Chapter 3
Percy knocked on the door to his mom's and Paul's apartment, Piper holding his other hand. After a few moments without an answer, Percy went looking for the spare key Annabeth had hidden in a secret compartment in the wall, based off a design from Daedalus' laptop. Finding it, Percy let Piper and him into the apartment.
"Mom? Paul?" Percy called out, placing the key into a bowl by the door. Walking through the apartment and finding no trace of his mom or stepfather, Percy sat down gingerly on the couch in the living room, Piper joining him shortly after.
"Maybe they're at work?" Piper said.
"Paul maybe, mom works from home, she's writing a novel." Percy answered.
"Redrafting." Piper corrected.
"What?"
"She's redrafting the novel, she finished it a couple months ago."
Percy stared at Piper for a moment, taking in the bizarre fact that a girl he had only known a few weeks knew more about his mother's life at the moment than he did.
They began to pass the time by talking about random things, each avoiding questions that would lead towards having to think about Annabeth or Jason. Finally, Percy's mom walked through the door, letting out a little shriek when she saw Percy and Piper. "Percy!" She exclaimed.
"Hey mom." Percy said simply, causing Piper to try and hold back a laugh behind him. His mom walked forward and engulfed Percy in a hug. After a moment both of them sighed contently and let each other go.
"I saw the blue tower last night, thank you for letting us know you're ok. I must say I'm surprised you aren't with Annabeth. I wouldn't expect her to let you out of her sight for a while." Sally said, before catching the look that washed over Percy's face when she mentioned Annabeth. Taking Percy's face in her hands, and seeing him try to avoid looking at her, a light film of water over his eyes, she asked, "What happened?"
Percy and Piper began to tell the story of the Seven's arrival in Athens to now, each filling in the blanks the other couldn't, whether because they weren't there at the time or because thinking about it caused them to choke up. By the end of their story, Sally was crying softly, before she pulled both Percy and Piper into a hug. Both Percy and Piper wrapped their arms around Sally and soaked in the physical comfort.
Finally, Percy said, "We should get back to Camp, they'll need our help with repairs and so on."
"Yeah…" Piper agreed, letting go of Sally reluctantly.
"Are you going to come home for senior year?" Sally asked Percy.
"Probably, don't see a reason not to. Where I'll go from there I don't know yet though." Percy said.
"Alright, then I'll see you soon. Piper, it was lovely to see you again."
"You too." Piper said.
Piper and Percy left the apartment and set off back to Long Island, travelling in silence, each consumed by their own thoughts of their losses.
O.o.O.o.O
Finally making their way up Half-blood Hill, Piper and Percy turned to each other, trying to find a way to explain to the rest of the camp that they were all that was left of the Seven, with the possibility of Leo's survival.
"Are you ready for this?" Piper asked.
"Let's find out." Percy answered.
They crossed the property line into the valley and watched Camp Half-blood form in front of them. There was significantly less damage to the camp than the two of them expected, but that wasn't too surprising since most of the battle occurred outside the property line, Peleus or the border itself would've prevented most of the damage within.
Rachel was leaving the Big House and spotted them as they walked down the hill. She ran over to them. "Percy! Pipes! There you are! Chiron wants to talk to you both." She said before starting to move away in the direction of her cave.
"Hey Red! Did you get a chance to speak to Apollo?" Percy called after her, to which he received thumbs up back. With a small smile, he and Piper moved towards the Big House.
Entering the building, Percy spotted Chiron in his magical wheelchair playing pinochle with Dionysus in the lounge.
"Ah Percy! Piper!" Chiron said with a sad smile, virtually none of the old twinkle of his eyes there.
"Hello Chiron." Piper said with a tired smile.
"Hey Chiron, Mr D." Percy said.
"Perry. Piper." Mr D acknowledged.
Percy's face twinged with irritation that Mr D had used Piper's actual name and purposely avoided using his. Turning his attention to Chiron and Piper, both were trying not to laugh at Percy's expense, but Piper couldn't hide the smirk of victory on her face.
"Rachel said you wanted to talk to us." Percy said, bringing attention to their reason for being there in the first place.
"Yes, she said that we should expect a visit from Nico soon, that he had information that we would find pertinent." Chiron said.
"Are you going to have the councillors meeting once he arrives then? I don't want to go through everything for a third time." Piper asked, thinking of how tough it was recollecting everything that had happened to Sally.
"If that is what you need. You've both been through terrible losses, so whatever you need."
"I should tell you now that I'm not going to be staying very long. I'm going to be staying with my mom for senior year and then I don't know." Percy said.
"Me too, but with my dad. I might come back next summer before junior year, but without Jason, I don't know." Piper agreed.
