Halfblood Campers: A PJO RP [IC]

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

OOC Link: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=511112
Book Alpha: The Spear of Bellerophon
Chapter 1: Kore Avoids Becoming Kibble

Alexander Pheidon

Nothing felt better on a hot summer's day than the crisp feeling of cold water splashing on your face. The water bottle spilled on to Alex as he breathed heavily, tired from the latest bout of Swordplay. The Athena campers moved around him, sparring and yelling. It may have only been the first proper day at camp, but activities were already in full swing as the cabin took out their frustrations from the earlier challenging Tactics class on each other. A few Apollo kids stood by as medics, clearly bored while the rest of their cabin was likely having fun on the Archery range. Alex was actually pretty annoyed with them for that, they had booked all the best archery time slots for the week by sucking up to Mr. D over the winter.

Alex slid down to a seat against the wall of the Arena. It had been a mistake to eat as much as he did at the Start of Summer feast the night before, knowing full well he had scheduled sparring in the morning. But, it was whole pig being served, his favorite food. How could he have resisted. His dad wasn't a great chef and while New York was a food capital, BBQ was hard to come by until he came to Camp every year. He sipped more water, watching his campers closely. The year round kids were still in top shape, as were the Roman guest children of Minerva. But his summer only compatriots needed a lot of work, especially if they were going to be ready for capture the flag. Alex couldn't blame them, he preferred the bow to a sword or a spear, but he still needed them ready. They had last year's title to defend.

He checked his watch. 10:30 on the dot. Pushing himself back to his feet, he yelled out "All right everyone, gather round." The cabin circled around him as he made his way to the center of the arena. "That was good, much better than I was expecting if I'm being honest. Still, most of you need a lot of work before this weekend, so don't expect the rest of this week to be easier. I know that we are the best cabin in this camp, and I know that we are going to do great things in the game. As I'm sure all of you have read the schedule, you have an hour and a half to do with what you want. I suggest a shower first. The only person with a specific assignment is Felix. I want you to make sure our alliances from last year still stand. Go talk to Eliza and Jaime, and see if the forge and the ocean still stand with us."

As the campers deconvened, Alex grabbed his bow and quiver from the rack he had hung it on, strapped both over his back, and walked out of the Arena. Camp was in full bustle. Alex had heard that nearly quarter of a century before, Camp had been an almost desolate place. Now, however, it was filled with hundreds of campers from a variety of godly lineages, and that wasn't including the Romans. Every part of camp was filled with some kind of hustle and bustle. Campers from various cabins carved sculptures, climbed the tower of terror that was the climbing wall, learned the differences between the dialects of Ancient Greek, and other various pursuits that the camp offered now.

The Athena counselor began to make his way up the hill towards the big house, when he heard some shouting in a different tone to the rest of the camp's ambience. Looking up, he saw one of the Camp's fleece guards gesturing to his compatriot, and pointing towards the unprotected side of the hill, before raising his shield. Alex knew that something troubling was happening. Drawing his bow, he ran up the hill to assist in whatever was happening.

[Revlona]

Jaime Lewis

Jaime yawned and raised her arms high above her head in a languid stretch. She wore blue jeans and her Camp Half-Blood T-Shirt, a pair of sneakers sat upon her feet, and a small bronze hairpin rested within her long raven colored hair. She was still getting used to the surge in activity that the summer had brought, as an all rounder she was used to the camp being quiet for nine months out of the year, other than there near monthly refugee being chased by a pack of monsters.

"Coffee is in order I thin...oh what is it now?" Jaime said, the latter half of her sentence turning into a mutter as she noticed the sudden commotion coming from the Fleece guards. Knowing that the Fleeces protection was paramount to the safety and security of the camp, there had been an almost unbroken watch on the fleece ever since. Jaime herself had spent a large amount of her time in the school year watching over the Fleece and Thalias tree.

"Better check it out aye?" Jaime said, noticing a few younger campers had begun to notice and look for the nearest authority figure. Which so happened to be her as the de facto counselor of cabin 3. Jaime begun to jog, passing quickly by the row of cabins and beginning to make her way up half-blood hill. As she ran, she removed he hair pin from her hair and held it firmly in her right hand, not summoning her weapon yet but ensuring it could easily be done.

A quick glance over her shoulder and she noticed the Athena cabin counselor, Alexander Pheidon, making his way up the hill just below her with bow in hand. She liked Alex, as decent a demigod as one could find if a tad arrogant, though it came with the parentage she thought. She slowed her stride to be slightly slower than his and allowed and allowed him to catch up. When he did, she matched his stride and said to him, "Hey Alex been awhile. Not ditching me for someone else are you? Though...a one man Army in Capture the Flag could be fun."

[Pragia]

Alyssa Thorton, Daughter of Demeter

Alyssa was out in the strawberry fields, the Daughter of Demeter having woken before the arrival of Apollo as she had for the last few months. The field was vibrant and fragrant, rich reds and healthy greens in straight rows multiple stadia long. Allie found herself at home here as she was conducting her morning inspections of her assigned segment. While she had helped form the plans for how the land would be allocated, she was always quick to assign herself the more difficult fringes of the fields near the forest.

The harvest season had begun, and that meant that the cabin was busy. Moreso than most cabins, the children of Demeter tended to be summer campers, with only a small cadre of year-rounders to prepare and maintain the grounds over the winter and spring with the assistance of the Nymphs and Satyrs. It was good now that they had their siblings coming back for summer, because the later harvests tended to be larger as the vines grow and require more maintenance.

Each of the year-rounders would be assigned summer campers to help them, and due to the difficulty of her selected plot, Allie was give two of her older brothers to work with her. Roy Malcoms, one of her assigned summer campers , was chatting with her as she used her harpe to cut off fruitful vines and place into her basket.

"And then the horse started chasing her across the stable, ran her down, poor thing was terrified. Had to talk with Alex afterward."

Allie would chuckle lightly, shaking her head as she prunes some fruitless vines reaching beyond its row. "That's so wrong... I might need to make cabin eleven smell like garlic thursday."

"They're just trying to keep us on edge for the first game. Hermes know what we have planned for them after that preview last week. Poison ivy around the flag is just a taste. We don't need to stoop to their level" Roy would say somewhat defensively as the pair continued to chop at readily-yielding vines. The dryads in the forest a few rows over would watch with some interest as the pair talked.

Allie would wave with a smile to them, "Yeah... just frustrated is all, you'd think they could take it easy on new campers. I'm still squaring up to humble some senior Ares guys in front of their new recruits. Don't really want to try to spike some poor kids with vines."

"Really shouldn't need to, Alex has some good ideas to bog them down, have to with how many there are, practically had to do formation fighting last summer, those romans gotta be advising them."

"Romans are advising us too, our brothers and sisters in rome don't come often, but they have the right ideas." She would say as they reach the end of a row.

"You just like them because they can make plans so you don't have to."

"You say that like its a bad thing?" Allie would say with a small grin.

"They don't have the same touch we do." Roy would say with some wariness "I had to cover for one two years ago, he couldn't make the vines grow."

"They work hard, and they're still our siblings, that's good enough for me." She would look towards the hill nearby as she heard a commotion. "Something's going on up there. Get started on the next row, I'll check it out." She says, her half-brother nodding as she walks over, putting her sickle-sword back on her hip.

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Alexander Pheidon

Alex gave a cut nod to Jaime as he caught up to her, shaking his head as he continued to rush up the hill "Fancy meeting you here Jaime. I just sent Felix to make sure that you weren't about to skip out on me. Great minds think alike huh?" Alex crested the top of the hill and made it over to the pair of fleece guards who had indicated the trouble. He was about to ask what was wrong when he looked down the hill and saw plain for himself. A young girl and a satyr were charging up the slope, being pursued by a pack of hell hounds. Alex looked at the two guards dumbfounded and yelled "WHAT IN ZEUS'S NAME ARE YOU TWO DOING, GO HELP HER!" before stepping out of the magical barrier.

Alex drew his bow back and aimed, before releasing the drawstring with a familiar twang. A glowing blue projectile shot from the object, flying down the hill and striking the lead pursuer of the pack. As he reached for the next missile from his quiver, he saw the fleece guards charge past him down the hill. His words seemed to have galvanized them into action. He took aim and fired again, this time hitting the hell hound in the shoulder, not quite enough to fell it. Cursing he brought another missile to his bow, before being distracted by the girl down the hill shoulder checking the guard that was attempting to help her past.

Kore Russo

Kore slammed her shoulder into the older teenager charging at her before even thinking about it. A second later she realized that these were probably the friends Lander had told her about, from the camp. Still, being chased by a pack of evil Newfoundlands meant this was hardly the time for regret. As the older boy fell to the ground, winded from her strike and clearly surprised from being hit in the first place, she looked over her shoulder and saw how close their pursuers are. Another arrow flew down the hill, striking the one that the archer had failed to kill before, turning it to dust this time. Still, they were too close to Lander for him to make it unless...

She ripped the spear from the downed boys hand, yelling "Gimme that" as she did so. In her head it had sounded a little more commanding and a little less desperate. Gripping the weapon with both hands, she turned down the hill and gave a shout before charging. Lander looked confused as she ran towards him, but that turned to a look of relief as Kore suddenly slammed her new weapon into the hellhound that was inches from tearing into the Satyr's ankle. Pulling the weapon from the disintegrating hound, she looked up at the mass of the pack approaching her, and was suddenly struck by how stupid what she just did was. Turning around, she began sprinting back up the hill, until she got back to the winded boy and his friend. There she turned around and said, while taking a defensive stance, "Please tell me there's more people here to help besides you two and the bow guy!"

[Revlona]

Jamie Lewis

“Hellhounds, joy.” Jamie said as Alex ran past her, his bow coming out and his arrow leaping from it. Jamie hesitated for half a second as the Fleece guards forms charged past Alex and down into the fray, they were armored and had shields, she only had Thýella her spear which she now summoned into its full 6 foot form.

She ran forward, Thýella in one hand. Her left foot went in front of her and her right leg swung back as she cast the spear like a javelin thrower. It soaring over the three demigods who were taking up a defensive formation and sunk deep into the hellhound closest to them. It immediately turned to dust and her spear fell to the grass below it.

She sprinted past the three demigods, holding her hand as if she still held her spear. A short whistle, as if she was calling a dog, came from her lips and her spear was in hand again. Right in time as she slammed it into the next closest hellhound, it’s mouth having opened to bite down onto her, it’s eyes widening in surprise as the spear appeared.

She twirled the spear as it was a no staff, blunt slamming the end of it into the snout of another of the hellhounds and forcing it back before jabbing another in the shoulder. She had faced worse odds than this in her mission the year before and relished the actual action.

She felt the presence of the two fleece guards behind her and she retreated, allowing them to put their shields between her and them. With a flick of her off hand and a burst of energy she summoned a shield of water into her left hand. It was a temporary measure and she’d prefer an actual shield in a real fight, but it would do for the present.

She joined the shield wall of the fleece guards, making sure to keep herself between the hounds and the new camper. A quick glance over her shoulder allowed her to know that reinforcements were on the way. With that in mind she jabbed forward once more, keeping the hounds back with her spear as she awaited help.

[Pragia]

Alyssa Thorton, Daughter of Demeter

As the shouting started and the din of combat could be heard, Allie would begin running to the hill. The sickle-blade on her hip being drawn into hand. Her lack of armor or shield was regretful, but Allie knew that the priority was to get to the hill. She rushed towards the fleece guardians and Jamie, seeing a small girl protecting a fallen satyr. Seemed as though it was another tight case of a young half-blood rushing to the protection of camp.

Allie had her blade in hand, seeing the hellhounds approaching the barrier. Jamie had already gone diving into the fray, it seemed like she had a shield of water on her wrist, something the daughter of Demeter would consider herself for a moment before recognizing that she didn't have the precious seconds to sprout and collect brambles for a shield of her own.

Shaking her head she would be rushing to the side of the little girl. Then Kore knocked over one of the guards, took his spear, and turned back away from the hill, back towards the pack of shadowy mastiffs. Allie watched the new arrival spear a hellhound before the guards could form up in front of her. She knew that this kid was a fighter, hopefully the fight or flight response relaxes as more people rally, no need for the poor girl to get hurt. held her blade out before her as she tries to put herself between Kore and the inbound SUV-sized canines with the other half-bloods. "Get your goat butt back to the hill, Lander, take your friend with you! We can take it from here."

Allie would hold her blade wide, taking a stand on the flank of the trio of guards. If she wasn't properly protected, she couldn't be part of the phalanx. She would pace, keeping a guarded stance as they were approaching the perimeter guard.

She would say under her breath "Blackberries." as her hand slips into her pouch. She would throw a handfull of seeds in front of the heroes, and try to focus. The seeds would seem to shatter on the ground in explosive growth, roots digging into the earth quickly as rugged brambles would form in small foot-tall brushes, their thorny branches spreading in an attempt to funnel the pack towards the center and to try to avoid an encirclement. Truthfully, they'd likely be little more than a thorny speedbump for the massive canines, but she hoped they wouldn't go trampling through them.

[Ormata]

Eliza Vulsen, Camp Counselor
Cabin 9, Hephaestus'

Yelling in the distance, commotion, and she could’ve sworn she heard her name. Someone was looking for her. A moment passed and other names were being yelled, stuff here and there like Alexander, Jaime, other names like that. Every single name was a Camp Counselor. People were yelling for them...and they sounded young. Trouble? More than likely. It would be the only reason that they’d yell. That initial bother struck a chord of annoyance in the girl sitting in a stall. The only benefit to it all was that it hadn’t happened two minutes earlier, then she’d have been in trouble.

“Oh gods,” Eliza groaned, flushing the toilet as she stood up to zip her fly. Something was happening and it wasn’t good at all. It was bad enough to get the Counselors...which meant that it was something more than the satyrs and dryads could handle, something big. They weren’t calling for Apollo’s medics, so it wasn’t anything like an injury, nor were they calling for teachers. They were calling for the senior Camp members. Monsters? If they were in the barrier...a pit suddenly fell in her stomach at the notion. She hoped not. She definitely hoped not. Most of the people in the Camp were new, untrained, and even the older members...they hadn’t seen much in the way of fighting. No one had since the last time the world tried to off itself. A small bright thought did appear though, that the monster was outside of the barrier, that it was some poor soul making a run from the beast. They’d had a few of those before...but normally the guards could take care of it. Someone was calling for help. It still didn’t bode well.

Throwing open the door, Eliza quickly moved to her room. Other campers stood at the windows, young and wide-eyed and not knowing at all what was going on, while any senior members looked to be donning armor. They moved in quick movements, jerky and frantic and fumbling with straps in their haste; the kids probably had the same thoughts she’d had...though even if they were moving fast, it wasn’t fast enough. “Don’t mind the armor! Grab bows and arrows!” Heads jerked upwards, struck out of the stupor and concern, and half-donned breastplates was the best anyone had. A few nodded, running to the back closet to distribute the bows. She chose her better archers for the task. “Zac, Logan, c’mon. Everyone else, get your gear and wait inside. We start running back, it’ll be your turn. Let’s move!”

She grabbed her own voulge before being thrown a bow and quiver, quickly slinging the thing over hoodie, before the trio began to run out from Cabin Nine. Eliza was never the best with the bow, but she doubted that any issue that could make it onto Camp grounds was likely one she didn’t want to tangle with close up. No, they’d want to shoot it down from a distance...if such a thing was even possible. That’s not the attitude came the involuntary response to the thought, that’s not the right thought. If they could kill it, then they could kill it. If they couldn’t, then there were always more people elsewhere who could. Eliza hoped they wouldn’t be needed. In her peripheral, she could see others moving to the hill, and in the distance she could see Alex and Jaime before they crested it. A silent curse at their enthusiasm barely left her mind before Eliza could hear the former’s roar.

"WHAT IN ZEUS'S NAME ARE YOU TWO DOING, GO HELP HER!"

“Faster...faster…faster,” she heaved, picking up her pace as the other two followed close behind. Things were happening. Bad, bad things were happening. Someone needed help. Others weren’t helping. Another silent curse. Things weren’t happening as they ought to.

They crested that hill, and at the top Eliza saw…someone she didn’t recognize alongside a few others she did, as well as two Fleece guards with their shields and spears up. A new face with a spear stood at the ready, though anyone could see that the stance was more out of fear and desperation than out of training. Jamie had a shield of water about one hand, golden spear at the ready. Alyssa stood to one side, a sickle-blade held out wide before the group. Looking out and away at their concern, she could see farther down below a pack of Hellhounds frenzying about, charging. Ah. That was definitely not good. The dogs were the size of SUVs and far, far more aggressive. The three Hephaestus campers paused some distance off of the small formation of raised shields, interspacing themselves decently.

“Here! Thwack those dogs!” She barked, shoving her weapon blunt side first into the ground with enough force that the simple wood buried deep, keeping it close and steady, upright like a short golden banner to glint in the light, before drawing an arrow from the quiver. Zac let loose first, arrow going wide enough to skim the fur off of one of the Hellhounds before Logan gave a shaft between the beast’s eyes. It turned to dust pretty fast as she let her own fly, the arrow burying itself in another’s legs. Drawing another arrow, Eliza took a deep breath, trying to get the aim right. She hated archery in one sense or another, though it didn't really mean much in the moment. The Hellhounds had to go and they had to go fast.

[Theyra]

Zane Blacklight

"Hellhounds, oh boy, why are these things here?" Zane thought as he saw the hounds and tightly gripped his sword. Good thing he still had his sword with him after finishing some combat practice with an Aries girl that he is friends with. Alena would have liked to be here and help fight off these huge hounds. Too bad she went her own way after practice and as he walked back to his cabin. Zane noticed some campers going towards the hill with weapons drawn along with some yelling. So naturally, he was curious and wanted to see what was happening.

Zane arrived just in time to see Eliza take aim with a bow at the beasts. Eliza is here good, Zane thought. Nice that she was here helping with things. While he wanted to help fight off these hounds, he was unsure that a simple sword would be good up against SUV-sized hellhounds. Looking down at his sword before looking back at the approaching hounds. He may be having doubts about fighting in melee against huge foes but, he has more than one way to fight. Thanks to his mother, that is, and all he hoped was that these hellhounds can't turn on a dime.

