I have been having some serious issues with sleep leaving me constantly tired, it is hard to update when you are barely awake when trying to write... so I am sorry for the delays.

Time passed and Aaron found himself losing himself underneath the sky, as if it was grinding away his soul and not just his body. Memories of brighter days seemed to flit before him before imploding into nothing but the agony of the Sky's weight. He was sure he was under there forever, for a literal eternity, just like Atlas... no he must have been Atlas, to have been under here so long. He was Atlas, bound to pointless agony forever by the cruel gods, bad sports who abused their position as winners of the war with unjust punishments...

Yes, that made sense...

He was Atlas and the gods would pay...

Somehow that knowledge brought him comfort...

"No... don't, don't submit." Looking up, Aaron saw a man approaching him, a beautiful man, taller then average and built like a football player. He wasn't divinely perfect but he was interestingly lovely, with kind warm brown eyes. "Aaron, it's me, your magic, the part of you that evolved from your pain in the Underworld... I need you to survive. Be stronger, withstand this curse so that you come out mind and body. We can see the future in part, all sorcerers can, we can sense that we will be needed... now... focus and free your mind from this place... let only your body hold this up. You strong enough to do that."

Somehow, Aaron believed this fragment of his soul. It felt... right to obey it. And so he closed his eyes and followed the only trace of magic he could find... and slowly he drifted away, as if being squeezed out, flying across space and sky to reach the strongest connection he had.

That of Thalia Grace.

"""

He saw clippets, pieces of memories... He saw through Thalia's eyes, at the pingpong table. She was looking at the full council that now included Zoe and Bianca, both girls radiant and powerful. Respect flowed through Thalia's heart as she looked at Bianca, her body aching randomly in places where Bianca had struck her during the Capture the Flag. The girl's might was great and Thalia admired that.

"Artemis is being held hostage! We must find her and free her." Zoe's voice drew Thalia from her thoughts.

"You're missing something, as usual," Thalia said. "Campers and Hunters combined prevail. We're supposed to do this together."

"No!" Zoe said. "The Hunters do not need thy help."

"Your" Thalia grumbled. "Nobody has said thy in, like, three hundred years, Zoe. Get with the times."

Zoe hesitated, like she was trying to form the word correctly. " Yerrr. We do not need yerrr help."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Forget it."

"I fear the prophecy says you do need our help," Chiron said. "Campers and Hunters must cooperate."

"Or do they?" Mr. D mused, swirling his Diet Coke under his nose like it had a fine bouquet. "One shall be lost. One shall perish. That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail because you try to cooperate?"

"Mr. D," Chiron sighed, "with all due respect, whose side are you on?"

Dionysus raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful." He stopped. "But you are right, Thalia. Aaron and Artemis' lives are in danger, we must rescue them both. This mission is of great importance. I will try to be kinder."

"We're supposed to work together," Thalia said stubbornly. "I don't like it either, Zoe, but you know prophecies. You want to fight against one?"

Zoe grimaced, but Aaron could tell Thalia had scored a point.

"We must not delay," Chiron warned. "Today is Sunday. This very Friday, December twenty-first, is the winter solstice."

"Oh, joy," Dionysus muttered. "Another dull annual meeting."

"Artemis must be present at the solstice," Zoe said. "She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos's minions. If she is absent, the gods will decide nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations."

"Are you suggesting that the gods have trouble acting together, young lady?" Dionysus asked.

"Yes, Lord Dionysus."

Mr. D nodded. "Just checking. You're right, of course. Carry on."

"I must agree with Zoe," said Chiron. "Artemis's presence at the winter council is critical. We have only a week to find her. And possibly even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting. Now, we must decide who goes on this quest."

"Three and two," Percy suddenly said. Everybody looked at me. Thalia was impressed. "We're supposed to have five," Percy said, looking self-conscious. "Three Hunters, two from Camp Half-Blood. That's more than fair."

Thalia and Zoe exchanged looks.

"Well," Thalia said. "It does make sense."

Zoe grunted. "I would prefer to take all the Hunters. We will need strength of numbers."

"You'll be retracing the goddess's path," Chiron reminded her. "Moving quickly. No doubt Artemis tracked the scent of this rare monster, whatever it is, as she moved west. You will have to do the same. The prophecy was clear: The bane of Olympus shows the trail. What would your mistress say? 'Too many Hunters spoil the scent.' A small group is best."

Zoe picked up a Ping-Pong paddle and studied it like she was deciding who she wanted to whack first. "This monster—the bane of Olympus. I have hunted at Lady Artemis's side for many years, yet I have no idea what this beast might be."

Everybody looked at Dionysus, "Well, don't look at me. I'm a young god, remember? I don't keep track of all those ancient monsters and dusty titans. They make for terrible party conversation. Wait no, that's not entirely true. Aaron was interested in Mythology, we often discussed ancient history. There are some ideas in my head now, but I cannot fully... Father restricts what information is allowed to pass between us all."

"Chiron," PErcy said, "you don't have any ideas about the monster?"

Chiron pursed his lips. "I have several ideas, none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Keto. But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters the size of skyscrapers. Your father, Poseidon, would already have sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more elusive. Perhaps even more powerful."

"That's some serious danger you're facing," Connor Stoll said. "It sounds like at least two of the five are going to die."

"One shall be lost in the land without rain" Beckendorf said. "If I were you, I'd stay out of the desert."

There was a muttering of agreement.

"And the Titan's curse must one withstand," Silena said. "What could that mean?"

I saw Chiron and Zoe exchange a nervous look, but whatever they were thinking, they didn't share it.

"One shall perish by a parent's hand," Grover said in between bites of Cheez Whiz and Ping-Pong balls. "How is that possible? Whose parent would kill them?"

