Kate

It was around midnight. Earlier i left the bathroom to find Percy and Annabeth curled up together, asleep. They were sweet together. Seeing them kinda made me wish that Apollo was here. But he wasnt. So i was awake, at midnight, alone, because of someone else's nightmare.

As for the someone else. She was still asleep. The nightmare had passed long ago when Percy drew her closer and chased it away. But i had no one to do that for me so the images still remained clear in my head.

I sat on my bed, my sketchbook open on my lap. I had only drawn happy images since i became a goddess, but once i saved Annabeth, we remained connected, somehow. So when she had nightmares, i got them too. I guess it's my unlucky tendencies that they often affect me too. Tonight it was the camp completely destroyed. Everyone was dead, except her and i guess me.

I learned a while ago, when i first started having nightmares, that if i drew them they became less real. It was my way of coping. That started when my insomnia ended. Drawing eliminated my fear of sleeping, and so my insomnia stopped. With the help of Apollo. He was the one who gave me the idea.

Sadly the drawing had a side effect. As my abilities grew, they somehow transfered into my drawings. This caused them to move and become more like movies of the dreams they displayed. But they still seemed unreal, almost like you could pause them to get popcorn and hit play when you got back. It was curious, that was the word i used anyway.

Percy had found the book again about three weeks ago. A little before the haunted house and Halloween. He was pleased that the new pictures were pleasant. And i was too. I had thought that my days of nightmares were over. Then i just had to go and get them from someone else.

Don't get me wrong. If i could i would take them from Annabeth completely, but i couldn't. And now they were a burden to both of us.

My biggest fear for this little adventure we were on, was that this link between me and Annabeth caused her to feel my payment when we get to Arbor.

I set those thoughts aside and thought about who i was. Inspirational, i know, how selfless of me. But it's not like that. At least not completely.

When i became a goddess, Zeus had said that what i was incharge of and what my symbols were would come eventually, until then I wouldn't be fully immortal, as in I could be killed just not as easy. Well, long story short, i was not into waiting. The word eventually was basically my mortal enemy. So, naturally, i tried to find what i would rule over. I mean, heir to Olympus, that was a given, but there had to be something else. And when i found it, i fully intended to make Annabeth and Percy my champions.

Anyway, back to the present. I finished the drawing and it looked just like it had in the dream, sadly. I closed the book and clicked it on my bracelets, causing it to form into one. I had enchanted it to do this to avoid Percy taking a peak whenever he pleased. Now he could only see it when i allowed him. That whole situation reminded me of movie siblings where the sister hides the diary from the brother.

Come to think of it, my whole life was like a movie. All of it was so surreal, it was hard to believe that everyone at camp was still sane.

Annabeth sat up in bed. She was a little far from Percy so she didn't wake him. She sat for a moment, her eyes frantic. Them she relaxed.

"Bad dream?" I whispered.

She looked at me and nodded. That's when i got the images. When i was awake they seemed delayed. But they still came. Annabeth dreamed about Tartarus again. She dreamed about when Percy disappeared. Or at least she thought he did.

This dream didn't affect me as much, but it was still powerful. She set her head on her knees and sat there for a moment. I knew what she needed.

"Come with me." I whispered.

She looked at me strangely as i stood and walked to the door. She followed and we left the room quietly.  I closed the door behind us and clicked a button on the handle, locking it. Now if Percy woke up, he couldn't leave. I would have left it be except for the fact that this was a very bad place to leave your room in the middle of the night without knowing where you are going.

I patted the key in my pocket to make sure it was there. Then i walked down the hall to the dead end with Annabeth next to me.

I held to key up to the wall and it started to move, making an opening to another room. Once we were inside the opening closed again. We were in a fair sized room. There were tables set up everywhere but behind the counter where there were several machines and a young boy about fifteen.

"What is this place?" Annabeth asked.

"The coffee shop." I answered. We took a seat at one of the booths at the wall and the boy came over to us. "Two double dreams." I told him.

The boy nodded and went to the machines to mix the drinks.

"Double dream?" Annabeth asked.

"Its one of their specials. The drink gets rid of any memories of you dreams that night." I answered.

"Oh. What is this place? I mean the whole place?" Annabeth asked.

"It is a safe place for monsters and demigods alike. Fighting is prohibited and peace is guaranteed. Charlie owns it to make a little extra drachma." I said.

"How does everyone get here then? They can't all be from around here."

"They're not. The door we came through is one of many. When they are in use a door will appear in the lobby and the door you enter transports you here. Charlie setup entrances everywhere. He has three in the U.S., one in Canada, one in South America, one in the center of Asia, one in Africa, one in Australia, and three in Europe."

"Where? And why do some continents have more?"

"In the U.S. one is by Camp Half-Blood. That's the one we came through. Another is by Camp Jupiter. And the last is in the very center of the U.S. Thats where the actual place is, where we are now."

"What state."

"Charlie keeps that a secret. He didn't even tell me. But i know the ones in Europe. Theres one in London, one in Rome and the last is in Athens." I answered.

The boy came over with two mugs. They both held gold liquid. I thanked him and Annabeth smiled as he walked away.

"Why do you need to forget?" She asked me as i downed the drink.

I hesitated, trying to decide if i should tell her. I had planned to wait until we got back to camp. "When i saved you, we remained linked somehow. When you get nightmares, i get the same ones. And may i just say that i get why you sleep with Percy." I answered.

