Chapter 7

I Lead an Unplanned Assault by Myself

The monsters kept coming. Every row we pulverized was reformed by the monsters in the back. Hell hounds jumped over the fences and attacked some hunters. I stabbed the hell hound just before its teeth dug in to one of the hunters' body.

I had to find Chiron and take this quest. This ring must be returned or more demigods and hunters will die. I turned around to disintegrate some more monsters, but all of a sudden, one of the arrow towers crumbled down, landing on a camper and a hellhound.

"Ares, attack!" Clarisse barked orders.

The other campers followed. Cabin by cabin, they used their specialty to prevent the monsters from coming in.

"James!" I called to the group of Apollo archers.

"Percy! Wait just a second." He grabbed an arrow from his quiver and placed it on his bow. He pulled back and let go. The arrow made a Ptzzzz sound as it made its way all the way to the back line of the monsters.

"Bomb arrows? Since when did you guys have that?" I asked.

"Two weeks ago, now what were you going to say?

"Get some of the archers and go up five floors and open the windows. You will have a great view from there." I commanded.

"'Kay, and Percy, Chiron wants to talk to you up on Olympus," then, a line of dracanaes piled in through the opening of the defense wall. "I gotta go,"

I hurried into the building and pressed the elevator button. I got in and went up five-hundred and ninety-nine floors. As soon as the elevator opened its doors I saw the infirmary beds and the Apollo medics running around. I couldn't see the marble floors of Olympus.

I looked around and spotted Chiron and Annabeth talking under a tree that was tall as two Chirons.

I ran over to Chiron and Annabeth. It seemed Annabeth had been in the battle too long because she was sweating and her face was really red. She and I could really use some sleep.

"Ah, Percy, there you are. I have been notified from Grover that you need a quest. This is what I have planned for you." Chiron said, "You and Annabeth will travel to the JFK airport and meet up with Will Solace and his other quest mates. You will begin your journey there. Ride on Blackjack and Porkpie and fly as fast as possible. It is already dangerous in the sky because of the harpies, but try your best to pass them without being noticed."

"Don't we need to consult the Oracle?" I wondered.

"Follow me," Annabeth said.

Annabeth and I walked into the throne room of the gods. Some of the gods were talking in their giant form. I noticed Zeus, Poseidon, and Hestia weren't among them.

"So, where's Rachel?" I asked Annabeth.

"You'll see," she answered as she tossed a drachma into Hestia's fire pit.

We waited until the flame flickered and two fire balls blasted out of the flame. The two fire balls morphed into human forms. One was tall as me, and one was tall as an eight year old.

"Lady Hestia," Annabeth bowed and I did the same.

"Rise heroes," Hestia commanded.

"Hi guys," Rachel said.

Rachel looked exactly same as last time.

"Rachel, I came to consult the Oracle," I told her.

"Alright, what other reason would you come for?" she asked herself.

Suddenly, Rachel's eyes started to glow and she said in her three Rachel voice,

"You will travel north and find the last of the Titans

Even though a friend's mind will darken

Uncover the secret of your ancestor

Return the jewel and retrieve the monster,"

Rachel seemed as she would collapse, but she shook her head and stood up straight.

"You don't faint anymore?" Annabeth asked.

"Well yes, but this time I was lucky," Rachel answered.

"Beware, Percy Jackson. You do not know what is set for you…"Hestia warned inside my mind and disappeared into the flames.

"Aren't you going in with her?" I asked, thinking about what Hestia had said.

"Nah, I'm going to stay out here. Good luck on your quest!" Rachel replied.

When we were far away from the throne room Annabeth sighed deeply. "I was afraid this might happen."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Don't you see Percy? The same thing is happening over again. Everything that we faced together is happening."

"You mean everything since I was accused the lightning thief?"

"Yes, the prophecy clearly said that a friend's mind will darken."

"That's Luke all over again," I said surprisingly.

"But the problem is that we don't know whose mind will darken," Annabeth worried.

"Don't worry about it too much," I told her.

It was getting dark now. Usually Chiron doesn't send quests at night, but this was an emergency. The enemy was falling back now, so we got the campers and hunters inside the building and let them crash on some beds.

Annabeth and I were packing our bags when I was notified that Laura was missing.

"Percy, I looked everywhere, but I can't find any trace of her," Thalia said.

"I'm positive Kronos is trying to get Laura on his side because she's a child of one of the Big Three," I guessed.

That night, an hour before I start my quest, I went outside on the battle field to check on something. Bows, spears, and swords lay on the ground. Suddenly, I felt something very hot in my back pocket of my jeans. I quickly took it out and dropped it on the ground. The hot object was the ring. The ring started to glow and I suddenly teleported to United Nations. I could tell it was United Nations because of the different flags hanging around.

"Answer me, where are the half-bloods traveling too?" a creepy deep voice asked.

I turned around and noticed a brown haired girl with cuts and bruises in chains.

"I don't know any of this. Let me go now!" she screamed, and then I noticed the girl in chains was Laura, but I couldn't see who the creepy dude that was talking to her was.

"Don't worry young half-blood, Lord Kronos has something special for you," the creepy dude said.

I was teleported back to the battle field instantly. Now I knew where Laura was. I needed to go and rescue her. Could I do this in an hour? I doubted myself, but I had to try.

I whistled for Blackjack and he came swooping down in front of me.

Wassup boss? The horse said in my mind.

"I need you to drop me off at United Nations," I said.

Don't you have to go on a quest or something later?

"Yeah, don't worry,"

I picked up the ring (thank the gods the ring wasn't burning) and got on Blackjack's back. I told him the directions and he started to fly. Blackjack got me there in minutes, but I couldn't land on the ground. There were too many guards. I had to sneak past them somehow. Then, a light bulb went off in my head.

Blackjack hovered in mid air when I got attention from the monsters and snapped.

"You do not see me as a demigod, you see me as a hellhound," I said out loud.

I was thankful to Thalia for teaching me this. You see this was the Mist. You snap and you get to manipulate the target or targets the way you want them.

I hopped off my pegasus and walked inside. I was half hoping that the monsters inside were affected by the Mist, but unfortunately they weren't. I hid behind walls and walked silently. I was about to make a run to the storage room until I saw… the Lord of Time in his full body.

"He is here in this building. Search him now!" Kronos shouted to his group of telkehines.

I didn't have time to deal with these guys. I needed to find Laura and get out of here. I think the next thing I did was the stupidest thing I've ever done in my entire life.

"Kronos!" I called, uncapping Riptide.

"Perseus Jackson, how wonderful of you to show up," Kronos said.

"Let go of my sister," I commanded, bravely. Also, that was the first time ever I called Laura my sister.

"I'm afraid that's not possible young demigod," the Lord of Time told me.

"Why? Are you afraid that we might beat you together?" I taunted.

"You're lucky that I'm not going to blast you into pieces," Kronos said, "Get the prisoner out here."

The two empousai that were guarding a doorway unlocked the door and pulled out Laura.

"Percy!" she shouted as soon as she saw me.

"Laura, I'll get you out of here," I promised, but the promise was filled with doubt.

The emousai freed her and she ran towards me. Her clothes were all torn and dirty.

"Take my hand. On the count of three we make a run for outside. Blackjack should be there." I whispered, "One… two… three!"

Laura and I made a run for it. I slashed monsters out of the way and they turned to monster dust. Once or twice, I felt the time slowing down, but it wasn't that affective and I guessed Kronos doesn't have his full power yet.

"Blackjack!" I called into the night sky.
Get on quickly!
My pegasus urged.

We got at least five foot in the air when a giant grabbed onto Blackjack's leg.

Boss! We're going down! Blackjack screamed, but when I thought this was the end, a silver arrow pierced the giant's stomach and Blackjack flew higher.

I watched as the hunters took positions behind some cars and fire their arrows. I saw Artemis commanding the hunters on what to do. Volleys of silver arrows flew across the night sky and disintegrated monsters, but I had no time to stare at the battle, I needed to go to Olympus right away.

"Percy, I'm following you on the quest," Laura said.

"You need to get Chiron's approval. We're meeting up with Will Solace later in the quest, so I'm not sure." I told her.

Blackjack landed us right in front of the camp van. (Don't ask me how the van survived, but not the camp) Thank the gods for letting me arrive in time.

"Where were you Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth asked as I got off Blackjack.

"I'll explain later," I said.

Laura and Chiron had a little talk and Laura was approved on the quest. The three of us got into the van. Argus, the hundred eyed security pressed the gas pedal and we sped away to the north.