| Chapter I || Bad News |

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*August 20 XXXX*

*Percy Point of View*

***

That night, I had the strangest dream. It was mainly flashes of raging seas and rocky cliffs, but I could make out patches of color. A field of grazing sheep. The bright fire of Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth.

The weird part of the dream, though, started halfway through. I saw Grover, my newfound friend, wearing a lacy white dress. I saw Annabeth with an angry expression on her face, staring at something in disgust. I saw a cyclops in a baby blue suit. I saw the pine tree that guarded the camp shriveling away to nothing. And finally, I saw a glint of gold-the golden fleece.

After that dream I knew one thing: there was something wrong at camp.

"Father, I must return to camp early this year," I told him that morning at breakfast.

He seemed confused, for I'd never asked to return to camp early, no matter how many friends I'd made. I cherished the summers, for I could return to Olympus for limited amounts of time to visit my many other friends and my close family members.

"Why is that, son?" he asked.

"I had a dream last night, and I know that there is something not right going on. I can't explain it, but I know that I must be there when it happens," I explained, setting my knife and fork aside. I hadn't even touched the bacon and eggs in front of me.

He nodded in understanding. "If you feel the need to go, I'll let you go. Just tell me when you've packed and I'll take you there myself."

"Thanks, dad! You're the best!" I told him, immediately scarfing down my food and running off to my room to pack. I could hear him chuckle at I left the room.

Soon, I had everything ready, and dad took my hand, teleporting us to camp. We'd gotten there just in time, it seemed, because two Colchis bulls were attacking the camp right that very moment! I immediately rushed to help, drawing my sword.

I charged at the bulls, raising a broken flag and waving it in the air. "Hey!" I shouted at them.

One of the bulls immediately turned to me as I drew its attention. It charged, its ringed nostrils spewing smoke. Just as it was about to plow over me, I jumped to the side, swinging the flag up. The beast kept charging past me, unable to stop as it pummeled into its partner instead.

The two fell to the hillside in a heap of scrap metal, but they weren't done yet. The first one got up right away and was chasing me again. As I ran, I could see a girl charge at the bull out of the corner of my eye.

The girl was beefy, to say the least, but it was all muscle. She had stringy brown hair and beady eyes, and I knew immediately that she was a daughter of Ares. "Come and get me, you ugly creature!" she screamed, catching the attention of the first bull. Definitely a daughter of Ares.

The two bulls charged at her, and she led them up the hill, only to run up a tree with her momentum, and push off, landing on the bull's back. It crashed into the tree, and as soon as it recovered, it realized that she was on its back.

Like a bucking bronco, it ran around in a frantic charge, bucking and kicking to get her off. She held on for dear life as it did, driving her spear deep into the gears just under its metal back plates. I just watched in confusion. What was happening?

I couldn't stand around for long, though, as the second bull decided right then and there to trample me. Thankfully it wasn't a unicorn bull, or I would've been turned into a Percy-kabab. Its forehead crashed into my chest, the momentum causing me to fly up and skid over its back. I flew off of the other side, but not before getting a strong whack by its tail.

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