Solis

Chapter XV

The months leading up to the next summer were filled with torture. The camp had only a small number of campers left to defend it, and the once-lively surroundings were fading. The grass had lost its green hue, appearing dull and parched. Demeter's campers had to protect he strawberries, as the camp's condition was affecting their vitality. A group of satyrs and dryads worked together as best they could.

The camp had transformed from a lively summer camp where kids played and enjoyed activities to something more akin to a military outpost.

Everyone was tired and working hard to protect the camp's borders. The monsters were trying to get in, but even though the borders were getting weaker, they were still holding up to keep the monsters out. As the months went by, however, the camp's defenses grew progressively weaker.

It's becoming extremely difficult to defend the camp with Tantalus—and Mr.D himself—being so unreasonable.

When summer arrived, or rather, it was just a day before summer. There were no returning campers, likely because someone must have advised them not to come to the camp. Even though Chiron had warned them against contacting anyone outside due to the danger, but he still attempted to use Iris Messaging to contact Luke, but the older teen didn't respond. He kept trying until he ran out of drachmas in his pockets. He spent a good twenty minutes creating a rainbow, for crying out loud!

He has to do chores again with others willingly so that Lee would give him some drachmas.

He quickly searched his small pockets on his pants to see if he had a lucky lost drachma there, just as he heard some shoutings again—if only Lee would let him curse in Greek!

Upon his return, the campers were already screaming, and his eyes widened in realization when he heard that grunting noises. That noise, he recognized it! It was the same sound they had heard during their patrols, but now it was no longer there—it had made its way inside the camp.

Clarrise was organizing campers who already equipped with armors and weapons, instructing them to form rows and lines.

"Five rows, two lines! Get your shields ready!" She yelled, but before Ron could figure out what was going on, someone grabbed him and handed him an armor.

"What are you doing?"

"We're short on people!" Malcolm cried. "We need four more campers!"

"And you picked me!?"

"Do you have a problem with that!?"

Ron didn't want to argue, so he put on the armor as Malcolm handed him a sword.

"I don't even know how to use a sword!" He protested, pulling out his bow from his pocket. Malcolm then tossed a quiver full of arrows at him, and rushed towards the other direction to do his duties.

"Four campers!" Clarrise yelled. Ron wasted no time and hurried over with the three other campers, who were already drawing out their swords. As the only one skilled in archery, the redhead was about to step forward, but Clarrise shoved him aside.

"Are you stupid!?" Clarrise scolded him, forcefully pulling the three campers with her. 

But Ron was impulsive so did his mouth, “I can be the distraction with others!“ He suggested running towards them.

"Stupid it is! We're facing Colchis Bulls, not a bunch of flying pigs."

“What, I thought it was a boar—”

“Well, cry, punk!“

But they didn't have much time; the bulls had already entered. Ron gave Clarrise a desperate expression. "I hate your stupid face and your stupidness!“ She hissed furiously, and the redhead knew it was meant that it was an okay.

So the redhead ended up with three other campers, diverting the attention of the bulls. The two bulls were quick. Ron had practiced countless times in races with the satyrs (even though he always lost), but his speed mattered now.

He shot an arrow, but the bulls deflected it, causing the arrow to always land near their feet. This frustrated Ron, but he knew he had to keep his emotions in check.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice calling out, "Distract them!" Ron's eyes snapped to the figure not far away. She was ordering the other campers to divert the attention of the Colchian Bulls.

"Annabeth!" Ron exclaimed, using the blonde girl's full first name for the first time. She briefly looked at the redhead, but her attention was focused on Percy. He suddenly noticed that Percy was also engaged in battle with another bull as they distracted the second one.

“Ron—I, Tyson, help him!” She shouted. 

Somewhere near, toward the crest of the hill, they heard a wailed, “Can’t—get—through!” 

“I, Annabeth Chase, give you permission to enter camp!” 

Thunder shook the hillside. Suddenly someone huge was there, barreling toward Percy, yelling: “Percy needs help!”

Suddenly, Clarrise came into Ron's view. She suddenly charged at the bull that Ron and the other campers were distracting. With a quick move, she impaled the bull's right leg using a celestial bronze spear, causing the monster to stagger in a circular motion while trying to run away.

Ron was about to rush towards Annabeth to hug her, but Clarrise was already there. On her way back, she was furious and grabbed Ron's collar, causing him to yelp.

"We need medics!" She stated, shoving him towards Ron's two half-siblings who were skilled at healing, they caught him right away and shot glares at Clarrise's retreating figure to the other wounded campers.

Ron pitched in with his half-siblings to assist in healing the other campers. Ron, Kayla, and Austin weren't very good at healing, so they were just hurrying around, providing nectar to the others instead.

🔆

Dinner arrived with the sound of the conch horn, and Ron's stomach was grumbling loudly. He was craving barbecues, bacon, and some juice. He could hear Austin's stomach growling as well, and Ron playfully teased him, making the boy blush—even though they were tried, the three still managed to get some fun time.

As everyone made their way into the Dining Pavilion, Ron's gaze scanned the Athena table, searching for Annabeth. He spotted her and was about to wave, but he noticed that the blonde girl appeared to have been crying. Suddenly, Agatha, one of his half-siblings seated across from him, looked up.

“Who invited that?“

Ron just realized that the chatter in the Pavilion quieted down, Ron looked up and his eyes widened at the person beside Percy. The boy's head snapped at their direction and gave them a glare.

