Throughout the school year, Percy was only allowed to visit during breaks. He was able to make it for my birthday which made it a happier one than I thought I was going to have. It felt strange without Castor slamming a purple cupcake into my face like he did every year. Pollux threw me a big breakfast party with our close friends in our cabin. Later, Percy and I celebrated it by Long Sound Island sharing a few lunchables and having Sunny D. It was peaceful and relaxing with lots of laughter. It was just the both of us for the evening until Mrs. O'Leary came and decided to lay in our laps.
Then Spring Break came. The war
council started talking strategies. Beckondorf and Percy started to plan out an attack on Luke's ship, Princess Andromeda. Cabins started to practice more with weapons and battle formations. The year round campers were working hard on making Green Fire and other traps for the future. There were more raids and missions against our enemies. We could feel the war coming closer.
Sally and Paul got married a little after Spring Break. Percy brought me as his plus one. The wedding was small and simple. The ceremony was outside at a gazebo for close family and friends to attend. Then the reception was in a Italian restaurant they rented out. Percy and I danced a few songs that we know the moves to, but a majority of the dances we just free styled. Paul and Sally had to step in to teach us how to dance correctly. We followed their instructions, but then we got bored and did our own thing again. It was a good breather from the demigod world filled with laughter and smiles.
When summer hit, things were different. Beckondorf and Percy were constantly going over their plan to finalize it. It was only a two man job and I fought tooth and nail against it. Percy managed to have my dad work with him to not allow me to go. It was a rare sight to see the both of them agree on something.
I was mad at him for a couple of days. Percy shrugged it off and just told me he would rather have me mad at him and alive, then face regret and sadness. When he had to head back home, I refused to let him leave my arms.
I knew of the plans Chiron, Annabeth, and Sally had for Percy. They told me of course, so I was aware. However, Percy did not. They wanted him to have a normal summer. Which meant not coming to camp as often as he usually would until it was time for the plan of attack on Princess Andromeda. We tried to make every second count between the meetings, trainings, and Percy heading back home.
And then there was the issue of Percy still being friends with Rachel. They have been hanging out a lot during the summer when Percy wasn't at camp. He said it was because he needed something to tie him to the mortal world and take a breather from the monsters and the war. I couldn't exactly blame the guy. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders, the prophecy, the upcoming mission, and fighting monsters.
Plus, it wasn't like we were officially dating. Now, that is what is causing my jealousy to go into over drive. We had no official label. Everyone at camp knew we had something going on. The other girls had backed away from Percy, thank gods, but the girls in the mortal world have no clue. Well, besides Rachel Elizabeth Dare. I'm just hoping she's getting the hint that she's a girl friend and a girlfriend.
It was the day of the planned attack on the ship Princess Andromeda. Beckondorf had already left with Blackjack to go get Percy. I was a nervous wreck with Silena. The both of us were pacing around camp all day. At one point, Drew Tanka managed to convince Silena and I that I needed a new hair color. She may have also hinted that it would make someone's heart beat a little faster and make me cuter. Silena was all for it, saying how she's been wanting to dye my hair for-freaking-ever. She even had the hair dye ready in her footlocker.
Two and a half hours later, I had purple streaks in my hair. Silena and Drew gushed over how well they did my hair and that Percy would love it. But now that we finished my hair, Silena and I went back to pacing the grounds. Annabeth had come over to check up on us. When she saw us with a bored Drew, she gave us a curt nod and walked away. Seth, a son of Apollo, waved her over and the two of the chatted near the archery station. I swore I saw Annabeth's cheeks turn pink.
Then a conch horn was blown. It was the signal that they were back. We made a break for it, leaving Drew in the dust. We saw a crowd of demigods going to the dinning pavilion. Chiron broke through the crowd first.
"Percy!" Chiron said. I picked up my pace, shoving aside campers. Some grumbled and accidentally blocked Silena. She pushed past them, further behind me. Annabeth was a little further behind me. "Thank the gods. But where..."
I saw him standing there with a grim expression. My heart raced when I realized he was here and he was safe. Percy was alive and he was safe. At that moment, that's all that mattered. Percy stared at me, his eyes swirling with different emotions. I stumbled to a stop in front of him.
I didn't see Beckondorf. Annabeth was right at my heels. Percy quickly wrapped me in a hug, placing his face in the crook of my neck. I placed a hand on the back of his head and brought
him closer to me. I could feel his body trembling slightly.
"Percy." I breathed out, placing a hand on his arm. He withdrew reluctantly. I could tell something didn't go as planned. He looked troubled. "What happened?"
"Is Luke-"
"The ship blew up." Percy said, a thickness in his voice. "He wasn't destroyed. I don't know where-"
Silena pushed through the crowd. Her hair was a mess from running her hands though it too much from worry while we paced earlier. She didn't even bother wearing makeup.
