I followed behind Percy, taking two steps to Tyson's one.

"So, Tyson, you here for the summer or just visiting?"

"You're not scared?" He asked me. His big eye went wide in surprise.

"Me? Scared of who, you? Why would I be scared?" I asked, confused pulling my mouth into a frown and my eyebrows together.

"'cause I'm a cyclops." He said, lowering his head.

"Why would I be scared of Percy's brother? I think you're quite sweet. I've heard stories about how you saved his butt! Also if I need things to go boom, I'm coming to you, big guy! Now head up, my BFG."

He picked his head up and frowned. "BFG?" He asked, "what's that?"

"A book I had to read. It stands for Big friendly Giant. These kids befriended a giant who was kind and nice. But in our case let's change it to BFC." I smiled.

"Yes! I like it! Percy's sister makes things go boom, and peanut butter sandwiches and isn't scared of me! I like Percy's little sister!"

"She's older, man." Percy added.

"Older?"

"By a few months." He grumbled.

"Oh!" Tyson nodded thoughtfully.

"So, here for the summer?"

"For a bit. Daddy let me come visit Percy!"

"Ooh! Tell me about working on the forges!"

The rest of the walk Tyson talked, I listened and nodded, smiled when his calf brown eye lit up when he described the Cyclopes' forges and the palace of Poseidon, but he also told me how tense things were. The old gods of the sea, who'd ruled during Titan times, were starting to make war on their father. When Tyson had left, battles had been raging all over the Atlantic. Hearing that made me feel anxious, old Titans waking and starting to wage war was never a good thing, but Tyson assured me that their Dad wanted them both at camp and not to worry.

Percy, Tyson and myself marched up the hill to the mess hall pavilion. I saw other cabins walking up the hill, laughing and shouting, calling out to friends. A very crowded table was the loudest most rambunctious of them all. Things were being tossed around, some kids were yelling insults and laughing, racking my brain i couldn't think who they were until Percy leaned over and told me it was Hermes cabin. The Ares table was yelling insults and arm wrestling. I saw Clarisse and her friends with bandages around their hands and arms. And a weird green past on a few places. I smirked when I saw her narrow her eyes. Raph gave me a smug cheeky grin from his spot in the middle.

Satyrs joined us from the meadow. Naiads emerged from the canoeing lake. A few other girls came out of the woods- and when I say out of the woods, I mean straight out of the woods. I saw one girl, about nine or ten years old, melt from the side of a maple tree and come skipping up the hill.

In all, there were maybe a hundred campers, a few dozen satyrs, and a dozen assorted wood nymphs and naiads.

At the pavilion, torches blazed around the marble columns. A central fire burned in a bronze brazier the size of a bathtub. Each cabin had its own table, covered in white cloth trimmed in purple.

"Whoa. What happened there?" I whispered to Percy. We had stopped on the outskirts of the pavilion, letting me have a chance to look around. Also waiting for Chiron to make some announcement about my arrival- though most campers knew by this point I was here. An exploding bathroom isn't exactly conspicuous.

Most of the campers ignored the sealed fissure in the marble floor at the entrance- a ten-foot-long jagged scar that looked still fresh.

"Big crack," Tyson said, leaning on a pillar beside me. "Earthquake, maybe?" He looked at Percy, and I followed his actions.

"No," he said heavily. "Not an earthquake."

He looked troubled. I could see the internal battle inside him. I had a gut feeling it had to do with what he told me about the end of last year. It was a secret only Annabeth and Grover and Percy knew. He glanced at Tyson and then me, and he sighed. Flipping his shaggy black hair out of his eyes he sighed again.

"It has something to do with that Nico di Angelo kid," I said, lowering my voice.

Percy nodded "He's this half-blood kid we brought to camp last winter." He explained quietly to Tyson who leaned down to hear Percy's whispered words. "He, uh...he asked me to guard his sister on a quest, and I failed. She died. Now he blames me."

Tyson frowned. "So he put a crack in the floor?"

"Percy, you know it's not right? You didn't lie. You said you would do your best. And you did!" I said, laying my hand on his shoulder and giving him a squeeze. I felt a weird tingle in my hand, and a warmth spread down my arm and into my hand. Where my hand made contact it glowed slightly. I could see Percy exhale and the tension left his shoulders.

"Ya...I'm doing my best to remember. But ya, these skeletons attacked us," he said. "Nico told them to go away, and the ground just opened up and swallowed them. Nico..." Percy looked around to make sure no one was listening. I glanced around too, everyone was busy and loud. "Nico is a son of Hades."

I knew this already, Percy told me over the few weeks I was cooped up in my Newt York apartment with Dad. He had come over with Sally a lot and he explained almost everything. It was a lot.

Tyson nodded thoughtfully. "The god of dead people."

"Yeah."

"So the Nico boy is gone now?" Tyson frowned, and scratched his head.

