PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS
FALL OF GRACE
MAY GETS REJECTED
It was a beautiful summer day at Half-Blood Hill. The large strawberry fields were occupied by several Naiads –beautiful nature spirits that inhabit many forest areas- who were picking the strawberries and placing them in boxes which were being taken into a large white van tagged "Delphi Strawberry Services".
Atop Half-Blood Hill was the wonderful view of Long Island Sound, the estuary of the Atlantic Ocean between Connecticut and Long Island. Protected by magical boarders, was Camp Half-Blood itself.
A withered wooden sign was stuck in the ground, it said: "Keeping young heroes safe from harm (mostly) for over three millennia."
Camp Half-Blood is a special camp for demigods –who are usually found by satyrs and chased down by monsters- and it is directed by the Olympian god Dionysus, aka Mr. D.
A set of twelve cabins could be seen in the distance, each one honouring a certain major god: Demeter, Dionysus, Hermes, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Hera. The twelfth cabin is honorary to Artemis but she swore to remain a maiden forever and is only used whenever her Hunters (the eternal girls club) are at Camp Half-Blood.
A large amphitheatre served as the sword arena and training grounds, it definitely looked about three thousand years old as the marble stone was now wither warn and crumbling. A single rock wall stood as a rock climbing challenge, where the campers would have to avoid being scorched by hot lava, a typical day in the life of a demigod.
Other places included the Archery Range, the picnic area, the dark forest wood –where the monsters hang out during the night-, the Pegasus stables –Pegasi are basically winged horses- and the Big House.
The Big House is just the name for the large farm house in the middle of everything; the attic houses the Oracle spirit of Delphi, other than that it's home to Mr D and the activities director, Chiron.
Chiron stood at the porch of the Big House; he is a centaur that has taught many legendary heroes in the history of Greek mythology: Achilles, Hercules, Asclepius and many others. He stood next to Hermes –the Greek god of travellers, messengers and thieves- he wore a simple jogging outfit with winged sandals that were fluttering aimlessly, as if he was agitated. Beside them was a pretty woman with striking blonde hair, shining eyes and a warm friendly smile that could make anyone feel good. She carried a blue bundle with a sleeping baby in it.
"It's an honour to have you here," Chiron said to the woman, though he sounded nervous. "It's been a long time since a mortal was allowed at camp."
"Don't encourage her," Hermes grumbled. "May, you can't do this."
"Oh don't worry so much," May said, rocking the baby. "You need an Oracle, don't you? The old one's been dead for what, twenty years?"
"Longer," Chiron said gravely.
Hermes raised his arms in exasperation. "I didn't tell you that story so you could apply. It's dangerous. Chiron, tell her."
"It is," Chiron warned. "For many years, I have forbidden anyone from trying. We don't know exactly what's happened. Humanity seems to have lost the ability to host the Oracle."
"We've been through that," May said. "And I know I can do it. Hermes, this is my chance to do something good. I've been given the gift of sight for a reason."
Hermes looked at May, slightly hurt by what she was saying. "You couldn't marry if you became the Oracle," he complained. "You couldn't see me anymore."
May put her hand on his arm. "I can't have you forever, can I? You'll move on soon. You're immortal."
He started to protest, but she put her hand on his chest. "You know it's true! Don't try to spare my feelings. Besides, we have a wonderful child. I can still raise Luke if I'm the Oracle, right?"
Chiron coughed. "Yes, but in all fairness I don't know how that will affect the spirit of the Oracle. A woman who has already borne a child – as far as I know, this has never been done before. If the spirit does not take –"
"It will," May insisted.
May Castellan kissed her baby and handed the bundle to Hermes. "I'll be right back."
She gave them one last confident smile and climbed the steps, leaving Hermes looking worried and fearful.
The god and the centaur paced around in silence, Hermes was tapping his caduceus –in the form of a cell phone- nervously. Suddenly, the baby began to squirm and cry; Hermes tried to comfort the child but looked up as a cold wind swept through the strawberry fields.
The campers stopped what they were doing and looked up at the green smoke that lit the windows of the Big House, Hermes realised what was going on and cried, "No! NO!"
He thrust the baby into Chiron's arms and sprinted towards the Big House, his sandals fluttering and lifting him off the ground for a second. Before he reached the porch, the sun disappeared behind the clouds and the once beautiful afternoon was shattered by May Castellan's terrified scream.
PROFESSOR CHASE'S MIDNIGHT SURPRISE
7 years later...
