FOTIA - percy jackson

𝟎𝟎𝟗; quests and dreams

"I know just as much as you," she spat back, crossing her arms as she walked towards Chiron. The teacher looked anxiously between them, unsure what to do except talk. "I apologize, I must've missed something," Chiron stated. The way he said it sounded like a question, so Percy answered him viciously, "She's the worst."

"You'll meet worse, Percy," Chiron said, amused by their banter. "Far worse than the hellhound before you're done." Brows furrowed, Percy questioned, "Done with what?"

Chiron stared at Loralai with a knowing smile, raising his brows as if to say: "you take it from here." Tilting her head, Loralai thought for a moment, before a large beam appeared on her face. "Done with our quest?" Loralai guessed.

Chiron nodded and Loralai slapped a hand over her mouth, trying not to squeal. Already knowing Loralai's answer, Chiron turned to Percy. "Will you accept it?"

"Um, sir," Percy deadpanned, "you haven't told me what it is yet." Chiron grimaced like someone had just touched an open wound. "Well, that's the hard part, the details," he stressed.

Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as they could see, the sky and the sea were boiling together.

Loralai muttered softly, "Poseidon and Zeus." Percy's eyes shot towards Chiron. "They're fighting, aren't they? Over something valuable, something that was stolen."

Chiron, Grover and Loralai all exchanged looks. Outraged at the fact that they all knew already except for him, the boy huffed. For a moment, Chiron glared at Loralai. The girl waved her hands frantically with denial. "I didn't tell him!"

Face hot, Percy wished he hadn't opened his mouth. "She didn't, Chiron," Percy said. "The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I overheard some satyrs talking about it, something about a theft. And... I've been having some dreams," He told him, glancing at the floor when he reached the last part.

Loralai was taken aback. "Me, too. But... something different." The others waited for her to specify, but she didn't. Grover perked up. "I knew it!"

"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered. "But it is their quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!" Stroking his bristly beard, Chiron finalized, "Only the Oracle can determine."

The centaur then looked at Percy with seriousness written on his features. "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."

Laughing nervously, Percy asked, "A what?" Chiron gave him a warning look, cautioning, "Do not take this lightly. I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zig zag you'd see in a second grade play."

Loralai stifled her laugh as Chiron continued, "I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of hide-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."

"Oh," Percy mumbled.

"Zeus' master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheared the top of 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?" Percy assumed. "Stolen," Chiron corrected. "By who?" The centaur replied like the teacher Percy originally knew him as, "By whom." Once a teacher, always a teacher.