Chapter 1
"Just climb the wall!" my best friend, Hadley, persuaded. "You know how I feel about heights!" I protested. "Just don't look down!" Moaning, I placed my boot on the tiny ledge and started up the rock wall. This was a new feature at camp half-blood, mostly to train for the lava wall. One step at a time, I thought to myself. I was nine ledges up when suddenly, my foot slipped and I accidently looked down. My eyes widened to there maximum width as I looked bellow me. Hadley looked at me encouragingly, pushing me harder. She says I need to go outside my comfort zone, because being a demigod doesn't have the words 'in comfort zone' written anywhere in the application. "I can't do it!" I yelled. "If you say can't then you've already failed, Cleo! Don't give up, I know you can do it!" she insisted. I gulped hard to keep the tears back from my fear and hulled myself up the plastic mountain. I finally reached the top and as soon as I got there, I carefully lowered myself down. Looking over, I saw Hadley beaming at me with a sparkle of triumph in her eyes. "I am NEVER going up that again!" I said sternly. "We'll see," she said smiling still.
We walked over to where our 'friends', Kyle and Kali, were standing. They seemed to be arguing which was quit normal for them being the children of Ares and all. Kyle had long, dark brown hair that covered if brown eyes. Kali had long, dark brown hair with brown eyes, too. They were both extremely strong which Hadley had found out the first day, but being the daughter of Zeus, she struck them with lightning. If it was I there, I wouldn't be living today because being the daughter of Demeter would not have done much. "Just admit you stole my spear!" Kyle yelled at Kali. "Why would I want your stupid spear?" she yelled back. "Because it's better than your worthless sword!" Kali gasped. "Dad gave me this sword!" she gripped the hilt of her sword. "It is not worthless!" Just to prove her point, she unsheathed it and was about to swing at her twin, when Hadley struck them both with lightning. Kali's sword whipped passed my ear, but before I turned I heard it clang against another metal. I spun around to see that it had nearly it my friend Andrew in the face but he had whacked aside with his own blade. Andrew was the son of Athena so he has quick reflexes. He looked at me, "What was that for?" I nodded toward Kyle and Kali. They were lying on the ground smoldering from the strike. He jogged over to where Hadley and I were standing. "Nice job, Had." Andrew said sarcastically then he turned around and headed for the big house to find Chiron.