IMPORTANT A/N: We will be publishing a new work. It's called Perseus: Excidium Troiae and we really hope you'll check it out. It's being written by me (TripleHomicide) and ZelotArchon, another member of -TheImmortalWriters. Tell us what you think!
Usual A/N: Also, We're so sorry for being gone so long. For confused readers, The First Titan war was prolonged by Kronos so its duration was far longer than it happened in the myths, and during that time, the rest of the twelve Olympians minus Dionysus were spawned. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me and ask! As usual, leave a comment, review, vote, kudos, follow or favorite. Here is your update (and about three more, lol). Enjoy!
THALIA was getting frustrated. It was almost time for capture the flag and Chiron wasn't back yet. She knew he had gone to see the Olympians but she couldn't wait any longer. She was bursting with questions. And Luke's silence wasn't helping.
He had retreated from her after they had left the arena a few hours ago. Thalia knew he needed space. Although he hated his father, he would never put his friends and his home - Camp Half-Blood - in danger. She knew he was still processing it. He was still confused and slightly miffed that The Fates had written that he would free Perseus and start a second Titan war.
She sighed and glanced at her side. She had told Grover about Luke's dream - Artemis and the sky and the titans - because he also had a right to know. He was their closest friend, after all. She had left out her dream and Perseus though. No one needed to know that yet. Grover stood next to her, his gaze on the Hunters of Artemis at the archery range. They had only been there for about a day but they were already acting like they owned the place. Thalia glanced at the lieutenant, who stood motionless, her face etched in a permanent scowl. She didn't look too happy. Something must have happened. She looked as if she wanted to be anywhere but there.
The other hunters didn't notice and went on practising their archery and shooting the Apollo kids when they got too close.
Thalia shifted her weight onto her left foot, and spoke to Grover, tilting her head slightly. "What's up with Zoe today? She looks…agitated."
Grover bleated a bit before answering, "I don't know, I guess it must have something to do with her dream…"
Thalia's hand shot up, signalling to him to wait. "Hold up. Zoe had a dream too?"
The satyr nodded uneasily and Thalia knew that whatever the immortal huntress had dreamt about, it couldn't have been good. Then a sudden question popped up in her head and she narrowed her eyes. "How do you know Zoe had a dream?"
"Uh," Grover glanced down in embarrassment. "I sort of…stayed outside their cabin last night?"
Thalia snorted and shook her head. Typical goat. She pushed the thoughts away and asked, "What was her dream about?'
Grover spoke slowly, fiddling with his reed pipes. "She rushed out of the cabin and went to the Big House at about three am? I followed her and hid in a bush. She started pounding on the door and demanded to see Chiron. She seemed panicked. Almost…afraid."
Thalia shuddered. Anything which could scare a semi-immortal Huntress was something to be wary of. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and said, "And?"
"Argus wouldn't let her in. She was this close to gutting him," He made a sort of gesture with his hands but Thalia wasn't really paying attention.
"Did Chiron come out?" She enquired.
Grover nodded. "He wanted to know what all the ruckus was about. Zoe demanded to be allowed to leave camp and go to Artemis but he refused. He said Lady Artemis had ordered them to stay in Camp until she was back and Zoe said something along the lines of, "How can Artemis get back when Artemis is lost?"
Thalia was shocked into silence. Artemis…lost. So Zoe knew too. She knew Artemis had been kidnapped by The Titans. She knew Artemis was holding up the sky now.
But what could be powerful enough to kidnap two immortal gods? Surely Lelantos couldn't have done it on his own. He was just a Titan. And the gods were far more powerful than the titans. Well, at least that's what all the history books said. Thalia was starting to doubt those camp lessons more and more.
Kronos couldn't have done it. Last time they had seen him - last summer - he had just been a pile of rocks in a sarcophagus on a monster cruise ship. He couldn't have gotten powerful that fast could he?
Grover's voice broke her out of her musings. "It's weird isn't it. Luke and Zoe getting the same dream the same night? Or at least, something similar. Almost as if…"
"Someone is trying to inform both of them about Artemis' capture," Thalia finished for him. Her face was set in grim determination, and she looked serious.
Grover nodded. "Whatever the case, both of those dreams are connected."
Thalia nodded back. "I've got to talk to Zoe."
The satyr sighed, and bleated, before saying, "I'll go get Luke. Capture the flag starts in ten minutes."
Thalia sent him a pained smile, before jogging in the direction of a homicidal man-killing semi-immortal huntress.
LUKE tried to hide his unease as Chiron began going over the rules. How could he even think about capture the flag at such a critical moment?
He was not prepared to battle the hunters. He wasn't feeling so good. He had gotten a headache just thinking about those dreams and his throat was parched. He didn't even want to think about what the Titans must be doing to Annabeth. Shaking his thoughts out of his head, he tightened his grip around the sword, which was - as usual - unbalanced and heavy. He was the best swordsman in Camp Half-Blood, yes, but none of the swords he ever used felt right.
