The Chloe Chronicles: The Lost Goddess

Chloe didn't know what was happening, she just knew somehow she was in big trouble. Chloe held Nico's hand and squeezed it as Chiron paced through his office. Percy sat behind her, along with Annabeth and Thalia.
"It's too early," Chiron said.
"What's too early?" Percy asked.
"Rachel did tell me that she would deliver a prophecy, but the quest had to be started on a specific day. She told me that this was the most important piece of the puzzle."
"If Chloe is meant to go in the quest," Percy said. "Why leave on a specific date?"
"Rachel wouldn't tell me," Chiron said.
Thalia cleared her throat and stepped to the front of the room, adjusting her hunter's crown.
"I hate to say it," Thalia said, "But Chloe has no training. It's dangerous to even let her go out on a quest without any."
"That's why she will train until I receive the sign," Chiron said. "Once it is made clear that it is time for her to go, she will train; hard."
"I have contacted Lady Artemis," Thalia said. "She and a few other Olympians agree that these are powerful forces at play. She wants the hunters to try and find the satyr first."
"Wouldn't that mess with the prophecy?" Annabeth asked.
Chloe opened her mouth to say something when an image flashed in front of her eyes. She saw Thalia, tracking someone in the woods.
"As the orb of night shines, the clock ticks," Chloe said. "That's talking about Thalia. She has a part in this prophecy as well."
Percy put his hand on Chloe's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
"Are you sure?"
Chloe looked at Thalia. "People think I'm crazy. I might be a little insane suggesting that it's a good idea. If it is in the prophecy and it will help me, she should do it. I''m not saying it's a good idea, but I think it needs to happen."
"It's settled then," Chiron said. "Thalia and a few of her hunters shall leave tomorrow morning."
Annabeth got up from her seat and hugged Thalia, along with Percy. Nico squeezed Chloe's hand again and let go, rising from his seat.
"Let's go," he said. "I'll take you to the arena.

Chloe met Chiron the next few days in the arena after she was fitted for armor. The centaur first tested her on stability, which Chloe was quite good at. The Demeter camper she worked with seemed nice and commented her on her chi.
Next, she was tested on her balance, which needed a little work. Chloe however found that she was quite flexible. She was small and quick enough to dodge the all of the arrows shot by the Apollo campers. Chiron tested her last on her endurance, where she had to foot race a nymph in order to take the medal from her neck. Chloe ran against three nymphs and got three medals.
"Very stable, and flexible. You are small and quick," Chiron said, thinking. "I will put you in the swords class with your brother but I also want you to train with a dagger. You are small and fast which means you will be able to attack your enemy quickly."
"Chiron," Chloe said. "Why is everyone making a big deal out of my arrival? Why are people volunteering to go on a quest for me?"
"You're a rare creature my dear girl," Chiron said. "You're father has been notoriously known to only have demigod sons. There has never been anyone like you before."
"That doesn't explain why a few gods think it's smart for Thalia to go on a dangerous quest when she only has a small role in a prophecy."
The centaur frowned and adjusted the quiver of arrows on his back.
"My dear," Chiron said. "It isn't right to speak of the Olympian gods in that manner."
"I've read the myths," Chloe said. "I know how temperamental they can be. I'm only questioning their reason for the action they have chosen to take."
"Many of the Olympians are very wise," Chiron said. "All of them are clever. It is true all of us make mistakes, even gods, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from them."
Chloe frowned. She felt flustered, exposed. She felt as if something was going to go wrong.
Chiron cocked his head, studying her expression.
"Do you sense something?" he asked.
Chloe nodded. "The prophecy, it did mention Thalia, don't get me wrong. Something about it, it doesn't sit right. It's like I can feel something bad is about to happen."
"You have a gift," Chiron said. "Very few demigods are born like you. Sometimes, it leads to their unfortunate deaths, but you have survived a long time, which is quite odd."
"What's odd about it?" Chloe asked.
"All demigods have a scent which attracts monsters, but you are different. You were born with heightened senses. You might see things before they happen, maybe feel things or you might be able to tell what people are thinking. This gift is a blessing but also a curse because it only strengthens the scent monsters track you by."
"That's why more nightmares surrounded my cabin and not the big house," Chloe said. "The camp keeps getting attacked because the monsters outside smell me."
"Unfortunately, it seems that is so," Chiron said. "This quest should give us some answers. Once Thalia and the hunters return from scouting, you will be ready to go."
Chloe smiled. Something in that moment felt good. Suddenly, a blood curdling scream came from camp borders and a girl wearing a hunter's jacket stumbled towards them. Her face was cut, and blood rain down her chin. She collapsed in front of Chiron and four Apollo camper's ran up to her.
"What happend?" Chrion asked. "My dear, tell me what happened!"
"The creature," the huntress croaked. "It's been waiting in the shadows for days and attacked us as we made our way west. I don't know who it was waiting for, but it grabbed the lieutenant and killed three others."
Chloe looked to Chiron who didn't meet her gaze.
"Thalia's been kidnapped," Chloe said. "I told you something didn't feel right. That's why they need to learn, not to mess with fate."
Thunder rumbled in the sky as Chloe walked back to her cabin and she knew that she would have to face the monster once she stepped outside the camp's borders.

Notes