The cold morning wind cut through Camp Half-Blood. After waking up and taking care of my morning routine, I walked over to the pegasus stables. They had finally gotten used to my presence—they were still annoying, but they looked at me with respect now.
I stepped inside and began my training. Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hips low. Torso tilted forward, rock-solid. Leviathan held out in front of me like a makeshift shield. I inhaled through my nose and walked, distributing my weight, my heels barely touching the dirt. I spun the axe, exhaled through my mouth, and advanced and retreated in short, controlled steps.
My shoulders locked up. I crashed face-first onto the ground.
"Fuck!" I yelled in frustration.
Why couldn't I get it right? It looked so easy in the dream. I pushed myself up and tried again.
A neigh interrupted me. A white pegasus was staring at me with a serious look. I sketched a smirk. This little guy had really taken a liking to me. Time to clean the stables.
I used my wood manipulation to fix up the bite marks on the stalls. Drew showed up, wished me a good morning, and went to fetch some water. I finished washing the floors and stacking the hay, making small plants grow to create a nice green patch. It helped me get a better grip on controlling my powers. The winter weather was a real drag on everyone's mood, but the physical grind kept me grounded.
Drew came back and just watched me.
"You know, you've gotten so hot," she said with a smile.
"I already gave you and your sisters my answer: we're kids," I replied, feeling a migraine coming on.
She laughed it off, but she kept pushing. It reminded me of the time she blew me a kiss through the air and everyone instantly started saying we were dating. Luke even joked that she had tamed me. This camp is full of lunatics.
"Should I meet you in the kitchen?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm just gonna wait for the pegasi to get back."
"All right then, bye."
"Stay safe. Bye, Drew."
I stood there in silence, watching the trees sway in the freezing wind. I flicked my wrist and Leviathan materialized. The edge gleamed. Holding it felt like holding a part of myself.
"Caleb," I heard a familiar voice say.
"Oh, Luke! How's it going?" I asked, genuinely surprised since I hadn't picked him up with my Seismic Sense.
"Cold," he replied, smirking.
He spun Backbiter in his hand. "We don't have any time to waste. Let's spar."
I nodded. I dropped back into my stance, but I instantly collapsed again. Luke burst out laughing.
"You can stop now, you're gonna end up killing yourself!"
"Thanks for the concern," I snapped, visibly irritated.
Luke sheathed his sword and stared me down.
"You're talented, Caleb. So why are you copying someone else?"
"Copying?"
"Yeah. You're copying the movement without understanding the actual concept behind it. It's like singing the lyrics without knowing the melody. It looks the same, but it doesn't sound the same."
I fell silent. He let out a sigh.
"First off, stop copying. I'm gonna teach you the proper stance. After that, you can build your own style."
I did what he said. Feet shoulder-width apart, half-foot forward, knees bent. Luke adjusted my torso and shoulders.
A sudden tingling sensation surged through my body. My eyes widened. It felt incredible.
"Perfect, your reaction tells me exactly what we need," Luke explained with a grin.
"This is gonna be your stance. You need to get used to it. In a fight, your body has to act fast, like second nature," Luke said. I gave him a nod.
"Now, place your non-dominant hand at the base of the shaft and the other a palm-width away from the axe head," Luke continued. I tried to argue, but he cut me off: "I know you can fight one-handed, but we're starting from the basics." I just shook my head.
I placed my right hand at the base of the handle and my left closer to the blade. Luke grabbed my hand and slid it down a bit.
"Good, keep the distance consistent." He nudged my elbows outward. "Your elbows need to be slightly away from your body. If you keep them tucked in, it locks up your movement."
A freezing gust of wind whipped through my hair.
"Now, one thing you need to understand: an axe isn't a hammer. You don't swing it with your arms, you move it with your whole body." Luke stepped in front of me, gesturing as he broke it down. "Your hips drive the motion, your legs provide the power, and your arms just guide it."
He finished by resting his hand on his sword with a smirk and sat flat on the ground.
"What now?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Now, just hold the stance," Luke replied. So I stayed quiet.
A few minutes ticked by with nothing but the sound of the wind, until the beating of wings echoed through the air. I was dripping with sweat and flushing red, my thighs burning like crazy, but it didn't feel like before. It was a completely different sensation. My arms felt heavy and, for the first time, Leviathan actually felt heavy in my hands, making my palms ache.
