The Half Blood Chronicles: Book 1-Daughter of the Sun

4-Hiccup Get's Hit In The Face And Manages To Lose A Leg Pt.1

A/N: I can't write Merida's accent, sorry.

Rapunzel

The sun had fully set as they stepped through the camps archway. Hiccup seemed to keep glancing at a tall tree Rapunzel couldn't quite identify. And anyway, what could be so important in a tree?

Hiccup dragged his gaze away from the tree and turned to them. "Welcome to Camp. C'mon. We got to go talk to Chiron." He took off through the grass and towards where a group of building rested in the distance. He led them alongside Astrid, and when they got to the edge of the first building, Rapunzel's breaths were coming in great heaving gasps. How were they so fit?

"These are the cabins. There's one for each god and their children. Astrid's cabin, number 6, is over there," he pointed to a grey building with and owl carved on the door, and plain white curtains. He seemed to be much more relaxed than he was before. "And I live alone there," he indicated to a large marble building with large columns and bronze doors. It looked unnervingly like a mausoleum. 

"Wow. Cheerful," Jack muttered.

Hiccup rolled his eyes before continuing their walk between the houses, Hiccup pointing out which god they belonged to. There wasn't anyone around and Rapunzel glanced at Astrid. She smiled reassuringly and pointed at a glowing pavilion that they were seemingly headed for. Rapunzel glanced at the different cabins, wondering which might be hers. It was dark and they followed the path carved by torches.

Finally, they reached the large stone pavilion. It felt warmer and the torches burned cheerfully. Hiccup led them around the side, staying in the shadows. "Wait here." He then disappeared into the light.

Hiccup returned a moment later, walking with a man. Or what looked like a man. From head to waist, he was an ordinary human man, but from his waist his body became a horse. A white stallion (she presumed, definitely not wanting to check).

The stranger smiled warmly. "Hello, I'm Chiron. The activities director here at camp. Hiccup, Toothless is quite impatient. It's dark outside, perfect time for him. I recommend going out now."

Hiccup grinned before taking off into the shadows. Seriously, that skinny boy could run. "Who's Toothless?" Merida asked.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find out shortly. Anyway, welcome to Camp. I'm sorry your arrival was so late. We've been trying to figure out why so many monsters were attracted to Guardian High. And then we discovered you three. We sent Astrid to the school to protect you three. The operation was meant to run for another year, but then the Chimera arrived. Luckily, Hiccup was coming to visit Astrid. He saved your lives, it's a habit of his."

"W-What? What is going on? We know basically nothing. Except, supposedly we're half god half human, and so are Astrid and Hiccup, but how can we trust anything Astrid says? She's been lying to us for weeks!" Jack practically screamed.

"Yes, and I'm so sorry," Astrid genuinely looked guilty.

"Were we even friends?" Rapunzel's voice was low.

"Yes. Of course. You were my friends, and I was trying to protect you!" She sounded pleading, but Merida just glared.

"I can accept being here, the gods being real, sure. But you? You lied to us. You'll have to do more than plead sorry. Forgiveness is earned," Merida's voice was hard.

Astrid bit her lip. "I'm going to go eat."

She turned and headed into the burning light of the pavilion. Chiron sighed sadly, "this is Camp. Where we are now is the Dining Pavilion. All meals are held here. Tonight, you'll sleep in the Hermes Cabin like all new campers. The head counsellor will give you your schedules tomorrow. Now, it's time for the campfire."

He walked away, and they followed, utterly confused. Now, when somebody says campfire, most people imagine a small pile of logs and flickering flames. Nope. The Camp Half-Blood campfire was massive. The flames reached for the stars and shifted colour, burning brightly. Rapunzel stared. People were sitting around the bonfire, chatting. Rapunzel spotted Astrid sitting with a group of kids, and Hiccup was nowhere in sight. 

Everyone was laughing and joking until somebody stepped forward. He was smirking broadly. He was tall with neat black hair and clear blue eyes. He rubbed his hands together. "Hello everyone! I'm Dorian. Today we got ten new campers! And we still have a few young one who haven't heard the story. So, what do you think?"

He was met with whoops and cheers. He grinned. Dorian spread his hands, fingers splayed as he twisted his fingers together. A girl leaned over and whispered the Rapunzel, "he's a son of Hecate. It's an illusion."

Now Rapunzel could see what the girl meant. Between his hands an image was building. Of a scrawny boy with messy auburn hair and bright green eyes. He looked a bit like Hiccup, just younger and smaller. The image grew and grew until it was completely surrounding them and Dorian had disappeared. 

And then Dorian started talking. His voice echoed through the scene. "Three years ago we were at war with the dragons, fighting them." The picture changed to show the Camp bathed in red light. It was clearly night time, and creatures that looked like dragons dove and attacked students.

"We were engaged in a losing battle, until one day a boy arrived at our camp. He had come with Eugene Fitzherbert, a brave hero. They were being chased by a minotaur," it was like they were in the woods, travelling alongside scrawny Hiccup and a tall boy with slicked back dark brown hair sprinting through the woods, being chases by a giant creature. It had the head of a bull with large horse and a big nose, but a body like a man covered with a layer of dark brown hair, and it's feet were gigantic hooves. The tall boy, Eugene, was yelling something inaudible.

The Camp Half-Blood archway was so close, but the thing was catching up. Eugene stopped. Hiccup seemed to scream something. Maybe his name? The boy shoved Hiccup, probably telling him to keep running. Hiccup was crying. Sobbing his eyes out. He seemed to be frozen, as he saw the Minotaur approach. Eugene drew a knife from a belt at his waist. He held it, smirking. He yelled something, as if teasing the monster. Coaxing it to attack him. And then it hit him. Ran him through with it's axe. He collapsed, falling to the floor as blood dripped from a gruesome wound in his abdomen. Hiccup looked like he was screaming. And then the monster charged. It held it's axe up but Hiccup ducked out of the way.

He was crying, tears dripping down his face. He looked up, anger visible on his face. And then it happened. A bolt of lightning rocketed form the sky, hitting the monster. It shook and smoke filled the air. It lay there on the ground, limp. 

Rapunzel was sure it was dead, but then it stood. On shaky feet, it lifted itself up. It was missing one horn, but other than that, it only looked angry. And then it charged. Hiccup seemed unfazed, he sprinted towards it, ducking between it's legs at the last moment. He slide along the floor until he reached where it's broken horn lay. He grabbed it with his left hand, before standing. 

The monster ran again, but the boy twisted out of the way. He was shockingly nimble. Then, he disappeared behind the creatures bold. And then it turned to dust. Golden dust that floated gently to the ground, much like the specks Rapunzel had seen at the school.

Hiccup stood there, the horn clutched in one hand. He stood there, staring before turning. He sprinted towards Eugene's body. He knelt beside him, sobbing. Eugene smiled weakly, brushing his hand over the other boy's face. And then he went limp. Hiccup cried out silently, clutching the boy's hand. And then something odd happened. Eugene's body began to change. His skin changed, and then his body disappeared. And a tree stood where he'd been a second ago. Hiccup looked shocked, still staring at the place the other boy had been.