Chapter 4: Helieus
Olympus was deserted. I searched just about every room and opening in the building. The walk back to the throne room was silent. In my anxiousness I wasn't able to hear utter silence except for a voice
humming. The voice was angelic, like your mothers when she calms you down after you scraped your knee from falling. As I got closer the hum grew into singing. It was coming from where I left Hades.
Peering in from the door way I could see a woman holding his near lifeless body. She cradled him like a mother does a newborn while also feeding him what looked like ambrosia. "sit Son of Nike. We have
much to discuss." She said dryly. Cautiously approaching I sat adjacent to her watching her nurse Hades. The woman reminded me of my mother terribly. She looked almost exactly like her. The only thing
she was missing was the wings my mother had. For a moment I almost called her mom until she stopped me. "I am not your mother. My presence just has this effect. Son of Nike I am Hestia, Goddess of
Home and Hearth". The fire grew brighter as she announced who she was. It seemed to reflect her mood fiery yet restrained, like a bomb just waiting to explode and release its power. She stared at me
intently while I avoided her gaze. It was too nerve wrecking. "Why are you here and everyone is gone?'. My voice echoed throughout the room. "Olympus is my home child. This is where I reside. I am here
to care for my brother when all have left him and gone to war." War? That must be the reason that no one was here and Hestia was here because she wasn't a fighter. Just like she said, she was the
goddess of hearth, of home. Hestia was certainly no fighter but as a care taker she excelled extremely. Life was beginning to flow back to Hades. He had become pale and thin in the time I roamed Olympus
but those effects where being reversed now. Silence echoed throughout the entire room. The fire place bathed me in its rich warmth. For a moment I lost focus on reality and everything became blurry. I
could still make out the fire in front of me and Hestia with hades next to me but it wasn't in focus. We both sat there motionless. "Speak…." She urged. Everything came pouring out. First I started with how
I was running an errand and it required me to go into the underworld. That's where I found Hades and Nyx. She listened with great interest and kept a straight face the entire time. After I finished again,
everything went quiet. Just before I said something Chiron walked in through the door way and nearly jumped through the roof when he saw us. I was surprised to see him, usually he would be at camp
with Mr. D. He looked bad. His body was bruised more badly in some places and he walked like he was missing a leg. He knelt before Hestia even though both of us could see it pained him severely. Chiron
entered followed by Piper who looked just as bad. Piper's hair was frizzy from sweating and she was oozing blood from certain spots along her arm. She also had a blade and shield in hand, not very
common for a child of Aphrodite. I got to my feet and walked over to help both of them from collapsing. Piper nearly fell into my arms. She was heavier than expected but I dragged her next to Hestia to
rest. Chiron laid next to us wincing in pain from bending his legs. "Chiron what happened?" he looked at me hesitantly but eventually told the story. The story he told shook me to the very core. Camp Half-
blood had only been breached once and that was by a demigod, another god entering without any trouble was unheard of. Even Hestia was disturbed. The gods fought as we speak. I walked away from the
group wishing to not hear the details. So many lives were lost. Only about half of the camp made it to Olympus with their lives. In anger I left everyone in the throne room and headed to the elevator. The
healers were attending to the wounded as I passed. It was a gruesome sight. Some possessed bruises that were black and purple all over their body like they had been beaten repeatedly. Others were
almost drowned and currently in a coma. Anger turned to concern. My concern for them made me want to stay and help but I couldn't, I had something important to attend too. Everyone was here except
for my brother and his girlfriend. Not seeing them here made me remember I was supposed to meet them down at the beach. Percy and I were still bonding and getting to know each other. We found out
about each other a year ago when Poseidon sent me to the camp for training. We had grown a lot closer over the months. He was always known to be able to handle himself but this was leading to be
cataclysmic. Still worrying I slipped through the gates and stood at the elevator door waiting for them to open. It baffled me that all the ways they could have incorporated into reaching Olympus they
chose and elevator that was attached to the empire state building. The doors opened with a slight cringe and revealed 3 bodies inside; my brother, Annabeth, and some other kid who I vaguely
remembered. Both of them hugged me bringing relief while the boy stood behind them awkwardly. The boy was scrawny and had nimble hands but surprisingly held a sledge hammer and a tool belt, all
which looked heavier than him, but he seemed to carry all of them with ease. The 3 of them looked shaken up and dazed so I let them enter without pressing for questions. Annabeth and Percy took lead
leaving me and the other kid to follow. Percy was bleeding in several spots on his leg but he seemed unfazed. Some water would clear that up nicely. Olympus had a darker tone to it as we walked back.
