Chapter 2: A New World

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⋆。‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧。⋆(𝘼.𝙉: 𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙆𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙖'𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩?𝘾𝙡𝙪𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙨𝙨. 𝘼𝙣𝙬, 𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙃𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙥𝙮 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜.)⋆。‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧。⋆


)⋆。‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧。⋆

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✶⋆.˚꩜ .ᐟ˙⋆✶

Katarina followed Luke across the expansive camp, her footsteps quieter than her racing thoughts. Camp Half-Blood sprawled out before her like something from a dream, a mix of ancient history and everyday life. Everywhere she looked, demigods moved with a purpose—training with swords, practicing archery, even casually chatting in groups. The place felt alive with energy, and yet, Katarina felt like an outsider. A visitor in a world she didn't belong to.

Luke walked beside her with a natural ease, pointing things out as they passed. "That's the arena where we train in combat," he said, gesturing to a large circular structure where a group of campers was practicing sword fighting. "You'll get used to it soon. Combat training's a daily thing here."

Katarina nodded, though the idea of fighting still felt foreign to her. She hadn't grown up with any of this. No sword fights, no magic, no gods. Just her grandmother's quiet home and the life she had been forced to leave behind.

Luke glanced at her, reading the uncertainty on her face. "I know it's a lot to take in," he said, his voice gentle. "But you'll find your place here. Everyone does."

They continued walking, the tour taking them past a shimmering lake where a few demigods were racing canoes, and a climbing wall that looked like it was spewing fire and shaking as if it had a mind of its own.

Katarina's eyes widened at the sight. "Does that... thing move?"

Luke chuckled. "Yeah, it's a living nightmare, but it's great for training. Builds strength and reflexes. Plus, it's kinda fun once you get the hang of it."

"Fun," Katarina repeated, unsure if she could ever think of something like that as fun.

As they made their way toward a forest lined with tall pine trees, Luke's expression softened. "Look, I know you're still processing everything. Finding out you're a demigod... it's not exactly easy. But your godly parent will claim you, Kat. It might not happen right away, but it will. You'll find out who you are, and things will start to make sense."

Katarina bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the ground. "But what if..." she hesitated, then blurted out the thought that had been nagging at her. "What if my parent isn't one of the twelve Olympian gods? Where would I stay then?"

Luke paused mid-step and turned to face her. His blue eyes, sharp and intelligent, softened with understanding. He took a deep breath, considering her question carefully. "It's true," he said slowly, "that not all demigods are children of the Olympian Twelve. There are other gods—lesser-known ones. Sometimes, their children don't get cabins because... well, they don't have the same status as the Olympians."

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Katarina's heart sank. "So, what happens to those kids? Do they stay in the Cabin 11 forever?"

Luke's lips twitched into a small, sad smile. "Sometimes, yeah. It's not fair, but that's the way it's been. We're working on changing things, though. Trying to build more cabins so that everyone has a place they belong."

Katarina swallowed hard. The thought of being one of those unclaimed demigods, forever without a place to call her own, gnawed at her. "But... what if I'm never claimed?"

Luke's expression turned serious, and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You will be claimed," he said firmly. "I don't know when or how, but it will happen. You have power in you, Kat. I could see it when you crossed into camp and those monsters didn't follow. Your godly parent's out there, and they will claim you. You just need to trust the process."

She wanted to believe him, but doubt still lingered in her chest. "How do you know?" she whispered.

Luke's gaze flickered for a moment, something unreadable passing through his eyes. "Because I've been where you are. I didn't know who my dad was for a long time either. I felt lost, too. But you're not alone in this. You'll find your way."

Katarina looked up at him, sensing the weight behind his words. There was more to Luke's story than he was letting on, but she didn't press him. Instead, she nodded, grateful for the reassurance, even if the uncertainty still loomed over her.

They walked in silence for a moment longer, until they arrived at the edge of the forest. Luke pointed ahead. "That's the woods where we have capture-the-flag games. Annabeth's usually the one in charge of strategy for our team. She's kind of unbeatable." His lips curled into a grin. "I've learned to stay out of her way when she gets serious."

Katarina chuckled softly, the small joke easing some of the tension in her chest.

"Just give it time," Luke added as they turned back toward the cabins. "The camp will grow on you. And who knows? Maybe your parent will claim you sooner than you think."

Katarina wanted to believe him. She really did. But deep down, a part of her couldn't shake the fear that maybe she was different. That maybe, no one was coming to claim her.

For now, though, she focused on the present—on the warmth of the camp, the reassuring presence of Luke by her side, and the faint hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a place for her here after all.

As they continued walking, Katarina's thoughts drifted back to her grandmother and the countless afternoons they'd spent together, tending to their herb garden. The scent of fresh basil, mint, and rosemary always lingered in the air as they harvested and turned the plants into herbal remedies for their neighbors. It was a small thing, but it made her feel connected to the world around her. Maybe it could help her feel grounded here, too.

She glanced up at Luke. "Is there a garden around here? Somewhere I could... spend some time?"

Luke raised an eyebrow, clearly curious. "A garden? Well, we have the Demeter Cabin's Garden. It's usually where the children of Demeter hang out—they're really into growing stuff. They have a ton of herbs, fruits, and veggies growing there."

Katarina's heart lifted a little. "That sounds perfect. I used to garden a lot with my grandmother. We'd grow herbs and make herbal medicine for our neighbors."

Luke smiled warmly at that. "That's awesome. I'm sure the Demeter kids would love to have someone help out. They take their plants seriously. I can show you the garden if you want."

Katarina nodded eagerly, feeling a sense of comfort at the idea. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Luke turned in the direction of the Demeter Cabin, and they walked toward the garden, where perhaps a small piece of home waited for her amidst the strange new world, she'd found herself in.

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