Percy Jackson and the Olympians belong to Rick Riordan. All credit to him.
Every camper after Chiron yelled for us to return to our bunks in groups that night was buzzing about Percy.
Percy was moved out of eleven and into three and had his schedule changed so he was no longer in the activities I first had him in.
Percy got to eat at his own table now too but he looked miserable now that he was separated from everyone now and the talk of the camp all over again like when he arrived.
All the campers steered clear of him and some even rescheduled their activities so now the Demeter cabin had sword class with Aphrodite kids and all our other stuff with different people or since no one wanted to have them with Percy, oddly enough. Cabin four had strawberry field duty with Percy and acted like he had a plague so I was the only one to hangout with him during that time.
One day Percy was fuming after someone left a roll of parchment about news in his cabin reading a news report about him and how he appeared to go missing with his mother. The part that had him angry however was a part from his father by marriage saying he was a troubled child and agreeing that he should be arrested when found.
One day during strawberry picking and Fidi chewing on a tree branch to my distaste in the early morning when a particularly large storm was brewing, Grover and Percy waved to me to join them while they were walking to the Big House. I joined up and Grover informed me that Mr.D wanted to see Percy and talk about the subject of him being from the Big Three.
Everyone was tense about the massive cloud brewing over the camp. Clouds normally passed around the edge of the valley and it never rained or even became overcast in the camp. Mr.D was sitting with a silver hissing can on the Porch and Chiron was sitting in his wheelchair while they played against two other hands of floating cards.
"Well, well," Mr.D said without looking up. "Our little celebrity. Come closer and don't expect me to bow down to you mortal just because the old barnacle beard is your father." Lightning flashed across the sky and more wind shook the house. "Blah, blah, blah." Dionysus waved off the storm's warning. Grover was cowering at the storm and Chiron lost focus in his game. "If it were up to me I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and we would be done with a lot of trouble." Percy shifted his feet and looked uneasy. "But Chiron thinks that would be against my mission at this camp of keeping your brats safe from harm."
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm Mr. D," Chiron put in.
"Nonsense," Mr. D said, "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead and returning you to your father."
"Mr.D," Chiron warned.
"Oh, alright," Mr.D relented. "There is one more option but it's deadly foolishness." Mr.D rose and made the floating cards drop. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I get back I'll turn him into an Atlantic Bottlenose, do you understand? And Perceus Jackson, you'll see that is a much more sensible choice than what Chiron wants you to do."
Mr. D picked up a playing card and folded it into a different shape and color card and folded the air and light around him and disappeared in a smell of bitter wine that made Percy and Grover fan their noses. Chiron smiled tiredly at us.
"Come sit Percy, Grover, you too, Dan," Chiron said. We did. Chiron laid his cards down and spoke to Percy, "Tell me, Percy. What did you make of the hellhound?"
Percy shuddered. "It scared me. If you hadn't shot it and Fidi hadn't wrestled it away from us, I'd be dead," Percy said, remembering the night and petting Fidi who was between us two.
"You'll meet worse Percy, much worse before you are done," Chiron told grimly.
"Done? Done with what?" Percy asked.
"Your quest of course. Do you accept it?" Chiron tried to smile at him saying but couldn't wipe away the deep sadness in his eyes. Percy looked to Grover and me for some answer but I had none. I had no Idea if you should or would decline or accept a quest that might decide if you get vaporized or not.
"Umm, sir," Percy said. "You haven't told me what it is yet."
"Well that's the hard part. The details." Chiron grimaced. Thunder rumbled across the whole valley the loudest yet and the cloud had reached the sea at the far reach of camp, boiling the sea and sky.
"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy said, looking to the sea, "They're fighting over something valuable, aren't they?" Chiron and Grover exchanged looks and Chiron leaned forward.
"How did you know that?" Percy looked like he was under fire at Chrions question and turned red.
"The weather since Christmas had been weird, like the sea and sky were fighting. I was talking with Annabeth and she said she overheard something about a theft. I've also been having these dreams."
"I knew it." Grover swiped at the air.
"Hush, Satyr," Chiron ordered.
"But it is his quest." Grovers eyes were pleading and bright with excitement. "It must be."
