Chapter 18: A Shot Across the Bow

Percy slumped against the side of the shower walls as the warm water cascaded down down over him. It felt good against his tired muscles, especially down his shoulder where he had landed on the ground from his fall. He rubbed it absentmindedly as he thought about how useless the net they kept talking about had been at keeping him uninjured. How they hadn't told him about the net or the changes to the rules eluded him. Surely it should have been one of the first things that Sophie had told him when he walked into the Athena cabin, but she had been so focused on strategy, and maybe he had been so focused on being back in his exes cabin, that they had never gotten around to it.

He didn't understand why Chiron had gotten so angry at him though. Yes he had put the nature spirits lives in danger by using his Ice Kingdom, and yes maybe the outcome could have been worse than it was if some of the other campers had been injured, but they weren't. He had limited his attacks to Jett, Axel and Alice, but they had seemed to escape punishment while Chiron had brought down the brunt of his rage onto Percy. None of their wounds had been serious, if anything he had done less damage to them than they had to Thalia.

The warmth of the water faded as he felt anger and frustration build up in his chest. The temperature around him began to drop precariously and what had been a steamy shower turned more into an ice bath. He didn't feel the cold, but he could sense it was there. It was like it was a part of him now, intertwined with his senses.

He heaved a sigh and the knot in his stomach relaxed, and the temperature returned to something more befitting a hot shower. The water rejuvenated him, and the ache in his shoulder subsided completely. He held up his arms to the light and saw that they no longer possessed the glassy look that they had sported during his fight. Frowning, he crawled over to where his clothes were sitting in a pile and fished Riptide out of the pocket. The blade sprang to its full length as he uncapped it and he slowly brought the edge to his forearm. The cut would need to be fairly deep, which would have been dangerous to most people. However Percy figured that since he was sitting under a shower with water running down him he would probably be fine. That being said, if anyone had walked in on him at that moment it certainly wouldn't have been a good look for him. With a deep breath he sliced across his arm, watching intently.

A clink rang out across the bathroom as Riptide bounced harmlessly off of his skin. He let go of the breath he didn't know he had been holding and stared at his arms in awe. It was the same as the Curse of Achilles had been, but seemingly without the weak spot. He thought back to when he had taken a dip in the River Styx, how he had thought of Annabeth as his anchor and how it had helped him emerge with the curse. He had found a new anchor, and apparently that anchor had given his new powers the opportunity to manifest themselves in this new form. He certainly wasn't complaining, he was going to need every advantage possible if he was going to go toe to toe against an Annunaki.

Thinking of the Annunaki brought his mind back to the present, and the current situation he was faced with at the camp. The campers had been scared of him, and based on his demonstration of power that was probably a fair reaction. Jett and Alice had been powerful, but at the end of the day they simply weren't competing on the same level as he was. He had been competing against god's since he was a kid, and in a world of kill or be killed he had done a lot more killing than being killed.

He had been struggling to find stability since his return from the ice, and the way that Chiron had looked at him had done little to assuage that discomfort. Why was he made out to be the bad guy? He had just been protecting his friends?

The anger built back up in his chest and in a moment of blind rage he punched the wall of the shower. Dust exploded out from the wall as his fist carved a hole in the brick structure of the shower stalls. He wrenched his hand free and more dust filtered through onto the floor, most of it being collected by the running water and disappearing down the drain.

It wasn't fair. He had been made to look like the bad guy in front of the camp by a prideful and arrogant son of Zeus that had exactly zero achievements to his name. A shiver ran down his spine and Percy had to grab the rail to keep his power from spilling over and freezing the stall. The wave of new power that he had tapped into was not completely under his control, and it seemed as prone to his emotions as his control over water had been before he had learnt to harness it as a demigod. He thought back to his time at Yancy Academy, when his anger had caused the fountain to rise up and drench Nancy Bobofit. He let out a chuckle, that felt like a lifetime ago which, he supposed, it was now. It had been twenty six years since he had attended Yancy Academy, a time that had been much simpler.

But not better, he thought to himself, remembering what it was like living with Smelly Gabe. He wondered how Gabe would have reacted if he could see him now, perhaps more god than human, and thought about how satisfying it would be to see Gabe shit his pants as Percy approached. The image brought a smile to his face, and he realised that his 12 year old self would have had traded everything to be in the situation he was in now. Regardless of the stress and pressures that faced him now, at least his mom was happy and he had something worth fighting for.

