Resolve
"What sort of Monster hangs around a museum?" Bianca asked as we followed what we could of Artemis's trail while being thankful she wasn't bothering to cover her movements otherwise we wouldn't be able to track her. As it was the only reason we could was Zoe's and my familiarity with her combined with Grover's magic.
"I don't know but I'm currently seeing a demigod I never thought I would see here unless dragged here by his girlfriend." I said dryly as Percy raced towards us as if Cerberus was chasing him. I made a note to visit Hades since I hadn't been able to recently. Before Zoe could shout at him I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back the way we came. "So Percy what is so important you had to ignore my orders."
"There was no way in Hades I wasn't coming to help save Annabeth besides we have bigger problems." He said as he tried to get out of my grip, which I tightened each time he came close since he was stronger than he looked. "Some General just planted some teeth and they sprouted out as skeleton warriors while he spoke to Luke." My blood froze as I had some inkling as to what they were and if it was Atlas that spawned them I wouldn't be able to send them back while Bianca didn't have the time to learn.
"If they are what I think they are then please tell me that they didn't have something with one of ours scent on it." I almost begged as I stopped dragging him while Zoe paled since she likely knew what they were.
"They had a silver cloth from Zoe or Bianca, they weren't sure which it was from. I nabbed it and ran but I think they got my scent." He admitted showing a silver bit of cloth and his torn top.
"Kael, give me the keys and get your bow ready. Jackson, come with us but if you endanger our Quest then I will shot you personally." Zoe said marching in front of us once I threw her the keys.
"How are all of us going to fit in the van anyway?" Thalia asked giving me a quick look since I was the broadest one there.
"Kael's/I'm going to be on the roof." Zoe and I said in unison making them all shiver.
"Am I the only one that finds that creepy?" Bianca said making the rest shake their head. I would have chuckled if I didn't sense danger and threw Percy at the others as I was tackled over the railing and slammed into the ground before finding a lioness, goat and snake head all glaring at me. I pushed the lioness head away as I headbutted the goat and kicked the Chimera off me.
"Just great, I don't get just any Chimera but the Original one." I said noticing that it was larger than any I had faced before and had dragon wings too. I raised my hand as the lioness head spewed fire and sighed in annoyance as it did nothing except incinerate my clothes. I closed the distance as she stared at me in disbelief and didn't have the time to dodge as my hands smashed the two front heads together hard enough to crush them. "I can't help but feel cheated at that."
"It wasn't meant to challenge you just separate you from the rest." Luke's voice said from behind me. I snapped around and fired an arrow at him only for it to disintegrate on contact with a barrier between us. "You're a man of your word Kael. Did you really think I wouldn't take precautions to ensure our next talk stayed just that?"
"What do you want Luke? You know me better than most so you know I won't side with the Titans." I ignored the fact that he couldn't have prepared this without time. Time he would only have if he knew I was on the Quest which meant there was at least one traitor in Camp.
"Kronos wants me to try at least and if not the General has first claim on you. I just wanted to see my friend again. Oh and put some clothes on please. Just because you're proud to have a kid on the way doesn't mean I want to see it." He said before noticing my confused look. "She didn't tell you over Iris Message? Ayane is pregnant which is why she didn't feel well the day you left or the day before."
"That just means I have even more reason to survive this Quest." I said once I ran that through my head. There was no way I was going to abandon my kid like Ayane had been and there was no way I was going to force her to raise the kid herself like my Mum had with me. "You do know that playing both sides like this won't be possible soon. You'll have to choose between him and your friends. There is going to be War and people on both sides die in War."
"It doesn't have to be this way." He tried but we both knew it was an empty gesture.
"There are things you can't change no matter how much power you have, Luke. There's a reason I haven't tried to kill Apollo despite how much I hate him and it has nothing to do with sparing Artemis's feelings." Gods were their domain and the sun was important to all life on the planet. That meant that unless one of his sons gained sufficient power, which was unlikely since they focused on healing, music or archery and I couldn't due to the Darkness I gained from Hades, killing Apollo would screw over the world. My hatred paled in comparison to the need of the world.
"And yet impossible things happen on almost a regular basis." Luke said before walking away. I sighed in annoyance as I conjured some clothes. I needed to catch up before Zoe drove away.
DS
"You're playing a dangerous game." I said to the disguised god as Zoe talked with Percy about Riptide. I had caught up just as they got to the Van but we had to ditch it to evade a Helicopter that had a skilled pilot capable of dodging my arrows. "Using the Sun Chariot as a train for us will make trouble for you later."
"One thing we can both agree on is that it is worth it if it helps save Artemis." Apollo said seriously for a change and I knew that nothing could be truer. While I agreed because of how much I respected and cared for her with all she's done for me, Artemis was Apollo's other half. The only ones that cared as much if not more than us were Grandmother Leto and the Hunters.
"Was Luke telling the truth about Ayane?" I asked hoping that he was but Luke was a son of Hermes who was the god of lies like Apollo was the god of truths. It could be possible that he was just saying it to ensure I came out alive.
