Chapter 143: Prophecies

[Third Person's PoV] 

After waking from the strange dream, Lucian sighed and rubbed the back of his head before getting ready for the day. On his way to see Chiron, he bumped into Percy, who was heading in the same direction.

"Say, when you get strange dreams, does that mean I'm allowed to have a quest?" Percy asked curiously.

"Most likely, yeah. Unfortunately, you aren't the only one," Lucian replied, stretching as he walked.

"Did you have a strange dream last night too?" Percy asked, a bit anxious.

Lucian nodded. "Yeah, but mine was a message from my father."

"Oh..." Percy trailed off, realizing their dreams might not be connected.

When they arrived at the Big House, they found Grover deep in conversation with Chiron.

"Yo, Chiron, looks like Percy and I have quests lined up at the same time," Lucian said as he plopped down in a chair.

"What?" Chiron asked, surprised by Lucian's abrupt statement.

"He said he had a strange dream last night, and so did I. Mine was from my father—he wants me to retrieve something."

Chiron nodded thoughtfully before turning to Percy. "And what about your dream, Percy?"

Percy hesitated before explaining, "I saw three large men, each wearing different colored togas—one blue, one green, and one black. The blue and black ones were shouting, demanding something back from the green one, who was more defensive. As they fought, lightning struck, the winds grew fierce, and the ground shook." Percy left out the part about seeing someone in the sand, unsure of its significance.

Chiron's eyes narrowed. "How much did you tell him?" he asked Lucian.

"Everything," Lucian replied casually.

"Including..." Chiron pressed.

"Yeah, including that he's one of the main perpetrators," Lucian confirmed.

Chiron sighed. "If what you've told me is accurate, you two need to visit the Oracle. That will determine if you truly have quests ahead of you."

"Ooh, ooh, me first!" Lucian said eagerly, raising his hand like an excited student, earning a few strange looks.

Chiron sighed again, this time with a hint of amusement. "Fine, go ahead. You know where to find the Oracle."

"Yes, sir!" Lucian said, practically bouncing as he sprinted toward the attic where the Oracle resided.

As Lucian left, Percy turned to Grover. "Why is he so excited?"

"Lucian loves an adventure," Grover replied with a hint of exasperation. "Especially a dangerous one."

Lucian approached the lifeless Oracle sitting in its chair. "Alright, you creepy son of a bitch, hit me with what you got," he muttered.

The Oracle's skeletal mouth opened as a ghostly green mist escaped and formed into the shape of a woman, her voice echoing the prophecy:

"Stone eyes will meet a shadowed heart,  

Where something mystical shall start.  

A child of the grave will break the spell,  

Where the lotus blooms and heroes dwell.  

In the clash of ages, old battles the new,  

A fate comes, one of which you already knew.  

In a final clash, all that was hidden is revealed, all of which the enemy now wields."

"Great... another riddle," Lucian mumbled to himself, trying to piece together the meaning. "Stone eyes and lotus bloom... Medusa and the lotus flower, maybe? But the rest... and that fate I already knew—it's about Luke, isn't it?" He sighed, massaging his forehead as the green mist faded back into the Oracle.

When he descended the stairs, he found Annabeth and Thalia waiting for him, their eyes shining with excitement.

"We heard you got a quest! When do we start?!" they asked in unison, barely containing their enthusiasm.

"In a few. I'm curious about what Percy's quest will be like," Lucian answered as Percy made his way up to the Oracle.

Lucian, always resourceful, sent his shadow mouse, Jefferson, to eavesdrop on Percy's prophecy. As he listened, he recognized the familiar lines:

"You shall go west, and face the god who has turned.  

You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned.  

You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend.  

And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end."

Lucian furrowed his brow, deep in thought. *Maybe the words are the same, but the meanings differ...*

As Percy rejoined them, Chiron turned to Lucian. "So, what was your quest?"

Lucian only revealed the first three lines of his prophecy:

"Stone eyes will meet a shadowed heart,  

Where something mystical shall start.  

A child of the grave will break the spell..."

"I see..." Chiron said, nodding. "It looks like your quest will be anything but easy."

"Good, I was hoping for that," Lucian said proudly.

Chiron then turned to Percy, who reluctantly shared the first two lines of his prophecy, leaving out the rest while casting occasional glances at Lucian.

Lucian's eyebrow twitched, recognizing the look. 

"Is that all?" Chiron asked, studying Percy's expression closely.

"Yeah, that's about everything..." Percy replied, trying to sound convincing.

Chiron nodded and offered a final piece of advice. "Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."

Percy frowned. "But there's still something I don't understand. Who's the god in the west?"

"Come on, Peter Johnson, isn't the answer obvious?" a voice drawled. They all turned to see Dionysus lounging in a chair, sipping from a can of Diet Coke.

"Which of the three gods stands to gain the most from their fighting? The answer should be obvious," Dionysus said, as if addressing simpletons.

"Oh yeah? Who?" Lucian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on, Luther, even you should know it's your father," Dionysus scoffed, returning to his drink.

"And how exactly would he benefit the most from all this?" Lucian inquired.

"Fine, you want me to spell it out for you? The three gods fight, there's a war. Where there's a war, there are casualties. All those souls end up in the Underworld, which only empowers your dear old dad," Dionysus explained.

Lucian, Thalia, and Annabeth exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.

"What? What's so funny?" Dionysus demanded, bewildered.

"You clearly don't understand my father at all if that's what you believe," Lucian said, still chuckling.

"I'm sorry to say, but Lord Hades doesn't even enjoy his job. If there was a war he could prevent, he would. It means less work for him in the Underworld," Thalia said, shaking her head.

Annabeth added with an awkward smile, "He really doesn't like dealing with Underworld affairs because it means spending less time with his wife."

"I take it you two got to know Lord Hades pretty well during your stay in the Underworld?" Chiron asked.

Thalia and Annabeth nodded. "He's still a bit scary, though," Annabeth admitted.

Thalia agreed with a nod.

"Wait, so if it isn't your father who turned?" Percy asked.

Lucian looked at him with a confused expression. "Did the prophecy make you forget everything? He had something stolen from him too. Don't you remember me telling you that?"

"Oh right…"

"But then… if it isn't the Lord of the Underworld, who is the god that turned?" Grover asked.

"Isn't that what quests are for? Go west and find out," Annabeth said with a smirk.

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