A/N: Thanks for the support, everyone, and sorry for the long wait between chapters. Here is the next installment – lots of great characterization and some fantastic moments. Enjoy: Review, Follow, Favorite! :)

The rest of the evening went by smoothly. Katie and I were hoisted up onto the shoulders of our teammates and paraded about the camp like trophies. We spent an hour or so reliving the game to all those who had missed the important parts. It was exhilarating – I had never before received so much attention.

Eventually, however, Jordan popped into my mind again. A tidal wave of shame hit me, and unlike the water that brought us the dolphins who saved the day, this wave crushed me. I had completely forgotten about Roger and what might have happened to his friend, the boisterous nymph who had taught me rudimentary sword-fighting skills.

I managed to wriggle my way out of the circle of the thirty or so campers listening to me. As I walked toward the Big House, I noticed that the stars had come out. Remembering my second lesson with Annabeth the day before last, I tried to identify some constellations on the horizon. I saw Orion, the Big Dipper, and Zoe Nightshade, the Huntress who had fallen to her father, the Titan Atlas, two years ago. This made me sad. Although I had only known Camp Half-Blood for a few days, it had become my second home, and the friends I had made were like a family to me. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose them, let alone on a quest to rescue my mother.

While I trudged through the fields, every once in a while trodding on an overripe strawberry, a light, brighter than the rest, shined off in the distance. At first it seemed like another star, but as I approached, I realized it was much closer. Wondering who would be out here by themselves after Capture the Flag, I moved towards it, my curiosity spurring me forward. I was startled upon discovering that the light belonged to Gwen, and she was crying.

Knowing full well that I could upset her further, but at the same time worried about her, I spoke up, "Gwen, you alright?"

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Of course she wasn't alright, how could I be so insensitive.

The Hermes girl shakily raised her head, and when she saw me, though it was dark, I could have sworn she blushed, "E-Eric? Yeah, I'm f-fine, just a little worried."

She looked hysterical, 'a little worried' was an understatement. "What happened," I asked.

"It's Jordan, I think he might be...dead."

I dropped the lucky coin the Tyche campers had let me keep as a memento from the game. Astounded, my mouth gaped, "Wh-what? Roger said that if his tree was intact, he would be okay." I knew in my heart that something horrible had happened.

"You'd better come see," she said, slowly struggling to her feet.

I put out a hand to help her up, and she blushed an even deeper shade of crimson, but she accepted my help.

"Follow me," she led me through the fields toward the Big House. I had been headed there anyway, but I figured keeping her company would make her feel a bit better. I noticed she still hadn't let go of my hand, and I was not going to pull away.

As we navigated the rows of strawberries, I could see the light blue administrative structure teetering, as if balanced on a precarious cliff, in the distance. Though proud-looking, it seemed as though it were about to fall over, like it had been built on a slope. Gwen told me that when the Labyrinth collapsed last year, the resulting earthquake had caused one half of the building to sink a few inches into the ground, and Chiron had yet to find a solution.

We stepped up onto the wooden stairs, our combined weight not even enough to cause the stairs to creak. Before I could knock on the door, it swung open, and a red-faced man in a bright purple suit gestured for me to come in, his pudgy hands motioning us to hurry. Perhaps accepting a stranger's invitation was a little unwise, but considering we were within the camp's protective, magical boundaries, I didn't feel uncomfortable.

Once inside, my mouth fell open. The foyer had been transformed into a medical station, and in the center, sprawled on a mattress far too large for him, lay Jordan the nymph. He didn't look healthy, and the greenish tint to his skin had faded tremendously. Standing over him holding his hand was Roger, with tears pouring down his face. I rushed forward to console my friend, but Chiron, in his wheelchair form, rolled to a stop in front of me.

A short blue woman (not blue as in sad, I mean literally blue) in a white-beige lab coat with kind eyes and rosy lips stepped up next to him. "Greetings," she said in a sing-song voice, like the sound of air dancing across wind-chimes, "I assume you are the friends the satyr told me about."

Struck simultaneously by her motherliness and her confidence, I managed, "Er...um..."

Gwen saved me, "Yes, ma'am. We're here to see Jordan."

The woman grinned, and Chiron cleared his throat. She sighed, "Very well, Chy." Did she just call the greatest tutor of all time, a three-thousand year-old Centaur Chy? I was dumbfounded. But she continued, "Children, I am Syrinx, an immortal wind nymph and loyal follower of Artemis. Now, I must sterilize you both before you –"

Diplomacy was never my thing, I interrupted, "Weren't you chased by Pan and then transformed into reed pipes?"

I thought I was going to be blasted, but the nymph just laughed, "Why, yes. When Pan chased me, the water nymphs, some Naiads, shaped me into plants to help me avoid his advances. Pan eventually used me to make his 'pan pipes,' and so my life force is tethered to the wind instruments. I may take on human form (I didn't comment on the odd nature of her 'human' form) whenever I wish."

"Thank you very much for helping him, my lady," sniveled Roger, walking towards us.

I gave the big guy a hug but listened attentively while Syrinx explained, "the nymphs did me a great service that day, and so I must return the favor by helping others whenever I can."

As Gwen and I moved toward Jordan, Syrinx blew onto us, and, just for a moment, my world was one of song. I was light, lifted high into the air, floating with the support of the air. Then the sensation passed, and Syrinx giggled, "There you go. You've been purified and may now approach the patient."

We stood over Jordan, a gash the size of my hand in his neck, and I heard Gwen sob next to me, "I-I didn't tell you, but Jordan was like a brother to me. When I first came to camp, I didn't think I was talented enough to be a demigod, but Jordan insisted I was perfect, and he helped me develop all of my skills." A weak smile spread across her face as she reminisced.

"What could have caused this," I asked Syrinx, "Roger told me if his tree was fine, he would be too."

"And therein lies the problem," she responded, her melodious voice taking on a sadder tone, "someone tried to enchant his tree, and in so doing made it very sick."

"And the cut exacerbated it?"

She nodded, and for the first time, Chiron spoke, "The Hekate campers were told to avoid using magic on the nymphs, but it seems one of them thought he could win the game by poisoning the trees."

Gwen bristled, "In the south of the forest! We heard that the Hekate cabin was sabotaging the trees, but we never imagined it could cause this."

I put a tentative hand on her shoulder, "Will he heal?"

Syrinx looked down, "I don't know."