Hi friends! Welcome to the new chapter! I wanted to get you this update before I get swamped with work again, so I didn't edit it. Sorry if it's a choppier/sloppier chapter than usual. Unfortunately, I'm getting super busy again, so updates will slow down again. I hate to leave y'all on cliffhangers, especially now the plot is actually picking up, so I will do my best to get you guys quicker updates. I'll probably have to shorten the chapters or something though. Anyway, I'll think over what I want to do. You guys just enjoy the new chapter! The mystery of Percy continues, and the quest is about to begin. Even though it is the Titan's Curse arc and a lot of monsters are the same, I have changed the quest to adapt it to my story and shorten it, so please do not skip these next chapters if you were thinking that at all. As always, thanks for all the support! Please read, enjoy, and review!
Disclaimer: All rights go to Rick Riordan.
Previously:
Percy and Thalia were pale, mouths gaping, as they watched a mummy shrouded in tie-dye shuffle slowly toward them. The Oracle of Delphi came to a stop in front of a wide-eyed Zoe, obviously waiting for something. The Hunter seemed to steel her resolve and asked solemnly, "How can I help Lady Artemis?" Percy's mind flashed back to the dream he had the previous night.
Green smoke billowed from the Oracle's mouth as she 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."
The Quest Begins
Camp Half-Blood, Long Island, New York
"Absolutely not!" Thalia slammed her fist down on the table, "There can't be more Hunters than Campers on this quest. At the least, it should be equal."
"The prophecy blatantly states that five people are to go on this quest. Since the prophecy was issued to me, it is my choice on whom I allow to go. Be glad I'm even considering you to accompany me," Zoe hissed, her onyx eyes flashing in anger and annoyance.
"What if we have a more neutral party be the fifth quester?" Percy suggested.
"And who here is neutral, exactly?" Thalia snarked.
"How about Grover?" Percy asked.
"The satyr?" Zoe raised an eyebrow, "Aren't they all loyal to Camp Half-Blood?"
"Well yes," Percy mused, "But they are technically an independent body. Plus, you guys are the Hunters of Artemis. Isn't Artemis like some goddess of the wilderness or something? Grover will worship the ground you walk on."
Zoe nodded thoughtfully, "Fair point. We will bring the satyr. As for you, Percy Jackson, are you fit to join this quest?"
"Excuse me?" Percy spluttered, "Why in the world would I not be fit?"
"Don't think I haven't noticed your bouts of headaches. Having you along would be too much of a liability."
"A liability?" Percy scoffed, "Are you serious?"
"Very much so," Zoe said stone-faced, "I must look out for the best interests of the group, and if you are a potential danger to yourself and others, I cannot allow you to join."
"Look," Percy groaned, "Sure, I get those headaches occasionally, but they're never during anything life-threatening. Usually they pop up when I wake up or during random camp activities. Probably just migraines. I can go to the infirmary and get checked out if you'd like, but it's nothing serious."
Both Zoe and Thalia were looking him over critically. Percy felt like he was put under the world's most powerful x-ray. Finally, Zoe sighed and said, "Fine, you may come. But go to the infirmary immediately and report your results back to me."
"Yes ma'am," Percy saluted. Zoe rolled her eyes and scoffed. The meeting dismissed, and the gathered Campers and Hunters trailed away.
"Everything looks fine to me," Will Solace said, sitting back in his chair and skimming over Percy's medical exam chart, "I'm not sure what those headaches are, but they're not medically relevant. You should be fine taking a quest. You're good to go."
Percy jumped off the exam table and grinned, "Sweet! Thanks Will."
"No problem, Percy," the son of Apollo said, "Good luck on the quest."
"Thanks, man. See you later," Percy called back as he walked out of the exam room. He had reached the main floor of the infirmary when a commotion broke out at the entrance. The first thing he noticed was Zoe and another Hunter walking in with Phoebe like an honor guard. However, the next thing he noticed was the condition of Phoebe herself. She was covered in painful-looking hives, wearing a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, and cursing the Stoll brothers with all her might. Zoe was trying to calm her down and get her into one of the empty hospital beds.
"I'm sorry, Zoe. I don't think I can go on this quest," Phoebe said dejectedly after a daughter of Apollo had given her something for pain relief, and she had stopped yelling, "Centaur blood injuries take time to heal, and you leave tomorrow."
Zoe sighed wearily, " I swear, if I ever see those sniveling sons of Hermes, they will never see the light of day again. How can those boys be so incredibly stupid? By the gods… Who will take your place on the quest?"
