A/N: I'm really sorry for the delay of this chapter! My computer crashed. It was horrible. I tried to back it up but it didn't work. So it was in the shop all this time. And then, when I finally got it back, all my files were gone! So I had to type this chapter out again. D: Again, I apologize completely.

Book Four: The Beginning of the End

It all started with a dream. I had had that same dream before, when I was younger. Looking back, it did not occur to me that it would be something of mild importance. I thought that it was only a dream. After all, a dream is still a dream no matter how strange it might be. I would later on learn how terribly wrong I was.

Only now do I realize that a single second in a dream would make all the difference in the world. The ancient stories depict a type of forewarning in their dreams. Usually the dreams are sent by the gods. People say it's the result of an overactive imagination. (These are the people who usually get hurt first.) More often than not, some god or other intervenes.

The first time I had the dream was when I was five. The second time I had this dream was an ominous warning that I ignored. Perhaps I forgot the first time I had the dream, or I had simply chose to forget it. Either way, I wasn't aware. That would eventually be my fatal mistake; that I know even now.

The third and last time I had this erratic dream was after I saw Annabeth and Percy. (Even though Annabeth and Percy are my mother and father, I choose to call them by their first names to prevent confusion. Also, this acknowledges that they are not my parents that are trained to deal with me.)

My dream was an incredibly awe inspiring type of dream. Before my brief experiences with the mystic world of the gods, I would never have believed it was possible. Of course, the happenings were never stated in Greek mythology.

Like how all dreams end, I woke up. On the contrary, I woke up to find my self in my dream. I had woken up inside the cavern that I had fallen asleep in. I was then blinded by the sudden burst of light. I blinked to try to clear my eyesight. It very peculiar. Once I regained my eyesight, a sudden pain immediately raced through my right arm. I looked at it trying to see what caused this white hot pain.

I was shocked to see that my right arm was now tattooed. It had the intricate designs of black lace gloves, flowery and flowing in design. It seemed to start on my middle finger, wrapping around only the bottom most part like a ring, then continuing to run across the length of my arm only to stop right below the elbow; weaving into little leaves and lines to an end. Bright lights of power started to illuminate every line and detail; burning like wildfire.

It was a few moments of peace before the real pain started to surface. I tried to shake off my arm, trying to gnaw it off—but that only irritated the markings and causing it burn with rage. I looked for a near by water source big enough to submerge myself in so I could begin to quench the fire. If being in water enables be to have a multitude of abilities that I couldn't have on land, it should help me now. I prayed and prayed for a lake, a river—something to help me. I ran around and around like a mad man.

As if the gods were answering my prayers, a sudden water source came into view. I quickly jumped into the water and hoped for the best. The pain in my arm lessened incredulously. That is where everything had ended for the first two dreams. The first two times I had broken into a cold sweat after, arm tingling strangely for some unexplained reason. But the third time had not ended so mercilessly.

As soon as I had jumped in, I was completely submerged. Then, after a few seconds of not being able to hold my breath, I tried to swim to the surface. I was puzzled. I could do this before. I had thought. Why couldn't I do it now? Thoughts like that ran through my head a million miles per hour. As soon as I reached the surface, I saw with a sinking heart that the top had completely frozen. I screamed and kicked, letting few precious air bubbles run free. I pounded against the surface of the ice, the freezing cold water slowly torturing me with its icy daggers slicing through my skin.

I turned around to try to find a thinner area of ice and then screamed. A pale blue ghost of a corpse was staring me in the face, expressionless and uninviting. She was a beautiful sort of creature. Although dead and unmoving except for the water movements, her hair was flowing : long and luxurious. Even though they were now blue, you could tell her eyes were light and luscious. To summarize, she was practically near perfect—looks that you could kill for. And she looked strangely familiar...somewhere recent. Neriel! And with that realization, her expressionless face suddenly broke into a smiling wolfish, devilish smile, eyes rolling even further backwards, and bulleted straight towards me.

With that last chilling image, I awoke. I had awoken in my room. It wasn't going to be my room for another six years, but I guess the gods have an ironic sense of humor of sorts and gave me my future room. And now I stood leaning on my balcony, right arm propped up against the snow white railing, palm cupping my chin, mulling over my dream. I had been mulling for days now, especially with nothing else to do since I left that maze and traversed back to land.

It was a boring sort of day, like after the first week of summer break when you realize that you are totally bored. It was like that, but not as bad because thoughts and ideas were filling my mind. I think I could write a novel with all the ideas I've had. It was sunny once more, brighting the whole earth with it's radiance. The clouds freely swam through the air in packs that ranged in size. It would have been even more beautiful if I had paid even more attention.

