HEY SRY THIS TOOK LONGER THEN I EXPECTED, I WAS STARTING MY COMIC-CON COSTUME. THIS CHAPTER IS A BIT SHORTER THEN OTHERS. ANYWAY ENJOY!
Ch.8-Attack on Half-Blood Hill
Annabeth POV
"I don't see why we have a stupid tree…" Josh called angrily from the bottom of the ladder.
I looked down, from where I was hanging tinsel on one of camps giant trees, at Josh. He had been complaining since Chiron Had told us to decorate the massive tree with the rest of our camp mates. But Josh, being a son of Ares, just saw this as a waste of a day he could be using to blow spit balls at kids.
"Well because," I sighed," most of our mortal parents originally celebrated Christmas before they met our godly mothers or fathers. Basically we just follow tradition."
"Plus," said Selina from the ground where she was going through a box of decorations. "Christmas is so romantic…" she exclaimed with a dreamy look.
"Yeah," agreed her sister from alongside her.
I rolled my eyes.
'Of course, they only need that as a reason…figures.'
I turned back to the tree, to finish decorating the last of the tinsel.
"Hey Annabeth!" interrupted Selina from the base of the tree.
I grunted. 'Now what?'
"I found some ornaments you haven't hung yet…" she said as she rummaged through the box. "This one in particular actually…" I looked down to see what she was blabbering on about.
"Oh I can get that," suggested Kyle as he smoothly strode over to Selina from where he had been making ice sculptures of the gods around the outskirts of the tree.
Kyle was one of Apollo's many children. He looked just like his dad too; blond hair that was always looking windblown and a smile that tore at all the female campers' heart strings. The only difference between the two of them was that he four years younger then his father. Like all his siblings were very talented in both archery and nearly any kind of art you could name, though he preferred to sketch or sculpt.
But as he tried to take the ornament from Selina, she pulled it away. "No," she said sharply, "I think Annabeth wants to put this up herself."
'Okay then…'
"I'll be right down I said as I descended down the steep ladder. My foot eventually touched the packed snow. I heaved a sigh and watched the steam from my breath float away in the early darkness around us. I looked up at the tree, curious of how it looked over all instead of at fifteen feet up. It stood like a giant, more then twenty feet tall with gently hanging tinsel that caught the light from the hanging orbs of Greek fire that rested in the limbs of the tree without setting it ablaze. Large ornaments hung from the branches each depicting a different god, though there were many ornaments for each god. Even Hades had a handful or ornaments each were deathly black with something similar to a flowing red ribbon inside, even if they were secluded to the bare spots on the tree.
'He's always left on the out side…'
I shuffled over to Selina, careful not to slip on any ice. "So what have we forgotten?" I asked.
She held up an orb at eye level for everyone to see. It was around the size of a base ball, the same size as the rest of the ornaments but it had a glowing color to it, a grey blue that would remind you of a cloudy day at the shore. On its surface were intricate wave patterns to show a violent open ocean. But at one point the waves seemed to come up to a crest, leaving a dry open area. In that spot was a grey owl that nearly blended in with its off grey surroundings.
"So what do you think of this ornament?" she asked, trying to conceal a knowing smile.
I could feel my face turn a light pink. "Umm well…" I stuttered.
Kyle stepped over to look at it more clearly." You know," he started as he looked it over," I don't remember this one at all." He straightened up and looked at the two of us as he whipped his soft blond hair in thought. "That's odd too 'cause I help decorate nearly every year…"
"This was a special gift from my mother…" Selina told him as she motioned towards it with her empty hand.
"Why would your mom give camp some ornament?" asked on of the unclaimed Hermes campers, a 9 year old girl by the name of Erin. She was sitting in the snow next to a bowl of popcorn that she was using to make a string of popcorn for the base of the tree.
Kyle looked back at the ornament. "Why are there little waves and an owl? Does that mean−?" but Kyle stopped mid-sentence and stared across to me.
'Crud.'
"The only half-blood kid of Poseidon is Percy," he pointed to the delicately draw waved with a gloved finger, "so that's what the waves mean so then…That means the owl is for Athena making it mean…" he paused for a second. "You."
Now I could tell you that my face didn't turn a brighter red and that I played it cool and shrugged off his comment, but that would be lying.
"What?!" I asked, my palms started to sweat and I had a creeping feeling that I was cornered.
"Well since its obvious that the waves mean Percy then you know…" Kyle merely shrugged.
I looked around at my fellow campers. Selina and her siblings were huddled whispering, every once and awhile letting out a squeal of excitement or with "oh my gosh I know"'s. Josh was boredly standing by the ladder. But everyone else was staring at me with blank faces. I looked back at Kyle.
