Chapter 8: Save Her
Ten Years Later...
Percy dueled with a rogue camper. He delivered a blow so powerful to the opponent that he stumbled. In the camper's opening, Percy stabbed the camper in the arm. The camper cried out in pain. Percy kicked the opponent in the face, knocking him to the ground unconscious.
Percy looked around him. Leo had his sleeves completely burned off and his robotic arm clutched an unconscious armored enemy in the air. Hazel stood triumphantly over her opponent with a sword buried in his bloody hand and deep into the sand. Nico simply stared at Percy. Right next to him, skeleton arms grabbed some enemy campers by their legs and into the ground until they were above their neckline. Annabeth and Thalia had each others' backs with enemies on the ground around them.
Percy and the others regrouped.
Percy asked, "Is that all of them?"
Leo raised his eyebrow. He whirled around and threw the camper in his metal hand. It barely missed a tall man in a black business suit.
The businessman had pitch black hair and ghostly skin. He was as skinny as a rake and six feet tall. He had a wicked smile on his face.
"Setne," Annabeth growled.
"Who?" Nico, Thalia, and Leo all said.
"Demonic sorcerer." Percy gritted his teeth while saying.
"Hey, guys!" Setne said happily, "Whassup?"
Hazel pulled out her sword, "I don't know who you think you are, but get lost!"
"Uh, guys?" Nico said.
Percy turned to Nico. He disintegrated into dust! Percy was horrified.
Percy hissed, "What'd you do, Setne?"
Setne chuckled, "Not what I did..."
Nico appeared by Setne's side. His eyes gleamed red.
"What you did."
...
Ten years ago...
Percy waited with Chiron at the campfire. Two young Apollo campers brought Clarisse la Rue with a dirty bag over her head. They lifted it off her head. Her eyes burned with fury. She spat at Percy.
Percy calmly asked Clarisse, "Who told you I was gonna kill Silena?"
Clarisse snapped, "What's it to you?"
"Clarisse, please." Percy said, "If we don't bring her back, she'll help give rise to a greater threat."
"Kronos?" Clarisse hissed sarcastically. "Please. In the dream, he told me everything I needed to-"
She stopped herself, "Crap."
"Dream?' Percy asked himself. The moment he said dream, an image of a god flashed through his head. The god was...
"Morpheus."
"Morpheus?" Nico asked, "As in for The Matrix?
"Nico, pay attention," said Annabeth.
"Morpheus," Chiron explained, "God of dreams, bringer of illusions, the master of lies."
"The Matrix." Nico nodded.
"Get over that movie, Nico," Annabeth stated.
"Annabeth," Chiron gestured calmly. He slowly turned to Clarisse, "Morpheus is a deceiver, Clarisse. Help us find him. Help us save Silena."
Clarisse groaned under her breath. She nodded furiously.