He sighed, before turning his attention to the centaur who had returned a few minutes ago. Chiron's voice resonated through the entire forest.
"Demigods! You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. Blue team, Camp Half-Blood, shall take the West woods. The hunters - red team - have the east woods. All magic items are allowed. The flag must be raised high, easy to see and must have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"
Many of the campers scrambled forward for weapons on a huge table, but Luke remained in his position. His eyes flickered over to Thalia, who seemed to be arguing with Zoe Nightshade a few feet away, under a huge oak tree. Zoe was gesticulating wildly and sending resentful glances to Chiron like she wanted to chop his head off. The other hunters didn't look too happy to be there either. Something must have happened, because they were huddled together, murmuring. They looked disconcerted, and Luke concluded. It wouldn't take rocket science to know that the hunters have somehow heard about Artemis' capture. Luke's gaze shifted, and he bit his bottom lip, focusing on the campers.
He could see the hunter's flag in the distance, at the other side of the creek and he felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn't help but feel that something bad was going to happen. He felt a presence next to him and his eyes flickered over to Thalia for a few seconds, wondering when she had arrived there, before moving away again. He took note of her frustrated expression and knew at once that she had been arguing with Zoe about something important. He decided not to ask - they had a game to win. Their problems couldn't wait, yes, but they also couldn't disappoint the others. Most of the campers were looking forward to fighting the hunters and Luke wasn't going to deny them a victory just because he was having a few issues of his own.
He took in a deep breath, and drawled, "Gather round, guys." The effect was instantaneous, as all the campers moved to form a circle around him and Thalia, who still hadn't said a word. There were thirteen campers and thirteen hunters. Bianca di Angelo was also playing, of course, but she didn't seem too enthused either. Luke's gaze swept over his team. Beckendorf and Silena, Katie Gardner, The Stolls, Nico di Angelo, two Hephaestus campers - Laurel and Jason, an Ares camper named Sherman Yang and finally, two of Silena's siblings, Lacy and Mitchell.
"Where's Clarisse?" Thalia finally spoke, her eyes darting around the entire forest. Luke frowned. Clarisse usually participated in every camp game and she wouldn't want to miss a chance to pulverize the hunters after they had burnt down her cabin a few summers ago.
"She's on a secret mission for Chiron," Sherman intoned, an eyebrow raised. "She hasn't been here since you left for Maine on Monday."
It was Friday. She had been gone for five days? And a secret mission for Chiron? Luke's brow furrowed in confusion, but nodded to Sherman, before speaking.
"I'll take the offence. Stolls, you're defending today. Nico, Lacy, Mitchell, fan out in the trees, make sure the hunters don't cross to our side. Sherman, Beck, you'll go with me. We're the decoy. Make sure to attack as many hunters as you can. Thalia, we'll distract the hunters long enough for you to sneak to their flags and get it. You go with Katie, Laurel, Jason and Silena. Make sure to keep sharp on defence, yeah? Everyone okay?"
Several nods. Luke pursed his lips, and Chiron shouted, "To your positions!"
Luke spun a little, and turned to Thalia, offering her a small smile. "Good luck, Thals."
"You too." She nodded, and Luke turned back to the others. "Blue team, follow me!"
The cheers echoed through the trees and all the campers raced into their positions. Luke charged forward, with Sherman and Beckendorf right behind him. He looked up and spotted their flag. It had been set on Zeus' Fist and he could see his brothers, The Stolls, already at their posts. The horn sounded and the game began.
THALIA was positive they were going to win. She spotted Luke and his team, charging through the centre, their shouts echoing. She was still a bit frustrated from her argument with Zoe but she pushed it out of her head. Her canister of mace had already enlarged into her bronze spear and Aegis was ready. Katie, Laurel and Jason were by her side. She waited for a few seconds. Luke's team had drawn a lot of the hunters to them and they were engaged in a huge chase. They were leading the hunters away from their flag and deeper into the woods. About a dozen of the handmaidens of Artemis were there so that left seven more hunters. They were probably in the trees and Thalia made sure to stay alert. She gritted her teeth and made a small signal with her hand. Her team moved into enemy territory, across the creek, and into the cover of the shadows. She heard shouts and yells and knew that Nico and the others must have also encountered the hunters.
She wasn't really worried. She could give any of those silver huntresses a run for their money. But it was Zoe who would prove to be a challenge. They had to be wary.
They crept through the trees and Thalia's jaw clenched when she heard the rustle. She made another hand gesture and the others slipped into defensive stances. Four hunters emerged from the woods, bows ready. Zoe wasn't with them. That meant…
Thalia hoped the Stolls would be able to defend the flag. Six hunters with Luke, four hunters here. Three more hunters left.
"Thalia, you go!" Silena spoke. "Get the flag, we'll keep them occupied."
Thalia smiled, nodding to the daughter of Aphrodite and sprung forward. She slammed her shield into one of the hunter's torso, sending her sprawling and smashed the butt of her spear into another's head, before taking off through the trees.
