Chapter 23
Thalia's POV
" What?" I asked, I wasn't sure if I heard correctly.
" You heard me. Somehow, Pandemonium has slipped by the magical barrier and our friends are dying one after the next."
" Who has died so far?" Percy asked with a shaky breath.
" Madison, Jurio, Salem, and Connor Stoll." Clarisse said grimly, with each name, her voice cracked a bit more.
The only name I recognized was Connor Stoll, but I felt ashamed for not knowing the other names. These were demigods like me, dead. They didn't die honorably like Charles Beckendorf did. They never had the chance to prove themselves. It was unfair. I couldn't believe Connor was gone. Sure, he was stupid, and ridiculous, but he didn't deserve to die. Not like this anyways.
" Travis hasn't come out of his bed for days."
" Hey Percy, do you think…"
" Yeah, I bet this is our enemy saying you don't have all the time in the world." Percy grit his teeth."I'll kill him."
Nico's lip twitched upwards a bit, as if agreeing.
" Percy," I saw the familiar gallop of Chiron. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days." What are you doing here?"
I could've taken that offensively, but after having four demigods die, I wouldn't care about being polite either.
" We've gotten out first gift, and came back of course." Percy said.
Chiron looked at the three grand dragons. If there was such a thing as perfect timing, it was now. Bianca collapsed from exhaustion much like his partner, tarnishing their grandness a bit .
Another voice came into earshot." Are they defective?"
" Nyssa!" Leo exclaimed.
" Hello Leo." Nyssa, much like the others, looked robbed of life. I think that last joke made her 50 years older.
" Percy, Thalia, and…Nico." Chiron looked around for Nico a bit until he saw him at my knees."Come with me to the Big House."
Leo and Nyssa and Will excused themselves and carried Annabeth to the infirmary. We told the dragons to stay where they were.("Please Luke? Just this once? Don't kill anyone okay?")Percy helped me get Nico onto my back, and we walked through camp.
The camp was as cheery as a graveyard.
Multiple people were coughing. Someone was actually throwing up, multiple Apollo kids ran to help the kid, but they themselves were coughing.
The Hunters were off no better. They coughed and looked as pale as the rest of the demigods. The campers and Hunters weren't even fighting. I wanted to go to my Hunters, but Chiron put his hand on my shoulder.
" Save the world and you save them. If you save, them, who's going to save the world?"
When we walked into the Big House, Rachel was already there. She didn't look as sick, but she looked just as tired.
" Guys." Rachel mumbled as we sat down in the available space. Suddenly, she went wild." HATE! CURSES! DIE!" She gasped, back to normal for a moment.
" Rachel!" Percy shouted.
She went strait back to her fit."FIVE! DIE! YOU MOCK US!"
Percy and I exchanged knowing glances. Chiron caught it.
" Do you know something about this?" He asked. Chiron was always perceptive.
I nodded."Gaea once said something about the Five Cheaters of Death."
" She really hated them." Percy added.
" Of course she does." Chiron said, he knit his brows." Every god knows about the Five."
" You once told us something about them in a lecture a few months ago. Care to explain more?"
" ETERNAL! DEATH! LOST!"
" The Five were children who resented the gods from different eras." Chiron said wistfully." I met one of them before, at age 13 that kid was able to match Achilles."
Percy and I gaped.
" No way. Achilles was one of the most powerful mythological figures." I stuttered.
Chiron chuckled." Hold on to your surprises for until I finish. The boy's name was Regele, he-"
" Hey! Thats' the guy I met!" Percy said, standing up.
" Please sit down Percy." Percy turned red and sat." As I was saying, Regele could control time. In all honestly, he might've been more powerful than the time lord Kronos. I met one more. This one was Aglovale. He had medical skills beyond any god of healing."
" IMMORTAL! MOCKERY!"
" There were three others, I don't know much of this details, but each had a special ability or attribute that allowed them to live forever without gaining immortality from the gods."
" That's amazing, and to think Merope was part of that group." I whispered to myself.
Chiron smiled." They were beautiful in combat. Once, all the primordial and olympian gods gathered just to take them down, instead, the gods were defeated."
" So these people could practically take on multiple Gaea's at once." Percy summed up. Chiron nodded."Great."
" IN THE WORLD OF WATER LILIES, THE HATE GATHER, DEAD OR ALIVE. THE THREE STAY OR TO LEAVE IN NO PASSING AT ALL. PAIN IS A LIE ONCE THE MASK IS ON. A FRIEND'S REVENGE, IS WHAT ENDS IT ALL. WHEN THE THRIRTY SIX GONE, THE FIFTEEN RISE."
