Chapter Five

Camp Half-Blood

As the plane began its descent, I could have sworn I saw the camp. I thought I could see the buildings and the possible brilliant golden glimmer of the Golden Fleece. The plane carried me out of the seeing range of it from the window, so I couldn't be sure. When the plane landed, my dad and I got off and got a cab to the location of camp. When we got there my dad said goodbye and wished me luck. As I carried my supplies up the hill, I saw what looked like a wall of coppery scales. When I was just twenty feet away, a massive reptilian head rose from the coils and regarded me with a piercing golden gaze. I knew this was Peleus, they said it in the books. He probably knew I was a half-blood, if he didn't he probably would've attacked me by now. Peleus's head disappeared into the coils, as though granting me entrance to the camp.

I stood on the hilltop within the barrier. It was like I'd pictured it, in every detail. On my way, down to the big house, I saw some people playing tennis, others were climbing the rock wall, a group were playing pinochle, and some were just lounging around. I walked up to the big house and waited for Chiron. After about ten minutes he showed up, he was understandably confused and completely surprised to see me.

After all I hadn't been watched by any satyrs, therefore there was no notice about my arrival, particularly how I knew where the camp was, though I knew from the later books that it wasn't unheard of for demigods to find their way to Camp Half-Blood on their own. Regardless I told him why I was there, he told me I would be sorted out by dinner. First, he was about to have my stuff brought to the Hermes cabin when I dropped another surprise on him. I wouldn't need to be claimed, because I already knew who my godly parent was.

"What that's-" he started to say but I cut him off.

"My mother is Athena"

Later at dinner I saw that word had obviously gotten around because everyone seemed kind of ruffled and on edge. I remembered the reaction from the Athena kids that had been in the cabin when I got there. They were speechless, now as I sat with them they seemed tense. Understandably, this was extremely unusual, increasing the tense vibe it emitted. A boy a few years older than me leaned over and told me the plates and goblets were tuned in on thoughts and would get whatever I wanted. I didn't bother telling him I already knew. We toasted to the gods and burned the best parts of our meals for them. Then we got to eat, during dinner my arrival was announced. Everybody welcomed me, but some of them were, well, less enthusiastic. The entire Ares cabin hardly said anything.

I wasn't the only who was surprised by that. Other cabins turned around and stared at the Ares campers. It was mean spirited for a whole cabin to refuse to greet a new person. I would remember this the next time the Ares cabin got a new camper. After dinner the campers dispersed, I went to the Athena cabin. I fell asleep almost immediately, I expected to have a dreamless sleep. I was wrong, I had the nightmare again.

I was standing on the edge of the pit again. This time I knew what this place was, and more importantly who the speaker was, and his intentions.

"If the gods are-" it began but I cut it off.

"You've been destroyed twice now, twice you've been cast here into Tartarus, twice you've failed. You won't find a solution in me, Cronos" I growled, furious that this atrocity still had the audacity to keep trying his luck at crawling back from being a pile of entrails, dust, or whatever the heck he was after being defeated by Luke Castellan at the end of the second Titan war.

"Do you really think it's that easy?" he laughed.

"You always were skilled at lying" I spat.

"I'm only saying the truth" he said placatingly.

"Your lies don't fool me" I said, "and the gods have changed now, they are far more attentive to their offspring, everything you weren't on your own" I shot back at him before turning to leave.

"You think you can just walk away" the titan hissed.

"Oh yes I can, the whole trap is a lie, a way to intimidate your victims" I taunted him from over my shoulder.

His hesitation was brief, but I noticed it. "You think you can deceive me?" I sneered, turning back to face the pit again. "If you do, you're even stupider than I thought."

"You're making a fatal mistake, godling" Cronos said icily.

"Another intimidation, what are you, a pile of gristle?" I jeered. "No, I know! You're a cloud of dust!, you poor thing, you can't do anything except think" I taunted, my voice dripping with pretend pity.

There was no response but I could feel his anger at having his plan be seen so easily.

"You're pathetic" I said and declared that this dream was over, turning and walking away. The scene dissolved into blackness. I don't recall any other dreams that night.