Chapter 5: Walter Elizabeth Dare

Jason

"You know something, don't you?"

Jason stood close by with his back leaned against the entrance. Inside the spacious living room, which was typical of a small mansion located in the city, fine mahogany wood filled the lounging area, not a single nail was visible, everything was smooth down to the very millimeter.

The whole place had a modernistic feel to it, though that snotty owl princess would have corrected him with some architectural terms no one in the right mind would want to know.

Sigh.

Jason slowly swung his head over to the Goddess of wisdom. Her effortless beauty had bewitched him for a moment. Don in a long white dress befitting of her elegance, she wore detached layers of armor for battle, just like he was; chest armor was always a must, but they forgo gauntlet and knees pats this time because it's just a regular recon mission, or so the Goddess had said.

Jason believed otherwise.

"Anyway, there is a reason why you don't want them to come along, isn't that right?" Jason folded his arms and looked up, "Lady Athena,"

Standing over a small table in the middle of the room, Athena had her focus dial up to eleven but her reply came naturally, as if she wasn't in the middle of using her clairvoyance ability only certain Olympians were granted from birth.

"You've grown a bit more perceived over the years, Jason."

As tiny balls of light flickered into existence around her, Jason thought back to that faithful day. The way a freakish storm chased after them, how she saved them from certain death, discovering who he really was, and the day he learned the true purpose for which he was born.

"I still have much more to learn."

Ever since then, Jason made it his mission to fulfill every wish she wanted, and he would gladly give his life too if it meant achieving their shared goals. After all, she saved his only hope.

"How long has it been since that day we met?" Athena read his thoughts.

Jason turned away. His past never ceased to frighten him.

There was once a faraway dream he had: a naïve child playing in a living room similar to the one he was standing in right now, a decorative tree with two boxes before his very feet, you could feel the excitement amplified by the lively holiday's spirit.

As such, his heartbeat began to pulse faster and faster, his big sister on the sideline… a furious look on her face as she had a meltdown argument with their parents, the sharp echo of a window being broken, the endless yelling, things being toss and thrown, the world was seemingly falling apart and shattering before his eyes.

But he learned to smile.

A fake smile that soon adapted all other feelings in his heart.

It didn't take long after that night, and in the blink of an eye, the very foundation keeping him and his sister safe finally collapsed.

Long nights spent in the darkest of dreamless sleep, the desolation of empty fields with only dimly lit street lamps lighting their path forward, nowhere to call home, running from the law and working shady deals with bad people to survive…

Jason had always believed that was all there was to his life, but he felt reassured because he was finally at peace, and the only family he ever need was by his side who promised to protect him and would never leave no matter what.

He made the same promise to protect her too. Since then, they've both kept their promises, and it was all because of her, a kindhearted and compassionate Goddess, who provided them another family, a safe haven, that they were able to keep them.

Jason owned everything he ever was now to Lady Athena, and that's why…

"Everything I've learned, it was all thanks to you." Jason sighed and pushed off from his one spot, "But why? You know protecting them isn't going to work forever. They'll have to fight eventually."

Athena faced him and simply smiled, "You'll understand why when you grow older, Jason."

A sigh escaped him but he decided not to poke further, "Then? Where is the secret lock?"

Hundreds of light orbs surrounding her body faded like snowfall in summer. Athena smirked and pointed down the hall to the kitchen.

"Down in the cellar, huh? How very cliché."

Athena waved off his dumb joke with a hopeless smile and took the lead, "Follow me."

..

It was a very dark place.

I sat in my chair, watching as a woman and a man sat before me, they were talking back and forth and laughing. It was a conversation I didn't understand yet, but I remember smiling.

The man looked back, and I remembered his warm smile as he spoke to me with joy. I could feel it lifting me up, the sensation of his ticking fingers, our impromptu mock battle as we fought brought me a kind of happiness I couldn't express out loud.

