*bows* I know, you all missed me so so much. You would not believe how much has been going on in my life since I last updated. Hang on I made a list-

I got Covid, then strep throat, then classes started, then got a sinus infection, then my car was broken (twice), then my body decided oxygen was for losers, then I got the flu then like a week later caught a stomach bug, then had major low iron and was nearly passing out daily, then my car broke again, then I got sick from stress, then I had a pain flare up, and right now as I write this I have BOTH a sinus infection and an ear infection.

Anyways, hope you guys enjoy the chapter! I'm very happy with it despite the delay. And hey, I even updated on a Monday <3.

The next chapter will, as with last book, be posted alongside the first chapter for Book 3. I'm hoping to have that up in the next two weeks (hopefully on a Monday as usual). I'll likely be moving updates to once every other week with the new book, cause clearly I'm not able to keep up with once a week right now.

Come yell at me on my tumblr: Percabeth4Life
Come chat with me on discord: https://discord.gg/3tGNJhu

OO OO OO OO

The vote for the next monument took far too long in my humble opinion. I had expected us to look them over then pick the one we liked best, and I did do that. I knew the one I liked best pretty quick: a pretty spiral like design that arched up and was covered in intricate details showcasing the three who died and the battle itself. I thought it was fancy.

Annabeth voted for the same one as me, so did Lee. But Beckendorf, Silena, Clarisse, and Katie all voted for one that was shaped more like a pyramid.

Castor and Pollux voted for one that looked very classic in design, blocky and similar to the kind that I'd seen in museums. Their vote only counted as one though, because they shared their position as head (and only members) of cabin twelve.

Eliza had voted for a fourth option, designed like a rising sea serpent. I didn't like that one because it felt like it was focusing on the end of the battle more than the people who died in the battle.

The other three didn't get any votes and were promptly put aside.

Of course, the voting itself only took place after a solid hour of arguing over the details of the various monuments and debating the functionality, the placement, and how the voting should commence or if we should even vote today. They did agree to vote today, but also reminded everyone that we would not be informed of the designer until after.

Minos was the one to declare the winner, though it was obvious. With four votes the pyramid shaped monument was the winner, narrowly beating out the pretty arch.

The designer was revealed to us as an Apollo kid named Keanu and he was promptly called in.

It took another thirty minutes of discussion on the design and if anything should be changed before we adjourned, Keanu to be working with the Hephaestus and Athena cabins to turn the design into a reality.

Annabeth was definitely disappointed that her design wasn't chosen, she'd apparently done the blocky ancient style design. But she perked up when I asked if she was also designing a temple and assured me she absolutely was. Her sketchbook seemed to appear out of thin air as she

He'd be working with the Hephaestus and Athena cabins to turn the design into a reality.

Annabeth was definitely disappointed at not winning as we left, she'd apparently done the more ancient style design, but she looked equally determined to be the winner of the vote for the temple. She was already pulling her sketchbook out to mutter over her design.

I left her to it, smiling fondly as she drifted to her cabin to work. I had a feeling that she would be missing her activities for the day.

That in mind I headed to the stables to do my activities for the day.

OO OO OO OO

The Fourth of July went well, though it was quieter than previous ones from what I understood.

There were still fireworks, still enough food to feed an army, but there was a solemn feel as people stood on the gold dusted sand of the beach.

I spent my time with Leilani eating good food and watching the waves.

OO OO OO OO

Camp was returning to normal slowly. These weren't the first deaths of the camp, even if the only ones at camp in recent memory. The camp knew how to heal, the people were used to losing loved ones.

So, the Aphrodite cabin slowly returned to making snacks and planning movie nights.

The Ares cabin went back to challenging people to spar with them and kicking ass.

The Dionysos cabin worked in the fields and drove people mad (without the insanity).

The Apollo cabin manned the infirmary and taught archery and argued with the Ares kids.

The Athena cabin scowled at me and plotted for the temple design.