"Only the Oracle could determine." Chiron stroked his beard. "Yes, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst fight yet. They are fighting over something that was stolen, to be precise, a lightning bolt."
"A what?" Percy laughed nervously and so did I, thinking that was all the fight was about, a strike in the sky.
"Do not take this so lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil covered zigzag you would see in a second grade play. I'm talking about a two foot long high powered cylinder of high grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."
"Oh," Percy said, looking like he wanted to take back his laugh.
"Zues's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up. "The symbol of his power. The one which all others are patented. The original, made by the cyclops during the war against the titans. The bolt that sheared off the top of Mt. Etna and cast down Chronos from his throne. The master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers." I got the point that it was too dangerous to be owned by whoever decided to steal it but Chiron made it sound like nothing was safe from it, which was probably the case.
"And it's missing?" Percy scoffed.
"Stolen," Chiron corrected.
"By who?" I wondered who was gutsy enough to steal something so important to Zeus.
"By whom." Chiron was still a teacher. "By you." Chiron pointed to Percy who's jaw dropped open. Chiron held up a hand. "At least that is what Zeus thinks. During the last winter solstice Zeus and Poseidon had an argument, the usual nonsense of who their mother, Rhea, liked whom the best and if air accidents are more spectacular than sea disasters, etc. Afterward, Zeus realised his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his nose. Zeus immediately blamed Poseidon but a god could not take other gods' symbols of power directly, that is forbidden by ancient devine laws. Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."
"But I didn't." Percy was sweating now.
"Patience and listen, child." Chiron headed. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the cyclops are under the ocean in Poseidon's domain which gives the makers of his brothers lightning bolt preference to him. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt and has the cyclops making a set of lethal copies, to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus was unsure about was which hero Poseiodn used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays and could have snuck onto Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."
"But I've never even been to Olympus. Zeus is crazy." All three of Chiron, Grover, and I glanced at the sky nervously. No clouds were rolling around like usual but now swarming overhead and sucking up the camp.
"Uh. Percy," Grover said, "We don't use the C word to describe the lord of the sky."
"Perhaps paranoid with good reason," Chiron suggested. "Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. That was question thirty-four on your final exam I believe." I couldn't think how a boy who was battered around by large girls his first week at camp and didn't even know anything of the real world could steal the King god's choice weapon of destruction.
"Something about a golden net. Hera and Poseidon and other gods captured Zeus and wouldn't set him free until he became a better ruler. Right?" Percy guessed.
"Right. And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt, he takes great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. Now you've come along, the proverbial last straw." I was scared of the idea that I was putting together in my mind.
What if the three Olympians raised me from my petrification to help resolve this massive matter of conflict between their King and his powerful brother. What if on Percy's quest I was required to come along, it had to be that. No other idea came across my mind what I could be here for.
"But I'm just a kid," Percy said.
"Percy," Grover said. "If you were Zeus and you already thought your brother was planning to overthrow you and then suddenly your brother admitted he broke his sacred oath after World War II that he was fathering a new mortal hero of his that might be used against you, wouldn't that put a twist in your toga."
"Zeus has almost every right to believe it was you and your father who stole his bolt," I said.
"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon, my dad, didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?" Chiron sighed at him.
"Most thinking observers would agree thievery is not Poseidon's style but the sea god is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded Poseidon returns the bolt by the summer solstice, that's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy would prevail. That Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense but your arrival has inflamed Zues's temper, now neither god will back down. Unless the master bolt is returned to Zeus by the solstice there will be war, and do either of you know what a full fledged war would look like?"
"Bad?" Percy shrugged.
"Like a bad storm fighting itself?" I guessed.
"Close. Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians being forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction, carnage, millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battle ground so big it will make the Trojan war look like a water balloon fight."
"Bad," I repeated in sync with Percy, sweating now to remember how terribly my city got destroyed but seemed near comparable how much worse the Trojan War was from what Ares had shown me of it.
"And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."
It started to rain. Volleyball players stopped their game and stared at the sky. Percy looked guilty at the rain but I wanted to make him feel better and thought I knew how.
