Chapter 3: A New Weapon
A/N: Sorry for the consfusion NoTearsFalling. First off, New Rome is the city in which demigods live in after fighting as a camper for ten years. New Rome is a place of refuge for retired campers, nature spirits, legacies, and minor gods. And sorry if it is confusing, but sometimes I refer to Camp Jupiter as New Rome. Technically they're not the same, so for now on, I'll keep the difference in my writing. Second, Dakota is wolf, not a demigod. The wolves can communicate telepathically, because obviously, they can't actually talk aloud. Lastly I don't know I said it wrong, but I was implying he was helpless. I guess the only other way I could of put it was, "He was entirely helpless." I don't usually make A/N at the beginning, but I wanted to answer your questions.
*Currently Perseus is now 5 years of age*
Over the next few months after the battle with Lycaon, the pack was tense. Everyone was on the lookout for danger, always looking over their shoulders on hunts. At night they would have a couple guards on the boundaries to ensure safety at all times.
They waited for an attack for six months, but it never came. The emptiness of the lack of attack on the wolves was unsettling. Eventually Lupa had to call off the constant guarding of the boundaries. However, they were still all paranoid, nobody had forgotten Snow's death.
*Line Break*
Jason and Perseus had come to the age of five, rather rapidly as the wolves looked back on it. Though tough to get through Perseus's almost constant fits, Dakota and Aiyana had successfully made it through the baby and toddler years.
Now however, both of the young boy's had come to the age of the start of their training. When Perseus and Jason learned that they would be choosing their weapons today, both of them started bouncing up and down like they were going to the toy store. Little did Dakota know his troubles ahead.
"Perseus, focus and choose a weapon already." Dakota said with an exasperated sigh.
"But there is so many choices, there is hunting knives, and two-handed swords, and spears, and…." the youth trailed off.
"You've held nearly every weapon in the shed! You've tested the weights on all of the weapons, yet nothing seems to satisfy you." exclaimed Dakota in frustration.
"I think I have an idea as to solve both of your complaints." a new voice said as Lupa entered the conversation. She tended to stay in her human form, because she acted as a sort of motherly figure towards the boys. "We don't have quite the armory here, because wolves don't need weapons." she said as she wrinkled her nose at the sad pile of weapons that had almost never felt the warmth of wielder's hand.
"In order to satisfy Perseus rather picky taste, I happen to know the location of the best armory on the whole west coast." Lupa said pridefully. When this reached Perseus's ears, his eyes lit up like fireworks. "Where?! Where?!" Perseus asked excitedly.
Lupa gave him a stern look and said, "It is not a place where you can run around and touch whatever you like. We must go there in secrecy, for we cannot let our enemies learn of your existence."
Putting a somber look on, he nodded his head. Even though he wasn't old enough to remember what had happened, he had heard the story enough to know it's severity. The attack from Lycaon was a sore spot of topic for everyone in the pack.
Just then a certain blue eyed demigod with short blonde hair came into view. "Ooooooo, can I come along?!" Jason asked, jumping up and down.
"You can come along with us too, don't worry. However, we will go when it is dark, when we are concealed by the secrecy of night."
With this Lupa was off to check up on the oh-so-great armory, a.k.a. Camp Jupiter. She would find out how the guards there worked, and sneak in with the boys later that night.
Once out of view, Perseus leaned towards his mentor and asked innocently, "Do they have even more kinds of weapons where we is going tonight?"
"You never stop, do you kid?" sighed Dakota.
*Line Break*
For the next few hours, Perseus and Jason were two balls of pure energy. They couldn't wait to get there hands on some quality weapons, and to see more choices.
When the sun had slipped under the horizon just under an hour ago, Lupa arrived to take the boys.
"Alright, it is necessary that you both stay quiet when I say, stop when I say, and follow my every command. We must be quick and stealthy. Also, we are on a limited time journey. Do you understand, Perseus?"
"Yes." he said with all the seriousness that the five year old could muster.
"Alright then, close your eyes, and don't open them until I say so." commanded Lupa. After ensuring that both of the boy's eyes were closed, she unleashed her godly form. Even with their eyes shut tight, the light was still intense.
"You can open your eyes now." Lupa whispered. Once their eyes were adjusted to the darkness, they both took in their surroundings. They sat at the bottom of a big hill, and on the top was a large building, lined with torches along the walls. The architecture was that of ancient Rome, and had several entrances into it.
"Follow me close, and don't stop unless I specifically say to." instructed the voice of Lupa.
