"C'mon, Grace! Keep it up or that Hydra will slice you to pieces!" I called out encouragingly from behind the boy. He slashed and slashed at the practice dummy, dodging and parrying the imaginary blows from the fake hydra. "Fire! Duck and cover!" I called out. Evan dropped to the ground, holding his sword above his face like a shield. A grimace passed over his face, like he had just felt the heat from a deadly blast of fire. Finally, after quite a few close calls with the pretend hydra fire and when hay was pouring out of practice dummy like ichor from a godly wound, Evan paused to take a breath.
He sheathed his dagger, grinning from ear to ear. "That was fun."
Evan Grace, the only son of Jason and Piper, was always up for a bit of training. Whether it be sword practice or my fabulous Flying 101 class, he didn't really care. We were an almost perfect training match, cause we both had powers from Zeus and a lot of the same sword strategy. Evan could be a bit of a pain, though. He has somewhere around the attention span of a goldfish, but I couldn't help but laugh at how naive and innocent little Evan was. Even though I was only two years older then him and we shared a lot of the same traits, I could barely fathom someone more different from myself. Not that I'm complaining about being his mentor, or anything. No matter how annoying he could be, Evan was brave. I know he would do just about anything to protect his friends, and I respected that. Plus, over the past couple years he had practically become my little brother.
"So, I feel like I probably wouldn't of died if that actually happened." Evan wagered.
I shrugged. "Hopefully not."
Evan wiped some sweat from his forehead. "Close enough. Hey, can you teach me some more about summoning lightning bolts?" He paused for a second. "I'm in the mood for some s'mores."
Before I could respond, a young girl came bounding across the training grounds in my direction, her blonde ponytail waving like a yellow flag in the wind . The young demigod was a daughter of Hermes named Bea. She was often pinned with the job of being Camp Messenger, probably because of her dad. It was kind of ironic, actually. I'm pretty sure she doesn't mind though, because a massive grin was always plastered on her face whenever she got permission to sprint across Camp to deliver messages.
"Sup Cassie?" She panted. Bea clumsily dug through her leather satchel, yanking out a bottle of nectar to drink.
"Any news, Bea?" Evan inquired, brushing some of the hay-dust he had on his pants. He was almost completely covered in a fine layer of hay.
"Yeah. Chiron, Jason and Piper wanted you two up in the Big House." Bea explained, capping her bottle and shoving it back into her cluttered bag.
"What? Why?" I wondered aloud.
"I dunno. I'm just the messenger, Cass. Have you two made anything explode lately?"
"One freaking stray lightning bolt and no one will forget it," Evan mumbled.
That had been an interesting day, for sure.
"We'll be up to the Big House in a minute." I said.
Bea nodded, then darted off to deliver messages to some other demigods.
Evan turned to me, trying and failing to wipe dust out of his blonde hair. "Wonder what that was about..." He muttered.
"Have you made anything explode lately?" I asked playfully.
Evan snorted. "So, shall we make our entrance in style?" He asked with a faint tone of excitement.
I raised an eyebrow. "By flying, I'm assuming?"
"You know me all too well, Sparky."
"Wanna race?"
"Duh." Evan stated, like it was the most obvious thing on Earth.
Before I knew it, we had both made liftoff and were whizzing through the air, dodging cabins and the occasional unlucky halfblood.
The bright, vibrant scenes of Camp flashed through my vision.
Children of Demeter tending to the strawberries in the fields, campers swimming and canoeing side by side in the lake, and even more demigods training at the Rockwall, the sizzling lava below them illuminating their tense muscles and facial expressions.
We finally arrived at the Big House's entrance, with myself being only slightly in the lead. I made a semi-graceful landing,only tripping and staggering for a few seconds. Evan wasn't so lucky. He came down hard and fast, and would've slammed into the big, looming doors of the Big House if I hadn't caught him by grabbing onto his forearm.
"Thanks," Evan stated. "You totally got a head start, to be honest."
"Keep dreaming, Lover Boy." I teased.
Evan gave me his best evil-eye. Too bad he didn't have a mean bone in his entire body. He absolutely hated that nickname I had made up for him because of his origins. I think he preferred to think of himself as more of a Zeus than Aphrodite kind of guy, despite his godly family history.
I glanced upwards at the tall, maple wood doors of the Big House. I had always envisioned the large building as a second home, but now that I was entering it without a single clue as to what I've done wrong this time, I felt apprehension when I tugged on the brass knobs.