A knock on the door of the stall broke him out of his stupor. He stepped out of the water and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his lower half as he opened the door. What he hadn't expected was to see the goddess of the moon on the other side.

"May I enter?" she asked nonchalantly, seemingly unfazed by the fact that he was only covered by a towel.

Percys mouth opened and closed but words didn't come out. A visit from a maiden goddess while he was mid shower was not something that he had expected, and he certainly hadn't expected her to try and join him in the stall.

"I would like to talk to you privately, Perseus. And I would prefer not to be found by a camper standing in the middle of the boys shower block. It wouldn't do well for my reputation."

Percy just nodded and stepped aside, indicating for her to join him in the stall. She obliged and glided past him, taking a seat on the small bench opposite the shower. He moved to turn off the shower but she motioned for him to pause.

"I'd prefer not to have anyone listening in on our conversation."

Percy frowned, "I don't think anyone else is in the shower block right now."

Artemis pointed upwards, "I wasn't referring to mortal ears."

Percy's eyes widened in understanding and so instead he just leaned against the wall. He wasn't sure how comfortable he was being shirtless in front of Artemis, but since his clothes were out in the hall there wasn't a lot he could do about. They stood, and sat, in silence for a moment before Artemis broke it softly.

"Was the wall colour not to your liking?" she asked, looking at the hole in the wall.

"I…uh…I was upset."

"Understandable…thank you, by the way."

Percy cocked his head to the side, "What are you thanking me for?"

"A few things," she replied, a smile appearing on her previously unreadable expression, "Not least of all giving my half brother a well deserved beat down."

Percy sighed in relief, at least he wasn't going crazy and someone else thought Jett was an asshole, "What is wrong with that kid?"

The goddess shook her head slowly, "He has been at camp since he was a boy. He first arrived when he was 8 years old, and ever since he has been my fathers pride and joy. I don't think my father ever really recovered from Jason's death. He had been the greatest child he'd birthed in a generation. When his newest son arrived he hyped him up to no end, not just to the other gods but to the campers as well. Made him the de facto leader of camp and claimed him to be the strongest demigod since you."

"I never asked to be leader of the camp."

"No," Artemis agreed, "You became their leader because in their darkest moments, when their lives were on the line, they knew they could trust you to pull through. The best leaders are not chosen, they are made. They emerge when they are needed. There is a favourite quote of mine: Bad times make strong men, strong men make good times…"

"...Good times make weak men, weak men make bad times." Percy finished, "Why are you telling me this?"

Artemis sighed, "Because you were given bad times, you were a strong man, and you left us with good times. Your success is the reason we have weak men today."

"Are you blaming me for that?"

Artemis laughed, "Of course not, I prefer good times, just not the men it makes. But something has happened. Bad times are upon us. Something we didn't understand but with what you have told us about the Annunaki now we do. My father refuses to acknowledge the severity of the situation in front of us, and your actions tonight have put Chiron in a very difficult spot."

"Put him in a difficult spot?" Percy asked incredulously, "He tore me a new one in front of camp and made me look like an asshole. How's that for a difficult spot?"

A look for Artemis told him to stand down, "Chiron was fighting for you in front of my father. A quest is going to be issued, and Chiron wants you to lead it. My father wants Jett to lead it. Regardless of how much more powerful you are than my half-brother, he has my fathers favour, and you didn't help yourself by fighting your fellow campers."

"They attacked Thalia. They attacked Reyna. I wasn't going to sit by and let that happen!"

"I know. And I am grateful for what you did. You have proven yourself time and time again a true ally of the Hunt, and I am in your debt. Which is why I'm here."

Percy sighed and began pacing the length of the relatively small stall, "Here for what?"

"To warn you," the goddess answered, leaning back against the wall, "And to give you some advice."

"Advice about what? Warning about what?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow, "You're terribly impatient you know."

Percy considered firing back with some insults of his own, but figured that it was probably not to piss off the one Olympian other than his father who seemed firmly in his camp, "I'm sorry, I'm just stressed. I've had a really bad night."

Artemis nodded in understanding, "You made a mistake. Everyone does."

Percy shook his head, "But what mistake? Fighting Jett was a mistake? Protecting Thalia was a mistake? Why does everyone keep telling me I made a mistake when I did the right thing?"

