Chapter Text
Olympian Throne room, Olympus
“APOLLO!” Zeus’s voice thundered throughout the mountaintop city.
In a flash of dazzling light, the god of the sun appeared. Apollo surmised that Zeus was not calling for him for a heart-to-heart with dear old Dad.
“Yes, father?” Apollo acknowledged humbly.
“I have finally decided what your punishment should be,” Zeus answered. “You are to reclaim the Oracle at Delphi, and reclaim the powers of prophecy. That way, we Olympians shall know what the future holds. We need those prophecies. The demigods need their prophecies. More importantly, we need to know when there are new and rising threats. It is time we gods became proactive and not rely on our mortal children to inform us of problems we would otherwise have prevented. This is the Council's decision.”
"I was not aware the Council had met," Apollo replied, confused.
"Is a prisoner supposed to be in on the jury's deliberations?" Zeus sternly asked. "Go, and do as the Council has decreed!"
Having received his sentence, Apollo vanished.
Apollo appeared in a patch of forest on the Greek mainland in the height of springtime, summer just on the horizon. Though beautiful, there was one thing not right with the forest. There was an absence of sound, not even a bird singing. The sun god advanced quietly through the still, silent forest, and came upon a clearing. On the opposite side of the glade, there was a cave. Apollo crept towards the mouth of the cave, stood at the entrance, and readied his bow.
Staring into the darkness, Apollo bellowed, “Python! Come out, you overgrown worm!”
Apollo lit his arrow, and shot the flaming projectile into the darkness. After the fiery projectile disappeared into the depths of the cavern, a green mist spewed forth, and the gaping maw of the mighty Python rushed out towards Apollo. Apollo gracefully evaded the snake, and Python slammed into a tree on the opposite side of the clearing from the cave. Taking advantage of the snake’s disorientation, Apollo fired another arrow. The arrow went through Python’s tough hide. Hissing in rage, Python lunged again at Apollo. Apollo jumped onto Python’s back, and aimed another arrow. Apollo fired it into the snake’s head, and made the killing blow. Python reared up, and then fell to the ground with a mighty crash. After the snake had completely dissolved into green mist that was scattered by the wind, Apollo entered the cave, and relit the long gone out torches.
“Now,” Apollo proclaimed, “the future is once more visible to Olympus!”
Once more, green mist spewed forth from the ancient cave, rushing out to unleash its secret knowledge upon the world.
Temple Hill, Camp Jupiter
Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the Delphic Oracle, had just finished assembling another prophecy that had come to pass:
To the north, beyond the gods, lies the legion’s crown;
Falling from ice, the Son of Neptune shall drown;
The legion’s fallen shall fall to his blade;
To return to the realm of the dead;
Death’s freedom lies in flame;
His liberator shall live in everlasting fame.
“There,” announced the Oracle, “another prophecy that has come to pass. This prophecy tells you that though you might fear someone, he may prove to be your salvation, as Percy Jackson’s actions have shown. On the other hand, Franks' actions were highly commendable, though he sacrificed much for our safety. Let this lesson be known to all, that you can't judge a book by its cover.”
There was much applause from the auger and his acolytes. Suddenly, Rachel swooned and crumpled to the floor.
The auger called to one of the acolytes, “Tell the praetors that the Delphic oracle has collapsed! Someone get a medic!”
The acolyte ran all the way to Camp Jupiter and burst into the principia. Praetors Frank Zhang and Reyna Ramirez-Arellano looked up from their reports.
"What is it?" Reyna ordered.
“Praetors,” the acolyte gasped, “come quickly, the Delphic Oracle has collapsed.”
Then he fainted. Reyna and Frank charged outside. Then Frank shapeshifted into a horse, Reyna hopped onto his back, and they went off towards Temple Hill at a full gallop. When they arrived and Frank resumed his human form, they were greeted by the auger.
“We don’t know what happened,” he confessed. “She completed the prophecy of the Son of Neptune and then suddenly fainted.”
The praetors marched into the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, and found Rachel on a couch and being attended to by the acolytes. Frank and Reyna cautiously approached her. When they got within arm’s reach of the couch, Rachel gasped and sat up, her eyes glowing green.
“A new war is coming,” she rasped, green mist spewing forth from her mouth, “and the Olympian Avengers must come together to stop this new threat.
“Son of War, lead must he;
Avengers unite, so must it be;
Magic of old, it must be done;
Should be defeated, the war won;
Avengers all, this is your chance;
Victory obtained, by point of lance.”
As Rachel recited these lines, the mist formed ghostly and unclear images of two groups charging into each other. A battle scene. Shapes were hard to distinguish, but some legion banners flying over one of the groups were able to be made out. Strange symbols filled the air between the groups, and flashes of light erupted in the melee.
Then Rachel collapsed again back onto the couch.
“Frank, get Percy, Annabeth, and Hazel, and get to Camp Half-Blood,” Reyna ordered. “We must warn Chiron, and prepare for war.”