The Hermes cabin remained split and wary.

And the Demeter cabin invited Leilani and I to pick fruit from the fruit grove with them.

It was nice, peaceful, familiar. I was glad to be back with them, glad to be picking ripe fruits and chattering about our days and talking about future plans and discussing treats we could make and just generally basking in each other's presences.

Leilani wove a flower crown for me, then wove several more as the Demeter kids fought over who would get the next one. I wove a crown for her that wasn't quite as good, but she wore it and smiled all the same.

The grove was full of life and I relaxed in the comrade of the Demeter cabin.

And if my eyes lingered on the path to the graveyard, to where our companions were buried and where Tyson's grave marker was... well, it was a pretty path, covered in flowers and buzzing bees and hanging branches covered in leaves.

OO OO OO OO

A new camper arrived at camp, a boy named Marcus Dalton. He was led by a satyr that found him during the summer.

Funnily enough at an actual summer camp.

Normally the camp got a dozen new members a year according to Annabeth. This year had had a lower number than usual so getting a new member was good news. There were still demigods out there that needed to be found, needed to be warned of what they were.

The satyr reported to Lord D and the Council almost immediately upon arrival. I wasn't sure exactly what happened, but Grover was worried afterwards and was apparently being sent to a new school in the fall.

I hoped he would be safe.

OO OO OO OO

The battle had longer standing effects than most of the camp realized.

Leilani knew, because she watched me deal with it. The Pegasi knew, because they were the ones who alerted me of it. But I didn't really tell the rest of the camp. The rest of the camp didn't really ask.

Annabeth might've noticed, but she didn't say anything.

Sometimes, whether in the day or at night, a Pegasi would come over to me and alert me to a sea creature in need.

It wasn't something like a mortal trap, not usually. Only once had that happened. Normally it was celestial bronze weapons sticking up dangerously, it was the ship nets tangling around a neck, it was grenades getting set off and sea creatures in need of healing.

The traps from the battle were washed into the ocean, both those of the camp and those of the ships. It made the ocean nearby exceedingly treacherous.

I... felt somewhat responsible for it. And even if he wasn't, he would still have tried to help. He was a Prince, it was his job to help his subjects.

So, when the Pegasi came and told me of trouble, I went out to help.

Today, I had to carefully adjust the ruins of one of the ships to free some young dolphins that had gone exploring and gotten stuck.

It wasn't hard work, just took some time to do it right so they wouldn't get hurt.

It was nice to spend time in the ocean just helping, I'd missed cleaning the rivers. Maybe I could do something like that around here during the summer?

I'd have to think on it.

OO OO OO OO

Marcus was claimed within the week of his arrival.

Spinning above his head was the cornucopia of Demeter, warm and welcoming and bright.

It was quite the celebration, the Demeter kids gleefully welcoming their new cabinmate. I had to smile at Marcus' shy delight. He'd fit in well, I thought.

OO OO OO OO

Camp activities didn't exactly get any less awkward despite the battle, or perhaps because of it.

I was still horrible at Archery, though Leilani wasn't too bad. Leilani was struggling with wrestling, Clarisse being extra hard on everyone. And weaponry had gone from awkward to actively life threatening so we switched our time pretty quick.

It wasn't entirely the Hermes' cabin fault but... a good half of them did not like Leilani or me.

Leilani was fiercely defending me at this point, so any who had liked her were now against her. I was still enemy number one for many of them due to the whole Luke situation.

Somehow the invasion did nothing to convince anyone that Luke was really a traitor.

I really wished I had some bit of evidence to provide them all with, to prove that he was a traitor. But all I had was a scar on my hand and my memory.

Suffice to say, if I wasn't so well trained by Triton I would likely have had an "accident" while training.

OO OO OO OO

Annabeth and I poured over my cursebreaking books together. She couldn't actually do any of it, the magic was inherent to the ocean, but she wanted to learn the theory anyways.

