Percy Jackson,

a god?

Annabeth Chase

Fate plays a cruel joke

The golden chamber echoed the piercing words of Lord Zeus. My heart burst in agony. Percy, a god? Immortal? I prayed for the words I desperately needed to hear: Percy's refusal. My face mirrored Percy's era's ago, when we had stood here with Thalia. At the time I hadn't understood his expression.

"Thank you Lord Zeus, I accept." Percy had bowed and his voice was wavering with weariness – not indecision. All the gods stood, thirteen of the most powerful beings in existence.

Suddenly Percy's body was raised into the air. Showers of golden sparks surrounded him, like a halo. Silver and gold arrows erupted from opposite sides of the throne room, enclosing him in a circle; at the same time waves and flashes of green, red, pink, white, purple, bronze and black rushed through him. Instantly, new shinning bronze armour appeared on his body in honour. A duo of snakes curled around his right arm, with pride, and sank into the hot metal in his armour, leaving a gleaming outline.

The blessing of the god's.

Finally the last of the gods stepped forward, out of the perfect semi-circle. His black beard glinting with pride for his son, the result of a broken promise, whose body was raised in the centre of the chamber: becoming a god.

Poseidon.

He raised his magnificent weapon in glory, spoke an ancient Greek phrase, known only to the gods and struck Percy.

As I stared, I saw Percy's features changing. They became more mermish and sea-like. His body was curled, but he was starting to rise. His movements were graceful, very un-Percy.

Slowly, his body descended to the floor, the gods sat. Percy's eyes opened, green and restless like the ocean.

"Rise Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon. Raise our newest god. You shall serve in your father's court for the rest of eternity."

Percy closed his eyes as he took in Zeus' words. Suddenly, his skin began to glow, the completion of the faze, the colour was turquoise and as he caught sight of it his grin grew wider and it took all my power not to burst into tears. My head was pounding against my skull.

Everything had changed.

Mere hours ago I had had three of the best friends in the world. I had been so scared, as we battled Kronos and his endless army; they were going to get hurt. My prayers had been answered, but in the worst way. One of them had been made a Lord of the Wild, an incredible honour. One would have to leave again, as Artemis' lieutenant, for the hunt. One had been made a god, right in front of me.

I woke with a start. Tears stained my face and sweat nestled on my brow. My blankets were scattered around my bed, and the sun was rising in the sky outside my window.

I'm Annabeth Chase. I live in San Francisco, with my dad, a professor, my step-mom and their two children. I spend every holiday in Long Island at camp. Oh, and I almost forgot I'm a half-blood, demi-god whatever.

I'm half human and half god.

My mother is Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle.

I got up quickly, pulling on my orange camp top and rushed out of my cabin. A lot had changed in the last four months at camp. I had been away at school since August, and when I had arrived, days ago, it wasn't the snow covering the camp that had startled me. More cabins had been added, in accordance with Hermes' pact. The old 'U' shape was now a complete full circle.

Few campers were awake yet, but I spotted Nico emerging from cabin 13, Hades' cabin. The walls were solid black with blue fires heating the vast inside. Bones lined the walls, sending shivers down your spine when you entered. So far Nico was still alone in the cabin – Hades being the only one of the big three who hadn't broken their pact. The previously nearly empty cabin 3 now had four occupants. Cabin 1, however, still stood empty. Not due to Zeus' trustworthiness – but to fate.

Several heroes had been found by satyrs, and brought near to camp half-blood: all children of Zeus, Lord of the Sky; monsters always tracked them down before they actually reached the property line.

"Hey Annabeth, are you looking forward to capture the flag tonight?" Nico's voice was cheery and bright.

"Yeah, course," I shrugged, distracted, my gaze back on cabin 3, my mind locked on its past, its previous sole occupant: the newest god on Olympus.

Back in August we defeated Kronos, lord of the titans together. Everything had been perfect. Luke was gone. He really had saved the world. He had sacrificed himself and defeated Kronos; hopefully for good even though Kronos is immortal. Luke and I had been friends since I was seven, but when I turned twelve, the year Percy came to camp, he'd changed but I had held on to him, not wanting to give up on him. Then I finally understood. I had understood since August; I let Luke go. Rachael Elizabeth Dare had become the oracle. Percy's human swiftly and easily taken care of, although I would have liked a few swipes at her with Clarrise's spear…

Then everything collapsed. Zeus, Lord of the Sky, I sneered, had sealed our fates. Percy's string had become golden, untouchable.

"We can make you a god." The words kept repeating in my mind, taunting me. Percy got made a god. I got nothing. Oh wait, sorry, I forgot, I got made the architect of Olympus. Great, no sarcasm intended, but I also got my best friend, more than that, snatched away.

I shook myself back to reality, unnecessarily as Nico understood. He didn't persist in a conversation as we wandered towards the forest together, passing Juniper, Grover's girl friend, and the satyr elders' clearing. The forest felt empty. Usually it was filled with dreamy satyrs chasing relentlessly after gorgeous nymphs.