Phoebe shrugged, wincing as it caused the poisoned shirt to rub painfully on her injuries, "There are quite a few Hunters you could take."
"Yes, but who needs the experience the most?" Zoe frowned in frustration, "Bianca seems to be the best choice."
"No!" Percy interjected suddenly, surprising himself and the Hunters with his outburst. He paled in fear as the girls turned harsh glares on him. "Um, I mean no disrespect, but, uh…"
"Spit it out," Phoebe hissed, "If you have something to say, say it. Get the hell out of here if you don't."
Percy gulped, "Yes, right, sorry. What I mean is, Bianca is extremely new and inexperienced, as a half-blood and a Hunter. Is it wise to let her go on such an important and dangerous mission?"
"She needs experience. What better way than for her to come along on the quest?" Zoe asked rhetorically, "Besides, you were equally inexperienced when you went on your first quest, so I heard."
"That's not the same. It was my quest, not one I was invited to go on. This quest is too risky," Percy shook his head adamantly. Mentally, he wondered why he felt so strongly about keeping Bianca out of it. It was like some gut feeling telling him that having Bianca go would be bad, and Percy felt he at least owed it to Nico to keep his sister safe. "From the wording of the prophecy, at least one quester will die, two being more likely."
Zoe was pale, and her eyes seemed haunted as she stared blankly at him. "Do not forget that we are immortal," she said hollowly, like she wasn't really there.
"You won't die of old age, but you're not invincible," Percy argued.
Suddenly, Zoe's eyes blazed with anger, and she snapped, "Fine! Then who do you suggest we take, Jackson? You want to control this quest? Then do it!"
Percy wisely backed down and raised his hand placatingly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to question your authority. It's still your choice who to bring, but please, don't take Bianca… Her brother already thinks she abandoned him. I don't know what he'd do if she were to die out there."
Zoe was silent, her eyes narrowing as she searched his face for any sign of insincerity. Finally, she turned away with a curt nod. Percy sighed in relief. "I understand your fear, Jackson, but my decision is final. I will not allow any harm to befall Bianca, and if you wish to keep her safe, then I recommend you keep a close eye on her as well," Zoe said. She turned to the brown-haired Hunter sitting on Phoebe's other side and exchanged a few words.
"Phoebe, take care and rest, okay? I must be off," the brunette nodded to Zoe and stood up before turning to scrutinize Percy, who was standing there awkwardly. There was an unreadable emotion swirling in the girl's grass-green eyes. Probably a daughter of Demeter, Percy thought randomly.
The Hunter blinked, and suddenly the strange look was gone. "You know, it's weird, Percy," she said curiously, "You remind me a lot of an old friend of mine. He even had the same first name as you… Well, it was nice meeting you. I'm Alice Fields, by the way," Without another word, she swept out of the infirmary rather abruptly, leaving Percy, Zoe, and Phoebe in an awkward silence.
Constitution Avenue, Washington, D.C.
The minivan hit a pothole with an unpleasant jolt. Grover, who had been quietly dozing, shot awake with a terrified bleat and flailed his limbs wildly. Percy grunted as his friend's fist connected with his face. "Geez, Thals," the son of Poseidon groaned, rubbing his reddening cheek. Zoe took the opportunity to aim a barbed insult at Thalia and her incompetence at the wheel. Thalia shot back a scathing remark about Zoe's age and useless chariot-driving license. Amidst all the chaos, only Bianca sat in silence, watching the U.S. capitol shoot by. They'd been stuck in the van together for four hours.
The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History loomed just ahead, and on a normal day, Thalia would have sped past without a hint of remorse. But nothing in their lives was normal. Spotting a very familiar blonde head on the Smithsonian grounds, Thalia slammed on the brakes in shock. Everybody in the van face-planted either into the dash or the seat in front of them. Zoe let out a string of harsh curses in Ancient Greek. As though to emphasize the Hunter's point, the unsuspecting motorist behind them blasted his horn furiously as he narrowly avoided an accident.
Though Zoe was yelling quite loudly and rudely, Thalia didn't respond. The blood had drained from her cheeks, and her voice quivered when she spoke, "L-Luke…"
Instantly, Percy tensed, and his eyes hardened, "The traitor! He's here?"
