Hey everyone, i know its been a really long time since my last update and I'm really sorry for the delay.
I was suffering from a real nasty writers block:( my other story You Raise Me Up will also have an update soon.
Sebastian and I climbed down from Mrs. O'Leary before she
went running up the hill and disappeared. We both climbed up the path
in comfortable silence. "So the Strawberry Farm is just a cover for
the camp?" "Ohh, no we actually have strawberry fields down at the
camp, its what pays for all the supplies at camp. Its the only place
you'll get fresh strawberries all year round. Well here we are."
I was so engrossed in listening what Sebastian was saying and
looking at him that I didn't realize we had reached the top of the
hill. Below us lay a beautiful valley lush green meadows, a serene
looking lake, green forest, the beach, a amphitheater and weirdest
assortment of buildings I'd ever seen.
"Welcome to camp Half Blood." Sebastian announced proudly. Near to
where we were standing a creature lay wrapped around a pine tree it
was so near I wonder why I didn't see it earlier? "I-is th-that a
dragon?" I asked. Wasn't it supposed to be the safest place? And they
had such a huge dragon lying around without any restraints? "Yeah
that's Pleaues. He guards the Golden fleece on Thalia's pine." That's
when I noticed the golden wool hanging from one of the lower branches
of the tree. "Why is it called Thalia's pine?" I asked curious as that
was an odd name. And anyway who would name a tree?
We walked down the hill as Sebastian explained that Thalia a
daughter of Zeus was turned into a tree to keep her from dying and how
after the Golden Fleece was placed she had turned back human. Maybe
the whole story sounded like a legend or that Sebastian was trying to
play a joke on me but I couldn't help but believe him. We made our way
towards what Sebastian said was the Big House.
It was a big four-storey manor painted baby-blue with a
white trim and a wraparound porch. It looked as if it had come out of
a summer homes catalog. As we climbed up the stairs a man in a wheel
chair came towards us. "Ah, so this is the demigod." The man said
looking at me as if I was an interesting specimen in a laboratory.
"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, I'm Chiron, camp's activities director."
He said extending his hand.
"Blaine Anderson, Sir." He said. "A polite young man, but no need to
call me Sir, everyone around here just calls me Chiron. So do you know
who your godly parent is?" He asked. "No, till yesterday I believed
that both my parents who I live with are my real parents." "Don't
worry, we'll find out soon. Sebastian here tells me that you were
never been attacked by monsters before. That's odd, very odd indeed if
you had been using mortal technology."
As we walked with Chiron to the other side of the house
overlooking the strawberry fields I saw a plump man sitting at a table
in a recliner wearing a leopard print shirt over purple sweat pants
talk about weird. He had a pudgy face which seemed to have a permanent
blush and beady eyes which seemed to have small purple fire burning in
it which regarded him with distaste. "Another brat? This one seems a
bit old." He said looking at Chiron. "Blaine, this is Mr. D, the camp
director." Chiron said. As I stepped ahead to introduce myself he made
a gesture with his hand to shoo me off saying something like "Don't
bother." While he sipped a drink from his diet coke can.
"Don't worry about it Blaine, Mr. D is always unfriendly."
Sebastian said. "Ah, old barnacle beard's brat. A pain in the arse,
just as his brother is. Aren't you supposed to be in school afterall
it took a lot of effort to do the damage control after what happened
to your last. Sometimes it seems your more trouble that your brother
Peter."
"Don't worry Mr. D, not here to cause trouble just escorting
Blaine safely to camp." "One more of you lot is trouble enough." Mr. D
muttered. Chiron cleared his throat. "Aren't you going to welcome our
new camper Mr.D" Chiron said. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, Blair. Its
good to have you here I guess. The forest is off limits unless you are
armed and if you want to lessen my trouble you are free to enter it
unarmed. Other things Chiron and Steven here will explain, now get
going." He said in a bored tone dismissing us.
