So good news and bad news, Good news : I no longer have writer's block! Bad news in order to compensate for classes being over right now... My boss has has drastically increased my working hours... add in that I'm getting Fallout 4... Well you get the idea. I'll update whenever I can but I'll keep up for next weeks as well. In addition to that my juices have been flowing and my ideas for Project Phantom are getting flushed out quite nicely.
Review Time!
The 6th Spectral King - What I wrote there is actually pretty similar to one of the true versions of that particular legend. One of the only main differences from Riordan's version is that Orion was human rather than a giant.
Guest (Dec.17) - He will be forced to use the wail at some point in Project Phantom but I have yet to decide where.
Sorry about not answering every review but I am extremely pressed for time right now so sit back and enjoy the Arrival.
Chapter 06: Arrival
Long Island – Camp Half-Blood
Percy and Annabeth were sitting on the porch of the Big House talking quietly. Percy speaking rather heatedly, "I swear the rest of the Cloven won't give him a break!"
"Percy! Grover is the leader of the Cloven, of course he's busy! He's trying to protect all of the wild left in the world."
He grumbled to himself, "Doesn't mean I can't miss my best friend." Annabeth only shook her head as a horn echoed. Percy smiled to himself, "Sounds like the Huntresses are here again. Think we'll win Capture the Flag this time?"
Annabeth shook her head at her boyfriend's words. "We outnumber them more than ever, Seaweed Brain. If we don't win then we're the worst fighters in history."
The two of them looked up at the hill as Artemis and Thalia appeared over the top of the hill. The two of them seemed to be discussing something before Thalia ran over to the two of them. "Hey guys, long time no see."
Percy snorted, "It's been what? Four months?" Regardless he smiled and gave her a brief friendly hug. "I take it the other huntresses are angry at staying here again?"
Thalia groaned, "Angry doesn't even begin to describe it. Some unknown being calling himself Phantom saved a few huntresses that had been trapped in stone by Medusa, and that damn Sabrina is the biggest pain I've ever had to deal with."
"What happened to Phoebe the man hater?" Annabeth questioned her but before Thalia answered she motioned for the two of them to follow her.
When they arrived at the fire pit, Thalia turned to them and said, "Sorry but Artemis wanted privacy while she and the other huntresses handled a small situation. As for Phoebe… She's actually mellowed out lately. She really bonded with one of our newer huntresses…"
Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "I'm sensing a 'but' here."
Thalia sighed, "She's dying Annie. Even Apollo couldn't help her. She's sick with something but no one knows with what, the oath was supposed to prevent any of us from ever getting sick… But it's not working for her. It's got everyone worried."
Annabeth quickly pulled the girl into a tight hug and said, "I'm sure she'll be fine."
Thalia shook her head, "You don't get it Apollo, the god of medicine, couldn't even help her. It doesn't help that Sabrina called her a screw up. Phoebe lost it and slapped her."
"Do you think Phoebe still hates me?" Percy glanced at Thalia wearingly.
She snorted, "I doubt it Kelp for brains. Artemis has declared you as one of the only decent men to ever exist and while she may have hated it for a while, I think she has improved enough to at least tolerate you. Sabrina on the other hand… Well just try and steer clear of her."
Annabeth fidgeted for a second before she said, "So how much do you know of what's going on?"
Thalia looked at her questionably before she said, "Just that all the gods are stuck on Olympus until some Demigod is claimed. Why? You know something I don't?"
Percy looked alarmed while Annabeth quickly shook her head and said, "No, of course not! We were just hoping that you knew a bit more. Chiron already told us all that some new demigod was coming, and Percy and I had overheard Mr. D complaining about being the god's main contact with the camp." Thalia eyed them quizzically but otherwise didn't say anything.
Long Island – Outer Woodlands
Danny was grumbling to himself as he travelled through the forest. A little over an hour ago he had found a note with Clockworks symbol on it nailed to a tree. It read 'Aim for the mouth.' Of course that meant something was bound to pop out at him before he made it to the camp… wherever it was. He wished he had asked for more specific directions from Honey when she had offered, and the stupid map he had 'borrowed' didn't say Camp Half-Blood on it. So now he was just stuck stumbling through the woods looking for some sort of sign.
A roar broke him from his reverie as he noticed a large lion in front of him. It had bright golden fur and was roughly the size of a pick-up truck. Danny gulped as the monstrous lion charged at him. Danny tried reaching for his ghost half only to realize that he couldn't change… but he could still use his powers.
As the lion turned towards him again, Danny noticed its razor sharp claws and groaned to himself. Danny hastily shot an ecto-blast at the lion's pelt only for it bounce off of it and hit a nearby tree. The lion roared again and Danny turned intangible as the beast's claws passed harmlessly through him. In its fury the lion lunged once more at Danny, only to crash into a boulder.
This time Danny sent an ice blast at the lion's feet, freezing it to the ground. Danny sighed in relief only to cringe at the sound of ice shattering. In frustration Danny yelled, "Oh Come On!"
The lion roared again and Danny finally remembered Clockwork's note. Danny through another ecto-blast successfully hitting its tongue. It shouted in pain but quickly shut its mouth before Danny could attack it again. The lion leaped once more at Danny this time with its claws leading the way. Danny rolled out of the way receiving a shallow cut to his lower leg as he narrowly avoided the killer claws.
