The Half-Blood Project

18- Burning To Ash And Dust

Piper McLean 

"Everyone, calm down," I ordered a group of trainees. It had been nearly 48 hours since Percy, Annabeth, and the funny satyr, Grover left for New York. 

I wonder if they're dead yet. Nico, the Hades kid, said he would be looking out for them if they died, he can see the passing souls to the Underworld. It honestly creeps me out more than I let on. But if it helps us, then I have to let those creepy thoughts and feelings slide. I'm honestly glad that Will and he are such good 'friends', he sorta brings out the light in him. 

"Piper, why don't we have a free day, they are agitated," Jason whispers in my ear, that same funny chill crawling down my back. 

I shook my head. No, a free day would give them time to think about their dreams. They needed to train and train rigorously so that when they slept, they wouldn't lay awake thinking about the dreams everyone woke to. 

"No, Frank and Hazel will take half of them to the hills for endurance training, me, you and Leo will keep the other half here for sparring." 

Jason looked like he wanted to complain but I shot him a glare before he could open his mouth to speak. "Fine." Jason twisted his lips into an unhappy frown before stalking off to split everyone into two groups. 

Frank walked up to me, in the past weeks he had grown into a large kid with a well-defined jaw and maybe more of a dangerous glint in his eyes. But in reality, he was the fluffiest, funniest kid in the warehouse and I would never, ever see him as dangerous unless he was fighting a monster. 

"They need to know what the dreams mean Piper if we don't tell them soon, they'll riot." He said grimly, his bow was slung over his shoulder and his back hunched slightly, from the stress of keeping everyone together. How Percy did it, it was beyond me. Two hours after he had left, Piper was ready to crash from keeping everyone down and quiet. 

I sigh and slump against the wall. "I know, I know. But right now, they need the distraction while we figure this out. You still okay with taking them to the hills for endurance?"  

He nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Little nervous." 

Smiling I nudged him with my shoulder, I was strong but he was like a brick wall, unmovable, unchangeable, in a good way too. "You and Hazel will do fine, if they give you a hard time, just shift into a dragon and scare them." 

Frank chuckled. "No, not going to do that, but it's a good idea. I don't know how Percy does this. I collapsed the first night." 

It was nice to know that he felt the same. 

"Same here. I think this quest is good for him though, getaway, even if it is a suicide mission." Thinking of his suicide mission made me a little queasy. But my trust in him is good, and Annabeth who would probably get them out of every situation with her quick thinking. 

"I remember when he saved me up in Canada, struggling to stay alive. I was trying to fight some cannibal giants and I shot my last arrow at them but it bounced off their armor and hit me in the leg. He came out of nowhere and I knew, even for a second, whatever god out there had heard my prayers and sent him to save me." 

I never knew that Percy had saved him. 

"He rescued me and Leo by Carson City. We were escaping a bunch of monsters and found ourselves in the desert, half dead. If he hadn't saved us, we would have died forever ago." I said slowly, remembering the hot desert heat like it was yesterday. And how Leo was my only hope then. We relied on each other and always would. 

Frank nodded solemnly. "I think that Percy is the only reason any of us are alive. He's the hero we all need in our lives, no matter how small a part he takes in it."