So Zane, with his free left hand, used it to lift a chunk of earth and rock from the nearby ground and took aim. Careful not to hit anyone, and waited for the hellhounds to be closer before he launched his attack. "Here goes nothing," he said under his breath. Then when they were close enough, Zane aimed at one that had an arrow in its leg and motioned with his left hand to launch his makeshift projectile, and it went flying. Almost missing the hellhound but, it landed squarely, hitting that thing on its head and causing its head to crash down on the ground before it quickly turned to dust. Yes, Zane mentally congratulated himself before lifting up another makeshift projectile and taking aim once more. One down and more to go.

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Valeria “Val” Alexis Lorino
Centurion of the 3rd Cohort, Daughter of Nerio
Camp Half Blood

---

“Feel that morning northeastern breeze…” Val said as she took a deep breath before looking back at the eight other Romans running behind her. Each of them, including Val, were wearing a full kit. Each of them was currently wearing all of their armour, with a scutum at their side, gladius on their hips, two pila on their back and a full sarcina. “Come on now, we are almost back to the garrison. Just got to round Half Blood hill and then we will be practically back.”

The day was going great so far in Val’s opinion. She only arrived a few days ago, along with the vast majority of the other Roman campers, but there hadn’t been any major incidents between the Roman campers and their hosts, yet. Yet being the key word there, as it was only a matter of time before some Greek camper, possibly a Hermes camper or Jamie, decided to start something. The garrison was also in great condition and ready for the summer, probably in no small part due to the diligence of Alec.

But anyways, today her day started bright and early as she got up before the majority of the other Roman campers to finalize plans for the day. Then she would, alongside her fellow Centurion, lead the Roman campers through their morning PT. After that they left the garrison, and joined their Greek hosts for breakfast. After that, Val returned to the garrison while various squads of Roman campers left to do their scheduled morning activities. And one squad was lucky enough to get her leading them on their morning activities. Which so happened to include a run in full kit around the perimeter of Camp Half Blood.

The run at this point was almost over. Well, it would have been if not for what they heard as they rounded the hill. The sounds of people yelling, shield on shield and bow strings being let loose. A battle was underway. Why? Val didn’t take any time to think about that. Without hesitation, she picked up her pace, dropping her sarcina and shouted to the Romans following her.

“Sounds like trouble. We are going to help our gracious hosts.” Val shouted as she heard the sound of her fellow Romans dropping their sarcinae and picking up their own paces to match her.

As Val rounded the hill, she saw it. A small group of Greek demigods engaged with a bunch of hellhounds. She recognized most of them from her previous visit to Camp Half Blood last summer, but there was one new face. A few of them had formed a shield wall, while the others seemed to be providing ranged support. Immediately, Val went into action.

“Santino, to the garrison!” She shouted as one of the Romans, presumably Santino, nodded and started running in the direction of the Roman garrison. The other seven Romans continued to follow Val, “The rest of you, reinforce that shield wall! We hold the line until Santino gets back with reinforcements.”

A few seconds later, Val and the seven following Romans rushed to the front line. Six of the seven Romans following Val stopped right behind the already present shield wall and took a defensive stance. Val and the remaining following Roman, took to the flanks of the now front line of the formation doing the same.

“Well good morning,” Val said as she took her position at the left flank, and looked towards the approaching hellhounds, “Reinforcements from the Legion are on their way, we just need to hold until then.”

[Revlona]

Jamie Lewis

Thorns and Romans, basically the same thing right? Ok maybe not, but Romans could be really prickly, especially when you played harmless and totally friendly pranks on them. Whatever, wait that's right, the Romans had joined the shield wall and Alyssa had given the Hellhounds at least a little pause before they continued their attack. Such a pause gave the halfblood resistance a chance to catch a breather and plan their next move, however it did the same for the hounds and that wasn't so good in Jamie's expert opinion.

"Here take my spot," Jamie said, grabbing the roman girl beside her, Valeria or something like that, and dragging her into the spot that Jamie presently held in the shield wall. She then broke into a sprint, avoiding the wall of thorns with an athletic vault over them, and found herself right in the middle of four of the SUVs. "Howdy yall, mind fucking off?" she said, swing her spear and connecting with the blunt rear of the celestial bronze weapon into the snout of one of the beasts.

The remaining three pounced at her, one from her direct front and one from her left and right respectively. The two on her left and right she dealt with swiftly, her shield of water erupting into two spouts of water with a violent flick of her offhand. These hit the two hounds in the heads and redirected their momentum directly into the earth, the whines of pain from them sounding loud and clear. The last hellhound she ducked, its pounce taking it directly over her. Before it could turn and try again however, it found itself skewered by Thýella and quickly disintegrated into dust.

With that done, Jamie turned and ran back towards the shield wall, this all happening in barely eight seconds, the rest of the pack not even having a chance to come to the aid of the four who had come after her. Jamie's retreat took her behind the shield wall this time as she did not want to waste the strength it took to summon another mock shield, plus with the romans there it seemed they had the defense handled. She could still help however. A quick whistle from her found Thýella back in her hand and just like at the beginning of the battle, Jamie threw it like a javelin, its balanced weight making it an acceptable equivalent.

[Nations United for Conquest]

Ila Gallo, Unclaimed Demigod
Camp-Half Blood, Hypnos Cabin

---

The cabin was much the same as it always was, not having changed much in the thirty odd years it had resided in the quiet woods of the Long Beach Sound. It was simple and modest in its design, meant to be constructed quickly and set to holding lodgers even quicker. The days it had been built were ones were the population seemed to explode rapidly and there was a great haste in which to settle people. An animosity hung in the air like an ever present fog those days, and the cabins seemed to be the only torches set out to repel the sicken chill that always seems to accompany fog no matter the season that it appeared in. As such, each of the cabins were designed in different ways, so that like a torch they may be seen at a distance against embankments of grey closing in from all and any direction. But all the same, those were superficial and topical distinctions between them all, for each was the same model and only the station of those who reside within could give it its true character. For what was a dwelling but a reflection of those who called it home?

As such, the cabin that had been erected in the honor of Hypnos was no different than that of Poseidon or Demeter or even that of Ares in that it shared little in common with its companions aside from the fact that you could call it a house. The interiors were much the same yes, for there is only so many ways to can make a building sound and strong and tall. How they were assembled, now that is where the differences laid.

One would wager that the temple built to Hypnos would be a place of tranquility and they would be correct in such a guess. Everywhere within its walls laid about a great collection of blankets and quilts and pillows of all styles and origin. Large square patterns of the late European period were present alongside stuffed and embroidered pillows better suited for the royalty of Persia than for some teenagers. The flooring was no exception with a wonderfully detailed rug placed across the floor depicting a most idyllic field of somewhere that no one had ever seen. Some had said Kansas, but as anyone who has visited the state can tell you, it was most likely not for who would want to remember such a place in their most vulnerable and peaceful state. The carpet was among the softest that probably had ever graced the earth itself and just standing upon it in bare feet was said to be enough to lure one to sleep. For this reason it was avoid by the child of Demeter like a plague lest they lose and entire morning of work for something so trivial.

From the windows hung curtains of black, so dark it could give the exterior of the Hades cabin a run for it's money. Light seemed to be swallowed whole by these great bulwarks of coal black fabric. When closed upon the windows they called home the interior of the cabin dimmed to a point not even a cat could find its way out and were it not for the lack of furniture of any kind, for all the beds were futons of the highest quality, as expected, there would likely be no end to the amount of calls to the healers of the camp to fix stubbed toes and bruises to the point of absurdity. Such was the cost of seeking perfection. Many would even go so far as to claim that they were magical in origin, but that too was no more than a fallacy. They were but a gift from the child of Minerva in the west coast. What the embodiment of laziness had done to earn such a gift was far beyond the understanding of any mortal and if not for near omnipotence of the gods, they too would likely be as lost.

All in all, it was in the running for the most tranquil place on the planet, or at least the United States. There were rumors of someone in England who knew of a spot more peaceful and relaxing, but those were rumors and conjecture at beast. Most likely. The walls too were soundproofed and even the rowdiness of several hundred energetic teenagers carrying the baggage of ADHD and godly blood failed to pierce the walls of the cabin. Troy had nothing on the Cabin of Hypnos. It was a trap to the hard working and determined and a safe heaven to the trouble.

At least it should've been. The children of Hypnos were known to have sleeping habits worse than bears. At the very least a bear would only sleep for a single season. If left alone, it was likely the children of god of dreams would only raise themselves from slumber so that they don't perish from famine. Sleeping for four months straight had little on those who slept eighteen hours a day on the regular, and more in the winter. There was of course, as with all things, and outlier.

It came in the form of a young girl, no more than sixteen years of age.

Emilia MacCleary was the black sheep of the litter of Hypnos. All of the god's children were born with a nasty case of hypersomnia and a work ethic that would give a sloth a good running for employee of the month. Emilia was the redheaded step child in such a regard, quite literally. Emilia was a hardworking soul, kind but shrewd in her single-mindlessness and stubborn enough to make up for all of her siblings lacking of such a quality. Her focus was legendary enough to give some kids of Athena a run for their money when it came to be hyper focused and her ADHD was nearly none existent. The short girl was still her father's daughter, after all, and rather than perhaps do something some would consider more productive she threw herself head first into research and development with all the fervor of a child of the forge.

She was the inverse of her siblings. Rather than be born with the curse or boon, depending on who was asked, of Hypersomnia she was instead a natural insomniac. Sleep allude the child of dreams, a cruel irony if there ever was one. Few nights saw more than six hours of sleep and even fewer a chance to enter into dreaming. And so it was resolved by a very determined and stubborn young woman to overcome her short comings and lacking natural talent. Rather than being filled with the softest and heaviest of fine quilts and blankets, the bed of young Emilia was filled with a scattering of texts and pages. Titles read of everywhere from Harvard to ancient tombs of the Scandinavians. Each piece a different insight in the wonders of a peaceful and relaxing sleep. Recipes for teas and cakes and all manners of food lay on the unused desks of her cabin mates, added as a formality of equality more than anything. Among the finest of cloth and feathers fell into her possession, much to the ire of her siblings, but those who sleep all day have little right to complain about missing out on things.

And so a routine was born that repeated each and everyday, for Emilia was a year rounder. Such was only natural for one excommunicated from the church and unable to find refuge in an orphanage. Gods only knew how bad those run by the state were and even the mighty Zeus may very well tremble at the inefficiency. Thus while her siblings slept peacefully in their swath of blankets, and quilts and kingly pillows like royals of an Arabian night, Emilia worked. With quick, hurried steps she paced about the cabin, roving too and fro from the many desks and beds littered with papers like a kite caught in a storm. Only for an instant she would pause and look over some document or another and scribble down something in a small notebook before taking up once more her walk. Food was brought to her, as was coffee. She had potential as a research professor at Oxford one alumni of the camp had once muttered.

A person might've called it a rude behavior for those who were sleeping around her, and quite the baseless claim it would be. What right did those who slept during the hours of Apollo's rule have to claim being disturbed? However, the children of dreams were different and their Hypersomnia so powerful it made coma patients look like light sleepers. The steps of a young girl on a padded floor and the rustling of papers on occasion could hardly be called a sound so blatantly loud that it would rose any, child of dreams or not from slumber. Even the incessant rambling of a young woman possessed by passion could not be enough to give a rise out of any of them on any typical day.

Today was, however, not a typical day. One would first assume that was simply because it was the first day of summer and a great many things were happening about. The camp's population doubled if not tripled in the span of only a few days and a fair number of their brotheren across the continent had arrived. Activities were just beginning to pick up, and as new met old there was always commotion and incidents aplenty. And they would not necessarily be wrong in that. There was more than a few new faces peeking out from under the sea of blankets that made up the hills and forests of the cabin's geography. One of those faces in particular a reason for the difference, as it belonged to a foreigner in the cabin. Not a rare sight, but she wasn't exactly a regular either. And due to such, the habits of Emilia seemed to rouse her guest from her sleep all the same.

"Oh, did I wake you up? My bad Ila!" said the daughter of dreams.

"Not at all Em, I was just waking up anyways." Answered the guest with a slight giggle that had Emilia blushing slightly.

After all, her guest, known as Ila was far from the mundane. Such becoming more apparent as she careful emerge from under the weight of many blankets slow and deliberate as to not disturb the siblings of her host. Ila was far from a rude person and to due such would be a great wound on the generosity shown to her. Her kindness extended to her features too. The girl's hair was long and smooth, seemingly without a curly or imperfection about it as it cascade like a waterfall down to her mid back. It carried an earthy hue of soft amber that carried a soft glow as the soft red light of Emilia's work station fell upon it. How beautiful it must have looked in the embrace of the sun with its subtle yellow-orange shade like the gem it was. Her face was fair and held a shade of tan just above pale white snow, no doubt from the lingering spring sun and would only deepen slightly in the summer blaze till it was just shy of a light polished bronzing. The features of her face were soft and had a fragility to them like late morning due; holding that beauty that seems as if it would be snuffed out at any possible moment and to be cherish above all.

A light ghost of a smile hung on her thin lips and even in blaring color of Emilia's red light, a slight coloration rose up on her cheeks. Not out of embarrassment, but simply from rising too quickly. She had yet to even open her eyes and already Emilia could feel her heart swoon slightly, only to be suddenly step back with a start as they fluttered open and their eyes connected. Oh! And what a pair of eyes they were. For even though Emilia knew what she was seeing was not the truth she couldn't help but stare into those ruby like orbs with flickered with a hint of deep vibrant violet.

As Ila cocked her head to the side in confusion Emilia shook her head back and forth like a dog after a sudden spat of rain, and instantly went ridged as some unseen force gripped her. Like a whirlwind she whipped around shuffling through a pile of papers and books until she drew forth a singular leather bound notebook. Its edges were crumpled and torn from being carried around constantly in a pocket and the lightest traces of water damage graces the edges of the pages given it a slightly browned tone to it.

"Ah, I nearly forgot!" Emilia nearly screamed with epiphany, "The dream, did you have it again?"

The mention of such caused Ila's eyes to drop as she solemnly nodded her head, and somewhere in her heart Emilia felt something strain.

Emilia knew well why her friend reacted as she did, after all how could she not after hearing the story of its events. Ila seemed to have a natural way with words and the imagery had engraved itself on her so well she even caught glimpses of it when she was blessed with entrance to the lands of dreams. After all, how could she not remember such a scene.

It was always described in the same way, for it always appeared the same way night after night for three and some days in her friends mind. Of how the sky was a darkened mixture of ghastly whites and gun-metal grey that clashed against each other in the heavens as the clouds swirled as if driven by some unknown and unseen disturbance. They dance and clashed against each other like mighty beasts, even accompanied by the occasional roar of thunder as they competed against each other for dominance. Their forms ever changing as they divided and combined in an endless swirl of pale shades of color. Below them the sea felt a similar disturbance as waves of a deep angry blue, like that of a sapphire, rolled against one another, only broken up at the edges by the pale whiteness of foam forming on their fringes. The sea was choppy and irritated, that much she could tell. A powerful wind swept across swath of sea and sky and threatened to pull the very air from her throat and rip the hairs from her head, yet she could not help but stare out at the dark and wrathful sea ahead of her. Nothing should, or could survive these waters. That was an instinctive truth Ila had said she felt in her very soul. No ship was large nor strong enough to brave the fury of these waves and the ire of the skies. Yet, someone had taken it upon themselves to contradict the truth of her soul.

At the tail end of her dream is when it would appear she always said. Just when the wind became too great for her to stand and the waves of the sea poised to drag her to a watery tomb it appeared. On the far horizon where the sky and sea seemed to touch and run parallel to one another for infinity there came a might vessel on the crown of a wave. It was an old ship, one of sail, with three great masts that seemed to rise so high they cut through the very clouds above them, leaving a trail as it danced carelessly on across the sea before her. Even from a distance she knew it was a large ship, impossibly large at that. Masts that scared the heavens and a hull that nearly split the ocean should it ever come upon the shore were the corner-pieces of this mighty ship. And just as it broke the last wave and the power of the gales became so great the ship seemed to rise out of the waves and swim just below the clouds the sight would fade with a flash of light.

It was with a mind troubled by such dreams, for the dreams of a demigod were not ones to take lightly or at worse be ignored, she had come to Emilia. And though sleep and dreams may very well allude her in her own life, she was not a daughter of dreams for nothing. If anything she was elated that Ila had come to her for help. Unfortunately, little had come from it. Each night it was the same, and the details never changed. There were of course something she could propose or gather. A sea and a sky disturbed seemed to point towards Poseidon and Zeus in one way or another. Perhaps it had to do with a certain daughter of the sea, unclaimed though she may be. But Ila always refuted this. It didn't make sense to her, the narrative all wrong in her opinion. Seemingly not even the oracle had any sight to offer. That was by far the most troubling part of news to both girls.

Yet, before Emilia could even hope to broach the topic once more, her guest rose full and moved towards the window. Her step were light and airy with a certain grace only found in dancers. One could say it appeared as if she had simply glided across the padded floor with hardly a sound between bounds.

Having arrived at the window, Emilia watched as she threw the dark coal colored current aside with an uncanny speed and shielded her eyes as the midday sun exploded into the room. After a few hasted blinks the sight began to return once more and Emilia found herself graced with a view of the outside world. Something she had not seen in some time, a few weeks at best. However, the view of the outside was instead blocked by a mop of chestnut brown hair, chubby childish features and a pair of pale lime green eyes as wide as saucers and stuck between fear and surprise.

It was a young boy, and from what Emilia could recall likely a child of Hecate if those eyes were anything to go off. She watched as her friend smiled softly down at the boy some years her junior and could only do some much to stop the snort that escaped her as a blush encroached and completed conquered the young boy's face. Before either herself or Ila could say anything the young one rush off so fast she could've swore he made a cloud of dust. Ila could only sigh and for that Emilia winced slightly at her friend's expression.

"I don't know why that always happens" lamented Ila with another sigh, "Do I really look scary or something Em?"

More like beautiful She wanted to say but held her tongue, "You know how it is with her kids, they can be skittish around their own shadows."

Her shoulders slumped as the expression of sadness refused to fall from her friend's face.

"Don't beat yourself up about it. They'll probably come around, after all your probably the nicest person I know. Not that I know a lot of people..." She trailed off, only to realize her mistake and jumped to rectify it, "Not many can bother to hangout with a workaholic like me after all!"

