Chapter 15

Hey I'm back, please enjoy!

After the quest was given the whole camp had been on an uproar. Most of the campers wanted to go out, have a quest, and come back heroically and become loved by everyone. The most experienced campers knew that quests weren't that easy specially one that Heracles himself had done and had trouble doing himself but they still wanted the glory and honor of completing it. However Luke wasn't doing the quest for the glory or for popularity, he was doing it cause he wanted to be recognized by his father, so he accepted the quest and decided whom his two companions would be. One would be Thalia the girl he loved and one of the few people that he could fully trust in a battle, also it helped that she was one of the best fighters her age and that she was able to lightly control lighting, the other one he planned on asking for help was Percy (Now people are going to call him like that). He was one of the strongest campers in close combat and he had travelled for months around the country fighting monsters and surviving outside camp, something that Luke respected and admired, cause he almost didn't make it when he had friends to help him.

Thalia had accepted with out any problem as Luke expected, but thought that Annabeth should go to the quest with them because they were always together in the outside world and thought of Thalia as her older sister and had a minor crush on Luke. Luke quickly told her why he didn't ask Annabeth and how it was for her safety and then she accepted his decision, then that led to both of them asking Percy to help them, which is what got them in this situation

"Percy can we talk with you?" His most brilliant 'student' (in a way) asked him, the camp had started to respect Perseus and Chiron had made him the close combat monitor when he was in camp.

"Yes Thalia, what do you need?" He answered with his strong voice while he picked up the parts of a broken dummy that had been used in his last practice. Thalia and Luke approached him, and the other campers left the arena to their next activity.

"We want you to be the third member for the quest to the Garden of the Hesperides, will you join us?" Luke asked, assured he would accept when even cabin counselors had asked him to let them join him.

"Thanks for the offer, but I decline." Thalia and Luke froze; they hadn't planned what to do if he refused, hell they thought he would be the one to ask them if he could join!

"What?" She finally managed to say the words.

"I have no interest in doing a quest right now, and while it is tempting, I don't see any point of stealing the apples." Percy said in his plain voice, this made Luke realize that what annoyed him wasn't that Percy refused; it was that he was talking of the quest as if it was a non-important matter; to Luke this was the chance to show his father he didn't need him.

"Please Percy reconsider. You would be a great help to us in the quest, and when we finish your godly parent might claim you!" Said Thalia with an excited voice trying to convince Percy. When he heard that he almost laughed, he already knew who his godly parent was and he was ok with the camp not knowing.

"Sorry Thalia but my decision is final, I have not interest in the quest. Look for someone else I know that most counselors want to go." And with that he left, leaving a frustrated student and an angry son of Hermes.

"Who do we ask now Thal's, the deadline to chose the people is in tomorrow and we still don't have a plan of how we are going to get to the garden!" Their time was running short and Chiron had demanded them to choose another camper for tomorrow so that they could leave the camp in two days so that was the reason to why they were in Thalia's cabin with a list of possible candidates for the quest.

"What about James? He has some experience in the outside world and he is one of the best fighter." The daughter of Zeus suggested, however as soon as she thought about it she realized her mistake. This was Luke's quest; he wouldn't want the older son of Hermes to take his chance of making his father notice him.

"No I don't trust him yet. What about Sue? She is a daughter of Demeter and even if she is not the strongest in camp she is a good fighter with a dagger, plus her nature magic is the strongest of the camp." Thalia agreed, she would had preferred a stronger counselor with some experience with the mortal world but her best friend/crush wanted to gain some glory, and Thalia knew she too wanted the glory.

"Ok, lets go ask her now, we don't have much time and we need to prepare." Once it was decide they headed to cabin 4.

