Waves - A Percy Jackson Tale

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: FLAMING BALL OF METAL

 We were just driving onto Long Island she saw it.

"Maybe that's why," she said pointing up at the sky where something was slowly heading towards camp. It was far away but steadily getting closer.

"Yeah, must be. It's weird though, it's coming from the ocean, not the mainland."

I drove a little faster and parked at the base of the hill. We ran up into camp. Jason was waiting there.

"So, that thing in the sky. We don't know what it is, and it's too far out and up for me to fly to it."

It had certified gotten closer since we first saw it. It looked like a flaming ball of metal. Then I realized that it wasn't on fire, it was just reflecting the setting sun.

"That's definitely celestial bronze, but why? And how?" Annabeth and Jason had moved on. I hurried to catch them.

"Should we fire when it gets in range?" an Apollo camper came up and asked us. I didn't realize the question was directed to me and Annabeth until she answered.

"No, we don't know if it will explode if set off some sort of magical reaction."

She was staring at it, calculating its angle.

"It's headed for the field between the canoe lake and the forest. Make sure that area mummy's clear and the and dryads know to watch the sky."

"Yes ma'am,"

I realized something was missing. "Where's Chiron?" I asked.

"He left yesterday to do something in Olympus. Pipers trying to contact him but last I checked it wasn't working. We're on our own, which is why we called you guys here." Jason told us. We walked down to the cabins, where the Hephaestus kids were setting up a magical telescope. Annabeth looked through the lens.

"I think there are people there!" she exclaimed. I looked. There were definitely two figures sitting on the back but I couldn't make out faces. Jason looked after I stepped away.

"Keep an eye on it through this. When you can see faces or see what that thing is, have someone come find us.

Piper ran up to us.

"Chiron is on his way, be he doesn't think he can do anything that we aren't already doing,"

We went around preparing for impact and defense in case whoever was on there was hostile.

"I need to email my mom and let her know that I'm safe," I realized. I wasn't going to make her wonder where I was.

"Go use my computer, Percy," Chiron told me. There's nothing else you can do.

I ran into his office and opened the mail app and signed into my email.

To: sallyblofis

From: seaweedbrain

Subject:

At: 8/15/15 6:25 PM

Mom, they need us at camp for something. I'll probably stay the night since I don't know how long this'll take. Don't worry about me, I'm safe.

Percy

When I ran back to the telescope, everyone was pointing at the sky. I pushed my way through the crowd.

"Can you see who it is?" I asked Annabeth.

"Yeah, you can look. It's Leo and some girl! And they're riding Festus,"

"Leo?! But he's dead! And so is Festus!"

"He did have the Physician's cure, and he must've rebuilt Festus,"

I looked through the telescope. That was definitely Leo's grimy face on the metal dragon, but the girl.....

"Calypso..." I muttered.

"What? Percy, do you know who that girl is?" Piper asked.

I stood up. "That girl is Calypso. She's the girl who was imprisoned on Ogygia."

Everyone immediately started talking. Annabeth came up by my side.

"We need to be welcoming to her. She doesn't know what life is like in the modern world. Now, everyone go wait by the lake, but make sure you're out of the way."

Damn, Annabeth really knows how to control a mob, I thought. Everyone rushed towards the lake and it's was just the two of us left, plus Jason and Piper.

"You guys go ahead," she said. They did, and it was just us by the cabins.

"This is going to be awkward," I said.

"Hey, don't worry. It'll be fine. Leo must like her if he tried to find the island twice."

"Yeah," We went over to the lake. Everyone was standing with their cabin, with Leo's siblings closest, naturally. Annabeth went to stand with her cabin. I wandered around, not having a cabin to find. Eventually, I walked over to Annabeth.

We could see their faces without the telescope now.

Leo's POV:

"YEEEEHAWWW!" I yelled.

"Leo, what are all those people doing?" Calypso asked.

"Waiting for us to land. Cuz we're awesome and they missed me." I loved feeling the wind rushing in my ears. We were so close I could see each person.

We touched down on the ground. Festus blew a puff of flames straight into the air. He was always one for dramatic entrances.

I got off Festus' back, then helped my lady down.

"WOOOOOOO!!!" I yelled, "NOT DEAD!!"