Chapter 12: Prophecy

Isaiah Sharpe followed the two demigods to their base where every camper was wearing their armour and gears.

"Isaiah!" a voice called out to him.

He looked at where the voice came from and saw Nico running to him wearing armour that was way too big for him.

"Nico, this armour is way too big for you," Percy said seeing the boy.

Thalia had gone to the other campers to strategize with Annabeth and the Athena cabin.

"Really? I think it looks cool though. Also, there is no armour smaller than this."

"Let me fix that, will you?" Isaiah asked.

"How?"

"Like this."

'Root, Shine'

lines appeared all over the armour before it shrunk and was more fitting for Nico.

"Woah!" both demigods let out.

"What did you do? I know the Hephaestus kids would kill for this kind of spell." Percy said.

"I know since I met them. This spell is a branch of alchemy called (Alteration). It enables me to alter the properties or effects of an object. Like this armour for example." Isaiah finished before giving a slight knock on Nico's armour.

"That's so cool!" the latter shouted.

Percy nodded,

"I agree. Anyway, let's get you to armour," he said but Isaiah shook his head.

"I don't need to."

Percy looked at him perplexed,

"What do you mean. I know this is a game, but you could still get hurt."

"Sorcerers don't wear armour as it restricts our movement in spell casting. Second," his body glowed as lines appeared all over his body and clothes before disappearing. Percy then heard a crackling sound strange and yellow sparks appeared on Isaiah's hands before tao mandalas appeared on them," it's not like I am defenceless," he said with a grin.

Percy threw his hands in the air," You know what, I won't even question you any more. You do you." He said with a smirk.

"Let's win this thing," he said and they joined the rest of the campers.

They then heard the voice of Chiron.

"Heroes and sorcerer! You know the rules! The creek is the boundary line. Blue Team, which is Camp Half-Blood, shall take the west woods while Red Team or the Hunters of Artemis, shall take the east woods. I will be the referee and battlefield medic. No maiming, please! And all magical items are allowed! To your position!" he explained.

"Blue Team, let's go!" shouted Thalia.

Cheers were heard and they followed. Isaiah could feel the group's excitement as they headed into the forest. Percy went to catch up to her and Annabeth with Nico trailing behind him. Isaiah felt a tap on his shoulders and saw that it was Bianca. She was wearing a standard Greek armour with a Xiphos strapped by her side although she had a lot of difficulties walking and holding the sword.

"Hey, Isaiah, they let you in."

Isaiah nodded,

"Yup, Percy and Thalia let me in for this one."

Bianca grimaced,

"I'm kind of scared. This is really dangerous and Nico is too young for these games," she said.

"I wouldn't worry too much since they will place him in defence so that he won't fight too much."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Where will you be?"

Isaiah shrugged,

"I don't know yet. They haven't told me."

They soon arrived on a pile of rocks that the Greeks called Zeus's fist and planted their flag on it and Thalia began to give everyone their roles. Percy would occasionally add something, but it seems like he and Thalia had differing views that sometimes led to her glaring at Percy, but Annabeth was there to calm things down.

Suddenly, the sound of the horn rung and the game began. Silena took Annabeth and some other demigods to distract the hunters from the left of the forest while Thalia led the main attack group that would steal the flag from the right. Meanwhile, Percy led the defensive group that would defend the flag. It consisted of Beckendorf, the Stoll Brothers, and Nico and Bianca. Isaiah was placed with the main raiding party due to the speed he had displayed when fighting the manticore.

"Alright, let's move out!" and her group followed her through the forest.

Isaiah soon hear the sound of fighting as the plan started working. Huntresses were lured by Silena and her team. Suddenly, Isaiah felt multiple presences hiding in the trees.

"They're here," he informed them.

"Huh? Where?" Thalia asked.

"In the trees."

"Watch out!" she shouted and her teammates went into a combat stance. Not a second later, arrows were shot from trees, but they were all blocked when a huge dome of orange and yellow energy burst into existence and protected the campers.

"What!?" the huntresses who shot the arrow let out.

The campers were just as surprised at the sudden development.

"What are you standing for?" a voice said to them.

They all looked at Isaiah starting at them with his hand outstretched.

"Did you do this?" Thalia asked.

Another volley of arrows flew in the air and met the dome leaving sparks on their contact. Otherwise, there was no visible damage.

"Shall we go?"

Thalia snapped out of her daze and answered,

"Huh, Yeah. Let's go!"

But, before they could move. Isaiah felt another presence rapidly approaching. It didn't seem like it was going towards them.

'What is Percy doing?' he thought.

The son of Poseidon jumped over the creek and ran into the enemy camp before slamming into a girl. He then snatched the silver flag of the Hunters. He was about to run back when an arrow with a cord shot from somewhere right in the demigod's way made his trip. Thalia seeing this became incensed and ran towards him after Isaiah put the shield down.

