It was the same, but it was painfully different. All the cabins, buildings, stables, fields were the same. But not the presence of campers.
There were no campers playing volleyball, none wandered the fields, nobody was doing our normal activities. Instead, it was replaced by preparing armor, hanging weapons on the racks, campers stood at the ready, grass was yellow instead of green.
In the matter of about a year, my home had changed almost entirely. Of course life with my dad and Sam was home, but this was home.
I recognized almost everyone, but none made any notice, they simply slumped around.
My ankle still throbbed, and Tyson asking questions about everything almost killed me, so I kept my mouth shut.
Annabeth and Percy carefully opened the door to the big house, where none other than Chiron stood.
"Chiron!" I grinned. "You're not leaving?"
Chiron took in my ankle barley touching the floor, and Percy and Annabeth holding me up, but smiled. "Hello, children. And Percy, my goodness, you've grown!"
Percy turned red, but disregarded the comment. "Clarisse said you were..."
"Fired." Chiron said, thought not that upset. "Well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned! Mr. D had to punish someone."
"Besides himself, you mean," Percy grumbled.
"But this is crazy!" Annabeth cried. "Chiron, you couldn't have had anything to do with poisoning Thalia's tree!"
"Nevertheless, some in Olympus do not trust me Joe, under the circumstances."
"What about her tree?" I urged. "What happened?"
He shook his head. "The poison used on Thalia's Pune is something from the Underworld, Coriane. Venom even I have never seen, it must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus."
"Then we know who's responsible, Kro-" Percy started.
Chiron snapped. "Do not invoke the titan lords name, especially not here, not now."
"But last summer he tried to cause a civil war in Olympus! This has to be his idea, he'd get Luke to do it, that traitor."
"Perhaps, but I fear I am being held responsible because I did not prevent it and I cannot cure it. The tree only has a few weeks of life unless..."
"Unless what?" Annabeth asked.
"No, 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, and it was lost centuries ago."
"What is it?" Percy practically begged. "We'll find it!"
I looked at the ground. Everything I'd ever done, everything I lived for, I loved, and all the other words you can put into that, was going to be gone. The only way we could save her tree would be to find the source of magic.
I felt my eyes burn with tears, both at my ankle, and the thoughts racing in my head.
Chiron held my cheek, brushing a tear. "Stay with Percy," he turned to Annabeth. "Keep him safe. The prophecy, remember it!"
"I will."
"Would this be the super dangerous prophecy that has me in it, but the gods have forbidden you to tell me?" Percy asked, and was met with silence. "Right, just checking."
I smiled slightly, but it fell as Annabeth swore in the River Styx to protect Percy.
"Coriane," Chiron said. "Swear upon the River Styx."
"I swear upon the River Styx."
With that, Chiron said his goodbyes, and a final word to Annabeth.
The conch horn blew, signaling dinner, and maybe some nectar for me.
I leaned against a pillar and waited for my cabin to come out for dinner, anxious to see Silena.
Next thing I knew, I saw her straight black hair, and I ran.
She turned at the rush of footsteps and almost sobbed. "Coriane!"
"Silena!" I cried, falling into her arms, not caring for my ankle. "I missed you so much."
"I know, it's okay," she soothed. "I'm just glad you were safe in the city, for the most part."
"Ugh," a snobby voice sneered. "Get up." I looked up at Drew, the one girl who probably hated me more than Clarisse. "Well? Hurry up!"
Silena frowned. "As cabin leader, you need to shut up."
Drew was clearly taken aback, but she only rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
I grinned at Silena before walking with her to the mess hall.
I got food, and offered it to my mom, thanking her for making sure Silena was safe, and all of camp really.
I finally got nectar, and I felt so much better, it was as if I never hurt my ankle.
"Another fine meal! Or so I am told." The new activity director said. He reached for a dinner plate, but it moved.
I knew him as Tantalus. Once again, I removed myself from the conversation to think about this. They fire Chiron, but allow someone from the Underworld in? The gods really don't make sense sometimes.
"And now some changes! We are reinstalling the chariot races!"
I turned to Silena. "Can he do that? It was like, banned."
Tantalus spoke before she could. "I know these races were discontinued some years ago due to, Ah, technical problems."
"Three deaths and twenty six mutilations!" An Apollo kid shouted.
"Yes!" He agreed. "But I know you will join me in welcoming the return of this camp tradition. Golden laurels will go to the winning charioteers each month. Did I mention the winning cabin will have no chores for that month?"
I turned to Silena, it was tempting, but the risk?
I gasped at Tyson.
It was like I was having deja vu.
Above his head, was the trident of Poseidon.
Percy had a half-brother.