Ev and I awkwardly shuffled in. Surprisingly, all the head councilors were present. Wayne from the Ares cabin sat at his red-leather chair with his feet up on the table, arms crossed behind his head. That guy was a serious jerk, and I didn't get along with him too well if you can't tell. Henry, the head of the Hades cabin, glared at all the other councilors like they were enemies of an opposing army. Henry tended to be quiet for most of the time, but had a nasty habit of sneaking up on other campers by shadow traveling. Most of the time he would try to play it off as a complete accident, but the creepy smile on his face whenever he startled someone said otherwise. Jason, Piper and Chiron sat at the head of the table, awkwardly smushed into a space that was only meant for one chair but was occupied by three. Thank the gods of Olympus that Chiron had decided to go into "wheelchair mode," or we would've had a few trampled campers and broken chairs.
Everyone seemed to be in a heated debate, and I made my way towards my official head of Zeus cabin seat stealthily. The steady hum of voices covered up my ninja-like footsteps. Don't even ask how I ended up as a main councilor. I honestly don't even know how that could have possibly happened. The room was packed, and except for the Poseidon chair every seat was taken. "Well, look who decided to show up." Wayne snarled as I clumsily took a seat, causing my chair to let out a loud Creak...
The faces of the rest of the councilors turned to me. I think I may have turned the color of an especially red firetruck. Not only was I the youngest councilor, at an amazing thirteen years old, but I was also always getting in trouble for stupid little things.
Oh, the stables weren't cleaned properly. Cassadee is to blame!
Oops, Sparks accidentally blasted the official Capture the Flag flag to pieces during a match! Make her clean the stables again!
Her trainee blew up another cabin with a lightning bolt? Ugh. Send both of 'em to the stables!
See what I mean? I have plenty of experience with a shovel, unfortunately.
I raised my hands in defeat. "Sorry. Got here as fast as I could."
Jason waved his hand in dismissal.
"Okay, where were we?" Chiron stated.
"Something bout the demigod and satyr up in Texas." A daughter of Aphrodite responded.
Wait. A demigod and satyr in Texas?
"Hold on, are we talking about Jake and Fi?" I asked, praying to the gods I was wrong.
"Yep. They seemed to have gotten themselves into some...trouble." Piper explained.
"What? Are they okay? Why aren't we out there rescuing them?" I exclaimed, launching myself up from my chair with another extra loud creak.
"Oh? Worried about your boyfriend, Sparks?" Henry observed, his dark brown eyes boring into mine like daggers.
I snorted in disgust. Jake and I were best friends, and nothing more. Besides, Jake had a thing for a certain daughter of Hephaestus. I had heard enough about that stupid crush. One time he even came up with a corny little haiku/love poem to read to Natalia. Sons of Apollo were hopeless. Fiona and I stopped him in his tracks before he could embarrass himself, though. It might've been cute if it was actually a good haiku, but that wasn't the case. Let's just say it had roses and violets in it. He may of even beaten Apollo for worst poem ever.
Anyways, before I could mouth off to Henry, Jason interjected me.
"Knock it off, you two." He commanded. I had heard that this guy had once been a praetor of Camp Jupiter, and I didn't doubt it for a second. He just radiated power, and I felt myself shrink back just a little bit when he ordered Henry and I to be quiet.
"Henry, you can explain to Cassie what happened. You know, since you have so many things to say." Jason explained.
Gods, I wish I could order people around like that.
Rolling his eyes and cursing under his breath, Henry began. "Well, Fi and your boyfriend accidentally found a demigod. They think he's pretty powerful, so they have themselves holed up at Jake's place. They need someone to go help them, cause apparently there is quite a few monsters in the area." He paused to glare angrily at Jason. "Done."
Probably used to children of Ares's nasty attitudes after a couple centuries of dealing with them, Chiron calmly stated,"And that's why we want you to go on a quest to rescue them, Cassie."
With my ADHD still thinking of snark replies to Henry's tease, it took me a second to wrap my brain around what Chiron had just said.
Me. Quest. To rescue my best friends.
The room seemed to tilt a thousand degrees too far to the right, and my stomach lurched with happiness and shock.
"Uh, I-I would love to!" I exclaimed exuberantly.
"Awesome." Piper grinned. She had heard firsthand about how much I wanted to go on a quest. That made me a little suspicious. I would hate to just be a pity case, to have only gone on the adventure of my life cause some people felt bad for me and my stupid history.
