Percy Jackson, the Embodiment of Hope.

Chapter 83: Morning. (Desert)

"Someone else's turn," Orpheus said as Eurydice walked up the stairs.

"Turn for what?" Luke asked.

"Oh yeah!" Achilles said. "That's what I wanted to tell you about! Tartarus set up cracks to the pit outside the camp."

"Dammit," Luke said. "Of course he did. Ethan, can you--"

"Yep," Ethan said, standing up. "I can."

He walked to the door and put on his mask and cloak, then walked out of the cabin with a jokey salute at Luke. The door shut behind him, and Orpheus stumbled up the stairs, following his wife into their room.

Luke turned to Patroclus. "I figured it would be better to have everyone hear at once rather than explain it twelve times."

"That makes sense," Patroclus said, turning to Jonathan. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I-- I really want to see my family," Jonathan said, seeming ashamed. "I know it's selfish, but I've been missing for four years."

"Okay," Luke said. "That's okay."

Jonathan looked up at him. "Wha-- really?"

"Of course it is," Bianca said reassuringly. "All of us miss our mortal families. We know what it's like to want to see them."

Luke bristled a little bit upon mention of mortal families, and Zoe intertwined their hands, steadying him. His mother was still one of those topics he hadn't quite overcome.

"Thank you," Jonathan said. "I-- I really mean it."

"Do you know if your parents moved?" Silena asked.

"I-- I don't think so," Jonathan answered. "They liked where they lived."

"Then why did you come to us?" Bellerophon asked. "Like, no disrespect, but you didn't really need us, did you? Nico could have just shadow-traveled you."

"I-- I thought I needed your guys permission," Jonathan said. "You guys are the acting leaders, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah," Luke said. "But that doesn't-- nevermind. You can go."

"Thank you," Jonathan said as Nico stood up and stretched, holding a hand out to him.

"Let's go."

Jonathan placed his hand in Nico's, and they both melted into the shadows, disappearing.

"Well," Luke said. "Now that we're all awake, let's get some work done, shall we?"
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The commander [Alright I'm tired of calling him that he's going to be called by his codename from now on] landed with a heavy thump on the sandy ground, groaning.

Above him, the portal spat out Octavian, who landed directly on him.

He groaned, and Octavian immediately scurried off him. "Sorry, sorry," he said. "I didn't know that's where I would land. Sorry Hannibal."

Hannibal-Octavian's commander- groaned. "Geez Oracle, that hurt."

Octavian helped Hannibal stand up and then surveyed his surroundings. They stood in the middle of a sandy desert. The sky was a deep purple, there was a red and blue moon in the sky, and there were two sun's on opposite sides of the horizon. The dessert stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"Someplace where there's a problem," Hannibal said. "At least, I think so. Order wouldn't just drop us on an empty planet, would he?"

Octavian shook his head. "I don't think so. But you've known him longer than I have."

Hannibal sighed as a gust of wind caused his white, gold, and blue cloak to ruffle around him. Unlike Chaos's team, his and Octavian's cloaks had designs of cities and people on it, while the Chaos team's cloaks were decorated with planets and stars with deep black and purple coloring.

"Let's... try to find civilization," Hannibal said.

"Can you...?" Octavian began to ask.

"No," Hannibal replied as he started trudging forward. "Not yet."

"Oh, come on," Octavian protested as he scurried to catch up. "It would make the trip so much easier."

"The power is too strong," Hannibal said. "I haven't practiced it since it was upgraded. If I use it, I'll lose myself."

Octavian sighed. "Alright, that's fair. Do you know where we're going?"

"Nope," Hannibal said. "That's why I'm walking to the north."

Octavian reached into his cloak and pulled out a compass. "This is south."

"...that's why I'm walking to the south," Hannibal corrected. "We gotta find something eventually."

Octavian shrugged and put the compass back in his cloak. "You're the boss."

For hours, they trudged through the desert silently, not knowing what to say.

Sand would occasionally fly past them as gusts of wind pushed the particles, sometimes creating far-away twisting tornadoes. Sometimes, they would see small creatures burrowing in the sand under their feet or rushing away from them.

Then Octavian spoke.

"Did I ever apologize?"

Hannibal froze for a moment and then continued walking.

"No. No, you didn't. At least, not to me."

"Then I'm sorry."

Hannibal snorted. "For what? Killing Gwen? Trying to obliterate the Greeks? Trusting monsters?"

They continued walking.

"Well?" Hannibal asked.

"All of it. I want to apologize for all of it."

Hannibal sighed and turned. "Look. We're a team now. You clearly regret your actions, so--"

A massive shadow suddenly draped over them, followed by a roar. They both looked up to see a massive Griffin, which passed over them quickly and flew away, heading forward a mountain that had just appeared on the horizon.

"Should we--"

"Yep," Hannibal said, turning toward the mountain. "Let's go."