Percy
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Demigods walked up to Thalia, congratulating her on getting the flag and back alive. Michael strolled up to me, a grin on his face. He seemed mostly fine, with the exception of an arrow hole in his hand.

"I watched the fight," he said as Zoe got off me. "Very impressive."

He stretched out a hand to me. I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet.

"Thanks," I breathed. "Felt like I was battling Artemis herself, to be honest. That was a hell of a fight."

Zoe smiled at the compliment. "Thank you, Perseus. You fought well. For a male."

I shrugged. "I did fight Kronos, after all."

"That is a story you will have to tell me," Zoe said before going over to check on her Hunters.

As she made her way across the creak, all movement in the forest ceased. Someone... something was approaching. It was shrouded in a murky green mist, but as it got closer, the campers and Hunters gasped.

"This is impossible," Chiron said. I'd never heard him sound so nervous. "It... she has never left the attic. Never."

And yet, the withered mummy that held the Oracle shuffled forward until she stood in the center of the group. Mist curled around our feet, turning the snow a sickly shade of green.

None of us dared move. Then her voice hissed inside my head. Apparently everyone could hear it, because several clutched their hands over the ears.

I am the sprit of Delphi, the voice said. Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.

The Oracle regarded me with its cold, dead eyes. Then she turned unmistakably toward Zoe Nightshade. Approach, Seeker, and ask.

Zoe swallowed. "What must I do to help my goddess?"

The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. I saw the vague image of a mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. It was Artemis, but she was wrapped in chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker, and it looked like she was in pain. The Oracle spoke:

Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,

One shall be lost in the land without rain,

The bane of Olympus shows the trail,

Campers and Hunters combined prevail,

The Titan's curse must one withstand,

And one shall perish by a parent's hand.

Then, as we were watching, the mist swirled and retreated like a great green serpent into the mummy's mouth. The Oracle sat down on a rock and became as still as she'd been in the attic, as if she might sit by this creek for a hundred years.

Chiron cantered over to Zoe, his own face looking pale after the oracle's words.

"We will have a meeting in the big house in fifteen minutes with the cabin leaders to discuss the prophecy," he said grimly.

Zoe nodded numbly.

The council was held around a Ping-Pong table in the rec room. Dionysus waved his hand and supplied snacks: Cheez Whiz, crackers, and several bottles of red wine. Then Chiron reminded him that wine was against his restrictions and most of us were underage. Mr. D sighed. With a snap of his fingers the wine turned to Diet Coke. Nobody drank that either.

Mr. D and Chiron (in wheelchair form) sat at one end of the table. Zoe took the other end. Thalia and Katie and I sat along the right, and the other head councilors—Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, and Luke—sat on the left. The Ares kids were supposed to send a representative, too, but all of them had gotten broken limbs (accidentally) during capture the flag, courtesy of the Hunters. They were resting up in the infirmary.

Zoe started the meeting off on a positive note. "We must leave as soon as possible. Our goddess needs us."

"Where will you go?" Chiron asked.

"West," Michael said from where he leaned against the doorframe. He wasn't actually supposed to be here, but no one really cared to tell him different. His input was valued in certain situations and, when Chiron wasn't available, he often became the voice of reason. "Is that not what the prophecy said? Five shall go west to the goddess in chains. Take five demigods and go."

"Yes," Zoe agreed, which would've been surprising if Michael's gender wasn't such an enigma. "Artemis is being held hostage! We must find her and free her."

"Who will we send?" Silena asked. "The prophecy said campers and hunters together, so we obviously need a combination."

"I will lead this quest," Zoe offered. "I will take one other huntress. I would also like for this one," she pointed at Michael, "to join us. That leaves two remaining spots."

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

"That leaves one more," Michael said. He glanced around the table. "Anyone up for it?"

"I'm not going anywhere with the Hunters," Silena declared.

"I doubt the Hunters would like a boy going with them," Luke added. "So that excludes Beckendorf, Percy, and me."

"Kates?" Michael proposed, but the daughter of Demeter shook her head.

"I'm not one for quests," she said. "Besides, you'll need to move fast, and I kinda struggle with that."

She looked down in shame. Everyone looked away from her.

"If you won't allow boys," Michael muttered to himself, "then the Stolls and Nico are not options, either. Laurel will be in the infirmary for another two days, so that leaves...Bianca?"

Zoe and I shared a fearful look.

"I'm not so sure," I started. "She's inexperienced and-"

"But there's no one else," Michael pointed out. He looked confused as to why we were trying to shut him down. "Silena and Katie won't go, Laurel can't go, and there aren't any other female demigods here at camp. Unless you want to take another Hunter."

"I think Michael is correct," Chiron said. My heart wanted to crawl into my throat at his words. "Unless Zoe is willing to take two Hunters with her, Miss di Angelo is the perfect candidate."

"What was Artemis tracking?" Luke spoke up. "Is it this 'Bane of Olympus' in the prophecy?"

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, I guess because he was the only god present and gods are supposed to know things. He was flipping through a wine magazine, but when everyone got silent he glanced up, "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."

"Chiron," I 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. 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," Katie 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 shared another look with Zoe. We both knew what it was and what it meant.

Chiron let out a heavy sigh. "We cannot do much but think on it, I'm afraid. There will be deaths, that much we know. Whether we can do anything to prevent that, we do not." He stood to address Zoe, Thalia, and Michael. "I advise you two to turn in early tonight. Sleep, for you will begin a long journey in the morning. Zoe, let know the Hunter of your choosing, and Michael, you tell Miss di Angelo. If that is all, council dismissed."

There was a scuffling of chairs as everyone stood up. They gave the questers some baleful looks, as if already picturing which one of them was going to die. Katie in particular gave Michael an incredibly upset look before storming away.

"What's up with her?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I know what's bothering her."

I stared at him. "Are you going to explain?"

"No."

I groaned in annoyance. I put my hand on his shoulder, making him look at me. "Listen, Michael. Be careful on this quest. And whatever you do, stay out of a junkyard, okay? No matter what."

He tilted his head. "O...kay? No junkyard. Anything else?"

"Protect everyone with your life."

"As you do."

"And don't lose Bianca."

At those words, he finally showed some emotion. A slightly dark look came over his face. He lowered his face and his hair blocked his eyes.

"Don't worry," he said. "I won't. Not again."

Before I could question him, he walked away.