She heard the fighting coming from all around her and urged her feet to move faster. She let out laboured breaths, adrenaline pumping in her veins. The wind blew through her hair and hurt her eyes as she ran but she forced herself to move quicker. None of the hunters challenged her. No one stood in her path.
Thalia burst out of the trees, startling the only guard - Bianca di Angelo. She raced forward, her face set in determination and shouted, "Sorry, Bianca!" Thalia ducked low at the last point, her feet kicking out and throwing Bianca off balance. She shot up again and kicked her in the gut, sending the new hunter sprawling in the snow.
Thalia lunged for the flag but suddenly stopped when another hunter jumped out of the trees. She recognized her. Phoebe. The huntress with ginger hair. The daughter of Apollo roared, racing forward for Thalia.
Thalia let her come, scanning her situation. Phoebe was agile and nimble, and if she wanted to win, she would have to lose the shield. It would just slow her down. She tapped the bronze shield in the centre, and it shrunk back into her silver bracelet. Thalia readied her spear and attacked the hunter of Artemis.
LUKE's eyes widened when he spotted Zoe charging over the creek and into their territory. He was holding back three hunters at the same time and he knew that even if he could escape, he wouldn't be able to stop her.
He ducked under a precise but wild slash from a hunting knife and slammed his foot down on the hunter's toes. She yelped and he delivered a solid right hook, before moving on to the others.
He had to admit, it felt great. Destroying the girls who had tried to steal his family from him twice. Pummeling the maidens who had prevented him from saving Annabeth. He was feeling no remorse and he sidestepped another slash but hissed in pain as a silver arrow grazed his calf. Luke dodged another of the projectiles, bringing his sword up in front of him and blocking two silver knives. He pushed the hunters back, swooping down and kicking them off their feet. Or at least, attempting to. The nimble followers of Artemis leaped back, avoiding his kick, and Luke rolled back, just in time to avoid an arrow in his knee.
He jumped up, and body-slammed into one hunter, who let out a small grunt of pain and went falling into the sand. He gritted his teeth as a knife tore through his breastplate and opened a small cut on his chest. Luke darted back again, narrowly avoiding a stab and leaped forward, slamming the hilt of his sword into his attacker's head. She crumpled, groaning and he danced out of the way of several silver arrows. He came up panting next to Beckendorf and said, "They're so good at this. No matter how many times you knock them out, they still find a way of coming back."
The son of Hephaestus grunted in response and Luke blocked another silver arrow with his sword. He spotted Zoe going at it with the Stolls and shook his head. She would subdue them in no time.
"I have to go help Connor and Travis," Luke called. "Think you can handle these guys?"
Beckendorf snorted, "Of course.' Sherman Yang nodded, a crazed smile etched on his face, and attacked another hunter.
Luke grinned and in that moment all his problems disappeared. He raced forward, clearing a path through the hunters and blocking all their silver arrows and knives. None of them tried to follow him through and he went as fast as his feet could carry him. Luke felt someone fall into step next to him and sent a sideways glance to Thalia, who was smiling wildly. "It feels so great attacking the hunters!'
He had to agree. He smiled wider when he noticed the hunters' red flag in her grip. "Zoe has our flag!' Thalia yelled. His head shot up. The lieutenant of Artemis had grabbed the blue banner and was racing for them, at top speed. Thalia pushed forward, faster and Luke raced ahead of her. He was going to stop Zoe.
He jumped over the creek, lunging for her but she swerved away from him and leaped over, at the same time Thalia did. Zoe slammed her shoulder into Thalia and the daughter of Zeus yelled out, hurling the red flag for Luke, before falling into the snow.
His eyes were wide and he jumped forward to grab it. His hand curled around the banner just as Zoe's feet touched the ground on the other side.
"Could it be a tie?" Chiron sounded amazed. "It's a tie!" Cheers and yells of delight resonated through the entire forest and Luke smirked wildly. His eyes met Zoe's, and he sent her a small wink of victory. She looked like she couldn't believe it. Her gaze shifted to the flag in his hand and she glared at him. Luke laughed, before dropping the flag and jumping over the creek again. He jogged over to Thalia and pulled her out of the snow.
"Woah, really? A tie?" She asked uncertainly. Luke nodded and smiled. "It is. That was a sick move you pulled back there."
She chuckled. "Thanks, I try."
They jumped back to the other side of the creek and Luke felt himself rise of the ground. He yelped slightly and looked down. The campers were carrying both him and Thalia. Chiron trotted over to them, with a smile plastered on his face. They fell back onto the ground and Luke couldn't wipe the grin off his face. Especially when the hunters started protesting.
"It's not fair! They cheated!" He recognized the daughter of Apollo, who had a prominent glare on her face.
The other hunters picked up the words and soon there was a full-scale scream fest. Luke didn't mind, though. He enjoyed seeing the hunters aggravated. The son of Hermes' gaze swept over the entire forest.
And then he froze.