Thalia nodded mutely, pointing a trembling finger at her old friend. She hadn't really believed his betrayal before. She thought he had just left Camp to find his way in the mortal world, but as she saw him now with a hard look on his face, the truth finally sank in. She wasn't looking at the Luke Castellan she knew before. This was a stranger. A bitter, angry stranger who was throwing his life away.
The son of Hermes hadn't noticed them as he strode casually, yet purposefully, into the museum. "Park the car, Thals," Percy said suddenly, "We have to follow him."
"Why on earth would we follow him in there? That must be his evil headquarters or something!" Grover said nervously.
"Dude, that's the point," Percy said, "Maybe it will give us a clue as to where Artemis is. If not that, maybe we'll figure out who this General is, and that will lead us to her."
"The General?" Zoe paled, "Where did you hear that name?"
"Dr. Thorn was lecturing on and on about him when we were captured at Westover," Bianca said, a hint of recognition flitting across her face.
Zoe was silent for a moment before her eyes hardened, "We mustn't dawdle here. Lady Artemis and your friend are in grave danger."
"What?" Percy said incredulously, "We can't pass up this opportunity to spy in enemy territory. What's going on? Do you know who the General is?"
"Yes, and he's bad news," Zoe's face darkened, "We have to go."
"What? No! We need to stay and find out more information," Percy said stubbornly.
"We already know everything we need to know," Zoe argued back.
"Like what?" Percy countered, "All we know is we're going west to rescue Annabeth and Lady Artemis. We don't even know what state we're supposed to go to."
"We're going to Mount Othrys," Zoe ground out.
"Yes, and where is that exactly?" Thalia interjected, tapping her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, "And don't say Greece because we'll all know that's a load of bull."
"I-," Zoe paused, a troubled look crossing her face, "I used to know. But no, I have not returned after our world moved to America."
"In other words, you're useless," Thalia jibed, "Spying on Luke it is."
"Spying on Luke it is…" Grover echoed dejectedly.
For a bunch of evil-doers, the General and his crew were not very discrete. "Not very discrete" in this case meant that they were in the plainest sight possible. As Percy, Thalia, and Grover strolled inconspicuously into the dinosaur exhibit, the first thing they saw was Luke dressed as a construction worker climbing a ladder to reach the head of a giant skeleton. Everything about him seemed out of place, from the yellow hard hat to the janitor's outfit he was wearing. Luke stuck out like a sore thumb, but no one paid him any mind. For once, Percy wished the Mist didn't exist. He imagined Luke trying to explain himself to a bunch of angry security guards and smirked.
"Focus, Kelp Head," Thalia rolled her eyes when she noticed Percy smiling to himself.
Percy snapped out of his random daydream and nodded, "Right, sorry. Er, what's he doing?" Luke had pulled out every tooth in the poor dinosaur's mouth and was tucking them into a backpack. He then pulled out a bag full of fake teeth and was meticulously inserting them into the vacant spots.
"Did he just…" Grover gestured at Luke vaguely, "Desecrate a dinosaur skeleton?"
"Pretty much," Thalia said, looking equally confused and worried, "The question is why."
"Can't be anything good. That's for sure," Percy muttered. For some reason, his gut was telling him the dinosaur wasn't your typical T-Rex either.
An hour later, his gut was proven right. Luke had taken the dino teeth and driven off. Finding Zoe and Bianca, their quest group piled back into their van and took off after him. A few minutes later, they came upon what appeared to be a park. The National Arboretum, a sign told them.
Luke parked his car and got out, prompting Thalia to do the same. Percy and Grover shared a look. What is Luke doing? Percy tried to convey with his eyes. Grover shrugged. Once again the group split up, Percy, Grover, and Thalia following Luke at a distance while Zoe and Bianca patrolled the area for any abnormal activity.
Luke passed the Corinthian columns of the National Capitol Columns, heading to the heavily wooded areas at the far end of the meadow. While the son of Hermes strode purposefully into the trees, Percy, Thalia, and Grover loitered at a nearby bench for a time. Slowly, they edged their way to the treeline.
"Which way, Goat Boy?" Thalia asked as she pulled out her collapsible Mace canister just in case. Percy followed her lead, clutching his ballpoint pen tightly in his hand.
Grover pointed to some tracks in the dirt and some broken branches. "There, follow me." They fell in line behind the satyr, creeping softly through the underbrush. After a while, they heard muffled talking at a distance. Grover stopped and ushered them away out of earshot. "Guys, we need to get Zoe and Bianca over here. I think we found the baddies' hideout."