I think seeing me as a small cat scared her more than she was willing to admit. It scared me more than I was willing to admit.

I didn't want to be trapped like that ever again.

So we studied, we debated the methods shown, we debated how much power the techniques would take.

Annabeth dragged Fiona and Carl in (and I was really glad to spend more time with Carl). Carl actually knew a decent amount thanks to not only having been cursed himself, but my many rambles on the subject. Fiona didn't know much about magic at the start, but she was a quick study and good at theorizing with us.

Fiona promptly dragged Aponi in to help practice curse breaking.

It was tiring, required a lot of practice, but both me and Aponi were improving. She wasn't great at laying curses at the start, but after lots of practice with me breaking them and her laying them, she could do them pretty quick and I could resist pretty well.

I realized quickly that I was insanely lucky that Kirke had laid her curses the way she did, I never would've lasted had she used any other method of curse laying.

Course, I still lost in the end, but I did learn a valuable lesson from the experience.

(And no, the lesson was not spas are evil Carl)

Don't trust pretty women on islands.

OO OO OO OO

I left the infirmary after one last lesson with a scowl. I was done trying to learn magic healing.

It was important, I knew it was important, Lagi was amazing at it. But I... was not.

The books were interesting to read, but only parts of them. I didn't want to memorize all the bones and muscles and nerves and every disease and injury and how the body parts and internal organs interacted and-

It was physically painful. I couldn't do it. I didn't want to do it.

I learned basic first aid, with bandages and stuff, from the infirmary. But I was never going to be a magic healer like Katara.

I was... disappointed.

I wanted to be a healer, I did, but the path to becoming one was just so- so tedious. So boring. I didn't know how anyone could do it.

I felt a bit like a failure for it, I'd decided ages ago that I would learn it. I couldn't learn it though.

I curled up under Thalia's tree and peered out beyond the barrier.

If I'd been a better healer I wouldn't have made Thalia's tree worse. If I'd bothered to properly study I would've known better but- but it was just so boring and really how was I supposed to deal with that?

"I don't believe you're on guard duty today, Mr. Jackson."

I jerked, head snapping up to find Minos staring coolly down at me.

"I'm not," I said, pushing up. "I just- needed to think."

"It's best to think in the safety of the camp," Minos chided. "Away from the edge of the barrier."

"Sorry."

Minos studied me, looking like he always did when watching me- like he was unsure what to think of me but was inclined to find me lacking.

"What were you thinking about, so close to danger?"

I chewed my lip at his expectant look. I didn't think he was often denied anything, and he was very good at telling when people were lying. Probably a result of being a judge of the dead.

"I uh, I think I'm gonna give up on learning how to heal with magic."

"Oh?"

I shuffled, peering past him and down into the camp. The strawberry fields were near empty at the moment, not many worked in them right after lunch.

"There's a type of healing, in the sea, tafahu. It... well a friend of mine is really good at it, and I wanted to get good too but a lot of the stuff you need to know to get good is just... boring."

"Most things are," said Minos lightly.

I got the feeling he was judging me so I shut up and went back to staring at the camp.

"So, you've decided to give up?" Minos asked after a long moment passed and it became clear I wasn't going to continue.

"Well, I've tried for a few years," I said slowly, eyeing him. "And I mean, I could probably put more effort into it but... it's painful. It's so boring it hurts. I mean not all of it is-"

Minos quirked an eyebrow at me.

"I do enjoy parts of it, it's just- there's so so much to learn and only some of it is interesting and there's so much to memorize. And I'm still trying to learn about purification and curse breaking and fighting and-" I took a deep breath "-there's so much to learn but healing just isn't interesting and I feel like I'm wasting time forcing myself to try to focus when I could do so much more in the other subjects I'm working on."

"Then you're not necessarily giving up," Minos said. "You're prioritizing. There are other healers, why do you need to be one?"

I shuffled, "what if someone needs healing during a fight? If I knew how I could help them."

