Burning Passion: A Leo Valdez Love Story

Chapter 9

"See, lady, that's what happens to snow in Texas. It-freaking-melts."


{LEO}

News of Louis's disappearance had spread pretty quickly.

And, so had a minor panic. Louise was a tear-leaking mess. Yes, it had been her brother, so I understood how she felt. I'd lost people too, of course. I think all of us demigods had.

But, it was getting to the point of bein tiresome. And a few of the campers had been acting oddly-unaware of things happening around them. I'd been sparring with a girl from Ares (one who I usually could never dream to beat in my entire life), and she'd failed to block at least half my strikes. It was really worrisome, because, it wasn't just her. I had talked to other kids saying similar things. It was a growing concern amongst the leaders of the camp.

It was starting to make me nervous. What if there was some sort of sickness infecting the camp? Who would be next to get it?

And I had no idea how to fix it. This had nothing to do with machines.

I followed Louise to the campfire, where there was supposed to be an announcement. I'd heard rumours of a quest, but I didn't want anything to do with THAT. Gah. I'd had my share of quests and all that crap LONG before it was over.

"Leo," Louise said. "Is something wrong?"

"No, just worried about the camp," I reassured her.

"Okay. Glad to see you're not entirely oblivious to all of this stuff. Have you talked with Naia lately? She seems to be taking this extra hard. I worry about the girl, being raised by that lunatic for a mother must've been traumatizing for her," Louise sympathized.

"Yeah," I responded automatically, fiddling with the toy airplane I was making for Harley, my ten-year-old half-brother, who was sick and needed some cheering up, and not really listening to her.

"Leo, are you even listening to me?" she asked.

"Um, no?"

She sighed, and walked ahead.

What did I do wrong? I pocketed the airplane and ran after her.

***

When we sat down, between Clarisse and my half-sister Nyssa, Chiron was already talking.

"What did we miss?" Louise hissed to Clarisse.

"Nothing important, just a lame review of what's happening at camp," she muttered back, tugging at a strand of stringy brown hair. I figured she was excited for the possibility of a quest. Clarisse was über-competitive, and would love to lead it.

"... so we'll have to take action immediately. Our healers have said that they have seen nothing like this before. There is nothing in common with the people suffering from it. Very few people remain untouched-in fact, so little that I could count their names on my fingers," Reyna continued, looking at Chiron for approval. He nodded.

"So," Frank continued, taking over for her, "Chiron, Reyna, and myself have decided what we'll do."

I could hear (if that's possible) everyone hold in a breath as they waited for the verdict.

"We have proposed a quest," Chiron informed us, glancing around the campfire.

There was a collective gasp as his words sunk in.

Whatever they want to do, don't pick me... I thought desperately.

"And before anyone jumps to the opportunity, this quest will be dangerous, I can promise you that."

"I volunteer [A/N -AS TRIBUTE!! Sorry, couldn't resist... ignore me, keep reading...]," Naia said, standing up stepping forward.

"Naia Johnson," Chiron said, giving her a once-over. "Very good. You will be leader, if it remains unchallenged-"

"Hello?" Clarisse interrupted. "I exist, you know!"

"Clarisse... haven't you already led a quest? Why don't you give Naia a chance..." Chiron suggested weakly.

"Um, how 'bout no?" she retorted. "I'm the experienced camper. I have more talent. I should be the one to go. Not Naia, who's been here for less than a month!"

"I'd like to," Naia countered calmly. "I believe I could be able to do it."

"Take a hint, Naia, there's no way you could do it. This will include some serious danger. It'll take more skill than you could ever hope to acquire within the amount of time you have," Clarisse argued.

Naia tapped her necklace-the necklace I'd made her. A purple dagger sprang into her hand, and she positioned it. "Watch this, and see what you think of my so called lack of talent." She looked at her coolly. "Where do you want me to hit?"

Clarisse thought for a moment, hand on her chin. Finally, she pointed. "There. That little speck of wood that's unpainted on that cabin." It was impossible, even I could tell, and I had no experience with weapons, apart from making them.

"Sure," she agreed. She braced herself, and Louise leant forward, eyebrows creased in worry.

