νεκρός || Annabeth Chase x Fem!OC

Vol. 3-35: WHOA WHOA WHOA THAT WASNT IN THE SCRIPT

TEMPEST

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It was the biggest military operation I'd ever seen at camp. Everyone was at the clearing, dressed in full battle armor, but this time it wasn't for capture the flag. The Hephaestus cabin had set up traps around the entrance to the Labyrinth- razor wire, pits filled with pots of Greek fire, rows of sharpened sticks to deflect a charge. Beckendorf was manning two catapults the size of pickup trucks, already primed and aimed at Zeus's Fist. The Ares cabin was on the front line, drilling in phalanx formation with Clarisse calling orders. Apollo's and Hermes's cabins were scattered in the woods with bows ready. Many had taken up positions in the trees. Even the dryads were armed with bows, and the satyrs trotted around with wooden cudgels and shields made of rough tree bark.

Annabeth went to join her brethren from the Athena cabin, who had set up a command tent and were directing operations. A gray banner with an owl fluttered outside the tent. Our security chief, Argus, stood guard at the door. Aphrodite's children were running around straightening everybody's armor and offering to comb the tangles out of the horsehair plumes. Even Dionysus's kids had found something to do. The god himself was still nowhere to be seen, but his two blond twin sons were running around providing all the sweaty warriors with water bottles and juice boxes.

It wasn't enough. I thought about what I'd seen in the Labyrinth, all the monsters in Antaeus's stadium, and the power of Kronos I'd felt on Mt. Tam. Chiron was right, but it was all we could muster. For once I wished Dionysus was here, but even if he had been, I didn't know if he could do anything. When it came to war, gods were forbidden to interfere directly. Apparently, the Titans didn't believe in restrictions like that.

Over at the edge of the clearing, Grover was talking to Juniper. She held his hands while he told her our story. Green tears formed in her eyes as he delivered the news about Pan.

Tyson helped the Hephaestus kids prepare the defenses. He picked up boulders and piled them next to the catapults for firing, but he called me over, so I joined him.

He pointed at Beckendorf and said, "Tempest does not have a weapon."

Beckendorf's eyes widened. "What? What happened in there?"

"I tried to kill Luke. And..." I wouldn't be ratting Anne out. "And I lost my dagger. I had a piece of rib, but I tried to kill him again, and it shattered."

"Shattered?"

"I'll tell you after the fight," I promised. "It's... It's a lot."

Beckendorf slipped his hand into his pocket. "Here. It's not much, but-"

"No, it's perfect," I told him, taking a small knife from him. My biggest strength is close-quarters combat. I looked around and saw Percy talking to Chiron. I could tell he was describing what had happened with Luke, because he looked extremely upset. I broke my gaze and helped Cabin 9 with the catapults.

"Well, it's a good thing you survived," said Beckendorf. It wasn't so funny when people said that anymore. "All of you. I bet the-"

His voice wavered. The ground underneath us was trembling.

Everyone in the clearing stopped what they were doing. Clarisse barked a single order: "Lock shields!"