27 Setting Out

//As promised yesterday, here's 1 of 4 chapters being posted today. I made a deal, and I'm following through.

That being said, read NameLess when you get the chance. I posted 3 more chapters of it already.

Patre0n.com/ShadowDrev

Goal to 4 chapters a day: $240/$400

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

The next few hours after the gathering at the amphitheater was a whirlwind of ongoings that Chion tried unsuccessfully to keep up with. Not really much for the campers who mostly resumed normal activities after Annabeths speech but more so for the trio who had been picked out to set sail for the island the very next day. It wasn't even like they were being given any breathing room, being shipped out the very moment a part of the prophecy was solved.

Luke Castellan, son of Hermes whom, according to other campers, had failed his last quest. Chion Pagos, son of.....frost, a newcomer at camp with the power over ice and snow. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena and the leader of the quest.

Chion was summoned from various entities such as Chiron, the centaur wanting to speak to him about a number of things which he wasn't going to fixate on, and Mr D, the god who refused to get his name right. On top of that, he had to gather supplies and make sure he was properly stocked for the trip. Rations, medical supplies like gauze and ambrosia, Greek fire, which was an absolute must, some extra weapons made of a metal called Celestail Bronze, extra clothes so on. It was honestly a good thing he had the backpack from Athena. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to bring more than half of the stuff he wanted to. He even spared some time to hit up the Hephaestus Cabin to see if they had any new inventions that could help him in the long run, though only Eon was able to come through and provide him with a few sound grenades.

For something labeled a "Quest," there was a lot to do, and there were numerous things to put into place before they could actually set out.

It was only when Chion had finished checking over his own bag of supplies that he finally managed to take a breath and slow down to actually breathe. Not only was there so much to do physically, there was a lot the white-haired youth had to go through mentally as well. The prophecy. Chiron and MrD's words. The visions. The curse. So many things plagued his mind that it wouldn't have been strange for his brain to turn into pure mush. Normally, it was easy for Chion to spread things out and think about them in a logical sense, but after that image of him with the wound and the blizzard, he wasn't really in the mood to use any ounce of intelligence.

So, to rid himself of his own turmoil and hopefully get himself back into the right mindset, Chion took one final stroll around the camp and immersed himself in the scenery of the forest.

He was supposed to meet up with Annabeth and Luke in the next hour or so to discuss the next step, but there he was, wandering around the same spot he had almost met his untimely end. Imagine Chions' surprise when he found that he wasn't the only one who had gone for an afternoon walk.

It was Luke. A Celestial Bronze sword clutched in his hand, he stood over the armored shell of a deceased Giant Scorpion. Even from the distance Chion was at, he could see how much the blonde counselor was sweating and how heavy he was breathing. It was unclear how long the man had been out there but judging from how disheveled Luke's hair was, Chion wouldn't have been surprised if every scorpion or monster in the area had been cut down to size. When he turned around, Chion could see an expression of exhaustion and anxiousness.....and traces of fear? There were bags under Luke's eyes that the white-haired youth hadn't noticed at the amphitheater, as if he hadn't slept very well the night before.

Upon noticing that he wasn't alone, the older teens mixed expression changed into one of surprise before smiling nervously.

"Oh, Chion. Didn't know you were there." Luke promptly sheathed his sword. Running his hands through his sand colored hair, he shook out as much sweat as he could. "What brings you out here? A bit of sightseeing before we go?"

"Kinda. I wanted to get my mind off some things before we go. I might be overthinking a bit too much."

Luke grinned, a genuine one this time, though it was still a bit strained due to his obvious exhaustion. "You? Overthink? Nah. Maybe you're just tired. Even geniuses have their moments."

"I'm no genius," Chion replied as he made his way closer. "If I was, I might have been able to figure things out a long time ago."

The older teen tilted his head. "About your past?"

Chion took out the dagger from the sheath fixed on his back hip and glanced over the stark white blade reminiscent to that of snow. "My past. My future. My present. It feels like everyone knows about me but me. The gods. Mr D. Chiron. They all know about my past, but none of them are willing to tell me anything of use."

