Thunderclaps and the tumultuous sound of waves crashing into each other haunted Aris in his sleep. Whilst his body was not awake, his mind was fully aware and experiencing the vivid dream. He couldn't see anything. His vision drowned in black, an endless dark accompanied by the roaring of thunder and angry seas.
It was as if the sky and the sea had turned on each other, jostling for possession of both the heavens and earth. Wrestling control from the other's grasp.
Within a single heartbeat, Aris awoke gripping the sheets tightly. Not because a noise had interrupted him, but because the dream had concluded.
His face had grown pallid, a sight that made him almost luminescent in the deep darkness. His heartbeat settled in the inside of his eardrum, echoing back his fear. Mocking him for his nightmare as though to say, 'Do you need your mummy to coddle you?'.
Aris' eyes widened and floated around the bed he was in. He wasn't where he passed out, which may not be a good thing - but Aris was pleased to see that he also hadn't become food for some monster.
He was in a cabin of some sort, to the left of him was an assortment of beds, identical to the one he was in. Except, his bed looked as though he had been wrestling it, instead of sleeping on it.
Then, Aris turned to his right.
"Agh!", he yelped, shutting his eyes as he burrowed underneath the bed covers. He was wrong. He was still food for a monster. It just so happened that this monster preferred his food to be well-rested and prepared before consumption.
That was the only explanation, if not - how else could you explain a half-horse, half-human looming over Aris' bed?
The monster coughed before tapping Aris, "Come now, young one. You aren't in any danger."
Aris raised his head slowly out of the sheets, holding them up apprehensively. Like a shield. Although, he doubted it would keep the monster out for long.
He eyed the horseman cautiously, gauging whether he was a threat or not. He looked quite old, Aris noted. Yet his eyes were young and friendly. The small wrinkles that lined his face were framed with long locks of brown hair that settled just above his shoulders. He also seemed to be wearing a brown tweed jacket, absurd as it was - and a dark green sweater layered above an even darker shirt.
"Bad dream?", he asked with a soft look of recognition. As if Aris' dreams had some sort of significance, and that he should be pitied for them.
He nodded slowly. Aris was now looking away from the horseman's eyes whilst also trying to make sure that he didn't look at his hooves either. What if it was the horse equivalent of the f-word? Whilst Aris had a penchant for offending things he hadn't thought could be offended, like bridges and giants, it didn't mean he enjoyed doing so.
The man must have noticed his discomfort because he eased it by saying, "I am a centaur. The only difference between you and me, is that I have the lower half of a horse. I take no offence to whatever you do unless you suddenly decide to start showering me in profanities."
He smiled kindly at Aris, hoping it would relieve him of his tense demeanour. It worked, partially.
Aris nodded again, this time looking the man in the eyes. He had yet to say anything and made it a point not to unless the man asked. He very well couldn't deny him, for fear of his horsely instincts overcoming him and launching him out of the chair with a kick of his hooves.
"My name is Chiron.", the horseman, Chiron, said. "I'm the activities director for this camp. And your name is...?"
He outstretched his hand, urging him to shake it and reply. Aris shook it quickly and responded.
"Aris.", he whispered, his voice hoarse and scratchy, "Aris Stellasson."
"Hm, I suppose you are.", he countered in a blase manner, Aris didn't quite know what he meant by that. Had he known Aris' name before asking? Or was he affirming what Aris already knew, that he was himself?
Chiron had a small book in his left hand, his eyes scanned the bottom of the page before he placed it on the bedside table beside him. "Come, walk with me, Aris."
Aris hesitated, shaking his head all the while, though the man couldn't see since he was turned away from him. For all his slow adjustment into the world of magic, monsters, and superhumans - even Aris knew that walking outside in the dead of night, with an old man horse, was not a normal thing to do.
"You'll be quite fine, I promise." he continued, after noticing the lack of movement from Aris, "The Harpy's will not harm you."
If he wasn't hesitant enough before, Aris was now practically begging to be glued to the bed he was in. Whatever a 'Harpy' was, he doubted that it would show him any mercy. The other monsters hadn't so far, and it wasn't as though his luck was about to change anytime soon.
Chiron trotted out of the cabin and turned back towards him expectantly.
Aris let out a deep sigh, and slowly moved the covers away as he swung his legs out of the bed. It was at that moment that he noted that his top was ripped quite extensively. From the collar of his sweater, where the giant had grasped him, was a large whole ending by the side of his hip.
Chiron coughed again, calling for his attention.
He complied and joined the man on his walk.
His legs were still sore, but less so than he expected them to be. He remembered that he could hardly feel his legs before he was knocked unconscious... Furthermore, the pain in his back had ceased. Whatever treatment Chiron had exposed him to, had worked wonders.
Walking next to Chiron at first seemed like a workout, Aris ambled after him for a few steps, having to jog and then slow down. Chiron chuckled and came at a slow, which made Aris think the man did it on purpose.
