I just realized that this story is 33 followers away from having 100 followers! THAT IS AMAZING! A huge thank you to everyone who actively read this story. I love every one of my followers and favoriters! I get so excited when I see the email that someone had added this story to their favorites/follow. In April this story will be 2 years old. Two years to get through two books! I really need to update more often. . . I really do hope you are enjoying this story and Chloe's character.
If any of you are Tumblr check out my blog I made for this story: ademigodsecrets. I created it over a year ago however there isn't much on there. I mostly reblogged any headcaons that I think will be part of this story or inspiration for it. I also created some of the characters using an anima type generator. If you all like it, I will post more stuff there more often. Maybe my own headcanons, or more my own aesthetic stuff, like the one I did of Chloe's room. Who knows. I will think of stuff to post there if you want me to have it active.
I'm thinking about creating a Spotify playlist for this story. If I do then you can find it on that Tumblr. Maybe I can do that for the two year anniversary. . .
Next chapter will be the end of Book Two! Yay! I'm not going to do book three imminently. I'm going to do some snip bit of the Summer. I have always wondered what that summer was like for camp with Thalia back to life. So that will be fun to write.
As always I do not own the Percy Jackson series but Chloe is my OC.
For a few moments it felt like time had frozen. Luke stopped his pacing, his wild eyes focused on Percy and I. My eyes danced around to take in our full surroundings. Surrounding us where monsters and demigods waiting and watching. They clearly weren't going to make the first move but weren't going to run away either. Behind the group in front of us was the fountain we had used for the Iris-message. The pool was behind the group of monsters to my right.
Tyson was also to my right standing in an awkward fighting stance facing the monsters. With no formal training he seem more like trying to copy what he had seen at camp. He keeps looking over at Percy and I waiting to see if we will be starting fighting. I knew that with no actual training Tyson could still defend himself well and protect our backs.
Grover was next to Percy on my left. He seemed scared but still ready for whatever was to come. From what Percy had told me Grover did well in his fighting on their quest for the Master Bolt. I had never seen Grover actually fight anything so I unsure about what Grover could actually do. Behind the line of demigods to the left of Grover was the side of the boat and the dock.
We would need to escape that way. I try to recognize any of the demigods and gage how good of a fighter they are but I couldn't. Most helmets blocking their faces but for those that didn't I didn't recognize their faces. Luke most likely found them before they could go to camp. Their fighting stances weren't perfect but still shows they had some type of training.
Even though I had the Fleece healing me, and was in the ocean water for who knows how long, I was still weak from my injuries. I could maybe use the fountain or the pool to distract our enemies but they would weaken me too much to fight. I couldn't just stand back and watch though. There has to be something I could do. . .
"You can never win a fight against me Percy," Luke said. "You and I both know that. So does your sister it seems. She has been eyeing a way to escape. Don't worry Chloe, your death will be quick."
"I can say the same for you Luke." I told him.
"One on one, Luke." Percy said, stepping forward. "What are you afraid of?"
Luke curled his lip. "I already told you last summer Percy. You can't bait me into a fight."
"And you keep avoiding one," Percy counter. "Scared your warriors will see you get whipped?"
Luke glanced at his make-shift army. Percy had him trapped. Should Luke back down he would look weak. If he fight Percy he will lost time chasing after Clarisse and the Fleece. It was brilliant and I knew Annabeth would even approve of it. However, Luke was an expert at sword fighting. Percy was also amazing with Riptide but I had my doubts if he could win this fight.
Before either of them could make a decision, Argius burst onto the deck with a pegasus. He was a beautiful solid black, with large raven wings. He was bucking and whining wildly, calling Agrius and Luke some of the worst name I ever heard.
"Sir!" Agrius called, dodging a kicking hoof. "Your steed is ready!"
"Hold him for a moment." Luke said. "I got pest control to do." Luke raised his weapon. Backbiter glisten with an arura of evil gray and golden light— the human steel fighting against the celestial bronze. It was unnatural and deadly. I got the feeling that someone had to have died to make such a horrible sword.
