The Trials of Camp Half-Blood

Into the Woods

 You know that feeling when you're about to do something really, really dangerous, but everyone's trying to act like it's totally normal?

Yeah, welcome to my life.

We're all gathered at the edge of the woods, a bunch of demigods about to be tossed into the wilderness like a bunch of snacks for monsters. Chiron, in his wise centaur way, starts going over the rules of the Trial of the Woods. I'd like to say I'm paying full attention, but honestly, my mind's kind of stuck on the whole "cursed woods" part.

Chiron: Survive for seven days. You'll face both the monsters that inhabit the forest and, of course, each other. Only one of you can win. You will each be given a basic weapon of your choice and minimal supplies—food, water, a few medical items. The rest, you'll have to find or... take.

Great.....

A week of surviving in a forest full of monsters, with nothing but the bare essentials and a bunch of demigods who might try to kill me for a granola bar.

The woods are practically glowing with the kind of ominous energy that screams "you will absolutely get eaten by something in here." Perfect vacation spot, really. Annabeth, Clarisse, Luke, Nico, and the rest of the chosen are all standing around, listening intently as Chiron lays out the details.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to remember if I packed enough mental strength to last through this. Seven days. Seven days of avoiding monsters, not starving, and oh yeah, not getting skewered by one of my friends who's also trying to win.

Chiron: The artifact hidden in the woods will grant any wish to its possessor. Be smart. Be brave. And above all—survive.

He says it like it's a motivational poster you'd hang in a classroom, but I'm over here thinking, 

Well, at least I'm good at surviving. Mostly. Kind of.

The whole "only one can win" thing is hanging in the air like a storm cloud. We all know what that means. We're supposed to be friends, but in seven days, there's gonna be one winner, and the rest of us? Well... Let's just say "friendship" probably isn't the best strategy right now.

Chiron finishes his briefing, and we're left to our own devices to plan. Naturally, I head over to where Annabeth's standing, arms crossed, probably already strategizing twelve different ways to win this thing.

Me: So, any brilliant plans to not get us eaten on day one?

Annabeth: We form alliances. Stick together, gather supplies, and stay out of sight. The monsters will be bad enough, but the other demigods are going to be a problem, too. Only one of us can win.

Me: Right, so... be nice until it's time to stab each other in the back?

Annabeth: Not exactly, Seaweed Brain. We watch each other's backs, but yeah, at some point, only one of us can have the artifact.

I nod, even though the idea of turning on my friends later on is the last thing I want to think about. But she's right. The longer we can stick together, the better our chances. We'll deal with the "only one winner" problem when we get to it. I'm more concerned about making it through the first day without becoming monster chow.

Clarisse is pacing nearby, sharpening her spear and muttering something about how many monsters she's going to take down. Typical Clarisse.

Clarisse: Alliances? Ha. I don't need anyone slowing me down. I'm going to win this thing on my own. You can all keep your little group hugs.

Me: I didn't know stabbing monsters was a solo sport now.

She glares at me, but I can tell she's tempted to say something snarky back. Instead, she just rolls her eyes and continues sharpening her spear. Probably imagining all the ways she could use it on me later. Good times.

I've got my trusty sword, Riptide, but a celestial bronze weapon can only get you so far when you're sleep-deprived and surrounded by things that want to kill you.

Luke, meanwhile, is off by himself, probably brooding. He's been weirdly quiet since volunteering for the Hermes cabin, and I can't tell if that's a good thing or a really bad thing. My gut says it's bad, but I can't focus on that right now. One problem at a time, Percy.

We huddle together as the rest of the demigods scatter, everyone making last-minute plans and sizing each other up. It's a little unnerving how fast the mood has shifted from "friendly competition" to "one of us is going to win, and the rest of us are toast." Annabeth starts running through possible strategies, using her usual, calm-but-intense voice.

Annabeth: We need to find shelter first. A good hiding spot will give us an advantage. Food, water, and avoiding the monsters are key. We stick to the shadows. Stealth will keep us alive.

Me: Stealth? Right. Because I'm totally known for my stealth.

She gives me that look again. The one that says, "Stop making jokes and listen." I try, I really do, but let's face it: planning isn't my strong suit. I'm more of a "go with the flow" kind of guy. Annabeth? She's the brain, and I'm the brawn... or at least the guy who gets lucky enough to not die immediately.

Annabeth: You can be sneaky when you try. And we'll need to be, because this isn't just about fighting monsters. The other demigods are going to be after the artifact too. We have to be smart.

Me: Right. Smart. So, if we see Clarisse charging at us, we... run?

Annabeth: Exactly.

Well, at least I've got that part down.

We spend the next hour going over possible routes through the woods, thinking about where the artifact might be hidden, and trying to predict what kind of monsters we'll face. Honestly, none of it feels real yet. Sure, we've fought monsters before, but this? This is different. This is survival.

The thing that really gets me is the seven days. I mean, what are we even supposed to do for seven days? It's not like I can just kick back and relax while there are harpies circling overhead and hellhounds sniffing around. Seven days of constantly looking over your shoulder sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Annabeth: We'll figure it out, Percy. We've been through worse.

Me: Yeah, but usually we're not competing with other demigods WE know.

She shrugs. 

Annabeth: Just don't let your guard down.

Great advice, except I'm starting to realize that the real danger here isn't just the monsters in the woods. It's the people I call my friends. Because when it comes down to it, only one of us gets to win. And deep down, I think we all know that, even if we don't want to admit it.

Me: Well, at least it can't get any worse, right?

Famous last words.