Chapter 4

Annabeth's POV

Phoebe was not in good shape, she had received an anonymous shirt after capture the flag. It was one of the hunting trips she had been to with Artemis and so when she got the shirt she put it on.

Unluckily for her, it was covered in Centaur blood. She was covered in red welts and was in constant pain. Zoe looked at the sight and said "She cannot go on the quest anymore, who would be a good choice to take with us? I was thinking Bianca"

I thought for a second before saying "Bianca's a good choice this is a good but also dangerous learning opportunity."

Thalia's POV

I had about an hour until the quest left so I went to find Nico in the Hermes cabin he was still asleep because it was five in the morning so I gently shook him awake when he saw me I clamped my hand over his mouth and gestured for him to follow me.

We walked a few feet away from the Hermes cabin before I started talking "Hey, the quest is about to leave so I just wanted to say bye. But I also have some bad news Phoebe can't go on the quest so Bianca is taking her place"

Nico's mood went from sad to downright depressed. I engulfed him in a hug and said "I will be back before you know it" he hugged back and responded "You better be, please keep her safe"

"I will try my best," I told him before going back to my cabin to retrieve my supplies.

I stood at Half-Blood Hill with Chiron "Be safe Thalia, I know that is a hard thing to ask for on a quest of life and death but do your best."

A few minutes later the rest of my companions arrived. Zoe said "We know where we need to go, the mountain of despair. It is in San Fransisco Calfiornia." She turned to Grover asking "You can perform a tracking spell can't you?" "Yes," Grover answered.

Grover pulled a handful of acorns out of one of his pockets(he had to dress like a mortal) and he started to sing a cheery little tune but I couldn't catch the words. The acorns started to move almost in a little dance.

After a minute the acorns stopped dancing and made an arrow that pointed west. "Well that was underwhelming," I said

I got a few nods of agreement. The camp van was parked at the bottom of Half-Blood Hill and Zoe immediately went to the driver's seat.

"No no no. You are not driving you look fifteen" I said "I have been driving since cars were invented we are fine so get in" she responded

I wasn't happy about it but I got in the car. Zoe and I were in the front while Bianca was in the back next to Annabeth. On the far side of the van sat Grover. I sat him as far from Bianca as possible for his safety.

"Why do I have to be over here" Grover complained "Because I know you won't try to flirt with Annabeth and if you do she won't hesitate to punch you" I responded while grinning like a maniac making Grover pale slightly much to my enjoyment.

As we all settled into the camp van I checked my supplies. I had Ambrosia, Nectar, water, granola bars, peanut butter crackers, Aegis on my wrist, and most importantly my spear disguised as my can of mace.

I noticed the others were checking their supplies as well "Great minds think alike I guess" I thought to myself.

Percy's POV

I heard the whip crack against my back but I didn't even feel it anymore I knew that it should hurt but I had gotten used to the pain, the torture.

One of the demigods Luke had recruited for his army was the one delivering my punishment today. He was inexperienced so that might have helped a bit.

I felt as if the demigod paused my punishment and I heard a quiet conversation go on between him and at least one other person.

After a few moments, my favorite son of Hermes stood in front of me smiling like a maniac. "I have good news for you Pearce. Looks like a rescue party is coming after you."

I paled this was not good. Me and Uranus's plan couldn't really work if it could hurt them.

Luke's smile only widened, and he looked crazy as he watched me take in this information. "Your rescuers," he said sarcastically "Include a few Hunter of Artemis, Grover, and most importantly Thalia soon to be one of Kronos's generals." Luke finished

I glared at Luke he seemed to notice this and kicked the leg I was standing on making me fall to the ground with the sky landing roughly on my back.

"Now the fun part starts, for me at least," Luke said.

He never left my vision he grabbed a whip the same one that had been used on me for all of my torture sessions it was coated in a layer of blood. A demigod walked up to Luke carrying a bucket and when he set it at Lukes's feet I realized that it was lava.

As I was trying to get up while under the burden the son of Hermes dipped the whip into the bucket and when he brought it out it was glowing orange.

I had finally managed to get back to my previous position when he brought the hot whip down on my chest. I screamed in pain.

This was the first time that the whip had not been used on my back so I wasn't prepared for it. It burned and hurt like a normal whip pulling the skin from my body with each hit and burning everything within an inch of where the whip hit. I was in more pain than ever. All the pain I was in seemed to suddenly crash down upon me.

Just as I was about to black out cold water was thrown on me. I gasped as the cold water made contact with my hot burns and exposed wounds.

My skin started sizzling. Once I was breathing normally Luke continued. "Every eight flogs (what it's called when you are whipped) we have to dump water on you or you might just die. I wouldn't have a problem with that but we need you alive at least for the time being."

He dumped another bucket of water on me before resuming his torturous fun.

Every time the whip struck my skin I couldn't help but scream in pain, and just to make it more fun for me he flogged both of my shoulders so that it could in his words "Be more fun for me to carry the sky"

This continued for seven hours with multiple people wielding the whip. I had over a hundred gallons of seawater dumped on me to reinvigorate and heal me.

Once they left I was struggling every inch of skin below my neck and above my knees was covered in scars and bloody wounds.

Uranus said "That looked fun" "Oh shut up" I responded. for most people it would have been suicide to say that to a primordial, but he put up with me since I was the first person to talk to him in a few thousand years.

Me and Uranus have kinda become friends, I had told him about all of my quests and friends, the Olympians. In return, he had told me about the early world and his siblings. He told me of his children, his favorite was Iapatus father of Atlas.

"I have some bad news the monsters from the ship wont fully be up here for two more days" Uranus told me.

I groaned in annoyance "it seems like they want me stuck unde here" i said

I grunted as I had to shift my stance to accommodate my injuries, which in turn hurt me more for a moment before the pain calmed down to just over unbearable.

Sorry, this chapter isn't great, and sorry it took so long for me to get out. My school started this week so I have been super busy with school and sports, but I am going to try to update this story every week probably on the weekends.

Sincerely,

Toxin1316