"Where's Charlie?" Silena demanded, looking around like he might be hiding.
Percy glanced at Chiron helplessly. My heart fell. Beckondorf didn't make it. Chiron cleared his throat.
"Silena, my dear, let's talk about this at the Big House-"
"No." She muttered. "No. No."
Silena started to cry, and the rest of the campers stood, too stunned to speak. My heart pinched as I walked towards her, placing an arm around her. Silena wrapped her arms around me and cried into my shoulder. Tears welled in my eyes. I rubbed her back, not knowing what to say. Clarisse came forward. She placed a hand on Silena.
"Come on, girl." Clarisse told Silena. She gave me a nod, telling me she's got her. "Let's go to the Big House. I'll make you some hot chocolate."
Silena reluctantly withdrew from me. Clarisse wrapped an arm around her shoulder. They wandered off towards the Big House. Everyone started to turn and walk away in twos and threes, heading back to the cabins. It was just Annabeth, Chiron, Percy and I left.
"I'm glad you're not dead, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Thanks." Percy muttered. He looked at me as I sniffled. I turned to face him and words couldn't say how glad I was to know he was okay. "Me too."
"I'm sure you did everything you could, Percy." Chiron placed a hand on his shoulder. "Will you tell us what happened?"
I could tell that Percy didn't want to relive it again, but he told us what happened aboard the ship. That Beckondorf sacrificed himself to blow up the ship and all the monsters on board. He told us about the demigod dream he had about the Titans. That there was a spy at camp.
"We must call a war council immediately," Chiron gazed down at the valley, "to discuss this spy, and other matters."
"Poseidon mentioned another threat." Percy mentioned. "Something even bigger than the Princess Andromeda. I thought it might be that challenge the Titan had mentioned in my dream."
Chiron, Annabeth, and I exchanged looks. It looks like we will have to catch him up. Percy didn't look too happy that we had an inkling of what is was.
"One more thing." Percy took a deep breath. "When to talked to my father, he said to tell you it's time. I need to know the full prophecy."
Chiron's shoulders sagged, but he didn't look surprised. I bit my lip. I was aware that Annabeth knew of the prophecy. Dad made sure I didn't know it. And I was okay with that. Now, I'm not sure if I actually want to know it.
"I've dreaded this day." Chiron said. "Very well, Annabeth, we will show Percy the truth-all of it. Let's go to the attic."
🍇
The four of us stood at the base of the ladder on top of the staircase in the Big House. Percy had a tight grip on my hand. I know he was trying to keep his nerves in check.
"You know where it is." Chiron told Annabeth. "Bring it down, please."
"Come on, Percy." Annabeth nodded.
"You coming?" Percy looked down at me. He grew more over the summer. I had to now look up at him. I quickly shook my head. "Why not?"
"That attic gives me the creeps and nightmares." I shivered. "I'll wait down here. Where I can actually see the sun and not some old creepy mummy."
Percy was hesitant to go up into the attic. Annabeth went up first before he trailed after her. In the meantime, Chiron went to gather the war council before coming back. I waited for Percy and Annabeth. A few minutes later, they came down.
"Everything go okay?" I asked.
"I really hate that attic." Percy grumbled.
🍇
The senior counselors had gathered around the Ping-Pong table in the rec room. When we entered, there was shouting. Clarisse was in full battle gear with her electric spear strapped to her back. She had her boar shaped helmet under one arm and a knife at her belt.
She was yelling at Michael Yew, the new head counselor of Apollo since Lee Fletcher died last summer. I rolled my eyes, already knowing what they were arguing about. It was honestly getting on my nerves.
"It's our loot!" Michael yelled, standing on his tiptoes so he could get in Clarisse's face. "If you don't like it, you can kiss my quiver!"
Around the table, people were trying not to laugh -the Stoll brothers, Pollux, Katie Gardner from the Demeter cabin, and Jake Mason, the new lead counselor for the Hephaestus cabin. Silena sat beside Clarisse, staring vacantly at the Ping-Pong net. Her eyes were red and puffy. A cup of hot chocolate sat untouched in front of her. Someone else should have stepped up to fill in for her. She needed time to grieve.
"STOP IT!" Percy yelled. "What are you guys doing?"
"Tell Michael not to be a selfish jerk." Clarisse glowered at him.
"Oh, that's perfect, coming from you." Michael said.
"The only reason I'm here is to support Silena!" Clarisse shouted. "Otherwise I'd be back in my cabin."
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Did they have to bring the argument here? I sat down beside my brother. He already looked done with the arguing as well.
"What are you talking about?" Percy asked, eyeing my reaction.
"Clarisse has refused to speak to any of us," Pollux cleared his throat, "until her, um, issue is resolved. She hasn't spoken for three days."
"It's been wonderful." Travis Stoll said wistfully.
