Terry and the stolen bolt

Date: January 6th 2006

I followed Annabeth to the big house where I saw the camp activities director Chiron and Mr. D who Daedalus had warned was actually Dionysus as he had caught by Zeus chasing a nymph that was declared off-limits by him(Gods will be gods I guess).

They looked like they were playing something with cards along with a satyr who looked like he would shit his pants at any moment. Then Chiron noticed me and said,"Ah, Terry you're here. Mr. D and I would like a few words with you." I waved Annabeth goodbye and Chiron gestured for me to take a seat. "Oh another one, we finally have enough to play. So boy do you know how to play pinochle or does Chiron have to teach you like everyone else." He drawled out.

He wasn't really what I pictured a god would with with his red nose and watery eyes but I guess he wanted to intimidate people when they find out who he is later, typical to be honest. "Nah, I know how to play, I would say I have pretty good luck." I replied smoothly.

Then we started the game and I proceeded to absolutely dominate his ass every single time to the point where he directly looked into my eyes and showed me visions of wine flowing endlessly, vines choking the life out of a battlefield, and mortals screaming in terror. His eyes glowed with a deep, almost hypnotic purple as his true power radiated off him. "Luck," Dionysus said, his voice low and dangerous, "is a fickle thing, boy. Careful who you claim to best in their own domain."

The room seemed to grow darker, the air heavier. I felt vines begin to creep up my legs, snaking around my chair. For a moment, I thought I had overstepped, that I might actually get turned into a grapevine or something equally humiliating.

Chiron cleared his throat loudly, breaking the tension. "Now, now, Dionysus," he said in a calm, steady tone, "I believe we brought Terry here to talk, not to terrify him. Let the boy breathe, would you?"

Dionysus blinked, and the room returned to normal. The vines retreated as quickly as they'd come, and he sighed dramatically, slumping back in his chair. "Fine. But he cheats, Chiron. I can feel it."

"I don't cheat," I shot back. "Maybe you're just losing your just having something called a 'skill issue'."

Dionysus glared at me but said nothing. Chiron, always the peacekeeper, smiled patiently. "Terry, the reason we called you here is not for a card game, entertaining as that was. We need to discuss your… unique situation. You have attracted the attent of many gods including Hades who would stop at nothing to get rid of you to maintain the peace that Olympus has had and need to discuss your origins."

I leaned back in my chair, trying to mask the unease creeping into my thoughts. The way Chiron phrased it—"your unique situation"—sounded ominous. I tapped my fingers on the table, the calm rhythm hiding the storm of questions brewing in my mind.

"Alright," I said cautiously. "Let's talk. What's the big deal? You already know I'm Zeus' kid, right? That's not exactly breaking news anymore."

Chiron nodded, his expression patient but firm. "True, but your situation is far more complicated than simply being a child of Zeus. You've already demonstrated powers far beyond what even an experienced demigod of your age should possess."

"And," Dionysus cut in, waving a hand lazily, "you've managed to upset a fair number of my relatives. That takes skill—or stupidity."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "What exactly are you saying?"

Chiron straightened, his tone growing serious. "Terry, the gods are watching you closely. Not just Zeus, but all of them—Hades, Poseidon, even Athena. They're concerned about the storm you conjured when you fought that army. That kind of power… it's rare, even for a demigod. They fear what it could mean for the balance of Olympus. Not mention Zeus's master bolt has been stolen a couple days ago is blaming Poseidon for it. Poseidon is angry at Zues for breaking the oath again and Zeus is demanding his bolt from Poseidon, if this continues we may have a war and you will be the first one to feel the sea god's wrath."

War. That word hung in the air like a lead weight. My mind flicked back to Daedalus' words about the Great Prophecy, the one that claimed a child of the Big Three would decide the fate of the gods.

"Let me guess," I said, my voice laced with sarcasm. "You're saying I'm some kind of ticking time bomb?"

Dionysus chuckled darkly. "That's putting it mildly. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if you turned into a literal lightning bolt and exploded one of these days. If it was up to me I would just smite you and get it over with but dear old dad might feel it fit extend my punishment and I dont want to have to stay here teaching you brats for longer than I have to so you're gonna have to follow a few rules unless you want to go to the underworld."

For a moment, I couldn't speak. The room felt too small, the air too thick. I wanted to laugh, to brush it off as another dramatic tale from the gods, but deep down, I knew it was true. The storm I unleashed, the way the monsters seemed drawn to me—it all pointed to something bigger than I wanted to admit.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked, forcing a calm I didn't feel. "Am I supposed to hide here forever, or are we actually going to do something about this?"

Chiron's gaze softened, and he gave me a small, reassuring smile. "You will train, Terry. Learn to control your powers, to harness them without losing yourself in the process. But more importantly, you will live among your fellow demigods. Forge bonds, learn from them, and perhaps, find the answers you seek."

I wanted to argue, to push for something more concrete, but the look in Chiron's eyes stopped me. He wasn't just saying this to placate me. He believed it.

Dionysus groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, wonderful. Another hero in the making. Just what we need. Fine, fine. Go train, or bond, or whatever it is you kids do these days. Just stay out of my way."

