Xenomorphic

Chapter 37: A Curse Overpowered

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A full 48 hours into the greatest lift exercise on the planet, and Asteria was starting to feel the burn. It was slight, barely noticeable if she concentrated, but it was still there. Her strength could only hold out for so long until the natural limitations of her body took their toll and she collapsed. Still, it was a confidence booster to know that she could hold the sky for two days straight without faltering.

Of course, that did nothing to assuage the boredom that came having to kneel in one location for a seemingly indefinite amount of time. Sure, there was the occasional passing of monster or traitorous half-blood, an odd jeer, one encounter that almost turned sexual, but it seemed Luke was something of a man of class because he slaughtered cyclops. Asteria thought he was going to confess whatever he had on his mind, but he struggled and came up short, stomping away and mad at himself.

Asteria hadn't seen Artemis, nor could she find the goddess' mind or energy, but she knew she was here. Instinct told her that Artemis was here, and Asteria obeyed her instincts. She also hadn't seen Clarisse around, which made the daughter of Poseidon wonder just where the girl was. Perhaps the Princess Andromeda, perhaps another garrison, perhaps she had already been killed and used as food.

The bottom line was that Asteria was dreadfully bored, and wanted something to happen.

So, naturally, something happened.

'Mom!'

Asteria's head snapped to the distorted sound, and saw the ghostly form of her youngest. Annabeth looked both panicked and relieved, truthfully the most emotion that had been on her little face in a while.

'Aunt Zoё said she had a dream about you getting captured, and there was a CTF game, and the Oracle came down and gave a prophecy, and there was a meeting, and a quest was issued, and-'

'Annabeth, are you on that quest?'

'Yes.'

'And your sisters?'

'They weren't smart enough to stowaway, and I couldn't hide all three of us.'

Asteria valiantly kept her displeasure with that off her face, and mental tone. 'Does your Aunt Zoё know about this?'

'Yes.'

'And what did she say?'

'She said what I knew she would say: 'we're too far along; you'll have to join us; I hope Asteria doesn't kill me for this. Aunt Zoё is predictable.'

'Yes, she is. Who else is with you besides Aunt Zoё?'

'Aunt Thalia, Aunt Drew, and a satyr named Grover. He's weird.'

Yeah, that's the same satyr that brought you to camp, formed a friendship with you, and you don't remember him. Asteria had become skilled at thinking and not broadcasting her thoughts while in telepathic contact. However, she noticed something.

'Five on the quest? How?'

'The prophecy said 'Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,' and so five went.'

'Since you stowed away, making five, what happened to the original fifth member?'

'Aunt Phoebe got sick and couldn't go.'

Asteria raised a brow. 'Sick with what?'

'Herpes.'

'...what?'