Chiron lowered his head, a sad smile on his face, as if he expected as much. "Well I can only hope that it isn't goodbye for good when you do go."
"It won't be." Piper and Percy said simultaneously.
Percy and Piper got up to leave, but as they were walking through the doorway Nico was flashed into the Big House by his father, at which he immediately collapsed and tried not to puke.
"Hmm, perhaps I should've mentioned that this kind of travel takes time for new gods to get used to." Hades mused.
"You think? Man that was fast…" Nico said between deep breaths.
Percy went over and helped Nico to his feet, to which he nodded in thanks. "Reyna is telling Camp Jupiter everything that happened." He said, having recovered extremely quickly.
"Good, I suppose we should call the councillors meeting." Piper said.
O.o.O.o.O
"And so, with great regret, I must inform you of the passing of Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena." Chiron finished.
Percy sat silently, having listened to Chiron telling the camp councillors what happened in Greece had been too tough to listen to, so Percy had tuned out the noise. Looking up now that Chiron had finished, Percy braced himself for the final piece that he himself would have to tell.
"That's not all." Percy said as the councillors wiped their eyes at the loss of Annabeth as well as so many, drawing looks from those who had been at camp as long as or longer than Percy. "During the council meeting on Olympus, Hades informed us that while both Jason and Frank made it to Elysium, Annabeth made it to the Isles."
Chiron brightened at this new piece of information; joy filling his eyes as they began to water and the others at the table all grinning from ear to ear. Even Percy, who had largely been emotionless to this point, cracked a small smile.
"I have something I should share." Rachel said from her position next to Chiron, drawing attention to her. "Immediately after Gaia was defeated, I was in my cave like I was instructed. But as soon as Gaia was destroyed, I woke up on the ground."
Most of those at the table were fully alert now, knowing what was coming from Rachel next.
"I suspect I gave the next Great Prophecy." Rachel finished.
Chiron sighed, and all the campers paled, while Drew Tanaka (who was there upon Piper's request) looked confused. "So what was the prophecy?" she asked.
"Haven't a clue." Rachel said simply. "I was alone, and I never remember what happens when the Oracle takes control."
"Is that why you went to speak to Apollo?" Percy asked, receiving a nod in response. "Did he tell you the prophecy?" Percy added, to which Rachel shook her head.
"Why not?" Katie Gardner asked, indignant.
"He probably doesn't want to draw Zeus's ire. Zeus blamed him for the entire war because he allowed Rachel to predict the Prophecy of Seven. He is likely just being careful." Piper mused.
"I know my dad pretty well, did he give you a hint of any kind?" Will Solace asked from his side of the table.
"He said a haiku which was totally out of place. So that could just be him being a bad poet, or it could be a clue." Rachel said.
"What was the haiku?" Will asked.
"On the small table
Magical tools sit waiting
For their master's use."
"Something to do with a Magician then?" Travis Stoll said, causing Will to hum in response.
"Maybe we could ask Ella the Harpy for information on a prophecy regarding a Magician?" Clarisse suggested.
"Not overly reliable, but our best bet. Apollo is god of prophecy, he wouldn't give a clue if he didn't know we would figure it out." Chiron said.
"Chiron, is Tyson still at camp? Ella is almost certainly with him." Percy asked.
"No, he left back to your father's palace, he had been away from the forges of the cyclopes too long. For now, while we rebuild the camp, you must go find him and Ella and discover what you can of a prophecy to do with a magician." Chiron answered.
"Ok, is this a quest?" Percy asked.
Chiron frowned, "Ordinarily it would be, however, as no other campers are able to breathe underwater like you, it would seem you will be embarking on this journey alone. You do know the way to your father's palace?"
"Ummm, yes, sort of. Last time I went there I was unconscious for the trip. But I can will the currents to lead me in the right direction. Either way, I can probably find it. All things of the sea are called to the palace of Poseidon." Percy explained.
All the other cabin leaders had wide eyes, none of them had seen the palace of Poseidon, and very few of them had seen the homes of many Olympians away from Olympus itself. Even Chiron hadn't had the fortune of seeing the majesty of the Sea King's home.
"You will need a prophecy from Rachel if this is a quest. Simply ask her and if it is then we will discover what lies ahead. If not, then it should be a relatively easy journey." Chiron directed.
"Ok." Percy said, turning to Rachel. "How do I find Tyson and Ella?"
Rachel went rigid, her eyes glowing green, smoke beginning to leave her mouth when the glow faded and she just became Rachel again, leading everyone to look confused.
