Reading The Unrelenting Frozen Seas

by BonesBoy15

The first chapter in the story of Andromeda Potter has ended, but the readers are not satisfied. Their host, the mysterious Seer, brings to them a new story for them to enjoy. Watch as Percy and the gang, as well as the Olympians, read about his sister Rhode and her trials.

10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.

Reading The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey

Second Summer: I Am Offered a Quest

---

"I'll read again," Percy said. Nico shrugged and handed it over.

As vibrant sea green eyes fluttered open, a groan escaped her lips as she was dragged forcefully from Morpheus' clutches. Sitting up on her bed, the sheets pooled around her waist as they were displaced from her chest. Scanning her surroundings, as per routine, bleary eyes and crusted drool on her chin, Rhode yawned, stretching, and groaning in relief as she felt her back pop in several places. Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, Rhode allowed them to dangle in the air for a few moments before pushing herself off and hopping onto the floor; dusting herself off and wiping her drool off her face.

"Have fun cleaning your kids' faces, Annabeth," Thalia said with a smirk.

Annabeth's eye twitched while she and Percy blushed. IF only Thalia hadn't sworn off boys...the retorts she had to be made!

It had been a few days since she arrived from Hogwarts, and so far it had been pretty good; there weren't any senile old goats or greasy grumpy bats so that was easily two points in Camp Half-Blood's favor.

She turned her head to look at the bed, and then at the others neatly arranged in a row at the center of the cabin. "Man, I could honestly use this space for something else."

"Like, oh, I don't know, a younger brother?" Annabeth said a bit hopefully while the reader smirked. The sooner he got to camp, the sooner he met Rhode and Annabeth. Not to mention got away from Gabe.

Heck, maybe his mom wouldn't have been kidnapped.

She muttered to herself, going to her drawer to put on her camp clothes. She grabbed Thalia's jacket and wrapped it around her waist, it was too hot to really wear it. Pocketing her beanie, she was set for the day. Her eyes caught a glimpse of green and blue on her dresser. Smiling, she slipped on the Nalu beads leather bracelet she made in Arts and Crafts on her left wrist. There, now she was ready for the day.

Aphrodite pouted. "And she could be so pretty, too..."

"I don't want to hear this," Poseidon said dryly.

Rhode scratched the back of her head, saying, "I could chop this one in half." She said, making a camera motion with her fingers, framing the image of the bunk bed before 'zooming' in until it was a single, "Give me a single bed." She crossed her arms, cupping her chin with one hand, "Maybe Lee has a shrinking spell, that would let me put the rest of these in a shoebox or something. Not like anyone else is going to use them."

Percy pouted. "Rhode's mean."

"She doesn't know yet, Percy." Annabeth consoled her boyfriend.

"But, much like Poseidon, doesn't think of the future possibilities or consequences of his actions," Zeus said. He smirked at the god of the sea. "Isn't that right, wall builder?"

Plus, if she did so she wouldn't have to worry about banging her head in the future, she had grown two more inches over the school year and now stood at five foot four inches.

Rhode's stomach interrupted her redecorating ideas. Patting it, she said, "Yeah yeah, food. Yeesh."

"The perfect clock," Frank said with a pat of his now toned stomach. He hummed thoughtfully. "Never thought I'd miss the hollow pat sound..."

Turning on the balls of her feet, she headed out of the cabin, as she exited she saw the bustling campers. Some heading for activities, others heading to the pavilion for breakfast, like herself.

Snagging a plate of pancakes, she walked to the hearth for her offering, "Poseidon." She said, tossing the top steaming pancake that had been lathered in butter and raspberry syrup into the fire. "Enjoy, dad."

"Yum, pancakes..." Poseidon grinned.

"If you're wondering why there's all you can eat pancakes, it's because Uncle P loves them so much," Hermes said informatively.

Poseidon sheepishly chuckled. "Yes I do...Probably my favorite food."

She smiled, moving back to her table as the next person gave their offering.

Sitting down, Rhode stabbed the stack of pancakes with a fork and chowed down. Savoring each bite made by those amazing nymphs, Rhode inwardly mused about what she was doing today.

Oh, duh!

Her first archery lesson with Chiron!

Apollo pulled out a bugle and began to play 'Taps' slowly while Artemis ducked her head.

Poseidon glared at his niece and nephew, so he and his kids couldn't shoot, so what!?

Taking another hot bite, Rhode thought over how she had never used a bow before. Sure, she, Thalia, and Luke had found celestial bronze arrows, but they never really got their hands on a bow before. They often just stored them just because of the celestial bronze strapped to them.

She herself was eager to see how well she did out on the range.

"Well if she's anything like Percy, we're going to need helmets and armor all around," Nico said.

"Ha. Ha. Funny. Very funny."

Rhode turned to see Annabeth at table six, her face buried in a wide array of multi-coloured papers spread over her table in front of her like charts or something, muttering to herself and halfheartedly eating a bowl of Lucky Charms. An amused laugh came out of Rhode's lips at the sight as she finished her food and headed off to the Archery field with Cabin Seven.

"At the breakfast table? Really?" Demeter asked in annoyance.

"She does get it from her mother," Poseidon said with a smirk.

Rhode felt excited as Chiron helped her into the proper stance. She was holding a standard dark brown short bow, as a quiver hung from her back. Her right hand sank into the leather grip as she spread her legs out. Reaching back with her left hand, she pulled an arrow out of the quiver, notching it onto the string.

"Now, draw it back," Chiron instructed as Rhode did as told. She screwed her left eye shut as she breathed in. She was in the zone, she had this. It was going to be easy.

"Famous last words," Apollo said with a snort.

She lined up the shot, then, she breathed out, letting the arrow fly.

Rhode's smile widened until it faltered, "Eh?" she blinked as the arrow missed the center…and the target altogether.

In fact, it hit a tree…no, it ricocheted off a tree and was flying right back!

Rhode dropped to the ground with a shout, covering her head.

A squelch was heard, which was soon followed by a thud.

Silence filled the area.

"…Centaur down, centaur down!" Chiron cried out from the ground. The arrow had hit him…right in his rump.

The room burst into laughter while Poseidon and Percy brooded.

"You can't shoot to save your life," Zeus said with a smirk.

"Percy managed to make a shot through Geryon!"

"With Hera's help," Hades rebuffed.

Poseidon brooded even more. "To the pit with both of you."

"Oh sweet gods," Rhode stammered as she scrambled next to him in a panic, "Chiron, I-I am so sorry, I didn't- I mean-!" She was at a loss of words at how bad she screwed up.

"I-It's fine." Chiron grunted out, forcing a smile despite his manly tears, "It is not the first time this has happened and it will most likely not be the last. Besides, it is only excruciatingly painful."

"As long as it's only excruciatingly painful, heaven forbid it was unbearably painful," Dionysus said with a smirk.

He supplied as some kids from Cabin Seven came by with a stretcher and loaded Chiron on. He turned to Atlanta, "My dear, continue the lesson. I will return when I can." With his instructions given, they hustled him to the infirmary at the Big House.

"And he never came back," Ares said with a snicker.

Feeling the eyes of everyone on her, Rhode turned around with a sheepish look on her face, "Well, that was a thing." She said, waving the bow.

Everyone took a step back, as if she was armed with a tactical nuke.

Seeing this, the daughter of Poseidon gained an annoyed look, "Oh, come on, I haven't even got it notched!"

That just made everyone take three more steps back.

"Smart kids," Athena said.

"Oh you guys suck!" Rhode cried out, throwing the bow to the ground. And, in an act of vengeance, the bow bounced off the ground and hit Rhode square in the forehead.

"Ow!"

"She'll never be able to make a shot," Artemis said with a sigh. "Shame too, she could've been a decent hunter."

Poseidon scowled. There goes the near guarantee of a maiden daughter.

With her hands stuffed in her pockets, Rhode walked through the camp with hunched shoulders as some campers snickered at her as she passed by. Her beanie was pulled down, covering the red spot on her forehead.

Stupid bow, stupid archery.

"Hey!" The archery twins frowned.

Sending them her best uber death glare, Rhode headed over to Cabin Six to check up on Annabeth. Maybe they could hang out since everyone else was being a snickering jerk!

She was right near Cabin Five (dancing around the minefield of course) when she happened upon a strange sight.

"Fergus." She greeted the tank-like son of Ares, who had gotten even taller over the summer. Like, five ten now or something.

"Oh," the Scottish-born son of war blinked, "Lass," he soon grinned like a fool, "How's it going?"

"Yeah, fine, but," Rhode pointed next to him, "Your horses, they're on fire." She said with some worry. She did love her ponies after all.

"Rhode's little ponies, Rhode's little ponies..." Apollo chuckled.

"Oh," Fergus chuckled, no worry on his face, "They're my dad's. The whole thing's his war chariot."

The chariot was red and gold, and had pictures of people dying painful deaths adorning it. Definitely something fit for a war god like Ares. It had four fire-breathing horses with manes of fire and coats of the darkest black she'd ever seen ready to trample anything in their path as it pulled the death machine.

"The War Machine," Apollo said a bob of his head.

Ares grinned. "Damn straight!"

"So, why it is here?" Rhode asked, getting closer and poking the image of a guy getting impaled. Very detailed, even his face was twisted in anguish.

"Well," Fergus grinned that devil may cry smile of his, leaning on the rim of the chariot, "See, my dad's got a test for his sons. When they turn fifteen, like I have today, they get to drive his war chariot from dawn till dusk. Kinda like a rite of passage and whatnot." He shrugged, "Then I got to bring it back to his temple, the Intrepid."

"That's a bit sexist." The daughter of the sea frowned.

"Have you met Ares?"

"No." Rhode shook her head.

"Well, I have, once. He's awesome." Fergus grinned, then paused, frowning, "But he's also kinda a douche."

Ares scowled. "Fucking brat."

"He's not wrong," Hermes snickered.

He then smiled wildly, "Basically he's an awesome douche."

Ares pursed his lips before he grinned. "Okay, I take it back. He's not that much of a brat."

"…Okay." Rhode said slowly and then tried talking to the fiery horses.

Not the best idea.

The daughter of Poseidon staggered back, her mouth ajar, "What did you just call me?!" she snapped at one of the lead horses.

Poseidon glared at Ares while he laughed.

"Serves her right."

It nickered right back, getting the rest to buck and whine.

"Oh, oh you want to play it that way, huh?" Rhode scowled at them, "Watch it buddy, or I'll douse you and that puny flaming mane you got going on."

The horse snorted out some flames, whining at her.

"I don't care if you're Ares' lovechild gone wrong! I will turn you into glue, dad's sacred animal or not." Rhode said, getting right in its face. She was not taking no flak from a horse.

"I don't like them," Percy said with a scowl.

"Good, cuz I don't like you," Ares said with a smirk.

Fergus just looked between them, "Uh, lass, you okay?"

"Be sure to crack the whip on this one hard, Fergus, and pray we don't meet again." She spat near its hoof, getting it to foam at the mouth at her.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go." Fergus said, not wanting to see a fight. Well, normally he would, but he wanted to ride this chariot. Hitting a button, the horses melted into the chariot, which changed into a classic looking red and black mustang with flames designs…with Caucasian human skin looking leather seats.

"Seriously? Human skin?" Aphrodite blanched, even she had limits to Ares' tendencies.

"What? C'mon, babe, its my thing!" Ares frowned.

"It's disgusting."

"It's awesome!"

"As a fellow ride lover, I would normally side with you, Ares...but human skin seats? Talk about getting stuck to the leather on a hot day," Apollo said with a shiver.

The room turned green at that while Ares rolled his eyes.

"Sweet." Fergus gushed and hit the horn, getting a Road Runner honk, "Okay, official most epic ride, in the history of ever."

"Not true! The chick magnet is hotter than that!"

"Yeah, right."

The son of war pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. He turned to Rhode and hollered out a, "See ya later! Whoo!" As he peeled out of the cabins area and drove right through the barrier and ran over a goose, splattering it into gore.