That was my very first time feeling content, feeling trouble-free, feeling like if things stay like this forever, I wouldn't need anything else anymore.

But it was a very dark place.

A dark place that suddenly enveloped us in a blinding light.

I remember a scream of his name, and the whole world halted before my very eyes.

It wasn't until the next time I open them did I saw the same man clutching my hands in his, his body leaning over mine, tears rolling down his cheek. He had been crying before I woke up, sobbing with guilt, relief, and joy. I could tell he was in pain.

But all I remember was those words he whispered repeatedly like a curse.

"I am so sorry, Rachel! I am so sorry! I am so sorry!"

The room went silent.

Rachel was very aware of the downcast mood, but if they wanted to know about her father, that's where the story should start, and where it all ended for her.

"I am sorry, Rachel."

It was Annabeth who spoke first, the girl Rachel least expected to offer her sympathy. To hear those sincere words after being subjected to their relentless tease earlier really show how nice of a person she was. Deep down, Annabeth was nothing but a loving and caring angel. She would go out of her way to help if you are one of those people she truly loved, which made knowing her truly a blessing.

Rachel offered a smile, "Thanks Annabeth. You don't have to apologize. It's been a long time already."

The stubborn girl full of pride might not agree, but to Rachel, to her friends, and most importantly, to Percy Jackson, her very existence, her sparkling personality, her effortless beauty, and her practiced elegance, she was truly an angel sent from the heaven above.

And Rachel could really say that in the literal sense now.

"Anyway, that's the history of me and my father. It's not like we've kept in touch all these years. I barely see him anymore, and even if we did meet at the house, it's always just a small greeting before we went to do our separate things."

"I want to say more, but I don't really know what else to say."

Her friends paused.

"I guess that clears things up a bit, but it still doesn't answer why he's doing this? It also doesn't explain how he came to know of our world in the first place…" Thalia scratched her forehead.

Piper placed a hand on Thalia's shoulder and nodded.

"Well, did you notice anything strange about his behavior? Perhaps you weren't paying attention, but you might remember something if you think about it?"

The way Piper studied her made her shudder. Something about her sharp gaze felt as if she was being bullied at an interrogation. It wasn't pleasant, and yet, the piercing look had a softness to them that compel her to answer with nothing but the truth.

She shook my head honestly, "I don't remember anything, Piper. My father never acts out of the ordinary when I see him. Apart from sometimes spending his nights at home, I don't even know what he does with his life. I just know he's working hard to support me, but that's about all I know."

No one knew what to say after that.

"Maybe we should take it a step back and analyze from the beginning." Annabeth said, "We can piece together if we separate out everything we know."

No one argued with her logic.

"First, we knew about Amk's existence now. We know they are a secret task force created to study abnormalities in our world, and it was kept under wraps from the public. We know that Rachel's father, Walter Elizabeth Dare, is the head scientific researcher for Amk and that he lost his wife in a car accident twelve years ago."

Rachel bit her lips at that last part.

"We also know they are somehow aware of Half-Bloods and the existence of the mist, which unlike regular mortals they were able to see beyond it, and that he is going as far as to capture us. It is almost a certainty that they are already hunting the Half-Blood out there in the field right now. Does that sound about right?"

The two girls who became their impromptu leaders didn't say otherwise.

"But what we don't know is when the task forcewas created, how Walter found out about the existence of our world, what his motives are for creating Amk, nor any information about his life in general." Thalia interjected, "Worst of all, even Owlfred wasn't able to dig up anything about your father."

Rachel only had a brief introduction to Owlfred, so when the digital orb blinked into existence, it startled her good. Rachel flinched and grab Percy by instinct, "You are right, Thalia. I wasn't able to find out much about Rachel's father, other than his current address listed on a general city database. The only other thing I found was his occupation, but that's not interesting either."

Rachel's ear perked up, "What is it?"

"He was a neuroscientist for a leading company, but was laid off due to his highly controversial method of study."

"Yeah, that's not really helpful either…" Thalia slumped.

