We were walking down to the mess hall when Jason said "so um who's your godly parent?" Jason asked. "Don't know I haven't been claimed yet" I said. Jason looked shocked and said "what do you mean you haven't been claimed? I thought we were the only ones who haven't been claimed" Jason said. "Nope there's me and then you guys" I said. "How long have you been here?" Jason asked. "Since I turned 15 about six months ago," I said. "And you still haven't been claimed?" Jason asked. "Nope but you will," I said. "How do you know?" Jason asked. "Just a gut feeling and speaking of gut feelings I'm starving" I said and started walking faster to the mess hall. We eventually got to the mess hall just in time for dinner. I plopped myself down on the Hermes table with the other kids and then I saw Jason looking around. "Hey Jason come here" I said waving him over. He came over and sat down. "Now you have to tell me that you're hungry," I said. At that exact moment Jason's stomach growled something fierce and he looked at his empty plate. "Don't worry you'll be able to eat soon" I said. "I think Chiron will want to say something," I said. "About what?" Jason asked. "About you man" Maxwell said to him another Hermes kid. At that exact moment Chiron walked into the mess hall and onto his personal table. He stomped his hoof onto the floor making all the noise in the mess hall stop. "Campers! Today we have three new campers!" Chiron bellowed. There was a polite round of applause from the campers and eyes turned to look at Leo and Jason. "Where's the third one?" A boy from the Ares cabin asked. "Urm she's currently taking a well deserved rest but she will be fine for the campfire" Chiron replied. There was a murmur from the campers but they quickly stopped when Chiron stomped his hoof again. "Now our new friends are probably hungry…so let's eat!" Chiron said happily. Jason looked confused and then the food started to arrive onto people's plates and he became even more confused. "Just think of your favorite food," I said. For a second Jason looked like I was making fun of him but then he looked to be in thought for a moment and then a nice cut of meat came onto the plate covered with a nice layer of sauce. "Man you have good taste" I said, leering over the meat with hungry eyes. "Huh okay magic food" Jason said and then he started digging in with a fork and knife and then eventually he gave up and started digging in with his hands. "Whoa man you're hungry hah!" I said. "But not as hungry as me!," I said laughing. I thought about what I should eat for tonight and then settled on some nice old fashioned soul food. Instantly on my plate was a nice meal of fried pork and some biscuits with gravy. I didn't even bother with utensils and started eating it like I usually do. "Oh man Louis 's doing it again" Maxwell said excitedly. The other Hermes kids started to watch me eat like there was no tomorrow. I just kept eating but I made sure to keep the biscuits for the fire. Eventually I was done with the fried pork and I patted my belly and took a deep breath. I kept just drinking my ever filling cup of water and talking to my fellow cabin mates when everyone got up to give an offering to the gods. "Yo Jason it's offering time"
I said picking up my plate with my biscuits and gravy on it. "Offering time?" Jason implored with sauce hanging from his mouth. "Yeah we offer our food to the gods by putting our food into the fire" I said. "Okay" Jason said, picking up his plate too. I waited in line for a while and when I got to the front I did what I always did. I prayed to the gods to claim me. I put the biscuits and gravy into the fire and took in the sweet aroma. I then went back to the table. I waited for a while and then the campers started getting into lines to head to the campfire. I got into the line of the Hermes kids and Jason followed behind me. We walked to the amphitheater and when we got there the campfire was already burning bright. Me and the Hermes kids got to our area of the amphitheater and sat down. The other campers followed suit getting into their seats with their banners in front of them. We then started singing our usual campfire songs. We sang for a while with Jason awkwardly singing the words. Finally the song ended and we all gave each other a round of applause. That's when Chiron trotted up and said "Very nice! And a special welcome to our new arrivals. I am Chiron, camp activities director, and I'm happy
you have all arrived here alive and with most of your limbs attached. In a moment, I promise we'll get to the s' mores, but first". "What about capture the flag?" somebody yelled. "Yes," Chiron said. "I know the Ares cabin is anxious to return to the woods for our regular games."
