Percy managed to slip into a routine over the next couple of days, despite how strange all the activities were. Every morning he took ancient greek from Annabeth, which surprisingly wasn't any harder for him to read than english. By the third morning he could stumble through a few lines of Holmer without too bad of a headache.
The rest of the day he cycle through other activities trying to find something he was good at. Chiron had tried to teach him archery, but he ended up putting an arrow through the book Shin-Li was reading. Behind him. The nymphs left him in the dust when it came to foot racing as well. Percy actually found wrestling to be an interesting time of the day. Not because he was any good at it, but because he got to watch Xander and Shin-Li spar when he was done getting pummeled by Clarisse.
Finally he got the courage to ask Luke why he wasn't learning from one of them if they were the best. Luke just shook his head. "Trust me Percy, you don't want to go up against one of them unless you have a heavily armed team backing you up. At all if you can help it." he said as an afterthought.
"Why not? What makes them so special?" Percy asked.
"It's not my place to tell. I know more about Shin-Li than I do Xander anyway. But from what I can tell, they each went through something and the result is…well that ." But he refused to say anymore, instead telling Percy that if he wanted to know more he would have to ask one of them, and asking Xander anything could be dangerous. Looking at the snarl etched onto the bwhite haired boys face Percy found it easy to believe what Luke told him.
The only thing Percy excelled at was canoeing, and that wasn't exactly the skill people expected from the guy who'd beaten the Minotaur. He knew the senior campers were all watching him, trying to figure out who his parent was, but none of them were having much luck. He wasn't as strong as the Ares kids, or as good at archery as the Apollo kids. He didn't have the Hephaestus's kids skill with metalworking, or-gods forbid-Dionysus's way with the vine plants. Luke said he might be a child of Hermes, a kind of jack-of-all-trades master of none. But Percy suspected that he was just trying to make him feel better.
But despite all that Percy found himself liking camp. The training was hard, but good for a kid diagnosed with ADHD, and like Luke said, most people were nice, although Annabeth seemed to not like him very much. Shin-Li also always seemed depressed about something, even if it didn't show. And Percy also got the feeling that Xander wasn't very popular around camp. Even the Ares kids avoided him and they were the biggest, meanest kids in camp. But with the constant aura of rage hanging over him, even when he was relaxing, Percy could kind of understand why. He was scary. He also started to understand Luke's bitterness towards his dad. They were GODS! How hard could it be for them to take a few minutes out of their schedules to talk to there kids? Dionysus could make a coke can appear out of thin air? So why couldn't Percy's dad make a phone?
Three days after Percy got to camp, on Thursday afternoon, he had his first sword lesson. Cabin Eleven gathered in a big circular arena where Luke would be their instructor. They started with the basic stabbing and slashing, using straw dummies dressed in greek armor as their targets. Percy did fairly well for a beginner. He understood what he was supposed to do and he had fairly good reflexes. The only problem was that none of the swords felt right in his hands. They were either too long, too, heavy or too light. Luke tried to find one that fit but even he admitted that none of the practice blades were the right fit. Finally they split up into pairs with Luke announcing that he would pair with Percy since it was his first time.
"Good luck." A voice said from behind him. "Luke's the best swordsman in the last three hundred years." It was Xander. He was relaxing against a tree, wiping beads of sweat off his forehead with a small towel.
"Maybe he'll go easy on me." Percy said.
Xander quirked an eyebrow. "Not a chance." he said shaking his head. "Once you get to a certain level holding back stops being an option."
"Percy come on! We need to get started." Luke called. Xander watched with wry amusement as Luke showed Percy the techniques the hard way. "Keep your guard up Percy!" he would say only to whap him in the ribs with the flat of the blade. "Not that far up!" When it was finally time for a break Percy was so drenched in sweat Xander handed him two cups of water.
"You'd think he'd pair me up with someone closer to my level." Percy groused, draining one of the cups.
"He's actually doing you a favor." Xander told him, making Percy look at him like he was crazy. "Think about it." The red eyed teen said. "The best way to get stronger is to fight someone stronger than you."
Percy thought about that for a minute. "I guess you're right." he shrugged.
"Percy, we're starting again!" Luke called from the center of the arena.
"Crap! Hold on to this for me!" He said pushing his second cup into Xander's hands.
"I've got a better idea." Xander said before dumping the water over Percy's head. It felt incredible. Strength surged back into Percy's limbs, and the sword he was holding didn't feel so awkward anymore.