"What are you doing here, Percy!? You're supposed to be back in the base defending the flag!" she shouted.

But before she could answer, more arrows shot from the sky before impacting the ground releasing a horrid smell.

"What is this!?" Isaiah shouted as he gagged along those that were affected.

"No fair! Fart arrows are unsportsmanlike!" shouted Thalia.

Percy didn't say anything and quickly picked the flag up and dashed towards the creek. He felt arrows whiz past him as he ran for his dear life. He suddenly heard shouts and saw Zoe also making her way towards the creeks with the camp's flag while dodging campers left and right with Beckendorf and Nico trying to catch up to her.

'No! I can do this!' he thought and ran even faster.

There were only a few meters left, Percy gave all of his energy, but he saw Zoe jump over the creek just a second before he did ending the game.

"Nooooo!" he shouted.

The Hunters began to cheer as they ran to Zoe.

Chiron appeared at the creek.

"And for the first time in fifty-seven matches, the campers win!" he shouted with a huge smile.

Everyone was stunned by the declaration. Silence reigned in the forest before suddenly bursting into shouts and cries. Some of the indignation at the declaration, some of the surprise and some of the outright confusion.

"What is the meaning of this Chiron!? I have the flag in my hands and I passed the creek before that boy. So why are they the winner!?" shouted Zoe in anger.

Chiron looked amused before saying,

"Before asking me that, why don't you look at the flag in your hand. Did you notice anything different?"

Everyone looked at the flag and tried to figure out what was wrong when they heard a gasp.

"It didn't change colours!" shouted Annabeth.

"What?" asked Pheobe who was beside Zoe.

"But, why?" Zoe asked confused.

Chiron looked in a certain direction,

"I think you can drop it, my boy. The game is finished."

Isaiah walked out of the crowd and waved his hand and the flag in Zoe's hand shimmered and orange and yellow energy dispersed revealing a simple steel pipe. Zoe dropped the pipe and backed away.

"What is this!?" she demanded.

"Isaiah?" Chiron asked.

"That was an illusion," he answered.

"But illusions are not solid. And I felt it when I grabbed it."

"No, you really did grab the flag in the beginning. However, I anticipated that you would grab it so I left a steel pipe by Zeus's Fist. Then when I saw you running with the flag, I used a displacement spell to switch the pipe with the flag. Then, I added the illusion of making the pipe look like the flag. However, since the flag's pole and the pipe were similar, you didn't notice it and ran back towards your base with a pipe. Percy's flag is the proof. Although, this was a simple backup plan, in case we couldn't get the flag first." he finished before pointing at Hunter's flag that shimmered and changed colour in Percy's hand.

Silence reigned once more as they finally understood Isaiah's plan. The campers burst into cheers while running to Isaiah who helped them win their first match against the Hunters while the latter looked aghast. Thalia wanted to be angry at Percy for almost jeopardizing the game, but the feeling of joy of winning and rubbing it in Zoe's face overtook it.

As the campers cheered, Isaiah suddenly felt something from the forest. At that moment, green most appeared in tendrils sending chills up everyone's spine. A few gasped when they finally saw the source. It was a withered mummy with green mist enveloping it. Chiron's face paled when he saw it.

"T-That's not possible. It has never left the attic," the centaur stammered.

The mummy was slowly walking and finally stopped in front of someone, Bianca. The girl in question was terrified by the mummy. Suddenly, its eye socket glowed and a female voice hissed inside everyone's head.

'I am the spirit of Delphi. Speaker of prophecies of Pheobus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach Seeker and Ask.'

The voice said.

Bianca didn't know what to do. A creepy mummy suddenly appeared in front of her and tells her to ask something. She didn't even have a question! She turned back to ask for help.

"Just ask her what you should do! There's going to be a prophecy for you," whispered Thalia.

Bianca nodded slowly before looking back at the mummy,

"Huh, W-What should I do?" she stammered.

One could see her knees shaking a little.

The mummy's eyes glowed before opening its mouth and green smoke spewed out of it. Then an image of Artemis on her knees trying to fend off attacks was shown. The Hunters froze seeing the image.

The image then cleared and the voice of the oracle was heard once more.

'Five shall head west to the goddess in chains,

One shall be lost in the land without rain,

The bane of Olympus shows its trail,

Campers and Hunters combined prevail,

The Titan's curse must one withstand,

And one shall perish by a parent's hand.'

As soon as the mummy said its piece, its glow disappeared and the most dissipated leaving the mummy inanimate.

Everyone held their breath waiting for something else to happen. That's when Isaiah spoke up,

"Does this happen often?"