Artemis stood and squared off against him with her eyes shining defiantly, and Percy was suddenly acutely aware that Artemis was in her 13 year old form while he was standing in front of her naked save for the towel. Once again if anyone walked into the stall he would have some serious explaining to do.

"You protecting Thalia was the right thing to do. Don't ask stupid questions. Your mistake was losing your cool. You're meant to be an experienced leader, and you let yourself be baited and outsmarted by a bunch of kids. Baited into fighting your teammates, people who look up to you, and putting their lives in danger. You're the hero of Olympus, Perseus, you don't get the benefit of the doubt for making mistakes like that."

Percy paused, and the frustration that was building in his chest seemed to dissipate at Artemis' words. He remembered how Chiron had looked at him in the cleaning. It had been a look of disappointment. He wasn't angry that he had fought to protect Thalia, he was angry that he had lost his cool doing it. He face palmed. How had he been so stupid as to let someone like Jett bait him into losing his cool?

"I'm an idiot." he muttered, which caused Artemis to smile.

"Admitting it is the first step to recovery," she teased.

Percy frowned down at the goddess, "Never pegged you for the comedian."

"I'm hilarious once you get to know me."

"I'll take your word for it. So what is this quest that Chiron is fighting to get me to lead?"

The smile fell from Artemis' face and her expression turned grave, "I believe you are acquainted with our Oracle?"

"Rachel?" Percy asked, and Artemis nodded in affirmation.

"About a week ago she fell into a coma, Apollo tried everything but nothing will bring her out of it. She has been repeating a prophecy in her sleep."

"A week ago?" Percy questioned, "That was about the same time I got out of the ice. There's no way that's a coincidence right?"

Artemis shrugged, "I doubt it, but we can't know for sure. It was agreed that this Capture the Flag game would help us choose candidates to go on a quest. Chiron has been pushing for you ever since you returned, but my father prefers Jett. If you had just beaten him then Chirons argument would have been strengthened. But the way you lost control has allowed my father to argue that you are unreliable and unstable since coming out of the ice. He had said that we have no idea how the time away has affected your mental state and that because of that Jett is the clear candidate."

"Respectfully, your father is a moron. Even with the help of Alice and Axel, Jett wasn't able to compete with me."

"I know that. You know that. Chiron knows that. And there's a good chance my father knows that, but pride is his flaw and he allows it to cloud his judgement. He summoned Dionysus to Olympus after the game, and when he returns I believe it will be carrying orders to give Jett the quest."

Percy turned away and let out a yell of frustration. He went to punch the wall again, but seeing the damage he had already done decided against it. It also wouldn't help the argument that he was mentally stable enough to take on the quest.

"So what can I do?" he asked, "How can I stop it?"

Artemis shook her head solemnly, "I don't believe there is any way to gain the quest for yourself anymore. I spoke to Chiron before coming here, and we are in agreement that there is no longer a way to change my fathers mind. That's the main reason Chiron was so frustrated with you, you torpedoed his whole argument in an afternoon."

Percy sighed, "So that's it? Zeus is so busy playing favourites that he's willing to let his daughter get caught in the crossfire just to get his son a quest?"

"My father has banned discussion of the Annunaki. He believes that letting you go on the quest signals that the threat is grave. That, coupled with your propensity to tell everyone you meet about the looming threat of the Annunaki, makes you an unfavourable option in the eyes of my father. Your reckless display of power is the excuse he has been waiting for."

"Y'know, if this Enlil guy is coming back to take his throne…maybe Zeus getting kicked out of the job wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."

Artemis' face hardened, "My father is not perfect…but there are far worse alternatives to his rule."

Percy thought back to Chronos' description of the Annunaki. He had called them murderous conquerors, and claimed that Enlil had wiped out the first race of mankind on a whim. That being said, he was fairly certain there was something in the ancient Greek myths that said Zeus had done the same thing. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

"So why are you here telling me all this?"

Her face softened, and her silver eyes met his ice blue ones, "Because I believe you…and I believe in you. I always have…since the moment you brought peace to my oldest friend. You held the sky so that I could fight Atlas. You didn't hesitate. You didn't complain. You did what you knew you had to do to save your friends and save the world. And that's why you need to go on this quest. And that's why I'm going to help you."

"I thought you said Zeus had made up his mind?"

Artemis nodded, "He has…but so have I. Chiron embarrassing you in front of camp was not an accident. When you don't show up at the campfire as Dionysus awards Jett the quest no one will question it. They will assume you are sulking in your cabin, too embarrassed to show your face."

