I pulled up a chair and joined the others at the table. Our little council was formed from the five oldest people in our loose army of demigods: Taylor, Kyle, Kym, Matthew, and me. At the time it made the most sense; electing the five oldest to be the unofficial leaders wasn't a bad idea. The rest of them looked drained. Matthew, son of Hypnos, was already asleep. By the looks of it, Taylor and Kyle weren't far behind. The only person who actually looked like she was awake and ready to go was Kym. She was intently focused on a dirty pale girl passed out on a nearby couch. "So why are we all up?" I yawned.

"I was wondering the same thing," growled Kyle. Kyle was a son of Ares, who lived to kill monsters with his bare hands. He was a monster of a guy who led our loose army of rebels to victory countless times. If there was one person that I had grown to respect, it was Kyle. He was probably the most level-headed of his siblings. He listens to reason and doesn't act on impulse like most of us.

"We're here of because of what Jack found," Kym said flatly, simultaneously giving both Kyle and I a chilling glare.

I took another look at the girl passed out on the sofa. She lay motionless, her red hair dangling over the side of the couch. What was so special about her?

"You mean you woke us up for that thing?" Taylor complained. Taylor was a daughter of Venus, who always made an effort to look her best, even if it happened to be right before a battle. Her brown hair was perfectly curled and her clothes were color coordinated and ironed. I wouldn't have been surprised if she told us she slept that way.

Kym rolled her eyes. "You mean you don't know who this is?"

We each answered her with vacant stares.

She took a deep sigh. "Guys, this person right here is a sign from my father. This person is Rachael Dare, the last known Oracle at Camp Half-Blood."

Kyle gave Kym a puzzled look. "Uh…"

Kym sighed. "The Oracle is an ordinary mortal that hosts the spirit of Delphi, the speaker of prophecies. Traditionally before going on quests, demigods would consult the Oracle for guidance." Kym motioned towards Rachael. "Rachael here is the current Oracle."

Kyle apparently took offense. "Well how do you expect us to know that? Not all of us were pampered at Camp Half-Blood like you." It was true. Both Kyle and I had made our way here and had each survived on our own willpower and skill alone. And Taylor had come from a different camp altogether, where a thought like this was foreign to her. As far as I knew, both Matthew and Kym came from Camp Half-Blood.

Kym shook her head. "That's not the point. The point is she is a sign. Something big is going to happen. Coincidences like this don't just happen like this. Not to us." We all nodded in agreement. Coincidences happen to normal humans, not demigods. When things like this happen, it's because of some god is messing around with you, and I had a feeling I knew which one.

"Where did she come from anyway?" I was surprised to hear Matthew's voice enter our conversation. Even Kym looked surprised. He usually slept through these meetings. Despite spending the majority of his time sleeping, Matthew was one of the smartest people I knew. When he didn't spend his time sleeping during these meetings, he was actually very helpful. We all gave him blank stares. "What? I couldn't sleep with all of the yelling so I decided I would pitch in."

"Jack found her outside wandering around in the fog", Kym finally answered.

"She's been missing ever since Camp Half-Blood was destroyed, and all of the sudden she just pops up wandering around here at a time like this? Where was she?"

"She was taken by Gaea", I answered.

"And how do you know that?" questioned Kym.

I remembered Apollo had told me that Gaea had taken his beloved oracle from him and almost said something about that before I recalled he told me to keep our conversation private. Besides, I didn't think that Kym would fancy the idea of her dad going out of his way to talk to me. "It makes sense. How else could she have gotten all the way here?"

Matthew shrugged. "It would explain where she went. She would also be more useful to Gaea alive than dead."

"I guess, but we'll never know for sure. We can't ask her about it", Kym said.

"Why not?" I demanded.

"Jack said he found her collapsed at his feet. I took a look at her and…well, she barely even had a pulse. She was barely breathing and I couldn't get her to talk to me. I think…she might be in a coma."

We all grew silent. "Well that sucks," Kyle said, which pretty much summed it all up. "Not to mention she can't even help us now."

"That's not true," Kym shot back. "Sure, her body may be in a coma, but the spirit of Delphi locked inside her is what spouts the prophecies. So technically–"

"She can still do her job, even in the coma," I finished.

