Replies:

Woah. My question is how the heck do you come up with these prophecies? Anyway, very intriguing chapter. I'll just mention I found a mistake/ typo in the legit second sentence of the story. But that's because I notice every small thing XD -Impossiblethings12

Prophecies…. Are hard. Took me a whole week to of playing with words to even get a rough draft of what I wanted it to say. You have to know what you want to say, play with the words and make the flow. Rhymes are key, so try to end your phrases with words that have a lot of other words that rhyme with it.

This is awesome! Please keep it up! More percy! or else! (This is a hammer, watch your awesome grammar. I'm a poet, and I don't even know it, but my toes show it! -Thrawn13

Smooottttthhhh. As for more Percy…. :)

Yay! You're back! It has been WAY too long, VCR. I loved this chapter. That's a very interesting sounding prophecy you got there. I can't wait to find out what happens next. And you better not leave us hanging for two months again. See you (hopefully soon) with the next chapter. Bye! -Bass Beast

Uh… sowwy about this delay?

You really got your footing during the action sequence at the end here. You've already heard me say this, but nice cliff hanger! :D -JFlashandClash

Thanks dude! :p

awesome story surpasses shattered with is 7/10 while yours is 9.9/10 and is also very interesting -Guest

This made me laugh. Thanks whoever wrote that. xD

Chapter 14: Nico

What was hard this chapter was finding the right flow to portray a mortal Apollo, to be exact, how I want him to be portrayed. Frankly, I don't like how Apollo is written in ToA.

Nico was beginning to regret signing up for waitress duty.

He could see the images in his mind: the mocking gestures he'd receive now. All he needed was a dainty, cute waitress' dress, and he'd be good to go. The image wasn't very flattering.

Luckily everyone else was still at the pavilion, enjoying their food.

Precariously balancing three platters of brisket as he pushed his way through the doors to the infirmary, he couldn't help but feel that maybe he could've put his time into doing something more productive.

Annabeth and Piper had went to collect supplies for their quest.

Thalia had went to get the fleece.

The past week had been absolutely dreadful. He'd been stuck doing nothing.

After he'd spent the past few years traveling, the loss in motion was draining on his barely existent energy.

He'd been hoping that with the prophecy in their hands, they'd get going. Have something to do.

After Apollo fell from the sky, the campers had made a quick decision in the mad scramble.

The prophecy said that 5 people should delve into the maze.

But several people were mentioned. Eagle, Owl, Dove, Flames, Shadows, and Fallen Sun.

Nico knew he missed a few years of schooling, but he was pretty sure that those were six names.

Eagle was Thalia. She was the lone child of Zeus, with Jason not being here.

Nico hoped Jason was okay.

Owl? Annabeth got the prophecy. No question about it.

Dove was most likely going to be Piper. It wasn't the first time Piper was referred to as 'the dove' and none of the other Aphrodite kids were anxious to go on a quest...unless it meant finally getting outside to make sure they were up to date with fashion trends.

The camp's lone pyromaniac was currently MIA.

Nico thought about the battle against Gaea.

Leo had disappeared in the chaotic aftermath of Gaea's defeat. If only the foolish augur hadn't listened to his father, Nico could've somehow prevented it and helped Octavian see another way. His actions had pulled him down the past few weeks.

Percy had tried convincing him otherwise, but Nico's conscience would never rest.

Nico had sensed Leo's death, but when he had ventured down to check on the heroic son of Hephaestus, his trip to the underworld revealed no bared fruit.

Leo had died, but it was possible he had been revived. Still, Nico didn't know if Leo was alive.

For all he knew, somehow Gaea's overpowering explosion could've vaporized more than just Leo's form...

Fallen Sun was becoming pretty obvious.

If...no, when, Apollo wakes up, we have to break the news to him that he was going to have to lead them into the labyrinth.

Nico has only had the pleasure of meeting the sun god on a few occasions, but every time…

"Nico," Will whispered, shaking him out of his thoughts.

Will looked at him, smiling.

"Thanks for grabbing me some grub."

Nico attempted to refrain from blushing. He set the dishes down.

Will turned.

The two demigods looked down at the sun god.

Nico tittered at the image. It was deja vu.