The day was not finished for Professor Chase that night, for his toils had lead to an ingenious discovery about horses, that they might be more than what the eye can see. Chase had more experiences than he'd like of not seeing, especially that incident where one of his experiments made from amniotic fluids had clogged his toilet... That wasn't good.
His room – or 'study' as he called it – was littered with old toy planes from the World War I era. He'd been studying WWI since he got his degree at college, a story he remembered fondly.
As an aspiring and brilliant historian during his sophomore years, he met a seemingly nice young woman who said she was "drawn to him". She helped his College fund – as the Professor had little to nothing in the way of financial accord - and their relationship blossomed from there-on.
That was, of course, until tonight.
"Vlacas!" Chase hissed as he skimmed over a large textbook full of notes, his glasses hanging over his nose and his hair rumpled as he brushed his hands firmly through it.
He snatched up one of his plane models and preceded to – in a vain attempt – to make the noises of the engine, he waltzed around the room and crashed into his desk, a broad smile on his face as he hauled himself to his feet.
Professor Chase set the plane down, eyeing it fondly, and sat down in his chair, grabbing a mug of coffee. He took three deep gulps and recoiled at the taste, it was stone cold, "great," he exhaled. It was two in the morning and he had stone cold coffee - how, for the love of Zeus, was he supposed to finish his work now?
Holding his head in his hands as he realised how tired he really was, he felt his mind drifting... Drifting to sleep...
*
It was that night he had the strangest dream. The sound of an engine roared from outside his window, getting up instinctively, the Professor discovered that there were old WWI style planes soaring overhead. A massive golden Zeppelin seemed to descend from the charcoal-black sky and drifted towards his garden - Chase yelled in surprise as two pearly white horses with wings playfully danced around his house in the air.
"Have I gone mad?" The Professor wondered hysterically... "No," he told himself in disbelief. "She's back..."
He sprinted the length of the room, snatching his brown coat from the wall and not bothering to notice he'd knocked his head on about seven of his model planes in the process. Before the Professor could open his door, it burst open as the winged horses began to spiral around the garden, creating a sort of mini-hurricane until there was a blinding flash of light.
A woman now stood at the other end of his garden, shrouded in a ghostly white aura as she stomped towards the Professor - whose eyes widened as he recognised her face.
"You!" The Professor grumbled miserably, he glared at her and she glared back. But not even those stormy grey eyes could penetrate Professor Chase's stubborn mind.
They stood still for a few seconds until a warm wide smile happened across both of their faces and they hugged, not a care in the world as the bombs dropped around them. The winged horses had made a magical protection around the house, shrouding it in the Mist.
"My dear Athena, what brings you here? And erm... What's going on?"
She whistled sharply and the horses disappeared, only to re-emerge seconds late with a solid gold carriage. A hand reached out of the carriage's window and threw a bundle into the air - immediately, it sprouted wings and gracefully landed between the professor and Athena.
"What's this? Another midnight surprise..."
"This one's a little... Different from the last one, Freddie." At hearing his name said so softly, he looked up at Athena, she hadn't aged a day or changed a bit.
"How many times -" Athena cut the Professor off.
"The package, Freddie." She snapped at him.
Professor Chase knelt next to the tiny bundle, his hands outstretched and glasses now truly askew. Something shifted slowly inside, the Professor unwrapped the bundle and saw a little baby girl smiling happily back at him - her eyes exactly the same as her mother's.
Athena tilted her head slightly at the Professor's reaction; he set her down back inside the bundle - which began to dart around them gleefully - and sighed.
"You realise this is totally inconvenient," he said sternly.
The Goddess's eyes widened at this, her aura became slightly more dazzling before she calmed herself down.
"Freddie, you've got a daughter. You're a father now, and the laws clearly state that any Demi-god child of an Olympian is to be raised by their mortal parent."
"I don't care about your laws, Athena! I don't have time for this, I'm busy," he flung his hands into the air in disbelief to what had forsaken him.
"You will raise her and you will love her, you owe me after what I did for you," Athena spoke in an authoritative tone. If looks could kill, the cold stare of the Goddess would have had the professor disintegrate on the spot.
Athena and Professor Chase stood in silence for a while - the Professor knowing what happened to those who dared cross the Olympians and even worse... Her...
"Fine," he eventually piped up. Athena looked at him blankly, unimpressed, but she clicked her fingers and an envelope appeared in her hands which she handed to Professor Chase.
"Goodbye, Professor."
