The Chloe Chronicles: The Lost Goddess

"Let me get this straight," Percy said. "You want to search outside the borders for evidence of an entrance from Tartarus to up here?"
Nico nodded.
Annabeth crossed her arms, and took Percy's hand in hers. "Would it be an open hole?"
"I don't know," Nico said. "From whatever my father told me, we need to take action before another attack is placed upon the campers here who aren't in school."
Thalia scoffed, folding her arms. "I don't know what these things are, but I think our problems won't be solved if we just run away and not do anything about it. If we leave, then we won't have anything to come back to."
"Thalia's right." Annabeth said. "I say we search outside the borders but I think it would be better to stay and fight."
"My dad said all would be lost," Nico muttered. "Or are we just not going to listen to the death god's warning because he isn't credible?"
"Calm down Nico, that's not what she meant!" Percy said, placing a hand on Nico's shoulder. Nico wiggled out of his grip, glaring at Thalia.
"Why don't we just search outside the borders, and based on what we find, we hold a senior camp counselor meeting and decide the next option," Percy said.
"That's actually a better idea than Annabeth's," Thalia said. "I guess it's true what they say: the older, the wiser."
Percy rolled his eyes and Nico unsheathed his sword. "So, who's coming to search with me or do I have to do this alone?"
"I'll go," Percy said.
"Me too," Annabeth said grabbing onto Percy's arm.
Thalia shrugged, "I guess I'll go with you losers." Annabeth chuckled and walked off with the huntress, leaving Percy alone with Nico. Nico pretended to focus on his sword, and not Percy while he messed with his raven black hair.
Nico put his sword away, thinking of a way to get out of an uncomfortable conversation.
"I'm going to uh, get a drink."
"I'll come with you, I'm a little thirsty myself."
Nico groaned in his mind as they walked toward the mess hall. As Nico walked inside he accidentally shouldered Will Solace, who just gave him a grin.
"Hey gay-wad!"
Nico clenched his fists. "I'll kill you!"
Suddenly, Percy flung his fist in front of Nico's face, hitting Will on the jaw.
"Don't talk to him that way! You do that again and I'll feed you to the sharks!"
Will cursed in Greek as he walked away. Nico rubbed the back of his neck as he told Percy thank-you.
"No problem Nico. I don't know why he has a problem with you, but I like you for who you are."
"You-you like me?"
"Yeah, you're the coolest little vampire I've ever met."
Nico almost punched Percy in the arm, but instead he smiled. Moments like these reminded him why he had gotten over his crush.
Chiron cleared his throat behind them, and crossed his arms.
"Percy, what did I tell you about getting into fights?"
"I was only defending Nico, Chiron!" Percy said, placing his hand on Nico's head. Nico swatted it away and pulled the hood of his jacket over his head.
"Defending or not," Chiron said. "Don't get into fights like that again. You have to be an example now to your sister. Speaking of Chloe, I think it is best if you go see her in the infirmary later."
Percy nodded, "Is she alright? I didn't see her after she ran off with Andrew. Those creatures chased after her, one didn't even try to attack me when I engaged with it's foot."
"She's fine, but you'll have to excuse me for now. I have to go check on a theory."
The centaur trotted away, and Annabeth jogged over with Thalia, handing Percy his armor. Thalia gave Nico his armor, which was kept in a dark container filled with water from the River Styx.
"You guys ready to go?" Thalia asked.
"Sure, afterward I want to run by the infirmary and check on Chloe."
"Actually," Nico said. "Why don't you guys go search the outside and I'll go keep Chloe company?" Nico groaned in his mind, he was going to have to apologize for his rudeness.
Percy smiled. "Thanks Nico."
Nico opened a small whole in the ground, handing his armor to a skeleton.
"Take that back to my cabin." He said.
The undead grasped the container in its arms and disappeared into the earth. Nico shadow travelled away from the group, so they wouldn't have to see the grimace on his face. Nico appeared outside the infirmary in seconds and he pushed the door open. Chloe sat alone on a bed, sketching something onto a piece of paper. When Nico approached she balled up the drawing and threw it at his face.
"I know you're upset with me but, I'm here to apologize." Nico said. Nico unfolded the piece of paper and found a sketch of his portrait, perfect in every detail. Chloe had been finishing shading his hair when he had come in. Nico frowned, and sat beside her on the bed.
"I'm sorry."
"You yelled at me," Chloe muttered.
"I know and I'm sorry. That is what you get when you play with the hellfire that is me. I'm an angry guy Chloe."
Chloe rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I'll forgive you, but you need to learn how to hold your tongue."
Nico nodded and gave Chloe a smile. "This sketch is good. Does it have something to do with what you had to tell Chiron?"
Chloe shrugged. "I just told him what the red-head told me. The golden light surfaces."
"The golden light?"
Chloe nodded. "I asked Andrew if I could borrow a book on myths from his cabin, but I don't think that I'll find anything."
The son of Athena reentered the room, and frowned at Nico's prescience.
"Here's the book you wanted Chloe," he said.
"Thanks."
Chloe turned through the pages and both boys looked over her shoulder. Chloe turned to a section of myths involving creatures before the gods and only found one thing, and that was the giants.
"This was no help," Nico muttered.
"Of course the illiterate vampire only says that."
"Cut the crap Henderson, I know how to read," Nico snapped.
Chloe snapped shut the book, causing both of them to jump. She crossed her arms and laid back against the bed.
"Please stop," she whispered. "Anger hurts my head."
Andrew and Nico went for her hand at the same time, grabbing the same one. Nico glared at Andrew, who glared back.
"What are you doing?"
"Comforting my friend," Andrew snapped.
Chloe grimaced and took the pillow from behind her, smothering her face with it.
A silent scream came from under the fabric, and Nico could feel a small shake in the ground.
"Chloe stop that before you smother yourself," Nico chided. He groaned and turned to Andrew. "Look, if we're both going to be around her, I propose we call a truce."
Chloe lifted the pillow of her face and smiled when Andrew agreed and shook Nico's hand.
"You got yourself a deal death-boy. We'll both lookout for her."
"I'm happy you guys are making nice," Chloe said. "But my head hurts. I don't think it's going to get better just sitting here. Do you think it's possible to go look in the Athena cabin for another book?"
Andrew shrugged. "I guess we could but you'll have to face the wrath of my siblings."
"Don't worry," Chloe said. "I know how to tune someone out."