Apollo looked nineteen, tall and muscular, like a swimmer (or an archer). The sun god looked exactly the way as he did four years ago when Nico was first welcomed to Camp Half-Blood.

The son of Hades frowned at the memories, pushing them away before he could be enveloped in them. The past was the past.

"How is he?" Nico spoke.

The son of Hades considered stepping closer to Will, but decided against the gesture.

Will sighed stressfully. "I'm not sure, whatsoever."

Will paused, before pointing at the bed.

"That's… my dad right there. A god and the only thing I can tell is that he is way too pale and unconsc-"

Apollo moaned, catching the two by surprise.

"Fa - Apollo," Will said.

"I...uh..."

Apollo coughed, and groaned groggily.

He tried to sit up but paled significantly from the strain.

A clenching of obvious pain rippled his face, but he sat up anyway. "What day is it?"

Will looked at Nico.

"August 22nd?" Nico offered.

Apollo heaved, pulling himself up, but failed to get the energy to.

Apollo's face was beaded with sweat, which wasn't something that you'd usually see from a god.

He gripped his side in pain.

"Chiron - I need Chiron here now. And the heroes. We must gather a quest."

Will broke his frozen state and tried to ease Apollo back onto his bed, which he allowed as Nico reached for the big call button.

"Dad," Will started unsure of what to say next.

He decided upon, "You need rest."

Apollo gave in and allowed Will to run to the sink and soaked a towel with quick swiftness, before returning to dab at Apollo's feverish head.

"Annabeth Chase. And that Poseidon child – Perseus or something – it's a quest of the highest magnitude."

"You remember Annabeth's name?" Nico stated, skeptical.

"Of course," Apollo said, rather pretentiously.

"She built many statues of me up on Olympus. It is the least I can do."

Will tried to smile.

"Annabeth is out gathering supplies for a qu-"

"Quest!" Apollo interrupted. "Yes! You demigods are so brilliant, you already know when I will call upon you for a quest!"

"We already have one."

"I demand another one! Get all your best heroes. Percy Jackson, where is he?"

"He's missing."

"I need him to-"

Apollo sat up. His eyes grew big.

"You said he was what?"

"Missing," Nico articulated.

"Missing…" Apollo blinked. "By Daphne's eyes..."

Chiron stampeded into the room with swiftness.

When the centaur laid his eyes on Apollo, he bowed.

"Lord Apollo."

"Chiron," Apollo acknowledged.

"We have the utmost important business to attend to. Olympus was attacked last night."

"Attacked?" Chiron said.

Apollo looked as if he wanted to stop talking right there.

"Zeus wanted a meeting. For what, I wasn't told," he shrugged. "So, I thought, if it wasn't important enough to be said, why bother showing up?"

Chiron had a disapproving look on his face, and Apollo glanced at it and grimaced slightly.

"But I end up going anyway, just showing up late. I expected to find Father being Father: the normal bickering between Hades and Poseidon, but instead I found no one… Olympus was wrecked. The throne room, in ruins, and there was no one, no one, to be found."

He looked around at us.

"Ahem, then I of course, valiantly strode around searching for evidence of what happened. Let me whim up a haiku to show my bravery. Apollo strode forth, ashes at his feet -"

Chiron coughed.

Apollo sighed, relentingly. "I admit, I… might've tactically retreated, as Athena might say. In my defense, I didn't know what to do!"

"Lord Apollo, this is bad," Chiron stated.

"Very, very, bad, indeed."

Chiron stomped around in contemplation. "Perseus' disappearance, the Camp's recent ordeals and now your news Apollo. If Olympus has fallen…" Chiron's expression was something Nico had never seen in the many years he'd known the centaur. It was tokened with fear. "We must act fast, Olympus doesn't simply fall. Especially with silence; no war, no storms."

"Well, we haven't had much of contact with the outside world as it is…. so…."

Shorter chapter, but after fiddling around with what's next, I don't think Nico is the right POV to see it from.

Quest next chapter.

I'd like to put my super thanks to Impossiblethings12 for betaing while my two normal betas are not available. She helped me with the second ending of the chapter, which I had much trouble with. Looks like she isn't leaving a B/N so I guess that's it...

Later peeps. ~VCRx