"Everyone circle up!" Luke called. "If Percy doesn't mind I'd like to give you a demo." Xander frowned. He could understand pushing someone but humiliating them in front of a crowd as large as the Hermes Cabin was going a little far. First impressions were important, and even if it was a demo, Luke now had everyone watching Percy's 'defeat'. The look on Percy's face said he was thinking much the same thing. It was one of the things Luke had done since he became head counselor for the Hermes Cabin that had always annoyed Xander. Everyone else was trying to suppress smiles. They had been where Percy was and couldn't wait to see if they did better than the new guy. Luke told them they'd be learning a disarming maneuver. How to twist an enemies blade with the flat of their own so they had no choice but to drop the weapon. "This is difficult."he stressed. "I've had it used against me. Most swordsmen have to work years to master it." He demonstrated the move in slow motion, so everyone could see exactly what they were supposed to be learning. "Now in real time." he said once Percy picked up his weapon. "We keep going until one of us pulls off the disarming technique. Ready, Percy?"
Percy nodded and Luke attacked. Xander wondered if he would have to reevaluate his opinion of Luke not holding back, but then he saw the telltale signs of frustration as Luke's eyes narrowed and he attacked with more force. Now it was Xander who couldn't suppress a smile. Percy's technique was unrefined and could obviously use work, but he managed to keep Luke at bay. But the blade wasn't right, even someone like Xander, who didn't use a sword could tell that. At best Percy could only hold out for a few more seconds. The he saw a familiar kind of recklessness in Percy's eyes. It happened in slow motion to Xander. Percy's blade hit the base of Luke's and he put his weight into a downward thrust. By the time it was over Luke's sword was on the ground and the tip of Percys was an inch from his chest.
"Um, sorry?" Percy said stepping back nervously.
Luke just stared at him in shock before a wide smile broke out on his scarred visage. "Sorry? By the gods Percy, why are you sorry? Show me that again!" But this time there was no contest. The second their blades met Percy's went clattering out of his hands.
"Beginners luck?" Shin-Li asked as he walked up behind Luke.
"Maybe." Luke said looking at Percy in a new light. "But I wonder what Percy could do with a balanced sword."
That Friday Percy sat with Grover at the edges of the lake, watching the naiads weave baskets underwater. Finally Percy got up the courage to ask how his talk with the pudgy all-powerful Camp Director had gone.
"F-fine." he said turning a sickly shade of yellow.
"So your career's still on track?" Percy asked.
"Chiron told you I want a searcher's license?" he asked as if he expected Percy to start making fun of him.
"Well…no." Percy said, having no idea what a searcher's license was. "He just said that you had big plans and needed credit for completing a Keepers assignment. So did you get it?"
Grover sighed. "Mr. D wanted to make it so I would only get credit if I went with you on a quest and we both came back alive, but Chiron convinced him that since it was just on the last leg of the quest that I messed up that if I did something to help the camp, something big, then I would get credit."
"That's not so bad then!" Percy said, trying to cheer up his friend.
"BLA-HA-HA!" Grover bleated dejectedly. "He might as well have sentenced me to stable-cleaning duty. The chances of you getting a quest are miniscule. And even if you did, quests are generally for half-bloods only."
"But what about doing something big for camp?" Percy asked.
"Big means something on the level of saving the camp!" Grover moaned. "And I have no idea how to do something like that! Besides, the camp doesn't even need saving."
"We'll figure something out G-man." Percy assured, clasping Grover's shoulder. Grover didn't look like he believed him but decided to let it go. "Tell me about the search." Percy said, surprising Grover. The young satyr looked at his friend, trying to tell if he was making fun of him or not. Finally he sighed. "The great god Pan, the lord of the wild places disappeared from the world over two thousand years ago. A sailor of the coast of Ephesos heard a voice cry out, 'Tell them the great god Pan has died.' When humans heard the news they believed it. They've been pillaging Pan's kingdom ever since. But for the satyrs, Pan was our lord and master. He protected us and the wild places of the earth. We refuse to believe that he died. In each generation the bravest satyrs pledge their lives to finding Pan. They search the earth, exploring all the wildest places, hoping to finally find where he is hidden and wake him from his sleep." as Grover spoke a warm breeze passed over them, carrying with it the scent of wild berries, rainwater and something else. Percy found himself nostalgic for something he's never known. "I'll be the first satyr to return alive." Grover said, snapping Percy out of his thoughts.
