We do not own Percy Jackson & the Olympians or any works of Rick Riordan. All rights go to their original owners. We only own OCs and concepts we're introducing to the canon.
Writing credits go to Uzumaki Ricky, Monsterhuntergod, Sharad the hedgehog, and Traines.
Masters of Defying Destiny
Book 1: The Frozen Trails
Chapter 3: Seeds Have Been Sewn
Four years passed, and the camp had been utterly transformed. Gone were the days of it being a simple summer camp. Paved walkways of granite blocks crisscrossed the camp, with accompanying signs in ancient Greek to direct traffic. New facilities, including dedicated forges, washrooms, and more, were painstakingly put in, so as to not offend any nature spirit. The cabins themselves also had to be greatly expanded, with Hermes cabin becoming a multi-floor tower to accommodate everyone. Yet most dramatic, or annoying to Mr. D, of all was that the population had now doubled, and more were on the way.
Annabeth stood in a great amphitheater with dozens of Demigods before her. Behind her stood a great chalkboard, with the entire ancient Greek alphabet written out in bright orange chalk. She had grown into a slender, athletic young girl with tanned skin, and her hair now grew into princess curls. Grey eyes darted around, trying to pick out any Demigod that wasn't paying attention. Until she stumbled upon an unfortunate son of Hermes that fell asleep.
"Hanson. Wake up." Annabeth sternly said, tapping the board with her teaching stick.
"Huh…? Wuh…?" The now identified Hanson asked, rousing from his impromptu nap.
"Fall asleep on me one more time and you will have a lovely conversation with Mr. D." Annabeth sternly warned.
"Sorry. Rough night last night. It won't happen again." Hanson answered after a loud yawn.
"Good. We will pick things up where we left off next time. Head to the Archery Range for your next class." Annabeth explained after looking at her watch.
The entire class let out a unified sigh of relief as they filed out. She turned to erase the board before looking at her watch again. Her next class would be in two hours, leaving her with a rare moment of having free time. With a sigh, she decided to follow the youngbloods to the range. When she arrived, Chiron and Luke were already instructing them on the process of stringing a bow.
Chiron smiled as he noticed the others approaching. "Ah, Annabeth. You're here with the younger campers." He said with a hint of joy in his aged voice.
"I have some time between classes, so I figured I'd get up and stretch my legs." Annabeth replied as she crossed her arms.
"I saw how you handled the kids. Good job, Annabeth. A teacher in the works." Luke said with a wide smile.
Annabeth blushed a bit before smiling. "Thank you, Luke." She answered.
"Now then, everyone. Today, we'll be covering the basics of archery. First and foremost, how to properly hold a bow. Then, after that, how to aim while factoring in wind resistance." Chiron explained to the present campers.
A daughter of Apollo raised her hand high. "When do we start shooting arrows at monsters?" She asked.
"That will come when you are actually sent on your first major quest. Or if you encounter a monster outside of camp. More than likely the latter." Chiron replied.
"What!?" An unclaimed camper yelped.
"Now then, pick up your bows so that we can begin." Chiron said with a small grin.
"Is anyone else concerned about the whole 'monsters outside of camp' part?" The unclaimed camper asked frantically.
"There was this business a few years back with a Daughter of Zeus named Thalia Grace. A brave and loyal girl who gave her life upon Half-Blood Hill against an army of monsters to give her friends time to get to camp. Dreadful business that resulted in Lord Zeus ordering the change in procedures in the first place." Chiron explained sadly, placing a gentle hand on Annabeth's shoulder when he saw her flinch with a sad look on her face while not noticing a dark expression upon Luke's face.
Annabeth watched the crowd as they adsorbed the brief tale. Some handled it surprisingly well and were even given a level of confidence. Some, however, as they took up the firing line, were filled with dread. Causing Luke to walk over to the panicking unclaimed demigod to bring some comfort.
"Don't worry, buddy. You won't even have to leave camp if you don't want to." Luke said, patting the boy's shoulder and offering a smile.
"Really?" The boy asked, his eyes shimmering with hope.
"Really. As long as Thalia's pine tree remains standing, any of you guys who don't want to go will be safe." Luke said easily.
"Well, that's a relief." The boy said with a deep sigh.
"What's your name, new kid?" Annabeth asked.
"I'm Steve." The boy answered with a small smile.
"Good to meet you, Steve. Well, I'm off to teach a sword-fighting class. Good luck with your next class, Steve. You're going to need it." Luke said with a smile before walking off.
"Yeah. The Wrestling instructor isn't good at holding back." Annabeth added as she went to sit down
"Wait, what?" Steve asked in confusion.
After the Archery class was finished, Annabeth led the class to a large grassy field boxed in by chalk outlines. As the new kids looked around, they were a bit confused about why the place was so empty.
"And here is the new wrestling field we put in. Don't ask what happened to the old one. Your instructor should be here shortly." Annabeth explained.