Ron nudged Agatha and whispered, "You didn't have to say that." 

“Well, well, if it isn’t Peter Johnson. My millennium is complete.“ They heard Mr. D dralwed out.

“Percy Jackson...sir.” 

Mr. D sipped his Diet Coke. “Yes. Well, as you young people say these days: Whatever.”

As campers started talking again, the nymphs came in and placed plates of food on the tables. The others scraped their food on the bronze bazier but Ron immediately started eating. Lee was frowning at him as he returned back but din't question him.

After some eating, the conch horn blew again as Tantalus to get their attention and for him to give his announcements.

“Yes, well,” Tantalus said, once the talking had died down. “Another fine meal! Or so I am told.” As he spoke, he inched his hand toward his refilled dinner plate, as if maybe the food wouldn’t notice what he was doing, but it did. It shot away down the table as soon as he got within six inches. 

“And here on my first day of authority,” he continued, “I’d like to say what a pleasant form of punishment it is to be here. Over the course of the summer, I hope to torture, er, interact with each and every one of you children. You all look good enough to eat.”

Mr. D politely applauded, but the other satyrs clapped halfheartedly. Ron took a sip of his juice as he listened to Tantalus, while shooting a worried look to the cyclop standing there in the table.

And now some changes!” Tantalus gave the campers a crookedsmile. “We are reinstituting the chariot races!”

Ron nearly choked on his drink—reinstituing the what!? The crowd buzzed with murmurs of excitement and disbelief, but Ron and his half-siblings were filled with fear. He had heard about the Chariot Races before; whenever Lee told the story, it always gave him goosebumps. One thing he disliked about flying was the risk of being struck by lightning and being mutilated.

That's why whenever he rode Tommy, his chosen pegasus, he would whisper to the pegasus repeatedly to not let him fall. He made sure the pegasus understood that.

“Now I know,” Tantalus continued, raising his voice, “that these races were discontinued some years ago due to, ah, technical problems.” 

“Three deaths and twenty-six mutilations,” Aundrey replied.

“Yes, yes!” Tantalus said. “But I know that you will all join me in welcoming the return of this camp tradition. Golden laurels will go to the winning charioteers each month. Teams may register in the morning! The first race will be held in three days time. We will release you from most of your regular activities to prepare your chariots and choose your horses. Oh, and did I mention, the victorious team’s cabin will have no chores for the month in which they win?”

THE VICTORIOUS TEAM'S CABIN WILL HAVE WHAT NOW?

Ron's half-siblings exchanged knowing looks, sharing a silent understanding. "Oh no, you guys don't!" Ron protested. "What if you lost and ended up getting hurt or worse, died!?"

"Come on, no chores for the month? I've been wanting that since forever," Colleb's eyes were sparkling in excitement.

"Yeah, I mean, why not give it a shot? We've been training and everything. It's not like we'd just lost that easily," Jasmine bit her lip, and looking at the others too.

Ron glanced at Kayla and Austin, who avoided his gaze. "Even you two are considering it?"

“I'm interested.“ Austin admitted.

"Don't worry, we're not actually joining the race, just watching!" Kayla grinned.

Ron turned to Lee, who was deep in thought and then finally made his decision. "Alright, let's do it."

“But, sir!” Clarisse suddenly interrupted their chatterings. She looked nervous, but she stood up with the YOU MOO, GIRL! sign on her back. 

“What about patrol duty? I mean, if we drop every-thing to ready our chariots—” 

Ron looked up at her, realizing she was right. They couldn't, they can't just forget about patrol duty. The camp is Ron's home, his only home!

“Ah, the hero of the day,” Tantalus exclaimed. “Brave Clarisse, who singlehandedly bested the bronze bulls!” 

Clarisse blinked, then blushed. “Um, I didn’t—” 

“And modest, too.” Tantalus grinned. “Not to worry, my dear! This is a summer camp. We are here to enjoy our-selves, yes?”

“But the tree—” 

“And now,” Tantalus said, as several of Clarisse’s cabin mates pulled her back into her seat, "before we proceed to the campfire and sing-along, one slight housekeeping issue. Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase have seen fit, for some reason, to bring this here.” Tantalus waved a hand toward the cyclop.

Ron nervously bit his cheek and shifted uncomfortably as the attention shifted to the cyclops. The uneasy feeling spread among everyone.

“Of course,” he said, “Cyclopes have a reputation for being bloodthirsty monsters with a very small brain capacity. Under normal circumstances, I would release this beast into the woods and have you hunt it down with torches and pointed sticks. But who knows? Perhaps this Cyclops is not as horrible as most of its brethren. Until it proves worthy of destruction, we need a place to keep it! I’ve thought about the stables, but that will make the horses nervous. Hermes’s cabin, possibly?” 

Silence at the Hermes table. Travis and Connor Stoll developed a sudden interest in the tablecloth. 

“Come now,” Tantalus chided. “The monster may be able to do some menial chores. Any suggestions as to where such a beast should be kenneled?”

Suddenly, something happened that made them gasp. Ron drew a sharp breath at the symbol above the cyclops' head as everyone stared at it in silent awe.

“Well! I think we know where to put the beast now. By the gods, I can see the family resemblance!”

Everyone else laughed, but Ron, Kayla, Austin, and Lee only exchanged scowls directed at Tantalus.