The Winged Warrior

Chapter 1

"The results of his predicament are extrordinary." Chiron was saying. "He appears to have survived floating in the sea for over two weeks, without a scratch on him. Incredible!"

Annabeth was looking at the boy in admiration. On closer inspection, he looked about Percy's age, with floppy brown hair and well defined features. His eyes fluttered open, and they were a rich brown with flecks of red.

"You drool when you sleep." Annabeth said to him, smiling.

But Percy was frowning at a dagger in the boy's belt. It was half celestial bronze, half silver, and reminded him of a blade he had hoped never to see again.

"What's your name?" Annabeth asked the boy.

"Nicolas. Son of Poseidon." He said. He had a strong British accent, and Annabeth seemed to swoon slightly at the sound of it.

"Son of Poseidon?" said Percy in shock, staring at the boy.

"Yes, why?"

"Me too."

***

Annabeth and Percy were standing in a deserted clearing in the forest. Annabeth was yelling at Percy.

"What do you mean, you think he's up to something? That's the silliest thing I've ever heard!"

"Well, think about it" said Percy calmly. "He turns up, knowing all about his Godly parentage, holding a knife that looks almost exactly like backbiter, saying he's the son of Poseidon? I don't think he is, his eyes aren't green like mine, you don't get that sort of reddish color in a Son of Poseidon anyway."

"You're just jealous!" screamed back Annabeth, making no effort to control her tone. "Jealous of him because he survived for more than two weeks in the sea and he's probably more powerful than you! Tyson's eye is brown, why can't his be? Stop bullying him and leave him alone!"

"What? I didn't say anything like..."

but Annabeth had already stormed away.

***

Percy was sitting just outside the borders of the camp, close to Peleus who was snoring loudly. He was fiddling with his beaded necklace, pulling on the cord.

Then, Nicolas emerged from the trees a little way away, looked around warily, and pulled an amulet from under his new camp half-blood t-shirt. There was a picture of a scythe on it, the symbol of Kronos.

Percy started towards him, maybe to enquire about the amulet, but stopped dead at the sight of what Nicolas was doing.

He was chanting, head inclined towards the darkening sky, muttering in a strange language, neither greek nor english. He was speaking so fast his words were blurring together into one long mantra. There was a cracking sound.

Then, two huge pit scorpions erupted from the ground in front of Nicolas.

Percy jumped up and made quick work of them, slicing the first one in two with riptide and slashing the second one's tail off, causing them both to disintegrate into yellow monster dust. Percy turned to Nicolas in shock.

Nicolas was not looking at him, but instead he was looking up towards the camp, where Chiron and some other campers had run up to see what the noise was about.

"I just saved his sorry ass!" said Nicolas to the crowd, pointing at Percy. "I slashed those Pit Scorpions to bits while he just sat back and watched."

"Did not!" said Percy in outrage. "You're wearing an amulet with Kronos' scythe on it!"

"You mean this?" Nicolas said, and pulled out the amulet. But now, it was blue, and the symbol on it was a trident.