Her accompanying laugh was nervous but luckily it seemed that her friend didn't pick up on such, only casting a warm smile her way. She seemed poised to say something in reply, but suddenly snapped her head to the window once more. With no young son of magic there, the view of the remaining cabins and the occasional passing camper. Nothing out of the ordinary in Emilia's opinion, but the expression on her friends face was quite familiar; curiosity. Before she could press a question the idyllic summer morning was broken by a flash of purple and gold and the cries of many yelling something about an attack, at least what Emilia could gather from the sounds muffled by the cabin's natural barriers. But given the fact she could still hear them even though the soundproofing meant that something big had to be going down.

Without sparing a thought he rushed towards the small chest by the foot of her personal desk, only to pause with a slight curse. Usually it was the place she would store her shield and spear when not in use, the former being enchanted to be the size of a Frisbee both for storage and beach time activity with the latter simply folding in on itself like nun-chucks to allow easier storage. However, she had turned much of her equipment into a certain child of the forge for repairs some time ago and had yet to get it back. A particularly brutal spar with one of the Roman campers had reduced her armor to a sorry state even if she edged out the win.

She was about to move over to one of her siblings chest, their gear no doubt happy for a chance to be actually used, when he eyes caught a glimmer of pristine gold in the corner of her sight. Half turning slightly Emilia reacted just in time to grab the mid part of a worn leather sheath. The sheath itself was a the deep and rich color of elderberries and was smooth with use, fitting into her hands perfectly. From the top poked a small and simple handle of glittering gold wrapped in a well worn cloth of some kind. Their were groove upon the hand, no doubt from long periods of use and a heavy grip, and despite being not of her own hands, the swords handle seemed to sit well enough in her own grip. With a raised eye she turned towards her friend.

"While I appreciate the gesture, Ila, you know I'd be about as useful as one of siblings up there with this." Said Emilia.

"Hmm, perhaps. But even if you don't use it, someone could need it." Ila replied, pausing for a moment to look out the window towards the Big House which was barely in view, "Someone could definitely use it," she continued almost to herself. "Do me a favor and bring it up the hill, won't you Em?"

Try as she might, she couldn't deny the look in her friend's eyes and knew better than to question her musing. She was unnatural good in her guessing game, to the point that the Hermes cabin had banned her from game night within a week of being in camp.

"Fine. I'll do it, but only cause you asked me." She watched as her friend threw on the mahogany colored shawl she wore everywhere and moved towards the door. She could help but be drawn to the well define proportions of her friend with a twinge of jealousy in her eyes. "And where are you going to?"

"The Big House of course." Ila answered simply.

"The Big House? Why?" Emilia said.

"Oh, no reason really. I just feel there's something interesting about to happen is all." A playful smile crossed her lips and Emilia's heart danced slightly as visions a peaceful field of golden grain flashed before her eyes for but a second.

"If you say so, I'll trust you on that." And with that she sped from the door like a hound with a scent upon her nose and joined the steady stream of orange and purple drawn towards the hill in the distance.

---

Alec Thomson, Legacy of Pales
Optio of the 5th Cohort
Camp Half Blood Proper, Roman Garrison

---

When it came to the differences between season, and their presence in the world most would point to the state of nature as the deciding factor in what season fell upon the lands. There was some truth in such a claim for trees wore a coat of vibrant green in the summers and by fall the grasses and brush that clung to the earth turned a most bland and pathetic shade of golden and browns like once polished wood that had been left to dull. And for their benefit they were right, but that was but a conjecture. There are places in the world where there are no trees to flaunt their colorful hairdos in fall nor any grain or grass to grow and wilt with the changing of the immortal guard of time. In those places it is but the ground and the heavens that make up the world, but the universal tell of the seasons still exist. Yes, the true caller of the seasons lies high up in the sky; the sun.

In those terribly bitter and frigid winter months when Alec had first arrived to the great north east and settled down in the Long Island Sound he could tell from the sky itself that it was winter. In the near never ending summer of the western coast the trees and the earth nearly always retained their youthful colors and glow and only the station of the sun told the true story. When the winter months came and the time the sun was allowed to triumphantly reach over the heavens was shortened it took on a dull luster. Gone was it's warmth and glow and was instead little more than a large hanging light in the sky. It provide to warmth to the skin of man nor the world and everything was given a muted tone. Everything was covered in that pale, tired light that seemed to water everything down to it's base tones and hues. Every tree's bark was that same color of dried mud and even the evergreen trees of pine were nothing but a slightly lightened olive grab color. Depression hung above the paleness blue of the sky when it was not cloaked in dark clouds of every shade of grey imaginable. It was a a sadness that fell from the sky like rain upon the earth and caused everything to blend together, much like the months that made up winter. Such was only more prevalent when the only the whiteness of the skies came from the failure of the sun to pass by the insurmountable walls of callous clay like grey that permeated the clouds.

As such, it was easy to tell that the summer sun that now graced the land was much different. It was easy to tell such without even stepping out of the room. The light was no longer this pale dreary shower of coloration that dulled every sight around. Rather, it was a powerful glow which transitioned from blazing copper in the morning which painted everything in an antiquated look straight out of an old timely photograph to a powerful, bright, blaring spotlight that gave a gentle yellow coating to everything like the finishing polish on a piece of furniture. Under this light every color was heightened and threatened to pop out as they battled against one another for dominance. If the winter sun reduced everything to an indistinguishable sameness, than the summer sun brought out everything's individuality. The softness of the beach sand battled against the coolness of the deep blue and green sea that encroached upon it in chariots driven by white foam horses. Once never ending tapestries of dull, unpolished golden fields sprouted up with a gem like green; each blade of grass competing to be recognized for its sheen. The sky was no longer a pale unending strip of grays variegated by that white-washed blue, but was now instead a crystalline blue of deep, unanswered wishes.

The gift of the summer sun was even powerful enough to effect the largely utilitarians of the stone office which Alec had called his home for the past half a year. Every imperfection in the cool diluted silver colored stones, like silverware that lacked a shine, were on full display and for a moment threatened to break the monotony and uniformity that was prized in the institution of which he resided. Not that he would complain much. The oak-wood desk flourish and puffed like a peacock in the sun, attempting to show off every angle of its fine engravings and the scarlet cape that hung off to the side of the room took on a deep hue that made it seem as if blood oozed out from it like an open wound.

It's favors were also not lost on him, either. While Alec was certainly one who could be described as a handsome in a rough and puckish way, the summer sun seemed to, much like the trees and grass and sky, pronounce it more. The bright and heavy blaze of the sun dried his hair and dyed it from a deep dark chestnut, like an ancient forest of oak to a lighter shade, like that of driftwood carefully cured by the sea for many years with variegated streaks of dirty blonde hair running through it. Almost but not quite bordering on white, it gave a salt and pepper look to his mop of hair, shorter at the side and split near the crown of his head, which made the young man appear much older than his age of sixteen. Such a feeling was only helped by relatively hatchet features; a sharp and strong jawline and the creases born for stress and hard glares forever marked against his forehead by two lines above his eyebrows and parallel to his mouth. Not all was lost, however, with crinkles of skin around his eyes speaking of many laughs and smiles and youthfulness that hung in a pair of light hazel eyes like two pools of spice rum, ripe for drinking.

At current that pair of dark eyes flashed rapidly from left to right, lower every so slightly on a rhythmic pattern as the glided over one of the many papers that stood like might towards upon his desk. In one hand held a pen, it's tip stained with an inky darkness from constant use and in his other a colorfully decorated aluminum can containing some liquid which was quickly being emptied by the young man. It was a race to see which should empty first; the pen of it's ink or the can of it's liquid, though judging by the sizable pile of crushed metal peering out from the trash can to the side of the desk, the safe bet could be placed upon the can.

The papers themselves were nothing particularly interest, at least not for the young man, and certainly not for anyone else but they were important nonetheless. Well, most likely important to someone who didn't have to fill them out, or so the young man would have to believe. As the sun shifted ever so slightly as time continued to race on the the sun with it, more light fell upon the table and reflecting off the snow whiteness of the pages, bounced the light into the eyes of Alec causing him to momentarily pause with a grumble. He was not displeased with the light by any stretch of the imagination, but more so that he had a thick wall of stone and a pane of tempered glass separating him from it. Whether it was because of the content of his beverages or his natural disposition, no doubt some combination of both, he found himself increasingly restless.

As he had worked his gaze would bounce from his papers to the large grandfather clock on the far edge of the room, to his cloak of startling scarlet opposite it and then to the window. Almost like clockwork this would occur every hour or so since he had started his paperwork and each time would be finished up with a deep and longing sigh. Occasional a puff of irritation would escape his lips but just as quick would evaporate in front of him and the rhythm of his work would resume without question or hesitation.

After all, it was not as if he hadn't had a chance to bathe in the summer light already, only that it wasn't long enough in his oh so humble opinion. He had rose with the sun and chased it across sky as he ran down by the shoreline for an hour or so, racing from the edges of camp past the hills to the East, and as far as his legs could manage before the melodic beeping of his watch forced him to turn back. Afterwards he had stood for a moment ankle deep in the surf of the Atlantic as it fell upon the soft sand of the beach, letting the cool sea water cool his feet from their long run. For a few minutes he watch the sun as it finished it's rise from beyond the horizon and the once colorful sky filled with hues of purple and gold and red that his vocabulary failed to relate, though it was no fault of his own, gradually disappeared and return to the deep endless blue of a summer sky. Such was his signal his freedom for the foreseeable part of the day had ended and he returned the cold stone walls of his prison to renew his assault on the mighty fortification of papers that only seemed to increase by every day no matter how tirelessly he seemed to work on them.

With a grunt and a stretch of his back he rose from his seat and slowly made his way towards the window. His step were timed and determined, a purpose resting behind them even if it was as simple as crossing the room to the large windows to readjusted the blinds once more to account for the shift in the sun's position. Yet, he had hardly made it but a few steps when a tingling sensation raced up the back of his neck, his hairs slightly on edge as his head turned like a rusted machine, slow and staggered without a trace of elegance, towards the door. No more than a minute later were his ears graced by the sound of heavy footfalls of boots against stone. Whoever it was they were certainly in a rush, that much he could summarize.

Not wasting a moment he reversed his course, approaching the far corner of his office with quickened steps, the deliberateness he once held replaced with a dulled sense of urgency. It would be wrong to say it was panic, but more so the haste one feels when under a time crunch. Bending down his eyes fell on a small grey box and with a single tug the front drifted off to the left, revealing the interior of a small fridge. Reaching in he grabbed a small plastic bottle filled with water. It was cool to the touch and for a moment he held it to his head letting the feeling spread across his face.

The next moment the door to his office swung open with a power that threatened to tear it off its hinges and if the newly arrived occupant hand't even the slightest trace of professionalism and restraint in his actions it was very likely there would be a new scuff upon his office walls and a new ream of papers waiting to be filled out. Such a thought filled Alec, momentarily, with dread before he recovered.

His guest went to speak but before he even had a chance to, a bottle was tossed softly his way. With trained instincts the boy, for he was definitely Alec's junior, snagged the bottle from the air. Between gasps of air like a fish on land, the boy drained the bottle of it's contents before taking a few measured breaths. Alec simply stood there stoically, his arms crossed against his chest and slowly bulging. Before he could even speak a world, Alec took initiative and began the conversation.

"Let me guess, Fish Face tried to do some dumb shit again huh?" Alec said, though it was more statement than question.

"Fish-Face?" The boy answered in a dry but childish voice, different from the rough, almost roguish voice of Alec, elevating the difference in age somewhat. "Oh! No, it wasn't her."

That was enough to get one of Alec's eyebrows to raise in interesting. He gestured with his hands to have the boy, Santino if he recalled correctly, to continue as he moved to the far side of the room where a scarlet cloak among other items resided.

"I was out on training with Centurion Valeria when we encountered fighting on Half Blood Hill. I was ordered to raise the garrison and return with them to the hill."

At this Alec's eyebrows furrowed as his mind raced with countless possibilities, sorting between them in an instance. He turned his eyes to the window, the sight of the shoreline greeting him with a wave as another surge fell upon the shoreline. The tides were in the midst of changing and the water seemed to rise ever higher against the shore. Already the place where he had run that morning was submerged in more than a foot of water.

Returning his gaze back to the young Santino, his eyes had gathered an edge in them like a finely polish sword. The effect not lost on the young soldier who subconsciously straightened up despite his fatigue. His eyes traced the subtle movements of Alec as his superior moved to his collection of gear, donning a small vest, like those used by the military. Rather than olive drab slabs of kevlars, they were instead a finely polish cut of imperial gold, though it was doubtful the entire thing was made of the metal, for it was thicker than any armor worn by either Roman or Greek in the camp. Accompanying it was a Gladius hung from the belt, a well worn shield and a common pila, their golden colors contrasting well with the clock of scarlet and purple undershirt.

"Santino," began Alec, his voice had hardly changing volume but there was a resounding authority in it that bounced off the wells splendidly like an aria may in the amphitheater, "Rouse Decanus Garcia and Henderson. They have twenty minutes to dress and arrive at Half Blood Hill where I will await them. Tardiness will not be appreciated," Alec added with a smile.

"Right away, Sir!" called the young soldier, as he rushed off, his fatigue seemingly forgotten in the face of new order. A good soldier he was, that much Alec would easily admit.

---

Alec was, decently fast, and even under the weight of his equipment he could easily put most professional soldiers to shame with his speed. That being said, he was far from as fast as he could and for a moment fumed at the reminder of his dilute blood as he watched other Demigods race towards the hill on the other side of camp. Granted, they mainly rush without whatever they had on hand, most only dressed in their camp Ts and a pair of shorts or pants. Few had armor or carried more than a single weapon. A fallacy when entering into battle sure enough, but not one he could fault any for, as numbers often won many battles.

Even so, as he raced across camp in a blur of purple, gold and red, passing quickly through the minor cabins of Hypnos, Hecate, Hebe and others before even the Olympian council became a distant blur of not so esoterically designed cabins, there were many who recognized the Legacy of Pales. More than a few dressed in regal purple shirts fell in step with him, even as he attempted to usher them ahead, knowing full well more than a few were fit enough to outpace him. He nearly even loosed his pila against a son of war who had the audacity to back peddle just ahead of him with a whistle as sweat poured down his brow, but he managed to steel himself for the time. There would be a chance to repay such, he was sure, especially if a certain sea foam for brains was there, as he no doubt knew she would be.

Thoughts for later, he told himself as the sounds of battle grew ever closer.

---

Cresting the hill, sparing a quick glance towards the fleece and statue of Minerva, making sure both were still intact, he caught full view of the battle before him. As expected it was pure chaos. No doubt in some small part to the fact there were some six odd Romans surrounded by countless Greeks all attempting battle the car sized beasts falling upon them like it was some gladiator match and not a proper battle. He knew full well that hell-hounds were pack animals, and for as simple as monsters may be, even in primitive instincts there was always a strategy at play. These beasts were no exception, but more than a few seemed to account for such. No doubt they were among the new dicks or summer only campers who had just entered into the camp in recent days.

Scanning across the back side of the hill, and the ensuing disorganized chaos that lay bare for all to witness his eyes fell upon a familiar mane of cotton-candy pink hair, deep in the shit as he well expected. A Centurion from the third, and in his opinion the more reasonable one considering he hadn't had to punch her lights out. Well at least not yet anyways. She was tall even for his near six foot tall frame and was built like one would expect a daughter of a god of battle; well toned and with a strong appearance, only heightened by the well maintained and polished armor she wore. She stood at the middle of the mismatched shield formation at the fore front of the battle. The mighty square shaped scutum shields of the Romans parried against the circular shields of the few Greeks who had bothered with them, flanked her powerful form on either side as her Gladius ripped apart yet another hell-hound with a practice easy. There was no flourish or wasted motion in her movement, as one would expect from a veteran fighter of the legion and a Centurion at that. It would be a mistake to think she had simply earned title from her legacy and for that he held as much respect as he could for someone devoted to the cause.

Yet, this was not the time to waste commenting on his superior's form, for he too was a trained soldier and there was a battle to be fought. It would be a shame on his pride as a man to simple waste away on the side lines at such a moment. Thus his instincts took over in a flash. From his back he true the long shaft of his Pila, feeling the weight comfortably rest in his right hand as he gripped it tightly. As he passed over the edge of the hill's crest his momentum increased exponentially as he no longer faced the power of gravity on his uphill clamber earlier. With a trained mind he waited until the last possible second, just before he would've collided with a heterochromic teen, he stalled his momentum with a short hop before slamming his forward foot into the ground, his boot sinking a good six inches in with a deep groove.

As his foot sank deep into the soft earth, he drew back his hand holding the Pila and with all the skill and grace of an Olympic athlete loosed the mighty missile from his grip. With a sharp pitched whistle and slight gust of wind, the spear raced just over the heads of those fighting at the front-line of the battle like a hungry dog searching for prey. It found it's mark with a sickening crack and an ear piercing canine yelp as the missile lodged itself just above the shoulder of one of the dire wolf like beasts. Had he been strong it was like the beast would've been relieved of a limb, but he was but a demigod. In a manner all too similar to a bike that has been relieved of it's front tire, the beast collapsed unexpectedly, colliding with one of its comrades and causing both to tumble just short of the shield wall, making them easy kills for those on the line.

In the aftermath of the sudden and ruthlessly efficient attack more than a few would had followed him to hill sat and stared at him with slightly slacked jaws. Not even sparing them a glance, he would feel their gazes burning into the back of his head, and the rush of combat was being to spread throughout his body. He could feel the all too familiar and welcomed feeling of being hopped on the high speed.

"Don't just stand there like a bunch of slack jawed idiots," he called, his calm voice somehow easily heard across the snarls of beasts and cries of metal and arrow meeting flesh, "If you've got a shield get your ass on the line, if you don't get the fuck out of here and find someone who has one."

He didn't even bother to check if they had listened and instead pushed off the ground, shield in hand as he made a made dash for the shield line. Seemingly unarmed he barely got within a few feet before another beast, no doubt seeking revenge, if such was even something they were capable of he didn't question, and rushed him with a blistering speed that put any purebred whippet to shame. Not wasting a moment, he side stepped the wolf, redirecting it's momentum ever so slightly so it would slip and tumble to the side. Then, with a flash of gold that was but a blur to any watch, his Gladius flew from it's sheath and sunk deep into the chest of the beast, causing a sigh or at least as close as a dire wolf borne of darkness could muster, as it's lung was pierce and collapsed.

