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Good afternoon~! Sorry for taking so long, but I was busy with work, sick and, above all, very tired.
I hope you enjoy.
Posted in: 09/07/2024
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"Chapter VI: Camp Half-Blood." Leo read the chapter title.
As the sun began to set, the demigods gathered to have dinner in the dining pavilion. The new campers (except Piper, who was still asleep)
Piper pouted while Annabeth, Leo and Jason smiled nostalgically.
were received as new attractions. Especially Harry.
Aphrodite let out a soft laugh that attacked Artemis and her lieutenant's ears.
His figure was a standout among others, taller than most with his height of 181 centimeters. His skin was so white that even the pillars around the pavilion seemed darker, with the torchlight reflecting off of him. Even dark robes could not efficiently absorb his radiance.
"Stars cannot be hidden" Apollo sighed, running a hand through his hair and emitting a bright aura. A cloud covered his face. "Hey!"
"This is not the time, Apollo" Zeus spoke sternly.
The demigods gathered at the tables of their divine parents, going from Zeus (where Jason was guided by Annabeth) to Eos. There was a spectacularly large fireplace in front of the tables, burning nearly three meters into the air. Valdez was sitting next to his brothers at the ninth table, most of them busy tinkering with small circuits and parts they had hands on.
"Over there, Hecate's table" Annabeth pointed to the twentieth table, indicating where Harry would be staying.
"He still hasn't said who his father is?" Piper questioned curiously.
"Only Chiron heard him tell my other self that he was from Ares" Hermes remembered.
"I am not a son of Cousin Hecate." Harry said. Annabeth blinked.
"Cousin Hecate?"
"Hecate is Nyx's daughter" Hades answered Nico. "Ares' son is her fourth cousin."
"Serious?" Annabeth said in surprise.
"It's a very common association." Harry nodded. "There are few wizards among the demigods who are not children of the Goddess of Magic and the Queen of the Night. I am the son of the God of War, Ares."
As his words sounded, a pennant flashed above his head, emblazoned with an ancient warrior's helmet in profile. Gasps and whispers sounded around the tables, until a voice stood out:
"All hail Harry Potter, son of Ares, God of War, Violence, Wrath, Battle and Courage!" Chiron announced, from the management table, and bowed on his hooves. The other demigods quickly got up from their seats and imitated him.
"My father really has a lot of titles" Harry said amusingly to Annabeth, who was hunched over.
"All the gods do" The blonde replied, adjusting her spine.
"Indeed." Harry nodded, looking even more amused than before.
"He knows something you don't know" Apollo laughed.
Harry walked over to the fifth table, looking at his half-siblings. A girl approached him, and as he expected, tried to grab him to suplex him.
The demigods let out groans, already knowing it was Clarisse.
"A great way to greet a relative." Athena spoke dryly.
"Of course!" Ares agreed.
Harry dodged calmly, raising his hand and making the girl float in the air.
"...he has the Force?!"
"Leo, he destroyed a ventus" Jason said softly to his friend.
"One thing is one thing! He used the Force!" The Latino defended his point.
"He's right," Percy agreed, nodding. "The Force is a much more impressive thing."
Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"Father tried this before." Harry said softly.
"Why am I not surprised?" Hera rubbed her brow.
"It's a typical greeting!" Ares said smiling.
"Where? In Khoros?" Apollo asked ironically.
"Exactly!" The gods smacked their foreheads at Ares' answer.
"Put me down!" The girl shouted, annoyed. Her siblings laughed.
Harry waved his hand and the girl fell to the floor. "I ask you not to try to do it again. I might accidentally explode your ribcage if I'm caught off guard."
Some of Ares' children laughed, but the complete indifference in the brunette's speech made them doubt whether it was a joke.
"A little morbid?" Leo asked.
"Nonsense, it's completely normal." Ares dismissed.
"Alright" Chiron said loudly, drawing attention. Those who had been staring at Harry and Clarisse turned to the centaur. "It's time!"
Harry watched as nymphs emerged from the edge of the forest, carrying platters of different meats, fruits and cheese. They placed them on the tables, then returned to the trees.
"Gotcha!" The girl shouted, attacking Harry from behind.
"Clarisse" Annabeth moaned.
"This is going to be funny" Percy said smiling.
When the girl blinked, Harry had already disappeared from her sight, leaving her to attack the air.
"Expelliarmus!"
The girl's body flew over the table, landing on the other side. The Ares demigods turned their heads as they followed the arc of the fall.
"Ouch!" The girl cried out.
The demigods laughed openly, while Athena gave Ares a smile.
"That'll educate her" Ares shrugged. It was something between his children.
"Father tried to do that too." Harry sighed. His siblings laughed.
"Clarisse, give up" A guy said to the girl on the floor.
"Shut up, Mark!" The girl, Clarisse, growled.
"Fight!" The demigods and Ares yelled.
"It will be fun." Ares commented smiling at those who looked at him.
"Siblings" Harry caught their attention. "The offerings?"
Clarisse, Mark, and the others looked at the demigods at the other tables, all getting up to take food to the fireplace. The children of Ares quickly filled their plates and ran from their seats.
"I'm not going to let it lie!" Clarisse swore, glaring at Harry. "I'll get you back!"
"Of course you will" Harry said gently.
"Dude, she's going to kill him so bad" Percy laughed.
"She'll try" Nico said spitefully.
Harry watched as all of his siblings filled their plates, following them to the fireplace. He did not take any food with him, but took items out of his coat so he could throw them into the flames.
"Oh" The gods spoke together.
"A real offering." Apollo said interestedly.
"It's rare to have these days" Hermes commented, looking at the demigods.
The divine children pretended it wasn't up to them.
"To Grandfather Zeus, patron saint of the camp," Harry announced, pulling out a bottle of firewhisky.
"Fire whiskey?" Zeus looked intrigued.
"Alcohol distilled in magic stills, endless, capable of spitting fire and immediate drunkenness."
"Oh, thank you" Zeus smiled. Hades and Poseidon smiled ironically at each other, due to the apparent oblivion of the fury that had previously been present in the king due to the prophecy.
"To Great-Aunt Hestia, protector of the camp," Harry took out a silver, jeweled candlestick, with a griffin carved into the hilt. "Magic candlestick in refined silver in wizarding forges. It can withstand the intensity of Greek fire."
"Thank you, dear" Hestia thanked, smiling kindly. Zeus frowned immediately.
The demigods watched as he took things out of his pockets.
"To Uncle Dionysus, commander of the camp,"
"'Commander'" Ares snorted, earning a glare from Dionysus.
Harry took out a chalice made of gold, elegantly shaped and with rubies around it. "Neo Grail, capable of producing any beverage inside it."
"It's a good gift" Dionysus sighed sadly. "What a waste."
