Demigods Against the Sun
By Dragon R.N.
Going to the Big House sucks. Especially if you were there a week before learning about a quest you were going on later.
I’m Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. I am a demigod, which means I am half human half god. My mom was a mortal, my dad was a god. I live in Camp Half-Blood, one of the safest places for demigods like me. There’s also Camp Jupiter, a camp for Roman demigods, but that is a different story.
Camp Half-Blood is a place in Long Island Sound, New York, that is protected by a tree that once held a girl named Thalia, who was the daughter of Zeus, and died but then came back to life. That tree creates a force field like barrier around the camp to keep monsters out that godly blood attracts.
My girlfriend, Annabeth, is the daughter of Athena, she ran away from home when she was seven, and came here with Luke and Thalia. She lives here during the summer. She has blonde curly hair, while mine is black and wavy, and grey eyes like her mom’s, where as I take my dad’s eyes, a sea green color.
I walked with Nico, son of Hades, and Annabeth, the two people I selected to go on the quest with me, to the house to meet Chiron, our Camp Director. As we walked, since it took a long walk from the cabins to the Big House, I backed them up about the quest.
“So, yesterday, one of the kids from the Hermes Cabin decided to travel back in time on this time travelling mermicorn, Mirina and tried to convince Apollo to get rid of the night and early morning,” I began. “I was asked to lead a quest back in time to the Early Days of Earth, in order to convince Apollo to keep night and day or we may never see the dark of day again. You two are the people I chose to take with me on the quest.”
Annabeth looked at me quizzing like I had taught her something she never knew. Pfft, that was impossible.
“So, how will we convince Apollo? I mean, he’s pretty full of himself,” she said.
Then Nico looked up, his face as pale as ever, “Well, if we can’t make him un-full of himself, it’s a good idea you brought me along,” I couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious, but Nico wasn’t the funny kind. The taste from my mouth changed from sweet to bitter.
As Nico, Annabeth, and I approached the Big House, we saw Chiron walking around the courtyard. His hooves, yes hooves, he’s a centaur, half human half horse, kicking up dust from the ground. As soon as he spotted us, he trotted over and stood an inch away from my face. His brown stallion lower body smelled sweet, like honeycomb and chocolate.
“Ah, I was wondering when you would get here,” He seemed to be somewhere else, like he were in a trance. “I would like you to take Mirina the Mermicorn back to the Early Days of Earth to convince Apollo that Night should happen or we could face more danger than anyone can imagine. Even worse than the time Luke stole the lightning bolt.” He seemed to be focused on us now, and he sounded so stern in the way he said Mermicorn. Like it wasn’t an animal with the front half of a unicorn and the back half of a fish.
Nico started speaking in Italian, “Quindi la dovremmo -”
“Nico you’re speaking Italian again,” Annabeth whispered.
“Oh, sorry,” Nico said, “Quindi la dovremmo -”
“Amico, si sta ancora parlando italiano, tenta di parlare in inglese. Like this.” I said. I had practiced Italian so I was able to fight and talk with him when we didn’t want to be heard. I told him to speak English.
Nico looked as annoyed as a black cat being bothered with water, but I could see a small light in his eyes like he was pleased I had learned Italian for him. “So we should ride on a pony mermaid back in time on a cute little rainbow to get a god to put night in the day.”
I had totally forgotten that Chiron was there until he spoke, “Yes if you would like to put it like that,” he said, cracking a smile, but his face turned just as fast. “You must go to the powerful god Apollo as soon as possible, or the world could collapse from pure panic. Now go, I have to have a talk with a son of Hermes.”
Mirina the Mermicorn was very, how I say it, Katy Perry-ish. First, she didn’t want to look at us, then when I approached her she swam to the bottom of the large lake. So to speak, she was very picky. It took an hour to finally climb on top of her. In that time Annabeth put her hair in a braid, I walked up to her and asked her if she wanted a sugar cube, a reference to the Hunger Games Trilogy which was the series she loved, I expected to get a laugh or at least a smile, but all I got was a slap on the face and, a small kiss on the cheek, which felt better.
Finally, after many sugar cubes, which I had to take various trips to the Dining Pavilion to get, Mirina the Mermicorn allowed the three of us to mount her back, which was scaly and damp. I told her to go to the Early Days of Earth, Greece, and Apollo’s house. Mirina the Mermicorn and spoke to me, in my head, you’re mean, I hope you fall off in 1900 so I never have to see you again.
