P R E V I O U S L Y

Once the laughter died, Luke nudged me, before
nodding towards Ariadne, signaling me to go to her.
And so I did.

➶︎ THE NEW GUARDIAN OF
CAMP HALF-BLOOD !

Perspective: Third Person

     THE CAMP WAS UNDER ATTACK. It had been a rough week for the campers. Not only was Thalia's tree poisoned, but Chiron—AKA Ariadne's nanny since birth in a nutshell—was also getting fired, only to be replaced by a douchebag named Tantalus. She could probably hear her heart get torn a bit by the news, considering since her mother—Hestia—dropped her off at Camp Half-blood since she was just a few weeks old, Chiron and Mr. D were the ones who technically raised her—though her mum likes to visit loads of times.

     After years and years of training, you would have thought that Ariadne Hearthstone was the most skilled fighter, yet that was not the case. Fighting did not come as a natural talent for her, so she had to train harder than most. ( Plus, she really didn't like to fight unless necessary anyways. ) She could not fight with a sword, like, at all,—last time she did, it was enough for anyone to swear to never allow her near a sword anymore— and daggers ( and guns ) weren't exactly her vibe, so it left her with one thing. Archery. She would like to think that she was pretty good at archery, though it did not come to her naturally at first. Ariadne was more of a defender—camp's last layer of protection may anything go wrong—and even though she was a fire user, she rarely used it to hurt others, only doing it when necessary. ( Perhaps that is why many underestimate her. )

     Something big is coming, my love, her mother had told her in a somber tone a few days before when she tended the hearth, I can sense a war brewing in the near future, you will have to defend this home when the time comes.

     Ariadne had questions, of course, but before she could ask her mother as to why she have said that, Hestia kissed her forehead and left, but not before leaving her daughter a little present.

Ασπίδα—or 'Shield bearer', was a staff. Not a sharp weapon, but a literal staff. ( Ariadne thinks it's so cool. ) And no, it isn't like those wooden staffs old people use, but an actual modernized golden staff. It was six inches, with pretty greek engravings, and on the top of it held a Nymphian Calcite Crystal by the color of rose gold. Ariadne quickly learned that it could make strong shields—just like Thalia's tree could—and since Calcite Crystals were one of the strongest prism crystals, it has the ability to enhance her fire powers. ( No, the staff could not make its own fire, but since Ariadne is a fire user, the staff could make the fire stronger and bigger than if she were to just use her raw powers. )

     She didn't understand why her mother would get her that until two days ago, when the reason camp was a safe place was poisoned under Chiron's shift. It didn't let all the monsters get in, but it sure did make it weaker. The first were a few Laistrygonians giants, but before they did got five steps into camp, Ασπίδα was used to stop them before they reached the inside, and after one of them were killed by an Ares camper, they left knowing it was no use to try to go in. Yet, there were still many more attacks that day, and Ariadne had to use a lot of energy since then. She almost collapsed after the second day, and even if the other campers knew they needed her barriers, they knew her strength should not be overused.

     Lee Fletcher, her friend, had basically bedridden her to the infirmary for the whole day, telling her that they could stand a few attacks without her barriers. He was basically like a mother hen. ( Okay, so maybe she wasn't exactly listening to him—rather staring into his eyes the whole time, but that's besides the point. )

     It was midday when Ariadne heard a roar and furious shouts. Not again, but she couldn't really do anything unless they called, because apparently that were the Apollo kids' rules for her. So, she rolled her eyes, and waited for it to subside and finish.

     "YOU—RUIN—EVERYTHING!" Clarisse yelled at Percy,  "I had it under control!"

     Percy was too stunned to answer. Annabeth grumbled, "Good to see you too, Clarisse."

     "Argh!" Clarisse screamed. "Don't ever, EVER try saving me again!"

     "Clarisse," Annabeth said, "you've got wounded campers."

     That sobered her up. Even Clarisse cared about the soldiers under her command.

     "I'll be back," she growled, then trudged off to assess the damage.

     Percy stared at Tyson. "You didn't die."

     Tyson looked down like he was embarrassed. "I am sorry. Came to help. Disobeyed you."

     "My fault," Annabeth said. "I had no choice. I had to let Tyson cross the boundary line to save you. Otherwise, you would've died."

     "Let him cross the boundary line?'" He asked. "But—"

     "Percy," she said, "have you ever looked at Tyson closely? I mean ... in the face. Ignore the Mist, and really look at him."

     He looked Tyson in the face. It wasn't easy, since he always had trouble looking directly at him, though He'd never quite understood why. Percy thought it was just because he always had peanut butter in his crooked teeth. He forced myself to focus at his big lumpy nose, then a little higher at his eyes.

     No, not eyes.

     One eye. One large, calf-brown eye, right in the middle of his forehead, with thick lashes and big tears trickling down his cheeks on either side.

     "Tyson," He stammered. "You're a ..."

     "Cyclops," Annabeth offered. "A baby, by the looks of him. Probably why he couldn't get past the boundary line as easily as the bulls. Tyson's one of the homeless orphans."

     "One of the what?"

     "They're in almost all the big cities," Annabeth said distastefully. "They're ... mistakes,  Percy. Children of nature spirits and gods ... Well, one god in particular, usually ... and they don't always come out right. No one wants them. They get tossed aside. They grow up wild on the streets. I don't know how this one found you, but he obviously likes you. We should take him to Chiron, let him decide what to do."

     "But the fire. How—"

     "He's a Cyclops." Annabeth paused, as if she were remembering something unpleasant. "They work the forges of the gods. They have  to be immune to fire. That's what I was trying to tell you."

     Percy, like a normal white boy, was completely shocked. How had he never realized what Tyson was? But he didn't have much time to think about it just then. The whole side of the hill was burning. Wounded heroes needed attention. And there were still two banged-up bronze bulls to dispose of, which they didn't figure would fit in our normal recycling bins.