The Athena cabin was dusty and the ceramic owl statues stared at Nico as he walked by. Nico didn't like the cabin, the other Athena children made him feel uncomfortable.
Celeste, Andrew's sister was unhappy the moment Chloe stepped through the door.
"You're seriously bringing her in here?!" She exclaimed. "Do you want to displease our mother?"
"Give it a rest Celeste," Andrew said. "Chloe can come in here if she wants to."
Chloe moved towards one of the book shelves and Celeste stepped in front of her.
"Sorry crazy girl, only sane people can touch these."
"I'm not crazy," Chloe fought back. "I just need to look for a book on the golden light."
"Is that one of your imaginary friends?" Celeste asked. "Or is that just someone you made up for attention?"
"She's not made up," Chloe growled. "If you don't remember Celeste, I helped save people earlier, including you. You could try to be the least bit courteous to me and let me have a look."
Celeste frowned and crossed her arms.
"Do you think my mother stepped aside when your father tried to take her city from her?"
"No," Chloe said. "They did work together, however, to create the chariot."
Celeste grumbled. "I'm not moving."
"Then I'll just have to make you."
"Like you would even try!"
Nico rolled his eyes, he didn't have time for this. Nico swung his arm in front of him, causing a shade to appear. Celeste screamed, seeing the creature and it began to chase after her.
"Find your book," Nico said. "If I don't call this demon often time, and It will eat Celeste's face off."
Chloe stuff towards the shelf and began moving her eyes over the hard spines of books covered in dust. Chloe picked one from the bottom corner and tucked it under her arm.
"This should help, even if it's small," Chloe said. "100 myths they didn't teach you in school, by Plato."
Nico waved his hand and called off the demon before it could cause anymore damage. Andrew leaned against the wall beside him and handed him a twenty dollar bill.
"What's this?" Nico asked.
"Payment. Celeste's a pain in the ass."
Nico rolled his eyes and stuffed the bill in his pocket. Celeste growled and turned towards them, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Skyla, tha petháneis!" Celeste shouted.
Andrew snorted. "Someone is angry."
Nico's mouth turned up in a small smile and he stepped in front of Chloe so she could walk to the door.
"Out of my way, kátharma!" Celeste said, grabbing Nico's arm.
Nico shoved the girl back into one of her other brothers who glared at him.
"Let's go," Andrew warned.
Nico backed out of the Athena cabin, seeing Chloe running ahead.
"I can't believe Celeste called you a bas-"
"No bad language better come out your mouth," Nico said. "Percy will have my sorry butt to Tartarus."
Chloe sat down under a nearby tree and Andrew peered over her shoulder as she flipped through the browning pages.
"I think I found it," Chloe said. "I knew I read this before."
"You've read the myth of the golden-light?" Andrew asked.
"It wasn't an exact myth about it," Chloe said. "There was a poem, written by Homer about a golden being that could change into different forms. This being was created by Chaos, and after the Olympians took the throne, that's when this being became very active. Every time the gods got close enough to catching it, this being would disappear for a month, maybe even a year."
"What does this have to deal with the message you had for Chiron?" Nico asked.
"One day the gods had enough," Chloe said. "I'm not sure how they did it, but Homer stated in this poem that an oracle told them prophecy of how they could get rid of this being, for good."
"Did they do it?"
Chloe nodded. "However only part of this being was destroyed because they were missing a very important part of the puzzle. The golden-light has been resting for centuries, regaining its strength. The gods took part of its soul, and it wants it back. That why all these things are happening. Sickness, war, tragedy, all chaos."
"If this golden-light is awake, then that means-"
"Chaos is waking too," Chloe said. "This isn't good."
"You're right," Andrew said. "This is very bad."

Notes