Ch22

Percy made sure to sit by Magnus while they ate their tacos with everyone else. He looked over at the blonde and saw him eat his food as if he were lost in his own thoughts. Stupid Ares don't listen to him Magnus I will do all that I can to make sure that you stay in camp. He cared about Magnus deeply since he was once of his closest friends, I just hope the things Aphrodite said about my feelings for Annabeth doesn't bother him. He knew that his feelings for Annabeth were complicated, yeah she was bossy, stubborn, kind of mean, and at times a bit of a know it all at times but he felt something for her he could not explain. But him and Annabeth are like siblings I can't just get with her like that he would probably feel betrayed. Magnus was his best friend and he couldn't do something like that to him, especially now of all times.

He sat down and listened as they found out that Bianca and Nico were in the Lotus Hotel and had been there for a very long time. He tried to comfort her that all was ok now and Zoe and Thalia helped. In the end, they had a good night and had they not been in the middle of an important quest he would've enjoyed it for the most part.

As they were getting ready for bed he placed his sleeping bag next to Magnus who was already asleep. "Well it has been a long day," He muttered as he smiled at his friend.

Sleep hit him fast and soon he found himself dream again. This time instead of seeing Annabeth or Luke in his dreams he was in what appeared to be a battlefield or at least an area that was about to become a battlefield. In the sky two ravens flew cautiously while a large eagle watched them, Percy found himself on a horse that was staring at a pack of white wolves. The feeling in the air was tense, almost as if both sides were waiting for a bomb to go off.

He wanted to stay something, to stop it all but he was afraid of saying the wrong word and making both sides go at each other but one thing he did know, he would not let them take those who were precious to him.

"You may protect him for now but who knows I may even the playing field in the future," A sinister voice in his head said.

"Who are you? I won't let you hurt Magnus," he said as he looked and saw a blonde figure in front of him. The blonde kid looked a little older than him and wore a red sox jersey. His face was scarred and his smile was sinister. He remembered what Magnus had said about this person. "You are Loki," he said not knowing what else to say, this was his first time meeting a god who wasn't an Olympian.

Loki smiled, "The one and only," he said with a mock bow.

"Stay away from Magnus," he said.

Loki laughed, "Sorry but causing mischief is my thing and besides, he isn't a Greek demigod."

"I don't care what he is stay the hell away from him," he yelled.

Loki laughed, "There are always consequences for our actions son of Poseidon. Who knows since he is helping the Olympians maybe Kronos will find some help. After all my children aren't treated well in both Asgard or here in Midgard. It would be a shame if Kronos found one of them and helped them in their problems. It isn't just Greek demigods that have a hard life you know."

"I don't care who you send if anyone harms Magnus I will protect him," he said.

Loki smiled at him, "Well good luck son of Poseidon. I would focus on your current quest now but in the future, Magnus Chase will eventually have to decide for himself where he goes, though lets be honest Gods don't give mortals or demigods the right to choose am I right? Anyway good bye for now Percy Jackson," he said with a small bow as he disappeared.

The dream then shifted. He saw a group of girls he recognized as being the hunters. They were fighting a group of people that came off of a viking ship. The Viking warriors that left the ship fought ferociously and many of the hunters were killed. He looked up at the sky and saw various female figures assisting the Vikings. They fired spears of light at the hunters of Artemis and carried to souls of the dead off to somewhere.

He saw someone he recognized, it was Zoe but her eyes were full of anger. "Let us show these servers of men our might," she yelled as she rallied her hunters. They cheered as they fired at the enemy and charged at them. He wanted to tell them to stop fighting but he knew that they would not listen and to his surprise, both sides fought with the same level of ferocity. Many of the hunters were killed or dragged off to their ships, they but up ferocious resistance but their numbers were starting to dwindle. "For Artemis!" Zoe yelled as she fired at a viking warrior. He continued to watch as the dream slowly ended

He woke up breathing heavily and looked around. Everyone is still asleep huh? He looked around and sighed as he looked at Magnus who appeared to be having some kind of bad dream.