Percy nodded, pulling out a drachma. He uncapped his water bottle and waved his hand. Water sprayed out, forming a faint rainbow with the weak sunlight filtering through the trees. Percy tossed the drachma in, and a moment later, he was looking at Zoe and Bianca. "Hey, we found their hideout. We're in the woods at the southwest corner of the Arboretum. We're going to spy on the baddies. If we aren't back at the Columns in half an hour, please come looking for us."
Zoe frowned, but she nodded quickly, "All right. Be careful. You don't know who all could be there."
"Ok, thank you. You too," Percy mustered up a nervous grin before swiping his hand through the image and ending the call. Catching Grover's and Thalia's eyes, Percy nodded. Wordlessly, the three split up. Percy circled around to the right, and Thalia headed to the left. Grover crept forward. After a moment, they were surrounding a clearing where Luke and an intimidating man - who could only be the General - were talking. Peeking around a tree, Percy saw Luke digging up furrows of dirt, like he was plowing a field. Luke then opened his bag and pulled out the teeth he'd stolen from the museum. The General nodded and pointed at the tilled earth. Luke scoffed and knelt down to plant the teeth in the ground. He then watered the soil with something that looked suspiciously like blood. The General chanted something in Ancient Greek. The ground glowed ominously. Suddenly two dozen skeletal hands began clawing their way out of the ground. Percy felt fear and dread building in his stomach. Standing before Luke and the General were twelve fully-armed skeleton warriors.
The General gave a command of some sort and pulled out a piece of silver cloth. He held it beneath the nose of the largest, meanest looking skeleton. "Find those little Huntresses and kill them."
Too late did Percy realize what was happening. Before he could do anything to take the cloth away, each skeleton warrior had taken a whiff and were marching away in search of their prey. Percy paled, looking around for Thalia and Grover. He caught their eyes across the clearing and waved them over. "Guys, those things are going for Bianca and Zoe! We have to go warn them," Percy whispered frantically. His friends agreed, and they disappeared back into the woods, headed back to the Columns.
Thankfully, they beat the skeletons to the Hunters. As they ran back to their van, Percy caught Zoe and Bianca up on what happened.
"Dragon teeth!" Zoe exclaimed incredulously when they mentioned the skeleton warriors.
"What?" Grover yelped.
"There was a dragon skeleton in the Smithsonian! This is bad. This is very, very bad," Zoe muttered as they clambered into their van.
"What are they?" Thalia asked, starting the engine and pulling out onto the road.
As though prompted by the question, the suspiciously absent throb in Percy's head suddenly flared up again. "Those were the warriors that Jason had to fight in his quest for the Golden Fleece," Percy muttered subconsciously, rubbing his temples to try to dull the ache.
Thalia gaped at him through the rear view mirror, "What? How did you of all people know that, Kelp Head?"
"Eyes on the road, Pinecone Face," Percy groaned. The pain was fading, but an uncomfortable thumping was lingering persistently. "And I'm not sure. I must have learned it somewhere."
Must have, Zoe thought. She scrutinized the passenger seat in which Percy was sitting. She could have sworn she saw his eyes flash a brighter blue than his usual sea green in the wing mirror. It was really brief, happening right as he ducked his head to massage his temples. It was very possibly a trick of the light, but Zoe didn't think so. She was rarely mistaken about anything. Briefly, she considered confronting Percy about what he might be hiding, but she pushed the thought aside, deciding to keep a closer eye on him instead. Chances are, he didn't know anything at all.
Thalia suddenly slammed on the breaks, yanking Zoe abruptly from her thoughts. The tires screeched but were quickly drowned out by the sound of crushing metal. The airbags deployed, filling the air with talcum powder. "Is everyone okay?" Percy coughed through the cloud of powder. Everybody quickly affirmed that they were in fact alive. Sufficiently reassured, Percy growled, "What the heck, Thalia? Were you trying to get us killed?"
"Well, Jackson, if you bothered to look at what was right in front of you, you would have noticed the giant freaking lion that ran right in front of our van!" Thalia snapped, grabbing her can of Mace.
"Lion?" Bianca whispered fearfully.
Zoe paled. She desperately hoped it was not the lion she was thinking of. "Be ready," she commanded, "We need to get out-!" She was cut off as a large golden paw shattered the windshield. Thalia and Percy barely ducked out of the way in time as they all scrambled out of the vehicle. Thankfully, they were on a relatively empty stretch of road along the Potomac River. Pulling out their weapons, they faced down an enormous lion with a brilliant golden pelt.
