The Unknown Guardian

Chapter 12 || F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Chapter Twelve

Furious, Rampaging, Irritated, Extremely Nettled Demon Skeletons = F.R.I.E.N.D.S

*First Person Point of View ~ Perseus*

I was blinded by white, but as soon as I blinked, colors sprang to life in front of me. They folded out of a single point, and finally, I could see the vast expanse of Camp Half-Blood in front of me. It was just as I remembered it. The cabins in the distance were glowing in the sunlight﹣especially cabin seven. Everything seemed to have been recently repainted, and there were a few new buildings, but other than that, it was like I'd never even left. I knew I'd been here only recently, but I'd never really looked around at that point.

Breathing in deeply, I looked around at the place I'd once called home. It wasn't a bad place. It didn't have bad people. It just had bad memories. Memories of all the things I couldn't do, or couldn't be, because of my death. I left behind everyone and everything I loved; they all moved on without me, making something with their lives.

Before my thoughts became too out of hand, I snapped myself out of them and turned to look at Artemis. "Shall I escort your hunters to their cabin once again while you inform Chiron of our arrival?" I asked politely.

I couldn't help but shudder as I remembered the last time we'd stayed at the Greek camp. I'd put a camper of two in their place, and had gained the same fearful respect as the hunters. At least they wouldn't bother us during our stay.

Artemis nodded.

"Very well, milady," I told her, bowing slightly. Holding out my arm in the direction of the cabins, I said, "Right this way."

Thalia punched me as she passed.

We made it to the cabin without too much hassle, as the boys knew to to stay back. Luckily, the campers that had seen what happened last time were also advising the new campers to stay away. Good. That will keep both the hunters and the campers from being bothered in any way. That meant no unnecessary stress for me.

As Thalia walked in, she slammed the door in my face.

Staring at the door for a few seconds, I said, "Okay."

I stood there, awkwardly, before Thalia opened the door once more, laughing in my face. "Fine. You can come in. Just no funny business!" Her finger shot up to point directly in my face. Her eyes flashed with warning.

And so began the conversation of what to do with the campers during our visit. It seemed that there would be a lot of pranks in the near future.

***

Artemis arrived at the cabin later that night, just in time for dinner. The next morning however, Artemis decided to head up to Olympus to help with the preparations, because she knew that the hunters could handle themselves.

"I'll be back tonight. Don't kill anyone while I'm gone," she'd said jokingly before teleporting away.

Despite the hunters promising to be good, their faces morphed into evil grins as soon as their mistress vanished. I knew that I had to interfere.

"Hunters! As your guardian, I must tell you that I have planned to help train the campers today. There are too many for even my fellow guardians to handle teaching, so you may not see me very much today. Luckily, since I am going to be teaching, you won't see as many boys today as you would have. Try not to kill anyone," I informed them.

They all nodded earnestly, but I could tell that as soon as I was gone, they'd be planning something malicious.

"Campers! Get over here and stand in rows of eight!" I ordered. My voice was directed towards the large mass of orange and bronze that stood at the outskirts of the training grounds.