Chapter IV
Nicholas POV:
It was an early morning in Long Island, New York. The sun had yet to rise meaning it was early in the morning possibly around 6. I was up before everybody else so I could go for a quick swim. Yesterday was my first full day at Camp and it was a bit of a culture shock for me, exposing me to what would be my new world now. I had seen some crazy thing but that wasn't even half of it. But today apparently, I would have to participate in camp and I was supposed to meet Chiron and Dionysus, the camp directors. They were too busy to meet me yesterday but today was different, they had time.
I discarded my bright orange shirt, threw it off to the side and quickly took off my boots and jeans before I walked towards the water slowly stepping into the lake. The water was cold, extremely cold. I felt the crisp, cool water graze upon my skin. This was relaxing to me. I heard a rumour from some of the kids in other cabins, children of the big 3 were extremely rare and they were forbidden to go into the others territory.
So at the moment, I was taking a huge risk just by being in the water but I had to get a break and do something that reminded me of back home. I missed my mum. I wasn't really used to being this far away from her for this long. I wish I could go back and just give her a hug. A hug that just wouldn't end.
"Mind if I join you?" I heard making me snap my neck, turning my head to look at the source of the voice. There stood a 5'6, woman with long, flowing brown hair and chocolate brown orbs. She had tanned olive skin with an angelic, roundish face with naturally puffy pink lips. She has thin eyebrows matching the colour of her hair.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?"I asked as my eyes trailed up and down looking at her fit and athletic build as she discardered her clothes leaving them next to her blue towel. She was left wearing her black skimpy bikini.
"Not yet, I'm afraid but I know you. Nicholas White, you're the supposed son of Zeus."
"That I am. But you have yet to tell me who you are?"
"My name is Andrea Jonas, I am the daughter of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Battle Strategy," She said as she slowly stepped into the water with a smile on her face.
I have no idea what this woman wants. Her behaviour didn't really seem like the behaviour of someone from the Athena cabin. She was acting more like some of the women from the Aphrodite cabin. Or at least that's what some of the guys around the camp were saying. The women from Aphrodite's cabin were known nymphos and were apparently known to engage in some very physical activities, if you catch my drift. It made me wonder at times if Aaliyah was like that.
"I never said you could join me."
"Well, you never said I couldn't."
"Fair point. Not gonna lie, I thought you women from the Athena cabin were all women who preferred something more-"
"More intellectual?"
"Yes."
"Most of us do. But every once in a while, there's an itch that needs to be scratched," She said as she bit her lip. She wasn't Aaliyah but dammit, she was definitely a beauty.
"And what makes you think I'm the man to scratch that itch?"
"Well, we can find that out right now," She said as she swam over to me and placed a hand on my chest, feeling on my defined pecs.
It was literally taking every ounce of my strength not to grab this girl and do something to her that would have her in a trance. I placed my hand on her wrist, trying to gently pull her hand off my chest.
"Your touch is electric," She said with a smirk.
"I've been told worse," I said as a smirk curled up on my lips. Despite me trying to hold her back Andrea managed to snack her arms around my neck and smash her lips onto mine. I tried pushing her off but this woman had a tight ass grip on me. Well to be fair, I wasn't really using my full strength, only like 2% of my strength. Apparently the children of Zeus were known to be some of the strongest demigods in terms of physical strength and overall power, I was hoping I would later get the chance to find this out.
I managed to muster up enough self control to push her off of me causing her to grunt as she felt her lips rip away from mine.
"As much as I want to, I can't. I just can't." And as much as it pained me to say that it was true. I'm not my father. Zeus is a man who can't keep his own penis in his pants and I refuse to create that same narrative for me. I'm not Zeus, I'm Nicholas White. I may be his son but I'm not him.
I turned around and started to make my way out of the water. I peeked over my shoulder once more, taking a look at Andrea, seeing the beauty that I was leaving behind. I took a deep breath as I ran a hand through my long golden mane and just silently prayed to the gods that I wasn't an idiot for not going through with this. I bent down to grab a hold of my clothes and started to walk away from the lake.
The time was now 8 AM which meant it was now time for breakfast. I had the unfortunate shame of sitting with the Hermes campers. Although I believed I was the son of Zeus, no one else had proof that I was and because of that I had to ingest my food with the Hermes Cabin and sleep in that same cabin which is very crowded to say the least. But I wasn't gonna be there for long.
I need to prove to everyone that I am the son of Zeus. And I'm going to do it soon. That is a promise. I sat alone at the edge of the table with a plate of eggs, fruit and toast in front of me with a glass of orange juice. I was half-way finished with my plate when I heard the sounds of hooves hitting the ground making me look up to see a man with a chiselled build as if he were chiselled out of stone. He had long dark brown hair with dark brown eyes. He had a set of brown leather bracers on his wrist and a battle vest on his body. His lower half had the muscular build as if it were a Belgian Draft. This man was a minotaur. No, no, a centaur. I learned about them from the classes I had to take here to learn the heritage of my greek side.
