That night I had dreams. And I absolutely blame the Unicorn drink. It definitely worked. My memories were on fast forward. I felt the heat ripple around me, even in my sleep. 

I was sitting at a kitchen table in a small kitchen, I looked up at the tall kid, he was lean and muscly, but not beefy. Dark messy hair and sea green eyes, he had a look like he would absently not think twice of getting into mischief. His fingers drummed the table top. I felt like my stomach dropped to the floor. I knew this boy. Percy. My brother. 

"So..." Percy started.

"So." I said, the pen still flying across the page. "like music?" I asked awkwardly. His sea green eyes lit up and a lopsided grin appeared, he looked like he would be trouble, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes made it even worse.

"Depends. Apollo has some questionable tastes sometimes... But his other kids at camp have better taste."

"There are other kids?" I peeked up.

"Oh ya! A whole cabin!"

"Wait...a whole cabin?" I gasped. My hand clenched around the pen, "dude really is a fuckboy."

Percy spit his blue coke out and threw his head back and laughed. "I think we're gonna get along great, Nora!" He laughed.

I couldn't help but crack a smirk. I stood up and motioned with my hand, "come on. I'll show you my record collection."

"Whoa! Like old vinal?"

"Only the best!" I grinned.

"So cool!"

He came bounding after me and I led him down the hall to what appeared to be my room. He flipped through my records, I sat on my bed, my sketch book on my lap and pencil in hand and doodled while he told me about his life growing up.

"Whoa wait, so because your mom knew who Poseidon was, she had to marry this Gab guy and he stunk so bad monsters stayed away?"

"Yep. He was a really piece of work." He shuddered and his face was slightly pale.

"I had to go to Camp at 12 or 13. Monsters got worse. Mom wasn't happy...but it was fight or flight. And Zeus gave me a no fly order."

I snorted. "Nice."

He gave me a blank look.

"The pun. Fight or flight. But Zeus...lord of the sky said you couldn't fly...so you literally had to fight."

"You're a smart one." He grinned, folding his arms and leaning on my desk. "You'd get along with Annabeth."

"Who's she?"

I saw his cheeks grow pink. And I smirked. I went back to my notebook and asked nonchalantly. "She pretty?"

"Uhh...ya, ya I guess."

"What colour eyes?"

"Grey blue. And they get all stormy when she's mad at me, and lit up when she's all excited and figured out a problem..."

"Uh huh. And her hair?"

"Blond. Like sunshine, and it's curly. She hates it though, she won't actually ever complain about it, because she's the daughter of Athena. But when it's hot it gets worse, and it's frizzy."

"Why would she not complain about her hair?"

"Because that's what children of Aphrodite do. She's a blond haired girl, people already don't take her seriously, so she thinks if she's complaining of her hair or looks or something people will brush her aside. But..I don't understand why she'd have to complain at all..."

"You like her?"

"Yeah. Wait! What?" He froze, his eyes wide in horror. "No."

I raised an eyebrow at him. He deflated.

"Maybe."

"Okay tell me more."

He produced a bag of blue candy and flopped into my bed and we ate candy while he talked .

"Man... No offense, but your life is a mess."

He snorted, "tell me about it!"

"But...your friends, the other demi gods seem kinda cool. And I like Mr Miles and Mr Brun- Chiron. They were cool."

"Ya. The gods kinda like to uhh use us, their children, to do their bidding, their dirty work."

The scene changed.

Me and a blond haired kid who was tall and muscular, and bright baby blue eyes ran down the hall. He held my hand tightly in his. My half brother...I couldn't remember his name, but he was my brother, deep in my gut, I knew we had gone through a lot together.

"Where's Raph?" He asked.

"I don't know! I was dragged up on stage by that purple Flower Nymph...and I didn't see where he went. We were talking to Apollo right before. I don't know!"

"Well, Not helpful!"

At the moment there was no one following so we slowed down and came to a brisk walk.

"Okay...did you notice anything off?" He asked, he still held my hand tightly, like he was protective and keeping me close.

"Uhh some creepy guy tried to cut into our conversation...and some girl was staring at him pretty hard while we danced."

"Wait." The blond cried, coming to a halt. "You...you danced? With Raph. You and him?"

"Umm yes?" I stammered. My cheeks and ears going red.

He squealed and clapped his hands. "I knew it! I knew it! It's all coming together!"

