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chapter six ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
006. The Oracle Comes To Visit
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Cassie had given up with her life.
She just grumbled as Percy led her who knows where. All she wanted was to mope while eating her bacon in peace.
The son of Poseidon brought her to some clearing in the meadow where Grover was waiting. They sat and watched as satyrs were chasing wood nymphs around. A few of them tripped into the snow a couple times.
Apparently the nymphs said they'd kiss the satyrs if they were caught, but that rarely happened.
Normally when the satyr was about to grab them, the wood nymph would turned into a snow-covered tree and the satyr would go head-first into the tree. Then a snow pile would land on top of him.
When Cassie shared her nightmare with the two, Grover seemed lost in thought and Percy was very concerned.
"A cave ceiling collapsed on her?" The satyr questioned.
"Yeah and then it went dark." The brunette nodded.
"What the heck does that mean?" Percy asked.
Grover looked just as confused. "I don't know. But after what Zoë dreamed-"
"Wait what? What do you mean? Zoë had a dream like that too?" Cassie inquired. Her brows furrowed as she waited for his answer.
"I... I don't know, exactly. About three in the morning she came to the Big House and demanded to talk to Chiron. She looked really panicked."
"Wait, how do you know this?" Percy said.
"Better question is why were you up at three in the morning?"
Grover's face flushed like he had been caught. "I was sort of camped outside the Artemis cabin."
"What for?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Just to be, you know, near them." The satyr admitted.
Cassie made a face of disgust, "Grover that's so creepy!"
"You're a stalker with hooves." Percy agreed. The two shared a look of disapproval.
"I am not! Anyway, I followed her to the Big House and hid in a bush and watched the whole thing. She got real upset when Argus wouldn't let her in. It was kind of a dangerous scene."
"Totally not a stalker," Cassie scoffed but the scene was interesting nonetheless.
Argus the big blonde head of security with eyes everywhere (and she means everywhere) against Zoë Nightshade. That wouldn't end well.
"What did she say?" Percy asked.
Grover grimaced at the memory. "Well, she starts talking really old-fashioned when she gets upset, so it was kind of hard to understand. But something about Artemis being in trouble and needing the Hunters. And then she called Argus a boil-brained lout... I think that's a bad thing. And then he called her-"
The daughter of Ares nodded along but Percy was full of questions. "Whoa, wait. How could Artemis be in trouble?"
"I... well, finally Chiron came out in his pajamas and his horse tail in curlers and-"
"He wears curlers in his tail?"
Cassie burst out laughing and Grover put a hand over his mouth.
"Sorry, go on." Percy apologized.
"Well, Zoe said she needed permission to leave camp immediately. Chiron refused. He reminded Zoe that the Hunters were supposed to stay here until they received orders from Artemis. And she said..." Grover hesitated and swallowed. "She said 'How are we to get orders from Artemis if Artemis is lost?'"
"What do you mean lost? Like she needs directions?"
"Needs directions? Seriously Kelp Head?" The brunette rolled her eyes.
"No. I think she meant gone. Taken. Kidnapped."
Cassie cursed, "Well fuck."
"Kidnapped? How would you kidnap an immortal goddess? Is that even possible?" Percy wondered.
"Well, yeah. I mean, it happened to Persephone."
"But she was like, the goddess of flowers." The son of Poseidon remarked. Grover pulled an offended face.
"Di immortales! Goddess of Springtime." Cassie corrected, smacking Percy atop the head.
"Whatever. Artemis is a lot more powerful than that.
Who could kidnap her? And why?"
"I don't know. Kronos?" Grover offered.
"He can't be that powerful already. Can he?"
Kronos was no more than a bunch of chopped up pieces last time they saw him. Technically that hadn't actually seen him.
After the Titan-God war thousands of years ago, Kronos had been chopped into pieces by the gods and thrown into Tartarus to rot.
Just two summers ago he had tried to trick Percy, Cassie, Grover, and Annabeth into almost falling in the pit. And last summer, Luke had revealed his plan to summon the Titan Lord in his golden coffin. Bit by bit Kronos would reform as more demigods joined him.
He got to demigods in their dreams and influenced them to his side, but Percy didn't understand how that would work with Artemis.
Grover shrugged. "I don't know. I think somebody would know if Kronos had re-formed. The gods would be more nervous. But still, it's weird, Cassie having a nightmare the same night as Zoe. It's almost like-"
"They're connected," Cassie mumbled, half-heartedly.