Rachel gasped and went right back to screaming random words. My ears may have played tricks on me, but I was pretty sure that was a quest, although it also did should like a bunch of numbers as well.
" Chiron, what's wrong with Rachel?" Percy asked. His eyes were brimming with concern. Sometimes I forget that he and Rachel once liked each other, even now, they're great friends.
Chiron aged a few millennia." The Gods are weakening, my dear Percy. I had received a message from Mr. D. He told me a mysterious plague has slowly pecking on the god's powers. They're all sick and Apollo can't help them either because he's sick as well."
" What!?" Percy and I said at once. My jaw dropped. How could a god get sick? That was impossible! They were immortal.
Chiron caught my thought,"They can't be killed most likely, but they could be robbed of so much strength they become no more than half dead spirits.
I shuddered, thinking about my father, Zeus, the king of Olympus, as weak as a minor spirit. It didn't seem natural. I wanted to barf at the thought.
" You Three need to leave." Chiron said abruptly.
It came out so sudden, I didn't know if he was joking or not, until I saw the sorrow in his eyes.
" But we just got here." Percy protested." With the Camp weak, we need all heroes we can get! How many campers are not affected?"
" Only about twenty, but statistics doesn't determine-"
" Only twenty?" I stood up, bumping Nico's head but I didn't care." Including Hunters?"
Chiron slowly nodded." Thalia, please sit down." Chiron pleaded. I had never heard him plead before, it was so pitiful. I did not want Chiron to be this way. Any of the campers. The atmosphere of Camp Half Blood was something I had always enjoyed. I sat down, I didn't want my dear teacher be hurt again." Thank you Thalia."
Percy still frowned. I couldn't blame him, but I decided to hear Chiron out.
" You Three are the only way to success in this, war, battle, trials, whatever it's supposed to be. If you die from one of us infecting you just because we needed more manpower, I would never forgive myself." Chiron looked at Rachel, "then there's her prophecy. You Three have to go to this, 'World of Water Lilies' and receive your gifts. And take Rachel with you."
I looked at Chiron quizzically." Why Rachel?" I asked. Usually, I'm not sure if Chiron noticed or not, Oracles don't usually go on demigod quests.
" Because you can't come back here." Chiron said."And for your third gift, you need a prophecy, don't you?"
Now it was Percy's turn to burst.
" Chiron!" He yelled." You can't stop us from comming back here. This-" Percy's voice broke." This is my home."
Chiron did the unexpected. He stomped up to full height, looming above Percy."Percy, I'm not asking you. I'm ORDERING you to leave and not come back until you end this threat." Chiron nearly hissed.
I had never seen Chiron like this before. He was usually calm, wise, and kind. This was anger...and fear. Chiron eyes looked like they were on the edge of leaking.
" I had just lost four dear friends. I don't want to see you on a bed, unable to stop dying. Slowly withering away through sickness, not on the battlefield, not in honor, in vain. The worst way to die. You know what Connor had once told me just before the battle against Kronos? He told me, that if he was going to die, he would do so protecting his brother, his friends and Olympus. And everyone was going to be grateful to his grave. Giving him pounds of candy every day. He wanted to die a hero. Instead, he died helplessly. I HATED THAT!" Chiron roared." So please, just, leave, healthy."
Percy was at a lost of words, sparkles rolled from his eyes, as he looked down, ashamed. My heart quenched, I couldn't believe Connor was dead. I felt like he would jump on us any moment splattering mud on our faces and said it was poop. I didn't seem real. My eyes stung as salty liquids poured out. I understood Percy, but Chiron was right. We had to go. I took Percy's shoulder. His usual broad, hero like shoulders drooped.
" TIME! LIFE!" Rachel continued screaming as we walked through the camp, Chiron was guiding her. We found the dragons playing with Festus, or to be more precise, 'bite the metal dragon until he has no more parts.'I couldn't even bring myself smile. Percy asked if he could go see Blackjack, and Chiron reluctantly agreed. I settled Nico right beside my old friend Bianca, who was also still unconscious.
" Do we have any idea where this place is?" I asked.
Chiron shrugged."Your guess is as good as mine dear."
" Then where are we supposed to go?"
Before Chiron could answer, I heard someone calling my name.
" Piper?" I asked.
Piper was undoubatly the most beautiful girl in the camp( Perhaps aside from Merope, I'd have to double check the next Time I see her). She had chocolate brown hair and coco colored skin. Her eyes were green and her smile was usually so warm, it could met you. Usually, now it was just weary.
