Chapter Text
Everything was going great. Until it wasn’t.
That was really just the way to describe their entire lives, wasn’t it?
Of course it was too good to be true. The Argo II had finished construction quicker than anticipated, they were going to be setting off for Camp Jupiter to find the rest of the seven. They would be able to stop Gaea. They could save the world!
Then everything went horribly wrong when they discovered that there were actually lines missing from the prophecy. The full prophecy was not in fact:
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call
To storm or fire. the world must fall
An oath to keep with a final breath
And foe bears arms at the doors of death
No, because that would be simple, and make sense. Sense was dead and its murderer was yet to be brought to justice.
They were missing two lines, and they had learned this on the very night before they began their journey across the country.
Rachel Elizabeth Dare had delivered the full prophecy. The version that had all six lines. Lines that caused a complete overhaul of their plans. . . kind of.
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call
To storm or fire. the world must fall
Interloper of Wisdom, forced to follow
Light’s child paves path with shadow
An oath to keep with a final breath
And foe bears arms at the doors of death
They were yet to make sense of these new middle lines (which didn't even really flow properly), but they did make one thing clear, Annabeth was not one of the seven.
Now, best case scenario, Camp Jupiter had the four others, and in fact that was what they were banking on. Because if the others weren’t all there. . . Then they were royally fucked.
Best case scenario was not what happened. Because of course it wasn’t.
When Leo, Piper, Jason and Annabeth (yes, she still went with them. That was what they assumed the prophecy had dictated, anyway. Besides, she was going to find Percy whether they took her with them or not) had arrived in Camp Jupiter; they discovered that they only had three of the half-bloods they needed.
Jason nearly decided to give up and lay in the grass to die.
“So. . . We don’t know who the seventh really is?” Jason had to be the one to break the happiness of Annabeth and Percy reuniting.
Reyna turned slowly, her full attention suddenly on Jason. “What?” Her voice was dangerously quiet.
Jason immediately regretted saying anything, even though he knew it would have to eventually. It was better to just come out with the truth than try to avoid it. “Well. . . It turns out that there are more lines to the prophecy than we initially thought. . . And Annabeth isn’t one of the seven. We assumed the other four would be here.”
Percy’s smile fell straight off his face. “What do you mean ‘there are more lines’?”
Annabeth quickly relayed the newly discovered information.
Jason could hear the shouts of indignance before they even started. Yep, Camp Jupiter was pissed. Nothing unexpected there. Though they had anticipated their anger to be due to a very different reason.
“So what you're saying, is that you are wholly incapable of actually fulfilling the prophecy?” A very arrogant sneer came from the crowd. It parted to reveal quite possibly the last person Jason wanted to see right now. Or ever again, really.
Octavian. Augur of Camp Jupiter. Son of Apollo. Centurion of the First Cohort. Most annoying homosexual to ever live. (Jason had unironically called him the last one. He was not proud of it, but it happened.)
Octavian was giving Jason one of his usual glares of condescension. His arms were crossed and he was scowling, as per usual. This man could not be impressed by anything. Especially not if that something involved Jason.
Jason fought to keep his voice level. “We did not count on the prophecy being delivered so late. We are lucky it was delivered at all, since it seems your camp still isn’t aware of it.”
One of Octavian’s ice blue eyes twitched. “That would be correct, Grace. Which is precisely why I'm skeptical to if it’s even real. This could easily be a ploy to distract us Romans from your true intentions.”
Jason resisted the urge to electrocute him. As he often had to do. “And how exactly would we do that?”
Octavian scoffed. “If you can’t set off for your quest, you’ll have to stay here. Whatever you plan to do while supposedly searching for your last quest member is anyone’s guess.”
Jason’s nails dug into his palms. “Believe me, I would rather be on a life-threatening quest than spend another second in your presence. Alas, it seems all of us are out of luck.”
Octavian’s laugh wheezed like a pug trying to breathe. “How typical of you, Grace. Resulting to such lowly tactics when you can’t get your way. I expected no better from you.”
“Glad I didn’t disappoint.” Jason could feel sparks gathering around him.
The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Good thing there was someone in the crowd who had a blade sharp enough.
“Alright! I think we’re getting off topic!”
Thank every single god in every known pantheon for Micheal Kahale.
He stepped between Jason and Octavian. A brave move, considering his fellow centurion had several sharp objects on his person at any given time.
“Off topic?” Octavian’s voice was just as venomous as it had been before. “Kahale, do you want our home to be destroyed? Are you seriously going to trust a bunch of Greeks?”
Percy, apparently not understanding that Micheal was literally the only living person Octavian had ever listened to, decided to speak up. “In case you’ve forgotten, you have a Greek as praetor. And I don’t take kindly to you insulting my friends.”
Octavian grinned like the little maniac he was. “Oh? So you admit to being allies with them, then? You admit that you’re going to side with our enemies over us?”
“Octavian. Shut up!” Percy snapped.
“No. I refuse to do nothing while you people plot to destroy everything we Romans have built! I will not stand idly by while-”
Mike regained control of the situation. “Octavian, go consult the auguries.”
He was given a very scathing glare. But eventually, Octavian stormed off. Not before dropping, “Fine! Let these spies into our home! See how well that works out! Let it be known that when we all die, it’s Kahale’s fault!”
The crowd began to disperse after he had vanished.
Mike started to follow Octavian, but Jason quickly pulled him back. “You know he hates you, right?” It was a question he had been meaning to ask for a long time, yet there had never been an apt situation for it. In the torrent of everything that was going on, he might as well add one more random thing into the mix.
Surprisingly, Mike nodded. “Yeah. I'm very aware, Jason. Thanks for trying to look out for me, but I've known this for years.”
Jason stared blankly at him, completely floored by this response. “Then why. . ?” He trailed off, unable to find words.
Mike laughed dryly. “Someone’s gotta look out for him, don’t they?”
This did absolutely nothing to clear Jason’s confusion. ‘Octavian’ and ‘look out for’. Those words did not compute.
Jason tried to voice as much, but Mike had already rushed off.
Piper was at his shoulder. “What was that all about?” She asked, voice taut.
He bit his lip. “Octavian’s just. . . like that.”
“Like what?”
“An asshole.” Jason clarified. “He hates everyone and everything.”
“You can say that again!” Percy had also decided to appear. Could everyone please stop materializing?
Jason turned to him. “You made it worse.” He said flatly. “Not that it was your fault, but still.”
Percy shrugged. “Yeah, yeah. But can you blame me?”
“No, not at all. He’s the worst. I completely understand the urge to smack him across the room. But unfortunately that will not get him to shut up. Mike’s the only one able to do that.”
Percy grinned. “Glad we have an agreement. So, Jason, is it? I hear you’re quite popular around here.”
“Yep. I guess you’ve taken my position?”
“Indeed.”
Reyna cleared her throat, walking over to the group. “I’m sure you all have a lot to talk about. But first, I feel that it is imperative that you find who the seventh really is.”
“Any ideas?” Percy asked.
Hazel shook her head. “Maybe it would help if we knew exactly what the other lines were?” She suggested.
Jason hardly heard her. His argument with the augur had caused a thought to spark in his mind. One of the accursed lines stuck out. And he hated how much it did. He hated how plainly obvious it made things. “Guys. . .” He was praying that he was wrong, but he found no other explanation. “I think I know who it is.”