Everyone seemingly got quiet as this man looked down at me and folded his arms.
"Can I help you?"
"You must be Nicholas?"
"I am and you are?"
"I am Chiron, the activities director of this camp."
"Chiron, the trainer of heroes."
"Yes, that is correct. I need you to come with me."
I didn't try to defy Chiron in any way. This was a man who had trained many, many heroes. If I was able to receive training from him, I could maybe figure out a way to escape this place and go back home. I could show my mum that I can defend her and myself and would ultimately get to be where I needed to be. And that was by her side.
I stood up and peeked over my shoulder seeing the looks I was getting from most of the campers.
Chiron and I walked through the forest of Camp Half Blood just walking and talking about everything. From what I understood Chiron was a son of Kronus which meant that in a way he was a half-uncle for me.
"So what do you know about him?"
"About who?"
"Your father."
"I know he's the King of the Gods. I know he's the God of the Skies. I know he's an arrogant, self-righteous bloke," I said as the sound of Thunder could be heard cracking in the sky, making both Chiron and I look up at the sky. Chiron's look was one of worry, meanwhile I had a look of disdain on my face.
The bloke is the reason I'm in this crappy situation anyway. He's the reason that I had to leave my mother and he couldn't even stop-by once to visit and couldn't even claim me as his damn son.
"You might not want to talk of him in that manner. Your father is one who likes to hold grudges. When I first saw you, I knew you were the son of Zeus. You have your father's temper, his charm, his bravery and his power. I could feel it from afar."
"Nice to know that at least one person believes me when I say I'm a sire of Zeus."
"Well-" Chiron was saying when he heard something rumbling in the bushes making us both get quiet and look around with frowns on our faces. I stood in a battle position as Chiron did the same pulling out a sword from his sheath that he had on his back.
The sounds of some campers screaming could be heard as some of the campers ran across the path away in front of us. Just a few seconds later a pair of black creatures the size of a grizzly bear that looked similar to Cane Corso's with glowing red eyes.
"Hellhounds!" Chiron announced as the two hounds started to growl at them while their eyes seemingly started to glow with intensity. Without warning, the two hounds charged at both of us. Chiron was at least equipped with a weapon but me on the other hand, I had nothing. The hound that charged at me managed to get the advantage and pounce on me. I
I grunted as my back collided with the hard ground as this hellacious-hound tried to chomp down on my face as it's sharp claws digged deep into my skin. I couldn't see anything but this hound trying to kill me. This thing was starting to get the upper hand as its giant jaws were inching closer to my face. I could only hold this thing so much.
'This is it. This is where I die' I thought to myself as this thing's mouth was so close to my face that I could smell its gnarly breath. I closed my eyes as I braced for my possible demise.
In my head the only thing I could see was a tall beautiful woman with an elegant sense of beauty. She had long black with grey eyes.
'Use your power. Use your lightning' She said as my eyes popped open as they glowed, being filled with electricity. I mustered up enough strength as possible and pushed this thing off of me as the sound of thunder could be heard from miles away while the sky started to fill up with dark grey clouds, flashing with lightning.
A huge bolt of lightning could be seen coming from the sky striking down upon me, killing this Hellhound. The hound screamed out in pain as he vanished away in dust. I popped up on my feet as I felt the cuts that were once on my skin start to close up. I turned my head to see Chiron finally finish up with the hound that pounced on him, cutting the creature's head off.
I panted for my breath as I felt the electricity leave my body. I dropped down to a knee as I felt weak from the power leaving my body. I looked up at the sky to see the cloud quickly dissipate, leaving the sky.
"Why were they here?" I said as I continued to pant for my breath.
"I don't know. Monsters can't enter Camp Half-Blood unless…" Chiron was saying as a frown snaked its way onto his face.
"Unless what?"
"Unless summoned. Someone inside the camp had to summon it."
"Another half-blood?"
"That could be the only logical explanation. Come on, we need to go to The Big House," Chiron said as he and I began running back to the Big House.
After what felt like an eternity of running and getting left behind by Chiron, we had finally arrived at what they called "The Big House" just a little bit over 30-minutes ago. This Big House was literally just that, a big house. It was painted with a sky-blue exterior and looked to be 2 floors 4 if you include the basement and attic.
Currently, I sat outside the office of "Mr. D" waiting as he and Chiron were deliberating together, trying to figure out what to do. This attack inside the camp grounds means that there might be a traitor among them. A traitor who wanted to kill me.
