Percy Jackson: the Winter Gamer

That night at the campfire, Apollo's cabin led the sing-along. They tried to get everybody's spirits up, but it wasn't easy after that afternoon's bird attack. They all sat around a semicircle of stone steps, singing halfheartedly and watching the bonfire blaze while the Apollo guys strummed their guitars and picked their lyres. They sang plenty of songs, though the reactions were rather… muted.The bonfire was enchanted, so the louder you sang, the higher it rose, changing color and heat with the mood of the crowd. On a good night, you could see it twenty foot high, bright purple, and so hot the whole front row's marshmallows burst into the flames. Tonight, the fire was only five feet high, barely warm, and the flames were the color of lint.

Dionysus left early. After suffering through a few songs, he muttered something about how even pinochle with Chiron had been more exciting than this. Then he gave Tantalus a distasteful look and headed back toward the Big House. 

When the last song was over, Tantalus said, "Well, that was lovely!"

He came forward with a toasted marshmallow on a stick and tried to pluck it off, real casual like. But before he could touch it, the marshmallow flew off the stick. Tantalus made a wild grab, but the marshmallow committed suicide, diving into the flames, "Now, some announcements on tommorows program. First I-"

"Sir", Percy interrupted, standing up.

Tantalus looked at him, a cruel smile placed on his face as he chuckled, "our kitchen boy has something to say?"

Annabeth now stood with him. Alexander debated for a few seconds before also joining in. Wulfgang gave him a strange look, probably thinking 'what horrid idea have you cooked up now?'.

"We have an Idea of how to safe the camp", Percy said, sweating nervously under the gazes of the campers, looking at Annabeth and Alexander for reassurance. Alexander nodded and Annabeth placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Recently I have been having dreams, demigod dreams, you all know them, how they sometimes get true? Well, I have been dreaming for multiple days now about Grover- he's a satyr that has gone on his search for Pan-, he has formed an empathy link with me because he is in trouble. In his quest of searching for Pan, he has found himself on a cyclops' island in the sea of monsters. What brought him there of all places? Well, that's easy, he was attracted by a powerful nature magic, the golden fleece. Some of you might not know but the golden fleece can rejuvenate any area, bringing life to it. Livestock don't grow sick, plants grow plentiful. It could very well heal Thalia's tree", Percy said.

"The fleece can save the camp", Alexander finished his story, "If we get it, the barrier might strengthen again, we might be able to live life without worrying about monster attacks once again"

"Nonsense", Tantalus sat down his empty cup, the liquid having long since fled, "We don't need saving, besides, the sea of monsters? That's hardly an exact location. You wouldn't even know where to look"

"Yes I would", Percy said. The whole camp was waiting for his next words, "30, 31, 75, 12"

Everyone looked perplexed, even Alexander had a hard time connecting the dots but then he did. Didn't he say he had coordinates?

The others didn't know that though and Tantalus remarked dryly, "ooo-kay, Thank you for sharing those meaningless numbers"

"Coordinates", Alexander corrected.

"What now?"

"They are coordinates", he reiterated, "Y'know, what you use on a ship?"

Even Annabeth looked impressed, "30 degrees, 31 minutes north, 75 degrees, 12 minutes west. He's right! The Gray Sisters gave us those coordinates. That'd be somewhere in the Atlantic, off the coast of Florida. The Sea of Monsters. We need a quest!"

"Wait just a minute-" Tantalus wanted to say something but was cut off by the chant: "QUEST! QUEST! QUEST!"

The flames burned bright, shooting into the air and becoming a fiery orange in color.

"Fine!" Tantalus shouted, his eyes blazing with anger, "You brats want me to assign a quest?"

"YES!" 

"Very well," he agreed, "I shall authorize a champion to undertake this perilous journey, to retrieve the Golden Fleece and bring it back to camp or die trying"

"I will allow our champion to consult the Oracle!" Tantalus announced. "And choose two companions for the journey. And I think the choice of champion is obvious" 

He looked over Alexander, then Percy and Annabeth before his eyes landed on someone completely different, "The champion should be one who has earned the camp's respect, who has proven resourceful in the chariot races and courageous in the defense of the camp. You shall lead this quest…Clarisse!"

The three standing campers were perplexed, whilst Ares Cabin shouted Clarisse's name.

After a few moments, Percy shook out of his stupor and tried to argue, "Wait! Grover is my friend, the dream came to me"

"Sit down!" yelled one of the Ares campers, "You had your chance last summer!" 

Yeah, he just wants to be in the spotlight again!" another said.

"I accept the quest", Clarisse's eyes shone with excitement, "I, Clarisse, daughter of Ares will save the camp"

The Ares campers cheered even louder. Annabeth protested, and the other Athena campers joined in. Everybody else started taking sides, shouting and arguing and throwing marshmallows.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Tantalus, rubbing his temple, "Sit down… and I'll tell you a ghost story… "

The king's voice was deep and growling. It felt as if they were facing a powerful monster. As a spirit of the underworld, out of the fields of punishment, he had always had a sinister aura but right now, it was suffocating, forcing them to pay attention, "Once upon a time there was a mortal king who was beloved of the Gods! This King, was even allowed to feast on Mount Olympus. But when he tried to take some ambrosia and nectar back to earth to figure out the recipe… just one little doggie bag, mind you! The gods punished him. They banned him from their halls forever! His own people mocked him! His children scolded him! And, oh yes, campers, he had horrible children. Children. just. like. you! Do you know what he did to his ungrateful children?", a cold smile danced across his face, as if he was relishing in the thought, "Do you know how he paid back the gods for their cruel punishment? He invited the Olympians to a feast at his palace, just to show there were no hard feelings. No one noticed that his children were missing. And when he served the gods dinner, my dear campers, can you guess what was in the stew?"

This was the moment they realised he wasn't just cruel, he was a monster, worse than any monster you would face with a blade at hand. How could someone eat their own children. Sure Kronos did it but his children were immortal gods, they continued to live on. Tantalus' kids were sent straight to Hades, a cruel fate, though perhaps better than living with him as your father.

"Oh, the gods punished him in the afterlife," Tantalus croaked. "They did indeed. But he'd had his moment of satisfaction, hadn't he? His children never again spoke back to him or questioned his authority. And do you know what? Rumor has it that the king's spirit now dwells at this very camp, waiting for a chance to take revenge on ungrateful, rebellious children. And so…are there any more complaints, before we send Clarisse off on her quest?

Silence.

 Tantalus nodded at Clarisse. "The Oracle, my dear. Go on." 

She shifted uncomfortably, like even she didn't want glory at the price of being Tantalus's pet. "Sir-" 

"Go!" he snarled. 

She bowed awkwardly and hurried off toward the Big House. 

"What about you, Percy Jackson?" Tantalus asked. "No comments from our dishwasher? Good. And let me remind everyone- no one leaves this camp without my permission. Anyone who tries…well, if they survive the attempt, they will be expelled forever, but it won't come to that. The harpies will be enforcing curfew from now on, and they are always hungry! Good night, my dear campers. Sleep well"

With a wave of Tantalus's hand, the fire was extinguished, and the campers trailed off toward their cabins in the dark.