Chapter XVI
Quest and morbid prophecy
The next morning, Chiron moved Percy to cabin three. He didn't have to share with anybody. Percy had plenty of room for all his stuff: the Minotaur's horn, one set of spare clothes, and a toiletry bag. He got to sit at his own dinner table, pick all his own activities, call "lights out" whenever he felt like it, and not listen to anybody else. And he was absolutely miserable.
Just when he'd started to feel he had had a home in cabin eleven and he might be a normal kid—or as normal as you can be when you're a half-blood—he'd been separated out as if he had some rare disease.
As for Heron, though, he and his team would go into the forests early in the morning to find the beastmen's encampment and gather intelligence. The weight of his new mission pressed heavily on his shoulders, but he couldn't afford to let doubt creep in; the safety of his friends depended on him succeeding where others had failed.
Another thing he had gotten to work on was building his own cabin. Hermes's cabin was just too crowded, and he and his friends liked their space to be alone or just talk to his friends privately without the risk of anyone listening in. He had started the building early, grabbing huge logs, when his friends offered their help in building 'The Cipher Cabin.' Heron just raised a brow and said they were not calling it that.
It's simply 'Sigmar cabin.'.
In honor of his father.
Regrettably, the Athena cabin provided less support because of his tight camaraderie with Percy Jackson. In contrast, the Hephaestus cabin was the only one willing to step up, as the other cabins were too fearful of him and his friends. Since he gained their trust and respect by creating swords and shields that were works of art. A hobby he picked up on Mallus Secundus as he apprenticed under a Dawi blacksmith From Karak-a-Karak. The reason was that he wanted to maintain his weapons out in the field.
Nobody mentioned the hellhound, the beastmen, or even the warriors in silver and gold armor, but Percy got the feeling they were all talking about it behind his back. The attack had scared everybody. It sent six messages: one, that he was the son of the sea god; two, monsters would stop at nothing to kill him and his friend; three, there are bigger, meaner, uglier, and smarter monsters; four, other gods from different pantheons exist; five, said best friend's dad is a god; six, his best friend is also a god who was turned mortal fighting in a never-ending apocalyptic three-way war for the very soul of mankind. All in all. They could even invade a camp that had always been considered safe.
Then there were the massive humanoids who went by the name Stormcast Eternals. He couldn't help but feel like an insect in comparison to these warriors, who looked like they could go toe to toe with a minotaur without breaking a sweat. Their armor gleamed with an otherworldly light, and their presence radiated power and authority, leaving him both awestruck and one was dressed head to toe in different types of armor and a wide range of magical weapons.
The other campers steered clear of him and Heron as much as possible. But Heron's friends made up for it. Cabin eleven was too nervous to have sword class with him after what he'd done to the Ares folks in the woods, so his lessons with Luke and Zhou became one-on-two. Luke pushed Percy harder than ever and wasn't afraid to bruise him up in the process.
"You're going to need all the training you can get," he promised, as they were working with swords' and flaming torches. "Now let's try that viper-beheading strike again. Fifty more repetitions."
Annabeth still taught Percy Greek in the mornings, but she seemed distracted. Every time Percy said something, she scowled at him, as if he'd just poked her between the eyes. But the silver-eyed one, Elodie, would keep her in line, helping him more in Greek than Annabeth and having to scold her a couple of times, but she would often ignore it.
After lessons, Annabeth would walk away muttering to herself, "Quest...Poseidon? ...Dirty rotten... Got to make a plan..."
Even Clarise kept her distance, though her venomous looks made it clear she wanted to kill him for breaking her magic spear. Percy wished she would just yell or punch him or something. He'd rather get into fights every day than be ignored.
A wish he immediately regretted.
Clarisse was delighted to learn that Heron's other friend, Anatoly, would help him train/torture him in ways Percy could never have imagined, taking the place of Are's daughter as his wrestling partner and thoroughly destroying him in wrestling sessions. Percy's spine snapped after a backbreaker move performed by the powerful Russian teen.