"Battlefield medics are extremely valuable," Minos agreed. "And also, extraordinarily rare. Medics and healers are to be kept safe, because they're needed to ensure the rest of your people can keep fighting. You seem more the type to want to be on the front lines."

I blinked and considered that.

"I don't know," I said finally. "We've only really had the one big fight. I really just want to be able to keep people from being hurt. If I can do that being on the front lines then I guess that's where I'd be?"

Minos considered me for a long moment, lips pursed. I had no idea what he was thinking, he was always annoyingly good at hiding his thoughts. Probably because he'd been a king. King's did that.

I was supposed to do that too, but Minos definitely had me beat.

"There is no shame in not being good at something," Minos said finally. "If you're not a healer then you're not a healer. Focus on what you are instead of what you aren't."

I blinked, that made sense.

"And besides," Minos added, "healing comes in more forms than physical. You've been helping the ocean heal from the invasion, haven't you?"

Oh... I had, I supposed. I hadn't thought of it like that.

"Just because you can't heal in one way doesn't mean you can't in another," he said mildly. "All different kinds of people are needed to make a community."

"That makes sense," I said. "Thank you."

Minos nodded, seemingly satisfied. "I assume you have activities to be doing, so why don't you run along now."

I hurried back down the hill as he shooed me off, sending a glance behind me as I went.

Minos was translucent in the light of the midday sun, standing near the tree and looking up at it. I wondered what he was doing up by the tree, and if he'd expected to find me there.

OO OO OO OO

Annabeth and I really did enjoy going over myths together. I'd learned so much during our "Ancient Greek" lessons. And Annabeth loved to dive into why certain myths worked certain ways and why some people made the decisions they did and what they meant and how the decisions effected the story and-

She loved rambling about the myths.

I loved listening to her ramble.

It worked out.

Annabeth also liked to teach me about the strategies they used in the myths, she liked to learn from them herself. Both what they did right and what they did wrong.

Like for example: don't tell the guy you spared after blinding what your name is.

He totally could've avoided all that if he'd just killed Polyphemus.

"Mercy has a price," Annabeth mentioned one time. "Sometimes it's good to offer mercy, but you have to remember that not everyone will appreciate it. Sometimes ruthlessness is mercy to yourself."

We talked about things other than myths too of course. Annabeth asked about my plans for the school year (going back to my old school) and told me about hers (not going back). And we talked about plans for holidays.

It was nice, it was familiar.

Annabeth was safe, I was glad I was friends with her.

OO OO OO OO

I watched Luke and Kronos speak. Or well, more like just Luke speak to the casket of Kronos.

They were someplace I didn't know, made of elegant marble in colors I didn't realize marble came in naturally. White and black were predominant of course, but there was also purple marble making up the columns.

"We should check the schools, my Lord. I've heard rumors that there are some powerful demigods in one, though which was unconfirmed."

"Yes," mused Kronos, "you heard that, did you?"

Luke paused, licked his lips, and straightened. "Yes, my Lord. I- Well I know you told me to stay on Mt. Othrys, but I wanted to be useful to you. Staying in hiding doesn't move forward your plans so I- well I worked to further them for you."

I could tell, even without hearing or seeing Kronos, that he was not pleased.

"You being in hiding means you are available for future plans," Kronos chided, light but firm. "Do not leave again, you've been lucky none have identified you yet."

"... yes, my Lord," Luke murmured.

"But yes, the satyrs are being sent out in force by the Gods to find and protect demigods in schools. Finding them first is vital at this point. Call in agents of ours, we will work out a plan."

Luke straightened, "Yes, my Lord! At once!"

I realized, even as the dream melted away, that I hadn't dreamt of Kronos in some time. I wondered at that even as I tumbled down, shadows growing and twisting and warping with heat.

I landed before the pit of pain.

"Hello, grandson," said a familiar voice of leaves falling and sands shifting.

"Metani," I said in greeting. "It's... been a bit."

