CHAPTER THREE

Prophecies Really Just Suck

All this traveling with Heimdall really had me wondering: Has Iris been holding out on us all these years? I mean, she was the Greek goddess of Rainbows. Could she secretly travel through rainbows? The more I thought about it, though, the less I really wanted it to be true. I just didn't really like the whole experience. I reminded myself to ask Annabeth about it later.

While we were free falling through ROY G. BIV (yeah, I went to fifth grade) I managed to hold on to my daughter this time. We landed hard on our butts yet again. I looked over to see Magnus standing perfectly upright, along with Annabeth and Alex and Hearth . . . and Blitz. Okay, so I landed on my butt. I dusted myself off, assisting Sophia in doing the same. Heimdall had deposited us right next to Thalia's Pine on the top of Half-Blood Hill. I drew in a deep breath. Gods, I hadn't been back here in forever.

"Daddy . . ." Sophia's voice was full of awe. I figured it would remain that way for most of the day. We were going to blow her mind. "What is this place?"

I shared a smile with my wife. I laced my fingers with hers.

"Well, Baby, this is where Mommy and I grew up; we lived here when we were kids."

Sophia giggled happily, bouncing up and down. She made my heart melt. I even saw Magnus smile and I was fairly certain he didn't really want kids.

"Can you show me everything you did, Daddy? I do everything just like you!"

I scooped her up.

"Of course, Sophie. But Mom and I have something important we have to do first, okay? We'll show you a few things, but the real exploration will have to wait."

Sophia's face fell slightly, but then turned back to her bubbly smile.

"Okay, Daddy. Don't take long."

I took her hand and escorted the group towards the Big House lawn. So, Annabeth and I weren't really sure how it worked. Sophia technically half me, half Annabeth. We didn't know if she'd have any powers, or be able to see through the Mist, or what. But, since she could clearly see Camp Half-Blood, there was a good chance she had some sort of power. I said a silent prayer to my dad that Sophia would take after me. We had been reading the Greek myths to Sophia since she was two. She was six now. Oh, gods. She's growing up too fast.

Chiron greeted us from the porch, trotting to meet us. Yes, trotting, he's got a horse body.

"Percy! Annabeth! Good gods, it has been a while!"

He offered his arms to both of us for an embrace. Sophia stared.

"D-Daddy!" She gasped. "He-he's like the guy from your bedtime stories! He's like-like Chiron! He's a Centaur!"

Her hands were flailing wildly. The group laughed, with Chiron looking the most amused. His face seemed to be much older now, more . . . ancient. His tail twitched.

"Well, my dear, that's because I am Chiron."

I swear she almost fainted. "The one from the stories? The demigod trainer?"

Sophia looked at me for confirmation. I nodded.

"I am, indeed," Chiron said, a familiar twinkle in his eye. "I trained your parents"

Sophia scrunched her brow, no doubt trying to figure out everything.

"Wait, does that mean-" she leapt into my arms. "Daddy! Are you a demigod?"

"Son of Poseidon" I confirmed. Sophia's eyes glowed with amazement.

"Mommy! Who's your god parent?!"

Sophia was excited.

"Athena," Annabeth answered.

"Don't Poseidon and Athena hate each other?"

I chewed the inside of my cheek.

"Eh, not as much as they used to," I decided. "Athena does hate me, though. Anyway, Baby, Mommy and I need to talk to Chiron in private. Do you want to wait on us, or do you want another camper to give you a tour of Camp?"

"I'll wait on you, Daddy."

"Okay, well, I'm going to have someone take you to my Cabin. You can sit in there until we're done here. We shouldn't be long."

Chiron called over this guy to walk Sophia to Cabin Three. I watched them walk away. I had a bad feeling in my gut, but it always appeared when I have to leave Sophia alone. I turned to Chiron.

"Chiron, I'd like to introduce Annabeth's cousin, Magnus, and Alex. They also have their friends Hearth and Blitz."

Chiron gave each a handshake, studying each of them apprehensively.

"And what brings you back to camp after 8 years, Percy?"

"Well, Magnus and Alex here are from Valhalla-"

Chiron stumbled back, clearly unsettled. He made a three-finger gesture over his heart. This was an ancient symbol for warding off evil.

"Di Immortales," he cursed. "Then it has begun. And, Percy, I wish you had never come back."

That stung. Chiron had been my mentor for years. His approval meant something to me. But when I looked him in the eyes, I saw pain and sadness, like I was looking into his soul. Annabeth had a pained expression, while Magnus and his crew just looked confused.

"Come, then. We haven't much time before I leave. I assume you came for the Oracle."

He galloped in the direction of our Oracle's cave. I squeezed Annabeth's hand. I was starting to feel very nervous. I was sweating.

"Annabeth-"

"I don't know, Percy, I don't know."

"Uh, do we need to follow him?" Magnus asked. I nodded, and we raced after Chiron.

Rachel stood at the entrance, not the faintest hint of a smile to be found. My mind was trying to figure out what was happening. Rachel brushed her red hair from her face, revealing her green eyes. She was a beautiful girl, all Oracles were. There was one point when I was fifteen where I thought, maybe, that I liked Rachel, but it didn't work out. She had to become an eternal maiden forever, and I had to marry the love of my life. But despite that, I can't deny that she was a pretty girl. Gods, I hope Annabeth doesn't read this. Rachel looked up at me.

