A/N: Hell yes, I updated! Kind of ironic though since the only reason I had time to write was because I dislocated my knee and got to stay home from school for a day. I'm not complaining or anything, but I could do without the knee pain.

Anyway, this chapter's not too exciting. There's a clip of Percy's past at the beginning, and then it goes on to introduce Camp Half-Blood and a few more characters needed for the story. However, to all of those action junkies out there, there will be some. I don't think I could write a chapter without any.

Oh and there are some Latin words in the story that may be unfamiliar to you. At the end of this chapter, you can find what they mean in English…or roughly I should say.

Shadow Dimension

Time Unknown

Date Unknown

The stars were out and the nearby forest ravens were cawing as he traveled past. Twin swords hung off the thick, leather belt he wore around his lithe waist, and they clinked every so often as he stepped over a fallen log. The air was damp.

He clung tighter to the bundle in his arms as a wolf's howl echoed off the bark of some nearby weeping trees—silver trees with emerald leaves that flowed down like a giant's tears. The mystery bundle shifted, and he peered down to check his precious cargo.

Erebus, Primordial deity of Shadows and Darkness, stopped under a weeping tree with a fairly large canopy, and gazed down at the young toddler glaring up at him with gleaming, yellow eyes. He chuckled lightly. One calloused finger caressed a chubby, pale cheek and moved to feel a mop of black hair. A tender smile adorned his harsh face.

"Welcome to the world…Perseus."

Erebus again smiled at the sight of his young son glaring at him before he lifted his head to gaze at the endless night sky above them.

Three red moons hung in the middle of the grand heavens, shining a dark, red light from their round bodies. Trillions of sparkling gems danced around the twirling lunas, shooting stars of obsidian fire arched from one end to the other, and dozens of planets gazed down upon the shadow dimension in humble glory.

The place was paradise.

Oceans the color of rich, sapphire held shadow creatures like Umbra Loca, Daemonium Delphini, and schools of Homo Esus Piscium—Shadow sharks, demon dolphins, and waves of man-eating fish. The dark forests contained Umbra Daemons and the plains of smooth, emerald grass inhabited Tenebris Equos—horses made of pure darkness.

The trees were made of silver and their leaves made of gold. The acid rain always poured, the night sky never relented, and the rivers of black ran throughout the dimension like veins. Vortexes, swirls of silver and black, rested above the Eastern Mountains, and Black holes spitting with lava crouched behind the Western ones.

Everything here in the Shadow Realm was a slave to the darkness.

And he, Erebus, was the king and wielder of it all.

The bundle moved in his arms again, moving Erebus's attention back to the little prince glaring harshly at him once more. The tyke's shark-like teeth were exposed this time, aiming to chomp down on the finger caressing Perseus's cheek. The Primordial deity chortled once more.

"You sure are a feisty one."

Yellow eyes never left his, and a knowing smile settled on the elder's face. "You'll be a great warrior someday."

Camp Half-Blood

22:00

2012

Yellow eyes surveyed the foliage around him. Withering oak trees hunched over like elders with too much time on their shoulders, patches of clover circled proud Redwoods, and silvery moonflowers rested on a small log housing a family of turtles. His night vision pounded against the shadows clinging onto him lovingly.

Steel-toed boots breezed over the half frozen ground like knives brushed over soft skin. Perseus ducked under a low hanging branch and hopped over a pit of quicksand. The air was frosty, and it bit the skin not covered by his cloak. Breaths twirled in the air as he released them.

"We're almost there, Kiba." His husky voice broke the silence.

Perseus heard an answering yip and he smiled under the shadows of his hood. A calloused hand wrapped around one of the hilts belonging to his twin swords, a naked thumb caressing the moonstone gem placed among the swirls of silver lacing the pitch black metal.

Walking through the woods reminded him of a time when he was nothing but a tyke, a child. When the swords he carried belonged to his father and he was being cradled by the king of darkness himself. His smile lessened a bit.

The trees were beginning to thin as he and his loyal pet exited the dark, dense forest surrounding the wretched camp he was jogging towards. A hill was ahead, a slightly steep one and he had to dig his heels into the ground to prevent himself from slipping on the cooling ice.

Perseus backed up a few steps, his yellow eyes flashing brighter as black magic hovered around his feet. He stood there for a moment, fighting the dull ache of pain that always presented itself whenever he used his powers. Perseus stepped forward again and breathed. Once…twice.

He was off. He ran to the hill, leaped into the air, planted his steel boots into the ground as he landed, and pushed off. The wind whipped around him as his body soared high into the air, one hand grabbing the branch of a nearby oak tree and wrapping itself around the sturdy limb.

Perseus swung his body round, twisting it as his legs vacillated back. He landed crouched on the branch, yellow eyes gleaming as deadly power radiated from his very being. He glanced down and smiled at his height. At least 200 hundred feet in the air. He felt the wind push against the oak.

Breathing deeply, he pushed off again. Landing on a nearby tree's branch then jumping off to fly to another. Perseus gripped, jumped, soared, and landed, flying through the trees masked as a blur. Leaves caught in his flowing locks as the silky strands blew behind him.

