CHAPTER FOUR ━━ EURYDICE, COME DOWN

THERE WAS WIND BLOWING IN her ears as Eurydice sat in a white room that looked like a hospital room. It was bright with white light as she looked around in confusion. Her eyes adjusted to the brightness. It almost hurt to see around the bright white hospital room. She was lying in a hospital bed overlooking a huge empty window. The sky was clear and empty, until it turned dark with clouds and thunder. And with that, the room turned dark too. She gasped sharply as she looked around.

All she could see was darkness. She couldn't even feel her body anymore. It was as if she had dissolved into the darkness entirely. It felt like it was constricting her throat, choking her painfully as she desperately tried to breathe. The darkness was choking it painfully, like a once comforting figure killing her. Until suddenly, it stopped as soon as it came. She felt tears pour down her face as she breathed in shakily, she couldn't feel her body in the dark room.

All she could see was darkness and a storm brewing as she heard booming angry laughter. She didn't understand what they were as she stared around with wide eyes in worry. Her fear was shaken by the laughter becoming louder and louder. Until all of a sudden, it stopped. It seemed like something was stopping the nightmare from continuing. Instead there was a comforting presence.

Then she started to hear a voice. The voice wasn't like any of ones she had heard before. "Child of the Underworld. Embrace the darkness, and damn the hands that ever try to dirty you. Be warned of a traitor." Her breath hitched as she heard the dark booming voice. It wasn't like any she recognized. The woman's voice sounded like a warning, a soothing warning she didn't understand. What was going on? Was this just a dream? "The premonitions that have come to haunt you in your dreams will be locked away by me, my dear child. Do not be afraid." She stared at the invisible voice in confusion.

The lights had suddenly turned on as a cut open pomegranate had appeared on the table. She stared at it in disbelief for a second before she felt herself slipping in and out of consciousness. She felt her eyes roll at the back of her head as her head hit the pillows. She drearily woke up with a start, breathing in shakily as she held her hand to her heart. It looked like Percy had already been awake for a while as he was snacking on the blue candy he had in his backpack once she woke up from.

His sleeping bag was across from hers, as she blinked her tears away. That dream was weird. She faintly wondered why that woman, whoever she was called her a child of the underworld. Something escapes her as she tries to remember if there was a god of the underworld. Many thoughts had escaped her lately with everything going on and she didn't know what to think. She sighed to herself as Luke stood up and watched her with concern. "We wanted to wait for you to wake up before we left, let you sleep in a little. But I see you're having nightmares too." He winced.

She blinked in confusion. "Yes... how did you know that?" She muttered to him in confusion, rubbing her eyes tiredly. The older boy hummed. "Percy had one too. And we all do, intense reoccurring nightmares. It's normal here. And the daydreams, the ADHD, and dyslexia." She nodded still in some confusion. "Oh. The nightmares don't sound fun." She didn't want to mention that woman in her dream protecting her to anyone, because she wasn't even sure if she had made it up or not. It had seemed so real. That she couldn't shake it.

Percy looked at her in worry as she rubbed her eyes. Luke continued with his speech. "Demigods just process things differently than humans do." He explained. "So for the first time in your life you're just like everyone else." He finished. That would be comforting if she didn't feel so.. foreign as a new camper. She was sure Percy felt like that as well. "So are you also..." Percy trailed off trying to ask Luke about his parentage. "Do you not know who your—" Luke interrupted him. "Am I unclaimed?" He finished his question, but he shook his head. "No, Hermes is my father. But we're all on the same team here." She nodded. "That... sounds nice." She smiled slightly.

Percy didn't seem impressed. "Why is that okay? Why do they get to bring us here just to ignore some of us?" She couldn't help but agree with him, but angering the gods never ended well. Luke winced. "Spend too much time trying to figure out why the gods do what we it is they do you'll drive yourself crazy." He sounded like he knew from experience. "Sooner you stop worrying about that, the sooner you can enjoy what this place actually does offer." He murmured. "And what's that?" Percy mutters to him in confusion.

Luke smiles knowingly. "Glory. Demigods have always fought for glory. They used to call it kleos." He said. "It like this stuff that attaches itself to your name, makes it bigger. scarier, more important." He explains to the two younger demigods as the Hermes cabin walk outside together at Luke's lead. Eurydice winced. "And that kinda thing matters here?" She asked in confusion.

Luke nodded. "Yep. people listen closer when you talk. They work harder to be your friend. And they think twice about messing with you." She nodded at the older boy. They were walking calmly until a girl with dark curly hair, a lot taller than her and Percy bumped into him. "Hey!" The boy yelled in confusion. She and Luke shared a worried glance, she really hoped that she accidentally bumped into him. It looked like she was completely wrong.

She watched the older girl shove Percy with a gasp. Two of the older boys who looked kind of like twins from the Hermes cabin. Maybe they were one of Luke's brothers pulled her closer towards the Hermes cabin group so that the older girl couldn't target her. She frowned as she watched the curly haired girl shove Percy to the ground. She felt a pang of worry at her chest. They seriously couldn't even escape bullies at Camp? Where they're supposed to be safe? She was right. There isn't anywhere where bullies won't try to make others miserable when they're even more miserable.