"Really?" Matthew asked.

Kym shrugged. "I don't know for sure, but it's worth a shot."

We all slowly got up and hovered over Rachael, expecting a show to happen at any moment.

"So what do we do?" I asked.

"Well, I've never asked myself, but I've seen it in action before a couple of years ago. It's pretty simple; all you have to do is ask the Oracle a question and she will hopefully respond."

"Hopefully?" I questioned.

"Well, it doesn't always work. The oracle will only respond to those it chooses."

Kym stepped forward and gave it a shot. "Oh, oracle, host of the spirit of Delphi", she awkwardly chanted. I snickered and she shot me a quick look and continued. "What must we do to defeat Gaea?"

We all stood in silence, waiting for the mysterious magic to begin. Nothing happened; no useful prophecies or anything remotely unusual was said. Rachael just lay there motionless, as if ignoring the question all together.

"Well what happens now?" Kyle asked.

"Demigods! I will not come here un-greeted! Come and face me!" A thunderous voice boomed. The monstrous voice rattled the windows, and a couple of screams rang from the lobby. "Come out to play!" It taunted.

A huge crash shook the entire building. Glass shattered and dry wall rained from the ceiling. All five of us ran into the lobby, catching a flash of yellow thunder through the building. When the dust settled, you could tell that it was once a New York City cab. All of its windows were shattered and its tires were flat. The once lively yellow color was faded by the elements. Through the gaping hole in the wall we could make out something enormous looming over our building. "Face me!" the voice once again bellowed.

Kyle drew his sword and rallied the scurrying demigods. "Prepare for battle!" he announced.

-Jack-

I could barely hear their muffled voices from the curtain I was hiding behind. I wasn't able to hear everything they were saying, but I got the gist of their conversation. I thought I heard Kym talk about Rachael being something called an oracle that could predict the future. Pretty neat if you ask me.

"Well, I've never asked myself, but I've seen it in action before a couple of years ago. It's pretty simple; all you have to do is ask the Oracle a question and she will hopefully respond." I heard Kym say. That sounded eerily familiar. I recalled what the red-headed girl hissed: Approach, seeker, and ask.

"Hopefully?"

"Well, it doesn't always work. The oracle will only respond to those it chooses."

I listened as I heard Kym mutter something to the red headed girl, probably asking her a question. I knew it wouldn't work; if what Kym said was true, then that Oracle wouldn't be talking to anyone except me.

A huge crash rocked the building. I could hear the ceiling groan and crackle from the huge blast. Five pairs of sneakers immediately thudded past my hiding place and into the lobby, leaving me alone. Well, not completely alone. I peeked out from the curtain and made sure the coast was clear before leaving. The red headed girl (what was her name? Rachael?) was crashed on the sofa, her eyes closed and breathing very slowly. I hesitated approaching her, remembering her bright shining green eyes and her chilling snake like voice. As if on cue, the girl stirred in her sleep at the presence of my approach. Here it comes, I thought.

She suddenly shot straight up in her seat, as if struck by lightning. The chilling presence that I remembered from our first encounter returned. Her eyes opened, and the eerie green beams shone against the walls in the dim room. Rachael slowly turned her head until she was unmistakably glaring at me. "Approach, seeker, and ask," she recited. A green fog like substance trickled from her mouth, veiling the floor with the stuff. This time, I was prepared; I knew what it was I had to do.

I swallowed down my fear and continued. "What do we do?"

At first, the Oracle remained motionless, as if my question didn't compute. Then, her unearthly snake way of talking rasped:

In the forest three shall dwell,

and raise the sky which has fell.

The restless earth lulled to sleep,

the pieces united from the deep.

A grudge of eons meets an end,

only if one's soul will lend.

-Peyton-

We all gathered outside of the entrance dressed in a weird mish-mash of pajamas and armor to see what all the commotion was about. Outside, a giant spear was jammed into the ground, with a white cloth tied to the top of the shaft. It was a make-shift truce flag. That wasn't what all that commotion was about; with one hand gripping the spear was the humanoid giant Porphyrion himself, looming over our group of assembled demigods. His terrible green dreadlocks laced with spears and bones alike draped over his massive shoulders. He bore a terrible grin, baring teeth that were made for grinding bones.

