DISCLAIMER: I do not own Percy Jackson or the Kane Chronicles. Rick Riordan does.
"Try adjusting the bow; it will fit your hand better if you grip it in the middle."
I roll my eyes and sigh. I hate bow training. In fact, I'm incompetent in all of the weapons the camp offered, even the huge celestial metal blaster gun. You wouldn't believe how easy that is to use. I haven't even been claimed yet, so they just put me in the Athena Cabin. It fits me because I'm so smart. I'm sure my mother is Athena. But she still hasn't claimed me yet.
"Skye, you aren't trying hard enough," the blonde-haired girl named Annabeth sighs at me.
"I am trying. I'm trying harder than you'll ever try in your life." I shoot back with venom in my tone. I'm known for my sharp wits and even sharper tougue. Everyone at camp avoids making me upset, but Annabeth isn't fazed at all. "You have no idea how awkward the camp weapons feel in my hands."
She just calmly replies, "They shouldn't feel so awkward. You're a demigod. These things come naturally."
Yeah, right. I should have been claimed almost 3 years ago. It's almost my 16th birthday, and the gods promised Percy that they would claim all demigods by age 13. Well, what about my claiming?
"An elephant could do better," I retort, but I notch an arrow into the bow and let the arrow loose. It doesn't even get close to the target. The arrow sails straight and true-and almost hits Leo, who is all the way on the other side of camp, 'fixing up' the Argo II. He is adding even more ballistae and a few more safe cabins for Greek fire. Like that's called 'fixing up'.
"Hey Skye, watch the arrow!" Leo shouts at me so I can hear. "You almost ruined it!" He points to a thing that I couldn't make out. Ugh. I roll my eyes. Children of Hephaestus like machines better than their own kind.
"Sorry!" I shout back even though I have no idea what I am apologizing for.
"That's enough of bow training for today," Annabeth pursed he lips after the Leo/Argo II disaster. "How about swordplay?"
"Fine." I say this just so she won't start lecturing me again about the importance of concentration and the skills I should have.
Bows are awkward, swords heavy, and spears long and useless. I'm only making the Athena Cabin proud by my incredible eye for design and a brain hardwired for battle plans, among other things. Battle plans, but not battlefields.
"Skye, you must realize that you're built for battles. Just because weapons are hard for you to handle doesn't mean that you're a failure. It only means that we haven't found the right one for you, yet." Annabeth leads me to the 'tool shed', where all the weapons made by the Athena Cabin are stored. "Let's see if there's anything in here since we last checked in. There may be something new."
I'm about to say we checked in here only 3 weeks ago last, but I decide against it and shut my mouth. I can be just as wise as the other children of Athena sometimes. When I wanted to.
The shed is much bigger on the inside. There are rows upon rows of swords and spears. From another rack, there are bows of all shapes and sizes. My aim is terrible, so I decide to stick with the swords. One at the end of the row catches my attention.
"How about that one?" I walk up to it and examine the blade. It's curved, and glints though there is no sunlight. I know the blade is wicked sharp. It glows with a vivid blue hue, and the sword hums my name, literally. There is something comforting about the sword. Yes, I know it's weird. But I swear I'm telling the truth.
"I have no idea what kind of blade that is, but it looks impractical." Annabeth frowns. I say she's too much of a strategist.
"Please? I feel like it's my blade!" There's a tugging deep in my gut. The sword and I belong together, and I'll do anything to have it in my possession.
"I suppose, but if it doesn't fit, then you'll need to find another one."
I take the blade off the rack. It is built for me. I swing it through the air, practicing a few moves that had once been hard. I do them now with ease. The blade hums in time to my swings.
"It seems that you're right. That curved blade is great for your hand." Annabeth remarks with obvious surprise. I smile inwardly. It isn't often I can surprise her. "I think we have a capture-the-flag game tonight. It is Friday, after all. You can test it out then." Then Annabeth leaves me alone with my thoughts.
I turn the sword over in my hand. Something is inscribed on the edge of the blade, but I can't make it out. It must have worn away with all the slicing and hacking it once did. I am almost certain I've seen this blade somewhere before, held this blade before…
"Skye, I have traveled all the way to Egypt to bring this to you. It's the favoured weapon of the pharaoh's guard." Skye's father gives the wickedly sharp blade to the 6 year old Skye Ellison. Perhaps not such a good idea, but the sword will save young Skye's life. And besides, magicians with more training at the start can become more powerful than those who start later.
"A khopesh of my own," Skye whispers with awe as it is placed into her hands. "I promise to always keep it with me. Always."
"That's good, flower, because it was last held by our ancestor, Cleopatra VII. You must keep it close to your grasp, mind, and heart."
"Yes, Father. I promise." Skye clings to the sword like it would be the end of the world if she lost it.
I blink a few times, and then shake my head to clear it. I have seen the sword before. It belonged to me because my father gave it to me for my 6th birthday. How could it have gotten into the Athena cabin's tool shed?
To stop worrying about the sword, I decide to go to the arena to test it out. I pray to whichever god that oversaw hellhounds Mrs. O'Leary would not in the arena. I don't want to step in one of her 'accidents'. Thankfully, she's not. Maybe Nico's taking her on a walk.
The sword you wield is called a khopesh, my inner Voice tells me. I've had the voice since my mother died, and I still have no idea who or what it was. The Voice advises me, but at times it is just plain annoying.
"Real helpful, seeing as I know this already," I say as sarcastically as I can. "What's the sword best for?"
The khopesh is designed for hooking an enemy's blade. Hold the sword up high, and imagine you're using the curved side to hook your opponent's blade.
"Okay. Thanks." I try the move out. It feels so much more comfortable than attempting to wield a sword of celestial bronze or imperial gold. Yes, they've tried giving me Jason's sword to test if Imperial gold was better suited to me. I almost died holding that blade. I'm not joking.
"Skye! What do you have there?"
Oh, great. It's Percy Jackson, I say in my head. Hail the conquering hero. "Um, it's a sword?!"
"I've seen a sword like that before, but I can't recall where. That doesn't seem to be made out of celestial bronze or imperial gold."
You fool! It's made of iron and steel! The Voice shouts at him in my mind. How dare you critique the favoured weapon of the pharaoh's guard?! I wince. Having the Voice is a real disadvantage sometimes.
"It's made of ordinary iron and steel." I relay to Percy. I pray to Athena that he would not ask any more unanswerable and stupid questions.
"Well, not effective against monsters, huh?"
"It might be effective, as long as the person wielding the sword is the right person."
Percy narrowed his eyes in concentration, as if he was trying to pinpoint a memory long ago lost or forgotten. "That's strange. I just remembered." He glances down at his palm. "Look at this."
He holds up his palm so I can see. Two strange pictures are on it. They appear to be either burned or tattooed on. There is a basket, and underneath that, two waves that are supposed to represent water.
K, then N.
Kane, I realize. It is a last name. But it is in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Somehow I can read them with no help at all from my Voice. It will be wiser not to tell Percy.
"That's really weird." I tell him. That part is the truth. "I think they're hieroglyphics from Ancient Egypt."
"Do you know what they say?"
I hate lying, but if I didn't, some people might get really suspicious. "No, I haven't the slightest idea what they say. Sorry. I could go search it up if you want."
"I think a boy had a sword like that. He was the one who put the hieroglyphs on my palm. He said his name was Carter."
More than 200 kilometres away, Carter Kane woke up with his name ringing in his ears.
Heh. Hope you liked my slight reference to Maximum Ride by James Patterson with the 'Voice'.
As always, please review!