs. Dodds..."
"I knew it! "she interrupted, pointing her finger at him accusingly"I knew you were lying about not knowing Mrs. Dodds!
" I did it to protect you! The less you knew about the truth, the less monsters you would attract. But it didn't work, you started to understand who you are. And now that you killed a Benevolent, the other two will know something is wrong and will come looking for you.
" Who am I? And what is this about Benevolent and coming to get me? Can someone please give me an answer that makes sense?
"Andy," Brunner said, standing in front of the confused girl and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're confused. I know you have a lot of questions. But believe me when I tell you that the only thing we both want for you is for you to be safe. That's why we're here in the first place."
Andy lowered her head, feeling calmer by the words of her Latin teacher who happened to be a centaur. Mr. Brunner was right. When Mrs. Dodds had attacked her, it was Mr. Brunner who had given her that sword to protect herself. If it hadn't been for that, who knows what would have happened to her.
"I… I think that's true," he admitted, after thinking about it carefully. "Thanks for the sword, I suppose…"
Brunner gave him one of his proud smiles, the kind he gets when he answers a question correctly in class.
"You're welcome, my child. One must always be prepared to face any adversity. And a weapon is essential for someone like you.
"What do you mean by someone like me?
"I'm sorry if my words were a little harsh, that was never my intention. But it is because of who you truly are that you are in danger. Mrs. Dodds knew it, and if she knew it, so do her sisters, and therefore, so does the master they serve.
"Do you really believe that, sir? Grover asked, looking a little scared. I know her scent is stronger than average, but that shouldn't be a good enough reason for you to be after her.
"My… My smell?" Andy sniffed her forearm, feeling both puzzled and a little embarrassed. "I don't smell that bad, do I? I mean, I didn't take a shower today, but I don't think I smell that bad."
"That's not the kind of smell I'm talking about, Andy.
"If you wish to use other words, you could say that it is the very essence of your being," Brunner explained. "Everyone who is like you has it. And by the time they reach the age of twelve, that essence is easily noticeable to those who wish to find you. And I am afraid they already have."
The centaur Latin teacher finished with a somber tone that made Andy feel a lump in his throat.
"You're saying... that Mrs. Dodds came after me and attacked me because of who I am," Andy said, his voice shaking. "Mr. Brunner... Who am I?"
Both Brunner and Grover looked at her with complete seriousness. And that was when they dropped the bomb that would change everything.
"You're a demigoddess, Andy.
Andy's eyes widened at that, unable to believe what he had been told just two seconds ago.
He recognized the term from the lectures Professor Brunner had taught in his class and had paid attention to them. How could he not when the professor brought out replicas of ancient swords and armor while explaining the exploits of those people who were considered heroes?
The fact that she was one of them seemed crazy or a bad joke to her.
"A... demigoddess? You mean... half mortal, half...
"God," Brunner finished for her, still with the same seriousness on his face. "Do you remember the Greek history classes I teach? About how the ancient Greek gods came down to earth and had offspring with mortals? Well, they haven't stopped their activities for the last two thousand years."
"But... But that's impossible! "she said, incredulously". They're just stories, myths to explain things they didn't understand.
"So how would you explain what happened with Mrs. Dodds? "Brunner replied. "About the strange things you've seen throughout your life?
" How come you...?
" Do I know about that? Because you're not the only one, Andy. There are many others like you. If you thought you were the only twelve-year-old girl with ADHD, dyslexia, and who's been expelled from more than five schools, then you'll be pleasantly surprised to learn that there's a whole camp of people just like you.
"Wait... What? You're telling me there's a whole camp of... demigods?
"The gods are numerous, so why wouldn't their children be as well?" Brunner said, sounding slightly amused. "That's why we're here in the first place. To get you to that camp. Now that you know who you are, it will only be a matter of time before you attract those like Mrs. Dodds. Those who want to harm you and those close to you."
Immediately, Andy's mind went to her mother and she was filled with a feeling of dread at the thought of her mother being attacked by the same creatures as Mrs. Dodds.
"My... my mom...
Brunner nodded grimly.
"Unfortunately, she will be in danger. We contacted her to let her know of the situation you are in, that we were watching you and preparing for camp. After Mrs. Dodds' attack, I sent her a letter explaining the situation. In response, she asked me to give you this.
Brunner went to his desk and grabbed a paper envelope, a letter. He handed it to Andy. She immediately recognized the address of the small apartment they shared in New York.
"Can... can I read it? "she asked, doubtful.
Brunner looked a little reluctant at that, but nodded nonetheless.
"I would like you to do it another time, but perhaps if you read it now you can clarify a little of the many doubts that are lurking in your mind.
With slightly shaking hands, Andy opened the letter and immediately recognized his mother's unmistakable handwriting, although he found it a little difficult to read due to his dyslexia.
For Andy,
Andy, honey, I know this may be overwhelming for you. I wanted to tell you the truth long before, but you weren't ready. Now, I'm afraid it's too late. I wanted you to enjoy a normal life much more, or at least, as normal as someone as special as you could.
If I'm being honest, I don't want you to go to that camp, but there's no other option. Now that you know who you are, I can't be so selfish and keep you by my side when you're in danger.
Trust Chiron, he'll keep you safe. He and I just want you to be safe. And from what I know about the camp he wants to take you to, it's the safest place for you right now. Not only will he keep you safe, but he'll teach you how to protect yourself. You'll even get to meet people who are just like you.
Just send me a letter, or check in from time to time so I know you're safe. Just because you're the daughter of a god doesn't mean you have to forget about your dear old mom, right?
He loves you, Mom.
PS, Don't forget to shower every day and wear clean underwear.
"Oh, Mom..." Andy thought with a little shame as he read the last part. But that only confirmed that it was really his mother who wrote the letter.
"Wait a second…" Andy said, realizing something. "Who's Chiron?"
"Oh, Andy, my girl... I thought you were paying attention during my classes" Brunner said, sounding slightly disappointed.
" Huh? "Andy felt a little guilty about that. Brunner was the only teacher who didn't look down on her and always encouraged her to be better. He was her favorite teacher, and she didn't want to disappoint him. " Uh... well... Chiron was the teacher of Hercules and Achilles and many other heroes... And he was... a centaur...
Andy looked at Mr. Brunner as if for the first time, more specifically at his lower body. It was then that something clicked in her.
"You are Chiron?! "she exclaimed, totally incredulous.
"The only one," Brunner-Chiron said with an amused glint in his eyes.
"Isn't it a little racist of you to think he's Chiron just because he's a centaur? "Grover said.
"Uh... well... I...
Before Andy could come up with an excuse, a loud, constant, high-pitched sound filled the place. She had heard that sound before in movies, so it seemed strange to her to hear it in that place.