"I'm not going to be sulking in my cabin am I?"

Artemis grinned, "Maybe my lieutenant is wrong. Maybe there is more than just kelp between your ears."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Return to your cabin. Prepare your things, pack a bag, whatever you need to do. Then head to the cave of the Oracle. My brother will be waiting for you, he will guide you from there."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "You told Apollo about this?"

"I wasn't about to lie to the god of truth," Artemis retorted, "Besides…he can be helpful when he wants to be."

Percy nodded, and a comfortable silence settled between them for a moment. "Thank you Lady Artemis."

Artemis shook her head, "No Perseus, thank you. You fought for my lieutenants' honour. This is the least I can do."

He smiled at her, and Artemis turned to leave. As she went to open the door though her footing slipped on the wet floor and she fell on top of him. She caught herself by grabbing on one of his pecs to steady herself, and when she saw what she had grabbed her face flushed golden. She regained her balance and hurried out of the stall, leaving Percy also blushing and very confused. He had been very much attracted to her when she was in her older form in his dreams, but seeing Artemis in her 13 year old form weirded him out. The thought of how she looked in her adult form sent blood rushing to the wrong place though, and so when Percy got back under the shower he turned the water cold to get the thought out of his mind.

Stepping out of the water he looked at his face in the mirror and saw that he had developed a short beard in the time he had spent out of the ice. He had never tried to grow a beard, and now that it was growing out for the first time it was patchy. It did a good job of hiding his face though, and further explained why it had taken so long for some people to recognise him. But he was done hiding. He grabbed Riptide and placed the edge of the blade against his cheek, crudely cutting off the fledgling beard. It was awkward, and took longer than he would have liked, but by the time he was done he was back to his regular face, strong jawline intact. He also gave himself a makeshift haircut. It would probably have gotten him fired from a barber shop, but for the first time in a while he recognised the face staring back at him in the mirror.

The campfire was scheduled to start in about half an hour, which meant he had to hurry. As he went to grab the clothes from the hall he noticed that there was a pendant lying on top of them. It was a crescent moon and fitted to be able to hang from his camp necklace. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Artemis had left it, and so as he headed towards his cabin he threaded it along the cord so that it joined his beads and probatio from Camp Jupiter.

He hurried to his cabin, his stealth aided by the fact that the sun had dipped below the horizon in the time he had spent in the shower stalls. There weren't many campers walking about, and judging by the noise coming from the amphitheatre it seemed as though most had gathered for the campfire. Percy preferred it that way, he had no desire to confront any of the campers that had stood watching him get chewed out by Chiron. He might now understand why Chiron had been so upset, but the manner in which he'd expressed it felt unfair.

He hadn't brought a lot from his moms to begin with, and so packing a few changes of clothes and toiletries took him almost no time. He glanced at the fountain before he stepped out, wondering whether or not he should send his mom an Iris message that he was about to go on another quest. He weighed up the options but decided against it. He did scoop a few drachmas out of the bottom of the fountain and put them in his pocket though, so that at least if he needed to contact anyone he could. Plus having a little extra money didn't seem like a terrible idea anyway. As he prepared to exit the cabin he took one last look back around. He had only been back for a few days, and he was already leaving with no idea if or when he would be back. Still, if nothing else at least he'd know that if he came back, the Minotaur horn would still be hanging above his bed. Twenty years hadn't changed anything, and that brought him a sense of comfort as he closed the door behind him.

Percy had only visited the cave of the oracle a couple times, and never at night. Approaching it without the comfort of daylight made the entrance seem far more menacing than he remembered, and a sense of foreboding blanketed him. The moon, now high in the night sky, cast long, eerie shadows that danced upon the walls of the cave. The darkness within seemed impenetrable, but nonetheless he ventured further inside. The distant scent of the ocean faded as he journeyed deeper, and the weight of the darkness hung menacingly around him. For a brief moment he was totally surrounded by the darkness, and had to run his hand along the damp rock in order to find his way. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up but he remained undisturbed as he made his way deeper.

Finally a dim light appeared, getting brighter as Percy made his way towards it. A careless step forward led him to bang his head against a doorframe, and he realised he had to duck to make his way into a small room. The room was bathed in candlelight, painting the dark walls in a warm orange glow. There was a painting studio off to one side, but the majority of the room was dominated by a bed and two chairs, all three occupied.