She feels bad for the older girl in a way. There must have been something that made her like this, but right now she didn't really like her much. Luke sighed in annoyance. "Hey, knock it off Clarisse. It's like his first day, come on." One of the other Hermes cabin members helped Percy up as Luke reprimanded the girl, Clarisse. A girl beside Clarisse with light brown curls pulled up into a ponytail winced sympathetically as she eyed Percy. She mouthed a silent apology to him as Clarisse stubbornly continued to pick on Percy.

Eurydice helped Percy straighten out his new Camp Half Blood t-shirt as he got up. The creases in his shirt were really bothering her. But Clarisse didn't waste anytime picking on him again. "Wait, so this is the kid who killed the Minotaur, is that right?" Her voice sounded slightly mocking as she stepped towards Percy. "Yeah?" He said in confusion. The girl scoffed. "I'll bet." She muttered. "Look, you want attention around here, dummy? You better be ready for it when it comes. You're lucky I won't hurt your little friend. She's not as much of a hotshot as you." She laughed as she scared Percy almost looking like she was about to pound him, he flinched as all of Clarisse's friends laughed at him.

As Clarisse and her friends started to walk away laughing Eurydice could feel her blood boiling. Percy looked slightly relieved that Clarisse wouldn't target Eurydice. She doesn't think it's right for Percy to get picked on just because of the Minotaur. But she guesses she'd be angry too if a kid with no experience killed a monster on his first try.

What does Percy have to do with Clarisse having issues though? Did she just need a human punching bag to make her feel better. She unclenched her jaw of the deadly glare on her face, even Luke stared at her with concern for a second.

Percy winced. "Well. she seems nice." Eurydice sighed. "Well now you're just lying to yourself Perce." She muttered angrily. Luke sighed deeply. "Ares kids. They come by it honestly." Percy stared at him in confusion. "Why don't they mess with you?" Luke hummed. "They know better."  Another Hermes cabin occupant explained better. "Luke's the strongest swordsman at camp." He said with a smile. She nodded slowly. "That makes... a lot of sense." She hummed in thought. "So. they leave you alone because, 'glory?' So if I get glory Clarisse wouldn't mess with me either?" He asked in confusion, to which Luke nodded at. "Exactly." Percy seemed to finally have the gears turning in his head.

She couldn't help but disagree that the hierarchy here was kind of terrible. Why did you have to prove yourself in order to gain glory? She isn't even sure why Clarisse didn't decide to pick on her instead. She feels guilty for being relieved that she won't have to deal with her, but Percy will have to. And if someone's Percy's problem, then it's hers too. "And people think I'm a big deal?" Percy still didn't seem to be getting how much of a deal him beating the Minotaur was. She couldn't even fathom flushing a dead fish down the toilet.

Eurydice frowned. "That doesn't sound like a good thing though." She murmured quietly. Luke shrugged. "Well, we all gotta fight to survive here. And yes, they sorta leave you alone after you get the glory but—" Percy interrupted him. "And my dad's got no choice but to claim me." She could see the other Hermes cabin wince just as she did.

But Luke pulled off the bandaid for him. "You can't force the gods to do anything." He told him. Percy formed. "Well, yeah. But... it would make it harder for him to pretend I don't exist, right?" He sounded so confused that it hurt her to realize that he wanted to meet his dad because he was all he had left. While Eurydice wasn't even sure if she wanted to meet hers, if she's being honest. She's scared that everything will change. Not that things haven't changed enough. But she's not sure she can handle anything else changing, she's content with staying in the Hermes cabin forever with Percy if it means that either of them won't ever get claimed.

And maybe that is selfish, but she's never been able to handle change well. Luke frowned slightly at Percy. "Well, maybe." Percy then smiled for the first time in a while. "Well, great. Where do we start?" He asked with a smile.

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The next half of their day was dedicated to help Percy and her see what Camp had to offer. And how they would be able to get glory. Eurydice was hesitant, but Percy managed to convince her with those puppy dog eyes of his. She could never say no to him, maybe she should start thinking things through before she agrees to anything that he wants to do ever again...

They watched an older girl fire a fiery arrow onto a bullseye as Luke explained to them how it'd help them get glory. "A good source of glory are feats of skill. So, we gotta figure out what you're good at." He handed Percy a bow and arrow. Percy sighed. "I wanna be very clear about this. I've never done anything like this before and it looks super dangerous." He rambled slightly. Luke laughed. "And you never killed a Minotaur before either, 'til you did." Eurydice nodded in agreement. "That is true y'know." She muttered.

Percy breathed in slightly as other demigods practiced sword fighting in the background. She was impressed by how good everyone was at what they did. She wasn't sure she'd ever measure up to that. But she wanted to, she really did. She just wouldn't know how to. The girl in the wheelchair was about to light his arrow from him. "I wouldn't." He muttered as he stepped up to try and shoot the arrow. Instead he failed miserably and shot the arrow into the sky, effectively scaring all of the other campers to her down. Percy laughed awkwardly. "Should I try again...?" He muttered. The other campers just all unanimously yelled no.