I fought against the instinct to straighten my knees, shift my weight to my heels, or shrug my shoulders. My body began to shake, my breathing went completely wild, and I ended up dropping straight to my knees. I gasped for air, feeling as if someone had just kicked me right in the shins.
"You actually lasted a while," Luke said, pushing himself up and brushing off his pants.
"Holy shit, what was that?" I asked with an exhausted smile.
"That, my friend, is the basics," Luke replied, still grinning. He helped me to my feet. I looked over at the pegasi as they began to neigh.
"Man, thanks," I said, grateful. Luke just slapped me on the back with a smile.
"Save your thanks. We're just getting started."
"Well, see you tomorrow," Luke said, extending his hand.
"Yeah," I replied, shaking it. We said our goodbyes. I let out a sigh as I looked down at Leviathan, sheathed the weapon, and watched the bracelet dangle on my arm. A smile broke across my face.
I walked toward the kitchen, passing by campers who gave me a brief nod. I made a casual gesture with my hand to greet them back.
"Caleb!" I heard. I paused and looked over to the side. Helena appeared with her hair down, her bow slung over her back, and dressed in leather armor.
"Need something?" I asked, locking eyes with her.
"Yeah, but are you doing okay?" she asked with a smile.
"I'm great. How about you?"
"I'm fine," Helena replied.
"Cool," I said. We fell into silence as a few campers smiled while passing us by.
"So, what did you want?" I asked to break the ice.
"Oooh, look at the lovebirds," the Stoll brothers teased as they walked past.
"Shut up, you idiots," Helena snapped, a smile breaking across her face anyway.
"What do you want, Helena?" I asked, turning serious.
"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to train together sometime soon," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Can't, I'm grounded. Plus, you got lucky," I replied, trying to shift the subject.
"Lucky how?" Helena asked, her face turning serious.
"Well, Chiron only made you clean the bathrooms once," I said with a smirk.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, glaring at me, though I noticed her fists clenching.
"Nothing at all. Just thinking that if it were me, everyone would be judging me or adding more time to my punishment," I mocked, waving my hand dismissively.
"That's not how it is," Helena shot back, raising her voice enough to make everyone nearby stop and pay attention to us.
"Sure, everyone has a favorite," I said.
"I just wanted to talk, but if you're gonna be dramatic, forget it," Helena replied, turning on her heel.
"If that helps you sleep at night, fine by me," I said, making her spin back around with her eyes flashing.
"Stop being a jerk, why don't you grow up?" she said. I slapped a hand over my chest, faking injury.
"I already grew up. How old are you anyway?" I asked, laughing.
"Fifteen, why?" she fired back with heat.
"I'm eleven, I'm just a kid," I said, placing a hand dramatically over my forehead.
"Idiot," Helena muttered, flushing red and turning away.
"Thanks! Next time, bring some coffee, we can sit down and have a picnic here!" I called out loudly, making her quicken her pace.
"No!" she shouted, bumping straight into the Hermes twins who were cracking up.
"It's probably for the best!" I yelled back, smiling.
"What are you looking at, idiot? Want to fight?" I yelled over to Clarisse, who was standing there holding her spear, her eyes locked dead on mine.
"Are you losing your mind? You think because you won once, you're gonna win every time?" she shot back, pushing herself up.
"Yeah, I actually do, you idiot!" I yelled, placing my hands on my hips.
"You're the idiot, worm-brain!" she snapped, starting to charge forward until one of her brothers held her back. "Let me go, I'm gonna crush this little flower!" she kept screaming, throwing punches at her brother who simply held his grip.
I burst out laughing until I noticed another girl glaring at me.
"What's your problem, pinky?" I asked, making her stop applying her lipstick.
"What is your deal, Thorne?" Silena fired back, while her cabinmates giggled behind her.
"I don't know, Silena, what is my deal?" I mocked, making the surrounding campers laugh and call me a lunatic.
"Caleb, stop trying to waste time, the kitchen is waiting," Silena teased with a smirk.
"Shit, you're right," I replied, spinning around and breaking into a run.
The laughter echoed right behind me.
"You guys got lucky!" I yelled, moving quickly up the hill.
I reached the pavilion and headed straight to the back. Inside, Drew was already washing the dishes. I threw on my apron and started doing my part.
"I thought you ran away," Drew said, her hair plastered to her face.
"Seriously, why?" I asked as the hot water scalded the grease off a plate.