Percy believed that he would never be able to walk again until Anatoly used a bottle of water to heal him. The kislevite was given a strict scolding by Chiron only for him to respond, "I wanted to test the extent of Percy's healing abilities." After that he was banned from wrestling lessons, but the Kislevite simply ignored it.
When night came, the Apollo kids were about to begin singing, but they were discussing which songs to sing this time. Mr. D had also chosen to help them, but he didn't seem very pleased and glared much of the time. Then out of the blue, Elodie's voice rang out from the Stormcast camp just as the Apollo youngsters were going to stand up and sing.
"Drifting through time in the hours of twilight, can you be found? in the kingdom of stone.
"What do you see on the ocean's breeze—or skyward bound...?
I've known you forever and yet not at all. I've seen you sour, and I've seen you fall. I hold your memory inside my heart. Through these endless endings that we've been part of.
I see your strength and the weight that you bear. I know the truth of the mark that you wear. I hold the light that you've shone onto me. Closer than anything—
Though.
Everything's dark.
And the Stone Kingdom's coming
This is only the start!
Of the greatest threat we're facing
I cannot fail.
(I cannot fail.)
This is not how it's ending!
Have wisdom to know
Have courage to show
There's a hope worth fighting for!
Over and over and over and over and over and oh, our lives forever changed. Can we rearrange the strands of fate?
Make our future something bright.
Can we stand up against the tyrant's rage of power we've yet to escape?
I won't run.
I have faith.
Till it's done.
I will pray we'll rise.
Till the sun will rise.
Into peaceful skies!"
When one of the campers inquired what the song was about, Elodie said that it was about a Hittite prince and a daughter of Poseidon defeating the tyrant Theseus of Athens. Who used her mother's eyes to create a superweapon that transformed thousands of men, women, and children into stone sculptures, which were then used to build Athens. She said that the narrative was more than just one of bravery and adventure; it was also a cautionary tale about the dangers of unbridled authority and the value of solidarity in the face of oppression. The campers listened in wonder, fascinated by the songs' combination of mythology and moral lessons.
That lecture did not calm the anxiety; he heard the troops whispering about a horrible calamity.
Whispers like,...half of the great Parch is gone..." and "...damn the Skaven's cunning..." or "...we lost almost everything..."
'Guess I better go see if I still have someone to teach me how to use a sword.' Percy thought, getting up to head to the arena, only to stop when he saw Heron standing there.
"O-oh, hey Heron." With a little smile on his face, Percy expressed his relief at his friend's safe return from his last mission to locate the beastmen's camp.
"How are you feeling?" Heron asked with what appeared to be a sympathetic expression on his face.
Percy was to say he was fine...but sighed and shook his head. "Miserable. I'm all alone in my cabin; everyone's afraid of me, and Annabeth and Luke are acting cold to me as well."
"I wouldn't take it personally, man." Heron spoke. "Her mother, Athena, is a competitor to your father. She's just acting the way she thinks she should. "What a ridiculous excuse." Heron sneered, unimpressed by Annabeth's acting. "She must remember that she is not her mother, and you are not your father. Given who my father is and what he's done throughout the ages, I know what it's like to be met with fearful eyes."
Heron is the only one who can relate to Percy, he reasoned. It was evident from what Heron had revealed about his father and their relationship—and the way he had spoken about Sigmar—that theirs wasn't your usual father-son dynamic. Knowing that Sigmar is regarded as "the greatest god in all of the nine realms" was something his sword brothers and sister had stated, and it offered him a hint as to what Sigmar was really like.
If he had been the child of a man like that, he would be the happiest kid on the block.
As the old expression goes, the sins of the father are visited upon the children.
"Come." Heron said suddenly, causing Percy to be brought from his thoughts and see the son of Sigmar and Hestia walking away.
Confused Percy jogged to catch up. "Where are we going?"
"You need training in your combat skills, so I'll be the one to teach you." Heron explained patiently before he leveled his friend with a hard look. "But my training isn't for the faint of heart. It would make the beating you received from Anatoly look like a picnic. So I will hear no complaints, no whining, and no long breaks. Nothing. If you are going to be a warrior, then I'm going to train you to become one. Am I understood?"
