ALL RIGHTS TO THE CHARACTERS (except Celeste, she's mine) BELONG TO RICK RIORDAN.

Chapter 4 - Percy

The meeting couldn't have gone worse.

It began with silence. Then Chiron finally spoke.

"Now, this may not come as a shock to most of you, but the gods have somehow gone silent. Both Greek and Roman. Normally, we wouldn't worry about that, since the gods are always busy, however it has been at least 3 weeks and no word from any of the gods has come."

Percy glanced over at Celeste, knowing she was a goddess and wondered if anyone else was thinking the same thing.

When Celeste caught his glance, he averted his eyes.

"Now, I've sent two campers to go to Olympus to check on what was happening, however, when they returned, they came with news." Chiron paused and then spoke again. "Olympus is gone."

That stunned everyone into silence.

"What do you mean Olympus is gone?" Annabeth asked.

"As in completely gone. From Manhattan that is." Chiron explained.

"And one more thing." Said a voice.

Everyone turned to see Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

Her red curls were around her shoulders and she was wearing her paint-splattered jeans with a green tank top.

"There was a prophecy. I spoke it just this morning, but I remember what I said this time." She said.

"What was it?" Piper asked.

Sighing, Rachel recited the prophecy:

"A cloud of darkness over mortal eyes

Three separate sides, each despised

A war being fought over deities cries

A world full of hatred, a world full of lies."

No one spoke.

"Three separate sides?" Hazel asked.

"A war?" Jason asked.

"A cloud of darkness?" Nico asked.

"Deities cries!?" Celeste asked, her eyes wide in fear.

Everyone looked to her.

She looked pale and like she was going to pass out.

"Celeste, hey, it's okay." Percy said, giving his sister a calming expression to assure her she was fine.

But was she? She looked awfully pale.

Leo was squeezing her hand, trying to calm her.

"Everyone calm down." Chiron said. "I'm sure whatever this is, we'll figure it out."

Rachel then gasped, stumbling back. Everyone turned to her.

Suddenly, she screamed and a green mist flew out of her body and exploded in the air with a loud POP!

Frank and Piper ran up to steady Rachel, who looked green.

"What happened?" Piper asked her, using charm speak to console her.

"The spirit of Delphi. It...it said...it was done. No more prophecies...ever."

Rachel's lip was quivering.

Frank and Piper took her outside.

"No more prophecies?" Jason asked. "What does that mean?"

"No idea." Annabeth muttered beside Percy.

"Meeting dismissed." Chiron said. "Gather the camp in the dining hall. We have things to discuss."

"Wait!" Hazel cried. "In the prophecy, it said "three separate sides". I know there are Greek and Roman gods, but what else is there?"

Percy froze.

Carter.

He didn't dare speak a word. He couldn't. Carter and him had sworn not to tell anyone about each other.

Percy glanced over at Annabeth who looked just as shocked as Percy.

Percy flashed his girlfriend a confused look and she looked away quickly.

Suddenly, Celeste collapsed, grabbing her head.

Everyone ran to her, but Percy and Leo were there first.

"Celeste!? What's wrong!?" Percy asked worriedly.

Celeste was now so pale you could see every single one of her veins. Her hair was pasted to her hair in sweat and the normal liveliness in her sea green eyes was slowly diminishing with her energy loss.

She was shaking uncontrollably, her eyes rolling into her head as she slumped against the two boys.

"Leo, grab her legs, NOW!" Percy ordered. Leo didn't falter.

Together, him and Percy carried Celeste to the infirmary.

The whole way there, Percy kept praying, he didn't know who to, that Celeste would be okay.

However, looking at her, she looked like she was just a corpse.

No!

He wouldn't think that. He couldn't.

Annabeth was beside him, helping carry Celeste.

When they reached the infirmary, the Apollo campers who were healing her ushered him out, despite his protests.

For hours, Percy paced nervously outside the infirmary.

Leo was sitting on the steps and Annabeth was leaning against the wall, watching Percy.

The rest of the seven were helping gather people together at the dining hall.

Chiron had allowed Percy, Annabeth, and Leo to stay by the infirmary.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, an Apollo camper came out and said they could come in.

Percy was by Celeste's side in an instant.

She was conscious now, smiling up at him weakly. When she tried to speak, her voice was raspy.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain." She mumbled quietly. Her eyes were half open and she was still pale.

Percy gave his sister a smile. "You're gonna be okay alright?" He said.

Celeste grinned and closed her eyes. "I know."

Leo was on Celeste's other side and Annabeth was at the foot of the bed.

An Apollo camper stood behind Percy with his arms crossed. "We tried ambrosia and nectar, but it did no good. We had to stick to mortal healing and other magical medicines, but she should be fine for now." He said.

Percy nodded and the Apollo camper turned to leave.

Leo was gripping Celeste's hand with a death grip.

Percy was glad it was Leo who Celeste was dating. He couldn't of asked for anyone better for his sister.

Even though when Percy and Leo first met, Percy had wanted to rip Leo's head off for blowing up New Rome.

"Can you stay? All 3 of you?" Celeste whispered.

They all nodded. "We'll stay as long as we need to Celeste." Leo said.

Then, Celeste fell asleep.

Her breathing was light and she looked so peaceful.

She constantly muttered in her sleep, just like Percy.

Percy thought he heard her say the name Carter, but he doubted it.

However, she said something that they definitely all heard clearly. "The gods are dying."

Annabeth, Percy, and Leo all shared glances with each other. That couldn't be good.

Then, things got even stranger.

The mark Carter had drawn on Percy's hand suddenly started to burn and Percy stifled a yelp.

Leo and Annabeth turned their attention to him.

"What's wrong Percy?" Annabeth asked.

Percy hid his hand, which was now glowing blue, in his pocket. "Nothing."

Annabeth sensed his lying, he could tell with her expression.

"Are you sure, man? You look freaked out." Leo asked.

Celeste shifted in her sleep, still muttering. The stinging on Percy's hand grew stronger and he bit down on his lip to keep from crying out.

"I'm fine. Really. I just...need some time alone." Percy said.

Annabeth and Leo looked at each other and had a conversation through their expressions.

Then they left Percy alone with Celeste.

When the door closed, Percy immediately pulled his hand out of his pocket and tried to shake the pain away.

Then he gave up and tried something desperate.

He remembered Carter saying that in order to call him, in case of emergency, to say his name into his hand.

That's why Carter had drawn the hieroglyph.

"Carter. I need you. Now." Percy said through clenched teeth.

The pain dissolved.

Percy sighed in relief and sat cross-legged on the floor, overridden with exhaustion.

He looked up to see Celeste staring at him with curious eyes.

"Percy?" She mumbled hoarsely, so quietly that Percy barely heard her. "What was that?"