𝑨𝑪𝑻 𝑶𝑵𝑬 ━ 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑻𝑯𝑹𝑬𝑬

𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐙𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐄 the activities she would be doing on her first day back but maybe the gods had other plans. Two bronze bull were currently rampaging the camp grounds as Iris and other campers were trying desperately to fight them off including the idiot, Percy Jackson himself. He was currently on the other side of one of the bull that was closer to Iris as she tried to get it away.

Percy lunged at the bull again but unfortunately the bull had other plans as it blew fire in his direction, Jackson fell down tumbling on some tree roots and he froze. Iris ran forward to help him willingly by sliding below the bulk in an attempt to get to Percy, she stood up behind Percy as he slashed the bull's snout which made it disoriented and ran around .

He tried to get up which he obviously couldn't do on his own to which Iris scoffed and said, "Wait Jackson." She reached forward and offered him a hand to which he surprisingly took. "What were you thinking—," started Iris as he leaned onto her side with his arm carefully around her shoulder.

"Spare me your words, Princess" he said cutting her off. Iris glared at the boy thinking about letting him go and watching him fall on the ground and crying out in pain. The thoughts were very close to happening when they were cut short as he groaned in pain from his ankle being probably sprained, or maybe broken is Iris prayed enough.

"Gods, you are so stupid," whisper-yelled Iris as she helped him walk faster, "You know that!"

She tried her best trying to carry the weight of the both of them as a figure stood towards the crest of the hill, "Can't — get — through!"

"I, Annabeth Chase, give you permission to enter camp!" yelled Annabeth towards the figure who Iris only hoped would be Tyson. Thunder shook the hill and suddenly the figure was there, standing tall. He had light hair, and a blue overall with a striped shirt. Iris's eyes widen in understanding, Tyson wasn't mortal nor was he a Hald-Blood, he had one brown eye right at the middle of his face. Tyson was a cyclops.

The Cyclops started barrelling towards them, yelling. "Percy needs help!" Before they could even utter a word, he dived between them and the bull just as it unleashed a nuclear firestorm.

"Tyson!" Percy yelled. The blast swirled around Tyson like a red tornado as Iris turned to Percy. She knew that Percy was dumb but she didn't think he was this dumb, to bring a baby Cyclops to Camp, does he even know anything about them? She could ask him later when she would annoy him.

Tyson was engulfed by the fire, they could only see his silhouette against the heat of the fire. Percy looked like he was seeing someone die, did he not know? As Iris expected, when the fire had died down, Tyson stood tall unharmed by the intense flames. A silence had covered the ground, no one dared to move.

Tyson balled his fists then smashed them into the bull's face, smashing it into pieces, "BAD COW!"

His fists made a crater where the bronze bull's snout used to be, two small columns of flames shot out of its ears as Tyson hit it again and again. The bull's face now looked like a sock puppet pulled inside out. "Down!" Tyson yelled looking at the bull.

The bull staggered and fell on its back, it's legs moved feebly in the air, steam coming out of its ruined head in odd places. If you asked Iris, she would have told you that it looked like a fly had been hit or maybe a cockroach on its back.

Annabeth ran over to check up on Iris and Percy as they both limped towards her. Percy continued grunting and hissing in pain as Iris helped him sit down on the grass, and by help she had just let go of him with resulting in him falling on the ground. "Are you okay, Annie?" asked Iris as she checked on her friend who nodded as she gave Percy some nectar to drink.

"Are you okay, Iris?" asked Annabeth as she looked up to her friend. "I saw how you slid on the ground, no cuts or bruises?" Annabeth had stood up and patted down Iris who protested saying she was fine.

"The other bull?" rudely interrupted Percy. Annabeth pointed down the hill towards Clarisse who had taken down the bull with some help from Cloé, another of Iris's Ares friends. They had impaled it through the back leg with a huge spear, it was trying to go in circles.

Clarisse pulled off her helmet and marched angrily towards them. Her hair was full of dirt and looked disheveled under the helmet. "You — ruined — everything!" Clarisse yelled at Percy as Iris watched with a small smirk on her lips.

"I had it under control!" continued Clarisse. Annabeth wore a tired expression as she grumbled, "Good to see you too, Clarisse." To which Iris jabbed her elbow in the blonde's stomach making her hit Iris's arm as they both groaned in pain.