Percy swallowed a lump in his throat, seeing how they began walking side-by-side. "Improving your hydrokinesis, among anything else you've inherited from your father."
"Any ideas?" Percy asked curiously.
"Could take notes and inspiration from water-controlling characters from those comic books, cartoons, TV shows, and movies, for example." Heron suggested with a shrug. "From what I've seen, there's some pretty impressive display of powers there."
Percy chuckled but nodded, then became interested and inquired. "How about you? As Sigmar's son, what can you do? I mean, I've just seen you use your fists and warhammer; I've never seen you utilize your skills."
"Because I haven't had a need for them in my time here." Heron said with a sigh before starting. "As a son of the god king, I've inherited many abilities, such as superhuman strength, given my father is also a god of strength and the strongest out of all the gods of Terra, surpassing the Greeks, Egyptians, Japanese, and even Norse gods themselves in terms of brute force and physical strength."
"I also have superhuman speed, reflexes, superhuman agility, superhuman stamina, and Tempestakinesis—"
"What's that?" Percy asked, cutting in.
"I'm capable of summoning harsh lighting storms at whim." Heron explained, getting a nod from Percy. "There's also electrokinesis, in which I have complete control over electricity and lighting, which is something I got from my dad. As for cryostasis... I got it from my patron god."
"Do you have a patron god?" Percy asked in surprise, not expecting
Heron nodded. "Ulric is the deity of war, winter, and wolves. An angry, combative, and possibly single-minded yet noble deity. Overall, a pragmatist who rewards his people with bravery, perseverance, and devastating battle fury. Ulric is the god that gifted my dad to godhood in the first place."
Heron's voice dropped slightly, a touch of reverence in his tone. "He embodies the harsh realities of life, teaching us that strength often comes from struggle and that sometimes the greatest victories are forged through adversity. His lessons resonate deeply within our bloodline, shaping not just the warriors we become but the very essence of our spirit. To honor Ulric is to embrace the fight," Heron continued, his eyes glinting with determination, "for it is through our challenges that we truly discover who we are."
"Wow...that's amazing." Percy said in awe, which caused Heron's lips to quirk into a small smile.
"Suppose it is. Now come, we shouldn't waste any more time." Heron said, walking onwards with the son of Poseidon following.
"How long before it's complete?" Heron asked Charles Beckendorf, son of Hephaestus, as they stood outside Heron's cabin, still in the process of being built, but the sudden appearance of bad weather caused a delay in the building and put a stop to it.
"Well, once the storm goes away and we can do so without the rain pelting us, we might have it done within a week or two." Beckendorf said with a shrug. "That's my rough estimate. Then we need to get stuff for the inside, paint the interior, and put a stop to it."
"I'll make a list of what I want and need inside, and you can do what you
"What is it?" Heron asked with a frown, seeing Grover's worried expression while Percy looked confused.
"Mr. D wants to see you both." Grover said,.
"What does that useless walking wineskin want?" Heron asked.
"Probably to bitch about all the Dawi and Duardin ale that arrived." Anatoly commented, taking a sip from his water can.
"He's a god of wine," said Zhou. "He cannot drink beer."
"And that makes it more hilarious. God of alcohol but cannot drink said alcohol." Elodie chuckled.
Heron grunted, "Well, like it or not, let's see what the son of a bitch wants."
Over the Long Island shield, the sky looked like ink soup coming to a boil. A hazy curtain of rain was coming in their direction. Percy asked Grover if they needed an umbrella.
"No," he said. "It never rains here unless we want it to."
Percy pointed at the storm. "What the heck is that then?"
"It'll pass around us. Bad weather always does." Grover said with an uneasy look at the sky.
"Well, someone's a little pissy today." Anatoly said, getting a nervous look from Grover as a boom was fired off.
Percy realized he was right. In the week he'd been here, it had never even been overcast. The few rain clouds he'd seen had skirted right around the edges of the valley. But this storm...this one was huge. Definitely not the normal kind... Heron seen worse storms thanks to his dad and himself.
At the volleyball pit, the kids from Apollo's cabin were playing a morning game against the satyrs. Dionysus's twins were walking around in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow around in the strawberry fields, making the plants grow.