"A howl? "he asked aloud. "There are no wolves around here, are they stray dogs?
Andy looked at Grover and was surprised to see him pale as a sheet, as if he had seen a ghost, even shaking like a leaf on a tree. Chiron looked restless. He was frowning in a worrying manner and his tail was shaking erratically.
" It's... They're here! "Grover exclaimed, panicked". What do we do, Chiron?!
"This isn't good," Brunner muttered, now revealing himself as Chiron. "They're here already. I was hoping it wouldn't be tonight, but I'm afraid my intuition was right, so I'm glad I took action."
"Mr. Bru... Chiron," Andy corrected himself. "What's going on? Is this Mrs. Dodds?"
"I don't think that's her. Most likely they are her sisters by order of her master.
" Your master?
A bead of sweat ran down Chiron's face as he adopted a grim expression.
"The Lord of the Dead.
"The Lord… of the Dead?" Andy asked. "Who is he? And why does he look like a supervillain from some kind of comic book?"
"This is no time for jokes, Andy! Grover reprimanded. This is serious! Mrs. Dodds must have alerted him to your presence at school! That's why they're here!
"We need to get moving," Chiron said. "Now that he knows you defeated one of his trusted servants, the Lord of the Dead will not underestimate her again and will send a large number of his forces."
"Sir... isn't it the same thing that happened five years ago?
Chiron's expression became grim.
"Let us pray to the gods that it is not so.
Andy didn't understand what they were talking about, but he did understand how tense the situation was that he found himself in. And despite not fully understanding what his role was in all of this, he knew what he had to do at that moment.
"If I go... If I go to that camp, I'll be safe, right? I mean... I still don't know why they're looking for me, and I don't fully understand what's going on either... But you're here to help me, right?
"That's right, Andy," Grover said. "We've only told you the most essential and important things, but it's true when we say that we just want you to be safe."
Andy looked at her friend Grover. She had always seen him nervous, and he always cried when he was anxious (Oh, a rhyme) So seeing him so confident and determined was strange to her, but that only further fueled how serious the situation was.
Strengthening her resolve, she looked at Chiron with determination (Oh, another rhyme)
"I'll go with you.
"You know... when I said I was going to this camp, I imagined going by car or on a bus... But definitely not like this!
"Andy, get down! "Chiron exclaimed.
The newly discovered demigoddess quickly ducked, allowing her to save herself from being thrown off of Chiron's back by a tiger-sized hellhound that lunged at her. Chiron quickly flipped his human body over and swung his sword to kill the hellhound.
"This is endless, sir! "Grover shouted, holding on to Chiron's waist while also riding on his back along with Andy, who was behind him and holding his waist". There are too many of them!
"How did they catch up with us?! "Andy exclaimed.
"Shadow travel!" Chiron replied, without stopping. "Hellhounds are capable of traveling great distances by traveling through shadows!"
" "Hellhounds?!" Fear was evident in his voice. "Are you telling me those dogs are...?"
"That's right. They're dogs of the underworld. Then you know who sent them.
Andy remembered the history classes Chiron had given him. Now that he thought about them, he always emphasized Greek mythology, mainly the gods and the stories about them. And now, being chased by black dogs the size of cars, with fangs and claws ready to tear flesh and lava-red eyes that glowed in the dark, he knew all too well who sent them.
Hades, god of the underworld.
"Are you telling me that Hades himself is after me? "she asked, fearfully.
Immediately, the shadows seemed to spread across the place and became even darker. The wind seemed to blow hard and she felt a cold breath on her neck that chilled her blood.
"Don't say his name, Andy! Grover scolded. Names have power!
"Well, excuse me! "Andy said. "I'm new to this whole Greek mythology thing! I just found out that I'm the daughter of a god less than an hour ago! That my Latin teacher is a legendary centaur and hero trainer, and that my best friend is a donkey from the waist down!
" Bee-ee-ee! A goat!
"That?
" I'm a goat from the waist down!
"You still have hairy legs!
" I'm proud of them!
"Children, now is not the time! "Chiron scolded.
He made a sudden movement to avoid two hellhounds that lunged at him, then made a powerful leap to get over another dog that aimed for his front legs.
"This doesn't seem to have an end," he said, resuming his run.
"Uh... Chiron," Andy called, seeing that the black dogs had stopped appearing constantly for the moment. "Wouldn't it be dangerous to bring all these monsters to camp? It could be dangerous for everyone there. I don't want to put them in a dangerous moment because of me."
"You said 'dangerous' three times," Grover pointed out. "You should enrich your vocabulary."
"Shut up, you half-donkey!
Grover bleated in annoyance.
" I'm half goat!
Chiron turned slightly and gave Andy a comforting smile.
"I contacted someone from the camp before we left the academy," Chiron said. "They are aware of the situation and will let the campers know so they can be prepared to face any monsters that reach the camp's boundaries."
"Who did you call? "Grover asked, curious.
"Luke. He'll know how to lead the campers.
Grover nodded in agreement.
"And what about Thalia? If she's at camp, then we'll have nothing to fear.
Chiron sighed at the satyr's words.
"I'm afraid she won't be able to be there. She has other matters to attend to. In fact, Iris refused my call when I told her what was happening.
"What could be more important than protecting the camp? "Grover asked.
"University exams. Thalia has to take her end-of-semester exams.
Grover frowned in disgust.
"May the gods have mercy on your soul," he said, with regret in his voice. "I hope you pass."
"We can ask him later. Now, we have to stay alert. We're close. Hold on!
Andy watched as they sped along a narrow road. The moonlight illuminated their path, and he could see the farms and wooded hills that dotted the landscape. But what caught his attention the most was one specific hill.
At the top of it, he could see the largest pine tree he had ever seen. It dwarfed even the Christmas tree that was put up at Rockefeller Center every year. That tree must have been over 100 feet tall and looked imposing and majestic in the moonlight.
Chiron rode straight towards that tree, dodging and stabbing the numerous hellhounds that appeared at intervals from the shadows to attack them. As he rode up the hill towards the huge pine tree at the top, Andy could see that there were a large number of people along the line marked by the tree.
In their midst, one person stood out. He was wearing armor like everyone else present, resembling an ancient gladiator. He held a helmet with a blue crest under his arm and a gleaming sword that shone in the darkness of the night. It looked like a Jedi lightsaber.
"Luke! "Chiron called, when he stopped in front of him". Is everyone ready?
"Luke? Perfect. Now all we need is for him to be called Skywalker," Andy thought.
She and Grover climbed down from the centaur's back and saw the boy.
