The lost hero returns

20. Two days

Percy's point of view:

We have been training the campers for 3 days now. They have made some progress.

I decide to take a walk around camp to see how everything is going.

Leo, Beckendorf and the Hephaestus kids are working hard on weapons and armour.

The Hermes kids are working on traps.

Selina and Piper are training the Aphrodite children to charmspeak bigger crowds.

The Athena kids are comming up with battle tactics. They didn't like my plan so they are giving it their own twist. I let them.

The others are training with Riley and Lewis.

Things look good.

I've sent two groups of three on patrol around camp. They should report back with in an hour.

Everything is going okay.
So far.

Yesterday I checked with the gods.
They are gaining their strength again. But they are still very weak. They will not be much help during the battle.

I stand still and look around. I take a deep breath. Everyting is fine. We have time.

Suddenly my vision turns black.

Chaos?

"Chaos? What is happening? What's wrong?" I ask. There is no reaction.

"No child." She says.
I recognize that voice.
Nyx.

"What do you want?" I ask looking around.

But it seems like I am all alone.
Everywhere I look I see darkness.

"To offer you a final chance. Join me and I will leave the camp alone. I will only destroy the gods in Olympus. Your friends and camp will be spared. Decline, and all you love will suffer." Her voice echoes.

"I already told you I won't betray them!" I tell her. Again. "Why do you keep asking me? What do you want? What are you afraid of?"

"I do not fear anything child!" She bellows in my head.

"Okay jeez. But I stand behind the gods and my friends." I say.

"Fine!" She snapped. "I give you 2 days. 2 days to prepare. Then we'll meet again."

It feels like the ground disappeared and I am falling into Tartaurus again.

I open my eyes and gasp for air.

My team is standing around me.
They look concerned and I realize I am laying on the ground.

"Omega? You okay?" Alpha asks.

"Yeah." I say standing up. "It was her."

"Who?" Riley asks.

"Nyx." I say. Campers look at each other in concern. "She gave us 2 days."

"For what?" Alpha asks.

"War. We have two days to prepare for battle."

"Then we better get started." Beckendorf says to his siblings. They hurry back to the forge and Beckendorf stayed behind and joined us.

Everyone gets to their jobs.

Alpha and my team stay with me.

"There is more isn't there?" Zoë asks.

"I think she is afraid of us." I say looking at my team. "She made me an offer again. Last time she wanted us to go back to Chaos. This time she wanted me to join her. She would leave the campers alone and destroy Olympus." I tell them brushing the dirt of my clothes.

"It seems like she is more scared of you." Alpha says. The others nod.

"Why would you say that. We are a team." I say. But Luke looks at me.

"Dude. You are in command of an entire army and the campers listen to you. You are the most powerful here." He says.

"That doesn't say anything." I say. "Anyway. Two days. Riley, Lewis. Prepare the campers. Luke help them. Everyone else go back to what you were doing. I need to talk to Chaos." I say.

They nod and walk away.

"You sure you are alright?" Riley asks.

She looks concerned. We always got along well. We fought a lot of battles together and saved each other more times than I can count.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I tell her.

Her brown eyes seem to look right through me. I sigh.

"No. I am not fine. This camp is just bringing back so many memories. And everything that has happened past few days... It's all-" I say but she cuts me of by hugging me.

"Relax. You are doing great." She lets me go. She puts her hand on my cheek. Or it would be my cheek if it wasn't for my mask. "I believe in you. You are the best soldier I've ever met. You've got this." She says with a smile.

I don't know what to do.
But I don't have to. She walks away before I could say anything.

After a couple seconds I unfreeze and walk to my cabin.

I made a link with Chaos.
He was sleeping on his desk. I shake my head lauging.

"You drool in your sleep!" I say loudly.

He shoots up. Looking around with big eyes.

"Hi there." I say grinning.

"Percy! Now I'll never know how that dream will end!" He says checking his mouth for drool. Which is not there.

"Sorry. But I needed some advice." I say.

"What about?" He asks while fixing his hair.

"I was walking around in camp. And suddenly Nyx just appeared in my mind. She made me black out. She gave us two days to prepare for battle." I explain.

"Thats not good. I didn't even know that she could do that.." Chaos says.

"Well she can. But how can I stop it? What if she does that in the middle of battle. I would be completely defenseless." I ask.

"That's indeed a very scary thing to think about." He says. "Well I suggest trying to block it." He says.

"Wow. Really? Didn't think of that." I say sarcastically.

"I know. I am a genius." He says looking pleased with himself. I roll my eyes.

"But how?" I ask him.

"We'll train. I will try to connect with you on random times. You need to resist." He says.

"Fine." I say. "I need to go back. But you need to tell the soldiers they have two days or less. I will call for them within two days." I say.

"I will. Goodluck Percy." He says before I break the connection.