Rhode rolled her eyes, typical Fergus. She walked across the center of the open area between the cabins, and saw Gaige walking around with what looked like a new kid. He was around Rhode's height, if a bit taller. He was of African American descent with short black hair, wide shoulders and hands fit for a basketball player.

"Beckendorf as a rookie?" Percy was in awe.

He quickly continued to read.

Curious, Rhode walked up to them, "Gaige, hey!" she waved, getting the older girl to grin at her.

"Rhode! How's it going?" She asked, nudging Rhode's shoulder.

"Good," the daughter of the sea nodded, looking at her company, "New kid?" she asked, the guy had that new kid look, awed by everything around the camp.

Gaige nodded, her pigtails bouncing, "Oh yeah, my newest minio-er, sibling." She quickly corrected, "Charles Beckendorf, eleven years old."

"It's twelve and, um, just Beckendorf." The boy said in a reserved tone, holding out his large palm to Rhode. The daughter of Poseidon returned the gesture.

"Or as I like to call him, Chucky." Gaige grinned, ruffling the kid's head.

'Chucky' scowled at her, making Gaige's grin widened, "Please don't call me that."

"Why couldn't we call him that?" Percy asked.

"Because he was Beckendorf...he was a giant?" Annabeth said.

"Right, right..."

"Ha!" the daughter of the smith barked out, "I'm head counselor of our cabin, Chucky. I give all our sibs nicknames. Like Ratchet, Bit, and Turbo," Gaige counted off thoughtfully with her fingers, "Bolt, Vice, you know, just all kinds of names." She grinned, hands on her hips, looking quite pleased with her nicknaming talent.

Charles leaned towards Rhode, "Is she always like this?" he whispered.

Rhode snorted. Gaige, well, the best way to explain her was just saying she had a lot of screws loose, "You get used to it."

"That's not helpful." The newest son of the smith muttered with a knitted brow.

Rhode just gave his shoulder a sympathetic pat.

"Wait, is that insinuating something?" Leo asked with a frown.

Jason and Piper felt their eyes widened. "It all makes sense..."

"What?"

"Nothing Leo."

"What!?"

"Come Chucky, I gotta show you the forges." Gaige said, getting a twinkle to shine in Charles' eyes.

"Sure." The boy said, quickly following after Gaige.

"Bye, Rhode!" Gaige waved as she went on to tell Charles about how he could make his own hammer of epic doom.

Shaking her head, Rhode finally reached the Athena Cabin. It was a blue and gold building with an owl carved over the doorway with plain white curtains hanging in the windows. Walking up the steps, Rhode rapped her knuckles against the door.

"And then a bunch of owls swarmed her and began to drop their loads onto her," Ares said with a cackle.

Poseidon glared at Athena while she smirked.

A moment later, Nils opened the door, giving off that small knowing smile, "Ah, Rhode. Greetings." He inclined his head kindly.

"Sup, Nils." Rhode said, hands in her pockets, "How was college?"

Nils' smile was glowing, "Wonderful."

See, Nils was wicked smart, like, even more so than even an average child of Athena. He graduated high school at age twelve, and had been going to college ever since.

"...He's my new hero," Annabeth said with wide eyes.

From what Annabeth told her, he was going to MIT and already had a Masters Degree under his belt, and was nearly done with his second one.

"That's cool," Rhode nodded with a smile, "So, um-"

"Here to check on Annabeth I take it?"

Rhode flushed, "That obvious?" she asked with an awkward smile, hating to be read so easily.

"For this instance, yes." Nils nodded, "Would you like to see her?" he said, shifting his body as if to invite her in.

Rhode gave him a weary look, "Your mom's not going to death beam me if I do, right?"

"She better not," Poseidon said with a glare to his rival.

Athena and Poseidon had some (very stupid in Rhode's opinion) rivalry between them. It was over olives and horses, pretty dumb. So, most of the Athena kids were brief with her. Especially some new kid named James, who was a major tool or as Fergus enjoyed calling him, a total douche nugget. Only Annabeth and Nils himself were cool with Rhode.

"I'm pretty sure she won't." Nils assured gently.

"Fine, but if she does, I am so haunting you." Rhode pointed at him accusingly, giving a mock glare.

"Haunt Athena, that would make my day," Poseidon said with a smirk.

Athena scowled at him. "I'd punish her spirit!"

"Oh, how? Make her into another monster that would hate your children?"

"Burn!" Ares cackled despite Athena's glare.

"I'll prepare myself." Nils nodded good-naturedly and let her in.

The inside of the cabin had a workshop and a library, with bunk beds pushed up against the wall, as if sleeping didn't matter very much. The library was filled with thousands of books and old scrolls, as well as tables and chairs for Athena's children to study and read. The workshop was also filled with tables and workbenches, with cupboards filled with materials to build things.

"We actually need your help with something," Nils said, getting a surprised look from Rhode that made him chuckle, "Just because we're children of the wisdom goddess, doesn't make us all knowing, Rhode." He said in a humbled tone.

"Don't admit it to her!" Athena hissed while Poseidon smirked at her.

It was reasons like that, that made Nils one of the most respected kids in camp. Seriously, if you had a problem, just ask Nils. He was always there willing to lend a hand, give out some advice, and just in general, be a very good person. And he was also one of the best swordsmen in camp. The guy could flow like water with a blade.

"Quite the compliment from one of mine," Poseidon said with a smirk.

"Oh go chew on some fish sticks," Athena huffed.

"With what?" Rhode asked as they went to Annabeth's bunk.

"This." The young adult gestured with his hand towards Annabeth.

The young girl was sitting cross-legged in her bunk, eyes locked onto the object in her hands.

A Game Boy Advance with a crystal blue game cartridge in it.

Nils sighed, "She's been playing that thing for the past few months now. She still trains, though lacking somewhat, but when she has any free time, she goes right back to it. Maybe you can talk some sense into her to tone down the gameplay.

All eyes went to Annabeth, who shrunk under their gaze. "I don't have a problem...anymore..."

"Uh-huh...well, there goes game night," Percy said to Leo.

"Bah, it'll still happen."

The device is Cabin property so I could confiscate it, but… Well, I don't want to hurt her feelings. But I'm going to have to do it if she keeps this up." He said and turned his head to Rhode, "If you do, I can help you with your math problem." He offered with an amused smile.

Rhode grimaced. She had gotten her grades back from Chiron the day after she arrived at camp. Lee ended up with B's, Su with A's, and herself?

Well, the daughter of the sea did pretty average in most of her subjects, straight C+'s, but American History and Math, she bombed badly, D-'s. Still, for a girl three years out of school, it was good Chiron had said. She just needed to study more.

Why didn't he ask her to just pull her teeth out? It'd be less painful.

"There is so much truth in that sentence," Percy said with a nod.

"I hear that!" Leo said with a grin.

"I'll think on that offer." The daughter of the sea said in a dry retort. Nils nodded and left her with Annabeth. Sitting on the bunk, she tapped her shoulder, "Hey Bethy."

"Hey Rhode." The young blonde said absentmindedly, but jumped, swirling around, "Rhode?! When did you get here?"

Resting her elbows on her knees and cupping her cheeks, Rhode said, "About two minutes ago." Her eyes swimming with mirth.

"I didn't even notice." Annabeth mumbled with a knitted brow. Wow, Rhode was really good at stealth.

"Or someone's addicted..."

"Shut up, Piper."

"So," Rhode started off, looking at all the colorful charts pinned around Annabeth's bunk, "What's all this you got going on?"

Annabeth's smile was blinding, her grey eyes glittering with excitement, "Pokémon!"

"...Of course," The demigods nodded sagely, save for a confused Hazel.

"Wait, what's Pokémon?" she asked.

"...Frank, fix that," Jason said.

"Right away!"

"Eh?" Rhode said, making a curious sound, "So how good are you at it?"

Annabeth's chest puffed up, "I'm so good, I made Paul from Apollo cabin cry." She bragged.

"Well, I guess a kid would if he lost that badl-"

"Paul's fourteen."

Apollo winced. "Ooo...that's a blow."

The young blonde informed her, getting Rhode to blink, stunned by the declaration.

"Um, well, okay." Rhode said, a bit confused that a fourteen year old would cry over a videogame. "So what brought this on?" she asked, taking a piece of paper, reading some sort of stat sheet. "Huh, you're really into this."

"Sammy showed it to me a while back," she said, talking about one of her sisters around her age, "And of course I would be!" Annabeth affirmed, "It's a rock, paper, scissor strategy game!" she exclaimed with childish excitement, "The number of things you can do is amazing! The well thought out detail put into the game is great! Plus," a dark flash went across her face, "I have to beat her."

"What's this?" Aphrodite asked, a grin on her face.

"Who?"

"Tammy." Annabeth said darkly with narrowed eyes, as if speaking of some kind of arch nemesis.

Rhode pointed at her, "Isn't that a girl from Cabin Ten?" she said in remembrance.

"Yes!" Annabeth threw her hands in the air, "Her dad, he got her a GameShark. She leveled one hundred all her Pokémon, who are all Legendaries, completely forgoing her starter! And each one of them knows Hyper Beam. She's been beating all the trainers in camp! No skill, no well thought out strategy, just ugly brute force, it's a disgrace! It's just so cheap, like her perfume!"

"Oh, so Annabeth has a little rival in camp?" Aphrodite inquired with a smile.

Athena rolled her eyes. "Figures, your children have no tact or strategy...it's insulting."

"Oh, you're just jealous because I'm fairer than you."

"I know you didn't just say that."

"Ladies!" Hestia interjected before the two could get started once again. "Can we listen to the story, please?!"

the daughter of Athena stated the 'atrocities' of the daughter of Aphrodite.

Trainers? What on Earth is she talking about? Rhode cocked her head to the left, "Sounds like big trouble."

Annabeth nodded furiously, her blonde curls bouncing, "It is! She's been so smug about it." She clenched her little fists, "I'm going to whoop her butt so badly, she'll go crying to daddy." She said with utmost seriousness, well, as serious as an eight year old could sound.

"Now that is adorable," Thalia said with a smile.

"Thalia..." Annabeth whined.

"Shh, quiet Annie. I'm watching cuteness blossom."

Rhode gently rested her hand on Annabeth's shoulder, "Maybe you should take a small break." She suggested.

Annabeth looked flabbergasted, "But, at the rate I'm going, my schedule says I'll have my perfect counter team in two weeks! Then I can put Tammy in the ground!" she puffed up, grabbing a colorful chart, "See!" she waved it in front of Rhode's face.

Taking the paper from Annabeth, she gave it a brief look before looking at Annabeth seriously, "Bethy, I get it. Games are fun." Rhode herself never got to play that many, only having had the chance to do so those times she and Thalia managed to get some arcade tokens or some quarters to spare. "But you've got to train too." She stressed with utmost importance.

"B-But I have to be the best! I gotta catch them all, it's in the theme song!" the young blonde argued as if it was some holy truth.

"For in the almighty hymn of Poké, it is written, so it shall be!" Apollo said grandiosely.

"Amen," the demigods chorused with bows of their heads, save for a still slightly confused Hazel.

"Have you been training like we promised?" Rhode asked her, getting a surprised blink from Annabeth, "I thought we had a deal?"

"I-I have." Annabeth mustered out. At Rhode's raised eyebrow, the daughter of Athena averted her eyes, "Maybe not as much as I should." She admitted while fiddling with her thumbs.

"Shame on you! Shame!"

"Shut up, McLean!"

Rhode dropped the paper in her hand and wrapped an arm around Annabeth's shoulder, pulling her into her side, "I know you want to have fun, and you can, but you need to tone it down somewhat. Moderation, sound like a plan?" she asked the young girl.

Annabeth thought on it for a moment and wrapped her arms around Rhode's waist, giving her a tight hug, "A plan worthy of Athena." She affirmed.

