Chapter 36

As soon as we exited the taxi, the Gray Sisters sped away, heading back to New York, leaving us on the side of the road without waiting for their extra payment. Annabeth had only her backpack and her knife, while Taylor and I were still in our gym uniforms. I used the shadows to change our clothes to the ones we had this morning. A neat little trick I learned, weaving clothes from shadows.

"Man," Annabeth said, surveying the battle unfolding on the hill.

I joined her in looking up the hill, where the chaos was in full swing. Two enormous bronze mechanical bulls, each the size of elephants, were wreaking havoc.... and I wanted them.

"Oh, man," said Annabeth, looking at the battle raging on the hill.

One of the heroes shouted, "Border patrol, to me!" A girl's voice—gruff and familiar.

"It's Clarisse," Annabeth said. "Come on, we have to help her."

Her fellow warriors were scat-tering, running in panic as the bulls charged. The grass was burning in huge swathes around the pine tree. One hero screamed and waved his arms as he ran in circles, the horse-hair plume on his helmet blazing like a fiery Mohawk. Clarisse's own armor was charred. She was fighting with a broken spear, the other end embedded uselessly in the metal joint

of one bull's shoulder.

Luckily for her... it wasn't the one I spend quite a long time reforging for her.

"Wait here. I'm going to destroy those bulls!" I ordered as I summoned Morningstar.

Annabeth cautioned, "Percy, do you know what those are up there? The Colchis bulls, made by Hephaestus himself. We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burned to a crisp."

I shrug. "We will be fine. Now, excuse me, I've got some bulls to kill."

I sprinted up the hill toward Clarisse, who was desperately trying to organize her warriors. It was a brave effort on her part, given the circumstances. Clarisse, with her cruel eyes and battle-ready demeanor, seemed born to wear Greek battle armor. However, even she was struggling against the charge of one of the Colchis bulls.

Clarisse called out, "Hold the line!"

Taylor yelled, as she grew in size and her green skin took a red hue as she grew in size and her hair turned white. I think I read it was a Berserker form that some unique ogres had. She summoned her club from somewhere, and I wasn't going to ask. "Percy, go! I've got this one!"

Without a moment's hesitation, I nodded and sprinted toward the other bull. As I closed in on my opponent, I ran past some shields and ignored them completly.

The bull, with its gleaming bronze exterior and fiery breath, charged at me, flames spewing from its maw. I ran straight at it the flames covering my body, not even tickling me. When I got closer I summoned

With a powerful thrust, I pushed back against the bull, my feet digging into the scorched earth. Riptide gleamed as I slashed it through the air, aiming for the bull's mechanical body. Sparks flew as celestial bronze met bronze, and a screeching sound filled the air.

The bull retaliated with a massive swing of its horns, aiming to crush me beneath its weight. I leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the deadly assault. My mind raced as I assessed the situation. I needed a plan, and I needed it fast.

Taylor, on the other side of the battlefield, was battling her own Colchis bull, her large form contrasting with the mechanical beast. She used her incredible strength to pummel the club into the bull's face, sending sparks flying with each hit. Her raw power was awe-inspiring, and I knew she could handle herself.

But I couldn't let her have all the glory.

I lunged forward, closing the distance between the bull and me. With a swift, well-aimed strike of Morningstar, I severed one of the bull's legs, sending it crashing to the ground in a shower of sparks. The bull's mechanical whirring and clicking intensified as it tried to right itself.

The bull let out an ear-piercing metallic roar and unleashed another fiery blast from its mouth. With a defiant grin, I surged forward, my blade striking true. Morningstar sliced through the bull's neck, celestial bronze meeting mechanical resistance before triumphantly severing the head from its body. Oil sprayed, gears whirred, and the once-mighty Colchis bull crumpled to the ground in a spectacular explosion of sparks and metal. Its shadow vanished into mine as I returned my sword back to where it came from.