I wasn't entirely sure how to greet my Metani who had sent forces that killed three campers and could've killed more without Okeanos' help.

"I thought you would want time to make your decision, on the war, on what side you would choose."

"I didn't need this long," I said, achingly honest. "I didn't need more than a day, really."

"I had hoped you would consider it fully."

"I did. I made my decision quickly though. I'm not- I can't- I wouldn't go against Triton, or Kymopoleia, or Herophile, or- or any of my family, or friends."

"Am I not family as well?"

I chewed my lip, "Family doesn't kill each other."

There was a long beat of silence. A long beat of sands shifting over my skin, almost gentle, almost apologetic.

"Did you think I would decide to join you after the invasion?" I couldn't help but ask. "You- three are dead. They wouldn't have been if you hadn't-"

I swallowed and didn't say that Tyson had died because of Him. I didn't say we'd have never gone on that quest if Metani hadn't poisoned the tree. I didn't say my brother would still be alive if not for him.

I hadn't realized that I thought that until just now, but I did. It hurt.

"I did not want death in the invasion."

"Well... people died," I said. "So it doesn't really matter what you wanted."

"We simply wished to intimidate the camp," Metani soothed. "To lead to your surrender, or a quick and overwhelming defeat that needed no death."

"It's war," I snapped. "It's- it's war. People die in war. You know that, you- you've led wars before. You knew there would be- could be death."

"Yes," Metani said, voice less soothing, more firm, more like a King and a General and less like a gentle grandparent trying to explain. "Yes, death was always a possibility. It was a possibility I deemed worth it. I cannot and will not stop. I will avoid the death of children as much as I can, but in some cases it simply can't be avoided."

"There's always another option," I snapped. "You don't have to-"

"It is war."

"Then stop the war!"

I was breathing hard, treacherous tears burning my eyes. I didn't want to fight, I didn't want to fight Metani or anyone else. I didn't want to see the people who betrayed us at the other end of the battlefield. I didn't want to think of who would've seen us as not worth staying for.

I didn't think I could forgive them for it.

"There is no other option but war now, Percy," Kronos (Not Metani, Metani was gentle and soothing, Metani was teasing and fond, He answered questions and offered alternatives and understood and didn't- didn't- didn't see war as needed-) said. "Peace has not been an option for a very long time."

"It's always an option! You can just- you can talk to the Gods. Why do you have to attack them- why can't you just... sit down and talk."

I dragged in a shaky breath, I stared at the pit, burning shadows curled tight, and begged, silent and aloud, for my Metani to have a solution that did not mean war.

I didn't want anyone else to die.

"Talk?" Kronos asked. "What talking is to be done when I am but a voice in a pit and my children want me to stay such? Should I beg them for mercy they shall not grant? Ask them to do as I would and fix the world? Percy, peace can never be an option until we are heard. Sometimes the only option is violence, and the price must be paid in blood."

I closed my eyes and ached.

"That is not to say I want you to pay for the actions of your parents," Metani spoke, soft and gentle and kind as if he wasn't speaking of us dying. "Stand down, let the war pass you by. You don't have to fight, even if you don't side with me you can stay out of it."

"And let my family pay the price instead?" I asked.

"It's not your war."

"You made it my war."

Metani sighed.

"I see you're firm in your decision."

"And-" I took a deep breath. "And you in yours."

"I am sorry it has come to this, Percy," Metani said. "I will endeavor to make the war quick."

We wouldn't let it be quick. We would hold out as long as needed.

More people would die, and I hated it.

OO OO OO OO

The monument was beautiful, the intricate details painted with careful hands and the sea serpents making up the angles of the pyramid looking nearly alive. Each of the scenes was beautiful, showcasing the demigods who died with honor. The top of each triangle making up the pyramids held the symbol of a God that was prayed to for aid and the tails of each sea serpent holding the triangles together held a trident.

It was absolutely a piece of artwork and I was in awe.