Now that new information was revealed, a thinking expression overlapped Annabeth's soft and cute features. She was contemplating something in her own little world. And just like the princess, Rachel too was surprised that her father was a scientist, a neuroscientist at that… Just how long had it been since she knew anything concrete about her father?

Rachel bit her lips as feelings of regret tugged at her heart.

"Uh, wise girl?" Percy spoke suddenly, "Not that I want to annoy you, but you are holding me pretty hard, and you've got your thinking face on. Are you okay?"

Annabeth ignored him and whispered to herself repeatedly. No one was able to hear what she was saying, and Rachel could only wonder what her best friend was doing. Even Thalia and Piper seemed stumped.

"I don't know, Percy…" Annabeth came back to her senses, "Something is just nagging in my head, I feel like the answer is there already, but I couldn't put it into words."

"Ugh! It's so frustrating!" She pouted and crossed her arms.

Following that child-like display, Percy leaned over and pat her head with an all-too-handsome smile, "There, there… You'll figure it out. I know you will, wise girl."

Immediately, the princess's tough look melted into a puddle, replaced by a dreamy, soft, marshmallow-like... Well, Annabeth was obviously on cloud nine despite being visibly uncomfortable by our stares.

"Heh… Hehehe…"

Her blushes turned flamingo pink but she didn't complain a single word. Enjoying herself a sudden Cafuné, it was obvious she didn't want Percy to stop head-patting her soft blonde hair, but she was too embarrassed to say it out loud with us here.

"S-Should we leave?" Rachel asked.

Thalia shrugged and whispered over her ears, "Just ignore them… It's best to let them have their moments. Trust me, you don't want to get on Annabeth's bad side, and I know that from actual experiences."

A cold glare passed like a bullet right over Rachel's cheeks, it almost grazing her but found the target behind her instead. It took less than a second before Thalia put both hands up.

Rachel sighed with hopelessness.

These were her friends, the supposedly Half-Bloods who'll lead the other to fight against the mad Titan king forever trapped in Tartarus.

And yet…

Despite the unknowns barreling down on her concept of reality, or the overwhelming anxiety she felt ever since Lady Athena gave her a crash course about this new world, Rachel found a smile moving over her lips. After all, she knew her friends wouldn't abandon her, and she wouldn't have to face this new reality alone.

"Can we get back to topic, please?" Piper sighed.

The lovey-dovey couple finally stopped.

"Well, knowing what I know now, could someone like you, I mean, perhaps someone with inside knowledge of Half-Bloods, or maybe even the Olympian Gods themselves, must have done the same thing, right?"

Everyone's head turned to Rachel. Her suggestion was surprisingly sound and simple, and really the only possible conclusion to be drawn.

"Yeah, you do have a point, Rachel." Annabeth pouted angrily, yet her reaction brought the opposite effect, "But what really passed me off is not knowing who was responsible." She grumbled and tapped her feet, "They turned Ethan into a monster, made sure Drew was on their side to keep tabs on us, even set up a trap for us when they drew you away from the park, and after with all this, we still don't know a damn thing about who is behind all the attacks."

Percy, Thalia, and Piper shared a hard look, one that the princess couldn't notice and one that Rachel understood right away.

Like everyone else in school, Rachel learned about the incident Annabeth had with Luke, and unlike others, she also held a heavy distaste for the boy. No matter how his rich lawyers twisted the story to his favor, the fact that he attempted something as unforgivable as rape… and to such a sweet and innocent girl like Annabeth too.

She felt disgusted already, the mere thought brought an uncomfortable lump to her throat.

All the trial and trauma Annabeth must have faced alone… She never deserved the pain and loneliness that followed, and in more ways than one, Rachel was glad she met Percy. She deserved someone that would treasure and love her before anything else in the world. It was honestly beyond fate then, and they were always meant to be together.

Then, without exception, the three demigods shared a silent agreement.