"Because you took forever! Look at how much I've already washed!" Drew yelled.
"Thanks," I replied, setting the clean plate on the table and grabbing a dirty one.
"No, you're gonna wash some of my share now, slacker!" Drew yelled.
"All right, fine," I said with a smile.
After finishing the dishes, I headed out toward my cabin, but a strange sensation hit me—a bad feeling, like pure déjà vu. The campers' chatter and their smiles suddenly sent shivers down my spine. What the hell is this? I looked down at my hands, and right in front of the cabin stood Gus with his usual smile.
"How's it going, Caleb?" he spoke up as he saw me walk in.
"Good, I guess," I replied, leaping up to grab the pull-up bar.
"Why? Did something happen?" Gus asked, stepping closer.
"No, just have a bad feeling," I said, powering through my exercise. Gus watched me in silence.
Hours rolled by as I kept up with my daily training routine: push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and planks. Afterward, I pulled myself up, walked over to the armory, and began polishing the gear. Drew just stared at me in silence, not wanting to strike up a conversation. I just minded my own business, throwing a glance her way every now and then, which made her giggle.
And that was how the days bled into each other, with me serving out my punishment. My relationship with the camp steadily improved, since no one seemed to be terrified of me anymore. They thought I was a lunatic, I guess, but I felt comfortable enough to talk to anyone now.
I hadn't learned anything new; I just repeated the exact same steps, day after day. First the stance, then adjusting my feet, knees, torso, and shoulders. Always trying to stay as rock-solid as possible. Next, I would grip the axe exactly the way Luke taught me: elbows out, the correct distance between my hands, and then I would execute the strike. My hips drove the motion, my legs pushed off the ground, and my arms guided the axe.
Whenever mistakes popped up, Luke would make me start all over again. I'd mess up, correct it, improve a bit, mess up again, and correct it again. After serving my punishments, I finally started to feel the progression. My body was changing too; I felt incredible, despite that lingering bad feeling that kept haunting me.
Today, when I reached the stables, I noticed the pegasi weren't there. I found it strange.
But I needed to try. I gripped my axe, dropped into my stance, and felt my feet completely slide into position. I raised the axe, pulled the freezing air deep into my lungs, spun my hips, and drove my legs into the ground. I brought the strike down, exhaling the exact moment the blade sliced through the air. And that was when it actually happened.
I began to spin it in a figure-eight pattern around my body. The movement was fluid. As I mapped out the eight with the axe, my feet started moving in the exact same rhythm. A small movement, but it perfectly tracked the shifting of my hips. My feet were drawing an eight on the dirt, right at the same time the axe was sketching one in the air. I kept going, a smile breaking across my face.
Just like in the dream, I felt the ground connect through my feet. The freezing air started to warm up, and sweat trickled down my forehead. The axe felt like it was playing defense, but as it spun, I could feel the energy building up in my muscles, ready to transition the rotation into vertical or diagonal strikes. Even better: it created a complete danger zone around me.
I caught the sound of clapping. Slowly, I reined in the movement until I came to a stop. I gave the axe a spin and sheathed it.
"Congratulations. Like I said, you're a genius. In a single week, you managed something that would take others months to pull off," Luke said with a smile that quickly faded away.
"Chiron is calling for you at the Big House," Luke noted, looking me dead in the eye.
"What does he want?" I asked. Luke simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Let's go find out. Come on," he answered. I just trailed behind him.
Together, we made our way over to the Big House. We passed by Argus, and once inside, I could already hear an incredibly annoying voice.
"Impossible! He hasn't even been here a year. It can't be him!" Annabeth complained.
"Miss Chase, orders have come directly from Olympus. We are going to find out whether or not it is Mr. Thorne," Chiron said. Luke and I walked in, causing both of them to snap their heads toward us.
"So, she's already whining. And where's Mr. D?" I spoke up with a grin, making Miss Know-It-All just glare at me.
"Mr. D has important matters to attend to, child," Chiron answered seriously, making me raise an eyebrow.
"Caleb, my boy, we received a message from Olympus. A direct sign. There is something buried deep within the depths of New Jersey that needs to be recovered before the winter weather worsens," Chiron explained with a heavy sigh.
"Right, but why am I here?" I asked.
"Well, because Clarisse and even Annabeth went up to see the Oracle and got absolutely nothing. So we all thought of you. Well, except Clarisse and..." Luke noted, finishing his sentence with a glance over at Annabeth, who just cracked a thin smile.