"Wait, the first?" Percy said, looking worried. "It's been two thousand years and no one's come back alive, let alone found him. You really believe you'll be the first?" Percy asked.
"I have to believe that Percy." Grover said. "We all do. It's the only thing keeping us from giving up entirely."
He looked so sad and forlorn that Percy changed the subject. They talked about canoeing and swordplay for a while, then the started discussing the pros and cons of the gods. Finally Percy asked him about four empty cabins.
"Number Eight belongs to Artemis." Grover told him. "She vowed to be a maiden forever so no kids. The cabin is honorary. If she didn't have one she'd be mad."
"Yeah, okay. What about the ones on the end though? Are those the Big Three?"
Grover tensed, obviously not comfortable with the situation. "No. One of them, Number Two, is Hera's, that's another honorary thing. She's the goddess of marriage, so of course she wouldn't go around having affairs with mortals. That's her husbands job. When we say the Big Three we mean the three powerful brothers, the sons of Kronos."
"Zeus, Poseidon and Hades." Percy nodded.
"Right." Grover said, getting into explanation mode. "After the battle with the Titans the gods drew lots to decide who would get what."
"Zeus got the sky," Percy remembered "Poseidon the sea, Hades the underworld."
"Uh-huh." Grover nodded.
"But Hades doesn't have a cabin here." Percy realized.
"No," Grover said. "He doesn't have a throne on Olympus either. If he did…let's just say it wouldn't be pleasant."
"But Zeus and Poseidon both had, like a bazillion kids in the myths. So why are their cabins empty?" he asked.
Grover sighed. "About sixty years ago, just after World War II, the Big Three agreed they wouldn't sire any more heroes. Their children were too powerful. They were affecting the course of human events too much, causing too much carnage. World War II was basically a fight between the children of Hades on one side and the children of Zeus and Poseidon on the other. The winning side, Zeus and Poseidon made Hades swear an oath with them. No more affairs with mortal women. They all swore it on the River Styx."
"That's the most serious oath you can make." Percy said, remembering that much from school." Grover nodded. "So the brothers kept their promise. No more kids right?"
Grovers face darkened. Seventeen years ago, Zeus fell off the wagon. There was this T.V. starlet with a big fluffy eighties hairdo-he just couldn't help himself. When their child was born, a little girl named Thalia…well the River Styx is serious about promises. Zeus got off easy because he's an immortal, but he brought a terrible fate down on his daughter."
"But that isn't fair! It wasn't the little girls fault!" Percy protested.
Grover just looked nervous. "Percy, children of the Big Three are stronger than other half-bloods. And the stronger the aura, well it's almost like a scent that attracts monsters. When Hades found out about the girl, he wasn't to happy about Zeus breaking his oath. He let the worst monsters out of Tartarus to torment Thalia. A satyr was assigned to be her keeper when she was twelve, but there was nothing he could do. He tried to escort her here with a small group of half-bloods she'd befriended. They almost made it. They got to the top of that hill." he stopped and pointed at the top of Half-Blood Hill, at the pine tree where Percy had fought the Minotaur. "All three Kindly Ones were after them, along with a horde of hellhounds. They were about to be overrun when Thalia told the satyr to take the other three half-bloods to safety while she held off the monsters. She was wounded and tired, and didn't want to live like a hunted animal. The satyr didn't want to leave her, but he couldn't change her mind, and he had to protect the others. Thalia made her last stand alone, at the top of that hill. As she died, Zeus took pity on her. He turned her into that pine tree. Her spirit still helps to protect the border. That's why the hill is called Half-Blood Hill.
Percy stared at the pine tree. The story of her sacrifice made him angry. How could the gods, any of them, punish a young girl for something her father did? But at the same time it made him feel guilty. A girl his age had given her life to defend her friends. Something like that made his victory over the Minotaur seem almost trivial. He had to wonder, if he had acted differently, could he have saved his mother? "Grover," he said catching his friends attention. "Have heroes really gone on quests to the Underworld?"
"Sometimes." Grover admitted, not liking where this conversation was going. "Orpheus, Hercules, Houdini."
"Have they ever returned anyone from the dead?" he asked, confirming Grover's fears.
