Demigods: Next Generation- The 100 Century tournament
Chapter 2
Andrew
Capture the flag wasn't Andrew's favorite game, but he liked to play it. The adrenaline rush a demigod could receive from it was like no other. Capture the flag might have been fun for Andrew's other siblings because of the strategy and planning the Athena cabin always put in which helped them win each game they played. Andrew however, wasn't that much of a planner which caused him to feel left out during these moments, but he didn't care. Usually when they played Annabeth put him and his older brothers in charge of separate scouting squads to defend their border and keep Clairesse and the other red players away from the flag.
Today, this game was different. During the school year Andrew's older sister, Annabeth, began leaving camp and going to a mortal school. She however left behind plenty of notes her siblings could use for strategy which gave Andrew a small sense of comfort. The game he was playing today was against the Ares, Apollo, Hermes, and Hecate cabins, which meant he could get hexed if he bumped into the wrong camper.
Andrew wouldn't admit he felt distracted once the horn that started the game went off, and dozens of campers began running at each other full speed. He ducked the first blow from an Ares camper and elbowed him in the face, giving himself some leeway to run into the woods and head towards the position Annabeth had placed him at.
The nature spirits were quiet as he walked down the forest path, the leaves crunching under his feet. Andrew drew his sword, finding himself in the exact coordinate grid. He waited, but seeing no sign of any red team camper he decided to get a better look of the area around him.
Andrew climbed up a nearby tree, and peered down at the area around him. His head turned towards the sound of seagulls, who chirped as they headed towards the fireworks beach which was directly behind him. Andrew frowned. This couldn't be the beach in his dream could it?
Suddenly a light shimmered and a man appeared on the sand below him, standing still with his back turned towards Andrew. Andrew bit his lip, but decided this had to be a sign of something important. He knew it would be unwise to ignore the man without at least asking who he was.
Andrew jumped down from the tree and landed on the ground with a dull thud. He walked towards the stranger, keeping his sword drawn until the man turned around revealing two heads sat upon his shoulders.
"Mr. Henderson," he spoke in a soft voice. "I've been expecting you."
Andrew looked around, the skin on the back of his neck tingling.
"You've been waiting..for me?" Andrew asked.
"Yes," the man said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the god, Janus."
Andrew shifted on his feet as he realized the god's intentions. He was here to offer him something.
"What do you want from me?" Andrew asked, putting his sword away.
"It's simple really," Janus said, meeting his eyes. "I'm here to offer you a chance to live."
"I'm sorry, what?" Andrew asked. "I'm not dying."
"You aren't now," Janus's left head said.
"If you continue on this path however," his right head said. "I'm afraid your heart will stop beating."
"I'm safe here," Andrew said, gritting his teeth. "There is no way I am going to die here."
Janus cackled in response and Andrew felt the urge to smack both of the god's heads together.
"I wouldn't doubt me if I were you," Janus's right head said.
"I completely understand why you would, however," the left said. "Just like your mother you need to have a rational reason behind your decision. Your sister was the same way."
"Stop trying to tempt me!" Andrew growled. "I'm not interested in making any deal with you!"
"Then you shall die!" The left head cried.
"A terrible way to go too," the right head agreed.
"Now you're just mocking me," Andrew scoffed turning away. Andrew began walking away when a wooden door appeared in front of him, Janus walking through it, opening his arms wide as if offering him comfort.
"You can only choose this moment to walk away," The left head said.
"Walk away or die," The right head said.
"I'm not going to be a coward just because I'm on the path to dying as you so claim! I will make my own decisions and I will start by not listening to you!"
Andrew turned to walk away again when a pair of invisible hands grabbed his shirt. Andrew felt the strong pair of invisible arms drag him towards the water. Andrew struggled, trying to use his sword to fend off the god's attack, but he found himself being thrown into the water anyway.
Andrew struggled to find his way to the surface, taking in deep breaths of air. The invisible hands pushed him down under the surf again, a weight dragging him deeper and deeper into the cold depths of the sound.
Andrew tried to keep his eyes open as he began weakening, the pressure causing his head to spin. Salt water flooded his throat and he was sure he would pass out when a shadow suddenly came over him.
