Percy, Annabeth, along with the close friends of the marked girl waited outside, anxious about the news while Chiron was inside the cabin. In the vicinity of the cabin was a small log that Isabella made herself somewhat comfortable on.
She had not moved, but was settled on keeping still because curiosity had just gotten the best of her. Rumor had it that the mark on the poor girl was the symbol of death. It was one oval including a horizontal line through it, and adjacent was a circle with an askew 'I.'
As a regular habit, her fingers neglectfully tugged on a seam of her shorts, coiling it around her slim digit. In the corner of her eye, she saw somebody approaching her and she lifted her head to see that it was Percy. She smiled wearily.
"Hi."
His lips thinned into a grin that was oddly goofy looking to Isabella, making her want to laugh. Instead, the silly grin that crossed his face caused her own to broaden.
"Hey," he said and gestured his head. "Can I sit?"
She nodded, and scooted over watching as Percy sat next to her. The smile faltered while her gaze went back to the cabin. "…what happened?"
His shoulders shrugged. "I don't know." Percy sighed sharply, his palm tenderly chafing his neck. "Chiron is inside. He's…trying to figure out what happened."
There was a temporary silence, but she could hear Percy take a breath. "So, Isabella. This is your first time in Camp Half-Blood?" he asked conversationally.
He was far too terrible at small talk, but he had wanted to take a stab at it one of these days. Isabella nodded her head.
"Yeah, first day. Also, call me Izzie."
"Okay, Izzie. Well…" he tilted his head frowning slightly. "Why?"
Isabella frowned as well. "What to do you mean why?"
"I mean, why only now? Why start so late?"
"I didn't even know this place even existed!" She laughed. Not because she thought of this as a humorous situation, but because the mere thought that she could be a demigod was certainly absurd. Gaining her composure, her fingers went to thread over her tresses, becoming frustrated with them and pulling it into a slipshod ponytail.
"I was attacked," she said candidly.
"Attacked?" Percy absently leaned in, his arms on his knees while he was intent on some wicked and epic story. "By what?"
Soon enough, Annabeth arrived, though before she even began to explain the situation at hand, there was evident probe on the story.
"I-uh, I have no fucking clue, honestly. I was in the woods. With my brother, and we were attacked. And the horse, thing-Chiron went all Black Beauty shit on them, explained to me that my father, my father was Apollo…and I'm not, I'm Catholic!" Obviously it had frustrated her, and both Annabeth and Percy had an amused expression on their faces.
"What happened to your brother?" he asked quietly. "Did he…you know…die?"
Annabeth quickly clouted him in the arm granting an unyielding look of 'what the fuck?' Percy grabbed his arm.
"Ow!" It had taken him a moment to comprehend the look, and lifted his brows when he did understand.
Isabella's brows puckered and shook her head. "No," she replied. "No, uh, he was taken by someone to bring him home…I think." I hope.
Percy nodded his head and lifted his gaze to Annabeth. "So what happened?"
Her hands went to her hips, averting her gaze momentarily. "She said that she doesn't know who did that to her. One moment she was asleep, next thing, she wakes up with death engraved in her forehead." Her head shook, and Percy looked onto the ground.
"I really hope that this is just some sick joke."
"Oh yeah, Percy. Because someone would carve the symbol of death with blade on a poor innocent girl for shits and giggles."
"Hey, I'm just saying, I hope this isn't too serious."
Two weeks later…
Percy was on his way towards the baths, feeling his shirt doused in sweat after hours of Capture the Flag. Tenderly, he unfastened his combat gear that had an uncomfortable adhesiveness to his shirt, sighing in sheer relief as the heavy weight was lifted. Momentarily, his knees buckled, and he turned towards the direction of the water. Before he could even reach his destination, his name was being called out.
"Percy! Percy!"
He flicked his gaze over his shoulder, Grover scuttling his way with a nearly panic-stricken look.
"Perce, Perce…" his voice was faltered, breathing hitched. "There's another one, another one was marked."
There had been three so far, however, the look on Grover's face alarmed him. It must have been someone important. With no further vacillation, he dashed towards the cabins with Grover right behind his trail.
Heading the wrong direction, Grover seized his wrist and pulled him in the correct course, leading him into the cabin of Athena.
"…oh shit," he muttered.
There was a crowd forming, and Percy recklessly hauled his entire body through the mob. Isabella was already there, arms crossed over her chest, concerned. Though when she caught sight of Percy, she quickly impeded him, hands going to his chest.
"Wait-Percy, wait," she tried.
