Three Worlds Clash

Chapter twenty-one.

Hermione Granger's POV

"You mean to tell me that several very dark gods want the source back from an elf, and they've given us four days to find it or we all die? How is that fair?"

I sat with Ron against the wall in the infirmary after Percy herded us all in here. It was quite crowded with nine demigods, seven elves, and my friends, but nobody seemed to notice. The demigods were taking the loss of Chiron hard.

"It's not. But if we don't do this, we're all going to die. I was not planning on death before defeating the Neverseen."

Sophie crossed her arms and leaned against Keefe, who wrapped his arm comfortingly around her shoulder. I could have sworn a tiny flash of jealousy crossed Fitz's face, but it passed quickly. Leo Valdez spoke up.

"There's no way around this? No way to just... Not do it?"

Calypso took his hand.

"I've dealt with angry god's before, my friends. It is not worth it to not try. Especially since the  gods we've angered control darkness itself."

The shadows around Tam darkened considerably until Biana Vacker vanished and reappeared at his side. He visibly relaxed and touched her hand. She responded by blinking in and out of sight with joy. I was still getting used to her strange ability. Piper Mclean spoke next.

"I hate to say this... But Calypso's right. even if we do die, at least we died trying."

Her voice sent out waves of confidence, but everyone's somber mood squashed it.

"Annabeth, please tell me you have a plan."

Percy asked desperately.

"Of course. Um, Dex, right?" A boy with strawberry blonde hair next to Leo nodded. "Okay, Dex and Leo, can you guys work together with Tam and Nico to build something that can trap The Source carrier? It needs to be able to hold anything, human or not."

Dex flinched, but he nodded and turned to Leo, who was already pulling things out of his tool belt.

"George and Ron? You guys are brothers, right?"

"Right," George said. His face was still tear-stained after Ginny had talked to him.

"Okay. Can you guys do a spell that wards off the darkness? Harry told me there's a spell called a patronus, and--"

"I can't do those." George interrupted. "I'm sorry. I haven't been able to do those in quite a while."

Annabeth could clearly see the pain behind his mask, so she nodded and asked if Ginny could do it. She agreed.

"And Tam, Hazel, and Nico, if he's feeling up to it, you guys are probably the only ones capable of holding The Source since it's in the form of pure darkness. So you guys need to grab it after we trap it and take it to the rendezvous point we're going to make. Then it's phase two time."

I could not believe Annabeth had thought of something so complex.

"We're going to set up a meeting with Erebus, the guy who's most likely behind all this, and send him back to Tartarus where he really belongs. Then we hopefully free Chiron, then return The Source to its original form: Nothing."

Ron blinked a few times, trying to take it all in.

"So, we're going to have to beat up two bad guys in less than four days? Talk about pressure."

Keefe said from his spot next to Will Solace. Will had been staring at the floor the entire time, thinking.

"What are the plans of attack for when we have to fight the bad dudes?"

Fitz asked. Typical Ares child. Kiara from the Hectate cabin was here too, and she had been silently nodding along with everyone. But now she spoke up.

"Fitz, when fighting the gods, one can only hope there is no plan. Many can see the near future. Erebus qualifies. He will know. We must be spontaneous."

"Spontaneity won't work with whatever Neverseen/ wizard that has The Source now. We need a plan at least for them."

Kiara nodded. A tiny wisp of purple magic floated above her palm as she spoke.

"Yes, but some advice. You may wish to plan, but this enemy is mysterious and destructive. Do not underestimate them, for when the time comes you will have to underestimate yourself."

Before anyone could respond, Kiara disappeared in a poof of purple dust. Even though I was distantly related to her, I would never understand her strange ways.

"On that cheery thought, let's get started."

Annabeth said. Nico pulled himself out of bed before anyone could protest and followed Hazel and Tam out the door. Will trailed behind them. Ron got up a pulled me to my feet. Before Annabeth and Ffitz could go off planning, I pulled her aside.

"How are we going to get The Source holder to come to us?"

"That's the part I haven't thought out yet. We only have a few days, so I'm not going to sleep on it, I'm going to stay up and brainstorm."

Annabeth smiled.

"We'll get through this somehow. We always do."

With that she walked away, leaving us in the ominous noon light. 

"Ron?" I whispered. "If we live, we're getting married the minute we get back to the burrow."

"Bloody hell, of course."

We left to go practice defense spells with Ginny and Harry, with the threat of death hanging on the horizon.

A/N: Dun Dun DUNNNNN