Their attention was drawn to a satyr sliding on the icy ground as he chased a ginger tree nymph. She giggled and opened her arms for a hug but Pop! The nymph was a Scotch pine before he even got a kiss.
"Ah, love," Grover sighed dreamily.
Cassie shared a look with Percy and let out her own sigh.
"We've got to talk to Zoe," The daughter of Ares informed.
"Um, before you do." Grover shuffled through his pockets before pulling something out. It looked like some kind of brochure. "You remember what you said-about how it was weird the Hunters just happened to show up at Westover Hall? I think they might've been scouting us."
Grover directed his words to Percy but handed the paper to Cassie.
"Scouting us? What do you mean?" The son of Poseidon inquired.
Cassie flipped the brochure over and read the front. It was an advertisement for the Hunters of Artemis. Her eyes skimmed over the words: A WISE CHOICE FOR YOUR FUTURE!
There were pictures for examples. Hunters were shooting bows and fighting monsters. The captions were things like: HEALTH BENEFITS: IMMORTALITY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU! and A BOY-FREE TOMORROW!
"I found that in Annabeth's backpack," Grover explained.
He watched as Cassie's face fell the more she read. Percy glanced from over her shoulder but was troubled.
"I don't understand." He confessed.
"Well, it seems to me... maybe Annabeth was thinking about joining." Grover gave the news as lightly as he could waiting for Cassie's reaction.
The daughter of Ares just tightened her grip on the paper and scoffed. She handed it back to Grover, offered both boys a side hug, and stomped away.
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Cassie didn't take the news well...
She'd never wanted to slice someone's head off more. The daughter of Ares tried to distract herself with activities all day, but Annabeth never left her mind.
Cassie had taken some of her anger out in javelin-throwing class. The poor targets had many spear holes through them by the time she was done.
She did find Percy's incident with her brother Sherman hilarious though. The son of Poseidon managed to land a spear right through Sherman's pants leaving a hole. Percy tried to apologize but was just sent away.
Cassie left soon after and saw Silena Beauregard, a daughter of Aphrodite, arguing with a Hunter. The brunette pushed past them and 'accidentally' bumped into the Hunter mid-sentence. Silena ended up winning that argument.
After that, Cassie found herself alone at the chariot stands and sulked. From there she could see Chiron teaching in the archery fields.
He'd probably be the best person to ask for advice but the daughter of Ares had a gut feeling that Chiron was wouldn't be completely truthful.
Cassie glanced the other way towards the sound of yelling. Mr. D was complaining from the top of Half-Blood Hill while he and Argus fed the baby dragon guarding the Golden Fleece.
Then it dawned on her that no one would be in the Big House. Why ask any of them when there was someone... or something else that could easily help her.
The brunette quit her moping and rushed to the Big House. She calmed herself before heading up stairs. Believe it or not Cassie had never been in the attic before, but Percy's description of it was concerning.
Cassie pushed the trapdoor up and willed herself in, She looked around. The room was full and barely any light shined in. Everything was covered in dust and random things were scattered everywhere.
Broken shields and bent swords were thrown in one corner. Strange taxidermy were knocked over on the floor. Cassie's eyes traveled to the window where an old wrinkly mummy lady in a tattered dress was perched on a stool. The Oracle.
Cassie shuddered but forced herself to walk towards her. She expected something to happen. Maybe some green smoke like Percy had said. But nothing happened.
"I honestly have no clue what to do but uh, hi?"
No response, which was... expected. The daughter of Ares almost doubted if the Oracle was even listening but she could sense its spirit. There was a cold presence in the room, like a sleeping snake.
"So, I have a question. You know Annabeth? I think you should... because you probably know everyone in a way but uh, how can I get her back...? Save her?"
Yet again, no answer. The sunshine reflected through the attic window as dust specks danced in the light. Cassie waited impatiently.
She let out a frustrated sigh. Wasn't this thing supposed to have all the answers? Predict the future?
"Well this is dumb. You're no help you know. I'll just figure it out on my own. No point waiting around." The brunette huffed.
She knocked into a big table which shook all the clutter on it. Cassie knew that heroes would leave all sorts of things in the attic.
Things like quest trophies that took up space in their cabins or things that reminded them of bad memories. The daughter of Ares knew that Luke had put his dragon claw up here.
She picked up a broken sword hilt. It was old and had a label: This broke and Leroy got killed. 1999. Cassie put the hilt down before a pink scarf caught her eye.
