A Hint of Nightshade
Chapter Two
Dealing with Bullshit
Don't get me wrong. I felt like the scum of the earth. But we were tight on cash and I needed to monetize my abilities somehow, right? Realistically, I would've helped them regardless, but Dr. Tinker's money would go a long way for my mother. Fortunately, he was more than happy to write a check for my services. So, the four of us decided to end class early and head out to Camp Half-blood.
I learned fairly quickly that Grover had given his exit strategy a lot of thought. I decided to let him lead the charge and simply serve as the hired body guard. His plan was to travel to camp via taxi. Apparently, there was a fairly common spot that was a straight shot through the woods to something he'd referred to as "Thalia's Tree". I'd never heard any stories about a girl named Thalia, but I was curious about the landmark. All I'd have to do was not let anyone get killed during the short venture and it would be the easiest money that I'd ever make. Dr. Tinker's generosity would probably pay three months rent for an afternoon's work on my end.
The plan went off without a hitch until we were staring at Thalia's tree. Yes, just a majestic looking hill with a breathtaking pine sat atop it. Oh, and the humanoid bull safeguarding the trunk.
"My gods." Travis whispered. "That's the Minotaur. Isn't it?" Grover nodded his head in confirmation. He and Terra both looked petrified.
"A minotaur, huh." I voiced. "I've never killed one of those before." Grover shook his head.
"Well, today's not a good day to start. That's a seriously strong monster, Percy. Demigods can train for years at Camp Half-blood and not be able to take one of those things down." I rolled my eyes.
"I can take him."
"Percy?" Terra asked. I turned to her. "There's an entire camp of demigods on the other side of that hill, right? Maybe, taking it on by yourself isn't the smartest plan." She was right, of course. But this was a new challenge. And I wanted my fight. That being said, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a safety net. I nodded.
"Okay, then here's the plan." I told them. They turned all their attention to me, as the minotaur pawed at the ground before him. "Grover, take Terra and Travis to another entrance in the barrier. Find reinforcements, and by reinforcements, I mean an audience for when I kill this thing." I nodded toward Terra and Travis. "You two just get behind that barrier. You have enough questions about all of this, I'm sure. No need to worry. Leave the bullshit to me." Grover didn't seem very enthusiastic about the plan, but he didn't really have another choice. He nodded.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Percy." I smiled.
"Trust me. I've got this." The trio began crouch walking along the base of the hill. The Minotaur briefly entertained the notion of chasing them, but quickly gave up on that dream when I starting running at him. I wasn't a strategist. It was a weakness of mine, I'll admit. That being said, I did have a fairly loose plan. The only problem was, I was once again in a battle unarmed and without a drop of water in sight. I'd been playing with the notion of using my body's own water, but it was always risky. Dehydration would set in quickly if I tried that.
The bull met my advances and I only narrowly managed to evade it as it toppled down the hill. It was fast, faster than most monsters that I'd encountered. A true test of my ability. I gave chase and vaulted onto the monster's back before it had time to stand. I grabbed both horns as though I were riding a bicycle and pulled with all the strength that I could muster. The minotaur bellowed in pain as its flesh began to give way. I called forth what I deemed to be a safe amount of water and fastened it into a form of rope, wrapping the aquatic fibers around the Minotaur's horns. I leapt from the monster's back and made a dash for Thalia's Tree. The Minotaur immediately gave chase, my lasso of water trailing as he ran up the hill. I turned to face the beast from the side of the tree. The Minotaur had no concept of what I planned to do and charged once again. I held steadfast until the last second when I dove out of the way and grabbed the rope. I pulled, sending the monster flying backwards. I quickly wrapped the lasso securely around the base of the tree. He was trapped. I wasn't sure if a normal tree would be able to hold a Minotaur, but I assumed Thalia's Pine was an exception to the rule. I jumped backwards a safe distance as the Minotaur turned for another charge. He came at me full tilt, but was stuck running in place as the tree held him prisoner. I smiled, knowing that the battle was all but over. That's when I noticed the small army of campers that had assembled atop the hill.
"Percy!" Grover called. I looked at him and he tossed me a celestial bronze sword. I caught it with one hand, but the blade felt uneven in my grasp. Whatever, it would suffice for now. I walked coolly toward the trapped animal, twirling the blade in my hand. But just as I was about to strike the Minotaur down, I noticed that the monster was somehow gaining ground. Then, with one gut wrenching crack, the Minotaur's horns were ripped from its skull. The beast flew forward, rolling to a stop at my feet as its horns hung from Thalia's Tree like a messed-up Christmas ornament. I looked at the poor excuse for a monster below me, writhing in pain.
"Yell if you want me to kill you." I commanded. The monster roared in response with whatever fight it had left, which was good enough for me. I drove my sword hilt-deep into the Minotaur's skull as it exploded into a pile of dust. I dropped the blade by the mound of ashes and walked toward the camp. I figured I at least owed Grover and the Tinker twins a conversation.
Campers watched me with amazement as I grabbed the pair of Minotaur horns from Thalia's Tree. These were spoils that I intended to hang onto. Or maybe give to Terra and Trevor as a gift. They were my first "clients" afterall. A small group assembled around me while the rest of the campers watched on. Grover, Terra, and Trevor were among the group. A centaur, who I presumed to be Chiron, stood alongside a beautiful girl with blond hair and terrifyingly calculating gray eyes. There were some other leaders among the campers that stepped forward, but the pair seemed to be leading the party.
"Perseus Jackson, I presume." Chiron asked. I gave a sarcastic bow.
"In the flesh." I replied. "You're Chiron, I take it." He seemed surprised, so I explained. "My mother has told me a lot about you." He nodded in thought.
"All good things, I hope." I flashed him a crooked grin.
"All great things, actually." He smiled.
"Perseus, I assume that you know where you are?" I nodded. "Well, it appears that you are a demigod who believes he needs no assistance."
"True."
"Then, in that case, I won't ask you to take refuge at our camp."
"Thank you. It's nothing personal, but my mother needs me."
"She's not the only one." I raised a brow.
"You see, Percy, there's a war coming. A terrible war between the gods and the worst horrors that this world has to offer." He seemed troubled. "Whether or not you care to admit it to yourself, you will have a part to play in this war. The blood which runs through your veins assures us of this." I frowned. "I'm not asking you to stay, Perseus. But know this. Your fate has already been decided and, one day, that fate will lead you to this camp. It is my sincere hope that this day comes soon. I believe there is much we could learn from each other." I nodded sincerely.
"Well, then, until that day." I extended my hand, which Chiron took firmly. However, there was something off with his grip. When he pulled away, I found a golden pen in the palm of my hand. I looked at Chiron questioningly.
"Use it well." He said simply. My eyes fell on those of the blond-haired girl. She was watching me curiously, like she was trying to figure me out, and acted as though Chiron had just handed me an uncut diamond. I faked a smile.
"Thanks. I'll be sure to do that." I handed the Minotaur's horns to the Tinker twins and made my leave, wondering all the while why Chiron had given a hyperactive kid a pen as a parting gift.