Impossible. She couldn't be there. She had never been out of the attic. He turned, to glance at Thalia, who had also seen her. Her face was as pale as the snow on the ground. She was walking towards them, her eyes glowing green, and green smoke billowing around her.
The oracle had come.
THALIA let out a laboured breath and looked up at Chiron, whose eyes were incredibly wide. He had been surprised and in shock so many times since daybreak. So many weird and unusual things were happening and for the millionth time that day, Thalia felt sad for their old mentor.
She shuffled forward, and mist curled from underneath her. The shouts and yells died down. Thalia felt goosebumps spread across her skin and shuddered slightly. The oracle kept coming until she stood in their centre. No one moved. Thalia doubted they were even breathing. The oracle's mouth peeled open and the voice came from all around them.
I am the spirit of Delphi, the voice said. Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, the son of Leto, the god of the sun, slayer of the mighty Python. Thalia clamped her hands over her ears and clenched her jaw. The voice sounded like a knife, scraping a rock. She looked up again, to find Zoe walking forward, as if in a trance. The huntress had clenched her fist and her voice was loud and clear.
"How can we save Our Lady? What must I do?"
The Oracle's mouth parted, and green mist poured out. Thalia's eyes widened as images flashed in front of her. Artemis, holding up a sort of funnel, in chains, her clothes in tatters. Apollo, his fists slamming on the bars of a golden cage. Annabeth, unconscious and dead to the world.
The Oracle of Delphi spoke, her voice sending chills down Thalia's spine.
"Five shall go west to the Olympians in chains,
One shall be lost in the land without rain,
The banes of Olympus show the trail,
Campers and Hunters combined prevail,
The weapon of war shall make a choice,
Where sky and earth meet, his will shall he foist.
The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand."
And then, the mist retreated into her mouth, like a vacuum, sucking up all the green. The oracle toppled forwards and fell in the snow.
PERSEUS didn't feel like sleeping that night. He knew he had to go though. Something extremely big was happening. Something which he needed to see. As the sun set, he was aware of the mist shrouding the Island of Ogygia. He leaned back on the rock and fiddled with the small silver knife.
His thoughts drifted to his dream that afternoon. The goddess had been trying to turn his sister. Mnemosyne never fought in any wars. If she was being asked to join their ranks then it meant Kronos must want every Titan back. He must be seeking all the generations of Titans, even the ones who were believed to have faded. Of course, none of them had. They had just gone into hiding. Perseus bit his lip, sighing and shutting his eyes. He dozed off for a few seconds, knowing he was going to be teleported somewhere else.
His eyes shot open, just as the oracle began speaking.
"Five shall go west to the Olympians in chains,
One shall be lost in the land without rain,
The Banes of Olympus show the trail,
Campers and Hunters combined prevail,
The weapon of war shall make a choice,
Where sky and earth meet, his will shall he foist.
The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand. "
He shivered and run a hand through his black hair, like he did every time he was confused. His eyes flickered over to the rest of the people in the group surrounding the ancient skeleton lady. He spotted Luke and Thalia. Then the lieutenant of the hunt, Zoe, whose face was pale. He noticed the ten-year-old demigod from the cliffside and his sister, who was dressed in hunter's attire.
Thalia's eyes met his and he sent her a subtle nod in greeting.
"Well," Chiron's voice broke the silence. "Beckendorf, Luke, would you mind carrying the oracle back to the attic?"
Luke hesitated for a few seconds, before nodding and moving forward. He bent, and a huge African American boy, who Perseus guessed was Beckendorf, pulled up beside him. Both of them hauled the skeleton up and began moving in the direction of a huge blue building thing.
The centaur's hooves pawed the ground nervously and he looked around, before announcing. "Council meeting at the Big House in five minutes. The rest of you, get back to your cabins. It's time for bed." There was a bit of murmuring and whispering but none of the campers disobeyed Chiron. Perseus had to shield his eyes as they walked past. Their orange shirts were so bright. Even the hunters of Artemis trudged away. Perseus raised an eyebrow as Chiron patted Thalia's shoulder, before trotting over to Zoe Nightshade. The two began walking to The big blue building, engaged in an intense battle of whispers.
Soon, they were alone.
"Thalia," he greeted.
"Percy," she jogged over to him. His brow furrowed at the name. It still sounded weird. But he ignored it and asked, "What just happened?"
The daughter of Zeus shrugged and piped, "I don't know. I'm just as confused as you are. The oracle just walked out of the attic. That never happens."
He didn't know what an attic was but he decided to indulge her. "And?'
Thalia sighed. "It gave a prophecy. Which you just heard."
He nodded and pursed his lips. "It sounded bad.'
Thalia nodded, exhaling. "Look, you seem like a good guy and all, but you're a Titan. Even so, you can help us. I know you're not evil. You wouldn't have saved me from Thorn if you were. And I'm sure there's a reason why you keep appearing whenever something's happening. So, Come on. Let's go find Luke. Then we have a council meeting to attend."
They met Luke coming down the stairs, his face clouded over, his eyes dark. He didn't even smile when he saw Thalia and Perseus raised an eyebrow at that.