"Oh, you flatten a field one time, and you never hear the end of it!" A young male voice replied as the class turned to look at the source.
"Mike. How many sacrifices did you have to make to appease the nature spirits again?" Annabeth asked sarcastically.
Before them was a tall, bronze-skinned boy of Latino descent. He had jet-black hair, electric blue eyes, and was very well muscled for a boy his age, built like a linebacker. He had strong facial features, and his Camp Half-Blood shirt was off and slung over his shoulder as he began doing stretches, much to the delight of most of the girls present.
"Fair enough, Chase. So, who's the fresh meat for the grinder?" Mike replied, finishing his stretches.
"We are all gonna die…" Steve muttered.
"Relax, rookie. I won't rough you up too much. Hopefully." Mike reassured Steve as he began his warmups.
"What?!" Steve shrieked.
"Less talking, more stretching and warming up. Don't wanna pull something." Mike replied, not even acknowledging Steve's reaction.
"You know you really should stretch after exercise, right?" Annabeth asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I do both before and after. Just to be safe." Mike replied, starting to do handstand pushups with one hand.
"Showoff." Annabeth said, rolling her eyes. "All right, newbies. Follow your fearless leader."
Backflipping back to his feet, Mike watched as the class continued stretching and warming up. Giving a smile, he clapped. "All right, while you're all getting ready, who here has ever had to wrestle before?" He asked, watching for any raised hands.
Two hands swiftly were raised, leaving dozens more showing they haven't. This got a big grin out of Mike. One that swiftly got many unnerved.
"So, most of you haven't? I love a good challenge." Mike said with a wicked smile. "Who would like to volunteer as my sparring partner? To help demonstrate for the class."
At that point, an Ares kid stepped forward. He was roughly the same size as Mike, though he was somewhat leaner. However, his eyes burned with determination as he spoke up.
"I'll be your sparring partner." The boy answered with a gruff voice, cracking his neck.
Mike punched a hand into his palm and cracked his knuckles. "Glad to hear it, what's your name, newbie?" He replied, rolling his head back and forth a bit before cracking the knuckles of his other hand.
"Anderson, sir." The boy replied bluntly.
Mike smirked like a shark that smelled blood in the water. "Well then, Anderson. Let's see what you're made of." He replied before rushing in with surprising speed for his size.
Before Anderson could react, Mike had grabbed him and wrapped his arms around his neck in a headlock. Anderson tried desperately to break loose and get free but found he couldn't. Mike's grip was like a steel bear trap on steroids. Looking at the class, Mike began to explain the hold.
"This is the Pinch Headlock. A relatively easy hold if you're facing someone near your size or smaller, as well as handy for moving into a throw. Like this." Mike casually explained before throwing Anderson like a rag doll, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Question…" Steve nervously asked, beads of sweat running down the boy's face.
"Yes. You there, in the back." Mike replied.
"What about bigger monsters?" Steve asked with a gulp.
"Well, my squeamish friend, I usually sweep the leg and go for the Crunch in that situation." Mike replied with a smirk as Anderson got up and dusted himself off.
"And how do you do that?" Steve asked, though part of him wondered if he really did want it.
His smirk growing, Mike rushed in at Anderson again. He quickly got behind the Ares boy, grabbed him by his back before sweeping his leg out from under him. Going into a lunge, Mike twisted and fell on Anderson's leg, causing the boy to bite back a cry of pain. Getting up, Mike offered Anderson his hand as the Ares boy took it before being helped up.
"You're good at this…" Anderson said with a painful groan.
Mike shrugged. "Growing up in the south side of Chicago certainly helps. Even by demigod standards, that place is dangerous. Gangs of monsters everywhere." He replied, stretching his arm out.
"So, Mike, what's another good hold to give to an opponent? Before you chin lock us to sleep with another story." Annabeth asked sarcastically.
Mike chuckled. "I'm glad you asked, Chase. My personal favorite is the Lat Whip." He replied as Anderson got into position.
Running up to him, Mike grabbed the Ares boy's armpit and threw him over his shoulder. Smiling, Mike let Anderson go and waited for him to get up. "It's a good one for dealing with a larger, heavier opponent. Minimal effort that uses their own weight against them." He explained to the class.
"Anyone get the license plate of the guy who hit me?" Anderson groaned as he lay on the ground stunned.
"Come on, Anderson. Walk it off." Mike replied with a playful grin.
"Don't rough them up too much. They have to go to your sister's spear fighting class next." Annabeth said sternly.
"I'll try." Mike replied before turning to the class. "Now then, any other questions?"
One of the students raised a hand. "Go ahead." Mike told them, pointing at them.
"... Are you real? Demigod or not, how in the name of Lord Zeus are you so strong?" One of the students asked in disbelief.
"He's not. We believe it was something in the water." Annabeth answered.