Zeus' expression had already turned into a frown, drawing silent laughs from Hades and Poseidon.
"Grail?" Annabeth asked, interested.
The demigods were shocked to see the chalice being thrown into the fire, but soon looked back at Harry, who pulled out another item.
"To my Father, Ares," Harry raised a white-bladed dagger, with a handle made of iron. "Refined and reformed basilisk tooth, still bathed in poison."
"Basilisk?!" The gods screamed.
"My son!" Ares shouted, slamming his fist into the arm of the throne. "My heir!"
"Silence, Ares!" Zeus shouted, but was unable to stop his son from howling in celebration.
"Basilisk?" Annabeth looked livid, also being among those watching him. Harry ignored her, taking out another item, this time a globe-shaped flask with a cork stopper.
"To my Mother, Aphrodite," The members of cabin 10 sighed. "Amortentia, liquid love. Capable of producing love in the hearts of others and the most enchanting perfume in the world."
"What a wonderful gift" Aphrodite sighed.
The members of cabin 10 were whispering even more intensely among themselves, some even casting admiring glances at Harry.
"To my uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents and cousins," Harry said more openly. "Two hundred gold bars to be divided among you."
"WHAT?" The demigods screamed loudly in shock.
"Two hundred gold bars?" Percy's jaw dropped.
"That's…" Annabeth narrowed her eyes, doing math in her head. Then she spoke in awe: "More than two million drachmas!"
"He just dropped it" Apolo said, impressed. "He dropped it like it was nothing!"
"Like Mansa Musa" Hermes sighed, dreamily remembering the great Malian emperor. Ares had a shit look on his face.
Harry summoned a wooden chest, which opened to reveal a pile of gold bars. The chest floated and launched itself into the fire, which exploded louder than any demigod had ever seen. Harry seemed amused by this, as he pondered for a moment how much Hestia's tax would be on this particular offering.
All the gods turned their heads towards the Goddess of the Home, who was smiling very gently.
After the fire subsided, Harry returned to Ares' table, followed by his siblings and a sea of whispers from the other demigods.
A throne made of piled up bones appeared at the end of the table, where Harry sat. A set of utensils appeared, with gold forks, spoons, and knives, a crystal plate taking the place of porcelain. A wooden beer jug with gold details appeared next to it, along with a scarf with the Ares symbol on it.
"Serious?" Athena looked at War Brother.
"He deserves it" Ares smiled at whoever looked at him. "I'll let him drive the car next time!"
The other demigods sat down, but the whispers didn't stop anyway.
"Dude, what was that?" One of his brothers asked with an admiring expression, as did others.
"First let's have dinner." Harry spoke calmly, earning some grumbles from the more anxious.
"'Where is my inheritance?'" Percy spoke in a deep voice. Annabeth gave him a smile.
"Where have you been until now, man?" Mark, a minute and a half after Harry told them to wait, asked while chewing on a chicken leg.
"Chew properly, Mark," Harry said gently, filling a glass with grape juice and handing it to Clarisse. "I was always in the United Kingdom. I don't usually leave England."
"So… there are basilisks in England?" Sherman asked interestedly, also ignoring dinner time like the other Ares children.
"In fact, there was never a basilisk on English soil." Harry replied, floating a platter of diced cheese and apple. "The basilisk that gave the tooth for the dagger came from a specimen that was living in Scotland. I killed it when I was at school, and since the teeth don't age, I can take them out to collect the poison and make tools."
"Do you have other basilisk weapons?" Clarisse looked at him enviously.
"She must be in pain for not have one" Percy laughed, along with the other demigods who knew the personality of Ares' daughter.
"I have a snakeskin suit" Harry reflected a little.
"A very gallant image" Aphrodite hummed, wondering. The other gods also seemed to imagine it, intrigued by the idea of using the Serpent King's skin.
"Only 5 teeth have been extracted to date. One for our father's dagger, one that my friends used to destroy a cursed object, two that I used to draw poison and one that got stuck in me when I fought the basilisk."
"You were bitten by a basilisk?!" Mark shouted so loudly that not only did everyone at the other tables stop to stare at him, but he also spat out some of his food.
"How disgusting" Thalia wrinkled her nose. Piper and Annabeth nodded in agreement with her.
"Father's ways" Athena said with disgust, frowning when she heard Ares burp.
"Chew properly, Mark," Harry scolded gently, running his hand over the spit-up food and making it disappear. "And, yes, I was bitten by the basilisk."
To prove his statement, Harry pulled up his right sleeve to reveal to the demigods two huge circle-shaped scars, which were mirrored on the other side of his arm.
"That's a battle mark!" Ares cheered, slamming the throne's arm resoundingly.
"Silence, Ares" Zeus ordered, but he also looked with pride at the image of his grandson showing his scarred arm.
"I stabbed it in the roof of the mouth," Harry said. "He tried to swallow me, so it was all or nothing. I used my family's ancestral sword to stab it, and it died from its own poison being injected into its brain."
"Woah" The demigods let out admiring noises.
"I am" Percy admitted. "It feels like the hydra, and I know how difficult it is to deal with a hydra."
"Please," Ares snorted. "You had Medusa's head. My son only used a sword."
"Which I could have done too, but I preferred to use the head" Percy replied, earning a snort from Annabeth and her mother. Ares looked intensely at him.
"How did you survive the poison?" Mitchell from table 6 asked. "Basilisks could kill with just their breath."
"I was very lucky to have survived." Harry confessed. "An old friend of mine, Albus Dumbledore, had a phoenix for his companion."
"Phoenix?" Artemis moved interestedly, as did Zeus and Athena. These were rare birds, and even rarer were those that interacted with (and even more so those that accompanied) humans.
The members of cabin 6 seemed shocked by this information, but Harry ignored it. "It came with me when I fought the basilisk. It blinded basilisk, cutting out its eyes before it could attack me. When I was bitten, it cried into my wound to heal it."
"He fought a basilisk and a phoenix cried to heal him?" Jason looked incredulous.
"What does a phoenix look like?" Piper asked, curious to know what the mythical bird looked like. The other girls seemed to think so too.
"You fought and defeated a basilisk and on the same day got tears from a phoenix?" A girl with black hair and green eyes, with milk-colored skin and beautiful features, asked in disbelief. There was a remarkable deep resemblance between her and Harry - and everyone else at table 20, for that matter.
"Is it something related to being wizards?" Apollo commented.
"Probably" Athena nodded. "There must be some inherent quality in magic that runs through both wizards and Hecate's children."
"I was once told that my life is impossible." Harry commented lightly. "Madam Pomfrey said I look for trouble, but it's trouble that comes after me."
"I understand him so much" Percy sighed, sympathetic to Harry. Annabeth shook her head.
"Who is Madam Pomfrey?" Piper asked.
