Heroes of Olympus: The Seven Gods of Death Chapter 1: The unexpected guest
A strange creature stood at Half-Blood Hill, the lower part of his body sunk in the ground. He had humanoid features but his white skin was like the bark of a tree. His eyes were leaf-green. He studied the camp intently.
"So this is the place that Lord Loki is so interested in."
He slowly sunk further in the ground as if it was quicksand. He knew well of the wards around the camp. Lord Loki had explained them thoroughly. Even though they were strong enough to protect against the strongest monsters, they were only located above ground. They had no authority over underground travel. He smirked as he move underground.
He felt proud to be of service to his master. The Badelnike family had no shortage of spies but still Lord Loki had chosen him specifically. His ability to move underground and to merge with solid objects combined with his ability to manipulate his body made him an excellent spy.
He kept moving until he was near the cabins. He then turned one of his fingers into a root. The root travel upwards until it was above-ground. He then focused his consciousness into the root, sensing his surroundings.
The vision was similar to seeing through a camera. It was flawless. No one suspected a small root. He roamed the camp for an hour, remembering each and everything; the cabins, the armory, the forge, the training ground and the forest.
He then went to where his master was waiting for him, moving underground as fast as a plane flew in the air.
A boy in his late teens was waiting in an underground chamber, sitting on a high-backed chair. The walls and ceiling were adorned with vines and moss. Behind the chair, half merged with the wall, was a huge white tree, grown of the seed that the boy's ancestor had given him.
He was startled out of his thoughts when his spy arrived. He rose out of the ground until only his legs remained underground.
"The espionage went successful, master."
The boy listened as his spy related all he had seen.
"All is going as planned. The pieces of chess are in place. Tonight we will make the first move," said the boy, more to himself than his spy.
He got up.
"Finally we will finish what my ancestors started over a millennium ago."
His form flickered and he vanished.
Annabeth suddenly woke up, a feeling of unease creeping over. She stared at the ceiling, wondering what had woken her up. It had been two years since the defeat of Gaia but she was still haunted by nightmares.
However, this hadn't been a nightmare. She was having a strangely pleasant dream when she had suddenly woken up.
She didn't have to look far for the answer. She tried to sit up and nearly got a heart-attack. Sitting in front of her bed was a boy about her age, wearing a black over-coat, his face hidden in the shadows.
She reached for her sword but it wasn't there. She then looked back at the intruder, noticing that her sword lay at his side.
Damn. She was trapped.