Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Chapter 8: The Quest
Percy's POV
This had to be the strangest prophecy and quest yet. We have campers being kidnapped and what happens, we have a prophecy that creates two teams of heroes. One team led by Annabeth, no surprise there. The other team led by the Stoll brothers, what in Hades is going on? At least Thalia, Nico and I would be able to help Annabeth on the quest. I feel sorry for Will Solace. I might even feel sorry for Clarisse, I wonder how she'll take the news about going on a quest with the Stolls? Man, I've got to be there when she finds out, priceless.
"Seaweed brain, are you in there?" Annabeth said as she shook my arm. I woke up from my thoughts and looked at her.
"I'm here, I was just wondering what Clarisse will say when she finds out." I said.
"I was thinking that too, I bet she's going to be pissed." Annabeth said with a smile.
"Heroes go to your cabins and pack for your quest. Chiron and I will prepare the details for your travel." Theseus said.
"Theseus one question?" Annabeth said.
"Yes!" Theseus said.
"Where are we going? Do we even know where they're being held?" Annabeth asked.
"Sorry, I guess in the all of the excitement, I forgot to inform you. You see Grover has been following one of the vans and he has informed me of the location of the enemy base." Theseus said.
"Good, so we have a location, where is it?" Annabeth asked.
"It's actually not that far. The base is located in Maine, about fifty miles north of Bar Harbor, just outside a place called Corea. From what Grover tells me the base is located on a cliff that overlooks the ocean. The site is pretty secluded." Theseus said.
"Road trip! Man this is going to be so great!" Connor said as he slapped his brother on the back.
I just looked at the two of them and thought did I act that way at they're age?
"Seaweed brain these two act worse than you did at they're age." Thalia said as she walked up to me and punched me in the arm. Well, at least I wasn't as bad.
"Careful, pine cone face, you wouldn't want to eat shield again would you?" I said with an evil smirk.
Thalia just stared at me and I could see the lightning flash in her eyes. I just stared back at her and noticed for the first time ever that she blinked and then looked away. Maybe I have changed over the last couple of years.
"Percy, stop picking on my girl!" Nico yelled as he ran beside Thalia and placed his arm around her waist.
"Sorry, it was all in fun." I said with a smile.
"You heard Theseus we need to go pack for tomorrow, move it." Annabeth yelled. Thalia and Nico ran out the door hand in hand. I walked to the door and was suddenly tackled by Annabeth.
"You're coming with me seaweed brain." Annabeth yelled as she jumped off my back and grabbed my hand. She pulled me out of the big house. We walked to my cabin and went inside. Annabeth walked with me to my room. I opened the door and Annabeth stopped.
"What happened in here?" Annabeth said. I guess my room was pretty dirty I hadn't cleaned since we started camp.
"I haven't had a chance to pickup yet." I said defensively.
"You have only been in camp a little over a week. How did your room get this filthy? Are you keeping pigs in here with you?" Annabeth asked sarcastically.
"Very funny wise girl!" I said.
"If you're going to that new school of yours, you better learn how to keep your room clean." Annabeth warned.
"Hey, give a guy a break, I'll clean it." I said.
"Well, I need to help you pack." Annabeth said.
"I can pack." I said.
"Since when? You've always needed me to help you." Annabeth said.
I was not going to argue besides I got to spend time with her. I knew she was right I would need to do a better job of cleaning and picking up after myself when I got to school.
"Alright, I need your help." I said.
Annabeth and I packed my bag for the quest and I guess she's right I would have forgotten a few things without her. After we finished I walked her to the Athena cabin to help her pack, even though she didn't need it. When we finished packing the dinner bell rang. Annabeth and I walked to the mess hall together. As we entered we saw an unusual scene unfold in front of us. Actually, the scene started with a chair flying through the air. I pulled Annabeth out of the way just in time to see a chair hit the wall where she had just stood. I looked over to the area where the chair came from and I saw Clarisse, her face was fiery red and she had two demigods cornered. It was Travis and Connor Stoll.
I whispered to Annabeth, "You were right, she is pissed." Annabeth looked at me and laughed softly then said, "It looks like those two will be leading they're team from the infirmary, if they survive that is."
"You two can't be serious this is another one of your practical jokes." Clarisse growled.
Connor and Travis were both frozen in place, they're eyes were so big I thought they might pop out of they're sockets. I would have thought this was funny until a bright light appeared in the room an suddenly standing between Clarisse and the Stolls was an angry god of heroes.
"Clarisse, calm yourself down, these two are telling the truth for once." Theseus yelled.
Clarisse just looked at Theseus in disbelief, she lowered the chair that she was about to crush the Stolls with and I could see the color fade from her face. Her expression turned from one of rage to one of complete bewilderment.
"Your serious, these two are going to lead a quest." Clarisse said.
"I'm afraid the prophecy is clear, the first team will be led by the children of Hermes. Connor and Travis have chosen you to join them on their team." Theseus said.
"I'm not going to be ordered around by Connor-Artist and Travistee." Clarisse said sarcastically.
Connor and Travis both looked at each other and I saw both of their faces turn to angry frowns.
