Disclaimer-I do not own PJO or HoO. I only own my OC's

Revenge of the Night

Chapter Four

I hurt myself

After the meeting, I wasn't hungry anymore. I felt sick to my stomach. I had just gotten to Camp about two weeks ago, and now, I was leaving again. I was going to die facing my greatest fear- darkness.

Alright, maybe I should do some explaining. I HATE the dark with a capital H-A-T-E. I guess it started when I was I was 9, but even before the incident I didn't like the dark that much. Then I met HER.

I shook my head, trying to get rid of the thoughts. I didn't want to think about her. Ever again. I walked over to the Apollo table at lunch, but I wasn't going to eat anything. As I sat down after sacrificing some of my food to Apollo, (OK, maybe a little more than a little. Like, half my lunch.) I noticed Percy at the Poseidon table, alone. I felt bad for him, but he looked a little paler than usual. He should be used to going on death quests by now. Maybe it had something to do with what Clarisse said about Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus...

I looked down at my plate. All I had was a pastry, some grapes, and a cookie. I examined the cookie carefully, not daring to believe it was chocolate chip. After discovering what kind it was not, I snorted and put it in my pocket for a prank later. Oatmeal raisin. I swear to gods, oatmeal raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the reason I have serious trust issues. I picked at my food for a while, but I still didn't feel great. I was the only one left at my table. I didn't know where everyone else was.

I gave up trying to eat, and walked up the the bronze braziers used for sacrificing food. I dumped the rest of my lunch, except for the cookie, which was still in my pocket. "Apollo." I muttered under my breath, then thought, "I could use some help, you know, so I don't die" I walked over to Percy, who was still at his table. I sat down across from him.

"Why are you here?" he asked me. I shrugged. I knew you weren't supposed to switch tables. But, I wasn't much of a rule follower.

He looked at me, slight worry on his face. "You sure you're alright.?" I nodded, not feeling good. "You don't look so good. Do you need to go to the infirmary?"

"I'm fine." I managed. I really, really, wasn't feeling good, but I didn't want to be stuck in the infirmary after my last visit.

Percy looked at me. "You, me, and Annabeth have to go to the Big House later. I'll find you when we have top go up." I nodded. I could tell my face had turned as white as a ghost. Percy was looking at me worried. "Hey, you sure you're fine? I know a quest is pretty intimidating, but you'll do fine. You're a pretty good fighter." I knew he was trying to make me feel better, but the quest wasn't what was bothering me. It was what I would have to face.

I could feel my face turning whiter, but I just thanked him, gave a small smile, (which looked more like a grimace than a smile, and I'm pretty sure it just made me look worse) and walked over to the lake. I didn't want to face Will the Medic like this. He would get all over me. I mean, he was cool. He was like a brother to me. Wait. I forgot. He is my brother. But when it came to health, he just got on my nerves. Even if I was a daughter of Apollo, I HATED doctors. They were annoying. "Eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day." "No more than 2 hours of screen time" Etc, etc.

I sat down at the edge of the lake, watching the canoes in the water, wishing I could be a normal demigod. Well, as normal as it could get. My thoughts were going a million miles an hour. I sat there for a long time.

"Why do I have to do this?" I muttered under my breath, dipping my fingers into the water. I wasn't talking to anyone. I just had to ask, even if no one could hear me.

"Well, the fates are jerks, that's why." said a voice behind me. I jumped, managing to slip and fall face first into the lake. Luckily, It wasn't deeper than my waist. I stood up, soaked, and turned towards the shore to see Percy Jackson standing on the bank, laughing his head off. I scowled at him and climbed out, trying to splash him. Unfortunately, it didn't work. He just made the water hit me in the face.

I gave up and laid sprawled on the banks. My hair was plastered to my face and my clothes and hat were absolutely soaked. I glared at Percy , who was grinning down at me. I sat up, wringing the water out of my hat.

"Well." I asked. "Can't you use your fishy powers to dry me?"

He scowled at me.

"Fishy powers?" He sighed, pointed his index finger and the water seeped out of my clothes and hair.

"Thanks"

"Anyway, Will told me to look for you."

I groaned. "Of coarse he would. Look, just tell him I'm not feeling good."

