I know pretty much every epic hero has a tragic, heartbreaking story, losing loved ones and dying horrible deaths themselves; all half-bloods do, but really? Come one! Even I didn't see this one coming! Do the fates hate me? Did I do something to offend them? Wait. I take that back. Apparently I've offended nearly every immortal deity at this point in my life. I guess I'm just destined to be one of those angst-y, loner type heroes, of whom are never truly understood, or even liked for that matter.
My life is show that is directed and scripted by those who hate my guts.
My life had been as perfect as it could have ever gotten. I had a loving mother and an understanding stepfather, an amazing girlfriend, awesome friends, and a great reputation. And then he showed up. He just came waltzing into camp one day, knowing his godly parentage, and acting as though he was all that, like it was he who had saved the world.
I don't want to sound like a spoiled brat, claiming I'm not getting the attention I deserve, but this is really too far! I never liked it when a lot of focus was on me, but truthfully, after the second Titan war, I deserved a little of it. Brian O'Neil, my half brother, never did anything to help anyone, and yet he gets treated like he's Hercules himself! Brian couldn't save a goldfish. In fact, one time while we were playing capture the flag, he ran away like a little girl when a hellhound came bounding our way. He left me to fight it alone. Some hero. (Note the sarcasm)
Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I'll explain my story better so you know exactly what happened, and then you can decide who's a spoiled brat. It all started like this…
(Flashback)
It was just two days after the second Titan war, and the entire camp was exhausted. Many campers were still mourning the death of a friend or sibling, and the rest were recuperating, getting their energy back in case another fight broke out or a stray monster attacked. I was as happy as I could be, and I felt guilty about it. I shouldn't have felt happy when so many had just died.
The whole camp was still buzzing about Annabeth and I. The underwater kiss story had been very popular the past two campfires. I was actually going to meet up with Annabeth now. We were going to have a picnic at the beach.
Already the camp was filling back up with campers, many of them were new and many I just hadn't noticed before. As I headed to where Annabeth and I always met up, I looked around and once again was amazed at how perfect the camp still looked. That was our gift for helping the gods. They completely fixed any damage we sustained during the war.
I reached the tree by the edge of the woods that Annabeth and I had named our meeting spot and stood by it, patiently waiting for Annabeth to arrive.
My mother had wanted me to stay with her for a few days after the war, but I told her I couldn't. I was needed at camp. With all that was going on I felt that staying away from it all was too much like hiding. I needed to face all the death and the past and get onto the future. I was doing a pretty good job of that so far. As I said before, I'm pretty freaking happy.
I could hear quiet footsteps behind me, and I decided to let Annabeth think she was sneaking up on me if she wanted to. She got close to me and jumped on my back, laughing when I acted surprised.
"Hey Annabeth! I was wondering what was taking you so long." I greeted her happily as she clung to my neck and smiled into the back of my shirt.
"I was busy making us dinner. I want this date to be perfect. The sun will be setting as we sit on our beach blanket, the waves crashing in the background, and my delicious dinner to eat!" She whispered into my ear dreamily. The feeling of her breath on the back of my neck made me shutter and Annabeth giggled when she felt it.
She slid off my back and proudly held up the picnic basket she had packed. I peaked inside and whistled at the impressively made food inside.
"Wow, I didn't even know you could cook. Are you sure one of the Aphrodite kids didn't make this?" I teased her with a smirk. She scowled and punched me playfully in the arm. "Ow." I complained while I rubbed the spot, positive it would bruise.
"That's what you get for teasing me, Seaweed Brain." She winked and sprinted towards the beach with the basket in her arms. I gave a shout of protest and ran to catch up with her.
When I finally got close to her we were already running on sand, and I tackled her to the ground. The basket landed a safe distance away from us. Thankfully all the food stayed inside. As we tumbled down Annabeth moved so that she was on top of me. She grinned down at my face as her hair fell out of its usual ponytail.
