Rising Heroes Book Four: The Sands of Ouroboros

Chapter Thirty-Five: At the Ready

Disclaimer: I don't own HOO or VE

Chapter Thirty-Five: At the Ready

Camp Half-Blood, sometime in the past...

When the Grigori drove up to the camp, they found it prepared for war.

Demigods were keeping patrol, setting up defenses and building weapons. Lily could see Annabeth ordering around the Athena campers, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Annabeth actually remembered them from the past; hopefully she would be able to help them.

James swerved the car when they pulled up to Peleus, who growled at them and winded himself closer around the tree. They got out of the car slowly.

"Walk far around," Lily said. "He's trained to guard the tree."

They started to inch around the sides, but were stopped when a group of campers came up to them. "Halt!" Said a beefy girl Lily recognized as Clarisse. "Stay where you are."

"We're not a threat to you," Andi said. "We need to talk to Chiron. Or Annabeth."

"You can wait," Clarisse growled. "We need to make sure you aren't spies first."

She snapped her fingers, and her fellow Ares campers proceeded to empty their pockets and frisk them. "Hey!" Seb said when they tried to take off his shirt. "I know I'm hard to resist, but I promise there's nothing under there."

Finally Clarisse started to push them towards camp. "Ow!" Andi said when someone's spear poked into her back.

"Wait, wait!" Annabeth said, running up to them. She surveyed them critically, before finally turning to Clarisse. "Let them go. I know them."

"You do?" Clarisse looked suspicious.

"Yes," Annabeth said. The campers let them go and Annabeth started walking further into the camp. With no other choice, the Grigori followed them.

"What are you doing here?" Annabeth asked.

"We... we kind of messed up," Lily admitted. "Some bad guys from our timeline got into the past, so now we need to go back in time again and fix things."

"Huh," Annabeth said. She changed directions, walking towards the outskirts of camp.

"Is that all you have to say? Huh?" James raced to catch up and grabbed her arm. "We didn't mean to. If anything, us coming back in time is what's gonna stop them from creating permanent damage."

Annabeth sighed. "I'm just thinking. If you go back in time again, what's to stop it from making it worse? What's going to prevent further damage?"

"When we fell back in time the first time, we were going in blind," Andi said. "This time we actually have an idea of what to do. We know exactly how to stop Leviathan."

"And Rhea?" Annabeth asked.

"How do you know about Rhea?" Lily asked, frowning.

"Ciara told me," Annabeth said, gesturing to the gray streak in her blonde hair.

"Well, we'll stop her too," Andi said. "If she doesn't come through at the same time we'll- we'll,"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Gods, you really don't have a plan, do you?"

"We're open to suggestions," Roc admitted.

Annabeth continued to lead them away from the main camp, towards the rocky outcroppings by the sea. "Where are we going?" Seb asked.

"I hid the Immortie out here," Annabeth explained. "I didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands."

"Smart," James said.

Lily gasped. "The Oracle's cave,"

"Wait," Andi shook her head. "Remember how Adele said that they went back in time because they found some mysterious glowing rocks in a cave?"

"The demigod siblings said that too," James said. "They found a cave and that's the last thing they remembered- and apparently everyone stopped talking to each other. Including demigods and Grigori."

"Our future selves must have hidden the Immorties here," Lily mused. "And I guess we thought that by splitting the worlds, we could keep everyone safe."

"Well, now we know what not to do!" Andi said. "See. We are stronger together."

"Wait," Roc said. "If we take the Immortie now, the demigods won't have anything to use to go back in time. They arrive in a few days, remember?"

"Wait, what?" Annabeth stopped just outside the cave. Now she looked confused.

"Yeah because of the battle," Lily started, then stopped. "It's probably better if you don't know," she said.

"If you know how to win, you have to tell me!" Annabeth insisted.

"If I tell you, it won't happen," Lily said. "We almost messed up time that way, too."

"But you helped us fight in the past," Annabeth said.

"Only because we knew it wouldn't change anything," Seb countered.

Annabeth shook her head. "Fine," she said. "The Immortie's in here."

The group filed into the cave after her. The room was dark and furnished with a few books and a bed. "This used to be the Oracle's cave," Annabeth explained. "Now it's kind of out of use. I've been using it as a quiet work place."

"But doesn't Rachel," Lily started, then stopped again. "Sorry," she said. "Pregnancy brain."

Annabeth seemed to notice her stomach for the first time. "How far along are you?"

"About four months," Lily smiled wryly. "Apparently my mother was able to hide her pregnancy almost right up until she gave birth. I guess that's not in the cards for me."

Annabeth frowned, and turned to walk out of the cave. "Hang on a minute," she said. "I have to grab the key."

She shut the stone and metal door behind her, the lock clicking into place. "Hey!" Roc yelled, pounding on the door.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth said through the small door grate. "But I can't let you change time any more. You're going to have to let us handle this. When everything is over, I can get Chiron to send you back to your rightful time."

"Annabeth, don't do this!" Lily shouted.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth said. "But this is the only way."