"It's not him. It's impossible. Caleb doesn't have the brains to recover something of extreme importance," Annabeth said, making me smile.
"Yeah, sure. I hope it's not. I'd much rather train than go on quests," I replied, making her arch an eyebrow.
"Well, let's just get this over with. Where do I go?" I asked, smiling at Chiron, who was staring me down.
"Go upstairs, Caleb Thorne, up to the attic. And when you come back down, I hope that..." Chiron didn't finish the thought, falling into a dead silence. I just gave him a nod.
I climbed up four flights of stairs until I reached a green trapdoor. I pulled the cord, and the door swung open, revealing a wooden ladder. A wave of warm air drifted down, taking the chill out of the space. The stench of mold gave me shivers, and memories of serpents flashed through my mind.
I climbed inside. The attic was packed to the brim with junk left behind by Greek heroes. I spotted armor stands blanketed in cobwebs and shields battered by time—some sporting stickers from Ithaca, Circe's island, and the land of the Amazons. Resting on a long table, clusters of glass jars held severed hairy claws, massive yellow eyes, and various monster parts.
I also noticed the head of a giant horned serpent, clearly some sort of trophy, and a full jaw set of shark teeth. I stared at the snake: it was a hydra, since there was a plaque reading "head number one." I wondered if I would end up killing a hydra myself one day.
But what really caught my eye was a mummy sitting on a three-legged wooden stool. It didn't look like some stupid movie mummy. It had a female human body, completely shriveled up until nothing but a shell remained. She wore a printed summer dress, several beaded necklaces, and a bandana tied over her long black hair. The skin on her face was thin, looking like old leather, and her eyes were blank, glassy white slits—as if they had been replaced by marbles.
I took a step forward to get a closer look. She must have been dead for decades. Suddenly, the mummy sat straight up on the stool and threw her mouth open.
"Holy shit, you bitch," I gasped, startled out of my skin.
"You could've given me a heads-up," I complained, watching a green mist spew from her throat and spread across the floor.
The mist sounded like thousands of hissing snakes. It sent a shiver down my spine. Behind me, I caught a sound. I looked back and saw the trapdoor was locked shut. I turned back to stare at the mummy, who tilted her head to the side.
"Interesting," a voice spoke from her mouth.
"I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and learn," she said. Her lips didn't move at all, but the voice resonated directly from her throat.
"What is my quest?" I asked.
The mist swirled violently, turning thick right in front of me. Within seconds, it dropped, revealing nothing but the mummy. I raised an eyebrow. Was this just a show or for dramatic effect? I looked around.
"The son of nature shall climb beyond the mortal lands of the North,
Where the light in the dark insists on bleeding.
The bronze tip and the wind shall carve open the way.
A single mistake in the shadows, and everything shall crumble.
But inside the house of madness, the path shall split,
Before the great light begins to fail."
The voice cut off raspy. The mist receded back into the mummy's mouth, which snapped shut with a sharp click, leaving everything in absolute silence.
I stepped out of the attic and found Chiron staring right at me. He closed his eyes. Annabeth simply looked at me, dead serious.
"Well, I didn't understand a single word, but I guess I have a quest," I said, making Luke grin and Annabeth clench her fists. Chiron merely rubbed his forehead.
"What? How?" Annabeth asked.
"Go figure. The mummy just spoke, and honestly, we need to improve communication around here and do some serious cleaning," I said, feeling shivers as the smell of serpents lingered in my mind.
"What did the Oracle say?" Chiron asked, locking his eyes on me.
"The son of nature shall climb beyond the mortal lands of the North. Where the light in the dark insists on bleeding. Am I gonna die?"
"Keep going," Chiron said, making me let out a sigh.
"Also: The bronze tip and the wind shall carve open the way. And: A single mistake in the shadows, and everything shall crumble. But inside the house of madness, the path shall split, before the great light begins to fail." I finish, making Chiron nod in agreement.
Chiron walked over to the desk, grabbed a scroll and a pen, and began taking notes.
"'Mortal lands' to the North means you will cross the United States border into Canada, or venture deep into forestry reserves where human authority doesn't reach," Chiron murmured.
"You are going to need specific weapons. The 'bronze' confirms that only Celestial Bronze will pierce the defenses of that location. The 'wind'... a child of Hermes, perhaps..." Chiron locked his eyes on me and started writing again.