Luke lunged. His sword went under Percy's arm, slashing though my brother's shirt leaving trail of blood there. Percy jumped back, then counterattacked with Riptide, but Luke blocked with his shield.
"My, Percy," Luke chided. "You're out of practice."
Luke Lunged again, but Percy jumped bac into the swimming pool. Luke's men had back away from the fight giving Percy a clear way to the water. He blast a funnel of water in Luke's face. The force knocked him to the ground but he quickly was back up on his feet. Luke slashed at Percy's leg, leaving a large gash on his thigh. Percy dropped to the ground and rolled away from Luke's next attack.
"Percy!" I yelled.
Luke walked slowly over to my brother as he crawled to the pool, his leg leaving a trail of blood on the deck. I went to take an surprise attack on Luke, his back was too me, but suddenly a large furry hand wrapped around my neck, lifting me up off the ground. I dropped Rapids and clawed at the hand, gasped for breath. My legs kicking wildly but the hand didn't loosen. I faintly heard Grover and Tyson shouting but my heart was pounding in my ears.
"He-he! He-he!" The bear man laughed in my ear lifting me higher. Suddenly his grasp weakens and dropping me to the deck. I fell on my knees gasping for breath. I reached for Rapids and held tightly to for comfort of having it back in my hands. Oreius fell next to me, a red-feather arrow suck out the back of his neck.
"Brother!" Agrius wailed. He let the pegasus's reins go slack, allowing the him to kick the bear-man in the head. The Pegasus flew away in to the Miami sky. The bear twins dissolved into gold dust. For a moment everyone was too stunned at the change of events to do anything.
A wild chorus of war cries and hooves thundered against metal. A dozen centaurs charged out of the main stairwell.
"Ponies!" Tyson cried in delight.
I smiled slightly seeing Chiron among the crowed. His white stallion body stood out against his mix match realities. Some had black Arabian stallion bodies, while others had golden palomino coats, others had orange-and-white spots. Many of them wear bright tie-die shirts that said PARTY POINES: SOUTH FLORIDA CHAPTER. Some armed with bows, some with baseball bats, a few even had paintball guns. The strangest was one with a large orange number one Styrofoam figure. They were cheering wildly like they were celebrating already.
Luke raised his sword to rally his men but a centaur shot an arrow with a boxing glove on the end of it at Luke's face, sending him into the pool water. Luke's men warriors scattered. Facing a centaur, armed with a bow and whooping it up in a soda-drinking hat would make the bravest warrior want to retreat.
The Party Ponies let loose their paint balls, splattering blue and yellow against Luke's men and the deck. They tried to run but just end up slipping on the paint.
I looked around for my brother and friends. I caught gimps of Percy frozen in place near the pool. A dark chocolate brown centaur picked Grover up and place him on his back as he ran by. Tyson was busy fighting off some of Luke's warriors.
Suddenly familiar white legs where in front of me.
"Come my dear." Chiron said lifting me up effortlessly onto his back.
"Percy needs help." I told him, my voice raspy. "Luke's sword cut his leg."
"I know dear. We will patch him up once we get you all to safety." Chiron said, firing another arrow. I slashed Rapids at a random monster, sending them into a pile of gold dust.
I watch as Luke crawled out of the pool.
"Attack, you fools." He ordered. A large alarm bell echo though out the ship.
"Withdraw, brethren!" Chiron shouted.
"You won't get away with this, horse man!" Luke shouted. Another boxing glove arrow his him, knocking him into a deck chair. A palomino centaur hoisted Percy onto his back. Tyson jumped on the back of another Party Pony.
The group of centaurs galloped to the edge of the deck and fearlessly jumped the guardrail. I grabbed onto the back of Chiron's shirt. I felt like I was about to fly off Chiron's back as we fell ten stories to the ground. I was sure we were about to have a bad crash landing when we hit the docks however Chiron landed with hardly a jolt and galloped away. The other centaurs whooped and yelled taunts at the cruise ship as we raced through downtown Miami.
"You can let go of my shirt now Chloe," Chiron said patiently.
