°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ ENDGAME} act iii. . .
. . .true love, that doesn't exist
CHAPTER EIGHT°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
— 'quest time...whoo.."
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Rayn°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
It was almost impossible to have a good sleep as a demigod.
I had a dream of Annabeth holding up something. She looked hurt and tired, I wanted to help her but I couldn't move.
There was a banging on the door that woke me up. Thankfully, one of the Stoll brothers opened it.
"Yeah?" He asked groggily.
"We must speak with, Rayn Fairbourne," a young girls voice said.
"Rayn! It's for you!" Connor Stoll yelled.
"Yeah, I heard that," I said as I walked over to the door.
Outside the door stood Zoe and Bianca.
"Aren't you going on your quest?" I asked.
"We were but," Zoe looked at Connor angrily. "Phoebe was given a T-shirt that was laced with centaur blood, she is unable to go."
"Oh, so what do you need?" I had a feeling that I was about to have a not very relaxing Winter.
"Well, we want thy to accompany us on the quest," Zoe said. "We need five and we believe thy would be a good candidate."
"Uhmm," I looked back at Connor Stoll whose hair was messy and he was smiling slightly. "Yeah, sure, let me just pack some stuff."
"Be ready soon!" Bianca said. "We must get going."
I hurriedly shoved some questions essentials into a backpack and got changed.
"Your welcome," Connor Stoll said. "You get to go on a quest now."
"Gee, thanks a lot," I muttered.
"I'm going back to sleep," he said. "Try not to die."
"Yeah, I'll try."
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
Everyone was ready at the top of Half-Blood Hill, except Grover.
"Where is this satyr?" Zoe muttered angrily. "We must get going."
"Just wait one more minute," I said. "I'm sure he has a good reason for being late, he'd never purposely be late."
I thought about that and Grover was late a lot. This time I was surprised since he loved Artemis and the Hunters.
I turned around to talk with Thalia but I felt an arm turn me around.
"What are you doing?" Percy asked me.
"Oh yeah, sorry I forgot to tell you," I said. "I'm going on the quest now."
Percy was still in his Spider-Man pyjamas. I would've laughed if he wasn't angry already.
"Rayn you can go on this quest," he pleaded. "It's basically a death sentence."
"Percy, I'm already going. I'll make sure to be safe, don't worry."
"You cant go!" He yelled.
"Yes I can!"
"No you cant!"
"Yes I can!"
"Uhm," Thalia tapped me on the shoulder. "Grover's here, we need to get going. You two sound like toddlers."
"Uh, yeah let's go," I looked back at Percy. "Bye, Percy."
I hoped he would cool down a bit while I was gone. I also hoped that I could find Annabeth.
"Rayn, please," he grabbed my wrist. "Don't go."
"Percy," I said. "I have to, the Hunters asked me and—"
"So, you're going to go on this quest and join them." He said in a sour tone.
"You know what," I snapped. "Maybe I will."
I wasn't thinking about what I said. Percy let go of my wrist with a shocked expression.
I walked away, leaving Percy standing there in his Batman pyjamas.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
The scariest part of the quest so far was Zoe's driving. She was driving south like a crazy person. If whatever is coming against us on this quest didn't kill us, this driving would.
She finally stopped at a convenience store. We went inside to warm up and get some food.
I was about to pick out what snack I wanted but Thalia yanked my wrist and pulled me away. "We have to get moving."
"But, the snacks," I looked back sadly as the chocolate bars and popcorn got further and further away.
We made it to the rest of the group outside who were talking about something.
"And you did this with acorns?" Bianca asked.
Grover looked offended. "It's a time-honoured tracking spell. I'm pretty sure I did it right."
"D.C is sixty miles from here," Bianca said. "Nico and I... used to live there. That's strange... I had forgotten."
"I dislike this," Zoe said. "We should go straight west. Like the prophecy said."
"Oh like your tracking skills are better?" Thalia growled.
Zoe stepped toward her. "You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know nothing of being a Hunter!"
"What's a scullion?" I asked Bianca but she just shrugged.
"Oh, scullion? Youre calling me a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?"
"Whoa," I said before they pounced in each other. "Not again."
"Grover's right," Bianca said. "D.C is our best bet."
Zoe didn't look convinced but she nodded reluctantly. "Very well. Let us keep moving."
"You're going to get us arrested, driving." Thalia grumbled. "I look closer to sixteen than you do."
"Perhaps," Zoe snapped. "But I have been driving since automobiles were invented. Let us go."
I wanted to ask Zoe how old she was but that was kind of rude. She probably would shoot me with an arrow and I wasn't ready for another hit yet.
"Zoe, if you want a break from driving I could—"
"No!" Everyone said in sync at my offer.
"I'm not that bad." I grumbled.
"Yes you are," Thalia pat me on the shoulder.
I looked back, I thought I heard somebody laugh but there was nobody there. Maybe I'm just going crazy.
The ride was very bumpy and swervey. Zoe almost hit every single car we came across.
"Zoe you're on the wrong side of the road!" I screeched as a car was coming straight towards us.
"We're going to die!" Grover yelped and he hid behind me.
"Calm down," Zoe said. "I am a great driver."
"No, you really aren't!" Thalia said.
After many swerves and horns honked at us, we made it to a mall. Everybody got out.
"Here," Grover pointing towards one of the big buildings lining the Mall. Thalia nodded and we all trudged off into the cold wind.
Grover stopped outside a big building that said: National Air And Space Museum.
Thalia checked the door, it was open but there wasn't many people going in.