She winced slightly. "That was terrible Percy." She patted his back in sympathy as the boy stood up and sighed. "How about you try it if you're so high and mighty, Eury?" He scoffed at her, she laughed slightly. She could tell he was just faking it. She shrugged her shoulders and took the arrow from Percy's hands. "Sure, I'll give it a try." She muttered as she started to aim the arrow she grabbed out of Percy's bag. She shakily aimed it towards the bullseye, to attempt to not pull another Percy. She could hear the other campers muttering amongst themselves in worry.

They weren't sure if she was going to be as bad at this as Percy though. She took a deep breath and prayed to all of the gods above, (specifically you Apollo) that she wouldn't be embarrassed in this moment. Her prayers had seemed to have been answered, as she hit the bullseye right on. She sighed in relief, her shoulders. She could hear she cheering from the other Hermes kids and claps from the other campers. She felt pride surge in her chest for a second, and it felt nice.

Luke clapped her on the back sounding proud. "Good one, Eurydice maybe you're an Apollo kid after all. Or you're just really lucky." He laughed as she smiled slightly at the praise. Percy meanwhile pouted. "Seriously? Why do you have to be good at everything!" He complained. She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not good at everything. You're just dramatic." She laughed. Percy just shook his head at her dramatically. "Nah, you're just naturally good at everything." He flashed her his best smile. She was flattered that he thought so highly of her. "But I've got enough charm for the both of us right?" She laughed. "Yeah, of course you do." She said with a smile creeping its way onto her face.

Next they tried blacksmithing, to which Percy failed terribly at. He had ended up setting a bunch of paper on fire instead, she could admit that it wasn't one of his best moments. Luke ushered them away and stopped the fire before it could spread. And then they were all sitting by the dining pavilion eating their lunch. While Percy sighed again to himself, at least for the hundredth time today. "Is there a Greek god of disappointment?" He said to the others with a sigh. "Maybe someone should ask him if he's missing a kid..." He muttered miserably.

She winced and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Hey, Perce. It's okay. We'll find something you're good at. Okay? We probably just won't find it right away." She tried to comfort him. But he still seemed down. Chris winced and answered the boy. "Oizys... but she's a goddess. And her whole thing isn't really disappointment it's more like failure." He shrugged as he picked at his food with a fork. Eurydice made a face at his explanation, taking a bite out of her food.

Luke smiled at Percy reassuringly. "Eurydice's right you know, we're gonna find the thing that you good at Percy. I know it." He sounded so sure that she believed it herself. The bell suddenly chimed in the dining hall, and she realized rhys she had barely finished her lunch. "Our turn." Luke announced quickly. "What?" She muttered in confusion, trying to finish her food quickly. "Our turn for what?" Percy also asked in confusion as Chris and Luke stood up from their table.

Luke and Chris held their plates as they stood up. She blinked in confusion. "Burnt offerings." Luke answered nonchalantly. "The gods like the smell. So it gets their attention before you say a prayer." Eurydice narrowed her eyebrows at them in confusion. "Oh... that's..." She had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying something she'd regret. "They like the smell of burnt mac & cheese?" Percy murmured. Chris chuckled. "They like the smell of begging." He said.

Eurydice winced. "So... we weren't supposed to eat it..." She smiled nervously. Luke patted her shoulder. "It's alright. You didn't know, I'm sure whoever your godly parent is, they'll take mercy on you." He smiled at her, but all she could feel was embarrassment. She really hoped that her dad was forgiving of her eating a little of the food she was supposed to offer to him. "You burn what you'll miss the most. Then they know you really mean what you're about to say, so they listen." He finished explaining.

She sighed as she stood up with her half eaten plate in hand. "Well, guess I'll just get this over with then..." She sighed as she stood up with her plate in hand. Percy didn't move right away, but a few seconds later he followed behind her. She offered her food silently to the fire and, though it was selfish. Prayed that she'd never be claimed by her father. She apologized mentally to the man as she offered her burnt mac & cheese.

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CAPTURE THE FLAG was a sacred game at Camp Half Blood. She realized as she stood in front of a gigantic state of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare as the entire camp were huddled together in formations. The night before Percy arrived back to the Hermes Cabin late like something significant had happened that she missed. She had been trying to pretend to sleep but that was hard when Percy had left abruptly in the middle of the night, taking the bag of blue candy he had with him.

But, from Luke who she had learned earlier in the day that competition meant a lot to Camp Half Blood. If a game of capture the flag meant so much to the camp, she was worried about how many underlying issues they all had. She agreed that the game sounded fun in hindsight when it wasn't entirely a war game. But in the eyes of the other demigods, this was all out war. And Eurydice wasn't sure that she was prepared for that. The entire camp were in formations reminiscent of real battle ones.

She hadn't been told until this morning By Percy that Annabeth wanted him and Eurydice on her team. Apparently she had heard about what she did with that bow and arrow, and was impressed. Still she couldn't shake the thought that the other girl made her nervous for some reason. It was like she had turned into another Percy! Except not as bad, just so weirdly socially awkward that she hated herself for it. Now that she thought about it, everything made sense about what she knew of the girl now.