"No. Never. Orpheus came close…Percy, you aren't actually thinking-"
"No." Percy lied, but Grover was able to read his emotions enough to tell that he wasn't telling the truth. "So, is a satyr always assigned to guard a demigod?" Percy asked, trying to divert Grovers attention.
Grover looked at him warily, but decided to let it drop for now. "Now always. We go undercover in a lot of schools, trying to sniff out half-bloods who have the makings of great heroes. If we find one with a very strong aura, like a child of the big three, we alert Chiron. He tries to keep an eye on them since they could become huge problems."
"And you found me. Chiron said you though I might be something special." Percy remembered from his talk with the centaur.
Grover looked around nervously, as if Percy had lead him into a trap. "I didn't…oh, listen, don't think like that. If you were-you know-you'd never ever be allowed to leave. You're probably just a child of Hermes, or maybe even one of the minor gods, like Nemesis, the god of revenge. Don't worry, okay?" But for some reason Percy thought he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.
That night, after dinner, there was a lot more excitement than usual. It was time for capture the flag. When the plates were cleared away the conch horn sounded again and all the campers stood at their table. Campers cheered and yelled as Annabeth and Shin-Li came into the pavilion carrying a silk banner. It was about ten feet long, glistening gray with a painting of a barn owl above an olive branch. Clarisse and Xander came in carrying a banner of equal size, but bright red, with a boars head above two crossed spears.
"Those are the flags?" Percy asked Luke.
"Yeah." Luke nodded.
"Ares and Athena always lead the teams?"
"Not always." Luke told him. "But often."
"So what do you do when you capture the other teams flag? Repaint it?" Percy asked.
Luke grinned. "You'll see. But first we have to get one."
"Who's side are we on?" Percy asked.
Luke gave him a sly look, the shadows flickering over his face made him seem almost evil. "We've made a temporary alliance with Athena. Tonight, we get the flag from Ares. And you are going to help."
The teams were announced. Athena had made alliances with Apollo and Hermes, the two largest cabins. The usual bargaining tools had been used. Traded privileges, shower times, etc, all in order to win support. Personally Percy thought that it was a good set up. They had Luke, Shin-Li, and Annabeth. And while he hadn't seen her fight, he had a feeling that he didn't want to get on her bad side.
Ares on the other hand had made alliances with everybody else. Dionysus, Demeter, Aphrodite and Hephaestus. From what Percy had seen the Dionysus kids were good athletes, but there were only two of them. Demeter's kids had the edge when it came to nature and outdoor stuff, but they weren't very aggressive. The Aphrodite kids didn't worry Percy at all. The mostly sat out every activity, checked their reflections in the lake, did their hair and gossiped. Hephaestus's kids weren't pretty, and there were only four of them, but they were big and burly from working in the forges all day. They might be a problem. That of course left the Ares kids. A dozen of the biggest meanest kids on the planet. But for some reason it was the now barechested Xander that made him the most afraid. He radiated danger and anger. He'd been around the white haired boy before, but this would be the first time he would be fighting him.
Chiron banged a hoof against the marble floor, getting everyone's attention. "Heroes!" he announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed and have no more than two guards."
"Which'll be more than enough is it's Xander again." Luke grumbled next to Percy.
"Prisoners may be disarmed but not bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves." And with a wave of his hands, the tables that had previously held platters of food were suddenly covered in tons of weapons and armor.
"Woah. We're supposed to use this stuff?" Percy gasped.
Luke looked at him as if he was crazy. "Unless you wanna get skewered by your friends in Cabin Five. Here-Chiron thought these would fit. You're on border patrol." he said handing Percy a shield the size of an NBA backboard with a caduceus in the middle. He also handed him a helmet, which, just like the helmets of everyone else on the Athena team had a blue horse hair plume. Ares and their allies had red plumes.
"Blue team, forward!" Annabeth yelled. They cheered and charged past the red team towards the southern half of the forest.
Percy managed to catch up with Annabeth, despite his million pound shield. "Hey." he said. She kept marching. "What's the plan?" he asked. "Got any magic items you can loan me?" Her hand drifted to her pocket like she was afraid he'd stolen something.
"Just watch for Clarisse's spear. You don't want that thing touching you. And if you run into Xander yell for backup." she said. Both Xander and Shin-Li had bright red and blue sashes on instead of the horsehair plume helmets. In fact, neither of them wore any armor at all. "Other than that, don't worry. We'll take the plan from Ares. Has Luke given you your job?" she asked.