The boy, Luke, looked to be about nineteen years old, and nodded fervently. Looking at him more closely, Andy could see how attractive he was. He looked like the typical cool college student you'd see in movies or TV shows, although his appearance made many actors she'd seen look ugly. But that image was somewhat altered by the huge scar that ran almost the entire length of his face from above his left eye to his jaw. It gave him an intimidating appearance.
"Yeah. I got them ready as fast as I could when I got your call. It wasn't hard though. It was poker night, after all.
"Well, I'm afraid you'll have to postpone it. The Lord of the Dead has made his move.
Luke nodded and looked at Andy for the first time. He studied her carefully from head to toe, as if he were sizing her up. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
His eyes looked at her in confusion, as if he recognized her somehow.
"So she's the one who caught Hades' attention. You don't think...?
"We'll discuss that later," Chiron said. "Now, lead the campers. The monsters will be here any minute."
As if it were an indication of that, barking, growling, and howling began to be audible throughout the hill. Everyone present turned their attention to the foot of the hill. A large number of monsters began to gather. It seemed as if the shadows themselves took physical form as they saw dozens of hellhounds emerge from the darkness of the night.
Luke whistled in appreciation as he saw the number of monsters at the foot of the hill.
"That's a lot," he said. Then he glanced at Andy. "Hades really wants to get his hands on you."
"I don't even understand why she would want to do that," Andy said, looking a little fearfully at the hounds of hell. "I mean, just a few hours ago Chiron told me I was a demigoddess."
Luke looked at her in disbelief, but didn't say anything. Instead, he took a few steps forward and turned to face all the campers present along the camp's borders.
"Alright, campers, you know what to do!" His voice echoed loudly and confidently throughout the hill. It was the kind of voice a general would use to address his troops. "The moment your numbers dwindle and you are scattered, form groups of three or more! Don't fight alone! If you are injured or can't continue, retreat behind the barrier! Don't let your pride kill you and your friends!"
Andy watched as all the campers present readied their various weapons to fight. Each of them had a determined look on their face.
" We won't let our home be invaded! We'll teach those bastards not to mess with demigods! We'll send them back to Tartarus!
A battle cry was the response he received from everyone.
Luke nodded in satisfaction and walked over to the huge tree where Chiron, Andy, and Grover were waiting.
"You better back off," he told Andy. From the tone of his voice, it was obvious that it wasn't a suggestion. "As long as you stay behind the line drawn by that big pine tree, no monster can touch you. Grover, make sure he stays within the border. That's your job."
Grover nodded in agreement.
"Come on, Andy," Grover said. "Let's leave this to the campers. They can handle the monsters just fine."
Despite not knowing them, Andy felt a little guilty about letting them face an entire army of monsters that she had attracted. She wanted to stay and watch the battle, she felt that she had at least that responsibility. But before she could say anything, a new voice broke into the place.
" Luke!
On the other side of the hill, a small figure was stumbling up. He looked to be about the same age as Andy, around twelve. Curly blonde hair tied back in a messy ponytail and piercing grey eyes. The gladiator-style armor he wore, though tailored to his small frame, looked unnatural on someone so young. He looked more like a child dressed for a Halloween party than to fight a war.
"Annabeth," Luke admitted. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay in your cabin!"
" While you and the others go and face the monsters? No way! I'll fight too!
"It's one thing to fight the occasional monster in the forest, it's another thing to face an entire army. You're still too young to fight a battle of this magnitude.
"I'm not a kid anymore! "Annabeth exclaimed, annoyed". Stop treating me like one! Thalia was only a year older than me when she was fighting a horde of monsters!
"And she is a daughter of Zeus. She is a natural warrior. However, combat is not your specialty. So stay out of this battle.
"But...!
"This is not debatable.
Without another word, Luke turned his back and walked toward the campers who were ready for battle. One of them handed him a shield and he quickly placed it on his arm and strapped it in place.
Chiron walked over. He had a bow in his hand and a quiver of arrows on his back. He placed a hand on Annabeth's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"Do not grieve too much, my child. Your time has not yet come. Do not let your recklessness dictate your actions. That could prove fatal for a demigod.
Annabeth lowered her head, saddened.
"I just… want to prove myself," she said, her voice low. "All the training I've done at camp so far was for that goal."
"I know, my girl, I know...
Andy stood there without saying anything. But what would she say? She felt like an outsider in all of this. She didn't know these people, and now they were about to fight a battle against supernatural beings that attacked and hunted her down.
Now, those supernatural beings began to howl and growl. That was the warning everyone needed. As the campers drew their swords, readied their shields, and strung their bows, the hellhounds attacked.
It was like a wave of darkness that rolled up the hill at an alarming speed. More than one person tensed and felt fear in their hearts, but none of them backed away. It was when they were halfway up that Luke raised his sword and his voice was heard throughout the hill.
" Archers!
As one. All the campers carrying bows readied their arrows and aimed them at the monsters that were getting closer and closer.
Andy felt a cold sweat run down his forehead, but he didn't dare look away.
"Fire!
With the order given, arrows flew out and filled the night sky. Each arrow struck a monster, severely incapacitating or killing it and causing it to explode in a cloud of golden dust. The numbers began to dwindle, but that didn't slow them down one bit. The hounds of hell continued to advance with ferocity.
" Phalanx!
Quickly, the campers began to gather more and put their shields together, like a barrier. Behind the campers, others joined in, placing their shields over the heads of those in the front row, forming a shield wall two meters high. Andy could see their spears ready to emerge from between the gaps in the shield.
The hellhounds charged without a care, and within seconds, they crashed into the shield barrier.
"Hold on!" Luke's voice came from within the shield wall. "Not yet!"
The demigods, against all odds, held firm without giving in beyond a meter of distance. The elevated ground gave them that advantage.
When they stopped, the counterattack began.
"Now!
Spears emerged deadly and accurately from between the shields. The groans of the hellhounds being wounded by the spears could be heard, along with the grunts of effort from the demigods as they pushed their spears forward in order to reduce the number of monsters.
Golden dust began to fill the ground where they stood with each monster they killed, but the demigods didn't stop there.
" Charge!
With a synchronized movement, the demigods pushed their shields, unbalancing the hour of monsters. Spears emerged from the second row, killing the stunned hellhounds. As the outlook began to look favorable for the demigods, a loud shout caught everyone's attention.
" Cyclops are coming! "one of the campers shouted.
Andy looked down the hill and saw half a dozen of what he immediately identified as cyclops. The huge eye in the middle of their face gave them away. Each of them stood more than ten feet tall and wielded clubs that were as thick as trees.
"Phalanx, disperse! "Luke ordered."Archers, fire at will!
The demigods quickly split up, knowing that they had no chance of taking a direct attack from a Cyclops and coming out unscathed. They grouped into groups of three and quickly dispersed, giving a clear view for the archers who had their arrows ready.