"Mr. D is always grumpy. He doesn't like being here at Camp,
his father sent him here as punishment for chasing an off limits wood
nymph." Sebastian said as we walked away from the house. Chiron had
stayed back to talk to Mr. D who Sebastian explained was Dinoyuses the
god of wine. "So who I just met was an Olympian god?" I said in
wonder. "Yeah, the shock will wear of in some time. All feel a bit
overwhelmed for some time but then it becomes normal." He said as we
walked towards the buildings which were arranged to resemble the greek
letter 'omega'.
Sebastian explained that each cabin represented a god and
the children of a particular god stayed in that cabin. We started the
tour of the cabins with the two majestic white ones in the center
which belonged to Zeus and Hera. Then we came to what Sebastian said
was Poseidon's cabin. That's were Sebastian stayed while he was at
camp. It wasn't magnificent or anything but it had a welcoming and
homely feel to it.
We walked around the cabins stopping on our way whenever we
came across someone. Sebastian explained that camp was the only home
some of the kids had because their human parent was dead or didn't
want a freak child as demigods often attracted all sorts of danger. He
even told me that some of them had ran away from their homes. "So what
about you? You stay with your mother?" I asked as we passed a cabin of
gleaming gold, which looked even more magnificent in the sun.
"No, my mother died when I was five." Sebastian said.
"Ohh, I'm so sorry." Feeling bad to have brought it up. "Don't be.
Like I said I was small I don't even remember her properly. I live
with my brother Percy. He's the one who raised me along with Annabeth,
that's his wife and Sally and Paul they are Percy's mom and step-dad
they are like my parents too. They are my family." Sebastian said.
"And dad too. Its not like he always gets to visit but he's always
watching over us."
"So you have met your dad?" I asked amazed. The idea of my
father being a god was something I couldn't wrap my head around and
meeting him? I hadn't even thought about that. "Yeah, he visits us on
our birthdays's and I meet him whenever I accompany Percy or Tyson to
Atlantis."
As we walked passed cabin no. 12 we came to the gloomiest of
all cabins it was quieter than even the Hypnos' cabin. It was a
majestic window less cabin built of black onyx. The copper doors were
decorated in intricate patterns and embellished with jewels of all
kinds. The door knobs were skulls carved from diamonds with sparkling
black gems in the eye sockets. The black onyx pillars on the either
side of the door were carved to look like legs of a beast which met at
the top of the door to form the three heads of a cerebrus a dog with
three heads like I'd read about in the Harry Potter books, it seemed
to be guarding the entrance to the cabin and its red ruby eyes seemed
to be following us as we moved. There were a pair of skeletal warriors
lined on either side of the legs of the cerebrus holding scythes.
Though they stood as still as stones I couldn't shake the feeling that
they were alert and as alive as me and Sebastian. Curiosity got the
best of me and I put my hand forward the touch the gleaming diamond
handles the door seemed to heavy and yet opened with ease but I
couldn't get a proper peek inside as Sebastian yanked me back. "Its
Hades' cabin you can't just walk in there. We are lucky those skeletal
warriors didn't attack they usually do if anyone even goes near the
doors." Sebastian sounded angry and it made me feel really bad that
didn't make sense as I was very much used to being yelled at even for
the smallest of mistakes by my dad or maybe he wasn't my real father
but then I could be my mom who wasn't my real parent but somehow that
seemed very hard to believe but maybe I'm just thinking so as I look
more like my mother than my father or maybe just cause my dad's very
harsh towards me cruel even. He wasn't like that with my brother
Cooper he was always nice to him he always loved Cooper best.
"I'm sorry for yelling but its dangerous B, you can't just go
around when you can't defend yourself." Sebastian was saying. "Its
okay, I know but curiosity got the best of me." I said. "And speaking
of defending yourself you'll need a weapon." Sebastian says. I have no
idea where he's planning to find weapons like I saw them all use back
at Dalton in a summer camp for kids but I think its best to not
question it as stranger things have happened today than having deadly
weapons in a summer camp. He takes my hand leading me towards what
looks like a garden shed. I don't know how effective a shovel or maybe
a weed cutter will be against a drakon.
