Act I Chapter XXVI: Percy Dreams about Math
Percy was so over these dreams. He was tired of the mysterious voices talking to him and showing him what might be the future, but could also be something that happened in the past. He hated these scenes that made no sense. Percy just wanted some kind of straight answer instead of having a mystery film playing on the inside of his eyelids.
Percy just wanted the demigod dreams to stop. Which was why he was grateful to fall asleep and have a dream about being in math class.
Okay, he might actually prefer the demigod dreams to this.
With the demigod dreams, he would be left confused and probably with some kind of vague threat on his life. Math class was the same way, but it also came with a headache.
Percy slowly looked around the classroom. He sat alone, and only the lights at the front of the class were on. Mrs. Dodds sat at her desk and stared ahead, boring her eyes right through Percy. It was like she didn't see him there. Percy waved just to make sure, and when she didn't react, he slowly looked around.
Well, he had all his clothes on, that was a good thing. Was this a nightmare about missing some kind of final? Because he hated those. Especially when they happened during the summer. Percy always woke up in a rush only to then realize that it was a dream and he could relax, but then, he was too wired to fall back asleep.
This couldn't be a missed final, though. Because he was probably going to miss finals with this whole demigod thing, but there was no one else in the classroom. Mrs. Dodds sat content in the darkness like it was an old friend. Her desk was a foot or two in front of the light.
The door opened, and Percy turned his head to see another woman walk into the room. She looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds, and Percy didn't know his teacher had a twin. It was rather weird. And who were their poor parents? Mrs. Dodds was awful.
"The demigods are on the move," Mrs. Dodds' twin sister reported. Percy hung his head. He would have preferred the math nightmare.
Well. Maybe.
"Have they found the statue?" Mrs. Dodds questioned. That caused Percy's ears to perk, and he looked back at the conversation.
"No," her twin answered. Mrs. Dodds stood, and her form started to change. Her skin became much more wrinkled than before as she seemed to shrink slightly. Flames, actual flames, blazed in her eye sockets. Percy watched in horror his math teacher transform into some kind of monster.
"We must beat them," Mrs. Dodds said resolutely. "Where must we go?"
"The master has narrowed it down to a few places in the greater area of New York: some museums. He believes it is close to the mountaintop," Mrs. Dodds' twin replied. Her head suddenly lifted, and she seemed to take in a deep breath of air. Her nostrils twitched. "I smell a godling."
Percy's eyes widened as Mrs. Dodds looked at him. Then, she lunged.
And Percy shot out of his bedroll with a scream.
The tent flap opened a moment later with Annabeth rushing inside. Her alert eyes locked onto Percy, then she created a scream of her own and covered her eyes when they drifted too far down, "Why are you in your boxers!?"
"Why did you come into the boy's tent?!" Percy complained as he buried himself in his bedroll to hide his leg. Then, he tried to cover his hands with his chest.
"You yelled! Of course, I was going to check on you!" Annabeth defended hotly. "Now, why are you only wearing your boxers?"
"It's hot in here," Percy deadpanned. Even though her hand hid her eyes and even then they were probably closed, Percy could tell that Annabeth was rolling her eyes. "Luke does it!"
"He also doesn't wake up screaming and making everyone think we're under attack," Annabeth lectured. Percy's face felt flushed with embarrassment, and he quickly put on his shirt and then pants.
"I'm dressed now," Percy mumbled. Annabeth slowly lowered her hand and looked at him. "I didn't mean to freak you out. I had a nightmare."
"About what?" Annabeth asked as she waited for Percy. He looked down and told Annabeth about his dream. His hands were still shaking. Annabeth gently grabbed his hands and squeezed tightly. Percy looked up at her. "That monster isn't going to hurt you. Let's go tell Chiron."
Percy nodded and slowly stood. He followed Annabeth out of the tent. As they stepped out, he saw that Luke and Drew were both looking in his direction. They had been sparring, but they probably stopped when he yelled.