"Don't worry dude I'll make sure nothing happens to you," He said smiling at him as he slowly went back to sleep.

The next day they packed their things and headed out again. He walked next to Magnus as they saw the large junkyard in front of them. "Aphrodite said not to take anything," he said as they looked at the imposing pile of trash in front of them.

"True lets go through this as soon as possible," Thalia said as they entered the junkyard.

The whole place gave off a super creepy vibe and while there were some cool things none of them wanted to risk taking stuff from them. They found some super creepy toes that were super tall and some other stuff but after a few minutes of walking they finally made it out.

"Thank the Gods we are done with that place," Zoe said with a sigh. However, at that moment a large sound of metal being moved made everyone turn around in shock and horror. "Which one of you took something?" Zoe said looking at him and Magnus.

"Hey I'm not a thief," he said.

"Yeah me either," Magnus said defensively.

"Oh really? What did you take?" Zoe said giving Magnus a threatening look. Magnus glared at her while Bianca looked super guilty

"Hey he said he didn't take anything," He said standing up for him. Magnus gave him a small smile while Bianca tried her best to avoid eye contact with everyone.

"Hey guys lets not focus on this now look," Thalia said pointing to behind them.

They all turned around and looked in horror as the scrap mountain began to rise. The creature was tall, almost as tall as a skyscraper. It had Greek armor and looked at them through a deformed face. "Talos," Zoe gasped in horror.

"One of Hephaestus's creations. It looks like a prototype," Thalia said. "It must be a defective model."

At the word defective, the giant creature drew its sword and swung it. "Run everyone!" Grover said. No one had to be told twice, they all bolted into groups and tried to attack it to little success.

"Bianca come one," he said as he noticed a small figurine in her hand. "Bianca what is that?" He said pointing to the figurine in her hand.

Her face looked so guilty and sad that he almost wanted to hug her. "I-It is for Nico, he doesn't have this one," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Well try throwing it back maybe it will stop," Magnus said as he blocked some junk with his shield. He was going to ask Magnus about his new sword and armor but decided his mind was focused on other things.

The creature went after Grover and nearly threw him in a pile of rubbish. That was when he saw an opening in its heel with the sign For Maintenance Only on it. "Hey Bianca there is a switch it looks like can you distract it so I can get close to it?"

"What that's crazy?" Magnus said as he blocked some more junk. "Can you even fit in it?"

Bianca looked at them nervously. "I'll go in, it looks small enough for me to fit inside."

"Are you sure you can get crushed?" He said in shock.

Bianca's jaw tightened as she took a deep breath. "It is my fault the monster came after us," she said as she pressed the figurine in his hand. "Tell Nico I am sorry if anything happens to me," she said with a smile.

"Bianca no!" Magnus and him said in unison. But she wasn't listening to either of them as she charged at the monster. The monster was focused on Thalia and Zoe as Bianca got close.

Crap he thought as he drew Riptide. "Hey defective pile of trash over here," Talos looked at him and raised his foot as if he wanted to squash him. He and Magnus both ran for it and were thrown into the air and landed a few feet away on the ground.

He turned around and saw Bianca enter the creature, "Go Bianca," he said looking away as Thalia and Zoe grabbed Grover and ran.

"How will she get out," Zoe said in shock pain spread across her face. Suddenly the creature looked as if it were short circuiting and his body slowly fell apart. "NO!" Zoe yelled as the creature fell apart and onto the ground.

Magnus had a shocked and pained look on his face while Thalia yelled in rage.

"One shall be lost in the land without rain," Grover muttered the line of the prophecy as it hit everyone that Bianca was gone.

"Oh Gods what will I tell Nico," he said as he looked at the pile of rubble.

Magnus put his hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry man it wasn't your fault."