Mike rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot, Chase. Just tell them my secret, why don't you?" He replied playfully.
"If you must know, new kids, he got trained by a grumpy old washed-up Satyr for several years. And he also taught him how to box. Now less chatting, Mr. Wrestling Instructor. More wrestling." Annabeth said with a sigh.
"Right, right. Everybody, pair up. I want you all to start practicing those basic moves I taught you against each other until you feel like you've got a good handle on them." Mike told them, clapping a little too hard and making a surprisingly loud noise from it.
After a few minutes of pairing up, the class got to wrestling. It wasn't a very coordinated affair, as many were uncoordinatedly throwing or grappling with each other. More than one pair got tangled in a mutual grapple attempt. As this occurred, Mike walked among the pairs, giving help and advice where he could. Annabeth smiled at the sight. Seeing people learning new skills to aid their survival always filled her with joy. Finally, a small alarm went off on Mike's watch, signaling everyone had to go to the next class.
"Well, that's it for Wrestling class. Since I have some time until my next class shows up, I'll walk you all to my sis Lupe's Spear Fighting class." Mike told them as the kids got up and got some water.
"You know I can do that by myself." Annabeth replied.
"Yeah, but you need to get back to teaching Ancient Greek. I got this, Annabeth." Mike replied with a smile, waving off her concerns.
"Well, I also have time to kill. We really need to fix the schedule so there's less dead time." Annabeth said with a nod.
"Agreed. I'll talk to Chiron and Mr. D about it later." Mike replied as the two led the class off to their next destination.
The two instructors led the class to a small arena that was still partially under construction. Half of it was made of simple wooden palisades, while the finished half was made of white gleaming marble. Above them was a guard rail for onlookers, so as to avoid them falling in. Yet, as the group entered the dusty floor, a feminine voice called out to them.
"Mike? Annabeth? Don't you two both have classes to teach?" The voice asked, causing everyone to turn and look.
Before them was a girl in Greek armor. She was tall for a woman, though still shorter than Mike. Her body was also leaner and less muscular, more toned and built for speed and agility. Like a cross between a runner and a gymnast. Her long hair peeked out beneath her helm as she had her spear and shield at the ready.
"Both of us have free time in our schedule, Lupe. Don't worry, it will be brought up to Chiron and Mr. D." Annabeth explained.
"That's good. Because we can't be having too big of a gap in time between classes." The armored girl replied before addressing the class. "Hello, everyone. My name is Guadalupe Morales, Mike's twin sister. Everyone here just calls me Lupe."
"Holy shit, she's buff!" One kid from the back cried out.
Giggling, Lupe took off her helm to show her face to the class. Her long black hair, tied back in a ponytail, blew in the wind as she kept her helm under her armpit. Her electric blue eyes seemed to gleam in the sunlight as she shot the group with a smile that made some of the boys blush. Her facial features, while softer and more feminine, were obviously similar to Mike's.
"Should we be concerned?" An unclaimed boy asked.
"Shut up, Frank. You're sounding like Steve." Another shot back.
Shaking her head, Lupe smiled. "Don't worry. Unlike my thunder lummox brother, I know the meaning of restraint." She replied playfully.
"Hey…! Nah, that's fair…" Mike replied indignantly before trailing off.
"Can you two please focus?" Annabeth groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Right. Everyone, grab a spear, shield, and some armor. We're going to be pairing up, and I'll teach you the basics of how to hold and use a spear and shield." Lupe explained.
The class then chaotically went to the weapon and armor racks and began taking what they needed. By the time they were done, everyone did have a spear and shield, but with a haphazard assemblage of armor on them. No two demigods had the same type or amount of armor on them.
"All right. Pair up. Mike, if you wouldn't mind standing in front of me as a practice dummy?" Lupe ordered.
Mike shrugged. "Why not? I still have time." He replied before donning his armor and helm, grabbing a spear and shield, and then going to stand in front of his sister.
"Today we are going to get down a simple thrust and a simple block. As you can see, both your spear and shield are heavy and sturdy. Wasting energy on wild strikes and blocks are going to get you killed, so you have to be deliberate in what you do." Lupe explained as she got into a stance, slightly raising her spear and shield.
As everyone got into position with their partners, they slowly copied their tutor. With a smile Lupe then demonstrated a basic thrust. Gripping the spear in her right hand and pushing forward with her arm as the hand twisted as it moved forward. Mike then instinctively gripped the inner handle of his shield and lifted it to meet the strike.
"Alternate between a strike and a block between each other. Follow the motions as we do them. Repetition is key." Lupe ordered.
The arena soon was filled with the sound of clashing bronze and exertion. Many failed on both the strikes and the blocks, causing mishaps and wild deflections. One kid even got stabbed in the arm, forcing them to head to the infirmary. However, the class kept going and, slowly but surely, many of the new kids got the motions down and began to get confidence. By the time class was over, most everyone was exhausted from the exertion.
