Hi, readers! The next chapter, told from Max's POV, ends not in a cliffie, but a bombshell. In a way. Enjoy this (relatively) short chapter. It has an explanation of why Luke's here, why he's sorry, and more! Read on!

"He's telling the truth." Angel said quietly.

He was sorry for betraying the camp...to what? All the gods knew about the camp. I flew down to where Luke had collapsed, and picked him up, helped by Thalia. We needed to get him to the infirmary. He was badly injured.

I made up my mind to ask. "What did he betray the camp to?"

"Nobody told you about what came before the gods. The Titans. They were cruel, and were deposed by the gods of today. Kronos, their leader, is rising, and Luke has helped him. He wasn't betraying the camp, but all the gods."

"And why did no one tell me this?"

"Because-" she looked nervous. "Because we knew how little you knew of the gods. You might've thought Kronos was a better deal, and joined him."

I was being accused of possibly betraying the camp. These campers were pretty paranoid, weren't they?

They do not trust you, the Voice pointed out. Wait-the Voice!

"Where have you been?" I said aloud, causing Thalia to look at me as if I was crazy. I shook my head as if to say I'd explain it later.

Taking a break from the stressful duties of monitoring you, the Voice said. I still want you to save the world.

Well, that shouldn't have come as a surprise. But it did. Would you quit nagging?

If I asked someone else to save the world, they'd say to leave it to someone else. So do you, despite my efforts. You were built to save the world.

I ignored it, and the Voice tuned out. Thalia had a worried look on her face that I hadn't noticed before. "What if he's lying?"

I shook my head. "Angel said that he was telling the truth."

A smile lit up her face. "Really? That's great!"

I got the feeling she was holding back some enthusiasm. There you would be right, the Voice chimed in.

I scowled inwardly. So now I have a mind-reading Voice?

No. You see how she carries him. You can see it in her eyes. She cared for him very much.

"Well, actually I don't see..." I muttered.

"Later," I said, directed to Thalia, after she gave me a look.

We made it to the infirmary. Thalia gently put Luke on a bed, and I got a good look at his injuries. A half-healed scar across his chest. A broken arm. Dried blood everywhere. He had makeshift bandages put over the worst cuts. Thalia took a bottle from the wall and began spoon-feeding Luke.

"What is that?" I asked. It didn't look like conventional medicine.

"Ambrosia. It is a better healing agent than any of those mortal medicines. Normal mortals cannot eat it, nor drink nectar. They would go up in flames."

Well, that cleared it up. More or less.

"And," Thalia said. "Who were you talking to?"

"I have this...Voice...that seems to talk in my head. It wants me to save the world, for some obscure reason."

She didn't look like she thought I was crazy. She looked concerned. "You sound like you need a quest."

Yes, this "quest" sounds like a good idea. The Voice was agreeing with Thalia. Terrific.

"Mr. D. won't let us, probably." I had become newly acquainted with Mr. D. It involved flying food and grape vines. Let's just leave it at that.

I heard a groan. Luke was awake. "Why did you leave Kronos?" Thalia had asked before I'd even reacted.

He coughed. "After...Mount Tam...Kronos cast me out. I had failed him." What had happened on Mount Tam?

"But why are you sorry?" she asked him softly.

"Hermes...he saved my life. I was wandering, broken, and he gave me strength to get here. He showed me the truth."

He paused, breathing hard. "He also gave me two messages. One was addressed to me, and one was addressed to someone called 'Maximum Ride'."

"That's me." I said. He pulled a sky-blue envelope out of his pocket and handed it to me. I opened it and read it out loud:

Maximum Ride, you are here for a reason. The Fates-

I stopped. "Who're the Fates?"

"The three personifications of time, or something like that."

I continued: The Fates have obtained a new prophecy, one that concerns you. The Fates have a different type of prophecy, usually not as cryptic. You are to go to the place you were made into what you are, along with five "siblings not by blood", and three of the camp. There you must confront "the usurper" and the "one who replaced him", 'him' being the servant of Kronos. The full prophecy cannot be heard unless you are immortal. The last line made clear: You will choose what you feel is right.

"Wow." I said as I finished. "Can anyone make sense of this?"

"Well, the you and five 'siblings not by blood' is obviously you and the flock. Three of the camp is three demigods."

I nodded. That part was fairly easy.

"The 'usurper' is probably Kronos."

I had to confront a Titan, who was probably as big and intimidating as his name suggested.

"And the place where you were made into what you are..."

"The School." I said with finality. We were going to have to go to the School, with my flock and three campers, and confront a god. Things just kept getting better and better.

"But the one who replaced the servant of Kronos..." Thalia said.

"It's in the letter." Luke said, startling us out of our interpretation.

"Who? Who replaced you?" I asked, feeling panicked. I felt like I should know this someone.

"His name is..." Luke glanced at the letter. "Ari."

Ari knows about this, too. Now things get interesting. I want at least five reviews, like last time. Five reviews, and the last chapter shall begin. If there are more than five reviews, review anyway. I (almost) always reply. And the Voice, its also supposed to be OOC. Just in case you're wondering.