Naia tossed the dagger, and for a moment, time stopped. It was just the dagger, flying toward the makeshift target...

And then, with amazing precision, it hit the spot, right on the target. Everyone gasped.

"What do you say now?" Naia asked Clarisse, smirking.

"I-I-," Clarisse sputtered.

Naia nodded. "Exactly." She turned to Chiron, Frank, and Reyna. "So, do I have the quest or not?"

They looked at each other. "Yes, I think we all agree that you do. So, who do you want to bring with you?"

She looked over at Louise, and a silent conversation seemed to pass within them. Then, Louise nodded.

"Louise Smith," she told them confidently. Louise walked over.

"And, the third?"

Louise whispered something to Naia, who frowned, but then answered, "Leo Valdez. If he accepts."

Something about her voice was challenging, and I wanted to prove her wrong, whatever it was that she was insinuating I couldn't do with her tone.

I stood up. "Yes, I accept." I walked forward to join them.

"Well!" Chiron exclaimed, clapping his hands, which for some reason made me laugh. Nerves, I guess. "We have our trio! All of you, Rachel over there is our oracle, and she'll find out the prophecy."

Naia nodded and walked over to her, Louise and I trailing behind.

"So, Rachel, what must we do to cure the camp?" Naia asked. She was doing a fair job with her confident façade, but I could tell she was nervous. I used to not be able to tell much about people, and their feelings, but my time with Calypso had changed that. She'd turned me into a fairly charming, sensitive (well... sometimes) person, and a soft one at that. I tried to see all the bad in her, and force out all those fond memories, but it wasn't always easy.

She used you, I thought. You shouldn't have any mercy for Calypso. She managed to trick everyone for years. But she was just as bad as Circe. Odysseus could see it. But that was the only time she'd ever been portrayed as evil, or even bad

Which was, in fact, her true nature.

Rachel looked up from the jeans she'd been drawing on. It was a weird habit of hers.

"Right. Umm... wait for it, it should come eventually..." Then her eyes turned from green to gold, her entire body convulsed once, and she started to speak in rhymes:

"You shall delve in the tunnels of the endless maze,
And visit the all-knowing one of old ways,
The danger and hardships you must withstand,
Though one will be finished at death's command,
The foretold one with madness's blessing
Will heal those whose power is digressing."

Rachel slumped forward, breathing heavily.

"That's it?" Louise asked. "Sounds like gibberish to me."

Naia nodded nervously.

"Well, I've heard Rachel say stuff like that before. It's serious," I told them, for once not joking.

"I know. We should start to prepare." Naia looked up at Chiron. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow," he answered.

She swallowed. "Okay."

"You may all leave," Reyna said.

Naia walked off as quickly as she could. But there was no way she was getting off already. We needed to make a plan, and things like that. So I cleared my throat and turned to Reyna. "Shouldn't Naia, Louise, and I stay, to figure some things out?"

"Oh, that's a good idea, Leo."

"Can I stay then, too?" Annabeth Chase said, strolling over. She'd be a good help, since she was so smart.

I nodded. "Of course, Annabeth." Even if she did still scare me a bit, she was still a good friend. I'd fought a war at her side. If that didn't help with bonding, then what did?

Naia turned around, and walked back our way, frowning at me.

"Let's discuss the prophecy then," Louise suggested.

"Right, the first line is 'You shall delve in the tunnels of the endless maze'," Frank began.

Annabeth snapped her fingers. "The Labyrinth," she breathed. "That's what it must mean! Remember at the end of the war, Nemesis told us that Pasiphaë had brought it back?"

"If that's true, how do we get there?" Naia asked.

"You don't want to," Annabeth said. "I was there. It was... awful. More than you could ever imagine."

"But Annabeth, I technically DO need to find it. It says so in the prophecy. It's clear as glass, you have to admit it," Naia pointed out.

"I know... anyway, next line: 'And visit the all-knowing one of old ways'."

"What the heck does that mean?" Frank asked.

"That we'll visit some smart dude?" I said.

"Oh, you're probably right, Leo!" Lou said, smiling.

I saw Reyna roll her eyes. "Well, obviously." She still didn't like me, even though the attack on Camp Jupiter hadn't technically been my fault.