"Hey, don't call us that! It's not even funny, hot head!" Connor and Travis said at the same time.
"I'll show you hot head, you little weasels. How would you like me to shove my spear up your ..." Clarisse said before she was cutoff by Theseus.
"Stop this idiocy. You two be quiet or I'll let her beat you to a pulp, got it!" Theseus yelled at the Stolls. I guess the Stolls were working their magic on my brother. His patience was certainly at an end.
"Hey, she threatened us." Connor said.
"If you don't shut it, I'll let her have you." Theseus said. That shut Connor up, his face paled and he looked ill again.
"I heard that four people are going on this quest, who's the fourth?" Clarisse asked.
Will Solace walked over he looked like he was heading for a firing squad.
"Clarisse, I'm the fourth." Will said sadly.
"They have chosen both of you to go with them, if you choose to decline this you can." Theseus said.
To my knowledge no one had ever declined an invitation to a quest. If they did the entire camp would look at them as cowards, although under the circumstances most campers would probably cut them some slack.
"Alright, I will go, but you two better not act like fools." Clarisse warned.
"If Clarisse is willing to go then I will as well." Will said he still looked like a kid going to the dentist.
After the drama the Stolls went back to their table, Clarisse to hers and Will to his. Theseus just looked at them shaking his head. He walked over and sat at my table.
"If those four don't kill each other during the quest, they might actually survive." Theseus said.
"You look tired brother, are you o.k.?" I asked.
Theseus did look tired I guess he was really worried.
"Having slept a lot, not that I need any, but I feel better when I do. I have a bad feeling about this quest. Those four aren't helping matters either." Theseus said as he pointed toward the Stolls and their team mates.
'Percy that prophecy was strange, but the part about the power of the sea worries me. I think you may have to use all of your power in this quest. Promise me that you'll be careful. The use of all your power is dangerous not just to your team mates and others, but to you as well." Theseus said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"If you use all of your power too quickly you could burn yourself out or worse. You could kill yourself." Theseus said ominously.
I was stunned, I knew the power was dangerous, but I had no idea it could hurt me.
"Does anyone else know this?" I asked.
"No, this is between you and me." Theseus said.
"I understand, do you really think that I will have to use all of my power?" I asked.
"The prophecy sure made it sound that way. You can do one thing to help your team." Theseus said.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Train them on how to concentrate, how to focus. They do not have the same level of ADHD as you, but our focus techniques can help them. It can even make them more powerful and enhance their skills. I think in order for all of you to survive this assistance will be needed. Do you understand?" Theseus asked.
"I do, but I don't think I can teach them as well as you could." I said.
"Don't sell yourself short brother, I have faith in you. You have grown much over the last couple of years and I don't mean just in height. You have made me proud." Theseus said.
"Even with the incident the other day?" I asked.
"Yes, you are young, it was my fault I should have expressed the danger more clearly. Do your best that's all I can ask." Theseus said.
"Thank you, brother." I said.
"Your welcome, I need to go to Olympus. I will see all of you tomorrow before you leave. Please tell everyone that they need to be at the top of Half-Blood hill at six in the morning." Theseus said as he began to glow and disappeared in a golden light.
I finished my dinner and stayed at my table until most of the camper had left. Annabeth, Thalia and Nico walked over and joined me at my table.
"I saw you talking with Theseus, is there something wrong?" Annabeth asked.
"No, he just wanted to talk to me about the quest." I said. I lied I didn't want to worry her.
"Anything in particular?" Annabeth asked I could see the curiosity in her eyes.
"Well, he wants me to train the three of you in our focus techniques." I said.
"Really!' Thalia said.
"I thought that was dangerous." Nico said.
"No the focus techniques aren't." I said.
"The dangerous stuff deals with the use of my powers over water and other elements." I said.
"Will these focus techniques make us stronger?" Annabeth asked.
"No, but they will help you control your ADHD, which can lead to enhanced reflexes, improved concentration and greater control of your powers." I said.
"I don't have powers like you all, but the other two sound pretty good." Annabeth said.
"When do we start the training?" Nico asked.
"Right now, I'll meet all of you at the lake in say ten minutes." I left the three of them at my table and walked back to my cabin. I went to my room and sat on my bed for a moment. I thought about the first time Theseus trained me, when he was just a voice in my head. I thought back to what he had told me and then I focused on what needed to be done. Theseus was counting on me to help the others I calmed myself and focused on how I should train them. The memories of previous training sessions came back to me. When I finally opened my eyes again, I was ready. I noticed only eight minutes had passed. I left my room and cabin to go to the lake. As I walked to the beach I saw my three friends waiting for me.
"Are you all ready?" I asked.
"Yes!" They all three said at once.
"Now sit on the ground with your legs crossed. Focus all of your strength and will power. You will fee a tug at the pit of your stomach." I said.
They all three nodded in agreement.
"Good, now use that strength to focus your mind, do you feel something moving and pulling you in multiple directions. You will feel this in your mind as you focus." I said.
They all nodded in agreement again.