He faintly heard Kiba following him from the ground and smiled as he quickened his speed. Camp was coming up now; he saw the lights from a few cabins pulsing against the night's shadows. A large branch appeared in front of him and he dove forward to grab it.

Gloved hands wrapped around the thick limb, spinning him round as he flew up and forward. He released and his body went flying. Feet first, he whipped through the emerald leaves and sharp, protruding branches, breaking through the endless canopies and whipping up into the night sky.

Perseus spun so that his head and hair looked towards the heavens and then wrapped his arms around his body as he fell to the frozen ground beneath him. The air bit him harshly.

He was closing in on the ground, his true demon eyes spotting the individual blades of grass from at least 100 feet above the earth. Perseus slowly unwrapped his arms from around his body. The ground was near, so close that he began to see the worms wiggling underneath the grass.

Perseus bent his knees slightly, let his eyes flow back into cool aqua, and released the magic swirling around his feet. Two steel-toed boots collided with the ground and ripples of shaking earth waved away from his crouched body, shaking the loose rocks as some nearby flowers withered from his power.

His cloak flowed in the air before settling around him and holding him close. Perseus stood up slowly, shaking his legs as he did so. A small but noticeable crater was positioned all around him, and some stray dirt littered his tight, black pants. He scowled.

Kiba pulled up beside him and gave Perseus a harsh glare as it struggled to catch its breath. The Prince of darkness chuckled at this, frown lifting from his handsome face as gloved fingers weaved themselves through fox like fur. "Why are you looking at me like that? It's not my fault I didn't feel like walking up that damn hill." He glanced down and looked towards the bottom of the hill from his position at the top. "Too much work."

He chuckled again as Kiba growled under his fingers, and looked back towards camp. His whole being froze.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Perseus stood atop Half-Blood hill glaring at the camp stationed below. Kiba, sensing its master's discomfort, rubbed against his leg silently, emitting a low growl to assure him it felt the same. He frowned. The ebony sky darkened a bit.

They were on the north shore of Long Island, the surrounding water stretching endlessly under the midnight moon. The landscape was dotted with buildings that looked like ancient Greek architecture—an open-aired pavilion dressed in white marble with flecks of gold, a circular arena equipped with straw dummies, and an amphitheater fit for a king. They were almost exact replicas of the buildings from ancient Greece and he was hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia.

Kids around his image age, sixteen, were drenched, littered, or dumped everywhere grass played its endless game of survival. Some wore heaps of unnecessary armor; others wore helmets with tufts of red or blue hair streaming from the top. All sported obnoxious orange shirts and pathetic leather necklaces adorned with painted, wooden beads.

A forest off to the right took up half of the valley, with trees so tall and thick you could barely see past their brown bark and emerald green leaves. Haunting growls whispered through the thick leaves and moans shifted from underground. Beyond the tree line it was dark, dark and dense and full of ruthless monsters waiting to strike.

Cabins, exactly a dozen, were nestled in the nearby forest by the lake. They were arranged in a U with two at the base and five in a row on either side. Each one had its own personal decorations, matching the god it was associated with, and cabin numbers were positioned above the doors.

All in all, it wasn't what he was expecting. A war camp with fierce, ruthless warriors practice battling at every turn, archery training commencing every hour, battle drills, battle plans, and strategies being learned, reviewed, and memorized—not this, no, not this pathetic sight before him. An uncomfortable feeling of disappointment bubbled up his stomach and meandered its way into his tight throat, clouding any praise his mind desperately sought after. This camp was nothing like he expected and, for once in his life, he felt homesick.

Perseus glanced at the campers again, noting that they seemed to preparing for some kind of…battle. A snort escaped him and a cruel smirk stretched across his pale face. "These weaklings couldn't fight to save their lives."

Kiba nudged his leg in agreement.

The duo watched the kids seemingly separate into two groups, carry a flag into the woods, and march off in opposite directions, each shouting a loud, obnoxious chant as they disappeared. Perseus, in all honesty, was confused and somewhat disgusted. "What kind of battle strategy is that? It almost looks like they're playing some kind of…game."

"That's because they are, Lord Perseus."

Perseus smirked and kept watching the silent camp in front of him. "Capture the flag? It's hard to tell with the way the weaklings acted. All serious and warlike, it almost made me believe they were going off to fight a monster of some sort. I apologize for getting ready to contact Hades."

He turned slightly and eyed the man standing beside him. He was middle-aged with thinning brown hair and a scruffy beard on his sharp chin. A white horse body, sweat on the fur making it shine, was connected to the man's torso and blended in with creamy, pale skin. A faint scent of coffee wafted to his nose.

The man he figured to be Chiron, one of the greatest centaur to ever live, mumbled something under his breath, but a fond smile lightened up his weathered face. "It's great to see you again, Percy." His smile grew when he saw the young immortal smirk. "It has been a long time since I've seen you, too long."

"Yeah, I've missed you too, Pops. Nobody tells stories like you do."

Chiron's smile grew as he gestured towards the silent camp. "Come on, I'll show you around while the campers are off playing their little game. It's a big place and I don't want you getting lost."

