Where there's smoke // L.Valdez

Chapter fifty-nine

The group walked in silent awe. It was even bigger than Persephone Imagined. She was so impressed. She could tell by Leo's fidgeting that he was equal parts nervous and excited to show everyone the place.

Leo walked over to something resting atop the central table. She walked over and gasped quietly when he saw it.

"I'm sorry, Festus. But I won't forget you."

She rubbed his arm and gave the boy a side hug. She knew she didn't have to say anything to comfort him, he knew she was there for him.

Jason put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Hephaestus brought it here for you?"

Leo nodded.

"But you can't repair him." Jason guessed.

"No way," Leo said. "But the head is going to be reused. Festus will be going with us."

Piper came over and frowned. "What do you mean?"

Before Leo could answer, Nyssa cried out, "Guys, look at this!"

She was standing at one of the work tables, flipping through a sketchbook- diagrams for hundreds of different machines and weapons.

"I've never seen anything like these," Nyssa said. "There are more amazing ideas in here than in Daedalus' workshop. It would take a century just to prototype them all."

"Who built this place?" Jake Mason said, "And why?"

Leo stared at something. Some sort of map, picturing catapults and spots for traps and trenches. "It's a wartime command centre." He said. "The camp was attacked once, wasn't it?"

"In the Titan war?" Piper asked.

Nyssa shook her head. "No. Besides, that map looks really old. The date... does that say 1864?"

They all turned to Chiron.

"The camp has been attacked many times," He admitted. "This map is from the last civil war."

Persephone's browns furrowed in confusion.

"Civil war..." Piper said. "You mean the American Civil War, like a hundred and fifty years ago?"

"Yes and no." Chiron said. "The two conflicts- mortal and demigod- mirrored each other, as they usually do in western history. Look at any civil war or revolution from the fall of Rome onward, and it marks a time when demigods also fought one another. But that Civil War was particularly horrible. For American mortals, it is still their bloodiest conflict of all time- worse than their casualties in the two World Wars. For demigods, it was equally devastating. Even back then, this valley was Camp Half-Blood. There was a horrible battle in these woods lasting for days, with terrible loses on both sides."

"Both sides," Leo said. "You mean the camp split apart?"

"No," Jason spoke up. "He means two different groups."

Leo looked reluctant to ask, "Who was the other."

Chiron glanced at the Bunker Nine banner, as if remembering the day it was raised. He was probably there.

"The answer is dangerous," He warned. "I swore upon the River Styx never to speak of. After the American Civil War, the gods were so horrified by the toll it took on their children that they swore it would never happen again. The two group were separated. The god bent all their will, wove the Mist as tightly as they could, to make sure the enemies never remembered each other, never met on their quests, so that bloodshed could be avoided. This map is from the final dark days of 1864, the last time the two groups fought. We've had several close calls since then. The nineteen sixties were particularly dicey. But we've managed to avoid another civil war- at least, so far. Just as Leo guessed, this bunker was a command centre for the Hephaestus cabin. In the last century, it has been reopened a few times, usually as a hiding place in times of great unrest. But coming here is dangerous. It stirs old memories, awakens the old feuds. Even when the Titans threatened last year, I did not think it worth the risk to use this place."

Persephone studied Leo's guilty face. "Hey, look, this place found me. It was meant to happen. It's a good thing."

"I hope you're right." Chiron said.

"I am!" Leo reached into his pocket and pulled out the old drawing Aeolus had given him. He spread it out on the table for everyone to see. "There," he said proudly. "Aeolus returned that to me. I drew it when I was five. That's my destiny."

Nyssa frowned. "Leo, it's just a crayon drawing on a boat."

"Look," he pointed at the largest schematic on the bulletin board- a blueprint showing a Greek trireme.

Persephone's eyes widened as she compared it to his own drawing. Everything was the same, down to the tiniest detail. She looked at him in amazement.

"That's impossible," Nyssa said, "That blueprint has to be a century old at least."

"Prophecy- unclear- flight," Jake Mason read from the notes on the blueprint. "It's a diagram for a flying ship. Look, that's the landing gear. And weaponry- Holy Hephaestus: rotating ballista, mounted crossbows, Celestial bronze plating. That thing would be one spankin' hot war machine. Was it ever made?"

"Not yet," Leo said, "Look at the masthead."

Persephone leaned in close, gasping softly.

"Festus," She said. Everyone turned and looked at the dragon's head sitting on the table.

"He's meant to be our masthead," Leo said. "Our good-luck charm, our eyes at sea. I'm supposed to build this ship. I'm gonna call it the Argo II. And, guys, I'll need your help."

"The Argo II," Piper smiled, "After Jason's ship."

Jason look a little uncomfortable, but he nodded. "Leo's right. That ship is just what we need for our journey."

"What journey?" Nyssa said. "You just got back!"

Piper ran her fingers over the old crayon drawing. "We've got to confront Porphyrion, the giant king. He said he would destroy the gods at their roots."

"Indeed," Chiron said. "Much of Rachel's Great prophecy is still a mystery to me, but one thing is clear. You four- Jason, Piper, Leo and Persephone- are among the eight demigods who must take of that quest. You must confront the giants in their homeland, where they are strongest. You must stop them before they can wake Gaia fully, before they destroy Mount Olympus."

"Um..." Nyssa shifted. "You don't mean Manhattan, do you?"

"No," Persephone told her. "The Original Mount Olympus. Pack your bags guys, we're sailing to Greece."