𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀, luke castellan

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ

Through the Eye of the Storm.

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    AFTER THAT, THE PLAN WOULD BE SIMPLE ENOUGH. The trio—Rory, Luke, and Chris—would shadow Percy and the others as they ventured into the Sea of Monsters. Their strategy was straightforward: trail Percy’s group just long enough to ensure they were on the right path, then withdraw and wait for them to retrieve the Golden Fleece, allowing the unsuspecting heroes to do all the hard work for them. Once Percy and his friends secured the fleece, Rory’s team would swoop in and claim it for themselves.

    Rory found the waiting excruciatingly tedious. Day after day, she felt as if she were merely existing, biding her time until the moment they could execute their plan. She was a tightly wound spring, coiled and ready to explode into action at the slightest provocation. Each passing hour tested her patience, but she understood the critical importance of timing. She had come this far, and a bit more waiting wouldn’t break her resolve. The success of their mission was dependent on this final stretch of patience.

    The three of them were the only demigods involved in the first phase of the plan. They embarked on a sleek, swift vessel, much smaller than the Princess Andromeda but designed for speed and agility. They were accompanied by a handpicked contingent of monsters from Kronos’s army, a ragtag crew assembled for their unique skills and ferocity. These monsters were not just there to man the ship; they were a strategic asset, serving as bait for the numerous creatures lurking within the Sea of Monsters.

    As they sailed on, Rory found herself alone with her thoughts. The gentle sway of the ship and the ceaseless lapping of waves against its hull did little to calm her restless mind. She replayed their last encounter with Percy’s group over and over in her mind, fully aware that another confrontation was inevitable. The memory of Maddie haunted her. Maddie hadn’t even tried to reason with her, to persuade her to abandon this path. Had Maddie given up on her so quickly? Had she already accepted Rory’s betrayal so readily? The questions gnawed at her, but she pushed them aside. It was too late for second thoughts or regrets. Rory had made her choice, and there was no turning back.

    Even if Maddie had tried to convince her to reconsider, it would have been futile. Rory had made up her mind long ago. She was convinced that she was doing the right thing, that she was doing what was necessary. In her mind, she was delivering a much-needed lesson to the gods, finally giving them back a taste of their own medicine. This rebellion was the only way for demigods to finally be acknowledged, to be seen. She believed that only something as drastic as starting a war, as bringing back the Lord of the Titans, would be enough to finally get their parents' attention. Rory had grown tired of the endless cycle of neglect and danger that defined the lives of demigods. Year after year, demigods were thrown into perilous quests, fighting battles that were not their own, all while their divine parents remained distant and indifferent.

    Rory’s resentment had festered, transforming into a burning desire for change. She had seen too many friends hurt, too many lives lost, all for the whims of the gods. She had had enough of it all. Something drastic had to be done. She was prepared to pay any price, sacrifice any friendship, to achieve their goal. The thought of Maddie’s hurt and betrayal pained her, but she steeled herself against it. In the end, they would understand. They would see her as a hero, the one who had dared to challenge the order of things and who had fought for their freedom. She was on the brink of something monumental, and she was ready to seize it, no matter the cost.

    The kids wouldn't be heading straight for Charybdis and Scylla as they didn't have a good enough ship, still lagging behind in a lifeboat. They'd need to find a better boat first so as to survive either the monstrous whirlpool or the deadly cliffs. That disadvantage, however, provided Rory and her team with a strategic edge. It gave them a head start and the perfect opportunity to position themselves for an ambush. They’d push their limits, stalling Percy and his friends for as long as they could. The looming threat of Thalia's dying tree and the potential for Camp Half-Blood to be overrun by monsters intensified the stakes. The heroes were under immense pressure, racing against time, and the countdown had already begun.