"We have a council meeting in a few minutes," Thalia stopped next to the son of Hermes. "And Percy's here too."
Perseus remained silent and cocked his head to the side, observing the son of Hermes. Luke looked even angrier than he had before. He turned to glare at Thalia. "What's he doing here? He's a Titan, Thalia." He said the word like it was the most despicable insult he could come up with and yes, Perseus was insulted.
He saw the daughter of Zeus clench her fist in anger and she snapped at him. "He still saved me, Luke. And I have no doubt he'd do it again. I trust him."
Luke scoffed, before pushing past them and jumping down the stairs. From next to him, Thalia sighed. She looked up and met Perseus' questioning gaze. "He's not always like this, sorry. I'm going to assume by now that you know Luke is the one destined to free you?" At his nod, she continued. "He still hasn't come to terms with it. He's been pretty…edgy. Don't mind him. Give him some time and I'm sure he'll come around."
Perseus nodded slightly, before offering her a crooked smile. "Thank you, Thalia."
She looked confused. "For what?"
"For trusting me."
The council meeting started a few minutes later. PERSEUS couldn't hide his surprise when Thalia led him to a huge room with a huge table in the middle. He wasn't so sure he should be there. Like she had said before, He was a titan. And like Luke had said, He wasn't supposed to be trusted.
But she trusted him anyway. She didn't mind him being part of the council meeting. He still wasn't sure what to do. Who was he supposed to fight for? The Olympians were cruel, and most of them despised him. But for some weird reason, he didn't like the thought of having to fight against Thalia, the prophecy child. Or Luke, for that matter. He seemed like a nice enough guy. The Titans, on the other hand, were his family. He had been spawned to fight for them. He was loyal to Kronos and him alone. And if they managed to free him, he would be in their debt.
He sighed and followed Thalia to one of the chairs around the huge table. It reminded him of his own dining table back on Ogygia. Perseus didn't bother sitting. There were no free seats anyway and for once, he was glad no one could see him. He had started forming a small hypothesis about his predicament.
Each time he fell asleep and entered the realm of Morpheus, he was teleported somewhere else. He would be in another location in his slumber, but his body was still chained. He was still on Ogygia. He had a small idea of who it was who was messing with him. But that couldn't be correct. That particular god would never go against the Olympians. Or would he?
He was broken out of his musings when Chiron cleared his throat. His eyes shifted to the pudgy god seated at the head of the table, with Chiron next to him. He hadn't been there when this guy took Hestia's place on the council but he knew about him. Dionysus, the most useless god of them all. The god of wine. Apparently he had been born many millennia after the Titan war. He'd also been a demigod before.
Artemis' lieutenant sat at the other end of the table, with the demigod girl from the cliff. Beraca or Bianca or something. Several demigods in bright orange shirts and leather armour from their game surrounded the table.
The huntresses looked agitated. Zoe had a permanent mixture of a scowl and a glare etched on her face. Perseus guessed she wanted to be anywhere but at this meeting. It took him a while but he finally recognized her. She had been just a nymph millennia ago. He concluded she knew Apollo and Artemis had been captured. She probably wanted to journey to Mount Othrys immediately and free her Lady. Perseus held back a small snort. She knew what going to Othrys would do to her. But she was still willing to risk it. He had to hand it to her. She was brave. She was willing to face The General once again to save someone. A goddess, no less.
Zoe broke the silence immediately Thalia took her seat. "There is no time for discussion. Our mistress and her brother need us. The hunters shall leave immediately." Her dedication to the goddess of the moon surprised him.
Chiron sighed in acceptance. "You must leave immediately true, the oracle has issued a quest."
Zoe nodded. "We must find Artemis and Apollo and free them from The Titans."
From beside him, Thalia glared and spoke. "The prophecy said campers and hunters have to work together."
Zoe matched her glare with one of her own. "We do not need thy help. Like I told thee before, we shall rescue Lady Artemis on our own."
Chiron sighed. "The prophecy stated clearly that we have to co-operate."
"Yeah, do you seriously want to go against the oracle?" It was Luke who had spoken. He was still glaring, and although his words were directed at Zoe, his gaze was on Thalia. She didn't seem to notice though. Perseus turned his attention back to Zoe and Chiron. The huntress had a grim expression on her face and looked displeased.
"We must not waste any more time, then," Zoe stated. "We have to leave. The winter solstice is in a week, and Artemis' presence is critical. Without her, the meeting cannot commence. The council cannot make any decision."
Dionysus sighed. "Oh, joy. Another dull council meeting. Can we just leave them to rot so I don't have to go to Olympus?"
The centaur pinched the bridge of his nose. Perseus had never seen him in human form and it looked weird. The case he was in with round spinning things at the bottom was weirder. "No, Mr D, we cannot."
Luke spoke again, his voice a slow drawl. "We have two Olympian gods who need saving. How the Hades were they even subdued in the first place?"
