It took it while for this to sink in but when it finally did Chiron told us the only way to save them was to go on a quest ourselves to save them.
Liam was all for it but I, being the eldest, decided to think about. "Why are you so parental?" He almost screamed at me once we got in our cabin that night.
"I don't want anything to happen to us, mostly you!"
He rolled his eyes. "Oh please, you're just terrified for yourself. Why cant you just let me go? Ill be fine."
I shiver ran down my spine at this thought. "No, no, no, no, no! I forbid it! I don't want you ever to go on this quest alone." He shrank back at my outburst. I huffed in frustration. "Just let me think on it."
With that I fell onto my bed and pulled the covers over my head however I didn't fall asleep for a long time.
When I did, however, I had a dream. I was watching two figures sitting in a small jail cell. They were cramped close together and both of their legs were chained about two feet from the wall.
With a shock I realized the figures were Annabeth and Percy. "Percy," Annabeth almost whispered.
"I know, I know," he said. "You're scared. I am to."
She sighed and shivered. Percy scooted himself closer to her to warm her up. Suddenly footsteps sounded from down the hall and a college age boy arrived out of the shadows.
"Hello, Percy, Annabeth," he said smiling. He wore Greek armor minus the helmet. No his head remained bare except for his black hair and eye patch.
Percy hissed at him. "Ethan," he said sneering.
"It didn't take long for us to capture you. I did except this. You camp kids are so easy to capture." Ethan said pacing in front of the cell.
"Why do you want to capture two young innocent half-bloods? They didn't even do anything to you?" Annabeth asked amazed.
Ethan just rolled his eyes and laughed at them. "They aren't innocent. They're as powerful as your special little boyfriend over there. They're the key to getting my lord Kronos awake again. They are important. And now that you've been kidnapped they'll be full of remorse and guilt that they'll come to save you and my plan will be complete. You two think on that. Oh, I remember what I was supposed to come down here for. Here."
With that he threw them a piece of bread. Luckily Annabeth was able to grab it and she cut it in half. As they slowly chewed the small piece of bread the image zoomed out. Finally I found where they were. They were inside an abandoned old school right outside of Washington D.C. That's where we can go and save them.
I shot up in bed and hit my head against the top of my bed. "Hey," I heard Liam mumble at the noise.
"Get up," I demanded, "I know where we have to go. Come on."
Grabbing my shoes I slammed them on my feet and sprinted out the door Liam hot on my tail. We reached the Big House to find Chiron standing on the porch. I didn't stop to wonder why he was awake but I told him about my dream. He nodded and when I was finished he sighed. "Well, I think we all know what we need to do."
I nodded. Liam looked confused. "So are we gonna do it? Are we gonna go?" He demanded.
I didn't know how to answer. "You can go think it over a little longer," Chiron suggested.
I thanked him and retreated to the sword arena. Like before I found Arithmetic fighting an invisible foe. I watched amazed at her sword movements. They were so crisp and precise it was almost impossible to know exactly what she would do until she did it. When she was sure her foe had fallen she went over to the side bench and removed her helmet. "Hey Coda," she said when she saw me, "Why so down?" I knew my face couldnt hide my mood so I didnt try to hide it. So I told her everything. As I did I dont think she even blinked, she just stared at me with such intension I was almost glad when I ended my story.
"What do you think we should do?" I asked her.
"Why ask me? Ive never had a stepbrother before?" She sounded bitter but I ignored it. "I think you should go find them. Prove yourself." I stared at her.
"What?" I asked bewildered.
"Oh please Coda. We all know he hates you. If you save him, hell be in your debt, especially if you save Annabeth. I tell yah, if he was given the choice to let Annabeth go and it meant he'd die he'd greatly consider it."
"Okay, okay," I cried. "Ill go only if you go with me."
She stared at me. "What! I haven't even been claimed!"
"I don't care. You're my friend and I want you to go." She bit her lip, thinking.
Finally she smiled and hugged me. "Of course I will." I hugged her back. Suddenly we felt a new set of hands rap around us.
"I really hope this means were going," Liam said, "If it doesn't, I'll be really mad." We all laughed and hugged each other tighter.
The next day Liam, Arithmetic and I piled into the camp van and let Argus drive us to the Northern border of the Virginia, a few miles away from our destination. On the way there we tried to come up with a plan.
We decided that since Arithmetic was the best swordsmen she would cause a distraction while Liam and I snuck down to the dungeons to save them. We realized we'd be in the suburbs of Alexandria so we couldn't call a cab so we decided to take a bus.
Once we had boarded it I realized we would have at least an hour till we reached our stop so I decided to get some sleep. Curling up against the window I prayed I wouldn't have any more dreams. Of course I was wrong.
I found myself in a huge cavern. A door stood on one side of the room and another door at the other. A throne sat on one side of the room, the sarcophagus was right in front of it.
In the throne sat Ethan who was sneering down at two huddled figures who were kneeling on the floor both of their hands tied behind their backs. It took me less than a second to recognize Percy and Annabeth.
"Those siblings of yours sure are taking a while, Percy." Ethan said smiling at him.
"Half siblings," Percy sneered back, "And if that's all you're waiting for you should just let Annabeth go, she serves no purpose here."
Ethan rolled his eyes. "Yah right. I'll just let her go and let her bring back reinforcements and shut me down." Percy growled at him.
Annabeth turned her face back to Ethan. "Ethan," she said, "Why are you doing this? If it went so bad with Luke why are you trying?" Ethan's face turned hard.
"Like I would give up my body for this purpose; no Annabeth Chase, I would never do anything so idiotic and stupid." I could see Annabeth flinch a little at him calling Luke an idiot. "No, Ill be his servant like last time, only I will lead, not be led. Ill probably just use Percy for it." Annabeth gasped and shifted closer to Percy who looked like he was trying to hold back fear.
Suddenly I saw something. Annabeth had gotten her arms back by Percy's and started to unknot his ropes as he did the same to her. When their arms were free, however, they didn't move them. They wanted Ethan to think they were still tied up.
"Ethan please. Don't do this."
Ethan sighed. "Like I'd ever listen to you, no I'd rather run my own business." As he said this he crossed his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.
As he did Percy yelled,"Separate." Right on cue he and Annabeth sprinted to the separate doors. They almost made it but Ethan was too fast. He snapped his fingers and two fighters in armor ran out and grabbed both of them.
They held them and brought them closer to Ethan, who was smiling. "If you want to be separated so badly maybe I should help out. Dolt go put Percy back in the dungeon, Keith keep Ms. Chase here, I think we should show her some of our punishments." Percy's eyes widened in fear. "Percy it'll be fine." Annabeth told him.
However he still fought against Dolts hold on him. I blacked out for a second but when I could see again I found Percy sitting in his cell alone, crying.