But at least half of the satyrs were away, collecting new recruits. The camp was filled to breaking point. All the cabins, not just Hermes' were crammed now, we'd even started planning extensions. It was great. I wish Percy could see it…

After a while we headed back to the dining area, which had also changed. Surprise! The deep gawping crack made by a younger Nico had been filled. More tables had been assembled. Everything was bigger.

Nico smiled sheepishly, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. He was looking at the place where the gorge had once been.

We sat down and breakfast passed in a daze, with Chiron announcing the usual notices and Mr D's always friendly greeting. I was about to turn around to Poseidon's table to make a comment, but I stopped mid-movement and sighed.

I filled the rest of the day with studying my laptop and trying to form a plan to keep the laurels for capture the flag with the right and deserving cabin.

This week the two-team captains were Ellie Bailey, from Hermes' cabin and I. So far Hermes' had Poseidon's, let them have it, Aphrodite's, like they're going to make a difference in a fight, Nemesis', I'm not worried, and Demeter's, still not worried, alliance. On the other hand, we did have Hades', Apollo's, Dionysus' and Gaia's, not so good memories. The rest of the minor god cabins along with Hephaestus and Ares' hadn't decided yet. We didn't have the favour in numbers so I wanted to get the support of a few minor god cabins, only few of them had any special skills, but they could fight and Hephaestus's, the biggest cabin. Chores schedules were redone shower times rearranged and soon I was in higher spirits for capture the flag.

By dinnertime the teams had been made official. Tensions ran high and everyone was sharing threats across the dining area. The teams were fairly equal in size, if you don't count the endless number of undead soldiers Nico could raise from the ground. I was still slightly uneasy though. Ares were good fighters, full stop. Plus, Demeter's kids have power over the forest where we would be 'playing'.

I hid the flag near the creek deep in the forest, fully visible but easily guarded; where Percy had once suggested.

I was half way to the enemy flag when things went wrong. One minute I was staring intently at the red flag in front of me, masked with a caduceus, murmuring instructions, the next I was crouching, covering my ears from the pain. A shrill piercing sound echoed through the forest.

The alarm bell.

Panic swept through me, sending waves of terror through my spine. I rushed to the big house, with the rest of my scout team on my tail, following my lead. I saw the cause of the mayhem before I reached Chiron. A new half-blood and a satyr escort were approaching the boundary line – closely followed by a monster, preparing to strike.

The monster was a giant serpent with a cruel hard glare and fangs hanging out of its jaw. It was the size of one of the cabins with slimy scales harder than diamond, and hundreds of blood red eyes, reminding me of our much more friendly head of security Argus. From where I stood I couldn't make out who the satyr was, but I knew that the pair needed help, and that was all I needed to know.

I led my group toward the struggling duo, made a definite signal to Chiron and charged.

They were about half a mile from the property line, from us, from safety. The satyr was armed with his reed pipes and a sword, which he shoved at the confused eleven-year-old half-blood. He swung it instinctively, but he was inexperienced. He didn't have a hope of killing or even harming the monster; he just made it angry.

We ran as fast as lightning but it felt slower. I was stuck in another dream. The one where you have to run, but your legs are stiff and can't move fast enough. The thing you have to catch is moving away, you open your mouth and try to call it back, but a ghost catches the words before they leave your mouth. You watch, in agony, as the thing, whatever you were running for, glides away from you, unaware. I pushed harder and harder, willing my feet to move faster, the image of the pair was becoming more define, we were getting closer.

We were fifty metres away when it happened. The satyr was fumbling with his reed pipes attempting to subdue the creature, but the song wasn't working. The desperate notes faded into the horizon. The beast swung its tail hard, knocking the satyr, who I now recognised as Tom, an old friend, to the floor. The blow wasn't fatal, but Tom now lay unconscious and the half-blood was left with no help and we still hadn't arrived.

The serpent span around so it could face the defenceless half-blood. Its tongue twirled in suspense preparing for the kill. Finally, we reached the scene at the bottom of the hill, and formed a tight circle around the monster. I reached to drag the half-blood away from the fight when the snake lunged. Its teeth sunk deep into his arm, spreading its deadly venom. I watched as his face exploded in pain, completely helpless

Our group made short work of the monster after he had bitten the boy. It was too late though, was my only thought as the black dust swirled back to the deepest realms of Tartarus.

Campers from Apollo's cabin swarmed around the wounded half-blood. His face was painted white and dripping with sweat. I saw the confusion and hurt in his face but I couldn't find my voice to reassure him. Even I could hear his heart beat speeding, as if trying to fit in as many beats as it could before the inevitable happened.

I turned to a camper, Joel, new last summer but a talented healer. Grief was written on his face.

"Nectar?" I asked, with little hope. I already knew the answer.

He shook his head in disgrace.

Galloping and the sound of hooves hitting the wet grass announced Chiron's arrival. I looked up half expecting to see Mr D behind him, but not really surprised when I didn't. He was probably celebrating.

He rode up to the boy lying dying in the grass. The campers comforting him scattered leaving Chiron, Joel and I to share his last moments.

The clouds themselves shook in anger as the unknown god mourned for their son.

I looked down one final time as he took his final breath and his existence slipped easily to the Underworld to meet Hades.