I sighed as I lounged on my couch in the living room of the hunt's head quarters. I was bored. It had only been a few decades since the finally battle between the Order of Phoenix and Voldemort's Death Eaters. All the giants had been taken care of and Voldemort's appearance hadn't changed since Harry's fifth year. It has also been centuries since my fight with Tartarus and the evil spirit that was inside him.
The Hunt has been growing, six new groups have been added; Zeta, Iota, Eta, Epsilon, Sigma and Omicron.
My elite team each figured out their extra powers and have learned to control them. Only Will is having trouble with the control as we keep finding burn marks on the couches and kitchen counters. Nico found he could manipulate shadows much like Will could with light. Luke could run around like the Flash, he did a lot of crashing into walls when he first started. Leo figured out how to make blue fire, the hottest fire after the normal orange. Shooter could make his arrows have what ever power he wanted, whether it be exploding or daisy growing pollen. Sam...well, Sam knew this was going to happen because he was a part of the Hunt before me and didn't tell. The dirt face.
Sam's power was charm speak, not having gained that talent when he was born like Piper and Selina.
But all that happened a while ago. I don't know how long but long enough for it to become old news.
Nothing is happening as of right now. No sudden rebirths of old enemies, no wars, no god or goddess who needs help and needless to say; I'm bored. I have nothing to do because nothing big is happening. There is always something, First it was Kronos, then Gaea then Tartarus and then Voldemort. However, since nobody is trying to take over the world, I don't know what to do with my life. No Great Prophecy equals no fun or entertainment in my life. Even Zeus has been quiet. Which is more surprising than you would think. And disappointing.
Now my elite team and I were visiting the Hunters of Artemis. When we arrived, Thalia punched both Luke and I in the arms then pulled us in for a hug. That was how she always treated us and the other girls loved it for some reason. Most of those girls genuinely thought it funny but cute and a few of the older Hunters laughed at my pain. Not that I blame them, I would have laughed too...had it not been me.
"Hey, Thalia," I said, slightly awkward, "how's it going?"
"What did you do this time, Percy?" She demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.
"What makes you think I did something?" I asked, confused. I was sure I covered my tracks fully when I came by earlier.
"You get that weird smile every time you are hiding something," Thalia informed me, "and you just asked me how I was doing."
"Can't I wonder if my favorite cousin is having a great time?" I asked innocently.
"No, you normally ask after Lilian and the girls then the dogs and Artemis and then me," Thalia said, giving me a glare.
"Oh," I paused, thinking fast, hoping to get her off the scent, I asked, "Where is Lilian? I haven't seen her in a while, how are the girls?"
"Percy?"
"Yeah?" I answered, trying not to give anything away.
"What did you do?" Thalia glared harder.
"PERCY!" A familiar voice came from inside the camp. "You good for nothing...."
Thalia took off running in the direction fo the scream with Luke and me following close behind.
Artemis had taken but one step out of her tent when she was drenched in water. She had obviously taken tow more steps because she was a also covered with gold glitter and blue flour. "What was the purpose of this?" She said, slowly and angrily.
"That," I pointed at her, doing my best to suppress a grin, "was for the silver paint that mysteriously appeared all over Apollo's room on Olympus and the dead fish all over my camp."
"Lady Artemis, the fish was really too much," Thalia scolded. "You know how he is."
Artemis huffed and walked off to get clean.
"So, anything happening?" I asked Thalia once Artemis left.
Thalia huffed. "No," she said, "all the monster attacks are normal and the demigods we rescue are totally fine with their new lives. I almost wish Dad would be his old self if only to give use something to do."
I groaned a bit. "I know how you feel," I sympathized. "I think we've grown too used to the wars and fights the old habits of the gods created."
"I was taking to Chiron the other day," Thalia started, "any quest given to demigods is to go on monster hunts and save any demigods in trouble."
"Has it really gotten that peaceful?" I asked.
Thalia nodded. "Chiron says that unless he does that, no one takes their training seriously," she added.