Now walking at a slower pace, Aris was able to appreciate the 'camp' better. He looked around and noted that there were multiple cabins, wrapped around a large campfire and dining pavilion. Through the gaps of each cabin, rays of moonlight honed in on him and Chiron. For some reason, Aris felt a little self-conscious.
He followed Chiron for a while, through a path that wrapped behind the cabins and, thankfully, away from the large forest nestled beside them. Unfavourable sounds blared from that direction routinely, at least from what Aris gathered on their short walk.
Finally, they had ended up on a beach. They stepped onto a wooden platform that stretched out into the ocean, and it was that moment that Chiron chose to end the comfortable silence they had settled on.
"I assume you have some questions?", he asked absentmindedly.
Aris nodded, his lips pursed as though he was suppressing everything he wanted to ask until eventually, his words spilt out. With Chiron as the unfortunate receiver.
"What is this place? Why am I here? Is it for superhumans? What happened to my mum? How did I survive the lestreegona-"
"Let me rephrase." Chiron interjected, more amused by Aris' curiosity than irritated, "Would you like me to answer a question before you ask me another?"
A flush crept across Aris' cheeks as he winced and apologised, "Sorry."
Chiron waved him off, "Worry not. Ask away."
"Then...why am I here?"
The end of Aris' question was met with the creaking of wood, as they came to a stop at the end of the pier. His footsteps and Chiron's...hoofsteps, ceased as they both turned to face each other.
"What do you know about the Greek myths and legends of old?", he asked, peering intently at Aris.
Aris shrugged, turning to face the ocean, "I know a few things...here and there. Zeus shoots lightning when he's angry at people and-"
A burst of lightning cracked open from the skies, followed by a roar of thunder.
"Do not say their names.", Chiron warned tiredly, "Names have a great deal of power, more so than you know."
Aris knotted his eyebrows in indignation. He didn't mean to say that he had just made Zeus angry? How is that possible, he's just a-
"Yes, I'm afraid so.", Chiron affirmed, as if he could understand Aris' thoughts, "As much a shock it may be, the stories are true. Well, a vast majority of them..."
Aris shook his head, almost unable to believe it until he recalled one of the last few things his mother had said to him.
'We're different. We can do things that mortals cannot as a result of our lineage-'...
Back then, Aris hadn't known much of what she was talking about. His mind, addled and over-stimulated from the conflict with the monster, had neglected to fully comprehend what he was being told. But now, as he stood out on the pier, overlooking a huge reservoir of water - accompanied by a horse-man hybrid, he knew.
"I know.", Aris muttered as he sat on the ledge, his feet hanging and swinging above the waterline.
Chiron looked at Aris searchingly, his eyebrows raised appreciatively, "You do?..."
Aris nodded sternly, "My mum had told me that we weren't like other 'mortals'. I didn't know what she meant then, but it makes sense now..."
'His mother?', Chiron filed away absentmindedly as Aris continued his line of thought.
"You mean to say, that I am a god from one of the stories, don't you Chiron?"
This time the thunder launched out in full force, with tendrils of lightning arcing closer than they did before. Aris jumped up fearfully, his arms latching onto one of Chiron's legs.
"I trust you to never say those words again, Aris.", Chiron warned uneasily as if they had just avoided death by the skin of their teeth.
Aris swallowed a gulp and nodded obediently, before biting down the sudden rush of anger that washed over him. 'What else is supposed to mean then?'
"This camp that you find yourself in, is called Camp Halfblood. What do you garner from the name?", Chiron pressed, hoping to impart Aris with a lesson so that he doesn't misunderstand the nature of his existence and insult the gods again.
"That I'm half-god, not full?"
Chiron nodded, "Demigod, or Halfblood, is the term we use to describe people such as yourself."
"Halfblood...", Aris repeated, testing the way the word rolled off his tongue. He'd have to get used to referring to himself as one.
"Yes, quite.", he smiled and affirmed. "Children of the gods of Olympus."
"You said they were Greek," Aris stated pointedly, "But this isn't Greece. At least I don't think so. Am I in Greece?"
Aris felt his stomach jump, why couldn't he have just ended up back in England?
"Well now, there is a Mount Olympus in Greece, but that's not where we are. You see, the home of the gods is always moving and converging in locations wherever the gods choose to reside."
"So we're in..."
"America, yes.", Chiron confirmed, "You see, the gods move with the heart of the West. What you call 'Western Civilization, is actually the collective consciousness of the god's effect on mortals, and the mortals on them. As such, they are tied so intricately together, that it is impossible for the gods to fade."
"I see...", Aris did not see. He had no idea what they were talking about, but he wasn't about to look stupid in front of Chiron. For some reason, Chiron spoke as if Aris should know all of this, that it was common knowledge amongst...half-bloods like him. Truth be told, he felt a little embarrassed at his lack of knowledge, and a little bit irritated with his mother for not teaching him.