The sun god sat in one of the chairs, his usual sunglasses absent as he stared off into the distance. Next to him sat Thalia, who had a backpack next to her, and who turned to look at him as he entered.

"About time Kelp Head. That had to be the longest shower ever."

Percy blushed, and figured it best not to mention that his hold up had been Artemis. If they already knew she had visited him in the stall then good for them, but he wasn't about to offer up that information to the goddess' notoriously jealous brother and the lieutenant of her anti-men squad.

Percy didn't respond though, because his eyes had fallen across the bed and the scene caused any response to die in his throat. Rachel, now a middle aged woman, lay twitching on the bed. An ice pack rested on her head, but sweat was pouring down her body, and the pyjamas that she was wearing were soaked through to the skin. Her red hair was spread out underneath her, framing her pale face.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, turning to Apollo.

The sun god didn't turn as he answered, "It started a week ago. She came down with a fever, she tried to sleep it off. She's been like this ever since."

Percy stepped forward and knelt by the edge of the bed, putting his hand against her forehead and was surprised at how hot the skin was despite the ice pack, "Has this happened to any of your past oracles?"

"None," Apollo answered with a sigh, "Usually she's like this. Calm, other than the twitches…but every now and again she'll go into a trance."

"A prophecy trance?"

Apollo shook his head, meeting his eyes for the first time, "I've never seen anything like it. But it's always the same lines…every time."

"What does she say?"

Apollo broke eye contact and looked back at his oracle, "Just wait…it will come."

Percy turned away from Apollo and towards Thalia, "So what's the backpack for sparky?"

Thalia grinned, "If you think I'm letting your dumbass go anywhere without me to look after you, you're delusional."

"Where I'm going is dangerous." Percy warned.

"I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

"Like you handled yourself against Jett?"

Thalia's smile dropped and her face hardened, "That was uncalled for."

"We could be going up against beings that have primordials running scared. You lost to a kid I beat down so badly I got a scolding from Chiron."

Her face softened, "Thanks for that by the way. But I'm stronger than you think. I'm just not good with heights."

"And what if one of the Annunaki grabs you by the ankle and flies you into the stratosphere?" Percy asked harshly, "What are you going to do then?"

Thalia glowered at him, "What's with the attitude Seaweed Brain?"

"I'm not going to bring you along and get you killed. And don't call me Seaweed Brain."

"If I get killed then it's my decision."

"Not if I can stop it right here and now."

"Well you can't," Thalia huffed, "I'm a daughter of Zeus, the Lieutenant of Artemis, and I have just as much experience fighting wars as you do Percy. I'm not going to sit on the sidelines while the world is under threat."

They stared each other down, electric blue against ice blue. It was Percy that broke first, casting his eyes downwards. "I don't want to lose you," he whispered softly.

Thalia's face softened once more, and she placed a hand on his shoulder, "You think you don't want to lose me? I already lost you, and there's no way in Hades I'm going to let that happen again. I'm coming with you."

He met her gaze once more, and realised that regardless of what he said there was no way he was going to be able to convince her not to come. "Fine, but you follow my rules."

She jokingly saluted him, "Aye, aye captain."

"Two is an unlucky number," Apollo murmured, his eyes still on Rachel, "You need one more to make a quest."

"Where are we going to find someone stupid enough to go on a potential suicide mission with us?" Thalia asked.

"Woah, woah, woah," Percy interrupted, "I'm barely letting you come. Who says anyone else is joining?"

"Me!" a voice yelled from behind them. Thalia shot out of her seat with a scream and Percy jumped backwards, banging his knee against the bed. They turned to see Scarlett grinning by the paint studio. "Boo!"

"Jesus Christ I just had a heart attack." Thalia gasped.

"Belial says he doesn't like Jesus," Scarlett said, "Said he always makes weird comments whenever he eats bread."

Thalia turned to Percy with a quizzical look.

"She has demons from the Christian pantheon in her head." he answered nonchalantly, but that only seemed to make her more confused.

"Lucifer says he's on pretty good terms with JC though." Scarlett added.

"Hold up," Thalia interrupted, "You have Satan in your head?"

Scarlett shook her head, "No that's Satanas. Lucifer is a different one."

Percy scoffed, "Yeah dumbass, read up on your Christian mythology."