"What issue?" Percy questioned.
"You're in charge, right?" Clarisse ignored Percy. She turned to Chiron. "Does my cabin get what we want or not?"
"My dear," Chiron shuffled his hooves, " as I've already explained, Michael is correct. Apollo's cabin has the best claim. Besides, we have more important matters-"
"Sure." Clarisse snapped. "Always more important matters than what Ares needs. We're just supposed to show up and fight when you need us, and not complain!"
"That would be nice." Connor Stoll muttered.
"Maybe," Clarisse gripped her knife, "I should ask D-"
"As you know," Chiron interrupted, his tone slightly angry now, "our director, Dionsyus, is busy with the war. He can't be bothered with this."
"I see," Clarisse said. "And the senior counselors? Are any of you going to side with me?"
Nobody was smiling now. None of them met Clarisse's eyes. I went to open my mouth, but didn't know what to say. I hated picking sides between the two cabins. I always told them I was Switzerland.
"Fine." Clarisse turned to Silena. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get into this when you've just lost...Anyway, I apologize. To you. Nobody else."
Silena didn't seem to register her words. Clarisse threw her knife at on the table.
"All of you can fight this war without Ares. Until I get satisfaction, no one in my cabin is lifting a finger to help. Have fun dying."
The counselors were all too stunned to say anything as Clarisse stormed out of the room. Dread filled my veins.
"Good riddance." Michael Yew said.
"Are you kidding?" Katie Gardner protested. "This is a disaster!"
"She can't be serious." Travis said. "Can she?"
"It is Clarisse." I muttered. Percy looked between Annabeth and I in confusion. He had no idea of what has been going on at camp. "I'll tell you later."
"Now," Chiron continued, "if you please, counselors. Percy has brought something I think you should hear. Percy-the Great Prophecy."
Annabeth handed Percy a piece of parchment. He fumbled to take off the string. He uncurled the paper, trying his best not to rip it.
"A half-blood of the eldest dogs..."
"Er, Percy?" Annabeth interrupted. "That's gods. Not dogs."
"Oh, right." Percy said, nervously. "A half-blood of the eldest gods...shall reach sixteen against all odds..." Percy hesitated to read the next line. "And see the world in endless sleep, The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap."
My heart crawled into my throat. My palms started to sweat. I rubbed them on my ripped skinny jeans.
"Percy." Chiron urged. "Read the rest."
"A single choice shall...shall end his days. Olympus to per-pursue-"
I felt Pollux grasp my hand. He gave me a small reassuring smile. At this point, I felt like my heart stopped beating. Percy can't die. He can't.
"Preserve." Annabeth said gently. "It means to save."
"I know what it means." Percy grumbled. "Olympus to preserve or raze."
Percy stopped reading the prophecy. The room fell silent.
"Raise is good, isn't it?" Connor was the first to speak up.
"Not raise." Silena said with a hallow voiced "R-a-z-e means destroy."
"Obliterate." Annabeth said. "Annihilate. Turn to rubble."
"Got it." Percy's shoulders slumped slightly. "Thanks."
"You see now, Percy," Chiron had said after closing his eyes momentarily, "why we thought it was best not to tell you the whole prophecy. You've had enough on your shoulders-"
"Without realizing I was going to die in the end anyway?" Percy said. I flinched, leaning closer to Pollux. "Yeah. I get it."
"Percy." Annabeth eyed my reaction with a frown. "You know prophecies always have double meanings. It might not literally mean you die."
"Sure." Percy stated, not entirely convinced. "A single choice shall end his days. That has tons of meanings, right?"
My heart felt like it was being taken out of my chest and put into a blender. Realization hit me as to why my dad was insistent of me staying away from Percy all of these years. The main reason wasn't because of his little trust in heroes, it was because he knew of Percy's fate according to the Great Prophecy. He didn't want me to get hurt.
"Maybe we can stop it." Jake Mason offered. "The heroes soul, cursed blade shall reap. Maybe we could find this cursed blade and destroy it. Sounds like Kronos's scythe, right?"
"Perhaps we should let Percy think about these lines." Chiron said. "He needs time-"
"No." Percy folded up the prophecy and shoved it into his pocket angrily. His brows were bunched together and he had a glint in his eyes that resembled defiance. "I don't need time. If I die, I die. I can't worry about that, right?"
I glanced at my lap. My hands were trembling at how Percy was talking. I could feel him looking at me, but I refused to meet his eyes. If I do, I would burst into tears.
"Let's move on." Percy said. "We've got other problems. We've got a spy."
"A spy?" Michael scowled.
Percy quickly filled them in on what happened on the Princess Andromeda. How Kronos had known we were coming, how he'd shown Percy the silver scythe pendant he'd used to communicate with someone at camp. Silena started to cry again, and Annabeth put an arm around her shoulders.