I walked off the porch and stuck the full length spear into the ground and willed it to grow because of a gut feeling.
The spear sprouted and unfolded into a mountainous tree, acting as a canopy to the valley and reaching from the stables to Thalia's tree, from the furthest edges of the forest to there at the Big House. The tree touched the lowest hanging bits of cloud and kept the camp as dry as could be with it's thick branches stacked with leaves. The trunk was way wider than the Big house and way taller than Thalia's giant tree.
"My dear Olympians," Chiron muttered from his wheelchair, almost leaning out of it.
"Holy blue warheads." Percy gawked too, stepping off the porch to my side. Fidi walked out under the tree's shade and stuck his mouth into the air waiting for water, but none came.
Campers scattered in the distance were now all looking up at the tree and little dark o's on their face in the distance told me it was a surprise to see the tree. Some ground was upturned but I wasn't sure how far my roots just reached, but I was hoping they went deeper down than out because if they spread out too far they might be sucking up sea water or the water tank Annabeth told me the toilets used.
"Thanks for the praises but I'd rather have you return the bolt that Zeus forever brooding over the camp. I don't need my tree getting root rot from the toilet and sea water," I said, moving past their looks of shock. Percy looked away and shook his head to gather himself.
"You're right. So all I need to do is find the stupid bolt and return it to Zeus?" Percy turned to Chiron.
"What better a peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?"
"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where could it be?" I asked, not even being able to jog up an idea where it could be if Zeus's main suspect says he doesn't have it.
"I believe I know." Chiron's face had become grim. "A part of a prophecy years ago. Well, some of the lines make sense to me now. Before I can say more you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the council of the Oracle."
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?" Percy asked.
"If I told you you'd be too scared to take up the quest," Chiron said. Percy swallowed a lump in his throat.
"Good reason," I agreed. Percy nodded.
"So do you accept Percy?" Chiron asked. I looked to Percy to see the look in his eyes, it was nervous then confident after looking to Grover and I.
"Alright. It's better than being turned into a dolphin." Percy nodded. I looked at Mr. D when he said he'd be doing Percy a favor of sending him to his father as one, I believed him.
"Good man, Percy." I slapped him on the shoulder and one of his knees buckled but he still grinned a nervous grin at me and hit my arm back. Grover grabbed his other shoulder and nodded silently.
"Then it is time to consult the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."
We all entered the big house but me and Grover who stayed inside by the door while Chiron walked Percy to the stairs in silence. I petted Fidi anxiously while he sat staring after Percy and Chiron.
Creaking and groaning of the house sounded above us letting us know Percy was up there still and not turned mad by some Oracle. Fidi stuck his nose into the air and sniffed the stale air, reeking of the smell of mildew, old and dead snake smell, and to my discomfort, rotten wood. The room got colder and I swear I heard the fainest voice but Grover and Fidi didn't react with their sharper ears but then in less than the minute the voice left my head.
"Well?" Chiron asked. We all reconvened at the table.
"She said I would retrieve what was stolen." Grover sat forward and munched on his hissing can more excited than ever.
"That's great." Grover chewed faster.
"Did she say just exactly that?" I asked, thinking the Oracle couldn't be that simple
"What did she say exactly?" Chiron said, "This is important."
"She- She said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned," Percy recounted.
"I knew it." Grover excitedly swiped at the air.
"Anything else?" I asked. Chiron looked more seriously at Percy.
"I would fail to save what mattered most," Percy answered, hot in the ears and frustrated.
"What could be more important than stopping two of the most destructive gods from starting a war?" I asked Chiron.
"Many things, but none relevant to what the Oracle has spoken of." Chiron rubbed his beard as he often did and studied Percy's face.
"Know this, Percy. The Oracle's words often have double meanings so it is best to not dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass." Chiron sounded like he was trying to pry at Percy more while still reassuring him.
I knew that this was Percy's quest but having three gods visit me saying I had something important to do. For an event so conveniently timed at my arrival and so important compared to anything else, I had to have something to do with it all.
"I think I should come on the quest no matter what," I said. Chiron and Percy broke their deep concentration and looked at me.