Her mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare. Of course she would be watching others to see if they'd be good for her team. She had to swallow down how oddly nervous the girl made her today so she could at least not tarnish her image in front of her as much as Percy had already did. When he had told her about Annabeth and the drooling incident, she won't lie about how loudly she laughed about it. It was pretty loud. Even Chris had joined in when he heard Percy explain.

Anyways, she needs to focus on the game now. Luke smiled as they walked together, as they watched the other demigods practice for the game. "You're gonna love this. Camp-wide mock warfare. All glory to the victors." He said to the two. "Annabeth the head counselor of the Athena cabin. She's lead our team to three straight win." He explained to them as they watched the girl grab weapons with her team. "It's been a long time since anyone's won a fourth." She nodded slightly. "Wow, that's.." Luke grinned. "Impressive? Yeah, I know." He smiled proudly, like he taught her everything he knew.

Percy meanwhile, was as confused as ever. "She was there in the bathroom." That was a weird sentence even with context.. "She said she'd been waiting for it to happen." She remembered him explaining this when they woke up, but she was way too tired to process it. Now that she had, she found Annabeth's strategy actually really impressive, she means of course it is! She's Athena's daughter. She thought Athena was a virgin goddess, but she guessed not now since she has children.

She wonders how Annabeth got to be head counselor if she was the same age as them. She didn't really understand how things worked around here still even if she has been here for a few days. Luke continued speaking when she prodded herself out of her thoughts. "Annabeth sees the world differently. Always six steps ahead of everyone else." He muttered. "You should cut her a break." He looked at Percy specifically. "Not you, don't worry. I actually think she likes you." He chuckled as he patted Eurydice's shoulder.

She took a second to understand what he had said. "What?" She muttered in confusion. Her brain felt like it was operating at 50 miles per hours as she tried to figure out what that meant. Maybe she was impressed with her skill or something. Even if she only got the bullseye once.  Percy looked away for a second. "Whose side are you on, anyway?" He asked Luke in confusion. Luke just smiled softly. "Oh, hers. Always." He muttered. "She's my little sister." He smiled. The two of them stared at him in confusion. "Huh?" Eurydice muttered dumbly.

Luke laughed. "Maybe I should back up." He started to explain. "Before camp, I was on the road. Me and a forbidden kid I met along the way. Her name was Thalia." They sat on a table in the dining hall as he continued his tale. "Her name was Thalia." He sounded oddly sad when he said that name. Percy looked at him in confusion. "And what does that mean, forbidden?" He stared at him. "Like forbidden fruit?" She muttered out with a shrug.

Luke shook his head at them. "A long time ago, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades agreed that their children were becoming too powerful so they made a pact not to father any more. And it held for a long time, until Zeus broke that pack." She nodded slowly. "Hades?" She muttered in confusion. "The god of the underworld." He explained for her quickly. Her eyes immediately went wide. That was what that woman called her in her dream. Child of the underworld. If what Luke is telling them is true—

She took a shaky breath as she tried to hide her emotions. "There wasn't any forbidden kids at camp, well until Thalia." Luke continued, not noticing the look in her eyes. "A forbidden kid attracts trouble. Monsters everywhere it's just a constant battle to stay alive." She breathed in through her nose shakily. You could barely see her hands shaking from underneath the table. It couldn't be true what that woman's voice said about the underworld, couldn't it? It was just a dreams. Dreams didn't mean anything. Sometimes they don't have to mean anything.

Percy sitting next to her kept her grounded on the floor beneath her, otherwise she would be panicking on the spot of hearing her potential father's name. "One day, we uh, find this little girl hiding in an alley." Luke continued his story. "Annabeth. We were worried about taking her in exposing her to all that danger. Then we saw her fight." He chuckled softly at the memory. The older boy was then quiet for a second. "Thalia didn't make it." She immediately winced in sympathy for him and Annabeth.

"But Annabeth and me." Luke muttered. "We did. And we've been family ever since." She smiled slightly, nodding in understanding. "That's sweet." She smiled. Percy still seemed suspicious of her. "She's been watching me since I got here, why?" He demanded an answer in suspicion. "Annabeth is the strongest warrior in camp. The only way left to prove herself is to go in a quest." He answered. "And what does this have to do us? She was watching Eurydice too. It was weird." He muttered with a shake of his head.

Sometimes Percy was way too quick to judge. "Wait, she was watching me too? Where??" She muttered a little too excitedly. Luke just laughed at her reaction. While Percy sighed. "Seriously? She's not that impressive." He muttered under his breath to her. Luke cleared his throat. "Chiron's been promising her for years. One day, two demigods would arrive who were fated to go in a quest that even Chiron couldn't prevent." She suddenly understood her curiosity about her in the beginning all of a sudden. "And when that happened, she could join in. Every new arrival. Annabeth watches, looking for a sign they're the ones, or one of them in case the other demigod was already at camp to begin with."

