Heroes

v. ophelia pickpockets the new girl

RACHEL EXPLAINED THE QUEST,  how Jason must save Hera from a great evil, some evil king is rising, and that the deadline for the quest was on the winter solstice, four days from now.

"That's the council day of the gods," Annabeth said. "If the gods don't already know Hera's gone, they will definitely notice her absence by then. They'll probably break out fighting, accusing each other of taking her. That's what they usually do."

Ophelia groaned. Why did most of the quests have a deadline on a solstice? And on a day that had something to do with the gods? And how are they possibly going to do this in the span of four days?

"The winter solstice," Chiron spoke up, "is also the time of greatest darkness. The gods gather that day, as mortals always have, because there is strength in numbers. The solstice is a day when evil magic is strong. Ancient magic, older than the gods. It is a day when things ... stir."

Annabeth looked at Ophelia, as if suddenly remembering Ophelia is part sorceress. Ophelia smiled a secret smile. If ancient magic was strongest on the winter solstice, than she might possibly have a power upgrade.

"Thank you, Captain Sunshine," Ophelia said, crossing her arms. "Whatever's going on, I agree with Rachel. Jason has been chosen to lead this quest, so—"

"Why hasn't he been claimed?" one of Ophelia's half-siblings yelled. "If he's so important—"

"He has been claimed," Chiron announced. "Long ago. Jason, give them a demonstration." At, first, Jason didn't understand. Ophelia didn't either- what did he mean by demonstrate? And what else did he mean about Jason already being claimed?

Jason stepped forward nervously, reaching into his pocket. Ophelia noticed the way how the firelight hit Jason's blonde hair, his features regal, and how his blue eyes looked slightly darker in the night sky. She wondered if this is how Patroclus felt looking at Achilles. Jason pulled out a gold coin and it flashed in the air. When he caught it, the coin had transformed into a lance, a rod of fine gold about seven feet long with a spear tip at one end.

"Wasn't that..." Ophelia hesitated. "I thought you had a sword."

"Um, it came up tails, I think," Jason said. "Same coin, long-range weapon form."

"Dude, I want one!" Sherman yelled from his spot.

"Better than Clarisse's eletric spear, Lamer," Mark snickered.

Before Ophelia could freshen up the two's memory that Clarisse was literally sitting right next to them, Clarisse was holding Mark by his shirt, his legs dangling from his seat.

"Wanna say that again, Mark? Want me to remind you who was the one who got Dad's blessing and got to ride his chariot?"

Mark gulped and muttered an apology. Ophelia sent a look to Sherman and Mark to knock it off or else they will be sleeping outside as an offering to the bronze dragon. The two immediately quieted down.

"Electric," Jason murmured, like that had given him an idea. "Back away."

Ophelia, Annabeth, and Rachel got the message and back a few steps away. Jason raised his javelin and thunder broke open the sky. Lightning arched down through the golden spear point and hit the hearth with the force of an artillery shell.

Ophelia didn't remember when she had put her hands over her ears, but she felt Clarisse take her hands away from her ears and heard Drew and Clarisse's hazy voice through the ringing of her ears. A burning log had impaled itself a few inches away from Clovis.