"This sounds like some cheesy after school special," Apollo said with a snicker.

Rhode gave her a wink, "Hey, I'm going to javelin practice. Want to join in?"

"Yeah!" the blonde agreed instantly, "Let's go!" she said, hopping to her feet and was practically at the door already, "Come on!" she rushed.

"Alright, alright." Rhode laughed and got to her feet, walking towards her at a far more sedate pace. Passing the threshold of the door, they headed to the range.

"How was archery? You were really excited about it." Annabeth innocently asked with ever curious eyes.

Rhode shifted her eyes away, unable to meet her friend's gaze, "Er…"

"Or a sitcom," Apollo amended with a laugh.

It was around mid-June now and it was finally Friday, time for Capture the Flag.

Rhode had gone to Diagon Alley a few days earlier with Lee and met the money manager that the son of Hermes' mum had set up. He had helped Rhode set up an account in the States that she could use to get spending money. She had at least three thousand dollars in the bank now. That was more money than she'd ever had when she was on the streets and she honestly didn't know how to spend it all. Her magical money was doing pretty good too.

"That's impressive for a girl her age," Hades said. "Then again, if she were materialistic, it'd probably be gone by now."

"Used with purpose, you mean," Aphrodite said with a titter.

"...Sure, let's go with that," Hades said dryly.

It was odd to think of her trip to Diagon just before a CTF match, but in Rhode's mind at least the two things were similar. Both gave her the chance to move her body after sitting down for so long. Sure she exercised and trained, but those were in more controlled environments and were a far cry from being in the outside world or during CTF. Rhode found both those things exhilarating.

So it was with a great deal of excitement that she waited for the match to begin. The match was set up as, as usual, Ares versus Athena.

Ares whooped while Athena rolled her eyes.

Rhode had ended up with the unlucky draw of creek defense, even if it was where she was strongest. At least she had some backup in the trees with bows and arrows. Stupid bows, they were so picky.

"Or maybe it's her fault," Apollo said, a bit annoyed at his weapon being dissed.

Artemis had to agree with her twin on that one.

Nils had left with a small team to get the flag. Currently, Rhode was wishing he would hurry the heck up!

With a cry, Rhode lashed out with her right hand, sending a blast of water from the creek to hit Luke, who was holding onto the Athena flag.

The son of Hermes dodged left and right as Rhode kept him and some of his siblings at bay.

"Locomotor Mortis!" Rhode exclaimed as she slashed with her wand, hitting one of Luke's sisters with the leg-locking curse, making her face kiss the ground.

"Splat." Hermes snickered. Sure, it got his daughter, but it was funny.

"Magic is so cheap."

"I know right?!" Thalia huffed irritably.

Luke complained as he held up his hide coated shield, utterly disregarding the small pinging noises as arrows fired from members of the Apollo cabin in the trees.

Rhode was thankful, they were the best kind of backup she could ask for right now.

"It's not that cheap," The daughter of Poseidon countered as she felt something bump into her. She gave the Hermes kids a grin. "We win."

"What? But you don't have the flag!" Lee exclaimed with a frown.

"Yeah I do. Right, Bethy?" Rhode nudged her hip to the left, getting a childish giggle.

Annabeth's head appeared out of nowhere, just a floating giggling head,

"Before the hat..." Annabeth smirked. "I love my hat."

"Oh yeah!" she said and let a cloth slip off her like liquid silk, holding up the red team's flag, a silvery cloak pooling around her ankles that made it look like she had no feet. "Being invisible rocks!" The blonde smiled.

"Not that thing!" Lee palmed his face as Chiron blew the conch horn, signaling the end of the match.

Rhode and Annabeth gave each other a double high-five as the young daughter of Athena was scooped up and cheered on for winning the match.

Rhode laughed at the scene and picked up the silvery cloak lying innocently on the ground. It was the object that Dumbledore had given her for Christmas. An invisibility cloak. After having a child of Hecate check it out, it turned out to have a tracker on it.

"Well, gee, I wonder how that got there?" Poseidon asked sarcastically.

So in exchange for examining it and the powerful magic it was imbued with, he and his siblings had taken it off for her. Rhode let them since they helped her out for free by checking it in the first place and she soon got it back anyways. She had to say, it was a great tool, not really her style, but great for when stealth was needed.

She looked from the cloak to Annabeth, who had a laurel on her head that kept tilting since it was a tad big for her. Luke walked up next to her, a pout on his face. Rhode rolled her eyes and punched his arm lightly, "Come on, stop pouting."

"I was so close." The blond boy said, but still, he was smiling, "Look at her, not a care in the world." He said softly with a smile as they watched their young friend laughing.

The group that knew Luke smiled softly.

"She's lucky," Rhode told him, "She didn't have to survive as long as we had to out there. She still has enough innocence to be a kid." Her voice was soft, a gentle touch to it.

"A cute kid."

"Thalia!"

"Face facts, Annie. You're adorable."

Luke stuck his hands in his pockets, "I know." He agreed. They both watched Annabeth get tossed in the air with cheers.

It was a good sight, but it also reminded them of what they had lost over the years.

"We missed you, Thalia!"

Thalia smirked and shoved the girl lovely. "Shut up, Annie."

It was an early morning on June twenty-first, the summer solstice.

Rhode was actually a bit nervous right now. Chiron had called her up to the Big House right after breakfast.

Now, the daughter of Poseidon was pretty sure she didn't do something. This time. Maybe.

Opening the screen door, Rhode poked her head in, "Yo, Chiron, you here?" she asked, looking around.

"In the Rec-Room, Rhode." Chiron's voice called over as she walked in.

"Okay, I just want to say now, I didn't do it, that I was framed, and I demand my lawyer…"

"Smart kid," Hermes said with a nod. "Deny, deny, deny."

"Owning up means less problems..."

"Didn't work for you, did it ancestor of Octavian?" Hermes asked.

Apollo pouted while Zeus scowled at the reminder.

she trailed off at seeing a man sitting at the Ping-Pong table with Chiron. Huh, that's right, since it was the solstice, Mr. D wasn't around. He was up on Olympus with the other Olympians for the summer solstice meeting.

Rhode had an odd feeling that she was one of the topics being discussed at said meeting.

Anyway, back to the man sitting with Chiron. He was dressed in a sleek black suit and tie, hiding a lean and muscular body, like he was dressed for a funeral. But it was his face that was the real eye catcher. It was regal and beautiful in a way that only a god could be. He had honey gold eyes with shoulder length black hair that gave off the feeling that they were shadows but which, somehow, still complimented his teakwood colored skin.

"Thanatos," Hazel said with a frown.

When his eyes cut to hers, Rhode felt defensive, like he was looking into her soul or something.

"So, who's our guest?" the daughter of Poseidon asked Chiron as she walked up the table, taking a cautious seat before the god.

"I am Thanatos." The god introduced himself.

"Lazy good for nothing..." Hades grumbled.

The god of death, Rhode thought, a frown on her face, "That's good. I have a complaint to file." She said, getting a bewildered look from Chiron. "So there's this guy, Voldefart or whatever.

"I'll have to remember that one," Apollo said with a snicker.

He was supposed to be dead, but he's kind of not. What's up with that?" She bluntly asked. It sounded like someone dropped the ball there.

"Chiron, I must say today's heroes are…straightforward." The god of death smoothly said, his face unmoving.

Chiron gave an awkward smile, "Well, Rhode is a very straightforward girl."

"Runs in the family," Hades said dryly as he glanced at his brother.

Poseidon gave him a lopsided smile. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"I see." Thanatos laced his fingers together on the table, "In regards of Voldemort as he called himself, that is why I am here. Sometimes there are cracks in the system." He began to explain, "Tom Marvolo Riddle exploited one such crack. He made use of an ugly magic known as a Horcrux, the ability to break his soul and tie pieces of it to physical objects. These objects serve as anchors that prevent him from moving on to the afterlife as he rightfully should."

"Oh?" Rhode said, propping an elbow on the table, leaning her cheek in her palm, "Like what?"

"Like this." Thanatos said as he stood up, and before Rhode could even act, he held a long digit on her lightning bolt scar.

"Oh, this is going to be good," Hades said with a light smirk. He loved when Thanatos actually did something worthwhile. It was so entertaining.

It was as if a white hot knife was sawing into her brain, Rhode gripped the Ping-Pong table with a startled howl of unworldly pain.

Thanatos' fingers sank into her head as if it was Silly Putty, digging around. Rhode's eyes looked upward in horror, sweat rolling down her face from the pain, her mind questioning what was going on as he slowly pulled out. His index finger and thumb holding a wriggling black worm that was giving small shrieks.

"...And I've been scarred for life. Anyone else?" Leo asked. Hands went up except for Nico and Hazel's.

"We've seen worse," Nico said in their defense.

As soon as he was fully out of her head, Rhode's face slumped to the table, sea green eyes wide and unnerved. And slightly mentally scarred, perhaps even literally.

"Huh," Thanatos said, looking at Rhode, "Most people would have passed out from that." He said as an off handed compliment, "But that is good, now we can talk."

Chiron on the other hand was looking over Rhode, who was shaky and pale. She brushed his hands off, saying she was fine. She used her hands to lift up her body, glaring heatedly at the god.

But he didn't even blink at her glare. "Now, this, is a Horcrux." He explained,

"No, that's a worm," Apollo said, pointing at the black thing on the screen.

"A soul slither, to be precise," Hades said.

"Oh, I like that. Can I use that?"

"Like you would respect my answer," Hades scoffed.

Apollo held his chest. "Hurtful, uncle. Hurtful."

"Normally, Voldemort tied them to inanimate objects, but you were a special case."

"Go figure." Rhode muttered, the shaking finally subsiding as she tried to get her heart rate back to normal.

"When he attempted to kill you, your mother's sacrificial spell saved you, forcing his killing curse to rebound back at him." The death god explained smoothly. So Dumbledore's drivel had a lick of truth huh? Amazing. "In that state, a fraction of his soul latched onto the nearest object. You." Thanatos said and crushed the worm, killing it, black goo splattering the table.

"...I'm never playing ping pong in there again," Dionysus said dryly.

"Lord Thanatos." Chiron said, a sour note in his voice, "I would appreciate it if you did not get souls of the damned all over my Ping-Pong table." He tersely informed the god.

"Ah," the god said. He waved his hand and the black goo was gone. He laced his fingers once more and addressed Rhode, "He currently has five more scattered about the United Kingdom. Thus, I propose a quest for you."

"A quest from Thanatos? Yeesh." Nico grimaced. "That's going to be a pain in the keister."

Rhode narrowed her eyes at the god, "I don't really get a choice here, do I?"

"No." the god bluntly said, getting Rhode to click her tongue in irritation. She hated being told what to do.

Even if it was a god telling her what to do.

"I despise that about you and your ilk," Zeus said dryly to his brother.

Poseidon smirked. "Mother thinks it's charming."

"Leave her out of this!"

"Why?" Rhode asked rudely, "Last I checked, cleaning up the dead was your job." She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed in a show of defiance.

Thanatos gave a solid blink, the only sign of his mild shock. It wasn't often for a god, even a minor one like himself, to be turned down when offering a quest to a demigod. Rhode didn't look like she was going to back down though, she was looking right into his eyes, so he would need to try a different approach.

It was then, from his back, sprung dark wings glimmering in shades of blue, black, and purple. He reached back and plucked a dark toned feather, kneading it in his palm.

He opened his hand, showing a cellphone that was labeled BlackBerry.

"She did show an impressive about of backbone," Hades said. He glowered at his nephew. "And used some manners."

"A BlackBerry Seven-Two-Ten." Thanatos said, "You will be receiving this for your quest."

"Uh, last I checked, cellphones were plastic flares that tell monsters: Here I am, eat me." Rhode stated, knowing that technology was a real kick to the pants for half-bloods.