Percy scoffed. "Well that's not creepy at all.." He muttered sarcastically. Eurydice hit his arm slightly. "Hey! don't be mean." She muttered to him in disapproval. Luke chuckled. "Usually she gives up after a day or two. But she's still watching you two." Percy sighed, rubbing his arm in pain. "Can you ask her to knock it off?" He complained. Luke snorted. "Yeah, sure. But what if she's right?" He asked him. Eurydice swallowed hard. "If she's right then we'll never get a moment to breathe ever again." She muttered miserably.

Luke smiled slightly. "Hey, look on the bright side. You'll get glory, and maybe you won't be the ones. It's a 50/50 percent chance. That's always what Annabeth says." Luke mutters. Suddenly the conch shell horn started to blow, which she guessed was a sign that they were beginning the game. She breathed in to calm herself down slightly, mentally preparing for what was about to happen. Chiron stepped in front of them as the horn blew. "Heroes..." He trailed off. "It's time." He informed them all, shoving something out of his pocket. "The game begins." She braced herself, she was never built for fighting. But with her new keychain sword thing, maybe she could.

Chiron stood in front of the opposing teams as he explained the rules of the game. "The first team to retrieve the opposing flag and return it across the river shall be the victor." The man continued as everyone got into their places. "As always, there will be no maiming, and no killing. I trust these rules will be respected. Any magical items you must possess are permitted as well." The man continued as she fidgeted with the keychain in her pocket. It made slight rattling sounds as she moved slightly. "

The armour that they wore into battle was kind of stuffy. Their team wore a bronze coloured armour with blue stripes to differentiate the teams. They all held matching shields and she felt awkward and out of place holding it. "Every camper who is not injured has to play." Chiron finished explaining as Luke muttered something she couldn't make out to Percy. "Prisoners may be disarmed." The man was still going. "I don't even know what my job is." Percy muttered miserably. "Me neither, we're in the same boat." She whispered to him.

Percy didn't seem very confident that he'd be doing much this game. "Maybe I won't even need a sword." He shook his head at Luke who didn't answer him. "Let the games begin!" Chiron finally finished as all of the Ares campers and the opposing team yelled in unison, hitting their swords against their shields. Percy was suddenly quiet. "I'm gonna need a sword." He mumbled as she tried to hide an amused expression on her face. "Good idea." She muttered. Their team did their battle cry as the game officially started.

Annabeth walked up to them as the other campers are their team started walking. Not sure what they were going to be doing, Eurydice and Percy stayed back so Annabeth could tell them what their jobs would be respectively. The girl in question nodded at Luke. "All right. We have 20 minutes before the second finch and game-on. You know what you're doing?" She muttered, asking Luke. The older boy smiled in amusement. "Yes, ma'am." He answered as he started to walk away.

Annabeth stopped him for a second. "Hey," She asked. "Today feel like a winning kind of day to you?" Luke just shrugged. "I'll see you on the other side." He nodded his head at the girl. As he walled away towards the rest of their team. "Company! Move out!" He commanded some of their team with a yell, pointing his sword out as they all yelled kleos in unison. How warlike their camp already was, well it was interesting to say the least. Considering the fact that they're all... children. She doesn't think she saw anyone at Camp older than eighteen other than the satyrs, Mr. D and Chiron.

Percy was about to walk away with the rest of their team, she nearly followed as well until Annabeth stopped them. She shook her head at them as she swerved her head around to look at the girl. "Not you sunshine, songbird. You're with me." She stared at her in confusion. "Wha-" Percy sighed, mentally rolling his eyes as he dragged her with him to follow Annabeth. Within a few minutes all of the campers on their team was on a large colourful bridge dangling along the trees below them. She gulped slightly as she looked down, so she tried to focus on continuing to run down it.

Eurydice and Percy continued to follow Annabeth down another path as the rest of their team clamoured to cover more ground in their area. As they were walking, Percy suddenly fell to the floor. Looked like his shield was too heavy for him. She winced slightly as watched him get up. Annabeth stopped for a second but didn't do anything to help. "I'm fine, thanks. But I appreciate you, you know. Standing there silently." He muttered to Annabeth in annoyance. Wow, he really didn't like her.

Annabeth didn't seem to care and continued walking as Percy tucked his sword back into its holster. Percy gave Eurydice a look, and she shrugged in response. The boy took his helmet off as he caught up to Annabeth. She was really getting confused at what she expected them to do in the game. But she'd wait until the time came for her to tell them. But Percy wasn't as patient as she was. "Listen. I- I get it. Okay. You're better at this than me. But I need this to go well today. I can't really get into it but I need my father to see it go well." He started to ramble.

Impatience wasn't a good thing to have, and Percy didn't seem to get the memo that Annabeth wasn't interested in sympathizing with him. "So if you're gonna expect me to know how to do something I don't know how to do and I end up falling flat on my face and Eurydice has to carry me back again like she did during the whole Minotaur thing. I can't really have that right now." Eurydice shot him a look. "No offence, Eury." He muttered with a nervous laugh.

Annabeth stopped walked after Percy finished his speech. She clicked Percy's armour buckle back into place. It was a good thing she did, because how loose it was, was really starting to bother her. She looked over at Eurydice questionably. "Is he always like this?" She asks. She just chcukles lightly in response. "More or less." She mutters. "Either of you still don't get where you fit into all of this, do you?" Well she hasn't even told them anything yet, so obviously they were.

