Chapter 8: Artemis Tries to Kill Us

"Okay," I said as we left camp. Thalia, Artemis, Nico, Bianca and I had decided to take this quest. Frank and Hazel stayed back to help protect the campers. "Where to first?" I asked.

Thalia sighed. "L.A," she said. "Isn't that, like my dad's territory? You know, with the entrance to the underworld and everything?" Nico asked. "Which is exactly why our father chose it. Who would look for him so close to his brother?" Artemis said.

I nodded. "He is a clever man," I said. Everyone nodded in agreement. "So... I still don't understand why there's no prophecy..." Bianca said. "Me neither, I mean... Well every quest has one and-" Nico cut me off. "Percy..." He said.

"What?" I turned around to see what he was pointing at. Coming down the hill was a very green-looking, smoky Rachel. "Oh, gods... Well, I guess we're getting a prophecy..." I said.

"Hey, Rachel," Nico said sarcastically. Bianca elbowed him. Rachel began to speak in that reptilian voice of the oracle of Delphi.

"Five children of the big three
Shall trek across forest and sail across sea
They will find the one they have lost
But this will come at great cost
This will be a battle they must win
Or the end of all peace will begin,"

"Okay, I'm seriously getting tired of these vague prophecies. Like seriously, for once, can't we just have a clear, precise one?!?" Thalia said, looking at Artemis as I ran over to Rachel. "You know Apollo. He never makes sense so do you really think his oracle will?" She replied.

"Percy? Wait, PERCY?!?" Rachel exclaimed. "Yeah, it's me, Rach. Calm down okay? I can't explain everything right now. We need to go, I'll see you soon," I promised. She nodded and hugged me. "Good luck," she said quietly. I smiled and nodded.

As Rachel started to walk back up Half-Blood Hill, the five of us continued walking. "Um, how exactly, are we getting to L.A?" Bianca asked.

Artemis smiled. "Well, you've heard of my brother's sun chariot, right? Well, I have a matching moon chariot," she said proudly as she snapped her fingers and the chariot appeared in front of us.

"Yeah, and I'm not driving," Thalia muttered. I laughed and volunteered. Artemis looked genuinely offended that I wanted to drive. "You think I'd let a boy drive my chariot?" She asked. "I though you like me," I said like I was five.

"I think you are not as much of an idiot as most boys. I never said I trust you with things as delicate as moon chariots," I rolled my eyes, got in and found a seat at the back of the silvery, open top chariot.

As Artemis started to drive and the chariot rose to the sky, I relaxed a bit. The prophecy said we'll find Annabeth! I'll see her again! But... It'll come at great cost... What could that mean? I hope it won't mean... No, I'm not even going to think that way.

"So... How do we sneak into the palace? I mean, we have this giant chariot. What if we get spotted?" Nico asked. Artemis shared a look with Thalia and they rolled their eyes.

"Yeah, stupid," Thalia said, "But there's this amazing thing called an invisibility curse," she looked at Artemis, "Which we should probably be activating about now..." Artemis nodded and waved her hand. After the chariot shook briefly, Thalia and Artemis smiled.

"Now, no one will be able to see or detect us. We will get in safely," Artemis explained. After a few more minutes of silence, the chariot suddenly tipped. "What was that?!?" Bianca exclaimed. "Wind spirits!" Thalia replied. "I hate those things," I sighed. Nico looked at me questioningly. "Long story," I said.

He started to say something but was interrupted when the chariot completely flipped upside down, sending the five of us falling down toward the forest below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry it's short and boring, but it's about to get a lot more exciting!!! I hope you enjoyed and don't forget to let me know what you think!

~Jillchair8e