I didn't want to be a half-blood. Being one means a life full of pain and suffering. It's not a life I would have chosen for myself. If you recognize yourself or feel something stirring inside, stop reading immediately. Try to live out some of your teen years, because once you realize who you truly are, there is no going back, and the monsters will come for you.
My name is Annabeth Chase, and I am a daughter of Athena. Normally, the monsters come for you when you're in your teens, powerful enough to be disruptive and a danger to them, but monsters stalked me since I was seven. Why? Probably because my father reminded me what I was every breathing minute he had. Maybe because I was on the road and all alone for a long time. Or maybe a mix of both. Whatever the cause, I ran away from my home when I was seven, just as minor monsters and spiders were lurking in the shadows, waiting for me to be alone in school or at nighttime to kill me (or at least scare me).Mostly I ran away because I realized what a nuisance I was to my father and his new family. I wasn't wanted. So I left. Many demigods have even worse relationships with their mortal parents than I do, but the difference was that it was mostly because of how worse off the Gods left them. Treating me badly for all my life? That was all my dad. I resented him for that and I still do.
Long story short, I met people like me, who told me about the stories of greek mythology and after months on the run, we finally found a place where demigods were safe. Camp Half-Blood. As long as you didn't die, Camp Half-Blood is a pretty nice place. The only problem is that the activities absolutely bored me. With five years of being here on my belt, everything seemed monotone to me now. Sword practice in the morning, (well more like dagger practice for me) then archery and climbing in the noon and other activities in the afternoon.
Nothing interesting happens anymore, not since one of the demigods in camp quested some time ago. Needless to say, it went awry for him. But there was still a ray of hope for me. Something was stirring amongst the satyrs and the nature spirits. Something about a feud between the Gods. I couldn't shake off the feeling that this would be my time, to finally quest and experience the world. I didn't want to shake the feeling though, I had been waiting for it for a long time, since when I first got to this camp and being promised by the Oracle itself to meet someone that would launch me into my first quest. I personally asked Chiron, our activities director and the famous teacher centaur of the myth, for it and received a little too much when I heard the Great Prophecy. That kid is not going to lead a happy life at all. Truth be told, it wasn't looking too good for me either.
Doing chores is definitely not the best part of camp. Especially when it was cleaning stables. Malcolm, one of my half-brothers, wasn't too thrilled about it either. I started to think about how I would never actually have a real sibling. Who knows how many children Athena has sired over the millennia. Or rather how many children had popped out of her head. Apparently that's how I was born but that just seemed messy. My lovely dad reminded it to me quite often when I was living with him of course. Only in his version it was the worst thing that could have ever happened to him. He didn't seem to mind having my other half-brothers though. He forgot all about Athena and had a couple of ordinary children all while treating me like a monster. I don't want to go down this line of thought again because I will just wind up worsening my mood more than it already is, as cleaning horse poop isn't exactly exciting.
The Big House was close by, so I decided I should pay a visit to Chiron. He's always been to me like the dad I wished I had and not like the dad that I unfortunately have. He was standing on the porch without the camouflage of the wheelchair which he used to scout a half-blood he had spotted at Yancy, although I'm not entirely sure if the school is Yancy, I'd have to ask. I approached him.
"So how's that new half-blood at... Yancy?" I turned the last word into a question, not sure whether I was right. His face stretched into a smile, the worry lines dissipating from his face like vapor.
"Aren't you going to ask how I'm doing first, dear?" He asked tentatively first, then he answered his question for himself, "I'm quite alright and so is the boy, although I do fear that he has inevitably realized who he is. Grover should be trying to deliver him in one piece right this moment." He said morosely. I can't lie, he could sometimes be kind of a mood killer, but after centuries of loss and suffering I decided to cut him some slack.
"Well, for you to be watching him closely yourself that must mean he's special. Maybe he's the one." I asked again. Chiron's face turned dark.
"My dear, you shouldn't be waiting and hoping for the special one. Quests always involve many hardships and great loss. I pray most campers here never have to involve themselves in such a thing, especially if the Great Prophecy is to occur in their lifetime. That includes you Annabeth" He finished the same monologue he gave me whenever we talked about this. I sighed.
"So you would rather I die of boredom here." I replied and made it clear it was a statement not a question. This time it was Chiron who sighed.
"Let's not have this discussion again Annabeth, I have told you many times that-" He stopped short as he turned his head and started listening keenly to something.
"Chiron-" I was too stopped short as I realized I heard it too, cries of desperation, cries to a mother that wasn't replying. Before we could move the disruptor himself collapsed on the porch carrying a satyr who I recognized as my friend Grover, both unconscious.
"He's the one. He must be." I said stupidly. Why? Maybe because we were already talking about it me and Chiron and I just let it slip through my mouth. Chiron looked slightly annoyed with me.
"Silence, Annabeth," Chiron said, still annoyed. "He's still conscious. Bring him inside."