I stood, my mind still racing. "Got it. Train, bond, don't blow up Olympus. Anything else?"

Chiron's smile returned, a little warmer this time. "Yes. Remember that you're not alone in this, Terry. No matter how daunting it seems."

I nodded, though his words felt more like a distant echo than a promise. As I turned to leave, I caught Annabeth waiting by the door, her arms crossed and an expectant look on her face.

"Well?" she asked. "What did they say?"

I exhaled slowly. "Nothing I didn't already know. Train, don't destroy Olympus—you know the usual."

"I have a feeling that you're gonna struggle with that last one but you know we are all here for you right?" She replied

"Yea I know." I replied seriously.

She chuckled "Come on, I will show you around more."

The next few weeks were probably the most fun I had in my whole life—which I only spent around 6 years experiencing a relatively normal life which then proceeds to go to shit later and has me running from monsters throughout most it.

Sure Daedalus saved my ass and gave me a home for a couple years but I didn't have many social interactions you know. Maybe that's why he was so desperate to get some friends and enjoy my life for as long as a demigod like me could.

I also learned that while I was recovering Zeus's master bolt had been stolen and it was apparently a big deal as a god's weapon is their symbol of power and is usually really powerful especially in his case.

The big 3 are the strongest among the gods and their weapons are capable of mass destruction. Among these three gods Poseidon had strongest domain followed by Hades then Zeus. The strength of the domain relies on how big it is, since most of earth was covered in water Poseidon had the strongest domain.

To make it fair their godly weapons are stronger the weaker their domain is therefore Zeus's has the strongest godly weapon and Poseidon has the weakest which is his trident.

Now this doesn't mean that their domain or weapons are weak— they would still easily cause catastrophes if they wanted to but that would be counterproductive and they need belief to exist.

I met the rest of the demigods and realized that that most of them also had a tragic backstory like me and heros of the past.

The qualities of the children of certain were the same to like Athena's children being extremely smart, Apollo's kids being good at healing and archery, Ares children being extremely brash and good at combat though one of them named Clarice had it out for me and Annabeth.

I stayed in the Zeus cabin which was unoccupied so I was its cabin head and cell lights out whenever I wanted.

Despite this place being one of the few places in the world where demigods could be themselves and be safe from monsters—I never really felt that way.

They don't take their training seriously especially the Aphrodite kids, the unclaimed demigods and the children of any god that wasn't from the Olympian council did not have their own cabin and never got respect.

The gods are mostly to blame for this horrible system and the reason why so many people here are resentful of them and often they go their whole lives trying to get their godly parent's attention and only a few got it.

Maybe Zeus did deserve to get his bolt stolen. Not only that he is acting like a kindergartener who just got his toy stolen and now wants its back.

I swear even though they are thousands of years they still act like immature brats.

Anyways ranting session aside I tried some the others classes like archery (which I was not too great at) though I did find out I had a talent for making weapons which I had learned from Daedalus but I didn't tell them that though.

I had also been absolutely destroying the enemy teams in capture the flag what with I moving like blur and flying through everyone.

It's gotten so bad to the point that they had to ban me from the game because I was apparently too 'op' as they called it.

Excuses if you ask me.

Camp didn't even have a specific class for divine core utilization and I realized from Zeus banned the class since the age of the Roman's since he didn't want him to take over his throne, though Chiron did look suspicious when I had asked about it as they weren't any written mentions of it in camp and were only present it Olympus.

I hadn't progressed a lot in my sword fighting since Luke was no match for me—I decided to sneak off at night to fight against the monsters especially weapon wielding monsters to train my combat style.

Apart from that I had minor progress in my lightning element only being able send more streams of it but I had massive progress in my wind element.

I was able to fly with with even more precision, make stronger wind blades that could one-shot weak monsters andincrease wind knockback.

I had been working on a wind sphere that I could use if one my swords got disarmed and it had been going smoothly.

I had been able to make it into a condensed sphere but I had not been able to make it start spinning and it also took a lot of energy.

[Time skip- 4 months]

Date: May 15 2006

It's been a while since I came to camp and I haven't made much more friends.

At first it seemed like a place I could fit in for once but as time went by I started becoming more reclusive.

I didn't want anyone close to me as they could get targeted because of the prophecy and I needed all the time I could get to get stronger.

I had made massive progress in my wind-sphere technique where now I was able to make it spin really fast and I was working to make it into a projectile weapon.

I had trained a lot in terms of divine enhancement where I could use it for 20 minutes straight and could destroy a small tree with one punch. My body was getting more durable and I had grown another inch due to my intense training. My top speed was around 50m/hr and I could easily keep up with the nymphs and even outrun them.

The Zeus-Poseidon fiesta was getting worse and war was looming around the corner.

I had been talking to Annabeth about a mechanical defense for camp that we had been working on for a few months along with the Athena cabin when a satyr named Grover (I think?) was dragged along with a boy who I had never seen before who was around my age with tanned skin and messy dark hair who was unconscious by Will and few other medics—and they seemed to be heading to to the big house to get him treatment.