The cold and gray cabin of Hera was besides the cabin of Demeter. The difference between the cabins was obvious, Demeter's cabin was made of wood like a hunters hut, the roof was covered with grass which reflected the sun rays and a even bigger than the cabin greenhouse. The cabin looked like it was full of live, both demigods and satyrs went in and out, music was sounding all around the cabin and the plants outside the cabin were growing and moving around towards the cabin. It was like if life was being attracted to the cabin and all the people working on the plants and on the greenhouse were sweating but seemed content with growing plants. Once Luke and Thalia went inside the room they were even more impressed by the inside, the ceiling was similar to the dining pavilion when it seemed that it was invisible as they could see the clear blue sky and the sunrays impacted the many plants and small trees that resided inside the cabin. In the corner there was a small group of children surrounding a girl of about 17 years old that had a plant on her hand and in the other hand pruning shears (search the image in google), the girl had one of the darkest skin in the camp and it seemed that she had some of South American descent, she had green eyes and curled brown hair. She had an orange shirt and shorts and she was talking to the little kids.

"…so we cut some of this leaves, like this we are allowing more leaves to see the sun and smaller plants to receive it too. Well this is enough for today, now why do we go to our camp activities ok?" The kids stood up smiling and run outside wanting to please their kind cabin leader. Once they left the cabin the girl known as Sue left the plant in the ground and the pruning shears on the chair.

"So what can I help you with guys?" When the two friends heard the daughter of Demeter voice they felt serenity was over them, they supposed this was supposed to be a similar feeling you got near a mother of some short.

"Hey Sue! We were wondering if you would like to be the third member for the quest." The son of Hermes said the news with such bluntness that it took a full minute for the news to hit Sue like a car. Her? In a quest? That couldn't be right! She wasn't the a strong camper, sure she could defend herself with a dagger but many other could beat her and she new from some friends that the other cabin counselors wanted to be in the quest too, was it all right for her to go?

"Luke I appreciate your offer, but… Are you sure? There are other campers that are better prepared than me and they would love to go." At this Luke seemed surprised, not only Percy, now Sue too was about to refuse? At this he started doubting if a quest was really that big of a deal. Seeing her friends doubting it was Thalia who took the reins of the conversation.

"We are sure Sue! We want you in the quest! Your help will be great during the quest, after all we need to go to the garden of the Hesperides and we might need your help, also you got experience in the outside world and about monsters." Her arguments were solid rock and her eyes held no room for a negative answer; those were the things that Sue saw. She had read in the history and myth books at camp that the sons of the children of big three were monstrously strong and now she understood why, the girl in front of her had a strong athlete body that showed she was capable at fighting, around her a invisible aura surrounded her body showing power and strength beyond believe but her eyes were the thing that impressed and scared Sue most. She had the eyes of a queen, she would demand anything and she should have it with out question and she would be able to instigate any army into battle.

So this is what they call children of the eldest gods? Terrifying.

"OK guys I'll go with you to the quest. When do we part?" At her answer Thalia and Luke grinned like mad men, they finally got the third member! Luke felt like dancing right now!

"We are leaving the day after tomorrow an hour after breakfast. Argus will be leaving us in Central Park." After they discussed the provisions that each should take and planned what to do once they arrived at New York. When they finished talking to Sue, Luke and Thalia left cabin 4 and headed to the beach, there they sat in the sand watching the Hermes cabin being persecuted by some sons of Ares probably because of some short of prank.

Unknown to them they were being watched from the distance by a tall figure covered by shadows with his cold dark green eyes.

Perseus watched as his pupil and the son of Hermes watched other demigods and chatted and laughed, he didn't know what they were saying but he guessed it must had annoyed Thalia when she punched Luke's shoulder. Enjoying the silence that the forest provided he closed his eyes, since he had nature powers he had grown to enjoy it and spent most of his time in there. He was so focused on the leaves falling from the tree and falling to the ground that he almost didn't notice the shy person trying to sneak behind him, almost.

