YOUNGER

Chapter 3

First Person: Helena

I took a step away from Percy, involuntarily knocking into Nico and Will. Percy lunged towards me while Annabeth did her best to restrain him.

"Percy!" Annabeth pulled his arm to force him to look at her.

Percy's gaze softened for a moment before filling with rage again. He pointed towards me. "She's dangerous! Did you see what she did? She forced an entire group of monsters to drop dead!" He shook his arm out of his girlfriend's grip before scrunching his arm in my direction.

I screamed as pain filled my body. I felt my knees buckle as my blood began to rush away from my limbs, crushing my heart. My sight began to dim as I saw Annabeth and Nico trying to stop Percy, Will's arms helping me to lie on the ground as I writhed in pain.

It was the type of pain that can only be described as torture unknown to all, both mortal and immortal. The first thing to go was my strength, followed closely by my eyesight. I could feel my blood rushing towards my heart — compressing it until I lost consciousness.

Third Person

The screaming brought a crowd around the group. Demigods gasped as they saw their hero crushing the daughter of Thanatos from the inside. Two demigods rushed forwards to help Nico and Annabeth in restraining Percy — Piper McLean and Leo Valdez. The four demigods succeeding Percy as Helena fell limp in Will's arms.

"Let me go! She's dangerous!" Percy screamed. Annabeth tried to talk through her tears, but in truth, she was terrified of her boyfriend.

"Percy! Listen to me!" Piper shouted through her charmspeak, a 'daughter of Aphrodite' power. The dark-haired demigod glared at her. "Look at what you're doing! Annabeth is terrified! Everyone is terrified! Helena's passed out!" She guestured towards Annabeth, the surrounding campers and Helena.

Percy's face fell as he saw Annabeth's distress. "Annabeth-"

"Go."

If asked who the most powerful demigod was, one wouldn't even think of a child of Athena — their main 'power' was their smarts and strategies. Annabeth Chase, however, was another matter. Her eyes had darkened to match Percy's through her tears.

"Wise Girl-"

"I said, go. Go calm down, and then we'll talk." Annabeth glared at Percy before rushing over to Helena. Percy grunted in frustration before storming away.

"Okay, show's over everyone!" Piper called, clearing the area quickly. Soon the only people left were Nico, Will, Annabeth and, of course, Helena.

"Wake up," Will pleaded as he poured nectar, the healing drink of the gods, into Helena's mouth. "Please, wake up."

Nico looked at Annabeth. "Why do you think he did that? No one even knew he could."

"He's done it once before, in t-Tartarus," Annabeth gulped. "I think he was scared. There's never been somone who could do that before."

"He didn't try to kill me when he found out who my father was or what I could do."

"He was different, back then." Annabeth looked at Nico sympathetically. "He's been through Tartarus since then. H-he didn't know he could do this either." The demigods fell silent.

"Annabeth!" A red-haired girl approached the group. "What happened?"

Will stood up. "Well, if it isn't Rachel Elizabeth Dare, my father's oracle." The two stared at eachother for a moment. "Nice to see you, mate." The two high fived before Rachel redirected her attention to the blonde.

"Is this... Helena?" Rachel hadn't met her properly before, only seeing her a few times around the camp.

Annabeth sighed, looking down at the girl. "Yeah. Perce... he got mad, and scared; I think he's just confused."

"Confused about what?"

"About why she's here. I don't know, he's just really wary around her." Annabeth brush a tendril of hair out of Helena's face.

Rachel smiled grimly. "I believe I have an answer to that, actually."

Nico sprang up, worried. "What do you mean? Did, did you get another prophecy? Did you see something?"

"Yeah." Rachel looked away, pursing her lips.

"But she's so young!"

"Neeks." Will stepped in front of his boyfriend. "You do realise that Percy got his first prophecy when he was 12, right? He went off with one or two days of training, while Helena's 14 and has had almost three years of training."

"She doesn't have a weapon!"

"I can still do things," Helena muttered weakly.

Annabeth gasped, helping the girl sit up. "Are you alright?"

"I've been better. Did you say you have a prophecy, Ms. Oracle?"

Rachel blinked, confused for a moment, before she chuckled. "Oh, me, yes. I have a prophecy for you."

The red-haired girl sat down cross-legged before taking a breath. Helena gasped as green smoke began to flow out of the older girl's body, followed by a raspy voice;

"With the child of darkness, child of light,The child of Death must take flight;Children of rubies and animals galore,Must assist the trio before they fall;Him of madness will follow the five;To save the cursed, stop his demise."

Rachel fell back onto the soft grass, momentarily forgotten, as the demigods looked at Helena.

The daughter of Thanatos whispered the prophecy under her breath. She looked up to meet the gaze of a certain daughter of Athena, who nodded.

"We need to tell Chiron about this new prophecy."