Amy woke up in her cabin, which was a relief to her. Just a month ago she had woken up on a park bench. This was because she use to always have a heavy veil of Mist around her. When it wore off Hecate, the goddess of magic, put a fresh veil on, but not before Amy's father, who by the way is Hades the lord of the dead, took her out of camp so the campers wouldn't be like, "Who are you?" and attack her. Amy actually had that problem when she got back, but it was just one archer.
When Hades got Hecate to permanently raise the veil Amy went back to camp with her friend Archie who actually was the son of Hecate. The archer, Jay, was really sorry and apologized about fifty times.
Amy had to get ready for breakfast. It was weird being in a cabin by herself. She had always stayed in the Hermes cabin where there were always about eight people. But now she knew her father was Hades, so she stayed in his cabin. Amy was happy she knew who were father was, but she a little sad that she didn't have any siblings.
Amy got dressed into her new Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, new meaning a month old. She still wore the jean shorts Archie bought her, but she wore tennis shoes instead. She managed to keep her rod, which was her sword, in her back pocket.
Amy headed for the pavilion where meals were held. She sat at her own table, because you have to sit at your cabin's table. A few of the tables were empty, like Hera, Artemis, and Hestia's, because they just had cabins and table for honor, they never had demigod children. Well sometimes when the hunters of Artemis visited they stayed in her cabin. Zeus and Poseidon's tables were also empty. Strangely they were allowed to have kids but they had none. Either that or they were all killed before they could come here. The wood nymphs brought around plates of food, and all the campers took some. Before anyone ate anything they put some food in the center brazier as an offering to the gods. Amy put in the best berries and the crispiest piece of bacon for her father.
She sat back down and started to eat. Near the end of the meal Chiron, the camp's trainer tapped his hoof on the stone floor. Yep hoof, Chiron was a centaur, the same Chiron that trained all the heroes in the old days, like Hercules, Perseus, and Jason. "Attention, we will have a new camper coming in at 10 o'clock this morning. Who will show him around?"
"Who is his parent?" someone from the Hermes table asked.
"He is undetermined." Chiron said. Amy knew how that felt, she was just claimed a month ago.
The Hermes cabin stayed absolutely silent. They were probably worried that they were going to get stuck with him. After a few seconds of silent Amy spoke up, "I'll show him around."
"Good. Met him on top of Half-Blood Hill. He might get freaked out when he sees the dragon under Thalia's tree." Chiron said.
"Okay." Amy said. She had given plenty of tours when she was the leader of the Hermes cabin.
After breakfast Amy got in about an hour of sword practice. By then it was 9:55 so she headed to the hill where she will met the new camper. Chiron didn't mention his name though, that was weird.
At the top of the hill, looking down Amy could see a taxi approaching. The cab parked and a boy got out. He looked about 15 and pretty muscular. He had black wispy hair that went a little past his ears.
He paid the cab driver and watched him drive off. Then he seemed to notice the dragon. He screamed, but didn't seem to know where to run.
Amy ran down the hill, which was hard so it ended up half sliding down. "Whoa, dude, nothing to worry about."
"Is this the camp?" he asked. He had startling green eyes.
"Yep, welcome to CampHalf-Blood." Amy said.
"There is a dragon under the tree," he said.
"Nothing to worry about. He just protects the fleece." Amy said.
He took notice of the fleece hanging in the tree. "Is that the Golden Fleece?"
"Yep. Let's get up there and I will show you around camp." Amy said.
Amy led the boy up the hill. "By the way, my name's Amy."
"Nicholas." the boy replied.
Amy showed Nicholas around the camp and took him to the armory. "We should find you a weapon."
"You guys have weapons?" Nicholas asked.
"Yeah, let's see you might like a sword." Amy said not even looking up.
"You have a weapon?" Nicholas asked.
Amy showed him her rod.
"That's a rod. How do you fight with that? It's like three inches long!" Nicholas said.
Amy pressed the button and the rod turned into her split sword, with one blade being Celestial Bronze and the other being Stygian Iron.
"Whoa." Nicholas said.
"Yeah," Amy said, putting it away. "How does this work for you?" Handing Nicholas a sword.
"Feels great. Perfectly balanced." Nicholas said.
"Let's see. This button here and," Amy pushed the button. The sword shrunk down into a piece of metal the size of a flash drive.
"Nice." Nicholas said, putting it in his pocket.
"Now lets show you around the cabins." Amy said.
"Which cabin will I be in?" Nicholas asked.