"Well you are his best friend…" he said.
"So is this like a…" stared Erin, "the ornaments a…" she started to tap her finger against her forehead wracking her mind for an answer. "A shipping right?"
Lyle looked at the young camper oddly.
"Well you know how there are shipping names for characters or something? I think sometimes they have symbols too." She said trying to recall a certain television series. "That makes this ornament your symbol then, for you and that Percy guy you like. So you guys would be…percabeth!"
"So what do you think Annabeth?" asked Selina, glancing down at the orb.
I grabbed the orb in defeat as I shuffled back to the ladder and up to the tree.
"Put it near the top!" called Selina.
'Argh this is humiliating'
I carefully placed the ornament out in the open, directly in the in the center of the magnificent tree. The sphere fit in nearly perfectly.
'It is rather pretty…' I shook my head as I remembered just what it symbolized.
STAR THINGS
It was dinner when it happened.
"To the gods!" shouted Chiron as he stood on his recently heeled leg. He raised his goblet of grape soda and stamped his hoof. The pavilion roared back with shouts of agreement as we reseated our selves from our food offerings to the gods.
I grabbed a pork chop from my plate and looked around. The few campers seemed have regained some spirit, at least more then they had all year.
' Tis' the season to be jolly…Tomorrow is Christmas after all…'
Selina was talking animatedly to Kyle about plans for the tree, the Hermes campers were all huddled around a large map discussing strategy for a prank they would most likely play. The Aphrodite campers were talking about the latest fashions and Josh had his feet on the table and was picking at his teeth with a tooth pick.
Nothing could ruin this meal except…
From out near Thalia's tree we heard the noise. There was a loud flapping sound followed by a heavy thud. The room went silent and I could feel a chill pass the room.
'What could..'
Mere moments passed before the horn was blown by the patrolling satyr, the one who was now in harms way. We were in trouble.
"Quickly!" shout Chiron as he galloped over to our table. "Everyone, suit up!"
The happy go lucky atmosphere shattered. We had a fight on our hands now.
STAR THINGS
As we marched towards the border we saw a young satyr motion to the bottom of the hill with a freaked out expression. Our small group of fighters kept walking, the more experienced either in the front or flanking, to protect those who were younger.
We stopped at the top of the hill, beside Thalia's tree. I looked down at its base and discovered what had made the noise. Passing the base of the camp border was a massive lion with the head and wings of an eagle. The Griffin was not alone though. From behind it came more monsters until we were utterly out numbered. It was nearly two to one, most of the monsters being 8 feet tall or taller though.
From behind me I could hear one of the younger campers make a dry swallowing noise. They were scared, but so were the rest of us. Scared that we would lose, scared we may die.
Behind the Griffin were nearly a dozen Telekines, a hand full of Furies, a half dozen fire breathing horses with flaming red eyes and of course the bullies from Percy's old school, the Laestrygonians. Swarming about the beasts were stymphalian birds made of metal.
"This ought to be fun," Josh said with a smirk as he raised his axe and let out a battle cry worthy of his father. The rest of the camp followed his lead and ran from the protection of the border.
All the campers and the mass of monsters entangled together to become a confusing group of thrashing bodies, all ready to kill to the last breath if necessary.
I jammed my cap on and ran into the throng invisibly, careful to dodge the occasional spear or claw that would pass my head. On the outskirts of the fight stood the Griffin, at least half of our fighters standing at its feet, ready to take it down.
They would jump forward and try to attack but every time the beast would merely fly up, it was taunting them. From Thalia's tree came a whizzing arrow, pointed straight at its neck. But the monster had seen it coming and just moved over to the side.
'Someone needs to distract it so Kyle can get and easy shot…' I looked around everyone but these few people were busy with the other monsters and those here didn't look like they could think up a plan fast enough. 'I guess that someone is me then…'
I ran up just under its head and stabbed my dagger through one of its caves. The being looked around to see who had hit him. In his confusion Kyle shot another arrow, this time it hit the Griffin squarely in the neck.
As the monster started to collapse towards the ground I looked up.
'Man I have to move….'
I started to scurry out of the way when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I glanced up at the sky.
Something was flying towards us at a break neck speed.
'Is that…?'
As it got closer I could have sworn I saw Percy.
I stumbled on a large rock and something heavy crashed into my helmet, causing both that and my cap under it to fall off.
That's when everything went black. I didn't wake up for nearly a week.
CLIFFIE! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK PLZ!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ANYONE ELSE!
NOTE. THERE IS ONLY ANOTHER CHAPTER OR TWO LEFT AFTER THIS BEFORE I'M DONE.