Mimicry of "Colchis bull" accquired

Skill "Bronze armor" accquired

Skill "Overheat" accquired

Skill "Flamethrower" accquired

As the mechanical monstrosity fell, I stood there, triumphant, my chest heaving with exertion. The adrenaline was still coursing through my veins as I watched the remnants of the bull smoldering on the ground. It had been an anime-worthy battle, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

I glanced over at Taylor, who was finishing her own battle with the other bull, her club a blur of motion. Her victorious yell echoed across the battlefield, a testament to her incredible strength. Many campers were looking at her is shock and some in fright.

Breathing heavily, I called out to her, "Nice job, Taylor!"

She turned, a triumphant grin on her face, her red eyes shining with excitement. As she shrank back to her regular form.

Clarisse removed her helmet, her hair smoldering slightly, but she appeared unfazed. "Well, look who's back," she grinned at me. "You know, I had it under control."

I chuckled, "Right, if I hadn't saved you, you'd have been impaled."

"Well, it's great having the strongest demigod back," Clarisse said. "You have a lot to catch up on." She waved and ran off to help the wounded.

I turned to Taylor, amazed that she had emerged from the fiery ordeal unscathed. "Wow, you did great Taylor!"

Taylor looked down, somewhat embarrassed. "I just wanted to help."

"Don't worry, Big girl. you did amazing." I grinned patting her buff arms.

Clarisse returned and signaled for us. "GCome on, Jackson. We need to carry the wounded back to the Big House and inform Tantalus about what happened."

"Tantalus?" I asked, I reconized that name and I glenched my fist... and grinned darkly.

"The activities director," Clarisse replied impatiently ignoring my grin.

"Chiron is the activities director," I responded, playing along. "And where's Argus? He's the head of security. He should be here."

Clarisse wore a sour expression. "Argus got fired. You two have been gone too long. Things are changing."

"What happened?" I asked.

"That happened," Clarisse snapped, pointing to Thalia's tree.

Thalia's tree held a significant place in camp history. Six years ago, Grover, Annabeth, Thalia, Luke, and I had come to Camp Half-Blood, pursued by a horde of monsters. Thalia had made her last stand on this very hill, sacrificing herself to protect her friends. In her final moments, Zeus had transformed her into a pine tree, reinforcing the camp's magical boundaries. The pine tree had stood here ever since, healthy and strong.

But now, its needles were yellow, and a pile of dead ones had accumulated at its base. A puncture mark the size of a bullet hole marred the trunk, and green sap oozed from it.

So he had poisoned her, I will need to talk to the Fates about it later, but I will need to have Clarisse go on the quest for the fleece and I knew exactly who needed to go. I do hope Annabeth and Taylor wont be to mad. I will have to look in the Online Shop to see what healing items they had.

As we made our way to the Big House, I couldn't help but notice the somber atmosphere that had settled over the camp. It was as if a dark cloud hung over the place, and the familiar faces from the previous summer didn't greet us with the usual warmth and excitement. It was more like they were all business, focused on their tasks.

Taylor, however, seemed immune to the tension in the air. She was wide-eyed and curious, taking in everything around her with childlike wonder. I am not joking when I say that this girl can go from a dangerously strong monster to a curious child in minutes.

"What's that?" she gasped, pointing at the stables.

"The stables for pegasi," I explained, "the winged horses."

"And that?" she asked, now pointing at something less glamorous.

"Um... those are the toilets," I replied with a hint of amusement.

"And what about that?" Taylor's curiosity was relentless.

"The cabins for the campers," I said. "If they don't know who your Olympian parent is, they put you in the Hermes cabin—that brown one over there—until you're determined. Then, once they know, they put you in your dad or mom's group."

Taylor looked at me in awe, her red eyes wide with fascination. "You... have a cabin?"

I nodded. "Number three." I pointed to a building made of sea stone. 

"Do you live with friends in the cabin?" she asked, her curiosity seemingly boundless.

"I don't really use it as I stay in the Big House." I admitted.

As we reached the Big House, we found Chiron in his apartment, surrounded by the soothing tunes of 1960s lounge music as he packed his saddlebags. Taylor, however, had a different focus.

"Damn, dude. You have a real horse's ass!" she exclaimed in complete rapture, her attention captured by the sight of Chiron.

Chiron turned, looking slightly offended. "I beg your pardon?"