A memory suddenly flashed in Danny's mind as he smirked. As the lion leaped at him again, Danny turned intangible and reached into the lion charging a ghost stinger. Electricity arced in the air as green bolts flared out of the lion. The beast let out another roar and Danny quickly sent another ecto-blast straight down its throat.
The lion gave a final roar as it vanished into a cloud of golden dust. Danny coughed as the dust faded away... Only to notice a rough looking golden brown duster where the lion used to be. Cautiously Danny reached down and lifted the coat surprised that it weighed more than what it looked like. Danny shrugged to himself and put it on, pleasantly surprised that it fit him nicely.
And Danny now content with his new mysterious coat continued through the forest, hoping to find Camp Half-Blood by noon.
Long Island – Camp Half-Blood – The Big House – Guest Room
Chiron, Artemis, Phoebe, and a younger huntress named Laura, stood in one of the Big House's private guest rooms. The only bed was occupied. A small girl adorned in a Huntresses uniform. She had pale skin and jet black hair, yet she looked like a corpse.
"I trust you can have someone watching her at all times, Chiron?"
Chiron nodded grimly, "Of course Lady Artemis. Though I don't believe it would do her much good…"
Phoebe turned towards him with the promise of murder in her eyes. "If I have to, then I'll watch her by myself." She then turned towards the girl and quietly mumbled, "You don't deserve this…"
Artemis turned towards Laura, "Laura could you get Thalia for me?"
"Of course Lady Artemis." Laura gave a small bow and then ran out of the room.
Chiron looked closely at Artemis and said, "How long has she been like this?"
"When we first found her a few months ago she was wrestling a cyclops. Two weeks ago she started passing out at random intervals… Then just last week she fell into this coma state. Nothing we've tried has worked, the nectar and ambrosia that we're regularly feeding her is barely keeping her alive at this point."
Phoebe was absentmindedly brushing the girl's hair off of her face as she hummed a soft medley. She didn't know what she was humming, but she didn't really care.
Chiron just sighed and said, "I'll do everything I can to try and help her. I assume you don't want any of the campers to see her?"
Artemis nodded. "It's for the best. We've at least found out that whatever is wrong with her… it's not contagious… whatever it is." She sighed and said, "Due to the current circumstances I'd ask that you cancel the usual game. There are only twenty or so of my hunters against… seventy campers?"
Thalia walked in just then, "As much as I hate to say it, we can't just forfeit the game like this. Even if we are outnumbered more than two to one, then we'll go down fighting. Surrendering before the match won't do us any favors."
Artemis looked at Thalia sadly before Chiron exclaimed, "Why doesn't your team take the new camper?"
Thalia looked at him confused, "Why would we do that? It's always been Hunters vs. Campers, putting a camper on the hunters team won't make any of the other huntresses happy."
The goddess sighed, "You might as well take him on your team. I see no harm in it. I must leave soon, no doubt he is nearly here." Artemis then turned towards Chiron and said, "Remember no one finds out she is here unless Phoebe or Thalia bring them in here. Otherwise you keep the door locked and people out. Understand?"
Chiron only smiled. "Of course, and don't worry I'll try to keep her as comfortable as I can."
Long Island – Outside Camp Half-Blood
Danny groaned to himself, he had been limping through the forest for hours. And his leg had finally healed from where the lion had cut him thanks to his enhanced healing. But he had just arrived at the base of a massive hill, usually when he was this tired he would just fly over the hill, but he had the sneaking suspicion that he'd be noticed. So begrudgingly he climbed the hill stumbling only a handful of times.
As he passed a tall pine tree that had a small dragon sleeping peacefully curled around it. Danny just ignored the dragon and looked at the view presented to him. Spread out before him in the valley was a camp. Danny smiled to himself and thought, 'Looks like I finally found Camp Half-Blood.'
There was a large strawberry field stretched out before him, and beyond that was the actual camp. There was a large white house that Danny assumed was where the owner lived. A large pavilion with multiple tables could be seen near a large fire pit. There were roughly twenty cabins spread out amongst the camp, and Danny could see kids running around wearing orange t-shirts. There were also several other buildings scattered around the camp, he saw stables, a climbing wall, something that looked suspiciously like an armory, and what looked to be a forge.
Danny merely shook his head, judging from what Honey and those sexist hunters told him, this was a camp to train demigods, the children of the ancient Greek gods. With the thought of him not belonging there, he slowly made his way down the hill. Still with a slight limp.
Long Island – Camp Half-Blood
Percy turned to look up at the hill as a pale figure with black hair crested the top of the hill. Percy nudged his girlfriend and said, "Think that's him?"
Annabeth turned to follow his gaze and said, "What the heck is he wearing?"
Percy squinted and gave a start as he recognized the coat that the boy was wearing. "That's the pelt of the Nemean Lion!" At Annabeth's questioning look he continued, "When we went on the quest to save you and Artemis, we ended up fighting it. I distracted it when Zoe finished it off, when it died its pelt turned into that same coat."
Annabeth punched his shoulder lightly and said, "Why didn't you tell me that you fought the lion, Seaweed Brain?"
Percy just gave a goofy grin and said, "Because you never asked that's why."
Annabeth just gave him a scathing look and said, "We may as well help him to the infirmary." At Percy's quizzical look she pointed out, "Can't you see he's limping?"
With that last sentence the both of them started walking through the strawberry field in order to help their new camper.