Athena walked into the middle of the garden and the Professor averted his eyes as she clapped her hands once and disappeared in a brilliant white flash - the sudden rush of wind was one of such an extreme force it smashed one of the windows on his balcony. The Professor gathered up the bundle, his daughter inside, and carried her inside the house. Sitting in his study, he grabbed a knife and tore open the envelope with it.
*
The Professor awoke with a start, he was breathing heavily and sweat was trickling down his face. He wiped it away and sighed in relief - it was only a dream...
"No," a voice inside him said. He looked down and discovered the envelope was in his lap, the letter opened up on the desk with one word written on it.
Annabeth.
LUKE GLIMPSES THE FUTURE - AND THE SOCK OF DEATH
December 21st 1991, Winter Solstice
Connecticut
The Castellan household...
The household of the Castellan family was indeed an empty one, what was once full of life and glamour was now rapidly degenerating and had been over the past 5 years. Nobody would glance twice at the old house which loomed over the others surrounding it, the driveway littered with small beanie babies of monsters from the ancient Greek legends.
May Castellan was sitting next to her 5 year old son, Luke Castellan, a boy with a fanatical desire to explore, a mind filled with so many questions that needed to be answered - and a touch of destiny the likes of which nobody had ever known.
He lay in front of the television which was showing the daily news report, what was being described as a mass flooding of extreme proportions had occurred in New York, no doubt the handy-work of the god of the sea - Poseidon.
The young Luke, whose sandy blonde hair had begun to grow rather fast for the age of 5, was playing with a beanie baby Medusa who seemed to be in the middle of an epic battle against a beanie baby Achilles.
May's appearance seemed to be getting worse as the years went by, Delphi's rejection seemed to have caused some strange side effects - a part of the Oracle seemed to dwell inside her which would randomly take effect and she'd begin spouting prophecies of events yet to come. A constant voice seemed to be whispering inside her mind...
Returning... Returning, he is slowly returning. Through the dark and the fire and the blood, always returning, returning to you... He is returning, and They are returning and the world above the sky shall fall asunder. But a Hero shall come, the one who bears the burden of -
"STOP IT!" May screamed at the top of her voice, her iris colour changing rapidly from blue to green. The voice felt like it was a joint song; the image of three ancient women who'd never apparently heard of decent Botox appeared in her mind.
May began to violently shake, her body losing control - she slipped on one of the beanie babies and Luke began to cry - he always cried when his mother had these fits. He tried to run away from her, but she enveloped him in her arms, their eyes meeting and suddenly, Luke didn't feel like himself anymore.
A cold breeze swept down his spine, he saw his reflection mirrored in one of the bronze shields hung on the wall, his iris coloured solid gold, a distinct grin on his pearly white face.
The child's mind flashed, the image of a city - a beautiful city - now ravaged and war torn being razed completely as Luke stood triumphantly over it yelling: "Brick by brick. That was my promise; tear it down, BRICK BY BRICK!"
The image changed to two young boys standing next to a large yellow bus, the three old women knitting what looked like a pair of socks, he felt himself sprinting towards them as one of them held up a long piece of string and cut it with her scissors which looked more like shears.
A tugging sensation grasped hold of him, some invisible force pulling him back into reality until he fell face first into a river - swimming with the discarded hopes and dreams of human kind until he managed to release himself from his mother's grip.
"My boy!" She yelled frantically as Luke sprinted up the stairs, slamming the door to his room and hiding under his bed, tears streaming down his face as his mother yelled in pain below.
After several minutes, the yelling and screaming stopped - Luke crawled out from under his bed and tip-toed down the stairs. Through the banister he saw his mother, lying on the sofa - breathing hard - a strange but familiar man standing next to her with tears trickling down his cheek. He kissed May on the head, muttering, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."
Luke's eyes met the man's, he appeared to be in some sort of jogging outfit, he had a slim athletic figure with salt and pepper coloured hair. He was hovering a few inches off the floor - seeing Luke made him raise even higher, almost hitting his head on the ceiling. He was holding a strange stick - clearly a caduceus - with two serpents coiled around it.
"Oi, watch it, Herm!" One of the snakes hissed.
"Shhh! Quiet, George. We don't want to wake her," the other replied.
Hermes - the god of travellers, thieves and messengers - stared up at the young Luke, his eyes full of pain and suffering. Even the gods could show remorse and pity, a moment passed between them until he turned away.
And then... He simply disappeared, fading into shadow, like he'd never been there. It was only a few minutes later that an unknowing and calm May Castellan awoke - her eyes back to normal - she smiled at her son and got up.
"How about a spot of lunch?"