Faced with the confused looks of the other demigods, Harry added: "Madam Pomfrey is the nurse at my old school."
"Your answer, Piper."
"Ha-ha" Piper rolled her eyes at Leo.
Harry took his canteen out of his pocket, taking a sip from it.
"Can you drink alcohol at camp?" Percy blinked, surprised.
"No." Annabeth replied. "Not even if it's alcohol from outside."
"What is he drinking then?" Piper asked, curious.
"Lamb's blood" Nico joked, receiving some looks from the others. Ares, somehow, looked thoughtful - somewhat unsettling.
A guttural noise was emitted from the throne, scaring the nearby demigods.
"Ah!" Leo screamed, throwing the book in the air and jumping on top of Jason, holding on to him.
"Behave, Nico" Hades caught the attention of his laughing son, who had grabbed the son of Hephaestus' foot through a shadow.
"Here, Leo" Piper, laughing lightly, handed the book to her friend, who had detached himself from her boyfriend and had an adorable red face.
Harry looked at the arm of the throne.
"Don't try anything funny, mate," Harry said calmly as he patted the armrest, his eyes shining coldly. "I will reduce you to dust if you make any noise again."
The message appears to have been understood, as nothing was heard again.
"A living throne" Athena spoke through her teeth. "You gave your son a living throne to sit on."
"These are great places" Ares smiled.
"But… it's made of bones?" Apollo questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Know that human bones are very soft" Ares raised his finger, defending his point.
"Continue, Leo Valdez" Hera sighed.
"A throne of blood," Harry snorted. "My father has a terrible sense of humor if he thinks this is an honor."
Ares had a dazed look, seeming confused by his son's words.
"Finally an intelligent nephew" Athena smiled, ignoring the looks from Dionysus, Hermes and Apollo.
"A throne of blood?" Will, the boy who had come to rescue them from the lake, turned pale, along with the other campers.
"It's an interesting thing," Harry admitted. "But I wouldn't offer it to a normal human. Generally, it will try to devour those who do not have the ability to tame – or at least please – the beast. It's something like the animation in The Monster Book of Monsters, although more… devilish."
The throne made a creaking noise, and the edges moved, as if the bones were rubbing together.
"No, I won't give you blood." Harry spoke calmly.
"This thing eats?" Piper paled, horrified.
"I don't think you can say this is eating" Percy spat, green.
The older Olympians didn't seem at all pleased with the idea of a throne of bones (certainly human bones, considering Ares) committing cannibalism.
"It eats?" A black-haired girl asked, pale. She had a pretty face and light brown, wood-colored eyes.
"I wouldn't say it's eating. It likes to experiment." Harry replied, frowning when he finished. "Hmm."
He raised his closed fist a few inches above the armrest, lowering it at once and slamming it on the throne. A shudder was visible along the bone white¹.
"Control yourself, creature. I will tear off each of your parts and dip them in a cauldron with tomatoes until I make a ossobuco to be served to my dogs if you try to catch anyone here." Harry warned, completely free of emotion in his voice.
The demigods paled horribly.
"Was it trying to catch someone?" Piper said in horror.
"Why did you put something like that in the camp?" Athena spoke furiously.
"My boy is dealing with it" Ares dismissed his sister's anger, shrugging his shoulders.
"Don't shrug it off, Ares!" Zeus spoke stormily. "That thing could devastate the camp!"
"The boy can handle it" Surprisingly, it was Dionysus who came to Ares' defense. He had very purple eyes as he spoke: "I hope." His smile was very mischievous.
The throne growled, but did nothing more. Harry waved his hand calmly and summoned a golden chalice for himself.
"Never make conscious objects." Harry advised the demigods. "Largely useful, but they will never stop asking for affection."
He took a sip from the chalice, which was full of honey.
"Honey?" Apollo was surprised.
He made a noise after swallowing the golden liquid.
"I'll ask Kreacher to make a treacle tart when I get home." Harry said to himself, looking into the chalice. He straightened his back and bent down, getting up from the throne. "Well, it's eighteen o'clock. I think it's time for us to go sit in front of the fireplace."
"Bonfire" Table 6 automatically corrected collectively, earning laughter from the others. Annabeth and Mark were blushing, at least.
"You're a really pretty shade of red," Percy comforted his girlfriend, rejoicing at the sight of her quickly blushing.
"Shut up!" The blonde elbowed her boyfriend violently in the stomach.
"Annie, stop it" Thalia said in a nauseated tone.
"Bonfire." Harry nodded, and walked away to the fallen logs that served as benches.
The bone throne squeaked and jumped, walking away after its holder.
The Hall of Gods fell silent, everyone shocked by what Leo had said.
"He followed him?" Jason spoke in surprise.
"Yes" Leo nodded. "Look, a painting!"
Everyone bent over to see Harry's shadowy figure on his back, with a crude arrangement of bones trailing behind him. The camp's demigods were portrayed in amazement, all staring at the moving thing.
"Weird" Hermes muttered, with the others nodding.
The teens were quick to move away, pushing each other back, frightened by the rushing pile of bones. Harry looked over his shoulder, seeing the monstrosity leaping towards him. He raised an eyebrow.
"I have a feeling there's some kind of fetish going on here." He spoke calmly, looking at the still throne.
"Oh my" Aphrodite let out a deep laugh, making Ares uncomfortable.
"Very well. Excuse me."
Harry sat back down on the throne, which got up again and started walking towards the fire.
The divine children exchanged glances with each other for a moment, before slowly joining the son of Ares around the fire.
"I don't want to sit through that" Piper said nervously.
"I'll be with you," Jason promised, hugging her sideways.
"Own" Aphrodite cooed, smiling at her daughter's reddened face.
Percy pouted, hugging Annabeth too, getting a small smile from the blonde.
"Thank you for the fire, Great-Aunt Hestia." Harry closed his eyes, letting himself be bathed in the reddish light of the dancing fire.
"You're welcome, dear," Hestia replied gently.
The demigods sat on the fallen logs, side by side. Harry watched as some walked together to nearby places, making him drum about the idea of welcoming more cousins.
Aphrodite began to laugh openly, receiving looks from the other gods.
"Ah, you wouldn't mind some legacies" Aphrodite smiled at them.
"I would." Athena spoke frowningly.
Percy began to sweat, avoiding the Goddess of Wisdom's gaze.
Apollo's children picked up instruments and the nymphs came out of the forest, with veils in hand to sway with the dance. Harry lay down, curling up to enjoy the spectacle of his cousins and their servants.
Tría grámmata móno fotízoun
tin ellinikí mas tin geniá
kai mas deíchnoun foteinó ton drómo
gia na féroume tin lefteriá
"Oh!" Apollo smiled with Athena.