Every so often, I would think of Alex and what he was thinking or doing, all alone on that island. And then my mind would run off with itself once more and I would imagine that he magically grew wings and flew away (or something or other), so when I got back, I wouldn't find him there and then I would be the one stranded. So that started me thinking if I would really get back at all. It was a very confusing circle of thoughts that passed the time.

But not until yesterday did Annabeth reveal the treasure I adored. She gave me a computer! Well, it wasn't mine. She just gave me one to use. It was in the study that she had constructed a few years back. It was filled to the roof with books, encyclopedias, blueprints and the occasional cat that would wander around here (whom I named Neri). It looked really antique, like one of those eighteenth century studies. There was a Persian rug too, all topped off with a large portrait of Percy and Annabeth over a fireplace.

In the painting they had worn handsome outfits that fitted the style of a old English house. Percy was wearing a suit, standing up, hair cut short and trim wearing his "father" spectacles and one hand on Annabeth's shoulder. Her hair was long and flowing, slightly curled with her gray eyes shining brighter than ever. She was sitting on an old styled, fancy wooden chair.

The air of the painted matched the air of the room. Everything looked marvelous. Then there was a door leading to a more modernized room. There held three computers. Annabeth said I could access this room any time I wanted. I was glad because it gave me something to spend my time on.

As I thought of everything that was going on once more on my spot on the balcony, Annabeth came quietly up behind me. She stood there for a while, looking at my back before she said anything.

"Kallie?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah?" I said, not turning around.

She sighed and then came up next to me. "The view is beautiful, isn't it?"

I nodded mutely. Even though I didn't say anything, I smiled. The house overlooked a plenitude of lush, green grass. Trees were scattered, with no apparent pattern. Flowers sprung where ever they pleased. And then there was that watering hole I used to go to with Dad. You could see it from here. It was amazing.

Annabeth continued the one-sided conversation. "Doesn't it look like a sea of grass you could lie in forever?"

"Yeah...It looks so soft..." I answered. It was soft. A brief memory of Dad and I rolling in the grass laughing so hard that even Mom joined us flashed through my mind.

"Want to go down there?"

"Maybe later."

"What's wrong?"

It was my turn to sigh. "No...nothing."

She looked worriedly on me. "Alright then."

It was strange. She didn't seem mad at all. Usually, Mom would at least blow a small fuse when I underwent my "Teenage Faze," as Mom called it. I went to my bed and flopped onto it, sighing again. I grabbed Lucy and hugged her tight. I looked at the ceiling blankly, nothing coming to me.

I looked at Lucy and then it came to me. I would go down to the water hole to spend the rest of my day. It was simple, clean, silent and beautiful. It was like the clearing in that forest that Alex and I came upon, except the forest extended from the crescent of forest—and there was no waterfall, just a big lake that the forest trees made a crescent around. I took a hold of Lucy and went downstairs. These days, I don't let Lucy out of my sight.

"Percy! Annabeth!" I called, walking down the massive flight of stairs. "I'm going out to explore!" When no one answered, I shrugged and continued merrily on my way.

In ten minutes time, I was at my destination. It was just as I had remembered it, just without as much trees. It was still as radiant as it would ever be. A sense of foreboding flooded my brain, but I ignored it, pushed it out of my mind. I immediately jumped into the lake with Lucy in tow, hoping for a cleansing.

It was wonderful. My heightened senses felt great. I was awestruck of the power of the gods. If I felt this way, only a descendant of one of the most powerful beings on earth, what could they be feeling? And they had the burden of the whole world on their shoulders! For a moment I was terrified for all it was worth. I trembled and sent shock waves through the whole body of water, barely noticing.

But while being terrified of myself, out of the corner of my eye I saw a small girl struggling for air. She was a young girl of about six, with a shoulder-length blond hair cut flowing about her head. He little ankle was trapped—tangled in a seaweed forest at the deepest point in the lake.

The lake was my terrain, I knew it well, so I immediately rushed to her aid. I tried to calm her with everything I had. She was frantic, eyes bulging, cheeks puffed out like a puffer fish, hands clawing away at empty water. I took hold of her shoulders, no easy task, and held her still. Thankfully, she got the message and stopped struggling for the moment. I blew out a few bubbles of air, looking at the tangled mess.

I looked at the girl, for she had gone a little to slack for her own good. Her eyes were closed and was floating in the water. She had fainted from air loss. In another moment, she would be breathing in air. I quickly willed an air bubble to form a temporary oxygen tank for her. I knew it wouldn't last long. Suddenly, several fish came to watch. I looked at them and they swam happily around me.

"Try to help?" I asked.

Of course! they bubbled.

"Can some of you keep an eye on the girl?" I said, still looking at the complicated knots. "Tell me when she wakes." Almost immediately, two of them kept a close eye on the unconscious girl, while I reached for the knot, using both hands to try and untangle the mess. I pulled and pulled, swerved and tried to go with the flow of the seaweed.