Everybody was going around about their normal business, but they looked tense. They kept their eyes on the storm.
The trip walked up to the front porch of the Big House. Dionysus sat at the pinochle table in his tiger-striped Hawaiian shirt with his Diet Coke, just as he had on his first day. Chiron sat across the table in his fake wheelchair. The lord Celestant stood like a statue, flanked by two liberators showing little to no interest in the card game.
"Well, well," Mr. D said without looking up. "Our little celebrity and his big bad bodyguard with the Three Stooges."
"Fuck you too, fat man." Anatoly insulted back.
Mr. D glared at the Kislevite, still deciding whether to turn the mortal into a bug or not for constantly annoying him.
"Come closer, and don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal. Just because old Barnacle Beard is your father, or you're the spawn of the biggest troublemaker in existence…" Stated Mr. D, not caring as a net of lightning flashed across the sky and thunder caused the windows to shake.
"Blah, blah, blah," Mr. D said.
Chiron feigned interest in his pinochle cards. Grover covered by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth. Iden and his guards simply glared at the wine god.
"Do you have an important reason for calling us here or just to be insulting because that's all you can do?" As Heron clenched his fists, he inquired with narrowed eyes. His father's decisions were not always popular, but Heron believed his father regretted it every single day and tried to right past wrongs of the Age of Chaos to redeem himself. Yet, the weight of those past decisions lingered heavily in the air, and Heron could feel the tension rising. "If you truly wish to discuss this, then let's focus on solutions instead of slinging accusations like the man-child you are," he added, striving to keep his voice steady despite the turmoil within.
Mr. D narrowed his eyes at the son of Sigmar. "If I had my way, you would've been booted out of here the day you arrived, or I would've left you to the monsters. And as for the boy, I'd cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm. And my aunt would hunt me down to the end of the earth."
"Like we need any protection from you or your kind." Heron retorted with a glare while Percy looked at him like he was crazy, given this was still a god they were dealing with.
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron put in.
"Nonsense," Dionysus said. "Kids wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father." Dionysus, looking at Percy with his eyes glowing slightly, only made the twelve-year-old nervous. He then looked at Heron. "And you... well, I wonder if your father would be happy to have you back. As a bug I mean."
Heron's body tensed, and his hand gripped the Soul Drinker. The Stormcast stiffened, preparing to smite down the god that threatened their god-king's son.
Mr.D-" Chiron warned.
"Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose and him into an insect to crush. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, Heron Heldenhammer, if you're smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do."
Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle. A credit card? No. A security pass.
He snapped his fingers.
The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became a hologram, then a wind, then he was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind.
"Picking a fight with a god is not the best idea." Elodie pointed out.
"You say that like I should be afraid of any of the Olympians." Heron snorted, "Besides, if Dionysus does turn me into a bug, then my dad would personally hunt him down, torture him for a couple of days, and force him to turn me and Percy back to normal."
Chiron smiled at the duo, but he looked tired and strained. "Sit, Percy and Heron, please. And Grover."
Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use.
"Tell me, both of you," he said, "what did you make of the Hellhound."
"Not even a challenge." Heron said bluntly,.
"It scared me," Percy said. "If Heron hadn't killed it, I'd be dead."
"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done."
"Done...with what?"
"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?"
Percy glanced at Grover, who was crossing his fingers.
Heron narrowed his eyes. "What quest? What part do I have in all this?"
Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details." Heron and Percy are sharing a frown with each other.
Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had not reached the edge of the beach. As far as Percy could see, the sky and the sea were boiling together.
"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy said. "They're fighting over something valuable...something that was stolen, aren't they?" Chiron and Grover exchanged looks.
Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?"
Percy's face felt hot. He wished he hadn't opened his big mouth. "The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth about a theft. And...I've also been having these dreams."
"I knew it!" Grover cut in.
"Hush, Satry!" ordered Chiron, only for Grover to be too excited.
"But it is his quest! It must be!" Grover said.
"A few days ago, you said any quest I got would be incredibly dangerous; now you're excited I'm getting one. I just feel the love, G-man." Percy said dully, making Grover bleat in embarrassment, making him smile in amusement.