Eínai tou agóna mas ta fóta
ki o laós akoloutheí pistá,
néoi, géroi, óloi mazí fonázoun:
zíto, zíto, zíto to EAM
The sound of lyres and guitars vibrated through the clearing, along with the clapping and shouts of encouragement from his cousins and siblings. Harry watched the movements that Apollo's children made with the nymphs, staging a preparation for war with silk armor and threatening weapons with their hands. His fingers drummed on the throne, giving a rhythmic, bone-hollow sound.
The demigods (apart from Nico) didn't seem comfortable with the improvised "instrument".
"How can you sit in that thing?" Annabeth asked, pale.
"Afraid, Annie?"
"Shut up" Annabeth growled at Thalia.
"Half of my furniture is made of bones and leather." Harry replied, nonchalantly.
"What?!" The demigods screamed.
"Eh…" Ares blinked.
"Ares…" Zeus spoke quietly, but full of the tension of a steel string.
"I have nothing to do with this" Ares defended himself, raising his hands. "That's the boy's thing!"
"What a father you are" Hermes shook his head.
"My godfather, Sirius Black, left me his family home. They kept several sofas, coffee tables, and chandeliers made from the bones of elves and vampires, with leather made from troll skin and fairy wings. I have a stuffed troll's leg at the base of the main staircase and a collection of elf heads at the top of it, kept behind crystal windows."
"Elf heads? In plural?" A girl with brown hair and brown eyes asked, terrified.
"Yes, in the plural. The Black Family has been taking elves as servants for centuries to guard their properties and care for their children. When they became too old to lift tea trays, they had their heads torn off and stuffed to serve as an example for the younger elves."
"That's disgusting!" Piper screamed, furious and sick at the same time. Annabeth and Leo immediately agreed with her.
"Hmm." Hades hummed thoughtfully.
"Dad, no" Nico begged, not wanting to know what would come of his father's thoughts.
"That's..." Annabeth couldn't finish, her face turned eerily green. The members of cabin 6 and 4 were no different.
"Disgusting? Yes, I think so too. I would have gotten rid of most of the junk I was given, but unfortunately they are family heirlooms. I would be cursed twice if I got rid of something like that: first by the items themselves, since most of them have terrible curses, and second by the judgment of my cousins who admire the relics." Harry took another sip of the honey. "It looks like Piper is doing better."
The campers followed his gaze, seeing the beautiful chocolate-haired girl walking towards the bonfire. She had an expression that mixed fear and anxiety, looking between the benches until she stopped at Harry and Annabeth, highlighted by their proximity to the large throne of bones.
"Good evening, Piper." Harry greeted her. "I hope you are well enough to reunite with us."
"I'm better" Piper said elusively, not seeming to believe what she was saying.
"Are you sure?" Jason asked, standing next to Annabeth. He had a worried look on his face.
"Own" All his friends teased him.
"Shut up" The Son of Heaven mumbled, his ears red. Piper snuggled closer to his shoulder, smiling.
Harry took a sip of honey as he watched Piper blush adorably at Jason's handsome face.
Piper blushed heavily at the smiles her friends were sending her.
"Shut up" she growled.
Before Piper could respond, Chiron galloped close to the fire, catching the demigods' attention.
"Alright! And let's welcome our new companions. I'm Chiron, camp activities director, and I'm so glad you made it here alive, and with most of your organs intact. We'll get to the important stuff in a little while, but first…"
"How about capture the flag?" someone shouted. Harry's siblings were excited by the suggestion.
"Behave yourself" he scolded his siblings gently, and a growl from the throne seemed to convince them to stay quiet—and move away from him.
"...we ca-?" Percy started.
"No" The gods responded together. The Son of Poseidon was emptied.
Chiron smiled at Harry, and spoke again: "I know the Ares cabin is eager to get back to the woods, to our usual games."
"And kill people!" Mark shouted. Harry smacked him on the head.
"However," Chiron said, ignoring the laughter at Mark's expense. "until the dragon is controlled, this is impossible. Cabin 9, do we have any news on this matter?"
He turned towards Leo's group. The boy winked at Piper and pretended to shoot her, using his fingers to imitate a gun. The girl sitting next to Leo stood up, looking uncomfortable. She was wearing a military jacket, much like his, and her hair was covered with a red bandana.
"We are working on that."
More murmurs.
"How, Nyssa?" asked a son of Ares.
"Hard, very hard" she replied.
"I imagine."
Hephaestus glared at Aphrodite, who had a mischievous expression at Nyssa's choice of words.
Nyssa sat down and screams and complaints followed, making the fire flame chaotic. Chiron banged his hoof on the firestones—bang, bang, bang—and the camp fell silent.
"We need to be patient." said Chiron. "For now, we have more important things to discuss."
"Percy?" someone suggested. And the fire grew even wilder, and Harry rested his head on his fist, feeling the anxiety of his siblings, cousins and uncles.
"Damn" Aphrodite pouted.
"What it was?" Hermes asked, looking at the Goddess of Love.
"It won't be possible to make pairs" The Goddess lamented. "He only sees family at camp!"
Artemis opened an imperceptible smile at her rival's misery.
Chiron gestured toward Annabeth. She took a deep breath and stood up.
"I didn't find Percy" she said. Her voice cracked as she pronounced his name. "He wasn't in the Grand Canyon, like I imagined. But we won't give up. We have teams everywhere. Grover, Tyson, Nico, the Hunters of Artemis... everyone is looking for him. Let's find him. But I think Chiron is talking about something else. A new challenge."
"It's about the Great Prophecy, isn't it?" shouted a girl.
Everyone turned their faces away. The voice came from a group sitting at the back, with a pink flag adorned with a dove. They were talking among themselves and weren't paying much attention until their leader stood up. It was Drew.
Everyone looked surprised. Apparently, Drew didn't speak in public very often.
"Drew?" Annabeth said. " What do you mean?"
"Oh, come on…" Drew said, waving her hands, as if the truth were obvious. "Olympus is closed. Percy disappeared. Hera appears to you in a vision, who returns with three new demigods in one day. I mean, something strange is happening. The Great Prophecy has begun, right?"
Piper murmured to Rachel:
"What is she talking about? Great Prophecy?"
Then she noticed that everyone was also looking at Rachel.
"And there?" Drew asked. "You are the oracle. Did it start or not?"
Rachel's eyes looked frightened in the firelight. Piper was afraid that she would start saying strange things once again, like a crazy goddess.
"Hey!" Apollo looked at Piper, who fidgeted nervously.
"Sorry? I was scared, you know?"
Apollo still kept a sullen look at her, but it was the best she could get for offending the Oracle.
"Actually, I believe it's because of me." Harry spoke calmly, looking at Drew.
"Oh, really?" Drew instantly switched to an interesting, pleasant, and thoughtful tone.
Piper frowned cutely at what Leo said, groaning at the laugh her mother gave from across the room.