Murmuring broke out across the table, but Luke ignored them, continuing. "We have to go west. Like the prophecy stated. And we also have to find the beast Artemis was hunting. The banes of Olympus or something. We're supposed to follow them - they're going to lead us to Artemis and Apollo."
Luke's eyes met Zoe's and she nodded subtly. Perseus brow creased. He knew they would be heading to Othrys. That meant they would have to pass through The Plains of Perseus. And if Luke got the sword…he would finally be free. He had to make sure Luke went on the quest.
"We also have to decide who's going," Thalia's blue orbs scoured the entire room. "Hunters and Campers. We're supposed to be five, right? So Three campers, two hunters."
Zoe grunted. "As much as I hate to do this, I agree with thee. Three from Camp Half-Blood shall accompany us on our quest." Perseus cocked an eyebrow. He expected her to disagree and insist on taking more hunters than campers. Then it occurred to him that she wouldn't want to lose any hunters. She was being smart. The prophecy had stated that at least two of the questers would die. If there were only two hunters, the chances of them being the ones mentioned would be low. He had to hand it to her. It was a great ploy. And he was sure it would work.
"I shall be taking Phoebe with me," She looked around the table. "She is the hunter's best tracker and healer." Nods came from around the table. Thalia glanced up at him for a few seconds and turned back to Zoe. "I'm also coming." No one challenged her. She turned her attention to the son of Hermes on the other side of the table. "Luke?"
He bit his lip. Perseus took in a deep breath. Luke didn't want to free the Titans. He didn't want to pull the sword out. If he decided not to go on the quest…That would be bad. But he had to go. Not only because he had had the dreams, but also because he had to rescue his friend, the daughter of Athena. And he would also never let Thalia go on a quest alone, Perseus knew that much. After a few seconds of hesitation Luke said, "Fine. I'll go."
Good.
"So that's four of the five," Thalia leaned back in her seat. "Grover? The prophecy said campers, not demigods. And you're a camper so you can tag along. "
The satyr nodded, and replied, 'Sure."
Chiron took in a deep breath. "Now that the questers have been chosen, we have to find a way to interpret the prophecy. You shall be moving west, retracing Artemis' path. You already know where she is being held, and we know she was following the scent of one of the banes of Olympus."
Zoe pursed her lips, meeting Chiron's eyes. "This…bane of Olympus. Does thee have any idea what it may be?"
Chiron shook his head. "I have many theories. And none of them are good. One of them could be Typhon."
Luke shook his head. "No, that's not possible. He's still trapped in Mount St. Helens."
Chiron nodded thoughtfully, before continuing, "It may also be Keto. The mother of all sea monsters. But that is also ruled out because we would know if she was stirring. Poseidon would have informed Olympus."
"Perseus."
Perseus' head snapped over to the owner of the voice. Luke. His eyes were dark and he was scowling. Thalia was glaring at him from the other side of the table. Zoe's eyes had widened. Chiron seemed to be giving Luke a silent warning. The rest of the counsellors chattered confusedly.
"It may be him," Luke continued. "He's the greatest Bane of Olympus. He's obviously one of the banes from the prophecy. He almost destroyed them once."
"Who is this…Perseus dude?' Beckendorf asked. Evidently, not everyone had heard his story. Perseus knew the gods had tried to blot him out of history. Clearly, it hadn't worked because some people still knew about him. He felt anger course through his veins. He wished Luke could see him, and die from the withering stare he was receiving. He turned to Dionysus, who suddenly looked alert, and tried not to let his anger consume him. He clenched and unclenched his fists, taking in deep breaths. But he knew what Luke was saying was true. He was the greatest bane of Olympus.
It was Thalia who came to his rescue. "It's not him, Luke," she hissed. "You and I both know he's still trapped on the Island. How is he supposed to lead us to Mount Othrys if he's thousands if miles away in Greece?"
"But he's here now," Luke challenged. 'You're just defending him because he saved your life!"
Chiron shot out of his wheelie case thingy, his full horse form forming behind him, and Dionysus' can of Diet Coke exploded. Zoe's hands were creeping to her knives. Perseus had never seen the old centaur so angry. "That's enough, Luke!"
The son of Hermes didn't seem satisfied but he leaned back in his seat, turning silent.
"Well, I don't know what just happened here but can we just wrap this up already? You have some serious trouble ahead of you." It was a blond-haired and grey-eyed boy. A son of Athena.
"One shall be lost in the land without rain," A beautiful looking girl with long silky hair recited slowly. Likely Aphrodite's child.
"You all better avoid the desert, then." It was a brown-haired girl with startling forest green eyes. They were a bit like his own and he couldn't hide his unease. Demeter's daughter, he could tell.
The campers nodded their heads in agreement.
"The weapon of war shall make a choice," another random camper said. 'How the hell is a weapon supposed to make a choice?" Perseus sighed as the meaning of the words formed in his head. He understood.