"Either way, only the Oracle can determine this. Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt," revealed Chiron.
"You've got to be shitting me!" Anatoly gaped, Zhou placing a hand to his forehead from a growing headache, not believing someone would be this incompetent.
Elodie was muttering, "This can't be happening," in a mantra over and over.
"I'm in an agreement with my companions; how did Zeus lose that?" Heron asked, knowing exactly what was being talked about. Zeus' Master Bolt. His symbol of power.
No wonder the beastmen attacked without fear of reprisal. There wasn't going to be one!?
Percy laughed nervously. "A what?"
"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives'."
"Oh."
"Zeus's master bolt, Chiron said, getting worked up now. " The symbol of his power, from which all other lighting bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclops for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheared the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."
"And it's missing?"
"Stolen," Chiron said.
"By who?"
"By whom," Chiron corrected. Once a teacher, always a teacher. "By you two."
Percy's mouth fell open while Heron didn't even blink.
"I'm not surprised he accuses me." Heron shook his head. "I'm the son of his greatest rival/enemy."
"At least"—Chiron held up a hand—"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' 'Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master's bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly—that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."
"But I didn't—"
"Patience and listen, child," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt until Heron arrived. At first he figured Heron was there on Cyphr-Sigmar's orders and stole the master bolt, but the Olympians would've detected the presence of a demigod of another pantheon crossing into Olympus regardless, and with Sigmar inviting Zeus himself to talk face-to-face and discuss a possible alliance between our two pantheons, that still didn't put Zeus at ease with Heron's presence, given he's from an unknown pantheon and is his rival's son."
"Why am I not surprised?" Heron muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. So he's accused of something he didn't do, then just...treated with caution given who his family was. He wasn't really surprised at Zeus being wary of his prescience here.
"Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son, Percy. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."
"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!"
Chiron and Grover glanced nervously at the sky. The clouds didn't seem to be parting around them, as Grover had promised. They were rolling straight over the valley, sealing them in like a coffin lid.
"Er, Percy...?" Grover said, nervously, not wanting him to end up struck down. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."
"Neither Percy nor I could be the thief." Heron said firmly. "Percy didn't know about all of this, our world, until a month ago. As for me, I was on campaign. However, madness does run in his veins."
"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam..." He looked at them as if he actually expected Percy to remember question thirty-eight.
How could anyone accuse him of stealing a god's weapon? He couldn't even steal a slice of pizza from Gabe's poker party without getting busted. Chiron was waiting for an answer.
Something about a golden net?" Percy guessed. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods... they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"
"Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. . And now, you've come along—the proverbial last straw."
"But I'm just a kid!"
"Percy," Grover cuts in,"if you were Zeus and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you... Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"
"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon—my dad—he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?" Percy asked, wanting to believe his father didn't steal the Master Bolt, did he?
Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the sea god is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera, Demeter, or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?"
"It would be like an early end time, only dooming Terra and all who walk in it." Elodie said, getting a nod from Chiron.
"Not to the extent, but it's close," Chiron said, "Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight."
"And it would force Sigmar to enact drastic measures to stop such a war from happening."
"Okay, very bad then." Percy nodded.
"And you, Percy Jackson, Heron Heldenhammer would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."
Heron was silent as he thought on what to do and recounted the situation. Zeus's master bolt has been stolen, and Percy is being accused simply because he is Poseidon's son and Zeus thinks Poseidon is trying to overthrow him. Heron is being blamed simply because he's the son of his greatest enemy/rival.
Heron looked outside and watched it start to rain. Volleyball players stopped their game and stared in stunned silence at the sky.
They had brought this storm to Half-Blood Hill. Zeus was punishing the whole camp because of them. He and Percy were furious. "We need to find the bolt, don't we?"
"Yeah, so we have to find the stupid bolt," Percy said, "and return it to Zeus."
"What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon and son of Cypher return Zeus's property? And it would help ease Zeus in his caution of you, Heron."
"Doubt it." Heron scoffed. "But if it helps my dad, I'll do it."
"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?" asked Percy.
"I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago...well, some of the lines make sense to me now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?"
"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."