"I brought another prophecy to Great-Uncle Chiron, which I believe he is here to pass on to the rest of the camp." Harry looked at the centaur, who looked at him with surprise along with the strangeness of the members of cabin 6.
"Great-Uncle?" Chiron asked, surprised to be called that. Harry twirled the chalice between his fingers.
"My family lineage is very well recorded, everywhere." Harry replied, the chalice disappearing from his hand. Then he asked, "The prophecy?"
"Of course" The centaur coughed, stamping a paw to get the campers' attention. "This afternoon, when Annabeth and Buck brought our new campers, young Harry brought to the attention of the gods a prophecy made in England, which is of interest to Olympus."
"I think it's not just of Olympus, Chiron" Annabeth sighed, still feeling fearful of the End of the World Prophecy.
"Another prophecy?" Rachel looked surprised, her eyes wide.
"Indeed." Harry nodded. "Particularly calamitous, even by the frankly disastrous standards that wizards propose when they venture into this field of research. 'Under the fog of victory that binds the Cloud Dwellers, Great Terrors will crawl from the past to reveal themselves to the world for the third time... Seven heroes, guided by the hands of the Mother of All, meet Their dooms in an endless war... The Allfather will face judgment for the crimes of all, and in the Heart of the West, under the eyes of those who rest on their thrones, the Earth will burn under the fiercest fire,' was prophesied."
Pandemonium was unleashed.
"Is obvious!" Annabeth spoke, pale. The other demigods weren't much different.
"Not another one!" One camper shouted, cursing in Greek.
"Fuck, damn the horny gods!" Harry found this curse curious.
"Damn the perverts!" Artemis saluted, earning an eye roll from Aphrodite… and a conflicted look from Zeus.
"Settle down!" Chiron shouted, pawing to demand order. "This is the will of the Fates, there is no point in getting into euphoria!"
"There's not much point in doing anything, to be honest." Harry commented, but was ignored.
"...he's trying to disturb, isn't he?" Percy asked.
"I'm beginning to think that." Annabeth replied, narrowing her eyes.
"I think it's hilarious." Nico admitted.
"Idem." Apollo replied smiling.
He turned to Elizabeth. "But, yes, the Great Prophecy is also ongoing."
It wasn't a question, Elizabeth noticed.
"How could he know that?" Jason frowned thoughtfully.
"Really, how could he know?" Hermes asked, looking at Apollo.
"Um…" The Sun God shifted on his throne uncomfortably. "Well, he's deadly, isn't he?"
This gave everyone goosebumps.
"In fact." Rachel nodded, a formality foreign to herself.
And the noise fell among the demigods, even after the whining and unflattering comments to the "overexcited gods".
Artemis raised a fist, but Apollo was quick to pull her arm down. Zeus didn't seem too friendly at the moment to hear that complaint.
Piper and Jason looked at each other, having a mental conversation that pleased Harry somehow.
Aphrodite almost laughed, but just smiled, very amused. This was a boy she would call her son.
When the chatter finally stopped, Rachel took another step forward and the more than fifty demigods moved away. As if a skinny redheaded mortal was more dangerous than all of them combined.
"For everyone who hasn't heard yet," said Rachel. "The Great Prophecy was my first prediction. It occurred in August. And it says more or less this:
"Seven half-bloods will answer the call.
In storm or fire, the world will end..."
Jason stood up. His eyes were fluttering, as if he had just suffered an electrical shock.
"…Jason–"
"Don't finish, Leo." The blonde asked, frowning.
Even Rachel looked scared.
"Jason...?" she said. "What…"
"Ut cum spiritu postrema sacramentum dejuremus" he intoned. "Et hostes ornamenta addent ad ianuam necem."
An uncomfortable silence took over the group. Piper saw on their faces that several were trying to translate those words. She knew it was Latin, but she didn't know why her—she hoped—future boyfriend had suddenly started speaking like a Catholic priest.
"You just... finished the prophecy," Rachel muttered. "An oath to keep as a final breath/ And enemies with weapons at Death's Door, after all. How do you…"
"Doors of Death, huh?" Harry's eyes sparkled like emeralds, his voice void of any emotion. The bones of the throne moved, rubbing against each other and making a grinding noise unlike what they had heard until now.
"I don't think he was happy to hear that." Thalia commented.
"Me either." Hades pursed his lips, looking at Zeus from the corner of his eyes. The King of Heaven said nothing.
However, just as quickly as the glow came it was gone and Harry sat back down on the throne, which had stopped creaking.
"I... I know these verses" said Jason, putting his hands on his head, cringing at the strange noises from the throne. "I don't know how, but I know the prophecy."
"In Latin, on top of that," said Drew. "Beautiful and smart."
Laughter was heard coming from Aphrodite's cabin. My God, Piper thought, what a bunch of losers.
"Piper!"
The girl just crossed her arms, avoiding looking at her scandalized mother. Artemis smiled in a way that made Apollo shake his head.
But that didn't ease the tension. The bonfire emanated a chaotic and nervous green flame.
Jason sat down, looking embarrassed, but Annabeth placed a hand on his shoulder and murmured something positive. Piper felt a hint of jealousy.
Whistling was heard throughout the room, making Piper and Jason blush deeply.
"A bit possessive, Piper?"
"As if you would do anything different with Percy" Piper replied, attacking Annabeth back.
The blonde's smile didn't diminish.
The one who should have been by his side, comforting him, was her.
"Meow." Leo coughed in a strange way, but it did nothing to disguise the provocation.
"Leo!" Piper mumbled, adorably blushing.
Discreetly, Percy gave a thumbs up to Jason, who pretended not to see.
Rachel Dare still looked a little lost. She looked to Chiron for help, but the centaur was standing still, silent, as if watching a play that could not be stopped: a tragedy that would end with the deaths of several people on stage.
"Well," Rachel said, trying to regain her composure. "So, this is the Great Prophecy. We had hoped it would take years to come to fruition, but I fear it is starting right now. I can't prove anything. It's just a feeling."
"It's already happening." Harry stated, letting there be no doubt.
"And why would you say that?" Jason asked, looking at him seriously. If Piper's belly churned at that expression, that was her business alone.
"And us." Leo commented, accompanied by the laughter of the demigods and some gods.
"The Great Prophecy and the Prophecy of the End of the World are interconnected. As I know that the End of the World is already underway, it is not difficult to assume that the Great Prophecy is also underway." Harry explained. "Besides, I can sense calamity on the horizon."
"Calamity?" Annabeth asked, looking at him intensely. "What do you mean by calamity?"
"Slaughter." Harry replied easily, almost as if talking about the weather. "Threads of life are almost visible in the camp. When they finally materialize, it will only be a matter of time until they are broken."
