Struck by Lightning

XIV

The bus was dark, and throughout the vehicle, the sounds of people slumbering echoed.

Thalia sniffed a little as she slept, unconsciously pulling herself closer to Percy's warmth as she lay on his shoulder. The boy smiled before pulling out a small blanket from the backpack that sat in between his legs and softly draping it over Thalia's sleeping form. Looking back out the window, Percy's thoughts wandered as he viewed the passing greenery.

They were still well on schedule. Three days in, and they were already in Louisiana. It would take only another day to make it to Houston, and at most another after that to get to Corpus Christi, where the Princess Andromeda waited. Even though they faced a nearly week-long unexpected delay after not being to just fly to Texas, there was plenty of time to carry out their mission.

What was still of concern was what they faced when they finally reached their destination. There was the spy that would have to be found and met, and then – a no smaller feat – they had to infiltrate a cruise ship filled to the brink with ancient monsters, mortal mercenaries, and adversarial demigods with a bone to pick against the Olympians.

Percy leaned back into his seat, feeling the cool air of the air conditioning vent blow gently against his face as he closed his eyes. A deep exhaustion crept through his body. There was nothing to do now. They could only approach future problems when they met them...

Chiron suddenly grabbed Percy's shoulder just as he was about to put the last bag into the Camp van.

"What?" Percy asked.

Chiron leaned in close to Percy's face, his eyes widened and frantic.

"Beware!" Chiron muttered sharply, his voice low and gravelly, but his words pointed. "Beware!"

"Beware what?" Percy asked, looking around. Suddenly, the Camp van and the Camp itself was gone, and the demigod and centaur stood in nothing more than the pitch black of the void. The son of Poseidon felt himself shiver as the hair on his arms stood on their ends, his goosebumps rising in the chill.

"Beware the demons!" Chiron boomed, suddenly pulling back and yelling upwards. "Like the potter, they will huntyou!" The centaur faded away, leaving Percy alone in nothingness.

"Chiron!" Percy screamed, looking around frantically. There was no one – indeed, there was nothing. Nothing but death...

Percy fell.

And on hard rock he landed, groaning as he did. Slowly pushing himself up, Percy opened his eyes to view in horror what he had pushed himself up against. Skulls lined the ground, and when he realized that his hand fully encompassed the bony face of one, he immediately yelped and jumped back. A coldness swept over Percy, and he suddenly, and frighteningly, realized that he was not alone.

A figure stood in the distance, holding a skull in its hand even as it stood on a mountain of them. It was framed by a looming red sun, close enough to be threatening to engulf the earth.

"Dear child," the figure crooned, its voice as grating as metal upon stone. "Are you afraid?" The figure slowly and partially turned. Its face was cloaked by a black hood, and its robes were dark save for the Greek symbols etched in gold. A cloud of air blew out of its mouth, located as it were in the darkness of its hood.

Percy found himself stock still, heart pounding, and completely unable to move. His muscles were tensed and his head felt heavy. It was as if the gravity of the planet had doubled. His core felt weak and lethargic even as his limbs felt like lead weights. Upon him was the weight of the world, and his mind could not begin to approach what it meant to comprehend such immensity.