The story of Achilles

Chapter two

I grew up in a palace. My mother and father were forced to get married because of some stupid prophecy. My father was the king of the Myrmidones, and that name has a whole new story for itself, but that has nothing to do with mine. Besides, I don't have much time. If Hades or one of his Erinyes would find out I'm talking to a living mortal, they would send me to the deepest pits of Tartarus. Back to my childhood. I had quite a normal childhood for a half-blood, I got treated pretty good and my best friend lived with me. As I grew up, I was stronger and faster, and better looking (not my own opinion, that's just what I've been told). Because I am a half-blood I got trained by a centaur. His name is Chiron. He had been teaching heroes since the beginning of time and he had taken an oath to be immortal as long as people needed him as a teacher. Chiron took me to camp half-blood, it's a place for all half-bloods and they get trained by Chiron there. It's a protected place so no monsters can come in. Which is a thing all half-bloods have to deal with. Monsters, yes the ones you know from mythology, are real and they haunt half-bloods. They can sense our smell. Either way, I went to camp half-blood in the summers and sometimes I went all year. The first time I got to the camp, I was shocked. It was a beautiful valley with all different kinds of cabins. They were all U-shaped and every god had his own cabin. The children of that god, stayed in the cabin and they were all family. All the cabins had different aesthetics and they where all beautiful in their own way. Next to the cabins there was a volleyball field, battle field, fighting area, shooting area, everything you need to train and also to have fun. At the back of the valley was an amazing garden with the reddest strawberries you'll ever see. It smelled like everything I loved everything at once. With each step I saw something new and smelled something new. Chiron showed me everything. Once we went around the corner I saw a huge forest with nymphs and satyrs between the trees. I asked Chiron: "What's in the forest?" and he told me to never go in there on my own because it was full of monsters. Then I saw a huge climbing wall that could spit lava. I soon figured that if you weren't fast enough, you'd get hit. It doesn't seem like something for me, I thought. After Chiron showed me the big house he took me to some barn. We went inside and it was packed with weapons. You think you've seen quite some impressive things in life? It's nothing compared to this. Sword, bows and arrows, daggers, shields, they had everything. "Now it's time to find you a weapon that fits you, Achilles" Chiron said. I tried all kinds of weapons. In the end, I found one that seemed to fit me, it felt comfortable and balanced in my hand, not to heavy. Chiron smiled, "It seems like we found you a fitting weapon. That sword that you're holding has quite a history on its own. However, now is not the time to tell. It's dinner time, follow me." I looked at him in surprise. "Is it already dinner time? How is that possible? It feels like it had been only a few hours..."

"Haha, time can fly, Achilles. You have ADHD. It seems like a short time if you're having fun. I'm glad you like it here, but now follow me to the dinner table please." And after he said that, Chiron turned around and started walking towards a bunch of picknick-tables. I quickly followed him. All the other demigods where walking towards there too. They all walked in little groups and when I looked at them more closely I realized how much they looked alike. Sure, they weren't all identical twins and stuff but small things, the eyes or their hands. They all had something in common. Then they arrived at the tables, the groups all sat together and when everyone had arrived and sat down, Chiron called him forward. I walked towards him, all eyes looked at me, as if they wanted to know everything about me. "This, ladies and gentleman, is Achilles. He is the son of Thetis and Peleus. One day Achilles in going to be a famous hero, or he will die as a regular human. There are two prophecies about Achilles, but now is not the time to tell him, or any of you. It will be told once Achilles here is ready to hear it.