"This is a godly cellphone, it is not subjected to mortal limitations. Therefore, it does not flare your location when in use." The death god sniffed at her, "With this, you will be able to track the Horcruxes." He held it out to her.

Rhode stared at it for a moment and reached out, grabbing it, weighing it in her hand, "So I'll have to give it back to you once this is all over?"

"No," Thanatos shook his head, "It is yours to keep."

"Generous," Hades said dryly while Poseidon grinned.

"My other will so take advantage of that," he said.

"He better not, the rules-!"

"Say we can't raise them. Nothing about not chatting with them," Poseidon said with a smirk.

"So, a bribe?" the green eyed girl asked as she gave a low whistle. "You play some hard ball, Mr. Death God."

"Essentially, yes. Is it working?"

Rhode cradled the phone in her fingers, this...this was a powerful thing. With phones out of reach for half-bloods with the dangers it brings, something like this was priceless for any demigod.

The daughter of the sea looked at the god of death critically, "That depends, this thing got Dig Dug?" she held it up.

"Yes." Thanatos nodded.

"Well, I guess I can do some sort of quest for you." She said with a casual shrug, trying to play it cool. But mainly, she'd already made up her mind the moment the phone was offered. This phone was possibly the most powerful item she'd ever run across due to its sheer usefulness. If she let it slip through her fingers, she'd be the most stupid half-blood in history.

"That honor belongs to Percy," Thalia said with a smirk.

"Who asked you, porcupine-head?"

"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron spoke up, who was quiet throughout the exchange of words. "Go upstairs, Rhode, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."

"That's real encouraging, Chiron."

"It's all about being optimistic," Apollo said.

Rhode told him dryly, but still pushed out of her chair, pocketing her new cellphone.

The centaur just gave her an apologetic smile.

Four flights up, the stairs ended under a green trapdoor.

She pulled the cord. The door swung down, and a wooden ladder clattered into place.

The warm air from above smelled like mildew and rotting wood and something else ... a smell that reminded Rhode of some of the bigger monsters she had fought. Reptiles. The smell of snakes.

Apollo grimaced.

Rhode held her breath and ascended.

The attic was filled with Greek hero stuff: armor stands covered in cobwebs; once-bright shields pitted with rust; old leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying ITHAKA, CIRCE'S ISLE, and LAND OF THE AMAZONS. One long table was stacked with glass jars filled with pickled things—severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, and various other parts of monsters. A dusty mounted trophy on the wall looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.

"Ah, that was fun," Apollo said with a grin.

"We got off really lucky with Woodstock," Demeter said with a frown.

Apollo's grin didn't die. "It was still fun though."

Hermes, who had magically changed his clothes into those of a stereotypical hippie, raise his left hand in a peace sign. "Amen, bro. Amen."

"Stupid hippies," Ares said with a scowl.

By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy. Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk.

Hades sneered at the mummy and then glowered at his sunny nephew. Stupid prophecies.

Apollo suddenly got the feeling he should avoid California for a bit.

She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time.

Rhode clenched her fists, standing firm before it. In the next second, the mummy sat up on her stool and opened her mouth.

"...Why is there a mummy?" Jason asked.

"This is before Rachel," Percy said. He grimaced. "I had to touch it...twice."

Jason, Leo and Piper shuddered.

A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes. Suddenly, a voice rang out in her mind slithering into one ear and coiling around her brain: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.

"I'm so awesome," Apollo said with a grin.

"Shut up, you ball of gas."

"Arte! So hurtful!"

Approach, seeker, and ask.

Rhode steadied her breath as she felt her instincts get jumpy. The mummy wasn't alive. She was some kind of gruesome vessel for something else, the power that was now swirling around her in the green mist. But its presence didn't feel evil, like the many monsters she had fought in her life. It felt ancient and powerful. But not particularly interested in killing her, either.

That was always a plus in her books.

"Yes, not dying is good," Annabeth said with a nod.

Rhode calmed her nerves and asked, "So, what do I have to do?"

The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of her, changing the mummy's appearance.

Rhode's breath hitched as a familiar spiky mat of raven black hair sat atop a familiar face with a splash of freckles across her nose. Her pale features were highlighted in the green mist as she was in all black attire, even the leather jacket that was tied around the daughter of the sea's waist. But what really hit Rhode were the piercing electric blue eyes that were glowing with power, no doubt from the figure who morphed into her.

It was Thalia.

"Oh, the woe of my OTP," Leo said dramatically while Thalia sent him a harsh glare.

Shakily, Rhode wanted to reach out to her, tears started to swell, but she soon stopped herself.

It was an illusion, made out of green mist.

Biting her lip, heartache stabbed her as Rhode wiped the coming tears away quickly, glaring at this thing that was wearing her friend's body like a costume.

"I'm going as Thalia for Halloween next year," Piper said jokingly.

"Please don't ever say that again," Jason said, a bit green at the thought.

"Seconded," Thalia grumbled.

The Thalia simulacrum looked at her, that familiar cocky grin on her face, as it spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: Titan's bane rains down unto thee,

Within enigma's book lies the key.

By the dragon's roar does wisdom soar,

A visit to Riddle's tomb leads to nevermore.

"...Huh, interesting. Original, nice." Apollo hummed as he wrote that down.

Huh, guess those books were right. The Oracle never makes any sense. Rhode thought as the words of her prophecy bounced around her head.

The image of Thalia began to dissolve. Rhode's sea green eyes were narrowed in thought as the mist retreated, coiling into a huge green serpent and slithering back into the mouth of the mummy. As the tail of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth, it reclined back against the wall. Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years. The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of forgotten mementos.

"Thanks." Rhode said gruffly as she turned around, her audience with the Oracle was over.

"Well that was rude," Hestia said with a frown. "That was our Oracle for the past fifty years before Rachel Elizabeth?"

Poseidon smiled lightly. "She was a host for the Oracle."

"And a mummy," Hades said with a sneer. He was not a fan of mummies. They reminded him of Egypt.

Hestia sniffed. "Still rude."

"Well?" Chiron asked her as she came back down stairs and leaned into a chair.

"I don't like her." Rhode started off with a frown. Stupid hippie zombie, she didn't like zombies now.

"Not many do." Thanatos said, his boss was one of them.

Hades groaned. "Always so difficult to keep track of, and they mess with the intake flow!"

"You're griping, brother," Poseidon pointed out.

"Bah, what do you care?"

"Now, the prophecy?"

Rhode recited it, word for word. She knew you couldn't mess with this stuff.

Chiron rubbed his chin, "Titan's bane…I do not like this." He frowned, anything to do with the titans in general was not good, but something that was a bane? It was a worrying line for a prophecy, the first to boot.

"Yes, but I'm sure the daughter of Poseidon can manage." Thanatos waved off Chiron's concern.

"Thanks." Rhode told the god sarcastically, good to know her wellbeing mattered so much to him.

"Oh, none of us truly care about another's child," Dionysus said with a nod, while the gods glowered at him. He hummed and tipped his head in thought. "Except for, perhaps, Hestia. Why, I haven't the foggiest. To the Underworld with all of you...Except for Hannah and Neil. They can hang from the tallest mountain."

"Thank you for your opinion, D. We are all so happy to hear it," Hermes said dryly.

"Anytime, Hermes. Anytime."

"Of course there is the risk of a dragon as well." Chiron pursed his lips.

"I hate dragons." Rhode sighed out, palming her cheek, leaning on her elbow, "They're really annoying to kill."

"Ah, yes, they are." The centaur remarked dryly.

Thanatos cleared his throat, "The first location I would suggest would be in Little Hangleton, for my ring."

"Wha?" Rhode blinked, making the god purse his lips.

"To make a long story short, a long time ago, some dim mortals thought they could make a fool of me. I tricked them, 'rewarding' them with 'gifts'." He quoted with his fingers.

"'Make a fool of him'? Like it's that hard," Ares said with a snort.

"I like where this is going," Hades said with a smirk. He loved seeing mortals get their comeuppance.

"Ah, I recall that story," Chiron commented, getting a dark look from Thanatos before the god continued.

"A wand of unparalleled power by mortal standards, a stone that brings forth shades of deceased loved ones, and finally, a cloak of invisibility that hides its owner, even from me." The death god said softly. In a silvery flash, he was holding Rhode's invisibility cloak.

"That's-!" Rhode said in surprise, but Thanatos halted her words with nothing but a gesture.

"Yes, this is a piece of my very own cloak." The god said.

Well, that explained why it's so powerful. Rhode thought, "So, you have other items?"

The god nodded, "Yes, Tom Riddle turned the stone now set as a ring into a Horcrux whilst my wand is in the hands of someone you might know, Albus Dumbledore."

That got a displeased look from Rhode, "Oh, that's just great!" the scion of the sea said as she threw her hands in the air.

"Why in the world would you do that?" Chiron asked the god dryly.

"One, it was funny."

The gods murmured in agreement to this. They got bored easily and mortals were their greatest source of entertainment.

Thanatos listed, "And two, great power corrupts even the purest of souls." He shrugged listlessly, "It's entertainment one could say."

"…Dark." Rhode surmised.

"Indeed." The god nodded and handed the cloak back to her.

"So, since the things are in the UK, I guess I have to stay at Hogwarts?" Rhode asked with a sour look.

"Indeed. It is the best option available to you." Thanatos said in his emotionless tone.

"Were you considering not returning, Rhode?" Chiron asked curiously.

Poseidon grimaced at the thought of Rhode being stuck at Hogwarts.

"A little. Not seriously I mean." Rhode said honestly. "The place is just so full of drama, what with the old man wanting to control me and all the other silly stuff the wizards want from me. Plus I had to kill a man there last year. So going back there doesn't exactly give me the warm fuzzies, you know?"

"I see." Chiron started before he caught onto something Rhode said. "Wait, you killed someone?"

"She did." Thanatos replied on Rhode's behalf. "A man named Quirrell, a possessed servant of Riddle's. Rather messy kill too. But it was in self-defense whilst on a mission to stop him from stealing a powerful artifact."

"Rhode! Are you alright?" Chiron inquired, clearly rustled. "Why did you not tell me about it?"

Rhode shrugged. "Didn't think it was important."

"Ooo, wrong words to use," Hermes said with a wince.

Ares snorted and picked at his ear with his pinky. "Nonsense, girl's got the right idea. Doesn't matter, they're all gonna die anyway."

"Care to repeat yourself, Ares?" Poseidon asked with a glare.

Ares sniffed and continued to clean his ear.

"Rhode that's…" Chiron began but stopped as he took a moment to compose himself. "Rhode, we'll have words about this later. Now you were saying you might not want to go back to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah. I was thinking I could maybe go to a magic school here in the States, like some of the Hecate kids and other magical campers do. But then I remembered that if I did that, Su and Lee would be at Hogwarts without me and I just couldn't do that to them." Rhode confessed.

"I see. That's good then." Chiron said, before sternly continuing. "We'll talk about this more later though, don't you forget it."

"Yes, Chiron." Rhode replied obediently, cowed by the trainer's stern visage.

"It's because he's half horse," Zeus said with a smirk.

"Obviously," Hades said with a nod of agreement.

"Funny. Very funny," Poseidon said dryly.

"Well then, the only thing left to do is select your quest members, Rhode." Chiron informed in a calmer tone, "You may pick two other campers to occupancy you."

"Actually," Thanatos interjected. "That might not be best in this case."

"Lord Thanatos, you can't mean to send her on this quest alone!" Chiron inquired aghast.

"Of course not," Thanatos clarified. "I merely mean that this quest will likely not be concluded easily and that having her permanently assigned companions may be premature."

"And we all know how bad premature things can end," Poseidon said with a smirk directed towards his younger brother.

Zeus' eye twitched. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing...Eisenhower."

"...Say it again."

"Boys," Hestia said with a frown.

"What do you want me to do then?" Rhode cut in, earning her a look from Chiron.