Alec's motions were swift and like his commander well drilled and practiced. They were quick with very little openings. His skill with the blade may have been lacking compared to many, especially his commander, but he never carried much for skill. The point of battle was to kill your enemy before he could do the same to you. Power and skill were secondary to knowledge and luck in the young soldiers mind. As such, he didn't even bother to draw his sword from the beast's chest, knowing how precious those couple of seconds could be.

And right he was, for no sooner than he half turned to face the woodwork that the never ending flow of wolves seemed to emerge from was he greeted with one of the SUV sized beasts leaping towards him, maw extended to his full length in a bid to snatch off the head of the Legacy of Pales. But the move was far to telling and deliberate. It would be easy enough to dodge the blow, but the beast was quicker on the turn around and it's physical abilities likely outpaced his by a decent amount. Instead, Alec planted his feet squarely with his shoulders and raised his shield above his head like he would in formation. If the beast realized his intent it was far too late for it was not nimble enough to change it's direction midair and instead fell muzzle first upon the hard metal of the shield, the weight causing him to sink ever so slightly before he redirected it, seemingly tossing the beast behind him. Like a deflating balloon the air left the lungs of the beast as it fell upon it's back, but before it could even attempt to take another breath, the Imperial Gold plated edge of Alec's Scutum found itself deep in the beast's throat with an audible crack as the windpipe collapsed. Regardless of the fact that they were monsters born of magic and gods, they still had the same weakness of any living creature; they would die if they couldn't breath. And quickly at that as more dust gathered in the wind.

Following the defeat of his third beast, though who was really counting, he turned to look for his forgotten Gladius only to raise his hands in defense as a dull purple object nearly collide with his face. Acting on instinct alone he raised his hands to find a sheathed sword in the familiar pattern of a Spatha in his hands. Looking over the edge of the clothed blade, he spied a familiar main of curly red hair gazing down at him. Dark hazel met forest green with a look of understanding and a curt nod from the latter.

However, soon as he placed a hand upon the handle of the Spatha, he could feel bile rising in his throat as his eyes swam for a moment. If not for the lull in the battle at that moment he may very well have ended up as a chew toy for one of the beasts. He'd have to thank those archers on the hill later for their suppressing fires. The feeling was powerful, but only lasted for a moment before his stomach settled back to normal and his vision cleared of spots and clouds. Yet, despite that, a nagging feeling still rested in his stomach and an uneasiness clawed away at the back of his mind.

"Mac, where the hell did you get this sword?" Alec cried at the red head, who only raised a face of confusion at the question.

"What does it matter? It's just a sword for Gods-sake, be thankful!." She called, pausing before adding with scorn, "And I've told you not to call me that!"

"Ah, force of habit." Alec spoke, absently rubbing the back of his head, his stoicism breaking for a moment as he smiled sheepishly. "My bad Emilia, won't happen again."

"Humph," grunted the red head in victory, "Better not. I'm gonna go 'borrow' a spear. Try not to die before I make it back, alright"

A hearty laugh was all she got in reply as the two went their separate ways, Alec towards the front-line and Emilia to whatever poor sod was about to have their equipment commandeered for 'the greater good' as she would probably put it.

Wasting no time, Alec wormed his way to the front of the formation, slipping in between Valeria and one of the Greek who he didn't recognize. The daughter of valor sparing him but a glance before returning to the fight ahead of them. The few seconds their eyes had met was more than enough for her to ask the question that was on her mind.

"Reinforcements will be here in ten minutes. Just got to hold on till then, ma'am." He called the last words with a challenge behind them, "Too easy right?"

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Kore Russo

Sweat dripped off the girl's face as she pulled the spear from the ground where one of the Newfoundlands had just lain. Pulling it out of the dirt, she tried to catch her breath. She didn't know how she was doing what she was doing with the spear, but it was quickly tiring her out regardless. Lander had explained how she might have some "magical" abilities, couldn't infinite energy be one of them? Kore quickly thought about all the shenanigans she had gotten up to thanks to her ADHD in school, and quickly decided that infinite energy would be more of a curse than a blessing.

She looked up to see another one of the hounds charging at her. The large beast looked more vicious than ever. Kore spun the spear around and charged. This hound was smarter than it's predecessors however. As Kore charged, it feinted out of the way, and clawed at Kore's side. Her newfound reflexes caused her to jolt in the opposite direction of the claws, but not fast enough. The beast's talons raked her side, causing her to cry out. Spinning, she brought her spear around to her side, and yelled at the hound. The beast roared back, and Kore took the opportunity to spear it through the roof of it's mouth. Like the others before it, it turned into liquid shadows on her spear point. Kore grimaced and fell to one knee, grabbing her side.

Down the hill, an unearthly howl came from the woods. The same sound had woken her and Lander up the previous morning, and knew they had to run the final miles to this camp place. Out of the woods burst another dark furred creature, though this one was different. Whereas most of the Newfoundlands were the size of SUVs, this one was easily the size of a bus. Unlike the smaller dogs, this one was built lean and muscular, with short hair making it resemble more a doberman than a newfoundland. It's claws dug deep trenches in the ground as it charged up the hill, having an almost palpable presence of dread that the other fogs lacked. Of course, it might have been the two heads causing that. As it came crashing towards the battle, one of the Doberman's heads let loose another howl that Kore felt within her soul. As it did so however, an arrow came piercing down the hill into the dog's shoulder muscle. The red headed boy who had been the first over the hill to help Kore and Lander realized that he had missed the kill shot, and audibly muttered "Malaka..." as the dog turned both of it's piercing glares onto him, and altered it's charge straight towards him.

Kore watched as the boy was clipped rolling to the side. Coming to a stop on his knees, the teenager was clearly winded as the Dog came to a grinding halt near the top of the hill, and turned to face the teenage again. It pawed the ground once, and Kore realized it intended to charge again. Her instincts kicked in before she even knew what she was doing. Her legs carried her towards the teen boy as the dog charged down the hill, lather frothing from both of it's mouths, each filled with dozens of knife like teeth. The world seemed to move in slow motion as she reached her defender's prone figure, and brought her spear over her head. The dog now bared down on them, a wall of black and tan fur. Kore brought the spear over her head, and jumped, yelling as she flew up towards the dog with strength she didn't know she had. She caught the creature by surprise, passing between the beasts neck's before either head could snap her up like a dog treat. She brought the spear down, its deadly point finding home directly in the cleft between the creature's heads. It met resistance for a moment, before passing through. Gold dust whirled in a storm around her as she passed where the dog had stood moments before, now dissolved.

Kore hit the ground with a tough thump on her side, aggravating the scratch she had received. A large collar landed next to her with a mild whoompf. Several of the remaining hounds seemed to immediately get spooked by the disappearance of the large dog, while a notable three others appeared to become enraged by it. While their packmate's tucked tail and ran for the woods, the other three locked onto Kore and charged like bats out of hell. Kore gritted her teeth, this would hurt. Just before the three hounds reached her however, arrows shot over Kore's head and turned them to dust. Kore spun to find the projectiles had come from a horse... man? The new creature watched as the rest of the pack took off down the hill, then sighed in a tired sort of way. He approached Kore and said in a wise voice "Kore Russo, I must apologize for the rude welcome that you have had to camp. Alexander, are you alright?"

The red headed boy had gotten back on his feet, and was dusting himself off. He tested a few joints, before replying "I think I'm good."

The horse-man nodded and said "Then please, assist our new friend up to the big house. Those scratches seem like more than a bit painful. I'll fetch some nectar for her." He turned to where Lander stood, his pipes in his hand. "Lander, you best join them. As for the rest of you, thank you for your quick response. Counselors, Centurion, you are free to do as you wish. I expect the rest of you to return to your assignments."

The red headed teen, Alexander, walked over and offered Kore a hand. She ignored it and pushed herself to her feet. Looking at him, she said calmly "I don't need your 'assistance' you know."

Alex smiled and said "Tough kid huh. Can't say I was expecting anything else. Here, let me help you with this then." Alex picked up the collar from where it had fallen on the ground. "It's your trophy, but I'll help you figure out what it does before we just give it to you. In any case, let's head up to the house." Kore nodded and limped her way up the hill to the house, where Lander was setting up some chairs on the porch. Kore near collapsed into a rocker, her side burning as she did so. Alex sat himself down on a stool and said "Yeah, I bet that hurts. Chiron will be back in a moment and patch that up for you, then we can get to explaining things."

"Explaining things? Like what."

"Trust me kid, you've got a whole new world waiting for you on the other side of this house. Best wait for our esteemed director to get back first however."

[Pragia]

Alyssa Thorton, Daughter of Demeter

The assault of the pack was relentless, hounds moving to approach the influx of campers head on. Allie watched in surprise as her blackberry bushes splintered into so many thorns and spinters, hindering their bounding advance somewhat. It was relieving to her as others quickly arrived, the lone archer of Athena rapidly supplemented by a small group of Cabin 9 led by their couseler. Eliza wasn't usually the one she expected to be the first to respond, but then again she wasn't either. No complaints could be had as the children of Hephaestus were quickly followed by Romans. It was good that the soldiers of the legion took their morning marches seeiously, the half-dozen of them making a better defensive line than she could have hoped for.

"Glad you could make it fast Val, I'll make sure to slip you guys something extra at dinner tonight." Alyssa would say, her relief evident in her tone as she brushes her golden hair out of her face, tucking it in under her shirt. "Don't think the new kid likes holding lines much... not to mention the old one." She would say as Jamie goes stabbing forward alongside Kore. Alyssa knew that Jamie could handle herself as she danced about the monsters with skill befitting a decade of adventuring, but the fact that this new half-blood was pushing back towards the shadowy mastiffs was making her worried.

The daughter of Demeter was not the most prepared, her harpe held outward and her nerves tensed, ready to respond explosively as she began to move forward to protect the newbie. Her second combat did not go as well as the first, the hound scraping the flesh on her side superficially. Her panicked but surprising control of her weapon was unexpected. Regardless, she didn't have time to ogle as another of the beasts was bounding up to flank the victorious half-blood. Allie ran to intercept it as a great howl pierced her ears and broke her focus. In that window her target had jerked its head over, those dagger-like teeth biting more significantly at her leading left arm.

Though the bite lacked the locking force typical of the large creatures, Allie grunted in pain as her tanned forearm was sunken into by 4 of its forward teeth. She stood defiant, face contorted in the feelings shooting up her arm. Despite this, her right arm was moving with deathly speed, her tool of the harvest driving deeply into the creature's neck, the tip piercing and the sickle blade even being driven through. Celestial Bronze tasted the flesh of monsters and tore into it as if it was not there, almost like how Allie had felt when she was tilling fields months ago.

As the creature dissipated to shadow, the pressure holding back the blood from escaping her was removed. Allie would hiss through clenched teeth as the crimson blood of a demigod trailed down her arm, dripping from her fingers. Turning back to the half-blood she was trying to protect, Allie would have her shock compounded as Kore drove the spear through the two-headed pack leader, jumping and exposing herself so. Even as the titanic creature dissipated to dust like many of its packmates, they were still coming. She even saw the Optio of the Romans engaged with a reinforced Roman line. Alec was a surprisingly forward leader for the Romans, and was already leading by example with his centurions at his side.

The Daughter of Demeter's heart would skip a beat as the three hounds would begin charging the person she was trying to protect. It was only by the mercy of Chiron that arrows sprouted from the beasts as they approached where their packmates fled. Before it could even escalate, the battle was over. Allie was quick to tear the bottom of her shirt off, getting a rag and wrapping it tightly around her arm at the elbow. The blood weeping from those dime-size punctures in her arm would slow as she kept her teeth barred and her knuckles red as she applied the tourniquet. She would say through teeth still holding onto the rag "Pharmakon Kentaurida" and gesture for someone to reach into the seed bag at her left hip.

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Valeria “Val” Alexis Lorino
Centurion of the 3rd Cohort, Daughter of Nerio
Camp Half Blood

---

"Well, looks like we won't need those reinforcements." Val said as the battle seemed to wrap up rather quickly after Alec's arrival. Was she a little disappointed by the result of the battle? Honestly, kind of. Val was ready to engage the hellhounds, but they got quickly wiped out or demoralized after the new girl showed some rather impressive fighting ability and the quick arrival of Chiron. With that said, it was a good result, minimal injuries. After Chiron spoke, Val turned her attention to the Romans, "You heard him."

"That was a good break from paperwork now was it Alec?" Val said as she gave him a smile, "Well done by the way. Quick response and excellent swordsmanship. Anyways, not sure what you plan to do now, but I'm going to head down to the Big House. Something about this whole thing feels bigger than it appears."

With that, she gave him a pat on the back as she began walking away. Val did not get far until she noticed Allie tending to her own wounds, and was seeming to look for help. She said something and was currently gesturing to the bag on her left hip. Seeing this, Val approached.

"Need some help?"

[Revlona]

Jamie Lewis
Daughter of Poseidon

The battle ended almost as quickly as it had begun, the combined numbers and skills of the arriving Roman demigods meshing with those of the Greeks. The new girl, Kore as Chiron had named her, had shown off some pretty impressive talent with the spear she had stolen from one of the Fleece guards, though it was unpolished and she had been injured in the battle. The girl had killed a beast whose name tickled the back of Jamies mind, she had read somewhere of a Monster of the same appearance but could not place it.

"Keep the pressure on that," Jamie said to one of the Fleece guards, he had taken a minor scratch along his arm and was also missing his spear. The boy waved at her to acknoledge her words and then turned to tear at his shirt to do just that before departing for the big house with the other wounded. Jamies gaze fell upon the entire hill once, ensuring that their was nothing left to do, before she released her hold upon Thýella, the spear shrinking to become a hair pin which Jamie used to fix her now sweaty hair.

With that done she turned towards the direction of the big house with a sigh, she had a bit of work to do as a Counselor. Several campers called out greetings as she jogged by them, Jamie called back to those that she was close to and smiled at the ones she was not. Being the Daughter of one of the Big Three was a unique thing, which meant everyone knew her name and most wanted to be friendly with her. She tried her best to be friendly back, but it could be draining.

She arrived at the big house just behind Chiron and the other Counselors, spotting the unclaimed Ila there as well. She liked the girl, her deep blue eyes reminded Jamie of her love for the Ocean. Apparently everyone saw different colors in her eyes, but that did not subtract from their beauty. Her own sea green eyes were also beautiful if not as unique. "Sorry I'm late horse man, had to get people moving back to their activities after you left," Jamie said, her tone of affection as she caught up and began speaking to Chiron.

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Kore

The horse-man came galloping back up the hill from the other side blocked by the house. He held a small canteen in his hands as he stepped on to the porch. Unscrewing the cap, he poured a small amount of golden liquid from within it, and handed it to Kore, saying in his wise voice "Drink child. It will help with the wounds on your side."
Kore looked suspicious, but obeyed. As the liquid hit her mouth she tasted the pasta carbonara her mother would make for her growing up, now a distant memory. A tear came to her eye before she noticed that the pain on her side was rapidly fading. The horse-man nodded and said "I expect that it will not have a neccisarily happy taste for you, but Nectar always has a pleasant taste none the less. Now, I suppose we should get around to explaining things. Has Lander told you much?"

Kore leaned back in the rocker, letting her body relax for the first time in two weeks. She nodded and said "He told me enough to convince me to follow him. Enough to explain portions of my life I guess. How do you know my name and what's yours?"

The creature shook his head and said "You better be careful young one. Names have power. Mine, however, is Chiron. I'm the activity's director, and one could say teacher, here at camp. I know your name for a few reasons. One, I was a big fan of your mother and you bare her some resemblance, plus your disappearance is a well known story. Two, your mother was in contact with, well not me specifically but the camp in regards to a number of things before she died, and three, Lander contacted me when he picked you up."

Lander nodded and said "Remember the Rainbow Mail as you called it? Chiron was on the other side."

Kore noticed behind Chiron, at the back door to the big house, a red headed girl stepped out. Though she was in the shadows from Kore's point of view, she had a warm feeling to her. Kore had to blink as the girl's eyes seemed to shift colors a few times before settling on the same shade of hazel that Kore had once known to belong to her mother. Ignoring it as best she could, she nodded to Lander and said to Chiron "So, my mother knew about this place?"

"To a degree. According to her, your father informed her about it before you were born and the particular services we could offer her. There was a not insignificant risk being your mother, and given that one day she might be out of the picture and you might be all but disappeared from the mortal world, she wanted to make sure you would be cared for."

"Cared for?"

"Well, there's more to it than that, but yes. This is a place for special individuals such as yourself and the other students of mine you see around you." At this point the girl who had made the water shield approached, apologizing for being late. Chiron laughed and said "Come now Jaime, you can't be late for something that doesn't have a start time. Jaime here is a fine example of one of the students here, as is Alex who helped you up here." Alex offered a friendly wave. Chiron asked calmly "Kore, did Lander explain exactly what you are to you?"

"No, nothing beyond the fact that I'm not crazy and that the monsters I saw and fought are real and that he knew a safe place."

Chiron stroked his beard and nodded, asking "Did you ever hear the stories of greek myth? The tales of the Gods?"

"My mom read me a picture book about it when I was a kid..."

"Well, my dear, I'm afraid to tell you that those stories... they are all too true."

Kore raised an eyebrow and said "You're joking me. Did I die? What is going on."

Alex shook his head and said "It... can be a lot to take in at first. But he's telling the truth. Gods, monsters, heroes. It's all too real and all too dangerous, which is why this place exists for people like us."

Kore looked him in the eyes and asked "What do you mean 'like us'? I'm a normal kid, well, homeless, but normal."

Chiron shook his head as he rose to his feet. "Unfortunately Miss Russo, you are far from being normal in everything but your reaction to the truth. Your father was a very special person in our world."

"You know my father. Who?!" Kore asked half venemously, half desperate. Chiron raised a hand.

"Calm, child, calm. I don't know who he is, but I know what he is. Kore, your father is a god."

"A... god..." Kore's eyes widened with shock.

"Indeed. A god. You, my dear, are a demigod, a hero. There is far more to it than that, but we would be on this porch for hours to explain it all, and unfortunately, today's events have further reaching implications than just you. May I see the collar that you won, I promise I'll return it." Kore silently passed the collar from Alex to Chiron. The centaur studied the tag on the canine neckwear, before passing it back to Kore. "As I feared. The large creature you felled was named Orthus. I congratulate you on such a feat given your age and training, but it also bears grim omens for a man considered to be the friend of camp. Alas, I must look into this with haste."