"Hello, demigods!" The giant boomed. His very voice rattled our armor. "I come in peace to bring words from the Earth Mother!" We all stood still, staring at the face of terror in his milky white eyes, waiting for him to finish. "Gaea offers you peace! Surrender this silly fight and keep your pathetic lives. Or risk feeling her wrath like the others."

I looked around, making eye contact with some of the others. I didn't like the sound of that. We shifted uneasily in our armor, no one sure what to say. "Why offer peace?" a voice questioned. I glanced over to see Kyle step forward, sword drawn, staring down the giant with an intimidating glare of his own.

The giant wrinkled its nose in distaste. "A son of Ares? Yes, I can smell that retched stench. The Earth Mother offers leniency in order to bring this matter to a quick close. The gods are almost finished and you pesky demigods are delaying her plans. Surrender now and you will be spared a terrible fate. If not…" The giant let out a blood curdling laugh to emphasize his point. "If not, you will have the pleasure of meeting another one of my brothers!"

"Big deal!" Kyle shouted. "It isn't the first time we've faced one of your brothers, and we tore him apart!" Our crowd chattered in agreement, nodding and backing Kyle up. I shuddered, remembering the Giant that killed half of our army and pretty much sent the other half to our make-shift infirmary.

Porphyrion gave another one of his laughs. "It is true, but this brother is unlike any other. Maybe some of you have lived long enough to have seen my older brother, but I doubt you will be eager to meet him again. I humbly admit he is more chaotic than I!"

We all shifted around in our armor uneasily, some of us more clear shaken than others. The Giants were already some pretty bad dudes, especially since they couldn't be killed by demigods alone. The king of the Giants, Porphyrion here, was especially tough. He was considered to be the bane of Zeus, the king of the gods. Fighting one of the giants was pretty much considered suicide. Fighting something even worse…how was that even possible?

Kyle noticed the mood of our crowd had shifted drastically so he wisely attempted to boost our morale. "We don't care how powerful your brother is! Together, we will tear him apart!"

Porphyrion gave us a dark grin, bearing his yellowed shovel-sized teeth. "You should be concerned! Your very own pathetic gods ran from him. I may be Zeus's bane but my older brother is the bane of the gods! He is the mighty Typhon!"

A couple of shrieks and gasps traveled though our group. Kym made a choking sound right next to me. Her face grew very pale, and I thought she was going to faint on the spot. Still others looked around, confused and unsure, not knowing what to think. I searched my mind in what little Greek/ Roman mythology I knew. The name Typhon wasn't ringing any bells. Kym's reaction was enough for me to gather that whoever Typhon was, he must've been pretty bad. Porphyrion actually giggled with amusement, reveling in our terror.

Kyle set his jaw, determined not to back down. I was pretty sure he didn't have any idea who Typhon was either, but he was smart enough to gather from our reactions that it couldn't have been good. "You're bluffing."

Porphyrion waved a giant finger. "I bluff-you-not puny demigod. My brother will be here soon, and finish off the rest of you and your weakened gods. My mother has reawakened the storm giant, who has a score to settle with the Olympians. There is no stopping my older brother's wrath…unless of course you choose to surrender."

All at once chaos broke loose. Some sat down on the ground hard, huddling their heads into their knees. Others even took off and ran past Porphyrion and into the woods. I even saw a couple of kids hurling. I thought back to my dream. Give up this pointless rebellion and your lives may be spared. Otherwise, you will be utterly crushed, she had said. I guess this was how she was going to do it. She was offering us an omen: surrender or be completely annihilated.

Kyle took a moment and watched the hysteria, watching his hopes falling around his shoulders.

Porphyrion chuckled. He let out a deep bellow that resounded through the surrounding forest. "I will leave you with this final word. Surrender, or be completely destroyed. That is my mother Gaea's message." He turned his large and milky white reptilian eyes on me. I froze, and tried my best to keep eye contact with the monster. "Just ask Peyton. He knows."

He plucked his giant make-shift truce flag from the ground and sank into the earth, leaving us with a final evil cackle.