Everyone always told Alex that using a dagger was unnecessarily harder than a sword, but it was in her blood.

She never saw her mom truly fight until Alex was thirteen years old. A hellhound attacked the camp, and Alex watched in shock as her mom killed the monster gracefully and quickly. It was like watching a ballerina with a knife. At that moment, Alex understood why the shorter blade always felt more comfortable in her hand.

She also started to listen to her mom when she was teaching classes in the arena. As a result, Alex became the top knife fighter in the camp, only second to her teacher and mother. While there was not many who preferred daggers to begin with, Alex was quite obviously the best and competed with the most talented swordsmen of camp.

Many older campers always stated that she was cheating, that her genetics already put her at an advantage. They liked to tease her that she could beat them straight out of the womb. And they were right, considering she was the child of the best swordsmen and knife fighter of their generation.

She couldn't imagine just how good her father must have been. After fighting Clarisse La Rue for the first time two years ago (and losing miserably, might she add), Alex asked her mom if her father ever fought Clarisse. Her mother simply laughed and told her daughter that Percy beat Clarisse when he was twelve.

Of course, that gave Alex a little perspective on her father's skills, but he had also fought Ares, Hyperion, Kronos, and Tartarus all before the age of eighteen. She couldn't visualize that level of talent because it died with her father. According to Annabeth, no camper came close to her father's swordsmanship in the past two decades. Able, the other son of Poseidon, had lots of potential, but he could not fulfill it quick enough. He was killed on a quest a few years prior by a rogue demigod's arrow. Since then, Annabeth would always say that Alex had the most room for improvement, and the young demigod always hoped to one day reach the level of her parents.

But just maybe not today.

It was an early Thursday morning, two weeks into the summer, when Alex found herself about to fall asleep in her mother's knife fighting class. She had stayed up late the night before, trying to finish a book. As a result, Alex found her eyes shutting against her will during the seven o'clock class. If her mother wasn't the teacher, Alex would have used the time to hone her skill of sleeping while standing.

She and Sierra partnered up to practice the moves that Alex had done thousands of times.

Sierra was the only highlight of the class. They kept passing glances at each other while Annabeth was giving demonstrations, making Alex smile to herself.

Maybe Piper was right.

As they sparred, Alex simply went through the motions, doing enough to not lose but not enough to win. Sierra was a good fighter, but a knife wasn't her weapon of choice as a daughter of Apollo and it showed in her inconsistent movements. Alex felt a yawn rising in her chest.

"Alex!" her mom called. "Get your elbow up!"

Alex saw Sierra grin at her teasingly for getting called out by her mom. She huffed but listened to her mother as their knives continued to flash between them.

She saw an opening in Sierra's defense so she stepped forward and administered a disarming maneuver that was difficult to accomplish with knives. Alex smiled when she saw Sierra's weapon fall to the ground.

"Alex, that was not fast enough," her mom interrupted her self-cheering. "Any seasoned knife fighter would see that you left your right side exposed when you stepped into her. They could have pulled out of your reach easily and countered by a jab in the side," she said, demonstrating her said movements. "Go again."

Alex turned to Sierra and gave her an apologetic look to which she got a small smile back. They both readied themself before fighting again. Alex lunged at Sierra, the flat of the blade in her right hand hitting Sierra's left side. Alex started to feel a wave of success, but instead her mom stopped them.

"No, you did the movement wrong." She pulled Alex out of the fight and stood in her place. She looked at her daughter as she showed the proper step in slow motion. "You stepped with your left foot towards a right-handed opponent. All she would have to do is stick her knife out a few inches and your side is sliced. If you step with your right foot, you pull away from her weapon which protects your side. Understand?"

Alex nodded silently, and got back into position where they resumed fighting.

Anytime Alex incapacitated Sierra, her mom would stop the fight and correct whatever mistake Alex made. She could feel annoyance growing in her chest as more and more campers stopped their own sparring to watch.

After disarming Sierra for the seemingly thousandth time and her mom stopping them yet again, Alex finally spoke up.

