The missing Hearth
Disclaimer: Unfortunately we do not own PJO
Chapter 2: Zia's POV.
I awoke in the morning to the sound of my alarm, it was ringing loudly in my ear's the sound echoing off the cold dark walls. I groaned, rolled of out my bed and onto the cold wooden floor. I opened my eyes slowly, and looked around me at the dark lifeless cabin. It was such a change from the sunlight that shone into my room every morning when my alarm went off to signalise that it was time to get up. I didn't miss home, truthfully I'm glad to be away from that place. I honestly don't think I could have stayed there much longer, too many bad memories and ghosts of a happier past.
I saw a shape move in the shadows, then a voice came from the shape and said
"Morning sis"
I realised it was my new brother Nico. He walked out of the shadows dressed in black. He was carrying my favourite black off-the-shoulder top which was folded neatly in-between my grey ripped skinny jeans and my black knee high converse. He laid them down on the end of one of the neatly made beds.
"Get dressed. I'll give you a tour of camp after you're ready, but hurry up 'cause I want to show you around before breakfast." he told me, then smiled and vanished back into the shadows where he had come from, only minutes before. I was left completely alone in a strange dark, freezing cabin to get changed and to prepare for a long day ahead.
When I was dressed, I walked to the door of the cabin, took a deep breath, turned the handle and opened the door. I saw the sun was rising in the east; it must have been about 7:45 am. I glanced down and saw Nico sitting on the steps resting his head on the handrail just outside the door. When I stepped out the old wood creaked from under a new weight, Nico turned around to see the source of the noise. He looked at me and asked
"You ready?"
I sighed and replied "As ready as I'll ever be."
He rose from his spot on the steps and offered his hand to me. I took it quickly grateful from the gesture and we started walking off on our tour.
He showed me around the entire camp; it was so beautiful and so grand. It looked like it was taken straight out of ancient Greece. Nico talked and told me everything about the camp as we past through it. I listened and tried to pay attention, but my mind kept wondering. There were thousands of thoughts and situations running trough my head.
The ones that kept popping up were 'What is going to happen in the meeting after breakfast?' 'What's going to happen to me?' 'Do they think I'm some kind of monster?' 'Are they going to kick me out of camp?' I had so many questions, ones that would remain unanswered until later.
I was brought out of my thoughts by a horn blowing across the camp. I looked at Nico wondering what was happening, Nico understood my silent question
"That means its time for breakfast." he informed me.
As we walked into the pavilion, for breakfast, everyone was chatting away with the rest of their cabins. I glanced over to the Hermes table, I saw Phoenix sat awkwardly he was between two guys trying to make conversation and get to know him. Then I looked over to see Damara consumed in a conversation with a little girl and a burly guy, they were laughing and smiling, just like they had known each other for years. Nico and I went to our table at the back of the pavilion. We sat just like we had the night before, across the table from each other, then the wind started up again and everyone got the food that they desired, just like they did with dinner last night. For breakfast I had pancakes covered with syrup and black coffee. It was the best meal I had ever had! Everything tasted just how I liked it, it was absolutely perfect.
When everyone had finished their breakfast, Chiron stood and said "Good morning everyone, I hope you had a good nights sleep. Please don't forget about the game of capture the flag later, make sure you have chosen your sides." everyone started discussing the game with their cabin. Chiron had to yell so that ever one would listen "QUIET" the whole room became silent. He continued "I would like Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Phoenix, Damara and Zia. Please can all of you go straight to the big house after you have finished with breakfast."
Everyone started to leave while they were happily chatting away to each other. I just sat frozen in place. All I could do was think 'This is it. The moment of truth is soon.' Nico walked around the table, he smiled at me and asked
"Ready?"
I smiled back, nodding my head trying to look unfazed by what was going to happen in the next hour or two. I don't think I fooled him because he took my hand, squeezed it and tried to comfort my by saying
"Don't worry, I'll protect you."
it didn't really help but I thought it was sweet that he tried. So we ended up walking hand in hand to the big house, but as we left I could have sworn I heard him mutter
"I'm not loosing another sister." under his breath.
