"I'm back!" said Percy, as he walked in through the door.

"And I brought Rachel."

A girl with long, tightly-curled red hair and pale skin walked in. She was wearing a t-shirt and jeans that... wait, were those pencil holes? She looked about Percy's age, seventeen or eighteen.

"Hey!" she said.

"Hey," I said back.

"So you're alive! That's great. I'm not gonna lie, I was worried."

"Yeah, everyone keeps saying that," I said. "It's hard to believe that I was almost, you know, dead."

"Well, you have to get used to it. It a daily routine to be in near-death situations. I've been in too many to count, and I'm not even a demigod."

She let that sink in.

"Okay, well, you're problems aren't over. The empousai are out there, and their going to try to destroy the world. You're gonna have to fix it."

Before I could even tell Rachel how wrong that sounded, Percy said, "I don't get it. Why is everything bad happening in this decade? It's just not fair."

"Come on, Percy," Shawn said. "You're better that that."

But he started getting really mad. "No. I saved this world twice. I crawled through the depths of Tartarus for it."

He looked at everyone in the room. "Why do we have to go through all of this?" he said.

Shawn was about to say something, but I beat him to it. All the life lessons that Mr. Mathews and Riley had taught me prepared me for this kind of situation.

"Because, there are a lot of people who are just meeting this world, making it there's. Their not ready to have it taken away from them. And in order for that to happen, someone has to defend it. I have to defend it."

I paused.

"Okay, I'm in. I'll go on this quest. But only if you come with me, Shawn."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, kiddo," he said

I turned to look at the great Percy Jackson.

"And Percy, you don't have to come. You're right, you deserve a break. I know what it feels like to crack under pressure, and I don't want that happening to you."

He looked a little embarrassed, but grateful at the same time.

"Thanks. And I'm sorry about the outburst. I just let myself believe that this whole 'saving the world' thing was over. Especially with the wedding and stuff, I-"

He put his hand over his mouth.

The room was silent.

"You're marrying Annabeth?" Rachel said.

Percy smiled sheepishly.

She let out a squeal of delight. She and Shawn started talking to him about it, and I smiled. I was happy for him, even though we just met.

After a very long time of Rachel, Percy and Shawn talking about the wedding (with me occasionally adding a comment or two), Rachel finally said, "Okay. Back to saving the world. So first I need to give you a prophecy. I's a poem that will guide you on your quest. The spirit of Dephi is actually the one that will speak it, so I don't really have much control over when it happens, but the spirit likes to give out prophecies best during the campfire. Don't know why. Maybe the scent of chocolate and gram crackers inspires her. Anyway, if you feel up to it, you can come to the campfire tonight and hopefully be sent on your way by tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow?" I said.

"Maya, we can't waste time. The empousai are dangerous creatures."

I did't expect this all to be happing so soon. Just a week ago, I was a semi-normal seventh grader living a semi-normal life. I had a group of wonderful, caring friends and the best teacher/father figure ever. And I had Shawn, before I knew he was half god. I also had my mom, but that was a story for another time. It was sad to think that things would never be the same again. But I couldn't back out now.

"Okay. Let's do it."

"I'm proud of you, kid. Now get some rest."

I smiled. Then I got the best rest I would have in a long, long time.

#################################################################################################

I woke up to Will screaming at me to wake up, just like he did to Shawn.

"Will, if you don't stop doing that, the empousai will be the least of your worries."

"Yeah, yeah. I let you sleep through dinner, but its time for the campfire. You think you can stand?"

I tried to get up, but I felt extremely dizzy and had to lay back down.

"I'll take that as a no. Okay, I'm gonna give you a little bit more of that healing potion."

He poured a little bit of the nasty beverage from a creepy-looking chalice into a normal cup and put it near my mouth. I drank it up, and tried to stand up again. This time it was easier. I managed to walk out the door and to the amphitheater with my arm barley hurting at all. When I arrived, everyone applauded once again.

"Heroes!" Chiron said into a microphone. "As you all have heard by now, we are being faced with another challenge. The empousai, the most numerous monsters alive, mean to destroy the earth. Naturally, a quest must be issued to stop them. Maya Hart has been chosen to be the leader if this quest!"

That earned me another round of applause. I couldn't help but think again how impossible this tasked seemed. Was I really cut out to lead a quest and to save the world? Chiron interrupted my thoughts by coming over to me.

"I just want to say that I'm really proud of you for accepting this quest. It takes a lot of courage to go ahead and do what you are doing. "

"Thanks."

"Okay," he said. So you are allowed two companions on the quest. Who would you like?"

I paused for a second, and then I saw Jeanette's blond frizzy hair poking out from the Apollo section. I thought of how much she she was like Riley, someone I needed in my life so badly.

"Can I have the mic?"

Chiron shrugged and then handed it over to me.

"Hi, guys," I said. I just want to thank you all. Everyone I've met here so far have been really supportive. I also want to say that we're gonna kick those empousai's butts! So without further ado, I chose Shawn Hunter and Jeannette- I'm sorry, what's you're last name?"

She turned red.

"Shirley," she said.

"And Jeanette Shirley to come with me on the quest. What do ya say, guys?"

They both nodded.

"Then its settled," Chiron exclaimed, taking back the mic. You will leave tomorrow…"

The crowd of campers half-gasped and half-squealed. I turned around just in time to see Rachel, who had been standing behind me, fall over. Her whole eyes were bright green. Before she hit the ground, two kids caught her and put her on a stool. Green smoke poured out of her mouth. She spoke in a deep and mysterious voice that definitely wasn't her's.

"Three demigods will take a trek

And stop demons who mean to wreck

Irregular heroes shall take a stand

While rival lends a helping hand"

Rachel turned back into her old-self.

Yeah, this was gonna be fun.

Hi guys! This was a very important and long chapter to make up for the super long wait. Hope you liked it. Anyways, my surgery went great. I'm not going to make any more promises that I can't fulfill, but I'm going to try to update more often.

[And by the way, trek is a real word. (Hence Star Trek). It mean a long, hard journey, which is perfect.]

I also have a sneak peek for you guys. We might be seeing some of the old gang in the next chapter!