Changing the Future

Chapter 40

Before I suited up, I downed two Tylenols and drenched myself with the shower inside the Big House, feeling newfound strength fill my limbs. Now I was kind of wishing that Luke and I hadn't been training for so long, but at least the shower helped with the lethargy and soreness, which would be invaluable during the fight.

Once I had told Chiron about the incoming attack, he blew the conch horn three times, a sign that every camper understood. Immediately, campers dropped what they were doing to get dressed in battle armor and get their weapons of choice before monsters burst out of the Labyrinth.

I met up with Chiron in the middle of the cabin area, readjusting my greaves and vambraces once I stopped. No one ever said armor was comfortable, but I'd rather be uncomfortable than dead.

Up in the sky, I could make out various splotches of colors that were quickly growing bigger as they approached the ground. Some Apollo kids wanted to shoot the pegasi out of the sky, but I told them not to, promising them that these were allies, not our enemies.

Within a few moments, Tyson, Grover, Annabeth, Percy, and Nico were dismounting Blackjack, Guido, Porkpie, and Star. Chiron, Silenus, and I watched as the five approached us, their faces solemn as they noticed what was going on.

Of the five, Grover was farthest back, trying to stay as far away from Silenus as possible. I'd only ever encountered the old satyr a handful of times, and he was about as pleasant as slamming your toes into the corner of a door. Even Mr. D disliked Silenus, which is saying something seeing as he was the lord of all satyrs after Pan disappeared. Well, died by now, but you get the point.

Percy began recounting of the new information they'd gathered while on Annabeth's quest: that Quintus was Daedalus all along and that Kronos had finally risen. Some of the nearby archers heard this and paled, immediately beginning to spread the word amongst the rest of the campers. Great, because we needed to cause widespread panic before a major battle. That makes perfect sense.

"I feared as much," Chiron said. "We must hurry. Hopefully you have slowed down the Titan lord, but his vanguard will still be coming through. They will be anxious for blood. Most of our defenders are already in place. Come!"

"Wait a moment," Silenus demanded, earning a scowl from me. He was wasting time. "What of the search for Pan? You are almost three weeks overdue, Grover Underwood! Your searcher's license is revoked!"

Grover took a deep breath and stepped forward, towering over Silenus by a good five or six inches. He met the old goat's eyes. "Searcher's licenses don't matter anymore. The great god Pan is dead. He has passed on and left us his spirit."

"What?" Silenus's face turned bright red. "Sacrilege and lies! Grover Underwood, I will have you exiled for speaking thus!"

"It's true," Percy insisted. "We were there when he died. All of us."

"Impossible! You are all liars! Nature-destroyers!"

"Oh for the love of – please, shut up!" I shouted angrily at Silenus. "We're under attack right now, if you haven't noticed, Silenus. Pan has waited for thousands of years, so this issue can wait until after this is over. Now, let these campers get ready for battle before I kick your furry rump from here to kingdom come."

Silenus paled at my words and scampered away, most likely to go slander Grover's name to the rest of the satyrs within camp.

"This matter will be discussed, my dear satyr," Chiron promised Grover, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder for a few moments. "Assuming we are still here this evening, that is."

And on that happy note, the rest of us followed Chiron into the woods towards Zeus's Fist. Some of the Ares campers provided Percy and Nico with armor while Annabeth turned down the offer, saying that her siblings would've brought her armor out with them. As for Tyson and Grover, well, the former didn't really need armor, and I used wood and vines to make a nature-inspired chest plate for my favorite satyr.