Alex rose and said "May I help Chiron?"

The centaur, as Kore remembered they were called, shook his head and said "No Alex. I need you to continue introducing young Kore here to camp, and get her set up with her new cabin. I do not suspect anything too awful, just merely sad. I will return by the end of the day, and Miss Russo, if you have any questions, please seek me out. I understand this must be quite a lot for you. The rest of you, continue as normal, or if you have free time you may assist Alex with Kore." With that, Chiron turned and stepped off the porch, before galloping off.

Alex clapped his hands together and said "Well... was not in my plan to do this today, but alright Kore. Where do I even start."

[Pragia]

Alyssa Thorton, Daughter of Demeter
Co-Write with Faal Lot Himdah

Allie was focused now, the adrenaline still coursing through her as she had her arm stabilized. The bleeding had slowed heavily from the rapidly applied knot, but she was still waiting for assistance. As Val approached she realized that the Roman was likely unfamiliar with the gift given to her and would offer to the centurion “Hold the knot tight.” through her teeth currently closed around one of the ends of the cloth. She knew the Roman was strong enough, and was glad that she wasn’t being aided by a new camper.

“Alright.” Val said, as she took both ends of the cloth into her hands, “I’m going to pull it tight on the count of three. One…”

Right after she finished saying one she pulled the knot tight. The Greek would wince in surprise, she should have known that the Roman would not waste time like that.

Once the Roman had secured the knot on her arm and she had managed to get a hold of herself, Alyssa used her freed right arm to grab across her hip, picking a couple seeds from it. She would dip her foot into the soil beneath her feet, making a divet in the grass. Placing the seeds in each one, she would fill it back over before looking down, breathing heavily as her blood dribbled into the holes. She was not yet pale, a surprising thing with the blood loss, but it was clear that even for a demigod her fortitude was considerable.

She would close her eyes and maintain her breathing, exerting far more control than the explosive growth she had induced before. From the two divets a pair of stalks would rise, life taking root quickly and growing. The herb was the “Medicine of the Centaurs” a colloquial name for the medicinal herbs that Chiron had taught many demigods of. It sprouted long, blade like leaves similar to eucalyptus, but slightly smaller and in long fronds that grew from the stem. Allie would have her breathing steadied but her brow was heavy as she picked a handful of leaves. Normally she kept plenty in her pack, but she was unprepared for this combat, and now she needed to do so quickly.

Picking some leaves, she would crush them in her free hand, being careful not to squeeze too tightly even as her wounded left arm throbbed in its vice grip. She didn’t want to remove the oils from the leaves, merely crush them into small enough pieces to be applied into the wounds as a powder-like consistency. Once she had crushed it, she would pour it along her arm, the small leaves would enter the wounds and boil in the blood, looking like cauterization as the blood stopped streaming “Loosen up a little…” she would say, her teeth again gritted despite her lighter tone.

Val simply nodded and worked quickly to loosen the knot. As she watched as the blood seemingly boiled, Val couldn’t help but wince a little. “That looks a little painful.”

As she did, the Daughter of Demeter sighed lightly as the strain left her body. The gashes on her arm were no longer bleeding, but they looked scabbed over. She began slowly bending each finger, making sure she still had sensation in her fingertips. “It isn’t as bad as you might think, little ugly yeah, but better than bleeding. Peroxide hurt more back home.” she would offer. “I think this means I owe you extra. I think I’ll be taking a couple hour break after that one…” she would offer, still checking herself.

“Wouldn’t know. I mean, I’ve felt the sting of alcohol but never felt peroxide.” Val said and smiled to Alyssa, “What do you owe me for? Helping? I mean, if someones injured and needs help, why wouldn’t I give it to them? Even more so when they are friends. But yeah, maybe take a bit of a break.”

“Not much the difference, has a sting to it.” Allie would say, a small smile creeping back into her countenance as she moves her wrist, “You made it to the front and helped cover me and the new kid, think Chiron said her name was Kore.” she would say simply, the Romans were a dutiful type, one she could appreciate as many of the campers broke at the suggestion of the Centaur.

“Wasn’t expecting another new arrival on the first day of summer, but pays to be prepared, or at least be fortunate enough to arrive where you are needed.” she would say, still impressed by the full gear the Roman was in. Of course the Romans flaunted it regularly, but perhaps there was more to it than just pomp.

“Figure you’re the summer Centurion? Think I might have seen you last year.”

“One of the two, yep.” Val shrugged, “And I was here last year, also as one of the summer Centurions. There has to be two, and I happen to not mind it over here in the summer. Of course, I couldn’t do winter here. But anyways, I was just leading those other guys I arrived with in a full kit run, so I was fortunately in the area. That said, even if I was at the garrison, I still probably would have come running, maybe not in full kit like this, but I would have still come.”

“A new arrival this early is also interesting.” Val continued, “Even more so with what was chasing her. Wouldn’t mind getting to know her either, she showed some rather impressive talent. What do you think?”

Alyssa would offer a soft giggle at the comment on winter. She had never been to Camp Jupiter, let alone the west coast, and didn’t have much for an understanding of it. She liked having four seasons at camp, it kept things making sense and feeling right. “Well, prayers for luck saving the day.” she’d say with a smile. “She was desperate, can’t say I was much better, but I’m thinking she might be a big shot. Most don’t come in with stuff like that at their heels.” Allie offered in speculation.

“You are the expert here in this case.” Val shrugged, “Anyways, don’t let me keep you from that break you want to take.”

Alyssa would break down into a more genuine laugh, a light flighty thing that didn’t quite mesh properly with her stature. “Not a problem in my book, though Marco might come after me later. I’ll meet up with you back at dinner, I might need to see what I want to do.” She was already thinking about the climbing wall, or perhaps just returning to Cabin 4 for some proper R&R, not that her work ethic or her ADHD would permit her to take advantage of it.

“Well see you at dinner then.” Val smiled and gave a two finger mock salute before heading off back in the direction of the Big House.

[Revlona]

Jamie Lewis

Jamie had left the Big House, exchanging friendly words with Chiron before getting back to the business she had planned for today. Jamie grinned as her thoughts turned to the final thing she wanted to do today. First however, she had a pickup to make at cabin nine. Lauren Burio, a good friend of Jamie who was similar in age, had told her to come pick up her shield as she had finished repairing the damage she had picked up in her last training session.

It was a quick and easy pickup, she exchanged words with Lauren and slid her shield Molos, in the form of a ring, onto her left hand. The celestial bronze ring was inscribed both the name of the shield and etchings of sea waves. It was Laurens gift to Jamie on her thirteenth birthday and had saved her life several times two years before when she, Lauren, and Weston had gone on their quest two years past.

Weston James was three years older than both Lauren and Jamie when they had gone on their quest and had been the rock which the two girls had rallied around when times were hard. He now was the counselor of the Hermes cabin and was an always willing partner in Jamies ideas for Pranks.

"Do you have them??" Jamie said as she threw the door to the Hermes cabin. A dozen boys and girls of varying ages with similar hair and facial features all turned abruptly to face her, alarm and amusement etched across their faces before they realized who had barged in. A chorus of "Hey Jamie"s met her and a spot opened up for her to see exactly what they had been so guiltily admiring.

"Yeah we have them and oh did they turn out great," Weston said, his face transfigured by his usual shit eating grin which always made you think he was up to no good, that usually being the case. The Counselor of the Hermes cabin held up one of the items in question and showed Jamie, her own face transforming with a grin that matched the others. If she hadn't been a child of Poseidon it was said she would fit in perfectly with the Hermes kids.

The item in question was a Camp Jupiter T-Shirt with one very Important difference. It was the same shade of orange as the Camp Half Blood T-shirts which the gaggle of Hermes kids and the Daughter of the Sea were all wearing. "Oh it is perfect," Jamie said, trying to suppress a giggle as she imagined Alec or Val wearing one of those with an angry look on their faces. Better yet, she imagined them both and finally broke out into a peal of clear and happy laughter. The laughter spread to the entire group at an alarming speed.

"Ok ok, knowing the Alliances from last year. Yall will have the majority of the Romans on your side for capture the flag right? A few of you sneak off when the game starts or not attend the game at all, replace them then." She said, her laughter dying down as she got serious. The same thing happened then as several of the younger members, the ones who wouldn't be as missed, volunteered for the job.

"How will we get rid of them and what about the ones that they'll be wearing during the Games?" Weston said.

"The campfire should still be going, burn em." She said, a chorus of cheers coming from the hermes kids as she said that.

"As for the ones they will be wearing. We will just go with the original plan, you have the next laundry duties right?" She said, confirming that they had when Weston nodded to her. "Then do I need to say any more? Work your magic then, just be careful, the Romans will probably be weary after they discover the shirts are gone, might post a guard."

"We can handle them," Weston said.

"Then the next time I see you we will be celebrating a great victory over our cousins!" She said to another resounding cheer.

[Nations United for Conquest]

Alec Thomson, Legacy of Pales
Optio of the 5th Cohort
Camp Half Blood Proper

---

"That was a good break from paperwork now was it Alec?" Called an all too familiar voice towards Alec. Looking up to brush the strands of sweat matted hair from his eyes he was able to gaze upon the form of a triumphant Val. Her hair was a mess, and a the polish of her armor had been reduced to a dull shine from a fine concoction of blood and dirt and sweat.

Much like herself, her smile was radiant and proud and altogether more than fitting for a daughter of valor. She inspired confidence even with the new dings and scratches adorning her shield and the occasional dribble of scarlet that rolled down her arms from superficial cuts and scraps. It was a look sported by everyone on the back side of the hill where the divide between fact and fiction resided. Val just had the genetic luck of wearing such a look better than anyone else. When compared to his own state; numerous cuts and bruises dotted his skin like a shabby patch work quilt and a mop of once lively light chestnut hair now reduced to a darkened swim cap, it wasn't hard to consider her own form splendid. Standing at over six foot certainly helped as well.

For her comments she earned a wiry chuckle from Alec. It was no secret among the Romans, regardless of which coast they resided on, that paper was the scorn for the brunette's existence. In life the life of the average demigod at Camp Half Blood, there were three certainties; death, taxes assuming they lived that long, and the refusal of a certain Roman do sit down and willingly do paperwork. Should such an event ever take place there was rumors fall back plans for the inevitable end of the world had already been laid out ahead of time. Thus the next words from Valeria brought an untold joy to the young soldier, even as he recovered from nearly eating the dirt due to a slap on the back.

"Well done by the way. Quick response and excellent swordsmanship. Anyways, not sure what you plan to do now, but I'm going to head down to the Big House. Something about this whole thing feels bigger than it appears."

Oh, he would find something do to.

---

The breeze quick and light, rolling down in a cascade from the eastern hills and all across the valley. Its came first to the Roman garrison in the east, whipping away the sweat from the brows and backs of the tired legionnaires recovering from battle. Next it swept down towards the cabins, running it's refreshing fingers through the campers walking to and fro, experimenting in wild styles against their will. Further down it continued, hitting the training pits with a powerful gust, kicking sand into an unlucky combatant's eyes and surrendering the match to his opponents swift jab. It caught the children of Apollo and Aphrodite unawares in the amphitheater, spiriting away their well rehearsed lines before they could ever hope to grace their mismatched audience. Through the strawberry fields it trolled, rocking the berry to and fro like newborns, care to not disturb them, for even the wind knew better than to anger a god's crops . Still, it ruffled the shirts of a few children of the land, tossing their hair into their mouths or pulling a vine just out of reach as they groped for their quay. It was a playful wind, mischievous but innocent in the way young kids are when they play pranks upon one another in those moments of boredom that is a staple of adolescence in summer. It would seem Eurus was in high spirits this afternoon.

Not even the river Zephryos was spared from the playful banter the breeze silently sang about in the ruffles of the North Wood's ancient inhabitants. Perhaps the likening of the river's name to it's fated rival is what drove such behavior. For it danced about on the surface, a network of ripples and waves sprouting forth from the lackadaisically slow creek. The normally reserved river had been whipped into a frenzy by the sudden wind, as had the forest around it. Birds sailed forth in daring maneuvers better suited for fighters locked in combat as they soared through gaps in the trees and skimmed their bellies along the surface of the creek leaving trails of water in their literal wakes. Rabbits and squirrels and all manner of creature that calls the forest floor their home were out in spades, each feeling the wind pet their fur with careful fingers, a most wonderful feeling for any woodland bound creature. High above them, though not as much as their avian counterparts, the trees swayed to the invisible beat lingering on the wind as their mighty bodies split the breeze between them into many tangents desperately attempting to repair their fringes as they met and departed irregularly in the forest.

From the weaving grew a multitude of scents hanging on the winds like busy pedestrians in a city, rushing too and fro, from the subtle hint of wild hydrangeas to that of geraniums, no doubt from some child of Demeter. They mixed and mingled like socialites with the other smells of the earth. The ground still damp from the past days rain rose to meet that of salty taste of the ocean foam just visible from the edge of the woods. They twisted and turned into a single aroma that spoke unequivocally of summer.

No part of the Northern Woods was spared from the invasion of the Eurus' breath. Not even a small cove lingering to the edge of the river, not far from where it would trickle and shrug off it's proud winding trek through the woods and becomes indistinguishable from the terrain around as it splinters off into smaller streams that gradual disappear as well. And what a curious little out-cove it was indeed. It was libel to be the only of its kind, simple and circular in origin no more than twelve feet across at its most and less than a fourth of that deep. Zephyros was far from a raging river, after all. The shape was far too clean to have been simply made by a the course of nature, but still imperfect enough that it was no created by design. There was a story there, of that there was no doubt. But that was neither here nor there.

The cover was altogether peaceful, flanked on near all sides by a great guard of weeping willows playing sentinel. Their great drapes of pale purple floors shielding the little outcropping from any unwanted interlopers. It was, in effect sealed off from the remainder of the forest, even as they swayed like the exotic dancers they were to the wind's playful beat. Much to the jealous of their other arboreal neighbors. The water in the basin made by the trees was no different, being of a rich and deep green like emeralds, yet all the same so clear one could easily make out the individual rockers and imperfections that marred it's bottom. It was something fantastical in origin, like the spot the fair folk might gather for their summer festivals, dancing and singing to their hearts desire upon the glass like surface of the cove. There they could take refuge in knowing their rituals were guarded, and in truth, they could not have picked a better spot.

After all, the cover was no one so easily reached. From the south-eastern bound Zephryos Creek, there was a single entrance, but it sat opposite the flow of the creek and even for it's lack of depth the current was strong the algae covered stones that lined it's belly a terrain most troublesome to traverse. The mouth of the cove also sat in a spot of weeds and deep loose soil where a man could easily sink to his knee should he not mind his step and boots were easy prey. If that wasn't enough, the greet curtains of the willow tree guard cloaked the small entrance quite well, which in of itself was no more than a person and a half wide, barely big enough to allow a canoe safe entry. In truth, there was but a single person in all of the camp whom may have had a shot an taking such an entrance. Even so it was still not a place one would simple stumble upon. It was far removed from the path well worn by generations of campers which lead from the cabins to the woods and was walked weekly for the tradition of capture of flag. And though off the beaten path it laid behind a tangled mess of pine and oak and hawthorn trees which may discourage even a child of Demeter for the announce it may offer to navigate, never-mind the cuts and scarps that awaited any who did not have the protection from plants they were so blessed with.

Yet, one must understand the forest is alive. Most mortals only ever saw the hares and deer and songbirds shift about the trees and bushes, but to those who knew there were far more. The wind carried many things upon it, but none was more important than the whispers of the forests; the chatter of the Dryads who called the many trees home. It was how they spoke to one another and shared their gossip, for what else would the trees talk about. When one lives so long that years can be measures like minutes, the matters of the world hardly matter. However, a Dryad can only venture so far from their arboreal home, for their essence is still bound there for their immeasurably long lives. Therefore they rely on the bounty of the winds to carry their words to friends and familiar far removed. But the winds are as fickle as the gods who embody them and they cannot always be relied upon to blow the direction one may wish.

Therefore, should one offer to carry the messages and errands for the beautiful nymphs of the forest, to trim their leaves and prune their flowers when they grew too wild and free, even for a nature spirit, it would only make sense a reward was due. And of course, what harm could be a demigod who had taken time to speak with them on a basis. Thus, a request so simple as a 'peaceful spot' was hardly a difficult prize to award. Such was the circumstance that brought Alec to the small cove. Arguably the most hidden spot in all of the camp.

Laying upon his back, feeling the softness of the new spring grass blanketing his back he stared up towards the heavens. He had traded out his grand and powerful look of armor and cloak for a simple purple shirt hanging loosely from his frame and a light flannel of blues and greens unbuttoned from chest to groin. Gone were boots and pants and instead simple sandals and a pair of loose shorts just falling below his knees. The spear and shield had been retired for rod of cork and steel fitting with a length of cord. Upon his crown rested a purple cap stenciled with four familiar letters on brilliant gold.

The rod lay to his side, firmly planted in the earth, line taught as it lingered in the cove's undisturbed surface. On occasion the line would strain and the steel would whine ever so slightly. With a practiced movement, slow and deliberate, Alec would rise and make his way over to the rod. Gently he'd lift it to his hands, as if fearful it would break from a simple touch and give a good tug back on the line. Sometimes the fish fought back and pulled, other times it submitted and the line drew closer. It didn't matter much to Alec, and only effected how fast he pulled upon the reel to bring in his quarry. He'd then set upon the often laborious processes of removing the hook from the maws of the fish. Sometimes, with the bass and the trout it was easy, and other times no so much when the uncommon Gar wandered in and a few more nicks and cuts would litter his fingers. Then once removed, with a soft and shallow toss he'd send them back out to the cove and prep his line once more.

For a while the routine would go on, unchanging as minutes stretched into an hour or more, the blanket of the willows made it hard to judge time. Every so often a Dryad would stop by and the two would chat about the weather or flowers or a pesky camper who had nicked them during the last capture the flag game. Most of which Alec had little care or insight towards, but he humored them nonetheless for a hosts kindness should be repaid in kind. Rarer so was the curious Naiad who would crawl up the shallows of the cove, just deep enough to sit, for the shore drooped off a good three feet straight from the edge, and watch the young legacy as he fished or slept or did much of anything. They were beautiful creatures, more so than the Dryads, though he would never admit such to them. But he was no fool and stayed his distance, smiling and waving as they would to him before they disappeared into the bulk of the creek and disappear.