Chiron was still uncomfortable with discussing about him. He gestured for them to move on to the next line, which sounded equally dark and foreboding. "Where sky and earth meet, his will shall he foist." Luke's face darkened, and his voice made everyone shut up. "That's where they're holding Artemis and Apollo. Where the sky meets the earth. We know where we're supposed to go. We know that the sky and the earth meet on Mount Othrys."
None of the campers were dumb. They all knew where the questers were headed. They'd heard the story so many times. They had always been warned to stay away from Mount Tamalpais because that was where the Titan stronghold was. The room was quiet, as everyone let it sink in. This quest was going to be a death trap. They would be walking right into the Titan's hands. But the prophecy had said it. They had to go.
"What about the other part?" A camper popped suddenly.
Luke shook his head, shrugging. Titans of Othrys, these demigods were dumb. Where in Koios beard was a smart child of Athena when you needed one? You didn't need to be a rocket scientist to be able to interpret that simple prophecy.
"The Titan's Curse one must withstand," Another camper said. He was a well-built boy, about fifteen, with Asian features. He had dark blond hair and sky blue eyes. A son of Apollo. 'What does that mean?'
The table was silent. Perseus knew what the Titan's curse was. No doubt Chiron, Zoe, Thalia and Luke did too. The centaur and the lieutenant of the hunt exchanged nervous looks.
"One shall perish by a parent's hand," The satyr, Grover, spoke. "What could that mean? Whose parent would kill them?"
Again, silence ruled over the demigods. No one knew what that either line meant. Perseus gazed at Zoe. The same thoughts from before drifted in. She knew the risks of going on the quest. She knew what the General would do to her.
Chiron filled the silence with ominous words. "We will lose some of you. There shall be deaths. That much is certain."
"That's great!' Perseus scoffed silently. Dionysus, the wine dude. Of course he would say that. He frowned in distaste. He just didn't understand how the gods had managed to stay in power for so long with this sort of attitude.
Chiron cleared his throat. "Well, it is decided. Thalia, Luke and Grover shall accompany Phoebe and Zoe on this quest. Good luck, heroes. And may the odds be ever in your favour."
[Hehe, I'm sorry]
PERSEUS and Thalia took a stroll to the beach. He stared blank faced at the water. He had a lot on his mind. First, Luke was being an arse to Thalia. He wasn't even sure why he cared about that. It wasn't his problem. Yet he couldn't help but feel a bit angry on her behalf. Did he think he was the only demigod who had issues of his own? He observed the silent daughter of Zeus beside him. Thalia was scowling, and Perseus could tell that whatever Luke had said about him had gotten to her. She was angry. He guessed that she must be confused by his behaviour. Because, according to her, he was never like that.
"Hey," he addressed her, his voice soft.
She looked up, and he continued, "Look, I get it. He's frustrated. I know how it feels. He didn't mean whatever he said, Thalia. Don't let it affect you."
She rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Thanks. Now please stop being so corny?"
He didn't know what corny meant but he decided not to ask. Perseus looked up when he felt the water touch his feet. His frown deepened. He hated the water. For one, they were ruled by the god who had caused his defeat all those eons ago with Calypso's help. And secondly, his Island was completely surrounded by it. He smirked slightly, remembering his first week on Ogygia. He had spent the majority of that period trying to swim away from the Island, but he always drifted back again. And then he would yell curses at the gods till his throat was raw.
Those were good times. Perseus turned slightly so he was facing Thalia. He had been thinking a lot since the meeting. And he had had several more millennia to think on Ogygia. He knew what he was going to do. He couldn't be sure whether it was the right choice or not. He would have to think it over again. He wasn't going to reveal it now, because he could never be sure who was listening. The titans only wanted him because he was a weapon of war like the prophecy said. Vas Bellicosum. The gods were cruel and like they hated him, he hated them. But Thalia and Luke…the demigods. They had no part in it. They had just been pulled in the war because of who their parents were. They didn't deserve this fate. There was something about the daughter of Zeus. Just like it was at the cliffside, He felt the need to protect her. He couldn't explain it. He didn't understand it himself but he knew he couldn't fight against her even if he tried to. They had only met on a few occasions, the first being in the forest where he had saved her life from the manticore. He was positive she would do the same for him. He knew he could trust her as she trusted him. He knew they were friends. The words were foreign to him. He had never had a friend before.
"What the Hades are you staring at me like that?" Thalia cocked an eyebrow. "You look creepy, Percy."
He blinked. His lips parted, and he was about to speak when he heard the moo. The soft sound seemed to be coming from in front of them and his attention shifted to the water.
"What was that?" He asked slowly. "How in the name of Kronos' butt-cheeks did a cow get into the water?"
He saw Thalia's lips crack into a small smile, and before he could react, she was wading into the water, towards the direction the sound had come from. Perseus walked in after her, his feet pushing against the waves, which seemed to be trying to pull him back to the shore. He finally caught up with Thalia and he piped, "Why are you in the water? Aren't you supposed to be…you know, scared or something?'
She glanced at him briefly, surprise etched on her face. "Why would I be scared of water?'