The kid who designed it (Keanu) finished his speech about the invasion, about the lives lost and our remembrance of them, and finished pouring out the libation of thanks to the Gods, and thanks to the dead, when the claiming happened.

Shining on the monument was a bee, it circled the monument for several seconds before diving to one of the faces of the monument, the one facing towards us on the beach, and pressing into the image and settling above the head of the figure battling.

Melissa, daughter of Aristaeus, had been claimed.

OO OO OO OO

The vote for the temple design occurred the next day.

It was just as long and tedious as the monument vote, if not even longer. Each temple design argued over, the details of what needed to be done to make them happen debated, each aspect compared to tradition and Lord D's opinion asked on them. We debated the materials, we debated the cost, we debated the time frame, the statues needed, how many Gods were honored, how it would be placed, where it would be placed, if the temple was feasible-

It was long, it was tiring, it ended in several vicious fights breaking out. But finally, finally, the final designs were picked, and the final votes commenced.

Most of the head campers ended up voting for the same one this time.

It was a traditional temple, with the traditional style, yet also including aspects of modernity.

It had the twelve statues of the Olympians with a thirteenth statue for the unnamed Gods. A statue that Minos explained was included sometimes to honor Gods of the locals or unknown Gods to the worshippers. Zeus and Hera would share their position at the end of the temple, with the hearth placed before them. Each of the statues would have a small altar before them, allowing for individual worship as needed.

A storage area would be behind their statues, hidden behind a wall. Any tools for the worshipping could be placed within.

The back of the temple had a second area, with a statue for Hades and smaller series of statues for major and minor underworld deities.

Along the inside and outside of the main temple area would be alcoves for Gods other than the twelve major Gods, dozens of them. They could hold smaller statues and altars, allowing worship for them in the same space while still giving the Olympians the center. Along the base of the wall, where we would nowadays have a baseboard of a wall, would be carvings for as many Gods as could possibly be fit on it.

It wasn't too cluttered like many of the temples, it kept the classic design of the temple but with additions. And it included as many Gods as it could, seeing how there wasn't enough space for dozens of temples in the camp.

Annabeth beamed when it was announced her design won.

"You understand, Ms. Chase, the amount of work you will have ahead of you? This is no easy task to be in charge of leading this project."

"I understand," she said, eyes bright as she stood straight and tall. "I won't let you down."

He considered her for a long moment before nodding.

"Then the decision is final and construction will begin as soon as the plans are reviewed and the first round of edits completed."

OO OO OO OO

The last night of camp the bead ceremony took place.

This year there were two major events that occurred and the bead did its best to reflect that.

The beads themselves were gold, nearly sparkling in the firelight. Upon that gold background, coiled tight, was a blue and green sea serpent.

The Golden Fleece and the Sea Serpents that ended the invasion.

OO OO OO OO

I was on guard duty when it happened. None of us saw it coming, none of us realized it could be possible. I'd learn later, after a conversation with Triton, how exactly it happened.

Something that could change the course of the war.

Something that not even my Metani could have predicted.

A girl fell from the tree.

Blue eyes locked on mine.

And Thalia entered the camp.

OO OO OO OO

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review, they feed my soul.

Yes there is more to Thalia's resurrection than the Golden Fleece ;)

What did you think of Camp? What about the monument and temple? How about Percy's conversation with Kronos?

Halmaheran
tafahu=healing (ocean, magic)
Metani=grandfather

Suffixes
arino=once king (posessive)

Terminology
Aristaeus=God of Beekeeping

OC's
Keanu=Apollo kid, designed the monument
Leilani=Psamnthe kid, lives in the Poseidon cabin with Percy, Hawaiian
Marcus Dalton=new camper, Demeter kid
Carl=beloved
Fiona=Jewish Athena kid, Carl is staying with her
Aponi=Hekate kid, Hermes cabin, Native

Come yell at me on my tumblr: Percabeth4Life
Come chat with me on discord: https://discord.gg/3tGNJhu