𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 • 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯

Quest

Horrible

"Bad?" Percy guessed. 

"Imagine the world in chaos," Chiron said. "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." 

"Bad," Percy repeated. 

"And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath," said Chiron. 

It started to rain. Volleyball players stopped their game and stared in stunned silence at the sky. 

"So I 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 return Zeus's property?" 

"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?" the raven-haired boy asked.

"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge," replied Chiron. 

Percy swallowed. 

"Good reason," he said.

"You agree then?" asked Chiron.

He looked over at me. I smiled, he smiled back. I nodded and he turned to Chiron.

"All right," Percy said. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin." 

"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more." 

As soon as Percy was out of sight, I said to Chiron:

"I remember when I went up there, I was scared to death."

*small-time skip*

"Well?" Chiron asked Percy as he was descending the stairs to the attic. 

he slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. 

"She said I would retrieve what was stolen," Percy said.

Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. 

"That's great!" Grover said.

"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron pressed. "This is important." 

Percy thought.

"She...she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned," he said.

"I knew it," Grover said. 

Chiron didn't look satisfied. 

"Anything else?" the centaur asked.

Percy thought longer.

"No," I said. "That's about it." 

"Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass." 

"Okay," Percy said, obviously 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?"