This is it, he thought. This is when I die.
A swarm of blonde hair met his drooping eyes, and the last thing he saw was a pair of bright green eyes moving straight towards him.
"Oh, wake up," a soft voice said. "Please wake up!"
Andrew groaned softly as the voice continued to plead with him. He felt a strange warmth over him as he blinked open his eyes, finding himself come face to face with a mysterious girl. Her blonde hair blew in the sea breeze, the green of her eyes catching his attention the most. She stroked his cheek, her touch comforting and soft.
"Are you okay?" She asked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Uh, I think so," Andrew said. He sat up slowly, grimacing with pain.
"Careful!" The girl chided. "I think one of your ribs might be bruised. You hit the water pretty hard."
Andrew held his side, meeting her gaze.
"I've never seen you around here before," he said. "Are you a naiad?"
The girl shook her head, giggling softly.
"No," she answered. "I walked here."
"How?" Andrew asked. "Did you come here though the border-?"
"I came here through the door, silly!" The girl said. "The man said I had a choice to make which would change my life forever."
Andrew frowned. "So you met Janus too? Huh, I'm surprised he didn't threaten to kill you as well."
The girl frowned back, wrinkling her brow. She stroked her fingers across Andrew's forehead, touching a small cut. Andrew winced, the sting of the salt water was unbearable.
"Andrew!" A familiar voice called out to him.
Andrew looked up, finding his brother Steve and a separate group of campers coming towards them.
The girl rose up from her spot in fear, running back into the shallow surf. Andrew held his side as he stood in front of her, blocking their weapons from touching her.
"It's okay!" Andrew cried. "She saved me."
"What happened?" Steve asked. "You look like hell."
"Long story short," Andrew said. "I would have drowned if she didn't help me. Now put your swords away."
The group of campers shifted but complied. Andrew heard the galloping feet of horses approach them, the senior camp counselors on horseback and Chiron greeted them seconds later. Andrew recognized the dark form of Nico Di Angelo alongside of his cousin, Thalia Grace.
"Mr. Henderson," the centaur said. "I do hope you are alright."
"I'm fine," Andrew said. "I could use some nectar."
Chiron moved his eyes behind them, giving a friendly smile to the girl cowering in the water.
"Young lady," he said. "Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you."
The girl looked behind her for a moment before moving back onto the sand beside Andrew.
"What is your name?" Chiron asked.
"Chloe," the girl said. "Chloe Wayland."
"Ms. Wayland," Chiron said with a gleam in his eye. "Please be reassured you are welcome here."
"Has she been claimed yet, Henderson?" Thalia asked.
"No," Andrew answered. "Nothing yet."
"Give it time," Chiron said, placing a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "For the mean time my dear, why don't you come with me to my-"
The centaur was interrupted when a guttural scream came from the forests. Birds flew out of trees, fleeing the area.
Andrew heard the sound of crunching leaves under a pair of feet, before the red-headed oracle, Rachel, stumbled into view.
"Rachel!" Thalia cried, sliding from her horse's back.
"Stand back," Chiron ordered. "She's going to speak."
Rachel fell to the ground on her knees, heaving. She clutched her chest in pain before a green must filled the air and she looked directly into Andrew's eyes. A magical force seemed to draw her from the ground, causing her to float in the air.
"The Eagle, the peacock, the horse, the boar so brave
The owl, the stag, the light betrayed
Escaping from a hidden prison
The golden-light brings her vision
The time has come for the chosen to fight
The ancient one rumbles with threat of his might
Unless defeated by the winter moon's rise
The twelve Olympian gods shall meet their demise
The hero in the end the child of reason
A goddess born from the highest of treason."
Rachel gasped for air and fell to the ground coughing. Andrew remained still, frozen in place.
Chiron motioned for a few of the other campers to help Rachel to infirmary before placing a hand on Andrew's shoulder.
"Come to the big house, my boy," he said. "And bring Ms. Wayland with you, now."
Andrew nodded, ignoring the throbbing of his gut. He motioned for Chloe to follow him and ignored the sympathetic and shifty stares of the other campers. Something had definitely happened, and Andrew got his wish.
