Chapter 22: Secrets Revealed

Percy's POV

The sight before all of us was amazing. The original Olympus was shining bright on top of the mountain. It looked just like the Olympus on the Empire State building except this one had gold everywhere and had a special aurora on it that I couldn't describe.

"LEO, sail the ship to the main gate! Jason, come down here and I'll tell you what to do next!" Madison ordered.

I felt the ship turn to a magnificent solid gold staircase out front, but it just cut off. If you stand on the edge of the last step, you would plummet to earth.

"Jason, I need you to control the winds to stop the ship in front of the stairs." Madison told Jason. He nodded his head and closed his eyes. I immediately felt the ship slow down as we approached the main gate stairs. The ship halted at the bottom of the steps. Madison took the first step of the ship.

"I'm home…" I heard her mumble.

I can up to her and hugged her from behind.

Tomorrow we fight the giants and right now we need to camp out on Olympus.

"Follow me… We can camp out in the throne room. It's getting dark and we all need a good night's sleep to prepare." Madison stated. She pushed the gigantic doors to the throne room open and we all gasped at the sight. The throne room looked all the same, but it was bigger and grander. I just can't describe it.

"Percy and I will take the first watch, Jason and Piper will take the second, Leo and Nico will take the third, and Reyna and Bobby will take the fourth. Any questions?"

"Why do we need to have watches? They won't strike until tomorrow."

"Nico, we can never be too careful…" Madison replied to Nico's idiotic question.

"Alright fine… We'll sleep, but you two better not put your guard down for even a second. That means no sucking face got it?" Nico smirked. My mouth dropped open I had no reply and I felt my face go red. Madison had the same expression on her face. Everyone was laughing. I saw her face change to a serious expression.

"Uh… Nico…" I started, but he soon started to sweat and he had no idea what was happening.

Nico stopped laughing. "Is it hot in here?"

Madison smirked and I held back my laughter. He was really starting to sweat now and soon his jacket was on fire. He threw it off quickly and started beating it down with his foot.

"Madison…" Nico whined. That's when I busted out laughing. Madison just smirked and walked by him with her head held high. I through my arm around her shoulder still laughing.

"Anymore rules you got for us the almighty ghost king?" Madison asked Nico in a very good imitation of him.

He just pouted and everyone was now laughing and Nico became beat red with embarrassment.

"Now don't worry zombie dude, we got your sleepy butt covered. Now, go to sleep. Do you want Madison to kiss you goodnight?" I asked Nico playfully and Madison just rolled her eyes.

"Stop teasing Nico, Seaweed Brain. Goodnight everyone. Piper and Jason, we will wake you when it is your turn." They nodded and Nico walked to his spot to sleep grumbling something about shadow traveling me to Antarctica and leaving me there. I just rolled my eyes. He wouldn't have the guts.

Madison and I kept watch for about 20 minutes before everyone was fast asleep. We were sitting by the hearth that Madison ignited to bring light into the room. She was on my lap and I was twirling her hair in my fingers.

I suddenly felt a tug in my gut. Not the usual one when I control water. It felt different like it was drawing me somewhere. I knew Madison felt it too because she was looking in the direction I felt myself being drawn to.

She got up and started heading that direction. "Come on Seaweed Brain!" She whisper-yelled. I got up and followed. Maybe this was the answer to our connection.

Madison POV

Percy followed me as we swerved through corridor after corridor. We came to a room that I felt a strong pull to. I looked at Percy then opened the door. The room was empty. Typical. I sighed. So much for that.

The pulled got stronger. I just couldn't explain it. It was like it wanted me to uncover something. I entered the room slowly. It was dark so I lit my hand on fire for light. There was absolutely nothing in this room. I felt like there should be something here. I remember Athena telling me about an empty room on the original home of the gods. She said it can only be uncovered by the one true being of the room. No one, not even her, knew how to uncover its secrets. I thought for a moment. It drew me here for a reason.

I got closer to the back wall for a closer look and to see if I could find anything. I couldn't see anything and the wall was all dusty. I touched my hand to the wall to wipe the dust off and the door slammed shut.