"And kill people!" one of them shouted.
"However," Chiron said, "until the dragon is brought under control, that won't be possible. Cabin Nine, anything to report on that?" Then Nyssa stood up from the cabin 9 side of the amphitheater and said "we're working on it" she said. "How, Nyssa?" an Ares kid demanded.
"Really hard," Nyssa said. Nyssa sat down to a lot of yelling and complaining, which caused the fire to sputter chaotically. Chiron stamped his hoof against the fire pit stones
— bang, bang, bang — and the campers fell silent. "We will have to be patient," Chiron said. "In the meantime, we have more pressing matters to discuss."
"Percy?" someone asked. The fire dimmed even further,Chiron gestured to Annabeth at the Athena side of the amphitheater next to us on the bottom. She took a deep breath and stood.
"I didn't find Percy," she announced. Her voice caught a little when she said his name. "He wasn't at the Grand Canyon like I thought. But we're not
giving up. We've got teams everywhere. Grover, Tyson, Nico, the Hunters of Artemis — everyone's out looking. We will find him. Chiron's talking about
something different. A new quest." It's the Great Prophecy, isn't it?" a girl called out.
Everyone turned, including me. The voice had come from the Aphrodite They'd been chatting among
themselves and not paying much attention as per usual until their leader stood up: Drew.
"Drew?" Annabeth said. "What do you mean?"
Well, come on." Drew spread her hands like the truth was obvious. "Olympus is closed. Percy disappeared. Hera sends you a vision and you
come back with three new demigods in one day. I mean, something weird is going on. The Great Prophecy has started, right?" I turned to Rachel who had entered the amphitheater with Piper apparently. "Well?" Drew called down. "You're the oracle. Has it started or not?" Rachel stepped forward and said "Yes," she said. "The Great Prophecy has begun." What happened next could only be described as complete and utter madness. Jason mouthed something to Piper and she nodded back. When the talking finally subsided, Rachel took another step toward the audience, and fifty-plus demigods leaned away from her, as if one skinny
redheaded mortal was more intimidating than all of them put together. "For those of you who have not heard it," Rachel said, "the Great Prophecy was my first prediction. It arrived in August. It goes like this:nine half-bloods shall answer the call. To storm or fire the world must fall — " Jason shot to his feet. His eyes looked wild, like he'd just been stabbed. Rachel looked shocked "J-Jason?" she said. "What's — " "Ut cum spiritu postrema sacramentum dejuremus, " he chanted . "Et hostes ornamenta addent ad ianuam necem. " I knew what he had just said but others were trying to translate using their lessons from school. You just . . . finished the prophecy," Rachel stammered. " — An oath to keep with a final breath/And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death. How did
you — "
"I know those lines." Jason winced and put his hands to his temples. "I don't know how, but I know that prophecy." "In Latin, no less," Drew called out. "Handsome and smart." Jason looked embarrassed but I took a reassuring hand on his shoulder and "hey don't worry about them they're always like that" I said. Well," Rachel said, trying to regain her composure. "So, yeah, that's the Great Prophecy. We hoped it might not happen for years, but I fear it's
starting now. I can't give you proof. It's just a feeling. And like Drew said, some weird stuff is happening. The nine demigods, whoever they are, have not
been gathered yet. I get the feeling some are here tonight. Some are not here." The campers began to stir and mutter, looking at each other nervously, until a drowsy voice in the crowd called out, "I'm here! Oh . . . were you calling
roll?"
"Go back to sleep, Clovis," someone yelled, and a lot of people laughed.
"Anyway," Rachel continued, "we don't know what the Great Prophecy means. We don't know what challenge the demigods will face, but since the
first Great Prophecy predicted the Titan War, we can guess the second Great Prophecy will predict something at least that bad." "Or worse," Chiron murmured, which didn't exactly make anything better. What we do know," Rachel said, "is that the first phase has begun. A major problem has arisen, and we need a quest to solve it. Hera, the queen of
the gods, has been taken."
