I watched Thalia silently as she looked at Luke who had walked farther into the woods. Her fist was clenched tightly with a faraway look on her face.
"I died protecting my friends," Thalia said breaking the small silence. "And now I'm being used to protect others as well."
My gaze drifted to the pine tree that Thalia leaned on. "You're under the tree?" I questioned confused.
Thalia scoffed. "My body is the tree." She responded not daring to look away from way Luke walked away.
"Your soul is tied to the tree," I concluded. Thalia looked at me confused. "Most spirits are like that."
Thalia opened her mouth only to be interrupted. "(F/N)!" It was Luke.
Thalia scoffed leaning deeper onto her tree. "Good luck kid." She said as I walked past her to follow Luke. "Hopefully your not his daughter."
I paused turning around to face the tree ghost but she was already gone. "Oh," I mumbled to myself as I rubbed my eyes. I wonder what she meant by that? More importantly, what did she mean by protecting others as well? What was she protecting them from?
I didn't get to ponder long before Luke appeared again looking slightly concerned. "Come on we better get going."
I nodded following after him blindly. My gut twisted comfortably as I allowed Thalia's words to settle in my brain. What exactly is this camp? Mommy mentioned it was full of people like me but Luke couldn't see Thalia. The only thing we have in common is being dyslexic. Luke mentioned everyone at camp is dyslexic because of our godly heritage.
A camp for demigods. What would want to harm a half-human and half-god hybrid?
"Luke," I called out making the blonde look at me. "What do we need protecting from?"
Luke stopped making me stop as well to look up at the older kid. He was looking at the ground with a conflict look. Eventually, he sighed kneeling down to my height to make eye contact.
"Okay, were half-human and half-god," Luke told me. I nodded to show him I understood that part. "Monsters, dangerous ones like to eat us because we have some divine blood and were weak compared to the actual gods."
"Monsters?" I repeated quietly. "Like dragons?"
"Yeah," Luke said sounding apologetic while keeping on a serious look.
My stomach twisted uncomfortably with the new information. Gods and monsters were real. And the monsters like to eat demigods because they're weak. I'm a demigod. "That means monsters are going to chase after me?"
Luke didn't respond as his lip was in a straight line. It was the silence that gave me an answer. "Usually monsters can't find you until your thirteen unless you have a strong godly parent." He added trying to make me feel better.
"Who's the strongest god?" I questioned silently hoping they weren't my parent.
"Zeus," Luke responded sounding annoyed. "Then its Poseidon and Hades. But their children are rarer compared to others."
That means a strong possibility they arent my parent. "Who's your godly parent?"
I immediately regretted asking when I noticed Luke narrowed his eyes into a glare. "Hermes god of thieves." He said in distaste getting to his feet. "Come on."
I obeyed not daring to ask any more questions. Luke looked a bit scary. He doesn't like his father. I wonder why?
It wasn't long when we found ourselves in a camp. There were cabins, a pavilion, a place with stone bleachers, and a climbing wall with lava at the top. All the campers were different as well of different ages, skin colors. I noticed one kid who seemed to be around my age.
Luke lead me through a volleyball game full of teenagers who were enthusiastically hitting the ball. A few of the kids noticed me and waved. I waved back feeling a bit sheepish at the sudden attention.
"Ah, Luke." Luke's scary face faded at the new voice and he smiled. A girl a few years older than me walked towards us smiling. She had long blonde hair and beautiful grey eyes. I didn't fall to notice the weird look in her eyes. It reminded me of when mommy looked at the picture with her and daddy. "I've been looking for you but Chiron said you were busy."
"Yeah, you know (M/N), right?" Luke asked. I silently looked around keeping while listening to the conversation.
"The doctor lady? The one the Apollo's kids talk about?" The girl questioned.
"Turns out she has a demigod kid." I looked at them finding them both looking at me. "This is (F/N) (L/N). (F/N) this is Annabeth Chase."