He began trotting towards a Big Blue house off to the right. Its blue shingles glowed a little under the gentle moon as the crisp, white siding shone brightly. Two beds of flowers decorated each side of a small porch. Perseus followed with a smirk.

"No need, Pops." He pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper from his pants pocket and tossed it to the centaur as Chiron glanced back. He caught it and unrolled the parchment. "I have the entire place memorized."

Chiron read over the paper, his eyes widening as minutes passed. "Where'd you get a map?" He asked, bewildered.

Perseus casually walked past the frozen centaur, Kiba following him loyally. An arrogant tone weaved its way into his husky voice and aqua eyes glittered with mischief. "I'm Zeus's favorite, whether he admits it or not. All I had to do was ask and he provided this little beauty right here."

He lifted a pale hand and his eyes flashed to black. The map swirled with ebony magic and floated up into the cool air, swiftly landing into his awaiting hand. Perseus's eyes went back to normal, but he cringed slightly as the magic dissipated

Chiron frowned and he gripped Perseus's shoulder. "It still pains you." It wasn't a question. "After all these years, you are still paying the darkness's price."

Perseus shrugged him off and stalked forward slightly. It was silent as the two walked towards the Big House. Perseus sighed and Kiba rubbed his leg.

"Pain, energy, and life: the ultimate price for wielding the darkness in its purest form. The more power projected, the more pain acquired. Your energy weakens, your senses fade, and your life force becomes vulnerable as your will projects it into your soul self." Perseus quoted.

Chiron was shocked slightly at the sudden outburst, but recovered and argued back. "That doesn't explain why you still feel pain that extreme!"

"There is always, always, a repercussion for my actions. Every time I use the darkness, I get stronger, the pain becomes slightly more bearable, and I become more connected to my element. I'm still young though, and as I use the darkness, it takes a little more of my life force. I'm slowly dying, giving away my immortal soul; of course it's going to be painful. Darkness is a sadistic bitch after all."

Chiron said nothing, his frown still planted firmly on his face. "I'm sorry—"

"Chiron!"

Both turned as a voice shouted the centaur's name. He felt more than saw Perseus smirk, and a feeling of dread caught in his throat. This meeting was not going to be a pleasant one. Perseus shifted beside him, throwing his hood over his head and calling Kiba to command. Chiron glanced at him worriedly.

"Chiron!" His eyes went back to the camper speaking. "Who's this?"

A blonde girl with bright, gray eyes rudely pointed to Perseus, and sneered as she saw the strange looking wolf growling at her. Her skin was tanned and she wore a tight fitting shirt labeled with the Camp's name. Short jean shorts hugged her thin legs. Chiron faintly heard Perseus chuckle and whisper 'slut' under his breath.

"This, Annabeth," he gestured towards the amused immortal. "Is Lord Perseus, our new camp counselor."

All campers gasped and Annabeth's eyes widened profusely. "Wha…what?"

Perseus rolled his aqua eyes. "Is everyone here an idiot?"

Campers watched he with wide eyes as their mouth's hung open in shock. A few satyrs fainted, some nymphs blushed and ran off, and the forest fairies giggled as they flew off to gossip. One kid bravely stepped forward.

"You mean you're Perseus, the Perseus, from all of those famous legends?"

Perseus smirked. "You bet, kid."

If possible, the weird kid's eyes widened and grew shinier. "That means you're the son of Erebus! The adopted child of the gods, the champion of Olympus, the—"

"Yes!" Perseus interrupted, his husky voice taking on a light, demonic tone. "I'm everything, okay? Now please just shut up and quit blabbering…annoying imbecile."

The campers quieted and the curly-haired kid stumbled back. Perseus turned to Chiron. "Where should I put my stuff?"

Chiron sighed and rubbed Perseus's hair fondly. He was still the same, rude, and impulsive bratty kid he knew so long ago. "Follow me Percy, I'll show you to your room."

The duo left, leaving the campers to watch their retreating backs in shock. The curly-haired kid released a few tears.

"I didn't mean to anger him!" He cried desperately, legs aching to run after the dark prince. "I just…I just wanted to be his friend."

The blonde girl, Annabeth, walked over to him and placed her hand on his shaking shoulder. "It's all right, Grover. That guy's a douchebag anyway; you don't want to be his friend."

She squeezed his shoulder gently, giving him a kind smile, before she began walking away, her blonde hair swaying in the night's breeze. Slowly the stunned campers followed, mumbling gossip under their breaths. Grover stayed behind and sighed sadly as he watched Perseus disappear from his view.

"I…I need a can."

So…hey there! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know some things are confusing and not explained, but be patient please. This story's just starting, if I told you everything, there would no point in reading anymore. That's just unacceptable.

I apologize for the boring chapter, any unintentional character bashing, the late update, and the confusion. Please review and let me know what you think, also tell me if you spot any grammar mistakes. I can't find them all.

Lunas: Moons

Umbra Daemons: Shadow demons

I don't own PJO, only the plot, the pets, and the EPIC-ness that is involved.