But that currently was the least of my worries. I was worried about the figure that appeared inside my head during that assault from those half-hounds earlier.
My thoughts were cut-off when I heard my name being called by Chiron. I stood up and turned to face him looking on with a concerned look. He motioned for me to follow him, making me take a deep breath before I did as instructed. I walked into the office of "Mr.D" seeing who I'm guessing was the man himself sitting at a desk with a glass of wine and an empty glass next to it.
Mr. D had a chubby face, a red nose and curly hair that was so black that it damn near purple. He was clad in a pair of khaki pants with a tiger striped shirt and purple shoes.
"Nathan Williams, is it?"
"Nicholas White." I said as I corrected him with a firm tone.
"That's what I said," Mr. D as I visibly rolled my eyes and folded my arms, "Chiron told me about your battle in the forest and he told about your power. Who is your parent?"
"Zeus." Almost on cue, right after I said the name of my father, Dionysus could be heard laughing like a mad maniac as Chiron and I simply looked on. A loud boom could be heard outside as clouds began covering the sky. Dionysus ceased to laugh as he turned around, looking out of the window at the clouds that covered the sky.
"Maybe, you are his son. Guess there's only one true way to find out. You need to see the Oracle."
This camp just keeps getting weirder and weirder. Everytime I think we reach the limit of craziness something new happens that just raises the limit. Now here I was going up the attic of this damn house to see this "Oracle".
As I climbed up the ladder into the house that held this damn Oracle all I could smell was a rotten smell as if something had been ageing for centuries. And just when I thought it was just a random smell that I smelled, I saw what looked like a body that had been dead for years with several candles surrounding the body in a circle.
"Shit," I cursed as I covered my nose with my hand, "I come to you seeking my destiny."
I stood there looking on with fear as this lifeless body just started to come to life. The eyes on this body started to glow with a green-like energy as smoke seeped from her eyes while these candles slowly started to light themselves one by one.
"I am the spirit of Delphi. Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus and Apollo. Slayer of the Mighty Python. Approach seeker and ask," The oracle said, making me take a deep breath. I could feel the hairs sticking up on my skin and could feel chills running down my spine.
"I would like to know the prophecy," I said as her voice began to seek through her mouth sending shivers down my spine.
"There comes a day when the true one reveals, As the mark appears, a brother's betrayal shall cause the rise of a new evil, Once lightning strikes, the son of the eldest gods shall bring the rise of hope and an age of justice, One man shall rise to the light and one man shall fall to the darkness, There comes a day when the sun turns dark, a broken heart shall cause great combat, A single choice shall to preserve or raze,"
"Mark? What Mark? And what brother?" I said trying to get answers from this Oracle but I heard nothing. The candles lost their flame and went out as the oracle went back to her lifeless state as I cursed to myself.
And now my audience with the Oracle was over.
I returned back downstairs to Mr. D's office with a puzzled look on my face. Chiron took a look at me and folded his arms as I took a seat taking in everything that was just said to me by that damn oracle. Everything she said felt cryptic. Everything felt liek it wasn't clear-cut black and white but rather left for interpretation.
"What did the Oracle say?"
"She said There comes a day when the true one reveals, once lightning strikes, the son of the eldest gods shall bring the rise of hope and an age of justice, There comes a day when the sun turns dark, a broken heart shall cause great combat, A single choice shall to preserve or raze."
I decided to omit certain details from the prophecy. I didn't need Chiron and Mr. D examining every single aspect of my life. I didn't have many friends and I didn't have anyone that I really considered to be a brother.
"Is that all she said?"
"Yes," I lied. I needed to figure this thing out myself first before I go telling Chiron about this.
"Okay, well. Today, you rest. Don't worry about training, tomorrow you leave for your journey. Trust me, it's gonna be a long one. And while you're resting be thinking of the campers you would like to take on this quest with you. Two is the max, we prefer to keep quests limited to numbers of 3. Now go on, you'll need your rest," Chiron said as I saw myself out of the room leaving him and Mr. D to discuss whatever they shall please to do so.
A few hours had passed and now I had sat along the shores with my own make-shift fire. I didn't really feel like being around the other campers, I just wanted to be alone especially after finding out what I had found out.
One line truly struck out to me and managed to play over and over. "A brother's betrayal shall cause the rise of a new evil," what the hell did that mean. I had no brothers on my mom's side, that I know of. But as for that bastard that I call a father, I know for sure I have some. I wasn't close to any of those people that I happened to share a father with. I didn't know them and if I was being honest, I didn't want to know them. I wish I could just turn back time and forget about this whole mess.
