Chapter 1
The Worlds Not What It Seems
I was bored, really bored. I was reading "Then Lightning Thief" for the third time. I was on the first page. Oh how I wished that I could go into the book and interact with the characters. That would be awesome, but no, I am stuck with reading about them and fantasizing meeting them. I looked at my book. I really wanted to be 3 years younger than Percy so I could be Nico's age and make friends with him. Poor kid needed friends, not cereal as Demeter thinks. The funny thing about that is I am three years younger than third book Percy. I'm 10 and he is so close to 13.
By the way my name is Amber Willows. I live in New York City and I live with my dad. My mom left soon after I was born because she didn't want the responsibility of a baby. At least that's what I think. Dad won't tell me anything about mom. I like to hope that my mom is Demeter because of my last name Willows. Willow is a plant and Demeter is the goddess of agriculture so you see where I come from, plus for example Katie Gardener from the books. Also I love gardens and look exactly like I think Persephone would look like. Though I look like a younger version of her.
God, I thought, I wish I was a demigod. I shook my head, as much as wished it demigods, the gods, mythology was not real. It was sad. I got off my bed and went to my suitcase to make sure I had everything for me and my dad's trip to the long island sound, where Camp Half-blood was. I went down stairs and saw my dad looking very nervous, I suddenly got the impression that my dad was a mortal that can see through the mist and fell in love with Demeter. Always back to Demeter with me isn't it. "Come on dad lets go!" I said feeling very excited to go to the place where Camp Half-blood was. We got in the car and I fell asleep.
Two hours later I was woken up by the car being jolted. I looked out the window and was immediately awake. Outside was a Minotaur. I froze. No, it couldn't be real. The gods weren't real. But I knew in the back of my mind that it was totally, and utterly real. I jumped out of the car and saw a barn at the top of a hill. I looked at my dad and he nodded. He knew I knew about the Greek gods and everything from Percy Jackson. I started running towards the barn.
I looked behind me and saw the monster about twenty feet away. I looked back at the boundary line and it was 5 feet four, three two, one, safe! I looked around and nearly fainted. I was actually at Camp Half-Blood. I also noticed people staring at me. Of course I was new; they would want to know who my godly parent was. Then I was bathed in light, I looked up and saw a glowing stalk of wheat. "YES!" I shouted. Demeter had claimed me, Camp Half-blood was real, which meant so was Percy. Today was the last day of school before winter break so Percy would be coming today or tomorrow. I. Am. Lucky! A blonde older girl stepped forward.
"Hi I'm Annabeth." She said. Amber Willows I told her smiling. She smiled back. "I'm a daughter of Athena. I take it you already know a lot about Greek mythology the way you shouted yes when Demeter claimed you?" I nodded. "I love Greek mythology and when the Minotaur attacked I figured out I was a demigod. I always fantasized Demeter being my mother because I love gardening so that's why I was so happy." "Well I can give you a tour but I have to leave after that. I have to go retrieve two demigods with my friends Percy and Thalia." I froze; they were going to get Bianca and Nico. I unfroze and turned to Annabeth, "So tell me the most important stuff because I really want to learn more."
So Annabeth told me about the past two years. Luke stealing the Lightning Bolt, and Percy being blamed because he was a son of Poseidon and Poseidon's rival and brother, Zeus, thought Percy stole the bolt for his father, then how Percy Annabeth and Grover went on the quest to get the bolt back and to Zeus on time. Then last year Grover was captured by Polyphemus. Polyphemus is a giant Cyclops and he wanted Grover to marry him. Thalia's tree was poisoned so Clarisse LaRue daughter of Ares was given a quest to get the Golden Fleece to save the tree. The tree needed to be saved because with no pine tree no border to camp. Needles to say Percy and Annabeth went to rescue Grover. They sneaked out and went to the sea of monsters where Polyphemus' Island was.
On the way they encountered sirens and the sorceress Circe. Circe had turned Percy into a guinea pig. They escaped Circe Island than preceded on to find Polyphemus. When they got there they found Tyson, Percy's Cyclops half brother who was thought to be dead because they brought Tyson with them but he disappeared. They met up with Clarisse rescued Percy got the Golden Fleece which turned Thalia back into a human.
By that time we were at my cabin. It was totally awesome with grass on the roof and flowers on the window sills and it had a homey feeling, wow. Well this is it. Annabeth said. I turned to her. "Thanks For the tour Annabeth I said, I'll see you later." She nodded and ran away and went inside.
The inside was just as great as the outside. The walls had a flowery wall paper and there were plants everywhere. It was just my kind of place. "Hi", I said shyly, "I'm Amber Willows." The oldest of the kids came up to me. "My name is Katie Gardener; I'm the counselor for the Demeter cabin." I looked her over, she looked like a slightly older version of me; green eyes, black, straight hair, sharp facial features, yep, definitely my sister. "It's great to meet you;" I told her sending her a big smile then giving her a hug.
Katie stiffened then relaxed and hugged me back; hey we are sisters after all. I when we ended the hug I looked around and saw the rest of my half siblings staring at the spectacle that they had just witnessed. Demigods seriously needed to learn to show their feelings better; I knew that from the book. A boy that looked about a year older than me came up, "That's your bed over there and there's a camp shirt on your bed." "Thanks," I said, flashing him what seemed like my millionth of the day. But that is what happens when you are a naturally cheery person.