"Hello Sofie, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" The son of the dark god asked with out moving his eyes from the falling trees. The daughter of Aphrodite didn't look surprised at all, she had tried to sneak behind Perseus countless time having followed him more times that she could remember but she was always found out, she didn't know why she tried so hard maybe because of the challenge or maybe because of the strange sensation that kept pulling her closer and closer to her fellow demigod.

"Well you know I was walking around the forest when I stumbled upon a strange boy looking at the trees. And boila! Here I am!" Perseus turned and looked at her. She was wearing the usual orange shirt from camp and some shorts, she wore no make up and her hair was a little untidy. He shook his head, recently he had been thinking too much about Sofie and the other campers, and he realized he was getting a little soft. He mentally laughed, he may have gotten softer but he knew that he could never be like the other people.

"I heard that you are leaving tomorrow to another one of your travels, how long will this one be?" There it was, the question she had been wondering, she thought he would stay at camp half-blood until the tournament finished after all it was his idea and he had made the plan for the tournament.

"I'll be gone 4 months." He said while going back to looking at the tree. That piece of information surprised her he was never less than 6 months out, 'Then again, he needs to be back before the tournament starts' She said to herself.

"Well I hope you don't have any trouble in your travels. Maybe ill go with you the next time, after all I need to go out more." Once she finished that sentence she sat besides Perseus but unlike him he watched the lake, where the kids were swimming and playing, after one minute of complete silence she stood up making sure to take off the leaves that had been trapped in her shorts when she was sitting down. Not looking back she walked in the direction of camp half-blood planning on seeing Alec or some Apollo and reuse her charmspeak on them just in case the effect was wearing off a little. Also it didn't hurt that they were handsome and she wanted to play a little after her reunion with Percy. But before she left she turned around right before returning.

"Be careful Percy." And then she left.

Percy hadn't turned or moved from the position he was for looking at the tree, however he heard her and wondered if she was worried for him. Was she? He knew that she could easily tell Chiron all that she knew he had done, the nature spirits, the 'murder' of Claire, the stolen list of demigods and how it was his idea to make the tournament. If all this information were delivered the gods would with out a doubt execute him. But he knew, Sofie wouldn't deliver him until she was sure she would come unharmed from the confrontation because right now they both had leverage over each other.

He laughed.

He remembered when he was a 12-year-old boy that arrived at camp and how he had developed; when he was a child he was so naïve that he just cared about having fun, but as he grew he was more focused on gaining more power and in making sure that he covered all the traces of his, not so moral, activities. And now he was dealing with a girl that he knew could destroy him easily but he didn't care, to him Sofie was both his ally and his most dangerous threat in the game that was the Greek world.

The last day before the quest was a normal day except for the news that had spread through camp Percy, the mysterious camper that no one knew anything about, had been offered to participate in the quest! And not only that after his refusal the one who was asked was Sue! To say they were shocked was understatement and because of that many rumors started circulating from how Percy was jealous because of Thalia's and Luke's relationship, to Sue having seduced Hermes and her being in the quest was a rule. The rumors became more daring and ridiculous to the extent that Chiron had to step into before any other rumor would spread and would make a god mad.

Thanks to those rumors Sue had been forced to leave her cabin earlier so that her half-brothers wouldn't ask her any more questions like they had done the last two nights. She woke up and left so early that the sun still hadn't rise and the camp was only lighten by the faint light that came from the east signaling the arrival of the chariot ridded by one of the twins. Once she was with her green bag outside of her cabin she headed to the dinner pavilion seeing there were some lights in it, luckily for her the harpies weren't outside camp because Chiron had ordered them to take the day off so the only people in the dinning pavilion were Argus, Chiron and Percy who was playing chess with Argus while eating a buttered toast.

"Morning my dear you are up early! There's still one more hour until the sunrise and another two until breakfast is served." The old centaur said and moved with his wheel chair closer to her so that he could offer her a cup of tea that came out of nowhere.