"Wait a minute," Thalia continued, ignoring Percy's smartass comment, "If you have Christian demons in your head, does that mean that God is real. Like G-O-D with a capital G?"

Scarlett cocked her head for a moment, listening to one of the likely many voices in her head, "Do you really want to know the answer?"

Thalia frowned, "You know what, probably not. Who are you anyway? I saw you at the Capture the Flag game. Why did they let a kid fight?"

"Scarlett Clement, daughter of Hades, at your service," Scarlett answered, sticking out her hand with a grin. Thalia nervously took it before turning back to Percy.

"Another Nico," she groaned.

"Hey at least she's less moody than Nico," he answered and Thalia couldn't help but agree.

"So where are we going?" Scarlett asked.

"Woah, woah, woah. We? You speak French now?" Percy retorted.

Scarlett rolled her eyes, "You need three, and last I checked there's no other Big Three kid lining up to take the spot."

"You're ten!" Percy replied, emphasising the 'ten'.

"I also command demons powerful enough to bring grown men to their knees. And I was stealthy enough for you to not notice me until I let you."

Percy opened his mouth to retort, but found that she had actually made some solid points. "You're ten." he repeated, but with less energy than the first time.

"You need three," Apollo interrupted, "Unless you have a replacement, the daughter of Hades is part of your questing party."

Percy waved his arms incredulously, "This was meant to be a solo mission, what's with all the hangers ons?"

"Percy," Thalia said, "Regardless of whether or not you want to do this alone, I'm coming. And based on the fact that it seems like Scarlett can shadow travel she's coming to. So either accept the help from two children of the Big Three willingly, or we'll force it on you."

Scarlett nodded in agreement and Percy realised his back was against the wall. He tried to think of another argument, but something suddenly grabbed his arm. He turned around to see that Rachel's eyes had shot open and were staring at the ceiling, but they weren't the usual green, nor were they the Oracle green, instead they were glowing silver. The same silver that he had seen in the eyes of the Annunaki. She was mouthing something, but words weren't coming out. Percy knelt by the bedside, but as he did so she turned to him, and began to speak in the raspy voice of the oracle.

"To the call each nation rise,

Send forth your soldiers to their demise.

The fallen son shall pave the way,

But the forgotten one is he who'll pay.

The first family, torn at the seams,

A new dawn naught but broken dreams.

The beast of the east shall spread its wings,

And prepare the earth for its King of Kings!"

A finally haughty gasp escaped Rachels lips as her eyes closed and her head rolled back to its original position. Her grip on Percy's arms loosened, and as it did so Percy stepped back, his face pale with fear.

King of Kings!

King of Kings!

King of Kings!

"Percy," Thalia said softly, "What's wrong?"

But Percy couldn't answer. His hands were shaking and his lips trembling. He remembered what the Annunaki soldier had said on top of the train. He had called Enlil the King of Kings.

"King of Kings?" Scarlett mused, "Isn't that what they call Jesus Christ?"

"No," Percy gasped, "It's him. This is his warning. He's coming."

"Who?" Thalia asked, but Percy looked past her, straight into the eyes of the god of the sun.

"You knew!" Percy accused, "You knew he was coming!"

"Prophecies are ambiguous," Apollo countered.

"No," Percy snarled, "When I told you at the fire with Hestia. I told you the Annunaki were coming. You knew he was coming!"

"Percy!" Thalia yelled, grabbing him by the arms, "Who is coming?"

"Enlil," he whispered, "The King of Kings."

"Who is Enlil?" Scarlett asked, both her and Thalia looking lost as Percy stared Apollo down.

"In Babylonian mythos," Apollo started carefully, "Enlil was the ruler of the Annunaki. They are believed to be a powerful race of beings that existed at the same time as the Primordials."

Percy scoffed, "They ruled over the Primordials, don't butter it up."

Apollo raised his hand cautiously, "We don't know the details…but that is one theory."

"One theory my ass," Percy snarled, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you are a boy," Apollo said coldly, standing and drawing level with Percy, "And because if the King of the Annunaki kills my Oracle that's an act of war!"

"He's not going to kill her," Percy retorted, "This isn't an act of war, it's a warning shot. He's letting us know he's on his way."

"Woah, woah, woah," Thalia interrupted, pushing the two apart, "What do you mean a warning shot? Isn't this just a prophecy?"

"The eyes are silver," Percy said, turning back to Rachels twitching form, "He possessed her to send a message…and it broke her."