I went over to the bed and saw an orange shirt with the camp logo on it (Camp Half-Blood in Greek) then I went to the bathroom to change. When I got out I saw a girl my age waiting for me. "My names Mallory," she said. "Let's go choose your weapon then we can teach you some fighting skill and do some other camp activities before dinner." I looked at her, and gasped in surprise; she could have been my twin. Green almond shaped eyes, straight black hair that went to her mid-back, round but sharp facial features and all around we could be mistaken for each other. She looked at me strangely after I gasped, "What's your last name?" I managed to squeak. "Willows," she automatically replied, then looked like she regretted it. "Middle name," I asked, "Amber", she told me hesitantly. "Weird", I said, "My middle name is Mallory. Now she looked spooked. "Mallory were you adopted?" I asked her she nodded her head. I chose to keep my original last name when I was adopted; it's one of the only things I have left of my old family.
"I think" I said "that we need to talk to Chiron." Mallory stared at me, "How did you know about Chiron?" She asked me. I came up with a quick excuse; "Annabeth told me a bunch of useful stuff." I told her. She nodded and we continued on to then big house. "Chiron" Mallory yelled as soon as we were in yelling distance, she had quite a set of lungs on her. "Nice yell." I complimented her. She blushed and thanked me that was when I saw a centaur emerge from the big house. I gasped, Chiron.
"H. h .Hi", I stuttered, he looked amused at my stuttering but I knew how he rolled, I was not offended. "Hello young one," he said, "What is your name?" "My name is Amber Mallory Willows, daughter of Demeter; I'm new here, got here about 20 minutes ago." I stated. He smiled at me, "Well, welcome," he said. "Now I expect you girls needed something or Mallory wouldn't have screamed."
Mallory's P.O.V
I looked over at Amber and noticed again how much she looked like me. It was just too much of a coincidence that we looked alike and that my first name was her middle name and her first name was my middle name, plus, we had the same last name, Willows. I really wanted to know what was going on. "Chiron," I started slowly, after Amber had introduced herself. "Why do Amber and I have the same last name?" The centaur in front of us visibly paled. I continued, "Also my first name is her middle name and her first name is my middle name." If it was possible Chiron paled even more than before, he was even paler than Hades and that I saying something since Hades was god of the dead and the underworld.
"Chiron, what's going on?" Amber asked, I nodded in agreement, she said what I was thinking. Chiron took a deep breath and started on what I knew would be straight forward and give us a lot of answers. "You two are twins," Chiron said. Amber and I were frozen so he continued. "When you two were born your mother realized that it would be too dangerous for two demigods to be in the same house. She named Amber "Amber Mallory Willows" and Mallory was named "Mallory Amber Willows" so you would both always have a part of each other."
I turned to look at Amber and my eyes suddenly had tears in them, she was the twin I never had, my long lost sister. It was almost too good to be true, it was like one of those fairytale books where two girls find out they are twins and that they have magical powers. It was weird that we were demigods and long lost sisters. Like I said, just like a book. My life was super strange. I saw that Amber had silent tears running down her face, I had the sudden urge to hug my twin but she beat me too it. She gave me a tight hug and I hugged her back I already loved her.
When we broke apart she wiped her face and smiled at me, I smiled back. Amber's smiles are contagious. "Come on Am; let's go get you a weapon!" I said and we ran off with Chiron shaking his head and a smile on his face. We ran to a giant shed and I opened the door. Inside were hundreds of weapons; swords, daggers, knives, bows and arrows, and spears. There were even some guns which really surprised me; I guess we had to keep up with modern times. I had a sword that transformed into a skull ring.
I looked over at Amber who was staring at all the weapons; she wasn't staring in fear or as if all this was weird, but in excitement. "Okay," I told her, going into "talking to a new camper mode" as my crush Conner Stoll called it. Conner's a year older than me but way cute. I know that my older sister Katie has a crush on Conner's older brother Travis. Conner is completely oblivious to the fact that I like him, but all boys are stupid like that. Conner is my best friend and it started just as that. Then as new became closer I developed a major crush on him. I always play pranks with him and Travis, Katie is jealous I get too spend time with Travis. I'm going to get the Aphrodite cabin to set those two up.
I was woken up from my thoughts by Amber laughing. "You, like, Conner, Stoll." She choked out between laughs. I blushed. "How did you know that?" she looked at me and said "twin connection, duh?" I faced palmed it was so obvious. We were twins; we could read each others mind. "Yea, I do get over it. I will get him to ask me out after I get Katie and Travis together." She nodded as if she understood which I doubt she did because she was new. "So, anyways, continuing what I was saying five minutes ago, you can get a sword, dagger, spear or gun." I told her. "What do you have?" She asked
Amber's P.O.V
I was so excited to get my weapon. As I looked around I saw so many weapons, then I saw a sword, it was beautiful. My thoughts went back to how my twin sister had a crush on Conner Stoll. Dear gods that was weird plus she pranks with them. Well I just might have to join their little group. "What kind of weapon do you have?" I asked Mallory. "I have a skull ring that turns into a sword." She said "Awesome," I replied. I looked around and saw it. I knew it had to be mine. It was a Stygian iron sword with a coal black handle. "That's the one!" I whispered. Mallory looked at me and I pointed to the sword.
"Okay, let's see if it feel alright in your hand." She said hesitantly. "Look I know it's made of Stygian iron but that's okay, besides I like creepy." I told her confidently. She nodded and walked over and picked up. "Well I'm not the horror type of girl," she said, "I like fantasy a lot better." That made me burst out laughing. "Mallory, are you kidding me?" I managed to get out. "Our life is like a fantasy romance novel." I told her. She blushed and looked down. "I know, but it is also horrific sometimes." She pointed out. "Well then it's a good thing we like those genres." I said. "Totally." She agreed handing me the sword.
As soon as it was in my hand I knew it was positively the one. I twisted it in my hand and saw a button on the base. I pressed and it started compacting turning into a necklace with a bunch of skull beads. I put it around my neck when it hit me, dad. I was so caught up in book being real that I had totally forgotten about my father. As realization hit me I gasped. "No!" I said and ran out of the weapons shed and to the big house for the second time that day.