"Border patrol. Whatever that means." Percy said.
"It's easy. Just stand by the creek and keep the reds away." she told him before jogging off.
"Great." Percy grumbled. "Glad you wanted me on your team."
It was a warm and sticky night. Fireflies buzzed around, giving the image of stars floating through the air. Shin-Li had positioned him near a small creek that gurgled over some rocks, then he and the rest of the team scattered through the trees. Standing there with his huge shield and horsehair helmet, Percy felt like an idiot. At the same time, it had been nearly half an hour and he hadn't seen a single person. Was he really going to make it through the entire war game without seeing any action? Then a snapping twig ruined Percy's night. Stepping out of the trees was the one person he would take Clarisse over.
But for some reason Xander seemed just as surprised to see Percy as he was to see Xander. "Seriously? One kid? What the hell was Shin-Li thinking?" he muttered to himself. Stealing himself Percy held up his shield and sword the way he'd been trained to. "Come on Perce. Put that down before I have to hurt you." Xander said.
"Sorry. I can't." Percy said, trying to sound braver than he actually felt.
Xander sighed. "Suit yourself." And just like that the calm expression melted off his face, replaced by a look of rage. The change was so seamless it left Percy momentarily stunned. The the fear sank in. For some reason, he wasn't looking at an angry barechested thirteen year old. By all counts, Percy should have the advantage. He was armored and armed while Xander had nothing. But he didn't. Somehow he knew. Xander was more dangerous than anything he's ever faced. And so it was that primal fear that triggered the tugging sensation in his gut as Xander approached. A wave roared down the creek, catching Xander of guard. The wall of water was so strong, it pushed the red eyed teen almost twenty feet down the river. Spluttering Xander gaped at Percy. "What the-" But he was cut off by the sight of Shin-Li racing in between them, Ares's red flag firmly in his hands.
As soon as he crossed the creek the flash shimmered and changed. Now instead of red with a boars head it was gray with an owl on one side, but black with a frowning theater mask on the other. Xander's eyes flickered between them, fury building in them. "Damn it!" he roared, glaring at Percy. Then for some reason, his gaze flicked up, to a point just above Percy's head. "Guys…" he said slowly. The cheering campers turned to see what he wanted when their eyes fell on the same thing Xander's had. Looking up Percy caught a glimpse of what had stunned even an enraged Xander. A spinning holographic image, made entirely of green light. A trident.
"Your father." Xander growled.
"My father?" Percy asked, not understanding.
"It is determined." Chiron said, shocking Percy. He hadn't even heard him arrive. "Poseidon. Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson. Son of the Sea God."
_
OMAKE : The Last Capture The Flag
Chiron stood on the top of Half-Blood Hill, next to Thalia's tree when Mr. D appeared next to him, returning from his meeting at Olympus. "What's happened here?" the wine god asked, looking down at the forest where encampments had been erected.
"We've been playing capture the flag." Chiron said wearily.
"But it's monday." Mr. D said confused. Even if he didn't like his life here, he at least knew when the campers favorite game happened.
"I know." Chiron said. "It's been going on for three days!" he said turning to the camp director, revealing sleepless, bloodshot eyes.
"What! What happened?" Mr. D asked, now feeling slightly interested.
"Xander and Shin-Li are guarding the flags." Chiron groaned.
Down in the forest even Xander and Shin-Li were reaching their limits. Neither team had any active players left, but were determined not to lose the game.
"Hey! Shin-Li!" Xander shouted from his place in front of the red flag.
"Yeah?" Shin-Li shouted back.
"I'm bored. I'm gonna nuke it." Xander shouted, confusing everyone.
"What! No! Xander you can't actually be thinking of-" but an earth shattering 'boom' echoed around the forest as the ground itself shook. Xander had punched the ground. Later, Chiron and Mr. D found everyone unconscious or asleep. Most of them had been knocked out by their encampments collapsing on them when Xander had punched the ground. Shin-Li was passed out where he had been guarding the blue flag, but the flag was missing. Xander was later found unconscious, just barely having crossed the stream with the now red and gold flag. It was agreed by everyone that that was the hardest game of capture the flag they'd ever played.
Hey everyone. this is Truly Human. This is the third chapter and I want to make sure everyone is getting the full impact of this story. To make sure you do, be sure to read Demigod Tales: Another Side, Another Story by my friend Matthias the Wanderer!