"I'd recommend, and this is only a recommendation, that you be flexible on who you take with you whenever you go after a Horcrux. I want this quest to succeed after all." The Death God admitted.

"This is highly irregular." Chiron said with narrowed eyes.

"Such a rule stickler," Hermes said with a grimace.

Poseidon nodded. "It is one of his most bothersome traits."

"Rules are in motion for a reason," Athena said with a scowl.

"Rules were made to be broken," Apollo said, getting a slap on the arm from his twin. "See? As gods, we shouldn't fight, against the rules and all that. But lil' sis hits me all the time."

Artemis scowled with a light golden flush on her face. "It's a method of keeping you in check."

"With violence!"

"Approved violence from Mother."

"Always hiding behind Mother's dress."

"Says the boy that was too shy to meet Grandmother."

"You cried when you tore your first knee-length tunic!"

"Twins!" The Olympians groaned before the two could really start bickering.

"Perhaps. However, the girl isn't known for following rules is she? This will better ensure success." The psychopomp refuted.

"Very well." Chiron reluctantly agreed. "In that case, Rhode, do you have anyone in mind for now at least? Lord Thanatos would like you to set off for his ring today, no?" He concluded as he said this, looking at the minor god who nodded in response.

Rhode knitted her brow in thought for a moment and smirked, "I've already got them in mind."

"Good. Then perhaps you can go inform them about this quest?" Chiron suggested. "You wouldn't want to drop this on them when you need them."

"Sure Chiron, I'll go tell them now." She said as got out of her chair and waved a quick goodbye as she headed to Cabin Eleven. As she walked away she heard Chiron and Thanatos get into a surprisingly civil but still clearly heated argument.

"Aw, I want to hear the centaur chide Thanatos," Ares said with a frown.

The Hermes Cabin was the oldest and the most worn-looking out of all the cabins. It was brown and had paint peeling off the sides. You had to be thankful that Mr. D didn't let any wind storms blow around camp, because the first cabin to go would be this one, that was for sure. It didn't just house the children of the messenger god, but it was also the home for all the unclaimed demigods, as well as the children of the minor gods, since they didn't have their own cabins. Basically, it was cramped twenty-four seven and you usually ended up with someone's foot in your face as you slept.

"Well that's all changed thanks to me and Luke," Percy said with a bit of pride.

Leo grimaced. "Man, I lucked out."

"I hear you," Piper said.

"So, you need quest members." Lee said, grinning with crossed arms against his cabin's door.

"How'd you even find out so fast?" Rhode asked with bewilderment.

"You got the summer's quest, that was going to get around fast, trust me." Lee assured, "Everyone wants in on the summer quest, it's like the thing to do." He waved his hand then pointed to himself, "And I already know why you're here. You need a young dashing roguish son of Hermes. And I just happen to be available."

"Nope." Rhode simply said, getting Lee to falter.

"What?!"

Rhode poked her head into the Hermes Cabin, "I need Luke." She and Luke had fought side by side for so long, he was the first choice for a quest member. Zero doubt in her mind.

"But we rocked back at school!" Lee argued.

"Nope."

"…It's because he's a blond, isn't it?" Lee accused Rhode scathingly.

"Chicks dig the blonds," Apollo said with a knowing grin.

Poseidon's eye twitched.

Rhode just rolled her eyes, "Luke, you in or what?" she asked, since he no doubt heard her with Lee's obnoxious shouting.

"What's the quest?" Luke asked, getting out of his worn out bunk bed.

Rhode gave him the short version.

Luke, humming, nodded, "Sure. Just let me get set up."

"Cool," Rhode nodded, "Meet up at the campfire. I'll get our last member."

Luke raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

Rhode just grinned. As she left though she turned to Lee, "Oh and Lee, as you might have heard, this quest is a long term gig. So maybe next time?"

"After brushing him off like that? I wouldn't," Leo said. Eyes went to him and he fidgeted before he sighed. "Yeah, I would."

"Oh now you remember me?" Lee said in mock offense. "Sure, say the word and I'm your man. Good luck today!"

"Who could ever forget your loud mouth?" Rhode said teasingly, a twinkle in her almond shaped eyes as she dashed to her cabin to prepare. "And thanks!"

"Me?" Su blinked as she was dusting some dirt off her hands as she finished potting a plant, "Are you certain?" She asked shyly.

Demeter beamed proudly while Hades rolled his eyes.

"Of course, the wallflower," Hades said dryly. He ignored the glare Demeter gave him.

"Duh," Rhode smiled at her, "You rocked back at school, plus having a second witch around would be nice."

"Why not ask Lee though?" Su frowned.

"One too many sons of Hermes." Rhode said with a teasing smile, "I can only take so much mischief at once."

Su nodded, the children of Hermes did enjoy making a ruckus.

"Because it's really the only way to have fun," Hermes said with a firm nod.

"You could read a book," Athena said flatly.

Hermes pouted at her. "You would damn me to boredom? Such a cruel goddess you are."

"Agreed," Poseidon said with a smirk that earned him a glare.

Rhode then told her about the quest, getting a serious look from Su.

"So we get to thwart Voldemort?"

"And put him six feet under for good." Rhode said with a thumbs down, a serious look in her eyes.

"I'm in."

"Talk about a resume builder," Leo said with a grin.

Rhode was standing by the campfire, fiddling with her beanie and adjusting her nylon backpack. Currently though, she felt as though she kicked a puppy.

"But I wanna go." Annabeth pouted. When word had gotten around that her older friend was given the summer's quest, the blonde was bouncing in excitement to go on Rhode's first quest!

But that went down the drain as fast as an ice cube would melt in the Sahara desert.

"That's fast," Annabeth said with a frown.

"Bethy," Rhode said softly, placing a hand under Annabeth's chin to get her to look up, "I know you do. But you're still little, you've got a lot of growing to do before you go on a quest. A lot to learn too."

"But, but-!" Annabeth tried to argue, but Rhode cut her off.

"Annabeth," Rhode's voice was stern, making the daughter of Athena wince. She hated that tone, it usually meant Rhode was going to scold her, "I know you don't like it. But that's life. We don't always get what we want." She said, her voice lost for a moment before returning. She locked those sea green eyes down at her and soon smiled, "When you get older, you, me, and Luke will all go on a quest together. I promise.

"And then Luke went and tried to end the world," Ares said with a smirk.

"Shut up, Ares!"

Maybe if this quest drags on as long as Thanatos said it might, we can go after another of these stupid Horcrux thingies?" The daughter of Poseidon said, "Okay?"

Annabeth gave a reluctant nod, understanding. But she was still pouting with crossed arms.

"So cute!" Thalia gushed playfully.

Annabeth glared daggers at her, but the red in her face diminished the patented Athena glare. Percy's snickering did little to help it either.

"Good."

Luke walked up to them in more casual attire, like back when they were on the streets. Rhode felt a touch nostalgic. He had a sports bag strapped to his back, no doubt containing a celestial bronze sword.

Su was there a moment later, looking like she was going to go on a hike. She was wearing a rough leather satchel, no doubt carrying her wand, fan, and other goodies for the quest.

Chiron was there waiting, Floo powder in hand.

"The deadliest of all Floo forms," Apollo said with a deep voice.

"I wish you luck, children." The trainer said, handing Rhode some British pound notes and a few drachma, "Keep watch over each other. Be swift, and above all else, return safely." He urged them.

"Yes, Chiron." The half-bloods nodded.

Saying their goodbyes to those around the campfire, Annabeth gave both Rhode and Luke hugs goodbye. She also gave Su a huffy look, which made the daughter of Demeter smile awkwardly.

"Jealous, Annie?"

"Shut up, Thalia."

Using the Floo powder, the demigods arrived at Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

"Let's head to the front," Rhode took directive, "They should have some cabs up there." Getting nods from the other two, they headed towards the far wall which let them pass through it to King's Cross Station. It was like going through liquid stone, weird. On the other side, they saw mortals bustling about, heading onto and off of trains, people talking loudly as whistles blew from the trains.

"Let's not get seperat-" Su started, but blinked, whirling around, only to find her fellow demigods were gone, "-ed." She finished in a soft tone. "Rhode? Luke?" she asked as she looked around, trying to find them as the throng of mortals passed around her. It was like they vanished into the crowd!

"Or...they used the Invisibility cloak," Hades said a bit snidely.

Hestia frowned at her brother. "Can you please be nice?"

Hades grunted and ignored the grateful look Demeter sent Hestia's way.

Su squeaked when a hand grabbed hers, only to see Rhode looking at her, "Come on, Su." She said.

"I, um, lost you." The daughter of Demeter said shyly.

"How?" Rhode said in bewilderment.

"Y-You just went into the crowd, and then suddenly you were gone!" Su said, cheeks pink from how poor the excuse was.

Rhode blinked, "Ah." She nodded, "Well, when you live on the streets for so long, you just learn how to vanish into a crowd.

Demeter smirked at her least favorite brother. "You were saying, brother?"

"They could've used the cloak," Hades said to his smug sister.

Sorry." She apologized, "Come on, let's go together." She said, holding onto Su's hand and led them towards the exit.

Su ducked her head, cheeks burning red from how childish she felt. It was embarrassing to be led by her hand.

"Go Rhu!" Hermes cheered.

"Rhalia, all the way," Apollo said with a snort.

"The both of you better shut up or it'll be Hermollo that unites in Tartarus," Poseidon said with a glare.

The two gods blanched and scooted away from each other. They were bromantic, and didn't judge, but that sort of thing was not how they rolled.

Luke was waiting for them outside and asked, "What took so long?" he asked them.

"Su lost us." Rhode bluntly said, making the girl hang her head.

"…Seriously?" The son of Hermes asked, disbelief written plainly on his face.

"Well, someone's all high and mighty," Ares said.

Hermes smirked at him. "You couldn't find a battlefield without a map. My kids are like living compasses, in this case, he has a right to be high and mighty."

"Hey," Rhode frowned at him, "She's not as street savvy as us, Luke." She said defending her friend, getting a small appreciative smile from Su.

Luke just shrugged. He fished out a red package from his pocket, tossing it to Rhode.

"Thanks," Rhode said, opening the bag of Skittles and started to eat some. She offered Luke some, but he shook his head.

"Where did you get that?" Su asked curiously.

"Stole it." The street smart demigods answered in unison.

Su looked uneasy, "S-Should we be doing that?" she asked them softly.

Luke frowned at her as Rhode said, "Su, the streets aren't always nice. You don't have to be nice back." She said like it was a life fact.

"Exactly." Luke nodded in agreement. The real world was harsh, you had to play on even grounds.

"And it was that kind of thinking that turned him to the dark side," Ares said snidely to his shortest brother.

Hermes glared daggers at that.

Su wanted to voice something against that, but held her tongue. She had lived a far softer life then the two other half-bloods. Saying that it was wrong would probably be insulting to them. Still, she just didn't feel it was the right thing to do.

"The cabs are over there." Luke pointed out to the circle of yellow taxis dropping people off and picking them up.

"Let's go." Rhode nodded, Su making sure to keep up with them.

Luke did all the talking and they got into the cab. Luke took shotgun as the girls buckled up in the back. Thus, they were off to Little Hangleton to find the Ring of Thanatos.

Su made some joke about Middle-Earth that Rhode didn't understand.

"...I don't get it either," Percy said.

Annabeth shook her head. "Lord of the Rings, Percy."

Percy frowned. "Lord of the what?"

Annabeth gave him a surprised look. "...Seriously?"

"What?"

"Nothing...Well, I know what your first book assignment will be."

"What!?" Percy asked in alarm.

They had been driving for what seemed like hours to Rhode. Her face was squished against the window, groaning out, "Are we there yet?" you could detect a slight whine in her tone. She was fiddling with her digital camera, taking blur shots of the zooming wilderness.

"Twenty more minutes, missus." The cabby said with irritation. She had been asking that after the first ten minutes of their journey. At least the blond lad was a nice conversationalist.

