The Harvest Trials

Chapter XIV

Gwen

It's been too long. We've been in this damn compound for far too long. Dakota and I were put in a cell with ten other lower ranking campers I've never met before now. I'd often wonder how the Seven were holding up. How our Praetors were doing. 

We'd heard a rumor that Reyna was sent to a drop zone. It was really tough to keep up the morale in our cell. Everyone(Dakota included) thought we were going to die. That left me to be the leader type and say that everything was going to be okay. 

I hate lying. 

Each day, agents would come and take someone. This morning, they took Dakota to the 'field' or so they call it. He basically has to go around and give kool aid to all the people. He claims to be exhausted when he gets back, but really he's just mixing the powder into water and passing it around. 

Other demigods with useful powers are the ones that are really in trouble.

I don't really have a useful power. I just sit here most days. Other days, I train with the Ares and Mars kids. Everette is trying to turn them into his attack dogs or something. And because Dakota and I were Centurions, Everette wants us the condition them. Like we did anything in the fifth cohort or the Ares kids need training. But at least I can get out of the cell.

But today was spent comforting a daughter of Apollo, Maggie, who was two or three years younger than me. She just got back from a Harvester shift. She had two a week, and just by being around her afterward, I could tell they were awful. 

She sat crying on my shoulder while I rubbed her back. Dakota watched us from a distance. I could tell he wanted to help, but didn't know how.

I could only hope that this wouldn't be our lives. I can't live like this. I could only pray that someone was working to fix this.

^*^*^*^

Thalia

I couldn't believe it. When Chiron Iris Messaged me, I didn't think it could be nearly this bad. My hunters and I surveyed the camp, empty and cold. The campfire was trampled, six bodies laying in a row covered in shrouds. One Athena, two Apollo, one Aphrodite, one Demeter, and one Hecate. 

One of the cabins was burned to the ground. The amphitheater was in ruins. My tree, a symbol of hope for the camp, was split right down the middle. The Golden Fleece was nowhere to be seen, most likely hidden away in the Big House. 

The sun didn't shine today. The sky was overcast with clouds. Of course, nothing could be happy at a time like this. 

I heard the telltale clip clop of hooves and watched as Chiron approached from the Big House. "Thalia, my child, you came." Chiron looked as if he'd aged ten years since I'd seen him last. "What-what happened?" I asked. 

Chiron shook his head, looking mournfully off to the side. "They were humans. They came and they took everyone. Everyone, Thalia. I got a message from Terminus and Camp Jupiter has been invaded as well. I received a dream vision from Nico di Angelo-"

"Nico? Oh gods, this is worse than I feared."

"Yes, indeed. Thalia, the demigods are being used to revitalize the Earth's resources by means that go against the Ancient Laws. From what I heard, everything they are doing is unimaginably terrible."

I thought about that for a second. Jason  was in there. Percy, Annabeth, Nico, all my friends, all my family. I couldn't fathom how horrible things were for them. I needed to do something. 

"What do you want me to do, Chiron?" I asked. He gave me a fond smile, "I need you to stop it. There is a group in Mexico. Find them. You are smart and resourceful, Thalia. You'll figure something out."

"What about you, Chiron?" I asked. He glanced out over his wrecked Camp. "The Fates have decreed that my time as a teacher has come to an end," I noticed his eyes start to water. "That just makes it all the more important that you rescue the demigods. The gods are incapable. It is up to you and the group in Mexico to make things right."

"But Chiron...you'll die! If you aren't here to teach-" "I know child. Go. Save them."

My throat was thick with tears. I couldn't believe what he was telling me. Before I could let my hunters drag me off, I ran forward and gave him the biggest hug. "Thank you, for everything."

A tear slipped from his eye. "It was my pleasure."