No order was needed to open fire on the approaching enemy. The arrows flew accurately and embedded themselves in different parts of the huge bodies of the Cyclopes. Two of them exploded in clouds of dust when they were shot in the head, causing a fatal wound. The other four suffered wounds in the torso and legs, but still advanced.
Andy watched in fascination as the fight unfolded. It looked like something out of a movie. The campers formed groups of three and stood with their backs to each other, protecting their comrades' blind spots as they faced the hellhounds scattered across the hill.
He watched as two groups of three took on each cyclops. But what caught his attention the most was that a single camper faced off against a cyclops. Andy watched in amazement as Luke, who was wielding his sword and shield, skillfully dodged the cyclops' attempts to strike him with his club. When the massive monster swung its club in an attempt to crush him, Luke dodged at the last second and swung his sword with astonishing ease, severing the cyclops' hand.
The beast howled in pain, clutching at its severed limb. But Luke wasted no time and stabbed it straight through the knee, impaling it. The cyclops fell to his knees, unable to support his own weight, and was level with Luke, who drew his sword and in one fluid motion swung it horizontally at the height of the monster's neck.
The Cyclops's eye widened in surprise, his mouth hanging open as his head slid gently to land on the ground with a thud. The rest of his body exploded into a cloud of golden dust, leaving Luke to stare at the Cyclops's severed head in disgust and revulsion. He lifted his leg and brought it down sharply, causing it to explode into a cloud of dust as well.
Luke wasted no time and went to help the other demigods who were having trouble facing the three remaining Cyclops.
"Wow. That was... impressive," Andy said, awe and admiration in his voice. "Though it was a little scary the way he killed him."
That sentiment was shared by Annabeth and Grover, who were standing by his side.
"Yeah... Luke doesn't have much of a liking for Cyclops," Grover commented as everyone watched Luke stab a Cyclops right in the crotch, causing everyone to involuntarily wince.
"That's understandable," Annabeth said, analytically watching each battle that was unfolding.
Andy noticed that he had a dagger in his hand and he was gripping it tightly, as if he was eager to use it.
The opportunity presented itself in front of her when a hellhound slipped out from between the campers' shields. Its blood-red eyes glowed with malice as they settled on the two young demigoddesses and the satyr. Both Andy and Grover took an involuntary step back, but Annabeth only tightened her grip on her knife and positioned herself in front of the monster.
" What are you doing, Annabeth?! "Grover shouted, alarmed. " It's dangerous! Get back to the barrier!
" No! I will not run away anymore! Nor will I hide!
With that proclamation, Annabeth ran towards the hellhound, wielding her dagger without fear.
The monster accepted the challenge and attacked as well.
When they were close enough, the hellhound lunged at Annabeth, claws outstretched and mouth open, baring all of its razor-sharp teeth. Taking advantage of the terrain, the young demigoddess slid underneath the monster and slashed it across its body, but clicked her tongue in annoyance when she realized it was too shallow. If she had a longer blade, she would have killed the monster.
Annabeth quickly stood up, not wanting to be vulnerable, and watched as her monstrous opponent also stood up without much difficulty. He seemed more angry than hurt by the wound.
Not wanting to give it a chance to recover, she attacked again with the same ferocity. She held her dagger in both hands and this time she was going to make sure to kill the monster. So when the dog lunged at her with its jaws open, Annabeth waited until the last second and moved her body to the side, dodged the bite, and stabbed with all her might into the hellhound's neck.
The monster didn't even have time to make a sound before it exploded into a cloud of dust.
A proud smile graced her features, but it wasn't there for long.
" Annabeth, be careful!
Grover's voice came a second too late. Annabeth spun around and found herself staring into the outstretched claws of a hellhound. Her eyes widened in surprise and she couldn't react in time as the claws slammed into the armor covering her chest, shattering it and sending her crashing to the ground from the force of the blow.
Andy began to panic when she saw the scene. If it weren't for the armor Annabeth was wearing, the hellhound's claws would have torn her apart. Now, she was helpless, stunned, and at the mercy of a monster that would kill her without hesitation.
She desperately began to search around to warn someone to help her. Luke was facing the last Cyclops and Chiron was supporting the campers with the remaining hellhounds. She looked at Grover beside her, but he was just as scared as she was. Shaking like a leaf and his face pale.
She looked at Annabeth, who was squirming painfully on the ground, and at the monster, who was slowly approaching her, as if taking its time to savor its prey. It was then that a glow caught her attention.
Several feet in front of her, Annabeth's dagger was shining in the moonlight. The shine of that dagger momentarily cleared her fear-clouded mind, and her body responded to it. She quickly ran towards the dagger, ignoring Grover's screams. She didn't understand why she was doing this, but her body responded before her mind did. And when she grabbed the dagger, her mind felt clearer and lighter. She knew what she had to do.
Annabeth looked up just in time to see the hellhound looming over her. Her mind was foggy from the blow and she felt a tightness where she had been hit.
" Hey, flea bag! Leave her alone!
A body fell abruptly on the hellhound, who was surprised and began to shake in an attempt to get the invader out.
Andy clung to the hellhound's fur, while clenching his teeth to keep from accidentally biting his own tongue. When the monster stood on its hind legs in an attempt to make him fall, Andy held himself up with one arm, and with the other holding the dagger, he stabbed the hellhound directly in the head, killing it instantly.
She fell hard on her butt as the dog exploded into golden dust. The adrenaline was still pumping through her body, so she quickly got up, knowing that they were on a battlefield right now and a single carelessness would be fatal.
He was right.
When she got up, she found herself surrounded by three hellhounds. Fear clouded her mind again, but she still held on to the only weapon she had to defend herself.
"Don't you have any firearms to kill them? "Andy asked Annabeth, who had stood up and positioned herself beside him. "I don't know... something like a pistol or a machine gun? A rocket launcher would be nice right now.
Annabeth gave him an incredulous sidelong glance.
"If we had those things, don't you think we would have used it already?" He looked at her like she was an idiot. "We use bows and arrows for a reason. Now, give me back my dagger before you gouge out your eye with it."
"Hey, I saved your life. You should at least be a little more grateful.
"Well, I would appreciate it if you would return my dagger to me.
As the two girls argued amongst themselves, the hellhounds looked at him strangely, not understanding how he could argue in a situation like this. They subsequently felt offended at being ignored like that and growled menacingly in his direction, baring their teeth.
"Oh, great. The puppies got mad that we were ignoring them. They seem to want to play.
Even in this moment of life or death, Andy still managed to act as frivolous as he did in class. I just hoped those weren't his last words.
