It was a chilly, dew-kissed morning. Percy's eyes roamed the darkened, misty fields, the empty arena, the lonely race track, the beautiful strawberry fields. The cabins started to burn bright with lights switching on and there were even some early birds grabbing a bite in the dining pavilion, most half-awake. Even Annabeth was probably shutting off her alarm right now. Only the harpies were getting to bed, dragging themselves into the forest, half-asleep.
On the surface, everything seemed normal. The younger campers would see nothing out of the ordinary. Even the veterans would miss it if they weren't paying attention and if they did, they wouldn't think to mention it. The weather was completely off. The sun wasn't out yet. Normally, the clouds would magically roll around the perimeter of Camp Half-Blood, the barriers shielding them from the less pleasant weather. Now the grass was moist, the sand in the volleyball pit was damp, and the lava wall was too slippery to climb.
"Jarring, isn't it?" Chiron said beside him.
Percy's brows furrowed. "Yeah. Can't tell if I feel more at home or less."
Chiron sipped his tea, not a big fan of coffee. "I think this better suits it. Reminds me of the days long before Zeus placed the spell on this place. We would get all sorts of crazy weather. You haven't had a good laugh until you see young half-bloods in jackets twice their size trying to climb the lava wall in the middle of a snowstorm."
Percy snorted. "Yeah, nothing says sanctuary for demigods than falling from cliffs directly into a pool of lava."
Chiron hid a smile by taking a long swig. "Of course." Then he turned serious. "The weather is a pleasant change of scenery. However, I worry of what it might signal."
He didn't even have to ask. Percy had been wondering this as well. "You think maybe something is going on with the gods?"
"Every couple decades, Zeus or Hecate come down to give the protective barriers a quick-charge. Like replacing the batteries of the spell, if you will. It's been weeks. He hasn't come yet."
Percy rubbed his head then placed his hands on the rails of the porch, hunched over. "Any chance he forgot? We just finished probably the biggest fight of any of our lifetimes. Heck I would go on vacation, too."
Chiron shrugged. "Either that or he's sending another clue it's time for another statue in his honor."
"I never thought I'd say this but I'd be glad to build that guy another big ass statue. Anything but another war or catastrophe or quest. But it looks like it's only a matter of time what with Rachel and the even Greater Stirring. The Emergence, whatever Annabeth wants to call it." He sighed, trying to release his frustrations in the calmest manner possible.
His old mentor shifted in his chair, running a hand through his beard, perhaps out of habit. "Percy, I hope you are not harboring resentful thoughts for me. I understand what I asked of you is difficult."
Now he felt guilty. "Chiron, I-"
He held up a hand. "Let me finish. I know you want nothing more than to continue the next stage of your life with Annabeth in the mortal world."
"Yes, but I-"
"You want a normal life and I'm sorry-"
"There's something in the forest!"
Chiron's eyes moved quickly, scanning the woods intensely. There was nothing. Plenty of sinister shadows and plants, some birds flying out, and the gentle swaying of the tree tops. Everything was normal. Then the first fireballs came streaking through the sky.
...
It was truly remarkable how quickly someone as old as Chiron could spring from his magical wheelchair and jump down a flight of stairs. To his credit, Percy vaulted the railings and timed his own maneuver perfectly so by the time the first impacts were heard he had already mounted Chiron.
They accelerated so quickly, the g's rushed to Percy's head, making him feel like he was in a race car. The first round of fire hit almost nothing of importance. The beautiful grass was peppered by small craters but the most severe damage was the dining pavilion. As it was, it looked like no one was harmed. Had it been full of hungry demigods...
The conch horn sounded about half a minute too late. By that time, people were rushing out of cabins by the dozen in various stages of undress. Some with socks and underwear, others in pants and shoes, some with a toothbrush hanging out of their mouths, some girls in face masks. Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly, the Ares cabin were the only ones to charge out ready in full battle gear.
Percy scanned the surroundings, unable to see an approaching army or maybe a giant dragon flying around. "Can you see them?" He shouted over the roaring wind.
Chiron didn't respond, his head swiveling in all directions. But not even 10 seconds later, he stopped so abruptly, Percy considered it a miracle he didn't fly off.
"No," Chiron breathed, his voice full of horror.
Percy found what Chiron spotted. Standing at the ridge of Half-Blood Hill, just beyond Thalia's pine tree stood a lone figure. Decked out in the sickest gear since Nico's battle armor, he raised something in his fist. Percy's blood ran ice cold. It was the head of Argus, the camp's protector. Even from this distance, his innumerous eyes twitched and rolled aimlessly, seeing nothing. His headless corpse lay a few yards away.
But it was only after this realization that the final piece of the puzzle connected in Percy's mind. Wrapped around their famous pine tree, Peleus the Dragon lay curled in a grotesque position, completely immobile. The Golden Fleece was still draped on the lowest branch. But for how long?
