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Rowan’s eyes scanned the campers around him. He’d been at Camp Half-blood for about six months now, and knew most of the other campers by now, but there were still a few that he didn’t. A girl standing over with the Demeter cabin, a boy over with the Hecate kids, a pair of twins wearing Nike’s sigil on their chestplates, and someone standing over near the Athena kids who he’d been told was a child of one of the four winds - even if he couldn’t remember which one specifically.
A few of the adult councillors for the camp were hovering around the edges of the clearing, talking quietly to each other. Rowan felt his shoulders relax a little. The adults were all siblings of various people around the camp, depending on cabin, and had been campers before their age made them councillors. They always monitored camp activities like Capture the Flag, and Rowan knew that it made at least him feel better.
The councillors had survived a lot - they could make sure a simple game of Capture the Flag wouldn’t get out of hand. Rowan had heard stories about what had happened sometimes in the past, and he wasn’t eager to repeat those particular games.
There was one councillor that he didn’t recognize at first, though. He stood apart from the others, watching what was happening with a slight smile on his face. He had dark hair and tanned skin, with seafoam-green eyes that made Rowan suspect he was probably the kid of some sea deity.
“Alright, everyone! Let’s gather up into teams and go over the rules and the game opening ceremony,” one of the councillors, a woman named Lyra, called out.
Both teams trailed over to clump together in the clearing, even though it was divided down the middle into blue and red plumes. The councillors went over the rules again, and Rowan found himself zoning out a bit, having heard this a few times already. He noticed the unknown councillor standing separate from the others again, watching what was happening and wearing armor similar to that of the two teams, but without a helmet with a colored plume showing which team he was on.
“Now, for the opening ceremony.” At Lyra’s words, Rowan snapped his attention back to the front of the group, and lifted his arms up automatically in unison with the others. “Praise be to the gods of Olympus, the gods of the Underworld, and all those who lie in between. We ask Nike for victory, and Apollo for our continued safety through today’s games. We ask as well, that Perseus bless us as a god of heroes, so that we may perform at our best. Let us, as the children of the gods, bring you pride today. Alala!”
“Alala!” Rowan cried with the others, feeling the ancient battle cry make his heart pound a little harder in his chest as he followed his teammates into the woods.
They spread out, and Rowan braced himself as he stood to defend their flag from the opposing team. The next hour or so was a wash of battle alertness and a series of skirmishes that led to both teams having their flags abducted at the same time with both of the thieves running towards the creek border.
Rowan was chasing after their flag, glaring hard as he ran as fast as he could, when he noticed a new presence running beside him. Glancing sideways, he saw the councillor he didn’t know running beside him, not even winded as he kept pace with him easily. Rowan felt a moment of envy, before it turned into determination to one day be as skilled and experienced as the camp’s leaders.
“If you cut a right here then head straight left at the old stump, you’ll be able to cut them off,” the man said, grinning slyly at him.
“I thought you all said councillors aren’t allowed to help,” Rowan gasped out between breaths, frowning.
“Who said I was a councillor?” the man grinned, the light catching on the previously unseen gold flecks in his green eyes. Eyes that appeared to be glowing, now that Rowan was able to see them from close up. “You’ll want to take that right, now, if you plan to catch them.”
Rowan wasn’t sure what exactly was happening, but he made the split-second decision to abruptly turn right like the man suggested. His feet slid in the leaf litter lining the ground, but he caught himself quickly and kept running. Before long he could see a gnarled old stump that could only be the one that the man had mentioned, and he took a sharp left.
He was getting close to the creek now, and he braced himself as he heard the flag thief crashing through the underbrush nearby. As soon as he saw them emerge from the bushes, Rowan didn’t even think about it. He lunged, dropping his sword, to tackle them to the ground.
There was a yelp as they both hit the ground hard, rolling a short way from their combined momentum. Rowan was breathing hard, locking his limbs around the thief as he heard footsteps rushing up from where they’d run in from.
More crashing sounds came from across the stream, and the thief in his arms bucked, trying to get up. Rowan locked himself around them harder, and felt the brushing hands of a few of his teammates as they helped hold the other teen down.
Splashing came from behind them, followed by an immediate roar. Cries of dismay from across the creek, and sudden loud cheers erupted from his teammates around him. Rowan lifted his head, seeing one of his teammates holding the other team’s flag high in the air as she cheered along with the others.