"I- I guess. I tried to search for him this spring. So did Annabeth. But we didn't have any luck. This is a secret, Tyson, Nora. Okay? If anyone found out he was a son of Hades, he would be in danger. You can't even tell Chiron."

"The bad prophecy," Tyson said. "Titans might use him if they knew."

I stared at him, and so did Percy. As big and childlike as he was, Tyson was pretty smart. And I was sheepishly surprised. Percy had told me he was intelligent, just very childlike. Which he just proved to me.

He knew that the next child of the Big Three gods- Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades- who turned sixteen was prophesied to either save or destroy Mount Olympus. Most people assumed that meant Percy, but if he died before he turned sixteen, the prophecy could just as easily apply to Nico. Thalia had joined the hunters of Artimis, so she was removed from the list.

"Exactly," Percy said. "So-"

"Mouth sealed, same with Percy's little Big sister." Tyson promised. "Like the crack in the ground."

I nodded in agreement.

Finally, Chiron pounded his hoof against the marble floor of the pavilion, and everybody fell silent.

"Okay Campers! A few quick announcements. Connor and Travis," he looked to the Hermes table where a set of twins were still rough housing, but went still and looked over.

"Yes?" They said in unison.

"Argus has asked that you return the engine of the van back to its original state and put the slushy machines back into the camp store."

"Aww!" One whinned.

"Slushious! Ahh man! Slushious was way cooler!" The other cried.

"It shot out nachos, we could have cheesed all those dang monsters !"

"Ya! Grap escape for the win!"

"You will do it tonight or I make you do double the dishes."

"Fine! We'll switch it." They sighed in unison.

Chiron nodded, seeming to be satisfied. "Next, Quintus has scheduled the evenings games for 830 sharp. And lastly we have a new camper." Heads turned in my direction.

"Please welcome Eleanora Blofis, claimed daughter of Apollo." Chiron clapped, and there was a round of applause. I stood awkwardly. As the picked on troubled kid, I hated crowds and disliked being the center of attention.

"Go Percy's little Big sister. The horse man calls you."

"I don't like being centre of attention." I whispered to Percy.

"Really? Daughter of Apollo doesn't like being the centre of attention? That's a first."

"I will curse you to sing show toons for a week!" I snapped.

"Go." Tyson gave me a shove in the back making me stumble forwards. Grinding my teeth I walked towards Chiron. He clapped my shoulder.

"Go, be with your family, child. Just no more blowing things up please."

"No promises." I grumbled. And headed towards the Apollo table where Will and Kayla scootched over to make room for me between them.

Chiron stomped his hoof again. And raised his glass. "To the gods."

Everyone in the pavilion copied him. Wood nymphs came forward with platters of food: grapes, apples, strawberries, cheese, fresh bread, and yes, barbecue! My glass was empty, but Will said, "Speak to it. Whatever you want- nonalcoholic, of course."

I thought for a second. And then whispered, "chocolate milkshake." Dad and I always celebrated the end of school with milkshakes. He wasn't here, so I had to do it alone. I felt a sudden sadness. It made my chest feel heavy. I made a silent toast to my dad, my real, dad. The one who stepped up and raised me.

Here you go, Nora," Lee said, handing me a platter of smoked brisket, and then a huge pan of cheese pizza.

I loaded my plate and was about to take a big bite when I noticed everybody getting up, carrying their plates toward the fire in the center of the pavilion. I wondered if they were going for dessert or something.

"Come on," Lee told me.

"Offerings first." Will said and indicated with his head.

As I got closer, I saw that everyone was taking a portion of their meal and dropping it into the fire, the ripest strawberry, the juiciest slice of beef, the warmest, most buttery roll.

I heard heavy footsteps behind me, I knew who it was but I was too fascinated by what was in front of me to turn and address Raph. "Burnt offerings for the gods. They like the smell." His deep voice murmured in my ear.

"You're kidding. They like burned toast?" I glanced over my shoulder up at him.

His look warned me not to take this lightly, but I couldn't help wondering why an immortal, all-powerful being would like the smell of burning food.

I watched as Lee approached the fire, bowed his head, and tossed in a cluster of fat red grapes. "Apollo."

Will was next and murmured something and tossed a full slice of pizza in. Frowning even more I watched as Raph also bowed his head, even closed his eyes and was silent for a second and tossed in a good portion of barbeque brisket.

I was next.

Why would I want to thank a god who had slept with my mom and then abandoned her to die. Why sacrifice food to a guy who sat in a big chair watching me grow up and struggle for years, being picked on, hunted by monsters, sitting and watching as I was being told I was a loser and was nothing but a trouble nobody. Why in the Tartarus would I want to say thank you to someone who made my life a living walk through Hades.

"Hey...you going? You're holding up the line!" A kid with grey eyes and an athletic body asked from behind me.

