Chapter One
The sky crumbled into gray. The light was drained from every corner of the world as if time its self was colliding with the past, future, and present.
Theres nothing you can do little hero, came the malice-full voice, Nothing at all. A scream interrupted my thoughts and I sat up straight. My head felt foggy and I could hardly see anything. As my eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight I heard other voices.
"Jane, Oh my Gods! What happened?" said a girl.
"I–I don't know," The girl named Jane answered I couldn't put a face to her but she was defiantly the one with the ear-splitting scream–, "I found her like this I thought she was a monster or..."
A boy's voice interrupted, "What happened?"
"Jane, go get Chiron, and bring Nectar and Ambrosia." The girl said again.
"How do you know she's a half-blood?" The boy asked.
"She got through the barrier didn't she?" I felt a hand touch my shoulder, "Can you hear me? My name's Annabeth." My vision began to clear and I looked up and saw a girl with curly blond hair and startling gray eyes. The boy behind her had dark hair, his ocean green eyes where squinted together in worry.
"I–I–," I started.
"Its alright," said the boy, "we are all friends here. I'm Percy."
"I– I'm Lyra," I said finding my voice. "Were am I?
I got up, my head felt like it was about to explode, but I held my ground. More people had started circling around me, all wore orange t-shirts.
"This is Camp Half-Blood," Percy said, "We are all–"
"–Demigods," I interrupted bluntly, without thinking about it, I continue watching the started faces of at least a dozen children whispering and eyeing me.
"Um, yah," Percy replied stealing a glance at Annabeth. She was staring at me. Like an animal watching its pray, only a very very intelligent one.
Finally she said, "Okay, everyone get back to your activities. As soon as Jane comes back with the Nectar I'll show Lyra around camp." Everyone was slowly walking down the hill. Percy whispered something to Annabeth then followed everyone else. She looked like she wanted to go with him.
Jane came back with a glass of frothy wired looking liquid and one small brown cube that looked like either a dark foggy carmel or a mud flavored gummy vitamin. Annabeth sat with me in the shade of a large pine tree on the top of the hill while I held the glass.
Annabeth leaned close to me, "So?"
"So, what?" I asked before I took a sip.
"What does it taste like?" she asked simply like it wasn't a wired question at all. But then again everything so far had been wired, nothing today had been normal, today? I found that word odd for some reason.
I had no clue what the glass contained of corse and I was interested, if it didn't poison me I was happy to try it. I put it to my lips and spit it out immediately. Annabeth's smile faded into that of confusion which was then masked by her computer-analysis-eyes.
"That," I said, "is..." What if annabeth had made this drink, and she was asking how I liked it. I couldn't insult it to her face! Then again there could be a different situation, but why would she ask me what it tasted like. Unless it was a drink that changed taste depending on the drinker... all these flashed in my mind for less then a second. "... terrible"
"What?" she coughed astonished, "That is not possible, what did it taste like?"
I thought for a moment my lips pressed together then I said, "Nothing but everything," I added, for the first time I saw Annabeth look confused, "like mixing things that go well together for example peanut butter and jelly, but also bad like ice cream and mustard, so it tasted bad, but good, yet like nothing at all. Why? What was it supposed to taste like?" I asked acting genially confused, which in fact I was.
"Doesn't matter," she said tearing her eyes away, "Let's start the tour,"
I followed Annabeth down the hill I'd been lying on earlier. With everyone out of the way and the confusion over, I could take a better look at Camp Half-Blood: The Hill dipped into a valley of bright green grass. A dark forest of tall trees lay to our right and I thought I saw a pare of eyes blinked at me, I ran to catch up with Annabeth.
There was a large white house with an attic window. The darkness through the pane seemed offaly still, as if something was missing from it. Something that should have been there...
We made our way to a a weird assortment of buildings which from every color and literally shape as one was shaped like a temple, another a regular cabin and a third looked almost like a factory.