Though, mostly he was left alone with himself and the sound and sights and smells of the forest around him which were overpoweringly peaceful. Often times he would just sleep on the edge of the bank trusting well the spirits of the forest wouldn't disturb but. More often than naught, however, he feel into that dreadful habit that all men have when left alone and began to think. His mind wandered to a great many things, but all were off the past. It's seldom a man thinks towards the future when idle and lazy and peaceful. Only in the heat of work or time of property does he think of what the future may hold. All too often it falls to the past. And as the first clouds of the day galloped across the open blue sky like hell-bound steeds and the wind whispered the threat of rain his mind fell to a particular memory.

Vividly he could recall the feeling on that particular day. How the terrible burden of the California sun had been lifted from his brow and the damp coolness that radiated down from his shoulder and along the length of his arm. He could remember well the lightness his body seemed to have and how his head rocked gentle side to side as the world around him swam and dulled out like a camera's filter had been placed over his vision. The groggy calls of distress were lost on his ears as a faint ringing persisted and rained on him from every angle. What was once sun hardened brick and mortar, warm to the touch after bathing in the sun had become cold and soft like a bed after a long days work. The taste of rabbit stew and fresh baked lemon squares made themselves known as something was forced down his throat against his will. But he didn't complain. He was too focused on a small vaguely human form to his left. Even through the haze he could see the soft dusting on red on her cheeks, near pinkish like not quite ripe yet strawberry. It contrasted greatly with in dark sleeve on his arm like a finely aged red wine; dark to the point of brooding but rich in hue like a royal tapestry. He might've laughed if his lungs didn't feel like he was breathing smoke rather than air. A dry, painful and guttural chuckle was all he got out. Must've sounded like a groan or a cough if the warped, high pitched noises fighting to overpower the distant ringing were any indication.

Next thing he could remember was the feeling of near weightlessness and what was distinctly the flap of wings. There was no other way to describe the sound and the jostling he felt. He would've looked to his side for confirmation but soon found his head and been strapped down to prevent movement. The best he could manage was to cast his eyes to the side of their sockets. What greeted him was an endless see of grey and white, a color not altogether different from that of mashed potatoes. They were clouds, but they weren't fluffy or rounded like how he had imagined once upon a time. Of course he knew that wasn't true even before than, but he had never seen them up close. He hadn't known before than how the looked after all. It was like an old wool blanket; far from smooth, with crinkles and distortions and little tufts that poked up irregularly across it's surface. There was a mundane beauty to it. Easily he could recall those who he knew, not quite friends but not quite strangers, who had dreamed of entering the Pegasus Corps. How they studied and trained and hoped for it even in their sleep. No doubt they'd be jealous he got the chance to fly on one and see the world above the clouds. Perhaps it was their sudden drop in altitude and the effects of Ambrosia wearing off, but something dropped in the pit of his stomach.

Following that he remembered waking up in a hospital bed in a room with bright pale lights and sterile decor. Even through the sedatives and nectar he felt the slap of his Centurion and the drowsiness that did little to shield his eyes from her shouting, though he lacked any remembrance of her words. Still, he watched the doctors drag her off, raving mad and the threats of an article she took with gusto. Soon after came the spray of water, a flash of gold and then a brilliant rainbow. He recalled the conversation with his father. How his mother was absent and the proud look in his father's eyes. The flourish of color and flowery words he spouted from his mouth. Key phrases like honor, valor, and bravery danced about his head like stars in those old cartoons. He watched his father hark back to the stories he once told in his childhood, the smile on his face, the pride in his words. He remembered well the praises he was showered with. Greater than when he had slew his first buck. More robust than his first 'A+' on a test. He saw the smile his father flashed, the brightest he had ever seen in his life, more so than when he said the man was his hero. The man asked him to see a photo of him when he had his probatio plate removed and his award given. Then the message ended, Alec having not spoke a single word.

He recalled he was only thirteen at the time.

His musing was broke by the sudden and familiar whine of steel and twang of cord.

Once more he rose from his nest upon the shore, far more lethargic than he was before and made his way to the rod. Like before he picked it up with a simple tug and finding it lacking, made haste to reel in his latest opponent. It was a small fish, no larger than perhaps eight inches. Far from a keeper by legal standards or otherwise, but he wasn't in the business of keeping regardless. There was little reason when food was quite literally magically prepared for every meal. He also lacked the means to clean or prepare the fish, never mind troubling the locals for tinder. There was a limit to what one could request from a host, and having bunked with a child of travelers he felt he could get a pretty good understanding of that threshold.

The fish in question was quite stunning all things considered. It was a rainbow trout, but it's color was far richer than any he had previously encountered. A full sunset seemed to rise up from the stomach and slowly fade out to blue towards the spine of the fish. It was much like the very sunrise he had witness early in the day. There was little doubt in his mind it was a fish even Iris herself might have approved of, as presumptuous as it was for him to assume such.

Problems however, soon arose. The fish was determined, for some reason Alec could not fathom, to swallow the hook and bait whole and it had succeeded on a level far above any other fish he had wrangled that day. The hook, a single one and not a treble, had slipped through the bottom lip and pulled the line down through the hole as it attempted to swallowed. As a result and in no small part due to the fact he was reeling the line in, the hook had wrapped and tangled itself among the trouts gills, leveling a nasty cut along the inside of the throat or mouth or whatever passed for that part of the fish. He was far from a biologist. Thus he fought to careful unravel the hook and it's line, all while the fish thrashed wildly about. It only added to the troubles. He had come out here leisurely and no intending to make a day of it, and therefore only had a few spare hooks with him in any form of equipment, his Gladius far to unwieldy and large to be of use lest he cut the fish itself, even if the Imperial Gold might've simply ignored the fish.

It was a tough fought battle, but in the end, the thrashing of the tail had tied from a fervent rage to slow, lethargic flashes and eventually left the fish slack. Alec could only stare down at it, a slight frown twisting his lips. A normal angler might've simple cut his losses and dice the fish up to be used as bait for a larger catch, yet, he was only there for sport and had no intention of bringing any home. He could cook the tiny beast, but that would require a walk back to the camp proper and he wasn't ready to call it a day just yet. Thus he elected to simply bury the fish near the base of one of the many willows that had been providing shade from the summer sun. They'd get more out of it than him no doubt. He thought, for a moment, about offering a prayer to Neptune, but at that moment a pair of eyes; beautiful and green like the deepest reaches of the sea just after a storm flooded into his mind. He decided against, and instead returned simply to fishing.

He only paused as a sudden sneeze caught him unawares. Strange, considering the rather warm June afternoon.

---

Ila Gallo, Unclaimed Demigod
Camp Half Blood Proper, The Big House

---

One of the folding up beach chairs that sat in the porch of the Big House was where Ila had decided to stop and rest. Her face was deceptively neutral, with a slightly crinkled brow on her relatively serene face. The wind danced around her as it rolled through the body, gently swaying her long locks of amber color hair, as if a butch weight a fine cut of meat by hand. The tuffels on the edge of her shawl danced a merry tune as they felt the cool embrace of the summers day wind. Her eclectic eyes laid shut, but it was not murky darkness that greeted her.

Rather it was the familiar scene that had haunted her in her dreams for days. The fact that it was now appearing in a momentary lapse of vision, that of a simple nap, should've been a startling thing to witness, but her mind remained fixed elsewhere. Instead she focused on the scene before her and how it had changed.

Much was still the same; the sky and sea were blanketed in a grey wash devoid of any semblance of vibrancy in the palate of colors chosen for such a piece. Still the wind whipped at her like a raging beast attempting to rip her to shreds whilst some heavenly creatures battled in the skies, their thundering roars reach across the land. In the far distance three tall pillars of wood draped in pure white cloth scraped against the surface of the heavens, but a moment away from ripping them asunder though never quite reaching. However, where she stood had now changed. No longer did she stand on the beach, the waves mere feet away from crashing and dragging her out to a watery death. She was further inland, the mighty pines and oaks blocking much of the view of the sea from her, though those three mast still rose up towards heaven.

However, her attention was pulled fast to the west, where the sky was a menacing dark like coals fresh from a fire. Here the clouds were not the dull lifeless gray that threatened to disappear and mix with the tumbling sea below, nor were their packed so close to one another like a stack or cards. No, these clouds were might and grand and carried with them a promise of lightning and thunder and torrential rain that could very well flood the earth itself should they feel justified in such. And for the edges of this great darkness rode a figure accompanied by the sound of a procession of cavalry passing by.

Gradually the figure approached, riding a fine carriage, not unlike the ones she had seen many times on trips to Times Square with her father, and pulled by a stunning mare with a coat dark as a moonless night. The dark beast snorted and paced upon the ground as the cariage drew up beside her and the driver and his passenger came to light.

The driver was an older man, perhaps in thirties or older. It was difficult to tell in the darkened skies of the storm filled evening. Or at least it felt as though it was evening, for the sun was absent as was the moon. The man's attire did little to help, for he wore but a heavy brown coat, worth thin by the elements and reduced to a subtle light chestnut, not unlike driftwood. Once it had likely been a fine rich and earthy color, but time had a way of wearing things down that way. On his head was a stove top hat, black like his mare and gleaming by the occasional flash of lighting from the storm which rolled by their heels. It was in that classical style children would associate with a certain president. Below the stiff brim rest a set of equally firm features with a brow and nose protruding out strongly from deep sunken eyes and a clean cut jaw line. Lines of worry and weather spread his face and though his eyes could not be made out properly, there was a deep profound fire and determination within them that gave her a start when she noticed them falling upon her.

To his left rested the small form of his passenger. In stack contrast her dress was simple and lacked the flourishes of the coat and undershirt and primness of the driver. It was a gown, simple and long, falling from her shoulders all the way down to her feet where a simple pair of worn leather boot sat. Not an inch of her was visible save her head and the pair of small dainty hands which rested folded in her lap. The gown itself was simple and white with frills and lace adorning the edges. It resembled, more than anything, a sleeping gown; something most ill-fitted for riding out in such weather. The features of the young girl were round and smooth, lacking in any definition. She couldn't have been older than perhaps ten.

"Miss," said the man with a voice implacable but a countenance of gentlemanly manner, "It seems I have lost my way; could you be so kind as to relate where I am? I must reach Boston by tonight."

"Boston?" Ila asked in a shrill voice, confusion striking like an arrow.

"Why yes! The crown jewel of New England." He spoke about it as if a farmer presenting his prized crop, "Have you never been? Should you be heading that way you are more than welcome; Jenny move aside to make some room for the young lady. But first you must relate where we are, for I recognize not this stretch of road. Where it King's Highway from here?"

Something about the request forced a shiver down her spine. "Sir, that won't be necessary" she began, "I have...friends about I'd worry them to go off now. As for where we are, I believe it's Long Island. At least that's where I live."

"Bah, for what reason do you seek to deceive me?" he croaked, "I can not be on the Island for a I took no ferry."

"A ferry? I can assure you, sir, we're in Long Island!" Something about it felt right.

"Hmph, I see for what you are now; not but a winsome elf seeking to prevent me from reaching home! I won't stand for it. Good night to you, miss, for I must be off. The gods have no love for dastards" a crack of thunder rang out at his words, "who would deceive simple travelers." And with that rode off at great haste, far too strongly for any normal horse, and disappeared over a dale the storm still clinging to his stirrups.

---

From her short rest, she found herself waking to an all too familiar sound of hooves upon an earthen path. However, these weren't as swift as the winds of Eurus and had no rush to their step. As her eyes fluttered upon she caught sight of the dusty old centaur strolling up the pathway to the Big House, bow slung around his back and his quiver lacking the number of arrows it should've normally carried. It was no surprise he would end up at the battle, such was simply in his nature. He looked no worse for the ware, but considering the whispers of passing campers spoke of a pack of hellhounds it was doubtful he would've expanding much energy dealing with them. On approach their eyes met for the briefest of seconds and he regarded her with a solemn nod that was reserved for the vast majority of campers while a light smile fell upon his lips.

It made sense, as the two didn't really interact. She was new to camp after all and far from a prodigal son nor a star pupil. They had talked once when she first arrived and since then only on a needed basis. Never had she sought him out, not for advice nor company, and he had refrained from seeking either in her. There was no animosity between the two but at the archery ranges and camp dinners, when their eyes would cross for the briefest of moments she could see a deeply buried sadness poke out from those ancient eyes of his. It was curious, but she had her inklings and out of respect didn't press. That wasn't to say she disliked his company in those rare moments, but there was a sense of nothingness that permeated from him in an unsettling manner she couldn't quite describe. She imagined it might've been how Emilia felt about her when the two first met. But her interest didn't lie in the old horse anyhow.

Instead she was focused on the two much more humanoid figures trailing behind him. The taller of the two was an older boy she had a vague recollection of. He was decently tall with a slim but athletic build. An orange camp tee shirt hung close to his body and a leather shoulder guard sat on his left securing a nearly empty quiver in place. A mop of mostly straight but still quite messy fell upon his head, swept over to one side and still damp with sweat from the previous battle. Kind features sat on his still somewhat childish face, despite being three years her senior and a pair of sharp and intelligent grey eyes scanned the area in front of him, only passing by her for a moment. The boy was much more focused on his other companion and Chiron, the three making idle talk.

Truthfully, she knew little of the guy. She wasn't necessarily disliked in camp, and there was quite often discussions among Demeter, Apollo and Aphrodite about who she rightfully belonged with, but they were far a few between. However, the number of people she interacted with regularly was something countable on only a single hand. Granted, she had been at camp barely two weeks, but even so, with hundreds of children of all stations and dispositions running amok you'd be forgiven for assuming a higher number. Not that she minded all too much. Interactions with the child of wisdom approaching were just as few. Only one memory really came to mind; not long after she had arrived she had caught the boy unleash a string of colorful words in french, and not expecting anyone to understand had become slightly embarrassed at Ila's giggles.

Though no fault of the ancient trainer of heroes and the senior of Athena's children, her attention was much more focused on the last of the trio. The young girl with a rich dark hair like that of freshly tilled soil and a pair of pale blue orbs for eyes was where her interest lay. There was no doubt in Ila's mind the girl was the new camper. She could tell by the look in those blue eyes. How the trepidation and determination swirled together in a deadly cocktail and her irises flew back and forth attempting to take in every sight around her. The girls hair has ruffled and matted with sweat and more than a few cuts and scraps were visible along her exposed arms. A light sprinkle of monster dust that hadn't yet been washed away cling to her face and around the fringes of her hair. Quite the battle the young one had had it seemed.

At that moment, but a few feet from the porch the two met eyes. Ila watched, careful to steel her features, as the girl blinked several times and furrowed her brows. She knew what was going on and felt reserved to simply let it run its course like always. Yet, she was pleasantly surprised when the girl gave a curt smile at her presence after her eyes gradual relaxed and left Ila's own. At once, she felt taken with the girl. There was something there, something different from the son of wisdom a hop away and the emptiness of the resident centaur. There was a familiarity there, not quite the same, but she had an inkling she might just be able to add another finger when it came to counting friends. It felt elating, yet she could not shake the feeling there was someone with a similar vibe to them--

'Sorry I'm late horse man, had to get people moving back to their activities after you left'

Ah, yes, that's where she had felt it from. The daughter of sea in everything but title. It was slightly different she could tell. This new one, Kore, as Chiron has spoke, was something of curiosity in her mind, whilst Jamie was far more cemented. To Jamie she felt drawn, not in the way of charisma or beauty, of which the surf for brains had plenty of, but something more intrinsic. It was a feeling she couldn't quite quantify. Not when they had first met and she had helped show her around some parts of the camp or on their occasional talks they had come to make a habit of in passing. There was a degree to protectiveness that she couldn't fathom the reasoning for. How she would hold her breath at the announcement of every quest; the two she had seen since arriving; or trepidation she felt when the girl returned from a game of capture the flag with a new bruise or slash across her arms or body; or how she would sigh wistfully near every Friday dinner when the girl was forced to watch some new greenhorn be claimed. It wasn't like how a person might take to a small animal, but there were lingering hints of it in there for sure, she knew. Though she would never say such, she valued their friendship too much.

As her friend approached the two briefly made eye contact and silent pleasantries were exchanged. Jamie with a slight smile and nod and Ila returning such with her own curt wave and small, wire like smile.

Seeing as the trio had entered the Big House and her status, or lack thereof, preventing her from following she elected to simply leave the porch and return to camp proper. She had, after all, seen everything she had hoped too between the new girl and her old, relatively speaking, friend. Thus she took to wandering the small path that lead back from the Big House to the remainder of camp where busy bodies had already returned to normalcy. An air of excitement, however, still lingered in the air like a light haze as both those who had seen and been part of the battle buzzed back and forth. No doubt by dinner a myriad of tales would've sprung up and it would be surprising if some plucky child of Apollo didn't take to composing an ode just to break in the new kid with embarrassment in spades. Though, she had little interest in such talks, the excitement did little to take to her.

Rather, what was far more interesting was the strong form of a young teen in purple making his way up from the path opposite her, an all to familiar sword and sheath resting in his hands. Once they were closer she called out to him.

"Oh, Optio Thomson, I'm glad to see my sword was of some use to you." She spoke with a coy smile adorning her lips. She quite enjoyed the company of the Roman Legacy. There was a safety about him that she could tell wasn't simply because of his built frame or skill in fighting. It was more base, his existence itself was reassuring in some way that alluded her. He reminded her of Jamie in some way, but the feelings they gave off couldn't be further apart. If he had come back from one of the games marred with bruises and cuts she felt as though it wouldn't pull her one way or another. Perhaps that was a bit mean of her, but the truth sometimes is brutal in such a way. Yet, as much as she might have wanted to call him a friend, it was doubtful it would be reciprocated.

With a fatalistic laced sigh he answered and Ila covered the giggle escaping her mouth with her hand. "I'm not your superior, you have no reason to use my title or last name. Please, the more I hear that title the more faster I die on the inside." For a brief moment his subdued eyes of hazel met her own and a scowl crossed his features before he looked away. It took a substantial amount of will not to grimace at the action.

His eyes would take any chance to look away from her own, staring at ears or hair or lips, grazing the sides of her irises like a tease never quite grasping them.