He unlocked his limbs, and he looked down to see a Hermes kid named Neo groaning underneath him, rubbing his head. Now that the chaos was over, he felt the bruising along his side from where he’d landed poorly after tackling the other camper.
“Damn, dude,” Neo groaned, sitting up. “You came out of nowhere. Nice work, but try that again and I’ll rip every other stitch out of all your clothing so it fails at the most embarrassing moment. Understand?”
“Sure,” Rowan said, getting to his feet. He was immediately swept up into a crush of arms hugging him excitedly as his teammates celebrated.
From there it was a rush of noise and excitement and dismay, as the entire group of demigods trickled their way out of the woods. Rowan glanced around for the councillor he’d seen earlier, but didn’t see him anywhere. He made his way up to Lyra.
“Hey, Lyra? Who is the councillor who helped out in the woods?” he asked, still scanning the crowd. “I thought you guys weren’t allowed to help, but he didn’t seem bothered. I’ve also never seen him before.”
“A councillor helped you?” she said, steps stuttering briefly as she frowned. “That’s not allowed. What did he look like?”
“He had tan skin, messy black hair with a grey streak through it, and these oddly glowing green eyes with flecks of gold,” Rowan recited, thinking back to that brief moment as he’d been running.
Lyra came to a jolting stop and forced Rowan to stop too, a hand wrapped tightly around his wrist. He looked to her in surprise, seeing how wide her eyes had gotten and the way she’d gone a little pale.
“You saw Perseus?” she asked, sounding shocked. “In the woods? To help with a game of Capture the Flag?”
“No, I just… saw…” Rowan began to protest, before remembering the fresco in the small temple located a short way behind the Poseidon cabin, in clear view of the waters of the Sound.
The fresco was several hundred years old now, but still looked freshly painted. Every camper had seen it at least once, as cleaning the temple and its neighbor were part of the weekly camp chores. While all the others were cabins where campers or Hunters resided while at camp, those two were the only two true temples, as neither of the gods they belonged to had demigod children or mortal followers like the Hunters.
Now that he was making the connection, Rowan had to admit that the man he’d seen in the woods bore a shocking resemblance to the painting of the god in that small temple.
“Oh my gods,” he said faintly, staring at Lyra. “A god wanted to help me win us a game of Capture the Flag?”
“He must have seen something in you that he liked,” she said, smile a little strained still, but her shock fading away. “It wouldn’t be the first time. He tends to favor those who catch his attention in some way - usually someone who reminds him of himself when he was mortal, or the friends and family he had then. Or so I’ve heard.”
“What does that mean for me?” Rowan asked, getting a little nervous. It usually wasn’t a good thing to catch the attention of the gods, even one known for being kind to demigods like Perseus was. He also didn’t know as much as he would like about one of the youngest gods in the pantheon, and was planning to fix that regardless of what the councillor said.
“Well, not much, usually,” Lyra admitted, beginning to walk them back towards the armory and cabins. “Perseus… isn’t known for getting involved then staying involved. He might be more likely to help you out if you pray to him, but otherwise he should leave you alone. You can ask Chiron about him, if you’re worried at all. He knew him back when Perseus was mortal, still. However, for tonight? Make sure to give him a decent offering at dinner in thanks, and that should pay back any debt he might feel like you owe him.”
Rowan nodded, feeling some of his tension ease. It certainly sounded like Perseus was less intense than some of the other gods he’d heard tales of, which made him grateful he hadn’t caught one of their eyes instead. Still, he didn’t plan on taking advantage of Perseus’s kindness, and intended on doing what he could to stay on the god’s good side.
Keilah peeked her head out from behind chest she was hiding behind, peeking out the door to the temple. She didn’t see anyone there, and ducked back into her hiding spot, giggling quietly. She was supposed to be helping to muck the stables, but she didn’t like the stables all that much and had come here to get out of it. The horses were too big, and the stables themselves too smelly.
It was much nicer in this building where she could play with the trinkets left here, and where it smelled like saltwater and the pretty flowers her siblings had called moonlace once.
She didn’t know how long she sat in the peaceful quiet, playing pretend with the items left on the table in front of the statue at the back of the temple. She’d seen the statue plenty of times before, but hadn’t found it very interesting. It was just an ordinary man with a name that sounded old. Keilah had helped take care of the temple when she was told to, but didn’t see much point in in beyond that.
