FanFiction - Mark of Athena

Chapter 16

Helloooo guys! It's been a long time. The last three chapters were basically actionless – If that is a word - , but they were important. I promise the next chapter (Jason) will be full of action :) Hope you like this one!

I do not own PJ or HoO, Rick Riordan does.

HAZEL

AS HAZEL THREW THE DRACHMA at the fountain, she tried to figure out how to tell the camp about Percy’s capture. She knew that the Roman camp would be shocked, but the Greeks at the camp would be distraught.

She still felt like a complete failure, just standing by as Percy walked onto the chariot. She messed up… again. Hazel remembered the time she had jumped into a bog after Percy, to save him. Gaea had tried anything to persuade Hazel to let go of Percy, she was even willing to trade Hazel’s old life with Percy. Hazel recalled how persistent and desperate Gaea was; she wanted to capture Percy at all costs. Hazel should have known Gaea would stop at nothing to have Percy as prisoner, she should have seen it coming. Percy was a very important part of everything that went on these days. It was her fault he was gone.

“O Fleecy, do me a solid. Show me Reyna at Camp Jupiter.” Hazel muttered.

The image appeared in mid-air, and Hazel was still amazed at how real it looked. The message showed the Mess Hall at Camp Jupiter, it was slowly filling up for dinner. Hazel knew that the Romans weren’t used to Iris Messaging. She spotted Reyna talking to Dakota a few tables away from Hazel. She called out to her, hoping Reyna would decrease the chatting.

“Reyna!” Hazel called, not so loudly. A few heads turned at her voice, and their eyes widened as they saw Hazel float in the air. Reyna’s head snapped around as Hazel called a second time. She looked around, searching for Hazel’s voice, and spotted her. At first, Reyna seemed confused, but then understanding dawned on her. Hazel was glad that Percy had taken the time to explain I-Ming to Reyna. Hazel knew it would have been hard too, like trying to teach a grandma to text. Reyna stood.

“Attention campers! Hazel Levesque has come to report back to us, about the quest of the Seven.” Heads whipped around, probably wondering how hazel got here. There were a couple of gasps and pointing’s-out as some campers spotted the Iris Message. “She has communicated with us in the form of… Iris Messaging?” Hazel nodded. “Please do not panic and let her explain the quest’s proceedings”

More campers spotted her. Hazel realised that the Hall was now silent, and all eyes were on her. Hazel shifted uncomfortably.

“We are now half way across the Atlantic Ocean; We have had a reasonably smooth journey, the exception being losing Percy Jackson after an invasion of monsters, sent by Gaea. He surrendered himself to help the rest of the group.” Hazel’s heart felt hollow.

The campers looked at Hazel in disbelief. Reyna looked mournful. Octavian got up quickly.

“How could this be? Jackson was said to be the best Sword Fighter in his age, was he not?”

Hazel realised the campers thought Percy was dead. It was a dreadful thought. Before she could explain more, Rachel, the Oracle, stood up too. She looked disbelieving.

“This is not what I predicted! Percy is not dead, he can’t be. Hazel, what happened?” Rachel’s voice was more pleading that confident.

Thalia stood too, and glared at Octavian. “Percy isn’t only the best sword fighter in his age, but the best sword fighter in a thousand years!” She had tears in her eyes. The crowd muttered in agreement.

The murmuring was still echoing around the Hall as Octavian opened his mouth to speak, but Hazel put a stop to the confusion.

“I didn’t say he was dead!” Hazel shouted louder than she had ever done, in her life-s. So loud, that people stopped talking, astonished. “He was just taken captive by Gaea. We are doing everything to find him, and I think Annabeth is close to a solution. We think that Gaea is using, and hurting Percy, for information on our plans, and our weaknesses. But I know for a fact that Percy isn’t telling her anything.”

There were a lot of smiles at this. The Greek campers looked upset, but their faces still shone with pride for their leader.

“Of course not! He wouldn’t help Gaea if his life depended on it” Thalia said proudly. The Roman camper nodded, confused. Reyna narrowed her eyes, but Octavian was the one who spoke.

Octavian shot Thalia a look. “How do you know? You aren’t’ the Oracle” he said mockingly.

Rachel intervened; “I am the Oracle, and I know he will stay loyal to us” she smiled.

Octavian rolled his eyes, “you still haven’t told me how you know Percy wouldn’t just betray the Romans.” There was a lot of uncertain muttering at this. The Greek campers shot daggers at Octavian.

Thalia and Rachel looked unconfident, wondering if they should answer.

“Because his fatal flaw is Loyalty,” Hazel smiled, breaking the silence. There were several gasps in the room.

Hazel was momentarily flung back into the real world, out of the Iris message. She saw Frank motioning to go to bed. Hazel took the opportunity to stop the message, before Octavian started any fights. She nodded at Frank and turned to the message as he left.

“And Octavian, it looks like I am going to have to remind you. The Greeks and Romans are in this together, whether you like or not. It’s not about you” Hazel smiled as she watched Octavian trying not to blow up. The eighteen-year-old must feel undignified to be told off by a thirteen-year-old girl.

“I have to go now. But we will report any major happenings straight away”

Hazel saw a few thankful smiles and nods, and slashed the message away. Hazel walked into the dining room, wondering why Frank was sleeping through dinner.

*

Hazel started worrying about Frank after a dinner of Tacos and Nachos. Frank was in good shape, but he liked his food. She thought about going to Frank room, but Hazel didn’t want to wake him, if he was asleep.

Hazel was surprised to see Annabeth eat Leo’s dinner. She hadn’t been out of her room since the day Percy left. Annabeth had even let Hazel heal her wound!

The dinner had been strangely cheerful. Jason and Piper looked happier than they had in days. Annabeth was laughing at Leo’s joke along with everyone else. The atmosphere was contagious.

At dinner, Hazel’s suspicions about Annabeth finding a lead to Percy, were confirmed. She was amazed at Leo’s geniuses with the bracelets. Hazel automatically felt a lot safer knowing that her friends were looking out for her, and she was amused that it came in form of a bracelet.

“Thanks Leo, for looking out for me and Piper. It really means a lot” Hazel caught Leo’s arm as they walked out of the dining room.

Leo smiled shyly, “Yep, that’s me. Valdez here is very protective over his friends” Hazel laughed. “Hey, where’s Frank?” Leo asked suspiciously.

“He went to his room after he IM-ed Camp Half-Blood. I’m actually a bit- quite worried about him” Hazel frowned.

“Come on, let’s check on him” Leo started forward to Frank’s room.

They walked in a comfortable silence. Hazel was thinking about Frank, the Prophecy, and Percy. Hazel and Leo turned into a hallway Hazel was very familiar with. This was where the bedrooms were kept. The hallway was very long, the walls were coloured a rich purple, and the floor was carpeted in a silvery-grey colour. As soon as Hazel and Leo stepped into the hallway, Frank’s door slammed open.

“Guys! I need to tell you something!” Frank eyes were wild. It seemed like he was still in his clothes from the day before, because they were creased and ruffled. And his hair was a completely different story.

“Frank! What happened?” Hazel was bewildered.

“Mars told me last night tha-” Frank stopped abruptly. Hazel was about to ask why, but then she felt it too. There was a sharp chill in the air. Laughter sounded through the wind. Hazel screamed, though she didn’t know why.

Leo muttered. “No, not the ship. Not the ship!”

The ship lurched forward. Frank, Hazel and Leo were thrown backwards. Hazel heard a nasty yell as Leo’s shoulder hit the wall. Hazel was doing everything she could to get up, but it was impossible. They were plummeting to their death.

Please comment, criticize, suggest, whatever :)