Su was delighted at seeing the nature zoom by, enjoying the ride. She even tried to get Rhode to play Eye-Spy with her.

That died in like ten minutes.

"That game is rather easy," Athena said with a smirk while all of the younger gods, including Artemis, glowered at her.

"Only because you've memorized the color, shape, and texture of possibly everything on the planet," Hermes said dryly.

Artemis shifted uncomfortably. "And then proceed to quote Wikipedia..."

"I do not!" Athena gave her sister a hurt frown.

"She's right," Apollo said with a nod. "Wikipedia quotes Athena."

The younger Olympians snickered at that while Athena fumed at the horrible website that was developed. Honestly, there was a reason she decreed it was forbidden in most schools after it came out.

So she instead tried to strike up a conversation about her latest plant.

"Did I tell you about the Devil's Snare?" Su mentioned to her friend.

Rhode looked at her, "No, what happened to it?"

Su was delighted that her friend was interested in her latest pet, "Oh, Chiron was perfectly okay with it. Just as long no other campers went near it. We kept it in our Cabin for a few days, to let the cutting I brought back grow a bit. Then we found a wonderful dark and damp place in the forest for the main body. We also added smaller samples to the greenhouse."

"Is it behaving?" Rhode smirked.

"Of course!" Su nodded sternly, "Oh sure, it tried to strangle Becky from Hermes cabin when she tried to set off a stink bomb. Luckily our head counselor was there to save her."

"A good camp defense...Perhaps I should-?"

"No, Demeter." Zeus frowned at his sister. The last time she tried to devise a defense for Olympus, a giant mutation of the Venus Flytrap nearly caught Dios.

Demeter frowned.

"Good then." Rhode replied, happy for her friend. "So, think up any tactics on how to use it in a fight?"

"Nothing concrete yet." Su admitted with a thoughtful look, cupping her chin. "We've too busy getting it settled to experiment so far. I've got plenty of ideas though."

"You sound like Poison Ivy," Luke stated from the front.

"I do not!" Su squeaked out and looked flustered, she could never act like that, o-or even dress like that! It was too embarrassing!

"Now that's a sexy thought," Apollo said. He winced when a corn cob was suddenly thrown at his head. "Ow. So uncalled for."

The other demigods had a good laugh then at Su's obvious embarrassment as they easily pieced together what had got her blushing as red as a tomato. "You'd look cool though." Rhode added comfortingly.

"If you say so." Su replied hesitantly, shaking her head to banish the image from her mind.

"Whoo!" Hermes grinned.

"Hermollo," Poseidon said dryly.

Hermes paled and shuddered.

Luke looked about ready to add his own reassuring reply, when a distant noise made Rhode sit up and put her camera away. She rolled down her window and heard it once more, but louder. "Rhode, what's going on?" He asked instead.

"You guys hear that?" she asked wearily, tensing up.

Luke went on full alert as Su asked, "Hear what?"

"Shh." Rhode told her quickly, concentrating. Hearing the noise once more, she said, "It's getting closer."

"What are you kids talking about?" asked the cabby.

Rhode ignored the man and was finally able to pick up the noise.

Mooing.

"Truly, the bane of all heroes," Poseidon said with a chuckle while Hera glared at him. She glared at Zeus when he released a small chuckle.

"Ah spume." Rhode blanched and saw something big, red, and charging through the woods, "BRACE!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. The demigods did as told and before the cabby could ask what was going on, they were rammed from the left, making the car flip over, bounce, flip once again, tilt, and then fall back right side up.

"We all okay?" Rhode asked as she cut off her belt with her dagger, quickly doing the same for Su.

"Y-Yes." Su said shaken, blinking in surprise.

"All good." Luke said, undoing his belt. He tried to open his door, but it was jammed, "Damn." He muttered and looked at the broken windshield. Raising his foot, he kicked it a few times, popping it off.

Rhode's door was jammed too, "Su, yours work? We need to get out." A loud moo got their attention, "Now!" she hurried.

Su fiddled with the door and it opened fine. The demigods all scattered out of the taxi and Su said, "The mortal?" she asked, worry clear in her tone.

"Dead." Ares grinned savagely.

"Unlikely," Athena said with a scoff at her bloodthirsty brother.

"Knocked out,"

"Lame," Ares groaned while Athena smirked at being right. Again.

Luke told her, taking out his sword as Rhode did the same with her trident. They turned to face the monster that collided with them.

It was a bull and it was a big. Like, twice the size of a regular one. Its hide was a burnt red color with nasty blue-grey eyes locked onto the half-bloods. Its large black horns stood erect, and looked a tad too eager to skewer them like shish kabob.

"Okay, dad, what the Hades?" Rhode muttered. Bulls were sacred to Poseidon, right? Then why the heck did they keep trying to kill her?!

"That's a very good point," Percy said with a frown while Poseidon tried to remember why that was.

"Scratch that, what is it?" Luke hissed under his breath, widening his footing as he slowly edged to the right, the monster's eyes following him, making the son of Hermes stop his movements.

"Tauroi Aithiopikoi." Su answered, getting blinks of confusion, "A Ethiopian Bull, native to Africa." She dutifully explained.

"What did it do, get on a boat?" Percy asked dryly.

"It's kind of far from home." Rhode complained as the monster bellowed a mighty cry, charging at them. The demigods scattered just in time as the thing was fast, like zero to forty MPH in a second!

Su evaded the stampeding monster with a roll, only to see as she recovered that it had taken down about twenty trees from its charge.

That monster!

"I completely agree with her," Demeter said with a frown.

"What can it do?" Luke asked quickly, "Besides stampede us flat!"

"Um, well," Su murmured in though, "Very fast, ferocious, enjoys eating flesh." She listed off the top of her head.

"Wonderful!" Rhode said sarcastically, "Luke, go right!" she ordered, leaning towards the left.

"Gotcha." The son of Hermes said as they charged at the monster, who was coming right at them. The two demigods broke into their respective directions and with perfect teamwork, slashed the sides of the monster.

Only for their weapons to bounce off it.

"What?" Rhode gaped, getting her footing back from her rebounded strike.

"You can't penetrate its hide!" Su shouted, "It raises its bristles to defend itself from weapons!"

"Would've been helpful to know that first, Li!"

"This is getting good," Ares said with a grin. "Like the leucrotae!"

Thalia grimaced at the memory.

Luke shouted and jumped through a shrub as the bull tried to put a hole through his chest.

"Sorry!" Su shouted, trying to think up a plan as her friends kept the monster at bay. Soon her eyes lit up. She got out of her cover and stood firm, "Hey, you big, uh, nasty bull you!" she insulted the best she could, it was surprisingly difficult. She managed to get the monster's attention though, "Yes, come and get me you stupid chubby tree killer!"

"I'm shaking in my throne," Hades said dryly while Demeter huffed at him.

"Excuse me for having peaceful children, kidnapper!"

"Seriously? Think of a new insult already, Grain Brain."

The bull snorted steam and charged at Su, making the other half-bloods exclaim their worry.

Su, eyes narrowed, flung her arms forward. Thick trunks of vines latched onto the bull during its charge. The bull mustered through them the best it could, but Su kept summoning more and more vines, finally managing to get it to stop by trapping it in a thick cocoon of foliage.

Concentrating, Su dug deep within herself as the vines suddenly bloomed black and purple flowers all over. Making a large bouquet of them around the beast as it tried, and failed, to thrash about.

"Well if she's captured it, it must die in style." Aphrodite tittered.

Demeter rolled her eyes. "There must be a reason for that flower, Aphrodite."

"What's she doing?" Luke asked Rhode, who just shrugged. She was as confused as he was.

Then, the flowers started to give off some kind of purple miasma. The bull suddenly thrashed more wildly, giving off moos of pain and agony.

"Step back everyone!" Su shouted as the miasma spread out from the blossoms.

"…She's poisoning it." Rhode breathed, almond eyes wide, back pedaling along with Luke. She didn't know Su could do that.

Hades scowled. "Alright, that's slightly impressive."

Demeter smirked at the praise.

More and more dark plants bloomed, giving off more miasma until the bull finally croaked, turning into dust. The plants plopped to the ground. With a wave of her hand, Su dismissed the foliage and flowers, the winds scattering the purple cloud of poison. She panted, her face looking a tad flush.

All that was left of the bull was a horn.

"…Remind me not to get on Cabin Four's bad side." Luke whispered to Rhode as they jogged over to Su.

"Something your twins have yet to learn," Demeter said with a frown to Hermes.

Hermes shrugged. "Travis and Conner do what they want. I have no say in it."

"You got it." The daughter of Poseidon returned as she pulled Su into a big hug, "Su, that was amazing!" she praised, getting a shy look from the daughter of Demeter.

"It wasn't all that special." Su said humbly, "Anyone from my cabin can do that with a little effort."

"Well, to the victor go the spoils." Rhode told her, looking at the horn, "Man, everyone's going to be jealous of that thing."

Su frowned in thought and looked around the destroyed area. She walked up to it, then knelt. "Um, hello? Mother?" she asked shyly, getting surprised looks from her fellow demigods, "This monster just destroyed all these trees. I was wondering, could you perhaps fix them?" she asked politely from the bottom of her heart, "This horn is all yours to have, but please fix these poor trees."

"A horn to remember her by and a request to fix the trees? Of course!" Demeter said with a proud smile. She would've fixed the trees naturally, but with a request from her adorable daughter, and a trophy to shove in Hades' face every now and then, she would do it much faster.

She frowned in the direction of the destructive aftermath of the fight.

It was quiet for a few moments until the horn sank into the soil like it was quicksand, leaving the faint smell of honeysuckles and sunflowers in its place. The ground creaked and groaned at the site of the fallen trees and soon, thick, healthy trees came forth, bringing beauty to the area once more, perhaps even better than before.

"Thank you." Su whispered as she stood up, dusting her knees, "Well, we have a quest to finish, yes?" she asked the rest of the questers with a tilt of her head.

"Um, yeah." Rhode nodded, awed by seeing what the goddess of agriculture just did.

"You are very underappreciated," Poseidon noted, getting a nod from his sister.

"Suck up." Hades grunted.

"Hades..." Hestia frowned at him.

"Let's keep going, the cabby said it was just up this road."

Luke and Rhode started to leave, but Su cleared her voice. It drew their attention as she pointed to the unconscious mortal. She crossed her arms, looking rather stern. Luke moved and checked on the guy, concluding he only had a nasty bump, nothing serious.

Rhode pulled out her godly cellphone, calling 999. After reaching the paramedics, she told them where they were so they could come pick up the poor guy. The lady on the other end told them to stay there, but the half-bloods were pretty sure they weren't going to.

"We can't just ditch the fare, can we?" Su asked them as they started walking.

Rhode shrugged, "We called him an ambulance. The Mist will fix things for us. Plus, we saved him from a monster that liked eating flesh. I say we worked for it. Right, Luke?" she turned her head to eye the blond son of Hermes.

Luke just gave a solid nod, "It's the balance of things, Li." He explained.

"For a freeloader," Demeter said with a huff. Hestia nodded sheepishly in agreement to that.

Su still had a tiny frown on her face. "But he wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if we weren't taking his cab!"

"She does have a point," Hermes admitted begrudgingly.

Rhode paused in her steps, a conflicted look on her face. Both her friends made good points. She mulled the two points of view. Luke's was that of the street kid that lived in a world where one had to look out for oneself and one's own family and no one else or die. Su on the other hand was looking at things from the perspective of someone who had the luxury of morals. Rhode's first instinct was to follow Luke's lead...but she couldn't. Not if she wanted to live true to her promise to move forward. She wasn't a street kid anymore. She couldn't live by those rules now.

Sighing, Rhode reached for her wallet and left the full fare and a small tip and even her leftover Skittles.

"By us...What a sacrifice," Zeus said sarcastically.

"You've never tasted the rainbow...and I'm not talking about Isis," Poseidon said.