"Well Nicholas, that..." Amy said.
"Just call me Nick." Nicholas said.
"Okay, Nick, well first you will start out in Cabin Eleven, Hermes. Until we know your parent." Amy said.
"My mom lives in Miami." Nick said.
"I meant, you godly parent." Amy said.
"So wait, she was serious when she dad was a god?" Nick said.
"Every one here is a demigod. One parent is mortal, the other is a god or goddess." Amy explained.
"Who is yours?" Nick asked.
"Hades." Amy said.
"Hades? God of the underworld?" Nicholas asked.
"Yep." Amy said.
"And who is my dad?" he asked.
"We don't know yet, which is strange. You're what 15?" Amy asked.
"Yeah, why?" Nick asked.
"You should have been claimed by now. But never mind that. Here is the Big House." Amy said.
"Whoa." Nick said.
"Chiron. Are you her?" Amy called.
"Hello, there. You must be Nicholas." Chiron said coming round the corner of the porch.
"Yeah. Wait a second, Chiron? The Chiron?" Nick asked.
"Yes." Chiron replied. "Has he seen everything?"
"Yes." Amy replied.
"Any signs?" Chiron asked.
Amy knew he meant, 'any signs of his parent hood?' "Nope. Not yet."
"Signs" Nicholas, asked.
"Of who your father is." Amy told him.
"How will I know?" Nick asked.
"My guess is that you will be claimed sometime before bed tonight." Amy asked.
"What will happen?" Nick asked.
"Depends on who he is." Amy said.
"What do you mean?" Nicholas asked.
By know all the camper had gathered near by for some different activities.
"Well…" Amy started to explain, but just then a bright green light appeared above Nicholas. It was a huge glowing green trident. Everyone stared at it.
"What does this mean?" Nicholas asked staring up at the symbol that was already fading.
"You have been claimed. All hail Nicholas Jones, son of Poseidon." Chiron said.
Everyone bowed but as Amy did something seemed to stir inside her. Nick all of the sudden seemed more attractive. Amy seemed to unwillingly fall in love. The problem was that she also had the same feeling at the exact same time for her friend Archie.
That night Amy couldn't sleep. Her heart was torn between Archie and Nicholas. What was weird was that she hadn't felt that way about either of them until the moment Nicholas was claimed. Amy tried to think why, but her mind kept wandering to Nicholas and Archie. Amy figured this was her ADHD, which most demigods had, but it seemed like something, or someone, was making her think of them.
Amy couldn't leave her cabin because of curfew, meaning she couldn't wander around camp, the harpies would get her, and Argus would definitely notice. Maybe she could leave the camp with out going out the door. So she decided to shadow travel. It was something that children of Hades, and creatures of the Underworld could do. The problem was that Amy only did it once, with the help of her father.
Amy focused on where she wanted to go. Which was a little bit hard with thoughts of Archie and Nicholas trying to wander in her mind. She ran to get moving, and ran headfirst straight into the wall.
"Ouch. I guess I need to focus better." Amy said.
Amy focused on the beach on the coast of South Carolina. The place where Amy had the one good time with her mother. Amy ran towards the wall again but this time she vanished. She had successfully shadow traveled.
Amy just walked around the beach, hoping the cops wouldn't notice her and wonder why a fifteen-year-old girl was walking on a beach at one in the morning.
Amy had been reluctant to grab a blanket to sit on but she was fine with just sitting right on the sand. Amy had been sitting for a few minutes when she heard footsteps behind her. She looked and saw a woman approaching. She was very pretty, she had blonde hair and blue eyes, but the more Amy stared at her the more her face shifted. She ended up with long dark brown hair and very deep green eyes.
Amy didn't notice at first, but the closer she got, the more she thought about Archie and Nicholas. Amy thought of something when the woman sat down next to her.
"Are you someone I know?" Amy asked.
"I am someone quite close to your heart." the woman said, like it was a riddle.
Amy thought of it quickly, love. "You're Aphrodite."
"You are a smart one." Aphrodite replied.
"Why are you here?" Amy asked.
"I think the real question is why are you here?" Aphrodite countered.
"I asked you first. But I needed to get away. That thing with my dad pulling me out of camp because of the mist thing, it made me realize how long it has been since I was in the outside world." Amy said. Amy figured all the gods and goddess knew what she meant with 'the mist thing.'
"I think it's more than that." Aphrodite said.
"I think you know why I am here. My heart is all of the sudden torn between to guys. One my best friend since kindergarten, who is like a brother to me, and the other a boy I just meant." Amy said.