"Thanks dude," he said as they all said one final goodbye to Bianca Di Angelo.

They managed to find an old truck that barley worked and drove to the river, "We can use these canoes," he suggested as he placed a few coins and an IOU note on the counter. Everyone nodded as they got into the canoes and rode upstream with the help of some naiads. He rode with Zoe while Grover was with Thalia and Magnus.

"I understand if you want to blame me," He said to Zoe as they canoed upstream.

"No it is not thy fault; I brought her when I shouldn't have," Zoe said as she eyed Riptide with a pained look.

He noticed her looking and remembered the dreams about it he had been having lately, "You made this right? I've been having dreams about it."

Zoe looked away, "It was a gift and a mistake, do not make me say that man's name," she said shaking her head as if she were trying to forget a painful memory.

"You act as if I know him," he said as he made sure that both canoes were working well in the water.

"Don't all men want to be like him?" She said in a bitter tone.

Percy looked away, "Well not really I mean I guess some."

Zoe sighed, "It is fine it is in the past,": she said bitterly as she told the story of how she helped Hercules steal the apple and got no credit for it.

"Wow that sucks," he said as he looked at Zoe. "Oh if I may ask what do you have against Magnus, I mean I notice you do all you can to avoid him."

Zoe shot him a serious look. "There are things that cannot be discussed, but I take it you know he is different."

Percy gulped knowing full well what she was referring to, "Yeah I do but he is a good guy deep down."

Zoe rolled her eyes, "I've met many of his kind, the Sons of the North were barbaric we lost many hunters to them," she said bitterly. "I still remember the last battle we had with them, I barely managed to hold them off. We lost many hunters that day," she said with a dark look on her face.

"Yeah well he is different he isn't like that. Just give him a chance," he said trying to sound as sympathetic as possible. Zoe didn't respond as the Naiads told him that they could not take them any further upstream.

"Its Hoover Dam," Thalia said as they parked their canoes and got out.

"Yeah it was built in the 1930s and is seven hundred feet tall," he said with a sigh looking up at it.

"And it can hold five million cubic areas of water," Magnus said as he stretched his arms. "Along with being the largest construction project in the US."

"How do you both know that stuff?" Zoe stared at them in shock.

"Annabeth," They both said in unison.

Thalia did her best to suppress a laugh while Zoe shook her head in disbelief. They decided that they might as well check out the dam since they were already there so they found a path and made their way up to the main area which was a plaza with various bronze statues with wings on them.

"I am in need of some refreshments; I will go get some at the dam snack bar," Zoe said

Everyone else tried their best to suppress their laughter. "Yeah I need some dam refreshments and while taking a rest on the dam seats," Magnus said causing everyone to laugh.

"What is funny?" Zoe asked in confusion.

"Nothing I want some water at the dam fountain," Grover said with a big smile.

"And I want to look at the dam gift shop," Thalia said.

Thalia, Zoe, and Grover left leaving him alone with Magnus when he heard a mooing sound. "Did you hear a cow"? He asked as he looked around

"A dam cow?" Magnus asked with a small smile.

"No a real cow," He said as quickly moved to the edge of the dam. Crap he thought as he saw the sea cow Bessie in the lake. "What are you doing here? Bessie was mooing like crazy as Magnus came and watched it. "I can't my friends are here," he said. Bessie mooed one more time before doing a flip and disappearing into the dam water.

"What was that about?" Magnus asked

"She says we should run," he said as he looked around and saw a skeleton warrior. "Yeah look," he said as pointing to the skeleton warrior. A van pulled up and more and more skeletons came out of the car.

"Lets go," Magnus said quickly. He did not need to be told twice, they both booked it and ran inside down the stairs into a museum ignoring the pleas of the security guards.

They ran through the museum passing various crowds ignoring the crowds and protests. They both drew their weapons just in case. They thought they heard a sound and when someone brushed against them they nearly decapitated a girl.