They fell into an uncomfortable silence, with Aris mulling over what he'd just learnt, and Chiron watching him pensively.
"Then, if I'm a halfblood...who's my father?"
Aris reminisced on when he used to ask his mother the same question. She always flashed a solemn look when she heard it, before braving on a smile just for him. 'Your father...doesn't have time for us, Ari. He's a very important man, but don't worry - your mother will always be here for you!'
Lies. He needed her more than ever, and he hadn't a clue where she was.
Knowledge of his father also ruined his mood. He'd often thought of finding his father and giving him a good smack for leaving his mother alone, but that wasn't a viable option now...
"Your father...", Chiron gave a sad smile, as if he was expecting the question. "I'm afraid, I don't know."
Aris looked away, his lips pressed tightly as he felt heat rise to his head.
"Come now, Aris! You are more than your makers, you are your very own person, and that will always be enough."
Aris bit his lip as he rose to his feet and stared back at Chiron defiantly, "Wasn't enough for my father, though - was it?", he spat out bitterly, his hand clutching a small pebble that he'd picked up earlier.
"And how about your mother?", Chiron asked curiously. "Was it enough for her?"
"I don't know!", Aris yelled, incensed. "Maybe!"
He threw the pebble to the bottom of the ocean, pelting it with all the force he could muster. He then turned back to face Chiron, who gave Aris a pitying look which only served to make the boy angrier.
"Doesn't matter now, does it! I don't even know where she is anymore! It was probably another one of your monster friends that took me away from her! It's like I'm in a different world-"
"Satyrs are not monsters," Chiron replied tersely with slow, even breaths. "Neither am I."
Aris tucked his chin into his chest, not keen at looking the man in the eye anymore. He stuffed his palms into his pocket as he looked away, peeved by both his own outburst and Chiron's admonishment.
"I don't think that's how you should treat someone that saved you. If Sage had not reached you when he did, you would have died."
Aris glanced back at him and slurred his words as he mumbled, "I wasn't talking about the camp."
"Hm?", Chiron hummed anticipatingly- not quite hearing the inaudible titter of words that escaped his mouth.
"Nothing," he replied. "Look, I'm sorry - okay? It's just that, things keep happening and I don't even know what it means when it does!
Chiron sighed deeply, "I too apologise, I realised your mother was a sore spot yet I found myself curious about her. I understand you miss her but, worry not, the things that matter the most to us have a habit of coming back when we need them the most." He placed his hand on Aris' shoulder, squeezing it encouragingly.
Aris felt the tension in his shoulders leave as Chiron released his hand. Not noticing when a small line of lightning escaped his body and shocked the tip of Chiron's pinky.
TzZt!
'Interesting...'
Chiron had some ideas about the boy's parentage, but he had no idea what it meant for the future. The boy was an enigma in the way that, he had gone unnoticed for so long. Then, there was his accent. Whilst it was not too common for the children of the gods to be foreigners, since it meant nothing in the scope of all things. For who were they to question the gods' decisions? Who they were allowed to bed and where they could do it? No. It wasn't that the boy had an English accent, nor was it the fact that he hadn't been found by the Satyrs, but all those things - coupled with the boy's attire...
Chiron shook the thoughts away. It wasn't in his place. He'll get some sort of explanation sooner or later, whether it was from the boy's father or the boy himself.
Moments later, a small rumbling noise from the trees behind Chiron and Aris startled them into stopping their walk back to the cabins.
"What was that?", the boy looked at him and when he found no answer he turned back to the shrubbery and shouted with false bravado, "Who's over there!"
A small bunny hopped out from behind the trees, causing Aris to release a deep intake of breath that he hadn't known he was holding in, "I knew it was nothing."
Chiron teased him lightly, "I'm sure you did."
As they moved away from the pier and escaped the clearing, Chiron kept his eye's on the spot that the bunny had emerged from. He shook his head when he saw footprints engraved into the grass beside the path.
"Back to your cabin now, Aris.", He shooed the boy, making sure he got his rest in. He'd need it for tomorrow.
As he made his own way into his quarters, which has long since adopted the name 'The Big House', he addressed the air in front of the doorway.
"You can come out now, Annabeth. I'm sure you have much to say on the matter."
A young girl around the same height as Aris appeared out of thin air, her body spawning as she removed a baseball cap off her head.
"But Chiron, how could he be!-", Annabeth was shushed by Chiron as he gestured her to be quiet.
"Before that, let's talk about why you think that you are exempt from curfew inside. Shall we?"
Annabeth knew an order when she heard one, even if Chiron had made it sound like a request. So she stepped inside wordlessly. Chiron's lectures were a pain to go through, but she'd brave them anytime just so she could get her questions answered.