"Good job, everyone. You made solid progress. But don't give up. There's always tomorrow to try again." Lupe said encouragingly.
"Don't worry, Mike. I can take this group to sword fighting." Annabeth explained.
Mike nodded. "Thanks, Annabeth. I need to get back for my next class. Good luck, rookies!" He replied before heading off back to the sight of Wrestling class.
Annabeth smiled a bit as they walked over to a small circular ring of chalk. Surrounding it were several simple benches and racks upon racks of bronze swords. It didn't take long for them all to see Luke at a grindstone sharpening one of the swords.
"All right, guys and gals! It's time for some good old fashioned sword training!" Luke said, twirling his sword in his left hand as he stood from the grindstone, a friendly grin on his lips.
"Don't work them too hard, Luke. Mike and Lupe wore this group out a lot." Annabeth explained.
"They put you guys through the wringer, huh? They always do that. Sorry." Luke said apologetically. "Well, let's get this show started. Who wants to go first?" He asked with a challenging grin.
There was an awkward silence as no one stepped forward. However, that was soon fixed when Steve was pushed from out of the crowd. This "volunteer" gulped as Luke locked eyes with him.
"Um… Hi." Steve nervously said.
"Steve, buddy, thanks for volunteering." Luke said, walking up and clapping him on the back.
"Thanks…" Steve nervously said.
"All right my fine, nervous friend. Go grab a sword and we will begin with the demonstration." Luke explained.
Steve gulped as he went over to the many sword racks. Haphazardly picking a simple bronze sword and a shield, he soon got back in the ring. Luke immediately dropped into a stance, his eyes locking on the poor boy like a bird of prey as he picked up a shield.
"When using a sword, make sure to aim for weak points in the armor. Such as in the gaps and any exposed flesh you can see. If your opponent's hide is armor like the Nemean Lion, it is best to aim for the unarmored parts like the eyes, nose, or down the throat. Focus on efficiency and speed, stay on the move, and watch your footwork." Luke explained as Steve took up his sword and shield.
Rushing in with his blade in hand, Luke went for thrust that Steve was forced to block. Barely getting up his shield in time, the boy was surprised by the force of the stab. Bringing his sword down, Luke slashed his sword as Steve barely blocked.
"Keep your guard up! Try to parry, don't just block!" Luke explained, keeping up the assault.
Luke continued to slash and stab at Steve, picking at his defenses. Bit by bit, he was forced to back up. However, to his surprise, Luke brought his shield up to bash the side of his head with the edge of the shield, forcing Steven to bring his own shield up to block.
"Don't be afraid to go for cheap shots! Keep your enemy on their toes!" Luke ordered.
Steve tried to go on the attack. Slashing and thrusting with his blade, he tried to pick at Steve's defenses. However, Luke easily parried and deflected each attack, redirecting Steve's blade to control the match. Every time Steven tried to slash or thrust at Luke, his blade was turned away, which caused him to overextend himself. He even hid his sword behind his shield before pulling his shield up to thrust or slash at Steve, forcing the younger boy on the defensive.
No matter what Steve did, he couldn't land a hit. He could barely even block. Luke was too fast and skilled.
Finally, after several minutes, Luke let up as Steven collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. "The key to swordsmanship is to control the flow of the battle. Don't give your opponent room to think or breathe. If they run out of energy or get desperate, they'll get sloppy, allowing you to find an opening. And, if you have the shorter blade, make sure you get in close so they can't use their reach against you." Luke explained as he reached down to help Steve up.
"Good to know…" Steve panted as he stood up.
Annabeth looked down at her watch. "All right, lunch time, people!" She called out.
Like a starting pistol going off on a race, it caused the entire crowd to scramble towards the mess hall. Annabeth chuckled as she jogged after them. However, Luke stayed behind. As the class ran off, his smile turned to a dour frown before he turned to look at Thalia's Pine Tree. He stood there for a time, unmoving, just staring at the tree. Finally, without another word, he too made his way towards the mess pavilion.
"If only we didn't fail that night…" He said under his breath.
Meanwhile at the Big House
"Chiron. As bizarre as it is for me to say… I'm bored." Mr. D said with a sigh as he laid back into his lawn chair, cracking open a Diet Coke can.
"Bored, Mr. D? Of what?" Chiron asked, raising an eyebrow.
The punished God spread his arms out in exasperation. "This. All of this." He explained, waving his arms like a grounded pelican.
"But the camp is so much more active now. More campers, we're having to rebuild and enlarge the cabins, the schedules need to be fixed, more Celestial Bronze needs to be ordered for weapon forging. It's pure chaos." Chiron replied, genuine shock in his voice.
