Children of Divinity (A Percy Jackson Fanfic/BoyXBoy)

Chapter 20 Thalia

- 3 weeks after Andrew has left camp -
"What's going on?" I asked walking up to the crowd.
"The camp's boarder is failing. Someone poisoned the tree..."
I froze as I looked at the tree in question...
"Where's Chiron? I asked and I saw a bunch of people look around nervously. "Where?"
"Jesse he was fired this morning..." Annabeth said quietly. "You've been in the cabin so much I guess you hadn't heard."
"Why?"
"Uh...we should talk in private I think about this..." she said and led me into a private area by the now vacant sword arena.
"He's the son of Kronos. And word is that Luke is working with him to restore them to power."
My body wouldn't move after hearing my youngest brother's name.  "Jesse?! Jesse chill chill. JESSE!"
I looked at her and now noticed the rumbling ground, white knuckled fists. She looked so incredibly terrified.
"Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry Annabeth I...I just..."
"It's fine. It's okay. I get why you feel that way."
"So they think Chiron poisoned what I'm
assuming is a former demigod, since he is one of my brother's many kids?"
"What'd you just say?" Annabeth asked slowly and I looked at her in confusion.
"Which part?"
"You said the former demigod. How'd you know that?"
"I didn't. It was a educated guess."
"Still?"
I sighed and rolled my eyes, we don't have time for this talk. Even still, this is apparently very important to her.
"I hadn't paid any attention to it, didn't have a reason or I would've realized it earlier. The tree is giving off too much divine energy to just be a barrier for starters. Second, it's heavily mixed with potent healing energies. Something was near death when it was transformed. Divine and healing energies at that level, factoring in the tree is guarding a large group of demigods and that it's still radiating small amounts of emotions...my guess is one of the kids of an Olympian was dying in some battle and got transformed in order to save their life."
Annabeth said nothing, but felt sad. "Who's was it?"
"Zeus. Her name was Thalia. She was an old friend of mine and Luke's. Gave her life to let me and him get to camp. "
"I'm sorry..." I said looking at her. She's fighting back tears. "You can cry. I won't tell," I said, as I hugged her gently.
"Jesse?" Her voice is trembling.
"Yeah?"
"What's she feeling?"
"Annabeth I..."
"Please?"
I sighed and nodded, letting go of her. I looked her in the eye and nodded to the tree.
"Right now she's feeling fierce and angry, she to some extent,  knows something is wrong with her. She's determined to not go down easily. Almost as if she's saying "You want me? You're gonna have to work for this." But even still...she's really scared."
"There's gotta be a way to heal her..."
"I can. It won't be easy, but I can do it. The problem is if I do this, it means no more protective boarder. You'd need to find a substitute for her."
"I will."
"We. We will," Grover said as him and Percy walked over.
"Sounds like you got your next quest. I'd go with you but I'm gonna be needed here if this happens."
"Yeah. Makes sense. We'll leave as soon as we're ready."
"Thalia was her name?" I asked and Annabeth nodded.
"I'll make sure she stays safe. Along with everyone else. I give you my word on that. I do ask that you get Chiron's name cleared too if you can. He didn't do this."
"Definitely. Jesse heads up though, she can be difficult."
"Difficult huh? If Andrew can handle me, I'm sure I'll be okay. Regardless, I'll protect them. Her included."
"Thank you."
"Wanna say bye before you go?"
"To you?"
"No. Though thank you for the thought. I meant to her, I'm going to do it now. Before the poison advances any further."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Longer we wait the worse she'll be."
They nodded as I got to my feet.
I made my way to the tree, which was still crowded with campers.
"Please move," I said and almost immediately they parted. "Move back. I'd like space please." Again they obeyed and I had a significant amount of space. "Okay Thalia, I know your scared and that you don't know me. Even still, please work with me."
I closed my eyes, placing my forehead to the tree trunk, and my hands on its sides. "Here goes,"
Injecting some of my own energy into the tree, I rearranged and redirected the already existing energy.  The flow and force of the energies purging the poison rapidly. "Annabeth was definitely right about you Thalia. You're a real fighter. Come on, let's drive this home." I feel her working with me now, using the energy alongside me to expel the poison and heal herself simultaneously.
Gasping and trying to catch my breath...I looked down and saw Thalia's unconscious body in my arms.  "You did great."
"Jesse?"
"I'm fine. It's just been a while since I've had to put actual effort into something like this," I answered with a chuckle.
"And she's okay?" Annabeth asked and I nodded.
"Just sleeping. I'm not going to wake her though, she's been through a lot. A little actual sleep would probably do her some good. I'm going to take her to the infirmary."
The trio nodded and followed me there. I placed her on the bed and sat down next to her bedside.
"Thank you Jesse. Thank you so much," Annabeth said as she knelt down by the other bedside.
I nodded with a smile in response.
"You do realize though by doing what I just did..."
"The camp has zero magical protection right now. Yeah."
"Exactly. I'll do what I can in regards to that. Still, I'd appreciate it if you could hurry."
"What'd you mean?"
"I'll use my own energy to create an arguably stronger but definitely temporary barrier while you're gone. I'll also try and heal as much as I can."
"You can seriously do all that?"
I grinned at Grover with a nod, and the rest of the trio looked surprised too.
"I'm an elder Titan guys. Give me some credit. And if things get out of hand, with the permission of the campers. I can use their emotions and bonds to strengthen myself."
"Wow. Yeah, that's pretty impressive."
"Thank you. As for her, I'm assuming she'll wanna go with you?"
"Yeah definitely."
"I'd suggest you tell her to stay here with me. I'd suggest it myself but she doesn't know me. Doubt she'd listen."
"I got that," Annabeth said.
"Rest is up to you guys then. I and the others are counting on you."