Aphrodite laughed.
"Did you do this?" Amy asked.
"Yes, dear." she replied.
"Why?" Amy asked.
"You are a smart one. I believe you already know the answer." Aphrodite said.
"Did Persephone, ask you to do this? She was the one that made Hecate put the Mist on me." Amy said,
"I do not know why she dislikes me so much." Aphrodite said.
"Shouldn't you? You are the goddess of love." Amy said.
"I do know, but I can't tell." Aphrodite said.
"Says who? Who says you can't tell?" Amy asked.
"Why her of coarse." Aphrodite said.
"I'm really sick of her. I haven't even met her and she hates my guts." Amy said.
"She was jealous of your mother." Aphrodite said.
"What was there to be jealous of? She didn't love me. Hence why she did what she did. Wait, she was jealous of Hades love for her. So this is really your fault." Amy said.
"Because I am the goddess of love does not mean I always make people or gods fall in love." Aphrodite said.
"I guess. I am sorry I accused you of that. I am just so confused on who I should love." Amy asked.
"That is totally fine. If you wish, I shall raise the love curse." Aphrodite said.
"You would do that?" Amy asked.
"I like love. But watching people fall apart because they can't figure out whom they love. That is not what love is about." Aphrodite said.
"I would very much like to chose whom I fall in love with and when." Amy said.
"Very well." Aphrodite said. She touched Amy on the forehead, and her mind cleared of the unbearable amount thoughts of Archie and Nicholas.
"Thanks. I should probably get back to camp now, get some sleep." Amy said.
"I will watch you with much interest." Aphrodite said.
Amy shadow traveled back to her cabin thinking "Great." Amy got some sleep and woke up late at about 9:00
Amy left her cabin and wandered round camp. She went up to the rocky part of the camp and climbed the big hill. She sat on the ridge with her back to a cave.
"What are you doing up here?" A woman asked.
Amy turned around. There was a woman behind her. She seemed about 30 and had red hair and green eyes. "Umm, I didn't think anyone was up here." Amy said. "I'll leave if you want."
"No you're fine. I don't get many visitors nowadays. All my demigod friends are now gone." she said.
"I'm sorry. Who are you?" Amy asked.
"My name is Rachel Dare. I'm the oracle here." she said.
"Oh. Are you alone up here?" Amy asked.
"If you mean by that, are you married, no I am not." Rachel said sitting down on the ridge next to Amy.
"What?" Amy said, she was caught off guard.
"The oracle is forbidden to marry." Rachel said.
"How did you become the oracle?" Amy asked.
"I was always able to see through the Mist." Rachel said.
"I had some trouble with the Mist lately." Amy said.
Rachel laughed.
"So unable to marry? Is that hard?" Amy asked.
"Actually it's swearing off boys, so dating either. No harder than being a hunter of Artemis. Except for the fact they are pretty much immortal and have to deal with no boys for generations. The hard part of my job is that the future basically mugs me every so often." Rachel said.
"I was thinking about becoming a hunter. But I never really decided if I should join or not. Now I see I could never really give up guys." Amy said.
"Why did you want to join?" Rachel asked.
"It was while I was still unclaimed. I guess I was upset at my father that he had not claimed me yet. Well now I know that it was not his fault. It was Persephone's." Amy said.
"Your father is Hades?" Rachel asked.
"Why is everyone surprised by this." Amy asked.
Rachel gasped. Her eyes turned all misty and green smoke came out of her mouth.
"Rachel are you okay?" Amy asked.
"When the sea is sick, and lost is the magic. Chose whom to save, or enter the cave. The child of the dead, must save spring from the dread." The voice was not Rachel's it sounded snakey. Like how a snake would speak.
Rachel keeled over and Amy had to catch her before she fell off the cliff.
When Rachel came to she knew what happened.
"Sorry, did I freak you out?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah. Was that a prophecy?" Amy asked.
"Yes. We should see Chiron." Rachel said.
"Yeah that would be a good idea." Amy said.
Rachel and Amy ran down to the camp. Chiron was teaching the archery class.
"Chiron, we need to talk." Amy said.
"Amy, can this wait?" Chiron asked.
"No not really." Rachel said.
"Ms. Dare. What is it?" Chiron asked.
"She gave me a prophecy." Rachel said.
"Perhaps we should talk inside." Chiron said. He led them inside the Big House and poured them some lemonade. "What did the prophecy say?"