The two continued on in silence for a while, passing by scattered campers going about their business. Demeter kids walked from the tool shed to the fields, carrying everything from sickles to bags of fertilizer. A son of Apollo spoke poetry to some lingering Dryads while a Satyr stomped his foot impatiently nearby. It was Alec who broke the silence, his voice steady and neutral.

"You outta take better care of the blade," he said handing the blade in question back to waiting hands. At her look of confusion he continued. "The edge was dulled; it had trouble cutting the hell-hounds. That thing might save your life one day, best to take good care of it." She didn't miss the disgust in his voice at calling it a 'thing' but ignored it for now.

"Apologies for that, Alec" She said sincerely. Silence reined once more as they passed by the massive gathering of cabins, all arranged in a rigid pattern but so different from one another it wouldn't be wrong to call it a modern art piece. Speaking of which they too passed the arts and crafts area and then ventured further north till the dinning pavilion came into view. It seemed as though this would be the point of splitting, Ila's own activities taking her western bound while Alec would no doubt head further north to the Roman Garrison. There was no sadness in her heart at the parting, if anything it meant boredom would once again find her. As she turned to offer her regards to Alec's back as he walked away, as was common with her interactions with the Optio, he surprised her, instead taking time to stare down at her eyes.

She could tell even through the cold edge to his eyes and rigid features that he was suppressing a frown, but she gave him credit for making the effort. It was a powerful look and a trace of a blush tried to crawl up her cheeks but she managed to school it along with her look of surprise.

"You been getting used to it here?" He asked, his face contorting slightly as he tried to pick the right expression to make at that time. She couldn't help herself from giggling uncontrollably at the moment. He seemed confused by such, his brow furrowing as her own relaxed and eclectic eyes going soft as she brought a smile up from her lips to eyes.

'He really is too nice' she thought with a warm, internal smile.

"Yes, I've been doing fine," Her voice was light and airy like a summer's night, "Jamie and Emilia...eccentricities aide, have made for wonderful friends. If anything they keep things interesting here. And the Hermes cabin isn't so bad, they've stopped trying to steal my stuff once they realized I sleep with a sword." There was something of a mischievous grin there for half a breath. "The Aphrodite and Apollo kids won't stop asking me to be part of the camp musical they have planned, but their counselors are thankfully more sane than many of their members." She laughed lightly at the end and didn't miss Alec's own expression go soft.

"Good. That's good." Alec said. His eyes were no longer looking at her own. Nonetheless, she swore she saw a smile cross his lips for a phantom of a second before he turned north and began to walk away towards the bustling Roman Garrison.

'Truly too nice' and for some reason she couldn't place a subtle melancholy settled over her as she walked away calling a simple tune of hums and whistle stops speaking of woodland romps.

[Pragia]

Alyssa Thorton, Daughter of Demeter

Cabin Four was overgrown again, and Alyssa was not feeling very happy with her siblings. Of course, being on the older side of campers in the cabin on top of being a year-rounder, it was her responsibility to get her siblings to help her. Despite recent combat injury, she was far too interested in busying herself with whatever she could to take a rest in one of the four bunkrooms. It was not for lack of trying, of course, she was playing Led Zeppelin from a speaker and trying her hand at weaving for her next project for capture the flag. It was not something she was the best at, she was no daughter of Athena, nor did she have experience in it at home or at camp really.

It was only after her trellis-walls began to sprout out into her room and reach for the glass ceiling that she became distracted from her work. The summer campers were obviously getting a bit too excited. It was harmless enough, the girl identifying Cypress Vine, its beautiful red flowers a dead giveaway. She would get up from her bed, putting her vambrace to her side. Her roommates were not around, Roy taking over for her out in the field for the next couple hours and her younger two roommates Heather and Zachary still out at orientation. She promised she would be back by lunch time, but this was something that needed to be addressed. She didn’t want Marco having to come back here from the fields to deal with the new campers, even if it was his job.

Coming down the hall, she would see the open doors, most of the campers either not in their rooms or open to visiting in the late-morning hours. The smell of fruit, flowers, and baking bread provided pleasant ambiance to the place Allie called home. It was a pleasant place, all things considered, though certainly livelier in multiple ways with the arrival of more of her half-siblings. As she stepped down the circular staircase to the lower floor, she relaxed somewhat as the feel of grass tickled her feet comfortably, muting her growing sense of irritation only slightly as it seemed like the grass was getting a bit long as well. Even as she felt this, she could feel the cool blades shrink beneath her footsteps and around her, her presence taming the plants around her.

It was when she reached the smaller second green room that she found the source of the problem. Two of her siblings were working on the berry bushes in the corner of the room, both obviously in deep focus. It was a second-year camper Francesca and a new camper she didn’t meet yet. She realized that this was not the proper place to vent her frustration with the harvest or her injury. “Hey, guys?” she would say a little louder than a whisper. This was enough to get her head to turn away and the visitor turn towards her.

“Oh, hey Allie—” her half-sister said as she realized what was happening. “Oh no! Sorry sorry sorry!” she would say as she rushes to the overgrown vines that were crawling up the walls of the cabin. Allie would take a soft breath and say “Don’t worry, didn’t cause any trouble, was just checking in, this one was getting up to the room upstairs.” She would say, drawing her blade and slicing it across the base of the vine near the doorway, pulling the greenery down through the crisscrossed trellis it snaked up through.

“I’ll get cleaning the place, don’t worry!” Francesca said, knowing just how to keep her older sister placated. Allie knew she was good for it, even if it might take her a few days to get to it.

“Relax, you’re fine… who’s your friend?” she would ask. The boy with her must have been maybe nine or ten, and was shy enough to not really to be responding. He had a daffodil in his hand, and had a look of feeling like he was in trouble… was she really that strict to her younger siblings? Stress must have been getting to her more recently.

“Oh, this is Patrick, he’s a Hermes camper, new here. I was just showing him the cabin and stuff. I went to school with him this year.” The younger camper said, Allie nodded “Nice to meet you Patrick, welcome to Cabin Four.” She would offer. He would offer a small smile and repeat back “Nice to meet you. It’s really nice here.” He had a bit of a gap between his front teeth, but he seemed like a nice enough kid. She could only hope his siblings didn’t rub off on him too much.

“I had made some brownies yesterday; they should still be in the kitchen. Feel free to help yourself and take some back to Cabin Eleven, can even say you snuck in and took them if you like.” She would offer him, which would elicit a fuller smile and a soft “Thanks, do you want to see my cabin Fran?” Allie had a soft spot for new arrivals, and she knew that bringing back sweets from Demeter was a good way to get popular as a new camper. She didn’t know that Francesca went by Fran at school, question to ask her half-sister later.

Allie would let the pair leave alright, the older sibling taking her time to begin doing some of the pruning needed in the greenhouse to at least make it easily navigable and usable for when her other siblings came back in for the night. She’d let Marco know what happened later, and suggest maybe requiring the door to be closed when people were in the green rooms, if only to prevent other things from escaping there.

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Kore Russo

As she watched Chiron gallop off, Kore cocked her head to the side and asked nonchalantly "Is he a god too?" This seemed to bring great amusement to Alex who let out a great guffaw.

The older boy turned to watch the centaur gallop off as well and said "Well, he is in a way. But not like our parents. He was made immortal so that folks like us will always have someone to show us the way. Increase our survival odds."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"You made it to camp, that's already half the battle won. C'mon I'll show you around. I promise you'll see something you like."

Kore nodded and rose from her seat. Whatever the centaur had given her had done the trick, her side had completely healed. Maybe there was more truth to what they were saying than she gave them credit for. She turned to Lander, who had been quiet since they arrived, and asked "Are you going to be coming with us?"

The Satyr shook his head, and Kore thought she could see a little bit of sadness in his deep green eyes. He put his hand on her shoulder and said in a calm voice "I have to go talk to my bosses about this mess. You go enjoy the tour, I'll try to catch up with you later this week ok?"

The Satyr then turned and plotted off in the same direction Chiron had travelled in. Alex nodded and said "Lander's a good satyr. He's just got one of the biggest streaks of bad luck this side of the planet. I'm sure you two will get the chance to catch up."

Kore raised an eyebrow and asked "Bad luck?"

"I'm sure he'll explain it to you when he wants to. Regardless, he's a good friend to have, as are all Satyrs. C'mon, we have a lot to see and you'll want to get set up sooner rather than later." He gestured for Kore to follow him as he began to walk around the porch. Kore did so and was greeted by a sight that made her jaw drop. A large valley opened up on the other side of the house, filled with buildings and other structures. Large temple like buildings filled the center of the area, stretching out in a large U shape. Twelve of them filled the center and were quite a bit larger and more grand than some of the ones that seemed to flare off from the tips of the U. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a small voice corrected her and she realized it wasn't shaped like a U, but an Omega. Whatever the heck that was was another question. Kore looked to her right to see a large climbing wall. She was about to comment on it when the top exploded, sending lava cascading downwards towards a set of campers who were about halfway up it. As they dodged the lava, a cadre of winged horses flew past them, riders whooping and cheering on the climbers.

On the other side of the camp, a large arena was filled with people training with swords and spears. A large woodland, reminding her more of the forests of Maine than Long Island, grew in the direction Chiron and Lander had walked off towards. On the other side of camp, a large lake was surrounded by a variety of pavilions, filled with campers engaged with all sorts of activities. Beyond all of it, the ocean stretched out to the horizon, it's waves shimmering in the current morning sun. Everytime Kore's eyes stopped on another sight, she saw something that amazed her even more than the last. Alex let out another laugh and said "Yeah, most people have that reaction. Welcome to Camp Halfblood."

Kore picked her jaw off the ground and followed Alex around the rest of the porch to a set of stairs that lead down into the valley. She swallowed hard and asked "Were those horses really flying?"

"Oh yes. And don't let them hear you calling them horses. Pegasi are proud at best, and down right arrogant the rest of the time. They'll give you a good kick for that."

"Pegasi..."

"Sorry if any of the ancient greek is a little much. You forget how few people actually learn a lot of myths before they come to camp."

"So, is this like a summer only camp?" Kore asked trying to sound confident. In truth she was downright scared to leave this place if it meant she had to fight those terrible dogs again, or be homeless after these people were offering her a place to stay.

Alex shook his head and said "Sorry, hard to keep track of what you know. No, you can stay here year round, I'd expect you to given where it sounds like you're coming from. This place is meant to be a safe haven for demigods, no matter the time of year. It used to be that some kids would go to boarding school during the school year, but we have teachers on site now that do that job apparently. I'm summer only so I'm not too familiar how it works."

Kore let out a sigh. She looked around again and thought about living here. This, she could get used to, especially compared to her previous situation under a bridge in Portland. She looked at the large set of temple like buildings in the center of it all and asked "Are those temples? Do I have to start worshipping Zeus and whoever?" Somewhere off in the distance, thunder rumbled.

Alex brought his finger up to his lips and gave her a little shush noise, before laughing and saying "Be a little more respectful when talking about the gods. They get angry quickly, especially Lord Zeus. And no, not like christians worship anyways. We offer sacrifice to them at dinner and pray when we want something or need guidance, but it's generally pretty informal on our end. The Romans are a fair bit more uptight about it."

"The Romans?"

"The folks in purple shirts who you saw up on the hill. A lot of this stuff will be explained in your myths class so don't worry too hard about it right now, but the gods have... two forms is the easiest way to put it. Greek and Roman. The kids they have in their different forms act differently. The Roman kids are a fair bit more rigid and organized than us Greeks."

Kore looked around and asked "How do you know I'm not Roman?"

Alex shook his head and said "They... have a different way of getting to their camp. It's on the other side of the country. When you get to know one of them better ask them."

Kore knew not to dig deeper on this subject. It seemed like it bothered Alex. She pointed to the buildings again and asked "So... if they aren't temples, what are they used for?"

Alex gestured around himself, as they were now approaching the bend in the omega that the buildings formed, and said "These are the Cabins. Well, Cabin is a nice way of putting it. They're where we live while we're at camp." Kore looked around at the Cabins. Each one had a different design that made it stand out. While the two that made up the bottom of the omega were shaped like temples, which had lead to her initial confusion, each cabin seemed to have it's own style, from more traditional camp cabins, to a greenhouse, to what appeared to be a bright red military bunker.

Kore pointed at the bunker like one and said "Can I stay in that one?"

Alex followed her finger and burst out laughing. The older boy took a few seconds to compose himself and said "Y'know, you might be the first noobie who ever asked to stay in that one. Sorry for laughing. No, you don't get to choose where you stay. It depends on your parent."

"The one that's a god?"

"Correct. Each cabin corresponds to a different one, and every person who lives in it is siblings with their cabinmates. Well, besides Hermes, that's where the unknown folks like yourself stay until we figure out who your dad/mom is."

"And how does that happen."

A look something like concern, but also sadness spread across Alex's face. He shook his head and said "It's... complicated. A lot of the time, kids get claimed. That's when your dad or mom sends a sign or symbol to tell everyone that you're theirs. A lot of the time it looks like a holograph of their symbol floating over your head, but it can get weird with some gods. There used to be a deal that every kids would get claimed once they got somewhere between twelve and thirteen, but the gods are inconsistent at best, and it doesn't always happen anymore. There's a couple dozen excuses Chiron gives but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. Typically when that doesn't happen the kid has some form of talent or power that makes it obvious. Jamie who you met up on the hill is a good example of that."

"Were you claimed?"

"Yep. My mom Athena is typically one of the one's who holds up the deal. Apollo is another."

"Will I be claimed?"

Alex shook his head as he took a seat around a big campfire, and patted it to tell Kore to join him. She did and once she was sitting, Alex said "Look Kore, you look like you've been through a lot, and you seem pretty with it as far as kids go. So I'm going to give it to you straight. Is that ok?" Kore nodded her approval. Alex nodded back and said "Frankly I have no idea. There's not a lot of rhyme or reason to it. You might be claimed at dinner tonight, but I wouldn't count on it. Other than that, a lot of the time they like to do it when you finish your first quest. For some of them it proves that you can handle your full power, which you get when your claimed. For others they seem to think it's a nice reward. Either way, it may happen, it may not. I wouldn't put too much stock into it either way. You're one hell of a fighter for making it here, so who cares if your dad notices you right now anyways."

Kore nodded, clearly thinking deeply over her possibilities. Alex gave her a pat on the back and stared at the fire for a while. He shook his head before saying "It's just part of the life. Not always glamorous, but it's ours. C'mon, I'll show you the arena. I think that'll cheer you up a bit." The pair stood up off the bench, and walked over to the Arena, Kore once again asking questions as they went.

---

A few hours later, the pair approached a large brown cabin that stood at the top of one of the Omega's prongs. It was the most normal looking cabin Kore had seen of the bunch. A symbol Kore had seen on ambulances sat on the door, with a large number eleven hanging above it. Alex gave her one more pat of the back, saying "You sure you don't want me to come in? Weston knows you're coming but you might have trouble finding him in there. Hermes Cabin is a madhouse on a good day."

Kore nodded and said "Thanks but... I've been in shelters before. You gotta assert yourself."

Alex looked worried and said "If you say so. Remember, you need anything, come to Cabin 6 and ask for me. Camp can be a lot for new kids, I really hate seeing you guys get hurt."

Kore giggled a bit and said "Alex you sound like an adult. I'll be fine." With that, she turned and climbed up the steps, and opened the door. A cacophany of noise erupted within the cabin. A large common room filled with activity greeted Kore as she stepped inside. The space was filled with campers doing almost every kind of recreational activity. One corner had a group of kids playing a game with cards and figurines. Another had a pair looking over what appeared to be blue prints, though they were trying to hide what they were doing. Another group was watching a movie on a large tv. A few bunks seemed to be haphazardly placed into the room where they fit, each an every one of them clearly occupied. Kore looked around for anyone fitting the description that Alex gave her, but saw no one resembling the boy Weston she was supposed to look for. Walking over to an older girl, Kore tapper her shoulder and asked a little gruffly "Hey, I'm trying to find Weston?"

The girl's face lit up a bit and she said "Oh, you must be the new kid. Yeah Weston's waiting for yah, room at the end of the hall on the left. My names Nora, I'm a little bit like the second in command around here, so you do what I say. Or don't, we don't really care in here Cabin 11. Do watch your pockets though." Kore nodded at the advice, which she normally followed in a space like this anyways. She picked her way through the common room, being especially careful of a couple of jars of glowing green liquid that seemed rather haphazardly placed on a low table in the middle of the chaos, and made her way down the hall. She passed several open rooms, showing twin bed rooms, each decorated, and much less chaotic than the common room. At the last door on the left, Kore turned, and opened it up to reveal an undecorated room, and two boys talking with each other.

One of them, currently sat on one of the beds, had a wide smile, and stopped the conversation to welcome Kore inside. "Hey, you must be Kore. Sorry, was getting things set up in here for you." The other boy was tall, but a bit lanky. Dark hair fell in an unkempt but handsome style around his head, framing his powerful but still boyish features and storm grey eyes. He wore a dark leather jacket that looked cool despite it being way too warm for such attire, over an orange camp shirt he had painted a skull crossed with thunderbolts over. His left ear held a pair of piercings, and he had a casual smile that seemed to light up the room. Kore felt her face go red making eye contact with him and quickly looked away back towards the boy that must be Weston. Weston continued to beam and asked "You like your new digs?"

Kore looked around the room, the first one she had had in quite a while, and still flustered from the other boy, said "This is all for me?"

Weston laughed and said "Yeah, if there's one thing us greeks are supposed to be known for, it's our hospitality. We here in Cabin 11 try to give our non-sibling guests spots in the actual rooms first, make things a little more comfortable while you're getting used to camp. Luckily for you a pair of twins actually got claimed this spring, so you have this room all to yourself for the moment."

The other boy laughed and said "You're lucky. I had to share a room with Weston for my first few months at camp. I swear he snores like a chainsaw."

Weston gave the boy a quick punch and said "Kore, this is Dan Carun, one of my good friends and asshole extrordinaire. I was just trying to get him on our side for Capture the Flag this week."

Dan gave Weston a punch back and said "You only needed to ask Weston. I'll win the game for you again, and again I will gracefully surrender the flag to you for defense next week."

"Well hey, maybe one day you'll have siblings so you'll actually be able to keep it."

Kore raised her eyebrow at this as Dan fakes offense and called the shot a low blow. She asked, somewhat nervously, "Who's your father."