"Madison… What did you do?" Percy asked with a hint of confusion in his voice.

"I didn't do anything I think…"

I touched the wall again and the room began to glow. I backed away and ran into Percy. He looked just as worried. The light subsided and all the walls were covered with pictures… of US!

We both gasped. It had the stories in picture form of the Phoenix being created, me becoming the Phoenix, all of the adventures of Percy and me, but it had nothing of our connection.

"It's amazing…" I started. I looked over to a corner of the room that was pitch black. I lit my hand on fire to lighten it up, but it didn't work. "Percy, help me light up this area so we can see."

He lit his hand with a blue-green color flame and came next to me. We still couldn't see so we got closer and closer. Our hands touched the wall and the room exploded into a bright golden light once again. I wasn't expecting this so I gripped Percy tight.

The light subsided once again and I looked at the wall. It had pictures of us fighting Ceto, the 'kraken' daughter of Gaea. Then it had all of the things that happened with our connection, but there was more. This could be what we are looking for. I looked at the words.

"Percy, look at this… it says:

The Phoenix shall return as it is one day said,

And find its true love at Aphrodite's hand.

They will face many dangers as the days grow longer,

And be blessed by the Phoenix and become even stronger.

They save the day and overcome rage,

And together they shall rule a new age."

"What does it mean?"

"I don't know Percy… But I know it has something to do with us…"

"Right you are child, right you are…" Someone said behind us. Percy and I turned around and faced:

"The fates…" Percy whispered.

"That's right son of Poseidon. We are here to give you a glimpse to help you understand what you already know and what you will become."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"We blessed you child, you don't have the eye for it yet." It looked like an inside joke between the three of them.

Puzzled by their answer I replied with the logical: "Huh?" Smart right?

"You will understand in due time… Both of you shall. We will be a big part of your lives." I saw Percy paled, but secretly I wasn't scared of the Fates. I knew why I could defy prophecies and why I didn't budge to Apollo's constant hammering questions. They blessed me after the Phoenix engulfed me. No one knew but me and them, not even Percy.

"But can't you just help us? We are so confused…"

"Percy… We have to be patient. We'll find out in the near future I hope." I looked at the Fates and they nodded their heads in agreement. Then they flashed out.

"What… Was that about?" Percy questioned.

"I have no idea… I don't know what they mean…"

"They blessed you?" I nodded my head. "That explains why you can defy prophecies and held your ground against Apollo." I laughed.

"That sums it up… Come on, we need to head back. We are way past our time as look outs. It's Jason and Piper's turn. They get a short shift."

We headed back and saw Jason and Piper already up and sitting next to the hearth. We both stopped dead in our tracks.

"Where have you two been? We were supposed to start our shift half an hour ago?" Jason raised his eyebrow at us.

"Uh… Um… I thought you two would still be asleep." Percy stammered.

"You didn't think that we trusted you two to stop sucking face long enough to realize that your shift is over?" Piper chimed in with an evil grin on her face.

"We were just… exploring." I said. It wasn't a total lie. We just didn't explain everything to them.

"Sure, sure… Go get some shut eye." Piper waved us off.

We entered one of the four small tents that we set up before. Nico, Leo, and Bobby were sharing one, Piper and Jason were sharing one, me and Percy in the third, and Reyna got one to herself.

Percy and I entered our tent and he crashed down on the floor. I laid down next to him and stared into his sea green eyes. He pushed some hair out of my face.

"Do you have any idea what happened before?"

"No but I wish I knew Seaweed Brain…"

"Hothead can't take not knowing anything?" He joked. I gave him a playful punch.

"OW…"

"Oh you don't have to fake hurt for me."

"No… That really hurt!"

"But the curse of Achilles…"

"I… Don't understand… I thought… Cut me…"

"What?"

"Cut. Me. We have to see if I am invulnerable or not still."

He handed me riptide. I took it from him and uncapped it. I sliced his arm and what we both saw caused us to gasp. The Fates did say we would find out in the near future…