Glory of Hera [On hold]

Chapter XX

Chapter XX: 3rd PoV
"Are you two sure you want to do this?" Chiron asked worriedly, attempting to end the duel before it began, "You don't have to."

Percy watched from the stands, praying that one would shake their head. That they wouldn't follow through.

That wasn't quite how it turned out though.

The two demigods exchanged looks that just screamed 'uh, yeah right'. Tony, a son of Ares spoke up first.

"Yeah, sorry Chiron, but I have to defend my honor."

"Most def," The other, a son of Apollo, drawled out, "He had, like, no chill and stuff."

"You have no chill!" Tony banged his spear against the ground, red in the face, "And you're driving up the wall with your incessant whining and insults! You dragged my name through the mud, insinuated I had no honor, broke my sword, and then..." He trailed of dramatically, "My heart."

Thalia stifled a laugh from her spot next to her friend, "This is pure gold. One to one hundred real quick."

"Maybe they're acting?" Katie mused, a faint smile playing around her lips, "The ancient Greeks were known for that, weren't they?"

"Too bad Neeks isn't here," Thalia smirked again, "The guy would really enjoy this, especially if it got violent."

Percy grinned too, but it was halfhearted, "It is funny, but these are real people. They've challenged each other to a duel, one of them could get seriously injured. Maiming is allowed."

"Just try to keep death to a minimum," Chiron advised worriedly as the two got into dueling positions.

Tony smirked cockily while his ex just shrugged as if he didn't have a care in the world. The latter didn't even take out his bow until he was being charged at. Sidestepping calmly, he raised his bow and slammed the wooden grip into the son of Ares' head. With a sickening crunch, Tony fell, spread-eagle, onto the dirt of the arena floor.

Taking one last-slightly mournful-look at the unconscious boy, the son of Apollo shouldered his bow and strolled out, humming quietly as his sandals creaked slightly.

"At least he's not dead," Katie was the first of the silenced campers in the area to speak. As soon as the word were out of her mouth, all began talking again, the uneasiness from the fight having worn off.

Chiron galloped closer to Tony and placed two fingers on his wrist gently, "He'll be fine, probably just a slight concussion. Lee, will you take him to the infirmary and treat him."

A lanky son of Apollo hefted the stocky teenager's body over his back with ease, before he too left.

"And I'd like to appoint a temporary new head of the Ares cabin until Tony's feeling up to returning. Who's the oldest?"

Clarisse LaRue stop up, "That would be me."

The centaur's eyes widened when he saw her, and he quickly beckoned her over, "Come, I must speak with you."

But Percy could've sworn he heard the old man mutter, "-not supposed to be here," as he led the girl out.

And the son of Hera simply grew more suspicious when Clarisse didn't return from her meeting with the horse man, who claimed she'd gone home to visit her mother. Chiron also refused to allow Chris, who'd been frantic ever since she'd left, to see the Oracle or take a quest to find her.

The Oracle, however, did make an appearance in Percy's life. Katie had another weird dream. In it, a mysterious voice, one she hadn't been able to identify, had instructed her to see the Oracle and 'await her destiny'.

Now, the daughter of Demeter was in the attic with the mummy, as Percy impatiently drummed his fingers on one of the many windowsills that made up the big house. Chiron swished his tail anxiously from the other side of the room.

When Katie finally exited the attic, she was shaking slightly, her face pale. Percy was at her side in an instant, "Are you alright? You don't look so good. What'd the Oracle say?"

Katie gave a shaky laugh, "Why did I have to be on this quest? I'm a daughter of Demeter; I belong on land. The underground is Hades domain."

Chiron frowned, what was she getting at? "You got a prophecy, then?"

"Did I ever. Ahem," She cleared her throat, "Four shall delve in to endless maze.
The two-faced, the traitor, and the untamed one raise.
Time will rise with a final breath.
The lone owlet's help, a victory, a death.
But despair for your life, entombed in bone.
And to fail to win war, to die alone."

"Well that sounds cheery!" Percy exclaimed, "Lots of death."

"Yeah," Katie agreed absently, "We need Nico, and Thalia."

"We've got our four then. Let's gather the gang and discuss."

LineBreak
"Endless maze, that sounds a lot like the Labyrinth," Nico mused, "There's an entrance by Zeus' fist, the giant rock, here in camp. My father had me check it out. I like tunnels as much as the next child of Hades, but it's like a whole other world down there."

"Alright, that's figured out. What about the next line? The traitor is undoubtedly Lou Ellen," Percy announced, causing Katie to scowl, but she bit her tongue before saying anything she might regret, "As for the two-faced and the untamed one...I-"

"I don't know who they are either," Thalia interrupted, "But time? That's got to be grandad himself. Kronus. And he's going to rise with a final breath, apparently."

"An owlet is a baby owl," Nico contributed quietly, he had become a bit more resigned ever since he'd started going on missions for his father, though it might have been because of Bianca joining the hunt, "An Athena kid, maybe?"

"Or a legacy," Percy chipped in, "My mother, the one who raised me, was one. Making me one by extent."

"If that's true, you're attributing to both a victory and a death."

"Oh joy."

"Guys," Katie snapped her fingers, pulling them back to reality, "That's good and all, but personally, I'm more focused on the last two lines. Despairing for our lives, being entombed in bone, and 'to fail to win war, to die alone'. We fail to win some sort of war, and we die alone."

"Like I said before, oh joy."

The four exchanged worried glances and went to pack their bags; what had they gotten themselves into this time?

A/N: Hey! You like the prophecy? It's a combination of the one in BotL and SoM, with a few things changed, of course.

Anyway, we've decided on most of the prophecy of seven. But who do you want as the last member. A few people have pm'd me and I'm hearing a lot of Leo's, Piper's, and few Reyna's. Anyone else? Would you want me to bring in Dakota or Gwen?

That's all for now. Stay amazingly amazing!
-Marri and Peeves