The brunette took the tag, which read:
SCARF OF THE GODDESS APHRODITE
RECOVERED AT WATERLAND, DENVER, CO., BY ANNABETH CHASE AND CASSANDRA CARTER
Thoughts of the blonde found their way back into Cassie's mind. She stared at the scarf. Almost two years ago the two were at Waterland to get her dad's shield.
Cassie had picked up the scarf and almost stuffed her face into. Annabeth pulled it from her, saying something like, 'Don't do that. You of all people would stay away from love magic.'
She never knew the blonde had kept it. Why did she stash it in the attic?
Cassie let go of the tag and took one last glance at the mummy. She hadn't moved but the shadows are her face gave her an evil smile. The daughter of Ares took that as her sign to leave.
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That night after dinner Cassie was ready to pass out, but instead she was strapping on her armor and handing out weapons.
Capture the flag tonight would only be a small game of thirteen Hunters against about the same amount of campers.
Zoë Nightshade didn't seem to happy. She would glare at Chiron every once in a while. The rest of the Hunters weren't cheery either, like they couldn't believe they were being forced to play.
Cassie watched them huddle together whispering. Some looked anxious and others were wiping away dried tears. Zoë had probably told them about her nightmare.
The daughter of Ares went over to help Nico with his armor. It was a little bit on him but Cassie managed to strap it up properly.
She handed him the same dagger from before and pat his head. Nico put on his helmet and thanked her, before going to talk with the Stoll brothers.
Cassie was glad Nico seemed to enjoy Cabin Eleven. She'd have to thank Connor and Travis later.
Percy was scanning over their team. They had Beckendorf and some of his siblings. Obviously Cassie and some other Ares' boys. Then the Stolls and Nico from Hermes cabin. Lastly was the Aphrodite kids.
It was strange that they were joining since normally they were too busy checking themselves out. But when they learned it was campers against fighters, they were happy to play.
"I'll show them 'love is worthless'," Silena Beauregard muttered to Cassie as she pulled on her armor straps. "I'll pulverize them!"
The daughter of Ares grinned and went to check on Percy and Thalia.
"So what's the plan?" Cassie asked. She had her helmet under her arm and her sword crackling in her hand.
"I'll take the offense," Thalia offered. "Percy, you take defense and Cassie, you're with me."
"Oh." Percy frowned. He was about to say that just reversed. "Don't you think with your shield and all, you'd be better defense?"
Thalia looked to the shield on her arm. Even their own teammates kept some distance after seeing Medusa's head.
"Well, I was thinking it would make better offense. Besides, you've had more practice at defense."
Percy could tell if she was teasing or not. Him on defense had not gone well in the past. His first year he almost got skewered with spears and torn apart by a hellhound.
"Yeah, no problem," The son of Posiedon agreed but Cassie could tell it wasn't genuine.
"Cool." Thalia said and went to go help the Aphrodite kids who were complaining about possibly breaking a nail.
After she left, Nico di Angelo ran over to the duo with a huge smile on his face.
"Percy, Cass, this is awesome!" The young boy exclaimed as his helmet slanted over his eyes. Cassie managed a laugh before pulling the helmet up to sit right.
"Do we get to kill the other team?" Nico asked, wobbly raising his sword.
"Well... no." Percy denied.
"Sadly." Cassie added.
"But the Hunters are immortal, right?"
"That's only if they don't fall in battle. Besides-"
"It would be awesome if we just, like, resurrected as soon as we were killed, so we could keep fighting,
and-"
"Nico, this is serious. Real swords. These can hurt." The son of Poseidon raised his voice.
Nico's face fell with disappointment. Percy furrowed his eyebrows. He sounded like his mom.
Cassie shot her best friend a look before kneeling down to Nico's height.
"I know this is all new and probably super cool. Just stuck with the team, avoid Zoë at all cost, and stay safe. It'll be great." She mustered a reassuring grin. Cassie needed some reassurance of her own right now.
Chiron's stomped his hoof against the floor to grab their attention.
"Heroes! You know the rules! The creek is the boundary line. Blue team-Camp Half-Blood-shall take the west woods. Hunters of Artemis-red team-shall take the east woods. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. No intentional maiming, please! All magic items are allowed. To your positions!"
"Sweet. What kind of magie items? Do I get one?" Nico whispered.
Neither of the two were able to answer before Thalia called out, "Blue team! Follow me!"
The demigods cheered and trailed after the daughter of Zeus. Percy left in a hurry to get to the front. Cassie watched him almost face plant from tripping over someone shield. Idiot.
