Sorry about this guys! I took the last section of the last chapter and put it in this one, because it made more sense that way. I deleted that section from the last chapter, and I did edit it, so it's a little different. The last part is completely new, though! :3

Also, I really like it when I get feedback on my writing, because then I'm able to make my stories even better. Don't be afraid to comment!

So, with that, ENJOY!

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The tiny Meeting Shed is cramped with people as Grover nervously says, "You mean... She could rise again?" He lets out a panicked bleat. "Oh, no. Not good. At all."

I nod. "Yeah. Gaia was killed in the air, but the air isn't land. It's not substantial. So, her ashes floated to the ground, meaning that she could re-form. It must have just taken a while for her to gain back her full power, and that's why the weirdness started out small and just got worse and worse."

Percy nods. "It makes sense. But I gotta say, it's definitely not good news." He brushes his bangs off of his forehead with his fingers. "How can we get rid of her? Jeez, it's like trying to get rid of bedbugs. You kill 'em off and they just come right back as if nothing happened."

Annabeth lets out a frustrated sigh. "Well, I don't know. Maybe we could gather up Gaia's ashes and keep them in a jar, or maybe we could find them and ship them off into space?"

I shake my head. "Even if you could find them, she's already gained back enough power that she would be able to re-form even without all of her ashes."

Grover lets out another frustrated, nervous bleat as Will chimes in, "Well, we'll have to do something, won't we?"

Rachel suggests, "We could just try to fight her again."

Annabeth laughs. "Try that again? No thanks." She shakes her head. "Plus, think of all the horrors she'd do! Last time, she gained the support of demons and caused more chaos than I'd ever seen before. I mean-"

Suddenly, she's cut off as Rachel thrusts her way into the middle of the group. Everyone goes silent. Her eyes glaze over and a green mist starts to spill from her mouth. It spreads through the room slowly as an ominous voice fills the room, coming from Rachel as she stands frozen, her expression slack and her mouth not moving.

"One among you is not like the others,
and yet it shall be he who saves the last one lost..."
The rough, crackly, wistful voice of the Oracle says.
"One among you must lay the path,
so that the lost can come back without cost...
There shall be five others to help the one,
the one who will fight off the forthcoming gall...
Yet at the end of his journey, if he is not careful,
he and the lost could meet their fall...
The lost are needed to stop the coming angry storm,
and if they don't stop it, all will be lost...
The six will add two to their numbers and grow,
and those two will help to right all wrongs..."

Elizabeth stands frozen for a moment before the green mist flows back into her, as if she's a vacuum. Her eyes light back up and she takes a staggering step backwards, then she catches her balance and stands up straight. "What happened?" She asked, seeing everyone's shocked and dazed expressions.

Nobody responds, but slowly, one by one, everyone turns their heads to stare at me.

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It's still silent as I start to stutter, "This, aha... No, th-this this c-can't be right. I mean tza-tzi, I just came back, guys, I, uh" I laugh nervously, unable to control my voice. "Ike, Ike I can't go on - on a quest. I... I- I just got back, I mean, I mean, uh, I-I-I... I can't..." I trail off as the others stare at me in silence.

Nobody moves for a full minute before Will says, "We might want to... to notify Philomena and Ivan."

Grover nods hesitantly. "I'll go get them." He walks out the door hurriedly, glancing over his shoulder at me.

It's silent for a moment before the noise erupts in the cramped room.

"One prophecy less than a week after another!" Percy says. "It's important that we take this into account. Though I think that it's fully possible that it's Nico who is the one mentioned in the prophecy, we don't know for sure that-"

Annabeth interrupts, "No. It can't be Nico. The last prophecy was about him!"

Percy parries Annabeth's reasoning. "It could be about him, but I highly doubt-" He's interrupted by Will.

"It is about Nico. Who else could it be about?"

Grover barges back into the room, followed by a very short girl with ivory-colored hair and impossibly purple eyes. Behind her is a tall, geeky teenager with shaggy, unkempt hair and black geek glasses. On first sight, I think, Oh my god, he's hot.

"Got 'em." Grover says as the 'discussion' continues.

After a moment of intense noise caused by raised voices, Philomena shouts, "Shut up! You're driving me crazy, all of you!"

Everyone else continues on like they can't hear her. I pick out bits of sentences as everyone's voices clash over one another.

"- Can't be right-"

"...Not it."

"No, you've got it all wrong! He is-"

"I fully believe that..."

"Maybe-"

"- Accept it, people-"

"- The Gods wouldn't approve..."

"... How do we know for sure?"

"No, I'm saying-"

"... Not now..."

"After everything that's-"

I clear my throat loudly and the shouting skids to a halt. The four counselors, Will, and Grover turn towards me. I start, "I don't really know what you're arguing about at this point, because I can't hear anyone," I glare at the faces in front of me, sweeping my gaze around the room before continuing. "But instead of arguing, shouldn't you be having a meeting with the Cabin Leaders?" Annoyance thickly laces my voice, and the others obviously notice.

Percy and Philomena exchange a meaningful glance as Ivan speaks up.

"Okay, let's go to the Big House. Annabeth, Philomena, grab the Cabin Leaders. Nico, be at the Big house in ten minutes. Bring Nick with you. All the rest of you, come." He stoops to step out the door and starts off in the direction of the Big House with everyone but Will trailing behind him, and I'm left to my own devices.

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When I enter the cabin, the only occupant is a pale-skinned boy lying on a bed, asleep, in a bright blue t-shirt that's smeared with mud. His hair is bright red, streaked through with a bit of black here and there. His arms are covered in swirling black lines, and two nose piercings have been inserted into his left nostril. Since nobody else is around, I decide to ask him if he's seen Nick.

He wakes with a start when I tap him on the shoulder. "Yeah?" His voice sounds familiar, but I don't think I've met him. His eyes are dark green, like the color of a Pine tree's leaves.

"Hey," I say. "Do you have any idea where Nick - Nico - is? I expected him to be here."

The boy laughs. "You were right. He is here."

"Oh," I say. "Um, where?"

"You're looking at him." The boy says with a devilish grin.

I step back in surprise. "Nick?!"

"Yup! So, whatd'ya think?" He stands up and turns in a slow circle.

"Um, nice." I say. "When did you get all of that done?"

"Tuesday." Nick replies. "I was gonna show you on Wednesday, but you weren't around. Where were you?"

"Oh," I bite my lip, feeling my face grow red. "About that. I said I'd go look for Mrs. O'leary. I kind of... found her... bones." My eyes start to water, and I tell myself, Don't cry, don't cry, you idiot, before continuing. "She apparently died only a little while ago."

"Wait, hold up." Nick says. "Was Mrs. O'leary that big black dog that just randomly showed up in camp from time to time?"

I nod silently, and Nick continues. "I'm sorry, dude. I... Didn't know." He claps me on the shoulder. I open my mouth to speak, but then close it without saying anything.

After a moment, I check my watch. It reads 9:46. I need to be at the Big House in less than 5 minutes. I open my mouth again, but this time say, "We need to meet the Camp Counselors in four minutes."

Nick nods and grabs a black t-shirt changing quickly. When he's ready to go, I open the cabin door and we sprint down the hills to the White House, where somebody's fate will be decided.