I did and rested my shacking hands on my pants. "Sorry. It been a rough couple days."
"Once we get back to Camp Half-blood you and Percy will have to tell me all about it."
"We are going back to camp now?"
"No not yet. We are going to where my kin live down here. Once Percy is patched up we will leave."
Chiron said no more as we rushed though the city. Very quickly we left the city behind us and traveled through march fields of high grass and pounds.
"Chiron?"
"Hm?"
"Is it true that this great Prophecy that no one will talk to us about will come true when Percy and I turn 16?"
"How do you know about this?" Chiron asked shortly.
"Luke."
"You should know better than believe what Luke says."
"I don't. But no one will tell us anything about this supposed Prophecy. If it has to do with us when we are sixteen then we need to be prepared now. That's only three years away."
Chiron was quite for several minutes. I thought he was going to ignore me but instead he said, "We will talk more about with your brother."
I frowned thinking about what Chiron had to tell us.
Finally, we found ourselves in a trailer part at an edge of a large lake. The trailers were all horse trailers decked out with TVs, mini-refrigerators and mosquito netting. There was bright LED lights hanging around the trailers and connecting them, casting a never ending party like atmosphere.
"Dude!" said a Party Pony as he unloaded his gear. "Did you see that bear guy? He was like: 'whoa, I have an arrow in my mouth!'"
The centaur with the googly-eye glasses laughed. "That was awesome! Head slam!"
The two centaurs charged at each other full-force and knocked heads. They staggered off in different directions with crazy grins on their faces. Chiron sighed and set me down next to Percy on a picnic table. Grover walked over, advoiding another pair of head putting Party Ponies.
"I really wish my cousins wouldn't slam their heads together. They don't have the brain cells to spare." Chiron said kneeling in front of Percy. He open his medicine pouch on his belt and started treating Percy's leg.
"Chiron," Percy said looking at our mentor in awe. "You saved us."
He gave us a dry smile. "Well now, I couldn't very well let you die, especially since you've cleared my name."
"How did you know we were here?" I asked.
"Advance planning, my dear. I figured you would wash up near Miami if you made it out of the Sea of Monsters alive. Almost everything strange washes up near Miami."
"Gee, thanks," Grover mumbled.
"No, no," Chiron said. "I didn't mean. . . Oh, never mind. I'm glad you see you, my young satyr. The point is, I was able to eavesdrop on Percy's Iris-message and trace the signal. Iris and I have been friends for centuries. I asked her to alert me to any important communications in this area. It then took no effort to convince my cousins to ride to your aid. As you see, centaurs can travel quite fast when we wish too. Distance for us is not the same as distance for humans."
I looked over Chiron's shoulders. Three Party Ponies were teaching Tyson to operate a paintball gun. I shook my head smiling fondly at Tyson's childlike happiness.
"So what now?" Percy asked. "We just let Luke sail away? He's got Kronos aboard that ship. Or parts of him, anyways."
Chiron sighed softly and hesitated before answering. "I'm afraid, Percy, that today has been something of a draw. We didn't have the strength of numbers to take that ship. Luke was not organized enough to pursue us. Nobody won."
"But Clarisse is on her way to camp with the Fleece right now!" I told him. "We got it before Luke did! That has to count as a win."
Chiron nodded, but he seemed uneasy. "You are all true heroes. And as soon as we get Percy fixed, we will return to Half-Blood Hill. The centaurs shall carry you."
"You're coming, too?" Percy asked.
"Oh yes, Percy. I'll be relieved to get home. My brethren here simply do not appreciate Dean Martin's music. Besides, I must have some words with Mr. D. There's the rest of the summer to plan. So much training to do. And I want to see. . . I'm curious about the Fleece."
I frowned. What was there to be curious about? The Fleece will heal Thalia's tree like it did me. The poison will be removed and the tree will be restored back to it's former self.
Tyson let loose with his paintball gun. A stream of blue projectiles splattered against one of the centaurs, hurling him backward into the lake. The centaur came up grinning, covered in swamp muck and blue paint. He gave Tyson two thumps up.