My happiness faltered. The grin on my face slipped into a frown.
"Why me?" I asked. "Why not Danny or Gracie or Sam?" I named off a few random names that belonged to some of the faces in the room.
Piper shrugged. "Why not you? These are your best friends. Who would be more motivated to save them than you?"
Wayne stood up from his chair. "Who cares about motivation? We need someone with skill, people. Someone who actually knows how to fight like a demigod."
Ouch. Right in the feels. That remark actually kind of stung.
Piping up from his position behind his parents, Evan said,"She's twice the halfblood than you, dude. And a heck-lot smarter. I'd follow her to Tartarus and back."
Alright, he gets some serious brownie points for saying that. And, even better, I think he meant those words. A confident shine stood in his eyes, and he said the words with absolute certainty.
A swell of anger stirred in my chest. Who is this guy, challenging you like that? I thought. You've been in a countless amount of monster attacks, and somehow survived all of them. Even as a young kid all by myself in the streets of Maine I had been a pretty good demigod. I did my best to battle all of the monsters I encountered, and had only come close to dying a couple times. Not the kind of achievement you get a little cute certificate to hang up on your fridge or anything, but I think it at least meant something.
"Evander-Atticus!" Piper scolded. "Don't go around causing problems."
After wincing at the mention of his very traditional Greek name, Evan said,"It's true, Mom."
Jason seemed to have a little surge of pride at hearing his normally shy son's outburst, and stated,"Well, Cassie. It's time for you to pick who to bring on your quest. Remember, only-"
"Only three campers max, I know, I know." I interrupted excitedly. I planned out the quest in my head. I knew immediately I wanted to bring Evan on this quest, so that made things a little easier.
The quest would take a while and we would have to travel quite the distance, so I would need someone fast and hardy.
Or... Someone who can shadow travel and get you there lickety-split.
No. No, no, no. There's no way that son of Hades is coming with me any where.
These are your best friends, Cassadee Richardson. What's more important, your pride or two lives? The logical part of my brain argued. Well, make that three lives, including the dork who started this whole thing.
I sighed. I really didn't want to do this. If I could just click my heels and magically transport Fi, Jake and the mystery kid over to Camp, I totally would have.
"I'm bringing Evan." I stated. I tried not to look at his shocked face or it might make me burst out laughing.
"And Henry."
I swear the entire room seemed to gasp.
The only one who didn't seem to be surprised was Jason- who just nodded his head and smiled when I met his gaze. I think he got that I only did this to save my friends. Like his son, Jason appreciated an act of loyalty and sacrifice.
Trying to escape the awkwardness hanging in the air, I said, "Alright. That's decided. When do we leave?"
"As soon as you can," Chiron said, a grave tone fringing his normally warm and inviting voice. "I don't know how much longer Fiona and Jake can hold them off."
My feet turned stone-cold. I hadn't really thought of it like that. Jake and Fi would have to be fending off quite a few, if not dozens of monsters if they had been desperate enough to call out for help.
Fiona was an okay fighter at best when she was armed with her club, but Jake just wasn't really into the whole combat thing. He just tended to fade away into the background whenever we played Capture the Flag, tending to the wounded in the Med-Tents. Jake did have a bow, though. And a calvary sword. Plus on a good day he could summon a sonic-boom loud enough to stun someone for a few seconds.
But would it be good enough?

~-~

I stood at the edge of Camp Halfblood, my sword clenched in my hand so hard my knuckles had turned white as snow. I felt kind of woozy, since this would the first quest anybody had done in-well- a long time. Ever since the thing with the last son of Poseidon had happened, no one had been on a quest. Even I didn't know that much about it, which was odd because I had arrived at Camp only a couple years after it had occurred. It was pretty hush-hush around Camp, cause apparently the son of Poseidon had played a crucial part in Camp's daily activities. But what I'd heard was that his entire family had been massacred, including his wife who happened to be a daughter of Athena and their two little kids.
The life of a demigod is always hard, but I'd never heard of such a cruel ending.
No one was sure what had happened, but it was suspected that it hadn't been just a simple monster attack. Most thought that it had been done by some kind of rising threat, a new god or deity that wanted revenge. That was a pretty common threat for a demigod.
But someone who was strong enough to wipe out the face of Camp Halfblood? Someone who had once been the praetor of Rome? Someone who had served in a countless amount of battles?
It sent a shiver down my spine to think that there was someone, or something, that was strong enough to do that kind of thing.