" You're back!" She said.
I looked uncertainly at Chiron." Actually, I'm just about to leave."
Piper tilted her head." Why? we really could use some help. Strange things, at least, stranger than usual things are happening at camp."
She looked behind me." Is that Nico? Why is he sleeping and smiling? Who are those dragons? Where did you get them?"
I cracked a smile, I don't know if it was her demigod powers working, or just her natural charm, but she made me happier.
" Is Jason here?" I asked.
Suddenly, Piper's bright face fell." He, um...got a little sick."
I gaped at her. My little brother was sick? I turned around and looked at Chiron. He nodded.
" Well I can't leave!" I told Chiron." Jason is sick and you expect me to just let this all pass?"
" If you stay, how will you help him get better?" Chiron asked.
Reason vs Being a blunt idiot. But at least this blunt idiot had emotion. I couldn't look at Chiron anymore. Percy approached with Blackjack.
" I need to take Blackjack with me." Percy said.
" Why?"
" Because I don't feel like I can ride on...him." Percy pointed at Luke, who was still snapping at Festus.
Blackjack snorted.
" Don't worry, I'm not replacing you. You're much better than Luke." Blackjack puffed his chest out.
Piper looked between the dragons, Chiron, Percy, and me.
" Is something going on that I should be aware of?" Piper asked.
" Piper," Chiron gently said," Let's step back."
Leo and Will approached them.
" Good luck guys, and may the odds ever be in your favor." Leo said.
" Sorry we can't go with you. The camp needs all the healers it can get." Will shot all of us an apologetic look, slowly lingering on Nico longer.
" Don't worry, if I were you I wouldn't leave the camp either." I said resentfully, without bothering to look at Chiron.
Nyssa handed us a satchel full of drachmas and mortal money. She shot all of us an apologetic look.
" Don't die." Was all Nyssa said. I was feeling more confident than ever.
Then, Drew Tanaka, who was a ex-counsler at the Aphrodite Cabin, gave us some clothes.
" You know, so you can look gorgeous again. I like your new hair Thalia." Drew said.
No one had really noticed my hair since I got back to Camp Half Blood. I thanked Drew. I guess it was an Aphrodite thing. I put the clothes in the bag Nyssa had given me along with the drachmas.
Percy helped Rachel onto Beryl. Nyssa gave us a load of drachmas and mortal cash. I thanked her. Now the only trouble was Nico and Bianca. Clovis, who seemed like he was one of the fortunate twenty that were not affected yet, yawned his way to Nico. Clovis slapped Nico, who yelped.
" Zeus! 600 attack power! Oh, hey guys." Nico rubbed his eyes." Are we at camp Half Blood? I'm hungry. Oh! Chiron, sup. I'm famished. Got something to chew on? Why is everyone gathered around me? Why do you look so gloomy? Did I do something weird?"
Me, Percy, Leo and Will ignored him. Everyone else seemed shocked at Nico's new demeanor as he talked about the most random things. Something about a dream and Minos and Mythomagic.
Clovis did the same to Bianca, who didn't yelp in pain as Nico did.
" We're going." I said.
Nico looked at me confused."What? But we just-well I'm pretty sure we just got here."
" Less than one hour ago." Percy said.
Nico swirled around, trying to get some information out of us. Percy dragged him by the collar to Bianca.
Despite feeling down, it was ironic to see Percy be the responsible one and Nico the reckless one.
Annabeth was no where in sight, and it was either Percy was too angry to notice it or he tried not to think of Annabeth. Seeing her would most likely make Percy regret leaving the camp even more. After all, Chiron had pretty much kicked us out of camp without letting me say goodbye to my Hunters.
We mounted our dragons( in Percy's case, pegasus) and waved one last goodbye to all our friends at Camp Half Blood. I felt like I was at my own passing funeral with the dark atmosphere. And I'm pretty sure more than half the campers don't expect us to come back in one piece.
Bianca and Nico were the first ones in the air. Bianca was wobbly from just waking up.
" Let's go Beryl." I said.
She didn't move stubbornly for a few moments before taking off as well.
Luke shot into the air and did some acrobatics as if he was saying: free! Free! Percy rolled his eyes and nudged Blackjack up as well.
After we all were at a certain altitude, we took off at amazing speed, going anywhere but here.
Chapter 23 end.
Please tell me what you think of this chapter. I don't know if I said this before, but more review=faster chapter. School will be starting for me in about two weeks, so yea, review.