"Grover will go supervise Tyson and my cousins before they, ah, teach each other too many bad habits?" Chiron asked watching them. He had finish bandaging Percy's leg just moments ago.
"But I don't like paintball." Grover said crossing his arms.
"Just do it Grover." I said staring at him. He sighed and wondered off.
"Chloe informed me about what Luke said to you. About the prophecy."
"So is it about us? About us turning sixteen?" Percy asked sitting up straighter.
"I wish I knew, Percy. You two have not yet turn sixteen. For now we must simply train you both as best we can, and leave the future to the Fates."
The Fates. The last I thought about those old ladies was when they cut the two strings in front of us. That seemed so long ago, even though it was only last year.
"That's what it meant," Percy muttered.
Chiron frowned. "That's what what meant?"
"Last summer we saw The Fates snip a pairs of strings." I explained. "We thought that someone was going to die right then and there."
"But now I know it has to do with this prophecy." Percy added. "Those deaths are going to happen when we are sixteen."
Chiron tail whisked nervously in the grass. "You can't be sure of that. We don't even know if the prophecy is about either of you."
"Who else could it be about?" Percy asked. "Ever since last year everything bad happening in our world is surrounding Chloe and I."
"Kronos is rising." I added. "He is building an army and is going to destroy Mount Olympus. You can't tell me there isn't a prophecy somewhere that foretold this happening."
"He will try." Chiron agreed. "And Western Civilization along with it, if we don't stop him. But we will stop him. You are not alone in that fight."
"We're just kids, Chiron," Percy said miserably, his shoulder shagging. I placed my hand on top of his. Percy squeezed my hand gently. "What good is two lousy heroes against something like Kronos?"
Chiron smiled slightly. "'What good is one lousy hero?' Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain said something like that to me once, just before he single-handedly changed the course of you Civil War."
He pulled an arrow from his quiver and turned the razor-sharp top so it glinted in the firelight. "Celestial bronze. An immortal weapon. What would happen if you shot this at a human?"
"It will just pass right through them. They wouldn't even notice it happening." I answered.
"That's right." He said. "Humans don't exist on the same level as the immortals. They can't even be hurt by our weapons. But you, Percy and Chloe—are part god, part human. You live in both worlds. You can be harmed by both, and you can affect both. That's what makes heroes so special. You carry the hopes of humanity into the realm of the eternal. Monsters never die. They are reborn from the chaos and barbarism that is always bubbling underneath civilization, the very stuff that makes Kronos stronger. They must be defeated again and again, kept at bay. Heroes embody that struggle. You fight the battles humanity must win, every generation, in order to stay human. Do you understand?"
"I. . . I don't know." Percy muttered.
"You must try, Percy." Chiron scolded gently. "Do you understand Chloe?"
"So what you are saying is we carry the fate of the world on our shoulder." I told him softly.
"In a way yes. Whether or not you two are the child of the prophecy, it doesn't matter right now. Kronos thinks you might be and that makes you his target. And after today he will finally despair of turning you to his side. That is the only reason he hasn't killed you yet, you know. As soon as he's sure he can't use you, he will destroy you."
"You talk like you know him." Percy said.
Chiron pursed his lips. "I do know him."
I stared at him. It is easy to forget just how old Chiron really was.
"Is that why Mr. D blamed you when the tree was poisoned? Why you said some people don't trust you?" Percy asked.
"Indeed."
"But, Chiron Camp is your home. Why would they ever think you would betray Camp for Kronos?" I asked him.
Chiron's eyes where deep brown, full of thousands of years of sadness. "Remember your training. Remember you study of mythology. What is my connection to the Titian Lord?"
I tried to think of how Chiron knew Kronos but my memory was too foggy from the past several days. Even on a good day I probably couldn't answer this question. I could remember the basic but never the full stories.
"You, uh, owe Kronos a favor or something? He spared your life?" Percy guessed.
"Percy," Chiron said, his voice impossibly soft. "The titan Kronos is my father."
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!