"Are you calling my Oracle weak?" Apollo said threateningly.

Percy laughed, "I've been in the presence of an Annunaki, and felt the weight of their power. It almost turned my brain to mush. Now imagine what would happen if one of them possessed a mortal mind."

"My Oracle is no ordinary mortal." Apollo argued.

"You think the difference matters to someone of Enlil's power. Potato, potato. We're ants. You're maybe a cockroach."

Apollo glared at Percy, "I'm on your side! And you think it's acceptable to call me, an Olympian, a cockroach?"

The fire in Apollo's eyes burned brightly but Percy wasn't scared. It was like the looming threat of Enlil had fried whatever part of his brain comprehended fear. He didn't know whether it was stupid or brave but he didn't back down from the heat. He felt a shiver run down his spine and he knew his eyes were glowing. Ice met fire, and the two stood at an impasse.

"Okay boys," Thalia tried to calm the tension, "You both have huge dicks, no need to measure. Can we please chill out?"

If either of them heard her they didn't acknowledge it. Percy stepped forward, and in that moment both became acutely aware of the fact that Percy was about an inch taller than Apollo, and for the first time in a long time, Apollo felt intimidated by a mortal.

"You should have told me." Percy hissed.

"It wasn't time." Apollo retorted.

"Enlil is bringing war. He is bringing the might of an age neither of us understand. If this prophecy is true, and Enlil returns, we are both lambs to the slaughter."

Doubt crossed Apollo's face and, in a move that demonstrated a level of maturity that Percy didn't know the sun god possessed, he stepped back, returning to his seat. "You fear him." the sun god said, more a statement than a question.

"He terrifies me," Percy replied honestly, "And he terrifies primordials."

Apollo dropped his head into his hand and heaved a sigh, "Father refuses to let us discuss the issue. Even as Posiedon readies his realm for war, Father sits on his throne and pretends the threat isn't there."

"He's sending his son to a death sentence," Percy warned, "He is sending a boy with less experience than my pinky toe into a battle for the fate of mankind."

Apollo chuckled, "I'm not here defending my fathers actions. I'm here to give you what you need to save this quest from being a train wreck."

"How?"

Apollo reached down under the chair and brought up a piece of paper, unfolding it until a world map was laid out in front of them.

"Watch this," he said, before grabbing Rachels hand and putting it against the map. Her hands, having previously been twitching erratically, now began gliding across the paper. She would pause on various locations before moving to the next one. New York, Boston, California, Egypt, Norway, England, China, Japan, Russia, Australia, Antarctica, Iraq, Kenya, Greenland, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Atlantic, Pacific.

"What is she pointing to?" Thalia asked as she knelt down next to them.

"I have no idea," Apollo replied honestly, "But I'd have to be stupid not to think it has something to do with the Annunaki."

"Enlil possessed her, maybe he imprinted his knowledge into her by accident?" Percy offered.

"Happens with me now and again," Scarlett agreed.

Percy pointed to the spot by Greenland that Rachel had pointed to. "That's the location of the prison of Hadad. If I were a betting man…these are the locations of the imprisoned Annunaki."

"That's a lot of Annunaki," Thalia breathed.

"Which ones Enlil?" Scarlett asked, and the three all turned to Percy.

"None, he's offworld. Chronos told me he was sealed away."

"So," Thalia mused, "How do we keep them imprisoned? And how do we keep Enlil offworld?"

"He has soldiers," Percy said definitely, "They're working to bring him back. I think they need one of the Annunaki to do it though."

"Step one: Keep the Annunaki imprisoned…then hopefully we don't need step two."

Percy and Apollo nodded in agreement while Scarlett pointed on the map at a spot in New York, "That's close. We start there?"

"Sounds good to me," Percy said, and Thalia outstretched her hand.

"Team Kick Annunaki Ass on three," Percy, Apollo and Scarlett joined their hands in the middle, "One…two…three…woooo!"

Percy grabbed his backpack and Thalia grabbed hers, while Scarlett reached into the shadows and withdrew hers from the darkness. Green, blue, and black. The children of the Big Three were ready and repping their colours.

"Before you go," Apollo interrupted, "First, that pendant on your necklace is a direct line of contact with myself and Artemis. Use it when you get to the location, and once you're done we will give you the next one. Second," he reached behind his chair once more and this time handed Percy a newspaper. I believe there is a stop you should make beforehand. It appears a friend of yours is in trouble."