"Argh!" Clarisse screamed. "Don't ever, EVER try saving me again, Jackson!"

"Clarisse," Iris said smiling at her sort of friend whose demeanour dimmed down as she looked at the brunette. "You've got wounded Campers every where." She said as Iris knew Clarisse cared about the other campers.

That seemed to sober her up as she nodded towards Iris and smiled only a little bit, you could have missed it if you weren't looking for it. "I'll be back," she growled as she looked back at Percy, then trudged off to assess the damage done.

The rest stayed behind as Percy who was still on the ground, gawked at Tyson. "You didn't die." He said. Iris looked at Percy as if he was stupid, which he was, surely he would know about cyclops right? "No shit," mumbled Iris under her breath but Percy seemed to have heard as he looked at her next.

Tyson looked down like he was embarrassed. "I am sorry. Came to help. Disobeyed you." he said looking like a kid that had just been yelled at by their parents.

"My fault," said Annabeth. "I had no choice. I saw him with you beforehand and I had to let him cross the boundary line to save you guys. Otherwise, you two would've been turned to ashes."

Iris smiled at her friend and side hugged her. "Thank you, Annie, I don't think I would have survived if this outfit was burned to crisps." laughed Iris as Annabeth smiled and giggled with her.

"Let him cross the boundary line?" asked Percy as Iris lightly glared at him for interrupting again. "But —."

"Percy," said Annabeth, "Have you looked at Tyson closely? I mean...in the face. Ignore the Mist, and really look at him."

Iris snorted at the boy's confused face as he stared at Tyson, his eyes squinted as he tried to look beyond the Mist. He looked so stupid, Iris thought. Percy finally came to be and his eyes widened like a deer in front of headlights as his jaw slacked. "Tyson," Percy stammered. "You're a..."

"Cyclops, dumbass," blurted Iris, tired at the boy. "A baby, by the looks of him. Probably why he couldn't get past the boundary line as easily as the bulls." She added.

Percy stared up at Iris, slightly glaring at her for calling him dumbass. "He looks like he is one of the homeless orphans." explained Annabeth as Iris looked at the cyclops, sadness washed over her features.

"One of the what?" asked Percy.

"Gods Jackson, they're in almost all the big cities," said Iris as she rolled her eyes. "They're... mistakes, Percy. Children of nature spirits and gods... Well, one god in particular, usually... and they don't always come out right." added Annabeth.

"No one wants them. They get tossed aside. They grow up wild on the streets. I don't know how this one found you, but he obviously like you. We should take him to Chiron, let him decide what to do."

"But the fir, How —," asked Percy still confused over the matter. "He's a Cyclops, kelp-head" said Iris. "They work the forges of the gods. They have to be immune to fire." continued Iris trying to make him understand, already done with him.

Percy stayed still as he looked at Iris then at Tyson, his face still in the same shocked face but they didn't have time to sit around.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒 scattered everywhere that needed attention. It was more chaos everywhere and pain had found its way around to almost every camper that had been close to the two bulls. Clarisse could be seen coming back over as she wiped off the soot left on her forehead and cheek. "Jackson, if you can stand, get up!" started Clarisse.

"We need to carry the wounded back to the Big House, let Tantalus know what's happened." she continued. Tantalus was the new activities director, Iris had seen him wandering around before she went for breakfast with Annabeth and Silena.

"Tantalus?" asked Percy. "The activities director," replied Iris impatiently as the boy looked at her.

"Chiron is the activities director. And where's Argus? He's head of security. He should be here," said Percy looking around at everyone. Now that Iris thought about it, she hadn't seen Argus at the gates it was weird but she had been told about everything that he had gotten fired which was kinda sad since she liked Argus, he was nice.

"Argus got fired. You have been gone too long. Things are changing," said Clarisse as she made a sour face.

"But Chiron...He's trained kids to fight monsters for over three thousand years. He can't just be gone. What happened?" Percy asked as he looked confused. "That happened," snapped Clarisse, pointing at Thalia's tree on the side.

