I Need My Demigod Space
Of course, my prayer went unheard. Annabeth kept pestering me everyday, not giving up and always trying to get me to answer her questions.
She honestly did not get it. I needed space. Even the greatest of warriors can crack under pressure, and Annabeth was not helping.
Eventually, I wrapped a tree around her. Seriously. I made the tree scoop her up and keep her there in its branches. It felt good.
Ever since the attack we had been training non-stop. Beckendorf was at the forges all day, madly creating weapons. Tyson showed up with a few other cyclops and they helped too. Sadly, he doesn't remember the real me. They've been creating weapons of every kind. Beckendorf was helping with his powers to make some of the daggers explode on impact, and also making light armor that is easy to put on and less bulky.
Bianca and Zoë have been helping everyone with archery. Mostly the Apollo campers and Hunters. Even though most of those Hunters have been there for years, they still need help. Even I can shoot better than them, and we know that's saying something. I was with Chaos for 3 years. His training is tough, but helpful.
Now, everyone at camp is adequate with a bow and arrow. They have learned to shoot any type of arrow there is, and to shoot without pause. Their aim isn't great, but when they're shooting into a horde of monsters, it doesn't really matter if they hit their mark or not--as long as they don't hit someone on our side.
Luke helps out in the arena and setting traps. He's been working the campers hard, and even the Hunters. We decided that they would need to know how to use a sword if their bow breaks, or they run out of arrows, or they're too close. The Hermes cabin has set traps all around the border of camp, and inside. We had some children from Hecate enchant them so that they would only be activated by a monster--obviously excluding the Cyclopes helping out.
Daedalus has been teaching the Athena campers new battle plans and invention ideas. They recently finished making a device that freezes the enemy for five seconds, as long as they're within ten feet. They made it after realizing that some campers (mostly the Aphrodite children) might need to get away and no one would be able to help them.
We knew that the Aphrodite campers would have to fight at some point, so we've been training them to fight. Silena operates that. She knows how they think, so she knows the easiest ways to help them train. I must say, it's going well.
As for Nancy and I, we both felt like Hermes. Doing pretty much everything. Anything to help. Fake me was still being an idiot and trying to take all the credit and challenge me to a fight. I refused every time, but he wouldn't stop! Eventually, I put him in a similar position as Annabeth.
So, I've helped out with the sword training, occasionally helping Luke demonstrate some moves.
Chiron has been working the campers. No more Capture the Flag games, chariot races, canoe races, anything like that. He's all for training. No fun.
I understand, we are in a bad situation, but cool down! The world will not be ending. At least not without a fight.
". . . I just wish--Hey, Perce? Have you even been listening?" Grover's voice pulled me from my thoughts.
"Oh. No, sorry."
He sighed. "I was saying that I wish there was some way we could rig the nature-life to help out, or at least delay the monsters when they come back." Yeah, when. We know they'll be back.
I thought about that. Nature fighting back. How could we do that?
That's when it hit me.
The lake.
Reluctantly, I went to the other me for help. He was thrilled and proceeded to run around camp saying that he was generously letting me help with his idea.
Yeah, right.
We were going to rig the lake so that as soon as any monster even touched it, even if it was just a second, they would be sucked into a whirlpool with sharp edges, effectively slicing up any monster tossed into it.
The phony would hold the water in the shape we needed while I enchanted it so that the whirlpool would start as soon as a monster entered it.
When we were done, fake me ran off saying he needed to help other campers. In reality he was about out pass out from the exertion. I may have had him hold the shape longer than needed. Just a little.
I went to the infirmary, grabbed a small square of ambrosia, and shoved it in my mouth. I wasn't as tired, so all I needed was the food of the gods to get me back to helping.
As I was walking back to our cabin after a hard day of training, Annabeth skipped over. "Chiron scheduled a battle meeting for tomorrow. The head of each cabin needs to be there. I thought you would want to know. And I was wondering--"
"No, I will not tell you who I am. Thank you for informing me. Now, goodbye." I reached the cabin and slammed the door in her face.
She never gives up.
"Good job today, guys. Tomorrow there will be a battle meeting, so I won't be able to help for a while. Luke will be in charge then. Behave. Don't kill anyone." I focused on Zoë when I said that. After two days she had already sent eight people to the infirmary.
She smiled innocently. I groaned. "Goodnight." I flopped down onto my bunk and heard everyone else do the same. I would be very happy when this war was over, and we could leave. I just hoped nothing too bad would happen.