I was sure to hold on to Mirina as hard as I could.
It took probably an hour to reach the Early Days, and when we got there, it wasn’t so much what I expected.
I had expected a lot of war and possibly all gods against Gaea’s kids, but instead it looked nice, springtime. Of course, Demeter hadn’t lost her daughter yet. It smelled like sweet flowers, and I thought I was back on Calypso’s Island, Ogygia. Annabeth looked like she had been handed one million dollars to go to the biggest bookstore or build a mansion. Her eyes glimmered, and she seemed to take in everything around her. The temples, the houses, mansions, hills, everything.
“It’s beautiful, wonderful architecture. Like, wow,” Annabeth said.
“It’s too bright. Geez, now I know why you brought me on this, Jackson, I need the night, so bad, I need it now,” Nico said, covering his eyes. He completely stood out in the bright atmosphere. With all of the flowers around, he looked like he was from another world. He had a black shirt, with a skull on it, and very pale skin, for spending so much time in the Underworld. Annabeth and I didn’t look any different from the surroundings, I had my orange camp T-shirt on with some shorts. Annabeth had a teal tee, jean shorts, and the navy blue converse she always wore. She looked beautiful as ever.
“I think Apollo’s main temple is over there,” Annabeth pointed out a temple with a golden lyre on the steps and soft, beautiful music coming from it. I wondered if the gods had made humans yet, or if they knew what they were the god of, or even if they knew they were a god yet. All of those questions were answered. Yes, yes, and yes. I think these were the last Early Days of Earth. That was depressing. I could have stopped Pandora from opening that box and told everyone who did bad things to stop it, the world in the present, where we came from, was already messed up enough.
As we walked toward the temple we say many people walking around in white draped togas. Nico wasn’t the only one who stood out anymore. All three of us did.
We entered the temple and saw Apollo standing there looking at a map of the Earth, which looked completely different from now, and was muttering words in Greek of where and when the sun would shine on the world.
Annabeth got down on one knee silently and motioned for us to do the same.
“O̱ ischyró Apóllo̱na, epidió̱koume ti̱ voí̱theiá sas,” Annabeth said. I translated it in my mind automatically: Oh powerful Apollo, we seek your help.
Apollo turned around and smiled, I thought I had gone blind. His smile shined as bright as the sun, well, duh, and his face had a very strong glow.
“What would you like, demigods. Are you asking for no night? Well I’m sorry but a boy yesterday came here to do just the same, so you can cross that off your bucket-list.” Apollo seemed very snarky, the way he talked. It really pushed my buttons. It did for Nico too. He looked more vexed than I was.
“Apollo, we have come to convince you to allow night to be part of the day,” I said, standing up slowly.
Apollo studied me then laughed, “Son of Poseidon, you are no match for me. Why don’t you go home to the future and play in your little water table,” and w
aved me away
Now that was pushing it. I thrust out my hands, felt a tugging feeling in my gut, and then there was a huge wave of water tumbling towards the temple. I pulled Annabeth and Nico close so I could easily from an air bubble around them, and the wave hit. When it died down, Apollo was there drying his hair with some magical force.
Before I could speak, Apollo raised up his hand, like Shakespeare, and cleared his throat dramatically,
“Perseus Jackson
Anger issues released quick
Has tiny tantrums”
Apollo smirked and turned around, only to be surprised by a skeleton waiting there, summoned by Nico.
“Nice try, Sun man, but if you want to prevent an outbreak of panicking mortals in the future, you better rethink your plans of how the Sun and the Moon are going to share the Earth,” Nico looked really irritated. I hoped he didn’t kill himself trying to summon so many skeletons. Apollo finished drying his hair and snapped his fingers, where a burst of sunlight went through Nico, then disappeared into the air.
Nico fell to the ground. His eyes closed as they rolled back, like he had fainted.
“NICO!” I yelled. Annabeth motioned for me to stay put, and ran over to him and picked up his head, she gave me a look He’s not dead, just unconscious. I gave a sigh of relief, then turned to Apollo.
“Apollo, there are many people in the future who will freak if they find out you took away the night. If you gave five hours in the morning and six hours in the evening of every day to be used as night, then thirteen hours in between then as day, we will be happy and leave you alone for a couple millennia,” I wasn’t going to fight a war, and I didn’t want Nico, or worse, Annabeth to get hurt or killed. Apollo gave it some thought, turned to the map, turned to Nico and Annabeth, and then turned to me.