Dan looked her up and down and said "You gotta be careful who you ask that around this cabin new girl. Fortunately, I'm not one of those. My daddie's the big man."

Kore's eyes widened "Zeus?!"

"Bingo new girl. Hey you might have some hope here catching on quick like that." Dan's watch caught the glint of the sun which attracted his attention. Muttering what Kore could only guess was a curse word in ancient greek, Dan said "Sorry Weston, I'd love to stick around once your done with street smarts here, but I promised I'd show the Ares kids how to actually use a sword. I like what you're laying out for the game though. Talk after dinner?"

Weston nodded and said "Seems like a plan. See yah Dan." The son of Zeus left the room, and Weston stood up, offering Kore the bed. He sat down on the trunk and said "As you can see, room is yours to decorate should you choose. I heard you have a fun memento so I got a hook set up for it, and heard you might need the essentials, so I had the boys break into the store and grab you some toiletries and a few outfits. If you need laundry done by the way, just toss it in the pithos, sorry, the big pot over there and it'll be done automatically. I nailed our schedule to your door, it's pretty rocking if I do say so myself. We always get to choose a pretty good block because of all the newbies."

Kore nodded, before laying back on the bed. It was softer than anything she had laid on for a good while. Weston's smile got a little less wide, but a lot more warm. He stood up and said "You probably just wanna hit the sack right now. Can't blame you for that. I'll have Nora wake yah up for dinner when the time comes. If you need anything, I'll try to get it for you. Welcome to camp cuz."

Weston left the room, shutting the door behind him. Kore was already asleep.

---

The night air blew a cool breeze across Kore's face. She welcomed it. The stupid armor they were wearing was hot as hell in early summer evening. She was leaning against a tree, spear in hand, watching for anything coming close to the small clearing that the flag of Hermes cabin was placed in. The flag was mostly a light sky blue, with a black cadeuces in the center and a black border in a typical greek design. Kore had been told specifically not to put a single foot in the clearing, or one of a number of really bad traps would ruin her evening.

Nora sat against the tree across from her, yawning. They hardly expected anyone to make it anywhere close to the flag tonight. Their team had the numbers thanks to being Hermes cabin, the strategy of Ares when it came to the actual fighting, Apollo's archers to assist with making the Hermes traps a reality as well as ambushing anyone who entered their side of the woods, and a number of Romans. Lastly, they had Dan as their ace in the hole and as the counter to Jaime, who was fighting on the side of Athena.

Kore yawned as well, wondering just how this night would play out.

[Revlona]

Night
Camp Half-Blood Forest

Darkness enveloped the forest of Camp Halfblood, the air was heavy with tension and loud with the sounds of clashing weapons. As basically a one man army, Jamie’s entire job was to counter the enemy forces own trump card. The Son of Zeus, Dan Carun.

Dan was a likeable enough guy if not for the fact that he was claimed child of the big three, if it were any other godly child Jamie could let it go, had let it go her entire life. Another of the big three claimed so early into his time at the Camp while Jamie approached her ninth year without. It hurt. She knew it was unfair to the guy but she just couldn’t bring herself to like him and had ensured distance was always between them, even through his semi-frequent attempts to broach the gap.

Now he was trying to get close in an altogether different way. With shield and spear in hand, Jamie sprinted through the dark forest, leading the Son of Zeus on a chase deeper into his own territory, away from the border. He had first spotted her as she had crossed the border, giving chase almost immediately as was his job. However there was just one thing that Jamie had on him, he was more powerful than her as a claimed child of the big three, but she had been living in this camp for eight years and knew it like the back of her hand.

Her dark black hair falling free down her back under her helm. Well worn blue jeans and a belt with a steel buckle met the ends of her orange Camp Half-Blood T Shirt which was snug under the celestial bronze breastplate. Upon her arms were a pair of bronze arm guards which lead finally to a pair of dark black leather gloves with a little extra touch to insulate better.

“Just a little bit further, yes, ok there it is. Let’s see how this goes.” She said to herself as she spotted the small stream she had been aiming for. She turned to face her pursuer just twenty yards from the stream, her sudden stop hopefully catching him off guard as her spear darted directly towards his unarmored lower body.

Dan jumped in the air as Jamie stabbed at him, easily flipping over her and landing in a position similar to a superhero on the other side of her. At the moment his sword was nowhere to be found. A cocky smile similar to Weston’s played across his lips as he looked up at her and said “Glad to see you’re ready to dance Horse Girl. Been too long since we were on opposite sides of this game.”

Jamie turned quickly on her heel, facing Dan as he landed in. Her spear and shield positioned together to give Dan no easy opening with his blade, should he actually care to use it. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to gauge the distance between him and the stream behind him, she could sense the water if not exactly see it and put it at about 15 yards behind him.

“I guess.” She said, her face and tone emotionless as she focused purely on beating him. He was a talker, always had been in their previous fights. He had won once before, but that was in a controlled environment and Jamie had put it down to a bad day of training. He had never let her hear the end of it though, even though he hadn’t bestes her since and never in these wild fights in the woods. He had been been getting closer though and at a scary rate.

She charged him then, her spear almost appearing to flicker with how fast she thrusted it towards him. He’d have to dodge or parry blows to the face, chest, and legs all in quick succession as she tried to drive him back into the stream without him noticing.

Dan backed up as Jamie continued to stab at him with her spear, ducking under or jumping over most of the strikes. A few however nicked him either against his chest armor or his armguards. Finally, his back foot pressed into a tree, and the son of Zeus used it as a springboard to leap over Jamie once again.

Landing gracefully this time, Dan rose to his feet, cracking his neck. His smirk fell from his face as he said “You’re no fun Seaweed. Alright then, let’s do this.” His left hand quickly tapped a black ring on the middle finger of his right hand. He then stuck his right hand out dramatically, and lightening flashed as a bolt struck his hand, the familiar shape of his blade Keravnos appearing in his hand. The four foot long blade resembled a cross between a spatha and something out of a fantasy novel. The hilt was made of a black metal that contrasted with the glowing celestial bronze blade. Crackles of electricity shot off the blade of the weapon as steam hissed from the summoning.

Dan quickly charged back at Jamie, executing a whirlwind of quick strikes, aimed at trying to force her shield to the ground and the spear from her hands. Anytime the blade of his sword made contact with something metal, electricity crackled and flowed between them.

“Hmmph,” Jamie grunted, glad that she remembered her insulated gloves. She had learned that trick after their first few fights, the electric blade being a favorite trick of his. The gloves didn’t stop all of the effects as some sparked painfully pass her shield and spear and onto her exposed arms. Thankfully it wasn’t enough to make her lose control of her spear and shield.

She almost had him where she wanted, only a few more yards to the stream which was now to her back. Her mind worked desperately, thinking up different ways to get him that last couple of yards.

She began to circle to his right, trying to spin him left while continuing to take his blows upon her shield and jabbing back with her spear. She was older and physically stronger than him while having better natural reflexes, but he made up for it in dozens of different ways thanks to his fathers gifts. His blade being one of them.

“Can’t do anything without daddy can you?” She said, hoping to catch him off guard with these words as she ducked below a swing towards her head and rushed him, hoping to plant her shoulder into his gut and force him back that final distance. Once he was in the water it’d be over, at least she hoped.

Dan took the hit to the gut and got pushed back, but not quite into the stream. Still, he seemed preoccupied with the insult to his honor to really think about the implications. He brought his blade up and pointed it at Jamie for a second before stabbing it into the ground and raising his fists.

He looked her in the eyes and said “If you’re so confident then, let’s settle this like greeks. Mano e Mano. Unless you’re scared to actually scuffle with a boy.”

Jamie decided to play along, he was oh so close to the stream that even if he won a scuffle he’d probably end up in the water. Plus, she had felt it even if he hadn’t, she was beginning to slow ever so slightly, her own reserves having to kick in while he had kept going without stop, the power from his father pushing him on.

“Molos you may leave,” she said, her voice still emotionless. In the blink her shield disappeared, returning to the form of a ring on her left hand. She then sunk her spear into the soft earth and raised her own hands.

She didn’t know how good of a hand to hand fighter he was and she herself wasn’t the greatest. Having no real reason to train too hard in the subject as most monsters could be dispatched shrug celestial bronze. However what she did know should be enough to throw him off balance.

She moved forward, attempting to duck under a haymaker coming from her left. She mostly succeeded as it clipped her, her head pounded furiously in pain and her eyes began to involuntarily water. Her own right hand slipped past his left and cracked him squarely in the jaw just as her body slammed into him, her momentum becoming both of theirs as they were sent sprawling towards the stream.

The water touched Jamie and it was like pure adrenaline had been injected into her veins. She felt more energized than she had ever felt before in her life, even if she had felt it a thousand times, she could never get over the feeling. She could hear, taste, smell, and see better. Her wounds began to immediately heal as they touched the water as well.

She stood quickly, turning to find Dan whom she had lost body contact with as she had sent them both sprawling. She raised both of her hands and shoved them through the air in the direction of Dan as he struggled to his feet.

The water almost seemed to grab him at her direction, a thousand unformed hands pulling him back down into the water. He struggled to break free in vain, no one could beat the surf when it had you in its grasp. Finally she had him completely, his arms and legs were trapped against his body under the water and he was immobile. Only his eyes, nose, and mouth were above water now. With a snap of her fingers the movement from the water stopped even though the pressure on him was the same, he wouldn’t escape, at least she thought.

Frustration welled up in Jamie as she bent over and rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath. It had taken what felt like a dozen different tactics and trickery to best a boy who was a year younger than her in age and six years younger in experience. It hurt her to realize just how far her own skill and hard work could bring her in the face of talent. It hurt even more because she knew she had talent but just couldn’t realize her potential, tears welled in her eyes but she quickly wiped them away and looked to the silent Son of Zeus.

“You can still breathe right?” She said, concern entering her tone as she realized he had been very silent since being beaten.

“Fuck you.”

“Good enough, be a good boy and don’t struggle or you might drown yourself. I’ll be back in a little bit when the game is over,” She said, calling her shield back to its full form and taking up her spear once more as she stepped out of the water. A smirk hit her face as she looked at Dan once more, though it was quickly wiped away by another strong wave of anger and frustration. Jamie whipped her head back and forth in an attempt to rid herself of the feelings, she then turned away from the trapped Dan and ran towards the center of the enemy territory.

[Pragia]

Alyssa Thorton, Daughter of Demeter

Alyssa was unaware of what time it was as she stalked the forest slowly. She had been working on this plan for quite some time for the previous couple months, and now she was ready to try herself. She was wearing an intricately-woven series braided vines and stems, concealing her skin entirely as she wore them over her shirt and jeans, even her hair was held under a cloth beanie with leaves over it. A bountiful collection of summer leaves and branches gave her the appearance of a buttonbush shrub. She was on a very specific mission.

Cabin 4 was never very exceptional or desired in the weekly capture the flag games, usually offering some defensive value, which they were offering in service of Athena, but rarely had Demeter’s children claimed the flag for their own, and rarer still had they held it. While they were not at the same level of “Also there” as their cousins in the house of Aphrodite, they were not great fighters, and often were more helpful before the game as opposed to during it. Alyssa had higher sights, however, she wanted to bring home the flag of Hermes for her Cabin.

This was a nice dream, of course, and as many Hermes campers had faced the question before, getting to the flag was the easy part, the hard part was getting out with it. Where Weston had managed to connive elaborate schemes with traps and misdirection, the Daughter of Demeter desired a more direct approach that befit her demeanor. She was hardy, her wounding earlier in the week proved as much, and she could be decently fast, but probably not fast enough to outrun most of the Hermes cabin, maybe the legionaries in their full kits.

Regardless, she was making an approach slowly. The crack of thunder startled her as she realized that Dan must have been getting to fighting. The boy was very pretty, she hoped he didn’t get hurt too badly after this week’s game. Her sudden movement would have given away her position had anyone noticed her crossing the river. Now her suit was wet, clinging to her skin in an unpleasant manner, but she had dealt with wet leaves plenty before, enjoying the comfort of the coolness. The thick suit was very hot to wear, but suddenly with the cold air on wet leaves, it felt almost hypothermic.

But if Alyssa Thorton was anything, she was hardy, and she soldiered on past the creek, now firmly in enemy territory. If previous games were any indication, there would be roman patrols, the Ares kids typically much more interested in offensive actions. That was somewhat disappointing, as one of her ambitions was to finally defeat one of the children of war in combat. She had made a shield of brambles, their thorns forming a patch she could hold to her side with them only chaffing her instead of scratching or puncturing her.

It seemed as though she wouldn’t have to worry about not seeing action regardless as she made it to the next trees, easily sneaking through thick brush without much issue. A pair of apollo medics were on patrol. She recognized the older one as Jeremy Silas, and the younger one a summer camper who she hadn’t really met before. She would wait for the pair to move past, the older camper talking to his younger sibling about poetry, the boy picking a berry from a nearby bush and inspecting it.

Allie would smile and let the pair wait, obviously they were waiting for a call for medic, and she couldn’t just hit them, but they were on the other team. She would use her powers, focusing on the vines on the ground not far away. She would direct them outward, the long vines leisurely stretching to the two as they talked to each other. Once it was properly in place she would slowly make her way closer, inching in the brush before jumping out towards them “Sorry Jeremy!” she would say with a small giggle.

The younger camper jumped back, his demigod reflexes clearly adept, but his perception lacking as he falls straight backward, his ankles bound by the vines. Allie would make a hand gesture of a closing fist, entirely unnecessary, but helped sell the act some as the younger boy began to panic, the vines closing around his legs. The older camper, however, was much faster “Allie what in styx has you out here?”

She would come at him with her blade “Feel like that’s pretty obvious. Ambition is the germ from which all nobleness proceeds right?” he would raise his own Xiphos in guard. She would put great force into it, drawing her blade along his, the Son of the Sun withdrawing his blade before she could draw his guard away. “You don’t need to go butchering poets to get to me, relax a little.” He’d say with a laugh, it was hard for her to try to keep up an act, this was supposed to be actual combat practice. The two were fairly close friends, helping each other in classes on identification and medicine.

“Gotta keep up the ‘reaper of the woods’ vibe, y’know?” She would say as she kicks into his leg, causing him to stumble backwards. He’d grunt, taking his attempt to back away “I didn’t think you were the type to try and play up stereotypes this hard.” He’d hold his blade low and wide, and she would decide to charge him, deflecting his blade as she pounces into him for a grapple. He would grunt in pain as he was flung to the ground like his sibling, then start wincing “Gods above Allie just because you can’t get cut by thorns doesn’t mean everyone else can’t! I yield!” the girl would get up off of him, grinning stupidly until she notices the mess of cuts in his orange shirt and blood from them. Superficial for the most part, but she would bind his legs as well “Sorry, sorry… hard to think about that in the moment.”

“Yeah, easy to think about it laying here, get going, hope you don’t get skewered by the new kid they have at the flag.” He’d say simply from the ground. Obviously he wasn’t very motivated to fight after this one, and the moving bush continued on its merry way to that oh-so-elusive flag.

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Valeria “Val” Alexis Lorino
Centurion of the 3rd Cohort, Daughter of Nerio
Capture the Flag

---

"Hold." Val said as she stopped behind a tree. Four more Romans followed her order and stopped behind nearby trees in sight of Val. Now, why was Val moving through the opposing teams territory with only a handful of support? Well, that was all part of the plan.

Val and the Romans under her command were mainly being used to counter the numbers advantage of the Hermes cabin in particular. At least, that was what Alex told her. As such, Val and the Romans under her command were to go on the offensive. This brought up a certain glaring problem, Roman formations were generally more suited for more open terrain. so, Val had to get creative, and engage unconvential tactics.

She had all her Romans split into smaller groups of five or six. Each group would slowly advance towards the opposing teams territory. The goal wasn't to sneak up on the flag, but to engage with defenders, and make it easier for their Greek teammates to advance on the flag. If any Roman group ran into a certain child of Zeus, they were expected to retreat, and leave that problem for Jamie. So, that was the general plan; small groups for more easy movement through the forest, keeping the opposing defenders engaged and to slowly put pressure on the opposing team. Was it a good plan, Val couldn't say at the time.

But back to the present. Val had her group come to a stop behind the trees for a reason. A reason that was approaching. From their hiding spots behind the trees, they watched as a pair of Hermes campers approached. Val simply looked to her fellow Romans, and nodded. They waited for the Hermes campers to get closer, before Val stepped out and charged towards the Hermes campers. She was followed seconds after by her fellow Romans.

At first, the two Hermes campers looked ready and somewhat confident in their ability to at least put up a fight against Val. But then they saw the others, and Val could see the confidence leave their faces. Despite that, the Hermes campers stood ready to meet their attackers, weapons at the ready. Val and two of her fellow Romans a few feet from the Hermes campers. The other two Romans ran past to flank the two Hermes campers.

"Two options." Val started, "One surrender and take yourselves out of the event. Or we will take you out of the event. Your choice."

After a moment of thought between the two Hermes campers, they both put their weapons down. With their weapons down, Val and her Romans sheathed their gladii, and watched as the Hermes campers laid down on the ground. With the two Hermes campers laying on the ground, Val and her Romans returned to the forest, as the sound of thunder echoed in the distance.

[Theyra]

Zane Blacklight

Things sure have gotten interesting lately, Zane thought to himself as he stayed behind a tree. First hellhounds attack, that new girl, and now this. Zane taking the moment, to peek around the tree and so far he was still alone. Okay well going solo to sneak around and take the flag maybe was not the best idea. Though the plan originally had him and two others from Hecate cabin. Sure they may be skilled with magic but, it is best to learn how to fight conventional right? Or that was Zane's idea and the two seemed on board with it. Then some fighting happened and he got separated from them and so far, Zane has not found either of them. He guessed that they were either back with the others or on the frontline. Well, probably not on the frontline if he was honest with himself about it. Zane sighed at his luck, at least he can still try to get the flag.

Looking again, to make sure the coast was clear. Still, nothing, he has to learn how to really fight someway without his mother's gifts and teachings. Training with Alena has helped and here he can learn on being stealthily on his mission. Everything helps him in the long run. But, now in this dark forest and all alone. He still has a job to do and he was going to do it. He might fail but, he will learn something regardless. Which is a win in his mind. So Zane after making one last look around and seeing how the coast was clear. With sword firmly in hand and with some mistcards in his pocket just in case. Zane headed out into the forest towards the flag and to see if his stealthy approach works or not.