The Daughter Of Night (Original Version)

58- We Have A Chat

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Me and Austin freed everyone, with difficulty. Austin was washing Kayla's face with some bottled water, Ellis staggered around trying to find something to fight, Cecil was trying to clean his sneakers, Miranda was weeping in the spot that the dryads had scarified themselves.

I sat down on the floor and breathed. When Apollo finally returned his face was ashen.

 "You saved me!" Pauline grinned at Apollo, "Bring it in."

"You should get home," Apollo told him as they hugged, "Pete is worried."

"Ah yeah, I'm outta here!" Pauline disappeared.

Apollo sat down next to me and squeezed my arm, silently asking me if I was okay. I nodded as all of the demigods gathered around us.

"So, the voices I heard from that grove..." Miranda looked at the Grove of Dodona, "It's really an Oracle? Those trees can give us prophecies?"

"Perhaps," Apollo shivered, and I could tell that something had happened when he was in the grove.

"Can I see?" Miranda asked.

"No, not until we understand it better," Apollo told her.

"I don't get it," Ellis grumbled. "You're Apollo? Like the god Apollo."

"Afraid so, long story."

"I thought I heard Meg's voice?" Kayla asked, "was she with you? Is she okay?"

"She's...alive." Apollo choked. "She had to leave."

"What?" Kayla frowned, "why?"

Apollo looked at me helplessly.

"Nero," I said, "she went after Nero."

"Hold up," Austin raised his fingers, "when you say Nero..."

Apollo did the best to explain what had happened.

"Oh, gods," Apollo exclaimed, "The Colossus."

"What Colossus?" Kayla frowned, "You mean the Colossus of Rhodes?"

"No," Apollo shook his head, "The Colossus Neronis, the big replica of Nero. Nero is going to destroy camp halfblood and the Colossus is his wrecking crew."

Miranda flinched, "You mean a giant statue is about to stomp on camp?"

"Won't the Athena Parthenos protect us?" Austin frowned.

"She will try," Apollo nodded, "But the Athena Parthenos draws her power from her followers, the more demigods under her cave, the more formidable her magic, and right now..."

"Camp is pretty much empty," I finished.

"Not only that but Nero's Colossus is roughly twice the size of the Athena Parthenos."

"It's not the same weight class," Ellis grunted, "It's an uneven match."

The ground shook.

"Did you feel that?" Cecil asked.

"Please tell me that was thunder?" Kayla groaned.

It happened again.

"It's a war machine," Ellis cocked his head listening, "A big automaton wading ashore about half a click from here. We need to get to camp right now."

"How do we get out of here?" Austin asked, "The myrmekes' lair?"

We got to our feet.

"I don't suppose any of you can fly." Apollo asked.

"I can cook." Cecil offered.

"I can shadow travel," I offered.

"No!" Apollo, Kayla and Austin all said at the same time.

"c'mon it's an emergency!" I protested.

"No, no way," Apollo shook his head. "I have an idea, but I need you guys to help."

"Whatever you need," Austin said.

"I need you to lay down a beat," Apollo said.

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~Em xx