"Ahead is a path,
Most tiring and dangerous.
You must face a deep, hidden fear,
In order to claim those you love.
A life will be lost,
But for the better.
Seek what your instincts say,
Listen to your heart,
And you shall prevail."
What now? Was I back in some Disney movie? Follow your heart? What was going on? One line was playing on repeat in my head; A life will be lost, but for the better. How was someone losing their life for the better?
I clambered down the creaky step ladder and back onto the fourth floor of the Big House.
Annabeth paced impatiently by the first flight of stairs, her hands crossed behind her back, worry lines creasing her forehead.
"Hi," I said and hopped quietly down next to her.
Annabeth nearly jumped out of her t-shirt. "Gods!" She exclaimed. "Don't do that to me!"
"Sorry," I mumbled.
Annabeth waved off my apology with an impatient hand. "What exactly did the Oracle say? The exact part is extremely necessary," She stressed. At first Annabeth seemed scary, but then she grew on you. Kind of like a persistent zit...
I remembered my first day at Camp Half-Blood as clearly as though it was yesterday.
I had just woken up from a deep, restful slumber and was wondering where I was when a blond haired girl of about fourteen bent over me and stared into my green eyes with her gray ones inquisitively.
"She's awake, Chiron!" The girl called, a few curls brushing her shoulder.
"W-where am I?" I asked, blinking in the warm glow of sunshine.
"You, my dear girl, are at Camp Half-Blood." Chiron clopped over in full centaur form.
"What are you?" My eyes widened as I took in his horse body.
"I'm Chiron, teacher of demigods. Do you know what you are, child?" Chiron stepped forward.
"W-what do you mean? I'm me, aren't I?" I asked curiously. I tried to sit up and failed miserably. My head throbbed and my arm sent a stabbing pain up through my chest.
"That depends, young one. You are a demigod. You are you."
"What's a demigod?"
"Haven't you heard the stories? Gods and goddesses had children with mortals, a demigod is the result; a half human, half god being." Chiron rested a hand gently on my arm. "You are one of these half-bloods."
"Who's my godly parent?" I wondered aloud.
"That we may never--" Annabeth stopped talking and gasped. She lifted her hand and pointed a shaking finger over me.
"What?" I looked up, my mouth dropping open at the sight of a shimmering gray owl not three feet above my head. "What's that?!"
"You have been claimed. Remarkable..." Chiron ran a hand through his beard.
"My mom's Athena?" I asked, suddenly understanding what the owl meant.
"How did you...?"
