FIVE, we're going on a quest!
❀ ✿ ❀ ✿
AFTER CAPTURE THE FLAG, Aster was wary of Percy. As the sole son of Poseidon and the second kid that had broken the pact of the Big Three, he basically had a target on his back. And not just by monsters.
No one mentioned the hellhound attack, mainly due to the fact that they didn't want to have the conversation of who let it into the camp. There had been whispers of a traitor amongst them, but Aster couldn't think of anyone who fit the bill. Who would be insane enough to betray their camp, their home? And who would they betray it for?
No answers came over the next few days. Percy moved into cavin three, and no one said a word. Everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells around him, as if he would cause an earthquake at any moment, like his father. Aster wasn't ashamed to say that she was also kind of avoiding him, but mostly because she didn't know what to think of the son of Poseidon. Maybe the kid didn't deserve to be completely alienated; she remembered when she'd first arrived and Annabeth was the only camper around her age, and the girl was Aster's lifeline. To make things easier for him than they had been for her, Aster pushed aside her own worrying—for the most part.
Aster and Annabeth had seemed to switch roles during Percy's Greek mythology lessons, with Aster as the primary instructor. She understood why Annabeth was suddenly tense around him; Athena and Poseidon were natural enemies. It was now Aster who broke up arguments between the two instead of the other way around.
Although she kept the peace, Aster felt like the control she held over her world was swiftly crumbling. Changes were coming fast, spurred by Percy's arrival and claiming. She had no reason to hate Percy, but she couldn't bring herself to trust him very much—or even try.
Her vivid dreams continued almost every night, which held the same scene as that first one over a week ago: Thalia in her tree, speaking to Aster in code.
"You have to find the thief, or Olympus will be in ruins," Thalia urged.
"Tell me something I don't know," Aster grumbled.
"This is just the beginning," Thalia said, "follow your instincts. Always remember that."
Thalia had told her to "follow her instincts" so many times that Aster was ready to ignore them just out of spite. Then, at the end of their conversation, the ancient, cynical voice boomed from below her, and Aster woke, sweating and out of breath. This time, it was Steve shaking her awake, not just shooting up from her bed.
"Yo, Aster!" Steve said as Aster worked to catch her breath. "You're okay, it's just a dream."
Aster calmed once she realized she was in her own bed, in cabin four.
"In," Steve took a deep breath in, "and out." He blew the breath out slowly. Aster followed his direction and her heart rate slowed.
"Thanks Steve," Aster said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd oversleep, that's what," Steve said with a grin, and Aster nodded reluctantly. Most of their siblings were still asleep, only Katie's bed being empty.
Aster yawned. "Why'd you wake me up so early? Not trying to impose your early bird philosophy on me, are you?"
"Oh, you wish," Steve scoffed, "but Chiron's asked to see you. Grover came trotting by, muttering like a madman."
Aster sat up immediately. "Huh? What for?"
"No idea. But I'd bet good money that it had something to do with that Poseidon kid."
Camp was slowly waking up when Aster made her way over to the Big House. There weren't that many campers out and about, which gave Aster some quiet to think as she walked. If Percy went to speak to the Oracle, which Chiron had authorized after she had asked, would he be offered a quest? Would he ask her to go with him? Would she accept?
Aster pushed aside all of her questions as she noticed some huge storm clouds that were heading towards camp. They had a magical barrier around them which kept the weather warm and sunny, but Aster could have used some rain on her face right then, if just to clear her head. She used to stand outside during storms all the time when she was young, her dad dancing and spinning around with her until they were soaked to the bone.
Aster shoved the memory away, but the ache in her chest didn't ease.
When she arrived at the Big House, Mr. D and Chiron were playing pinochle with some invisible people, if the three sets of floating cards were anything to go off of. "Cheater," Mr. D muttered to one of the invisible folks, and he waved his wand and the cards dropped.
"Ah, Aster!" Chiron said warmly. "A pinochle spot just opened up! Would you like to join us?"
"Against Mr. D?" Aster shook her head. "I'd lose in two minutes."
"You'd lose in less than that, Arbor Roe," Mr. D said, taking a sip of Diet Coke.
Aster nodded in agreement, knowing better than to correct Mr. D (if he hadn't learned her name after five years, he was never going to learn it). She turned towards Chiron. "I was told you wanted to speak with me."
"Yes, I do," Chiron placed his cards face-down on the table. "An opportunity for a quest has opened up. I feel that you should take it."
Aster's brow furrowed. "Me? Why me? Annabeth has been wanting to go on a quest for ages."
"She would be going as well. Percy Jackson would be leading the quest."
