Son of the Moon [The σεληνιακός Trilogy Book 1]

Chapter Eighteen

"Memories are meant to be remembered, because even the bad memories are usually part of something we once thought was good."

Percy's P.O.V
Zoë, Phoebe, and I sat at one head of the table, Chiron and a man I do not recognize sat at the other head of the table while all the head counselors sat at each length of the table. "This is pointless!" Zoë said. "We are her hunters! We should be looking for her!"

Chiron shook his head. "You heard the prophecy as well as I," He said. "Campers and Hunters combined prevail. We must work together." I slammed my hands on the table. "MY MOTHER IS OUT THERE SUFFERING!!" I shouted and I got some strange looks.

"We have to go. Now. Campers, Hunters, whoever," I said. "We must save her!" That got everyone to shut up. Zoë looks at me. "You are right, Percy," She said. "Who should go?" I thought about it for a while. "You and I, obviously. Phoebe since she is an excellent tracker," I said slowly.

"I'll go," someone said. I looked around to whoever said that. A girl raised her hand. She had wavy black hair with some turquoise highlights and blue eyes. She was wearing a dark blue and sliver crop top that looks like the starry sky, dark blue ripped jeans, a golden locket and a silver charm bracelet.

"Who are you?" Zoë asked. "Name's Vanessa," the girl, Vanessa said. "Daughter of Apollo, even though I don't look like him." Phoebe nodded her head and looked around. "Anyone else?" A boy from the Ares cabin volunteered, but Zoë said no.

"No boys allowed," Zoë said. I looked at her and said, "Please, sis. For me?" I gave her my puppy dog eyes and she looked away immediately. "Nope, I'm not looking," she said. I started to whimper as I made my eyes bigger. "NOPE!!!!" Zoë yelled.

"But, sissy," I whispered cutely. I knew everyone was staring at us weirdly, but I ignored them. "Pwetty Pwease with cherry on tooop?" I asked. Zoë threw her hands in the air and she yelled, "OKAY FINE!! Just stop with the face!!!"

I winked at her. "I win!!" My sisters laughed at us while the campers just stared. Chiron cleared his throat and said, "Well, you all leave this afternoon. Start packing!"

~~~~

We packed what we could. Phoebe and Zoë covered the food while I had all the clothes. We all met at the pine tree where I heard a girl came out of a year ago. Me, Zoë, and Phoebe were the first there. Then came Vanessa. And lastly, that Ares kid. I think his name was Eric.

Chiron walked up to us in all his centaur glory and said, "Good luck, brave ones. May the Gods be with you." I bowed at Chiron and we all walked out of camp and into the world.

Once we arrived in the city, I started to get scared. This city held my childhood fears. And seeing it again, might have a negative effect on me. Phoebe saw my discomfort and held my hand. I squeeze it, letting her know thank you.

We passed by my old apartment, and I, immediately, couldn't breathe. I stopped walking and stared at the building that held so much fear and anguish. Zoë noticed and quickly pulled me away.

Vanessa touched my shoulder and I flinched. She noticed this and asked me if I was alright. I didn't answer. I was too busy gripping my sisters hands like they were my lifeline. If they were in pain, they didn't show it.

They pulled me away from that place and to a train station. We ordered four tickets West and we waited for the train to arrive.

~~~~

You don't need to hear about the trip. It was the same old crap my sisters and I do on the daily. Monsters come, we fight, we win. Seriously. Who wants to hear that over and over?

Not me.

But, seeing Uncle Apollo was interesting. I mean, "Fred." I'm sorry. I can't get over that. A God named Fred? Why? But, he cared about my mother so he lent me some help.

Oh yeah. That Ares kid, he got killed in the land without rain. He found this really cool sword in this junkyard and took it. A giant robot sprang to life, and tried to kill us all. He died a "heroic" death even though it was his bloody fault!

This trip is just adding on all types of stress, I'm telling you.

~~~

We arrived at Mount Tamalpais, which is the new Mount Orthys for America. Zoë, Phoebe, Vanessa, and I carefully walked into the Garden of Hesperides and almost immediately, Zoë's sisters appeared before us. They had a little chat, before letting us through.

Once we reached the top of the mountain, what we saw made my blood boil. A few yards ahead of us, there were gray clouds swirling in a vortex with my mother standing underneath it, chained to a rock while sweating silver.

"MOTHER!!!" I shouted. She looked up slowly. Her eyes widen. "Go away!" She rasped. "It's a trap!" Laughter boomed across the peak. "Yes, a trap!" Someone said and I saw Zoë visibly got paler. Vanessa looked as confused as I do. "What is going on?" Vanessa asked.

A tall man with a brutal face, huge shoulders, and hands that could snap a flagpole in half, looking like a living statue, with dark slicked-back hair, grey eyes like stone, light brown skin, and a very muscular build walked out and stood before all of us.

"Who are you!?" I shouted as I raised my bow at him. "Release my mother at once!" The man just laughed. "Oh, I don't have to take orders from you, puny mortals!" He yelled. "For I am Atlas, Titan of Endurance and Strength!! The people whom should be listening to me is you all!"

I scoffed. "We don't have to listen to you!" I yelled. Vanessa nodded her head with a glare while Zoë stayed silent as a bat. Atlas just chuckled. "It seems like one did just that," He said while looking at Zoë.

"Right, my daughter?"