Michael
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The party was pretty sweet. There was a lot of dancing, laughing, drinking, eating, and general merriment. It lasted for about four hours before the gods sent everyone back to camp. Bianca sent the risen heroes that had survived to an apartment near ours to stay while we were away. Two of the heroes stayed in our apartment to watch over it and keep everything clean and in order, which they seemed okay with doing.
Katie, Bianca, and I went to Michigan to pick up our kids and to meet my and Katie's six year old daughter. Katie told me that her name was Aelin Celeste Gardner (she admitted the name was from one of her favorite book series, but it also meant moon). Little Aelin surprised me by calling me daddy and running to hug me the instant she saw me. It melted my heart.
She looked a lot like Katie, with the exception of her hair and eyes. Her hair, weirdly, was a mixture of brown and blonde. The majority of her hair was brown but she had a good number of blonde streaks in it. It was about a 70-30 ratio between brown and blonde. Katie assured me that they weren't dyed and she came by them naturally. Her eyes, on the other hand, were a color neither of us possessed. They were silver.
Katie's mother, Stella, told us that she had begun to show signs of some very unique powers. Stella often found Aelin on top of the roof of her house, which was out in the country, surrounded by wheat fields (probably why Demeter was attracted here, to be honest), staring up at the moon and talking to herself. During the winter she would be out playing in the snow without a jacket or anything warm on, but when Stella felt her forehead, she felt perfectly fine.
She also had the ability to grow a tail and ears on top of her head? Don't know whose side that came from. It was definitely the first time I'd ever seen a demigod of any kind do that.
Stella was nice, too. She and Iris, Alex's mother, seemed to have formed a relationship during the couple days they were together, waiting to hear about what happened in New York. They were both relieved to hear that we had made it out alive, though Stella nearly fainted when she saw Katie's missing fingers. Iris was so glad that Alex was alive. Apparently he had showed up at her apartment before bathing in the Styx and told her that it was the only way he could win the war. I decided not to tell her that he meant winning for Kronos.
We spent a day or two with them in Michigan before heading back to New York with all three kids in tow. It was going to be rough having three kids around, especially a rowdy six year old who liked to disappear, but we were all just happy to be together.
Camp Half-Blood was under construction. The U-shape would soon be a complete rectangle, and the demigods had really taken to the new task with gusto.
Nico had some undead builders working on the Hades cabin. Even though he was going to be the only kid in it, it was going to look pretty cool: solid obsidian walls with a skull over the door and torches that burned with green fire twenty-four hours a day. He did mention adding some openable windows, though. The cabins could get quite stuffy.
Zoe and Calypso were building a cabin for demigods like us; Titan-borns. It involved a lot of silver coloring, but many of the Titans were represented. There were symbols for my mother, Helios, Eos, Leto, Mnemosyne, Astraeus, even Styx and Metis. Chiseled marble cubes held a stone canopy over the front door and windows gave a view of the unfinished inside.
Next to those were the cabins of Iris, Nemesis, Hecate, and several others I didn't recognize. They kept adding new ones to the blueprints every day. It was going so well, Lee and Chiron were talking about adding an entirely new wing of cabins just so they could have enough room.
The Hermes cabin was a lot less crowded now, because most of the unclaimed kids had received signs from their godly parents. It happened almost every night, and every night more demigods straggled over the property line with the satyr guides, usually with some nasty monsters pursuing them, but every demigod made it through.
I estimated that we had gained twenty demigods since the end of the war, and more were popping up each day. Few were Titan-borns, but unlike what had happened with Killian, they were welcomed with open arms and treated like family.
Celebration was a common theme during the first week back. The first few days were laden with relief that we had survived, soon replaced with joy and thanks that the gods were finally paying attention to us.
On the fourth day, we ended up throwing Zoe and Percy into the lake. Clarisse and Travis caught them kissing one evening after dinner and rallied the whole camp to throw them in the water to help them cool off. Of course, they didn't come back up for a while, worrying a few of us but Calypso assured us that it was Zoe's doing. Said her mother was an Oceanid, giving her some power over water.
The same thing happened to Killian and Lilly, too, though everyone knew they liked each other. We threw them in the lake and they came spluttering back to the surface, grinning like idiots.
