Chapter Text
The sun blazed over the horizon, casting a warm glow over Camp Half-Blood. Apollo lounged on a sun-drenched rock, his golden hair glinting like the rays around him. His expression was a mix of mischief and determination, as he plucked at a lyre, the notes drifting like summer breezes. It was the perfect time for a grand adventure—or at least, a grand scheme.
Percy was the first to wander into view, a half-eaten sandwich in one hand and a bewildered expression on his face. “Uh, Apollo? What’s with the serenading? Did you finally decide to give the muses a break?”
“Ah, Percy! Just the demigod I was hoping to see!” Apollo leaped to his feet, his enthusiasm palpable.
“Oh no,” Percy muttered.
“No, no! This is good!” Apollo placated him. “Uncle P has been telling me that you’re looking for letters of recommendation for college?”
“... yes?”
“Well, I have a fun little adventure that I was planning on taking Will and Nico on. You can join them!”
Percy scowled. “Apollo… I really don’t know. I’m getting tired of the death-defying stuff—”
“We won’t be fighting monsters!” Apollo promised. “More like waging a little bureaucratic battle against a government. It’s straightforward and heroic! And, dare I say, a little bit rebellious.”
Percy raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “Rebellious? You mean like the time you tried to start a pop band with Mr. D?”
“Exactly!” Apollo beamed. “But this time, it’s serious. I’m planning to free the elves in the Wizarding World.”
“Elves? Wait, wizarding what?!”
Apollo cracked his knuckles like he was about to play the piano as an accompaniment to a haiku. Thankfully, he did neither.
“I’ve been trying to make amends with all the creatures who have helped me,” the god announced. “Like the rainwater system I helped with at Aeithales for the nymphs! I’ve had some talks with the trogs as well.”
Percy nodded carefully. So far, Apollo hadn’t really said what it is they would have to do to free the elves. But the god seemed to imply it wouldn’t be too dangerous.
Before he could respond, Nico emerged from the shadows. He stumbled on the rocky land and spun around, scowling. “Damn, I left the cane behind, again!”
Percy pointed his sandwich at him, “I’m telling Will you started shadow-traveling.”
Nico stuck his tongue out at him. “Did you tell him about the elves, Apollo? Is he interested?”
“I’m getting to it!” Apollo whined. “How about I put it in a haiku?”
“Er… you’d need more than one to really deliver the message,” Nico blurted.
“Yeah, let’s save it for the end!” Percy added.
“Good point,” Apollo nodded. “A victory haiku! Yes! So, the troglodytes have been in the dark for millennia. But before they went there, they were only partially sub-terranean. Turns out, they lived in complement with land elves all across Europe and Africa, even some parts of Asia. They helped the elves maintain environmental stability in all the woodland and the elves kept the forest bulls away.”
“The trogs’ sworn enemies,” Nico explained before Percy voiced his obvious question. Trogs vs Bulls thwarted by Elves. Neat.
“And what?” Percy asked. “These wizards managed to enslave elves and steal the forests?”
“Something like that,” Apollo agreed. “They definitely took a lot of land. The elves were the only ones capable of maintaining all that estate, which was why they were dragged along. Land elves turned into house elves with centuries of repeated enslavement bonds.”
Percy swallowed a vile taste. His sandwich wasn’t appetizing anymore.
“Are we fighting the wizards?” he asked seriously.
Apollo smirked. “Oh, I don’t think we need to go that extreme. I’m not looking to take revenge on them. Our goal is to free the elves. It’s up to them if they want to exact vengeance.”
“Will’s in,” Nico piped up. “This could get long-winded, because we’re talking about tens of thousands of elves stuck in houses, schools, and hospitals. We do something good in the world and I can also get my letter of recommendation for college in one go.”
Percy blinked. “But you weren’t born of a broken oath.”
Nico eyed him and deadpanned, “Right and Zeus is so nice to acknowledge that. He said I’d need just the one.”
Percy whistled. “Okay… okay. I’ll talk to Annabeth and let you all know. But you gotta give me pointers. If we aren’t going to be fighting the wizards, what are we gonna do?”
Apollo’s face twisted into a wide smile. “Jackson, we are gonna be scaring the bejesus out of them!”