The silence was so strong that nothing but the crackling of the fire could be heard. Pale, horrified, mortified and almost hysterical, they all looked at Harry with such dread that not even the most dangerous monster they had ever faced on their missions could make them feel.
Percy was frozen, his back straight and an expression of absolute discomfort on his face. He knew exactly which threads to break were being mentioned.
The gods remained silent, not daring to mention the Fates, recklessly remembering that they were there through their direct intervention.
It was Chiron, no less fearful, but more courageous than the others, who fearfully expressed:
"The winter solstice is also the darkest time. The gods come together on that day, as mortals have always done, because there is a lot of power at play. On the day of the solstice, evil magic gains strength. Ancient magic, older than the gods. It's the day when everything… falls out of place."
"And how ironic that I should be here at such a time." Harry said humorously, crossing his legs.
"It's okay, I don't like him anymore" Leo stated, uncomfortably. It was the same for the other demigods, even Nico.
"His morbidity is kind of cruel." Hera commented, in a strange mix of emotions for the grandson who until now had been the most familiar.
"OK…" Annabeth spoke slowly, looking at the centaur and the Brit, processing what they were saying and trying to maintain order.
"Very good. Keep Calm." Athena nodded to her daughter.
"Thanks. Rachel… can you say more about the Great Prophecy?" There was a bit of anxiety in this request.
"Well… I can't prove anything." Rachel admitted. "It's just a feeling. And, as Drew said, something strange is beginning. The seven demigods, whoever they are, have not yet gathered. But I feel like some of them are here tonight. Others don't."
The campers began to murmur, watching each other nervously. A considerable number were eyeing Harry with twice as much caution now.
Ares let out a laugh. "Very good."
"You have a problem." Athena said, frowning.
"I am here! Ah... were you making the roll call?"
"Go back to sleep, Clovis!" someone shouted, and several campers laughed despite the tension.
"Whatever," said Rachel. "We don't know what the Great Prophecy means. We don't know what kind of challenge the demigods will face. However, as the first Great Prophecy announced the War of the Titans, we imagine that the second will concern something at least as bad."
"Or worse" muttered Chiron.
He may not have wanted the others to hear, but they did. The fire immediately turned purple, dark, the same color that appeared in Piper's dreams. However, unlike what she saw, there were faces around the flame, all turned back to face Harry, who was staring at Rachel with his head resting on his fist.
"What do we know," Rachel said, ignoring Chiron's murmur. "The first part has already started. A big problem has arisen and we need to solve it. Hera, queen of the gods, has been caught."
A shocked silence took over everyone. Then, the demigods began to speak at the same time.
Chiron banged his hoof on the stone again, but Rachel had to wait a while to regain the listeners' attention.
She told them about the accident at the Grand Canyon: about how Gleeson Hedge sacrificed himself when the storm spirits arose, warning that this would only be the beginning. Apparently, they served a great lady who intended to destroy all demigods.
Then Rachel recounted Piper's fainting at Hera's cabin. Piper tried to maintain a calm expression, even though she noticed Drew, who at the back of the amphitheater was pretending to faint, while his friends laughed.
Piper's growl was very audible, but this time her mother didn't reprimand her. Otherwise: Aphrodite was frowning.
Finally, Rachel talked about Jason's vision at the Big House. Hera's message sent to him was very similar to Piper's. With one difference: Bend to his will, and his king will rise, dominating us all. Hera knew about the giant threat from Piper's dreams.
"Jason," said Rachel. "Um... Do you remember your last name?"
He seemed to think, but then shook his head.
"Let's just call him Jason, then," Rachel said. "It's clear that Hera herself sent you a challenge."
Rachel hesitated, as if giving Jason the opportunity to turn his back on his fate. Everyone's eyes were on him. It was a lot of pressure, Piper imagined she couldn't handle being in her place. But Jason looked angry and determined. Finally, she clenched her jaw and nodded:
"It's true."
"You must save Hera and prevent great evil," said Rachel. "a kind of king is rising. For reasons we don't yet understand, this must happen on the winter solstice, just four days from now."
"It's the day of the council of the gods" said Annabeth. "If they don't already know that Hera is missing, they will notice her absence at this point. And they'll probably start fighting, accusing each other of kidnapping her. That's what they normally do."
Again, the gods tried to put on an innocent appearance for the demigods – except Hera, who was making an obvious face.
"Well, whatever is going on, I agree with Rachel. Jason was chosen to lead this mission, so…"
"Why hasn't he been claimed yet?" shouted a representative from the Ares cabin. "If he's so important…"
"He has already been claimed" said Chiron. "A long time ago. Jason, show them."
At first, Jason didn't understand. But he stepped forward nervously, and Piper noticed how handsome he looked, his blond hair shining in the firelight, his features noble like those of a Roman statue.
Everyone laughed and Leo, Hermes and Apollo whistled, while Piper more than blushed, hiding behind her hands. Jason was smiling, hugging his girlfriend by the shoulders.
"I guess it was too late anyway." Artemis pretended to sigh, smiling as she earned a choked squeal from Aphrodite's girl.
Harry raised an eyebrow at Piper's flushed cheeks, hidden from the others by the glow of the fire.
"Your brother discovered you, Piper." Leo teased.
"Leo!" Piper complained, but was curious about Harry being her 'brother', even fearfully so.
Aphrodite smiled, thinking the same thing as the positive part of her daughter.
Jason fumbled in his pocket. He tossed a coin into the air, and when he caught it again, he was holding a spear: a golden spear, three feet long, with a sharp point on one side.
The other demigods gulped. Rachel and Annabeth took a step back, away from the tip, which felt sharp like an ice pick.
"But it wasn't…" Annabeth hesitated. "I imagined it was a sword."
"Um, sometimes it grows a little more, I guess," said Jason. "The same coin, a longer weapon…"
"Man, I want one of those!" shouted someone from the Ares cabin.
"It's better than Clarisse's electric spear, Lamer!" agreed a camper next to him.
"Lamer, Joffrey, behave yourself." Harry asked gently, looking at said brothers. They looked like deer upon hearing this.
"Adorable, right?" Apollo jokingly asked Artemis. The Moon Goddess rubbed her chin.
"Um… I think I could get them some horns and hooves."
"Hey!" Ares complained, glaring at the twins.
"Electric…" Jason muttered, thinking it would be a good idea. "Stand aside."
Annabeth and Rachel got the message. Jason raised his spear and thunder boomed in the sky. The hairs on Piper's arms stood up.
"It was the static!" Piper cried out, burning red.
"I know." It was the collective response of the demigods, making the Daughter of Love snort indignantly.
Lightning struck, striking the fire with the force of an artillery missile.
When the smoke cleared and the echo in Piper's ears faded, everyone in the camp looked shocked, covered in ash, looking at the place where everything had been set on fire. Ash fell like rain everywhere. A burning stump had fallen right next to where Clovis slept. He hadn't even moved.