Shocked silence. Then fifty demigods started talking at once.Chiron pounded his hoof again, but Rachel still had to wait before she could get back their attention.
She told them about the incident on the Grand Canyon skywalk — how Gleeson Hedge had sacrificed himself when the storm spirits attacked, and the
spirits had warned it was only the beginning. They apparently served some great mistress who would destroy all demigods. Then Rachel told them about what had happened in Hera's cabin much to the amusement of Drew. Jason," Rachel said. "Urn ... do you remember your last name?"
He looked self-conscious, but he shook his head.
"We'll just call you Jason, then," Rachel said. "It's clear Hera herself has issued you a quest."
Rachel paused, as if giving Jason a chance to protest his destiny. Everyone's eyes were on him; there was so much pressure, Piper thought she
would've buckled in his position. He looked brave and determined. He set his jaw and nodded. "I agree."
"You must save Hera to prevent a great evil," Rachel continued. "Some sort of king from rising. For reasons we don't yet understand, it must happen
by the winter solstice, only four days from now." That's the council day of the gods," Annabeth said. "If the gods don't already know Hera's gone, they will definitely notice her absence by then.
They'll probably break outfighting, accusing each other of taking her. That's what they usually do." The winter solstice," Chiron spoke up, "is also the time of greatest darkness. The gods gather that day, as mortals always have, because there is
strength in numbers. The solstice is a day when evil magic is strong. Ancient magic, older than the gods. It is a day when things ... stir." Okay" Annabeth said, glaring at the centaur. "Thank you, Captain Sunshine. Whatever's going on, I agree with Rachel. Jason has been chosen to
lead this quest, so — "
"Why hasn't he been claimed?" somebody yelled from the Ares cabin. "If he's so important — "
"He has been claimed," Chiron announced. "Long ago. Jason, give them a demonstration." At first, Jason didn't seem to understand. He stepped forward nervously, He glanced at Piper, and she nodded encouragingly. She mimicked flipping a coin.
Jason reached into his pocket. His coin flashed in the air, and when he caught it in his hand, he was holding a lance — a rod of gold about seven feet
long, with a spear tip at one end.
The other demigods gasped. Rachel and Annabeth stepped back to avoid the point, which looked sharp as an ice pick.
"Wasn't that ...''Annabeth hesitated. "I thought you had a sword." Urn, it came up tails, I think," Jason said. "Same coin, long-range weapon form."
"Dude, I want one!" yelled somebody from Ares cabin.
"Better than Clarisse's electric spear, Lamer!" one of his brothers agreed.
"Electric," Jason murmured,"Back away."
Annabeth and Rachel got the message. Jason raised his javelin, and thunder broke open the sky. Every hair on Piper's arms stood straight up.
Lightning arced down through the golden spear point and hit the campfire with the force of an artillery shell. When the smoke cleared, and the ringing in Piper's ears subsided, the entire camp sat frozen in shock, half blind, covered in ashes, staring at the
place where the fire had been. Cinders rained down everywhere. A burning log had impaled itself a few inches from the sleeping kid Clovis, who hadn't
even stirred.
Jason lowered his lance. "Urn ... sorry."
Chiron brushed some burning coals out of his beard. He grimaced as if his worst fears had been confirmed. "A little overkill, perhaps, but you've
made your point. And I believe we know who your father is."
"Jupiter," Jason said. "I mean Zeus. Lord of the Sky." Everything broke into chaos, with dozens of people asking questions until Annabeth raised her arms.
