CHAPTER FOUR
You will find your way
CAMP HALF-BLOODS atmosphere was, as Kaiden could only explain, a blend of excitement and seriousness. There was chatter all around, with kids and teenagers walking, training or doing their own general thing. It was bigger than both Kaiden and Percy had expected, it was surrounded by a huge lake and forest. There were different training grounds for each "talent" as Kaiden put it.
It had been two days since they had stepped foot on the camp, but Percy was unconscious and Kaiden was not willing to leave his side, so there was no exploring the camp until then.
He felt utterly disgusting after walking out into the sun. It had been two days since he refused to move from his brother's side, refusing treatment or even do basic hygiene on himself. He wasn't paying attention to himself, so he didn't know how he felt or how he looked until he came out of the infirmary.
His spirit felt like how his body felt, sluggish, disgusting. The day looked so beautiful, and it upset him, they had just lost the most important person in their lives and the world around them looked majestic. Like everything was fine and dandy.
The two brothers followed on each side of Chiron as they walked through camp, hearing him explain how the valley they walked on was sacred, hidden from mortal eyes and barring it from monsters, meaning they could not trespass.
Campers all around wore orange shirts that had the print of a Pegasus and the words "CAMP HALF-BLOOD" engraved. He wouldn't lie, it hurt his eyes more than he imaged.
Walking around was definitely something, everything looked like it came from a fantasy book. Especially the strawberry field they walked by, campers worked around the field as a soft tune was played by a satyr.
Kaiden had to keep up with the two others who walked in front of him, even in his state of displeasure, he thought he was dreaming as he looked around, he had to look like a child in a candy store with how wide his eyes had been.
They walked into the part of the camp that was situated in the forest. Kaiden looked around, the forest was huge, he spotted owls on the trees, looking down at them while hooting and even if his face directly didn't show it his eyes held a glimpse of childlike wonder.
"So, there's something I gotta tell you." Percy started speaking "I lost your pen-sword thingy. Hopefully that wasn't your only one." Percy looked down at the path they walked on.
"Check your pocket." Chiron spoke to the boy.
"No, I've- I lost it the other night, on the hill." The boy clarified.
When Percy spoke those words Kaiden remembered his necklace which he had completely forgotten about until that moment. He had dropped it the same night on the grass and didn't try or want to find it, it wasn't his main priority, it wasn't his priority at all.
"Check your pocket. You too, Kaiden." The older boy was confused as to why the man was referring to him but decided to follow his instructions the same time Percy did. He placed his hand into his pants pocket and felt the cold thin metal chain grazing the tip of his fingers, pulling it out in confusion. Percy's face showed the same exact confusion as he pulled the pen from his pocket.
"Unless you surrender it, it will always find its way back to you." Chiron looked at the boys with a small grin and his arms crossed. "Magical objects don't obey the physical laws of the ordinary world. Your pen, your necklace, my wheelchair, they're all a part of your father's world as are you now." Kaiden looked down at the necklace that was in the palm of his hands, he didn't want to be part of this world, not if it meant that he and his brother had to fight for their lives to be able to survive.
"I have something to show you." The centaur said, pointing towards a certain direction, and began leading them. The boys looked at him for a moment before following behind.
"Twelve cabins, for twelve Olympian gods." The man proudly presented the cabins to the boys. "Each cabin is home to the children that god had claimed."
"Like... like cabins with mascots?" Kaiden mumbled, his eyes roaming every single cabin in sight. Percy hit his arm slightly making the boy shut up.
"Okay, great. Which one is ours?" Kaiden asked, looking up at the man whose expression went sour. "You two haven't been claimed."
"Well, when do we get claimed?" Percy asked in curiosity.
"Well, the gods reveal their design in their own time, not before." Chiron stated. "Your father's might claim you tomorrow, it might be next week, it might be-"
"Never." Both boys spoke up, Kaiden scoffed as Percy let out a sight that held pure disappointment. "Even now, they still want nothing to do with us."
"What are we even doing here? There's no place for us here." Percy told the man while looking around, his eyes held sadness.
"There is a place for you. Here..." Chiron lifted his arms pointing at one of the cabins. "Hermes, god of travelers. His cabin is home to both his children, and the unclaimed."
They walked towards the entrance of the cabin, it was big, not what they expected a cabin to look like. It was fairly cramped with different kids, couldn't they just build cabins for the ones that were still not claimed instead of pushing them all on the same cabin?
"Everyone. Everyone" Chiron called out for the attention of the campers. Kaiden and Percy looked at the man with wide eyes as they both exclaimed.
"Wait- wait a minute" "Sir, wait... ok..." They shut their mouths when they realized the man had ignored their protest.
