Percy Jackson and the Hourglass of Time

The Prophecy

Just as we reached the Big House, Chiron came out with Juniper and Rachel who was nodding every few minutes. Juniper was in tears and her eyes were tinged with green from the chlorophyll.

"I j…just heard the news about G…Grover…" Juniper stuttered, in between hiccoughs.

"I'm sorry, Juniper. I'm sure he's fine. He's a determined satyr. At least once he gets over his nervousness."

"Please make sure to get him back for me. Promise?" Juniper grasped my hands. Annabeth looked absolutely furious and threw her demeaning look. She dropped them immediately. Thalia tried not to smirk.

"Y…yeah, sure." I muttered. Annabeth was still fuming next to me. Rachel came up with a grin - Annabeth tried to smile but it looked like some sort of forced grimace. "Off you go for another quest again. I pity you, Percy. Even as the Oracle, I have more free time than you." She shook her head in a sarcastic way. "I suppose you will need a prophecy?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

She shook her head again. "Let's go in. Not in front of all these people." She motioned at the campers who were hanging around, curious. Chiron shooed them away with a wave of his hand. We went into the Big House. I glanced around. Thank god Dionysus was not here. "We'll be waiting out on the porch." Chiron gestured for Annabeth and Thalia to follow and they closed the door silently.

"Well, shoot me a question." Rachel said, impatient.

"Okay, okay. How can I find Grover Underwood?"

She doubled over and her eyes started to glow with an intense serpent green light. Her voice sounded tripled as she spoke:

The lost one will be found

But seen with yet another one

Time will again hinder

Only one can stop it from going further

Four shall leave but six will come back

To perish or stay will be their last act

Rachel stumbled backwards as she finished her prophecy. Her eyes stopped glowing but she could never be used to the sensation. I tried to absorb everything as fast as I could. Right on cue, Chiron entered the room again, with Annabeth on Thalia following him closely behind. She looked at me skeptically. "Well? How did it go, Seaweed Brain? Don't just stand there like the idiot you are."

I recited the prophecy, stumbling on a few words now and then (Annabeth kept on rolling her eyes whenever I did and Thalia could not help herself but snicker).

After I had finished reciting the prophecy, I tried to think them over in my head. Somehow, it all seemed so serious when all I was going to do was go save Grover. Especially that last line. What was it again? Oh yes. I think it was: To perish or stay will be their last act.

And was what that thing about time? Annabeth was giving me meaningful looks, muttering and mouthing the words. I could literally hear the gears of her brain go into overdrive. Thalia was trying not to look too worried but you could tell she was.

"So pick three campers, Percy. Who will you go with? Though I think two spots have already been called for. What about the last?" asked Chiron. He was smiling at Annabeth and Thalia. Annabeth blushed while Thalia looked determined.

I grinned uneasily. He was right. I was obviously going to choose Annabeth. I mean she has been with me for all my quests already. Probably except the one where we had to go save Artemis. It would just seem weird without her. Like a piece of my jigsaw puzzle was missing. Thalia was like my best friend. And even if I did not choose her, she'd probably go anyway.

"Well, um… What about Nico?" I said. Chiron nodded.

"Well, I think you three better go pack now. Percy, please go and inform Nico about the quest so he can prepare as well. Meet me here at dawn tomorrow."Chiron said, breaking my train of thoughts. We thanked Rachel and made our way to the cabins.

Annabeth was very quiet as we walked toward the cabins. I supposed she was just thinking about the prophecy. Thalia was talking to me about the quest and she sounded incredibly excited, though dangerous as it is.

"It's been a long time since I last went on a quest with you guys. It's been what, three years?"

"I suppose so… We haven't seen you since the war with Kronos. How are the hunters?"

"Pretty good but you know, with all the gods so busy, Artemis has a hard time getting away."

"Hey Percy, I think I'll go back to my cabin first. You know, to pack up?" Annabeth suddenly spoke up.

"Oh… um… sure." I said, completely confused. She looked at me and then turned away, walking swiftly towards the female side cabins. Clueless as I was, I could not get why Annabeth was behaving that way and I did not even bother to find out. I did not know that tomorrow morning; I would live to regret that.