Storm Rising

Chapter 36

Percy's POV

My eyes widen and my mouth drops. Austin only looks to be fourteen but it's been less than seven years since Annabeth has left me. But if his parents are both gods, aging gets weird. Ah, my head is reeling.

"How?" I ask.

Austin's eyes get a little darker. "I was conceived on the night that my mom cheated on you. A few months later, I was born. I age funny, more than twice as fast a normal mortal. But my parents were too smitten with each other to ever pay enough attention to me to raise me. So Chiron, the Athena campers, and the immortal campers from the giant and Titan war, who were immortal and your friends, raised me. The same campers who were your friends during your time at camp, like Clarisse, Chris, the Stolls, Leo, and Calypso, basically raised me. They told me the truth about my parents, how my father was a prideful fraud and how he had managed to snag my mothers attention away from you, though not even Chiron could fathom how. As a little boy, Chiron always told me stories of the greatest mortal hero, Percy Jackson, who turned down immortality twice. You were my hero. Chiron loved you like a son; he spoke so highly of you."

I suddenly recognize Brandon's face. "I remember your face! You were the little boy on the back of Chiron in the garden of heroes."

He nods. "Chiron unofficially adopted me. My parents would throw a fit if they find out, but they don't care enough."

Despite his parents, I can't help feeling sorry for Austin. I can relate to him, a dad you never cares about you. At least I had my mom. This kids parents abandoned him and he was raised by great heroes, it doesn't replace having parents. Even though his parents are my rivals, I can't help feeling sorry for him.

Austin plucks a stone and skips it across the lake. "Chiron tried to teach me how to use my water powers, but it was hard without someone who had a connection to the sea. Calypso tried to help, but she is more peacefulChiron mentioned I should ask you. Also I wanted to apologize."

"Of course I will help you with your water powers. Why would you want to apologize?" I ask as we begin to head back towards camp and the cabin/ house I'm staying in.

"I want to apologize for the way my parents treated you," He replies with sincerity.

I turn to look at my would be nephew. "Come with me, there are some people I'd like you to meet."

Heading back along the lake, we walk towards the great army lodgings. There, that's what I'll call it. When we are about a hundred yards away, I see Calypso walking towards the Great Army cabin. "Aunt Calypso!" Austin calls and runs over to her. I jog after him.

"Hello Austin," Calypso smiles at him. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Percy is going to introduce me to some people," The legacy of Athena and Poseidon replies.

"Percy?" Calypso says, looking up at me. I look at her.

"Ummm, hi Calypso," I say awkwardly.

She surprises me by hugging me. I return the hug before she steps back. Calypso hasn't changed a ton from since the time I was on her island. She still wears her long caramel hair in a side braid over her shoulder but she looks a little older. Instead of the long white dresses she wore on Ogygia, she now wears a tan tunic t-shirt with a pair of dark grey leggings.

"It's good to see you Percy," She says.

"It's good to see you, too. How did you get off your island?"

Calypso's eyes get a happy look as if remembering a happy memory. "Leo did a quest for Hephaestus, and for his reward, he asked for me to be released from Ogygia. Leo flew Festus to my island and from there, we flew back to camp half blood. I helped him renovate Bunker nine to a livable area. We now live in Bunker nine and have a mechanical shop in New Athens."