When we enter the garden shed I'm dumbfounded. As it is not a
garden tool shed but what Sebastian announces as one of the weaponry
of the camp. There are various kinds of weapons on the walls and
tables and boxes scattered around the place. "So do you thing you can
use any of these weapons without much practice? Cause there's no time
to train you and we have get back to Dalton tomorrow or people will
suspect especially your nosy room-mate." Sebastian says as he scans
the room picking up random objects. "I fence. I can handle many kinds
of small swords and I'm being trained in combat since I was eight." I
say. "That training will only help when we are having capture the flag
or a actual battle and none of them are a possibility in the near
future but you can't go around Dalton carrying a saber. You need
something concealable which you can carry around at all times." He
says as he drops an assortment of knives, daggers guns and other
variety of weapons. "But you and Hunter carry swords. Can't I get one
like those?" Sebastian lets out a chuckle at the question but I don't
get what's so funny. "Mine and Hunter's swords are concealed with
magic. My sword is designed such as I can carry it around as a ring."
Sebastian says holding up his left hand which has the bronze ring
adorning his middle finger. "And Hunter's turns into a coin just like
his brother's he got it from his father when he became praetor and I
got mine on my 16th birthday. These are really uncommon weapons they
were made at special requests." "Ohh, so I'll have to do something to
get one of these?" I ask. "Depends on who your parent is. Not all
parents gift their children weapons but its usually useful stuff and
those gifts are always special as its not often you get something from
a god." Sebastian was saying as he digs around to find a few more
knives.
"So what about a gun?" He says holding it up to me. I take it
and realize it much more heavier than people in movies make them look.
"Its a Smith & Wesson M&P pistol easy to hide and easy grip it should
comfortable for you." He handed it to me and I wasn't expecting it to
be heavy and nearly dropped it. Well guns definitely weren't his
style.
After playing around a bit with a few more of the weapons
Sebastian had selected we couldn't find something I was comfortable
with. Sebastian was rummaging through the boxes and trunks filled with
weapons and told me I was free to take a look as well.
I was looking around a few boxes in the back when I saw the tip
of a thin blade sticking out from under one of the trunks. I pushed
the trunk aside to revel a long, narrow knife would be roughly the
length of my forearm. It looked old like really old. The blade had
lost its shine and the wooden handle was missing a piece. It looked
like it had seen better days. The blade reminded me of the mini
version of a épée. That could do.
I picked it up and after a few strokes it seemed to really
balance in my hand this could really do. "Hey Sebastian I think I
found something." Sebastian turned to look at me confused as I waved
the new found blade at him. "Where did you find that?" He asked.
"Under the trunk. Anyways it seems fine." I said as he took the blade
from me inspecting it. "Except it'll need polishing and a new handle.
I know someone who can take care of that. Come on." Sebastian said. We
walked over to what I guess is the Hephaestus cabin as. "Hey
O'Connor." Sebastian called through the intercom placed near the big
circular metal door. After some time the vault door opened it was made
of thick metal. It opened with a lot of gears turning and smoke
hissing. Reminded me of a space ship opening.
The guy who came walking outside looked like he had just
walked out of the garage. He was wearing ill fitting blue jeans
covered in grease along with a baggy orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt
also covered in grease and sweat and carrying a wrench. "How you doin'
Smythe?" He said giving Sebastian a one armed hug. He looked older
than most kids I'd seen here. But he was definitely one of the
handsomest here. Even with all the grease smudged on his face with
light tan and blonde curls he looked really handsome. His eyes were a
pale blue and very captivating and I must have been staring as soon as
I looked into his eyes I realized they were staring right back at me.
"So who's this?" "I'm Blaine. Blaine Anderson." I said extending my
hand. He wiped his hands on a rag he must have got out of his back
pocket before shaking mine. "Paul O'Connor. Cabin Nine Counselor.
Welcome to Camp Anderson." "Thanks." I said. "So what made you disturb
me while I was working on fixing that shit old car I bought?" "Its
still being fixed?" Sebastian laughed. "You've been doing it since the
beginning of summer. That's the longest you've taken to fix anything.