"Fishy!" a voice suddenly shouted it's way into our conversation. I looked around and crouched in time for a young hunter to crash into me in her rush to give me a hug.
"Jane!" I exclaimed in the same manner as she died with my name. "How are you doing, cupcake?"
"Fishy, don't call me that," she pouted. This dirty blonde daughter of Aphrodite didn't need charm speak to charm her way with everyone but I've spent enough time with her to not be affected by the face she was pulling just then.
"I will when you stop calling me Fishy," I shot back at her.
"Where is Vindex?" she asked, looking around.
"What about us?" Luke asked, throwing his hands in the air and gesturing to the rest of the elite. It appears he has had enough of getting ignored. "Is no one going to care that we came by to visit too?"
"Yeah," Leo said, crossing his arms over his chest, "Why does Percy get all the attention?"
"Sammy!" Jace exclaimed, running to her half-brother and hugging him around the waist.
"Oh, I see how it is," Luke said sarcastically. "No one cares about old Luke." Thalia punched her old friend in the arm, putting a little electricity into it. "Ow! Thalia!"
"Percy!" An older voice came now.
I looked up and smiled. "Lilian!" I said, pulling her in for a hug. "What's new?"
"Nothing," she groaned, "nothing is happening."
I laughed.
"Fishy!" Jane called again. "Where is Vindex?"
I smiled down at her, chuckling at her persistence. "He's right there," I pointed behind the small girl, to a dog with wings who's tail was wagging so much it shook his body.
"Vindex!" Jane squealed happily, throwing her arms around the large dog.
I chuckled again as I turned away from her and followed Thalia to the campfire. "So really, how are things around here?" I asked.
"Boring, as we already mentioned," she answered, dropping into a nearby camp chair by the fire in a huff.
I was about to answer but was cut off. Yo, boss! A familiar voice called.
"Blackjack?" I questioned, looking around at the sky for any sign of my crazy pegasus friend. "What are you doing here?" I finally saw him as he landed not too far form the campfire and cantered right over.
I missed ya boss, you never visit me, he said, doing his best as a pegasus to pout.
"I saw you this morning in the stables before we left," I answered.
Alright, I didn't want to be left behind, the needy pegasus admitted, pushing his snout in my pockets, looking for sugar.
"I don't have any donuts or sugar cubes, Blackjack," I said patiently.
You're a god, boss, I've seen you summon them out of nowhere before, he retorted.
Before I cold say or do anything, a flash of light distracted both of us. I looked over to see my three favorite sisters standing right behind Thalia. I grinned, "Clotho, Atropos, and Lachesis! What are you doing here?" I asked, walking over to give them all a hug.
"To relieve you of your boredom," Atropos answered with a smile.
"Yes!" Thalia exclaimed, pumping a fist, "What is it?"
"I'm afraid, Miss Thalia, that we only need Percy and Blackjack here," Lachesis informed us, not sounding sorry at all.
"What?" Thalia was the one pouting now. "Why?"
"We only need one person on this quest," Clotho was the one that seemed genuinely sympathetic.
"And you chose Percy?" Thalia questioned with a raised brow. "No offense," she said to me.
I conceded her point with a nod. I was not normally the one to depend on for solo missions. Even when I went down into Tartarus the second time I had Vindex and Nico with me. That trip was almost worse than my trip with her and poor Nico had to deal with my near panic attacks nearly every hour. All the memories with-
I shook my self out of my trip down memory land and focused back on the topic at hand.
"Blackjack will be with him," Clotho defended. We're still on that? I thought my internal monologue was a lot longer.
"Do you really think Blackjack with be able to keep him in check?" Thalia demanded. "No offense," she said to the black pegasus.
"Enough," Atropos said, clearly getting annoyed, "the more time we take, the more the fate of Alagaësia is changed."
"The fate of what?" I asked, wondering if she made the word up.
"Sit down," Lachesis said, sitting down herself on a log in front of the fire pit. "We have much to discuss."
