Disclaimer: It still has to be said? This is chapter 12 for salmon's sake! Salmon's sake...? You see? This is what multiple disclaimers this far into the story do to me! I'm forced to search for clever wordplay and substitutes for swear words and I come up with stupid things like "salmon's sake"! You already know that I own only the OC's and a few parts of the plot as this is a widely used theme. Also, did you know disclaimers are supposed to be used to claim your content not unclaim what's not yours? At least, that's what my research turned up...
Camp Half-Blood, August 6th.
Annabeth's PoV
It had been four days since we found out that Ryan was actually Percy. Four days since we all agreed on a course of action. Four days since he had that wierd zone-out.
And we still hadn't confronted him. Four days, and not one word of it.
Someone, I had long forgotten who, thought it would be a good idea to wait and see if he told us himself. He obviously wasn't going to be doing so anytime soon. In fact, he seemed keen on making us rethink our assumption. Which only made me think it him more. Percy could be smart, but he wasn't thinking through the fact that him acting worse to us made us suspect him more. I was an Athena kid, after all.
But now? Now it was time to put the first part of the plan into action.
We were going to the base Order had set up in Russia. How? Probably the way the soldiers had arrived.
A bright/dark portal of swiliness.
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts as Percy came into my vision.
"We need to talk to him." Thalia said beside me.
"Yeah, it's obvious that he's not coming to us about it anytime soon." I replied, sighing.
Thalia grinned at me. "Then let's go."
She took off in Percy's direction, and I ran after her.
"So, Ryan." Thalia greeted.
"Yes, hello to you too, annoying hunter girl. Arachniphobia." He greeted, barely glancing up from his... was that a book?!
"What are you reading?" I asked almost increduously. All the times I had tried to get the boy to read and now he was?!
He then did look up, almost as if he didn't realize we were here before.
"Oh, yeah. Noah ran by a bookstore three days ago. He finished the series already, but he said I should read it. It's good, actually." He replied almost shyly.
Thalia shook her head. "Anyways, anything you want to tell us?"
Percy looked like he remembered something. "That's right! I did wander into this vicinity with a reason. Just to tell you campers that if any hostages are taken in the near battle, we will help to get them back. Every other planet seems to think of Chaos's soldiers as heartless, cold, destroyers." Then he turned and walked away.
"Gee, I wonder why?" A sarcastic, yet cold voice said behind us.
We both turned, expecting to see Nico, but instead saw another soldier.
"Uh, it's Alex, right?" I asked, not quite sure.
"Yeah, why?" He asked us.
Thalia snorted. "You sounded like Nico."
Alex's eyes brightened in understanding.
"Oh, yeah, sorry. My voice changes sometimes if I'm not too careful." He told us.
"How does that work?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, I did originally get born in The Void, but my family moved out, why, I have no clue. They went to Earth, but put me up for adoption. They planet they originally came from was about half-poplated with people who could change their voice at will. When I was twelve I noticed my voiced wasn't changing quite like others, and I freaked until Chaos made a house-call." Alex explained, checking his watch afterwards.
"Well, I gotta go help with the transport. See you two in battle. Don't die!" He yelled as he ran away.
"Well, that was interesting, but we got nowhere." I sighed, pinching my nose.
"Then let's try again after the battle, look like it's almost time." Thalia told me before running off to the other hunters.
Slowly, I approached the other campers.
True to the situation, those who were fighting had armor on and weapons in hand.
"Annabeth!" A voice called. My half-brother, Mason, ran up to me.
"You remeber the plan, right?"
I rolled my eyes. "Of course I do."
Perseus's PoV:
This was it. We were about to be teleported away by Chaos to Base One.
"Soldiers, you know the plan. Sections One and Five will go in undetected while Sections Two, Three, Four, and Six will be a distraction in the front. Campers will come in as a second wave, half of them going with Sections One and Five." Chaos announced. "I wish you all the best of luck."
And Percy. Stay safe. Come back from this mission.
Perseus rolled his eyes. Like I would miss the opportunity to steal David's bicuits afterwards.
Another disembodied voice drifted into Perseus's head. What about my biscuits?
The three males all looked at each other before sighing. Telepathy could get messy sometimes...
Nothing, David. Focus, man! Perseus thought to him.
David nodded, earning a few odd looks.
We need to broadcast our thoughts on smaller waves. Chaos suggested.
Good idea, Chay.
I told you never to call me that again. It was a mistake, I admit that. But, please, Perseus, don't.
I smirked, also earning some odd looks.
And don't worry. This'll go just fine.
I didn't get an answer after that.
Most of the battles I'd been in were fine. The highest number of casualties was an exact tie betweeen my first war and a war taking place on Almandor, which was a huge rebellion we aided with.
The portal began to glow, so dark it was blinding. It's an odd description, but that was Chaos for you. He defies description. He's ultra powerful, yet he takes the form of a seventeen year old, when an adult form would be taken more seriously. He was friends with his soldiers. Yet, if someone was to become traitorous, he would give no mercy and waste no time. Recruits have a hard time wrapping thier heads around him. I did, too.
Before I knew it, I was wishing I had a better jacket.
The generic army uniform was built for combat:light and thin, except for where the armor peices connecteed. And it was all black.
It was built for sweat and heat. Not the vast, freezing temperature of where we were now.
If I was told to, I would guess there wasn't any civilization for miles apon miles. Everything was snow-covered.
"Hide your tracks." Chaos ordered. "Separate like the plan goes. Sections One and Five should set off to their stealth position now. All campers under an even numbered cabin, go with them."
I froze. That meant... Annabeth.
I swallowed, turning to look behind me. Members of Section One and Five were crowded, as well as a multitude of campers.
Annabeth was looking right at me, a dtermined look on her face. She looked angry... yet there was something else in her eyes. Not intelligence, not fear. In fact, I had never thought I'd see it in her eyes again.
I cleared my throat. "Right. Let's get to work."
Then, I turned around, marched through the snow, and brushed a hand through my brown hair. Brown.
Once apon a time, it was black. And my eyes were green, not blue. Even after 28 years, I hadn't gotten used to it.
The snow was falling heavily, now. I lifted my face up, just enjoying the feeling of it touching down.
I gave myself the last reminiscence I always give myself before a battle.
As of now, this war officially starts. As soon as the others charge the front, these games will really begin.
I grinned a little, white mist leaving my mouth.
This was what I had joined for, really. The promise of battle, of fighting. If my bliss at camp hadn't been broken, I wouldn't have realized how much I'd missed it.
I can't wait.
A/N: Yes, this is short. Yes, you've been waiting longer than this is worth. Yes, you are rightfully angry. Hopefully, though, in this new year, I'll pick up the slack.
As always, I'm sorry for not proof-reading this. I should really start on that.
Thank you, to everyone who has commented/reviewed. Thank oyu to everyone who has stayed with me in this sroy, which I started over a year ago.
Yours in demigodishness, and all that, and as always, until next time! *cheesy salute*