And its just a car." "You can laugh all you want. But when you see my
baby your all gonna cry. Its gonna turn out way better than oldie you
drive." "Don't call her that. She's a classic. Anyways I'm here for a
really small favor. Can you fix this knife for Blaine here." Sebastian
said showing him the dagger.
"Ahh, a Misericorde. Where did you find one of these?" Paul asked
inspecting the knife. "In the shed. Well can you?" "Definitely, be
done in bout 20 minutes. Its a smaller version of the original weapon.
I've never seen one before. They say Beckendorf had one like that."
Paul said. He sounded a bit sad. "I'll get this done. Give it to you
at dinner." He turned and walked inside.
"Who was he talking about?" I asked. "Charles Beckendorf, he
died in the Titan War. All the Hepasteus kids look up to him.
Especially Paul. He wasn't even around when Beckendorf was alive but I
guess its cause they are so similar. Their lives I mean. Both of them
grew up on camp. Paul's here since he was four. You know Beckendorf's
story was what inspired Paul to go to college. He didn't want to go as
he's never been out of camp much before that in the mortal world. But
Beckendorf couldn't make it, he died before he started college."
"Is this the same war you told me about? The one which
happened in New York?" I asked having heard a few stories last
night."Yeah, the same but he died while he and Percy were trying to
take down the enemy cruise." "The enemy had a cruise to attack?" I
asked cause it definitely sounded funny to me. "Yep, Kronos is quiet a
showoff." We talked some more about the war or rather Sebastian talked
and I listened. All the things he told sounded really exciting.
But its hard to believe it actually happened.
Sebastian showed me around camp and we both changed into
orange camp t-shirts Sebastian said it would be better if I didn't
want to attract attention at dinner. The last place we went to was the
canoe lake. I and Sebastian were sitting at the grassy shore as the
sun set over the Long Island Sound, I tried to wrap my head around all
what happened today. My life had changed upside down within a day. I
was almost captured by a fury. I shadow-traveled on a hell hound.
Everything I'd known all my life was true. One of my parents were not
my real parent. I wasn't a normal human. I was a half-god. Was my
brother even my real brother? Was all this even real? As impossible as
it was to believe...and water was splashed on me. "Sebastian!" I
growled.
"Hey not me its them." He said pointing at the lake where two
girls were underwater staring up at us and seemed to be giggling. "Who
can they stay underwater for so long?" "They are dyrads, water nymphs.
You want to try it?" Sebastian asked. "Try what?"
"Underwater tour of the lake?" "What?" I squeaked. "Come on. It'll be
fun." He got up and pulled me up as well dragging me towards the
water. "No Seb, I don't wanna get wet. Please." I begged. "You won't
get wet." Was he crazy? "How can I not get wet when I'm in water?"
"Trust me." He said before pulling me inside with him. I felt
the cool sensation of water hitting me. In my entire life I've been at
swimming pools only when its a absolutely necessary. Like during gym
class and Dad's obligatory summer pool parties otherwise I tend avoid
pools or any other water bodies. I had my eyes closed and breath held
as Sebastian swam and dragged me along while I tried my best to swim
with one of my hand held in Sebastian's. "You can open your eyes you
know. And no need to hold you breath." Sebastian spoke. How did he
speak underwater?
I opened my eyes panicking and realized that Sebastian was
standing at the bottom of the lake breathing normally and totally dry.
"What? How?" I stammered out as I tried to breath normally though it
was a bit difficult for my brain to register I could breath normally
underwater. "I'm the son of the sea-god, you seem to have forgotten
that little bit of info." He smirked. Ohh. "Is that why you are not
wet?" "You aren't either." Sebastian chuckled. Yeah maybe it was funny
I didn't realize that I wasn't soaking wet yet. As we were swimming
back to the surface a conch horn sounded at a distance. "Dinner time."
Sebastian said as he dragged me to the Dining Pavilion. I guess he
just didn't realize that our hands were still intertwined as we walked
together and he explained to me how meals went around here.