The monstrous feline prowled toward them, its tail flicking to and fro. It bared its teeth in a threatening snarl and lunged for Grover. The satyr bleated and leapt out of the way. Percy lunged at the lion with his sword, ready to slice the big cat to ribbons, but Riptide just bounced off the lion's side. "What?" He asked incredulously as he dodged a paw swipe aimed at his head.
"You idiot! That's the Nemean Lion!" Zoe yelled, "Its pelt is impenetrable."
"Yeah? Then let's fry him up," Thalia smirked, raising her spear into the air. There was a boom of thunder as she called down a massive lightning bolt. The bolt hit the lion dead on, but as the smoke cleared, the cat was slightly disoriented but entirely unscathed. "No way!" She breathed in horror.
"No weapons or even lightning will work on it!" Zoe said.
"Heracles strangled it with his bare hands," Percy said, once again feeling his head throb slightly as he pulled this fact seemingly out of thin air. No one bothered to ask how he know it, too preoccupied with the fight to care. "But it's too risky to get close to it!" Percy glanced around and frowned in dismay. Bianca's and Zoe's arrows hit the lion and snapped harmlessly against its fur. Grover was playing his reed pipes furiously, but the vines he summoned barely slowed the monster down. Even if they got it to slow down, they had no way of killing it. Slowly, the lion pushed them toward the river. They were trapped.
The Nemean Lion seemed to know it had them cornered, and it licked its chops in anticipation. Seeing the large pink tongue dart out of its mouth, Percy got an idea. "Zoe, get ready to shoot at its mouth!" He called as he summoned a wave of water from the river. The murky wave crashed into the unprepared lion's side. Like any other lion, it seemed the Nemean Lion hated water. It yowled in displeasure as the muddy river water soaked its fur. As the huge jaws parted, Zoe and Bianca took careful aim and released a barrage of arrows. The silver projectiles struck true, embedding themselves into the lion's soft palate. The monster howled in pain as it disintegrated into dust. Within moments, only the golden pelt remained.
"Wow," Bianca breathed as she looked at the spoils of war.
"Yes," Zoe nodded solemnly, "Percy, take it."
"No, no, you and Bianca killed it," Percy said, gesturing toward the pelt.
"It was your plan," Zoe gave him an almost imperceptible smile, "You deserve the reward. Bianca and I will not accept it."
"I- Are you sure?" Percy asked, still feeling like the fur did not belong to him.
"Absolutely," Bianca nodded, "Go on, take it."
Percy hesitated one more moment before walking over to the fur. It was amazingly soft to the touch, but Percy could feel the thrum of power emanating from it. He bundled it in his arms, but instead of stowing it away, he closed his eyes and thought, To Lady Artemis. The pelt flashed silver and disappeared.
"What? What did you do, Kelp Head?" Thalia demanded incredulously.
Percy rubbed his head sheepishly, "I sacrificed it to Lady Artemis. I figured she might need it. Wherever she is." Thalia groaned. Zoe simply stared at him with an inscrutable look on her face.
"I imagine My Lady is very thankful for that," Zoe finally said.
Whatever else they might have said was cut off by the crack of a gunshot. Thankfully, Zoe had seen the shooter coming and was prepared to duck out of the way. The skeleton warriors had found them. Somehow, their assailants had surrounded them during the battle with the lion. They were really cornered now.
The skeleton warriors started attacking as one. However, they were only aiming for Zoe and Bianca. Noticing this, Percy grabbed Bianca and pulled her behind him. Remembering Nico, he handed her his shield and said, "They're going for you and Zoe. Be extremely careful." Bianca just nodded, jumping when another bullet shot right past her ear.
Pulling out Riptide, Percy yelled, "Hey, Bonehead! If you wanna fight, you have to fight all of us!"
He smacked the gun out of one of the skeletons' hands and lopped off its head. However, that did absolutely nothing as the monster simply bent down and reattached its skull.
"More invincible enemies? Are you serious!" Thalia growled as she speared a warrior through the spine, causing it to break into to halves, and watched it reassemble before her eyes. "How do we kill something that's already dead?"
