RED ¹ / Percy Jackson !

58

SILENA'S  GROUP DISAPPEARED INTO THE WOODS ON THE LEFT.

Thalia's group gave it a few  seconds, then darted off toward the right.

Percy waited for something to happen. He climbed Zeus's Fist and had a good view over the  forest. He remembered how the Hunters had stormed out of the woods when they fought the  manticore, and he was prepared for something like that—one huge charge that could  overwhelm them.

But nothing happened.

He caught a glimpse of Silena and her two scouts. They ran through a clearing, followed  by five of the Hunters, leading them deep into the woods and away from Thalia. The plan
seemed to be working. Then he spotted another clump of Hunters heading to the right, bows  ready. They must've spotted Thalia.

"What's happening?" Nico demanded, trying to climb up next to Percy only to get pulled back by Viviene.

Percy's mind was racing. Thalia would never get through, but the Hunters were divided.
With that many on either flank, their center had to be wide open. If he moved fast...

Percy looked at Beckendorf. "Can you guys hold the fort?"

Beckendorf snorted. "Of course."

"I'm going in."

The Stoll brothers and Nico cheered, Viviene mumbling slmething about his kelp head  as he raced toward the boundary line.

"What does kelp head mean?" Nico asked Viviene who slumped against the tree.

"It means Percy's stupid and wants Thalia to kill him."  She shortly explained, sighing.  "I should have gone with him."

"Go." Connor said, eyeing her worried face." We'll take care of Nico. Go save your boy."

"He's not my boy." Viviene grumbled, tapping a spike on her crown so her trident qas in her hands. Viviene was about to go after him but Zoë raced by them, their flag in her hand. "SHIT!"

Viviene, the Stolls and Nico tried ot catch her, running after her- but it  was no use. Zoe was as fast as a cheetah.

"The Hunters win!" Chiron announced without pleasure. Then he muttered, "For the  fifty-sixth time in a row."

"Perseus Jackson!" Thalia yelled, storming toward Percy. She smelled like rotten eggs, and  she was so mad that blue sparks flickered on her armor. Everybody cringed and backed up  because of Aegis.

"What in the name of the gods were you THINKING?" she bellowed.

"I got the flag, Thalia!" Percy shook it in her face. "I saw a chance and I took it!"

"I WAS AT THEIR BASE!" Thalia yelled. "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 pushed me, and a shock went through his body that blew him backward
ten feet into the water. Some of the campers gasped. A couple of the Hunters stifled laughs.

"Sorry!" Thalia said, turning pale. "I didn't mean to—"

A  wave erupted from the creek, blasting into Thalia's face and  dousing her from head to toe.

Percy stood up. "Yeah," he growled. "I didn't mean to, either."

Thalia was breathing heavily.

"STOP IT!" Viviene yelled, marching up to them. They glared at her." Calm down, both of you! You're acting like children!"

But Thalia held out her spear. "You want some, bubbles"

Somehow, it was okay when Viviene called him that—at least, he'd gotten used to it—
but hearing it from Thalia was not cool.

"Bring it on, Pinecone Face!"

He raised Riptide, but before he could even defend myself, Thalia yelled, and a blast of
lightning came down from the sky, hit her spear like a lightning rod, and slammed into Percy's chest.

He sat down hard. There was a burning smell; he had a feeling it was his clothes.

"Thalia!" Chiron said. "That is enough!"

He got to his feet and willed the entire creek to rise. It swirled up, hundreds of gallons of
water in a massive icy funnel cloud.

"Percy!" Chiron pleaded.

He was about to hurl it at Thalia when he saw something in the woods. Percy lost his anger and  concentration all at once. The water splashed back into the creekbed. Thalia was so  surprised she turned to see what he was looking at.

Someone... something was approaching. It was shrouded in a murky green mist, but as
it got closer, the campers and Hunters gasped.

"This is impossible," Chiron said. I'd never heard him sound so nervous. "It... she has
never left the attic. Never."

And yet, the withered mummy that held the Oracle shuffled forward until she stood in
the center of the group. Mist curled around our feet, turning the snow a sickly shade of green.

None of them dared move. Then her voice hissed inside Viviene head. Apparently everyone  could hear it, because several clutched their hands over the ears.

I am the sprit of Delphi, the voice said. Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo,  slayer of the mighty Python.

The Oracle regarded Viviene with its cold, dead eyes. Then she turned unmistakably toward  Zoe Nightshade.

Approach, Seeker, and ask.

Zoe swallowed. "What must I do to help my goddess?"

The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. Viviene saw the vague image of a  mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. It was Artemis, but she was wrapped in  chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker,
and it looked like she was 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 one with the bloody hands shall ofically bind herself  to the wave,

The Titan's curse must two withstand as love defeats all

And one shall perish by a parent's hand.

Then, as they were watching, the mist swirled and retreated like a great green serpent into
the mummy's mouth.

The Oracle sat down on a rock and became as still as she'd been in the  attic, as if she might sit by this creek for a hundred years.