The Fallen Goddess...PJO

Chapter 5

As I stepped through the barrier, a scene of chaos unfolded before me, reminiscent of the nightmares Percy had described from his previous quests. Camp Half-Blood, once a haven for demigods, now resembled a battleground.

The scent of smoke and the sound of battle cries filled the air, mingling with the panicked shouts of campers and the clash of weapons. The camp's protective boundaries had been breached, leaving it vulnerable to the onslaught of monsters.

My heart raced as I surveyed the scene, my mind struggling to process the devastation. Buildings lay in ruins, cabins smoldering from the fires ignited by enemy forces. Demigods fought valiantly against two bronze bulls, the size of elephants and spitting fire.

"Border patrol to me!" commanded a brunette buff girl with a red piece of cloth tied around her head, lifting her spear in the air.

I saw Percy and Annabeth running towards the brunette trying to assist. I stood at the edge of the battlefield, still close to the borderline. I knew that I wouldn't be of help since i didn't have any fighting experience and I was also weaponless. All I would do was hold everyone back, especially Percy who would just constantly worry about me.

BANG.BANG.

I flinched at the sound of frantic banging against the barrier. I recoiled instinctively, fearing it was a monster but it was just Tyson. It seems like the barrier still somehow worked. This only confused me more, since I didn't understand why I was able to go through since I was a mortal. My mother is not originally American, she's African American, she was born here after her parents traveled here. My dad was never in my life, but that was because he left us when we were young. I know this might sound like a regular demigod story but I actually knew my father, before he left my mom and I for another woman.

The sound of yelling brought me out of my thoughts, "Curse you, Percy!" the brunette girl yelled. I quickly scanned the battlefield and when my eyes landed on Percy, I gasped and screamed "Percy, look out!".

The two bulls rounded on Percy, backing him up into Thalia's tree. Other campers tried to spread out hoping to draw the bull's attention, but they seemed to have a vendetta against Percy. That boy seriously has terrible luck.

Bull Number Two blew flames at him and he rolled to the side, catching his ankle on a tree root in the process. He managed to cut it off, but when he tried to stand, his leg buckled underneath him. Bull Number one charged straight towards him and there was no way he could get out of its path. My heart dropped and I felt useless knowing that there was nothing I could do.

"Tyson, help him!" Annabeth shouted, but Tyson seemed to be struggling with some invisible boundary by the crest of the hill. "Can't–get–through!"

"I, Annabeth Chase, give you permission to enter camp!" Annabeth screamed at the top of her lungs. Thunder shook the hillside and Tyson ran and jumped in front of Percy just as the bull unleashed a nuclear firestorm.

"Tyson!" Percy yelled.

The blast swirled around him like a red tornado, and in that moment I hoped that Percy was a little fire proof. When the fire died, Tyson was still standing there, completely unharmed. Not even his clothes were scorched, which honestly does not make sense.

Tyson balled his fist and slammed them into the bull's face, while screaming "BAD COW!". His hands made a crater where the bronze bull's fire snout used to be, and when Tyson hit it again, it fully crumpled.

Annabeth and I both ran over to check on Percy. Annabeth gave him some yellow substance, which I assumed was the nectar drug they use to heal quickly.

"The other bull?" he asked.

Annnabeth pointed down the hill. The brunette had impaled the bull, with a bronze spear, completely taking it down. She then marched towards us, while pulling her helmet off. "You–ruin–everything. We had it under control. Don't ever, EVER try saving us again!" she yelled at Percy.

"Good to see you too, Clarisse." percy muttered under his breath.

"Clarisse," Annabeth said, "Don't you have wounded campers to look after." That seemed to distract her angry towards Percy, as she trudged to take care of the wounded soldiers.

I looked towards Percy who was staring at Tyson, "You didn't die" he said surprised.

Tyson then looked down embarrassed, "I am sorry. Came to help and disobeyed you."

"I had no choice but to let Tyson cross the boundary line. Otherwise, Percy would have died." Annabeth said.

"Let him cross the boundary line? " Percy asked.

"Percy," Annabeth addressed him, "Have you ever looked at Tyson closely? I mean... in the face. Ignore the mist and really look at him."

He then looked at Tyson, squinting his eyes really lookin at him, and finally probably noticed that the kid had one eye.

"Tyson," Percy stammered. "You're a..."

"Cyclops" I said finishing his sentence.

"Wait Mani, you knew Tyson was a cyclops?" he exclaimed.

"Well, yeah I tried to tell you but you refused to believe me. You said, That I was being paranoid because I was scared blah blah blah" I said in a mocking tone.

Annabeth then proceeded to explain Tyson's possible existence and why he survived the attack of the bull. Percy couldn't completely grasp the information, as he was still in shock about the fact Tyson was a cyclops.

Clarisse returned, wiping soot off her forehead. "Jackson, if you can stand, get up. We need to carry the wounded back to the big house, let Tantalus know what happened. You should probably also take your two friends with you" she said, finally looking at me with a slight glare. What's with people and glaring at me the moment we meet. Is it a demigod thing or something?

"Tantalus?" Percy inquired.

"The activities director," Clarisse explained impatiently.

"Chiron is the activities director. And where Argus? He's head of security. He should be here." Percy said.

Clarisse made a sour face and said, "Argus got fired, Chiron too. You tow have been gone a long time. Things are changing."

"What happened? Chiron can't just be fired." Annabeth asked.

"That happened," Clarisse snapped and pointed towards a tree, which I assume is the tree that puts up the border. There was an ugly puncture mark on the trunk that was oozing green sap. The look on all their faces said it all.

The tree was dying, which meant camp was no longer a safe haven for demigods.