Chapter 5
Training and Dinner
Caspia Kelly
It turns out Topaz was a really good sword fighter. She showed me how to disarm someone by locking your hilt and twisting, and how to always hit the other blade away from you.
She showed me some self-defense, too. She taught me how to hit harder and kick if you lose your weapon (using Blade as her dummy) and how to get out of a choke hold or a headlock.
By the time we were done I felt very experienced and the dinner horn rang. Everyone gathered by cabin, and I got in line between Travis and a blonde girl named Lily. At the table there was plates of roast beef, rolls, and fruits and vegetables.
I was about to dig in, but I noticed everyone was going up to the hearth and throwing food in. 'burnt offerings to the gods' I thought. I took a fat cluster of grapes and prayed silently to my father. 'Whoever you are, please tell me. I want you to claim me.' I sat back down at the Hermes table and looked at my empty goblet. "When will someone come fill it?" I asked. "You don't fill it. Just think of what you want to drink, and it will appear."
"And," he whispered. "The others won't tell you this, but you can make it produce alcohol." I smiled. "I'll remember that."
Upon hearing this, Blade proceeded to fill his cup with beer. It never ran out. I got the feeling he was going to be very drunk tonight. I filled mine with Code Red Mountain Dew, my favorite drink since ever. I picked up a burger and started chowing down. I noticed everyone was staring at me. I looked up.
There was a green trident hovering over my head. "Hail Caspia Kelly, daughter of Poseidon." Everyone stood up and started clapping. Blade congratulated me, but I saw envy in his eyes. "Don't worry," I whispered in his ear. "You'll get claimed at the campfire." He looked at me gratefully, but I saw a trace of doubt.
On the way to the campfire, Percy came up to me. "I'm glad to have a sister like you. I've been a bit jealous of di Angelo for a while, having Sapphire, but now I've got you. I'll help you move your stuff out of the Hermes cabin after the campfire." I blushed. "I don't have any stuff." He snapped his fingers. "Oh, yeah. It would still be at that mental hospital, wouldn't it? Don't worry, I'll send someone to get it."
"How will you get in without being seen? They're probably still looking for me there."
He smirked. "Yeah, been there. They probably think you and Blade killed the oh so innocent Lamia and all those other kids. Damn mist. Don't worry, they'll never find you here. Unless you go on a quest, but when I have I cleared my name a lot of times by completing it, though you'll almost get caught a few times."
"Yeah, I heard you saved the world."
"You make it sound like I just did it once. That's offensive. It's like my yearly community service."
"I'll let you come on my quest so that you can keep your reputation."
"IF you get a quest. You don't want to be assigned to one, they're dangerous, and usually they come from the gods trying to kill each other, someone trying to kill the gods, or someone trying to kill us." I frowned. "Doesn't sound so appealing when you say it like that." He laughed. "It's not. Oh, we're here. Try to sing." 'What sing, I thought this was a campfire. Won't we be talking and roasting mashmallows?
Percy and I sat next to Blade who was talking to Annabeth and Sapphire and a guy with curly black hair and a mischievous smile. He had his arm around Sapphire.
"You must be Leo." He grinned. "So, you've already heard the stories of how Leo the awesome saved the world from dirt face?"
I stifled a laugh."No, I just heard you were dating Sapphire, and you have your arm around her."
He frowned. "Oh, well I don't sound as awesome that way. At least I have a girlfriend." She kicked him. "Ow!-I mean I girlfriend who I love so very dearly and don't want to leave me."
She smiled. "That's more like it fire-boy."
They were all singing this weird song about how their Grandmother got dressed for war. I decided against participating. Just when I was about to eat my finely roasted marshmallow, I saw something put out the fire.
Chiron looked worried. "It has never gone out by itself. NEVER."
Then something appeared in the empty fireplace. It was a man with a black bikers jacket, muscle t-shirt, and black jeans. He looked around the crowd. "Lord Ares. We are honored." He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah I know. Where's my kid?-Oh, there you are, Blade. Come here." He looked ready to die of embarrassment, but I squeezed his shoulder and urged him forward. The red disappeared from his face, and he walked down. "Now this kid, he's gotta be on the quest di Angelo's gonna lead,"
He gestured at Nico. "Hi, Snow," She waved.
"I want her to be on it as well. Her sister, too. But you'll need a quest of 9. First time a son of Hades has ever led a quest, so I hope you won't disappoint me. And my kid here, he's going to have a role to play, a hard choice he's gotta make. Never the less, you're going to need him. The quest will leave in 3 days."
He cocked his head, like someone was speaking to him. "I have to go. Zeus only lets me be in the presence of Mortals for so long." He disappeared in a gust of fire, which relit the campfire.
"Well, I suppose it's certain. Nico Di Angelo will lead the quest to... well, we can't tell you what for. He will bring Blade Roberts, Snow and Topaz Sabrina, and 6 other companions. Have fun. Our new campers, Caspia and Blade, you may go settle in your new cabins. Goodnight and rest well."