"Oh...sorry." I stepped up, and tossed a few grapes and a baby carrot. "Apollo." I said trying hard to keep the sneer out of my voice.

I turned and went to sit down beside Will and Kayla again. I was quite throughout supper. Eating and listening to conversation.

"So... about this game?" I asked.

"Capture the flag." Austin nodded.

"Ares and Athena usually win?" I asked, they nodded. I smirked. I turned my head slightly and closed my eyes. In a second I could hear the Ares cabin strategizing and then switched to Athena's table.

"What are you doing?" Michael asked.

"Listening to their strategies."

"What? No way! You can hear that?"

I nodded. And held my finger to my lips and listened for a few more minutes. I grinned and turned back to the table. I was just leaning in when there was a wild commotion. Every head turned in the direction of what was happening. Something was staggering up the hill.

"Holy Hades!" Will whispered. .

"What? What's going on?"

"That's The Oracle." Lee whispered in awe.

"Ya sure? 'Cause it kinda looks like a mummie or a zombie."

Well, okay, not exactly, this...thing... was not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk. She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time.

Looking at her sent chills up my back. And that was before she stopped in the middle of the dinning pavilion and turned her dry husk of a head in the direction of the Apollo table and opened her mouth. A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes

Like she was a magnet I felt a sudden pull in my gut. There was no stopping it. Like something overtook my body, I was jerked to my feet and staggered closer. Falling on my knees in front of the mummy I tipped my head up to look at her. The entire pavilion had sucked in a sharp breath and held it.

I was frozen, my limos were hit and tinglinh, my body was shuddering like I was cold, dry crusty hands grabbed my face, holding me still, though even if I wanted to run, I couldn't, my body was paralyzed.

I heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around my brain: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.

I couldn't even talk. I tried to make a noise but nothing came out. The ty dyed dress mummy bent closer and pressed her dry cracked mouth to mine and breathed into me. My mind clouded over, green smoke swirled inside of me, I felt an overwhelming amount of emotions. Wild swinging emotions from ecstasy to fear and horror to bit sorrow and rage.

The burning in my chest was painful. Hot burning and tingling. My lungs were burning from the green smoky mist, and then she straightened up, my mouth hinged open and I gasped. Green smoke billowed out as a strange voice came forth. The spirit of Delphi spoke through me.

The Daughter of the Light, The Healer and son of War. Must journey deep through twist and turn. To find the sputtering flame who has fallen asleep. Awake the blaze within before the earth is dead and cold.

I felt the rest of the green smoke clear my lungs and I gasped again, finally able to breathe fresh air. My body convulsed, my head felt like it was going to split open and I let out an ear splitting scream. It was from inside me, but also a deep wounded cry for help from someone else. An old ancient being. Almost as old as the earth and sun and moon and stars themselves. I cry so deep and soulful I could feel my heart break. I saw the bright sunset sky. And then my vision clouded with something else. I was seeing something else.

I saw a bright shining room, window curtains pulled back letting in all kinds of sunlight and fresh air. The walls wanted bright cheery yellow, someone in white scrubs and neon green crocks walked in holding a tray of hospital food. A wheelchair sat empty in one corner and a pair of dentures and reading glasses on a side table beside an old frail man with whispy white hair.

My eyes rolled into my head and everything was black.

🔆

As the Author of this Fan Fic I want to just make a few PSA's:

🔆 I DO NOT OWN ANY PERCY JACKSON CHARACTERS OR ANYTHING FROM GOOD OL' UNCLE RICK!

🔆 I try to keep the Plot of any of Uncle Rick as cannon and authentic as possible.

🔆 A few myths and legends I have taken and have twist slightly to fit the story and plot. The knives and Ursa Major and Minor and there will be one with Apollo and Helios- I try to find myths Uncle Rick hasn't used. But again this is A FAN FICTION so I'm doing my best but also enjoying the story.

🔆 All rights go to our favorite Author who knows how to represent the list and outlasted, our fearless leader and absolutely a Son of Apollo himself,
💛 Uncle Rick Riordan. 💛

🔆 Also, from the previous Chapter- I just wanted to address something:

Raph does not condone what Zeus did to Artimis's friend Callisto. He's just terrified that if he speaks poorly of the gods something terrible will happen to him/camp. So again he doesn't condone it, and we will see his protective side in future chapters.

In the words of Percy Jackson himself, IF YOU HAVE BEEN ATTACKED BY A CREEP DO NOT KEEP THAT TO YOURSELF. TELL SOMEONE. ALWAYS ALWAYS TELL SOMEONE. PLEASE. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP.

🔆

Finally got around to making these boards- they are up on Author's notes now. :)

Selina Beauregard - Daughter of Aphrodite

Lee Fletcher - Son of Apollo

🔆 That is all. Thank you. Back to our scheduled story. 🔆