"I win." She smirked triumphantly. I grinned back.
"Or not." I said deviously. I jerked my body to the side and she fell off me. We both laid in the sand laughing like crazy.
"It's always happier here when you're around." Annabeth commented contently as she snuggled into my side. I put my arm around her and pulled her even closer.
"I'm always here when you're around, Wise Girl." I replied with an eyebrow raised.
Annabeth shifted uncomfortably beside me and cleared her throat.
"Yeah, sure." She said weakly.
I furrowed my eyebrows and looked down at her in confusion. Annabeth, sensing I was going to push further, sat up and started spreading out the blanket and sat down with a reassuring smile.
"Are you going to join me or not." She asked me. I got up and sat down by her, she rested her head on my shoulder and looked towards the sun.
"It really looks beautiful this time of day doesn't it?" she asked with a sigh.
"Yeah it does, but I don't think you should tell Apollo that he looks the best just before his sister comes out." I replied, mocking her by sighing as well. She laughed and sat back up, looking me in the face. She pulled her knees to her chest and held them there with her crossed arms.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked curiously. She gave an odd smile and shook her head.
"It's nothing you have to worry about Percy." She dismissed quickly.
I didn't like the way she was acting. Ever since the night after the Titian war she had been acting strange. I opened my mouth to question further, but before I could make a sound, I loud yell rang out all the way through the camp.
Annabeth and I looked at each other, then scrambled up from our cozy little spot on the beach and took off dashing towards where the yell had originated.
When we arrived at Thalia's tree, where the entire camp seemed to be, both of us pushed our way to the front of the crowd. The site that met our eyes was strange to say the least.
A boy with blonde hair and the same sea green eyes as mine was on his knees breathing heavily. He had an arrogant smirk on his face that reminded me of someone…
Anyway, he was bloody and his clothes were all torn up. Chiron was standing by him, an awed look on his face. When I saw why my mouth dropped open.
Not only was the same trident glowing over his head as had mine five years ago, but he had Luke's old sword, grasped in his grubby hands. Dust was disappearing all around him, telling me a monster had just been slayed.
"What are you doing with Luke's sword?" Annabeth asked in outrage, the first of us to react.
"It was given to me," the boy answered in a voice the grated on my nerves. "By a ghost after I killed a giant Cyclops like thing. A man gave it to me saying I was meant to do something great. That's all." He finished with a shrug.
Annabeth looked stumped, put when the words really registered, a slow smile spread across her face.
"Luke… he gave it to him." she whispered in excitement.
"Who is he?" I asked Chiron. Chiron's face cleared, and a proud smile took over his features. He looked at the kid like he was his own son.
"Hail," he cried out without acknowledging me. "Brian O'Neil, son of Poseidon!"
Everyone looked dumbstruck for a few minutes. Then everyone seemed to get really excited and they fell to their knees. Annabeth did so too, a longing look on her face. I stayed standing.
Brian couldn't of looked happier, a wicked smile on his face. I didn't like that look. No one just comes to Camp Half-Blood and get a reaction like this. They don't get respect like this so fast. Heck, I was treated with about as much respect as a cow when I was first claimed. Something was up with him, Brain O'Neil could not be trusted.
Three Days Later
Well I can say my first assumption of Brian is true. He is not trustworthy. The little punk is my living nightmare.
He made it very clear he doesn't like me. He claims he's better than me, and walks around our cabin likes it's just his. He leaves his mess for me to clean, and everyone moons over him like he's a god himself. Already Poseidon's come to visit him, and I could hear them talking and laughing from outside our cabin. Hermes even came, since Brian was the last person to see Luke.
Annabeth couldn't seem to get enough of him. She clung to him like a lost puppy, and I couldn't stand it. He was too much like Luke and I knew that attracted her.
None of my friends have talked too much since he came. They just brush me off like I'm nothing to them and go hang out with Brian. It stings like crazy to see them all laughing happily with him, I seem to be completely forgotten by them.