They heard the conch shell blowing for a second time, signaling that the games had begun. "Game on." Annabeth said as she put a blue NY hat on and disappeared. "What the he—" Eurydice muttered in confusion, looking around the area for the girl who now disappeared. Did she just turn invisible? "Wait, what." Percy muttered dumbly, as the girl took off her hat. "Gift from my mom." She told them. "Don't worry, you'll do great." She reassured them, despite them not having any idea what they were supposed to do.

Eurydice's eyes went wide in confusion. "Wait, wait wait! What are we supposed to do!" She tried to get the girl to answer them but her hat was back on before she could. "Do great? Do what great?" Percy said anxiously as Eurydice groaned in annoyance. "Oh are you kidding me? Now we're gonna look so stupid to everybody else when we don't even know what we're doing here." She muttered miserably, flailing her arms around dramatically.

Percy sighed. "Why is today so weird?" Eurydice shrugged. "I don't know." Sighing deeply as she rubbed the bags under her eyes. A couple of minutes later, Percy in a fit of boredom. Was.... flossing. And no, he wasn't flossing his teeth. It was... the dance. She was starting to go stir crazy from being left alone with him for so long. Percy's her best friend but sometimes she needed a break from him.

When he had left to go pee in the woods she had opted to stay behind at the place Annabeth left them in. She shivered as she could hear him whistling, seriously who whistles when they pee? Why couldn't he have waited until they got back to the Hermes cabin? After he came back she had succumbed to the boredom and began to stare at a frog. Percy, in all his glory touched it. "You didn't even wash your hands. Dude." She winced in disgust as she threw him a hand sanitizer over to him. It was one of those flavoured ones she kept on hand in case of anything, also those ones always smelled really good and they made her hands smell like lemon.

"Here, you need this more than I do." She winced. "Eugh..." She muttered at the memory of him touching that poor frog in the stump. He pouted. "Hey! I'm not that bad." He complained as he used the sanitizer. He smelled his hands. "Wait, can I keep this? It smells like you." She stared at him for a second. She gave him a look. "That's kinda creepy Percy." She deadpanned. He immediately panicked. "Wh- No, no! Not in a weird way! I'm just saying it reminds me of you-"

She cut him off with a snort. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You can keep it." She tells him with a shrug. He smiled in response. "Awesome." Five minutes passed and still nothing was happening. She considered searching for the others to see if they had won the game. Percy was lying down overlooking the trees as she sat down in the forrest behind them to try and ease her boredom.

She didn't notice Clarisse approaching until it was too late. She heard the sounds of a spear crackling as other person with Clarisse had walked towards Percy. She immediately jumped up in shock as she ran over frantically to Percy, who was now getting beat up by Clarisse and one of her siblings. She heard Percy groan in pain as the daughter of Ares spear hit him in the face. She winced in sympathy. "Ooh, that one's gonna hurt later." She muttered as she jumped in and started fighting off the other camper.

Percy ducked and she finally pulled out her keychain from her pocket. When she jingled the chain slightly, a sword appeared in a crackle of dark light to her. Percy held out his shield in front of him in defense. Eurydice smirked as she started sparing with the second camper as Percy avoided the third person and Clarisse's beats. She had nearly stopped the second person from hitting her as Percy fell to the ground. "Percy!" She yelled as she watched him fall from the impact of Clarisse's spear.

Clarisse just laughed. Her two lackeys stopping from fighting her for a second. Her lackeys stood in front of Eurydice, blocking her off from getting to Percy. "How sweet. Your friend is trying to protect you." Clarisse mocked him. "But it isn't her who I want to hurt. Believe or not, I'm actually not interested in maiming or killing you." She looked over at Percy condescendingly. She stood on the log that he had fallen off, like she was waiting to maim him. She seethed in angry, helpless to help Percy as the other two campers blocked her off from anyway of getting to him.

Percy attempted to move on the ground shakily as Clarisse spoke. "I just want you to admit you're a fraud. It'd make me feel better. Are you feeling up to that yet?" She asked him angrily. She started to fight off the other two campers, screaming at Percy as he got up. "Percy, run!" She yelled as she held her sword and threw them off her for a second. She sighed in relief as Percy ran as fast as he could.

Clarisse looked even angrily now as her two friends followed. Eurydice shakily started running quickly, trying to get to Percy before they did. She felt the wind in her hair as she ran as fast as her legs could possibly take her. She felt her lungs being constructed in her throat as she breathed heavily. Luck seemed to not be on their side today as when she had gotten to Percy, one of the opposing campers had already tripped him. She ran down near edge of the water as she felt the wind hitting her face sharply. When she arrived to at Percy's side, the three other campers trying to disarm him were almost succeeding.

She jumped back in and tried to disarm the other two while Percy handled Clarisse. She had almost managed to stab Percy with her spear until Eurydice's pushed her back with her own speed. The girl glared at her as she tried to go at her with her spear. But instead Percy ran back in and clashed her spear against his sword. He dodged their next attempts to stab him as she tried to keep the third camper at bay. The other two had almost cornered Percy at the water as Clarisse's spear attempted to cut into his shield, but he held her arm and threw it back out at her to flip the spear away from him.