"Percy," Aster deadpanned. "He nearly got himself killed during capture the flag, and not to mention in every other activity other than canoeing. His head is full of seaweed!"
Chiron chuckled. "He may be untrained, but he has the heart of a true warrior. A heart that I know you also possess. The skills possessed by you and Annabeth should be more than enough to balance him out." The centaur hesitated, but spoke again. "Percy is not the issue you are grappling with, is it?"
Aster sighed, looking out towards a familiar pine in the distance. "Are you sure it's worth it? To leave? With the chance that I might never come back?"
Chiron's eyes softened. "Every chance to see the world and better ourselves is worth it. Do not allow fear or mistrust rule your life, Aster. From what it sounds like, your dreams have been pointing you in this direction; it is a wise thing to follow. Your gifts may be needed."
Aster was quiet for a while, then nodded. "Alright. I'm ready."
"Excellent," Chiron said. "It seems like Percy is arriving now."
Sure enough, a bleary-eyed Percy was being led up to the Big House by Grover.
Suddenly, an invisible hand grabbed Aster's wrist. For a moment she thought that Mr. D's invisible opponent had returned for revenge, but she soon relaxed when she heard Annaebth whisper, "Come on!" and drag her behind a pillar.
"Well, well," Mr. D said without looking up as Percy approached. "Our little celebrity."
Percy waited.
"Come closer," Mr. D encouraged them, and the two boys obliged. "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father."
A net of lightning flashed across the clouds. Thunder shook the windows of the house. Aster flinched, but nothing other than the thunder came.
"Blah, blah, blah," Mr. D waved his hands dismissively at the sky.
Chiron tried to look interested in the pinochle cards. Grover cowered by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth nervously.
"If I had my way," Mr. D said, sounding bored, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D," Chiron chimed 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, sending you back to your father."
"Mr. D–" Chiron warned.
"Oh, all right," Mr. D sighed. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Mr. D rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "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 Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do."
Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle: a security pass for Olympus. He snapped his fingers, and faded into the wind. Only a lingering scent of fresh-pressed grapes was left behind.
Chiron smiled at Percy, but it was strained. "Sit, Percy, please. And Grover."
They obliged. Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use.
"Tell me, Percy," he said. "What did you make of the hellhound?"
Aster shuddered thinking of the creature, and how shredded Percy's chest was before the creek had healed him.
"It scared me," Percy admitted. "If you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead."
"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done," Chiron warned.
"Done . . . with what?" Percy asked, his brows furrowing.
"Your quest, of course," Chiron said like it was obvious. "Will you accept it?"
Grover was crossing his fingers, but when Percy looked over at him, he tried to act inconspicuous.
"Um, sir," Percy said, "you haven't told me what it is yet."
Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."
Aster flinched as thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as she could see, the sky and the sea were boiling together.
"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy said. "They're fighting over something valuable... something that was stolen, aren't they?"
Chiron and Grover exchanged looks.
Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?"
A blush crept up Percy's face. "The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Aster and Annabeth, and they overheard something about a theft. And... I've also been having these dreams."
Aster listened attentively. Had he been having similar dreams to her, with the booming voice and people speaking in code?
"I knew it," Grover said.
"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered.
"But it is his quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"
"Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt."
Percy laughed nervously. "A what?"
"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned, his expression becoming suddenly very stern. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."
"Oh," Percy breathed, turning pale.
"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron continued. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."
"And it's missing?"
"Stolen," Chiron said.
"By who?"
"By whom," Chiron corrected. "By you."
Percy's mouth fell open.
"At least"—Chiron held up a hand to calm the boy—"that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' 'Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly—that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."
"But I didn't–" Percy started, but Chiron interrupted him.
"Patience and listen, child," the centaur said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."
"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!" Percy exclaimed, throwing his hands up. Aster's eyes widened as she searched the sky for a bolt of lightning to smite Percy.
Instead of the thunder clouds parting around camp as they usually did, they rolled straight over the valley. It seemed to seal them in like a coffin lid did.
"Er, Percy...?" Grover whimpered. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."
"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam..." The centaur looked at Percy expectantly.
"Something about a golden net?" Percy guessed, and Chiron nodded. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods—they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"
"Correct. And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along—the proverbial last straw."
"But I'm just a kid!" Percy protested.
"Percy," Grover cut in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you... Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"
"But I didn't do anything," Percy pleaded. "Poseidon—my dad—he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?"
Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return 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 might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?"
"Bad?" Percy guessed, and Aster cringed. She knew exactly what it meant.
"Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight."
"Bad," Percy repeated, his tone slightly more panicked.
"And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."
