The Heroes of Camp Half-Blood • Book 1: The Missing Demigod

🌊 17. Adrian • "Until Next Year"

The journey's over, Adrian thought. It's finally over. The Half-Bloods had gone through so much, all the way from when there were four of them.

They all got back into Hermes's car, which was still there, to the group's convenience, so they were on their way quickly. Though they were all injured, some major. If Adrian had been faster, he could've saved Christian from getting stabbed with a horn.

Annabeth also had a mild concussion, and not to mention, Adrian was impaled with his own trident, Serpent. And Glo was still badly burned. Adrian was lucky, he was healed with a few pieces of Ambrosia, the others would need more medical care in the camp infirmary.

The ride was mostly silent, as everyone was collecting themselves after what they'd just witnessed. They'd succeeded, and were coming back to camp.

🔱

It took a few hours, but the group was finally at Long Island Sound, and Half-Blood Hill. The car / chariot turned and drove itself back, leaving the seven to finally scale the hill.

Adrian was the first to step up, and then the rest, Evan and Glo being the last. Every camper in sight cheered and whistled at the sight of them alive. They formed a pathway to the Big House and began applauding the seven heroes.

When they entered the Big House, Chiron's eyes widened in surprise, "My, my, you've returned!" He exclaimed excitedly, trotting over, his horse legs galloping on the creaky wooden floors. "And you've dealt with Gaia's forces?"

Christian lifted up his shirt to reveal the leaking blood, "It costed a bit."

Eventually, the injured half-bloods were taken to the camp's infirmary. Adrian's injury wasn't too bad, just a few minor patches, which he considered lucky.

Adrian took it upon himself to introduce Glo and Evan around camp, and brought them to their respective cabins. The head counselors of the Hermes cabin, the brothers Travis and Connor Stoll, were pretty surprised to see Evan.

"...And you've been out there since you were...six, seven?" Travis asked in awe. Evan smiled widely, briefly running his fingers through his fiery blond hair. "Mm-hmm, I even met father himself, and - shocker - I'm his favorite," he flexed.

"No way," Connor refused.

"I can confirm, it is true," Adrian added.

"'Favorite,' or not, welcome to Cabin Eleven," Travis said, grabbing Evan by the arm and pulling him in. Adrian chuckled lightly.

Glo was accepted almost immediately into the Hephaestus cabin, especially seeing as he had fire abilities, which wasn't usual for most children of Hephaestus, and everyone was also of course celebrating Percy's return.

After the commotion settled, everyone went back to their cabins, and Adrian invited Christian over to the Poseidon cabin, cabin three.

Probably from other campers, there was a PlayStation 5. Adrian lit up and went to turn it on. There were two controllers sitting there. Adrian turned on the console, and it turned on.

One of the games on the menu was a game Adrian was very familiar with - Mortal Kombat 1. He handed Christian a controller, asking, "Do you play Mortal Kombat?"

"Mortal what?" Christian asked, clearly confused. "They spelled 'combat' wrong." Adrian chuckled. "It's just for fun." He showed him the basics, and Christian's favorite character to fight with was a male fighter named Raiden, and he too had lightning powers.

Christian chuckled, "this game's pretty bloody. I love it."

"Yeah, that's kinda the point," Adrian added.

🔱

Two months later, summer would be ending very soon, in a few days, to be precise, and those who were leaving to go back home until next summer were packing their things. That included Adrian, Suba, and Christian.

Some had no home to go back to, and had to stay year round. Adrian envied those demigods. He packed his things into a bookbag given to him by Chiron to make things easier. He picked up his trident, turned it twice, and it turned back into the 2 by 2 Rubik's Cube.

Not long after, Mister D., or Dionysus, god of wine, yelled out, "Alright, anyone who isn't staying year-long, GET OUTTA HERE! You, you, and you - all o' you, get out!"

Adrian chuckled softly. He looked around cabin three one last time, and looked at the mosaic of Poseidon, riding a wave in the vast ocean, wearing robes, a golden trident in hand, thunderclouds looming above. Adrian stood up and looked at the artwork, and mumbled, "Uhm...bye, dad. I'll see you next summer...?"

With that, he lifted up his bookbag, put it around his shoulders, and left the cabin. Percy must've been off doing something, because he was nowhere to be found.

Christian was the first to meet Adrian outside the cabins, seeming as the Zeus cabin was cabin one, and soon came Suba, from the Hades cabin, cabin thirteen. The trio had taken off their Camp Half-Blood T-Shirts, and had swapped them with regular T-shirts, and jeans - Christian still wore shorts.

Suba kissed Adrian's cheek, and he blushed. Christian shoved him. "You guys ready?" He asked. "Of course," Citra responded, Christian followed suit with a slight nod. His injury had been mostly healed for the most part.

Together, the three half-bloods walked towards half-blood hill, a taxi waiting there, and a man with eyes all over his body, Argus, stood there, waiting to take them.

Adrian sighed heavily. They'd been through a lot that summer and he figured the next would be just as crazy, if not more. Before walking down the hill, he told Christian and Suba, "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up."

Christian noogied Adrian, and Suba kissed him on the lips briefly. As Adrian stared over at the beautiful Camp Half-Blood, his peers, and his friends, he thought of something to say, but nothing came out. He just smiled, then raced down the hill to catch up with his friends.

And he didn't look back.