Lies [Sequel to Secrets]

Part Fourteen:

Part 14:

Charlie recovered extremely quickly thanks to ambrosia and nectar. In no time, it was the night of the campfire where Zoe and the other four would get claimed.

It started out as an ordinary evening; the Apollo cabin strummed songs on their lyres, the campers sung campfire songs and they roasted marshmallows. Then, Chiron stood up. Everyone went silent, and Zoe's whole body tingled with excitement.

"Campers! I believe it is time that the five unclaimed campers get claimed!" He cried, and the entire camp roared in reply. Then everything went silent. For a full ten seconds, nothing happened, until Zoe was suddenly bathed in a grey light. She looked above her at an image of an owl with a trident on it's chest. The owl was sea green, but the outside edges glowed with a silvery aura.

Beside her, Michael had a pink heart with a lightning bolt through the middle. The outside was blue. Sammy had a black spear with a gem at it's tip. The outside glow was red. Alex and Charlie both had an ancient greek vase painted light purple with a flame in the centre, but the outside glow was a fiery orange.

All at once, the whispering started. Confusion and chaos ensued, turning the amphitheatre into mayhem.

Suddenly, there was a glow of golden light and the god Apollo appeared. "Demigods of Camp Half-Blood!" He bellowed, holding his hands up in the air and everyone quietened down. "Oh, and hi kids!" He waved at the Apollo children who either waved back or muttered 'dad, stop embarrassing me.'

"Lord Apollo." Chiron bowed, and the camp followed suit.

"Hello, Chiron. I believe it is time for the prophecy to be revealed. Don't you think so?"

"I agree. Rachel?" A woman in her early thirties emerged. Even at her age, she looked very old: there were streaks of grey in her red hair and she had a kind, wise face. Another camper ran up behind her with a three-legged stool. Rachel sat on the stool and cleared her throat.

Green smoke poured out of her mouth and curled around her feet. Then she spoke in a raspy voice:

Five young heroes who combine the power of two,
Shall travel to the darkest pit to finish what their parents didn't do,
The girl with the flames will lead the way,
But go too deep and the quest will be lead astray,
Only when fire and water, the earth and sky meet,
Will the group call their task complete.

Then she fainted, and several campers carried her away.

"So as you see, Camp Half-Blood, we have another great prophecy, and it seems that those five," Apollo gestured towards Zoe, Michael, Sammy, Alex and Charlie. "Must go on a quest! To the deepest pit in Hades; Tartarus!" Even saying the name bought a chill down upon the campers. No one clapped or cheered. "They will defeat him, and come back as legendary heroes!"

"But how do they 'combine the power of two'? And who are their parents?" A camper shouted from the crowd into the silence.

Apollo winked at the camper. "I'm so glad you asked. Their parents are the legendary seven!"

There was more silence. Then the screaming started.

"But they died?!"

"How?"

"Apollo has gone nuts!"

"Can you pass the marshmallows?"

"The seven--"

"SILENCE!" Chiron roared, and everyone calmed down.

"If you don't believe me, then here they are." Apollo snapped his fingers and four families appeared.

Zoe rushed over to Percy, Annabeth, Ethan and Lily. "Mum! Dad! You won't believe what has happened over the past two weeks!" She cried.

Percy's sea green eyes twinkled. "Tell me all about it, sweetheart."

"Well--"

"SILENCE!" Chiron bellowed, and Zoe realised that everyone in the camp had been talking, it wasn't just her.

"A quest is in order! At midday tomorrow, our five heroes will set off, but first, you must have some rest! Off to your cabins!"

Grumbling and groaning, the campers got up and wandered off, though a few did glance back over their shoulders at the seven.

"Leo, Calypso, I assume you and your kids will stay in Bunker Nine?" Chiron asked politely, trotting over to them.

Leo nodded. "It's awesome to be back!" Then he set himself ablaze. Calypso rolled her eyes and turned back to her kids.

"Percy, Annabeth, I'll let you stay in the big house, along with Piper and Jason. Hazel and Frank, I'm sure Nico and Will would love to have you stay with them. Now, get some rest, demigods. Especially you Zoe, Michael, Sammy, Alex and Charlie. You have a big day tomorrow."

Zoe headed towards the Unclaimed Cabin. Since she was only staying one more night, she started packing up her things, sorting them into piles of what to take and what not to take.

Then she face planted onto her bed and fell into a peaceful sleep.