Percy frowned as he took the newspaper, only to see a picture of Piper on the front page alongside two other women. She was older, but her pretty face was unmistakable. "Family Murdered in Break-In" read the title, and Percy felt his heart drop.

"She's dead?" he asked nervously.

Apollo shook his head, "She's in hospital…psych ward. I think it would probably do her some good to get a visit from an old friend."

"I don't know what to say Apollo…thank you."

He raised his hands dismissively, "I might be a god, but I still care. Good luck guys. Argus will be taking Jett and the others in the van, so you're going to have to find an alternative ride."

Percy smiled, "Don't worry…I've got one in mind." He folded the newspaper and put it in his backpack. He took one more look at Rachel's twitching form, and made a silent promise to get vengeance against Enlil to whatever extent he was able. He began making his way out of the cave, followed by two people who hadn't been with him on his journey in. They emerged from the cave, and Percy headed in the direction of the stables. Cheers were emanating from the amphitheatre, but they seemed muted, and Percy wondered what was going on over there. He shook it off though. He had his own quest to worry about.

As they came up to the stables he noticed a familiar figure leaning against the door, and Olive waved as they approached.

"I was wondering when you were gonna show up," she teased.

Percy frowned, "You were waiting for me?"

"Well you didn't show up at the campfire, neither did Thalia, and neither did Scarlett. Most people might not have noticed these things, but as a leader of the camp…it's kind of my job."

"Here I was thinking Jett was the leader of the camp," Thalia interjected.

"Daddys support doesn't make you a leader. Nor does it win you many friends. No offence," Olive added, looking at Thalia.

Thalia shrugged, "None taken."

"Jett is a bully," Olive continued, "But he's the strongest demigod here, so who's gonna fight him other than you two? Sophie, Mason and I actually run the camp."

"So we're leaving it in good hands?" Percy asked.

"The best," Olive said with a smile, "I don't know if you've been told or not, but Jett was given a quest, personally given by Dionysus from the mouth of Zeus. He is to go to Brooklyn and meet with the magicians there to see if the Egyptians have noticed any stirrings. He's bringing Axel and Alice."

"Mmm, wouldn't have guessed that," Thalia commented sarcastically.

"Hmmm, good relations with the Egyptians I have," Percy thought aloud, "We can head there after we find Piper and check on the New York location."

"So it's settled then," Olive said with a smile, "I'll keep camp running smoothly, and you go save the world."

"What are you, his stay-at-home wife?" Thalia asked incredulously.

Olive winked at her, "Don't worry, I don't mind sharing."

"What is wrong with you?" Scarlett groaned, pushing past them and towards the stables, "I'm ten! Is it too much to ask that you control yourself?"

Olive giggled, "I'm gonna miss you bestie," she called after her.

"Miss you too bestie," Scarlett replied, disappearing behind the stable doors.

Olive turned back to Percy, "Go save the world hero."

Percy smiled, "I'll do my best. Don't let the camp burn down."

She pouted, "Now where's the fun in that?" And with that she began strolling back towards the amphitheatre.

"Are you dating or something?" Thalia asked as they followed after Scarlett.

"We're just at that weird flirty see-each-other-naked-in-the-woods stage," he replied.

Thalia rolled her eyes, "I don't even want to know, everyday I thank the gods I became a Hunter."

As they entered, Percy was greeted by another familiar face. "What's up, Boss?" Blackjack called out, trotting over to him, "Did you bring a midnight snack?"

"I got a deal for you," Percy answered, "You get a couple of your friends to take us into the city, and I'll get you McDonalds."

The pegasus' eyes lit up at the prospect, "For me and my buddies?"

"Hell, you get us there in an hour and I'll make it a double for all of you."

"Well jeez Boss why didn't you start with that?" he asked as he began trotting out of the stables, "Steve-o, Roger, wake up we're getting Maccas!"

Two more pegasi suddenly popped their heads up at the sound of McDonalds, and hurried out to join Blackjack.

"Alright guys," Percy said, turning to Thalia and Scarlett, "Let's go kick ass and save the world."

Author's Note: 7,000 words in a day. It ain't much, but it's honest work. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, hopefully it's less controversial than the past couple have been lmao. And remember, review if you love it, review if you like, review if you hate it, and review if you think we should collectively say fuck Percy and follow Blackjack on his journey to get McDonalds.