The place was pretty big but nothing was here, just some rockets and merch.
"What are we looking for exactly," I asked. "I don't think anything is here."
I was looking around but something crashed me into a space capsule.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Percy°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
In my rush to find everyone, I ran so fast that I crashed in Rayn, knocking her into an Apollo space capsule.
I stood up, Zoe and Bianca had arrows pointed at my chest.
When Zoe realised who I was, she didn't seem anxious to lower her bow. "How dare you show thy face here."
"Percy!" Grover said. "Thank goodness."
"You shouldn't be here." Rayn said flatly. I was still mad at her from our fight today.
"Luke," I said trying to catch my breath. "He's here."
"Where?" The anger in Thalias eyes melted.
I told them about the Natural History Museum, Dr. Thorn, Luke and the General.
"The General is here?" Zoe looked stunned. "That is impossible! You lie."
"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors—"
"What?" Thalia demanded. "How many?"
"Twelve," I said. "And the General is sending a monster here to distract you."
Rayn and Grover exchanged looks.
"We were following Artemis's trail," Grover said. "I was sure it led here. She must've stopped here to look for the monster."
"Zoe," Bianca said nervously. "If it is the General—"
"It cannot be!" Zoe snapped. "Percy must have seen an Iris-message or something."
"Illusions don't crack marble floors." I told her.
Zoe took a deep breath to calm down. I didn't know why she was taking it so personally.
"If Percy is telling the truth," she said. "We must leave now."
"Good idea," I said.
"Not including you," Rayn said. "You're not apart of this quest."
"Hey, I'm trying to save your lives!"
"You shouldn't have come Percy," Thalia said grimly. "But you're here now, let's get to the van."
"Thalia!" Rayn snapped.
Thalia looked at both of us. "What's up with you two? You're usually all over each other, like, Percy I'll save you! Or Rayn, no, let me do it for you!"
Rayn and I both looked away quickly. I felt my face go hot. I definitely didn't sound like that.
A few adults screamed below us. A little kids voice screeched with delight, "kitty!"
An enormous monsters walked around downstairs, sniffing us out.
"The Nemean Lion," Thalia said. "Don't move."
The lion roared so loud it parted my hair.
"Separate in my mark," Zoe said. "Try to keep it distracted."
"Until when?" Grover asked.
"Until I think of a way to kill it. Go!"
Zoe and Bianca stepped off to the side and fired arrows at the beast. Grover played a horrible tune that made the lion charge towards him. Thalia stepped in its way with Aegis and the lion recoiled.
"Get back!" Thalia said.
I thought Thalia had it under control. Then the lion got ready to pounce at her, I had seen enough cat fights in New York to know.
"Hey!" I yelled. I swiped Riptide at its flank but it didn't turn into dust. Riptide bounced off of the lion with a spark.
The lion raked me with its claws, ripping a chunk off my coat off. The lion got ready to jump at me.
"Percy!" I heard Rayn yell. The lion was pulled back about ten feet by some vines.
I looked at the monster roar. It had a pink tongue and throat.
"Zoe!" I shouted. "Target the mouth!"
An arrow flew past the monster. I thought the Hunter had bad aim until a rocket ship that had been cut loose crashed onto the lion.
"Grover!" Rayn yelled. "Clear the area!"
The kids scrambled and screamed as Grover tried to herd them all up.
"No clear shot!" Zoe yelled. "Get it to open its mouth more!"
I looked around but I couldn't find anything. I saw Rayn picking flowers from a vase beside me.
"Is this really the time?" I asked.
"Shut up seaweed brain." Rayn stepped forward right in front of the lion.
"Is she crazy?" I heard Bianca mutter.
"Open wide kitty!" Rayn said in a playful tone. "Don't you want a bite?"
The lion opened its mouth wide and Rayn threw the flowers inside of its mouth, causing the lion to gag a little.
The lion roared and everybody was still confused. Then, a large vine erupted from inside the lion. It tried to move but it would tear the hole bigger.
The lion struggled until its body went slack.
"Well..." Zoe looked at Rayn. "That was... an interesting strategy."
The lion looked like it was melting. All that was left, was a glittering fur coat.
"Take it," Zoe told Rayn.
She stared at Zoe. "Isn't that like an animals rights violation or something?"
"It is a spoil of war," she told her. "It is rightly thine."
Rayn lifted it up. "Not exactly my style. Here you go Percy."
She handed me the fur coat and smiled like she was about to burst out laughing.
"We have to get out of here," Grover said. "The security guards won't stay confused for long."
I noticed the security guards weren't chasing after us. They looked dazed as they ran into walls.
"You did that?" I asked Grover.
He nodded. "Minor confusion spell. It works every time but it'll only last a few seconds."
Through the museum window I saw gray men in gray camouflage outfits. I could see their gaze aimed at me.
"Go," I said. "They'll be hunting me. I'll distract them."
Rayn stared at me blankly. "I'm not leaving you behind Percy."
I stared at her. "But you said—"
"You're part of this quest now." Rayn said. "We're not leaving anyone behind."
"We really have to go!" Grover said nervously.
"Okay let's run then," Thalia said. "Zoe isn't driving again, I think that's a safety hazard."
"I'll drive!" Rayn said. Everybody groaned and disagreed. "I killed the lion, at least let me drive. How bad could it be?"
Pretty bad driving skills I won't lie
When I was getting my license I got it first try tho (I've failed 4 times and I still haven't gotten it)
TYSM FOR READING<3
©️gracexeo , 2024