Capture the flag wasn't Andrew's favorite game, but he liked to play it. The adrenaline rush a demigod could receive from it was like no other. Capture the flag might have been fun for Andrew's other siblings because of the strategy and planning the Athena cabin always put in which helped them win each game they played. Andrew however, wasn't that much of a planner which caused him to feel left out during these moments, but he didn't care. Usually when they played Annabeth put him and his older brothers in charge of separate scouting squads to defend their border and keep Clairesse and the other red players away from the flag.
Today, this game was different. During the school year Andrew's older sister, Annabeth, began leaving camp and going to a mortal school. She however left behind plenty of notes her siblings could use for strategy which gave Andrew a small sense of comfort. The game he was playing today was against the Ares, Apollo, Hermes, and Hecate cabins, which meant he could get hexed if he bumped into the wrong camper.
Andrew wouldn't admit he felt distracted once the horn that started the game went off, and dozens of campers began running at each other full speed. He ducked the first blow from an Ares camper and elbowed him in the face, giving himself some leeway to run into the woods and head towards the position Annabeth had placed him at.
The nature spirits were quiet as he walked down the forest path, the leaves crunching under his feet. Andrew drew his sword, finding himself in the exact coordinate grid. He waited, but seeing no sign of any red team camper he decided to get a better look of the area around him.
Andrew climbed up a nearby tree, and peered down at the area around him. His head turned towards the sound of seagulls, who chirped as they headed towards the fireworks beach which was directly behind him. Andrew frowned. This couldn't be the beach in his dream could it?
Suddenly a light shimmered and a man appeared on the sand below him, standing still with his back turned towards Andrew. Andrew bit his lip, but decided this had to be a sign of something important. He knew it would be unwise to ignore the man without at least asking who he was.
Andrew jumped down from the tree and landed on the ground with a dull thud. He walked towards the stranger, keeping his sword drawn until the man turned around revealing two heads sat upon his shoulders.
"Mr. Henderson," he spoke in a soft voice. "I've been expecting you."
Andrew looked around, the skin on the back of his neck tingling.
"You've been waiting..for me?" Andrew asked.
"Yes," the man said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the god, Janus."
Andrew shifted on his feet as he realized the god's intentions. He was here to offer him something.
"What do you want from me?" Andrew asked, putting his sword away.
"It's simple really," Janus said, meeting his eyes. "I'm here to offer you a chance to live."
"I'm sorry, what?" Andrew asked. "I'm not dying."
"You aren't now," Janus's left head said.
"If you continue on this path however," his right head said. "I'm afraid your heart will stop beating."
"I'm safe here," Andrew said, gritting his teeth. "There is no way I am going to die here."
Janus cackled in response and Andrew felt the urge to smack both of the god's heads together.
"I wouldn't doubt me if I were you," Janus's right head said.
"I completely understand why you would, however," the left said. "Just like your mother you need to have a rational reason behind your decision. Your sister was the same way."
"Stop trying to tempt me!" Andrew growled. "I'm not interested in making any deal with you!"
"Then you shall die!" The left head cried.
"A terrible way to go too," the right head agreed.
"Now you're just mocking me," Andrew scoffed turning away. Andrew began walking away when a wooden door appeared in front of him, Janus walking through it, opening his arms wide as if offering him comfort.
"You can only choose this moment to walk away," The left head said.
"Walk away or die," The right head said.
"I'm not going to be a coward just because I'm on the path to dying as you so claim! I will make my own decisions and I will start by not listening to you!"
Andrew turned to walk away again when a pair of invisible hands grabbed his shirt. Andrew felt the strong pair of invisible arms drag him towards the water. Andrew struggled, trying to use his sword to fend off the god's attack, but he found himself being thrown into the water anyway.
Andrew struggled to find his way to the surface, taking in deep breaths of air. The invisible hands pushed him down under the surf again, a weight dragging him deeper and deeper into the cold depths of the sound.
Andrew tried to keep his eyes open as he began weakening, the pressure causing his head to spin. Salt water flooded his throat and he was sure he would pass out when a shadow suddenly came over him.
This is it, he thought. This is when I die.