Right now I was just aimlessly walking around the camp, since no one seemed to care about what I was doing.
As I walked by mine and Annabeth's meeting spot, the tree at the edge of the forest, I heard giggling and the unmistakable sound of kissing. I wasn't usually one to nose around… ok, I am, but anyway, I walked closer to see who it was and my heart almost stopped. There was Annabeth, pinned against a tree by Brian and they were making out.
I took a step backwards in disbelief and I stepped on a twig. Annabeth heard it and stopped kissing to see what it was. When she saw me her eyes widened and she pushed Brian away, quickly smoothing out her clothes and looking at me nervously. Brian looked pleased to have been found out.
"Annabeth… how could you?" I asked as my eyes teared up. I wasn't usually one to cry, but now I didn't care.
"Percy! It's not… it's just," she stumbled for something to say that sounded convincing, anything, but all that came out was a jumbled mess.
"Oh I know what it is." I growled out angrily.
"No, please Percy," she protested pleadingly.
"You were cheating on me with my sad excuse of a brother. After everything we've been through! I can't believe you Annabeth." I finished with a whisper. I turned on my heals before I could say anything else and ran away. As I got farther away, Brian called after me, "She wants a real man Prissy! I'm better than you and she sees that!"
I let out a yell of frustration, running faster than I ever thought possible. As I passed people they stared after me in confusion. I didn't care. I kept going on until I reached the big house. I stopped my impossibly fast stride and plunked down on the front steps, putting my hands over my face.
I stayed in that position until I heard clonking come up behind me several minutes later, Chiron had found me. I figured he heard what had happened and was coming to comfort me. Man was I wrong.
"Percy," he said with sadness in his voice. "I have some news for you."
I looked up at him, sure nothing could be as horrible as what I had just witnessed. The expression on his face said differently. His eyes were saddened, with a practiced kind of sympathy in them. Almost as though he'd expected my life to go up in flames the way it has. I suppose he did.
"What happened." I asked blankly, dreading the answer.
"Percy…" he trailed off. He voice was saturated with grief, but something about it seemed so fake, so plastic. I guess after living so long, nothing quite feels the same after a while.
"Juts spit it out!" I demanded, jumping up and glaring at him. I've had enough with acting and false allusions in my life. I wanted him to be straightforward.
"It's your parents." He told me, his face now as smooth as an untouched ponds surface. "They've been attacked. I believe it was the fault of a rouge group of demigods that gathered after the war. They wanted revenge. They have been taken care of, but I'm afraid your mother and stepfather didn't make it, my boy. They've died."
His eyes told me he was truly concerned for me. But I didn't care. I'd lost everything.
"Don't call me your boy. I'm nothing of yours, got it?" I practically screamed, clenched my teeth to keep from saying anymore. I needed to get away.
I once again turned on my heels and stormed away. Part of me died that day. I was never the same clueless, cheerful person again, which is understandable I guess…
/
So now you see and I hope you understand. Brian O'Neil is a spoiled brat. He took the people I loved most when I needed them the most. It's a wonder I didn't fall into a deep depression and do something regretful.
Well, I suppose it isn't a wonder. I wasn't completely abandoned. There were a select few who stood by me and haven't left since. In a way, it's a good thing the whole incident happened (Keep in mind, I'm writing this all down to try and raise my spirits). I now know who my real friends are.
Grover, of course, never left me. He's a true friend. I don't see him often though because he's always away doing whatever it is he does to make the world a greener place. Clarisse and Chris are both great. I need the both of them to keep me grounded and sane. Their brutal honesty is what keeps me going, as shocking as it sounds (Though Clarisse is more brutal about it than Chris, I'm just saying. Chris is too nice to be to straight forward. Clarisse is just rubbing off on his. God help us all.).
Nico's around about half the time, but he's not the nicest person in the world, not the happiest. We usually end up fighting. He's like my little brother.
