We all sat at our usual spot at the campfire: front seats, far left side. The reason we do this is because it's the closest distance to the speaker at the campfire and it's also the closest to the exit towards the Capture the Flag battlefield.

It took a couple of minutes for the place to fill, but when everyone got there Chiron got up and addressed the camp:

"Another productive and successful day here at Camp Half-Blood! Your cooperation through the lessons and activities are appreciated. Your actions will be rewarded by yet another game of Capture the Flag!"

Everyone cheered and whooped.

"But before we start the regular announcements and introduction of campers, let us have a moment of remembrance of one of the campers who gave their life on the battle against Kronos at New York."

Ever since the start of camp this year, it was a tradition to fully recognize a camper who fell during the battle against Kronos. The first day we recognized Luke Castellan because his sacrifice was so important. During these moments, a picture slideshow of the camper appears at the hearth, and a moment of silence follows.

Today a picture of Charles Beckondorf glowed in the hearth. The moment I saw it, chills went through my body. Beckondorf died in one of the missions I was in. He sacrificed his life for mine, blowing up the cruise ship that held a number of Kronos's forces.

The slideshow started with Beckondorf smiling in his first week of camp, then a picture of him at the camp forge. Another picture featured his promotion to Hephaestus senior counselor. The final picture showed a picture of him and Silena Beauregard smiling brightly at the camera.

The last picture made my heart sink. That was the day before Beckondorf died. And the significant thing of it all:

took the picture.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I recalled all the things Beckondorf had done for me.

Beckondorf was in Elysium now, happily living (while dead) with Silena. I knew he was in a better place.

The moment of silence followed the picture slideshow. I examined the campfire assembly. Some of them were crying, while other put their head down. The new campers didn't know Beckondorf, but they knew he was of importance..

Chiron galloped up to the main stage and smiled at the campers to comfort them, "Beckondorf was a great camper and a good leader. May we never forget him and his sacrifice."

The centaur cleared his throat, "Now to the regular announcement of the day: I'm very happy to announce that Gloriana Honsfield of the Nike cabin has completed the final class of Swordfighting III and will advance to Weapon Mastery 101. On the other hand, let's introduce a number of campers who had just come in the past week."

Chiron called the names of the new campers. From a nine year-old to an eighteen year-old they came one by one. Finally, Chiron called Alan's name.

"Alan Shepard, son of Hades, step forth."

Alan hesitantly stepped up onto the platform. He shook the hand of Chiron as he welcomed him and wished him a good time at camp. Alan thanked him and walked down the stage.

After a few more new camper introduction, Chiron approached the stage, "Campers! Now we will start the Capture the Flag games! May I call the captains up on the stage?"

As Annabeth walked up the stage, the cabins on her side applauded and cheered. She looked toward me and flashed a smug smile.

I walked up the platform and the cabins on my side cheered their approval.

Chiron chuckled, "I am quite surprised, Percy, I was expecting you and Annabeth together."

"We just needed the competition," I smirked.

Annabeth laughed, "Not much competition I'm facing, if you ask me, Seaweed Brain."

I grinned, "Oh, it's on, Wise Girl."

"Haven't you considered that your nickname for me compliments me?"

"We'll see how wise you are after the game," I said.

We shook hands and walked off the stage, this capture the flag game would be interesting.

Our team consisted of my cabin, Hades, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Apollo, Hermes, Nemesis, and a number of minor god cabins.

We had a huge advantage with the Hephaestus cabin; they knew how to make well-designed and incredibly camouflaged traps, none of them lethal, but dangerous enough to stop a hostile from playing the rest of the game. Unfortunately for us, the Zeus cabin does pretty well with their traps too. Colin almost died from one of their traps near the creek, involving a trap door and floor with well-placed spear points. Luckily, Colin was quick enough to grab the surface.

We would use half of the Apollo cabin for guerilla warfare and use the other half for defense. The Hermes and Aphrodite cabin would use their numbers to block off the big army that usually comes through the middle. The minor cabins would be used to guard the flanks and go on offense if needed. Finally, my cabin and the Hades cabin would be split into groups of two.