The demigods burst out laughing, but Annabeth rubbed her face so hard that the inside of her eyelid was visible.
Jason lowered the gun, saying:
"Um… I'm sorry."
Chiron brushed the ash from his beard. And he let a sound escape his throat, as if all his fears were confirmed.
"It was a little exaggerated, perhaps, but I got the point across. And I think we know who your father is."
"Jupiter," said Jason. "I mean, Zeus. The lord of the heavens."
Piper couldn't help but smile. She made perfect sense. The most powerful god, the father of all the great heroes of ancient myths…
Zeus had a shit-eating grin on his face that he didn't even try to hide. The other gods didn't seem too happy with Piper's statement – in particular Hera, unfortunately for Zeus, who hadn't noticed it.
The Child of Love suddenly felt that something very wrong was hanging over her head now.
no one else could be Jason's father.
"In fact." Zeus nodded, making the brothers roll their eyes.
Hera couldn't help but soften her expression a little.
Apparently the other campers weren't so sure. Chaos reigned there, with everyone asking questions, until Annabeth raised one of her hands.
"Calm down! How can he be the son of Zeus? The Big Three... they made a pact not to have mortal children... How did we not find out about this sooner?"
Chiron didn't respond, but Piper noted that he should know. And that the truth was not good.
"There was a good reason." Zeus spoke sternly.
"That no longer exists." Hera made a point of remembering, having been the only one who actually fought to make the camps collide.
The other gods were uncertain as to which side to take – except Athena. She still could not hide her ill will towards the Romans to pretend that she could accept coexistence with them.
"The most important thing" said Rachel. "is that Jason is here. He has a destiny to fulfill, which means he will need a prophecy of his own."
She closed her eyes, fainting. Two campers ran to catch her. A third ran to one side of the amphitheater and picked up a three-legged bronze stool, as if he had been trained for this task. They sat Rachel on the bench, facing the destroyed fire. With the fire out, the night was dark, but green smoke began to move around Rachel's feet. When she opened her eyes again, they were shining, and emerald smoke was coming out of her mouth. The voice that came out was hoarse and old, more or less the kind of sound a snake would make if it could speak:
"Son of lightning, be careful on the ground,
From the vengeance of the giants the seven will be born,
The forge and the dove must open the cell,
And death releases Hera's anger."
"Is it…different?" Leo questioned dubiously, looking at the others who were at the camp that day.
"It seems that some words have moved around." Jason frowned, not knowing what that would mean.
Apollo stood at attention, his eyes shining strangely.
After the last word, Rachel fainted, but her helpers were nearby to hold her. They carried her out of the amphitheater and laid her down so she could rest.
"Fascinating." Harry commented, seeing the boys carrying Elizabeth away. "Wizard prophecies are not written in the form of poetry. We separated it into sentences, but without many allegories. They are usually given at ambiguous times, where it is not clear what or who it is about. Seeing a targeted prophecy is a paradigm shift for me."
All the demigods stared at Harry, some giving strange, surprised and curious looks, taken away from the stupor that normally took them after hearing a prophecy. Somehow, some of the members of Cabin 6 were taking notes on what Harry had shared.
The demigods, even Annabeth, laughed, knowing well the behavior of Athena's children.
"That's really Athena's." Hermes spoke with amusement, provoking the Goddess of Wisdom.
Athena didn't even bother trying to rebut, having a soft look, imagining which children had gotten the notes.
"So mysterious" Drew sighed, sitting between her sisters. They shared the same dreamy look, dividing it between Harry and Jason. Harry raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.
"Chase?" He turned to the blonde, who was thoughtful. "About the prophecy?"
"Well," Annabeth began, after thinking for a few seconds. "Something about this prophecy is definitely not normal. If by breaking Hera out of prison we are going to release anger at her and cause a lot of deaths... why then would we release her? It could be a trap or... maybe Hera will turn against those who help her. She was never kind to heroes."
"One fight and rumors start." Hera complained, receiving blank looks from the other gods. The demigods didn't feel confident reacting to her words.
Jason stood up.
"I don't have much choice. Hera stole my memory and I need it back. Furthermore, we can't just not help the queen of heaven if she is in danger."
A girl from the Hephaestus cabin stood up. It was Nyssa, the one wearing the red bandana on her head.
"Perhaps. But we should listen to Annabeth. Hera can be very vindictive. She threw her own son, our father, off a mountain simply because he was ugly."
And immediately Hera stopped complaining, seeming to become shy in the eyes of others. Luckily for her, Hephaestus didn't turn to face her.
"Very ugly" mocked someone from Aphrodite's cabin.
"Shut up!" shouted Nyssa. "Be that as it may, we should also think… why be careful on the ground? And what is the giants' revenge? What do we have to face that is powerful enough to kidnap the queen of the heavens?"
No one responded, but Piper noticed Annabeth and Chiron exchanging ideas, in silence. She knew it was crazy to think that she could read their expressions so well, especially since they were two people she barely knew, but she was absolutely sure that she understood what they were saying, which scared her to death.
"That weirdest demigod sense," Percy said, strangely knowledgeable.
Piper shifted uncomfortably.
Annabeth took a deep breath.
"It's Jason's mission," she announced. "So the choice is his. Obviously, he is the son of lightning. According to tradition, he will be able to choose two companions."
Someone from the Hermes cabin shouted:
"You, of course, Annabeth. You are the person with the most experience."
"No, Travis" she replied. "First of all, I'm not going to help Hera. Every time I tried, she beat me or came back to harass me later. No way.
"I'm glad to hear your thoughts, dear." Hera said coldly, looking at Annabeth.
Annabeth clenched her fists, but wisely kept quiet. Athena stared at Hera.
No way. Besides, I'm leaving early tomorrow morning to look for Percy."
"Everything is connected," Piper blurted out, not knowing how she had managed to muster the courage to speak. "You know that, right? This whole story, your boyfriend's disappearance… it's all connected."
"Connected how?" Drew asked. "If you're really so smart, why don't you tell us how?"
Piper tried to formulate a response, but couldn't.
Annabeth helped her:
"You might be right, Piper. If this is all connected, I can find the other side... by going in search of Percy. As I said, I couldn't help Hera, even if her disappearance would provoke a new war between the Olympians. But there is another reason why I should not go: the prophecy says otherwise."
"She says who I should choose," agreed Jason. "The forge and the dove must open the cell. The forge is the symbol of Vul... Hephaestus."
Under the flag of cabin 9, Nyssa let her shoulders slump, as if she was carrying a great weight.
"If we need to be careful with the land," she said. "We must avoid land travel. We need air transport, but the carriage is broken
Everyone looked at Annabeth, who seemed embarrassed.
"How wicked, Annie, wrecking the carriage." Thalia teased, shaking her head falsely in reprimand.