"Each cabin represents a different god, for example Zeus, Poseidon, and my cabin, Athena." Annabeth said pointing to each corresponding building. "Hopefully you will be claimed by your godly parent before the campfire tonight."
"Which cabin is that?" I asked pointing to a silver building.
Annabeth turned around, "Oh, that's Artemis cabin, but she has no children... Her hunters often come though and stay for a while though. Come on I'll show you the rock wall." I followed Annabeth, but I kept watching the silver cabin, waiting and partially wishing it would do something.
The rest of day went by fast with Annabeth showing me everything about camp
"Well its almost time for dinner and then the campfire where you will be claimed!" Annabeth said looking at the sky.
"And if I don't?" I asked dreading the answer. I looked back at the misshapen cabins and counted twenty in all. "I could be in any of those."
Annabeth seemed to soften for a moment "The gods made a promise to claim all their mortal children, they can't brake it now," she looked at me, "In the meantime we can guess. So, father or mother?"
"What?"
"Is your mortal parent your mother, or your father?" she asked again.
"Umm," I hesitated, no need in getting everyone worried right away. I was already in enough trouble for tuning up out of thin air inside camp boundaries, "I... well–"
"Don't want to talk about your past? You a runaway?" Annabeth rattled of the questions not even giving me enough time to answer, "Its alright, most of the kids here are like that: Parents gone nutty after being with a god, or some don't want to endanger other children." She said this all so casually that it was obvious she had done it a hundred times. I didn't say anything so she just kept talking as we walked back though the maze of cabins, "Most Half-bloods are also ADHD and/or Dyslexic." I couldn't relate to any of these so I just nodded. I was still staring at all the amazing cabins. We hand't stopped to talk with anyone during the tour although some of the campers waved to Annabeth and gave me a comforting smile. Now as we neared a red cabin with a dead Boar's head pinned up like a trophy above the doorway. A few people were outside sitting together, a girl called out to Annabeth, and she definitely wanted to chat.
"Hey, Blonde!" The girl teased, "Where's your boyfriend? Didn't lose him again did you?" Annabeth kept walking but I saw her hand clench into a fist by her side. The girl kept pushing her this time in a baby voice, "Did he leave you again? Did the big bad goddess take him away?" Now Annabeth turned on her toes and with one move had a dagger to the girls neck. The small bronze knife had been easily concealed in her belt under her jacket.
A new girl walked out of the cabin she was big and muscly and her voice didn't boom but defiantly lingered, "Jordan, just leave her alone. Everyone missed Percy even you!,"
Jordan retorted quickly, "Claress not one to back down from a fight? yah right and you call yourself a child of the war god!"
"Come on guys! A boy from the cabin called, he was big like the rest of his siblings, "The Apollo cabin will be on us about a fight inside Ares cabin! Anyway we have to get to the camp fire!"
Those words seamed to shock Annabeth out of her daze. she slowly pulled her knife away and stored it safely back in her belt, "Come on lets go," she said quickly to me and pulled me along toward the outskirts of the woods were a fire was already lit and people were starting to settle into the benches around it,
The amphitheater was what you would expect a greek theater to look like. It was gray stone and had step like benches leading up to the top. Each had a camper on it except for the occasional awkward gaps between people. The space below had a large hole cut into the stone where logs had been placed in the blacked soot and lit, so that the flames licked the darken sky above.
"I'll be back soon," Annabeth said looking uneasily around, then disappeared. I was too busy looking at my surroundings.
I sat down in the one of the nearest seats, then got up quickly. A girl was giving me a look that said, "You are going to sit here? *Insert laugh.*" Annabeth should have been back by now so I asked if anyone knew where she would be? the answers where: "sorry no", "Nope", and the occasional non-answer. Just when I was about to give up a girl with coco skin called me over.
I sat next to her, her hazel eyes stared into me, "She probably went looking for Percy."
"For Percy?" I repeated, "Why?" I hoped that didn't sound too rude.
Her eyes were questioning then understanding crossed her face and she smiled, "Your the new girl, right? The one on the hill?"