Conner is someone I can count on as well. Sadly I cant say them same for Travis. My brother didn't just tear about my world. He tore apart theirs as well. When they both took different sides; Conner on mine and Travis on Brian's, it broke their bond. They don't talk much anymore except to fight. I know its kills Conner.
Lacey, an Aphrodite girl, is a rather new friend I've made since Brian arrived. We bonded over out mutual annoyance in the way her sisters gush and fawn over Brian like he's Brad Pitt (Though I don't see the appeal there, Lacy does). We've been pretty close since then. She a bit younger, but age doesn't matter much here at Camp Half-Blood.
And of course there's Thalia. She would never turn on me. She's just barely ever at camp.
I was currently lying on my bed in my cabin, counting the cracks on the ceiling for about the twentieth time this month. There wasn't much to do when you wanted to avoid as many people at camp as possible.
A brunette haired girl appeared, hovering over my head.
"Get off your butt, Percy. You're totally depressing me right now. Do something proactive, 'kay? Lets go take a walk to Thalia's tree." Autumn, my little sister, demanded roughly. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention her? Well, she's pretty awesome.
"Get up!" She screamed, pushing me off the bed. She's awesome most of the time, at least.
"Ok, ok, I'm up." I relented, standing up and straightening my clothes.
"Good, now lets go." She smiled innocently at me, strutting out of our cabin.
She reminded me quite a lot of Thalia, a bit of rebel and dressed like a punk. You gotta love her.
"Kill me now." I groaned when the sun hit my vulnerable eyes. I haven't been outside in a few days.
Autumn rounded on me with wide eyes. Apparently she took my comment seriously. Most people can't take my jokes, I've been told. Everyone thinks I'm suicidal apparently.
"Don't talk like that Percy! I wouldn't be able to stand camp without you here. And besides, you're still needed here. The camp would fall apart without you." Autumn explained slowly, like she was talking to a child.
"Oh please," I scoffed. "The camp doesn't need me. They have Brian and Annabeth." I flinched at Annabeth's name. It still hurt to talk about her. She acted like she hated me now a days. That's why I haven't mentioned her to you guys yet.
"Oh please yourself, buddy! Annabeth and Brian haven't done anything for this camp! All they care about are images and reputation. You know there's still a camper that doesn't have a cabin? She has a room in the big house. I don't know her very well besides the fact she hates Camp Half-Blood. And for all we know that could partly be the reason she hates it here!" Autumn ranted angrily.
I started at her in shock. I didn't know about any camper that didn't have a cabin. Had I really been that out of it the past few months?
"Look Autumn, I'm already down enough right now, could we please change the subject?" I asked hopefully. Autumn flushed and nodded.
"Fine."
We walked towards Thalia's tree in silence, neither feeling like talking at the moment. As we got closer and caught sight of it, I noticed something strange. There was a man standing threateningly by the tree.
He had hair the same color as the night sky and eyes that glowed like distant stars. He was wearing a large black trench coat, a navy blue t-shirt, and khaki pants with combat boots. His skin was pale and his smirk all-knowing.
"Aututmn," I whispered urgently. "Go to Chiron and tell him we might have an intruder. Make sure he knows it's an emergency. Get the whole camp ready for a possible attack."
Autumn looked at me sharp eyes and nodded, she knew what to do. She ran back the we came. She was battle ready.
I looked back at the stranger and started walking to him. He looked at me and his smirk grew softer.
"Hello Percy Jackson." He greeted with a nod. He voice was smooth like silk. It had an instant calming affect on me.
"Hello…" I trailed off uncertainly.
"Ah, you want to know who I am, correct?" He asked, his smirk returning.
I nodded and tried to make my facial features hard and demanding, but something about him made it impossible. The air of authority around him was too strong.
"I," he stated. "Am Chaos, and I have come to speak with the twelve Olympian's."