"A clear death warning. If you mishandle anything or make a single false step, it could result in casualties. So, double your caution," Chiron wrote while I locked eyes with Annabeth, who was staring fixedly at me. I flipped her the middle finger, making her clench her teeth.
"'The light will fail.' You have a deadline. Go get ready, child," Chiron handed me the scroll, a sorrowful look in his eyes.
"You know, you could have actually trained me a little instead of just riding my back," I said, cracking a smile, but Chiron just stared at me.
"You're right, and I apologize if that hurt your feelings, but you are a leader now. You may choose two companions to go with you," Chiron said.
I went quiet, staring at the screen that suddenly flashed right in front of me.
[📋 ACTIVE QUEST: THE CRY OF DELPHI]
ACTIVATION REQUIREMENT: Hear the Prophecy of the Oracle of Delphi in the Big House and be recognized as a leader.
[📊 QUEST IDENTIFICATION]
[QUEST LEVEL: Rank: ?]
[❌ FAILURE PENALTY]
[PERMANENT DEATH]
[SOUL SENT TO THE UNDERWORLD: Your seed of life will be harvested and judged by Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Aeacus. Final destination: directly to the Fields of Asphodel.]
[🎁 COMPLETION REWARD]
[EVOLUTION OF A SKILL OF YOUR CHOICE]
[ATTRIBUTE UPGRADE: +10 Free Attribute Points (allocated to the physical body).]
[BLESSING OF DEMETER: Increases the body's immunity against biological monster venoms and accelerates cellular tissue regeneration by 25% when in direct contact with fertile soil.]
"Holy shit," I muttered under my breath, trying to keep my cool. I looked at Chiron.
"Only two? It's a quest for three demigods," I said, already looking over at Luke.
"Three is a sacred number, child," Chiron said.
"Well, Luke, get ready. You're coming with me," I said, already turning around as a smirk broke across his face. Luke gave me a nod and I started heading out.
"WAIT... You're going to need someone like me. I can be a huge help," Annabeth spoke up.
"Keep dreaming. And don't even waste your time. I don't like you, and honestly, you're annoying," I said, walking out of the Big House and heading into the courtyard. There were only a few campers around, and among them, I spotted Clarisse twirling her spear.
"Hey, idiot," I called out, making her stop and look at me.
"What's up? Want a beating, little flower?" she taunted with a smirk.
"No. I got a quest. I already picked Luke. Want in?" I asked, making her eyes widen in shock.
"Seriously? You're not messing with me, right? Are you for real?" she exclaimed, stepping closer to me. I handed her the scroll. Clarisse snatched it and started reading; her eyes widened even further as a massive grin spread across her face.
"Wait for me, little flower! I'm gonna go gear up," she said, spinning around with her spear in one hand and the scroll in the other.
"All right then," I muttered, walking toward the armory while the surrounding campers watched me closely.
"WAIT UP, THORNE!" I caught a shout as Clarisse caught up right behind me. I cleaned my ear out with a finger.
"We're going to the armory together. And if this is a joke, I will literally kill you," Clarisse said.
I just nodded. We marched over to the armory. Stepping inside, we made our way to the back of the room. Leaning against a carved workbench dusted with metal filings, Luke was tossing a bronze dagger into the air. The metal spun fast, whistling loudly, and he caught it back by its leather grip without even looking up. The moment our footsteps crunched on the dirt floor, he caught the blade firmly, flashed that crooked smile of his, and slid the knife into the sheath hooked to his belt.
"Look who it is. I'm glad you managed the basics, but your choice is intriguing," Luke said, crossing his arms over his chest. "The hothead from Cabin Five along for the ride. The quest is already bound to be lively."
"Shut your mouth, Castellan," Clarisse growled.
She marched straight past him and landed a heavy punch right on Luke's shoulder, smirking. The impact made his jacket snap, but Luke didn't even flinch—he just let out a short chuckle through his nose. Clarisse was already pacing back and forth among the heavy oak shelves, her eyes flashing with an electric intensity as she ran her thick hand over the blades, as if she wanted to test the edge of every single one at once.
"Cut the crap, Luke, and help gather the gear," I said, walking over to a large wooden crate tucked into a corner against the wall.
"Let's get to it, guys," I noted. I leaned over and pulled out three olive-drab canvas backpacks. The fabric was thick, rough as hell, and smelled like something that had been rotting in a basement for years. I tossed all three onto the main workbench. A small cloud of dust billowed up, and Clarisse let out a loud sneeze, cursing immediately after.