“What have you got there?”
The sudden voice made her squeak, and she tucked the small figurine she was holding behind her back as she turned around. A young man was leaning against the base of the statue, arms loosely crossed and looking at her with a smile. Seeing that he looked more amused than angry, Keilah relaxed a bit, taking the figurine out from behind her back.
“I’m playing with this,” she said, showing him what she was holding, but not letting it go. He wasn’t angry at her for being in here, but he might find her toy as interesting as she did and take it away.
“Ah, Poseidon’s Mythomagic figurine,” the man said, laughing a little as he came towards her. He sank down to sit cross-legged in front of her. “Good choice, but I’m surprised those are still around. That has to be an antique by now.”
“What’s Mythomagic?” Keilah asked curiously. She studied the figure in her hands, and frowned a little. She didn’t think it looked much like what Poseidon did, but maybe if she squinted her eyes a little.
“It’s an old game from… somewhere around three hundred years ago, now, I think,” the man said, narrowing his eyes a little in thought. “I was never much good at it, but one of my cousins was great at the game.”
Keilah hummed, going back to her game. She wasn’t all that interested, now that she knew he wasn’t going to introduce her to a new game to play. Paying the man little mind, she went back to playing - especially since he didn’t seem to care that she was here, and she wasn’t about to draw attention to the fact that she might have chores she was ignoring to be here.
Besides, he seemed content enough just to watch her play on the floor of the temple.
“Ah, there you are,” a woman’s quiet voice pierced the quiet. Keilah glanced up, but didn’t recognize her. She had curly blonde hair, a strong tan, and blood-red eyes with flecks of grey. The man didn’t seem alarmed by her presence either, the line of his shoulders relaxing even further as he grinned brightly over his shoulder at her.
“Hey, love,” he greeted, as she came over.
“I should have guessed you’d be here,” the woman said, her voice full of amusement. “Especially with a visitor here. What’s your name?”
“Keilah, daughter of Dolos,” she said softly, feeling suddenly shy at the pretty woman’s intense but gentle stare.
“Deified spirit of trickery and guile,” the woman hummed, and Keilah felt herself perk up a bit at her father being recognized. “Often mistaken for Hermes, due to the trickery overlap.”
“You know him?” she asked, turning her attention fully to the woman now.
“Of him, yes,” the woman said, a knowing smile on her features. She turned her attention back to the man. “You promised your father to help him with that series of problematic currents today, in case you forgot.”
“Ah, right.” The man winced a little with a sheepish grin and stood. He turned to Keilah and had opened his mouth to speak when another camper rushed into the room.
“Keilah, there you are!” they exclaimed, and Keilah felt a moment of dread when she realized it was her activity partner for the day - a Hermes camper named Kai. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I was about to tell Chiron I’d lost you, and you were hiding in a temple?”
“It was quiet here,” she pouted, fiddling with her figure. “Besides, the man and woman don’t mind.”
“Who?” Kai asked, before seeming to register the presence of the other two in the room. He paled, bowing hastily to them. “My lord and lady, I’m sorry for the intrusion, and for any offenses Keilah may have caused when she was supposed to be under my care.”
“No worries,” the man laughed a little, shaking his head. “Children are always welcome in my temple, especially demigods. I know many of the others do not feel the same, however all of you are safe in my domain, I promise you that.”
“Of course,” Kai said agreeably, but Keilah thought he still looked a little nauseous. Kai glanced at her and seemed to notice the figurine in her hands for the first time. His eyes darted to the table in front of the statue, where Keilah had admittedly left a bit of a mess. Abruptly, he swayed on his feet. Breathlessly, he continued, “My lord, thank you for your mercy.”
“The day I punish a child for playing is the day I’m no longer fit for divinity,” the man said firmly, glancing at the woman beside him and taking her hand. Then his eyes softened, as he turned his attention back to the demigod before him. “Though, it would do her well to learn where it is safe to play freely. As I said before, the others are not always as generous.”
“Of course,” Kai said, nodding hurriedly.
“Percy,” the woman interrupted. “Your father.”
“Right,” the man - Percy said. “Thank you all for your efforts at maintaining our temples. Your work is appreciated. Keilah can keep the figurine if she wants. Um. Bye?”
