The Nature of a Demigod

Oh, Brother

"Unless what?" Annabeth asked.

"No," Chiron said. "A foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison, and it was lost centuries ago."

"What is it?" I asked. "We'll go find it!"

Chiron closed his saddlebag. He pressed the stop button on his boombox. Then he turned and rested his hand on my shoulder, looking me straight in the eyes. "Percy, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told your mother I did not want you to come here at all this summer. It's much too dangerous. But now that you are here, stay here. Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave."

"Why?" I asked. "I want to do something! I can't just let the borders fail. The whole camp will be-"

"Overrun by monsters," Chiron said. "Yes, I fear so. But you must not let yourself be baited into hasty action! This could be a trap of the titan lord. Remember last summer! He almost took your life."

It was true, but still, I wanted to help so badly. I also wanted to make Kronos pay. I mean, you'd think the titan lord would've learned his lesson eons ago when he was overthrown by the gods.

You'd think getting chopped into a million pieces and cast into the darkest part of the Underworld would give him a subtle clue that nobody wanted him around. But no.

Because he was immortal, he was still alive down there in Tartarus, suffering in eternal pain, hungering to return and take revenge on Olympus. He couldn't act on his own, but he was great at twisting the minds of mortals and even gods to do his dirty work.

The poisoning had to be his doing. Who else would be so low as to attack Thalia's tree, the only thing left of a hero who'd given her life to save her friends? Annabeth was trying hard not to cry.

Chiron brushed a tear from her cheek. "Stay with Percy, child," he told her. "Keep him safe. The prophecy! Remember it!"

"I-I will." she choked out through the tears.

"Chiron I-..." Y/N sputtered. Chiron pulled him in tightly. "I know, my boy. I know. Everything will be alright. Trust me. It will be. I promise." Y/N cried into his chest.

"Um... " I said. "Would this be the super-dangerous prophecy that has me in it, but the gods have forbidden you to tell me about?"

Nobody answered.

"Right," I muttered. "Just checking."

"Chiron... " Annabeth said. "You told me the gods made you immortal only so long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp-"

Y/N sputtered. "They can't do that! They- They just can't. I'll-"

"Swear, Y/N, Annabeth. Swear you will do your best to keep Percy from danger," he insisted. "Swear upon the River Styx."

"I-I swear it upon the River Styx," Annabeth said.

"I swear upon the Styx as well." Y/N followed.

Thunder rumbled outside.

"Very well," Chiron said. He seemed to relax just a little. "Perhaps my name will be cleared and I shall return. Until then, I go to visit my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. It's possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until this matter is resolved... one way or another."