"Yah," I answered news must travel pretty quick here, "I'm Lyra. Fourteen if that makes any difference"
She held out her hand, "Nice to meet you I'm Hazel, fifteen," she added slyly. I smiled the name fit her perfectly. I took her hand, "Percy is Annabeth's boyfriend," she explained.
My mind went back to the girl outside of the ares cabin, "Did he go somewhere?"
Hazel looked startled, "Yah, he was taken to the Roman camp for demigods. His memory was wiped. All he new was his name. Annabeth blames the goddess who took him, Juno– I mean Hera, she also blames herself for not keeping a better eye on him."
"And now she won't let him out of her sight." I concluded.
"Oh by the way," she said, "This is Frank," she gestured to the seat above her. Frank had a round head but a strong athletic build. His hair was cut army style around his ears. When he heard his name he waved in our general direction without taking his eyes off the other side of the amphitheater. I followed his gaze to three demigods about his age. A boy with blond hair sat holding the girl's hand. The girl had her dark hair braided down her back she was stunning even in her jeans and t-shirt. The last one was joking around with the other two he had dark brown hair and a yellow tool belt sitting on his hips.
"Thats Jason, Piper and Leo," Hazel said like she could read my thoughts. I slowly put a name to each description hoping I was right and Piper wasn't a boy.
"Looks like they're going to start," Frank said suddenly, then turned back to watch Leo.
I saw Annabeth sit down on the bottom row with Percy. She whispered something to him. He smiled then whispered something back. She then in turn punched him in the shoulder. I couldn't hear from this far away with everyone talking, but it seamed to play out something like this: Annabeth: "Where were you?" Percy: *smile* "Keeping you on your toes," Annabeth: *punch*.
I smiled to myself as the noise died down as a middle-aged man walked to the center of the amphitheater. In front of the burning fire he was almost just a silhouette. Hazel looked at me expecting to see some emotion cross my face, but a centaur was not the most peculiar thing to happen today. Again that word caught me off guard...
The bottom half of the man appeared to be a white stallion, but in the shifting light of the fire I was't sure.
"That's Chiron," Hazel whispered, "He's camp director."
"Hello again everyone," Chiron started, "we have a few announcements before the sing-a-long led by the Apollo cabin," at this at a dozen people stood up applauding, all types of instruments in their hands, "First: if you have left your magical item in the dining pavilion please get it from the big house as soon as possible," A girl jumped up and ran across the amphitheater, "Second: there has been a recent theft. I would please ask the thief from the Hermes cabin to step forward after the campfire, and Last: we have a new camper joining us today," my stomach dropped, "Lyra would you please come up here?"
I stayed right were I was. Hazel gave me a little push on the back and I got up and made my way so I was standing next to the centaur. Everyone started whispering and looking above my head. I looked up but there was nothing there.
"Lets all give a warm welcome to Lyra," Chiron said sounding a little shocked.
Hazel quickly motioned for Lyra to come back so she walked back up the steps. Everyone's eyes were on her now.
"You weren't claimed!" Hazel whispered
I bit my lip, "Is that bad?" I asked slowly.
"If your Roman, its not a problem," she said making my head spin, "If your Greek, yes!"
Annabeth and Percy were in a deep whispered discussion. Some campers kept eyeing me but others gave up and started singing along to the songs. After 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Asteria'. But before 'Poseidon Lies Over the Ocean' A girl in black walked into the light of the fire, she wore all black which worked with her black spiky hair. I could see her blue eyes catching the light all the way from here. Annabeth, Percy, and Jason stood up at the same time and ran over to her.
"Who is that?" I asked
Piper who was walking by when I asked Hazel said, "Her name is Thalia, she's Jason's sister and the leader of the hunters."
"As in the hunters of Artemis?" I asked Hazel quietly, she smiled.
Percy, Jason and Thalia were in deep conversation. Annabeth motioned for me to come over. I walked down the steep steps and was surprised to hear footsteps behind me. I turned around.
"Well your not going alone," Hazel said her hand pulling Frank with her.
