CHAPTER 4

From where we stood at the top of the hill, the entire valley spread out below us: roughly three square miles of woods, meadows and strawberry field bordered by Long Island Sound to the north and rolling hills on the other three sides. Just below us, a dense forest of evergreens that covered the western third of the vale.

Beyond that, the building of Camp Half-Blood gleamed in warm orange glow of the dawn that was breaking in the horizon: the amphitheatre, the sword-fighting stadium, the open-air dining pavilion with its white marble columns. A trireme floated above the canoe lake. Twelve cabins lined the central green where communal hearth fire glowed cheerfully.

At the edge of the strawberry fields stood The Big House a four story Victorian building painted the sky blue with white trim. Mr. D and Chiron would be inside there, Dionysus probably drunken, grunting about to dealing everyday with ungrateful brats and Chiron ignoring him.

I was Home.

My gaze rose to the far end of valley. There on the tallest hill was nothing. In my past-timeline Athena Parthenon stood there after the Second Giant war which Annabeth had to discover under the Rome using Mark of Athena. I remembered being very scared, anxious and restless when Annabeth was on her solo quest. I was never scared for anything in my whole life. I prayed every god above to keep her safe. She somehow survived…but it came with a terrible prize: A trip to Tartarus.

I shooked my head, not wanting to think about it, Charles took my silence for wonderment.

"You'll get use to it soon." He said.

We trudged down the hill, where we stood earlier, to the wild enchanted evergreen. I always reserved some weariness for these woods. They were wild, enchanted and unpredictable. It could give you very nasty surprise that stays with you forever.

The seemed to close on us creating a blanket of sort with its leaves, moss, branches blocking the early morning completely from us. It was dark under them. I could only see upto a meter or two. Trunks closed ranks, blocking old path and opening new ones. Roots withered across the forest floors making an obstacle course of bumps, knots and loops. It was like trying to walk across a giant bowl of spaghetti.

"Food." Grover moaned again. It's been few hours since me and Grover last ate. Grover didn't properly eat the dinner last night, nervous about something. I should've known why he would be nervous. I was an idiot; we could've avoided these monsters.

Anyways, these woods were giving me quite creep. It was like someone was watching us making every move. My eyes wandered around but I couldn't see properly. Were monsters on to us? I thought, then I quickly dissipated it as soon as it came. Monsters aren't the one to be subtle and smart in their attack. They would start taunting, making noises as soon as they come near us. It must be the woods.

We need to get out of here fast. Charles must've the same idea because we both, carrying Grover on our shoulder increased our pace. We tried making sure we won't tumble on these bumps, knots and loops but it was fruitless. By the time we would reach camp, we would be an Avatar, all bluish from all the bruises we were gonna get and carrying Grover on our shoulder was not helping our case at all.

We hiked for hours… much longer than it should have taken to reach the Big House. That should've been the first indication of things pointing south. Grover woke up too which lifted some burden of us literally and some light diffused through the forest canopy which made it easier for us to move around. I shouldn't have problem navigating through these woods but something was off about it, like it was deliberately making us lost. Yeah, strange, forests itself making us lost instead of vice-versa. Welcome to my world, this was my luck- a trouble magnate.

I mean, it never happened to me before. I have been through these woods and made it through with no-problem except the creepy tinge it normally gives. I was not having good feelings about it. I learnt to trust my instincts before my mind long before. It is usually correct, my instincts I meant.

"Something's wrong…" Grover quivered. He probably sensed the danger. He was looking around anxiously.

He was so right. In next few minutes I was going to have an almost trip to Hades.

Then I remembered hearing whispering. They were at first low hushed whisper that you wouldn't notice at first. Since I wasn't normal, I did. It gave me silent chill through my spine. I tried making out the source, where was it coming from. Hair on the back of my neck stiffened.

"We shouldn't stop guys-" Grover was cut off by Charles whom seeing my expression immediately became concerned.

"What is it, Percy?" He asked, putting his hand on my shoulder making me flinch in surprise. I didn't notice him coming behind me.

"Do you guys hear it?" I asked, hoping they heard it too. It was like thousands of voices whispering, trying to convey something. I couldn't make out what they were trying to put across. It was like I was back in Tartarus, trying to jump across River Acheron, after running through the Mansion of Night. I learnt my lesson to never trust the voices in your head.