"I too have an idea of who should come on this quest and make up the ancient three person party as all quests should have, but I'm sorry to say Dan that you are not one of them." I thought I wasn't hearing Chiron right. "You are as new to camp and Percy and I don't think it is wise to send two inexperienced campers into the world with only Grover here to guide them."
"I'm going on the quest!" Grover yelled, hopping out of his seat and clicking his hoofs.
"The choice lies with Percy here but I must share my input on the matter," Chiron explained. "The Athena camper, Annabeth, is the ideal third party member. She is as experienced as a camper could be with her many years here at camp. She is a tactical and literal genius even compared to her brilliant cabin mates and no slouch with a blade either. I may not be in the know with you young kids today but I do know she has been longing for a quest for the longest time and she is ideal for this one. I'm sorry."
"I definitely want Grover to be able to get his searcher's license and having my best friend along for the ride into mortal danger is great but I think us three together are not the brightest or well fit. You're a great fighter and person, Dan, but I want Annabeth for this," Percy said, shifting in his chair awkwardly.
I felt my shoulders sink at all my comparisons to Annabeth and getting replaced for her felt like an arrow in my foot, if my heart was in my foot.
"Where do I go and who is this god in the west?" Percy asked, rubbing his hands anxiously.
"Ah, think Percy. If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in war, who stands to gain?" Chiron asked.
"Somebody else who wants to take over?" Percy guessed.
"Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge. Who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago." Chiron looked at Percy like he was to know this off the top of his mind. "Whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers and was forced into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken." Chiron laid all out.
"Hades." Percy was in a cold sweat and Chiron nodded. I was scared for Percy, if the lord of the dead and the first Big Three member was after him. His quest might be more horrible than I thought.
"The lord of the dead is the only possibility," Chiron said. Grover didn't look too eager anymore as bits of can fell out of his dangling jaw.
"Wow, wait. What?" Grover gasped.
"A Fury came after Percy," Chiron explained. "She watched him until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord, Hades."
"Yes bu-but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protested. "Especially when they're the son of Poseidon."
"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be someone who had to be in the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon plans to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much love to kill this young half-blood before he takes up this quest."
"Great," Percy moaned under his breath. "That's two major gods that want to kill me."
"And on a quest to..." Grover shivered. "Why can't the bolt be somewhere like Maine? Maine is very nice this time of year."
"Hades sent his minions to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the underworld, knowing full well Zeus blamed Poseidon. I don't claim to know the lord of the dead's motives perfectly or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy must go to the underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."
Percy looked determined but was gripping his stomach like it was going to flip itself and spout bile. I would look like that too if all that pressure was on me, but Grover was stress eating playing cards.
"Look, if we know it's Hades then why don't we tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the underworld and bust some heads," Percy told Chiron.
"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron said. "Besides, even if the gods suspect Hades, and I imagine Poseidon does, they cannot retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation, that is another ancient rule. Heroes on the other hand have certain privileges, they can go anywhere and challenge anyone as long as they are bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions, why do you think the gods always operate through humans."
"You're saying I'm being used." Percy had almost a disgusted look on his face at the idea of him being manipulated like he was.
"He's saying it is no accident or mistake Poseidon has claimed you at this time," I said.
"It's a very risky gamble, but he is in a very desperate situation. He needs you," Chiron said, putting in a lot of emphasis on the god needing his mortal son. Percy looked at Chiron after stirring and tapping his foot for a long while.
"You knew I was Poseidon's son all along," Percy said, "didn't you?"
"I had my suspicions. As I said, I have spoken to the Oracle as well." Chiron definitely wasn't telling all there was to be told I thought Percy was holding out too about his prophecy, but I couldn't talk. I was keeping my whole life a secret from everyone and the only people who apparently knew were some of the older gods, Chiron, Mr. D, and apparently some monsters that were around when I fought them like hellhounds, which I needed to talk to Hades about if they only came if he sent them.
"So let me get this straight," Percy held up his hands and closed his eyes, looking a little calmer than before. "I'm supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the lord of the dead."
"Check," Chiron said.
"Find the most powerful weapon in the Universe."
"Check." Chiron nodded.
"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."
