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The rain let up significantly the further the Chion and the campers went into the forest, shifting to a light drizzle instead of the heavy downpour the youth had had to endure for around half an hour.
While the white-haired youth walked along in silence, the warriors were the exact opposite, joking around, playfully shoving each other and just being straight goofs. Luke didn't join in, but he did chat along with them quite casually, even cracking some jokes and telling a few stories. In all aspects, Chion noted that the blonde was both a natural leader and someone who was deeply trusted among his peers, highly respected. They didn't force him to join or even initiate any games with him but rather waited until Luke was the one who made the first move. The way he had taken command before and after the battle were also good indications of his standing with the other warriors.
It was important to note the dynamic of individuals and how they interacted, lest Chion do something considered out of bounds. It didn't mean that he had to automatically respect the blonde, but it did mean he needed to show the man some courtesy.
The more liked one was, the more shoes were treaded on if said person was crossed.
The group eventually made it to the bottom of a hill, a large clearing. By this time, the rain had all but stopped, the sun peaking out from the thick clouds that had covered it moments prior. Resting at the top of the hill was an abnormally large, lone pine tree. Based on the half minute he had seen it, Chion affirmed it was the exact same one he had seen in his visions, matching the scenery perfectly.
If it wasn't clear already, the theory about the prophetic visions had been perfectly accurate. For whatever reason, Chion could get a look into the future or possible future.
The other campers casually climbed up and over the hill, passing by the tree, but Chion held back, getting a closer look at it.
(("This one isn't talking to me,")) The youth noted as he looked up near the tip of the pine. (("I know I didn't imagine it. Definitely didn't hallucinate it. I know the difference between fantasy and reality, even if the line has been getting blurry."))
Touching the base of the tree, Chion hadn't expected anything to actually happen, only to feel its surface.
But nothing ever seemed to be simple when it came to Chion.
The scene changed, just like it had at Canarsie Pier. One moment, he was standing, admiring a tree, and the next he was.....still admiring a tree. Only this time, resting at the very bottom of the tree was a female around the same age as he was, if not slightly older. Spiky black hair that reached to her shoulders, freckles across her nose, and a peaceful expression that Chion found rather interesting. She sported a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a leather jacket with buttons from a bunch of brands he had never heard of. Though with no memories of his past, he would've been more surprised if he HAD known the brands. Vines were wrapped around her body, and foliage covered a good portion of her clothes as if she had decided to sleep in that spot for years on end.
Before Chion could actively get a closer look, the scene shifted again. This time, he was right by yet another tree. Resting on the top of the tree, slung over one of its branches was a golden fleece, radiating a beam so warm and inviting that the youth could feel it through a mere vision. Resting at the bottom was a pack of sheep, sheep the size of horses.
Another scene shift. He was on a boat surrounded on all sides by water with no land in sight. To his left, the white-haired youth could see the familiar close cropped sand colored hair of Like Castellan leaning over the side of the rushing water vessel. Just in front of him, hidden behind some distorted glass, was a driver with honey blonde hair slightly shorter than he himself was. He couldn't fully make it out at that moment, but the person seemed oddly familiar.
"chion.....CHION!!"
The scene disappeared as the young man blinked rapidly, the present Luke placing a hand on the shoulder of the perplexed individual. Glancing around, Chion took note that he was still in the same place as before and let out a quick breath.
"You okay, man?" Luke asked, concern in his voice. "Need some water or something?"
"I'm fine." Chion gave the tree one last look before turning around. "Lead the way?"
The man nodded, not bothering to pry any further. "Come on. I'll show you to your cabin."
(("What were those images? That girl.....")) As usual, the youth was in the dark, something that didn't seem to change no matter how far he pushed or how much he learned. (("A golden fleece. A boat with Luke and someone else. Sheep. Can't say if any of those align yet. If only I had more information."))
Unable to conjure up any sort of possibilities, Chion shoved the visions to the side to unpack at a later date. He had far more pressing concerns to deal with to be hung up on something he couldn't even properly solve. With the way things were playing out now, a number of questions were about to be solved in rapid fire succession. Clues and hints about who he was. Some information regarding his powers. What the monsters that had been following him since he could breathe were after. Luke, and by extension the camp as a whole, could most likely answer more than one of these categories. Even if it was only one, however, it was a step in the right direction.
They reached the camp shortly after departing the pine tree. It was actually bigger than Chion anticipated.
For starters, there were the cabins, or at least what the young amnesiac assumed were cabins. They were smaller than the other buildings within sight, and they were lined up perfectly side by side with numbers telling them apart. Each one of them was similar in structure but not in appearance, the outside, and most likely, the insides having been altered completely different from one another. Cabin Eight was made of brick with a smokestack coming out of it with a door made of thick metal, like some kind of vault. Cabin four was a light shade of brown, its roof being constructed of growing grass with tomato vines growing along the walls. Each cabin offered unique properties and designs, something the Chion found intriguing.
Directly in the center of the two opposing lines of cabins was a fountain, offering a much needed touch to an otherwise empty space.
