I joined up with Percy and Annabeth. He tried to ask what Chiron talked to me about, but I just cheekily said that it was a secret. Percy rolled his eyes at me; meanwhile, Annabeth looked at me with a complicated look. She just sighs and rolls her eyes, and gestures her head to the cabin.
"Well? Go on."
We went to the steps and opened the door, and stood by the doorway. It was packed with lots of people. Some boys and girls sounded like a disaster waiting to happen; they both stopped what they were doing and looked at us three. The inside of the cabin was spacious and big, which would make sense since Hermes demigods and other demigods that aren't from the Olympians would stay here. There are a lot of bunk beds, but it looks like there weren't enough to have this many people, and so there were sleeping bags that littered the floor.
I'm not going to lie, it kind of looks like a homeless shelter here. But I didn't dare say that, and I was ready to punch Percy if he was going to say something stupid.
"Percy Jackson, Clay Brandon, meet cabin eleven," Annabeth announced.
"Regular or undetermined?" Somebody asked.
"Undermined."
This leads to everyone in the room groaning.
"Now, campers. That's what we're here for." A guy a little older than the rest stepped forward, greeting us with a polite smile.
He was a tall, muscular dude with short sandy hair and blue eyes. He looked to be eighteen or maybe a little older. And he looked really cool and handsome. Honestly, if you told me this guy is the protagonist from a shonen manga or fantasy novel, I would believe it. He had a thick white scar running from his right eye to his jaw. But it honestly makes it even more awesome in my eyes.
The only thing that is hurting my eyes is that he's wearing what every dad wears during the summer. An orange tank top with sandals and a necklace with five different colored beads.
"Welcome, Percy and Clay. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."
He shook both of our hands, still with that polite smile. "It's good to meet you, you've been the talk of the camp, both of you."
"This is Luke." Annabeth gestured to the blonde, cold guy.
Oddly, Annabeth's tone when she introduced the look was much softer and less hard. And just for a couple of seconds, she was sporting a blush before hardening again to look like the stern girl we know her as.
"He'll be your councillor, try not to annoy him much." Her grey eyes narrowed at us.
Jeez, is it that time for her already? It would explain the attitude, but of course, I didn't dare say that. And once again, I readied my fist in case Percy was about to say it out loud. I know we're both thinking the same thing, but the problem is that we really have no idea when to shut up.
"Oh, don't be like that, Annabeth." Luke ruffled her hair playfully, she blushed again and pushed his hand off. "I'm sure I'll get along with Percy and Clay."
"Knock it off," Annabeth says weakly before shaking his head, turning stone cold again.
"Like I said, Luke is your counsellor for the time being."
Oh, right, it's only temporary because we don't know Percy's father for the time being.
"Okay, how long am I going to stay here?"
Luke, with a patient smile, said: "Until you're determined."
"How long will that take?"
Percy's question caused some of the campers to chuckle, snort, and even outright laugh. I blinked, confused.
"Come on, you two," Annabeth said, dragging us with the back of our shirts. "I'll show you the volleyball court."
"But we saw that." Percy protested.
"Move it."
"Wait!" Luke said, cracking his neck. "You seem to have your hands full. Let me take care of Clay while you show Percy around."
"You don't have to-"
Luke smiled. "I want to. Besides, I don't want to keep babysitting these dorks." He gestured with his thumb at the other campers who booed at him.
He laughed. "I'm kidding, you know I love you guys." Luke looks at me with a kind expression.
"Come on, Clay, let's get moving."
And so, Percy went with Annabeth, while Luke gave me a tour. Hey, not that I'm complaining, but I don't think I would get along with a serious girly boss. Luke, on the other hand, seemed like a chill person. We walked by the lake as he showed me around, which is kind of pointless since Chiron already gave us a tour, even if briefly. But like I said, it was fun talking to Luke.
"So you really are mortal, like a full-on mortal. That's impressive."
"Impressive how?"
"The fact you survived an encounter with a bull boy is impressive; not many demigods could do that."
I shook my head, "I just got lucky."
"Luck is a skill, an unreliable one, but a skill nevertheless." He points to the minotaur's horn. "That horn is proof of that."
I felt something weird in my chest. What was that feeling? Oh, right, it's a feeling that I usually don't feel, pride in myself.
"Thanks," I murmured.
"That being said, it will no doubt be searching for you and Percy, come on, let's go get a weapon," Luke said, already walking.
I quickly stood next to him, confused. "Wait, you mean that thing is still alive? But last I saw that overgrown stake got reduced into some gold dust."
He gives me a serious look, "You can't kill monsters, Clay, not permanent anyway." He shakes his head as he sighs. "You can destroy their physical forms, but they will return back eventually."
"Well, crap."
"Relax, you're safe at camp, still, we should get you a weapon just in case."
We walked a little for a little bit and ended up in the camp forge. The structure is built near the stream and has water wheels. I could hear the sound of a hammer against metal and the sound of fire cracking. We went inside, and immediately I felt incredibly hot. The room was spacious, and it had what you expect in a room for blacksmiths.