Mistress! Two of the fish swam towards me hurriedly. She's beginning to wake! they said alarmed.

I looked at her. It was true. She was stirring, face frowning, wondering why the body wasn't breathing. In another moment, she'll be frantic again and make the knot worse. The seaweed was too tight for me to work with. Before she tried to swim, I could have done it, but when she swam, more of it joined with the beginning seaweed and tightened the knot. If only I had time!

"Any of you got teeth?" I asked, fighting to stay calm.

A breed of fish I've never seen loyally swam up to me in a straight line, six in number. They "grinned," showing their razor sharp teeth. How shall we be of service, my lady? they chorused.

I pointed at the length of seaweed tying her foot. "Half of you start chewing. The other half, come here, close to the ankle." They did as was told. I quickly addressed the fish closest to me. "Chew on the circlet of seaweed. Work quickly, but do not, and I mean do not draw blood."

I swam near the torso of the child. I took hold of her shoulders with my hands, wrapped my arms around her and hugged her close. I pulled, making the seaweed tight and taut. That enabled the fish to chew faster and easier, but only stopped them for a brief moment. I paused, holding the small girl tighter with every passing second, as she was struggling more and more.

Finally, both her and her ankle were free. Immediately I swam up to the surface. I laid her onto the ground, which was starting to moist from her soaked clothing. I pressed my ear to her chest and heard a faint heartbeat. I sighed. It wasn't too late; she was alive. I brought her up to the sitting position. She groaned tried to talk and instead coughed up water. I rubbed her back all the while she was retching water over to the side of a nearby tree. When she was done, she fell asleep.

I looked on her smiling, because she was sleeping contentedly, breathing in and out. And then, to my horror, a chilling realization reached my brains. As I tried to hug Lucy, I only grasped empty air. I had forgotten her in the lake. While I was trying to save the drowning child, I had lost Lucy. While I had saved a child, I lost my one and only precious thing that I had with me on this journey. The only remnant other than the wallet-pouch I had of my home. I dived into the lake once more to try and save her, dread filling my senses. I just had to find her. I just had to.

"Lucy..." I kept on whispering, head swiveling in every direction to try and spot a glimpse of my beloved plush.

Fish swam around me once more. Are you visiting us this time, Mistress?

I looked at them with wide eyes. "No! Not yet! I need your help! My Lucy! Lucy! Lucy's gone!" I almost screamed. "Please! Help me find her!"

The turtle you were carrying? one fish asked.

I nodded furiously.

All the fish bubbled sadly. It's gone, mistress.

"What?" I cried. "What do you mean gone?!"

She has been taken into the Sky Lord's domain. She has been taken into the Sky Lord's domain.

As the fish spoke, I saw a flash of light spiraling upwards. I quickly swam up with it, reaching shore at a record speed. I saw with a growing horror that Lucy was that spiraling light. Right in the center of the light was Lucy. The tube of light quickly retracted and it zipped up into the air, completing the orb of light. It then suddenly disappeared, every trace of anything gone. I screamed and cried, crumpling into a heap on the floor.

Then, a bright light engulfed my whole person, a familiar warm light that grew hotter with every passing second. I cried and screamed even harder, from the pain of loss and burning physical pain that was being inflicted. I finally screamed for one more second until I briefly saw the light being concentrated to my right side. An even more familiar pain engulfed my right arm, right before the darkness enveloped me.

..::xXLuuXx::..

I woke up in a room this time. I'm not sure if this is reality or not. I only know that I'll live it out. It was sort of wooden. It was sort of modern. It was like a hybrid cabin in the woods. I looked up. It was scary, not having something to hug. I know it's incredibly babyish and stupid to cry and whine about a stuffed toy. But, dammit, it had sentimental value and I loved my Lucy. It was saddening.

I was in a very warm bed. It was pure white like the snow, except for the trimmings of blue designs on the spread. It was like sleeping on air. A light blue blanket covered my whole body, except for my arms, which were laying on top of the covers. I felt a familiar tingling in my arm, like right after I had that dream. I lifted my right arm so I could see it. I touched it, a bit uncomprehending, a bit unaware and awed. It was real. It wasn't a dream. I really had this mysterious tattoo on my arm. It had the markings of my dream.

I heard a door open. Clamoring footsteps. The squeak of wheels turning. Then a thud. A bit later, I felt the delayed feeling of a person tightly holding onto my side. I looked down. A blond head was buried into my side. I looked towards my left, towards the door, with out lifting my head.

I saw a smiling man in a wheelchair. "Hello," he greeted. "How are you feeling?"

I turned my head back towards the ceiling. "Dazed." I paused. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"I am Chiron," he answered. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood."