Okay and no judgie! I am horrible at making up prophecies, so just bear with me! Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own this, although I have concocted a plan that involves three purple dinosaurs, a hot air balloon, one ice cream sundae, and the president, to get the rights to Percy Jackson.

-Calypso C.

We stopped outside a cave in the forest. The entrance was decorated with purple drapes, and tiki torches, while on the inside I could also hear music blaring. I gulped.

"Go on Ella, you'll be fine." Tanner urged me. When I didn't move he gave me a little push. I shot him a glare.

"Don't you start that again, fin face," I growled menacingly. He raised his hands in defeat and said, "Sorry for trying to help! Just GO!"

Rolling my eyes (and then not feeling quite so brave) I pulled back the curtain and stepped inside.

The inside was not at all what I expected, even though I wasn't sure what I expected, it was not this. Dance Dance Revolution stood to my right, and a few other arcade games were pushed up against the walls. Comfy sofas and chairs crowed the cave, and the floor was covered in rugs. Pillows were carelessly placed on the furniture and on one of the few tables had a purple lava lamp on it. A few other lights cast a faint glow on the room, and I saw a red-haired woman in her early twenties sitting on one of the high backed chairs.

"Hello." She said cheerfully. "I guess you're Ella? I'm Rachel."

I froze then mumbled something like, "Well, yeah, I'm Ella. Nice to, er, meet you. "

"Well, sit down! And tell Tanner to get away from the entrance, he can't hear the prophecy, not unless you tell of course." The curly-haired women asked.

"Tanner, get away from those curtains! Now!" I yelled. I heard the scuffling of feet as he backed away. Then I turned the oracle. "How did you know he was there?"

"I'm the oracle." She waved her eyebrows mysteriously. I looked at her in disbelief.

"Okay fine, it's something Percy would do, I mean; I've known him for a long time. And Tanner, whether he likes it or not, it a fair amount like Percy." She admitted.

I nodded my head in agreement. "I guess you heard about Annabeth and Percy getting married?"

"Of course! I am so excited for them!" Rachel gushed. "But back to business. Just ask me the question, and we'll get started."

I paused then said, "What is my quest?"

Green smoke tumbled out of her mouth and I bit back a scream. It started to sweep across the floor and up into the air. Then a whispery voice rang out,

Across the globe three shall seek,

The seven atuxia's they are to meet,

One for each mass of land,

And they will give a helping hand,

To getting back man's last hope,

And you will have to cope,

With all the dangers of the past,

And beware because each breath you take may be your last.

What the heck are atuxias? And man's LAST hope and each breath I take may be my last? Well, that doesn't sound too good. Are all prophecies this…deadly? I knew I shouldn't have done this! I'm going to get people killed! Why, oh, why did I accept? I'm going to let everybody down. I'm going to fail.

The green smoke stopped, and Rachel opened her eyes and yawned, "Was it too bad?"

"But…you just said it!" I informed her.

"Well yes…but no. That was the oracle. I have absolutely no idea what I just predicted. So I hope you can remember it."

I laughed nervously. "I don't think that's going to be the problem."

Rachel just looked at me curiously and waved me out. "Bye!"

As I stepped outside the cave the bright sunlight glared in my eyes. I looked around for Tanner.

"Are you okay…you look pale." Tanner told me.

"Well, the prophecy…" And then, I collapsed. Only for a few seconds. I guess from the prophecy. But by that time Tanner was already trying to pick me up. I say trying because I was laying on the ground, and I almost his size.

"Tanner, I'm fine, I just fainted for a few seconds—" I protested (although really, I didn't mind too much).

"Ella, you are NOT fine. Just relax." Tanner said. So, he finally he did get into a position where he could pick me up, and he did.

Okay, I'll admit it, I was pretty tired and worn out and really didn't feel like I could walk back to the big house. At some point I put my head on his shoulder, and gazed at the trees. Then suddenly I was asleep.

"Ella, you have to wake up now," Someone softly whispered.

"Let me try, ELL—"

"Shut your mouth Theo! You don't need to scream, she's waking up."

I opened my eyes and saw Annabeth's and Theo's faces looking down at me. I groaned. For two reasons, one I was still in Tanner's arms and therefore Theo would take that as an opportunity to tease us, and two because of the prophecy.

Tanner gently set me down on my feet and I gave him a look that begged 'please don't let me go in there!'

He didn't listen. Just gave a small smile.

Yeah, thanks Tanner.

I took a deep breath and headed towards the Rec room. I sat down and everyone else followed. Tanner sat on my right, while Theo sat on my left. Thalia entered (and I still didn't know who she was) and sat down across from me.

"Lady Artemis and the Hunters will need me back soon. I'm leaving as soon as the moon rises." Thalia informed us.

Oh, I guess I knew. She was one of Artemis's Hunters. I had heard about them.

Then Chiron spoke, "Ella, what did the prophecy say?"

I gazed hesitantly around the room. I closed my eyes and started chanting it.

"Across the globe three shall seek,

The seven atuxia's they are to meet,"

"Are you sure that's a thing and you just didn't hear it wrong? 'Atuxia' doesn't sound like a real word." Travis Stoll cut in.

I looked at him irritably and said, "That's what Rachel said! I don't what it is…but that's what she said."

"The atuxia's are what were released from Pandora's Pithos. There are seven; Death, illness, greed, revenge, hubris, famine and drought, and hate." Chiron said.

I frowned. "That's eight."

"Oh, but famine and drought are one."

I rolled my eyes and continued.

"One for each mass of land,

And they will give a helping hand,

To getting back man's last hope,

And you will have to cope,

With all the dangers of the past."

I broke off there. I really didn't want to say the rest. I mean, who in their right minds would want to come? Knowing that I was putting them in danger? I grimaced. I had no idea what to do, and I think I couldn't do this. But, I had too.

"Uh, well, that's about it!" I said much too cheerily.

Chiron gave me a searching look. "Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Alright then, I think the quest is pretty clear. Ella and two others will have to find a relic of each atuxia, one on each continent. That is the only way to get hope back into Pandora's Pithos. And without hope…well, people won't start feeling hopelessness until exactly on the winter solstice. The darkest day of the year." Chiron said.

"Wait a minute," Percy cut in, "How did this god or demigod get Pandora's Jar in the first place? Hestia has it!"

Chiron shook his head sadly. "I do not know. But Ella, if you don't have hope back in the Pithos by the winter solstice, then everyone, everywhere will lose hope. Nobody will have the will to go on; the human race will be destroyed."

Wonderful.

"And you will need two companions." Chiron reminded me.

"Tanner and Theo." I said without thinking. "I mean, if they want to come."

"Are you kidding me? Of course I want to come! You'll need some laughter to keep your spirits up." Theo said.

So true.

"Come on Ella, you didn't think we would leave you all alone did you? Besides, I have barely been in the outside world. I could use the training." Tanner said.

I grinned. Maybe the quest wouldn't fail. Not with my two friends alongside me.


Sorry for the really short chapter, but I kind of got writers block and didn't really know how to continue. And please, forgive me for the terrible prophecy. And hey, guess what? I JUST realized this (really, like two seconds ago) if you take away three letters from propehcy, you can make the name Percy! Cool, huh?