Zeus chose to keep quiet as Hera gave him a look.

See? She was nice. The blindingly bright smile Su sent Rhode's way helped assuage her uneasiness at her decision a great deal.

After a good bit of walking, the questers finally made it to Little Hangleton. Using her phone and the tracking app that she'd found built into it after tinkering with it the whole walk over, Rhode was able to figure out that the Horcrux was in a place that belonged to a family named Gaunt. It had drawn some odd looks from Luke, but Su explained that more often than not, magical families had odd names. Like Weasley, or Longbottom. After asking around, Luke found out the family had pretty much died out, but had left behind a shack just outside of town that no one had bothered to demolish. Some nonsense about hauntings and such.

"Scary." Nico rolled his eyes. Mortals were stupid, magical or not.

After another twenty minute walk through the woods, they stood before the most rundown little shack they had ever seen. And considering Luke's and Rhode's histories, that was saying something. Seriously, it was worst than all the makeshift shelters the homeless people they had run across had built.

"It makes my cabin look like a mansion." Luke commented wearily, he felt a tingle down his spine about the place. It just made his thieving senses go on edge.

The shack was small, dilapidated, and layered with thick dust and grime. Trees had grown around it, swallowing up most of the shack, and the walls were utterly drenched in moss that had long since spilled over onto the ground and many of the roofing tiles had fallen off so you could see the molded rafters. There was a dried up snake carcass nailed to the door too.

Apollo and Artemis glared at the snake carcass. Snakes were so not cool.

Rhode took a step forward, her Sherlock face on as she examined the shack. It no doubt had some sort of defenses on it, it was just the matter of figuring a way around them or perhaps disabling them. Though her limited skills might not be able to do the latter.

"Rhode Potter!" a voice squeaked, making the demigods spin around in surprise.

A three foot tall thing was right before them. It had large, tennis-ball-like green eyes, a pencil-like nose and long, bat-like pointed ears. It was oddly wearing a pillow case and mismatched socks.

"The heck are-" Rhode started when she took a step back. A step back too many. Her back pressed against the shack and something sprang to life, a ward perhaps. The air saturated with ozone as Rhode's hair stood on ends.

A violent shock went through her system as she screamed in pain. She was sent flying forward, thudding into the ground. Her vision was swimming, her hearing muffled. She felt her body flipped over, seeing Su's worried face just as she blacked out.

"...Dobby done goofed up," Leo said with a groan.

Opening her eyes, Rhode found herself on the beach with the multi colored sand from that dream the previous summer. The salt and pepper sand crunched beneath her sneakers as she spun around, seeing the vast ocean.

The storm that was there the last time continued to rage on, but it was even closer this time. Stronger, vaster, inky black clouds hovered and swirled around it, like a yawning black hole.

"They will kill you, child." That deep and powerful voice from last summer echoed along the stormy coast.

Rhode whirled around, "Who will?" she demanded, mustering her courage against the terrifying voice.

"The gods." The voice drawled, but she could hear an underlying hint of disdain.

The daughter of Poseidon blinked, confused, "Why?" Would they really kill her because of the Oath?

"Zeus would, the hypocrite." Hades and Poseidon grumbled together.

Zeus glared at them. "You practiced that!"

"Prove it."

The voice chuckled, it was throaty, but wheezing all at once, "They fear what you bring. They are scared of your choices. They continue to latch onto their delusions, but you! You unnerve them for you represent change!" The voice echoed thunderously, a joyous laugh carrying along the winds that hissed and spat.

"Pleasant, isn't he?" Hades asked dryly.

Rhode covered her eyes with her arm to shield herself from being blinded by the eldritch lightning that snaked throughout the storm, even as she shouted above the high winds, "Who are you?!" she demanded as loud as she could.

The chilling voice answered simply, "A friend."

"Not a friend, but a grandfather," Percy said. He shivered. "A twisted grandfather."

Before Rhode could ask more, everything began to blend together, fading into black.

Rhode woke up with a groan, "Did I beat Thalia in the spar?" she asked with slurring delirium.

"She is delirious," Thalia said with a smirk.

"I could beat you easy," Percy said.

"Dream on, water boy," Thalia snorted.

"Rhode, oh thank the gods." Su praised, hugging her tightly.

"Wha happened?" the daughter of Poseidon slurred, still trying to get the ringing out of her noggin.

Su pursed her lips, "A house elf got the drop on us." She explained, and was oddly bewildered by her own statement.

"…Let's pretend I know what that is."

"Classic," Hermes said with a snicker.

"It's a servant of sorts." Su told her recovering friend, "Father has one named Tinkerbell.

That certainly made everyone snicker.

Anyway," she pressed on, "This one, Dobby, was shouting and ranting that you can't go back to Hogwarts because of some 'great evil'." The daughter of Demeter said with finger quotes.

"Only great evil?" Rhode frowned, that didn't sound so threatening. She tried to stand up, but nearly stumbled before Su sat her against a rotting log.

The daughter of Demeter gave her an amused look, "Yes, only great evil. He wouldn't say anything more about it." She frowned, "Luke, he went rather…brutal on this Dobby." She said with a shiver, the look in the son of Hermes' eye scared her, "Nearly took the elf's head off before the elf could pop away. Managed to nick him along his neck. He was riddled with worry after you were hurt, Rhode."

"Protective? That doesn't sound right," Ares said with a frown.

Hermes just smirked. "One action does not define a boy."

"...He tried to overthrow us," Ares said dryly.

"...Shut up."

The Ravenclaw stated softly.

The daughter of Poseidon frowned, sad she had worried Luke like that. Adjusting her hands against the rotten lumber, Rhode pushed herself up, "Where's Luke?" she asked, scanning her surroundings.

"He went to scout the area." Su answered, pushing up against her knees to stand alongside Rhode, "After we got that of course." She pointed to a golden box that rested near them. As Rhode advanced towards the box, Su said, "Luke, he got in there through the wards and by using your phone to pinpoint its location, he pulled this out. It was hidden in a concealed hollow under a loose floorboard."

"The most secure place to hide an evil object," Leo said with a nod.

She remarked with awe, "It was quite the sight."

Rhode knelt next to the box, looking at it with cautious eyes, "It's not warded." Su said, moving next to her, "We checked."

"How? With trial and error?" Thalia asked with a hint of amusement.

Leo mimed holding a wand and waving it before he combusted into flames. "...I think it might be warded..."

The demigods laughed.

"I see." Rhode nodded and slowly reached out with her hand and opened the box. In it, lay an ugly gold banded ring with a black stone embedded in it. For a moment, Rhode felt a compulsion to put the ring on, but she brushed it aside. She wasn't super into jewelry and even if she was, the ugly thing wasn't something anyone would want to be caught dead in.

Aphrodite nodded. "It's ugly, even for the time it's been designed for. Nothing could save that ring."

Su looked ready to say something though, but had stopped herself and instead shook her head in bemusement. Brandishing her dagger, Rhode tapped the black stone, getting a crack to form as a piercing wail that nearly burst the girls' eardrums sounded out accompanied by a black wisp shooting out from the damaged stone.

"Help me! Help me! Oh what a world!" Apollo cried out in a high voice.

"Quoting The Fly? Really?" Artemis asked.

"It fit...wait, you've seen The Fly?"

"..."

"I knew it! You love monster movies, don't you!?"

"Shut up, Apollo."

"All those complaints about modern horror movies! It makes sense now!"

"Apollo!"

"Classic fan, it all adds together."

"Apollo, please," Hestia said sweetly. Apollo clammed up and Artemis sent her aunt a grateful nod.

"Well, that was a thing." The daughter of the sea remarked and used her dagger to wiggle Thanatos' stone out of the band, not seeing much of a need for it. Tossing the godly item into her backpack, the half-blood heard rustling nearby. Turning to face the sound, she saw Luke emerge from the woods.

"Li, what was that sou-Rhode?" the blond stopped short, and in a flash, he was next to her, pulling her into a hug,

"Boo!" Leo cupped his mouth and glared at the image. "Boo on you, sir! Boo on you!"

"Glad you're on your feet." He said, pulling her out to arms length, "You okay?" he asked, worry written all over his face.

Rhode gave a playful roll of her eyes, "I'm used to getting zapped. This was only a seven out of ten personally." She said, trying to joke about the whole thing. She earned a soft chuckle from Luke.

"Yeah, I'd believe that. But still," he squeezed her shoulders softly, "Don't scare me like that, okay?" he asked.

"No promises."

"Can't exactly keep that promise if you tried," Percy said with a snort.

Luke gave a heavy sigh, hanging his head. What was he going to do with this one? At least Annabeth was a good listener.

"Little miss goodie-two-shoes," Piper said with a smirk.

"Shut up, McLean."

"I say it out of love, Annabeth."

"All of my hate."

Releasing Rhode, Luke took a step back and said, "So what was that noise?"

"Just me destroying a dude's soul fragment." The sea child explained simply.

"Huh." Luke shrugged. He'd seen weirder; besides, it was Rhode. Weird was basically her middle name. She'd gotten into some strange stuff, even for a demigoddess.

"Only Poseidon's," Athena said with a snort.

Poseidon smiled. "It does make for interesting stories to tell."

"Well, if we've finished our objective, I think we should head back to camp." Su informed. "I hear that," Rhode stretched her back, getting a soft pop, "I remember why I hate sleeping on the ground." She complained, getting a snicker from Luke. He knew exactly how she felt. "So, let's go back to town, and I'll call us a cab." She said, patting her pocket, and felt nothing. Holding her hand out to Luke, he gave her back the BlackBerry.

"That thing is so cool." Luke remarked as Rhode stuffed it in her pocket, "Kept vibrating until I found the box."

"Did he keep it in his front pocket or back?"

Hermes looked at the smirking warmonger. "Ares, really?"

Aphrodite waved her hand at Hermes. "No, no he's right. This is an important detail."

"It was probably in his hand," Hermes said dryly.

"Oh, so he's like that, huh?" Aphrodite giggled.

"...Gross."

Rhode hummed, "Good to know how it'll work." She said, hefting her backpack. "Hey, Su, you looked like you were about to say something earlier, what was it?"

"Oh, I just wanted to point out that the ring had some kind of compulsion on it. To make you want to wear it." Su replied. "I felt it. It wasn't something I would ever do. The ring was ugly, so it had to have been a magical compulsion.

"So, Beauty Queen here would've been able to destroy it easily?" Leo asked with a thumb aimed at Piper.

"Shut up, Leo."

But you just brushed it aside before I could say anything so I let it go. That's very impressive you know, we demigods are pretty resistant to mind magicks like that, but to treat it like it wasn't even there? That's incredible." she praised warmly.

"Huh," Rhode frowned, "I didn't even notice it."

"Rhode doesn't like to be told what to do." Luke grinned down at her.

Rhode smirked like a troublemaker, standing a little straighter, "Damn right!"

"The sea cannot be contained," Percy said with a firm nod while Poseidon smirked.

Annabeth shook her head. "Tell me about it..."

With that conversation out of the way, they started to head back to town. Not even two minutes later, they heard a piercing screech from above, getting the half-bloods to tense.

"Okay," Rhode said in a calm voice, "I am going to look up. I am going to look up and not see a monster that wants to kill us, but a bird. A simple loud bird." She said and with a deep breath, she looked up, "…I hate my luck." She complained, but she had clear reason to.

"Don't we all?" Jason agreed.

It was a giant, let her reiterate, a GIANT eagle. It had golden brown and copper colored feathers with a glistening bronze beak. The massive eagle swept by them, its large wings taking down the tops of trees. Making the demigods duck for cover.

The voice from her dream made Rhode frown, The Gods will kill you. It was right. Glaring at the sky, she said, "Wow, I can only wonder where Thalia got her subtlety from."

"Hey! I can be subtle!" Thalia frowned.

Percy snorted. "Yeah, and I don't have a smart mouth."

"You don't have a smart anything."

"...I have a smart girlfriend."

