Echo, Son Of Creation's Death

Chapter Four: The First Weeks

At most summer camps, kids stay in a cabin, go canoeing, do arts and crafts, and maybe get into the occasional fistfight. Not Camp Half-Blood.

As Percy started fading in and out of consciousness, he heard bits and pieces of conversations between Echo, Mr. Brunner and a girl.

After about two days, he finally woke up, but he wasn't in a bed. He was in a lounge chair with a blanket over his lap and a view of the surrounding fields. On the table beside him was a glass of what looked like apple cider, on ice. He reached for it, and having his hand wrapped around it, goes to take a drink and almost drops it. The almost being when Grover helps him. When he drinks it he tastes his mom's cookies, gooey and fresh out of the oven. Soon he finished it and Grover asks what it tasted like.

"My mom's cookies. Fresh out of the oven. The best." Percy explains mournfully.

"Well, I wish I could help you, but sadly I can't. Also, this is for you, Echo says what you did was, and I quote, 'The bravest stupid thing I have never seen in my whole life.'" Grover chuckles.

"Well, he is getting over my mom well." Percy groans.

As Percy takes the box Grover offered, having picked it up from the floor where he left it, Percy feels the weight of it. When he opens it, he finds a bloody horn with a broken base. Literally, a horn with blood on it.

"Echo would love this, why'd he give it up?" Percy asks.

"It was you who used the horn to stab the Minotaur. Not Echo." Grover explains. "C'mon, Echo, Chiron and Mr. D are waiting for us."

Grover helps Percy up, and they walk around the big building. When they reach the other side, they see a laughing Echo, a grimacing Mr. Brunner and a pouting Cherub playing cards. Each player had two cards in their hands, and there were four cards on the table. Mr. Brunner and the Cherub were contemplating on wether or not to keep going and lose more money. Echo was winning by a landslide.

"Morning sleeping beauty. Welcome back to the land of the living!" Echo jokes.

Percy just sighs, and sits at the table. "Deal me in after this."

Echo grins, and after beating Mr. Brunner and the Cherub, with a royal flush, deals out cards and chips to Percy.

As the get to playing, Percy asks the million dollar question.

"Who's the Cherub?"

"Excuse ME!" The cherub sneers. "I will turn you into a dolphin for that!"

"D! Calm down. He has no clue who you are." Echo sighs, winning with another royal flush. All spades.

"Dammit! Third time this morning!" Mr. D says.

"Mr. D, calm yourself." Mr. Brunner says.

"How can I calm myself when this... entity... here beats me at my own game?!" Mr. D yells indignantly.

"Dionysus, need I remind you that I am leagues more powerful than you? Good Khaos!" Echo sneers.

"Still means nothing when I am basically the GOD of Gambling!"

"Eh. Keep crying and I'll keep playing. Percy. I'd let Archer over there explain but he's not blunt enough. Sally is .... Khaos how do I say this about my best friend without being insensitive... Gone." Echo says grimacing.

"Wait, so... You can't bring her back?" Percy asks.

"No. I may have a domain over death, but I am not powerful enough to disrupt the fates choices." Echo explains. "Annie! I know you're haunting, give Jackson a tour!"

"Fine! But doesn't mean I'll like him." The girl, Annie, sharply says.

"No one cares!" Echo says." Just show him around. We don't know his parent officially, not yet. Though I have my theories." Echo says looking at the Poseidon cabin.

"Fine!" She pouts. "Let's go!"

Percy (Third)

As they were walking Annie introduces herself as Annabeth. Percy continues to introduce himself as well before Annabeth interrupts him, "I know."

She shows him around camp, and then to the Hermes cabin.

"This is Luke. Until you're claimed, he'll be your head councilor." Annabeth introduces.

"Is he claimed or not?" One of the Hermes campers asks.

"Not yet. Echo has a theory... But it's not proven yet." Annabeth explains.

"Has he shown a proficiency yet?" A kid rolling a twenty sided die asks.

"Not yet Matt. He seems to have a really good judgement as he managed to bluff even Mr. D at Texas Hold'em. Echo is still reigning champ though."

"Well, let me take him from here Annabeth." Luke says.

"Okay." She says. When Luke takes Percy back to where he'd be sleeping, Annabeth seems to stare at his back for a few minutes longer than necessary before leaving.