A swarm of blonde hair met his drooping eyes, and the last thing he saw was a pair of bright green eyes moving straight towards him.
"Oh, wake up," a soft voice said. "Please wake up!"
Andrew groaned softly as the voice continued to plead with him. He felt a strange warmth over him as he blinked open his eyes, finding himself come face to face with a mysterious girl. Her blonde hair blew in the sea breeze, the green of her eyes catching his attention the most. She stroked his cheek, her touch comforting and soft.
"Are you okay?" She asked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Uh, I think so," Andrew said. He sat up slowly, grimacing with pain.
"Careful!" The girl chided. "I think one of your ribs might be bruised. You hit the water pretty hard."
Andrew held his side, meeting her gaze.
"I've never seen you around here before," he said. "Are you a naiad?"
The girl shook her head, giggling softly.
"No," she answered. "I walked here."
"How?" Andrew asked. "Did you come here though the border-?"
"I came here through the door, silly!" The girl said. "The man said I had a choice to make which would change my life forever."
Andrew frowned. "So you met Janus too? Huh, I'm surprised he didn't threaten to kill you as well."
The girl frowned back, wrinkling her brow. She stroked her fingers across Andrew's forehead, touching a small cut. Andrew winced, the sting of the salt water was unbearable.
"Andrew!" A familiar voice called out to him.
Andrew looked up, finding his brother Steve and a separate group of campers coming towards them.
The girl rose up from her spot in fear, running back into the shallow surf. Andrew held his side as he stood in front of her, blocking their weapons from touching her.
"It's okay!" Andrew cried. "She saved me."
"What happened?" Steve asked. "You look like hell."
"Long story short," Andrew said. "I would have drowned if she didn't help me. Now put your swords away."
The group of campers shifted but complied. Andrew heard the galloping feet of horses approach them, the senior camp counselors on horseback and Chiron greeted them seconds later. Andrew recognized the dark form of Nico Di Angelo alongside of his cousin, Thalia Grace.
"Mr. Henderson," the centaur said. "I do hope you are alright."
"I'm fine," Andrew said. "I could use some nectar."
Chiron moved his eyes behind them, giving a friendly smile to the girl cowering in the water.
"Young lady," he said. "Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you."
The girl looked behind her for a moment before moving back onto the sand beside Andrew.
"What is your name?" Chiron asked.
"Chloe," the girl said. "Chloe Wayland."
"Ms. Wayland," Chiron said with a gleam in his eye. "Please be reassured you are welcome here."
"Has she been claimed yet, Henderson?" Thalia asked.
"No," Andrew answered. "Nothing yet."
"Give it time," Chiron said, placing a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "For the mean time my dear, why don't you come with me to my-"
The centaur was interrupted when a guttural scream came from the forests. Birds flew out of trees, fleeing the area.
Andrew heard the sound of crunching leaves under a pair of feet, before the red-headed oracle, Rachel, stumbled into view.
"Rachel!" Thalia cried, sliding from her horse's back.
"Stand back," Chiron ordered. "She's going to speak."
Rachel fell to the ground on her knees, heaving. She clutched her chest in pain before a green must filled the air and she looked directly into Andrew's eyes. A magical force seemed to draw her from the ground, causing her to float in the air.
"The Eagle, the peacock, the horse, the boar so brave
The owl, the stag, the light betrayed
Escaping from a hidden prison
The golden-light brings her vision
The time has come for the chosen to fight
The ancient one rumbles with threat of his might
Unless defeated by the winter moon's rise
The twelve Olympian gods shall meet their demise
The hero in the end the child of reason
A goddess born from the highest of treason."
Rachel gasped for air and fell to the ground coughing. Andrew remained still, frozen in place.
Chiron motioned for a few of the other campers to help Rachel to infirmary before placing a hand on Andrew's shoulder.
"Come to the big house, my boy," he said. "And bring Ms. Wayland with you, now."
Andrew nodded, ignoring the throbbing of his gut. He motioned for Chloe to follow him and ignored the sympathetic and shifty stares of the other campers. Something had definitely happened, and Andrew got his wish.
This is really good, keep up the great work!
2/3/16