“Seaweed Brain,” the woman muttered quietly, rolling her eyes with the faintest hint of a smile.
Without another word, they both stepped behind the statue and there was a flare of light, then they were gone. Kai let out a shaking breath, then inhaled deeply. He then turned to glare at Keilah.
“Now, missy, you have some stables to help clean,” he stated firmly, swiftly reaching out to pick her up before Keilah could even think about darting away to hide again. “Then we’ll be heading to Chiron, so he can explain temple etiquette to you until it sinks in. You got very lucky you decided to hide in Perseus’s temple.”
Keilah pouted, but knew she was caught. Leaning into Kai’s chest, she tucked the figurine safely into her pocket - after all, Percy had said she could keep it. She rested her chin on his shoulder as they made their way out of the temple. Catching sight of the statue again, she frowned a little as she realized it looked almost exactly like the man she’d met.
Odd.
“There’s a man at the cabin,” Serenity said as she rushed back to the main group of Hunters. She was still pretty new, and thus had been assigned to scout the path ahead to camp, to help her hone her abilities in a lower stakes environment.
“A man?” The Lieutenant asked, raising her head. “What man?”
“I don’t know,” Serenity said, shaking her head. “He was just. Standing on the front porch. Should I… shoot him?”
“Best not until we know who he is,” the Lieutenant shook her head. “Lesson to remember: don’t piss off anyone unless you know who they are and that you can take the consequences. Or unless you’re certain that regardless of who they are, you can handle it - which is a very, very small number of people in this world.”
“Right,” Serenity said, a little sheepish.
“Well, let’s get to camp and see who’s hanging around our cabin,” the Lieutenant sighed. She made several sharp motions to the others who melted into the trees, and gestured for Serenity to follow her. Serenity trailed after her, noting that the Lieutenant was pushing her with the pace, but not leaving her behind the way she easily could have.
The Lieutenant had been around for a long time - she wasn’t the oldest in the group, that title belonged to Briony, who had been around since the Classical age even though she looked around thirteen. However, she was the oldest physically at almost sixteen, and she had apparently outlasted many of the others who had come and gone over the years.
They set a swift pace, running faster than any ordinary mortal could hope to and not tiring. Serenity was still astounded by the gifts Artemis was able to gift her Hunters - especially so because just a few years ago she had been fully mortal herself before being introduced to this world.
Bursting out of the trees, they all could see the flourishing grass and wildflowers of Half-blood Hill. Breathing in deeply, Serenity could smell the scent of strawberries, wood burning, and something entirely unique to the camp. She’d only been there a few times, but she had fallen in love with it right away - grateful she could experience it despite not being part of this world originally herself.
“Hunters,” Chiron greeted as they crested the hill, passing Peleus and the tall pine tree marking the boundary.
“Chiron,” the Lieutenant returned with a smile. “I see you heard we were coming.”
“Very little gets past me, at this age,” Chiron hummed, turning to escort them to the cabins. “I think you’ll also find someone eager to see you, waiting for you at the cabin.”
They rounded a corner, and were suddenly in sight of the main ring of cabins - the originals, Serenity had been told, for just the primary Olympians. It was easy to pick out the one dedicated to Artemis, with its glowing silver facade and golden detailing. The man she’d seen earlier was still lounging on the front steps, though he looked up when they came into view.
The Lieutenant’s body language eased in an instant, and she lifted a hand to wave. The man raised a hand in return, a broad smile across his features that even Serenity had to admit made him look handsome, even if she wasn’t interested.
“Percy,” the Lieutenant greeted, giving the man a tight hug as she approached, much to Serenity’s surprise. The man hugged her just as tightly back, the force of it lifting her off the ground a few inches.
“Thals, good to see you again,” he grinned. “Annabeth is busy with her mom - some kind of construction project on Olympus, and you know how she gets. She said to tell you that she’ll come visit in a day or two, when she can put some of the work down.”
“It’ll be good to see her again,” Thalia said, smiling faintly. “It’s been a while. I’ll have to stop by her temple in the meantime - it’s been a while since I’ve gotten a chance to give an offering to the Chase.”
It was then that Serenity realized that the man standing in front of her was likely a god - one of the two newest to the pantheon, with the other being his wife who was probably the other person they were talking about.