And off they were, racing stealthily up the hill to the big building. Just as they got to the building, Lupa made the boys press their bodies tight against the building. Luckily for them, the torches weren't too many as to leave no dark spots along the wall. There was just enough torches to connect the light in front of the building, but left triangles of darkness along the wall.
Darting between the wedges of black, they made their way to the nearest door. Just as they neared the door, Lupa snapped her head up, and opened the door, hastily shoving the boys in, and closing the door swiftly.
Her hand was off the door, but still in the motion of taking her hand back when a feminine guard rounded the corner. The guard jumped, taken by surprise at the appearance of a figure in the light, and swung her sword upwards on instinct.
Lupa dodged the swing with little difficulty, and raised her eyebrows at the guard.
"Oh, my apologies Lady Lupa, you startled me. Not to be rude, by why do you happen to be here?" she asked as she lowered her weapon into a less threatening position.
"Decided to come check up on New Rome, as it has been a while, and I was on my way out. Sorry to startle you."
"It's all right Lady Lupa, besides it's always my pleasure to see you." with this the guard turned on a dime, and walked around the corner in which she had come.
With a sigh of relief, Lupa turned back, and snapped the door open, only to have two young boys come tumbling out of it. "Were you eavesdropping?" she asked slowly.
"Noooooooo, we tripped and fell." Perseus was already on his way to mastering the art of lying. While he said this, he looked up at Lupa with big green puppy dog eyes.
With a smirk she urged Perseus and Jason into the dark building. Once the door was closed, the glow of the torches extinguished on the inside, the room glowed all around. The golden glow of celestial bronze weapons lighting up the room.
The look on Perseus's face was pure awe, as with Jason, both struck dumbfounded at the sheer volume of the weapons. After a few seconds though, Jason and Perseus went darting around the room, taking in the sight, and inspecting every new weapon.
As usual, Jason made his choice a while before Perseus did. He chose a spear, one that had two points sticking out from either side, below the point of the spear. Thus making a cross near the top of the spear, allowing him to latch onto his enemies, or impale them in three different ways. Along with his spear, he chose two hunting knives, each of which had holsters that strapped onto each thigh.
Perseus was still looking for his choice of a weapon, as Jason was experimenting with his new ones. He was walking by a cabinet in the corner when an especially bright glow caught his eye. He reached toward the cabinet door, and opened it wider, the door's hinges squeaking in protest.
Inside was a medium sized sword, covered in dust. He took it out and blowed the dust off, testing it out with a few quick twists of the wrist. It felt like no other sword compared, it was light in his hand, but was heavy in reality, the reason it felt light to him, was because the sword was the perfect balance of weight.
"I think I found the one, Lupa!" shouted Perseus excitedly. On closer inspection, he found the inscription Anaklusmos down at the bottom of the sword, right above the handle. He didn't know how he knew it, but somehow he knew it meant 'Riptide'.
"Well, don't idle children, we must make haste, we have already spent as much time here as we can." Lupa whispered urgently, as she grabbed both of the boys hands. Jason and Perseus both closed their eyes, remembering Lupa's warning from last time. After seeing both of their eyes closed, Lupa's aura flared yet again, and they were transported back to their pack.
"Dakota! Dakota! Look at my new weapon!" Perseus shouted after realizing where he was. By now almost all of the wolves were asleep, and most growled at the intrusion of their sleep.
"You must refrain yourself from shouting, child. Remember what happened last time Sloan awakened from your shouting?" Dakota said as he scolded the child.
Jason was about to shout to Aiyana about his experience at the armory too, but refrained himself after Dakota's scolding.
Violently nodding his head, Perseus stayed calm and quiet. Nothing would make him forget that experience. He decided his story could wait till morning as he and Jason went to lay in their cots that Lupa had gotten for them for their third birthday.
Soon the camp was quiet once again, and the peaceful group slept into the night.
A/N: Thanks so much for your replies everyone, I really appreciate the feedback. So I skipped to when Perseus is the age of five, and will probably be doing a few more time skips, but not after the age of 12. I know this isn't my best chapter yet, but I started band camp a couple days ago, and I'm busier now. I'm gonna be busy with band throughout next week, so probably some slower updates, but I promise I'll work some in. Who do you think the 'employer' is? I promise for a longer chapter soon. And if you have any criticism, ideas, or just comments on the story please review! Until next time…..
Disclaimer: Rick Riordan owns the Percy Jackson series. I make no money from this story.