The Price of a Life.

Chapter Two.

Landon's POV

They made it to the Hepheastus Cabin, and Lillian opened the door quickly. They walked in and were instantly bombarded with noise. Landon was half-tempted to cover his ears.

Some people were working on miniature benches, some were talking, and two were just screaming at each other. There were clangs and bangs and thuds as the people worked. It was literally deafening. He suspected that he wouldn't hear himself speak if he tried.

Landon looked over to the bunks as Lillian led them to her miniature room. A kid around the age of 9 or 10 was watching him. They smiled, and the kid waved as he smiled back.

Lillian led them down the tunnels and to a door. She opened it, and they all piled in quickly, shutting the door and blocking out the noise. Sofia stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, not wanting to accidentally break something.

Landon, however, immediately sat down on the floor, leaning against a cuboard as Natasha joined him. Lillian's room wasn't too big, but it had a lot of stuff. There were fixed projects and broken ones and ones that had yet to be completed or started.

Lillian flopped onto her bed and groaned into her pillow. She then stuck her head up and spoke,
"Who decided letting the little kids share a cabin with the older kids was a good idea?"

Natasha stifled a laugh, and Sofia pulled up a chair and sat down. Landon shrugged, and Lillian complained.
"I can't sleep! I can hear them yelling at each other at three in the fucking morning!"

Sofia spoke up,
"The next time that Athena boy makes a smart-ass response to my threats, there's going to be blood."
"Honestly, when isn't there?" Natasha asked, and Landon nodded in agreement.

"Why are you even thinking about him right now? We've all managed to meet up and be alone for the first time in a while! Natasha doesn't have to test perfume's smells and how good of a gas bomb they'd make - I still don't trust you because of that, by the way -", he looked pointedly at her and she gave him a sweet smile back.

"You don't have to train with the younger campers, Lillian isn't caught up in some project and I'm not stuck in my cabin for once. Let's enjoy it!" Sofia groaned and tipped her head off the back of the chair.

"But he's so annoying! He pisses me off just by looking at him." Landon glanced sideways at Natasha who nodded in acknowledgement. Lillian leaned over and slapped Sofia on the top of the head. Sofia swatted her hand away and Lillian smiled contentedly.

They eventually got into a conversation about whether or not this kid from the Hermes cabin was dating this kid from the Hecate cabin. There wasn't a lot of evidence to support it, but Natasha had her ways of getting information. Ways that Landon did not want to know.

He was about to bring up that he saw the Hermes kid sneaking into the Hecate cabin a few night ago, but before he could, the door burst open. One of Lillian's brother's was stood in the doorway and looked like a deer in headlights.

"Lillian, you guys are needed in the Pavillion. Now." Lillian rolled her eyes but got up anyways. Sofia stood back up and put the chair she was sitting on back under the desk on her left.

Landon stood up and helped Natasha up. The kid in the door had few others behind him, and the group walked out of the room and weaved their way through the cabin.

People stared at them as they walked, and Landon asked Lillian,
"What's going on? Why is everyone staring?" Lillian shrugged, and Sofia responded instead.
"I don't know, but I'm loving the attention."

Sofia walked proudly, holding herself up highly. Lillian walked nonchalantly, glancing at the people around them sometimes. Natasha was walking happily, maybe skipping, as she waved and smiled at random people. Landon was walking slightly hunched over as usual and glared at people looking for too long.

They made it to the Pavillion, and Landon spotted Chiron and Mr D, his father, at their usual spots. Mr D was sat, holding a can of Diet Coke, and Chiron was pacing hurriedly. Natasha walked up to the front and asked first,
"What's the hell is going on?"

Chiron cleared his throat and spoke.
"There's a new prophecy." Sofia spoke up,
"So? Don't tell me it's about us." Chiron looked worried, and she groaned. "Come on! Now? Of all times?"

Lillian hit her on the head again and pointed over to a curly red-headed girl who had just shown up in the Pavilion. Landon looked over and smiled politely when the girl waved. He recognised her. She was called Rachel Dare and was the new holder of the power of prophecy.

Mr D gestured to them, and she walked over to them. She spoke before either of them had the chance to. But it wasn't like normal speaking. It was like she was possessed. Her eyes went green, and green smoke fell out of her mouth as she spoke, staring dead at them.

"Four Half-bloods will rise. Retrieve a Goddess' lost prize. And return before the year's end.

Daughter of Ares, daughter of Hepheastus, daughter of Aphrodite and child of Dionysus. Friends closer than blood.
Travel through forests and cities. Battle monsters and themselves.

One will lose their mother, one will call for their father, one will cry for their brother's death, and one will lose what they hold closest."

And with that, the smoke stopped, and she stumbled backwards slightly. Lillian went to help her, Sofia stood stock still, Natasha frozen in shock, and Landon was trying to process what had happened.

"Couldn't it be about someone else?" Landon asked, heart dropping to his stomach when Chiron gave them a sad look and shook his head.

"Who else could it be?" Landon wanted to protest but knew he couldn't. Daughters of Aphrodite, Hepheastus and Ares? Child of Dionysus? Friends closer than blood? They all described the four perfectly. Natasha went to speak and call bullshit, but Lillian stopped her, helping Rachel hold herself up.

"Is there a chance we could deny this quest?" Mr D scoffed behind her.
"You can, if you all agree. But, failure to retrieve this prize thing could result in a war that ends up killing many demigods and mortals.

Lillian gave a jerky, polite nod. That was her way of saying, "Fuck you and all of your kind.", without actually speaking. Sofia hadn't spoken, which was rare for her. Natasha crossed her arms and looked away.

Lillian was asking Rachel if she was okay as Rachel was helped away by a few other kids. Landon watched hopelessly.

Quests might sound fun, but they usually meant that you wouldn't come back alive. They all knew this, and it was terrifying.