On the ninth day since Kronos's defeat, the Hunters of Artemis came to visit. It was good to hang out with the girls, who cooed over Aelin, Alexios, and Andromeda. Thalia was as friendly with everyone as ever while the rest of the Hunters still stayed a bit away from the rest of the campers, but it didn't seem as bad anymore. It was almost like defending Olympus to our deaths brought the campers and Hunters closer together.
During dinner, though, the merriment everyone was feeling was interrupted by the approach of the mummified oracle in her old tie-dye shirt. Green mist swirled through the air, dulling the brightness of the braziers and torches. Everyone was dead silent as she shuffled forward towards the Hunters table.
Approach, one gifted with clear sight, it said. A couple of the newer campers steamed and clutched their ears.
The Hunters looked between each other for a few seconds before one of them stood. She had dark hair braided down her left shoulder that bounced as she stepped nervously toward the oracle.
Instead of speaking, the oracle opened its ghastly mouth and a green column of smoke, like a huge python, uncoiled from the mummy's mouth and slithered towards the girl, curling affectionately around her feet. The Oracle's mummy crumbled, falling away until it was nothing but a pile of dust in an old tie-dyed dress. Mist enveloped the girl in a column.
For a moment I couldn't see her at all. Then the smoke cleared.
Mimi collapsed and curled into the fetal position. Zoe, Thalia, and Percy rushed forward, but Chiron said, "Stop! This is the most delicate part."
"What's going on?" Zoe demanded. "What do you mean?"
Chiron studied the girl with concern. "Either the spirit takes hold, or it doesn't."
"And if it doesn't?" Thalia asked. Chiron's face wasn't reassuring.
Finally, the mist sank into the ground. The girl slowly sat up, holding her head.
Zoe rushed forward. "Mimi! Are you alright?"
"I...I don't know," she said. "Please, help me up. The visions—they're a little disorienting."
"Visions?" Zoe repeated.
A bright light suddenly lit up the pavilion, forcing everyone to look away. When it died away, we saw Apollo standing next to Zoe and Mimi with a bright smile on his face.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the new Oracle of Delphi."
"You're kidding," Thalia said.
Artemis lunged at her brother and pinned him to the ground with a hunting knife pressed firmly to his throat.
"You dare make one of my Hunters your oracle?" She growled at the now wide-eyed Apollo.
Apollo very carefully shook his head. "Not my choice, sis. It is her destiny to be the next oracle."
Artemis glared at him. "She is my hunter, not your plaything. Fix it, now!" She hissed at him.
It was Apollo's turn to glare at her. "I can't Artemis and you know that." He carefully pushed the knife from his throat and climbed back to his feet. "She can remain in your care, sis. My oracles aren't allowed romantic relationships, anyway." He grinned at her. "Besides, it gives me the opportunity to visit you more often!"
"Oh, joy."
I couldn't help but laugh at Artemis's look of loathing. It broke the tension and several other demigods joined in, some more hesitantly and out of fear.
"So Mimi can tell the future, now?" one Hunter asked.
"Not all the time," Mimi said. "But there are visions, images, words in my mind. When someone asks me a question, I . . . Oh no—"
"It's starting," Apollo announced.
Mimi doubled over like someone had punched her. Then she stood up straight and her eyes glowed serpent green.
When she spoke, her voice sounded tripled—like three Mimis were talking at once:
"Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire, the world must fall.
Foes bear arms to their demise,
And old animosity will bring new ties."
At the last word, Mimi collapsed. Zoe caught her and helped her to the the Hunters table.
"I'm all right," she said, her voice returning to normal.
"What was that?" Bianca asked.
"I believe," Apollo said, "that we just heard the next Great Prophecy."
"Fuck," Katie muttered beside me.
"What does it mean?" Zoe asked.
Mimi frowned. "I don't even remember what I said."
"No," Apollo mused. "The spirit will only speak through you occasionally. The rest of the time, Mimi will be much as she's always been. There's no point in grilling her, even if she has just issued the next big prediction for the future of the world."
"Wait," Mimi gasped, clutching her head. "I feel...another one..."
Her head snapped back as she glowed with green and gold light.
"Oaths of chastity shall be broken,
The next generation to be awoken,
Coins of augury they are now given,
Three goddesses whose hearts are now driven."
She collapsed again, this time, covered in sweat.
Artemis turned on Apollo, but he seemed just as confused.
"That was not the Spirit of Delphi," he muttered. "It wasn't me."