Annabeth beamed while Thalia frowned at being outdone.

She said sarcastically. There was a far off boom, but she didn't care. If Zeus didn't like it, he could shove his lightning bolt right up his funnel cloud.

"That's the Caucasian eagle!" Luke shouted from his position, "Zeus sent it to peck out Prometheus's liver every day for his punishment."

"Must've gotten sick of that for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day," Hades said with a smirk.

"Funny," Zeus said with a mild glare.

Titan's bane rains down unto thee, Rhode grimaced at the first line of the prophecy.

Fan-spuming-tastic.

The monster eagle of Zeus curved in the air and came back at the demigods, talons at the ready.

Luke narrowed his eyes and sprung out of cover.

"Luke!" Rhode shouted out, but the son of Hermes didn't respond as he ran into an open clearing.

The eagle, seeing him, went right at the fleeing target.

Luke loaded on speed as his left arm pumped, along with his legs, going at speeds that came with his heritage. And then, he pivoted, turning right at the coming monster. The eagle gave a loud screech, but Luke bent his knees and leaped.

With great skill, he arched his sword swing and landed in a roll, a thud sounded near his own landing spot. He looked to the side with his icy blue eyes to see that he had slashed off one of the bird's talons.

"Impressive," Zeus noted, but said nothing more.

Hermes just smirked proudly.

Rhode bit her lip, and came out of cover too, holding her spyglass tightly, "Su!" she shouted, "On its next attack I need you to snag it!"

"I can't hold something that big!" Su argued from her cover.

"Just do it for a few seconds!" Rhode shouted back with confidence, "I have an idea!" she moved next to Luke, "Nice one." She said quickly.

"Thanks," the blond nodded back, "Got a plan?"

"Yep."

"You're not going to get yourself killed, right?"

"That's the best kind of plan, though," Leo said. Piper glared at him and he shrugged. "What? It worked, didn't it?"

"Still had me worried," Piper huffed.

the son of the messenger god asked with a quirked brow.

Rhode scowled at him, cheeks pink, "My plans aren't that bad."

"Uh-huh."

"Like Percy's. Oh wait, he doesn't have plans."

"Shut up, Thalia."

"Make me, Squid Boy."

"Children..." Hestia warned.

Luke said dryly as the eagle was making its next sweep, "Can you do it?" he asked her seriously.

Rhode looked him right in the eye, giving a solid nod.

"Good." Luke said as he gave her some distance.

"Su, get ready!" Rhode ordered and started to sprint into the clearing, just as Luke had.

The eagle's loud cry and flapping wings alerted the daughter of Poseidon of its presence as it was coming in fast.

"NOW!" Rhode screamed at the top of her lungs.

Tendrils of vines erupted from the ground, tangling up the mighty eagle's legs. The bird of Zeus flapped its wings as its talons started tearing the plants up as more and more tried to contain it feebly.

Zeus had a small smirk on his face while Demeter frowned.

Rhode turned around and dashed right at the monster at great speeds as she stuck her spyglass in her mouth. She jumped onto the thick plants, climbing up, and finally sank her fists into the plumage of the eagle's legs and held on tight. The bird monster gave a loud cry, finally freeing itself and took off into the sky.

"She's crazy," Su said with sweat covering her face as she ran up to Luke.

"Yeah, you tend to realize that after a while."

"After a while? I most likely knew right after I met her," Dionysus said with a scoff.

The blond said, chewing his lip, Come on, Rhode, you can do it.

Rhode quickly came to the realization that flying via eagle sucked.

A lot.

Zeus smirked at the punishment his niece received for flying via eagle. A double slap to the face in return for the offense she gave him.

Poseidon saw the smirk and glowered at him.

The harsh winds attacked her eyes, making tears form as she kept climbing the plumage of the bird. She was currently hanging onto its chest for dear life.

If it wasn't for all that time at the lava wall at camp, she would have probably fallen off already.

Gritting her teeth against her spyglass, Rhode continued up until she was by the junction of the neck and right wing. Holding on tight, she released her left hand and grabbed her weapon, sliding the adjuster.

Spellbound sprang to life and with a war cry, she impaled it right in front of her.

"Oh! Right in the eagle nards!" Ares chuckled.

Zeus scowled at the strike while Poseidon beamed.

Rhode's ears felt like they were going to bleed from the screech the eagle gave off. "Wah!" she cried out in surprise as the eagle started to flail in the air, making Rhode lose her grip. "No way!" she shouted and grabbed her embedded weapon as tightly as she could. She started to swing from it and with all her strength, she flipped into a crouched position on to the shaft of Spellbound.

Rhode reached behind her and drew her dagger, "Die!" she cried out, lunging with the blade, impaling the eagle right through the eye, her arm going shoulder deep into its skull.

"Gross...eagle brains." Nico gagged.

As its brain was pierced, Rhode couldn't help but smile at her plan as the eagle turned to dust. After seeing Luke draw its attention in the clearing and how Su wrapped up that bull monster earlier, she knew it was the best way to get the Caucasian Eagle close and secured long enough for her to hop on.

It was the perfect plan.

"Uh...There's still this thing called gravity," Percy said.

"She's free. Free falling." Apollo grinned as he said the infamous lyrics without singing. Now Artemis couldn't chastise him.

Wind rushed past her and Rhode realized, she was falling.

Rather fast too.

Looking at the coming ground that would no doubt turn her into paste, she realized that she had forgotten the most crucial element of the plan.

Her landing strategy.

"She'll be fine. If she has her father's hard head," Hades said with a smirk.

Poseidon laughed mockingly.

As soon as it dawned on her, she could do only one thing.

"Craaaaap!" Rhode screamed, flapping her arms in some backwards attempt at not being turned into a half-blood pancake with raspberry syrup.

"Blueberry."

"Really?" Annabeth asked her boyfriend dryly.

Percy crossed his arms firmly. "Don't diss the blue."

Just as her life was no doubt about to flash before her eyes, the ground erupted and a gigantic sunflower came forth, cushioning Rhode's fall as she bounced a few times on it, getting dusted in yellow pollen.

"Talk about flower power," Nico said while his father chuckled.

Demeter huffed. Flowers were indeed powerful and always underestimated!

Rolling over to her back, the daughter of the sea rested her hand on her chest as it rapidly rose and fell, trying to slow her racing heart. Her other hand was still clenching her dagger dangerously tightly.

"Su?" Rhode shouted, sea green eyes wide.

"Yes?" Echoed from below.

"I love you!"

"Yes!" Hermes cheered.

"Boo! Team Rhalia for life!" Apollo jeered while his sister glared at him and her hunter turned bright red.

"Hermollo."

The two gods quieted at Poseidon's seething grunt.

Rhode declared openly as the sunflower slowly descended into the ground. As she rolled onto the safe, secure, and oh so wonderful ground, Rhode saw a scarlet looking Su, fiddling with her thumbs.

"Oh, it was just, you were falling and I could only think of one thing that could break your fall soft enough, and-" Her rambling was abruptly cut off when Rhode pulled her into a tight hug.

"It is a cute couple," Aphrodite said thoughtfully.

Poseidon glared daggers at her. "No."

"I agree with Poseidon on this one," Demeter said with a frown. Her daughter could do better.

"Nice save, girl." Rhode winked, getting a shy smile from Su, who looked ready to pass out from exhaustion.

"No kidding." Luke said, bonking Rhode on the head, getting a yelp, "I told you not to do anything crazy."

"That's like telling Percy to stop loving the color blue," Annabeth said.

"Never!" The reading demigod declared.

Rhode rubbed her lump and glared at the blond, "I made the plan from watching you, I just improved it. So you're half to blame, bleh." She stuck her tongue out at Luke, getting him to roll his eyes at her.

"Mature." He sighed out, hands on his hips.

"I'm eleven." She huffed at him as she felt the familiar weight of Spellbound in her pocket.

"No wonder you forgot about how you'd land."

"Oh, point to Luke on that one," Nico said.

"Urk!"

Su watched their interaction with a tired giggle, "Okay, okay, I think we should get back before we run into any other monsters." She said, getting nods from the others. She eyed the talon, "My only question is; how are we going to get this back to camp?" They couldn't just leave it laying around.

Rhode whipped out her wand, "I got this. Levitation charm for the win." She grinned.

"...One of us should really learn magic," Leo said with a frown.

"It's a hard craft." Hazel grimaced at the thought.

"And it's stupid," Thalia said.

"Well, I guess you two are out. Anyone else?" Silence. "...Really? You all suck."

Rhode levitated the talon into town and called up the taxi company from the number Su memorized. They tied the talon on top of the taxi with some rope. Thanks to the Mist, no one asked any questions other than what it was.

"Summer project." The half-bloods answered.

The mortals bought it completely.

"...You know, its moments like this that make me wonder why you all procreate with mortals," Dionysus said. He sipped on his coke. "I mean, Pollux's mother was a beautiful woman and I might have been a bit depressed, but normally mortals repulse me."

"...That's because you're messed up, D."

"Sticks and stones, Apollo. Sticks and stones."

They ended up at King's Cross station without further hassle and shuffled the talon through the liquid stone wall of Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

The only real challenge they had was stuffing the spoil of war into the Floo.

After that, they were finally home.

According to camp tradition, they wore laurel wreaths to a big feast prepared in their honor, then led a procession down to the bonfire, where they got to burn the burial shrouds their cabins had made for them in their absence.

Su's shroud was wonderful – dark brown silk with vine trimmings and a tree in the center.

Luke face palmed as his siblings decided to mess with him, taking a blanket from their cabin and writing BIG HERO on it with gold paint and glitter. He did enjoy burning it though, that was for certain.

Being the daughter of Poseidon, Rhode didn't have any cabin mates

"Yet." Zeus glowered at his brother.

Poseidon just rolled his eyes and pointed at the Grace siblings.

Zeus shut up immediately.

(for obvious reasons), so another cabin made hers. It was made out of shimmering green silk, curling blue and white waves trimming the edges with a bronze shield in the center, stamped with a green trident.

And the ones who made it blew her mind, it was Athena Cabin.

Annabeth was very convincing it seemed.

Rhode couldn't help but be proud of her.

It was a shame she had to burn it.

"Man, I never luck out like that," Percy said with a frown. "My shroud is always ugly."

"Like a mirror reflection," Ares said with a smirk.

As for the spoil of war that they had earned on the quest? The questers got the talon mounted onto a piece of wood and labeled the plaque with their names and the location of their fight. They decided to leave it in Cabin Three since it had the room unlike Cabin Eleven, and it didn't fit in with Cabin Four. Rhode had wanted to use her free space more productively than mount her trophies, but this one was important! It signified her first quest! And more important than even that, it was one with Su, it was a symbol of how she was moving on and opening up to new people.

"The friendship I don't mind, but one peep out of either of you..." Poseidon said to Hermes and Apollo.

"Hermollo," the two said with a shiver.

Of course, the questers took a picture with the spoil before hanging it up. Giving peace signs and grinning like fools, well, Rhode and Luke did. Su just gave a cute little smile, waving at the camera shyly.

Soon the fun died out and Rhode returned to her cabin for the night.

Plopping on to her bed, Rhode let out a sigh, "That's two Horcruxes down, Voldedork." She said, a smirk on her face as she raised her hand, holding her BlackBerry. She scrolled down the list and viewed the other items she had to find and destroy, "Only four to go, and you along with them." Turning the phone off, she set it on her nightstand.

Closing her sea green eyes, Rhode dreamt of finally being able to relax this summer.

Well, as relaxing as demigod training can be of course.

"Which is pretty much none," Percy said dryly.

"Hand over the book, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said.

---

AN: Finally! Ugh, I'm bedridden from a rather bad sunburn. Here's a warning for you readers: When tanning after YEARS of not doing so, be sure to A) use a bronzer that you're not allergic to and B) don't go for 15 minutes after YEARS of not tanning. It don't end well.

REVIEW!