"Exactly! It's chaos all day, every day! There's more of these brats than ever, my credit has tanked due to the endless buying spree, and there's quests happening every week! And it's the new normal now! If this is Lord Zeus's new punishment for me, then thanks! I hate it!" Mr. D ranted before slumping into his chair pathetically. "Let me know when something interesting happens."
Chiron rolled his eyes. "The price of being a god, it seems. Magnified human emotions cause you to become bored more quickly." He drolled sarcastically.
"Spare me the lecture you give those brats." Mr. D groaned.
"Well, look on the bright side. At least things are better than they were before. Even if they are more chaotic." Chiron replied, trying to put a positive spin on the situation.
"I can see why you teach demigods, Chiron. You're a terrible salesman." Mr. D sighed before chugging down the whole can of soda.
Meanwhile: With Luke
Luke sighed as he sat down on the new lifeguard tower. He still wondered why he bothered to volunteer for lifeguard duty for a non-class activity. Regardless of the ethereal reason he somehow sold himself to do it, he sat there in red swim shorts looking out on the water. The lake, due to the myriad of water spirits, shimmered in unparalleled clarity and purity. Dozens of Demigods of all stripes swam about, played games, and raced each other. Further out on the clear waters he saw several canoes paddling across the deeper water.
'Well at least it gives me some form of down time. I guess.' He thought to himself, putting a hand on his chin in boredom.
"Help! Help!" A male voice cried, followed by the sound of frantic splashing. "I can't swim!"
Luke groaned as he turned to look at the source of the noise. To his not-surprise, he saw the familiar panicked face of Steve thrashing about at the edge of the swimming zone. With a sigh, Luke stood up and climbed down the Lifeguard tower.
"So much for my down time." Luke muttered to himself.
As soon as his feet touched the beach's sand, he sprinted towards the water. Then with a great leap, he crested over several swimmers' heads before diving into the water. Arms and legs moving in a blur, he rocketed towards Steve. Right as Steve finally could thrash no more and his head dipped below the water, Luke grabbed him by the arm. With a single heave, Steve was back above water, letting out a massive gasp for air.
"You have some of the worst luck I have ever seen." Luke said as he grabbed hold of him.
"I know, right!?" Steve gasped out, taking deep breaths.
Luke rolled his eyes as he began to swim for the shore. "Next time, stick to the shallows." He replied.
"It wasn't my fault! A wave swept me in!" Steve called out.
"Sorry!! Did a Cannonball!!" Came the echoing call of a regretful Mike.
"If I have to save one more person because of you, or save Steve's sorry hide, you're banned from swimming!!" Luke cried out.
"That's fair!!" Mike called out in reply.
Luke sighed as he swam Steve to the shore, setting him down on the wet sand. The poor boy panted as he soon hugged the ground beneath him.
"Land! I've missed you!" Steve shrieked.
"You were in the water for, like, five minutes." Luke replied deadpan.
"Potato, potato." Steve shot back.
Later: At the Baseball Pitch
"Foul ball!" Annabeth called through an umpire mask.
"No, it wasn't! It wasn't over the line!" The Apollo team captain yelled, angrily walking up to the base.
"I measured it. It's exactly one centimeter over the line." Annabeth sternly replied, pointing to the small divot the ball left in the dirt.
"Oh. So, it is. Right then." The Apollo captain said sheepishly, slinking back to his dugout.
"Are we ready to do the next pitch!? My sunscreen's wearing off!" The Aphrodite pitcher called.
"Knock this one out of the park, Benson! We're losing to the Aphrodite cabin here!!" The Apollo cabin captain roared to the batter.
Nodding, Benson tapped his bat against the cleats of his shoes. Squaring up to the base, he stanced up to bat. Watching the pitcher intently.
"Strike him out, Cory!" The Aphrodite Cabin captain roared in response.
Cory nodded, moving a curl of brown hair out of his eyes. He stared into the eyes of the catcher, who gave him the hand signs to do a fastball. With a small nod of acknowledgement, he then wound up the pitch before throwing the ball at superhuman speed. However, as fast as the pitch was, Benson was ready. Swinging the bat forward with a flair only a Son of Apollo could, the ball went far, skipping across the ground like a pebble on water. In the announcers' box above the fields sat both an Apollo boy and an Aphrodite girl with microphones in front of them.
"And it's a wide ball skipping across the ground! Benson is running towards first!" The announcer, another member of Apollo cabin, said over a microphone. "And he's now running to second!"
"Get the ball, girls!" Cory cried to the outfield.
"I've got it!" One of the girls, a red-haired Aphrodite girl, called out as she ran up to grab it.
"Benson has rounded second base and is heading to third! The rhythmic force in those loins driving him forward to a run!" The announcer cried.
"I'm not sure that means what you think it means." A female Aphrodite announcer replied, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"Throw to third, Ginger!" Cory roared.
"I'm on it!" Ginger replied, picking up the ball and throwing it with all her might towards the third baseman. "Ow! I broke a nail!"