"Mom," she said, interrupting whatever her mother was about to go off on, "I think Sierra needs a break." Her annoyance was clear in her voice.

Sierra, who was breathing heavily because she wasn't used to fighting that long, quickly nodded her head. She gave Alex a supportive look before going to the water cooler by the bleachers, leaving Alex and her mom alone.

Her mom sighed. "Alex, you have to improve your fighting skills if you ever want to go on a quest. Right now, I don't think you are ready."

Alex reared back in shock. "Not ready? I've been training with you for how many years now? And I'm not ready?"

Her mom looked at her coolly. "You know the moves, but you're lazy. You don't predict your opponent's next attack. You let your guard down once you think they are beaten. You don't perform the moves quick enough, even though I know you are faster than what you are showing."

Alex threw her hands up exasperated. "Yeah because it's training. I'm fighting Sierra who didn't even know how to hold a knife until last year!"

Her mom's eyes flashed. "And you think you will just suddenly do all of those things once you get into a real battle?" She started to walk towards the water cooler.

Alex noticed the arena had cleared out, except for Sierra who was waiting for her by the entrance. Alex waved at her, telling her to leave which she did after looking between Alex and her mom nervously. Alex followed her mom.

"I've been in a real battle before, mom," she argued.

Annabeth turned back to her. "Inside camp's borders, where if you go down, you have ten archers behind you to back you up." She looked at her daughter, almost enviously. "You have never been in a battle alone, in an unfamiliar place. These are stupid mistakes that will harm you or the people around you. I'm trying to protect you." She turned her back to Alex to get water.

Alex huffed again, and ran a hand over her tied-up hair. "You know I'm one of the best in camp. I've proved myself over and over again. What more can I do?"

"So was your father, and look at how that turned out," Annabeth said flatly, still turned away. Alex didn't have to see her mother's face to know it hurt her to say that, but it was the truth. Her mom turned and put her hands on Alex's shoulders. Her mother's eyes, which were an exact reflection of her own, were shining with unshed tears. "Alex, you are sixteen now so one of these days you will go on a quest. The Fates hate our family too much for that not to happen," she said with a heartless laugh, "It is my job to make sure that you are as prepared as you can possibly be. I am going to push you, scold you, and criticize you. I need you to know that I am doing it because I love you. You didn't grow up like your father and I, fighting for our lives at the age of twelve from monsters and gods. I need you to listen to me and take this training seriously because it will save your life one day. I've already lost your father." She pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "I can't lose you too," she whispered.

Alex blinked back tears and wrapped her arms around her mom, speechless. They stayed in a comfortable silence until Annabeth pulled back and wiped a single tear from her own cheek. She took a deep breath and gave Alex a reassuring smile. "When your moment comes, sweetie, I know you will do great things."

With Alex still not muttering a word, her mom told her that she had to meet with Chiron and that she will see her at lunch. After gathering her things and bidding her goodbye, her mom exited the arena.

Alex stared at an abandoned paper cup filled with water next to the water cooler.

Why did I treat her like that? All she wants is to protect me, and I act like a σκύλα to her!

In a fit of anger at herself, Alex kicked the bleachers and the cup of water exploded next to her. She turned and start to sulk to Cabin Six, feeling utterly pathetic.

Nearby, Sierra was leaning against a tree, no doubt waiting for her. She seemed deep in thought, and she was biting her lip, a nervous habit. Alex always thought it was cute, but she was too mad at herself at the moment to think about it. Sierra looked up when she heard Alex's footsteps and scrambled to catch up to her.

"You okay?" she asked tentatively. She knew Alex and her mom occasionally butt heads due to the genetic stubbornness that ran in the family.

Alex sighed and nodded, then pulled her dark curls from the ponytail she had it in. "Mom was right as usual, and I was just a bitch. What's new?"

They headed to the cabins, where Alex stated her wish to spend the rest of the morning under her bed covers and not reemerge until lunch.

"Well if that is your wish, princess, I guess I'll have to abide by it," Sierra said, trying to lighten the mood. "Are you going to be okay?"

They arrived at her cabin, and Alex nodded, giving her a halfhearted grin. "Thank you, you're the best."