The Hall way faded and I heard a soft sob. I sprinted through the black, trying to find the soft sobs. I turned a corner in the dark and the scene exploded into view. Sitting halfway down a row of some kind of green house, with huge sunflowers was a frail old man. He wore a ripped bathrobe, he was now missing a slipper and sock. His wispy white hair was greasy and matted. He held his arms up, reaching for the biggest  brightest sunflower. His grimy and scraped wrinkled face had big tears slowly making a track down his cheeks.

"Clytie!" He sobbed. "Clytie my Love! I'm sorry!"

"Helios!" I cried. I lowered the bow I held in my hands, and walked towards him. I felt such an overwhelming amount of relief. The old man turned his head, his  blind milky eyes lit up like glowing embers in a fire.

"My child!" He cried.

I knelt down beside him, placing my bow on the ground. He reached out his frail arms like a small child wanting a hug.

"My child. I missed you!"

I gently hugged him. "Helios...are you alright? Are you hurt?" I asked gently, slowly pulling away.

"Only...only in my heart my child. I have a grave mistake!"

Fear and panic flooded my system. What could a senile old Titan God do?

"I left my Clytie. I was foolish! And I left her. My...my sister persuaded me...and I was young and foolish! And now she is naught but a flower!" He wailed and covered his face with his age spotted hands.

"We all make mistakes." I sighed and patted his shoulder.

"My child! My child! My daughter. We must go home. I was so alone and it was so dark. I must go home..."

"Yes. Agreed. Lets go home."

He suddenly grabbed my arms, his sorrowful face twisted in fear and he shook me slightly. "He knows. He knows! You must be safe! He knows! He will find you! He sent my sister to find you! He knows!"

"What...?"

"Awake the blaze within my child!" He whispered urgently and shook me. "To SEE you must AWAKE THE BLAZE WITHIN!"

I looked over my shoulder to someone, but it was all black and the only thing I could see was Helios on the ground in front of me. 

"Come on." I said and stood up. I reached down and helped get him to his feet. He was leaning heavily on me.

"I need to bring my Love, I can't leave Clytie! Not again! I can't leave her again! I won't!" He wailed.

"No...no. Of course not."

The flower was handed to the old god, Sun Titan who clung to it like it was his childhood teddy bear. He softly stroked the petals, like a lover would stroke her face.

"Okay. My daughter, take me home now. I'm ready to sleep." he murmured.

I sat Helios down on a marble bench and we waited for our way home.

"My child...you are mine. My Love, I am sorry." He mumbled those two things and it wasn't making sense. "She wants my keys. She won't get the keys.... I don't have the keys..."

The dark marble bench faded and Helios faded into nothing and I was suddenly on the back of a motorcycle, and I couldn't hear anything. I recognized the guy driving, I had my arms wrapped tightly around him. We came to a stop at a red light keeping the bike steady with his feet flat on the ground he reached behind and gave me a backwards hug. I squeezed him tight and smiled. He must have had music in his helmet because his helmeted head was bobbing, and patting my legs in time to some drum beat. He was broody and mean looking, but he was just a giant soft teddy bear and it made me giggle.

I patted his torso at the next red light. And pointed. He looked back at me, twisted around to sign, "really?"

I nodded. I had seen an ice cream place. "It's my birthday!"

"Son of Ares doesn't do ice cream."

I hung my head pouting. He grabbed my helmet by the chin, lifting it up. He bumped his helmet with mine- helmet kiss. "What flavor are we getting." He signed with one hand.

"Yay!" I squeezed him tight. And did a small little happy dance.

"Sigh." He signed and shook his head, exasperated with my shenanigans. "What my birthday princess wants. My birthday princess gets!"

"Birthday princess wants mint chocolate chip!"

The bike and Raph vanished and now I was sitting on the grass under a tree. Some kid with dark hair, olive skin and angry eyes glared down at me. 

"Nico sit down and eat some food, boy! Your wasting away!"

"No! You can't tell me what to do! I'm the Ghost King! No body tells me what to do."

I sat down and with one hand signed, "Nico. Sit your emo ass down and eat."

He glared at me but plunked down and pouted, he snatched the peanut butter sandwich off his plate and took a small bite.

"I hate you!" Nico glared at me.

I smiled, "Love you too."

The dark emo boy vanished, instead there were monsters everywhere. It was the same place, but it was full of blood and screams, and wounded kids and monster dust.

