I am so sorry for that huge 1 year update gap. But now I'm back! Most likely just for the summer though. Since it's been so long, there might've been a few changes to my writing style, although I hope this doesn't trouble anything. I'm so happy to be back…although now I have the read the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series all over again… :( Or else I might forget something important.

Chapter 15

Will's POV

The sun shone relentlessly. I was almost raining in perspiration, and by the looks of everyone else, I'd say they felt the same. All except for Leo who, unsurprisingly, did not seem the least bit affected.

"Do we have to follow them all day long for 24 hours?" Thalia asked. "I'm dying over here."

" Quit complaining. Look at me, I'm not complaining at all, and I'm the one with the big mouth." Leo said.

" Oh gee, I wonder why." Annabeth scoffed.

I looked around,"Too much exposure to radiation for those of us who do not have god-like resistance to heat is not good for the skin." I said in a matter fact way.

Leo snorted."I'm sorry my daddy happened to be Hephaestus. But even I have my limits. I'm dying for some fresh cool water right now. Besides, these dragons don't quit. What did you expect from freaking India?!"

We've been following the dragons for nearly two days. The dragons haven't stopped to eat, sleep, or do the other thing. They just keep going in the direction of Mesopotamia. It's almost like they were possessed, which they probably were by Gaea or some other overpowered evil god. During the beginning of our stalking career the dragons constantly sped up to the point where Festus couldn't keep up. Leo, brilliant as he is, figured out that the dragons were wary of their presence because of how big and, well…presenceful Festus was. So Festus had to stay a distance behind us, but he could still communicate with us using one of Leo's sound breakers, which miraculously, actually came in handy.

My throat hollowed out as I breathed in the dry air. "I'm extremely thirsty."

" And who's fault is it that we've been living off of cactuses for the past few days?" Thalia growled." You and that other greedy pig gobbled up all our remaining water!"

" Hey, I don't like being called a pig!" Leo barked back.

" Calm down! Both of you." Annabeth said.

Thalia glared at her, creepily. " Hey, you know what, Annabeth? You kind of look like a pig yourself. A nice…juicy…roasted…delicious…" Thalia slowly crept over.

" Um, Thalia…You're kind of creeping me out right now." Annabeth took small steps back.

" Uh-Oh." I said.

" Uh-Oh what?" Leo echoed.

" I think Thalia is experiencing some minor form of heat stroke." I replied.

" Oh, yes. That's very bad. Very bad indeed." Leo said helpfully.

" Hold still little piggy…I'm going to devour all of you! Your flesh! Your skin! YOUR SOUL!" Thalia screeched, changing into a full on sprint mode.

Annabeth followed suit, whimpering.

" This isn't like them at all…Annabeth doesn't usually run away, and Thalia doesn't do such barbarous things." Leo said.

" Like I mentioned before, they may all be experiencing heat stroke, which can be very fatal to one's internal organs if not taken care of immediately."

Suddenly, I heard a very big, very loud splash. I climbed up the mound we were using to hid ourselves from line of sight, there, The three dragons splayed in a lake that was not originally there. The golden one jumped in first, then the blue one. The white dragon stayed out of the lake, but stood still, almost as if waiting for the other dragons to continue traveling. They didn't stop for a single thing and now the pause for this-? A pool party. I sensed some sort of gloomy presence behind me. At first, I thought it was Nico, but then I saw Leo moping on the sand.

" I wish I was in that pool right about now." Leo sighed."It's at times like these where I wish to die…"

I was quite positive my right eye twitched. Because I was almost certain I witnessed something worse than another planet crashing onto Earth: Leo becoming like Nico.

" Leo, you don't actually believe that…do you?" I dared to defy the collision of two planets.

" The world is cruel, they allowed three dragons to bathe in a cool, sparkling pool, while they let me, a poor helpless boy to dehydrate…Curse you Hephaestus! You abandoned me!" Leo shouted.

My jaw cracked.

" Thalia! Please don't eat me! What have I ever done to you!?" Annabeth cried.

I turned around to view the other hell.

" That's just it! You've don't nothing, nothing! You haven't filled my empty tummy with your delicious fat!" Thalia yelled.

She grabbed Annabeth by the hair and started licking her arm. " I can already taste it!"

Annabeth started bawling.

I had enough. I knew what I had to do to get everyone back to normal.

" Leo make me a bucket." I said.

Leo looked at me with dead eyes, I felt my cheeks heat. Leo really embodies Nico." Why would you want a bucket?"

" If you make me a bucket, you may be able to die in peace!"

Leo's eyes widened." Really?!"

" Yes, now hurry up!"

" Of course!"

Leo took out his Archimedes Sphere. In no time at all, I got my bucket and did the unthinkable. I raced down the mound at full speed, my legs were shaking, I was scared. They were dragons after all, and I was literally running at three large, very powerful dragons. The dragons, to my relief, immediately noticed me and started retreating.

"Good," I thought.

I used the bucket to fill it with water, then I ran back to the others who were either committing cannibalism, being cannibalized, or becoming a suicidal teenager. Without a warning, I swung the bucket at them.

"Thanks Will, I don't know what I would've done without you." Leo sighed as I put a new cold wet towel on top of his forehead.

" Yeah, and to think I was was about to eat Annabeth…" Thalia shuddered.

" No hard feelings." Annabeth said.

" That was seriously creepy." I said. " I hope I never have to go on a quest that requires you to cross the desert again."

Everyone laughed. I felt so warm inside, pride and happiness both emotions bursting out at the same time.

" This was why I am here." I realized, without knowing I said it aloud.

" What?" Leo inquired.

" Charon wouldn't have let me come come because I would've been, I guess, helpless on this quest. That's why I had the dream and had to sneak on board instead of bluntly asking to be on the quest!"

" Oh! I get it, but you weren't. You're our medic!" Annabeth said.

" Yeah, without you, I think we might've died or something." Thalia added.

I could tell my face turned into a bright shade of crimson red.

" The one thing I regret is that we lost the dragons." Leo murmured.

I heard a low, inhuman growl. I saw Leo roll his eyes.

" Right on cue, as I state one thing I regret, another monster shows up." He said, sitting up.

" It's a manticore." Thalia said.

" Great," Leo sighed.

Suddenly, an ear piercing shriek rolled across the land. Instinctively, I clutched to my ears, although it did little to help.

" Look!" Leo shouted.

I peeked with one eye, then jolted both of them open at the same time. Three dragons stood in the way of one, now seemingly small manticore, and four seriously terrified children. The manticore chose wisely and fled. My jaw dropped as the holy presence of three freaking dragons literally looked down upon us. Even Leo couldn't make a sound. The three dragons lowered their heads to look at us. I didn't think I breathed. Then they looked at Thalia who was most likely frozen or had her mind blown or something.

The dragons lowered the rest of their bodies. An invitation. We didn't refuse. I climbed on the metallic golden one. Thalia was on the blue serpent like dragon and Annabeth was on the beautiful white dragon. Leo used the sound breaker to call Festus, who looked small compared to these dragons.

At the white one's indication, we took off.

I couldn't help but wonder wether if we got kidnapped or escorted to the place of our doom.

Chapter 15 end.

That chapter was kinda slow, I'm so sorry if it was kind of dragging. It was mostly an introduction to the…well I wouldn't say next chapter but maybe the chapter after that. I know I said that before, but I'm serious this time, maybe.

I hope you're catching up on the clues. Nico and Thalia's loved(kinda) ones being revived…Three dragons…Three will each receive three gifts…I mean, you can totally figure out whats going on with this much info. Sorry if that might've spoiled something...