The Demigod Paradox
Legacies of Poseidon and AthenaMy name is Matthew Jackson. My sister Eva was there when our mother died of a mysterious sickness. I was there when my father was murdered, by the last person anyone expected. When I say anyone, I'm including the murderer himself. My father's last words were ringing in my head for the months to follow.
"This isn't your fault. You have to get out of here. Promise me… go…" Jason took Anaklusmos, my father's sword, first used by Heracles against Ladon, guardian of the Hespirides apples. He said that when he died, Perseus Jackson wanted me to take it. The Scythe of Kronos was all that was left when my dad killed him thirty years ago. Backbiter was the source of Kronos' control over the flow of time, Uncle Jason used it to send me and my sister back to before Hecate was Erased and the Mist collapsed.
It was easy to find my bearings once the portal spat me out. I found myself on the top of Half-Blood Hill. I heard stories about Camp Half-Blood from my dad; it was his home before it merged with Camp Jupiter to make Camp Olympus. But I never expected it to look so much like home. There were stables just past the Strawberry fields to the west of the big house. The Cabins were in the very familiar Ω formation that was customary to Greek Demigod housing arrangements.
The Woods for the Capture the Flag games were on the northern side of the camp. Something was wrong though. The magic Barrier that kept the camp safe came down after I stepped beyond it. I looked at Thalia's Tree, a testament to the sacrifice my aunt made to keep my mom and her friends safe. Thalia herself was standing by the tree with some of her fellow Hunters of Artemis, who were pulling the Golden Fleece off of the branch it was placed on.
"What's happening?" I asked her. "Why are you taking the Fleece?"
"My tree is no longer needed to protect Camp Half-Blood," she said. "We're in the middle of merging camps with Romans. Why do you ask?"
"I'm looking for Percy Jackson." That one phrase got Thalia suspicious, but she took me to my dad, who was at Olympus, just where I needed to go.