Choosing to stay silent, Rachel couldn't have known until an hour ago that Luke Castellan was like Annabeth, like Percy, like Thalia and Piper, in that he too has a Godly lineage; an abnormal son of Hermes with unusual latent power kept hidden, and now also had the backing of Kronos's essences running through his veins.

Rachel sighed and recalled her conversation with Lady Athena.

A reveal swore in secrecy, Rachel couldn't even imagine how it would feel if Annabeth ever found out about Luke; Lady Athena never gave her a choice as she did with Percy, but like the son of Poseidon, Rachel was hopelessly outmatched on what to do even without the seal binding her soul. It was an impossible decision.

Rachel glanced at the smiling boy with messy onyx hair. Just how Percy was dealing with that unfathomable secret, she couldn't hope to understand his heart right now.

"I guess that's another thing to figure out, right?" Percy gently brush over Annabeth's forearm, "But in any case, is it really possible the Gods would stack the cards against us? Kronos is the real enemy, and isn't there a saying: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' or something like that?"

The living room flipped upside down, then all of a sudden, everyone's eyes collectively trained on the son of Poseidon and the supposed child of the prophecy.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" His eyebrows knitted together, but as usual, he figured it out too late, "Whoa hey! I am not completely stupid!"

Rachel looked away sheepishly, though the other girls passed sly smiles and giggles at the speechless and wounded Percy, even Illya was teasing him

"You all are just really mean," Percy tossed his head in his arms and sunk into a long sigh of despair.

And just this once, Rachel bit back a smile and felt bad for the seaweed brain, or the nickname Annabeth loved to call him.

"Ahem. Ignoring that," Thalia was back to being serious and gestured at everyone still wearing small smiles on their faces, "It's not out of the realm of possibility that some Olympians might do something like that, at least I think so."

Whatever Thalia was going to say, the room went quiet. A sunken mood enveloped her dejected expression, "As much as I hate to say it, there are some Half-Bloods who don't see eye to eye with Lady Athena. Most sided with the Gods on Mount Olympus who think they would be safe and the world shouldn't be saved."

Thalia pulled her lips in seemingly to hold some words back, "They think Olympus wouldn't collapse, but all they want is an easy ticket out from all the fighting and death."

Despite the flair in her voice, she cleared her throat, "But otherwise, there are also some Half-Bloods that decided to reject their destiny altogether and live their normal lives. We can't force them to join us and fight if they don't want to. They most likely got captured by Kronos's arm in the end, and whatever happens after that…." Thalia hesitated to finish that sentence.

"…." Percy didn't say anything either.

Piper heaved a heavy sigh.

"It is possible, Percy." She added, "And It's not like Lady Athena and Lord Poseidon are liked by the other Gods or have many allies on Olympus anyway." Her beautiful features grew solemn, "If anything, most hated them for giving us Half-Bloods a home and planning a war behind their backs."

"Huh? Not even a home? Is basic human decency that hard to come by in this world?" Rachel asked, "If you ask me, I think the Gods up there don't care at all what's going on down here at all, not even if you are their child."

When Thalia shrugged nonchalantly, Rachel's opinion of the Olympians sank to the bottom.

"That's just cruel." She whispered to herself.

Piper shared the same quiet expression with Thalia, "We were the lucky ones. There are many more out there who haven't been claimed yet, but that's why we are doing this. To save the world from Kronos and give all Half-Bloods a chance to make this world a better place."

Nobody argued with that.

"Except we still don't know anything concrete." Thalia heaved a sad sigh, "I think it's best if we wait for Lady Athena to come back and shared what she found. There is no point if we don't know all the information."

"So we are back to square one?" Percy complained and let out an especially long sigh, "Man, I wish Rachel's future seeing power could give us something to work with, instead of us just guessing randomly and hitting dead ends, right wise G-Guhh…"

Falcon punch!

"Oww! What the heck, wise girl?!"