"Dammit, are you actually cleaning this place?" she asked, glaring at me with irritation.
"Yeah..." I replied, letting out a slightly embarrassed cough.
"Grab two extra camp shirts," Luke said, grabbing a bundle of folded orange fabric from a shelf and tossing it right at my chest. "You guys aren't gonna want to be reeking of monster sweat on the very first day of the trek."
"I know how to pack a fucking backpack, Luke," Clarisse shot back, but she took the bundle of fabric he offered and jammed it into the bottom of her bag along with a pair of faded jeans.
"You must be excited for your first quest, Clarisse," Luke remarked, watching a clearly euphoric Clarisse.
I walked over to the adjacent shelf and grabbed three heavy plastic canteens, filled to the brim with pure spring water from the valley source. The weight of the liquid sloshed inside the containers. I also grabbed a few torn cardboard boxes containing packs of camp ration bars. The things looked like blocks of compressed sawdust, but we shoved several of them into our bags anyway.
"You know, this part still bothers me," I noted.
"What does?" Luke asked.
"It's like Chiron already knew about the quest. I mean, the canteens are already filled," I replied, looking at Luke, who just smiled.
"Well, he's old. He's bound to have a lot of wisdom," Luke said.
I just cracked a smile. Next, we moved on to the armor. It was all stiff leather chest pieces, riddled with deep scratch marks, but clean enough, at least.
"Take this one," Clarisse said, ripping a dark leather chest piece off a hook and tossing it against my chest. I caught the dry leather and felt the bronze buckle smack against my knee. "It fits you. But don't even think about wearing that junk right now. If we walk around out there in the mortal world wearing leather and bronze, the humans will call the cops in two minutes."
"How do you know?" I asked, making her raise an eyebrow.
"It's common sense, idiot," Clarisse replied.
"If you say so," I said with a smirk.
"Yeah, and we'll end up locked up in a precinct before we even manage to reach the station," Luke agreed, folding his chest piece tightly, making the leather creak until he managed to stuff it into the bottom of his canvas pack.
I did the exact same thing. I packed the leather and the simple bronze helmet down inside the thick canvas, stepping on it to compact the space until the iron buckle of the backpack finally closed with some serious effort.
We turned toward the walls lined with weapons. Everything was hanging there on rusty hooks: scythes, double-bladed axes, short swords, daggers, and spears.
"Well, everyone has their signature weapons. Ready?" I asked, turning around, feeling the bracelet resting on my wrist.
Clarisse grabbed a piece of thick burlap sacking that was lying on the ground, wrapped it around the tip of her spear, spun it multiple times until all the metal was covered, and tied it off tightly with a piece of rope.
"Ready," she said, striking the butt of the spear against the dirt floor. "This way it won't rip the bag and won't accidentally impale either of you."
Luke just tapped his sword, giving a nod. With that, we stepped out of the shed. The weight of the backpacks was already dragging our shoulders down. We walked in silence along the dirt path leading toward the infirmary.
On the porch of the Apollo Cabin, one of the medicine boys was already waiting. He was holding a small pine wooden box under his arm, and his face was tight, his brow furrowed with worry.
"Chiron let us know you guys were already heading down to the gate," the Apollo kid said, opening the box and handing each of us a small raw canvas pouch tied with twine and a heavy, thick glass flask filled with a golden liquid that glowed faintly under the sun.
I held the flask, feeling the cold, dense glass against the palm of my hand.
"Pay close attention to what I'm about to say right now," the boy continued, taking a step forward and locking eyes with the three of us, one by one. "This right here is nectar and ambrosia. It's divine medicine, not a snack to cure your hunger on the road. If you eat this stuff like candy just because your stomach growls, your blood will boil in your veins and you'll burn from the inside out until you turn to ash in a matter of seconds. Do you understand?"
"Teaching a priest how to pray," Luke said with a smirk, making the boy flush red. From a distance, I saw Helena staring at me. Our eyes met, and she turned her face away with a huff.
"Relax, Doc," I said, unzipping my backpack right then and there and burying the flask right in the middle of my folded jeans to make sure the glass wouldn't shatter if the bag took any hard hits. "I'm not exactly looking to turn into roadkill barbecue."
Clarisse just stuffed her pouch into her jacket pocket without a single word, while Luke gave the Apollo kid a friendly slap on the back and adjusted his backpack strap on his shoulder.