She had clashed swords with the other camper back and forth, they didn't seem to be backing down anytime soon. And Eurydice was getting nervous. Percy had managed to get the second person on the ground while she stopped the third one just as Percy had finally stopped Clarisse. Breaking her spear in the process. A crackle of the weapon was heard as Clarisse processed what he just did.

Eurydice was standing up shakily, slumping over slightly in pain. She felt like she didn't have the strength to move further. The silence was broken as heard Clarisse scream bloody murder as she stared at her beloved spear, now broken. She looked so frightened that she nearly felt bad for her, until Clarisse grabbed Percy by the shirt in anger. Looking like she was about to choke him out. But right then and there, the game had ended and the conch shell was heard as the rest of their team ran out with the opposing sides flag. victoriously.

Their entire team cheered as Luke planted the flag into the sand on the beach. Clarisse hesitantly let go of Percy, with an angry shove as she stepped away from him. She sighed in relief as she slowly walked towards Percy. "You okay?" He asked her softly in concern. She nodded shakily. "Yeah, just- just tired." She muttered coughing slightly. He tried to stand up and breathed in too, processing the fact that they won just like she was. But he was too weak to stand, so he just sat.

They could hear the sound of a familiar voice. "Not bad heroes." Annabeth muttered as she pulled her cap off. She blanked out for a moment. She had been there the entire time? Seriously? She could have helped them at any point— Percy stared at her in shock. "Were you here the whole time?" He asked her in confusion. "Yes." Annabeth nodded. Eurydice gave her an unimpressed look. "You were here the entire time and you didn't try to help us?" She asked her in disbelief.

Annabeth didn't seem phased by their frustration. "Yes." She said. "Why?" Percy asked in confusion. She offered him a hand to help him up. "Listen.." Annabeth said to him. "Percy. I'm sorry." The girl as she shoved Eurydice from her place next to Percy to be next to her instead, and so eloquently pushed Percy into the water. She stared at Annabeth in confusion. "What the hell?" She stared at her in shock. "Wait for it." The daughter of Athena whispered to the other girl quietly underneath her breath.

Percy glared at her in frustration. He seemed to actually have been coming around to liking her until now. "What is wrong with you!" He yelled at her in such an angry tone that she felt like he was yelling at her. The other campers looked at the frustrated Percy in confusion as Annabeth held her back from running to Percy's side.

The boy stood up in confusion as the water splashed around him. Annabeth looked like she was waiting for something to happen, and she was right. Suddenly Percy's injuries had started to heal. All his cuts and bruises from earlier disappeared as a light shined above him. "I don't understand—" She could hear him mutter. But she was too distracted with staring at the trident above his head in absolute awe.

She gasped as she stared at him, the blue trident was blowing glowing and ethereal above him as the entire camp stared at him in shock. Annabeth smiled. "Your dad's calling." She said, sounding like she had known this the entire time. "Holy shit." Eurydice muttered in shock as she stared at her best friend. She smiled at him, he finally got what he wanted to know this entire time. He knew who his dad was!

Chiron stepped fowards and spoke. "You have been claimed by Poseidon. Earthshaker, Stormbringer. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon." He announced as Percy stared out at the rest of the camp in shock. She smiled at Percy, happy for him despite the fact that this would mean he'd have his own cabin to go to now, and that she was still an unclaimed child.

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PERCY HAD INSISTED ON her coming with him to the big house when Chiron and Mr. D came to talk to him about this quest he was supposed to go on. Even though she was unclaimed, he didn't seem to care that he kept taking her along everywhere with him. He seemed determined to not go on this quest, and when Percy was determined, there was nothing stopping him from getting what he wanted.

Chiron seemed to have no issues with Eurydice being present as they explained to Percy everything he needed to know, and even given him the key to his new cabin. "As a forbidden child of the Sea God. You are currently singular amongst demigods. And your father's only hope to prevent the outbreak of war." Eurydice listened intently to Chiron as they stood in the big house with the half horseman and Chiron. "For months, Zeus and Poseidon have been locked in a dispute over the master bolt. The symbol of Zeus's authority and it has been stolen." He muttered.

Percy blinked in confusion. "Who stole it?" He asked. Mr. D chuckled. "You did." He said. "What?" Percy said in confusion. "But that doesn't make any sense-" Eurydice muttered in more confusion. Mr. D sighed. "Zeus is looking for a thief, sees a forbidden child. Claimed by his jealous brother... it doesn't look good for you, kid." He muttered, crossing his arms slightly. "But he didn't do anything!" She yelled out in outrage. Chiron sighed. "Of course he didn't. But your father needs your help, Percy." He explained.

She listened curiously, whoever had taken this master bolt must have been smart. Smart enough to trick the gods. "An ultimatum has been given to him by Zeus. That if he doesn't return the bolt by the summer solstice in one week..." Chiron trailed off. "There will be war." He told him quietly. "That, is your quest." He told Percy. "You must leave immediately." He told him quickly. "Leave?" She stared at Percy in worry. "Leave, leave for where?" Percy looked completely lost.