There was heavy silence around the table.

Thalia cringed, knowing there was a descent chance that she was the one to die by her father's hand...

"There will be deaths," Chiron decided. "That much we know."

"Percy is right," Silena Beauregard said. "Two campers should go."

"Oh, I see," Zoe said sarcastically. "And I suppose you wish to volunteer?"

Silena sighed. "I would volunteer but I am not allowed to leave camp outside of rescuing errant demigods. I beat and bound you during capture the flag, rather easily Zoe , do not forget that. My siblings and I wrecked most of the Hunters we came across, even Drew beat one with some help and she is my laziest sibling. Get over yourself. Now, onto the matter at hand. we have more to worry about. Which Hunters will go?

Zoe stood. "I shall go, of course, and I will take Phoebe. She is our best tracker."

"The big girl who likes to hit people on the head?" Travis Stoll asked cautiously.

Zoe nodded.

"The one who put the arrows in my helmet?" Connor added..

"Yes," Zoe snapped. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Travis said. "Just that we have a T-shirt for her from the camp store." He held up a big silver T-shirt that said ARTEMIS THE MOON GODDESS, FALL HUNTING TOUR 2002, with a huge list of national parks and stuff underneath. "It's a collector's item. She was admiring it. You want to give it to her?"

Aaronf frowned in the visions, he knew the Stolls were up to something. They always were. But it was clear that Zoe didn't know them as well. She just sighed and took the T-shirt. "As I was saying, I will take Phoebe. And I wish Bianca to go."

Bianca looked stunned but nodded. "I am stronger then most of the other Hunters, but I have never been on a hunt nor have I been in much real combat. Are you sure?"

"You will do fine," Zoe insisted. "There is no better way to prove thyself."

Bianca closed her mouth.

"And for campers?" Chiron asked. His eyes met mine, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Me!" Grover stood up so fast he bumped the Ping-Pong table. He brushed cracker crumbs and Ping-Pong ball scraps off his lap. "Anything to help Artemis!"

Zoe wrinkled her nose. "I think not, satyr. You are not even a half-blood."

"But he is a camper," Thalia said. "And he's got a satyr's senses and woodland magic. Can you play a tracker's song yet, Grover?"

"Absolutely!"

Zoe wavered, as did Aaron since hsi magic would be a big deal... but Grover was worthless in battle and wasn't great at magic. Overall he wasn't much... he was a bad idea.

Thankfully Silena stood. "Percy or Meggy will go, not Grover. He can track well, but he is horrible in combat. He would be a hinderance. Percy is a great combatant and has many allies in the rivers. Meggy has probably more allies then Percy from saving so many demigods. She is powerful, can track better then Grover and is capable of great magic. Both options not horrible stalking Pervs that tried to sleep by the Artemis cabin!"

Everyone looked at Grover with some shock, and a little hate. The poor goat shivered, much to Aaron's pride, and collapsed into his chair.

Meggy nodded, standing. "I would be honored. However I think Percy would be a better suggestion then a third Hunter. His powers are without repute and so are his allies in the rivers. He could provide us with many powerful forms of assistance. However if it is not to be, then I will make sure to make a few prayers to the fountian." They all nodded.

"Very well, Meggy it is. I have heard well of you... " Zoe said. "And the second camper?"

"I'll go." Thalia stood and looked around, daring anyone to question her.

Percy started to freak out. "Whoa, wait a sec," Percy said. "I want to go too."Thalia said nothing. Chiron was still studying Percy , his eyes sad. "I have to go," Percy said. "I need to be on this quest."

"Why?" Zoe asked. "Because of thy friend Aaron?

Percy frowned. No! I mean, partly. He's my brother, literally, and one of my best friends but it's more then that...I just feel like I'm supposed to go!"

"Meggy can sense something, prophetic magic. You've been dreaming haven't you?"

"Yes... I saw him, in my dreams, he is holding the sky up. He was in so much pain, He's my brother, I am going. I don't care how sexist you are Zoe, I am more then skilled and I will go." Aaron wanted to hug his brother, he knew the boy had taken after him some what.

"No," Zoe said flatly. "I insist upon this. I will not take a male hero."

Somehow, Aaron managed to slap his hands down onto the table, but no one even noticed... not even Thalia, and he realized why. This was just a vision of the past...

Meggy frowned at her. "You really love your sexism more then Artemis, huh?" Zoe froze, hate boiling in her eyes. "Percy is powerful, skilled and he has allies everywhere that's more then we can say for Phoebe, who if I remember from Aaron's rants is more sexist then you are. No, she will not go and you can fight me on this as much as you'd like. Percy will go and that is final." Meggy's words were strong, her voice filled with charmspeech so layered and powerful that even faded through the vision, Aaron wanted to nod.

"So be it," Chiron said. "Thalia, Percy and Meggy will accompany Zoe and Binaca. You shall leave at first light. And may the gods"—he glanced at Dionysus—"present company included, we hope—be with you."

Dionysius nodded. "If it wasn't clear, I support Percy going. I may not like him, but I cannot deny he is the best chance for Aaron's retrieval. Now go, ready yourself. Now."

Zoe's hateful eyes hit everyone as she marched away, with Bianca rolling her eyes. " I'll talk with her, I may be a hunter but even I agree that Percy is the best option. Not all of us are hateful and sexist. Most are just afraid of Zoe.., and Phoebe. I am not afraid of either of them, so don't worry."

Instantly the vision shifted and Aaron found himself at the next location, he had a feeling his visions were being guided by the Fates or so he hoped... and he found himself at the Smithsonian of all places! He wondered what would happen here...

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

We are going to see the Quest due to the changes in company and training...

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.