The sun had set and night had come. It was a eerie sight except for the fireworks in the distance. They looked to be near the camp like the mortals where celebrating. It was odd at first but I didn't give it a
second thought. We passed through the gates which were recently restored. The gates now had a finely polished arch that was upheld by the Hekatinkheires. A tribute ordered by Percy to be made. The
brilliance of Annabeth's architectural style was limitless. She demonstrated superior craftsmanship that rivaled that of the Hephaestus children, but her achievements were to be admired later. The light
from the fireworks had grown closer and brighter. I could feel slight vibrations but they were barely noticeable. We continued walking, passing by all our injured campers. Percy stopped for water but I
walked straight past. Piper was awake when I walked into the throne room. She still looked bad but at least she was awake. Her, Chiron and Hestia were holing a conversation that faltered when I walked
in. I could feel the hostility radiating from Hestia. It pondered me why the goddess seemed to despise me so much. I didn't linger on it long because the room shook forcefully. This time it was noticeable.
Chiron looked around confused as did I. Hestia muttered under breath. Percy and Annabeth came running through the door screaming "Get Down!". The ceiling ripped open being sucked away piece by
piece revealing the open night sky. Smoke had begun to build but it was already clearing. We all were blown to the ground but remained unscathed. Hestia was standing now. She had encircled us in a
dome of energy protecting us from the blast. The dome still stood but when the smoke cleared a man stood in its place. He reminded me of Zeus but he was obviously not him. This guy stood taller and
straighter and beamed with pride. He was like a more militaristic and stronger looking. His presence demanded respect. Percy and Annabeth drew their weapons while Chiron was still on the ground
knocked out cold. " I thought all the Olympians were fighting my sister. I am mistaken." His voice was cold like the upper atmosphere baring no emotion or sympathy. Hestia said nothing. She was no
longer warm like before. Her appearance had changed as well. She looked like she had been hit with grief and anger. The man lunged but flew back several feet as he tried to breach the barrier. He
attacked repeatedly still unable to break the barrier but holding him off was sapping Hestia's power, I could see it in her face. "let down the barrier. We can take him in combat together." Hestia looked at
me with disgust as if the idea of fighting for our lives was beneath her. " I vowed to remain a benevolent goddess, to never bear arms…. I interrupted her because I had heard this before. I brought forth the
argument that if she didn't fight we were sure to be defeated. The gods were too busy with Nyx and Hades was MIA at the moment meaning Hestia was our only hope. She stared at me with such rage I
thought she would fight me if anybody. The dome dissipated and I nearly had been sliced in half. Percy stopped him from landing the strike but was slammed across the room into the wall. The wall
crumbled on top off him. Foolishly, I ran straight to the man jabbing my spear into his left calf. He faltered slightly but grabbed the spear with me still holding on and swung me over his head with me
landing on my back. The world blew out of focus but I could still hear Annabeth and Piper behind me. By the time I got to my feet the girls seemed to have everything under control. The god was stumbling
on one knee while both girls attacked fearlessly. The god bellowed in fury each time the two added a new spot that ichor leaked out of. Annabeth kicked him behind his knee cap making him collapse. Piper
ran and kicked him in the face where he then fell to the floor. I saw my chance and grabbed him. His weight was surprisingly nothing. He was as heavy as air making him easier to fly with. I held on to him
with one hand a we got higher and higher into the night sky. The stars were brighter than ever tonight. The gods body shook lifelessly into the air until we hit the stratosphere. His body jarred back to life
with him grabbing me then throwing him off me. I readied my spear and shield knowing that I probably wasn't going to survive this encounter. When I turned to face him he was gone. The air had become
still. Nothing moved except for piper and Annabeth way below me. Suddenly the air rustled behind followed by what felt like talons dig into my wings. Pain instantly shot into my back making me drop my
spear and shield. Desperately I reached to my back trying to pry whatever it was that had ahold of me. "Mortals don't deserve the freedom of flight. The air is my domain. I am Aether, the primordial god of
Air and Sky.'' The pain in my back intensified 100 fold. All I could hear was the crunch of my bones as my wings were ripped from my body. The pain was so immense my mouth formed to cry out but
nothing but silence came out. My body went limp from the amount of pain that I was bearing physically, but also mentally. Within the short moments that I fell back into the lower atmosphere I felt
violated. A Piece of me was gone forever. I would never be able to fly again, never to experience the true freedom that comes with flying. The ground hit me with massive force breaking my leg. I had fell
onto the street. Everyone was crowding over me wondering how I was still alive. Someone grabbed my arm pulling me onto the curb. Blood had seeped through my shirt and was flooding the sidewalk. I
could hear someone yell "Call the ambulance!" before my eyes closed and the world went black.
