We've been here forever
And here's the frozen proof
I could scream forever
We are the poisoned youth
Remember me
For centuries
~Fall Out Boys : Centuries~
The lights from the windows and billboards of the great city of New York did nothing to illuminate the gray buildings that reached into the stormy heavens. Rain pelted the ground relentlessly. Each drop of water hit any surface it could reach before merging into one of the many fast rushing streams that submerged the roads and sidewalks, filling the shoes of any person who was unfortunate to step into it.
The rain was like a shimmering wet curtain who's sole purpose was to blind the terrified mortals upon the earth. Occasionally it's silver sheen would turn yellow as lightening flashed and thunder shook the world.
Zeus was truly angry that night.
The city was filled with the usual noise of cars and and swearing and the occasional siren wail that would echo in the vast metropolis. Except for the long black warehouses by the ocean docks. No one was there and the buildings had been abandoned too long ago for anyone to care if they were knocked down. And yet a lone figure appeared, just as lightning lit the world with bright white light. She had appeared by the worst looking warehouse, seeming to have come from thin air.
She seemed like a regal and powerful woman what with the way she carried herself and how even the rain seemed hesitant to get near the aura of power that radiated off her form. With the way her black hair was styled and the beauty of her piercing gray eyes, she could have passed as a goddess. Maybe she was.
She remained in front of that broken warehouse patiently waiting for something to happen. Her gray eyes never moved from the doors and it was not too long before her patience was rewarded. Almost undetectable at first, a fine white fog had begun to seep from the uppermost cracks in the door. It flowed like syrup down the wood until it was entirely covered. A few tendrils crept forward to wind around the woman's legs like an affectionate cat. It was cold, and unlike the still pouring rain, it managed to soak whatever part of her clothes it touched.
But then it dissolved, leaving no trace it had even been there. Even the moisture in the woman's jeans was gone.
The woman shivered once though the summer air was warm. She reached out a hand to open the doors but she hesitated and drew back, a look of nervousness adorned her regal features. The reason? The doors. They were blacker than a starless sky, as black as Nyx and all her children mixing their darkness together, and they radiated pure, untainted hatred.
The hatred wasn't meant for her, at least, she wasn't the cause of it, but it still rolled over her like an endless wave. But she forced herself to steel her resolve and straighten her back, showing no signs of weakness. She strode forward with purpose, pushing the doors open to reveal what was behind them.
She walked into the warehouse, only to freeze a few inches over the threshold. Behind her, the doors closed. Doors as thick and heavy as those should have made a sound, but instead of it echoing like normal, the sound became muffled as though she was hearing it from underwater before it disappeared altogether.
Around the woman, and seeming to stretch on forever was white. Nothing but pure endless white. The lack of shade gave no sens of space and a wall could have easily been in front of her, but she would have never known unless she touched it. Except in front of her there was no wall. Only a sinister looking castle.
It was strange to see something in this land of nothing but anything was welcome to ward of this feeling of unease. She walked up to it and studied it carefully. It wasn't very big, a small castle probably about the size of a large mansion. She drew to a halt as the castle doors barred her passage.
A sudden overwhelming sense to run overcame her and she forced herself to quell the human instinct and raised a white knuckled fist to knock upon the door thrice. The door swung open almost instantly to reveal a young girl who was like the woman in the fact they both radiated ancient energy.
But that was were the similarities ended. Unlike the older woman, the girl had curly cinnamon hair to her straight black, and chocolate skin to the woman's pale white. And that wasn't the only difference. The other was her eyes. They were beautiful, at least the color was. Wonderful gold eyes. But her eyes were also pupil-less. They lacked white's and iris'. They were pure gold.
"Lady Athena." The girl said and began to bow respectively but the older woman held up her hand with the ghost of a smile upon her usually stern face.
"Please," She said to her. "We are equals now, no bowing is necessary Hazel." The girl bit her lower lip nervously before nodding and straightening.
"Yes Lady Athena. I, uh...take it your here to see Percy?" Athena nodded solemnly, all traces of a smile gone from her face.
Hazel stepped aside to let her in before she led her deeper into the house. Athena cast a critical eye at all she saw and was pleased to see that while the castle had medieval origins, the Greek and Roman artifacts skillfully placed all around revealed the castle inhabitants true heritage.
They passed several doors and headed down a dozen corridors before they finally managed to reach the beginning of the spiral staircase towards the top of the northeastern tower. Once they reached the top, they came upon a simple wooden door. Golden light streamed from the crack between the bottom of the door and the floor. Flickering shadows and the murmur of incoherent voices betrayed the fact that there were people inside.
Hazel didn't even hesitate before she pushed open the door and strode into the room with Athena fallowing behind. She quickly scanned the room. It was small, a fireplace in one corner gave off the heat and light while the only other objects in the room were the five chairs and single table placed in the middle.
Three figures seated around the table turned in eerie unison to look at the pair as they entered. Once their eyes rested on Athena they pushed back their chairs and made to bow. "Lady Athena." Said one boy. But just as before she held up her hand to stop them.
"We are equals." She chided them. "We must act as such." The boys shared a look before nodding. Athena took a seat in an empty chair and everyone took their places as well. "Please, continue your conversation from before." She said as she folded her hands in front of her.
"Uh, Okay. Well, I know a way into Bunker Nine through a secret tunnel that starts in the back of a Starbucks." Leo Valdez spoke, and once again Athena was shocked with how normal he looked though he radiated a fiery and energetic aura. In fact, Athena would not have been scared of him at all if his eyes had been normal.
The eyes were what revealed the power manifested in the four childrens souls. Windows to the souls.
Athena's gaze traveled around the table to rest on Frank Zhang. He was different, thanks to that blessing from his father the insufferable god Ares.
But the one who had definitely changed the most was the teenager sitting at the head of the table, listening and watching in silence. Athena had seen him change over the years. She'd seen him claimed by her uncle, seem him complete quest after quest in the gods name. Seen him fall in love with her daughter. She had seen her daughter break his heart.
And she had seen more change in him in those few seconds of betrayal than in all his years as a demigod.
His eyes, once warm and lively, were now cold as stone. His carefree smirk had been replaced with an emotionless mask. And as she watched him an animal like sense of fear gripped her heart and she inwardly shivered.
If those who had done him injustice could see him now, they would be shaking in uncontrollable terror. Assuming of course, if he let them live long enough to feel anything.
"Perseus." She spoke up suddenly. Everyone turned to stare at her and in the sudden and immediate quiet she couldn't help but wonder if she should have said anything at all.
She stared calmly ahead into the eyes of the man she had addressed.
"As fascinating as this is, I can only assume you did not ask me here to talk about invasion tactics." She said dryly, her voice steady and calm. She held his gaze and refused to blink or look away from him."What is your plan?"
Perseus smirked and leaned back in his chair. "My plan is quiet simple." He said leisurely. "Train an army of Half-Bloods hundreds strong. Destroy Camp Half-Blood and then march on Olympus. The gods will be practically defenseless without their heroes." He leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. He was daring her to speak the question they all knew was running through her mind.
"And how do you think this plan will work? How do you think you will win?" She said boldly while struggling not to cower. She was Athena, Ancient Goddess of Greece. She did not cower.
Percy laughed at her question. He laughed. A cruel, heartless sound that held no mirth. "How do I think I will win?" He repeated. He grinned maliciously. "Why, Lady Athena, I know I will win. Why?" He lowered his voice dangerously low. "Because the gods themselves trained their destruction."
He lowered his gaze to hers, and this time she had no choice but to look away.