Sierra pursed her lips slightly, like she wanted to say something. Instead, she reached out and gave her best friend's hand a reassuring squeeze before turning and saying "See you at lunch," over her shoulder.

Alex groaned internally at herself, and tiredly shouldered her way into the cabin where all she wanted to do was hide from the world.

/

After a while, Alex realized that her wish of solitude wasn't actually the best idea. She couldn't fall asleep, and she couldn't stop thinking about how rude she was to her mother that morning. It was eating her alive. If there was one thing Alex couldn't do, it was hold grudges against her loved ones.

She continued to toss and turn in her bed, the only person in Cabin Six as everyone else was out being productive members of camp. She looked over at her mom's rack, which was directly across the room from her.

Since Alex was the only person with Poseidon blood in the camp, she was technically the only one allowed to stay there. However, she quickly learned at the age of eleven that it was very lonely so she went back to the Athena cabin with her mom. Sometimes she went there to think, for its peace and quiet. She felt closer to her dad, knowing that he had stayed in the same bunks many years ago. As the years went, she found herself in there more and more. But she always eventually went back to Cabin Six.

Alex also noticed that her mom's bed was a perfect representation of her mother.

At their apartment in Manhattan, her mom's bed was neat but it looked lived it. It wasn't perfectly made everyday, pillows were crooked, sheets weren't crisp and unwrinkled. Her mom always said it was a compromise with her dad; the bed would be made, but not nice enough so her dad could jump on it at anytime and not feel like he was ruining an art piece. She said the habit simply stuck.

However, at camp, her bed was perfect. No pillow out of line, corners perfectly folded at a forty-five degree angle and tucked in, cover pulled up the same spot everyday. It was immaculate.

At home, her mom was human. She would let Alex lead the charge some days, she would tell Alex stories and cry, she would skip a workout with Alex if she was feeling too tired. At home, she was her mom Annabeth Jackson.

Camp was a different story. Here, she was Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena and unofficial leader of camp. A legendary fighter with infinite wisdom and intelligence, she was the one person everyone could count on to lead them to victory. At any bump in the road, all eyes turned to her.

Alex could see the effect it had on her mother. The way she stood taller, spoke louder and clearer, emulating the perfect leader through her actions. Annabeth Chase was perfect in everything she did, and Alex knew how much it exhausted her mother. Alex doesn't know how her mom has done it for so many years, but everytime they crossed the border into camp, Annabeth Jackson became Annabeth Chase.

That's why Alex was so exasperated with her this morning. It was Annabeth Chase that kept nagging and scolding her, and Alex knew this. Then a minute later, it was Annabeth Jackson telling her daughter how much she loved her. If someone had been in the arena when they were by the water cooler, her mother never would have gotten as sentimental as she did. Alex wished she would drop this façade and be herself, even if that version wasn't perfect. She wished her mom understood that she could be a demigod and a human at the same time. She wished her mom would take a breath and relax for just one second at camp.

However, no matter what version her mom was, Alex knew that the way she acted towards her mother that morning was unacceptable. Her mom was her best friend (she wasn't embarrassed to admit it) and she deserved to be treated better.

Alex had heard the lunch horn blow a few minutes ago, and she knew her mom would wait for her before she got food. So she shoved her covers down and stood up out of her bed.

Suddenly, she got the sensation that she was shaking and her first thought was that she stood up too fast. She reached out to grab her bedpost to stable herself when she realized that she actually was shaking, along with everything around her. Books, pencils, and rulers rattled on the tables and desks as everything vibrated. Alex could hear some shrieks of surprise from outside the cabin. And just like that, it was over. Everything stilled and it was silent.

Not only did Long Island not get earthquakes, earthquakes usually meant two things in the demigod world: something was rising from the ground, or something was beneath them. Neither was a good option.

Alex grabbed her knife from her bedside table, and ran out of Cabin Six towards the mess hall. As she ran, she could see other people stumbling from their cabins and following behind her.

Once she arrived, she scanned the growing crowd and spotted her mom standing next to Chiron who had his bow drawn. Alex headed their way, pushing through the crowd. As soon as she was within earshot, she called out to her mom.