And apparently, they weren't. Her saving grace appeared behind her. A dark-as-night figure lunged forward and charged at the three hellhounds who were caught off guard by an unexpected attack.
Andy couldn't quite make out what was happening. It was as if the dogs were swirling around each other like an amorphous mass of shadows, teeth, and fangs. So much so that he thought he saw another pair of red eyes among them.
-That is...
Annabeth seemed to recognize what was happening and opened her eyes in surprise. Andy watched as one of the dogs exploded into a cloud of dust, but... there were still three of them! How was that possible? Two of the dogs were glaring at the third.
It was at that moment that Andy realized three things.
The first was that the third dog had something that set him apart from the other two, and that was a red collar around his neck along with a hanging bone-shaped tag. The second was that he stood protectively in front of her and Annabeth. And the third was that he was fucking huge! The size of a full-grown lion.
"Miss O'Leary!" Annabeth exclaimed, jubilantly.
" Huh?! You know this hellhound?! " Andy asked in disbelief. " Also, does it have a name?
"WOW!
With that exclamation, Miss O'Leary once again lunged at the two remaining dogs, who were both slightly smaller than her. Andy had seen stray dogs fighting before. They would bare their teeth and always attack the other's neck to subdue them. The image before her was identical, but on a larger scale.
In one swift move, Ms. O'Leary swung one of her paws at one dog's face, causing it to squeal in pain and back away. She then leapt at the other dog, knocking it to the ground. She used her front paws to subdue it and prevent it from moving. She bared her teeth and attacked her foe's neck without a second's hesitation. The hellhound died instantly, but Ms. O'Leary didn't stop there. She fiercely charged at the remaining dog who was still stunned from her earlier attack.
By this point, the battle that had been raging on the hill was over. All the campers came over to watch as Ms. O'Leary pounced on the last remaining monster, locking her jaws in a powerful grip, but not enough to kill it.
Miss O'Leary, in a feat of strength and ferocity, lifted the hellhound by its jaws over her head. The monster tried in vain to free itself, whimpering pitifully as it was tossed around like a rag doll.
With a sharp movement, Ms. O'Leary tensed her jaw and snapped it open, causing an unmistakable sound of bones breaking and killing the last monster.
Silence fell over the hill for a few seconds until it was broken by the victorious roar of all the campers, followed by Miss O'Leary's victorious howl to the sky.
They survived the invasion.
They had won.
"To think we'd be attacked so late at night," mused Lee Fletcher, captain of cabin seven, aloud.
"Yeah, we didn't even have time to set the traps," agreed Charles Beckendorf, captain of cabin nine.
"At least no one was hurt too badly," said Silena Beauregard, captain of cabin ten. Always looking on the bright side of things.
Annabeth lightly rubbed her chest, remembering the blow she had received from the hellhound. If it hadn't been for the armor she had been wearing, she would have gotten away with only a few minor bruises.
Across the table, Luke gave her a disapproving look.
He had warned her that the battle was too much for her. If it weren't for the intervention of the new girl and the camp's resident hellhound, things wouldn't have ended in a very favorable way.
"But this is worrying," said Karie Gardner, captain of cabin four. "Monsters have been appearing at the borders in greater numbers lately, but tonight's was on a much larger scale. They even dared to attack us."
"That just means Zeus is getting impatient," Luke said, his voice grim. "The deadline is approaching and there is still no trace of his symbol of power."
Luke reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small, square-shaped metal object. Everyone identified it as a flask. Although it was a bit surprising to many, Luke began to carry around this flask, which contained clandestine wine of the highest quality, made by Castor and Pollux, the sons of Dionysus. Luke was beginning to walk the long road to alcoholism.
He uncovered it and brought it to his lips, but a clearing of his throat from Chiron stopped him.
"Oh, come on, Chiron. Give me a break," Luke complained. "I deserve it after everything that's happened lately."
Chiron believed that what Luke was drinking was whiskey, since he couldn't tell him that there was an illegal wine trade in the camp. Although the wine that Castor and Pollux produced was indeed sweet, it hit as hard as a Mike Tyson punch. And it was exactly what Luke needed right now.
Not caring about Chiron's disapproving look, Luke took a sip.
"Isn't Grace looking for it? "Clarisse La Rue asked, with an arched eyebrow. "It's her father's lightning that was stolen.
Luke sighed wearily. He put his flask back into his pocket and massaged the bridge of his nose.
"I contacted her before the monsters attacked. She said we could handle them without any problems. And as far as her father is concerned, she said, and I quote, It's not my problem if the old man had his light-up dildo stolen. It's his fault for not taking care of his sex toys.
A distant rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, and all the cabin captains snorted in amusement at the words of the captain of cabin one. Even Chiron suppressed his smile by covering his face with one hand.
"That girl is beyond cure," Chiron said, shaking his head.
"That's the charm of Thalia," Annabeth said, with a smile.
"And when will he return?" Beckendorf asked this time. "His strength would be of great help if we were attacked like this again."
"He has a final exam in a few days," Luke informed him. "He'll probably be back this weekend."
"So after capture the flag," Clarisse said " It's a shame. I wanted to kick his arrogant ass.
"You'll have time for that later," Annabeth said. She turned to Chiron, adopting a serious look. "We have to do something. Find a solution. If Zeus makes good on his threat…"
His words hung in the air, but they were enough to put everyone present in a somber mood.
"It won't be pretty," Chiron said. "But unfortunately, there's nothing we can do."
" We can go on a quest! Recover what was stolen! If one of us goes to the Oracle and receives a prophecy, then we could prevent a pointless war!
"Annabeth..."Luke said, getting the girl's attention". We've already done that.
"What? "she asked, stunned.
"Each of the cabin captains went to the Oracle to ask for a prophecy about Zeus' stolen lightning bolt. And as you can see, none of them received an answer.
"But... why didn't they tell me?!
Annabeth felt left out. Despite being the youngest demigoddess present, she had earned her right to be captain of cabin six. Being left out by the other captains on such an important matter made her feel discriminated against.
"Because after much thought, we have come to the conclusion that it is not the destiny of any of you to return the stolen symbol of power," Chiron said. "That destiny would only be for someone directly related to those involved."
"Those involved? It's Zeus" she answered the obvious.
"And he blames Poseidon," Lee said."I'm not surprised. They've never had the best of relationships.
"But he would have needed the help of a demigod," Beckendorf said. "A god cannot touch another god's symbol of power."
"So someone related to Poseidon? "Silena inquired". He doesn't have any demigod children. Or at least, none that we know of.
"Maybe he convinced a demigod to help him? "Castor said. "Many campers would agree to prove themselves to the gods and be recognized.