Annabeth ignored his cries and ready her fist once more, Percy recoiled away and looked at his girlfriend like she had somehow gone mad.

And as that scene played out like an over-the-top rom-com anime, Rachel was a bit perplexed. She wasn't sure how her friends already knew, but given what Lady Athena told her; she was the only known mortal blessed with the powers of the oracle, a supernatural spirit passed down to people who are worthy to wield it. It only happened in times of looming calamity, and she was the first one in a millennium, or as Athena told her.

Somehow, her friends already knew about her powers. The question now: Did they figure it out back then? Is that why Drew wanted her? Who else could have known about her abilities?

With a nice dodge and a counter on his part, a befuddle Percy soon had his hands up in surrender while pleading for his life, "Whoa! HEY COEM ON, I didn't even say anything stupid! Owww!"

Because Rachel was a girl, she couldn't resist smiling at their pointless struggle. It wasn't so much as madness that drove her to hit him, but because of how hopelessly in love she was with her seaweed brain. Percy sure was lucky, Annabeth never show this side of her affection to just anyone, and from the way she acted now, it's certain the princess trust him with her whole life.

Feeling a bit jealous, what Rachel wouldn't give to find someone like that in her life too…

"Assault! I am calling assault! I want to go to court!"

That joke ticked her off good and just before Annabeth could smack her seaweed brain again, that impulse stopped halfway. She looked into the empty air and blink a couple of times, her gaze droning out of reality, "Wait, seaweed brain, what did you say?"

Percy took a peek when Annabeth paused, "Huh? I want to take you to court?" His dumb reply invoked a time-stopping glare and he gulped, "Uhh… Rachel and her ability to see the future?"

Once the words escaped him, Percy blinked wide-eyed and covered his mouth, "Oh crap, am I not supposed to say that?"

Both Piper and Thalia looked on hopelessly and shook their head, their expression saying along the lines of A bit late for that, idiot...

Not wanting Percy to suffer anymore, Rachel eventually stepped in just because Percy looked so terrified of revealing something he shouldn't have.

"It's okay, Percy. Lady Athena already told me."

Percy breathed out in relief, "Then why did you hit me so hard, wise girl?!"

"No reason..." She crossed her arms and turned away reticently.

Percy stared in disbelief.

"Anyway, did you figure something out, Annabeth?" Piper asked.

Annabeth nodded and drifted her gaze toward the newest girl in the group with a mixture of shock and bewilderment, "Yeah. We were looking at the answer all along."

"Huh?" No one understood, last but not least the auburn hair girl Annabeth was looking at, "Me?"

"Yeah. You are the reason for everything, the oracle spirit imbued in you, the mist, your father, not to mention the Lethe poison in your body. Everything makes too much sense to be a coincidence."

"Whoa slow down, Annabeth. I am not following."

"Me either."

And Illya was just as confused and adorable as ever.

Rachel shrunk on instinct when the daughter of Athena began to explain with a heavy breath.

"Look, if we backtrack the cookie trail, Rachel is the only reason why everything is happening. Think about it, we found out about Rachel's oracle spirit at the same time Amk shows itself, that can't be a coincidence. Rachel's father is also connected to Amk as the lead scientific researcher, and he was fired for conducting unethical neuroscience experiments. Do you see what I am saying? The dots are so connected, I just never put it together until seaweed brain brought up Rachel's ability to see through the mist and the future."

"So Walter already know about Rachel being the oracle before we did?" Piper was shocked, "That would explain how he got the jump on us that night at the park. He's literally working with—"

"ASSUMING he has some outside help, how could Walter or our enemies know about Rachel's abilities even before we did?" Thalia's doubt had a point, "And that's even before Rachel was aware of her own power, right?"

Rachel nodded her head in agreement.

"For argument's sake, even if we agreed Rachel's power laid dormant just like it did with you two, that just means the oracle's spirit had fused with her a long time already, so if her power is passive, how could Walter find out?"

"Yeah, it still doesn't make sense." Piper huffed.