Percy - Perseus? - seemed to notice her surprise, and raised an amused eyebrow at her over Thalia’s shoulders. Noticing his look, Thalia glanced over her shoulder as well, and seemed to realize that Serenity had never actually seen Perseus before.
“Ah, right,” she said, motioning for Serenity to stand next to her. “This is Serenity, one of our newest Hunters. She’s a mortal that our lady gave clear-sight to. She’s been to camp a few times, but I guess you’ve always been away since she joined us. Serenity, this is Perseus, one of the local patrons of the camp. We’ve known each other since I was almost sixteen and since he was fourteen. He’s also my cousin, and has gained the respect of Lady Artemis and her brother, so he gets some passes that most males wouldn’t.”
“How old are you now?” Serenity asked before she could stop herself, clapping a hand to her mouth shortly after as her eyes went wide. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.”
Perseus burst into laughter, eyes shining with amusement.
“It’s fine, chronic foot-in-mouth syndrome is a thing I am well-acquainted with,” Perseus laughed. “It got me into a lot of trouble, when I was mortal. Still does, actually. To answer the question, when we met that was over three hundred years ago. I keep losing track, but Annabeth would no doubt have the exact number. She’s better with things like that.”
“Alright, well, we have to settle in for the next couple of weeks, but in a couple hours we should spar,” Thalia said. She glanced at Serenity, then a couple of the other Hunters, and raised her voice. “Anyone who wants to watch could benefit from the experience. Percy is one of the best swordsmen I’ve ever met, but even without one we can give each other a good run for our money.”
“Looking forward to it, Pinecone Face,” Perseus said, grin growing a little sharper.
“To getting your ass beat? Happy to oblige, Kelp Head,” Thalia said, a matching grin on her face, but Serenity could see the genuine excitement underlying both of their expressions.
They were acting more like siblings than immortal cousins, and Serenity was an only child. She’d never quite understood those relationships, and she only just refrained from shaking her head at them as she followed the other Hunters into the cabin. Still, she planned to watch their spar later. Based on what she knew of the Lieutenant, and that the other opponent would be a god, she expected it to be a good show at the very least.
“Why?”
The wooden bowl clattered with a quiet splash as all the liquid in it spilled out. Nari clutched at her hair, pacing out her frustration to avoid yelling it out instead. At three in the morning, it would definitely get her caught and in trouble if she did.
The dark liquid spread across the floor would need to be cleaned soon, or it would dry and get infinitely harder. Nari glanced up at the statue of the woman staring down at her. She knew she likely was supposed to be intimidated by the look, but it felt more assessing than anything. When Nari had learned more about her, she’d been surprised that she was allowed a temple in the camp, given what one of her domains was.
Then she’d learned that the camp’s primary patron, Perseus, would likely have rioted if his wife had been denied a place as well.
“Why isn’t it working?” she asked the statue in a pleading whisper. The statue of course didn’t respond, just continued giving her the same assessing look as before. Nari sighed, and crouched down to begin cleaning up the mixture she’d knocked over. She’d brought a spare rag for exactly this reason, not wanting to risk leaving behind evidence for someone to stumble upon in the morning.
For a while, there was only the sound of cloth on stone, as Nari fought back frustrated tears. Then, the quiet sound of leather sliding across the stone from behind her.
Nari whirled around with a quiet yelp of surprise. She saw a tall, blonde-haired woman with red and grey eyes standing before her. She was wearing clothing that was popular three hundred years ago, but with an epiblema draped around her shoulders. Even though the two looks shouldn’t have gone together, she somehow made it look seamless.
“The Chase,” Nari gasped, hastily kneeling before her and bowing her head. “My apologies for the mess I’ve made in your temple. I am cleaning it up immediately.”
The Chase didn’t say anything to her, simply stepped forward and knelt to inspect the remnants of the ritual Nari had attempted. She ran a finger through the remaining liquid, smelling it and rubbing it between her fingers to feel the texture. She then looked up at Nari, her red eyes piercing.
“Child of Hecate, are you?” she asked, in a way that wasn’t really a question, but that Nari felt compelled to answer anyway.
“Yes,” she whispered. The Chase hummed, waving a hand to let the mixture disappear from the floor.
“You know, Circe once told me I had the makings of a sorceress,” she said, glancing up at the statue that showed her likeness. “I suppose she was right in the end. As the years have gone on, I’ve realized that someone without that talent likely couldn’t have ascended the way I did.”
Nobody really knew how the Chase had followed her husband Perseus to godhood. Many suspected it had something to do with her third domain, but just as many assumed it was part of their duality, as Perseus had a similar domain of his own. Nari didn’t ask about it now, too wary of offending the goddess whose temple she was in.
“You were attempting a ritual to enhance your magical abilities - to take more after your mother.” It wasn’t a question, and Nari swallowed heavily. “You want more of her attention.”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.” The Chase stepped forward, reaching out to grab Nari’s hands to inspect them and her arms. “You are new to rituals.”
“Yes.”
“It shows,” she said, not unkindly, just observantly. She looked up, her gaze piercing as her eyes turned fully red. “You used old blood. It needs to be fresh. By the time it has dried, it has lost most of its power, and your window is closed. Next time you try this, spill the blood during the ritual itself. Time of day matters, but so does the time the blood is spilled.”
“Thysia Chase,” Nari said quietly, acknowledging the epithet of the version of the Chase standing before her now. Ritual blood spilling, to connect to the divine. Usually referring to the sacrifice of animals, but since the Chase ascended, also for magical ritual involving spilled blood.
“Precisely.” The Chase released her hands and took a step back. “My side of the domain is more precise than my husband’s. His is simply blood spilled in combat, while mine requires patience and precise timing. As such, you would do well to heed my advice. However, be sure you are ready for what the ritual will bring you. Once you have made a decision with blood, there is no going back.”
The Chase’s eyes flicked to the door of the temple, and she tilted her head as if hearing something too faint for Nari herself to hear. Her eyes were back to that same red and grey mixture they had been originally.
“You should return to your cabin,” she said. Reaching out, she brushed a single finger across Nari’s head. “The harpies are coming by here soon, and it wouldn’t be good for you if they found you here. You have twenty minutes until you’ll be visible to them again. Don’t linger.”
“Thank you,” Nari said sincerely. The Chase was as intimidating as she always had been, but now she seemed almost… misunderstood. She was intense, but she was not unkind. As a goddess of architecture, strategy, and thysia, her domains were all serious, so of course she would reflect that. But none of those things were bad things, and Nari was fairly certain that made all the difference.
“I know what it is, to want to live up to a mother,” the Chase said, her eyes bleeding grey as she turned her head in the direction of the Olympian cabins. Nari stayed quiet, remembering that the Chase was once - and technically still was - a daughter of Athena. The Chase turned her attention back to her. “Now, you should get going, before you get caught out of bed.”
Nari nodded, scrambling to her feet and grabbing all of her supplies, tossing them into the backpack she’d brought them in. When she turned around, the Chase was gone. Still, she felt the goddess’s lingering presence around her, and knew that her temporary gift was still active.
Not wanting to push her luck any further tonight, she ducked out the temple hurriedly. She took care to keep her footsteps quiet as she hurried across camp. The Chase had only promised her invisibility, not silence, and it wouldn’t do to get careless.
She made it back to her cabin without any issues, her siblings all still sleeping. Though, if they’d caught her, they’d understand. Some magic just required late nights, which meant breaking curfew. Hiding all the evidence of her rule-breaking didn’t take long, and soon she was wrapped up in bed trying to get some rest before morning.
As she drifted off, she gave a mental reminder to herself to offer the Chase a good offering from tomorrow’s breakfast, as thanks for her help.
Chiron walked through the camp with an easy pace. The faces around him were always so young. They also aged too quickly, and were frequently taken from him too soon. He loved them all anyway, in the only way an immortal who had never been mortal truly could.
Multiple millennia, and he was still always so amazed by how much people stayed the same. He was equally amazed by how many of them managed to be completely unique, even when they contained echoes of each other.
He walked past a child filled with glinting mischief and gold, and another that smelled like all things growing and living. Another had a multicolored aura, while yet another carried with them the scent of sunshine in a meadow. He wasn’t sure what it was about mortality that prevented the children he trained from seeing and noticing the same things he did, but he couldn’t deny that it helped him over the years to adjust their training even during the times their parents didn’t claim them.
Of course, such cases didn’t happen anymore - even before Perseus ascended, he’d done his best to make sure of that. After, he and Annabeth both ensured that the promises the elder gods had made to them were kept.
Speaking of the pair, he could sense swirling seas, the metallic scent of blood, and the clash of swords coming from the nearby beach. A short distance away from it was the smell of fresh wood, the thrum of the power in blood, and the scratch of pencils across paper.
He veered to head towards the beach, knowing that if the pair of them were anywhere, it would be there. Cresting the short hill, he saw a familiar blonde lounging on the beach in a Camp Half-blood shirt and shorts. She was watching a young man with dark hair splashing in the waves, lifting swirling eddies of water into the air in shapes that would amuse her.
“Hello Chiron,” she said, without turning around, the smile evident in her voice.
“Hello, child,” he returned, smiling himself. Out in the waves, Percy waved a greeting but stayed where he was, the bulk of his attention remaining on the water and with the school of fish surrounding him. “It has been some time since you have shown yourself as a camper.”
“Some part of me will always be a camper here,” Annabeth said easily. “No matter how long it has been or how much else changes. This was my home before I was anything more. It’s where we both got our beginnings. Anything else that comes after doesn’t change that for either of us.”
“I know the camp has certainly benefitted from being named the birthplace of two gods,” Chiron said, looking out at the water with her. “I hear Camp Jupiter has too, being the place where Perseus and you have both started to ascend.”
“We try to visit and help where we can there,” Annabeth stated simply. She glanced up, her crimson-tinged gaze the only current sign to mortals that she was anything more than a normal young woman. “But it isn’t our home in the same way, so the bulk of our help and focus are here. Percy also felt camp needed our help more. He was right; it’s wonderful to see actual adult demigods living here now. That was a fantasy when I was a child, but now it exists.”
“I must admit that it is a relief to not see as many faces leaving us so young,” Chiron sighed. “You and Percy have shaken up the pantheon in a way only the young can. Though I do not fully understand, as I’m sure you both are aware by now, I cannot deny the changes you have brought have been good.”
“I’m glad,” Annabeth said, closing her eyes and tilting her face back to the sky.
Three hundred years was a lot for a mortal. It was such a short time for an immortal. They were both so young, even still.
“Chiron,” Percy greeted, coming up out of the water. It sluiced off of him in an instant, leaving him as dry as Chiron himself and in a similar set of camper clothing to his wife. His eyes were that glowing mix of his original sea-green and the gold Chiron knew would take over whenever the domain he shared with Annabeth was invoked. “Come to say hi?”
“Of course, child,” Chiron smiled. “It is rare I get to see you when you visit camp, much less when you do so under the guise of campers.”
“Wise Girl was feeling nostalgic today,” Percy grinned at her as he collapsed onto the sand beside her, pressing a short kiss to her lips and causing her to smile even though her eyes didn’t open.
“It is nostalgic indeed,” Chiron agreed.
He did not do favoritism - all of the demigod heroes who passed through his camp were equally his students, and he owed it to them all to teach what he could. He had sworn an oath to such, and had no intention or desire to break it. However… that did not mean he did not have favorites in the more general sense. He was divine after all, and it was in their nature to do so.
Now, between these two and Artemis’s lieutenant, he had been able to keep three of his favorites far longer than he ever expected to keep any of them. He had to thank the Fates’ hands for that, even if the road to this result was a long and difficult one for them all.
“Do you have other responsibilities to attend to today?”
Chiron lowered his gaze to meet the carmine eyes of the goddess he had once been close to calling his own. He hadn’t been able to hide his regard for her as well as he was used to while she was mortal. He found that it was a similar case now that he actually got to keep her.
“Nothing pressing,” he found himself responding.
“You should join us for a while,” Annabeth hummed, closing her eyes again. “It’s a nice day outside, and the one thing nobody mentions about immortality is the way the little things slip by if you aren’t paying enough attention. Take some time to be solely here for a while, enjoying the water and the sun.”
“Perhaps you are right, my dear.”
Chiron settled himself more comfortably, and tried to see things the way they were. Or, the way they had when they were mortal. He ignored the overimage of the sun chariot in the sky, and the way he could feel Poseidon’s - and Percy’s - influence over the waves, and the sleepy shifting of the Earth’s breath beneath their feet.
He closed his eyes, and simply let it all wash over him, as he stood beside the two young gods who were still learning this new side to the world yet reminding him of what always had been.