Chapter 34

Percy's P.O.V.

"Artemis said what?" Percy yelled.

"That you should contact Chiron at Camp Half-Blood. There's news about your mortal parents," Natalie said, dismounting from Swiftsilver and patting her mane.

Don't worry, boss. Everything's gonna be fine.

"Thanks Swifty," he said, panic now rising up to his throat.

Swiftsilver nuzzled her head against Natalie one last time before flying off so fast that in seconds she was just a speck of silver on the horizon. Just then, an eagle and a horse landed on the deck. Frank turned back into his human form, and Hazel and Leo jumped off Arion, who muttered a few cuss words about sons of Hephaestus and flew off. Was it just his imagination, or did they look different?

Annabeth put a hand on his shoulder. "Percy, go IM Chiron. You should contact them. I'll check in on what happened back on Delos with Apollo and Artemis."

"Yeah," he said, rushing back towards his cabin. Natalie followed.

"Hey, calm down. I'm sure it's gonna be alright," she said soothingly.

"Artemis herself said to contact Chiron. How can anything be alright?" he asked desperately.

To that, she didn't reply. As calmly as he could, he opened the door to his cabin and knelt beside the bronze basin. What had happened to his mom and Paul? Were they injured…or worse, no. No, he shouldn't think like that. But what if something had gone wrong? Had he come this far, away from her for months, only to never see her again–

"Hey," Natalie interjected. "Don't think anything stupid. Here," she gave him a drachma.

"O Fleecy, do me a solid," he said. "Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood."

The mist shimmered as the drachma dissolved in.

"I swear to the gods if Gaea's somehow involved in thi–,"

"Percy!"

There stood his teacher, Chiron, in front of him, looking relieved, shocked, and worried at the same time. Chiron hadn't changed much, though his face showed his age. He definitely looked a few thousand years old.

"Chiron," he said.

"My boy, we've been so worried," he sighed.

"I know. I'm sorry," he added.

"There is no need for you to be. And ah, I see an unfamiliar face. A Roman demigod, one of the eight?"

Natalie straightened. "Yes, uh, Mr. Chiron, sir. I'm Natalie Carter, daughter of Neptune, and Percy's, uh –,"

"Half-sister," Percy said.

"I see. Well, I must say it is a pleasure to make acquaintance with you, my dear, especially when the times between Romans and Greeks are such as now," he said, frowning.

"Nico is with Coach Hedge and Reyna, bringing back the Athena Parthenos to camp to heal the rift," Percy told him. Then he returned to the topic. "Chiron, I – the thing is, we just visited Apollo and Artemis and she said to ask you about my mom and Paul. What happened?"

Chiron glanced back. If possible, his face looked even more worried. He trotted back and forth on his legs.

"My boy, I was hoping I would not give you any other reason to worry about–,"

"Chiron, they're my parents."

"But it seems I will have to now. Your parents are safe here at Camp Half-Blood, as of yet."

Percy could literally feel the hopes and warmth rising inside him. He felt happy. More happier than he could imagine. His parents were safe, at least. But as soon as his joy had started to spread through him, it retreated.

"At Camp Half-Blood?" he said. "But it could be attacked by Romans anytime!"

"I know, Percy," Chiron sighed. "I tried to make the fact clear to them, but it was too late. The camp is surrounded by Romans from all the four sides. They will attack by tomorrow at most. There is no way they can go back now."

"But they can't stay there!" he retorted. "They are not into this stuff. Paul can't even see through the mist!"

Chiron shifted guiltily. "Well, he can nowm"

Percy was so shocked to hear that he forgot to look agitated. "What?"

"Hecate, uh, owed me a favor. I called in on that by asking her to bless your step father with clear sight. He and your mother can see through the mist as good as another demigod now."

Percy was silent for a moment. "I know you are worried about your parents, Percy, but be assured, they both are not normal mortals now. Since Paul was staying, I made sure he could see the monsters so as to defend himself. But you must focus on your quest. You must stop Gaea from rising tomorrow, or all that we fight for will be lost."

Percy was taken aback. "Chiron, how can I focus on something else when my parents, my camp, my friends and you are in danger?"

"Percy," Natalie put a hand on his shoulder. "If Gaea rises tomorrow, then defeating her would be almost impossible. And the first place she will destroy will be Camp Half-Blood, because that's where the Roman as well as Greek demigods are now. We can only stop that from not letting her rise tomorrow. You will indirectly be saving not only your parents' life, but of all the mortals who live on Earth."

"Your sister is right," Chiron stated. He gazed at Percy for a moment. There was that look again. The look that Chiron gave him when he was analysing Percy.

"I can only hope the Fates are with you tomorrow, and with all of us. I must go and check on the defenses. I will give your regards to the others. And be assured, I will do whatever is possible to protect your parents."

Percy nodded. "Thank you."

"Good luck, child," was the last thing Chiron said to him before the mist dissolved, leaving only him and Natalie in the room in complete silence.

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Percy," she reassured him.

"You don't understand," he muttered.

Natalie slowly pulled away her hand from his shoulder. "I do."

He looked at her. Gods, how stupid he was, saying that to Natalie. She had an expressionless face, but Percy knew from the inside he had said the wrong thing. How could someone who had lost countless friends and family, and seen her own brother die twice not understand? He felt inexpressibly angry at himself for saying that to her.

"I'm sorry," he said, turning towards her.

"No, it's alright," she said in a small voice.

"I," she vaguely waved her hands towards the door. "I should go."

She opened the door and left. Percy mentally cursed himself. He had gotten his sister upset now. He opened the door and left, determined to make up with Natalie. He had gotten her upset, now it was his responsibility to get her back to normal again. She had been trying to help him all the time, and in turn he had told her she didn't understand anything, as if Percy had all the problems. Sure, he had many, but it was stupid of him to say that to Natalie.

On the deck, he saw she was the only person. He approached her slowly.

"Hey, I'm really sorry," he told her genuinely.

She shook her head. "No, no, it's fine. I have to learn to live with the truth that he's gone now."

He was silent.

"It's just," Natalie spoke. "I can't help it. After all this time, I saw him only to lose him once again. I know I shouldn't give in to my fatal flaw but I – I–,"

"Hey, hey, it's okay," he put a hand on her shoulder. "Sometimes, it's okay to grieve. You don't have to look strong. We're all there for you. I'm there for you. And tomorrow, we're gonna kick Gaea's butt and take revenge for him."

She gripped the railing tightly. "We have to win tomorrow, Percy. We have to. To make sure Ben didn't die for nothing. To make sure Bob and Damasen's sacrifice didn't go in vain."

"We will."

Line Break

Heart hammering, Percy went to the deck as fast as he could. All of them had been sitting at the mess hall, waiting for Piper, Jason and Leo to come back with the Physician's Cure.

All of them paced for the deck at once, to make sure the most crucial step of their plan had gone successfully. As soon as he got up, he saw Piper waving with a small bottle in her.

"Got it," she said triumphantly. He looked at Jason, who was wearing glasses. Wait, glasses?

"Since when did you start wearing those?" He asked.

"Since I met Asclepius," he said sheepishly.

"Dang, man. We come back with something that can literally reverse death, and you want to know how Jason got himself spectacled?" Leo said.

"Doesn't matter," Annabeth stepped in, looking calm but happy. "Now all that's left is to reach Athens tomorrow."

"And see who survives," Piper added. "Us or Gaea."