"Then who was it?" Artemis demanded. She froze. She reached into her pocket and turned white.
"What is it, my lady?" Thalia asked.
Artemis shook her head. She whispered something to Zoe before flashing away.
Apollo clapped his hands. "I'll take that as my cue to leave! Have a good night, demigods! Don't drive yourselves insane with these new prophecies!" He disappeared in a golden light.
It was silent for a minute before Chiron spoke.
"Do not fret," he said. "The last Great Prophecy took almost a century to come to pass. Pray that you will not have to see it. Now, off to bed! Many of you are leaving tomorrow, and you need to pack your things."
He turned and cantered off.
My friends and family met up the next day. Most of the demigods had left already for school again, leaving about twenty to thirty demigods left.
Oddly enough, Calypso seemed to be a part of this group now. She and Zoe were spending a lot of time together and with Percy. So much so that Bianca and Katie were starting to wonder what was going on with them.
We met up near the lake, giving us a great view of Lee's progress with the new city. Buildings were half finished, and some didn't have more than their frames, but I could already tell it was going to be beautiful.
"So, what's up, Zoe?" Bianca asked as Lee finally showed up, completing the group. "Why'd you want us all to meet here?"
"I have several announcements to make," she stated. "Besides, is it really too much to ask to see you all?"
"Slightly," Lee said. "I am a bit busy with all the cabins and the city."
Zoe glared at him. "You're allowed to take a break every now and then, Fletcher. You've been going almost nonstop."
He shrugged. "When you got that fire, you use it, you know?"
Zoe rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I'm glad the rest of you aren't complaining."
"On the outside," Katie muttered.
Zoe coughed pointedly. "My first announcement is about Calypso."
"Is she staying in camp with us?" Killian asked.
"Yes," Zoe answered. "She will be staying with us."
"And by us," Percy continued, "she means—"
"You're gonna be like us, aren't you?" Bianca cut him off, surprising everyone. "Polyamorus."
Zoe blinked. "I–Yes. How did you know?" she demanded.
"You're kidding, right? The three of you have been staying close together since the war ended. And if one of you isn't with Percy, the other is. It's so obvious."
All three of them blushed.
"Well," Percy started, "it's taking some time to get used to it. They decided that this is what they wanted to do. I've kinda just been along for the ride."
"The rides haven't been that bad," Calypso commented absently.
Percy and Zoe flushed an even deeper red. Killian and Lilly followed suit.
"Didn't need to know that," Lee said, looking out across the lake. "Changing subject, what else did you want to tell us? You're not pregnant, are you?"
"No!" Zoe nearly shouted, raising her hands. She faltered slightly in embarrassment as we all stared at her. In a more controlled voice, she said, "No, nothing like that. It has to do with milady."
"Is it about last night's prophecy?" Lilly asked.
Zoe nodded. "Milady believes it's about her. The third line of the prophecy said, 'Coins of augury they are now given. When milady left, she found a golden coin in her pocket. I have a replica here." She pulled out a rather large piece of gold. "Inscribed on it is what she believes to be a prophecy. It reads; The tireless huntress will find passion with the silver fox."
"It's obvious that Artemis is the 'tireless huntress,'" I said. "But do we know who this 'silver fox' is?"
Zoe shook her head. "We do not, but milady knows. When she touched the coin, the picture of a young woman appeared in her mind. This morning when I talked to her she said that the image was still fresh in her mind."
"So this woman is a demigod?" Katie asked.
Zoe shrugged. "We do not know. Milady did not share with me what she looked like. If she were to ever lay eyes upon her, however, I am sure she would recognize this woman." She took a breath. "This prophecy scares her. It predicts the end of her oath of virginity, we believe."
"'Oaths of chastity shall be broken,'" Lee repeated. "Makes sense. But doesn't the prophecy specify three goddesses? If Artemis is one, who're the other two?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Killian spoke up. We all turned to him and he cringed back a little. "I mean...Three virgin goddesses? Aren't there only three of them that are of major importance?"
"Artemis, Athena, and Hestia," Percy said. "They're the three most important virgin goddesses." He scratched his chin, which was beginning to sprout dark whiskers. "So if Artemis got one of these coins, then Athena and Hestia should have, as well."
Lee stretched. "We're certainly bringing about a new era. Just like Lord Aether said we would."
I nodded. "We just have to find the rest of the heirs. If we do that, there won't be anything that can stop us."
