Running Through the Raindrops

Chapter 4: Training and the first goodbyes

Mei POV

"Keep your arms up Mei!" Percy yelled to me as we were sparring. "I don't need to," I said as I swept under his legs and kicked him to the ground, "If I'm going to do that."

"Fine. You win." He said, breathing heavily. I extended my hand to help him up, "You have gotten a lot better. You could probably hold your own against Reyna if you tried hard enough."

"And why would I need to fight Reyna?" I ask laughing, I turned to grab my sweat towel though I stopped and fell to one knee, clutching my shoulder.

"You never know if- Mei? MEI!" Percy yelled and ran over to me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just... the circle." The pain subsided and I started to get up. Even if the arena was spinning. "The Stone Circle. It's calling me back."

Someone stumbled into the arena, the world was still spinning but I could see purple hair. "Did you feel that too?" It was Zoé.

"Yeah."

Zoé stumbled more before she fell down in the center of the arena. "Zoé!" Percy ran over to her and I soon got up and did the same. "What is happening?"

We were able to get Zoé into a sitting position before I spoke, "I think it's the Stone Circle." Percy looked at me confused. "The thing that brought us here. When we first opened the book... It gave us tattoos. The Circle is now calling us back. It's time for us to leave."

Zoé nodded along with my words and started to get up. I grabbed my duffle out of the Duat and Zoé ran to the Big House to get her stuff. I went over to the benches and grabbed my katana when I turned around Zoé was back and she ran behind a training dummy whispering, "Hide me."

"What's up?" I ask going over and hiding with her. She had her duffle in her arms but she looked like she had seen something horrible. "Was Chiron playing his Frank Sinatara tapes again?"

"No. Apollo has been chasing me around for days. Trying to make me 'fall in love' and all that bullcrap."

"Okay. Falling in love in general or falling in love with Apollo?" I asked looking around for any godly beings. Zoé then grabbed my shoulder.

"Falling in love with them. It's disgusting and I saw him in the Big House. Looking for me! I'm getting tired of this." Zoé said. I grabbed her bag and threw them into the duat with my stuff so we could run easier. I grabbed her hand and we ran out of the back door of the arena and into the woods. Though before we could enter the tree line I ran right into someone. "Oh, sorry! I wasn't paying attention."
"No, it's alright. You were you two running from?" The girl asked, she looked to be twelve years old, with auburn hair in a braid and silver eyes.

Zoé answered, "Apollo's been chasing me ever since I arrived here a few weeks ago."

The girl looked very annoyed. "That disaster of a bisexual. I know how you feel, I'm Artemis. Most of the girls I meet are running from my twin brother. I'm sorry for you. If you want I could let you join my Hunters."

"I wish I could... Lady Artemis. But we're not exactly from this world, we were actually about to leave." Zoé said, stunned to be talking with a goddess. Artemis held out her hand and in her palm was a crescent moon necklace. "Here take this. It should help."

Zoé took the necklace and placed it around her neck. "Thank you, Lady Artemis." With that we left camp, and headed to the 21st nome, we had to leave in the same place we entered. Once outside of the camp borders I teleported us to the 21st nome using a tiny sphinx statue.

Once we exited the swirl of golden sand Sadie, Carter, and Cody came to greet us. "So is this just a visit or...?"

"It's time for us to leave." Zoé said with a sad smile. I reached into the duat to grab our things though something hit my arm when I pulled out my duffle bag. I looked to the strap of my duffle bag and saw a silver chain and charm. I inspected it closer and saw that it was almost an exact replica of Sadie's necklace, except at the top of the tyet was a green gemstone. "Isis blessed you?" Sadie said with a shocked expression.

"I... guess?" I said putting on the necklace. After that we started walking to the courtyard. As we were walking Carter and Sadie were asking us questions about where we were headed, though most of them we couldn't answer.

The group reached the courtyard and Zoé and I were wondering how the hell we leave this realm. "Do we just focus and the circle will just poof into existence?"

"Maybe?"

Zoé and I were about to start just focusing on the Stone Circle when we heard a certain high-pitched scream, "Wait for me!"

We opened our eyes and saw Cody with a duffle bag. "I want to come with you."
I looked at Zoé and said, "The prophecy did say we needed a third member."

"Fine."

Cody joined the circle, and it was now very easy to imagine the Circle of Stones. I closed my eyes and when they opened I saw the galaxy sky of the Stone Circle. "Cody, welcome to the Circle of Stones."

He looked stunned but turned to us with a new determination in his eyes, "Where are we heading next?"