Thalia took the lead at some point between Cabin 3 and the Big House. No one stopped her but I don't think anyone could have even if they wanted to. A feeling in my gut told me that I should run - don't get me wrong, I didn't want to be a coward again but, gods, I wanted to follow along with that feeling. The only problem with the plan of running until I passed out was the fact that a certain son of Hades was gripping my hand in a death lock. I couldn't move my finger tips let alone move my hand from Nico's. 

To keep my mind off of the whole 'Thalia is out to ruin my entire screwed up life' thing I focused on the fact that for the first time since I'd been at Camp Half Blood there was nothing going on. No campers were running around trying to get to training, no nymphs were scurrying to help the Demeter kids with the strawberry fields (which actually only happened if the Hephaestus kids got too close to anything green), and I hadn't seen one Ares kid beating on other campers throughout the trip. I had to admit I was very concerned about this fact. Percy had told me things get quieter at summer's end but this was ridiculous. Something had to be wrong.

My suspicions were not relieved when we got to Chiron who looked as though the actual angle of death was knocking on the door with pastries. It seemed that I was not the only one who realized the situation because Thalia - who had been quite determined seconds before - had shrunk back and silenced herself in front of the centaur. Chiron looked among our group. His eyes swept over the faces until they landed on me. His dark eyes held a look of guilt but I saw something else flash in them when they connected with mine. Fear. 

"I'm glad you're here. Please, come inside. Hurry, hurry. We do not have much time. I was just about to send for you." Chiron ushered all of us inside but he sounded as though he was addressing myself and Nico more so than the rest. 

"Chiron, what's going on? Where are the campers? We still have another two weeks of summer." Percy and Annabeth both looked worried as they looked up at Chiron.

"I've sent them home. All end of summer activities have been set for the beginning of next year along with the camp necklaces."

"But why? What's so bad that we couldn't withstand another two weeks?" This time it was Jason to speak.

"There have been new facts and issues that came to light within the past few weeks. I took it upon myself to send all younger campers home along with any campers who have family matters to attend to. Mr. Jackson, I understand your lack of knowledge on the situation seeing as you have very few siblings but Annabeth, you should have been informed seeing as you are the counselor of your mother's cabin."

"I've been a bit caught up with another issue. That's actually why we are here. Chiron, we must talk to you about something that Sky saw."

"Annabeth, I'm sorry for being rude, but whatever it is can wait. It has to wait."

"Chiron, what's going on?" Jason's blue eyes were narrowed and steady as he looked at the centaur.

"We - and Olympus - have been deceived. The quest in which Nico and Sky were sent on was a faux adventure that the goddess Nyx set up. She has fooled us all - Sky, Nico, even the gods of Olympus. If we do not hurry the world as we know it could end. I have reason to believe that Nyx is planning to release the souls of the Underworld and the creatures and gods that are locked in Tartarus. I also have reason to believe that Nyx is not working only with the gods of the Underworld but with Cupid as well."

Chiron stopped to take a breath. No one spoke. I was too scared and hurt to think properly. I had no thoughts. To try and calm my nerves I looked at Nico but his face was blank and stony. Chiron began again before I could reach for my boyfriend's hand.

"Both I and Camp Jupiter have lost all contact with Olympus and Iris Messaging is failing drastically. The last communication I had with Olympus was over a week ago and it was not good. From what I heard, Thanatos was missing and Hades had not been heard from since Nico and Sky had been in Olympus after their quest. What was thought to be the next Great Prophecy was simply a small quest set up to look like a big one. I am afraid that we have a new prophecy of much greater importance and urgency. Rachel is on her way now. All of you must sit. It seems this will be a long night for everyone."

Questions shot from everyone's mouths the second Chiron had stopped talking. Everyone except me. There was so much being said that it drowned out my own thoughts so that the only thing I could hear clearly was the blood rushing through my veins. A loud, uneven, and nonstop thudding in my head picking up speed the louder everything got. It was all simply too much. Nico and I had just finished our first quest which turned out to be a fake, I met Nyx whom also turned out to be fake, Nico and I started dating, and then I discover more powers that I envisioned possibly killing my boyfriend and some innocent person with. However, for all I know, that 'vision' could have been another falsehood to lead everyone off of Nyx's trail.

At that point I had decided to shut myself down. Well, not completely but enough so that I wouldn't be overwhelmed. Shutting myself down had become something I learned to do right around that time I lost Zach as a friend. It helped in situations where I felt like everything was becoming too much and somehow it kept my emotions stable. Sadly, it was getting into shutting down that was easy but getting out tended to take longer. That was a small price to pay when it came to staying calm at the news off your entire world possibly ending and you being one of the only things to stop that from happening. Maybe crossing those bridges was best done when I actually got to said bridges. 