Frank didn't struggle but whispered, "I need to keep an eye on Leo!"
Hazel whispered back harshly, "Just because he might be from my past doesn't mean we have to watch him every second!" she turned back to me embarrassed, "Come on." she pushed past me and I followed her down to the small group which had almost doubled in size because of Piper and Leo joining.
"Well its good to know your back," Thalia was saying to Percy, "Hope Rome wasn't too hard on you."
"Piece of cake," Percy answered putting his hands on his hips indifferently.
Hazel pushed him gently but he still stumbled a bit, "Really?" she asked sarcastically.
"Well we saved a god from some giant who couldn't be killed where he was born, which happened to be a place where the gods couldn't help us," Frank said, "Guess I would call it easy depending on the day." Hazel pushed him too.
"Hazel here is the daughter of Pluto," Percy explained to Thalia, "and Frank, Mars."
Annabeth explained quietly to me, "Percy is the son of Poseidon, Leo Hephaestus, Piper Aphrodite, Jason and Thalia are children of Zeus."
It seamed campfire was over as everyone was now heading back to the cabins, most of the boys kept their head's down but most of the girls high-fived Thalia.
"Did I miss anything?!" Yelled a red haired girl running through the grass toward them.
"Hello Rachel!" Thalia called, "Nice to see you again."
"Who is her godly parent?" I asked Annabeth quietly as I watched the girl get closer and closer I started to see her tattered jeans covered with paint splatters and a t-shirt with some art exhibit name on it, also with paint splatters on it.
"Rachel is the oracle," Annabeth said simply.
As if on cue Rachel turned to me and said with an exaggerated bow, "Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Oracle of Delphi."
"Nice to meet you," I said stifling a laugh. She looked me over slowly.
"Are you a new camper?" she asked finally. Was it really that obvious or could she tell with her super oracle powers. I decided the first one.
Hazel put a solid hand on my shoulder, "Yes," she answered for me, "This is Lyra."
"Well, Lyra," Rachel said, "Which cabin are you in?" my heart twisted. Could they throw you out of camp? Because I had a pretty good reason.
Annabeth answered for me this time, "She... she didn't get claimed tonight."
What!" Rachel and Thalia almost yelled at the same time.
"But, they promised," Thalia looked at Percy, "You made them promise!"
Jason spoke for the first time, "We can't worry about it now."
"Ya, its too late," Leo chided, looking up at the full moon.
"Your right I need to get back to cabin eight," said Thalia, "Oh and Percy the Hunters will be participating tomorrow." She walked off toward the cabin I envied so much that now in the darkness shone like a silver star splattered in black water.
"Goodnight," Piper called as she followed Jason to the cabins also.
"See you tomorrow, when I will help you find some of your abilities," Hazel said to me as she dragged Frank away from Leo. Which actually wasn't hard since Leo was following Hazel back too.
The four of us stood in silence Rachel, Percy, Annabeth and I. It was dark around us yet the moon shone clear and full shedding a wired sort of light on us. It seamed like no one but me had noticed, but who was I to judge what was wired after waking up today and not knowing anything, especially the things I did know.
"So, where does this leave me?" I asked myself aloud.
Rachel answered instead, "You could sleep on the couch in my spooky oracle cave." she offered.
"That sounds good," Annabeth agreed, "Get a good nights sleep Lyra." So that was it as I walked through the grass with Rachel. She kept talking about oracle stuff, but I wasn't listening. I was watching Percy and Annabeth whisper together.
"This is bad," Percy said first, "What if she never gets claimed?"
"I don't know," Annabeth whispered back, "could this god not want to claim her for some reason?"
Percy thought for a moment then said, "Could a gods reputation be hurt?"
Annabeth looked at him, "Percy, that's brilliant!" The rest of the conversation was lost because I could no longer hear, but I didn't think I wanted to know just yet. When we reached Rachel's 'Cave' I hardly looked around just lay on the couch and put a blanket over me. That was how my first day in Camp Half-blood ended. Today.