Amy took a deep breath, "Well, 'When the sea is sick, and lost is the magic. Chose whom to save, or enter the cave. The child of the dead, must save spring from the dread.' I don't know what that is supposed to mean." Amy said.
"Well it seems like it is not important right now, so we shall pass is by." Chiron said. When Amy didn't get up to leave Chiron asked another question, "Amy, is something bothering you?"
"I have just been confused lately." Amy said.
"Like?" Chiron said.
"Well, last night, Persephone tried to use Aphrodite to mess with me by making me fall in love with Archie Williams and Nicholas Jones at the same time. So I left camp last night and went to South Carolina…" Amy said.
"Argus didn't see anyone leave camp and how did you get to South Carolina and back in one night?" Chiron interrupted.
"I shadow traveled. Well any ways so then I talked to Aphrodite and she lifted the love curse and then I came back. I realized I missed being outside in the mortal world." Amy said.
"Why don't you leave at the end of summer?" Rachel asked.
"Ms. Dare, that is not a real comfortable subject for…" Chiron said.
"It's alright Chiron." Amy said. "Rachel, my mom killed herself a month before I started coming here. That was when I was twelve."
"Oh." Rachel said.
"I can't even live with my father, especially during the winter." Amy said.
"Because of Persephone." Rachel said.
Amy nodded. Just then the room filled with green mist and Amy was scared that Rachel was going to give her another prophecy. The mist formed a woman.
"Hecate." Chiron said.
"I am sorry I caused you so much trouble, daughter of Hades." Hecate said.
"I have a name you know." Amy said.
"Indeed you do, Andromeda Cheaney." Hecate said.
"Oh snap." Amy whispered. Amy never told anyone her real name. If she used her real name the mortals would think, "What kind of name is that." And the monsters would most certainly figure out she was a demigod.
"What do you want with her Hecate?" Chiron asked.
"I have a proposition for her." Hecate said.
"What?" Amy asked.
"Why don't you live with my son, Archie Williams. You already are close enough you act like siblings." Hecate said.
"I suppose if he'll take me." Amy said.
"I must go now." Hecate said. She just vanished as quick as she came.
"Man, do all gods and goddesses leave this quick?" Rachel asked. "I wanted to see if she knew why am unaffected by the Mist."
Rachel and Amy left the big house and Amy watched as Rachel went back up to her cave.
"Hey Amy, I am glad I found you. I have a few things to tell you." Nicholas said.
"What is it?" Amy said sitting down on the porch step.
Nicholas sat down next to her. "Well first is kind of a confession. When I said my mom lives in Miami. It was not the full truth."
"Huh?" Amy asked.
"Carol is my adoptive mom. My real mom died when I was five. I was an orphan for seven years until Carol adopted me." Nicholas said.
"My mom is dead too. Died when I was twelve." Amy said.
"Car accident killed my mom." Nicholas said.
"I killed my mom." Amy said.
"What?" Nicholas said.
"Well technically I didn't. She committed suicide, but I was the reason." Amy said.
"Man that's hard." Nicholas said.
"What was one of your questions?" Amy asked trying to get off the subject.
"Oh, is it like genetically legal to date a camper because aren't they all like cousins or nieces or nephews?" Nicholas asked.
"As long as you don't have the same parent your okay." Amy said.
"Okay next question. Are you signal?" Nicholas asked.
"Um, yeah." Amy said.
"I loved you ever since I saw you up on that hill." Nicholas said.
Amy realized that the feeling of love for Nicholas was still there, but it didn't seem forced this time.
"I guess I did too." Amy said.
"Well, I want to show you something." Nicholas said.
"Where?" Amy asked.
"The lake." Nicholas said.
"The lake?" Amy asked.
"Yes. Come on." Nicholas said.
Nicholas dragged Amy to the lake. "Stand here."
"Okay." Amy said.
Nicholas moved the water and pulled some in the air. He shaped it into a heart and floated it over them.
"Wow." Amy said.
"Not the best part." Nicholas said. "Do I have permission to give you a quick hug?"
"I guess." Amy said.
Nicholas wrapped his arms around her and the water fell on them. The weird thing was, neither of them was wet.
"That is so cool." Amy said.
As the coach horn blow to signal supper, Amy and Nicholas walked off to the pavilion, but Amy still couldn't help but think of that prophecy Rachel gave her. That she just couldn't decipher.
"When the sea is sick,
and lost is the magic.
Chose whom to save,
or enter the cave.
The child of the dead,
must save spring from the dread."
This defiantly is not "The End"