Rachel noticed the looks both girls were giving her. She shook her head, "I don't remember seeing anything different... If you weren't there today, I would have freaked out."

Upon her answer, Percy switched his curious gaze to Annabeth as if asking for a rebuttal to a debate, but from his expression alone, he was following their exchange like a lost child; similar to another hopeless someone sitting on the huge carpet, her knees bending backward as she sat on her heels so properly and lady-like, who was also looking back and forth between everyone with eager attention yet never bothering to hide that blank I don't follow at all expression.

"Heh." Annabeth puffed her chest out proudly, her grin so smug it almost made Rachel roll her eyes.

"Remember the Lethe poison in her system?"

A dramatic pause of us in a state of perpetual confusion followed after her grand reveal.

"You guys are hopeless."

Annabeth sighed, "Listen, if you want someone to forget something important, then what's the best way to do that, given what we know, and the fact that we are in a mythological world?"

Drawing empty, Annabeth finally exclaimed, "Come on! It's the Lethe poison!"

It took a second, then Piper shot up, "No way! You are saying..."

"My father poisoned me...?!"

Annabeth sank back down, "Gosh! It makes sense, right? The reason why Rachel is having gaps in her memories is because of her father. He had been manipulating her from the start. Most likely, Rachel was already aware of the mist and visions, and so does her father with help of someone from our world, that's why Walter took advantage of the Lethe poison and made sure she forgets everything relevant to what he was doing. That's why she couldn't remember, and why we didn't find out about Rachel until it's too late."

Everyone was shocked to total silence.

"And given that he was a neuroscientist, I bet you one hundred percent he's up to no good working with Amk. If my hunch is correct, I think he's trying to make it possible for regular mortals to see through the mist just like how Rachel can."

It didn't take long before Thalia and Piper said, "That's would be bad..."

"He most likely already succeed in creating a method that allows mortals to see us for who we are." Annabeth bit her lips and gave Rachel a sidelong gaze, "And you probably helped him without even realizing it."

A shiver crawled across Rachel's goosebumps riddled skin as horrible scenarios played in her head.

"It was strategically planned. Whoever it was working with him, Walter knew exactly when the mist couldn't hold back the destruction in the park, and he used that to his advantage and reveal our existence, drawing us out so everyone would be hunting for us."

"That's why he's capturing Half-Bloods, not doubt conducting more illegal experiments on them like lab rats."

"And the real kicker is the Lethe poison. I've read up on it, the river Lethe is a deep part of the Underworld, and the only source to get it. Since no one in their right mind would cross the doors of death knowing Kronos's main forces are trapped in there, it can't be anyone else but a God from Olympus who has secretly betrayed everyone and working with Kronos instead."

A series of gasp escaped the group.

"A God betraying us and forming an alliance with Kronos..." Thalia was speechless, "If you are right, Annabeth, that's not good news at all."

Annabeth nodded, "In any case, we've figured out where he learned about our world, but—"

"We still don't know who is supplying him with information nor why he's doing this." Piper finished, "But that's enough for now. We have to warn Lady Athena asap before they run into a trap!"

"Let's hurry." Thalia jumped from the couch and signal everyone to follow, "You too, Rachel. You know your mansion the best, so you are coming with us too."

Rachel wasn't sure if that was a good idea, but she reluctantly got up too.

"Owlfred, open the gates to Rachel's mansion now."

The response didn't come.

"Owlfred?! Hurry! We don't have much time!"

But the reply wasn't what they were expecting, "I can't do that, Thalia. Athena gave me strict orders to keep you all here."

"Wait, why?!"

Despite her protest, the one least shocked by Owlfred's refusal was Annabeth, who looked around at each and everyone in the group before her face dropped, "She knew…"

Percy blinked in surprise, "Wise girl?"

Annabeth whispered, her grey eyes began to cloud with emotions and tears, "She knew what she was getting herself into from the beginning."