"Hold it!" she said. "How can he be the son of Zeus? The Big Three ... their pact not to have mortal kids ... how could we not have known about him
sooner?" The important thing," Rachel said, "is that Jason's here now. He has a quest to fulfill, which means he will need his own prophecy." She closed her eyes and swooned. Two campers rushed forward and caught her. A third ran to the side of the amphitheater and grabbed a bronze
three-legged stool They eased Rachel onto the stool in front of the ruined hearth. Without the fire, the night was dark,but green mist started swirling around Rachel's feet. When she opened her eyes, they were glowing. Emerald smoke issued from her mouth. The voice
that came out was raspy and ancient — the sound a snake would make if it could talk:
"Child of lightning, beware the earth, The giants' revenge the seven shall birth, The forge and dove shall break the cage,the son of the father must find his past And death unleash
through Hera's rage." On the last word, Rachel collapsed, but her helpers were waiting to catch her. They carried her away from the hearth and laid her in the corner to rest. "Is that normal?" Piper asked. Then she realized she'd spoken into the silence, and everyone was looking at her. "I mean... does she spew green
smoke a lot?" "Gods, you're dense!" Drew sneered. "She just issued a prophecy…Jason's prophecy to save Hera! Why don't you just ". Now normally I would've said something but I was in a state of panic and completely unable to say something. Thankfully Annabeth said something,Drew," Annabeth snapped. "Piper asked a fair question. Something about that prophecy definitely isn't normal. If breaking Hera's cage unleashes
her rage and causes a bunch of death ... why would we free her? It might be a trap, or — or maybe Hera will turn on her rescuers. She's never been kind to
heroes."
Jason rose. "I don't have much choice. Hera took my memory. I need it back. Besides, we can't just not help the queen of the heavens if she's in
trouble." Nyssa said, "Maybe. But you should listen to Annabeth. Hera can be vengeful.
She threw her own son — our dad — down a mountain just because he was ugly." Real ugly," said someone from Aphrodite.
"Shut up!" Nyssa growled. "Anyway, we've also got to think — why beware the earth? And what's the giants' revenge? What are we dealing with here
that's powerful enough to kidnap the queen of the heavens?". I was still hyperventilating and trying to slow my breathing. Annabeth took a deep breath. "It's Jason's quest," she announced, "so it's Jason's choice. Obviously, he's the child of lightning. The only problem is the quest asks for four people and not three". "What's wrong with that? Jason asked. "Most quests use three heroes because it's a lucky number but this quest specifically said to have four heroes" Annabeth said. "Well then I'll pick three heroes I guess," Jason said. Travis yelled, "Well, you, obviously, Annabeth. You've got the most experience."
"No, Travis," Annabeth said. "First off, I'm not helping Hera. Every time I've tried, she's deceived me, or it's come back to bite me later. Forget it. No
way. Secondly I'm leaving first thing in the morning to find Percy." It's connected," Piper blurted out, not sure how she got the courage. "You know that's true, don't you? This whole business, your boyfriend's
disappearance — it's all connected."
"How?" demanded Drew. "If you're so smart, how?"
Annabeth saved her. "You may be right, Piper. If this is connected, I'll find out from the other end — by searching for Percy. As I said, I'm not about to
rush off to rescue Hera, even if her disappearance sets the rest of the Olympians fighting again. But there's another reason I can't go. The prophecy says
otherwise." It says who I pick," Jason agreed. "The forge and dove shall break the cage; the son of the father shall find his past. The forge is the symbol of Vul — Hephaestus". Under the Cabin Nine banner, Nyssa's shoulders slumped, like she'd just been given a heavy anvil to carry. "If you have to beware the earth," she
said, "you should avoid traveling overland. You'll need air transport." The flying chariot's broken," Nyssa continued, "and the pegasi, we're using them to search for Percy. But maybe Hephaestus cabin can help figure
out something else to help. With Jake incapacitated, I'm senior camper. I can volunteer for the quest."
She didn't sound enthusiastic.
Then Leo stood up. It's me," he said.
His cabinmates stirred. Several tried to pull him back to his seat, but Leo resisted.
"No, it's me. I know it is. I've got an idea for the transportation problem. Let me try. I can fix this!" Jason studied him for a moment. I was sure he was going to tell Leo no. Then he smiled. "We started this together, Leo. Seems only right you
come along. You find us a ride, you're in."
"Yes!" Leo pumped his fist.