"Hey are you guys crazy? Do you always kill people who bump into you? How did you get those things in here anyway?" The red haired girl said, she appeared to be around their age.

"Wait you are a mortal? You can see these?" Magnus asked pointing to their swords.

"Uh yeah and that weird fur coat," she said pointing to the lion's coat.

Magnus and Percy exchanged a quick look and back at the mortal. "What is your name? He asked the red haired.

"Rachel Elizabeth dare, who are you guys?" She asked.

"Listen we don't have much time we are being chased can you help us?" Magnus asked as he pointed to some of the skeletons in the crowd searching for them.

Rachel looked at both of them and sighed, "Fine hide in the bathroom," They both nodded and booked it into the bathroom.

When the bathroom door closed behind them they were in for another surprise, "Oh great you guys again," Magnus said sarcastically. Percy turned and saw the same well dressed dwarf and white haired elf in a jacket and a red and white scarf from before who looked at them in shock and embarrassment. "Are you guys following us?" Magnus said in an accusatory tone.

The dwarf and the elf exchanged a guilty look and nodded, "Yeah we are sorry," Blitz said with a sigh.

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Well now is not a good time we are being followed by an army of skeletons."

The white haired elf did some sign language which he could not understand though Magnus appeared to understand it more or less though it appeared that it gave him a headache. "We can help you," Blitz said translating his friend.

They heard a knock at the door. "You are all clear," Rachel said whispered from the other side.

"Fine you can come with us if you can help us get out of here," Magnus said. The dwarf and elf exchanged a look and nodded as they got out and saw Rachel who stared at the dwarf and elf in shock.

"Thank you Rachel um but we are in a hurry," he said.

"Um ok sure see you around I guess," Rachel said with a surprised look as the dwarf and elf waved at her. She smiled at them and ran off to wherever her group was.

"There you guys are," said another voice that made them both groan on the inside. They saw the big blonde girl who was with them leave the girl's bathroom. As soon as she made eye contact with them her eyes narrowed. "Oh hello again," she said coolly.

"Lady Gunilla they found us," Blitz said the elf nodded in agreement. "Lets try to get out of here together."

The blonde Viking glared at both of them but sighed, "We can escape together but we cannot help your kind directly."

"I have no problem with that," Magnus said in a cool tone.

"Fine I am Lady Gunilla daughter of Thor we shall form a temporary alliance Greek," she said extending her hand.

He looked at the hand and took it, "Percy Jackson son of Poseidon." He noticed that she along with her companions flinched in shock. Thor like from the comics? Wow my life just keeps on getting weirder by the minute. While he shook her hand he couldn't help but feel as if a bomb of tension was about to blow up between them; he couldn't explain it but it was as if they were both time bombs waiting to go off and that if they went off something really bad will happen.

"We got to leave now," Magnus said as he looked to make sure the area was clear. Percy looked at Gunilla and her group and they all nodded as they quickly ran to the café where they found Thalia, Grover, and Zoe eating their dam lunch.

"Guys we need to go now," Magnus said. For a second there was a small shock as they viewed Gunilla and her group behind them. Grover looked pretty nervous and Zoe looked furious as she stared at the blonde Viking woman.

"You," she said coldly standing up and grabbing her weapon. "You server of men what bringest thou here," she spat as Thalia and Grover looked in confusion

"Long time no see huntress," Gunilla said glaring at her. "Still recruiting teenage girls?" She asked sarcastically. He had to admit, that was a good comeback.

"As if thou would care about women. Go serve thy men in thy putrid beer hall," Zoe spat as she gripped her knife.

"Insult Asgard or the all father and it will be the end of you," Gunilla said in a dark tone as she glared at Zoe.

"Guys now is not the time we are being followed," Magnus said though neither of them wanted to get in between the two girls who were glaring daggers at each other.

"He is right now is not the time look," Thalia said pointing to the skeleton warriors.