"That's about right." Chiron almost smiled a grin in approval of Percy understanding his lethal situation. Grover had swallowed a chunk of the card deck.
"Did I mention Maine is very nice this time of year?" Grover said weakly, nibbling on the last of the playing cards.
"You don't have to go," Percy told him. "I can't ask that of you."
"Oh." Grover shifted his hoofs. "No. It's just Satyrs and underground places, well..." Grover took a shaky breath like he was remembering a horrible dream and brushed off the card and can crumbs standing. "You saved my life, Percy. If you're serious about wanting me along I won't let you down." Percy smiled a genuine one and his eyes became the faintest coat glossier.
"All the way G man." Percy fist bumped Grover. I slapped Grover on the back, smiling too, to give him any confidence he would take. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."
"Well, the entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age just like Olympus, right now of course it is in America." Chiron wheeled his chair away from the table and in front of us three now standing.
"Where?" Percy asked.
"I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles." Percy and Grover shuddered and I wondered if Los Angeles was like the Underworld for mortals even with the mist covering up the truth.
"Oh," Percy said, "naturally. So we get on a plane and—"
"No! Percy, what are you thinking! Have you ever been on a plane in your life!" Grover yelled with a hint of a rising goat bleat in his voice. Percy shook his head no, embarrassed. I wanted to reassure Percy but I didn't know what a plane was and probably shouldn't ask for my cover's sake. Chiron saw my face of cluelessness.
"Yes, flying in a massive tub of metal in Zeus's domain would not be the smartest," Chiron said casually to subtly inform me. "Now Percy, think. You are the son of the sea god whose bitterest rival is Zeus, lord of the sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would never come down again alive."
"Okay. I understand," Percy said, trying his hardest to not look past the branches and to the menacing thunderclouds. "So I'll travel over land."
"Correct. You may have two companions accompany you," Chiron said. "Grover is one and Annabeth who we have chosen as well who even thought ahead and volunteered, which I forgot to mention." I felt bitter again that Annabeth was chosen over me and that I didn't think to volunteer ahead of time even though I had no way of knowing to do so.
"Gee," Percy mussed. "I wonder who would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this." Air behind Chiron shimmered and Annabeth appeared, shoved her hat into her back pocket and crossed her arms.
"I've been waiting for a quest for a long time, Seaweed Brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon but if you're going to save the world I'm the best person to keep you from messing it up." This girl pushed my buttons without even trying but I said nothing and only leered at her.
"If you say so yourself. I suppose you have a plan, Wise Girl." Percy leaned against the railing behind him and crossed his arms too. Annabeth only frowned harder and turned red in the cheeks.
"Do you want my help or not?" Percy held his sarcastic look but if she was here any sooner then she may have heard that Percy agreed with Chiron that he wanted her help.
"A trio," Percy said, "that'll work."
"Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own." Lightning flashed in the sky through the tree branches and rain began to finally filter through the thick of the tree on the camp that was never supposed to have bad weather. "No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."
I began to walk away from the big house with the other three but Chiron held me back, so I returned to the porch and sat back down with Fidi.
"Yes Chiron?" I asked.
"I must have this word with you." Chiron looked serious again like he had several times in the past conversation. "Three is an ancient and powerful number and always only three on a quest and I need you to remember that."
"I will." I nodded and sat forward to stand up. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"
"No, actually." Chiron took a deep breath and sighed it even deeper out. "I want you to go with them as a fourth." I looked at him shocked but almost excited. "I am aware that it will be breaking tradition and therefore I need you to not make a fuss of this or tell anyone." I began nodding as I was standing out of my seat. "Your reanimation and involvement with three Olympians is a serious matter and if it were not for Grover needing a license and Annabeth's earlier volunteering and years of training in waiting, I would have sent you with Percy. Laws and oaths are being broken left right and center by the gods here, Datanus. I believe if we do not do the same then the gods may be at war soon."
"Chiron. I cannot thank you enough." I reached out and shook the centaur's hand. Chiron smiled at me and gripped my other shoulder with his free hand.
"Yes yes, my dear boy. Now go pack your bag for the trip and make your way immediately back here. We're going to have to smuggle you out of camp."