The lost hero rises

1. Nightmares

Adrenaline rushes through my body.
My heart is beating fast and I feel the tension in the room.

I can feel all the eyes on me, wondering what I am going to do.

People. My people are expecting me to make a choise. One that is impossible to make.

Annabeth is beside me. She looks at me.
I am so happy to have her here with me.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

''I have made my decision.'' I say to everyone in the room.

Their eyes look at me, filled with expectation and hope.

''It will be.. Finding Dory.'' I say out loud.

I hear complaining sounds all across my room.

Annabeth lets her head down, wich makes her blonde curls cover her face partly.

''Dude.. again?'' Luke says looking at me.

''Did you honestly expect anything else?'' Leo asks him with raised eyebrows.

''Good point Valdez.'' Luke says nodding.

''Seriously..'' I say acting a little offended. ''To be honest. This hurts. Deep inside.'' I tell them putting my hand on my heart. ''I choose Finding Dory over Nemo... For you guys.''

''And we can not thank you enough for your bravery.'' Bianca says overdramatic.
The others laugh.

"It was my turn to choose. This is my choise. So stop being so dam dramatic.'' I say crossing my arms. Which makes Zoë laugh even more.

''After all this time, I still don't understand what is so funny about saying dam..'' Annabeth says looking a little sad about it. It's cute.

''Don't worry about it sweetheart. I have been with them for over 250 years. And I still don't get it.'' Selina says gesturing to us.

''Okay enough talk. I am going to start the movie now.'' I say throwing my hands in the air.

I press play and lean back into the big chair in my room.

Annabeth is curled up against me, and there is a bowl of popcorn on my other side.

My entire team is here. Just hanging out.

It has been like 25 years for us here. But only three months back at Camp Half-Blood and Jupiter.

Annabeth and I started to date again about 23 years ago.

We both had to get used to each other again. Especially me, it had been over 250 years for me. For her only 2. We both changed a lot.

Then things started to feel like they used to when we were both just demigods.
We started dating again and everything has been very good between us.

The others are also still good.
Selina and Beckendorf did break up once. But then they realized that they couldn't be without each other. So that didn't last long.

We keep checking up on camp.
Training the campers. Preparing for the battle that is comming.

Everyone is very tensed and anxious for what is about to come. Speculating about what the next battle will be like. And when Nyx will return.

Just thinking about it makes me feel.. weird.

I have these nightmares that just won't leave.
Sometimes they seem more like visions.

I Always wake up having a panick attack.
Luckly Annabeth is always besides me.

I haven't told her anything about it.
When she first knew about me having nightmares about battles she was so worried.
I don't want that.
Chaos is the only one that knows about them.

But there is something about the battle that is comming that makes me feel uncomfortable.

I get flashbacks to my battle with Nyx.
How she was telling me that she will come back for me. That I will suffer a faith worse than death. I wonder what she has been planning.

Her laugh. It has been haunting me for so long.
And every time I hear it, I can feel myself get anxious and tense up.

And I don't know why..
I never had this happen to me before. Well maybe against Kronos and Gaea. But not since I became commander.

''Percy?''

Her voice brings be back to Reality.
I look at her. ''Hmm?''

''Why did you turn off the movie?'' She asks confused?

I look up wondering what she is talking about.
But the screen is turned off and I have the remote in my hand.

''I... I have no idea..'' I admit looking at my hand.

''Are you okay man?'' Beckendorf asks looking worried.

'' I feel fine. Why?'' I ask.

''You looked so pale. We called your name so many times. You didn't seem to hear anything.'' Bianca says looking worried.

''I am just tired.'' I say trying to brush it off.
But of course my team doesn't buy it.

''I think you should go to Chaos. Just to make sure.'' Luke says. The others nod in agreement.

''Fine.'' I say. I know them well enough that they won't let it go. So it's better to just agree. ''I'll see him tomorrow.''

''Percy. I think it's better if you went to see him now.'' Annabeth says looking very worried.

I roll my eyes and grunt. ''Fine..'' I put the bowl of popcorn down and get up.
''That better be still there when I get back!'' I say pointing at the popcorn while leaving the room.

I walk towards Chaos and knock on his door.

''It's open!'' He yells. I open the door and walk into his room.

Chaos is sitting on his couch surrounded by old scrolls, a laptop and many books.
He looks tired, but still very fancy.
His dark suit is like looking into the universe.

''Still searching?'' I ask him.

He has been searching for Nyx almost non-stop since the battle.

''Yeah. Last night I noticed that Tartaurus and Gaea have been too quiet lately. I can't seem to locate them either..'' Chaos sighs.

''You think they are teaming up?'' I ask.
There is a shiver going down my spine.

''Let's hope I'm wrong.'' Is all Chaos says. I nod. ''But what has brought you here?''

''Oh it's nothing.. This is more important. I'll let you get back to it. Call if you need help okay?'' I tell him. His eyes narrow and he doesn't seem convinced.

''Percy..'' He says.

I sigh.. Why won't anyone just let it go?

''It's just that..'' I stop talking because an overwhelming feeling of dizziness came over me.

''Percy!'' Chaos says loudly.

I open my  eyes and I notice that I am on the ground.
As I sit up Chaos looks at me with worry.

''Percy.. Tell me what happened? Is this why you came to me?''

''My friends and I were watching a movie and I don't know why.. But I turned it off. I didn't realize it. I was just lost in my own thoughts.'' I explain. ''They told me to come to you. But I just think it is because I'm tired. The nightmares have become pretty bad lately.'' I explain.

''You sure?'' He asks. I nod.

''Yeah. I'm fine.'' I try to reassure him.

''Okay. Let me see if I can find anything about those nightmares okay?'' He says.

I nod and he walks off to grab an old book from one of the many shelfs.

I look at an illustration of the family tree of Chaos;
Tartarus, god of the underworld
Nyx, goddes of night
Gaea, goddes of the earth
Eros, god of love
Erebus, god of darkness

I feel light headed and I can hear her laugh.
Nyx in my head.

This is not good.