Percy raised his eyebrows, then walked away. As he headed towards the archery range, I cursed under my breath. I should have known not to ask Percy to tell Will that I was sick. If he found me...

I shuddered, and got up. My best bet was to go find Chiron I headed over to the Big House. When I went in, I was surprised to find Annabeth and Chiron at the table outside. Surprisingly, Mr. D wasn't there. I wasn't complaining though.

Annabeth turned to me. "Her, take a seat." I sat down. "So, I'm assuming you got my message?"

I frowned. "What message?"

Annabeth frowned to. "I asked Will to get you to come here. We need to talk about the quest."

I literally felt the blood drain out of my face. Chiron and Annabeth saw, and grew concerned.

"Emily." She said, softly. "It's not as bad as you think. I'll explain. Nyx isn't too powerful.." But, somehow I knew she was lying. I could always tell when someone was lying. It was weird, like a little voice in my head that knew if it was true or not. I guess it was an Apollo thing. After all, he was the god of truth. I decided not to tell her that I knew she was lying, or that I wasn't just worried about fighting a goddess.

We sat awkwardly around the table for a few minutes. Then Percy cam running over to us. When he saw me, he just sighed and sat down across from me. I could feel the blood slowly returning to my face. As Annabeth started to recap the prophesy and what we knew, I zoned out. I leaned back on two legs, thinking about what I was going to have to face. Nyx. Night. Goddess of Night, aka darkness. My worst fear was the dark. Great. Why do I have such rotten luck?

"So, do you have a plan?" I was jolted back to relity and fell backwards, hitting my head on the floor. Percy snickered as I got up, rubbing the back of my head where a nice size knot was forming. Annabeth rolled her eyes. "So do you?" I shrugged.

"I don't know. We go to Alaska, free Hemera, and kick some ass." Annabeth sighed.

"You didn't here anything I said, did you?"

"Nope."

"Well, we think it would be a good idea to go to San Fransisco and get reinforcements from Reyna and Frank. Then, we will head to to Alaska. We think that Nyx will most likely be in Anchorage, one of the largest cities. Not Juneau. Too much influence from th Olympians." I nodded as if this all made sense. It didn't. She continued talking about how we couldn't travel at night, (not that I wanted to) and how the Romans expected us in the next week ( I didn't ask what would happen if we didn't get there in time and that we would leave an sunrise tomorrow. I nodded. As Annabeth was talking about how Alaska was dark this time of the year, I paled visibly. Luckily, Percy and Annabeth didn't notice. We ended our conversation and I headed to my cabin to pack, praying that Will wasn't there.

Unfortunately he was. Apparently, Percy had told him everything. Including me not feeling good and hitting my head. I knew because even before I took one step towards my bunk in the back, he pounced on me, attacking with questions about my condition. He insisted for a full examination before dinner, saying, "You have to be in top condition before going on a quest." I eventually shook him of, promised I would go to the infirmary, and finally made it to my bunk. He wanted to make sure I didn't have a concussion, or pneumonia. Or any other health condition.

I grabbed my backpack and put in an extra clothes, my book called "World War Z" and a picture from my photo album. I looked at it sadly. It was a picture of me and Michael last year, on the last day of school. His messy brown hair was all over the place. I looked the same as usual, with my short, choppy hair and baseball cap.

I tossed it aside and made sure my weapons were still on the hooks by my bed. My bow and quiver were enchanted. They could shrink, and the quiver never ran out of arrows. Also, they stuck to my backpack. I could take them off with my touch. Also I couldn't lose them. Or break them. Basically, they were me-free. I sat down on my bunk, re-reading my other book.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

3 hours later

I looked out side. I had been in the cabin for a while. I trudged up to the infirmary, not looking forward to Will's examination. But, I knew If I didn't go, he'd have my hide. I didn't want him mad.

As I got there, I saw Will in the door. I walked in, and he smiled sweetly down at me. I glowered at him. He pointed at the nearest bed and I sat down. Luckily, there wasn't anyone else.

After one hour, Will had decided that I was, "Healthy enough to go on a quest." and I had decided that I had

"Lost an hour of my life that I'll never get back." We headed down to the dining pavilion. Will was watching me carefully, examining my expression. I wondered if he could tell I was nervous. Then he said,

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing."