"We feast!" His raspy voice boomed from everywhere, amplified.
The sound of their approach was deafening. The catapults let loose another volley, like the very gods were firing their massive bows at them. The ground started to tremble from the sheer size of their force. Winged hags and demons emerged from the trees from all directions. Hell hounds jumped out of the shadows, dracaena armed with swords and shields and bows mounted atop them. The six-armed brethren of the earth from a few weeks past rejoined the fight. A couple of laestrygonian giants lumbered forward, bags of rocks strapped to their backs. From the beach even they came. Water hags and half-men half-octopus rose from the depths, scaring the life out of the peaceful water spirits that lived nearby. Entire ships emerged from the dark, full of monsters and strapped with cannons. They instantly let loose a volley of cannon fire directed at the cabins.
Percy's brain raced, pulling him in many directions at once. His mind reacted. His body wouldn't. Not this time.
...
It took just seconds for Chiron to come up with a plan. Percy had a feeling an attack like this wasn't the first, second, or even third time it had happened.
"Percy," Chiron's voice carried more pain than Percy expected to ever hear from his old mentor. "I need you to cut off their naval assault, shut down one of their attack fronts."
Percy took in the oncoming wave of monsters. "I can't leave you here alone!"
Chiron notched an arrow calmly, "I can hold my own. What's important is to mount our defense and choke their efforts or we'll be overrun from all sides. Clarisse knows what to do. Please do as I say, Percy."
Percy eyed the Black Demon, slowly advancing forward, brandishing his sword. A horrible feeling erupted in his gut. This was not going to end well.
"I'll be back as soon as I can!" He promised.
Without another word, Percy sprinted full out across the grounds. He never thought camp would become a war zone ever again. Especially not after such a big battle. Someone was taking advantage of their vulnerability. Someone who knew when the barriers would be down. A dark instinct stirred within him. A feeling of vengeance burned hot. History would not be repeated a third time.
The winged beasts from the forest set their eyes on him. "Son of Poseidon!"
Wild harpies hissed excitedly, "Your blood will intoxicate us for days!"
Percy bared his teeth. "Yeah? Come get it."
Fully blood lusted, they squawked and rushed him, swarming him from above. Talons flashed and feathers burst everywhere. Memories of the arai from Tartarus and their curses exploded to the forefront of his consciousness. He remembered how helpless he had felt, guiding a blind Annabeth and fending off swarms. Never again. Riptide became a blur of motion, spinning so fast they dropped by the dozen. He spun 360 degrees, his blade becoming one shield protecting him from every angle they tried. Though they attacked relentlessly it was Percy who pressed the assault. They did not yet realize they were supposed to be flying away. It was a massacre.
When the dust settled, not a scratch decorated his body. His heart pounded and his blood rushed through his veins. Never had Percy felt such a surge of adrenaline. He set his eyes on the beach. It wasn't over yet.
By that time, the half bloods were fully mobilized, if not fully prepared. The Ares cabin acted as the skeleton guard, fending off monsters until the rest got their shit together. Clarisse was a demon on the battlefield, her electric spear discharged again and again as it claimed a dozen monster lives. Her war cries and fearsome stand against the surprise attack was the sole reason morale wasn't in the toilet.
When the third barrage of catapult fire hit, a strong urge to find Annabeth started nagging at him, almost making him change course. There were a score of blondes in the fray. Any could be her. The chances she was in greater danger than the rest was slim.
She can take care of herself. Percy fought down his feelings. If she were here, she would want him to complete his mission for all their sakes'.
The closer he got to the beach, the more momentum the waves built. More than a few monsters turned to track his arrival. They could smell the sea permeating around him. His power was a beacon. But they weren't the only ones who could sense him. Water nymphs and spirits watched him anxiously. Their usual mischief was replaced with utter terror. That alone fueled his rage.
He slowed to a walk, casting his gaze upon the slimy monstrosities. Their ships lurked in the background, still firing away. Distant screams told him they hit their mark. He quickly identified the lead scumbag. A cyclops with a club. Typical.
"Son of the Sea!" He bellowed, his one eye burning with hunger. "The tales of your prowess has reached many ears down in Tartarus. I expected you to be bigger, brother."
He twirled Riptide, advancing. "I think a new tale involving you and my sword is going to spread around pretty quickly."
A cyclops rolling his eye was much more disorienting than Percy expected.
"Look around you, brother. You're outnumbered. We have cannons firing at your little huts. An army larger than Mother Earth's surrounds your camp. And..."
The waters under Percy's control suddenly went still. "The water favors me today. You have nothing. Your surrender would be wise." His toothy grin made his face more alien and grotesque.