"Very good, that is your ADHD working. It wants you too lose focus to move around wildly. I want you to use your strength and your will to surround the ADHD. Do you feel it?" I asked.
"Yes!" They all three said as once.
"Good, now focus on your will and strength. Use your will to harness the power of the ADHD. Will it to serve you. Do you feel it?" I asked again.
"Yes, I feel it." They all three said at once.
"You're all doing great. Now you all are in control. Stand up and open your eyes." I said.
My three students stood and opened they're eyes.
"Now use your hands to block the water." I said as I began to use my mind to propel large droplets of lake water at my students. All three began to block the water droplets at an ever increasing rate. I began to speed up the onslaught until I determined that they could not go any faster. I kept up the onslaught for at least twenty minutes and then I stopped abruptly.
"That's enough!" I said. My students visibly exhaled and I could sense their exhaustion.
"All three of you did very well, congratulations. You all have taken your first steps to enhancing your abilities." I said.
Thalia and Nico sat next to each other, I could tell they were very tired. I walked over to Annabeth and sat down next to her. She leaned against my shoulder, I could tell she was exhausted, much more so that the others.
"I'm sorry, I forgot that the children of the big three can handle this much better." I said.
"It's fine, the feeling was incredible. I felt great, can you help me to my cabin?" Annabeth asked.
"Sure, I'll carry you." I said as I picked her up in my arms bridal style and carried her back to her cabin. I gently laid her on her bed. She was already asleep by the time I made it to her cabin. I covered her up and kissed her softly. She was so beautiful, even as tired as she was I couldn't help but stare at her. I walked back down to the beach and saw Thalia and Nico asleep side by side.
I walked up to Nico and touched his shoulder, he immediately sat up quickly.
"It's o.k. Buddy, it's Percy. Come on you need to get up. Can you help me get Thalia to her cabin?" I asked.
"Yeah, sure. Nico stood up, he looked strong enough to walk back to his cabin. I grabbed Thalia, she was out cold. I carried her over my shoulder to her cabin with Nico following me slowly. Nico and I put Thalia to bed and I helped Nico to his cabin. By the time I returned to my cabin it was well passed curfew. I made it back without any harpy attacks. I went to sleep still thinking about what Theseus had told me about my strength. To say I was worried would be lying, I was scared. For the first time I was actually scared of my abilties. I finally fell asleep after about an hour of worrying.
I awoke the next morning at five. I was still tired, but I got ready for the quest. I left my cabin just before six in the morning, I only had a few minutes to get to the hill. I exited my cabin and saw Annabeth walking towards me at a leisurely pace.
"We have to hurry, Argus will be waiting for us its almost six." I said as Thalia and Nico ran up to us.
"Don't worry I found this note on my door this morning from Chiron saying that Argus had a problem with the van, a flat tire. So we will be leaving a little later." Annabeth said as she held the note for us to see.
We walked to the beach to wait until it was time to leave. I heard galloping behind us and I saw a worried Chiron galloping toward us with Theseus behind me from half-blood hill.
"Where have you been?" Theseus said.
"We were going to wait here until Argus had fixed the van's tire." Annabeth said.
"The van tire is fine, I just saw the van drive off, we thought you all left without saying goodbye." Chiron said.
"What? I have a note from you saying the tire was flat and that we would be leaving later." Annabeth said.
Annabeth held up the note so Theseus and Chiron could see. Chiron's eyes grew big and an angry expression formed on his face.
"Those little bastards! I never wrote that note." Chiron said, I never heard him talk that way before.
"What happened?" Nico asked.
"The Stoll brothers and their team left without you." Theseus said.
"Argus would never let them do that." I said.
"We need to find Argus, let's go to the van's garage." Theseus said.
We all gathered around my brother and we dissolved into a bright golden light. We reappeared in the garage. I flipped on the light and then we saw him, Argus was tied up on the ground, he was unconscious with a tranquilizer dart sticking out of his shoulder.
"Damn them, there going to be on kitchen duty for the rest of the summer when they return." Chiron said.
We all helped untie Argus and we propped him up against the wall. He wouldn't wake up for another hour.
"How do we get there now?" Thalia asked.
"Theseus, you said that the enemy base is near the ocean, correct." Annabeth said.
"That's a great idea Annabeth, you can take one of the ships there." Theseus said.
"You all go to the pier. The Aethra is fully stocked for a trip take her. Good luck to all of you. Chiron and I will take care of Argus." Theseus said.
"Go with the gods, heroes." Chiron said as we ran off toward the ocean.
The four of us ran through camp. We ran passed the big house and down the hill to the beach. The Aethra was clearly visible, with her sister ship behind her. We boarded the ship and I barked orders to my fellow team mates. Since I was the only one who knew how to sail I took charge. No one complained. The four of us worked together very well and I steered us north toward Maine. The Stolls had a head start, but I knew I could make that up and then some. Those two Hermes kids were in trouble and I don't mean from Theseus and Chiron. I saw the look on Annabeth's face, she was going to make them pay, I shivered at the thought. They were so dead.
Well the Stoll brothers sure know how to start a quest, let's hope they know how to finish one.