     Clarisse came back over and wiped the soot off her forehead. "Jackson, if you can stand, get up. We need to carry the wounded back to the Big House, let Tantalus know what's happened."

     "Tantalus?" He asked.

     "The activities director," Clarisse said impatiently.    

     "Chiron is the activities director. And where's Argus? He's head of security. He should be here."

     Clarisse made a sour face. "Argus got fired. You two have been gone too long. Things are changing."

     "But Chiron ... He's trained kids to fight monsters for over three thousand years. He can't just be gone. What happened?"

     "That happened," Clarisse snapped.

     She pointed to Thalia's tree. It was poisoned.

     "PONY!" Tyson cried in total rapture.

     Chiron turned, looking offended. "I beg your pardon?"

     Annabeth ran up and hugged him. "Chiron, what's happening You're not ... leaving?" Her voice was shaky. Chiron was like a second father to her.

     Chiron ruffled her hair and gave her a kindly smile. "Hello, child. And Percy, my goodness. You've grown over the year!"

     Said person swallowed. "Clarisse said you were ... you were ..."

     "Fired." Chiron's eyes glinted with dark humor. "Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned! Mr. D had to punish someone."

     "Besides himself, you mean," He growled, anger radiating from him.

     "But this is crazy!" Annabeth cried. "Chiron, you couldn't have had anything to do with poisoning Thalia's tree!"

     "Nevertheless," Chiron sighed, "some in Olympus do not trust me now, under the circumstances."

     "What circumstances?" Asked Percy.

     Chiron's face darkened. He stuffed a Latin-English dictionary into his saddlebag while the Frank Sinatra music oozed from his boom box. Tyson was still staring at Chiron in amazement. He whimpered like he wanted to pat Chiron's flank but was afraid to come closer.

     "Pony?"

     Chiron sniffed. "My dear young Cyclops! I am a centaur. "

     "Chiron," stated Percy. "What about the tree? What happened?"

     He shook his head sadly. "The poison used on Thalia's pine is something from the Underworld, Percy. Some venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus."

     "Then we know who's responsible. Kro—"

     "Do not invoke the titan lord's name, Percy. Especially not here, not now."

     "But last summer he tried to cause a civil war in Olympus! This has to be his idea. He'd get Luke to do it, that traitor."

     "Perhaps," Chiron said. "But I fear I am being held responsible because I did not prevent it and I cannot cure it. The tree has only a few weeks of life left unless ..."

     "Unless what?" Annabeth asked.

     "No," Chiron said. "A foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison, and it was lost centuries ago."

     "What is  it?" Percy asked eagerly, "We'll go find it!"

     Chiron closed his saddlebag. He pressed the stop but-ton on his boom box. Then he turned and rested his hand on my shoulder, looking me straight in the eyes.

     "Percy, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told your mother I did not want you to come here at all this summer. It's much too dangerous. But now that you are here,stay  here. Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave."

     "Why?" He asked. "I want to do something! I can't just let the borders fail. The whole camp will be—"

     "Overrun by monsters," Chiron said. "Yes, I fear so, but I have faith in Ariadne's protection for now. Still, you must not let yourself be baited into hasty action! This could be a trap of the titan lord. Remember last summer! He almost took your life."

     Percy wondered what he meant by Ariadne's protection. He knew the girl. After her chat with him during one of his first nights, the now fifteen year old was almost like a sister to him, especially since she had helped him a lot in his quest when he Iris messaged her.

     Annabeth was trying hard not to cry. Chiron brushed a tear from her cheek. "Stay with Percy, child," he told her. "Keep him safe. The prophecy—remember it!"

     "I—I will."

     "Um ..." The said boy said awkwardly, "Would this be the super-dangerous prophecy that has me in it, but the gods have forbidden you to tell me about?"

     Nobody answered.

     "Right," He muttered. "Just checking."

     "Chiron ..." Annabeth said. "You told me the gods made you immortal only so long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp—"

     "Swear you will do your best to keep Percy from danger," he insisted. "Swear upon the River Styx."

     "I—I swear it upon the River Styx," Annabeth said. Thunder rumbled outside.

     "Very well," Chiron said. He seemed to relax just a little, "Perhaps my name will be cleared and I shall return. Until then, I go to visit my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. It's possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until  this matter is resolved ...one way or another."

     Annabeth stifled a sob. Chiron patted her shoulder awkwardly. 

     "There, now, child. I must entrust your safety to Mr. D, Ariadne, and the new activities director. We must hope ... well, perhaps they won't destroy the camp quite as quickly as I fear."

     "Who is this Tantalus guy, anyway?" He demanded. "Where does he get off taking your job?"

      A conch horn blew across the valley. No one had realized how late it was. It was time for the campers to assemble for dinner.

     "Go," Chiron said. "You will meet him at the pavilion. I will contact your mother, Percy, and let her know you're safe. No doubt she'll be worried by now. Just remember my warning! You are in grave danger. Do not think for a moment that the titan lord has forgotten you!"

     With that, he clopped out of the building and down the hall, Tyson calling after him, "Pony! Don't go!"

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

Honestly, I decided to ✨ s k i p ✨ TLT,
Because suspense and it's a bit boring
since I have no plot for Ariadne.

No, I will not skip Sea of Monsters, but
this is fully for another reason. No,
Ariadne will not join Percy to get the golden fleece.

Fun fact, I chose Calcite because it has one of the
most noticeable prisms. Prisms can make a rainbow
when light enters, which is something I found very
interesting, so the idea was that magical prisms
can make a bigger and better way for her powers.
She gives the flames, the crystal makes them into
Something stronger and more dangerous.