"Oh." She said softly and took a sip of the drink.

A while later both of our cups were empty and the boy brought over two glasses of water.

"So i want to know something." Annabeth said.

"Hum?" I mumbled around the glass as i took a sip of water.

"Why do you try to get rid of your fatal flaw?" She asked.

I choked on my drink. "What do you mean?" I coughed.

"Well Apollo told us that you don't give away the truth because it helps you to not trust people. Why?"

I took a deep breath. Great. I thought. Now she wants an answer. But can i give one? I wondered. I could tell another lie, get myself out of it.

"Tell her the truth. You owe her, she's not like he was you can trust both of them." Hope stood next to me.

You should be at camp. I growled in my head.

"And you are lucky i'm not. If i was you would dig yourself into a deeper hole. Now tell her the truth."

You died because of my flaw. How can i trust anyone?

"Does she look like Ryan? Tell her." She growled.

You're impossible.

I turned to Annabeth. She was still waiting for an answer. I sighed and leaned my arms on the table. "When i was little, before everything happened, i went to a mortal school. It was a private school but there were still other kids. One kid was a little boy named Ryan. We were best friends, did everything together. One day he caught me practicing my water abilities with my water bottle. So i told him everything, how i was a demigod, same with my mother and sister. He actually believed me. At that age i didn't realize that mortals couldn't see through the mist. That was my mistake. He was a young demigod, but he was a traitor. He worked with Acaml and his forces. Ryan told Acmal where we were and soon the hellhounds attacked. My sister died because i trusted Ryan without knowing him. My mother told me early that that was my fatal flaw. So from then on i did my best to get rid of it. I soon found that if i lied to people i wouldn't trust them." I told her.

She looked at me for a moment then spoke. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. You can trust Percy and i. We're your family now." She reached over and took my hand in hers.

I smiled at her. Then the key in my pocket started to click.

"What's that?" She asked.

"The key. It means Percy's awake. We should get back. Can you do me a favor?" I asked.

"What?"

"Can you not tell Percy. I don't want to tell him yet."

She nodded in understanding and we left.

I got to the door first and unlocked the door. I opened it slightly as a force rammed into it and went flying out. That force was Percy and he hit the wall across the hall with a thud. He slumped to the ground. I looked at Annabeth and we busted out laughing as Percy sat up and rubbed his head.

"It's not funny. I thought you two were in trouble!" Percy whined which only made us laugh harder.

"I think someone needs a cup of double dream." Annabeth gasped between laughs.

~~~~~~~

We walked up to a large gate that surrounded a garden that was even larger.

"Stay here." I ordered Annabeth and Percy. "If you have to, run. Don't wait just run. If it comes to that i'll meet you back at camp." I finished and walked through the gate. I formed into a leopard once i was inside.

The full moon bathed light over the whole garden. I walked through the perfectly kept bushes, trees, and flowers to the little pond in the very center. It had lily pads perfectly placed. A weeping willow hung its branches over so they brushed the water. Bright white fish darted in the pond as ducks quacked on the surface.

"Life at its purest." A voice said in front of me.

I remained still on the edge of the clearing as a large deer revealed himself. His coat was gold dappled silver. His antlers we large and had more than fifty points each. They were draped with silver vines that made a web over them. He was tall, nearly eight feet.

"Arbor." I greeted and bowed low before him.

"Come child, into the clearing. You come seeking answers. But why? After all this time of no word from you, why must you come to me and do you know the price?" Arbor spoke in a dignified voice.

"I know the price, old friend and i do come seeking answers. I believe you know why you have not heard from me."

"Yes i do. I see you have been to Tartarus and back. What a great feat for someone like you. But you have brought two more with the same past."

"They are remaining behind the gate and are not threat to you."

"Good. Now what did you want to ask?"

"There are creatures at Camp Half-Blood. I need to know how to kill them and who sent them."

"Big questions child. But you must pay first. Step forward."

I did as he said. In the trees surrounding us i heard rustles as the archers prepped their arrows and took aim. An orb of red light started to form among Arbor's antlers. The archers glowed in the trees around me as they fired their arrows.

Pain exploded over my body as the arrows released their burden, the pain of the ones i killed. I could pick out the sting of fire of the death of Arachne. But the one that hurt the most was the feeling of a sword through my gut. I knew who that was, Ryan. The day i killed him and took my revenge.

"So much death for such a young life. You demigods are so hurtful to those around you. Why did you come here. The punishment is sure to kill you and you will never get your answer." Arbor said, looming over me as more arrows found their marks.

"I'm not a demigod anymore. If i was you would have killed me." I growled.

He stood higher. "So that's what i sensed about you. There was something different from the moment you stepped into my garden. I guess the Heir of Olympus finally became an Olympian." He responded.

The archers stopped firing but the arrows remained. "What is my answer?" I asked, standing as tall as the arrows would let me.

"The creature's power is also their weakness. Use their voice against them you must call their names. Which are Plague, Vex, and Scourge. As for who sent them. They are the Musketeers, as they call themselves. They are rouge demigods bent on bringing down Olympus and the entire greek world. All i know of them is that one is a child of Hecate, one of Hades, and one of Ares. Fight bravely my child. There will be many more battles to face." With his last word he vanished leaving an empty clearing with a vacant pond.