"What is wrong?" I asked as I sat down.
"We have a..." Clotho started but trailed off as she looked towards her sisters for help.
"Favorite world," Lachesis supplied bluntly, "it's not this one. No offense."
I sighed. "You know, if that phrase gets thrown around any more, some one might actually take offense," I said off handedly.
"Well," Atropos said, putting an end to what ever argument that was going to start, "this world is known as Alagaësia and is populated by elves, humans, dwarves and creatures known as Urgals."
"You forgot my favorite, Atropos," Lachesis said excitedly, clapping her hands together.
"Yes, yes," Atropos said impatiently, "the dragons too, albeit they are nearing extinction."
"Dragons?" Thalia asking in dismay. "Now I have to go."
"You're afraid of heights," I stated, confused. Thalia only answered by way of punching me in the arm.
"Moving on," Atropos said loudly, "the world is in chaos at the moment, an immortal and insane Dragon Rider by the name of Galabatorix is ruling the world and is causing much grief on the citizens of Alagaësia and Surda, a neighboring country."
"There is currently a rebel group that is quite extensive and is called the Varden," Clotho added patiently. "Currently led by a young lady named Nasuada. As of right now, the Varden are in desperate need of aid in defeating Galabatorix. The are out numbered by both Dragon Riders and soldiers. Please, Perce, Eragon and the Varden need your help."
"Who is Eragon?" I asked. They didn't say who he was in the extremely brief explanation.
"Eragon is the only Dragon Rider outside of Galabatorix's control," Lachesis said solemnly, "besides one other who is in hiding so he could teach Eragon. The boy is on his way there right now, going to learn more of being a Dragon Rider. This fate was never intended for this world, Galabatorix has messed the entire thing up by killing all the dragons and Riders. All our efforts to fix it has come to naught, this world will fall if you do not go."
I stayed silent, pondering on what was just told to me. I didn't say anything, only watching Thalia and her eager expression that was watching me.
"You will tell me all I need to know about this world?" I asked. When they nodded in unison, I continued, "and allow me to set somethings in order here before leaving? As well as allow me to take Thalia along?"
They stopped short at the last one. Eyeing both her and I carefully before sighing in defeat. "Very well," Atropos sighed.
"Yes!" Thalia jumped up with her fists pumped in the air just as Atropos yelled, "But only her!"
🐲 🐲 🐲 🐲 🐲
"You take care of them, alright?" I told little Jane, crouching down to her level. "I won't be able to where I am going and they might get into trouble if I am not here to keep an eye on them."
I got whacked in the head as Jane giggled quietly. "Shut up, smart mouth," Luke said grumpily.
I felt bad for leaving them but my sisters said we did not need so many people to go on this quest. So I was leaving them here with Artemis and the girls. Luke did not like it but I felt more comfortable with them being here than on their own.
Thalia, Blackjack and Vindex ended up being the ones to come on this quest. Vindex just didn't seem to be taking no as an answer about being left behind like the others so I didn't bother trying to keep him here. All four of us finished saying our good byes with me finishing off by telling Luke to hang out with Artemis and her girls for as long as they could. Phoebe over heard me and the red head whacked my arm.
"Are you ready, Kelp-head?" Thalia asked as I came over to stand by her and the Fates.
"As ready as I'll ever be when we're going into a war filled world," I answered.
"Thank you for doing this, Percy," Clotho said, holding onto my hands.
"One more thing before we transport all of you there," Lachesis said with a strange gleam in her eye that made me nervous.
"What?" I asked warily.
"You are going to be a Dragon Rider," she answered. "Your dragon will be Blackjack."
"What?" both Blackjack and I asked in surprise.
They didn't answer as they waved their hands and we were suddenly in a forest and Blackjack was a huge black dragon with his spikes along his back and the tips of his wings being a stunning pure white. I felt a sharp sting on my hand and looked down to see a strange silver symbol on the palm of my hand and then I blacked out.