As we approached the big house I had to take in its beauty again. It was the biggest building in camp; I guess it could have been used as a temple or for the most important people and their duties. I saw Damara and Phoenix waiting outside looking uncomfortable, probably because Percy and Annabeth were there looking deeply into each others eyes, they was completely oblivious to the world around them. I made a mental note that they must be together. Then I dropped my brother's hand and ran to hug my two best friends
.
We entered the big house, Chiron was waiting in a large room, standing on the right side of a giant table next to him sat the camp director, Mr. D, and he sat at the head of the table, the place of the greatest power. We all walked in and they both looked up at us, Percy, Annabeth and Niko sat down around the table. Me, Phoenix and Damara stood awkwardly in the door way. Chiron said
"Come, you three take a seat."
he gestured to three seats at the other end of the table from them. We quietly sat down, all of us thinking the worse, but at the same time hoping for some kind of miracle to happen. We all knew one thing for sure, the meeting has begun.
The five of them continued talking for what seemed like days, but I glanced at my phone to see how long it had been, it turns out it had only been forty-five minutes since we entered this room. 'Ugh. How long is this going to take I thought.' I glanced at my best friends, we all looked sad and scared, I read the looks in their eyes, they said 'How long is this torture going to last?' at least we were all on the same page, having the same unanswered questions.
Finally the five of them turned to look at the three of us. Nico's eyes told me that they had come to a conclusion. 'This is it!' my brain screamed at me in terror. I was so scared, I just wanted to cover my ears and sing at the top of my lungs so that no matter what anyone said I wouldn't be able to hear a thing. Mr. D was the first to break the silence; he confirmed what Nico's eyes had told me
"We have come to a conclusion on what to do with you. But before we tell you our verdict, you have the right to know why and how we have come to this."
I looked around at the people in the room, they looked like the end of the world had just been decided and hell was about to be set upon the earth.
Suddenly a light, so bright that it could have blinded you if you looked at it for more than a few seconds, shone into the room from an unknown source. We all cowered and covered our eyes. When the light had died down, to a glow that could have come from a lamp, I looked around the room I was confused of where the sudden burst of light had come from. Then I saw the source, a woman so beautiful that she could have given Aphrodite a run for her money. She had a bright intriguing glow surrounding her slender figure. She opened her mouth and the most-sweetest, calmingly perfect voice I had ever heard came out and formed the words
"I am here to claim my son, Phoenix. I am Hecate, the goddess of magic, and you have my magic as an apology. This is for you my son."
she hands Phoenix a box; he opens it to reveal a silver and bronze bracelet. She continues
"I'm sorry that you've had to wait this long, but I wanted to come here in person to claim you. I hope that you won't hold it against me. I would hate to get off to a bad start."
Phoenix looked like he was about to cry, but he cleared his throat and croaked out
"Thank you so much mom. I would never hold it against you. I'm grateful that you've come."
he grinned up at his mom, he looked so proud to be claimed as her son. Hecate turned to Mr. D and Chiron
"I apologise for interrupting your meeting. Goodbye" and with that she vanished.
Mr. D again broke the silence and stated
"Now that all of you have been claimed, and two of you have received gifts from your godly parents,can we please return to what we were going to tell you?" he added sarcastically.
When he said that two of us had received gifts me and Phoenix looked at Damara she looked down and blushed we followed her gaze and saw that she had a small bag and a bow laying across her lap. 'Great' I thought 'Both my friends got a gift from their godly parents, and all I get is the knowledge that I'm a child of Hades the god of the stupid underworld!' 'This is just my luck, all my life everyone had gotten things and I get nothing!' Chiron coughed and turned his gaze to me
"Now Zia, we called this meeting because you have been claimed by Hades, one of the big three. Being a child of the big three is extremely dangerous. It will affect you, everyone around you and the gods. We have tried to stop this from happening," Chiron sighed and retold the oath that was made. "A long time ago the big three made an oath to not have anymore children with humans. Both Zeus and Poseidon have broken the oath, but now it seems that Hades has too." I glanced at Nico, he looked down at his hands quickly, knowing my question but not wanting to answer it. Mr. D butted in
"So now we have come to the conclusion that we shall allow you to go on the next quest, if chosen, to prove yourself. Then after if you return the gods shall take into consideration what happened on the quest and everything you have done, then determine what they think is best to do with you."
Chiron added "Any questions?" I cleared my throat "Do I have a choice in this?" I asked
"NO" Mr. D snapped.