For just a brief moment, the youth felt a flash of intense anger, but he quickly stowed it away. Any over the top emotion would not only make it harder to think logically but would also trigger his own inner power. Despite his writhing negative emotions, he needed to keep himself in check.

"The gods have never been very useful," Luke said, eyeing Chion slightly, hues locked onto his face, as if searching for emotion. "You've been here for a month and have never been claimed, right? The same could be said for a number of the demigods here. The gods don't care about their children, and if they do, they play favorites."

Chion could hear bitterness in his voice, along with a barely disguised anger.

"Sounds like mortal parents," Chion replied. "But at least you can track those people down eventually. Gods? Good luck."

In truth, Chion had only recently felt like he had beef with the gods, and that was solely because of the fact that it was THEM who had put him on this path. It was THEM who took his memories. Initially, he hadn't cared because they had offered gifts, which seemed like a decent exchange, so long as he didn't die and managed to keep on fighting. However, when even Chiron knew about his own origins, either by being there himself or being told by the gods, he began to question what the gods agenda even were and what their goal in all of this was. Was it them who put the curse on him? Was it genetic? What were they gaining from these mind games? It was enough to make most people feel resentful towards the deities and completely despise them.

"Come on." Luke gestured back towards the direction of Camp with his head. "We better start heading back before Annabeth wonders where we are."

"You mean wonders where YOU are," Chion rebutalled. "I don't have to show up for another half hour."

The blonde grinned and shoved the youth on the back. "Sure, Brain Freeze. Just keep moving."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

"So, how're we supposed to get to said island?" Annabeth questioned. "We don't have a boat. And we don't even know which way to go."

After freshening up in the showers, the dual campers had arrived at the designated meeting point with their stormy eyed companion to decide what their next course of action would be. Obviously, the first course of action was to figure out means of transportation. Though Camp HalfBlood made decent money under the guise of a strawberry business, legitimately selling fruits to other shops and businesses, it didn't make enough money or drachma to actually fund a whole boat just for the trip. So, unless the trio could think up a way to actually get to the island in question, the entire quest was dead in the water.

Luckily, Chion had thought up a solution to the dilemma a few hours prior, probably within minutes of realizing the issue. Without a word, the white-haired youth fished out a card from his pocket and placed it onto the ping-pong table.

That was where they were, in the Big House gathered around a big behind ping pong table.

"I have something that MIGHT work." Chion slid the card towards Annabeth. "I have three good uses still on the card. I haven't used it yet."

"Festus Cab Service," Annabeth mumbled slowly as she struggled to read it. "This is just a card for a cab. Nows not the time to make jokes, Brain Freeze."

"The cab driver said 'anywhere' specifically," Chion defended his stance. "Ninety percent chance Festus was also one of the seven gods who offered me gifts. We can rely on its validity."

"So we just call this number, and he takes us there?" Annabeth frowned as she put the card back down. "Seems a little too convenient."

"Even if he only provides us the transportation to get there, it's still a good option." Luke leaned forward on the table. "Even if we steal a boat, we won't know which way we're supposed to go without some outside assistance. And if all else fails, we'll just figure something else out. We're setting out now, but we weren't given any definitive time limit."

"It's a prophecy. Supposedly, it'll happen regardless." Chion shrugged. "Nothing is set in stone, but apparently, I'm wrong."

"So, if we use this approach, the first part of the prophecy has pretty much been figured out," Annabeth put her hands on the table. "We'll head to the island and find what we need. So it sounds like we'll most likely succeed."

"And save a friend and lose one," Luke added.

"And become smelly or something," Chion finished.

Annabeth let out a huff of frustration before sliding the card back towards Chion. "Shut up and make yourself useful. Call us this cab driver and see if he can actually get us to that island."

"Aye aye captain." Chion gave a salute before taking the card and walking out the door.

"Does he know where the landline is?" Luke asked.

Annabeth shook her head. "Nope but let him find it on his own. Idiot doesn't need any help."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Sorry if it feels uneventful. I'm trying to get to the entertaining parts.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Join my discord?

https://discord.gg/AZnQSJQEGh