That was the plan we drew up at the meeting.

"One thing," Nico said, "what are the groups of two?"

I thought about it, "That's a good question."

Everyone looked at the one they would choose to be their partner.

"I'll take Alan," Nico said.

I looked at Alan, "You agree to that?"

He nodded, "I'm down for it."

"Alright then," I said. "let's start the game."

Alan's POV:

As Percy's team was marching toward the CTF starting point, Alan had no choice but to think back at the recent events that changed his life.

Everything was happening so fast for Alan. It seemed like yesterday that Hades, his father, visited Alan in the suburbs of Seattle.

He was fifteen; it was after a horrible day at school. He was expelled from his third school in the last two years. How was Alan supposed to know that throwing knives wasn't a valid weapon to use against bullies? The kids were fine, but the police had to take Alan to their headquarters to question him. After hearing the testimonies of teachers calling Alan confused and troubled, they released him.

But Alan had no parents to run back to, they were gone. No families to comfort him, they disowned him. No friends to help him out, he had no friends. Alan would use the names of neighbors to claim at his parents just so he could enroll in school. He had heard of the people who had graduated from high school and became successful and he was determined to become one of them. But because of his dyslexia and ADHD, it seemed impossible.

There was one thing that Alan loved to do in his free time: throw knives and shoot crossbows. There was an archery school where he would often watch students use bows and crossbows. Sometimes, he would sneak in and attend the classes himself and he found that he loved to do this. Year after year, he would practice in the forests, using trees as targets. And after a long time, he ended up mastering both the knives and the crossbow.

After he was expelled from his school, Alan went to the forest he trained in. In his regular spot, a clearing where trees would form a circle, he saw Hades.

At first he thought he was some guy lost in the woods. But Alan knew something else was happening after he looked deep into the man's eyes and his deepest nightmares came to life.

"Who- who are you?" Alan asked.

The man smiled, "You don't know?"

Alan shook his head.

"Think back when you were five years old." The man said.

The only thing Alan could remember was a day in kindergarten. They were digging in the sand when one kid found the remains of a dog. The teachers immediately took the bones away and left them in the trash can. Alan, being curious, looked in the trash can and picked up the bones. He remembered the bones coming to life and seeing a dog made of bones running around him. No one saw him, but he didn't forget that day.

The man nodded, "You remember. Now remember when you were thirteen and lost in that cave?"

Alan did remember. He had found a cave in the forest and went in to explore it. There were no signs of a carnivore living in there, so he just journeyed through. After going a long ways in the cave, he decided to go back, realizing he was lost. After traveling through the cave for about an hour, his instincts kicked in and his gut told him that he was near the something important. Every time he would meet a crossroads, his instincts pointed him to a certain direction and he'd go there. And before he knew it, he reached a room full of treasure chests. But the chests were of little importance, he just wanted to get out. He walked a little further and again, he found more chests. He walked further and he found the exit.

The man chuckled, "You can never get lost underground and where there is treasure, you will find it involuntarily. Alan, you know where to find the riches of the underground, and you have power over the dead, do you know what you are?"

Alan remembered his Greek mythology class in the seventh grade. Hades was the god of riches and death.

"I don't know who I am, but I know who you are: you're Hades." He said.

Hades raised his eyebrows, "You seem to accept that I exist much quicker than most."

Alan shrugged, "Not much to accept in life, anyway. I don't have much to live for."

"No," Hades said, "you have much

more to live for than most people. You are more than you know."

A shadow rippled in the corner of Alan's eye. He found himself looking at an image of him and a pale teenager fighting through a group of people in Greek armor. The image shifted and it presented him standing on the top of a skyscraper looking at a much taller skyscraper with lightning flashing around it. On top of the skyscraper was a gigantic cloud.

"What is this?" Alan asked.

No answer came from Hades, he was gone.