The room went deadly silent.

No one was able to comfort the shaking princess, only Percy could as he held her in a gentle hug, his fingers brushing over her arms and held her trembling hand in a firm grip, one that said: I am not going anywhere.

Then Thalia and Piper were just about to protest when-

Ding! The doorbell rang.

"?!" Rachel gasped, reflexive fear rolling through her perturbed body because that incident at school still haunted her even now, "W-Who was that?"

Of course, no one knew the answer to her question, but whoever it was, they certainly couldn't be the Goddess they were hoping to see, and what's more worrying was that they got past the key for the private elevator to their penthouse.

"Owlfred?" Thalia flicked her wrist and a short sword materialized, "Who is it?"

For the advanced AI named Owlfred, Rachel never once heard his speech syntaxes sounding like a computer program, but for some reason, his voice became metallic all of a sudden as his words began to creak like a broken record on repeat.

"Unknown entity! Unknown entity detected." It almost sound like Owlfred was in pain, but there was nothing they could do, "Your key is unauthorized for— operation failed. High Alert! Began system command, purge all randomize access code-ee... Error! E-error-rr! Core process denied. W-What..? Commence foreign override of system command. No! I won't let you... System access granted. Welcome, Lady A. As you wish, begin core hibernation protocol. Target: Owlfred. Deep settings rebooting in... No wait! Don't... D-donn't-tt..."

Then his voice failed at the end. Their last defense was penetrated in less than a minute.

"Get ready."

Thalia was right on point just as the door blasted open, it revealed a nimble figure clad in a grey cloak against a backdrop of bright white light. The only thing that stood out was a braided twirl of golden locks resting on her left shoulder.

"Who are you?" Thalia demanded.

The petite girl was probably the same height as them, and at first glance, she had a youthful charm about her, amplified by her perfect hourglass figure that even the gentle curves of her best features couldn't hide behind the huge cloak.

She was literally the embodiment of dream-like beauty.

"Ease your blade, Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus. I mean none of you any harm."

"How did you know who I was?"

"I know all of you." She gave all of us a glance with eyes hidden by the tip of her hood, "Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the prophesized oracle reborn since millennia, and of course, Emilia Conwy, the last living heir of the Conwy family."

Thalia froze like a statue, "The Conwy family?"

Out of everyone, Thalia seemed the most surprised, but it looked like no one knew that about Illya. Right away, firm gazes were locked between the girl with ruby red eyes and this mysterious girl with crystal blue ones, an exchange happening telepathically without either one speaking a single word.

"In any case, tell us who you are right now and what you want? What did you do to Owlfred?"

The mysterious girl turned to Piper, her gaze was different from before, it's almost like she knew Piper specifically in the past, "And finally, Piper Mclean, daughter of Aphrodite and a known prodigy for charm spells."

Piper blinked widely, "Wait— it can't be... you are..."

A warm glowing smile passed over the girl's lips as she pulled her hood back and revealed herself, "It's been a while, my dear daughter."

-Author Note-

Hi everyone. Thanks for reading another chapter, and sorry for making another revision, but this was unavoidable. It is very tough to keep track of everything in my head, so plot holes do leak out sometimes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Hopefully, it won't affect your reading of this long fic too much. That said, till next time.

Ciao!

Revision: Chapter 4-2 – The Mist, middle of the chapter. AN: It's hard to keep track of everything in my head, but I forgot Annabeth wasn't supposed to know about Luke at this point in the story.

(Athena sighed and passed both of us a glance, "It was planned from the very beginning.")

Revision: Chapter 2-2 – Thanksgiving Break, beginning of the chapter. AN: I decided to change Rachel's backstory to better fit the narrative as it moves forward.

(In any case, her parents recently went through a rough divorce three weeks after the year started for us, and because her mother was a famous figure in the fine art world, the news about their separation grew all over the place. And because her father was her only biological family, it was decided that Rachel would be staying with her father instead of her step-mother.)