Leader of Camp Half-Blood

Hearth

Percy's POV 

The next few days were total horror for me. Of course, cross country travel is hardly easy for a demigod. 

I had decided to take a train till Missouri, where I got off to relive old memories. Simple times when we played detective with Zeus' lightning bolt. Anyways, as soon as I got off the train, I wished I hadn't. Because I was chased by storm spirits, no doubt a gift from my dearest uncle, till I reached another forest, of which I was growing tired. I managed to fend them off, only to be met by a pack of Stymphalian birds, which were Ares's gift. Wonderful. 

I remembered they were scared by unpleasant sounds, so I cupped my hands to my mouth and started singing - no, yelling - an old romantic song Annabeth and I used to sing together. It was by Elvis I think. My, ah, dynamic voice scared the birds away, and I continued to travel westward. However, there always seemed to be a new pack of those birds wherever I went, primed to attack. 

That was all well, since I could simply use my voice, but I was growing exhausted, with the singing and the occassional boar attacks (Ares, you little bitch). The worst thing was, with all the singing, my voice was starting to improve. Huh. Perhaps I had just needed to sing very loudly and very regularly to improve it. 

So, the Stymphalian birds now began to resist my voice, which was now averagely good, and attacked ferociously. Trying to hold them back with a sword was like fighting mosquitoes with a pencil. And, when they drew blood, nothing would stop them. 

I managed to make my way to somewhere in the northwest US. I was venturing in the forests when I heard a boar coming towards me. I sidestepped, but I was slow because of the birds, and the boar sank its tusk into my abdomen. That boar was definitely not naturally large. I grunted as the boar continued to charge, with me in front, and slammed into a tree. Then, it turned around and left. 

I managed to stand up with support from the tree. I needed to get to the coast; I could take a boat from there to Alaska. I heard the crackle of a fire, and started walking towards it. I could ask the people for help. They would understand the wound in my stomach, and perhaps see the pecks as an attack from... uh, wild gerbils? Gods, the blood loss was making me light headed.

I managed to stumble to the clearing. I registered a log cabin before I collapsed. 

*******************

I woke up to an old woman humming. I looked around and saw I was inside a log cabin, probably the one I had seen. The old woman was sitting in an armchair beside the fireplace and humming to herself. The fire was just the right temperature. The whole cabin had a cozy feel to it, and I could imagine my mother popping in with a tray of freshly baked blue cookies. I sighed contentedly at that thought, and the woman stood up and walked to my bedside. 

I had thought there must be someone besides the old woman living in this wilderness, but seeing as there was only one single bed, she lived alone. I sat up, causing yellow spots to dance before my eyes, but it subsided. I asked her, "Do I know you?"

She did look familiar. Her warm smile, and welcoming posture. She smiled, "Perhaps you would recognise me in this form?"

She glowed, transforming into an eight year old girl with brown hair and fiery red irises having twin soft fires burning in them. Hestia. 

She smiled, caressing my face, and I was reminded of my mother, and Annabeth. "Percy, I think you know what is happening"

I knew there were multiple ways to reply, but I spoke, "That Zeus and Ares are hounding me?"

Hestia's expression grew pained. "That is true. Jason Grace is the official champion of Ares, meaning he will always have a kind of blessing of Ares over him. Zeus has also accepted him as a champion, though that is not widely known. He is significantly stronger"

I remembered how he had taken a faint red glow during the last event in the Games. No doubt Ares had helped him before. 

Hestia bowed her head, as if reading my thoughts. "Families are hard to keep together. Zeus and his son do it with an iron fist. You do it with pure loyalty" I had a feeling 'son' here meant Jason. I wondered what all changes he had made at camp. 

"Do you support my decision?", I asked her. I had a feeling she knew what I meant by 'decision'. 

She nodded. "It is the best for you. Though I would like it if you could forgive"

My anger rose, but I kept my voice level. "Lady Hestia, I respect you a lot. But I cannot see why I should forgive those who were against me due to technically no reason"

Hestia sighed. "I cannot change your mind Percy, though I do feel the spirit of home in you. More than I have felt in any mortal"

I didn't quite understand. Hestia laughed at my confused expression. "Oh, it just means you make people, even those you don't know well, feel at home"

I smiled, the fact that Hestia had asked me to forgive the Olympians forgotten. I asked her, "How is Camp? And Annabeth?"

Hestia's smile fell. "Camp has been better, with the son of Zeus introducing rules. Annabeth was banished because of misconduct when she wanted to leave camp to find you"

My heart shattered. Annabeth had left, no gotten banished from Camp? I wanted to find her too, but I knew it wasn't fair. I couldn't interrupt her life and whisk her away to Alaska. She needed to continue with her studies. 

"I would like to make an offer, Perseus"

I didn't like anyone I knew call me Perseus, but I nodded. 

"I would like to make you my champion"

I smiled. "I-"

Hestia smirked playfully. "Oh, do let me finish. Being my champion has its own perks, you know, since you would be the first one. You can summon fire and control it, much like with water. You will also be able to summon home cooked meals"

I smiled at that thought. It seemed ages since I had tasted my mother's cookies. 

"The last gift is a bit complex, and would require time to master. You would be able to travel as sparks of fire, but you may travel only to a place close to your heart. So, do you accept"

I nodded, and the words spilled out of my mouth on their own. "I, Perseus Jackson, accept to serve as the Champion of Hestia, the Protector of the Hearth and as a guide to those seeking a home"

Hestia's smile lit up the cabin, and she leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "Whatever they say, I think only you are the Leader of Camp Half-Blood"

Then, she guided me to the fireplace and gently stuck my hand in the flames. At first, I was too shocked to say anything, but then I noticed how I didn't even feel a difference in temperature. I willed the fire to rise in a thin column, and I felt a new pull in my gut. It did, weaving around in squiggles until I commanded it back into the fireplace. Then I imagined flame dancing across my fingers, and suddenly it came true. Man, was I going to rub this in Leo's face. 

Hestia put her hand on my shoulder. "As for my last gift, I can't transport you to Alaska, but I can put you on a boat to Anchorage. Train well, Percy"

And I was teleported onto a cruise ship to Alaska.