My Dark Past

Chapter 20

Percy

So, I guess Leo is blessed by Aphrodite at the moment. When he came to the beach with Aspen, me and the guys had been talking about how strange it was that now that Leo got hot and all of our girlfriends suddenly decided to switch from bathing suits to bikinis.

We had just been chilling with Leo. It had been so long since we hung out. It makes me feel bad that we ignored him. He is like a little brother to me. He smiles, and laughs. He continues moving his fingers as if he was playing a piano, probably tapping out some foreign Morse code message

It feels so natural.

But then Aspen comes over and takes Leo over to the other side of the beach, to talk alone.

Leo comes back over and tells us he is going to head back with Aspen. I know they're family, but just a minute ago Leo said he never wanted to leave.

"Guys, there's something wrong here. I feel tension in the air." Jason looks around.

"Guys! Rachel! Prophecy! Big House! Now!" I see Nico yelling from the edge of the forest. He is gesturing frantically. The frightened look on the short Italian boy's face is oddly unnatural.

We all start running to the Big House, the still-soaked girls trying their best to avoid any pointy rocks.

***

Leo

When we reach the Big House with Nico, he turns and starts running back towards the beach.

Probably to get the others.

We run through the door, and see Chiron bending over a passed out Rachel. Suddenly green smoke starts emitting from her mouth, and it slowly fills the room. Chiron stares at her, waiting. The others run through the door with Nico.

They all stop in their tracks, and it is silent for exactly 9.7 seconds.

Then Rachel starts speaking in the old, brittle voice of the Oracle of Delphi.

"The child of  Poseidon and the child with Fire

Aided by 10 others, shall travel West to face a situation most dire

They will learn and grow closer to each other

Than any before them, and will face the Great Mother

They will discover a secret, guarded from century to century

A secret full of treachery

And one must sacrifice

To protect the other's lives

And a heart will be broken

Words not meant will be spoken

The demons shall awaken

And the boy in love will be taken,"

We stare at her.

She wakes up.

"Ow. Well, what did I miss?" She asks, rubbing her eyes.

"I think we may have ANOTHER great prophecy." Chiron muttered, darkly.

"So lets think. What does it mean? So line one: A child of Poseidon, obviously me, and child with fire, Leo." Percy states.

"Or me. I'm a son of Poseidon, too." Aspen says, stepping forward.

Percy frowns.

"Well yeah. So, line two. So basically the seven, Aspen, Nico, and one more person. I'm thinking Will. What do you guys think?" Percy asks again.

We all nod.

I just stare at Rachel.

"So basically it is saying that we will travel West, find this Great Mother, learn about a dark secret, then one of us will die to protect these others, and somebody will get mad about it because they loved the person, and we'll get in a fight. Then a bunch of scary demon thingies will wake up and take another guy, that is also in love with someone. You know, basically, that makes me and Aspen safe. So that's cool." I manage a weak joke at the end. But then I find myself crying. Silently weeping. Because thought they don't know it, Aspen and me would work too. And I'm like, 99% sure it's talking about us and another couple.

"Well, it kind of sucks that most of the people on the quest are dating one another." Frank mutters. 

We all laugh quietly.

"So, you will take the Argo 3, and leave at dawn tomorrow." Chiron walks away, with a grim expression on his face.

We all spend the rest of the night in solitude. We make arrangements to get the Argo 3 ready for us.

And then we sleep.