Chiron tried to make this easier on him by explaining further. "Zeus is king on Olympus. And Poseidon has always resented it... but..." The man went quiet off. She think she knows where this was going. "There is a third brother. Who has always deeply resented them both." Chiron finished. Eurydice breathed in shakily. "Hades." Her and Percy muttered in unison. Chiron nodded. "Yes." Something felt off about this somehow. "The bolt is with Hades. In the underworld." Percy continued.

Nothing about Hades having the master bolt sounds right to her. What would the man get from stealing something from his brothers when he had how own Kingdom to deal with? From what she knew about Greek Mythology, Hades was always the brother to stay away from conflict. Not run right into it like his brothers. Chiron gave them a look. "I know it sounds daunting. But you won't be alone. A quest is always undertaken by three, or in a special case." He smiled at Eurydice knowingly. "Four."

Percy didn't seem excited at the prospect of a quest. "Great, good luck finding those guys cause it's not gonna be us." Chiron gave him a tired look. "Poseidon had claimed you. This is his will." Eurydice gave him a look. "Percy. If you don't do this, there'll be war." She muttered quietly. The boy shook his head. "Poseidon has ignored me my entire life!" Mr. D glared at him. "You are his son." He seemed frustrated at Percy's outburst. 

Percy's fists clenched. "I am Sally Jackson's son." He said angrily. "Who's Sally Jackson?" Mr. D muttered, completely confused. "She's the one who cared enough to call herself my mother." Percy said angrily. "She's the one who got herself killed so that I could be safe here!" He yelled. Mr. D glared at him again. "The fate of the world hangs in the balance!" He yelled at the demigod. "You will accept this quest!" He demanded. Percy glared right back at him. "I won't!" He yelled.

Out of nowhere, Grover appeared. She sighed in relief, she could feel the tenseness building up in the room. It was suffocating. "Hey everybody." Grover interrupted awkwardly. Chiron inwardly sighed. "Grover, now is not the time." The man said. Grover breathed in shakily. "I'm sorry sir, but I have news." He said. "Grover—" The old man interrupted him. "Sally Jackson is alive."  Grover announced, as she gasped in shock. "It looked like she died. But it only looked that way." Grover told him.

Percy stared at Grover in confusion as he Mr. D tried to stop him from saying anymore. "Grover." He warned him. "Your mother was stolen.. by Hades." Eurydice immediately paled at the sound of his name again. "Which means she's with him now, in the underworld." Grover finished. "That's where they sent you to go too, isn't it?" He asked him, but he already knew that he was right. Mr. D and Chiron were quiet as Grover continued. "If you can find her there... I think you can bring her back." She felt hope pang at her chest when Grover said Percy could get his mother back.

Eurydice could feel the gears turning inside of her head now all of a sudden. But it felt different. "That why I didn't feel her life slipping away." Eurydice muttered, still haunted by the fact she couldn't tell sooner. Grover was about to say something else until he turned to look at her in confusion. "What? What do you mean Eurydice?" He stared at her in worry. She breathed in shakily. "I.. I- I usually feel people's lives slipping away when they die. I always have. I only remembered when I got to camp I—" Her voice started shaking as she stared at the form of her shaking hands.

She breathed in shakily, the panic in her voice evident and fearful. Even Mr. D looked concerned. Chiron didn't seem to have an idea what was going on for once. "I.... I- I think I can feel death." She muttered out so quietly, her voice sounding too tiny now like the child she was. In beam of dark light she could see shadows forming around her. She stared at them fearfully in confusion as Mr. D and Chiron's eyes widened in fear.

She blinked in confusion, her eyes wide with fear as the shadows stopped and a large dark symbol of a skull appeared on top of her head. Chiron stared at the girl in shock before he collected himself. "All hail, Eurydice Ramirez. The daughter of the King of the Underworld, the Lord of the Dead, Hades." The man breathed in softly, stunned by her presence. "There haven't been two forbidden children together in the same place in... centuries." The man muttered shakily.

She breathed in shakily, and suddenly it was too hard to breathe as Grover, Mr. D and Chiron stared at her in shock. She felt discontent in the pit of her stomach, and fear as the shadows around her faded. Percy stared at her worriedly, not understanding what any of this meant. As everyone in the room was stunned to silence. There hadn't been two forbidden children in the same place, and the same time before in nearly centuries. And she was one of them.

All she could feel was fear laced inside of her stating. Her father had kidnapped Percy's mother. Her father had the master bolt. Her father was starting a war.

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◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ Words: 8602

I had so much fun writing this chapter. I changed a few things cause I had a better idea, and I hope you all like this. Get ready to the next chapter because that one's gonna be a doozy. Eurydice and Percy both got claimed woohoo!! And how does Hades being Eury's dad change the outcome of them quest? We'll see next time ;)

In all seriousness, thank you all so much for reading. I love making this content for you guys and I hope I did Percy and Eury's claiming justice. She's the first ever death kid in a camp full of kids of the normal gods, how do you think that's gonna go?