Forgotten memories

The sun is shining, but not on me.

The sight of Camp Half-Blood unfolded before my eyes for the first time, an enchanting place veiled in magical climate control, as Percy had explained. According to him, nothing breached the camp's borders without the approval of its director, Mr. D, who happened to be Dionysus—literally a god forced into the role of camp director as a form of punishment. Light snow drifted down, delicately covering the landscape. Frost adorned the chariot track and the strawberry fields, lending a picturesque quality to the surroundings.

The cabins, each a unique abode for demigods, were adorned with tiny flickering lights resembling Christmas decorations, though they appeared to be balls of authentic fire. Additional lights illuminated the woods, and a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House, housing the Oracle within an old, mummified body. Percy had briefed me about the Oracle, an essential encounter for campers embarking on quests. I couldn't help but wonder if the spirit of Delphi was up there roasting marshmallows or engaged in some mystical contemplation.

As the bus came to a halt, Nico voiced his awe. "Whoa, is that a climbing wall?"

Percy grinned. "Yeah."

Nico furrowed his brow. "Why is there lava pouring down it?"

"Little extra challenge. Come on. I'll introduce you and Neaus to Chiron. Zoe, have you met—"

"I know Chiron," Zoe interrupted, her tone rigid. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

Grover, ever eager to assist, offered to guide them. It seemed Zoe wasn't keen on being escorted to their cabin by Grover. One of the Hunters, a girl, regarded me intently, as if pondering a question to herself. She was taller than me, seemingly of the same age, with black hair and eyes resembling Annabeth's.

"Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here if you don't—" Grover tripped over a canoe but continued speaking as he got up. "—like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!"

Zoe rolled her eyes, but resignedly accepted that there was no escaping Grover's company. The Hunters, shouldering their packs and bows, headed towards the cabins. The girl's gaze lingered on me even as the others proceeded to the cabin, leaving me with a curious sense of inquiry from her unspoken gaze.

"Christine! Come," Zoë commanded, addressing the girl who lingered, casting one more glance in my direction before obediently following her lieutenant.

An odd sensation lingered, hinting that the girl held some significance. However, my attention shifted when Bianca di Angelo approached. As she departed, she leaned over and whispered something in her brother's ear. Bianca sought an answer from Nico, who scowled and turned away, dismissing her inquiry.

"Take care, sweethearts!" Apollo called after the departing Hunters, winking in my direction. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon."

Confusion settled on my face as I exchanged glances with Percy. He shrugged slightly, silently promising to explain later. Before closing the bus door, he looked at me and conveyed a message.

"I'll claim you when you meet Chiron. Be good, Hymenaios! Later, Thalia," he called. "And, uh, be good!"

His wicked smile toward Thalia suggested he was privy to some information she wasn't. The doors closed, the engine roared to life, and the sun chariot took off, leaving behind a blast of heat. When I turned back, the lake was steaming, and a red Maserati soared over the woods, growing brighter and ascending until it vanished in a ray of sunlight. Nico maintained his grumpy demeanor, and I wondered what his sister had shared with him.

"Who's Chiron?" he inquired. "I don't have his figurine."

"Our activities director," Percy began, but I cut him off.

"Isn't Chiron a centaur? Like the trainer of Achilles and such?" I interjected. Percy looked impressed.

"If those Hunter girls don't like him," Nico grumbled, "that's good enough for me. Let's go."

As I walked through the camp, my eyes caught sight of a guy tending to a forge outside what appeared to be an armory. Percy identified him as Charles Beckendorf, the son of Hephaestus. Further along, I noticed the mischievous Stoll brothers, Travis and Connor, from the Hermes cabin, engaging in some lock-picking antics at the camp store. A snowball fight between Ares cabin kids and wood nymphs took place at the forest's edge, a scene Percy playfully referred to as a clash between the Ares campers and "wood nymphs." Surprisingly, even Percy's old rival from the Ares cabin, Clarisse, was nowhere to be found, much to Percy's relief.

The Big House boasted festive decorations with strings of red and yellow fireballs, providing warmth without setting anything ablaze. Inside, the crackling of flames in the hearth filled the air with the comforting scent of hot chocolate. Percy pointed out two individuals engaged in a quiet card game in the parlor: Mr. D, the camp director in his tiger-striped suit, and a man in a wheelchair, who turned out to be the centaur Chiron. Chiron's appearance didn't align with the typical image of a centaur; he wore a fuzzy sweater with a hoofprint design, and a blanket covered his lap, concealing the wheelchair.

Chiron greeted us with a warm smile. "Percy! Thalia! Ah, and this must be—"

"Nico di Angelo," Percy introduced. "He and his sister are half-bloods, and this is Neaus," he added, glancing at me, making me feel a bit self-conscious under the scrutiny.

Chiron expressed relief. "You succeeded, then."

"Well..." Percy hesitated, and Chiron's smile faded. "What's wrong? And where is Annabeth?"

I couldn't meet Chiron's gaze, aware that I bore some responsibility for Annabeth's absence. Guilt churned in my chest.

"Oh, dear," Mr. D interjected in a bored tone, "Not another one lost."

Despite my attempts to ignore Mr. D, his flamboyant appearance in a neon orange leopard-skin warm-up suit and purple running shoes made him hard to overlook. A golden laurel wreath adorned his curly black hair at a slightly crooked angle, indicating his recent card game victory.

Thalia inquired anxiously, "What do you mean? Who else is lost?"

At that moment, Grover entered the room with an ecstatic grin, sporting a black eye and red lines on his face. "The Hunters are all moved in!"

Chiron's frown deepened. "The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about." He directed his attention to Nico. "Grover, perhaps you should take our new friends to the den and show them our orientation film."

"But... Oh, right. Yes, sir."

"Neaus doesn't need to! He has a lot of knowledge, but he has memory loss. It's a long story!" Thalia quickly intervened, explaining my situation. Chiron nodded thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on me with interest.

"Orientation film?" Nico inquired. "Is it G or PG? 'Cause Bianca is kinda strict—"

"It's PG-13," Grover answered.

"Cool!" Nico responded cheerfully, following Grover out of the room.

"Now," Chiron addressed Thalia, Percy, and me, "perhaps you should sit down and tell us the whole story."

As I sat down, a light filled the area. I looked up, and there was a glowing light above my head. In the light there was an instrument. Maybe a lyre?

Chiron looked at me and nodded "Apollo. Chief of the Muses, protector of youth, observer from heaven. Hail, Neaus Pierce, child of the Sun god.»