"Everyone... your attention please." The man clapped his hands as the people in the cabin grew silent, staring at them.
"This is Kaiden and Percy Jackson. I trust you will see to whatever they need." Percy lifted his hand awkwardly in hello and Kaiden stayed still, looking around, uncomfortable. The campers looked away, continuing to talk amongst themselves.
"I know you both feel powerless, but you're not. All will reveal itself in due time." He held a smile while looking down at the boys who sent a nod at him before leaving the cabin.
Kaiden stood up straight and turned towards his brother who was looking back at him with a nervous expression. Kaiden sent him a look that in some way comforted Percy, the younger turned to look at the campers but then spotted their bags in a corner.
Percy began moving and Kaiden saw no other option but to follow behind him, the cabin grew quiet as the boys walked. The kids that surrounded them eyed them as they walked before looking away and doing their own thing.
The older boy saw his bags laying right next to his brothers but didn't try to go check on them. He knew what he would find, and he didn't want or need to have a breakdown in the middle of a cabin full of strangers. Percy decided to kneel down and open his bag, spotting the blue bag of candy their mother had given him.
Kaiden stood beside a kneeling Percy, he thought about his mother's stories, regarding the Greek god Hermes, son of Zeus, the messenger of the gods, the conductor of the dead to Hades, the protector of travelers and the god of thieves. He had to be careful with the campers that settled in that cabin.
"Those are the kids. I think they are the ones who killed the minotaur." A boy spoke to his friends, or siblings, Kaiden didn't know.
Kaiden listened and turned to the voices that talked in a hush a few feet away from them. Kaiden knew his face didn't show a friendly expression at the moment, but he couldn't help it, he didn't know if those boys were trouble.
One of the boys decided to walk towards them, Percy looked before standing up and turning to him. Kaiden stood behind him like a guard dog ready to pounce at any giving moment.
"Look, if you want to give us a hard time, just do it tomorrow. We can't do any more today."
Kaiden looked at the boy up and down, he looked like a leader, if the scar in his face had anything to say about it.
The kid shrugged before speaking "Heard what happened to you guys on the hill. And I just... wanted to say I'm really sorry." The boy sounded sincere with his words.
"I know what you're going through. Believe me." The boy said, Kaiden didn't believe those words for a second but let it go. "I'm Luke." Luke outstretched his arm towards Percy while sparing a quick glance at Kaiden.
"Percy. Uhm... he's Kaiden." Percy presented himself and then when he noticed Kaiden wouldn't present himself, he decided to do it for him instead.
Kaiden sent him a nod of acknowledgement, just to not come off as rude even if it had already come off that way. Kaiden knew his emotions were all over the place, but he didn't know to control them, so he kept silent.
"It's nice to meet you both." Luke spoke to them with a small smile turning to look at Kaiden in the eyes. The blond boy cleared his throat as he moved away towards his bag.
"Is there any possibility you could show us where the bathrooms or showers are located?" Kaiden spoke out, while digging through his bag. Luke grew startled, hearing the boys voice but still nodded his head, walked to an area of the cabin which he magically got two orange shirts from, and signaled for them to follow him, Percy was quick to grab his things.
Luke led them to the lavatory, he started a conversation with Percy, but Kaiden stayed quiet, blocking out their talk and just following behind them.
"Here it is." The older boy stopped, as the brothers looked at the bathroom. A number of stalls were located on one side while the showers and sinks were on another side.
"Thanks." Kaiden spoke out, looking up at the boy who again looked into his eyes with a thoughtful expression, which weirded the boy out. Luke left the bathroom, leaving them alone.
Kaiden was quick to put down his items and pulled off his jacket from his sweaty body. Percy followed his brother by putting his stuff down, entering one of the showers and closing the curtain behind him.
The sound of the squeaking faucet could be heard through the quiet, Percy let out a startled sound.
"Are you good, sea bug?" Kaiden couldn't help but ask with a chuckle as he pulled off his shirt, throwing it with the beginning pile of dirty clothes. He let out a low hiss, forgetting about his still not healed injury, he turned his body to look in the mirror, he took advantage of the moment and pealed the dirty bandage, and confirmed the gash was definitely infected.
"Yep, yep. Cold." His voice cracked as everything became muffled by the sound of another shower running. Kaiden would deal with his injuries later. They were not important.
Silence filled the room as the brothers continued on with their routine, their heads clouding with multiple thoughts at the same time.
AUTHORS NOTE:
What do you guys think of chapter four so far?
The real question is, what do you guys think of the book so far?
This is one of my shortest chapters and I won't lie I'm not a big fan of how it turned out, but I will try to not let it get to me.
Next chapter is hopefully going to be an exciting one!