I sat on the back of a beautiful horse, who had fire for a main and tail, she stormed into the forest and without any issues she navigated the first underbrush. I trust her to navigate without issues. While I did my best to see what was happening, I couldn't hear what was going on, everything was completely silent, not even the beating of my heart could be heard. I could make out boulders hurtled from catapults, sailing toward the giants. One deflected off a car shield with hardly a dent, but the other caught one in the chest, and the giant went down. I saw kids fire a volley, and more archers followed, dozens of arrows sticking in the thick armor of the giants like porcupine quills. Several found chinks in armor, and some of the giants vaporized at the touch of celestial bronze.

The scene speed up, like someone was fast forwarding to the good part. I missed a lot of what happened, but now the fire horse turned gracefully and charged back at the monster. I got my feet under me, crouching on her back, as she raced inches from monster I leapt off and onto its arm. I ran up its arm and stood on its shoulders. Pulling two arrows I aimed down and let them go. With the force of two celestial bronze arrows burring up to the feathers in its neck it poofed into ash immediately. Without anything to stand on, my stomach flew into my throat as I dropped from the sky. I lost my grip on my bow. I huddled towards the ground. I tucked my body and rolled twice. I came up on my feet. My knives held in my hands. Standing in front of me was  a very confused looking Raph. He had lost his helmet and was gripping his sword and shield tight.

All I had time for was a grin and a wink before I had to dive out of the way of a hell hound. As I rolled with the animal, I stabbed my knives into its chest and it burnt up in a second. I pushed to my feet, and quickly took in what was around me. I needed to find someone who had my back, I couldn't fight alone, being deaf on the battle field was a challenge. I couldn't hear if anything was behind me. And I couldn't keep my head swiveling constantly.

I dove out of the way of a monster but now I was in the middle of a different battle, not monsters, but undead. I dove out of the way trying to knock the spear that came at me away with my knives. I wasn't as smooth as I could have been... In slow motion, I saw the glint of the spear head in the sun, Raph's exposed back, and then my body was moving.

And pain erupted through my body, starting in my side. I let out a wild silent scream. The spear sliced my side open. The pain was overwhelming. I fumbled my knives, they clattered to the ground. I collapsed to the ground. I felt the hot blood ooze from my side. The ground rumbled with huge footsteps and then my t shirt was grabbed and I was yanked up. The face of our enemy came into focus, I didn't recognize him. He was grinning in victory. I was spun around and held tight against his chest. He called something and his men stopped. Raph froze, looking around, his eyes locked onto me, and his face of battle rage twisted into horrified realization. He saw me bleeding from the side and held by the throat against the guys chest. I felt my captors chest rumble as he spoke.

Raph met my eyes, he looked scared, for the first time ever. He tossed his sword and dropped to his knees. I shook my head. Silently I screamed for him to fight. I'd rather die. I'd rather die here on my 16th birthday then be a concubine and then be forced to host Kronos's soul.

The street was the same but the zombie army all disappeared, replaced by kids about my age. Most had orange t shirts under their battle armor. I stood beside Percy. He looked as grim as I felt.

"All right," Percy said. "We're going to hold Manhattan."

I focused on his words, reading his lips, despite his hands already signing for me. I looked around, the faces around me were all blurred, nothing was distinctive, like my memory could only remember the situation and now what each kid looked like.

Someone tugged at her armor. "Um, Percy, Manhattan is huge."

"We are going to hold it," I said with my hands, my face set into a hard determination, the fire flickered in my eyes. "We have to."

"We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. Let's assume they'll try a midtown or downtown assault, at least on their first try. That would be the most direct way to the Empire State Building. Michael, Nora, take Apollo's cabin to the Williamsburg Bridge. Katie, Demeter's cabin takes the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Grow thorn bushes and poison ivy in the tunnel. Do whatever you have to do, but keep them out of there! Conner, take half of Hermes cabin and cover the Manhattan Bridge. Travis, you take the other half and cover the Brooklyn Bridge."

"And no stopping for looting or pillaging-" I added, narrowing my eyes at two boys who looked identical.

"Awwww!" a group of kids complained.

"-unless it is for like explosives or something." I added with a wicked grin. The same kids all cheered.

"Aphrodite crew to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel."

"Oh my gods," one of the girls said. "Fifth Avenue is so on our way! We could accessorize, and monsters, like, totally hate the smell of Givenchy."

"No delays," Percy said. "Well...the perfume thing, if you think it'll work."

Six girls kissed him on the cheek in excitement. 

"All right, enough!" I closed my eyes for a second, trying to think of what I'd forgotten.

"The Holland Tunnel." Percy said snapping his fingers, He turned to a group of big burly kids. "Jake, take the Hephaestus cabin there. Use Greek fire, set traps. Whatever you've got."

