Zeus' Choice (A Percy Jackson Fan fiction)

Chapter 14 - The Past, The Present, The Future

After receiving the prophecy from the ghoulish Oracle, Chiron ordered everyone to get back to their cabins immediately as it was still perilous to be outside from all the thunder lighting up the sky.

Much to their discomfort, Percy and Grover ended up dragging the old hag up to the attic. But they weren’t the only ones who were upset and in distress. After all the fun and bonding we’ve all had in the past few hours, everyone was reluctant to say goodnight. Not in this way at least.

Within the next half hour, every demigod was tucked warmly in bed, listening to the sound of raging thunder outside. I stared out the window next to my bed trying not to think of the unwelcome goose bumps that had formed all over my arms. So much has happened in the past hour. I had eaten all kinds of delicacies to the point where I was sick to my stomach, danced and sang my heart out, came to know about my dangerous power as the daughter of the Earth Shaker by creating a massive crack in the ground, and the most frightening and weirdly exciting of all, received my very own prophecy for a quest. My first quest.

Feeling both mentally and physically overwhelmed, I shut the rest of my thoughts out and slowly rested my head on my pillow. My eyes started feeling heavy right away and I fell into a long, dreamless sleep.

The next morning I wake feeling energetic and optimistic after a good night’s sleep. I know this doesn’t happen very often, so I thought to make the best of it. I take my time in the shower, making sure no twigs are tangled up in my hair. I get dressed in my usual outfit – jeans and the orange camp-half blood T-shirt. Letting my hair down in its natural bouncy curls, I head towards the dining pavilion.

Grabbing a waffle dipped in chocolate syrup with strawberries on the side, I dug my way in. As I eat, I notice a change in the atmosphere. There is more chatter and giggles in the air than usual, with everyone wanting to recall last night’s party. A smile automatically forms on my face at the thought.

But thinking about the party only makes me think about the prophecy I received. Was it for a quest to find the missing daughter of Zeus, I didn’t know. But I can’t think of anything else, so that is my best bet for now.

I try to recall the lines and make some sense of them but the only thing that sticks in my mind is the last line.

A choice will be made, so will a sacrifice.

I shiver in the warm sun as I remember my dream where someone takes an arrow to the heart for me. This only sends more shivers down my spine, resulting into my loss of appetite. I stand up and make my way towards the beach. The only place where I feel strong and calm.

I am not all that excited for the quest anymore. I doubt I am even ready to fight all kinds of monsters. Then again, I got by for the past 15 years of my life on my own. If my ‘smell’ really was that strong, then why did Grover find me so late? If what others say is true, demigods are usually found during their preteen years.

Last night, before going to my cabin after the whole prophecy from the gruesome Oracle episode, Chiron pulled me aside and assured me he would get me ready in time for the quest. He also mentioned I needed to choose two companions to come along with me. According to his advice, I should pick one satyr for safety reasons but that it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

I was certain I wanted Jenia to come along so I decided to ask her right away. She immediately agreed to join me, looking very determined and under control. The only satyr I knew was Grover, but I didn’t want to take him away from his girlfriend Juniper. They were spending an awful lot of time together lately. Percy seemed really on edge ever since he spoke to Nico di Angelo last night at the party and kindly declined my offer when I asked him before bed.