"I've got my eye on every camper in cabin eleven," Luke said, knowing that all the unclaimed ones were confined to Hermes' cabin. "None of them have been acting strange, or missing for days at a time. And to steal a symbol of power from right under the god's nose, he'd need to be gone for quite a while to do so and then hide it."
"Besides, he should have done it during the winter solstice," Katie said. "It's the one day of the year, along with the summer solstice, that Zeus would be too distracted debating with the other gods."
"That, or when she finds herself fucking some mortal," Clarisse said.
"And the only demigods who are accepted during that time are cabin captains," said Lee". And since none of us have stolen it, it just leaves us in a dead end.
Everyone frowned at that, feeling helpless in the face of the situation at hand.
Annabeth, who hadn't said anything while the others debated, bit her lower lip. Her mind was racing trying to find an answer with what little they knew.
She had always been proud of her analytical skills, of picking up on things that others didn't, but... What was it that she didn't see this time? She needed to see the whole picture to complete the puzzle. A demigod, someone who knows Olympus and would go unnoticed, related to those involved, who had time to do everything without raising suspicion...
Her eyes widened in surprise and her tongue slipped out before she could stop it.
"There is someone...
In the silence of the meeting room, her voice rang out clearly. All the captains, including Chiron, looked at Annabeth in surprise and expectation.
Seeing everyone waiting for an answer, Annabeth spoke slowly.
"A demigod who was present at the winter solstice... Related to one of those involved and had time to steal the symbols without raising suspicion...
"Annabeth, who do you have in mind? "Chiron asked carefully.
The young daughter of Athena bit her lower lip even harder to the point of almost drawing blood. Her eyes reflected the conflict she felt within herself. And her heart felt a sharp pain for even coming to that conclusion.
"The only captain not present at the moment, Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus.
For Andy, it all seemed so surreal. A few days ago he was studying for his Latin exam, reading his Cambridge Guide to Greek Mythology, and now he was receiving archery instruction from one of the characters in that very same book.
It must be said that, as with his written exams, he failed miserably.
And that wasn't the only thing. After the classical Greek lessons and a lot of discussions with Annabeth, the blonde girl he had met the night he arrived and saved his life (He still hadn't thanked her for that) he tried all the outdoor activities, looking for something he was good at so he could find out which god or goddess he was a daughter of.
She failed at racing. Courtesy of the wood nymphs. Don't let their cute and innocent appearance fool you, they were all sadists.
He failed at the climbing wall. Although anyone would have been alarmed if they had seen lava falling out of nowhere. Several strands of his hair were burnt that day.
She failed at wrestling. She had always been small and weak. So when she faced Clarisse, one of the best hand-to-hand fighters, let's just say she ended up with a face full of dirt, a body covered in bruises, and her pride broken. The children of Ares had no mercy, not even for themselves as Clarisse proved when she dislocated the shoulder of one of her brothers.
Andy thought that was over the top, but the campers were used to broken bones, dislocations, and deep cuts from weapons.
He concluded that the Greeks were crazy.
Despite all this, she came to like the camp. She got used to the slightly calm atmosphere, excluding the cries of pain she heard from time to time that initially alarmed her.
She was greeted by cabin eleven by their captain, Luke Castellan. One of the nicest guys she'd ever met. It didn't help that he hadn't met many people.
Luke and Chiron had been pretty good to her. They had taught her how the whole god thing worked and the general aspects of camp, and Luke had even given her sword fighting lessons. She had done relatively better than the other activities, so she decided to put a little more effort into that area. Learning to defend herself was important in the life of a demigod.
Despite missing his mother, Andy still continued to enjoy the activities. He had been told that the campers were not allowed to use cell phones or any kind of technology because it attracted monsters, and that the only phone was in Chiron's office in the Big House. So the best way to communicate was through Iris text, which he thought was both cool and worrying.
I mean, just imagine you're taking a shower one second and then the next an image of an acquaintance of yours appears floating in front of you. Yeah... she wasn't really looking forward to trying that form of communication in the near future. Instead, she decided to send a simple letter to her mother.
On Friday afternoon, after failing yet again at another activity, this time at the climbing wall (she wasn't going to let a stupid wall beat her!) she was with Grover at the little dock by the lake. It was then that Andy asked her one of the things he found curious about camp.
"Hey, Grover, why are some of the cabins empty? "he asked his best friend. "From what Annabeth told me, I know that there are some gods who don't have children, like Artemis and Hera. But what about the others?
Grover glanced at her warily.
"By others you mean...
"One and three. Poseidon and Zeus. They both had a lot of children in history. Why are their cabins empty?
"Well, cabin one has only one resident. Being the only one, she's also the captain of said cabin"Grover said. "Her name is Thalia Grace, she's the only daughter of Zeus at camp. And as far as I know, she's also the only daughter of the Big Three. She's in her first year of college now. That's why she's not here.
"By "Big Three"… Do you mean Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades?
Grover nodded.
"The children of the Big Three are different demigods. They are very, very powerful if they live to be old enough. So much so, that they influence history itself. That's why the Big Three swore an oath on the River Styx not to have children, but… Zeus was never one to hold back his lust. Hades didn't take it too well when he found out about it. He sent horde after horde of monsters to finish off Thalia and her group, but they always emerged victorious.
"That's… really impressive," Andy said, in admiration.
"Yes, she is considered the strongest demigoddess in the camp. But back then, she was very young and vulnerable. So Chiron sent a satyr to escort her here.
"Let me guess," Andy said, with a crooked smile. "That satyr was you."
It wasn't hard to figure out, considering the way Grover spoke. As if he had known Thalia personally back then.
Grover smiled at him in confirmation.
"You're right. I was the satyr assigned to bring Thalia to camp. I thought she would be the only demigod I would bring to camp, but I found that she was in a group with three other demigods and a mortal.
"A mortal? "he asked in surprise.
"Yes, her name was Sammy. She was a mortal girl who could see through the fog.
" What was a mortal doing with a group of demigods? Wouldn't it be dangerous for her?
"Well, it was. She was in that group because she was very attached to one of the demigods who was in that group.
Grover's expression fell a little at the mention of that part. Andy didn't understand why, but she decided to continue listening to Grover who seemed lost in his thoughts. From the way he moved his feet that were dangling from the dock, she knew that the subject was a little uncomfortable for him.
"One night, when we stopped to rest for a few hours before reaching camp, we were pursued by an army of monsters. It was the largest number that had ever attacked us, led by the Chimera herself. One of the most infamous monsters in all of Greek myth. They were hot on our heels, and we all knew he wouldn't make it in time. Then… one of the demigods decided to stay behind to fight them off and give us time to call the camp for help. He said he would never live oppressed again, and he single-handedly took on an entire army of monsters."