It then started to rain. Volleyball players stopped their game and stared in stunned silence at the sky. Aster held her hand out to catch a few raindrops, worried at what the phenomenon meant in their world.
"So I have to find the stupid bolt," Percy said. "And return it to Zeus."
"What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?"
"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?"
"I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago... well, some of the lines make sense to me now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?" Percy asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge," Chiron told him.
Percy swallowed hard. "Good reason."
"You agree then?" The centaur asked.
Percy looked over at Grover, who gave him an encouraging nod.
"All right," Percy said. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."
It was official then, Aster thought. They were going on this quest.
"Then it's time you consulted 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."
Percy returned after a few minutes, looking dazed. Aster, Annabeth, Chiron and Grover looked to Percy expectantly.
"Well?" Chiron asked.
Percy slumped back into his chair at the pinochle table. "She said I would retrieve what was stolen."
Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"
"What did the Oracle say exactly?" Chiron pressed. "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."
"I knew it," Grover said.
Chiron didn't look satisfied. "Anything else?"
"No," Percy said. "That's about it."
His expression told a different story. Aster knew he was holding something back, and it seemed like Chiron did too.
The centaur studied Percy's face, but let it go. "Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."
"Okay," Percy said anxiously. "So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?"
"Ah, think, Percy," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"
"Somebody else who wants to take over?" Percy guessed.
"Yes, quite," Chiron agreed, "Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken."
"Hades," Percy said surely. It would make sense if the booming voice coming from under her in Aster's dreams was Haded. He was, after all, the god of the Underworld.
Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."
A scrap of aluminum dribbled out of Grover's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh-what?"
"A Fury came after Percy," Chiron reminded him. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."
"Yes, but—but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protested. "Especially if he has found out Percy is a 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 summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest."
"Great," Percy muttered. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."
"But a quest to . . ." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."
"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand 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."
Grover was trembling. He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips.
"Look, if we know it's Hades," Percy told Chiron, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."
"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron said. "Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades—and I imagine Poseidon does—they couldn't 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, challenge anyone, as long as they're 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."
"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now," Chiron told him. "It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you."
Percy looked deflated, and Aster almost felt bad for him. Aster wasn't naive; she would love to believe that her mom loved her. But she knew it wasn't the truth, and that it would never be true.
Percy studied Chiron suspiciously. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"
"I had my suspicions," the centaur said. "As I said... I've spoken to the Oracle, too."
"So let me get this straight," Percy said. "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."
"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."
"That's about right."
Percy sighed, and looked over at Grover, who had just swallowed another playing card.
"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" Grover asked weakly.
"You don't have to go," Percy told him. "I can't ask that of you."
"Oh..." He shifted his hooves. "No... it's just that satyrs and underground places... well..."
Grover took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his T-shirt. "You saved my life, Percy. If– if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."
Percy looked relieved. "All the way, G-man." He turned to Chiron. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."
"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west," Chiron explained. "It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."
"Where?" Percy asked.
But Aster thought she knew. If Olympus was in New York, the most important city in the east, then the Underworld would be in the most important city in the west.
Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."
"Oh," Percy said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane–"
"No!" Grover shrieked. "Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?"
Percy shook his head, his cheeks turning red.
"Percy, think," Chiron said. "You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive."
Overhead, lightning crackled. Thunder boomed.
"Okay," Percy said, looking at his feet. "So, I'll travel overland."
"That's right," Chiron said. "Under usual circumstances, there would be up to two companions to accompany you. Any more than that would attract unwanted attention from monsters. But in this case, I have seen that three companions would be beneficial. Grover is one. The other two have already volunteered, if you will accept their help."
"Gee," Percy said, feigning surprise. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?"
Annabeth took off her Yankee's cap as she and Aster stepped out from behind the pillar.
Aster scowled at him, crossing her arms. "Who are you calling stupid, Water Boy?"
"We've wanted a long time for a quest, Jackson," Annabeth said, running her fingers along the rim of her hat. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, we're the best people to keep you from messing up."
"Besides, trouble seems to follow you everywhere," Aster said. "You're about as clueless as a sea urchin, and you need our help when it comes to the world of Greek gods and monsters."
"If you say so," Percy said. "I suppose you have a plan, Flower Power?"
Aster could feel her cheeks growing warm. "Of course, Seaweed Brain. It's not always Athena with the bright ideas."
"A trio, plus one," Percy said. "That'll work."
Aster lunged forwards. "I'll show you who's a plus one–" Annabeth held her back before she could do any serious damage, but Percy flinched.
"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. Rain poured down on the meadows that were never supposed to have violent weather.
"No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."