Beyond the cabins, the white-haired youth could see a number of interesting looking things, such as what looked to be a giant wall that spewed lava, an arena where two people were sparring with wooden swords, a stable?, an archery range, and a pavilion.
Needless to say, Chion was very curious about the place known as Camp HalfBlood.
"Whatcha think?" Luke asked as the two walked towards the middle of all the cabins. "Pretty nice, right?"
"Definitely better than the Hellhounds," Chion replied as he finished his initial look at his surroundings. "Still trying to wrap my head around all of this. It's quite a bit to absorb."
Luke nodded as if he had expected it, leading the way towards what was probably the oldest looking of all the other cabins. Its dull brown paint was chipped off, and there was a caduceus overhanging the doorframe. In terms of all the other cabins, it was easily the least impressive of the lot. Unlike the other cabins that had one or two people milling about doing their own thing, this one was lively, people coming in and out of it's doors quite frequently in the time-frame of one full minute.
"This is my cabin," Luke said as he opened up the door. "It'll be where you stay until you eventually get claimed."
(("Claimed? That could have multiple meanings."))
"And by claimed I mean when your godly parent makes him or herself known," Luke said, as if reading the youths thoughts. "Might take some time, so feel free to make yourself comfortable. Just make sure to watch your things."
The inside was packed with people. On the beds, the floor, leaning against the wall. There were hardly any real spaces where one could freely stretch out without accidentally kicking another person in the face or rear. It had at least one bedroom with two twin beds, a wooden nightstand in between the two beds with a Grecian urn on it, a trunk at the end of the bed. Winged shoes, a rather odd item, hung on a hook, a wooden desk and a chair, and curtains on the windows for privacy. Posters, pictures, a sword, a map of Camp Half-Blood, and a calendar were hanging on the wall. When the youth first walked in, all eyes immediately shifted to him.
"Claimed or unclaimed," one of the cabins inhabitants asked, a girl situated on the top bunk.
"Unclaimed," Luke answered immediately, as if on reflex.
A chorus of groans and negative looks filled the room before everyone went back to what they were doing, which was fine with Chion since he didn't like the attention that much.
"There are a few things we have to do, actually." Luke tapped the youths arm with the back of his hand. "Get yourself acquainted with the cabin and then meet me out front."
"Where're we going?"
"Infirmary first. You need to get checked up on. Then I'll take you to Mr. D," Luke turned around and walked out the front door. "You'll have to meet him eventually. Might as well be now."
"Mr.D?" Once again, Chion was in the dark.
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Chion didn't bother to leave any of his stuff in the tent, and this was for multiple reasons.
The first was that he wasn't even sure if he was going to stay within the area for very long, the thought of the monsters from before returning still in the forefront of his mind. Should the creatures from hell come back to finish the job, the white-haired youth would need to take proper action in order to ensure his own safety. He had no information as to why the monsters were targeting him, whether it was because he was a "demigod" or could use magic or just pissed them off in some way, but he definitely didn't want to endanger the ones who had helped him escape in the first place.
The camp had been regarded as a safe place by Festus, but it was unclear as to why. Did the camp have some sort of barrier in place? Was it because there were armed individuals here?
Until this particular set of questions was answered, leaving was going to linger in the back of his mind.
Perhaps the main reason for keeping his belongings on his person, though, was due to the fact he was almost stolen from the moment he set the bag down. After setting his backpack on a dresser, Chion had been set to head outside when he figured he'd go and get his bow and arrows just in case. When he came back, a few individuals were rummaging through his bag.
When spotted, they quickly apologized and scattered.
It was because of this that Chion still had a bag with him when he exited Cabin 11.
"You ready?" Luke asked as the youth made his way down the front steps.
"As I'll ever be." Chion fell in line next to the blonde.
As they walked to the infirmary, Luke took the time to explain a number of things involving demigods, gods, monsters, and the borders surrounding the camp. It actually wasn't that much since it packed a lot of more questions behind it, but it did well to answer quite a number of things Chion had already been wondering.
In regards to the youth leaving, his nagging feeling was put to rest. Apparently, the camp was shielded on all sides by a magical barrier, the pine tree he passed being the source of it.
The tree actually tied in with the prospect of Demigods and gods as well.
Demigods were the offspring of a mortal and a god or goddess, though that much Chion was able to figure out by himself. Being the child of a divine being and mortal, a certain smell, aura, or whatever was produced the moment they entered into the world, one that only got stronger with time. This smell attracted monsters like vultures to decaying flesh, a smell that was further amplified if the prey was aware of who they were and what they could do. The logistics behind how the increased smell worked was kind of iffy, so Chion just chalked it up to magic, something that could write off all common sense and defy logic. Aside from that, because of the smell, demigods were in danger from the very moment they were born, some more or less so than others.
That's where Camp HalfBlood and its magical borders came in. It served as a beacon of light for those demigods with scents powerful enough to attract these half-god hating beasts. It trained them, helped them hone their skills so they could live their lives peacefully, and defend themselves should the need arise. It was the only place in the world that was safe for demigods.
Luke hadn't told all of that information to Chion. Some of it was inferred from his own experience, like a piece of the puzzle falling into place when another piece was found.