"You remind me of some of the Ares' campers," I heard, making me peek over my shoulder to see George Halloway walking towards me with a stubby (a beer) in his hand. I simply chuckled and turned back to look at the water.
"Everything alright?" He asked. I knew I probably shouldn't tell George about everything that was going on but I had a feeling that I could trust him.
"Not quite, I got a prophecy from the oracle that I just don't understand."
"I know what you mean. I myself have trouble understanding prophecies. I have the ability to see prophecies myself. I guess you can call it a gift," George said as he took a seat next to me and handed me the bottle, I don't know how he managed to get this beer into camp and I quite frankly didn't feel like asking.
"Or a curse," I said as George chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, or a curse. Prophecies are things that are never meant to be easily understood. They always have double meanings."
"Yeah, I hear ya," I said as I took another sip of the bev in my hand, "Tomorrow I leave for a quest, I don't know that many people around this camp but I do know you. I would like for you to accompany me on this quest. If that's okay with you?"
"Yes, it would be an honour."
"Well, let's toast to that, shall we?" We both raised our glasses and allowed them to clink together before taking a sip. And as the night continued we just bonded together, getting some time to understand each other before going on a mission that would change the course of our lives forever.
Moments After
George was on his way back to the Hermes' cabin with a smile on his face. He was excited because this was gonna be his first quest as a camper. As George walked he caught the glimpse of what looked like a peacock feather on the ground. He bent down picking it up, examining it with a confused frown on his face. He looked up seeing what looked to be a trail of these feathers leading to the forest. He looked around seeing if anyone else was seeing the same thing he was seeing but seemingly no one else had looked.
"Come child," He heard in his head, making him frown and look around before he did as he was instructed and walked along the trail.
George walked through a set of trees and shrubs to see the presence of a figure he thought he'd never see. It was the Queen of the Gods, the Goddess of Women, Marriage, Childbirth and Familian Love. She was clad in a flowing white dress with a cloak of peacock feathers over her shoulder and a gold crown. She had long-licorice black hair, large soft brown-eyes and a face full of regal, unapproachable beauty like a supermodel. In her hand, she carried a golden staff topped with a white lotus flower above it.
"Queen Hera!" George said in both fear and amazement.
"Kneel before me child," Hera commanded. George quickly did as instructed and knelt before the Queen of the Gods.
"So this is the kid, you want to entrust our plan in. He's so pathetic," said an unfamiliar voice, making George raise his head to see a tall figure clad in black jeans with combat boots with a leather jacket and a red muscle shirt worn under a black bulletproof vest. He had black sunglasses with red lenses and a handsome face full of rage with oily black hair.
"Ignore my son, George you may rise," Hera said as he rose up to his feet but kept his head down looking at the ground too afraid to look at the woman who may possibly be one of the most powerful Goddesses in Olympus.
"Look at him too afraid to even look at you," Ares walked towards George and shoved him, almost sending him to the ground but George managed to catch his stance, "Punk".
Ares once again pushed George this time with enough strength to send him to the ground.
"That's enough Ares," Hera commanded in a voice that seemingly sent a shock running down the spine of the God of War. George got up to his feet but once again kept his head down. Hera walked over to him and gently placed a hand on his chin, raising his head to level with hers.
"We have a proposition for you George. Nicholas White, the boy who claims to be the son of Zeus, seems to trust you. I hear he's going after Dawnbreaker, a weapon that could only be wielded by a scion of the sky. If this is true, I need you to get him to turn the weapon over to my son. And afterwards, I will need you to kill him. If you can do that for us, I will grant you whatever it is that you want. And as an early gift, my son Ares and I have created a weapon for you. But we can only give you this, if you agree to the terms. So do you?" George for a moment looked conflicted. Nicholas was his friend but Hera was offering him what he always wanted. Power and Respect. And being a friend wasn't going to reward him with that. If he had to stab someone in the back to get what he wanted, then that's what he was gonna do. History is only written by the victors.
"I'm in," George said as Hera smiled. Ares begrudgingly held his hand out while in a blind flash of fire, a gold scepter with a sharp blade at the edge of it. There was an emerald gem held in the centre of the blade. Ares handed this blade off to his mother. Hera took the blade in hand and handed it to George who looked at it with a smile on his face.
"With this, you should be able to conquer and do as you please. And you should be able to kill the boy easily."
"You have my word, Queen Hera, it will be done," He said as he kneeled once again making her smile before she disappeared with a burst of peacock-colored light. George looked up not seeing her or Ares making him rise up to his feet with the scepter in hand. He smiled as he chuckled, feeling the paradigm of power shift.
A/N: So I hoped everyone enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm sorry it took so long to get out but I was busy doing other stuff that I really don't care to dwell on at the moment.
Until Next Time!
