The Daughter Of Night

Chapter Fifteen - I Avoid My Father-In-Law

Chapter Fifteen - I Avoid My Father-In-Law
Posted: Monday 26th February 2024

Our ride to war was the Camp Half-Blood Strawberry delivery vans. We were all clad in armour and the drive went by in near silence, which was a first for the campers, who were usually incredibly hyperactive. There was a sombre atmosphere in the back of the van, everyone was thinking about the battle to come, wondering if they or their friends would die.

When we were close to the city, Annabeth got a call from Percy again, she asked him for more information about what was happening and where he had been, but he wasn't particularly forthcoming with any information.

When we pulled up, we piled out of the vans and found Percy waiting for us with Mrs O'Leary the hell-hound. I watched the hellhound frolicking around in traffic until Percy drew everyone's attention in.

"Thanks for coming everyone," Percy said once everyone had climbed out of the vans (and Chiron had wheeled out as his horse half was concealed in its wheelchair. "Chiron after you."

Chiron smiled, "I came to wish you luck, my boy. But I make a point not to visit Olympus unless I am summoned."

"But you're our leader," Percy said.

"I am your trainer, your teacher. That is not the same as being your leader. I will go gather what allies I can. It may not be too late to convince my brother Centaurs to help. Meanwhile, you called the campers here, Percy. You are the leader."

Percy blinked at Chiron and then took a breath.

"Okay, like I said on the phone. Something bad is going to happen by tonight. Some kind of trap, we've got to get an audience with Zeus-" At the name of the King of the Gods I shivered slightly, not wanting to know what would happen if he saw me again, "-and convince him to defend the city. Remember, we can't take no for an answer."

Percy turned to Argus, the head of security of the camp, who had a hundred eyes all over his body. I hadn't interacted with him much, but he kind of freaked me out, "will you watch Mrs O'Leary whilst we're on Olympus?"

Argus didn't look happy but nodded silently. I saw my opportunity to avoid coming face to face with Zeus, "I'll stay down here too," I said, "just in case, you know."

Percy nodded. I looked over and saw Chiron staring at me knowingly. He turned back to Percy when he saw me looking, he turned to Percy and they exchanged some words.

Percy took another breath and turned back to the campers. "Let's go." He said. The campers began filing into the Empire State Building, leaving myself, Chiron and Argus.

Once the campers were gone, Chiron frowned, he pushed himself up out of his wheelchair, allowing his horse legs to escape from the chair until he stood at his full height and the wheelchair stood empty.

He turned to me, "Good luck, I fear you will need it. With any luck, I will see you soon."

Then he galloped off into the traffic. I was amazed that none of the mortals seemed to notice the horse-man weaving between cars, but before I could ponder it for much longer Chiron was out of sight.

Argus folded up the chair and put it in the back of one of the vans and busied himself closing the vans up. I watched the hellhound frolicking amongst the traffic.

Around 30 minutes passed before anything happened, and suddenly the world seemed to slowly roll to a stop around me. Mortals collapsed on the pavement, cars slowed to a stop and the noise of the city died to silence.

"What's happening?" I asked, glancing at Argus.

All of his eyes were wide open and he looked about as freaked out as I was. The night was approaching and I could feel the darkness overtaking the city slowly, I cast out my senses, searching the darkness for any signs of movement. There were none, it seemed as if the entire city had simply fallen asleep all at once. I pulled on the loose end of the bow on the ribbon tied to my wrist and as it fell off it transformed into my bronze blade.

I wasn't sure what to do, there wasn't anyone to fight, and it didn't seem as if there was anything I could do. It wasn't long before the demigods hurried out of the Empire State Building, all looking as freaked out as Argus and I felt.

Percy quickly updated us on what had happened on Olympus. How it was defended from the sky and if Kronos wanted to invade he would have to march through the city, but we could expect no further help from the gods, who were all too busy fighting Typhon.

"You'd better get back to camp," Percy told Argus, "I'm staying."

Argus looked to Annabeth and drew a circle in the air. She nodded, "I think it's time."

"For what?" Percy asked.

Argus rummaged in the back of one of the vans and drew out a circular bronze shield. He passed it to Annabeth. She set it on the ground and everyone leaned over it, forty campers jostling for position.

I hung back.

"Woa, a video shield," said Percy.

Annabeth explained to him how it worked, which sounded like magic, but as Daedalus had invented it, it was likely science.

No one seemed to like what they saw in it.

Argus and the two harpies driving the other vans left and Percy called Mrs O'Leary over and instructed her to search for his friend Grover, who was a Satyr.

Then he looked at more images in the shield with other campers. He straightened up, after we realised that Kronos' forces were approaching from almost every possible direction.

"Alright, we're going to hold Manhattan." He said confidently.

"Um, Percy, Manhattan is huge," Silena Beauregard from the Aphrodite cabin said.

"We are going to hold it, we have to," Percy affirmed.

"He's right," Annabeth agreed, "The gods of the wind should keep Kronos's forces away from Olympus by air, so he'll try a ground assault. We have to cut off all routes."

"They have boats," someone pointed out.

"I'll take care of the boats," said Percy confidently.

"How?" Someone else asked.

"Just leave it to me," Percy said, "We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. Let's assume they'll try a downtown or midtown assault, at least on their first try. That would be the most direct way to the Empire State Building. Apollo cabin, take the Williamsburg Bridge. Demeter cabin, the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel."

He continued to instruct campers as to where they should go. He and Annabeth were going to go and activate one of Daedalus' plans and tackle the rivers and then he stopped, realising he had missed a tunnel.

Suddenly a group of girls in silver appeared, led by a girl wearing a silver circlet and a 'Death to Barbie' T-shirt.

"Thalia!" Annabeth grinned.

Thalia smiled back, "The Hunters of Artemis reporting for duty."

After some pleasantries were exchanged. Percy turned to everyone, there was a heavy feeling in the air as if we all knew this was the last time we would see everyone alive.

"You're the greatest heroes of this millennium," Percy said, "it doesn't matter how many monsters come at you. Fight bravely, and we will win." He raised his sword in the air and cried, "For Olympus."

Everyone but me followed suit, and I thought quietly to myself, for Apollo.