"Shut up" The blonde mumbled, blushing.
and pegasi are being used in Percy's search. But maybe the Hephaestus cabin can help. With Jake injured, I'm the veteran camper, and I can volunteer for the mission."
She didn't seem enthusiastic.
At the same moment, Leo stood up. He had been quiet, so much so that Piper had almost forgotten he was there, which wasn't typical.
"You can be a little… flashy." Jason spoke slowly, not wanting to offend his friend.
Leo pouted, but went back to reading.
"Me" said Leo.
"Indeed, me." Leo teased, earning a snort from Apollo and Hermes.
His cabinmates were scared. They tried to make him sit down, but he resisted.
"No. I got it. I have an idea for the transportation problem. I want to help, I can solve the problem!"
"Of course it couldn't be a problem." Leo rubbed his shoulders, speaking pompously.
"Continue reading, Leo" Jason asked, frowning. The chapter was taking too long.
Jason watched him for a moment. Piper was sure he would tell Leo no, but Jason smiled and said:
"We got into this together, Leo. I think it's a good idea for you to come with me. You are in."
"Amazing!" Leo said, his fists clenched.
"It's going to be dangerous" warned Nyssa. "A hard path, with monsters and terrible suffering. Perhaps none of you will return alive."
"Oh!" said Leo, not so excited anymore, but then he remembered that everyone was watching. "I mean… oh, cool! Suffering? I love suffering! Let's go!"
"Eccentric." Aphrodite commented, but without any judgment. In fact, she seemed to be smiling, looking at Leo with something that, while it didn't indicate something bad, didn't mean it would be good either.
Leo was in severe mental conflict.
Annabeth nodded.
"Now, Leo, you just need to choose the third member of the mission. The Dove…"
"Oh, of course!" Drew said, already standing and giving Jason a smile. "The dove is Aphrodite. Everybody knows it. I am completely yours."
Piper, without realizing it, ended up growling, making everyone who heard it laugh – including her mother, to her embarrassment.
Piper clenched her hands. She took a step forward.
"No."
Drew rolled his eyes.
"Oh, please, unbearable girl. Get out of my way."
"You bi–"
"Piper!" Aphrodite shouted, glaring at her daughter.
"She asked for this, mom!"
"Calm down and let's continue, shall we?" Hestia asked politely, trying to appease before it could turn into an argument.
"I was the one who saw Hera's vision, not you. I need to be part of this."
"Anyone can have a vision," Drew said. "You just happened to be in the right place at the right time," he said, looking at Jason. "Look, fighting is easy, and people who build things…" And she looked at Leo, with disdain.
"...she's lucky to be pretty."
"Leo!" Piper frowned at her friend.
"Why, thank you!" Aphrodite thanked him, as if it was a compliment to herself.
"Well, I guess someone is going to have to get their hands dirty. But Jason needs a little charm around him. I can be quite persuasive. It could help a lot."
The campers began to murmur about how persuasive Drew was. Piper could see that Drew had the advantage. Even Chiron was scratching his beard, as if Drew's participation was starting to make sense to him.
"It works on him too" Annabeth blinked, seeming to not know this was happening. Drew did indeed receive a great gift from Aphrodite.
"Well…" said Annabeth. "According to the words of the prophecy…"
"No!" said Piper, with a voice that sounded strange even to her ears... A more insistent, fuller tone. "I'm the one who should go."
And at that moment something very strange happened: everyone started nodding, murmuring that Piper's point of view also made sense. Drew looked around in disbelief. Even her cabinmates agreed with Piper.
"Wake up!" Drew told everyone. "What can she do?"
Piper opened her mouth, but then closed it, not knowing what to say. Courage seemed to drain from her at that moment in the face of the shock of reality, as she could not claim any training beforehand.
Harry rested his head on his fist, looking at the clash between the girls. He commented in a low voice, almost a whisper, but it could still be heard:
"My sisters are worse than witches." He said in a whining tone, letting out a resigned sigh shortly afterwards.
"Sisters are a pain in the teenage years. Artie almost killed me with so many suitors."
Artemis shouted in fury, flushed but still in a threatening rage as she drew her bow.
"Silence!" Zeus commented, thundering. "Stop teasing her, Apollo!"
The Sun God just chuckled on his own throne, ignoring his sister's murderous gaze.
"What?" Piper asked in confusion, before being unable to see anything as she was enveloped in a pink flash.
"No!" Drew screamed, horrified. "No!"
"Yes… YES!" Leo shouted, jumping out of his seat.
"Leo…" Piper moaned.
"Not this time, boy," Hermes commented, giving a thumbs down.
The elven boy pouted.
When the flash disappeared, Piper gasped as she looked down.
Her clothes...what was that thing she was wearing? She hated dresses. She had no dresses. But she was wearing a beautiful sleeveless white tunic, with a V-neckline so low it made her feel self-conscious.
Artemis glared furiously at Aphrodite. "She is your daughter!"
"Yes" Aphrodite nodded. "It's natural for her to look so beautiful."
On her arms were delicate gold bracelets. An intricate necklace of amber, coral, and golden flowers glittered on her chest, and her hair...
"My God" she said. "What happened?"
An amazed Annabeth pointed to Piper's dagger, which glowed, and was hanging at her side, attached to a golden rope. Unsheathing her Katoptris, Piper looked at her reflection in the polished metal. Her hair was perfect: shiny, long, chocolate-colored, decorated with golden bows on one side, falling to her shoulders. She had makeup on, although she had never learned how to do makeup well...subtle touches turned her lips a cherry shade and put varying colors in her eyes.
She was...she was...
"Beautiful," Jason said. "Piper, you… you are… wow…"
"Do you like what you see, Jason?" Aphrodite laughed, loving seeing the serious boy's neck and ears red.
"Um… I think I still have the dress in storage…" Piper murmured, looking shyly at Jason. The boy cleared his throat, closing his eyes and trying to ignore the thoughts that were coming at him.
Damn hormones.
Under other circumstances, it would be the happiest moment of his life. But everyone was looking at her like she was crazy.
Harry was the one who spoke, uncrossing his legs and leaning towards Piper.
"All hail Piper McLean" Harry spoke loudly, in a gentlemanly tone. "Daughter of Aphrodite, Lady of Doves, Goddess of Love."
"Ended?" Leo spoke in shock, seeing the rest of the page blank, indicating the end of the chapter. "What about my incredible moment?"
"Give it here, Leo. Next time there should be something for you." Jason ordered the book, watching his friend mumble to himself in Spanish.
The son of heaven turned the page and read the chapter title.
¹ - I wrote "bone white", which refers to "bone-colored white", not "white-colored bone". I don't know if "white bone" or "bone white" is appropriate, because both in Portuguese mean the same thing.
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