Andy's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe that a single demigod had taken on an entire army of monsters. But from the way Grover was telling her the story, she could tell that it hadn't ended well.
"By the time we and the campers got to help him, it was too late. He had managed to kill the Chimera and a large number of monsters, but he had been badly injured. There was nothing we could do…
At that point in the story, tears were streaming down Grover's cheeks. He wasn't sobbing, nor was he shaking. He was just crying silently. Andy could only put a hand on his shoulder to convey his support. He didn't make him say it, Grover felt guilty for the death of that demigod.
"What was... What was his name?" she asked cautiously.
Grover wiped the tears from his face and replied.
"Percy. His name was Percy.
" Percy? Isn't that the name of...?
Grover nodded.
"The tree on top of the hill is Percy turned into a tree. His father, perhaps taking pity on him, decided to turn his son into a tree. It is Percy's spirit that shaped the barrier that protects the camp's borders. That was his last wish, to protect everyone.
Andy looked up at the pine tree that stood majestically in the distance.
The story left him with a deep feeling of sorrow and sadness. A demigod who had sacrificed himself to save his friends, facing an entire army of monsters and providing protection to the entire camp with his last breath. It was like the Greek mythology stories Chiron taught in his Latin classes. Sad and tragic.
Maybe the tombstone he had seen was a tribute to that demigod.
In the distance, she could see a black shape curled up at the foot of the tree.
Deciding to change the somewhat gloomy mood that had settled in, Andy decided to ask about the hellhound that he found curious.
"I guess the camp domesticated a hellhound to protect the tree.
" Miss O'Leary? No. Camp didn't tame her, Percy did.
" Huh?! "she exclaimed, surprised.
Grover chuckled at her reaction.
"Yes. It was a complete surprise to me when Percy came one day with a hellhound in tow. Apparently, he saved her from other hellhounds and she became quite fond of him. Since then, she became part of his pack. And since Percy was turned into a tree, she became something of a guardian for him and has never left the foot of the tree. She has always been lying there without moving for five years. As if she was waiting for Percy to return.
Hearing that was like a stab in the heart for Andy. So, for the sake of both of them, he didn't mention the subject again.
On Friday night, when Andy was set to participate in her first game of Capture the Flag, she was torn between anxiety and excitement.
It would be a game he would never forget in his entire life.
There was an almost palpable tension during dinner. Andy felt uncomfortable being in the middle of the insults between the campers from the Hermes and Ares cabin. Apparently, tonight they were enemies and they took the games very seriously.
" We'll make them bite the dust tonight!
" That's our line, you bastards!
"Hey... Michael. We're all bastards here, remember?
"Shut up! " Then he turned to the camper he was arguing with. "Don't come crying when you lose, faggot!
" What did you call me, frog face?!
" You heard him, you fucking faggot asshole!
" Do you hear me, Travis?! "a boy from Ares' cabin shouted. "Today I'm going to make you my bitch!
"The only bitch is your mother! "the boy, whom Andy assumed was Travis, replied. "That makes you a son of a bitch!
" What did you say, asshole?! Say it again if you have the balls!
Maybe a little too seriously...
Athena had allied herself with Apollo and Hermes, the largest cabins. Ares had allied himself with all the others, Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus. Zeus' cabin was not participating due to their only member being absent, though many were glad of that. Having Thalia on your team was like cheating considering her abilities. Everyone considered it unfair.
As Andy was placing his protective equipment on the tables, Chiron tapped the marble floor to get the attention of everyone present.
"Heroes!" His voice was loud and clear. "You know the rules. The stream is the border between both teams. All kinds of magical devices are allowed. The flag must be clearly displayed and not have more than two guards. And remember, no killing is allowed!"
"You take the fun out of life," a son of Ares muttered.
"I'll be the referee and the emergency doctor. Now, let's go!
"Blue team, go! "Annabeth shouted with authority and enthusiasm, which was shared by the entire team who cheered in agreement, waving their weapons to intimidate the other team.
Andy had to admit that the excitement everyone was feeling was contagious. So she wasn't surprised when she found herself sharing in the excitement with a big smile on her face. She felt like she was part of something for the first time in her life and didn't feel like an oddball like she had at all the schools she'd been to.
But that excitement plummeted like a plane whose engines failed when he was given the job of patrolling the border.
She was alone by a small stream as she listened to the clamor between the campers fighting in the woods.
As she stood there, watching the stream flow between the rocks, wearing a huge helmet of blue feathers and a shield that covered almost her entire body, she felt like an idiot. As if it were Halloween and she was the only one in a costume.
She was about to throw her helmet and shield into the river and go to cabin eleven to sleep when she heard a familiar growl. She turned quickly to locate its source, but found nothing. She was still alone in the forest, with only the insects that fluttered around her for company. She was becoming paranoid, she almost thought she heard...
"But look, nothing but surprise" a mocking voice brought her out of her thoughts"Is this a small sacrifice to appease me?
Andy turned around and found himself facing the worst person he could see right now.
With a carefree, almost indifferent gait, Clarisse approached. She held a five-foot-long spear. A sparkling red light emanated from its tip, which boded ill.
Clarisse removed her helmet from her head and smiled haughtily at him.
"You know, when I saw you fearlessly attack that hellhound the night you arrived, for a second I thought you were a daughter of Ares. So I thought I'd test you in the arena with hand-to-hand combat. Suffice it to say, I was... disappointed. You're weak, mentally and physically. And children of Ares aren't weak. We're the embodiment of strength!
"Also because of stupidity," Andy thought, but he didn't want to make his situation even worse.
"Then get used to it," he said instead. "I tend to disappoint people. My teachers were always disappointed with my grades."
"Let's see if you can keep joking after I knock your teeth out," Clarisse growled.
He put on his helmet and attacked without any hesitation, not caring that he was facing a complete novice.
Andy attempted to block her blow with his massive shield, but soon discovered that it was a mistake. The tip of Clarisse's spear was electric, and upon contact with his bronze shield, electricity coursed through his arm, leaving it numb and limp. With the arm holding his shield incapacitated, he was unable to avoid the Spartan-style kick delivered by the daughter of Ares.
The force of the impact sent her crashing into the banks of the stream.
"Get up! "Clarisse demanded. "Take your beating like a warrior!
Fighting the lack of air in his lungs and his arm going completely numb, Andy slowly stood up. He unbuckled the straps of his shield, knowing it was useless since he couldn't lift it, and grabbed his sword. It felt unbalanced and the leather grip was very uncomfortable, but it was better than having no weapon at all.
But none of that mattered to Clarisse as she attacked fiercely. Andy did his best to dodge her attacks, avoiding the tip of her spear.
I didn't want another electric shock, thank you very much.