"Really?" Percy's gut stiffened and like a game of tug of war, he yanked control from the cyclops. So violent was the change that one of the ships literally flew out of the sea. The one-eyed monster could only gaze paralyzed at the ship as it sped towards him. By the time he reacted, the full weight crushed him with a thunderous thud.
"ON ME!" Percy cried, stabbing the air. A roar from the water spirits resounded as they joined his charge. The death of their leader did not diminish their spirits. They charged right back with tridents, barbed swords, clubs, and nets. He could feel the nymphs faltering. Percy had to show his allies they stood a chance. With a roar, he rushed into battle, slashing everywhere. He decapitated left and right, slicing arms and waists. A rush of power exploded from within and suddenly he was surrounded in a violent rush of water and electricity. His hurricane returned, stronger than ever. If before he bested a Titan, what chance did they hold?
The water spirits were emboldened. They started joining him fully. Blasts of water impacted everywhere. Where before there were a hundred, the number dropped by half in seconds. Percy's power wrecked the ships before they fired their next volley. As the last one fell, the dormant ship on the sand shifted. Percy's awareness spread fast. Though he now realized the cyclops was not dead, he somehow knew where he would emerge from. As his one-eyed brother burst from the starboard side, breaking through the thick wood like it was glass, Percy was on him. Diving from above, he stabbed Riptide right through the eye.
The Cyclops couldn't even scream before he disintegrated. Finally, after seeing his power firsthand and witnessing their leader's brutal end twice, the monsters turned foot. Percy's senses one again came to him. He knew where every single monster was running. He could feel them. They were creatures of the sea. They would obey the ocean's Master. He penetrated their minds all at once. Their will was nothing to his own.
TO ME!
They all stopped in their tracks, half-turning in a confused daze. It was just enough time for the water spirits to jump them, eliminating the naval front.
Breathing hard, Percy finally collapsed to his knees. Whether from fatigue or an adrenaline spike, he wasn't sure.
Where did that come from? A sense of dread replaced his confidence, his unleashed rage. The same thing happened in Tartarus when he lost control against Akhyls, goddess of Misery. He couldn't control himself against her. He couldn't stop himself against them. It was happening more and more often. How long before he lost control entirely?
Percy rose to his feet cautiously, saw them watch him. Not with fear, not with caution; but with a question: what's next?
He tried to control his breathing, his discomfort rising. A wave of guilt made him want to disappear. He felt like a criminal, a monster like the ones he had just slaughtered. Why, then, were they gifting him with awe and respect?
Regrouping his thoughts, he faced them. "Wait by the lake. If any monster tries to escape, drown them. Make sure nothing else comes out of these waters."
"Yes, my lord." They saluted. With lingering looks of reverence, they left.
Swallowing down bile, he rushed off. Chiron needed him.
...
The weight of all his long years as a teacher, warrior, and leader rushed through Chiron in seconds as the monsters approached.
Waves and waves of deja vu coursed within him. With every fiery explosion, Chiron saw flashes of the camp throughout the centuries. Right where the army advanced was once an orchard where a young demigod suggested selling apples instead of strawberries. Where that fireball landed, he saw a scarecrow they used to be fond of. Where the echoes of brave commands Percy yelled, Chiron imagined an elaborate water park the Hephaestus cabin built a decade ago. Every monster he shot down, Chiron remembered having done it before.
Zeus had once told Chiron that his immortality would fade when he wasn't needed anymore. These past few years, his hair had begun to grey. His joints ached when he pulled back the bowstring. His speed faded after every run. His eyesight dulled. Every generation he trained he thought to be his last. Now he knew deep within Percy's generation to be his last. He tried his best. He really had. But he didn't have it in his heart to ask the promising young demigod to take his place. Percy had a life to live. The life Chiron hoped for him wasn't what Percy wanted. The old centaur had known this when the son of Poseidon did the unthinkable and declined Zeus' offer of immortality.
Now all Chiron longed to know was who would take his place? Who would look after his kids? Who would care for the camp? Argus, his beloved guardian, was gone. Dionysus would never agree to take on such a demeaning job. Not again anyways. That, above all, shattered his heart.
"Master Centaur!" The warrior shook Chiron from his own head. "Your time is at an end!"
Chiron's face was like stone. "And yours will not even begin."
His voice revealed his grin. "I wouldn't be so certain. The Cold One rises. Your gods have abandoned you, again! A threat larger than you could imagine approaches and Zeus flees! Such cowardice will be punished accordingly."
Chiron drew his broadsword. "The only threat here is you. I don't know your name or your history. I don't know your lord or your minions. I don't know your motives or plans. I do know, however, that I will perish before you cross deeper into this sanctuary."
He brandished his Stygian Iron sword, urging the seasoned, aged centaur forward. "As you wish."
Chiron had the reach advantage, both with his sword and height. As a centaur, his strength was triple that of a normal demigod and third that of the average god. So it surprised him a little when the knight in black armor met all his blows and even riposted, throwing Chiron on the defensive. He reared, kicking at him with his hooves and slashing but the other was too quick, dancing around sword, fist, and legs easily.