"Is Percy okay?" Reyna asked. She was standing right outside the tent and had her sword in her hand. Clarisse was standing on the opposite side of the entrance.
"Just a bad dream," Percy answered.
"Don't be so dramatic next time, prissy," Clarisse reprimanded. Reyna studied Percy for a moment and then sheathed her sword. She rubbed her eyes and walked towards the fire.
Percy looked down and saw Chiron was moving towards them. He was holding onto a golden dagger that looked like it had been recently cleaned and polished, "Is everything okay? I heard a scream."
"Just a nightmare," Percy began. Chiron nodded at that, but he had a distracted look in his eyes. Percy glanced at the dagger. It wasn't like the weapons that the others had; it was more like Reyna's sword. There was some kind of symbol etched into the hilt.
"Reyna, how are you feeling?" Chiron asked as he turned towards her. "Did you get some sleep?"
"Some," Reyna answered, and her eyes flickered down to the dagger. Annabeth was watching the blade like a hawk, studying it from where she stood. Percy felt a little left out.
"What's so special about that dagger?" Annabeth suddenly asked. Her inquisitive gaze moved to Reyna.
"It saved my life," Reyna answered after a moment. "I didn't have a weapon when I was on my own. Other than bricks or mortal items I found in the world. When I arrived near the remains of Camp Half-Blood, I found that dagger. I've had it ever since."
"It may be time to give up the dagger," Chiron suggested gently. "It is, how do the mortals say, haunted."
"Haunted?" Annabeth repeated with disbelief.
"Like how a ghost haunts something?" Percy chimed in.
"In a way," Chiron confirmed. "This dagger belonged to one of the Romans that attacked Camp Half-Blood, and Romans had a superstition about ghosts and spirits. They even had some at their camps. Genuine spirits of the dead roamed their grounds. I believe that whoever this dagger belonged to did not finish their goal before they died, and traces of them remain with the dagger."
"It may even influence the thoughts of the wielder," Chiron continued. Percy didn't miss the way that Reyna's eyes flickered away. "Or cause them to see and experience things that happened to the wielder. I will give it to Lupa so she may dispose of it."
"Not to interrupt," Percy began. Though, he was grateful for the time to catch his breath and calm his heart. "But, I think I know where Terminus is. Or, I have some kind of idea."
Chiron's attention quickly snapped to him. Percy explained his dream for a second time, and as he did, he drew a small crowd. He tried not to look squeamish by all the eyes cast on him. When he finished his dream, a grim look enshrouded Chiron's face.
"You must find the museum quickly," Chiron stated seriously.
"What does the mountaintop mean?" Annabeth questioned.
"I believe the monster was referring to Mount Olympus. The entrance of which rests in New York," Chiron answered.
"There is an art museum," Percy added after a few moments. "We were going to go there for a field trip next year. Could that be it?"
"It may be, but we should look into the others around it as well," Chiron said.
"What about those monsters, Chiron? I don't like the sound of them," Luke spoke up. He had his own grim expression, like he already knew the answer, and it scared him. Annabeth frowned and seemed to connect some kind of thoughts as well.
"I can make a guess," Chiron said. He looked at all of them sadly. "With the flames in their eyes, it can only be one kind of monster. We call them the Kindly Ones."
"No," Annabeth whispered in despair. Luke paled.
"Kindly Ones?" Reyna asked, voicing Percy's question and sharing his look of confusion.
"They are the three direct servants of the man downstairs," Chiron explained. Percy froze. "I need to speak to Lupa, and we must hurry."
Percy felt sick to his stomach. He knew that they would face monsters along the way, but this wasn't just some monster. And Percy knew Annabeth's theory about the big guy downstairs, but that had just been a theory with no actual proof. Until now it seemed; worse, he was keeping an eye on them.
All Percy wanted to know was how he managed to get the attention of the Greek god Hades.
Percy really wished his dream had been about math class.