They put their flag at the very top of Zeus's Fist. It was. stack of pretty tall boulders in the middle of the west woods. If you look at it from the right angle it was shaped like a giant fist coming out of the ground.
From any other direction it looked like a pile of deer poop, but calling a place named in Zeus' honor the Poop Pile wasn't allowed.
It was a good place for the flag though. The tallest boulder was about twenty feet tall and pretty tricky to actually climb. So, the flag was clearly visible as instructed and there was no problem with guards being too close to it.
Percy put Nico on guard with Beckendorf and the Stoll brothers. Those three could take care of him if needed.
"We'll send out a decoy to the left," Thalia strategized. "Silena, you lead that."
"Got it!" The daughter of Aphrodite chimed.
Cassie stepped forward. "Lena, You should take Laurel and Jason with you. They're really fast runners. You guys can try to make a wide arc around the Hunters and distract as many as possible."
"Then I'll take the main raiding party around to the right and catch them by surprise." Thalia agreed.
Everybody nodded. The plan was smart, especially with Cassie and Thalia's confidence. They couldn't help but think it'll work.
The daughter of Zeus looked to her left. "Anything to add, Percy?"
"Um, yeah. Keep sharp on defense. We've got four guards, two scouts. That's not much for a big forest. I'll be roving. Yell if you need help."
"And don't leave your post!" Thalia ordered.
"Unless you see a golden opportunity," Percy corrected.
Thalia glowered at him. "Just don't leave your post."
"Right, unless-"
"Percy!" She interrupted and touched his arm. It sent a shock down his arm. One that actually hurt. Just because she was her dad is the god of lightning, she's been known to fry off people's eyebrows.
Thalia was quick to apologize, "Sorry." Cassie frowned at how fake it sounded. "Now, is everybody clear?"
The group nodded before breaking up. The horn sounded and the game began.
Silena took her group left while Thalia waited a few seconds then led hers right. Cassie saluted Percy and sauntered after Thalia, in no means to catch up.
The daughter of Ares kept an eye out for Hunters. She twirled her sword thinking back two years ago. Cassie had figured out Annabeth's plan but didn't tell her own team for some reason.
Ultimately Cassie got nothing out of the memory other than remembering how much she missed the blonde. She frowned but didn't have time to sulk.
The sound of running came from behind them. Thalia whipped around and saw a clump of Hunters heading their way.
She called her team together and they got ready to fight. Cassie grabbed the older girl's arm. "I'll hold them off. You guys keep going."
Thalia's piercing blue eyes locked with Cassie's. "You sure?"
"I got this. Give them a little taste of my anger." The brunette grinned.
The daughter of Zeus nodded. "Well you heard her! Let's keep going."
Cassie watched as the rest of the group left and soon enough she was alone and surrounded by five Hunters.
Two of them held bows aimed in her direction, but with a swish of her wrist the bows were in her hands. The Hunters were evidently shocked yet charged anyways.
Cassie countered the first sword with a parry, knocking the Hunter a ways back. She sent the second sword flying out of its owner's hand with a twist of her blade.
The third Hunter moved stealthily and tripped the brunette. Cassie fell backwards but was quick enough to block a hit to her chest.
Three of the original five Hunters had gone off to help elsewhere. One was still busy trying to find where Cassie had flung her sword. And the last one had a sword to the daughter of Ares' neck.
Cassie held the Hunter's sword away with her own. She used more strength and managed to sit up while still avoiding the blade.
The Hunter pushed with all her might but was knocked to the ground. Cassie got up and took their weapons for safe measure. She waved the missing sword and the other Hunter scowled.
"Looking for something?" She taunted.
Cassie left happily, taking the weapons with her and making her own disappear in a red flash. Her attention was caught by screaming in the distance. She sprinted to where the sound was coming from.
Percy had tried to get the Hunters flag which was still in his tight grip. He was sprawled on the snow, having over a cord.
The daughter of Ares glanced to Thalia's group which were across from Percy. They were coughing and gagging from the extremely bad smell.
"No fair!" Thalia gasped for clean air. "Fart arrows are unsports-manlike!"
Percy got to his feet and started running. He was just a few yards from the creek. Arrows flew around him and a Hunter tried to take a slash at him. Percy parried abt kept running.
There was yelling from their side of the creek as Beckendorf and Nico sprinted towards him. It was too late when Percy realized they weren't try to congratulate him.