Annabeth gave me a small smile she seemed friendly enough. I waved at her which she returned before looking back at Luke. "Are you taking her to see Chiron?"
Luke nodded. "He wanted to speak with her before we set up all her stuff."
Annabeth's eyes flickered over to me for a brief second as her grey eyes darken slightly. "Why would he want to do that?"
Luke shrugged walking by her. I followed after him not wanting to be left behind. "Chiron works in mysterious ways." He responded coolly.
I turned around to offer her a goodbye wave but paused when I noticed her expression. She had her eyes narrowed at me it wasn't like an evil look, no she just seemed to be in thought about something. In really deep thought.
"(F/N)?" I looked back at Luke who was giving me a concerned look.
"Sorry." I apologized jogging to catch up with him. He had longer legs so he tended to walk a bit farther than me. "Is she a friend?"
Luke smiled fondly at the question or the thought of Annabeth. "Yeah, one of my best friends." He confirmed. They did seem close.
Luke lead me to a cabin but it seemed bigger than the others. It was different, I don't know how to describe it. I felt something odd as a chill crawled up my spine making me cringe from it. My back started to itch making my fingers twitch. There was something in this cabin.
"This is the Big House," Luke told me opening the door with ease. "Its where Chiron and Mr. D the camp directors hang out. You can talk to them if I'm not around."
Luke stepped into the Big House. But I couldn't move, I just stared inside as the cold air it my face.
"Free me." An unfamiliar voice echoed from inside. It sounded like a woman, a desperate woman.
I dug my fingernails into my palm trying to ignore the itching feeling on my back. I instantly focused on the sting in my palm. Focus on the pain.
"Set me free." The woman pleaded her voice digging into my skull.
A hand on my shoulder made me jump in surprise. I focused back into to see Chiron and Luke giving me concerned looks.
"Hello." I greeted pretending like the last few minutes didn't happen. I hide my palm behind my back, silently hoping I didn't break skin.
Chiron had a smile on his face but it seemed a bit forced. "Hello (F/N), we haven't had a proper introduction. I'm Chiron."
I smiled a bit. "I'm (F/N) (L/N)," I responded.
"Are you okay?" Luke asked still holding onto my shoulder looking concerned his blonde eyebrows were furrowed. "You seemed to have blacked out there."
Did they not hear the woman? My smile turned into a frown. First Thalia, now this mysterious woman. "I'm fine just a bit sleepy." I lied rubbing my left eye to hopefully sell my act.
Chiron and Luke seem convinced as Luke sighed in relief. "You can go take a nap once we're done, okay?" Chiron promised.
"Okay." I agreed.
"Come inside there's someone else I want you to meet," Chiron said turning his wheelchair and going through a door. He wanted me to walk into the Big House.
Luke noticed I wasn't moving inside and gently grabbed my arm. "It's okay." He promised pulling me inside.
My body froze as I crossed the threshold. I could feel goosebumps on my arms, legs, and back. What kind of AC does this place have? Luke lead me into the room where Chiron had disappeared into. There was another man in there sitting on the other side of a desk.
He had a chubby face and dark curly hair with blue eyes. He was holding a deck of cards with a Diet Coke next to him.
"This is Mr.D." Chiron introduced gesturing to the man across from him. Mr.D gave me a brief glance before going back to his deck of cards uninterested. "He's the director for Camp Half-Blood."
"Hello." I greeted wanting to be polite. I felt Luke's hand tighten on my arm. I tilted my head curiously at Mr.D. Weird I couldn't see any death visions. I glanced over at Luke to see him stabbing himself in the armpit. I looked back at Mr.D and saw nothing.
"I've been informed Luke has told you everything," Chiron spoke up catching my attention. "About how the Greek gods are real and everyone here is a demigod."
"Yeah, and your Chiron the one that trained Hercules," I added making Chiron smile nostalgically while Mr.D scoffed in distaste.
"And you know the gods have to claim you for you to move into your proper cabin." I nodded. "For now you'll be sleeping in the Hermes cabin."