Percy swallowed. "Good reason."
Heron crossed his arms. "I'm no coward. If doing this keeps Terra from becoming a battlefield for World War 3 between the gods, then I'll do it."
"You agree then?"
Percy looked at Grover, who nodded encouragingly. Easy for him. He was the one Zeus wanted to kill. Heron, on the other hand, was willing to protect him at any cost.
"All right," Percy said. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."
"Or diverting the destruction of western civilization."
"Then it's time to consult the oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."
Heron and Percy went up four floors that ended under a green trapdoor. Percy pulled the cord, and it swung open to reveal a ladder clattering into place. The warm air above smelled like mildew and rotten wood and something else...something reptilian. The smell of snakes.
Percy held his breath and climbed. The attic was filled with Greek hero junk:armor stand covered in cobwebs; once-bright shields pitted with rust; old leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying ITHAKA, CIRCE'S ISLE, and LAND OF THE AMAZONS. One long table was staked with glass jars filled with pickled things—severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, various other parts of monsters. A dusty mounted trophy on the wall looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.
By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy. Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk. She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time.
Looking at her sent chills up Percy's back while Heron was unfazed and impassive. And that was before she sat up on her stool and opened her mouth. A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes. Percy stumbled over himself trying to get to the trapdoor, but it slammed shut. Heron brought out Soul Slayer, ready for a fight. Years of battling the Nighthaunt
Inside their heads, they heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around their brains: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask.
The mummy wasn't alive. She was some kind of gruesome receptacle for something else, the power that was now swirling around them in the green mist. But its presence didn't feel evil, like their demonic math teacher, Mrs. Dodds, or the Minotaur. It felt more like the three Fates they'd seen knitting the yarn outside the highway fruit stand: ancient, powerful, and definitely not human. But not particularly interested in killing them, either.
Heron and Percy shared a look before they stepped forward and asked, "What is our destiny?"
The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of them and around the table with the pickled monster-part jars. Suddenly there were four men sitting around the table, playing cards. Their faces became clearer. It was Smelly Gabe and his buddies.
Percy's fists clenched, though he knew this porker party couldn't be real. It was an illusion, made out of mist.
The mist swirled again, taking the form of a very tall, intimidating woman who was built like a tank, wearing armor of the Stormcast Eternals and with facial scars on her face. But despite the scarred appearance, it did not take away from the fact she was muscular. She had a variety of weapons on her body, deathly white hair tied into a bun, and deathly white eyes.
The second was a man in his mid-thirties wearing wizardly robes and a fur cap that framed his weathered face. He carried a staff adorned with runes that glimmered faintly, suggesting a mastery of ancient magic, and his expression was one of cautious optimism as he regarded the towering warrior beside him.
Heron recognized her right away in an instant.
It was his first mentors, Sigrun and Demechrios.
Heron backed away in shock and horror before he recalled Soul Slayer to him with a growl, ready to face his former mentor when Percy got in front of him, hand pressed against his chest.
"Heron! Heron! It's not real! It's not real!" He told him, causing Heron to look at Percy as his breathing turned heavy and frantic, nothing but rage and hate in his eyes as he looked at the image of his former mentor. "Heron...that's not real."
Percy had a strong suspicion who it was given Heron's reaction and the sim
Heron took several deep inhales and exhaled, slowly calming down, and he relaxed while Percy watched him with concern. Finally, Heron put the soul drinker down and looked at Percy, gratitude shining in his eyes.
"Thank you, Percy," he said quietly.
"When you're ready to talk, I'm here." Percy said, causing Heron to give a small smile before they faced the oracle and the apparitions of people of their pasts.
Gabe turned toward them and spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: You shall go west and face the god who has turned.
His buddy on the right looked up and said in the same voice: You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned.
The guy on the left threw in two poker chips, then said: You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend.
Eddie, Percy's building super, delivered the worst line of all: You shall fail to save what matters most, in the end.
Demechrios continued giving a line directed to Heron: A ruthless beast from Olympus's past will return.
Sigrun gave the final line: And the wars for mankind's soul shall begin.