"Gods, Percy. It's horrible. I-I can barely stand it. They're all screaming at me. I don't know what to do."

She pointed at Magnus. Her voice began having a raspy undertone. Something was wrong. Annabeth shot me a worried look. She could sense it, too.

"This is your doing, Magnus Chase. You've ruined everything. Your monster wreaks havoc. It's making the spirits angry, making them mad."

Magnus looked like he'd been punched.

"Me?" he sputtered. "I don't even know you, how do you know my name?"

Hearth looked ready to pummel Rachel to death.

"The spirits, the Oracle, the Augurs, the Volva. Freya, Apollo, all of them, they're talking to me. I can't take it!"

Wasn't a Volva a car? I wasn't sure how a car was talking to her, but I've seen weirder. Suddenly, she doubled over, smoke billowing from her mouth. However, this wasn't green smoke, like usual. It was red.

"Seven Half-Bloods shall answer the call

To the Storm of Freya Gaea must fall"

Rachel cackled manically. Whatever voices were in her head, they were confusing her, mixing up old prophecies. Rachel locked eyes with me.

"Here's the final prophecy, Perseus."

Chills went down my spine.

The Son of Ran, dead will be

When travelers descend on the fiery tree

The Prophet's Son shall break the curse

That binds the giantess of the first

Only Magic and gods prevail

Lest Wisdom sever the mortal veil

Rachel's body went limp, then rigid, a shockwave radiated from her body, basking the hill in a red light. I shielded my eyes. I heard a Boom! My body was sent flying backwards. I scrambled to my feet, quickly, pulling out my sword. A flash of gold light seemed to fly from Rachel's nose. Her body collapsed into a heap, steam slowly trickling from her unconscious form. Chiron skittered nervously, surveying the scene. I rushed to Annabeth, helping her up.

"What the Hades just happened?" Annabeth demanded. Alex grunted, assisting Magnus.

"I want to know the same thing," She said. "What was that prophecy? Does she normally do that?"

Chiron cautiously flipped Rachel on her back. Her clothes were on fire.

"Percy!" Chiron cried out. I responded by closing my eyes and reaching out my hand. Momentarily, the water in the ground responded to me, forming an orb above the Oracle. I unclenched my fist, dropping it. The fire doused. I stood, dumbfounded, trying to figure out what had happened. Annabeth's hand clenched onto my wrist.

"Percy!"

I snapped back into reality. Annabeth's piercing grey eyes gazed worriedly at me.

"Percy? Are you okay? I think Rachel is having problems like the gods did when Gaea rose the second time."

"What does that mean?" Magnus asked. I was wondering the same thing.

"Okay, Magnus, so Gaea is the earth goddess. She's a very powerful being that sleeps for eons, trying to build enough power to fully rise and destroy the gods. Years ago, when Percy and I were teenagers, Gaea tried to rise. In doing so, though, she invoked both the Roman and Greek forms of the Olympians. The gods had headaches, and heard voices talking to them. One second Zeus was Jupiter, and the very next he was Zeus. Two distinct personalities battling each other for Supremacy."

Magnus interrupted.

"So, why were the Norse gods not affected by this."

Annabeth ran her fingers through each other.

"Because, the Norse gods are not the same deities. You see, when Rome took over, they adopted the same gods from the Greeks. They simply renamed them and slowly changed their personalities over time through their stories and legends. The Norse gods are from a different culture. Their personalities are unique."

She paused, chewing her lip. I had no idea how anything made sense. All of the gods have different creation stories, right? So, if all the gods do exist, who really crated the earth? My mind wanted to explode.

"But. . .what if, the prophetic spirit was the same? Rachel mentioned the Oracle, the Volva, and the Augur. Those are all the spirits that influence Prophecy in their respective religions. What if, Prophecy is the same? What if, it cannot change because Prophecy always remains the same? It isn't a god, confined to its domain. I think those spirits are inside Rachel, battling for control."

I tried to process what Annabeth was saying. Gods. It made me shutter. Magnus and Alex seemed just as confused, while Hearth and Blitz nodded, as it they followed along perfectly. Hearth brushed off his suit.

"My dear, you truly are the daughter of a Wisdom goddess. Understanding like that is. . . amazing! It's so complex, no simpleton could come to a conclusion such as that." He scratched his chin. "It seems plausible. It's frightening."

Annabeth blushed. She loved being complemented on her intelligence. I was also kind of irritated that the elf called me a simpleton. I shook it off. Chiron was deep in thought. He looked at Annabeth and smiled. It wasn't completely happy, though. His expression was pained. He turned to me.

"Ah, Percy. This is why I did not want you to come back."

He caught me off guard.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He held out a hand towards Annabeth.

"The pupil becomes the teacher."

I wracked my brain for possible answers. Annabeth was just as confused, so it made me feel a bit better. He clomped over to us, embracing us both. He stood back, straightening himself.

"Remember when I told you my wish, Percy? The one the gods granted me? I would never die as long as heroes needed me."

He smiled fondly at the both of us. Annabeth was choking back tears. I hated that. Suddenly I was angry at Chiron for making my wife cry.

"Thank you for being those heroes. I couldn't think of any finer heroes to be my last."

My anger subsided. Realization dawned on me.

"Goodbye, my children."

With those final words, Chiron's body faded, leaving behind nothing. We didn't even have time to mourn because at that same moment, I heard my daughter scream.