"Of course. Which "smart dude", though?" Naia asked dryly. "Annabeth?"

"I have no idea. You'll have to see..." she trailed off, frowning.

'Well," Chiron started, "the next line takes no imagination. "The danger and hardships you must withstand', that's obvious enough. And the one after that..."

"'Though one will be finished at death's command'," Louise said, gulping. "Does that mean what I think it does...?"

"That someone will die? Probably," Naia admitted.

"Why, though? The standard number for quests is three, and that's what you have," Reyna said.

"Perhaps... you'll encounter someone along the way, and they will join you ," Chiron proposed.

"Maybe," Frank said.

Chiron looked up at the night sky. "And, the last lines, 'The foretold one with madness's blessing
Will heal those whose power is digressing', may point to the gods and their...er...identity crisis, shall we say," Chiron said.

"Could be..." Annabeth yawned. "I think I'm going to go to bed now. I hope I was some help to you guys. Good luck," she added, and then went to her cabin.

"I think I'll get going now too," Frank said. "Good luck."

"So should we all," Chiron said. "I wish you all well. Now get some sleep, because you'll need it."

We all left for our cabins. When I lay down in bed, I tossed and turned all night, and barely slept a wink.

***

The next morning I woke up and packed a bag, making sure I only packed the essentials, because I didn't want anything weighing me down.

Gods, I couldn't believe I was getting myself into this again. Didn't I say I wanted nothing to do with quests or prophecies, ever again?

I walked outside and looked for Naia and Louise.

They were sitting together, already packed, and talking. By their expressions, I could tell they were talking about something serious... the quest, I figured.

I double-checked my waist, making sure my tool belt was still there. That was the closest thing I had to a weapon, and my most important possession.

I was wearing the clothes I'd gotten from Calypso. I didn't want to, but they worked perfectly, and they were the most practical things I had, so I didn't have much choice.

"So, are we ready?" I asked, sitting down next to them.

"As ready as one can be with a day to prepare," Naia said. She was holding one of the daggers from her necklace and turning it around.

"Like Naia said," Louise agreed. "By the way, Naia, where did you get that dagger? I saw you use it last night. It's impressive! Is it enchanted?"

"No, it's not. It's part of this." She held out the necklace.

"Who gave that to you?"

Naia stood up. "Time to go now. C'mon."

I noticed how she'd avoided Louise's question.

"I talked to Chiron today. He says just go whenever," she continued. "Well, he didn't say that exactly, but basically."

I grinned. "I can just imagine Chiron saying that."

Louise pulled on sweater. "It's so cold. I hate getting up early."

Naia nodded. "Alright. Enough stalling. Onward!"

I trudged along behind her, cursing myself for getting into this-again.


******

Whew. Another chapter finished. Brace yourself for a long A/N...

Thanks @xxCopyCatxx for the Leo quote AND all of the feedback she's given me for a LOT of my books. She's writing one of the best PJO fanfics on here, go check it (and her) out!!! OKAY??? (I'm watching you!)

If this seemed like it jumped to the, erm, plot change rather too fast, yes, there is a reason: I figured I needed to move it on just a little. It was really slow, and, even worse, moving in circles. Which I can't stand. So, yes, sorry for any dislike about this or whatever (look at me, trying to be formal. I've failed, eh?)

Okay, perhaps Leia is a bit rushed. And all of the romance in my fanfics... If any of you guys think so, and have suggestions, or suggestion/ideas/feedback in general for anything else, feel free to comment or message me, 'cause I can use any of the help I get... yeah...

I've also stopped Lou from her abbreviation-speak thing. It wasn't working.

Okay... why is this the 37th fanfic that comes up when you search up "Leo Valdez"? I mean, what is wrong with these people? Is it not any good or something?? I really need to know, okay? Please, if there's any problem with this story, TELL ME!!! I get feedback from almost none of you.

I deleted the Author's Note in the beginning, because it wasn't necessary anymore, really... But that also took away like 300 reads, I think.

I'm really upset now!!! I'd love so much to get those reads back. So I want to update this a few times this week. And, PLEASE, comment, vote, add to your reading lists, and most of all, SHARE!!! TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First commenter gets a dedication.