Magnus swore as they all made it for the exit. They managed to fight off some of the warriors and managed to make their way to the plaza where they found more of the skeletons.

"There are about twenty of them," Thalia swore as she drew her spear. Gunilla slashed at one of the skeletons and swore in an unknown language when it regenerated.

He and Magnus fought off some of the skeletons but it was no use since they could keep on regenerating. That was when he noticed the angel statues and how they were glowing.

"Thalia pray to your dad and ask him for help," he said as he slashed at one of the skeletons.

"Why he never answers," she said with a dejected look.

"Just do it, it wont hurt to try," Magnus said as he slashed his sword at one of the skeletons. One of the skeletons tried to get him from behind but Gunilla took it out with her ax. "Thanks," Magnus said as Gunilla just nodded and took out more skeletons as if they were nothing.

"Fine," Thalia said with a sigh. She did a small prayer to her father. There was a bit of silence and suddenly he felt something lift him up. He looked up and saw a stone angel carrying him and his companions.

"Sorry daughter of Zeus but we can't help the Valkyrie and her friends," an Angel said in a stern voice.

Gunilla looked at them and nodded, "Don't worry we can make it through this besides we have meddled enough," she said. Her companions nodded and waved at him and Magnus as the angels flew them away.

"Where are we going Ms. Daughter of Zeus?" One of them asked.

Thalia looked as if she was about to have a panic attack and closed her eyes, "San Francisco."

Gunilla sighed as the skeletons disappeared. Well there goes for trying to keep a low profile. She looked over at her companions who had minor injuries that the elf was taking care of for both of them.

"Lady Gunilla they said that they are off to San Francisco," Blitz said carefully. "Should we follow them, after all their other children are near there."

Gunilla sighed as she rubbed her head. They had to take the Goddess Artemis west and so close to their other children. She had a vague understanding of the Greek/Roman split that the Olympians had, they kept their children far apart and a secret from each other because they got along poorly with each other.

The Romans got along worse with us she thought as she sighed and sat on a bench. She accepted the elf's offer to heal her as she thought of her next course of action. Asgard got along with the Greek half of the Olympians and their children more than their Roman children. Back during the Middle Ages when the children of Asgard raided far and wide Western Europe which had more Roman influence was attacked more than the Easter Greek half. In fact we even got along with the Greeks more back in those days, we still raided them but they paid us to protect them. They were also less snobbish.

While things between Asgard and Olympus got better, their Roman children still despised Asgard and it was in both party's best interest to steer clear of them. She recalled during the American Civil War children of the Asgardians helped the Greeks in the North defeat the Southerners and Romans, she even knew a few veterans from the war who still viewed the Greeks favorably. She couldn't blame them really, there was a lot of bad blood between them that stretched far beyond the viking age and before. I would actually feel sorry for that son of Frey if they got their hands on him. She sighed and got up just as a presence appeared in front of them. Her eyes widened as she saw Lady Frigg in full armor in front of them, "Lady Frigg," she said as she and her companions bowed.

Lady Frigg nodded, "Your mission is put on hold for now under orders of Lord Odin."

"What? But we can still observe the son of Frey," she said respectfully but she could tell that Lady Frigg was not joking. She looked at her companions who looked at each other nervously.

"I am afraid that is not the issue," Frigg said. "Olympus noticed your interactions just now, no doubt you can sense the Olympians watching us. It is best we leave now this mission will be put on pause."

Gunilla gripped her fist and wanted to protest but she could sense the presence of something powerful watching over them. "Yes Lady Frigg," she sighed as she and her companions bowed.

"Good, once we get back to Asgard rest up and be prepared to report to Lord Odin," Frigg said as a beam of light hit all of them.

AN: Hoped you all enjoyed this chapter. Loki is continuing his scheming.

Yes i know that the roman empire was long gone by the time of the viking age but the Germanic tribes that raided Rome worshiped prototypes of the Norse Gods. So i figure that Camp Jupiter would get along less with the Norse.