Percy Jackson: The Knight of Chaos

Embarkment

(A/N: For all those awesome people who have started to read and vote on this, I'm so thankful! It's really uplifting to see. Enjoy!)

When the darkness faded away, I was surprised to see us still in Camp Jupiter. Legionnaires streamed to and fro on the busy street in front of us, creating a busy wave of traffic. Nico and I were safe from the ocean of travelers on the steps of the Fifth Cohort's barracks.

"Sorry," Nico said quickly, "I didn't have a lot of time to think of where to go."

I nodded my head absently, wandering into the barracks, hoping to see some old friends. They were inside, playing a game of cards in a corner.

"Hey," I said. Jason, Hazel, and Frank looked up at my approach. Hazel jumped up, engulfing me in a hug. She pulled away, and behind her stood Jason, his arms crossed over his chest protectively. Grinning, he held out his hand firmly, and we shook.

"Nice to see you, Perce." He proclaimed, "And you as well, Nico."

"You." A low voice growled. Frank stormed up to me, his purple praetor's cloak fluttering regally. His dark eyes glowed with a trembling intensity of hatred."How dare you show your pitiful face here?"

"Oh, no," I muttered. Not Frank, too.

"What are you talking about, Frank? Percy is our friend!" Hazel exclaimed, inserting herself between us. She straightened her back as Frank simply glared over her head.

"Get away from him, Hazel. You know what he's done to us. All of us. It's his fault so many of our warriors are dead. When he showed up at Camp Jupiter two years ago, I never expected the massive amount of carnage and pain he would bring us. Do you think any of this would have happened had he not arrived here?" Frank bellowed, "Reyna would not stand for this." With that, he marched out of the barracks, melting into the flow of legionnaires outside on his way to where Nico and I had just came from.

"The same thing's happening over at Camp Half-Blood," I quickly informed Hazel and Jason, "Everyone started blaming me for the wars and deaths as soon as Troy appeared."

"Who's Troy?" Jason inquired, shifting his glasses.

"My half-brother."

-

The sounds of swords clashing in bouts of fiery passion brought back memories of Annabeth and I. Across the field from where I waited alone, a centurion was barking out orders for his legionnaires as they trained with their glorious Imperial gold swords. Remembering Annabeth, before she had turned against me, delivered tears pricking at the corners of my eyes and an insatiable pang in my heart. What if she, and everyone else, was right? What if all of this pain and suffering could have been avoided had I not been here to tip the scales? I hadn't thought so before, but now, with people whom I had considered my greatest friends telling me so, I had lost all defense against their malevolent words.

I blinked away the incoming tears, forcing myself to think of anything but Annabeth as Nico, Hazel and Jason approached. After I had quickly recounted the story for our Roman allies, they had left to pack up their supplies, pulling Nico along with them, and promised to escort us to wherever we were headed to next. That, I had no idea.

"Let's go before Reyna and Frank catch up to us." Jason said, watching me carefully. I nodded, cautious not to let any emotions show.

Hazel spoke up, "I don't know where we're going, but let's just get away from here. For Percy's sake, and for everyone else's. If one more person accuses Percy of anything he's innocent of, you better hold me back, because they will get the beating of their life."

I laughed for the first time in days.

-

Once again, shadow-travel was our mode of transportation. Hazel and Nico brought us to the outreaches of San Francisco, where the four of us hailed a cab. When the driver asked us our destination, a quiet silence fell over the taxi. No one knew where to go after the two safest places for a demigod had shunned me.

Finally, Nico piped up, "Take us to Mount Tamalpais." Afterwards, as the running motor drowned out his words from the driver, he whispered to us, "I know some people who might help us."

As the taxi pulled up to the base of the mountain shrouded in forest, the son of Hades leaned forward, tapping on the driver's shoulder. Curtly, he signaled for the taxi to come to a creaking stop. We all scrambled out wearily, waiting for Nico's directions. Jason paid the driver, motioning for him to keep the change.

"There's a group of satyrs around here. Sometimes, if they're in a good mood, they'll take in wandering and lost demigods. They're kind of like the Hunters of Artemis, except they'll take both males and fe-" A loud roar crashed through Nico's explanation. Instantly, we all pulled out our weapons, forming a phalanx of swords. Trees rustled in the strong, howling wind that began to pick up as the four of us waited tersely for something to happen.

And then it did.

Long, serpent-like scales came slithering out of the forest, rising up to form Ladon, the dragon guardian of the Hesperides' golden apple tree. The large beast uncoiled to tower high above us, impermeable muscles coiling and uncoiling, taught with rage. His body expanded and compressed with each staggering breath. From the trees, birds scattered in petrified fear and little rodents sprinted away as fast as their legs would allow. I was caught in his glittering, ruby red eyes full of haunting memories, resentment, and fury. They entranced me, hypnotizing me so it was too late before his deadly claws lunged out and tore through Hazel's body.