The ball sailed through the air like a round missile as it headed towards third base. However, Ginger threw too hard as the Aphrodite third baseman missed the ball by mere inches. The ball sailed out of the pitch, into parts unknown in the camp.
"And the ball goes wide! Into… oh no." The Aphrodite announcer groaned.
"It's heading towards the lake!" The Apollo announcer called out.
"Completed run to Apollo cabin!" Annabeth cried out as Benson went over homebase.
"That's my boy!!" The Apollo coach cried out.
"Damn it, Stacie! How did you miss that catch!?" Ginger called out in anger.
"You threw it too high! And now we need to get a new ball!" Stacie, the Aphrodite girl on third base, yelled back.
"How far did it even go, anyways?" One of the Apollo girls asked, confused.
Meanwhile at the Beach
Steve sighed as he finally got to relax. He was saved from drowning, he caught his breath, and he got a blue raspberry snow cone. Nothing could possibly go wrong…
"Look out below!" Someone cried from the hill overlooking the beach.
Before Steve could react, his snow cone was knocked from the cone by an invisible force. He looked down at the now ruined flavored ice, before turning to see a baseball in the cone. A shocked gasp left his lips, the ruined treat falling to the ground as he collapsed to his knees, looked to the sky, and raised his arms. "WHYYY?!" he cried out in despair.
"Easy, drama queen. It's just a snow cone. Just go and get yourself a new one." One of the older kids from Ares Cabin pointed out.
"Fine…" Steve sighed, before frustratedly going back to the snow cone stand.
As he got up to get another frozen treat, he crossed the beach volleyball court. Lupe stood at the net as the Hermes cabin team stared down the cream of the Ares cabin crop. The boy was as typical as one would expect from the brutal cabin, tall, muscular, and a brooding look on his face. But his partner made him look small. The girl was the shocking fusion of a basketball and rugby player, tall with the mass to back it up. Dark pig eyes stared through strands of her pale brown hair, sizing up the competition.
"I hope you two are ready to eat sand." The Ares girl growled.
"Oh, we're so scared, Clarisse! You're a lot braver when it's not Mike squaring up to you!" One of the Hermes Cabin boys taunted.
"I know where you sleep, shrimp." She growled fiercely.
"... I'm sorry…" The smaller boy nervously replied.
"You gonna start the match, Lupe, or are we just going to stand here getting sunburnt?" Clarisse asked.
"Fine. Game start! And no rough stuff, Clarisse!" Lupe called back, reminding her who was the one in charge.
"Set me up, Conner!" Clarisse ordered her partner as he served the ball to the Hermes pair.
"Got it!" The Ares boy answered as he sent the ball to the back of the court.
The volleyball arched high into the air above the net, sailing straight for the back of the court. However, the Hermes pair already had a plan. The back member launched the ball high before his partner set it back over the net. Clarisse, however, gave a small smile as she leapt up high, higher than the net, and smashed her hand into it to spike it. However, unlike what she had planned, the ball overshot the court by a wide margin. Sailing off into the distance.
"Out of Bounds! Point to Hermes Cabin!" Lupe called out.
"Dammit!!!" Clarisse roared.
As the ball rocketed over the beachgoers, it finally began to descend from its superpowered flight. Steve sighed after he finished getting another snow cone from the stand, cupping his hand over it to protect it. It didn't prepare him for what happened next. The volleyball slammed into his stomach hard, knocking the wind out his lungs and forcing him to drop to his knees. As he then fell to his side, he saw his new snow cone fall into the sand. In his horror, he began to silently cry for his loss as people came over to check on him.
"Steve, are you okay!?" One of the Hermes kids asked in concern.
"My… Snow cone…" He gasped out.
One of the Ares kids sighed in exasperation. "I'll head over to the baseball pitch and get an Apollo kid…"
Soon they heard the crackle of the PA system warming up. Then they heard the eternally bored voice of Mr. D speak up.
"Paging Lucy, Mitchel, and Lupine. Report to the Big House at once. Chiron, can me a coke? I feel like I need it." His voice said before the PA system shut off.
Mike, who was atop the tire swing hanging from the tree near the lake, looked up at the PA system. "Uh… Luke, Lupe. I think he means us…" He noted, jumping off the tire swing as it swung back towards the tree.
"Let's not keep him waiting. He hates that." Luke sighed as he climbed down from the lifeguard tower. "No one drown while I'm gone!"
"Luke? Is there anything about this camp he doesn't hate?" Lupe asked in reply. "Cassie, take over for me!"
"On it!" Cassie, an older girl from Hermes Cabin, cried out as she rushed to take Lupe's place
Later: At the Big House
"What's taking them?" Mr. D groaned annoyedly.
"Be patient, Mr. D. They'll be here soon." Chiron replied, looking up from a book.