I looked over at Luke who had a straight face. I turned back to Chiron confused. "Why Hermes?"
"He's the god of travelers," Chiron explained patiently. "Its where everyone goes before they get claimed by their godly parent."
Claimed by my godly parent. Luke didn't seem to like that. "How long does that take?"
Chiron and Mr.D exchanged a look as Luke's grip on my arm tighten. I squirmed a bit comfortably but Luke didn't seem to notice.
"It just depends." Chiron decided to say. "The gods are busy doing godly things."
"It also depends if the god wants to take responsibility," Mr.D added uncaringly.
"Oh," I responded quietly. Mommy told me having a dog was a big responsibility, I wonder if having a kid was the same. "Okay."
Chiron gave me a sad smile clearly being sympathetic. "Your mom mentioned sending her letters as well." I perked up at that. "Just give me your letters and I'll make sure to get them delivered to her."
"Okay, Mr.Chiron," I responded smiling brightly at the idea of sending letters. I wonder if Luke told him about mommy's threat?
Chiron had a smile on his face. He ruffled my hair affectionately making me smile a bit. Chiron seemed to be in a better mood now. "You can just call me Chiron."
"Mommy said it's polite to call people Mister and Misses," I responded honestly. "Even if we don't like those people," I added remembering various teachers who never agreed with me.
"Like father, like daughter," Mr.D mumbled. I looked at him confused. But he wasn't looking at me he was more invested in his cards.
"Do you know what we do here at camp?" Chiron asked me. I shook my head negatively. "It's our job here to help train demigods. I'm the Trainer of Heroes. Usually, we have the Cabin Counselor decided what to do for their cabins."
"I'm the Cabin Counselor for Hermes," Luke told me. "I'm the one in charge."
"But you're a bit young compared to the other campers in the Hermes cabin," Chiron added. "The youngest there just turned twelve."
A young kid in a cabin full of older kids. And here training most likely involved swords and combat training.
"So, instead of training with others. You'll be training with Luke and me for combat training. And while the rest of the Hermes cabin is training you'll be studying Greek history, all the stories it might save your life."
It wasn't such a bad deal. I'd be studying Greek myths so I would know all the monsters I would have to face someday. And I got to fight with a sword so I wouldn't be totally defenseless.
"Okay." I nodded in agreement. "When do we start?"
Luke chuckled ruffling my hair. I frowned why did everyone suddenly like doing that? "Tomorrow first we have to set up yourself in the cabin."
I frowned slightly disappointed but glad I was finally leaving the Big House. I didn't like this place. Well, this building at least. I happily followed Luke out of the room waving goodbye to Chiron and Mr.D as we left.
"I have to warn you a bit about the Hermes cabin," Luke said as we walked side by side further into the camp. "Always keep an eye on your stuff, everyone there likes to swipe stuff."
Hermes was the god of thieves. Does that mean children inherited their godly parent's quirks? Mommy did say I'm like daddy personality-wise.
It wasn't like I had much just some clothes, a sleeping bag, my toothbrush and toothpaste, toilet paper and a few bags of candy. Mommy said Chiron didn't like outside food especially candy. Then she bought a lot of it just to shove into my backpack for me to bring to camp.
"Just keep a close eye on your bag, okay?" Luke requested.
I nodded not seeing the point in arguing with him. I trusted Luke, he actually reminded me of Percy in a few ways. Both in personality and the many deaths scenes. I wonder what that meant.
"Here we are," Luke said snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see a relatively small cabin but I could hear the commotion behind it.
This was going to be a long trip, wasn't it?
______________________________________________________________________________
AN
So I have to admit something I love overpowered characters who honestly don't give a crap about anything.
Also I know Harley is eight when he's introduced in the Trials of Apollo and Annabeth came to camp at I think ten or nine. But I think generally demigods get to Camp Half-Blood at twelve when their scent is more noticeable and when saytrs can actually find them.
I'm not hundred percent sure feel free to correct me though.
Thanks for reading.