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Chapter Nine

Phoenix

A week after arriving at Camp-Half Blood I wasn't feeling any better. Chiron had let me call my dad and tell him where I was, so he didn't have to worry. My dad was even nice enough to let me stay for the rest of the summer; after I told him Annabeth was here too. Sometimes I think he liked her better than me.

It was really fun at the camp though. Annabeth taught me all the dangers that demigods had to go through. She also showed me the boundaries and the dragon protecting the Golden Fleece that protected the camp. I finally found out that Chiron is a centaur, Grover is a satyr and that his girlfriend Juniper is wood nymph.

No one talked to me much. I spend most of my time with Annabeth, when she wasn't off somewhere with Percy. Which was pretty often. Most of the time I was training.

I loved training. It was really fun, and since I was already pretty good in a fist fight, I had a pretty good base to build off. On the first day, Annabeth introduced me to James; one of her brothers. He was a son of Athena as well, but he helped me with training.

Over the week he helped me train in archery, sword fighting, and potions. He was the closest friend I had, besides Annabeth.

I would see Lucius every so often in passing, but he was always surrounded by someone. He was always talking and laughing, and besides meal times and before I went to sleep, I didn't see him much.

"Hey Phoenix." A familiar voice calls up to me.

I'm startled out of my thoughts. I look down out of the tree I was sitting in. James was smiling up at me.

"James." I say simply and then lie against a branch.

I hear him grunt as he attempts to climb the tree. Glancing down, I see that he can't get up. He looks up at me and raises his hand.

I grab his hand and pull him up. He scrambles up beside me. James looks around the tree and nods. "Love what you've done with the place."

I push him gently. He laughs and pretends to nearly fall out of the tree. Of course, he doesn't though.

"So what are you doing up here?" He asks.

I shrug. "Thinking."

"About?"

"Life."

"A pleasant topic to think about." He smiles, his gray eyes swirling. "Am I in your life?"

"You're here aren't you?" I counter ask.

James laughs. His black hair falls over his eyes, and for a minute I'm reminded of Lucius. I shake my head briefly and then begin to climb higher into the tree.

"Where you going?" He calls after me.

"Up." I call back.

"Still a lady of few words aren't cha?" He laughs but I frown. I didn't like people making fun of me. I wasn't about to tell him about my stuttering problem though. I wasn't that comfortable around him yet.

He climbs up after me. I'm very agile though and I quickly maneuver to the top of the tree. I poke my head out of the tree top. Fresh air and a cool breeze great me. My hair was up in a ponytail, but I was very tempted to take it out so I could feel the wind blow through it.

Suddenly James pops out of the tree top. I quickly dismiss the idea. He smiles. "Nice view up here, isn't it?"

I nod as I look out on the camp. The tree I was in was over by the lake and you could see the entire camp from up here. However, I never came here for the view. I always came here to think and feel the elements around me. Only James knew that I came here.

He moves so that he's sitting on the branch next to me. I close my eyes and let the wind caress my features. A few minutes pass and then he speaks.

"You wanna do some training?"

I open my eyes and look at him. "Sure."

We climb down from the tree. I reach the ground by jumping the last six feet. He tries to copy me and falls on his back. I wince and go over to him to see if he's okay.

I poke his arm and he groans and opens his eyes. He sees me and then laughs. "Look, I fell for you."

I freeze. What was that supposed to mean? Was that his way of telling me that he liked me, or did he mean in literally?

He groans and stands up. "So you ready for that training?"

"You okay?" I ask, dismissing what he said earlier. I didn't want to deal with that drama.

"Yeah fine. I have a few bruises, but that only means that you have a little bit of a head start on me, nothing more!" He smiles again. "Race ya there!"

James takes off and I quickly follow. I was a pretty fast runner and I soon catch up to him and then pass him. The wind in my face feels so refreshing and I feel like the coldness of the breeze energizes me.

I arrive at the parrying building way before James does. He's still a while away so I head inside to get my blade. Inside I hear someone practicing as I head into the back.

Once in the back I head to the spot where I know my sword is. Normally I keep it with me, but I was practicing late last night and just kept it here. In the very back I find where I put it.

I take it off the box I had put it last night. Starlight. That was my blade's name. I had found it on my bed when I had gotten to my cabin on the first day. Chiron told me that Nyx must have sent it to me. It made me feel really loved by someone.

I examine my sword closely as I walk back to the main part of the building. It was about as long as my arm. The blade was extremely simple, although its edge was anything but. The blade could cut through stone as easy as scissors through hair. The handle was what I really loved about it. While the blade was pure silver, the handle was solid black. There was a symbol of a crescent moon and intricately carved vines etched into the handle. Altogether, it was a very beautiful sword.

No one could tell me what it was made of, but I imagined it was made of the very starlight the sword was named after.

Suddenly James comes into the back, huffing and puffing. He looks at me, not even sweating, and he throws his arms in the air.

"I swear Phoenix; it's so not fair that you can run faster than me. When you run, I swear it looks as if the air is carrying you." He flashes me a grin and then grabs his own sword off of the counter.

We dull our blades and then walk into the main arena. I nearly freeze in my tracks when we get there. Lucius was there and he was sword fighting Percy. Annabeth was on the sidelines, cheering them on. It kind of sung that she hadn't invited me, but I guess she didn't know that Lucius was coming.

I drag me eyes away from them as James drags me over to another part of the room to train.

"You ready?" He smiles and raises his sword.

I raise my own sword in response. Without a word I strike to the left. He raises his sword and blocks me. I shove his sword off of mine and attack again, going for the opposite side.

He back steps but catches my blow again. This time he twists me blade off his and swings his blade at my head.

I drop to the floor and crouch in a ninja-like position. Then I slash at his feet, but he jumps over my blade.

James cuts down at my head, but I roll to the side and then spring up. As soon as I'm standing, I twirl and slash at his side. He blocks me and lunges for another attack.

This system goes on for a while. Strike. Block. Parry. I add in twists, twirls and jumps, but only because they feel right. I'm not trying to show off; I'm having fun exercising my full potential.

I see sweat begin dripping down James' face, and his green eyes blaze in delight. This is the best fight we've ever had; and we both know it. I can tell I'm sweating too, but I barely notice.

Suddenly he slips and I catch the opportunity. I slash at his side and at the last second, I twist my sword so the flat edge hits him instead.

"I win." I say simply.

He laughs. "Smile then! This is the first time you've beat me all week! And you know how good I am."

I roll my eyes. He was really good though. Annabeth told me he was one of the best sword fighters at the camp.

Suddenly behind me I hear applause. Slowly I turn on my heels. Annabeth, Percy and Lucius were all clapping their hands for me. Percy was sitting down next to Annabeth, so I assume that Lucius beat him.

Lucius walks over to us. His golden eyes are on me, and his ever blooming smile doesn't wane.

"May I have a battle with the winner?"