Paying no heed to her words, he propelled himself off of her grip to find Annabeth, on her bed with her arms constricting her waist. She hung her head low, her hair stowing her face and he knelt in front of her.
"Annabeth," he said to her and even shook her. "Annabeth, look at me."
Slowly her head lifted, revealing the symbol of death engraved on her forehead.
"Four, Grover, fucking four demigods now." Percy paced, his hands raking over his hair in a distressed matter.
"I know, man, I know. We're going to figure something out." He reached out to touch his shoulder, but Percy turned too quickly for him to do so.
"And it's Annabeth. Annabeth." His shoulders nearly quaked, and Grover seized his shoulders shaking him.
"Get a hold of yourself, man. Calm the hell down. We'll fix this, nothing is going to happen to her."
He nodded his head. "You're right. You're right. But…I can't fucking stand here and do nothing."
Percy treaded over to his holster, belting it around his waist and seized his sword. Grover frowned.
"Come on, Perce. What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm going to find the son of a bitch, and…and find what the fuck is going on." Percy was in a current frenzy, running from one side of his cabin to the other, grabbing items that may assist him in the journey. Grover stood there with an exasperated expression.
"And how do you manage to do that, huh? You don't even have a clue on what's doing this. Think rationally for once in your life, man! What we need to do is stop, calm down, and strategize. For all we know, it may be some badass, potent thing that can whop our asses into oblivion. And-and…" he continued to watch Percy lunge himself from one side of the room to the next and growled. "Percy!"
His fail attempt to catch his attention was an exasperating one, watching Percy lift up his shield, inspected it, and then left the cabin.
"Percy, Percy!" He walked in front of him with a gentle, but firm shove. "Are you even listening to me?"
"I have ADHD. Do you expect me to listen to your shit?"
While passing Grover, their shoulders slightly collided, and Grover let out a defeated sigh, following him.
"Fine, fine, but I'm coming with."
Percy flashed him a tiny grin. "Duh."
"Don't go."
Both Percy and Grover whisked their heads around to find Isabella. They looked at her wordlessly.
"It'll end badly."
"And how do you know this?" Percy inquired.
Her tongue lapped her dry lips and shuffled a little. "I had a dream."
Wrinkles materialized on his forehead while he frowned. "You had a dream. You don't want us to go because you had a dream. Well, no matter how alarming that may be, it's not stopping us."
Grover took his arm before he could leave, and leaned in to quietly tell him, "Have you ever heard of Apollo giving the gift of prophecy? Maybe we should rethink this."
Percy paused, because he could not even conflict this, and thinned his lips. "Then what do you suppose we do?"
"Let me come."
"What?" they asked.
"Let. Me. Come."
They looked at each other. "It will be dangerous," said Percy.
"And you might not come out in one peace," added Grover.
But she stood firm, her head held high. "I think I can manage."
"I'm coming too." They all turned to find Annabeth, a black cloth wrapped around her forehead to conceal the mark.
Percy walked towards her, shaking his head almost furiously. "No, Annabeth, no. Stay here. I need you safe." His timbre was stern, and firm, but since when would that stop the daughter of Athena?
She rolled her eyes. "As much as I appreciate your concern, I don't think a place where demigods are being engraved with the symbol of death should be deemed safe. So I'm coming whether you like it or not."
He paused, and there was an uncomfortable silence pervading the air. And Grover's awkward whistling did not help the situation. Percy glared down at her, and Annabeth glared back, though with much more intensity. Ultimately, Percy conceded defeat and hung his head.
"Fine, fine. You're so fucking stubborn sometimes."
"I'm stubborn?"
Before they could start an asinine banter, Grover slid in the middle. "Okay, so now that we have this settled, where do we start?"
"Well, we need a better ride than that shithole of a truck," retorted Annabeth.
"…right, but where can we get a good car?"
"My house."
They turned to Isabella. "It's-uh. Actually not far from here."
Grover nodded his head. "Well, alright then."
They drove towards Isabella's house, and she stealthily led them through the back door, her finger pressing to her lips as she slinked inside. The house – mansion – was large, and the three took the moment to stare agape. It seemed as if the walk to her living room took forever, but they eventually arrive. Guiding them in, she turned on the light, disclosing the antique furniture and flourished architecture.
"The keys should be here somewhere…" Isabella looked around, voicing her thoughts.
Before she could even begin to properly look, she felt a large body tackle her onto the ground.
Chapter 1 and chapter 2 are merely introductions. I promise it won't continue to drag. In the meantime, please review! I'd like to know that I'm continuing to write for a reason.