They were chasing Zoë Nightshade who was weaving through campers with their flag in her hands.
"No!" Percy cried and picked up the pace.
But Zoë had already made it to her own side and shoved him before he even got to the water. The Hunters cheered and met in a group.
Chiron came from the woods looking unpleased. The Stoll twins were draped across his back like dead bodies. Connor and Travis had taken some nasty arrows and hits.
"The Hunters win!" Chiron announced, unenthusiastically before murmuring, "For the fifty-sixth time in a row."
"Perseus Jackson!" Thalia screamed as she rushed in toward him.
She reeked of rotted eggs and her armor flicked with blue sparks. Everyone cowered because of her anger and Aegis. Percy willed himself not to.
"What in the name of the gods were you THINKING?" she exclaimed.
Percy balked his fists fed up He didn't need this. "I got the flag, Thalia!" He waved it in her face. "I saw a chance and I took it!"
"I WAS AT THEIR BASE! But the flag was gone. If you hadn't butted in, we would've won."
"You had too many on you!"
"Oh, so it's my fault?"
"I didn't say that."
"Argh!" Thalia shoved him and a shock surged through Percy sending him back, ten feet into the water.
The camper let out a gasp while the Hunters hid their laughs.
"Sorry!" Thalia recoiled, paling. "I didn't mean to-"
Percy let his anger get the better of him and Thalia got a wave of water to the face.
The son of Poseidon stood up. "Yeah, I didn't mean to, either."
Thalia's breathing was ragged.
"Enough!" Chiron demanded.
But Thalia didn't listen. She raised her spear. "You want some, Seaweed Brain?"
That only angered Percy more. Hearing it from Annabeth and occasionally Cassie was fine. But from Thalia it was derogatory.
"Bring it on, Pinecone Face!"
Percy lifted Riptide but wasn't fast enough to defend himself. Thalia yelled and a bolt of lighting came down, hitting her spear then slamming into Percy's chest,
He fell back harshly and there was a smoky smell from his clothes.
"Thalia! That is enough!" Chiron said.
Percy rose and the creek did too. It swirled behind him like an icy tornado.
"Percy!" Chiron begged.
"STOP!" Cassie yelled. A dagger was sent flying at Percy with such a forced that he dropped the creak gently and fell back... again.
Thalia was knocked to her knees and got a harsh slam on her back from an electric sword. The daughter of Ares' fierce glare was avoided by both sets of their eyes.
"Seriously? What is wrong with you two! Gods you're such-" Cassie's voice faltered.
Something in the woods caught her eye. Percy and Thalia turned to see what had stopped the brunette's scolding.
Someone or well... something was approaching. Murky green mist surrounded it, but when it neared the campers and Hunters gasped.
Chiron stammered nervously, "This is impossible. It... she has never left the attic. Never."
But here she was in front of them. The shriveled mummy waddled forward until she was in the center of them all.
Mist covered the grown and dyed the snow green. No one moved a muscle as the Oracle's voice ended their minds.
Cassie pushed through the creepiness and listened.
'I am the spirit of Delphi,' the voice introduced. 'Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.'
The Oracle glanced over Cassie who was scowling at it. Its cold, dead eyes landed on Zoe Nightshade.
'Approach, Seeker, and ask.'
Zoë swallowed the lump in her throat. "What must I do to help my goddess?"
The Oracle's mouth fell open and spewed more green mist.
The image of a mountain appeared in the mist. A girl stood at the very top. Artemis.
But the goddess was chained up and kneeling. She held her hands out as if to fend off an attacker. Artemis was visibly in pain.
The Oracle spoke:
'Six shall go west to the goddess in chains,
One shall be lost in the land without rain,
The bane of Olympus shows the trail,
Campers and Hunters combined prevail,
The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand.'
Then, the mist spiraled back into the mummy's mouth like a winding green snake.
The Oracle sat herself down on a rock and went stiff. Almost like she would sit but the creek for the next hundred years.
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ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ author's note
some how we're already more than a fourth way done with act 3!! willing myself through and pretty proud. (of you guys too)
lmaoo i think i found my new writing schedule but whyyyy do the chapters keep getting longer??
like help pls why is the next one 21 pages-
anyways hope you got what you wanted this chapter 👌🏼 i tried to include Cassie in their little fight but she's being the mature one for once?? shocker.
no clue what happens next chapter but i'll go find out now!
thanks for reading as always <3
bye for nowwwwww
-Just Another Overthinker