The figures began to dissolve. At first, Percy was too stunned to say anything, but as the mist retreated, coiling into a huge green serpent and slithering back into the mouth of the mummy, Percy cried, "Wait! What do you mean? What friend? What will I fail to save?"
The tail of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth. She reclined back against the wall. Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years. The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of mementos.
Heron put a hand on Percy's shoulder. He got the feeling that they could stand here until they had cobwebs, too, and he wouldn't learn anything else.
Their audience with the Oracle was over.
Well?" Chiron asked them.
Heron and Percy slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. Percy responded first. "She said we would retrieve what was stolen."
Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"
"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron pressed. "This is important."
Percy's ears were still tingling from the reptilian voice. "She...she said we would go west and face a god who had turned. We would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."
Chiron didn't look satisfied. "Anything else?" he asked sternly.
Percy didn't want to tell him.
What friend would betray them? He didn't have that many. And the last line—he would fail to save what mattered most. What kind of oracle would send him on a quest and tell him, Oh, by the way, you'll fail.
How could he confess that?
Percy looked between them nervously, not wanting to share the rest of the prophecy. Heron remained silent, thinking on the last line of the prophecy, which he knew concerned him. But what did it mean? What was his path?
"She said that a ruthless beast from Olympus's past will return and the wars for mankind's soul begin." Heron finally said, drawing all eyes to him. "It means war is coming."
"A ruthless beast from Olympus's past will return, and the wars for mankind's soul begin..." Elodie recited in a mumble, trying to figure it out herself.
Chiron nodded but still looked troubled.
He studied both faces. "Very well, Percy and Heron. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."
Percy got the feeling Chiron knew he was holding back something bad, and he was trying to make them feel better.
"Okay," Percy said, anxious to change topics. "So where do I go? Who's this god in the West?"
"Ah, think, Percy," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"
"Somebody else who wants to take over?" Percy guessed.
"Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken."
"Hades," Heron stated.
Chiron nodded. "The lord of the Dead is the only possibility."
A scrap of aluminum dribbled out of Grover's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh-what?"
"How do we know it's Hades?" Heron frowned as he asked. Hades is the god of the Underworld and is typically portrayed as the villain, so blaming him seemed so clichéd. In addition to having two children already with his wife and Queen Persephone, Hades is not like Nagash, the self-declared reigning deity of the Shyish kingdom. "We're simply blaming him without proof that he's behind this."
"He's right, Hades is many things, but evil is not one of them." Zhou said, "And his is not petty enough to do something so cowardly as stealing the bolt because of some oath."
"Don't forget he already has two children, Zagreus and Melinoe," Anatoly added.
"That's right." Heron sighed, uncrossing his arms. "So what real evidence suggests that Hades is the culprit?"
"A fury came after Percy," Chiron reminded them. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."
"Yes, but—but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protested. "Especially if he has found out Percy is a son of Poseidon..."
"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Field of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest."
"Great," Percy muttered bitterly. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."
"But a quest to..." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."
"Hades sent a minion to steal the mast bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy and Heron must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."
A strange fire burned in Percy's stomach. The weirdest thing was: it wasn't fear. It was anticipation. The desire for revenge. Hades had tried to kill him three times so far, with the Fury, the Minotaur, and the hellhound. It was his fault his mother had disappeared in a flash of light. Now he was trying to frame him and his dad for a theft we hadn't committed.
Percy was ready to take him on. Besides, if his mother was in the Underworld... Whoa, boy, said the small part of his brain that was still sane. You're a kid. Hades is a god.
Heron exhaled. This had sure been quite a few interesting months on Terra. First he waged a war against the undead on Mallus, returned from the realm of Azyr to finish his studies, fought a corrupted manticore, and then found himself in a camp for demigods, and now he has been accused of stealing a god's symbol of power and must go to the Greek underworld to find said symbol simply because everyone believes the God of the Underworld would be behind it.
Grover was trembling. He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips.
The poor guy needed to complete a quest with them so he could get his searcher's license, whatever that was, but how could he ask him to do this quest, especially when the Oracle said they were destined to fail? This was suicide.
"Look, if we know it's Hades," Percy told Chiron, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."