Nico meanwhile, stood to the side, as Rachel recovered he got a tingly feeling down his back, and he instinctively knew that the prophecy Percy was going to find would interfere heavily with his domains as a god. It was impossible to describe how he knew, but it was similar to a hunch, or a gut feeling, but certain, like could see it happening with his own eyes, but not able to make out the actual events. Puzzled, he turned his eyes to Percy, who sat there trying to make sense of what just happened.
As everyone sat there thinking about what happened, no one noticed until Clara gasped when she saw Rachel's shoulders tighten and a small amount of smoke leave her nose as the Oracle took over.
"A most-god lost in Chaos' folds,
The only chance the future holds.
The blazer returns from the deep,
Or many souls shall be reaped.
Gods combined lead the way,
To the biggest battle, to join the fray."
Rachel finished, eyes rolling back into the back of her head. Will Solace quickly took a flask of nectar and added a couple drops to a glass of water, passing it to Katie Gardner, who was sitting next to Rachel and helped her drink it.
"Won't she die from the nectar?" Travis Stoll asked.
"She's been touched by Apollo, god of healing, making it possible for her to have trace amounts, less than a Legacy could. But it will be effective enough to help her recover her strength." Will answered.
Malcolm finished writing down the prophecy, and passed that around the table as well.
"What's a most-god?" Clara, the new head of the Hephaestus cabin, asked, head turned toward Malcolm and Chiron.
"If I had to guess, I would say a person who had more than half their blood being ichor, like us. For example, the child of a god with a half-blood would, mathematically be a three-quarter blood, making them most-god. I don't know what kind of powers they would have though, or if they would simply burn. Any thoughts like that would be conjecture, and that wouldn't help us right now." Malcolm said. "Also, we don't know how often that happens."
"You are quite right about the ratios of blood to ichor in a most-god Malcolm." Chiron explained. "However, often in those cases, the ichor burns out the blood and the child simply becomes a godling."
Those around the table nodded their heads.
"Now that all that is settled, I must ask you all to return to your activities." Chiron said with a tired smile. The campers all moved out of the Big House until it was only Chiron, Percy and Nico remaining.
"I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you this, Percy. But I know that these two prophecies shall be influenced by my domains. How much influence I have on that front I don't know yet." Nico said thoughtfully.
"Good to know. Thanks Nico." Percy said with a determined nod. Nico nodded back and shadow travelled away.
Chiron looked at Percy, a boy, and a young man who had seen and lost too much for his 17 years. "Something else bothering you, Percy?"
"The talk of combining gods." Percy answered.
"Yes that bothers me as well. I suspect it doesn't refer to uniting the Greek and Roman aspects as this gigantomachy has." Chiron said, his suspicion of the true meaning strong, and how dangerous it is for a half-blood to be involved with that collective.
"It doesn't." Percy said with conviction.
"You seem awfully sure."
"I never told anyone except Annabeth, but I met a guy a few weeks after the Titan War came to an end. Before Hera took me. I can't say his name, that would alert him to our location and I'm not entirely certain I trust him. But he used a magic that wasn't ours. We battled a giant crocodile that he called a "Son of Sobek" the Egyptian god of crocodiles."
Chiron paled. He didn't expect Percy to be so aware of the wider ancient world. "When you spoke to this boy, how did you feel?" Chiron inquired carefully.
"Like I was about to mess with dangerous forces that probably shouldn't be meddled with. I'm not really against messing with forces bigger than me, but that felt different." Percy answered.
"The gods have certainly felt a resurgence in the past few years concerning the Egyptian gods."
"You mean they're real too?" Percy said, eyes widening in shock.
"Certainly. Are you really surprised? Our culture is just as influenced by Egypt as Greece. It tends to not end well when our pantheons meet however."
"We should tell the others." Percy said determined.
"No. Not yet. The campers are still coming to terms with the Romans, if we throw the Egyptians into the mix there is no telling what kind of havoc that will cause." Chiron urged.
Percy nodded hesitantly, causing Chiron to let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Percy got up silently and walked away to the door of the Big House. He turned back to Chiron. "Was it just me or did that prophecy Rachel gave seem a bit more like a Great Prophecy than a normal one? It seemed more to do with the future of the gods than a regular quest's prophecy." Percy said, hand on the doorframe, ready to leave.
"It certainly had that feel." Chiron concurred.
"Could Apollo have allowed it to be given again?"
"If he has, then he is risking Zeus's ire in a bold way. However, the only way to know for certain is to find Ella."
"When I do…I think I need some time away from camp. With everything that's happened, and the potential of a new Great Prophecy, I think some time away would do me some good."
"As much as it pains me to say, I agree with you, Percy." Chiron said sadly.
Percy simply nodded and left the Big House, walking towards the Poseidon cabin to pack a small bag for his journey to his father's palace.
