The Rise of Demigods, Book 1: The Magical Maze

Chapter 5: I volunteer for a quest that might kill me -Ryan

I saw as Tina and Ishaandeep come out of the cave with another woman, probably in her forties.

"Hi, guys!" I rushed over to meet them. "Um...who's she?"
"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," she said like she was her best friend.

"Do you guys...know each other well??" I asked.

"No...," Rachel said. "She knows me because...well..."

"Percy Jackson books," Ishaandeep said.

"Okay," I said, still kind of confused. "Who's your...parent?"

"I'm not a demigod."

"Wait, what?"
"I'll explain," Tina said as she walked towards me.

"Wait..." I said. "If she's a mortal...why is she here?"
"Long story," she crossed her arms. "So...she's a mortal...yes, but she could see through the mist...like, better than us."

"What?"

"Oh yeah, you don't know," she said. "Well, basically there is this veil that hides things from mortals. Remember that hellhound that was chasing us? Yeah...people probably just thought it was something else."

"Oh!" I realized. "So that's why no one reacted?"

"Yup," she uncrossed her arms. "So...Rachel is one of those people who can see through the mist...better than us."

"How can she see through it better than us?"

"Well, for example, if there is an empousa-"

"What's an empousa?" I asked.

"Empousas are like vampires," she said. "Except they could explode and they are not afraid of the light. They are kind of like a more updated version of vampires. Also, when you have a vision and they're in them, they could actually see you, so she or he could literally chase you out of your dream."

"Oh...that's scary."

"So," she said. "As I was saying, when an empousa is hiding her true form, people with that ability could see her real form. Works with every monster."

"That's nice," I said.
"Yeah, so, long story short, she's the oracle."

"What's an oracle?"

"It's this person that gives prophecy."

"Uh...okay."

"She actually told us a prophecy..." her smile faded, as she turned to Rachel. "Ready? It's time."

I am still confused.

We went to this place called the Amphitheater. Everyone sat down as Chiron and Rachel went to the microphone that was set up in the middle.

"Everyone!" he called. "I am happy to see you all here today. So, we got bad news."

"Well, duh!" someone in the Hermes cabin yelled.

"Now, I'll let our oracle talk now."

"Oh no," Jack whispered to me. "What if-"

"Don't worry," I assured him.

"Everyone," she spoke into the microphone which got a lot of people's attention. "I'm afraid something has happened. I cannot explain, but Tina could tell you the prophecy."

Tina got up, with a scroll in her hand, she opened it and read the lines.

"Five must travel overseas, to locate the big three, who have been overthrown by none other than their own.

One will burn, One will gaze up upon the burning maze.

One's present will burn, One's past will rise, right in front of our bare eyes, One will burn and one will rise.