I do not own Skyrim or the Percy Jackson series.
"We're here !" Declared Percy. The man jumped out of the saddle and bowed sarcastically. "May I welcome you to the headquarters of the Demigod Protection Militia. Or as we like to call it, Camp Olympus.
Rorik had expected the camp to be nothing more than a collection of hastily thrown together tents. He couldn't have been more wrong. Sure there were a few tents here and there, but the majority of the camp was comprised of legitimate buildings. 14 of them, all arranged in a horseshoe pattern and made from the wood of the trees that made up the heavy forest that surrounded the area. Few people walked around the area at the center of the lodges. The few who did were conversing, sparring, and a couple of them play a game of soccer (Football for the non-americans).
In a way, the buildings resemble log cabins. Except these buildings far exceeded the size any log cabin Rorik could have ever imagined. Many of them were as large as a standard suburban house, complete with windows, chimneys, and in some cases balconies.
"Oh my gods" said Erin, incomplete disbelief that a militia camp could seem so … civilized.
"Yeah" Percy said. "We've been out here since a year after the military started hunting us. And with the number of people we house we eventually had to have the hephaestus kids give our living quarters a renovation. C'mon, I'll show you to the mess hall. I should probably check in, but this shouldn't take long."
Percy had hardly taken a step from where he was standing when a lady with blonde hair ran up and punched him in the stomach before wrapping her arms around him. "Damn it Seaweed Brain. Where the hades did you disappear to ? No one's been able to find you for the past day and half ! I swear, I was about to search for you myself when Nico showed up and said you were fine !"
Percy sighed and hugged the blonde back. "I'm sorry Wise Girl. But this was too important to let go." The son of Poseidon faced the other four demigods. "I would like you to meet my wife, Annabeth. She's in charge of ….. well everything here. But most importantly, she's our head strategist. Now, could we please get out of this cold ? I can feel my toes starting to freeze."
The sun had begun to set over the tops of the trees causing the temperature to drop. Pale white snow flakes were also beginning to fall. Despite the ever decreasing temperature, which was certainly well below freezing, it felt like only a mild temperature to Rorik.
The six of them stepped into one of buildings to find that Nico was waiting for them with a fire roaring in the fireplace. Two other girls sat near the back eating a meal. Nico waved the six of them over to where he was sitting. They all took off their coats and set them on chairs as they sat around the fire, Annabeth resting her head on Percy's shoulder.
"I want an explanation." Said Annabeth. "Who are these kids and why are they here ?"
One by one, the four of them introduced themselves. Stating their name and godly parent until they got to Rorik.
"I'm Rorik Steadding. Son of Akatosh, The Nordic Dragon God of Time."
Annabeth sat up straight with a look of surprise on her face before to regaining her composure. "That explains the dragon outside." Annabeth looked out the window to where Nokholvir lay outside. "That also answers why you're here. If you're the Nord, than that means you're the group on a quest that Chiron mentioned."
"Yes, we are." Said Erin. "We were looking for a Linkin Di Angelo, but our plans have changed."
"In that case, I think that you should meet someone." Annabeth said. She turned and spoke to the girls across the room. "Paris, Caroline. Could you come over here for a minute ?"
The two girls who had been sitting across the room walked over to the fire place. Both of them had incredibly red hair. The younger one wore a bronze jacket over a red shirt and blue jeans. She looked to be in her late teens. She had both a sheathed sword on her belt as well a rifle and a shield slung on her back. The older wore a cyan T-shirt and tan pants. She looked about 24 had two pistols holstered, one on each leg.
The one in cyan stood at military attention, as if she were in the presence of a superior officer. "Yes sir ?"
Percy sighed. "Caroline, for the last time. I know you're ex-military, but you don't have to address me like an officer. I'm not even that much older than you. "
"yes si- I mean, okay." Replied Caroline, standing more or less at ease.
The other girl spoke up. "What did you need ?"