We marched toward the central courtyard. Near the Big House, Chiron and Argus were already standing there, waiting for us by the garden bed. Argus was leaning against the low wall, his shirt partially unbuttoned to reveal the dozens of eyes scattered across his skin, all shifting in different directions. Without saying anything—as always—he took two steps forward and held out a thick manila envelope toward me.
I took the envelope and ripped the paper flap open. Inside was a wad of mortal dollars in crumpled twenty and ten-dollar bills, along with a dark velvet pouch. When I shook the pouch, I heard the loud, heavy clink of metal striking metal. I opened the drawstring and saw the glint of golden drachmas weighing heavy on my palm.
"The mortal money is for bus and train tickets, and for whatever food you need to buy on the street," Chiron explained, resting his hands heavily on his wooden cane while the horse half of his body shifted on the fine gravel of the path. "The drachmas are for real emergencies or to send an Iris-Message if the situation gets too complicated and you need to contact me. Remember: the Mist will hide your weapons from the eyes of mortals, but it will not hide the scent of your blood from monsters. They will know you are coming."
"We've got it covered, Chiron," I said, folding the envelope and tucking it into the deep pocket of my jacket.
"Go with the gods, my youngsters," the centaur said, stepping back and giving a slight nod of his head.
"Argus can't drive us?" I asked. Luke nudged Chiron to look at Argus, who stood completely motionless. Before Chiron could even speak, Luke interrupted: "I get it," and turned away.
Clarisse stared at him just like I did, completely lost. We adjusted the heavy backpacks on our shoulders and turned our bodies toward Half-Blood Hill. The dirt path climbed steeply. Silence gripped us as we made our way up the grassy ramp; the only sounds were the gravel crunching beneath our sneakers, the clinking of metal inside our backpacks, and our breathing growing heavier by the second.
I wanted to say goodbye to my sisters, but honestly, it was probably for the best not to. I look over at the system panel; there's a huge chance I might die, and I really don't want to.
"BROTHER!" I pause and spin around, spotting Lucas running toward me along with Mel, Olivia, Katie, and Miranda.
I halt, and Lucas throws his arms around my waist in a hug. My sisters arrive all at once.
"Stay safe, Caleb," Olivia says.
"Yeah, brother, you need to come back," Mel speaks up.
"Duh, idiot," Katie says right after.
"Be careful," Miranda says affectionately while Lucas cries. I just wrap my arms around them.
"I'll be back," I say, feeling that gut-wrenching bad sensation. Miranda looks dead into my eyes and gives me one last squeeze.
With a smile, I turn back around and slot myself between Clarisse and Luke, marching until we reach the top of the hill. The wind blew hard and freezing cold, making the branches and needles of the massive pine tree hiss loudly. I paused for a single second and looked back. Down below, the camp valley looked tiny, with the colorful cabins organized in that classic U-shape and smoke rising slowly from the forge area. Everything looked even more beautiful with the snow drifting down slowly.
"Ready?" I asked, looking out of the corner of my eye at Clarisse and Luke.
Clarisse spat to the side into the tall grass and yanked the strap of her spear on her backpack. "Let's get on with it, little flower."
Luke just nodded his head, adjusting his shoulder strap and taking the first step forward.
We took our final steps together and crossed the invisible line that marked the camp's magical boundary.
The reaction was instantaneous. A slight, cold shiver rippled across my skin, like a weak electric shock that caused every single hair on my arms to stand on end all at once. In that exact same second, the crisp breeze smelling of strawberries, wild grass, and wet dirt vanished completely. A sharp, pungent stench hit us hard.
We stopped on the dirt shoulder of the mortal highway. Cars and semi-trucks went barreling down the asphalt lane, kicking up gusts of dirty wind and dust straight into our faces.
Clarisse let out a low curse, dropping her backpack onto the ground for a brief two seconds just to crack her neck with sharp pops, before hoisting the heavy bag right back onto her shoulder.
"So, 'leader'?" she said, eyeing a worn, green traffic sign that pointed the direction toward the nearest city. "Are we going to hike on foot all the way to Canada, or are you actually gonna use that cash to score us a real ride?"
"We're gonna walk along the shoulder just up ahead and wait for the first bus heading toward the station," Luke answered, adjusting the chest strap of his backpack and taking his first step onto the snow-covered edge of the asphalt.