"I know it's not nothing." He stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "I'm not letting you go to dinner until you tell me what's wrong. I sighed.

"Fine. I'm scared. I don't what to go on this quest, but I have no choice."

"Because you are afraid you'll die?"

"No. Because..." I took a deep breath. I hadn't told anyone about my fear of the dark, not even Michael.

I sat down. Will sat down next to me. I stared into the forest. "I'm... I'm afraid of the dark. But it's more that just a little phobia. Every time I'm in the dark, I freak. I've gotten better at controlling it but..." I trailed off. Will nodded thoughtfully.

"And you're going to Alaska, the darkest state, to meet Nyx, goddess of the Night." I nodded stiffly. I didn't tell him the whole story.

"Look, when you are in the dark, just don't think about it. If you think about something else, You can get you're mind off it." I smiled and thanked him, then headed off to dinner.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sunrise, December 11th

I stood at the top of Half-Blood Hill with Annabeth, Percy,Will, and Chiron. I had my knives strapped to my arms, and my bow and quiver were stuck on my bag. I was wearing the same shirt I'd worn ever since I got here, along with my baseball cap and shorts. I didn't get cold easily. Percy and Annabeth were talking with Chiron. Will was making sure I had all my supplies.

"Ambrosia?"

"Check."
"Nectar?"

"Check."

"Mortal Money?"

"Check."

"Drachmas?"

"Check."

"Just making sure you have everything." I looked at him, and he looked back at me.

"Thanks." I muttered under my breath, looking down. I hadn't had someone who cared about me this much for a long time. He smiled at me, and he hugged me. I smiled back. Then, I joined Percy and Annabeth, blushing slightly. As we were walking down the hill towards Argus in the van, Will shouted down at me,

"Don't forget to eat three meals a day! Remember to give me an Iris message!"

"OK Mom!" I shouted back at him, grinning. Even from were I was, I could see his scowl. I turned, sill smiling, and climbed into the back of the van.

Argus took us into New York City, and dropped us off at a train station. We bought tickets to Chicago, since that's where the line ended. We got on the train. After about half an hour, I was already bored to death. Annabeth was reading some architect book. Percy looked as bored as me. Mostly, I just sat in my seat, eating some food from the snack bar and staring at everything around me. In the space of about 3 hours, I had counted every seat in the car, guessed the ages of every passenger on the train, stared out the window trying to figure out where we were, then I fell asleep from boredom.

When I woke up, it was 7:23. Percy was gone, probably in the bathroom. Annabeth was asleep. I looked towards the doors which were opening. We were somewhere near Detroit. Only a young women got on. She smiled at me, and I smiled back at her, but something set me off.

The lady sat down in the seat next to me, which was weird, since there was no one else except me and Annabeth.

"So," I said, trying to make small talk. "Where you heading?"

The women smiled, then began to change. Her red hair caught on fire, hr skin turned deathly pale. I backed up, standing in front of Annabeth, but the empousa didn't seem interested in her. Her eyes focused on me, and I remembered them from the Greek myths. They liked men. I guess she thought I was a boy.

She grabbed my neck with blinding speed, her talons digging into my skin.

"I would like to suck your blood, foolish boy. My trainer is tacking care of the other one, but I will kill you and feast one your blood." My eyes widened when she mentioned Percy. I hoped he was alright. Then the demon's voice changed to a softer, sweeter tone. She was obviously trying to enchant me. I decided to play along.

"Now, now." she said. "You are such a handsome young man." I made put on a mask of dreaminess. The empousa grinned. "All, I want is one kiss, just one kiss." I raised my hand to her face, making it look like I just wanted to stroke her cheek. I saw her face turn victorious. Then I flicked my wrist, my knife magically appeared in my hand and I cut her throat. She dissolved into golden dust. I turned, and saw Annabeth awake, looking at me in awe. Then the train exploded in a, FLA-BOOM! Water exploded all around me, blasting me up into the air, then I slipped unconscious.

When I woke up, we were in a forest clearing, which looked strangely familiar somehow. It was dark out, but the stars were shinning brightly and a fire was blazing. I was sitting up against a tree. My right shoulder was throbbing in pain. Annabeth and Percy were kneeling over me, concern on their faces. I smiled up at them.