The door opened and in walked a barefooted redhead that I had come to know as Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Rachel looked much healthier and livelier than the last few times I had seen her. The wild red locks of hair weren't as dull and her green eyes didn't give off the impression of sleep deprivation. Don't get me wrong, the Oracle still looked tired just not on the verge of collapsing. 

I noticed that the others hadn't realized the presence of Rachel just yet but the redhead didn't seem to mind because she simply rolled her eyes and came to sit with me. She turned her bright green eyes on me.

"I see they got the news." A small laugh left her lips and she made herself more comfortable by turning in the chair so she could swing her legs over one of the armrests.

"Yep. They're taking things well." 

Rachel gave me one more smile before turning her attention to the five questioning teenagers and a very exhausted looking centaur. "Shut up! We have business to take care of, don't you think?"

Dead silence followed Rachel's outburst. Everyone turned to look in the direction of the outburst most with surprised and questioning looks but Chiron had a look of desperation and relief (probably at the idea of not being questioned by five different people at once). Who could blame him.

"Rachel, what in Zeus's name is going on here?" Percy was the one who asked as he pulled up a chair. The others followed his example.

"Come on, Fish Boy, I'd think you'd be used to saving the world by now. How many times have you done it? Twice? Three times? What's one more time going to do?"

"Kill me. It almost has every other time. Maybe it will finish the job this time around."

"Seaweed Brain, don't talk like that."

"Why not, Annabeth? I told you people I was done. I just want to be normal. Go to school in New Rome and have a safe and normal life. Why am I always part of these ridiculous things anyhow?"

"I guess the Fates like sending you out to die. You just keep coming back." Thalia rolled her eyes at her cousin. 

"Percy, since it is so close to the year and we are not sure how badly things have developed, you and the rest will be able to continue normally for now. Until I get further information I refuse to send anyone on any quests."

"Okay, let's get to the point. What life threatening quest are Sky and I involved in this time?" Nico folded his arms as he looked directly into Rachel's eyes. Green eyes met black ones and soon enough Rachel was spilling out the words to a prophecy no one wanted to know but couldn't deny.

Spawn of harmony, bones, and sea as a pair

Journey deep below and are put to the test

Venture a place sea and bones know best

Where those of evil live in carnage and despair

To save the keeper of all damned souls

And stop endless night are their final goals

"Cheery, isn't it? Who wants to try and decipher it?" Rachel smiled brightly at us as though she'd just told us we'd won a free pizza dinner. Pizza would have been much better.

"The first line is easy - spawn of harmony, bones, and sea as a pair - I'm guessing Nico, Skylar, me, and another demigod are being sent on a quest. Problem is we don't know who this kid of harmony is." Percy looked at everyone around us like they'd have an idea but no one did.

Then, Chiron spoke up, "Harmony is usually associated with music which would lead me to believe an Apollo camper. However, there is also a minor goddess of harmony. I haven't heard of a demigod spawned from Harmonia in over a millennia, though. Also, most of the time Apollo is more often referred to as the god of the sun rather than music or poetry."

"Well, the last lines are easy enough as well. The keeper of all damned souls is Thanatos so save him and then the endless night would come if Nyx were to complete her goal. But where could they be keeping Thanatos?" Annabeth looked at Chiron who was about to open his mouth but Nico said something first.

"Can we think about that later? I think I have an idea about what the next lines may be. And Percy and Annabeth are going to like it almost as much as I do. The second line, journey deep below and put to the test,  that makes me think the Underworld. The third line would make sense with that hypothesis as well - venture a place sea and bones know best. Both Percy and I have been to the Underworld. However, the next line is what I'm worried about. Where those of evil live in carnage and despair. Most spirits live in despair but not exactly carnage and most spirits aren't evil - not even the ones in the Fields of Punishment."

"What's your point, Nico? Where else have the both of us gone that's 'deep below'?" Percy looks exasperated and even slightly worried about Nico's answer.

It was deadly silent for several moments. Everyone was looking at Nico at this point and he seemed to be having trouble making himself say what he was thinking out loud. For some reason my heart rate quickened as I waited to hear his answer. I got the sense everyone here knew what Nico was thinking but was pleading silently for him not to say anything. 

Finally, Nico spoke in a tense, strained voice and everyone went very still at what he said.

"Tartarus."