The Next Generation

Chapter 10 - Zara

"Where did you get it?"C.J asked, his voice shallow. He stared at Ethan like he wanted to punch him, and then glared at me like it was my fault for getting Ethan hurt.

He was about to say more, but Lacy cut in, "When did you get it?" I told them about Persephone and what she said. I had never had so many people really listening to me. I felt my cheeks burn from all the attention. Just at that moment I thought...no, not possible, they aren't, and never will be my friends. I look up at Ethan. I had told him the story of what happened before I told the others. He had just sat there and nodded, like he knew why Persephone brought me to the underworld. I tried to signal to him that I was done talking and that he could finish, but before I even made eye contact with him, he started to finish the story. Dang! He knew me. Maybe too well...

"So, you're saying that Persephone gave you that, and you haven't even told Chiron yet?" Kas said. She looked slightly offended that I didn't tell Chiron. I nodded. I watched as C.J laced his fingers through Lacy's. Jealousy rushed through my body like hot soup being poured down my throat. All eyes were on C.J and Lacy. They were the only couple in the group, unless you count Ethan and...well you get the picture. We were NOT together. Nope. Not at all.

"Well," Emmi started, tapping her foot, "Are you going to read the scroll to us or not?" I took a deep breath, and nodded.

The scroll was wrapped in a tight cylinder and had a piece of gold ribbon tied on top. As I opened it, it almost disintegrated in my hands. The thin, yellow paper was so old it was nearly falling apart. I took another giant breath and then read.

"Fingers of ice,

One that can raise the expense,

Shifter of lands,

The son of rivalry and defence,

Will share a friendship with the curls of fire who wakes the dead.

A soldier's namesake,

The girl who pierces the night,

Eyes that shift with every gaze,

The raised by arts and weaver of light,

Will defeat the darkness that holds whom they love.

The dead's ruler seeks a new throne,

Will use the heart of Olympus to open the gate.

If the lightning king's throne will become torn,

Death on Olympus will be the only fate.

Hestia's hearth will be wielded once again.

When the moon is shrouded,

Hence the darkest night

The ritual will be performed

Where the heart of Olympus will burn bright

Unless demigods will unite under call of distress."

"Woah," Ethan says quietly, "That's a prophecy all right." The others nodded. I gulped. We stood there in silence, passing around the scroll, making sure I read it right. We all sighed in union. Kas gives me a quick smile before saying anything.

"So, now what?" We all looked at each other, waiting for an answer. I look up at Ethan's sea-green eyes. They reminded me of being at the beach with my mother as a kid, before I was taken to camp.

My mom and I lived in Minnesota and always went to Florida in the winter for a month. The warm breeze from the ocean cooled us down on the hottest days. The sand felt like fire under our feet, but we loved every minute of it. I was only four the last time I went, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

My mom had told me the story of Calypso and her island. How the sand there was just as soft as the one we went to. She told me the story of Odysseus washing up on the shores of Ogygia and Calypso falling in love with him. I always loved that story.

The memory of the last day on that beach faded away. I was back in the present.

"Wait a sec," Kas said. She put her hand to her chin, "Is it just me, or does the prophecy sound a lot like us?"

"You're right Kas!" Sammy said excitedly. He gave her a side hug, and Kas blushed.

"Thanks," She whispered. She cleared her throat and then continued, "So, Charlie would be fingers of ice, because of her Elsa powers,"

"Hey," Charlie groaned.

"Or cytokinesis," Kas laughs.

"Sammy would be able to raise the expense, because of his ferrokinises, C.J. Shifter of lands because of his Geokinesis or earthquakes, hmm, I am guessing Ethan for Son of Rivalry and defense, because of the next line, 'Will share a friendship with the curls of fire who wakes the dead,' That would be Zara-"

"Okay, and what if this prophecy isn't really for us? For all we know, it could be some useless poem." Riley added.

"Well, I kinda grew up with a poetry expert, and I know for sure this is no ordinary poem."

Lacy glares at her sister, "Kas is right. I learned a lot of poetry in school, and that is definitely no ordinary poetry. Carry on Kas."

"Okay, so I'm guessing A soldiers namesake is Emmi, because we already did Sammy and she has really good battle strategy, then Riley is The girl who pierces the night, because of electrokinesis slash lightning, Lacy has kaleidoscopic eyes so Eyes that shift with every gaze makes perfect sense, and then there's me, at least i'm guessing: Weaver of light, raised by arts. I am not sure what 'raised by the arts' means, but I am sure that's me."

We all pause to think of our lines. Will share a friendship with the curls of fire who wakes the dead. I think that really does mean Ethan and me. Will share a friendship...yep, that's us. And I am pretty sure that Bianca di Angelo, Nico's passed sister, didn't have curls of fire.

Sammy breaks the silence, "Well, I guess that settles it. Meeting in the morning at five sounds good?" We all groan.

"Okay sounds good." I rolled my eyes thinking he was kidding.

"Everybody set your alarms for five o'clock sharp, because we need to think of a plan!" Sammy announces.