But there I was, standing on Halfblood Hill next to Thalia's Pine, the familar sweet scent of pine reminding me of my old home back in the farmlands of Maine. My knees almost buckled together cause it was actually happening.
I was going on a quest.
This would be the first time I had stepped out of Camp since I had first come here, five years ago. All of a sudden I felt like a little eight-year-old again, afraid to leave home but knowing in my heart that I had to leave. That if I didn't, the people I love might hate me for my cowardliness. Or even worse, might be killed for the things I had done. Or hadn't done. Whatever.
Just as I was having a second thought about this whole quest thing, I saw Piper approach me. She climbed up the steep hill with grace and ease, and smiled reassuringly at me.
"Nervous?" She inquired, her mirror-like eyes gazing into mine sweetly.
"It's beyond nervous at this point. It's more like I'm about to pass out."
Piper chuckled. I knew for a fact she had stared death in the face a number of times, and she had obviously never lost because there she was, smiling at me. "Here, this will make you feel better." Piper unclipped her hilt from around her waist, handing it to me like a tribute. Her dagger, Katropis, gleamed brighter in the sunlight than anything I'd ever seen.
"Your-your dagger." I stated, dumbfounded.
"Yeah. That stupid blade can be a pain sometimes, but you never know when you might need an extra weapon." She paused. "Or a glimpse into the future."
I swallowed. I'd heard about the knife's magic qualities, but I hadn't ever seen it in action. I hoped it would remain that way.
"Thanks." I said softly. I took the knife from her hand after I sheathed my own weapon, letting my hand get used to its lightness and small size.
Fighting with two weapons wasn't a very Greek way to fight, but I rather be an alive Greek than a dead but traditional one.
I heard someone call out from behind us. "Hey, Cassie! It's almost time to go!" Henry shouted a few yards away, with Evan by his side. Funny. He'd been an awful lot nicer than usual as soon as I said I would bring him on this quest. Typical son of Hades.
"Kay! Just a second." I turned back to Piper.
Before I could thank her again for the dagger, she said,"Go." She shoved me away softly. "Remember, sometimes the right thing might seem like the completely wrong thing. Don't always count on your mind. Your feelings and love can win over any evil."
That seemed like a very Aphrodite-like thing to say.
I shouldered my backpack full of demigod-goodies like nectar, ambrosia, and a few spare clothing articles. You never know when you might want a fresh pair of nice, warm, and wooly socks.
I made my way over to Ev and Henry, who had just opened a small portal in the shadows of an overhanging pine tree.
I glanced back towards Camp.
Almost all the campers stood at the edge of Halfblood Hill, the orange Camp Halfblood t-shirts combining together in a swirling mass of bright orange, like the hazy background of a sunset.
I'm not a little girl anymore, I thought defiantly as I set one foot in the portal.
Goosebumps erupted up and down my arms as the cold shriek of the racing wind tore past my face.
One last look. I pivoted around, raising my hand to call attention to myself. As if there wasn't enough people looking at me already.
"Goodbye, halfbloods!" I shouted. "Long live Olympus!" I found myself calling in Greek, like we were all going to battle.
Everyone in the crowd seemed to shout back to me in a fierce war-cry.
"Long live Olympus!"
I felt color flood to my cheeks, and smiled to myself as I stepped through Henry's portal.

Goodbye, home. I'll be back. I swear it on the River Styx.

Notes

Oh gods of Olympus. You guys should've read the first few batches of this chapter. If barf could be transformed into writing, then it would have become my really sucky drafts of this chapter. Maybe it was because my feels scale was off the charts CAUSE FREAKING BLOOD OF OLYMPUS KILLED A SMALL PART OF MY SOUL. *regains mental stability*
Sorry, you'll have to forgive that. Anyways, sorry about not posting sooner but I just got back from my awesome trip to California. It was so much fun. Also, I was planning on sticking mainly to Cassie and Luke for the POV's of future chapters, but I may occasionally switch to Fiona or Jake or maybe even Evan's point of view. And isn't Evander-Atticus Grace the perfect name? I seriously brainstormed a list of the most Greek names I could possible think of. Ugh. I feel like I'm supposed to say something else but I totally forgot what.
Alright, my faithful peeps, I must go get some sleep! I'll probably upload the next chapter within the next week, so stay tuned!

P.S I may throw in some Lassie Love further down the line. I freaking love that ship name, just so you know :3