"Hi." They sighed in relief. Percy explained that when he came out of the bathroom, and empousa had ambushed him. In the fight, he had accidentally made the water pipes blow up. They were only blown to the edge of the forest unhurt, but since I was lighter, I was blasted 30 feet in the air.

They looked for me in the forest and had found me in this clearing, unconscious. Apparently I had dislocated my shoulder and broken my shoulder blade. They gave me ambrosia and nectar, but it would take another day or so for it to heal fully, so they decided to set up camp. Some how I still had my backpack, and Annabeth had found my hat in a tree and grabbed it for me, knowing how important it was.

We sat there for a while. My shoulder wasn't hurting so bad any more, so I climbed up a tree using my good arm, despite Percy's arguments against it. I was a natural at climbing.

I sat on a branch, about 5 feet up, with my back to the trunk and my legs stretched out on the branch.

We sat in silence for a while. I volunteered to take first watch. I wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon.

Percy and Annabeth laid down, but I could see that they weren't making an effort to fall asleep. I think they were worried about me. I was so.. so distant from them.

I leaned up against the thick trunk, my arm cradled in my lap. I didn't show it, but my shoulder was killing me after that climb. looked up into the sky, thinking about what life decisions of mine lead me to this. Then I remembered. It wasn't my fault. Somehow, knowing that there were immortal beings that you could blame for the bad things in your life. I

I was thinking about all this when a voice behind me said, "Sup, daughter." I swear, I jumped about a foot in the air. Then I fell out of the tree. Landing on my bad shoulder. From five feet in the air. Lets just say, it hurt like Hades.

Lights danced in my eyes. I felt sick with pain. Annabeth and Percy were bending over me, concern and panic on their faces. I managed to squeak, "Ow." I sat up. Looking at the figure who was sitting on the branch that I had just fallen off of.

"Opps." The guy said. He looked about 19, with blond hair and bright blue eyes, like mine, with a deep tan. He should have been wearing a sign that said Teeth may blind. Beware! Annabeth and Percy looked startled.

"Apollo?!" They cried in unison. I blinked.

"Dad?" I said, uncertainly. The guy, uh god, jumped down from his tree. He raised his hand in a 'wait a moment' gesture.

"Hold on. I feel a haiku coming on." Annabeth and Percy groaned, but Apollo ignored them.

"I come to the forest,

Emmy falls out of the tree,

I'm an awesome dad."

He looked at us expectantly. Annabeth and Percy just groaned, but I just said,

"Emmy?" Apollo walked over to me, and knelt down to me, and touched my shoulder. I winced in pain. "Ow. That hurts." Apollo just looked sheepish.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to make you fall out of the tree. Here." He closed his eyes in concentration. Then, my shoulder felt better. I rotated it. It was fine. Amazed, I looked up at him.

"Uh, thanks." He stood up and smiled at us. The ADHD part of me thought, "Does he ever stop smiling?" But most of my brain was focused.

"Um, hey." Percy said uncomfortably. "What brings you here, Lord Apollo?"

Apollo smiled bigger. "Ah, drop the formalities. We're all friends here."

"Um, OK. But why are you here?" Apollo smile grew, which I didn't think was possible, as he looked at me.

"Why, to talk to my girl, of coarse!" Percy and Annabeth turned to me. I gulped.

"Uh, hi." I waved slightly. He gestured for me to follow him. I got up, and followed him, careful not to trip and fall.

After we got about 20 feet away, he stopped and turned to me. By that point, I was starting to hyperventilate. I t was getting a little dark for my taste. I took Will's advise and focused on the fact that my dad was actually here. That calmed me down a little.

"Sooo," I said, looking everywhere but at Apollo. Somehow his smile hadn't wavered the whole time. Did his face hurt yet?

"Well, I just wanted to give you some advise." He looked me up and down. I realized that my clothes were messed up, and I had leaves in my hair. "I don't have long, so I have to make this quick. I know that you are frightened for what comes ahead. Just remember, who are my daughter. You have strength in your voice. Use it." He smiled at me broadly." I gave a small smile back.

I had renewed strength