At the same time, the ground beneath the hall began to shake again, this time more violently. Plates and glasses fell off tables, shattering on the ground. Anyone who was armed tried to draw their weapon, but many were forced to drop them in order to grab onto something to keep them on their feet. Yells of pain were heard as people fell onto the shattered glass, and small chunks of the pavillion's ceiling started to rain down on the demigods.

Alex stumbled, but miraculously managed to stay on her feet. When she was twenty yards from her mom, there was a large CRACK like a lightning bolt hitting a tree. The loud sound startled her, making her trip over her feet. Alex felt herself tumbling forward, her running body's momentum too much to reverse. She looked down in time to see the 6 foot crack open up right in front of her.

Death by tripping over thin air. Nice.

Just as she was about to dive head first towards her great uncle, Alex felt two hands latch around her right ankle. Her body jerked painfully from the sudden stop and her leg felt like it separated from her hip, but the hands held strong. Alex's entire upper body hung over the edge, giving her a front-row seat to the hundred foot drop below her.

"Pull me up, pull me up, pull me up!" she squeaked, reaching her hands frantically behind her to get a grip. More hands grabbed her legs, and dragged her up and away the crack. Alex was still shaking, but she wasn't sure if it was from the ground or fear. The front of her body stung- probably from broken glass- but before she could check, Alex was engulfed in a tight hug.

"Oh my gods!" Sierra pulled back to examine her face, which was thankfully untouched. "You're lucky I'm an archer or I probably would have dropped you! Are you okay?" She gave Alex a quick glance over to make sure no bones were sticking out.

Alex simply nodded, still a little disoriented.

Just as Sierra was about to fuss over the glass in her torso, a horn sounded from the woods. The loud crowd of the dining pavilion quickly silenced, listening for either instructions or a monster's roar. Then chaos broke out as everyone rushed to find their weapon on the floor or scramble back to their cabins to retrieve it.

Alex looked up to see her mom staring right at her from where she had been standing before the earthquake. Piper was at her side and they both had drawn their knives. Chiron was running towards the woods with a group of armed campers.

Alex scrambled to her feet, grabbing Sierra by the wrist, whose bow was slung over her shoulder, and pulling her towards her mom. They gingerly went around the crack before sprinting the rest of the way.

"What is going on?" Alex rasped, breathing heavily from leftover fear and dust.

Her mom shook her head. "I don't know, but something is happening in the woods."

Aunt Piper waved her knife towards the woods. "We have to go! Not many people have their weapons on them so they need us!"

The four of them took off, following the small stream of people that seemed to know where they were going.

"Piper!" her mom called. "Zeus' Fist! They're going the wrong way!"

Alex didn't know what that meant, but Aunt Piper seemed to know as she altered their course, splitting them from the line of people. A few moments later, Alex started to make out a group of ten to fifteen campers crowding around a large pile of rocks. Chiron was in the front. They reached the cluster and started to push their way to the front, Alex's mom leading the charge.

They finally reached Chiron's side, who was staring silently at the rocks.

There were six foot cracks stemming from around the base like branches. Some rocks had fallen from the top and were laying randomly around the structure. Other than that, it seemed insignificant. Alex had probably hid there at some point during a Capture The Flag game but the rocks were so ordinary, she couldn't remember.

However, Chiron, Piper, and Annabeth were staring at the rocks like they could strike at any second.

"This is the epicenter," her mom stated. Chiron nodded solemnly.

They all turned as they heard a goat's bleat coming from behind them. Grover trotted up. "What is going on? The wood nymphs are pissed!" He stopped next to Annabeth and they exchanged hushed whispers.

Alex turned to Sierra. "What is this place?" she whispered.

Sierra took a deep breath, keeping her eyes on the rocks. "Zeus' Fist. It's an entrance to the Labyrinth. Or at least it was. It hasn't been opened in years," she answered.

Alex knew her parents had been in the Labyrinth; her mom must have missed this part of the story.