Hearing his voice, everyone snapped back to reality and they all started talking at the same time. Chiron stomped the ground with his hooves.

"Calm down, everyone!"

After a few more stomps and shouts, he finally managed to regain order.

"Now, since the oracle seems to lose her ability to walk, we need a volunteer. Anyone? If there is no volunteer, I will choose."

No one spoke up.

"Alright, Percy and Grover!"

"What, why?" they both shouted in indignation.

Chiron raised an eyebrow,

"Because I said so," he said.

He then turned to the rest of the group,

"Bianca and the councillors are to come to the Big House after cleaning up everything. Everyone else may be dismissed to your cabins after helping them,"

Both demigod and satyr groaned and went to pick up the mummy and everyone returned to their cabins while the councillors went to the Big house to discuss the newly issued prophecy.

Seeing this, Isaiah spoke up.

"Chiron!"

the centaur looked at him,

"Yes, Isaiah?"

Since this is an issue in the Greek world and as a sorcerer of the Masters of Mystic Arts, I won't be involving myself. Therefore, I will be returning home."

Chiron looked pensive,

"I see. Then would you like me to send Argus to send you home? I know that there is a sanctum in New York where he can drop you off," he asked.

Isaiah shook his head.

"You don't need to, because I can go home by myself using a portal."

"I see."

"Then, I'll tell bye to the others then, I'll be off."

"Okay then. It was great having you here Isaiah," he then whispered, "And thanks for winning us the game against the Hunters. Zeus knows how long we needed that."

Isaiah chuckled and left to see his new friends. After saying bye to everyone, he finally found Bianca sitting on a rock with her knees to her chest.

"Hey, Bianca,"

"Oh, Isaiah. Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, since the prophecy has been issued. I won't stay. My teacher told me if a huge thing happened then I would need to back off since we don't meddle with the Greek world unless it's a world-ending emergency."

Bianca nodded and brought her knees closer.

Isaiah looked at her,

"Are... you okay?"

Bianca shook her head,

"The campers say that since the Oracle came to me then it means I will be going on the quest. They say it's a huge honour, but also a dangerous one."

She looked at Isaiah, fear present in her eyes,

"I just entered the world and now I have to go save a goddess who got captured. If a deity gets captured, what can I mortal like I do? I don't even know who my father is. What if he never claims me like the others in cabin eleven. And what's going to happen to Nico when I go on this quest. I don't want to bring him." she monologued as tears brimmed in her eyes.

Isaiah didn't know what to say since he was unable to understand her. He was incapable of feeling what she was feeling.

"My teacher once told me that fear is a natural thing for humans. However, running away is not the answer to it. Not that it applies to me. Besides, the prophecy said that you are not alone. You will have four others who will help you."

"But it says that one will be lost in the land without rain and another will be killed by their parent!"

Isaiah shrugged,

"The future is never concrete. There are always infinite outcomes for an action. That's what my teacher told me."

Bianca nodded.

"Bianca!" the voice of Thalia was heard.

"Seems like they are calling you."

Bianca nodded before whipping her eyes and getting up. She then looked into Isaiah's eyes before hugging him. The boy tensed at the unexpected action before awkwardly wrapping his arms around her. She then separated herself.

"Thank you, Isaiah. It seems like you always help me."

"Huh, you're welcome?"

Bianca giggled,

"So when are you leaving?"

"At this instant."

She raised an eyebrow,

"Huh, how?"

"Like this."

Isaiah brought the sling ring from his ring and placed it on the fingers of his left hand. He then made a circle with his right hand and the air in front of them sparked before a portal appeared in front of them with Isaiah's room in Kamar-Taj on the other side.

"You can create portals!?" Bianca asked wide-eyed.

Isaiah nodded,

"Yeah. I couldn't use it to come here because I didn't have a destination in mind."

"Oh."

Isaiah smiled,

"Then, I guess I'll be going."

He was about to step into the portal when he heard,

"Wait!"

He turned around.

"We're friends, right?" Bianca asked.

The boy looked pensive,

"According to Beckendorf's definition of friends, I suppose we are," he replied.

"Then how are we going to stay in contact? Because that's what friends do and I heard from the others that demigods can't have cellphones."

"Did Percy tell you about Iris-messaging?"

The girl shook her head.

"Ask Percy, he'll tell you."

"Oh okay. Bye Isaiah Sharpe!" she said.

"Bye, Bianca di Angelo."

He then stepped through the portal and into his room and closed the spatial gateway.

He placed the along ring back into his spatial ring. At that moment, he sensed a presence opening the door and saw the Ancient One enter the room with her usual small smile.

"So how was your trip?" she asked.

A small smile appeared on Isaiah's face and he told his story.