Mr. D sighed as he sat back in his office chair. Both his desk and the surrounding room was cluttered with unfinished paperwork, leftover soda cans, and random knickknacks. Soon a knock on the old wooden door rang through the room.
"Come in." Mr. D answered with annoyance.
It was at that moment that Mike, Lupe, and Luke walked in. The twins stood attentively, awaiting the news of why they were summoned, while Luke looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but in the room at that moment. It was then that Mr. D cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Good. You three finally showed up. Chiron, give them the details." Mr. D explained, before cracking open another coke can.
"You three have been specifically requested for quests by Olympus. Luke, you've been requested for a special quest by your father Hermes. Mike, Lupe, Lady Hera has chosen to recommend you two for your first ever demigod retrieval quests." Chiron announced to the three.
"All right!!" The twins cried in unison as they high five'd each other.
"About time." Luke said with a small smile.
"You three are to head up to the attic of the Big House to receive your prophecies from the Oracle. Luke, you're up first." Chiron told them.
Luke nodded as he headed towards the attic's ladder, giving the twins a nod as he left. Chiron cleared his throat to get the twins' attention, causing them to stand at attention.
"At ease." Chiron sighed.
"So, Chiron. Where are we headed for our retrieval quests?" Mike asked, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
"We have a pair of demigods that have been quite elusive for the satyr to keep track of. But the last known location was in the Hotel Americana in New Jersey." Chiron explained.
"Last known location? What, are they on the move?" Mike asked.
"They apparently have been hitch hiking across the country." Chiron answered.
"Resourceful. I like that." Lupe quipped.
"So glad you could volunteer." Mr. D said suddenly.
"Wait, what?" Lupe asked confusedly.
"The other is in Queens at the private Olympic Standard High School." Chiron explained.
"His family must be loaded to go there. Only the really rich kids go there." Mike answered, surprised.
"Both ends of the spectrum for you brats, then. Excellent." Mr. D sarcastically said.
They then heard the sound of feet coming down the ladder from the attic. The twins turned to see Luke walk out in a hurry. His body tensed up, as if what he saw wasn't something he wanted. Before the twins could go check on him, Chiron spoke up.
"All right, the attic is free. Go and get your prophecies." Chiron ordered.
"And don't make too much noise going up there. You two sound like elephants lumbering about." Mr. D chipped in.
"Guarantee no promises, Mr. D." Lupe answered as the two headed to the attic ladder.
The two gingerly climbed up the old ladder, before opening the hatch to the attic. The air was thick with dust, and a sweet musky odor. As they twitched their noses from the smell, it reminded them of ripening apples. A small dusty fog clung to the floor as they got their bearings, hauling themselves to their feet before closing the hatch behind them. Darkness quickly draped them, with only a bit of light coming from the other end of the attic. Around them were trophies and treasures of adventures past. Stuffed monster heads, pelts, claws, old swords and more lay about here, in as organized fashion as the demigods could muster.
"This place still gives me the creeps…" Lupe muttered, her skin getting goosebumps.
"You and me bo… is that a pickled Cyclops eye?" Mike began to speak before asking and pointing at a jar with a massive floating eyeball.
"Apparently they were all the rage in the 80's." Lupe replied before taking a deep breath.
"Let's just get our prophecy and get out of this place…" Mike muttered.
"You know it's never that simple." Lupe hissed at him.
"I know. We've done this enough times, but it's still creepy." Mike told his twin sister.
With trepidation in their steps, they walked deeper into the attic. Finally, they reached the other side, passing further troves of trophies and treasures. At the end of the attic was a stained-glass window depicting Apollo with a blazing sword defeating the drakaina Delphyne and the serpent Python, the two serpentine monsters attacking the god. The sun lit up the multicolored glass that bathed them in a warm glow. Yet as they stared at it, they suddenly felt another presence.
Their gaze swiftly lowered, their bodies tensing up. Sat atop a plush hardwood chair was the shriveled, desiccated corpse of a woman. Papery grey skin clung tight to the last vestiges of muscle, while the rest of her body was draped in a floral shawl and cloak. Her face, though equally shriveled, portrayed what resembled a stern grandmother. They took a tentative step forward towards the mummy, and her eye sockets were filled with a bright blue light. Then, for a moment, everything went dark.
When the light came on, they were in a familiar setting. A homey-looking kitchen area with an adjacent dining room separated by a simple kitchen islet. Decorating the fridge were various pictures, clearly drawn by small children. Looking down, Mike and Lupe saw that Mike was in a deep blue kitchen apron while Lupe was in more of a magenta pink one.
"We're… home? This is our kitchen in south Chicago…" Mike muttered.
"Why can't that spooky corpse make things simple?" Luke muttered, trying to shake herself into reality.
"Simple… Simple…" A hissing voice said nearby.