Percy couldn't answer, too busy with his own skeletons. Thankfully, they seemed to have one-track minds and focused solely on killing Zoe and Bianca. That gave Percy, Thalia, and Grover a huge opening. The more frustrated Percy got, the choppier the river became. He summoned a hurricane to blow away the monsters, but they just reassembled and came right back. From the corner of his eye, he saw Bianca block a bullet with his shield and stab one of the skeletons with her hunting knife. Percy then watched in disbelief as a sort of black energy traveled down the blade and into the skeleton soldier. There was a momentary pause, then the monster exploded into golden dust and remained dead. "Bianca! What did you do?" He called over his shoulder.
"I-I don't know," Bianca stammered, looking from her arm to her knife like they were completely foreign objects.
"Well whatever you did, do it again!" Grover said as he entangled another skeleton in thick ropes of vines. Bianca nodded and rounded on another one of her attackers. A few minutes later, she had managed to down three of the twelve warriors on her own. "She's a child of Lord Hades," Zoe gaped as she saw the symbol of a shadowy helm appear over Bianca's head. Bianca barely noticed, too busy taking down her next opponent.
In her moment of distraction, Zoe failed to notice the skeleton looming up behind her with a sword trained on her neck. On pure instinct, Percy threw out his hand at the skeleton as he bellowed, "Watch out!" A blood red wave of energy shot toward the monster. Thankfully, Zoe, who had heard the skeleton behind her, managed to dodge the blow and jump away. Not a moment later, the red energy wave collided with the skeleton. The monster was flung backwards through the air, disintegrating into gold dust before it had the chance to land in the rapidly flowing river below. However, a startled yelp as the skeleton was thrown back drew everybody's attention. Percy watched in horror as Bianca flew through the air. The energy wave had knocked her unconscious on impact and tossed her into the Potomac River. "Bianca!" Percy screamed as he dove in after the Hunter. Immediately, he was caught in the current. The storm he had summoned earlier had made the waves dangerously choppy and strengthened the current. Even Percy was pulled under. In that moment, he could not be more thankful for his ability to breathe underwater.
Fighting against the current that threatened to drag him down and toss him around, Percy searched the murky water frantically for any sign of Bianca. He allowed himself to be swept along as he tried to catch up to Bianca, who would undoubtedly have been caught in the same rushing current. He looked around for any flash of silver or hint of her dark hair, but he could barely make anything out in the murky, polluted depths of the Potomac. Panic surged through him as the minutes dragged on with no sign of the girl. His searching became more frantic. He didn't know how long he had been looking when a large bubble suddenly engulfed him. Percy yelled angrily and pounded the sides of his prison, trying to break free to continue searching for his friend.
"Perseus Jackson," a calm voice said from behind him.
Percy whirled around furiously, eyes blazing, to see a being with indeterminate facial features dressed in a ratty, American flag themed suit. Splotches of mud and pollutants stained the national colors, and algae clung to the being's top hat. "Who are you?" Percy demanded, "Let me go!"
"Peace, Perseus," the stranger said, "I am the Spirit of the Potomac. I regret to inform you that your friend is gone."
"What? No! I have to find her! If you're a river spirit, you can help me! What are you waiting for! We're wasting time!"
"Perseus," the spirit commanded, his voice holding a surprising amount of power. Percy stopped. "I repeat, your friend is gone," the Potomac said solemnly.
"But how? She can't just disappear!" Percy protested, suddenly feeling extremely drained.
The river spirit seemed not to have heard him as he walked closer to Percy. "Strange, very strange," the Potomac said, "A son of Poseidon, or so it seems. Very, very strange. You sure have the looks and powers of one. Some more than others. Very strange indeed."
"What are you going on about?" Percy demanded, "Tell me where Bianca is!"
"My, my, you really must learn some patience, my young friend," the spirit said, "Ms. DiAngelo is safe now. She is in a better place, so to speak." The river spirit grimaced as though the idea of a better place left a bad taste in his mouth.
"No! No, she can't be dead!" Percy yelled, grief and guilt welling up inside him. A crushing sense of self-loathing crashed into him as he realized he had killed her.
The Potomac didn't grace him with an answer, only doling out one more cryptic comment, "No matter how much it storms along my banks, the rain can never touch me here." Then, Percy's surroundings dissolved, and he found himself kneeling along the riverbank, tears streaming down his face. Zoe immediately grabbed his shoulder, demanding answers about Bianca. Vaguely, Percy registered Grover and Thalia still holding off the skeleton warriors.
One shall be lost in the land without rain, a voice that sounded uncannily like the Potomac River Spirit echoed in his mind.
There it is, guys! Like the changes to the original book? Don't like the changes? Any more ideas about Percy? Let me know your thoughts in a review or PM! Thanks!