He shrugged. "I don't know, maybe because your father and the Lord of the waves are rivals?"
She snorted from next to him. "I don't care about their stupid rivalry. It's not as if Zeus has done anything for me except try to turn me into a plant."
He blinked again. He voice was oozing with bitterness and she looked down at the water. "Come on, let's just find that cow. And then I can finally have that burger I couldn't eat for breakfast."
He chuckled. He couldn't tell if she was joking or not. He also didn't know what a burger was and once again, he decided not to ask.
They walked on for a few minutes, and the sound came again from his left. He snapped into attention. He had heard that particular moo before. He just didn't remember where…
Mooooooo!
And then it hit him. His eyes widened comically. It couldn't be. It couldn't be here. He began wading towards his left, not even bothering to check if Thalia was following. If it was on the beach of Camp Half-Blood…
Suddenly he knew what the second bane of Olympus was. The creature which had almost brought the downfall of the gods millennia ago. A few months after he had been born.
His former pet floated up to him from the depths, and he felt Thalia come up next to him. "What the…Is that a cow-eel hybrid?'
He looked away. He wasn't sure what to tell her. He didn't know if he could. At least, not now. He didn't answer and instead took in the beast's features. It had the front half of a calf, with black fur and big, wide brown orbs and a white muzzle. Its back half was long, and slippery, with a few fins sticking out of it.
"It looks cute," Thalia leaned down. "Where did it come from?'
He shrugged. "I don't know. It just appeared here." He turned to glance at Thalia once again, eyes immediately narrowing when he saw her blue eyes had glazed over, It almost seemed as if she was in a trance…
He snapped his fingers in front of his face. "Thalia."
She yelped slightly, startled and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm good."
Perseus turned back to the cow-serpent and sent his thoughts floating over to it. Leave now, I'll find you again. Soon.
He smiled at the sound of the familiar moo and watched as the cow swam back under the surface. Perseus turned to Thalia, tilting his head to the side as the world around him started turning grey and ash.
"The dream is ending now," he spoke. "I'm waking up."
She nodded, and Perseus continued. "You should get some rest. Big day tomorrow." He paused for effect, before saying, "And please. Talk to Luke."
She pursed her lips, before nodding once again. "I will."
He smiled as she began fading in front of him. "I'll see you soon, Thalia. Try not to die before then."
With that, the entire world folded around him, and everything turned black.
The girl walked forward, her heart hammering in her chest. It was finally happening. They were coming. The demigods would finally be walking into her hands. She dropped down in a bow next to the golden sarcophagus. Kronos' remains were almost complete. Soon, the Titan would be fully reformed. And then it would happen.
She would host his essence.
"They have taken the bait, Lord Kronos," she spoke to the golden coffin. "Thalia is coming, and so is Luke. The General has promised to make sure he pulls out the sword. Thalia can be turned to our side with your influence. Especially now we know her fatal flaw."
The voice came from beside her, and she shuddered. It was almost as if he was whispering in her ear. This was why she preferred contacting him through dreams. "Make their quest more challenging. Separate the demigods from the hunters and the satyr."
She bowed. "It shall be done." Her head shot up when she heard the footsteps, and two women walked into the room.
She sent a nod to the first of them, who nodded back. Her gaze shifted to the second of them, who was looking around as if she had just walked into a monster-infested cruise ship - which she had.
"What is she doing here?" She turned to the other woman, rising from her bow, her expression more questioning that angry.
"She shall be a good ally. With her power, I believe she is going to help us immensely. So I convinced her to join the Titans."
The girl pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. It wasn't hard to see she was the one in charge. "You should have informed me before making any decisions, mother."
She turned to the other woman and said bluntly. "I don't trust you, goddess. But what has been done, has been done. But if you cross me…"
The newer Olympian goddess spy scoffed.
The voice appeared once again, but this time, she didn't flinch. "Set sail for the west coast. The General and Lelantos shall meet you there."
The three figures in the room nodded, but no one moved, and the girl snapped at the two goddesses. "You heard him. What're you waiting for? An invitation?"
Their newest ally frowned but did not speak. Sticking her nose in the air, she swooshed out of the room.
"Oh," The girl stopped the other woman before she could leave. "Inform Morpheus that I wish to use his services once again - to meet our second spy at Camp Half-Blood.'
The goddess nodded and sent the girl a small smile. "You have made me proud. It shall be done."
After the goddesses had left, the girl exhaled. Everything was going to end soon.
The Titans were going to rise again.
A/N: So, a lot of you peeps were saying the Olympian spy was Hestia. I don't know why though, lmao. There's no solid reason for her to betray Olympus. It just doesn't make sense. She's the goddess of peace and the hearth. Sorry, but Hestia is not the spy. Also, another Olympian goddess has turned. Who do you think this one is? Why are they both goddesses? And as usual, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Leave behind your thoughts in comments or reviews.
And don't forget to vote, favorite, follow, or leave a kudos [You get a cookie if you do so and an update by Saturday :)].