Hey! Chaos took offence to that. And run fast.

That was enough to get us run.

We ran, stumbling over tree roots, fleeing blindly through a maze of branches and boulders. Whispering intensity was increasing, cutting through my head, getting more restless than before. I knew they were trying to convey something I couldn't fathom. Only if one of them could speak at a time.

Boy, I shouldn't be making these types of request knowing my spat with The Fate; they would make my simple request more painful. Just like I thought, it happened.

THE FINAL VERSE. The voice boomed as soon as we reached a clear stream over a bed of gravel. I barely slowed down. I waded in, sinking shin-deep into the cool water.

AN OATH TO THE BROKEN ONE.

The voice reverberated in my head, as if someone installed mega-hertz speakers behind my eyes. It was not the voices of my conscience. My conscience is not a female, and it was not that loud.

Maybe it was all another prank of Chaos.

'If it is your another prank Chaos, I swear to every power in uni-'

It isn't me! I promise.

FALL OF THE ANCIENT ONE, the voice boomed again. THE FINAL VERSE.

I collapsed face first on the forest's bed.

"Percy!" Charles rolled me over, his voice tight with alarm. "Come on we need to get out of here fast!"

They dragged me through the woods cursing and stumbling until, with their help I stood up and ran with them. Let me tell you it isn't easy to run when you've terrible case of headache. You can't see properly and I couldn't even see more than a meter or two when my vision was good. It was like running blind through the forest.

THWACK!

"OW!" I rubbed my head where I ran into the stupid tree.

"Come on!" Grover urged.

Yeah easy for you to do, you don't have maniacal voice shouting inside you head. I wanted to say to Grover but I bit my tongue suppressing my usual sarcasm and with the help of Charles we ran.

I could see Thalia's tree in the distant. We were getting near, which motivated me to move fast and get there before these voices break my mind.

BETRAYAL OF THE SEA!

The voices splintered into chorus of angry whispers. It was unimaginable pain, coursing through my body.

"Please STOP!" I screamed. I couldn't take it anymore. I felt myself getting warmer. I just wanted to curl over the floor and wait for my death. My vision was getting darker. I was almost being dragged through the woods by Charles and Grover.

"Come on, we are almost there." Charles urged me.

Then I doubled over and retched. It was yet another unpleasant thing I had to endure. I couldn't breathe properly. My breath must smelt terrible after this episode. I remembered last time when I was introduced into the camp, it wasn't this unpleasant.

It's gonna get worse… Chaos's words came into my mind. I haven't even reached the camp and it was already getting terrible. I had to remind myself why I was doing this to get me moving.

We were staggering along, Charles wearing most of my weight. The voices whispered and argued, tearing off little piece of mind and carrying them away into the forest. I might as well wander off the forest and go insane.

Charles forced me to keep walking. I couldn't understand her words but they were insistent and stubborn like certain grey eyed person I knew, her grey eyes narrowing at me telling me to keep moving and get to the camp for her.

I don't know why Annabeth was popping into my head but it was the only pleasant thing happening and I liked it.

We reached the Thalia's tree and onto the camp. There was usual hustle going on in the camp. It was all too familiar and yet… it was somehow different, I couldn't point out. As soon as we got there, everyone stopped what they were doing.

I wanted to say something sensational that would make them wonderstruck and leap at me with delight or be in awe but suddenly I felt something powerful crashed through me, crushing my small spurt of happiness. It was over bearing and somehow familiar like it was suppressed for some time now and chose this moment to break through the barrier.

I was already in a terrible condition. I wasn't think through my brain at all, therefore, there was no filter of what would come next through my mouth.

"Hey, it's nice to meet you, again." I said.

My eyes rolled up in my head, and I passed out.

I planned to give you larger and detailed chapter of Percy's life in the camp and with his mom & Rachel that would have covered a year and half but i decided to not go with it. So, I broke it into smaller segments that would take few chapters. Who know I might give you a hint or two about the relationships.

Anyways, What do you think of the chapter?

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Next update will be on next weekend.

Until then, enjoy this chapter.

Kyubidude294- There is some monster tamer elements in the story that would come later into the story. I have decided on some relationship. Other than that can't really tell you much.