Every camper knew of the story behind the tree. Six years ago, Grover, Annabeth, and two other demigods named Thalia and Luke had come to Camp Half-Blood chased by an army of monsters. When they got cornered on top of this hill, Thalia, a daughter of Zeus, had made her last stand here to give her friends time to reach safety. As she was dying, her father, Zeus, took pity on her and changed her into a pine tree. Her spirit had reinforced the magic borders of the camp, protecting it from monsters. The pine had been here ever since, strong and healthy.

But now, its needles were yellow. A huge pile of dead ones littered the base of the tree. In the center of the trunk, three feet from the ground, was a puncture mark the size of a bullet hole, oozing green sap.

Iris never had a chance to meet Thalia, she had arrived at Camp Half-Blood only a few days later which was when she was told of the brave girl and an incredible fighter. Just like her the pine tree stood tall and strong. As if on queue, all of them looked at the tree in realisation. Thalia's tree was poisoned. It was dying.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 the strong oceanic winds. The camp looked like someone had gone through it, looking for something as if it was someone's room. The Big House still looked normal, it's blue roof and wraparound porch didn't change. The strawberries fields still baked in the bright sun, the same white-columned Greek buildings were scattered around the valley — the dining pavilion overlooked Long Island Sound. And nestled in the middle were the same cabins each representing a different Olympian god.

The campers were still shaken up by the monster, most of them were getting treated by the Apollo cabin. Clarisse went for a walk around as she joined Cloé who was getting treated by Will. Iris, Percy, Annabeth and Tyson were making their way to the Big House to talk to Chiron.

They passed many campers on their way, most of them sending Tyson weirded out looks which he didn't seem to mind at all but received some of Percy himself. The cyclops seemed fascinated with the camp as he asked questions on their way through the Arena. "Whasthat!"

"The stables for pegasi," said both Iris and Percy at the same time as they glared at each other. "The winged horses." Percy one upped Iris who scoffed and mumbled something incoherent.

"Whasthat!" asked Tyson as he pointed excitedly at the toilets. Iris chuckled at the cyclops. "Um...those are the toilets." said Percy as he looked over.

"Whasthat!"

"The cabins for the campers. If they don't know who your Olympian parent is, they put you in the Hermes cabin—that brown one over there—until you're determined. Then, once they know, they put you in your dad or mom's group." said Percy.

Tyson looked at Percy in awe at what he had just heard, "You...have a cabin?" to which Percy nodded and replied, "Number three." as he pointed to the cabin in question.

"You live with friends in the cabin?" asked Tyson. "No. No, just me." said Percy embarrassed.

When they finally arrived to the Big House, they found Chiron settled in his room as he listened to his 60s lounge songs. He was packing his saddlebags. As soon as they saw him, Tyson froze "Pony!" he cried in excitement.

Chiron turned looking offended at the remark, "I beg your pardon?" Iris couldn't help herself, she ran and hugged Chiron. She hadn't seen him in ages and it felt so different without him. "Chiron, what's happening? You're not...not leaving right?" her voice became shaky as she looked at Chiron, the one she considered a second father.

Chiron ruffled her hair and gave her a kindly smile. "Hello, Iris! Annabeth! And Percy, my goodness. You've grown over the year!" Percy swallowed and said. "Clarisse said you were...you were..."

"Fired." Chiron's eyes glinted with a dark humour Iris didn't know he had. "Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned! Mr. D had to punish someone."

"Beside himself, you mean," growled Percy as he looked at Chiron. "But this is crazy!" Annabeth cried. "Chiron, you couldn't have had anything to do with poisoning Thalia's tree!" added Iris as she shook her head in denial.

"Nevertheless," Chiron sighed, "some in Olympus do not trust me now, under the circumstances."

"What circumstances?" asked Percy as his shocked face from before came back. Chiron's face darkened, he stuffed a Latin-English dictionary into his saddlebag as Frank Sinatra music poured from his boom box and flooded the room.

Tyson was still staring at Chiron in amazement, he whimpered like he wanted to pat Chiron's flank as he whimpered, "Pony?"

Chiron sniffed at Tyson, looking at him. "My dear young Cyclops! I am a centaur."

"Chiron," Percy said. "What about the tree? What happened?"