He grinned. "Gladly. We've got a score to settle."

"For Beckendorf!" I signed with a nod. "Blow something for me." I felt a sadness in my chest. Clearly this Beckendorf was someone to me, I felt a mix of sadness, guilt and anger. 

Someone nodded in agreement, while the whole cabin roared in approval.

The streets disappeared and Percy and I were running towards a huge humanoid thing and I realized this must have been a Titan. Percy glanced at me and I nodded. I sheathed my blades and yanked my bow off the bracelet. He held his sword higher and we advanced toward Hyperion, I had leapt over the side of the reservoir and was surprised I hadn't touched the water. I looked up shocked. Percy shook his head.

"Not me!" He signed.

"Nice." I grinned. My smile was twisted and crooked.

Twenty feet away, Hyperion raised his sword. His eyes were just like I'd remembered- as gold as Kronos's but brighter, like miniature suns.

"The sea god's brat," he mused. "You're the one who trapped Atlas beneath the sky again?"

"It probably wasn't hard," I said. "You Titans are about as bright as my gym socks."

Hyperion snarled. "You want bright?"

His body ignited in a column of light and heat. I felt my own power surge to the surface, the tingle and heat and fire erupt around me. My fire swirled up over me and through me. I ran forward.

Hyperion attacked. Just as another bright light appears from the trees. I instinctively knew this was another titan. And she must have been Malibu Barbie's mother. She looked just like her. Except her hair was so black it almost looked blue. It shown in the glow if the moon. Her armor was decorated in all kids of gems and jewels and it seemed to reflect light making it look like the dawn, the bright sun, sunset and the moon. She finally came to fight by her husband side. Great. Two Titans.

I felt my powers surge and raise me off the ground. The bright hot flames flicked and danced around me. Lighting up everything around me. It must have looked like the sun was rising. The tongues of flame lashed out, consuming everything evil and monstrous thing in its path, each one erupted in a flash of fire and was gone. Leaving a pile of monster dust coating the field and park.

It wrapped around each demi god, and nature spirit and Hunter. As it did it filled each one with the gift of the Phoenix song, giving them courage and renewed strength. It brought injured campers and spirits and Hunter back to strength.

As for the two Titans, the deviating flames of fire wrapped around them, squeezing them tighter and tighter.

"I-am-a TITAN! You can not do this!" Hyperion bellowed in my head as he struggled with the fire.

"So. Am. I." I yelled back. "And the daughter of a god. With the blessing of a Phoenix. So sucks to suck."

The Phoenix fire was stronger, and the fire wrapped around Hyperion, the Heavenly Light and his wife, Theia, the Splendor Sight. It squeezed tighter and tighter. With one final surge of all my power, with a scream of defiance from deep inside me, it mixed with the song of the Phoenix, and I threw my arms out wide- which I only realized now had fiery feathers Phoenix wings attached- and both titans exploded in a cloud of smoke as a scream of rage echoed in my head from both of raging. And they were both gone.

The fire wings and power lowered me back to the ground and I collapsed, my veins still glowing and the weird Greek and Roman words and symbols still all over my skin.

With my eyes fluttering I let go of the feather. It was signed almost to nothing. I had two more uses. Just as my eyes fluttered again I felt strong arms grab my face.

I forced my eyes open. I saw Raph's blurry terrified face looking down.

"Oh thank the gods, I thought you killed yourself!" He signed.

"With great power....comes a great need ...to take a nap."

I sat up with a gasp. I was drenched in sweat, and the room smelt like burning. I felt slightly guilty. But this was the home of a god, I'm sure they could fix the singed bed sheets. I shoved the covers off and swung my feet over, I placed my head in my hands. Many of the details were missing, but I had a few more faces, and feelings, and a better understanding of who I was, where I came from. But still no idea why I was here in Europe. Maybe it was just to get me out of the way. Remove the possible threat of making the fight infinitely worse. If I had the powers and strength I thought I did, wouldn't they want to try use me? Did I not prove in the last few battles, I would fight for my friends and family? Instead someone plucked me from my friends and family and wiped my mind and dropped me in the back woods of Scotland hoping to have me killed. 

Well jokes on them, I'm going to train even harder and come back stronger and show them all. I had a point to prove. You don't just try disregard me. I was angry, I felt it burning in my chest. 

The conch horn blew in the distance. I got dressed and flung the door open. The gods who did this to me would pay. I would show them all. I had some training to do. 

🔆

A lot of memories from the past 2 books- sorry. A good time to revisit some cute moments.