Setting Sun
Prologue
Annabeth was the first one to shed her black attire. She had wore it reluctantly anyway. She hated the whole idea of mourning, when she knew that they should have left on a rescue quest immediately. Of course she understood that the mourning was partly for those who had perished in the second Titan war, as they never had time for a proper burning, but, every though she had lost many of her siblings, she kept her mind on her mission. Thalia, of course, with no loved ones having passed but a few Hunters that she hadn't known very well, was with her, eager to get going and finish the war, getting Percy and Nico and the Gods, and, as she put it, "Killing Kronos for good this time, 'cause we obviously didn't do a very good job."
Cass had worn her black for the week, not singing or writing for the duration of it in respect for her two brothers. Their bows now hung above their guitars, in a memorial to them. Cass, of course, wanted to find Nico, and the Gods, as well as Percy, but she seemed a little less enthusiastic then Annabeth and Thalia. She had been a little shaken up by the war, and Tartarus.
Chiron hadn't donned any black, he never did. Annabeth guess it was because he could never really be sad for every demi-god that perished under his watch. There would be too many. Annabeth thought that being immortal would be quiet depressing. By the time the week was up, most demi-gods were itching to get back out and fight. The funeral pyres had burnt out, and no one had re-lit them, as all the bodys were now ashes and all souls were now in the underworld, a place now free of war.
Lord Hades and Lady Hestia were at camp a lot, talking with Chiron. They tried to be discreet, but everyone knew that they were talking about the rescue mission that had to happen. Every demi-god knew that three was the number for quests, and every half-blood was wanting to be on the quest to bring peace, to be the ones to rescue their parents and show them that they were just as god as the so-called heroes of Olympus. They knew that their chances were slim, and that the three most likely to be picked were Cass, Thalia and Annabeth, for their part in the last quest, but the still kept their fingers crossed, hoping that the fates would let them be happy for once, and maybe, just maybe, get what they want.
Annabeth and Thalia had visited them Big House every day, to the infirmary, and went behind a soft, white curtain. There, on a soft, plush bed, was Percy's body. He was pale as ever, and his eyes had not been opened, by Thalia's request. No one questioned her. His body was surprisingly heavy, for not having anything in it. Annabeth had made an attempt to comb his hair, gently, as if she could hurt him if she brushed to hard. Some parts were so matted and tangled in with his blood, that she had to leave them for when it was safe to wash the body. Annabeth and Thalia were the only ones who went behind the curtain. Cass refused to, as did Grover, and everyone else was forbidden. Chiron thought it would be disrespectful to have half of camp come in and stare at an empty body, when Percy was still out there somewhere. Cass and her three brothers, Brian, Matt and Josh, had been busy in the infirmary, but Cass had gone no where near the curtain. In fact, she even refused to care for any demi-god in a cot near it. Her brothers worried about her, wondering just what exactly Cass had seen or heard down in Tartarus.
The Gods remaining consulted with Rachel, who gave them as much information as her inner eyes could see, but everything was cloudy. "It's like Kronos is slowing everyone's power, too," she had told Cass later on, consulting her because her father was currently, well, unavailable. "Everything is slowed down and blurred, like he doesn't want me to see anything. It's so frustrating."
Hades had been investigating, questioning Tartarus to find out how the monsters got up. Tartarus, though under Hades rule, did not usually follow, and Hades never argued because of how powerful Tartarus was. But the god of the most dangerous pit in the universe had no idea. Kronos had blocked his ideas from him, something that, for most Titans and Gods, was impossible.
Cass hadn't talked much, not to anyone. Maybe she was upset, or maybe she was worried. No one pressed her much. Everyone was silent for a while, after they'd lost someone. No one forced her to do anything. Half-bloods were understanding like that. They had all lost someone once in their life. They all had deaths they regretted. Annabeth was the only one who worried about her, though, because when she wasn't working at the infirmary, she was in bed. She was not the type of person to be in bed. Cass was the person who would teach archery, or go for a swim no matter the weather, or show new demi-gods around camp. Not the type of person who slept for more then half the day.
But really, Annabeth had no time to be worried about Cass, or anyone. She had time, really, only for one thing, and that was for finding out where the gods were, because once she knew, they could start looking. She knew they weren't in Tartarus, thanks to Lord Hades, even though it seemed like the obvious place. Annabeth had only one other spot that was possible. Alaska. The land beyond the Gods. Where their powers were useless. It worked out perfectly to the Time Lord, because rules and restrictions were not for Titans. Only for Gods. Alaska. Annabeth had never been there, and really, she had no intention to. It would be cold. And dangerous. And terrifying. All things piling up on the con list of Alaska. But Percy was on the pro side, and that was the most important reason. Followed by the Gods and Nico. So Alaska it was. She hadn't shown anyone her findings yet, but she would an nonce them to Chiron, and Hades, and Hestia and the minor Gods soon. Once she had more evidence and information, she would tell them. And then they could go one the quest.
Annabeth wanted to go on this quest. Out of all the ones she had done, this one would mean the most. She remembered once telling Percy that he was so lucky to go on a quest. To test his powers. But maybe, quests weren't the best things. You lost people. You lost yourself. Maybe quests weren't such good things after all. Maybe it was better to be naïve and never know what it's like to fight or lose someone. Maybe being a demi-god wasn't so good either. Sometimes she wondered that, if she and Percy had met it they would mortals, what their relationship would be like. Would they go to Starbucks like those young couples she saw when she was on quests? Would they go to movies and not have to worry about attacks, and not have to worry about saving the world? Would they have a normal, happy life, and not have to live with the world on their shoulders, never having anyone rely on them for something big? It would be nice, and Annabeth knew that. But being the child of a God was something special, too, and children of Gods had responsibilities. So Annabeth never spoke aloud of her thoughts. Because she knew that they were impossible. And the impossible was something that she could never change. No matter how much she wanted to.
So, here's the prologue for Setting Sun. It's a bit short, but all other chappies will be about three thousand each so they'll make up for it. I'm hoping that this one will be longer then A Whole New Beginning, but you never know. I hope you like it, please review, and give me your comments and complaints, if any. I'd love to hear from you. Yes, you, I'm talking to you. I hope your laughing as you read this, 'cause that is my goal. And maybe make you cry, but only when something sad happens. So review, for Gods sakes, and maybe I'll mention you. Maybe. It only takes a minute to review, so do it, 'cause it's good for you.