When he swung his awkward sword, he did so very openly, leaving her with a wide opening, which Clarisse took advantage of by stabbing her spear straight into his ribs. Electricity coursed through her body, making her grit her teeth in pain, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of screaming. She watched in fear as he swung his spear towards her head, so she instinctively ducked, but she didn't expect a knee to the face.
The helmet she was wearing took the brunt of it, but the blow still stunned her and sent her flying backwards from the force. She landed roughly in the small stream with a loud splash.
Andy thought she would faint from the pain, but she felt strangely alert. Her head wasn't foggy and her body didn't feel as heavy as it had been before. In fact, she felt light and energetic, like when she first tasted her mother's coffee when she was nine years old.
"Are you sure you're not a mere mortal with clear vision? "he mocked.
With that last comment, she turned and made to leave, believing she had left the rookie out of the fight.
"Hey, Clarisse..." his voice called out to her, causing her to stop". I didn't hear the bell.
She turned around in surprise and watched as Andy stood up again, this time with a determined look in his eyes. He grabbed his sword, this time confidently and without fear.
"Yeah... That's how I like it," Clarisse said, a predatory smile spreading across her face, along with an excited glint in her eyes. "That's how it should be!"
Clarisse charged, but Andy was prepared. When he made an attempt to stab her, she deflected the spear with her sword, avoiding the tip that sparked electricity. He tried to strike the daughter of Ares with the hilt of his sword, but she saw it coming and stepped back just in time, but Andy didn't let her recover.
The attempt to incapacitate or disarm each other wasn't the only thing the two demigoddesses shared, but also the predatory smile they both had. Andy was surprised when he found himself smiling in the middle of a battle, but the adrenaline and power coursing through his body was almost intoxicating.
Gone was the feeling of being a misfit all her life. Gone was the feeling of exclusion, weakness, and fear she had felt. The only thing that mattered right now was the battle she was fighting.
Her mind felt clear and free. Her body was acting on instinct and she knew exactly what to do. So when Clarisse stabbed her spear again, she knew it was the right thing to do. She stepped aside at the last second and reached out, grabbing Clarisse's hand that held her spear in a fierce grip, preventing her from retreating and leaving her wide open for the hilt strike that delivered her across the face and sent her flying out of the stream.
Andy took a breath to catch her breath and dropped the spear she had grabbed from Clarisse. She stepped out of the stream and when she did, all the fatigue came back to her and she nearly fainted on the spot, but she kept herself standing by sheer force of will.
"Where... Where the hell did you learn to fight like that? "Clarisse asked, her voice pained as she took off her helmet that had been dented by the blow.
"I don't know," Andy confessed, catching her breath. She reached out to help the fallen demigoddess up. "I guess I am a demigoddess after all."
Clarisse looked at his outstretched hand in bewilderment, but decided to take his hand nonetheless with a small smile on her face.
The screams and shouts caught both of their attention. From between the bushes, Luke suddenly appeared with the red team's flag, running quickly towards the border with a big smile on his face. Campers from Ares and Hephaestus' cabin tried to stop them, but he was too fast for them. In just a few seconds he had crossed the border and all the campers who had arrived burst into cheers, or at least those from the blue team did. Those from the red team just threw their shields and weapons to the ground in annoyance while grumbling under their breath.
Chiron appeared galloping and blew a conch shell he was holding.
The game was over. The blue team had won.
Andy heard Clarisse sigh in annoyance beside him.
"Damn," she muttered. "Guess it's our loss this time."
"You can always try again next week.
Clarisse smiled at that.
"Yes. Don't think that this will remain like this. I won't be so gentle with you next time.
Andy smiled too, but that smile disappeared when he saw an all too familiar shadow loom behind Clarisse.
"Careful!
She pushed her out of the way just in time to avoid the claws of the hellhound that lunged at them. They both landed roughly, but quickly went to retrieve their weapons.
The campers were stunned by the sudden entrance of a monster.
"A hellhound? "Clarisse asked in surprise". What the hell is it doing here?! We're supposed to be inside the barrier!
" Why don't you ask him? He might answer you.
" Hey, mutt! What the hell are you doing here?!
Obviously, the dog didn't respond and attacked, but both managed to dodge just in time. Andy was feeling exhausted after the fight with Clarisse, and the daughter of Ares also seemed to be going through the same thing, but she still brandished her spear fiercely.
The demigods readied their bows, but a raised hand from Chiron stopped them. They all looked at him questioningly, but he did not take his eyes off the scene before him. It seemed as if he was waiting for something.
Andy tried to raise her sword, but it required a titanic effort for her, and her eyes seemed to close with each passing second. She bit her lower lip hard to stay alert. She had to help Clarisse, but she didn't have the strength to do so.
Go to the water...
"What?" Andy thought.
Water will give you power...
Against his better judgment, Andy listened to the voice that seemed to whisper in his ear. He crawled over to the small stream and put one foot in it. Immediately he felt the same surge of energy again. His fatigue vanished, and his mind cleared.
As Clarisse dodged a bite from the hellhound that would have been lethal, Andy whistled with his fingers.
"Hey, mangy! "she called.
The hellhound turned around and growled in annoyance.
" You want a piece of demigod?! Come and get it!
She was ready when the hellhound lunged at her like a wild animal. She moved with grace and precision dodging the monster's claws, and with a single swing of her sword, she managed to decapitate the beast which exploded into a cloud of dust.
Andy stood there, still stunned by the events that had unfolded just seconds ago.
She wasn't the only one. All the campers looked at her in obvious surprise at what had happened. All except Chiron, who had a proud gleam in his eyes, but that gleam was replaced by one of concern. He trotted over to Andy, accompanied by Luke and Annabeth. All three of them looked at Andy in shock, or so she thought.
"This is..." Annabeth muttered under her breath. "This... changes everything."
" What? The fact that I killed a hellhound? I did that once before.
"... I don't mean that, Andy.
" So what?
Annabeth pointed above Andy's head with shaking fingers. When she looked up, she could see a green light beginning to fade. It was swirling and glowing until it began to fade, but Andy was able to identify it before it disappeared completely.
A trident.
"They recognized you," Luke said, narrowing his eyes in her direction.
All the campers began to kneel in respect, even Clarisse who didn't seem very happy about doing so.
"Great. Another stuck-up princess who's going to want her ass kissed" he heard her mutter under her breath.
"Chiron," Andy said, turning to the only one who would give him a clear answer. "If this means my father recognized me… That means he is…"
"Poseidon," Chiron said. His voice seemed to fill the entire forest, shocking Andy to the core. "Earth-shaker, storm-bringer, father of horses. Hail Andromeda Jackson, daughter of the sea god."
...
..
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