"Morning Chiron. Well I couldn't sleep well so I decided to go out a little earlier." Looking content with her short answer he went back to his place beside Percy and Argus and took his book to keep reading, it was then that Sue realized that Percy WAS there! She knew that he had been offered to join the quest too but he rejected it so she wondered if maybe he had regretted his decision and decided to join, then they would be four and that was against the rules!

As if sensing her unease Chiron decided to ease her nerves a bit.

"Don't worry Percy is not going to the quest with you, its just that he is travelling for some time and Argus will drive him to New York with you." Then a voice she never heard came to life and she felt the same power it held like Thalia's did.

"I have no desire to go to that quest, so don't worry you can have the glory for all I care." The demigod said, to her this was the most odd thing she ever heard after all she had been socializing and living with kids whom only desire was to become famous and do quest.

"So my dear do you want something for breakfast? I know it starts in two hours but you must be hungry!" As if her body had decided to revolt against her, her stomach growled. She blushed and looked down in embarrassment not wanting to look at her teacher while blood got in her cheeks. Chiron at this smiled and went to the kitchen that was in the far corner of the room and opening a closet he took a plate with fried eggs, toast and bacon making her stomach make even louder noises.

She ate the breakfast with out any complain, when she was eating she looked at Percy and she must admit, he wasn't bad looking. Well she knew that already (everyone at camp knew he had been declared by the Aphrodite campers one of the 'hot and mysterious' guys, and girls had asked him out more than once) but she had never bothered to look at him well, he had some scars in his arms due to fighting with monsters and his pale skin worked surprisingly well with his eyes. Another thing she noticed was that, while he was better than Argus at chess, Chiron was even better! She watched how Chiron always defeated him with ease and, even through he wouldn't express it, Percy was both annoyed and having some fun. No one at camp knew much about Percy or his origins, some say he killed his parents, other that he had a twin that died, others that he used to be a cheerful person but got sick and know he was all gloomy because he never got better. The thing was, he was a mystery, and so she was surprised how parenting like Chiron was with him, hell he was nicer to Percy than to others campers!

She kept waiting until the other campers arrived; once they did, she went to where Thalia and Luke were, Thalia had a big backpack that seemed like it was about to explode while Luke had a small backpack and his sword at his side. When they finished eating breakfast they went to the hill where Argus was already waiting with Percy.

"Come on we have to go. You guys took longer than expected." That's it? Thought Sue, no good morning or asking if they were nervous? She thought that he would atleast be nice to Thalia and Luke that had offered him a place in the quest but he didn't say anything.

Sitting in the back of the van with Thalia, she prepared a comfy place and added on her earphones. It was known that demigods couldn't use technological ways for contacting because it would attrack monsters, but as long as it wasn't emiting any type of radio frequency they were ok. So she putted on her earphones and took back some of the hours she had lost in the morning. When her eyes opened they were in a completely different place, she was in a dark cave, full of books and some plants, tha place was glommy and humid from what she could tell and it was emitting a strange energy that she sensed thanks to her daughter of Demeter powers. She kept walking throught the cave where an even stronger energy was coming from, she passed a wall of some type of vines she didn't know, which was surprising since she knew most types of plants, that emited a nature energy of, in that moment she knew that this place was dangerous. She had her fair share of demigod's dreams but never one like this, sensing the energy that came off the whole place she couldn't help but feel mesmerized, it was stronger than her own cabin! Going down some stairs she prepared to see something beautiful and powerful, but only saw things that made her want to throw up. Bodies and blodied parts of different types of living things were lying around and ponds were full of bodies. Hearing some sounds behind a door she entered and in there she saw a comrade she never thought she would ever see again, Claire was alive! She wanted to see more when an incredible force pushed her, she went through the wall and was inside a room, in it there was a black sphere that was somehow pushing her to it but before it could shallow her her real eyes were opened and she remembered she was in a car to New York.

Thanks for reading and please give me any ideas that you have! will try to update ASAP