"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron said. "Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades—and I imagine Poseidon does—they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?"
"I'm no hero." Heron said with a frown. "A hero... is someone who puts others before themselves, someone who sacrifices for the greater good. I just do what I can to survive and help those close to me. Hell, I'm almost sure most of the demigods here haven't done anything heroic. They're just trying to navigate their challenges, like the rest of us. It's easy to label someone a hero when they've done something spectacular, but the truth is, heroism often lies in the small, everyday choices we make."
"Bullshit, you done more
"You're saying we're being used."
"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you."
His dad needs me.
Emotions rolled around inside him like bits of glass in a kaleidoscope. He didn't know whether to feel resentful or grateful or happy or angry. Poseidon had ignored him for twelve years. Now suddenly he needed him.
Percy looked at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"
"I had my suspicions. As I said...I've spoken to the Oracle, too."
Percy got the feeling there was a lot he wasn't telling him about his prophecy, but Percy decided he couldn't worry about that right now. After all, he was holding back information too.
"So let me get this straight," Percy said. "I'm supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."
"Check," Chiron said.
"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."
"Check."
"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."
"That's about right."
Percy looked at Grover, who gulped down the ace of hearts.
"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" he asked weakly.
"You don't have to go," Percy told him. "I can't ask that of you."
"Oh..." He shifted his hooves. "No...it's just that satyrs and underground places...well…"
He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his T-shirt. "You saved my life, Percy. If...if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."
Percy felt so relieved he wanted to cry, though he didn't think that would be very heroic. Grover was the only two friends he'd ever had for longer than a few months. He wasn't sure what good a satyr could do against the forces of the dead, but he felt better knowing he'd be with him.
"All the way, G-man." Percy turned to Chiron. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."
"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."
"Where?"
Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."
Heron snorted, "And people call it the city of angels."
"Oh," Percy said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane—"
"No!" Grover shrieked. "Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?"
Percy shook his head, feeling embarrassed. His mom had never taken him anywhere by plane. She'd always said they didn't have the money. Besides, her parents had died in a plane crash.
"Percy thinks," Chiron said. "You are the son of the sea god. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you on an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive."
"Only Heron could travel through the air, given his own heritage, and even if Zeus tried blasting him, the lightning would tickle him." Anatoly said.
"Standing right here; don't talk about me like I'm not." Heron said with a frown.
"Sorry." Anatoly apologized sheepishly.
Overhead, lightning crackled. Thunder boomed.
"Okay," Percy said, determined not to look at the storm. "So, I'll travel overland."
"That's right," Chiron said. "Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will—"
Chiron was cut off when they heard a yelp, looking to see Heron holding Annabeth's Yankees cap, revealing the Daughter of Athena.
"Gee," said Percy, feigning surprise. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?"
"How did you know I was there?" Annabeth huffed, so sure she was so quiet nobody would've noticed her.
"Training, a lot of training" was all Heron said, causing the daughter of Athena to huff.
She then looked at Percy. "I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."
Heron narrowed his eyes. "You assume I and my team cannot do this."
"Your squad will not accompany you." Iden interjected, his voice firm yet calm, finally breaking his silence.
"Come again."
"They are needed for a another mission. However, the details will be discussed...in private." The lord Celestant said silently referring to Annabeth.
"So, Hammerhead. You were saying. " Annabeth with a small smirk while Heron grunted at the nickname.
"If you do say so yourself," Percy said. "I suppose you have a plan, wise girl?"
Her cheeks colored. "Do you want my help or not?"
The truth was, he did. He needed all the help he could get.
"A party of four," Percy said. "That'll work."
"Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own."
Lightning flashed. Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather.
"No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."
Mad though: sorry about that I'm saving that scene for later.
Primalbot22:Yes and no. Heron will team mates will go on missions while he's on the quests however they'll be missions that even Heron has to personally deal with.
Crazzytony: When I read the short story The Son of Kislev, I was surprised that the Tzarina herself once had a love life. But on Mallus Secundus it's more like a second chance for the people of the old world, but this time Sigmar knew what was going to happen; unfortunately, he didn't know how it would happen.