"Impressive," The warrior said. "For an old man."
He let loose his own sequences once more and Chiron found his reserves of energy depleting rapidly. He truly was past his prime. A century earlier, he might've been able to contend on equal footing. Now, he was outclassed.
A sneaky but powerful rising slash forced Chiron back more than a few steps.
The black warrior laughed. "Why are you dancing?"
A snarling hell hound flew at him, Chiron barely managed a decapitation. The dust flew in his eyes but his lashes filtered most of it. Two repulsive serpent-legged dracanae slithered onto his flanks. The centaur disposed of them with two heavy swings. The dark knight sprang forward even before they disintegrated with another barrage. Chiron defended with everything he had and was left with nothing. Breathing heavy, his sword tip dipped. His muscles spasming.
He could've turned tail and run for it. Come back with reinforcements or find Percy. But that would mean letting loose a savage on his home. Chiron made a vow. He would not let it happen. So he could do nothing when the black warrior swung once and left him unarmed. Chiron pranced back, drawing his bow. The knight advanced quickly, cutting down arrows with inhuman reflexes. With a mighty kick, Chiron crashed onto the grassy plain, out of breath and defenseless.
"Here it is, Centaur. The moment you asked for. After you're gone, I will burn this little camp to cinders. I might even salt the grounds. No more strawberries."
Chiron knew he was smiling beneath that mask. His blood boiled but he had quite a task even rising. "I trained my kids well. You will not run far," He promised.
"We shall see."
"CHIRON!"
He turned his head. Young, brave Perseus sprinted with all his heart to him. Anaklusmos shone with bright vengeance. Even panicked, the young man looked regal and like a true warrior. Pride swelled his chest. He had done well. The cold touch of Stygian Iron penetrated his chest. Like everything it tore into, the old centaur was sucked in. In an instant, he was gone.
A terrible roar filled the valley. A thousand hearts skipped a beat. They all heard, not the cry of mourning but, a beast of war. In moments the heat of battle settled in again. The fury of Percy Jackson was unleashed once more. That monster hadn't even left behind a body to bury. Percy's blood screamed for revenge.
With an overhead swing, Percy landed. Not taking a single moment to gather power, he went in. Snarling, he swung with all his strength. His free limbs threw punches and kicks. Anything to hurt the warrior in black. The bastard had the nerve to laugh and out of pure instinct, the son of Poseidon clawed water from the air. The impact was that of a lion's heavy paw, staggering the knight.
"You little-"
The words choked when Percy attacked again and again, leaving no room for words of any kind. It was a beautiful assault, a wonderous harmony of steel and water. In seconds, the air was left without moisture and so Percy reached without thinking to the ground, draining the grass of its lifeblood. Black splotches like ink on green paper were left. Dead grass littered the field everywhere. Percy didn't care, didn't think. He just attacked. Attacked the thing that killed his friend, his mentor. And if any paid attention, they would see the beatdown of the ages. A young Percy Jackson in his prime annihilating an immortal with an army at his command.
The demigods nearby were now showcasing their training. Huddled in behind their older brothers and sisters were the kids, dressed in oversized armor, struggling to keep their shields up. The veteran warriors destroyed the army of monsters. Charm speak and arrows flew about. Swords swung savagely. Shields ringing and war cries made a cacophonous song. Annabeth and Clarisse directed defense and offense simultaneously. Will Solace shot arrow after arrow, tears streaming down his face, for he knew Chiron had fallen. Nico stood beside him, fending any who dared get too close. He, too, knew but did a better job keeping his emotions in check.
With so many terrific leaders and warriors, it was a wonder the monsters lasted so long. In minutes, the demigods were chasing them off.
The Black Knight slithered back, breathing heavy. His armor was now missing pieces, bleeding Ichor from more than just a few places. It was him now who was bested. Outclassed. Defeated. If Riptide was made of Stygian Iron, he wouldn't exist now.
"We are not done here, halfling. We will be back the next day, and the next, and the next until this valley runs with your blood."
Percy's eyes bore into his with violent intent. "We? They'll be back. You won't."
With a strong tug from his gut, Percy reached out and grabbed the liquid in the Knight's body. With clawed fingers, he manipulated his blood, rushing it all to his brain, fully intent on seeing how much pressure his head would take before it went splat! The dark one screamed bloody murder. If he could move his arms, he would've clutched his head in utter agony.
Just like Akhyls, the thought crawled its way above the screams.
He stumbled back, terrified. He could not do it. And that was all the warrior in black needed. With a crack, he disappeared, leaving no trace behind to prove his existence. The damage his army did to the camp, however, was very real. And it would stay there for as long as Camp Half-Blood stood.