Hidden Half-Bloods 2

Chapter Fifteen: Abridging Worlds

"That's Camp Canada?" As the Argo III descended towards the snowy demigod camp below, Gabi stared over the side in surprise. From the explanations of Casey, Kalan, and Helena, Gabi had expected a militarized camp, similar to Camp Jupiter. Instead, from above, it more resembled Camp Half-Blood. In any respect, it was smaller than both.

              "Don't judge a book by its cover." Kalan noted as she and Megan tossed a rope ladder over the side. Camp Canada wasn't flat or large enough to land on, so they would have to climb down. "It hit!" Kalan called out to Grant, and the ship stopped its descent, hovering midair. Casey climbed over first, then Kalan, followed by everyone else.

              Casey had iris-messaged General Grant after arriving at Camp Half-Blood, so the General wasn't at all surprised by the flying warship and seven demigods that climbed off of it. "Casey, Kalan, welcome back." He shook Casey's hand, then Kalan, before freezing at the sight of Helena. The other gathered campers were also in shock. The girl that they had buried last year was now standing in front of them again.

              "Helena?" Elaine shrieked, rushing forward to embrace the daughter of Hades. As Helena embraced her friend, Lizzie and Nora came forward as well to join the hug. Grant smiled at how happy Helena was to hug her friends again.

              "Who is the leader of your quest?" The General asked, glancing over the seven. There was a beat of awkward silence; it was a topic that hadn't been discussed. Casey and Helena didn't want to step up as leader, and the rest of them had always defaulted to letting James lead. He had been the natural choice, as lieutenant of Zeus and son of Poseidon.

              "He would want it to be you." Grant glanced over in surprise as Riley put her hand on his shoulder. When everyone else nodded their agreement, Grant stepped forward to shake the General's hand.

              "Grant Bowser, son of Hephaestus. Thank you for letting us stop here." It was strange for Grant, gazing up into the eyes of a man that had his name but looked so much different. He was old and bald, probably mid-fifties with his growing smile lines, with dark skin that was leathery like he had been in the sun a lot. He was serious, not smiling even when he had seen Helena again.

              "You fly for the sake of saving our home, Grant. Camp Canada is honored to host you." Despite his seriousness, Grant could detect warmth in the General's voice. Grant could imagine himself, if he had become the lieutenant of Zeus instead of James, one day becoming like General Grant, except leading Camp Half-Blood instead of Camp Canada.

              "Do you want to see the forge before dinner?" Casey put his hand on Grant's shoulder as the General was called away by one of his campers, steering Grant up the hill and towards the low-lying cement buildings. The forge and armory, clearly distinguishable by the chimneys on one side and the crossed swords over the doorway on the other, was nestled into the side of the hill that sloped sharply up to the Temple of Boreas.

              "What metal do you use for your weapons? I haven't seen any celestial bronze or imperial gold since we arrived." Gabi asked as Casey opened the door for her and Grant to enter the forge. Grant gazed around in awe at the organic forge before him. Instead of making the forge out of manmade materials like the cement walls, the forge made entirely from the earth. Clay ovens, stone pots, you name it, the Canadian forge had it.

              "Hey Jack! What's up?" Casey clasped a short dude with springy hair and thick glasses into a hug. There were only a couple other campers working in the forge, but they were all busy concentrating on their own projects.

              "Making a new sword for Matt. I don't know how he keeps breaking them, but this is the second one this month." Jack pulled a sword from the blazing forge, and instead of being a metal like imperial gold or celestial bronze, it was a glowing white. It was also curved and shaped oddly, like it was made to resemble a hip bone of a very, very large creature.