Sailing Solo

15

Previously:
The 'room' they prepared for Percy was far too similar to a certain room in Tartarus to be a coincidence. He had to close his eyes in dread as they locked his hands in the chuckles hanging from the ceiling. When he opened them again, it was to Annabeth's grey eyes looking at him expressionlessly. She ignored his pleading look at left without a word, the door shutting with a foreboding thud.

He closed his eyes again. This was going to be terrible, he just knew it. Especially if Kampe was the next one to visit him like he suspected.

"We're going to come at them from land now as well and you're leading that group." Annabeth told her lieutenant, Polybotes, bane of Poseidon. Pontus had received the help of the giants that could revive with the help of the monsters and sacrificed demigods captured. "Pull back when the sun hits at about ten in the morning. We'll attack again tomorrow morning."

Polybotes grunted, displeased. "I still can't believe that she-monster is getting the first go at the son of Poseidon." He grumbled.

Annabeth sighed. "You'll get your chance soon enough, now focus."

The giant grumbled but didn't speak anymore. He'd been complaining about this since they'd headed out and his voice was beginning to grate on her nerves. She hoped he got called back soon for his sake because she wasn't sure she could restrain herself from killing him on the spot for much longer.

"I'll continue from the beach." She continued. "Wait until you hear them blow the conch horn, they'll be focused on the beach, not even expecting us from their rear."

"Why not attack at once?" Polybotes asked, grinning wickedly. "Rush them all at once."

"We can deal the most damage this way." Annabeth explained as patiently as she could through gritted teeth. "If I attack first, some of their boarder guard will get pulled to the beach and you'll be able to breach the border that Thalia's tree generates. You won't be able to do that if you rush them. We can try that next time since they'll be repairing the border."

The giant grumbled some more but didn't argue.

"You have until midnight to get into position." Annabeth said, ending the discussion.

In the hours waiting for the early hours of the morning until they attacked, Annabeth retreated to her tent to think. There was a lot riding on the fact that they'd caught Percy Jackson. She just hoped it will be worth it. Annabeth wasn't sure the camp relied on Percy as much as everybody thinks. But only time will tell.

-            -            -

"If you can't win against any older camper right now, you're going to have a much harder time against any monsters out there." Annabeth lectured to the group of nine to ten year olds gathered in the arena. "We'll start smaller and build your way up."

Ten minutes later, you could see the same group attacking members of the Seven. Some were holding their own, others were loosing miserably. Annabeth stood to the side, watching with a critical eye.

As they wrapped up the lesson, one of the ten year olds asked the question that would end training for the rest of the day.

"Annabeth, why are we fighting other campers instead of the monsters in the forest? Don't you think it would be better if we all worked together as a team?"

Annabeth frowned as the other older campers with her avoided her gaze. The camper had brought up a good point in their opinion.

"Are you telling me there is no way that you will be alone outside camp? That you will never be without help?" Annabeth started coldly. "That you'll always have your friends or an older demigod with you?"