"Well," Connor said uncomfortably, "we've suspected there might be a spy for years, right? Somebody kept passing information to Luke- like the location of the Golden Fleece a couple of years ago. It must be somebody who knew him well." Connor glanced at Annabeth, but he quickly looked away. "Um, I mean, it could be anybody."
"Yes." Katie frowned at the Stoll brothers. She'd disliked them ever since they'd decorated the grass roof of her cabin with chocolate Easter bunnies. "Like one of Luke's siblings."
Travis and Connor both started to argue with her.
"Stop!" Silena banged the table so hard her hot chocolate spilled. "Charlie's dead and...and you're all arguing like little kids!"
She put her head down and began to sob. Hot chocolate trickled off the table. Everybody looked ashamed.
"She's right." Pollux said at last. "Accusing each other doesn't help. We need to keep our eyes open for a silver necklace with a scythe charm. If Kronos had one, the spy probably does too."
"We need to find this spy before we plan our next operation." Michael grunted. "Blowing ho the Princess Andromeda won't stop Kronos forever."
"No indeed." Chiron said. "In fact his next assault is already on the way."
"You mean the 'bigger threat' Poseidon mentioned?" Percy scowled.
Chiron, Annabeth, and I looked at each other. It was time to tell him.
"Percy." Chiron said. "We didn't want to tell you until you returned to camp. You needed a break with your...mortal friends."
I blushed, refusing to look at Percy.
"Tell me what's happened." Percy said.
Chiron picked up a bronze goblet from the snack table. He tossed water onto the hot plate where we usually melted nacho cheese. Steam billowed up, making a rainbow in the fluorescent lights. Chiron fisher a golden drachma out of his pouch, tossed it through the most, and muttered, "O Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, show us the threat."
The most shimmered and it showed Mount St. Helens. The side of the mountain exploded. Fire, ash, and lava rolled out. A newscaster's voice was saying "- even larger than last year's eruption, and geologists warn that the mountain may not be done."
I glanced at Percy when they mentioned last year's eruption since he caused it. The mountain tore itself apart, collapsing inward, and an enormous form rose out of the smoke and lava. The giant was bigger than anything I'd every encountered. I wasn't able to make out it's exact firm through the ash and fire, but it was vaguely humanoid and so huge that it could've used the Chrysler Building as a baseball bat. The mountain shook with a horrible rumbling, as if the monster were laughing
"It's him." Percy stated. "Typhon."
"The most horrible monster of all," Chiron nodded, "the biggest threat the gods ever faced. He has been freed from under the mountain at last. But this scene is from two days ago. Here is what is happening today."
Chiron waved his hand and the image changed. I saw a bank of storm clouds rolling across the Midwest plains. Lightning flickered. Lines of tornadoes destroyed everything in their path.
"Monumental floods," an announcer was saying. "Five states declared disaster areas as the freak storm system sweeps east, continuing its path of destruction."
The cameras zoomed into the storm. Inside the storm was the giant- just small glimpses of his true form: a smoky arm, a dark clawed hand the size of a city block. His angry roar rolled across the plains like a nuclear blast. Other smaller forms started through the clouds, circling the monster. Flashes of light were near the monster, and the giant was trying to sway them. A golden chariot flew into the darkness. A huge bird-a monstrous owl- dived in to attack the giant.
"Are those...the gods?" Percy asked.
"Yes, Percy." Chiron said. "They have been fighting him for days now, trying to slow him down. But Typhon is marching forward- toward New York. Toward Olympus."
"How long until he gets here?" Percy questioned as he let the information sink in.
"Unless the gods can stop him? Perhaps five days. Most of the Olympians are there...except your father, who had a war of his own to fight."
"But then who's guarding Olympus?"
"If Typhon gets to New York, It won't matter who's guarding Olympus!" Connor shook his head.
"So, basically no one." I muttered.
Percy frowned at my response. He thought, his brows furrowing together. Soon, his eyes widened.
"It's a trick." He said. "We have to warn the gods. Something else is going to happen."
"Something worse than Typhon?" Chiron looked gravely at Percy. "I hope not."
"We have to defend Olympus." Percy insisted. I raised a brow. "Kronos had another attack planned."
"He did." Travis reminded him. "But you sunk his ship."
We all looked at Percy. A majority of the counselors looked at him as if awaiting for good news. Percy glanced at me and then Annabeth. The three of us seemed to be thinking the same thing: What if the Princess Andromeda was a ploy? What if Kronos let us blow up that ship so we'd lower our guard?
"Maybe you're right." Percy said, but he didn't sound convincing.
"Well," Chiron said, "I think that's enough for one night."
He waved his hand and the steam dissipated. The stormy battle of Typhon and the gods disappeared.
"That's an understatement." Percy muttered besides me.
And the war council adjourned.
And this is how I imagine Ivy's hair