"She's three weeks along and it is helping the Hunters keep their mind off of Artemis for a while and Daisy is doing her best to keep her calm when she thinks about her past too much." He answered making it hit me. I was going to be a Father, a little boy or girl was going to be calling me Dad in the not too distant future. The kid, or kids if it was twins, was going to be mischievous as Hell though considering Ayane's sense of humour and my own when the mood hit.
"Then it's a good thing I plan on surviving this Quest then, isn't it." I said stopping my train of thought before my imagination starting bringing up unpleasant things to ruin my good mood. The fact that Apollo wasn't giving any indication of my imminent demise told me I would be fine, eventually. He wasn't one to coddle his children knowing it would just hurt them in the end.
"It is but do remember you aren't invincible." I nodded as he disappeared before lying on the roof of one of the cars to get some sleep.
DS
"Kael, are we being approached by who I think we're being approached by?" Zoe asked with annoyance making me turn from the server I was ordering from. At seeing who was approaching my polite smile fled fast enough that Hermes would have approved. It was bad enough Percy had butted into the quest, even if he wasn't as much of a liability as I thought he would be, but seeing those two pissed me off so much I almost missed the older woman travelling with them.
"We are and I'm curious as to how they found us." I mused with a frown getting a confused look from our companions.
"Does either of you two lovebirds wish to fill us in?" Thalia said teasingly making Zoe go bright red but I ignored it since I was more focused on the trio entering the café and the two females taking the free seats at our tables while the only male stood behind them.
"Hello Kasumi, Hayate. What brings you two over considering how our last meeting went?" I said civilly but there was a note of warning in my tone. I glanced at the unknown woman and felt my ire grow as I noticed the similarities between her and the other two which meant she was Ayame, their mother and the one that abandoned Ayane.
"We aren't here to fight." Kasumi said holding her hands up in surrender while Zoe played with her knives as she watched them carefully.
"Can someone please fill us in?" Percy asked looking between us in confusion.
"Perhaps introductions are in order. I am Ayame and these two are my children, Kasumi and Hayate." Ayame said making my eye twitch at the confirmation and I saw Zoe's grip tighten on her knives, neither was missed by the trio.
"Oh, I'm Grover, this is Thalia, Bianca and Percy. It seems you know Zoe and Kael." Grover said with nervous cheerfulness trying to dispel the uneasy atmosphere.
"We've met." Zoe and Hayate said in unison before Zoe continued alone. "This still doesn't explain what you're doing here."
"We've noticed a new addition to our Tapestry and were sent here by someone called Hestia." Hayate said making me sigh and rub my face in annoyance. I loved Hestia, anyone that met her did, but these people punished Ayane for something that was she a victim of herself, after all finding out how she was conceived would mess anyone up. Why should they get a chance to ruin Ayane's happiness when they cast her aside?
"What's a Tapestry got to do with any of us?" Percy asked while I saw that Zoe was slowly turning to me with an odd look on her face.
"Family Tapestries automatically update when a new member of the family is conceived. Since these three are Ayane's former family then that means she is pregnant." Zoe said as her look turned to one of joy as everyone gaped at me. I tried not to fidget under their stares.
"So you're the Father. Ryu and Kasumi spoke highly of you despite the circumstances you met in." Ayame said looking me over making me frown since as far as I was concerned she didn't have a leg to stand on.
"Trying to kidnap someone you cast aside doesn't leave the best impression." I said dryly putting those not in the know on edge. Before more could be said an Iris Message appeared beside us all showing Ayane and Daisy.
"As if this wasn't going to be awkward enough already." Ayane said dryly noticing our guests who brightened up at the sight of her. "Tapestry?"
"Tapestry is how they know but Luke told me and a certain hothead confirmed it." I answered making her groan. "If anything it means I have even more reason to survive this Quest. We'll leave you to speak with them. I'll IM you later."
DS
"So can you explain what happened back there and why you don't seem surprised that Bianca destroyed one of those skeletons?" Thalia asked me as we rode the Erymanthian Boar west. We had been ambushed by the skeletons and Bianca had banished one of them before Pan sent the Boar to help.
"Bianca can do that because her Father has dominion over them which gives her control over them. If you want to know more about Ayane's relationship with her former Clan you are best asking her." I said while absently ensuring Grover didn't fall off as he rejoiced at the proof that Pan lived. I also saw Zoe palm her face in annoyance for not realising who Bianca's father is. "What I can say is that they are dangerous to fight and I helped Ayane fight against them and a friend of theirs three years ago which gave us time to stall them until the Hunters arrived."
"Has anyone told you that you can hold a grudge like Hades?" Percy asked noting my tone. I withheld a chuckle as he sounded like Annabeth when she thought of an interesting fact and wanted to share it. Those two were good for each other.
"It helps that I'm a legacy of his. One of two reasons I'm sure I am the Dark Sun mentioned in the Prophecy." I rolled my eyes as they stiffened at that particular line. "Relax, what is lost can be found. I won't allow my child to be without a Father or allow Daisy to die."
"Guys, the Boar is stopping. We better get off before it throws us off." Thalia said making us all look up to see that it was aiming for a stream to drink from. I grabbed Grover and Bianca and leapt off knowing that the other three would be fine by themselves.
"Thanks" They said once the others joined us. With that done we headed west on foot.