Turning, they saw a young boy with the same tan skin tone as them, clearly of Hispanic American descent. He had seafoam green eyes, medium length straight black hair, and was a bit on the short side for his age with an average build, and only a simple tee shirt and shorts covering him. Next to him was a tall man with sun kissed blonde hair, lightly tanned skin, brown eyes, and an athletic build like a soldier. He was dressed in a US Army captain's uniform, complete with his hat, and had a soft but slightly stern expression on his face. The two of them were playing a card game while Mike and Lupe helped make lunch. Looking next to Mike, they saw a tan skinned Hispanic American woman in a flowery pink apron with simple clothes underneath in the form of a black t-shirt and simple blue. She was above average in height with a surprisingly toned build and long, straight black hair pulled back into a ponytail.
"Mom? Captain Stepdad? Little Bro? Where did you come from?" Lupe asked.
The three then turn to look at them as their eyes changed from their normal eye colors to an eerie, glowing blue. Lupe tried to turn to leave, but some invisible force stopped her from moving. That was when their little brother spoke in the same hissing voice they heard earlier.
"Two quests shall part beneath storm-shattered skies, One seeks the thunder, where false riches lie. A child of the king, hunted by claw and flame, An army of monsters cries out his name." The young boy "spoke" to them as he drew a playing card from the deck between him and the army captain.
"Child of the king?" Lupe muttered in confusion.
"This is the prophecy…" Mike muttered as the two twins listened more closely.
Their mother turned her head to look at them as she chopped celery. "The other shall follow the brothers of dawn, One swift with the lyre, one fleet and withdrawn. Chased by a shadow, a bear born of hate, Their path to salvation runs narrow and late." She hissed, the passage sending chills down the two's spines.
Finally, their stepfather stood up from the game table to address them, his glowing eyes staring into their own. "Together united, or scattered apart, The fate of Olympus shall rest on their start. Should thunder and song fail to forge one accord, The world will be broken by talon and sword." He hissed, yet unlike the other two, there was a firmness to the voice. As if mixing their stepfather's voice with the Oracle's own.
Then the world went dark once more. When their eyes finally registered light again, they were back in the attic. The Oracles body sat in the chair before them as before, except now her eye sockets were dark without a shred of light. The two stood there for a bit, letting themselves get their bearings.
"Do… do you understand any of it?" Lupe asked, rubbing her arms to try and get rid of her goosebumps.
"I never understand any of these dumb prophecy riddles…" Mike told her, shuddering as they began heading back.
"This doesn't feel right. I've never seen a retrieval prophecy sound so… dire." Lupe nervously said.
"Yeah. Something tells me we're missing something…" Mike replied, taking a deep breath.
"It's almost like it's somehow connected to the big one. But… that's impossible." Lupe said, almost trying to make herself not believe her own words.
"Chiron didn't tell us much about that one… but I think you're right…" Mike said, gulping nervously.
"Let's get going." Lupe said before making a hasty walk towards the hatch.
"Agreed. This place makes my skin crawl…" Mike replied as he followed close behind, catching one last look at the Oracle as he closed the attic door behind them.
As the two made their way back down, Mr. D gave them an annoyed look as they left the Big House while Chiron gave them a small smile. The two made a beeline for Hermes Cabin to prepare. Yet, as they opened the door, they saw a fuming Luke grabbing things from an equipment locker.
"Is everything okay, Luke?" Mike asked with concern.
"You mean aside from the fact my quest sucks? Yeah, everything's fine." Luke scowled in response.
"Why? What quest did you get?" Lupe asked.
Luke sighed as he turned to face them, crossing his arms as he did. "I have to get the golden apples from the Garden of the Hesperides." He explained frustratedly.
"Why is that a bad quest?" Lupe asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Because it's already been done. Hercules already did it ages ago!" Luke shot back, shocking them with the level of venom in his voice.
"I mean, it's not that bad. Not many people can say they have replicated one of Hercules feats." Mike replied.
"Where is the glory in repeating a quest? To be sent on such a quest by my own father no less!" He scowled with venom.
"All right, all right. Sheesh, Luke. Don't need to bite our heads off." Lupe answered, backing away a bit.
As the twins turned away to start preparing, they heard Luke clear his throat. Slowly they turned to look at him, to see a remorseful look in his eyes and a slight frown. He then let out a small sigh.
"I'm sorry about that. I took out my frustration on you, and I shouldn't have done that." Luke explained.
"It's okay Luke. We understand." Mike answered with a small nod.
"Try to look on the bright side. At least it's not another retrieval quest for you." Lupe chipped in, getting a small smile from Luke.
"You two be safe out there. There's gonna be hordes of monsters out there after you and your teams. Don't be reckless." Luke warned, before Mike gave a big smile.
"Now where's the fun in that?" Mike asked, before turning to get equipment from one of the lockers. The warning falling on deaf ears…
To Be Continued…