“Fine, I will allow eleven hours of the day to be dark,” he shuddered as if dark and night was the same as the words killed or Roman, “and thirteen hours for day and light. Now leave my presence, go back to the future.” Annabeth and I carried Nico, who was slowly regaining consciousness, to the bay where we had parked Mirina and Annabeth and I pushed up Nico then we climbed her. Mirina gave a whiny saying oh great you’re alive.
Five minutes had passed in the present from when we left. We went to the Big House and saw the Hermes kid, who turned out to be Ethan, a new camper who was about 12 years old, smirking.
As we turned into the Big House courtyard, Chiron was there and looked overjoyed to see us.
“Did you do it? Did Apollo change his mind,” he looked, down at Nico and changed his expression, “I see, well, Annabeth, can you take Nico to the Infirmary, Will Solace will be more than happy to see him.” He then turned back at me and said, “Percy, you did well, I am glad we are not to go to war with the gods.”
“Thank you Chiron,” I said.
“Percy I want you to know something,” Chiron said, his face serious. I thought I was going on another quest, or I was in danger of dying, again. Then, Chiron smiled, “That Hermes camper, Ethan I would like you to keep an eye on him for the rest of the day. I saw some matches in his pocket, and well, you know what happened last time a Hermes kid had matches.” I stifled a laugh, remembering the time the Stoll Brothers lit a fire in the Dining Pavilion, people screaming their heads off going crazy finding water.
“I sure will,” I said, grinning. Chiron shifted his weight.
“Well I must be going, and you should to Percy, I heard you had something with Annabeth tonight.
My face went blank. I completely forgot that I was going to take her out later on a date! Right! I completely forgot! Thank you Chiron!” I yelled as I ran out of the courtyard and down to the Infirmary to get Annabeth.
“Annabeth! I was wondering if you wanted me to escort you to dinner,” I said in a cheesy British accent, holding out my arm jokingly.
“Why of course noble sir,” Annabeth replied, also in a British accent, but way better than mine. She took my arm, and we walked down to the Dining Pavilion, giggling all the way.
Credits for the Characters and all of Camp Half-Blood go to Rick Riordan, the author of the Percy Jackson Series, and Heroes of Olympus Series.
The Story of Our Lives
By Sean
Up in the glorious world of Mount Olympus, before humanity came to exist, Zeus, the god of lightning, Hades, Lord of the currently empty and gloomy Underworld, and Demeter, the god of crops all wanted her produce to have purpose (with the other gods of course who also wanted to improve their lives). Zeus had a great secret to keep, for he had inherited some magic skills from his father.
The gods were frolicking around the majestic, rainbow covered, marbled, polished, Mount Olympus, shooting lightning bolts at trees, and having a general awesome time. Soon, however, they became bored.
“I spend nights awake yearning for something to meddle fate with other than these invalid creatures that are abundant in this land,” said Zeus to Hera, the great goddess ruler of Mount Olympus.
“I have an idea!” exclaimed Ares, “there could be this game where things tackle each other and try to score points.”
Dionysus wanted someone to enjoy and love his lovely, 100% natural wine which tasted and smelled like grapes and cherries. Demeter, mother of the beautiful Persephone, wanted her crops to have more of a purpose other than feeding the mule deer and rotting like dead flesh on the new ground.
That night, while Zeus was experimenting with his new found magic. Suddenly, thirty thousand mini, five foot exact replicas of him burst out of nowhere.
“Ah! Attack of the mini mes!” hollered Zeus.
“They look just like us! There's even some that look like me!” shrieked Hera, “With Zeus’ might and my beauty, they will be simply amazing!”
“Hey, this is just what we wanted,” exclaimed Demeter.
“These creatures are pretty zany,” said Poseidon, in a good mood for once.
The gods gasped in horror as they duplicated by the tenfold.
“I feel that we should name these creatures,” stated Apollo.
“I think we should call them HUMANS,” yelled Poseidon.
Then the floated down to earth to reside and develop into humans today.
The only reason they were sent down to Earth was because they were getting increasingly irritating. This was because there was a lot of fighting and wars (fist fights) that caused at least one death and a ruckus that was like a herd of stampeding elephants. After about twenty years later, Hades finally got his first one hundred underworld residents as fast as a lightning bolt.
For the best, humanity praised the gods, so the gods were happy, and humans started, to Ares’ delight, playing and loving football which soon became the most reputable thing in American history (but that will come later).
Kinard Mythology Anthology Page 9