The ground started to shake again, and they were right on top of the origin. The cracks at the base of the rocks widen and elongated, forcing the demigods to scramble backwards into each other. The trees around them started to sway as their roots pulled from the quaking ground. Alex could hear far off screams from the demigods who went the wrong way. The rocks facing the demigods started to fall, tumbling over each other and towards the group. It all happened too quick so no one had the reaction time or balance to jump out of the way. They all watched as they prepared for the boulders to flatten them.

But it never happened.

The boulders rolled and magically stopped right in front of the group, despite the trembling ground. They plowed against each other, forming a large cloud of dust and debris around the heroes.

Then the earthquake stopped and there was silence as the rocks stopped moving as well. People started to cough and rub their eyes from the brown-red dust.

Finally, the cloud dissipated and everyone stared at the newly formed hole in the side of Zeus' Fist. They slowly moved around the rocks and cracks to get a closer look. Alex stayed towards the front of the group, her curiosity getting the best of her.

There was only darkness past the opening, no clue as to who or what was coming their way.

Then, a silhouette.

There was a collective gasp as everyone scrambled to brandish their weapons. Next to Alex, Sierra nocked an arrow.

"WAIT!" Grover cried. He was pale and shaking. "Hold your fire!"

Everyone lowered their weapons as they watched the silhouette take the shape of a human. It was hunched over and moving slowly.

Finally, the sun's rays hit the figure.

It was a man, with long hair and a beard, grey from the dust. His clothes were tattered, mismatched, and too big for his body. One of his hands was covering his eyes and face, the bright sun seemingly too much for him. The only thing dangerous about him was what was in his other hand.

It was a sword, glowing in the haze like a light. It was three feet long and Celestial Bronze, meaning that the mystery-person must be a demigod. He wasn't holding the blade threateningly. In fact, he held it pointed down next to him, leaving him exposed, but Alex had a feeling he did that on purpose.

The man peaked through his fingers, looking around calmly at the group of demigods. Alex still couldn't make out his face behind his hand. However, Alex could see the man smile brightly before he collapsed to the ground.

No one moved to help him, not even Chiron, who looked stunned. Alex looked around and noticed that Grover had collapsed too. She sheathed her weapon.

"Is no one going to help him?" Alex said into the silence. She looked at her mom, whose mouth was open in shock.

Alex stepped from the group and went towards the man, kneeling next to him. Her midsection burned at the movement, but she knew this was more important than a couple of cuts. She felt for a pulse in his neck.

As soon as she touched him, his eyes flashed opened, startling Alex. His eyes were a vibrant green like the ocean.

Wow, his eyes are really green, she thought.

He stared straight into her eyes. Alex couldn't look away.

His eyes closed again, but right before his breathing evened, he said, "Annabeth." Then he was out cold again.

Alex was sure she must have misheard him, but when she looked up, everyone was staring at her mom who was still frozen. Her eyes were pooling with tears and they never left the man.

"M-mom?" Alex started to stand. "Do you know him?"

Her mom didn't respond and she started to shake, still staring at the man.

"Mom." Alex took a step towards her. "What is going on?" Alex's stomach was twisting with anxiety and her head hurt from confusion. Older campers were looking between Annabeth, Alex, and the man like a threeway tennis match. "Can anyone tell me what is going on?"

The silence was broken by the sound of Chiron's hooves as he trotted up to the man. He carefully picked him up and laid him across his back. He then turned back to Annabeth, scooping her up, and then taking off back towards camp, leaving everyone behind and Alex more confused than she had ever been.

/

I think y'all know what's going on here.

So this story is going to be eight chapters so we're 1/4 of the way through! That was quick, but that's what I wanted. All of these chapters are dense so sorry if things feel like they're moving fast. I'm trying to space things out, but sometimes you can't help it. If you have any questions, please let me know! I'm happy to answer them.

I'm going on vacation in two days so the next chapter might be posted a little later than Monday. Sorry, but like I said, life is getting hectic again. Summer is ending way to quickly, and it's all starting to catch up to me. Also, I need a good book to read for my trip. Any recommendations?

Sorry for any spelling errors, blah blah blah. See ya soon.