There was a lot to digest and a bit more to think about, so, like always, the youth took careful note and pushed it to the backburner.
The duo reached the 'infirmary' after about ten minutes. A large two story building with a baby blue paint job and a white trim, a bronze eagle weather vane with wind chimes fixed to its roof. A large deck wrapped around its perimeter with a large desk situated off the side of the main door, where two individuals were playing some sort of card game. From the window near the top of the building, it was safe to infer there was some kind of third floor, some kind of attic or storage space.
"Well, I guess you'll be meeting Mr.D before the infirmary," Luke said as they walked up to the house. "Chiron's here too. Just head on up to them and talk, then head inside."
"You're not coming?" Chion queried, glancing back at the retreating teenager.
"I have some camp activities to prepare for. Tonight is Capture The Flag. Maybe if you're well enough, you can join us." Luke turned around and quickly departed. "If you see Annabeth, tell her to show you around. She should be in the infirmary."
(("Annabeth...")) Chion quickly recalled the honey blonde girl he had seen in his vision. (("She's also here."))
"Don't just stand there, Leon Pogo. Join us for a game."
The youth immediately turned his attention to the one who had spoken, though he had no intention of replying to the obvious incorrect use of his name. Making his way up the deck steps, Chion approached the two individuals, eyeing the cards they held in their possession. He wasn't able to identify what they were playing, but the youth figured he could probably get the hang of it if he watched for a little while. There wasn't another chair present when he approached, but that immediately changed when the individual to the left of the table waved his hand, a black haired man with watery blue bloodshot eyes, a chubby face, and a red nose. A third chair appeared.
At this point, Chion was immune to such developments, taking it in stride as he plopped down in the seat. "What are we playing?"
"One of the greatest games ever invented along with Pac-man and gladiator fighting," the drunk looking man said as he placed down the last of his cards. "Given your circumstances, though, I doubt you'd remember it. It's Pinochle."
"That's my win Mr.D," the other guy said, a guy in a wheelchair as he placed down his last card. To Chion, he looked over and gave the youth an acknowledging nod and a smile. "Hello there Chion. My name is Chiron. Welcome to Camp HalfBlood."
"Shoot." Mister D glanced from his deck to the other. " Yes, yes, welcome and all that. I suppose we should explain the rules of the game to you."
Though he said that, it was actually Chiron who took the time to explain it to him, giving him a quick rundown of how to play, showing him the deck, pairings, point system, and so on.
"Wouldn't we need another player?" Chion asked after listening to the explanation, understanding the gist of the game.
Right on cue, a young girl walked onto the scene, exiting through the front door of the baby blue building. The white-haired youth immediately fixated on the familiar curly blonde hair and stormy grey eyes, eyes that also happened to glance in Chion's direction. Without hesitation, the girl walked towards the three of them, taking the unoccupied side of the table.
"Ah. Annabell. Perfect timing." Mr. D waved his hand and a fourth seat popped into existence. "We need one more player. Partner up with Leon for a bit."
"How's Miss Milenia doing?" Chiron asked as Annabeth wordlessly took a seat after a period of hesitation. "The injury looked pretty serious."
"She's fine. It wasn't as bad as she made it seem." The blonde picked up her cards after she was dealt her hand. "She's healing up in the infirmary."
Mr. D shook his head as Chiron dealt him and Chion their hands. "Children of Aphrodite. Always clumsy with their hands. Should have stuck to makeup, now she's stuck with an arrow." With a flick of his hand, a Diet Coke appeared in his hand.
"She was doing fine," Annabethe rebuttalled. "It was because of the explosions. It startled her."
"Explosions?" Chion questioned.
Perhaps for the very first time, the girl truly looked towards Chion, her eyes locking onto the youths neon blue ones. Analytical, controlled grey hues bore into the young amnesiac as if she were attempting to peer straight into his soul or thinking of the best way to put him in the dirt. She seemed to be looking for something, be it traces of emotion or something on the youths hoodie, Chion wasn't entirely sure. After a while, a look of dissatisfaction flashed briefly across her face before being quickly concealed by a calm demeanor.
"Leon. Do you know how to play?" Annabeth gestured to the face-down cards still resting in front of the boy.
"It's Chion," the youth corrected. "Chion Pagos. Chiron just told me the rules."
The girl let out a sigh. "Then let's play. Don't drag me down."
"Okay. Am I going first?" Chion asked. "I'll bid 150."
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"And that's our win, I believe," Chion said as the game drew to a close, ending on the first round. "That wasn't as bad as I expected."
"You took the biggest gamble ever and got lucky," Annabeth said, looking a little frustrated. "And then proceeded to take the biggest risks on this side of the equator. We could have easily lost with all the plays you were making."
"But we won."
"That's not the point. Is your brain frozen? Or maybe you left it in the explosion."
"That reminds me. Chion, tell me about your journey here," Chiron interrupted the two before Annabeth could really get going, shifting the topic entirely. "How did you get here?"
The white-haired youth tore his gaze away from the blonde and onto the one speaking. After a bit of hesitation, he decided to simply tell them, Chiron and the other two at the table about what he had been through.
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