A fireplace, multiple anvils, wood and metal in one place. It sort of reminded me of a workshop, except it's for weapons and armour rather than cars. There were several bronze weapons on the wall displayed, and a couple of armour stands that held Spartan-like armour. Only one guy was hammering away on a sword that was glowing gold from the heat. The guy then stopped hammering and placed the blade in the water bucket, which made a hissing sound.
He saw us, and he quickly placed the sword back on the anvil, wiping the sweat on his face and approached us. Now that I look closely at him, I can't help but compare him to Luke Cage from Marvel because he kind of looks like him. Tall, muscular and even the intense aura I'm getting from him. He was even taller and bulkier than Luke, the Luke next to me, not Luke Cage. He had an intense expression as he walked up to us.
"Hey, Beckendorf, working late?"
Beckendorf nodded.
"Clay, this is Charles Beckendorf, the councillor of cabin nine and the best blacksmith in Camp Half-Blood."
Beckendorf shakes his head, "I'm okay, still got a lot to learn. What do you need, Luke?"
Luke slaps my back, "Well, my friend here needs a sword, do you have anything you could let Clay have?"
Beckendorf looked at me, and I flinched. It was as if he were staring into my very soul.
"So, you're the mortal everybody is talking about."
"Y-yes, sir."
Beckendorf raises a brow, and Luke snorts.
"Please, don't be so formal with me, just call me Charles or Beckendorf. Please wait a moment, I'll get your sword."
He turns around and starts messing around the place, trying to find a good sword for me. Meanwhile, Luke leaned in with a devious smirk.
"Don't be too intimidated, he may look like he could use your spine as a whip, but he's really just a big softy that likes crafting weapons a bit too much."
"I heard that Luke," Beckendorf said.
This made Luke and me laugh. After a couple of minutes, Beckendorf returns holding a sword with a leather sheath. It looked to be, if I remember correctly, an xiphos sword, like the one ancient Greeks used as a sword.
"Here, it's a smaller sword, but it's right for your size. The blade is about fifteen inches, not much reach, but I'm afraid a bigger one would be unsuitable."
He presents it to me. It had a bronze handle, with some ancient Greek letters in the middle. My hands shook and my heart hammered. It was always a kid's dream to wield a sword; it's almost like instinct.
"Thank you-" I began to say, reaching for it, and Beckendorf dropped it to my hands only for the weapon to pass through my fingers.
It literally phased through my hands and dropped to the floor.
"Huh?" The three of us said in unison.
I reached down and tried to grab it, only for my hands to pass through as if I'm touching some kind of hologram. Then Luke snapped his fingers.
"Oh, right! You can't wield celestial bronze!"
"What's that?" I said, getting up and looking at Luke with a bewildered face.
"It's a rare magical metal we demigods use in battle. The blade can pretty much cut through any supernatural creature; it's basically the kryptonite to all monsters."
"Then why can't I use it?"
"Well...you're not important enough."
Beckendorf and I blinked. "Luke, what in Tartarus?" Beckendorf whispered.
"Nah, I'm playing with you, it's because the metal itself that mortals aren't important enough to be harmed. So if a demigod tries to hit a mortal with it, it would just pass through, which would also mean you can't wield it. Sorry, man."
"...That's okay."
Not important enough, huh?
"Well, it's fine, I think I got a couple of steel weapons, give me a second."
Beckendorf grabbed the sword on the sword and started to rummage around again. By the end of it, I received what was called a gladius, a short sword weapon used by the Romans. According to Beckendorf, the weapon is good at thrusting, descending or slashing, but since it's a pretty short sword, it doesn't have much reach. We thanked him and left. I unsheathed my sword and inspected it. It wasn't too heavy, but I was a little down, and I wasn't able to have a magic sword.
And I kind of wish it could turn into a pen just like the one Chiron lent Percy during the Mrs. Dodds incident.
"Don't sweat it, you may not be able to kill monsters without a proper magical weapon, but you could certainly ruin its day. I mean, I used a golf club after I lost my sword when I was travelling with a friend."
"You used a golf club? You're so cool."
"Thanks, little man."
Then we spotted two people carrying a dazed camper. Their faces filled with fear, and not only that, they were wet. They were carrying a tall, muscular girl with light brown hair who seemed a little out of it. We looked at them before at each other, and both of us were confused. Then, half a second later, Percy and Annabeth came out of the bathroom together. Annabeth was wet, while Percy was dry.
"Wow, getting out of the bathroom together?" Luke says in a teasing tone, making Annabeth flinch and blush. "How scandalous~"
"Wait, it's not like that!!" Annabeth, for the first time, looked panicked.
As she was explaining the whole situation, I walked towards Percy, who looked utterly bewildered.
"What just happened?"
"...I think I just became the supreme lord of the bathroom."
"What?"