"It'll be dangerous," Nyssa warned him. "Hardship, monsters, terrible suffering. Possibly none of you will come back alive." Oh." Suddenly Leo didn't look so excited. Then he remembered everyone was watching. "I mean ... Oh, cool! Suffering? I love suffering! Let's do
this." The only problem is who's the son of the Father? "Anyone can be a son of a father so it must be some sort of code Annabeth said.
That's when I knew I had to do it,I had to acknowledge the fact that I was going on this quest. "It's me," I said standing up. Everyone turned to look at me. "Louis ? How do you know? You haven't even been claimed yet" Drew asked snidely. "Because the prophecy isn't about my godly parent" I said. "It's about my mortal adoptive father," I said. "Your mortal dad was a Father?" Leo Asked, confused. "Not like you think" I said. Finally I mustered up the courage to come out and say it. " I said. "My dad is Louis Auguste, a Catholic priest". "The man who raised me was Louis Auguste, making me the son of a Father''. I said Matter of factly. "And we should take your word for that?" Drew asked, looking dismissive. "Fine, don't believe me if you want" but I'm telling the truth" I said everyone turned to Chiron. He had a very grim expression on his face. I had told no one about my father except him. Finally he said, "He's right,no one else in camp matches the description of a son of a father". No one objected to his words knowing they were right. I knew I had to say something so I then said 'he's a great man and an even better man " I said.' Everyone looked like they were unsure on how to continue. "Very well then," Jason said. "Welcome to the team". I was kinda surprised when Jason welcomed me so quickly so I said "thanks man you won't regret it" I said. Annabeth nodded. "Then, Jason, you only need to choose the third quest member. The dove — "
"Oh, absolutely!" Drew was on her feet and flashing Jason a smile. "The dove is Aphrodite. Everybody knows that. I am totally yours."
Piper's hands clenched. She stepped forward. "No."
Drew rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, Dumpster girl. Back off."
"I had the vision of Hera; not you. I have to do this."
"Anyone can have a vision," Drew said. "You were just at the right place at the right time." She turned to Jason. "Look, fighting is all fine, I suppose.
And people who build things ..." She looked at Leo in disdain. "Well, I suppose someone has to get their hands dirty and I suppose you kinda have to bring along him, " she said looking at me. But you need charm on your side. I
can be very persuasive. I could help a lot." Now I wasn't convinced like everyone else appeared to be, even Chiron. "Well ...''Annabeth said. "Given the wording of the prophecy — "
"No!" "I'm supposed to go." Piper said. Everyone started nodding, muttering that hmm, Piper's point of view made sense too. Drew looked around, incredulous. Even some of her own campers were nodding.
"Get over it!" Drew snapped at the crowd. "What can Piper do?" Piper appeared to be losing her confidence and was looking…scared? "Well," Drew said smugly, "I guess that settles it." At that moment Piper suddenly had her clothes changed to that of a beautiful v neck gown with gold armbands adorning her biceps. When before she had no makeup on she now had makeup on that enhanced her beauty tenfold. "Oh, god," she said. "What's happened?". I gestured to her dagger and she looked at her face in the reflection and looked mystified. "Beautiful," Jason exclaimed. "Piper, you ... you're a knockout." Drew's face was full of terror and disgust. "No!" she cried. "Not possible!". This isn't me," Piper protested. "I — don't understand."
Chiron folded his front legs and bowed to her, and all the campers followed his example.
"Hail, Piper McLean," Chiron announced gravely, as if he were speaking at her funeral. "Daughter of Aphrodite, lady of the doves, goddess of love." At that very moment at that exact same time a blue glow emitted above me. I eagerly looked up to see it but I was confused and somewhat angry when I saw that it was a blue triangle. Everyone looked at me and there were sounds of not amazement like the others but murmurs of confusion. "What god is that?" Someone shouted from Apollo. Annabeth and Chiron had looks of both confusion and worry. "It can't be!" Annabeth said, mystified. "What the hells going on?!" I asked angrily. "Who does the triangle represent?" I asked. Annabeth looked at me with an expression that was either worry or intrigue in her eyes. "Louis…" she started to say. "What" I asked confused. "Louis, that's the symbol of Daedalus" she finally said.