"I was wondering if you two could do me a favor and go get the new arrival ?"
"Sure."
"Thanks Paris." The two redheads pulled on their jackets and hats before stepping outside into the now steadily falling snow.
Once the door shut Percy began to talk. "Paris and Caroline. The younger is Paris and Caroline is her older sister. Both are daughters of Ares. Both enlisted at age 17 and are ex-military. Caroline is a 7 year veteran and Paris had just completed basic training when the hunt for demigods began. They were some of the first that joined our little militia. They have an older sister named Erica, ex-private military. She's out on a job to do some scouting. "
They continued to make small talk for the time being. Annabeth asked how Antigone was, how the camp was doing, how dense the monster population was. General things of concern to a life long camper.
A freezing gust of wind blew into the lodge as Paris opened the door. She was followed by her sister and a boy dressed in black who appeared to be his early teens. They took off their jackets and joined the rest by the fireplace.
"Thanks girls, you're dismissed."
"You're welcome." Chimed Paris. The sisters grabbed their jackets and left, leaving the now eight demigods to discuss more serious bussiness.
The boy in black who Percy had referred to as the 'new arrival' had black hair similar to Nico's, as well as the same tan skin. He said something in Italian to Nico that sounded like a great to which Nico responded with the same phrase.
"Rorik, Erin, Alejandro, and Richard. I would like you to meet Linkin, my son." Said Nico.
"Hey guys. I heard you were looking for me ?"
Rorik sighed before replying. The boy being in front of him reminded Rorik of how little they actually understood about the prophecy. "Yes, we were. But since you are obviously okay, could you give me an explanation as to why you disappeared ?"
"Sure." Linkin went on to describe how he had pushed himself too hard by trying reach Camp Olympus in only two bouts of shadow travel. He didn't have the strength and fell into a coma just outside of a small town. One of the townsfolk brought him to the hospital where he stayed for nearly 3 weeks before waking up and starting his trip out west.
Once the story was over everyone was silent. They all knew the prophecy. Despite who it was about, it still was a foreboding prophecy that sounded like it included a horrible disaster. And without knowing who to look for, there was no way to know how to complete the quest.
Percy was the only one who spoke. "Obviously we're gonna have to put our heads together and rethink this prophecy. But it's getting pretty late so the prophecy will have to wait till morning. All of us should hit the sack. The lodges are the same setup as Camp Half-Blood. Rorik, you can bunk in the Hermes Lodge. Sound good ?" Everyone nodded in agreement.
Rorik pulled up the blanket as he lay on one of the couches in the Hermes Lodge. His mind wouldn't quit thinking about the prophecy and how wrong they had been. How wrong HE had been. He was supposed to be leading this quest. It felt like he has failed everyone. The prophecy called for him to save everyone or die. If he couldn't even figure the prophecy out then how was he supposed to save everyone ? How would he protect his friends, or his new family, or Erin ?
A couple of hours passed and Rorik still couldn't find sleep. Across the room he heard the door creak open. Through it stepped a figure dressed in only pajamas. It made its way over to the couch where Rorik lay. It was Erin. She motioned for Rorik to move over and he complied. The daughter of Apollo lay herself down on the couch facing Rorik. She put her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.
Rorik adjusted the blanket so that Erin was also covered and then wrapped his arms around her back. They lay there for a while in a peaceful silence.
"Thank you" Whispered Erin. "Sometimes …. Sometimes the nightmares are too much."
Eventually her breathing became even, signalling that she had secumbed to slumber.
"Anytime. I will always be here when you need me. Because I love you." whispered Rorik, before he too fell to sleep.
Hey guys. I'm so unbelievably sorry for my abysmal update time. I'm trying to fix my habit. I can promise that the story will be done by the 14th of June though. But that ending, awwwwwwww. Next update will probably be in a week. Sorry for horrible proof reading, I'm just rushing my a*s off to get this out by Monday the 27th Bye guys.
-Arkos T.F.I.W. out