He shook his head sadly as thoughts flooded his mind. "The poison used on Thalia's pine is something from the Underworld, Percy. Some venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus."

Luke, thought Iris. It had to have been him. He was the only one—

"Then we know who's responsible. Kro—" blurted out Percy as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"Do not invoke the titan lord's name, Percy. Especially not here, not now." reprimanded Chiron. "But last summer he tried to cause a civil war in Olympus! This has to be his idea. He'd get Luke to do it, that traitor."

"Perhaps," Chiron said. "But I fear I am being held responsible because I did not prevent it and I cannot cure it. The tree has only a few weeks of life left unless..."

"Unless what?" Annabeth and Iris asked both at the same time trying to get as much information as possible. "No," Chiron said dismissively. "A foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison, and it was lost centuries ago."

"What is it?" asked Percy. "We'll go find it!"

Chiron closed his saddlebag as he pressed the stop button on his boom box. Then he turned and rested his hand on Percy' shoulder, looking him straight in the eyes as if to make him understand more. "Percy, you must promise me that you will not act rashly. I told your mother I did not want you to come here at all this summer. It's much too dangerous. But now that you are here, stay here. Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave."

"Why?" asked Percy pressing against the matter. "I want to do something! I can't just let the borders fail. The whole camp will be —."

"Overrun by monsters," Chiron said. "Yes, I fear so. But you must not let yourself be baited into hasty action! This could be a trap of the titan lord. Remember last summer! He almost took your life."

Iris and Annabeth had tears in their eyes, finally understanding what was being said. Iris never thought that she wouldn't be able to see Chiron again. She was trying so hard to not cry in front of Percy as Chiron moved towards the both of them. "Stay with Percy, Iris and Annabeth," said Chiron. "Keep him safe, and no fighting Miss Elliott. The prophecy — remember it!"

Iris chuckled sadly at Chiron who smiled at him as both her and Annabeth said, "We — we will."

"Um..." started Percy. ""Would this be the super-dangerous prophecy that has me in it, but the gods have forbidden you to tell me about?"

Nobody answered as they stayed silent trying to make him understand the situation at hand. "Right," he muttered a bit embarrassed . "Just checking."

"Chiron..." Annabeth said. "You told me the gods made you immortal only so long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp—"

"Swear you will do your best to keep Percy from danger," he insisted to the both of them. "Swear upon the River Styx."

"We— we swear it upon the River Styx," Iris and Annabeth promised as thunder rumbled outside, as Chiron said "Very well."

He seemed to relax just a little. "Perhaps my name will be cleared and I shall return. Until then, I go to visit my wild kinsmen in the Everglades. It's possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until this matter is resolved...one way or another."

Iris stifled a sob as Chiron patted her shoulder in a proud dad way. "There, now, child. I must entrust your safety to Mr. D and the new activities director. We must hope...well, perhaps they won't destroy the camp quite as quickly as I fear."

"Who is this Tantalus guy, anyway?" Percy demanded wanting to know. "Where does he get off taking your job?"

A conch horn blew across the valley. Iris hadn't realised how much time had passed since the attacked as it was time for the campers to assemble for dinner.

"Go," Chiron said. "You will meet him at the pavilion. I will contact your mother, Percy, and let her know you're safe. No doubt she'll be worried by now. Just remember my warning! You are in grave danger. Do not think for a moment that the titan lord has forgotten you!"

With that, he clopped out of the apartment and down the hall, Tyson calling after him, "Pony! Don't go!" Tyson started bawling almost as bad as Iris.

Percy tried to tell them everything was going to be okay but Iris had just pushed past him dragging Annabeth who was about to cry with her away from him.

━━━━━━
❪ ៸ 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ━━━━━ ! ﹆◞ ❫
━━━━━
━━━━━ . . .
❪ . . . the 3rd chapter for LOVE STORY everyone, I might edit it later BUT THIS IS SO GOOD ILT ❫
❪ . . . THIS IS 3.4k which way more than I expected but enjoy anyways! ❫
❪ . . . PLEASE tell me how you guys feel about it ??❫
❪ . . .PLEASE don't be a ghost reader, comment and vote, I love to reply to everyone and interact with my readers, love all of you darlings <33 ❫
⠀⠀